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diff --git a/9624-0.txt b/9624-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb73749 --- /dev/null +++ b/9624-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15448 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches + +Author: Eliza Leslie + +Release Date: October 10, 2003 [EBook #9624] +[Most recently updated: April 19, 2020] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY *** + + + + +Produced by Digital & Multimedia Center, Michigan State +University Libraries; Steve Schulze, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + +[Illustration] + + + + +Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches + +by Eliza Leslie + +TENTH EDITION, WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY RECEIPTS. + +1840. + + +GENERAL CONTENTS. + + PREFACE + INTRODUCTORY HINTS + + Soups; including those of Fish + Fish; various ways of dressing + Shell Fish; Oysters, Lobsters, Crabs, Etc. + Beef; including pickling and smoking it + Veal + Mutton and Lamb + Pork; including Bacon, Sausages, Etc. + Venison; Hares, Rabbits, Etc. + Poultry and Game + Gravy and Sauces + Store Fish Sauces; Catchups, Etc. + Flavoured Vinegars; + Mustards & Pepper + Vegetables; including Indian Corn, Tomatas, Mushrooms, Etc. + Eggs; usual ways of dressing, including Omelets + Pickling + Sweetmeats; including Preserves and Jellies + Pastry and Puddings; also Pancakes, +Dumplings, Custards, Etc., + Syllabubs; also Ice Creams and Blanc-mange + Cakes; including various sweet Cakes and Gingerbread + Warm Cakes for Breakfast and Tea; also, Bread, Yeast, Butter, +Cheese, Tea, Coffee, Etc. + Domestic Liquors; including home-made Beer, Wines, Shrub, +Cordials, Etc. + Preparations for the Sick + Perfumery + Miscellaneous Receipts + Additional Receipts + + Animals used as Butchers’ Meat + Index + + + + +PREFACE + + +The success of her little book entitled “Seventy-five Receipts in +Cakes, Pastry, and Sweetmeats.” has encouraged the author to attempt a +larger and more miscellaneous work on the subject of cookery, +comprising as far as practicable whatever is most useful in its various +departments; and particularly adapted to the domestic economy of her +own country. Designing it as a manual of American housewifery, she has +avoided the insertion of any dishes whose ingredients cannot be +procured on our side of the Atlantic, and which require for their +preparation utensils that are rarely found except in Europe. Also, she +has omitted every thing which may not, by the generality of tastes, be +considered good of its kind, and well worth the trouble and cost of +preparing. + +The author has spared no pains in collecting and arranging, perhaps the +greatest number of practical and original receipts that have ever +appeared in a similar work; flattering herself that she has rendered +them so explicit as to be easily understood, and followed, even by +inexperienced cooks. The directions are given as minutely as if each +receipt was “to stand alone by itself,” all references to others being +avoided; except in some few instances to the one immediately preceding; +it being a just cause of complaint that in some of the late cookery +books, the reader, before finishing the article, is desired to search +out pages and numbers in remote parts of the volume. + +In the hope that her system of cookery may be consulted with equal +advantage by families in town and in country, by those whose condition +makes it expedient to practise economy, and by others whose +circumstances authorize a liberal expenditure, the author sends it to +take its chance among the multitude of similar publications, satisfied +that it will meet with as much success as it may be found to +deserve,—more she has no right to expect. + +_Philadelphia, April 15th, 1837_. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY HINTS. + +WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. + + +We recommend to all families that they should keep in the house: a pair +of scales, (one of the scales deep enough to hold flour, sugar, &c., +conveniently,) and a set of tin measures: as accuracy in proportioning +the ingredients is indispensable to success in cookery. It is best to +have the scales permanently fixed to a small beam projecting (for +instance) from one of the shelves of the store-room. This will preclude +the frequent inconvenience of their getting twisted, unlinked, and +otherwise out of order; a common consequence of putting them in and out +of their box, and carrying them from place to place. The weights (of +which there should be a set from two pounds to a quarter of an ounce) +ought carefully to be kept in the box, that none of them may be lost or +mislaid. + +A set of tin measures (with small spouts or lips) from a gallon down to +half a jill, will be found very convenient in every kitchen; though +common pitchers, bowls, glasses, &c. may be substituted. It is also +well to have a set of wooden measures from a bushel to a quarter of a +peck. + +Let it be remembered, that of liquid measure— + +Two jills are half a pint. +Two pints—one quart. +Four quarts—one gallon. + +Of dry measure— + +Half a gallon is a quarter of a peck. +One gallon—half a peck. +Two gallons—one peck. +Four gallons—half a bushel. +Eight gallons—one bushel. + +About twenty-five drops of any thin liquid will fill a common sized +tea-spoon. + +Four table-spoonfuls or half a jill, will fill a common wine glass. + +Four wine glasses will fill a half-pint or common tumbler, or a large +coffee-cup. + +A quart black bottle holds in reality about a pint and a half. + +Of flour, butter, sugar, and most articles used in cakes and pastry, a +quart is generally about equal in quantity to a pound avoirdupois, +(sixteen ounces.) Avoirdupois is the weight designated throughout this +book. + +Ten eggs generally weigh one pound before they are broken. + +A table-spoonful of salt is generally about one ounce. + + + +DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY, IN ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES. + + + + +SOUPS. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +Always use soft water for making soup, and be careful to proportion the +quantity of water to that of the meat. Somewhat less than a quart of +water to a pound of meat, is a good rule for common soups. Rich soups, +intended for company, may have a still smaller allowance of water. + +Soup should always be made entirely of fresh meat that has not been +previously cooked. An exception to this rule may sometimes be made in +favour of the remains of a piece of roast beef that has been _very +much_ under-done in roasting. This may be _added_ to a good piece of +raw meat. Cold ham, also, may be occasionally put into white soups. + +Soup made of cold meat has always a vapid, disagreeable taste, very +perceptible through all the seasoning, and which nothing indeed can +disguise. Also, it will be of a bad, dingy colour. The juices of the +meat having been exhausted by the first cooking, the undue proportion +of watery liquid renders it, for soup, indigestible and unwholesome, as +well as unpalatable. As there is little or no nutriment to be derived +from soup made with cold meat, it is better to refrain from using it +for this purpose, and to devote the leavings of the table to some other +object. No person accustomed to really good soup, made from fresh meat, +can ever be deceived in the taste, even when flavoured with wine and +spices. It is not true that French cooks have the art of producing +_excellent_ soups from cold scraps. There is much _bad_ soup to be +found in France, at inferior houses; but _good_ French cooks are not, +as is generally supposed, really in the practice of concocting any +dishes out of the refuse of the table. And we repeat, that cold meat, +even when perfectly good, and used in a large quantity, has not +sufficient substance to flavour soup, or to render it wholesome. + +Soup, however, that has been originally made of raw meat entirely, is +frequently better the second day than the first; provided that it is +re-boiled only for a very short time, and that no additional water is +added to it. + +Unless it has been allowed to boil too hard, so as to exhaust the +water, the soup-pot will not require replenishing. When it is found +absolutely necessary to do so, the additional water must be boiling hot +when poured in; if lukewarm or cold, it will entirely spoil the soup. + +Every particle of fat should be carefully skimmed from the surface. +Greasy soup is disgusting and unwholesome. The lean of meat is much +better for soup than the fat. + +Long and slow boiling is necessary to extract the strength from the +meat. If boiled fast over a large fire, the meat becomes hard and +tough, and will not give out its juices. + +Potatoes, if boiled in the soup, are thought by some to render it +unwholesome, from the opinion that the water in which potatoes have +been cooked is almost a poison. As potatoes are a part of every dinner, +it is very easy to take a few out of the pot in which they have been +boiled by themselves, and to cut them up and add them to the soup just +before it goes to table. + +The cook should season the soup but very slightly with salt and pepper. +If she puts in too much, it may spoil it for the taste of most of those +that are to eat it; but if too little, it is easy to add more to your +own plate. + +The practice of thickening soup by stirring flour into it is not a good +one, as it spoils both the appearance and the taste. If made with a +sufficient quantity of good fresh meat, and not too much water, and if +boiled long and slowly, it will have substance enough without flour. + +FAMILY SOUP. + +Take a shin or leg of beef that has been newly killed; the fore leg is +best, as there is the most meat on it. Have it cut into three pieces, +and wash it well. To each pound allow somewhat less than a quart of +water; for instance, to ten pounds of leg of beef, nine quarts of water +is a good proportion. Put it into a large pot, and add half a +table-spoonful of salt. Hang it over a good fire, as early as six +o’clock in the morning, if you dine at two. When it has come to a hard +boil, and the scum has risen, (which it will do as soon as it has +boiled,) skim it well. Do not remove the lid more frequently than is +absolutely necessary, as uncovering the pot causes the flavour to +evaporate. Then set it on hot coals in the corner, and keep it +simmering steadily, adding fresh coals so as to continue a regular +heat. + +About nine o’clock, put in four carrots, one parsnip, and a large onion +cut into slices, and four small turnips, and eight tomatas, also cut +up; add a head of celery cut small. Put in a very small head of +cabbage, cut into little pieces. If you have any objection to cabbage, +substitute a larger proportion of the other vegetables. Put in also a +bunch of sweet marjoram, tied up in a thin muslin rag to prevent its +floating on the top. + +Let the soup simmer unceasingly till two o’clock, skimming it well: +then take it up, and put it into a tureen. If your dinner hour is +later, you may of course begin the soup later; but it will require at +least eight hours’ cooking; remembering to put in the vegetables three +hours after the meat. + +If you wish to send the meat to table, take the best part of it out of +the soup, about two hours before dinner. Have ready another pot with a +dozen tomatas and a few cloves. Moisten them with a little of the soup, +just sufficient to keep them from burning. When the tomatas have stewed +down soft, put the meat upon them, and let it brown till dinner time +over a few coals, keeping the pot closely covered; then send it to +table on a dish by itself. Let the remainder of the meat be left in the +large pot till you send up the soup, as by that time it will be boiled +to rags and have transferred all its flavour to the liquid. + +This soup will be greatly improved by the addition of a few dozen +ochras cut into very thin slices, and put in with the other vegetables. +You may put Lima beans into it, green peas, or indeed any vegetables +you like: or you may thicken it with ochras and tomatas only. + +Next day, take what is left of the soup, put it into a pot, and simmer +it over hot coals for half an hour: a longer time will weaken the +taste. If it has been well made and kept in a cool place, it will be +found better the second day than the first. + +If your family is very small, and the leg of beef large, and the season +winter, it may furnish soup for four successive days. Cut the beef in +half; make soup of the first half, in the manner above directed, and +have the remainder warmed next day; then on the third day make fresh +soup of the second half. + +We have been minute in these directions; for if strictly followed, the +soup, though plain, will be found excellent. + +If you do not intend to serve up the meat separately, break to pieces +all the bones with a mallet or kitchen cleaver. This, by causing them +to give out their marrow, &c., will greatly enrich the liquid. Do this, +of course, when you first begin the soup. + +FINE BEEF SOUP. + +Begin this soup the day before it is wanted. Take a good piece of fresh +beef that has been newly killed: any substantial part will do that has +not too much fat about it: a fore leg is very good for this purpose. +Wash it well. Cut off all the meat, and break up the bones. Put the +meat and the bones into a large pot, very early in the day, so as to +allow eight or nine hours for its boiling. Proportion the water to the +quantity of meat—about a pint and a half to each pound. Sprinkle the +meat with a small quantity of pepper and salt. Pour on the water, hang +it over a moderate fire, and boil it slowly; carefully skimming off all +the fat that rises to the top, and keeping it closely covered, except +when you raise the lid to skim it. Do not, on any account, put in +additional water to this soup while it is boiling; and take care that +the boiling goes steadily on, as, if it stops, the soup will be much +injured. But if the fire is too great, and the soup boils too fast, the +meat will become hard and tough, and will not give out its juices. + +After the meat is reduced to rags, and the soup sufficiently boiled, +remove the pot from the fire, and let it stand in the corner for a +quarter of an hour to settle. Then take it up, strain it into a large +earthen pan, cover it, and set it away in a cool dry place till next +day. Straining it makes it clear and bright, and frees it from the +shreds of meat and bone. If you find that it jellies in the pan, (which +it will if properly made,) do not disturb it till you are ready to put +it into the pot for the second boiling, as breaking the jelly may +prevent it from keeping well. + +On the following morning, boil separately, carrots, turnips, onions, +celery, and whatever other vegetables you intend to thicken the soup +with. Tomatas will greatly improve it. Prepare them by taking off the +skin, cutting them into small pieces, and stewing them in their own +juice till they are entirely dissolved. Put on the carrots before any +of the other vegetables, as they require the longest time to boil. Or +you may slice and put into the soup a portion of the vegetables you are +boiling for dinner; but they must be nearly done before you put them +in, as the second boiling of the soup should not exceed half an hour, +or indeed, just sufficient time to heat it thoroughly. + +Scrape off carefully from the cake of jellied soup whatever fat or +sediment may still be remaining on it; divide the jelly into pieces, +and about half an hour before it is to go to table, put it into a pot, +add the various vegetables, (having first sliced them,) in sufficient +quantities to make the soup very thick; hang it over the fire and let +it boil slowly, or simmer steadily till dinner time. Boiling it much on +the second day will destroy the flavour, and render it flat and +insipid. For this reason, in making fine, clear beef soup, the +vegetables are to be cooked separately. They need not be put in the +first day, as the soup is to be strained; and on the second day, if put +in raw, the length of time required to cook them would spoil the soup +by doing it too much. We repeat, that when soup has been sufficiently +boiled on the first day, and all the juices and flavour of the meat +thoroughly extracted, half an hour is the utmost it requires on the +second. + +Carefully avoid seasoning it too highly. Soup, otherwise excellent, is +frequently spoiled by too much pepper and salt. These condiments can be +added at table, according to the taste of those that are eating it; but +if too large a proportion of them is put in by the cook, there is then +no remedy, and the soup may by some be found uneatable. + +Many persons prefer boiling all the vegetables in the soup on the first +day, thinking that they improve its flavour. This may be done in common +soup that is not to be strained, but is inadmissible if you wish it to +be very bright and clear. Also, unless you have a garden and a +profusion of vegetables of your own, it is somewhat extravagant, as +when strained out they are of no further use, and are therefore wasted. + +MUTTON SOUP. + +Cut off the shoulder part of a fore quarter of mutton, and having cut +all the meat from the bone, put it into a soup pot with two quarts of +water. As soon as it boils, skim it well, and then slacken the fire and +simmer the meat for an hour and a half. Then take the remainder of the +mutton, and put it whole into the soup-pot with sufficient boiling +water to cover it well, and salt it to your taste. Skim it the moment +the fresh piece of meat begins to boil, and about every quarter of an +hour afterwards. It should boil slowly five hours. Prepare half a dozen +turnips, four carrots, and three onions, (all cut up, but not small,) +and put them in about an hour and a half before dinner. [Footnote: The +carrots should be put in early, as they require a long time to boil; if +full grown, at least three hours.] You may also put in some small +dumplings. Add some chopped parsley. + +Cut the meat off the scrag into small pieces, and send it to table in +the tureen with the soup. The other half of the mutton should be served +on a separate dish, with whole turnips boiled and laid round it. Many +persons are fond of mutton that has been boiled in soup. + +You may thicken this soup with rice or barley that has first been +soaked in cold water; or with green peas; or with young corn, cut down +from the cob; or with tomatas scalded, peeled, and cut into pieces. + +_Cabbage Soup_ may be made in the same manner, of neck of mutton. Omit +all the other vegetables, and put in a large head of white cabbage, +stripped of the outside leaves, and cut small. + +_Noodle Soup_ can be made in this manner also. Noodles are a mixture of +flour and beaten egg, made into a stiff paste, kneaded, rolled out very +thin, and cut into long narrow slips, not thicker than straws, and then +dried three or four hours in the sun, on tin or pewter plates. They +must be put in the soup shortly before dinner, as, if boiled too long +they will go to pieces. + +With the mutton that is taken from the soup you may send to table some +suet dumplings, boiled in another pot, and served on a separate dish. +Make them in the proportion of half a pound of beef suet to a pound and +a quarter of flour. Chop the suet as fine as possible, rub it into the +flour, and mix it into a dough with a little cold water. Roll it out +thick, and cut it into dumplings about as large as the top of a +tumbler, and boil them an hour. + +VEAL SOUP. + +The knuckle or leg of veal is the best for soup. Wash it and break up +the bones. Put it into a pot with a pound of ham or bacon cut into +pieces, and water enough to cover the meat. A set of calf’s feet, cut +in half, will greatly improve it. After it has stewed slowly, till all +the meat drops to pieces, strain it, return it to the pot, and put in a +head of celery cut small, three onions, a bunch of sweet marjoram, a +carrot and a turnip cut into pieces, and two dozen black pepper-corns, +with salt to your taste. Add some small dumplings made of flour and +butter. Simmer it another hour, or till all the vegetables are +sufficiently done, and thus send it to table. + +You may thicken it with noodles, that is paste made of flour and beaten +egg, and cut into long thin slips. Or with vermicelli, rice, or barley; +or with green peas, or asparagus tops. + +RICH VEAL SOUP. + +Take three pounds of the scrag of a neck of veal, cut it into pieces, +and put it with the bones (which must be broken up) into a pot with two +quarts of water. Stew it till the meat is done to rags, and skim it +well. Then strain it and return it to the pot. + +Blanch and pound in a mortar to a smooth paste, a quarter of a pound of +sweet almonds, and mix them with the yolks of six hard boiled eggs +grated, mid a pint of cream, which must first have been boiled or it +will curdle in the soup. Season it with nutmeg and mace. Stir the +mixture into the soup, and let it boil afterward about three minutes, +stirring all the time. Lay in the bottom of the tureen some slices of +bread without the crust. Pour the soup upon it, and send it to table. + +CLEAR GRAVY SOUP. + +Having well buttered the inside of a nicely tinned stew-pot, cut half a +pound of ham into slices, and lay them at the bottom, with three pounds +of the lean of fresh beef, and as much veal, cut from the bones, which +you must afterward break to pieces, and lay on the meat. Cover the pan +closely, and set it over a quick fire. When the meat begins to stick to +the pan, turn it; and when there is a nice brown glaze at the bottom, +cover the meat with cold water. Watch it well, and when it is just +coming to a boil, put in half a pint of cold water. This will cause the +scum to rise. Skim it well, and then pour in another half pint of cold +water; skim it again; pour in cold water as before, half a pint at a +time, and repeat this till no more scum rises. In skimming, carefully +avoid stirring the soup, as that will injure its clearness. + +In the mean time prepare your vegetables. Peel off the outer skin of +three large white onions and slice them. Pare three large turnips, and +slice them also. Wash clean and cut into small pieces three carrots, +and three large heads of celery. If you cannot obtain fresh celery, +substitute a large table-spoonful of celery seed, tied up in a bit of +clear muslin. Put the vegetables into the soup, and then place the pot +on one side of the fire, where the heat is not so great as in the +middle. Let it boil gently for four hours. Then strain the soup through +a fine towel or linen bag into a large stone pan, but do not squeeze +the bag, or the soup will be cloudy, and look dull instead of clear. In +pouring it into the straining cloth, be careful not to disturb the +ingredients at the bottom of the soup-pot. + +This soup should be of a fine clear amber colour. If not perfectly +bright after straining, you may clarify it in this manner. Put it into +the stew-pan. Break the whites of two eggs into a basin, carefully +avoiding the smallest particle of the yolk. Beat the white of egg to a +stiff froth, and then mix it gradually with the soup. Set it over the +fire, and stir it till it boils briskly. Then take it off, and set it +beside the fire to settle for ten minutes. Strain it then through a +clean napkin, and it will be fit for use. But it is better to have the +soup clear by making it carefully, than to depend on clarifying it +afterward, as the white of egg weakens the taste. + +In making this (which is quite a show-soup) it is customary to reverse +the general rule, and pour in cold water. + +SOUPE À LA JULIENNE. + +Make a gravy soup as in the preceding receipt, and strain it before you +put in the vegetables. Cut some turnips and carrots into ribands, and +some onions and celery into lozenges or long diamond-shaped pieces. +Boil them separately. When the vegetables are thoroughly boiled, put +them with the soup into the tureen, and then lay gently on the top some +small squares of toasted bread without crust; taking care that they do +not crumble down and disturb the brightness of the soup, which should +be of a clear amber colour. + +MACCARONI SOUP. + +This also is made of clear gravy soup. Cut up and boil the maccaroni by +itself in a very little water, allowing a quarter of a pound to a quart +of soup. The pieces should be about an inch long. Put a small piece of +butter with it. It must boil till tender, but not till it breaks. Throw +it into the soup shortly before it goes to table, and give it one boil +up. Send to table with it a plate or glass of rasped Parmesan or other +rich cheese, with a dessert spoon in it, that those who like it may put +it into their soup on the plate. + +While the maccaroni is boiling, take care that it does not get into +lumps. + +RICH MACCARONI SOUP. + +Take a quart of clear gravy soup, and boil in it a pound of the best +maccaroni cut into pieces. When it is tender, take out half of the +maccaroni, and add to the remainder two quarts more of the soup. Boil +it till the maccaroni is entirely dissolved and incorporated with the +liquid. Strain it; then return it to the soup-pan, and add to it the +remainder of the maccaroni, (that was taken out before the pieces +broke,) and put in a quarter of a pound of grated Parmesan cheese. Let +it simmer awhile, but take it up before it comes to a boil. + +It may be made with milk instead of gravy soup. + +VERMICELLI SOUP. + +Cut a knuckle of veal, or a neck of mutton into small pieces, and put +them, with the bones broken up, into a large stew-pan. Add the meat +sliced from a hock or shank of ham, a quarter of a pound of butter, two +large onions sliced, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a head of celery cut +small. Cover the pan closely, and set it without any water over a slow +fire for an hour or more, to extract the essence from the meat. Then +skim it well, and pour in four quarts of boiling water, and let it boil +gently till all the meat is reduced to rags. Strain it, set it again on +the fire, and add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli, which has first +been scalded in boiling water. Season it to your taste with salt and +cayenne pepper, and let it boil five minutes. Lay a large slice of +bread in the bottom of your tureen, and pour the soup upon it. + +For the veal or mutton you may substitute a pair of large fowls cut +into pieces; always adding the ham or a few slices of bacon, without +which it will be insipid. Old fowls that are fit for no other purpose +will do very well for soup. + +MILK SOUP. + +Boil two quarts of milk with a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and +two ounces of bitter ones, blanched and broken to pieces, and a large +stick of cinnamon broken up. Stir in sugar enough to make it very +sweet. When it has boiled strain it. Cut some thin slices of bread, and +(having pared off the crust) toast them. Lay them in the bottom of a +tureen, pour a little of the hot milk over them, and cover them close, +that they may soak. Beat the yolks of five eggs very light Set the milk +on hot coals, and add the eggs to it by degrees; stirring it all the +time till it thickens. Then take it off instantly, lest it curdle, and +pour it into the tureen, boiling hot, over the bread. + +This will be still better if you cover the bottom with slices of baked +apple. + +RICH BROWN SOUP. + +Take six pounds of the lean of fresh beef, cut from the bone. Stick it +over with four dozen cloves. Season it with a tea-spoonful of salt, a +tea-spoonful of pepper, a tea-spoonful of mace, and a beaten nutmeg. +Slice half a dozen onions; fry them in butter; chop them, and spread +them over the meat after you have put it into the soup-pot. Pour in +five quarts of water, and stew it slowly for five or six hours; +skimming it well. When the meat has dissolved into shreds, strain it, +and return the liquid to the pot. Then add a tumbler and a half, or six +wine glasses of claret or port wine. Simmer it again slowly till dinner +time. When the soup is reduced to three quarts, it is done enough. Put +it into a tureen, and send it to table. + +RICH WHITE SOUP. + +Take a pair of large fat fowls. Cut them up. Butter the inside of the +soup-pot, and put in the pieces of fowl with two pounds of the lean of +veal, cut into pieces, or with four calf’s feet cut in half. Season +them with a tea-spoonful of salt, a half tea-spoonful of cayenne +pepper, and a dozen blades of mace. Cover them with water, and stew it +slowly for an hour, skimming it well. Then take out the breasts and +wings of the fowls, and having cut off the flesh, chop it fine. Keep +the pot covered, and the veal and the remainder of the fowls still +stewing. + +Mix the chopped chicken with the grated crumb of about one quarter of a +loaf of stale bread, (a six cent loaf,) having soaked the crumbs in a +little warm milk. Have ready the yolks of four hard boiled eggs, a +dozen sweet almonds, and half a dozen bitter ones blanched and broken +small. Mix the egg and almonds with the chopped chicken and grated +bread, and pound all in a mortar till it is well incorporated. Strain +the soup from the meat and fowl, and stir this mixture into the liquid, +after it has stewed till reduced to two quarts. Having boiled +separately a quart of cream or rich milk, add it hot to the soup, a +little at a time. Cover it, and let it simmer a few minutes longer. +Then send it to table. + +These two soups (the brown and the white) are suited to dinner parties. + +MEG MERRILIES’ SOUP. + +Take four pounds of venison, or if you cannot procure venison you may +substitute the lean of fresh beef or mutton. Season it with pepper and +salt, put it into a large pot, (break the bones and lay them on the +meat,) pour in four quarts of water, and boil it three hours, skimming +it well. Then strain it, and put it into another pot. + +Cut up a hare or a rabbit, a pair of partridges, and a pair of grouse; +or one of each, with a pheasant, a woodcock, or any other game that you +can most easily obtain. Season them and put them into the soup. Add a +dozen small onions, a couple of heads of celery cut small, and half a +dozen sliced potatoes. Let the soup simmer till the game is +sufficiently done, and all the vegetables tender. + +This is the soup with which the gipsy, Meg Merrilies, regaled Dominie +Sampson. + +When game is used for soup, it must be newly killed, and quite fresh. + +VENISON SOUP. + +Take four pounds of freshly killed venison cut off from the bones, and +one pound of ham in small slices. Add an onion minced, and black pepper +to your taste. Put only as much water as will cover it, and stew it +gently for an hour, keeping the pot closely covered. Then skim it well, +and pour in a quart of boiling water. Add a head of celery cut into +small pieces, and half a dozen blades of mace. Boil it gently two hours +and a half. Then put in a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into +small pieces and rolled in flour, and half a pint of port or Madeira +wine. Let it boil a quarter of an hour longer, and then send it to +table with the meat in it. + +HARE OR RABBIT SOUP. + +Take a large newly killed hare, or two rabbits; cut them up and wash +the pieces. Save all the blood, (which adds much to the flavour of the +hare,) and strain it through a sieve. Put the pieces into a soup-pot +with four whole onions stuck with a few cloves, four or five blades of +mace, a head of celery cut small, and a bunch of parsley with a large +sprig of sweet marjoram and one of sweet basil, all tied together. Salt +and cayenne to your taste. Pour in three quarts of water, and stew it +gently an hour and a half. Then put in the strained blood and simmer it +for another hour, at least. Do not let it actually boil, as that will +cause the blood to curdle. Then strain it, and pound half the meat in a +mortar, and stir it into the soup to thicken it, and cut the remainder +of the meat into small mouthfuls. Stir in, at the last, a jill or two +glasses of red wine, and a large table-spoonful of currant jelly. Boil +it slowly a few minutes longer, and then put it into your tureen. It +will be much improved by the addition of about a dozen and a half small +force-meat balls, about the size of a nutmeg. This soup will require +cooking at least four hours. + +Partridge, pheasant, or grouse soup may be made in a similar manner. + +If you have any clear gravy soup, you may cut up the hare, season it as +above, and put it into a jug or jar well covered, and set in boiling +water till the meat is tender. Then put it into the gravy soup, add the +wine, and let it come to a boil. Send it to table with the pieces of +the hare in the soup. + +When hare soup is made in this last manner, omit using the blood. + + +MULLAGATAWNY SOUP, AS MADE IN INDIA. + +Take a quarter of an ounce of China turmeric, the third of an ounce of +cassia, three drachms of black pepper, two drachms of cayenne pepper, +and an ounce of coriander seeds. These must all be pounded fine in a +mortar, and well mixed and sifted. They will make sufficient curry +powder for the following quantity of soup: + +Take two large fowls, or three pounds of the lean of veal. Cut the +flesh entirely from the bones in small pieces, and put it into a +stew-pan with two quarts of water. Let it boil slowly for half an hour, +skimming it well. Prepare four large onions, minced and fried in two +ounces of butter. Add to them the curry powder and moisten the whole +with broth from the stew-pan, mixed with a little rice flour. When +thoroughly mixed, stir the seasoning into the soup, and simmer it till +it is as smooth and thick as cream, and till the chicken or veal is +perfectly tender. Then stir into it the juice of a lemon; and five +minutes after take up the soup, with the meat in it, and serve it in +the tureen. + +Send to table separately, boiled rice on a hot-water dish to keep it +warm, The rice is to be put into the plates of soup by those who eat +it. + +To boil rice for this soup in the East India fashion:—Pick and wash +half a pound in warm water. Put it into a sauce-pan. Pour two quarts of +boiling water over it, and cover the pan closely. Set it in a warm +place by the fire, to cook gradually in the hot water. In an hour pour +off all the water, and setting the pan on hot coals, stir up and toss +the rice with a fork, so as to separate the grains, and to dry without +hardening it. Do not use a spoon, as that will not loosen the grains +sufficiently. + +MOCK TURTLE OR CALF’S HEAD SOUP. + +This soup will require eight hours to prepare. Take a large calf’s +head, and having cleaned, washed, and soaked it, put it into a pot with +a knuckle of veal, and the hock of a ham, or a few slices of bacon; but +previously cut off and reserve enough of the veal to make two dozen +small force-meat balls. Put the head and the other meat into as much +water as will cover it very well, so that it may not be necessary to +replenish it: this soup being always made very rich. Let it boil slowly +four hours, skimming it carefully. As soon as no more scum rises, put +in six potatoes, and three turnips, all sliced thin; with equal +proportions of parsley, sweet marjoram and sweet basil, chopped fine; +and pepper and salt to your taste. + +An hour before you send the meat to table, make about two dozen small +force-meat balls of minced veal and beef-suet in equal quantities, +seasoned with pepper and salt; sweet herbs, grated lemon-peel, and +powdered nutmeg and mace. Add some beaten yolk of egg to make all these +ingredients stick together. Flour the balls very well, and fry them in +butter. Before you put them into the soup, take out the head, and the +other meat. Cut the meat from the head in small pieces, and return it +to the soup. When the soup is nearly done, stir in half a pint of +Madeira. Have ready at least a dozen egg-balls made of the yolks of +hard-boiled eggs, grated or pounded in a mortar, and mixed with a +little flour and sufficient raw yolk of egg to bind them. Make them up +into the form and size of boy’s marbles. Throw them into the soup at +the last, and also squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Let it get another +slow boil, and then put it into the tureen. + +We omit a receipt for _real_ turtle soup, as when that very expensive, +complicated, and difficult dish is prepared in a private family, it is +advisable to hire a first-rate cook for the express purpose. + +An easy way is to get it ready made, in any quantity you please, from a +turtle-soup house. + +OX TAIL SOUP. + +Three ox tails will make a large tureen full of soup. Desire the +butcher to divide them at the joints. Rub them with salt, and put them +to soak in warm water, while you prepare the vegetables. Put into a +large pot or stew-pan four onions peeled and quartered, a bunch of +parsley, two sliced carrots, two sliced turnips, and two dozen pepper +corns. Then put in the tails, and pour on three quarts of water. + +Cover the pot, and set it on hot coals by the side of the fire. Keep it +gently simmering for about three hours, supplying it well with fresh +hot coals. Skim it carefully. When the meat is quite tender, and falls +from the bones, strain the soup into another pot, and add to it a +spoonful of mushroom catchup, and two spoonfuls of butter rubbed in +flour. + +You may thicken it also with the pulp of a dozen onions first fried +soft, and then rubbed through a cullender. After it is thickened, let +it just boil up, and then send it to table, with small squares of +toasted bread in the tureen. + +OCHRA SOUP. + +Take a large slice of ham (cold boiled ham is best) and two pounds of +the lean of fresh beef; cut all the meat into small pieces. Add a +quarter of a pound of butter slightly melted; twelve large tomatas +pared and cut small; five dozen ochras cut into slices not thicker than +a cent; and salt and cayenne pepper to your taste. Put all these +ingredients into a pot; cover them with boiling water, and let them +stew slowly for an hour. Then add three quarts of _hot_ water, and +increase the heat so as to make the soup boil. Skim it well, and stir +it frequently with a wooden or silver spoon. + +Boil it till the tomatas are all to pieces, and the ochras entirely +dissolved. Strain it, and then serve it up with toasted bread cut into +dice, put in after it comes out of the pot. + +This soup will be improved by a pint of shelled Lima beans, boiled by +themselves, and put into the tureen just before you send it to table. + +BEAN SOUP. + +Put two quarts of dried white beans into soak the night before you make +the soup, which should be put on as early in the day as possible. + +Take five pounds of the lean of fresh beef—the coarse pieces will do. +Cut them up, and put them into your soup-pot with the bones belonging +to them, (which should be broken to pieces,) and a pound of bacon cut +very small. If you have the remains of a piece of beef that has been +roasted the day before, and so much under-done that the juices remain +in it, you may put it into the pot, and its bones along with it. Season +the meat with pepper and salt, and pour on it six quarts of water. As +soon as it boils take off the scum, and put in the beans (having first +drained them) and a head of celery cut small, or a table-spoonful of +pounded celery-seed. Boil it slowly till the meat is done to shreds, +and the beans all dissolved. Then strain it through a cullender into +the tureen, and put into it small squares of toasted bread with the +crust cut off. + +Some prefer it with the beans boiled soft, but not quite dissolved. In +this case, do not strain it; but take out the meat and bones with a +fork before you send it to table. + +PEAS SOUP. + +Soak two quarts of dried or split peas overnight. In the morning take +three pounds of the lean of fresh beef, and a pound of bacon or pickled +pork. Cut them into pieces, and put them into a large soup-pot with the +peas, (which must first be well drained,) and a table-spoonful of dried +mint rubbed to powder. Add five quarts of water, and boil the soup +gently for three hours, skimming it well, and then put in four heads of +celery cut small, or two table-spoonfuls of pounded celery seed. + +It must be boiled till the peas are entirely dissolved, so as to be no +longer distinguishable, and the celery quite soft. Then strain it into +a tureen, and serve it up with toasted bread cut in dice. Omit the +crust of the bread. + +Stir it up immediately before it goes to table, as it is apt to settle, +and be thick at the bottom and thin at the top. + +GREEN PEAS SOUP. + +Take four pounds of knuckle of veal, and a pound of bacon. Cut them to +pieces, and put them into a soup kettle with a sprig of mint and four +quarts of water. Boil it moderately fast, and skim it well. When the +meat is boiled to rags, strain it out, and put to the liquor a quart of +young green peas. Boil them till they are entirely dissolved, and till +they have thickened the soup, and given it a green colour. [Footnote: +You may greatly improve the colour by pounding a handful of spinach in +a mortar, straining the juice, and adding it to the soup about a +quarter of an hour before it has done boiling.] + +Have ready two quarts of green peas that have been boiled in another +pot with a sprig of mint, and two or three lumps of loaf sugar, (which +will greatly improve the taste.) After they have boiled in this pot +twenty minutes, take out the mint, put the whole peas into the pot of +soup, and boil all together about ten minutes. Then put it into a +tureen, and send it to table. + +Never use hard old green peas for this soup, or for any other purpose. +When they begin to turn yellow, it is time to leave them off for the +season. + +Lima bean soup may be made in the same manner. + +ASPARAGUS SOUP. + +Asparagus soup may be made in a similar manner to that of green peas. +You must have four or five bunches of asparagus. Cut off the green +tops, and put half of them into the soup, after the meat has been +boiled to pieces and strained out. The asparagus must be boiled till +quite dissolved, and till it has given a green colour to the soup. Then +take the remainder of the asparagus tops (which must all this time have +been lying in cold water) and put them into the soup, and let them boil +about twenty minutes. Serve it up with small squares of toast in the +tureen. + +You may heighten the green of this soup by adding the juice of a +handful of spinach, pounded in a mortar and strained. Or you may colour +it with the juice of boiled spinach squeezed through a cloth. The +spinach juice should be put in fifteen or ten minutes before you take +up the soup, as a short boiling in it will take off the peculiar taste. + +FRIAR’S CHICKEN. + +Cut up four pounds of knuckle of veal; season it with white pepper and +salt: put it into a soup-pan and let it boil slowly till the meat drops +from the bone. Then strain it off. Have ready a pair of young fowls +skinned, and cut up as you carve them at table. Season them with white +pepper, salt, and mace. Put them into the soup, add a handful of +chopped parsley, and let them boil. When the pieces of chicken are all +quite tender, have ready four or five eggs well beaten. Stir the egg +into the soup, and take it immediately off the fire lest it curdle. +Serve up the chicken in the soup. + +Rabbits may be substituted for fowls. + +CATFISH SOUP. + +Catfish that have been caught near the middle of the river are much +nicer than those that are taken near the shore where they have access +to impure food. The small white ones are the best. Having cut off their +heads, skin the fish, and clean them, and cut them in three. To twelve +small catfish allow a pound and a half of ham. Cut the ham into small +pieces, or slice it very thin, and scald it two or three times in +boiling water, lest it be too salt. Chop together a bunch of parsley +and some sweet marjoram stripped from the stalks. Put these ingredients +into a soup kettle and season them with pepper: the ham will make it +salt enough. Add a head of celery cut small, or a large table-spoonful +of celery seed tied up in a bit of clear muslin to prevent its +dispersing. Pat in two quarts of water, cover the kettle, and let it +boil slowly till every thing is sufficiently done, and the fish and ham +quite tender. Skim it frequently. Boil in another vessel a quart of +rich milk, in which you have melted a quarter of a pound of butter +divided into small bits and rolled in flour. Pour it hot to the soup, +and stir in at the last the beaten yolks of four eggs. Give it another +boil, just to take off the rawness of the eggs, and then put it into a +tureen, taking out the bag of celery seed before you send the soup to +table, and adding some toasted bread cut into small squares. In making +toast for soap, cut the bread thick, and pare off all the crust. + +This soup will be found very fine. + +Eel soup may be made in the same manner: chicken soup also. + +LOBSTER SOUP. + +Have ready a good broth made of a knuckle of veal boiled slowly in as +much water as will cover it, till the meat is reduced to rags. It must +then be well strained. + +Having boiled three fine middle-sized lobsters, extract all the meat +from the body and claws. Bruise part of the coral in a mortar, and also +an equal quantity of the meat. Mix them well together. Add mace, +nutmeg, cayenne, and a little grated lemon-peel; and make them up into +force-meat balls, binding the mixture with the yolk of an egg slightly +beaten. + +Take three quarts of the veal broth, and put into it the meat of the +lobsters cut into mouthfuls. Boil it together about twenty minutes. +Then thicken it with the remaining coral, (which you must first rub +through a sieve,) and add the force-meat balls, and a little butter +rolled in flour. Simmer it gently for ten minutes, but do not let it +come to a boil, as that will injure the colour. Pour it into a tureen, +and send it to table immediately. + +OYSTER SOUP. + +To two quarts of oysters add a pint of water, and let them set an hour. +Then take them out of the liquor. Grate and roll fine a dozen crackers. +Put them into the liquor with a large lump of fresh butter. When the +grated biscuit has quite dissolved, add a quart of milk with a grated +nutmeg, and a dozen blades of mace; and, if in season, a head of celery +split fine and cut into small pieces. Season it to your taste with +pepper. + +Mix the whole together, and set it in a closely covered vessel over a +slow fire. When it comes to a boil, put in the oysters; and when it +comes to a boil again, they will be sufficiently done. + +Before you send it to table put into the tureen some toasted bread cut +into small squares, omitting the crust. + +PLAIN OYSTER SOUP. + +Take two quarts of large oysters. Strain their liquor into a soup pan; +season it with a tea-spoonful of whole pepper, a tea-spoonful of whole +allspice, the same quantity of whole cloves, and seven or eight blades +of mace. If the oysters are fresh, add a large tea-spoonful of salt; if +they are salt oysters, none is requisite. Set the pan on hot coals, and +boil it slowly (skimming it when necessary) till you find that it is +sufficiently flavoured with the taste of the spice. In the mean time +(having cut out the hard part) chop the oysters fine, and season them +with a powdered nutmeg. Take the liquor from the fire, and strain out +the spice from it. Then return it to the soup pan, and put the chopped +oysters into it, with whatever liquid may have continued about them. +Add a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into little bits and rolled +in flour. Cover the pan, and let it boil hard about five minutes. If +oysters are cooked too much they become tough and tasteless. + +CLAM SOUP. + +Having put your clams into a pot of boiling water to make them open +easily, take them from the shells, carefully saving the liquor. To the +liquor of a quart of opened clams, allow three quarts of water. Mix the +water with the liquor of the clams and put it into a large pot with a +knuckle of veal, the bone of which should be chopped in four places. +When it has simmered slowly for four hours, put in a large bunch of +sweet herbs, a beaten nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of mace, and a +table-spoonful of whole pepper, but no salt, as the salt of the clam +liquor will be sufficient. Stew it slowly an hour longer, and then +strain it. When you have returned the liquor to the pot, add a quarter +of a pound of butter divided into four and each bit rolled in flour. +Then put in the clams, (having cut them, in pieces,) and let it boil +fifteen minutes. Send it to table with toasted bread in it cut into +dice. + +This soup will be greatly improved by the addition of small force-meat +balls. Make them of cold minced veal or chicken, mixed with equal +quantities of chopped suet and sweet marjoram, and a smaller proportion +of hard-boiled egg, grated lemon-peel, and powdered nutmeg. Pound all +the ingredients together in a mortar, adding a little pepper and salt. +Break in a raw egg or two (in proportion to the quantity) to bind the +whole together and prevent it from crumbling to pieces. When thoroughly +mixed, make the force-meat into small balls, and let them boil ten +minutes in the soup, shortly before you send it to table. If you are +obliged to make them of raw veal or raw chicken they must boil longer. + +It will be a great improvement to cut up a yam and boil it in the soup. + +Oyster soup may be made in this manner. + +PLAIN CLAM SOUP. + +Take a hundred clams, well washed, and put them into a large pot of +boiling water. This will cause the shells to open. As they open take +them out, and extract the clams, taking care to save the liquor. Mix +with the liquor a quart of water, (or what will be much better, a quart +of milk,) and thicken it with butter rolled in flour. Add a large bunch +of parsley tied up, and a large table-spoonful of whole pepper. Put the +liquid into a pot over a moderate fire. Make some little round +dumplings (about the size of a hickory nut) of flour and butter, and +put them into the soup. When it comes to a boil, put in the clams, and +keep them boiling an hour. Take them out before you send the soup to +table. + +When the soup is done, take out the bunch of parsley. Have ready some +toasted bread cut into small squares or dice. Put it into the soup +before you send it to table. + +You may make oyster soup in a similar manner. + +WATER SOUCHY. + +Cut up four flounders, or half a dozen perch, two onions, and a bunch +of parsley. Put them into three quarts of water, and boil them till the +fish go entirely to pieces, and dissolve in the water. Then strain the +liquor through a sieve, and put it into a kettle or stew-pan. Have +ready a few more fish with the heads, tails, and fins removed, and the +brown skin taken off. Cut little notches in them, and lay them for a +short time in very cold water. Then put them into the stew-pan with the +liquor or soup-stock of the first fish. Season with pepper, salt, and +mace, and add half a pint of white wine or two table-spoonfuls of +vinegar. Boil it gently for a quarter of an hour, and skim it well. + +Provide some parsley roots, cut into slices and boiled till very +tender; and also a quantity of parsley leaves boiled nice and green. +After the fish-pan has boiled moderately fifteen minutes, take it off +the fire, and put in the parsley roots; also a little mushroom catchup. + +Take out the fish and lay them in a broad deep dish, or in a tureen, +and then pour on the soup very gently for fear of breaking them. Strew +the green parsley leaves over the top. Have ready plates of bread and +butter, which it is customary to eat with water souchy. + +You may omit the wine or vinegar, and flavour the soup just before you +take it from the fire with essence of anchovy, or with any other of the +essences and compound fish-sauces that are in general use. + +Water souchy (commonly pronounced _sookey_) is a Dutch soup. It may be +made of any sort of small fish; but flounders and perch are generally +used for it. It is very good made of carp. + + + + +FISH. + + +REMARKS. + +In choosing fresh fish, select only those that are thick and firm, with +bright scales and stiff fins; the gills a very lively red, and the eyes +full and prominent. In the summer, as soon as they are brought home, +clean them, and put them in ice till you are ready to cook them; and +even then do not attempt to keep a fresh fish till next day. Mackerel +cannot be cooked too soon, as they spoil more readily than any other +fish. + +Oysters in the shell may be kept from a week to a fortnight, by the +following process. Cover them with water, and wash them clean with a +birch broom. Then lay them with the deep or concave part of the shell +undermost, and sprinkle each of them well with salt and Indian meal. +Fill up the tub with cold water. Repeat this every day; first pouring +off the liquid of the day before. + +The tub must stand all the time in a cool cellar, and be covered well +with an old blanket, carpeting, or something of the sort. + +If carefully attended to, oysters kept in this manner will not only +live but fatten. + +It is customary to eat fish only at the commencement of the dinner. +Fish and soup are generally served up alone, before any of the other +dishes appear, and with no vegetable but potatoes; it being considered +a solecism in good taste to accompany them with any of the other +productions of the garden except a little horseradish, parsley, &c. as +garnishing. + +In England, and at the most fashionable tables in America, bread only +is eaten with fish. To this rule salt cod is an exception. + +TO BOIL FRESH SALMON + +Scale and clean the fish, handling it as little as possible, and +cutting it open no more than is absolutely necessary. Place it on the +strainer of a large fish-kettle and fill it up with cold water. Throw +in a handful of salt. Let it boil slowly. The length of time depends on +the size and weight of the fish. You may allow a quarter of an hour to +each pound; but experience alone can determine the exact time. It must +however be thoroughly done, as nothing is more disgusting than fish +that is under-cooked. You may try it with a fork. Skim it well or the +colour will be bad. + +The minute it is completely boiled, lift up the strainer and rest it +across the top of the kettle, that the fish may drain, and then, if you +cannot send it to table immediately, cover it with a soft napkin or +flannel several folds double, to keep it firm by absorbing the +moisture. + +Send it to table on a hot dish. Garnish with scraped horseradish and +curled parsley. Have ready a small tureen of lobster sauce to accompany +the salmon. + +Take what is left of it after dinner, and put it into a deep dish with +a close cover. Having saved some of the water in which the fish was +boiled, take a quart of it, and season it with half an ounce of whole +pepper, and half an ounce of whole allspice, half a pint of the best +vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of salt. Boil it; and when cold, pour it +over the fish, and cover it closely again. In a cold place, and set on +ice, it will keep a day or two, and may be eaten at breakfast or +supper. + +If much of the salmon has been left, you must proportion a larger +quantity of the pickle. + +Boil salmon trout in a similar manner. + +TO BAKE FRESH SALMON WHOLE + +Having cleaned a small or moderate sized salmon, season it with salt, +pepper, and powdered mace rubbed on it both outside and in. Skewer it +with the tail turned round and put to the mouth. Lay it on a stand or +trivet in a deep dish or pan, and stick it over with bits of butter +rolled in flour. Put it into the oven, and baste it occasionally, while +baking, with its own drippings. + +Garnish it with horseradish and sprigs of curled parsley, laid +alternately round the edge of the dish; and send to table with it a +small tureen of lobster sauce. + +Salmon trout may be drest in the same manner. + +SALMON BAKED IN SLICES. + +Take out the bone and cut the flesh into slices. Season them with +cayenne and salt. Melt two ounces of butter that has been rolled in +flour, in a half pint of water, and mix with it two large glasses of +port wine, two table-spoonfuls of catchup, and two anchovies. This +allowance is for a small quantity of salmon. For a large dish you must +proportion the ingredients accordingly. Let the anchovies remain in the +liquid till they are dissolved. Then strain it and pour it over the +slices of salmon. Tie a sheet of buttered paper over the dish, and put +it into the oven. + +You may bake trout or carp in the same manner. + +SALMON STEAKS + +Split the salmon and take out the bone as nicely as possible, without +mangling the flesh. Then cut it into fillets or steaks about an inch +thick. Dry them lightly in a cloth, and dredge them with flour. Take +care not to squeeze or press them. Have ready some clear bright coals, +such as are fit for beef-steaks. Let the gridiron be clean and bright, +and rub the bars with chalk to prevent the fish from sticking. Broil +the slices thoroughly, turning them with steak tongs. Send them to +table hot, wrapped in the folds of a napkin that has been heated. Serve +up with them anchovy, or prawn, or lobster sauce. + +Many epicures consider this the best way of cooking salmon. + +Another way, perhaps still nicer, is to take some pieces of white paper +and butter them well. Wrap in each a slice of salmon, securing the +paper around them, with a string or pins. Lay them on a gridiron, and +broil them over a clear but moderate fire, till thoroughly done. Take +off the paper, and send the cutlets to table hot, garnished with fried +parsley. + +Serve up with them prawn or lobster sauce in a boat. + +PICKLED SALMON. + +Take a fine fresh salmon, and having cleaned it, cut it into large +pieces, and boil it in salted water as if for eating. Then drain it, +wrap it in a dry cloth, and set it in a cold place till next day. Then +make the pickle, which must be in proportion to the quantity of fish. +To one quart of the water in which the salmon was boiled, allow two +quarts of the best vinegar, one ounce of whole black pepper, one ounce +of whole allspice, and a dozen blades of mace. Boil all these together +in a kettle closely covered to prevent the flavour from evaporating. +When the vinegar thus prepared is quite cold, pour it over the salmon, +and put on the top a table-spoonful of sweet oil, which will make it +keep the longer. + +Cover it closely, put it in a dry cool place, and it will be good for +many months. + +This is the nicest way of preserving salmon, and is approved by all who +have tried it. Garnish with fennel. + +SMOKED SALMON. + +Cut the fish up the back; clean, and scale it, and take out the roe, +but do not wash it. Take the bone neatly out. Rub it well inside and +out with a mixture of salt and fine Havanna sugar, in equal quantities, +and a small portion of saltpetre. Cover the fish with a board on which +weights are placed to press it down, and let it lie thus for two days +and two nights. Drain it from the salt, wipe it dry, stretch it open, +and fasten it so with pieces of stick. Then hang it up and smoke it +over a wood fire. It will be smoked sufficiently in five or six days. + +When you wish to eat it, cut off slices, soak them awhile in lukewarm +water, and broil them for breakfast. + +TO BOIL HALIBUT. + +Halibut is seldom cooked whole; a piece weighing from four to six +pounds being generally thought sufficient. Score deeply the skin of the +back, and when you put it into the kettle lay it on the strainer with +the back undermost. Cover it with cold water, and throw in a handful of +salt. Do not let it come to a boil too fast. Skim it carefully, and +when it has boiled hard a few minutes, hang the kettle higher, or +diminish the fire under it, so as to let it simmer for about +twenty-five or thirty minutes. Then drain it, and send it to table, +garnished with alternate heaps of grated horseradish and curled +parsley, and accompanied by a boat of egg-sauce. + +What is left of the halibut, you may prepare for the supper-table by +mincing it when cold, and seasoning it with a dressing of salt, +cayenne, sweet oil, hard-boiled yolk of egg, and a large proportion of +vinegar. + +HALIBUT CUTLETS. + +Cut your halibut into steaks or cutlets about an inch thick. Wipe them +with a dry cloth, and season them with salt and cayenne pepper. Have +ready a pan of yolk of egg well beaten, and a large flat dish of grated +bread crumbs. + +Put some fresh lard or clarified beef dripping into a frying pan, and +hold it over a clear fire till it boils. Dip your cutlets into the +beaten egg, and then into the bread crumbs. Fry them of a light brown. +Serve them up hot, with the gravy in the bottom of the dish. + +Salmon or any large fish may be fried in the same manner. + +Halibut cutlets are very fine cut quite thin and fried in the best +sweet oil, omitting the egg and bread crumbs. + +TO BROIL MACKEREL. + +Mackerel cannot be eaten in perfection except at the sea-side, where it +can be had immediately out of the water. It loses its flavour in a very +few hours, and spoils sooner than any other fish. Broiling is the best +way of cooking it. + +Clean two fine fresh mackerel, and wipe them dry with a cloth. Split +them open and rub them with salt. Spread some very bright coals on the +hearth, and set the gridiron over them well greased. Lay on the +mackerel, and broil them very nicely, taking care not to let them burn. +When one side is quite done, turn them on the other. Lay them, on a hot +dish, and butter and pepper them before they go to table. Garnish them +with lumps or pats of minced paisley mixed with butter, pepper and +salt. + +BOILED MACKEREL. + +Clean the mackerel well, and let them lie a short time in vinegar and +water. Then put them into the fish-kettle with cold water and a handful +of salt. Boil them slowly. If small, they will be sufficiently cooked +in twenty minutes. When the eye starts and the tail splits they are +done. Take them up immediately on finding them boiled enough. If they +stand any time in the water they will break. + +Serve them up with parsley sauce, and garnish the dish with lumps of +minced parsley. + +They are eaten with mustard. + +For boiling, choose those that have soft roes. + +Another way is to put them in cold salt and water, and let them warm +gradually for an hour. Then give them one hard boil, and they will be +done. + +TO BOIL SALT CODFISH. + +The day previous to that on which it is to be eaten, take the fish +about four o’clock in the afternoon, and put it into a kettle of cold +water. Then place it within the kitchen fire-place, so as to keep it +blood-warm. Next morning at ten, take out the fish, scrub it clean with +a hard brash, and put it into a kettle of fresh cold water, into which +a jill of molasses has been stirred. The molasses will be found an +improvement. Place the kettle again near the fire, until about twenty +minutes before dinner. Then hang it over the fire, and boil it hard a +quarter of an hour, or a little more. + +When done, drain it, and cut it into large pieces. Wrap them closely in +a fine napkin and send them to table on a large dish, garnished round +the edge with hard-boiled eggs, either cut in half, or in circular +slices, yolks and whites together. Have ready in a small tureen, +egg-sauce made with, drawn butter, thickened with hard-boiled eggs +chopped fine. Place on one side of the fish a dish of mashed potatoes, +on the other a dish of boiled parsnips. + +The most usual way of preparing salt cod for eating when it comes to +table, is (after picking out all the bones) to mince it fine on your +plate, and mix it with mashed potato, parsnip, and egg-sauce; seasoning +it to your taste with cayenne and mustard. What is left may be prepared +for breakfast nest morning. It should be put into a skillet or spider, +which must be well buttered inside, and set over hot coals to warm and +brown. Or it may be made up into small cakes and fried. + +You may add to the mixture onions boiled and chopped. + +TO BOIL FRESH COD. + +Having washed and cleaned the fish, leave out the roe and liver; rub +some salt on the inside, and if the weather is very cold you may keep +it till next day. Put sufficient water in the fish-kettle to cover the +fish very well, and add to the water a large handful of salt. As soon +as the salt is entirely melted put in the fish. A very small codfish +will be done in about twenty minutes, (after the water has boiled;) a +large one will take half an hour, or more. Garnish with the roe and +liver fried, or with scraped horseradish. Send it to table with +oyster-sauce in a boat. Or you may make a sauce by flavouring your +melted butter with a glass of port wine, and an anchovy boned and +minced. + +ANOTHER WAY OF BOILING FRESH COD. + +Put the fish into cold water with a handful of salt, and let it slowly +and gradually warm for three hours if the cod is large, and two hours +if it is small. Then increase the fire, and boil it hard for a few +minutes only. + +BAKED SHAD. + +Keep on the head and fins. Make a force-meat or stuffing of grated +bread crumbs, cold boiled ham or bacon minced fine, sweet marjoram, +pepper, salt, and a little powdered mace or cloves. Moisten it with +beaten yolk of egg. Stuff the inside of the fish with it, reserving a +little to rub over the outside, having first rubbed the fish all over +with yolk of egg. Lay the fish in a deep pan, putting its tail to its +mouth. Pour into the bottom of the pan a little water, and add a jill +of port wine, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. Bake it well, and +when it is done, send it to table with the gravy poured round it. +Garnish with slices of lemon. + +Any fish may be baked in the same manner. + +A large fish of ten or twelve pounds weight, will require about two +hours baking. + +TO BROIL A SHAD. + +Split and wash the shad, and afterwards dry it in a cloth. Season it +with salt and pepper. Have ready a bed of clear bright coals. Grease +your gridiron well, and as soon as it is hot lay the shad upon it, and +broil it for about a. quarter of an hour or more, according to the +thickness. Butter it well, and send it to table. You may serve with it +melted butter in a sauce-boat. + +Or you may cut it into three pieces and broil it without splitting. It +will then, of course, require a longer time. If done in this manner, +send it to table with melted butter poured over it. + +BOILED ROCK-FISH. + +Having cleaned the rock-fish, put it into a fish-kettle with water +enough to cover it well, having first dissolved a handful of salt in +the water. Set it over a moderate fire, and do not let it boil too +fast. Skim it well. + +When done, drain it, and put it on a large dish. Have ready a few eggs +boiled hard. Cut them in half, and lay them closely on the back of the +fish in a straight line from the head to the tail. Send with it in a +boat, celery sauce flavoured with a little cayenne. + +SEA BASS OR BLACK FISH. + +May be boiled and served up in the above manner. + +PICKLED ROCK-FISH. + +Have ready a large rock-fish. Put on your fish-kettle with a +sufficiency of water to cover the fish amply; spring or pump water is +best. As soon as the water boils, throw in a tea-cup full of salt, and +put in the fish. Boil it gently for about half an hour, skimming it +well. Then take it out, and drain it, laying it slantingly. Reserve a +part of the water in which the fish has been boiled, and season it to +your taste with whole cloves, allspice, and mace. Boil it up to extract +the strength from the spice, and after it has boiled add to it an equal +quantity of the best vinegar. You must have enough of this liquid to +cover the fish again. When the fish is quite cold, cut off the head and +tail, and cut the body into large pieces, extracting the back-bone. Put +it into a stone jar, and when the spiced liquor is cold, pour it on the +fish, cover the jar closely, and set it in a cool place. It will be fit +for use in a day or two, and if well secured from the air, and put into +a cold place will keep a fortnight. + +FRIED PERCH. + +Having cleaned the fish and dried them, with a cloth, lay them, side by +side, on a board or large dish; sprinkle them with salt, and dredge +them with flour. After a while turn them, and salt and dredge the other +side. Put some lard or fresh beef-dripping into a frying-pan, and hold +it over the fire. When the lard boils, put in the fish and fry them of +a yellowish brown. Send to table with them in a boat, melted butter +flavoured with anchovy. + +Flounders or other small fish may be fried in the same manner. + +You may know when the lard or dripping is hot enough, by dipping in the +tail of one of the fish. If it becomes crisp immediately, the lard is +in a proper state for frying. Or you may try it with a piece of stale +bread which will become brown directly, if the lard is in order. + +There should always be enough of lard to cover the fish entirely. After +they have fried five minutes on one side, turn them and fry them five +minutes on the other. Skim the lard or dripping always before you put +in the fish. + +TO FRY TROUT. + +Having cleaned the fish, and cut off the fins, dredge them with flour. +Have ready some beaten yolk of egg, and in a separate dish some grated +bread crumbs. Dip each fish into the egg, and then strew them with +bread crumbs. Put some butter or fresh beef-dripping into a frying-pan, +and hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot; then, (having skimmed +it,) put in the fish and fry them. + +Prepare some melted butter with a spoonful of mushroom-catchup and a +spoonful of lemon-pickle stirred into it. Send it to table in a +sauce-boat to eat with the fish. + +You may fry carp and flounders in the same manner. + +TO BOIL TROUT. + +Put a handful of salt into the water. When it boils put in the trout. +Boil them fast about twenty minutes, according to their size. + +For sauce, send with them melted butter, and put some soy into it; or +flavour it with catchup. + +FRIED SEA BASS. + +Score the fish on the back with a knife, and season them with salt and +cayenne pepper. Cut some small onions in round slices, and chop fine a +bunch of parsley. Put some butter into a frying-pan over the fire, and +when it is boiling hot lay in the fish. When they are about half done +put the onions and parsley into the pan. Keep turning the fish that the +onions and parsley may adhere to both sides. When quite done, put them +into the dish in which they are to go to table, and garnish the edge of +the dish with hard boiled eggs cut in round slices. + +Make in the pan in which they have been fried, a gravy, by adding some +butter rolled in flour, and a small quantity of vinegar. Pour it into +the dish with the fish. + +STURGEON CUTLETS OR STEAKS. + +This is the most approved way of dressing sturgeon. Carefully take off +the skin, as its oiliness will give the fish a strong and disagreeable +taste when cooked. Cut from the tail-piece slices about half an inch +thick, rub them with salt, and broil them over a clear fire of bright +coals. Butter them, sprinkle them with cayenne pepper, and send them to +table hot, garnished with sliced lemon, as lemon-juice is generally +squeezed over them when eaten. + +Another way is to make a seasoning of bread-crumbs, sweet herbs, pepper +and salt. First dip the slices of sturgeon, in beaten yolk of egg, then +cover them with seasoning, wrap them up closely in sheets of white +paper well buttered, broil them over a clear fire, and send them to +table either with or without the papers. + +STEWED CARP. + +Having cut off the head, tail, and fins, season the carp with salt, +peppers and powdered mace, both, inside and out. Rub the seasoning on +very well, and let them lay in it an hour, Then put them into a +stew-pan with a little parsley shred fine, a whole onion, a little +sweet marjoram, a tea-cup of thick cream or very rich milk, and a lump +of butter rolled in flour. Pour in sufficient water to cover the carp, +and let it stew half an hour. + +Perch may be done in the same way. + +You may dress a piece of sturgeon in this manner, but you must first +boil it for twenty minutes to extract the oil. Take off the skin before +you proceed to stew the fish. + +CHOWDER. + +Take a pound or more of salt pork, and having half boiled it, cut it +into slips, and with some of them cover the bottom of a pot. Then strew +on some sliced onion. Have ready a large fresh cod, or an equal +quantity of haddock, tutaug, or any other firm fish. Cut the fish into +large pieces, and lay part of it on the pork and onions. Season it with +pepper. Then cover it with a layer of biscuit, or crackers that have +been previously soaked in milk or water. You may add also a layer of +sliced potatoes. + +Next proceed with a second layer of pork, onions, fish, &c. and +continue as before till the pot is nearly full; finishing with soaked +crackers. Pour in about a pint and a half of cold water. Cover it +close, set it on hot coals, and let it simmer about an hour. Then skim +it, and turn it out into a deep dish. Leave the gravy in the pot till +you have thickened it with a piece of butter rolled in flour, and some +chopped parsley. Then give it one boil up, and pour it hot into the +dish. + +Chowder may be made of clams, first cutting off the hard part. + + + + +SHELL FISH + + +PICKLED OYSTERS. + +Take a hundred and fifty fine large oysters, and pick off carefully the +bits of shell that may be sticking to them. Lay the oysters in a deep +dish, and then strain the liquor over them. Put them into an iron +skillet that is lined with porcelain, and add salt to your taste. +Without salt they will not be firm enough. Set the skillet on hot +coals, and allow the oysters to simmer till they are heated all +through, but not till they boil. Then take out the oysters and put them +into a stone jar, leaving the liquor in the skillet. Add to it a pint +of clear strong vinegar, a large tea-spoonful of blades of mace, three +dozen whole cloves, and three dozen whole pepper corns. Let it come to +a boil, and when the oysters are quite cold in the jar, pour the liquor +oh them. + +They are fit for use immediately, but are better the next day. In cold +weather they will keep a week. + +If you intend sending them a considerable distance you must allow the +oysters to boil, and double the proportions of the pickle and spice. + +FRIED OYSTERS. + +Get the largest and finest oysters. After they are taken from the shell +wipe each of them quite dry with a cloth. Then beat up in a pan yolk of +egg and milk, (in the proportion of two yolks to half a jill or a wine +glass of milk,) and grate some stale broad grated very fine in a large +flat dish. Cut up at least half a pound of fresh butter in the +frying-pan, and hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot. Dip the +oysters all over lightly in the mixture of egg and milk, and then roll +them up and down in the grated bread, making as many crumbs stick to +them as you can. + +Put them into the frying-pan of hot butter, and keep it over a hot +fire. Fry them brown, turning them that they may be equally browned on +both sides. If properly done they will be crisp, and not greasy. + +Serve them, dry in a hot dish, and do not pour over them the butter +that may be left in the pan when they are fried. + +Oysters are very good taken out of the shells and broiled on a +gridiron. + +SCOLLOPED OYSTERS. + +Having grated a sufficiency of stale bread, butter a deep dish, and +line the sides and bottom thickly with bread crumbs. Then put in a +layer of seasoned oysters, with a few very small bits of butter on +them. Cover them thickly with crumbs, and put in another layer of +oysters and butter, till the dish is filled up, having a thick layer of +crumbs on the top. Put the dish into an oven, and bake them a very +short time, or they will shrivel. Serve them up hot. + +You may bake them in large clam shells, or in the tin scollop shells +made for the purpose. Butter the bottom of each shell; sprinkle it with +bread crumbs; lay on the oysters seasoned with cayenne and nutmeg, and +put a morsel of butter on each. Fill up the shells with a little of the +oyster liquor thickened with bread crumbs, and set them on a gridiron +over coals, browning them afterwards with a red-hot shovel. + +STEWED OYSTERS. + +Put the oysters into a sieve, and set it on a pan to drain the liquor +from them. Then cut off the hard part, and put the oysters into a +stew-pan with some whole pepper, a few blades of mace, and some grated +nutmeg. Add a small piece of butter rolled in flour. Then pour over +them about half of the liquor, or a little more. Set the pan on hot +coals, and simmer them gently about five minutes. Try one, and if it +tastes raw cook them a little longer. Make some thin slices of toast, +having cut off all the crust. Butter the toast and lay it in the bottom +of a deep dish. Put the oysters upon it with the liquor in which they +were stewed. + +The liquor of oysters should never be thickened by stirring in flour. +It spoils the taste, and gives them a sodden and disagreeable +appearance, and is no longer practised by good cooks. + +OYSTER FRITTERS. + +Have ready some of the finest and largest oysters; drain them from the +liquor and wipe them dry. + +Beat six eggs very light, and stir into them gradually six +table-spoonfuls of line sifted flour. Add by degrees a pint and a half +of rich milk and some grated nutmeg, and beat it to a smooth batter. + +Make your frying-pan very hot, and put into it a piece of butter or +lard. When it has melted and begins to froth, put in a small ladle-full +of the batter, drop an oyster in the middle of it, and fry it of a +light brown. Send them to table hot. + +If you find your batter too thin, so that it spreads too much in the +frying-pan, add a little more flour beaten well into it. If it is too +thick, thin it with some additional milk. + +OYSTER PIE. + +Make a puff-paste, in the proportion of a pound and a half of fresh +butter to two pounds of sifted flour. Roll it out rather thick, into +two sheets. Butter a deep dish, and line the bottom and sides of it +with paste. Fill it up with crusts of bread for the purpose of +supporting the lid while it is baking, as the oysters will be too much +done if they are cooked in the pie. Cover it with the other sheet of +paste, having first buttered the flat rim of the dish. Notch the edges +of the pie handsomely, or ornament them with leaves of paste which you +may form with tin cutters made for the purpose. Make a little slit in +the middle of the lid, and stick firmly into it a paste tulip or other +flower. Put the dish into a moderate oven, and while the paste is +baking prepare the oysters, which should he large and fresh. Put them +into a stew-pan with half their liquor thickened with yolk of egg +boiled hard and grated, enriched with pieces of butter rolled in bread +crumbs, and seasoned with mace and nutmeg. Stew the oysters five +minutes. When the paste is baked, carefully take off the lid, remove +the pieces of bread, and put in the oysters and gravy. Replace the lid, +and send the pie to table warm. + +TO BOIL A LOBSTER. + +Put a handful of salt into a large kettle or pot of boiling water. When +the water boils very hard put in the lobster, having first brushed it, +and tied the claws together with a bit of twine. Keep it boiling from +half an hour to an hour in proportion to its size. If boiled too long +the meat will be hard and stringy. When it is done, take it out, lay it +on its claws to drain, and then wipe it dry. Send it to table cold, +with the body and tail split open, and the claws taken off. Lay the +large claws next to the body, and the small ones outside. Garnish with +double parsley. + +It is scarcely necessary to mention that the head of a lobster, and +what are called the lady-fingers are not to be eaten. + +TO DRESS LOBSTER COLD. + +Put a table-spoonful of cold water on a clean plate and with the back +of a wooden spoon mash into it the coral or scarlet meat of the +lobster, adding a salt-spoonful of salt, and about the same quantity of +cayenne. On another part of the plate mix well together with the back +of the spoon two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, and a tea-spoonful of +made mustard. Then mix the whole till they are well incorporated and +perfectly smooth, adding, at the last, three table-spoonfuls of +vinegar. + +This quantity of seasoning is for a small lobster. For a large one, +more of course will be required. Many persons add a tea-spoonful of +powdered white sugar, thinking that it gives a mellowness to the whole. + +The meat of the body and claws of the lobster must be carefully +extracted from the shell and minced very small When the dressing is +smoothly and thoroughly amalgamated mix the meat with it, and let it be +handed round to the company. + +The vinegar from a jar of Indian pickle is by some preferred for +lobster dressing. + +You may dress the lobster immediately _before_ you send it to table. +When the dressing and meat are mixed together, pile it in a deep dish, +and smooth it with the back of a spoon. Stick a bunch of the small +claws in the top, and garnish with curled parsley. + +Very large lobsters are not the best, the meat being coarse and tough. + +STEWED LOBSTER. + +Having boiled the lobster, extract the meat from the shell, and cut it +into very small pieces. Season it with a powdered nutmeg, a few blades +of mace, and cayenne and salt to your taste. Mix with it a quarter of a +pound of fresh butter cut small, and two glasses of white wine or of +vinegar. Put it into a stew-pan, and set it on hot coals. Stew it about +twenty minutes, keeping the pan closely covered lest the flavour should +evaporate. Serve it up hot. + +If you choose, you can send it to table in the shell, which must first +be nicely cleaned. Strew the meat over with sifted bread-crumbs, and +brown the top with a salamander, or a red hot shovel held over it. + +FRICASSEED LOBSTER. + +Put the lobster into boiling salt and water, and let it boil according +to its size from a quarter of an hour to half an hour. The intention is +to have it parboiled only, as it is afterwards to be fricasseed. +Extract the meat from the shell, and cut it into small pieces. Season +it with white pepper, salt, and nutmeg; and put it into a stew-pan with +as much cream as will cover it. Keep the lid close; set the pan on hot +coals, and stew it slowly for about as long a time as it was previously +boiled. Just before you take it from the fire, stir in the beaten yolk +of an egg. Send it to table in a small dish placed on a larger one, and +arrange the small claws nicely round it on the large dish. + +POTTED LOBSTER. + +Parboil the lobster in boiling water well salted. Then pick out all the +meat from the body and claws, and beat it in a mortar with nutmeg, +mace, cayenne, and salt, to your taste. Beat the coral separately. Then +put the pounded meat into a large potting can of block tin with a +cover. Press it down hard, having arranged it in alternate layers of +white meat and coral to give it a marbled or variegated appearance. +Cover it with fresh