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diff --git a/9101.txt b/9101.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..26246b4 --- /dev/null +++ b/9101.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11381 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and +Hints to Young Housekeepers, by Elizabeth E. Lea + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and Hints to Young Housekeepers + +Author: Elizabeth E. Lea + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9101] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 6, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOMESTIC COOKERY *** + + + + +Produced by Steve Schulze and Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +DOMESTIC COOKERY, USEFUL RECEIPTS, AND HINTS TO YOUNG HOUSEKEEPERS. + + +BY ELIZABETH E. LEA + +"The Source of Liberal Deeds is Wise Economy." + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT TO THIRD EDITION. + +This Work having passed through two editions, and having met with a very +favorable reception, the Authoress has been induced to thoroughly revise +and re-arrange the whole work. Numerous additions have also been made, +particularly under the heads Miscellaneous Receipts and Hints to Young +Housekeepers, which she hopes will be found to have enhanced its value. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. + +The compiler of "Useful Receipts and Hints to Young Housekeepers" having +entered early in life upon a train of duties, was frequently embarrassed +by her ignorance of domestic affairs. For, whilst receipt books for +elegant preparations were often seen, those connected with the ordinary, +but far more useful part of household duties, were not easily procured; +thus situated, she applied to persons of experience, and embodied the +information collected in a book, to which, since years have matured her +judgment, she has added much that is the result of her own experiments. + +Familiar, then, with the difficulties a young housekeeper encounters, +when she finds herself in reality the mistress of an establishment, +the Authoress offers to her young countrywomen this Work, with the +belief that, by attention to its contents, many of the cares +attendant on a country or city life, may be materially lessened; and +hoping that the directions are such as to be understood by the most +inexperienced, it is respectfully dedicated to those who feel an +interest in domestic affairs. + + + + +MEATS AND POULTRY. + + +To Boil Fresh Meat. + +In boiling fresh meat, care is necessary to have the water boiling all +the time it is in the pot; if the pot is not well scummed, the +appearance of the meat will be spoiled. + +Mutton and beef are preferred, by some, a little rare; but pork and veal +should always be well done. A round of beef that is stuffed, will take +more than three hours to boil, and if not stuffed, two hours or more, +according to the size; slow boiling is the best. A leg of mutton +requires from two to three hours boiling, according to the size; a +fore-quarter from an hour to an hour and a half; a quarter of lamb, +unless, very large, will boil in an hour. Veal and pork will take rather +longer to boil than mutton. + +All boiled fresh meat should have drawn butter poured over it, after it +is dished, and be garnished with parsley. + +The liquor that fresh meat, or poultry, is boiled in, should be saved, +as an addition of vegetables, herbs, and dumplings make a nourishing +soup of it. + +A large turkey will take three hours to boil--a small one half that +time; secure the legs to keep them from bursting out; turkeys should be +blanched in warm milk and water; stuff them and rub their breasts with +butter, flour a cloth and pin them in. A large chicken that is stuffed +should boil an hour, and small ones half that time. The water should +always boil before you put in your meat or poultry. When meat is +frozen, soak it in cold water for several hours, and allow more time in +the cooking. + + +To Boil a Turkey. + +Have the turkey well cleaned and prepared for cooking, let it lay in +salt and water a few minutes; fill it with bread and butter, seasoned +with pepper, salt, parsley and thyme; secure the legs and wings, pin it +up in a towel, have the water boiling, and put it in, put a little salt +in the water; when half done, put in a little milk. A small turkey will +boil in an hour and a quarter, a middle sized in two hours, and a large +one in two and a half or three hours; they should boil moderately all +the time; if fowls boil too fast, they break to pieces--half an hour +will cook the liver and gizzard, which should be put round the turkey; +when it is dished, have drawn butter, with an egg chopped and put in it, +and a little parsley; oyster sauce, and celery sauce are good, with +boiled turkey or chicken. + + +To Boil Beef Tongue, Corned Beef &c. + +If the tongue is dry, let it soak for several hours, put it to boil in +cold water, and keep it boiling slowly for two hours; but if it is just +out of the pickle, the water should boil when it goes in. + +Corned or pickled beef, or pork, require longer boiling than that which +is dry; you can tell when it is done by the bones coming out easily. +Pour drawn butter over it when dished. + + +To Boil a Ham. + +A large ham should boil three or four hours very slowly; it should be +put in cold water, and be kept covered during the whole process; a small +ham will boil in two hours. All bacon requires much the same +management,--and if you boil cabbage or greens with it, skim all the +grease off the pot before you put them in. Ham or dried beef, if very +salt, should be soaked several hours before cooking, and should be +boiled in plenty of water. + + +To Boil Calf's Head. + +Cut the upper from the lower jaw, take out the brains and eyes, and +clean the head well; let it soak in salt and water an hour or two; then +put it in a gallon of boiling water, take off the scum as it rises, and +when it is done, take out the bones; dish it, and pour over a sauce, +made of butter and flour, stirred into half a pint of the water it was +boiled in; put in a chopped egg, a little salt, pepper, and fine +parsley, when it is nearly done. You can have soup of the liquor, with +dumplings, if you wish. + + +To Boil Veal. + +Have a piece of the fore quarter nicely washed and rubbed with Hour; +let it boil fast; a piece of five pounds will boil in an hour and a +half; dish it up with drawn butter. Oyster sauce is an improvement to +boiled veal. + + +Roasting Meat. + +Roasting either meat or poultry requires more attention than boiling or +stewing; it is very important to baste it frequently, and if the meat +has been frozen, it should have time to thaw before cooking. Beef, +veal, or mutton, that is roasted in a stove or oven requires more flour +dredged on it than when cooked before the fire in a tin kitchen. There +should be but little water in the dripping pan, as that steams the meat +and prevents its browning; it is best to add more as the water +evaporates, and where there is plenty of flour on the meat it +incorporates with the gravy and it requires no thickening; add a little +seasoning before you take up the gravy. Meat that has been hanging up +some time should be roasted in preference to boiling, as the fire +extracts any taste it may have acquired. To rub fresh meat with salt +and pepper will prevent the flies from troubling it, and will make it +keep longer. + + +To Roast a Turkey--to make Gravy, &c. + +A very large turkey will take three hours to roast, and is best done +before the fire in a tin oven. Wash the turkey very clean, and let it +lay in salt and water twenty minutes, but not longer, or it changes the +color; rub the inside with salt and pepper; have ready a stuffing of +bread and butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, an onion, +if agreeable, and an egg; if the bread is dry, moisten it with boiling +water; mix all well together, and fill the turkey; if you have fresh +sausage, put some in the craw; have a pint of water in the bottom of the +dripping pan or oven, with some salt and a spoonful of lard, or butter; +rub salt, pepper and butter over the breast; baste it often, and turn it +so that each part will be next the fire. + +Gravy may be made from the drippings in the oven by boiling it in a +skillet, with thickening and seasoning. Hash gravy should be made by +boiling the giblets and neck in a quart of water, which chop fine, +then season and thicken; have both the gravies on the table in +separate tureens. + +Cranberry and damson sauce are suitable to eat with roast poultry. + + +To Roast a Goose. + +Make a stuffing of bread, butter, salt, pepper, sage, thyme and +onions; it requires but little butter, as geese are generally fat; +wash it well in salt and water, wipe it, and rub the inside with salt +and pepper. A common sized goose will roast in an hour, and a small +one in less time; pour off nearly all the fat that drips from the +goose, as it will make the gravy too rich. Make hash gravy of the +giblets the same as for turkey. + + +Ducks. + +Wild ducks are generally cooked without stuffing, and for those that +like them rare, fifteen or twenty minutes will be long enough; for +common ducks, a stuffing should be made the same as for a goose; they +will roast in half an hour. Currant jelly and apple sauce should be +eaten with ducks and geese. + + +Chickens. + +A large fowl will roast in an hour, and a small one in half an hour; +boil the livers and gizzards in a skillet with a pint of water; thicken +and season for gravy. The breasts of the chickens should be rubbed with +butter or lard to keep them from breaking. Tie the legs in, to keep them +from bursting out. When butter is scarce, it is a good way to make rich +short cake to stuff poultry with; it will require nothing added but +pepper, parsley, &c. + + +To Roast Beef. + +Season the beef with pepper and salt, and put it in the tin kitchen, +well skewered to the spit, with a pint of water in the bottom: baste and +turn it frequently, so that every part may have the fire. A very large +piece of beef will take three hours to roast; when it is done, pour the +gravy out into a skillet, let it boil, and thicken it with flour mixed +with water; if it be too fat, skim off the top, which will be useful for +other purposes. + + +To Roast Veal and Lamb. + +Veal should be well seasoned, and rubbed with lard; when it begins to +brown, baste it with salt and water; a large loin will take from two to +three hours to roast, the thin part of the fore-quarter an hour; it +should be well done; boil up and thicken the gravy. A leg of veal or +mutton may be stuffed before baking. Lamb and mutton do not require to +be rubbed with lard, as they are generally fatter than veal; make the +gravy as for veal. A quarter of lamb will roast in an hour; a loin of +mutton in two hours. + + +To Roast a Pig--Hash Gravy, &c. + +Have a pig of a suitable size, clean it well, and rub the inside with +pepper and salt. Make a stuffing of bread, butter, parsley, sage and +thyme; if the bread is stale, pour a little boiling water on it; mix +altogether; fill the pig, and sew it up with strong thread; put in the +skewers and spit, and tie the feet with twine; have a pint and a half of +water in the bottom of the tin kitchen, with a spoonful of lard and a +little salt, with this baste it and turn it, so as each part will have +the benefit of the fire. It should be basted until the skin begins to +get stiff with the heat of the fire; then grease it all over with butter +or lard, and continue to turn it before the fire, but baste no more, or +the skin will blister. A pig will take from two to three hours to roast, +according to the size; when it is done, pour the water out in a skillet; +season it and thicken it with flour and water. To make hash gravy, put +the liver and heart to boil in three pints of water; after they have +boiled an hour, chop them very fine, put them back in the pot and stir +in a thickening of flour and water, with salt, pepper, parsley and +thyme. Have the gravies in separate tureens on either side of the pig. +Apple sauce and cold slaw are almost indispensable with pig. + + +To Roast Pork. + +After washing the pork, cut the skin in squares or stripes; season it +with salt and pepper, and baste it with salt and water; thicken, and +boil up the gravy. + + +To Bake a Stuffed Leg of Veal. + +Cut off the shank, and make holes round the hone for stuffing, which +should be of bread and butter, the yelk of an egg, and seasoning; fill +the holes with this, and spread it over the top, with little pieces of +the fat of ham; dust salt and pepper over, put it in the dutch-oven, or +dripping pan, and bake it brown; put a pint of water in the bottom, and +if it should dry up, put in more; when it is done, dust in some flour +for the gravy. If done carefully, meat is almost as good roasted in the +stove as before the fire. If you let the gravy boil over in the stove, +it makes an unpleasant smell through the house, and spoils the flavor of +the meat. The ham of fresh pork is good, done in the same way. + + +To Bake a Pig's Head. + +Have the head nicely cleaned, with the eyes taken out, and the ears cut +off; season it with salt and pepper; rub crumbs of bread over, with a +spoonful of lard; put it in the dutch-oven, or dripping pan, with a pint +of water; bake it an hour; thicken and season the gravy. + + +To Cook Pigeons. + +Pigeons should be roasted about fifteen minutes before a quick fire; +as the meat is dry, they should have a rich stuffing, and be basted +with butter. + +You may bake them in a dutch-oven or stew them in a pot, with water +enough to cover them, and some crumbs of bread or flour dusted over +them; let them cook slowly half an hour; mix together flour and water, +with salt, pepper, and parsley to season, and a lump of butter; stir +this in and let it boil up; put them in a deep dish and pour the gravy +over. Pigeons make a very nice pie in the same way as chickens. + + +To Bake a Ham. + +Make a dressing of bread, seasoned with pepper and herbs, moisten it +with about five eggs, instead of water. Take a ham that has been cut at +the table, either fresh or salt, fill up the place where it has been +cut, and cover the top with the dressing, bake it half an hour, and +garnish it with parsley before sending it to the table. + + +To Bake Beef's Heart. + +After washing the heart, make a rich stuffing with bread and suet, +highly seasoned; fill it with this, and put it in a dutch-oven, or the +dripping pan of a stove, with half a pint of water; let it bake an hour +and a half; the gravy will not need any thickening, as some of the +stuffing will fall out. Put the gravy in the dish. + + +Beef A la mode. + +Take part of a round of beef, bone it, and make holes for stuffing, +which is made of bread, suet, thyme, parsley, chopped onions, mace, +cloves, pepper, salt and a raw egg; stuff the meat, bind it with tape, +and put it in a dutch-oven, with a plate in the bottom to keep it from +burning; just cover it with water, and let it stew from three to four +hours according to the size. + +Make gravy with some of the water it was stewed in, seasoned with claret +and butter, and thickened with flour. If you wish it to taste of any +other sort of wine, add a glass to the gravy. + + +Beef Steak. + +Choose the tenderest part of beef, cut it an inch thick, broil it gently +over good coals, covered with a plate; have butter, salt, pepper, and a +little water in a dish; and when you turn the beef, dip it in this; be +careful to have as much of the juice as you can. When done, put it in a +warm dish, and pour the basting over, with some more butter. + + +Mutton Chops. + +Cut some pieces of mutton, either with or without bone, about an inch +thick; have the gridiron hot, first rubbing it with a little suet; put +on the chops, turning them frequently, and butter and season them with +pepper and salt as you cook them; then dish them on a hot dish and add +more butter. + + +Rabbits and Squirrels. + +Rabbits and squirrels, or birds, may be fried as chickens, or stewed in +a pot with a little water. If you make a pie of rabbits or squirrels, +they should be stewed first to make them tender, and then made in the +same way as chicken pie. Rabbits ace very good cooked with chopped +onions, in a pot with a little water, and thickening of milk and flour +stirred in when they are nearly done. Squirrels make very good soup. + + +To Fry Ham. + +Slice the ham and if it is very salt, pour boiling water on it, and let +it soak a while; then fry it with a small piece of lard; when done, dish +it; mix together flour, milk, parsley and pepper, let it boil, and pour +it over the ham. + + +To Fry Beef with Kidney. + +Cut the kidney in small pieces; take out all the strings and let it +soak several hours in salt and water; wash and drain it; season some +pieces of beef and kidney, and put them in a frying pan, with hot lard +or drippings of any kind; dust a little flour over; when it is fried +on both sides, take it up in a dish; mix a spoonful of flour in some +water with salt and pepper, and pour in; when it has boiled, pour it +over the beef. + + +To Fry Liver. + +Liver should be cut across the grain in slices about half an inch thick; +pour boiling water over it, drain and season it with pepper and salt; +flour each piece and drop it in a frying-pan of hot bacon drippings; do +not fry it any longer than it is done, or it will he hard; take it up in +a dish, make gravy as for beef, and pour over it. + + +Veal Cutlets. + +Cut the veal in slices near an inch thick; wash, drain, and season it; +beat up an egg, and have ready some pounded crackers or bread crumbs; +dip the slices first in the egg, and then in the bread, and fry them in +hot lard; mix a gravy of flour and water, with salt, pepper and parsley; +when the veal is taken up, pour it in; let it boil a few minutes and +pour it over the dish, and grate a little nutmeg over. + + +To Fry Veal, Lamb or Pork. + +Cut up the meat in thin slices, and season it; dip it in flour and drop +it in a pan of hot lard; when brown, take it up, and make gravy with +flour, milk, parsley, pepper and salt, which stir in. + + +To Stew Veal, Lamb or Pork. + +Cut the meat small, season it, and put it in a pot with water enough to +cover it; let it cook for half an hour; then pour in thickening of flour +and milk, with parsley and thyme, and a piece of butter, (if the meat is +not fat;) take it up in a deep dish. + + +Brains and Tongue. + +Pour boiling water on the brains, and skin them; tie them tight in a +cloth, and boil them and the tongue with the head; when done put them on +a plate, chop three leaves of green sage fine, and beat up with the +brains, spread them round a small dish, and after skinning the tongue, +place it in the middle. + + +Veal Hash. + +Take the lights, heart, and some of the liver, boil them in a pint of +water, when done, take them out and chop them fine, season it with salt, +pepper and a little sweet marjoram, put it hack in the pot, and thicken +it with butter and flour. Let it boil a few minutes, and dish it in a +small tureen. + + +Brain Cakes. + +When the head is cloven, take out the brains and clear them of strings, +beat them up with the yelks of two eggs, some crumbs of bread, pepper, +salt, fine parsley, a spoonful of cream, and a spoonful of flour; when +they are well mixed, drop them with a spoon into a frying-pan with a +little hot butter, and fry them of a light-brown color. + + +Force Meat Balls. + +Take a pound of veal, half a pound of suet, two slices of ham, and some +crumbs of bread, chop them very fine, and put in the yelks of two eggs, +season it with parsley, thyme, mace, pepper and salt, roll it into small +balls, and fry them brown. They are nice to garnish hashes, roast veal +or cutlets, and to put in soup. + + +To Fry Veal's Liver. + +Cut the liver and heart across the grain, wash it well, pour boiling +water on, and let it stand a few minutes, then drain and season it with +salt and pepper, flour it and drop it in hot lard; when it is brown on +both sides, dish it, dust a little flour in the pan, and pour in some +water, let it boil a minute, stirring in a seasoning of parsley, thyme, +or sweet marjoram; pour the gravy over the liver. This is a good +breakfast dish. + + +To Fry Veal Sweet Breads. + +Dip them in the yelk of an egg beaten, then in a mixture of grated +bread, or flour and salt and pepper, fry them a nice brown. + + +To Stew Sweet Breads. + +Stew them in a little water, with butter, flour, and a little cream; +season with salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. + + +To Brown A Calf's Head With The Skin On. + +After scalding and washing the head clean, take out the eyes, cut off +the ears, and let it boil half an hour, when cold, cleave the upper from +the lower jaw, take out the tongue, strike off the nose, score the part +which has the skin on, rub it over with beaten egg, sprinkle it over +with salt, parsley, cayenne and black pepper, lay pieces of butter over +it, and put it in a dutch-oven to brown, basting it often, cut down the +lower part in slices, skin the tongue and palate, and cut them up, put +them in a pot with a little water, when done, thicken it with brown +flour and butter, season it with pepper, salt, some pickled oysters, +wine or brandy (if you like it,) and let it stew fifteen minutes. Lay +the baked head in a dish and put the hash around it, and lay force meat +balls or brain cakes round the edge of the dish. + + +Bacon Fraise. + +Cut streaked bacon in small thin slices, make a batter of a pint of +milk, two eggs, and two large spoonsful of flour; some salt and pepper; +put some lard or dripping in a frying-pan, and when it is hot pour in +half of the batter, and strew the bacon over it; then pour on the +remainder of the batter; let it fry gently, and be careful in turning, +that the bacon does not come to the pan. + + +Irish Stew. + +Take five thick mutton chops, or two pounds of the neck or loin, two +pounds of potatoes, peel them and cut them in halves, six onions or half +a pound of onions, peel and slice them also. First put a layer of +potatoes at the bottom of your stew-pan, then a couple of chops and some +onions, then again potatoes, and so on till the pan is quite full; +season with pepper and salt, and three gills of broth or gravy, and two +tea-spoonsful of mushroom catsup; cover it very close to prevent the +escape of steam, and stew on a slow fire for an hour and a half; a slice +of ham is an addition. Great care should be taken not to let it brown. + + +To Brown Flour for Gravy, &c. + +Put some flour in a dutch-oven and set it over some hot coals; keep +stirring it until it is of a light-brown color; in this way several +pounds can be done at once, and kept in a jar covered; and is very +convenient to thicken brown soups and gravies with. + + +Drawn Butter. + +Put half a pint of water in a skillet; rub a quarter of a pound of +butter in a large spoonful of flour; when the water boils, stir it in +and let it boil a few minutes, season it with parsley, chopped fine. + + +Stuffing or Dressing. + +Stuffing for poultry is made of bread and butter, an egg, salt, pepper, +chopped parsley or thyme, mixed together; if the bread is dry, it should +have a little boiling water poured on it. + + +Egg Sauce. + +This is made as drawn butter, with one or two eggs boiled hard and +chopped into it, and a little salt. + + +Celery Sauce. + +Take a large bunch of celery, cut it fine, and boil it till soft, in a +pint of water; thicken it with butter and flour, and season it with +salt, pepper, and mace. + + +Bacon Dumplings. + +Cut slices of cooked bacon, and pepper them; roll out crust as for apple +dumplings; slice some potatoes very thin, and put them in the crust with +the meat; close them up, and let them boil fast an hour; when done, take +them out carefully with a ladle. + + +Drop Dumplings. + +These are good for almost any kind of soup, and may be made of a quart +of flour, two eggs, a spoonful of butter, some salt and pepper, wet with +milk and water; drop them in while it is boiling, and let them boil ten +or fifteen minutes. + + +Vermicelli. + +Beat three fresh eggs very light, make them into a stiff paste, with +flour and water; knead it well, and roll it very thin, cut it in narrow +strips, give them a twist, and dry them quickly, on tin sheets or +dishes, in the sun or a moderate oven; soak them a few minutes in cold +water, and put them in chicken soup. They are very good and convenient. + + +Hash made of Fowls. + +Take the bones and pieces that have been left of roast or boiled fowls, +either turkeys or chickens, crack the bones, cut off the meat, and chop +it fine, put it in a small iron pot, or stew pan, cover it with water, +put in the gravy that may be left from the fowls, season with pepper and +salt, put in some chopped celery, crumbs of bread, a lump of butter, and +if it requires it, dust in a little flour, if you like it you may slice +in an onion. + + +Beef Steak Pudding. + +Take two pounds of beef from the round or sirloin, and after taking out +the bone, season it according to fancy; some prefer a seasoning of +pepper, salt, onions, thyme, marjoram or sage; others the pepper and +salt alone. Then prepare a plain stiff crust, either with or without +butter or lard; spread the crust over a deep dish or bowl, put in the +beef, and if you like it, add some butter; cover it close with a crust +which must be closely turned in to prevent the water from penetrating; +tie it up tight in a cloth, put it in a pot of boiling water and let it +boil quickly for an hour. The cloth should be dipped in hot water, and +floured, as for other boiled puddings. + + +Beef Steak Pie. + +Take some fine beef steaks, beat them well with a rolling pin, and +season them with pepper and salt according to taste. Make a good crust; +lay some in a deep dish or tin pan; lay in the beef, and fill the dish +half full of water; put in a table-spoonful of butter and some chopped +thyme and parsley, and cover the top with crust; bake it from one to two +hours, according to the size of the pie, and eat it while hot. + + +Baked Beef Pudding. + +Par-boil some tender pieces of beef, in water enough to barely cover it; +grease a pan with lard, season the beef and lay it in; make a batter of +eggs, milk and flour, with a little salt, and pour it over; bake it an +hour in a stove or dutch-oven, and when done keep it hot till it is +eaten. Save the water the beef was boiled in, add a little butter, +flour, pepper, salt and chopped parsley, thyme or sweet marjoram, and +boil it up; when you dish up the pudding pour this over, or put it in a +gravy dish to be served hot at the table. + + +Pork Stew Pie. + +Take small bones and pieces of pork that will not do for sausage; roll +out some crust with but little shortening; lay in the meat and small +pieces of crust alternately; sprinkle in flour and seasoning, cover it +with water, and put on a crust. + + +Spiced Beef in the Irish Style. + +To a round weighing from twenty to twenty-five pounds, take a pint of +salt, one ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of pepper, two ounces of +cloves, one ounce of allspice, four ounces of brown sugar, all well +pulverized, and mixed together; rub the round well with it, and lay it +in a small tub or vessel by itself. Turn and rub it once a day for ten +days. It will not injure if it remain a week longer in the spices, if it +should not be convenient to bake it. When you wish to have it cooked, +strew over the top of the round a small handful of suet. Be particular +to bind it tight round with a cord, or narrow strip of muslin, which +must be wrapped several times round to keep it in shape; put it in a +dutch-oven, and add three pints of water when it is first put down; keep +water boiling in the tea-kettle, and add a little as it seems necessary, +observing not to add too much. It will require a slow heat, and take +four hours to bake. + +This is a very fine standing dish, and will be good for three +weeks after cooking. Keep the gravy that is left to pour over it +to keep it moist. + + +To Bake Fowls. + +Season and stuff them the same as for roasting; put them in a dutch-oven +or stove, with a pint of water; when they are half done, put in the +giblets; when these are done, chop them with a knife, and put in +thickening and a lump of butter. + +If chickens are young, split them down the back, and put them in a +dutch-oven, with a plate in the bottom, and a pint of water; when they +are done, stir in a spoonful of flour, mixed in half a pint of milk, a +piece of butter, salt, pepper and parsley; let it boil up and dish them. + + +To Fry Chickens. + +After cutting up the chickens, wash and drain them; season them with +salt and pepper; rub each piece in flour, and drop them separately in a +frying-pan or dutch-oven of hot lard; when brown, turn the other side to +fry; make a thickening of rich milk, flour, a piece of butter, salt, and +chopped parsley; take up the chicken on a dish; pour a little water in +the pan to keep the gravy from being too thick; put in the thickening, +stir it, and let it boil a few minutes; then pour it over the chicken. + + +Chickens Fried in Batter. + +Make a batter of two eggs, a tea-cup of milk, a little salt, and +thickened with flour; have the chickens cut up, washed and seasoned; dip +the pieces in the batter separately, and fry them in hot lard; when +brown on both sides, take them up on a dish, and make a gravy as for +fried chickens. + +Lard fries much nicer than butter, which is apt to burn. + + +Chickens in Paste. + +Make a crust as for pies, and roll it out in cakes, large enough to +cover a chicken. The chickens should be very nicely picked and washed, +and the inside wiped dry; put in each a small lump of butter, a little +salt, pepper, and parsley; have the pot boiling, close the chickens in +the dough, pin them up in separate cloths, and boil them three-quarters +of an hour; dish them, and pour drawn butter over. Pigeons can be cooked +in the same manner. + + +To Fricassee Chickens. + +Cut up the chickens, and put them in a pot with just water enough to +cover them; let it boil half an hour; have ready some thickening made of +milk, flour, and butter, seasoned with parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt; +let it boil a few minutes longer, and when it is dished, grate a little +nutmeg over, if you like it. This is one of the easiest, cheapest and +best ways of cooking chickens. + + +Chicken Pie. + +Cut up the chickens, and if they are old, boil them fifteen minutes in a +little water, which save to put in the pie; make a paste like common pie +crust, and put it round your pan, or dish; lay in the chicken, dust +flour over, and put in hotter, pepper, and salt; cover them with water, +roll out the top crust quite thick, and close the pie round the edge; +make an opening in the middle with a knife; let it bake rather more than +an hour. If you warm a pie over for the next day, pour off the gravy and +warm it separately, and add it to the pie. + + +Pot Pie. + +Cut up two large chickens; grease your pot, or dutch-oven, with lard; +roll out crust enough in two parts, to go round it, but not to cover the +bottom, or it will burn before the pie is done. As you put in the pieces +of chicken, strew in flour, salt, and pepper, some, pieces of the crust +rolled thin, and a few potatoes; cover this with water, and put on a +covering of paste, with a slit cut in the middle; let it cook slowly for +about two hours; have hot water in a tea kettle, and if it should dry up +too much, pour some in; just before you dish it, add a little parsley +and thyme. + +Veal, lamb and pork pies, may be made in the same way. If you like more +top crust, cook it in a dutch-oven, and when the first crust is done, +take it off in a pan and set it near the fire, and cover the pie again +with dough. + + +Giblet Pie and Soup. + +If you can get livers and gizzards from market, you can have a very nice +pie made, the same as chicken pie, or soup with dumplings made of milk, +egg and flour, beaten together, and dropped in when the soup is nearly +done, and season it with parsley, pepper, and salt. + + +Chicken Stewed with New Corn. + +Cut up the chickens as for pies; season them well; have green corn cut +off the cob; put a layer of chicken in the bottom of a stew pan, and a +layer of corn, and so till you fill all in; sprinkle in salt, pepper and +parsley, and put a piece of butter in; cover it with water, and put on a +crust, with slits cut in it; let it boil an hour; when done, lay the +crust in a deep dish; dip out the chicken and corn, and put it on the +crust; stir in the gravy a thickening of milk and flour; when this boils +up, pour it in with the corn and chicken. Chicken and corn boiled +together in a pot, make very nice soup, with dumplings. + + +To Broil Chickens. + +Split the chickens down the back; season them, and put them on the +gridiron over clear coals; cover them over with a plate, (which will +make them cook faster,) baste with melted butter: be careful not to let +them burn. Make gravy of the giblets, boiled in water and chopped fine; +put in butter, thicken and season it; pour this in a dish, and put the +chickens on the top. + + +Chicken Pudding. + +Make a batter of six eggs, milk, flour and a little salt; par-boil the +chickens; have each joint cut, grease a pan with lard, and lay the +pieces in; put in some lumps of butter, and season it well with pepper +and salt; then pour the batter over, and bake it an hour, in a stove or +dutch-oven. Veal or beef makes a very nice pudding, done in the same +way; but the batter need not be as rich as for chicken, and it requires +no butter. Or it makes a good dish, if you cut slices of ham, after it +will not do to appear on the table; make a batter, as for other pudding; +put in a little butter and pepper, and bake it in a pan. + + +Cold Chicken With Vinegar. + +Cut up the chicken in small pieces, and crack the bones; season it with +salt and pepper, and put it in a deep baking plate, with a lump of +butter and a table-spoonful of vinegar; cover it with hot water, put a +plate over, and let it stew on a stove or hot embers. + + +Chicken Salad. + +Cut up the white parts of a cold chicken, season it with oil, or drawn +butter, mustard, pepper, salt, and celery, chopped very fine, and a +little vinegar. Turkey salad is made in the same manner as above. + + +Stewed Chickens With Rice. + +The rice must first be soaked in water, and very nicely washed, or it +will not be white; two tea-cupsful of rice are sufficient to serve with +one chicken, and must be boiled in a quart of water, which should be +boiling when you put the rice in; add a dessert-spoonful of salt; +generally half an hour is long enough to boil rice, and it must not be +too long in the water after it is done, or it is less wholesome. Drain +the water off, if the rice has not absorbed it, and place it in the +bottom of the dish; the chicken must be in preparation at the same time +with the rice, and should be cut up at the joints, as for fried or +fricasseed chicken, and salted and seasoned; boil it in a little more +water than sufficient to cover it; and when it is done, take it out, and +lay it over the rice on the dish; then rub a small piece of butter with +sufficient flour to thicken it, and stir both together in the liquor, +which must remain over the fire for about two minutes; and just before +it is taken up, add the yelk of an egg well beaten, and some chopped +parsley; it must then be immediately poured over the chicken. In +preparing this dish, take care that it does not get smoked. + + + + +SOUPS. + +In making soup, allow yourself plenty of time. Dumplings should be put +in about half an hour before the soup is done, and herbs a quarter of an +hour--vegetables, about an hour,--rice, twenty minutes. If herbs are put +in too soon, the flavor will fly off and be lost. + + +Chicken Soup. + +Cut up the chicken; cut each joint, and let it boil an hour; make +dumplings of a pint of milk, an egg, a little salt and flour, stirred in +till quite stiff; drop this in, a spoonful at a time, while it is +boiling; stir in a little thickening, with enough pepper, salt and +parsley, to season the whole; let it boil a few minutes longer, and take +it up in a tureen. Chopped celery is a great improvement to chicken +soup; and new corn, cut off the cob, and put in when it is half done, +gives it a very nice flavor. + + +Brown Calf's Head Soup. + +Scald and clean the head, and put it to boil with two gallons of water, +a shank of veal, three onions, two carrots, a little bacon, and a bunch +of sweet herbs. When they have boiled half an hour, take out the head +and shank of veal, and cut all the meat off the bones into pieces of two +inches square; let the soup boil half an hour longer, when strain it, +and put in the meat; season it with salt, cayenne and black pepper, and +cloves, if you like; thicken it with butter and browned flour, and let +it boil nearly an hour; put some fried force meat balls in the tureen, +and just before you pour out the soup, stir into it a table-spoonful of +sugar, browned in a frying pan, and half a pint of wine. This resembles +turtle soup. + + +Beef Shin Soup, Mutton Soup, &c. + +Crack the shin in several pieces, and wash it through three waters; +put it in a pot of water four hours before dinner; when it begins to +boil, take off the scum as it risen, and keep it covered; an hour +before it is done, skim off all the fat, and put in potatoes, onions, +turnips, carrots, and cut cabbage, if you like it; either beat up +dumplings with eggs and milk, or roll them out of dough made as pie +crust; a few minutes before it is done, stir in thickening with +parsley, thyme, pepper and salt, and tomatoes, if they are in season; +then dish it for dinner. + +A shin will make a good dinner for a large family, and will do to warm +up, if any is left. To eat pickles with it, or pour a little vinegar in +your plate, is an improvement. + +Soup made of mutton, veal and lamb, does not require many vegetables; +carrots and potatoes are the most suitable. A shank of veal or mutton +will make a small pot of very good soup. Celery, cut fine, is very nice +seasoning. + + +Gumbo Soup. + +Take two pounds fresh beef; put this in a dinner-pot, with two gallons +of water; after boiling two hours, throw in a quarter of a peck of ocra, +cut into small slices, and about a quart of ripe tomatoes, peeled and +cut up; slice four or five large onions; fry them brown, and dust in +while they are frying from your dredge box, several spoonsful of flour; +add these, with pepper, salt and parsley, or other herbs, to your taste, +about an hour before the soup is finished; it will require six hours +moderate boiling. + + +Another Way. + +Cut up a large fat chicken; boil it in two gallons of water, adding at +the time you put in the chicken the same quantity of ocra, two large +onions cut fine; season with pepper, salt, thyme and parsley; and when +nearly done, drop in dumplings made of one egg, half a pint of rich +milk, and flour sufficient to make them so that they will drop from a +spoon. This soup requires from four to five hours moderate boiling. Just +before serving, take up the chicken, and after taking out all the bones, +return the chicken into the soup, and dish it up. + + +Pea Soup. + +Leave a pint of peas in the pot, with the water they were boiled in; +make a thickening of flour, milk and butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, +parsley and thyme; toast two or three slices of bread; cut it up in the +tureen; and when the soup has boiled about ten minutes, pour it over. + +Children are mostly fond of pea soup, and it seldom disagrees with them. +A few slices of fat ham will supply the place of butter. + + +Soup of Dried White Beans, &c. + +Dried beans or peas should be soaked before boiling; they make very good +soup with a small piece of bacon or salt pork boiled with them; put them +to boil in plenty of water, and after they have boiled an hour, pour it +off, and put in cold water--and the meat or bones, and let them boil an +hour longer; stir in a little thickening, with pepper, salt, parsley and +thyme; mix up some dumplings, and drop in half an hour before the soup +is done. Where you have a large family, you should always be provided +with dried beans for winter use. + + +A Vegetable Soup. + +Take an onion, a turnip, two pared potatoes, a carrot, a head of celery; +boil them in three pints of water till the vegetables are cooked; add a +little salt; have a slice of bread toasted and buttered, put it into a +bowl, and pour the soup over it. Tomatoes when in season form an +agreeable addition. + + + + +FISH, OYSTERS, &c. + + +To Bake a Rock Fish. + +Rub the fish with salt, black pepper, and a dust of cayenne, inside and +out; prepare a stuffing of bread and butter, seasoned with pepper, salt, +parsley and thyme; mix an egg in it, fill the fish with this, and sew it +up or tie a string round it; put it in a deep pan, or oval oven and bake +it as you would a fowl. To a large fish add half a pint of water; you +can add more for the gravy if necessary; dust flour over and baste it +with butter. Any other fresh fish can be baked in the same way. A large +one will bake slowly in an hour and a half, small ones in half an hour. + + +To Stew a Rock Fish. + +Rub the fish with salt and pepper, and a little cayenne on the inside; +put it in an oval stew-pan. To a fish that weighs six pounds, put a pint +of water; when it is about half done; season it well with salt and +pepper, and a little mace or cloves; rub a quarter of a pound of butter +in a half a tea-cup of flour, with a little parsley and thyme; stir this +in with a pint of oysters. Serve it with the gravy in the dish. A large +fish should be allowed an hour, small ones half an hour. + + +To Broil Shad. + +Soak a salt shad a day or night previous to cooking, it is best to drain +an hour before you put it to the fire; if it hangs long exposed to the +air, it loses its flavor: grease the gridiron to keep it from sticking; +have good coals, and put the inside down first. Fresh shad is better to +be sprinkled with salt, an hour before it is put to broil; put a plate +over the top to keep the heat in. In broiling shad or other fresh fish +you should dust them with corn meal before you put them down. + + +To Bake a Fresh Shad. + +Make a stuffing of bread, butter, salt, pepper and parsley; fill a large +shad with this, and bake it in a stove or oven. + + +To Fry Fresh Fish. + +Have the fish well scalded, washed and drained; cut slits in the sides +of each; season them with salt and pepper, and roll them in corn flour; +have in your frying-pan hot lard or bacon drippings; if the fish have +been kept several days, dip them in egg before rolling them in corn +flour, to keep them from breaking; fry them light brown on both sides. + + +To Fry Clams. + +After opening them as oysters, wash them in their own liquor and drain +then; make a batter of an egg, flour and pepper; dip them in this, and +fry them in butter. + + +To Stew Clams. + +Strain the liquor and stew them in it for about twenty minutes; make a +thickening of flour, water and pepper; stir this in and let it boil +up; have some bread toasted and buttered in a deep dish, and pour the +clams over. + +Clam soup may be made by putting an equal quantity of water with the +liquor, and putting in toasted bread, crackers or dumplings. + + +To Pot Fresh Herring. + +Scale and wash them well; cut off the heads and fins, and season them +with salt, pepper and cloves; pack them neatly in a large jar, and pour +on enough cold vinegar to cover them; put a plate over the top of the +jar, and set it in a moderately warm oven, or on the top of a stove, in +a pan of hot water, for five or six hours; they will keep in a cool +place several weeks, and are an excellent relish. The jar or pan should +be of stone ware, or fire-proof yellow ware. + + +To Boil Salt Cod. + +Put your fish to soak over night; change the water in the morning, and +let it stay till you put it on, which should be two hours before dinner; +keep it at scalding heat all the time, but do not let it boil, or it +will get hard; eat it with egg sauce or drawn butter. If you have any +cod fish left from dinner, mix it with mashed potatoes, and enough flour +to stick them together; season with pepper; make it into little cakes, +and fry them in ham drippings. + + +To Boil Salt Shad, Mackerel Or Herring. + +Wash the fish from the pickle; put it in a frying-pan; cover it with +water, and let it boil fifteen minutes; take it up and drain it between +two plates; put a little butter over and send it hot to the table: or, +after boiling, you can flour, and fry it in drippings of any kind. + + +To Boil Salt Salmon. + +Let salmon soak over night, and boil it slowly for two hours; eat it +with drawn butter. To pickle salmon after it has been boiled, heat +vinegar scalding hot, with whole peppers and cloves; cut the fish in +small square pieces; put it in a jar, and pour the vinegar over. Shad +may be done in the same way. + + +To Boil Fresh Fish. + +After being well cleaned, rub the fish with salt, and pin it in a towel; +put it in a pot of boiling water, and keep it boiling fast;--a large +fish will take from half to three-quarters of an hour--a small one, from +fifteen to twenty minutes. A fat shad is very nice boiled, although rock +and bass are preferred generally; when done, take it up on a fish dish, +and cover it with egg sauce or drawn butter and parsley. Pickled +mushrooms and walnuts, and mushroom catsup, are good with boiled fish. + + +To Stew Terrapins. + +Wash four terrapins in warm water; then throw them in a pot of boiling +water, which will kill them instantly; let them boil till the shells +crack; then take them out, and take off the bottom shell; cut each +quarter separate; take the gall from the liver; take out the eggs; put +the pieces in a stew-pan, pour in all the liquor, and cover them with +water; put in salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and a little mace; put in +a lump of butter the size of an egg, and let them stew for half an hour; +make a thickening of flour and water, which stir in a few minutes before +you take it up, with two glasses of wine; serve it in a deep covered +dish; put in the eggs just as you dish it. + + +Oyster Soup. + +Strain the liquor from the oysters, and put it on to boil, with an equal +quantity of water; take off the scum as it rises; put in pepper, salt, +parsley, thyme and butter; stir in a thickening of flour and water; +throw in the oysters, and let them scald. If you have cream, put in half +a pint just before you take them up. + + +Another Way. + +Strain the liquor from a gallon of oysters, and add to it an equal +quantity of water; put it on the fire, and boil and skim it before you +add the seasoning; then put in six large blades of mace, a little +cayenne, and black or white pepper; (the latter, on account of the +color, is preferable, as it is desirable to have the soup as white as +possible;) afterwards, permit all to boil together about five minutes; +then pour in the oysters and a quarter of a pound of butter, into which +a dessert-spoonful of wheat flour has been rubbed fine; keep this at +boiling heat until the oysters begin to look plump--when it is ready for +the table, and must be served up very hot. If you can procure a pint of +good cream, half the amount of butter will answer,--if you believe the +cream to be rather old, even if it seems to be sweet, add before it goes +into the soup, half a small tea-spoonful of soda, well mixed with it; +after you put in the cream, permit it to remain on the fire long enough +to arrive at boiling heat again, when it must be taken up, or it may +curdle; throw into the tureen a little finely cut parsley. + + +Scolloped Oysters. + +Toast several slices of bread quite brown, and butter them on both +sides; take a baking dish, and put the toast around the sides, instead +of a crust. + +Pour your oysters into the dish, and season, to your taste, with butter, +pepper and salt, adding mace or cloves. + +Crumb bread on the top of the oysters, and bake it with a quick heat +about fifteen minutes. + + +To Fry Oysters. + +Pick out the largest oysters and drain them; sprinkle them with pepper +and salt; beat up an egg, and dip them first in it, and then in pounded +crackers, and fry them in butter. It is a plainer way to dip them in +corn meal. + + +Oyster Fritters. + +Make a thick batter with two eggs, some crumbs of bread and flour, and a +little milk; season this well with pepper and salt; have in a frying-pan +equal parts of lard and butter; drop in a spoonful of the batter and put +into it one large oyster, or two small ones, let them brown slowly, so +as not to burn; turn them carefully. This is a good way to have oysters +at breakfast. + + +To Stew Oysters. + +Open them and throw them in a stew-pan, with a lump of butter; make a +thickening of flour and water, salt and pepper, and stir it in just as +the oysters boil; when they are done, take them up in a deep covered +dish, with buttered toast in the bottom. + + +A Rich Oyster Pie. + +Strain off the liquor from the oysters, and put it on to boil, with some +butter, mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt; just as it boils, stir in a +thickening of milk and flour; put in the oysters, and stir them till +they are sufficiently stewed; then take them off, and put in the yelks +of two eggs, well beaten; do not put this in while it is boiling, or it +will curdle. Line a dish, not very deep, with puff paste; fill it with +white paper, or a clean napkin, to keep the top paste from falling in; +put on a lid of paste, and bake it. When done, take off the lid +carefully; take out the paper or napkin, and pour in the oysters. Send +it hot to table. + + +A Baltimore Oyster Pie. + +Make a crust after the directions given for puff paste; grease the +bottom of a deep dish, cover it with paste; then season two quarts of +raw oysters, (without the liquor,) with spices to your taste, (some +preferring nutmeg, mace, cayenne pepper,--others, black pepper +alone,) add butter and a heaped tea-cup of grated bread; put all +together in the dish; then cover it with your paste, cut in strips, +and crossed, or ornamented as your fancy dictates; a pound of butter +to two quarts of oysters makes a rich pie; if the oysters are fine, +less butter will answer. + +A pie of this size will bake in three-quarters of an hour, if the oven +is in good order; if the heat is not quick allow it an hour. + +If in baking, the crust is likely to become too brown, put a piece of +paper doubled over it, and the light color will be retained; when taken +from the oven, if it should look dry, pour some of the liquor that was +drained from the oysters in the dish, having previously strained and +boiled it. + +As paste always looks more beautiful when just from the oven, +arrange your dinner so that the pie may be placed on the table +immediately it is done. + + +Plain Oyster Pie. + +Take from the shell as many oysters as you want to put in the pie; +strain the liquor, put it with them over the fire and give them one +boil; take off the scum, put in, if you wish to make a small pie, a +quarter of a pound of butter, as much flour mixed in water as will +thicken it when boiled, and mace, pepper, and salt to your taste; lay a +paste in a deep dish, put in the oysters and cover them with paste; cut +a hole in the middle, ornament it any way you please, and bake it. A +shallow pie will bake in three-quarters of an hour. + + +Oyster Sauce. + +Plump the oysters for a few minutes over the fire; take them out and +stir into the liquor some flour and butter mixed together, with a little +mace and whole pepper, and salt to your taste; when it has boiled long +enough, throw in the oysters, and add a glass of white wine, just as you +take it up. This is a suitable sauce for boiled fowls. + + +To Pickle 100 Oysters. + +Drain off the liquor from the oysters, wash them and put to them a +table-spoonful of salt, and a tea-cup of vinegar; let them simmer over +the fire about ten minutes, taking off the scum as it rises; then take +out the oysters, and put to their own liquor a table-spoonful of whole +black pepper, and a tea-spoonful of mace and cloves; let it boil five +minutes, skim, and pour it over the oysters in a jar. + + +Oysters Pickled another way. + +Wash and drain the oysters, and put them in salt and water, that +will bear an egg; let them scald till plump, and put them in a glass +jar, with some cloves and whole peppers, and when cold cover them +with vinegar. + + +To Brown Oysters in their own Juice. + +Take a quart of large oysters, wash them in their own juice, drain and +dip them in the yelk of eggs; heat butter in a frying-pan, and after +seasoning them with pepper and salt, put them in separately; when they +are brown on both sides, draw them to one side of the pan; strain the +liquor, and put it in with a piece of butter and flour enough to +thicken it. + + +A Dish of Poached Eggs. + +Have ready a kettle of boiling water, pour it in a pan or speeder, which +is set on coals; have the eggs at hand; put a little salt in the water, +and break them in, one at a time, till you get all in; let them remain +till the white is set, and take them out with an egg-spoon, and put on a +dish that has buttered toast on it. + + +Fried Eggs. + +Slice and fry any kind of bacon, dish it; have the eggs ready in a +dish, and pour them into the gravy; when done, take them up and lay +them on the meat. + +Fried Eggs another way. + +Have your lard or butter boiling hot; break in one egg at a time; throw +the hot fat over them with an egg slice, until white on the top; slip +the slice under and take them out whole, and lay them on the dish or +meat without breaking; season with salt. + + +Omelet. + +Beat six or eight eggs, with some chopped parsley and a little salt; +have the pan or speeder nicely washed; put in a quarter of a pound of +butter, when it is hot, pour in the eggs; stir it with a spoon till +it begins to form; when it is of a light-brown on the under side it +is done; turn it out on a plate, and send to table immediately. +Grated bread, soaked in cream, put in the omelet, some think an +improvement. The dripping of a nice ham, some persons use for omelet +instead of butter. + + +To Boil Eggs. + +Have the water boiling, and look at your watch as you put them in; two +minutes and a half will cook them to please most persons; if you want +them very soft, two minutes will be sufficient, or if less soft three +minutes. If you wish them hard, as for lettuce, let them boil ten +minutes. Spoons that have been used in eating eggs should be put in +water immediately, as the egg tarnishes them. + + + + + +VEGETABLES. + + +To Boil Green Corn. + +Pick out ears near the same size, and have the water boiling when you +put them in; half an hour is long enough for young corn; that which is +old and hard will take an hour or more; if young corn is boiled too +long, it becomes hard and indigestible. + + +To Fricassee Corn. + +Cut green corn off the cob; put it in a pot, and just cover it with +water; let it boil half an hour; mix a spoonful of flour with half a +pint of rich milk, pepper, salt, parsley, thyme and a piece of butter; +let it boil a few minutes, and take it up in a deep dish. Corn will do +to cook in this way when too old to boil on the cob. + + +To Keep Corn for Winter. + +When boiled, cut the corn off the cob, and spread it on dishes; set +these in the oven to dry after the bread comes out. If you have no oven, +it can be dried in a stove of moderate heat, or round a fire. When +perfectly dry, tie it up in muslin bags, and hang them in a dry place; +when you use it, boil it till soft in water; mix flour, milk, butter, +pepper and salt together, and stir in. + + +Corn Fritters. + +Cut the corn through the grain, and with a knife scrape the pulp from +the cob, or grate it with a coarse grater, and to about a quart of the +pulp, add two eggs beaten, two table-spoonsful of flour, a little salt +and pepper, and a small portion of thin cream, or new milk; beat the +whole together; have the butter or lard hot in the pan, and put a +large spoonful in at a time, and fry brown, turning each fritter +separately; this makes an agreeable relish for breakfast, or a good +side dish at dinner. + + +Hominy. + +Large hominy, after it is washed; must be put to soak over night; if you +wish to have it for dinner, put it to boil early in the morning, or it +will not be done in time; eat it as a vegetable. + +Small hominy will boil in an hour; it is very good at breakfast or +supper to eat with milk or butter, or to fry for dinner. + +Both large and small hominy will keep good in a cool place several days. +Be careful that the vessel it is cooked in, is perfectly clean, or it +will darken the hominy. + + +To Fry Hominy. + +Put a little lard in your frying-pan, and make it hot; mash and salt the +hominy; put it in, and cover it over with a plate; let it cook slowly +for half an hour, or longer if you like it very brown; when done, turn +it out in a plate. If you do not like it fried, mash it well, with a +little water, salt, and butter, and warm it in a frying-pan. + + +To Boil Potatoes. + +When the potatoes are old, pare them, put them in plenty of boiling +water, and boil them till you can run a fork through easily; if you wish +to have them whole, pour off all the water, throw in some salt, and let +them stand a few minutes over coals, to let the steam go off; they will +then