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diff --git a/26311-0.txt b/26311-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d258dd --- /dev/null +++ b/26311-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6397 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Choice Cookery, by Catherine Owen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Choice Cookery + +Author: Catherine Owen + +Release Date: August 14, 2008 [EBook #26311] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHOICE COOKERY *** + + + + +Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + +Transcriber’s Note + +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. A list of changes is +found at the end of the text. Inconsistency in spelling and hyphenation +has been maintained. A list of inconsistently spelled words is found at +the end of the text. + +The following less common characters are used in this e-book. If they do +not display properly, please change your font. + +Œœ OE and oe ligatures +“” Open and close quotes +’ Apostrophe +† Dagger +☞ Right pointing hand + + + + + + CHOICE COOKERY + + + + BY + + CATHERINE OWEN + AUTHOR OF + “TEN DOLLARS ENOUGH” “GENTLE BREAD-WINNERS” ETC. + + + + NEW YORK + HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE + 1889 + + + + +Copyright, 1889, by HARPER & BROTHERS. + +_All rights reserved._ + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Choice cookery is not intended for households that have to study +economy, except where economy is a relative term; where, perhaps, the +housekeeper could easily spend a dollar for the materials of a luxury, +but could not spare the four or five dollars a caterer would charge. + +Many families enjoy giving little dinners, or otherwise exercising +hospitality, but are debarred from doing so by the fact that anything +beyond the ordinary daily fare has to be ordered in, or an expensive +extra cook engaged. And although we may regret that hospitality should +ever be dependent on fine cooking, we have to take things as they are. +It is not every hostess who loves simplicity that dares to practise it. + +It was to help the women who wish to know at a glance what is newest and +best in modern cookery that these chapters were written for _Harper’s +Bazar_, and are now gathered into a book. It is hoped by the writer that +the copious details and simplification of different matters will enable +those who have already achieved success in the plainer branches of +cookery to venture further, and realize for themselves that it is only +the “first step that costs.” + +I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mrs. Clarke, of the South +Kensington School of Cookery, to Madame de Salis, and those epicurean +friends who have cast their nets in foreign waters, and sent me the +daintiest fish they caught. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. INTRODUCTION 1 + II. SAUCES 11 + III. WHITE SAUCES 23 + IV. BROWN SAUCES 33 + V. COLD SAUCES 42 + VI. SOUPS 51 + VII. FISH ENTRÉES 61 + VIII. VARIOUS WAYS OF SERVING OYSTERS 71 + IX. VARIOUS CULINARY MATTERS 79 + X. ENTRÉES 86 + XI. ENTRÉES OF MUTTON CUTLETS OR CHOPS 98 + XII. ON THE MANNER OF PREPARING CROQUETTES, CUTLETS, + KROMESKIES, RISSOLES, AND CIGARETTES 107 + XIII. PATTIES 116 + XIV. ENTRÉES 125 + XV. ENTRÉES--_continued_ 134 + XVI. ENTRÉES--_continued_ 143 + XVII. COLD ENTRÉES, OR CHAUDFROIDS 153 + XVIII. COLD ENTRÉES 162 + XIX. GALANTINES, BALLOTINES, ETC. 172 + XX. HOW TO “FILLET.”--COLD GAME PIES 181 + XXI. GARNISHES 191 + XXII. VARIOUS WAYS OF SERVING VEGETABLES 199 + XXIII. JELLIES 208 + XXIV. JELLIES--_continued_ 217 + XXV. COLD SWEETS.--CREAMS 226 + XXVI. CREAMS AND FROZEN PUDDINGS 235 + XXVII. ICED PUDDINGS 243 + XXVIII. ICE-CREAMS AND WATER-ICES 252 + XXIX. MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS 262 + XXX. MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS--_continued_ 271 + XXXI. MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS--_continued_ 281 + XXXII. FINE CAKES AND SAUCES 291 + XXXIII. SALADS AND CHEESE DISHES 300 + INDEX 309 + + + + +CHOICE COOKERY. + + +I. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +By choice cookery is meant exactly what the words imply. There will be +no attempt to teach family or inexpensive cooking, those branches of +domestic economy having been so excellently treated by capable hands +already. It may be said _en passant_, however, that even choice cooking +is not necessarily expensive. Many dishes cost little for the materials, +but owe their daintiness and expensiveness to the care bestowed in +cooking or to a fine sauce. For instance: cod, one of the cheapest of +fish, and considered coarse food as usually served, becomes an +epicurean dish when served with a fine Hollandaise or oyster sauce, and +it will not even then be more expensive than any average-priced boiling +fish. Flounder served as _sole Normande_ conjures up memories of the +famous Philippe, whose fortune it made, or it may be of luxurious little +dinners at other famous restaurants, and is suggestive, in fact, of +anything but economy. Yet it is really an inexpensive dish. + +But while it is quite true that fine cooking does not always mean +expensive cooking, it is also true that it requires the best materials +and sufficient of them; that if satisfactory results are to be obtained +there must be no attempt to stint or change proportions from a false +idea of economy, although it must never be forgotten that all good +cooking is economical, by which I mean that there is no waste, every +cent’s worth of material being made to do its full duty. + +In this book the object will be to give the newest and most _recherché_ +dishes, and these will naturally be expensive. Yet for those families +who depend upon the caterer for everything in the way of fine soups, +_entrées_, or sauces, because the cook can achieve only the plain part +of the dinner, it will be found a great economy as well as convenience +to be independent of this outside resource, which is always very costly, +and invariably destroys the individuality of a repast. Many new recipes +will be given, and others little known in private kitchens, or thought +to be quite beyond the attainment of any but an accomplished _chef_. But +if strict attention be paid to small matters, and the directions +faithfully carried out, there will be no difficulty in a lady becoming +her own _chef_. + +I propose to begin with sauces. This is reversing the usual mode, and +yet I think the reader will not regret the innovation. The cooking to be +taught in these pages, being emphatically what is popularly known as +“Delmonico cooking,” very much depends on the excellence of the sauces +served with each dish; and as it is no time to learn to make a fine +sauce when the dish it is served with is being cooked, I think the +better plan is to give the sauces first. They will be frequently +referred to, but no repetition of the recipes will be given. + +Before proceeding further I will say a few words that may save time and +patience hereafter. Of course it is not expected that any one will hope +to succeed with elaborate dishes without understanding the principles of +simple cooking, but many do this without perceiving that in that +knowledge they hold the key to very much more, and I would ask readers +who are in earnest about the matter to acquire the habit of putting two +and two together in cooking as they would in fancy-work. If you know +half a dozen embroidery or lace stitches, you see at once that you can +produce the elaborate combinations in which those stitches are used. So +it is with cooking. The most elaborate dish will only be a combination +of two or three simpler processes of cooking, _perfectly_ done--that is +a _sine qua non_--something fried, roasted, boiled, or braised to +perfection, and a sauce that no _chef_ could improve upon; but to +recognize that this is so--that when you can make a Châteaubriand sauce +or a Béarnaise perfectly, and can _sauté_ a steak, the famed filets à la +Châteaubriand or à la Béarnaise are no longer a mystery, or that one who +can make clear meat jelly and roast a chicken has learned all but the +arrangement of a _chaudfroid_ in aspic--will make apparently complicated +dishes simple. + +I go into these matters because I hope to cause my readers to _think_ +about the recipes they will use, when they will see for themselves that +even the finest cooking is not intricate nor in any way difficult. It +requires intelligence and great care about details: no half-attention +will do, any more than it will in any other thing we attempt, whether it +be high art or domestic art. + +In making sauces or reading recipes for them it simplifies matters to +remember that in savory sauces--by which I mean those served with meats +or fish--there are what the French call the two “mother sauces,” white +sauce and brown; all others, with few exceptions, are modifications of +these two; that is to say, béchamel is only white sauce made with white +stock and cream instead of milk; Allemande is the same, only yolks of +eggs replace the cream; and so on through the long list of sauces +belonging to the blond variety. The simple brown sauce becomes the +famous Châteaubriand by the addition of glaze (or very strong gravy) and +a glass of white wine, and is the “mother” of many others equally fine. +This being so, it will be seen that it is of the first importance that +the making of these two “mother sauces” should be thoroughly understood, +in order for the finer ones based on them to be successfully +accomplished. + +It will clear the way for easy work if I here give the directions for +making one of the most necessary and convenient aids to fine +cooking--the above-named glaze. To have it in the house saves much worry +and work. If the soup is not just so strong as we wish, the addition of +a small piece of glaze will make it excellent; or we wish to make brown +sauce, and have no stock, the glaze comes to our aid. To have stock in +the house at all times is by no means easy in a small family, especially +in summer; with glaze, which is solidified stock, one is independent of +it. + +Six pounds of lean beef from the leg, or a knuckle of veal and beef to +make six pounds. Cut this in pieces two inches square or less; do the +same with half a pound of lean ham, free from rind or smoky outside, and +which has been scalded five minutes. Put the meat into a two-gallon pot +with three medium-sized onions with two cloves in each, a turnip, a +carrot, and a _small_ head of celery. Pour over them five quarts of cold +water; let it come slowly to the boiling-point, when skim, and draw to +a spot where it will gently simmer for six hours. This stock as it is +will be an excellent foundation for all kinds of clear soups or gravies, +with the addition of salt, which must on no account be added for glaze. + +To reduce this stock to glaze, do as follows: Strain the stock first +through a colander, and return meat and vegetables to the pot; put to +them four quarts of _hot_ water, and let it boil four hours longer. The +importance of this second boiling, which may at first sight appear +useless economy, will be seen if you let the two stocks get cold; the +first will be of delightful flavor, but probably quite liquid; the last +will be flavorless, but if the boiling process has been slow enough it +will be a jelly, the second boiling having been necessary to extract the +gelatine from the bones, which is indispensable for the formation of +glaze. + +Strain both these stocks through a scalded cloth. (If they have been +allowed to get cool, heat them in order to strain.) Put both stocks +together into one large pot, and let it boil as fast as possible with +the cover off, leaving a large spoon in it to prevent it boiling over, +also to stir occasionally; when it is reduced to three pints put it into +a small saucepan, and let it boil more slowly. Stir frequently with a +wooden spoon until it begins to thicken and has a fine yellowish-brown +color, which will be when it is reduced to a quart or rather less. At +this point watch closely, as it quickly burns. When there is only a pint +and a half it will be fit to pour into small cups or jars, or it may be +dried in thin sheets, if required for soup in travelling; to do this, +pour it into oiled tin pans an inch deep. When cold it can be cut out in +two-inch squares and dried by exposure to the air till it is like glue. +One square makes a cup of strong soup if dissolved in boiling water and +seasoned. If, however, it is put into pots, it must _not be covered_ +until all moisture has evaporated and the glaze shrinks from the sides +of the jar. This may take a month. + +The most convenient of all ways for preserving glaze is to get from your +butcher a yard of sausage-skin. Tie one end very tightly, then pour in +the glaze while warm by means of a large funnel. Tie the skin just as +you would sausage as close to the glaze as possible, cut off any +remaining skin, and hang the one containing the glaze up to dry. When +needed, a slice is cut from this. + +Of course any strong meat and bone-soup can be boiled down in the same +way, and where there is meat on hand in danger of spoiling from sudden +change of weather it can be turned into glaze, and kept indefinitely. I +have found glaze five years old as good as the first week. + + + + +II. + +SAUCES. + + +In addition to the glaze, for which the recipe is given in the preceding +pages, and which will make you independent of the stock pot, there are +several other articles involving very small outlay which it is +absolutely necessary to have at hand in order to follow directions +without trouble and worry. + +It is often said by thoughtless housekeepers that cooking-books are of +little use, because the recipes always call for something that is not in +the house. This is a habit of mind only, for the very women who say it +keep their work-baskets supplied with everything necessary for work, not +only the everyday white and black spools, nor would they hesitate to +undertake a piece of embroidery which required quite unusual +combinations of color or material, and to be obtained only with +difficulty. Grant a little of this earnest painstaking to the +requirements of the cooking-book at the start, see that the herb-bottles +are supplied with dried herbs (when fresh are not attainable), the +spice-boxes contain the small quantity of fresh fine spices that is +sufficient for a good deal of cooking, and red and white wine and brandy +are in the house, all of which should be kept in the store-closet for +cooking alone, and not liable to be “out” when wanted. + +The so-called “French herbs” are rarely found in American gardens, yet +might be very readily sown in early spring, as parsley is; but although +seldom home-grown, they are to be found at the French market-gardener’s +in Washington Market, and can be bought fresh and dried in paper bags +quickly for use. I say dried quickly, because unless the sun is very hot +much of the aroma will pass into the air; it is, therefore, better to +dry them in a cool oven. When they are dry enough to crumble to dust, +free the herbs from stems and twigs, and put them separately into tin +boxes or wide-mouthed bottles, each labelled. The expense of herbs and +spices is very slight, and they are certainly not neglected among +kitchen stores on that account; it is merely the want of habit in +ordering them. In addition to these articles a bottle of capers, one of +olives, one of anchovies, canned mushrooms, and canned truffles should +be on hand--the latter should be bought in the smallest-sized cans, as +they are very costly, but a little goes a long way. Families living in +the country often have for a season more mushrooms than they can use. In +the few days in which they are plentiful opportunity should be taken to +peel and dry as many as possible; when powdered they give a finer flavor +than the canned mushroom, and may be used to great advantage in dark +sauces. + +The French _chef_ classes all white sauces as _blonde_, and calls the +jar of very smooth thick white sauce, which he keeps ready made as a +foundation for most of the family of light sauces, his _blonde_ or +_velouté_. This explanation is given because directions are often found +in French recipes to “take half a pint of velouté” or of “blonde.” The +mistress of a private house may not find it wise or necessary to keep a +supply of sauce ready made, although to one who has to supply a variety +of sauces each day it is indispensable; but the day before a +dinner-party sauces can be so made, and covered with a film of butter to +prevent skin forming, and can then be heated in a bain-marie when +required for use. Almost every _chef_ has his favorite recipe for +velouté, or white sauce, but they differ only in points that are little +essential; the foundation is always the same, as follows: Put two ounces +of butter in a thick saucepan with two ounces of flour (tablespoonfuls +approximate the ounce, but weight only should be relied on for fine +cooking). Let these melt over the fire, stirring them so that the +butter and flour become well mixed; then let them bubble together, +stirring enough to prevent the flour sticking or changing color. Three +minutes will suffice to cook the flour; add a pint of clear hot white +stock that has been strained through a cloth. This stock must not be +poured slowly, or the sauce will thicken too fast. Hold the pint-measure +or other vessel in which the stock may be in the left hand, stir the +butter and flour quickly with the right, then turn the broth to it _all +at once_. Let this simmer an hour until very thick, then add a gill of +very rich cream, stir, and the sauce is ready. + +This is undoubtedly the best way to make white sauce, which is to serve +as a foundation for others, or is intended to mask meat or poultry, the +long, slow simmering producing an extreme blandness not to be attained +by a quicker method. But circumstances sometimes prevent the previous +preparation of the sauce, in which case it may be made exactly in the +same way, only instead of a pint of broth, but three gills should be +poured on the butter and flour, and a gill of thick cream stirred in +when it boils; the sauce is finished when it again reaches the +boiling-point. + +This is the foundation for the following “grand” sauces: Poulette, +Allemande, Uxelles, Soubise, Ste. Ménehould, Périgueux, Suprême, besides +all the simpler ones, which take their name from the chief ingredient, +such as caper, cauliflower, celery, lobster, etc., etc. + +For sauces that have vinegar or lemon juice, it is better that the +velouté, or white sauce, should have no cream until the last minute, or +it may curdle. My object in giving the recipes for sauces in the way I +intend--that is to say, by building on to, or omitting from, one +foundation sauce--is to dispel some of the confusion which exists in the +minds of many people about the exact difference between several sauces +differing from each other very slightly--a confusion which is only +added to by reading over the fully written recipes for each, as many a +painstaking, intelligent woman’s headache will testify. As we progress, +the exact difference between each will be explained. + +_Béchamel._--This sauce differs from the white sauce only in the fact +that the white stock used for the latter need not be very strong; for +béchamel it should either be very strong or boiled down rapidly to make +it so, and there should always be half cream instead of one third, as in +white sauce, and when required for fish the stock may be of fish. White +sauce is frequently (perhaps most frequently) made with milk, or milk +and cream, in place of stock, in this country, and answers admirably for +many purposes, but would not be what is required for the kind of cooking +intended in these pages. + +Most readers know how “to stir,” and it may seem quite an unnecessary +matter to go into. Yet if only one reader does not know that to stir +means a regular, even, slow circling of the spoon, _not only in the +centre_ of the saucepan, but round the sides, she will fail in making +good sauce. Stir, then, slowly, gently, going over every part of the +bottom of the saucepan till the sides are reached, pass the spoon gently +round them, thence back to the middle, and so on. In this way the sauce +gets no chance to stick to any particular spot. A small copper saucepan +is the best possible utensil for making sauce, as it does not burn. + +The rule for seasoning is a level salt-spoonful of salt to half a pint; +pepper, one fourth the quantity. This, however, is only when the stock +is unseasoned; if seasoned, only salt enough must be added to season the +cream and eggs. + +_Allemande._--Take half a pint of white sauce, add to it half the liquor +from a can of mushrooms, and half a dozen of the mushrooms chopped fine. +Let them simmer--stirring all the time--five minutes, then remove from +the fire. Set the saucepan into another containing boiling water. Have +the yolks of three eggs ready beaten, put a little of the sauce to them, +beat together, then add the eggs gradually to the rest of the sauce, +which must be returned to the fire, and stirred until the eggs _begin_ +to thicken; then it must be quickly removed, and stirred until slightly +cool. Season with a saltspoonful of salt, a fourth of one of pepper, and +strain carefully. + +It must never be forgotten that in thickening with eggs the sauce or +soup must _not boil_ after they are added, or they will curdle. Yet if +they do not reach the boiling-point they will not thicken. Only keen +attention to the first sign of thickening will insure success. If a +failure is made the first time, look upon it as the first step to +success, for you have learned what the danger _looks like_. Make the +sauce again as soon as possible, so that your eye may not lose the +impression. It is worth considerable effort (and it is really only a +matter of a few minutes each time) to make Allemande sauce well, for in +doing so you also learn to make Hollandaise and several choice sauces, +as will be seen by those that follow. + +_Poulette Sauce._--Make Allemande sauce as directed in the foregoing +recipe; add a wineglass of white wine. If sweetbreads or chicken are to +be cooked in the sauce, as is not unusual, of course the eggs must be +left out until the last thing. Anything served with this sauce is called +_à la poulette_. + +_Sauce à la d’Uxelles._--Chop fine a dozen _small_ button mushrooms, or +half a dozen large ones; parsley and chives, of each enough to make a +teaspoonful when finely chopped; of lean ham a tablespoonful, and one +small shallot. Fry gently in a tablespoonful of butter, but do not let +them brown. Stir these into half a pint of white sauce, simmer three or +four minutes, then add two yolks of eggs, as for Allemande, and the last +thing a half-teaspoonful of lemon-juice, and just enough glaze to make +the sauce the shade of a pale Suède glove. This sauce is used cold to +coat meats that have to be cooked in paper, and many that are afterwards +to be fried in bread-crumbs, for which directions will be given in the +_entrées_. Dishes termed _à la d’Uxelles_ are among the most _recherché_ +productions of the French kitchen. + +_Villeroi Sauce._--Make half a pint of white sauce, which, as in the +case of béchamel, may be made of fish stock when for use with fish; chop +half a dozen mushrooms, and add a gill of the liquor to the sauce, half +a saltspoonful of powdered thyme (or one sprig, if fresh), two sprigs of +parsley, and half a bay-leaf; simmer for fifteen minutes; strain through +a scalded cloth; replace on the fire; add a piece of glaze as large as a +hazel-nut, or a tablespoonful of strong meat-gravy, just enough to give +it the shade of _palest_ café au lait; thicken with two yolks of eggs, +as for Allemande sauce. All articles served with this sauce are termed +_à la Villeroi_. It differs from d’Uxelles only in having no ham, nor +acidity from the lemon; also, all flavor of onion is omitted. + + + + +III. + +WHITE SAUCES. + + +Suprême sauce gives its name to several dishes dear to epicures--suprême +de volaille, suprême de Toulouse, etc. It is made with a pint of thick +white sauce, a pint of very strong chicken broth, four stalks of +parsley, and six white pepper-corns, boiled down to half a pint. Stir +sauce and broth together until thoroughly blended, then boil rapidly +down till thick again, taking great care it does not burn. Add one gill +of double cream, and half a saltspoonful of salt (if the stock was +already seasoned). Boil up till thick enough _to mask the back of a +spoon_, strain, and the last thing add a small teaspoonful of lemon +juice. + +When the white sauce has to be made expressly for the suprême, it is +easier to use strong chicken broth in place of ordinary white stock; +then it is not necessary to add it after. The term “to mask the back of +a spoon” is a common one to indicate the proper thickness for sauces, +but to the untrained eye it may not be easy to decide just what +“masking” means. Most sauces should be thin enough to run quite freely +from the spoon, yet not so thin as to leave the color of the spoon +visible through the coating of sauce it will retain if it be dipped into +it; there should be a thin _opaque_ coating or “mask” to the back of the +spoon. Sauce of this thickness is produced by using one ounce (exact +weight) of flour of fine quality to half a pint of liquid. Meat, fish, +or vegetables over which sauce of this consistency has been poured will +be quite masked, but the sauce will not be too thick to serve readily +with a spoon. This consistency is worth some practice to attain, for it +is the perfection of sauce-making. + +White sauce, when intended for the foundation of others, it must be +observed, is made twice as thick, to allow for the addition of cream, +wine, or stock. The only advantage in a private family of making it thus +thick is when, perhaps, two or three sauces are needed for a dinner; for +example, a plain white sauce for a vegetable, caper, lobster, or +cardinal for other purposes, and perhaps poulette, d’Uxelles, or other +pale sauce for an entrée; but when one sauce only is required, it is +best to make that one from the beginning; that is to say, make white +sauce with the additions that form it into Allemande, suprême, or +whatever you require. + +_Ste. Ménehould Sauce_ is in these days chiefly associated with “pigs’ +feet à la Ste. Ménehould,” but is good for several purposes. It is +simply half a pint of white sauce into which a dozen bruised mushrooms, +a gill of the mushroom liquor, a large teaspoonful of finely chopped +chives, with the sixth of a saltspoonful of pepper and one of salt are +allowed to simmer until the sauce is the same thickness as before the +addition of the mushroom liquor; that is to say, thick enough to mask +the spoon. Strain, return to the saucepan, and add a teaspoonful of +finely chopped sage leaves, if for pigs’ feet, or parsley for other +purposes; boil once, add half a teaspoonful of lemon juice, and the +sauce is ready. + +_Béarnaise Sauce._--This is one of the most difficult sauces to make, on +account of the danger of the eggs curdling; but by the following method +the work is rendered more sure than by the usual plan. It has been said +that the terrors of a cook are Béarnaise sauce and omelette soufflée, +but neither is really difficult; great care only is necessary for +success with each. + +Chop four shallots fine, put them into a saucepan with half a gill of +Tarragon vinegar and half a gill of plain vinegar; boil till reduced to +one tablespoonful; then add one gill of white sauce, mixing well. Stand +the saucepan in another of boiling water; then add, one at a time, three +yolks of eggs, beating each, one well in before adding another, _and on +no account let the sauce boil_. Remove the saucepan from the fire when +the eggs are all in and show signs of thickening. Have ready three +ounces of butter cut into small pieces; drop one in at a time, and with +an egg-whisk beat the sauce till the butter is blended; then add another +piece, and so on, till all the butter is used. If added too quickly the +butter will oil, therefore great care must be taken to see one piece +entirely blend before adding another. The butter will probably salt the +sauce enough, but if not, add a very little salt. This sauce should have +the appearance of a Welsh-rabbit when ready to spread; in other words, +it should be very thick, smooth, and dark yellow. + +_Soubise._--This sauce, which transforms ordinary mutton-chops into +“côtelettes à la Soubise,” is very easily made. Boil half a dozen +Bermuda onions (medium size) in milk till quite tender; press out all +the milk; chop them as fine as possible; sprinkle a quarter of a +saltspoonful of white pepper and one of salt over them; then stir them +with a tablespoonful of butter into half a pint of white sauce. If the +onions should thin the sauce too much (they are sometimes very watery), +thicken with a yolk of egg, or blend a teaspoonful of flour with the +butter before stirring it in. Boil the sauce three minutes. Needless to +say, if the yolk of egg is added, it must be beaten in after the sauce +is removed from the stove, and only allowed to thicken, not boil. + +The sauces so far given are what French cooks call “grand sauces.” They +are the most important part of the dish with which they are served, and, +as we have seen, give the name to it. There are numberless other sauces +of which the white sauce is parent that are, however, not indispensable +to the dish they are served with--by which I mean a boiled fish may be +served with oyster sauce or Dutch sauce, the sauce being in this case +simply the adjunct. + +A dessertspoonful of capers put into half a pint of white sauce, with a +teaspoonful of the vinegar, makes caper sauce. + +Celery sauce is, again, white sauce with the pulp of boiled celery. Boil +the white part of four heads of celery (sliced thin) in milk till it +will mash; this will take an hour, perhaps more; then rub the pulp +through a coarse sieve, and stir it into half a pint of white sauce made +with half rich cream. + +Oyster sauce is white sauce made by using the oyster liquor instead of +stock. The oysters should be bearded, just allowed to plump in the +liquor, which must then be strained for the sauce, using a gill of it +with a gill of thick cream to make half a pint; for this quantity a +dozen and a half of small oysters will be required. + +Shrimp sauce, parsley sauce, lobster sauce, cucumber sauce, and all the +family are white sauce with the addition of the ingredient naming it. +Cucumber sauce, which is approved for fish, is made by grating a +cucumber, and adding it, with the water from it, to some white sauce; +boil till well flavored, and then strain. If too thin, boil till thick, +stirring carefully. + +For shrimp sauce canned shrimps serve very well indeed; they must be +thrown for a minute into cold water, well stirred in it to remove +superfluous salt, then drained, and dried on a cloth. Put a gill of +shrimps to half a pint of béchamel made with fish stock, boil once, and +stir in just enough essence of anchovy to make the sauce a pale shrimp +pink. + +Cardinal sauce is a handsome sauce for boiled fish. It is made by drying +the coral from a lobster, then pounding it quite smooth, with one ounce +of butter, until it is a perfectly smooth paste. Stir this into half a +pint of béchamel. It should be a fine red when mixed; pass through a +sieve, and add as much cayenne as will go on the end of the blade of a +small penknife. + +Hollandaise or Dutch sauce is best made in the following way. There are +other methods, but this one meets general approval, is not difficult, +and agrees with many who cannot possibly eat it when oil is used. + +Make half a pint of drawn butter by melting one ounce of butter with one +ounce of flour over the fire; let them bubble together (stirring the +while) for one minute; then stir in half a pint of boiling water and +half a teaspoonful of salt. So far, the making is exactly the same as +for white sauce, except that water is used instead of cream and stock. +Boil once, then set the saucepan in another of water, and break up an +ounce of butter into small pieces and add them; stir briskly after each +piece is added, and see it blend before putting more. When all is in, +add the beaten yolks of five eggs, removing the saucepan from the fire +while doing it. They must be very carefully and gradually stirred in, +and when well mixed returned to the fire until they _begin_ to thicken. +The eggs must be kept from curdling. Squeeze in two teaspoonfuls of +lemon juice, and add just a dust of cayenne. This should be a thick, +yellow, custard-like sauce, and have a perceptible acidity without being +sour. + + + + +IV. + +BROWN SAUCES. + + +It has been already stated that the family of brown sauces, like the +white, have one parent, _Espagnole_, or Spanish sauce, which is the +foundation for Châteaubriand, Financière, Robert, Poivrade, Piquante, +and other sauces. Ordinary brown sauce, like ordinary white, is often +made without stock--simply an ounce of flour, one of butter, browned +together, and half a pint of boiling water added, then boiled till thick +and smooth. But it may be safely said that in high-class dark sauces +water should play no part; its place must be taken by stock of good +quality, which is often enriched by reducing or adding glaze. + +The characteristics of finely made Spanish sauce are a clear beautiful +brown, by no means approaching black, absolute freedom from grease, and +a fine high flavor, so well blended that no particular spice or herb can +be detected. Spanish sauce is made as follows: Wash, peel, and cut small +six mushrooms (or a dessertspoonful of mushroom powder), one small +carrot, one small onion, and one shallot; dry them, and fry them a fine +brown in a tablespoonful of butter, but do not let them burn; drain off +the butter. Melt in a copper saucepan two ounces of butter and two +ounces of flour, stir them together over the fire till of a pale bright +brown, then add a pint of stock, the fried vegetables, and a gill of +tomato sauce; let all gently simmer for half an hour with the cover off. +Strain through a fine sieve. When Spanish sauce is to be served without +any addition, and not as a foundation, a wineglass of sherry is used and +the same quantity of stock omitted. + +It becomes Châteaubriand by the addition of a wineglass of sherry +reduced to half a glass by boiling in a tiny saucepan, a +dessertspoonful of fresh parsley very finely chopped, and the juice of +half a small lemon. These must be added to _one third_ the quantity of +Espagnole, or Spanish sauce, given in the foregoing recipe. Then stir in +gradually, bit by bit, one ounce of butter, letting each piece blend +before adding more. + +I have said here and elsewhere, “the juice of half a small lemon.” Yet I +would caution the reader to squeeze it in gradually, because some lemons +are intensely sour, and a very few drops of juice from such go farther +than that of the whole half of an average lemon. Châteaubriand sauce is +by no means acid; there must be only a just perceptible dash of acidity, +and only so much lemon juice used as will give it zest. Piquante sauce +is different; there should be acidity enough to provoke appetite; yet +even this should be by no means sour. + +To make _Piquante sauce_, chop a shallot fine, put it, with a +tablespoonful of vinegar, into a very small saucepan; let them stew +together until the vinegar is _entirely absorbed_, but do not let it +burn. Then add to it half a pint of Spanish sauce and a gill of stock, +with a bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme; cook very gently ten minutes, +remove the thyme and bay-leaf, and add a dessertspoonful of chopped +pickled cucumber, a teaspoonful of capers, and a dessertspoonful of +_finely_ chopped parsley. Simmer very slowly ten minutes more; then add +enough cayenne to lay on the tip of a penknife blade. + +_Poivrade_ resembles piquante sauce very closely, differing from it, +however, by the addition of wine and higher flavoring. To make it, fry +an onion and a small carrot cut fine, a tomato sliced, and an ounce of +lean ham in two ounces of butter; let them brown slightly; then add to +them half a pint of claret, a bouquet of herbs, two cloves, and six +peppercorns; let them simmer till the wine is reduced one half; then add +half a pint of good Spanish sauce, boil gently ten minutes, strain, and +serve very hot. A true French poivrade has a _soupçon_ of garlic, +obtained by rubbing a crust on a clove of it, and simmering it in the +sauce before straining it; but although many would like the scarcely +perceptible zest imparted by this cautious use of garlic, no one should +try the experiment unless sure of her company. + +A “bouquet of herbs” always means two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, +one of marjoram, and a bay-leaf, so rolled together (the bay-leaf in the +middle) and tied that there is no difficulty in removing it from any +dish which is not to be strained. + +The well-known _Bordelaise sauce_ is simply Spanish sauce with the +addition of white wine and shallots. Scald a tablespoonful of chopped +shallots; put them to half a pint of Chablis, Sauterne, or any similar +white wine; let the wine reduce to one gill; then mix with it half a +pint of Spanish sauce and the sixth part of a saltspoonful of pepper. +Strain and serve. + +_Robert sauce_, that excellent adjunct to beefsteak, varies again from +Bordelaise, vinegar and mustard and fried onions taking the place of the +wine and shallot. Chop three medium-sized onions quite fine; fry them in +a tablespoonful of butter until they are a clear yellowish-brown, +stirring them constantly as they fry; drain them, and put them to a +half-pint of Spanish sauce, to which you add a wineglass of stock (to +allow for boiling away); simmer gently twenty minutes; add a pinch of +pepper; strain; then mix a teaspoonful of vinegar in a cup with a +teaspoonful of mustard; stir this into the sauce. + +_Sauce à la Normande_ is one of the most delicious sauces for baked fish +of any kind, although usually associated with sole. To half a pint of +Spanish sauce add a dozen mushrooms sliced in half, a dozen small +oysters with the beards removed, and a dozen crawfish, if they are to be +had, or their place may be taken by a tablespoonful of shrimps picked +(canned shrimps, washed and dried, answer very well), one tablespoonful +of