butter, and put it into a slow oven for half an +hour. When cold, take off the butter and clarify it, by putting it into +a jar, which, must be set in a pan of boiling water. Watch it well, and +when it melts, carefully skim off the buttermilk which will rise to the +top. When no more scum rises, take it off and let it stand for a few +minutes to settle, and then strain it through a sieve. + +Put the lobster into small potting-cans, pressing it down very hard. +Pour the clarified butter over it, and secure the covers tightly. + +Potted lobster is used to lay between thin slices of bread as +sandwiches. The clarified butter that accompanies it is excellent for +fish sauce. + +Prawns and crabs may be potted in a similar manner. + +LOBSTER PIE. + +Put two middle-sized lobsters into boiling salt and water. When they +are half boiled, take the meat from the shell, cut it into very small +pieces, and put it into a pie dish. Break up the shells, and stew them +in a very little water with half a dozen blades of mace and a +wine-glass of vinegar. Then strain off the liquid. Beat the coral in a +mortar, and thicken the liquid with it. Pour this into the dish of +lobster to make the gravy. Season it with cayenne, salt, and mushroom +catchup, and add bits of butter. Cover it with a lid of paste, made in +the proportion of half a pound of butter to a pound of flour, notched +handsomely, and ornamented with paste leaves. Do not send it to table +till it has cooled. + +TO BOIL PRAWNS. + +Throw a handful of salt into a pot of boiling water. When it boils very +hard, put in the prawns. Let them boil a quarter of an hour, and when +you take them out lay them on a sieve to drain, and then wipe them on a +dry cloth, and put them aside till quite cold. + +Lay a handful of curled parsley in the middle of a dish. Put one prawn +on the top of it, and lay the others, all round, as close as you can, +with the tails outside. Garnish with parsley. + +Eat them with salt, cayenne, sweet oil, mustard and vinegar, mixed +together as for lobsters. + +CRABS + +Crabs are boiled in the same manner, and in serving up may be arranged +like prawns. + +HOT CRABS. + +Having boiled the crabs, extract all the meat from the shell, cut it +fine, and season it to your taste with nutmeg, salt, and cayenne +pepper. Add a bit of butter, some grated bread crumbs, and sufficient +vinegar to moisten it. Fill the back-shells of the crab with the +mixture; set it before the fire, and brown it by holding a red-hot +shovel or a salamander a little above it. + +Cover a large dish, with small slices of dry toast with the crust cut +off. Lay on each slice a shell filled with the crab. The shell of one +crab will contain the meat of two. + +COLD CRABS. + +Having taken all the meat out of the shells, make a dressing with sweet +oil, salt, cayenne pepper, mustard and vinegar, as for lobster. You may +add to it some hard-boiled yolk of egg, mashed in the oil. Put the +mixture into the back shells of the crabs, and serve it up. Garnish +with the small claws laid nicely round. + +SOFT CRABS. + +These crabs must be cooked directly, as they will not keep till next +day. + +Remove the spongy substance from each side of the crab, and also the +little sand-bag. Put some lard into a pan, and when it is boiling hot, +fry the crabs in it. After you take them out, throw in a handful of +parsley, and let it crisp; but withdraw it before it loses its colour. +Strew it over the crabs when you dish them. + +Make the gravy by adding cream or rich milk to the lard, with some +chopped parsley, pepper and salt. Let them all boil together for a few +minutes, and then serve it up in a sauce-boat. + +TERRAPINS. + +Have ready a pot of boiling water. When it is boiling very hard put in +the terrapins, and let them remain in it till quite dead. Then take +them out, pull off the outer skin and the toe-nails, wash the terrapins +in warm water and boil them again, allowing a tea-spoonful of salt to +each terrapin. When the flesh becomes quite tender so that you can +pinch it off, take them out of the shell, remove the sand-bag, and the +gall, which you must be careful not to break, as it will make the +terrapin so bitter as to be uneatable. Cut up all the other parts of +the inside with the meat, and season it to your taste with black and +cayenne pepper, and salt. Put all into a stew-pan with the juice or +liquor that it has given out in cutting up, but not any water. To every +two terrapins allow a quarter of a pound of butter divided into pieces +and rolled in flour, two glasses of Madeira, and the yolks of two eggs. +The eggs must be beaten, and not stirred in till a moment before it +goes to table. Keep it closely covered. Stew it gently till every thing +is tender, and serve it up hot in a deep dish. + +Terrapins, after being boiled by the cook, may be brought to table +plain, with all the condiments separate, that the company may dress +them according to taste. + +For this purpose heaters or chafing-dishes must be provided for each +plate. + +PICKLED LOBSTER. + +Take half a dozen fine lobsters. Put them into boiling salt and water, +and when they are all done, take them out and extract all the meat from +the shells, leaving that of the claws as whole as possible, and cutting +the flesh of the body into large pieces nearly of the same size. Season +a sufficient quantity of vinegar very highly with whole pepper-corns, +whole cloves, and whole blades of mace. Put the pieces of lobster into +a stew-pan, and pour on just sufficient vinegar to keep them well +covered. Set it over a moderate fire; and when it has boiled hard about +five minutes, take out the lobster, and let the pickle boil by itself +for a quarter of an hour. When the pickle and lobster are both cold, +put them together into a broad flat stone jar. Cover it closely, and +set it away in a cool place. + +Eat the pickled lobster with oil, mustard, and vinegar, and have bread +and butter with it. + + + + +DIRECTIONS FOR COOKING MEAT. + + +BEEF. + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +When beef is good, it will have a fine smooth open grain, and it will +feel tender when squeezed or pinched in your fingers. The lean should +be of a bright carnation red, and the fat white rather than yellow—the +suet should be perfectly white. If the lean looks dark or purplish, and +the fat very yellow, do not buy the meat. + +See that the butcher has properly jointed the meat before it goes home. +For good tables, the pieces generally roasted are the sirloin and the +fore and middle ribs. In genteel houses other parts are seldom served +up as _roast-beef_. In small families the ribs are the most convenient +pieces. A whole sirloin is too large, except for a numerous company, +but it is the piece most esteemed. + +The best beef-steaks are those cut from the ribs, or from the inner +part of the sirloin. All other pieces are, for this purpose, +comparatively hard and tough. + +The round is generally corned or salted, and boiled. It is also used +for the dish called beef à-la-mode. + +The legs make excellent soup; the head and tail are also used for that +purpose. + +The tongue when fresh is never cooked except for mince-pies. Corned or +salted it is seldom liked, as in that state it has a faint sickly taste +that few persons can relish. But when pickled and afterwards smoked +(the only good way of preparing a tongue) it is highly and deservedly +esteemed. + +The other pieces of the animal are generally salted and boiled. Or when +fresh they may be used for soup or stews, if not too fat. + +If the state of the weather will allow you to keep fresh beef two or +three days, rub it with salt, and wrap it in a cloth. + +In summer do not attempt to keep it more than twenty-four hours; and +not then unless you can conveniently lay it in ice, or in a +spring-house. + +In winter if the beef is brought from market frozen, do not cook it +that day unless you dine very late, as it will be impossible to get it +sufficiently done—meat that has been frozen requiring double the usual +time. To thaw it, lay it in cold water, which is the only way to +extract the frost without injuring the meat. It should remain in the +water three hours, or more. + +TO ROAST BEEF. + +The fire should be prepared at least half an hour before the beef is +put down, and it should be large, steady, clear, and bright, with +plenty of fine hot coals at the bottom. + +The best apparatus for the purpose is the well-known roaster frequently +called a tin-kitchen. + +Wash the meat in cold water, and then wipe it dry, and rub it with +salt. Take care not to run the spit through the best parts of it. It is +customary with some cooks to tie blank paper over the fat, to prevent +it from melting and wasting too fast. + +Put it evenly into the roaster, and do not set it too near the fire, +lest the outside of the meat should be burned before the inside is +heated. + +Put some nice beef-dripping or some lard into the pan or bottom of the +roaster, and as soon as it melts begin to baste the beef with it; +taking up the liquid with a long spoon, and pouring it over the meat so +as to let it trickle down again, into the pan. Repeat this frequently +while it is roasting; after a while you can baste it with its own fat. +Turn the spit often, so that the meat may be equally done on all sides. + +Once or twice draw back the roaster, and improve the fire by clearing +away the ashes, bringing forward the hot coals, and putting on fresh +fuel at the back. Should a coal fall into the dripping-pan take it out +immediately. An allowance of about twenty minutes to each pound of meat +is the time commonly given for roasting; but this rule, like most +others, admits of exceptions according to circumstances. Also, some +persons like their meat very much done; others prefer it rare, as it is +called. In summer, meat will roast in a shorter time than in winter. + +When the beef is nearly done, and the steam draws towards the fire, +remove the paper that has covered the fat part, sprinkle on a little +salt, and having basted the meat well with the dripping, pour off +nicely (through the spout of the roaster) all the liquid fat from the +top of the gravy. + +Lastly, dredge the meat very lightly with a little flour, and baste it +with fresh butter. This will give it a delicate froth. To the gravy +that is now running from the meat add nothing but a tea-cup of boiling +water. Skim it, and send it to table in a boat. Serve up with the beef +in a small deep plate, scraped horseradish moistened with vinegar. + +Fat meat requires more roasting than lean, and meat that has been +frozen will take nearly double the usual time. + +Basting the meat continually with flour and water is a bad practice, as +it gives it a coddled parboiled appearance, and diminishes the flavour. + +These directions for roasting beef will apply equally to mutton. + +Pickles are generally eaten with roast beef. French mustard is an +excellent condiment for it. In carving begin by cutting a slice from +the side. + +TO SAVE BEEF-DRIPPING. + +Pour off through the spout of the roaster or tin-kitchen, all the fat +from the top of the gravy, after you have done basting the meat with +it. Hold a little sieve under the spout, and strain the dripping +through it into a pan. Set it away in a cool place; and next day when +it is cold and congealed, turn the cake of fat, and scrape with a knife +the sediment from the bottom. Pat the dripping into a jar; cover it +tightly, and set it away in the refrigerator, or in the coldest place +you have. It will be found useful for frying, and for many other +purposes. + +Mutton-dripping cannot be used for any sort of cooking, as it +communicates to every thing the taste of tallow. + +BAKED BEEF. + +This is a plain family dish, and is never provided for company. + +Take a nice but not a fat piece of fresh beef. Wash it, rub it with +salt, and place it on a trivet in a deep block tin or iron pan. Pour a +little water into the bottom, and put under and round the trivet a +sufficiency of pared potatoes, either white or sweet ones. Put it into +a hot oven, and let it bake till thoroughly done, basting it frequently +with its own gravy. Then transfer it to a hot dish, and serve up the +potatoes in another. Skim the gravy, and send it to table in a boat. + +Or you may boil the potatoes, mash them with milk, and put them into +the bottom of the pan about half an hour before the meat is done +baking. Press down the mashed potatoes hard with the back of a spoon, +score them in cross lines over the top, and let them, brown under the +meat, serving them up laid round it. + +Instead of potatoes, you may put in the bottom of the pan what is +called a Yorkshire pudding, to be baked under the meat. + +To make this pudding,—stir gradually four table-spoonfuls of flour into +a pint of milk, adding a salt-spoon of salt. Beat three eggs very +light, and mix them gradually with the milk and flour. See that the +batter is not lumpy. Do not put the pudding under the meat at first, as +if baked too long it will be hard and solid. After the meat has baked +till the pan is quite hot and well greased with the drippings, you may +put in the batter; having continued stirring it till the last moment. + +If the pudding is so spread over the pan as to be but an inch thick, it +will require about two hours baking, and need not be turned. If it is +thicker than an inch, you must (after it is brown on the top) loosen it +in the pan, by inserting a knife beneath it, and having cut it across +into four pieces, turn them all nicely that the other side may be +equally done. But this pudding is lighter and better if laid so thin as +not to require turning. + +When you serve up the beef lay the pieces of pudding round it, to be +eaten with the meat. + +Veal may be baked in this manner with potatoes or a pudding. Also fresh +pork. + +TO BOIL CORNED OR SALTED BEEF. + +The best piece is the round. You may either boil it whole, or divide it +into two, or even three pieces if it is large, taking care that each +piece shall have a portion of the fat. Wash it well; and, if very salt, +soak it in two waters. Skewer it up tightly and in a good compact +shape, wrapping the flap piece firmly round it. Tie it round with broad +strong tape, or with a strip of coarse linen. Put it into a large pot, +and cover it well with water. It will be found a convenience to lay it +on a fish drainer. + +Hang it over a moderate fire that it may heat gradually all through. +Carefully take off the scum as it rises, and when no more appears, keep +the pot closely covered, and let it boil slowly and regularly, with the +fire at an equal temperature. Allow three hours and a half to a piece +weighing about twelve pounds, and from that to four or five hours in +proportion to the size. Turn the meat twice in the pot while it is +boiling. Put in some carrots and turnips about two hours after the +meat. Many persons boil cabbage in the same pot with the beef, but it +is a much nicer way to do the greens in a separate vessel, lest they +become saturated with the liquid fat. Cauliflower or brocoli (which are +frequent accompaniments to corned beef) should never be boiled with it. + +Wash the cabbage in cold water, removing the outside leaves, and +cutting the stalk close. Examine all the leaves carefully, lest insects +should be lodged among them. If the cabbage is large, divide it into +quarters. Put it into a pot of boiling water with a handful of salt, +and boil it till the stalk is quite tender. Half an hour will generally +be sufficient for a small young cabbage; an hour for a large full-grown +one. Drain it well before you dish it. If boiled separately from the +meat, have ready some melted butter to eat with it. + +Should you find the beef under-done, you may reboil it next day; +putting it into boiling-water and letting it simmer for half an hour or +more, according to its size. + +Cold corned beef will keep very well for some days wrapped in several +folds of a thick linen cloth, and set away in a cool dry place. + +In carving a round of beef, slice it horizontally and very thin. Do not +help any one to the outside pieces, as they are generally too hard and +salt. French mustard is very nice with corned beef. [Footnote: French +mustard is made of the very best mustard powder, diluted with vinegar, +and flavoured with minced tarragon leaves, and a minced clove of +garlic; all mixed with a wooden spoon.] + +This receipt will apply equally to any piece of corned beef, except +that being less solid than the round, they will, in proportion to their +weight, require rather less time to boil. + +In dishing the meat, remove the wooden skewers and substitute plated or +silver ones. + +Many persons think it best (and they are most probably right) to stew +corned beef rather than to boil it. If you intend to stew it, put no +more water in the pot than will barely cover the meat, and keep it +gently simmering over a slow fire for four, five, or six hours, +according to the size of the piece. + +TO BROIL BEEF-STEAKS. + +The best beef-steaks are those cut from the ribs or from the inside of +the sirloin. All other parts are for this purpose comparatively hard +and tough. + +They should be cut about three quarters of an inch thick, and, unless +the beef is remarkably fine and tender, the steaks will be much +improved by beating them on both sides with a steak mallet, or with a +rolling-pin. Do not season them till you take them from the fire. + +Have ready on your hearth a fine bed of clear bright coals, entirely +free from smoke and ashes. Set the gridiron over the coals in a +slanting direction, that the meat may not be smoked by the fat dropping +into the fire directly under it. When the gridiron is quite hot, rub +the bars with suet, sprinkle a little salt over the coals, and lay on +the steaks. Turn them frequently with a pair of steak-tongs, or with a +knife and fork. A quarter of an hour is generally sufficient time to +broil & beef-steak. For those who like them under-done or rare, ten or +twelve minutes will be enough. + +When the fat blazes and smokes very much as it drips into the fire, +quickly remove the gridiron for a moment, till the blaze has subsided. +After they are browned, cover the upper side of the steaks with an +inverted plate or dish to prevent the flavour from evaporating. Rub a +dish with a shalot or small onion, and place it near the gridiron and +close to the fire, that it may be well heated. In turning the steak +drop the gravy that may be standing on it into this dish, to save it +from being lost. When the steaks are done, sprinkle them with a little +salt and pepper, and lay them in a hot dish, putting on each a piece of +fresh butter. Then, if it is liked, season them with, a very little raw +shalot, minced as finely as possible, and moistened with a spoonful of +water; and stir a tea-spoonful of catchup into the gravy. Send the +steaks to table very hot, in a covered dish. You may serve up with them +onion sauce in a small tureen. + +Pickles are frequently eaten with beef-steaks. + +Mutton chops may be broiled in the same manner. + +TO FRY BEEF-STEAKS. + +Beef-steaks for frying should be cut thinner than for broiling. Take +them from the ribs or sirloin, and remove the bone. Beat them to make +them tender. Season them with salt and pepper. + +Put some fresh butter, or nice beef-dripping into a frying pan, and +hold it over a clear bright fire till it boils and has done hissing. +Then put in the steaks, and (if you like them) some sliced onions. Fry +them about a quarter of an hour, turning them frequently. Steaks, when +fried, should be thoroughly done. After they are browned, cover them +with a large plate to keep in the juices, + +Have ready a hot dish, and when they are done, take out the steaks and +onions and lay them in it with another dish on the top, to keep them +hot while you give the gravy in the pan another boil up over the fire. +You may add to it a spoonful of mushroom catchup. Pour the gravy over +the steakes, and send them to table as hot as possible. + +Mutton chops may be fried in this manner. + +BEEF-STEAK PUDDING. + +For a small pudding take a pound of fresh beef suet. Clear it from the +skin and the stringy fibres, and mince it as finely as possible. Sift +into a large pan two pounds of fine flour, and add the suet gradually, +rubbing it fine with your hands and mixing it thoroughly. Then pour in, +by degrees, enough of cold water to make a stiff dough. Roll it out +into a large even sheet. Have ready about a pound and a half of the +best beef-steak, omitting the bone and fat which should be all cut off. +Divide the steak into small thin pieces, and beat them well to make +them tender. Season them with pepper and salt, and, if convenient, add +some mushrooms. Lay the beef in the middle of the sheet of paste, and +put on the top a bit of butter rolled in flour. Close the paste nicely +over the meat as if you were making a large dumpling. Dredge with flour +a thick square cloth, and tie the pudding up in it, leaving space for +it to swell. Fasten the string very firmly, and stop up with flour the +little gap at the tying-place so that no water can get in. Have ready a +large pot of boiling water. Put the pudding into it, and let it boil +fast three hours or more. Keep up a good fire under it, as if it stops +boiling a minute the crust will be heavy. Have a kettle of boiling +water at the fire to replenish the pot if it wastes too much. Do not +take up the pudding till the moment before it goes to table. Mix some +catchup with the gravy on your plate. + +For a large pudding you must have two pounds of suet, three pounds of +flour, and two pounds and a half of meat. It must boil at least five +hours. + +All the fat must be removed from the meat before it goes into the +pudding, as the gravy cannot be skimmed when enclosed in the crust. + +You may boil in the pudding some potatoes cut into slices. + +A pudding of the lean of mutton chops may be made in the same manner; +also of venison steaks. + +A BEEF-STEAK PIE. + +Make a good paste in the proportion of a pound of butter to two pounds +of sifted flour. Divide it in half, and line with one sheet of it the +bottom and sides of a deep dish, which must first be well buttered. +Have ready two pounds of the best beef-steak, cut thin, and well +beaten; the bone and fat being omitted. Season it with pepper and salt. +Spread a layer of the steak at the bottom of the pie, and on it a layer +of sliced potato, and a few small bits of butter rolled in flour. Then +another layer of meat, potato, &c., till the dish is full. You may +greatly improve the flavour by adding mushrooms, or chopped clams or +oysters, leaving out the hard parts. If you use clams or oysters, +moisten the other ingredients with a little of their liquor. If not, +pour in, at the last, half a pint of cold water, or less if the pie is +small. Cover the pie with the other sheet of paste as a lid, and notch +the edges handsomely, having reserved a little of the paste to make a +flower or tulip to stick in the slit at the top. Bake it in a quick +oven an hour and a quarter, or longer, in proportion to its size. Send +it to table hot. + +You may make a similar pie of mutton chops, or veal cutlets, or venison +steaks, always leaving out the bone and fat. + +Many persons in making pies stew the meat slowly in a little water till +about half done, and they then put it with its gravy into the paste and +finish by baking. In this case add no water to the pie, as there will +be already sufficient liquid If you half-stew the meat, do the potatoes +with it. + +A-LA-MODE BEEF. + +Take the bone out of a round of fresh beef, and beat the meat well all +over to make it tender. Chop and mix together equal quantities of sweet +marjoram and sweet basil, the leaves picked from the stalks and rubbed +fine. Chop also some small onions or shalots, and some parsley; the +marrow from the bone of the beef; and a quarter of a pound, or more of +suet. Add two penny rolls of stale bread grated; and pepper, salt, and +nutmeg to your taste. Mix all these ingredients well, and bind them +together with the beaten yolks of four eggs. Fill with this seasoning +the place from whence you took out the bone; and rub what is left of it +all over the outside of the meat. You must, of course, proportion the +quantity of stuffing to the size of the round of beef. Fasten it well +with skewers, and tie it round firmly with a piece of tape, so as to +keep it compact and in good shape. It is best to prepare the meat the +day before it is to be cooked. + +Cover the bottom of a stew-pan with slices of bacon. Lay the beef upon +them, and cover the top of the meat with more slices of bacon. Place +round it four large onions, four carrots, and four turnips, all cut in +thick slices. Pour in from half a pint to a pint of water, and if +convenient, add two calves’ feet cut in half. Cover the pan closely, +set it in an oven and let it bake for at least six hours; or seven or +eight, according to the size. + +When it is thoroughly done, take out the beef and lay it on a dish with +the vegetables round it. Remove the bacon and calves’ feet, and (having +skimmed the fat from the gravy carefully) strain it into a small +sauce-pan; set it on hot coals, and stir into it a tea-cupful of port +wine, and the same quantity of pickled mushrooms. Let it just come to a +boil, and then send it to table in a sauce-tureen. + +If the beef is to be eaten cold, you may ornament it as follows:— Glaze +it all over with beaten white of egg. Then cover it with a coat of +boiled potato grated finely. Have ready some slices of cold boiled +carrot, and also of beet-root. Cut them into the form of stars or +flowers, and arrange them handsomely over the top of the meat by +sticking them on the grated potato. In the centre place a large bunch +of double parsley, interspersed with flowers cut out of raw turnips, +beets, and carrots, somewhat in imitation of white and red roses, and +marygolds. Fix the flowers on wooden skewers concealed with parsley. + +Cold à-la-mode beef prepared in this manner will at a little distance +look like a large iced cake decorated with sugar flowers. + +You may dress a fillet of veal according to this receipt. Of course it +will require less time to stew. + +TO STEW BEEF. + +Take a good piece of fresh beef. It must not be too fat. Wash it, rub +it with salt, and put it into a pot with barely sufficient water to +cover it. Set it over a slow fire, and after it has stewed an hour, put +in some potatoes pared and cut in half, and some parsnips, scraped and +split. Let them stew with the beef till quite tender. Turn the meat +several times in the pot. When all is done, serve up the meat and +vegetables together, and the gravy in a boat, having first skimmed it. + +This is a good family dish. + +You may add turnips (pared and sliced) to the other vegetables. + +Fresh pork may be stewed in this manner, or with sweet potatoes. + + +TO STEW A ROUND OF BEEF. + +Trim off some pieces from a round of fresh beef—take out the bone and +break it. Put the bone and the trimmings into a pan with some cold +water, and add an onion, a carrot, and a turnip all cut in pieces, and +a bunch, of sweet herbs. Simmer them for an hour, and having skimmed it +well, strain off the liquid. Season the meat highly with what is called +kitchen pepper, that is, a mixture, in equal quantities, of black or +white pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, all finely +powdered. Fasten it with skewers, and tie it firmly round with tape. +Lay skewers in the bottom of the stew-pan; place the beef upon them, +and then pour over it the gravy you have prepared from the bone and +trimmings. Simmer it about an hour and a half, and then turn the meat +over, and add to it three carrots, three turnips, and two onions all +sliced, and a glass of tarragon vinegar. Keep the lid close, except +when you are skimming off the fat. Let the meat stew till it is +thoroughly done and tender throughout. The time will depend on the size +of the round. It may require from five or six to eight hours. + +Just before you take it up, stir into the gravy a table-spoonful or two +of mushroom catchup, a little made mustard, and a piece of butter +rolled in flour. + +Send it to table hot, with the gravy poured round it. + +ANOTHER WAY TO STEW A ROUND OF BEEF, + +Take a round of fresh beef (or the half of one if it is very large) and +remove the bone. The day before you cook it, lay it in a pickle made of +equal proportions of water and vinegar with salt to your taste. Next +morning take it out of the pickle, put it into a large pot or stew-pan, +and just cover it with water. Put in with it two or three large onion a +few cloves, a little whole black pepper, and a large glass of port or +claret. If it is a whole round of beef allow two glasses of wine. Stew +it slowly for at least four hours or more, in proportion to its size. +It must be thoroughly done, and tender all through. An hour before you +send it to table take the meat out of the pot, and pour the gravy into +a pan. Put a large lump of butter into the pot, dredge the beef with +flour, and return it to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent +its burning. Or it will be better to put it into a Dutch oven. Cover +the lid with hot coals, renewing them as they go out. Take the gravy +that you poured from the meat, and skim off all the fat. Put it into a +sauce-pan, and mix with it a little butter rolled in flour, and add +some more cloves and wine. Give it a boil up. If it is not well +browned, burn some sugar on a hot shovel, and stir it in. + +If you like it stuffed, have ready when you take the meat out of the +pickle, a force-meat of grated bread crumbs, sweet herbs, butter, +spice, pepper and salt, and minced parsley, mixed with beaten yolk of +egg. Fill with this the opening from whence you took the bone, and bind +a tape firmly round the meat. + +BEEF BOUILLI. + +Take part of a round of fresh beef (or if you prefer it a piece of the +flank or brisket) and rub it with salt. Place skewers in the bottom of +the stew-pot, and lay the meat upon them with barely water enough to +cover it. To enrich the gravy you may add the necks and other trimmings +of whatever poultry you may happen to have; also the root of a tongue, +if convenient. Cover the pot, and set it over a quick fire. When it +boils and the scum has risen, skim it well, and then diminish the fire +so that the meat shall only simmer; or you may set the pot on hot +coals. Then put in four or five carrots sliced thin, a head of celery +cut up, and four or fire sliced turnips. Add a bunch of sweet herbs, +and a small table-spoonful of black pepper-corns tied in a thin muslin +rag. Let it stew slowly for four or fire hours, and then add a dozen +very small onions roasted and peeled, and a large table-spoonful of +capers or nasturtians. You may, if you choose, stick a clove in each +onion. Simmer it half an hour longer, then take up the meat, and +place-it in a dish, laying the vegetables round it. Skim and strain the +gravy; season it with catchup, and made mustard, and serve it up in a +boat. Mutton may be cooked in this manner. + +HASHED BEEF. + +Take some roast beef that has been very much under-done, and having cut +off the fat and skin, put the trimmings with the bones broken up into a +stew-pan with two large onions sliced, a few sliced potatoes, and a +bunch of sweet herbs. Add about a pint of warm water, or broth if you +have it. This is to make the gravy. Cover it closely, and let it simmer +for about an hour. Then skim and strain it, carefully removing every +particle of fat. + +Take another stew-pot, and melt in it a piece of butter, about the size +of a large walnut. When it has melted, shake in a spoonful of flour. +Stir it a few minutes, and then add to it the strained gravy. Let it +come to a boil, and then put to it a table-spoonful of catchup, and the +beef cut either in thin small slices or in mouthfuls. Let it simmer +from five to ten minutes, but do not allow it to boil, lest (having +been cooked already) it should become tasteless and insipid. Serve it +up in a deep dish with thin slices of toast cut into triangular or +pointed pieces, the crust omitted. Dip the toast in the gravy, and lay +the pieces in regular order round the sides of the dish. + +You may hash mutton or veal in the same manner, adding sliced carrots, +turnips, potatoes, or any vegetables you please. Tomatas are an +improvement. + +To hash cold meat is an economical way of using it; but there is little +or no nutriment in it after being twice cooked, and the natural flavour +is much impaired by the process. + +Hashed meat would always be much better if the slices were cut from the +joint or large piece as soon as it leaves the table, and soaked in the +gravy till next day. + +BEEF CAKES. + +Take some cold roast beef that has been under-done, and mince it very +fine. Mix with it grated bread crumbs, and a little chopped onion and +parsley. Season it with pepper and salt, and moisten it with some +beef-dripping and a little walnut or onion pickle. Some scraped cold +tongue or ham will be found an improvement. Make it into broad flat +cakes, and spread a coat of mashed potato thinly on the top and bottom +of each. Lay a small bit of butter on the top of every cake, and set +them in an oven to warm and brown. + +Beef cakes are frequently a breakfast dish. + +Any other cold fresh meat may be prepared in the same manner. + +Cold roast beef may be cut into slices, seasoned with salt and pepper, +broiled a few minutes over a clear fire, and served up hot with a +little butter spread on them. + +TO ROAST A BEEF’S HEART. + +Cut open the heart, and (having removed the ventricles) soak it in cold +water to free it from the blood, Parboil it about ten minutes. Prepare, +a force-meat of grated bread crumbs, butter or minced suet, sweet +marjoram and parsley chopped fine, a little grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, +pepper, and salt to your taste, and some yolk of egg to bind the +ingredients. Stuff the heart with the force-meat, and secure the +opening by tying a string around it. Put it on a spit, and roast it +till it is tender throughout. + +Add to the gravy a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a glass of red +wine. Serve up the heart very hot in a covered dish. It chills +immediately. + +Eat currant jelly with it. + +Boiled beef’s heart is frequently used in mince pies. + +TO STEW A BEEF’S HEART. + +Clean the heart, and cut it lengthways into large pieces. Put them into +a pot with a little salt and pepper, and cover them with cold water. +Parboil them for a quarter of an hour, carefully skimming off the blood +that rises to the top. Then take them out, cut them, into mouthfuls, +and having strained the liquid, return them to it, adding a head or two +of chopped celery, a few sliced onions, a dozen potatoes pared and +quartered, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. Season with whole +pepper, and a few cloves if you like. Let it stew slowly till all the +pieces of heart and the vegetables are quite tender. + +You may stew a beef’s kidney in the same manner. + +The heart and liver of a calf make a good dish cooked as above. + + +TO DRESS BEEF KIDNEY. + +Having soaked a fresh kidney in cold water and dried it in a cloth, cut +it into mouthfuls, and then mince it fine. Dust it with flour. Put some +butter into a stew-pan over a moderate fire, and when it boils put in +the minced kidney. When you have browned it in the butter, sprinkle on +a little salt and cayenne pepper, and pour in a very little boiling +water. Add a glass of champagne or other wine, or a large tea-spoonful +of mushroom catchup, or of walnut pickle. Cover the pan closely, and +let it stew till the kidney is tender. Send it to table hot in a +covered dish. It is eaten generally at breakfast. + +TO BOIL TRIPE. + +Wash it well in warm water, and trim it nicely, taking off all the fat. +Cut it into small pieces, and put it on to boil five hours before +dinner, in water enough to cover it very well. After it has boiled four +hours, pour off the water, season the tripe with pepper and salt, and +put it into a pot with milk and water mixed in equal quantities. Boil +it an hour in the milk and water. + +Boil in a sauce-pan ten or a dozen onions. When they are quite soft, +drain them in a cullender, and mash them. Wipe out your sauce-pan and +put them on again, with a bit of butter rolled in flour, and a +wine-glass of cream or milk. Let them boil up, and add them to the +tripe just before you send it to table. Eat it with pepper, vinegar, +and mustard. + +TRIPE AND OYSTERS. + +Having boiled the tripe in milk and water, for four or five hours till +it is quite tender, gut it up into small pieces. Put it into a stew-pan +with just milk enough to cover it, and a few blades of mace. Let it +stew about five minutes, and then put in the oysters, adding a large +piece of butter rolled-in flour, and salt and cayenne pepper to your +taste. Let it stew five minutes longer, and then send it to table in a +tureen; first skimming off whatever fat may float on the surface. + +TO FRY TRIPE. + +Boil the tripe the day before, till it is quite tender, which it will +not be in less than four or five hours. Then cover it and set it away. +Next day cut it into long slips, and dip each piece into beaten yolk of +egg, and afterwards roll them in grated bread crumbs. Have ready in a +frying-pan over the fire, some good beef-dripping. When it is boiling +hot put in the tripe, and fry it about ten minutes, till of a light +brown. + +You may serve it up with onion sauce. + +Boiled tripe that has been left from the dinner of the preceding day +may be fried in this manner. + +PEPPER POT. + +Take four pounds of tripe, and four ox feet. Put them into a large pot +with as much water as will cover them, some whole pepper, and a little +salt. Hang them over the fire early in the morning. Let them boil +slowly, keeping the pot closely covered. When the tripe is quite +tender, and the ox feet boiled to pieces, take them out, and skim the +liquid and strain it. Then cut the tripe into small pieces; put it back +into the pot, and pour the soup or liquor over it. Have ready some +sweet herbs chopped fine, some sliced onions, and some sliced potatoes. +Make some small dumplings with flour and batter. Season the vegetables +well with pepper and salt, and put them into the pot. Have ready a +kettle of boiling water, and pour on as much as will keep the +ingredients covered while boiling, but take care not to weaken the +taste by putting too much water. Add a large piece of butter rolled in +flour, and lastly put in the dumplings. Let it boil till all the things +are thoroughly done, and then serve it up in the tureen. + +TO BOIL A SMOKED TONGUE. + +In buying dried tongues, choose those that are thick and plump, and +that have the smoothest skins. They are the most likely to be young and +tender. + +A smoked tongue should soak in cold water at least all night. One that +is very hard and dry will require twenty-four hours’ soaking. When you +boil it put it into a pot full of cold water. Set it over a slow fire +that it may heat gradually for an hour before it comes to a boil. Then +keep it simmering from three and a half to four hours, according to its +size and age. Probe it with a fork, and do not take it up till it is +tender throughout. Send it to table with mashed potato laid round it, +and garnish with parsley. Do not split it in half when you dish it, as +is the practice with some cooks. Cutting it lengthways spoils the +flavour, and renders it comparatively insipid. + +If you wish to serve up the tongue very handsomely, rub it with yolk of +egg after you take it from the pot, and strew over it grated bread +crumbs; baste it with butter, and set it before the fire till it +becomes of a light brown. Cover the root (which is always an unsightly +object) with thick sprigs of double parsley; and (instead of mashed +potato) lay slices of currant jelly all round the tongue. + +TO BOIL A SALTED OR PICKLED TONGUE. + +Put it into boiling water, and let it boil three hours or more, +according to its size. When you take it out peel and trim it, and send +it to table surrounded with mashed potato, and garnished with sliced +carrot. + +TO CORN BEEF. + +Wash the beef well, after it has lain awhile in cold water. Then drain +and examine it, take out all the kernels, and rub it plentifully with +salt. It will imbibe the salt more readily after being washed. In cold +weather warm the salt by placing it before the fire. This will cause it +to penetrate the meat more thoroughly. + +In summer do not attempt to corn any beef that has not been fresh +killed, and even then it will not keep more than a day and a half or +two days. Wash and dry it, and rub a great deal of salt well into it. +Cover it carefully, and keep it in a cold dry cellar. + +Pork is corned in the same manner. + +TO PICKLE BEEF OR TONGUES. + +The beef must be fresh killed, and of the best kind. You must wipe +every piece well, to dry it from the blood and moisture. To fifty +pounds of meat allow two pounds and a quarter of coarse salt, two +pounds and a quarter of fine salt, one ounce and a half of saltpetre, +one pound and a half of brown sugar, and one quart of molasses. Mix all +these ingredients well together, boil and skim it for about twenty +minutes, and when no more scum rises, take it from the fire. Have ready +the beef in a large tub, or in a barrel; pour the brine gradually upon +it with a ladle, and as it cools rub it well into every part of the +meat. A molasses hogshead sawed in two is a good receptacle for pickled +meat. Cover it well with a thick cloth, and look at it frequently, +skimming off whatever may float on the top, and basting the meat with +the brine. In about a fortnight the beef will be fit for use. + +Tongues may be put into the same cask with the beef, one or two at a +time, as you procure them from the butcher. None of them will be ready +for smoking in less than six weeks; but they had best remain in pickle +two or three months. They should not be sent to the smoke-house later +than March. If you do them at home, they will require three weeks’ +smoking over a wood fire. Hang them with the root or large end upwards. +When done, sew up each tongue tightly in coarse linen, and hang them up +in a dark dry cellar. + +Pickled tongues without smoking are seldom liked. + +The last of October is a good time for putting meat into pickle. If the +weather is too warm or too cold, it will not take the salt well. + +In the course of the winter the pickle may probably require a second +boiling with additional ingredients. + +Half an ounce of pearl-ash added to the other articles will make the +meat more tender, but many persons thinks it injures the taste. + +The meat must always be kept completely immersed in the brine. To +effect this a heavy board should be laid upon it. + +DRIED OR SMOKED BEEF. + +The best part for this purpose is the round, which you must desire the +butcher to cut into four pieces. Wash the meat and dry it well in a +cloth. Grind or beat to powder an equal quantity of cloves and +allspice, and having mixed them together, rub them well into the beef +with your hand. The spice will be found a great improvement both to the +taste and smell of the meat. Have ready a pickle made precisely as that +in the preceding article. Boil and skim it, and (the meat having been +thoroughly rubbed all over with the spice) pour on the pickle, as +before directed. Keep the beef in the pickle at least six weeks, and +then smoke it about three weeks. + +Smoked beef is brought on the tea-table either shaved into thin chips +without cooking, or chipped and fried with a little butter in a +skillet, and served up hot. + +This receipt for dried or smoked beef will answer equally well for +venison ham, which is also used as a relish at the tea-table. + +Mutton hams may be prepared in the same way. + +POTTED BEEF. + +Take a good piece of a round of beef, and cut off all the fat. Rub the +lean well with salt, and let it lie two days. Then put it into a jar, +and add to it a little water in the proportion of half a pint to three +pounds of meat. Cover the jar as closely as possible, (the best cover +will be a coarse paste or dough) and set it in a slow oven, or in a +vessel of boiling water for about four hours. Then drain off all the +gravy and set the meat before the fire that all the moisture may be +drawn out. Pull or cut it to pieces and pound it for a long time in a +mortar with pepper, allspice, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and oiled fresh +butter, adding these ingredients gradually, and moistening it with a +little of the gravy. You must pound it to a fine paste, or till it +becomes of the consistence of cream, cheese. + +Put it into potting cans, and cover it an inch thick with fresh butter +that has been melted, skimmed, and strained. Tie a leather over each +pot, and keep them closely covered. Set them in a dry place. + +Game and poultry may be potted in this manner + + + + +VEAL. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +The fore-quarter of a calf comprises the neck, breast, and shoulder: +the hind-quarter consists of the loin, fillet, and knuckle. Separate +dishes are made of the head, heart, liver, and sweet-bread. The flesh +of good veal is firm and dry, and the joints stiff. The lean is of a +very light delicate red, and the fat quite white. In buying the head +see that the eyes look full, plump, and lively; if they are dull and +sunk the calf has been killed too long. In buying calves’ feet for +jelly or soup, endeavour to get those that have been singed only and +not skinned; as a great deal of gelatinous substance is contained in +the skin. Veal should always be thoroughly cooked, and never brought to +table rare or under-done, like beef or mutton. The least redness in the +meat or gravy is disgusting. + +Veal suet may be used as a substitute for that of beef; also +veal-dripping. + +TO ROAST A LOIN OF VEAL. + +The loin is the best part of the calf. It is always roasted. See that +your fire is clear and hot, and broad enough to brown both ends. Cover +the fat of the kidney and the back with paper to prevent it from +scorching. A large loin of veal will require _at least_ four hours and +a half to roast it sufficiently. At first set the roaster at a +tolerable distance from the fire that the meat may heat gradually in +the beginning; afterwards place it nearer. Put a little salt and water +into the dripping-pan and baste the meat with it till the gravy begins +to drop. Then baste with the gravy. When the meat is nearly done, move +it close to the fire, dredge it with a very little flour, and baste it +with butter. Skim the fat from the gravy, which should be thickened by +shaking in a very small quantify of flour. Put it into a small +sauce-pan, and set it on hot coals. Let it just come to a boil, and +then send it to table in a boat. If the gravy is not in sufficient +quantity, add to it about half a jill or a large wine-glass of boiling +water. + +In carving a loin of veal help every one to a piece of the kidney as +far as it will go. + +TO ROAST A BREAST OF VEAL. + +A breast of veal will require about three hours and a half to roast. In +preparing it for the spit, cover it with the caul, and skewer the +sweet-bread to the back. Take off the caul when the meat is nearly +done. The breast, being comparatively tough and coarse, is less +esteemed than the loin and the fillet. + +TO ROAST A FILLET OF VEAL. + +Take out the bone, and secure with skewers the fat flap to the outside +of the meat. Prepare a stuffing of fresh butter or suet minced fine, +and an equal quantity of grated bread-crumbs, a large table-spoonful of +grated lemon-peel, a table-spoonful of sweet marjoram chopped or rubbed +to powder, a nutmeg grated, and a little pepper and salt, with a sprig +of chopped parsley. Mix all these ingredients with beaten yolk of egg, +and stuff the place from whence the bone was taken. Make deep cuts or +incisions all over the top of the veal, and fill them with some of the +stuffing. You may stick into each hole an inch of fat ham or salt pork, +cut very thin. + +Having papered the fat, spit the veal and put it into the roaster, +keeping it at first not too near the fire. Put a little salt and water +into the dripping-pan, and for awhile baste the meat with it. Then +baste it with its own gravy. A fillet of veal will require four hours +roasting. As it proceeds, place it nearer to the fire. Half an hour +before it is done, remove the paper, and baste the meat with butter, +having first dredged it very lightly with flour. Having skimmed the +gravy, mix some thin melted butter with it. + +If convenient, you may in making the stuffing, use a large proportion +of chopped mushrooms that have been preserved in sweet oil, or of +chopped pickled oysters. Cold ham shred fine will improve it. + +You may stuff a fillet of veal entirely with sausage meat. + +To accompany a fillet of veal, the usual dish is boiled ham or bacon. + +A shoulder of veal may be stuffed and roasted in a similar manner. + +TO STEW A BREAST OF VEAL. + +Divide the breast into pieces according to the position of the bones. +Put them into a stew-pan with a few slices of ham, some whole pepper, a +bunch of parsley, and a large onion quartered. Add sufficient water to +keep it from burning, and let it stew slowly till the meat is quite +tender. Then put to it a quart or more of green peas that have boiled +twenty minutes in another pot, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. +Let all stew together a quarter of an hour longer. Serve it up, with +the veal in the middle, the peas round it, and the ham laid on the +peas. + +You may stew a breast of veal with tomatas. + +TO STEW A FILLET OF VEAL. + +Take a fillet of veal, rub it with salt, and then with a sharp knife +make deep incisions all over the surface, the bottom as well as the top +and sides. Make a stuffing of grated stale bread, butter, chopped sweet +marjoram, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper and salt, mixed up with +beaten yolk of egg to bind and give it consistency. Fill the holes or +incisions with the stuffing, pressing it down well with your fingers. +Reserve some of the stuffing to rub all over the outside of the meat. +Have ready some very thin slices of cold boiled ham, the fatter the +better. Cover the veal with them, fastening them on with skewers. Put +it into a pot, and stew it slowly in a very little water, just enough +to cover it. It will take at least five hours to stew; or more, in +proportion to its size. When done, take off the ham, and lay it round +the veal in a dish. + +You may stew with it a quart or three pints of young green peas, put in +about an hour before dinner; add to them a little butter and pepper +while they are stewing. Serve them up in the dish with the veal, laying +the slices of ham upon them. + +If you omit the ham, stew the veal entirely in lard. + +TO STEW A KNUCKLE OF VEAL. + +Lay four wooden skewers across the bottom of your stew-pan, and place +the meat upon them; having first carefully washed it, and rubbed it +with salt. Add a table-spoonful of whole pepper, the leaves from a +bunch of sweet marjoram, a bunch of parsley leaves chopped, two onions +peeled and sliced, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. Pour in two +quarts of water. Cover it closely, and after it has come to a boil, +lessen the fire, and let the meat only simmer for two hours or more. +Before you serve it up, pour the liquid over it. + +This dish will be greatly improved by stewing with it a few slices of +ham, or the remains of a cold ham. + +Veal when simply boiled is too insipid. To stew it is much better. + +VEAL CUTLETS. + +The best cutlets are those taken from the leg or fillet. Cut them about +half an inch thick, and as large as the palm of your hand. Season them +with pepper and salt. Grate some stale bread, and rub it through a +cullender, adding to it chopped sweet marjoram, grated lemon-peel, and +some powdered mace or nutmeg. Spread the mixture on a large flat dish. +Have ready in a pan some beaten egg. First dip each cutlet into the +egg, and then into the seasoning on the dish, seeing that a sufficient +quantity adheres to both sides of the meat. Melt in your frying-pan, +over a quick fire, some beef-dripping, lard, or fresh butter, and when +it boils lay your cutlets in it, and fry them thoroughly; turning them +on both sides, and taking care that they do not burn. Place them in a +covered dish near the fire, while you finish the gravy in the pan, by +first skimming it, and then shaking in a little flour and stirring it +round. Pour the gravy hot round the cutlets, and garnish with little +bunches of curled parsley. + +You may mix with the bread crumbs a little saffron. + +VEAL STEAKS. + +Cut a neck of veal into thin steaks, and beat them to make them tender. +For seasoning, mix together some finely chopped onion sprinkled with +pepper and salt, and a little chopped parsley. Add some butter, and put +it with the parsley and onion into a small sauce-pan, and set it on hot +coals to stew till brown. In the mean, time, put the steaks on a hot +gridiron (the bars of which have been rubbed with suet) and broil them +well, over a bed of bright clear coals. When sufficiently done on one +side turn them on the other. After the last turning, cover each steak +with some of the seasoning from the sauce-pan, and let all broil +together till thoroughly done. + +Instead of the onions and parsley, you may season the veal steaks with +chopped mushrooms, or with chopped oysters, browned in butter. + +Have ready a gravy made of the scraps and trimmings of the veal, +seasoned with pepper and salt, and boiled in a little hot water in the +same sauce-pan in which the parsley and onions have been previously +stewed. Strain the gravy when it has boiled long enough, and flavour it +with catchup. + +MINCED VEAL. + +Take some cold veal, cut it into slices, and mince it very finely with +a chopping-knife. Season it to your taste with pepper, salt, sweet +marjoram rubbed fine, grated lemon-peel and nutmeg. Put the bones and +trimmings into a sauce-pan with a little water, and simmer them over +hot coals to extract the gravy from them. Then put the minced veal into +a stew-pan, strain the gravy over it, add a piece of butter rolled in +flour, and a little milk or cream. Let it all simmer together till +thoroughly warmed, but do not allow it to boil lest the meat having +been once cooked already, should become tasteless. When you serve it +up, have ready some three-cornered pieces of bread toasted and +buttered; place them all round the inside of the dish. + +Or you may cover the mince with a thick layer of grated bread, +moistened with a little butter, and browned on the top with a +salamander, or a red hot shovel. + +VEAL PATTIES. + +Mince very fine a pound of the lean of cold roast veal, and half a +pound of cold boiled ham, (fat and lean equally mixed.) Put it into a +stew-pan with three ounces of butter divided into bits and rolled in +flour, a jill of cream, and a jill of veal gravy. Season it to your +taste with cayenne pepper and nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, and +lemon-juice. Set the pan on hot coals, and let the ingredients simmer +till well warmed, stirring them well to prevent their burning. + +Have ready baked some small shells of puff-paste. Fill them with the +mixture, and eat the patties either warm or cold. + +VEAL PIE. + +Take two pounds of veal cut from the loin, fillet, or the best end of +the neck. Remove the bone, fat, and skin, and put them into a sauce-pan +with half a pint of water to stew for the gravy. Make a good paste, +allowing a pound of butter to two pounds of flour. Divide it into two +pieces, roll it out rather thick and cover with one piece the sides and +bottom of a deep dish. Put in a layer of veal, seasoned with pepper and +salt, then a layer of cold ham sliced thin, then more veal, more ham, +and so on till the dish is full; interspersing the meat with yolks of +eggs boiled hard. If you can procure some small button mushrooms they +will be found an improvement. Pour in, at the last, the gravy you have +drawn from the trimmings, and put on the lid of the pie, notching the +edge handsomely, and ornamenting the centre with a flower made of +paste. Bake the pie at least two hours and a half. + +You may make a very plain veal pie simply of veal chops, sliced onions, +and potatoes pared and quartered. Season with pepper and salt, and fill +up the dish with water. + +CALF’S HEAD DREST PLAIN + +Wash the head in warm water. Then lay it in clean hot water and let it +soak awhile. This will blanch it. Take out the brains and the black +part of the eyes. Tie the head in a cloth, and put it into a large +fish-kettle, with plenty of cold water, and add some salt to throw up +the scum, which must be taken off as it rises. Let the head boil gently +about three hours. + +Put eight or ten sage leaves, and as much parsley, into a small +sauce-pan with a little water, and boil them half an hour. Then chop +them fine, and set them ready on a plate. Wash the brains well in two +warm waters, and then soak them for an hour in a basin of cold water +with a little salt in it. Remove the skin and strings, and then put the +brains into a stew-pan with plenty of cold water, and let them boil +gently for a quarter of an hour, skimming them well. Take them out, +chop them, and mix them with the sage and parsley leaves, two +table-spoonfuls of melted butter, and the yolks of four hard-boiled +eggs, and pepper and salt to your taste. Then put the mixture into a +sauce-pan and set it on coals to warm. + +Take up the head when it is sufficiently boiled, score it in diamonds, +brush it all over with beaten egg, and strew it with a mixture of +grated bread-crumbs, and chopped sage and parsley. Stick a few bits of +butter over it, and set it in a Dutch oven to brown. Serve it up with +the brains laid round it. Or you may send to table the brains and the +tongue in a small separate dish, having first trimmed the tongue and +cut off the roots. Have also parsley-sauce in a boat. You may garnish +with very thin small slices of broiled ham, curled up. + +If you get a calf’s head with the hair on, sprinkle it all over with +pounded rosin, and dip it into boiling water. This will make the hairs +scrape off easily. + +CALF’S HEAD HASHED. + +Take a calf’s head and a set of feet, and boil them until tender, +having first removed the brains. Then cut the flesh off the head and +feet in slices from the bone, and put both meat and bones into a +stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs, some sliced onions, and pepper +and salt to your taste; also a large piece of butter rolled in flour, +and a little water. After it has stewed awhile slowly till the flavour +is well extracted from the herbs and onions, take out the meat, season +it a little with cayenne pepper, and lay it in a dish. Strain the gravy +in which it was stewed, and stir into it two glasses of madeira, and +the juice and grated peel of a lemon. Having poured some of the gravy +over the meat, lay a piece of butter on the top, set it in an oven and +bake it brown. + +In the mean time, having cleaned and washed the brains (skinning them +and removing the strings) parboil them in a sauce-pan, and then make +them into balls with chopped sweet herbs, grated bread-crumbs, grated +lemon-peel, nutmeg, and beaten yolk of egg. Fry them in lard and butter +mixed; and send them to table laid round the meat (which should have +the tongue placed on the top) and garnish with sliced lemon. Warm the +remaining gravy in a small sauce-pan on hot coals, and stir into it the +beaten yolk of an egg a minute before you take it from the fire. Send +it to table in a boat. + +CHITTERLINGS OR CALF’S TRIPE. + +See that the chitterlings are very nice and white. Wash them, cut them +into pieces, and put them into a stew-pan with pepper and salt to your +taste, and about two quarts of water. Boil them two hours or more. In +the mean time, peel eight or ten white onions, and throw them whole +into a sauce-pan with plenty of water. Boil them slowly till quite +soft; then drain them in a cullender, and mash them. Wipe out your +sauce-pan, and put in the mashed onions with a piece of butter, two +table-spoonfuls of cream or rich milk, some nutmeg, and a very little +salt. Sprinkle in a little flour, set the pan on hot coals (keeping it +well covered) and give it one boil up. + +When the chitterlings are quite tender all through, take them up and +drain them. Place in the bottom of a dish a slice or two of buttered +toast with all the crust cut off. Lay the chitterlings on the toast, +and send them to table with the stewed onions in a sauce-boat. When you +take the chitterlings on your plate season them with pepper and +vinegar. + +This, if properly prepared, is a very nice dish. + +TO FRY CALF’S FEET. + +Having first boiled them till tender, cut them in two, and (having +taken out the large bones) season the feet with pepper and salt, and +dredge them well with flour. Strew some chopped parsley or sweet +marjoram over them, and fry them of a light brown in lard or butter. +Serve them up with parsley-sauce. + +TO FRY CALF’S LIVER. + +Cut the liver into thin slices. Season it with pepper, salt, chopped +sweet herbs, and parsley. Dredge it with flour, and fry it brown in +lard or dripping. See that it is thoroughly done before you send it to +table. Serve it up with its own gravy. + +Some slices of cold boiled ham fried with it will be found an +improvement. + +You may dress a calf’s heart in the same manner. + +LARDED CALF’S LIVER. + +Take a calf’s liver and wash it well. Cut into long slips the fat of +some bacon or salt pork, and insert it all through the surface of the +liver by means of a larding-pin. Put the liver into a pot with a +table-spoonful of lard, a little water, and a few tomatas, or some +tomata catchup; adding one large or two small onions minced fine, and +some sweet marjoram leaves rubbed very fine. The sweet marjoram will +crumble more easily if you first dry it before the fire on a plate. + +Having put in all these ingredients, set the pot on hot coals in the +corner of the fire-place, and keep it stewing, regularly and slowly, +for four hours. Send the liver to table with the gravy round it. + +TO ROAST SWEET-BREADS. + +Take four fine sweet-breads, and having trimmed them nicely, parboil +them, and then lay them in a pan of cold water till they become cool. +Afterwards dry them in a cloth. Put some butter into a sauce-pan, set +it on hot coals, and melt and skim it. When it is quite clear, take it +off. Have ready some beaten egg in one dish, and some grated +bread-crumbs in another. Skewer each sweet-bread, and fasten them on a +spit. Then glaze them all over with egg, and sprinkle them with +bread-crumbs. Spread on some of the clarified butter, and then another +coat of crumbs. Roast them before a clear fire, at least a quarter of +an hour. Have ready some nice veal gravy flavoured with lemon-juice, +and pour it round the sweet-breads before you send them to table. + +LARDED SWEET-BREADS. + +Parboil three or four of the largest sweet-breads you can get. This +should be done as soon as they are brought in, as few things spoil more +rapidly if not cooked at once. When half boiled, lay them in cold +water. Prepare a force-meat of grated bread, lemon-peel, butter, salt, +pepper, and nutmeg mixed with beaten yolk of egg. Cut open the +sweet-breads and stuff them with it, fastening them afterwards with a +skewer, or tying them round with packthread. Have ready some slips of +bacon-fat, and some slips of lemon-peel cut about the thickness of very +small straws. Lard the sweet-breads with them in alternate rows of +bacon and lemon-peel, drawing them through with a larding-needle. Do it +regularly and handsomely. Then put the sweet-breads into a Dutch oven, +and bake them brown. Serve them up with veal gravy flavoured with a +glass of Madeira, and enriched with beaten yolk of egg stirred in at +the last. + +MARBLED VEAL. + +Having boiled and skinned two fine smoked tongues, cut them to pieces +and pound them to a paste in a mortar, moistening them with plenty of +butter as you proceed. Have ready an equal quantity of the lean of veal +stewed and cut into very small pieces. Pound the veal also in a mortar, +adding butter to it by degrees. The tongue and veal must be kept +separate till both have been pounded. Then fill your potting cans with +lumps of the veal and tongue, pressed down hard, and so placed, that +when cut, the mixture will look variegated or marbled. Close the cans +with veal; again press it down very hard, and finish by pouring on +clarified butter. Cover the cans closely, and keep them in a dry place. +It maybe eaten at tea or supper. Send it to table cut in slices. + +You may use it for sandwiches. + + + + +MUTTON AND LAMB. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +The fore-quarter of a sheep contains the neck, breast, and shoulder; +and the hind-quarter the loin and leg. The two loins together are +called the chine or saddle. The flesh of good mutton is of a bright +red, and a close grain, and the fat firm and quite white. The meat will +feel tender and springy when you squeeze it with your fingers. The vein +in the neck of the fore-quarter should be of a fine blue. + +Lamb is always roasted; generally a whole quarter at once. In carving +lamb, the first thing done is to separate the shoulder from the breast, +or the leg from the loin. + +If the weather is cold enough to allow it, mutton is more tender after +being kept a few days. + +TO ROAST MUTTON. + +Mutton should be roasted with a quick brisk fire. Every part should be +trimmed off that cannot be eaten. Wash the meat well. The skin should +be taken off and skewered on again before the meat is put on the spit; +this will make it more juicy. Otherwise tie paper over the fat, having +soaked the twine in water to prevent the string from burning. Put a +little salt and water into the dripping-pan, to baste the meat at +first, then use its own gravy for that purpose. A quarter of an hour +before you think it will be done, take off the skin or paper, dredge +the meat very lightly with flour, and baste it with butter. Skim the +gravy and send it to table in a boat. A leg of mutton will require from +two hours roasting to two hours and a half in proportion to its size. A +chine or saddle, from two hours and a half, to three hours. A shoulder, +from an hour and a half, to two hours. A loin, from an hour and three +quarters, to two hours. A haunch (that is a leg with, part of the loin) +cannot be well roasted in less than four hours. + +Always have some currant jelly on the table to eat with roast mutton. +It should also be accompanied by mashed turnips. + +Slices cut from a cold leg of mutton that has been under-done, are very +nice broiled or warmed on a gridiron, and sent to the breakfast table +covered with currant jelly. + +Pickles are always eaten with mutton. + +In preparing a leg of mutton for roasting, you may make deep incisions +in it, and stuff them with chopped oysters, or with a force-meat made +in the usual manner; or with chestnuts parboiled and peeled. The gravy +will be improved by stirring into it a glass of port wine. + +TO BOIL MUTTON. + +To prepare a leg of mutton for boiling, wash it clean, cut a small +piece off the shank bone, and trim the knuckle. Put it into a pot with +water enough to cover it, and boil it gently for three hours, skimming +it well. Then take it from the fire, and keeping the pot well covered, +let it finish by remaining in the steam for ten or fifteen minutes. +Serve it up with a sauce-boat of melted butter into which a tea-cup +full of capers or nasturtians have been stirred. + +Have mashed turnips to eat with it. + +A few small onions boiled in the water with the mutton are thought by +some to improve the flavour of the meat. It is much better when +sufficient time is allowed to boil or simmer it slowly. + +A neck or a loin of mutton will require also about three hours slow +boiling. These pieces should on no account be sent to table the least +under-done. Serve up with them carrots and whole turnips. You may add a +dish of suet dumplings to eat with the meat, made of finely chopped +suet mixed with double its quantity of flour, and a little cold water. + +MUTTON CHOPS. + +Take chops or steaks from a loin of mutton, cut off the bone close to +the meat, and trim off the skin, and part of the fat. Beat them to make +them tender, and season them with pepper and salt. Make your gridiron +hot over a bed of clear bright coals; rub the bars with suet, and lay +on the chops. Turn them frequently; and if the fat that falls from them +causes a blaze and smoke, remove the gridiron for a moment till it is +over. When they are thoroughly done, put them into a warm dish and +butter them. Keep them covered till a moment before they are to be +eaten. + +When the chops have been turned for the last time, you may strew over +them some finely minced onion moistened with boiling water, and +seasoned with pepper. + +Some like them flavoured with mushroom catchup. + +Another way of dressing mutton chops is, after trimming them nicely and +seasoning them with pepper and salt, to lay them for awhile in melted +butter. When they have imbibed a sufficient quantity, take them out, +and cover them all over with grated bread-crumbs. Broil them over a +clear fire, and see that the bread does not burn. + +CUTLETS À LA MAINTENON. + +Cut a neck of mutton into steaks with a bone in each; trim them nicely, +and scrape clean the end of the bone. Flatten them with a rolling pin, +or a meat beetle, and lay them in oiled butter. Make a seasoning of +hard-boiled yolk of egg and sweet-herbs minced small, grated bread, +pepper, salt, and nutmeg; and, if you choose, a little minced onion. +Take the chops out of the butter, and cover them with the seasoning. +Butter some half sheets of white paper, and put the cutlets into them, +so as to be entirely covered, securing the paper with pins or strings; +and twisting them nicely round the bone. Heat your gridiron over some +bright lively coals. Lay the cutlets on it, and broil them about twenty +minutes. The custom of sending them to table in the papers had best be +omitted, as (unless managed by a French cook) these envelopes, after +being on the gridiron, make a very bad appearance. + +Serve them up hot, with mushroom sauce in a boat, or with a brown +gravy, flavoured with red wine. You may make the gravy of the bones and +trimmings, stewed in a little water, skimmed well, and strained when +sufficiently stewed. Thicken it with flour browned in a Dutch oven, and +add a glass of red wine. + +You may bake these cutlets in a Dutch oven without the papers. Moisten +them frequently with a little oiled butter. + +STEWED MUTTON CHOPS. + +Cut a loin or neck of mutton into chops, and trim away the fat and +bones. Beat and flatten them. Season them with pepper and salt, and put +them into a stew-pan, with barely sufficient water to cover them, and +some sliced carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes, and a bunch of sweet +herbs, or a few tomatas. Let the whole stew slowly about three hours, +or till every thing is tender. Keep the pan closely covered, except +when you are skimming it. + +Send it to table with sippets or three-cornered pieces of toasted +bread, lain all round the dish. + +HASHED MUTTON. + +Cut into small pieces the lean of some cold mutton that has been +under-done, and season it with pepper and salt. Take the bones and +other trimmings, put them into a sauce-pan with as much water as will +cover them, and some sliced onions, and let them stew till you have +drawn from them a good gravy. Having skimmed it well, strain the gravy +into a stew-pan, and put the mutton into it. Have ready-boiled some +carrots, turnips, potatoes and onions. Slice them, and add them to the +meat and gravy. Set the pan on hot coals, and let it simmer till the +meat is warmed through, but do not allow it to boil, as it has been +once cooked already. Cover the bottom of a dish with slices of buttered +toast. Lay the meat and vegetables upon it, and pour over them the +gravy. + +Tomatas will be found an improvement. + +If green peas, or Lima beans are in season, you may boil them, and put +them to the hashed mutton; leaving out the other vegetables, or serving +them up separately. + +A CASSEROLE OF MUTTON. + +Butter a deep dish or mould, and line it with potatoes mashed with milk +or putter, and seasoned with pepper and salt. Fill it with slices of +the lean of cold mutton, or lamb, seasoned also. Cover the whole with +more mashed potatoes. Put it into an oven, and bake it till the meat is +thoroughly warmed, and the potatoes brown. Then carefully turn it out +on a large dish; or you may, if more convenient, send it to table in +the dish it was baked in. + +MUTTON HARICO. + +Take a neck of mutton, cut it into chops, and fry them brown. Then put +them into a stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs, two or three cloves, +a little mace, and pepper and salt to your taste. Cover them with +boiling water, and let them stew slowly for about an hour. Then cut +some carrots and turnips into dice; slice some onions, and cut up a +head of celery; put them all into the stew-pan, and keep it closely +covered except when you are skimming off the fat. Let the whole stew +gently for an hour longer, and then send it to table in a deep dish, +with the gravy about it. + +You may make a similar harico of veal steaks, or of beef cut very thin. + +STEWED LEG OF MUTTON. + +Take a leg of mutton and trim it nicely. Put it into a pot with three +pints of water; or with two pints of water and one quart of gravy drawn +from bones, trimmings, and coarse pieces of meat. Add some slices of +carrots, and a little salt. Stew it slowly three hours. Then put in +small onions, small turnips, tomatas or tomata catchup, and shred or +powdered sweet marjoram to your taste, and let it stew three hours +longer. A large leg will require from first to last from six hours and +a half to seven hours stewing. But though it must be tender and well +done all through, do not allow it to stew to rags. Serve it up with the +vegetables and gravy round it. Have mashed potatoes in another dish. + +TO ROAST LAMB. + +The best way of cooking lamb is to roast it; when drest otherwise it is +insipid, and not so good as mutton. A hind-quarter of eight pounds will +be done in about two hours; a fore-quarter of ten pounds, in two hours +and a half; a leg of five pounds will take from an hour and a quarter +to an hour and a half; a loin about an hour and a half. Lamb, like veal +and pork, is not eatable unless thoroughly done; no one preferring it +rare, as is frequently the case with beef and mutton. + +Wash the meat, wipe it dry, spit it, and cover the fat with paper. +Place it before a clear brisk fire. Baste it at first with a little +salt and water, and then with its own drippings. Remove the paper when +the meat is nearly done, and dredge the lamb with a little flour. +Afterwards baste it with butter. Do not take it off the spit till you +see it drop white gravy. + +Prepare some mint sauce by stripping from the stalks the leaves of +young green mint, mincing them very fine, and mixing them with vinegar +and sugar. There must be just sufficient vinegar to moisten the mint, +but not enough to make the sauce liquid. Send it to table in a boat, +and the gravy in another boat. Garnish with sliced lemon. + +In carving a quarter of lamb, separate the shoulder from the breast, or +the leg from the ribs, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and squeeze +on some lemon juice. + +It should be accompanied by asparagus, green peas, and lettuce. + + + + +PORK, HAM, ETC. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +In cutting up pork, you have the spare-rib, shoulder, griskin or chine, +the loin, middlings and leg; the head, feet, heart and liver. On the +spare-rib and chine there is but little meat, and the pieces called +middlings consist almost entirely of fat. The best parts are the loin, +and the leg or hind-quarter. Hogs make the best pork when from two and +a half to four years old. They should be kept up and fed with corn at +least six weeks before they are killed, or their flesh will acquire a +disagreeable taste from the trash and offal which they eat when running +at large. The Portuguese pork, which is fed on chestnuts, is perhaps +the finest in the world. + +If the meat is young, the lean will break on being pinched, and the +skin will dent by nipping it with the fingers; the fat will be white, +soft, and pulpy. If the skin or rind is rough, and cannot he nipped, it +is old. + +Hams that have short shank-bones, are generally preferred. If you put a +knife under the bone of a ham, and it comes out clean, the meat is +good; but quite the contrary if the knife appears smeared and slimy. In +good bacon the fat is white, and the lean sticks close to the bone; if +it is streaked with yellow, the meat is rusty, and unfit to eat. + +Pork in every form should be thoroughly cooked. If the least +under-done, it is disgusting and unwholesome. + +TO ROAST A PIG. + +Begin your preparations by making the stuffing. Take a sufficient +quantity of grated stale bread, and mix it with sage and sweet marjoram +rubbed fine or powdered; also some grated lemon-peel. Season it with +pepper, salt, powdered nutmeg and mace; mix in butter enough to moisten +it, and some beaten yolk of egg to bind it. Let the whole be very well +incorporated. + +The pig should be newly killed, (that morning if possible,) nicely +cleaned, fat, and not too large. Wash it well in cold water, and cut +off the feet close to the joints, leaving some skin all round to fold +over the ends. Take out the liver and heart, and reserve them, with the +feet, to make the gravy. Truss back the legs. Fill the body with the +stuffing (it must be quite full) and then sew it up, or tie it round +with a buttered twine. Put the pig on the spit, and place it before a +clear brisk fire, but not too near lest it scorch. The fire should be +largest at the ends, that the middle of the pig may not be done before +the extremities. If you find the heat too great in the centre, you may +diminish it by placing a flat-iron before the fire. When you first put +it down, wash the pig all over with salt and water; afterwards rub it +frequently with a feather dipped in sweet oil, or with fresh butter +tied in a rag. If you baste it with any thing else, or with its own +dripping, the skin will not be crisp. Take care not to blister or burn +the outside by keeping it too near the fire. A good sized pig will +require at least three hours’ roasting. + +Unless a pig is very small it is seldom sent to table whole. Take the +spit from the fire, and place it across a large dish: then, having cut +off the head with a sharp knife, and cut down the back, slip the spit +out. Lay the two halves of the body close together in the dish, and +place half the head on each side. Garnish with sliced lemon. + +For the gravy,—take, that from the dripping-pan and skim it well. +Having boiled the heart, liver, and feet, with some minced sage in a +very little water, cut the meat from the feet, and chop it. Chop also +the liver and heart. Put all into a small sauce-pan, adding a little of +the water that they were boiled in, and some bits of butter rolled in +flour. Flavour it with a glass of Madeira, and some grated nutmeg. Give +it a boil up, and send it to table in a gravy-boat. + +You may serve up with the pig, apple-sauce, cranberry sauce, or +bread-sauce in a small tureen; or currant jelly. + +If you bake the pig instead of roasting it, rub it from time to time +with fresh butter tied in a rag. + +TO ROAST A LEG OF PORK. + +Take a sharp knife and score the skin across in narrow stripes (you may +cross it again so as to form diamonds) and rub in some powdered sage. +Raise the skin at the knuckle, and put in a stuffing of minced onion +and sage, bread-crumbs, pepper, salt, and beaten yolk of egg. Fasten it +down with a buttered string, or with skewers. You may make deep +incisions in the meat of the large end of the leg, and stuff them also; +pressing in the filling very hard. Rub a little sweet oil all over the +skin with a brush or a goose feather, to make it crisp and of a +handsome brown. Do not place the spit too near the fire, lest the skin +should burn and blister. A leg of pork will require from three to four +hours to roast. Moisten it all the time by brushing it with sweet oil, +or with fresh butter tied in a rag. To baste it with its own dripping +will make the skin tough and hard. Skim the fat carefully from the +gravy, which should be thickened with a little flour. + +A roast leg of pork should always be accompanied by apple-sauce, and by +mashed potato and mashed turnips. + +TO ROAST A LOIN OF PORK. + +Score the skin in narrow strips, and rub it all over with a mixture of +powdered sage leaves, pepper and salt. Have ready a force-meat or +stuffing of minced onions and sage, mixed with a little grated bread +and beaten yolk of egg, and seasoned with pepper and salt. Make deep +incisions between the ribs and fill them with this stuffing. Put it on +the spit before a clear fire and moisten it with butter or sweet oil, +rubbed lightly over it. It will require three hours to roast. + +Having skimmed the gravy well, thicken it with a little flour, and +serve it up in a boat. Have ready some apple-sauce to eat with the +pork. Also mashed turnips and mashed potatoes. + +You may roast in the same manner, a shoulder, spare-rib, or chine of +pork; seasoning it with sage and onion. + +TO ROAST A MIDDLING OR SPRING PIECE OF PORK. + +Make a force-meat of grated bread, and minced onion and sage, pepper, +salt, and beaten yolk of egg; mix it well, and spread it all over the +inside of the pork. Then roll up the meat, and with a sharp knife score +it round in circles, rubbing powdered sage into the cuts. Tie a +buttered twine round the roll of meat so as to keep it together in +every direction. Put a hook through one end, and roast the pork before +a clear brisk fire, moistening the skin occasionally with butter. Or +you may bake it in a Dutch oven. It is a good side dish. Thicken the +gravy with a little flour, and flavour it with a glass of wine. Have +currant jelly to eat with it. + +It should be delicate young pork. + +TO STEW PORK. + +Take a nice piece of the fillet or leg of fresh pork; rub it with a +little salt, and score the skin. Put it into a pot with sufficient +water to cover it, and stew it gently for two hours or more, in +proportion to its size. Then put into the same pot a dozen or more +sweet potatoes, scraped, split, and cut in pieces. Let the whole stew +gently together for an hour and a half, or till all is thoroughly done, +skimming it frequently. Serve up all together in a large dish. + +This stew will be found very good. For sweet potatoes you may +substitute white ones mixed with sliced turnips, or parsnips scraped or +split. + +TO BOIL CORNED PORK. + +Take a nice piece of fresh pork, (the leg is the best,) rub it with +salt, and let it lie in the salt two days. Boil it slowly in plenty of +water, skimming it well. When the meat is about half done, you may put +into the same pot a fine cabbage, washed clean and quartered. The pork +and the cabbage should be thoroughly done, and tender throughout. Send +them to table in separate dishes, having drained and squeezed all the +water out of the cabbage. Take off the skin of the pork, and touch the +outside at intervals with spots of cayenne pepper. Eat mustard with it. + +Pork is never boiled unless corned or salted. + +PICKLED PORK AND PEASE PUDDING. + +Soak the pork all night in cold water, and wash and scrape it clean. +Put it on early in the day, as it will take a long time to boil, and +must boil slowly. Skim it frequently. Boil in a separate pot greens or +cabbage to eat with it; also parsnips and potatoes. + +Pease pudding is a frequent accompaniment to pickled pork, and is very +generally liked. To make a small pudding, you must have ready a quart +of dried split pease, which have been soaked all night in cold water. +Tie them in a cloth, (leaving room for them to swell,) and boil them +slowly till they are tender. Drain them, and rub them through a +cullender or a sieve into a deep dish; season them with pepper and +salt, and mix with them an ounce of butter, and two beaten eggs. Beat +all well together till thoroughly mixed. Dip a clean cloth in hot +water, sprinkle it with flour, and put the pudding into it. Tie it up +very tightly, leaving a small space between the mixture and the tying, +(as the pudding will still swell a little,) and boil it an hour longer. +Send it to table and eat it with the pork. + +You may make a pease pudding in a plain and less delicate way, by +simply seasoning the pease with pepper and salt, (having first soaked +them well,) tying them in a cloth, and putting them to boil in the same +pot with the pork, taking care to make the string very tight, so that +the water may not get in. When all is done, and you turn out the +pudding, cut it into thick slices and lay it round the pork. + +Pickled pork is frequently accompanied by dried beans and hominy. + + +PORK AND BEANS. + +Allow two pounds of pickled pork to two quarts of dried beans. If the +meat is very salt put it in soak over night. Put the beans into a pot +with cold water, and let them hang all night over the embers of the +fire, or set them in the chimney corner, that they may warm as well as +soak. Early in the morning rinse them through a cullender. Score the +rind of the pork, (which should not be a very fat piece,) and put the +meat into a clean pot with the beans, which must be seasoned with +pepper. Let them boil slowly together for about two hours, and +carefully remove all the scum and fat that rises to the top. Then take +them out; lay the pork in a tin pan, and cover the meat with the beans, +adding a very little water. Put it into an oven, and bake it four +hours. + +This is a homely dish, but is by many persons much liked. It is +customary to bring it to table in the pan in which it is baked. + +PORK STEAKS. + +Pork steaks or chops should be taken from the neck, or the loin. Cut +them about half an inch thick, remove the skin, trim them neatly, and +beat them. Season them with pepper, salt, and powdered sage-leaves or +sweet marjoram, and broil them over a clear fire till quite done all +through, turning them once. They require much longer broiling than +beef-steaks of mutton chops. When you think they are nearly done, take +up one on a plate and try it. If it is the least red inside, return it +to the gridiron. Have ready a gravy made of the trimmings, or any +coarse pieces of pork stewed in a little water with chopped onions and +sage, and skimmed carefully. When all the essence is extracted, take +out the bits of meat, &c., and serve up the gravy in a boat to eat with +the steaks. + +They should be accompanied with apple-sauce. + +PORK CUTLETS. + +Cut them from the leg, and remove the skin; trim them and beat them, +and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Prepare some beaten egg in a pan; and +on a flat dish a mixture of bread-crumbs, minced onion, and sage. Put +some lard or drippings into a frying-pan over the fire; and when it +boils, put in the cutlets; having dipped every one first in the egg, +and then in the seasoning. Fry them twenty or thirty minutes, turning +them often. After you have taken them out of the frying-pan, skim the +gravy, dredge in a little flour, give it one boil, and then pour it on +the dish round the cutlets. + +Have apple-sauce to eat with them. + +Pork cutlets prepared in this manner may be stewed instead of being +fried. Add to them a little water, and stew them slowly till thoroughly +done, keeping them closely covered except when you remove the lid to +skim them. + +PORK PIE. + +Take the lean of a leg or loin of fresh pork, and season it with +pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish, +with, a good paste, made with a pound of butter to two pounds of flour, +and rolled out thick. Put in a layer of pork, and then a layer of +pippin apples, pared, cored, and cut small. Strew over the apples +sufficient sugar to make them very sweet. Then place another layer of +pork, and so on till the dish is full. Pour in half a pint or more of +water, or of white wine. Cover the pie with a thick lid of paste, and +notch and ornament it according to your taste. + +Set it in a brisk oven, and bake it well. + +HAM PIE. + +Cover the sides and bottom of a dish with a good pasts rolled out +thick. Have ready some slices of cold boiled ham, about half an inch +thick, some eggs boiled hard and sliced, and a large young fowl cleaned +and Cut up. Put a layer of ham at the bottom, then the fowl, then the +eggs, and then another layer of ham. Shake on some pepper, and pour in +some water, or what will be much better, some veal gravy. Cover the pie +with a crust, notch and ornament it, and bake it well. + +Some mushrooms will greatly improve it. + +Small button mushrooms will keep very well in a bottle of sweet +oil—first peeling the skin, and cutting off the stalks. + +HAM SANDWICHES + +Cut some thin slices of bread very neatly, having slightly buttered +them; and, if you choose, spread on a very little mustard. Have ready +some very thin slices of cold boiled ham, and lay one between two +slices of bread. You may either roll them up, or lay them flat on the +plates. They are used at supper, or at luncheon. + +You may substitute for the ham, cold smoked tongue, shred or grated. + +BROILED HAM. + +Cut the ham into very thin slices, (the thinner the better.) Soak them +in hot water at least half an hour, (a whole hour is better,) to draw +out some of the salt; changing the water several times, and always +pouring it on scalding hot. This process will not only extract the +superfluous salt (which would otherwise ooze out in broiling and remain +sticking about the surface of the meat) but it makes the ham more +tender and mellow. After soaking, dry the slices in a cloth, and then +heat your gridiron, and broil them over a clear fire. + +If you have cold boiled ham, it is better for broiling than that which +is raw; and being boiled, will require no soaking before you put it on +the gridiron. + +If you wish to serve up eggs with the ham, put some lard into a very +clean frying-pan, and make it boiling hot. Break the eggs separately +into a saucer, that in case a bad one should be among them it may not +mix with the rest. Slip each egg gently into the frying-pan. Do not +turn them while they are frying, but keep pouring some of the hot lard +over them with an iron spoon; this will do them sufficiently on the +upper side. They will be done enough in about three minutes; the white +must retain its transparency so that the yolk will be seen through it. +When done, take them up with a tin slice, drain off the lard, and if +any part of the white is discoloured or ragged, trim it off. Lay a +fried egg upon each slice of the broiled ham, and send them to table +hot. + +This is a much nicer way than the common practice of frying the ham or +bacon with the eggs. Some persons broil or fry the ham without eggs, +and send it to table cut into little slips or mouthfuls. + +To curl small pieces of ham for garnishing, slice as thin as possible +some that has been boiled or parboiled. The pieces should be about two +inches square. Roll it up round little wooden skewers, and put it into +a cheese toaster, or into a tin oven, and set it before the fire for +eight or ten minutes. When it is done, slip out the skewers. + +TO BOIL A HAM. + +Hams should always be soaked in water previous to boiling, to draw out +a portion of the salt, and to make them tender. They will soften more +easily if soaked in lukewarm water. If it is a new ham, and not very +salt or hard, you need not put it in water till the evening before you +intend to cook it. An older one will require twenty-four hours’ +soaking; and one that is very old and hard should be kept in soak two +or three days, frequently changing the water, which must be soft. Soak +it in a tub, and keep it well covered. When you take it out of the +water to prepare it for boiling, scrape and trim it nicely, and pare +off all the bad looking parts. + +Early in the morning put it into a large pot or kettle with plenty of +cold water. Place it over a slow fire that it may heat gradually; it +should not come to a boil in less than an hour and a half, or two +hours. When it boils, quicken the fire, and skim the pot carefully. +Then simmer it gently four or fire hours or more, according to its +size. A ham weighing fifteen pounds should simmer five hours after it +has come to a boil. Keep the pot well skimmed. + +When it is done, take it up, carefully strip off the skin, and reserve +it to cover the ham when it is put away cold. Rub the ham all over with +some beaten egg, and strew on it fine bread-raspings shaken through the +lid of a dredging box. Then place it in an oven to brown and crisp, or +on a hot dish set over the pot before the fire. Cut some writing paper +into a handsome fringe, and twist it round the shank-bone before you +send the ham to table. Garnish the edge of the dish with little piles +or spots of rasped crust of bread. + +In carving a ham, begin not quite in the centre, but a little nearer to +the hock. Cut the slices very thin. It is not only a most ungenteel +practice to cut ham in thick slices, but it much impairs the flavour. + +When you put it away after dinner, skewer on again the skin. This will +make it keep the better. + +Ham should always be accompanied by green vegetables, such as +asparagus, peas, beans, spinach, cauliflower, brocoli, &c. + +Bacon also should be well soaked before it is cooked; and it should be +boiled very slowly, and for a long time. The greens may be boiled with +the meat. Take care to skim the pot carefully, and to drain and squeeze +the greens very well before you send them to table. If there are yellow +streaks in the lean of the bacon, it is rusty, and unfit to eat. + +TO ROAST A HAM. + +Take a very fine ham (a Westphalia one if you can procure it) and soak +it in lukewarm water for a day or two, changing the water frequently. +The day before you intend cooking it, take the ham out of the water, +and (having removed the skin) trim it nicely, and pour over it a bottle +of Madeira or sherry. Let it steep till next morning, frequently during +the day washing the wine over it. Put it on the spit in time to allow +at least six hours for slowly roasting it. Baste it continually with +hot water. When it is done, dredge it all over with fine bread-raspings +shaken on through the top of the dredging box; and set it before the +fire to brown. + +For gravy, take the wine in which the ham was steeped, and add to it +the essence or juice which flowed from the meat when taken from the +spit. Squeeze in the juice of two lemons. Put it into a sauce-pan, and +boil and skim it. Send it to table in a boat. Cover the shank of the +ham (which should have been sawed short) with bunches of double +parsley, and ornament it with a cluster of flowers cut out with a +penknife from raw carrots, beets, and turnips; and made to imitate +marygolds, and red and white roses. + +DIRECTIONS FOR CURING HAM OR BACON. + +Ham or bacon, however well cured, will never be good unless the pork of +which it is made has been properly fed. The hogs should be well +fattened on corn, and fed with it about eight weeks, allowing ten +bushels to each hog. They are best for curing when from two to four +years old, and should not weigh more than one hundred and fifty or one +hundred and sixty pounds. The first four weeks they may be fed on mush, +or on Indian meal moistened with water; the remaining four on corn +unground; giving them always as much as they will eat. Soap-suds may be +given to them three or four times a week; or oftener if convenient. + +When killed and cut up, begin immediately to salt them. Rub the outside +of each ham with a tea-spoonful of powdered saltpetre, and the inside +with a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. Having mixed together brown +sugar and fine salt, in the proportion of a pound and a half of brown +sugar to a quart of salt, rub the pork well with it. This quantity of +sugar and salt will be sufficient for fifty pounds of meat. Have ready +some large tubs, the bottoms sprinkled with salt, and lay the meat in +the tubs with the skin downward. Put plenty of salt between each layer +of meat. After it has lain eight days, take it out and wipe off all the +salt, and wash the tubs. Make a pickle of soft water, equal quantities +of salt and molasses, and a little saltpetre; allowing four ounces of +saltpetre to two quarts of molasses and two quarts of salt, which is +the proportion for fifty pounds of meat. The pickle must be strong +enough to bear up an egg. Boil and skim it; and when it is cold, pour +it over the meat, which must be turned every day and basted with the +pickle. The hams should remain in the pickle at least four weeks; the +shoulders and middlings of the bacon three weeks; and the jowls two +weeks. They should then be taken out and smoked. Having washed off the +pickle, before you smoke the meat, bury it, while wet, in a tub of +bran. This will form a crust over it, and prevent evaporation of the +juices. Let the smoke-house be ready to receive the meat immediately. +Take it out of the tub after it has lain half an hour, and rub the bran +evenly over it. Then hang it up to smoke with the small end downwards. +The smoke-house should be dark and cool, and should stand alone, for +the heat occasioned by an adjoining—building may spoil the meat, or +produce insects. Keep up a good smoke all day, but have no blaze. +Hickory is the best wood for a smoke-house fire, In three or four weeks +the meat will be sufficiently smoked, and fit for use. During the +process it should be occasionally taken down, examined, and hung up +again. The best way of keeping hams is to wrap them in paper, or, to +sew them in coarse cloths (which should be white-washed) and bury them +in a barrel of hickory ashes. The ashes must be frequently changed. + +An old ham will require longer to soak, and longer to boil than a new +one. + +Tongues may be cured in the above manner. + +LIVER PUDDINGS. + +Boil some pigs’ livers. When cold, mince them, and season them with +pepper, salt, and some sage and sweet marjoram rubbed fine. You may add +some powdered cloves. Have ready some large skins nicely cleaned, and +fill them with the mixture, tying up the ends securely. Prick them with +a fork to prevent their bursting; put them into hot water, and boil +them slowly for about an hour. They will require no farther cooking +before you eat them. Keep them in stone jars closely covered. They are +eaten cold at breakfast or supper, cut into slices an inch thick or +more; or they may be cut into large pieces, and broiled or fried. + +COMMON SAUSAGE-MEAT. + +Having cleared it from the skin, sinews, and gristle, take six pounds +of the lean of young fresh pork, and three pounds of the fat, and mince +it all as fine as possible. Take some dried sage, pick off the leaves +and rub them to powder, allowing three tea-spoonfuls to each pound of +meat. Having mixed the fat and lean well together, and seasoned it with +nine tea-spoonfuls of pepper, and the same quantity of salt, strew on +the powdered sage, and mix the whole very well with your hands. Put it +away in a stone jar, packing it down hard; and keep it closely covered. +Set the jar in a cool dry place. + +When you wish to use the sausage-meat, make it into flat cakes about an +inch thick and the size of a dollar; dredge them with flour, and fry +them in butter or dripping, over rather a slow fire, till they are well +browned on both sides, and thoroughly done. + +Sausages are seldom eaten except at breakfast. + +FINE SAUSAGES. + +Take some fresh pork, (the leg is best,) and clear it from the skin, +sinews, and gristle. Allow two pounds of fat to three pounds of lean. +Mince it all very fine, and season it with two ounces and a half of +salt, half an ounce of pepper, thirty cloves, and a dozen blades of +mace powdered, three grated, nutmegs, six table-spoonfuls of powdered +sage, and two tea-spoonfuls of powdered rosemary. Mix all well +together. Put it into a stone jar, and press it down very hard. Cover +it closely, and keep it in a dry cool place. + +When you use this sausage-meat, mix with it some beaten yolk of egg, +and make it into balls or cakes. Dredge them with flour, and fry them +in butter. + +BOLOGNA SAUSAGES. + +Take ten pounds of beef, and four pounds of pork; two-thirds of the +meat should be lean, and only one third fat. Chop it very fine, and mix +it well together. Then season it with six ounces of fine salt, one +ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of cayenne, one table-spoonful of +powdered cloves; and one clove or garlic minced very fine. + +Have ready some large skins nicely cleaned and prepared, (they should +be beef-skins,) and wash them in salt and vinegar. Fill them with the +above mixture, and secure the ends by tying them with packthread or +fine twine. Make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear up an +egg. Put the sausages into it, and let them lie for three weeks, +turning them daily. Then take them out, wipe them dry, hang them up and +smoke them. Before you put them away rub them all over with, sweet oil, + +Keep them in ashes. That of vine-twigs is best for them. + +You may fry them or not before you eat them. + +PORK CHEESE. + +Take the heads, tongues, and feet of young fresh pork, or any other +pieces that are convenient. Having removed the skin, boil them till all +the meat is quite tender, and can be easily stripped from the bones. +Then chop it small, and season it with salt and black pepper to your +taste, and if you choose, some beaten cloves. Add sage-leaves and sweet +marjoram, minced fine, or rubbed to powder. Mix the whole very well +together with your hands. Put it into deep pans, with straight sides, +(the shape of a cheese,) press it down hard and closely with a plate +that will fit the pan; putting the under side of the plate next to the +meat, and placing a heavy weight on it. In two or three days it will be +fit for use, and you may turn it out of the pan. Send it to table cut +in slices, and use mustard and vinegar with it. It is generally eaten +at supper or breakfast. + +PIG’S FEET AND EARS SOUSED. + +Having cleaned them properly, and removed the skin, boil them slowly +till they are quite tender, and then split the feet and put them with +the ears into salt and vinegar, flavoured with a little mace. Cover the +jar closely, and set it away. When you use them, dry each piece well +with a cloth; dip them first in beaten yolk of egg, and then in +bread-crumbs, and fry them nicely in butter or lard. Or you may eat +them cold, just out of the vinegar. + +If you intend keeping them some time, you must make a fresh pickle for +them every other day. + +TO IMITATE WESTPHALIA HAM. + +The very finest pork must be used for these hams. Mix together an equal +quantity of powdered saltpetre and brown sugar, and rub it well into +the hams. Next day make a pickle in sufficient quantity to cover them +very well. The proportions of the ingredients are a pound and a half of +fine salt, half a pound of brown sugar, an ounce of black pepper and an +ounce of cloves pounded to powder, a small bit of sal prunella, and a +quart of stale strong beer or porter. Boil them all together, so as to +make a pickle that will bear up an egg. Pour it boiling hot over the +meat, and let it lie in the pickle two weeks, turning it two or three +times every day, and basting or washing it with the liquid. Then take +out the hams, rub them with bran and smoke them for a fortnight. When +done, keep them in a barrel of wood ashes. + +In cooking these hams simmer them slowly for seven or eight hours. + +To imitate the shape of the real Westphalia hams, cut some of the meat +off the under side of the thick part, so as to give them a flat +appearance. Do this before you begin to cure them, first loosening the +skin and afterwards sewing it on again. + +The ashes in which you keep them must be changed frequently, wiping the +hams when you take them out. + +TO GLAZE A COLD HAM. + +With a brush or quill feather go all over the ham with beaten yolk of +egg. Then cover it thickly with pounded cracker, made as fine as flour, +or with grated crumbs of stale bread. Lastly go over it with thick +cream. Put it to brown in the oven of a stove, or brown it on the spit +of a tin roaster, set before the fire and turned frequently. + +This glazing will be found delicious. + + + + +VENISON, ETC. + + +TO ROAST A SADDLE OR HAUNCH OF VENISON. + +Wipe it all over with a sponge dipped in warm water Then rub the skin +with lard or nice dripping. Cover the fat with sheets of paper two +double, buttered, and tied on with packthread that has been soaked to +keep it from burning. Or, what is still better, you may cover the first +sheets of paper with a coarse paste of flour and water rolled out half +an inch thick, and then cover the paste with the second sheets of +paper, securing the whole well with the string to prevent its falling +off. Place the venison on the spit before a strong clear fire, such as +you would have for a sirloin of beef, and let the fire be well kept up +all the time. Put some claret and butter into the dripping-pan and +baste the meat with it frequently. If wrapped in paste, it will not be +done in less than five hours. Half an hour before you take it up, +remove the coverings carefully, place the meat nearer to the fire, +baste it with fresh butter and dredge it very lightly with flour. Send +it to table with fringed white paper wrapped round the bone, and its +own gravy well skimmed. Have currant jelly to eat with it. As venison +chills immediately, the plates should be kept on heaters. + +You may make another gravy with a pound and a half of scraps and +trimmings or inferior pieces of venison, put into a sauce-pan with +three pints of water, a few cloves, a few blades of mace, half a +nutmeg; and salt and cayenne to your taste. Boil it down slowly to a +pint. Then skim off the fat, and strain the gravy into a clean +sauce-pan. Add to it half a pint of currant jelly, half a pint of +claret, and near a quarter of a pound of butter divided into bits and +rolled in flour. Send it to table in two small tureens or sauce-boats. +This gravy will be found very fine. + +Venison should never be roasted unless very fat. The shoulder is a +roasting piece, and may be done without the paper or paste. + +Venison is best when quite fresh; but if it is expedient to keep it a +week before you cook it, wash it well with milk and water, and then dry +it perfectly with cloths till there is not the least damp remaining on +it. Then mix together powdered ginger and pepper, and rub it well over +every part of the meat. Do not, however, attempt to keep it unless the +weather is quite cold. + +TO HASH COLD VENISON. + +Cut the meat in nice small slices, and put the trimmings and bones into +a sauce-pan with barely water enough to cover them. Let them stew for +an hour. Then strain the liquid into a stew-pan; add to it some bits of +butter rolled in flour, and whatever gravy was left of the venison the +day before. Stir in some currant jelly, and give it a boil up. Then put +in the meat, and keep it over the fire just long enough to warm it +through; but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked +already. + +VENISON STEAKS. + +Cut them from the neck or haunch. Season them with pepper and salt. +When the gridiron has been well heated over a bed of bright coals, +grease the bars, and lay the steaks upon it. Broil them well, turning +them once, and taking care to save as much of the gravy as possible. +Serve them up with some currant jelly laid on each steak. Have your +plates set on heaters. + +VENISON PASTY. + +The neck, breast, and shoulder are the parts used for a venison pie or +pasty. Cut the meat into pieces (fat and lean together) and put the +bones and trimmings into a stew-pan with pepper and salt, and water or +veal broth enough to cover it. Simmer it till you have drawn out a good +gravy. Then strain it. + +In the mean time make a good rich paste, and roll it rather thick. +Cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with one sheet of it, and put +in your meat, having seasoned it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mace. +Pour in the gravy which you have prepared from the trimmings, and two +glasses of port or claret, and lay on the top some hits of butter +rolled in flour. Cover the pie with a thick lid of paste, and ornament +it handsomely with leaves and flowers formed with a tin cutter. Bake it +two hours or more, according to its size. + +VENISON HAMS. + +Venison for hams must be newly killed, and in every respect as good as +possible. Mix together equal quantities of salt and brown sugar, and +rub it well into the hams. Put them into a tub, and let them lie seven +days; turning them and rubbing them daily with the mixture of salt and +sugar. Next mix together saltpetre and common salt, in the proportion +of two ounces of saltpetre to a handful of salt. Rub it well into your +hams, and let them lie a week longer. Then wipe them, rub them with +bran, and smoke them a fortnight over hickory wood. Pack them in wood +ashes. + +Venison ham must not be cooked before it is eaten. It is used for the +tea-table, chipped or shred like dried beef, to which it is considered +very superior. + +It will not keep as long as other smoked meat. + +TO ROAST A KID. + +A kid should be cooked the day it is killed, or the day after at +farthest. They are best from three to four months old, and are only +eaten while they live on milk. + +Wash the kid well, wipe it dry, and truss it. Stuff the body with a +force-meat of grated bread, butter or suet, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, +nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, and beaten egg; and sew it up to keep the +stuffing in its place. Put it on the spit and rub it over with lard, or +sweet oil. Put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan, and baste +the kid first with that, and afterwards with its own gravy. Or you may +make it very nice by basting it with cream. It should roast about three +hours. At the last, transfer the gravy to a small sauce-pan; thicken it +with a little butter rolled in flour, give it a boil up, and send it to +table in a boat. Garnish the kid with lumps of currant jelly laid round +the edge of the dish. + +A fawn (which should never be kept more than one day) may be roasted in +the same manner; also, a hare, or a couple of rabbits. + +You may send to table, to eat with the kid, a dish of chestnuts boiled +or roasted, and divested of the shells. + +TO ROAST A HARE. + +If a hare is old do not roast it, but make soup of it. Wash and soak it +in water for an hour, and change the water several times, having made a +little slit in the neck to let out the blood. Take out the heart and +liver, and scald them. Drain, dry, and truss the hare. Make a +force-meat richer and more moist than usual, and add to it the heart +and liver minced fine. Soak the bread-crumbs in a little claret before +you mix them with the other ingredients. Stuff the body of the hare +with this force-meat, and sew it up. Put it on the spit, rub it with +butter, and roast it before a brisk fire. For the first half hour baste +it with butter; and afterwards with cream, or with milk thickened with +beaten yolk of egg. At the last, dredge it lightly with flour. The hare +will require about two hours roasting. + +For sauce, take the drippings of the hare mixed with cream or with +claret, and a little lemon-juice, a bit of butter, and some +bread-crumbs. Give it a boil up, and send it to table in a boat. +Garnish the hare with slices of currant jelly laid round it in the +dish. + +FRICASSEED RABBITS. + +The best way of cooking rabbits is to fricassee them. Take a couple of +fine ones, and cut them up, or disjoint them. Put them into a stew-pan; +season them with cayenne pepper and salt, some chopped parsley, and +some powdered mace. Pour in a pint of warm water (or of veal broth, if +you have it) and stew it over a slow fire till the rabbits are quite +tender; adding (when they are about half done) some bits of butter +rolled in flour. Just before you take it from the fire, enrich the +gravy with a jill or more of thick cream with some nutmeg grated into +it. Stir the gravy well, but take care not to let it boil after the +cream is in, lest it curdle. + +Put the pieces of rabbit on a hot dish, and pour the gravy over them. + +TO STEW RABBITS. + +Having trussed the rabbits, lay them in a pan of warm water for about +fifteen minutes. Then put them into a pot with plenty of water and a +little salt, and stew them slowly for about an hour, or till they are +quite tender. In the mean time, peel and boil in a sauce-pan a dozen +onions. When they are quite tender all through, take them out, and +drain and slice them. Have ready some drawn, butter, prepared by taking +six ounces of butter, (cut into bits and rolled in about three +tea-spoonfuls of flour,) and melting it in a jill of milk. After +shaking it round-over hot coals till it simmers, add to it the onions, +and give it one boil up. + +When the rabbits are done stewing lay them on a large dish (having +first cut off their heads, which should not he sent to table) and cover +them all over with the onion-sauce, to which you may add some grated +nutmeg. + +TO FRY RABBITS, + +Having washed the rabbits well, put them into a pan of cold water, and +let them lie in it two or three hours. Then cut them into joints, dry +them in a cloth, dredge them with flour, strew them with chopped +parsley, and fry them in butter. After you take them out of the +frying-pan, stir a wine-glass of cream into the gravy, or the beaten +yolk of an egg. Do not let it boil, but pour it at once into the dish +with the rabbits. + +Rabbits are very good baked in a pie. A boiled or pot-pie may be made +of them. + +They may he stuffed with force-meat and roasted, basting them with +butter. Cut off their heads before you send them to table. + + + + +POULTRY, GAME, ETC. + + +GENERAL REMARKS + +In buying poultry choose those that are fresh and fat. Half-grown +poultry is comparatively insipid; it is best when full-grown but not +old. Old poultry is tough and hard. An old goose is so tough as to be +frequently uneatable. When poultry is young the skin is thin and +tender, and can be easily tipped by trying it with a pin; the legs are +smooth; the feet moist and limber; and the eyes full and bright. The +body should be thick and the breast fat. The bill and feet of a young +goose are yellow, and have but few hairs on them; when old they are red +and hairy. + +Poultry is best when killed overnight, as if cooked too soon +after-killing, it is hard and does not taste well. It is not the custom +in America, as in some parts of Europe, to keep game, or indeed any +sort of eatable, till it begins to taint; all food when inclining to +decomposition being regarded by us with disgust. + +When poultry or game is frozen, it should be brought into the kitchen +early in the morning of the day on which it is to be cooked. It may be +thawed by laying it several hours in cold water. If it is not thawed it +will require double the time to cook, and will be tough and tasteless +when done. In drawing poultry be very careful not to break the gall, +lest its disagreeable bitterness should be communicated to the liver. + +Poultry should be always scalded in hot water to make the feathers come +out easily. Before they are cooked they should be held for a moment +over the blaze of the fire to singe off the hairs that are about the +skin. The head, neck, and feet should be cut off, and the ends of the +legs skewered in the bodies. A string should be tied tightly round. + +TO BOIL A PAIR OF FOWLS. + +Make a force-meat in the usual manner, of grated, bread-crumbs, chopped +sweet herbs, butter, pepper, salt, and yolk of egg. Fill the bodies of +the fowls with the stuffing, and tie a string firmly round them. Skewer +the livers and gizzards to the sides, under the wings. Dredge them with +flour, and put them into a pot with just enough of water to cook them; +cover it closely, and put it over a moderate fire. As soon as the scum +rises, take off the pot and skim it. Then cover it again, and boil it +slowly half an hour. Afterwards diminish the fire, and let them stew +slowly till quite tender. An hour altogether is generally sufficient to +boil a pair of fowls, unless they are quite old. By doing them slowly +(rather stewing than boiling) the skin will not break, and they will be +whiter and more tender than if boiled fast. + +Serve them up with egg-sauce in a boat. + +Young chickens are better for being soaked two hours in skim milk, +previous to boiling. You need not stuff them. Boil or stew them, slowly +in the same manner as large fowls. Three quarters of an hour will cook +them. + +Serve them up with parsley-sauce, and garnish with parsley. + +Boiled fowls should be accompanied by ham or smoked tongue. + +TO ROAST A PAIR. OF FOWLS. + +Leave out the livers, gizzards and hearts, to be chopped and put into +the gravy.—Fill the crops and bodies of the fowls with a force-meat, +put them before a clear fire and roast them an hour, basting them with +butter or with clarified dripping. + +Having stewed the necks, gizzards, livers, and hearts in a very little +water, strain it and mix it hot with the gravy that has dripped from +the fowls, and which must be first skimmed. Thicken it with a little +browned flour, add to it the livers, hearts, and gizzards chopped +small. Send the fowls to table with the gravy in a boat, and have +cranberry-sauce to eat with them. + +BROILED CHICKENS. + +Split a pair of chickens down the back, and beat them flat, Wipe the +inside, season them with pepper and salt, and let them, lie while you +prepare some beaten yolk of egg and grated bread-crumbs. Wash the +outside of the chickens all over with the egg, and then strew on the +bread-crumbs. Have ready a hot gridiron over a bed of bright coals. Lay +the chickens on it with the inside downwards, or next the fire. Broil +them about three quarters of an hour, keeping them covered with a +plate. Just before you take them up, lay some small pieces of butter on +them. + +In preparing chickens for broiling, you may parboil them about ten +minutes, to ensure their being sufficiently cooked; as it is difficult +to broil the thick parts thoroughly without burning the rest. + +FRICASSEED CHICKENS. + +Having cut up your chickens, lay them in cold water till all the blood +is drawn out. Then wipe the pieces, season them with pepper and salt, +and dredge them with flour. Fry them in lard or butter; they should be +of a fine brown on both sides. When they are quite done, take them, out +of the frying-pan, cover them up, and set them by the fire to keep +warm. Skim the gravy in the frying-pan and pour into it half a pint of +cream; season it with a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, and thicken it +with, a small bit of butter rolled in flour. Give it a boil, and then +pour it round the chickens, which must he kept hot. Put some lard into +the pan, and fry some parsley in It to lay on the pieces of chicken; it +must be done green and crisp. + +To make a white fricassee of chickens, skin them, cut them in pieces, +and having soaked out the blood, season them with salt, pepper, nutmeg +and mace, and strew over them some sweet marjoram shred fine. Put them +into a stew-pan, and pour over them half a pint of cream, or rich +unskimmed milk. Add some butter rolled in Hour, and (if you choose) +some small force-meat balls. Set the stew-pan over hot coals. Keep it +closely covered, and stew or simmer it gently till the chicken is quite +tender, but do not allow it to boil. + +You may improve it by a few small slices of cold ham. + +CHICKEN CROQUETS AND RISSOLES. + +Take some cold chicken, and having; cut the flesh from the bones, mince +it small with a little suet and parsley; adding sweet marjoram and +grated lemon-peel. Season it with pepper, salt and nutmeg, and having +mixed the whole very well pound it to a paste in a marble mortar, +putting in a little at a time, and moistening it frequently with yolk +of egg that has been previously beaten. Then divide it into equal +portions and having floured your hands, make it up in the shape of +pears, sticking the head of a clove into the bottom of each to +represent the blossom end, and the stalk of a clove into the top to +look like the stem. Dip them into beaten yolk of egg, and then into +bread-crumbs grated finely and sifted. Fry them in butter, and when you +take them out of the pan, fry some parsley in it. Having drained the +parsley, cover the bottom of a dish with it, and lay the croquets upon +it. Send it to table as a side dish. + +Croquets maybe made of cold sweet-breads, or of cold veal mixed with +ham or tongue. + +Rissoles are made of the same ingredients, well mixed, and beaten +smooth in a mortar. Make a fine paste, roll it out, and cut it into +round cakes. Then lay some of the mixture on one half of the cake, and +fold over the other upon it, in the shape of a half-moon. Close and +crimp the edges nicely, and fry the rissoles in butter. They should be +of a light brown on both sides. Drain them and send them to table dry. + +BAKED CHICKEN PIE. + +Cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with a thick paste. Having +cut up your chickens, and seasoned them to your taste, with salt, +pepper, mace and nutmeg, put them in, and lay on the top several pieces +of butter rolled in flour. Fill up the dish about two-thirds with cold +water. Then lay on the top crust, notching it handsomely. Cut a slit in +the top, and stick into it an ornament of paste made in the form of a +tulip. Bake it in a moderate oven. + +It will be much improved by the addition of a quarter of a hundred +oysters; or by interspersing the pieces of chicken with slices of cold +boiled ham. + +You may add also some yolks of eggs boiled hard. + +A duck pie may be made in the same manner. A rabbit pie also. + + +A POT PIE. + +Take a pair of large fine fowls. Cut them up, wash the pieces, and +season them with pepper and salt. Make a good paste in the proportion +of a pound and a half of minced suet to three pounds of flour. Let +there be plenty of paste, as it is always much liked by the eaters of +pot pie. Roll out the paste not very thin, and cut most of it into long +squares. Butter the sides of a pot, and line them with paste nearly to +the top. Lay slices of cold ham at the bottom of the pot, and then the +pieces of fowl, interspersed all through with squares of paste, and +potatoes pared and quartered. Lay a lid of paste all over the top, +leaving a hole in the middle. Pour in about a quart of water, cover the +pot, and boil it slowly but steadily for two hours. Half an hour before +you take it up, put in through the hole in the centre of the crust, +some bits of butter rolled in flour, to thicken the gravy. When done +put the pie on a large dish, and pour the gravy over it. + +You may intersperse it all through with cold ham. + +A pot pie may be made of ducks, rabbits, squirrels, or venison. Also of +beef-steaks. + +CHICKEN CURRY. + +Take a pair of fine fowls, and having cut them in pieces, lay them in +salt and water till the seasoning is ready. Take two table-spoonfuls of +powdered ginger, one table-spoonful of fresh turmeric, a tea-spoonful +of ground black pepper; some mace, a few cloves, some cardamom seeds, +and a little cayenne pepper with a small portion of salt. These last +articles according to your taste. Put all into a mortar, and add to +them eight large onions, chopped or cut small. Mix and beat all +together, till the onions, spices, &c. form a paste. + +Put the chickens into a pan with sufficient butter rolled in flour, and +fry them till they are brown, but not till quite done. While this is +proceeding, set over the fire a sauce-pan three parts full of water, or +sufficient to cover the chickens when they are ready. As soon as the +water boils, throw in the curry-paste. When the paste has all +dissolved, and is thoroughly mixed with the water, put in the pieces of +chicken to boil, or rather to simmer. When the chicken is quite done, +put it into a large dish, and eat it with boiled rice. The rice may +either be laid round on the same dish, or served up separately. + +This is a genuine East India receipt for curry. + +Lamb, veal, or rabbits may be curried in the same manner. + +_To boil Rice for the Curry._ + +Pick the rice carefully, to clear it from husks and motes. Then soak it +in cold water for a quarter of an hour, or more. When you are ready to +boil it, pour off the water in which it has soaked. Have ready a pot or +sauce-pan of boiling water, into which you have put a little salt. +Allow two quarts of water to a pound of rice. Sprinkle the rice +gradually into the water. Boil it hard for twenty minutes, then take it +off the fire, and pour off all the water that remains. Set the pot in +the chimney corner with the lid off, while dinner is dishing, that it +may have time to dry. You may toss it up lightly with two forks, to +separate the grains while it is drying, but do not stir it with a +spoon. + +A PILAU. + +Take a large fine fowl, and cover the breast with slices of fat bacon +or ham, secured by skewers. Put it into a stew-pan with two sliced +onions. Season it to your taste with white pepper and mace. Have ready +a pint of rice that has been well picked, washed, and soaked. Cover the +fowl with it. Put in as much water as will well cover the whole. Stew +it about half an hour, or till the fowl and rice are thoroughly done; +keeping the stew-pan closely covered. Dish it all together, either with +the rice covering the fowl, or laid round it in little heaps. + +You may make a pilau of beef or mutton with a larger quantity of rice; +which must not be put in at first, or it will be done too much, the +meat requiring a longer time to stew. + +CHICKEN SALAD. + +The fowls for this purpose should be young and fine. You may either +boil or roast them. They must be quite cold. Having removed all the +skin and fat, and disjointed the fowls cut the meat from the bones into +very small pieces, not exceeding an inch. Wash and split two large fine +heads of celery, and cut the white part into pieces also about an inch +long; and having mixed the chicken and celery together, put them into a +deep china dish, cover it and set it away. + +It is best not to prepare the dressing till just before the salad is to +be eaten, that it may be as fresh as possible. Have ready the yolks of +eight hard-boiled eggs. Put them into a flat dish, and mash them to a +paste with the back of a wooden spoon. Add to the egg a small +tea-spoonful of fine salt, the same quantity of cayenne pepper, half a +jill of made mustard, a jill or a wine-glass and a half of vinegar, and +rather more than two wine-glasses of sweet oil. Mix all these +ingredients thoroughly; stirring them a long time till they are quite +smooth. + +The dressing should not be put on till a few minutes before the salad +is sent in; as by lying in it the chicken and celery will become tough +and hard. After you pour it on, mix the whole well together with a +silver fork. + +Chicken salad should be accompanied with plates of bread and butter, +and a plate of crackers. It is a supper dish, and is brought in with +terrapin, oysters, &c. + +Cold turkey is excellent prepared as above. + +An inferior salad may be made with cold fillet of veal, instead of +chickens. + +Cold boiled lobster is very fine cut up and drest in this manner, only +substituting for celery, lettuce cut up and mixed with the lobster. + +TO ROAST A PAIR OF DUCKS. + +After the ducks are drawn, wipe out the inside with a clean cloth, and +prepare your stuffing. Mince very fine some green sage leaves, and +twice their quantity of onion, (which should first be parboiled,) and +add a little butter, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Mix the whole +very well, and fill the crops and bodies of the ducks with it, leaving +a little space for the stuffing to swell. Reserve the livers, gizzards, +and hearts to put in the gravy. Tie the bodies of the ducks firmly +round with strings, (which should be wetted or buttered to keep them +from burning,) and put them on the spit before a clear brisk fire. +Baste them first with a little salt and water, and then with their own +gravy, dredging them lightly with flour at the last. They will be done +in about an hour. After boiling the livers, gizzards and hearts, chop +them, and put them into the gravy; having first skimmed it, and +thickened it with a little browned flour. + +Send to table with the ducks a small tureen of onion-sauce with chopped +sage leaves in it. Accompany them also with stewed cranberries and +green peas. + +Canvas-back ducks are roasted in the same manner, omitting the +stuffing. They will generally be done enough in three quarters of an +hour. Send currant jelly to table with them, and have heaters to place +under the plates. Add to the gravy a little cayenne, and a large +wine-glass of claret or port. + +Other wild ducks and teal may be roasted in about half an hour. Before +cooking soak them all night in salt and water, to draw out whatever +fishy or sedgy taste they may happen to have, and which may otherwise +render them uneatable. Then early in the morning put them in fresh +water (without salt,) changing it several times before you spit them. + +You may serve up with wild ducks, &c. orange-sauce, which is made by +boiling in a little water two large sweet oranges cut into slices, +having first removed the rind. When the pulp is all dissolved, strain +and press it through a sieve, and add to it the juice of two more +oranges, and a little sugar. Send it to table either warm or cold. + +STEWED DUCK. + +Half roast a large duck. Cut it up, and put it into a stew-pan with a +pint of beef-gravy, or dripping of roast-beef. Have ready two boiled +onions, half a handful of sage leaves, and two leaves of mint, all +chopped very fine and seasoned with pepper and salt. Lay these +ingredients over the duck. Stew it slowly for a quarter of an hour. +Then put in a quart of young green peas. Cover it closely, and simmer +it half an hour longer, till the peas are quite soft. Then add a piece +of butter rolled in flour; quicken the fire, and give it one boil. +Serve up all together. + +A cold duck that has been under-done may be stewed in this manner. + +TO HASH A DUCK. + +Cut up the duck and season it with pepper and mixed spices. Have ready +some thin slices of cold ham or bacon. Place a layer of them in a +stew-pan; then put in the duck and cover it with ham. Add just water +enough to moisten it, and pour over all a large glass of red wine. +Cover the pan closely and let it stew for an hour. + +Have ready a quart or more of green peas, boiled tender drained, and +mixed with butter and pepper. Lay them round the hashed duck. + +If you hash a cold duck in this manner, a quarter of an hour will be +sufficient for stewing it; it having been cooked already. + +TO ROAST A GOOSE. + +Having drawn and singed the goose, wipe out the inside with a cloth, +and sprinkle in some pepper and salt. Make a stuffing of four good +sized onions minced fine, and half their quantity of green sage leaves +minced also, a large tea-cupful of grated bread-crumbs, a piece of +butter the size of a walnut, and the beaten yolks of two eggs, with a +little pepper and salt. Mix the whole together, and incorporate them +well. Put the stuffing into the goose, and press it in hard; but do not +entirely fill up the cavity, as the mixture will swell in cooking. Tie +the goose securely round with a greased or wetted string; and paper the +breast to prevent it from scorching. Fasten the goose on the spit at +both ends. The fire must be brisk and well kept up. It will require +from two hours to two and a half to roast. Baste it at first with a +little salt and water, and then with its own gravy. Take off the paper +when the goose is about half done, and dredge it with a little flour +towards the last. Having parboiled the liver and heart, chop them and +put them into the gravy, which must be skimmed well and thickened with +a little browned flour. + +Send apple-sauce to table with the goose; also mashed potatoes. + +A goose may be stuffed entirely with potatoes, boiled and mashed with +milk, butter, pepper and salt. + +You may make a gravy of the giblets, that is the neck, pinions, liver, +heart and gizzard, stewed in a little water, thickened with butter +rolled in flour, and seasoned with pepper and salt. Add a glass of red +wine. Before you send it to table, take out all but the liver and +heart; mince them and leave them in the gravy. This gravy is by many +preferred to that which comes from the goose in roasting. It is well to +have both. + +If a goose is old it is useless to cook it, as when hard and tough it +cannot be eaten. + +A GOOSE PIE. + +Cut a fine large young goose into eight pieces, and season it with +pepper. Reserve the giblets for gravy. Take a smoked tongue that has +been all night in soak, parboil it, peel it, and cut it into thick +slices, omitting the root, which you must divide into small pieces, and +put into a sauce-pan with the giblets and sufficient water to stew them +slowly. + +Make a nice paste, allowing a pound and a half of butter to three +pounds of flour. Roll it out thick, and line with it the bottom and +sides of a deep dish. Fill it with the pieces of goose, and the slices +of tongue. Skim the gravy you have drawn from the giblets, thicken it +with a little browned flour, and pour it into the pie dish. Then put on +the lid or upper crust. Notch and ornament it handsomely with leaves +and flowers of paste. Bake the pie about three hours in a brisk oven. + +In making a large goose pie you may add a fowl, or a pair of pigeons, +or partridges,—all cut up. + +A duck pie may be made in the same manner. + +Small pies are sometimes made of goose giblets only. + +A CHRISTMAS GOOSE PIE. + +These pies are always made with a standing crust. Put into a sauce-pan +one pound of butter cut up, and a pint and a half of water; stir it +while it is melting, and let it come to a boil. Then skim off whatever +milk or impurity may rise to the top. Have ready four pounds of flour +sifted into a pan. Make a hole in the middle of it, and pour in the +melted butter while hot. Mix it with a spoon to a stiff paste, (adding +the beaten yolks of three or four eggs,) and then knead it very well +with your hands, on the paste-board, keeping it dredged with flour till +it ceases to be sticky. Then set it away to cool. + +Split a large goose, and a fowl down the back, loosen the flesh all +over with a sharp knife, and take out all the bones. Parboil a smoked +tongue; peel it and cut off the root. Mix together a powdered nutmeg, a +quarter of an ounce of powdered mace, a tea-spoonful of pepper, and a +tea-spoonful of salt, and season with them the fowl and the goose. + +Roll out the paste near an inch thick, and divide it into three pieces. +Cut out two of them of an oval form for the top and bottom; and the +other into a long straight piece for the sides or walls of the pie. +Brush the paste all over with beaten white of egg, and set on the +bottom the piece that is to form the wall, pinching the edges together, +and cementing them with white of egg. The bottom piece must be large +enough to turn up a little round the lower edge of the wall piece, to +which it must be firmly joined all round. When you have the crust +properly fixed, so as to be baked standing alone without a dish, put in +first the goose, then the fowl, and then the tongue. Fill up what space +is left with pieces of the flesh of pigeons, or of partridges, quails, +or any game that is convenient. There must be no bones in the pie. You +may add also some bits of ham, or some force-meat balls. Lastly, cover +the other ingredients with half a pound of butter, and pat on the top +crust, which, of course, must be also of an oval form to correspond +with the bottom. The lid must be placed not quite on the top edge of +the wall, but an inch and a half below it. Close it very well, and +ornament the sides and top with festoons and leaves cut out of paste. +Notch the edges handsomely, and put a paste flower in the centre. Glaze +the whole with beaten yolk of egg, and bind the pie all round with a +double fold of white paper. Set it in a regular oven, and bake it four +hours. + +This is one way of making the celebrated goose pies that it is +customary in England to send as presents at Christmas. They are eaten +at luncheon, and if the weather is cold, and they are kept carefully +covered up from the air, they will be good for two or three weeks; the +standing crust assisting to preserve them. + +TO ROAST A TURKEY. + +Make a force-meat of grated bread-crumbs, minced suet, sweet marjoram, +grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and beaten yolk of egg. You +may add some grated cold ham. Light some writing paper, and singe the +hairs from the skin of the turkey. Reserve the neck, liver, and gizzard +for the gravy. Stuff the craw of the turkey with the force-meat, of +which there should be enough made to form into balls for frying, laying +them round the turkey when it is dished. Dredge it with flour, and +roast it before a clear brisk fire, basting it with cold lard. Towards +the last, set the turkey nearer to the fire, dredge it again very +lightly with flour, and baste it with butter. It will require, +according to its size, from two to three hours roasting. + +Make the gravy of the giblets cut in pieces, seasoned, and stewed for +two hours in a very little water; thicken it with a spoonful of browned +flour, and stir into it the gravy from the dripping-pan, having first +skimmed off the fat. + +A turkey should be accompanied by ham or tongue. Serve up with it +mushroom-sauce. Have stewed cranberries on the table to eat with it. Do +not help any one to the legs, or drum-sticks as they are called. + +Turkeys are sometimes stuffed entirely with sausage-meat. Small cakes +of this meat should then be fried, and laid round it. + +To bone a turkey, you must begin with a very sharp knife at the top of +the wings, and scrape the flesh loose from the bone without dividing or +cutting it to pieces. If done carefully and dexterously, the whole mass +of flesh may be separated from the bone, so that you can take hold of +the head and draw out the entire skeleton at once. A large quantity of +force-meat having been prepared, stuff it hard into the turkey, +restoring it by doing so to its natural form, filling out the body, +breast, wings and legs, so as to resemble their original shape when the +bones were in. Roast or bake it; pouring a glass of port wine into the +gravy. A boned turkey is frequently served up cold, covered with lumps +of currant jelly; slices of which are laid round the dish. + +Any sort of poultry or game may be boned and stuffed in the same +manner, + +A cold turkey that has not been boned is sometimes sent to table larded +all over the breast with slips of fat bacon, drawn through the flesh +with a larding needle, and arranged in regular form. + +TO BOIL A TURKEY. + +Take twenty-five large fine oysters, and chop them. Mix with them half +a pint of grated bread-crumbs, half a handful of chopped parsley, a +quarter of a pound of butter, two table-spoonfuls, of cream or rich +milk, and the beaten yolks of three eggs. When it is thoroughly mixed, +stuff the craw of the turkey with it, and sew up the skin. Then dredge +it with flour, put it into a large pot or kettle, and cover it well +with cold water. Place it over the fire, and let it boil slowly for +half an hour, taking off the scum as it rises. Then remove the pot from +over the fire, and set it on hot coals to stew slowly for two hours, or +two hours and a half, according to its size, Just before you send it to +table, place it again over the fire to get well heated. When you boil a +turkey, skewer the liver and gizzard to the sides, under the wings. + +Send it to table with oyster-sauce in a small tureen. + +In making the stuffing, you may substitute for the grated bread, +chestnuts boiled, peeled, and minced or mashed. Serve up +chestnut-sauce, made by peeling some boiled chestnuts and putting them +whole into melted butter, + +Some persons, to make them white, boil their turkeys tied up in a large +cloth sprinkled with flour. + +With a turkey, there should be on the table a ham, or a smoked tongue. + +TO ROAST PIGEONS. + +Draw and pick four pigeons immediately after they are killed, and let +them be cooked soon, as they do not keep well. Wash the inside very +clean, and wipe it dry. Stuff them with a mixture of parsley parboiled +and chopped, grated bread-crumbs, and butter; seasoned with pepper, +salt, and nutmeg. Dredge them with flour, and roast them before a good +fire, basting them with butter. They will be done in about twenty-five +or thirty minutes. Serve them up with parsley-sauce. Lay the pigeons on +the dish in a row. + +If asparagus is in season, it will be much better than parsley both for +the stuffing and sauce. It must first be boiled. Chop the green heads +for the stuffing, and cut them in two for the melted butter. Have +cranberry-sauce on the table. + +Pigeons may be split and broiled, like chickens; also stewed or +fricasseed. + +They are very good stewed with slices of cold ham and green peas, +serving up all in the same dish. + +PIGEON PIE. + +Take four pigeons, and pick and clean them very nicely, Season them +with pepper and salt, and put inside of every one a large piece of +butter and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. Have ready a good paste, +allowing a pound of butter to two pounds of sifted flour. Roll it out +rather thick, and line with it the bottom and sides of a large deep +dish. Put in the pigeons, and lay on the top some bits of butter rolled +in flour. Pour in nearly enough of water to fill the dish. Cover the +pie with a lid of paste rolled out thick, and nicely notched, and +ornamented with paste leaves and flowers. + +You may make a similar pie of pheasants, partridges, or grouse. + + +TO ROAST PHEASANTS, PARTRIDGES, QUAILS, OR GROUSE. + +Pick and draw the birds immediately after they are brought in. Before +you roast them, fill the inside with pieces of a fine ripe orange, +leaving out the rind and seeds. Or stuff them with grated cold ham, +mixed with bread-crumbs, butter, and a little yolk of egg. Lard them +with small slips of the fat of bacon drawn through the flesh with a +larding needle, Roast them before a clear fire. + +Make a fine rich gravy of the trimmings of meat or poultry, stewed in a +little water, and thickened with a spoonful of browned flour. Strain +it, and set it on the fire again, having added half a pint of claret, +and the juice of two large oranges. Simmer it for a few minutes, pour +some of it into the dish with the game, and serve the remainder in a +boat. + +If you stuff them with force-meat, you may, instead of larding, brush +them all over with beaten yolk of egg, and then cover them, with +bread-crumbs grated finely and sifted. + +ANOTHER WAY TO ROAST PHEASANTS, PARTRIDGES, ETC. + +Chop some fine raw oysters, omitting the hard part; mix them with salt, +and nutmeg, and add some beaten yolk of egg to bind the other +ingredients. Cut some very thin slices of cold ham or bacon, and cover +the birds with them; then wrap them closely in sheets of white paper +well buttered, put them on the spit, and roast them before a clear +fire. + +Send them to table with oyster-sauce in a boat. + +Pies may be made of any of these birds in the same manner as a pigeon +pie. + +TO ROAST SNIPES, WOODCOCKS, OR PLOVERS. + +Pick them immediately; but it is the fashion to cook these birds +without drawing. Cut some slices of bread, allowing a slice to each +bird, and (having pared off the crust) toast them nicely, and lay them +in the bottom of the dripping-pan to catch the trail, as it is called. +Dredge the birds with flour, and put them on a small spit before a +clear brisk fire. Baste them with lard, or fresh butter. They will be +done in twenty or thirty minutes. Serve them up laid on the toast, and +garnished with sliced orange, or with orange jelly. + +Have brown gravy in a boat. + +TO ROAST REED-BIRDS, OR ORTOLANS. + +Put into every bird, an oyster, or a little butter mixed with some +finely sifted bread-crumbs. Dredge them with flour. Run a small skewer +through them, and tie them on the spit. Baste them with lard or with +fresh butter. They will be done in about ten minutes. + +A very nice way of cooking these birds is, (having greased them all +over with lard or with fresh butter, and wrapped them in vine leaves +secured closely with a string,) to lay them in a heated iron pan, and +bury them in ashes hot enough to roast or bake them. Remove the vine +leaves before you send the birds to table. + +Reed birds are very fine made into little dumplings with a thin crust +of flour and butter, and boiled about twenty minutes. Each must be tied +in a separate cloth. + +LARDING. + +To lard meat or poultry is to introduce into the surface of the flesh, +slips of the fat only of bacon, by means of a larding-pin or +larding-needle, it being called by both names. It is a steel instrument +about a foot long, sharp at one end, and cleft at the other into four +divisions, which are near two inches in length, and resemble tweezers. +It can be obtained at the hardware stores. + +Cut the bacon into slips about two inches in length, half an inch in +breadth, and half an inch in thickness. If intended for poultry, the +slips of bacon should not be thicker than a straw. Put them, one at a +time, into the cleft or split end of the larding-needle. Give each slip +a slight twist, and press it down hard into the needle with your +fingers. Then push the needle through the flesh, (avoiding the places +where the bones are,) and when you draw it out it will have left behind +it the slip of bacon sticking in the surface. Take care to have all the +slips of the same size, and arranged in regular rows at equal +distances. Every slip should stand up about an inch. If any are wrong, +take them out and do them over again. To lard handsomely and neatly +requires practice and dexterity. + +Fowls and game are generally larded on the breast only. If cold, they +can be done with the fat of cold boiled ham. Larding may be made to +look very tastefully on any thing that is not to be cooked afterwards. + +FORCE-MEAT BALLS. + +To a pound of the lean of a leg of veal, allow a pound of beef suet. +Mince them together very fine. Then season it to your taste with +pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg, and chopped sage or sweet marjoram. Then +chop a half-pint of oysters, and beat six eggs very well. Mix the whole +together, and pound it to a paste in a marble mortar. If you do not +want it immediately, put it away in a stone pot, strew a little flour +on the top, and cover it closely. + +When you wish to use the force-meat, divide into equal parts as much of +it as you want; and having floured your hands, roll it into round +balls, all of the same size. Either fry them in butter, or boil them. + +This force-meat will be found a very good stuffing for meat or poultry. + + + + +GRAVY AND SAUCES. + + +DRAWN OR MADE GRAVY. + +For this purpose you may use coarse pieces of the lean of beef or veal, +or the giblets and trimmings of poultry or game. If must be stewed for +a long time, skimmed, strained, thickened, and flavoured with whatever +condiments are supposed most suited to the dish it is to accompany. + +In preparing meat to stew for gravy, beat it with a mallet or +meat-beetle, score it, and cut it into small pieces; this makes it give +oat the juices. Season it with pepper and salt, and put it into a +stew-pan with butter only. Heat it gradually, till it becomes brown. +Shake the pan frequently, and see that it does not bum or stick to the +bottom. It will generally be browned sufficiently in half an hour. Then +put in some boiling water, allowing one pint to each pound of meat. +Simmer it on coals by the side of the fire for near three hours, +skimming it well, and keeping it closely covered. When done, remove it +from the heat, let it stand awhile to settle, and then strain it. + +If you wish to keep it two or three days, (which you may in winter,) +put it into a stone vessel, cover it closely, and set it in a cool +place. + +Do not thicken this gravy till you go to use it. + +MELTED BUTTER, SOMETIMES CALLED DRAWN BUTTER. + +Melted butter is the foundation of most of the common sauces. Have a +covered sauce-pan for this purpose. One lined with porcelain will be +best. Take a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, cut it up, +and mix with it about two tea-spoonfuls of flour. When it is thoroughly +mixed, put it into the sauce-pan, and add to it four table-spoonfuls of +cold water. Cover the sauce-pan, and set it in a large tin pan of +boiling water. Shake it round continually (always moving it the same +way) till it is entirely melted and begins to simmer. Then let it rest +till it boils up. + +If you set it on hot coals, or over the fire, it will be oily. + +If the butter and flour is not well mixed it will be lumpy. + +If you put too much water, it will be thin and poor. All these defects +are to be carefully avoided. + +In melting butter for sweet or pudding sauce, you may use milk instead +of water. + +TO BROWN FLOUR. + +Spread some fine flour on a plate, and set it in the oven, turning it +up and stirring it frequently that it may brown equally all through. + +Put it into a jar, cover it well, and keep it to stir into gravies to +thicken and colour them. + +TO BROWN BUTTER. + +Put a lump of butter into a frying-pan, and toss it round over the fire +till it becomes brown. Then dredge some browned flour over it, and stir +it round with a spoon till it boils. It must be made quite smooth. You +may make this into a plain sauce for fish by adding cayenne and some +flavoured vinegar. + + + + +PLAIN SAUCES. + + +LOBSTER SAUCE. + +Boil a dozen blades of mace and half a dozen pepper-corns in about a +jill and a half (or three wine-glasses) of water, till all the strength +of the spice is extracted. Then strain it, and having cut three +quarters of a pound of butter into little bits, melt it in this water, +dredging in a little flour as you hold it over the fire to boil. Toss +it round, and let it just boil up and no more. + +Take a cold boiled lobster,—pound the coral in a mortar adding a little +sweet oil. Then stir it into the melted butter. + +Chop the meat of the body into very small pieces, and rub it through a +cullender into the butter. Cut up the flesh of the claws and tail into +dice, and stir it in. Give it another boil up, and it will be ready for +table. + +Serve it up with fresh salmon, or any boiled fish of the best kind. + +Crab sauce is made in a similar manner; also prawn and shrimp sauce. + +ANCHOVY SAUCE. + +Soak eight anchovies for three or four hours, changing the water every +hour. Then put them into a sauce-pan with a quart of cold water. Set +them on hot coals and simmer them till they are entirely dissolved, and +till the liquid is diminished two-thirds. Then strain it, stir two +glasses of red wine, and add to it about half a pint of melted butter. + +Heat it over again, and send it to table with salmon or fresh cod. + +CELERY SAUCE. + +Take a large bunch of young celery. Wash and pare it very clean. Cut it +into pieces, and boil it gently in a small quantity of water, till it +is quite tender. Then add a little powdered mace and nutmeg, and a very +little pepper and salt. Take a tolerably large piece of butter, roll it +well in flour, and stir it into the sauce. Boil it up again, and it is +ready to send to table. + +You may make it with cream, thus:—Prepare and boil your celery as +above, adding some mace, nutmeg, a piece of butter the size of a +walnut, rolled in flour; and half a pint of cream. Boil all together. + +Celery sauce is eaten with boiled poultry. + +When celery is out of season, you may use celery seed, boiled in the +water which you afterwards use for the melted butter, but strained out +after boiling. + +NASTURTIAN SAUCE. + +This is by many considered superior to caper sauce and is eaten with +boiled mutton. It is made with the green seeds of nasturtians, pickled +simply in cold vinegar. + +Cut about six ounces of butter into small hits, and put them into a +small sauce-pan. Mix with a wine-glass of water sufficient flour to +make a thick batter, pour it on the butter, and hold the sauce-pan over +hot coals, shaking it quickly round, till the butter is melted. Let it +just boil up, and then take it from the fire. Thicken it with the +pickled nasturtians and send it to table in a boat. + +Never pour melted butter over any thing, but always send it to table in +a sauce-tureen or boat. + +WHITE ONION SAUCE. + +Peel a dozen onions, and throw them into salt and water to keep them +white. Then boil them tender. When done, squeeze the water from them, +and chop them. Have ready some butter that has been melted rich and +smooth with milk or cream instead of water. Put the onions into the +melted butter, and boil them up at once. If you wish to have them very +mild, put in a turnip with them at the first boiling. + +Young white onions, if very small, need not be chopped, but may be put +whole into the butter. + +Use this sauce for rabbits, tripe, boiled poultry, or any boiled fresh +meat. + +BROWN ONION SAUCE. + +Slice some large mild Spanish onions. Cover them with butter, and set +them over a slow fire to brown. Then add salt and cayenne pepper to +your taste, and some good brown gravy of roast meat, poultry or game, +thickened with a bit of butter rolled in flour that has first been +browned by holding it in a hot pan or shovel over the fire. Give it a +boil, skim it well, and just before you take it off, stir in a half +glass of port or claret, and the same quantity of mushroom catchup. + +Use this sauce for roasted poultry, game, or meat. + +MUSHROOM SAUCE. + +Wash a pint of small button mushrooms,—remove the stems and the outside +skin. Stew them slowly in veal gravy or in milk or cream, seasoning +them with pepper and salt, and adding a piece of butter rolled in a +large proportion of flour. Stew them till quite tender, now and then +taking off the cover of the pan to stir them. + +The flavour will be heightened by having salted a few the night before +in a covered dish, to extract the juice, and then stirring it into the +sauce while stewing. + +This sauce may be served up with poultry, game, or beef-steaks. + +In gathering mushrooms take only those that are of a dull pearl colour +on the outside, and that have the under part tinged with pale pink. + +Boil an onion with them. If there is a poisonous one among them, the +onion will turn black. Then throw away the whole. + +EGG SAUCE. + +Boil four eggs a quarter of an hour. Dip them into cold water to +prevent their looking blue. Peel off the shell. Chop the yolks of all, +and the whites of two, and stir them into melted butter. Serve this +sauce with boiled poultry or fish. + +BREAD SAUCE. + +Put some grated crumbs of stale bread into a sauce-pan, and pour over +them some of the liquor in which poultry or fresh meat has been boiled. +Add some plums or dried currants that have been picked and washed. +Having simmered them till the bread is quite soft, and the currants +well plumped, add melted butter or cream. + +This sauce is for a roast pig. + +MINT SAUCE. + +Take a large bunch of young green mint; if old the taste will be +unpleasant. Wash it very clean. Pick all the leaves from the stalks. +Chop the leaves very fine, and mix them with cold vinegar, and a large +proportion of powdered sugar. There must be merely sufficient vinegar +to moisten the mint well, but by no means enough to make the sauce +liquid. + +It is only eaten in the spring with roast lamb. Send it to table in a +sauce-tureen. + +CAPER SAUCE. + +Take two large table-spoonfuls of capers and a little vinegar. Stir +them for some time into half a pint of thick melted butter. + +This sauce is for boiled mutton. + +If you happen to have no capers, pickled cucumber chopped fine, or the +pickled pods of radish seeds, may be stirred into the butter as a +tolerable substitute. + +PARSLEY SAUCE. + +Wash a bunch of parsley in cold water. Then boil it about six or seven +minutes in salt and water. Drain it, cut the leaves from the stalks, +and chop them fine. Hare ready some melted butter, and stir in the +parsley. Allow two small table-spoonfuls of leaves to half a pint of +butter. + +Serve it up with boiled fowls, rock-fish, sea-bass, and other boiled +fresh fish.. Also with knuckle of veal, and with calf’s head boiled +plain. + +APPLE SAUCE. + +Pare, core, and slice some fine apples. Put them into a sauce-pan with +just sufficient water to keep them from burning, and some grated +lemon-peel. Stew them till quite soft and tender. Then mash them to a +paste, and make them very sweet with brown sugar, adding a small piece +of butter and some nutmeg. + +Apple sauce is eaten with roast pork, roast goose and roast ducks. + +Be careful not to have it thin and watery. + +CRANBERRY SAUCE. + +Wash a quart of ripe cranberries, and put them into a pan with about a +wine-glass of water. Stew them slowly, and stir them frequently, +particularly after they begin to burst. They require a great deal of +stewing, and should be like a marmalade when done. Just before you take +them from the fire, stir in a pound of brown sugar. + +When they are thoroughly done, put them into a deep dish, and set them +away to get cold. + +You may strain the pulp through a cullender or sieve into a mould, and +when it is in a firm shape send it to table on a glass dish. Taste it +when it is cold, and if not sweet enough, add more sugar. Cranberries +require more sugar than any other fruit, except plums. + +Cranberry sauce is eaten with roast turkey, roast fowls, and roast +ducks. + +PEACH SAUCE. + +Take a quart of dried peaches, (those are richest and best that are +dried with the skins on,) and soak them in cold water till they are +tender. Then drain them, and put them into a covered pan with a very +little water. Set them on coals, and simmer them till they are entirely +dissolved. Then mash them with brown sugar, and send them to table cold +to eat with roast meat, game or poultry. + +WINE SAUCE. + +Have ready some rich thick melted or drawn butter, and the moment you +take it from the fire, stir in two large glasses of white wine, two +table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar, and a powdered nutmeg. Serve +it up with plum pudding, or any sort of boiled pudding that is made of +a batter. + +COLD SWEET SAUCE. + +Stir together, as for a pound-cake, equal quantities of fresh butter +and powdered white sugar. When quite light and creamy, add some +powdered cinnamon or nutmeg, and a few drops of essence of lemon. Send +it to table in a small deep plate with a tea-spoon in it. + +Eat it with batter pudding, bread pudding, Indian pudding, &c. whether +baked or boiled. Also with boiled apple pudding or dumplings, and with +fritters and pancakes. + +CREAM SAUCE. + +Boil a pint and a half of rich cream with four table-spoonfuls of +powdered sugar, some pieces of cinnamon, and a dozen bitter almonds or +peach kernels slightly broken up, or a dozen fresh peach leaves. As +soon as it has boiled up, take it off the fire and strain it. If it is +to be eaten with boiled pudding or with dumplings send it to table hot, +but let it get quite cold if you intend it as an accompaniment to fruit +pies or tarts. + +OYSTER SAUCE. + +Take a pint of oysters, and save out a little of their liquid. Put them +with their remaining liquor, and some mace and nutmegs, into a covered +sauce-pan, and simmer them on hot coals about eight minutes. Then drain +them. + +Having prepared in another sauce-pan some drawn or melted butter, +(mixed with oyster liquor instead of water,) pour it into a sauce-boat, +add the oysters to it, and serve it up with boiled poultry or with +boiled fresh fish. + + + + +STORE FISH SAUCES. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +Store fish sauces if properly made will keep for many months. They may +be brought to table in fish castors, but a customary mode is to send +them round in the small black bottles in which they have been +originally deposited. They are in great variety, and may be purchased +of the grocers that sell oil, pickles, anchovies, &c. In making them at +home, the few following receipts may be found useful. + +The usual way of eating these sauces is to pour a little on your plate, +and mix it with the melted butter. They give flavour to fish that would +otherwise be insipid, and are in general use at genteel tables. + +Two table-spoonfuls of any of these sauces may be added to the melted +butter a minute before you take it from the fire. But if brought to +table in bottles, the company can use it or omit it as they please. + +SCOTCH SAUCE. + +Take fifteen anchovies, chop them fine, and steep them in vinegar for a +week, keeping the vessel closely covered. Then put them into a pint of +claret or port wine. Scrape fine a large stick of horseradish, and chop +two onions, a handful of parsley, a tea-spoonful of the leaves of +lemon-thyme, and two large peach leaves. Add a nutmeg, six or eight +blades of mace, nine cloves, and a tea-spoonful of black pepper, all +slightly pounded in a mortar. Put all these ingredients into a silver +or block tin sauce-pan, or into an earthen pipkin, and add a few grains +of cochineal to colour it. Pour in a large half pint of the best +vinegar, and simmer it slowly till the bones of the anchovies are +entirely dissolved. + +Strain the liquor through a sieve, and when quite cold put it away for +use in small bottles; the corks dipped in melted rosin, and +well-secured by pieces of leather tied closely over them. Fill each +bottle quite full, as it will keep the better for leaving no vacancy. + +This sauce will give a fine flavour to melted butter. + +QUIN’S SAUCE. + +Pound in a mortar six large anchovies, moistening them with their own +pickle. Then chop and pound six small onions. Mix them with a little +black pepper and a little cayenne, half a glass of soy, four glasses of +mushroom catchup, two glasses of claret, and two of black walnut +pickle. Put the mixture into a small sauce-pan or earthen pipkin, and +let it simmer slowly till all the bones of the anchovies are dissolved. +Strain it, and when cold, bottle it for use; dipping the cork in melted +rosin, and tying leather over it. Fill the bottles quite full. + +KITCHINER’S FISH SAUCE. + +Mix together a pint of claret, a pint of mushroom catchup, and half a +pint of walnut pickle, four ounces of pounded anchovy, an ounce of +fresh lemon-peel pared thin, and the same quantity of shalot or small +onion. Also an ounce of scraped horseradish, half an ounce of black +pepper, and half an ounce of allspice mixed, and the same quantity of +cayenne and celery-seed. Infuse these ingredients in a wide-mouthed +bottle (closely stopped) for a fortnight, shaking the mixture every +day. Then strain and bottle it for use. Put it up in small bottles, +filling them quite full. + +HARVEY’S SAUCE. + +Dissolve six anchovies in a pint of strong vinegar, and then add to +them three table-spoonfuls of India soy, and three table-spoonfuls of +mushroom catchup, two heads of garlic bruised small, and a quarter of +an ounce of cayenne. Add sufficient cochineal powder to colour the +mixture red. Let all these ingredients infuse in the vinegar for a +fortnight, shaking it every day, and then strain and bottle it for use. +Let the bottles be small, and cover the corks with leather. + +GENERAL SAUCE. + +Chop six shalots or small onions, a clove of garlic, two peach leaves, +a few sprigs of lemon-thyme and of sweet basil, and a few bits of fresh +orange-peel. Bruise in a mortar a quarter of an ounce of cloves, a +quarter of an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of long pepper. Mix two +ounces of salt, a jill of vinegar, the juice of two lemons, and a pint +of Madeira. Put the whole of these ingredients together in a stone jar, +very closely covered. Let it stand all night over embers by the side of +the fire. In the morning pour off the liquid quickly and carefully from +the lees or settlings, strain it and put it into small bottles, dipping +the corks in melted rosin. + +This sauce is intended to flavour melted butter or gravy, for every +sort of fish and meat. + +PINK SAUCE. + +Mix together half a pint of port wine, half a pint of strong vinegar, +the juice and grated peel of two large lemons, a quarter of an ounce of +cayenne, a dozen blades of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered +cochineal. Let it infuse a fortnight, stirring it several times a day. +Then boil it ten minutes, strain it, and bottle it for use. + +Eat it with any sort of fish or game. It will give a fine pink tinge to +melted butter. + +CATCHUPS. + +LOBSTER CATCHUP. + +This catchup, warmed in melted butter, is an excellent substitute for +fresh lobster sauce at seasons when the fish cannot he procured, as, if +properly made, it will keep a year. + +Take a fine lobster that weighs about three pounds. Put it into boiling +water, and cook it thoroughly. When it is cold break it up, and extract +all the flesh from the shell. Pound the red part or coral in a marble +mortar, and when it is well bruised, add the white meat by degrees, and +pound that also; seasoning it with a tea-spoonful of cayenne, and +moistening it gradually with sherry wine. When it is beaten to a smooth +paste, mix it well with the remainder of the bottle of sherry. Put it +into wide-mouthed bottles, and on the top of each lay a +dessert-spoonful of whole pepper. Dip the corks in melted rosin, and +secure them well by tying leather over them. + +In using this catchup allow four table-spoonfuls to a common-sized +sauce-boat of melted butter. Put in the catchup at the last, and hold +it over the fire just long enough to be thoroughly heated. + +ANCHOVY CATCHUP. + +Bone two dozen anchovies, and then chop them. Put to them ten shalots, +or very small onions, cut fine, and a handful of scraped horseradish, +with a quarter of an ounce of mace. Add a lemon, cut into slices, +twelve cloves, and twelve pepper-corns. Then mix together a pint of red +wine, a quart of white wine, a pint of water and half a pint of anchovy +liquor. Put the other ingredients into the liquid, and boil it slowly +till reduced to a quart. Then strain it, and when cold put it into +small bottles, securing the corks with leather. + +OYSTER CATCHUP. + +Take large salt oysters that have just been opened. Wash them in their +own liquor, and pound them, in a mortar, omitting the hard parts. To +every pint of the pounded oysters, add a half pint of white wine or +vinegar, in which you must give them a boil up, removing the scum as it +rises. Then to each quart of the boiled oysters allow a tea-spoonful of +beaten white pepper, a salt-spoonful of pounded mace, and cayenne and +salt to your taste. Let it boil up for a few minutes, and then pass it +through a sieve into an earthen pan. When cold, put it into small +bottles, filling them quite full, as it will not keep so well if there +is a vacancy at the top. Dip the corks in melted rosin, and tie leather +over each. + +WALNUT CATCHUP. + +Take green walnuts that are young enough to be easily pierced through +with a large needle. Having pricked them all in several places, throw +them into an earthen pan with a large handful of salt, and barely +sufficient water to cover them. Break up and mash them with a +potato-beetle, or a rolling-pin. Keep them four days in the salt and +water, stirring and mashing them every day. The rinds will now be quite +soft. Then scald them with boiling-hot salt and water, and raising the +pan on the edge, let the walnut liquor flow away from the shells into +another pan. Put the shells into a mortar, and pound them with vinegar, +which will extract from them all the remaining juice. + +Put all the walnut liquor together, and boil and skim it, then to every +quart allow an ounce of bruised ginger, an ounce of black pepper, half +an ounce of cloves, and half an ounce of nutmeg, all slightly beaten. +Boil the spice and walnut liquor in a closely covered vessel for three +quarters of an hour. When cold, bottle it for use, putting equal +proportions of the spice into each bottle. Secure the corks with +leather. + +MUSHROOM CATCHUP. + +Take mushrooms that have been freshly gathered, and examine them +carefully to ascertain that they are of the right sort. Pick them +nicely, and wipe them clean, but do not wash them. Spread a layer of +them at the bottom of a deep earthen pan, and then sprinkle them well +with salt; then another layer of mushrooms, and another layer of salt, +and so on alternately. Throw a folded cloth over the jar, and set it by +the fire or in a very cool oven. Let it remain thus for twenty-four +hours, and then mash them well with your hands. Next squeeze and strain +them through a bag. + +To every quart of strained liquor add an ounce and a half of whole +black pepper, and boil it slowly in a covered vessel for half an hour. +Then add a quarter of an ounce of allspice, half an ounce of sliced +ginger, a few cloves, and three or four blades of mace. Boil it with +the spice fifteen minutes longer. When it is done, take it off, and let +it stand awhile to settle. Pour it carefully off from the sediment and +put it into small bottles, filling them to the top. Secure them well +with corks dipped in melted rosin, and leather caps tied over them. + +The longer catchup is boiled, the better it will keep. You may add +cayenne and nutmeg to the spices. + +The bottles should be quite small, as it soon spoils after being +opened. + +TOMATA CATCHUP. + +Gather the tomatas on a dry day, and when quite ripe. Peel them, and +cut them into quarters. Put them into a large earthen pan, and mash and +squeeze them till they are reduced to a pulp. Allowing half a pint of +fine salt to a hundred tomatas, put them into a preserving kettle, and +boil them gently with the salt for two hours, stirring them frequently +to prevent their burning. Then strain them through a fine sieve, +pressing them with the back of a silver spoon. Season them to your +taste with mace, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and white or red pepper, all +powdered fine. + +Put the tomata again over the fire with the spices, and boil it slowly +till very thick, stirring it frequently. + +When cold, put it up in small bottles, secure the corks well, and it +will keep good a year or two. + +LEMON CATCHUP. + +Cut nine large lemons into thin slices, and take out the seeds. +Prepare, by pounding them in a mortar, two ounces of mustard seed, half +an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of nutmeg, a quarter of an +ounce of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves. Slice thin two +ounces of horseradish. Put all these ingredients together. Strew over +them three ounces of fine salt. Add a quart of the best vinegar. + +Boil the whole twenty minutes. Then put it warm into a jar, and let it +stand three weeks closely covered. Stir it up daily. + +Then strain it through a sieve, and put it up in small bottles to +flavour fish and other sauces. This is sometimes called lemon pickle. + + + + +FLAVOURED VINEGARS. + + +These vinegars will be found very useful, at times when the articles +with which they are flavoured cannot be conveniently procured. Care +should be taken to have the bottles that contain them accurately +labelled, very tightly corked, and kept in a dry place. The vinegar +used for these purposes should be of the very best sort. + +TARRAGON VINEGAR. + +Tarragon should be gathered on a dry day, just before the plant +flowers. Pick the green leaves from the stalks, and dry them a little +before the fire. Then put them into a wide-mouthed stone jar, and cover +them with the best vinegar, filling up the jar. Let it steep fourteen +days, and then strain it through a flannel bag. Pour it through a +funnel into half-pint bottles, and cork them well. + +SWEET BASIL VINEGAR. + +Is made precisely in the same manner; also those of green mint, and +sweet marjoram. + +CELERY VINEGAR. + +Pound two ounces of celery seed in a mortar, and steep it for a +fortnight in a quart of vinegar. Then strain and bottle it. + +BURNET VINEGAR. + +Nearly fill a wide-mouthed bottle with the fresh green leaves of +burnet, cover them with vinegar, and let them steep two weeks. Then +strain off the vinegar, wash the bottle, put in a fresh supply of +burnet leaves, pour the same vinegar over them, and let it infuse a +fortnight longer. Then strain it again and it will be fit for use. The +flavour will exactly resemble that of cucumbers. + +HORSERADISH VINEGAR. + +Make a quart of the best vinegar boiling hot, and pour it on four +ounces of scraped horseradish. Let it stand a week, then strain it off, +renew the horseradish, adding the same vinegar cold, and let it infuse +a week longer, straining it again at the last. + +SHALOT VINEGAR. + +Peel and chop fine four ounces of shalots, or small button onions. Pour +on them a quart of the best vinegar, and let them steep a fortnight; +then strain and bottle it. + +Make garlic vinegar in the same manner; using but two ounces of garlic +to a quart of vinegar. Two or three drops will be sufficient to impart +a garlic taste to a pint of gravy or sauce. More will be offensive. The +cook should be cautioned to use it very sparingly, as to many persons +it is extremely disagreeable. + +CHILLI VINEGAR. + +Take a hundred red chillies or capsicums, fresh gathered; cut them into +small pieces and infuse them for a fortnight in a quart of the best +vinegar, shaking the bottle every day. Then strain it. + +RASPBERRY VINEGAR. + +Put two quarts of ripe fresh-gathered raspberries into a stone or china +vessel, and pour on them a quart of vinegar. Let it stand twenty-four +hours, and then strain it through a sieve. Pour the liquid over two +quarts of fresh raspberries, and let it again infuse for a day and a +night. Then strain it a second time. Allow a pound of loaf sugar to +every pint of juice. Break up the sugar, and let it melt in the liquor. +Then put the whole into a stone jar, cover it closely, and set it in a +kettle of boiling water, which must be kept on a quick boil for an +hour. Take off all the scum and when cold, bottle the vinegar for use. + +Raspberry vinegar mixed with water is a pleasant and cooling beverage +in warm weather; also in fevers. + + + + +MUSTARD AND PEPPER. + + +COMMON MUSTARD + +Is best when fresh made. Take good flour of mustard; put it in a plate, +add to it a little salt, and mix it by degrees with boiling water to +the usual consistence, rubbing it for a long time with a broad-bladed +knife or a wooden spoon. It should be perfectly smooth. The less that +is made at a time the better it will be. If you wish it very mild, use +sugar instead of salt, and boiling milk instead of water. + +KEEPING MUSTARD. + +Dissolve three ounces of salt in a quart of boiling vinegar, and pour +it hot upon two ounces of scraped horseradish. Cover the jar closely +and let it stand twenty-four hours. Strain it and then mix it by +degrees with the best flour of mustard. Make it of the usual thickness, +and beat it till quite smooth. Then put it into wide-mouthed bottles +and stop it closely. + +FRENCH MUSTARD. + +Mix together four ounces of the very best mustard powder, four +salt-spoons of salt, a large table-spoonful of minced tarragon leaves, +and two cloves of garlic chopped fine. Pour on by degrees sufficient +vinegar (tarragon vinegar is best) to dilute it to the proper +consistence. It will probably require about four wine-glassfuls or half +a pint. Mix it well, using for the purpose a wooden spoon. When done, +put it into a wide-mouthed bottle or into little white jars. Cork it +very closely, and keep it in a dry place. It will not be fit for use in +less than two days. + +This (used as the common mustard) is a very agreeable condiment for +beef or mutton. + +TO MAKE CAYENNE PEPPER. + +Take ripe chillies and dry them a whole day before the fire, turning +them frequently. When quite dry, trim off the stalks and pound the pods +in a mortar till they become a fine powder, mixing in about one sixth +of their weight in salt. Or you may grind them in a very fine mill. +While pounding the chillies, wear glasses to save your eyes from being +incommoded by them. Put the powder into small bottles, and secure the +corks closely. + +KITCHEN PEPPER. + +Mix together two ounces of the best white ginger, an ounce of black +pepper, an ounce of white pepper, an ounce of cinnamon, an ounce of +nutmeg, and two dozen cloves. They must all be ground or pounded to a +fine powder, and thoroughly mixed. Keep the mixture in a bottle, +labelled, and well corked. It will be found useful in seasoning many +dishes; and being ready prepared will save much trouble. + + + + +VEGETABLES + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +All vegetables should be well picked and washed. A very little salt +should always be thrown into the water in which they are boiled. A +steady regular fire should be kept up, and they should never for a +moment be allowed to stop boiling or simmering till they are thoroughly +done. Every sort of vegetable should be cooked till tender, as if the +least hard or under-done they are both unpalatable and unwholesome. The +practice of putting pearl-ash in the pot to improve the colour of green +vegetables should be strictly forbidden, as it destroys the flavour, +and either renders them flat and insipid, or communicates a very +disagreeable taste of its own. + +Every sort of culinary vegetable is infinitely best when fresh from the +garden, and gathered as short a time as possible before it is cooked. +They should all be laid in a pan of cold water for a while previous to +boiling. + +When done, they should be carefully drained before they go to table, or +they will be washy all through, and leave puddles of discoloured water +in the bottoms of the dishes, to the disgust of the company and the +discredit of the cook. + +TO BOIL POTATOES. + +Potatoes that are boiled together, should be as nearly as possible of +the same size. Wash, but do not pare them. Put them into a pot with +water enough to cover them about an inch, and do not put on the pot +lid. When the water is very near boiling, pour it off, and replace it +with the same quantity of cold water, into which throw a good portion +of salt. The cold water sends the heat from the surface to the heart, +and makes the potatoes mealy. Potatoes of a moderate size will require +about half an hour boiling; large ones an hour. Try them with a fork. +When done, pour off the water, cover the pot with a folded napkin, or +flannel, and let them stand by the fire about a quarter of an hour to +dry. + +Peel them and send them to table. + +Potatoes should not be served up with the skins on. It has a coarse, +slovenly look, and disfigures the appearance of the dinner; besides the +trouble and inconvenience of peeling them at table. + +When the skins crack in boiling, it is no proof that they are done, as +too much fire under the pot will cause the skins of some potatoes to +break while the inside is hard. + +After March, when potatoes are old, it is best to pare them before +boiling and to cut out all the blemishes. It is then better to mash +them always before they are sent to table. Mash them when quite hot, +using a potato-beetle for the purpose; add to them a piece of fresh +butter, and a little salt, and, if convenient, some milk, which will +greatly improve them. You may score and brown them on the top. + +A very nice way of serving up potatoes is, after they are peeled, to +pour over them some hot cream in which a very little butter has been +melted, and sprinkle them with pepper. This is frequently done in +country houses where cream is plenty. New potatoes (as they are called +when quite young) require no peeling, but should be well washed and +brushed before they are boiled. + +FRIED POTATOES. + +Take cold potatoes that have been boiled, grate them, make them into +flat cakes, and fry them in butter. They are nice at breakfast. You may +mix some beaten yolk of egg with them. + +Cold potatoes may be fried in slices or quarters, or broiled on a +gridiron. + +Raw potatoes, when fried, are generally hard, tough, and strong. + + +POTATO SNOW. + +For this purpose use potatoes that are very white, mealy, and smooth. +Boil them very carefully, and when they are done, peel them, pour off +the water, and set them on a trivet before the fire till they are quite +dry and powdery. Then rub them through a coarse wire sieve into the +dish on which they are to go to table. Do not disturb the heap of +potatoes before it is served up, or the flakes will fall and it will +flatten. This preparation looks well; but many think that it renders +the potato insipid. + +ROASTED POTATOES. + +Take large fine potatoes; wash and dry them, and either lay them on the +hearth and keep them buried in hot wood ashes, or bake them slowly in a +Dutch oven. They will not be done in less than two hours. It will save +time to half-boil them before they are roasted. Send them to table with +the skins on, and eat them with cold butter and salt. They are +introduced with cold meat at supper. + +Potatoes keep best buried in sand or earth. They should never be wetted +till they are washed for cooking. If you have them in the cellar, see +that they are well covered with matting or old carpet, as the frost +injures them greatly. + +SWEET POTATOES BOILED. + +If among your sweet potatoes there should he any that are very large +and thick, split them, and cut them in four, that they may not require +longer time to cook than the others. Boil them with the skins on in +plenty of water, but without any salt. You may set the pot on coals in +the corner. Try them with a fork, and see that they are done all +through; they will take at least an hour. Then drain off the water, and +set them for a few minutes in a tin pan before the fire, or in the +stove, that they may be well dried. Peel them before they are sent to +table. + +FRIED SWEET POTATOES. + +Choose them of the largest size. Half boil them, and then having taken +off the skins, cut the potatoes in slices, and fry them in butter, or +in nice dripping. + +Sweet potatoes are very good stewed with fresh pork, veal, or beef. + +The best way to keep them through the cold weather, is to bury them in +earth or sand; otherwise they will be scarcely eatable after October. + +CABBAGE. + +All vegetables of the cabbage kind should be carefully washed, and +examined in case of insects lurking among the leaves. To prepare a +cabbage for boiling, remove the outer leaves, and pare and trim the +stalk, cutting it close and short. If the cabbage is large, quarter it; +if small, cut it in half; and let it stand for a while in a deep part +of cold water with the large end downwards. Put it into a pot with +plenty of water, (having first tied it together to keep it whole while +boiling,) and, taking off the scum, boil it two hours, or till the +stalk is quite tender. When done, drain and squeeze it well. Before you +send it to table introduce a little fresh butter between the leaves; or +have melted butter in a boat. If it has been boiled with meat add no +butter to it. + +A young cabbage will boil in an hour or an hour and a half. + +CALE-CANNON. + +Boil separately some potatoes and cabbage. When done, drain and squeeze +the cabbage, and chop or mince it very small. Mash the potatoes, and +mix them gradually but thoroughly with the chopped cabbage, adding +butter, pepper and salt. There should be twice as much potato as +cabbage. + +Cale-cannon is eaten with corned beef, boiled pork, or bacon. + +Cabbages may be kept good all winter by burying them in a hole dug in +the ground. + +CAULIFLOWER + +Remove the green leaves that surround the head or white part, and peel +off the outside skin of the small piece of stalk that is left on. Cut +the cauliflower in four, and lay it for an hour in a pan of cold water. +Then tie it together before it goes into the pot. Put it into boiling +water and simmer it till the stalk is thoroughly tender, keeping it +well covered with water, and carefully removing the scum. It will take +about two hours. + +Take it up as soon as it is done; remaining in the water will discolour +it. Drain it well, and send it to table with melted butter. + +It will be much whiter if put on in boiling milk and water. + +BROCOLI. + +Prepare brocoli for boiling in the same manner as cauliflower, leaving +the stalks rather longer, and splitting the head in half only. Tie it +together again, before it goes into the pot. Put it on in hot water, +and let it simmer till the stalk is perfectly tender. + +As soon as it is done take it out of the water and drain it. Send +melted butter to table with it. + +SPINACH. + +Spinach requires close examination and picking, as insects are +frequently found among it, and it is often gritty. Wash it through +three or four waters. Then drain it, and put it on in boiling water. +Ten minutes is generally sufficient time to boil spinach. Be careful to +remove the scum. When it is quite tender, take it up, and drain and +squeeze it well. Chop it fine, and put it into a sauce-pan with a piece +of butter and a little pepper and salt. Set it on hot coals, and let it +stew five minutes, stirring it all the time. + +SPINACH AND EGGS. + +Boil the spinach as above, and drain and press it, but do not chop it. +Have ready some eggs poached as follows. Boil in a sauce-pan, and skim +some clear spring water, adding to it a table-spoonful of vinegar. +Break the eggs separately, and having taken the sauce-pan off the fire, +slip the eggs one at a time into it with as much dexterity as you can. +Let the sauce-pan stand by the side of the fire till the white is set, +and then put it over the fire for two minutes. The yolk should be +thinly covered by the white. Take them up with an egg slice, and having +trimmed the edges of the whites, lay the eggs on the top of the +spinach, which should firstly seasoned with pepper and salt and a +little butter, and must be sent to table hot. + +TURNIPS. + +Take off a thick paring from the outside, and boil the turnips gently +for an hour and a half. Try them with a fork, and when quite tender, +take them up, drain them on a sieve, and either send them to table +whole with melted butter, or mash them in a cullender, (pressing and +squeezing them well;) season with a little pepper and salt, and mix +with them a very small quantity of butter. Setting in the sun after +they are cooked, or on a part of the table upon which the sun may +happen to shine, will give to turnips a singularly unpleasant taste, +and should therefore he avoided. + +When turnips are very young, it is customary to serve them up with +about two inches of the green top left on them. + +If stewed with meat, they should be sliced or quartered. + +Mutton, either boiled or roasted, should always be accompanied by +turnips. + +CARROTS. + +Wash and scrape them well. If large cut them into two three, or four +pieces. Put them into boiling water with a little salt in it. Full +grown carrots will require three hours’ boiling; smaller ones two +hours, and young ones an hour. Try them with a fork, and when they are +tender throughout, take them up and dry them in a cloth. Divide them in +pieces and split them, or cut them into slices. + +Eat them with melted butter. They should accompany boiled beef or +mutton. + +PARSNIPS. + +Wash, scrape and split them. Put them into a pot of boiling water; add +a little salt, and boil them till quite tender, which will be in from +two to three hours, according to their size. Dry them in a cloth when +done, and pour melted butter over them in the dish. Serve them up with +any sort of boiled meat, or with salt cod. + +Parsnips are very good baked or stewed with meat. + +RUSSIAN OR SWEDISH TURNIPS + +This turnip (the Ruta Baga) is very large and of a reddish yellow +colour; they are generally much liked. Take off a thick paring, cut the +turnips into large pieces, or thick slices, and lay them awhile in cold +water. Then boil them gently about two hours, or till they are quite +soft. When done, drain, squeeze and mash them, and season them with +pepper and salt, and a very little butter. Take care not to set them in +a part of the table where the sun comes, as it will spoil the taste. + +Russian turnips should always be mashed. + +SQUASHES OR CYMLINGS. + +The green or summer squash is best when the outside is beginning to +turn yellow, as it is then less watery and insipid than when younger. +Wash them, cut them into pieces, and take out the seeds. Boil them +about three quarters of an hour, or till quits tender. When done, drain +and squeeze them well till you have pressed out all the water; mash +them with a little butter, pepper and salt. Then put the squash thus +prepared into a stew-pan, set it on hot coals, and stir it very +frequently till it becomes dry. Take care not to let it burn. + +WINTER SQUASH, OR CASHAW. + +This is much finer than the summer squash. It is fit to eat in August, +and, in a dry warm place, can be kept well all winter. The colour is a +very bright yellow. Pare it, take out the seeds, cut it in pieces, and +stew it slowly till quite soft, in a very little water. Afterwards +drain, squeeze, and press it well, and mash it with a very little +butter, pepper and salt. + +PUMPKIN. + +Deep coloured pumpkins are generally the best. In a dry warm place they +can be kept perfectly good all winter. When you prepare to stew a +pumpkin, cut it in half and take out all the seeds. Then cut it in +thick slices, and pare them. Put it into a pot with a very little +water, and stew it gently for an hour, or till soft enough to mash. +Then take it out, drain, and squeeze it till it is as dry as you can +get it. + +Afterwards mash it, adding a little pepper and salt, and a very little +butter. + +Pumpkin is frequently stewed with fresh beef or fresh pork. + +The water in which pumpkin has been boiled, is said to be very good to +mix bread with, it having a tendency to improve it in sweetness and to +keep it moist. + +HOMINY. + +Wash the hominy very clean through three or four waters. Then put it +into a pot (allowing two quarts of water to one quart of hominy) and +boil it slowly five hours. When done, take it up, and drain the liquid +from it through a cullender. Put the hominy into a deep dish, and stir +into it a small piece of fresh butter. + +The small grained hominy is boiled in rather less water, and generally +eaten with butter and sugar. + +INDIAN CORN. + +Corn for boiling should be full grown but young and tender. When the +grains become yellow it is too old. Strip it of the outside leaves and +the silk, but let the inner leaves remain, as they will keep in the +sweetness. Put it into a large pot with plenty of water, and boil it +rather fast for three hours or more. When done, drain off the water, +and remove the leaves. + +You may either lay the ears on a large flat dish and send them to table +whole, or broken in half; or you may cut all the com off the cob, and +serve it up in a deep dish, mixed with butter, pepper and salt. + +MOCK OYSTERS OF CORN. + +Take a dozen and a half ears of large young corn, and grate all the +grains off the cob as fine as possible. Mix with the grated corn three +large table-spoonfuls of sifted flour, the yolks of six eggs well +beaten. Let all be well incorporated by hard beating. + +Have ready in a frying-pan an equal proportion of lard and fresh +butter. Hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot, and then put in +portions of the mixture as nearly as possible in shape and size like +fried oysters. Fry them brown, and send them to table hot. They should +be near an inch thick. + +This is an excellent relish at breakfast, and may be introduced as a +side dish at dinner. In taste it has a singular resemblance to fried +oysters. The corn must be young. + +STEWED EGG PLANT. + +The purple egg plants are better than the white ones. Put them whole +into a pot with plenty of water, and simmer them till quite tender. +Then take them out, drain them, and (having peeled off the skins) cut +them up, and mash them smooth in a deep dish. Mix with them some grated +bread, some powdered sweet marjoram, and a large piece of butter, +adding a few pounded cloves. Grate a layer of bread over the top, and +put the dish into the oven and brown it. You must send it to table in +the same dish. + +Eggplant is sometimes eaten at dinner, but generally at breakfast. + +TO FRY EGG PLANT. + +Do not pare your egg plants if they are to be fried, but slice them +about half an inch thick, and lay them an hour or two in salt and water +to remove their strong taste, which to most persons is very unpleasant. +Then take them out, wipe them, and season them, with pepper only. Beat +some yolk of egg; and in another dish grate a sufficiency of +bread-crumbs. Have ready in a frying-pan some lard and batter mixed, +and make it boil. Then dip each slice of egg plant first in the egg, +and then in the crumbs, till both sides are well covered; and fry them +brown, taking care to have them done all through, as the least rawness +renders them very unpalatable. + +STUFFED EGG PLANTS. + +Parboil them to take off their bitterness. Then slit each one down the +side, and extract the seeds. Have ready a stuffing made of grated +bread-crumbs, butter, minced sweet herbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and +beaten yolk of egg. Fill with it the cavity from whence you took the +seeds, and bake the egg plants in a Dutch oven. Serve them up with a +made gravy poured into the dish. + +FRIED CUCUMBERS. + +Having pared your cucumbers, cut them lengthways into pieces about as +thick as a dollar. Then dry them in a cloth. Season them with pepper +and salt, and sprinkle them thick with flour. Melt some butter in a +frying-pan, and when it boils, put in the slices of cucumber, and fry +them of a light brown. Send them to table hot. + +They make a breakfast dish.. + +TO DRESS CUCUMBERS RAW. + +They should be as fresh from the vine as possible, few vegetables being +more unwholesome when long gathered. As soon as they are brought in lay +them in cold water. Just before they are to go to table take them out, +pare them and slice them into a pan of fresh cold water. When they are +all sliced, transfer them to a deep dish, season them with a little +salt and black pepper, and pour over them some of the best vinegar, to +which you may add a little salad oil. You may mix with them a small +quantity of sliced onion; not to be eaten, but to communicate a slight +flavour of onion to the vinegar. + +SALSIFY. + +Having scraped the salsify roots, and washed them in cold water, +parboil them. Then take them out, drain them, cut them into large +pieces and fry them in butter. + +Salsify is frequently stewed slowly till quite tender, and then served +up with melted butter. Or it may be first boiled, then grated, and made +into cakes to be fried in butter. + +Salsify must not be left exposed to the air, or it will turn blackish. + +ARTICHOKES. + +Strip off the coarse outer leaves, and cut off the stalks close to the +bottom. Wash the artichokes well, and let them lie two or three hours +in cold water. Put them with their heads downward into a pot of boiling +water, keeping them down by a plate floated over them. They must boil +steadily from two to three hours; take care to replenish the pot with +additional boiling water as it is wanted. When they are tender all +through, drain them, and serve them up with melted butter. + +BEETS. + +Wash the beets, but do not scrape or cut them while they are raw; for +if a knife enters them before they are boiled they will lose their +colour. Boil them from two to three hours, according to their size. +When they are tender all through, take them up, and scrape off all the +outside. If they are young beets they are best split down and cut into +long pieces, seasoned with pepper, and sent to table with melted +butter. Otherwise you may slice them thin, after they are quite cold, +and pour vinegar over them. + +TO STEW BEETS. + +Boil them first, and then scrape and slice them. Put them into a +stew-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, some boiled onion and +parsley chopped fine, and a little vinegar, salt and pepper. Set the +pan on hot coals, and let the beets stew for a quarter of an hour. + +TO BOIL GREEN OR FRENCH BEANS. + +These beans should be young, tender, and fresh gathered. Remove the +strings with a knife, and take off both ends of the bean. Then cut them +in two or three pieces only; for if split or cut very small, they +become watery and lose much of their taste. They look best when cut +slanting. As you cut them, throw them into a pan of cold water, and let +them lay awhile. Boil them an hour and a half. They must be perfectly +tender before you take them up. Then drain and press them well, season +them with pepper, and mix into them a piece of butter. + +SCARLET BEANS. + +It is not generally known that the pod of the scarlet bean, if green +and young, is extremely nice when cut into three or four pieces and +boiled. They will require near two hours, and must be drained well, and +mixed as before mentioned with butter and pepper. If gathered at the +proper time, when the seed is just perceptible, they are superior to +any of the common beans. + +LIMA BEANS. + +These are generally considered the finest of all beans, and should be +gathered young. Shell them, lay them in a pan of cold water, and then +boil them about two hours, or till they are quite soft. Drain them +well, and add to them some butter and a little pepper. + +They are destroyed by the first frost, but can be kept during the +winter, by gathering them on a dry day when full grown but not the +least hard, and putting them in their pods into a keg. Throw some salt +into the bottom of the keg, and cover it with a layer of the bean-pods; +then add more salt, and then another layer of beans, till the keg is +full. Press them down with a heavy weight, cover the keg closely, and +keep it in a cool dry place. Before you use them, soak the pods all +night in cold water; the next day shell them, and soak the beans till +you are ready to boil them. + +DRIED BEANS. + +Wash them and lay them in soak over night. Early in the morning put +them into a pot with plenty of water, and boil them slowly till dinner +time. They will require seven or eight hours to be sufficiently done. +Then take them off, put them into a sieve, and strain off the liquid. + +Send the beans to table in a deep dish, seasoned with pepper, and +having a piece of butter mixed with them. + +GREEN PEAS. + +Green peas are unfit for eating after they become hard and yellowish; +but they are better when nearly full grown than when very small and +young. They should be gathered as short a time as possible before they +are cooked, and laid in cold water as soon as they are shelled. They +will require about an hour to boil soft. When quite done, drain them, +mix with them a piece of butter, and add a little pepper. + +Peas may be greatly improved by boiling with them two or three lumps of +loaf-sugar, and a sprig of mint to be taken out before they are dished. +This is an English way of cooking green peas, and is to most tastes a +very good one. + +TO BOIL ONIONS. + +Take off the tops and tails, and the thin outer skin; but no more lest +the onions should go to pieces. Lay them on the bottom of a pan which +is broad enough to contain them without piling one on another; just +cover them with water, and let them simmer slowly till they are tender +all through, but not till they break. + +Serve them up with melted butter. + +TO ROAST ONIONS. + +Onions are best when parboiled before roasting. Take large onions, +place them on a hot hearth and roast them before the fire in their +skins, turning them as they require it. Then peel them, send them to +table whole, and eat them with butter and salt. + +TO FRY ONIONS. + +Peel, slice them, and fry them brown in butter or nice dripping. + +Onions should be kept in a very dry place, as dampness injures them. + +TO BOIL ASPARAGUS. + +Large or full grown asparagus is the best. Before you begin to prepare +it for cooking, set on the fire a pot with plenty of water, and +sprinkle into it a handful of salt. Your asparagus should be all of the +same size. Scrape the stalks till they are perfectly nice and white; +cut them all of equal length, and short, so as to leave them but two or +three inches below the green part. To serve up asparagus with long +stalks is now becoming obsolete. As you scrape them, throw them into a +pan of cold water. Then tie them up in small bundles with bass or tape, +as twine will cut them to pieces. When the water is boiling fast, put +in the asparagus, and boil it an hour; if old it will require an hour +and a quarter. When it is nearly done boiling, toast a large slice of +bread sufficient to cover the dish (first cutting off the crust) and +dip it into the asparagus water in the pot. Lay it in a dish, and, +having drained the asparagus, place it on the toast with all the heads +pointed inwards towards the centre, and the stalks spreading outwards. +Serve up melted butter with it. + +SEA KALE. + +Sea kale is prepared, boiled, and served up in the same manner as +asparagus. + +POKE. + +The young stalks and leaves of the poke-berry plant when quite small +and first beginning to sprout up from the ground in the spring, are by +most persons considered very nice, and are frequently brought to +market. If the least too old they acquire a strong taste, and should +not be eaten, as they then become unwholesome. They are in a proper +state when the part of the stalk nearest to the ground is not thicker +than small asparagus. Scrape the stalks, (letting the leaves remain on +them,) and throw them into cold water. Then tie up the poke in bundles, +put it into a pot that has plenty of boiling water, and let it boil +fast an hour at least. Serve it up with or without toast, and send +melted butter with, it in a boat. + +STEWED TOMATAS. + +Peel your tomatas, cut them in half and squeeze out the seeds. Then put +them into a stew-pan without any water, and add to them cayenne and +salt to your taste, (and if you choose,) a little minced onion, and +some powdered mace, Stew them slowly till they are first dissolved and +then dry. + +BAKED TOMATAS + +Peel some large fine tomatas, cut them up, and take out the seeds. Then +put them into a deep dish in alternate layers with grated bread-crumbs, +and a very little butter in small bits. There must be a large +proportion of bread-crumbs. Season the whole with a little salt, and +cayenne pepper. Set it in an oven, and bake it. In cooking tomatas, +take care not to have them too liquid. + +MUSHROOMS. + +Good mushrooms are only found in clear open fields where the air is +pure and unconfined. Those that grow in low damp ground, or in shady +places, are always poisonous. Mushrooms of the proper sort generally +appear in August and September, after a heavy dew or a misty night. +They may be known by their being of a pale pink or salmon colour on the +gills or under side, while the top is of a dull pearl-coloured white; +and by their growing only in open places. When they are a day old, or a +few hours after they are gathered, the reddish colour changes to brown. + +The poisonous or false mushrooms are of various colours, sometimes of a +bright yellow or scarlet all over; sometimes entirely of a chalky white +stalk, top, and gills. + +It is easy to detect a bad mushroom if all are quite fresh; but after +being gathered a few hours the colours change, so that unpractised +persons frequently mistake them. + +It is said that if you boil an onion among mushrooms the onion will +turn of a bluish black when there is a bad one among them. Of course, +the whole should then be thrown into the fire. If in stirring +mushrooms, the colour of the silver spoon is changed, it is also most +prudent to destroy them all. + +TO STEW MUSHROOMS. + +For this purpose the small button mushrooms are best. Wash them clean, +peel off the skin, and cut off the stalks. Put the trimmings into a +small sauce-pan with just enough water to keep them from burning, and, +covering them closely, let them stew a quarter of an hour. Then strain +the liquor, and having put the mushrooms into a clean sauce-pan, (a +silver one, or one lined with porcelain,) add the liquid to them with a +little nutmeg, pepper and salt, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. +Stew them fifteen minutes, and just before you take them up, stir in a +very little cream or rich milk and some beaten yolk of egg. Serve them +hot. While they are cooking, keep the pan as closely covered as +possible. + +If you wish to have the full taste of the mushroom only, after washing, +trimming, and peeling them, put them into a stew-pan with a little salt +and no water. Set them on coals, and stew them slowly till tender, +adding nothing to them but a little butter rolled in flour, or else a +little cream. Be sure to keep the pan well covered. + +BROILED MUSHROOMS. + +For this purpose take large mushrooms, and be careful to have them +freshly gathered. Peel them, score the under side, and cut off the +stems. Lay them one by one in an earthen pan, brushing them over with +sweet oil or oiled butter, and sprinkling each with a little pepper and +salt. Cover them closely, and let them set for about an hour and a +half. Then place them on a gridiron over clear hot coals, and broil +them on both sides. + +Make a gravy for them of their trimmings stewed in a very little water, +strained and thickened with a beaten egg stirred in just before it goes +to table. + +BOILED RICE. + +Pick your rice clean, and wash it in two cold waters, not draining off +the last water till you are ready to put the rice on the fire. Prepare +a sauce-pan of water with a little salt in it, and when it boils, +sprinkle in the rice. Boil it hard twenty minutes, keeping it covered. +Then take it from the fire, and pour off the water. Afterwards set the +sauce-pan in the chimney-corner with the lid off, while you are dishing +your dinner, to allow the rice to dry, and the grains to separate. + +Rice, if properly boiled, should be soft and white, and every grain +ought to stand alone. If badly managed, it will, when brought to table, +be a grayish watery mass. + +In most southern families, rice, is boiled every day for the dinner +table, and eaten with the meat and poultry. + +The above is a Carolina receipt. + +TO DRESS LETTUCE AS SALAD. + +Strip off the outer leaves, wash the lettuce, split it in half, and lay +it in cold water till dinner time. Then drain it and put it into a +salad dish. Have ready two eggs boiled hard, (which they will be in +twelve minutes,) and laid in a basin of cold water for five minutes to +prevent the whites from turning blue. Cut them in half, and lay them on +the lettuce. + +Put the yolks of the eggs on a large plate, and with a wooden spoon +mash them smooth, mixing with them a table-spoonful of water, and two +table-spoonfuls of sweet oil. Then add, by degrees, a salt-spoonful of +salt, a tea-spoonful of mustard, and a tea-spoonful of powdered +loaf-sugar. When these are all smoothly united, add very gradually +three table-spoonfuls of vinegar. The lettuce having been cut up fine +on another plate, put it to the dressing, and mix it well. + +If you have the dressing for salad made before a dinner, put it into +the bottom of the salad dish; then (having cut it up) lay the salad +upon it, and let it rest till it is to be eaten, as stirring it will +injure it. + +You may decorate the top of the salad with slices of red beet, and with +the hard white of the eggs cut into rings. + +CELERY. + +Scrape and wash it well, and let it lie in cold water till shortly +before it goes to table; then dry it in a cloth, trim it, and split +down the stalks almost to the bottom, leaving on a few green leaves. +Send it to table in a celery glass, and eat it with salt only; or chop +it fine, and make a salad dressing for it. + +RADISHES. + +To prepare radishes for eating, wash them and lay them in clean cold +water as soon as they are brought in. Shortly before they go to table, +scrape off the thin outside skin, trim the sharp end, cut off the +leaves at the top, leaving the stalks about an inch long, and put them +on a small dish. Eat them with salt. + +Radishes should not be eaten the day after they are pulled, as they are +extremely unwholesome if not quite fresh. + +The thick white radishes, after being scraped and trimmed, should be +split or cleft in four, half way down from the top. + +TO ROAST CHESTNUTS. + +The large Spanish chestnuts are the best for roasting. Cut a slit in +the shell of every one to prevent their bursting when hot. Put them +into a pan, and set them over a charcoal furnace till they are +thoroughly roasted; stirring them up frequently and taking care hot to +let them burn. When they are done, peel off the shells, and send the +chestnuts to table wrapped up in a napkin to keep them warm. + +Chestnuts should always be roasted or boiled before they are eaten. + +GROUND-NUTS. + +These nuts are never eaten raw. Put them, with their shells on, into an +iron pan, and set them in an oven; or you may do them in a skillet on +hot coals. A large quantity may be roasted in an iron pot over the +fire. Stir them frequently, taking one out from time to time, and +breaking it to try if they are done. + + + + +EGGS, ETC. + + +TO KEEP EGGS. + +There is no infallible mode of ascertaining the freshness of an egg +before you break it, but unless an egg is perfectly good, it is unfit +for any purpose whatever, and will spoil whatever it is mixed with. You +may judge with tolerable accuracy of the state of an egg by holding it +against the sun or the candle, and if the yolk, as you see it through +the shell, appears round, and the white thin and clear, it is most +probably a good one; but if the yolk looks broken, and the white thick +and cloudy, the egg is certainly bad. You may try the freshness of eggs +by putting them into a pan of cold water. Those that sink the soonest +are the freshest; those that are stale or addled will float on the +surface. + +There are various ways of preserving eggs. To keep them merely for +plain boiling, you may parboil them for one minute, and then bury them +in powdered charcoal with their small ends downward. They will keep a +few days in ajar of salt; but do not afterwards use the salt in which +they have been immersed. + +They are frequently preserved for two or three months by greasing them +all over, when quite fresh, with melted mutton suet, and then wedging +them close together (the small end downwards) in a box of bran, layer +above layer; the box must be closely covered. + +Another way (and a very good one) is to put some lime in a large +vessel, and slack it with boiling water, till it is of the consistence +of thin cream; you may allow a gallon of water to a pound of lime. When +it is cold, pour it off into a large stone jar, put in the eggs, and +cover the jar closely. See that the eggs are always well covered with +the lime-water, and lest they should break, avoid moving the jar. If +you have hens of your own, keep a jar of lime-water always ready, and +put in the eggs as they are brought in from the nests. Jars that hold +about six quarts are the most convenient. + +It will be well to renew the lime-water occasionally. + +TO BOIL EGGS FOR BREAKFAST. + +The fresher they are the longer time they will require for boiling. If +you wish them quite soft, put them into a sauce-pan of water that is +boiling hard at the moment, and let them remain in it five minutes. The +longer they boil the harder they will be. In ten minutes’ fast boiling +they will be hard enough for salad. + +If you use one of the tin egg-boilers that are placed on the table, see +that the water is boiling hard at the time you put in the eggs. When +they have been in about four or five minutes, take them out, pour off +the water, and replace it by some more that is boiling hard; as, from +the coldness of the eggs having chilled the first water, they will not +otherwise be done enough. The boiler may then be placed on the table, +(keeping the lid closed,) and in a few minutes more they will be +sufficiently cooked to be wholesome. + +TO POACH EGGS. + +Pour some boiling water out of a tea kettle through a clean cloth +spread over the top of a broad stew-pan; for by observing this process +the eggs will be nicer and more easily done than when its impurities +remain in the water. Set the pan with the strained water on hot coals, +and when it boils break each egg separately into a saucer. Remove the +pan from the fire, and slip the eggs one by one into the surface of the +water. Let the pan stand till the white of the eggs is set; then place +it again on the coals, and as soon as the water boils again, the eggs +will be sufficiently done. Take them out carefully with an egg-slice, +and trim off all the ragged edges from the white, which should thinly +cover the yolk. Have ready some thin slices of buttered toast with the +crust cut off. Lay them in the bottom of the dish, with a poached egg +on each slice of toast, and send them to the breakfast table. + +FRICASSEED EGGS. + +Take a dozen eggs, and boil them six or seven minutes, or till they are +just hard enough to peel and slice without breaking. Then put them into +a pan of cold water while you prepare some grated bread-crumbs, +(seasoned with pepper, salt and nutmeg,) and beat the yolks of two or +three raw eggs very light. Take the boiled eggs out of the water, and +having peeled off the shells, slice the eggs, dust a little flour over +them, and dip them first into the beaten egg, and then into the +bread-crumbs so as to cover them well on both sides. Have ready in a +frying-pan some boiling lard; put the sliced eggs into it, and fry them +on both sides. Serve them up at the breakfast table, garnished with +small sprigs of parsley that has been fried in the same lard after the +eggs were taken out. + +PLAIN OMELET. + +Take six eggs, leaving out the whites of two. Beat them very light, and +strain them through a sieve. Add pepper and salt to your taste. Divide +two ounces of fresh butter into little bits, and put it into the egg. +Have ready a quarter of a pound of butter in a frying-pan, or a flat +stew-pan. Place it on hot coals, and have the butter boiling when you +put in the beaten egg. Fry it gently till of a light brown on the under +side. Do not turn it while cooking as it will do better without. You +may brown the top by holding a hot shovel over it. When done, lay it in +the dish, double it in half, and stick sprigs of curled parsley over +it. + +You may flavour the omelet by mixing with the beaten egg some parsley +or sweet herbs minced fine, some chopped celery, or chopped onion, +allowing two moderate sized onions to an omelet of six eggs. Or what is +still better, it may be seasoned with veal kidney or sweet-bread +minced; with cold ham shred as fine as possible; or with minced +oysters, (the hard part omitted,) with tops of asparagus (that has been +previously boiled) cut into small pieces. + +You should have one of the pans that are made purposely for omelets. + +AN OMELETTE SOUFFLÉ. + +Break eight eggs, separate the whites from the yolks, and strain them. +Put the whites into one pan, and the yolks into another, and beat them +separately with rods till the yolks are very thick and smooth, and the +whites a stiff froth that will stand alone. Then add gradually to the +yolks, three quarters of a pound of the finest powdered loaf-sugar, and +orange-flower water or lemon-juice to your taste. Next stir the whites +lightly into the yolks. Butter a deep pan or dish (that has been +previously heated) and pour the mixture rapidly into it. Set it in a +Butch oven with coals under it, and on the top, and bake it five +minutes. If properly beaten and mixed, and carefully baked, it will +rise very high. Send it immediately to table, or it will fall and +flatten. + +Do not begin to make an omelette soufflé till the company at table have +commenced their dinner, that it may be ready to serve up just in time, +immediately on the removal of the meats. The whole must be accomplished +as quickly as possible, and it must be cut and sent round directly that +it is brought to table. + +If you live in a large town, the safest way of avoiding a failure in an +omelette soufflé is to hire a French cook to come to your kitchen with +his own utensils and ingredients, and make and bake it himself, while +the first part of the dinner is progressing in the dining room. + +An omelette soufflé is a very nice and delicate thing when properly +managed; but if flat and heavy it should not be brought to table. + +TO DRESS MACCARONI. + +Have ready a pot of boiling water. Throw a little salt into it, and +then by slow degrees put in a pound of the maccaroni, a little at a +time. Keep stirring it gently, and continue to do so very often while +boiling. Take care to keep it well covered with water. Have ready a +kettle of boiling water to replenish the maccaroni pot if it should be +in danger of getting too dry. In about twenty minutes it will be done. +It must be quite soft, but it must not boil long enough to break. + +When the maccaroni has boiled sufficiently, pour in immediately a +little cold water, and let it stand a few minutes, keeping it covered. + +Grate half a pound of Parmesan cheese into a deep dish, and scatter +over it a few small bits of butter. Then with a skimmer that is +perforated with holes, commence taking up the maccaroni, (draining it +well,) and spread a layer of it over the cheese and butter. Spread over +it another layer of grated cheese and butter, and then a layer of +maccaroni and so on till your dish is full; having a layer of maccaroni +on the top, over which spread some butter without cheese. Cover the +dish, and set it in an oven for half an hour. It will then be ready to +send to table. + +You may grate some nutmeg over each, layer of maccaroni. + +Allow half a pound of butter to a pound of maccaroni and half a pound +of cheese. + + + + +PICKLING + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +Never on any consideration use brass, copper, or bell-metal settles for +pickling; the verdigris produced in them by the vinegar being of a most +poisonous nature. Kettles lined with porcelain are the best, but if you +cannot procure them, block tin may be substituted. Iron is apt to +discolour any acid that is boiled in it. + +Vinegar for pickles should always be of the very best kind. In putting +away pickles, use stone, or glass jars. The lead which is an ingredient +in the glazing of common earthenware, is rendered very pernicious by +the action of the vinegar. Have a large wooden spoon and a fork, for +the express purpose of taking pickles out of the jar when you want them +for the table. See that, while in the jar, they are always completely +covered with vinegar. If you discern in them any symptoms of not +keeping well, do them over again in fresh vinegar and spice. + +Vinegar for pickles should only boil five or six minutes. + +The jars should be stopped with large flat corks, fitting closely, and +having a leather or a round piece of oil-cloth tied over the cork. + +It is a good rule to have two-thirds of the jar filled with pickles, +and one-third with vinegar. + +Alum is very useful in extracting the salt taste from pickles, and in +making them firm and crisp. A very small quantity is sufficient. Too +much will spoil them. + +In greening pickles keep them very closely covered, so that none of the +steam may escape; as its retention promotes their greenness and +prevents the flavour from evaporating. + +Vinegar and spice for pickles should be boiled but a few minutes. Too +much boiling takes away the strength. + +TO PICKLE CUCUMBERS. + +Cucumbers for pickling should be very small, and as free from spots as +possible. Make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear an egg. +Pour it over your cucumbers, cover them with fresh cabbage leaves, and +let them stand for a week, or till they are quite yellow, stirring them +at least twice a day. When they are perfectly yellow, pour off the +water. Take a porcelain kettle, and cover the bottom and sides with +fresh vine leaves. Put in the cucumbers (with a small piece of alum) +and cover them closely with vine leaves all over the top, and then with +a dish or cloth to keep in the steam. Fill up the kettle with clear +water, and hang it over the fire when dinner is done, but not where +there is a blaze. The fire under the kettle must be kept very moderate. +The water must not boil, or be too hot to bear your hand in. Keep them +over the fire in a slow heat till next morning. If they are not then of +a fine green, repeat the process. When they are well greened, take them +out of the kettle, drain them on a sieve, and put them into a clean +stone jar. Boil for five or six minutes sufficient of the best vinegar +to cover the cucumbers well; putting into the kettle a thin muslin bag +filled with cloves, mace, and mustard seed. Pour the vinegar scalding +hot into the jar of pickles, which should be secured with a large flat +cork, and an oil-cloth or leather cover tied over it. Another way to +green pickles is to cover them with vine leaves or cabbage leaves, and +to keep them on a warm, hearth pouring boiling water on them five or +six times a day; renewing the water as soon as it becomes cold. + +In proportioning the spice to the vinegar, allow to every two quarts, +an ounce of mace, two dozen cloves, and two ounces of mustard seed. You +may leave the muslin bag, with the spice, for about a week in the +pickle jar to heighten the flavour, if you think it necessary. + +GREEN PEPPERS. + +May be done in the same manner as cucumbers, only extracting the seeds +before you put the pickles into the salt and water. Do not put peppers +into the same jar with cucumbers, as the former will destroy the +latter. + +GHERKINS. + +The gherkin is a small thick oval-shaped species of cucumber with a +hairy or prickly surface, and is cultivated solely for pickling. It is +customary to let the stems remain on them. Wipe them dry, put them into +a broad stone jar, and scald them five or six times in the course of +the day with salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and let them +set all night. This will make them yellow. Next day, having drained +them from the salt and water, throw it out, wipe them dry, put them +into a clean vessel (with a little piece of alum,) and scald them with +boiling vinegar and water, (half and half of each,) repeating it +frequently during the day till they are green. Keep them as closely +covered as possible. Then put them away in stone jars, mixing among +them whole mace and sliced ginger to your taste. Fill up with cold +vinegar, and add a little alum, allowing to every hundred gherkins a +piece about the size of a shelled almond. The alum will make them firm +and crisp. + +RADISH PODS. + +Gather sprigs or bunches of radish pods while they are young and +tender, but let the pods remain on the sprigs; it not being the custom +to pick them off. Put them into strong salt and water, and let them +stand two days. Then drain and wipe them and put them into a clean +stone jar. Boil an equal quantity of vinegar and water. Pour it over +the radish pods while hot, and cover them closely to keep in the steam. +Repeat this frequently through the day till they are very green. Then +pour off the vinegar and water, and boil for five minutes some very +strong vinegar, with a little bit of alum, and pour it over them. Put +them into a stone jar, (and having added some whole mace, whole pepper, +a little tumeric and a little sweet oil,) cork it closely, and tie over +it a leather or oil-cloth. + +GREEN BEANS. + +Take young green or French beans; string them, but do not cut them in +pieces. Pat them in salt and water for two days, stirring them +frequently. Then put them into a kettle with vine or cabbage leaves +under, over, and all round them, (adding a little piece of alum.) Cover +them closely to keep in the steam, and let them hang over a slow fire +till they are a fine green. + +Having drained them in a sieve, make for them a pickle of strong +vinegar, and boil in it for five minutes, some mace, whole pepper, and +sliced ginger tied up in a thin muslin bag. Pour it hot upon the beans, +put them into a stone jar, and tie them up. + +PARSLEY. + +Make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and throw +into it a large quantity of curled parsley, tied up in little bunches +with a thread. After it has stood a week (stirring it several times a +day) take it out, drain it well, and lay it for three days in cold +spring or pump-water, changing the water daily. Then scald it in hard +water, and hang it, well covered, over a slow fire till it becomes +green. Afterwards take it out, and drain and press it till quite dry. + +Boil for five minutes a quart of strong vinegar with a small bit of +alum, a few blades of mace, a sliced nutmeg, and a few slips of +horseradish. Pour it on the parsley, and put it away in a stone jar. + +MANGOES. + +Take very young oval shaped musk-melons. Cut a round piece out of the +top or side of each, (saving the piece to put on again,) and extract +the seeds. Then (having tied on the pieces with packthread) put them +into strong salt and water for two days. Afterwards drain and wipe +them, put them into a kettle with vine leaves or cabbage leaves under +and over them, and a little piece of alum, and hang them on a slow fire +to green; keeping them closely covered to retain the steam, which will +greatly accelerate the greening. When they are quite green, have ready +the stuffing, which must be a mixture of scraped horseradish, white +mustard seed, mace and nutmeg pounded, race ginger cut small, pepper, +tumeric and sweet oil. Fill your mangoes with this mixture, putting a +small clove of garlic into each, and replacing the pieces at the +openings; tie them with a packthread crossing backwards and forwards +round the mango. Put them into stone jars, pour boiling vinegar over +them, and cover them well. Before you put them on the table remove the +packthread. + +NASTURTIANS. + +Have ready a stone or glass jar of the best cold vinegar. Take the +green seeds of the nasturtian after the flower has gone off. They +should be full-grown but not old. Pick off the stems, and put the seeds +into the vinegar. No other preparation is necessary, and they will keep +a year with nothing more than sufficient cold vinegar to cover them. +With boiled mutton they are an excellent substitute for capers. + +MORELLA CHERRIES. + +See that all your cherries are perfect. Remove the stems, and put the +cherries into a jar or glass with sufficient vinegar to cover them +well. They will keep perfectly in a cool dry place. + +They are very good, always retaining the taste of the cherry. If you +cannot procure morellas, the large red pie-cherries may be substituted. + +PEACHES. + +Take, fine large peaches (either cling or free stones) that are not too +ripe. Wipe off the down with a clean flannel, and put the peaches whole +into a stone jar. Cover them with cold vinegar of the best kind, in +which you have dissolved a little of salt, allowing a table-spoonful to +a quart of vinegar. Put a cork in the jar and tie leather or oil-cloth +over it. + +Plums and grapes may be pickled thus in cold vinegar, but without salt. + +BARBERRIES. + +Have ready a jar of cold vinegar, and put into it ripe barberries in +bunches. They make a pretty garnish for the edges of dishes. + +TO PICKLE GREEN PEPPERS. + +The bell pepper is the best for pickling, and should be gathered when +quite young. Slit one side, and carefully take out the core, so as not +to injure the shell of the pepper. Then put them into boiling salt and +water, changing the water every day for one week, and keeping them +closely covered in a warm place near the fire. Stir them several times +a day. They will first become yellow, and then green. When they are a +fine green put them into a jar, and pour cold vinegar over them, adding +a small piece of alum. + +They require no spice. + +You may stuff the peppers as you do mangoes. + +TO PICKLE BUTTERNUTS. + +These nuts are in the best state for pickling when the shell is soft, +and when they are so young that the outer skin can be penetrated by the +head of a pin. They should be gathered when the sun is hot upon them. + +If you have a large quantity, the easiest way to prepare them for +pickling is to put them into a tub with sufficient lye to cover them, +and to stir and rub them about with a hickory broom, till they are +clean and smooth on the outside. This is much less trouble than +scraping them, and is not so likely to injure the nuts. Another method +is to scald them, and then to rub off the outer skin. Put the nuts into +strong salt and water for nine or ten days; changing the water every +other day, and keeping them closely covered from the air. Then drain +and wipe them, (piercing each nut through in several places with a +large needle,) and prepare the pickle as follows:—For a hundred large +nuts, take of black pepper and ginger root of each an ounce; and of +cloves, mace and nutmeg of each a half ounce. Pound all the spices to +powder, and mix them well together, adding two large spoonfuls of +mustard seed. Put the nuts into jars, (having first stuck each of them +through in several places with a large needle,) strewing the powdered +seasoning between every layer of nuts. Boil for five minutes a gallon +of the best white wine vinegar, and pour it boiling hot upon the nuts. +Secure the jars closely with corks and leathers. You may begin to eat +the nuts in a fortnight. + +Walnuts may be pickled in the same manner. + +TO PICKLE WALNUTS BLACK. + +The walnuts should he gathered while young and soft, (so that you can +easily run a pin through them,) and when the sun is upon them. Rub them +with a coarse flannel or tow cloth to get off the fur of the outside. +Mix salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and let them lie in it +nine days, (changing it every two days,) and stirring them, frequently. +Then take them out, drain them, spread them on large dishes, and expose +them to the air about ten minutes, which will cause them to blacken the +sooner. Scald them in boiling water, (but do not let them lie in it,) +and then rub them with a coarse woollen cloth, and pierce everyone +through in several places with a large needle, (that the pickle may +penetrate them thoroughly.) Put them into stone jars, and prepare the +spice and vinegar. To a hundred walnuts allow a gallon of vinegar, an +ounce of cloves, an ounce of allspice, an ounce of black pepper, half +an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of nutmeg. Boil the spice in the +vinegar for five or six minutes; then, strain the vinegar, and pour it +boiling hot over the walnuts. Tie up in a thin muslin rag, a tea-cupful +of mustard seed, and a large table-spoonful of scraped horseradish, and +put it into the jars with the walnuts. Cover them closely with corks +and leathers. + +Another way of pickling walnuts black, is (after preparing them as +above) to put them into jars with the spices pounded and strewed among +them, and then to pour over them strong cold vinegar. + +WALNUTS PICKLED WHITE. + +Take large young walnuts while their shells are quite soft so that you +can stick the head of a pin into them. Pare them very thin till the +white appears; and as you do them, throw them into spring or pump water +in which some salt has been dissolved. Let them stand in that water six +hours, with a thin board upon them to keep them down under the water. +Fill a porcelain kettle with fresh spring water, and set it over a +clear fire, or on a charcoal furnace. Put the walnuts into the kettle, +cover it, and let them simmer (but not boil) for five or six minutes. +Then have ready a vessel with cold spring water and salt, and put your +nuts into it, taking them out of the kettle with a wooden ladle. Let +them stand in the cold salt and water for a quarter of an hour, with +the board keeping them down as before; for if they rise above the +liquor, or are exposed to the air, they will be discoloured. Then take, +them out, and lay them on a cloth covered with another, till they are +quite dry. Afterwards rub them carefully with a soft flannel, and put +them into a stone jar; laying among them blades of mace, and sliced +nutmeg, but no dark-coloured spice. Pour over them the best distilled +vinegar, and put on the top a table-spoonful of sweet oil. + +WALNUTS PICKLED GREEN. + +Gather them while the shells are very soft, and rub them all with a +flannel. Then wrap them singly in vine leaves, lay a few vine leaves in +the bottom of a large stone jar, put in the walnuts, (seeing that each +of them is well wrapped up so as not to touch one another,) and cover +them with a thick layer of leaves. Fill up the jar with strong vinegar, +cover it closely, and let it stand three weeks. Then pour off the +vinegar, take out the walnuts, renew all the vine leaves, fill up with +fresh vinegar, and let them stand three weeks longer. Then again pour +off the vinegar, and renew the vine leaves. This time take the best +white wine vinegar; put salt in it till it will bear an egg, and add to +it mace, sliced nutmeg, and scraped horseradish, in the proportion of +an ounce of each and a gallon of vinegar to a hundred walnuts. Boil the +spice and vinegar about eight minutes, and then pour it hot on the +walnuts. Cover the jar closely with a cork and leather, and set it +away, leaving the vine leaves with the walnuts. When you take any out +for use, disturb the others as little as possible, and do not put back +again any that may be left. + +You may pickle butternuts green in the same manner. + +TO PICKLE ONIONS. + +Take very small onions, and with a sharp knife cut off the stems as +close as possible, and peel off the outer skin. Then put them into salt +and water, and let them stand in the brine for six days; stirring them +daily, and changing the salt and water every two days. See that they +are closely covered. Then put the onions into jars, and give them a +scald in boiling salt and water. Let them stand till they are cold; +then drain them on a sieve, wipe them, stick a clove in the top of each +and put them into wide-mouthed bottles; dispersing among them some +blades of mace and slices of ginger or nutmeg. Fill up the bottles with +the best white wine vinegar, and put at the top a large spoonful of +salad oil. Cork the bottles well. + +ONIONS PICKLED WHITE. + +Peel some very small white onions, and lay them for three days in salt +and water changing the water every day. Then wipe them, and put them +into a porcelain kettle with equal quantities of milk and water, +sufficient to cover them well. Simmer them over a slow fire, but when +just ready to boil take them off, and drain and dry them, and put them +into wide-mouthed glass bottles; interspersing them with blades of +mace. Boil a sufficient quantity of distilled white wine vinegar to +cover them and fill up the bottles, adding to it a little salt; and +when it is cold, pour it into the bottles of onions. At the top of each +bottle put a spoonful of sweet oil. Set them away closely corked. + +TO PICKLE MUSHROOMS WHITE. + +Take small fresh-gathered button mushrooms, peel them carefully with a +penknife, and cut off the stems; throwing the mushrooms into salt and +water as you do them. Then put them into a porcelain skillet of fresh +water, cover it closely, and set it over a quick fire. Boil it as fast +as possible for seven or eight minutes, not more. Take out the +mushrooms, drain them, and spread them on a clean board, with the +bottom or hollow side of each mushroom turned downwards. Do this as +quickly as possible, and immediately, while they are hot, sprinkle them +over with salt. When they are cold, put them into a glass jar with +slight layers of mace and sliced ginger. Fill up the jar with cold +distilled or white wine vinegar. Put a spoonful of sweet oil on the top +of each jar, and cork it closely. + +MUSHROOMS PICKLED BROWN. + +Take a quart of large mushrooms and (having trimmed off the stalks) rub +them with a flannel cloth dipped in salt. Then lay them in a pan of +allegar or ale vinegar, for a quarter of an hour, and wash them about +in it. Then pat them into a sauce-pan with a quart of allegar, a +quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of allspice and whole pepper, +and a tea-spoonful of salt. Set the pan over coals, and let the +mushrooms stew slowly for ten minutes, keeping the pan well covered. +Then take them off, let them get cold by degrees, and put them into +small bottles with the allegar strained from the spice and poured upon +them. + +It will be prudent to boil an onion with the mushrooms, and if it turns +black or blueish, you may infer that there is a poisonous one among +them; and they should therefore be thrown away. Stir them for the same +reason, with a silver spoon. + +TO PICKLE TOMATAS. + +Take a peck of tomatas, (the small round ones are best for pickling,) +and prick every one with a fork. Put them into a broad stone or earthen +vessel, and sprinkle salt between every layer of tomatas. Cover them, +and let them remain three days in the salt. Then put them into vinegar +and water mixed in equal quantities, half and half, and keep them in it +twenty-four hours to draw out the saltness. There must be sufficient of +the liquid to cover the tomatas well. + +To a peck of tomatas allow a bottle of mustard, half an ounce of +cloves, and half an ounce of pepper, with a dozen onions sliced thin. +Pack the tomatas in a stone jar, placing the spices and onions +alternately with the layers of tomatas. Put them in till the jar is +two-thirds fall. Then fill it up with strong cold vinegar, and stop it +closely. The pickles will be fit to eat in a fortnight. + +If you do not like onions, substitute for them a larger quantity of +spice. + +TOMATA SOY. + +For this purpose you must have the best and ripest tomatas, and they +must be gathered on a dry day. Do not peel them, but merely cut them +into slices. Having strewed some salt over the bottom of a tub, put in +the tomatas in layers; sprinkling between each layer (which, should be +about two inches in thickness) a half pint of salt. Repeat this till +you have put in eight quarts or one peck of tomatas. Cover the tub and +let it set for three days. Then early in the morning, put the tomatas +into a large porcelain, kettle, and boil it slowly and steadily till +ten at night, frequently mashing and stirring the tomatas. Then put it +out to cool. Next morning strain and press it through a sieve, and when +no more liquid will pass through, put it into a clean kettle with two +ounces of cloves, one ounce of mace, two ounces of blade pepper, and +two table-spoonfuls of cayenne, all powdered. + +Again let it boil slowly and steadily all day, and put it to cool in +the evening in a large pan. Cover it, and let it set all night. Next +day put it into small bottles, securing the corks by dipping them in +melted rosin, and tying leathers over them. + +If made exactly according to these directions, and slowly and +thoroughly boiled, it will keep for years in a cool dry place, and may +be used for many purposes when fresh tomatas are not to be had. + +TO PICKLE CAULIFLOWERS. + +Take the whitest and closest full-grown cauliflowers; cut off the thick +stalk, and split the blossom or flower part into eight or ten pieces. +Spread them oh a large dish, sprinkle them with salt, and let them +stand twenty-four hours. Then wash off the salt, drain them, put them +into a broad flat jar or pan, scald them with salt and water, (allowing +a quarter of a pound of salt to a quart of water,) cover them closely +and let them stand in the brine till next day. Afterwards drain them in +a hair sieve, and spread them on a cloth in a warm place to dry for a +day and a night. Then put them carefully, piece by piece, into clean +broad jars and pour over them a pickle which has been prepared as +follows:—Mix together three ounces of coriander seed, three ounces of +turmeric, one ounce of mustard seed, and one ounce of ginger. Pound the +whole in a mortar to a fine powder. Put it into three quarts of the +best white wine vinegar, set it by the side of the fire in a stone jar, +and let it infuse three days. These are the proportions, but the +quantity of the whole pickle must depend on the quantity of +cauliflower, which must he kept well covered by the liquid. Pour it +over the cauliflower, and secure the jars closely from the air. + +You may pickle brocoli in the same manner. Also the green tops of +asparagus. + +TO PICKLE RED CABBAGE. + +Take a fine firm cabbage of a deep red or purple colour. Strip off the +outer leaves, and cut out the stalk. Quarter the cabbage lengthways, +and then slice it crossways. Lay it in a deep dish, sprinkle a handful +of salt over it, cover it with another dish, and let it lie twenty-four +hours. Then drain it in a cullender from the salt, and wipe it dry. +Make a pickle of sufficient white wine vinegar to cover the cabbage +well, adding to it equal quantities of cloves and allspice, with some +mace. The spices must be put in whole, with a little cochineal to give +it a good red colour. Boil the vinegar and spices hard for five +minutes, and having put the cabbage into a stone jar, pour the vinegar +over it boiling hot. Cover the jar with a cloth till it gets cold; and +then put in a large cork, and tie a leather over it. + +COLD SLAW. + +[Footnote: This receipt was accidentally omitted in its proper place.] + +Take a nice fresh cabbage, wash and drain it, and cut off all the +stalk. Shave down the head into very small slips, with a cabbage +cutter, or a very sharp knife. It must be done evenly and nicely. Put +it into a deep china dish, and prepare for it the following dressing. +Melt in a sauce-pan a quarter of a pound of butter, with half a pint of +water, a large table-spoonful of vinegar, a salt-spoon of salt, and a +little cayenne. Give this a boil up, and pour it hot upon the cabbage. + +Send it to table as soon as it is cold. + +WARM SLAW. + +Cut the cabbage into shavings as for cold slaw; (red cabbage is best;) +and put it into a deep earthen dish. Cover it closely, and set it on +the top of a stove, or in a slack oven for half an hour till it is warm +all through; but do not let it get so heated as to boil. Then make a +mixture as for cold slaw, of a quarter of a pound of butter, half a +pint of water, a little salt and cayenne, and add to it a clove of +garlic minced fine. Boil this mixture in a sauce-pan, and pour it hot +over the warm cabbage. Send it to table immediately. + +This is a French method of dressing cabbage. + +EAST INDIA PICKLE. + +This is a mixture of various things pickled together, and put into the +same jar. + +Have ready a small white cabbage, sliced, and the stalk removed; a +cauliflower cut into neat branches, leaving out the large stalk; sliced +cucumbers; sliced carrots; sliced beets, (all nicked round the edges;) +button-onions; string-beans; radish pods; barberries; cherries; green +grapes; nasturtians; capsicums; bell-peppers, &c. Sprinkle all these +things with salt, put them promiscuously into a large earthen pan, and +pour scalding salt and water over them. Let them lie in the brine for +four days, turning them all over every day. Then take them out, wash +each thing separately in vinegar, and wipe them carefully in a cloth. +Afterwards lay them on sieves before the fire and dry them thoroughly. + +For the pickle liquor.