be white and mealy. + +It is a mistaken notion, to boil potatoes in but little water, as they +are sure to turn dark and taste strong. In cold weather they may be +kept pared several days in a pan of water, by changing the water every +day, and will be whiter. If you like mashed potatoes, take them up +when barely done, sprinkle them with salt and mash them; put in a +spoonful of cream and a small lump of butter; keep them hot till they +are taken to table. + +In the summer when potatoes are young, put them in a small tub, with a +little water, and rub them with a piece of brick, to break the skin; you +can then peel enough for dinner with a knife in a few minutes. When they +are older, boil them with the skins on, and squeeze them separately in a +cloth, to make them mealy. New potatoes are nice with cream and butter +over them. + +In boiling old potatoes, some persons cut them round without paring, +which allows the moisture to escape; this is an improvement: you can +then either peel them or send them to table without peeling. + + +To Stew Potatoes. + +Chop or slice cold potatoes; season with pepper and salt; stew them, +with a little butter and milk, and a dust of flour; when nearly done, +stir in a yelk of egg with some chopped parsley--they will cook in a few +minutes, and may be sliced over night if you wish an early breakfast. + + +Sweet Potatoes. + +To boil sweet potatoes, put them in a pot with plenty of water; let them +boil fast till you can run a fork through the largest; then pour off the +water, and leave them in the pot a quarter of an hour; you can then peel +the skin off or leave it on. Some prefer them baked in a dutch-oven; +they should have a quick heat; large potatoes will take an hour to bake. +It has been found a good way to boil them, till nearly done; then peel +and bake them--they are drier and nicer. + + +To Fry Potatoes. + +Cold potatoes are very good fried for breakfast with scraps of bacon; if +they have been mashed, make them out in cakes with a little flour, and +fry them brown, or slice them. + + +Tomatoes. + +If you wish to bake tomatoes in the oven with bread, pour boiling water +on, and skin them; cut them in small pieces; season with salt and +pepper, and put them in a pan with crumbs of bread and butter; cover the +pan with a plate, and bake three-quarters of an hour; when done, mash +them and take them out on a dish. + + +To Fry Tomatoes. + +Slice them, season with pepper and salt, and fry in hot butter; if they +are green, dip them in flour after being seasoned. + + +Tomato Omelet. + +Pour boiling water on the tomatoes, skin and cut them fine; to one quart +of this, put two chopped onions and a lump of butter the size of an egg; +let them boil half an hour, then mash them; put in grated bread, pepper, +salt, and the yelks of two eggs. + + +To Stew Tomatoes. + +Wash and pour boiling water over them; peel off the skins, and cut them +up; season them with pepper and salt; put in a lump of butter, and boil +them in their own juice for half an hour; stir in enough crumbs of bread +to thicken them; let them cook slowly ten minutes longer; be careful +that the bread does not burn. + + +To Bake Tomatoes. + +Take out the inside of large tomatoes, make a stuffing of bread, butter, +pepper, salt and an egg; fill them with this, and set them in a deep +pie-plate; let them bake slowly half an hour. + + +Tomato Jelly, to eat with Roast Meat. + +Wash the tomatoes, and put them in a bell-metal kettle, with a little +water; let them boil thirty minutes; take them out and strain them +through a sieve, till you get all the pulp; let it settle and pour off +the top; put the thick part in deep plates, and set them in the oven +after the bread is drawn; season it with pepper and salt to your taste, +and put it away in a jar. It can either be eaten cold, or warmed up with +crumbs of bread and butter. Some persons slice tomatoes, and dry them on +dishes in an oven. + + +To Fricassee Tomatoes. + +Wash and cut them in two, if large; if small, leave them whole, but do +not peel them or they go too much to pieces; have a broad speeder or +stove-pan; put in a half spoonful of butter; season the tomatoes with +pepper and salt, and flour them; cover them with a plate; they will cook +in ten minutes, stirring them once; pour in half a tea-cup of cream just +as they are done; let them boil up and dish them while hot: this dish is +much liked either for breakfast, dinner or tea. + + +To Broil Tomatoes for Breakfast. + +Take large round tomatoes, wash and wipe them, and put them on the +gridiron over lively coals--the stem side down; when this is brown, turn +them and let them cook till quite hot through; place them on a hot dish +and send them quickly to table, where each one may season for himself +with pepper, salt and butter. + + +To Bake Tomatoes for Breakfast. + +Season them with pepper and salt; flour and bake them in a stove, in a +deep plate with a little butter over them. + + +Tomatoes sliced with Onions. + +Pick the best tomatoes; let them stand a little while in cold water, +then peel and slice them. To about six tomatoes, you may add two red +onions, also sliced; season with pepper, plenty of salt, and a small +portion of vinegar. + + +To put up Tomatoes for Winter. + +Gather a quantity of tomatoes, wash, scald, skin and cut them up; season +them highly with pepper and salt, and put them in a large stone jar; set +this in the oven with your bread, and leave it till it is cold; stir +them, and set them in the oven every time you bake for several weeks; +when the juice is nearly dried up, put a piece of white paper over the +jar, melt some lard and pour on it. When you use them, stew them with +bread, butter and water. + + +Baked Egg Plant. + +Boil them ten minutes; then cut them in half and take out the seeds, +fill them with a stuffing of crumbs of bread, seasoned with butter, +pepper, salt, the yelk of an egg, and if you choose, the juice of a +tomato; close them and tie each one with a string; put a little water in +the dutch-oven, and lay them in with some of the stuffing on the top; +let them cook slowly half an hour, basting them with butter; take them +out, thicken the gravy, and pour it over them on the dish. + + +To Fry Egg Plant. + +Cut them in slices half an inch thick; sprinkle them with salt, and let +them stand a few minutes to extract the bitter taste; wash them in cold +water, and wipe them dry; season with salt and pepper; dip them in +flour, and fry them in butter. + +Another way of cooking them is to cut them in thin slices, and bake them +on a bake-iron that is hot enough to bake cakes. + + +Salsify, or Oyster Plant. + +Scrape the roots, and boil them till soft; mash them, and put in butter, +pepper, salt, and egg and flour enough to stick them together; make this +in cakes as large as an oyster, and fry them in butter; or after +boiling, you can cut them in slices and stew them in water; then butter +and season, and thicken with a little flour and cream. + + +To Stew or Fry Mushrooms. + +Be careful in gathering mushrooms that you have the right kind; they are +pink underneath, and white on the top, and the skin will peel off +easily, but it sticks to the poisonous ones. + +After you have peeled them, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and put +them in a stew pan, with a little water, and a lump of butter; let them +boil fast ten minutes, and stir in a thickening of flour and cream. They +may be fried in butter, or broiled on a gridiron. They are sometimes +very abundant in the fall, on ground that has not been ploughed for +several years; they appear after a warm rain; they may be peeled, +salted, and allowed to stand some hours before cooking. + + +Cucumbers, to Fry or Slice. + +To fry cucumbers, take off the rinds in long pieces, a quarter of an +inch thick; season them with pepper and salt; dip them in flour, and fry +them in butter. + +Many persons think cucumbers unwholesome, and they certainly are if +kept for several days before they are eaten; but if sliced thin, with +onions, pepper, salt and good vinegar, they may generally be eaten +without danger. + + +Lettuce. + +Persons that are fond of lettuce may have it nearly all the year, by +sowing the different kinds, and keeping it covered through the winter; +the most approved way of dressing it is to cut it fine, and season with +oil, mustard, pepper, salt, vinegar, and a hard egg chopped. The essence +of ham is also very good to season lettuce. + +Where there is a large family, it is a good and economical way to cut +the fat of ham in small pieces, fry it, and make a gravy with flour, +water and pepper, to eat with lettuce. To cook lettuce you must fry a +little ham; put a spoonful of vinegar into the gravy; cut the lettuce, +put it in the pan; give it a stir, and then dish it. + + +Cold Slaw. + +Cut hard white cabbage across the leaves, and put it in a deep plate, +scald two large spoonsful of vinegar with a piece of butter, some pepper +and salt; pour this over the slaw; have an egg boiled hard; chop it +fine, and spread it over the top. Some persons like it heated in a pan +with vinegar and water, and the yelk of a raw egg mixed through it. + + +Cauliflowers, &c. + +Have a pot with half milk, and the rest water; when this boils, put in +the cauliflowers, and let them boil till tender; put in some salt just +before you take them up; have ready drawn butter with parsley, to pour +over them, or a sauce of cream and butter. Good heads of yellow Savoy +cabbage, cooked in this way, resemble cauliflowers. Brocolli is a +delightful vegetable, and may be cooked in the same manner. + + +To Boil Cabbage. + +In summer, you should allow a large head of cabbage an hour to boil, but +when it has been tendered by the frost, it will boil in half that time. +Most persons prefer cabbage boiled with ham; the pot should be well +skimmed before it goes in or the grease will penetrate the cabbage, and +make it unwholesome; take it up before it boils to pieces. It is very +good boiled with corned beef or pork, or with milk and water, with a +little salt added. Some like it with a little salaeratus thrown in while +boiling, as that tenders it and makes it of a more lively green. + + +To Boil Greens and Poke. + +After skimming the pot that the bacon has been boiled in, put in cabbage +sprouts, and let them boil till the stalks are tender; all greens are +best boiled in a net. Spinach cooks in a few minutes; some persons +prefer it when boiled in salt and water; you should have drawn butter or +hard eggs to eat with it when done in this way. There are several kinds +of wild greens to be found in the country in the spring, as wild +mustard, poke and lambs-quarter, which are very good cooked as cabbage +sprouts. Pour boiling water on poke, after tying it in bunches, as +asparagus, let it stand a few minutes; pour off the water; boil it with +a little salt in the water, and if you choose a little salaeratus; dress +it with butter, and dish it as asparagus. + + +String Beans. + +String beans, if boiled in salt and water, will require fully two hours; +but if boiled in a net, in a pot with bacon, they will not take so long; +if they are cooked in the same pot with cabbage, it will injure the +flavor. It is a good way to boil a very small piece of pork or bacon, or +a ham-bone in the pot with beans; when they are done, season them with +cream, butter, salt and pepper. + + +Lima Beans. + +Shell them, and wash them in cold water; let them boil about an hour; +when done, dip them from the water, and season with salt, pepper, cream +or butter; keep them hot till they are sent to table. + +Dried Lima beans should be soaked over night, and boiled two hours or +longer, if they are not soft. + + +Peas. + +Early peas require about half an hour to boil, and the later kinds +rather longer; the water should boil when they are put in; when they are +tough and yellow, they may be made tender and green, by putting in a +little pearl-ash, or ashes tied up in a rag, just before they are taken +up; this will tender all green but do not put too much--when done, dip +them out: drain and season them with butter, pepper and salt; put a +bunch of parsley in the middle of the dish. + + +To Keep Green Beans for Winter. + +Boil salt and water to make a strong pickle; string the beans, and put +them in a tight wooden firkin; sprinkle them with salt as they go in; +when the pickle is cold, pour it on, and put on a weight to keep the +beans under; they will keep in the cellar till the next spring. They +should soak several hours in cold water before they are boiled. + + +Asparagus. + +All persons that have a garden should have an asparagus-bed; it is +valuable as being one of the first vegetables in the spring. Put the +stalks of the same length, in bunches together, and tie them with +strings; boil it three-quarters of an hour in clear water; (if you put +salt in, it turns it dark;) have buttered toast in the bottom of a deep +dish; untie the strings, and put the asparagus in; sprinkle it over with +pepper and salt, and put butter on. Asparagus is also agreeable in +chicken soup. + + +Cymlings, or Squashes. + +In cultivating this vegetable, the small bunch cymling is the best, as +it takes so little room in the garden, and comes soon to maturity; if +they are so hard that a pin will not run in easily, they are unfit for +use. Boil the cymlings till soft; cut them open, and take out the seeds; +put them in a colander, and mash them; when the water is drained off, +put them in a small pot, and stew them with cream and butter for ten +minutes; just as you dish them, season with pepper and salt. If boiled +with salt meat, they require but little seasoning. + + +Pumpkins. + +Young pumpkins resemble cymlings, when cooked in the same way. When they +are ripe, they should be pared and cut up, and boiled till soft in a +good deal of water; take them up as soon as they are done, or they will +soak up the water; mash them and season them with salt, pepper and +butter. They are good to eat with roast or boiled beef. + + +To Bake Pumpkins. + +The long striped pumpkin, with a thick long neck, called by some potato +pumpkin, is the best for baking; cut it up in slices, leaving on the +rind; put it in a dutch-oven or dripping-pan, and let it bake an hour +with a quick heat. Where sweet potatoes cannot be had, pumpkins make a +very good substitute. If you put ripe pumpkins that have not been +frosted; in a dry place, they will keep to make puddings till spring. + + +To Dry Pumpkins. + +Pare them, and cut them in thin slices; have a strong thread, and +string them on it with a needle; hang them out in the sun till dry, +taking them in at night; tie them up in a muslin bag, and hang them in +a dry place. Soak them before they are stewed, and they are nearly as +good for puddings as when in season. Some dry them, as apples, by +spreading on boards. + + +Parsnips. + +Scrape and split them, and boil until quite soft, either in salt and +water, or with meat; they are very good served up in this way, with +plenty of butter. They may, when boiled, either be baked with a few +slices of salt meat, and require no seasoning but pepper, or made into +small round cakes, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, and fried. + + +Carrots. Carrots should be scraped, and boiled till soft, in plenty of +water; when they are done, take them up, and slice them thin; season +them with salt, pepper and butter. They are suitable to eat with boiled +meat or fowls. + + +Turnips. + +Pare and quarter the turnips, and put them in a pot of clear water, or +with fresh meat; boil them half an hour; drain, and season them with +butter, pepper and salt; mash them. + + +Onions. + +After they are peeled, boil them in milk and water; if small, they will +cook in half an hour; when they are done, pour off the water; put in +cream, butter and salt, and let them stew a few minutes. Small onions +are much better for cooking, as they are not so strong. + + +Beets. + +Wash the beets; cut the tops off, and put them in boiling water; the +early turnip beet is best for summer, and will boil in less than an +hour; the long winter beet should be boiled two hours,--when they are +done, drop them in cold water for a minute; peel and slice them; season +with butter, pepper and salt; send them hot to table. + +To pickle beets, put them in a jar after they have been boiled; fill it +up with weak vinegar; put in salt, cayenne and black pepper. + + +To Boil Rice. + +Pick a pint of rice, wash it clean--put it in three pints of boiling +water: it should boil fast, and by the time the water evaporates, the +rice will be sufficiently cooked; set it where it will keep hot, until +you are ready to dish it. + + +To Keep Vegetables in Winter. + +Beets, parsnips, carrots and salsify should he dug up before the frost +is severe; those wanted for use in the winter should be put in barrels, +and covered with sand; what you do not want till spring should be buried +in the garden, with sods on the top. Celery may be dug in November, and +set in a large box covered with sand, in the cellar, with the roots +down; it will keep till the frost is out of the ground. Or it may be +left in the ground all winter, and dug as you want it for use. + + + + + +BREAD, &c. + + +As bread is the most important article of food, great care is necessary +in making it, and much judgment, as the weather changes so often. + +In warm weather, the rising should be mixed with water nearly cold; if +there should be a spell of damp weather in the summer, have it slightly +warm and set it to rise on a table in the kitchen. + +In winter it should be mixed with warm water, and left on the warm +hearth all night. If the yeast is fresh, a small quantity will do; if +several weeks old, it will take more. If you use dry yeast, let it soak +fifteen minutes, and put in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus to prevent it +from getting sour. + + +Light Bread, Baking in a Stove, &c. + +For two loaves of bread, thicken a quart of water with flour, till it +will just pour easily; put in a table-spoonful of salt and half a +tea-cup of yeast; this should be done in the evening. If the weather is +cold, set it where it will be warm all night; but, if warm, it will rise +on a table in the kitchen. (If it should not be light in the morning, +and the water settles on the top, stir in a little more yeast, and set +it in a pan of hot water for a few minutes;) knead in flour till it is +nearly as stiff as pie crust, and let it rise again. Have your baking +pans greased, and when it is light, mould out the bread, and put it in +them; set it by the fire, covered with a cloth, till it begins to crack +on the top--when it is light enough to bake. To bake in a stove +requires care to turn it frequently; if it browns too fast at first, +leave the door open a little while; a thick loaf will bake in an hour, +and a small one in less time. In trying the heat of a stove, drop a few +drops of water on the top, if it boils gently it is in good order, and +the heat should be kept at this point. + + +To Bake a Dutch-oven Loaf. + +If you wish to make a large loaf, it will take three pints of water, +more than half a tea-cup of yeast, and two spoonsful of salt; when the +rising is light, knead it up, have the dutch-oven greased; put it in, +and set it near the fire, but not so near that it will scald. When it +rises so as to crack on the top, set the oven on coals; have the lid +hot, cut the loaf slightly across the top, dividing it in four; stick it +with a fork and put the lid on, when it is on a few minutes, see that it +does not bake too fast, it should have but little heat at the bottom, +and the coals on the top should be renewed frequently, turn the oven +round occasionally. + +If baked slowly, it will take an hour and a half when done, wrap it in a +large cloth till it gets cold. + + +To Bake in a Brick Oven. + +If you have a large family, or board the laborers of a farm, it is +necessary to have a brick oven, so as to bake but twice a week; and to +persons that understand the management of them, it is much the easiest +way. If you arrange every thing with judgment, half a dozen loaves of +bread, as many pies or puddings, rusk, rolls or biscuit may be baked at +the same time. Some persons knead up their bread over night in winter, +to do this, the sponge should be made up at four o'clock in the +afternoon. If you wish to put corn flour in your bread, scald one quart +of it to six loaves, and work it in the flour that you are going to stir +in the rising, to make six loaves of bread, you should have three quarts +of water and a tea-cup of yeast. + +Scalded corn flour, or boiled mashed potatoes, assists bread to rise +very much in cold weather. Have a quart of potatoes well boiled and +rolled fine with a rolling-pin on your cake board; mix them well in the +rising after it is light; if the oven is not ready, move the bread to a +cool place. If the bread is sour before you mould it out, mix a heaped +tea-spoonful of salaeratus in a little water, spread out the bread on the +board, dust a little flour on it, and spread the salaeratus and water +over, and work it well through. This quite takes away the sour taste, +but if the bread is made of good lively yeast, it seldom requires it; +let it rise in the pans about half an hour. Many persons that make their +own bread, are in the constant practice of using salaeratus, putting in +the rising for six loaves a heaped tea-spoonful, dissolved in a little +warm water; in this there is no disadvantage, and it insures sweet +bread, and will also answer in making rolls or light cakes. + +Common sized loaves will bake in an hour in the brick oven. If they slip +easily in the pans, and, upon breaking a little piece from the side, it +rises from the pressure of the finger, it is done; but if it should not +rise, put it back again; when the bread is taken out of the oven, wrap +it in a cloth till quite cold. + +You should have a large tin vessel with holes in the top, to keep +bread in; in this way, it will be moist at the end of the week in +cool weather. + +Coarse brown flour or middlings makes very sweet light bread, by putting +in scalded corn meal, say, to two loaves, half a pint, and is also good +to use for breakfast made as buckwheat cakes. + + +Directions for Heating a Brick Oven, &c. + +It is very important to have good oven wood split fine, and the oven +filled with it as soon as the baking is out; by this precaution it is +always ready and dry. Early in the morning, take out half of the wood, +and spread the remainder over the oven, in such a way as it will take +fire easily; light a few sticks in the fire, and put them in; when it +burns well, turn the wood about, and occasionally add more till it is +all in; when it is burnt to coals, stir them about well with a +long-handled shovel made for the purpose. + +When it looks bright on the top and sides, it is hot enough; let the +coals lay all over the bottom till near the time of putting in the +bread, when draw them to the mouth, as it is apt to get cool the +quickest. If you have biscuit to bake, put some of the coals on one side +near the front, as they require a quick heat, and should be put in +immediately after the coals are taken out; they will bake in fifteen or +twenty minutes. + +When all the coals are taken out, if the bottom of the oven sparkles, it +is very hot, and should wait a few minutes; but if not, you may put in +the bread first, and then the pies; if you have a plain rice pudding to +bake, it should be put in the middle of the front, and have two or three +shovels of coals put round it, if the oven is rather cool. Close the +oven with a wooden stopper made to fit it; after they have been in a few +minutes, see that they do not brown too fast; if so, keep the stopper +down a little while. Pies made of green fruit will bake in +three-quarters of an hour; but if the fruit has been stewed, half an +hour will be long enough. + +Rusk, or rolls, take about half an hour to bake in a brick oven; if you +should have to open the oven very often before the bread is done, put in +a few shovels of coals and shut it up. + +When all is taken out, fill the oven with wood ready for the next +baking. + +There is nothing in any department of cooking that gives more +satisfaction to a young housekeeper than to have accomplished what is +called a good baking. + + +Graham Bread. + +Take six quarts of unbolted flour, one tea-cup of good yeast, and six +spoonsful of molasses; mix them with a pint of milk, warm water, and a +tea-spoonful of salaeratus; make a hole in the flour and stir this +mixture in it, till it is like batter; then proceed as with fine flour. +Mould it, when light, into four loaves Have your oven hotter than for +other bread, and bake it fully one hour and a half. It is an excellent +article of diet for dyspeptic and sedentary persons. + + +Dyspepsy Bread. + +This is three-fourths unbolted flour, and the remaining fourth common +flour, and is risen and made as other light bread, but should be baked +rather more. + + +Yeast. + +It is important to those that make their own bread, to make their own +yeast, or they cannot judge of its strength. The best is the +old-fashioned hop yeast, which will keep for six weeks in winter. + +Put a pint of hops in a pot, with a quart of water; cover it tightly, +and let it boil slowly for half an hour; strain it while boiling hot on +a pint of flour, and a heaped table-spoonful of salt; stir it well, and +let it stand till nearly cool; when put in a tea-cupful of good yeast; +if it is not sweet, put in a little salaeratus, just as you stir it in; +keep it in a warm place till it rises, when put it in a stone jug, and +cork it tightly. Keep it in a cool place in summer, but do not let it +freeze in winter; shake it before you use any. + +When your yeast jug is empty, fill it with water, and let it soak; wash +it well, and if it should smell sour, rinse it with salaeratus water. If +you have a garden, raise your own hops by all means; pick them by the +first of September, or they will lose their strength; dry them on sheets +spread on the garret floor. + +If you buy hops, choose light green ones, with the yellow dust about +them. Brown hops have generally stayed too long on the vines. + + +Another Method. + +Put two handsful of hops into three pints of water; let it boil to one +quart; when cold, strain it on to a pint of best flour, a table-spoonful +of salt, half a pint of sugar-house molasses, and a tea-cup of good +yeast: as it rises, skim off the top several times, when the yeast looks +white bottle it up tight and it will keep for several weeks. + + +Corn Flour Dry yeast. + +Put a large handful of good hops in a quart of water; cover it close, +and let it boil nearly half away, when strain it over corn flour; it +must all be wet, but not so soft as for bread; put in a large spoonful +of salt, and mix it well; when about milk warm, put in two +table-spoonsful of yeast, (observe that the yeast is lively,) rub it +through with your hands; it must be so stiff as just to stick together; +set it in a warm place to rise, which it should do in a few hours. When +light, rub in more corn flour, and scatter it in dishes, very thin, (or +put it on a cloth on a large waiter, spread thinly.) It should be dried +quickly, or it may turn sour, either in the sun, (which is best,) or a +warm stove room; stir it over frequently; when perfectly dry, cover it +close, either in a jar or wooden box, and keep it in a dry closet. +Select a sunny day, and begin early in the morning, as by this method +you may have your yeast dry by night. Half a tea-cupful is enough for +two loaves of wheat bread, (it should be soaked in water some minutes +before using it,) and it is generally best to put in half a +tea-spoonful of salaeratus, as dry yeast is more apt to turn sour than +the liquid yeast. + +Some good housekeepers use this yeast where hops are scarce, and it +answers very well. It will keep good six weeks or two months. + + +Potato Yeast. + +Boil four large potatoes with a tea-cupful of hops tied loosely in a +bag; mash the potatoes in a pan, with a spoonful of salt, and four of +flour; pour the hop-water on it, and mix all together; when nearly cold, +put in two table-spoonsful of yeast; put it in a quart jar, and let it +rise; it will do to use in five or six hours. This yeast is much weaker +than the first receipt; but it has this advantage,--that with a pint of +it you may knead up four loaves of bread at night without making rising. +It is best to make this yeast once a week, always being careful to have +the jar sweet before you put it in. + + +Potato Yeast with Sugar. + +To about a quart of potatoes, boiled and made thin enough with warm +water to pass through a sieve, add, when cold, a tea-cupful of sugar, a +table-spoonful of salt, and a gill of common yeast. This is a quick +yeast, but will not keep so long as those before mentioned. + + +Dry Yeast. + +Put a pint of hops in half a gallon of water; cover it close and boil it +down to one half; strain it over flour enough to make a thick batter; +when nearly cold, put in a tea-cup of yeast, and three table-spoonsful +of salt; when well risen, work in as much corn meal as will make it as +stiff as biscuit dough; add a spoonful of sugar and one of ginger; when +it rises again, make it out into little cakes, which must be dried in +the shade, and turned twice a day. If made in dry weather, this yeast +will keep for several months, and is useful when hops are scarce; it +should be kept in a tight box, or a bag hung up in a dry place. + + +Milk Yeast. + +If you have no yeast, you may make some with milk, to rise with. Take a +pint of new milk and stir in it two tea-spoonsful of salt, and half a +tea-cup of flour; keep it moderately warm by the fire, and it will +lighten in about an hour; stir in flour enough to make a large loaf of +bread, with more milk or water. This yeast should be used immediately, +and will do to lighten hop yeast. To thicken half a gallon of water with +a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little salt and flour, makes very good +yeast when you cannot get hops. It will do to use in a day. + + +Superior Boiled Milk Rolls. + +Boil a quart of new milk; pour it on a quart of flour, while boiling +hot, and stir it well; when nearly cold, add two tea-spoonsful of salt, +two table-spoonsful of lard, and half a tea-cup of good yeast; set it in +a warm place to rise for about two hours; when light, work flour in it +on the cake-board, and, when quite smooth, mould it out into rolls, and +put them in a baking-pan, which has been rubbed with lard or butter; set +them in a warm place to rise again;--if the weather is warm, on a table +in the kitchen, but if cold, set them by the fire. When light, put them +in a cool place till you are ready to bake; they should have a moderate +heat, and will bake in half an hour. In winter they may be moulded out +and placed in the bake pan over night for breakfast, or some hours +before wanted for tea, and kept in a cool place till half an hour before +baking, when set them near the stove to rise up. With the addition of +nutmeg and sugar, you may make nice rusk. + + +Egg Rolls. + +Boil a quart of new milk with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same +of lard, and a little salt; beat up two eggs, and pour the boiling milk +on them, stirring all the time; when nearly cold, add a tea-cup of yeast +and as much wheat flour as will make it a thick batter, when quite light +knead it up as bread, and let it lighten before moulding out; grease the +pans, and bake them with a moderate heat. A little sugar and water +rubbed on just before baking rolls makes them glossy. + + +Soft Rolls. + +Rub two ounces of butter into two pounds of flour; stir in as much +boiling milk as will make a soft dough, when cold enough, add half a +tea-cup of yeast, and a little salt; beat it well with a spoon, and +let it rise as long as bread; mould them out in pans, and bake as +other rolls. + + +Water Rolls. + +Make a rising of a quart of warm water, a little salt, a tea-cup of +yeast, two spoonsful of butter and flour; let this rise, and knead it +with as much flour as will make a soft dough, and work it well; when it +has risen again, mould it out, and bake half an hour. + +A nice griddle cake may be made by rolling this out, and baking it on +the griddle or dripping-pan of a stove. + + +Potato Rolls. + +Boil potatoes enough to make a quart when mashed, which should be done +with a rolling-pin on a cake-board; mix these with a gallon of flour, a +spoonful of butter, one of lard, and some salt; stir in water sufficient +to make dough, not quite so stiff as for light bread, and a tea-cup of +yeast; knead it for half an hour, and set it to rise; when it is light, +set it away in a cold place, and as you require it, cut off a piece; +mould it in little cakes, and let them rise an hour before baking. These +rolls will keep several days in cold weather. If the dough should get +sour, mix in some salaeratus. + + +Another Way. + +Boil a quart of pared potatoes--pour off the water, mash them, add half +a pint of sweet milk, warmed, and a small table-spoonful of salt; stir +well, and pour it scalding hot into a quart of flour; add cold milk +enough to make it the right consistence for rising; stir in half a tea +cup of yeast, and set it by to rise, it will soon be light, and is then +to be made into dough, with shortened flour, as other rolls, and made +out into cakes; and after standing in a warm place to become light +again, which should not take long, bake with rather a quick heat. These +rolls may be eaten warmed over. + + +Mush Rolls, without Milk or Eggs. + +When milk is scarce, (or for a change,) you can make good rolls with +mush. Take a pint of corn meal, pour on it three pints of boiling +water--stirring it as you pour; put in three ounces of lard, a +table-spoonful of salt, and when milk warm, put in two table-spoonsful +of yeast, then mix in wheat flour, and make it a soft dough; cover the +pan close, set it in a warm place till it begins to rise; as soon as +light, set it in a cold place; mould them out an hour before you bake +them, and allow them to rise in the dripping-pan. It will do to bake in +a large cake rolled out. + + +Twist Rolls. + +Boil a pint of milk, put in a small lump of butter and a little salt; +beat up an egg and put in, when nearly cold, with a spoonful of yeast +and some flour; when light, knead in more flour to make it quite stiff; +work it well, and let it rise again; grease a dutch-oven or spider, +flour your hands, and roll it out in rings, or round several times, a +little higher in the middle. They will be nearly all crust, and suit +delicate persons that cannot eat other warm bread. + + +French Rolls. + +To one quart of sweet milk, boiled and cooled, half a pound of butter, +half a tea cup of yeast, a little salt, and flour enough to make a soft +dough, beat up the milk, butter and yeast in the middle of the flour, +let it stand till light, in a warm place; then work it up with the +whites of two eggs, beaten light; let it rise again, then mould out into +long rolls; let them stand on the board or table, to lighten, an hour or +two, then grease your pans and bake in a oven or stove. + + +Bread Rolls. + +In the morning, when your bread is light, take as much as would make one +loaf; pour boiling water on half a pint of corn meal--stir it well--add +a little salt, spread open the dough and work in the mush, with the +addition of a table-spoonful of lard or butter, and a little flour, work +well and mould out, placing them in your pans, and set them in a +moderately warm place to lighten for tea; bake in a stove, if the +weather is cold. This dough will keep two days, and may be baked as you +need them. + + +Maryland Biscuit. + +Rub half a pound of lard into three pounds of flour; put in a spoonful +of salt, a tea cup of cream, and water sufficient to make it into a +stiff dough; divide it into two parts, and work each well till it will +break off short, and is smooth; (some pound it with an iron hammer, or +axe;) cut it up in small pieces, and work them into little round cakes; +give them a slight roll with the rolling-pin, and stick them, bake them +in a dutch-oven, brick-oven, or dripping-pan of a stove, with a quick +heat. These biscuits are very nice for tea, either hot or cold. + + +Light Biscuit. + +Boil a quart of milk, and when nearly cold, stir it in the middle of +your pan of flour, with two spoonsful of yeast, and one of butter and +salt; let it lighten for two or three hours; knead the flour in it, and +let it rise again: a little while before you bake, roll it out, and cut +it with the top of your dredging-box. Let them rise a few minutes in the +dripping-pan. + + +Salaeratus Biscuit. + +Warm a quart of sweet milk, and put in it half a tea-spoonful of +salaeratus, and a heaped spoonful of lard or butter, and half a spoonful +of salt; pour this in as much flour as will make a stiff dough; work it +a quarter of an hour; mould and bake them as other biscuit. + + +Quick Biscuit. + +Rub a small table-spoonful of lard into a quart of flour, and mix in two +tea-spoonsful of finely powdered cream of tartar, with a tea-spoonful of +salt; put a tea-spoonful of super carbonate of soda in a pint of warm +milk,--work it in and make the paste of ordinary consistence for biscuit +or pie crust, adding flour or milk, if either is needed; make it out in +biscuit form, or roll it about half an inch thick, and cut in +shapes,--bake them about twenty minutes. + + +Tea Biscuit. + +Melt half a pound of butter in a quart of warm milk; add a spoonful of +salt, sift two pounds of flour, make a hole in the centre, put in three +table-spoonsful of yeast, add the milk and butter; make a stiff paste; +when quite light, knead it well, roll it out an inch thick, cut it with +a tumbler, prick them with a fork, bake in buttered pans, with a quick +heat; split and butter before sending them to table. + + +Dyspepsy Biscuit. + +Make them as Maryland biscuit, except that, instead of either lard or +butter, you must use a portion of rich cream, beat or work them well, +and roll them moderately thin. + + +Salaeratus Cake. + +Warm a pint of butter-milk, put in it a tea-spoonful of powdered +salaeratus, and a piece of lard the size of an egg; stir it into flour +till it is a soft dough; roll it out, and bake it on the griddle, or in +the dripping-pan of a stove. If you have no sour milk, put a +table-spoonful of vinegar in sweet milk. + + +Wafer Cakes. + +Rub half a pound of lard into two pounds and a half of flour, add a +little salt and water sufficient to make a stiff dough: work it well for +half an hour, make it in small round lumps, and roll these until they +are as thin as possible; bake them with a slow heat and they will look +almost white. These are nice cakes for tea either hot or cold. + + +Short Cake. + +To three quarts of flour take three-quarters of a pound of lard, and a +spoonful of salt; rub the lard in the flour, and put in cold water, +sufficient to make a stiff dough; roll it out without working in thin +cakes; have the bake-iron hot, flour it, and bake with a quick heat; +when one side is brown, turn and bake the other; when baked in the +dripping-pan of a stove, they do without turning;--you may cut them in +round cakes, if you choose. Some use half milk and half water; in that +case, less lard is required. + + +Cold Water Muffins. + +Sift a quart of flour, add to it a little salt, a large spoonful of +yeast, beat the white of a fresh egg to a froth; after mixing the flour +up with cold water into a soft dough, add the egg; set it in a +moderately warm place. Next morning beat it well with a spoon, put it on +the bake-iron in round cakes; when one side is nicely brown, turn them; +keep them hot till sent to table, split and butter them. If you wish to +have muffins for tea, they should be made up early in the Morning. + + +Smith Muffins. + +Boil a quart of new milk, have three pounds of flour, three eggs well +beaten, a quarter of a pound of lard, a table-spoonful of salt; rub the +lard in the flour and while the milk is still warm, (but not hot,) stir +it in the flour, put in the eggs, and a tea-cup of good yeast: beat all +well, and set them in a warm place to rise, when light they should be +set in a cool place till you are ready to bake them, which should be in +rings, or round cakes on the bake-iron, in a dutch-oven, or the +dripping-pan of a stove, butter just as you send them to table. If the +batter is kept in a cold place it will keep good for two days in winter. +Before baking muffins, or any kind of light cakes, taste the batter, and +if at all sour, put in a small portion of salaeratus, (previously +dissolved in hot water.)--In this way superior muffins may be made. + + +Mansfield Muffins. + +Take a quart of milk, three eggs, quarter of a pound of butter or lard, +a tea-cup of yeast, and flour to make a soft dough; heat the whites of +the eggs alone, the yelks with the milk; melt the butter and stir it in +after all is mixed; bake them in rings, or in round cakes on the +griddle: split and butter before sending them to table. + + +Rice Muffins. + +Pour a quart of milk on four heaped spoonsful of rice flour, stir it +well, and put in a little salt and wheat flour, to make it a proper +thickness, two eggs and two spoonsful of yeast, allow it four hours to +rise, and bake in rings, or thin it and bake as batter cakes. + + +Muffins. + +Warm a pint of milk, and stir into it a pound and a quarter of flour, (a +quart of flour is about equal to a pound and a quarter,) and two eggs, +the yelks beaten with the batter, the whites alone, mix with these two +spoonsful of lively yeast and a little salt, let them rise, and when you +are nearly ready to bake them, stir in a large spoonful of melted +butter, butter the rings and bake on a griddle, or in the dripping-pan +of a stove. Split and butter before sending them to table. + + +Mush Muffins. + +Make a quart of mush, put into it a lump of butter or lard, the size of +two eggs, and a little salt, previously to making the mush, have ready a +pint of light rising, stir into it a pint of new milk, and the mush, +with as much wheat flour as will make it a very thick batter, let it +rise four or five hours, and when light, set it in a cold place, till +you are ready to bake, dip a spoon in water each time, and put the +batter on the griddle in small cakes, or bake in rings. You may make it +a little stiffer, and roll it out to bake in large cakes. If it should +sour, put in a little salaeratus. If you have no milk, water will do +instead. They will be nice toasted. + + +A Loaf of Muffin Batter. + +Stir into a pint of mush a small lump of butter, a little salt, a pint +of milk, and wheat flour to make a thick batter; stir into it half a tea +cup of yeast, and let it rise, when it is light, butter a pan, pour it +in and bake, eat it hot, at breakfast or supper. It will bake in a +shallow pan in half an hour, if in a deep vessel, allow more time. + + +Boiled Milk Muffins. + +Boil a quart of new milk, and pour it boiling hot, on as much flour as +will make a thick batter, put in a table-spoonful of butter, and the +same of lard, two tea-spoonsful of salt, half a tea cup of yeast, one +egg beaten; allow time to rise from six to eight hours; when perfectly +light, set them in a cool place, till you are ready to bake, when you +may use rings, or not, as you please--but be sure to butter the rings. + + +Cream Muffins. + +Take a quart of sour cream, and two eggs well beaten, a tea-spoonful of +salt; stir the eggs into the cream, gradually; add sifted flour enough +to make a thick batter, dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in as much +vinegar as will cover it, and stir it in at the last; bake in small +cakes on the griddle, or in muffin rings in the dripping-pan of a stove. + + +Waffles. + +Make a batter of a pound and a half of flour, quarter of a pound of +melted butter, and two large spoonsful of yeast; put in three eggs, the +whites and yelks beaten separately; mix it with a quart of milk, and put +in the butter just before you bake, allow it four hours to rise; grease +the waffle-irons, fill them with the batter--bake them on a bed of +coals. When they have been on the fire two or three minutes, turn the +waffle-irons over,--when brown on both sides, they are sufficiently +baked. The waffle-irons should be well greased with lard, and very hot +before each one is put in. The waffles should be buttered as soon as +cooked. Serve them up with powdered white sugar and cinnamon. + + +Quick Waffles. + +Take a pint of milk, and beat into it three eggs, and enough wheat flour +to make a thick batter; add a table-spoonful of melted butter, and a +little salt; bake them immediately. Some persons add two table-spoonsful +of sugar, and a little cinnamon; others dust loaf sugar and cinnamon, or +nutmeg over each waffle, as it is baked. + + +Rice Waffles. + +To six spoonsful of soft boiled rice, add two tea-cups of water or +milk, and some salt, stir in three tea-cups of ground rice, and bake as +other waffles. + + +Flannel Cakes. + +Warm a quart of milk, put in a spoonful of butter, a little salt, and +two eggs well beaten, stir in flour till it is a thin batter, and two +spoonsful of yeast; beat all well together, adding the eggs at the +last; allow it five hours to rise, and bake it on the griddle in cakes, +the size of a breakfast plate. Do not butter them till you send them to +the table. + + +Mush Flannel Cakes. + +Mix a pint of corn mush with two of wheat flour, a spoonful of butter or +lard, two eggs and half a tea-cup of yeast; make it in a batter with +water or milk, and bake like buckwheat cakes. + + +Bread Batter Cakes. + +Soak slices of stale bread in cold sweet milk for half an hour, then put +it over the fire, and let it come to a boil; and mash it well, when +nearly cool, add wheat flour enough to make a stiff batter, beat this +together with two eggs, a tea-spoonful of salt, and a table-spoonful of +good yeast, let it rise and bake as buckwheat cakes, if light before you +are ready, set them in a cold place. + + +Butter-milk Cakes. + +You may make a very good batter cake without eggs. To a quart of +butter-milk, put a piece of lard, the size of an egg; warm them +together, and stir in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus; make it in a thin +batter with flour; beat it a few minutes, and bake it as other cakes. + + +Buckwheat Cakes. + +Take quart of buckwheat flour, half a pint of wheat flour, and a +spoonful of salt; make them into a thick batter, with milk-warm water, +put in a half tea-cup of yeast, and beat it well, set it by the fire to +rise, and if it should be light before you are ready to bake, put a +tea-cup of cold water on the top, to prevent it from running over, if it +should get sour, pour in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in hot +water, just before you bake. + +It is best to make them up quite thick, and thin them with a little warm +water before you bake; butter them just as you send them to table. If +you can get brewers' yeast, it is much better for buckwheat cakes. In +very cold weather, they may be kept made up for several days, and baked +as required. + + +Sally Lunn. + +Warm a quart of milk with a quarter of a pound of butter, and a heaped +spoonful of sugar, beat up three eggs, and put in, with a little salt, +and flour enough to make it stiffer than pound cake, beat it well, put +in a tea cup of yeast, and let it rise, butter a fluted pan and pour it +in, bake it in a quick oven, slice and butter it. If you wish tea at six +o'clock, set it to rise at ten in the morning. Bake it an hour. + + +Butter-milk Batter Cakes. + +Soak pieces of dry stale bread in a quart of butter-milk, until soft, +break in two eggs, add a little butter or lard, and salt and flour +enough to make it stick together, beat it well, add a tea-spoonful of +salaeratus, dissolved in warm water; thin it with a little sweet milk, +and bake as other batter cakes. They may be prepared in a short time. + + +Toast. + +Cut your bread (which is better to be stale) in tolerably thick slices, +brown it slowly before the fire on each side; you may either butter it +dry, or mix butter in water, with a little salt added, and after making +it boiling hot, pour over each slice as you send it to table. + + +A Dish of Milk Toast for Breakfast. + +Boil a quart of rich milk, take it off, and stir in half a pound of +fresh butter, mixed with a small spoonful of flour, let it again come to +a boil; have ready a dish of toast, pour it from a spoon over each +piece, and what remains, pour over the whole, keep it covered and hot, +till you send to table. + + +General Remarks on making Bread of Indian Corn Meal. + +A wooden spoon with a long handle, is the best for stirring and mixing +the bread or cakes. It requires more salt than other bread, and should +be well mixed or beaten. If it is mixed over night, it should generally +be done with cold water, and set in the cellar or some cool place in +summer, in winter it requires rather a warmer place to stand. It sours +more easily than bread made of other flour. In the morning, if you find +that it is at all acid, dissolve half a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in +warm water, and stir it just before it is put to bake. Where milk is +used, it should be baked immediately, and the richer the milk, the more +palatable it is. Whatever you bake this bread in, should be well greased +first, as it is more apt to adhere to the oven than some other kinds of +flour. It should bake with a quick heat. + +When you buy salaeratus, pound it fine, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle, +and cork it tight. Some persons keep it dissolved in water, but you +cannot judge of the strength of it so well. + + +Corn Meal Porridge. + +Put on to boil in a sauce-pan a quart of milk, mix a small tea-cup of +corn meal with half a pint of cold water, (let it settle, and pour off +what swims on the top,) then stir it in well to keep it from being +lumpy; let it boil only a few minutes; add salt to the taste. This makes +a good breakfast for children, and is a light diet for an invalid. It +can be seasoned with sugar. + + +Mush, Mush Cakes, and Fried Mush. + +Mush will keep for several days in cool weather; the best way of making +it is to have a pot of boiling water, and stir in corn meal, mixed with +water, and salt enough to season the whole; let it boil, and if it is +not thick enough you can add more meal; keep stirring all the time to +prevent it from being lumpy. It should boil an hour. + +To make the cakes, take a quart of cold mush, mix in it half a pint of +wheat flour, and a little butter or lard, make it out in little cakes +with your hands, flour them and bake them on a griddle or in a dripping +pan. Fried mush is a good plain dessert, eaten with sugar and cream. Cut +the cold mush in slices, half an inch thick, or make them into small +cakes, dip them in flour, and fry them in hot lard. + + +Journey Cake. + +Pour boiling water on a quart of meal, put in a little lard and salt, +and mix it well, have an oak board with a rim of iron at the bottom, and +an iron handle fastened to it that will prop it up to the fire; put some +of the dough, on it, dip your hand in cold water and smooth it over; +score it with a knife, and set it before coals to bake. + + +Corn Batter Cakes. + +Take a quart of good milk, three eggs, a little salt, and as much sifted +corn meal as will make a thin batter; beat all well together, with a +spoonful of wheat flour to keep them from breaking, bake in small cakes, +keep them hot, and butter just as you send to table. Another way to make +corn batter cakes, is to take a quart of corn meal, two eggs, a small +lump of butter or lard, and mix it up with milk, or half water, if milk +is scarce, and bake them either thin or thick. + + +Rice Cakes. + +Take a pint of soft boiled rice, a pint of milk, a little salt, and as +much corn meal as will make a thin batter with two eggs; beat all +together, and bake as corn batter cakes, or make it thicker and bake +it in a pan. + + +Corn Bannock. + +To one quart of sour milk, put a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved +in water; warm the milk slightly, beat up an egg, and put in corn meal +enough to make it as thick as pudding batter, and some salt; grease a +pan and bake it, or you may put it in six or eight saucers. + + +Virginia Pone. + +Beat three eggs, and stir them in a quart of milk, with a little salt, a +spoonful of melted butter, and as much sifted corn meal as will make it +as thick as corn batter cakes; grease the pans and bake quick. + + +Lightened Pone. + +Take half a gallon of corn meal, and pour boiling water on one-third of +it; mix it together with warm water till it is a thick batter; put in +two table-spoonsful of lively yeast, and one of salt; stir it well and +set it by the fire to rise; when it begins to open on the top, grease +the dutch-oven and put it to bake, or bake it in a pan in a stove. + + +Cold Water Pone. + +Make a stiff batter with a quart of Indian meal, cold water and a little +salt; work it well with the hand; grease a pan or oven, and bake it +three-quarters of an hour. Eat it hot at dinner, or with milk at supper. + + +Indian Bread with Butter-milk. + +To one quart of butter-milk, slightly warmed, put a tea-spoonful of +salaeratus, dissolved in water, two eggs, well beaten, a table-spoonful +of melted butter or lard, a little salt; stir in with a spoon as much +Indian meal as will make a thick batter; beat it for a few minutes, +grease your pans, and bake quickly. If you bake this quantity in two +pans, a half hour will be sufficient, or if in one, it will take an +hour. Look at it often while baking, as it is liable to burn. An +excellent recipe. + + +Little Indian Cakes. + +Put a spoonful of lard in a quart of meal, and two tea-spoonsful of +salt, pour boiling water on half the meal, stir it; then add as much +cold water as will enable you to make it out in cakes of a convenient +size, bake on the bake-iron over the fire. + + +Maryland Corn Cakes. + +Mix a pint of corn meal with rich milk, a little salt, and an egg, it +should be well beaten with a spoon, and made thin enough to pour on the +iron; take in cakes the size of a breakfast plate; butter and send them +hot to table. + + +A Virginia Hoe Cake. + +Pour warm water on a quart of Indian meal, stir in a spoonful of lard or +butter, some salt, make it stiff, and work it for ten minutes, have a +board about the size of a barrel head, (or the middle piece of the head +will answer,) wet the board with water, and spread on the dough with +your hand, place it before the fire, prop it aslant with a flat-iron, +bake it slowly, when one side is nicely brown, take it up and turn it, +by running a thread between the cake and the board, then put it back, +and let the other side brown. These cakes used to be baked in Virginia +on a large iron hoe, from whence they derive their name. + + +Batter Bread with Yeast. + +Rub a piece of butter the size of an egg, into a quart of com meal, add +a little salt, make it in a batter with two eggs and some new milk, add +a spoonful of yeast, set it by the fire an hour to rise, butter little +pans, and bake with a quick heat. + + +Carolina Corn Rolls. + +Take a pint of corn meal; pour over it sufficient boiling water to make +a very stiff dough, then add a table-spoonful of salt, and permit it to +stand until about milk-warm; work it well with the hand, then make out +the rolls, of an oblong shape, and bake them from half to three-quarters +of an hour, according to their size. The addition of a small lump of +butter or lard is an improvement. If they are rightly made, they will +split on the top in baking, and can be eaten by those who cannot partake +of other preparations made of corn flour. + + +Mixed Bread. + +Put a little salt, and a spoonful of yeast, into a quart of flour; make +it sufficiently soft with corn meal gruel; let it rise; bake in a mould. + + +New England Hasty Pudding, or Stir-about. + +Boil three quarts of water in an iron pot; mix a pint of Indian meal in +cold water, and make it thin enough to pour easily; when the water +boils, pour it in; stir well with a wooden stick kept for the purpose; +it takes about an hour to boil; salt to your taste; stir in dry meal to +make it thick enough, beating it all the time. Eat it with milk or +molasses, or butter and sugar. This is said to be a wholesome diet for +dyspeptic patients, and makes a good meal for children. + + +Corn Muffins. + +Warm three pints of milk, and stir into it as much corn meal as will +make it as thick as pudding batter, add two handsful of wheat flour, +two tea-spoonsful of salt, three eggs, and a tea-cup of yeast. Beat the +whole well together, and let it rise about six hours, when bake as +other muffins. + + +Soaked Crackers for Tea. + +Pour boiling water on crackers, put in some butter and a little salt; +cover them close and keep them warm till tea is ready; if you have milk, +boil it, and pour over instead of water. This is easily prepared. + + + + + +PIES, PUDDINGS, CAKES, &c. + + +To Make Common Pies. + +One pound of lard to a gallon of flour will make very good common pies. +Work the lard in the flour, put in some salt, and wet it with water, +make it so that it can just be rolled out, when you have put in the +fruit, wet the crust with water, put on the top and close it up, stick +it with a fork on the top. + + +To Stew Fruit for Pies. + +All fruits that are not fully ripe should be