essence of anchovy, and just a dust of Cayenne pepper. + +Light _Normande_ is made by using béchamel instead of Spanish sauce, +adding all the other materials; it is then a pale salmon-colored sauce, +excellent for boiled fish. + +A favorite English sauce for fish, which is also brown or pink, +according to whether it is intended for baked or boiled fish, is the +_Downton sauce_. To three quarters of a pint of béchamel add a +dessertspoonful of anchovy essence and a small wineglass of sherry, mix +well, and serve. + +_Orange sauce_ for game is made with half a pint of Spanish sauce boiled +five minutes to make it rather thicker than usual, the juice of three +sweet oranges, and the peel of one. This peel must be so thinly pared as +to be transparent. Boil this peel half an hour in water, then shred it +into fine even strips half an inch long, and not thicker than broom +straw. Stew this shredded peel another half-hour in a gill of stock, +with a scant teaspoonful of sugar; then add it to the sauce, with half +a saltspoonful of salt, and boil five minutes. + +_Matelote_ may come in with the brown sauces, although it is not made +with Spanish sauce as a foundation, but only with strong stock. It is +used to simmer fish in when directed to be _à la matelote_, and if it +were already thickened the whole would burn. It is made as follows: Half +a pint of Sauterne or Chablis, half a pint of rich stock, two +bay-leaves, three leaves of tarragon, chervil, and chive, a scant +saltspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper; simmer these until +reduced to one half-pint. A _touch_ of garlic is indispensable to the +true matelote, but when used it must be done with the greatest caution; +a fork stuck into a clove of it, then stirred in the sauce (the fork, +when withdrawn, not the garlic), or a crust rubbed once across a piece +of it, is the only way in which it should be used. + +Like the white sauces, the family of brown ones is very large, but I +have given those which require special directions. Others are simply +Spanish sauce with the addition of the ingredient which gives its name +to it, as brown oyster sauce is simply Spanish sauce with oysters, +celery sauce, mushroom sauce, and so on. It should always be remembered +that the consistency must be preserved; that is to say, except when +special mention is made of the sauce being thinner, it should “mask the +spoon,” and if the addition made to it is of a kind to dilute it, as +mushrooms and part of their liquor, it must be rapidly boiled down to +the original thickness. In the same way, when ingredients have to be +simmered in the sauce--and this is very often the case--then a +wineglassful or half one of broth or stock should be allowed for the +wasting. + +In the next chapter we will make acquaintance with the miscellaneous +sauces which are not built on the foundation of either white or brown +sauce. These are chiefly cold sauces, although served with hot dishes at +times, as Tartare, Remoulade, etc. + + + + +V. + +COLD SAUCES. + + +Cold dishes, which are such a pleasing feature of foreign cookery, are +much neglected with us, at least in private kitchens, or they are +limited to two or three articles served in mayonnaise, or a galantine, +yet the dishes which the French call _chaudfroids_ are both delicious +and ornamental, and it only requires a little taste, care, and _perfect +sauce_ to convert the ordinary cold chicken, turkey, or game into an +elaborate and choice dish. + +Among cold sauces, of course mayonnaise, both green, red, and yellow, +reigns supreme; indeed, of late years it has become almost hackneyed. +Yet no work on choice eating would be complete without the different +forms of mayonnaise. + +Mayonnaise is one of those sauces in which everything depends on care, +and very little on skill, and yet some women have quite a reputation for +making it among their friends who often declare how unsuccessful their +own efforts have been, and that to succeed is a gift. It is not as a +novelty, therefore, that the manner of making it is given here, but that +those who believe they have not the “magic fingers” may take courage and +try again. + +First of all let me explain what seems to puzzle many. I have been +frequently asked, “How much oil can I use to two eggs?” the answer is, +“As much as you choose;” or, again, “How many eggs ought I to take to a +quart of oil?” again the answer is, “One, two, three, or four.” The egg +is only a foundation, and mayonnaise will “come” no better with two +yolks than one, although some _chefs_ consider it keeps better when two +eggs are used to a pint of oil. + +A cool room is always insisted on for making the sauce, but to the +amateur I say, oil, eggs, and bowl also, should be put in the ice-box +until well chilled, and even then mishaps may come from using a warm +spoon from a hot kitchen drawer or closet; that, therefore, must be cool +also. Of course it is often successfully made with only the usual +precaution of a cool room, but with everything well chilled it is hard +to fail. + +If very little of the sauce is wanted, one yolk of egg will be better +than two. Separate the yolks very carefully, allowing not a speck of +white to remain; remove also the germ which is attached to the yolk. +_Stir the yolk at least a minute before_ beginning to add oil; then +arrange your bottle or a sharp-spouted pitcher in your left hand so that +it rests on the edge of the bowl, and you can keep up a pretty steady +drop, drop, into the egg, while you stir with your right steadily. The +oil must be added drop by drop, but this does not mean a drop every two +or three minutes; you may add a drop to every one or two circuits of +the spoon. The reason for adding it slowly is that each drop may form an +emulsion with the egg before more goes in. After two or three minutes +look carefully at the mixture; if it has not begun to look pale and +opaque, but retains a dark, oily appearance, stir it steadily for two +minutes, and then add oil slowly, drop by drop, stirring all the time. +If it has not now begun to thicken, it probably will not; but the +materials are not lost. Put the yolk of another egg into a cool bowl, +and begin again using the egg and oil you have already mixed, in place +of fresh oil. When this is all used, proceed with the oil (it is hoped, +however, that the work will have proceeded without the necessity for +beginning afresh). When the mayonnaise becomes quite thick, use a few +drops of vinegar to thin it; then more oil, until sufficient sauce is +made. Then white pepper and salt should be added for seasoning. The +vinegar used should be very strong, so that very little of it will be +sufficient to give the necessary acidity, without making it too thin. +This is especially the case when the sauce is required to mask salad. It +should for this purpose be set on ice until firm, but in all cases be +kept cold. The best mayonnaise, left in a warm kitchen, would separate +and become oily. The stirring must be steady and constant, and the task +must not be left until completed. + +Mayonnaise is the basis of several other sauces, so that in +accomplishing it a great deal is done. + +Green mayonnaise is made by dropping a bunch of parsley into boiling +water, and in a minute or two, when it becomes intensely green, take it +up, pound it in a mortar, and then through a sieve. Use as much pulp as +will color the sauce a delicate green. + +Red mayonnaise, used for cardinal salad and other purposes, is made by +pounding lobster coral very fine and stirring it in. It must not be +forgotten that anything added to mayonnaise must be ice-cold. + +_Aspic mayonnaise_ is another form of the sauce, used in dressing cold +dishes, and while more delicious than the usual sauce, will keep its +form for hours after the dish is dressed. It is absolutely necessary to +prepare it on ice. Put half a pint of stiff aspic jelly into a bowl set +in cracked ice, whisk it with an egg-beater until it is a white froth +(usually the motion will melt it, but to save labor it may be set in +lukewarm water to soften, then beaten, but no oil must be added until it +is again ice-cold froth); then beat in very gradually a quarter of a +pint of olive oil and a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, proceeding +with the same care as for the usual mayonnaise; add a saltspoonful of +salt, a pinch of pepper, and the same of powdered sugar. + +_Norwegian sauce_ is preferred by many to Tartare for some purposes, and +is made by adding _freshly_ grated horseradish to mayonnaise in the +proportion of two tablespoonfuls to half a pint. + +_Tartare sauce_ is mayonnaise with the addition of mustard, chives, +pickles, and tarragon, chopped. As usually served, it has only mustard +and capers or chopped cucumber, but for those to whom a slight flavor of +onion is not disagreeable, chives should be added. To half a pint of +mayonnaise use a teaspoonful of dry mustard mixed with two of tarragon +vinegar, then stir into the sauce. To this add a tablespoonful either of +capers or chopped pickled cucumber; this is the usual Tartare sauce; but +the French recipe is a tablespoonful of very finely chopped chives, a +teaspoonful each of fresh tarragon and chervil in place of the pickles. + +_Cold cucumber sauce_ is mayonnaise with an equal quantity of grated +cucumber, drained, pressed, and stirred into it, with a saltspoonful of +salt and a few drops of very strong vinegar. + +_Horseradish sauce_ is a very good sauce for hot or cold beef, roast or +boiled. Grate three tablespoonfuls of horseradish fine, put to it a +teaspoonful of sugar, one of salt, and one of vinegar, or a +tablespoonful of Chablis wine; let them soak an hour or two, and the +last thing before serving stir in four tablespoonfuls of cream that is +whipped very solid. A half-teaspoonful of dry mustard is sometimes mixed +with the horseradish, but that is a matter of taste. When the sauce is +to be served hot, two yolks of egg and two tablespoonfuls of water must +be substituted for cream, which would curdle. The water, horseradish, +etc., must first come to the boiling-point, then the eggs added +gradually, and just allowed to thicken, not to boil. + +_Mint Sauce._--Take only the young, tender leaves, not a bit of stem, +and chop very fine indeed. To two tablespoonfuls add a tablespoonful and +a half of brown sugar and three of vinegar. It should be quite thick, +not as we so often see it--vinegar with a few bits of mint floating +around. + +_Mint Jelly_ for masking cold lamb or cutlets.--Take two tablespoonfuls +of Spanish sauce, and dissolve in it a good teaspoonful of gelatine +softened in cold stock, a tablespoonful of aspic, and one of thick mint +sauce. If no aspic is ready, it is not worth while to make for the small +quantity needed; a teaspoonful of glaze, two of gelatine, and half a +wineglass of Sauterne may be dissolved together to take its place. No +gelatine will be needed with the Spanish sauce in this case. + +Sweet sauces will be left until the desserts are treated of. + + + + +VI. + +SOUPS. + + +It is not proposed to give the soups to be found readily in most +cooking-books in these pages, but only those less known or of peculiar +excellence. + +It is supposed that the reader understands the making of good beef or +veal stock, and perhaps the usual way of clearing it. But since cooking +has been studied scientifically, improvements on methods have been +introduced; one of these is the clearing of soup with albumen of _meat_ +instead of egg. The advantages of this method are that the soup is +strengthened and the flavor improved, while clearing with whites of eggs +in the usual way, though greatly improving the appearance, tends to +lessen the flavor of soup. + +_To clear Consommé with Beef._--Consommé is reduced stock, or stock +made of extra strength. Carefully remove all fat from three pints of it +when cold. It will, of course, be a stiff jelly. Chop fine an onion, a +carrot, and a turnip. Chop half a pound of lean beef from which all fat +is removed; this is best put through a chopping-machine, as it must be +very fine. Put the consommé, meat, and vegetables into a saucepan. Stir +them briskly till just on the boiling-point. Remove the spoon, let the +soup boil up well one minute. It should now be clear. Take a clean +cloth, fix it on a soup stand or in a colander, pour boiling water +through it, to warm it thoroughly; throw the water away, and pour the +soup gently through the cloth twice; do not press or stir it. It will be +beautifully clear and of excellent color. It is now ready to serve for a +variety of soups, named according to what is served in them. + +_Consommé à la Rachel._--This is consommé to which is added tiny +quenelles made in eggspoons, and colored red, green, and black. +Quenelle meat is made from the uncooked breast of chicken or game, the +backs of hares or rabbits (or it may be made for certain purposes of +fish or very white veal), first chopped, and then pounded in a mortar +until it is a perfectly smooth paste. Mere chopped meat is not what is +required; it must be fine enough to go through a sieve. For Consommé à +la Rachel, however, the breast of chicken is necessary. Take four ounces +of chicken, free from skin and sinew; pound it until quite smooth; the +more it is pounded the better it is. Mix with it thick cream, a scant +saltspoonful of salt, very little pepper, and half a beaten egg, until +it is a softish paste, yet firm enough to mould; mix thoroughly. Now try +a little by poaching in a teaspoon; that is, fill a teaspoon with the +mixture, pressing it in form, then drop it into boiling water for three +minutes. Open the quenelle and taste it; if it is creamy, light, and +well flavored, it is right, but if there is the least toughness, add a +little more cream to the mixture. Notice also the seasoning; if more +salt is needed, add it carefully, and try again, till you have the +quenelle mixture just right, that is to say, creamy, light, very tender, +yet keeping its form. At present quenelles as entrées or for soups form +such an important part of fine cooking that it is worth while to get the +mixture perfect for other purposes than the present. + +Having your quenelle meat ready, proceed to vary it as follows, allowing +one quenelle of each color to each guest: For the green quenelles use +sufficient pounded tarragon to color one third the meat delicately. For +the second use sufficient lobster coral pounded to redden it. The third +must be made dark with pounded truffles. Great care must be taken to +keep the three portions separate, so that one color may not injure the +other. To form them use two very small coffeespoons or eggspoons, as the +quenelles should not be larger than _small_ olives; butter the spoons +slightly, and when formed drop each for one or two minutes into boiling +pale-colored stock. Drop them, as they are done, into cold water, in +which they must be kept until you are ready to use them. When the soup +is to be served, drain them, lay the number required in the tureen, and +pour the boiling consommé on them. They will not require heating in the +soup. It may be observed that raw spinach pounded and rubbed through a +sieve, and boiled red beet, may be used to color the meat green and red, +and the rest left white. The consommé is then called Consommé d’Orleans. + +_Consommé aux Œufs filés._--Put one quart of cleared consommé to +boil. Mix one egg, one dessertspoonful of flour, one tablespoonful of +milk, a pinch between forefinger and thumb of salt, and a dust of +pepper, into a batter, rub a nutmeg once back and forth over the grater, +and stir. When the soup boils, pass this batter through a fine strainer +into it. It should look like threads. + +_Consommé à la Sévigné._--Pound two ounces of breast of cooked chicken +until it will pass through a wide sieve. Mix with it two eggs, three +tablespoonfuls of milk, twelve drops of almond essence, a scant +saltspoonful of salt, as much nutmeg as will go on the end of a penknife +blade, and a dust of cayenne. When well blended, fill three or four +small round muffin pans, well greased, and steam slowly twenty minutes, +or until set. Turn out very carefully; let them cool; then cut them into +fancy shapes, and serve in one quart of boiling consommé. A few +asparagus points boiled until just tender, but not mushy, are to be +dropped in the last thing. + +_Potage à la Hollandaise._--For this will be required one quart of veal +or chicken stock, two ounces of butter, one ounce of flour, four yolks +of eggs, half a pint of cream, one gill of green peas, one gill of +boiled carrots, one gill of boiled cucumber, one teaspoonful of fresh +tarragon chopped fine, one teaspoonful of sugar, and one teaspoonful of +salt. Trim the carrots and cucumber with a very small scoop or cutter +the size and shape of peas; cook them just tender, and no more, in +boiling water. Put the stock on to boil; skim if necessary; add the salt +and sugar. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the cream to them, and beat +them till well mixed. This forms a “liaison.” Make the butter and flour +into a paste in a bowl, pour half a gill of cold stock to it, then +enough hot stock to dissolve it; when mixed smooth, stir it into the +boiling stock, let it boil, then remove from the fire, and stir in very +carefully, to prevent curdling, the liaison of eggs and cream; let it +come to the boiling-point, but not boil, or it will curdle. Strain it +into a clean stewpan, and add the vegetables; let all get hot together; +then strew in the tarragon. + +_Chestnut Soup (purée de marrons)._--Slit twenty-five large chestnuts at +each end, put them in boiling water, and boil ten minutes. Drop them +into cold water, and remove both the outer and inner skin. Melt three +ounces of butter in a saucepan, put in the chestnuts, and sauté (toss +them about) for a few minutes, but do not brown them; then add a pint +and a half of rich white stock, and let the nuts boil in it until very +tender, when they must be rubbed through a fine sieve. Boil up again, +add half a pint of cream, a teaspoonful of powdered sugar, a teaspoonful +of salt (less if the stock be salted), and a pinch of pepper. + +_Princess Soup._--Cut a chicken in pieces; wash it; butter a stewpan, +put in the chicken with a blade of mace, an onion, a bay-leaf, and +twelve white peppercorns. Let this simmer, _closely covered_, ten +minutes, shaking it often to prevent its browning; then put to it two +quarts of hot veal stock, and simmer one hour. Put into another stewpan +two ounces of flour and two ounces of butter; stir them together, and +let them bubble once, then strain the liquor from the chicken to it; +stir well, and cook a few minutes. Take the white meat from the bones of +the chicken, pound it in a mortar very fine, stir it to the stock, then +rub through a soup strainer; add just before serving half a pint of +fresh cream and the juice of half a lemon. This soup must be made hot, +but not boil, after the chicken pulp and cream are added. + +_Potage à la Royale._--Boil two ounces of macaroni till tender, but not +broken; throw it into cold water. Put three pints of white stock to +boil; cut the macaroni into lengths half an inch long; beat three yolks +of eggs in a bowl with a gill of cream; throw the macaroni into the +soup; when it boils, remove from the fire, add the cream and eggs and an +ounce of grated Parmesan cheese; stir till the soup reaches the +boiling-point, but by no means let it boil, after the cream and eggs are +added, or it will be spoiled. Salt soup always in the proportion of a +moderate teaspoonful of salt to the quart; if the stock is seasoned, +only add salt for the cream, eggs, etc. Use just a suspicion of cayenne. +In making soup to which eggs are added, the utmost care is required, yet +not any more than in making custard. The main point is to let the eggs +come near enough to the boiling-point to thicken, yet far enough from it +not to curdle. This a little patience will accomplish by watching and +removing the saucepan for a few seconds as the boiling-point approaches, +then returning it; do this once or twice, till the opaque, creamy +appearance shows the eggs are done. + + + + +VII. + +FISH ENTRÉES. + + +Instead of giving recipes for cooking fish whole, for which excellent +directions are to be found in several modern cookery books, recipes for +fish entrées will be substituted. They are now frequently served at the +fish course, and by their convenience and economy, as well as the +variety they afford, are likely to grow in favor. Another point for them +is that they can often be made hours before, and simply heated when +needed, thus relieving the cook of the most critical part of her work at +the time when she needs her attention free. + +Some of these entrées will be more suited for breakfast, luncheon, or +supper dishes than to precede a heavy dinner, such, for instance, as the +preparations of oysters when they have been also served before soup; +but the recipes are included here for their intrinsic worth. + +_Fillets of Cod à la Normande._--Butter a tin dish, lay on it three +slices of cod moderately thick (an inch to an inch and a half), pour +over them one wineglass of white wine, place a buttered paper over them, +and bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. Reduce another glass of +wine in a stewpan by simmering, add to it half a pint of white sauce, +twelve small oysters, bearded and blanched, twelve small +quenelles,[62-*] and twelve button mushrooms. Season with pepper and +salt. Simmer one minute only, or the oysters will harden. Place the +slices of fish on a hot dish, pour the sauce over them, place the +oysters, mushrooms, and quenelles in groups in the corners of the dish. + +_Lobster Soufflées._--Cut up the meat of a boiled hen lobster into neat +dice, showing as much of the red as possible. Prepare as many small +ramekin or soufflée cases as may be required by pinning bands of +writing-paper round them two to three inches higher than the case. Take +three tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise, half a pint of stiff aspic jelly, +and a gill of tomato sauce in which a teaspoonful of gelatine has been +dissolved. Every utensil used must be ice-cold, the jelly must be quite +cold, but not set. Put the tomato sauce, the jelly, and the mayonnaise +(which should be left on the ice till the last thing) into a bowl set in +another bowl of pounded ice; whisk them together until they begin to +look white; then stir the lobster in it, with a teaspoonful of very +finely chopped chervil and tarragon; fill the soufflée cases, piling the +dressing high; put them on a dish on ice. When they are “set,” carefully +remove the paper bands, sprinkle a little dried and sifted lobster coral +over the tops, and serve. + +_Coquilles of Prawns._--Pick the shells from four dozen prawns; mix +with one third the quantity of mushrooms slightly stewed in a +tablespoonful of butter and a saltspoonful of salt (the mushrooms must +not be brown); add four tablespoonfuls of Allemande sauce;[64-*] fill +the shells, which must be well buttered, dress each over with fine bread +crumbs which have been carefully fried a golden brown; put them in a +cool oven twenty minutes, only get thoroughly hot, but not to cook. + +_Coquilles of Salmon or Halibut._--Take one pound of cold halibut or +salmon; break it into small pieces; put it in a stewpan with half a +saltspoonful of salt and a tiny pinch of pepper, and half a pint of +white sauce, a tablespoonful of very thick cream, and a teaspoonful of +anchovy sauce; stir well, and let all get hot. Butter some shells, +sprinkle over with a few fried crumbs, fill with the mixture, cover with +the fried crumbs, and put them in the oven to get thoroughly hot. Serve +on a napkin. + +_Salmon en Papillotes._--Cut some slices of salmon into cutlets the +right size for serving, make paper cases to fit them, then cover each +slice with the following mixture: two tablespoonfuls of salad oil beaten +with the yolk of an egg, one teaspoonful of parsley chopped, one shallot +chopped, and one anchovy (all these must be chopped as finely as +possible), a half-saltspoonful of salt, and a grain of cayenne; mix, +spread on the fish, envelop each piece in a well-buttered case, fasten +up (by pinching the paper well), and bake half an hour. Serve in the +papers. + +_Fillet of Sole à la Normande._--In speaking of sole, one of course +means the flounder, which is coming to be called the American sole, and +when filleted does make a fair substitute for the real thing, and it is +suitable for cooking in every way that the English sole can be used, +except whole. A boiled flounder without filleting, or a flounder fried +whole, as is so often done with sole, would be very coarse. Fillet two +flounders (in cities this will be done by the fishmonger, but in the +country it may have to be done in the kitchen, therefore directions for +doing it will be appended), lay the fillets, neatly trimmed and shaped, +into a thickly buttered pan or dish--either fire-proof porcelain or any +other that can go to table--pour over them a glass of sherry and four +tablespoonfuls of consommé; cover with oiled paper, and bake ten minutes +in a moderate oven; take out the pan, pour over the fillets half a pint +of _sauce Normande_; return to the oven for five minutes, and serve in +the pan. + +_Sole à l’Horly._--Make a frying batter thus: mix one tablespoonful of +milk with two ounces of flour and a tablespoonful of salad oil to a +smooth paste; then add two yolks of eggs, and the whites whipped firm, +with a quarter of a saltspoonful of salt; mix with an upward movement of +the spoon, so as not to deaden the whites of eggs. Set it aside while +you prepare the sole. Mix a tablespoonful of salad oil, a teaspoonful of +Chili vinegar, a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, a teaspoonful of +parsley and one of onion chopped exceedingly fine, a scant saltspoonful +of salt, and a quarter one of pepper. Mix all together, then cut the +fillets in half, trimming away all ragged appearance, and lay them for +fifteen minutes in the mixture (called a marinade); take them out, drain +them on a sieve, and then dip each fillet in the batter. This batter +should be just thick enough to coat the fish and run slowly off, not +cling in a thick paste round it. A French rule for testing the thickness +of frying batter is to dip a spoon in it and then let a drop run off the +end on a plate; if it drops freely, yet keeps a beadlike form, it is +right. Fry each fillet in a wire basket three minutes in very hot deep +fat. Serve with fried parsley. + +_Turbans of Sole à la Rouennaise._--As these require a little of the +same mixture as would be used for lobster cutlets or croquettes, it is +good management to have them when lobster is required for something +else. The mixture for the cutlets is made as follows (less than a fourth +of it would be required for the turbans): remove all the flesh from a +boiled hen lobster; chop it small; wash, dry, and pound the coral, with +an ounce of butter; take one gill of white sauce, mix the lobster coral +and a tablespoonful of cream with it, and boil five minutes; mix in the +lobster with a little salt (unless the lobster is salt enough) and a +grain of cayenne. This made into cutlets, egged, crumbed, and fried, is +excellent, but our purpose now is to use it for stuffing. Take as many +fillets of sole as required, spread the lobster mixture on each, roll +them up, run a toothpick through them to keep them in shape; trim till +each will stand; put them on a buttered baking-sheet, cover with +buttered paper, and bake ten minutes. Chop up two truffles, two +hard-boiled yolks of eggs, and a tablespoonful of parsley, each chopped +separately. Take up the turbans, pour over them half a pint of cardinal +sauce, and ornament the turbans, one with the truffles, one with the +yolk of egg, and one with parsley; so on alternately. + +_Directions for Filleting Flounders._--Take a sharp knife, cut away the +fins all round the fish, and split the flounder right down the middle of +the back, then run the knife carefully between the flesh and bones, +going towards the edge. You have now detached one quarter of the flesh +from the bone; do the other half in the same way, and when the back is +thus entirely loose from the bone, turn the fish over and do the same +with the other side. You will now find you can remove the bone whole +from the fish, detaching, as you do so, any flesh still retaining the +bone. Then you have two halves of the fish, and you have four quarters +of solid fish. To remove the skin, take the tail end firmly between the +thumb and forefinger of the left hand, hold the skin side downward on +the board, and with your knife make an incision across the flesh, then, +keeping the skin firmly between your thumb and finger, _push_ the knife +between it and the flesh, slightly humoring it to prevent tearing the +flesh. The skin parts quite easily, but no attempt must be made to _cut_ +the fish from it. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[62-*] See Quenelles in No. VI. + +[64-*] See directions in No. II. + + + + +VIII. + +VARIOUS WAYS OF SERVING OYSTERS. + + +_Oysters à la Villeroi._--Scald (or blanch) some large oysters, dry +them, then drop them into some _very thick_ Villeroi sauce,[71-*] let +them get hot in it, but not boil. Take them out one by one; be sure they +are thickly coated with the sauce; have a large dish heaped with sifted +crumbs or cracker meal; as you lift each oyster from the sauce lay it on +the meal, turn it gently over in the meal, so that a light coat adheres, +and the sauce is by no means rubbed off. Place them on an oiled plate +where they will get quite cold, so that the sauce may chill and form a +whitish glaze under the crumbs. Beat two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of +water, and when free from strings dip each oyster in the egg, using a +small fork; let superfluous egg drip off for a moment, then lay the +oyster again on a deep bed of cracker crumbs, cover well, pat very +gently, and lay each as you do it on a dish sprinkled with them. Fry two +minutes in very hot deep fat, being careful the oysters do not touch +each other. + +If I have made these directions as clear as I hope, it will be +understood that each oyster has a rich creamy coating under the crumbs, +and every effort must be made to avoid breaking the outer shell of egg +and crumb. For this reason the fat should be heated to 400°. But +although great care in handling is necessary, they are not difficult to +succeed with when that care is given. + +_Oyster Kabobs._--There are two ways of preparing these dainties, and I +give both. For those who cannot eat bacon the first will probably be +acceptable. For kabobs of any kind, silver or plated skewers are proper, +although very slender wooden ones may be used. Put in a stewpan a small +onion chopped _very fine_, a dessertspoonful of parsley, and a dozen +mushrooms, also chopped; let these fry one minute in a large +tablespoonful of butter, add a dessertspoonful (scant) of flour, stir +all together, then drop in as many fat oysters as are required; they +must have been blanched in their own liquor and the beards removed; stir +all round, and add three beaten yolks of eggs, one at a time, taking +care they do not curdle, but get just thick enough to cling round the +oyster. String six oysters on each little skewer, basting with the sauce +wherever it does not adhere; let each skewer cool, then roll the whole +in beaten eggs and abundant cracker meal, so that the skewer will seem +to be run through a sausage lengthwise. Fry two minutes in very hot deep +fat, serve on a napkin; allow one skewer to each person. Two minutes, if +the fat be sufficiently hot, will fry oysters a pale yellow-brown. They +should never take longer than this, for oysters harden and shrink if +overdone in the least. For this reason the use of a pyrometer, when +possible, saves mistakes and trouble. Such articles as oysters, smelts, +or any small things, should be fried at a temperature of 380° to 400°. +It must be remembered that all fried articles darken after they leave +the frying-kettle, and therefore a very pale yellow becomes a golden +color on the dish. + +_Kabobs_ No. 2.--This is the recipe given by the author of the +well-known Pytchley Books, and is admirable. Take the beards from as +many fat, fair-sized oysters as required. You require bacon of which the +fat is thick enough through to allow of circles being cut from the +slices as large as the oysters. Cut the bacon very thin, get a cutter +the size of the oysters, trim them with it, then cut eight circles of +bacon for six oysters. Put first a piece of bacon, then an oyster, then +more bacon, on each little skewer, till there are six oysters with a +piece of bacon between each through the centre and one at each end; +string them very evenly. Take a very little cayenne on the tip of a +knife and a saltspoonful of salt; mix this with two beaten eggs to which +two tablespoonfuls of water have been added. Dip each skewer of kabobs +in this; let them drip an instant, then lay them on a deep bed of crumbs +or cracker meal. Cover them thoroughly, shake them, then dip again into +the egg (if this has become full of crumbs strain it), and again lay +them in the meal. Shake lightly again, and arrange each skewer of kabobs +in a frying-basket, and fry two minutes. + +I have spoken in the foregoing directions for “crumbing” of using +_plenty_ of meal, and experience tells me that the rule with those +unfamiliar with proper methods is to use so little that a plateful would +be considered _plenty_. With this quantity no good work can be done. You +need to turn on to a board or dish at least a quart of crumbs, or a +whole box of cracker meal. This will enable you to smother the article +until every part is covered, instead of sprinkling a little over and +under (which generally falls off as fast as put on, and leaves a surface +yellow with egg in parts), as you must do if a small quantity only is +used. All the meal that is left must be carefully sifted and put away. +If the small masses of egg and crumb which will be mixed with it are not +sifted out the cracker-meal cannot be used again. There must also be +plenty of egg used for dipping. + +_Oysters in Aspic._--For these dariole moulds are needed, or the small +fire-proof china soufflée cases which imitate paper may be used. A +dariole is a small straight-sided tin mould, holding rather less than a +gill. They will be found at large house-furnishing stores, or a tinman +could easily make them, they being, in fact, like deep corn-muffin pans. +If they are made to order, avoid getting them too large--three inches +deep by two across will be large enough. Fill these moulds with aspic +jelly nearly cold, set them on ice while you prepare the oysters, which +must be bearded and cooked till plump in butter, but not allowed to +color. When cool, cut them in half, throw them into some stiff +béchamel,[77-*] which must be warmed till like thick cream, sprinkle +with a dust of cayenne; lay the oysters to get cold, that the béchamel +may harden on them. Scoop the centre very carefully out of the moulds of +aspic, leaving a half-inch thickness all round, fill the centres with +the oysters, pour in more aspic, cold, but not set, and put on ice for a +few hours, or till ready to serve. The aspic from the centres should +have been preserved and used to chop with more to garnish the dish. Turn +the moulds out very carefully, and garnish with chopped aspic and +watercress or parsley. + +It is, of course, understood that béchamel sauce, cold, is like +blanc-mange, and that anything coated with it will be enveloped in white +jelly, not in a sticky white sauce. If béchamel does not become white +jelly when cold the stock of which it is made is not stiff enough. + +_Lobster in Aspic_ is prepared as for salad, the solid meat cut in dice +and rolled in mayonnaise, then in chopped chervil or parsley. Then +proceed exactly as for the oysters. + +_Oysters à la Tartare._--The oyster-shells for serving oysters à la +Tartare must be of good shape and exquisitely clean; therefore, when +using oysters on the half-shell, always pick out any that may be deep +yet stand well, and have a good shape; scald and scrub them, and keep +for use. Scald as many fat oysters as required in their own liquor till +firm--three minutes at boiling-point will usually do this; the oysters +must be just plump, yet if underdone they will be flabby. Put them on +ice, choose as many tiny leaves as you have oysters from the heart of a +lettuce; they must all be of a size, or trimmed so, and the size only +just large enough to line the shells without coming over them. Lay a +leaf on each shell, cut each oyster in half, lay four halves in pyramid +fashion on the lettuce leaf, and mask the top of each, just before +serving, with Tartare sauce. Allow two to each person. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[71-*] See No. II. + +[77-*] See No. II. + + + + +IX. + +VARIOUS CULINARY MATTERS. + + +This little book does not pretend to go into what may be called the +principles of cooking, except in so far as they are involved in the +production of all choice cookery; and where it is considered that a +principle is little known or too little attended to, the effort will be +made to give it emphasis by reiteration here. + +By principles of cooking I mean the simple rules by which roasting, +boiling, stewing, etc., are successfully accomplished. Any book or +series of articles written a dozen years ago would have been of no real +use without these rudiments, but within that period there have been +cooking-schools started and cookery books written so exceedingly exact +in directions that it will be unnecessary to repeat them in “Choice +Cookery,” which does not pretend to include family cooking. + +For this reason the cooking of joints of meat will not be entered into. +Nevertheless there are certain rudiments of cooking which are not dwelt +on usually in books. They are taught in the cooking-schools, and those +of my readers who have had the advantage of attending them will not need +the instruction here given. But I meet with many women who devote much +time to the art of cooking, and who have taught themselves by book and +experiment all they know, who yet, when told to chop a small quantity of +herbs very fine, will struggle and chop almost leaf by leaf in their +faithful endeavor to carry out the direction. Others, less faithful, +finding their method chops some parts fine and leaves some leaves almost +whole, let it go at that, with the reflection that “that _must_ do, as +it would take all day” to get them all one degree of fineness. So, +although it may seem almost too trivial a point to need mention, we +will go into the matter of herb-chopping, lemon-grating, etc., that the +simple operations may be performed easily and in a very short time. + +_To Chop Herbs._--Use the leaves only, never the stems; let them be +fresh and crisp, or, if wilted, leave them in water for a time. Gather +the leaves firmly between the thumb and three fingers of the left hand; +shave them through with a sharp knife as you push them forward under it. +(The process resembles chaff-cutting by hand machine.) Turn them round; +gather them up again, and cut across them in the same way; then finish +by chopping quickly, holding the point of the knife with the left hand +and bringing it down on the little heap of herbs with the right, always +gathering them together as fast as the chopping scatters them. Five +minutes will chop a tablespoonful of mint or parsley almost to pulp. A +sharp steel knife and a small board must be used, not the +chopping-bowl. + +French books often direct so much _fine herbs_ to be used; English books +mean the same thing when they call for “sweet herbs,” and a mixture of +one part marjoram, two parts thyme, and three parts parsley is meant by +both. + +The grating of a lemon is a most simple operation, and it may seem that +every one must know how to do it; but this is far from being the case. +As many dishes of curdled custards and sauces are caused by this fact, +the right way in this case is very important. The object of using grated +rind of lemon is to obtain the fragrance and flavor, which differ very +greatly from any extracts, however good. Now the whole of the oil which +contains this fragrance is at the surface--is, in fact, the yellow +portion of the rind; therefore this, and only this, must be removed with +the grater. The white part underneath is bitter, and will cause milk or +cream to curdle, but it contains no particle of lemon flavor. Yet when +lemon flavor is called for the lemon is often grated right down to the +pulp in parts, while the yellow rind is left on in patches. + +A lemon should be grated evenly, beginning at the end and working round +it, using as small a surface of the grater as possible, to prevent +waste. The habit of turning the lemon as you grate comes as easily as to +turn an apple under the knife when peeling. Generally twice across the +grater and back between each turn will remove all the essential oil, +but, while guarding against grating too deeply, care must be taken to +remove the whole of the yellow surface. A well-grated lemon should be +exactly of the same shape as before, have no deep scores into the pith, +and have an oily-looking surface. + +Perhaps before proceeding to the preparation of the combination dishes +known as made dishes or entrées, a few words may be useful to those +readers whose ambition to accomplish results may cause them to defeat +their own ends. To such I would say, go slowly; never attempt the more +difficult thing until the simpler one is beyond chance of failure. Thus +in following the instructions in this book the wiser women will have +accomplished, perhaps, each week one or two things they may have +selected, and it must not be forgotten the plan of the work is that one +recipe shall serve as a key to many others. + +A great many will very likely have delayed trying to make the sauces +until the dish for which they will be required is given. This is a +mistake, because it is less annoying to fail with a sauce with no dish +depending on it, than, say, when you have decided to have sole _à la +Villeroi_, the soles being ready, and fail with the sauce. + +I hope that no failure will come to any one trying the recipes here +given, but in some cases, especially in sauces thickened with eggs, a +second’s diverted attention may cause failure without fault of the cook. +Therefore it is best to make single experiments when there is no danger +of being disturbed, and when there is nothing else to be attended to. +The successful result need never be lost, for in the case of sauces they +can be reheated the next day in a bain-marie, or pan of hot water; the +same with the soups, and, indeed, most other things, except soufflées +and omelets. + +But, above all things, never try a recipe for the first time the day you +wish it to appear perfect on your table; try it long before, and if you +fail, make the same thing over again, reading the directions very +carefully; some trifling caution or precaution may have escaped you. No +one ever learns to draw so simple a thing as a circle who is discouraged +at the first bad curve, and leaves it for easier lines. Keep on at the +thing you select to do until you succeed, always choosing _and +perfecting_ the easiest thing in each class first. + + + + +X. + +ENTRÉES. + + +_Fillet of Beef._--This favorite dish with French and Americans may be +roasted whole, or cut so as to serve individually. To roast it whole, it +must be trimmed perfectly round, and either larded or not as taste may +dictate. A fillet weighing four pounds should be roasted three quarters +of an hour in a sharp oven. It may then be served _à la Châteaubriand_ +by pouring over it half a pint of the sauce of that name, with +horseradish sauce, or brown mushroom sauce (brown sauce with mushrooms +added). + +To serve individually, fillets are prepared in the following way: Cut a +fillet into eight slices three quarters of an inch thick; trim the +slices into perfect circles, all exactly the same size; flatten them; +put them in a hot pan, and sauté for seven or eight minutes in two +ounces of butter; dress them round a dish, and pour over them the sauce +from which the dish will take its name. + +_Filets de Bœuf à la Béarnaise._--Serve with half a pint of Béarnaise +sauce. + +_Filets de Bœuf aux Champignons._--Dress as before; leave in the centre +of the dish room for a mound of stewed mushrooms; pour over the fillets +half a pint of rich brown sauce. Serve these dishes as soon as cooked: +the meat is spoiled by waiting. + +I have received several letters from readers living where lobster is +only to be had in cans, asking if there is no substitute for the coral +in making cardinal sauce. Canned lobster frequently contains a great +deal of coral, which is as good for coloring and flavoring as the fresh. +This can only be known, however, before opening, when the cans are of +glass. The pulp of red beet-root passed through a sieve and added to +white sauce or mayonnaise gives a beautiful red tint; but the flavor, +while excellent for a salad or as vegetable sauce, would be unsuitable +for serving with fish. + +_Grenadines of Beef with Mushrooms and Poivrade Sauce._--Take as many +slices of fillet of beef, cut three quarters of an inch thick, as you +require. Trim them to a pear shape, three and a half inches long and +three wide at the broadest part. Lard these with bacon, and put them +into a sauté pan with a gill of brown sauce and a glass of sherry (half +the sauce if there are very few grenadines); let them cook gently for +fifteen minutes. Dissolve a piece of glaze the size of a walnut by +putting it in a cup which is set in boiling water; when dissolved, take +up the grenadines, dish them in a circle, and glaze them (a brush is +properly used for this purpose, but the glaze can be spread with a knife +dipped in hot water). Fill the centre of the circle with a pyramid of +small mushrooms mixed with a gill and a half of poivrade sauce.[88-*] + +_Fillets of Beef à la Grande-Bretagne._--Cut two pounds of fillet into +neat slices an inch thick; slit them (with a small French boning-knife +or small penknife) in such a way that you form a pocket in each the +mouth or opening of which is smaller than the pocket itself. This can be +done by laying the fillet flat on a board, laying your hand on the top +of it, making a slit two inches wide, then with the point of the knife +enlarging the slit inside, but not the entrance to it. The opening +should extend half-way through; into this put a force-meat made of +horseradish sauce[89-*] and macaroni boiled and cut fine. The force-meat +must be used sparingly, so as not to increase materially the thickness +of the fillet; fasten the opening of each with a wooden toothpick. Sauté +these fillets for fifteen minutes; glaze them as directed in last +recipe; arrange them in a circle, with a pyramid of tiny potato balls in +the centre. Pour rich brown sauce round. + +_Mutton Cutlets à la d’Uxelles._--Cut some cutlets from the neck of +mutton, leaving two bones to each, trim very carefully, remove the upper +part of one bone, split the cutlets without separating them at the bone, +spread some thick d’Uxelles sauce[90-*] inside, fold the cutlets +together, run a toothpick through them, and broil for four minutes on +each side over a hot fire. Have a layer of chopped mushrooms stewed in +butter in the dish, lay the cutlets on it, pour over some d’Uxelles +sauce, and garnish with truffles, cut in very thin circles. + +_Mutton Cutlets à la Milanais._--Take six cutlets from a neck of mutton +(“French chops,” many butchers term them), mix equal quantities of +grated Parmesan cheese and cracker meal. Dip the cutlets into rich thick +brown sauce,[90-†] then into the cracker and Parmesan; shake off loose +crumbs; dip them now into beaten egg in which a little salt and very +finely chopped parsley and chives have been mixed, and then dip them a +second time in the Parmesan and bread crumbs; drop them into a kettle of +very hot fat; in four minutes they will be done. Do not fry more than +four at a time, as too many cool the fat. Dish them in a circle with +spaghetti dressed with Parmesan in the centre. + +It seems to me just here that before giving further recipes for fried +articles I had better make sure that all my readers understand the +process of frying in deep fat. I have used the word _sauté_ too, and +although no doubt both these processes are familiar to most readers who +would be likely to practise “Choice Cookery,” for those who are not +adepts many of the recipes would be impossible to execute. Frying, once +understood, is so easy a process one wonders that so few should excel in +it. To those who are not sure of themselves I recommend practice. A +couple of hours’ practice and careful observance of rules will enable a +bright woman to fry successfully. + +For this practice you may prepare several different articles and fry one +after the other--one or two very soft and creamy croquettes, one or two +breaded articles, especially such as are dipped in thick sauce before +being crumbed, etc. + +The principle on which articles that are very soft and creamy, +underneath the surface of egg and crumbs, are fried is this: the creamy +substances, whether rich sauce like d’Uxelles and Villeroi, or the cream +used to mix croquettes, must always be made of stock that will jelly +when cold. The sauce is used warm, and the articles are put to chill on +ice, so that they are in a jellied condition. Now the fat into which +they are plunged must be so hot that it sets the coating of egg and +crumbs, which forms a thin shell, as it were, before the jelly has had +time to melt; the shell once formed, the interior cooks in the intense +heat very quickly. If the fat were not hot enough, croquettes would go +all to pieces, and articles coated with sauce would lose the better +part of it. + +To fry, you require a stewpan or iron kettle; those called Scotch +kettles are best, as they set into the range readily. A frying-pan is +only useful for sautéing in little fat. Articles to be fried must be +immersed in fat, and no frying-pan is deep enough to do this safely. Put +two to three pounds of clarified dripping or lard into the kettle, and +let it get very hot. This will be after it ceases to sputter--some time +after, perhaps; but you must now begin to watch for smoke to rise from +the _centre_. Have near you some little squares of bread crumb; drop one +in from time to time; only when it colors _immediately_ is the fat hot +enough. At this point no time must be lost, and your frying begins. + +Of course you will have the articles you intend to fry right at hand. +You will also need a large dish, in which you lay common butcher’s +wrapping-paper (often called “kitchen paper”) and a perforated +skimmer--some like a frying-basket, and for very small things it is an +assistance; but for croquettes, cutlets, etc., it is not necessary: they +can be laid on the skimmer and dropped in the fat. + +The easiest and safest way to fry is to use a cooking thermometer +(pyrometers or frimometers they are sometimes called), and let the fat +be 380° for croquettes, oysters, and articles that only require two +minutes’ cooking; 360° for cutlets and heavier articles. + +The time required for articles to cook in the frying-kettle seems +astonishingly short. For instance, a breaded chop will be cooked to a +medium degree in two and a half minutes, well done in three minutes; but +it must be remembered the heat is intense. Croquettes must never be left +longer than two minutes, while whitebait (which, however, require +special instruction to fry without getting them into a cake) need less +than a minute. Potatoes require longer than most things; but the fat +need not be cooler at first, as would seem necessary, because they are +so full of water, even when well dried, that they cool the fat rapidly. + +_Sautéing_ (a word that would be expressive of the process in English +would be a boon to writers on cooking).--The process generally meant by +“frying” is really sautéing; yet so general has been the misconception +among all but professed cooks, that one has to take the precaution in +giving directions for frying to say, “Fry _in deep_ fat.” It ought to be +understood that to fry is to _immerse_ in hot fat. If some term suitable +for kitchen use could be found, half the difficulty would be over. In +old English books a very fair translation was used; they told you to +“toss the article in butter,” but though it rendered sauté “jump” +fairly, it did not express the process. There is neither tossing nor +jumping about it, unless an occasional shake to the pan be called so; +and as “flat frying,” “dry frying,” are awkward, the sooner we boldly +take sauté into common use, and let it become a kitchen word as familiar +as fricassee (which surely must have been very unfamiliar once), the +better. + +To sauté--although every Bridget or Gretchen fancies she can do +it--requires nicety and care to do it well, and is far more difficult +than “frying in deep fat.” The pan requires to be hot, also the fat or +butter used, which should cover the bottom of the pan; a bright fire is +required. Things that take long to cook require more fat than those that +require but a short time. Effort must be made to adjust the proportion, +as adding cold fat prevents browning. Veal cutlets and many other things +are far better sautéd than fried. The articles sautéd require to be +watched that they do not burn; yet they must not be too often turned, or +they will not brown--except, of course, such things as are chopped, +which require frequent stirring up. + +In speaking of chilling articles coated with sauce to be fried, I +omitted to give the caution that, in the case of meats, care must be +taken not to leave them long enough to freeze the meat. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[88-*] See No. IV. + +[89-*] See No. V. + +[90-*] See No. II. + +[90-†] See No. IV. + + + + +XI. + +ENTRÉES OF MUTTON CUTLETS OR CHOPS. + + +_Mutton Cutlets à la Duchesse._--Take as many cutlets (or French chops) +as required. Stew them in stock, with a small bouquet of herbs, very +gently until they are perfectly tender. Take them up, skim the stock, +and strain it; return to a small saucepan, and reduce the liquid to a +glaze; dip each cutlet in the glaze and lay it aside. Have ready what +cooks now call a “panada,” made of a gill of thick white sauce, two +yolks of eggs stirred into it and allowed to approach the boiling-point, +but not to boil (this, of course, must be done in a double boiler), or +the eggs will curdle; chop a dessertspoonful of parsley very fine; +parboil and chop also very fine three onions; pound thoroughly in a +mortar eight mushrooms; stir these all into the thick sauce, with a +saltspoonful of salt and a quarter one of pepper. Roll each cutlet in +this force-meat (if found too stiff to adhere properly, moisten with a +little cream or a little liquor from the mushrooms), lay them on a +fire-proof dish, and cover with bread crumbs and bits of butter. Bake +them until they are a golden brown. Serve with brown Soubise sauce. + +_Lamb Cutlets en Concombre._--Trim and cut six lamb cutlets three +quarters of an inch thick, flatten them a little to make them of equal +size and thickness; flour them, and sauté them in butter five minutes. +The fire must be sharp, because they must be a nice brown on both sides. +Arrange them round an entrée dish, with a gill of brown sauce poured +outside, and a pint of fillets of cucumber in the centre. + +_To Prepare Fillets of Cucumber._--Cut firm fresh cucumbers lengthwise +through the middle, remove seeds and all soft parts, cut into inch +lengths and into olive shapes all the same size. Put them into a +stewpan with an ounce of butter, a pinch of pepper, a saltspoonful of +sugar and one of salt, and let them stew until quite tender, without +acquiring any color. To do this the stewpan must be closely covered and +frequently shaken. + +_Lamb Cutlets with a Purée of Mushrooms._--Trim and cook and serve the +cutlets as in the foregoing recipe, only in place of the cucumbers make +a purée of mushrooms in the following way: stew half a pint of button +mushrooms and part of their liquor in half a pint of white sauce until +they are very tender (taking care the sauce does not burn), pound them +in a mortar, then force them through a vegetable strainer; then add +enough of the white sauce in which they were stewed to make the purée +the substance of very thick cream. + +_Cold Lamb Cutlets in Mint Jelly._--Roast a piece of what butchers call +the rack of lamb, which is really the neck and ribs. Let it get cold; +cut from it six cutlets, which trim just as if they were uncooked; that +is to say, remove meat and fat from the bone, and scrape it. Mask each +of the cutlets in mint jelly[101-*] warmed enough to be half fluid. +Arrange very carefully round an entrée dish when they are perfectly set, +so that the jelly will not come off. Have a Russian salad in the centre. + +_How to Prepare the Salad._--To prepare this you require two or three +small vegetable cutters of pretty shape; use them to trim carrots, white +turnips, and cucumbers into small, attractive forms; boil these in +separate waters till tender; also green peas, sprays of cauliflower, and +very tiny young string-beans. Throw each vegetable as it is cooked into +ice-cold water to keep the color. Have some red beet-root boiled +_before_ it is cut into shapes. Use equal quantities of each vegetable. +Arrange them with peas in the centre, and the others in circles round, +studying the effect of color; then dress, but do not mask, them with +green mayonnaise. + +At seasons when materials for Russian salad cannot readily be obtained +the chops may be served with a centre of cucumber salad, or one made of +the small white leaves of lettuce. + +_Cutlets Chaudfroid à la Russe._--For this cold dish mutton cutlets are +used. They must be of the finest quality, and from mutton not newly +killed. Cut as many cutlets as required, trim, and scrape the bone. +Braise for an hour in a moderate oven till the meat is very tender, +remove, and press between two dishes until they are cold. Then trim each +cutlet into perfect shape. Boil a quart of strong stock (which already +jellies) down to less than half a pint; dip each chop into this glaze +once or twice, till they look “varnished.” You now require a pint of +stiff aspic jelly; turn it out of the bowl, cut one or two slices a +quarter of an inch thick from it, to be cut into shapes (or croûtons) +with a cutter to garnish the cutlets. Chop the rest of the aspic, lay +it round the dish, and the cutlets against it, with the croûtons of +aspic to form the outer edge. The centre must be filled with a Russian +salad, in this case stirred up with very thick mayonnaise, instead of +being formally arranged. The mayonnaise must be only sufficient to dress +the vegetables, none to run into the other materials, and beet-root must +be added last, as it discolors the sauce if stirred up in it. + + +ENTRÉES OF SWEETBREADS. + +_Sweetbreads à la Suprême._--Take two plump sweetbreads, lay them an +hour in strong salt and water, then boil them for ten minutes in fresh +water; put them between two plates to flatten till cold. Cut off all the +gristle and loose skin from underneath; put them to stew _very gently_ +in half a pint of good-flavored stock. Take them up, drain well, and +stew them in half a pint of sauce suprême, with a dozen small mushrooms, +for ten minutes. + +_Sweetbreads with Oysters._--Prepare the sweetbreads as in the foregoing +recipe, quarter them, and put them in a stewpan with a gill of white +stock, the strained liquor from two dozen oysters, a saltspoonful of +salt, a pinch of pepper, and a suspicion of nutmeg. Put two ounces of +butter in a stewpan over the fire, stir into it one tablespoonful of +fine flour; let them bubble together, stirring the while, one minute. +When the sweetbreads have been simmering twenty minutes, pour the gravy +from them to the sauce; stir quickly till smooth. If thicker than very +thick cream, add a little more stock. In five minutes add the oysters. +Keep _at boiling-point_, but not boiling, till the oysters are firm and +plump. Do not leave them in the sauce a minute beyond this, or they will +begin to shrink. Take them and the sweetbreads up, and if the sauce is +too thin to bear a wineglass of cream, boil it rapidly down till _very +thick_; then skim, and just before pouring over the sweetbreads stir in +a wineglass of thick cream. If it goes in earlier it may curdle. + +It has been explained before, but I repeat it here, that there must +never be too much sauce, however good, to any dish, and that the +consistency is most important: it must be thick enough to mask a spoon, +yet run from it freely. Nothing can be worse than a dab of white mush +being served as sauce, unless it be a quantity of thin, milky soup +floating on every plate. This is where the happy medium must be struck. +It is perfectly easy to give exact proportions to produce certain +degrees of thickness, and this has been done in the chapters on sauces; +but where these sauces are used as a medium in which to cook, for +instance, sweetbreads, a certain amount of liquid must be added to +prevent burning. Now it is impossible to say how fast this added liquid +will diminish if the simmering is as slow as it should be, it may lose +hardly at all, in which case the articles stewed must be taken out, and +a few minutes’ hard boiling given to evaporate the liquid and bring the +sauce back to the proper point. + +_Sweetbreads in Cases._--Prepare two sweetbreads as directed in the +foregoing recipes. Put them in a stewpan with a thin slice of fat boiled +ham, half a carrot, half a turnip, and a small onion, all cut small, and +laid as a bed under the sweetbreads; put in a gill of broth, a bouquet +of herbs, and half a saltspoonful of salt, with a pinch of pepper. Let +them stew, closely covered, one hour, turning them after the first +half-hour. When done, take them up and drain them. When cold, cover with +thick d’Uxelles sauce; sprinkle thickly with very fine bread crumbs. +Make two rough paper cases, butter each liberally, and very carefully +lay each sweetbread in one, crumbed side uppermost. Put them in a quick +oven till pale brown. Have ready proper sweetbread cases, slip them +neatly into them, and serve. + +These are excellent cold, in which event they should not be shifted from +the rough case until ready to serve. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[101-*] For recipe, see No. V. + + + + +XII. + +ON THE MANNER OF PREPARING CROQUETTES, CUTLETS, KROMESKIES, RISSOLES, +AND CIGARETTES. + + +Although these ever-popular dishes are all or may all be prepared from +one mixture, there is a difference in the manner of using it which I +will here explain. + +_Croquettes_ are made from a soft creamy mixture chilled on ice till +firm enough to mould, then simply dipped into egg and crumbs and fried +in very hot fat. + +_Cutlets_ are the same (of course fancy cutlets are meant, not the +French chops, so called), only they are shaped to imitate a real cutlet, +with a little bone inserted; or, in the case of lobster cutlets, a small +claw is used to simulate the chop bone. Many only stick a sprig of +parsley where the bone should be, to keep up the fiction. + +_Kromeskies_ are rolls of the same mixture enveloped in very thin +slices (hardly thicker than paper) of fat larding pork; a small +toothpick holds the pork in place. The rolls are then egged, crumbed, +and fried. + +_Rissoles_ are the same thing, only rather easier to prepare, being +rolled in very thin pastry instead of pork. + +_Cigarettes_, the newest variation of the favorite entrée, and most +dainty of them all in appearance, are thin rolls of croquette mixture +(or, better still, quenelle meat) not thicker than a small cigar. These +are rolled in pastry, thoroughly deadened, pinched very securely, and +fried a very pale brown. + +As the manner of making the mixture is about the same for all kinds of +meats, fish, or game, varying only in flavor--a little wine, a little +onion, or sweet herbs taking the place of the mushrooms in some cases--I +will give exact directions for making sweetbread cutlets; chicken, game, +or fish may be substituted for the sweetbreads, naming them accordingly. +The ham may always be omitted where the flavor is objected to. For +those who like it, it adds very much to sweetbreads, but would be out of +place with game, which should depend on its own individual flavor. + +_Cutlets of Sweetbreads._--Soak a pair of sweetbreads in salt and water +for an hour--longer if there is much blood about them; then cook them +half an hour in stock. Drain them and let them get cold. Trim off all +superfluous fat and gristle; chop them with one ounce of lean boiled ham +to each pair of large sweetbreads, and half a can of mushrooms, a small +teaspoonful of salt, the sixth of one of pepper. Put an ounce of flour +in a small thick saucepan with an ounce of butter; stir them together +over the fire until they bubble; then add a half-pint of liquid +consisting of a gill of stiff jellied stock and a gill of thick cream; +stir till they boil and form a smooth sauce; mix the sweetbread mixture +with the sauce. + +The mixture should be a soft, creamy mass, not in any way so stiff as +sausage-meat, or so as to remain in a heap without spreading; when +poured on a plate, it should be of a consistency that will _slowly_ +settle, yet there must not be any liquid whatever. On this question of +consistency depends the quality of the croquettes, cutlets, etc., made +from it. If too stiff, they will be dry and only a superior sort of hash +ball. What you have to aim at is a croquette or cutlet that will ooze +out of the thin shell of egg and crumb when pressed with a fork. Success +in attaining this can always be secured by taking care to moisten the +minced meat with a sauce made of _very stiff jelly_ in the proportion of +half a pint of liquid (the melted jelly and cream) and one ounce each of +flour and butter. This will mix a pint of sweetbread and mushrooms, or +rather less of dry meat, such as the breast of chicken, veal, etc. + +I dwell on this point because this class of entrées is always popular, +and if the consistency is once well understood, success is certain to +follow. + +When the mixture is poured into shallow dishes or plates, a piece of +buttered paper should be laid over them, and then they should be placed +on ice until quite firm. When ready, cut small pieces of the mixture, +make them into shapes as nearly resembling a French chop as you can, +using a very little cracker meal should they stick to your hands. Have +before you a large dish of cracker meal and the yolks of two eggs beaten +with two small tablespoonfuls of water, cover each cutlet thoroughly +with egg, then with meal, gently patting them to make the meal adhere; +insert anything you please to represent the bone (turkey ribs may be +boiled white and kept for this purpose). Cutlets require to be dropped +into very hot fat, and taken up within two minutes. Consult directions +for frying in former chapter. + +Sweetbread croquettes are simply made into cork or pear shapes, never +large, instead of cutlets. When the white meat of chicken replaces half +the sweetbread, they are called Cutlets, or Croquettes, à la Reine. + +Make no attempt to mould croquettes or cutlets until the mixture is firm +enough to cut; then handle very quickly, make into proper forms, finish +them either as cutlets or what you wish, and let them remain in a cold +place for an hour or two before cooking; this last direction may not be +always possible, and to an expert is not necessary, but when time can be +given the amateur should always plan to do it. + +But though in experienced hands it is possible (though not so easy) to +make croquettes and fry them as soon as breaded, do not be led to +believe that you can dispense with putting the mixture on the ice the +first time. I remember a young lady who was very proud of her croquettes +telling me she never found it necessary to chill the mixture; she could +secure perfect shape without. I asked to see the process, and decided in +my own mind that she must go widely from the directions, and have her +material as stiff as hash; but I found she solved the difficulty in a +different way: she simply worked in quantities of cracker meal, using it +like flour. Of course the croquettes were spoiled, although it was true +they kept their shape, and I do not think the young lady realized at all +that she was changing and impoverishing the preparation altogether. + +_Braised Sweetbreads._--Take a pair of sweetbreads, lay in salt and +water for an hour, then blanch. Press slightly between two dishes; when +cold, remove all skin, fat, and gristle; cut up very fine a small +carrot, a turnip, and an onion; put them in a stewpan with the +sweetbreads, pour over them a pint of stock, lay a piece of buttered +paper over them, and braise carefully for half an hour. Take them out of +the stewpan, put them in a small meat-pan, boil the liquor rapidly a +couple of minutes, then baste the sweetbreads with it several times; put +them in a quick oven to brown; serve on slices of fried bread, pour half +a pint of Spanish sauce round, and garnish with mushrooms. + +_Tartlettes of Chicken._--Cut six ounces of the breast of a cooked +chicken into very small pieces, chop up one truffle, twelve mushrooms, +and two ounces of lean boiled ham; stir them into a gill of white sauce. +Butter thickly nine dariole moulds, line them neatly with quenelle +meat,[114-*] of which you will require half a pound, fill the centre +carefully with the mixed chicken, cover the top carefully with quenelle +meat, and steam for twenty minutes; dish on a circle of spinach, pour +béchamel sauce over and round, fill the centre of the dish with peas or +mixed vegetables. + +_Chicken à la Hollandaise._--Take out the breast-bone of a large _young_ +fowl, and fill the space with the following force-meat: half a pint of +fine bread-crumbs, an ounce and a half of butter, a small boiled onion +chopped, and a dozen oysters cut into small pieces; a saltspoonful of +salt, a pinch of pepper; bind together with an egg, sew up the fowl, +and truss for roasting. Make a nice batter, as for fine fritters, and +when the fowl has been in the oven half an hour, pour part of the batter +over it; when dry and beginning to brown, pour more, until it is thickly +coated and a nice brown; baste often; cut up the chicken, and serve with +Allemande sauce and lemon. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[114-*] See directions in No. IV. + + + + +XIII. + +PATTIES. + + +The directions for making one kind will serve for patties generally. In +cities the cases are very easily bought, but where they have to be made +at home, only one who is already an expert in making puff-paste should +attempt them. + +Patties when served as an entrée should be quite small, or half of them +will certainly be left on the plates. + +Roll puff-paste a quarter of an inch thick for each patty, cut three +circles from it, moisten the surface of two very slightly with water, +place one on the other, then with a sharp penknife cut a circle nearly +through the third round, leaving a margin of one third of an inch; lay +this round carefully on the other two; brush the top with white of egg +(be sure not to touch the sides), and bake in a very quick oven. Patties +must be watched, and turned if they show signs of rising unevenly. When +they are a fine yellow-brown take them out, and leave five minutes for +them to cool slightly, then with a penknife or a boning-knife carefully +remove the top formed by the smaller circle you marked, and which (if +the paste was very light and the oven in good condition) will probably +have risen out of the centre. Be careful in handling these covers, for +while warm they are very brittle. With a coffee-spoon remove the +half-cooked dough from the centre of the patty, taking care, however, to +leave sufficient thickness of inner crust to prevent the sauce from +oozing through. + +The filling for patties can be made before it is needed; but when that +is done, it must be made quite hot before it is put into the cases, as, +if it were put in cold, the pastry would burn before the inside became +warm. + +_Dresden Patty Cases._--These make a very pretty kind of patty when +puff-paste is not to be had, and even when it is are a desirable +variety. They are made from fine light baker’s bread. Cut slices an inch +and a half thick, then with a biscuit cutter about two inches in +diameter cut circles from these slices, and with another cutter, a size +smaller, press half-way through each. You will now have pieces of bread +the size and shape of patties. Beat four eggs; mix with a pint of milk +and a saltspoonful of salt; pour this into a shallow pan, and stand the +bread patties in it. The amount of milk and eggs must of course depend +on the number of patties; the proportion named is enough for six small +ones. The patties must remain steeping until they are thoroughly soaked; +they must be carefully turned upside down when the lower part is +sufficiently steeped. The time required will depend on the quality of +the bread, but one hour will generally suffice. The bread must be +thoroughly penetrated by the custard, be almost as moist as mush, yet +be in no danger (with careful handling) of breaking. When sufficiently +steeped, take each one on a cake turner and lay it on a drainer. (They +may be prepared some hours before they are needed for cooking.) When +quite drained, baste each one carefully with beaten egg till every part +is coated, then smother it in cracker meal. Gently pat it to make it +adhere, then slip the patty on to a dish till you are ready to fry. Do +not attempt to move the patties with the hand or a spoon, but with a +flat skimmer or cake turner. + +When prepared as directed, make three pounds of lard _very hot_ in a +deep frying-kettle,[119-*] place three of the patties on a fine wire +frying-basket, and fry brown. The fat should be excessively hot, as the +patties, being full of cold custard, will not burn, and will rapidly +cool it. They should be a delicate brown in six or seven minutes. Let +the fat come back to the original intense heat before putting in the +other patties. When they are fried, remove the centre you marked with +the smaller cutter with a sharp thin knife and small teaspoon, leaving +the sides about half an inch thick. They are now ready to fill. If the +patties are just right, the inside you remove should be of a +custard-like texture, _not_ like sopped bread: indeed, in eating them, +the bread should not be easily detected. These patties are very +delicious filled with any of the usual fillings, or, for dessert, with +stiff preserve. They have no covers, consequently the filling should be +piled high without allowing the sauce to run over, and garnished with +parsley or water-cress. + +_Sweetbread Patties._--Soak two very white sweetbreads in salt and water +one hour; parboil for twenty minutes; then let them cool; remove the +skin, fat, and gristle; cut them into half-inch dice, and lay them aside +while you prepare the following sauce: Put a gill of strong white stock +into a small saucepan with a gill of mushroom liquor (and a dozen small +mushrooms cut in four if approved) to boil. In another saucepan cook an +ounce of flour and one of butter together, stirring till they bubble; +pour the two gills of stock quickly to it, and stir till smooth. Season +with half a teaspoonful of salt and very little pepper; lay in the +sweetbreads, and let them stew twenty minutes. Strain them off from the +sauce, which boil down (stirring constantly to prevent burning) till +very thick; then add a gill of thick fresh cream. The sauce should now +be thick enough to mask the spoon _very heavily_; pour it over the +sweetbreads, and stir together. This is now ready for filling the +patties. If mushrooms are not liked they may be omitted, the liquor +replaced by a gill of stock and a teaspoonful of white wine. + +_Oyster Patties._--Take a dozen and a half Blue Points, scald them in +their own liquor, but do not leave them a moment after they reach the +boiling-point; strain the liquor from them; cut each oyster in four. Put +a tablespoonful of flour and one of butter into a small saucepan over +the fire, stir them together until they bubble; then pour to them half a +pint of the strained liquor of the oysters, or part liquor and part +stock. Stir continually, and let the sauce boil very thick; then lay in +the oysters, and simmer half a minute. The amount of seasoning required +will depend on the saltness of the oysters, but a saltspoonful of salt +will probably not be too much, a little pepper, and a teaspoonful of +essence of anchovies--just enough to make the sauce a delicate +salmon-color. For the last thing, stir in one small teaspoonful of lemon +juice. The consistency of the sauce for all patties should be that of +very thick double cream. When it is not thick enough, it can always be +reduced by boiling down, taking care not to boil the meat or oysters, +etc., in it. + +_Chicken Patties._--Take the breast of a boiled chicken, cut it into +dice; use half a pint of the liquor in which it was boiled to make the +sauce. Put this broth in a small saucepan with a teaspoonful of lean +boiled ham chopped a little (take care there is not a particle of the +outside of the ham, or it may impart a smoky flavor); let the ham simmer +in the broth while you melt together a tablespoonful of flour and one of +butter; when they bubble, and the broth has been boiled down to about +one half, _strain_ the latter into a half-pint measure, fill up with +cream, and stir this quickly to the flour and butter. When the sauce is +thick and smooth, put in the chicken; keep the mixture at boiling-point +five minutes, then set the saucepan in another of boiling water, and +stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs; only just let them thicken; then +remove from the fire, and use for filling the patty cases. A teaspoonful +of sherry is often added to the sauce. If this filling is not used while +hot, it must be reheated in a double boiler and watched, or the eggs +will curdle; or the filling may be prepared and the eggs added after it +is reheated. + +_Bouchées_ of any kind are simply patties made very small indeed--for +this reason the filling is always _chopped_ instead of being cut into +dice. + +The essence of anchovy mentioned is a most useful sauce for fish, and +can be bought at any large grocery. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[119-*] See full directions for frying in No. X. + + + + +XIV. + +ENTRÉES. + + +In an earlier chapter I gave directions for quenelles as an adjunct to +soups and for garnishing. Used in this way, they are only a revival of +an old French fashion, coarsely imitated in the benighted days of +Anglo-Saxon cookery by the English “force-meat balls.” Lately, however, +not only are quenelles a great feature in high-class cookery as +additions to made dishes, but they are a most fashionable and delicious +entrée, and replace with great advantage the too-frequent croquette. + +To prepare quenelle meat for entrées. + +_Mode No. 1._--To make quenelle meat, a mortar is indispensable, as it +must be pounded to a pulp that will go through a sieve, and I have known +a persevering woman grate the breast of chicken on a large grater, but +this is very slow work. Take the white meat from a large, young, +uncooked chicken, and remove all skin, fat, and sinew. Melt together +over the fire a scant tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; when +they are thick and smooth, stir in a gill of boiling water quickly. This +should now be a thick paste; put it away to cool. Take half as much +butter as you have of chicken, and half the quantity of paste +(technically called panada) that you have of butter. Put the paste into +a mortar; pound it well; add the butter; pound again till smooth; add +the chicken, cut up very small, and pound until the whole forms a smooth +pulp. Add one whole egg and the yolks of three, the third of a +saltspoonful of white pepper (salt must depend on whether the butter +seasons sufficiently). Work all well together, stir in half a gill of +thick cream, and pass the whole through a wire sieve. Put the whole on +ice to get firm. The quenelles should be about the size of a small egg +flattened; shape with two tablespoons dipped in flour. Have ready a +frying-pan with boiling water in which is a saltspoonful of salt, lay +each quenelle carefully in, and poach for ten minutes. The water must +boil very gently. Drain on a sieve; serve with mushroom or tomato sauce. +Have a little dried parsley and grated tongue or ham, and scatter +alternately on each quenelle. + +_Mode No. 2._--One pound of lean veal cutlet; pound it thoroughly in a +mortar; then rub it through a sieve, or it may be forced (_after_ it is +pounded) through a vegetable strainer. Steep a pound of bread crumb in +tepid water; wring it in a cloth to get rid of the moisture; put it in a +stewpan with a tablespoonful of butter and a pinch of salt. Stir it over +the fire until it ceases to stick to the pan and forms a smooth paste. +Place it between two plates to cool. This is called bread panada. Put +into a mortar twelve ounces of the prepared veal, six ounces of fresh +butter, and eight ounces of the panada. Pound all well together; mix in +gradually one whole egg, two tablespoonfuls of thick cream, and the +yolks of four more eggs, a scant teaspoonful of salt, and a +quarter-saltspoonful of pepper. When this is all pounded into a smooth, +compact mass, put it into a bowl and place it on ice until required for +use. Mould and poach as described in last recipe. + +Great care is required in cooking quenelles, as if they are overdone +they become tough; ten minutes is enough for those the size of a small +egg. Before moulding the whole, poach a small one, break it open, and +ascertain if it is smooth, light, yet firm. They should melt in the +mouth. If they are at all tough, add a little more cream to the mixture, +unless the toughness comes from over-boiling, which you must guard +against. Very elaborate quenelles are made with a core of dark meat, +made by chopping up ham, tongue, or truffles very fine, and inserting +it in the centre while forming the quenelles. Always serve quenelles +with tomato, mushroom, or rich Spanish sauce. Dish in a circle, and fill +the centre with spinach, green peas, or a macédoine of mixed vegetables. + +The mode of preparing all quenelles is by one of the two methods just +given, but they may be made of any kind of game, or the backs of hares +or rabbits. Quenelles of salmon, lobster, or other fish must of course +be served with appropriate fish sauce. + +_Timbale of Chicken à la Champenois._--Chop a small slice of lean boiled +ham, weighing about two ounces, put into a saucepan with four chopped +mushrooms, four truffles, and an ounce of butter; stir in a moderate +dessertspoonful of corn-starch and half a pint of stock and a gill of +sherry; let this slowly simmer until reduced to one half. Skim off the +fat, then stir in the finely chopped breast of a large chicken or of two +small ones, six small pickled gherkins, a sprig of parsley, and six +anchovies which have been soaked in milk. Make all hot over a slow fire, +but do not let them boil. Line a mould with light puff-paste, pour the +mixture into it, and bake one hour; turn out and serve very hot. Garnish +with fried parsley. + +_Scallops of Chicken à la Périgord._--This dish may conveniently be made +when the white meat of chicken is required for other purposes. + +Bone the legs of two large chickens; take half a pound of veal, a +quarter of a pound of fat salt pork; pound both in a mortar, then pass +through a sieve; add to this two tablespoonfuls of minced tongue, six +truffles, and half a dozen button mushrooms, the yolks of two eggs, a +saltspoonful of salt, and a _very little_ cayenne. Mix well. Stuff the +legs of the fowls with this. Sewing them up neatly, wrap each up in +buttered paper; put them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a +carrot, turnip, and small onion cut up; add three quarters of a pint of +brown stock. Put the stewpan in the oven, baste well, and cook gently +one hour. When cooked, have ready a mound of spinach. Take a _very +sharp_ knife, cut the legs in slices so as to make circles like slices +of sausage; strain off the gravy. Cook together a dessertspoonful of +butter and flour; when they bubble, pour the strained gravy to it, with +a gill of sherry and a little salt and pepper; stir till smooth; boil +till as thick as cream. Dress the scallops of chicken in a circle round +the spinach, pour the sauce round all, and insert bits of truffle and of +tongue between the scallops. + +_Chicken Soufflé._--Pound three ounces of the white meat of cooked +chicken as fine as possible; mix with it half a pint of cream and three +well beaten eggs, a few button mushrooms finely chopped, a saltspoonful +of salt, a sixth of one of pepper, a dust of cayenne, and a speck of +powdered mace. Pour the mixture in a well-buttered mould, tie a cloth +over it, and steam it half an hour. It must stand quite upright in the +steamer. Turn out on a hot dish, and pour any rich brown sauce preferred +around it. This soufflé may be made of sweetbreads, or half and half. If +individual soufflés are preferred, butter as many dariole moulds as the +mixture will fill; lay at the bottom of each something by way of +garnish--a little star or disk of tongue or ham for some, of truffle for +others, of green gherkin for others--so that when turned out the top of +the soufflés will show spots of color. Half fill the moulds, and steam +twenty minutes. + +Soufflés of all kinds depend for excellence on being served the moment +they are ready, and on the steam being kept up all the time they are +cooking. When baked the oven must be very steady. + +_Fritot of Chicken._--Take a cold chicken, cut it into small neat +joints, season rather highly with salt and pepper, strew over them a +small grated onion (or one very finely chopped), and a dessertspoonful +of chopped parsley. Cover them with oil, and then squeeze over them the +juice of a lemon. Turn the pieces now and then, and let them remain +until they have absorbed the flavor. Meanwhile make a batter of four +tablespoonfuls of flour and about eight of milk, or as much as will make +a thick smooth batter; stir into it a wineglass of brandy and an egg, +the whole beaten to a high froth. Leave this batter in a warm place an +hour before using, dip the pieces of chicken into it, and fry in very +hot, deep fat. Serve piled high on a dish garnished with fried parsley. + + + + +XV. + +ENTRÉES.--_Continued._ + + +_Cigarettes à la Reine._--These are the newest development of the +rissole and croquette. They require strict attention to details to +secure perfect form. Roll puff-paste a quarter of an inch thick; prick +it all over--this is to deaden it; roll it now till it is no thicker +than cartridge-paper. Cut it with a sharp knife dipped in flour into +strips about two inches and a half wide and about the length of a cigar; +lay on each strip a roll of chicken quenelle meat that is very firm, and +the roll not thicker than a lady’s slender forefinger; be careful that +the meat reaches nearly the whole length of the paste, yet leaves a +margin for closing, as the least oozing will spoil the appearance. +Moisten the edges of the paste all round with white of egg; fold the +paste over half an inch; be very careful to see that it adheres +thoroughly; then pinch the ends. Roll them gently with a cool hand on +the floured board to round them without pressure, taper off the ends +cigar fashion. If they are softening, lay them on a floured plate on ice +to get firm; then roll them in egg and very finely sifted cracker meal. +You may roll or improve the shape, if there is any irregularity, while +crumbing them. Remember what you aim to imitate is a cigar. The great +danger for the first time is getting them too large; they must therefore +be very slender. Fry in deep fat just as rissoles; serve on a napkin, +log-house fashion. These dainties, as will have been seen, have a large +amount of butter, and soften in a warm room; they must therefore be made +in a cold room, and if set on ice some hours before cooking will be much +easier to fry without bending or twisting. + +_Cigarettes à la Chasseur_ are, as the name indicates, made of game, in +exactly the same way as the last recipe. + +_Lobster Quenelles._--Prepare with bread panada as directed for quenelle +meat. Poach and drain them. Then dish in a circle with thick Hollandaise +sauce in the centre and round them. + +_Chicken, Turtle Fashion._--This requires a pullet or young hen about +six months old. Bone the bird; stuff with a force-meat made of four +parts minced veal, two parts chopped hard eggs, a half part lean boiled +ham, two parts mushrooms, and two parts _pâté de foie gras_. First make +the veal and ham hot in a little butter, then add the mushrooms and +_foie gras_; moisten with stock or mushroom liquor, and _gently simmer_ +five minutes. Stir in two beaten yolks of eggs and a teaspoonful of +lemon juice. Season with a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter one of white +pepper, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg, grated. Stuff the fowl with this +mixture; sew it up with trussing-needle and string; turn the skin of the +neck half over the head, and cut off part of the comb, which gives the +appearance of the turtle’s head. Scald and skin four chickens’ feet; +cut off the claws, and insert two where the wings ought to be and two in +the thighs, so as to look like turtles’ feet. Put in a stewpan a +tablespoonful of chopped boiled ham, an onion, and a small carrot cut +up, with a tablespoonful of butter; let them brown very slightly, add +half a pint of stock, skim it, lay the fowl in this stock, and stew +gently for an hour and a half to two hours, or even longer, according to +size. When quite tender take up the fowl, cut and remove the string with +which it is sewn, lay it on its back on a dish, garnish the breast with +sliced truffles cut in fancy shapes, place a crawfish tail to represent +the turtle’s tail. When eaten hot serve velouté sauce. This is an +excellent dish cold garnished with aspic. + +_Baked Ravioli._--Four ounces of veal, six ounces of butter, three +ounces of lean sausage-meat, a teaspoonful of mixed sweet herbs, a +little salt and pepper. Pound all in a mortar; when smooth, pound +separately a gill of spinach that has been boiled till just tender +without losing color, and a quarter of a pound of cream cheese or rich +cottage cheese, which must be squeezed in a cloth to remove all the +milk. When smooth, pound all together, and stir in the yolks of two +eggs. Make some pastry with half a pound of butter, three quarters of a +pound of flour, and the yolks of two eggs; mix stiff, and roll till +about as thick as a fifty-cent piece. Cut the paste in two parts. Take a +medium-sized biscuit-cutter, mark half as many circles on one half the +paste as you wish ravioli. Lay in the centre of each circle a mound of +the force-meat--perhaps a large teaspoonful, only be careful to leave a +quarter-inch margin all round. Moisten this margin with a camel’s-hair +brush dipped in white of egg; lay the second half of the pastry over +these mounds; press the cutter on each to trim them, and you have a +number of little round patties; press the edges together very well by +curving the little finger round them. Have some rich stock boiling in a +stewpan; poach the ravioli five minutes. Take them up, drain them well, +arrange them in a fire-proof gratin dish, sprinkle them over with grated +Parmesan cheese, pour in a very little stock, and bake brown in the +oven. + +_Veal Cutlets à la Primrose._--Take a pound of veal cutlet; cut it up +into small cutlets the size of a dollar, and perfectly round. Put two +ounces of butter (which has been first melted to let the curd separate) +into a saucepan, with three onions, two ounces of bacon cut into small +dice, a bouquet of herbs (including bay-leaf). Fry, stirring frequently, +for a quarter of an hour, then add a tablespoonful of corn-starch, a +dessertspoonful of Tarragon vinegar, and a pint of strong stock. Let all +simmer very gently for about one hour. Take up the cutlets, strain the +gravy and pour it over them, then sprinkle with a tablespoonful of +grated tongue, and the same quantity of parsley dried and crumbled +small. Chicken may also be cooked in this way. + +_Quails à la Lucullus._--This, as its name implies, is a most expensive +and luxurious way of serving these dainty birds, yet by management the +livers of chickens may be saved a day or two by scalding them, and the +opportunity taken when several are required for general use during a +week. Bone very carefully six or eight quails. Cut up three ounces of +unsmoked bacon, put it in a sauté pan, let it cook five minutes, then +add the livers, a shallot sliced, a small bouquet, twelve white +peppercorns, six cloves, a saltspoonful of salt. Let all cook carefully +ten minutes: nothing must burn or get very brown. When cooked, pound +well in a mortar, pass through a sieve, then add three truffles chopped; +stuff each quail into shape, butter some paper cases known as “quail +cases,” put a quail into each case, a few drops of olive oil on each +breast. Then put them in a quick oven for ten minutes or a quarter of an +hour. For the gravy, put the bones of the quails in a stewpan, add a +tablespoonful of glaze and a gill of brown sauce, with one +tablespoonful of water. Simmer till the gravy is well flavored from the +bones, then strain, and add two tablespoonfuls of chopped truffles and +half a gill of sherry. Put one tablespoonful of this sauce over each +quail before sending it to the table, after very carefully draining all +grease from the quails. These are served in the papers, but rough paper +cases may be made to bake them in, and the regular crimped ones set in +the oven to get hot just before dishing up. Slip the quails into them +after draining. + +_Quails à la Jubilee._--Bone as many birds as required. Lard them with +pork and thin strips of truffles. Stuff them in shape with equal parts +of sweetbreads and oysters, sew them up; roll them in buttered paper, +and cook in the oven in enough Chablis to cover them. Pound some boiled +potatoes and water-cresses together until thoroughly blended; put a +tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan with one of milk; put in the +potato, stir round till quite hot; use this to make a border on which +to serve the quails. When they have cooked fifteen to twenty minutes, +take them up, glaze them (melt glaze in a cup standing in hot water, and +brush them over). Lay them on the potato border, and pour into the +centre some Spanish sauce with mushrooms in which has been boiled a +slice of lemon. + + + + +XVI. + +ENTRÉES.--_Continued._ + + +_Pigeon Cutlets._--Take half a dozen young pigeons, split them down the +back, and bone them, all but the leg, cutting off the wings at the +second joint. Cut each bird in two down the breast; trim off all ragged +edges, so that each half-bird has as much as possible the appearance of +a cutlet, the leg serving for the bone. Sauté these cutlets, having +seasoned them with pepper and salt, for three minutes in hot butter, +then put them in the oven for five minutes. When done, press between two +plates till cold. Then mask each cutlet with a thick purée of tomatoes +and mushrooms in which aspic jelly has been mixed, equal parts of each. +Let them be put on ice to stiffen the masking. Roll in fine cracker +meal, then dip into well-beaten egg, again into the meal, and then +place them in a sauté pan with very hot clarified butter, and cook them +a fine golden brown. Dish up on a border of mashed potatoes browned with +grated Parmesan; serve mushrooms in the centre and Spanish sauce all +round. + +_Pigeons à la Tartare._--The pigeons should be trussed for broiling; +flatten well with a rolling-pin without breaking the skin, season them +with pepper and salt, dip into clarified butter and cover with very fine +crumbs or cracker meal. Broil them carefully, turning often. Make a +sauce of a scant tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, a shallot, two +spoonfuls of pickled gherkins, and a boned anchovy. Mince all finely and +separately. Squeeze over them the juice of a lemon; add half a +tablespoonful of water and six of oil, and a little pepper. Mix all very +well, and just before serving rub in a teaspoonful of dry mustard. Put +the sauce into the dish, lay the pigeons over, and serve. + +_Compote of Pigeons._--For any dish of pigeons except roast or broiled, +wild birds may be used in place of tame. Their flavor is far finer, and +if not perfectly young, which is the main objection to the use of wild +birds, the preparation remedies the defect. Cut four ounces of lean +unsmoked bacon into pieces, and fry five minutes. Split the pigeons in +half, skewer each half as neatly as possible with tiny skewers, so that +they will not sprawl when dished; flour and season them lightly, and fry +a nice brown on both sides; add one small carrot, one small turnip, two +sticks of celery, one shallot, six mushrooms--all cut small; add a +_bouquet garni_ and three gills of rich stock; let them all simmer very +slowly in a stewpan for one hour, or longer if the birds are not young. +Simmer together a tablespoonful of flour and one of butter; pepper and +salt (quantities depend on whether the stock be seasoned); stir +constantly, and when they begin to change color pour a gill of brown +stock to it, stirring well; remove from the fire. Take up the pigeons, +strain the gravy, then stir in the brown thickening you have made; boil +up, skim off all fat, then return the birds; let them get thoroughly +hot, but not boil. Serve on a border of mashed potatoes, pour the gravy +round and over them, and fill the centre with peas or spinach. + +_Soufflé of Partridges._--Clean and cook two partridges; remove the +breasts and best of the other flesh without skin or sinew. Take two +ounces of rice cooked till very tender, pound them together in a mortar +with one ounce of butter and a gill and a half of glaze melted, a +teaspoonful of salt, and a sixth of pepper. Pound until the whole can be +forced through a strainer, then add the beaten yolks of four eggs, and +last of all the whites of two beaten till they will not slip from the +dish; stir them very lightly into the mixture. Pour it into a silver +soufflé case, or into a number of the small china cases. Bake till it +rises, and then serve immediately with a tureen of rich brown sauce. +This soufflé can be made of any kind of cold bird or fish. The four eggs +are given for _medium_-sized partridges. + +_Salmis of Snipe._--Clean and roast lightly six snipe, saving the trail. +When done let them get cold, then cut them up and remove the skin, and +lay them in a buttered stewpan; pound the trimmings and bones in a +mortar, and put them into a stewpan with two shallots, a clove, a +bouquet of herbs, and half a pint of claret; let this simmer until +reduced to one half. Then add three quarters of a pint of Spanish sauce. +Let these _very gently simmer_ for half an hour, skimming frequently; +strain through a fine sieve, and return to the stewpan. If it is not +thick enough to coat the spoon, reduce a little more. Pour this sauce +over the snipe in the sauté pan, and let it get hot without boiling; +pile the pieces in a pyramid; meanwhile chop the trail, mix with half +the quantity of _pâté de foie gras_ and a little salt and pepper; +spread this on croûtons, bake, and use them to garnish the snipe. + +_Fillets of Teal with Anchovies._--Remove the breasts from a pair of +teal after they have been three parts roasted. Take care to preserve +each half breast in good shape. Lay these fillets seasoned in a china +fire-proof dish which has been well buttered and strewed with grated +Parmesan; split two anchovies, remove the bone. Wash and dry the four +halves, lay one on each fillet of teal, moisten with a gill of fish +stock, sprinkle with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, lay small +pieces of butter over, and bake in the oven fifteen minutes. The last +thing before serving squeeze the juice of a lemon over all. + +Rabbits are so little cared for in this country that it may seem useless +to give recipes for using them. There are probably two reasons for the +low estimate in which rabbit is held here. One, that as they are offered +in market they are skinny, miserable animals. Yet there are parts of +the country where they attain a good size, and a fine plump rabbit may +compare favorably with fowl for many purposes. Indeed, English epicures +use it in preference for mulligatawny. The second reason, and probably +the one that is the real reason, for the difference in taste is because, +being so lightly esteemed, no care is ever given to the preparation of +them. + +On the chance that some reader may feel inclined to test the +possibilities of the native rabbit, and its claims to a place in choice +cookery, I give two or three recipes, each admirable in its way. Rabbits +should be used quite fresh, and cleaned and wiped dry as soon after they +are killed as possible. + +_Grenadines of Rabbit à la Soubise._--Take the whole backs of two +rabbits from the shoulders to the thighs, both of which you reject; cut +away the ribs and the thin part that forms the stomach, leaving only the +backbone with solid flesh each side; divide this into sections, about +two joints to each. Lard them, and then braise for one hour. Stand them +in a circle, and pour over and round them a pint of brown Soubise sauce. + +_Fillets of Rabbit with Cucumber._--Half roast a rabbit, then remove the +solid flesh from each side the backbone in long fillets. Cut two +cucumbers and one Bermuda onion in thin slices, salt them, and let them +drain. Lard the fillets of rabbit, season them, and lay them in a +stewpan, with a pint of white sauce slightly thinned with white stock, +the cucumber, and the onion. Let them simmer for half an hour. Lay the +fillets in a circle, and put the cucumber and onion in the centre, the +sauce, which should be thick enough to mask them, over the fillets. +Fried sippets garnish this dish. + +_A Civet._--For this dish the dark-fleshed rabbit, or hare, as it is +often called, is best. Cut it into meat joints; cut half a pound of +unsmoked bacon into slices, and fry in a saucepan; then lay in the hare, +and sauté for fifteen minutes. Pour off the fat. Add half a pint of +port-wine, a bouquet garni, and a dozen mushrooms, and a little pepper +and salt; let this simmer gently one hour; then add a pint of brown +sauce and twenty button onions which have been blanched. Simmer for +another half-hour. Remove the bouquet, add a gill of stewed and strained +tomato, half a gill of glaze, and a tablespoonful of Chutney. Serve in a +pyramid, pour the gravy, after it is well skimmed, over the whole, and +garnish with fried croûtons. + +_Timbales d’Épinard._--Make some quenelle meat of chicken or veal +according to directions already given, and mix with purée of spinach, +prepared as follows, until it is a nice green; pick and wash some +spinach, put it into salted boiling water, and boil fast for fifteen +minutes. Drain and press it, then beat it through a wire sieve; return +to the saucepan with two ounces of butter; pepper and salt; stir till +well mixed. Stir a gill of cream to the quenelle meat, then use enough +of the spinach to give it a fine light-green color. When well mixed, +butter some dariole moulds; nearly fill them. Then dip your finger in +cold water and press a hole in the centre of each to the bottom; fill it +with a purée of ham, and then put a coating of quenelle meat over, and +steam twenty minutes. + +Purée of ham is prepared as follows: pound lean boiled ham in a mortar +with some stock that has been boiled down to half glaze; rub through a +wire sieve. If too stiff, moisten with a little more melted glaze. + + + + +XVII. + +COLD ENTRÉES, OR CHAUDFROIDS. + + +These elegant dishes are suitable for formal breakfasts, luncheons, and +suppers, and while presenting an unusually attractive appearance, are +easier to manage than less elaborate dishes, because they can usually be +prepared, all but garnishing, the day before. + +Although in giving the recipes meat cooked for the purpose will always +be directed, and for formal purposes no care or expense should be +spared, the intelligent reader will see where she may make a very pretty +dish by utilizing cold fowl, game, or lamb for any simple occasion. + +_Sweetbreads au Montpellier._--Parboil a pair of fine white sweetbreads, +after soaking them in salt and water an hour. Let them get cold between +two plates under slight pressure. Cut them into the form of cutlets +(cutlet cutters are to be obtained at the fashionable New York hardware +stores, and at the large French tin-shops down-town). Have some firm +aspic jelly not quite set; dip each cutlet in it; chop some aspic that +is hard and cold roughly; form a circle of it; arrange the cutlets on +this; fill the centre with asparagus heads; pour mayonnaise round, and +garnish with fancy shapes of aspic, red and white alternately. Red aspic +is colored with pulp of the red beet stirred into it while liquid and +then strained out; green is produced by spinach. The various shades of +amber, shading into rich brown, that are so effective when tastefully +mingled, are due to caramel coloring. When colored aspic is required for +garnishing, pour off a little into separate vessels, and color each as +required. + +_Chicken Salad à la Prince._--Cut the white meat of cold fowl into neat +fillets, using a very sharp knife, so that there may be no ragged edges. +Mask each piece with a mixture made as follows: One tablespoonful of +finely minced capers, two of minced boiled ham, three hard-boiled eggs, +an anchovy boned and washed, and two sardines freed from skin. All these +must be well pounded, then rubbed through a sieve; add a teaspoonful of +finely minced tarragon and chives. Stir all into a tablespoonful of +mayonnaise and one of aspic, semi-fluid of course. When each fillet has +been well coated with the mixture and has set, line a border mould with +aspic jelly, ornament the fillets of chicken with little strips of +beet-root and cucumber arranged like a trellis-work. Place them very +carefully round the mould on the layer of aspic, then pour in a little +more aspic, until the border mould is full, and set it on ice. When +about to serve have a dish well layered with the small leaves of +lettuce. Drop the mould for one minute in warm water, and turn out on to +the lettuce. Fill the centre with a salad composed of cucumber cut into +dice, peas, string-beans cooked until tender (for this purpose the +canned French string-beans serve admirably, being beautifully cut +ready). Pour over the centre salad some thick mayonnaise. + +Where mayonnaise makes too rich a dish for the digestion, béchamel sauce +may be substituted for masking, but never for salad; for instance, two +very simple chaudfroids of chicken may be made as follows: + +_Chaudfroid of Chicken_, No. 1.--Cut up a young fleshy chicken into neat +joints, remove the skin, mask each piece carefully with béchamel sauce; +when quite set arrange on chopped aspic in a circle, garnish with strips +of cucumber and beet; cut the remainder of the cucumber and beet into +neat pieces, and stir into a gill of mayonnaise, and use for the centre. +This and all salads should be lightly seasoned before the mayonnaise is +added, or they are apt to taste flat. + +_Chaudfroid of Chicken_, No. 2.--Prepare the chicken as in last recipe, +only before masking the joints season the béchamel well with finely +chopped tarragon; leave out the mayonnaise and aspic. Pile up the pieces +of chicken on the entrée dish, and garnish with Roman lettuce, or, if +that is not to be had, the hearts of Boston lettuce. + +_Chicken and Ham Cutlets._--Boil a young fowl with a good breast in +clear stock; take it out, let it get cold; cut the breast into rather +thin slices. The bones, skin, and trimmings may be thrown back in the +stock, which can be boiled down to make both the béchamel and aspic for +the dish (see recipes), or be kept for other purposes. Take the slices +of chicken and some very well cooked lean ham that is cut so thin you +can see the knife under the slices. Melt a little béchamel sauce, that +must be like blanc-mange, pour it on a plate, and before it has time to +cool cover the plate with the slices of chicken. Dip the ham into the +stock (if it has been boiled down to jelly, otherwise into melted +aspic), lay the ham over the chicken, then more thin slices of chicken. +Now cover the whole by means of a spoon with more béchamel; when all +this sets, which, as your sauce has only been half melted, it will do +quickly, you have a large white cake about half an inch thick. Cut this +cake into small pieces (unless you have a cutlet cutter), as like a +cutlet in form as possible, using a sharp penknife or boning-knife. Take +up each carefully, and with the end of a silver knife or small spoon +cover the edges with the béchamel sauce, which must be nearly set for +this purpose. + +To garnish the cutlets, cut some tiny green leaves from pickled +gherkins, and red ones from the skin of a red pepper-pod, and place two +of each in the centre of each cutlet, star-shaped; a touch of white +sauce will make them stick; place a speck of parsley not larger than a +pin’s head in the centre. Stick a tiny lobster claw three quarters of an +inch long at the narrow end of the cutlet, and place them in a silver +dish round some aspic of a bright amber color, chopped. Put a very +small sprig of parsley between each cutlet. + +I may here remind the reader that when aspic or béchamel is used for +masking or for pouring into a mould as lining, etc., it must _not be +made hot_, only softened in a bowl set in warm water, just enough to be +free from lumps. It must, of course, be stirred from the moment it +begins to soften. The mould to be lined should be turned about till it +is well coated, and if there is a disposition to run off the sides, roll +it round in ice. For instance, when the first layer of béchamel is +poured on the plate as directed in last recipe, it must be moved about +until quite covered, yet very thinly. If it sets too soon, hold the +bottom of the plate over steam. + +_Reed-birds in Aspic._--Take the back and breast bone from a dozen +birds, splitting them down the back first. Save the feet. Make a +force-meat of _pâté de foie gras_ and panada in equal proportions; +season highly, spread the inside of the birds, sew them up as nearly in +shape as possible; bake seven to ten minutes, then dip them into glaze; +put a little pale aspic in a dozen dariole moulds, enough to cover the +bottom a quarter of an inch, and when just set put in a bird breast +down; set on ice a few minutes, then pour in aspic to cover the bird a +quarter of an inch. Put on ice. Turn out, and on the top of each strew +pistachio nuts chopped very fine. Insert the two feet of the bird, +scalded and dried, to stand up from the centre. + +_Chaudfroid of Reed-birds._--Prepare as in last recipe with _pâté de +foie gras_ force-meat. Butter a dozen dariole moulds. Put a bird in +each, breast downward; put the dariole moulds in a pan with a little +water, and set it in the oven for fifteen minutes; when cold, turn out +the birds, wipe them, dip each in brown _chaudfroid_ sauce, and put them +on a dish to cool. When cold, lay them in rows against a pile of chopped +aspic. + +_Brown Chaudfroid Sauce_ is made by putting a pint of Spanish sauce, a +gill of cream, half a pint of aspic jelly together, and boiling them +until they are reduced one quarter. Skim constantly, and strain for use. + +_White Chaudfroid Sauce_ is simply béchamel and aspic treated in the +same way. It differs, of course, from plain béchamel in having the +piquant flavor of the aspic; in appearance there is little difference. + + + + +XVIII. + +COLD ENTRÉES. + + +_Iced Savory Soufflé._--This dish can be made of fish, game, or chicken, +but is considered best made of crab. Cut up the crab, or whatever it may +be, into small pieces; let it soak in mayonnaise sauce for two or three +hours. Have some well-flavored aspic jelly, half liquid; whip it till it +is very frothy; put some of this at the bottom of the dish it is to be +served in--a silver one is most effective; then place a layer of crab +well seasoned, and fill it up with aspic and crab alternately until the +dish is nearly full; place a band of stiff paper round, and fill in with +whipped aspic; set it on ice for two hours; take off the paper, and +serve. + +_Savories._--Within the last few years, which may, perhaps, be called +the renaissance of cooking in England, since Kettner, in his “Book of +the Table,” shows that in the Middle Ages that country was famous for +its cuisine, while France was still benighted--within the last few +years, then, there has grown up a fashion of introducing preparations +called _savories_. They vary very much, from the tiny little _bouchette_ +of something very piquant, to be taken between courses as an +appetizer--which, I believe, was the original idea--to quite important +dishes suitable as entrées for formal breakfasts or suppers. But it is +with the original “savory” as a piquant mouthful that they will take +their place in this book. So important a part have they come to play in +English _menus_ (I am not now speaking of simple dinners) that the +invention of a new “savory” is something to be proud of, and it is said +that the very best are invented by the _bons vivants_ themselves, seldom +by the _chef_. One lady has written a book of which _savories_ is the +only branch of cooking treated, and she says in her preface, “Savories +being at present so fashionable, and novelties in them so eagerly +inquired for, I have been induced to publish a small book on the +subject.” + +In looking over any list of small savories we find many of our old +friends in it, such as _cheese canapés_, _angels on horseback_, _anchovy +toast_, etc. With these familiar dainties we will have nothing to do, +only the mention of them will serve to show that any little piquant +morsel may be used as an appetizer served as _hors d’œuvres_. + +_The Savage Club Canapés._--These must be made small enough not to +require dividing--in other words, can be eaten at one mouthful. Cut +slices of stale Vienna bread a quarter of an inch thick, stamp out from +them with a very small cutter circles about the size of a fifty-cent +piece. Sauté these in a little hot butter till they are a very pale +brown. Lay them on paper when done, to absorb grease. Stone as many +small olives as you have guests; fillet half as many small +anchovies--that is to say, split them, and remove the bones and scales; +wash them, dry them, and roll each one up as small as possible, and +insert it in an olive in place of the stone. Now trim one end of the +olive so that it will stand; then put a drop of thick mayonnaise on the +centre of one of the rounds of