—To every two quarts of the best vinegar, put an +ounce and a half of white ginger root, scraped and sliced; the same of +long pepper; two ounces of peeled shalots, or little button-onions, cut +in pieces; half an ounce of peeled garlic; an ounce of-turmeric; and +two ounces of mustard seed bruised, or of mustard powder. Let all these +ingredients, mixed with the vinegar, infuse in a close jar for a week, +setting in a warm place, or by the fire. Then (after the vegetables +have been properly prepared, and dried from the brine) put them all +into one large stone jar, or into smaller jars, and strain the pickle +over them. The liquid must be in a large quantity, so as to keep the +vegetables well covered with it, or they will spoil. Put a +table-spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each jar, and secure them +well with a large cork and a leather. + +If you find that after awhile the vegetables have absorbed the liquor, +so that there is danger of their not having a sufficiency, prepare some +more seasoned vinegar and pour it over them. + +East India pickle is very convenient, and will keep two years. As +different vegetables come into season, you can prepare them with the +salt and water process, and add them to the things already in the jar. +You may put small mangoes into this pickle; also plums, peaches and +apricots. + +TO PICKLE OYSTERS FOR KEEPING. + +For this purpose take none but the finest and largest oysters. After +they are opened, separate them from their liquor, and put them into a +bucket or a large pan, and pour boiling water upon them to take out the +slime. Stir them about in it, and then take them out, and rinse them +well in cold water. Then put them into a large kettle with fresh water, +barely enough to cover them, (mixing with it a table-spoonful of salt +to every hundred oysters,) and give them a boil up, just sufficient to +plump them. Take them, out, spread them on large dishes or on a clean +table, and cover them with a cloth. Take the liquor of the oysters, and +with every pint of it mix a quart of the best vinegar, a table-spoonful +of salt, a table-spoonful of whole cloves, the same of whole black +pepper, and a tea-spoonful of whole mace. Put the liquid over the fire +in a kettle, and when it boils throw in the oysters, and let them +remain in it five minutes. Then take the whole off the fire, stir it up +well, and let it stand to get quite cold. Afterwards (if you have a +large quantity) put it into a keg, which must first be well scalded, (a +new keg is best,) and fill it as full as it can hold. Do not put a +weight on the oysters to keep them down in the liquor, as it will crush +them to pieces if the keg should be moved or conveyed to a distance. If +you have not enough to fill a keg, put them into stone jars when they +are perfectly cold, and cover them securely. + + + + +SWEETMEATS. + + +GENERAL REMARKS. + +The introduction of iron ware lined with porcelain has fortunately +almost superseded the use of brass or bell-metal kettles for boiling +sweetmeats; a practice by which the articles prepared in those +pernicious utensils were always more or less imbued with the +deleterious qualities of the verdigris that is produced in them by the +action of acids. + +Charcoal furnaces will be found very convenient for preserving; the +kettles being set on the top. They can be used in the open air. +Sweetmeats should be boiled rather quickly, that the watery particles +may exhale at once, without being subjected to so long a process as to +spoil the colour and diminish the flavour of the fruit. But on the +other hand, if boiled too short a time they will not keep so well. + +If you wish your sweetmeats to look bright and clear, use only the very +best loaf-sugar. Fruit may be preserved for family use and for common +purposes, in sugar of inferior quality, but it will never have a good +appearance, and it is also more liable to spoil. + +If too small a proportion of sugar is allowed to the fruit, it will +_certainly_ not keep well. When this experiment is tried it is +generally found to be false economy; as sweetmeats, when they begin to +spoil, can only be recovered and made eatable by boiling them over +again with additional sugar; and even then, they are never so good as +if done properly at first. If jellies have not sufficient sugar, they +do not congeal, but will remain liquid. + +Jelly bags should be made of white flannel. It is well to have a wooden +stand or frame like a towel horse, to which the bag can be tied while +it is dripping. The bag should first be dipped in hot water, for if dry +it will absorb too much of the juice. After the liquor is all in, close +the top of the bag, that none of the flavour may evaporate. + +In putting away sweetmeats, it is best to place them in small jars, as +the more frequently they are exposed to the air by opening the more +danger there is of their spoiling. The best vessels for this purpose +are white queen’s-ware pots, or glass jars. For jellies, jams, and for +small fruit, common glass tumblers are very convenient, and may be +covered simply with double tissue-paper, cut exactly to fit the inside +of the top of the glass, laid lightly on the sweetmeat, and pressed +down all round with the finger. This covering, if closely and nicely +fitted, will be found to keep them perfectly well, and as it adheres so +closely as to form a complete coat over the top, it is better for +jellies or jams than writing-paper dipped in brandy, which is always +somewhat shrivelled by the liquor with which it has been saturated. + +If you find that your sweetmeats have become dry and candied, you may +liquefy them again by setting the jars in water and making it boil +round them. + +In preserving fruit whole, it is best to put it first in a thin syrup. +If boiled in a thick syrup at the beginning, the juice will be drawn +out so as to shrink the fruit. + +It is better to boil it but a short time at once, and then to take it +out and let it get cold, afterwards returning it to the syrup, than to +keep it boiling; too long at a time, which will cause it to break and +lose its shape. + +Preserving kettles should be rather broad than deep, for the fruit +cannot be done equally if it is too much heaped. They should all have +covers belonging to them, to put on after the scum has done rising that +the flavour of the fruit may be kept in with the steam. + +A perforated skimmer pierced all through with holes is a very necessary +utensil in making sweetmeats. + +The water used for melting the sugar should be very clear; spring or +pump water is best. but if you are obliged to use river water, let it +first be filtered. Any turbidness or impurity in the water will injure +the clearness of the sweetmeats. + +If sweetmeats ferment in the jars, boil them over again with additional +sugar. + +CLARIFIED SUGAR SYRUP. + +Take eight pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, and break it +up or powder it. Have ready the whites of two eggs, beaten to a strong +froth. Stir the white of egg gradually into two quarts of very clear +spring or pump water. Put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, and mix +with it the water and white of egg. While the sugar is melting, stir it +frequently; and when it is entirely dissolved, put the kettle over a +moderate fire, and let it boil, carefully taking off the scum as it +comes to the top, and pouring in a little cold water when you find the +syrup rising so as to run over the edge of the kettle. It will be well +when it first boils hard to pour in half a pint of cold water to keep +down the bubbles so that the scum may appear, and be easily removed. +You must not however boil it to candy height, so that the bubbles will +look like hard pearls, and the syrup will harden in the spoon and hang +from it in strings; for though very thick and clear it must continue +liquid. When it is done, let it stand till it gets quite cold; and if +you do not want it for immediate use, put it into bottles and seal the +corks. + +When you wish to use this syrup for preserving, you have only to put +the fruit into it, and boil it till tender and clear, but not till it +breaks. Large fruit that is done whole, should first be boiled tender +in a very thin syrup that it may not shrink. Small fruit, such as +raspberries, strawberries, grapes, currants, gooseberries, &c. may, if +perfectly ripe, be put raw into strong cold sugar syrup; they will thus +retain their form and colour, and then freshness and natural taste. +They must be put into small glass jars, and kept well covered with the +syrup. This, however, is an experiment which sometimes fails, and had +best be tried on a scale, or only for immediate use. + +TO PRESERVE GINGER. + +Take root of green ginger, and pare it neatly with a sharp knife, +throwing it into a pan of cold water as you pare it. Then boil it till +tender all through, changing the water three times. Each time put on +the ginger is quite cold water to lake out the excessive heat. When it +is perfectly tender, throw it again into a pan of cold water, and let +it lie an hour or more; this will make it crisp. In the mean time +prepare the syrup. For every six pounds of ginger root, clarify seven +pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. Break up the sugar, put +it into a preserving kettle, and melt it in spring or pump water, (into +which you have stirred gradually the beaten white of two eggs,) +allowing a pint of water to each pound of sugar. Boil and skim it well. +Then let the syrup stand till it is cold; and having drained the +ginger, pour the syrup over it, cover it, and do not disturb it for two +days. Then, having poured it from the ginger, boil the syrup over +again. As soon as it is cold, pour it again on the ginger, and let it +stand at least three days. Afterwards boil the syrup again, and pour it +_hot_ over the ginger. Proceed in this manner till you find that the +syrup has thoroughly penetrated the ginger, (which you may ascertain by +its taste and appearance when you cut a piece off,) and till the syrup +becomes very thick and rich. Then put it all into jars, and cover it +closely. + +If you put the syrup hot to the ginger at first, it will shrink and +shrivel. After the first time, you have only to boil and reboil the +syrup; as it is not probable that it will require any further +clarifying if carefully skimmed. It will be greatly improved by adding +some lemon-juice at the close of the last boiling. + +TO PRESERVE CITRONS. + +Pare off the outer skin of some fine citrons, and cut them into +quarters. Take out the middle. You may divide each quarter into several +pieces. Lay them for four or five hours in salt and water. Take them +out, and then soak them in spring or pump water (changing it +frequently) till all the saltness is extracted, and till the last water +tastes perfectly fresh. Boil a small lump of alum, and scald them in +the alum-water. It must be very weak, or it will communicate an +unpleasant taste to the citrons; a lump the size of a hickory nut will +suffice for six pounds. Afterwards simmer them two hours with layers of +green vine leaves. Then make a syrup, allowing a pint of water to each +pound of loaf-sugar; boil and skim it well. When it is quite clear, put +in the citrons, and boil them slowly, till they are so soft that a +straw will pierce through them without breaking. Afterwards put them +into a large dish, and set them in the sun to harden. + +Prepare some lemons, by paring off the yellow rind very thin, and +cutting it into slips of uniform size and shape. Lay the lemon-rind in +scalding water, to extract the bitterness. Then take the pared lemons, +cut them into quarters, measure a half pint of water to each lemon, and +boil them to a mash. Strain the boiled lemon through a sieve, and to +each pint of liquid allow a pound of the best double-refined +loaf-sugar, for the second syrup. Melt the sugar in the liquid, and +stir into it gradually some beaten white of egg; allowing one white to +four pounds of sugar. Then set it over the fire; put the lemon-peel +into the syrup, and let it boil in it till quite soft. Put the citrons +cold into a glass jar, and pour the hot syrup over them. Let the lemon +remain with the citrons, as it will improve their flavour. + +If you wish the citrons to be candied, boil down the second syrup to +candy height, (that is, till it hangs in strings from the spoon,) and +pour it over the citrons. Keep them well covered. You may, if you +choose, after you take the citrons from the alum-water, give them a +boil in very weak ginger tea, made of the roots of green ginger if you +can procure it; if not, of race ginger. Powdered ginger will not do at +all. This ginger tea will completely eradicate any remaining taste of +the salt or the alum. Afterwards cover the sides and bottom of the pan +with vine leaves, put a layer of leaves between each layer of citron, +and cover the top with leaves. Simmer the citrons in this two hours to +green them. + +In the same manner you may preserve water-melon rind, or the rind of +cantelopes. Cut these rinds into stars, diamonds, crescents, circles, +or into any fanciful shape you choose. Be sure to pare off the outside +skin before you put the rinds into the salt and water. + +Pumpkin cut into slips, may be preserved according to the above +receipt. + +CANTELOPES OR MUSK-MELONS. + +Take very small cantelopes before they are ripe. Shave a thin paring +off the whole outside. Cut out a small piece or plug about an inch +square, and through it extract all the seeds, &c. from the middle. +Then, return the plugs to the hole from whence you took them, and +secure them with a needle and thread, or by tying a small string round +the cantelope. + +Lay the cantelopes for four or five hours in salt and water. Then put +them into spring water to extract the salt, changing the water till you +find it salt no longer. Scald them in weak alum-water. Make a syrup in +the proportion of a pint of water to a pound of loaf-sugar, and boil +the cantelopes in it till a straw will go through them. Then take them +out, and set them in the sun to harden. + +Prepare some fine ripe oranges, paring off the yellow rind very thin, +and cutting it into slips, and then laying it in scalding water to +extract the bitterness. Cut the oranges into pieces; allow a pint of +water to each orange, and boil them to a pulp. Afterwards strain them, +and allow to each pint of the liquid, a pound of the best loaf-sugar, +and stir in a little beaten white of egg; one white to four pounds of +sugar. This is for the second syrup. Boil the peel in it, skimming it +well. When the peel is soft, take it all out; for if left among the +cantelopes, it will communicate to it too strong a taste of the orange. + +Put the cantelopes into your jars, and pour over them the hot syrup. +Cover them closely, and keep them in a dry cool place. + +Large cantelopes may be prepared for preserving (after you have taken +off the outer rind) by cutting them into pieces according to the +natural divisions with which they are fluted. This receipt for +preserving cantelopes whole, will do very well for green lemons or +limes, substituting lemon-peel and lemon-juice for that of oranges in +the second syrup. + +You may use some of the first syrup to boil up the pulp of the orange +or lemons that has been left. It will make a sort of marmalade, that is +very good for colds. + +PRESERVED WATER-MELON RIND. + +Having pared off the green skin, cut the rind of a water-melon into +pieces of any shape you please; stars, diamonds, circles, crescents or +leaves, using for the purpose a sharp penknife. Weigh the pieces, and +allow to each pound a pound and a halt of loaf sugar. Set the sugar +aside, and put the pieces of melon-rind into a preserving kettle, the +bottom and sides of which you, have lined with green vine leaves. Put a +layer of vine leaves between each, layer of melon-rind, and cover the +top with leaves. Disperse among the pieces some very small bits of +alum, each about the bigness of a grain of corn, and allowing one bit +to every pound of the melon-rind. Pour in just water enough to cover +the whole, and place a thick double cloth (or some other covering) over +the top of the kettle to keep in the steam, which will improve the +greening. Let it simmer (but not boil) for two hours. Then take out the +pieces of melon-rind and spread them on dishes to cool. Afterwards if +you find that they taste of the alum, simmer them in very weak ginger +tea for about three hours. Then proceed to make your syrup. Melt the +sugar in clear spring or pump water, allowing a pint of water to a +pound and a half of sugar, and mixing in with it some white of egg +beaten to a stiff froth. The white of one egg will be enough for four +pounds of sugar. Boil and skim it; and when the scum ceases to rise, +put in the melon-rind, and let it simmer an hour. Take it out and +spread it to cool on dishes return it to the syrup, and simmer it +another hour. After this take it out, and put it into a tureen. Boil up +the syrup again, and pour it over the melon-rind. Cover it, and let it +stand all night. Next morning give the syrup another boil; adding to It +some lemon-juice, allowing the juice of one lemon to a quart of the +syrup. When you find it so thick as to hang in a drop on the point of +the spoon, it is sufficiently done. Then put the rind into glass jars, +pour in the syrup, and secure the sweetmeats closely from the air with +paper dipped in brandy, and a leather outer cover. + +This, if carefully done and well greened, is a very nice sweetmeat, and +may be used to ornament the top of creams, jellies, jams by laying it +round in rings or wreaths. + +Citrons may be preserved green in the same manner, first paring off the +outer skin and cutting them into quarters. Also green limes. + +PRESERVED PEPPERS. + +For this purpose take the small round peppers while they are green. +With a sharp penknife extract the seeds and cores; and then put the +outsides into a kettle with vine leaves, and a little alum to give them +firmness, and assist in keeping them green. Proceed precisely as +directed for the water-melon rind, in the above receipt. + +PUMPKIN CHIPS. + +It is best to defer making this sweetmeat (which will be found very +fine) till late in the season when lemons are ripe and are to be had in +plenty. Pumpkins (as they keep well) can generally be procured at any +time through the winter. + +Take a fine pumpkin, of a rich deep colour, pare off the outer rind; +remove the seeds; and having sliced the best part, cut it into chips of +equal size, and about as thick as a half dollar. They should be in long +narrow pieces, two inches in breadth, and six in length. It is best to +prepare the pumpkin the day before; and having weighed the chips, allow +to each pound of them a pound of the best loaf-sugar. You must have +several dozen of fine ripe lemons, sufficient to furnish a jill of +lemon-juice to each pound of pumpkin. Having rolled them under your +hand on a table, to make them yield as much juice as possible, pare off +the yellow rind and put it away for some other purpose. Then having cut +the lemons, squeeze out all the juice into a pitcher. Lay the pumpkin +chips in a large pan or tureen, strewing the sugar among them. Then +having measured the lemon-juice in a wine-glass, (two common +wine-glasses making one jill,) pour it over the pumpkin and sugar, +cover the vessel, and let it stand all night. + +Next day transfer the pumpkin, sugar, and lemon-juice to n preserving +kettle, and boil it slowly three quarters of an hour, or till the +pumpkin becomes all through tender, crisp, and transparent; but it must +not be over the fire long enough to break and lose its form. You must +skim it thoroughly. Some very small pieces of the lemon-paring may be +boiled with it. When you think it is done, take up the pumpkin chips in +a perforated skimmer that the syrup may drain through the holes back +into the kettle. Spread the chips to cool on large dishes, and pass the +syrup through a flannel bag that has been first dipped in hot water. +When the chips are cold, put them into glass jars or tumblers, pour in +the syrup, and lay on the top white paper dipped in brandy. Then tie up +the jars with leather, or with covers of thick white paper. + +If you find that when cold the chips are not perfectly clear, crisp, +and tender, give them another boil in the syrup before you put them up. + +This, if well made, is a handsome and excellent sweetmeat It need not +be eaten with cream, the syrup being so delicious as to require nothing +to improve it. Shells of puff-paste first baked empty, and then filled +with, pumpkin chips, will be found very nice. + +Musk-melon chips may be done in the same manner. + +TO PRESERVE PINE-APPLES. + +Take fine large pine-apples; pare them, and cut off a small round piece +from the bottom, of each; let the freshest and. best of the top leaves +remain on. Have ready on a slow fire, a large preserving kettle with a +thin syrup barely sufficient to cover the fruit. In making this syrup +allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar to every quart of water, and half the +white of a beaten egg; all to be mixed before it goes on the fire. Then +boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, put in the +pine-apples, and simmer them slowly an hour. Then take them out to +cool, cover them carefully and pat them away till next day; saving the +syrup in another vessel. Next day, put them into the same syrup, and +simmer them again an hour. On the third day, repeat the process. The +fourth day, make a strong fresh syrup, allowing but a pint of water to +each pound of sugar, and to every three pounds the beaten white of one +egg. When this syrup has boiled, and is completely skimmed, put in the +pine-apples, and simmer them half an hour. Then take them out to cool, +and set them aside till next morning. Boil them again, half an hour in +the same syrup, and repeat this for seven or eight days, or till you +can pierce through the pine-apple with a straw from a corn-broom. At +the last of these boilings enrich the syrup by allowing to each pound +of sugar a quarter of a pound more; and, having boiled and skimmed it, +put in the pine apples for half an hour. Then take them out, and when +quite cold put each into a separate glass jar, and fill up with the +syrup. + +Pine apples may be preserved in slices by a very simple process. Pare +them, and out them into round pieces near an inch thick, and take out +the core from the centre of each slice. Allow a pound of loaf-sugar to +every pound of the sliced pine-apple. Powder the sugar, and strew it in +layers between the slices of pine-apple. Cover it and let it set all +night. Next morning measure some clear spring or pump water, allowing +half a pint to each pound of sugar. Beat some white of egg, (one white +to four pounds of sugar,) and when it is a very stiff froth, stir it +gradually into the water. Then mix with it the pine-apple and sugar, +and put the whole into a preserving kettle. Boil and skim it well, till +the pine-apple is tender and bright all through. Then take it out, and +when cold, put it up in wide-mouthed glass jars, or in large tumblers. + +TO PREPARE FRESH PINE-APPLES. + +Cut off the top and bottom and pare off the rind. Then cut the +pine-apples in round slices half an inch thick, and put them into a +deep dish, sprinkling every slice with powdered loaf-sugar. Cover them, +and let them lie in the sugar for an hour or two, before they are to be +eaten. + +PRESERVED LEMONS. + +Take large fine ripe lemons, that have no blemishes. Choose those with +thin, smooth rinds. With a sharp, knife scoop a hole in the stalk end +of each, large enough to admit the handle of a tea-spoon. This hole is +to enable the syrup to penetrate the inside of the lemons. Put them +into a preserving kettle with clear water, and boil them gently till +you find them tender, keeping the kettle uncovered. Then take them oat, +drain, and cool them, and put them into a small tub. Prepare a thin +syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a quart of water. When you have +boiled and skimmed it, pour it over the lemons and cover them. Let them +stand in the syrup till next day. Then poor the syrup from the lemons, +and spread them on a large dish. Boil it a quarter of an hour, and pour +it over them again, having first returned them to the tub. Cover them, +and let them again stand till next day, when you must again boil the +syrup and pour it over them. Repeat this process every day till you +find that the lemons are quite clear, and that the syrup has penetrated +them thoroughly. If you find the syrup becoming too weak, add a little +more sugar to it. Finally, make a strong syrup in the proportion of +half a pint of water to a pound of sugar, adding a jill of raw +lemon-juice squeezed from fresh lemons, and allowing to every four +pounds of sugar the beaten white of an egg. Mix all well together in +the kettle. Boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, pour +the syrup boiling hot over the lemons; and covering them closely, let +them stand undisturbed for four days. Then look at them, and if you +find that they have not sucked in enough of the syrup to make the +inside very sweet, boil them gently in the syrup for a quarter of an +hour. When they are cold, put them up in glass jars. + +You may green lemons by burying them in a kettle of vine leaves when +you give them the first boiling in the clear water. + +Limes may be preserved by this receipt; also oranges. + +To prepare fresh oranges for eating, peel and cut them in round slices +and remove the seeds. Strew powdered loaf-sugar over them. Cover them +and let them stand an hour before they are eaten. + +ORANGE MARMALADE. + +Take fine large ripe oranges, with thin deep-coloured skins. Weigh +them, and allow to each pound of oranges a pound of loaf-sugar. Pare +off the yellow outside of the rind from half the oranges as thin as +possible; and putting it into a pan with plenty of cold water, cover it +closely (placing a double cloth beneath the tin cover) to keep in the +steam, and boil it slowly till it is so soft that the head of a pin +will pierce it. In the mean time grate the rind from the remaining +oranges, and put it aside; quarter the oranges, and take out all the +pulp and the juice; removing the seeds and core. Put the sugar into a +preserving kettle, with a half pint of clear water to each pound, and +mix it with some beaten white of egg, allowing one white of egg, to +every four pounds of sugar. When the sugar is all dissolved, put it on +the fire, and boil and skim it till it is quite clear and thick. Next +take the boiled parings, and cut them into very small pieces, not more +than, half an inch long; put them into the sugar, and boil them in it +ten minutes. Then put in the pulp and juice of the oranges, and the +grated rind, (which will much improve the colour,) and boil all +together for about twenty minutes, till it is a transparent mass. When +cold, pot it up in glass jars, laying brandy paper on the top. + +Lemon marmalade may be made in a similar manner, but you must allow a +pound and a half of sugar to each pound of lemons. + +ORANGE JELLY. + +Take fourteen large ripe oranges, and grate the yellow rind from seven +of them. Dissolve an ounce of isinglass in as much warm water as will +cover it. Mix the juice with a pound of loaf-sugar broken up, and add +the grated, rind and the isinglass. Put it into a porcelain pan over +hot coals and stir it till it boils. Then, skim it well. Boil it ten +minutes, and strain it (but do not squeeze it) through a jelly-bag till +it is quite clear. Put it into a mould to congeal, and when you want to +turn it out dip the mould into lukewarm water. Or you may put it into +glasses at once. + +You must have a pint of juice to a pound of sugar. + +A few grains of saffron boiled with the jelly will improve the colour +without affecting the taste. + +PRESERVED PEACHES. + +Take large juicy ripe peaches; free-stones are the best, as they have a +finer flavour than the cling-stones, and are much more manageable both +to preserve, and to eat. Pare them, and cut them in half, or in +quarters, leaving out the stones, the half of which you must save. To +every pound of the peaches allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Powder the +sugar, and strew it among your peaches. Cover them and let them stand +all night. Crack half the peach-stones, break them up, put them into a +small sauce-pan and boil them slowly in as much water as will cover +them. Then when the water is well flavoured with the peach-kernels, +strain them out, and set the water aside. Take care not to use too much +of the kernel-water; a very little will suffice. Put the peaches into a +preserving kettle, and boil them in their juice over a quick fire; +(adding the kernel-water,) and skimming them all the time. When they +are quite clear, which should be in half an hour, take them off, and +put them into a tureen. Boil the syrup five minutes longer, and pour it +hot over the peaches. When they are cool, put them into glass jars, and +tie them up with paper dipped in brandy laid next to them. + +Apricots, nectarines, and large plums maybe preserved in the same +manner. + +PEACHES FOR COMMON USE. + +Take ripe free-stone peaches; pare, stone, and quarter them. To six +pounds of the cut peaches allow three pounds of the best brown sugar. +Strew the sugar among the peaches, and set them away. Next morning add +a handful of peach leaves, put the whole into a preserving kettle, and +boil it slowly about an hour and three quarters, or two hours, skimming +it well. When cold, put it up in jars and keep it for pies, or for any +common purpose. + +BRANDY PEACHES. + +Take large white or yellow free-stone peaches, the finest you can +procure. They must not be too ripe. Rub off the down with a flannel, +score them down the seam with a large needle, and prick every peach to +the stone in several places. Scald them with boiling water, and let +them remain in the water till it becomes cold, keeping them well +covered. Repeat the scalding three times: it is to make them white. +Then wipe them, and spread them on a soft table-cloth, covering them +over with several folds. Let them remain in the cloth to dry. +Afterwards put them into a tureen, or a large jar, and pour on as much +white French brandy as will cover them well. Carefully keep the air +from them, and let them remain in the brandy for a week. Then make a +syrup in the usual manner, allowing to each pound of peaches a pound of +loaf-sugar and half a pint of water mixed with a very little beaten +white of egg; one white to three or four pounds of sugar. + +When the syrup has boiled, and been well skimmed, put in the peaches +and boil them slowly till they look clear; but do not keep them boiling +more than half an hour. Then take them out, drain them, and put them +into large glass jars. Mix the syrup, when it is cold, with the brandy +in which you had the peaches, and pour it over them. Instead of +scalding the peaches to whiten them, you may lay them for an hour in +sufficient cold weak lye to cover them well. Turn them frequently while +in the lye, and wipe them dry afterwards. + +Pears and apricots may be preserved in brandy, according to the above +receipt. The skin of the pears should he taken off, but the stems left +on. + +Large egg plums may be preserved in the same manner. + +Another way of preparing brandy peaches is, after rubbing off the down +and pricking them, to put them into a preserving kettle with cold +water, and simmer them slowly till they become hot all through; but +they must not be allowed to boil. Then dry them in a cloth, and let +them lie till they are cold, covering them closely from the air. +Dissolve loaf-sugar in the best white brandy, (a pound of sugar to a +quart of brandy,) and having put the peaches into large glass jars, +pour the brandy and sugar over them (without boiling) and cover the +jars well with leather. + +Pears, apricots, and egg plums may also be done in this manner. + + +PEACH MARMALADE. + +Take ripe yellow free-stone peaches; pare, stone, and quarter them. To +each pound of peaches, allow three quarters of a pound of powdered +loaf-sugar, and half an ounce of bitter almonds, or peach-kernels +blanched in scalding water, and pounded smooth in a mortar. Scald the +peaches in a very little water, mash them to a pulp, mix them with the +sugar and pounded-almonds, and put the whole into a preserving kettle. +Let it boil to a smooth thick jam, skimming and stirring it well, and +keeping the pan covered as much as possible. Fifteen minutes will +generally suffice for boiling it. When cold, put it up in glass jars. + +Plum marmalade may be made in this manner, flavouring it with pounded +plum-kernels. + +PEACH JELLY. + +Take fine juicy free-stone peaches and pare and quarter them. Scald +them in a very little water, drain and mash them, and squeeze the juice +through a jelly-bag. To every pint of juice allow a pound of +loaf-sugar, and a few of the peach-kernels. Having broken up the +kernels and boiled them by themselves for a quarter of an hour in just +as much water as will cover them, strain off the kernel-water, and add +it to the juice. Mix the juice with the sugar, and when it is melted, +boil them together fifteen minutes, till it becomes a thick jelly. Skim +it well when it boils. Try the jelly by taking a little in a spoon and +holding it in the open air to see if it congeals. If you find, that +after sufficient boiling, it still continues thin, you can make it +congeal by stirring in an ounce or more of isinglass, dissolved and +strained. When the jelly is done, put it into tumblers, and lay on the +top double tissue paper cut exactly to fit the inside of the glass; +pressing it down with your fingers. + +You may make plum jelly in the same manner, allowing a pound and a half +of sugar to a pint of juice. + +TO PRESERVE APRICOTS. + +Take ripe apricots; scald them, peel them, cut them in half, and +extract the stones. Then weigh the apricots, and to each pound allow a +pound of loaf-sugar. Put them into a tureen or large pan, in alternate +layers of apricots and sugar; cover them, and let them stand all night. +Next morning put all together into a preserving kettle, and boil them +moderately a quarter of an hour. Then take them out, spread them on +dishes, and let them stand till next day. Then boil them again in the +same syrup another quarter of an hour. Afterwards, spread them out to +cool, put them into glass jars, and pour the syrup over them. Peaches +may be preserved in the same manner. Also large plums or green gages; +but to the plums you must allow additional sugar. + +TO DRY PEACHES. + +The best peaches for drying are juicy free-stones. They must be quite +ripe. Cut them in half, and take out the stones. It is best not to pare +them; as dried peaches are much richer with the skin on, and it +dissolves and becomes imperceptible when they are cooked. Spread them +out in a sunny balcony or on a scaffold, and let them dry gradually +till they become somewhat like leather; always bringing them in at +sunset, and not putting them out if the weather is damp or cloudy. They +may also be dried in kilns or large ovens. + +Apples are dried in the same manner, except that they must be pared and +quartered. + +Cherries also may be dried in the sun, first taking out all the stones. +None but the largest and best cherries should be used for drying. + +TO PRESERVE QUINCES. + +Take large, yellow, ripe quinces, and having washed and wiped them, +pare them and extract the cores. Quarter the quinces, or cut them into +round slices an inch thick, and lay them in scalding water (closely +covered) for an hour, or till they are tender. This will prevent them +from hardening, Put the parings, cores, and seeds into a preserving +kettle, cover them with the water in which you coddled the quinces, and +boil them an hour, keeping them closely covered all the time. To every +pint of this liquor allow a pound of loaf-sugar; and having dissolved +the sugar in it, put it over the fire in the preserving kettle. Boil it +up and skim it, and when the scum has ceased rising, put in the +quinces, and boil them till they are red, tender, and clear all +through, but not till they break. Keep the kettle closely covered while +the quinces are in it, if you wish to have them bright coloured. You +may improve the colour by boiling with them a little cochineal sifted +through a muslin rag. + +When they are done, take them out, spread them on large dishes to cool, +and then put them into glasses. Give the syrup another boil up, and it +will be like a fine jelly. Pour it hot over the quinces, and when cold, +tie up the jars with brandy paper. + +TO PRESERVE QUINCES WHOLE. + +Take those that are large, smooth, and yellow; pare them and extract +the cores, carefully removing all the blemishes. Boil the quinces in a +close kettle with the cores and parings, in sufficient water to cover +them. In half an hour take, them out, spread them to cool, and add to +the cores and parings some small inferior quinces cut in quarters, but +not pared or cored; and pour in some more water, just enough to boil +them. Cover the pan, and let them simmer for an hour. Then take it off, +strain the liquid, measure it, and to each quart allow a pound of +loaf-sugar. Put the sugar to melt in the liquid, and let it set all +night. Next day boil the quinces in it for a quarter of an hour, and +then take them out and cool them, saving the syrup. On the following +day repeat the same; and the fourth day add a quarter of a pound more +sugar to each pint of the syrup, and boil the quinces in it twelve +minutes. If by this time they are not tender, bright, and transparent +all through, repeat the boiling. + +When they are quite done, put quince jelly or marmalade into the holes +from whence you took the cores; put the quinces into glass jars and +pour the syrup over them. If convenient, it is a very nice way to put +up each quince in a separate tumbler. + +QUINCE JELLY. + +Take fine ripe yellow quinces, wash them and remove all the blemishes, +cut them in pieces, but do not pare or core them. Put them into a +preserving-pan with clear spring water. If you, are obliged to use +river water, filter it first; allowing one pint to twelve large +quinces. Boil them gently till they are all soft and broken. Then put +them into a jelly-bag, and do not squeeze it till after the clear +liquid has ceased running. Of this you must make the _best_ jelly, +allowing to each pint a pound of loaf-sugar. Having dissolved the sugar +in the liquid, boil them together about twenty minutes, or till you +have a thick jelly. + +In the meantime, squeeze out all that is left in the bag. It will not +be clear, but you can make of it a very good jelly for common purposes. + +QUINCE MARMALADE. + +Take six pounds of ripe yellow quinces; and having washed them clean, +pare and core them, and cut them into small pieces. To each pound of +the cut quinces allow half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Put the +parings and cores into a kettle with water enough to cover them, and +boil them slowly till they are all to pieces, and quite soft. Then +having put the quinces with the sugar into a porcelain preserving +kettle, strain over them, through a cloth, the liquid from the parings +and cores. Add a little cochineal powdered, and sifted through thin +muslin. Boil the whole over a quick fire till it becomes a thick smooth +mass, keeping it covered except when you are skimming it; and always +after skimming, stir it up well from the bottom. + +When cold, put it up in glass jars. If you wish to use it soon, put it +warm into moulds, and when if is cold, set the moulds in lukewarm +water, and the marmalade will turn out easily. + +QUINCE CHEESE. + +Have fine ripe quinces, and pare and core them. Cut them into pieces, +and weigh them; and to each pound of the cut quinces, allow half a +pound of the best brown sugar. Pat the cores and parings into a kettle, +with water enough to cover them, keeping the lid of the kettle closed. +When you find that they are all boiled to pieces and quite soft, strain +off the water over the sugar, and when it is entirely dissolved, put it +over the fire and boil it to a thick syrup, skimming it well. When no +more scum rises, put in the quinces, cover them closely, and boil them +all day over a slow fire, stirring them and mashing them down with a +spoon till they are a thick smooth paste. Then take it out, and put it +into buttered tin pans or deep dishes. Let it set to get cold. It will +then turn out so firm that you may cut it into slices like cheese. Keep +it in a dry place in broad stone pots. It is intended for the +tea-table. + +PRESERVED APPLES. + +Take fine ripe pippin or bell-flower apples. Pare and core them, and +either leave them whole, or cut them into quarters. Weigh them, and to +each pound of apples allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Put the apples into a +stew-pan with just water enough to cover them, and let them boil slowly +for about half an hour. They must be only parboiled. Then strain the +apple water over the sugar into a preserving kettle, and when the sugar +is melted put it on the fire with the yellow rind of some lemons pared +thin, allowing four lemons lo a dozen apples. Boil the syrup till clear +and thick, skimming; it carefully; then put in the apples, and after +they have boiled slowly a quarter of an hour, add the juice of the +lemons. Let it boil about fifteen minutes longer, or till the apples +are tender and clear, but not till they break. When they are cold, put +them into jars, and covering them closely, let them set a week. At the +end of that time give them another boil in the same syrup; apples being +more difficult to keep than any other fruit. + +You may colour them red by adding, when you boil them in the syrup, a +little cochineal. + +BAKED APPLES. + +Take a dozen fine large juicy apples, and pare and core them; but do +not cut them in pieces. Put them side by side into a large baking-pan, +and fill up with brown sugar the holes from whence you have extracted +the cores. Pour into each a little lemon-juice, or a few drops of +essence of lemon, and stick in every one a long piece of lemon-peel +evenly cut. Into the bottom of the pan put a very little water, just +enough to prevent the apples from burning. Bake them about an hour, or +till they are tender all through, but not till they break. When, done, +set them away to get cold. + +If closely covered they will keep, two days. They may be eaten at tea +with cream. Or at dinner with a boiled custard poured over them. Or you +may cover them with, sweetened cream flavored with a little essence of +lemon, and whipped to a froth. Heap the froth over every apple so as to +conceal them entirely. + +APPLE JELLY. + +Take twenty large ripe juicy pippins. Pare, core, and chop them to +pieces. Put them into a jar with the yellow rind of four lemons, pared +thin and cut into little bits Cover the jar closely, and set it into a +pot of hot water Keep the water boiling hard all round it till the +apples are dissolved, Then strain them through a jelly-bag, and mix +with the liquid the juice of the lemons. To each pint of the. mixed +juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Put them into a porcelain kettle, +and when the sugar is melted, set it on the fire, and boil and skim it +for about twenty minutes, or till it becomes a thick jelly. Put it into +tumblers, and cover it with double tissue paper nicely fitted to the +inside of the top. The red or Siberian crab apple makes a delicious +jelly, prepared in the above manner. + +APPLE BUTTER. + +This is a compound of apples and cider boiled together till of the +consistence of soft butter. It is a very good article on the tea-table, +or at luncheon. It can only be made of sweet new cider fresh from the +press, and not yet fermented. + +Fill a very large kettle with cider, and boil it till reduced to one +half the original quantity. Then have ready some fine juicy apples, +pared, cored, and quartered; and put as many into the kettle as can be +kept moist by the cider. Stir it frequently, and when the apples are +stewed quite soft, take them out with a skimmer that has holes in it, +and put them into a tub. Then add more apples to the cider, and stew +them soft in the same manner, stirring them nearly all the time with a +stick. Have at hand some more cider ready boiled, to thin the apple +butter in case you should find it too thick in the kettle. + +If you make a large quantity, (and it is not worth while to prepare +apple butter on a small scale,) it will take a day to stew the apples. +At night leave them to cool in the tubs, (which must be covered with +cloths,) and finish next day by boiling the apple and cider again till +the consistence is that of soft marmalade, and the colour a very dark +brown. + +Twenty minutes or half an hour before you finally take it from the +fire, add powdered cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to your taste. If the +spice is boiled too long, it will lose its flavour. + +When it is cold, put it into stone jars, and cover it closely. If it +has been well made, and sufficiently boiled, it will keep a year or +more. + +It must not he boiled in a brass or bell-metal kettle, on account of +the verdigris which the acid will collect in it, and which will render +the apple butter extremely unwholesome, not to say, poisonous. + +TO PRESERVE GREEN CRAB APPLES. + +Having washed your crab apples, (which should be full grown,) cover the +bottom and sides of your preserving kettle with vine leaves, and put +them in; spreading a thick layer of vine leaves over them. Fill up the +kettle with cold, water, and hang it over a slow fire early in the +morning; simmer them slowly, but do not allow them to boil. When they +are quite yellow, take them out, peel off the skin with a penknife, and +extract the cores very neatly.. Put them again into the kettle with +fresh vine leaves and fresh water, and hang them again over a slow fire +to simmer, but not to boil. When they have remained long enough in the +second vine leaves to become green, take them out, weigh them, and +allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar to each pound of crab apples. +Then after the kettle has been well washed and wiped, put them into it +with a thick layer of sugar between each layer of apples, and about +half a pint of water, for each pound and a half of sugar. You may add +the juice and yellow peel of some lemons. Boil them gently till they +are quite clear and tender throughout. Skim them well, and keep the +kettle covered when you are not skimming. When done, spread them on +large dishes to cool, and then tie them up in glass jars with brandy +papers. + +TO PRESERVE RED CRAB APPLES. + +Take red or Siberian crab apples when they are quite ripe and the seeds +are black. Wash and wipe them, and put them into a kettle with +sufficient water to cover them. Simmer them very slowly till you find +that the skin will come off easily. Then take them out and peel and +core them; extract the cores carefully with a small knife, so as not to +break the apples. Then weigh them, and to every pound of crab apples +allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar and a half pint of water. Put +the sugar and water into a preserving kettle, and when they are melted +together, set it over the fire and let it boil. After skimming it once, +put in the crab apples, adding a little cochineal powder rubbed with a +knife into a very small quantity of white brandy till it has dissolved. +This will greatly improve the colour of the apples. Cover them and let +them boil till clear and tender, skimming the syrup when necessary. +Then spread them out on dishes, and when they are cold, put them into +glass jars and pour the syrup over them. + +The flavour will be greatly improved by boiling with them in the syrup, +a due proportion of lemon-juice and the peel of the lemons pared thin +so as to have the yellow part only. If you use lemon-juice put a +smaller quantity of water to the sugar. Allow one large lemon or two +smaller ones to each pound of crab apples. + +If you find that after they have been kept awhile, the syrup inclines +to become dry or candied, give it another boil with the crab apples in +it, adding a tea-cup full of water to about three or four pounds of the +sweetmeat. + +TO PRESERVE GREEN GAGES. + +Take large fine green gages that are not perfectly ripe. Weigh them, +and to each pound of fruit allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar. Put +a layer of fresh vine leaves at the bottom of a porcelain preserving +kettle, place on it a layer of gages, then cover them with a layer of +vine leaves, and so on alternately, finishing with a layer of leaves at +the top. Fill up the kettle with hard water, and set it over a slow +fire. When the gages rise to the top, take them out and peel them, +putting them on a sieve as you do so. Then replace them in the kettle +with fresh vine leaves and water; cover them very closely, so that no +steam can escape, and hang them up at some distance above the fire to +green slowly for six hours. They should be warm all the time, but must +not boil. When they are a fine green, take them carefully out, spread +them on a hair sieve to drain, and make a syrup of the sugar, allowing +a half pint of water to each pound and a half of sugar. When it has +boiled and been skimmed, put in the green gages and boil them gently +for a quarter of an hour. Then take them out and spread them to cool. +Next day boil them in the same syrup for another quarter of an hour. +When cold, put them into glass jars with the syrup, and tie them up +with brandy paper. + +To preserve them whole without peeling, you must prick each at the top +and bottom, with a large needle. + +TO PRESERVE PLUMS. + +Take fine ripe plums; weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound and a +half of loaf-sugar. Put them into a pan, and scald them in boiling +water to make the skins come off easily. Peel them, and throw them as +you do so into a large china pitcher. Let them set for an hour or two, +and then take them out, saving all the juice that has exuded from them +while in the pitcher. Spread the plums out on large dishes, and cover +them with half the sugar you have allotted to them, (it must be +previously powdered,) and let them lie in it all night. Next morning +pour the juice out of the pitcher into a porcelain preserving kettle, +add the last half of the sugar to it, and let it melt over the fire. +When it has boiled skim it, and then put in the plums. Boil them over a +moderate fire, for about half an hour. Then take them out one by one +with a spoon, and spread them on large dishes to cool. If the syrup is +not sufficiently thick and clear, boil and skim it a little longer till +it is. Put the plums into glass jars and pour the syrup warm over them. + +The flavour will be much improved by boiling in the syrup with the +fruit a handful or more of the kernels of plums, blanched in scalding +water and broken in half. Take the kernels out of the syrup before you +pour it into the jars. + +You may preserve plums whole, without peeling, by pricking them deeply +at each end with a large needle. + +Green gages and damsons maybe preserved according to this receipt. + +PLUMS FOR COMMON USE. + +Take fine ripe plums, and cut them in half. Extract all the stones, and +spread out the plums on large dishes. Set the dishes on the sunny roof +of a porch or shed, and let the plums have the full benefit of the sun +for three or four days, taking them in, as soon as it is off, or if the +sky becomes cloudy. This will half dry them. Then pack them closely in +stone jars with a thick layer of the best brown sugar between every +layer of plums; putting plenty of sugar at the bottom and top of the +jars. Cover them closely, and set them away in a dry place. + +If they have been properly managed, they will keep a year; and are very +good for pies and other purposes, in the winter and spring. + +Peaches may be prepared for keeping in the same manner. + +EGG PLUMS WHOLE. + +Take large egg plums that are not quite ripe, and prick them all over +with a small silver fork. Leave on the stems. To three pounds of plums +allow three pounds and a half of loaf-sugar, broken small or powdered. +Put the plums and sugar into a preserving kettle, and pour in one half +pint of clear hard water. Hang the kettle over a moderate fire, and +boil and skim it, As soon as the skin begins to crack or shrivel, take +out the plums one at a time, (leaving the syrup on the fire,) and +spread them on large dishes to cool. Place them in the open air, and as +soon as they are cool enough to be touched with your fingers, smooth +the skin down where it is broken or ruffled, When quite cold, return +them to the syrup, (which in the mean time must have been kept slowly +simmering,) and boil the plums again till they are quite clear, but not +till they break. Put them warm into large glass or queen’s-ware jars, +and pour the syrup over them. + +TO PRESERVE PEARS. + +Take large fine juicy pears that are not perfectly ripe, and pare them +smoothly and thin; leaving on the stems, but cutting out the black top +at the blossom end of the fruit. As you pare them, lay them in a pan of +cold water. Make a thin syrup, allowing a quart of water to a pound of +loaf-sugar. Simmer the pears in it for about half an hour. Then pat +them into a tureen, and let them lie in the syrup for two days, There +must be syrup enough to cover them well. After two days, drain the +syrup front the pears, and add to it more sugar, in the proportion of a +pound to each pint of the thin syrup. Stir in a very little beaten +white of egg, (not more than one white to three or four pounds of +sugar,) add some fresh lemon-peel pared thin, and set the syrup over a +brisk fire. Boil it for ten minutes and skim it well. Then add +sufficient lemon-juice to flavour it; and put in the pears. Simmer them +in the strong syrup till they are quite transparent. Then take them +out, spread them to cool, and stick a clove in the blossom end of each. +Put them into glass jars; and having kept the syrup warm over the fire +while the pears were tooling, pour it over them. + +If you wish to have them red, add a little powdered cochineal to the +strong syrup when you put in your pears. + +BAKED PEARS. + +The best for baking are the large late ones, commonly called pound +pears. Pare them, cut them in half, and take out the cores. Lay them in +a deep white dish, with a thin slip of fresh lemon-peel in the place +from which each core was taken. Sprinkle them with sugar, and strew +some whole cloves or some powdered cinnamon-among them. Pour into the +dish some port wine. To a dozen large pears you may allow half a pound +of sugar, and a pint of wine. Cover the dish, with a large sheet of +brown paper tied on; set it in a moderate oven, and let them bake till +tender all through which you may ascertain by sticking a broom twig +through them. They will he done in about an hour, or they may probably +require more time; but you must not let them remain long enough in the +oven, to break or fall to pieces. When cool, put them up in a stone +jar. In cold weather they will keep a week. + +To bake smaller pears, pare them, but leave on the stems, and do not +core them. Put them into a deep dish with fresh lemon, or orange-peel; +throw on them some brown sugar or molasses; pour in at the bottom a +little water to keep them from burning; and bake them till tender +throughout. + +TO PRESERVE GOOSEBERRIES. + +The best way of preserving gooseberries is with jelly. They should be +full grown but green. Take six quarts of gooseberries, and select three +quarts of the largest and finest to preserve whole, reserving the +others for the jelly. Put the whole ones into a pan with sufficient +water to cover them, and simmer them slowly till they begin to be +tender; but do not keep them on the fire till they are likely to burst. +Take them out carefully with a perforated skimmer to drain the warm +water from them, and lay them directly in a pan of cold water. Put +those that you intend for the jelly into a stew-pan, allowing to each +quart of gooseberries half a pint of water. Boil them fast till they go +all to pieces, and stir and mash them with a spoon. Then put them into +a jelly-bag that has been first dipped in hot water, and squeeze +through it all the juice. Measure the juice, and to each pint allow a +pound and a half of loaf-sugar. Break up the sugar, and put it into a +preserving kettle; pour the juice over it, and let it stand to melt, +stirring it frequently. When it has all dissolved, set it over the +fire, put the gooseberries into it, and let them boil twenty minutes, +or till they are quite clear, and till the jelly is thick and congeals +in the spoon when you hold it in the air. If the gooseberries seem +likely to break, take them out carefully, and let the jelly boil by +itself till it is finished. When all is done, put up the gooseberries +and the jelly together in glass jars. + +Strawberries, raspberries, grapes, currants or any small fruit may in a +similar manner be preserved in jelly. + +TO STEW GOOSEBERRIES. + +Top and tail them. Pour some boiling water on the gooseberries, cover +them up, and let them set about half an hour, or till the skin is quite +tender, but not till it bursts, as that will make the juice run out +into the water. Then pour off the water, and mix with the gooseberries +an equal quantity of sugar. Put them into a porcelain stew-pan or +skillet, and set it on hot coals, or on a charcoal furnace. In a few +minutes you may begin to mash them against the side of the pan with a +wooden spoon. Let them stew about half an hour, stirring them +frequently. They must be quite cold before they are used for any thing. + +GOOSEBERRY FOOL. + +Having stewed two quarts of gooseberries in the above manner, stir them +as soon as they are cold into a quart of rich boiling milk. Grate in a +nutmeg, and covering the pan, let the gooseberries simmer in the milk +for five minutes. Then stir in the beaten yolks of two or three eggs, +and immediately remove it from the fire. Keep on the cover a few +minutes longer; then turn out the mixture into a deep dish or a glass +bowl, and set it away to get cold, before it goes to table. Eat it with +sponge-cake. It will probably require additional sugar. + +Gooseberries prepared in this manner make a very good pudding, with the +addition of a little grated bread. Use both whites and yolks of the +eggs. Stir the mixture well, and bake it in a deep dish. Eat it cold, +with sugar grated over it. + +TO BOTTLE GOOSEBERRIES. + +For this purpose the gooseberries must be large and full grown, but +quite green. Top and tail them, and put them into wide-mouthed bottles +as far up as the beginning of the neck. Cover the bottom of a large +boiler or kettle with saw-dust or straw. Stand the bottles of +gooseberries (slightly corked) upright in the boiler, and pour round +them cold water to each, as far up as the fruit. Put a brisk fire under +the boiler, and when the water boils up, instantly take out the bottles +and fill them up to the mouth with boiling water, which you must have +ready in a tea-kettle. Cork them again slightly, and when quite cold +put in the corks very tight and seal them. Lay the bottles on their +sides in a box of dry sand, and turn them every day for four or five +weeks. If properly managed, the gooseberries will keep a year, and may +be used at any time, by stewing them with sugar. + +You may bottle damsons in the same manner; also grapes. + +PRESERVED RASPBERRIES. + +Take a quantity of ripe raspberries, and set aside the half, selecting +for that purpose the largest and firmest. Then put the remainder into +your preserving pan, mash them, and set them over the fire. As soon as +they have come to a boil, take them out, let them cool, and then +squeeze them through a bag. + +While they are cooling, prepare your sugar, which must be fine loaf. +Allow a pound of sugar to every quart of whole raspberries. Having +washed the kettle clean, put the sugar into it, allowing half a pint of +cold water to two pounds of sugar. When it has melted in the water, put +it on the fire, and boil it till the scum ceases to rise, and it is a +thick syrup; taking care to skim it well. Then put in the whole +raspberries, and boil them rapidly a few minutes, but not long enough +to cause them to burst. Take them out with a skimmer full of holes, and +spread them on a large dish to cool. Then mix with the syrup the juice +of those you boiled first, and let it boil about ten or fifteen +minutes. Lastly, put in the whole fruit, and give it one more boil, +seeing that it does not break. + +Put it warm into glass jars or tumblers, and when quite cold cover it +closely with paper dipped in brandy, tying another paper tightly over +it. + +Strawberries may be done in the same manner; blackberries also. + + +RASPBERRY JAM. + +Take fine raspberries that are perfectly ripe. Weigh them, and to each +pound of fruit allow three quarters of a pound of fine loaf-sugar. Mash +the raspberries, and break up the sugar. Then mix them together, and +put them into a preserving kettle over a good fire. Stir them +frequently and skim them. The jam will be done in half an hour. Put it +warm into glasses, and lay on the top a white paper cut exactly to fit +the inside, and dipped in brandy. Then tie on another cover of very +thick white paper. + +Make blackberry jam in the same manner. + +TO PRESERVE CRANBERRIES. + +The cranberries must be large and ripe. Wash them, and to six quarts of +cranberries allow nine pounds of the best brown sugar. Take three +quarts of the cranberries, and put them into a stew-pan with a pint and +a half of water. Cover the pan, and boil or stew them, till they are +all to pieces. Then squeeze the juice through a jelly-bag. Put the +sugar into a preserving kettle, pour the cranberry juice over it and +let it stand till it is all melted, stirring it up frequently. Then +place the kettle over the fire, and put in the remaining three quarts +of whole cranberries. Let them boil till they are tender, clear, and of +a bright colour, skimming them frequently. When done, put them, warm +into jars with the syrup, which should be like a thick jelly. + +RED CURRANT JELLY. + +The currants should be perfectly ripe and gathered on a dry day. Strip +them from the stalks, and put them into a stone jar. Cover the jar, and +set it up to the neck in a kettle of boiling water. Keep the water +boiling round the jar till the currants are all broken, stirring them +up occasionally. Then put them into a jelly-bag, and squeeze out all +the juice. To each pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of the +best loaf-sugar. Put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, pour the juice +over it, and stir it frequently till it is all melted. Then set the +kettle over a moderate fire, and let it boil twenty minutes, or till +you find that the jelly congeals in the spoon when, you hold it in the +air; skim it carefully all the time. When the jelly is done, pour it +warm into tumblers, and cover each with two rounds of white tissue +paper, cut to fit exactly the inside of the glass. + +Jelly of gooseberries, plums, raspberries, strawberries, barberries, +blackberries, grapes, and other small fruit may all be made in this +manner. + +WHITE CURRANT JELLY. + +The currants should be quite ripe, and gathered on a dry day. Having +stripped them from the stalks, put them into a close stone jar, and set +it in a kettle of boiling water. As soon as the currants begin to +break, take them out and strain them through a linen cloth. To each +pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of the best double refined +loaf-sugar; break it small, and put it into a porcelain preserving pan +with barely sufficient water to melt it; not quite half a pint to a +pound and a quarter of sugar; it must be either clear spring water or +river water filtered. Stir up the sugar while it is dissolving, and +when all is melted, put it over a brisk fire, and boil and skim it till +clear and thick. When the scum ceases to rise, put in the white currant +juice and boil it fast for ten minutes. Then put it warm into tumblers, +and when it is cold, cover it with double white tissue paper. + +In making this jelly, use only a silver spoon, and carefully observe +all the above precautions, that it may be transparent and delicate. If +it is not quite clear and bright when done boiling, you may run it +again through a jelly-bag. + +White raspberry jelly may be prepared in the same manner. A very nice +sweetmeat is made of white raspberries preserved whole, by putting them +in white currant jelly during the ten minutes that you are boiling the +juice with the syrup. You may also preserve red raspberries whole, by +boiling them in red currant jelly. + +BLACK CURRANT JELLY. + +Take large ripe black currants; strip them from the stalks, and mash +them with the back of a ladle. Then put them into a preserving kettle +with a tumbler of water to each quart of currants; cover it closely, +set it over a moderate fire, and when the currants have come to a boil, +take them out, and squeeze them through a jelly-bag. To each pint of +juice you may allow about a pound of loaf-sugar, and (having washed the +preserving kettle perfectly clean) put in the sugar with the juice; +stir them together till well mixed and dissolved, and then boil it not +longer than ten minutes; as the juice of black currants being very +thick will come to a jelly very soon, and if boiled too long will be +tough and ropy. + +Black currant jelly is excellent for sore throats; and if eaten freely +on the first symptoms of the disease, will frequently check, it without +any other remedy. It would be well for all families to keep it in the +house. + +GRAPE JELLY. + +Take ripe juicy grapes, pick them from the steins; put them into a +large earthen pan, and mash them with the back of a wooden ladle, or +with a potato beetle. Put them into a kettle, (without any water,) +cover them, closely, and let them boil for a quarter of an hour; +stirring them up occasionally from the bottom. Then squeeze them +through a jelly-bag, and to each pint of juice allow a pound of +loaf-sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the grape juice; then put it over a +quick fire in a preserving kettle, and boil and skim it twenty minutes. +When it is a clear thick jelly, take it off, put it warm into tumblers, +and cover them with double tissue paper cut to fit the inside. + +In the same manner you may make an excellent jelly for common use, of +ripe fox grapes and the best brown sugar; mixing with the sugar before +it goes on the fire, a little beaten white of egg; allowing two whites +to three pounds of sugar. + +GRAPES. + +Take some large close bunches of fine grapes, (they must not be too +ripe,) and allow to each bunch a quarter of a pound of bruised sugar +candy. Put the grapes and the sugar candy into large jars, (about +two-thirds full,) and fill them up with French brandy. Tie them up +closely, and keep them in a dry place. Morella cherries may be done in +the same manner. + +Foreign grapes are kept in bunches, laid lightly in earthen jars of dry +saw-dust. + +TO KEEP WILD GRAPES. + +Gather the small black wild grapes late in the season, after they have +been ripened by a frost. Pick them from the stems, and put them into +stone jars, (two-thirds full,) with layers of brown sugar, and fill +them up with cold molasses. They will keep all winter; and they make +good common pies. If they incline to ferment in the jars, give them a +bail with additional sugar. + +TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES. + +Strawberries for preserving should be large and ripe. They will keep +best if gathered in dry weather, when there has been no rain for at +least two days. Having hulled, or topped and tailed them all, select +the largest and firmest, and spread them out separately on flat dishes; +having first weighed them, and allowed to each pound of strawberries a +pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Sift half the sugar over them. Then take +the inferior strawberries that were left, and those that, are over +ripe; mix with them an equal quantity of powdered sugar, and mash them. +Put them into a basin covered with a plate, and set them over the fire +in a pan of boiling water, till they become a thick juice; then strain +it through a bag and mix with it the other half of the sugar that you +have allotted to the strawberries, which are to be done whole. Put it +into a porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to +rise; then put in the whole strawberries with the sugar in which they +have been lying, and all the juice that may have exuded from them. Set +them over the fire in the syrup, just long enough to heat them a +little; and in a few minutes take them out, one by one, with a +tea-spoon, and spread them on dishes to cool; not allowing them to +touch each other. Then take off what scum may arise from the additional +sugar. Repeat this several times, taking out the strawberries and +cooling them till they become quite clear. They must not be allowed to +boil; and if they seem likely to break, they should be instantly and +finally taken from the fire. When quite cold, put them with the syrup +into tumblers, or into white queen’s-ware pots. If intended to keep a +long time it will be well to put at the top a layer of apple jelly. + +TO PRESERVE CHERRIES. + +Take large ripe morella cherries; weigh them, and to each pound allow a +pound of loaf-sugar. Stone the cherries, (opening them with a sharp +quill,) and save the juice that comes from them in the process. As you +stone them, throw them into a large pan or tureen, and strew about half +the sugar over them, and let them lie in it an hour or two after they +are all stoned. Then put them into a preserving kettle with the +remainder of the sugar, and boil and skim them till the fruit is clear +and the syrup thick. + +CHERRIES PRESERVED WHOLE. + +The large carnation cherries are the best for this purpose. They should +be quite ripe. Prick every one in several places with a needle, and +leave on the stalks cut short. To each pound of cherries allow a pound +and a quarter of the best loaf-sugar. Spread them on large dishes, and +strew over them a thick layer of the sugar powdered fine; about a +quarter of a pound of sugar to each pound of cherries. Or you may put +them into a large tureen, and disperse the sugar among them, cover +them, and let them set all night. In the morning get some ripe red +currants; pick them, from the stalks, and squeeze them through a linen +cloth till you have just sufficient juice to moisten the remaining +sugar, which you must have ready in a preserving kettle. When the sugar +has melted in the currant juice, put it over the fire, and when it has +been well boiled and skimmed, put in the cherries and simmer them half +an hour, or till they are so clear that you can see the stones through +them. Then take them up one at a time, and spread them out to cool. +Taste one, and if the sugar does not seem, to have sufficiently +penetrated it, return them to the syrup and boil them a little longer, +but do not allow them to break. If you are willing to take the trouble, +you may put them out to cool three or four times while simmering. This +will make them more transparent, and prevent them from bursting. + +CHERRY JELLY. + +Take fine juicy red cherries, and stone them. Save half the stones, +crack them, and extract the kernels. Put the cherries and the kernels +into a preserving kettle over a slow fire, and let them boil gently in +their juice for half an hour. Then transfer them to a jelly-bag, and +squeeze out the juice. Measure it, and to each pint allow a pound of +fine loaf-sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the juice, and then boil and +skim it for twenty or thirty minutes. Put it up in tumblers covered +with tissue paper. + +CHERRY JAM. + +To each pound of cherries allow three quarters of a pound of the best +brown sugar. Stone them, and as you do so throw the sugar gradually +into the pan with them. Cover them and let them set all night. Next +day, boil them slowly till the cherries and sugar form a thick smooth +mass. Put it up in queen’s-ware jars. + +TO DRY CHERRIES. + +Choose the finest and largest red cherries for this purpose. Store +them, and spread them on large dishes in the sun, till they become +quite dry, taking them in as soon as the sun is off, or if the sky +becomes cloudy. Put them up in stone jars, strewing among them some of +the best brown sugar. + +The common practice of drying cherries with the stones in, (to save +trouble,) renders them so inconvenient to eat, that they are of little +use, when done in that manner. + +With the stones extracted, dried cherries will be found very good for +common pies. + +BARBERRY JELLY. + +Take ripe barberries, and having stripped them from the stalks, mash +them, and boil them in their juice for a quarter of an hour. Then +squeeze them through a bag: allow to each pint of juice, a pound of +loaf-sugar; and having melted the sugar in the juice, boil them +together twenty or twenty-five minutes, skimming carefully. Put it up +in tumblers with tissue paper. + +FROSTED FRUIT. + +Take large ripe cherries, plums, apricots, or grapes, and cut off half +the stalk. Have ready in one dish some beaten white of egg, and in +another some fine loaf-sugar, powdered and sifted. Dip the fruit first +into the white of egg, and then roll it one by one in the powdered +sugar. Lay a sheet of white paper on the bottom of a reversed sieve, +set it on a stove or in some other warm place, and spread the fruit on +the paper till the icing is hardened. + +PEACH LEATHER. + +To six pounds of ripe peaches, (pared and quartered,) allow three +pounds of the best brown sugar. Mix them together, and put them, into a +preserving kettle, with barely water enough to keep them from burning. +Pound and mash them a while with a wooden beetle. Then boil and skim +them for three hours or more, stirring them nearly all the time. When +done, spread them thinly on large dishes, and set them in the sun for +three or four days; Finish the drying by loosening the peach leather on +the dishes, and setting them in the oven after the bread is taken out, +letting them remain till the oven is cold. Roll up the peach leather +and put it away in a box. + +Apple leather may be made in the same manner. + +RHUBARB JAM. + +Peel the rhubarb stalks and cut them into small square pieces. Then +weigh them, and to each pound allow three quarters of a pound of +powdered loaf-sugar. Put the sugar and the rhubarb into a large, deep, +white pan, in alternate layers, the top layer to be of sugar—cover it, +and let it stand all night. In the morning, put it into a preserving +kettle, and boil it slowly till the whole is dissolved into a thick +mass, stirring it frequently, and skimming it before every stirring. +Put it warm into glass jars, and tie it up with brandy paper. + + + + +PASTRY, PUDDINGS, ETC. + + +THE BEST PLAIN PASTE. + +All paste should be made in a very cool place, as heat renders it +heavy. It is far more difficult to get it light in summer than in +winter. A marble slab is much better to roll it on than a paste-board. +It will be improved in lightness by washing the butter in very cold +water, and squeezing and pressing out all the salt, as salt is +injurious to paste. In New York and in the Eastern states, it is +customary, in the dairies, to put more salt in what is called fresh +butter, than in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. This butter, +therefore, should always undergo the process of washing and squeezing +before it is used for pastry or cakes. None but the very best butter +should be taken for those purposes; as any unpleasant taste is always +increased by baking. Potted butter never makes good paste. As pastry is +by no means an article of absolute necessity, it is better not to have +it at all, than to make it badly, and of inferior ingredients; few +things being more unwholesome than hard, heavy dough. The flour for +paste should always be superfine. + +You may bake paste in deep dishes or in soup plates. For shells that +are to be baked empty, and afterwards filled with stewed fruit or +sweetmeats, deep plates of block tin with broad edges are best. If you +use patty-pans, the more flat they are the better. Paste always rises +higher and is more perfectly light and flaky, when unconfined at the +sides while baking. That it may be easily taken out, the dishes or tins +should be well buttered. + +To make a nice plain paste,—sift three pints of superfine flour, by +rubbing it through a sieve into a deep pan. Divide a pound of fresh +butter into four quarters. Cut up one quarter into the flour, and rub +it fine with your hands. Mix in, gradually, as much cold water as will +make a tolerably stiff dough, and then knead it slightly. Use as little +water as possible or the paste will be tough. Sprinkle a little flour +on your paste-board, lay the lump of dough upon it, and knead it a very +short time. Flour it, and roll it out into a very thin sheet, always +rolling from you. Flour your rolling-pin to prevent its sticking. Take +a second quarter of the butter, and with your thumb, spread it all over +the sheet of paste. If your hand is warm, use a knife instead of your +thumb; for if the butter oils, the paste will be heavy. When you have +put on the layer of butter, sprinkle it with a very little flour, and +with your hands roll up the paste as you would a sheet of paper. Then +flatten it with a rolling-pin, and roll it out a second time into a +thin sheet. Cover it with another layer of butter, as before, and again +roll it up into a scroll. Flatten it again, put on the last layer of +butter, flour it slightly, and again roll up the sheet. Then cut the +scroll into as many pieces as you want sheets for your dishes or +patty-pans. Roll out each piece almost an inch thick. Flour your +dishes, lay the paste lightly on them, notch the edges, and bake it a +light brown. The oven must be moderate. If it is too hot, the paste +will bake before it has risen sufficiently. If too cold, it will +scarcely rise at all, and will be white and clammy. When you begin to +make paste in this manner, do not quit it till it is ready for the +oven. It must always be baked in a close oven where no air can reach +it. + +The best rolling-pins, are those that are straight, and as thick at the +ends as in the middle. They should be held by the handles, and the +longer the handles the more convenient. The common rolling-pins that +decrease in size towards the ends, are much less effective, and more +tedious, as they can roll so little at a time; the extremities not +pressing on the dough at all. + +All, pastry is best when fresh. After the first day it loses much of +its lightness, and is therefore more unwholesome. + +COMMON PIE CRUST. + +Sift two quarts of superfine flour into a pan. Divide one pound of +fresh butter into two equal parts, and cut up one half in the flour, +rubbing it fine. Mix it with a very little cold water, and make it into +a round lump. Knead it a little. Then flour your paste-board, and roll +the dough out into a large thin sheet. Spread it all over with the +remainder of the butter. Flour it, fold it up, and roll it out again. +Then fold it again, or roll it into a scroll. Cut it into as many +pieces as you want sheets of paste, and roll each not quite an inch +thick. Butter your pie-dish. + +This paste will do for family use, when covered pies are wanted. Also +for apple dumplings, pot-pies, &c.; though all boiled paste is best +when made of suet instead of butter. Short cakes may be made of this, +cut out with the edge of a tumbler. It should always be eaten fresh. + +SUET PASTE. + +Having removed the skirt and stringy fibres from a pound of beef suet, +chop it as fine as possible. Sift two quarts of flour into a deep pan, +and rub into it one half of the suet. Make, it into a round lump of +dough, with cold water, and then knead it a little. Lay the dough on +your paste-board, roll it out very thin, and cover it with the +remaining half of the suet. Flour it, roll it out thin again, and then +roll it into a scroll. Cut it into as many pieces as you want sheets of +paste, and roll them out half an inch thick. + +Suet paste should always be boiled. It is good for plain puddings that +are made of apples, gooseberries, blackberries or other fruit; and for +dumplings. If you use it for pot-pie, roll it the last time rather +thicker than if wanted for any other purpose. If properly made, it will +be light and flaky, and the suet imperceptible. If the suet is minced +very fine, and thoroughly incorporated with the flour, not the +slightest lump will appear when the paste comes to table. + +The suet must not be melted before it is used; but merely minced as +fine as possible and mixed cold with the flour. + +If for dumplings to eat with boiled mutton, the dough must be rolled +out thick, and cut out of the size you want them, with a tin, or with +the edge of a cup or tumbler. + +DRIPPING PASTE. + +To a pound of fresh beef-dripping, that has been nicely clarified, +allow two pounds and a quarter of flour. Put the flour into a large +pan, and mix the dripping with it, rubbing it into the flour with your +hands till it is thoroughly incorporated. Then make it into a stiff +dough with a little cold water, and roll it out twice. This may be used +for common meat pies. + +LARD PASTE. + +Lard for paste should never be used without an equal quantity of +butter. Take half a pound of nice lard, and half a pound of fresh +butter; rub them together into two pounds and a quarter of flour, and +mix it with a little cold water to a stiff dough. Roll it out twice. +Use it for common pies. Lard should always be kept in tin. + +POTATO PASTE. + +To two quarts of flour, allow fourteen good sized potatoes. Boil the +potatoes till they are thoroughly done throughout. Then peel, and mash +them very fine. Rub them through a cullender. + +Having sifted the flour into a pan, add the potatoes gradually; rubbing +them well into the flour with your hands. Mix in sufficient cold water +to make a stiff dough. Roll it out evenly, and you may use it for apple +dumplings, boiled apple pudding, beef-steak pudding, &c. + +Potato paste must be sent to table quite hot; as soon as it cools it +becomes tough and heavy. It is unfit for baking; and even when boiled +is less light than suet paste. + +FINE PUFF PASTE. + +To every pound of the best fresh butter allow a pound or a quart of +superfine flour. Sift the flour into a deep pan, and then sift on a +plate some additional flour to use for sprinkling and rolling. Wash the +butter through two cold waters; squeezing out all the salt, and +whatever milk may remain in it; and then make it up with your hands +into a round lump, and put it in ice till you are ready to use it. Then +divide the butter into four equal parts. Cut up one of the quarters +into the pan of flour; and divide the remaining three quarters into six +pieces, [Footnote: Or into nine; and roll it in that number of times.] +cutting each quarter in half. Mix with a knife the flour and butter +that is in the pan, adding by degrees a very little cold water till you +have made it into a lump of stiff dough. Then sprinkle some flour on +the paste-board, (you should have a marble slab,) take the dough from +the pan by lifting it out with the knife, lay it on the board, and +flouring your rolling-pin, roll out the paste into a large thin sheet. +Then with the knife, put all over it, at equal distances, one of the +six pieces of butter divided into small bits. Fold up the sheet of +paste, flour it, roll it out again, and add in the same manner another +of the portions of butter. Repeat this process till the butter is all +in. Then fold it once more, lay it on a plate, and set it in a cool +place till you are ready to use it. Then divide it into as many pieces +as you want sheets of paste; roll out each sheet, and put them into +buttered plates or patty-pans. In using the rolling-pin, observe always +to roll from you. Bake the paste in a moderate oven, but rather quick +than slow. No air must be admitted to it while baking. + +The edges of paste should always be notched before it goes into the +oven. For this purpose, use a sharp penknife, dipping it frequently in +flour as it becomes sticky. The notches should be even and regular. If +you do them imperfectly at first, they cannot be mended by sticking on +additional bits of paste; as, when baked, every patch will be doubly +conspicuous. There are various ways of notching; one of the neatest is +to fold over one corner of each notch; or you may arrange the notches +to stand upright and lie flat, alternately, all round the edge. They +should be made small and regular. You may form the edge into leaves +with the little tin cutters made for the purpose. + +If the above directions for puff paste are carefully followed, and if +it is not spoiled in baking, it will rise to a great thickness and +appear in flakes or leaves according to the number of times you have +put in the butter. + +It should be eaten the day it is baked. + +SWEET PASTE. + +Sift a pound and a quarter of the finest flour, and three ounces of +powdered loaf-sugar into a deep dish. Cut up in it ten ounces of the +best fresh butter and rub it fine with your hands. Make a hole in the +middle, pour in the yolks of two beaten eggs, and mix them with the +flour, &c. Then wet the whole to a stiff paste with half a pint of rich +milk. Knead it well, and roll it out. + +This paste is intended for tarts of the finest sweetmeats. If used as +shells they should be baked empty, and filled when cool. If made into +covered tarts they may be iced all over, in the manner of cakes, with +beaten white of egg and powdered loaf-sugar. To make puffs of it, roll +it out and cut it into round pieces with the edge of a large tumbler, +or with a tin cutter. Lay the sweetmeat on one half of the paste, fold +the other over it in the form of a half-moon, and unite the edges by +notching them together. Bake them in a brisk oven, and when cool, send +them to table handsomely arranged, several on a dish. + +Sweet paste is rarely used except for very handsome entertainments. You +may add some rose water in mixing it. + +SHELLS. + +Shells of paste are made of one sheet each, rolled out in a circular +form, and spread over the bottom, sides, and edges of buttered dishes +or patty-pans, and baked empty; to be filled, when cool, with stewed +fruit, (which for this purpose should be always cold,) or with +sweetmeats. They should be made either of fine puff paste, or of the +best plain paste, or of sweet paste. They are generally rolled out +rather thick, and will require about half an hour to bake. The oven +should be rather quick, and of equal heat throughout; if hotter in one +part than in another, the paste will draw to one side, and be warped +and disfigured. The shells should be baked of a light brown. When cool, +they must be taken out of the dishes on which they were baked, and +transferred to plates and filled with the fruit. + +Shells of puff paste will rise best if baked on flat patty-pans, or tin +plates. When they are cool, pile the sweetmeats on them in a heap. + +The thicker and higher the paste rises, and the more it flakes in +layers or leaves, the finer it is considered. + +Baking paste as empty shells, prevents it from being moist or clammy at +the bottom. + +Tarts are small shells with fruit in them. + +PIES. + +Pies may be made with any sort of paste. It is a fault to roll it out +too thin; for if it has not sufficient substance, it will, when baked, +be dry and tasteless. For a pie, divide the paste into two sheets; +spread one of them over the bottom and sides of a deep dish well +buttered. Next put in the fruit or other ingredients, (heaping it +higher in the centre,) and then place the other sheet of paste on the +top as a lid or cover; pressing the edges closely down, and afterwards +crimping or notching them with a sharp small knife. + +In making pies of juicy fruit, it is well to put on the centre of the +under crust a common tea-cup, laying the fruit round it and over it. +The juice will collect under the cup, and not be liable to run out from +between the edges. There should be plenty of sugar strewed among the +fruit as you put it into the pie. + +Preserves should never be put into covered pies. The proper way is to +lay them in baked shells. + +All pies are best the day they are baked. If kept twenty-four hours the +paste falls and becomes comparatively hard, heavy, and unwholesome. If +the fruit is not ripe, it should be stewed with sugar, and then allowed +to get cold before it is put into the pie. If put in warm it will make +the paste heavy. With fruit pies always have a sugar dish on the table, +in case they should not be found sweet enough. + +STANDING PIES. + +Cut up half a pound of butter, and put it into a sauce-pan with three +quarters of a pint of water; cover it, and set it on hot coals. Have +ready in a pan two pounds of sifted flour; make a hole in the middle of +it, pour in the melted butter as soon as it boils, and then with a +spoon gradually mix in the flour. When it is well mixed, knead it with +your hands into a stiff dough. Sprinkle your paste-board with flour, +lay the dough upon it, and continue to knead it with your hands till it +no longer sticks to them, and is quite light. Then let it stand an hour +to cool. Cut off pieces for the bottom and top; roll them out thick, +and roll out a long piece for the sides or walls of the pie, which you +must fix on the bottom so as to stand up all round; cement them +together with white of egg, pinching and closing them firmly. Then put +in the ingredients of your pie, (which should be venison, game, or +poultry,) and lay on the lid or top crust, pinching the edges closely +together. You may ornament the sides and top with leaves or flowers of +paste, shaped with a tin cutter, and notch or scollop the edges +handsomely. Before you set it in the oven glaze it all over with white +of egg. Bake it four hours. These pies are always eaten cold, and in +winter will keep two or three weeks, if the air is carefully excluded +from them; and they may be carried to a considerable distance. + +A PYRAMID OF TARTS. + +Roll out a sufficient quantity of the best puff paste, or sugar paste; +and with oval or circular cutters, cut it out into seven or eight +pieces of different sizes; stamping the middle of each with the cutter +you intend using for the next. Bake them all separately, and when they +are cool, place them on a dish in a pyramid, (gradually diminishing in +size,) the largest piece at the bottom, and the smallest at the top. +Take various preserved fruits, and lay some of the largest on the lower +piece of paste; on the next place fruit that is rather smaller; and so +on till you finish at the top with the smallest sweetmeats you have. +The upper one may be not so large as a half-dollar, containing only a +single raspberry or strawberry. + +Notch all the edges handsomely. You may ornament the top or pinnacle of +the pyramid with a sprig of orange blossom or myrtle. + +APPLE AND OTHER PIES. + +Take fine juicy acid apples; pare, core, and cut them into small +pieces. Have ready a deep dish that has been lined with paste. Fill it +with the apples; strewing among them layers of brown sugar, and adding +the rind of a lemon pared thin, and also the juice squeezed in, or some +essence of lemon. Put on another sheet of paste as a lid; close the +edges well, and notch them. Bake the pie in a moderate oven, about +three quarters of an hour. Eat it with cream and sugar, or with cold +boiled custard. + +If the pie is made of early green apples, they should first be stewed +with a very little water and plenty of brown sugar. + +What are called sweet apples are entirely unfit for cooking, as they +become tough and tasteless; and it is almost impossible to get them +sufficiently done. + +When you put stewed apples into baked shells, grate nutmeg over the +top. You may cover them with cream whipped to a stiff froth, and heaped +on them. + +Cranberries and gooseberries should be stewed with sugar before they +are put into paste. Peaches should be cut in half or quartered, and the +stones taken out. The stones of cherries and plums should also be +extracted. + +Raspberries or strawberries, mixed with cream and white sugar, may he +put raw into baked shells. + +RHUBARB TARTS. + +Take the young green stalks of the rhubarb plant, or spring fruit as it +is called in England; and having peeled off the thin skin, cut the +stalks into small pieces about an inch long, and put them into a +sauce-pan with plenty of brown sugar, and its own juice. Cover it, and +let it stew slowly till it is soft enough to mash to a marmalade. Then +set it away to cool. Have ready some fresh baked shells; fill them with +the stewed rhubarb, and grate white sugar over the top. + +For covered pies, cut the rhubarb very small; mix a great deal of sugar +with it, and put it in raw. Bake the pies about three quarters of an +hour. + +MINCE PIES. + +These pies are always made with covers, and should be eaten warm. If +baked the day before, heat them on the stove or before the fire. + +Mince-meat made early in the winter, and packed closely in stone jars, +will keep till spring, if it has a sufficiency of spice and liquor. +Whenever you take out any for use, pour some additional brandy into the +jar before you cover it again, and add some more sugar. No mince-meat, +however, will keep well unless all the ingredients are of the best +quality. The meat should always be boiled the day before you want to +chop it. + +GOOD MINCE-MEAT. + +Take a bullock’s heart and boil it, or two pounds of the lean of fresh +beef. When it is quite cold, chop it very fine. Chop three pounds of +beef suet (first removing the skin and strings) and six pounds of large +juicy apples that have been pared and cored. Then, stone six pounds of +the best raisins, (or take sultana raisins that are without stones,) +and chop them also. Wash and dry three pounds of currants. Mix all +together; adding to them the grated peel and the juice of two or three +large oranges, two table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, two powdered +nutmegs, and three dozen powdered cloves, a tea-spoonful of beaten +mace, one pound of fine brown sugar, one quart of Madeira wine, one +pint of French brandy, and half a pound of citron cut into large slips. +Having thoroughly mixed the whole, put it into a stone jar, and tie it +up with brandy paper. + +THE BEST MINCE-MEAT, + +Take a large fresh tongue, rub it with a mixture, in equal proportions, +of salt, brown sugar, and powdered cloves. Cover it, and let it lie two +days, or at least twenty-four hours. Then boil it two hours, and when, +it is cold, skin it, and mince it very fine. Chop also three pounds of +beef suet, six pounds of sultana raisins, and six pounds of the best +pippin apples that have been previously pared and cored. Add three +pounds of currants, picked, washed and dried; two large table-spoonfuls +of powdered cinnamon; the juice and grated rinds of four large lemons; +one pound of sweet almonds, one ounce of bitter almonds, blanched and +pounded in a mortar with half a pint of rose water; also four powdered +nutmegs; two dozen beaten cloves; and a dozen blades of mace powdered. +Add a pound of powdered white sugar, and a pound of citron cut into +slips. Mix all together, and moisten it with a quart of Madeira, and a +pint of brandy. Put it up closely in a stone jar with brandy paper; and +when you take any out, add some more sugar and brandy. + +Bake this mince-meat in puff paste. + +You may reserve the citron to put in when you make the pies. Do not cut +the slips too small, or the taste will be almost imperceptible. + +VERY PLAIN MINCE-MEAT. + +Take a piece of fresh beef, consisting of about two pounds of lean, and +one pound of fat. Boil it, and when it is quite cold, chop it fine. Or +you may substitute cold roast beef. Pare and core some fine juicy +apples, cut them in pieces, weigh three pounds, and chop them. Stone +four pounds of raisins, and chop them also. Add a large table-spoonful +of powdered cloves, and the same quantity of powdered cinnamon. Also a +pound of brown sugar. Mix all thoroughly, moistening it with a quart of +bottled or sweet cider. You may add the grated peel and the juice of an +orange. + +Bake it in good common paste. + +This mince-meat will do very well for children or for family use, but +is too plain to be set before a guest. Neither will it keep so long as +that which is richer and more highly seasoned. It is best to make no +more of it at once than you have immediate occasion for. + +MINCE-MEAT FOR LENT. + +Boil a dozen eggs quite hard, and chop the yolks very fine. Chop also a +dozen pippins, and two pounds of sultana raisins. Add two pounds of +currants, a pound of sugar, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a +tea-spoonful of beaten mace, three powdered nutmegs, the juice and +grated peel of three large lemons, and half a pound of citron cut in +large strips. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, and moisten the whole +with a pint of white wine, half a pint of rose-water, and half a pint +of brandy. Bake it in very nice paste. + +These mince pies may be eaten by persons who refrain from meat in Lent. + +ORANGE PUDDING. + +Grate the yellow part of the rind, and squeeze the juice of two large, +smooth, deep-coloured oranges. Stir together to a cream, half a pound +of butter, and half a pound of powdered white sugar, and add a +wine-glass of mixed wine and brandy. Beat very light six eggs, and stir +them gradually into the mixture. Put it into a buttered dish with a +broad edge, round which lay a border of puff-paste neatly notched. Bake +it half an hour, and when cool grate white sugar over it. + +You may add to the mixture a Naples biscuit, or two finger biscuits, +grated. + +LEMON PUDDING. + +May be made precisely in the same manner as the above; substituting +lemons for oranges. + +QUINCE PUDDING. + +Take six large ripe quinces; pare them, and cut out all the blemishes. +Then scrape them to a pulp, and mix the pulp with half a pint of cream, +and half a pound of powdered sugar, stirring them together very hard. +Beat the yolks of seven eggs, (omitting all the whites except two,) and +stir them gradually into the mixture, adding two wine glasses of rose +water. Stir the whole well together and bake it in a buttered dish +three quarters of an hour Grate sugar over it when cold. + +If you cannot obtain cream, you may substitute a quarter of a pound of +fresh butter stirred with the sugar and quince. A baked apple pudding +may be made in the same manner. + +ALMOND PUDDING. + +Take half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three ounces of shelled +bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. Scald and peel them; throwing them, +as they are peeled, into cold water. Then pound them one at a time in a +marble mortar, adding to each a few drops of rose water; otherwise they +will be heavy and oily. Mix the sweet and bitter almonds together by +pounding them alternately; and as you do them, take them out and lay +them on a plate. They must each be beaten to a fine smooth paste, free +from the smallest lumps. It is best to prepare them the day before you +make the pudding. + +Stir to a cream half a pound of fresh butter and half a pound of +powdered white sugar; and by degrees pour into it a glass of mixed wine +and brandy. Beat to a stiff froth, the whites only, of twelve eggs, +(you may reserve the yolks for custards or other purposes,) and stir +alternately into the butter and sugar the pounded almonds and the +beaten white of egg. When the whole is well mixed, put it into a +buttered dish and lay puff paste round the edge. Bake it about half an +hour, and when cold grate sugar over it. + +ANOTHER ALMOND PUDDING. + +Blanch three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three +ounces of shelled bitter almonds, and beat them in a mortar to a fine +paste; mixing them well, and adding by degrees a tea-cup full, or more, +of rose water. Boil in a pint of rich milk, a few sticks of cinnamon +broken up, and a few blades of mace. When the milk has come to a boil, +take it off the fire, strain it into a pan, and soak in it five stale +rusks cut into slices. They must soak till quite dissolved. Stir to a +cream three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, mixed with the same +quantity of powdered loaf-sugar. Beat ten eggs very light, yolks and +whites together, and then stir alternately into the butter and sugar, +the rusk, eggs, and almonds. Set it on a stove or a chafing dish, and +stir the whole together till very smooth and thick. Put it into a +buttered dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. It must be eaten +cool or cold. + +COCOA-NUT PUDDING. + +Having opened a cocoa-nut, pare off the brown skin from the pieces, and +wash them all in cold water. Then weigh three quarters of a pound, and +grate it into a dish. Cut up half a pound of butter into half a pound +of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir them together to a cream; add to them +a glass of wine and rose water mixed. Beat the whites only, of twelve +eggs, till they stand alone on the rods; and then stir the grated +cocoa-nut and the beaten white of egg alternately into the butter and +sugar; giving the whole a hard stirring at the last. Put the mixture +into a buttered dish, lay puff paste round the flat edge, and bake it +half an hour in a moderate oven. When cool, grate powdered sugar over +it. + +ANOTHER COCOA-NUT PUDDING. + +Peel and cut up the cocoa-nut, and wash, and wipe the pieces. Weigh one +pound, and grate it fine. Then, mix with it three stale rusks or small +sponge-cakes, grated also. Stir together till very light half a pound +of butter and half a pound of powdered white sugar, and add a glass of +white wine. Beat six whole eggs very light, and stir them gradually +into the butter and sugar in turn with the grated cocoa-nut. Having +stirred the whole very hard at the last, put it into a buttered dish +and bake it half an hour. + +PUMPKIN PUDDING. + +Take a pint of pumpkin that has been stewed soft, and pressed through a +cullender. Melt in half a pint of warm milk, a quarter of a pound of +butter, and the same quantity of sugar, stirring them well together. If +you can conveniently procure a pint of rich cream it will be better +than the milk and butter. Beat eight eggs very light, and add them +gradually to the other ingredients, alternately with the pumpkin. Then +stir in a wine glass of rose water and two glasses of wine mixed +together; a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed, and +a grated nutmeg. Having stirred the whole very hard, put it into a +buttered dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. + +A SQUASH PUDDING. + +Pare, cut in pieces, and stew in a very little water, a yellow winter +squash. When it is quite soft, drain it dry, and mash it in a +cullender. Then put it into a pan, and mix with it a quarter of a pound +of butter. Prepare two pounded crackers, or an equal quantity of grated +stale bread. Stir gradually a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar into +a quart of rich milk, and add by degrees, the squash, and the powdered +biscuit. Beat nine eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the +mixture. Add a glass of white wine, a glass of brandy, a glass of rose +water, and a table-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon +powdered. Stir the whole very hard, till all the ingredients are +thoroughly mixed. Bake it three quarters of an hour in a buttered dish; +and when cold, grate white sugar over it. + +YAM PUDDING. + +Take one pound of roasted yam, and rub it through a cullender. Mix with +it half a pound of white sugar, a pint of cream or half a pound of +butter, a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, and a +wine glass of rose water, and one of wine. Set it away to get cold. +Then beat six eggs very light. Stir them into the mixture. Put it into +a buttered dish and bake it half an hour. Grate sugar over it when +cold. + +CHESTNUT PUDDING, + +May be made in the above manner. + +POTATO PUDDING. + +Boil a pound of fine potatoes, peel them, mash them, and rub them +through a cullender. Stir together to a cream, three quarters of a +pound of sugar and the same quantity of butter. Add to them gradually, +a wine glass of rose water, a glass of wine, and a glass of brandy; a +tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, and the +juice and grated peel of a large lemon. Then beat six eggs very light, +and add them by degrees to the mixture, alternately with the potato. +Bake it three quarters of an hour in a buttered dish. + +SWEET POTATO PUDDING. + +Take half a pound of sweet potatoes, wash them, and put them into a pot +with a very little water, barely enough to keep them from burning. Let +them simmer slowly for about half an hour; they must be only parboiled, +otherwise they will be soft, and may make the pudding heavy. When they +are half done, take them out, peel them, and when cold, grate them. +Stir together to a cream, half a pound of butter and a quarter of a +pound and two ounces of powdered sugar, add a grated nutmeg, a large +tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and half a tea-spoonful of beaten +mace. Also the juice and grated peel of a lemon, a wine glass of rose +water, a glass of wine, and a glass of brandy. Stir these ingredients +well together. Beat eight eggs very light, and stir them into the +mixture in turn with the sweet potato, a little at a time of each. +Having stirred the whole very hard at the last, put it into a buttered +dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. + +CARROT PUDDING. + +May be made in the above manner. + +GREEN CORN PUDDING. + +Take twelve ears of green corn, as it is called, (that is, Indian corn +when full grown, but before it begins to harden and turn yellow,) and +grate it. Have ready a quart of rich milk, and stir into it by degrees +a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of +sugar. Beat four eggs till quite light; and then stir them into the +milk, &c. alternately with the grated corn, a little of each at a time. +Put the mixture into a large buttered dish, and bake it four hours. It +may be eaten either warm or cold, For sauce, beat together butter and +white sugar in equal proportions, mixed with grated nutmeg. + +To make this pudding—you may, if more convenient, boil the corn and cut +it from the cob; but let it get quite cold before you stir it into the +milk. If the corn has been previously boiled, the pudding will require +but two hours to bake. + +SAGO PUDDING. + +Pick, wash, and dry half a pound of currants; and prepare a +tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; a half tea-spoonful of powdered +mace; and a beaten nutmeg. Have ready six table-spoonfuls of sago, +picked clean, and soaked for two hours in cold water. Boil the sago in +a quart of milk till quite soft. Then stir alternately into the milk, a +quarter of a pound of butter, and six ounces of powdered sugar, and set +it away to cool. Bent eight eggs, and when they are quite light, stir +them gradually into the milk, sago, &c. Add the spice, and lastly the +currants; having dredged them well with flour to prevent their sinking. +Stir the whole very hard, put it into a buttered dish, and bake it +three quarters of an hour. Eat it cold. + +ARROW ROOT PUDDING. + +Take four tea-cups full of arrow root, and dissolve it in a pint of +cold milk. Then boil another pint of milk with some broken cinnamon, +and a few bitter almonds or peach-leaves. When done, strain it hot over +the dissolved arrow root; stir it to a thick smooth batter, and set it +away to get cold. Next, beat six eggs very light, and stir them into +the batter, alternately with a quarter of a pound of powdered white +sugar. Add a grated nutmeg and some fresh lemon-peel grated. Put the +mixture into a buttered dish, and bake it an hour. When cold, cut some +slices of preserved quince or peach, and arrange them handsomely all +over the top of the pudding; or ornament it with strawberries, or +raspberries preserved whole. + +GROUND RICE PUDDING. + +Mix a quarter of a pound of ground rice with a pint of cold milk, till +it is a smooth batter and free from lumps. Boil three pints of milk; +and when it has boiled, stir in gradually the rice batter, alternately +with a quarter of a pound of butter. Keep it over the fire, stirring +all the time, till the whole is well mixed, and has boiled hard. Then +take it off, add a quarter of a pound of white sugar; stir it well, and +set it away to cool. Beat eight eggs very light and stir them into the +mixture when it is quite cold. Then strain it through a sieve, (this +will make it more light and delicate,) add a grated nutmeg, and a large +tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir in the juice and the grated +peel of a lemon, or a small tea-spoonful of essence of lemon. Put it +into a deep dish or dishes, and bake it an hour. As soon as it comes +out of the oven, lay slips of citron over the top; and when cold, strew +powdered sugar on it. + +A RICE PLUM PUDDING. + +Take three jills of whole rice; wash it, and boil it in a pint of milk. +When it is soft, mix in a quarter of a pound of butter, and set it +aside to cool; and when it is quite cold, stir it into another pint of +milk. Prepare a pound and a half of raisins or currants; if currants, +wash and dry them; if raisins, seed them and cut them in half. Dredge +them well with flour, to prevent their sinking; and prepare also a +powdered nutmeg; a table-spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon powdered; +a wine glass of rose water; and a wine glass of brandy or white wine. +Beat six eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture, alternately +with a quarter of a pound of sugar. Then add by degrees the spice and +the liquor, and lastly, stir in, a few at a time, the raisins or +currants. Put the pudding into a buttered dish and bake it an hour and +a half. Send it to table cool. + +You may make this pudding of ground rice, using but half a pint instead +of three jills. + +A PLAIN RICE PUDDING. + +Pick and wash a pint of rice, and boil it soft. Then drain off the +water, and let the rice dry and get cold. Afterwards mix with it two +ounces of butter, and four ounces of sugar, and stir it into a quart of +rich milk. Beat four or five eggs very light, and add them gradually to +the mixture. Stir in at the last a table-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and +cinnamon. Bake it an hour in a deep dish. + +A FARMER’S RICE PUDDING. + +This pudding is made without eggs. Wash half a pint of rice through two +cold waters, and drain it well. Stir it raw into a quart of rich milk, +or of cream and milk mixed; adding a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, +and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Put it into a deep pan, and +bake it two hours or more. When done, the rice will be perfectly soft, +which you may ascertain by dipping a tea-spoon into the edge of the +pudding and taking out a little to try. Eat it cold. + +RICE MILK. + +Pick and wash half a pint of rice, and boil it in a quart of water till +it is quite soft. Then drain it, and mix it with a quart of rich milk. +You may add half a pound of whole raisins. Set it over hot coals, and +stir it frequently till it boils. When it boils hard, stir in +alternately two beaten eggs, and four large table-spoonfuls of brown +sugar. Let it continue boiling five minutes longer; then take it off, +and send it to table hot. If you put in raisins you must let it boil +till they are quite soft. + +A BOILED RICE PUDDING. + +Mix a quarter of a pound of ground rice with a pint of milk, and simmer +it over hot coals; stirring it all the time to prevent its being lumpy, +or burning at the bottom. When it is thick and smooth, take it off, and +pour it into an earthen pan. Mix a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a +quarter of a pound of butter with half a pint of cream or very rich +milk, and stir it into the rice; adding a powdered nutmeg, and the +grated rind of two lemons, or half a tea-spoonful of strong oil of +lemon. Beat the yolks of six eggs with the whites of two only. When the +eggs are quite light, mix them gradually with the other ingredients, +and stir the whole very hard. Butter a large bowl, or a pudding mould. +Put in the mixture; tying a cloth tightly over the top, (so that no +water can get in,) and boil it two hours. When done, turn it out into a +dish. Send it to table warm, and eat it with sweetened cream, flavoured +with a glass of brandy or white wine and a grated nutmeg. + +A MARLBOROUGH PUDDING. + +Pare, core and quarter six large ripe pippin apples. Stew them in half +a pint of water. When they are soft but not broken, take them out, +drain them through a sieve, and mash them to a paste with the back of a +spoon. Mix with them six large table-spoonfuls of sugar and a quarter +of a pound of butter, and set them away to get cold. Grate two milk +biscuits or email sponge cakes, or an equal quantity of stale bread, +and grate also the yellow peel, and squeeze the juice of a large lemon. +Beat six eggs light, and when the apple is cold stir them gradually +into it, adding the grated biscuit and the lemon. Stir in a wine glass +of rose water and a grated nutmeg. Put the mixture into a buttered dish +or dishes; lay round the edge a border of puff paste, and bake it three +quarters of art hour. When cold, grate white sugar over the top, and +ornament it with slips of citron handsomely arranged. + +ALMOND CHEESE CAKE. + +This though usually called a cheese cake, is in fact a pudding. + +Cut a piece of rennet about two inches square, wash off the salt in +cold water, and wipe it dry. Put it into a tea-cup, pour on it +sufficient lukewarm water to cover it, and let it soak all night, or at +least several hours. Take a quart of milk, which must be made warm, but +not boiling. Stir the rennet-water into it. Cover it, and set it in a +warm place. When the curd has become quite firm, and the whey looks +greenish, drain off the whey, and set the curd in a cool place. While +the milk is turning, prepare the other ingredients. Wash and dry half a +pound of currants, and dredge them well with flour. Blanch three ounces +of sweet and one ounce of bitter almonds, by scalding and peeling them. +Then cool them in cold water, wiping them dry before you put them into +the mortar. If you cannot procure bitter almonds, peach kernels may be +substituted. Beat them, one at a time, in the mortar to a smooth paste, +pouring in with every one a few drops of rose water to prevent their +being oily, dull-coloured, and heavy. If you put a sufficiency of rose +water, the pounded almond paste will be light, creamy, and perfectly +white. Mix, as you do them, the sweet and bitter almonds together. Then +beat the yolks of eight eggs, and when light, mix them gradually with +the curd. Add five table-spoonfuls of cream, and a tea-spoonful of +mixed spice. Lastly, stir in, by degrees, the pounded almonds, and the +currants alternately. Stir the whole mixture very hard. Bake it in +buttered dishes, laying puff paste round the edges. If accurately made, +it will be found delicious. It must be put in the oven immediately. + +COMMON CHEESE CAKE. + +Boil a quart of rich milk. Beat eight eggs, put them to the milk, and +let the milk and eggs boil together till they become a curd. Then drain +it through a very clean sieve, till all the whey is out. Put the curd +into a deep dish, and mix with it half a pound of butter, working them +well together. When it is cold, add to it the beaten yolks of four +eggs, and four large table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar; also a +grated nutmeg. Lastly, stir in, by degrees, half a pound of currants +that have been previously picked, washed, dried, and dredged with +flour. Lay. puff paste round the rim of the dish, and bake the cheese +cake half an hour. Send it to table cold. + +PRUNE PUDDING. + +Scald a pound of prunes; cover them, and let them swell in the hot +water till they are soft. Then drain them, and extract the stones; +spread the prunes on a large dish, and dredge them with flour. Take one +jill or eight large fable-spoonfuls from a quart of rich milk, and stir +into it, gradually, eight spoonfuls of sifted flour. Mix it to a smooth +batter, pressing out all the lumps with the back of the spoon. Beat six +eggs very light, and stir them, by degrees, into the remainder of the +milk, alternately with the batter that you have just mixed. Then add +the prunes one at a time, stirring the whole very hard. Tie the pudding +in a cloth that has been previously dipped in boiling water and then +dredged with flour. Leave room for it to swell, but secure it firmly, +so that no water can get in. Put it into a pot of boiling water, and +boil it two hours. Send it to table hot, (not taking it out of the pot +till a moment before it is wanted,) and eat it with cream sauce; or +with butter, sugar, and nutmeg beaten together, and served up in a +little tureen. A similar pudding may be made with whole raisins. + +EVE’S PUDDING. + +Pare, core, and quarter six large pippins, and chop them very fine. +Grate stale bread till you have six ounces of crumbs, and roll fine six +ounces of brown sugar. Pick, wash, and dry six ounces of currants, and +sprinkle them with flour. Mix all these ingredients together in a large +pan, adding six ounces of butter cut small, and two table-spoonfuls of +flour. Beat six eggs very light, and moisten the mixture with them. Add +a grated nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir the +whole very well together. Have ready a pot of boiling water. Dip your +pudding cloth into it, shake it out, and dredge it with flour. Then put +in the mixture, and tie it very firmly; leaving space for the pudding +to swell, and stopping up the tying place with a paste of wetted flour. +Boil it three hours; keeping at the fire a kettle of boiling water, to +replenish the pot, that the pudding may be always well covered. Send it +to table hot, and eat it with sweetened cream flavoured with wine and +nutmeg. + +CINDERELLAS OR GERMAN PUFFS. + +Sift eight table-spoonfuls of the finest flour. Cut up in a quart of +rich milk, half a pound of fresh butter, and set it on the stove, or +near the fire, till it has melted. Beat eight eggs very light, and stir +them gradually into the milk and butter, alternately with the flour. +Add a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Mix the +whole very well to a fine smooth batter, in which there must be no +lumps. Butter some large common tea-cups, and divide the mixture among +them till they are half full or a little more. Set them immediately in +a quick oven, and bake them about a quarter of an hour. When done, turn +them out into a dish and grate white sugar over them. Serve them up +hot, with a sauce of sweetened cream flavoured with wine and nutmeg; or +you may eat them with molasses and butter; or with sugar and wine. Send +them round whole, for they will fall almost as soon as cut. + +A BOILED BREAD PUDDING. + +Boil a quart of rich milk. While it is boiling, take a small loaf of +baker’s bread, such as is sold for five or six cents. It may be either +fresh or stale. Pare off all the crust, and cut up the crumb into very +small pieces. You should have baker’s bread if you can procure it, as +home-made bread may not make the pudding light enough. Put the bread +into a pan; and when the milk boils, pour it scalding hot over the +bread. Cover the pan closely, and let it steep in the hot steam for +about three quarters of an hour. Then remove the cover, and allow the +bread and milk to cool. In the mean time, beat four eggs till they are +thick and smooth. Then beat into them a table-spoonful and a half of +fine wheat flour. Next beat the egg and flour into the bread and milk, +and continue to beat hard till the mixture is as light as possible; for +on this the success of the pudding chiefly depends. + +Have ready over the fire a pot of boiling water. Dip your pudding-cloth +into it, and shake it out. Spread out the cloth in a deep dish or pan, +and dredge it well with flour. Pour in the mixture, and tie up the +cloth, leaving room for it to swell. Tie the string firmly and plaster +up the opening (if there is any) with flour moistened with water. If +any water gets into it the pudding will be spoiled. + +See that the water boils when you put in the pudding, and keep it +boiling hard. If the pot wants replenishing, do it with boiling water +from a kettle. Should you put in cold water to supply the place of that +which has boiled away, the pudding will chill, and become hard and +heavy. Boil it an hour and a half. + +Turn it out of the bag the minute before you send it to table. Eat it +with wine sauce, or with sugar and butter, or molasses. + +It will be much improved by adding to the mixture half a pound of whole +raisins, well floured to prevent their sinking. Sultana raisins are +best, as they have no seeds. + +If these directions are exactly followed, this will be found a +remarkably good and wholesome plain pudding. + +For all boiled puddings, a square pudding-cloth which can be opened +out, is much better than a bag. It should be very thick. + +A BAKED BREAD PUDDING. + +Take a stale five cent loaf of bread; cut off all the crust, and grate +or rub the crumb as fine as possible. Boil a quart of rich milk, and +pour it hot over the bread; then stir in a quarter of a pound of +butter, and the same quantity of sugar, a glass of wine and brandy +mixed, or a glass of rose water. Or you may omit the liquor and +substitute the grated peel of a large lemon. Add a table-spoonful of +raised cinnamon and nutmeg powdered. Stir the whole very well, cover +it, and set it away for half an hour. Then let it cool. Beat seven or +eight eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture after +it is cold. Then butter a deep dish, and bake the pudding an hour. Send +it to table cool. + +A BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING. + +Cut some slices of bread and butter moderately thick, omitting the +crust; stale bread is best. Butter a deep dish, and cover the bottom +with slices of the buttered bread. Have ready a pound of currants, +picked, washed and dried. Spread one third of them thickly over the +bread and butter, and strew on some brown sugar. Then put another layer +of bread and butter, and cover it also with currants and sugar. Finish +with a third layer of each, and pour over the whole four eggs, beaten +very light and mixed with a pint of milk, and a wine glass of rose +water. Bake the pudding an hour, and grate nutmeg over it when done. +Eat it warm, but not hot. + +You may substitute for the currants, raisins seeded, and cut in half. + +This pudding may be made also with layers of stewed gooseberries +instead of the currants, or with pippin apples pared, cored and minced +fine. + +A SUET PUDDING. + +Mince very finely as much beef suet as will make two large +table-spoonfuls. Grate two handfuls of bread-crumbs; boil a quart of +milk and pour it hot on the bread. Cover it, and set it aside to steep +for half an hour; then put it to cool. Beat eight eggs very light; stir +the suet, and three table-spoonfuls of floor alternately into the bread +and milk, and add, by degrees, the eggs. Lastly, stir in a +table-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon mixed, and a glass of +mixed wine and brandy. Pour it into a bag that has been dipped in hot +water and floured; tie it firmly, put it into a pot of boiling water, +and boil it two hours. Do not take it up till immediately before it is +wanted, and send it to table hot. + +Eat it with wine sauce, or with molasses. + +A CUSTARD PUDDING. + +Take five table-spoonfuls out of a quart of cream or rich milk, and mix +them with two large spoonfuls of fine flour. Set the rest of the milk +to boil, flavouring it with half a dozen peach leaves, or with bitter +almonds broken up. When it has boiled hard, take it off, strain it, and +stir in the cold milk and flour. Set it away to cool, and beat very +light ten yolks and four whites of eggs; add them to the milk, and stir +in, at the last, a glass of brandy, or white wine, a powdered nutmeg, +and a quarter of a pound of sugar. Butter a large bowl or mould; pour +in the mixture; tie a cloth tightly over it; put it into a pot of +boiling water, and boil it two hours, replenishing the pot with hot +water from a tea-kettle. When the pudding is done, let it get cool +before you turn it out. Eat it with butter and sugar stirred together +to a cream, and flavoured with lemon. + +FLOUR HASTY PUDDING. + +Tie together half a dozen peach leaves, put them into a quart of milk, +and set it on the fire to boil. When it has come to a hard boil, take +out the leaves, but let the pot remain boiling on the fire. Then with a +large wooden spoon in one hand, and some wheat flour in the other, +thicken and stir it till it is about the consistence of a boiled +custard. Afterwards throw in, one at a time, a dozen small bits of +butter rolled in a thick coat of flour. You may enrich it by stirring +in a beaten egg or two, a few minutes before you take it from the fire. +When done, pour it into a deep dish, and strew brown sugar thickly over +the top. Eat it warm. + +INDIAN MUSH. + +Have ready on the fire a pot of boiling water. Stir into it by degrees +(a handful at a time) sufficient Indian meal to make it very thick, and +then add a very small portion of salt. You must keep the pot boiling on +the fire all the time you are throwing in the meal; and between every +handful, stir very hard with the mush-stick, (a round stick flattened +at one end,) that the mush may not be lumpy. After it is sufficiently +thick, keep it boiling for an hour longer, stirring it occasionally. +Then cover the pot, and hang it higher up the chimney, so as to simmer +slowly or keep hot for another hour. The goodness of mush depends +greatly on its being long and thoroughly boiled. If sufficiency cooked, +it is wholesome and nutritious, but exactly the reverse, if made in +haste. It is not too long to have it altogether three of four hours +over the fire; on the contrary it will be much the better for it. + +Eat it warm; either with milk, or cover your plate with mush, make a +hole in the middle, put some butter in the hole and fill it up with +molasses. + +Cold mush that has been left, may be cut into slices and fried in +butter. + +Burgoo is made precisely in the same manner as mush, but with oatmeal +instead of Indian. + +A BAKED INDIAN PUDDING. + +Cut up a quarter of a pound of butter in a pint of molasses, and warm +them together till the butter is melted. Boil a quart of milk; and +while scalding hot, pour it slowly over a pint of sifted Indian meal, +and stir in the molasses and butter. Cover it, and let it steep for an +hour. Then take off the cover, and set the mixture to cool. When it is +cold, beat six eggs, and stir them gradually into it; add a +table-spoonful of mixed cinnamon and nutmeg; and the grated peel of a +lemon. Stir the whole very hard; put it into a buttered dish, and bake +it two hours. Serve it up hot, and eat it with wine sauce, or with +butter and molasses. + +A BOILED INDIAN PUDDING. + +Chop very fine a quarter of a pound of beef suet, and mix it with a +pint of sifted Indian meal. Boil a quart of milk with some pieces of +cinnamon broken up; strain it, and while it is hot, stir in gradually +the meal and suet; add half a pint of molasses. Cover the mixture and +set it away for an hour; then put it to cool. Beat six eggs, and stir +them gradually into the mixture when it is cold; add a grated nutmeg, +and the grated peel of a lemon. Tie the pudding in a cloth that has +been dipped in hot water and floured; and leave plenty of room for it +to swell. Secure it well at the tying place lest the water should get +in, which will infallibly spoil it. Put it into a pot of boiling water, +(which must be replenished as it boils away,) and boil it four hours at +least; but five or six will be better. To have an Indian pudding _very +good_, it should be mixed the night before, (all except the eggs,) and +put on to boil early in the morning. Do not take it out of the pot till +immediately before it is wanted. Eat it with wine sauce, or with +molasses and butter. + +INDIAN PUDDING WITHOUT EGGS. + +Boil some cinnamon in a quart of milk, and then strain it. While the +milk is hot, stir into it a pint of molasses, and then add by degrees a +quart or more of Indian meal so as to make a thick batter. It will be +much improved by the grated peel and juice of a large lemon or orange. +Tie it very securely in a thick cloth, leaving room for it to swell, +and pasting up the tying-place with a lump of flour and water. Put it +into a pot of boiling water, (having ready a kettle to fill it up as it +boils away,) hang it over a good fire, and keep it boiling hard for +four or five hours. Eat it warm with molasses and butter. + +This is a very economical, and not an unpalatable pudding; and may be +found convenient when it is difficult to obtain eggs. + +A BAKED PLUM PUDDING. + +Grate all the crumb of a stale six cent loaf; boil a quart of rich +milk, and pour it boiling hot over the grated bread; cover it, and let +it steep for an hour; then set it out to cool. In the mean time prepare +half a pound of currants, picked, washed, and dried; half a pound of +raisins, stoned and cut in half; and a quarter of a pound of citron cut +in large slips; also, two nutmegs beaten to a powder; and a +table-spoonful of mace and cinnamon powdered and mixed together. Crush +with a rolling-pin half a pound of sugar, and cut up half a pound of +butter. When the bread and milk is uncovered to cool, mix with it the +butter, sugar, spice and citron; adding a glass of brandy, and a glass +of white wine. Beat eight eggs very light, and when the milk is quite +cold, stir them gradually into the mixture. Then add, by degrees, the +raisins and currants, (which must be previously dredged with flour) and +stir the whole very hard. Put it into a buttered dish, and bake it two +hours. Send it to table warm, and eat it with wine sauce, or with wine +and sugar only. + +In making this pudding, you may substitute for the butter, half a pound +of beef suet minced as fine as possible. It will be found best to +prepare the ingredients the day before, covering them closely and +putting them away. + +A BOILED PLUM PUDDING. + +Grate the crumb of a twelve cent loaf of bread, and boil a quart of +rich milk with a small bunch of peach leaves in it, then strain it and +set it out to cool. Pick, wash and dry a pound of currants, and stone +and cut in half a pound of raisins; strew over them three large +table-spoonfuls of flour. Roll fine a pound of brown sugar, and mince +as fine as possible three quarters of a pound of beef suet. Prepare two +beaten nutmegs, and a large table-spoonful of powdered mace and +cinnamon; also the grated peel and the juice of two large lemons or +oranges. Beat ten eggs very light, and (when it is cold) stir them +gradually into the milk, alternately with the suet and grated bread. + +Add, by degrees, the sugar, fruit, and spice, with a large glass of +brandy, and one of white wine. Mix the whole very well, and stir it +hard. Then put it into a thick cloth that has been scalded and floured; +leave room for it to swell, and tie it very firmly, pasting the +tying-place with a small lump of moistened flour. Put the pudding into +a large pot of boiling water, and boil it steadily five hours, +replenishing the pot occasionally from a boiling kettle. Turn the +pudding frequently in the pot. Prepare half a pound of citron cut in +slips, and half a pound of almonds blanched and split in half +lengthways. Stick the almonds and the citron all over the outside of +the pudding as soon as you take it out of the cloth. Send it to table +hot, and eat it with wine sauce, or with cold wine and sugar. + +If there is enough of the pudding left, it may be cut in slices, and +fried in butter next day. + +All the ingredients of this plum pudding (except the eggs) should be +prepared the day before, otherwise it cannot be made in time to allow +of its being sufficiently boiled. + +We have known of a very rich plum pudding being mixed in England and +sent to America in a covered bowl; it arrived perfectly good after a +month’s voyage, the season being winter. + +A BAKED APPLE PUDDING. + +Take nine large pippin apples; pare and core them whole. Set them in +the bottom of a large deep dish, and pour round them a very little +water, just enough to keep them from burning. Put them into an oven, +and let them bake about half an hour. In the mean time, mix three +table-spoonfuls of flour with a quart of milk, a quarter of a pound of +brown sugar, and a tea-spoonful of mixed spice. Beat seven eggs very +light, and stir them gradually into the milk. Then take out the dish of +apples, (which by this time should be half baked,) and fill up the +holes from whence you extracted the cores, with brown sugar; pressing +down into each a slice of fresh lemon. Pour the batter round the +apples; put the dish again into the oven, and let it bake another half +hour; but not long enough for the apples to fall to pieces; as they +should, when done, be soft throughout, but quite whole. Send it to +table warm. + +This is sometimes called a _Bird’s Nest Pudding_. + +It will be much improved by previously boiling in the milk a small +handful of peach leaves. Let it get cold before you stir in the eggs. + +BOILED APPLE PUDDING. + +Pare, core, and quarter as many fine juicy apples as will weigh two +pounds when done. Strew among them a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, +and add a grated nutmeg, and the juice and yellow peel of a large +lemon. Prepare a paste of suet and flour, in the proportion of a pound +of chopped suet to two pounds of flour. Roll it out of moderate +thickness; lay the apples in the centre, and close the paste nicely +over them in the form of a large dumpling; tie it in a cloth and boil +it three hours. Send it to table hot, and eat with it cream sauce, or +with butter and sugar. + +Any fruit pudding may be made in a similar manner. + +AN EASTERN PUDDING. + +Make a paste of a pound of flour and half a pound of minced suet; and +roll it out thin into a square or oblong sheet; trim off the edges so +as to make it an even shape. Spread thickly over it some marmalade, or +cold stewed fruit, (which must be made very sweet,) either apple, +peach, plum, gooseberry or cranberry. Roll up the paste, with the fruit +spread on it, into a scroll. Secure each end by putting on nicely a +thin round piece rolled out from the trimmings that you cut off the +edges of the sheet. Put the pudding into a cloth, and boil it at least +three hours. Serve it up hot, and eat it with cream sauce, or with +butter and sugar. + +APPLE DUMPLINGS. + +Take large fine juicy apples. Pare them, and extract the cores without +dividing the apple. Fill each hole with brown sugar, and some chips of +lemon peel. Also squeeze in some lemon juice. Or you may fill the +cavities with raspberry jam, or with any sort of marmalade. Have ready +a paste, made in the proportion of a pound of suet, chopped as fine as +possible, to two pounds and a half of sifted flour, well mixed, and +wetted with as little water as possible. Roll out the paste to a +moderate thickness, and cut it into circular pieces, allowing two +pieces to each dumpling. Lay your apple on one piece, and put another +piece on the top, closing the paste round the sides with your fingers, +so as to cover the apple entirely. This is a better way than gathering +up the paste at one end, as the dumpling is less liable to burst. Boil +each dumpling in a small coarse cloth, which has first been dipped in +hot water. There should always be a set of cloths kept for the purpose. +Tie them tightly, leaving a small space for the dumpling to swell. +Plaster a little flour on the inside of each tying place to prevent the +water from getting in. Have ready a pot of boiling water. Put in the +dumplings and boil them from three quarters to an hour. Send them to +table hot in a covered dish. Do not take them up till a moment before +they are wanted. + +Eat them with cream and sugar, or with butter and sugar. + +You may make the paste with butter instead of suet, allowing a pound of +butter to two pounds and a quarter of flour. But when paste is to be +boiled, suet will make it much lighter and finer than butter. + +Apple dumplings may be made in a very plain manner with potato paste, +and boiled without cloths, dredging the outside of each dumpling with +flour. They should boil about three quarters of an hour when without +cloths. + +The apples for dumplings should always be whole, (except the cores;) +for if quartered, the pieces will separate in boiling and break through +the crust. The apples should never be sweet ones. + +RICE DUMPLINGS. + +Pick and wash a pound of rice, and boil it gently in two quarts of +water till it becomes dry; keeping the pot well covered, and not +stirring it. Then take it off the fire, and spread it out to cool on +the bottom, of an inverted sieve; loosening the grains lightly with a +fork, that all the moisture may evaporate. Pare a dozen pippins or +other, large juicy apples, and scoop out the core. Then fill up the +cavity with marmalade, or with lemon and sugar. Cover every apple all +over with a thick coating of the boiled rice. Tie up each in a +separate, cloth, [Footnote: Your pudding and dumpling cloths should be +squares of coarse thick linen, hemmed, and with tape strings sewed to +them. After using, they should be washed, dried, and ironed; and kept +in one of the kitchen drawers, that they may be always ready when +wanted.] and put them into a pot of cold water. They will require about +an hour and a quarter after they begin to boil; perhaps longer. + +Turn them out on a large dish, and be careful in doing so not to break +the dumplings. Eat them with cream sauce, or with wine sauce, or with +butter, sugar, and nutmeg beaten together. + +PIGEON DUMPLINGS OR PUDDINGS. + +Take four pigeons and stuff them with chopped oysters, seasoned with +pepper, salt, mace, and nutmeg. Score the breasts, and loosen all the +joints with a sharp knife, as if you were going to carve them for +eating; but do not cut them quite apart. Make a sufficient quantity of +nice suet paste, allowing a pound of suet to two pounds of flour; roll +it out thick, and divide it into four. Lay one pigeon on each sheet of +the paste with the back downwards, and put at the lower part of the +breast a piece of butter rolled in flour. Close the paste over the +pigeon in the form of a dumpling or small pudding; pouring in at the +last a very little cold water to add to the gravy. Tie each dumpling in +a cloth, put them into a pot of hot water, and boil them two hours. +Send them to table with made gravy in a boat. + +Partridges or quails may be cooked in this manner; also chickens, which +must be accompanied by egg sauce. These dumplings or puddings will be +found very good. + +FINE SUET DUMPLINGS. + +Grate the crumb of a stale six cent loaf, and mix it with nearly as +much beef suet, chopped as fine as possible. Add a grated nutmeg, and +two large table-spoonfuls of sugar. Beat four eggs with four +table-spoonfuls of white wine or brandy. Mix all well together to a +stiff paste. Flour your hands, and make up the mixture into balls or +dumplings about the size of turkey eggs. Have ready a pot of boiling +water. Put the dumplings into cloths, and let them boil about half an +hour. Serve them hot, and eat them with wine sauce. + +PLAIN SUET DUMPLINGS. + +Sift two pounds of flour into a pan, and add a salt-spoon of salt. +Mince very fine one pound of beef suet, and rub it into the flour. Make +it into a stiff dough with a little cold water. Then roll it out an +inch thick or rather more. Cut it into dumplings with the edge of a +tumbler. Put them into a pot of boiling water, and let them boil an +hour and a half. Send them to table hot, to eat with boiled loin of +mutton, or with molasses after the meat is removed. + +INDIAN DUMPLINGS. + +Take a pint of milk, and four eggs well beaten. Stir them together, and +add a salt-spoon of salt. Then mix in as much sifted Indian meal as +will make a stiff dough. Flour your hands; divide the dough into equal +portions, and make it into balls about the size of a goose egg. Flatten +each with the rolling-pin, tie them in cloths, and put them into a pot +of boiling water. They will boil in a short time. Take care not to let +them go to pieces by keeping them too long in the pot. + +Serve them up hot, and eat them with corned pork, or with bacon. Or you +may eat them with molasses and butter after the meat is removed. + +If to be eaten without meat, you may mix in the dough a quarter of a +pound of finely chopped suet. + +LIVER DUMPLINGS. + +Take a calf’s liver, and chop it very fine. Mix with it half a pound of +beef suet chopped line also; half a pound of flour; two minced onions; +a handful of bread-crumbs; a table-spoonful of chopped parsley and +sweet marjoram mixed; a few blades of mace and a few cloves powdered; +and a little pepper and salt. Mix all well together. Wet the mixture +with six eggs well beaten, and make it up into dumplings, with your +hands well floured. Have ready a large pot of boiling water. Drop the +dumplings into it with a ladle, and let them boil an hour. Have ready +bread-crumbs browned in butter to poor over them before they go to +table. + +HAM DUMPLINGS. + +Chop some cold ham, the fat and lean in equal proportions. Season it +with pepper and minced sage. Make a crust, allowing half a pound of +chopped suet; or half a pound of butter to a pound of flour. Roll it +out thick, and divide it into equal portions. Put some minced ham into +each, and close up the crust. Have ready a pot of boiling water, and +put in the dumplings. Boil them about three quarters of an hour. + +LIGHT DUMPLINGS. + +Mix together as much grated bread, butter and beaten egg (seasoned with +powdered cinnamon) as will make a stiff paste. Stir it well. Make the +mixture into round dumplings, with your hands well floured. Tie up each +in a separate cloth, and boil them a short time,—about fifteen minutes. +Eat them with wine sauce, or with molasses and butter. + +PLAIN FRITTERS. + +Beat seven eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of +milk; add, by degrees, three quarters of a pound, or a pint and a half +of sifted flour. Beat the whole very hard. Have ready in a frying-pan +over the fire, a large quantity of lard. When the lard has come to a +hard boil, begin to put in the fritters; allowing for each about a jill +of batter, or half a large tea-cup full. They do not require turning, +and will be done in a few minutes. Fry as many at a time as the pan +will hold. Send them to table hot, and eat them with powdered cinnamon, +sugar, and white wine. Let fresh hot ones be sent in as they are +wanted; they chill and become heavy immediately. + +Begin to fry the fritters as soon as the batter is mixed, as it will +fall by setting. Near a pound and a half of lard will be required for +the above quantity of fritters. + +APPLE FRITTERS. + +Pave, core, and parboil (in a very little water) some large juicy +pippins. When half done, take them out, drain them, and mince them very +fine. Make a batter according to the preceding receipt; adding some +lemon juice and grated lemon-peel. Stir into the batter a sufficient +quantity of the minced apple to make it very thick. Then fry the +fritters in hot lard as before directed. Eat them with nutmeg and +sugar. + +PLAIN PANCAKES. + +Sift half a pound or a pint of flour. Beat seven eggs very light, and +stir them gradually into a quart of rich milk. Then add by degrees the +flour, so as to make a thin batter. Mix it very smooth, pressing out +all the lumps with the back of a spoon. Set the frying-pan over the +fire, and when it is hot, grease it with a spoonful of lard. Then put +in a ladle full of the batter, and fry it of a light brown, turning it +with care to prevent its breaking. Make each pancake large enough to +cover the bottom of a dessert plate; greasing the pan every time. Send +them to table hot, accompanied by powdered sugar and nutmeg mixed in a +small glass bowl. Have wine with them also. + +SWEETMEAT PANCAKES. + +Take a large red beet-root that has been boiled tender; cut it up and +pound it in a mortar till you have sufficient juice for colouring the +pancakes. Then make a batter as in the preceding receipt, and stir into +it at the last enough of the beet juice to give it a fine pink colour. +Or instead of the beet juice, you may use a little cochineal dissolved +in a very small quantity of brandy. Fry the pancakes in a pan greased +with lard or fresh butter; and as fast as they are done, spread thickly +over them raspberry jam or any sort of marmalade. Then roll them up +nicely, and trim off the ends. Lay them, side by side, on a large dish, +and strew powdered sugar over them. Send them to table hot, and eat +them with sweetened cream. + +PLAIN CUSTARDS. + +Tie together six or eight peach leaves, and boil them in a quart of +milk with a large stick of cinnamon broken up. If you cannot procure +peach leaves, substitute a handful of peach-kernels or bitter almonds, +or a vanilla bean split in pieces. When it has boiled hard, strain the +milk and set it away to cool. Beat very light eight eggs, and stir them +by degrees into the milk when it is quite cold, (if warm, the eggs will +curdle it, and cause whey at the bottom,) and add gradually a quarter +of a pound of sugar. Fill your cups with it; set them in a Dutch-oven, +and pour round them boiling water sufficient to reach nearly to the +tops of the cups. Put hot coals under the oven and on the lid, (which +must be previously heated by standing it up before a hot fire,) and +bake the custards about twenty minutes. Send them to table cold, with +nutmeg grated over each. Or you may bake the whole in one large dish. + +SOFT CUSTARDS. + +Are made in the above manner, except that to a quart of milk you must +have twelve yolks of eggs, and no whites. You may devote to this +purpose the yolks that are left when you have used the whites for +cocoa-nut or almond puddings, or for lady cake or maccaroons. + +BOILED CUSTARDS. + +Beat eight eggs very light, omitting the whites of four. Mix them +gradually with a quart of cold milk and a quarter of a pound of sugar. +Put the mixture into a sauce-pan with a bunch of peach leaves, or a +handful of broken up peach-kernels or bitter almonds; the yellow peel +of a. lemon, and a handful of broken cinnamon; or you may boil in it a +vanilla bean. Set it on hot coals, and simmer it slowly, stirring it +all the time. As soon as it comes to a boil, take it immediately off +the fire, or it will curdle and be lumpy. Then strain it; add eight or +ten drops of oil of lemon, and put it into glass cups. You may lay in +the bottom of each cup a maccaroon soaked in wine. Grate nutmeg over +the top, and send it to table cold. Eat it with tarts or sweetmeats. + +RICE CUSTARD. + +Boil some rice in milk till it is quite dry; then put it into small +tea-cups, (pressing it down hard,) and when it is cold and has taken +the shape of the cups, turn it out into a deep dish, and pour a boiled +custard round it. Lay on the top of each lump of rice a piece of +preserved quince or peach, or a piece of fruit jelly. In boiling the +rice, you may mix with, it raisins or currants; if so, omit the +sweetmeats on the top. + +Another way of boiling custard is to put the mixture into a pitches, +set it in a vessel of boiling water, place it on hot coals or in a +stove, and let it boil slowly, stirring it all the time. + +SNOWBALL CUSTARD. + +Make a boiled custard as in the preceding receipts; and when it is done +and quite cold, put it into a deep glass dish. Beat to a stiff froth +the four whites of eggs that have been omitted in the custard, adding +eight or ten drops of oil of lemon. Drop the froth in balls on the top +of the dish of custard, heaping and forming them with a spoon into a +regular size and shape. Do not let them touch each other. You may lay a +fresh, rose leaf on the top of every one. + +APPLE CUSTARD. + +Pare, core, and quarter a dozen large juicy pippins. Strew among them +the yellow peel of a large lemon pared very thin; and stew them till +tender, in a very small portion of water. When done, mash them smooth +with the back of a spoon; (you must have a pint and a half of the +stewed apple;) mix a quarter of a pound of sugar with them, and set +them away till cold. Beat six eggs very light, and stir them gradually +into a quart of rich milk, alternately with the stewed apple. Put the +mixture into cups, or into a deep dish, and bake it about twenty +minutes. Send it to table cold, with nutmeg grated over the top. + +LEMON CUSTARD. + +Take four large ripe lemons, and roll them under your hand on the table +to increase the juice. Then squeeze them into a bowl, and mix with the +juice a very small tea-cup full of cold water. Use none of the peel. +Add gradually sufficient sugar to make it very sweet. Beat twelve eggs +till quite light, and then stir the lemon juice gradually into them, +beating very hard at the last. Put the mixture into cups, and bake it +ten minutes. When done, grate nutmeg over the top of each, and set them +among ice, or in a very cold place. + +These custards being made without milk, can be prepared at a short +notice; they will be found very fine. + +Orange custards may be made in the same manner. + +GOOSEBERRY CUSTARD. + +Top and tail two quarts of green gooseberries. Stew them in a very +little water; stirring and mashing them frequently. When they have +stewed till entirely to pieces, take them out, and with a wooden spoon +press the pulp through a cullender. Stir in (while the pulp is hot) a +table-spoonful of butter, and sufficient sugar to make it very sweet. +Beat six eggs very light. Simmer the gooseberry pulp over a gentle +fire, and gradually stir the beaten eggs into it. When it comes to a +boil, take it off immediately, stir it very hard, and set it out to +cool. Serve it up cold in glasses or custard cups, grating some nutmeg; +over each. + +ALMOND CUSTARD. + +Scald and blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three +ounces of shelled bitter almonds; throwing them as you do them into a +large bowl of cold water. Then pound them one at a time in a mortar; +pouring in frequently a little rose water to prevent their oiling, and +becoming dark-coloured and heavy. Melt a quarter of a pound of +loaf-sugar in a quart of cream or rich milk, and stir in by degrees the +pounded almonds. Beat ten eggs very light, and stir them gradually into +the mixture; adding a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered +mace and cinnamon mixed. Then put the whole into a pitcher, and place +it in a kettle or pan of boiling water, the water coming up to the +lower part of the neck of the pitcher. Set it over hot coals, and let +it boil (stirring it all the time) till it is quite thick, but not till +it curdles. Then take the pitcher out of the water; pour the custard +into a large bowl, and stir it till it cools. Put it into glass cups, +and send it to table cold. Sweeten some cream or white of egg. Beat it +to stiff froth, and pile it on the top of the custards. + +BOILED COCOA-NUT CUSTARD. + +To a pound of grated cocoa-nut allow a pint of unskimmed milk, and six +ounces of white sugar. Beat very light the yolks of six eggs. Stir them +gradually into the milk, alternately with the cocoa-nut and sugar. Put +the mixture into a pitcher; set it in a vessel of boiling water; place +it on hot coals, and simmer it till it is very smooth and thick; +stirring it all the time. As soon as it comes to a hard boil, take it +off the fire; pour it into a large bowl, and set it out to cool. When +cold, put it into glass cups. Beat to a stiff froth the white of egg +that was left, and pile it on the custards. + +BAKED COCOA-NUT CUSTARD. + +Grate as much cocoa-nut as will weigh a pound. Mix half a pound of +powdered white sugar with the milk of the cocoa-nut, or with a pint of +cream; adding two table-spoonfuls of rose water. Then stir in gradually +a pint of rich milk. Beat to a stiff froth the whites of eight eggs, +and stir them into the milk and sugar, a little at a time, alternately +with the grated cocoa-nut; add a tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and +cinnamon. Then put the mixture into cups, and bake them twenty minutes +in a Dutch oven half filled with boiling water. When cold, grate +loaf-sugar over them. + +CHOCOLATE CUSTARD. + +Scrape fine a quarter of a pound of the best chocolate, and pour on it +a tea-cup of boiling water. Cover it, and let it stand by the fire till +it has dissolved, stirring it twice. Beat eight eggs very light, +omitting the whites of two. Stir them by degrees into a quart of cream +or rich milk, alternately with the melted chocolate, and three +table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar. Pat the mixture into cups, and +bake it about ten minutes. Send them to table cold, with sweetened +cream, or white of egg beaten to a stiff froth, and heaped on the top +of each custard. + +MACCAROON CUSTARDS. + +These must he made in china custard cups. Put a maccaroon in the bottom +of each cup, and pour on it a table-spoonful of white wine. Mix +together a pint of cream, and a pint of milk; and boil them with a +large stick of cinnamon broken up, and a small bunch of peach leaves or +a handful of broken bitter almonds. Then strain the milk; stir in a +quarter of a pound of white sugar, and set it away to cool. Beat very +light eight eggs, (omitting the whites of four,) and stir them +gradually into the cream and milk when quite cold. Fill your cups with +the mixture, (leaving the maccaroons at the bottom,) and set them in a +Dutch oven or iron baking pan, which must be half full of boiling +water. Heat the oven-lid first, by standing it up before a hot fire; +then put it on, spreading coals over the top. Place sufficient coals +under the oven, and bake the custards about ten minutes. When cold, +heap beaten white of egg on the top of each. These custards are very +fine. + + + + +SYLLABUB, OR WHIPT CREAM. + + +Pare off very thin the yellow rind of four large lemons, And lay it in +the bottom of a deep dish. Squeeze the juice of the lemons into a large +bowl containing a pint of white wine, and sweeten it with half a pound +of powdered loaf-sugar Then, by degrees, mix in a quart of cream. Pour +the whole into the dish in which you have laid the lemon-peel, and let +the mixture stand untouched for three hours. Then beat it with rods to +a stiff froth, (first taking out the lemon-peel,) and having put into +each of your glasses a table-spoonful or more of fruit jelly, heap the +syllabub upon it so as to stand up high at the top. This syllabub, if +it can be kept in a cold place, may be made the day before you want to +use it. + +COUNTRY SYLLABUB. + +Mix half a pound of white sugar with a pint of fine sweet cider, or of +white wine; and grate in a nutmeg. Prepare them in a large bowl, just +before milking time. Then let it be taken to the cow, and have about +three pints milked into it; stirring it occasionally with a spoon. Let +it be eaten before the froth subsides. If you use cider, a little +brandy will improve it. + +A TRIFLE. + +Place half a pound of maccaroons or Naples biscuits at the bottom of a +large glass bowl. Pour on them as much white wine as will cover and +dissolve them. Make a rich custard, flavoured with bitter almonds or +peach leaves; and pour it when cold on the maccaroons; the custard may +be either baked or boiled. Then add a layer of marmalade or jam. Take a +quart of cream, mix with it a quarter of a pound of sugar, and half a +pint of white wine, and whip it with rods to a stiff froth; laying the +froth (as you proceed) on an inverted sieve, with a dish under it to +catch the cream that drips through; which must be saved and whipped +over again. Instead of rods you may use a little tin churn. Pile the +frothed cream upon the marmalade in a high pyramid. To ornament +it,—take preserved water-melon rind that has been cut into leaves or +flowers; split them nicely to make them thinner and lighter; place a +circle or wreath of them round the heap of frothed cream, interspersing +them with spots of stiff red currant jelly. Stick on the top of the +pyramid a sprig of real flowers. + +FLOATING ISLAND. + +Take a quart of rich cream, and divide it in half. Sweeten one pint of +it with loaf-sugar, and stir into it sufficient currant jelly to colour +it of a fine pink. Put it into a glass bowl, and place in the centre a +pile of sliced almond-sponge cake, or of lady cake; every slice spread +thickly with raspberry jam or marmalade, and laid evenly one on +another. Have ready the other pint of cream, flavoured with a few drops +of oil of lemon, and beaten with rods to a stiff froth. Heap it all +over the pile of cake, so as entirely to cover it. + +A RASPBERRY CHARLOTTE. + +Take a dozen of the square or oblong sponge-cakes that are commonly +called Naples biscuits. They should be quite fresh. Spread over each a +thick layer of raspberry jam, and place them in the bottom and round +the sides of a glass bowl. Take the whites of six eggs, and mix with +them six table-spoonfuls of raspberry or currant jelly. Beat the egg +and jelly with rods till very light, and then fill up the bowl with it. +For this purpose, cream (if you can conveniently procure it) is still +better than white of egg. + +You may make a charlotte with any sort of jam, marmalade, or fruit +jelly. It can be prepared at a short notice, and is very generally +liked. + +A PLUM CHARLOTTE. + +Stone a quart of ripe plums, and stew them with a pound of brown sugar. +Cut slices of bread and butter and lay them in the bottom and round the +sides of a large bowl or deep dish. Pour in the plums boiling hot, +cover the bowl, and set it away to cool gradually. When, quite cold, +send it to table, and eat it with cream. + +CLOTTED CREAM. + +Mix together a jill of rich milk, a large wine glass of rose water, and +four ounces of white sugar. Add to it the beaten yolks of two eggs. +Stir the mixture into a quart of the best cream; set it over hot coals, +and let it just come to a boil, stirring it all the time. Then take it +off, pour it into a glass bowl, and set it away to get cold. Eat it +with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or with any sort of sweetmeats. + +LEMON CREAM. + +Beat well together a quart of thick cream and the yolks of eight eggs. +Then gradually beat in half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and the +grated rind of three large lemons. Put the mixture into a porcelain +skillet, and set it on hot coals till it comes to a boil; then take it +off, and stir it till nearly cold. Squeeze the juice of the lemons into +a bowl; pour the cream upon it, and continue to stir it till quite +cold. You may serve it up in a glass bowl, in glass cups, or in jelly +glasses. Eat it with tarts or sweetmeats. + +ORANGE CREAM. + +Beat very light six eggs, omitting the whites of two. Have ready a pint +of orange juice, and stir it gradually into the beaten egg, alternately +with a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Put into a porcelain skillet the +yellow rind of one orange, pared very thin; pour the mixture upon it, +and set it over a slow fire. Simmer it steadily, stirring it all the +time; but when nearly ready to boil, take it off, remove the +orange-peel, and put the mixture into glasses to get cold. + +CURDS AND WHEY. + +Take a piece of rennet about three inches square, and wash it in two or +three cold waters to get off the salt; wipe it dry, and fasten a string +to one corner of it. Have ready in a deep dish or pan, a quart of +unskimmed milk that has been warmed but not boiled. Put the rennet into +it, leaving the string hanging out over the side, that you may know +where to find it. Cover the pan, and set it by the fire-side or in some +other warm place. When the milk becomes a firm mass of curd, and the +whey looks clear and greenish, remove the rennet as gently as possible, +pulling it out by the string; and set the pan in ice, or in a very cold +place. Send to table with it a small pitcher of white wine, sugar and +nutmeg mixed together; or a bowl of sweetened cream, with nutmeg grated +over it. + +You may keep rennet in white wine; cutting it in small pieces, and +putting it into a glass jar with wine enough to cover it well. Either +the wine or the rennet will be found good for turning milk; but do not +put in both together, or the curd will become so hard and tough, as to +be uneatable. + +Rennets properly prepared and dried, are sold constantly in the +Philadelphia markets. The cost is trifling; and it is well to have one +always in the house, in case of being wanted to make whey for sick +persons. They will keep a year or more. + +LEMON ICE CREAM. + +Have ready two quarts of very rich thick cream, and take out a pint. +Stir gradually into the pint, a pound of the best loaf-sugar powdered +fine; and the grated rind and the juice of four ripe lemons of the +largest size, or of five or six smaller ones. If you cannot procure the +fruit, you may flavour the cream with essence or oil of lemon; a +tea-spoonful or more, according to its strength. The strongest and best +essence of lemon is the white or whitish; when tinged with green, it is +comparatively weak, having been diluted with water; if quite green, a +large tea-spoonful will not communicate as much flavour as five or six +drops of the white. After you have mixed the pint of cream with the +sugar and lemon, beat it gradually and hard into the remaining cream, +that is, the three pints. Cover it, and let it stand to infuse from +half an hour to an hour. Then taste it, and if you think it necessary, +stir in a little more lemon juice or a little more sugar. Strain it +into the freezer through a fine strainer, (a tin one with small close +holes is best,) to get rid of the grated lemon-peel, which if left in +would prevent the cream from being smooth. Cover the freezer, and stand +it in the ice cream tub, which should be filled with a mixture, in +equal quantities, of coarse salt, and ice broken up as small as +possible, that it may lie close and compact round the freezer, and thus +add to its coldness. Snow, when it can be procured, is still better +than ice to mix with the salt. It should be packed closely into the +tub, and pressed down hard. Keep turning the freezer about by the +handle till the cream is frozen, which it will generally be in two +hours. Occasionally open the lid and scrape down the cream from the +sides with a long-handled tin spoon. Take care that no salt gets in, or +the cream will be spoiled. When it is entirely frozen, take it out of +the freezer and put it into your mould; set it again in the tub, (which +must be filled with fresh ice and salt,) and leave it undisturbed till +you want it for immediate use. This second freezing, however, should +not continue longer than two hours, or the cream will become +inconveniently and unpleasantly hard, and have much of the flavour +frozen out of it. Place the mould in the ice tub, with the head +downwards, and cover the tub with pieces of old carpet while the second +freezing is going on. When it has arrived at the proper consistence, +and it is time to serve it up, dip a cloth in hot water, and wrap it +round the mould for a few moments, to loosen the cream and make it come +out easily; setting the mould on a glass or china dish. If a pyramid or +obelisk mould, lift it carefully off the top. If the mould or form +represents doves, dolphins, lap-dogs, fruit baskets, &c. it will open +down the middle, and must be taken off in that manner. Serve it up +immediately lest it begin to melt. Send round sponge-cake with it, and +wine or cordials immediately after. + +If you have no moulds, but intend serving it up in a large bowl or in +glasses, it must still be frozen twice over; otherwise it can have no +smoothness, delicacy, or consistence, but will be rough and coarse, and +feel in the mouth like broken icicles. The second freezing (if you have +no mould) must be done in the freezer, which should be washed out, and +set again in the tub with fresh ice and salt. Cover it closely, and let +the cream stand in it untouched, but not less than two hours. When you +put it into glasses, heap it high on the top. + +Begin to make ice cream about five or six hours before it is wanted for +use. If you commence it too early, it may probably be injured by having +to remain too long in the second freezing, as it must not be turned out +till a few moments before it is served up. In damp weather it requires +a longer time to freeze. + +If cream is scarce, mix with it an equal quantity of rich milk, and +then add, for each quart, two table-spoonfuls of powdered arrow-root +rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. Orange ice cream is made in the +same manner as lemon. + +STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM. + +Take two quarts of ripe strawberries; hull them, and put them into a +deep dish, strewing among them half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. +Cover them, and let them stand an hour or two. Then mash them through a +sieve till you have pressed out all the juice, and stir into it half a +pound more of powdered sugar, or enough to make it very sweet, and like +a thick syrup. Then mix it by degrees with two quarts of rich cream, +beating it in very hard. Put it into a freezer, and proceed as in the +foregoing receipt. In two hours, remove it to a mould, or take it out +and return it again to the freezer with fresh salt and ice, that it may +be frozen a second time. In two hours more, it should be ready to turn +out. + +RASPBERRY ICE CREAM. + +Is made according to the preceding receipt. + +PINE-APPLE ICE CREAM. + +To each quart of cream allow a large ripe pine-apple, and a pound of +powdered loaf-sugar. Pare the pine-apple, slice it very thin, and mince +it small. Lay it in a deep dish and strew the sugar among it. Cover the +dish, and let the pine-apple lie in the sugar for two or three hours. +Then strain it through a sieve, mashing and pressing out all the juice. +Stir the juice gradually into the cream, beating it hard. Put it into +the freezer, and let it be twice frozen before it is served up. + +VANILLA ICE CREAM. + +Split up half a vanilla bean, and boil it slowly in half a pint of milk +till all the flavour is drawn out, which you may know by tasting it. +Then mix into the milk half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir it +very hard into a quart of rich cream. Put it into the freezer, and +proceed as directed in the receipt for Lemon Ice Cream; freezing it +twice. + +ALMOND ICE CREAM. + +Take six ounces of bitter almonds, (sweet ones will not do,) blanch +them, and pound them in a mortar, adding by degrees a little rose +water. Then boil them gently in a pint of cream till you find that it +is highly flavoured with them. Then pour the cream into a bowl, stir in +a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, cover it, and set it away to cool +gradually; when it is cold, strain it and then stir it gradually and +hard into three pints of cream. Put it into the freezer, and proceed as +directed in the first ice cream receipt. Freeze it twice. It will be +found very fine. + +Send round always with ice cream, sponge cake or Savoy biscuits. +Afterwards wine, and cordials, or liqueurs as they are now generally +called. + +ICE ORANGEADE. + +Take a pint and a half of orange juice, and mix it with half a pint of +clear or filtered water. Stir in half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. +Pare very thin the yellow rind of six deep-coloured oranges, cut in +pieces, and lay it at the bottom of a bowl or tureen. Pour the orange +juice and sugar upon it; cover it, and let it infuse an hour. Then +strain the liquid into a freezer, and proceed as for ice cream. When it +is frozen, put it into a mould, (it will look best in the form of a +pine-apple,) and freeze it a second time. Serve it in glass cups, with +any sort of very nice sweet cakes. + +ICE LEMONADE. + +May be made in the above manner, but with a larger proportion of sugar. + +The juice of pine-apples, strawberries, raspberries, currants and +cherries, may be prepared and frozen according to the above receipts. +They will freeze in a shorter time than if mixed with cream, but are +very inferior in richness. + +BLANC-MANGE. + +Put into a bowl an ounce of isinglass; (in warm weather you must take +an ounce and a quarter;) pour on as much rose water as will cover the +isinglass, and set it on hot ashes to dissolve. [Footnote: You may make +the stock for blanc-mange without isinglass, by boiling four calves’ +feet in two quarts of water till reduced one half, and till the meat is +entirely to rags. Strain it, and set it away till next day. Then clear +it from the fat and sediment; cut it into pieces and boil it with the +cream and the other ingredients. When you take it from the fire, and +strain it into the pitcher, keep stirring it till it gets cold.] Blanch +a quarter of a pound of shelled almonds, (half sweet and half bitter,) +and beat them to a paste in a mortar, (one at a time,) moistening them +all the while with a little rose water. Stir the almonds by degrees +into a quart of cream, alternately with half a pound of powdered white +sugar; add a large tea-spoonful of beaten mace. Put in the melted +isinglass, and stir the whole very hard. Then put it into a porcelain +skillet, and let it boil fast for a quarter of an hour. Then strain it +into a pitcher, and pour it into your moulds, which must first be +wetted with cold water. Let it stand in a cool place undisturbed, till +it has entirely congealed, which will be in about five hours. Then wrap +a cloth dipped in hot water round the moulds, loosen the blanc-mange +round the edges with a knife, and turn it out into glass dishes. It is +best to make it the day before it is wanted. + +Instead of using a figure-mould, you may set it to congeal in tea-cups +or wine glasses. + +Blanc-mange may be coloured green by mixing with the cream a little +juice of spinage; cochineal which has been infused in a little brandy +for half an hour, will colour it red; and saffron will give it a bright +yellow tinge. + +CARRAGEEN BLANC-MANGE. + +This is made of a sea-weed resembling moss, that is found in large +quantities on some parts of our coast, and is to be purchased in the +cities at most of the druggists. Carrageen costs but little, and is +considered extremely salutary for persons of delicate constitutions. +Its glutinous nature when boiled, renders it very suitable for +blanc-mange. + +From a quart of rich unskimmed milk take half a pint. Add to the half +pint two ounces of bitter almonds, blanched and pounded; half a nutmeg; +and a large stick of cinnamon, broken up; also eight or