stewed and sweetened. To +boil a gallon of molasses at a time, and keep it to sweeten pies, is +cheaper than sugar, and answers a very good purpose, where there is a +large family. When fruit is fully ripe it does very well to bake in +pies, without being stewed. + +After washing the dried fruit, put it on to stew in a bell-metal kettle +over the fire, or in a tin pan in a stove, let it have plenty of water, +as it swells very much, and if it seems dry, put in more water. Apples +take longer to stew than peaches, and should have more water. Fruit +stewed in this way is very good to put on the table to eat with meat. Do +not stir the fruit while it is stewing, or it will burn. Dried cherries +and damsons may be stewed in the same manner, adding the sugar before +they are quite done. + + +Pie Crust. + +Sift a pound and a half of flour, and take out a quarter for rolling; +cut in it a quarter of a pound of lard, mix it with water, and roll it +out; cut half a pound of butter, and put it in at two rollings with the +flour that was left out. + +For making the bottom crust of pies, cut half a pound of lard into a +pound of flour, with a little salt; mix it stiff, and grease the +plates before you make pies; always make your paste in a cold place, +and bake it soon. + +Some persons prefer mixing crust with milk instead of water. + + +Paste for Puddings. + +Sift a pound of flour, have half a pound of butter and quarter of a +pound of lard, save out a quarter of the flour for rolling, cut the lard +into the remainder, and mix it with water; roll it out, and flake in +half of the butter; dust over it some of the flour, close it up; roll it +again, and put in the rest of the butter. This quantity will make crust +for five or six puddings. + + +Another Way. + +To three and a half pounds of sifted flour, put two pounds of lard, and +a piece of volatile salts (as large as a full sized nutmeg) dissolved in +a little water;--make a pretty stiff paste; then roll in three-quarters +of a pound of butter. This will make about eight pies and twelve shells. + + +Puff Paste. + +Sift a pound of flour, and take out a quarter for rolling, divide a +pound of butter into four parts, cut one part of the butter into the +flour with a knife, make it a stiff dough with water, roll it out, and +flake it with part of the butler, do this three times till it is all in, +handle it as little as possible, and keep it in a cool place. This +quantity will make crust sufficient for three puddings and ten puffs. +They should bake with a quick beat, but do not let them burn, they will +take from ten to fifteen minutes to bake, according to the number of +layers of paste. Do not put on the preserves till a short time before +they are eaten. + + +Rich Mince Pies. + +Take four pounds of beef, boiled and chopped fine, pick and chop three +pounds of suet, wash two pounds of currants, and one of raisins; grate +the peel of two lemons, and put in the juice, pound a spoonful of dried +orange peel, slice an ounce of citron, and chop twelve large apples, mix +these together with three pounds of sugar, half a pint of wine, and the +same of brandy--and sweet cider to make it a proper thickness, put in +mace and nutmeg to your taste. If the cider is not sweet, you must put +in more sugar before the pies are baked, cut several places in the top +of each with a pair of scissors. + + +Mince Pies not so Rich. + +Take four pounds of beef after it has been boiled and chopped, one of +suet, two of sugar, two of raisins, and four of chopped apples, mix +these together with a pint of wine and cider, to make it thin enough, +season to your taste with mace, nutmeg and orange peel; if it is not +sweet enough, put in more sugar. Warm the pies before they are eaten. +Where persons are not fond of suet, put butter instead, and stew the +apples instead of so much cider. + + +Farmers' Mince Pies. + +When you kill a beef, save the head for pies; it is some trouble to +prepare it, but it is very nice for the purpose. Split the head, take +out the brains and eyes, wash it well in cold water, and soak it all +night with two hog's heads that have been cleaned; in the morning, boil +them till you can take out the bones easily; skim off the froth as it +rises, or it will stick to the meat; pick out the bones, and chop it +fine, with three pounds of suet. This should be done the day before you +want to bake. + +Mix to this quantity of meat, two gallons of chopped apples, four pounds +of raisins, half a gallon of boiled molasses, a pint of currant wine, a +tea-cup of rose brandy, an ounce of cinnamon, orange peel and mace, from +two to four nutmegs, and sweet cider enough to make it the right +thickness; if the cider is not sweet, put in more molasses; when all is +mixed, it is best to bake a small pie, as you can alter the seasoning, +if it is not to your taste. If you have not raisins, dried cherries or +small grapes, that have been preserved in molasses, are very good, or +stewed dried apples, instead of green; and where you have no cider, stew +the apples in plenty of water, so as to have them very soft; a little +good vinegar, sweetened and mixed with water, also does instead of +cider, but is not so good. + +This will make about forty pies, and if you have a convenient way of +keeping them, you may bake all at once, as they will keep for two months +very readily when the weather is cold. If you do not bake all at once, +put what is left in a jar, cover the top with melted suet, and over this +put a piece of white paper, with a tea-cup of spirits poured on the +top; tie it up and keep it where it will not freeze. Where persons have +a large family, and workmen on a farm, these pies are very useful. + + +Rhubarb Pie. + +Peel the stalks, cut them in small pieces, and stew them till very soft +in a little water; when done, mash and sweeten with sugar; set it away +to cool; make a puff paste, and bake as other pies. Some prefer it +without stewing, cutting the stems in small pieces, and strewing sugar +over them before the crust is put on. These pies will lose their fine +flavor after the first day. They take less sugar than gooseberries. + + +Peach Pie. + +Take mellow clingstone peaches, pare, but do not cut them; put them in +a deep pie plate lined with crust, sugar them well, put in a +table-spoonful of water, and sprinkle a little flour over the peaches; +cover with a thick crust, in which make a cut in the centre, and bake +from three-quarters to one hour. + + +Sweet Potato Pie. + +Boil the potatoes, skin and slice them; put a layer of potatoes and a +layer of good apples sliced thin in a deep dish; put potatoes and apples +alternately till the dish is filled, mix together wine, water, sugar, +butter and nutmeg, and pour over, cover it with crust, and bake as +oyster pie. + + +Pork Mince Pies. + +Take pieces of fresh pork that have been left from sausage meat, or any +trimmings of the hams or shoulders; boil them, then chop. Have two heads +nicely washed and cleaned, boil, pick out the bones and chop them; mix +with the other meat, and season as you do other mince pies, they do not +require any suet. The lower crust of mince pies need not be so rich as +the top; always cut several places in the top crust with scissors, to +keep the juice from wasting. When you warm mince pies, do it gradually, +and do not have the crust scorched. Some prefer them cold. When the pies +are very plain, a little preserve syrup, and a glass of wine added is an +improvement. + + +Currant Pie. + +After stemming green currants, scald them, and allow them to stand +awhile; pour off the water; have the crust in your plates; put in the +currants, sweeten them well; put in a little water, a dust of flour and +a little orange peel. Gooseberries are prepared in the same way, but +require more sugar. Cherries should not be scalded. + + +Pumpkin Pudding. + +Choose a yellow pumpkin, with a fine grain, pare and cut it in small +pieces, boil it in plenty of water, and take it up as soon as it is +done, or it will soak up the water; to a gallon of pumpkin, stewed and +mashed, put two quarts of milk, eight eggs, half a pound of butter, half +a tea-cup of lemon or rose brandy; nutmeg and sugar to your taste; bake +it in deep plates, with a bottom crust. + + +Apple Pudding. + +Take three pints of stewed apples, well mashed, melt a pound of +butter, beat ten eggs with two pounds of sugar, and mix all together +with a glass of brandy and wine; pat in nutmeg to your taste, and bake +in puff paste. + + +Quince Pudding + +Take six quinces, pare them, cut them in quarters, and stew them, in a +little water with lemon peel; cover them and let them cook gently till +soft, when mash, or rub them through a sieve; mix them with sugar till +very sweet, season with mace and nutmeg; beat up four eggs and stir in +with a pint of cream; bake it in paste. + + +Potato Pudding. + +Take a pound and a half of well mashed potatoes; while they are warm put +in three-quarters of a pound of butter; beat six eggs with +three-quarters of a pound of sugar, rolled fine, mix all well together, +and put in a glass of brandy; season with nutmeg, mace or essence of +lemon, and bake in paste. + + +Cocoanut Pudding. + +Take three-quarters of a pound of grated cocoanut, with the brown skin +taken off, half a pound of sugar, the same of butter, the whites of six +eggs, beaten light, half a pint of cream, a glass of brandy, or +rose-water, and a quarter of a pound of crackers, pounded fine, beat +them together and bake in paste. If you wish the pudding rich, take a +pound of butter, the same quantity of cocoanut, of sugar and whites of +eggs, omitting the crackers and cream. Season as above. This quantity +will fill six dessert plates of large size. + + +Sweet Potato Pudding. + +Boil the potatoes, take off the skin, mash and strain them while warm; +to a pound of potatoes put half a pound of butter; beat six eggs with +half a pound of loaf-sugar, add a little mace or nutmeg; mix all +together, and bake with or without paste. + + +Lemon Pudding. + +Grate the rind of six fresh lemons, squeeze the juice from three, and +strain it; beat the yelks of sixteen eggs very light, put to them +sixteen table-spoonsful of powdered sugar, not heaped, with four +crackers finely powdered; beat it till light; put a puff paste in your +dish and bake in a moderate oven. + + +Another Way. + +Take one pound of potatoes strained through a sieve, half a pound of +butter, the same of rolled sugar, the juice of two lemons and the +peel of one; beat five eggs, and mix all together with a glass of +wine and a nutmeg. + + +A Preserve Pudding. + +Take a deep dish, butter it well and spread a layer of preserves, +without syrup--either quinces, citron, apples or peaches; rub together a +pound of fresh butter, and the same of powdered loaf-sugar, and add the +yelks of sixteen eggs well beaten; pour this on the preserves, bake it +in a quick oven for half an hour; it may be set by till the next day; +beat the whites of the eggs as for island, seasoning with currant jelly, +and spread it over the pudding cold, just as it goes to table. This +makes a rich dish and is eaten without sauce. This quantity will bake in +four ordinary pie plates. + + +Arrow Root Pudding. + +Take four table spoonsful of arrow root, mixed in a little cold milk; +pour on this a quart of boiling milk, beat six eggs with three table +spoonsful of sugar, and stir all together with a spoonful of butter, +bake it twenty minutes in paste. + + +Rice Pudding. + +Pour a quart of boiling milk on a pint of rice flour, stir it well, and +put in six spoonsful of sugar, one of butter, and four eggs, beat all +together, and bake in deep plates, with or without crust. + +Another Way. + +Boil half a pound of rice till soft, when nearly cold stir in half a +pound of white sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, and three eggs +well beaten; grate in half a nutmeg, stir in a pint of rich milk; pour +all in a yellow dish and bake half an hour; then, put a thick coating of +loaf sugar on the top, and eat hot, with or without cream. + + +Pudding Of Whole Rice. + +Boil a pint of washed rice in milk or water, till soft, put in a lump of +butter, five eggs, and sugar to your taste, season with essence of +lemon, or lemon peel, and mix in cream to make it thin enough to pour, +bake it in paste, in deep plates. + + +A Pudding Of Corn Meal. + +Pour three pints of boiling milk on nearly half a pint of sifted +corn meal, stir in half a pound of butter, add four eggs, a little +nutmeg, rose brandy, and the grated peel of a lemon, sweeten it, and +bake it in paste. + + +Corn Pudding in Paste. + +To two pounds of mush moderately warm, put three-quarters of a pound of +butter, the yelks of six eggs, the rind of one lemon, and juice of two; +sugar and nutmeg to your taste, and bake in paste as potato puddings. +This is much admired. + + +Richmond Pudding. + +Take one pound of raisins, stoned and chopped, half a pound of currants +rubbed in flour, a pound and a half of grated bread, a pound of suet +shred fine, eight eggs, two glasses of brandy, and two of wine; beat +them all together, adding the eggs at the last; dip your bag or cloth in +boiling water and flour it well; pour in the pudding and tie it up, +leaving room for it to swell; allow it four hours to boil; eat it with +white sauce. + + +Suet Pudding. + +Take half a pound of suet chopped fine, four tea-cups of flour, and five +eggs; beat these together with a quart of milk, and half a spoonful of +salt; put in three tea-cups of raisins just before you tie it up; they +should be rubbed in flour to prevent them from sinking; dried cherries, +or pared dried peaches, are very good instead of raisins; scald the +cloth and flour it; leave room for the pudding to swell. If you put +one-fourth corn meal, you can do with fewer eggs. + + +Cheese Cakes. + +Take one quart of curd, after the whey has been strained off, mix with +it half a pound of fresh butter, an ounce of pounded blanched almonds, +the whites of three eggs, a tea-cup of currants; season with sugar and +rose water to your taste, and bake in plates with paste. + + +Baked Apples. + +Wash and core your apples, and in the vacancy left by the core, put +brown sugar, and bake them in a stove or oven. + + +Batter Pudding with Green Fruit. + +Make a batter as for suet pudding. If you have small fruit, put it in +whole; if apples, chop them fine; boil it three hours. + + +Custard Bread and Butter Pudding. + +Fill a pan with slices of buttered bread, with raisins, grated nutmeg +and sugar over each slice; beat six eggs with a tea-cup of sugar; add +two quarts of rich milk, and pour it over the bread and butter; bake it +in a stove or oven. + + +Balloon Puddings. + +Mix a pint of rich milk with a pound and a quarter of flour; break +nine eggs; beat the yelks with the batter, the whites alone; when they +are mixed, stir in three-quarters of a pound of melted butter; grease +cups or bowls with butter; pour in the batter, and bake them half an +hour; if in a dutch-oven, put some water in the bottom; eat them with +white sauce. + + +Plain Rice Pudding. + +Put two quarts of good milk in a tin pan, with a tea-cup of whole rice, +the same of stemmed raisins, and a little nutmeg or cinnamon, and sugar +to your taste. If you bake it in a dutch-oven, it is best to put a +little water in the bottom before you set it in; bake it till the rice +is soft, and there is a brown crust on the top. + + +A Rice Dish with Fruit. + +Put a tea-cup of rice in a quart of milk, and boil it very slowly to +keep it from burning; when done, add a little salt, a tea-cup of cream, +and sugar enough to sweeten it; have ready, in a deep dish, any fruit +that is in season,--cherries, blackberries or apricots, apples, or +peaches, cut up and well sweetened, but uncooked; spread the rice +roughly over, and bake it slowly two hours. It may be eaten with cream, +and nutmeg, and is quite as good cold as warm. + + +Bread Pudding. + +Bread pudding is made out of bread that is too dry to use; cut it fine, +boil it in milk, and mash it well; beat four eggs and put in, with half +a pound of raisins; boil it an hour and a half, or bake it. + + +Bread and Apple Pudding. + +_To be eaten with Sauce_. + +Put a layer of buttered bread in the bottom of a well buttered dish, +with chopped apples, sugar, grated bread and butter, and a little +pounded cinnamon; fill up the dish with alternate layers of these +articles, observing that it is better to have the inner layer of bread +thinner than that of the top and bottom. This is a nice dish for those +who cannot partake of pastry. + + +Custard Hasty Pudding. + +Put a quart of new milk on to boil; then mix a tea-cup of rice flour +with a little milk, two eggs, and three spoonsful of sugar; beat it, and +when your milk boils, stir it in; let it boil five minutes--when pour it +out on some buttered toast, in a bowl or dish, and grate nutmeg over it. + + +Elkridge Huckleberry Pudding. + +One pound of flour, one of light-brown sugar, eight eggs--beat as +sponge cake, and add one quart of berries, nicely picked, washed, and +allowed to dry, bake as sponge cake. This maybe served with sauce; +either Lot or cold. + + +Huckleberry Pudding. + +Make a batter of five eggs to a quart of milk, and a little butter; +pick, wash, and rub in flour a pint or more of huckleberries, put them +in, and bake as long as other puddings, or boil it in a bag. + + +Green Corn Pudding. + +Cut the green corn through the grain, and scrape it off the cob with the +back of a knife; prepare a batter made of a quart of rich milk, two +eggs, and wheat flour, and a little salt; then add the corn, and beat it +well for a few minutes: it should be of a consistence to pour easily; +grease the pan, and pour it in; bake with quick heat in a stove or +spider, about half an hour. Six ears of corn will be enough for a quart +of milk, or you may double the quantity; eat it with butter, sugar and +cream, molasses, or any sauce that is convenient. + + +Baked Pudding. + +Boil a quart of milk, and stir into it half a pint of corn meal and a +tea-spoonful of salt--mix this well together; beat two eggs, stir in +when nearly cold; add a tea-cup of chopped suet, two table-spoonsful of +sugar, a little spice--grease a pan, and pour it in; bake three-quarters +of an hour. Eat it with sugar and cream, or molasses sauce. + + +A Boiled Indian Pudding. + +Boil a quart of milk, and stir in meal to make it a thick batter; put in +a tea-spoonful of salt, a tea-cup of suet, a spoonful of sugar; mix; +these well together, add two eggs, well beaten. If you have dried +peaches, soak them; sprinkle them with dry flour, and put them in, or +put in raisins, previously rubbed with wheat flour-beat it well; have +your pot boiling, scald the bag, flour it, and put in the pudding,--it +will boil in two hours. Eat with sugar and cream, molasses, or any kind +of pudding sauce. + + +Boiled Bread Pudding. + +Take a loaf of stale light bread, tie it in a cloth, boil it an hour, +and eat it with sauce. + + +A Bird's Nest Pudding. + +Pare and core some apples, enough to fill a deep dish, they should be +ripe, and such as will cook easily. Make a custard of five eggs, to a +quart of milk, and sugar and nutmeg to taste; pour this over, and bake +half an hour. + + +Little Puddings in Pans. + +Beat four eggs very light; make a batter of two tea-cups of flour, three +of milk, and one of cream; pour in the eggs, and beat all well together; +put in a spoonful of melted butter; grease your shallow pins or cups, +and bake from twenty to thirty minutes; eat them with sauce, or sugar, +cream and nutmeg. + + +Switzerland Pudding. + +Make a hatter of five eggs, a quart of milk and flour; pare and core +enough good apples to cover the bottom of your pan, fill the holes +where the cores came out with sugar, grease the pan, lay them in, and +pour the batter over, bake it an hour and a half, and make wine sauce +to eat with it. + + +Boiling Puddings. + +In boiling puddings, you must observe to have plenty of water in the +pot; the pudding should be turned frequently, have the water boiling +when it goes in, and do not let it stop. Have a tea-kettle of water by +the fire to pour in as it evaporates. When the pudding is done, it +should be dipped in a pan of cold water, to prevent its adhering to +the cloth. + + +Screw Dumplings. + +Roll out some paste thin, in a long strip, lay in preserves of any +kind, or stewed fruit, well sweetened, roll it up and close it tight, +pin it up in a towel, and boil it an hour, eat it with butter, sugar +and cream, or sauce. + + +Large Dumplings. + +Take green fruit of any kind--peaches, apples, cherries, blackberries, +or huckleberries, make crust as for pies, roll it out, put in the fruit, +and pin it in a cloth, boil it two hours. + + +Peach and Apple Dumplings. + +Make crust as for plain pies, cut it in as many pieces as you want +dumplings, pare and core the apples, roll out the crust, and close them +up, have the water boiling when they go in, and let them boil +three-quarters of an hour. Peaches pared and stoned make very good +dumplings, eat them with sauce of any kind, or sugar, cream and butter. + + +Light Bread Dumplings + +Take as much lightened dough as will make a loaf of bread, work into it +half a pound of stemmed raisins, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it an +hour and a half. + + +Rice Dumplings + +Wash and pick a pint of rice, boil it in water till it is soft; have +some apples pared and cored whole, fill the holes with sugar, cover them +over with the rice, and tie each one separately in a cloth; boil them +till the apples are done. + + +Indian Suet Dumplings + +Chop beef suet fine, and to a pint of Indian meal, take a table-spoonful +of the suet and a little salt; pour on boiling water enough to make a +stiff dough, work it well, make into round cakes, and boil in clear +water. These are good when vegetables are scarce, to eat with meat, or +as a dessert with sugar or molasses. + + +Corn Dumplings. + +When you boil corned beef, new bacon, or pork, you can make dumplings, +by taking some grease out of the pot, with some of the water, and +pouring it hot on a quart of Indian meal, mix and work it well, (it will +not require salt,) make it into little round cakes; (they should be +stiff, or they will boil to pieces;) take out the meat when it is done, +and boil the dumplings in the same water for half an hour. They may be +eaten with molasses, and make a good common dessert. + + +Pan Cakes. + +Take five eggs to a quart of milk, make a thin batter with flour, have a +little hot lard in the frying-pan, and pour in enough batter to cover +the bottom; turn and fry the other side; if eggs are scarce, a +tea-spoonful of salaeratus will supply the place of two. Eat them with +wine and sugar. + + +Water Pan Cakes--a cheap Dessert. + +Stir a quart of warm water in sufficient flour to make a batter of +moderate thickness; dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, with a little +salt, into a tea-cupful of butter-milk, or sour cream; beat it well; put +a little lard in a frying-pan, and when it is hot, fry them. They are +much better to be eaten hot, with sauce, sugar and cream, or any thing +you may fancy. This is a very cheap dessert, and has been thought nearly +equal to pan cakes made with milk and eggs. + + +Apple Fritters. + +Allow four eggs to a quart of milk; make a thick batter with flour, and +beat it well; stir in a quart of apples, chopped fine: have a frying-pan +with hot lard, and drop a spoonful in a place; fry them light brown on +both sides, and eat with sugar and wine, or sweet cider. + + +Rice Fritters. + +To a pint of rice flour add a tea-spoonful of salt and a pint of boiling +water; beat four eggs and stir them in, have hot lard in a frying-pan, +and fry them as other fritters. + + +Indian Meal Fritters. + +Take a quart of butter-milk, (in which dissolve a tea-spoonful of +salaeratus,) stir in meal to make a batter of suitable thickness, a +tea-spoonful of salt and two eggs; beat all well together, and fry in +hot lard, as other fritters. If you like, you can put in chopped apples. +Eat with sugar or molasses. + + +Snow Fritters. + +Take of light new fallen snow, three table-spoonsful for every egg you +would otherwise use--that is, if you would wish the quantity that three +eggs would make in the usual way, take nine table-spoonsful of snow, +and stir in a quart of rich milk that has been setting in a very cold +place, so that it will not melt the snow, and destroy its lightness; put +in a tea-spoonful of salt, and enough wheat flour to make a stiff +batter; have ready a frying-pan with boiling lard, and drop a spoonful +in a place as with other fritters, and set the remainder in a cold place +till the first are done. Eat them with wine sauce, or sugar, butter and +cream, or any thing you fancy. + + +Rice Flummery. + +Rice that is ground coarse, in a hand-mill, is much better for making +flummery than the flour you buy: put three pints of milk to boil, mix +with water two tea-cups of ground rice, and stir it in the milk when it +boils; while the milk is cold, put in it two dozen peach kernels, +blanched, and rolled with a bottle; wet your moulds with cold cream or +water; keep stirring the rice till it is thick, when pour it out in the +moulds; just before dinner turn them out on dishes, have cream, sugar +and nutmeg mixed, to eat with it. + + +Rice Milk. + +Take a tea-cupful of rice, boil it till about half done, and let all +the water be evaporated; then add the milk, and beat an egg with some +flour, and stir in; let it boil n few minutes, and season with sugar +and nutmeg. + + +Wine Sauce for Puddings. + +Mix a spoonful of flour in a tea-cup of water, with two spoonsful of +sugar and one of butter; stir this in half a pint of boiling water; let +it boil a few minutes, when add a glass of wine and some nutmeg. + + +White Sauce. + +Take half a pound of powdered white sugar, and quarter of a pound of +butter, beat them well together with a glass of wine, and grate in half +a nutmeg. A little currant jelly is preferred by some in this sauce +instead of wine. + + +Cream Sauce. + +Boil half a pint of cream, thicken it a very little, and put in a lump +of butter; sweeten it to your taste, and after it gets cold add a glass +of white wine; this is good to eat with boiled rice, plain pudding, or +apple dumplings. + + +Molasses Sauce. + +Put half a pint of molasses to boil in a skillet, with a piece of butter +the size of an egg; when it has boiled a few minutes, pour in a tea-cup +of cream, and grate in half a nutmeg; this is the most economical way of +making sauce. + + +Egg Sauce. + +Take the whites of three eggs and the yelks of two, beat them till +very light, and add a large table-spoonful of butter ready creamed, +with sugar and nutmeg to your taste; boil three glasses of wine, and +pour over the other ingredients, put it over the fire, and let it +boil two minutes, stirring all the time. This is nice sauce for any +kind of pudding. + + +Cherry Toast. + +Stone and stew a quart of ripe cherries, sweeten them, place some slices +of buttered toast in a deep dish, and put the stewed cherries over them. +A little powdered cinnamon or grated nutmeg may be put on the toast. + + +Apple Custard. + +Lay a crust in your pie plates, slice apples thin and half fill the +plates, pour over a custard made of four eggs to a quart of milk, +sweeten and season it; bake it slowly. + + +Custard baked in Cups. + +Beat up five eggs with two heaped spoonsful of sugar, mix these with a +quart of rich milk and a little nutmeg; fill the cups, pour water in the +bottom of a dutch-oven or dripping-pan, and set them in and bake them +till thick. + + +Boiled Custard. + +Put on to boil a quart of new milk; have ready a dozen peach kernels, +scalded, peeled, and rubbed fine with a bottle, beat five or six eggs, +with some sugar, and when the milk boils stir them in with the kernels; +keep stirring till it thickens, but do not let it boil, or it will +curdle; then take it off the fire, pour it in a pitcher, and continue to +stir till it is nearly cold, when pour it into your cups, and grate +nutmeg over the top of each. If you wish to have it flavored with lemon, +boil some peel with the milk. This custard may be put in a glass bowl, +and an island on the top. + + +Cold Custard. + +Sweeten half a gallon of milk, put into it a table-spoonful of rennet +wine, and let it stand in a warm place till it begins to come, when it +should be set in cold water till dinner time; just as you take it to +table, pour some cream on it, and grate nutmeg over the top. + + +Cream Custard. + +To a pint of thin cream, take one egg, and beat and season as other +custard; bake it in a plate with paste; this quantity is sufficient +for one large plate, and is more delicate than custard made in the +usual way. + + +Ice Custard with Vanilla. + +Boil three pints of rich milk with as much vanilla as will give it a +good flavor; sweeten it to your taste; have ready four eggs well beaten, +pour the boiling milk on them, and keep stirring till cool; when put it +to freeze. + + +Custard with Raisins. + +Stone and cut a tea-cup of raisins, put them in a quart of milk; when it +boils stir in five eggs well beaten, with two table-spoonsful of sugar, +and a little lemon peel; keep stirring till it boils again, then take it +off the fire, and stir till nearly cold; when put it in cups, or in a +large bowl; beat the whites of three eggs with sugar, and when quite +cold put them on the top of the custard. + + +To Boil Custard in Water. + +Beat the eggs, sugar and seasoning together, and put it in a pitcher or +nice stone jar; put in the milk and stir it well together; set the +pitcher in a pot of boiling water, and stir till it is cooked, when take +the pitcher out and stir till nearly cool. Custard should never be +boiled or baked two much--a minute too long will sometimes spoil it. + + +Whips. + +Grate the peel of a lemon in a pint of cream, sweeten it with loaf +sugar, and whip it well; beat the whites of three eggs and mix with it; +put apple jelly, seasoned with lemon, in the bottom of your glasses, and +as the froth rises put it on the top of the jelly. + + +Trifle. + +Put slices of sponge cake or Naples biscuit in the bottom of a deep +glass dish; on this put slices of preserved citron, or apples preserved +with lemon; pour over this a boiled custard, and on the top put a whip +made by the foregoing receipt. + + +Floating Island. + +Beat the whites of five eggs till the beater will stand up in them; then +add, a little at a time, four spoonsful of powdered loaf-sugar, and +currant jelly, or preserved syrup of any kind; put rich milk in the +bottom of a glass, or china bowl, and put the island on the top. In +making floating island, you should allow the whites of six eggs to six +persons. You can have very good custards at the same time with the yelks +of the eggs. + + +Apple Float. + +To a quart of apples, slightly stewed and well mashed, put the whites of +three eggs, well beaten, and four table-spoons heaping full of loaf +sugar, heat them together for fifteen minutes, and eat with rich milk +and nutmeg. + + +Carrageen or Irish Moss Blancmange. + +Wash in three waters half an ounce of Carrageen moss; drain and put it +in two quarts of new milk, let it boil for a few minutes, strain it in +a pitcher, wet the moulds, and pour it in while hot; let it stand till +it becomes thick, when it may be eaten with sugar and cream, seasoned +with peach or rose water, or with a lemon rolled in the sugar. Some +prefer seasoning the blancmange before putting it in the moulds. It +will keep in a cool place two days, and is better to be made the day +before it is eaten. + + +To Keep Suet for several Months. + +Chop the suet you wish to preserve until summer as fine as for mince +pies or puddings, then add a table-spoonful of salt to three +table-spoonsful of suet; mix all well together, and put it in jars. Keep +it tied up close, as exposure to the air makes it strong. It should be +soaked an hour before you wish to use it, to remove the salt taste. + + +Skim Curds. + +Put to boil a gallon of sweet milk; when it fairly boils, pour in a +quart of butter-milk; in a few minutes the curd will rise, which skim +off and set by, to cool for dessert; season it as you help to it at +table, with cream and sugar to the taste. + + +Whey Skim Curds. + +Boil the whey, and put in a pint of sour butter-milk; when the curds +rise to the top take them off, and set them in a cold place; they make a +nice dessert to eat with sugar, cream and nutmeg. + + +Cheese Curds. + +Put to boil a gallon of skim milk, stir into it two spoonsful of rennet +wine; when it turns, dip up the curds and set them away to cool; eat +them with sweetened cream and nutmeg. + + +Rennet Wine for cold Custards or Curds. + +Rub the salt from a nicely dried rennet, and cut it up; put it in a +bottle, and fill it up with good wine. If care is taken to keep it +filled up, it will last for several years, to make cold custard and +cheese curds. + + +To Preserve Milk to use at Sea. + +To every quart of new milk put a pound of loaf-sugar; let it boil very +slowly in an iron pot, over clear coals, till it is as thick as thin +cream--stirring it all the time, pour it out in a pitcher, and stir till +it is cold; put in bottles, cork it tight, and put sealing wax over the +corks; it must be shaken before it is used. + + + + + +SYRUPS, ICES, &c. + + +Lemon Syrup. + +Clarify a pound of loaf or Havana sugar, or if you wish to make a large +quantity, allow half a pint of water to every pound of sugar, and boil +it, skimming it when the scum arises, until it is of the consistency of +honey; then to every pound of sugar, add an ounce of tartaric acid. If +you do not find it sour enough, after it has stood two or three days, +add more of the acid. If you like the taste of oil of lemon, add a few +drops. A small quantity of the syrup prepared in this way, poured into +cold water, makes a refreshing drink in warm weather. + + +Lemon Syrup for Seasoning. + +Pare the lemons very thin, and put the peel to boil in a quart of water; +cover it, to keep in the flavor; put two pounds of loaf sugar to the +peel of a dozen lemons, and boil it till it becomes a rich syrup; keep +it corked up in a bottle, to season ice cream. + + +Syrup of Lemon Juice. + +Dissolve three pounds of loaf-sugar in three quarts of water, squeeze +and strain lemons enough to make a quart of juice; boil it slowly with +the water and sugar, and take off the scum as it rises; when it is quite +clear, strain and bottle it. It will supply the place of fresh lemons +when they cannot be had. + + +Pine Apple Syrup. + +Pare the pine apples, cut them in pieces, and to three pounds of pine +apple put a quart of water; cover it and let it boil till very soft, +when mash and strain it; to a pint of this juice put a pound of sugar, +boil it till it is a rich syrup, and keep it corked up in bottles to +season ice cream. + + +Almond Cream. + +Take a pound of blanched almonds, and roll them fine with a bottle; mix +them with a few drops of rose-water, and stir them into a quart of cream; +sweeten it with loaf-sugar, put it in a pot over the fire, and stir it +till it thickens. + + +Tincture of Vanilla. + +Vanilla beans, well bruised, half an ounce; French brandy, one gill; let +it stand one week, and it will be fit for use. Keep it corked tight. +This article will keep any length of time, and is very convenient for +seasoning ices. + + +Superior Receipt for Ice Cream. + +One gallon of cream, two pounds rolled loaf-sugar, one tea-spoonful of +oil of lemon. If for vanilla cream; use a table-spoonful of tincture +of vanilla, two eggs beaten; mix well and freeze in the usual way. The +seasoning should be well mixed with the sugar, before it is added to +the cream; by this means, it will be all flavored alike. This has been +much admired. + +Coloring for ice cream, may be made in this way: take of powdered +cochineal, cream of tartar and powdered alum, each two drachms; of salts +of tartar, ten grains; pour upon the powders half a pint of boiling +water; let it stand for two hours to settle, or filter through paper. +Use as much of this infusion as will give the desired shade. This +produces a brilliant pink color. + + +Freezing Ice Cream. + +Take a bucket of ice and pound it fine; mix with it two quarts of salt; +put your cream in a freezer; cover it close, and immerse it in the +bucket; draw the ice round it, so as to touch every part; after it has +been in a few minutes, put in a spoon, and stir it from the edge to the +centre. When the cream is put in a mould, close it and move it in the +ice, as you cannot use a spoon without waste. + + +Ice Cream with Lemon. + +Roll two fresh lemons, in as much powdered loaf-sugar as will sweeten a +quart of cream; if you wish the juice, you can put some in with more +sugar; freeze it. A good plan is to rub the lemon on a large lump of +sugar, and then use the sugar in sweetening the cream. + + +Ice Cream with Fruit. + +Mix the juice of the fruit with as much sugar as will be wanted before +you add the cream, which need not be very rich. + + +Pokeberry Juice to Stain Ices. + +Mash and strain ripe pokeberries; to each pint of juice put a pound of +sugar; boil them together till it becomes a jelly; when cold put it in +a jar and tie it close; use a small quantity of this to stain ice +cream or jelly. + + +Isinglass Jelly. + +To one ounce of shaved isinglass, put a quart of water; boil it down, to +a pint, and strain it through a flannel bag; add some sugar and wine; +stir it and put it in glasses. + + +Blancmange. + +Shave an ounce of isinglass, and dissolve it in boiling water; then boil +it in a quart of new milk; strain it and sweeten it to your taste; +season as you prefer, with rose water, cinnamon, or vanilla. + + +Blancmange of Jelly. + +To one pint of calf's foot jelly, add a pint of cream, a little mace, +and a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar; boil it fifteen minutes, +stirring it constantly; strain it through a flannel bag, and when nearly +cold put in n glass of white wine; wet your moulds with cold cream +before putting it in. + + +Calf's Foot Jelly. + +Split the feet, and soak them in cold water, four or five hours; wash +them clean, and put them to boil in six quarts of water; when it has +boiled down to one-half, strain it through a colander, and skim off all +the fat that is on the top; set it away to cool, and when the jelly is +quite stiff, wipe it with a towel, to take off any grease that should +remain; cut it in pieces, and pare of the discolored parts; put it in +your preserving kettle, with half a pint of wine, the juice and peel of +two lemons, mace and sugar to your taste, and the whites and shells of +six eggs; after it has boiled twenty minutes, pour in a little cold +water, to make it settle; if any scum arises, take it off; let it boil +five minutes longer, and take it off the fire; keep it covered for about +an hour, when strain it through a bag that has been dipped in hot water, +and put it in your glasses. + +When eggs are used in calf's foot and other jellies, care should be +taken to have the ingredients cool. If the jelly is hot when the eggs +are added, it cannot be clarified so well--they should only cook by +heating the jelly after they have been diffused, by stirring them +through it. + + +Raisins in Syrup. + +Make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pint of water, boil and skim +it; put in five bunches of raisins, and let them boil twenty minutes; if +you prefer, you can pick off the stems. + + +To Blanch Almonds and Peach Kernels. + +Pour boiling water on them, which will make them peel easily; either +roll them with a bottle on the cake board or pound in a mortar, with a +little loaf-sugar; they should not be pounded too much or they will be +oily; peach kernels make a fine flavoring for custard, but as they +contain prussic acid, do not use too many. + + +Snow Cream. + +Take the richest cream you can procure, season it with a few drops of +essence of lemon, or syrup of lemon peel, and powdered white sugar, and +if you choose a spoonful of preserve syrup, and just as you send it to +table, stir in light newly fallen snow till it is nearly as stiff as +ice cream. + + +Kisses. + +Beat the whites of eight eggs till they will stand alone; put with them, +a little at a time, a pound of powdered sugar; roll a lemon in some of +the sugar till the flavor is extracted. After it is beaten very well, +drop it in heaps about the size of half an egg on a sheet of paper; +smooth them over with a spoon, and let them be of a regular shape; bake +them in an oven that has been moderately heated, till they are of a pale +brown color; do not have the oven too cool, or they will run together; +take them from the papers carefully, and stick two together. + + + + + +CAKES. + + +Remarks on Making and Baking Cake. + +The materials for making cake should be of the best quality, as your +success very much depends on it. Flour should be dried and sifted, sugar +rolled fine, spices pounded and sifted. Where brown sugar is used, it +should be spread on a dish and dried before rolling it. I have known +very good pound cake made with brown sugar; also jumbles, &c. Persons +that make their own butter sometimes use it fresh from the churn, which +prevents the necessity of washing the salt out of it for cake, and it +mixes more readily than hard butter. Currants should be picked over, +washed and dried; raisins should be stemmed and stoned. When these +preparations are made the day before, it is a great assistance. Eggs +should be fresh, or they will not beat light: in beating the whites, +take a broad flat dish, and beat them until you can hold the dish upside +down,--this is a test of their lightness. A large bowl is best for +mixing and beating cake. You must use your hand for mixing the sugar and +butter, and as you add the other ingredients, you may take a large +wooden spoon; beat it some time after all is mixed. The oven should be +ready to bake immediately, as standing makes cake heavy. A brick oven is +the most certain,--and over your pans of cake, you should spread +several layers of newspaper, to prevent its browning too suddenly. Cake +requires more time than bread: a large cake should stay in the oven from +an hour and a half to two hours, turning and looking at it from time to +time; when you think it is sufficiently baked, stick a broad bright +knife in the centre; if it is dry and free from dough when drawn out, +the cake is likely to be done, though sometimes this is not a certain +test, and you will have to draw a little from the centre of the cake +with the knife. A broom straw will sometimes answer in a small cake +instead of a knife. A large stone pan, with a cover, is the best for +keeping cake, or a large covered bowl. + + +Icing for Cake. + +Roll and sift a pound of loaf-sugar; whip the whites of three eggs; put +in the sugar gradually, and beat it for half an hour; if it is so thick +that it will not run, put in some rose water; let the cake be nearly +cool; dry it in an oven that is nearly cool. + +Another Way. + +Put the white of one egg and a little rose water into half a pound of +pulverized sugar, and heat them together till they stand; when it is +nearly light enough, add a few drops of lemon juice, or a small portion +of tartaric acid, dissolved in a _little_ water. It must be beaten in a +bowl which has never had any thing greasy in it, (either cream or +butter). The cake must have a little flour sifted over it, and wiped off +with a towel, then cover it with a thin coat of the icing, set it under +the stove or in a place that is a little warm, and let it harden; then +add the second coat thicker; this will he perfectly white, but the first +is always dark and has crumbs through it. + + +A Rich Fruit Cake. + +Have the following articles prepared before you begin the cake: dry and +sift four pounds of flour, four pounds of butter with the salt washed +out, two pounds of loaf-sugar pounded, one ounce of nutmegs grated, an +ounce of mace pounded; wash four pounds of currants; dry, pick, and rub +them in flour; stone and cut two pounds of raisins; slice two pounds of +citron, blanch a pound of sweet almonds and cut them in very thin +slices; break thirty eggs, separate the whites and yelks, and beat them +till very light; work the butter with your hand till it is soft as +cream; put in alternately the flour, sugar and eggs. When all are mixed +in, and the cake looks very light, add the spice, fruit, almonds, and +half a pint of brandy; set it in a well heated oven to bake; when it has +risen, and the top is beginning to brown, cover it with paper; let it +bake four hours, and when it is nearly cool, ice it. This will keep a +long time in a stone pan, covered close. + + +A cheaper Fruit Cake. + +Take four pounds of flour, three of butter, three of sugar, two of +raisins, one of currants, two dozen eggs, an ounce of mace, three +nutmegs, and a half pint of brandy; if you want it dark, put in a little +molasses; mix the ingredients together, as the above fruit cake, and +bake it from two to three hours. + + +Fruit or Plum Cake. + +Dry and sift a pound of flour, roll a pound of sugar, and beat it with a +pound of butter, and the yelks of ten eggs well beaten; wash and dry a +pound of currants and rub them in flour; stone and cut half a pound of +raisins, and mix in with a glass of rose brandy, and a grated nutmeg, or +mace; when all the rest are well mixed together, beat up the whites of +the eggs, and add them; bake it an hour and a half. + + +Pound Cake. + +Wash the salt from a pound of butter, and beat it with a pound of loaf +sugar till it is as soft as cream; have a pound of flour sifted, and +beat ten eggs, the whites and yelks separately; put alternately into the +butter and sugar the flour and eggs, continue to beat till they are all +in, and the cake looks light; add some grated lemon peel, a nutmeg, and +half a wine-glass of brandy; butter the pan, and bake it an hour; when +it is nearly cold, ice it. If you want a very large cake, double the +quantity. You can tell when a cake is done by running in a broom-straw, +or the blade of a bright knife; if it comes out without sticking, it is +done, but if not, set it back. You can keep a cake a great while in a +stone pan that has a lid to fit tight. + + +White Cake. + +Beat the whites of twenty eggs; wash the salt out of a pound of butter; +sift a pound of flour, roll a pound of loaf-sugar, blanch a pound of +almonds; roll them fine with a bottle, and mix them with rose water. + +Work the butter, sugar and almonds together till they look like cream; +have the eggs beaten very light, and add them and the flour alternately +till you get all in; beat the whole together till it is very light; have +a pan buttered, and put it in a heated oven to bake; when it begins to +brown, put white paper over the top; bake it about three hours; when it +is nearly cold, prepare an icing, flavored with rose water; put it on +the top and sides. + + +Washington Cake. + +Take a pound and three-quarters of sugar, the same of flour, +three-quarters of a pound of butter, eight eggs, a pint of milk, and mix +them as a pound-cake; just as it is ready to bake, dissolve a +tea-spoonful of salaeratus in a little sour cream, and stir in; season +with nutmeg and rose brandy, or essence of lemon; bake it as pound cake. + +Some persons put in a tea-spoonful of lemon juice just before baking. + + +Madison Cake. + +Take a pound and a quarter of flour, and the same of sugar and butter; +five eggs, a pound, of raisins, and one of currants; two glasses of wine +or brandy; mace, nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in a +pint of new milk; bake it as pound cake. + + +Indian Pound Cake. + +Take three-quarters of a pound of Indian meal sifted, and one-quarter +of wheat flour; roll a pound of sugar, work into it three-quarters of a +pound of butter; season with nutmeg and rose brandy; add four eggs +beaten light; mix and bake as other pound cake. + + +Rice Flour Pound Cake. + +Take seven eggs, a pound of rice flour, one of sugar, and half a pound +of butter; season it with rose water and nutmeg; mix and bake it as +other pound cake, and ice it. + + +Sponge Cake. + +Balance twelve fresh eggs with sugar, and six with flour; beat the eggs +very light, the whites and yelks separately; mix alternately the sugar +and eggs, and add the grated peel of a lemon; butter a large pan, or +several small ones; add the flour just as it is put in the oven, +stirring it just sufficiently to mix. Beating it after the flour is +added makes it heavy; pour it in, and put it to bake as soon as +possible. This makes a good pudding, with white sauce. One-half rice +flour is an improvement. + + +Rice Sponge Cake. + +Take three-quarters of a pound of rice flour, one pound of white sugar, +finely powdered, and ten eggs; beat the yelks with the sugar, the +whites alone; add them and the flour to the yelks and sugar, a little +at a time; season it with rose brandy and nutmeg, and bake it in +shallow pans. + + +Sponge Cake in Small Pans. + +Take twelve eggs, with the weight of them in sugar, and the weight of +six of them in flour; beat the yelks with the sugar, the whites alone; +season with nutmeg or grated lemon peel; put all together, adding the +flour the last; stir it quickly after the flour is added, as it will +make it heavy to beat it much; grease several small pans and pour it in, +bake with a quick heat, and they will be done in half an hour, or less, +according to the size. They are pretty iced. + + +Lemon Sponge Cake. + +Take ten eggs, separate them, a pound of loaf-sugar, half a pound of +flour, the grated peel of two lemons and the juice of one; beat the +yelks with the sugar, the whites alone, when add them and sift in the +flour by degrees; beat well, have your pan buttered, and bake with a +quick heat either in a stove or dutch-oven, or a brick oven, the heat +should not be quite so great as for light bread--it will bake in +about an hour. + + +Cup Cake. + +Take four cups of flour, three of sugar, one of melted butter, one of +sour cream, with a tea-spoonful of salaeratus dissolved in it, and three +eggs; season it with brandy and nutmeg; mix, and bake it as pound cake. + + +Loaf Cake. + +Take about a pound of risen bread dough, work into it a tea-cup of +butter, three eggs beaten, a pound of sugar, a nutmeg grated and a +glass of brandy or wine; a pound of raisins, stoned and chopped, +should be added after it is well beaten; half a pint of cream slightly +warmed, with a table-spoonful of vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of +dissolved salaeratus should be stirred in just as you are ready to bake +it; also sifted flour enough to make it the proper consistence; bake +in a large pan, in a brick oven or stove, and it will require an hour +and a quarter. + + +Queen Cake. + +Mix a pound of dried flour, the same of sifted sugar, and currants; wash +a pound of butter, add rose water--beat it well--a tea-cup of cream; +then mix with it eight eggs, yelks and whites beaten separately; add the +dry ingredients by degrees; beat the whole an hour, bake in little tins, +or saucers, filling only half. + + +Rich Jumbles. + +Rub a pound of butter into a pound and a quarter of flour; beat four +eggs with a pound and a quarter of sugar; when very light, mix them with +the butter and flour; mix in a glass of rose water, and a nutmeg; roll +them in rings, and bake them slowly; sift powdered sugar over after they +are baked. + + +Common Jumbles. + +Take a pound of flour, half a pound of butter, and three-quarters of +sugar, three eggs, a little nutmeg and rose brandy; mix the butter and +sugar together, and add the flour and eggs; mould them in rings, and +bake them slowly. + + +Molasses Jumbles. + +Beat three-quarters of a pound of sugar, the same of butter, and three +eggs together; stir in half a pint of molasses; add rose brandy and +nutmeg, and enough flour to make a soft dough; roll it in rings, and +bake as other jumbles. By the addition of half a pint of molasses and a +tea-spoonful of salaeratus, you will have a common black cake, which may +be baked in one large pan. + + +Jumbles for Delicate Persons. + +Roll a heaped pint of light-brown sugar, and rub it in two pints or +flour, half a pound of butter, and a dessert spoonful of cinnamon; beat +an egg, and mix it with half a tea-cup of rich milk (in which a very +small lump of salaeratus has been dissolved;) stir all together with a +wine glass of rose brandy; work it well, roll thin and cut them +out--bake with moderate heat. + + +Cup Jumbles. + +Five tea-cups of flour, three of sugar, one heaped of butter, one of +sweet cream, three eggs and the peel of one lemon grated, or nutmeg, or +mace if you like; roll them thin, and bake in a quick oven. + + +Jackson Jumbles. + +Three tea-cups of sugar, one of butter, five of flour, one tea-spoonful +of salaeratus in a cup of sour cream and two eggs; bake in a quick oven; +season them with the peel of a fresh lemon grated, and half a wine-glass +of brandy. + + + +Macaroons. + +Blanch a pound of almonds, beat them in a mortar, and put with them a +little rose water to keep them from oiling, the white of an egg, and a +large spoonful of flour; roll a pound of loaf-sugar, and beat the whites +of four eggs; beat them all together; shape them on white paper with a +spoon, and bake them on tin plates in a slow oven; let them be quite +cold before you remove them from the paper. + + +Naples Biscuit. + +Beat twelve eggs till light; add to them a pound of dried flour and one +of powdered sugar; beat all together till perfectly light; put in some +rose water and nutmeg, and bike it in small shallow pans in a moderately +heated oven. + + +New Year Cake. + +Mix together three pounds of flour, a pound and a half of sugar, and +three-quarters of a pound of butter: dissolve a tea-spoonful of +salaeratus in enough new milk to wet the flour; mix them together; +grate in a nutmeg, or the peel of a lemon; roll them out, cut them in +shapes, and bake. + + +Cider Cake. + +Take a pound and a half of flour, three-quarters of sugar, and a quarter +of a pound of butter; dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in as much +cider as will make it a soft dough, and bake it in shallow pans; season +it with spice to your taste. + + +Dover Cake. + +One pound of flour, one of sugar, half a pound of butter, six eggs, half +a nutmeg, a spoonful of rose brandy; beat the butter and sugar together, +adding the other ingredients, the whites of the eggs beaten separately; +bake as pound cake. + + +Jelly Cake. + +This cake can be made by the sponge, cup, or Dover cake recipe; have +shallow tin pans or plates of the same size, butter them, and pour in +the batter so as to be about half an inch thick when baked; they take +but a few minutes to bake of a light-brown; and as you take them from +the oven, put them on a china plate, with a layer of jelly between each +cake, till you have four or five layers; cut the cake in slices before +handing it. Currant jelly is to be preferred, but quince will answer, or +peach marmalade. + + +Almond Cake. + +Ten eggs, one pound of loaf-sugar, half a pound of almonds, half a pound +of flour, one nutmeg; beat the yelks first, then put in the sugar, +beating them very light; blanch the almonds and pound them in a mortar, +with rose water or the juice of a lemon; add them alternately with the +flour, and the whites of the eggs well beaten. If you bake in one large +cake, it will require an hour and a half in a slow oven; in small pans, +it will take less time, and in either case, will require watching. + + +Raised Plum Cake. + +Take three pounds of flour, and mix to it as much new milk as will make +a thick batter, and a tea-cup of yeast; when it is light, beat together +a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and four eggs; mix this in with a +pound of raisins, stoned and cut, half a pound of currants, a grated +nutmeg, and a glass of rose brandy; bake it two hours. + + +Black Cake. + +Rub a pound and a half of softened butter in three pounds of flour, add +a pound of brown sugar, rolled fine, a pint of molasses, a +table-spoonful of rose brandy, a nutmeg or some mace, four eggs well +beaten, a pound of raisins stoned and chopped; mix the whole well, and +before baking add a tea-cup of sour cream with a tea-spoonful of soda +dissolved in it--beat it up again, have the pans well buttered, and put +in about three parts full; this quantity will make about six cakes, in +bread pans; bake as bread and if it brown too much, put paper on it, if +it seems too stiff, add a little more molasses or cream. It will keep +several weeks in cold weather. + + +Bunns. + +Take a pound and a quarter of flour, half a pound of butter, and +three-quarters of a pound of sugar, six eggs, half a pound of currants, +half a nutmeg, a glass of brandy, and a pint of new milk; mix all well +together, and put in half a tea-cup of yeast; let it rise, and when +light, bake it in shallow pans. + + +Butter-milk Cakes. + +One pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, three eggs, a +tea-cup of butter-milk, nutmeg or cinnamon to taste; add as much flour +as will make a dough that will roll out; cut in round cakes and bake +with a quick heat. + + +A Composition Cake. + +One pound of sugar, one of flour, half a pound of butter, six eggs, two +and a half wine-glasses of milk, one tea-spoonful of soda and one of +tartaric acid; warm the milk and butter; add the sugar, then the yelks +of the eggs beaten light, then the