fried bread, which, of course, must be +quite cold; stand the stuffed olive on it neatly, and put one drop of +mayonnaise on the top, to cover the opening in the olive. A variation, +and I think an improvement, on this bouchée, is to use a little softened +aspic to attach the olive, and a small quantity finely chopped to crown +it. Still another plan is to put a tiny disk of bright-red beet on the +top, using aspic to cement it there. + +_Canapés á la Bismarck._--Cut circles with a small cutter from slices of +stale bread a quarter of an inch thick; sauté in butter till they are a +light brown; spread over each when cold a thin layer of anchovy butter; +curl round on each an anchovy well washed, boned, and trimmed; sprinkle +very finely shred olives over them. Anchovy butter is two parts butter +and one of anchovy paste. + +_Caviare Canapés._--Cut some slices of bread a quarter of an inch thick; +cut disks from them with a small round cutter; fry them pale brown in +butter. When about to use them chop a large handful of water-cress +leaves very fine, taking care to press them in a cloth to remove all +water before you begin to chop; when they are almost as fine as pulp, +mix with them an equal amount of butter; when well blended, spread each +canapé with it, and spread a layer of caviare on the top. + +_Prawns en Surprise._--Cut some small rounds of bread and butter, not +more than two inches in diameter and a quarter inch thick. Peel some +prawns; steep them in mayonnaise sauce a few minutes; place three on +each round of bread-and-butter, with a small piece of water-cress on +each. Place over all some whipped aspic jelly; strew lobster coral over +them. + +_Prince of Wales Canapés._--Take some fine prawns, three anchovies, two +gherkins, and two truffles. Bone the anchovies and wash them, peel the +prawns, and then cut all the ingredients into very small dice. Make a +sauce as follows: Bruise a hard-boiled yolk of egg in a mortar with a +tablespoonful of salad oil, a saltspoonful of mustard; mix with this an +anchovy and a teaspoonful of tarragon that has been scalded and chopped; +pound all well together, and pass through a sieve with a teaspoonful of +tarragon vinegar and a speck of cayenne; mix enough of this with the +prawns, etc., to season the mixture. Salt, it will be observed, is not +mentioned, because the anchovies and prawns may be salt, but this can +only be known to the cook by tasting. Butter some small water biscuits +(crackers), put a small teaspoonful of the mixture on each, and cover +with finely chopped aspic. Garnish by putting a spot of green gherkin on +one, a spot of red beet on another, and on a third one of truffle, and +so on alternately. + +_Shrimp Canapés._--Fry some rounds of bread as directed for other +canapés. Make some shrimp butter by pounding equal quantities of +shrimps, from which heads, tails, and shells have been removed, and +fresh butter till they form a smooth mass; spread the fried bread with +it. Place whole shrimps on the top in the shape of a rosette, in the +centre of which put a tiny pinch of chopped parsley. + +_Cheese Biscuits à la St. James._--Take three tablespoonfuls of the +finest flour, half a pound of cream curds, and five ounces of Brie +cheese, which has been carefully scraped, and a pinch of salt; pound all +in a mortar; add five ounces of softened butter and three eggs, to make +a very stiff paste, which must be rolled very thin, and cut into round +biscuits. Bake in a very quick oven, and serve hot. + +_Kluskis of Cream Cheese._--Take half a pound of fresh butter, six eggs, +six tablespoonfuls of cream cheese, a pinch of powdered sugar, salt, and +sufficient grated bread crumbs to make a paste, adding cream if it +crumbles; mix well together, and roll into small balls; poach them in +boiling water until firm (no longer). Serve hot, with a spoonful of +poivrade sauce on each. + +_Cold Cheese Soufflés._--Grate one and a half ounces of Gruyère cheese; +the same of Parmesan. Whip half a pint of cream and a gill of aspic +jelly to a high froth; stir in the cheese; season with salt, cayenne, +and made mustard to taste. Fill little paper baskets or very small +ramequin cases, grate cheese over the top, and set on ice to get firm. + +The above mixture may be frozen just as you would ice-cream, but very +firm, then cut out in little cubes, and serve on canapés of fried bread; +it is then called “Croûtes de Fromage Glacé.” + +_Oysters à la St. George._--Take the beards from two dozen oysters; put +the melt (or soft roe) of two Yarmouth bloaters into a sauté pan with +two ounces of butter; dry and flour the oysters, and sauté them with +the melt. Have some squares of bread fried a nice light brown; place a +nice piece of the melt on each square, and an oyster on top; squeeze a +few drops of lemon juice on each, and serve very hot. + +_Allumettes._--For these fantastic little trifles you require anchovies +preserved in oil--not in salt; they are found at all Italian groceries +and at the larger American grocers’. Wipe them free from scales and oil; +cut each into long, thin strips. Have ready some plain pastry rolled +very thin; envelop each strip of anchovy in pastry; pinch closely, so +that it will not burst open, and fry in very hot fat for a half-minute, +or sauté them in butter till crisp and yellow. Serve log-house fashion, +using two allumettes for each crossing instead of one; put fried parsley +in the corners, and serve very hot. + +_Eggs à la St. James._--Take as many eggs as you have guests, and boil +them hard in buttered dariole moulds; the moulds must be large enough to +hold the egg when broken into it, but not much larger. When quite cold +remove the eggs; slice off the white at one end of each, taking care to +preserve the shape. Scoop out the yolk; mix this with a teaspoonful of +chopped truffles, a little pepper and salt, and put it back very neatly +into the whites. Coat the eggs with aspic jelly several times. Serve +them upside down, that is, the uncut part upward. Put a spoonful of +half-mayonnaise (mayonnaise mixed with whipped cream) on each, and a few +specks of chopped truffle. + +A variety of this dish has anchovy paste in very small quantity in place +of truffle, and the mayonnaise just made pink with it. + + + + +XIX. + +GALANTINES, BALLOTINES, ETC. + + +Galantines are so useful and handsome a dish in a large family, or one +where many visitors are received, that it is well worth while to learn +the art of boning birds in order to achieve them. Nor, if the amateur +cook is satisfied with the unambitious mode of boning hereafter to be +described, need the achievement be very difficult. + +Experts bone a bird whole without breaking the skin, but to accomplish +it much practice is required; and even where it is desirable to preserve +the shape of the bird, as when it is to be braised, or roasted and +glazed for serving cold, it can be managed with care if boned the easier +way. However, if nice white milk-fed veal can be obtained, a very +excellent galantine may be made from it, and to my mind to be preferred +to fowl, because, as a matter of fact, when boned there is such a thin +sheet of meat that it but serves as a covering for the force-meat (very +often sausage-meat), and although it makes a savory and handsome dish, +it really is only glorified sausage-meat, much easier to produce in some +other way. This is, of course, not the case with turkey; but a boned +turkey is so large a dish that a private family might find it too much +except for special occasions. On the other hand, galantines of game, +although the birds may be still smaller, are so full of flavor that it +overwhelms that of the dressing. + +The following process of boning, however, applies to all birds. To +accomplish the work with ease and success, a French boning-knife is +desirable, but in the absence of one a sharp-pointed case-knife may do. +Place the bird before you, breast down, with the head towards you. Cut a +straight line down the back through skin and flesh to the bone. Release +with the left thumb and forefinger the skin and flesh on the left side +nearest to you, and with the right hand keep cutting away the flesh from +the bone, pulling it away clear as it is cut with the left hand. When +you reach the wing joint cut it clean away, leaving the bone in the +wing, and continue cutting with the knife close to the bone until all +the meat from the left breast is released. Return to the back and +continue to separate the meat from the bone, always keeping the edge of +the knife pressed close to the latter, until the leg is reached; twist +it round, which will enable you to get the skin over it, and cut the +joint from the body bone. Proceed with the right side in the same way, +using your left hand for cutting and your right to free the meat (to +some this would be very awkward, and when it is so turn the bird round). +The bird will now be clear of the carcass. Lay the bird flat on the +board, inside upward, then cut out the wing-bone and proceed to the +legs; cut the meat on the inside of each thigh down to the bone and +clear the meat from it, cutting it each side until you can lift the +bone out; then free the drumstick in the same way. + +If it be intended to stuff the bird in form, it would be necessary to +bone the leg and wings from the inside, but for a galantine it is +useless trouble, as they are to be drawn inside the bird. Spread out the +bird, having drawn legs and wings inside, season with a teaspoonful of +salt and half a saltspoonful of white pepper mixed together, and rubbed +over the flesh, which must have been made as even as possible by cutting +the thick parts and spreading them over the thin ones. If there are any +bits of meat clinging to the bones they must be carefully gathered +together and chopped with a pound of veal and two ounces of lean cold +boiled ham, with four ounces of fat, sweet, salt pork. (Butter may be +substituted if pork is objected to). When all is chopped as fine as +sausage-meat, season rather highly with pepper and salt. Spread a layer +an inch thick over the bird; then add some long strips of tongue, some +black truffles cut into dice half an inch square, and a few pistachio +nuts. Dispose these, which may be called the ornamental adjuncts of the +galantine, judiciously, so that when cut cold they will be well +distributed. Cover carefully with another layer of force-meat, fold both +sides over so that the force-meat will be well enclosed, form it into a +bolster-shaped roll, tie it up in a linen cloth securely with string at +each end, and sew the cloth evenly along the middle, so that the shape +will keep even. Put it into a stewpan with stock enough to cover it, two +onions, two carrots sliced, a stick of celery, a small bunch of parsley, +a dozen peppercorns, an ounce of salt, and the bones of the bird, well +cracked. Let it _simmer gently_ for three hours and a half. Take it up, +strain the liquor, and let the galantine get nearly cold. Take off the +cloth; wring it quite dry; put it on again, rolling the galantine as +tight as possible; tie firmly, and place it on a platter; cover with +another platter, and place a heavy weight upon it to press it into +shape. Let the stock get cold. Take off the grease. Add a +half-teaspoonful of sugar and the juice of a quarter of a lemon to the +stock, and reduce by rapid boiling to a half-glaze, that is to say, a +jelly firm enough to cut into forms without being tough. Clear with +white of egg in the usual way, and when quite transparent pour part into +shallow dishes, leaving enough to cover the galantine. Color one dish a +rich clear brown; leave the rest light. When the jelly thickens, but is +not quite set, cover the galantine with it half an inch thick. When the +jelly is cold, cut it into what are called _croûtons_, which may mean +vandyked strips, to be laid across, triangles, squares, or any fancy +shapes; the pieces and trimmings are chopped to scatter over the dish or +lay in small piles round. + +_Ballotines_ are small galantines made by treating small birds as +directed in last recipe, only that the force-meat should have a larger +proportion of truffles, and be made of the same kind of bird; for +instance, grouse would have rich force-meat of grouse. One grouse, +however, would make two or four ballotines; quails make two, to be +served as individuals. + +_Galantine of Breast of Veal._--Bone a breast of young white veal very +carefully, spread it out as flat as possible on the board, pare the meat +at the ends for about an inch so that the skin may project beyond. Take +all the scraps of meat that may have come from boning, provided they are +not sinewy; take also twelve ounces of veal cutlet, and half the +quantity of fat unsmoked bacon. Chop very fine, seasoning all rather +highly. When the meat is fine, season the inside of the veal. Mix with +the force-meat tongue, truffles, and pistachio-nuts or olives, all cut +into half-inch dice (the tongue larger). So mix these that they will +come at regular intervals through the stuffing. Roll the breast round +the stuffing, which is not spread, but laid in a mass, and sew the veal +together. Fasten it up in a cloth, tie securely at the ends, then tie +bands of tape round at intervals to keep it in shape. + +Braise this galantine for six hours in stock, which may be made of a +small knuckle of veal and the bones and trimmings. Vegetables as +directed for chicken galantine. + +Let the galantine be cold before it is untied. Garnish and glaze as +directed for chicken. + +Galantine is occasionally made of sucking pig, and is very popular in +France. The pig must be carefully boned, all but the head and feet. A +sufficient quantity of veal, of fat unsmoked bacon, and of bread panada +must be chopped and pounded to make enough force-meat to stuff the pig +in the proportion of one part bacon, two panada, and three of veal, +seasoned with a teaspoonful of onion juice and two of powdered sage. + +The pig’s liver must have been boiled in stock, and cut in dice. There +must be fillets or strips of rabbit or chicken, a few chopped truffles +and olives. Mix well. Lay in the fillets as you stuff the pig, and when +full sew up the opening. Try to keep the shape as near as possible. Then +braise slowly for four to five hours, as directed for galantine of veal. +Do not remove the cloth till it is cold. + + + + +XX. + +HOW TO “FILLET.”--COLD GAME PIES. + + +I have spoken several times of “filleting.” To some readers an +explanation of the term may be necessary. To “cut up” a bird does not +indicate the meaning, nor does the term “to carve” it do so, because to +carve means to cut up or divide with an exact observance of joints and +“cuts.” Filleting, when applied to anything without bones, as the breast +of a bird or boned fish, means to cut into very neat strips that are +thicker than slices; but when you are directed to “fillet” a grouse or a +chicken, it is intended that you should cut it into small neat portions +regardless of joints and without the least mangling of it; therefore a +very sharp knife must be used, and either a small sharp cleaver or a +large cook’s knife only to be employed when a bone has to be cut +through. + +_To Fillet Cooked Birds: Grouse, Pheasants, or Poultry._--Cut the bird +in half straight down the middle of the breast-bone, using a large sharp +knife for the purpose. Lay each half on the table and take out the +breast-bone from either side. If the bird is a large fowl, duck, or +partridge, each breast will make three fillets, and leave a good piece +with the wing, but average birds only make two breast fillets. Chop off +the pinions within an inch of the meat, then cut the wing in two neatly; +drumsticks are to be chopped off close to the meat, and divided into two +fillets (if a large chicken or duck; leave game whole); cut the thigh in +two also. Trim very neatly; leave no hanging skin; indeed, when +filleting for _chaudfroids_ the skin should be entirely removed, and +both it and the leg-bones are removed for pies. When possible, it is +better not to use the drumsticks. From a chicken they make an admirable +“devil,” and from game they help the bones and trimmings to make a rich +gravy; so it is no waste to discard them. + +Cold pies are of two kinds: the one cooked in a terrine or dish without +pastry; the other in what the English call a “raised paste,” and the +French a _pâte chaude_. Those with paste--which is seldom eaten--are far +handsomer, but do not keep so well--that is to say, they must be eaten +within three or four days even in winter; while in a terrine carefully +kept in a cool airy place the pie will be good at the end of three +weeks. + +On the other hand, the pie in a terrine is much less trouble to make. +Proceed as follows: + +_Game Pie._--Make some force-meat thus: Fry a quarter of a pound of fat +ham cut in dice with half a pound of lean veal. Take the ham up before +it gets brown, as you do not need it crisp; when the veal is cooked take +that up also, and if there is enough of the ham fat in the pan, put in +half a pound of calf’s liver cut up in dice, if not, sauté it in +butter. In sautéing all these they must be often stirred, as you want +them well cooked and yet not very brown. When done they must be finely +chopped, then pounded in a mortar, with a small teaspoonful of salt, and +half a saltspoonful of pepper. Then add a dozen mushrooms chopped, and +mix the whole. + +A game pie is usually made rather large, and the greater variety of game +used, the better; partridge, pheasant, grouse, hare, all help one +another, but at least two kinds are necessary. It must be boned and +neatly filleted into small joints. Put on all the bones and trimmings to +stew in three pints of water, with a good-sized carrot, onion, a stick +of celery, a small bouquet, a clove, a teaspoonful of sugar, one of +salt, and a little pepper; boil all this until the bones look white and +dry when out of the stock. Strain, and reduce by rapid boiling to a +half-glaze; put a layer of the force-meat at the bottom of the dish, +then one of boned game, with a sprinkling of pepper and salt, and either +a little finely chopped parsley or, what is far better, a few thin +slices of truffles; pour over a little of the reduced stock; fill the +dish in this way to within an inch of the top; make a plain +flour-and-water paste, lay it on the pie, and make a hole in the centre, +bake slowly in a pan of hot water. When cold, remove the paste, cover +the top with chopped aspic, fold a napkin, and serve the terrine on it, +with a wreath of parsley round the base. Game pie is not a dish to be +eaten at one or even two meals (unless very small), therefore the aspic +must be fresh each time it is served. + +_French Method of Making a Game Pie or Pâte Chaude._--Make a paste of +two pounds of flour and one of lard or butter, with salt to taste and +about half a pint of water; knead it into a smooth, rather hard paste; +put it into a damp napkin for an hour. Butter a raised pie dish--a tin +one that opens to release the pie--line it with the paste rolled half +an inch thick, letting it come half an inch above the dish; line the +inside of the paste with buttered paper, bottom and sides, and fill with +rice or corn meal; cover with another piece of buttered paper, wet the +top of the pastry all round, and lay a cover of thin pastry over it; +trim very neatly, make a hole in the centre, and ornament with leaves +cut from the paste and laid on; the under side should be slightly +moistened to make them adhere. Brush the surface with well-beaten egg, +and bake about an hour, when it should be a nice golden brown. Take off +the cover; after it has slightly cooled, remove the rice or meal and the +buttered paper; take the case from the mould, and brush it all over with +egg inside and out; set it in the oven until the glazing dries, and any +part that may not be sufficiently brown becomes the color of the cover, +which, being glazed at first, is not returned to the oven. + +_Preparation for Filling the Case._--Fillet chickens, guinea-hens, +partridges, or grouse (leave pigeons or quails whole, but bone them). +Put sufficient pieces of one sort, or all sorts mixed, to fill the pâte +chaude case into a sauté pan, with two ounces of butter, and sauté till +lightly colored. Take them out, and put them in a stewpan with a quart +of reduced consommé, half a pint of mushrooms sliced, a dozen truffles +cut into dice (half-inch), a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, and a +wineglass of sherry, and let them simmer very gently, _not boil_, for +half an hour, or until very tender. Let them cool, and when lukewarm +arrange them in the pâte case, leaving the centre hollow, which fill +with mushrooms and truffles. The liquor in which they were stewed must +be then poured over them. The cover of a pâte chaude case is often not +used, and aspic jelly covers the top of the pie. + +_English Manner of Making Game Pie in a Crust._--Use at least two kinds +of game, which for this purpose must not be long kept; high game is +acceptable to epicures when roasted or stewed, but never in a pie. +Discard all parts blackened by shot. Cut into neat joints, from which +bones must be removed. Take all the fragments from the carcass after the +breast and joints are removed, and the flesh of a small bird or hare, +or, failing that, some calf’s liver fried in dice; pound whichever you +may have for force-meat in a mortar with four ounces of bacon that has +been boiled; when the whole forms a paste (from which you have removed +all strings, sinew, or gristle while pounding), season with pepper and +salt--a teaspoonful of salt to a pound of force-meat, and a scant half +saltspoonful of pepper. Put on the bones, _without vegetables_, in cold +water to simmer until it is a rich broth, which strain, and boil rapidly +till a little set on ice in a saucer will jelly. Make what is called +“raised” paste in the following way: To two pounds of flour use three +quarters of a pound of butter and half a pint of scalding milk; pour +this into a hole in the centre of the flour, and knead into a firm +paste, adding a little more milk if necessary (but it seldom is). This +paste is not to be rolled, but beaten out with the hand while warm to +half an inch thickness. Line a well-buttered meat-pie mould, with a +hinge opening at the side; leave half an inch of paste above the mould; +trim off neatly with scissors. Then lay in the game and force-meat in +alternate layers, seasoning the joints with pepper and salt as you lay +them. A few slices of tongue and truffles to form one layer are +desirable. When the mould is full, lay on the cover, moisten the under +edge, and pinch round in tiny scallops. Make a hole in the centre, round +which put an ornament; stick in a bone to prevent the hole closing, and +bake two to four hours in a moderate oven, according to size, +remembering always that the crust will not be injured by long baking, +and that the game in this pie is uncooked. When it is removed from the +oven, let it stand half an hour, taking the mould off, that it may +cool; then brush the sides and top with an egg beaten with milk, and +return the pie to the oven that the sides may brown; cover the top, if +it is already highly colored, with a sheet of paper. Remove the bone +from the centre, insert a small funnel, and after removing all fat from +it, pour in the gravy from the bones. The gravy must be poured very +slowly or it will bubble up, and care must be taken to have all the pie +will hold, yet not a drop too much, or it will ooze somewhere. These +pies, when quite cold, may be sent any distance, and are much used in +England and Scotland for hunting-parties, besides being a standard +breakfast and luncheon dish. The crust is merely a frame to hold the +game. + + + + +XXI. + +GARNISHES. + + +In all choice cookery the appearance of dishes has to be carefully +studied. However good the taste may be, the effect will be spoiled if +its appearance on the table does not come up to the expectation raised +by the name on the _menu_. For this reason the subject of garnishes +requires to be considered apart from the dishes they adorn. In the old +time garnishes were few and simple, and when not simple, very ugly, as +the camellias cut from turnips and stained with beet juice. Nowadays +garnishes are many, and many so termed form part of the dish, as what +are termed, “floating garnishes for soup,” quenelles, etc. Garnishes +that are merely ornamental need not be so expensively made as those +intended for eating. Foremost among fashionable floating garnishes for +soup are the colored custards known as pâte royale; they are perfectly +easy to make, yet very effective served in clear bouillon. + +_Colored Custard._--Prepare the custard with five yolks of eggs, a gill +of cream or strong bouillon, and a pinch of salt; butter small saucers +or cups; divide the custard in three--color one with spinach juice or +pulp of green asparagus, another with red tomato pulp or the pulp of red +carrot boiled, and a third with pulp of beets. A few drops of cochineal +may be added to intensify the color of the last, which is apt to be a +beautiful pink instead of red. The custard for which pulps are used must +be strained after they are added, expressing as much of the juice as +possible. The custard should be flavored delicately with the vegetable +used for color. + +_Spinach Juice_ is very frequently directed to be used as coloring, but +scarcely anywhere is any indication given that the juice without +preparation is of very little use. It should be prepared as follows: +Take a large handful of fresh green spinach, wash it, and remove decayed +leaves only; drain well, then pound in a mortar or chopping-bowl until +quite mashed. Let it stand a quarter of an hour, then squeeze the mass +in a cloth, and put the green water into a cup, which set over the fire +in a small saucepan of water; watch the scum rise; when it stands quite +thick at the top and turns a vivid green, remove at once (if it remains +on the fire after this the green darkens); pour the contents of the cup +through cheese-cloth or thin muslin laid in a strainer. The scum that +remains is your coloring matter. It must be carefully scraped off with a +spoon, and mix with the custard only as much as is required to give a +delicate green tint. If any is left it may be mixed with an equal +quantity of salt and put away; it loses color, however, after a few +days. + +The colored custards must be set in water, a small piece of buttered +paper over each, and the water allowed to boil gently round them till +they are firm. Let them get quite cold; then cut them into cubes or +diamonds. + +_Profiterolles._--Perhaps the next in popularity of these floating +garnishes are _profiterolles_, or “prophet’s rolls,” as cooks call them. +They are made exactly like those intended for dessert, omitting +sweetening of course, and a very small quantity is required, as they +must be dropped no larger than a pea, and baked a _pale_ fawn-color. + +Put a gill of water and a pinch of salt and two ounces of butter in a +small saucepan; as soon as they begin to boil draw the saucepan back and +stir in four ounces of flour; beat well over the fire with a wooden +spoon until it becomes a soft paste, then add the yolks of two eggs and +white of one, beating each yolk in separately. It will be seen that the +paste is similar to that made for cream cakes. + +A similar garnish is made in the following way: Beat an egg with a pinch +of salt, and then stir in as much dry sifted flour as the egg will +moisten; work it well with the hands till it is elastic, although stiff. +Roll it on a pastry board until it is as thin as paper, then roll it on +a clean linen cloth still thinner, and leave it a quarter of an hour to +dry. Then fold the paste, press it very tightly together, and with a tin +cylinder, not larger in diameter than a cent, cut out, with considerable +pressure, as many small disks as you require to allow five or six to +each plate of soup. Have ready in a small saucepan some _smoking hot_ +lard. Drop the disks in; they will puff and swell till they are like +marbles. Stir them, and take them out of the fat; they require only a +few seconds to brown, and must be taken out very pale. Add to the soup +the last thing before serving. + +While aspic jelly is certainly the handsomest of garnishes for cold +dishes, it is generally part of the food itself, and should not be so +lavishly used that when helped there is more jelly than meat served. +Where the jelly is intended only for a garnish not to be eaten, simple +gelatine is sufficient. For instance, a large platter containing a +galantine or a _chaudfroid_ may have a handsome wreath glued on the +border, of red and green leaves, or holly leaves and red berries, or any +device that need not be disturbed by the carver. + +For such decorations as these gelatine is melted in proportion of three +ounces to a scant quart of water, cleared with white of egg, and then +colored pale yellow with caramel or saffron, vivid red with cochineal, +and bright green with spinach; it saves time and trouble to let this +congeal on dishes in thin sheets. Small cutters of ivy, oak, and other +leaves can readily be purchased at the large house-furnishing stores. + +One word here about uneatable decorations, never admit them at a +children’s party; they are the very part of the feast the little people +will most crave; red leaves for them must be of red currant-jelly, +yellow of white, etc. + +“Forced butter” is another form of garnish which adds much to the +appearance of glazed ham or tongue. It is butter beaten to a white +cream, then put in a forcer, and a pattern traced on the ham, which must +be followed just as in icing a cake. + +_A Few Ways of Cooking Vegetables._--It is not intended to go into the +general cooking of vegetables, although it may be said that even the +choicest cooking can offer no greater luxury, or, alas! a greater +rarity, than a dish of early peas or asparagus _perfectly cooked_. But +this is not the place to remedy the wholesale spoiling of summer +vegetables that goes on in almost every kitchen. I will only give what +may be a few new ways of preparing familiar vegetables. + +_Stuffed Artichokes._--Wash the artichokes; boil till nearly tender; +drain them; remove the middle leaves and “chokes” (this is the fibrous +part round the base); lay in each a little rich force-meat, and put them +in the oven to cook until the meat is done. Serve with rich brown +gravy. + +_Fried Artichokes._--Cut in slices lengthwise; remove the chokes, cut +off the tops of the leaves, wash them in vinegar and water, drain them, +and dip them in frying batter. Fry in very hot oil or lard. Serve with +fried parsley sprinkled with salt. + +_Beet-root Fritters._--Cut boiled beets in slices; slice raw onions; +scald them; dry them well; then lay one slice of onion, sprinkled with +chopped chervil, pepper, and salt, between two slices of beet. Dip them +carefully in frying batter, and plunge into boiling fat; when pale brown +take them up. + +_Cauliflower Fritters._--Parboil the cauliflower--that is to say, boil +until it begins to be tender--about fifteen minutes; then plunge it into +ice-cold water; this keeps it white. Break it up into branches. Dip each +one into thick béchamel sauce slightly warmed; let them get cold; then +take each piece separately and dip it into carefully made frying batter, +and drop them into boiling lard; fry a pale brown, and serve garnished +with fried parsley. + + + + +XXII. + +VARIOUS WAYS OF SERVING VEGETABLES. + + +_Stuffed Cucumbers._--Cut large-sized young cucumbers into slices about +two inches thick, rejecting the ends. Peel, and remove the seeds; scald +the slices for ten minutes, plunge them into cold water, and drain them. +Line a fire-proof china dish with very thin slices of unsmoked bacon +which has been scalded; make some veal force-meat such as directed for +galantines; fill the holes in the centre of the rings of cucumber till +it is level with the surface on both sides; wrap each up in a slice of +bacon broad enough to cover it. Tie round with a string, pour a pint of +strong stock into the dish, and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. When +done, take up the cucumber, drain, and remove the bacon carefully so as +not to disturb the stuffing. Lay in a dish, and serve with Robert +sauce. + +In the following recipes the mushrooms to be used are the large flap +ones. When canned ones will serve, the fact will be stated. + +_Mushrooms Stuffed à la Lucullus._--Wash, dry, and trim large mushrooms; +chop up the stalks and broken ones fine with a teaspoonful of minced +parsley, pepper, salt, and a tomato; make these hot in a tablespoonful +of butter. Fill the mushrooms with the mixture, place them on a buttered +baking-dish, and bake six minutes, basting them once or twice with +clarified butter. + +_Mushrooms and Tomatoes._--Toast some slices of bread, cut them into +rounds two inches in diameter, and butter them. Peel some firm tomatoes, +cut them into thick slices, and lay them on the toast. On the top of +each place a peeled mushroom. Put them on a dish that can go to table, +pour a little clarified butter over them, put them in a hot oven for +three minutes, and baste well. Serve hot and quickly. + +_Mushroom Jelly._--Take two pounds of mushrooms, put them in a stewpan +over the fire with a gill of strong consommé. Squeeze in a few drops of +lemon juice, add a little pepper and salt, unless the consommé was salt +enough. Melt in a gill of water half an ounce of gelatine, and strain +it. When the mushrooms are quite soft, pass them through a sieve, mixed +with the gelatine, and pour the mixture into a mould which has been +rinsed with water. When set, turn out and garnish with finely chopped +aspic, and a few cherry tomatoes if in season. + +_Mushroom Baskets._--Make some puff-paste; roll it out _very_ thin. Line +some small suitably shaped moulds (darioles will do very nicely); fill +the centre with uncooked rice or flour to keep the shape while baking; +cut some strips of paste, twist them, and bend them into the shape of +handles; bake them very pale. When the pastry cases are done, empty out +the rice, remove them from the moulds, and fill with the following +mixture: chop as many canned mushrooms as you require with a small +shallot, squeeze to them the juice and pulp of a large tomato, and put +them in a stewpan with a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of +very thick white sauce. Stir till about the consistency to eat with a +fork. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the top. Put the handles +in so that they stand over the tops. Decorate with fried parsley. + +The large Spanish or Portuguese onion that has of late years appeared in +the markets is not often properly cooked. It is the most delicate and +delicious of all onions, lacking the usual intense heat and rank odor. +For this reason persons who wish to eat onions, either for health or +inclination, will find this large onion cut up with ordinary salad +dressing a great improvement even on Bermudas. This onion is full of a +milky juice, which is lost in cooking if it is cut. Therefore, where a +simple dish is required, the best way is to boil it, without peeling or +trimming, for three hours if it weighs three pounds (it must be tender +right through); then take it up, strip it, and remove the root, stalk, +etc. Pour over it a rich white sauce, and serve, taking care that the +gravy that runs from the onion is served with it. A still better way +when an oven is not wanted is to bake them. Put them in a dripping-pan +in the oven without removing peel or stalk. Bake at least four hours in +a moderate oven. It will burn and blacken outside, which is of no +consequence. Keep it turned so that the darkening may not go deeper one +side than the other. When quite tender (but do not try it until it +begins to shrink, or you will let out the juices), so that a +knitting-needle will run through it, take it out of the oven, strip off +three or four skins, remove root and stalk, and place the onion, without +breaking it, on a dish; put a piece of butter as large as an egg, with a +saltspoonful of salt and a quarter one of pepper worked in it, on the +onion; cover it, and put in the oven till the butter melts, and serve +very hot. + +_Stuffed Spanish Onion._--Parboil a Spanish onion; then drop it into +ice-water; take out the centre and fill it with force-meat; cover with a +thin slice of sweet fat pork; sprinkle with a teaspoonful of salt and +the same of sugar; add four tablespoonfuls of stock, cover closely, and +cook over a good fire. When the onion is tender, take it up, remove the +pork, strain and skim the gravy, pour it over, and serve. The best +force-meat for the stuffing is made of cold chicken, a shred of boiled +ham, a little chopped parsley, half a dozen mushrooms, all chopped well +and mixed with a tablespoonful of butter and pepper and salt. + +_Potatoes à la Provençale._--Mash and pass through a wire sieve two +pounds of potatoes; season with pepper and salt. Grate two ounces of +Gruyère (Swiss) cheese, pound it with enough butter to make a paste, add +a gill of milk and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; put this in a sauté +pan, add the potato, mix all well, and stir until the mass is pale +brown; serve as a pyramid. + +_Milanese Potatoes._--Bake large potatoes till just tender; cut off the +tops, which keep. Scoop out the potatoes, but do not break the skin. +Mash the inside with butter, pepper, salt, and grated Parmesan; about a +teaspoonful of butter and cheese to each will be the right proportion. +Beat the potato mixture with a fork for a minute to make it light, +refill the skins, put on the covers, and heat them in the oven. + +_Scalloped Potatoes._--Mash two pounds of potatoes with milk, and pass +through a sieve; add three ounces of butter melted, two ounces of grated +Parmesan cheese, and a little pepper and salt. Fill shells with this +mixture, and brown them in the oven. Glaze them over with butter melted +and grated Parmesan; return one minute to the hottest part of the oven. +Serve very hot. + +_Tomato Jelly._--Two pounds of tomatoes, half a grain of red pepper, and +two small shallots. Place them in a stewpan and boil till quite soft. +Melt half an ounce of gelatine in as little white stock as possible; +add this to the tomatoes, and strain; if not perfectly clear, clarify +with white of egg in the usual way. Mould, and serve with chopped aspic +round it. A little grated Parmesan may be sometimes sprinkled over it +for a change. + +_Tomato Soufflé._--Prepare some tomato pulp, taking care to boil it down +if too liquid; stir in the yolks of three eggs, then the whites well +beaten; salt to taste. Fill either a large soufflé case or several small +ones. Bake in a hot oven till it rises very high and is set in the +centre; serve instantly. + +_Spinach Fritters._--Boil the spinach till it is quite tender; drain, +press, and mince it fine; add half the quantity of grated stale bread, +one grate of nutmeg, and a _small_ teaspoonful of sugar; add a gill of +cream and as many eggs as will make a batter, beating the whites +separately; pepper and salt to taste. Drop a little from a spoon into +boiling lard; if it separates, add a little more crumb of bread; when +they rise to the surface of the fat they are done. Drain them, and serve +very quickly, or they will fall. + + + + +XXIII. + +JELLIES. + + +In this country culinary skill seems to run to sweet rather than to +savory cooking; very few housekeepers but make excellent preserves and +cakes, yet the list of sweet dishes manufactured at home is very +limited; as soon as anything not in this category is required the +caterer is applied to, and he has his list of water-ices, cream-ices, +and méringues, with very little variation; sometimes, indeed, a new name +appears on the list, but it turns out to be some old friend with a new +garnish, or put in a different mould and given an alluring name. There +are many delicious sweet dishes not difficult to make when once the +processes of making jelly and of freezing are understood (and very many +who do not pretend to be good cooks are expert at these two things), +and others which do not require even that ability. To put a sweet dish +on the table, however, in perfection, especially if it be an iced one, +requires the utmost care and skill; the slightest carelessness in +packing a frozen pudding, any delay between removing it from the ice and +getting it on the dish, will destroy that dull, marble-like appearance +it ought to wear when first it makes its entry, although it will gleam +with melting sweetness long before it reaches the partakers. Happily +there are many delightful sweets which are beautiful in appearance and +less depending on atmosphere than any of the family of ices. The +simplest of these are fruit jellies. + +I spoke just now of the art of making jelly, and many readers may think +in using such a term for so simple a thing I am exaggerating, and +perhaps “art” is hardly the word, yet there is a daintiness and nicety +in making jelly which almost deserves the term. + +However, before talking of how sweet dishes are to be made it is +necessary to provide the means by which they are to be redeemed from the +commonplace of mere richness and sweetness. The flavorings and liqueurs +keep indefinitely if well corked. Orange-flower water, it is true, will +lose strength, but when a bottle is first opened, if it is poured off +into small vials, and each one corked and _sealed_, it will keep its +original strength. The following list of articles kept in store will +enable a cook to give her cakes, creams, etc., just that “foreign” +flavor that home products so often lack: almonds, almond paste, candied +cherries, candied angelica, candied orange, lemon, and citron peels, +pistachio-nuts, orange-flower water, rose-water, prepared cochineal, +maraschino, ratafia, lemons, extract of vanilla, and sherry. + +Several of these things are used principally for decoration; for +instance, the candied cherries and angelica and the pistachio-nuts. +Consequently, unless the cherries and angelica are required for dessert +(to which they are a showy and delicious addition), a quarter of a +pound at a time is all that need be bought. Very likely in small cities +or country places these latter articles may not be obtainable. But they +are sold at the large city caterers’, also at the stores which deal in +French crystallized fruits--not French _candy_ stores--and can always be +sent by mail. + +The vanilla should be of the finest quality, and had better be bought by +the ounce or half-pint from the druggist than from the grocer. There are +good extracts put up, no doubt, but very many of them are largely made +of tonka-bean, the flavor familiar in cheap ice-cream, in place of the +more expensive vanilla. + +In the recipes that will be given the directions will be as minute as +possible; but to prescribe the number of drops required to flavor a +quart of cream would be utterly impossible, the strength of the +flavoring used differing so greatly, even in lemons. Sometimes the juice +of half a lemon will be right for a certain thing, at another the juice +of a quarter of one would be too much. This is where judgment must be +exercised. If you have a very juicy lemon, although your recipe says the +juice of half, you will remember that the average lemon would not yield +nearly so much, and that the author had the average lemon in mind. This +applies to all flavoring. Sometimes extract of bitter almond is so +strong that even a drop would be too much to impart the faint almond +flavor which alone is tolerable. In this case the thing to do for fear +of spoiling the dish is to pour a half-dozen drops in a teaspoonful of +water, and use from that, drop by drop, until the faint flavor desired +is attained. In using any flavoring, great care must be taken not to put +too much, as anything in the least over-flavored is offensive. + +_Mould of Apple Jelly._--Peel and cut up a pound of fine-flavored apples +(to weigh a pound after preparation); put them in a stewpan with three +ounces of granulated sugar, half a pint of water, and the juice and +grated rind of a lemon. When cooked to a pulp, pass through a strainer, +and stir in one ounce of gelatine that has been dissolved in a gill of +water. Color half the apple with _about_ half a teaspoonful of +cochineal, and fill a border mould with alternate layers of the colored +and uncolored apple. When cold, turn out and serve with half a pint of +cream whipped solid and piled in the centre. + +There is a great difference in the solidity of whipped cream. Sometimes +it will be a mere froth that shows a disposition to liquefy, and cannot +be piled up. When this is the case there is always a great waste of +cream, for at least half will have been left as a milky residue. The +reason for this failure of the cream to whip solid is generally because +it is too fresh or too warm. + +If in proper condition, cream will whip as solid as white of eggs, and +leave not a teaspoonful of liquid at the bottom of the bowl; nor will +there be the least danger of cream so whipped going back to liquid. It +will become sour, but not change its form; and it will take but a few +minutes to beat. + +Cream intended for whipping should be twenty-four hours old in warm +weather, and thirty-six in winter. It should also be thoroughly chilled, +and if the day is very warm it would be better to set the bowl +containing it on ice while whipping it. Put in the whip, or egg-beater, +and _do not_ lift the froth off as it rises; it is quite unnecessary if +the vessel you use for the cream is large enough. As you see it begin to +thicken, which will be after steady beating for five or six minutes, +keep on just as you would for white of eggs. When the beater is +withdrawn you should be able to cut the cream or pile it any height. If +by reason of excessive heat it is slow in reaching the proper +consistency, leave the beater in the bowl, and set the whole on the ice +until very cold again. + +The consistency of jelly should be only just stiff enough to keep form. +It should shake and tremble while being served instead of remaining +solid. It requires some little practice to make sure of this every time, +although exact proportions be given. A tablespoonful difference in the +pint or gill measure would, where the gelatine is only just enough, +cause the jelly to “squat”--not an elegant term, but one that represents +the form of a too soft jelly. + +A very exact recipe for plain claret jelly, and which in proportions +serves for any other unless special mention is made of some variation, +is as follows: Three quarters of a pint of water, one pint of claret, a +quarter of a pint of lemon juice (this makes one quart of liquid), the +rind of one lemon, half an inch of cinnamon in the stick and two cloves, +one tablespoonful of red currant jelly, two ounces of gelatine, the +whites and shells of two eggs, a few drops of cochineal, and four ounces +of sugar; put all in a stewpan, the gelatine having been softened in a +little of the water; whisk over the fire until the whole boils; then +draw it off, let it stand for five to ten minutes; strain through +flannel or fine linen _without pressure_, add a few drops of cochineal +to brighten the color, and mould for use. + +Use great care in selecting cinnamon, for very much that is sold is not +the true spice, but a cheaper one (cassia) that resembles it. Cinnamon +has a bright tan-color, is rolled many times, and is not much thicker +than paper when a piece is unrolled. Cassia is thicker in the roll, a +dull brown, and if a piece is broken is like a piece of wood. It is +similar in flavor, but much coarser, and has little strength. + + + + +XXIV. + +JELLIES.--_Continued._ + + +If it is kept in mind that two ounces of gelatine to the quart of liquid +is the right proportion, and that if even a tablespoonful of flavoring, +fruit juice, or what not, is added, exactly the same quantity of other +liquid must be omitted, there will not be much danger of formless jelly. +Many forget this when not working from an exact recipe, and remembering +only that a quart of cream or water or wine requires two ounces of +gelatine to set it, they do not deduct for the glass of wine or juice of +lemon, etc., they may add for flavoring. Although wine jelly is rather a +simple form of sweet, suggestive of innocent country teas, a very little +more time than the average housekeeper bestows upon it will convert it +into a very elegant dish. In the season for fruits there is no more +beautiful ornament for jelly than these, carefully gathered, with two or +three leaves attached. + +_Jelly with Fresh Fruits._--Select cherries of two or three colors if +possible, in sprays of two or three, and on each a leaf or two; wash +them carefully by dipping them in and out of a bowl of water. Lay them +between soft cloths to remove all moisture. Make a quart of punch jelly +in the following way: Put together a pint of water, a quarter of a pint +of the finest Santa Cruz or Jamaica rum, a quarter of a pint of sherry, +a gill and a half of lemon juice, the rinds of two lemons, and the juice +of one orange, or, if oranges are not to be obtained in cherry season, +half a gill more of water, two ounces of gelatine, half an inch of +cinnamon, the whites of two eggs well beaten and the shells crushed. Let +this come to a boil over the fire, being well whisked the while; as soon +as it boils draw it to a cool spot on the range, let it stand five +minutes, and strain through scalded flannel over a bowl; let it drip, +but do not use the least pressure. This jelly must be brilliantly clear. +If there is any milky appearance it proves that the jelly did not really +boil, and so the eggs had not completely coagulated; in that event boil +once more for an instant, and strain again through fresh flannel. Oil a +mould that has no design of fruit or vegetable at the bottom, and set it +in cracked ice; pour in an inch or two of the jelly when nearly cold. +Have the cherries ice cold, and arrange the sprays gracefully with due +regard to color, remembering that the best effect must be not upward +towards you, but towards the bottom of the mould; thus the underside of +the leaves must be upward, etc. Do not put in more fruit than will +display itself well. The bunches are to be isolated, not allowed to +touch each other, and for this reason it may not be possible to lay more +than one cluster at the bottom, if the mould is small there. In this +case dispose a bunch of black cherries and leaves gracefully in the +centre, pour in more jelly, half an inch or so, then nearer the sides +arrange lighter-colored cherries, two or three clusters, no more. The +fruit is only intended as an ornament. A jelly that is quite as pretty +may be made by using clusters of red and white, or red, white, and black +currants. The red and white ones should have two or three young leaves +attached, and each cluster be perfect; no black-currant leaves must be +used, as they have a strong flavor. + +_Jelly with Candied Fruits._--Make a quart of maraschino jelly, which is +done by omitting the rum, lemon, and cinnamon from the last recipe, and +using in place of rum a gill of maraschino, and water in place of lemon +juice. The jelly must be very pale. Choose the fruits of as bright +colors as possible--small green oranges, red cherries, bright yellow +mirabelles, angelica perfectly green. Cut the oranges in half--two or +three will suffice--leave mirabelles and cherries whole; apricots cut +in half-moons. The angelica, if cut across a quarter-inch thick, will +form rings, but if something more ornamental is desired it can be split +lengthwise, softened in hot water, wiped, then tied into small +love-knots. Pour into a mould set in ice (the melon shape is excellent +for these jellies) an inch of jelly, let it set; then scatter in a few +pieces of bright-colored fruit, always the best side downward; pour in +an inch more of jelly, and when set more fruit, keeping the brighter +pieces towards the side; if you have knots of angelica, put them near +the side. Always see that one layer of fruit and jelly is nearly set +before adding more. + +Although fruits added to jellies in the way just described are chiefly +for decorative effect, they do add very greatly to the pleasure of +eating them; but jellied fruits, as distinguished from _fruits in +jelly_, are a delicious mode of eating fruit, and where it is in +abundance afford a pleasant variety. + +_Jellied Raspberries._--Melt two ounces of gelatine in a gill of water, +squeeze half a pint of currant juice from fresh currants, and crush as +many red raspberries as will with the liquid fill a quart measure. It is +almost impossible to give definite directions for sugar, as fruits +differ so much. Stir in six ounces, then if not sweet enough add more; +mould the jelly, and serve with cream. + +This is also very nice put in a border mould, the centre filled with +whipped cream. + +_Roman Punch Jellies._--These require stiff paper cases of any of the +ornamental kinds used for ice-cream, but they must not flare. Make some +maraschino or wine jelly. When it begins to set, pour the jelly into the +cases, which must be on ice, so that half the fluid jelly may set before +it has time to soak the case. When quite set, very carefully remove the +centre, leaving a shell of jelly half an inch thick. The last thing +before serving fill the centres with well-frozen Roman-punch ice. + +_A Macédoine_ of fruits, if well managed and a good assortment of +fruits can be had, is a very ornamental way of serving fruit. A mould +should have half an inch of maraschino, punch, wine, or lemon jelly +poured into it; then some perfect strawberries, or, failing those, red +cherries, as many as the jelly will hold together without crowding, no +more; then more jelly, and a layer of fruit of another kind (white, if +possible), as pineapple cut into stars--a number of small stars can be +stamped out of a few thin slices--more jelly, and a ring of dark fruit. +Take care that all the finest fruits are used to form the outer rows. +When the mould is almost full, with a layer or two of each kind of +fruit, fill it up with jelly and set on ice. + +Creams are a favorite sweet in Europe, and eaten ice cold are delicious. +Too often they are confounded here with blanc-mange, which may mean +anything from corn-starch and milk to gelatine and cream, but seldom is +improved by the confectioner’s art into a really handsome and dainty +dish. + +_Ginger Cream._--Make a custard of a gill of milk, an ounce of powdered +sugar, and the beaten yolks of three eggs. Stir in a double boiler until +thick. Let it cool. Then add one gill of the syrup from a jar of +preserved ginger, and cut up two ounces of the ginger; add three +quarters of an ounce of gelatine melted in as little water as possible. +Last of all, add half a pint of cream whipped solid. Mix gently and till +well blended; pour into a mould, and set on ice. + +_Neapolitan Cream._--Make a custard of half a pint of milk, the yolks of +four eggs, and a tablespoonful and a half of powdered sugar. Let it +cool. Cut up three ounces of preserved ginger very small; cook it in a +gill of ginger syrup for three minutes. Let it cool also. Decorate the +mould with one ounce of dried cherries and leaves, etc., of jelly. Cut +the cherries in half, glue them with a little melted jelly to the side +and bottom of the mould; cut some jelly in thin slices, or melt it and +let it run into thin sheets, which allow to chill, and stamp from them +leaves, or whatever shapes you please. Glue these also to the side of +the mould in the most effective way your taste can devise. Stir one +ounce of gelatine melted in very little water, and half a pint of cream +whipped solid, to the custard with which you have already mixed the +ginger and syrup. Pour all into the decorated mould, put on ice, and +when it is to be turned out wrap a cloth dipped in hot water round the +mould; give it a smart slap on both sides, and it will turn out without +difficulty. + + + + +XXV. + +COLD SWEETS.--CREAMS. + + +_Coffee Cream._--Make half a pint of custard with two eggs and half a +pint of milk; dissolve an ounce of gelatine and three ounces of sugar in +half a gill of strong coffee; add the custard, and strain; whip half a +pint of cream quite firm; stir lightly into the custard; when it is +cool, pour into a mould, and set on ice. The excellence of this cream +depends on the coffee, which must be filtered, not boiled, freshly made, +and very strong--three tablespoonfuls of coffee to the half-pint. + +_Curaçoa Cream._--Make a custard with the yolks of four eggs and half a +pint of milk; dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in as little liquid as +possible; mix it with two ounces of powdered sugar; add to the custard; +then stir in a generous glass of curaçoa, and let the mixture cool, +after which add half a pint of cream whipped solid. Stir very lightly +together until well blended; then mould and set on ice. + +_Strawberry Cream._--Hull a pint of quite ripe strawberries; put them on +a fine sieve, and sprinkle an ounce of sugar over them; put half an +ounce of gelatine into a stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of cold water, +two ounces and a half of powdered sugar, and the juice of a lemon, and +let it dissolve by gentle heat. Pass the strawberries through the sieve; +strain the gelatine, etc., to the strawberry juice, and put to get cold; +then add half a pint of cream whipped solid. Stir very lightly to the +strawberry juice, etc., when the latter is beginning to set. + +_Vanilla Cream._--Make a custard with three yolks and one white of egg, +and half a pint of milk and three ounces of sugar; melt an ounce of +gelatine in two tablespoonfuls of water, strain it to the custard, and +mix well; whip half a pint of cream to a stiff froth, and stir it +gently to the custard and gelatine; flavor with vanilla. After the +vanilla is added, make a couple of spoonfuls of the custard pink with +cochineal or strawberry juice; let this cool in a thin sheet; stamp from +it small clover leaves or lozenges, not over an inch long and three +quarters broad; decorate the bottom of a mould with them, using a little +gelatine and water to fasten them; set the mould in chopped ice, and +about half-way up put four or five of the pink pieces; take great care +there is no inequality as to height or distance (slovenly decoration is +worse than none). When the lozenges are quite secure in their places, +pour in the cream. It is needless to repeat this form of decoration of +creams, they can be varied so infinitely by individual taste, but as a +rule they should be decorated only with small forms cut out of +bright-colored jelly, or of cream colored pink, orange, pistache green, +or brown. Candied fruits are not effective, although sometimes used, +unless the cream itself has fruit in it. + +_Pistache Cream._--Half an ounce of gelatine, two ounces of powdered +sugar; melt the gelatine in a gill of water, then add the sugar, a glass +of sherry, and a glass of kirsch. Whip half a pint of thick cream solid, +and when the gelatine is cold and beginning to thicken stir the cream to +it very lightly, and at the same time two ounces of pistachio-nuts, +blanched and chopped fine, with enough vegetable green coloring to make +the cream a shade or two lighter in color than the nuts. This cream must +be stirred lightly on ice after the nuts are added, till thick enough +for them not to sink. + +_Almond Cream._--Half an ounce of gelatine melted in a gill of water +with two ounces of sugar and a glass of sherry; grate four ounces of +almond paste into it, and stir in a double boiler or bowl set in boiling +water until dissolved, or at least until there are no lumps. Let this +get cool. Whip a pint and a gill of cream solid, and stir to the +mixture. Decorate a mould with any red jelly, pour the mixture in, and +set on ice. In consequence of the variation in the strength of gelatine, +in making any of these creams try a little on ice in a saucer before +pouring into a mould, then add more cream or gelatine as required. + +_Cold Puddings and Frozen Puddings._--Some of these “puddings” might +just as appropriately be called creams; however, fashion ordains that +they shall be puddings. One of the newest is the + +_Jubilee Pudding._--Make a pint of claret jelly; pour it into a small +border mould; whip half a pint of cream in which is a quarter of an +ounce of dissolved gelatine. When it is whipped solid, stir in one ounce +of preserved or candied cherries, one ounce of candied angelica, one +ounce of preserved ginger, and one ounce of preserved apricot--the +ginger and angelica cut small. Set on ice; then turn out. Pile the +whipped cream and fruit in the centre, and decorate according to fancy. + +_Cold Soufflé Pudding à la Princesse._--Melt half an ounce of gelatine +in a gill of cream; set in boiling water till dissolved; beat the yolks +of three eggs well, and add to the milk; when well mixed, put the +custard into a double boiler till it thickens--it must not boil. Pour it +into a bowl, and add a gill of apricot preserve, made into a purée by +rubbing through a sieve with half a gill of orange juice, two ounces of +sugar, a little lemon juice, and cochineal to color it a very delicate +pink. Beat the whites of four eggs till they will not slip; stir them in +very lightly with an upward motion of the spoon, the object being to +keep the white of egg from falling, yet the whole must be thoroughly +mixed. Stir till nearly cold before putting the soufflé in a mould to +set. + +_Imperial Rice Pudding._--Pour a quarter of a pint of clear white jelly +into a quart mould, turning the mould about so that the jelly covers +every part; this jelly serves to keep the ornaments in place. Cover the +inside of the mould with an ounce of candied cherries split and half an +ounce of angelica cut into thin rings. Stew a quarter of a pound of rice +in a pint of milk till tender; when cool, add half a pint of whipped +cream, a quarter of an ounce of gelatine melted in a little water, a +quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and a teaspoonful of vanilla. When +it is all well mixed, turn the preparation into the mould, and set on +ice. When firm, turn out of the mould, and serve with a purée of +apricots. + +_Diplomatic Pudding._--Make a quart of custard in the following way: Put +the yolks of four eggs and the white of one into a bowl, and mix well +with a wooden spoon; stir in half a pint of milk, and strain all into a +double boiler or a pitcher; add two ounces of sugar, and stand the +pitcher (unless you have the double boiler) in a saucepan of boiling +water, and stir the custard over the fire until it thickens, but it must +not boil; remove from the fire; stir in a tablespoonful of brandy and a +little vanilla. Line a plain mould with half a pint of wine jelly; this +is done by pouring a little in at a time when it is half fluid, rolling +the mould about on ice, and as soon as one coat adheres, pour in more, +until the mould is evenly coated; decorate it with half an ounce of +candied cherries and half an ounce of angelica--the cherries split and +the angelica cut. Melt an ounce of gelatine and two ounces of sugar in a +gill of water; stir it into the custard with a gill of thick cream; stir +till cool; then add an ounce more cherries, half an ounce of angelica, +and half an ounce of citron, all chopped small. Pour this gently into +the mould you have decorated, set on ice, turn out and serve. + +_Cold Cabinet Pudding._--Ornament the bottom of a pint mould with +candied cherries and angelica; split half a dozen lady-fingers; line the +sides of the mould very evenly with them, arranging them alternately +back and front against the mould; put in two ounces of ratafias (these +are tiny macaroons about the size of a five-cent piece, of high flavor, +and to be obtained at the pastry-cooks’ who make foreign specialties; +some grocers also import them); put four yolks of eggs into a bowl; stir +them; then add half a pint of milk; pour this custard into a double +boiler, and stir until it thickens, taking care that it does not curdle. +Melt half an ounce of gelatine in a very little water; strain it to the +custard. When the latter cools, add half a gill of thick, fresh cream, +two ounces of sugar, and a teaspoonful of vanilla; mix all well, and +pour carefully into the mould without disturbing the lining of cake. Put +the mould on ice, and, when set, turn out and serve. + + + + +XXVI. + +CREAMS AND FROZEN PUDDINGS. + + +Nut creams, with the exception of almond, are not very well known, but +are so delicious that they ought to be. One reason perhaps is that it is +not generally known that kernels of nuts, such as hazel-nuts, walnuts, +hickory-nuts, etc., can be bought by the pound at confectioners’ supply +stores. This, of course, saves the tedious work of cracking and +shelling. To use with creams or for frozen puddings the nuts must be +pounded very well, with very little white of egg--just enough to moisten +and render the process easy. + +_Cocoanut Cream._--Grate a fresh, sweet cocoanut (having first peeled, +washed, and wiped it _dry_); mix with it an ounce of sugar; melt in as +little water as possible three quarters of an ounce of gelatine; whip +the whites of three eggs, mix them with half a pint of milk, and stir +over the fire until the custard thickens; sweeten with four +tablespoonfuls of sugar. Stir the gelatine and a full half-pint of +grated cocoanut with the cocoanut milk into the custard. Whip half a +pint of thick cream solid, and stir it very carefully into the custard; +when the latter is quite cold, but before it sets, flavor with a little +vanilla or lemon extract. Mould and set on ice. + +_Hazel-nut Cream._--Put a pint of hazel-nut kernels into a cool oven +until they are thoroughly dry and rather hot (they must not become too +hot, or they will change flavor); then rub them between two coarse +cloths to get rid of as much as possible of the skin (it cannot be +entirely removed); blow away the loose hulls, and pound the nuts to a +paste with a little white of egg. Make a custard with the yolks of three +eggs and half a pint of milk; dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in a +gill of water, mix with six ounces of powdered sugar, and add to the +custard when nearly cool. Stir in the hazel-nut paste, taking care that +it is well mixed with the custard, and add a half-pint of cream whipped +solid; flavor with vanilla, or you may omit flavoring, the hazel-nut +being sufficient for many people. Mould and set on ice. + +This cream and the two that follow are flecked with brown, for which +reason it may be colored brown with caramel, although I prefer it +uncolored, the specks being no more objectionable than the vanilla seeds +one rejoices to see in ice-cream. + +_Walnut or Hickory-nut Cream._--Pound one pint of either of these nuts, +after rubbing them well in a cloth, make the same custard as for +hazel-nut cream, stir in the walnut or hickory-nut paste till smooth, +add the whipped cream, color a pale pink with cochineal, and flavor +faintly with rum or vanilla. Mould, set on ice, and serve with whipped +cream flavored slightly with rum. + +_Bohemian Jelly Creams._--These may be made of any flavor, according to +the jelly you use. It may be jelly of fruit or liqueur. If fresh fruit +is used for jelly, the juice must be expressed, and well-sweetened +gelatine added in the proportion of an ounce to the pint. If jam or +marmalade is used, a pint of water is added and the same amount of +gelatine, with the juice of half a lemon to the pint. Water, jam, and +dissolved gelatine must be mixed quickly and passed through a sieve; +either must be stirred in a bowl set in ice till quite cold and +beginning to thicken; then stir in gently and quickly three-quarters of +a pint of cream whipped solid; pour the mixture into the mould, which +must be set in ice. Cover well, and keep on ice till needed. + +_Frangipanni Iced Pudding._--Grate six ounces of almond paste to crumbs; +then on a smaller grater grate four or six bitter almonds blanched and +dried; pound a dozen candied orange-flower petals with three-quarters of +a pound of powdered sugar; put all into a stewpan with the yolks of +eight eggs, and beat them very well together. In another stewpan have a +pint and a half of boiling milk, which must be poured over the other +ingredients by degrees, keeping them well stirred. Place it over the +fire, stirring until it thickens and adheres to the back of the spoon; +rub this all through a coarse sieve, add a glass of sherry, and when +cold pour the mixture into the freezer; when half frozen add a pint and +a half of whipped cream, and when quite frozen fill a pudding mould, +bury it in ice and salt, and serve as you would Nesselrode pudding. + +_Iced Cabinet Pudding._--Cut a stale sponge cake into slices half an +inch thick and rather smaller than the mould you intend to use for the +pudding; lay the slices of cake to soak in brandy flavored with noyau; +decorate the bottom and sides of the mould with candied fruits, split +cherries, angelica rings, the same of green oranges, and little diamonds +of ginger, with a few whole ratafias, dipping them in jelly to make +them adhere; lay in one slice of cake, then cherries and ratafias, +another slice of cake, and so on, until the mould is three parts full. +Make a quart of custard with six yolks of eggs, three tablespoonfuls of +sugar, and an ounce of gelatine; when this is cold pour part into the +mould, which must close hermetically; pack it in salt and ice for at +least two hours; when you wish to turn it out, dip it a minute in +lukewarm water. Keep the remaining custard on ice, flavor it with sherry +or rum, beat it up, pour it around the pudding, and strew it with +chopped pistachio-nuts. + +_Ice Pudding._--Make a custard with a pint and a half of milk, one whole +egg and the yolks of four others, and a quarter of a pound of sugar; +when cold, add half a glass of brandy, a glass of maraschino, an ounce +of citron cut fine, a quarter of a pound of dried fruits, and an ounce +of pistachio-nuts, the fruits cut up in small pieces, the pistachio-nuts +blanched and split; mix well; and lastly add half a pint of whipped +cream. When well frozen, pack into a pudding mould, and bury in ice and +salt till wanted. + +_Bombay Ice Pudding._--Line a plain mould with Roman-punch ice an inch +thick, keeping it bedded nearly to the brim in ice and salt while you do +it; then fill the centre with the following mixture: a pint of cocoanut +grated very fine, mixed with a pint of ice-cream; take great care that +the cocoanut is ice-cold before you mix it in, or it will melt the +ice-cream. When the mould is filled within an inch of the top, cover it +with Roman punch, close the mould hermetically, and bury in ice. These +puddings, where two kinds of ice are used, must only be attempted after +one has learned to pack plain ice-cream with success. + +_Iced Jelly Pudding._--Make a custard with a pint of boiling cream, +three ounces of sugar, and the yolks of four eggs beaten; pour the cream +to the eggs very carefully, stirring it in by degrees. Have ready a +quarter of an ounce of gelatine dissolved in very little milk, mix it +in, and put the vessel containing the custard in a stewpan of boiling +water, and stir till it just thickens; then whisk it until nearly cold. +Mask a quart mould with jelly an inch thick--any favorite _red_ jelly, +or a pale one tinted. Directions have already been given how the inside +of a mould is to be coated with jelly. There is an easier but +extravagant way, namely, to fill the mould with jelly, then scoop out +the centre neatly, leaving a shell of jelly an inch thick. The centre, +of course, might be made hot and bottled for another occasion, or to +make Bohemian cream jellies. When the mould is masked, fill it with the +custard, which must be half frozen; then cover securely, and pack in ice +and salt at least five hours before it is served. + + + + +XXVII. + +ICED PUDDINGS. + + +_Filbert and Wine Iced Pudding._--To one pint of cream put four +tablespoonfuls of sugar and two glasses of fine sherry. The cream must +be perfectly sweet, but should be at least twenty-four hours old, and be +ice cold. Whip this solid; then freeze. Put a pint of filberts in a cool +oven till the skins will nearly all rub off; put them between two coarse +cloths, and rub as much as possible of the brown coating off them; pound +them to a paste with a little thick cream, mix four ounces of sugar with +the nuts, and then blend the whole with enough thick custard to make a +very thick batter; flavor with lemon or vanilla, or not, as you choose; +freeze. Line a plain mould with the frozen wine cream an inch thick; +then fill in the centre with the frozen filberts well pressed in; cover +tight, and pack in ice and salt for three hours, or until wanted. This +pudding can be made of walnuts and port-wine cream. + +_Iced Custard with Fruit._--Flavor one pint of cream with any liqueur +you prefer; beat twelve eggs thoroughly; strain them; boil the cream +with five ounces of sugar, and when it is just off the boil pour it, +little by little, to the eggs; add a quarter of an ounce of gelatine +that has been dissolved in very little water and strained to the +custard; whisk until cold; have ready a mould masked with candied +fruits. To mask, set the mould in a pan of cracked ice, and dip each +piece of fruit in strong melted jelly; build up from the bottom of the +mould having all the fruits, cut about the thickness of a split candied +cherry and near the size, arranged with a view to a good effect when the +mould shall be turned out. Half freeze the custard, and pour it in the +mould three inches high; throw in some of the trimmings of candied +fruit chopped fine. When set, add more custard, then more fruit, until +the mould is full. Let it stand in ice at least five hours before it is +wanted. + +_Rice à la Princesse._--Let some rice swell in water until quite tender; +proportion, one cup of rice to two (scant) of water; then butter a +saucepan; put the rice into it, with half a pint of milk; let it stew +gently till it will mash; the milk must have all been absorbed; sweeten +with three tablespoonfuls of sugar. Mix with this a gill of apricot jam, +a teaspoonful of vanilla, and half a pint of whipped cream; freeze; when +well frozen, pack in a mould and bury in ice and salt. Pound a dozen +macaroons; stir them into a pint of whipped cream; let the mixture be +put on ice. When the pudding is turned out of the mould, cover with the +macaroon cream, and decorate the dish with cubes of peach or apricot +jelly. + +_Chocolate Cream Pudding._--Boil a quarter of a pound of the finest +vanilla chocolate in half a pint of milk, whisking it well till it +boils; dissolve in it two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. Beat three +half-pints of cream and three tablespoonfuls of sugar solid while the +chocolate cools; when it is _ice_ cold mix in one half the beaten cream, +and freeze. Line a plain mould with the frozen chocolate (the remainder +of the whipped cream should have been kept in cracked ice and salt, so +as to be ice cold); fill up the centre of the mould with the cream, +cover tight, and bury in salt and ice. + +_Ice-Creams and Ices._--There are so many ways of making ice-cream, that +all one can do is to indicate the one or two best, and certainly the +_very_ best is the simplest, and there is no dessert so easy to prepare +in hot weather as this, since there is no work over the fire. The only +trouble is breaking the ice and turning the machine for some twenty +minutes, which can be done by a child. + +_Simplest Fruit Ice-Cream._--Mash two pounds of strawberries or +raspberries, put to them half a pound of powdered sugar, and let them +remain in a cold place two or three hours, so that the juice may run; +then, strain the juice to a quart of thick sweet cream and another half +pound of sugar, with the juice of half a lemon; stir, and pour cream and +fruit juice into the freezer, which must be packed with ice and +rock-salt in about equal quantities, the ice being broken quite small. +Let the cream remain standing in the freezer a few minutes before you +begin to turn; then freeze, letting off the water, and filling anew with +ice and salt if necessary. Stir the cream down as it forms, and keep on +turning five or ten minutes after it is actually necessary. This extra +working insures that extreme smoothness characteristic of Italian and +French ice-cream. If you are not expert in freezing, be satisfied not to +pack your cream in a mould for the first few times. Take out the paddle +of the freezer, press the ice compactly down in the freezer, cover, and +see that the ice and salt are sufficient and free from water. In two +hours you can turn the ice out of the freezer in a round column or loaf +that will be quite as sightly as the oblong square one frequently gets +from the caterer. Many people think that simply freezing the pure cream +produces the loose, frothy cream found at inferior confectioners’, but +this is not the case; pure cream frozen results in a firm smooth mass +which cuts like butter. + +I have given the formula for raspberry and strawberry cream only, but +any fruit juice may be substituted, varying the quantity of sugar as +required. + +When it is desirable to freeze the fruit in the cream instead of the +juice, it must not be added until the cream is frozen. Stir in +raspberries, strawberries, chopped pineapple, banana, or peaches just +before the ice is ready to pack down; otherwise the fruit, being full of +water, will freeze into hard knots. + +_Tutti-frutti Ice-Cream_ being made from chopped candied fruit, this +precaution is not necessary; the fruit may be added at any time during +the freezing, or stirred in last, as you please. + +I have given the simplest and best method of making ice-cream, yet the +way most in use is to add custard; and French cooks always use “méringue +paste,” claiming that it insures a smoothness and lightness nothing else +can give. + +_Custard for Ice-Cream._--This is made as any other custard, except that +double the amount of sugar is allowed for everything that is to be +frozen. It may be made of from three to six eggs to a pint of milk, as +you prefer. This must be ice cold before you put it in the freezer. + +_Ice-Cream with Eggs._--One pint of milk, three eggs, leaving out one +white, half a pound of sugar (if acid fruit is to be added, it may +require more for some tastes). Make a custard of these materials, and +half freeze it; then add a pint of cream whipped solid. Stir in well and +finish freezing, turning the handle some few minutes after it gets +pretty stiff, if there is a strong enough hand near to do it. + +In making varieties of ice-cream you have only to consider the fitness +of the articles you use; for instance, any sort of fruit may be added, +with the exception of lemons. Fleshy fruits, such as pineapple, peaches, +pears, etc., are usually mixed with the cream uncooked in this country; +abroad this is only done with soft fruits, such as raspberries, +blackberries, oranges, and such as will mash through a colander. Others +are very slightly stewed in rich syrup (as nearly their own juice as +possible), then pulped and mixed through when the cream is nearly +frozen. + +In winter, fruit jams, and especially jellies, are very pleasant in +ice-cream; they always require a little lemon juice to restore some of +the natural sharpness of fresh fruit. A tumbler of red currant jelly +turned into a pint of ice-cream is delicious, and gives a pretty, faint +pink tint. The method is just the same whether for custard and cream or +cream alone. + +The méringue paste alluded to as used by foreign confectioners is made +by beating the white of an egg with a tablespoonful of powdered sugar +until stiff. + +_Grilled Almond Ice-Cream._--Make a quart of ice-cream; grill some +almonds in the following way: Blanch four ounces of almonds, dry them in +a hot spot till they are brittle; then put in a thick saucepan or sauté +pan four ounces of sugar and a gill of water; let them boil five +minutes; throw in the almonds; stir them till part of the sugar adheres +and they begin to turn yellow. Take them up, chop them, and when quite +cold stir them into the ice-cream, which should be flavored with +vanilla. + + + + +XXVIII. + +ICE-CREAMS AND WATER-ICES. + + +To those very fond of tea, ice-cream made with it is very acceptable, +and is very much used at English garden parties. + +_Tea Ice-Cream._--To one pound of granulated sugar put a pint of strong +green tea, a pint and a half of cream, and two quarts of rich milk, and +a very little cinnamon water. Let the whole simmer one minute, not +stirring, but keeping the mixture in motion by gently swinging the +saucepan. Freeze as usual. This recipe may be used for coffee and +chocolate; it will make a large quantity, and for a medium-sized family +one quarter will suffice. + +_Chinese Ice._--Beat the yolks of fifteen eggs with three quarters of a +pound of powdered sugar; pound four ounces of pistachio-nuts (blanched) +with the white of an egg; put to it three gills of water; stir it over +the fire in a double boiler till it is as thick as cream; take great +care that it does not boil. Color it green, or part green and part +yellow; flavor as you please; cut up a couple of candied Chinese oranges +small and a little preserved ginger, and freeze. + +_Water-Ices._--These are exceedingly simple, and no more elegant form of +refreshment can be offered than a plate of well-frozen or a tumbler of +half-frozen water-ice. It is acceptable when ice-cream would be too +heavy, and can be offered at the simplest country afternoon tea, or +during a call, without the seeming ostentation of ice-cream. + +_Ginger Water-Ice_ (to serve as a beverage if preferred).