nine blades of +mace. Set it in a closed pan over hot coals, and boil it half an hour. +In the mean time, wash through two or three _cold_ waters half a +handful of carrageen, (if you put in too much it will communicate an +unpleasant taste to the blanc-mange,) and add it to the pint and a half +of cold milk. Then when it is sufficiently flavoured, stir in the +boiled milk, adding gradually half a pound of powdered sugar, and mix +the whole very well. Set it over the fire, and keep it boiling hard +five minutes from the time it has come to a boil. Then strain it into a +pitcher; wet your moulds or cups with cold water, put the blanc-mange +into them, and leave it undisturbed till it congeals. + +After washing the sea-weed, you must drain it well, and shake the water +from the sprigs. You may flavour the mixture (_after_ it is boiled and +strained) with rose-water or peach-water, stirred in at the last. + +ARROW ROOT BLANC-MANGE. + +Take a tea-cup full of arrow root, put it into a large bowl, and +dissolve it in a little cold water. When it is melted, pour off the +water, and let the arrow root remain undisturbed. Boil in half a pint +of unskimmed milk, (made very sweet with white sugar,) a beaten nutmeg, +and eight or nine blades of mace, mixed with the juice and grated peel +of a lemon. When it has boiled long enough to be highly flavoured, +strain it into a pint and a half of very rich milk or cream, and add a +quarter of a pound of sugar. Boil the whole for ten minutes; then +strain it, boiling hot, over the arrow roof. Stir it well and +frequently till cold; then put it into moulds and let it set to +congeal. + +JAUNE-MANGE. + +Put two ounces of isinglass into a pint of water, and boil it till it +has dissolved. Then strain it into a porcelain skillet, and add to it +half a pint of white wine; the grated peel and juice of two large +deep-coloured oranges; half a pound of loaf-sugar; and the yolks only +of eight eggs that have been well beaten. Mix the whole thoroughly; +place it on hot coals and simmer it, stirring it all the time till it +boils hard. Then take it off directly, strain it, and put it into +moulds to congeal. + +CALVES’ FOOT JELLY. + +The best calves’ feet for jelly are those that have had the hair +removed by scalding, but are not skinned; the skin containing a great +deal of glutinous matter. In Philadelphia, unskinned calves’ feet are +generally to be met with in the lower or Jersey market. + +Boil a set of feet in four quarts of cold water; (if the feet have been +skinned allow but three quarts;) they should boil slowly till the +liquid is reduced to two quarts or one half the original quantity, and +the meat has dropped in rags from the bone. Then strain the liquid; +measure and set it away in a large earthen pan to get cold; and let it +rest till next morning. Then, if you do not find it a firm cake of +jelly, boil it over again with an ounce of isinglass, and again set it +away till cold and congealed. Remove the sediment from the bottom of +the cake of jelly, and carefully scrape off all the fat. The smallest +bit of fat will eventually render it dull and cloudy. Press some clean +blotting paper all over it to absorb what little grease may yet remain. +Then cut the cake of jelly into pieces, and put it into a porcelain +kettle to melt over the fire. To each quart allow a pound of broken up +loaf-sugar, a pint of Madeira wine, and a large glass of brandy; three +large sticks of the best Ceylon cinnamon broken up, (if common +cinnamon, use four sticks,) the grated peel and juice of four large +lemons; and lastly, the whites of four eggs strained, but not beaten. +In breaking the eggs, take care to separate them so nicely that none of +the yellow gets into the white; as the smallest portion of yolk of egg +will prevent the jelly from being perfectly clear. Mix all the +ingredients well together, and put them to the jelly in the kettle. Set +it on the fire, and boil it hard for twenty minutes, but do not stir +it. Then throw in a tea-cup of cold water, and boil it five minutes +longer; then take the kettle off the fire, and set it aside, keeping it +closely covered for half an hour; this will improve its clearness. Take +a large white flannel jelly-bag; suspend it by the strings to a wooden +frame made for such purposes, or to the legs of a table. Pour in the +mixture boiling hot, and when it is all in, close up the mouth of the +bag that none of the flavour may evaporate. Hang it over a deep white +dish or bowl, and let it drip slowly; but on no account squeeze the +bag, as that will certainly make the jelly dull and cloudy. If it is +not clear the first time, empty the bag, wash it, put in the jelly that +has dripped into the dish, and pass it through again. Repeat this till +it is clear. You may put it into moulds to congeal, setting them in a +cold place. When it is quite firm, wrap a cloth that has been dipped in +hot water, round the moulds to make the jelly turn out easily. But it +will look much better, and the taste will be more lively, if you break +it up after it has congealed, and put it into a glass bowl, or heap it +in jelly glasses Unless it is broken, its sparkling clearness shows to +little advantage. + +After the clear jelly has done dripping, you may return the ingredients +to the kettle, and warm them over again for about five minutes. Then +put them into the bag (which you may now squeeze hard) till all the +liquid is pressed out of it into a second dish or bowl. This last jelly +cannot, of course, be clear, but it will taste very well, and may be +eaten in the family. + +A pound of the best raisins picked and washed, and boiled with the +other ingredients, is thought by many persons greatly to improve the +richness and flavour or calves’ feet jelly. They must be put in whole, +and can be afterwards used for a pudding. + +Similar jelly may be made of pigs’ or sheep’s feet; but it is not so +nice and delicate as that of calves. + +By boiling two sets, or eight calves’ feet in five quarts of Water, you +may be sure of having the jelly very firm. In damp weather it is +sometimes very difficult to get it to congeal if you use but one set of +feet; there is the same risk if the weather is hot. In winter it maybe +made several days before it is to be eaten. In summer it will keep in +ice for two days; perhaps longer. + +TO PRESERVE CREAM. + +Take four quarts of new cream; it must he of the richest quality, and +have no milk mixed with it. Put it into a preserving kettle, and simmer +it gently over the fire; carefully taking off whatever scum may rise to +the top, till nothing more appears. Then stir, gradually, into it four +pounds of double-refined loaf-sugar that has been finely powdered and +sifted. Let the cream and sugar boil briskly together half an hour; +skimming it, if necessary, and afterwards stirring it as long as it +continues on the fire. Put it into small bottles; and when it is cold, +cork it, and secure the corks with melted rosin. This cream, if +properly prepared, will keep perfectly good during a long sea voyage. + +ITALIAN CREAM. + +Put two pints of cream into two bowls. With one bowl mix six ounces of +powdered loaf-sugar, the juice of two large lemons, and two glasses of +white wine. Then add the other pint of cream, and stir the whole very +hard. Boil two ounces, of isinglass with, four small tea-cups full of +water, till it is reduced to one half. Then stir the isinglass +lukewarm, into the other ingredients, and put them into a glass dish to +congeal. + +CHOCOLATE CREAM. + +Melt six ounces of scraped chocolate and four ounces of white sugar in +half a pint of boiling; water. Stir in an ounce of dissolved isinglass. +When the whole has boiled, pour it into a mould. + +COLOURING FOR CONFECTIONARY. + +_RED._ + +Take twenty grains of cochineal, and fifteen grains of cream of tartar +finely powdered; add to them a piece of alum the size of a cherry +stone, and boil them with a jill of soft water, in an earthen vessel, +slowly, for half an hour. Then strain it through muslin, and keep it +tightly-corked in a phial. + +_COCHINEAL FOR PRESENT USE._ + +Take two cents’ worth of cochineal. Lay it on a flat plate, and bruise +it with the blade of a knife. Put it into half a tea-cup of white +brandy. Let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through +fine muslin. + +_YELLOW COLOURING._ + +Take a little saffron, put it into an earthen vessel with a very small +quantity of cold soft water, and let it steep till the colour of the +infusion is a bright yellow. Then strain it. The yellow seeds of lilies +will answer nearly the saffron’s purpose. + +_GREEN._ + +Take fresh spinach or beet leaves, and pound them in a marble mortar. +If you want it for immediate use, take off the green froth as it rises, +and mix it with the article you intend to colour. If you wish to keep +it a few days, take the juice when you have pressed out a tea-cup full, +and adding to it a piece of alum the size of a pea, give it a boil in a +sauce-pan. + +_WHITE_ + +Blanch some almonds, soak them in cold water, and then pound them to a +smooth paste in a marble mortar; adding at intervals a little rose +water. Thick cream will communicate a white colour. + +These preparations may be used for jellies, ice creams, blanc-mange, +syllabubs, icing for cakes; and for various articles of confectionary. + + + + +CAKES, ETC. + + +GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. + +Unless you are provided with proper and convenient utensils and +materials, the difficulty of preparing cakes will be great, and in most +instances a failure; involving disappointment, waste of time, and +useless expense. Accuracy in proportioning the ingredients is +indispensable; and therefore scales and weights, and a set of tin +measures (at least from a quart down to a jill) are of the utmost +importance. A large sieve for flour is also necessary; and smaller ones +for sugar and spice. There should be a marble mortar, or one of lignum +vitae, (the hardest of all wood;) those of iron (however well, tinned) +are apt to discolour the articles pounded in them. Spice may be ground +in a mill kept, exclusively for that purpose. Every kitchen should be +provided with spice-boxes. You should have a large grater for lemon, +cocoa-nut, &c., and a small one for nutmeg. Butter and sugar cannot be +stirred together conveniently without a spaddle or spattle, which is a +round stick flattened at one end; and a deep earthen pan with sides +nearly straight. For beating eggs, you should have hickory rods or a +wire whip, and broad shallow earthen pans. Neither the eggs, nor the +butter and sugar should be beaten, in tin, as the coldness of the metal +will prevent them from becoming light. + +For baking large cakes, the pans (whether of block tin or earthen) +should have straight sides; if the aides slope inward, there will be +much difficulty in icing the cake. Pans with a hollow tube going up +from the centre, are supposed to diffuse the heat more equally through +the middle of the cake. Buns and some other cakes should be baked in +square shallow pans of block tin or iron. Little tins for queen cakes, +&c. are most convenient when of a round or oval shape. All baking pans, +whether large or small, should be well greased with butter or lard +before the mixture is put into them, and should be filled but little +more than half. You should have at least two dozen little tins, that a +second supply may be ready for the oven, the moment the first is taken +out. You will also want tin cutters for cakes that are rolled out in +dough. + +All the utensils should be cleaned and put away as soon as they are +done with. They should be all kept together, and, if possible, not used +for any other purposes. [Footnote: All the utensils necessary for cake +and pastry-making, (and for the other branches of cooking,) may be +purchased in Philadelphia; at Gideon Cox’s household store in Market +street, No. 335, two doors below Ninth. Every thing of the sort will be +found there in great variety, of good quality, and at reasonable +prices.] + +As it is always desirable that, cake-making should be commenced at an +early hour, it is well on the day previous to ascertain if all the +materials are in the house; that there may be no unnecessary delay from +sending or waiting for them in the morning. Wastefulness is to be +avoided in every thing; but it is utterly impossible that cakes can be +good (or indeed any thing else) without a liberal allowance of good +materials. Cakes are frequently rendered hard, heavy, and uneatable by +a misplaced economy in eggs and butter; or tasteless and insipid for +want of their due seasoning of spice, lemon, &c. + +Use no flour but the best superfine; if the flour is of inferior. +quality, the cakes will he heavy, ill-coloured, and unfit to eat. Even +the best flour should always be sifted. No butter that is not fresh and +good; should ever be put into cakes; for it will give them a +disagreeable taste which can never be disguised by the other +ingredients. Even when of excellent quality, the butter will be +improved by washing it in cold, water, and squeezing and pressing it. +Except for gingerbread, use only white sugar, (for the finest cakes the +best loaf,) and have it pulverized by pounding it in a mortar, or +crushing it on the paste-board with the rolling-pin. It should then be +sifted. In mixing butter and sugar, sift the sugar into a deep pan, cut +up the butter in it, set it in a warm place to soften, and then stir it +very hard with the spaddle, till it becomes quite light, and of the +consistence of cream. In preparing eggs, break them one at a time, into +a saucer, that, in case there should be a bad one among them, it may +not spoil the others. Put them into a broad shallow pan, and beat them +with rods or with a wire whisk, not merely till they froth, but long +afterwards, till the froth subsides, and they become thick and smooth +like boiled custard. White of egg by itself may be beaten with small +rods, or with a three-pronged fork, or a broad knife. It is a very easy +process, and should be continued till the liquid is all converted into +a stiff froth so firm that it will not drop from the rods when held up. +In damp weather it is sometimes difficult to get the froth stiff. + +The first thing to be done in making cake, is to weigh or measure all +the ingredients. Next sift the flour, powder the sugar, pound or grind +the spice, and prepare the fruit; afterwards mix and stir the butter +and sugar, and lastly beat the eggs; as, if allowed to stand any time, +they will fall and become heavy. When all the ingredients are mixed +together, they should be stirred very hard at the last; and (unless +there is yeast in the cake) the sooner it is put into the oven the +better. While baking, no air should be admitted to it, except for a +moment, now and then, when it is necessary to examine if it is baking +properly, For baking; cakes, the best guide is practice and experience; +so much depending on the state of the fire, that it is impossible to +lay down any infallible rules. + +If you bake in a Dutch oven, let the lid be first heated by standing it +up before the fire; and cover the inside of the bottom with sand or +ashes, to temper the heat. For the same purpose, when you bake in a +stove, place bricks under the pans. Sheets of iron without sides will +be found very useful for baking small flat cakes. For cakes of this +description, the fire should be brisk; if baked slowly, they will +spread, lose their shape, and run into each other. For all cakes, the +heat should be regular and even; if one part of the oven is cooler than +another, the cake will bake imperfectly, and have heavy streaks through +it. Gingerbread (on account of the molasses) is more apt to scorch and +burn than any other cake; therefore it should he baked with a moderate +fire. + +It is safest, when practicable, to send all large cakes to a +professional baker’s; provided they can be put immediately into the +oven, as standing will spoil them. If you bake them at home, you will +find that they are generally done when they cease to make a simmering +noise; and when on probing them to the bottom with a twig from a broom, +or with the blade of the knife, it comes out quite clean. The fire +should then be withdrawn, and the cake allowed to get cold in the oven. +Small cakes should be laid to cool on an inverted sieve. It may be +recommended to novices in the art of baking, to do every thing in +little tins or in very shallow pans; there being then less risk than +with a large thick cake. In mixing batter that is to be baked in small +cakes; use less proportion of flour. + +Small cakes should be kept closely covered in stone jars. For large +ones, you should have broad stone pans with close lids, or else tin +boxes. All cakes that are made with yeast should be eaten quite fresh; +so also should sponge cake. Some sorts may be kept a week; black cake +much longer. + +BLACK CAKE. + +Prepare two pounds of currants by picking them clean, washing and +draining them, through a cullender, and then spreading them out on a +large dish to dry before the fire or in the sun, placing the dish in a +slanting position. Pick and stone two pounds of the best raisins, and +cut them in half. Dredge the currants (when they are dry) and the +raisins thickly with flour to prevent them from sinking in the cake. +Grind or powder as much cinnamon as will make a large gravy-spoonful +when done; also a table-spoonful of mace and four nutmegs; sift these +spices, and mix them all together in a cup. Mix together two large +glasses of white wine, one of brandy and one of rose water, and cut a +pound of citron into large slips. Sift a pound of flour into one pan, +and a pound of powdered loaf-sugar into another. Cut up among the sugar +a pound of the best fresh butter, and stir them to a cream. Beat twelve +eggs till perfectly thick and smooth, and stir them gradually into the +butter and sugar, alternately with the flour. Then add by degrees, the +fruit, spice and liquor, and stir the whole very hard at the last. Then +put the mixture into a well-buttered tin pan with straight or +perpendicular sides. Put it immediately into a moderate oven, and bake +it at least four hours. When done, let it remain in the oven to get +cold; it will be the better for staying in all night. Ice it next +morning; first dredging the outside all over with flour, and then +wiping it with a towel. This will make the icing stick. + +ICING. + +A quarter of a pound of finely powdered loaf-sugar, of the whitest and +best quality, is the usual allowance to one white of egg. For the cake +in the preceding receipt, three quarters of a pound of sugar and the +whites of three eggs will be about the proper quantity. Beat the white +of egg by itself till it stands alone. Have ready the powdered sugar, +and then beat it hard into the white of egg, till it becomes thick and +smooth; flavouring it as you proceed with a few drops of oil of lemon, +or a little extract of roses. Spread it evenly over the cake with a +broad knife or a feather; if you find it too thin, beat in a little +more powdered sugar. Cover with it thickly the top and sides of the +cake, taking care not to have it rough and streaky. To ice well +requires skill and practice. When the icing is about half dry, put on +the ornaments. You may flower it with coloured sugar-sand or nonparels; +but a newer and more elegant mode is to decorate it with, devices and +borders in white sugar; they can be procured at the confectioners, and +look extremely well on icing that has been tinted with pink by the +addition of a little cochineal. + +You may colour icing of a pale or deep yellow, by rubbing the lumps of +loaf-sugar (before they are powdered) upon the outside of a large lemon +or orange. This will also flavour it finely. + +Almond icing, for a very fine cake, is made by mixing gradually with +the white of egg and. sugar, some almonds, half bitter and half sweet, +that have been pounded in a mortar with rose water to a smooth paste. +The whole must be well incorporated, and spread over the cake near half +an inch thick. It must be set in a cool oven to dry, and then taken out +and covered with a smooth plain icing of sugar and white of egg. + +Whatever icing is left, may be used to make maccaroons or kisses. + + +POUND CAKE. + +Prepare a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of +powdered mace, and two nutmegs grated or powdered. Mix together in a +tumbler, a glass of white—wine, a glass of brandy, and a glass of rose +water. Sift a pound of the finest flour into a broad pan, and powder a +pound of loaf-sugar. Put the sugar into a deep pan, and cut up in it a +pound of fresh butter. Warm them by the fire till soft; and then stir +them to a cream. When they are perfectly light, add gradually the spice +and liquor, a little at a time. Beat ten eggs as light as possible, and +stir them by degrees into the mixture, alternately with the flour. Then +add twelve drops of oil of lemon; or more, if it is not strong. Stir +the whole very hard; put it into a deep tin pan with straight or +upright sides, and bake it in a moderate oven from two to three hours. +If baked in a Dutch oven, take off the lid when you have ascertained +that the cake is quite done, and let it remain in the oven to cool +gradually. If any part is burnt, scrape it off as soon as cold. + +It may be iced either warm or cool; first dredging the cake with flour +and then wiping it off. It will be best to put on two coats of icing; +the second coat not till the first is entirely dry. Flavour the icing +with essence of lemon, or with extract of roses. + +This cake will be very delicate if made with a pound of rice flour +instead of wheat. + +INDIAN POUND CAKE. + +Sift a pint of fine yellow Indian meal, and half a pint of wheat flour, +and mix them well together. Prepare a nutmeg beaten, and mixed with a +table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir together till very light, +half a pound of powdered white sugar; and half a pound of fresh butter; +adding the spice, with a glass of white wine, and a glass of brandy. +Having beaten eight eggs as light as possible, stir them into the +butter and sugar, a little at a time in turn with the meal. Give the +whole a hard stirring at the last; put it into a well-buttered tin pan, +and bake it about an hour and a half. + +This cake (like every thing else in which Indian meal is an ingredient) +should be eaten quite fresh; it is then very nice. When stale, (even a +day old,) it becomes dry and rough as if made with saw-dust. + +QUEEN CAKE. + +Sift fourteen ounces of the finest flour, being two ounces less than a +pound. Cakes baked in little tins, should have a smaller proportion of +flour than those that are done in large loaves. Prepare a +table-spoonful of beaten cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of mace, and two +beaten nutmegs; and mix them all together when powdered. Mix in a +tumbler, half a glass of white wine, half a glass of brandy, and half a +glass of rose water. Powder a pound of loaf-sugar, and sift it into a +deep pan; cut up in it a pound of fresh butter; warm them by the fire, +and stir them to a cream. Add gradually the spice and the liquor. Beat +ten eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture in turn with the +flour. Stir in twelve drops of essence of lemon, and beat the whole +very hard. Butter some little tins; half fill them with the mixture; +set them into a brisk oven, and cake them about a quarter of an hour. +When done, they will shrink from the sides of the tins. After you turn +them out, spread them on an inverted sieve to cool. If you have +occasion to fill your tins a second time, scrape and wipe them well +before they are used again. + +Make an icing flavoured with oil of lemon, or with extract of roses; +and spread two coats of it on the queen cakes. Set them to dry in a +warm place, but not near enough the fire to discolour the icing and +cause it to crack. + +Queen cakes are best the day they are baked. + +FRUIT QUEEN CAKES. + +Make them in the above manner, with the addition of a pound of +currants, (picked, washed, dried, and floured,) and the juice and +grated peel of two large lemons, stirred in gradually at the last. +Instead of currants, you may put in sultana or seedless raisins, cut in +half and floured. + +You may make a fruit pound cake in this manner. + +LADY CAKE. + +Take a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. +Put them into a bowl of boiling water, (renewing the water as it cools) +and let them lie in it till the skin peels off easily; then throw them, +as they, are blanched, into a bowl of cold water, which will much +improve their whiteness. Pound them, one at a time, in a mortar; +pouring in frequently a few drops of rose water to prevent them from +oiling and being heavy. Cut up three quarters of a pound of fresh +butter into a whole pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Having warmed it, +stir it to a light cream, and then add very gradually the pounded +almonds, beating them in very hard. Sift into a separate pan half a +pound and two ounces of flour, and beat in another pan to a stiff +froth, the, whites only of seventeen eggs. Stir the flour and the white +of egg alternately into the pan of butter, sugar and almonds, a very +little at a time of each. Having beaten the whole as hard as possible, +put it into a buttered tin pan, (a square one is best,) and set it +immediately into a moderate oven. Bake it about an hour, more or less, +according to its thickness. When cool, ice it, flavouring the icing, +with oil of lemon. It is best the day after it is baked, but it may be +eaten fresh. When you put it away wrap it in a thick cloth. + +If you bake it in little tins, use two ounces less of flour. + +SPANISH BUNS. + +Cut up three quarters of a pound of butter into a jill and a half or +three wine glasses of rich unskimmed milk, (cream will be still +better,) and get the pan on a stove or near the fire, till the butter +becomes soft enough to stir all through the milk with a knife; but do +not let it get so hot as to boil of itself. Then set it away in a cold +place. Sift into separate pans, a half pound and a quarter of a pound +of the finest flour; and having beaten four eggs as light as possible, +mix them with the milk and butter, and then pour the whole into the pan +that contains the half pound of flour. Having previously prepared two +grated nutmegs, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and mace, +stir them into the mixture; adding six drops of extract of roses, or a +large table-spoonful of rose water. Add a wine glass and a half of the +best fresh yeast from a brewery. If you cannot procure yeast of the +very best quality, an attempt to make these buns will most probably +prove a failure, as the variety of other ingredients will prevent them +from rising unless the yeast is as strong as possible. Before you put +it in, skim off the thin liquid or beer from the top, and then stir up +the bottom. After you have put in the yeast, add the sugar; stirring it +well in, a very little at a time. If too much sugar is put in at once, +the buns will be heavy. Lastly, sprinkle in the quarter of a pound of +flour that was sifted separately; and stir the whole very hard. Put the +mixture into a square pan well buttered, and (having covered it with a +cloth) place it in a corner of the hearth to rise, which will require, +perhaps, about five hours; therefore these buns should always be made +early in the day. Do not bake it till the batter has risen to twice its +original quantity, and is covered on the top with bubbles; then set the +pan into a moderate oven, and bake it about twenty minutes. Let it get +cool in the pan; then, cut it into squares, and either ice them, +(flavouring the icing with essence of lemon or extract of roses,) or +sift grated loaf-sugar thickly over them. These buns (like all other +cakes made with yeast) should be eaten the day they are baked; as when +stale, they fall and become hard. + +In mixing them, you may stir in at the last half a pound of raisins, +stoned, chopped and floured; or half a pound of currants. If you use +fruit, put in half a wine glass more of the yeast. + +BATH BUNS. + +Boil a little saffron in sufficient water to cover it, till the liquid +is of a bright yellow; then strain it, and set it to cool. Rub half a +pound of fresh butter into a pound of sifted flour, and make it into a +paste with four eggs that have been well beaten, and a large wine glass +of the best and strongest yeast; adding the infusion of saffron to +colour it yellow. Put the dough into a pan, cover it with a cloth, and +set it before the fire to rise. When it is quite light, mix into it a +quarter of a pound of powdered and sifted loaf-sugar; a grated nutmeg; +and, if you choose, two or three spoonfuls of carraway seeds. Roll out +the dough into a thick sheet, and divide it into round cakes with a +cutter. Strew the top of each bun with carraway comfits, and bake them +on flat tins buttered well. They should be eaten the day they are +baked, as they are not good unless quite fresh. + +JELLY CAKE. + +Sift three quarters of a pound of flour. Stir to a cream a pound of +butter and a pound of powdered white sugar, and mix in half a tea-cup +of rose water, and a grated nutmeg, with a tea-spoonful of powdered +cinnamon. Beat ten eggs very light, and add them gradually to the +mixture, alternately with the flour; stirring the whole very hard. Put +your griddle into the oven of a stove; and when it is quite hot, grease +it with fresh butter tied in a clean rag, and set on it a tin +cake-ring, (about the size of a large dinner plate,) greased also. Dip +out two large table-spoonfuls and a half of the cake batter; put it +within the tin ring, and bake it about five minutes (or a little +longer) without turning it. When it is done, take it carefully off; +place it on a large dish to cool; wipe the griddle, grease it afresh, +and put on another cake. Proceed thus till all the batter is baked. +When the cakes are cool, spread every one thickly over with grape +jelly, peach marmalade, or any other sweetmeat that is smooth and +thick; currant jelly will be found too thin, and is liable to run off. +Lay the cakes smoothly one on another, (each having a layer of jelly or +marmalade between,) and either grate loaf-sugar over the top one, or +ice it smoothly; marking the icing with cross lines of coloured +sugar-sand, all the lines meeting at the centre so as to divide the +cake, when cut, into triangular or wedge-shaped slices. If you ice it, +add a few drops of essence of lemon to the icing. + +Jelly cake should be eaten fresh. It is best the day it is baked. + +You may bake small jelly cakes in muffin rings. + +SPONGE CAKE. + +Sift three quarters of a pound of flour, [Footnote: Sponge cake may be +made with rice flour.] and powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar. Grate +the yellow rind and squeeze into a saucer the juice of three lemons. +Beat twelve eggs; and when they are as light as possible, beat into +them gradually and very hard the sugar, adding the lemon, and beating +the whole for a long time. Then by degrees, stir in the flour slowly +and lightly; for if the flour is stirred hard and fast into sponge +cake, it will make it porous and tough. Have ready buttered, a +sufficient number of little square tins, (the thinner they are the +better,) half fill them with the mixture; grate loaf-sugar over the top +of each; put them immediately into a quick oven, and bake them about +ten minutes; taking out one to try when you think they are done. Spread +them on an inverted sieve to cool. When baked in small square cakes, +they are generally called Naples biscuits. + +If you are willing to take the trouble, they will bake much nicer in +little square paper cases, which you must make of a thick letter paper, +turning up the sides all round, and pasting together or sewing up the +corners. + +If you bake the mixture in one large cake, (which is not advisable +unless you have had much practice in baking,) put it into a buttered +tin pan or mould, and set it directly into a hot Dutch oven, as it will +fall and become heavy if allowed to stand. Keep plenty of live coals on +the top, and under the bottom till the cake has risen very high, and is +of a fine colour; then diminish the fire, and keep it moderate till the +cake is done. It will take about an hour. When cool, ice it; adding a +little essence of lemon or extract of roses to the icing. Sponge cake +is best the day it is baked. + +Diet Bread is another name for Sponge Cake. + +ALMOND CAKE. + +Blanch, and pound in a mortar, four ounces of shelled sweet almonds and +two ounces of shelled bitter ones; adding, as you proceed, sufficient +rose-water to make them light and white. Sift half a pound of flour, +and powder a pound of loaf-sugar. Beat thirteen eggs; and when they are +as light as possible, stir into them alternately the almonds, sugar, +and flour; adding a grated nutmeg. Butter a large square pan; put in +the mixture, and bake it in a brisk oven about half an hour, less or +more, according to its thickness. When cool, ice it. It is best when +eaten fresh. + +COCOA-NUT CAKE. + +Cut up and wash a cocoa-nut, and grate as much of it as will weigh a +pound. Powder a pound of loaf-sugar. Beat fifteen eggs very light; and +then beat into them, gradually, the sugar. Then add by degrees the +cocoa-nut; and lastly, a handful of sifted flour. Stir the whole very +hard, and bake it either in a large tin pan, or in little tins. The +oven should be rather quick. + +WASHINGTON CAKE. + +Stir together a pound of butter and a pound of sugar; and sift into +another pan a pound of flour. Beat six eggs very light, and stir them +into the butter and sugar, alternately with the flour and a pint of +rich milk or cream; if the milk is sour it will be no disadvantage. Add +a glass of wine, a glass of brandy, a powdered nutmeg, and a +table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Lastly, stir in a small +tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, or salaeratus, that has been melted in a +little vinegar; take care not to put in too much pearl-ash, lest it +give the cake an unpleasant taste. Stir the whole very hard; put it +into a buttered tin pan, (or into little tins,) and bake it in a brisk +oven. Wrapped in a thick cloth, this cake will keep soft for a week. + +CIDER CAKE. + +Pick, wash, and dry a pound of currants, and sprinkle them well with +flour; and prepare two nutmegs, and a large table-spoonful of powdered +cinnamon. Sift half a pound and two ounces of flour. Stir together till +very light. six ounces of fresh butter, and half a pound of powdered +white sugar; and add gradually the spice, with two wine glasses of +brandy, (or one of brandy and one of white wine.) Beat four eggs very +light, and stir them into the mixture alternately with the flour. Add +by degrees half a pint of brisk cider; and then stir in the currants, a +few at a time. Lastly, a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or sal-aratus +dissolved in a little warm water. Having stirred the whole very hard, +put it into a buttered tin pan, and let it stand before the fire half +an hour previous to baking. Bake it in a brisk oven an hour or more +according to its thickness. Or you may bake it as little cakes, putting +it into small tins; in which case use but half a pound of flour in +raising the batter. + +ELECTION CAKE. + +Make a sponge (as it is called) in the following manner:—Sift into a +pan two pounds and a half of flour; and into a deep plate another +pound. Take a second pan, and stir a large table-spoonful of the best +West India molasses into five jills or two tumblers and a half of +strong fresh yeast; adding a Jill of water, warm, but not hot. Then +stir gradually into the yeast, &c. the pound of flour that you have +sifted separately. Cover it, and let it set by the fire three hours to +rise. While it is rising, prepare the other ingredients, by stirring in +a deep pan two pounds of fresh butter and two pounds of powdered sugar, +till they are quite light and creamy; adding to them a table-spoonful +of powdered cinnamon; a tea-spoonful of powdered mace; and two powdered +nutmegs. Stir in also half a pint of rich milk. Beat fourteen eggs till +very smooth and thick, and stir them gradually into the mixture, +alternately with the two pounds and a half of flour which you sifted +first. When the sponge is quite light, mix the whole together, and bake +it in buttered tin pans in a moderate oven. It should be eaten fresh, +as no sweet cake made with yeast is so good after the first day. If it +is not probable that the whole will come into use on the day it is +baked, mix but half the above quantity. + +MORAVIAN SUGAR CAKE. + +Cut up a quarter of a pound of butter into a pint of rich milk, and +warm it till the butter becomes soft; then stir it about in the milk so +as to mix them well. Sift three quarters of a pound of flour (or a pint +and a half) into a deep pan, and making a hole in the middle of it, +stir in a large table-spoonful of the best brewer’s yeast in which a +salt-spoonful of salt has been dissolved; and then thin it with the +milk and butter. Cover it, and set it near the fire to rise. If the +yeast is sufficiently strong, it will most probably be light in two +hours. When it is quite light, mix with the dough a well-beaten egg and +three quarters of a pound more of sifted flour; adding a table-spoonful +of powdered cinnamon, and stirring it very hard. Butter a deep square +baking pan, and put the mixture into it. Set it to rise again, as +before. Mix together five ounces or a large coffee-cup of fine brown +sugar; two ounces of butter; and two table-spoonfuls of powdered +cinnamon. When the dough is thoroughly light, make deep incisions all +over it, at equal distances, and fill them with the mixture of butter, +sugar and cinnamon; pressing it hard down into the bottom of the holes, +and closing the dough a little at the top to prevent the seasoning from +running out. Strew some sugar over the top of the cake; set it +immediately into the oven, and bake it from twenty minutes to half an +hour, or more, in a brisk oven, in proportion to its thickness. When +cool, cut it into squares. This is a very good plain cake; but do not +attempt it unless you have excellent yeast. + +HUCKLEBERRY CAKE. + +Spread a quart of ripe huckleberries on a large dish, and dredge them +thickly with flour. Mix together half a pint of milk; half a pint of +molasses; half a pint of powdered sugar; and half a pound of butter. +Warm them by the fire till the butter is quite soft; then stir them all +together, and set them away till cold. Prepare a large table-spoonful +of powdered cloves and cinnamon mixed. Beat five eggs very light, and +stir them gradually into the other ingredients; adding, by degrees, +sufficient gifted flour to make a thick batter. Then stir in a small +tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or dissolved sal-aratus. Lastly, add by +degrees the huckleberries. Put the mixture into a buttered pan, or into +little tins and bake it in a moderate oven. It is best the second day. + +BREAD CAKE. + +When you are making wheat bread, and the dough is quite light and ready +to bake, take out as much of it as would make a twelve cent loaf, and +mix with it a tea cup full of powdered sugar, and a tea-cup full of +butter that has been softened and stirred about in a tea-cup of warm +milk. Add also a beaten egg. Knead it very well, put it into a square +pan, dredged with flour, cover it, and set it near the fire for half an +hour. Then bake it in a moderate oven, and wrap it in a thick cloth as +soon as it is done. It is best when fresh. + +FEDERAL CAKES. + +Sift two pounds of flour into a deep pan, and cut up in it a pound of +fresh butter; rub the butter into the flour with your hands, adding by +degrees, half a pound of powdered white sugar; a tea-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon; a beaten nutmeg; a glass of wine or brandy, and two +glasses of rose water. Beat four eggs very light; and add them to the +mixture with a salt-spoonful of pearl-ash melted in a little lukewarm +water. Mix all well together; add, if necessary, sufficient cold water +to make it into a dough just stiff enough to roll out; knead it +slightly, and then roll it out into a sheet about half an inch thick. +Cut it out into small cakes with a tin cutter, or with the edge of a +tumbler; dipping the cutter frequently into flour, to prevent its +sticking. Lay the cakes in shallow pans buttered, or on flat sheets of +tin, (taking care not to let them touch, lest they should run into each +other,) and bake them of a light brown in a brisk oven. They are best +the second day. + +SAVOY BISCUITS. + +Take four eggs, and separate the whites from the yolks. Beat the whites +by themselves, to a stiff froth; then add gradually the yolks, and beat +them both together for a long time. Next add by degrees half a pound of +the finest loaf-sugar, powdered and sifted, beating it in very hard; +and eight drops of strong essence of lemon. Lastly, stir in a quarter +of a pound of sifted flour, a little at a time. Stir the whole very +hard, and then with a spoon lay it on sheets of white paper, forming it +into thin cakes of an oblong or oval shape. Take care not to place them +too close to each other, lest they run. Grate loaf-sugar over the top +of each, to assist in keeping them in shape. Have the oven quite ready +to put them in immediately. It should be rather brisk. They will bake +in a few minutes, and should be but slightly coloured. + +ALMOND MACCAROONS. + +Take a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and a quarter of a pound of +shelled bitter almonds. Blanch them in scalding water, mix them +together, and pound them, one or two at a time, in a mortar to a very +smooth paste; adding frequently a little rose water to prevent them +from oiling and becoming heavy. Prepare a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. +Beat the whites of seven eggs, to a stiff froth, and then beat into it +gradually the powdered sugar, adding a table-spoonful of mixed spice, +(nutmeg, mace, and. cinnamon.) Then mix in the pounded almonds, (which +it is best to prepare the day before,) and stir the whole very hard. +Form the mixture with a spoon into little round or oval cakes, upon +sheets of buttered white paper, and grate white sugar over each. Lay +the paper in square shallow pans, or on iron sheets, and bake the +maccaroons a few minutes in a brisk oven, till of a pale brown. When +cold, take them off the papers. + +It will be well to try two or three first, and if you find them likely +to lose their shape and run info each other, you may omit the papers +and make the mixture up into little balls with your hands well floured; +baking them in shallow tin pans slightly buttered. + +You may make maccaroons with icing that is left from a cake. + +COCOA-NUT MACCAROONS. + +Beat to a stiff froth the whites of six eggs, and then beat into it +very hard a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Mix with it a pound of grated +cocoa-nut, or sufficient to make a stiff paste. Then flour your hands, +and make it up into little balls. Lay them on sheets of buttered white +paper, and bake them in a brisk oven; first grating loaf-sugar over +each. They will be done in a few minutes. Maccaroons may be made in a +similar manner of pounded cream-nuts, ground-nuts, filberts, or English +walnuts. + +WHITE COCOA-NUT CAKES. + +Break up a cocoa-nut; peel and wash the pieces in cold water, and grate +them. Mix in the milk of the nut and some powdered loaf-sugar and then +form the grated cocoa-nut into little balls upon sheets of white paper. +Make them all of a regular and handsome form, and touch the top of each +with a spot of red sugar-sand. Do not bake them, but place them to dry +for twenty-four hours, in a warm room where nothing is likely to +disturb the them. + +COCOA-NUT JUMBLES. + +Grate a large cocoa-nut. Rub half a pound of butter into a pound of +sifted flour, and wet it with, three beaten eggs, and a little rose +water. Add by degrees the cocoa-nut, so as to form a stiff dough. Flour +your hands and your paste-hoard, and dividing the dough into equal +portions, make the jumbles with your hands into long rolls, and then +curl them round and join the ends so as to form rings. Grate loaf-sugar +over them, lay them in buttered pans, (not so near as to run into each +other,) and bake them in a quick oven from five to ten minutes. + +COMMON JUMBLES. + +Sift a pound of flour into a large pan. Cut up a pound of butter into a +pound of powdered white sugar, and stir them to a cream. Beat six eggs +till very light, and then pour them all at once into the pan of flour; +next add the butter and sugar, with a large table-spoonful of mixed +mace and cinnamon, two grated nutmegs, and a tea-spoonful of essence of +lemon or a wine glass of rose water. When all the ingredients are in, +stir the mixture very hard with a broad knife. Having floured your +hands and spread some flour on the paste-board, make the dough into +long rolls, (all of equal size,) and form them into rings by joining +the two ends very nicely. Lay them on buttered tins, and bake them in a +quick oven from five to ten minutes. Grate sugar over them when cool. + +APEES. + +Rub a pound of fresh butter into two pounds of sifted flour, and mix in +a pound of powdered white sugar, a grated nutmeg, a table-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon, and four large table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. +Add a wine glass of rose water, and mix the whole with sufficient cold +water to make it a stiff dough. Roll it out into a large sheet about a +third of an inch in thickness, and cut it into round cakes with a tin +cutter or with the edge of a tumbler. Lay them in buttered pans, and +bake them in a quick oven, (rather hotter at the bottom than at the +top,) till they are of a very pale brown. + +WHITE CUP CAKE. + +Measure one large coffee cup of cream or rich milk, (which, for this +cake, is best when sour,) one cup of fresh butter; two cups of powdered +white sugar; and four cups of sifted flour. Stir the butter and sugar +together till quite light; then by degrees add the cream, alternately +with half the flour. Beat five eggs as light as possible, and stir them +into the mixture, alternately with the remainder of the flour. Add a +grated nutmeg and a large tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, with eight +drops of oil of lemon. Lastly, stir in a very small tea-spoonful of +sal-aratus or pearl-ash, melted in a little vinegar or lukewarm water. +Having stirred the whole very hard, put it into little tins; set them +in a moderate oven, and bake them about twenty minutes. + +KISSES. + +Powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar. Beat to a strong froth the +whites of eight eggs, and when it is stiff enough to stand alone, beat +into it the powdered sugar, (a tea spoonful at a time,) adding the +juice of two lemons, or ten drops of essence of lemon. Having beaten +the whole very hard, drop it in oval or egg-shaped heaps upon sheets of +white paper, smoothing them with the spoon and making them of a +handsome and regular form. Place them in a moderate oven, (if it is too +cool they will not rise, but will flatten and run into each other,) and +bake them till coloured of a very pale brown. Then take them off the +papers very carefully, place two bottoms (or flat sides) together, so +as to unite them in an oval ball, and lay them on their sides to cool. +To manage them properly, requires so much practice and dexterity, that +it is best, when practicable, to procure kisses from a confectioner’s +shop. + +MARMALADE CAKE. + +Make a batter as for queen-cake, and bake it in small tin rings on a +griddle. Beat white of egg, and powdered loaf-sugar according to the +preceding receipt, flavouring it with lemon. When the batter is baked +into cakes, and they are quite cool, spread over each a thick layer of +marmalade, and then heap on with a spoon tire icing or white of egg and +sugar. Pile it high, and set the cakes in a moderate oven till the +icing is coloured of a very pale brown. + +Instead of small ones you may bake the whole in one large cake. + + +SECRETS. + +Take glazed paper of different colours, and cut it into squares of +equal size, fringing two sides of each. Have ready, burnt almonds, +chocolate nuts, and bonbons or sugar-plums of various sorts; and put +one in each paper with a folded slip containing two lines of verse; or +what will be much more amusing, a conundrum with the answer. Twist the +coloured paper so as entirely to conceal their contents, leaving the +fringe at each end. This is the most easy, but there are various ways +of cutting and ornamenting these envelopes. + +SCOTCH CAKE. + +Rub three quarters of a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour; +mix in a pound of powdered sugar, and a large table-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon. Mix it into a dough with three well beaten eggs. +Roll it out into a sheet; cut it into round cakes, and bake them in a +quick oven; they will require but a few minutes. + +SCOTCH QUEEN CAKE. + +Melt a pound of butter by putting it into a skillet on hot coals. Then +set it away to cool. Sift a quarter of a peck of flour into a deep pan, +and mix with it a pound of powdered sugar and a table-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon and mace. Make a hole in the middle, put in the +melted butter, and mix it with a knife till you have formed of the +whole a lump of dough. If it is too stiff, moisten it with a little +rose water. Do not knead it; but roll it out into a large oval sheet, +an inch thick. Cut it down the middle, and then across, so as to divide +it into four cakes. Prick them with a fork, and crimp or scollop the +edges neatly. Lay them in shallow pans; set them, in a quick oven and +bake them of a light brown. This cake will keep a week or two. + +You may mix in with the dough half a pound of currants, picked, washed, +and dried. + +HONEY CAKES. + +Take a quart of strained honey, half a pound of fresh butter, and a +small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in a wine glass of water. Add +by degrees as much sifted flour as will make a stiff paste. Work the +whole well together. Roll it out about half an inch thick. Cut it into +cakes with the edge of a tumbler or with a tin-cake cutter. Lay them on +buttered tins and bake them with rather a brisk fire, but see that they +do not burn. + +WAFER CAKES. + +Mix together half a pound of powdered sugar, and a quarter of a pound +of butter; and add to them six beaten eggs. Then beat the whole very +light; stirring into it as much sifted flour as will make a stiff +batter; a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of cinnamon; and eight +drops of oil of lemon, or a table-spoonful of rose water. The batter +must be very smooth when it is done, and without a single lump. Heat +your wafer iron on both sides by turning it in the fire; but do not +allow it to get too hot. Grease the inside with butter tied in a rag, +(this must be repeated previous to the baking of every cake,) and put +in the batter, allowing to each wafer two large table-spoonfuls, taking +care not to stir up the batter. Close the iron, and when one side is +baked, turn it on the other; open it occasionally to see if the wafer +is doing well. They should be coloured of a light brown. Take them out +carefully with a knife. Strew them with powdered sugar, and roll them +up while warm, round a smooth stick, withdrawing it when they grow +cold. They are best the day after they are baked. + +If you are preparing for company, fill up the hollow of the wafers with +whipt cream, and stop up the two ends with preserved strawberries, or +with any other small sweetmeat. + +WONDERS, OR CRULLERS. + +Rub half a pound of butter into two pounds of sifted flour, mixing in +three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar. Add a tea-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon, and a grated nutmeg, with a large table-spoonful of +rose water. Beat six eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture. +Mix it with a knife into a soft paste. Then put it on the paste-board, +and roll it out into a sheet an inch thick. If you find it too soft, +knead in a little more flour, and roll it out over again. Cut it into +long slips with a jagging iron, or with a sharp knife, and twist them +into various fantastic shapes. Have ready on hot coals, a skillet of +boiling lard; put in the crullers and fry them of a light brown, +turning them occasionally by means of a knife and fork. Take them out +one by one on a perforated skimmer, that the lard may drain off through +the holes. Spread them out on a large dish, and when cold grate white +sugar over them. + +They will keep a week or more. + +DOUGH NUTS. + +Take two deep dishes, and sift three quarters of a pound of flour into +each. Make a hole in the centre of one of them, and pour in a wine +glass of the best brewer’s yeast; mix the flour gradually into it, +wetting it with lukewarm milk; cover it, and set it by the fire to rise +for about two hours. This is setting a sponge. In the mean time, cut up +five ounces of butter into the other dish of flour, and rub it fine +with your hands; add half a pound of powdered sugar, a tea-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, a table-spoonful of rose water, and +a half pint of milk. Beat three eggs very light, and stir them hard +into the mixture. Then when, the sponge is perfectly light, add it to +the other ingredients, mixing them all thoroughly with a knife. Cover +it, and set it again by the fire for another hour. When, it is quite +light, flour your paste-board, turn out the lump of dough, and cut it +into thick diamond shaped cakes with a jagging iron. If you find the +dough so soft as to be unmanageable, mix in a little more flour; but +not else. Have ready a skillet of boiling lard; put the dough-nuts into +it, and fry them brown; and when cool grate loaf-sugar over them. They +should be eaten quite fresh, as next day they will be tough and heavy; +therefore it is best to make no more than you want for immediate use. +The New York Oley Koeks are dough-nuts with currants and raisins in +them. + +WAFFLES. + +Put two pints of rich milk into separate pans. Cut up and melt in one +of them a quarter of a pound of butter, warming it slightly; then, when +it is melted, stir it about, and set it away to cool. Beat eight eggs +till very light, and mix them gradually into the other pan of milk, +alternately with half a pound of flour. Then mix in by degrees the milk +that has the butter in it. Lastly, stir in a large table-spoonful of +strong fresh yeast. Cover the pan, and set it near the fire to rise. +When the batter is quite light, heat your waffle-iron, by putting it +among the coals of a clear bright fire; grease the inside with butter +tied in a rag, and then put in some batter. Shut the iron closely, and +when the waffle is done on one side, turn the iron on the other. Take +the cake out by slipping a knife underneath; and then heat and grease +the iron for another waffle. Send them to table quite hot, four or six +on a plate; having buttered them and strewed over each a mixture of +powdered cinnamon, and white sugar. Or you may send the sugar and +cinnamon in a little glass bowl. + +In buying waffle-irons, do not choose those broad shallow ones that are +to hold four at a time; as the waffles baked in them are too small, too +thin, and are never of a good shape. The common sort that bake but two +at once are much the best. + +NEW YORK COOKIES. + +Take a half-pint or a tumbler full of cold water, and mix it with half +a pound of powdered white sugar. Sift three pounds of flour into a +large pan and cut up in it a pound of butter; rub the butter very fine +into the flour. Add a grated nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered +cinnamon, with a wine glass of rose water. Work in the sugar, and make +the whole into a stiff dough, adding, if necessary, a little cold +water. Dissolve a tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in just enough of warm +water to cover it, and mix it in at the last. Take the lump of dough +out of the pan, and knead it on the paste-board till it becomes quite +light. Then roll it out rather more than half an inch thick, and cut it +into square cakes with a jagging iron or with a sharp knife. Stamp the +surface of each with a cake print. Lay them in buttered pans, and bake +them of a light brown in a brisk oven. + +They are similar to what are called New Year’s cakes, and will keep two +or three weeks. + +In mixing the dough, you may add three table-spoonfuls of carraway +seeds. + +SUGAR BISCUIT. + +Wet a pound of sugar with two large tea-cups full of milk; and rub a +pound of butter into two pounds of flour; adding a table-spoonful of +cinnamon, and a handful of carraway seeds. Mix in the sugar, add a +tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved, and make the whole into a stiff +dough. Knead it, and then roll it out into a sheet about half an inch +thick. Beat it on both sides with the rolling-pin, and then cut it out +with the edge of a tumbler into round cakes. Prick them with a fork, +lay them in buttered pans, and bake them light brown in a quick oven. +You may colour them yellow by mixing in with the other ingredients a +little of the infusion of saffron. + +RUSKS. + +Sift three pounds of flour into a large pan, and rub into it half a +pound of butter, and half a pound of sugar. Beat two eggs very light, +and stir them into a pint and a half of milk, adding two +table-spoonfuls of rose water, and three table-spoonfuls of the best +and strongest yeast. Make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour in +the liquid, and gradually mix the flour into it till you have a thick +batter. Cover it, and set it by the fire to rise. When it is quite +light, put it on your paste-board and knead it well. Then divide it +into small round cakes and knead each separately. Lay them very near +each other in shallow iron pans that have been sprinkled with flour. +Prick the top of each rusk with a fork, and set them by the fire to +rise again for half an hour or more. When they are perfectly light, +bake them in a moderate oven. They are best when fresh. + +You can convert them into what are called Hard Rusks, or Tops and +Bottoms, by splitting them in half, and putting them again into the +oven to harden and crisp. + +MILK BISCUIT. + +Cut up three quarters of a pound of butter in a quart of milk, and set +it near the fire to warm, till the butter becomes soft; then with a +knife, mix it thoroughly with the milk, and set it away to cool. +Afterwards stir in two wine glasses of strong fresh yeast, and add by +degrees as much sifted flour as will make a dough just stiff enough to +roll out. As soon as it is mixed, roll it into a thick sheet, and cut +it out into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler or a wine glass. +Sprinkle a large iron pan with flour; lay the biscuits in it, cover it +and set it to rise near the fire. When the biscuits are quite light, +knead each one separately; prick them with a fork, and set them again +in a warm place for about half an hour. When they are light again, bake +them in a moderate oven. They should be eaten fresh, and pulled open +with the fingers, as splitting them with a knife will make them heavy. + +WHITE GINGERBREAD. + +Sift two pounds of flour into a deep pan, and rub into it three +quarters of a pound of butter; then mix in a pound of common white +sugar powdered; and three table-spoonfuls of the best white ginger. +Having beaten four eggs very light, mix them gradually with the other +ingredients in the pan, and add a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash +melted in a wine glass of warm milk. Stir the whole as hard as +possible. Flour your paste-board; lay the lump of dough upon it, and +roll it out into a sheet an inch thick; adding more flour if necessary. +Butter a large shallow square pan. Lay the dough into it, and bake it +in a moderate oven. When cold, cut it into squares. Or you may cut it +out into separate cakes with a jagging iron, previous to baking. You +must be careful not to lay them too close together in the pan, lest +they run into each other. + +COMMON GINGERBREAD. + +Cut up a pound of butter in a quart of West India molasses, which must +be perfectly sweet; if it is in the least sour, use sugar house +molasses instead. Warm it slightly, just enough to melt the butter. +Crush with the rolling-pin, on the paste-board, half a pound of brown +sugar, and add it by degrees to the molasses and butter; then stir in a +tea-cup full of powdered ginger, a large tea-spoonful of powdered +cloves, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Add gradually +sufficient flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll out easily; and +lastly, a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash melted in a little warm +water. Mix and stir the dough very hard with a spaddle, or a wooden +spoon; but do not knead it. Then divide it with a knife into equal +portions; and, having floured your hands, roll it out on the +paste-board into long even strips. Place them in shallow tin pans, that +have been buttered; either laying the strips side by side in straight +round sticks, (uniting them at both ends,) or coil them into rings one +within another, as you see them at the cake shops. Bake them in a brisk +oven, taking care that they do not burn; gingerbread scorching sooner +than any other cake. + +To save time and trouble, you may roll out the dough into a sheet near +an inch thick, and cut it into round flat cakes with a tin cutter, or +with the edge of a tumbler. + +Ground ginger loses much of its strength by keeping. Therefore it will +be frequently found necessary to put in more than the quantity given in +the receipt. + +GINGERBREAD NUTS. + +Rub half a pound of butter into a pound and a half of sifted flour; and +mix in half a pound of brown sugar, crushed fine with the rolling-pin. +Add two large table-spoonfuls of ginger, a tea-spoonful of powdered +cloves, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir in a pint of +molasses, and the grated peel of a large lemon, but not the juice, as +you must add at the last, a very small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash +dissolved in a little lukewarm water, and pearl-ash entirely destroys +the taste of lemon-juice and of every other acid. Stir the whole +mixture very hard with a spaddle or with a wooden spoon, and make it +into a lump of dough just stiff enough to roll out into a sheet about +half an inch thick. Cut it out into small cakes about the size of a +quarter dollar; or make it up, with your hands well floured, into +little round balls, flattening them on the top. Lay them in buttered +pans, and bake them in a moderate oven. They will keep several weeks. + +FRANKLIN CAKE. + +Mix together a pint of molasses, and half a pint of milk, and cut up in +it half a pound of butter. Warm them just enough to melt the butter, +and then stir in six ounces of brown sugar; adding three +table-spoonfuls of ginger, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a +tea-spoonful of powdered cloves, and a grated nutmeg. Beat seven eggs +very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture, in turn with a +pound and two ounces of flour. Add, at the last, the grated peel and +juice of two large lemons or oranges; or twelve drops of essence of +lemon, there being no pearl-ash in this gingerbread. Stir the mixture +very hard; put it into little queen cake tins, well buttered; and bake +it in a moderate oven. It is best the second day, and will keep soft a +week. + +GINGER PLUM CAKE. + +Stone a pound and a half of raisins, and cut them in two. Wash and dry +half a pound of currants. Sift into a pan two pounds of flour. Put into +another pan a pound of brown sugar, (rolled fine,) and cut up in it a +pound of fresh butter. Stir the butter and sugar to a cream, and add to +it two table-spoonfuls of the best ginger; one table-spoonful of +powdered cinnamon; and one of powdered cloves. Then beat six eggs very +light, and add them gradually to the butter and sugar, in turn with the +flour and a quart of molasses. Lastly, stir in a tea-spoonful of +pearl-ash dissolved in a little vinegar, and add by degrees the fruit, +which must be well dredged with flour. Stir all very hard; put the +mixture into a buttered pan, and bake it in a moderate oven. Take care +not to let it burn. + +MOLASSES CANDY. + +Mix a pound of the best brown sugar with two quarts of West India +molasses, (which must be perfectly sweet,) and boil it in a preserving +kettle over a moderate fire for three hours, skimming it well, and +stirring it frequently after the scum has ceased to rise; taking care +that it does not burn. Have ready the grated rind and the juice of +three lemons, and stir them into the molasses after it has boiled about +two hours and a half; or you may substitute a large tea-spoonful of +strong essence of lemon. The flavour of the lemon will all be boiled +out if it is put in too soon. The mixture should boil at least three +hours, that it may be crisp and brittle when cold. If it is taken off +the fire too soon, or before it has boiled sufficiently, it will not +congeal, but will be tough and ropy, and must be boiled over again. It +will cease boiling of itself when it is thoroughly done. Then take it +off the fire; have ready a square tin pan; put the mixture into it, and +set it away to cool. + +You may make molasses candy with almonds blanched and slit into pieces; +stir them in by degrees after the mixture has boiled two hours and a +half. Or you may blanch a quart of ground-nuts and put them in instead +of the almonds. + +NOUGAT. + +Blanch a pound of shelled sweet almonds; and with an almond cutter, or +a sharp penknife, split each almond into five slips. Spread them over a +large dish, and place them in a gentle oven. Powder a pound of the +finest loaf-sugar, and put it into a preserving pan without a drop of +water. Set it on a chafing-dish over a slow fire, or on a hot stove, +and stir it with a wooden spoon till the boat has entirely dissolved +it. Then take the almonds out of the oven, and mix with them the juice +of two or three lemons. Put them into the sugar a few at a time, and +let them simmer till it becomes a thick stiff paste, stirring it hard +all the while. Have ready a mould, or a square tin pan, greased all +over the inside with sweet oil; put the mixture into it; smooth it +evenly, and set it in a cold place to harden. + +LEMON DROPS. + +Squeeze some lemon-juice into a pan. Pound in a mortar some of the best +loaf-sugar, and then sift it through a very fine sieve. Mix it with the +lemon-juice, making it so thick that you can scarcely stir it. Put it +into a porcelain sauce-pan, set it on hot coals, and stir it with a +wooden spoon five minutes or more. Then take off the pan, and with the +point of a knife drop the liquid on writing paper. When cold, the drops +will easily come off. + +Peppermint drops may be made as above, substituting for the lemon-juice +essence of peppermint. + + + + +WARM CAKES FOR BREAKFAST AND TEA. + + +BUCKWHEAT CAKES. + +Take a quart of buckwheat meal, mix with it a tea-spoonful of salt, and +add a handful of Indian meal. Pour a large table-spoonful of the best +brewer’s yeast into the centre of the meal. Then mix it gradually with +cold water till it becomes a batter. Cover it, put it in a warm place +and set it to rise; it will take about three hours. When it is quite +light, and covered with bubbles, it is fit to bake. Put your griddle +over the fire, and let it get quite hot before you begin. Grease it +well with a piece of butter tied in a rag. Then dip out a large ladle +full of the batter and bake it on the griddle; turning it with a broad +wooden paddle. Let the cakes be of large size, and even at the edges. +Ragged edges to batter cakes look very badly. Butter them as you take +them off the griddle. Put several on a plate, and cut them across in +six pieces. + +Grease the griddle anew, between baking each cake. + +If your batter has been mixed over night and is found to be sour in the +morning, melt in warm water a piece of pearl-ash the size of a grain of +corn, or a little larger; stir it into the batter; let it set half an +hour, and then bake it. The pearl-ash will remove the sour taste, and +increase the lightness of the cakes. + +FLANNEL CAKES. + +Put a table-spoonful of butter into a quart of milk, and warm them +together till the butter has melted; then stir it well, and set it away +to cool. Beat five eggs as light as possible, and stir them into the +milk in turn with three pints of sifted flour; add a small tea-spoonful +of salt, and a large table-spoonful and a half of the best fresh yeast. +Set the pan of batter near the fire to rise; and if the yeast is good, +it will be light in three hours. Then bake it on a griddle in the +manner of buckwheat cakes. Send them to table hot, and cut across into +four pieces. This batter may be baked in waffle-irons. If so, send to +table with the cakes powdered white sugar and cinnamon. + +INDIAN BATTER CAKES. + +Mix together a quart of sifted Indian meal, (the yellow meal is best +for all purposes,) and a handful of wheat flour. Warm a quart of milk, +and stir into it a small tea-spoonful of salt, and two large +table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. Beat three eggs very light, +and stir them gradually into the milk in turn with the meal. Cover it, +and set it to rise for three or four hours. When quite light, bake it +on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes. Butter them, cut them +across, and send them to table hot, with molasses in a sauce-boat. + +If the batter should chance to become sour before it is baked, stir in +about a salt-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in a little lukewarm +water; and let it set half an hour longer before it is baked. + +INDIAN MUSH CAKES. + +Pour into a pan three pints of cold water, and stir gradually into it a +quart of sifted Indian meal which has been mixed with half a pint of +wheat flour, and a small tea-spoonful of salt. Give it a hard stirring +at the last. Have ready a hot griddle, and bake the batter immediately, +in cakes about the size of a saucer. Send them to table piled evenly, +but not cut. Eat them with butter or molasses. + +This is the most economical and expeditious way of making soft Indian +cakes; but it cannot be recommended as the best. It will be some +improvement to mix the meal with milk rather than water. + +JOHNNY CAKE. + +Sift a quart of Indian meal into a pan; make a hole in the middle, and +pour in a pint of warm water. Mix the meal and water gradually into a +batter, adding a small tea-spoonful of salt. Beat it very hard, and for +a long time, till it becomes quite light. Then spread it thick and even +on a stout piece of smooth board. Place it upright on the hearth before +a clear fire, with a flat iron or something of the sort to support the +board behind, and bake it well. Cut it into squares, and split and +butter them hot. + +INDIAN FLAPPERS. + +Have ready a pint of sifted Indian meal, mixed with a handful of wheat +flour, and a small tea-spoonful of salt. Beat four eggs very light, and +stir them by degrees into a quart of milk, in turn with the meal. They +can be made in a very short time, and should be baked as soon as mixed, +on a hot griddle; allow a large ladle full of batter to each cake, and +make them all of the same size. Send them to table hot, buttered and +cut in half. + +INDIAN MUFFINS. + +Sift and mix together a pint and a half of yellow Indian meal, and a +handful of wheat flour. Melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a +quart of milk. Beat four eggs very light, and stir into them +alternately (a little at a time of each) the milk when it is quite +cold, and the meal; adding a small tea-spoonful of salt. The whole must +be beaten long and hard. Then butter some muffin rings; set them on a +hot griddle, and pour some of the batter into each. + +Send the muffins to table hot, and split them by pulling them open with +your fingers, as a knife will make them heavy. Eat them with butter, +molasses or honey. + +WATER MUFFINS. + +Put four table-spoonfuls of fresh strong yeast into a pint of lukewarm +water. Add a little salt; about a small tea-spoonful; then stir in +gradually as much sifted flour as will make a thick batter. Cover the +pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. When it is quite light, and +your griddle is hot, grease and set your muffin rings on it; having +first buttered them round the inside. Dip out a ladle full of the +batter for each ring, and bake them over a quick fire. Send them to +table hot, and split them by pulling open with your hands. + +COMMON MUFFINS. + +Having melted three table-spoonfuls of fresh butter in three pints of +warm milk, set it away to cool. Then beat three eggs as light as +possible, and stir them gradually into the milk when it is quite cold; +adding a tea-spoonful of salt. Stir in by degrees enough of sifted +flour to make a batter as thick as you can conveniently beat it; and +lastly, add two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast from the brewery. +Cover the batter and set it in a warm place to rise. It should be light +in about three hours. Having heated your griddle, grease it with some +butter tied in a rag; grease your muffin rings round the inside, and +set them on the griddle. Take some batter out of the pan with a ladle +or a large spoon, pour it lightly into the rings, and bake the muffins +of a light brown. When done, break or split them open with your +fingers; butter them and send them to table hot. + +SODA BISCUITS. + +Melt half a pound of butter in a pint of warm milk, adding a +tea-spoonful of soda; and stir in by degrees half a pound of sugar. +Then sift into a pan two pounds of flour; make a hole in the middle; +pour in the milk, &c., and mix it with the flour into a dough. Put it +on your paste-board, and knead it long and hard till it becomes very +light. Roll it out into a sheet half an inch thick. Cut it into little +round cakes with the top of a wine glass, or with a tin cutter of that +size; prick the tops; lay them on tins sprinkled with flour, or in +shallow iron pans; and bake them of a light brown in a quick oven; they +will be done in a few minutes. These biscuits keep very well. + +A SALLY LUNN. + +This cake is called after the inventress. Sift into a pan a pound and a +half of flour. Make a hole in the middle, and put in two ounces of +butter warmed in a pint of milk, a salt-spoonful of salt, three +well-beaten eggs, and two table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. Mix +the flour well into the other ingredients, and put the whole into a +square tin pan that has been greased with butter. Cover it, set it in a +warm place, and when it is quite light, bake it in a moderate oven. +Send it to table hot, and eat it with butter. + +Or, you may bake it on a griddle, in small muffin rings, pulling the +cakes open and buttering them when brought to table. + +SHORT CAKES. + +Rub three quarters of a pound of fresh butter into a pound and a half +of sifted flour; and make it into a dough with a little cold water. +Roll it out into a sheet half an inch thick, and cut it into round +cakes with the edge of a tumbler. Prick them with a fork; lay them in a +shallow iron pan sprinkled with flour, and bake them in a moderate oven +till they are brown. Send them to table hot; split and butter them. + +TEA BISCUIT. + +Melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a quart of warm milk, and +add a salt-spoonful of salt. Sift two pounds of flour into a pan, make +a hole in the centre, and put in three table-spoonfuls of the best +brewer’s yeast. Add the milk and butter and mix it into a stiff paste. +Cover it and set it by the fire to rise. When quite light, knead it +well, roll it out an inch thick, and cut it into round cakes with the +edge of a tumbler. Prick the top of each with a fork; lay them in +buttered pans and bake them light brown. Send them to table warm, and +split and butter them. + +RICE CAKES. + +Pick and wash half a pint of rice, and boil it very soft. Then drain +it, and let it get cold. Sift a pint and a half of flour over the pan +of rice, and mix in a quarter of a pound of butter that has been warmed +by the fire, and a salt-spoonful of salt. Beat five eggs very light, +and stir them gradually into a quart of milk. Beat the whole very hard, +and bake it in muffin rings, or in waffle-irons. Send them to table +hot, and eat them with butter, honey, or molasses. You may make these +cakes of rice flour instead of mixing together whole rice and wheat +flour. + +CREAM CAKES. + +Having beaten three eggs very light, stir them into a quart of cream +alternately with a quart of sifted flour; and add one wine glass of +strong yeast, and a salt-spoon of salt. Cover the batter, and set it +near the fire to rise. When it is quite light, stir in a large +table-spoonful of butter that has been warmed by the fire. Bake the +cakes in muffin rings, and send them to table hot, split with your +fingers, and buttered. + +FRENCH ROLLS. + +Sift a pound of flour into a pan, and rub into it two ounces of butter; +mix in the whites only of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and a +table-spoonful of strong yeast; add sufficient milk to make a stiff +dough, and a salt-spoonful of salt. Cover it and set it before the fire +to rise. It should be light in an hour. Then put it on a paste-board, +divide it into rolls, or round cakes; lay them in a floured square pan, +and bake them about ten minutes in a quick oven. + +COMMON ROLLS. + +Sift two pounds of flour into a pan, and mix with it a tea-spoonful of +salt. Warm together a jill of water and a jill of milk. Make a hole in +the middle of the pan of flour; mix with the milk and water a jill of +the best yeast, and pour it into the hole. Mix into the liquid enough +of the surrounding flour to make a thin batter, which you must stir +till quite smooth and free from lumps. Then strew a handful of flour +over the top, and set it in a warm, place to rise for two hours or +more. When it is quite light, and has cracked on the top, make it into +a dough with some more milk and water. Knead it well for ten minutes. +Cover it, and set it again to rise for twenty minutes. Then make the +dough into rolls or round balls. Bake them in a square pan, and send +them to table hot, cut in three, buttered and put together again. + +BREAD. + +Take one peck or two gallons of fine wheat flour, and sift it into a +kneading trough, or into a small clean tub, or a large broad earthen +pan; and make a deep hole in the middle of the heap of flour, to begin +the process by what is called setting a sponge. Have ready half a pint +of warm water, which in summer should be only lukewarm, but even in +winter it must not be hot or boiling, and stir it well into half a pint +of strong fresh yeast; (if the yeast is home-made you must use from +three quarters to a whole pint;) then pour it into the hole in the +middle of the flour. With a spoon work in the flour round the edges of +the liquid, so as to bring in by degrees sufficient flour to form a +thin batter, which must be well stirred about, for a minute or two. +Then take a handful of flour, and scatter it thinly over the top of +this batter, so as to cover it entirely. Lay a warmed cloth over the +whole, and set it to rise in a warm place; in winter put it nearer the +fire than in summer. When the batter has risen so as to make cracks in +the flour on the top, scatter over it three or four table-spoonfuls +(not more) of fine salt, and begin to form the whole mass into a dough; +commencing round the hole containing the batter, and pouring as much +soft water as is necessary to make the flour mix with the batter; the +water must never be more than lukewarm. When the whole is well mixed, +and the original batter which is to give fermentation to the dough is +completely incorporated with it, knead it hard, turning it over, +pressing it, folding it, and working it thoroughly with your clenched +hands for twenty minutes or half an hour; or till it becomes perfectly +light and stiff. The goodness of bread depends much on the kneading, +which to do well requires strength and practice. When it has been +sufficiently worked, form the dough into a lump in the middle of the +trough or pan, and scatter a little dry flour thinly over it; then +cover it, and set it again in a warm place to undergo a farther +fermentation; for which, if all has been done rightly, about twenty +minutes or half an hour will be sufficient. The oven should be hot by +the time the dough has remained twenty minutes in the lump. If it is a +brick oven it should be heated by faggots or small light wood, allowed +to remain in till burnt down into coals. When the bread is ready, clear +out the coals, and sweep and wipe the floor of the oven clean. +Introduce nothing wet into the oven, as it may crack the bricks when +they are hot. Try the heat of the bottom by throwing in some flour; and +if it scorches and burns black, do not venture to put in the bread till +the oven has had time to become cooler. Put the dough on the +paste-board, (which must be sprinkled with flour,) and divide it into +loaves, forming them of a good shape. Place them in the oven, and close +up the door, which you may open once or twice to see how the bread is +going on. The loaves will bake in from two hours and a half to three +hours, or more, according to their size. When the loaves are done, wrap +each in a clean coarse towel, and stand them up on end to cool slowly. +It is a good way to have the cloths previously made damp by sprinkling +them plentifully with water, and letting them lie awhile rolled up +tightly. This will make the crust of the bread less dry and hard. Bread +should be kept always wrapped in a cloth, and covered from the air in a +box or basket with a close lid. Unless you have other things to bake at +the same time, it is not worth while to heat a brick oven for a small +quantity of bread. Two or three loaves can be baked very well in a +stove, (putting them into square iron pans,) or in a Dutch oven. +[Footnote: If you bake bread in a Dutch oven, take off the lid when the +loaf is done, and let it remain in the oven uncovered for a quarter of +an hour.] If the bread has been mixed over night (which should never be +done in warm weather) and is found, on tasting it, to be sour in the +morning, melt a tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in a little milk-warm water, +and sprinkle it over the dough; let it set half an hour, and then knead +it. This will remove the acidity, and rather improve the bread in +lightness. If dough is allowed to freeze it is totally spoiled. All +bread that is sour, heavy, or ill-baked is not only unpalatable, but +extremely unwholesome, and should never be eaten. These