whites and the flour alternately, +then the soda, (to be dissolved in half a wine-glass of water;) season +with nutmeg, mace, or a little essence of lemon, and add lastly, the +tartaric acid, dissolved in half a wine-glass of water. Bake it one hour +in an oven, as hot as is usual for bread; when brown at the top, cover +it with paper. A pound of dried currants is an agreeable addition. + + +Ginger Cup-cake. + +Three cups of flour, one of sugar, one of molasses, one of butter, a +table-spoonful of ginger, one tea-spoonful of salaeratus, and three eggs; +bake in pans. A pound of stoned and chopped raisins is an improvement. + + +Light Ginger bread. + +Take three cups of molasses, five of flour, one of sugar, three eggs, +and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in a cup of sour cream; work +the sugar with a quarter of a pound of butter; beat two dozen cloves, +and put in with two table-spoonsful of ginger; mix all together, and +bake in shallow pans or cups. + + +Crisp Ginger-cake. + +Take three pounds of flour, one of sugar, and one of butter; mix these +together with three table-spoonsful of ginger, some cloves and anise +seed, and wet it with molasses; roll it thin; cut it in shapes, and bake +with a quick heat. + + +Ginger-bread Nuts. + +Take a pound and a half of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, +the same of butter, some cloves and cinnamon pounded fine, and an ounce +of ginger; mix these well together, and make it into a stiff dough, with +molasses; roll it thin, and cut it in small cakes. + + +Crullers. + +Take two pounds of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, half a +pound of butter, six eggs, and some mace or nutmeg; mix the flour, sugar +and butter together, and wet it with the eggs; if too stiff, put in some +cream, roll the dough thin; cut it in shapes, and fry them in boiling +lard. The more lard there is, the less they will soak it up. + + +Rusk. + +Take a quart of milk, a tea-cup of cream, half a pound of lard, quarter +of a pound of butter, a spoonful of salt, and boil them together; beat +well two eggs with a pound of sugar, and pour the boiling milk on them +gradually, stirring all the time; when nearly cold, add a tea-cup of +yeast, and flour sufficient to make a stiff batter; when quite light, +knead it up as bread, and let it lighten again before molding out; when +they are moulded out, wet them over with sugar and cream, and let them +rise a few minutes and bake them; grate a little sugar over when they +come out of the oven. + + +Rusk for Drying. + +Boil a quart of milk, and put in it half a pound of butter, and a little +salt; when nearly cold, stir in a tea-cup of yeast, a pound of sugar, +and flour to make a batter; when it is light, knead it up with flour, +and let it rise again; grease your pans, and make it out in cakes, about +the size of a tea-cup, and an inch thick; put two layers in each part, +and bake them three-quarters of an hour; when take them out, break them +apart, and put the top ones in other pans, and let them dry slowly in +the oven for an hour or more. + +This rusk will keep for months, and is very useful in sickness, to make +panada; it is also good for delicate persons that rich cake disagrees +with, or to take on a journey. Nutmeg or mace to your taste. + +If you like it richer, two eggs may be put in. + + +Bread Rusk. + +Take as much lightened dough, as would make a loaf of bread, spread it +open, and put in a tea-cup of sugar, some nutmeg and a piece of butter; +work it well, mould it out, and bake it with your bread; wet the top +with sugar and cream before it goes in the oven. + + +Dough-nuts. + +Boil a quart of new milk and melt in it half a pound of butter; beat +three eggs with two pounds of sugar, and pour on them the boiling milk, +stirring all the time; when it is nearly cold, star in a tea-cup of +yeast, a spoonful of salt, and flour enough to make a stiff batter; when +this is quite light, knead in flour to make a soft dough, two grated +nutmegs and a little mace; let it rise again till it is very light; roll +it out thin, cut it in shapes, and fry them in hot lard; dust over +cinnamon and loaf-sugar, pounded fine, while they are hot. + + +Common Dough-nuts. + +Pour a pint of boiling water into a pint of new milk, put in a quarter +of a pound of lard, and a table-spoonful of salt; stir in a tea-cup of +yeast and flour to make a stiff batter; let it rise, and when very light +put in two pounds of light-brown sugar, two nutmegs, and enough flour to +make a soft dough; work it well and let it rise again till it is very +light; roll out and fry as other dough-nuts. + + + + + +PRESERVES, JELLIES, &c. + + +To Clarify Sugar. + +To every four pounds of sugar put a quart of water and the whites of two +eggs; if you put in the egg after it gets hot, it will cook before it +has the desired effect; when it comes to a boil, and the scum rises, +pour in a little cold water; let it boil up; take it off to settle, and +skim it well; let it boil up, and skim it three times, when it will be +fit to preserve with. You should always clarify white Havana sugar. + + +Apples. + +Apples should be preserved in November, and they will keep till June. +Take firm pippins, pare them and take out the cores, leaving them whole; +or after you have cored them, cut them across in two pieces, they will +then be in rings; put them in cold water as fast as they are pared, to +keep them from turning dark; make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar, and +half a pint of water to each pound of apples; wipe the apples, and put +in as many as will go in, without one laying on another; let them boil +swiftly till they look clear, then take them up carefully on dishes, and +put in some more; when all are done, if the syrup should seem too thin, +boil it up after the apples are taken out; cut the peel of several +lemons in thin rings, boil them in a little water till they are soft, +and throw them in the syrup after the apples are taken out; put the +syrup in a bowl, and set all away till the next day, when put the apples +in glass jars or large bowls, spread the lemon peel about them and put +the syrup on the top; paste several thicknesses of paper over, and set +them in a dry cool closet. + +If you only want the apples to keep a few weeks, they may be done with +half a pound of sugar to a pound of apples, and will look and taste +quite as well. + + +Apples with Brown Sugar. + +Pare and halve your apples, either pippins, red-streaks or wine-saps; +make a syrup of light-brown sugar, allowing half a pound to a pound of +the fruit; after boiling and clarifying the syrup, pour it over the +fruit, and set it by for two days, then cook them, and seasoned with +green ginger root they are excellent; they will not require much +cooking, and should be of a light-brown color. + + +Crab Apples. + +Put the crab apples in a kettle with grape leaves in and around them, +with some alum; keep them at scalding heat for an hour, take them out, +skin them, and take out the seeds with a small knife, leaving on the +stems; put them in cold water, make a syrup of a pound of sugar to a +pound of apples; wipe the apples and put them in; let them stew gently +till they look clear; take them out, and let the syrup boil longer. + + +Currants. + +Make a syrup of one pint of currant juice to three pounds of sugar; if +it is brown sugar, put in the white of an egg to clarify it; let it boil +and skim it; have three pounds of currants picked and stemmed; put them +in the syrup, and let them boil slowly, about twenty minutes; take them +up and let the syrup boil longer. + + +Pine Apples. + +Pare and slice the pine apples, and make a syrup of a pound of sugar and +half a pint of water to a pound of fruit; clarify and skim it, then put +in the apples and let them cook gently for half an hour; if you do not +want to keep them long, much less sugar will do. + + +Blackberries. + +Allow a pint of currant juice and a pint of water to six pounds of +blackberries; give them their weight in brown sugar; let them boil till +they appear to be done, and the syrup is rich. Blackberry jelly can be +made as currant jelly, and is good for sick children, mixed with water. + + +Blackberry Flummery. + +Stew three pints of blackberries with one pint of sugar--soak a +tea-cup full of ground rice--and when the berries have been stewing +about fifteen minutes, stir in the rice, and stir the whole time +until it becomes thick. This should be eaten cold with cream, and +will keep two days. + + +Cherries. + +To preserve four pounds of cherries, take one pint of currant juice, +into which put five pounds of sugar; when this boils up, take off any +scum that rises, and put in half of the cherries, with part of each stem +on; when they look so clear that you can see the stone, they are done; +take these up on a dish and put in the rest, and let them do slowly the +same length of time; take them up and let the syrup boil a few minutes +longer; do not put them in the jars till they are quite cold. Glass jars +are the best to keep all early fruits in, as you can then see if they +begin to ferment; if they do, you must boil them over; always put them +in a window where they will be exposed to the sun. + + +Common Cherries. + +Stone the light-colored common cherries, and to every pound of +fruit, allow a pound of sugar, which boil up with the juice; after +you have skimmed it, throw in the cherries, and let them boil till +the syrup is rich. + + +Cherries for Common Use. + +Stone twelve pounds of morel cherries; allow half a pound of brown sugar +to each pound of fruit, after it is stoned, let them cook slowly for two +hours; examine them through the summer, and if they show any signs of +fermentation, set them in a brick-oven, after the bread is done, or in a +dutch-oven of hot water, which keep at boiling heat for an hour. + +It is a good plan to know the weight of your preserving kettle, as you +can then weigh the fruit in it, with a pair of steelyards. + + +Apricots. + +Pour boiling water on the apricots and wipe them dry; then cut them in +half and take out the stone; make a syrup of their weight in sugar, and +a little water; when this has boiled, put in the fruit, and let it cook +slowly till it is clear, and the syrup is rich. + + +Ginger. + +Scrape the outside from the green ginger, and boil it in a little water, +till it is soft; then take it out, and scrape off any spots that are on +it; make a syrup of half a pint of water to a pound of sugar and a pound +of ginger; let it boil slowly about half an hour; take it up and boil +the syrup a little longer. + + +Green Gage Plums. + +Take an equal quantity of fruit and sugar, pour boiling water on the +plums, and wipe them dry; stick them over with a pin; make a syrup of +the sugar and some water, and when it boils, put in half of the +plums; let them do slowly till they are clear, then take them out and +put in the rest; if the syrup should be thin, let it boil longer. Do +not put them in the jars till the next day. Egg plums may be done in +the same way. + + +Green Lemons. + +Take the young lemons, cut them in half, scrape them, and take out the +pulp; cut them in such shapes as you please; put them in a preserving +kettle and cover them with water; put in a little alum to green them, +and let them boil till they are transparent, then take them out and +drain them on a cloth; give the kettle another cleansing, and put them +in with their weight in sugar; let them stew gently, but be careful that +they do not boil; let them cook till the syrup is rich. + + +Raspberries. + +Boil three pounds of raspberries in a pint of currant juice, for ten +minutes; put in four pounds of sugar, and let them boil half an hour, or +until it is a jelly. Paste paper over the jar. + + +Citron Melon. + +Pare the melon and cut it in slices half an inch thick, without the +seeds; let it lay in salt and water for an hour, then wash the salt off, +and boil it in strong ginger tea; make a thin syrup and boil it again, +then make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of citron, and +boil it in this till it is clear; season it with mace and lemon peel. + + +Watermelon Rinds. + +Cut the rinds in any form you please; put them in strong salt and water, +with cabbage leaves over and around them, and set them in a warm place +till they become yellow; then wash them, and put them in a kettle with +alum and water, and grape or cabbage leaves over and through them; set +them on the fire, and keep it at scalding heat for two hours--but do not +let them boil. If they are not of a fine green color, change the water +and leaves; when they are green enough, put them in cold soft water for +three days, changing the water twice a day; then make a syrup of rather +more than a pound of sugar to a pound of melon, some sliced ginger, the +peel of a lemon, and a little mace; let them boil slowly fifteen +minutes, take them up, and boil them again at the end of a week. + + +Cantelopes, Cucumbers, or Melons. + +Take young watermelons, cucumbers or cantelopes; scrape the melons, and +cut the rinds in shapes--leave the cucumbers whole; put them in a +preserving kettle with alum and water; cover them, and let them boil +till they are transparent; take them out, wash them in cold water, and +wipe each piece separately; have your kettle nicely cleaned, and give +them rather more than their weight in sugar; put a layer of sugar, and a +layer of melon, some slices of green ginger, and the rind and juice of a +lemon; let them stew over the fire till the syrup is rich; take them up, +and stew them over again in about a week. + + +Cranberries. + +To preserve cranberries, allow them their weight in sugar; make a syrup +of the proportions of half a pint of water to two pounds of the sugar; +boil and skim it before you put the fruit in; then let them boil until +clear. To make sauce to eat with roast fowls, put three-quarters of a +pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. + + +Gooseberries. + +Take the large gooseberries, pick off the stems and blossoms, give +them their weight in sugar; put them in the kettle alternately, with +the sugar, and pour over them a pint of water to four pounds of fruit; +let them boil gently till the scum arises; when this is taken off, let +them cook faster; when clear, take them up on dishes, and boil the +syrup longer. + + +Peaches. + +Have sweet, white clingstone peaches--pare and stone them; to each +pound, take a pound of sugar made in a syrup, put the peaches in, and +when they look clear, take them up on dishes; let the syrup boil longer. + + +A New Mode of Preserving Peaches. + +Pare, halve and weigh the peaches; put them in a preserving kettle of +boiling water, and to six pounds of peaches, put a tea-spoonful of soda +or pearl-ash; let them boil one minute; then take them out, and throw +them in cold water; scrape off the black scum which adheres to the +peaches; wipe and lay them on a dish; have the kettle cleaned, and put +the peaches in layers, with half their weight in sugar; they will not +require any water; let them cook slowly at first, then boil till +clear--when take them out, and let the syrup boil till it becomes rich. +The flavor of the peach is retained, and they are not so sweet as in +the old way. + + +Damsons. + +Weigh out as much sugar as you have fruit; if it is brown you must +clarify it; put a pint of water to three pounds of sugar, make a syrup, +wash the damsons, put them in and let them cook slowly for half an +hour; then take them out on dishes, and let them dry in the sun for two +days, taking them in the house at night; boil the syrup half an hour +after the fruit is taken out; when done in this way they will be whole +and clear. You can make a jam by boiling them slowly for two hours; or +a jelly as currants. + + +To Preserve Strawberries. + +Gather the strawberries in the mid-day, pick out the largest and best, +stem them, and to each pound of strawberries put a pound of loaf-sugar +and a glass of white wine; let them stand four or five hours; take off +the syrup so as not to mash the fruit, and clarify it; then put in the +strawberries, and to each pound put as much fine alum as will lay on +the blade of a penknife; let them boil up several times, and shake +them round in the kettle, but do not stir them with a spoon, as that +will mash them; a few minutes boiling is sufficient; after you take +out the fruit, let the syrup boil up, and when it is nearly cold pour +it over them in the jar; put a piece of white paper over the top, and +pour a spoonful of brandy on it; paste several thicknesses of paper +over the jar. + +If you like your preserved strawberries, cherries, or peaches, to +have a fine pale color, allow them to bob half the time recommended +in the receipt, then spread the fruit thin on dishes, with but little +syrup, pour the rest of the syrup also on dishes, and set them daily +in the sun; if the weather be clear and the sun hot, four days will +be sufficient. Preserves done in this manner do not ferment. You +should spread a piece of gauze or netting over them to keep out +insects or dust. + +Another Way. + +To each pound of the fruit take a pound of crushed sugar; put them in +the preserving kettle, a layer of sugar and a layer of fruit; let them +stand a little while to make syrup before putting them over the fire; +they should boil fast for twenty minutes; watch them all the time, +taking off the scum as it rises; stir them gently without mashing the +berries; put them in jars, put brandy papers over them and paste or +tie them close. Preserves should never be put in jars that have had +pickles in them. + + +Tomatoes. + +Take solid round tomatoes, scald and peel them, give them their weight +in sugar, put a layer of sugar and of tomatoes alternately; let them +boil slowly till the syrup forms, then boil faster, till clear, and the +syrup is rich; season with lemon peel, ginger or mace; some prefer the +yellow tomato for preserving. + + +Quinces. + +Pick out the finest quinces, pare them, and cut them in halves, or in +rings; take the best of the parings and the seed, and boil them in water +till they are very soft, strain the liquor, and have the kettle cleaned +again, wash and weigh the quinces, and give them their weight in sugar, +put the sugar in the water the parings were boiled in--skin it, and put +in the quinces, let them boil very slowly till clear, take them up on +dishes, and boil the syrup longer. + + +Green Peppers. + +Get peppers that have a sweet taste, take out the seeds, leaving on the +stems, lay them in salt and water for three days, changing the water +each day, then put them in a kettle with leaves around them, and a small +piece of alum, let them scald, but not boil, for two hours, take them +out, and let them lay in water three days, changing it twice each day, +then boil them in sugar and water fifteen minutes, then make a syrup, +allowing them their weight in sugar, and boil them gently in it half an +hour, take them out and boil the syrup longer. + + +Pumpkin. + +Choose a fine grained, high colored pumpkin, fully ripe, cut it in thin +slices, about four inches long and two wide, to two pounds of pumpkin, +put two pounds of sugar in a bowl, cut the peel of two lemons in rings, +and squeeze the juice over the pumpkin, let it stand all night, the next +day put it on to preserve with two tea cups of water, let it cook gently +till the pumpkin seems clear and crisp, take it up, scald the lemon +peel, and boil it in the syrup, cool it on dishes, and put it in a jar. + + +Green Fox-Grape Jelly. + +Fill a kettle with grapes, and let them boil with a pint of water till +the skins burst, mash and strain them, put a pound of sugar to a pint of +juice, and let it boil half and hour. Ripe fox-grapes may be made into +very nice jelly in the same way, and is very good to drink in sickness, +mixed with water. + + +Pears. + +Pare and core the fruit, but leave the stems on; put them in a syrup +of a pound of sugar, and a half a pint of water to a pound of pears, +with some green ginger or lemon peel; boil the syrup half an hour +after they are done. + + +Ripe Fox-Grape Jam. + +To two quarts of grapes, allow three pounds of brown sugar, and a pint +of water; have the grapes picked over and washed; put them all together +and let them boil more than an hour; take them up on shallow dishes, and +pick out as many seeds as you can with a spoon. This makes a good common +preserve when other fruits are scarce; they are also very good for pies. + + +Currant Jelly. + +Pick the leaves from the currants and fill your kettle with them; put a +tea-cup of water to keep them from sticking; cover them with a plate and +let them boil slowly half an hour; take them out, and strain them +through a flannel bag; to every pint of juice put a pound of loaf-sugar; +let it boil till it is a thick jelly, which will be in about fifteen +minutes, and put it in tumblers or jars. + + +Lemon Butter or French Honey. + +Take half a pound of butter, melt it in an earthen dish and squeeze in +the juice of six lemons; beat twelve eggs with two pounds of brown +sugar, stir it in with the rind of two lemons grated, mix it all +together, and let it boil twenty minutes, when it will be about the +consistency of honey; the flavor is agreeable, and it may be eaten on +bread, or as a sauce for boiled pudding. + + +Currant Syrup. + +Prepare the currants as for jelly; to every pint of juice put a pint of +water and a pound of sugar; let it boil half an hour and skim it well; +if the flavor of the raspberry is preferred, it may be added in the +proportion of one pint of it to four of currant juice. It is a very +pleasant drink mixed with water in warm weather. + + +Quince Jelly. + +Wash and wipe the quinces; cut them in small pieces, and take out the +seeds carefully; have your kettle cleaned and half full of water; throw +the quinces and seeds in till you get it full; cover them over and let +them boil till very soft; mash them well and strain them; to every pint +of juice put a pound of sugar; clean the kettle again, pour in the juice +and sugar, and let it boil till it forms a jelly; it should be put into +tea-cups, if you want to turn it out whole, with brandy papers on top, +and pasted over. It is a nice jelly to use with whips or trifle. + + +Apple Jelly. + +Pare and quarter a preserving kettle full of pippin apples; cover them +with water, and lay a plate close over them; let them boil until +perfectly soft, taking the plate off to skim them; spread a coarse thin +cloth over a large bowl; pour the apples on the cloth, and let the juice +run through, without squeezing; hold the towel by the corners, and move +it gently; take three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pint of the +juice, and boil it fast, skimming it, until it becomes jelly, which will +be in from ten to fifteen minutes, pour it in tumblers or glass jars, +and when quite cold, paste them over. This will keep a year. Red streak +apples make a fine red jelly, boiled with the skins on them. If you have +currant or grape jelly that has candied, they can be restored by making +some apple syrup, and mixing it hot; it will not require any more +sugar--about one-third apple juice; let it boil a few minutes. Very +sweet preserves that have candied can be improved by this process. + + +Apple Marmalade. + +Apples make a very good marmalade when other fruits are scarce, and can +be done at any time through the fall, or winter, pare the apples, cut +them up, and put them to boil, with some water and green ginger scraped, +and tied up in a bag, after they have boiled an hour, take out the +ginger, and put in half a pound of sugar to one of fruit, let it cook an +hour longer. + + +Peach Marmalade. + +Take soft yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them in quarters, give them +their weight in sugar, put the peaches in the preserving kettle with a +pint of water, without the sugar, and let them boil till they are well +cooked, covered over with a plate, when done, mash them in the kettle +till very fine, and stir in the sugar, let them cook slowly an hour, or +they may be finished in a stone jar in the oven, or set in a stove +boiler, and the water kept boiling all the time, they are not then so +likely to burn as when finished over the fire, they will do with less +sugar, if they are dried in the sun two days previous to preserving. + +Another Way. + +Pare and quarter the peaches, and to eight pounds of peaches, allow five +pounds of sugar, put them on, sugar and peaches at once, mixing them +through, let them stew slowly until a syrup forms, when they may cook +pretty fast for several hours, without once stirring, then take them up, +and mash them well, if the marmalade is not thick enough, spread it on +dishes, and dry in your oven after the bread is taken out. Quinces and +apples may be done in the same way. + + +Quince Marmalade. + +Pare the quinces and cut them up fine, put the parings and cores to +boil, then strain them, put in the quinces, and let them boil till +soft-when mash them fine, and put in three-quarters of a pound of sugar +to a pound of fruit, let them cook gently for two hours, and take them +up in pint bowls; when cold, put brandy papers on the top of each, and +paste them over, they will turn out whole to put on table. + + +Marmalade of Mixed Fruits. + +Pare equal quantities of peaches, apples, pears and quinces, cut them +fine, and put them to boil with a pint of water to six pounds of fruit, +let them cook thoroughly, but do not let them burn, take them out, and +mash them well, clean the kettle, and put them back, with half their +weight in sugar, let them cook very slowly for two hours. + + +Lemon Marmalade. + +Soak the peel of lemons that have been left after making lemonade, +changing the water twice a day for three days, to extract the bitter, +boil them till soft, then mash and put in enough sugar to make it +pleasant to the taste; stew it a short time after the sugar is put in; +put it in a bowl, and when cold, cut it in slices for the table; it will +keep several weeks. + + +To Conserve Pears. + +Have the nicest pears you can get, pare them, and leave on the stems; +take half a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of pears; put them in the +kettle together, with water enough to moisten the sugar; if the pears +are very juicy, they will not need any; cover them over with a plate, +and let them boil very gently for two hours; take them out on dishes, +and boil the syrup to jelly, and put it away by itself; set the pears in +the sun, or in a moderately heated oven; when quite dry, sprinkle them +with loaf-sugar, and put them away in glass jars. + + +Peaches in Cider. + +Scald and wipe the peaches; cut them from the stone, and dry them in the +sun two days; boil a gallon of sweet cider half away; put in the +peaches, and let them stew slowly till done; they will keep without any +sugar, but you can put some in, if you wish them sweeter. + +Pears can be kept in the same way. + + +Peaches, &c. in Brandy. + +Take fresh yellow peaches, or large clingstones, pour boiling water on +them, and wipe off the down; make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to +a pound of fruit, and boil and skim it; put in the peaches, and let +them cook for fifteen minutes; take them up without any syrup, and +cool them on dishes; boil the syrup down to half, and put an equal +quantity of peach or French brandy, pour this over the peaches after +they are in jars. + +Plums or cherries may be done in the same way. + + +Grapes in Brandy. + +Put some close bunches of grapes, not too ripe, in a jar, and prick each +one with a needle, strew over them half their weight in pounded rock +candy, and fill up the jar with brandy. + + +To Conserve Peaches. + +Take the yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them from the stone in one +piece, to six pounds of peaches have two pounds of sugar, make a syrup +of three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and a little water, put them in, +and let them stay till they are quite clear, then take them up carefully +on a dish, and set them in the sun to dry, pound the sugar fine, and +strew over them, turning them over to let each part have some, do not +put much on at a time, and if any syrup is made, remove them to fresh +dishes, when they are sufficiently dry, lay them lightly in a jar, with +a little sugar between each layer. + +If the peaches are sweet clings, three pounds of sugar to twelve of +peaches will be enough, if you dry them a day in the sun before they +are stewed. + + +Sauce of Cherries, or Damsons. + +Allow half a pound of brown sugar to every pound of fruit, and to each +seven pounds a pint of molasses, and one of strong vinegar, let them +cook slowly, so as not to break the skins, take them up in a jar, put in +a few cloves, let the syrup boil longer, and pour it over. + + +Frosted Fruit. + +Take large ripe cherries, apricots, plums or grapes; if cherries, cut +off half of the stem; have in one dish some white of an egg beaten, and +in another some powdered loaf-sugar; take the fruit, one at a time, and +roll them first in the egg, and then in the sugar; lay them on a sheet +of white paper in a sieve, and set it on the top of a stove or near a +fire till the icing is hard. + + +Grapes for Pies. + +After the first frost, pick the wild grapes, and put them in a jar, free +from stems; fill it with boiling molasses, and tie it up close; set it +on a hot hearth, or on the top of a stove, in a pan of water, for +several days. These are very useful to make common pies in the winter. + + +Green Tomatoes for Pies. + +Pick the green tomatoes before they are much frosted; scald them and +take off the skins; put them in your kettle and let them boil for half +an hour; cut them up, and put in a pound of sugar to three pounds of +tomatoes, and let them cook for half an hour longer; season them with +the juice and peel of a lemon, and put them away in jars. They make very +good pies in the winter, and resemble gooseberries. + + +Conserve of Roses. + +Gather the leaves of the damask rose, while they are fresh; spread a +pound of loaf-sugar on your cake-board, and roll in about half a pound +of rose leaves, or as many as will work into it, have your kettle +cleaned, and stew them in it very gently for about half an hour; put it +in tumblers to use when you have a cough. It is very good for children +that are threatened with the croup; you should have some by the side of +the bed to use at night. + + +To keep Damsons for Pies. + +To every twelve pounds of damsons take seven pounds of brown sugar; put +them together in a stone jar, a layer of fruit and a layer of sugar; tie +it up close, and set it in a heated oven; let it stay till it is cold, +and continue to set it in, after every baking, for several weeks; or you +can cook them on the top of a stove, in a pan of hot water. + + +Dried Cherries, &c. + +Dried cherries should be kept in a jar, with sugar sprinkled among them; +they are very useful in sickness; a tea-cupful of cherries, with a quart +of boiling water poured on them, and left to draw for half an hour, with +sweetening, makes a very agreeable drink when you cannot get lemonade. + +When stewed for pies you should allow them plenty of water, and not put +in the sugar till they are nearly done. + +Boiling water poured on dried apples also makes a good drink in +sickness. + + +Apple Butter. + +_With Remarks on the Use of Earthen Vessels_ + +Have your kettle well cleaned, and fill it early in the morning with +cider made of sound apples, and just from the press; let it boil half +away, which may be done by three o'clock in the afternoon; have pared +and cut enough good apples to fill the kettle; put them in a clean +tub, and pour the boiling cider over; then scour the kettle and put in +the apples and cider, let them boil briskly till the apples sink to +the bottom; slacken the fire and let them stew, like preserves, till +ten o'clock at night. Some dried quinces stewed in cider and put in +are an improvement. Season with orange peel, cinnamon or cloves, just +before it is done; if you like it sweeter, you can put in some sugar +an hour before it is done. If any thing occur that you cannot finish +it in a day, pour it in a tub, and finish it the next day; when it is +done put it in stone jars. Any thing acid should not be put in earthen +vessels, as the glazing is poisonous. This way of making apple butter +requires but little stirring; you must keep a constant watch that it +does not burn. + +Pears and peaches may be done in the same way, and if they are sweet, +will not require sugar. + +Another Way. + +It is important to have a large copper or bell-metal kettle, into +which put the cider as soon as it comes from the press; put it over a +brisk fire, and boil it half away; then put the cider from the kettle +into clean stone jars, (warm the jars to prevent the danger of +breaking them;) have your apples pared and cut over night, as many as +would fill your kettle twice; have the kettle well cleaned, and in the +morning put in half the cider, and fill the kettle nearly full of +apples, and put it over a brisk fire; when they begin to boil up, stir +them down, which may be done two or three times, before you put in +your stick to stir constantly; then put in the rest of the apples and +cider, as fast as the kettle will take them, and boil it four hours +after the last apples are put in, stirring it all the time; you should +have for the purpose a stick made of hickory wood, somewhat like a +common hoe, with holes in it. + + +Candied Preserves, &c. + +If your preserves candy, set the jars in hot water for half an hour; if +they are in glass jars put them in something else, as glass cracks +easily, when exposed to heat. Preserves made with white Havana sugar are +not so liable to candy as others. Common preserves are improved, and are +more certain to keep well, by being placed on flat dishes and set in a +brick-oven after the bread is taken out: they may remain two or more +hours without injury. When preserves are about to boil over, you should +have a common fan at hand and fan them, which will sometimes answer +instead of taking them from the fire. + + +Cider Marmalade. + +Boil two gallons of sweet cider down to one gallon; have ready two +gallons of apples, pared and cut; pour the cider out of the kettle, +and clean it; then put in the apples, and pour the cider in, and two +or three pounds of sugar; if it will not hold all conveniently, add at +intervals; let them stew four hours; do not stir till they are nearly +done--stirring makes fruit stick to the kettle and burn; if you stir +once you must keep on. This is a pleasant sauce for dinner, or eaten +with bread and butter at tea, and will keep in a cool place through +the winter. + + +Tomato Figs. + +Take six pounds of sugar, to one peck (or sixteen pounds) of ripe +tomatoes--the pear-shaped look best; put them over the fire (_without +peeling_) in your preserving kettle, their own juice being sufficient +without the addition of water; boil them until the sugar penetrates and +they are clarified. They are then taken out, spread on dishes, flattened +and dried in the sun, or in a brick-oven after the bread is taken out. A +small quantity of the syrup should be occasionally sprinkled over them +whilst drying; after which, pack them down in jars, sprinkling each +layer with powdered sugar. The syrup is afterwards concentrated and +bottled for use. They retain surprisingly their flavor, which is +agreeable and somewhat similar to the best figs. Ordinary brown sugar +may be used, a large portion of which is retained in syrup. + + +Molasses Candy or Taffy. + +Put a quart of good molasses (not sugar house) in a dutch-oven or iron +pot, having previously greased it with butter; let it boil very fast, +stirring it all the time for fifteen minutes; then put in a tea-cup of +sugar and let it boil fifteen minutes longer, stirring all the time; +take a little out on a plate, and when it is brittle, pour it while hot +into tin plates rubbed with butter; put it in a cold place and break it +up when you want it for use; never put taffy in china or earthen plates, +as they would probably be broken in taking it out. Some think it an +improvement to add the kernels of black walnuts, nicely picked--put them +in just as you take up the taffy and give it one stir; a tea-cup of +kernels to a pint of molasses is a good proportion. + + +Walnut Cheese. + +Take a pint of nice kernels and pound them in a mortar with two tea-cups +of brown sugar, and a table-spoonful of water; put it in cups or small +bowls and it will turn out like other cheese. It is a favorite +refreshment with some country children. + + + + + +CORDIALS, WINES, VINEGAR, PICKLES, &c. + + +Peach Cordial. + +Put a gallon of peach brandy into a wide-mouthed vessel, and five pounds +of fine flavored peaches, cut from the stone; boil five pints of water +with two pounds of loaf-sugar and a pound of peaches, till it is a clear +and rich syrup; pour this boiling hot on the brandy and stir it well; +put in two dozen peach kernels, blanched and pounded, and a little mace; +let it stand three weeks covered tight--at the end of which time, bottle +it for use. It is a nice seasoning for cake. + + +Quince Cordial. + +Grate the quinces and strain them; to every quart of juice, put a pound +of loaf-sugar and a pint of spirits; boil, strain and bottle it. + + +Cherry Cordial. + +Mash and strain the cherries, boil the juice, and to a gallon, put two +pounds of sugar, and half a pint of spirits; the sugar should be boiled +in it; skim and strain; when cold, bottle it. + + +Lemon Brandy. + +Have a bottle three-quarters full of brandy; when you use lemons for +other purposes, pare off the yellow skin very thin, cut it small and +drop it in the bottle, till you get it full. Be careful not to put in +any of the tough white part, as that will give it a bitter taste; cork +the bottle and keep it to season cakes and puddings. + + +Rose Brandy. + +Fill a large bottle with damask rose leaves, picked while they are +fresh; fill the bottle with brandy, or good spirits of any kind; cork it +tightly and set it away for use. It will bear filling up several times. + + +Blackberry Cordial. + +Mash and strain the blackberries; put the juice on to boil in a brass or +bell-metal kettle; skim it well, and to each gallon of juice put three +pounds of sugar and a quart of spirits; bruise some cloves and put in. +This is valuable as a medicine for children in summer. + + +Rose Water. + +Gather the damask rose leaves; have a tin pan that will fit under your +warming-pan; wring a thin towel out of water, spread it over the pan, +and put rose leaves on this about two inches thick; put another wet +towel on top of the leaves, and three or four thicknesses of paper on +it; put hot embers in the warming-pan, and set it on top of the paper, +propped up so as not to fall; when you renew the coals, sprinkle the +towel that is at the top of the rose leaves; when all the strength is +out of the leaves, they will be in a cake; dry this, and put it in your +drawers to scent the clothes; put another set of leaves in, sprinkle +the towels, and so till you have used up all your rose leaves. Rose +water is a very nice seasoning for cake or pudding; it should be kept +corked tightly. + + +Cologne. + +Put into a bottle half an ounce of oil of lavender, one drachm of oil of +rosemary, two of essence of lemon, two of essence of bergamot, forty +drops of oil of cinnamon, and a little musk, if you like it; pour on it +three pints of best alcohol. + + +Blackberry Wine. + +Gather the fruit when fully ripe, but before the sun has had time to +dry the juice; put it in a tub and pour in clear cold water enough to +cover it; mash it to a pulp with a wooden masher; strain it through a +linen bag or towel; a deal of juice will remain in the pulp, which in +order to get you must add some sugar to it, and boil it in your +preserving kettle, when you may strain again, and will have little left +but seeds; to every gallon of the liquor, add three pounds of good +brown sugar; pour it in a keg, (which should stand in a cellar, or cool +dry place:) let it stand two or three weeks, with the bung laid loosely +on; as the froth works out fill it up, (with some of the liquor kept +out for the purpose.) French brandy in the proportion of a quart to +five gallons, is an improvement. At the end of three or four weeks, it +may be closely bunged and put away in a safe dry closet, where it +should remain undisturbed for a year, when it may be racked off, +bottled and sealed over. + + +Gooseberry Wine. + +Put three pounds of lump sugar in a gallon of water; boil and skim it; +when it is nearly cold, pour in it four quarts of ripe gooseberries, +that have been well mashed, and let it stand two days, stirring it +frequently; steep half an ounce of isinglass in a pint of brandy for two +days, and beat it with the whites of four eggs till they froth, and put +it in the wine; stir it up, and strain it through a flannel bag into a +cask or jug; fasten it so as to exclude the air; let it stand six +months, and bottle it for use; put two or three raisins in each bottle, +and cork it up. + + +Currant Wine. + +Pick and mash the currants, either with your hands or a clean block, in +a tub; strain them, and to one gallon of juice, put two gallons of +water; and to each gallon of the mixture, put three pounds of sugar; +stir it until the sugar is dissolved, then put it in a clean cask that +has never been used for beer or cider; put it in a cellar or cool place, +and let it work out at the bung for several weeks; have a gallon of it +saved in a jug to fill up with, as it works out. When it is done +working, bung it up. + +You may rack it off towards spring, or it will not hurt it to +stand a year. + +If you want a barrel of wine, you must have eight gallons of currant +juice, sixteen of water, and seventy-two pounds of sugar; put in a quart +of brandy after it has done working; if you can get a clean brandy +barrel to put it in, it is better than a new one. + +Another Way. + +Mash well together equal quantities of currants and water, strain the +juice and to every gallon add three pounds of best brown sugar; fill the +cask two-thirds full, bung it tight and put clay over; by this means the +air is excluded while the process of fermentation is going on; the cask +should be iron-bound; rack it off and bottle or put in demijohns the +next spring after making. + + +Elderberry Wine, &c. + +To each gallon of berries, put one of water; mash them in a tub, and +leave them two days, stirring them frequently; then strain them, and to +each gallon of juice put three pounds of brown sugar, and to every five +gallons, two ounces of bruised ginger, and one of cloves, which tie up +in a bag, and boil in the wine for an hour, and put it in a cask; when +it is nearly cold, put in two spoonsful of lively yeast; let it ferment +two days, and put in a pint of spirits with the bag of spice, and close +it up. This is excellent as a medicine for delicate or elderly persons. + +Fill a bottle with elderberries, with a dozen cloves, and fill it up +with spirits. It is good to give children that have the summer disease; +mix a tea-spoonful of it with sugar and water for a child, or a +table-spoonful for a grown person. + + +Ginger Wine. + +Boil nine quarts of water with six pounds of lump sugar, the rinds of +three lemons very thinly pared, and two ounces of face ginger pounded; +when it has boiled half an hour, skim it, and pour it on the juice of +two lemons: when nearly cold, add two spoonsful of yeast; put a pound of +raisins in the cask, with a half a pint of brandy, and half an ounce of +shaved isinglass; strain it in the cask, and stop it tight; bottle it in +six or seven weeks. + + +Raspberry Wine. + +Pick over the raspberries, and to every quart put a quart of water; +bruise them, and let them stand two days; strain off the liquor, and to +every gallon put three pounds of lump sugar; stir it till the sugar is +dissolved, and put it in a clean barrel, or keg; at the end of two +months, bottle it, and put a spoonful of brandy, or a glass of wine in +each bottle. + + +Raspberry Vinegar, and its uses. + +Put two pounds of raspberries in a large bowl, and pour on them two +quarts of white-wine vinegar; the next day, strain the liquor on two +pounds of fresh raspberries; let this stand a day, and strain it into a +stone jar; to each pint of the liquor put a pound of loaf sugar; stir +till it is dissolved, and put the jar in a sauce-pan of water, which +keep boiling for an hour; skim it, and bottle it when cold. This is used +not only as a refreshing drink, mixed with water, but is said to be of +use in complaints of the chest. No glazed or metal vessels should be +used in making it. + + +Spruce Beer. + +Boil some spruce boughs with some wheat bran, till it tastes +sufficiently of the spruce; bruise some allspice, and put in; strain it, +and put two quarts of molasses to half a barrel; when it is nearly cold, +put in half a pint of yeast; after it has worked sufficiently, bung up +the barrel. + + +To Make Two Gallons of Beer. + +Put two pounds of brown sugar in a jug, with a heaped spoonful of +ginger, and a pint of strong hop tea; pour in a gallon and a half of +warm water, and a tea-cup of yeast; leave out the cork a day--then +fasten it up, and set it in a cool place; or if you bottle it, put two +or three raisins in each bottle. + + +Harvest Beer. + +To make fifteen gallons of beer, put into a keg three pints of yeast, +three pints of molasses, and two gallons of cold water; mix it well, and +let it stand a few minutes; then take three quarts of molasses, and +three gallons of boiling water, with one ounce of ginger; mix them well, +and pour into the keg, and fill it up with cold water. + +A decoction of the root of sassafras is good to put in beer. + + +Porter Beer. + +A pleasant drink in summer is to take one bottle of porter, five bottles +of water, and a pint of molasses, or a pound of sugar; make a spoonful +of ginger into a tea, and mix all well together; have seven clean +bottles, with two or three raisins in each; fill them, cork them tight, +and lay them on their sides on the cellar floor. + + +Molasses Beer. + +Take five pints of molasses, half a pint of yeast, two spoonsful of +pounded ginger, and one of allspice; put these into a clean half-barrel, +and pour on it two gallons of boiling water; shake it till a +fermentation is produced; then fill it up with warm water, and let it +work with the bung out, a day, when it will be fit for use; remove it to +a cold place, or bottle it. This is a very good drink for laboring +people in warm weather. + + +To Make Cider. + +To make cider that will keep sweet for a length of time, requires +particular attention to all the points. All the works and utensils in +use must be perfectly clean, so that nothing acid shall come in contact +with the pulp or liquor while pressing. The casks should be cleaned in +the following manner: + +After washing each barrel clean, put in a lump of unslaked lime, and +pour in a gallon of boiling water; bung it up, and roll the barrel +several times a day, letting it lay with the bung down; in the evening, +empty out the lime-water, and wash the barrel clean in several waters; +after the water is drained out, burn a brimstone match in it, made of a +piece of coarse muslin one inch broad, and four long, dipped in melted +brimstone; light one end of the match, and put it in; put the bung on +slightly, so as to hold the other end, and allow air sufficient to make +it burn; when the rag has burned out, drive in the bung to keep in the +sulphuric gas, which, if allowed time, will condense on the sides. + +The apples should be kept under cover, and secured from rain. After +they have laid to mellow for two or three weeks, select those that are +sound; break off the stems and leaves; have the trough perfectly clean, +and after they are ground, keep them from the sun and rain for +twenty-four hours; then press them, and fill into the casks; the first +running is always the best; each cask that is filled should be +numbered, so as to know the quality; and after they are all filled, +draw off and mix them, the weak with the strong; keep the casks filled +up with cider while they are fermenting; when the fermentation is +subsiding, there will be a thin white scum rise slowly: when this is +all off, lay on the bung lightly; rack it off in a few days in barrels, +in which brimstone has been used, and bung it tight; rack it off again +in March, and keep the bungs in tight. + + +To Make Vinegar. + +You may always have good vinegar for pickling, and other purposes, by +taking a little pains. Get a tight whiskey barrel, if it is clean you +need not rinse it, and put into it ten gallons of the best vinegar you +can procure, with one quart of whiskey and one quart of molasses; every +day for a week, add a gallon of good cider that has not been watered, +and shake the barrel each time; let it stand in this state two weeks, +shaking the barrel frequently. After this, you may put in a gallon of +cider occasionally, with any that has been left at table, or the +settlings of decanters or bottles that have had wine in, but do not put +in any water. It will make much sooner in the garret or a warm place, +but if the barrel is fixed early in the summer, you will have plenty to +pickle with in the fall; taste it so as not to add cider too fast. Have +a phial with a string attached to it that you can put in at the bung. +You should have a barrel of good hard cider before you begin to make +vinegar. If you are in want of vinegar, fill a jug from the barrel, and +set it in the hot sun, where it will turn sour much quicker. It is a +good plan to keep a jug in a closet, where you can empty all the slops +of cider and wine; and when you get it full, empty it in the barrel. + +After the pickling is done, you can put as much hard cider in the +barrel, a gallon at a time, as you have taken out, with a little +molasses, and half a pint of whiskey; if you put too much of the latter +it will prevent it from getting sour, but a little gives strength to +the cider, and the molasses increases the acidity, and helps to color +it. If you should have any juice of cherries, currants, or +blackberries, put it in, or if you can get cheap sour raisins, they +will be an improvement to the flavor of the vinegar; a tea-cup of burnt +sugar will give it a good color. + +Vinegar made in this way will keep pickles good for several years. If +the cider has not sufficient strength it will take longer to make. + + +To Pickle Mangoes. + +Pick your musk-melons at a proper age, before they get too hard; +make a slit in the sides and take out the seeds with a tea-spoon; +boil a pickle of ground alum salt, that will bear an egg, and let +the melons lay in this a week; then make a new pickle, and let them +lay in it another week; then wash them, and scald them in weak +vinegar, or sour cider, with cabbage leaves around the kettle; put +them in a jar, and put the vinegar and leaves in with them; leave +them two days, then wipe them carefully, and to two dozen mangoes, +have an ounce of mace, one of cloves, some nasturtions, small +onions, scraped horse-radish, and mustard seed sufficient to fill +them; fill up the inside of each one, and tie them round with +strings. Put them in your kettle with strong vinegar, and let them +scald a few minutes; then put them in a wide-mouthed jar, and pour +the vinegar over; have them covered close, and they will keep good +for several years. Large green tomatoes make good mangoes, +previously salted and drained, when fill them as other mangoes. + + +For Pickling Mangoes with Oil and Vinegar. + +Cut a square piece out to remove the inside; lay them in salt and water +nine or ten days, and afterwards green them as any other pickle. For +stuffing, take two ounces of garlic, dried and pulverized, two ounces of +horse-radish, prepared as the garlic, two ounces of nutmegs, two ounces +of cloves, two ounces of mace, two ounces of whole mustard seed. When +the mangoes are large, put a small cucumber, and two beans in each. Wipe +each mango perfectly dry before the stuffing is put in; sew each up, and +tie twine around it; then put them in a pot, and pour the pot two-thirds +full of sharp vinegar; pour sweet oil on the top till covered. The +ingredients must be mixed with sweet oil. The spices, &c. mentioned, are +sufficient for a dozen mangoes. + + +Cucumbers. + +Gather the cucumbers while they are small, lay them in a jar with salt +enough to make a pickle; pour in a little water, and if there is not +salt enough to cover them, in a few days put in more. At the end of two +weeks put them in a kettle, with cabbage leaves around and through them; +fill it up with weak vinegar, and let them scald three hours; put all in +a jar for three days, then take out the cucumbers, pour out the vinegar +and leaves; put them back in the jar, with some cloves, peppers, +horse-radish and mustard; boil some strong vinegar and pour over them. + + +Small Cucumbers. + +Wash small cucumbers from two to four inches long; put a gallon of very +strong vinegar in a large jar, with mustard seed, scraped horse-radish, +and celery seed, a small portion of each, and a tea-cupful of salt; put +the cucumbers in the jar; tie them close. Martina's may be pickled in +the same way, or in the old way of pickling cucumbers. + + +To Pickle Cherries or Peaches. + +If peaches, wipe them well with a coarse towel; if cherries, cut the +stems half off, but do not stone them; put them in jars, and to every +half gallon of vinegar it takes to cover them, put a pound of sugar, and +cloves and cinnamon to taste; boil and skim it well, and when nearly +cool pour it over the fruit; for three successive days pour off the +vinegar, and boil and pour it on again. + + +Peaches. + +Pick out sound clingstone peaches; lay them in salt and water for a day, +then wipe them on a coarse cloth: boil up some strong vinegar, with a +little ginger, whole pepper and mustard seed; put the peaches in a jar +and pour this over. + + +White Walnuts. + +Take full grown white walnuts, or butter-nuts, before the shells get so +hard that a pin will not run through easily; put them in a jar; boil a +pickle of ground alum salt that will bear an egg, skim it, and when it +gets cold; pour it on the walnuts; let them lay in this ten days; then +make another pickle as strong as the first, and leave them in it ten +days longer; then scrape each one carefully, until you get all the rough +skin off, wipe them with a very coarse cloth, and let them soak in cold +water two days; boil them in weak vinegar, and let them lay in this a +week; boil enough good vinegar to cover them; mix together scraped +horse-radish, mustard seed, cloves, red pepper, onions and garlic; put a +layer of the walnuts in a jar, and sprinkle the spice over; pour the +boiling vinegar over the top. + + +English Walnuts. + +Gather them when nearly full grown, but not too hard; pour boiling salt +and water on them; let them be covered with it nine days, changing it +every third day; then take them out on dishes, and put them in the sun +to blacken, turning them over; then put them in a jar and strew over +them pepper, cloves, garlic, mustard seed and scraped horse-radish; +cover them with cold strong vinegar and tie them up. + + +Black Walnuts. + +Gather the walnuts while you can run a pin through them; boil them in an +iron pot three hours, to soften the shell; put them in a tub of cold +water, hull and wash them, and put them in your jars; pour salt and +water over them, and change it every day for a week; at the end of that +time scald them in weak vinegar; let them stand in this three days, then +pour it off, and for half a bushel of hulled walnuts, have quarter of a +pound of cloves, a tea-cup of mustard seed, two spoonsful of black +pepper, a pint of scraped horse-radish, two pods of red pepper, some +sliced onions and garlic; put these in the jars with the walnuts, and +fill them up with strong cold vinegar. + +Pickled walnuts will keep for six or seven years, and are as good at the +last as the first. + + +Virginia Yellow Pickles. + +To two gallons of vinegar, put one pound of ginger, quarter of a pound +of black pepper, two ounces of red pepper, two of cloves, a tea-cup of +celery seed, a pint of horse-radish, a pint of mustard seed, a few +onions or garlic, and three ounces of turmeric to turn them yellow. The +above ingredients should be mixed together in a jar, and set in the sun +by the first of July, tied up close, with a block over each jar to keep +out the rain. Put whatever you intend to pickle in salt and water for +two or three days; then pour boiling salt and water on them; wash them +and drop them in the jars of vinegar. + +You can pickle any thing in this way but walnuts. The same pickle, by +adding more vinegar to it, will do for two years; if the jars are set by +a fire, a much less time will do to take the strength out of the spices; +the turmeric should be tied up in a bag. + + +Tomatoes. + +Scald and peel a peck of ripe tomatoes; lay them on dishes, and strew +salt thickly over them; let them stand for twenty-four hours, +occasionally pouring off the liquor that the salt extracts; then drain +them on a sifter, and gently squeeze them, as it is this juice that +weakens the vinegar and makes the pickles spoil; take a large jar, put +in a layer of tomatoes, then a layer of sliced onions, mustard seed, +cloves and white pepper, or whole black pepper; (you may if you like, +break two pods of red