--Take six +ounces of preserved ginger, free from fibre; pound it; make two quarts +of lemonade by paring eight or ten lemons so thinly that the knife-blade +shows through the yellow; put the peel of three in a pitcher with a +pound and a quarter of sugar; pour two quarts of boiling water on them, +and cover; squeeze and strain the juice from the lemons, add to the +water, and when cold stir in the pounded ginger, with the méringue paste +made with the whites of four eggs. Freeze it. If for drinking, only half +freeze, work only enough to make it like half-melting snow, and use only +sugar enough to make a refreshing drink. Italians call this _granito_, +and it is a form of ice not often met with in this country. + +_Pineapple Water-Ice._--This can be readily made of canned pineapple +when the fresh fruit is out of season. Peel a pineapple; grate it into a +mortar; then pound it well with six ounces of sugar; let it stand +covered for an hour; add the juice of five oranges, and a pint and a +half of syrup boiled to the little thread, or _à lissé_. (This syrup is +much used in making water-ices, punches, etc. It is sugar and water +boiled till it forms a little thread between thumb and finger.) Mix well +and freeze. If canned fruit is used, you need less sugar, and +substitute lemon for half the orange juice. + +_Almond Water-Ice._--Take one pound of almond paste, a pint and a half +of water, and three quarters of a pound of sugar; grate the paste; then +stir till quite dissolved. Flavor with vanilla or raspberry; stir in the +whites of two eggs and some candied fruits cut up small. Freeze as +usual. + +_Cinnamon Water-Ice._--This is a German ice, and very much liked by +those who are fond of the flavor. Pound an ounce of the finest quality +of cinnamon in the stick, put it into a pint and a half of boiling +water, and cover it well; when it is cold add a quart of syrup (the +little thread) and the well-beaten whites of two eggs, and freeze it. + +_Pistachio Water-Ice._--Blanch and pound a pound of pistachio-nuts, +using the white of an egg to moisten; mix with a quart of syrup _à +lissé_. Heighten the color, if too pale, with spinach coloring, and +flavor to taste. (Pistachio-nuts have no flavor of their own, +astonishing as the fact may seem to those who have heard frequently of +pistachio flavor.) Freeze as usual. + +_Apricot Water-Ice._--There is no more delicious water-ice than this if +fine-flavored apricots are used. The canned ones are excellent for the +purpose. Pulp two pounds of apricots through a sieve or jelly press; +grate or pound very fine five or six bitter almonds; mix with the pulp +the juice of the apricots (from the can), and a pint and a half of +syrup, and the beaten whites of three eggs made into a paste with three +tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; stir all well, and freeze. This ice +ought to be the color of apricots; if too pale, add a very little +saffron coloring. + +_Currant Water-Ice._--A pint of currant juice, a pint of syrup, and the +whites of three eggs made into méringue paste. Freeze as usual. Any of +these water-ices can be half frozen as _graniti_, and served in glasses +as _granito_, the only exceptions being the almond and pistachio +water-ices. + +_Graniti_ are also made of various kinds of light punches by adding to a +quart of the usual punch recipe a quart of sweetened water. Any summer +beverage made from fruit juice can be turned into a _granito_, by half +freezing, in either of the following ways: + +_To Freeze Graniti._--Mix the beverage you intend to freeze, for +instance, we will say, a pint of very strong, clear, bright coffee and +half a pint of syrup _à lissé_. Put them into the freezer and turn; as +it becomes frozen up the sides, scrape it down with a spoon, and +remember, as soon as it resembles snowy water (not white, of course) it +is frozen enough. It must be just liquid enough to pour out. + +There is a second way of freezing _graniti_ by which they can be put on +the table in the vessel in which they were frozen. Place the mixture in +wide-mouthed water-bottles, twirl them round in ice and salt, and, as +the contents become frozen on the inside of the bottle, scrape down +with a narrow wooden stick or spatula. When frozen in perfection the +bottle should seem half filled with tiny crystals. + +_Claret Granito._--To one pint of orangeade add a bottle of claret. Half +freeze. + +_Sherry Granito._--To one quart of lemonade add a bottle of sherry, and +freeze. + +The housekeeper who lives far from a large city will need materials for +many of the recipes given in these papers and others which she will meet +with in books on high-class cooking. Many of these can be sent for by +mail, and all, of course, by express; but it will often not seem worth +while to send perhaps for one small bottle that we may lack. For this +reason I give a few directions for preparing very tolerable imitations +of liqueurs, which, however, unless it were a question of economy, it +might not be worth while doing if within reach of stores. + +_Curaçoa._--Pare a dozen and a half of dead-ripe oranges so thin that +you can see the knife pass under the rind; pound one dram of finest +cinnamon and half a dram of mace; put them to steep for fifteen days in +a gallon of pure alcohol, shaking it every day. Make a clarified syrup +of four pounds of sugar and one quart of water well boiled and skimmed; +add this to the curaçoa. Rub up in a mortar one dram of potash with a +teaspoonful of the liqueur; when well mixed add it, and then do the same +with a dram of alum. Shake well, and in an hour or two filter through +thin muslin. It will be ready for use in a a week. + +_Maraschino._--Bruise two ounces of cherry kernels and one of bitter +almonds; put them in a deep jar with the thin outer rind of twelve +oranges and five lemons. Steep in one gallon of English gin or alcohol. +Let the whole stand a fortnight, then filter and bottle. + +_Ratafia._--Blanch the kernels of uncooked peaches or apricots, and when +you have two ounces pound them, and pour to them a quart of gin or +alcohol and the thin yellow rind of two lemons. Sweeten with a pound of +white sugar-candy, and leave the whole for two months; then filter and +bottle for use. + +_Candied Orange and Lemon Peels._--These are invaluable both as +decoration for certain desserts and for culinary purposes, and as they +are not always to be found except in the larger cities, the method of +preparing them is here given: Throw the peels into salt and water, all +pulp being removed, but the white part must be left untouched; in fact, +the thicker the peel the better for the purpose, thin-skinned oranges +being of no use for candying. Let them remain in the salt and water from +nine days to three weeks; then wash them, put them on the fire in cold +water, and let them boil till perfectly tender, yet they must not be +mushy. During the time they are boiling change the water until it no +longer tastes salt. Lemon-peels may take from three to four hours’ +boiling, orange-peels less; but remember, should the lemon-peel not be +quite tender, it will harden when it goes into syrup, and instead of a +rich sweetmeat there will be only woody chips. Drain the peels, and make +a thin syrup of a pint of water to each pound of sugar. Let it boil five +minutes; then throw in the peels; they must boil gently in this until +they are clear and the syrup has become thick--almost boiled away, in +fact. Now make another syrup, half a pint of water to two pounds of +sugar; let it boil till clear and till there is a short hair from the +fork. Now put in the peels (which must have been drained from the other +syrup); remove from the fire; stir them round till the syrup looks +whitish; then lift each piece out and lay it on a dish on which +granulated sugar has been freely sprinkled. + +Both orange and lemon peels are candied by the same process, but they +must never be put in the same vessel of salt and water, nor must they be +candied together, or the distinctive flavors would be lost. + + + + +XXIX. + +MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS. + + +Under this head I intend to give a few sweets that seem to me unusually +good, although they may not always be novel, except in manner of +serving. A compote of fruit has nothing new about it, yet by the way in +which it is served it may simply be “stewed fruit,” or it may be a dish +fit to find a place even in choice cookery. + +In making compotes great care must be taken to preserve the shape and +color of the fruits. In order to do this they must be quickly peeled and +dipped into strong lemon juice and water, and dropped into syrup in +which also a little lemon juice has been squeezed. Pass the blade of the +knife over its own marks to obliterate the appearance of peeling. +Peaches and apricots may be boiled up without peeling, and (unless they +are allowed to get too soft) the skins will be removed easily. It will +be observed that hard fruits such as apples are simmered in thin syrup +to get tender, while rich soft fruits are dropped into syrup boiled to +candy height. + +_Apple Compote_ No. 1.--Cut up and boil half a dozen apples in a pint of +water. When they are quite soft strain the juice from them without +squeezing; put to it half a pound of granulated sugar and the zest of a +lemon (the zest is the peel so thin that the knife blade can be seen, +through it while paring), together with the juice. Let this syrup boil +for a minute; skim it. Then pare half a dozen fine cooking apples; core +them; let them boil gently in the syrup until quite tender, but not in +danger of breaking. Take them up on a perforated skimmer. When cold, put +the apples into a compote dish. Boil the juice to a jelly; pour part of +it over the apples; dip a plate in cold water, drain it, and then pour +out the rest of the jelly into it: it should only cover it about the +thickness of thick paper. When stiff, warm the under-side of the plate +_very slightly_, pass a broad thin knife under, and lay the sheet of +jelly over the apples in the compote dish. + +_Apple Compote_ No. 2.--Prepare the apples as in last recipe, but before +the last sheet of jelly is laid over them ornament with rings and leaves +of angelica, and any red jelly or preserve cut in thin slices and +stamped out with tiny tin cutters in leaves, stars, or fancy shapes +(stiff red currant jelly of red quince may be used); decorate thus each +apple; then lay the thin sheet of apple jelly over all. + +_Compote of Stuffed Apples._--Prepare the apples as in the foregoing +recipes, taking care to core them all through without splitting the +apple. When the apples are done, fill the centre with orange marmalade +or apricot preserve. Boil the syrup down till it will glaze; pour it +over the apples when they are ice-cold, the syrup also only warm enough +to remain liquid. By this means the rich coating will remain over the +apples, while if both were warm it would run off. + +_Compote of Apples or Pears Grillé._--If you have any apples or pears +left from a compote (or you may, of course, prepare them especially), +put them into a frying or sauté pan over a brisk fire; put with them any +syrup there may be and a cup of sugar just dissolved in water; boil +rapidly down to a pale caramel, rolling the apples with a fork so that +they become covered with the caramel. Take great care that the syrup +does not burn; remove it from the fire the moment it begins to change +color. The apples should now have an even glossy surface; as each is +finished put it at once into the compotier. Pour a little curaçoa syrup +round just before sending to table. + +_Compote of Apple Marmalade._--This is not so troublesome to make as it +sounds, especially to any one who has made glacé nuts--a very general +accomplishment nowadays. Reduce some apple marmalade by leaving it for +an hour or two in a double boiler; the water boiling round it will +evaporate moisture without danger of burning. Stir occasionally, and +when the marmalade is so reduced that it will make a firm paste when +cold (try a little in a saucer on ice), color one half pink with +cochineal. Spread half an inch thick on plates slightly oiled; when +stiff and cold, cut out the marmalade into squares, ovals, diamonds, +leaves, etc., with tin cutters. Boil a pound of sugar with a gill of +water to the crack--that is, until a teaspoonful dropped in ice-water +will crack between the teeth. Oil a fork and a large dish, and use the +fork to drop the pieces of marmalade into the candy; lift them out +quickly, and lay them on the dish, which will be better if it is set on +ice. When they are cold, dish them in a pyramid, the pink to contrast +with the white effectively. Pour a little liqueur-flavored syrup round +the base of the fruit. + +_Compote of Pears (white)._--Use any fine-flavored dessert pears. Cut +them in halves, core, pare, and trim neatly, and simmer them in syrup (a +pound of sugar and juice of half a lemon to a pint of water) till they +are tender, yet firm to the touch. Dish the pieces, keeping them close +to each other. Lay a thin sheet of apple jelly over them, and the syrup, +boiled down till rich and thick, round them. + +_A Pink Compote_ is prepared in the same way, the only difference being +that a very few drops of cochineal are added to the syrup before the +pears go in. Decorate with angelica. + +_Pears à la Princesse._ Select seven pears of the best quality, without +blemish, and of equal size; pare them with great care; stand them close +together in a saucepan, with weak acidulated syrup to cover them; simmer +slowly till quite tender, but yet firm to the touch; take them up, +leaving the syrup to boil down. When cold, cut the stalk end off each +pear about an inch deep, or so as to leave about an inch of surface, on +which place a ring of angelica (simply cut angelica crosswise and it +forms rings, being tubular); if the rings are flattened, lay them in +syrup; when softened bend them round and lay one on each pear; then, if +in season, dip a fine strawberry or stoned red cherry in the hot syrup +and lay it on the ring of angelica. Cut strips of angelica and run them +through the strawberry down to the pear, both to hold the decoration in +place and to represent the stalk; dish them standing; when dished up, +pour some syrup, boiled till thick and rich, over the seven pears. When +fresh fruit is not in season for decoration, use candied cherries. + +_Variegated Compote of Pears._--This is a pretty dish. Prepare some +pears as in the last recipe, except that the tops are not to be cut off; +color half the number a pale pink by adding a few drops of cochineal to +the syrup in which they are simmered; dress them alternately, a pink +pear and a white one, in the compotier; pour over each the pink and +white syrup in which they were cooked, and pour syrup flavored with +vanilla round them. + +_Compote of Oranges._--Divide six oranges in halves; first cut out the +centre string of pith, pick all pips out carefully, and with a very +sharp knife pare off the peel of the orange down to the naked +transparent pulp; in this way you get rid of the whole of the white +outside skin. Place the halves as you do them in a bowl; pour over them +some hot syrup boiled _à lissé_, flavored with orange peel, rubbed with +lump sugar, and previously dissolved in the syrup; a very little lemon +juice should be added if the oranges are very sweet. Let them steep a +few minutes; then remove them; then build the oranges into a pyramid on +the compotier, and the last thing before going to table pour the syrup, +well boiled and cold, over them. + +_Chestnut Compote._--Take the largest French or Spanish chestnuts, make +slits in the peel, and boil till tender; take off the shell, and press +them flat without breaking; lay them in a saucepan; pour over them +thick syrup; put them in the oven, but do not let them boil; when they +look quite clear take them up, put them into the compotier, boil the +syrup to candy height, squeeze into the compotier the juice of an +orange, and pour the candy over the chestnuts. + +_Chestnut Compote_ No. 2.--Prepare the nuts as in last recipe; put the +yolks of three eggs in a saucepan; stir gradually to them a pint of +cream; cook a quarter of a pound of sugar to the crack, with a few dried +orange flowers; the minute the candy begins to get yellowish pour it +into the cream, stirring constantly, and let it come to boiling-point; +then strain the cream over the chestnuts. + + + + +XXX. + +MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS.--_Continued._ + + +Strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc., need very little cooking, and +that little in high candy. If it is understood that strong syrup tends +to make fruit firm, and weak syrup to make it tender, it will be seen +why all soft fruit, in order to keep its shape, should be dropped into +candy boiled till brittle, and why apples and other hard fruits should +be first stewed in weak syrup until soft; yet there are degrees; for +instance, hard peaches require thin syrup, and very luscious ones must +be put into syrup that is very near candy. This is also the case with +pears. Be guided as to the strength of the syrup by the kind of fruit. +Avoid fruit that is very ripe, because the syrup from it will not jelly +readily. + +_Compote of Strawberries._--Select a quart of fine large berries, rather +under than over ripe; boil three quarters of a pound of sugar to the +crack; drop the strawberries into the syrup after it is removed from the +fire; return them to the range; let them boil gently once; take out the +berries most carefully with the skimmer; lay them on the compotier; boil +the syrup fast, skimming it carefully then pour it over the fruit. + +_Compote of Cherries_ is made in the same way, with the finest red +cherries, only they require to boil up several times. When clear, drain +them with the skimmer; lay them in the compote dishes; add a gill of red +currant juice to the syrup; boil it till it is a weak jelly; then throw +it over the cherries when nearly cold. + +_Orange Baskets Filled with Fruits._--Select seven oranges, not too +large, but all the same size. With a very sharp knife pare the fruit as +thin as possible--so thin that it still remains yellow, and only the +shining outer surface is removed (in fact, it may be lightly grated +off, but that is more trouble), to render them transparent; cut two +quarters out of the upper part of the orange, so as to leave a narrow +band half an inch wide, which will form the handle; pass the knife +carefully round inside the band, so as to remove the strip of pulp. With +the bowl of a teaspoon detach the remaining pulp from the inside without +in any way damaging the shape of the basket. As you prepare them, drop +them in a saucepan of cold water, and then put them into boiling water, +and simmer three minutes gently. This is only to soften the peel and +enable you to stamp out the edges with a perforating cutter, if you have +one, which will give them an openwork effect; if not, just scallop them +with scissors, and snip out a sort of trellis-work to increase the +basket effect. Put them into a preserving-kettle with weak syrup _à +lissé_, boil them gently till they look clear, then put them aside in +the syrup till next day; boil the syrup twice alone at intervals of +several hours, and throw it over the baskets. These baskets may be kept +ready prepared for months by putting them in wide jars and covering them +with syrup. When required for use, they must be taken out, drained +thoroughly, and then filled with a variety of small fruits, such as +cherries, strawberries, currants, etc., which have been mixed with a +little apple or orange jelly. In winter, ambrosia--a mixture of cut-up +banana, grated cocoa-nut, orange quarters, etc.--may be served in them, +or a mixture of preserved fruits that are firm, such as Chinese oranges, +limes, ginger, etc. In all cases serve them on a compote dish, and throw +over them syrup flavored with maraschino. + +_Lemon Baskets_ are prepared precisely as the orange baskets, but they +require longer boiling, and the syrup they are served with should be +flavored with citronelle or the rasped peel of green limes. + +_Orange Baskets Glacé._--These are not much more trouble than the +baskets simply preserved, but if successfully done they can be very +effectively filled with candies or ice-cream. Prepare the baskets as in +last recipe, drain them on a napkin, very carefully remove all moisture +from the inside, and set them over a register, or in an oven with the +door open, to dry. Boil two pounds of sugar with a pint of water and two +tablespoonfuls of vinegar till it begins to change color (this is some +little time after the brittle stage is reached, and is called caramel); +lightly oil the skimmer, and drop a basket in the candy; remove as +quickly as possible, but see that the whole is well coated, yet has as +little superfluous candy as possible, for which reason the baskets must +be warm when they are dipped, also the skimmer. You must not leave the +candy on the fire after it _begins_ to change color, but the work of +coating the baskets had better be done quite near the fire, with the pot +containing the candy on some part of it where it will be kept hot, but +not cook. They must be slipped on to an oiled dish, and, needless to +say, most carefully handled. + +Other baskets are made with nougat, others with pastry, and the Swiss +make what they call _Vacherin_ with almond paste, and serve whipped +cream in them; but the idea may be extended and improved upon by serving +dried fruits or candies, or ice-cream in them, and they are a decided +improvement on the paper baskets so often used for the last purpose, +being eatable. + +_Swiss Vacherin._--Take half a pound of almond paste, three quarters of +a pound of confectioners’ sugar, and the white of one egg. Shave the +almond paste, stir the egg and sugar together, and flavor with a little +orange-flower water or wine; work all together with the hand into a +smooth, stiff paste that will roll out; if there is a disposition to +crack or crumble, use more white of egg and almond paste. Roll it just +as you would pie crust on the pastry board, using confectioners’ sugar +in place of flour. Line small cups or tartlet moulds, or anything that +will make a good form for baskets, which have been very slightly oiled. +Put them aside to harden and dry. Chop a tablespoonful of blanched +pistachio-nuts till they are as fine as corn-meal, mix with an equal +quantity of granulated sugar. Trim the edges of the cups or baskets with +scissors, turn them out of the moulds, very carefully dip the edges in a +saucer containing white of egg beaten to liquid--the edges only need to +be just wet. Have the chopped pistachio-nuts and sugar also in a saucer, +dip the wet edge of the cup lightly into it, and shake gently. If +properly done, the cups will now have a pretty green border. When these +are filled with whipped cream, sweetened, flavored, and colored, they +are called _Swiss Vacherin_. Filled with plain whipped cream, and the +top covered with strawberries, they are called “Chantilly cups,” but +they may be used in many decorative ways, to hold preserves or candied +fruits, etc., etc. + +_Little China Dishes._--This quaint recipe is from the immortal Mrs. +Glasse, and on trial was found so unique and agreeable a variety to our +modern fancies that with some little changes to suit our present ideas I +give the last-century dainty. If you have any pretty-shaped little tin +dishes, without fluting, to mould and bake them in, they are very little +trouble to make. Take the yolks of two eggs, two small tablespoonfuls of +sherry, and one of rose-water, beat together only enough to mix, then +use as much fine flour as will make a firm paste that can be rolled out +exceedingly thin. Cover some nicely shaped little tins slightly +buttered, press to the form, be careful the paste fits without creases, +and bake in a cool oven. When the paste is crisp, with very little +change of color, they are done. Do not touch them till they are cold, as +they may be brittle. Stir the white of an egg with a tablespoonful of +rose-water and confectioners’ sugar enough to make a smooth icing; +squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and when the little dishes are +cold, ice the under side only just thick enough to mask the pastry; when +they are dry and hard, turn them over and ice the inside; do this with +great smoothness, to look as much like porcelain as possible. If you +choose, when the icing is quite hard, you can wet the edge of the dishes +with white of egg and dip them in chopped pistachio-nuts and sugar, like +the Chantilly baskets, or in nonpareils (the smallest size). They may be +used to serve anything sweet, from jelly to candies. + +_Almond Trifles._--With the almond paste used for Chantilly cups many +trifles may be made with very little trouble; for instance, mix a +tablespoonful of flour with the paste; roll it out; cut into circles; +pinch up two sides; place a little handle over the centre, and in each +open end, which must be bent slightly upward, place a candied cherry. +Or cut a number of thin strips of paste, stick them together in the +middle with white of egg, pass a strip of almond paste round so that the +strips look like fagots of sticks, let them just color in the oven, sift +sugar over them, and put them away. The paste may be rolled as thick as +a pipe-stem and tied in knots, the surface just moistened, and sugar +sifted over them; these also must only just take color in the oven. +These are only suggestions for using up the trimmings from the cups. + + + + +XXXI. + +MISCELLANEOUS SWEETS.--_Continued._ + + +_Raspberry Charlotte Russe._--The simplest and quite the most effective +way of making charlottes of any kind is the following: Take a strip of +light cartridge or drawing paper from two to three inches wide, measure +it round a mould the size you wish the charlotte to be, and cut it an +inch larger; piece the two ends together, lapping an inch. Lay this +paper circle on an ornamental dish (the one you wish to use), split +lady-fingers, and stand them around it inside like a picket-fence, only +as close together as they will go, inserting a pin from the outside +through the paper and each cake as you do it. When you have lined the +paper completely you will have a close frame of lady-fingers held in +place by pins. Whip a pint of _perfectly sweet_ cream that is at least +twenty-four hours old and has been thoroughly chilled on ice. Sweeten +the cream with two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and flavor it with +a tablespoonful of raspberry _juice_ (not syrup) mixed with a +tablespoonful of powdered sugar; sometimes the raspberry juice will +color the cream a beautiful faint pink, which cannot be improved upon, +but if it is not bright enough in tint stir in one or two drops of +cochineal. If the weather is warm stand the vessel containing the cream +in ice; then beat without stopping to skim the froth as it rises. In +about ten to fifteen minutes the cream ought to be perfectly solid if +all the conditions were observed, and the beating carried on in a cool, +airy room. If, however, the cream is not solid enough to keep shape, set +it on ice for an hour and beat again. Fill the centre of the frame of +lady-fingers, piling it high; decorate either with chopped +pistachio-nuts lightly sprinkled, or with rings of angelica. The +raspberry _juice_ used for flavoring is to be obtained at first-class +druggists’, where the best quality of soda-water is sold. It is +unsweetened, and although I have kept it two or three months in cool +weather, it often will not keep many weeks; it is therefore better to +buy it by the gill or half-pint, if your druggist will sell it so, than +to buy a large bottle, although it is so useful for making raspberry +jelly, raspberry shrub, and many other things, that even a bottle is not +likely to be wasted. It must not be confused with raspberry _syrup_, +which is heavily sweetened, but not nearly so fragrant. Before serving +the charlotte remove the pins and take the paper off. + +_Charlotte Russe with Gelatine._--Prepare a frame as in last recipe, +also beat a pint of cream sweetened and flavored with wine or to taste; +melt in a pint of milk half an ounce of gelatine. The French gelatine is +very pure, easy to melt, and no more expensive than any other good kind, +and for delicate uses preferable to them. Make the gelatine and milk +into a custard with two eggs, sweeten with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, +flavor to taste, and put to get cold, stirring it once in a while; when +it begins to thicken round the sides of the vessel beat with the +egg-beater till foamy. You have now a vessel of whipped custard and one +of whipped cream, both cold; now mix the cream into the custard, a +little at a time, giving the spoon a light upward movement; _do not stir +it_; that deadens the cream; your object is to keep it light; when all +is mixed, fill the frame of cake with the spongy mixture; decorate it +either with drops and pipings of the mixture applied to the smooth +surface, or with candied fruits cut into forms or various colored +jellies. + +Of course a charlotte russe can be varied in many ways. It may be filled +with the custard made with chocolate, and so be brown charlotte, or the +filling may have apricot or currant jelly whipped into it with the +gelatine; this is an admirable change. + +_Almond Turban._--Make half a pound of fine puff-paste, give it nine +turns, roll it the last time to the thickness of a dollar; have ready +half a pound of almonds, blanched and chopped; put them in a bowl with +half a pound of powdered sugar and the whites of two eggs, adding a very +little more if the icing is too stiff to spread; spread the almond icing +on the pastry as thick as a twenty-five-cent piece; with a sharp knife +cut the pastry into strips two and a half inches long and one in +breadth; bake these in a moderate oven a very pale brown; make a circle +on a dish of some _firm_ marmalade or jam; when the almond cakes are +cold, dress them in a crown on the jam, which serves to keep them in +place; fill the centre of the turban with vanilla ice-cream or simple +whipped cream. + +_Fine Small Cakes for Dessert._--It may not be worth the while of a busy +housekeeper within reach of a first-class confectioner’s to make these, +because, although when of fine quality they are always expensive, yet +they are also tedious to make. Many, however, live in country towns, +where there is no possibility of obtaining anything better than the +sandy products of the country bakery. + +A few really fine cakes can be made at a time, and kept in an air-tight +box, with layers of paper between, for some time. In speaking, however, +of the tediousness I would not discourage the reader, for there are few +more tedious things in cooking than the rolling out, making, and baking +of thin cookies or ginger-snaps, and the result attained so inadequate. + +_Rout Biscuits._--Boil a pound of sugar in half a pint of milk; grate +into it the rind of a lemon when cold; rub half a pound of butter into a +pound and a half of flour and a pound of almond paste grated fine; put +as much carbonate of soda as would lie on a silver dime into the milk, +and mix with the flour and almond paste; beat two eggs, and make the +whole into a firm, smooth paste; print this paste with very small +butter moulds if you have them, making little cakes just like the tiny +pats of butter one gets at city restaurants. Bake on a well-buttered pan +in a quick oven a very pale yellow. + +_Macaroons._--These must be exempted from the charge of being tedious, +they are so easily and quickly made. One pound of almond paste grated, +one pound and a half of sugar, and the whites of seven eggs. Some +confectioners use a teaspoonful of flour, with the idea that the +macaroons are not so apt to fall. I recommend a trial of both methods; +they will both be good. Stir the sugar and the beaten white of eggs +together just enough to mix, then by degrees add the grated paste, +mashing with the back of a fork till it forms a perfectly smooth paste. +Oil several sheets of paper cut to the size of your baking-pans. +Dripping-pans may be used if you have no regular baking-sheets. Lay a +sheet of paper at the bottom of the pan. Put half a teaspoonful of the +macaroon paste on a scrap of buttered paper in the oven. If it spreads +too much it requires a very little more sugar; if it does not spread at +all, or so little as to leave the surface rough, it is too stiff, and +requires perhaps _half_ the white of an egg, or the finger dipped in +water and laid on each macaroon after they are on the paper is often +sufficient--a little practice is all that is necessary. Lay the paste in +half-teaspoonfuls on the oiled or greased paper. If the trial one +indicated that they were slightly too stiff, lay a wet finger on each, +sift powdered sugar over, and then put a pinch of chopped and blanched +almonds in the centre with just enough pressure to keep them in place. +As the macaroon spreads in the oven the almonds scatter themselves. + +Macaroons should be baked _about_ twenty minutes in a moderate oven. +They must be taken out while they are a very pale brown, but they must +also be quite “set,” or they will fall. If the oven is too quick they +will brown too soon; in that case leave the oven door open, taking care +that no cold draught can blow on the macaroons. You can tell if they +have browned too quickly by the cracks in them being still white and +sticky. When