pepper and put in each jar.) When the jar is full, +pour very strong vinegar over, and in a few days they will be ready for +use, and will keep all winter. They retain much of the tomato flavor, +and should be kept in a cool place. + +Another Way. + +Take small round tomatoes when they are not too ripe; stick them with a +needle in several places, to keep the skin from bursting, and let them +lay a week in salt and water; then wash them and put them in a jar with +some cloves, pepper and small onions; cover them with strong cold +vinegar, and tie up the jar. + + +Pepper Mangoes. + +Take fully grown green peppers, cut a slit in the side of each and take +out the seeds; make a strong brine and lay them in it for three days; +then soak them in clear water a day and night; pack them in a jar, and +pour boiling vinegar over them with a piece of alum; let them stay in +this three days, when boil the vinegar again, and pour over them; when +they are green, stuff them with chopped cabbage, mustard seed, cloves, +horse-radish, pepper, and a small onion in each; tie them up, put them +in a jar; boil fresh vinegar and pour over. + +Observe always to have the kettle you boil vinegar in well cleaned; +never put pickles in common earthen-ware, as the glazing is poisonous. + + +Onions. + +Peel small white onions and pour boiling milk and water over them; when +cold, put them in a jar, and make a pickle of strong vinegar, a little +mace, ginger, white mustard seed, and horse-radish; boil it and pour +over them. + +If you want them to be white, do not put in black pepper or cloves. + + +Mushrooms. + +Take the small round mushrooms that are pale pink underneath, with white +tops, and peel easily; put them in a jar with a little mace, white +mustard seed and salt; cover them with cold vinegar, and tie them close. +If you put in black pepper or cloves, it will turn them dark. + + +Nasturtions. + +Have some strong vinegar in a jar with a little salt, and as you gather +the nasturtions, put them in, and keep the jar tied close. + + +Cherries. + +Take sound morel cherries with the stems on, and put them in a jar; boil +spices in strong vinegar, and pour over them hot. Damsons may be done in +the same way. A little sugar improves the pickle. + + +Cabbage. + +Take firm heads of purple cabbage, quarter them, sprinkle them with +salt, and let them lay three or four days, when shave them fine, drain +off the salt and put them in a jar, boil enough vinegar to cover them, +with horse radish, pepper and cloves, when nearly cold pour it on the +cabbage, and put in a little cochineal tied up in a bag, it will he fit +for use in a week. + +Another Way. + +Cut hard cabbage fine as for slaw, sprinkle salt through it, and let it +lay under a moderate pressure for twelve hours, then drain well through +a colander, slice a dozen raw onions, have a large jar in readiness, put +in a layer of cabbage, strew in some of the onions, a few cloves, a +tea-cupful of mustard seed, some whole black pepper, cut six half ripe +red pepper pods, and sprinkle in; add a little more salt, boil vinegar +and pour on sufficient to cover the mixture. + + +Cut Cucumbers. + +Slice large cucumbers lengthwise--do not pare them--then cut them half +an inch thick; if you have small ones, slice them across, put them in +a large jar, and sprinkle them well with salt, after standing a day or +two, pour off the liquid the salt has extracted, drain them, and wash +the jar, and put the cucumbers in alternately, with sliced onions, +mustard seed, white pepper, whole black pepper and a few cloves, pour +over them strong vinegar, and tie close, keep them in a cool place, +but do not allow them to freeze in severe weather, as freezing spoils +the flavor of pickles. When pickles do not keep well, pour off the +vinegar, and put more on, but if the vinegar is of the best quality, +there is little fear of this. Putting alcohol on over paper, will +prevent their moulding. + + +Cucumber Catsup. + +Take full grown cucumbers, pare them, and cut out the lines of white +pith, which are on three sides; cut them in slices about half an inch +thick; to six cucumbers, put one onion, sliced fine; then sprinkle them +with salt, placing the fruit in layers, with salt between;--next +morning, press the liquor from them; put them in _small jars,_ and fill +up with strong vinegar, seasoned with pepper, mustard seed, and salt, if +necessary. The small jars are recommended--as the cucumbers do not keep +well after they have been exposed to the air. + + +Tomato Catsup. + +Take a peck of ripe tomatoes, wash and cut out the stems, but do not +peel them; put them over the fire in your bell-metal kettle, cover them, +and let them boil till soft enough to mash, when pour them in a colander +placed over a pan; drain them and throw away the liquid; then mash and +strain the tomatoes, a few at a time, through a ball sifter: this is +rather a tedious process; but, as the waste liquor has been previously +drained off, the catsup will require but about twenty minutes boiling; +throw in the spices before you take it up, fine pepper and salt, +mustard, and a few whole cloves, and sliced onions, if you like their +flavor; allow a tea-cup of strong vinegar to each bottle of catsup; part +of which may be put in with the spices, and the rest in each bottle on +top of the catsup, before you cork and seal them. + + +Walnut Catsup. + +Gather the walnuts, as for pickling and put them in salt and water for +ten days, then pound them in a mortar, and to every dozen walnuts put a +quart of strong vinegar, and stir it every day for a week, then strain +it through a bag, and to every quart of liquor put a tea-spoonful of +pounded mace, the same of cloves, and a few pieces of garlic or onion, +boil it twenty minutes, and when cold, bottle it. White or black walnuts +are as good for catsup as the English walnut, and will keep good for +several years. + + +Green Tomato Catsup. + +After the tomatoes have ceased to ripen, slice and put them in a jar, +with salt scattered through them, let them stand two days, then drain +them in a colander, put them in the jars they are to remain in, strewing +sliced onions, cloves, whole pepper, mustard seed, and one or two red +pepper pods through them, boil vinegar enough to cover them and pour +over, tie them close and put a plate on each jar. + + +Mushroom Catsup. + +Take the largest mushrooms, those that are beginning to turn dark, cut +off the roots, put them in a stone jar, with some salt, mash them and +cover the jar, let them stand two days, stirring them several times a +day, then strain and boil the liquor, to every quart of which, put a +tea-spoonful of whole pepper and the same of cloves, and mustard seed, +and a little ginger, when cold, bottle it, leaving room in each bottle +for a tea-cupful of strong vinegar, and a table-spoonful of brandy; cork +them up and seal them over. Tomato Sauce. + +Scald and peel a peck of ripe tomatoes; cut them in slices and lay them +on a large dish; cover well with salt each layer; the next morning put +the tomatoes in a colander or on a sifter, and drain off all the liquid; +then mash them with a wooden masher, and to each quart, put a pint of +strong vinegar, two table-spoonsful of white mustard seed, a dozen +cloves, a dozen grains of black pepper, an onion sliced and chopped, a +table-spoonful of salt; if mashed fine you can pour it out of +wide-mouthed bottles; put a table-spoonful of spirits in each bottle at +the top; cork tight, and seal. If you prefer putting the sauce in small +stone jars, put spirits on paper at the top of each. Spiced Peaches. + +Take nine pounds of good ripe peaches, rub them with a course towel, and +halve them; put four pounds of sugar and a pint of good vinegar in your +preserving kettle, with cloves, cinnamon and mace; when the syrup is +formed, throw in the peaches, a few at a time, so as to keep them as +whole as may be; when clear, take them out and put in more; boil the +syrup till quite rich, and then pour it over the peaches. Cherries may +be done in the same way. Mushroom Sauce. + +Gather large mushrooms, that have not turned dark, peel them and cut +off the stems; put them in a pan and strew salt over each layer; when +all are in, mash them well; then put them in a jar, put a plate on the +top, and set it in a pot of cold water; let it heat gradually, and +boil for fifteen or twenty minutes; to each quart of the pulp put +three tea-cupsful of strong vinegar, two tea-spoonsful of powdered +mace, or one of cloves, two of white mustard seed, one of black +pepper; put it in jars or wide-mouthed bottles, with a spoonful of +alcohol at the top of each, and secure it from the air. This is by +some preferred to the catsup. + + + + +TO CURE BACON, BEEF, PORK, SAUSAGE, &c. + + +To Cure Bacon. + +To one thousand weight of pork, put one bushel of fine salt, one pound +and a half of saltpetre rolled fine and mixed with the salt; rub this on +the meat and pack it away in a tight hogshead; let it lay for six weeks, +then hang it up and smoke it with hickory wood, every day for two weeks, +and afterwards two or three times a week for a month; then take it down +and rub it all over with hickory ashes, which is an effectual remedy +against the fly or skipper. When the weather is unusually warm at the +time of salting your pork, more care is requisite to preserve it from +taint. When it is cut up, if it seems warm, lay it on boards, or on the +bare ground, till it is sufficiently cool for salting; examine the meat +tubs or casks frequently, and if there is an appearance of mould, strew +salt over; if the weather has been very warm after packing, and on +examining, you should find evidence of its spoiling, lose no time in +unpacking the meat; for a hogshead of hams and shoulders that are in +this state, have six pounds of brown sugar, three pounds of salaeratus, +mixed with half a bushel of salt; rub each piece with this, and as you +pack it in the hogshead, (which should be well washed and cleaned,) +sprinkle a little coarse salt over each layer of pork, and also on the +bottom of the hogshead. I have known this plan to save a large quantity +of pork, that would have been unfit for use, if it had not been +discovered and attended to in time. Some persons use crushed charcoal to +purify their meat. Shoulders are more easily affected than hams, and if +the weather is warm the ribs should be cut out of the shoulders. Jowls +also require particular care; black pepper, about a pound to a hogshead, +sprinkled on the meat before it is hung up to smoke, is valuable as a +preventive where flies are troublesome; have a large pepper-box kept +for the purpose, and dust every part that is exposed; pepper is also +good to put on beef before it is hung up to dry; wash it off before +cooking, and it does not injure the flavor. + + +To Pickle Pork. + +Take out all the ribs, and cut it in pieces of about three pounds each; +pack it in a tight barrel, and salt it well with coarse salt; boil a +very strong pickle made of coarse salt, and when it is cold pour it over +the meat, and put a weight on the top; if you wish pork to keep, do not +put saltpetre in, as it injures the flavor. + + +To Cure Hams and Shoulders. + +To cure five hundred weight of hams and shoulders, take fifteen quarts +of common salt, one pound and a half of saltpetre rolled fine, half a +pound of red pepper pods chopped fine, and four quarts of molasses; mix +them all together and rub the meat well, pack it down, cover it close, +and let it remain six weeks, then hang it up and smoke it with green +hickory wood for three weeks. If there is a damp spell of weather, it is +best to make a fire in your meat-house occasionally through the summer, +to keep the meat from moulding. + + +To Make a Pickle for Chines. + +Rub the chines with fine salt, and pack them in a tight barrel, make a +pickle of coarse salt, strong enough to bear an egg, boil and skim it, +and when nearly cold pour it on, let there be enough to cover them, and +put a weight on the top. Chines are good smoked. It is best to make a +separate pickle for the heads; wash and scrape them, cut off the ears +and noses, and take out the eyes. The jowls may be packed and smoked +with the bacon. Sausage Meat, &c. Separate the tender parts of the meat +from the rough and bony pieces, and chop each sort separately, to +twenty-two pounds of meat have half a pound of salt, three heaped +table-spoonsful of sage, three of pepper, and two of thyme. If you have +a box large enough to hold this quantity, sprinkle it over the meat +before it is chopped, and it will be thoroughly mixed by the time it is +done. It is best to have a small piece fried to taste, and if it is not +seasoned right, it can be altered; you should have some pieces of fat, +chopped in with the meat. The sage and thyme should be carefully dried, +but not heated too much, neither should it be hung up too near the fire, +as it would spoil the flavor, rub it through a wire sifter, and if that +should not make it fine enough, pound it in a mortar or grind it in your +pepper mill. The pepper should be ground and ready some days before it +is needed, as the pork season in the country is (while it lasts) one of +the busiest in the year, every thing should be prepared beforehand that +you possibly can. It is a good plan to have plenty of bread and pies +baked, and a quantity of apples stewed, vegetables washed and ready to +cook, so that every member of the family, that is able, may devote +herself to the work of putting away the meat which is of so much +importance for the coming year, while some are cutting up the fat to +render into lard, others may be employed in assorting the sausage meat, +and cutting it into small pieces for the chopping machine, by trimming +off every part that can be spared. You can have one hundred pounds of +sausage from twelve hundred weight of pork, and since the introduction +of sausage choppers, a great deal more sausage is made, than formerly, +by the old method. Clean a few of the maws, and soak them in salt and +water, and fill them with sausage meat, sew them close, let them lay in +pickle for two weeks then hang them up, and when your meat is smoked, +let them have a few days smoke. In this way sausage will keep all +summer, and is very nice when boiled slowly for several hours, and eaten +cold. The best fat to chop in with sausage is taken from the chines or +back bones. To keep sausage for present use, put it in small stone pans, +and pour melted lard over the top; for later in the season, make muslin +bags that will hold about three pounds, with a loop sewed on to hang +them up by; fill them with meat, tie them tight, and hang them in a cool +airy place; they will keep in this way till August, when you want to fry +them, rip part of the seam, cut out as many slices as you want, tie up +the bag and hang it up again. If you have a large quantity, a sausage +chopper is a great convenience. Liver Sausage Take four livers, with the +lights and hearts, have two heads cleaned, and boil them with any +scraps, or skinny pieces you have, skim the pot, take out the livers +when they are done, and let the heads boil longer, when they are done, +pick out the bones, and chop all together, season with sage, thyme, +sweet marjoram, salt and pepper, put it in pans, and fry it as sausage. +Bologna Sausage Chop ten pounds of beef, with two pounds and a half of +the fat of fresh pork, pound one ounce of mace, and one of cloves, and +mix in, let it stand a day, then stuff it in large skins, let them lay +in brine ten days, then hang them up to smoke a few days, they can be +put in the same brine with beef or tongues. Hogs' Head Cheese Take off +the ears and noses of four heads, and pick out the eyes, and lay them in +salt and water all night, then wash and put them on to boil, take out +the bones carefully, chop and season them well, and pack it in bowls, +they will turn out whole, and may be eaten cold with vinegar, or fried +as sausage. + + +Pigs' Feet. + +Pigs' feet should be well cleaned by dipping them in scalding water, and +scraping off the hairs, leave them in weak salt and water two days, +changing it each day; if you wish to boil them for souse, they are now +ready, but if the weather is cold they will keep in this a month. They +should be kept in a cold place, and if they are frozen there is no +danger of their spoiling, but if there comes on a thaw, change the salt +and water, soak them in fresh water all night before you boil them. In +this way they are good to eat with pepper and vinegar while hot, or may +be dipped in batter and fried after they are cold. + + +To make Souse. + +Boil the feet till the bones come out easily, and pick out all the large +bones, pack them in a stone pan with pepper and salt, and cover it with +vinegar, they may be eaten cold, or dipped in flour and fried. Another +way is to pick out all the bones, season them with salt, pepper and +sage, and warm them up as you want to use them. + +Pigs' feet, after being boiled, are very nice stewed as terrapins, +make the gravy with butter and water, they are nourishing food for +delicate persons. + +Vessels for salting meat should be cleaned well after the meat is hung +up, and set on boards in the cellar, if they do not smell sweet, they +should be washed and soaked before meat is packed in them again. You +should see that the hoops are sound, and have covers made to fit them. +If taken care of in this way, they will last a number of years. + + +Scrapple. + +Take eight pounds of scraps of pork, that will not do for sausage, boil +it in four gallons of water, when tender, chop it fine, strain the +liquor and pour it back into the pot, put in the meat, season it with +sage, summer savory, salt and pepper to taste; stir in a quart of corn +meal; after simmering a few minutes, thicken it with buckwheat flour +very thick, it requires very little cooking after it is thickened, but +must be stirred constantly. + + +Dried Beef. + +An experienced housekeeper has furnished the following method for curing +and drying beef, which will keep good for two years, without being +injured by must or fly, and is much admired. Have the rounds divided, +leaving a piece of the sinew to hang up by, lay the pieces in a tub of +cold water for an hour, then rub each piece of beef that will weigh +fifteen or twenty pounds, with a handful of brown sugar and a +table-spoonful of saltpetre, pulverized, and a pint of fine salt, +sprinkle fine salt in the bottom of a clean tight barrel, and lay the +pieces in, strewing a little coarse salt between each piece; let it lay +two days, then make the brine in a clean tub, with cold water and ground +alum salt--stir it well, it must be strong enough to bear an egg half +up, put in half a pound of best brown sugar and a table-spoonful of +saltpetre to each gallon of the salt and water, pour it over the beef; +put a clean large stone on the top of the meat to keep it under the +pickle, (which is very important,) put a cover on the barrel; examine it +occasionally to see that the pickle does not leak,--and if it should +need more, add of the same strength; let it stand six weeks, then hang +it up in the smoke house, and after it has drained, smoke it moderately +for ten days, it should then hang in a dry place, before cooking, let it +soak for twenty four hours; a piece that weighs fifteen or twenty pounds +should boil two hours--one half the size, one hour, and a small piece +should soak six or twelve hours, according to size. Beef cured in this +way will make a nice relish, when thinly sliced and eaten cold, for +breakfast or tea, or put between slices of bread and butter for lunch, +it will keep for several weeks,--and persons of delicate stomachs can +sometimes relish a thin slice, eaten cold, when they cannot retain hot +or rich food. + +This receipt will answer for all parts of the beef, to be boiled for the +dinner table through the summer. + + +To Cure Beef. + +Make a pickle of six quarts of salt, six gallons of water, half a pound +of saltpetre, and three of sugar, or half a gallon of molasses, pack the +beef in a barrel, with fine and coarse salt mixed, when the pickle is +cold, pour it over, and put a weight on the top, let it stay two weeks, +when you can hang it up and smoke it, to boil through the summer, or +boil the pickle over again, and leave it in till you want to use it; +this is for two hundred pounds. + + +A New Method of Curing Beef. + +Take six gallons of water, nine pounds of salt, (fine and coarse mixed,) +three pounds of sugar, one quart of molasses, three ounces of saltpetre, +and one ounce of pearl ash or salaeratus, boil and skim it well, and let +it stand till entirely cold, when pour it on beef that has been +sprinkled with salt for several days. You can boil of this beef from the +brine all winter, or hang it up, and smoke it with your bacon. + + +To Cure a Dozen Tongues. + +Soak the tongues an hour in a tub of cold water to extract the blood, +and cut off most of the root, mix together a quarter of a pound of +saltpetre, finely powdered, one pound of brown sugar, and a pint of +salt, rub the tongues with this, and put them in a tight barrel; then +make a pickle that will bear an egg, which pour over them, turn them +every three days, and let them stay in the pickle two weeks, then smoke +them two days, and hang them up in a dry place; boil and skim the pickle +that the tongues have been in, and it will do for a round of beef. + + +Pickle for Two Rounds of Beef. + +Cut the rounds in a suitable shape for drying, mix together two pints of +salt, one of molasses, or a pound of sugar, and half a pound of +saltpetre, rub them with this, and pack them in a tight vessel, make a +pickle that will bear an egg, and pour it over, put a weight on the top, +and let it lay for ten days, when take it out, and smoke it two days, +hang it up in a dry place, it will be fit to slice and broil in a week, +or cut it very thin, and stew or fry it with butter and cream. Legs of +mutton may be salted as rounds of beef, and will resemble venison, when +dried and chipped. + +In preparing pickle for any kind of meat, observe that one gallon of +water will hold, in solution, a quart of salt and two ounces of +saltpetre. + + +To Corn Beef, Pork or Mutton. + +Rub the meat well with salt, and pack it in a tub. If the weather is +warm, it will require a good deal of salt, but no saltpetre. + + +To Restore Meat that has been kept too long. + +When meat has been kept too long in summer, it may be improved by +putting it in sour milk for several hours, or washing it in vinegar is +good, some hours before it is cooked, you must wash it well in cold +water several times, if it lays all night in sour milk, or salt and +vinegar, it should be put in soak early in the morning in cold water. In +very hot weather, when you have fresh meat, fowls, or fish left at +dinner, sprinkle them with strong vinegar, salt and pepper, warm this up +the next day, either as a fry or stew, the vinegar will evaporate, and +not injure the taste. Cold rock fish is good, seasoned with salt, pepper +and vinegar, to use as a relish for breakfast or tea. + + +To Keep Meat Fresh. + +Where persons live a distance from market, and have no fresh meat but +what they kill, it is important to know how to keep it fresh. In winter, +if it is hung up in an out-house, it will keep very well for six weeks, +or more, when it has once frozen, it is safe till a thaw comes on, when +rub it with salt. In the summer, if you have an ice-house, you can keep +it without trouble. If rubbed with salt, and pinned in a cloth, it will +keep in the cellar two days, or by lowering it down your well, attached +to a rope, and changing the cloth every other day, it will keep good a +week in hot weather. + + +To Put up Herring and Shad. + +Those that put up their own fish should be careful to have the barrels +tight and well cleaned, if the pickle leaks from them, they are liable +to spoil. Scale the fish and wash them, as it will save much time, when +you prepare them for cooking, take out the gills, but leave on the heads +of herrings. + +The heads should be taken off the shad, and split them down the back, +put a layer of fish, then a layer of ground alum salt,--and after they +are packed, put on a weight to keep them down. If herring are well +cured, they will be good at the end of two years. + + +To Put up Herring, _According to the Harford Mode_. + +First put the herring into the brine left from curing bacon, or, if you +have none of that description, make a brine that will bear an egg, and +let them remain in it thirty or forty hours; then, if for pickled +herring, change them into new brine, which must also bear an egg, and +head them up to keep. If for red herring, hang them up, and smoke them +thoroughly. A little saltpetre, added to the brine, is an improvement. +It is better to take out the roe. + + + + +BUTTER, CHEESE, COFFEE, TEA, &c. + + +Butter. + +It is of the first importance that every thing connected with milk and +butter should be kept clean; if the milk acquires an unpleasant taste, +it communicates it to the butter. Tin pans are best to keep milk in, and +they should be painted on the outside to keep them from rusting when +they are put in water. + +In summer, milk should be kept as cool as possible; before it is +strained, the pans and strainer should be rinsed with cold water, and +the milk not covered until it is cold, as soon as the cream rises +sufficiently, it should be skimmed, and put in a large tin bucket with a +lid that fits down tight, and stirred every day. Butter will be spoiled +by neglecting to stir the cream, a yellow scum will form on it, which +gives it an unpleasant taste. And if you leave a pan of milk till the +cream is covered with spots of mould, you had better throw it away than +put it in, as it will spoil the taste of a whole churning. + +If you have no way of keeping your cream cool in hot weather, it ought +to be churned twice a week, the earlier in the morning the better. +Always put cold water in your churn the night before you use it, and +change it in the morning just before you put in the cream. When the +butter is gathering, take off the lid of the churn to let the heated air +escape, and move it gently, have your butter ladle and pan scalded and +cooled, take out the butter and work it till all the milk is out, scrape +some lumps of salt, and work in, cover it up, and set away in a cool +place till the next morning, when work it again. + +If you have neither an ice, or spring house, a box by the side of the +pump, with a cover over it, is very convenient to put cream and butter +down the well, put them in tin kettles with covers to fit tight, and +fasten them to strong tarred ropes twenty feet long. The air of a well +will keep butter sweet for several weeks in the hottest weather. It is +best to have one kettle or basket to put the butter in that is used at +the table, it should be deep enough to hold five or six plates, each +covered with a saucer. It can be kept in this way as firm and sweet as +in an ice house. You can have a separate kettle to put a large lump of +butter in for seasoning vegetables. If you print butter for home use, it +is not necessary to weigh it, make it out in little lumps that will +weigh about half a pound, scald the print and ladle, and put them in +cold water, as you print each lump, lay it on a dish. + +In winter it is more difficult to have good butter, as much depends on +the food of the cows, the milk should be kept in a cellar, where it will +not freeze, if you have a safe to keep it in, it need not be covered. +Cream takes much longer to rise in winter, after it has stood two days, +to put it on the top of a moderately heated stove will assist it, when +it is hot, set it away to skim the next day, when the cream will be +thick and rich, and churns easier. + +If the weather is very cold, and the cream has been chilled, have a +large pot of water over the fire, set in the bucket when it is near +boiling heat, and keep stirring till it is milk warm, have the churn +scalded and put it in, by churning steadily, it will come as quick as in +summer, one good working answers very well for butter in winter, always +scald the churn before you put in the cream in cold weather. + + +To put up Butter for Winter. + +Work it well, and salt it rather more than for table use, and pack it +in stone pans or jars, with a thin cloth on the top, and salt on it +an inch thick, keep it in a cool place, and if it is sweet when made, +it will keep good till spring. It should be tied up with paper to +exclude the air. + + +To Cure Butter that will keep for a Length of Time. + +Reduce separately to a fine powder two pounds of the best fine salt, one +pound of loaf sugar and half a pound of saltpetre. Sift these +ingredients one above another, on a large sized sheet of paper, then mix +them well together, keep this mixture covered up close in a nice jar, +and placed in a dry closet. + +When your butter is worked and salted in the usual way, and ready to put +in the jars, use one ounce of this composition to every pound of butter, +work it well into the mass. + +Butter cured in this way, (it is said) will keep good for several years. +I have never kept it longer than from the fall until late in the spring, +it was then very sweet and good. + +It will not do to use for a month, because earlier, the salts will not +be sufficiently blended with it. It should be kept in wooden vessels, or +nice stone jars. Earthen-ware jars are not suitable for butter, as during +the decomposition of the salts, they corrode the glazing; and the butter +becomes rancid and unhealthy. + +A friend of mine, and a lady of much experience, remarked on reading the +above--"This is an admirable receipt, and by attention to its +directions, butter may be packed away with success even in the summer +months. Thus in cities during warm weather butter is often cheap, a +house-keeper may then purchase her winter supply. + +"Select that which is sweetest and most firm, begin by putting a layer +of the prints in the bottom of a stone pot, press the butter down +close, so that no cavities for the admission of air may remain, then +strew more of the mixture over it, proceed in this manner until the +vessel is filled, when put on the top a small muslin bag filled with +salt, and tie the jar up close. It is very important to keep the butter +in a cool place." + +A great deal depends on the butter being well worked. Persons that have +large dairies should always have a machine to work it. A large churning +may be more effectually cleared of the butter-milk in a few minutes, +than in the old way in an hour. By doing it quickly, it does not get +soft and oily in hot weather. + + +A Pickle for Butter. + +To three gallons of water, add four and a half pounds of good brown +sugar, one and a half ounces of saltpetre, one ounce of salaeratus; put +them into an iron pot, and let them come to a boil; take off the scum; +when cold it is ready for use; the butter should be salted in the usual +way, and well worked; then made into rolls of two or three pounds each; +have little bags of coarse muslin, tie each roll in a bag and put them +in a large stone jar or clean firkin; when the pickle is entirely cold, +pour it over, and put a plate on the top, with a weight on it to keep +the butter under; tie it up close and keep it in a cold place; when a +roll is wanted, take it out of the bag, and slice it off for table use. +It should be put on little plates, and each covered with a saucer, to +exclude the air. If the butter is good when put up in the fall, it will +keep till you can get grass butter, in the spring. The jars for this +purpose should not have been previously used for pickles. + + +Cheese. + +Persons living in the country sometimes have more milk than they can +use, of which cheese may be made. Put four gallons of new milk in a +clean tub that is kept for the purpose; skim your night's milk, and put +two gallons of it over the fire; when it is near boiling, put it in the +tub with the new milk, and the rest of the night's milk; it should be +rather more than milk warm, if it is too warm the cheese will have a +strong taste. The day before you make cheese, put a piece of rennet +three inches square in a tea-cup of water, and stir it in the milk; +cover the tub and let it stand in a warm place; when the curd begins to +form, cut it in squares with a long wooden knife, and spread a thin +towel over it. When the whey comes through the cloth, you can dip it off +with a saucer, then put a thin towel in the cheese vat, put in the curd, +spread the cloth over the top, put on the lid, and press it moderately +about half an hour; then put it back in the tub and salt it to your +taste; mix it well, and if you want it very rich put in a quarter of a +pound of butter; it is always better to skim the night's milk and put in +butter, as the cream is apt to press out. + +Have a clean cloth in the vat, put in the curd, close it over and put on +the cover; if you have no cheese press, a heavy stone will answer the +purpose; press it very gently at first, to keep the richness from +running out. The next morning draw it out by the cloth, wash and wipe +the vat, put in a clean cloth, and turn in the cheese upside down; do +this morning and evening for two days; when you take out the cheese, and +put it on a clean board; set it where the mice and flies will not get at +it; rub it every morning with a little butter, and turn it three times a +day; dust it over with cayenne pepper if you cannot keep it from the +flies, and if it should crack, plaster on a piece of white paper with +butter; it is fit for use in two weeks. + +Cheese made in this way has a rich, mild taste, and most persons are +fond of it. If you get eight gallons of milk a day, you may make cheese +twice a week, and still have butter for the family. You should keep four +thin cloths on purpose for cheese. + + +Pennsylvania Cream Cheese. + +The cheese called by this name is not in reality made of cream. Take +three gallons of milk, warm from the cow, and strain it into a tub, have +a piece of rennet two inches square, soaked in half a pint of water for +several hours, drain off the water, and stir it in; when it is +sufficiently turned, cut the curd, spread a thin linen cloth over the +top, and as the whey rises, dip it off with a saucer, put the curd as +whole as possible into a cheese-hoop about the size of a dinner plate, +first spreading a wet cloth inside, then fold the cloth smoothly over +the top, put a weight on the top heavy enough to make the whey drain out +gradually. In six or seven hours it will be ready to take out of the +press, when rub it over with fine salt, set it in a dry dark place, +change it from one plate to another twice a day, and it will be fit for +use in less than a week. + + +To Prepare Rennet for making Whey or Cheese. + +When the rennet is taken from the calf, wash it, lay it on a plate well +covered with salt, put more on in two days, keep it in a cold place, in +three or four days it will do to stretch on sticks, hang it up in a dry +cool place, with as much salt as will stick to it, when quite dry, put +it in a paper bag and hang it up, a piece two inches square soaked in +two table-spoonsful of water will make a cold custard, the same piece +salted and dried will do several times. + + +Cottage Cheese or Smearcase. + +The best plan of making this dish, is to set the tin pan of clabber on +a hot stove, or in a pot of water that is boiling over the fire. When +the whey has risen sufficiently, pour it through a colander, and put +the curd or cheese away in a cold place, and just before going to +table, season it with salt and pepper to your taste, and pour some +sweet cream over it. + + +Roasting Coffee. + +Pick out the stones and black grains from the coffee, and if it is +green, let it dry in an oven, or on a stove, then roast it till it is a +light-brown, be careful that it does not burn, as a few burnt grains +will spoil the flavor of the whole. + +White coffee need not be dried before roasting, and will do in less +time. Two pounds is a good quantity to roast for a small family. The +whites of one or two eggs, well beaten, and stirred in the coffee when +half cold, and well mixed through it, are sufficient to clear two +pounds, and is the most economical way of using eggs. It will answer +either for summer or winter. Some persons save egg shells for clearing +coffee. Many persons use coffee roasters,--but some old experienced +housekeepers think that the fine flavor flies off more than when done in +a dutch-oven, and constantly stirred. + +If you are careful, it can be done very well in the dripping-pan of a +stove. Let the coffee get quite cold, and put it away either in a +canister or tight box, and keep it in a dry place. Coffee may be roasted +in a dripping-pan in a brick oven. After the bread is taken out, there +will be heat sufficient, put about two pounds in a pan, stir it a few +times--it will roast gradually, and if not sufficiently brown, finish in +a stove or before the fire. If you have a large family, by using several +pans, six pounds of coffee can thus be roasted, and but little time +spent on it. + + +Boiling Coffee. + +A large tea-cupful of unground coffee will be sufficient for six +persons, unless they take it very strong, (which is injurious to +health,) grind it, and put it in the tin pot, with half a tea-cup of +cold water, and the white of half an egg; shake it till it is mixed, +then pour boiling water on it, and let it stand close to the fire, and +just come to a boil, stir it, and do not let it boil over, let it keep +at boiling heat five or ten minutes; then take it from the fire, and put +in half a tea-cup of water to settle it, let it stand five minutes, and +pour it off,--if you wish it particularly nice, strain it through a thin +linen cloth, kept for the purpose, keep it by the fire till it goes to +table. If you boil coffee too long, the aromatic flavor flies off. + + +Tea, &c. + +Always be sure that the kettle is boiling when you make tea, or the +flavor will not be so good, scald the pot, and allow a tea-spoonful for +each person. Let green tea draw by the fire from two to five minutes. +Black tea should draw ten minutes, and is much more suitable for +delicate persons than green. Persons with weak nerves should never drink +strong tea and coffee. I have known instances of persons being afflicted +with violent attacks of nervous head-ache, that were cured by giving up +the use of tea and coffee altogether, and their general health was also +improved by it. Before pouring out tea, it should be stirred with a +spoon that the strength of each cup may be alike. + +Milk is the best drink for children, but if that cannot be had, +sweetened water, with a little milk, will do. + + +A New Mode of Preparing Chocolate. + +Have a pound of chocolate pulverized, and put in a jar, with the same +quantity of rice flour, and an ounce of arrow-root, put on coals a +quart of milk, when it boils, stir in a heaped table-spoonful of the +above preparation, (dissolved in a tea-cup of water,) keep stirring it +until it boils again, when pour it out, drink it with sugar and cream +to your taste. + +This is called by some "Rac-a-haut" chocolate, and is very nice for +delicate persons, as well as those in health. + + + + +LARD, TALLOW, SOAP AND CANDLES. + + +Rendering Lard. + +The leaf lard should be rendered by itself, as it does not take so long +as that with the skin on. Cut it up fine and put it in a clean pot with +half a pint of water, stir it frequently and let it boil fast at first, +when the cracklings are light-brown and float on the top, it is nearly +done, and should cook slowly, when done, strain it into your vessels +with a thin cloth put over a colander. If you put lard in stone or +earthen jars, it should be cooled first, as there is danger of their +cracking, white oak firkins with iron hoops, and covers to fit tight, +are good to keep lard, and if taken care of will last for twenty years. + +The fat that has the skin on should be cut very fine, taking the skin +off first. It takes longer to boil than leaf lard, and there is more +danger of burning, put a pint of water in the pot. + +The skins should be boiled alone, and will do for soap-fat after the +lard is out of them. + +Soak the inside fat all night in salt and water; wash it in the morning, +and put it to boil without any water in the pot. It is not so nice as +other lard, and should be strained by itself. It does very well for +frying. Lard keeps well in large tin vessels with tight covers and is +not apt to mould. + + +Rendering Tallow. + +Cut the tallow fine, and put it to boil in a large pot with a quart of +water; stir it frequently and keep it boiling moderately for six hours; +when the cracklings begin to turn brown, it should boil very slowly +till done. + +Put a little water in the bottom of your dutch-ovens or tin pans, and +strain it in with a cloth over the colander, or the settlings will run +through and hurt the looks of your candles. + + +Soap. + +It requires some care and experience to have good soap; but when you +once get beforehand, it is easy to keep up the supply if the ashes are +good. The leystand should be made of cedar or pine boards, in the shape +of a mill-hopper, and have holes bored in the bottom for the ley to run +through; have four posts planted in the ground to support it; let it be +high enough for a small tub to set under. + +If you cannot have it under a shed, there should be a tight cover of +boards to protect it from the rain. Put some sticks in the bottom of the +leystand, and some straw, and pack in a bushel of ashes, then half a +peck of lime, and when it is half full of ashes, put in two buckets of +water, and another when you get near the top; pack it well, and put on +some more water; then cover it over; pour on hot water three times a day +for several days. When you are ready to make soap, have a large pot of +water, which must be kept boiling, and put it on as fast as it will +bear, save the strongest ley by itself, (if the ley will float an egg, +it will answer,) have your soap-fat laying in strong ley through the +winter, put a gallon of this in a large pot, and put to it a gallon of +the strongest ley; let it boil an hour, stirring it often, then put in +two gallons more of strong ley, when this has boiled, put in weak ley +till the pot is full, let it boil an hour or two slowly, and be careful +that it does not go over, cool some on a plate, and if thick, it is +done, but if not, boil it longer. Put it away in a tight barrel, and +prepare to make more soap, if you have two large pots both of them can +be kept going at the same time. Several barrels of soap can be made from +one ley stand. A large oil cask is good to keep soap in. If a barrel +leaks, set it under a spout in a rain, or fill it with water. It is of +the greatest importance to keep the soap-fat in strong ley. Have an oil +barrel in the cellar, half full of strong ley, and put in cracklings, +bacon skins, pot skimmings, beef bones, or any scraps, when eaten by ley +it will take but little boiling. It is much the easiest and safest way, +where there are children, to make the soap without boiling. Put four +gallons of soap-fat that has been eaten with ley, in a barrel with eight +gallons of strong ley, stir it two or three times a day, for a week or +two, then fill it up with weaker ley, you may have several barrels +making at a time, so as always to have some for use, it takes some time +to make it in this way. But if you are careful, and once get ahead, you +need not boil the soap unless you prefer it so, if your ley is not +strong, dissolve potash in hot water and add to strengthen it. + + +Hard Soap. + +Have fifteen pounds of clean fat to twenty gallons of clear strong ley; +let it boil until thick, when put in half a peck of coarse salt; if it +does not curdle in two hours, put in more salt till it does, then pour +it out in a tub to cool till the next day, when put on your pot with +some weak ley, cut the soap out of the tub and boil it in this an hour, +then put it in the tub, let it get cold, cut it in squares and put it on +a board to dry. Unless you have plenty of ashes and soap-fat, it is much +cheaper to buy hard soap than to make it. If you have but a barrel full +of ashes you can make a barrel of soap, bore a hole in the bottom of a +barrel, put a few sticks across, when half full of ashes put in a quart +of lime and some water; keep the hole plugged up till you are ready to +make the soap. + +You can have a barrel of ashes put in the cellar in winter to use for +washing and scrubbing, keep a tub under it to hold the ley as it drops. + + +Potash Soap. + +Persons living in cities frequently have grease that would do to make +soap, but are at a loss for ley, in consequence of burning coal instead +of wood. Twelve pounds of pure grease of any kind, put with ten pounds +of potash in an oil barrel, and filled with water, makes good thick +soap, and is much cheaper than buying hard soap. It should be stirred +frequently, and if the ingredients are put together in warm weather, and +the barrel stands where it can be exposed to the heat of the sun, +without danger of getting rain in it, it will be fit for use in a few +weeks without the aid of fire, if you wish to make soap immediately put +three pounds of potash, four of grease, and about ten gallons of water +in a large iron pot, boil it over the fire, and it will make good thick +soap in a few hours, it need only boil long enough to dissolve the +potash, which is sometimes in very hard lumps. If you use the crumbled +potash, you must put rather more of it, as it is not so strong, and a +little lump of quick lime will make it turn quicker. + +Another Receipt. + +Two days before you wish to commence your soap, pour about two gallons +of boiling water on ten or twelve pounds of potash, to dissolve it, then +put it in an iron pot or kettle, with ten gallons of rain water, hang it +over the fire, and when it has dissolved, pour twelve pounds of grease, +which has been purified by boiling in water, (or weak ley,) into a well +hooped barrel, (an oil barrel from which one head has been taken, and +the bung well fastened, is best,) then pour the water in which the +potash was dissolved over the grease in the barrel, and stir it for half +an hour; afterwards fill up the barrel with cold soft water, and stir it +every day for two weeks. If at the end of that time, the fat swims on +the top, beat a pound or two more of potash fine, throw it in the +barrel, stir it well, and the soap will be finished. + + +Labor-saving Soap. + +Take two pounds salt soda, two pounds yellow bar soap, ten quarts of +water. Cut the soap in thin slices, and boil all together two hours, and +strain it through a cloth, let it cool and it is fit for use. Put the +clothes in soak the night before you wash, and to every pail of water in +which you boil them, add one pound of the soap. They will need no +rubbing, merely rinse them out, and they will be perfectly clean and +white. This soap can be made for two cents per pound. + + +Ley and Soda Preparation for Washing Clothes. + +To sixteen gallons of water, put one gallon of lime water; twelve ounces +of soft soap, or if hard soap it must be first melted, and four ounces +of soda, put them together in your wash kettle, and when nearly boiling, +put in the clothes, being careful to have them as much of a kind as +possible, they should be wet first with common water, boil one hour, +then wash, scald and blue as usual. The limestone should remain in the +water at least four days before it is used, and be about of the strength +of lime-water for drinking, and the same stone will do for several times +if good. The ley will do for boiling a second set of clothes by adding a +little more, and afterwards for towels and coarse things. Prints and +flannels must not be boiled. + + +Volatile Soap, _And Directions for Washing Clothes._ + +Cut up three pounds of country bard soap into three pints of strong ley; +simmer it over the fire until the soap is dissolved, and add to it three +ounces of pearl-ash, pour it into a stone jar, and stir in half a pint +of spirits of turpentine, and a gill of spirits of hartshorn, cover the +jar tight, and tie a cloth over it. + +To use the soap, have a tub half full of water as hot as you can bear +your hands in, assort the clothes, and, beginning with the cleanest of +them, rub a small quantity of the soap on the soiled parts of each +article, and immerse them in the water one by one, until it will cover +no more, let them soak for fifteen or twenty minutes, then stir them +well for a few minutes, and boil them for half an hour in eight or ten +gallons of water, to which a table-spoonful of the soap has been added, +rinse them, using blue water where it is required as usual, and they are +ready for drying. After the white clothes are finished, the same waters +will answer for the colored ones, adding hot water and more soap. By the +use of this soap, most of the rubbing can be dispensed with, and it is +not injurious to the texture of the clothes. It has been proved that the +clothes washed in this way are more durable than with the common soaps, +and the rubbing required in connection with them. + +It is particularly recommended for washing flannels, and calicoes. The +above quantity is sufficient for a family of four or five persons for a +month, varying slightly as the clothes are more or less soiled. Its +cheapness recommends it to all housekeepers. + + +Candles. + +Weigh the tallow, then you can judge how many candles you can make, six +and eight candles to the pound do very well for working and reading by, +ten to the pound does to use in the kitchen or to carry about the house. +Put the wicks on the rods the day before you expect to make candles, and +dip them in a little melted tallow, you can then straighten them out. +Have a large pot nearly half full of hot water, melt the tallow in +another pot and fill it up, and keep more tallow at the fire to fill in +as it is used out, put coals under the pot to keep it at a proper heat. +Have poles set on stools about a foot apart, to support the rods, dip +the rods in the pot, alternately, until they are as large as you wish +them. Wax makes candles burn longer, but turns them yellow. The best way +is, to put in two pounds of wax, when you first begin to dip, and it +will be used up before they are dipped the last time, when they are +done, cut off the ends and put them in boxes. Most good managers in the +country make enough candles at a time to last a year. If you have not +enough tallow to dip candles, you can mould some mutton tallow is very +good for this purpose. + + + + +MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. + + +Clear Starching. + +Wash your muslins nicely; rub hard soap on them, and pour boiling water +on, let them lay in this half an hour, or if they are very yellow, boil +them in water that has a little blue, in a bell metal kettle, let them +dry in the sun, boil your starch half an hour, as it will be clearer, +and the things will take less clapping, rub the starch over the muslin +until it is well covered, then clap it a few times, afterwards stretch +out the muslin and hold it to the fire until it smokes, then stretch, +clap, and shake it until the piece is dry enough to iron. When you begin +to starch, have a pile of plates near, and as fast as the things are +ready to iron, fold them up, and put them between the plates to keep +moist. It is a good plan to have a board about three feet long and a +foot wide, with a piece of blanket tacked on round the edges, to iron +your collars and handkerchiefs on. + +There is an art in doing up muslins, which will take but little time +when once it is acquired. The same directions answer for clear starching +crape, (which must first be bleached as flannels are done,) and add some +drop lake to the blue coloring. In cold weather, to rub your hands over +with a little clean tallow prevents them from chapping, and will not +alter the appearance of the muslin. + + +To make Corn Starch. + +Gather the corn when it is a proper age for table use; have a large tin +grater, and grate the corn into a clean vessel, into which drop the +cobs as you grate them until the vessel is about half full, rub the +cobs and squeeze them dry as possible, and put them into another vessel +of clean water, rub and squeeze them again the third rinsing will take +all the starch out, let it settle, and then pour all the starch +together and strain it through a coarse cloth, and then through a +flannel, and let it settle until the next morning, when you will find a +thick yellow substance under the water, covering the pure white article +in the bottom of the vessel, remove the yellow substance and pour clean +water on the starch and stir it up, as soon as it settles thoroughly +again, pour off the water and put the starch on dishes, and set it in +the sun to dry. When you want to use it, moisten it with cold water and +pour boiling water on, till it is the right consistency for use. It +requires no boiling. + + +Potato Starch. + +Pare the potatoes and scrape or grate them in a pan of water, when this +is done stir them well, and let them stand a few minutes to settle, pour +off the water and the pulp from the top; pour water on the starch that +has settled, and stir it up, let it settle again, when it will be nice +and white, and may be put on plates to dry in the sun, after which it +may be put away in a box or paper bags. It maybe used immediately. Stir +it in boiling water as other starch, but boil it much less. It is said +that potato starch will injure muslins when left to lay by for some +time, it is used in some preparations of confectionary, and answers the +same purpose as Poland starch. + + +To make Common Starch. + +Mix a pint of wheat flour with cold water, till it is the consistence of +batter, stir it into a gallon of boiling water, let it boil a few +minutes, when strain it and mix in the blue--when it is ready to thin +for white clothes. Some put a small piece of tallow in the starch as it +boils--it makes it clearer. + + +Washing Calicoes, &c. + +Calicoes may be kept from fading by washing them in the suds after white +clothes, if it requires more soap, stir it in the water, as putting it +on the garment will fade it, have the water moderately warm, and put in +a handful of salt, when all the dirt is out, rinse them in clean water, +starch, and hang them to dry on the wrong side, where they will get the +air but not the sun. Alum is good to set colors. If you want to wash a +calico dress, which you know will fade, make a corn mush, and as it +boils, pour off half, which use as soap in washing the dress, and with +the other half, (which should be boiled well,) starch it, and hang it +out immediately. In washing bed quilts, to prevent fading, spread them +on the clean grass wrong side up, this prevents the colors running into +each other. + +For chintz or lawn dresses have very nice starch, and clap it into them, +after they are hung on the line, they iron much better this way, and +look almost like new, sometimes to wash the cuffs and lower part +carefully, and press it all over, will do without washing the whole +dress. For ironing the skirt have a narrow ironing board, covered with a +piece of blanket, to slip inside the dress. + + +Table Cloths, &c. + +When two or three spots get on a table cloth, dip a towel in clean water +and rub them off, and dry the cloth before it is put away, this saves +washing, and if done carefully it will look like a clean cloth. If table +cloths are stained with fruit, pour boiling water on the spots before +soap is put on, when it is so deep that this will not take it out, apply +lemon juice and salt, dry it in the sun, and put it on several times. +You should always have cup-plates, as the marks of a coffee-cup spoils +the appearance of a cloth, and the stain is hard to get out. When table +cloths and towels get yellow, soak them in sour milk several days. +Unbleached table cloths are very good to save washing in winter, and can +be laid by in summer, care should be taken to hang them to dry in the +shade, as that will keep them from bleaching. New table cloths do not +require any starch, but those that are partly worn look better for a +little, every thing washes easier that has starch in. Nice table cloths, +and all fine things, after being sprinkled and folded, should be tightly +rolled up in towels, and ironed till perfectly dry, they will then +retain their gloss. Large table cloths should be brushed clean from +crumbs, and folded without shaking, as that tumbles them; those in daily +use should be put under a press--a heavy book is suitable, or a board +may be made for the purpose; they will keep in credit much longer than +when laid in a drawer. It is well to put a common muslin cloth under a +damask one on the table, as it improves the appearance. + + +Flannels. + +Have the water in which you wash flannel as hot as you can bear your +hands in, and rub the soap in the water, or it will shrink the flannel. +The water it is rinsed in should also be hot. + +When flannels have become yellow and fulled up, I have often smoked them +with brimstone, and they will be as white as new, and the fulled places +will open. The best plan is to have a box or chest, with strings put +across to hang the flannels on, and a drawer to pull out where you can +set in a pan with coals and brimstone. Have the flannels nicely washed, +and put them in wet, close it up till you think it wants more brimstone, +when you can pull out the drawer and renew it. + +After they are bleached, they should hang up in the air to let the smell +of the brimstone escape. If you have but a few things to do, you can put +strings across the top of an old barrel, (with both the heads out,) +cover it with a thick cloth, and lift it up to put in a pan of brimstone +and coals. Always wash scarlet flannel with hard soap. + + +Mending Clothes. + +All clothes should be looked over before they are put away, and if any +require mending it must not be neglected; a broken stitch that can be +mended in a few minutes, if left till it has been worn again, will +require much more time. If young housekeepers suffer their mending to +get behind hand, it will discourage them. After mending a shirt, it +should be pressed before it is put away. If stocking heels are run while +they are new, and the thin places darned in time, it saves much work. + + +Washing Windows. + +A little soda dissolved in the water is valuable for washing windows; +do not let it run on the sash, or it will stain the paint; rinse them +in clear water, and wipe dry with a clean soft towel. When they are but +little soiled, clear water will answer, but if smoked or coated with +any thing, soda should be always used. Some persons rub their windows +with soft buckskin or newspaper, when they are dry and clean, to give +them a polish. + + +To Make White or Colored Washes, Dyeing, &c. + +Take half a bushel of unslaked lime, slack with boiling water, covering +it during the process to keep in the steam. Strain the liquid through a +fine sieve or strainer, and add to it a peck of clean salt, previously +dissolved in warm water, three pounds of ground rice boiled, to a thin +paste; stir in, boiling hot, one pound of Spanish whiting, one of clean +glue, dissolved by soaking it well, and simmering over a slow fire in a +small kettle within a larger one containing water; add five gallons of +boiling water to the whole mixture; stir it well, and if you are not +ready to use it, cover it close. It should be put on quite hot; for this +purpose, it can be kept in a kettle on a portable furnace. Coloring +matter may be added to make any shade desired. Spanish brown stirred in +will make a pink color, more or less deep according to the quantity, a +delicate tinge of this is very pretty for inside walls. Indigo mixed +with the Spanish brown makes a delicate purple, or alone with the +mixture, a pale blue. Lamp-black, in moderate quantity, makes a slate +color, suitable for the outside of buildings. + +Lamp-black and Spanish brown together, produce a reddish stone color, +yellow ochre, a yellow wash, but chrome goes further and makes a +brighter color. It is well to try on a shingle, or piece of paper, or +board, and let it dry to ascertain the color. If you wash over old +paper, make a sizing of wheat flour like thin starch, put it on, and +when dry, put on the coloring, for a white-washed wall, make a sizing +of whiting and glue water. This precaution should always be taken before +using chrome yellow or green, as the previous use of lime injures the +color of the chrome. When walls have been badly smoked, add to your +white-wash sufficient indigo to make it a clear white. + + +To Mix White-wash. + +Pour a kettle of boiling water on a peck of unslaked lime, put in two +pounds of whiting, and half a pint of salt, when all are mixed together, +put in half an ounce of _Prussian blue,_ finely powdered, add water to +make it a proper thickness to put on a wall. + + +White-wash for Buildings or Fences. + +Put in a barrel, one bushel of best unslaked lime, pour on it two +buckets of boiling water, and when it is mixed put in six pounds of fine +whiting, fill up the barrel with water, stir it well, and keep it +covered from the rain, let it stand several days before you use it, when +stir it up; thin it with milk as you use it, and put half a pint of salt +to each bucket full. This makes a durable wash for a rough-cast or frame +house, or for fences; the salt prevents it from peeling off. + + +Chrome Yellow-wash. + +Mix four pounds of whiting with as much water as will go over the room; +dissolve a tea-cupful of glue, and put in; then wash the walls with +this to prevent the lime from affecting the chrome; if they come in +contact, the walls will be striped, and will not look at all well. Mix +a wash of whiting, water and glue, and color it with two pounds of +chrome yellow. After walls have been yellow, and you want to have them +white, they must be washed over with whiting and glue, and then +white-washed in the usual way. + + +Yellow Ochre wash. + +Dissolve a pound of glue in hot water, and stir into it three pounds of +yellow ochre, and one of whiting; mix it well, and thin it with water or +skim milk. It is a suitable wash for a common room or kitchen. + +Lamp-black mixed with molasses, and put in white-wash, makes a good +color for a kitchen. + + +To Dye Orange Color. + +For five pounds of woolen yarn, have one pound of annotta; dissolve it +in boiling water, and put it in a pot of soft water with half a pound of +pearl-ash; boil them ten minutes, stirring it well; wet the yarn in +soap-suds; put it in, and let it boil twenty minutes; then hang it in +the sun, and when dry, if it is not deep enough, dip it in again; and +after it is thoroughly dry, wash it in soap and water. + + +Green-wash. + +Take four pounds of blue vitriol, pound it fine, and mix with it three +pounds of beat whiting, and half a pound of potash; pour on them six +quarts of boiling water, and mix in half a pound of glue dissolved in +water. Wash the walls with whiting before it is put on. + + +Chrome Yellow for Dyeing Carpet Rags. + +Dissolve the chrome in warm water in an earthen vessel; dip the rags in +vinegar and water, then in the chrome dye, and hang in the sun to dry. +This color will stand for years in a rag carpet, and is very little +trouble. Six cents worth of chrome will dye several pounds. + + +To Dye a Dark Drab. + +For ten pounds of cotton or wool, have half a bushel of maple bark, the +same of sumach berries, and a peck of walnut hulls or bark; put a layer +of this in an iron pot, and a layer of the wool, till all is in; cover +it with water, and boil it slowly for three hours, keeping the pot +filled with water; then hang it out, and when dry, wash one skein, and +if it is not dark enough, strain the dye, and put in a tea-cup of +copperas; put in the yarn, and let it scald a few minutes; take it out, +dry it, and wash it well with soft soap and water. + + +To Dye Cotton or Woollen Black. + +To each pound of yarn, have one ounce of copperas, nine of logwood, a +handful of salt, and a quart of good vinegar, which boil with copperas +ten minutes in a brass kettle; shave the logwood, and boil it in an iron +pot; when the color is extracted, strain it into the vinegar; put in the +yarn, and let it simmer twenty minutes stirring it; then hang it in the +air, and if it is not black enough, boil it over. You should have a +clear day to do all coloring in. + + +Cedar Dye. + +Boil the boughs of cedar in two or three gallons of water, for several +hours, in an iron vessel; strain it off, add half a tea-spoonful of +copperas, put it on the fire, and put in the articles you wish to dye; +let them boil a few minutes, then hang them up to dry. This will dye +sage color, and can be used for cotton, woollen or silk, and has the +advantage of retaining its color. The cedar boughs should he used in the +fall of the year, when the berries are on them. Pear bark is an +improvement and makes the color darker. + + +To Dye Olive. + +Make a strong sage tea, and add copperas and alum till it is dark; +strain it; dip the cloth or silk in weak soap-suds, and then in the dye, +and air it, till it is the color you wish. + +Maple bark and copperas make a good dark color for common purposes. + + +To Dye Yellow. + +Boil peach leaves when they are turning yellow in the fall, with a +little alum. + +Onion skins boiled with alum make a good yellow. + + +To Dye Brown. + +Take young walnuts, with some of the leaves and bark; wash your wool in +soap-suds; put a layer of it in a barrel, and a layer of the walnuts; +fill it up with water, and put a weight on the top; at the end of a week +wring it out, and let it lay in the hot sun two hours; put it back in +the dye, and at the end of another week, sun it again; keep it in until +sufficiently dark, when wash it in soap-suds. This makes a pretty brown +that will not fade, and is stronger than when dyed with copperas. + + +To Dye Red. + +To four pounds of yarn, take one pound of fine alum, and boil it in +as much water as will cover the yarn; put in the yarn, and let it +boil gently half an hour; then take it out and dry it; make a dye of +two pounds of madder, and two ounces of crude tartar pulverized, and +boil it; then put in the yarn, and let it boil half an hour; take it +out and air it, and if it is not dark enough, put it in again, and +boil it longer. + + +Brazil Wood Dye. + +Tie two pounds of red or Brazil wood in a thin bag, and boil it for +several hours in a brass or copper kettle in water; take out the Brazil +wood and add a pound of alum, then put the rags in, and let them boil +some time; hang them in the sun, and dry without washing them. This will +dye woolen _red_, and cotton _pink_. Washing in soap suds will change it +to purple. + + +Lead Color. + +Take four ounces of red wood, two of logwood, half an ounce of pounded +nut-galls, and quarter of a pound of green copperas; boil them in ten +gallons of water, and strain it; wash the wool or cloth in soap-suds, +put it in, and let it remain till it is as dark as you wish it; dry it +in the sun, and wash it in soap-suds. Sugar paper, boiled in vinegar, +makes a good lead color for stockings. + + +To Dye Scarlet. + +Take one pound of blood root, and one pound of madder, boil them in six +gallons of ley, then stir them three or four times in twenty-four +hours, till there are signs of fermentation. This dyes ten pounds of +cotton or linen. + + +To Dye Yarn Green. + +Take one ounce of best Spanish indigo, finely powdered, and half a pound +of oil of vitriol; put them in a bottle, and let them stand in the sun a +week; shake it often, but do not cork it tight, lest it should burst the +bottle; take four pounds of black-oak bark, and the same of hickory, +shave them fine, and soak them till wet through; then boil them in ten +gallons of water till all the color is extracted; when take out the +chips, put in a pound of alum; shake the bottle of indigo and vitriol, +and pour it in; let them boil together a few minutes, and put in the +yarn; turn it over several times, and let it boil half an hour; then +spread it out in the sun for about an hour, and wash it well in strong +soap-suds through two waters, to keep it from becoming tender. This will +color ten pounds of yarn. You may have a fine blue color by omitting the +bark. It will not answer for any thing but wool or silk, as the vitriol +will destroy linen or cotton. + + +To Dye Cotton Blue. + +Boil a pound of chipped logwood in water enough to cover the cotton; +take out half a gallon, and dissolve in it an ounce of verdigris, and +one of alum; boil the yarn in the logwood water an hour, stirring it, +and keeping it loose; then take it out, and mix in the verdigris; put +back the yarn, and let it boil four hours, stir all the time, and +take it out every hour to give it air, dry it in the sun, and the +next day boil it in soap-suds. This will dye six pounds of cotton a +deep blue. After it is done, you may put in as much more, and it will +dye a pale blue. + + +To Keep Apples in Winter. + +Pick them carefully, so as not to bruise them; put them in an +out-house, exposed to the north, either in boxes, or barrels, or lying +in heaps; after they have been several weeks in this situation, pick +them over and put them in barrels which should be headed; if the +weather is not severe, let them remain in this cold situation as long +as it will be safe, without their being frozen, then remove them to the +cellar. Do not shut the windows till the severe weather comes on. Some +persons pack them, in dry chaff, or sand, and put them in barrels and +boxes in a cool garret. + + +Directions for Making Matresses. + +If you have an old curled hair matress, you can make two, that will be +equally useful as those that are composed of curled hair, by using +cotton and hackled corn husks, in alternate layers with the hair. Some +persons use a quantity of green corn, and save all the husks, and strip +them with a fork, or hackle, and spread them on a garret floor to dry; +they are nicer in this state than prepared from the dry husk; but if you +have not sufficient, take the dry husks from corn that has been stripped +off the top and blade in the field, and have it hackled as flax; for one +matress, have as much as will fill two flour barrels tightly packed; +sixteen pounds of refuse cotton, (such as is sometimes sold very low at +the factories,) and half the hair of an old matress, (which should be +well picked;) measure the bedstead you wish it for, and allow to each +breadth of the ticking, a quarter of a yard in length over; for a small +matress less should be allowed, and the same in width, (as it takes up +in making;) cut the side strips as deep as you wish the matress, fit the +corners, cut out a place for the foot posts, or fit each end square +alike; after the bottom and sides are sewed together, run a tuck all +round to save binding, sew the tick in a quilting frame, and stay it to +the end pieces as a quilt; put a table under to support the weight, +(which can be shifted as it is sewed;) first put a layer of hair, then +cotton, then husks alternately, till it is done; be careful to let the +hair be next the ticking; put some all round the sides and edges. When +all is in, put on the top, and baste it down with strong thread; then +with a chalk line strike across, to form squares to sew it by. Have a +long needle prepared and polished smoothly, threaded with twine, or +several strands of strong shoe thread; this should be well waxed, and +long enough to go through and back again; have tufts, or two pieces of +strong cloth prepared, to secure the stitches on both sides; one person +should be under the frame, to pull the needle through and put it back; +it should be tied tightly as possible; when you have done stitching, the +matress should be sewed all round, taken out of the frame and the raw +edges bound. They can be made of cotton and husks, without hair, or +cotton alone. Those that have sheep can use the coarse wool, (and such +as is not profitable for manufacturing,) with the husks, it is more +elastic than cotton. Many persons are deprived of one of the greatest +comforts in summer, and sleep on feathers, when a little care in +preparing the materials, and putting them together would furnish your +chambers with the most healthy and pleasant beds; a large cotton sheet +should be kept on a matress, or a case made of unbleached muslin, this +covering should be occasionally washed and starched. If you cannot get +husks, straw will answer, or hay. + + +To Make a Rag Carpet. + +Ten pounds of purple warp, ten of green, four of yellow, seven of red, +will make a pretty stripe, mingled and arranged according to your fancy; +the above quantity of warp, with fifty-eight pounds of rags will make +forty-two yards, yard wide. In most cities warp can be purchased ready +colored. A very good proportion is a pound and a quarter of rags, and +three-quarters of a pound of warp to the yard. Save all the scraps in +cutting out work; have a bag for the purpose hanging in a convenient +place, and when you have leisure cut them. Old muslin garments that are +not worth giving away, may be torn in strips and colored. In cutting out +clothes for boys, from men's garments, there will always be scraps and +strips. By purchasing a little red flannel to mix in, the appearance is +improved. A carpet wears cleaner to be about one-third cotton, and +two-thirds woollen rags to mix the colors. Do not sew a strip that is +longer than three yards, and the cotton should be much shorter, as the +warp is usually of that material, there is more danger from fire. + + +To Keep Furs and Woollens. + +Crack the grains of black pepper, and sprinkle in among your furs and +woollen clothes; after they have been shaken and aired, fold them smooth +and put them in linen bags or sheets; keep them in a large trunk or dark +closet, and look at them once through the summer to see that they are +safe. Tobacco and camphor are also good to pack them in, but the smell +continues with them a long time, and is disagreeable to some persons. +They should be well shaken and aired before they are worn. + + +To Keep Curtains. + +Take the curtains down in the spring, shake them carefully and brush the +dust from them; let them air a day, but not so that the sun will fade +them; then fold them neatly, and pin them up in sheets. + +Moreen or worsted curtains require the same care as woollen cloths. + + +To Keep Blankets in Summer. + +If you have any blankets that are soiled and require washing in the +spring, have it nicely done; when they are perfectly dry, put them on a +bedstead in a spare chamber, keeping out one to use on each bed through +the summer; spread a large sheet over; tuck under all round, and secure +the corners with pins; tins will keep them from dust and moths, and +makes a good bed to use in hot weather. + + +Carpets, &c. + +When you take up carpets in the spring to put down matting, have them +well shaken, and if there are any spots on them, they should be washed +off with a stiff brush and dried; if there is oil or grease spilt on +them, mix up whiting or nice clay with water; spread it on both sides of +the spot, and baste thick paper over it. When dry, fold it up the size +of a bedstead, and pin a coarse sheet round it. In this way they will be +secure from moths, and the addition of a few quilted comforts on the +top, makes a very pleasant bed in summer. The small moth-fly appears +early in the summer, and should always be destroyed when seen, as the +moth is produced from the eggs which they deposit in woollens; by being +careful to kill them when they first come, a house may be kept nearly +clear of them. Select the softest brooms for sweeping carpets, as stiff +ones wear them out. + + +House Linen. + +Have a book in which to set down all the bed and table linen, towels and +napkins; every article of which should be marked and numbered, and +counted at least once a month. + + +To Clean Paint. + +Rub some whiting very fine on a plate; have ready some clean warm water, +and a piece of flannel, which dip in the water and squeeze very dry; +then take as much whiting as will stick to the flannel, and rub the +paint to remove dust or grease, then wash it well with clean water and +wipe it dry with a soft cloth. + +Bran boiled in water, and left to settle, is very good to clean paint; +use a soft cloth or flannel; it will take off fly specks and impart a +gloss to the paint; wipe it quite dry. Unless soap is used with great +care, it will injure paint. + +Varnished paint requires nothing but clean warm water and to be +wiped dry. + + +To Clean Bedsteads. + +In the summer, bedsteads should be brushed and searched every week; if +they are infested with bugs, boil the sacking in ley and water, or put +it in an oven, on some boards, after the bread is taken out, to kill the +eggs; fill a large bottle with red pepper pods of the strongest kind, +and fill it up with vinegar; put this in each crack of the bedsteads +every morning, until they entirely disappear; never omit to search the +bedsteads longer than a week. It is a good way to fill up all the cracks +of the bedsteads with resin soap. After they are cleaned, move the bed +from the wall and fill up every crack in the plastering with calcined +plaster and water, or putty. + +Sometimes bed-bugs are brought in the cleanest houses before the family +are aware of it. When persons return from travelling, the trunks should +always be examined before they are taken into the chambers, or put away; +a little care at the proper time will prevent much trouble. Some persons +scald their bedsteads with boiling vinegar; the acid is said to dissolve +the shell of the egg. If poison is used, great care is necessary. + +It is said that lard is good to use on bedsteads that are infested with +bugs; the grease prevents their increase. All the cracks should be +filled after the bedstead has been well searched. + + +To Clean Floors. + +Scour all the spots with soap and sand, then go all over with the long +scrubbing brush, a few boards at a time; rinse it well and wipe it dry. +A floor that has been well cleaned, and dried without being walked on, +will keep clean much longer than one that has been half done; too much +soap or ley makes a floor look yellow. + +Bare floors are very pleasant in summer, and when they get a few spots, +they can be taken out with dry white sand, and a shoe-sole, and will not +need scrubbing more than two or three times in a summer. + + +Cleaning Cellars--Rats, Roaches. + +In the spring, cellars should be swept, and all refuse vegetables taken +out; if left till warm weather, they will become putrid, and endanger +the health of your family. The sprouts should be rubbed from the +potatoes; all the barrels should be moved and swept under. Have boards +laid on the floor for meat and fish barrels, and after they are emptied, +have them washed and drained ready for use. Empty flour barrels should +be swept out and the heads and hoops saved. Have lime sprinkled over the +cellar floor twice during the summer, or oftener if it should be +necessary. If the windows are kept shut in warm weather, the air will be +unwholesome. Do not trust to servants, examine and see that it is done +thoroughly. + +The apartments where cold meat and milk are kept should be cobwebbed and +swept once a week, and the safe washed out at least that often. If the +cellar is paved with brick, keep a part of it washed clean, to set cold +meat and milk on; cover them with tin pans and put a weight on the top +if rats are troublesome. If there are rat holes have them stopped with +pieces of brick, and broken glass bottles; never use ratsbane without +the greatest caution, as it is a dangerous remedy. No food or milk +should be in the cellar at the time, and keep it locked up all the while +it is there. I have heard of lives being lost by it. Have water set +about in pans for the rats to drink, and after three days, clear it all +away and have the cellar cleaned and aired before putting any thing in +it. Several persons have been in great danger from burning the arsenic; +when it is used it should be put deep in the ground and covered up. + +Mice are kept under by a good cat, and traps. If roaches are +troublesome, set bowls or deep dishes, with molasses and a plate on the +top, with room for them to get in, and set it close to a wall. I have +seen hundreds caught in this way in one night, and it is much safer than +setting any thing poisonous about the kitchen or pantry. They should be +burnt in the morning, and the dishes set again at night. If you find a +closet infested with ants, remove every thing that will attract them, +scald and clean it well, and they will soon leave it. It is said that +strips of cotton or linen dipped in spirits of turpentine, and placed +about the closets, will drive them away. + +Mats should be placed at all the outside doors, and at the top and +bottom of the cellar stairs. + + +Putting Straw under Carpets. + +It is thought that carpets wear better when straw is spread over the +floor before they are put down, and it will prevent the dust from rising +so much. Care should be taken to have them well tacked down, as it is +dangerous on account of fire. Where straw is used, they may be kept down +a much longer time without being shaken. + + +Picking Geese, &c. + +When you pick geese and ducks, have a tub of boiling water; dip each one +in, turning it over to let every part be well scalded, and as each one +is scalded, wrap it up in a cloth, and when they are nearly cold, pick +them. In this way the pen feathers are loosened, and they can be picked +much cleaner. Wetting the feathers does not hurt them if they are well +dried. They should be put in bags, and frequently sunned. Baking them in +the oven after the bread comes out, cures them more thoroughly than any +other way. Turkey and chicken feathers are not so good for beds as goose +and duck; they may be picked in the same way. + + +Marble, &c. + +Marble mantles should be washed but seldom; wipe off spots with a damp +cloth, and rub them dry. Hearths should be washed with soap and water. +When there is a spot of grease, mix clay or whiting with soft soap, and +put on. Soap-stone hearths may be scoured with soap and fine sand, and +washed off. + + +To Restore Colors taken out by Acid, &c. + +Hartshorn rubbed on a silk or woollen garment will restore the color +without injuring it. Spirits of turpentine is good to take grease or +drops of paint out of cloth; apply it till the paint can be scraped off. +Rub French chalk or magnesia on silk or ribbon that has been greased and +hold near the fire; this will absorb the grease so that it may be +brushed off. + + +To make New Feather Beds. + +In making new feather beds, put half a pound of cayenne, and half a +pound of black pepper in each bed; this will prevent the moths from +getting into new feathers that have not been well cured. It is best to +air your beds frequently, and shake them up, even if they are not slept +in. It is the oil in the feathers that makes them smell bad, and when in +constant use the heat of the body dries it up gradually; when beds or +pillows have acquired this unpleasant smell, open them and put a few +pounded cloves in each. + +When new beds are covered with cases, the moth will sometimes eat +through without its being discovered. Covers also prevent the air from +sweetening the feathers, and when new they should never be covered +unless in use. When beds are slept on, it is best to have a thick cotton +sheet, or if it is cold weather, a blanket between the under sheet and +the bed, and have them washed and aired occasionally. + + +To Clean Silver. + +Wash the silver in soda water, rub it with whiting, and polish it with a +piece of dry buckskin. Embossed silver requires a stiff brush. Another +way is to let the silver lay in chalk and water for an hour, then take +it out, and wipe it dry on flannel; polish it with a piece of buckskin. + + +Britannia Ware. + +First wash it clean in soap-suds, then rub it with a woollen cloth and +whiting, and polish off with dry buckskin. + + +Brass. + +First rub the brasses with turpentine, vinegar or whiskey, then with +rotten-stone and a woollen cloth, and polish off with a piece of +soft leather. + +For brasses that have been long out of use, chalk and vinegar may be +used. + + +To Clean Stoves or Grates. + +Have the stove slightly warm, and if there is rust on it rub it off with +a dry brush; mix some black lead or British lustre with boiling water, +rub it on a small part of the stove at a time, and polish it with a +stiff brush. If the stove needs but little cleaning, wet the spots with +water, dust a little lead on the brush and rub it quickly. The black +lead should be washed off several times a year, and then renewed. Sheet +iron stoves should be rubbed with a woollen cloth, as a brush is apt to +streak. The lead may be mixed with the white of an egg in cold water. +Alum water is good to mix lustre; it prevents the stove from rusting. + +To polish the hearth of a Franklin stove, rub it over with a piece of +grindstone, or use coarse sand with the sole of a shoe; when it begins +to look bright, polish it with pumice stone. + + +Cement to Mend Cracks in Stoves. + +Take two parts of ashes, three of clay, and one of sand; mix them well +together with water, and put it on when the stove is cold. It is also +good to stop a leak in a roof. + + +Fire-proof Cement. + +Slack a peck of lime in boiling water; put into it three pounds of salt, +three of brown sugar, and one of alum; mix them well together, and color +it with lamp-black or ochre. This has been recommended to put on the +roof of a building that is exposed to fire. + + +To Take Spots out of Mahogany. + +Put a piece of paper on the spot, and hold a warm iron over it, then rub +it with a waxed cloth. If furniture is hurt with flies, it should be +well washed with a cloth, and rubbed with a cork and a waxed cloth. + +Varnished furniture should be first rubbed with sweet oil, and then with +a waxed cloth. + + +To Take Grease out of Floors. + +Mix clay or fullers' earth with ley, and put a thick coat on the grease +spot; scrape it off every few days, and put on more. To put soft soap on +the place, and rub it over with a hot iron, will take out the grease. + + +Wash for Hearths. + +Mix red ochre in milk, and put it on the hearths with a brush. + + +Blacking for Boots and Shoes. + +Take one ounce of vitriolic acid, one wine-glass of olive oil, two +ounces of ivory black, an ounce of gum arabic, a quart of vinegar, and a +tea-cup of molasses; put the vitriol and oil together, then add the +ivory black and other ingredients; when all are well mixed, bottle it. + + +To Make Boots and Shoes Water-proof. + +Take one pint of linseed oil, one ounce of Burgundy pitch, two of +beeswax, and two of spirits of turpentine; melt them carefully over a +slow fire. With this you may rub new or old shoes in the sun, or at a +short distance from the fire, and they will last longer, never shrink, +and keep out water. + + +To Make Blacking for Morocco Shoes. + +Pound some black sealing wax, and put in a bottle with half a pint of +alcohol; shake it frequently, and when it is dissolved, you may rub it +on morocco shoes when they are scaled or defaced, and they will look +almost like new; dry it on in the sun. + + +To Grease Eggs for Winter. + +In the spring when eggs are plenty and cheap, it is very well to put up +several hundred, to use in the winter, when it is very difficult to get +them, even in the country. + +Grease each egg with sweet lard, and as you do so, lay them in a keg or +jar, or old tin vessels that are out of use; put them in a dry closet +and keep them covered over; if they are put in the cellar, they are +liable to mould, which spoils them entirely. Do not put in any cracked +ones, or they will injure the rest. In this way they have been known to +keep a year, and were nearly as good for puddings, or batter cakes, as +fresh eggs. They do not do to boil, or make pound or sponge cake, as +they lose part of their lightening property. + + +To Keep Eggs in Lime Water. + +Pour two gallons of hot water on a pint of lime and half a pint of +salt; put the eggs in a jar or keg, and when it is cold, pour it over +them, and put them in a cellar to keep; be sure that there are no +cracked ones. Eggs may be kept a month or longer, spread out separately +on dishes, so as one will not lay on another. They will keep best in a +dark closet. + + +To Clean Soiled Eggs. + +When eggs are discolored from laying on the ground, wash them first +in strong vinegar, and then in cold water, and wipe them dry on a +soft towel. + + +Chloride of Lime. + +A few spoonsful of chloride of lime dissolved in some water in a bowl or +saucer, is very useful to purify the apartment of an invalid, or in any +case where there is an unpleasant smell, of any kind. It is a cheap +article, and should always he kept convenient where there is sickness in +the house. + + +To Take Lime out of Cloth. + +Lime spots on woollen clothes may be effectually removed, by putting a +little strong vinegar on the part, which completely neutralizes the +lime, and does not usually effect the color; but it will be safest to +wash it over with a cloth dipped in water, and rub it till nearly dry. + +Hartshorn and alcohol mixed together are very useful in taking spots out +of cloth or merino, applied with something that will not leave lint. + + +To Take Wax or Spermaceti out of Cloth. + + +Hold a red hot flat-iron within an inch or two of the cloth, and this +will make the wax or spermaceti evaporate entirely; then rub the place +with a towel (that is free from lint) or clean brown paper. + + +To Remove a Stopper from a Decanter. + +Wet a cloth with hot water and wrap it round the neck of the bottle; +this will cause the glass to expand, and the neck will be enlarged so as +to allow of the stopper to be withdrawn, without any trouble. + + +Precautions against Fire. + +Perhaps it may not be improper to remark that houses have been saved +from being destroyed by fire at night, by there having been buckets of +water left in the kitchen. + +Never go to bed without seeing that there is a supply in readiness. +Housekeepers should also arrange their family affairs so as to have as +little going about with lights by servants as possible. Chimneys should +be swept at proper intervals, and if you burn them, let it be on a rainy +morning and never at night. + + +To Take Ink and Stains out of Linen. + +Dip the spotted part in pure melted tallow, then wash out the tallow and +the ink will come out with it. If you get a stain of fruit of any kind +on linen, boil a little new milk, and dip the parts in and out for a few +minutes; this must be done before any water is used, or it will not be +likely to succeed. Oxalic acid, or salt and lemon juice are good, and +care should be taken to rinse the articles well after the application. + + +Herbs, Gardens and Yards. + +If you have a garden, be careful to raise herbs, both for cooking and to +use in sickness. Parsley, thyme, sage and sweet marjoram occupy very +little room in a garden, and cannot very well be dispensed with for +kitchen use; and every family should have a bunch of wormwood; it is a +fine tonic, either made while fresh, cut fine, with cold water, or after +it has been dried, made with boiling water. Tansey is also a useful +herb. Hoarhound is excellent for coughs, and is particularly useful in +consumptive complaints, either as a syrup or made into candy. Balm is a +cooling drink in a fever. Catnip tea is useful when you have a cold, and +wish to produce a perspiration, and is good for infants that have the +colic. Garlic is good for colds, and for children that have the croup; +you should have some taken up in the fall to use through the winter. The +root of elecampane gathered in the fall, scraped, sliced, and strung +with a needle and thread to dry, will keep its strength for several +years, and is useful for a cough with hoarhound. Rue is a valuable herb, +a tea made of it and sweetened is good for worms. + +It is not expected that persons living in a town should have room in +their garden for herbs, but they are generally to be purchased at +market, and should always be kept in the house, as sometimes in the +winter they are much needed when it is difficult to find them. + +Herbs should be spread out on a cloth to dry; turn them every day; when +dry, put them in thick paper bags, and close up the top, so as to +exclude the air. They can be kept hanging up, or laid on the shelf of a +closet, where they will not be affected by damp. + +Such herbs as sage, thyme and sweet marjoram, when thoroughly dry, +should be pounded, sifted, and corked in bottles. Parsley should be cut +fine with a pair of scissors, dried, and put in bottles; it is nearly as +good this way as when fresh; keep it in a dark closet. + +Where you have a garden, do not throw away the soap-suds that are left +from washing, as they are very good to water herbs and flowers. + +It is very important to have early vegetables. A garden that is spaded, +or ploughed in the winter, is ready to plant much earlier. There are +many things that will bear the spring frosts without injury, and if +planted early will be ready to grow when the fine weather comes. +Tomatoes should be sowed in boxes or a hot-bed to be ready to +transplant. + +The scrapings of a cellar are good to put in the garden to enrich it. +Ashes sprinkled on a yard, or grass plat, will keep down the coarse +grass, and produce white clover. + +The grass should be cut out of a brick pavement with a knife, and +boiling ley poured on to kill the roots. + +Seeds should be saved as they ripen, from the finest plants; they should +be kept in a box with a tight lid to keep them from mice. + + +Greasers for Bake-irons. + +Take pieces of fat from the back bone, or chine of pork; cut them in +pieces of half a pound each; leave the skin on; salt them. They will +do to grease the bake-iron where you have buckwheat cakes every +morning in winter, and should be kept in a cool place; after remaining +in salt several weeks, they may be hung up in an airy place. This is +nicer than suet. + + +Cement for the Tops of Bottles or Jars. + +Take equal parts of rosin and brick-dust pounded fine; a lump of +beeswax; stew them together, and keep in an old tin, melting it when you +want to seal your bottles or jars. + + +Cement for Mending Cast-iron. + +To mend a crack or sand hole in an iron pot, beat up the white of an +egg, and mix equal weight of salt and sifted ashes; work it very smooth +and fill up the crack, let it harden before it is used. If it is a large +sand hole you wish to mend, put in a rivet and secure it with the +cement, if it gets loose it is easily fastened by the same process. + + +Weather Proof Cement. + +Take of fine sand one part, two of clay, three of ashes; mix with +linseed oil to the consistency required. Put it on with a towel or +brush. It is said to become as hard as marble. + + +To Cleanse Vials, &c. + +Put ashes and water in each one, and boil them in water, letting them +heat gradually. Pie plates may be cleansed in the same way. Iron pots +that have been used for boiling milk, may be cleaned by boiling ashes +and water in them. + + +Mending China with Milk. + +China can be mended if not too badly broken, by boiling it in skim milk, +it should be entirely clear of cream, or the oily particles will prevent +its adhesion. Tie the pieces with tape or fine cord, put them into a +kettle of cold milk, and let them boil two hours, then take it off the +fire, and when cold take the china out, and set it away; let it stand +for several months. China pitchers, tea-pot lids, cup-plates and +dishes, have been used for years after being mended in this way. + + +Mending China with White Lead. + +Take the bottom of an old paint keg, and carefully with a small knife, +put it on the edge of glass or china, close the parts together, and +place away; if badly broken, mend the small parts first, and set away; +then when dry, putty the edges you wish to join carefully, and set on +the top shelf of a closet, where it will be undisturbed for a year. + + +Linseed Oil for Furniture. + +For polishing mahogany or walnut furniture, (that has never been +varnished) linseed oil has been recommended. It possesses a tendency to +harden and become solid, on long exposure to the air. It is this +peculiar quality that renders it useful in its application to furniture. +Rub the furniture you wish to polish (having previously washed all the +wax from it with soap and water) all over with the oil; a small piece of +sponge is suitable for the purpose, let it remain a few minutes so as to +sink in the wood; then rub it in with a soft cloth, and again with a +clean cloth. Do this every other day and your table will soon be fit to +use for breakfast or tea without fear of spoiling the polish; when you +wash it off it should be done with plain warm water, as soap will injure +it. It is best not to use a table till it has had several rubbings with +the oil, and then apply it once a week. The pores being filled with the +application it becomes hard. Always give a table that is in use a rub +with a dry cloth every morning. + + +For Filtering Water. + +Put a thick layer of pounded charcoal, (say six inches,) at the bottom +of a large earthen flower-pot; over this, lay a bed of fine sand, which +has been washed, (to prevent its giving a taste to the water;) pour the +water in the filterer and put a large stone pitcher under to receive it. + + +On A Larger Scale. + +Prepare a tight barrel by charring it on the inside, (by having some +hickory or oak shavings burnt in it,) then put in half a peck of quick +lime, and fill it with water. After the lime water has stood in the +barrel for two weeks, it will be ready for use. + +This preparation of the barrel is necessary to remove the acid from the +wood, which would communicate an unpleasant taste to the water. + +Fit a partition in the barrel, (perforated with many holes,) about three +inches from the bottom of the barrel, and having put in a tube, to go +down from the top through the partition nearly to the bottom, put on the +perforated partition some broken charcoal, then finer charcoal a foot +thick, then about a foot of clean washed sand. + +To use this filter pour the water through the tube, (which should be +open at the top like a funnel;) the water runs to the bottom, and +filters upward, leaving all the impurities at the bottom. + +The pure water is drawn off from the top of the barrel by means of a +spile or faucet. + + +To Keep Water Cool in Summer, when you have not Ice. + +Where you live at a distance from water, and wish to keep it cool, put a +large stone vessel in the coldest place you can find; fill it with +water, cover it with a towel and wrap a wet cloth around it; this will +keep it cool for some hours, which is a comfort in warm weather. + + +To Purify Water. + +To put a small lump of lime into your water-cask is useful. Agitating +and exposing it to the air, will help to keep it fresh. + +Strain muddy water through a sieve, in which a cloth or sponge, (or a +layer of fine sand or charcoal,) has been placed. + +Hard water may be softened and rendered suitable for washing, by +adding to every twelve gallons of water, about a quarter of a pound +of sal soda. + + +Gum Arabic Paste. + +Pulverize in a mortar an ounce of gum arabic, pour on boiling water and +stir it till dissolved; do not put too much water. If you wish to keep +this paste any length of time, put it in a wide-mouthed phial, and pour +alcohol over it; keep it corked, and as you use it, you may thin it with +water if required; put it on with a feather or brush. + + +Preserving Kettles. + +Bell-metal, copper and brass kettles require very nice cleaning +immediately before they are used, or it will endanger your health. +Vinegar with salt or ashes should be used; save the vinegar that is left +in the pickle jars for this purpose. + + +To Clean Knives and Forks. + +In some families the knives are a great care to the housekeeper, but by +proper management it is rendered easy. After using them, they should be +wiped with a cloth, dipped in warm water, then wiped dry, (the handles +should never be put in hot water,) then polish them with Bristol or Bath +brick, which, with the rubbing cloths, should be kept in a small box, +with a strip of leather nailed on one edge, on which to polish them +after they are rubbed with the brick. + +Knives that are not in daily use should be wrapped in raw cotton and +then in paper, and if kept in a dry place will not be liable to rust. + + +To Clean Teeth. _With Remarks on Fixing the Habit, &c._ + +Pulverized charcoal mixed with honey, is very good to cleanse teeth, and +make them white. A little Peruvian bark put in a phial with lime water +is excellent to use occasionally by those that have offensive teeth; and +tincture of myrrh mixed with a little water, may be used with advantage, +to harden the gums. A little Peruvian bark put in the teeth just before +going to bed, and washed out in the morning, is an excellent +preservative of teeth. It is very important for parents to insist on +children cleaning their teeth, at least, it is well for them to begin +before they lose their first set, as it makes them last longer, and +fixes the habit, which is of great importance. + + +To Clean Kid Gloves. + +Take a piece of flannel; moisten it with a little milk; rub it on a cake +of mild soap, and apply it to the soiled spots on the gloves; as soon as +the dirt is removed, rub the spot with a dry piece of flannel, and dry +them on the hands. Care must be taken that the gloves are not made too +wet, or they will have a wrinkled appearance. Dark gloves that are worn +in winter, should be exposed to the sun for about a quarter of an hour +in the spring, before putting them away, or they will be liable to spot. + + +To Clean Papered Walls. + +Cut the crust off of stale bread very thick, and rub the walls carefully +from top to bottom, in a straight line, using a fresh piece of bread as +soon as it looks much soiled. + + +To Take Old Putty from Window Glass. + +Warm an iron, and rub it on the glass opposite the putty; this melts the +oil, and you may easily remove the putty. + + +Cutting Glass for Mending Windows. + +If you want to cut glass for mending windows, and have no diamond, dip a +piece of cotton twine into turpentine, and stretch it tightly across the +glass where you wish to break it; then set the string on fire, and after +it is burned, break the glass while it is warm. + + + + +SIMPLE REMEDIES. + +The following remedies are for diseases which occur in almost every +family, and have been proved to be useful in a number of instances. As +most old housekeepers have their favorite recipes, it is for the young +and inexperienced these are particularly intended, and may be used with +safety, when a physician is not at hand. + + +Remarks upon a Deeply Seated Cough. + +It is very important to begin in time with a cold. Consumption is +sometimes prevented by very simple remedies. To put Burgundy pitch +plasters on the breast and back of the neck, often has a good +effect; they should be re-spread frequently, and when one part is +irritated, change them to another place. Put one on your side if you +have a pain there. + +Flannel should be put on next the skin by all means, which, with the +above simple remedies, will cure a cold, if begun with in time. + +I have frequently known new flannel put on those that usually wore it, +greatly to benefit a delicate person. The increased irritation of the +new flannel acts on the pores of the skin and promotes circulation. Hair +soles worn in the shoe, or socks made of flannel, or soft buckskin worn +under the stockings, are very good to keep the feet warm and dry. +Persons predisposed to consumption should have nourishing food, and not +eat too much at a time; they should avoid strong tea or coffee, and +drink milk. Eggs, oysters, fresh fish and fowls, are very good for them. +Fruit of all kinds is useful. + +They should take exercise in the air, particularly riding on horse-back, +or take a short walk, but not so as to be fatigued; to work moderately +in a garden, when the ground is not too damp, is good exercise for a +delicate person; the smell of fresh earth, and of flowers, is beneficial +to both body and mind. After taking exercise, a glass of lemonade is +very refreshing, and promotes appetite. + +If there should be perspiration at night, change the sheets and +pillow-cases frequently, and the under garments; air the chamber and +bed-clothes every day; if the weather is too damp to raise the windows, +shake up the bed, and leave it unmade half of the day, and put it out in +the sun occasionally. + +By all means avoid strong medicine, or any thing that has a tendency to +weaken the body. + +Sometimes blisters are used with very good effect; also, rubbing the +breast and back with camphor or spirits, or with a piece of dry flannel. + +Taking anodyne drops, particularly laudanum, should be avoided, if +possible; they may still the cough during the night, but it will come on +with increased violence in the morning; they weaken the stomach, +increase the fever, and sometimes cause delirium. + +Everything that tends to excite or irritate the mind, should be kept +from them. It is very important to talk cheerfully to sick persons, +particularly if confined to their chamber, which can be done without +lightness or trifling. + +If they see gloomy faces around them, it has a very disheartening +effect; and, if the mind sinks, such is its intimate connection with the +body, that it is hard to raise it. + +I have known persons by judicious management to live for many years, +after it was thought they were in a deep decline, by avoiding weakening +medicines, taking exercise on horse-back and on foot, and never +indulging in a full meal. + +Sometimes such persons have very good appetites, and it is a +satisfaction to their friends to see them eat heartily; but they should +eat something frequently, rather than over-load the stomach too much. +When they come in hungry from a ride, to beat up an egg with a +tea-spoonful of wine, and a little sugar and nutmeg put in a tumbler +with some milk, and taken with a cracker or biscuit, or a piece of thin +toast broken up in it, has a very strengthening effect. + +Persons are seldom benefitted by a strict diet, but it is sometimes +enforced till they lose their appetite and cannot eat. + +If the weather is so that exercise cannot be taken out of doors, some +method should be devised for taking it in the house. Rubbing furniture +and playing battle-door, are good exercise for a female, but should not +be taken too much at a time. + +Men that are confined to the house are sometimes very much at a loss +what to do; if such would purchase a few tools, and appropriate a spare +room as a workshop, it would promote their health. I have known men that +were but little acquainted with the use of tools, do many useful and +ornamental pieces of work, that were greatly valued by their friends; +and the exertion kept their spirits from sinking, when the weather was +too inclement to take exercise in the open air. + + +For a Cough. + +Take a wine glass of the juice of the green hoarhound, or if that cannot +be obtained, a strong decoction from the dry herb will answer; mix it in +half a pint of new milk, sweetened either with sugar or honey; take this +half an hour before breakfast. It has been known to cure obstinate +coughs, and persons that have taken it for four weeks or more, have +gained strength and flesh, and the pain in the breast was relieved. +Flannel should be worn. + + +Elecampane and Hoarhound Syrup. + +Put a pint of hoarhound in a quart of water, and let it draw by the +fire; put a tea-cupful of dried elecampane root in a pint of water, +cover it close, and let it boil till all the strength is out; strain it +and the hoarhound together, and put them to boil with a pound of sugar; +when it is a rich syrup, pour it in a pitcher to cool, and bottle it. +Take a table-spoonful at a time when the cough is troublesome. Sometimes +flaxseed is a useful addition to this syrup. + + +Brown Mixture for a Cough. + +Take of paregoric, liquorice and gum arabic, each an ounce, from fifty +to one hundred drops of antimonial wine and two gills of hot water; mix +them well together, and when cold, bottle, and cork it tight; take two +tea-spoonsful at a time; if it should nauseate, give a smaller +quantity. If this produce profuse perspiration avoid going in the air +unless well wrapped up. This has been useful in the latter stages of +the whooping cough. + + +Ginger Tea. _With Remarks on its Use, &c._ + +Strong ginger tea, sweetened and taken hot on going to bed, is very +good. Where persons have been exposed to the air, and think they have +taken fresh cold, keep the feet warm by taking a hot brick to bed, and +do not increase the cold the next day. If it is not deeply seated, +taking this a few nights will give relief. A piece of ginger root, kept +about the person to chew, is good for a tickling in the throat, which +many persons are subject to, when sitting in close heated apartments, in +lecture rooms, or places of worship. + + +Lemon Mixture for a Cough. + +Put two fresh eggs in a jar; cover them with the juice of six large +lemons; let it stand until the hard shell of the eggs is eaten off; then +beat it together; strain it, and add half a pound of rock candy, one +gill of brandy and two table-spoonsful of sweet oil. + + +Mixture of Lemon Juice and Honey. + +Take half a pint of honey and squeeze the juice of four lemons on it; +mix well together, and add a small portion of sugar; take a tea-spoonful +every time the cough is troublesome. + + +Hoarhound Candy. + +Put two pounds of sugar in a pint of hoarhound tea, as strong as can be +made, which may be done by drawing two sets of hoarhound in the same +water, till the strength is out of each; when it is cold, mix in the +sugar and the white of an egg; when it begins to boil, take off the scum +as it rises, boil it slowly till it becomes thick, so that when you drop +it on a plate, it will be hard and crisp, and pour it out in plates that +have been greased with a little sweet butter; when cold, you can break +it up for use, and tie it up in a jar. This is quite as useful as the +candy you buy, and is much cheaper; it is very convenient for persons +that have a cough, to have a little box of this about them to take when +there is a tickling in the throat. + + +Mustard Bath for the Feet--Soap Stones, &c. + +It gives relief to a bad cold in the early stages, to soak the feet in +warm water, in which you have put half a tea cup of salt and two table +spoonsful of pulverized mustard, and to drink ginger tea. You may keep +your feet in the bath for half an hour, and then retire with a warm soap +stone wrapped in a cloth and placed near them. A soap stone, the size of +a brick will, when thoroughly heated, keep warm till morning, and is +invaluable for an elderly person or one that suffers with cold feet. + + +Liverwort Syrup. + +Make a quart of strong liverwort tea by extracting two sets of herbs in +the same water, tie a tea cup of flaxseed in a bag and put with it; keep +it covered while drawing; when the strength is all out, strain it on a +pound of sugar, and let it boil slowly till it is thick--keeping it +covered to prevent the strength from going off, when cold, bottle it, +and set the bottle in a cool place while using it. Take a table-spoonful +at a time about six times a day. This has been used for a cough with +great benefit. + + +For Sore Throat. + +Make a gargle of cayenne pepper, honey and spirits, or sage tea, with +alum and honey, or figs boiled, mashed and strained, and use it once +in two hours. If it is very bad, steam the mouth with a funnel held +over hot vinegar, and put on a hot poultice of hops, boiled in weak +ley and thickened with corn-meal; there should be a little lard spread +over; renew it every time it gets cold. Another very good poultice, is +hot mush strewed with powdered camphor; put it on as hot as can be +borne, and change it when cold. A purgative should be given, either of +senna and salts, castor oil; or rhubarb and soap pills. An emetic is +of great importance, and has caused the throat to break when persons +have been very ill. + +Sore throats have been cured when quinsy was apprehended, by using +powdered camphor and lard on flannel. It is a good way, when persons are +subject to it, to keep an ounce of camphor mixed with lard, in a +wide-mouthed bottle, or jar; and corked tight. The cayenne pepper and +honey gargle should also be kept ready mixed, and used when the first +symptoms appear; or in a violent attack, a plaster of snuff and lard may +be applied with benefit, keeping it on only a few minutes at a time. +Sometimes a bag of hot ashes sprinkled with vinegar, and applied hot as +can be borne, has cured a sore throat in one night. Persons that have +been afflicted for years with repeated attacks of sore throat and +quinsy, have been cured by bathing the throat, neck and ears with cold +water every morning. The constant use of the shower bath is very +important. Keep the feet warm. + + +Molasses Posset for a Cold. + +Take a pint of the best molasses, a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger, a +quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and let them simmer together for +half an hour: then stir in the juice of two lemons, or if you have not +these, two table-spoonsful of strong vinegar; cover over the sauce-pan, +and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. Some of this may be +taken warm or cold. + + +For Whooping Cough. + +Dissolve a scruple of salts of tartar in a gill of water, put in half a +scruple of pulverized cochineal, sweeten it with loaf sugar, give an +infant a tea-spoonful of this mixture four times a day, and a child four +years old or upwards, a table-spoonful. In some cases the relief is +instantaneous. + +Another Remedy. + +Half a pint of honey, half a pint of vinegar, two table-spoonsful of +sweet oil stewed together a few minutes; when cold put it in a bottle, +and put in a tea-spoonful of laudanum; shake it well, and give a +table-spoonful when the cough is troublesome, and a dose just before +going to bed. For an infant of six months, a small tea-spoonful is a +dose, and for a child of four years, two tea-spoonsful. Where there is +not much fever, a little port or claret wine, mixed with sugar and +water, and taken with toast broken in it, is beneficial. Children should +be taken out riding if possible, and should be well wrapped up. + + +For the Croup. + +Put the child in warm water, and keep up the temperature by putting in +more hot water; keep it in fifteen or twenty minutes, then wipe it dry +and put it in a warm bed, or wrap a blanket round it and hold it on the +lap; give it an emetic, and put powdered garlic and lard to the throat +and soles of the