done both the cracks and surface should be the same pale +color. The macaroons must be left five minutes in the pan after leaving +the oven without being touched. At the end of that time they may be +gently taken off the pans _on the papers_, from which they must not be +detached until they are quite cold. Should they stick to the paper, +moisten the back of it. + +_Fine Ginger Dessert Cakes._--Rub half a pound of fresh butter into +three quarters of a pound of flour; beat three eggs with three quarters +of a pound of powdered sugar and half a glass of rosewater, the grated +peel of a lemon, and a teaspoonful of the best powdered ginger--use the +ginger carefully, trying a level spoonful first. Then mix all into a +paste. If the flavor of ginger is not strong enough, add more; they +should taste well of it, without being hot in the mouth. Roll the paste +a quarter of an inch thick, and cut into small oval or round cakes, sift +powdered sugar over them, and bake rather slowly a very pale brown. + + + + +XXXII. + +FINE CAKES AND SAUCES. + + +_Madeleines._--Four ounces of butter, four ounces of the best flour, +three ounces of sugar, a teaspoonful of orange-flower water, the yolks +of four eggs, and rind of a lemon. Beat butter, sugar, and yolks of eggs +together, then add the other ingredients; grate in the rind of half a +lemon, and add the well-beaten whites of eggs last of all. Fill little +moulds that have been buttered with washed butter, cover the tops with +split almonds and sifted sugar; bake from thirty to forty minutes in a +moderate oven. These cakes are sometimes served hot with apricot sauce. + +_Chestnut Croquettes._--Boil fifty sound chestnuts; take them out of the +shells; reject all imperfect ones; keep the large pieces aside; pound +the crumbs and most broken pieces with an ounce of butter till very +smooth; then mix in a _small_ cup of cream two ounces of butter and one +ounce of powdered sugar; put the whole into a double boiler, and stir in +the beaten yolks of six eggs. Let the mixture set. When cool, make it +into balls; in the centre of each ball put a piece of the chestnut you +have laid aside, dip the balls in fine cracker meal and eggs, and fry a +very pale yellow. Serve with sifted sugar. + +Very pretty cakes, very easily made, which come under the French term +_petits fours_, may be given here. + +_Petits Fours._--Make rich cake mixture thus: Wash three quarters of a +pound of butter to free it from excess of salt; squeeze it dry in a +cloth; beat it with the hand till creamy; add three quarters of a pound +of powdered sugar; beat till light; then beat in ten eggs, one by one, +and sift in a pound of dried and sifted flour. When all are well beaten +together, the paste or batter is ready for use. Line some shallow pans +(those used for making rolled jelly-cake are best) with buttered paper; +spread a layer of the mixture just as you would for jelly-cake, but much +thicker, as when baked the sheets should not be more than the third of +an inch thick. Bake slowly. When done, remove from the oven, but leave +the cake undisturbed till cold. If the sheets are large, they may be cut +exactly in half, spread thinly with some stiff marmalade or jelly; +quince or apricot is best, but any rich flavor with some tartness will +do; lay one half on the other, and press closely and very neatly +together. Do each sheet of cake in the same way, varying the marmalade +if you choose. Have ready a bowl of icing (either boiled French icing or +what is called royal icing). Dust the top of the cakes with flour, which +must be brushed off again, as it is only to absorb the grease. Flavor +the icing with vanilla, and lay it on the centre of the cake; let it run +over it, aiding with a knife dipped in water (shaking off the drops, +however). The icing needs to be very neatly done, and must not be +thicker than a twenty-five-cent piece. Now color the icing in the bowl +pink, with a little cochineal, add a drop or two of extract of bitter +almond or of lemon, either of which will agree with the vanilla that was +in the white icing; then ice another sheet of cake in the same way; a +third may be done with chocolate icing. + +The beauty of these cakes will depend on the way they are cut. You may +choose to make them tablets an inch wide and three inches long, or in +lozenge shape--the true diamond--but in either case the cutting must be +exact. The best way to have it so is to mark the lines very lightly with +the point of a penknife on the icing, using a measure. Trim off the edge +of the cake with a sharp knife, so that it is neat all round, no excess +of marmalade oozing out, or tears of icing running down. Then warm a +sharp carving-knife (I am supposing the cake is on a board), and cut +through the lines you have marked, without hesitation, so that there +may be no crumbs or roughness, which slow, over-careful cutting causes. +When cut up you should have, if neatly done, an assortment of very +delicious and ornamental cakes. + + +FRENCH SWEET SAUCES FOR PUDDINGS, ETC. + +_Sauce Madère à la Marmalade._--A half-pound of apricot marmalade; half +a tumbler of Madeira or sherry; boil three minutes, then pass through a +sieve, and serve as sauce to soufflées, cabinet puddings, etc. + +_Sauce des Œufs au Kirsch._--Beat the yolks of eight eggs, put them +in a saucepan with half a tumbler of kirsch, five ounces of powdered +sugar, and half the rind of a lemon grated. Stir all in a double boiler +till the mixture sticks to the spoon; then remove from the boiling +water; stir for a minute to prevent curdling; then it is ready to serve. + +_Chaudeau Sauce._--Take two whole eggs, six yolks of eggs, and eight +lumps of sugar (each one rubbed on lemon-peel), two pints of Chablis, +and the juice of half a lemon; beat them over a slow fire in a double +boiler till a light froth is formed; be very careful the eggs do not +curdle when the boiling-point is reached; take the sauce off the fire, +and continue beating for a minute or two. If small streaks appear on the +froth the sauce is done. Stir in a tablespoonful of fine rum, and the +sauce is ready to serve. + +_Sherry Sauce for Puddings._--Six yolks of eggs, one ounce of sugar, +half a pint of sherry, and the thin peel of a lemon. Beat the eggs with +the sugar; when the wine is warm, stir them into it (let the lemon-peel +steep in the wine while warming); stir all together till as thick as +cream; then remove from the fire, and take out the peel. In making all +these sauces with eggs the same precaution is required as in making +custard. + +_Wine Sauce_, No. 2.--Three gills of water, one cup of sugar, one +teaspoonful of corn-starch, and one gill of wine. Mix the corn-starch +with a little water; pour the rest boiling to it, stirring till smooth; +then add the sugar, and boil for five minutes; then add the wine and a +few drops of essence of lemon and the same of cinnamon. Use these +flavorings drop by drop, as they differ in strength too much for an +exact quantity to be given, and the taste must be the guide. Rum or +brandy may be used instead of wine; then the cinnamon is omitted. + +_Apricot Sauces._--Half a small jar of apricot jam or marmalade; +dissolve it in three quarters of a gill of water with the juice of a +lemon; stir in three quarters of a gill of rum. This sauce is simply +made hot, not boiled, and may be served cold with Baba or Savarin cake. +Greengage marmalade may be substituted. + +_Whipped Sweet Sauce._--Put the yolks of four eggs into a double +saucepan with two ounces of sugar, one glass of sherry, the juice of one +lemon, and a speck of salt; beat all together; then set the saucepan +over the fire, and whisk the sauce till it is a creamy froth, when it +is ready to serve. + +_Very Fine Sweet Butter Sauce._--Wash four ounces of butter; squeeze it +dry; beat it to a hard sauce with half a pound of powdered sugar; then +put the yolks of two eggs in a cold bowl; stir it a minute, then add to +it a little of the hard sauce; when well mixed add more, about a +teaspoonful at a time; when the hard sauce is blended with the yolks of +eggs, stir in by degrees a wineglass of brandy or rum. Keep on ice till +wanted. + +_Vanilla Cream Sauce._--Put half a pint of fresh cream to boil, +reserving a tablespoonful; mix this with a teaspoonful of flour; stir it +into the cream, with a tablespoonful of sugar, when near boiling; when +it boils, stir for five minutes or ten in a double boiler; then pour out +the sauce, and stir in a small teaspoonful of vanilla and a few drops of +extract of rose or a teaspoonful of rose-water. Observe that the rose is +used to give a different tone to the vanilla, and not to impart its own +flavor, therefore very little must be used. + +_Almond Sauce._--Dissolve four ounces of almond paste in half a pint of +sweet cream by stirring in a double boiler (the almond paste should be +grated first); when both are hot, add a tablespoonful of sugar and the +yolk of an egg; stir till the egg thickens, then remove from the fire +and serve. + + + + +XXXIII. + +SALADS AND CHEESE DISHES. + + +Salad has come to form part of even the simplest dinners; and certainly +cold meat and salad and excellent bread and butter make a meal by no +means to be despised even by an epicure, while cold meat and bread and +butter sound very untempting. The best dinner salad will perhaps always +be white, crisp lettuce, with a simple French dressing, although, to +those acquainted with it, escarole runs it hard, with its cool, watery +ribs and crisp leaves. Elaborate salads, or those dressed with +mayonnaise, are too heavy to form the latter part of an already +sufficiently nourishing meal, but for luncheons and suppers the rich +salad is invaluable. + +Salad which is to be eaten with game or to form a course at dinner may +be a crisp white cabbage lettuce, water-cress, Romaine lettuce, or that +most delicious form of endive, escarole. + +The dressing should be the simple French dressing, about which so much +has been written and said, and which is so easy that perhaps it is one +reason why so few make it well. There is nothing to remember beyond the +proportions, and so many keep the quantity of oil, vinegar, and pepper +and salt in mind, but the manner of using them seems of no consequence; +but it is of so much consequence, if you do not want the vinegar on the +leaves and the oil at the bottom of the salad bowl, that, well known as +the formula is, I am going over it again with a few details that may +help to fix the matter in mind. + +In the first place it must be remembered that a wet leaf will repel oil, +therefore the lettuce or other salad must be well dried before it is +sent to table. This is best done by swinging it in a salad basket, and +then spreading it between two cloths for a few minutes. Now it must be +quite evident, if a leaf wet with water will refuse to retain oil, that +one wet with vinegar will do the same; for this reason the leaves should +be covered with oil _before_ the vinegar is added, or the salad will be +crude and very unlike what it should be if properly mixed in the +following way: + +Take lettuce as the example, although any of those mentioned are made in +the same way. Have the lettuce dry in the salad bowl, put in the +salad-spoon a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, and, +holding it over the bowl, fill the spoon with oil; mix the salt and +pepper well with it, and turn it over the salad; toss the salad lightly +over and over till the leaves glisten, then add two (if for epicures, +three or four) more spoonfuls of oil, then toss again over and over till +every leaf is well coated with oil; then sprinkle in a saladspoonful of +sharp vinegar. Toss again, and the salad is ready. + +One salad less well known than it deserves to be is that made from the +grape fruit. This is an especially grateful dish for spring breakfast, +when cool, refreshing things are in order. Many tell me they have tried +to eat grape fruit, but find it quite impossible on account of the +intense bitter. + +There is a very _slight_ and pleasant bitter with grape fruit when +properly prepared, but if by carelessness or ignorance even a small +portion of the pith is left in it intense bitter is imparted to the +whole. + +_Grape-fruit Salad._--Prepare the fruit, some hours before it is wanted, +in the following way: Cut the fruit in four as you would an orange; +separate the sections; then remove the pulp from each, taking care that +no white pith or skin adheres to it. Put the pulp on the ice until just +before serving; then dress with oil and vinegar exactly as directed for +lettuce, etc. + +Meat or fish salads should always be dressed with mayonnaise. I say +nothing of the well-known lobster and chicken salads, which are so +general that one is tempted to think the majority of people do not know +how excellent some other combination salads are. Salmon salad--the fish +flaked, laid on a bed of crisp lettuce with a border of the leaves, and +masked with mayonnaise, with a garnish of aspic--is both handsome and +delicious; but cold halibut, or even cod--any firm fish that flakes, in +fact--make delightful salads, and acceptable to many who cannot eat +lobster. In the way of meat salads, partridge or grouse are far daintier +than chicken, prepared in just the same way. There is one point, +however, which should be observed in making all meat salads: it is that +the material should be well dressed with oil, vinegar, and condiments +before the mayonnaise is put on. Usually one of two courses is followed: +either the meat is left dry, the mayonnaise being supposed sufficient, +or it is dressed with mayonnaise and then masked with it. In the latter +case the salad is far too rich; in the former it is flat, because +mayonnaise, if rightly made, has not acidity enough to flavor the meat; +therefore it and the celery or other salad mixed with it should be +bathed with French dressing before it is masked. + +With these general rules any salad may be made; but as variety is the +spice of the table, it may be borne in mind that in spring a sprig of +mint, very finely chopped, gives a fragrance to lettuce, as does chervil +or borage, parsley, or a tiny bit of onion. To a game salad nothing +should be added. + +No recipe is needed for mayonnaise, it having been given in the chapter +on cold sauces. + +In the course of these chapters several cheese dishes have been given, +but there are a few others especially appropriate to the cheese and +salad course, where it constitutes part of the dinner, which I will +include. Cheese dishes are far less popular in this country than in +Europe, but there are families whose masculine members eat no sweets, +and for whom a dainty cheese dish would be very acceptable. + +_Genoa Ramaquin._--Cut a slice of Vienna or other baker’s bread, half an +inch thick, lengthwise of the loaf, so that it covers the bottom of a +fire-proof dish--a soufflé pan well buttered is excellent; beat two eggs +and half a pint of milk together; add a level saltspoonful of salt; pour +this custard over the bread, and leave it an hour to soak. Pour off any +custard that may not be absorbed; dust the bread with pepper; then cover +with the following mixture: dissolve as much rich cheese shaved in half +a gill of cream as will cover the bread an inch thick, stirring it over +a slow fire. Season with pepper and salt, and pour the cheese over the +bread. Put it in the oven, and bake for half an hour, or till quite +brown. + +_Cheese Puffs._--Line patty-pans with puff-paste, and fill three parts +full with the following mixture: put a gill of cream in a double boiler +with two ounces of grated cheese (half Parmesan if liked), a +saltspoonful of salt, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of sugar, and a large +teaspoonful of butter; when all is melted to a thick custard, break into +it two eggs well whipped. The mixture is only to be made hot enough to +melt the cheese, not to boil. + +_Cheese Sticks._--Take a piece of light bread dough about the size of a +teacup, roll it out on a pastry-board, spread it with bits of firm +butter, dredge with flour, fold and roll, repeat until you have rolled +in two ounces of butter, just as for puff-paste; now roll the pastry out +the third of an inch thick, cut into strips half an inch wide and any +length you think proper, lay them very straight on a baking-sheet, and +bake slowly a _very_ light brown; remove from the oven, let them cool, +then brush them over with white of egg, and roll them thickly in grated +Parmesan; return for a minute or two to the oven. These are very good +with salad, but cannot easily be made in warm weather. Should the +pastry get too soft while rolling, put it on ice, and it is better to +do so at all times before cutting into strips, so that the “sticks” may +be quite straight. + + + + +INDEX. + + + Allemande Sauce, 18. + + Almond Cream, 229, 251; + Sauce, 299; + Trifles, 279; + Turban, 285; + Water-ice, 255. + + Apple Jelly, 212; + Compote, 263-265. + + Apricot Sauces, 297; + Water-ices, 256. + + Artichokes, Fried, 198. + + Aspic, Jelly, 195; + Lobster in, 79; + Mayonnaise, 47; + Oysters in, 76; + Reed-birds in, 159. + + + Ballotines, 177. + + Béarnaise Sauce, 26. + + Béchamel Sauce, 17, 159. + + Beef, Fillets of, 86-89. + + Beet-root Fritters, 198. + + Birds, how to bone, 172-175; + how to stuff, 175. + + Biscuits, Rout, 286. + + Bouchées, 124. + + Bouquet of herbs, 37. + + + Cabinet Pudding, 233, 239. + + Cakes, Dessert, 285, 289. + + Cakes and Sauces, fine, 291-295. + Chestnut Croquettes, 291. + Madeleines, 291. + Petits Fours, 292. + + Candied Orange and Lemon Peels, 260, 261. + + Caper Sauce, 29. + + Cardinal Sauce, 30. + + Cauliflower Fritters, 198. + + Celery Sauce, 29. + + Charlotte Russe, 281-283. + + Châteaubriand Sauce, 34. + + Chaudfroid Sauce, 160. + + Chaudfroids. (See Entrées.) + + Cheese Dishes, 306-308. + Genoa Ramaquin, 306. + Puffs, 306. + Sticks, 307. + + Chestnut Soup, 57; + Croquettes, 291. + + Chicken, à la Hollandaise, 114. + And Ham Cutlets, 157. + Chaudfroids of, 156. + Fritot of, 132. + Patties, 121. + Salad, 154. + Scallops, 130. + Tartlettes, 114. + Timbale of, 129. + Turtle fashion, 136. + + Chocolate Cream Pudding, 245. + + Choice Cookery explained, 1-3. + + Chops, Lamb and Mutton, 98-103. + + Cigarettes, 108, 135, 136. + + Cinnamon, care in selecting, 216; + Water-ice, 255. + + Claret Granito, 258; + Jelly, 215. + + Cod, Fillets of, 62. + + Cold Game Pies, 183-190. + + Compote of Apples, 263-265; + of Cherries, 272; + of Chestnuts, 269, 270; + of Oranges, 269; + of Pears, 266, 268; + of Pigeons, 145; + of Strawberries, 272. + + Consommé, 51-55. + + Coquilles, 63, 64. + + Creams, 223-230, 235-237. + Almond Cream, 229. + Bohemian Jelly Creams, 237. + Cocoanut Cream, 235. + Coffee Cream, 226. + Curaçoa Cream, 226. + Ginger Cream, 224. + Hazel-nut Cream, 236. + Here and in Europe, 223. + Neapolitan Cream, 224. + Nut Creams, 235. + Pistache Cream, 229. + Strawberry Cream, 227. + Vanilla Cream, 227. + Walnut or Hickory-nut Cream, 237. + Whipped Cream, 213, 214. + + Croquettes, Chestnut, 291; + manner of preparing, 107. + + Cucumber, Fillets of, 99; + Fillets of Rabbit with, 150; + Sauce, 29, 48; + Stuffed, 199. + + Culinary matters, 79-85. + + Curaçoa, 258. + + Currant Water-ice, 256. + + Currants, how to cook, 271. + + Cutlets, how to prepare, 107. + Chicken and Ham, 157. + Lamb, 99, 100. + Mutton, 90, 98. + Pigeon, 143. + Russian Salad for, 101. + Sweetbread, 109. + Veal, 139. + + + Decorations, uneatable, 196. + + Dessert, Small Cakes for, 285. + + Downton Sauce, 39. + + Dresden Patty Cases, 118. + + + Entrées, 86-106, 129-152, 153-171. + A Civet, 150. + Baked Ravioli, 137. + Cold Lamb Cutlets in Mint Jelly, 100. + Chicken Soufflé, 131. + Chicken, Turtle fashion, 136. + Cigarettes à la Chasseur, 135. + Cigarettes à la Reine, 134. + Cutlets Chaudfroid à la Russe, 102. + Filets de Bœuf à la Béarnaise, 87. + Filets de Bœuf aux Champignons, 87. + Fillet of Beef, 86. + Fillets of Beef à la Grande-Bretagne, 89. + Fillets of Cucumber, 99. + Fillets of Rabbit with Cucumber, 150. + Fillets of Teal with Anchovies, 148. + Fritot of Chicken, 132. + Grenadines of Beef with Mushrooms and Poivrade Sauce, 88. + Grenadines of Rabbit à la Soubise, 149. + Lamb Cutlets en Concombre, 99. + Lamb Cutlets with a Purée of Mushrooms, 100. + Lobster Quenelles, 136. + Mutton Cutlets à la d’Uxelles, 90. + Mutton Cutlets à la Milanais, 90. + Mutton Cutlets, or Chops, 98. + Pigeon Cutlets, 143. + Pigeons à la Tartare, 144. + Quails à la Jubilee, 141. + Quails à la Lucullus, 140. + Salmis of Snipe, 147. + Scallops of Chicken à la Périgord, 130. + Soufflé of Partridges, 146. + Sweetbreads à la Suprême, 103. + Sweetbreads in Cases, 106. + Sweetbreads with Oysters, 104. + Timbale of Chicken à la Champenois, 129. + Timbales d’Épinard, 151. + Veal Cutlets à la Primrose, 139. + + Entrées, Cold, or Chaudfroids, 153-171. + Allumettes, 170. + Canapés à la Bismarck, 165. + Caviare Canapés, 166. + Chaudfroid of Reed-birds, 160. + Chaudfroids of Chicken, 156. + Cheese Biscuits à la St. James, 168. + Chicken and Ham Cutlets, 157. + Chicken Salad à la Prince, 154. + Cold Cheese Soufflés, 169. + Croûtes de Fromage Glacé, 169. + Eggs à la St. James, 170. + Iced Savory Soufflé, 162. + Kluskis of Cream Cheese, 168. + Oysters à la St. George, 169. + Prawns en Surprise, 166. + Prince of Wales Canapés, 167. + Reed-birds in Aspic, 159. + Savage Club Canapés, 164. + Savories, 162-164. + Shrimp Canapés, 168. + Sweetbread au Montpellier, 153. + + Entrées, Fish, 61-70. + Coquilles of Prawns, 63. + Coquilles of Salmon or Halibut, 64. + Fillet of Flounders, 69. + Fillet of Sole à la Normande, 65. + Fillets of Cod à la Normande, 62. + Lobster in Aspic, 79. + Lobster Soufflées, 62. + Salmon en Papillotes, 65. + Sole à l’Horly, 66. + Turbans of Sole à la Rouennaise, 67. + + Espagnole Sauce, 33. + + + Fillet, how to, 181, 182. + + Fillets of Rabbits, 150. + + Flavorings and Liqueurs, 210-212. + + Flounders, Fillet of, 69. + + Fritters, 198. + + Fruits, Macédoine of, 222. + + Frying, directions for, 91-95. + + + Galantines, 172-177. + Of Breast of Veal, 178. + Of Sucking Pig, 179. + + Game Pie, 183. + English manner of making, in a crust, 189, 190. + Filling the case of, 186. + French method of making, 185. + + Game, Salad to eat with, 300. + + Garnishes, 191-198. + Colored Custard, 192. + Profiterolles, 194. + Spinach Juice, 192. + Stuffed Artichokes, 197. + + Gelatine, 196; + right proportion for jelly, 217. + + Ginger Cream, 224; + Dessert Cakes, 289; + Water-ice, 253. + + Glaze, 8; + how to preserve, 10. + + Graniti, 257, 258. + Claret Granito, 258. + Sherry Granito, 258. + To freeze, 257. + + Grape-fruit Salad, 303. + + Grenadines of Rabbit, 149. + + + Ham, Purée of, 152. + + Herbs, French, 12; + how to chop, 81; + what required, 12. + + Horseradish Sauce, 48. + + + Ice-creams and Ices, 246-256. + Almond Water-ice, 255. + Apricot Water-ice, 256. + Chinese Ice, 252. + Cinnamon Water-ice, 255. + Currant Water-ice, 256. + Custard for Ice-cream, 249. + Fruit Jam and Jellies with Ice-cream, 250. + Ginger Water-ice, 253. + Grilled Almond Ice-cream, 251. + Ice-cream with Eggs, 249. + Pineapple Water-ice, 254. + Pistachio Water-ice, 255. + Simplest Fruit Ice-cream, 246. + Tea Ice-cream, 252. + Tutti-frutti Ice-cream, 248. + + Ice Pudding, 240, 241. + + Iced Custard with Fruit, 244. + + Iced Puddings, 238, 239, 241, 243. + + + Jellies, 208-225. + Aspic Jelly, 195. + Consistency of Jelly, 214. + Jellied Raspberries, 221. + Jelly with Candied Fruits, 220. + Jelly with Fresh Fruits, 218. + Mint Jelly, 49. + Mould of Apple Jelly, 212. + Plain Claret Jelly, 215. + Right proportions of Gelatine for Jelly, 217. + Roman Punch Jellies, 222. + + + Kabobs, Oyster, 72-74. + + Kromeskies, 107. + + + Lamb Cutlets, 99, 100. + + Lemon Baskets, 274; + Peels, Candied, 261. + + Lemons, how to grate, 82. + + Liqueurs and Flavorings, 210-212. + + Lobster, in Aspic, 79; + Quenelles, 136; + Sauce, 29; + Soufflées, 62. + + + Macaroons, 287. + + Macédoine of Fruits, 222. + + Madeleines, 291. + + Maraschino, 259. + + Matelote Sauce, 40. + + Mayonnaise, 43, 46, 47. + + Meal, quantity to be used, 75. + + Méringue Paste, 251. + + Mint Jelly, 49. + + Mother Sauces, 6. + + Mushroom Baskets, 201. + + Mushroom Jelly, 200. + + Mushrooms and Tomatoes, 200. + + Mushrooms, Stuffed, 200. + + Mutton Cutlets, 90, 98. + + + Neapolitan Cream, 224. + + Norwegian Sauce, 47. + + Nut Creams, 229, 235-237. + + + Onion, Spanish, 202-204. + + Orange Baskets, 272, 274. + + Orange Compote, 209. + + Orange Sauce, 39. + + Oyster Kabobs, 72, 74; + Sauce, 29. + + Oysters, 71-78. + À la Tartare, 78. + À la Villeroi, 71. + In Aspic, 76. + Various ways of serving, 71-78. + + + Papillotes, 65. + + Parsley Sauce, 29. + + Partridges, Soufflé of, 146. + + Patties, 116-124. + Chicken, 121. + Dresden Cases for, 118. + Oyster, 121. + Sweetbread, 120. + + Pears, à la Princesse, 267; + Compote of, 265, 266, 268. + + Petits Fours, 292. + + Pies, Game, 183-190. + + Pigeon Cutlets, 143. + + Pigeons, à la Tartare, 144; + Compote of, 145. + + Pineapple Water-ice, 254. + + Piquante Sauce, 35. + + Pistache Cream, 229. + + Pistachio Water-ice, 255. + + Poivrade Sauce, 36. + + Potage, à la Hollandaise, 56; + à la Royale, 59. + + Potatoes, à la Provençale, 204; + Milanese, 205; + Scalloped, 205. + + Poulette Sauce, 20. + + Prawns, Coquilles of, 63. + + Princess Soup, 58. + + Profiterolles, 194. + + Puddings, 230-234, 238-246. + Bombay Ice Pudding, 241. + Chocolate Cream Pudding, 245. + Cold Cabinet Pudding, 233. + Cold Soufflé Pudding, 231. + Diplomatic Pudding, 232. + Filbert and Wine Iced Pudding, 243. + Frangipanni Iced Pudding, 238. + Frozen Pudding, 235. + Ice Pudding, 240. + Iced Cabinet Pudding, 239. + Iced Custard with Fruit, 244. + Iced Jelly Pudding, 241. + Iced Puddings, 243. + Imperial Rice Pudding, 231. + Jubilee Pudding, 230. + Rice à la Princesse, 245. + Sauces for, 295-299. + + Puffs, Cheese, 306. + + Purée of Ham, 152. + + + Quenelles for entrées, 125-129; + for soups, 53, 54. + + + Rabbit, Grenadines of, 149; + Fillets of, 150. + + Rabbits, 148. + + Raspberries, how to cook, 271; + Jellied, 221. + + Ratafia, 259. + + Ravioli, Baked, 137. + + Red Mayonnaise, 46. + + Reed-birds, Chaudfroids of, 160; + in Aspic, 159. + + Rice Pudding, 231. + + Rissoles, 108. + + Robert Sauce, 38. + + Roman Punch Jellies, 222. + + Rout Biscuits, 286. + + Russian Salad for Cutlets, 101. + + + Salads, 300-305. + Best dinner, 300. + For Cutlets, 100. + Grape-fruit, 303. + How to dress, 301, 302. + To eat with game, 300. + + Salmis of Snipe, 147. + + Salmon, Coquilles of, 64; + en Papillotes, 65. + + Sauces, 11-22; 23-32; 33-41; 42-50. + À la d’Uxelles, 20. + À la Normande, 38. + Allemande, 18. + Almond, 299. + Apricot, 297. + Aspic Mayonnaise, 47. + Béarnaise, 26. + Béchamel, 17, 159. + Blonde, or White, 13-32. + Bordelaise, 37. + Brown, 33-41. + Caper, 29. + Cardinal, 30. + Celery, 29. + Châteaubriand, 34. + Chaudfroid, 160, 161. + Cold Cucumber, 48. + Cold Sauces, 42-50. + Consistency of, 24, 105. + Cucumber, 29. + Des Œufs au Kirsch, 295. + Downton, 39. + Espagnole, 33. + Green Mayonnaise, 46. + Hollandaise, 30. + Horseradish, 48. + How to stir, 17. + Light Normande, 39. + Lobster, 29. + Madère à la Marmalade, 295. + Matelote, 40. + Mayonnaise, 43, 46, 47. + Mint, 49. + Mother Sauces, 6. + Norwegian, 47. + Orange, 39. + Oyster, 29. + Parsley, 29. + Piquante, 35. + Poivrade, 36. + Poulette, 20. + Red Mayonnaise, 46. + Robert, 38. + Rule for seasoning, 18. + Sherry, 296. + Shrimp, 29, 30. + Soubise, 27. + Ste. Ménehould, 25. + Suprême, 23. + Sweet Butter, very fine, 298. + Sweet, French, for Puddings, 295-299. + Tartare, 48. + Vanilla Cream, 298. + Velouté, or White, 14. + Villeroi, 21. + Wine, 296. + Whipped Sweet, 297. + White, 23-32. + + Sautéing, 95, 96. + + Scalloped Potatoes, 205. + + Scallops of Chicken, 130. + + Sherry Granito, 258; + Sauce, 296. + + Shrimp Sauce, 29, 30. + + Sole, à l’Horly, 66; + à la Normande, 65; + Rouennaise, 67. + + Soubise Sauce, 27; + with Grenadines of Rabbit, 149. + + Soufflé of Chicken, 131; + of Lobster, 62; + of Partridges, 146; + of Tomato, 206. + + Soups, 51-60. + Chestnut, 57. + Consommé à la Rachel, 52. + Consommé à la Sévigné, 55. + Potage à la Hollandaise, 56. + Potage à la Royale, 59. + Princess, 58. + To clear Consommé, 51. + + Spanish Onion, 204. + + Spices and herbs required, 12. + + Spinach Fritters, 206; + Juice, 192. + + Ste. Ménehould Sauce, 25. + + Stock, 7; + to reduce to Glaze, 8. + + Strawberries, how to cook, 271; + Compote of, 272. + + Strawberry Cream, 227. + + Stuffed Artichokes, 197; + Cucumbers, 199. + + Sucking Pig, Ballotines of, 179. + + Suprême Sauce, 23. + + Sweet Sauce for Puddings, 295-299. + + Sweetbreads à la Suprême, 103; + au Montpellier, 153; + braised, 113; + Cutlets of, 109; + in Cases, 106; + Patties, 120; + with Oysters, 104. + + Sweets, 262-280. + Almond Trifles, 279. + Almond Turban, 285. + Charlotte Russe with Gelatine, 283. + Compote of Apple Marmalade, 265. + Compote of Apples or Pears Grillé, 265. + Compote of Cherries, 272. + Compote of Oranges, 269. + Compote of Pears, 266. + Compote of Strawberries, 272. + Compote of Stuffed Apples, 264. + Compotes of Apple, 263, 264. + Compotes of Chestnuts, 269, 270. + Fine Small Dessert Cakes, 285. + Ginger Dessert Cakes, 289. + Lemon Baskets, 274. + Little China Dishes, 278. + Macaroons, 287. + Orange Baskets filled with fruit, 272. + Orange Basket Glacé, 274. + Pears à la Princesse, 267. + Pink Compote, 267. + Raspberry Charlotte Russe, 281. + Rout Biscuits, 285. + Swiss Vacherin, 276. + Variegated Compote of Pears, 268. + + + Tartare Sauce, 48. + + Teal with Anchovies, 148. + + Timbale of Chicken, 129. + + Timbales d’Épinard, 151. + + Tomato Jelly, 205; + Soufflé, 206. + + Tomatoes and Mushrooms, 200. + + Trifles, Almond, 279. + + Turban, Almond, 285. + + Turbans of Sole, 67. + + + Uneatable decorations, 196. + + + Vacherin, Swiss, 276. + + Vanilla Cream, 227; + Cream Sauce, 298. + + Variegated Compote of Pears, 268. + + Veal Cutlets à la Primrose, 139. + + Vegetables, 197-207. + A few ways of cooking, 197. + Beet-root Fritters, 198. + Cauliflower Fritters, 198. + Fried Artichokes, 198. + Milanese Potatoes, 205. + Mushroom Baskets, 201. + Mushroom Jelly, 200. + Mushrooms and Tomatoes, 200. + Mushrooms stuffed à la Lucullus, 200. + Potatoes à la Provençale, 204. + Scalloped Potatoes, 205. + Spanish or Portuguese Onion, 202, 203. + Spinach Fritters, 206. + Stuffed Cucumbers, 199. + Stuffed Spanish Onion, 204. + Tomato Jelly, 205. + Tomato Soufflé, 206. + Various ways of serving, 199-207. + + Velouté, or White Sauce, 14. + + Villeroi Sauce, 21. + + + Walnut or Hickory-nut Cream, 237. + + Water-ices, 253-256. + Almond, 255. + Apricot, 256. + Cinnamon, 255. + Currant, 256. + Ginger, 253. + Pineapple, 254. + Pistachio, 255. + + Whipped Cream, 213, 214; + Sweet Sauces, 297. + + White Sauces, 23-32. + + Wine, Iced Pudding, 243; + Sauces, 296. + + +THE END. + + + + +MISS CORSON’S FAMILY LIVING ON $500 A YEAR. + + +Family Living on $500 a Year. A Daily Reference Book for Young and + Inexperienced Housewives. By JULIET CORSON. 16mo, Cloth, $1 25. + +If we ever get as much as $500 a year we shall purchase this book and +live like a prince.... It goes carefully through the expenses of daily +living, and indicates the thousand and one ways in which a penny can be +saved and another penny put where it will do most good. A book of this +kind placed in the hands of those who have very limited means will show +that they can live very comfortably and have quite enough to eat on a +very small sum.--_N. Y. Herald._ + +It is a helpful working book, sensible and practical, and tells how to +buy, cook, and serve all sorts of food; how to can, pickle, and +preserve; and how to arrange and serve luncheons, dinners, and teas, all +in the most economical manner consistent with appetizing +results.--_Sunday-School Times_, Philadelphia. + +Food-economist, cook-book, and instructor in table service all in +one.... The book is a capital one, and every housekeeper should feel +grateful to the able and painstaking author.--_N. Y. Post._ + +The production of a lady who understands her subject thoroughly, and who +earnestly wishes to help others towards the same useful knowledge.... A +book of this sort (and Miss Corson is the best able to produce it of any +one we know) is a great aid, and the more it is circulated the more +households will be made happy.--_Churchman_, N. Y. + +Every house-keeper, whether coming within the scope of the author’s +effort or not, will find many instructive hints, a due regard for which +will be conducive to the improved physical well-being and increased +mental serenity of the various members of her household.--_St. Louis +Republican._ + + +PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. + +☞ HARPER & BROTHERS _will send the above work by mail, postage prepaid, +to any part of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price._ + + + + +MRS. SHERWOOD’S MANNERS AND SOCIAL USAGES IN AMERICA. + + +Manners and Social Usages in America. A Book of Etiquette. By Mrs. JOHN + SHERWOOD. pp. 448. New and Enlarged Edition, Revised by the Author. + 16mo, Extra Cloth, $1 25. + +Mrs. Sherwood’s admirable little volume differs from ordinary works on +the subject of etiquette, chiefly in the two facts that it is founded on +its author’s personal familiarity with the usages of really good +society, and that it is inspired by good-sense and a helpful spirit.... +We think Mrs. Sherwood’s little book the very best and most sensible one +of its kind that we ever saw.--_N. Y. Commercial Advertiser._ + +We have no hesitation in declaring it to be the best work of the kind +yet published. The author shows a just appreciation of what is +good-breeding and what is snobbishness.... In happy discriminations the +excellence of Mrs. Sherwood’s book is conspicuous.--_Brooklyn Union._ + +It is a sensible and pleasantly written volume, which has already won +recognition as one of the best books of its kind, and this new edition +is called for by the heartiness with which the public has endorsed the +work.--_Courier_, Boston. + +A sensible, comprehensive book, which has endured criticism +successfully, and deserves now to be regarded the best book of its kind +published in this country.... A better guide than Mrs. Sherwood’s book +through the paths of social usages we do not know. The book is a +handsome one, as it ought to be.--_Christian Intelligencer_, N. Y. + + +PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. + +☞ HARPER & BROTHERS _will send the above work by mail, postage prepaid, +to any part of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price._ + + + + +BOOKS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. + + +MRS. HENDERSON’S PRACTICAL COOKING. Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving. + A Treatise containing Practical Instructions in Cooking; in the + Combination and Serving of Dishes, and in the Fashionable modes of + Entertaining at Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. By MARY F. HENDERSON. + Illustrated. 12mo, Water-proof Cover, $1 50. + +MRS. HENDERSON’S DIET FOR THE SICK. Diet for the Sick. A Treatise on the + Values of Foods, their Application to Special Conditions of Health and + Disease, and on the Best Methods of their Preparation. By MARY F. + HENDERSON. Illustrated. 12mo, Cloth, $1 50. + +MRS. WASHINGTON’S UNRIVALLED COOKBOOK. The Unrivalled Cook-Book and + House-keeper’s Guide. By MRS. WASHINGTON. 12mo, Water-proof Cover, $2 + 00. + +MRS. SMITH’S VIRGINIA COOKERY-BOOK. Virginia Cookery-Book. By MARY + STUART SMITH. 12mo, Cloth, $1 50; 4to, Paper, 25 cents. + +BAZAR COOKING RECEIPTS. Cooking Receipts from _Harper’s Bazar_. 32mo, + Paper, 25 cents; Cloth, 40 cents. + +MISS OAKEY’S BEAUTY IN DRESS. Beauty in Dress. By MISS OAKEY. 16mo, + Cloth, $1 00. + +MRS. DEWING’S (MISS OAKEY) BEAUTY IN THE HOUSEHOLD. Beauty in the + Household. By Mrs. T. W. DEWING, Author of “Beauty in Dress.” + Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth, $1 00. + +COAN’S OUNCES OF PREVENTION. Ounces of Prevention. By TITUS MUNSON COAN, + M.D. 12mo, Paper, 25 cents; Cloth, 50 cents. + +MRS. CHURCH’S MONEY-MAKING FOR LADIES. Money-Making for Ladies. By ELLA + RODMAN CHURCH. 16mo, Cloth, 90 cents. + +WALKER’S HINTS TO WOMEN ON THE CARE OF PROPERTY. Hints to Women on the + Care of Property. By ALFRED WALKER. 32mo, Paper, 20 cents; Cloth, 35 + cents. + +MISS CORSON’S FAMILY LIVING. Family Living on $500 a Year. A Daily + Reference Book for Young and Inexperienced Housewives. By JULIET + CORSON. 16mo, Cloth, $1 25. + +MRS. HERRICK’S HOUSE-KEEPING MADE EASY. House-keeping Made Easy. By + CHRISTINE TERHUNE HERRICK. 16mo, Cloth, $1 00. + + +PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. + + +☞ HARPER & BROTHERS _will send any of the above works, postage prepaid, +to any part of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price._ + + + +Transcriber’s Note + +The following typographical errors were corrected. + + Page Error + 6 allemande is the same changed to Allemande is the same + 160 pâte de foie gras changed to pâté de foie gras + 166 Caviary Canapés changed to Caviare Canapés + 309 Bearnaise Sauce changed to Béarnaise Sauce + 309 Tartlets changed to Tartlettes + 311 Coucombre changed to Concombre + 311 Puree of Mushrooms changed to Purée of Mushrooms + 311 à la Milanaise changed to à la Milanais + 311 à la Perigord changed to à la Périgord + 312 Ham, Puree of changed to Ham, Purée of + 313 Macedoine of Fruits changed to Macédoine of Fruits + 313 Meringue Paste changed to Méringue Paste + 314 Puree of Ham changed to Purée of Ham + 314 Bearnaise changed to Béarnaise + 315 Ste. Menehould changed to Ste. Ménehould + Ad 2 pp.448. changed to pp. 448. + Ad 3 12mo, Cloth, $1 50 changed to 12mo, Cloth, $1 50. + + + Inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words + + blond / blonde + cocoa-nut / cocoanut + house-keeper / housekeeper + lemon-juice / lemon juice + pepper-corns / peppercorns + ramequin / ramekin + rose-water / rosewater + salt-spoonful / saltspoonful + soufflé / soufflée + Soufflé / Soufflée + soufflés / soufflées + Soufflés / Soufflées + under-side / underside + water-cress / watercress + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Choice Cookery, by Catherine Owen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHOICE COOKERY *** + +***** This file should be named 26311-0.txt or 26311-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/3/1/26311/ + +Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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