feet; keep up the perspiration, by giving a few drops +of antimonial wine every half hour. The next morning give it a dose of +rhubarb tea or castor oil, and keep it from the air for several days. +This treatment has been very beneficial when a physician was not at +hand; and nothing had been done till his arrival, perhaps the child +would have been too far gone to recover. In cases of croup, to wet a +piece of flannel with, alcohol, and apply it to the throat as hot as it +can be borne, has often a salutary effect, applied frequently. It is +also good to use for a bad cold, &c. + +Molasses stewed with a lump of butter, and a table-spoonful of vinegar, +taken just before you go to bed, and to grease the nose, forehead and +breast with mutton tallow, will sometimes cure a child without any thing +else. To pound garlic in a rag and squeeze out the juice, mix it with +molasses, and give a tea-spoonful at a time, has given relief when a +child was very ill. Sliced onions, or garlic stewed with sugar and +water, or molasses, is very good to take for a cold. Where children are +subject to the croup, you should always have a pot of water over the +fire, and light-wood near, to heat it as quick as possible. Children +that are subject to these attacks should have their feet kept warm and +dry, and always wear flannel next to the skin. + +It is the duty of parents to make use of the most simple remedies, which +may always be in readiness, and, if applied in time, may prevent the +necessity of giving strong medicines, which injure the constitutions of +young children. The least symptom of the disease should be attended to. +Lobelia is a certain remedy for croup. If the case is light, a few drops +of the tincture, increasing the dose according to the age of the child, +given at short intervals, will cause it to vomit and prevent danger; but +if the attack is a severe one, you should give the "third preparation of +lobelia;" for a child of ten years, ten drops, and so on in proportion; +mix it with sugar and water. Every mother should keep lobelia at hand, +as it has been known to give certain relief in many cases. + +A child of twelve months, may take of the tincture ten drops every +fifteen or twenty minutes, till it acts as an emetic, or relieves by +perspiration; one of two or three years may take twenty or thirty drops. +The third preparation is of much greater strength than the tincture. + + +Infants' Colic, &c. + +Tea made of catnip, and sweetened, given to an infant when it appears to +be in pain, is often useful. Sweet marjoram tea also relieves pain, and +has a soothing effect on the nerves. + +To put the feet in warm water, and put a warm piece of flannel to the +stomach, is important; but if neither of these relieve the child, put it +in warm water for about ten minutes, and cover it from the air +carefully; wipe it dry, and keep it warm afterwards. A little weak +ginger tea is good for the colic; as also tea made of dried damask rose +leaves; a tea-spoonful of leaves will make a tea-cupful of tea. + +Uneasiness is frequently caused by their stomachs being overloaded with +food, and care should be taken in this respect. + +Having lately met with some remarks in the "Baltimore American," with +which I am much pleased, I take the liberty of inserting them. +"Narcotics and anodynes cannot be given with too much caution, the +sensitive and nervous system of an infant should never be acted upon by +these powerful drugs unless in extreme cases, and of these, few mothers +should presume to judge. Two drops of laudanum, says the London Medical +Gazette, have been known to kill an infant; and a single drop, it is +said, stole the life of a new born babe. + +"The most experienced medical men never administer medicines of this +class to the very young, without exercising the utmost caution, and +making the most accurate calculations. + +"In the present day, the more general diffusion of correct facts in +physiology and pathology has caused a large class of young mothers to +reject the old system of giving narcotic drugs to infants. In carrying +out this salutary reformation like all other reformers, they have a +strong opposition to contend with; old fashioned nurses do much harm in +opposing all nursery reformations, consequently young mothers will have +a hard task to execute. + +"Too many have not the steady courage to hold on to the end in mild, but +firm opposition to all erroneous, but well meant interference. But there +are others whose pure and unswerving love for their tender off-spring +keeps them firm to their duty; to these the next generation will owe +much. They are the little band of true-hearted reformers, whose good +example will be like leaven, spreading until its influence is felt +throughout the wide circle of maternal responsibility." + + +Summer Diseases. + +The food of children in summer, should be light and nourishing; if of +milk, be careful that it is sweet. If you cannot get it fresh as often +as you want it, boiling will keep it sweet. Sour milk and improper +food sometimes bring on the summer disease, which is easier prevented +than cured. + +A little rhubarb tea or tincture, with a small quantity of prepared +chalk, will sometimes check it in its early stages, but the most +effectual medicine that I have tried is called by some apothecaries, +"red mixture," of which I will give a recipe. + +Chicken water, slightly salted, is very good; make but a little at a +time, and have it fresh. + +Rice gruel, sweetened with loaf-sugar, and a little nutmeg, is +nourishing. To make a drink of slippery-elm, shave the bark fine and put +it in water; strain it, mix it with milk, and sweeten it. Elderberry and +blackberry cordials are also good in cases where there is no fever. + +The stomach and back should be bathed with spirits, and a little bag of +pounded spices, wet with spirits, applied to the stomach, may be used +with safety, when not within reach of a physician. + +A bark jacket has been used with success in many instances, cut it out +of fine muslin, to be double, spread it open, and cover one side with +about two ounces of the best Lima bark, and twelve pounded cloves; put +on the other side, sew it up, and quilt it across; put on shoulder +straps and strings of soft ribbon; sprinkle it with spirits twice a day. + +The child should have the benefit of the morning and evening air. If it +is not convenient to ride it out, walking will answer, in the arms of a +careful nurse, carried on a pillow, with an umbrella to protect its eyes +from the light. + +When a child is taken sick in a city, removing it to the country often +has a beneficial effect. Milk thickened with arrow root is good diet for +children. Flour dried in an oven for several hours, and used to thicken +milk or water, is also good, sweetened with loaf-sugar, and is +nutritious. They should eat but a small portion of any thing at a time. + +To cut slices of lean fresh beef or mutton, put it in a bowl, and pour a +pint of boiling water on it, and let it set close to the fire for an +hour, is very good to give children occasionally, with but little salt; +the stomach will sometimes retain this when other things are rejected. +As thirst is an attendant on this disease, much salt should be avoided +in all their food. Every thing about a sick child should be kept clean, +and its clothes well aired before changing them. If it is too ill to +carry out of doors, have it changed from one room to another, and the +apartment it left well aired. + +Children who are afflicted with this disease, sometimes crave fruit. +Ripe peaches, fresh from the tree, or ripe apples, baked or roasted +before the fire, may he occasionally administered in small quantities +with perfect safety. + +To make toast-water, the bread should be toasted on both sides very dry, +and boiling water poured on it. + +I hope these hints will be useful to persons that cannot procure a +physician, which is often the case in the country. + + +Mustard Whey. + +Boil a pint of milk, and the same of water, with an ounce and a half of +bruised mustard seed, until the curd separates--when strain the whey. +This is a most desirable way of administering mustard; it warms and +invigorates the system, promotes the different secretions, and in the +low state of nervous fevers, will often supply the place of wine. It is +also of use in chronic rheumatism, palsy and dropsy. + + +Red Mixture. + +Take sixteen grains of powdered rhubarb, thirty of soda, fifty of +prepared chalk, and two drops of the oil of spearmint, mixed in a vial +with two ounces of water; keep it corked up and shake it before giving a +dose. A child of ten months old should take a tea-spoonful every three +or four hours. If there is much pain, two drops of laudanum may be added +to every other dose. A table-spoonful is a dose for a grown person. + + +Erysipelas. + +The decoction of sarsaparilla has proved useful in cases of erysipelas. +Take two ounces of sarsaparilla, one of sassafras, one of burdock root, +and one of liquorice; boil them slowly in three pints of water, keeping +it covered close, until reduced to one-half. Take two table-spoonsful +four times a day. + +While taking medicine for the erysipelas, meat and all strong food +should be avoided, and every thing that has a tendency to inflame the +blood. Dusting the parts affected, with rye or buckwheat flour, +sometimes has a cooling effect, and bathing with camphor or spirits will +allay the irritation. + +Nettle rash is very much like erysipelas, and the same treatment is good +for both. Slippery-elm bark, chipped, and let to stand in cold water +till it becomes thick, is a very cooling drink. It may be filled up the +second time. Barley water is also a suitable drink. + +Erysipelas is frequently brought on by violent exercise, and the +perspiration being checked too suddenly. Persons that have once had it, +should avoid extremes of heat and cold, and pay strict attention to +diet--not eating any thing that disagrees with them. All acids, +particularly pickles, are improper. + +The stomach should be cleansed by emetics. Small and frequent doses of +senna and salts, if taken just at going to bed, will not occasion much +sickness, and tend greatly to relieve the system of this unpleasant +disease. Where the case is slight, the rhubarb pills sometimes give +relief. The pores of those that are subject to it are generally open, +and flannel should be worn all the year, to prevent too sudden a check +of perspiration. + + +Magnesia, Charcoal and Salts. + +Form a valuable compound for family use: one ounce of each mixed +together, and put in a wide-mouthed bottle; it is useful for head-ache, +or diseases of the skin. Cases of erysipelas have been cured by its +continued use. Take a tea-spoonful of the mixture, in a little water two +or three times a day, or on going to bed at night. Persons of sedentary +occupations, that are in the habit of taking pills, will find it to +their relief to use this simple remedy. It has been found beneficial in +cases of tetter and ringworm in the head, using at the same time, as a +wash on the part affected, borax dissolved in strong vinegar. + +In cases of erysipelas, the "charcoal mixture" has been used with great +benefit; it is excellent for purifying the blood. Take it in small doses +for two or three weeks, then discontinue it, and take it again at +intervals. If this medicine should be found unpleasant, take a +tea-spoonful of jelly, or something of that kind after it. It will +answer quite as well to keep the magnesia, charcoal and salts in +separate bottles, and mix them just as you take the dose, taking about +an even tea-spoonful of each. + + +For Dropsy. + +Put a quarter of a pound of cream of tartar, and a pound of new nails, +in a stone jug, with half a gallon of water, let it stand three or four +days, occasionally shaking it; take a table spoonful three times a day, +on an empty stomach, and half an hour after each dose, take two +spoonsful of mustard seed or scraped horse-radish. If the swelling +abates, you may take the medicine less frequently, or omit every other +day, but do not leave it off until you are entirely cured. After it has +stood some time, it becomes stronger, when you may put in more water. +This has been highly recommended for the dropsy. + +Another Remedy. + +Take a quart of gin, put into it one handful of the white buds of the +common pine; shake it frequently, and take half a wine glassful at a +time, twice a day, about an hour before a meal, and occasionally eat a +little brown mustard seed; this should be persevered in, and has been +known to afford great relief, in two obstinate cases. + + +For Rheumatism + +Persons are liable to have the rheumatism from taking cold in the +winter. Where the pain is most violent, put on plasters of Burgundy +pitch, spread on leather. Persons that are subject to it, should always +keep pitch in the house to use, as it will give relief; a silk +handkerchief tied round the joint, keeps it warm and relieves stiffness. +If the pain is in the back part of the head, put a blister on the neck, +by all means. When persons have a bad spell of rheumatism, they should +always take medicine, and avoid eating meat for a few days. Equal parts +of rhubarb and castile soap, made into pills, with a little water, is a +valuable medicine for rheumatism, and suits aged persons; the pills +should be taken at night on going to bed. They are easily made, and +should always be at hand: it is valuable as a cathartic in almost every +case where mild medicine is necessary. The use of the shower bath is +also beneficial. Flannel should always be worn next the skin, and the +feet kept dry. Bathing with camphor sometimes relieves the pain, but +there is a danger of driving it to a more vital part. Salt and water is +useful to bathe for the rheumatism, when it is of long-standing. + + +Deafness, Remarks, &c. + +A remarkable case of deafness was cured by the following remedy: (An +aged person, whose hearing had been very good, gradually became so deaf +as not to be able to hear common conversation; after suffering some +months, the patient thought of trying the following remedy:) of honey, +brandy and sweet oil, each a tea-spoonful, warm and mix well together; +sew a soft linen rag to the eye of a strong darning needle; dip this mop +in the mixture while warm, and put it in the ear; hold it in till cold, +when renew and move it gently about; by so doing, wax that had +accumulated, hardened, and stopped the cavity, was discharged, and the +hearing of the patient restored. Wool should be worn in the ears, and an +occasional use of the mixture; also flannel round the head at night. A +young person was relieved by the persevering use of the following +remedies: Put a small blister of Spanish flies behind the ears, very +high up on the hard part, so as to be clear of the leaders (or it will +occasion pain); when drawn, dress them in the usual way, and as soon as +healed renew them; repeat this several times, keeping wool in the ears +dipped in sweet oil, and at night put in small pieces of fat bacon that +has been boiled, and tie a handkerchief around to keep them warm. When +the blisters are healed, the hair should be cut short, to enable the +patient to bathe the head in cold water, which should be poured from a +pitcher; begin with it a little warm and gradually get it colder; this +should be persevered in, even in cold weather; wipe the head and tie it +up till dry. I have been induced to make these remedies public, by +seeing several interesting young persons suffering from deafness, with a +hope that they may be of use. + + +Remedy for Sick Head-ache. + +A table-spoonful of table salt; dissolved in a pint of water, as warm as +you can drink it; take at two doses, and drink freely of luke-warm +water, until it causes vomiting; put a hot brick to the feet, and avoid +the air, which will check the perspiration. + + +The Oil of Butter. _A Remedy for Dysentery, &c._ + +Put half a pound of fresh butter in a quart of boiling water, to extract +the salt; let it melt and boil up. If there should be any curds on the +top, take them off, then skim off the clear butter, and keep it covered +by the fire; give from one to two table-spoonsful at a time, three or +four times a day. + +This is useful in cases of dysentery, and is also soothing to the +stomach, after violent vomiting for a long time. Sometimes a plaster of +mustard put on the stomach stops vomiting. + + +For Dysentery and Diarrhoea. + +The following prescription from an eminent physician has proved +valuable: Take of calcined magnesia two drachms, of aromatic spirits of +ammonia two and a half drachms, of water half a pint, mix well together, +and as a dose for a grown person, give a table-spoonful every half hour +until relieved. + +Some country nurses recommend dittany tea, or spice-wood berries boiled +in new milk. A large poultice on the stomach and bowels, made of new +milk, thickened with light bread, has given relief--keeping it warm. + +Be careful to keep the patient's feet warm, and to bathe the back and +stomach with spirits. Where the dittany and spice-wood cannot be +obtained, other aromatics, as cinnamon and cloves, are good substitutes. + + +Remedies for the Dysentery and Cholera Morbus. + +Take the roots of the low running blackberry or dewberry; make a strong +tea; sweeten it, and drink it occasionally. Take a large apple; cut out +the core, and wrap in wet paper; cover it up in hot ashes, and when +cooked, take off the paper and eat it cold. + +Take one pint of good hard cider, that is entirely sound, put a +table-spoonful of hot ashes into it, and stir it as soon as it settles; +take a table-spoonful once every hour for a grown person, until relief +is obtained. + + +Remedy for the Ear-ache. + +Mix a few drops of French brandy with sweet oil and a drop of laudanum, +and pour it in the ear a little warm. + +Another valuable remedy is to take a few wood lice, and stew them in a +little lard, (which should be very pure,) for three or four minutes; +then strain it and pour some in the ear before it gets cool. + +This gives almost immediate relief. The heart of a roasted onion put +warm in the ear, and tie around the head a silk handkerchief, has +given relief. + + +A Wash for Sore Ears. + +Make a tea of the black or candle-alder, wet a soft rag with it, and lay +it on; it should be applied three times a day, and occasionally wash it +with castile soap and water. The patient should take a mild purgative. +If the ears are very much inflamed, there should be a bread and milk +poultice put on occasionally. Elder ointment is also beneficial. + + +Weak Eyes. + +Make a strong decoction of chamomile flowers, by boiling them in new +milk; with this bathe the eyes several times a day--continue it for +several weeks; to bathe the eyes in cold water before going to rest, is +also good. Pure rye whiskey is very good to bathe weak eyes. Persons +that are afflicted with sore eyes, have often been benefitted by putting +a small blister behind the ears, very high up on the hard part, so as to +avoid the leaders. Infants should not be exposed to the light too soon; +it sometimes weakens the sight and seriously injures the eyes. The pith +of sassafras put in water, is good to bathe inflamed eyes; a decoction +of young hyson tea is also used with benefit. Persons afflicted with +weak eyes should avoid a strong light, and should not strain their eyes +with reading or sewing at night. I have known small doses of "charcoal +mixture," relieve the eyes when there was slight inflammation. Attention +to diet is necessary. Fold a linen handkerchief, dip it in cold water, +and bind it over the eyes at night on retiring, and you will experience +relief. Pain in the eyeballs is also relieved, by gently rubbing the +finger and thumb over the lids towards the nose. This was published some +years since, and I have known it give relief and strengthen the eyes. + + +For Worms. + +Equal parts of salt and sugar, taken while fasting, are good for worms; +a tea-spoonful is sufficient for a child two years old; to take half a +cup of chamomile, rue or wormwood tea, with a little sugar, two hours +before breakfast, is also good. Give a dose of senna after they have +been taking this three days. It is very important to bruise garlic and +rue, to apply to the stomach; put it in a bag, and wet it with spirits +every day. The garlic and rue is said to keep the worms out of the +stomach. Wormseed oil, a few drops at a time, has given relief, but +should be used cautiously. Old cheese grated and given to a child, has +been known to afford relief: it is also beneficial when a child is +seized with sudden illness from having eaten too many cherries. + + +For Tooth-ache. + +Reduce two drachms of alum to a very fine powder, and mix with it seven +drachms of nitrous spirits of ether; apply it to the tooth. Alum burnt +on a hot shovel, and powdered, is sometimes good; also half a drop of +the oil of cinnamon, on a piece of cotton or lint, where the tooth is +hollow. Cayenne pepper on cotton, and moistened with spirits of camphor, +has been known to afford relief. A poultice of hops applied to the +cheek, or a piece of raw cotton with red pepper dusted on it, or a +mustard plaster, will relieve a swelling which proceeds from tooth-ache. + + +Cure for Cholera Morbus. + +Put a table-spoonful of hot ashes in half a pint of good hard cider, and +give the patient three table-spoonsful of it at a time. This has given +relief in half an hour. + +Another cure is to take a soft cork and hum it thoroughly; when it +ceases to blaze, powder the coal very fine on a plate. Mix a +table-spoonful of this powder with a little milk or water, or any thing +agreeable to the palate; repeat the dose till the disorder ceases, which +it generally does after two or three doses. This has given relief to a +person in the greatest agony with the bilious colic. + + +For Colic. + +Drink strong ginger tea, while hot, and put hot bricks to the stomach +and feet; if this does not give relief, take a dose of rhubarb or +castor oil. Persons subject to the colic should keep a piece of ginger +about them to chew after eating; wear flannel next the skin, and be +careful to keep the feet dry: they should avoid strong coffee and tea, +and eat nothing that disagrees with them. Dry toast without butter, +and crackers, are good for persons that have the colic. For violent +cases, take two table-spoonsful of brandy, and half a tea-spoonful of +black pepper. + + +For Bilious Colic and Indigestion. + +Pour three quarts of boiling water on a quart of hickory ashes and a +tea-cup of soot; let it stand a day, then filter it, and if the +complaint is bad, take a wine-glassful before and after each meal. This +has been very beneficial to persons with the above complaint. + + +Warner's Cordial for Gout in the Stomach. + +Take one ounce of rhubarb, two drachms of senna, two of fennel seed, two +of coriander seed, one of saffron, and one of liquorice; stone and cut +half a pound of good raisins, and put all in a quart of good spirits; +let it stand in a warm place for ten days, shaking it every day; then +strain it off and add a pint more spirits to the same ingredients; when +all the strength is extracted, strain it and mix the first and last +together. Take from two to four spoonsful of this cordial in as much +boiling water as will make it as hot as you can take it; if the pain is +not removed in half an hour, repeat the dose, and if your stomach will +not retain it, add ten drops of laudanum. + +Dr. Warner remarks, "after twenty years' experience of this medicine in +myself and others, it is impossible for me to speak of it in terms +higher than it deserves. When the vital parts are affected, persons +subject to the gout should never sleep without it in their chamber." + + +Cure for Tetter. + +Take one tea-spoonful of powdered Spanish flies, put them in half a pint +of French brandy; wash the part affected occasionally. This has been +highly recommended to me, as a remedy for tetter on the hands, but I +have never seen it tried. + + +For Cramp in the Stomach. + +Dissolve a tea-spoonful of table salt, in a tea-cup of warm water; if +this does not stop the vomiting and cramp, repeat the dose; this is very +useful in stopping the operation of an emetic, when it has continued too +long. Flannel cloths dipped in hot spirits, and sprinkled with cayenne +pepper, and applied to the stomach, sometimes relieves the pain; a +mustard plaster is also of use. + + +For Cramp. + +A foot-board to the bedstead is of great service, when you are taken +with the cramp in the night, and by placing the foot against it, will +sometimes give relief. Another remedy is to tie a string round the limb, +between the body and the pain, about as tight as a physician does to +draw blood; wear a bandage filled with pounded brimstone round the limb, +to prevent a return of it. Sometimes to hold a roll of brimstone in each +hand will relieve the cramp, and persons subject to it should keep some +by the bed-side to use in the night. + + +For Scalds and Burns. + +When persons are badly scalded or burned, to put raw cotton on +immediately, and wet it with spirits, is very good; other remedies are, +linseed oil and lime water; starch and cream; scraped potatoes, +molasses, and eggs beaten up and put on immediately. Almost any thing +will relieve the pain, that excludes the air. Be careful not to break +the skin, as it will be longer in healing. + +If a foot is scalded, pour cold water over it and cut the stocking. You +should be careful to use linen rags about a burn, as cotton rags cause +irritation. + +After the place begins to heal up, a salve may be applied, made of equal +parts of Burgundy pitch, beeswax, sheep's tallow, and sweet oil, melted +together over the fire; renew it twice a day, washing the place each +time with milk and water, and a little castile soap. A wash of weak +sugar of lead water, is also good for burns. A poultice of powdered elm +bark mixed with water, and put on frequently, wetting the sore with +thick cream, is also soothing; be careful that the limb does not +contract, as there is great danger if the sinews are affected. If there +should be fever, a mild cathartic should be given. "Comstock's Pain +Extractor" sometimes gives great relief; you may also apply immediately, +with benefit, a tea-spoonful of air-slaked lime and a table-spoonful of +lard; sift the lime and rub them well together. For a burn by vitriol or +any caustic substance, apply whites of eggs mixed with powdered chalk, +putting it on with a feather. Linen rags dipped in cold water and +changed every few minutes, I have known applied day and night to give +relief to a bad burn on the foot; but avoid putting the foot in water, +although it gives present relief, it is dangerous. + + +For Ague. + +Take half an ounce of coarsely powdered race ginger, infused in three +gills of boiling water; when cool, strain and sweeten it; and for a +dose give a heaped tea-spoonful of Peruvian bark, in a wine-glassful +of the ginger tea, every two hours during the absence of the fever. +To one ounce of best Peruvian bark, add two ounces of cloves +powdered, and a half an ounce of cream of tartar; mix them well, and +give two tea-spoonsful at a time every two hours: when clear of +fever, begin at four in the morning, and give it until twelve at +noon. Wormwood seed, a heaped tea-spoonful in a cup of water, as a +dose, is also good. A third recipe is to take two ounces of best Lima +bark, twelve heaped tea-spoonsful of magnesia, to be well mixed +together, and divided into twelve doses. Take four doses on each well +day, at intervals of four hours each, this has cured a number who had +suffered with ague a long time. + + +Chilblains. + +Put as much alum in hot water as will make it very strong, put the feet +in when it is as hot as can be borne, and keep them in till it is cold, +warm it over, and soak them every evening till they are entirely cured, +by beginning in time, it need only be applied two or three times. + +When blisters are formed, take one ounce of camphor, one of sheep's +tallow, and one of sweet oil, stew them together gently till it becomes +an ointment, and rub the feet with it. + +Take an ounce of glue, and melt it in a pint of hot water over the fire, +stir it until the glue is dissolved, pour it out and dip the part that +is affected in this dilution until the uneasiness or burning is allayed, +which is mostly in a few minutes. + + +Lockjaw. + +If lock-jaw is apprehended from a scratch or wound, bathe the injured +part frequently with weak ley, or warm pearl ash water, make a poultice +by boiling bitter herbs in weak ley, and thicken it with corn-meal; put a +little grease in just as you put it on. Bacon skin and the rind of fresh +pork bound tightly on, are said to be good. + + +Falls. + +If a child receives a fall, examine every part, and rub your hand on its +back to tell if any part is injured. There are instances of persons +being cripples for life, from receiving a hurt, that was not known of at +the time. To rub with camphor and sweet oil, and bathe the child in warm +water, is soothing. + + +For the Bite of a Spider. + +Moisten a slice of wheat bread with sugar of lead, or pearl-ash water; +bind it on, and keep wetting it as it becomes dry. If the place swells +very much, take a table-spoonful of sweet oil every hour, till it is +relieved. To drink water with salaeratus dissolved in it has been useful. + + +For the Sting of a Bee. + +Rub the place with hartshorn or salaeratus water, immediately after it is +stung, to prevent it from swelling; bruised peach leaves bound on, are +also good, and laudanum, where it is very painful. If it swells very +much, apply a poultice of onions and cream, or ley and bitter herbs. + + +For Bruises. + +The oil of St. Johnswort applied on lint, is an excellent remedy for +bruises, and if used immediately will prevent the blood from settling on +the place; when children get their fingers or toes mashed, this is very +good, and soon gives relief; salt butter is also very good. The leaves +of the Jamestown weed, mashed with cream, are good for a stone-bruise. + + +For Felons. + +Make a poultice of quick lime slaked in soft soap, and bind it on the +finger; renew it every half hour. The leaves of Jamestown weed, bruised +with cream or lard, are also good. Also, roast coarse salt in a piece of +wet brown paper, or a cabbage leaf, about twenty minutes; when cool, +pound it and mix it with resin soap; bind it on the felon; it is said to +be a certain cure. The white of egg, with unslaked lime, has been known +to give immediate relief. + + +For a Sprained Limb. + +Strong vinegar and salt, put on brown paper, will soon cure a slight +sprain, if applied frequently. If very painful, a bath should be made of +bitter herbs, bran and vinegar, put on as hot as you can bear it. Great +care should be taken not to use the limb too soon after it has been +sprained. Some sprains of several months' standing have been greatly +relieved by taking several electric shocks a day. St. Johnswort oil is +good to rub on a sprained limb. + + +For a Sprained Ancle. + +Of chalk, soft soap, salt, and brandy, take a spoonful each, and add the +white of an egg; beat the mixture, and spread it on raw cotton, and +apply it at once, when it will generally afford relief; and after +repeatedly changing, it may be left off in twenty-four hours. The ancle +is often weak when recovering, and benefit is derived from pouring cold +water on it from a pitcher held high above you. Tallow and salt, mixed +and spread on a piece of muslin, are good for a sprain. + + +Cuts or Wounds, &c. + +When cuts bleed very much, tie a handkerchief tight above the wound, or +place a finger on it until you can get a physician: in the country, +persons should be supplied with a surgical needle and adhesive plaster, +and have lint scraped and linen rags in a convenient place. Balsam apple +put in a bottle when fresh, and whiskey poured on it, is an excellent +application for fresh cute or bruises. For the stick of a needle or pin, +try to make it bleed, and hold the finger in strong vinegar and salt, as +hot as you can bear it, this will prevent a gathering. A mashed finger +should be held in hot water a few minutes. No. 6 is a most valuable +remedy for cuts or wounds; bind a linen rag over the cut, and pour on +the No. 6. + + +For Tetter, Warts, &c. + +Dig up the pocoon root that grows in the woods, wash and slice it, and +put it in a bottle with strong vinegar; bathe the parts with it several +times a day. Celandine root is also good, used in the same way, and +either of them will remove warts and ringworms. + + +Poisons, Accidents, &c. + +These are valuable remedies, and should hold a place in the memory of +every one, if possible. + +Mix a spoonful of powdered mustard in a tumbler of warm water, and drink +it immediately; it acts as an emetic, and has proved effectual where an +ounce of poison had been taken into the stomach. Where the skin is +poisoned, use a wash of smartweed steeped in water, or mix soot and +cream, and apply it frequently; bruised Jamestown weed and cream is also +good. If you have been exposed to poisonous plants, wash your face and +hands immediately in salt and vinegar, or salt and water. When +"corrosive sublimate," has been swallowed, the whites of two eggs taken +immediately will neutralize the poison, and change the effect to that of +a dose of calomel. + +Persons struck by lightning should be laid on the ground, and pour water +over them till life is restored. When "oil of vitriol" or "aqua fortis" +have been swallowed in large quantities, sweet oil should he taken, (as +much as can be retained on the stomach.) For "oxalic acid," give +magnesia or chalk and water. + +For "tartar emetic," give Peruvian bark and water, (or a strong +decoction of green tea, if you have not the bark.) For "saltpetre," give +an emetic of mustard seed with water, and afterwards elm bark mucilage, +and small doses of laudanum. This is also good in cases where arsenic +has been swallowed. + +When a child has swallowed a cent, pin or needle, give it the white of +egg immediately; this forms a coating round the metal, and prevents +injury in most cases; then give moderate doses of medicine, such as +castor oil or salts. + +When a fish bone has been swallowed, take the white of an egg, which +will help to carry it down the throat; also cut a hard crust of bread. + +Insects taken into the stomach, may generally be destroyed by taking a +small quantity of vinegar and salt. When insects get into the ears, use +a little salad oil, or melted lard. + + +Tar Ointment for the "Milk Crust." + +Take a quarter of a pound of lard, and the same of sheep's tallow, three +table-spoonsful of tar, an even spoonful of sulphur, an ounce of white +turpentine, a lump of beeswax the size of a hickory-nut, the same +quantity of powdered resin and scraped chalk, a tea-cupful of the inside +bark of elder, a little celandine, southern wood, and English mallows; +bruise the herbs, and put them on to boil, with the lard and tallow, and +a little water to keep it from burning; when all the strength is out, +strain them, and put the grease back in the pot, with the tar, and add +the other ingredients a little at a time, and stir till all is melted; +then strain it in a jar, and keep it covered for use. + +Tar ointment is good for ringworms in the head, which some children +have, and has cured children where the head and face was covered with +what is called the "milk crust." + +Before it is applied, the place should be washed with milk and water, +and a gentle purgative should be administered occasionally. Rhubarb tea +is good for this purpose. + +If it is wanted in the winter, when you cannot get all the herbs green, +dried ones will do; and when made, it will keep good several years. + +If there is much hair on the head of a child, it should be cut off +before this is put on. + +It is very dangerous to give infants that are affected with the milk +crust, calomel, or any strong medicine. They should he carried out in +the air occasionally, and not kept all the time in a warm nursery; +sometimes a change of food is attended with a good result. + +There have been instances of infants dying very suddenly, where powerful +medicines had been administered. + + +Hop Ointment. + +Take a table-spoonful of the yellow dust of hops, and put it in three +spoonsful of melted lard, and mix it well; put it away in a cup for use. +This has proved beneficial in cases of swelling of the breast; when cold +has been taken, it will sometimes backen gatherings; bathe the place +with a warm hand several times a day, and keep flannel over it. Young +mothers should keep this ready, as it is much better than preparations +of camphor, which are injurious. + + +Precipitate Ointment, &c. + +Take one ounce of Venice turpentine, half an ounce of powdered +precipitate, half a pound of lard, and two table-spoonsful of cold +water; mix the turpentine and precipitate together with a knife; then +add the lard and water, a little at a time, till it is well mixed; then +put it in little boxes. This is useful to dry up a breaking out on the +face or hands; care should be taken while using it, not to take cold. + +Camphor dissolved in alcohol, or any white spirits, is very good to use +on pimples on the face. + + +Blister Ointment. + +Sometimes after a blister has been drawn with cabbage leaves, it becomes +very sore and inflamed; a salve may be made of the leaves of evergreen, +(a plant which grows in gardens with a thick leaf;) pound the leaves, +and stew them in cream or sweet lard; spread it on a fine linen rag, and +apply it to the blister after it has been washed with milk and water. + +Another salve for blisters is to bruise the leaves of the English +mallows with a little southern wood; stew them in sweet lard until they +are crisp, and strain it; apply it three times a day. This is good to +heal a burn. + + +Lily Ointment. + +Gather the flowers of the sweet white lily, while they are fresh, and +stew them in sweet lard. This is good for a swelling, or sore. + + +Elder Ointment for Burns, &c. + +After peeling off the outside bark of the elder, scraps off the green +bark that is under, and stew it in lard till it is crisp; then strain it +in a jar, and put it away to heal a blister or burn, or an old sore. + + +St. Johnswort Ointment, and its Uses. + +Gather the yellow flowers of St. Johnswort while in full bloom; put them +in a wide-mouthed bottle, and fill it with equal quantities of lard and +sweet oil; tie a skin over it, and hang it in the sun for a month; then +strain it, put it back in the bottle, and cork it up. This is one of the +most effectual remedies for bruises, or for a mashed foot or hand. It +should always be kept where there is a family of children. + + +Ointment for Mortification. + +Take the berries, leaves and bark of the black alder, and bruise them +well in a mortar; stew them in lard for an hour, stirring all the time; +then strain it, and add a small piece of beeswax. + +A poultice can be made for mortification, of the berries, leaves +and bark of black alder, boiled in sweet cream, and thickened with +wheat bread. + +Another good poultice may be made of the inmost bark of sassafras root, +pounded and boiled in weak ley, and thickened with corn meal. The +patient should drink tea made of the roots of sassafras and burdock. + + +Bread and Milk, and Flaxseed Poultices. + +Boil half a pint of sweet milk, and thicken it with crumbs of bread; let +it boil till soft. This is the mildest poultice that can be made. + +A tea-cup of flaxseed boiled till soft, requires no addition to make a +good poultice. + + +Hop Poultice, and its Uses. + +Boil a handful of hops in a pint of water till very soft; when thicken +it with corn meal. This is very good for a sore throat, tooth-ache, or +swelled face. + + +Onion Poultice. + +Slice the onions and boil them in water till very soft; then mash and +boil them with milk and some crumbs of bread. This will draw a bile or +gathering to a head very soon. + + +Lily Root Poultice. + +Pound the roots of the sweet white lily, and put them on to boil in rich +milk; when soft, thicken it with crumbs of bread. This is a most +valuable poultice for a gathering, and has given relief in many +instances where the suffering was great. + + +Cream Poultice. + +Put to boil a tea-cup of cream; mix two spoonsful of flour in milk, and +stir in when it boils. + + +Ley Poultice. + +Tie a spoonful of ashes in a rag, and boil it in a pint of water for +fifteen minutes, with some catnip or life-everlasting; when the herbs +are soft, take out the ashes, and thicken it with corn meal; spread some +grease over as you apply it. + + +Adhesive Plaster. + +Take three pounds of resin, one-quarter of a pound of beeswax, +one-quarter of a pound of mutton tallow, melt together in an iron pan; +then pour out about one-third into a bucket of water, turn up the edges +until you can take hold with the hands and pull it as you would +shoemakers' wax: grease papers and put the plaster on them for use; you +may then pour out the rest and treat it in the same way. + + +A Valuable Salve for Burns and other Sores. + +Take of high mallows, heal-all, night shade, and elder bark, a large +handful, and about half the quantity of Jamestown weed; boil them for +several hours; strain off the liquid, and add to it one pound of +beeswax, one pound of mutton tallow, one pound of resin, half a pound of +lard; boil them slowly for about two hours, and let it cool on the +liquid. This salve will do to apply immediately to a burn or scald, or +after other remedies have been used; it is also good to heal old sores +or gatherings. + + +Deshler's Salve for Gatherings or Sores. + +Take half a pound of sheep's suet, the same of resin and beeswax, a +quarter of a pound of thick turpentine, and half a pint of linseed oil; +pound the resin, and cut the beeswax and suet; put them over the fire +with the other ingredients, and keep stirring till they are mixed, but +do not let them boil; put it in a jar, and tie it up. It is good for +burns, biles, gathered breasts, &c. + + +Salve for Corns, or Bunions. + +Take a pint of sweet oil, half a pound of red lead, two ounces of +Venice turpentine, two of beeswax, and one of white turpentine; boil +the oil and red lead in brass or bell-metal till they turn brown, +stirring it constantly; have the wax and white turpentine sliced, and +put them in by degrees; take it off the fire, and stir till all is +melted; then add the Venice turpentine, and continue to stir till it is +cold; when dip your hands in cold water, and make it out in rolls about +two inches long; wrap each roll up in paper, and keep them in a box. +After soaking and scraping the corn, bind it on, spread on a soft rag. +To warm a small piece of common adhesive plaster and apply it, gives +almost immediate relief. + + +Sassafras Poultice. + +Take the bark of the root and mash, or pound it; boil it in a +little water, and take out the bark, and thicken it with crumbs of +bread, and milk. + + +Balsam Apple in Spirits. + +Cut a ripe balsam apple in small pieces, and fill a bottle with it; pour +Holland gin on it. + +This retains its strength for years, and is useful to take a few drops +at a time for the colic; it is also valuable to apply with sugar to a +cut or wound. + + +Cure for Bites. + +Use equal quantities of resin soap, brown sugar, and powdered resin, +worked well together, with a few drops of molasses. A poultice of +onions, sassafras, or bread and milk may be used with advantage. For +mosquito bites, apply spirits of hartshorn and camphor. + + +For Scurvy of the Gums. + +Take a quarter of an ounce of bark, and a piece of new lime the size of +a hazle-nut; put them in a bottle with half a pint of water; wash the +mouth with this three times a day. + + +For an Infant's Sore Mouth. + +Make a strong sage tea; put in a little bark and borax or alum, with +honey to sweeten it; cork it up in a vial, and wash the child's gums +with it three times a day, using a fresh rag every time. + + +For Affection of the Kidneys. + +Boil some onions soft, mash, and apply them where the pain is seated. +This has given great relief. + + +For a Gathering on a Finger. + +Mix together equal parts of castile soap and chalk; wet it with camphor, +and bind it on, or dip the finger in honey and camphorated spirits, as +hot as you can bear. A little burnt alum put on lint is good; also a +bread and milk poultice, with pounded sassafras root stewed in it, and +renewed frequently. Honey and camphor mixed is useful for gatherings +that have been of long standing. + +Take of the following ingredients a tea-spoonful each: black pepper +powdered finely, ginger, spirits of camphor, laudanum, and honey; beat +them well with the yelk of an egg, and thicken with rye flour, or if you +cannot obtain rye, corn and wheat flour mixed will answer; this will +form a soft poultice, and should be applied in sufficient quantity to +keep moist, and changed once a day. I have known this to cure several +gatherings that threatened to be severe. + + +Huxham's Bark Tincture. + +Take two ounces of bark, three drachms of Virginia snake root, one ounce +of orange peel, and one quart of good spirits; set it in a warm place, +and shake it daily for two weeks; then pour it off, and add a pint more +spirits to the ingredients. + +This is very useful to take, when recovering from the ague or bilious +fever, or in the fall of the year; when these are apprehended, take two +tea-spoonsful a day, before breakfast and dinner. + + +Wine Bitters for Debility, &c. + +Take two ounces of chamomile flowers, two of centaury flowers, one of +iron filings, and an ounce and a half of Jesuit's bark; put these in two +quarts of good wine, and set it in the sun three days, shaking; it +frequently. Half a wine-glass of this taken, twice a day, with water, is +useful in cases of debility, where there is no fever. + +Chamomile, and wormwood teas, are both excellent tonics, as is also wild +cherry tree bark, made in strong tea, and taken cold. + + +Spice Wood Berries. + +Boil in a pint of new milk, a table-spoonful of bruised spice wood +berries. This has a very healing effect in cases of dysentery, and +summer disease in children. + + +Spiced Rhubarb. + +Take two ounces of rhubarb, half an ounce of cloves, the same of +cinnamon, and quarter of an ounce of mace; stew them in a pint and a +half of water till one half is evaporated; then strain it and add +half a pint of good spirits. Two tea-spoonsful is a dose for a child +a year old, with the summer disease, and two table-spoonsful for a +grown person. + + +For Chapped Lips. + +Put a tea-cupful of rich cream over some coals to stew with three +table-spoonsful of powdered loaf-sugar. This has a healing effect. + +Another remedy, equally good, is to a tea-cupful of honey, add half the +quantity of mutton tallow, and stew together till well mixed; pour it +out in a cup, and keep stirring till cold. + +For chapped hands, mix together equal quantities of rich cream and +strong vinegar, and rub it over every time you wash your hands. + + +Bathing. + +Almost every family, even if their circumstances be moderate, can have a +shower bath; they may save the expense, by improved health and strength; +one bucket full of cold water is sufficient. You should wear on the head +an oil-cloth cap. For a person in strong health, the bath may be taken +on first rising in the morning; but for one disposed to be delicate, two +or three hours after breakfast is the most proper time. To produce +warmth, rub the person with a crash towel, or horse hair glove. You +should be careful to take some exercise after the bath, or you will be +more liable to take cold. Never take a bath soon after a meal, as that +is injurious. Persons subject to colds, sore throat, rheumatism, sick +head-ache, nervous disease, or general debility, have been greatly +benefited by the daily use of the shower bath. Children that are +oppressed with heat are much refreshed, and will rest well after a bath; +the water should be moderated for them. Infants should be bathed every +morning in a tub of water about milk warm, and may be very early +accustomed to its use; they will become fond of it, and are less liable +to take cold from exposure to the air. They generally take a refreshing +nap after coming out of the bath. They should not be allowed to remain +in more than five or ten minutes; should be well wiped with a soft +towel, and then rubbed with flannel and dressed; their clothes being +warmed to prevent a chill. + + +Elderberry Jam for Colds, &c. + +A quart of nicely picked elderberries, to a pound of loaf-sugar and a +tea-cup of water; let them boil slowly for an hour. If you prefer it +without the seeds, strain the berries after boiling them for a few +minutes, before you add the sugar. This is useful and agreeable for +colds, taken through the day, or at night, when the cough is +troublesome. It is said also to purify the blood, and is taken to +prevent erysipelas. + + +Black Currant Jelly, a Remedy for Sore Throat. + +Take ripe black currants, mash and strain them, and to every pint of the +juice, add a pound of loaf-sugar; boil it until it becomes a jelly. It +is valuable for sore throats. + +Quince seeds dried, and boiling water poured on them, make a useful +gargle for sore throat. + + +Lavender Compound. + +Pick the lavender blossoms, and put them in a bottle, with a few blades +of mace, and some cloves; fill up the bottle with good spirits, and let +it stand corked up, till all the strength is extracted; when strain it +off, and color it with a little cochineal. + + + + +FOOD FOR THE SICK. + + +Remarks on Preparing Food for the Sick. + +Few young persons understand cooking for the sick. It is very important +to know how to prepare their food in an inviting manner; every thing +should be perfectly clean and nice. Avoid giving an invalid any thing +out of a cup that has been used before; even if it is medicine, it will +not be so hard to take out of a clean cup. It is well to have a stand or +small table by the bed-side, that you can set any thing on. A small +silver strainer that will just fit over a tumbler or tea-cup, is very +useful to strain lemonade, panada or herb tea. + +If you want any thing to use through the night, you should prepare it, +if possible, beforehand; as a person that is sick, can sometimes fall +asleep without knowing it, if the room is _kept perfectly still._ + + +Boiled Custard. + +Beat an egg with a heaped tea-spoonful of sugar; stir it into a +tea-cupful of boiling milk, and stir till it is thick; pour it in a bowl +on a slice of toast cut up, and grate a little nutmeg over. + + +Panada. + +Put some crackers, crusts of dry bread or dried rusk, in a sauce-pan +with cold water, and a few raisins; after it has boiled half an +hour, put in sugar, nutmeg, and half a glass of wine, if the patient +has no fever. + +If you have dried rusk, it is a quicker way to put the rusk in a bowl +with some sugar, and pour boiling water on it out of the tea-kettle. +If the patient can take nothing but liquids, this makes a good drink +when strained. + + +Egg Panada. + +Boil a handful of good raisins in a quart of water; toast a slice of +bread and cut it up; beat two eggs with a spoonful of sugar, and mix +it with the bread; when the raisins are done, pour them on the toast +and eggs, stirring all the time; season to your taste with wine, +nutmeg and butter. + + +Oat-meal Gruel. + +Mix two spoonsful of oat-meal, with as much water as will mix it easily, +and stir it in a pint of boiling water in a sauce-pan until perfectly +smooth; let it boil a few minutes; season it with sugar and nutmeg, and +pour it out on a slice of bread toasted and cut up, or some dried rusk. +If the patient should like them, you can put in a few raisins, stoned +and cut up. This will keep good a day, and if nicely warmed over, is as +good as when fresh. + + +Corn Gruel. + +Mix two spoonsful of sifted corn-meal in some water; have a clean +skillet with a pint of boiling water in it; stir it in, and when done, +season it with salt to your taste, or sugar, if you prefer it; + + +Arrow-root. + +Moisten two tea-spoonsful of powdered arrow-root with water, and rub it +smooth with a spoon; then pour on half a pint of boiling water; season +it with lemon juice, or wine and nutmeg. In cooking arrow-root for +children, it is a very good way to make it very thick, and thin it +afterwards with milk. + + +Sago. + +Wash, the sago, (allowing two table-spoonsful to a quart of water,) and +soak it an hour; boil it slowly till it thickens; sweeten it with +loaf-sugar, and season it with wine or lemon juice. + + +Tapioca Jelly. + +Wash the tapioca well, and let it soak for several hours in cold water; +put it in a sauce-pan with the same water, and let it boil slowly till +it is clear and thick; then season it with wine and loaf-sugar. The +pearl tapioca will require less time to soak, and no washing. Allow +three table-spoonsful of tapioca to a quart of water. + + +Milk Porridge. + +Put half a pint of milk, and the same of water, in a sauce-pan to boil; +mix two spoonsful of wheat flour in milk till very smooth, and stir in +when it boils; keep stirring it five minutes, when pour it in a bowl and +season with salt. + + +Barley Water. + +Boil two table-spoonsful of barley in a quart of water; it is a cooling +drink in fevers. If the weather is cold, you can make a larger quantity. +Some boil whole raisins with barley; take it with or without seasoning. + + +To Poach Eggs. + +Put a pint of water in a clean skillet, with a little butter and salt; +when it boils, break two eggs in a plate, and put them in; in about a +minute, take them up on a plate, in which there is a slice of bread +toasted and buttered. This is a very delicate way of cooking eggs. + + +Barley Panada. + +Boil a small tea-cup of barley in water till it is soft, with a +tea-cup of raisins; put in nutmeg and sugar, and break in it toast or +dried rusk. + + +Calf's Foot Blancmange. + +Put a set of nicely cleaned feet in four quarts of water, and let it +boil more than half away; strain through a colander, and when it is +cold, scrape off all the fat, and take out that which settles at the +bottom; put it in a sauce-pan, with a quart of new milk, sugar to your +taste, lemon peel and juice, and cinnamon or mace; let it boil ten +minutes and strain it; wet your moulds, and when it is nearly cold put +it in them; when it is cold and stiff it can be turned out on a plate, +and eaten with or without cream. This is very nice for a sick person, +and is easily made. + + +Cream Toast. + +Cut a slice of stale bread, and wet it with cream; toast it slowly and +butter it; this is very nice for an invalid, and an agreeable change. + + +Milk Toast &c. + +Boil a tea-cup of milk, and put in a spoonful of butter; toast a slice +of bread and moisten it with water, then pour on the boiling milk. This +is very good for sick persons, and can be eaten without much exertion. +In making water-toast, the butter should be melted in boiling water, and +put on while hot. + + +To Stew Dried Beef. + +Chip some beef very thin, pour hot water on it, and let it stand a +minute or two, then drain it off, and stew it in a skillet with a +little cream and butter. If it is preferred dry, it may be fried in +butter alone. + + +To Stew Ham, &c. + +Cut a slice of ham into small pieces, and pour boiling water on it; let +it soak a few minutes to extract the salt, and stew it in a little +water; just before it is done, put in some cream and parsley. + +If you broil ham that is uncooked, it should always be soaked in water a +few minutes. + + +To Stew Chickens or Birds. + +When sick persons are tired of broiled chickens, or birds, it is well to +stew them for a change; the wing, with part of the breast of a chicken, +will make a meal; stew it in a little water, and put in parsley, cream, +pepper and salt, just as it is done. + + +Chicken Water. + +If you have a small chicken, it will take half of it to make a pint of +chicken water. Cut it up and put it to boil in a covered skillet with a +quart of water; when it has boiled down to a pint, take it up, and put +in a little salt and slice of toasted bread. This is valuable in cases +of dysentery and cholera morbus, particularly when made of old fowls. + + +Beef Feet. + +Soak the feet and have them nicely cleaned; boil them slowly, and take +off the scum as it rises; when they are soft and tender, take them up, +and separate the bones from the glutinous part, which is very nice for a +sick person, and conveys nutriment in a form that will hardly disagree +with the most delicate stomach, and has been, taken when nearly all +other food was rejected; a few drops of vinegar, and a little salt, +renders it more palatable. + + +Beef Tea, &c. + +Take a piece of juicy beef, without any fat, cut it in small pieces, +bruise it till tender, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle, and cork it +tight; put this in a pot of cold water, set it over the fire, and let it +boil an hour or more. + +When a person can take but a small quantity of nourishment, this is very +good. Mutton may be done in the same way. + + +Mutton and Veal Broth. + +Boil a piece of mutton till it comes to pieces; then strain the broth, +and let it get cold, so that the fat will rise, which must be taken off; +then warm it, and put in a little salt. Veal broth may be made in the +same way, and is more delicate for sick persons. + + +Wine Whey. + +Boil a pint of milk, and put to it a glass of white wine; set it over +the fire till it just boils again, then set it off till the curd has +settled, when strain it, and sweeten to your taste. + + +Rennet Whey. + +Warm a pint of milk, but do not let it get too hot, or it will spoil the +taste of the whey. Wash the salt from a piece of rennet the size of a +dollar, and put it in the milk; when it turns, take out the rennet; wash +and put it in a cup of water, and it will do to use again to make whey. +If you have rennet in a bottle of wine, two tea-spoonsful of it will +make a quart of whey; but if the person has fever, it is best to make it +without wine. + + +Mulled Jelly. + +Take a table-spoonful of currant or grape jelly, and beat with it the +white of an egg, and a little loaf-sugar; pour on it half a pint of +boiling water, and break in a slice of dry toast, or two crackers. + + +Mulled Wine. + +Beat together an egg, a glass of wine, and a spoonful of sugar; pour on +it half a pint of hot water; stir all the time to keep it from curdling, +and when you pour it in a tumbler, grate a little nutmeg over it. + + +Toast Water. + +Cut slices of bread very thin, and toast dry, but do not let it burn; +put it in a pitcher, and pour boiling water on it. Toast water will +allay thirst better than almost any thing else. If it is wanted to drink +through the night, it should always be made early in the evening. + + +Apple Water, &c. + +Roast two apples, mash them and pour a pint of water on them; or slice +raw apples, and pour boiling water on them. + +Tamarinds, currant or grape jelly, cranberries, or dried fruit of any +kind, make a good drink. + + +Coffee. + +Sick persons should have their coffee made separate from the family, as +standing in the tin pot spoils the flavor. Put two tea-spoonsful of +ground coffee in a small mug, and pour boiling water on it; let it set +by the fire to settle, and pour it off in a cup, with sugar and cream. +Care should be taken that there are no burnt grains. + + +Chocolate. + +To make a cup of chocolate, grate a large tea-spoonful in a mug, and +pour a tea-cup of boiling water on it; let it stand covered by the fire +a few minutes, when you can put in sugar and cream. + + +Black Tea. + +Black tea is much more suitable than green for sick persons, as it does +not affect the nerves. Pat a tea-spoonful in a pot that will hold about +two cups, and pour boiling water on it. Let it set by the fire to draw +five or ten minutes. + + +Rye Mush. + +This is a nourishing and light diet for the sick, and is by some +preferred to mush made of Indian meal. Four large spoonsful of rye flour +mixed smooth in a little water, and stirred in a pint of boiling water; +let it boil twenty minutes, stirring frequently. Nervous persons who +sleep badly, rest much better after a supper of corn, or rye mush, than +if they take tea or coffee. + + + + +DOMESTICS. + + +Hints on the Management of Domestics, &c. + +Some families are always changing their domestics, and weary their +friends with complaints of those they have, and inquiries for others. + +Deliberate before you make a change; if servants are honest, speak the +truth, and have an obliging disposition, it is better to bear with a few +defects, than to discharge them; these are qualifications for the +foundation of a good servant; and some of the most valuable I have had, +were such as could hardly be put up with at first. By being patient, and +speaking to them in a kind manner, they become attached and fearful of +doing any thing to offend. + +When they break any thing, or an accident occurs, accustom them to +inform you of it immediately. Few mistresses, of well regulated minds, +will be offended when openly told of accidents; but if they are left to +be found out, you always feel more disposed to blame and reprove them. +By speaking to them in a mild and forgiving manner, careless servants +will become more careful. + +A considerate mistress may, without loss of dignity, make them feel that +she regards it as her duty to be their friend, and that she feels +herself under an obligation to advise them in difficulties and promote +their comfort. + +We should reflect that theirs is a life of servitude, and if they +over-exert themselves, or are too much exposed in early life, it +will bring on disease that will shorten their days, or render old +age a burden. + +Some young persons are too indolent to wait on themselves, and ring for +the servants on the most trifling occasions; when if they were +accustomed to perform these little offices, their health would be much +better, and we should not hear of so many complaints, the result of +want of exercise. All female servants should have time to attend to +their clothing; many have to work so hard through the day that their +only leisure is at night, and then they hurry over their things in a +careless manner. + +Where your circumstances permit, a good man-servant is a valuable +acquisition; and they are sometimes more easily governed than females. + +If mistresses were better informed, they would not complain so much of +the ignorance and awkwardness of their domestics. Always give them their +orders in time. If a new dish is to be cooked, superintend its +preparation yourself. + +If you are capable of directing, a cook will soon learn to do without +your constant attention. + +If they are slow in their movements, insist on their beginning early to +prepare a meal, so that there will be time sufficient for every thing to +be done properly. + +If you expect company, have every thing prepared, that can be done with +safety, the day previous. In summer there are but few things that can be +done without risk of spoiling: a ham or tongue may he washed ready to +boil; castors and salt-stands put in order, and pastry or dessert +prepared, that will not spoil by being kept a day. + +In winter, many things can be kept for days in a state of preparation +for cooking; and it greatly assists the work of the family, to have +every thing done beforehand. + +Do with as few domestics as possible; assist with the work yourself, +rather than keep one too many. Those that take orphan children to bring +up, are often rewarded for their trouble; as sometimes a girl of fifteen +will be more useful than one much older: and where a family is small it +does very well, but in large families, a little girl is so often called +from her work, that it has a tendency to unsettle and make her careless. + +Never allow your children to call on or interrupt servants when at their +work or meals, to do any thing which a child could do for itself; +children that treat domestics with respect, will generally find them +willing to render any assistance in their power. I have known a few +housekeepers, who have kept the same servants for years, who have +assisted in rearing the children, until they almost viewed them as their +own, and these were not faultless. If they had been discharged for +trifles, they might have wandered, from one family to another, without +being attached to any, until they became so indifferent, as not to be +worthy of employ, but by the kindness and patience of their employer, +they became so grateful and attached, as to be a treasure to her family. +When they become weary of such constant servitude, would it not be +better, instead of discharging, to give them time for rest and +recreation in visiting their friends? I have known them to return, +renewed in health and spirits. + +Encourage them to lay by as much of their wages as they can possibly +spare, in such institutions as are thought the most safe, that they may +have something to look to in case of sickness, or any event which would +require its use. + +Promote their reading in such books as are suited to their capacities; +they sometimes have a little leisure, that could be well filled up in +this way. I have found it to increase the happiness of those under my +care, to encourage a fondness for reading, and improving their minds; it +tends to keep them from unprofitable company, and too much visiting, to +which so many are addicted. + +Young girls should make and mend their own clothes, and keep them in +good order, and they should be taught to knit. The material of which +stockings are composed costs but little, and they wear much better than +those that are bought. Knitting fills up leisure moments, and promotes +industrious habits; and when age comes on, they will have a resource, +although it appears so simple, yet if it is not learned while young it +is hard to acquire when old. + +When servants are guilty of faults that cannot be looked over, instead +of publicly reproving them, take an opportunity when alone, and talk +coolly; tell them of your sorrow at being obliged to notice their +conduct, encourage them to pursue a different course, and that you will +forgive them if they will strive to do better. I have known them much +improved by this mode of treatment. + +By inspecting every department, not only will waste be prevented, but +dishonesty. In cities many persons find it necessary to lock up nearly +every thing; and it is a lamentable state of things that so few are to +be trusted. + +Sometimes treating servants with confidence will have a good effect; +but let them be aware that you have a knowledge of every thing that +is going on. + +Some young persons are completely at the mercy of their domestics. I +have known great uneasiness to be experienced, and much loss; but by +showing a little moral courage, and discharging those that are +irreclaimable, an ascendancy was gained. Never suffer them to treat you +with disrespect or impertinence. If it is known that they will be +discharged for these faults, they will be on their guard. + +If you have taken a boy or girl, to bring up as a domestic, endeavour to +teach them, at least to spell and read; they are sometimes very fond of +their books, and if you once get them to reading, it will become to them +a favorite evening amusement; I have known them take up their books on +every occasion of leisure, I have seen boys that worked hard through the +day, spend all the evening with their books, slate, and occasionally a +little writing. Sometimes, I have in the evening felt fatigued and +listless, and would much rather read, and amuse myself, than go out to +teach two or three in the kitchen; but in attending to this, (which I +consider a duty,) have felt a sweet reward--indeed, their grateful +thanks expressed by words, have encouraged me to keep on. I have thought +a little instruction in this way, arouses their faculties, and tends to +make them more industrious. When I have been prevented from teaching +them for some time, by indisposition, or other causes, I have observed +they were not so cheerful in the performance of their work. If they are +reading any thing they do not fully understand, take a little time to +explain it to them. It will be, my young friends, like sowing the good +seed, and you, as well as they, will receive the reward. + +I wish to encourage you in the most affectionate manner to attend to +_this_ duty; you will find it will strengthen you in the performance of +others. "The more we exert our faculties, the more we can accomplish. +He that does nothing, renders himself incapable of doing any thing. +While we are executing one work, we are preparing ourselves to +undertake another." + + + + +REMARKS. + + +Remarks on Carving, &c. + +I do not think it necessary to say much on the subject of carving, as +those who are accustomed to sit at a well ordered table, and who observe +the manner of the host and hostess, can soon acquire the art, both of +carving and helping with ease. And when placed at the head of their own +table, the knowledge thus gained will be found a great assistance. + +The proper time for children to acquire good habits at meals, is not +when there is company; it should be an every day lesson. As when parents +are engaged with their friends or guests, they have no time to devote to +the manners of their children, and to reprove them at table is very +unpleasant, as well as mortifying. + +Young children will soon acquire the manner of sitting quietly till they +are helped, if they are made to understand that they will not be +permitted to eat with their parents and friends, unless they behave with +propriety. + +I have thought it a great assistance to the good order of a large +family, for every member to be punctual in their attendance at meals, +and all to sit down together, with a short pause before the carving and +helping commences. In those moments of quiet, the heart is sometimes +awakened to a feeling of gratitude to the Almighty dispenser of our +blessings. + +At the table, different members of the family meet; and where affection +and kindness, those aids to true politeness, preside, it is truly a +delightful treat to be the guest of such a family. + +Every symptom of selfishness should be discouraged, for if suffered to +take root in a child, it lays the foundation of much that is +disagreeable to themselves and others. + +Inculcate this excellent rule, "of doing unto others, what you wish +others to do unto you," and always preferring others to yourself. + +It is the custom in some well regulated families, to permit the younger +members, (as they arrive at a suitable age,) to take turns in presiding, +not only at breakfast and tea, but at the dinner table. I have known +quite young girls that had been taught in this way, carve a fowl or +joint of meat with ease and grace. In helping, they should be taught not +to over-load the plate, as it takes away the appetite of some persons to +be helped too largely. + +The gravy should be stirred so that all may be helped alike, and a small +quantity put on the meat or fowl, to which it belongs, and not on +vegetables unless it is particularly desired. + +If there should be a rare dish on the table, it is best to hand it round +and let every one help himself, after it has been nicely cut up. Ham is +much nicer to be cut in very thin slices. So is salt beef and tongue. + +Young housekeepers in selecting their dishes for dinner, (if they have +not an experienced cook,) should avoid those that are difficult to +prepare. Never try a new dish when you expect company. Your guests +will be more gratified with a neat and moderate table, with a few +plain and well cooked dishes, accompanied with the smiling countenance +of the hostess, than with a great variety of ill cooked and badly +arranged viands. + + +Economy the Source of Charity. + +If your circumstances will not admit of giving away much, you can, by +economy, give a little, and a blessing will attend it. There are few of +the very poor, that know how to repair old clothing to advantage; a +garment will be of much more service, that is well mended before it is +given to them. + +It has been remarked, that the poor are ungrateful, and forget the +favors conferred upon them. + +I have seldom found them deficient in this respect; and when they are, +if we would reflect, that if some of us received no more than we +deserve, we should be but poorly off. + +We know in our own families, how acceptable is a nice present of +something that a sick member can eat; and it is sometimes the means of +restoring the appetite, when any thing cooked in the house is rejected. +The feeling of love with which it is presented, is as a cordial to a +sick person. + +How much more acceptable will something nourishing be to one oppressed +with poverty, as well as sickness. + +When the rich are diseased, the physician often finds it necessary to +enjoin strict abstinence; but very different is it with the poor, who +frequently suffer for want of nourishment. + +When the mother of a poor family is ill, how greatly are her sufferings +augmented by the knowledge that her children are deprived of her +services; and how acceptable to such a family would be a loaf of bread, +or a large bowl of soup, which could be made of materials that would +hardly be missed. + +Dried beans or peas, and onions, are a cheap and valuable addition to +soup; also cold vegetables. The liquor that fresh meat is boiled in, +should be carefully saved for that purpose, if there are those near you +that need it. + +It may seem at first troublesome to a young housekeeper, to take the +necessary care to save for the poor. It is certainly much easier to let +the cook have her own way, and waste or not, as she pleases; but for +your encouragement my young friends, permit me to say, you will be +sweetly rewarded for your attention to them. + +One eminent for his charities, near the close of life, made this remark: +"What I spent I lost, but what I gave away remains with me." + + +To Encourage Children in Acts of Kindness to the Aged and Afflicted. + +Young children may early be taught to administer to the wants of the +aged and infirm. + +Some mothers are in the practice of giving a small sum of money to their +children, as a reward for some little service or piece of work that they +have done. The money thus obtained, to be laid out for a sick or old +poor person. This method has an excellent effect on the minds of +children; it incites them to industry, teaches self-denial, and the +feelings of love and charity which are thus early instilled into their +tender minds, make a lasting impression. + +If they spent their little fund in trifles for their own use, they would +acquire a habit of selfishness; which, when once formed, it is most +difficult to eradicate. I have remarked the pleasure with which children +will relate the incidents of a visit, which they have been permitted to +make to a poor family; and it is a refreshment to persons advanced in +life, to see a young family thus trained. + +As soon as little girls can sew, they should be encouraged to make +garments for the poor, or repair their own old ones as a present to a +child of their own size, or make patchwork out of old dresses for a bed +covering for poor people. Their being permitted to do these things, +should be as a reward for good behavior and attention to their lessons +or other duties. + +When they are old enough to make a loaf of bread, a pie, or a little +plain cake, allow them to do it, and take as a present to, or make broth +or panada for a sick person. This teaches them to prepare these things +while young, and may be useful to them in after life. + +How cheering it must be to the aged or afflicted, to see smiling young +faces enter their dwellings, bearing their little offerings of food or +clothing, the work of their own hands. + +Be encouraged my dear young mothers; if you thus train your children to +works of charity, you will be doubly blessed. + + +Early Rising Promotes Punctuality. + +It is an old and true saying, "that if you waste an hour in the morning, +it is seldom recovered all that day." This dispirits you, and the next +day there is still something left undone. + +A late riser is rarely punctual in her engagements, and more of the +happiness of married life depends on forming a habit of strict +punctuality, than young persons are generally aware of. + +If you are distressed at having acquired habits of late rising, and +want of punctuality, remember by perseverance, they can be overcome. +Fix an hour for rising, and let nothing but illness prevent your being +up at that time. While forming this useful habit, you should retire to +rest early. + +Many things can be better attended to at an early, than a late hour in +the morning. + +Where families rise before the sun, the day seems much longer; all the +active employments of the early riser are accomplished before her later +neighbors have finished their breakfast. + +The duties of the bath and toilet being performed, her chamber well +aired and arranged--and her parlor in order, she is ready for the more +quiet employments of reading and sewing. + +In a well regulated household, servants perform their duties with life +and energy. Determine on an hour for your meals, and if all the members +of the family adhere to it, scrupulous exactness will soon be +established. + + +Hints to Young Wives. + +The authoress is well aware of the difficulties which surround a young +wife on her first setting out, particularly if situated at a distance +from the kind mother who has hitherto directed her, with servants who +watch every movement, and who will soon discover whether the new +mistress is qualified for the task she has undertaken. + +Accustom yourself to rise early; fix a certain hour, and let nothing but +indisposition prevent your being up at the appointed time. By this means +your affairs will all be arranged in good season, and you will have time +for recreation, in walking, riding, or in reading such authors as will +tend to strengthen and improve your mind. + +Young persons removed from large families often suffer greatly from +loneliness, whereas, if they were occupied with household affairs, they +would not feel so severely the absence of their husbands while attending +to business. + +Be punctual to the hour that has been fixed on for your meals, and let +good order prevail in every department of which you have the command. A +mistress of a family is much happier, who knows how every thing is going +on from the garret to the cellar. By inspecting every thing you soon +become interested, and we all know when that is the case, the most +difficult pursuits become easy and pleasant. + +And with what pleasure will a young wife welcome her husband to his +meals, when her conscience assures her that she has done her best, and +that nothing is neglected; and how will it lighten his labors to +reflect, when absent, that the partner he has chosen, is performing her +duty at home. + +I am fully persuaded that the formation of domestic happiness, is +generally laid the first year of marriage: therefore, my young friends, +act well your part; if you desire to be treated with confidence you must +merit it. If you keep an exact account of all your expenses, there will +be less danger of living beyond your income, of which there have been so +many lamentable instances. + +Never buy any thing because it is recommended as being cheap; many cheap +things amount in time to a large sum. In selecting furniture, let +utility, not fashion, govern your choice; some young persons furnish +their parlors so extravagantly, that necessary and useful articles are +neglected, for want of means to purchase them. Be persuaded that +happiness does not consist so much in having splendid furniture, as in +attending to the every day comforts of those around you. If you marry +without the useful knowledge necessary for governing your family, lose +no time in acquiring it. + +There is a time when most young girls show a fondness for domestic +affairs before they are old enough to go into company, when it would be +an agreeable change to be absent from school and assisting their +mothers; the knowledge thus acquired would never be lost. + +Many a young man who commenced with fair prospects, has been ruined +through his wife's ignorance of domestic duties, and she has suffered +from the consequent diminution of his esteem and love. + +I once knew a lovely and accomplished young lady, accustomed to every +indulgence, who, on her marriage, removed several hundred miles from her +parents, to reside in the country, where servants were difficult to +procure. This delicate and sensitive young creature was much distressed +by her ignorance of almost every thing connected with housekeeping; and +after suffering repeated mortifications, concluded to learn to do the +work herself; and when this dearly bought knowledge was acquired, she +was able to teach her ignorant servants; and resolved, if ever she had +daughters, to use every means in her power to teach them. + +When a prudent wife is made acquainted with the circumstances of her +husband, she will endeavor strictly to keep within their bounds; always +remembering that losses and events, over which he has no control, may +occur and greatly reduce his income. And how will it assist her to bear +a reverse of fortune, if she has acted with discretion; it will +strengthen the wife to encourage and cheer her partner, and enable him +to struggle through difficulties which were thought insurmountable. +Happiness will not forsake such a family though they lose almost every +thing, the peace which is the result of a good conscience will remain; +this will strengthen them to begin anew, and the Divine blessing will +attend such efforts. + + +A few Remarks to Encourage Young Housekeepers in their First Attempts. + +As bread is the most important article of food, one of your first +attempts should be to make a few loaves of good bread and rolls, of the +most simple kind. Bread rolls are very easily made. If you succeed +tolerably, it will encourage you to try again. When you make cakes, +begin with the simple kinds; plain jumbles or cakes that you can roll +out, or crisp ginger-bread. Sponge cake is easier than those that have +butter in them; I have known young persons succeed very well with it. +Bread rusk is also easily made, or a few plain pies. Do not trust the +baking to an ignorant person, but superintend it yourself. Sometimes +baking in a stove, is protracted by the dampness of the wood. Before you +bake, have dry wood prepared. Watch the time; it is a good plan to have +a clock near the kitchen. Do not have too many things on hand at once; +but perfect yourself in the knowledge of a few important dishes. If you +make good yeast you will be more certain of good bread, light cakes and +rolls. To cook a steak nicely, is also important; and with a dish of +potatoes well cooked, a dish of cold slaw and an apple pie, or a little +stewed fruit, will make a good plain dinner. + +When your family is small, you can have something nice every day, +without cooking much. Veal cutlets, and mutton chops, are easy to cook, +and may be prepared in a short time. If you have a fowl, and boil it, +you can save the soup, and warm it over for the next day. A cold roast +fowl may be hashed. On days that you have cold meat, a batter pudding, +or plain rice pudding, is easily prepared. + +If you wish to have an early breakfast, make every preparation that you +can, over night; set the table, have the relish cut, ready to cook, or +to warm over--and cold bread may be sliced, and wrapped in a cloth to +keep it moist. Coffee should be ground, and dry fuel, and water at hand. +With these preparations, breakfast may be ready in half an hour from the +time the fire is made. If you have warm corn bread, or rolls, it will +require more time; but if you have them made up over night, and put in a +cool place, they will not sour, and can soon be baked. Maryland biscuit +are very convenient, as they are always ready, and will keep good a +week. I have found it a great advantage to set the table over night, +particularly if you have a separate room to eat in; although it takes +but a short time, every minute is important in the morning. + +Where the mistress washes the breakfast things, and puts them in their +proper places, and counts the spoons, and other articles, she can see +when any thing is missing. A mop is useful for glass and china; keep a +pan, or a small tub, for the purpose of holding the water, which should +not be too hot. If tea things are put in very hot water, it will be apt +to crack them or they will look smeared. Put a little soap in the +water, wash the glass first, then the silver, then the cups and +saucers, and lastly, the plates and knives and forks. If spoons have +been used with eggs, put them to soak immediately, to prevent their +turning dark. Have a common waiter for the pan to stand in and on it +drain your tea things. Spoons when used with care, require polishing +but seldom, as it wears the silver away. Dinner dishes should be washed +first in moderately warm water and soap, rinsed in hot water, and +drained before wiping. Put every thing in its proper place, and inspect +your pantry and cellar frequently. Sometimes things are forgotten, for +want of attention, until they are spoiled. Air the cellar frequently; +do not let refuse vegetables accumulate, or any thing that would be +likely to cause sickness. + +You should provide coarse towels of different kinds, for china and +glass, and for the dinner dishes, also knife cloths, have them marked +and kept in their proper places. Some persons have their towels washed +out every day, but it is better to save them for the weekly wash. If +towels are thrown aside damp, they are liable to mildew. You should keep +dusters of several kinds. Old silk handkerchiefs, are best for highly +polished furniture, or an old barege veil answers a good purpose. For +common purposes, a square of coarse muslin, or check is suitable. You +should keep one floor cloth for chambers, and one for the kitchen. Keep +brooms for different purposes; always use a soft one for carpets, as +soon as they wear stiff, they will do for the kitchen, or pavements. +Pouring a little hot water on a broom, softens it for carpets. You may +save tea leaves, to sprinkle over your carpet, when you give a thorough +sweeping, this will brighten it, and occasionally to wipe it over, with +a cloth, that has been wrung out of hot water cleanses it, of course, +this is only required for carpets in constant use. + +It is of great importance to health, that sleeping apartments should be +well aired and swept. If you sleep in an apartment, where there has been +fire during the day, it should be well aired before going to bed, or if +the room is close, have a little air admitted, so as not to blow on +persons that are asleep. A window that will lower from the top is an +advantage. Beds should be well aired before they are made, take the +clothes off, and leave them at least an hour. In pleasant weather, you +may keep chamber windows hoisted, for several hours, and even in cold +weather, the windows may be kept up a short time, and if on any +occasion, you may be obliged to have the beds made without airing, turn +the clothes half way down, and leave them for several hours. Some +persons have cheap calico covers, to spread over beds, while the room is +swept, this is a good plan, on account of the dust. Bolster and pillow +tucks wear better, if you have a check case basted on, this should be +changed, washed and starched occasionally. It is a good plan also to +have check covers for matresses and feather beds, but the covers should +not be kept on beds that are not in use, lest they should be liable to +moth. In winter a blanket should be put next a bed that is not often +slept in, or for a delicate person, and be particularly careful, that +sheets are dry before they are put away. + +In summer it is most healthy to have your chamber floor bare, and have +it washed occasionally. It is important to examine your clothes, after +they come from the wash, and see that they are perfectly dry before they +are put away. + + + + +CULTIVATION OF FLOWERS. + +A few flowers and plants, when properly taken care of, are ornamental to +the windows of a parlor, or sitting room; and will repay the care that +is bestowed on them. Begin with a few that are easy to cultivate, and +you will probably succeed. Persons that are fond of flowers, and have +collected a number, are generally willing to give their young friends a +few plants; and where we succeed in raising a fine plant from a slip, or +cutting, we value it more than one that has been purchased at a +green-house. Geraniums, cactus', wax plants, cape and catalonian +jessamines, and some others, are easily cultivated in a parlor. Roses, +camelias, and azaleas bloom best in a moderate temperature, as the heat +of a parlor (unless very large) dries the buds, and prevents their +coming to perfection. I have known these to bloom beautifully in a room +that was very slightly heated--either over one in which there was fire, +or in an apartment next a stove room. If the weather is very cold, they +should be removed to a warmer room, until it moderates. The windows that +are open to the south are best. When the blossoms have matured, you can +bring them to the parlor; but if there is much heat, they will not +remain perfect so long as in a moderate room. + +Roses are sometimes troubled with insects, which should be brushed off +with a feather, and the plants washed with a decoction of tobacco, (not +too strong,) they will not bloom when thus infested. There is another +insect that fastens itself to the bark of lemon trees, and other plants; +frequent washing with soap suds and brushing the sterns, removes it, and +some times wash the leaves with a sponge, when the weather is too cold +to put them out of doors. Setting them out in a warm rain, or watering +them well all over the foliage, is very reviving to plants. Be careful +to have pieces of old broken earthen-ware at the bottom of each pot, to +drain them, or the plants will not thrive. The earth should be sometimes +removed, and an occasional re-potting, is an advantage; being careful +not to disturb the roots. A mixture of charcoal and sand, and rich earth +of more than one kind is thought best. Earth fresh from the woods is +good for pot-plants, as well as borders, but should always be mixed with +a stronger soil. Roses that are planted round a house, should have a +deep and rich soil made for them, and they will then bloom beautifully +all the season. + +Pot plants should in summer be placed in a situation where they wilt not +be exposed to intense heat. Some persons place their pots in the earth +on the north side of the house; others keep them in a porch where they +can get some sun. They require much more water in summer. The wax plant +blooms beautifully in summer, and should be kept in a sheltered +situation, not exposed to the wind; it should have a strong frame of +wood and wire to run on, well secured in a tub or box. Hyacinths and +crocuses should be planted in pots, boxes, or small tubs, in rich earth, +in October or November; a small painted tub is very suitable, and will +hold a dozen hyacinths, and as many crocus roots. The most beautiful I +ever saw in a window, were planted in this way, by keeping some in the +sun, and others in the shade you can have a succession of blooms, they +are also pretty in root glasses, but this plan will exhaust the roots. +After blooming in the house, they should be planted in the garden. The +same roots will not answer the next year for parlor culture, they +increase very fast in the garden by proper care. + +There is something refining to the mind in the cultivation of flowers, +either in a garden or in pots. Many hours that would be weary or lonely, +are thus pleasantly occupied, and the mind refreshed. + + + + +I now take leave of the reader, with a sincere desire, that these +remarks may be of use, and that the receipts which I have been at some +pains in compiling and arranging, may be acceptable. + + + + +INDEX + +A. + +Accidents--poisons taken by mistake, remedies for, +Acid, to restore Colors, &c., +Acts of Kindness, to Encourage Children in, +Adhesive Plaster, +Ague, Cure for, +Alamode, Beef, +Almond Cake, +Almond Cream, +Almonds, to Blanch. +Apple Butter, +Apples, Baked, +Apple and Bread Pudding, +Apples, Crab, to Preserve, +Apple Custard, +Apple Dumplings, +Apple Float, +Apple Fritters, +Apple Jelly, +Apple Marmalade, +Apples, Pine, +Apples, to Preserve, +Apples, Pine, Syrup, +Apple Pudding, +Apples, to Stew for Pies, +Apple Water, +Apricots, preserved, +Arrow-root, +Arrow root Pudding, +Asparagus, + +B. + +Bacon--to Cure, +Bacon, Dumplings, +Bacon Fraise, +Baking in a Brick-oven, +Baking in a Dutch-oven, +Baking in a Stove, +Balloon Pudding, +Balls, Force Meat, +Balsam-apple, &c., +Bannock, Corn, +Bark Tincture, +Bath, Mustard, +Bathing, +Batter Pudding, +Barley Panada, +Barley Water, +Batter Bread with Yeast, +Batter, a Loaf of Muffin, +Beans, Green, for Winter use, +Beans, Lima, +Beans, String, +Bean Soup, +Beds, Feather, +Bedsteads, Cleaning, +Bee, Sting of a, +Beef Alamode, +Beef, Curing, +Beef, Dried, +Beef Kidney, to Fry, +Beef Pudding, Baked, +Beef Shin Soup, +Beef Spiced in Irish style, +Beef Steak Pie, +Beef Steak Pudding, +Beef Steak, +Beef Tea, +Beef, Fried, +Beef, Roasted, +Beef, Pickle for two Rounds, +Beef, Pork, or Mutton Cured, +Beef, Stewed, for the Sick, +Beef, Stuffed, Round of, +Beef's Feet, +Beef's Heart, Baked, +Beef's Tongue, to Boil, +Beer, Harvest, +Beer, Molasses, +Beer, Porter, +Beer, Spruce, +Beer, to make two Gallons, +Beets, +Berries, Spice Wood, +Biles, Cure for, +Bilious Colic, +Birds' West Pudding, +Biscuit, Dyspepsy, +Biscuit, Light, +Biscuit, Maryland, +Biscuit, Naples, +Biscuit, Quick, +Biscuit, Salaeratus, +Biscuit, Tea, +Bitters, Wine, +Brittania Ware, +Black Cake, +Black Currant Jelly, +Black Walnuts, to Pickle, +Blackberries, to Preserve, +Blackberry Cordial, +Blackberry Flummery, +Blackberry Wine, +Blacking for Boots and Shoes, +Blacking for Morocco Shoes, +Blancmange of Jelly, +Blancmange of Moss, +Blancmange, +Blancmange, Calf's Foot, for the Sick, +Blankets, +Blister Ointment, +Blue, to Color Cotton, +Boiling Fresh Meat, +Boiling Puddings, +Bologna Sausage, +Boots and Shoes, to make Water-proof, +Brain Cakes, +Brains and Tongue, +Brandy, Lemon, +Brandy, Peaches in, +Brandy, Rose, +Brass, to Clean, +Brazil Wood Dye, +Bread and Apple Pudding, +Bread Batter Cakes, +Bread of Indian Meal, remarks on making, +Bread Pudding, +Bread Rolls, +Bread Rusk, +Bread, +Bread, Batter, with Yeast, +Bread, Corn Meal, +Bread, Dyspepsy, +Bread, Graham, +Bread, Indian, +Bread, Light, +Bread, Mixed, +Brick Oven Directions, +Brick Oven, to Bake in, +Broth, Mutton and Veal, +Brown Mixture for a Cough, +Brown, to Color, +Bruises, +Buckwheat Cakes, +Bunions, +Bunns, +Burns and Scalds, +Butler, +Butter for Winter Use, +Butter, a Pickle for, +Butter to Keep a Length of Time, +Butter-milk, Batter Cakes, +Butter, Drawn, + +C. + +Cabbage, to Boil, +Cabbage, to pickle, +Cake, Almond, +Cake, Remarks on Making and Baking, +Cake, Black, +Cakes, Brain, +Cakes, Bread Batter, +Cakes, Butter milk, +Cakes, Butter milk Batter, +Cakes, Buckwheat, +Cake, Composition, +Cakes, Corn Batter, +Cakes, Cheese, +Cake, Cider, +Cake, Crisp Ginger, +Cake, Cup, +Cake, Dover, +Cake, Flannel, +Cake, Fruit, Cheap, +Cake, Fruit, Rich, +Cake, Ginger Cup, +Cake, Icing for, +Cake, Indian Pound, +Cake, Jelly, +Cake, Journey, +Cake, Lemon Sponge, +Cake, Loaf, +Cakes, Little Indian, +Cakes, Maryland Corn, +Cake, Madison, +Cakes, Mush Flannel, +Cake, New Year, +Cakes, Pan, +Cake, Pound, +Cake, Plum or Fruit, +Cake, Plum, raised, +Cake, Queen, +Cake, Rice, Sponge, +Cake, Rice Pound +Cakes, Rice +Cake, Sponge, +Cake, Sponge, in Small Pans, +Cake, Salaeratus, +Cake, Short, +Cake, Virginia Hoe, +Cake, Washington, +Cakes, Wafer, +Cake, White, +Calf's Foot, Blancmange, +Calf's Foot Jelly, +Calf's Head to Boil, +Calf's Head, to Brown, +Calf's Head Soup, +Candles, +Candied Preserves, +Candy, Hoarhound, +Cantelopes, to Preserve, +Calicoes, Washing, +Carolina Corn Rolls, +Carrageen or Irish Moss Blancmange, +Carpets, Rag, +Carpets, to put Straw under, +Carrots, +Catsup, Cucumber, +Catsup, Mushroom, +Catsup, Tomato, +Catsup, Green Tomato, +Catsup, Walnut, +Cauliflowers, +Carving, Remarks on, +Cedar Dye, +Celery Sauce, +Cellars, Cleaning, +Cement, Fire-proof, +Cement for Bottles, +Cement for mending iron, +Cement, Weather proof, +Chapped Lips, +Charity, Economy the Source of, +Charcoal, Magnesia and Salts, +Cheese, +Cheese Cakes, +Cheese, Cottage, +Cheese Curds, +Cheese, Pennsylvania Cream, +Cheese, Hogshead, +Cheese, Walnut, +Cherries, Dried, +Cherries, to Pickle, +Cherries and Peaches, to Pickle, +Cherries to Preserve, +Cherry Cordial, +Cherry Sauce, +Cherry Toast, +Chickens, to Broil, +Chickens, to Fry, +Chickens, to Fry, in Batter, +Chickens, Fricasseed, +Chickens in Paste, +Chicken, Cold, with Vinegar, +Chicken Pie, +Chicken Pudding, +Chickens, to Roast, +Chicken Salad, +Chickens Stewed with Rice, +Chickens Stewed with Corn, +Chickens, to Stew, for the Sick, +Chicken Soup, +Chicken Water +Chilblains, Remedy for, +China, Mending, +Chines, +Chocolate, for the Sick, +Chocolate, Racahaut, +Chops, Mutton, +Chloride of Lime, +Cholera Morbus, +Chrome Yellow Wash, +Cider, to make, +Cider Marmalade, +Citron Melon, +Clams, to Fry and Stew, +Clear Starching +Cleaning Bedsteads, +Cleaning Cellars, +Cleaning Floors, +Cleaning Kid Gloves, +Cleaning Paint, +Cleaning Silver, +Cleaning Stoves, +Cloth, to take Lime out of, +Cloth, to take Wax out of +Cocoanut Pudding, +Cod Fish, Salt, +Coffee, to Boil and Roast, +Coffee for the Sick, +Cold Custard, +Cold Slaw, +Colds, Remedy for, +Colic, +Colic, Bilious, +Colic, Infants, +Cologne, +Colors taken out by Acids, to Restore +Coloring, +Conserve, Peaches to, +Conserve, Pears to +Conserve of Roses, +Cooking for the Sick, +Cordial, Blackberry, +Cordial, Cherry, +Cordial, Peach, +Cordial, Quince, +Cordial, Warner's, +Cordials, Wines. &c., +Corn Bannock, +Cora Beef, to Boil. +Cora Gruel, +Corn Batter Cakes, +Corn Bread, +Corn Dumplings, +Corn Flour, Dry Yeast of, +Corn Fritters, +Corn Meal Porridge, +Corn Meal Pudding, +Corn Muffins, +Corn Pudding in paste, +Corn Starch, +Corn, Green, for Winter use, +Corn, Green, to Boil, +Corn, to Fricassee, +Corns, Salve for, +Cottage Cheese, or, Smearcase, +Cough, Brown Mixture for a, +Cough, for a, +Cough, Remarks on a, +Cough, Whooping, +Cough, Lemon Mixture for a, +Crab Apples, to Preserve, +Crackers, Soaked, +Cracks in Stoves, to Mend, +Cramp in the Stomach, +Cramp, +Cranberries, +Cream Cheese, +Cream Sauce, +Cream, Almond, +Cream, Custard, +Cream, Ice, Freezing, +Cream, Poultice, +Cream, Snow, +Cream, Toast, +Crisp Ginger Bread, +Croup, for the, +Crullers, +Cucumber Catsup, +Cucumbers, Cut, to Pickle, +Cucumbers, to Fry or Slice, +Cucumbers, to Pickle, +Cucumbers, to Pickle, Small, +Cucumbers, to Preserve, +Cultivation of Flowers, +Cup Cake, +Curds, Cheese, +Curds, Skim, +Curds, Whey Slam, +Currant Jelly, +Currant Jelly, Black, +Currant Pie, +Currant Syrup, +Currant Wine, +Currants, to Preserve, +Curtains, +Custard Baked in Cups, +Custard Bread Pudding, +Custard for the Sick, +Custard Hasty Pudding, +Custard, Apple, +Custard, Boiled, +Custard, Cold, +Custard, Cream, +Custard, Ice, +Custard, to Boil in Water, +Custard, with Raisins, +Cutlets, Veal, +Cuts and Wounds, Remedy for, +Cutting Glass, +Cymblings, or Squashes, + +D. + +Damson Sauce, +Damsons for Pies, +Damsons, to Preserve, +Deafness, +Debility, Bitters for, +Decanter, to Remove a Stopper from, +Diseases, Summer, +Domestics, on the Management of, +Dough-nuts, +Drab, to Color, +Drawn Butter, +Dressing, or Stuffing, +Dried Beef, +Dried Beef, to Stew, +Dropsy, +Ducks, to Roast, +Dumplings, Apple, and Peach, +Dumplings, Bacon, +Dumplings, Corn, +Dumplings, Drop, +Dumplings, Large, +Dumplings, Light Bread, +Dumplings, Rice, +Dumplings, Stew, +Dumplings, Suet, +Dutch-ovens, to Bake in, +Dyeing Black, +Dyeing Brown, +Dyeing Carpet Rags, +Dyeing Cotton, blue, +Dyeing Drab, +Dyeing Lead Color, +Dyeing Olive, +Dyeing Orange, +Dyeing Red, +Dyeing Scarlet, +Dyeing with Brazil Wood, +Dyeing with Cedar boughs, +Dyeing Yarn Green, +Dyeing Yellow, +Dysentery, +Dyspepsy Biscuit, +Dyspepsy Bread, + +E. + +Ear-Ache, Remedy For, +Early Rising Promotes Punctuality, +Ears, Wash for Sore, +Earthen Vessels, +Economy, the Source of Charity, +Egg Panada, +Egg Plant, to Bake, +Egg Plant, to Fry, +Egg Rolls, +Egg Sauce, +Eggs in Lime-water, +Eggs to Grease, for Winter use, +Eggs, to Boil, +Eggs, to Clean Soiled, +Eggs, to Fry, +Eggs, to Poach, +Elder Ointment, +Elderberry Jam for Colds, +Elderberry Wine, +Elecampane and Hoarhound Syrup +English Walnuts, +Erysipelas, +Eyes, Wash for Weak, + +F. + +Falls, +Feather Beds, +Felons, +Figs, Tomato, +Filtering Water, +Fire, Precautions against, +Fish, Fresh, to Boil, +Fish, Fresh, to Fry, +Fish, Oysters, &c., +Fish, Rock, to Stew or Bake, +Fish, Salt Cod, to Boil, +Flannel Cakes, +Flannels, to Wash, +Flaxseed Poultice, +Floating Island, +Float, Apple, +Floors, to Clean, +Floors, to take Grease out of, +Flour, to Brown for Gravy, +Flowers, the Cultivation of, +Flummery, Blackberry, +Flummery, Rice, +Food for the Sick, +Force Meat Balls, +Fowls to Bake, +Fox Grape Jam, +Fraise Bacon, +Freezing Ice Cream +French Honey, +French Rolls, +Fresh Meat, to Boil, +Fresh Meat, to Keep, +Fresh Meat, to Restore when kept too long, +Fresh Shad, to Bake, +Fricassee, Chickens to +Fricassee, Cora, to +Fricassee, Tomatoes to +Fritters, Apple, +Fritters, Corn, +Fritters, Indian Meal, +Fritters, Oysters, +Fritters, Rice, +Fritters, Snow, +Fruit Cake, +Fruit to Stew for Pies, +Fruit, Frosted, +Furniture, Linseed Oil for, +Furs and Woollens, to Keep, + +G. + +Gardens and Yards, +Gathering on a Finger, +Geese, to Pick, +General Remarks, &c. +Giblet Pie and Soup, +Ginger Cup-cake, +Ginger Tea, +Ginger Wine, +Ginger, to Preserve Green, +Ginger-bread Nuts, +Ginger-bread, Crisp, +Ginger-bread, Light, +Glass, to Cut, +Gloves, to Clean Kid, +Goose, to Roast, +Gooseberries, to Preserve, +Gooseberry Wine, +Gout, +Graham Bread, +Grapes for Pies, +Grapes in Brandy, +Grates and Stoves, to Clean, +Gravy with Roast Turkey, +Gravy, Hash, +Gravy, to Brown Flour for, +Grease, to take out of Floors, +Greasers for Bake Irons, +Green Beans for Winter use, +Green Corn Pudding, +Green Peppers, to Preserve, +Green Tomato Catsup, +Green Wash, +Green, to Color, +Greens, to Boil, +Gruel, Corn, +Gruel, Oat Meal, +Gum Arabic Paste, +Gumbo Soup, +Gums, Scurvy of, + +H. + +Ham, to Bake, +Ham, to Boil, +Ham, to Fry, +Ham, to Stew, for the Sick, +Hams, to Cure, +Hash made of Fowls, +Hash, Veal, +Hash Gravy, +Hasty Custard Pudding, +Hasty Pudding of Indian Meal, +Head-ache, Remedy for, +Hearths, a Wash for, +Heating a Brick-oven, +Herbs, Gardens and Yards, +Herring and Shad, +Herring, Harford, +Herring, Trash, to Pot, +Herring, to Boil, +Hints to Young Wives, +Hoarhound and Elecampane Syrup, +Hoarhound Candy, +Hoe Cake, +Hogshead Cheese, +Hominy to Boil or Fry, +Honey and Lemon Juice for a Cough, +Hop Ointment, +Hop Poultice, +Housekeepers, to Encourage in their First Attempts, +House Linen, Care of, +Huckleberry Pudding, +Huckleberry Pudding, Elkridge, +Huxham's Buck Tincture, + +I. + +Ice Cream Freezing, +Ice Cream superior Receipt for Making, +Ice Cream with Fruit, +Ice Cream with Lemon, +Ices, to Stain, +Icing, for Cake, +Ice Custard with Vanilla, +Indian Bread with Butter milk, +Indian Corn Remarks on the Use of, +Indian Pound Cake, +Infant's Colic, +Infant's Sore Mouth, +Irish Stew, +Irish Moss Blancmange, +Island, Floating, +Isinglass Jelly, + +J. + +Jam, Elderberry, +Jam, Green Fox Grape, +Jam, Ripe Fox Grape, +Jelly, Apple, +Jelly, Blancmange of, +Jelly, Black Currant, +Jelly, Currant, +Jelly, Calf's Foot, +Jelly, Cake, +Jelly, Green Grape, +Jelly, Isinglass, +Jelly, Mulled, +Jellies Preserves &c., +Jelly, Quince, +Jelly, Tapioca, +Jelly, Tomato, +Journey Cake, +Jumbles Common, +Jumbles, Cup, +Jumbles for Delicate Persons, +Jumbles, Molasses, +Jumbles, Jackson, +Jumbles, Rich, + +K. + +Kettles, Preserving, to clean, +Keeping Apples for Winter use, +Kid Gloves, to clean, +Kidney, to fry Beef with, +Kidneys, Affections of the, +Kisses, +Knives and Forks, to clean, + +L. + +Labor Saving Soap, +Lamb, to Roast, +Lamb, to Stew or Fry, +Lard, Rendering, +Lavender, Compound, +Lead Color, +Lemon Brandy, +Lemon Butter, +Lemon Ice Cream, +Lemon Juice, Syrup of, +Lemon Marmalade, +Lemon Mixture for a Cough, +Lemon Pudding, +Lemon Syrup, +Lemon and Honey for a Cough, +Lemon, Green, to Preserve, +Lettuce, +Ley Poultice, +Ley and Soda, Preparation for Washing, +Light Biscuit, +Light Bread Dumplings, +Lily Ointment, +Lily Root Poultice, +Lima Beans, +Lime, Chloride of, +Lime, to take, out of Cloth, +Linen, House, +Linen, to take Ink and Fruit Stains out of, +Linseed Oil for Furniture, +Liver Sausage, +Liver, to Fry Veal's, +Liver, to Fry, +Liverwort Syrup, +Loaf Cake, +Locked Jaw, + +M. + +Macaroons, +Mackerel, to Boil, +Madison Cake, +Magnesia, Charcoal and Salts, +Mahogany Furniture, +Mangoes with Oil and Vinegar, Pickling, +Mangoes, +Mangoes, Pepper, +Mansfield Muffins, +Marble, +Marmalade of mixed Fruits.. +Marmalade, Apple, +Marmalade, Cider, +Marmalade, Lemon, +Marmalade, Peach, +Marmalade, Quince, +Maryland Biscuit, +Maryland Com Cakes, +Matresses, Directions for Making, +Meat, Fresh, to Restore, +Meat, Roasting, +Meat, to Boil Fresh, +Meat, to keep Fresh, +Melon Citron, to Preserve, +Mending China, +Mending Clothes, +Milk Porridge, +Milk Rolls, +Milk Toast, +Milk Yeast, +Mince Pies, +Mince Pies, Farmers, +Mince Pies, Pork, +Mixture, Brown, for Cough, +Molasses Beer, +Molasses Candy, +Molasses Jumbles, +Molasses Posset, for a Cold, +Molasses Sauce, +Mortification, Ointment for, +Muffin Batter, a Loaf of, +Muffins, +Muffins, Boiled Milk, +Muffins, Cold Water, +Muffins, Corn, +Muffins, Cream, +Muffins, Mansfield, +Muffins, Rice, +Mulled Jelly, +Mulled Wine, +Mush Cakes, Fried Mush, +Mush Flannel cakes, +Mush Muffins, +Mush Rolls, +Mush, +Mush, Rye, +Mushroom Catsup, +Mushroom Sauce, +Mushrooms, to Pickle, +Mushrooms, to Stew and Fry, +Mustard Bath, for the Feet, +Mustard Whey, +Mutton Chops, +Mutton Soup, +Mutton and Veal Broth, + +N. + +Naples Biscuit, +Nasturtions, +New Year Cake, + +O. + +Oat-meal Gruel, +Ointment, Blister, +Ointment, Elder, +Ointment, Hop, +Ointment, Lily, +Ointment, Precipitate, +Ointment, St. Johnswort, +Ointment, Tar, +Ointment, for Mortification, +Olive, to Color, +Omelet, +Onion Poultice, +Onions Pickled, +Onions, to Boil, +Orange, to Color, +Oven, Baking in a Dutch, +Oven, Brick, Directions for Heating, +Oyster Fritters, +Oyster Pie, +Oyster Pie, Baltimore, +Oyster Plant, or Salsify, +Oyster Sauce, +Oyster Soup, +Oysters and Fish, +Oysters, Pickled, +Oysters, Scolloped, +Oysters, to Brown, +Oysters, to Fry, + +P. + +Paint, to Clean, +Pan Cakes, +Pan Cakes, Water, +Panada, +Panada, Barley, +Panada, Egg, +Papered Walls, +Parsnips, +Paste, Gum Arabic, +Paste, for Puddings or Pies, +Pea Soup, +Peach Dumplings, +Peach Marmalade, +Peach Pie, +Peaches in Brandy, +Peaches in Cider, +Peaches, Pickled, +Peaches, Spiced, +Peaches, to Conserve, +Peaches, to Preserve, +Pears, to Conserve, +Pears, to Preserve, +Peas, +Pepper Mangoes, +Peppers, Green, to Preserve, +Picking Geese, +Pickle for Butter, +Pickle for Chines, +Pickled Oysters, +Pickled Pork, +Pickles, Vinegar, &c., +Pickles, Yellow, +Pie Crust, to Make, +Pie, Beef Steak, +Pie, Chicken, +Pie, Currant, +Pie, Mince, +Pie, Oyster, +Pie, Peach, +Pie, Pork Mince, +Pie, Puddings, &c., +Pie, Rhubarb, +Pie, Sweet Potato, +Pies, to Stew fruit for, +Pies, to make Common, +Pig, to Roast a, +Pigeons, +Pigs' Feet, +Pigs' Head, +Pine Apple Syrup, +Pine Apples, +Plaster, Adhesive, +Plum Cake, +Plum Cake, raised, +Plums, Green Gage, +Poached Eggs, +Poison, Remedy for, +Poke and Greens, +Pokeberry Juice, to Stain Ices, +Pone, Cold Water, +Pone, Lightened, +Pone, Virginia, +Pork Stew Pie, +Pork, or Mutton, to Corn, +Pork, to Fry and Stew, +Pork, to Pickle, +Pork, to Roast, +Porridge, Corn Meal, +Porridge, Milk, +Porter Beer, +Pot Pie, +Potash Soap, +Potato Starch, +Potato Yeast, +Potato Yeast, with Sugar, +Potatoes, Sweet, +Potatoes, to Boil, +Potatoes, to Fry, +Potatoes, to Stew, +Poultice, Bread and Milk, +Poultice, Cream, +Poultice, Flaxseed, +Pound Cake, +Poultice, Hop, +Poultice, Onion, +Poultice, Ley, +Poultice, Lily, +Poultice, Sassafras, +Precautions against Fire, +Precipitate Ointment, +Preserves, Candied, +Preserves, Jellies, &c., +Pudding of Corn Meal. +Pudding of whole Rice, +Pudding, Apple, +Pudding, Arrow Root, +Pudding, Baked Beef, +Pudding, Baked, +Pudding, Balloon, +Pudding, Beef Steak, +Pudding, Bird's Nest, +Pudding, Boiled Indian, +Pudding, Boiling, +Pudding, Bread, +Pudding, Butter, +Pudding, Chicken, +Pudding, Coaco nut, +Pudding, Custard Bread, +Pudding, Custard Hasty, +Pudding, Elkridge, Huckleberry, +Pudding, Huckleberry, +Pudding, Lemon, +Pudding, New England Hasty, +Pudding, Plain Rice, +Pudding, Potato, +Pudding, Preserve, +Pudding, Pumpkin, +Pudding, Quince, +Pudding, Rice, +Pudding, Richmond, +Pudding, Suet, +Pudding, Sweet Potato, +Pudding, Switzerland, +Pudding. Green Corn, +Puddings, in little Pans, +Puff Paste, +Pumpkins, to Bake, +Pumpkins, to Boil, +Pumpkins, to Dry, +Pumpkins, to Preserve, +Putty, to Remove, + +Q. + +Queen Cake, +Quick Biscuit, +Quick Waffles, +Quince Jelly, + +R. + +Rabbits and Squirrels, +Racahaut Chocolate, +Rag Carpet, to make a, +Raisins in Syrup, +Raspberries, to Preserve, +Raspberry Vinegar, +Raspberry Wine, +Rats and Roaches, to destroy, +Red Mixture, +Red, to Color, +Remarks on Carving, and the behavior of children at table, +Remarks to Encourage Young Housekeepers in their first attempts, +Remarks upon a Cough, +Remedies, Simple, +Rendering Lard and Tallow, +Rennet Whey, +Rennet Wine, +Rennet, for Cheese, +Rheumatism, +Rhubarb Pies, +Rhubarb, Spiced, +Rica Pudding, +Rice Cakes, +Rice Dish with Fruit, +Rice Dumplings. +Rice Flour Pound Cake, +Rice Flour Sponge Cake, +Rice Flummery, +Rice Fritters, +Rice Milk, +Rice Muffins, +Rice Pudding, Plain, +Rice Waffles, +Rice, Stewed with Chicken, +Rice, to Boil, +Rich Fruit Cake, +Richmond Pudding, +Roasting Coffee, +Roasting Meat, +Rock Fish, to Stew or Bake, +Rolls, Boiled Milk, +Rolls, Bread. +Rolls, Carolina Corn, +Rolls, Egg. +Rolls, French, +Rolls, Mush, +Rolls, Potato, +Rolls, Soft, +Rolls, Twist, +Rolls, Water, +Rose Brandy, +Rose Conserve, +Rose Water, +Rusk for Drying, +Rusk, +Rusk, Bread, +Rye, Mush, + +S. + +Sago, +Salad, Chicken. +Sally Lunn, +Salsify or Oyster Plant, +Salt Cod, +Salt Salmon, to Boil, +Salt Shad, to Boil, +Salt Shad, to Broil, +Salve for Burns, +Salve for Corns, +Salve, Dealer's, +Salaeratus Biscuit, +Salaeratus Cake, +Sassafras Poultice, +Sauce, Celery, +Sauce, Cream, +Sauce, Egg, +Sauce, Molasses, +Sauce, Mushroom, +Sauce, Oyster, +Sauce, Tomato, +Sauce, White, +Sauce, Wine, +Sausage Meat, +Sausage, Bologna, +Sausage, Liver, +Scalds and Burns, +Scarlet, to Dye, +Scolloped Oysters, +Scrapple, +Screw Dumplings, +Scurvy of the Gums, +Shad, to Broil, or Bake, +Shad, to put up, and Herring, +Short Cake, +Silver, to Clean, +Simple Remedies, +Skim Curds of Whey, +Skim Curds, +Slaw, Cold, +Smearcase, or Cottage Cheese, +Snow Cream, +Snow Fritters, +Soap Stones, +Soap, +Soap, Hard, +Soap, Later Saving, +Soap, Potash, +Soap, Volatile, +Sore Mouth, Infants, +Sore Throat, for a, +Soup of Dried Beans, +Soup, Beef Shin. +Soup, Calf's Head, +Soup, Chicken, +Soup, Giblet, +Soup, Gumbo, +Soup, Mutton, +Soup, Oyster, +Soup, Pea, +Soup, Shin, +Soup, Vegetable, +Soups, +Souse, +Spermaceti, to take out of cloth, +Spice-wood Berries, +Spiced Beef, +Spiced Peaches, +Spider, for the Bite of a, +Sponge Cake, +Sprained Ankle, +Sprained Limb, +Spruce Beer, +Squashes, or Cymblings, +Squirrels and Rabbits, +St. Johnswort Ointment, +Stains, to take out of Linen, +Starch, Common, +Starch, Corn, +Starch, Potato, +Starching Clear, +Steak, Beef, +Stew, Irish, +Sting of a Bee, +Stir-about, +Stopper, to Remove from a Decanter, +Stoves or Grates, to Clean, +Stoves, to Mend, +Straw under Carpets, +Strawberries, +String Beans, +Stuffing, or Dressing, +Suet Pudding, +Suet, to keep Several Months, +Sugar, to Clarify, +Summer Diseases. +Sweet Bread, Veal, +Sweet Potato Pie, +Sweet Potato Pudding, +Sweet Potatoes, +Switzerland Pudding, +Syrup of Lemon Juice, +Syrup, Currant, +Syrup, Hoarhound, and Elecampane, +Syrup, Lemon, +Syrup, Liverwort, +Syrup, Pine Apple, +Syrup, Raisins in, +Syrups and Ices, + +T. + +Table Cloths, +Taffy, or Molasses Candy, +Tallow, to Render, +Tapioca, +Tar Ointment, +Tea, +Tea, Beef, +Tea, Black, +Tea, Ginger, +Teeth, Cleaning the, +Terrapins, +Tetter, Cure for the, +Tetter, Warts, &c., +Throat, Sore, +Tin Kitchens, Roasting in, +Tincture, Huxham's Bark, +Toast Water, +Toast for the Sick, +Toast, Cream, +Toast, Milk, +Tomato Catsup, +Tomato Figs, +Tomato Jelly, +Tomato Omelet, +Tomato Sauce, +Tomatoes for Winter Use, +Tomatoes, Green, for Pies, +Tomatoes, to Bake, +Tomatoes, to Broil, +Tomatoes, to Fry, +Tomatoes, to Pickle, +Tomatoes, to Preserve, +Tomatoes, to Stew, +Tongue and Brains, +Tongue, to Boil, +Tongues, to Cure a Dozen, +Tooth-ache, +Trifle, +Turkey, to Boil, +Turkey, to Roast, +Turnips, +Twist Rolls, + +V. + +Vanilla, +Veal Cutlets, +Veal Hash, +Veal and Lamb, to Roast, +Veal and Mutton Broth, +Veal's Liver, to Fry, +Veal, Stuffed Leg of, +Veal, to Boil, +Veal, to Fry and Stew, +Vegetable Soup, +Vegetables, +Vegetables, to keep, in Winter, +Vermicelli, +Vials, to Clean, +Vinegar, Raspberry, +Vinegar, to Make, +Virginia Hoe Cake, +Virginia Pone, +Virginia Yellow Pickles, +Volatile Soap, + +W. + +Waffles, +Wafer Cakes, +Waffles, Quick, +Waffles, Rice, +Walls, Papered, to clean, +Walnut Catsup, +Walnut Cheese, +Walnuts, Black, to Pickle, +Walnuts, English, +Walnuts, White, to Pickle, +Warner's Cordial, +Warts, +Wash for Hearths, +Wash for Sore Ears, +Washes, White or Colored, +Washing Calicoes, +Washing Windows, +Washington Cake, +Water, Apple, +Water, Filtering, +Water, to Purify, +Water, to keep Cool in Summer, +Watermelon Rind, +Wax and Spermaceti, to take out of cloth, +Weather proof, Cement, +Whey, Rennet, +Whey, Skim Curds, +Whey, Wine, +Whips, +White Beans, Dried, +White Sauce, +White wash, to Mix, +Whooping Cough, for, +Wine Sauce, +Wine Whey, +Wine, Blackberry, +Wine, Currant, +Wine, Elderberry, +Wine, Ginger, +Wine, Gooseberry, +Wine, Mulled, +Wine, Raspberry, +Wine, Rennet, +Wines, Cordials, &c., +Woollens and Furs, to keep, +Woollens, to Dye, +Worms, +Wounds and Cuts, + +Y. + +Yeast, +Yeast Dry, +Yeast, Corn, +Yeast, Milk, +Yeast, Potato, +Yellow Ochre wash, +Yellow Pickles, +Yellow wash, Chrome, +Yellow, to Dye, + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and +Hints to Young Housekeepers, by Elizabeth E. 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