accidents so +frequently happen when bread is made at home by careless, unpractised +or incompetent persons, that families who live in cities or towns will +generally risk less and save more, by obtaining their bread from a +professional baker. If you like a little Indian in your wheat bread, +prepare rather a larger quantity of warm water for setting the sponge; +stirring into the water, while it is warming, enough of sifted Indian +meal to make it like thin gruel. Warm water that has had pumpkin boiled +in it is very good for bread. Strong fresh yeast from the brewery +should always be used in preference to any other. If the yeast is +home-made, or not very strong and fresh, double or treble the quantity +mentioned in the receipt will be necessary to raise the bread. On the +other hand, if too much yeast is put in, the bread will be disagreeably +bitter. [Footnote: If you are obliged from its want of strength to put +in a large quantity of yeast, mix with it two or three handfuls of +bran; add the warm water to it, and then strain it through a sieve or +cloth; or you may correct the bitterness by putting in a few bits of +charcoal and then straining it.] You may take off a portion of the +dough that has been prepared for bread, make it up into little round +cakes or rolls, and bake them for breakfast or tea. + +BRAN BREAD. + +Sift into a pan three quarts of unbolted wheat meal. Stir a jill of +strong yeast, and a jill of molasses into a quart of soft water, (which +must be warm but not hot,) and add a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, +or sal-aratus. Make a hole in the heap of flour, pour in the liquid, +and proceed in the usual manner of making bread. This quantity may be +made into two loaves. Bran bread is considered very wholesome; and is +recommended to persons afflicted with dyspepsia. + + +RYE AND INDIAN BREAD. + +Sift two quarts of rye, and two quarts of Indian meal, and mix them +well together. Boil three pints of milk; pour it boiling hot upon the +meal; add two tea-spoonfuls of salt, and stir the whole very hard. Let +it stand till it becomes of only a lukewarm heat, and then stir in half +a pint of good fresh yeast; if from the brewery and quite fresh, a +smaller quantity will suffice. Knead the mixture into a stiff dough, +and set it to rise in a pan. Cover it with a thick cloth that has been +previously warmed, and set it near the fire. When it is quite light, +and has cracked all over the top, make it into two loaves, put them +into a moderate oven, and bake them two hours and a half. + +COMMON YEAST. + +Put a large handful of hops into two quarts of boiling water, which +must then be set on the fire again, and boiled twenty minutes with the +hops. Have ready in a pan three pints of sifted flour; strain the +liquid, and pour half of it on the flour. Let the other half stand till +it becomes cool, and then mix it gradually into the pan with the flour, +&c. Then stir into it half a pint of good strong yeast, fresh from the +brewery if possible; if not, use some that was left of the last making. +You may increase the strength by stirring into your yeast before you +bottle it, four or five large tea-spoonfuls of brown sugar, or as many +table-spoonfuls of molasses. + +Put it into clean bottles, and cork them loosely till the fermentation +is over. Next morning put in the corks tightly, and set the bottles in +a cold place. When you are going to bottle the yeast it will be an +improvement to place two or three raisins at the bottom of each bottle. +It is best to make yeast very frequently; as, with every precaution, it +will scarcely keep good a week, even in cold weather. If you are +apprehensive of its becoming sour, put into each bottle a lump of +pearl-ash the size of a hazle-nut. + +BRAN YEAST. + +Mix a pint of wheat bran, and a handful of hops with a quart of water, +and boil them together about twenty minutes. Then strain it through a +sieve into a pan; when the liquid becomes only milk-warm, stir into it +four table-spoonfuls of brewer’s yeast, and two of brown sugar, or four +of molasses. Put it into a wooden bowl, cover it, and set it near the +fire for four or five hours. Then bottle it, and cork it tightly next +day. + +PUMPKIN YEAST. + +Pare a fine ripe pumpkin, and cut it into pieces. Put them into a +kettle with a large handful of hops, and as much water as will cover +them. Boil them till the pumpkin is soft enough to pass through a +cullender. Having done this, put the pulp into a stone jar, adding half +a pint of good strong yeast to set it into a fermentation. The yeast +must be well stirred into the pumpkin. Leave the jar uncovered till +next day; then secure it lightly with a cork. If pumpkin yeast is well +made, and of a proper consistence, neither too thick nor too thin, it +will keep longer than any other. + +BAKER’S YEAST. + +To a gallon of soft water put two quarts of wheat bran, one quart of +ground malt, (which may be obtained from a brewery,) and two handfuls +of hops. Boil them together for half an hour. Then strain it through a +sieve, and let it stand till it is cold; after which put to it two +large tea-cups of molasses, and half a pint of strong yeast. Pour it +into a stone jug, and let it stand uncorked till next morning. Then +pour off the thin liquid from the top, and cork the jug tightly. When +you are going to use the yeast, if it has been made two or three days, +stir in a little pearl-ash dissolved in warm water, allowing a lump the +size of a hickory-nut to a pint of yeast. This will correct any +tendency to sourness, and make the yeast more brisk. + +TO MAKE BUTTER. + +Scald your milk pans every day after washing them; and let them set +till the water gets cold. Then wipe them with a clean cloth. Fill them +all with cold water half an hour before milking time, and do not pour +it out till the moment before you are ready to use the pans. Unless all +the utensils are kept perfectly sweet and nice, the cream and butter +will never be good. Empty milk-pans should stand all day in the sun. + +When you have strained the milk into the pans, (which should be broad +and shallow,) place them in the spring-house, setting them down in the +water. After the milk has stood twenty-four hours, skim off the cream, +and deposits it in a large deep earthen jar, commonly called a crock, +which must be kept closely covered, and stirred up with a stick at +least twice a day, and whenever you add fresh cream to it. This +stirring is to prevent the butter from being injured by the skin that +will gather over the top of the cream. + +You should churn at least twice a week, for if the cream is allowed to +stand too long, the butter will inevitably have a odd taste. Add to the +cream the strippings of the milk. Butter of only two or three days +gathering is the best. With four or five good cows, you may easily +manage to have a churning every three days. If your dairy is on a large +scale, churn every two days. + +Have your churn very clean, and rinse and cool it with cold water. A +barrel churn is best; though a small upright one, worked by a staff or +dash, will do very well where there are but one or two cows. + +Strain the cream from the crock into the churn, and put on the lid. +Move the handle slowly in warm weather, as churning too fast will make +the butter soft. When you find that the handle moves heavily and with +great difficulty, the butter has come; that is, it has separated from +the thin fluid and gathered into a lump, and it then is not necessary +to churn any longer. Take it out with a wooden ladle, and put it into a +small tub or pail. Squeeze and press it hard with the ladle, to get out +all that remains of the milk. Add a little salt, and then squeeze and +work It for a long time. If any of the milk is allowed to remain in, it +will speedily turn sour and spoil the butter. Set it away in a cool +place for three hours, and then work it over again. [Footnote: A marble +slab or table will be found of great advantage in working and making up +butter.] Wash it in cold water; weigh it; make it up into separate +pounds, smoothing, and shaping it; and clap each pound on your wooden +butter print, dipping the print every time in cold water. Spread a +clean linen cloth on a bench in the spring-house; place the butter on +it, and let it set till it becomes perfectly hard. Then wrap each pound +in a separate piece of linen that has been dipped in cold water. + +Pour the buttermilk into a clean crock, and place it in the +spring-house, with a saucer to dip it out with. Keep the pot covered. +The buttermilk will be excellent the first day; but afterwards it will +become too thick and sour. Winter buttermilk is never very palatable. + +Before you put away the churn, wash and scald it well; and the day that +you use it again, keep it for an hour or more filled with cold water. + +In cold weather, churning is a much more tedious process than in +summer, as the butter will be longer coming. It is best then to have +the churn in a warm room, or near the fire. If you wish to prepare the +butter for keeping a long time, take it after it has been thoroughly +well made, and pack it down tightly into a large jar. You need not in +working it, add more salt than if the butter was to be eaten +immediately. But preserve it by making a brine of fine salt, dissolved +in water. The brine must be strong enough to bear up an egg on the +surface without sinking. Strain the brine into the jar, so as to be +about two inches above the butter. Keep the jar closely covered, and +set it in a cool place. + +When you want any of the butter for use, take it off evenly from the +top; so that the brine may continue to cover it at a regular depth. + +This receipt for making butter is according to the method in use at the +best farm-houses in Pennsylvania, and if exactly followed will be found +very good. The badness of butter is generally owing to carelessness or +mismanagement; to keeping the cream too long without churning; to want +of cleanliness in the utensils; to not taking the trouble to work it +sufficiently; or to the practice of salting it so profusely as to +render it unpleasant to the taste, and unfit for cakes or pastry. All +these causes of bad butter are inexcusable, and can easily be avoided. +Unless the cows have been allowed to feed where there are bitter weeds +or garlic, the milk cannot naturally have any disagreeable taste, and +therefore the fault of the butter must be the fault of the maker. Of +course, the cream is much richer where the pasture is fine and +luxuriant; and in winter, when the cows have only dry food, the butter +must be consequently whiter and more insipid than in the grazing +season. Still, if properly made, even winter butter cannot taste badly. + +Many economical housekeepers always buy for cooking, butter of inferior +quality. This is a foolish practice; as when it is bad, the taste will +predominate through all attempts to disguise it, and render every thing +unpalatable with which it is combined. As the use of butter is designed +to improve and not to spoil the flavour of cookery, it is better to +omit it altogether, and to substitute something else, unless you can +procure that which is good. Lard, suet, beef-drippings, and sweet oil, +may be used in the preparation of various dishes; and to eat with bread +or warm cakes, honey, molasses, or stewed fruit, &c, are far superior +to bad butter. + +CHEESE. + +In making good cheese, skim milk is never used. The milk should either +be warm from the cow or heated to that temperature over the fire. When +the rennet is put in, the heat of the milk should be from 90 to 96 +degrees. Three quarts of milk will yield, on an average, about a pound +of cheese. In infusing the rennet, allow a quart of lukewarm water, and +a table-spoonful of salt to a piece about half the size of your hand. +The rennet must soak all night in the water before it can be fit for +use. In the morning (after taking as much of it as you want) put the +rennet water into a bottle and cork it tightly. It will keep the better +for adding to it a wine glass of brandy. If too large a proportion of +rennet is mixed with the milk, the cheese will be tough and leathery. + +To make a very good cheese, take three buckets of milk warm from the +cow, and strain it immediately into a large tub or kettle. Stir into it +half a tea-cupful of infusion of rennet or rennet-water; and having +covered it, set it in a warm place for about half an hour, or till it +becomes a firm curd. Cut the curd into squares with a large knife, or +rather with a wooden slitting-dish, and let it stand about fifteen +minutes. Then break it up fine with your hands, and let it stand a +quarter of an hour longer. Then pour off from the top as much of the +whey as you can; tie up the curd in a linen cloth or bag, and hang it +up to drain out the remainder of the whey; setting a pan under it to +catch the droppings. After all the whey is drained out, put the curd +into the cheese-tray, and cut it again into slices; chop it coarse; put +a cloth about it; place it in the cheese-hoop or mould, and set it in +the screw press for half an hour, pressing it hard. [Footnote: If you +are making cheese on a small scale, and have not a regular press, put +the curd (after you have wrapped it in a cloth) into a small circular +wooden box or tub with numerous holes bored in the bottom; and with a +lid that fits the inside exactly. Lay heavy weights on the lid in such +a manner as to press evenly all over.] Then take it out; chop the curd +very fine; add salt to your taste; and put it again into the +cheese-hoop with a cloth about it, and press it again. You must always +wet the cloth all over to prevent its sticking to the cheese, and +tearing the surface. Let it remain in the press till next morning, when +you must take it out and turn it; then wrap it in a clean wet cloth, +and replace it in the press, where it must remain all day. On the +following morning again take out the cheese; turn it, renew the cloth, +and put it again into the press. Three days pressing will be +sufficient. + +When you finally take it out of the press, grease the cheese all over +with lard, and put it on a clean shelf in a dry dark room, or in a wire +safe. Wipe, grease, and turn it carefully every day. If you omit this a +single day the cheese will spoil. Keep the shelf perfectly clean, and +see that the cheese does not stick to it. When the cheese becomes firm, +you may omit the greasing; but continue to rub it all over every day +with a clean dry cloth. Continue this for five or sis weeks; the cheese +will then be fit to eat. + +The best time for making cheese is when the pasture is in perfection. + +You may enrich the colour of the cheese by a little anatto or arnotta; +of which procure a small quantity from the druggist, powder it, tie it +in a muslin rag, and hold it in the warm milk, (after it is strained,) +pressing out the colouring matter with your fingers, as laundresses +press their indigo or blue rag in the tub of water. Anatto is perfectly +harmless. + +After they begin to dry, (or ripen, as it is called,) it is the custom +in some dairy-farms, to place the cheeses in the haystack, and keep +them there among the hay for five or six weeks. This is said greatly to +improve their consistence and flavour. Cheeses are sometimes ripened by +putting them every day in fresh grass. + +SAGE CHEESE. + +Take some of the young top leaves of the sage plant, and pound them in +a mortar till you have extracted the juice. Put the juice into a bowl, +wipe out the mortar, put in some spinach leaves, and pound them till +you have an equal quantity of spinach juice. Mix the two juices +together, and stir them into the warm milk immediately after you have +put in the rennet. You may use sage juice alone; but the spinach will +greatly improve the colour; besides correcting the bitterness of the +sage. + +STILTON CHEESE. + +Having strained the morning’s milk, and skimmed the cream from the milk +of the preceding evening, mix the cream and the new milk together while +the latter is quite warm, and stir in the rennet-water. When the curd +has formed, you must not break it up, (as is done with other cheese,) +but take it out all at once with a wooden skimming dish, and place it +on a sieve to drain gradually. While it is draining, keep pressing it +gently till it becomes firm and dry. Then lay a clean cloth at the +bottom of a wooden cheese-hoop or mould, which should have a few small +holes bored in the bottom. The cloth must be large enough for the end +to turn over the top again, after the curd is put in. Place it in the +press for two hours; turn it, (putting a clean cloth under it,) and +press it again for six or eight hours. Then turn it again, rub the +cheese all over with salt, and return it to the press for fourteen +hours. Should the edges of the cheese project, they must be pared off. + +When you take it finally out of the press, bind it round tightly with a +cloth, (which must be changed every day when you turn the cheese,) and +set it on a shelf or board. Continue the cloths till the cheese is firm +enough to support itself; rubbing or brushing the outside every day +when you turn it. After the cloths are left off, continue to brush the +cheese every day for two or three months; during which time it may be +improved by keeping it covered all round, under and over, with grass, +which must be renewed every day, and gathered when quite dry after the +dew is off. Keep the cheese and the grass between two large plates. + +A Stilton cheese is generally made of a small size, seldom larger in +circumference than a dinner plate, and about four or five inches thick. +They are usually put up for keeping, in cases of sheet lead, fitting +them exactly. There is no cheese superior to them in richness and +mildness. + +Cream cheeses (as they are generally called) may be made in this +manner. They are always eaten quite fresh, while the inside is still +somewhat soft. They are made small, and are sent to table whole, cut +across into triangular slices like a pie or cake. After they become fit +to eat, they will keep good but a day or two, but they are considered +while fresh very delicious. + +COTTAGE CHEESE. + +This is that preparation of milk vulgarly called Smear Case. Take a pan +of milk that has just began to turn sour; cover it, and set it by the +fire till it becomes a curd. Pour off the whey from the top, and tie up +the curd in a pointed linen bag, and hang it up to drain; setting +something under it to catch the droppings. Do not squeeze it. Let it +drain all night, and in the morning put the curd into a pan, (adding +some rich cream,) and work it very fine with a spoon, chopping and +pressing it till about the consistence of a soft bread pudding. To a +soup plate of the fine curd put a tea-spoonful of salt; and a piece of +butter about the size of a walnut; mixing all thoroughly together. +Having prepared the whole in this manner, put it into a stone or china +vessel; cover it closely, and set it in a cold place till tea time. You +may make it of milk that is entirely sweet by forming the curd with +rennet. + +A WELSH RABBIT. + +Toast some slices of bread, (having cut off the crust,) butter them, +and keep them hot. Grate or shave down with a knife some fine mellow +cheese: and, if it is not very rich, mix with it a few small bits of +butter. Put it into a cheese-toaster, or into a skillet, and add to it +a tea-spoonful of made mustard; a little cayenne pepper; and if you +choose, a wine glass of fresh porter or of red wine. Stir the mixture +over hot coals, till it is completely dissolved; and then brown it by +holding over it a salamander, or a red-hot shovel. Lay the toast in the +bottom and round the sides of a deep dish; put the melted cheese upon +it, and serve it up as hot as possible, with dry toast in a separate +plate; and accompanied by porter or ale. + +This preparation of cheese is for a plain supper. + +Dry cheese is frequently grated on little plates for the tea-table. + +TO MAKE CHOCOLATE + +To each square of a chocolate cake allow three jills, or a chocolate +cup and a half of boiling water. Scrape down the chocolate with a +knife, and mix it first to a paste with a small quantity of the hot +water; just enough to melt it in. Then put it into a block tin pot with +the remainder of the water; set it on hot coals; cover it, and let it +boil (stirring it twice) till the liquid is one third reduced. Supply +that third with cream or rich milk; stir it again, and take it off the +fire. Serve it up as hot as possible, with dry toast, or dry rusk. It +chills immediately. If you wish it frothed, pour it into the cup, and +twirl round in it the little wooden instrument called a chocolate mill, +till you nave covered the top with foam. + +TO MAKE TEA. + +In buying tea, it is best to get it by the box, of an importer, that +you may be sure of having it fresh, and unmixed with any that is old +and of inferior quality. The box should be kept in a very dry place. If +green tea is good, it will look green in the cup when poured out. Black +tea should be dark coloured and have a fragrant flowery smell. The best +pots for making tea are those of china. Metal and Wedgwood tea-pots by +frequent use will often communicate a disagreeable taste to the tea. +This disadvantage may be remedied in Wedgwood ware, by occasionally +boiling the tea-pots in a vessel of hot water. + +In preparing to make tea, let the pot be twice scalded from the +tea-kettle, which must be boiling hard at the moment the water is +poured on the tea; otherwise it will be weak and insipid, even when a +large quantity is put in. The best way is to have a chafing dish, with +a kettle always boiling on it, in the room where the tea is made. It is +a good rule to allow two tea-spoonfuls of tea to half a pint or a large +cupful of water, or two tea-spoonfuls for each grown person that is to +drink tea, and one spoonful extra. The pot being twice scalded, put in +the tea, and pour on the water about ten minutes before you want to +fill the cups, that it may have time to draw or infuse. Have hot water +in another pot, to weaken the cups of those that like it so. That the +second course of cups may be as strong as the first, put some tea into +a cup just before you sit down to table, pour on it a very little +boiling water, (just enough to cover it,) set a saucer over it to keep +in the steam, and let it infuse till you have filled all the first +cups; then add it to that already in the tea-pot, and pour in a little +boiling water from the kettle. Except that it is less convenient for a +large family, a kettle on a chafing dish is better than an urn, as the +water may be kept longer boiling. + +In making black tea, use a larger quantity than of green, as it is of a +much weaker nature. The best black teas in general use are pekoe and +pouchong; the best green teas are imperial, young hyson, and gunpowder. + +TO MAKE COFFEE. + +The manner in which coffee is roasted is of great importance to its +flavour. If roasted too little, it will be weak and insipid; if too +much, the taste will be bitter and unpleasant. To have it very good, it +should be roasted immediately before it is made, doing no more than the +quantity you want at that time. It loses much of its strength by +keeping, even in twenty-four hours after roasting. It should on no +consideration be ground till directly before it is made. Every family +should be provided with a coffee roaster, which is an iron cylinder to +stand before the fire, and is either turned by a handle, or wound up +like a jack to go of itself. If roasted in an open pot or pan, much of +the flavour evaporates in the process. Before the coffee is put into +the roaster, it should be carefully examined and picked, lest there +should be stones or bad grains among it. It should be roasted of a +bright brown; and will be improved by putting among it a piece of +butter when about half done. + +Watch it carefully while roasting, looking at it frequently. + +A coffee-mill affixed to the wall is far more convenient than one that +must he held on the lap. It is best to grind the coffee while warm. + +Allow half a pint of ground coffee to three pints of water. If the +coffee is not freshly roasted, you should put in more. Put the water +into the tin coffee-pot, and set it on hot coals; when it boils, put in +the coffee, a spoonful at a time, (stirring it between each spoonful,) +and add two or three chips of isinglass, or the white of an egg. Stir +it frequently, till it has risen up to the top in boiling; then set it +a little farther from the fire, and boil it gently for ten minutes, or +a quarter of an hour; after which pour in a tea-cup of cold water, and +put it in the corner to settle for ten minutes. Scald your silver or +china pot, and transfer the coffee to it; carefully pouring it off from +the grounds, so as not to disturb them. + +If coffee is allowed to boil too long, it will lose much of its +strength, and also become sour. + +FRENCH COFFEE. + +To make coffee without boiling, you must have a biggin, the best sort +of which is what in France is called a Grecque. They are to be had of +various sizes and prices at the tin stores. Coffee made in this manner +is much less troublesome than when boiled, and requires no white of egg +or isinglass to clear it. The coffee should be freshly roasted and +ground. Allow two cupfuls of ground coffee to sis cupfuls of boiling +water. Having first scalded the biggin, (which should have strainers of +perforated tin, and not of linen,) put in the coffee, and pour on the +water, which should be boiling hard at the time. Shut down the lid, +place the pot near the fire, and the coffee will be ready as soon as it +has all drained through the coarse and fine strainers into the receiver +below the spout. Scald your china or silver pot, and pour the coffee +into it. But it is best to have a biggin in the form of an urn, in +which the coffee can both be made and brought to table. + +For what is called milk coffee,—boil the milk or cream separately; +bring it to table in a covered vessel, and pour it hot into the coffee, +the flavour of which will be impaired if the milk is boiled with it. + + + + +DOMESTIC LIQUORS ETC. + + +SPRUCE BEER + +Put into a large kettle, ten gallons of water, a quarter of a pound of +hops, and a tea-cupful of ginger. Boil them together till all the hops +sink to the bottom. Then dip out a bucket full of the liquor, and stir +into it six quarts of molasses, and three ounces and a half of the +essence of spruce. When all is dissolved, mix it with the liquor in the +kettle; strain it through a hair sieve into a cask; and stir well into +it half a pint of good strong yeast. Let it ferment a day or two; then +bung up the cask, and you may bottle the beer the next day. It will be +fit for use in a week. + +For the essence of spruce, you may substitute two pounds of the outer +sprigs of the spruce fir, boiled ten minutes in the liquor. + +To make spruce beer for present use, and in a smaller quantity, boil a +handful of hops in two gallons and a half of water, till they fall to +the bottom, Then strain the water, and when it is lukewarm, stir into +it a table-spoonful of ground white ginger; a pint of molasses; a +table-spoonful of essence of spruce; and half a pint of yeast. Mix the +whole well together in a stone jug, and let it ferment for a day and a +half, or two days. Then put it into bottles, with three or four raisins +in the bottom of each, to prevent any further fermentation. It will +then be fit for immediate use. + +GINGER BEER. + +Break up a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, and mix with it three ounces +of strong white ginger, and the grated peel of two lemons. Put these +ingredients into a large stone jar, and pour over them two gallons of +boiling water. When it becomes milk-warm strain it, and add the juice +of the lemons and two large table-spoonfuls of strong yeast. Make this +beer in the evening and let it stand all night. Next morning bottle it +in little half pint stone bottles, tying down the corks with twine. + +MOLASSES BEER. + +To six quarts of water, add two quarts of West India molasses; half a +pint of the best brewer’s yeast; two table-spoonfuls of ground ginger; +and one table-spoonful of cream of tartar. Stir all together. Let it +stand twelve hours, and then bottle it, putting three or four raisins +into each bottle. + +It will be much improved by substituting the juice and grated peel of a +large lemon, for one of the spoonfuls of ginger. + +Molasses beer keeps good but two or three days. + +SASSAFRAS BEER. + +Have ready two gallons of soft water; one quart of wheat bran; a large +handful of dried apples; half a pint of molasses; a small handful of +hops; half a pint of strong fresh yeast, and a piece of sassafras root +the size of an egg. + +Put all the ingredients (except the molasses and yeast) at once into a +large kettle. Boil it till the apples are quite soft. Put the molasses +into a small clean tub or a large pan. Set a hair sieve over the +vessel, and strain the mixture through it. Let it stand till it becomes +only milk-warm, and then stir in the yeast. Put the liquor immediately +into the keg or jugs, and let it stand uncorked to ferment. Fill the +jugs quite full, that the liquor in fermenting may run over. Set them +in a large tub. When you see that the fermentation or working has +subsided, cork it, and it will be fit for use next day. + +Two large table-spoonfuls of ginger stirred into the molasses will be +found an improvement. + +If the yeast is stirred in while the liquor is too warm, it will be +likely to turn sour. + +If the liquor is not put immediately into the jugs, it will not ferment +well. + +Keep it in a cold place. It will not in warm weather be good more than +two days. It is only made for present use. + +GOOSEBERRY WINE. + +Allow three gallons of soft water (measured after it has boiled an +hour) to six gallons of gooseberries, which must be full ripe. Top and +tail the gooseberries; put them, a few at a time, into a wooden dish, +and with a rolling-pin or beetle break and mash every one; transferring +them, as they are done, into a large stone jar. Pour the boiling water +upon the mashed gooseberries; cover the jar, and let them stand twelve +hours. Then strain and measure the juice, and to each quart allow +three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar; mix it with the liquid, and +let it stand eight or nine hours to dissolve, stirring it several +times. + +Then pour it into a keg of proper size for containing it, and let it +ferment at the bung-hole; filling it up as it works out with some of +the liquor reserved for that purpose. As soon as it ceases to hiss, +stop it close with a cloth wrapped round the bung. A pint of white +brandy for every gallon of the gooseberry wine may be added on bunging +it up. At the end of four or five months it will probably be fine +enough to bottle off. It is best to bottle it in cold frosty weather. +You may refine it by allowing to every gallon of wine the whites of two +eggs, beaten to a froth, with a very small tea-spoonful of salt. When +the white of egg, &c, is a stiff froth, take out a quart of the wine, +and mix them well together. Then pour it into the cask, and in a few +days it will be fine and clear. You may begin to use it any time after +it is bottled. Put two or three raisins in the bottom of each bottle. +They will tend to keep the wine from any farther fermentation. + +Fine gooseberry wine has frequently passed for champagne. Keep the +bottles in saw-dust, lying on their sides. + +CURRANT WINE. + +Take four gallons of ripe currants; strip them from the stalks into a +great stone jar that has a cover to it, and mash them with a long thick +stick. Let them stand twenty-four hours; then put the currants into a +large linen bag; wash out the jar, set it under the bag, and squeeze +the juice into it. Boil together two gallons and a half of water, and +five pounds and a half of the best loaf-sugar, skimming it well. When +the scum ceases to rise, mix the syrup with the currant juice. Let it +stand a fortnight or three weeks to settle; and then transfer it to +another vessel, taking care not to disturb the lees or dregs. If it is +not quite clear and bright, refine it by mixing with a quart of the +wine, (taken out for the purpose,) the whites of two eggs beaten to a +stiff froth, and half an ounce of cream of tartar. Pour this gradually +into the vessel. Let it stand ten days, and then bottle it off. Place +the bottles in saw-dust, laying them on their sides. Take care that the +saw-dust is not from pine wood. The wine will be fit to drink in a +year, but is better when three or four years old. + +You may add a little brandy to it when you make it; allowing a quart of +brandy to six gallons of wine. + +RASPBERRY WINE. + +Put four gallons of ripe raspberries into a stone jar, and mash them +with a round stick. Take four gallons of soft water, (measured after it +has boiled an hour,) and strain it warm over the raspberries. Stir it +well and let it stand twelve hours. Then strain it through a bag, and +to every gallon of liquor put three pounds of loaf-sugar. Set it over a +clear fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. When it +is cold bottle it. Open the bottles every day for a fortnight, closing +them again in a few minutes. Then seal the corks, and lay the bottles +on their sides in saw-dust, which must not be from pine wood. + +ELDERBERRY WINE. + +Gather the elderberries when quite ripe; put them into a stone jar, +mash them with a round stick, and set them in a warm oven, or in a +large kettle of boiling water till the jar is hot through, and the +berries begin to simmer. Then take them out, and press and strain them +through a sieve. To every quart of juice allow a pound of Havanna or +Lisbon sugar, and two quarts of cold soft water. Put the sugar into a +large kettle, pour the juice over it, and, when it has dissolved, stir +in the water. Set the kettle over the fire, an& boil and skim it till +the scum ceases to rise. To four gallons of the liquor add a pint and a +half of brandy. Put it into a keg, and let it stand with the bung put +in loosely for four or five days, by which time it will have ceased to +ferment. Then stop it closely, plastering the bung with clay. At the +end of six months, draw off a little of it; and if it is not quite +clear and bright, refine it with the whites and shells of three or four +eggs, beaten to a stiff froth and stirred into a quart of the wine, +taken out for the purpose and then returned to the cask; or you may +refine it with an ounce or more of dissolved isinglass. Let it stand a +week or two, and then bottle it. + +This is an excellent domestic wine, very common in England, and +deserving to be better known in America, where the elderberry tree is +found in great abundance. Elderberry wine is generally taken mulled +with spice, and warm. + +ELDER FLOWER WINE. + +Take the flowers or blossoms of the elder tree, and strip them from the +stalks. To every quart of flowers allow one gallon of water, and three +pounds of while sugar. Boil and skim the sugar and water, and then pour +it hot on the flowers. When cool, mix in with it some lemon juice and +some yeast; allowing to six gallons of the liquor the juice of six +lemons, and four or five table-spoonfuls of good yeast stirred in very +hard. Let it ferment for three days in a tub covered with a double +blanket. Then strain the wine through a sieve, (add six whites of eggs +beaten to a stiff froth, or an ounce of melted isinglass,) and put it +into a cask, in the bottom of which you have laid four or five pounds +of the best raisins, stoned. Stop the cask closely, and in six months +the wine will be fit to bottle. It will much resemble Frontiniac, the +elder flowers imparting to it a very pleasant taste. + +CIDER WINE. + +Take sweet cider immediately from the press. Strain it through a +flannel bag into a tub, and stir into it as much honey as will make it +strong enough to bear up an egg. Then boil and skim it, and when the +scum ceases to rise, strain it again. When cool, put it into a cask, +and set it in a cool cellar till spring. Then bottle it off; and when +ripe, it will be found a very pleasant beverage. The cider must be of +the very best quality, made entirely from good sound apples. + +MEAD. + +To every gallon of water put five pounds of strained honey, (the water +must be hot when you add the honey,) and boil it three quarters of an +hour, skimming it well. Then put in some hops tied in a thin bag, +(allowing an ounce or a handful to each gallon,) and let it boil half +an hour longer. Strain it into a tub, and let it stand four days. Then +put it into a cask, (or into a demijohn if the quantity is small,) +adding for each gallon of mead a jill of brandy and a sliced lemon. If +a large cask, do not bottle it till it has stood a year. + +FOX GRAPE SHRUB. + +Gather the grapes when they are full grown, but before they begin to +purple. Pick from the stems a sufficient quantity to nearly fill a +large preserving kettle, and pour on them as much boiling water as the +kettle will hold. Set it over a brisk fire, and keep it scalding hot +till all the grapes have burst. Then take them off, press out and +strain the liquor, and allow to each quart a pound of sugar stirred +well in. Dissolve the sugar in the juice; then put them together into a +clean kettle, and boil and skim them for ten minutes, or till the scum +ceases to rise. When cold, bottle it; first putting into each bottle a +jill of brandy. Seal the bottles, and keep them in a warm closet. + +You may make gooseberry shrub in this manner. + +CURRANT SHRUB. + +Your currants must be quite ripe. Pick them from the stalks, and +squeeze them through a linen bag. To each quart of juice allow a pound +of loaf-sugar. Put the sugar and juice into a preserving kettle, and +let it melt before it goes on the fire. Boil it ten minutes, skimming +it well. When cold, add a jill of the best white brandy to each quart +of the juice. Bottle it, and set it away for use; sealing the corks. It +improves by keeping. + +Raspberry shrub may be made in this manner; also strawberry. + +CHERRY SHRUB. + +Pick from the stalks, and stone a sufficient quantity of ripe morellas, +or other red cherries of the best and most juicy description. Put them +with all their juice into a stone jar, and set it, closely covered, +into a deep kettle of boiling water. Keep it boiling hard for a quarter +of an hour. Then pour the cherries into a bag, and strain and press out +all the juice. Allow a pound of sugar to a quart of juice, boil them +together ten minutes in a preserving kettle, skimming them well, and +when cold, bottle the liquid; first putting a jill of brandy into each +bottle. + +CHERRY BOUNCE. + +Mix together six pounds of ripe morellas and six pounds of large black +heart cherries. Put them into a wooden bowl or tub, and with a pestle +or mallet mash them so as to crack all the stones. Mix with the +cherries three pounds of loaf-sugar, or of sugar candy broken up, and +put them into a demijohn, or into a large stone jar. Pour on two +gallons of the best double rectified whiskey. Stop the vessel closely, +and let it stand three months, shaking it every day during the first +month. At the end of the three months you may strain the liquor and +bottle it off. It improves by age. + +LEMON SYRUP. + +Break up into large pieces six pounds of fine loaf-sugar. Take twelve +large ripe lemons, and (without cutting them) grate the yellow rind +upon the sugar. Then, put the sugar, with the lemon gratings and two +quarts of water, into a preserving kettle, and let it dissolve. When it +is all melted, boil it till quite thick, skimming it till no more scum +rises; it will then be done. Have ready the juice of all the lemons, +and when the syrup is quite cold, stir in the lemon juice. Bottle it, +and keep it in a cool place. + +It makes a delicious drink in summer, in the proportion of one third +lemon syrup and two thirds ice water. + +LEMON CORDIAL. + +Pare off very thin the yellow rind of a dozen large lemons; throw the +parings into a gallon of white brandy, and let them steep till next +day, or at least twelve hours. Break up four pounds of loaf-sugar into +another vessel, and squeeze upon it the juice of the lemons. Let this +too stand all night. Next day mix all together, boil two quarts of +milk, and pour it boiling hot into the other ingredients. Cover the +vessel, and let it stand eight days, stirring it daily. Then strain it +through a flannel bag till the liquid is perfectly clear. Let it stand +six weeks in a demijohn or glass jar, and then bottle it. + +To make it still more clear, you may filter it through a piece of fine +muslin pinned down to the bottom of a sieve, or through blotting paper, +which must be frequently renewed. It should be white blotting paper. + +ROSE CORDIAL. + +Put a pound of fresh rose leaves into a tureen, with a quart of +lukewarm water. Cover the vessel, and let them infuse for twenty-four +hours. Then squeeze them through a linen bag till all the liquid is +pressed out. Put a fresh pound of rose leaves into the tureen, pour the +liquid back into it, and let it infuse again for two days. You may +repeat this till you obtain a very strong infusion. Then to a pint of +the infusion add half a pound of loaf-sugar, half a pint of white +brandy, an ounce of broken cinnamon, and an ounce of coriander seeds. +Put it into a glass jar, cover it well, and let it stand for two weeks. +Then filter it through a fine muslin or a blotting paper (which must be +white) pinned on the bottom of a sieve; and bottle it for use. + +STRAWBERRY CORDIAL. + +Hull a sufficient quantity of ripe strawberries, and squeeze them +through a linen bag. To each quart of the juice allow a pint of white +brandy, and half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Put the liquid into a +glass jar or a demijohn, and let it stand a fortnight. Then filter it +through a sieve, to the bottom of which a piece of fine muslin or +blotting paper has been fastened; and afterwards bottle it, + +RASPBERRY CORDIAL. + +May be made in the above manner. + +QUINCE CORDIAL. + +Take the finest and ripest quinces you can procure, wipe them clean, +and cut out all the defective parts. Then grate them into a tureen or +some other large vessel, leaving out the seeds and cores. Let the +grated pulp remain covered in the tureen for twenty-four hours. Then, +squeeze it through a jelly-bag or cloth. To six quarts of the juice +allow a quart of cold water, three pounds of loaf-sugar, (broken up,) +and a quart of white brandy. Mix the whole well together, and put it +into a stone jar. Have ready three very small flannel or thick muslin +bags, (not larger than two inches square,) fill one with grated nutmeg, +another with powdered mace, and the third with powdered cloves; and pat +them, into the jar that the spice may flavour the liquor without mixing +with it. Leave the jar uncorked for a few days; reserving some of the +liquor to replace that which may flow over in the fermentation. +Whenever it has done working, bottle it off, but do not use it for six +months. If not sufficiently bright and clear, filter it through fine +muslin, pinned round the bottom of a sieve, or through a white blotting +paper fastened in the same manner. + +PEACH CORDIAL. + +Take the ripest and most juicy free-stone peaches you can procure. Cut +them from the stones, and quarter them without paring. Crack the +stones, and extract the kernels, which must be blanched and slightly +pounded. Put the peaches into a large stone jar in layers, alternately +with layers of the kernels, and of powdered loaf-sugar. When the jar is +three parts full of the peaches, kernels, and sugar, fill it up with +white brandy. Set the Jar in a large pan, and leave it uncovered for +three or four days, in case of its fermenting and flowing over at the +top. Fill up what is thus wasted with more brandy, and then close the +jar tightly. Let it stand, five or six months; then filter it, and +bottle it for use. + +Cherry, apricot, and plum cordial may be made in the above manner; +adding always the kernels. + +ANNISEED CORDIAL. + +Melt a pound of loaf-sugar in two quarts of water. Mix it with two +quarts of white brandy, and add a table-spoonful of oil of anniseed. +Let it stand a week; then filter it through, white blotting paper, and +bottle it for use. + +Clove or Cinnamon Cordial may be made in the same manner, by mixing +sugar, water and brandy, and adding oil of cinnamon or oil of cloves. +You may colour any of these cordials red by stirring in a little +powdered cochineal that has been dissolved in a small quantity of +brandy. + +ROSE BRANDY. + +Nearly fill a china or glass jar with freshly-gathered rose leaves, and +pour in sufficient French white brandy to fill it quite up; and then +cover it closely. Next day put the whole into a strainer, and having +squeezed and pressed the rose leaves and drained off the liquid, throw +away the leaves, put fresh ones into the jar, and return the brandy to +it. Repeat this every day while roses are in season, (taking care to +keep the jar well covered,) and you will find the liquid much better +than rose water for flavouring cakes and puddings. + +LEMON BRANDY. + +When you use lemons for punch or lemonade, do not throw away the peels, +but cut them in small pieces, and put them into a glass jar or bottle +of brandy. You will find this brandy useful for many purposes. + +In the same way keep for use the kernels of peach and plum stones, +pounding them slightly before you put them into the brandy. + +NOYAU. + +Blanch and break up a pound of shelled bitter almonds or peach kernels. +Mix with them the grated rinds of three large lemons, half a pint of +clarified honey that has been boiled and skimmed, and three pounds of +the best double-refined loaf-sugar. Put these ingredients into a jar or +demijohn; pour in four quarts of the best white brandy or proof spirit; +stop the vessel, and let it stand three months, shaking it every day +for the first month. Then filter it, dilute it with rose water to your +taste, (you may allow a quart of rose water to each quart of the +liquor,) and bottle it for use. + +This and any other cordial may be coloured red by mixing with it (after +it is filtered) cochineal, powdered, dissolved in a little white +brandy, and strained through fine muslin. + +RATAFIA. + +Pound in a mortar, and. mix together a pound of shelled bitter almonds, +an ounce of nutmegs, a pound of fine loaf-sugar, and one grain +(apothecaries’ weight) of ambergris. Infuse these ingredients for a +week in a gallon of white brandy or proof spirit. Then filter it, and +bottle it for use. + +CAPILLAIRE. + +Powder eight pounds of loaf-sugar, and wet it with three pints of water +and three eggs well beaten with their shells. Stir the whole mass very +hard, and boil it twice over, skimming it well. Then strain it, and +stir in two wine glasses of orange flower water. Bottle it, and use it +for a summer draught, mixed with a little lemon juice and water; or you +may sweeten punch with it. + +ORGEAT. + +To make orgeat paste, blanch, mix together, and pound in a mortar till +perfectly smooth, three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, +and one quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds; adding frequently +a little orange flower or rose water, to keep them from oiling; and +mixing with them, as you proceed, a pound of fine loaf-sugar that has +been previously powdered by itself. When the whole is thoroughly +incorporated to a stiff paste, put it into little pots and close them +well. It will keep five or six months, and, when you wish to use it for +a beverage, allow a piece of orgeat about the size of an egg to each +half pint or tumbler of water. Having well stirred it, strain the +mixture through a napkin. + +To make liquid orgeat for present use; blanch and pound in a mortar, +with rose water, a quarter of a pound of sweet and an ounce and a half +of bitter almonds. Then sweeten three pints of rich milk with half a +pound of loaf-sugar, and stir the almonds gradually into it. Boil it +over hot coals; and as soon as it comes to a boil, take it off and stir +it frequently till it gets cold. Then strain it, add a glass of brandy, +and put it into decanters. When you pour it out for drinking dilute it +with water. + +LEMONADE. + +Take fine ripe lemons, and roll them under your hand on the table to +increase the quantity of juice. Then cut and squeeze them into a +pitcher, and mix the juice with loaf-sugar and cold water. To half a +pint of lemon juice you may allow a pint and a half of water; and ten +or twelve moderate sized lumps of sugar. Send it round in little +glasses with handles. + +To make a tumbler of _very good_ lemonade, allow the juice of one lemon +and four or five lumps of sugar, filling up the glass with water. In +summer use ice water. + +ORANGEADE. + +Is made of oranges, in the same proportion as lemonade. It is very fine +when frozen. + +PUNCH. + +Roll twelve fine lemons under your hand on the table; then pare off the +yellow rind very thin, and boil it in a gallon of water till all the +flavour is drawn out. Break up into a large bowl, two pounds of +loaf-sugar, and squeeze the lemons over it. When the water has boiled +sufficiently, strain it from the lemon-peel, and mix it with the lemon +juice and sugar. Stir in a quart of rum or of the best whiskey. + +Two scruples of flowers of benjamin, steeped in a quart of rum, will +make an infusion which much resembles the arrack of the East Indies. It +should be kept in a bottle, and a little of it will be found to impart +a very fine and fragrant flavour to punch made in the usual manner. + +FROZEN PUNCH. + +Is made as above, omitting one half of the rum or whiskey. Put it into +an ice-cream freezer, shaking or stirring it all the time, when it is +frozen, send it round immediately, in small glasses with a tea-spoon +for each. + +ROMAN PUNCH. + +Grate the yellow rinds of twelve lemons and two oranges upon two pounds +of loaf-sugar. Squeeze on the juice of the lemons and oranges; cover +it, and let it stand till next day. Then strain it through a sieve, add +a bottle of champagne, and the whites of eight eggs beaten to a froth. +You may freeze it or not. + +MILK PUNCH. + +What is commonly called milk punch, is a mixture of brandy or rum, +sugar, milk and nutmeg, with-without either lemon juice or water. It is +taken cold with a lump of ice in each tumbler. + +FINE MILK PUNCH. + +Pare off the yellow rind of nine large lemons, and steep it for +twenty-four hours in a quart of brandy or rum. Then mix with it the +juice of the lemons, a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, two grated +nutmegs, and a quart of water. Add a quart of rich unskimmed milk, made +boiling hot, and strain the whole through a jelly-bag. You may either +use it as soon as it is cold, or make a larger quantity, (in the above +proportions,) and bottle it. It will keep several months. + +REGENT’S PUNCH. + +Take four large lemons; roll them on the table to make them more juicy, +and then pare them as thin as possible. Cut out all the pulp, and throw +away the seeds and the white part of the rind. Put the yellow rind and +the pulp into a pint of boiling water with two tea-spoonfuls of raw +green tea of the best sort. Let all boil together about ten minutes. +Then strain it through linen, and stir in a pound of powdered +loaf-sugar and a bottle of champagne, or of any liquor suitable for +punch. Set it again over the fire, and when just ready to boil, remove +it, and pour it into a china bowl or pitcher, to be sent round in +glasses. + +WINE JELLY. + +Clarify a pound of loaf-sugar, by mixing it with half a pint of water +and the beaten white of an egg, and then boiling and skimming it. Put +an ounce of isinglass (with as much boiling water as will cover it) +into a small sauce-pan, and set it in hot coals till the isinglass is +thoroughly dissolved. Then when the syrup has been taken from the fire, +mix the melted isinglass with it, add a quart of white wine and stir in +a table-spoonful or a spoonful and a half of old Jamaica spirits. Stir +the mixture very hard, and pour it into a mould. When it has congealed, +wrap a cloth dipped in warm water round the outside of the mould; turn +out the jelly, and eat it with ice-cream. + +BISHOP. + +The day before you want to use the liquor toast four large oranges till +they are of a pale brown. You may do them either before a clear fire or +in the oven of a stove. Dissolve half a pound of loaf-sugar in half a +pint of claret. When the oranges are roasted, quarter them without +peeling, lay them in the bottom of a bowl or a tureen, add two beaten +nutmegs and some cinnamon, and pour on them the wine and sugar. Cover +it, and let it stand till next day. Then having heated the remainder of +the bottle of claret till it nearly boils, pour it into a pitcher, and +having first pressed and mashed the pieces of orange with a spoon to +bring out the juice, put them with the sugar, &c. into a cloth, and +strain the liquid into the hot claret. Serve it warm in large glasses. + +MULLED WINE. + +Boil together in a pint of water two beaten nutmegs, a handful of +broken cinnamon, and a handful of cloves slightly pounded. When the +liquid is reduced to one half, strain it into a quart of port wine, +which must be set on hot coals, and taken off as soon as it comes to a +boil. Serve it up hot in a pitcher with little glass cups round it, and +a plate of fresh rusk. + +MULLED CIDER. + +Allow six eggs to a quart of cider. Put a handful of whole cloves into +the cider, and boil it. While it is boiling, beat the eggs in a large +pitcher; adding to them as much sugar as will make the cider very +sweet. By the time the cider boils, the eggs will be sufficiently +light. Pour the boiling liquor on the beaten egg, and continue to pour +the mixture backwards and forwards from one pitcher to another, till it +has a fine froth on it. Then pour it warm into your glasses, and grate +some nutmeg over each. + +Port wine may be mulled in the same manner. + +EGG NOGG. + +Beat separately the yolks and whites of six eggs. Stir the yolks into a +quart of rich milk, or thin cream, and add half a pound of sugar. Then +mix in half a pint of rum or brandy. Flavour it with a grated nutmeg. +Lastly, stir in gently the beaten white of an egg. + +It should be mixed in a china bowl. + +SANGAREE. + +Mix in a pitcher or in tumblers one-third of wine, ale, or porter, with +two-thirds of water either warm or cold. Stir in sufficient loaf-sugar +to sweeten it, and grate some nutmeg into it. + +By adding to it lemon juice, you may make what is called negus. + + +TURKISH SHERBET. + +Having washed a fore-quarter or knuckle of veal, and cracked the bones, +put it on to boil with two quarts and a pint of water. Let it boil till +the liquid is reduced to one quart, and skim it well. Then strain it, +and set it away to cool. When quite cold, mix with it a pint and a half +of clear lemon juice, and a pint and a half of capillaire or clear +sugar-syrup. If you have no capillaire ready, boil two pounds of +loaf-sugar in a pint and a half of water, clearing it with the beaten +white of an egg mixed into the sugar and water before boiling. Serve +the sherbet cold or iced, in glass mugs at the dessert, or offer it as +a refreshment at any other time. + +Sherbet may be made of the juice of various sorts of fruit. + +BOTTLED SMALL BEER. + +Take a quart bottle of the very best brisk porter, and mix it with four +quarts of water, a pint of molasses, and a table-spoonful of ginger. +Bottle it, and see that the corks are of the very best kind. It will be +fit for use in three or four days. + +TO KEEP LEMON JUICE. + +Powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar; put it into a bowl, and strain +over it a pint of lemon juice; stirring it well with a silver spoon +till the sugar has entirely melted. Then bottle it, sealing the corks; +and keep it in a dry place. + +ESSENCE OF LEMON-PEEL. + +Rub lumps of loaf-sugar on fine ripe lemons till the yellow rind is all +grated off; scraping up the sugar in a tea-spoon, and putting it on a +plate as you proceed. When you have enough, press it down into a little +glass or china jar, and cover it closely. This will be found very fine +to flavour puddings and cakes. + +Prepare essence of orange-peel in the same manner. + +CIDER VINEGAR. + +Take six quarts of rye meal; stir and mix it well into a barrel of +strong hard cider of the best kind; and then add a gallon of whiskey. +Cover the cask, (leaving the bung loosely in it,) set it in the part of +your yard that is most exposed to the sun and air; and in the course of +four weeks (if the weather is warm and dry) you will have good vinegar +fit for use. When you draw off a gallon or more, replenish the cask +with the same quantity of cider, and add about a pint of whiskey. You +may thus have vinegar constantly at hand for common purposes. + +The cask should have iron hoops. + +A very strong vinegar may be made by mixing cider and strained honey, +(allowing a pound of honey to a gallon of cider,) and letting it stand +five or six months. This vinegar is so powerful that for common +purposes it should be diluted with a little water. + +Vinegar may be made in the same manner of sour wine. + +WHITE VINEGAR. + +Put into a cask a mixture composed of five gallons of water, two +gallons of whiskey, and a quart of strong yeast, stirring in two pounds +of powdered charcoal. Place it where it will ferment properly, leaving +the bung loose till the fermentation is over, but covering the hole +slightly to keep out the dust and insects. At the end of four months +draw it off, and you will have a fine vinegar, as clear and colourless +as water. + +SUGAR VINEGAR. + +To every gallon of water allow a pound of the best brown sugar, and a +jill or more of strong yeast. Mix the sugar and water together, and +boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. Then pour it into a tub; +and when it cools to lukewarm heat, put into it the yeast spread on +pieces of toast. Let it work two days; then put it into an iron-hooped +cask, and set it in a sunny place for five months, leaving the bung +loose, but keeping the bung-hole covered. In five months it will be +good clear vinegar, and you may bottle it for use. + +A cask that has not contained vinegar before, should have a quart of +boiling hot vinegar poured into it, shaken about frequently till cold, +and allowed to stand some hours. + + + + +PREPARATIONS FOR THE SICK. + + +CHICKEN JELLY. + +Take a large chicken, cut it up into very small pieces, bruise the +bones, and put the whole into a stone jar with a cover that will make +it water tight. Set the jar in a large kettle of boiling water, and +keep it boiling for three hours. Then strain off the liquid, and season +it slightly with salt, pepper, and mace; or with loaf-sugar and lemon +juice, according to the taste of the person for whom it is intended. + +Return the fragments of the chicken to the jar, and set it again in a +kettle of boiling water. You will find that you can collect nearly as +much jelly by the second boiling. + +This jelly may be made of an old fowl. + +BREAD JELLY. + +Measure a quart of boiling water, and set it away to get cold. Take +one-third of a six cent loaf of bread, slice it, pare off the crust, +and toast the crumb nicely of a light brown. Then put it into the +boiled water, set it on hot coals in a covered pan, and boil it gently, +till you find by putting some in a spoon to cool, that the liquid has +become a jelly. Strain it through a thin cloth, and set it away for +use. When it is to be taken, warm a tea-cupful, sweeten it with sugar, +and add a little grated lemon-peel. + +ARROW ROOT JELLY. + +Mix three table-spoonfuls of arrow root powder in a tea-cup of water +till quite smooth, cover it, and let it stand a quarter of an hour. Put +the yellow peel of a lemon into a skillet with a pint of water, and let +it boil till reduced to one half. Then take out the lemon-peel, and +pour in the dissolved arrow root, (while the water is still boiling;) +add sufficient white sugar to sweeten it well, and let it boil together +for five or six minutes. It may be seasoned (if thought necessary) with +two tea-spoonfuls of wine, and some grated nutmeg. + +It may be boiled in milk instead of water, or in wine and water, +according to the state of the person for whom it is wanted. + +RICE JELLY. + +Having picked and washed a quarter of a pound of rice, mix it with half +a pound of loaf-sugar, and just sufficient water to cover it. Boil it +till it becomes a glutinous mass; then strain it; season it with +whatever may be thought proper; and let it stand to cool. + +PORT WINE JELLY. + +Melt in a little warm water an ounce of isinglass; stir it into a pint +of port wine, adding two ounces of sugar candy, an ounce of gum arabic, +and half a nutmeg grated. Mix all well, and boil it ten minutes; or +till every thing is thoroughly dissolved. Then strain it through +muslin, and set it away to get cold. + +SAGO. + +Wash the sago through two or three water, and then let it soak for two +or three hours. To a tea-cupful of sago allow a quart of water and some +of the yellow peel of a lemon. Simmer it till all the grains look +transparent. Then add as much wine and nutmeg as may be proper, and +give it another boil altogether. If seasoning is not advisable, the +sago may be boiled in milk instead of water, and eaten plain. + +TAPIOCA. + +Wash the tapioca well, and let it steep for five or six hours, changing +the water three times. Simmer it in the last water till quite clear, +then season it with sugar and wine, or lemon juice. + +GRUEL. + +Allow three large table-spoonfuls of oatmeal or Indian meal to a quart +of water. Put the meal into a large bowl, and add the water, a little +at a time, mixing and bruising the meal with the back of a spoon. As +you proceed, pour off the liquid into another bowl, every time, before +adding fresh water to the meal, till you have used it all up. Then boil +the mixture for twenty minutes, stirring it all the while; add a little +salt. Then strain the gruel and sweeten it. A piece of butter may be +stirred into it; and, if thought proper, a little wine and nutmeg. It +should be taken warm. + +OATMEAL GRUEL. + +Put four table-spoonfuls of the best grits (oatmeal coarsely ground) +into a pint of boiling water. Let it boil gently, and stir it often, +till it becomes as thick as you wish it. Then strain it, and add to it +while warm, butter, wine, nutmeg, or whatever is thought proper to +flavour it. + +If you make the gruel of fine oatmeal, sift it, mix it first to a thick +batter with a little cold water, and then put it into the sauce-pan of +boiling water. Stir it all the time it is boiling, lifting the spoon +gently up and down, and letting the gruel fall slowly back again into +the pan. + +PANADA. + +Having pared off the crust, boil some slices of bread in a quart of +water for about five minutes. Then take out the bread, and beat it +smooth in a deep dish, mixing in a little of the water it has boiled +in; and mix it with a bit of fresh butter, and sugar and nutmeg to your +taste. Another way is to grate some bread, or to grate or pound a few +crackers. Pour on boiling water, beat it well, and add sugar and +nutmeg. + +BARLEY WATER. + +Wash clean some barley, (either pearl or common) and to two ounces of +barley allow a quart of water. Put it into a sauce-pan, adding, if you +choose, an equal quantity of stoned raisins; or some lemon-peel and +sugar; or some liquorice root cut up. Let it boil slowly till the +liquid is reduced one half. Then strain it off, and sweeten it. + +GROUND RICE MILK. + +Mix in a bowl two table-spoonfuls of ground rice, with sufficient milk +to make a thin batter. Then stir it gradually into a pint of milk and +boil it with sugar, lemon-peel or nutmeg. + +BEEF TEA. + +Cut a pound of the lean of fresh juicy beef into small thin slices, and +sprinkle them with a very little salt. Put the meat into a wide-mouthed +glass or stone jar closely corked, and set it in a kettle or pan of +water, which must be made to boil, and kept boiling hard round the jar +for an hour or more. Then take out the jar and strain the essence of +the beef into a bowl. Chicken tea may be made in the same manner. + +MUTTON BROTH. + +Cut off all the fat from a loin of mutton, and to each pound of the +lean allow a quart of water. Season it with a little salt and some +shred parsley, and put in some large pieces of the crust of bread. Boil +it slowly for two or three hours, skimming it carefully. + +Beef, veal, or chicken broth may be made in the same manner. + +Vegetables may be added if approved. Also barley or rice. + +MUTTON BROTH MADE QUICKLY. + +Cut three chops from the best part of a neck of mutton, and remove the +fat and skin. Beat the meat on both sides and slice it thin. Put into a +small sauce-pan with a pint of water, a little salt, and some crust of +bread cut into pieces. You may add a little parsley, and a small onion +sliced thin. Cover the sauce-pan, and set it over the fire. Boil it +fast, skim it, and in half an hour it should be ready for use. + +WINE WHEY. + +Boil a pint of milk; and when it rises to the top of the sauce-pan, +pour in a large glass of sherry or Madeira. It will be the better for +adding a glass of currant wine also. Let it again boil up, and then +take the sauce-pan off the fire, and set it aside to stand for a few +minutes, but do not stir it. Then remove the curd, (if it has +completely formed,) and pour the clear whey into a bowl and sweeten it. + +When wine is considered too heating, the whey may be made by turning +the milk with lemon juice. + +RENNET WHEY. + +Wash a small bit of rennet about two inches square, in cold water, to +get off the salt. Put it into a tea-cup and pour on it sufficient +lukewarm water to cover it. Let it stand all night, and in the morning +stir the rennet water into a quart pitcher of warm milk. Cover it, and +set it near the fire till a firm curd is formed. Pour off the whey from +it, and it will be found an excellent and cooling drink. The curd may +be eaten (though not by a sick person) with wine, sugar, and nutmeg. + +CALF’S FEET BROTH. + +Boil two calf’s feet in two quarts of water, till the liquid is reduced +one half, and the meat has dropped to pieces. Then strain it into a +deep dish or pan, and set it by to get cold. When it has congealed, +take all the fat carefully off; put a tea-cupful of the jelly into a +sauce-pan, and set it on hot coals. When it has nearly boiled, stir in +by degrees the beaten yolk of an egg, and then take it off immediately. +You may add to it a little sugar, and some grated lemon-peel and +nutmeg. + +CHICKEN BROTH AND PANADA. + +Cut up a chicken, season it with a very little salt, and put it into +three quarts of water. Let it simmer slowly till the flesh drops to +pieces. You may make chicken panada or gruel of the same fowl, by +taking out the white meat as soon as it is tender, mincing it fine, and +then pounding it in a mortar, adding as you pound it, sufficient of the +chicken water to moisten the paste. You may thin it with water till it +becomes liquid enough to drink. Then put it into a sauce-pan and boil +it gently a few minutes. Taken in small quantities, it will be found +very nutritious. You may add to it a little grated lemon-peel and +nutmeg. + +VEGETABLE SOUP. + +Take a white onion, a turnip, a pared potato, and a head of celery, or +a large tea-spoonful of celery seed. Put the vegetables whole into a +quart of water, (adding a little salt,) and boil it slowly till reduced +to a pint. Make a slice of nice toast; lay it in the bottom of a bowl, +and strain the soup over it. + +ONION SOUP. + +Put half a pound of the best fresh butter into a stew-pan on the fire, +and let it boil till it has done making a noise; then have ready twelve +large onions peeled and cut small; throw them into the butter, add a +little salt, and stew them a quarter of an hour. Then dredge in a +little flour, and stir the whole very hard; and in five minutes pour in +a quart of boiling water, and some of the upper crust of bread, cut +small. Let the soup boil ten minutes longer, stirring it often; and +after you take it from the fire, stir in the yolks of two beaten eggs, +and serve it up immediately, + +In France this soup is considered a fine restorative after any unusual +fatigue. Instead of butter, the onions may be boiled in veal or chicken +broth. + +TOAST AND WATER. + +Toast some slices of bread very nicely, without allowing them to burn +or blacken. Then put them into a pitcher, and fill it up with boiling +water. Let it stand till it is quite cold; then strain it, and put it +into a decanter. Another way of preparing toast and water is to put the +toasted bread into a mug and pour cold water on it. Cover it closely, +and let it infuse for at least an hour. Drink it cold. + +APPLE WATER. + +Pare and slice a fine juicy apple; pour boiling water over it, cover +it, and let it stand till cold. + +TAMARIND WATER. + +Put tamarinds into a pitcher or tumbler till it is one-third full; then +fill it up with cold water, cover it, and let it infuse for a quarter +of an hour or more. + +Currant jelly or cranberry juice mixed with water makes a pleasant +drink for an invalid. + +MOLASSES POSSETS. + +Put into a sauce-pan a pint of the best West India molasses; a +tea-spoonful of powdered white ginger; and a quarter of a pound of +fresh butter. Set it on hot coals, and simmer it slowly for half an +hour; stirring it frequently. Do not let it come to a boil. Then stir +in the juice of two lemons, or two table-spoonfuls of vinegar; cover +the pan, and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. This is good +for a cold. Some of it may be taken warm at once, and the remainder +kept at hand for occasional use. + +It is the preparation absurdly called by the common people a stewed +quaker. + +Half a pint of strained honey mixed cold with the juice of a lemon, and +a table-spoonful of sweet oil, is another remedy for a cold; a +tea-spoonful or two to be taken whenever the cough is troublesome. + +FLAX-SEED LEMONADE. + +To a large table-spoonful of flax-seed allow a tumbler and a half of +cold water. Boil them together till the liquid becomes very sticky. +Then strain it hot over a quarter of a pound of pulverized sugar candy, +and an ounce of pulverized gum arabic. Stir it till quite dissolved, +and squeeze into it the juice of a lemon. + +This mixture has frequently been found an efficacious remedy for a +cold; taking a wine-glass of it as often as the cough is troublesome. + +COCOA. + +Put into a sauce-pan two ounces of good cocoa (the chocolate nut before +it is ground) and one quart of water. Cover it, and as soon as it has +come to a boil, set it on coals by the side of the fire, to simmer for +an hour or more. Take it hot with dry toast. + +COCOA SHELLS. + +These can be procured at the principal grocers and confectioners, or at +a chocolate manufactory. They are the thin shells that envelope the +chocolate kernel, and are sold at a low price; a pound contains a very +large quantity. Soak them in water for five or six hours or more, (it +will be better to soak them all night,) and then boil them in the same +water. They should boil two hours. Strain the liquid when done, and let +it be taken warm. + +RAW EGG. + +Break a fresh egg into a saucer, and mix a little sugar with it; also, +if approved, a small quantity of wine. Beat the whole to a strong +froth. It is considered a restorative. + +SODA WATER. + +To forty grains of carbonate of soda, add thirty grains of tartaric +acid in small crystals. Fill a soda bottle with spring water, put in +the mixture, and cork it instantly with a well-fitting cork. + +SEIDLITZ POWDERS. + +Fold in a white paper one drachm of Rochelle salts. In a blue paper a +mixture of twenty grains of tartaric acid, and twenty-five grains of +carbonate of soda. They should all be pulverized very fine. Put the +contents of the white paper into a tumbler not quite half full of cold +water, and stir it till dissolved. Then put the mixture from the blue +paper into another tumbler with the same quantity of water, and stir +that also. When the powders are dissolved in both tumblers, pour the +first into the other, and it will effervesce immediately. Drink it +quickly while foaming. + +BITTERS. + +Take two ounces of gentian root, an ounce of Virginia snake root, an +ounce of the yellow paring of orange peel, and half a drachm of +cochineal. Steep these ingredients, for a week or more, in a quart of +Madeira or sherry wine, or brandy. When they are thoroughly infused, +strain and filter the liquor, and bottle it for use. This is considered +a good tonic, taken in a small cordial glass about noon. + +ESSENCE OF PEPPERMINT. + +Mix an ounce of oil of peppermint with a pint of alcohol. Then colour +it by putting in some leaves of green mint. Let it stand till the +colour is a fine green; then filter it through blotting paper. Drop it +on sugar when you take it. + +Essence of pennyroyal, mint, cinnamon, cloves, &c. may all be prepared +in the same manner by mixing a portion of the essential oil with a +little alcohol. + +You may obtain liquid camphor by breaking up and dissolving a lump in +white brandy or spirit of wine. + +LAVENDER COMPOUND. + +Fill a quart bottle with lavender blossoms freshly gathered, and put in +loosely; then pour in as much of the best brandy as it will contain. +Let it stand a fortnight, and then strain it. Afterwards, mix with it +of powdered cloves, mace, nutmeg and cochineal, a quarter of an ounce +of each; and cork it up for use in small bottles. When taken, a little +should be dropped on a lump of sugar. + +LEAD WATER. + +Mix two table-spoonfuls of extract of lead with a bottle of rain or +river water. Then add two table-spoonfuls of brandy, and shake it well. + +[Footnote: These remedies are all very simple; but the author _knows_ +them to have been efficacious whenever tried.] + +REMEDY FOR A BURN. + +After immediately applying sweet oil, scrape the inside of a raw +potato, and lay some of it on the place, securing it with a rag. In a +short time put on fresh potato, and repeat this application very +frequently. It will give immediate ease, and draw out the fire. Of +course, if the burn is bad, it is best to send for a physician. + +FOR CHILBLAINS. + +Dip the feet every night and morning in cold water, withdrawing them in +a minute or two, and drying them by rubbing them very hard with a +coarse towel. To put them immediately into a pail of brine brought from +a pickle tub is another excellent remedy when feet are found to be +frosted. + +FOR CORNS. + +Mix together a little Indian meal and cold water, till it is about the +consistence of thick mush. Then bind it on the corn by wrapping a small +slip of thin rag round the toe. It will not prevent you from wearing +your shoe and stocking. In two or three hours take it off, and you will +find the corn much softened. Cut off as much of it as is soft with a +penknife or scissors. Then put on a fresh poultice, and repeat it till +the corn is entirely levelled, as it will be after a few regular +applications of the remedy; which will be found successful whenever the +corn returns. There is no permanent cure for them. + +WARTS. + +To remove the hard callous horny warts which sometimes appear on the +hands of children, touch the wart carefully with a new pen dipped +slightly in aqua-fortis. It will give no pain; and after repeating it a +few times, the wart will be found so loose as to come off by rubbing it +with the finger. + +RING-WORMS. + +Rub mercurial ointment on the ring-worm previous to going to bed, and +do not wash it off till morning. It will effect a cure if persevered +in; sometimes in less than a week. + +MUSQUITO BITES. + +Salt wetted into a sort of paste, with a little vinegar, and plastered +on the bite, will immediately allay the pain; and if not rubbed, no +mark will be seen next day. It is well to keep salt and vinegar always +in a chamber that is infested with musquitoes. It is also good for the +sting of a wasp or bee; and for the bite of any venomous animal, if +applied immediately. It should be left on till it becomes dry, and then +renewed. + +ANTIDOTE FOR LAUDANUM. + +When so large a quantity of laudanum has been swallowed as to produce +dangerous effects, the fatal drowsiness has been prevented when all +other remedies have failed, by administering a cup of the strongest +possible coffee. The patient has revived and recovered, and no ill +effects have followed. + +GREEN OINTMENT. + +Take two or three large handfuls of the fresh-gathered leaves of the +Jamestown weed, (called Apple Peru in New England,) and pound it in a +mortar till you have extracted the juice. Then put the juice into a tin +sauce-pan, mixed with sufficient lard to make a thick salve. Stew them +together ten or fifteen minutes, and then pour the mixture into +gallipots and cover it closely. It is excellent to rub on chilblains, +and other inflammatory external swellings, applying it several times a +day. + +TO STOP BLOOD. + +For a prick with a pin, or a slight cut, nothing will more effectually +stop the bleeding than old cobwebs compressed into a lump and applied +to the wound, or bound on it with a rag. A scrap of cotton wadding is +also good for stopping blood. + + + + +PERFUMERY, ETC. + + +COLOGNE WATER. + +Procure at a druggists, one drachm of oil of lavender, the same +quantity of oil of lemon, of oil of rosemary, and of oil of cinnamon; +with two drachms of oil of bergamot, all mixed in the same phial, which +should be a new one. Shake the oils well, and pour them into a pint of +spirits of wine. Cork the bottle tightly, shake it hard, and it will be +fit for immediate use; though it improves by keeping. You may add to +the oils, if you choose, ten drops of the tincture of musk, or ten +drops of extract of ambergris. + +For very fine cologne water, mix together in a new phial oil of lemon, +two drachms; oil of bergamot, two drachms; oil of lavender, two +drachms; oil of cedrat, one drachm; tincture of benzoin, three drachms; +neroli, ten drops; ambergris, ten drops; attar of roses, two drops. +Pour the mixture into a pint of spirits of wine; cork and shake the +bottle, and set it away for use. + +Another receipt for cologne water is to mix with a pint of alcohol, +sixty drops or two large tea-spoonfuls of orange-flower water, and the +same quantity of the essential oils of lemon, lavender, and bergamot. + +LAVENDER WATER. + +Mix two ounces of essential oil of lavender, and two drachms of essence +of ambergris, with a pint of spirits of wine; cork the bottle, and +shake it hard every day for a fortnight. + +HUNGARY WATER. + +Mix together one ounce of oil of rosemary and two drachms of essence of +ambergris; add them to a pint of spirits of wine. Shake it daily for a +month, and then transfer it to small bottles. + +ROSE VINEGAR. + +Fill a stone or china jar with fresh rose leaves put in loosely. Then +pour on them as much of the best white wine vinegar as the jar will +hold. Cover it, and set it in the sun, or in some other warm place for +three weeks. Then strain it through a flannel bag, and bottle it for +use, This vinegar will he found very fine for salads, or for any nice +purposes. + +THIEVES’ VINEGAR. + +Take a large handful of lavender blossoms, and the same quantity of +sage, mint, rue, wormwood and rosemary. Chop and mix them well. Put +them into a jar, with half an ounce of camphor that has been dissolved +in a little alcohol, and pour in three quarts of strong clear vinegar. +Keep the jar for two or three weeks in the hot sun, and at night plunge +it into a box of heated sand. Afterwards strain and bottle the liquid, +putting into each bottle a clove of garlic sliced. To have it very +clear, after it has been bottled for a week, you should pour it off +carefully from the sediment, and filter it through blotting paper. Then +wash the bottles, and return the vinegar to them. It should be kept +very tightly corked. It is used for sprinkling about in sick-rooms; and +also in close damp oppressive weather. Inhaling the odour from a small +bottle will frequently prevent faintness in a crowd. + +It is best to make it in June. + +This vinegar is so called from an old tradition, that during the +prevalence of the plague in London the composition was invented by four +thieves, who found it a preservative from contagion; and were by that +means enabled to remain in the city and exercise their profession to +great advantage, after most of the inhabitants had fled. + +OIL OF FLOWERS. + +A French process for obtaining essential oils from flowers or herbs has +been described as follows:—Take carded cotton, or split wadding and +steep it in some pure Florence oil, such as is quite clear and has no +smell. Then place a layer of this cotton in the bottom of a deep china +dish, or in an earthen pipkin. Cover it with a thick layer of fresh +rose leaves, or the leaves of sweet pink, jasmine, wall-flower, +tuberose, magnolia blossoms, or any other odoriferous flower or plant +from which you wish to obtain the perfume. Spread over the +flower-leaves another layer of cotton that has been steeped in oil. +Afterwards a second layer of flowers, and repeat them alternately till +the vessel is quite full. Cover it closely, and let it stand in the sun +for a week. Then throw away the flower-leaves, carefully press out the +oil from the cotton, and put it into a small bottle for use. The oil +will be found to have imbibed the odour of the flowers. + +Keep the scented cotton to perfume your clothes-presses. + +BALM OF GILEAD OIL. + +Put loosely into a bottle as many balm of Gilead flowers as will come +up to a third part of its height; then nearly fill up the bottle with +sweet oil, which should be of the best quality. Let it infuse (shaking +it occasionally) for several days, and it will then be fit for use. It +is considered a good remedy for bruises of the skin; also for cuts, +burns, and scalds that are not very bad, and should be applied +immediately,—by wetting a soft rag with it; renewing it frequently, + +LIP SALVE. + +Put into a wide-mouthed bottle four ounces of the best olive oil, with +one ounce of the small parts of alkanet root. Stop up the bottle, and +set it in the sun, (shaking it often,) till you find the liquid of a +beautiful crimson. Then strain off the oil very clear from the alkanet +root, put it into an earthen pipkin, and add to it an ounce of white +wax, and an ounce and a half of the best mutton suet, which has been +previously clarified, or boiled and skimmed. Set the mixture on the +embers of coals, and melt it slowly: stirring it well. After it has +simmered slowly far a little while, take it off; and while still hot, +mix with it a few drops of oil of roses, or of oil of neroli, or +tincture of musk. + +COLD CREAM. + +Cut very fine a drachm of white wax and a drachm of spermaceti. Put it +into a small sauce-pan with one ounce of oil of sweet almonds, and mix +them well together. Set it on hot coals, and as soon as it has boiled +take it off, and stir in an ounce of orange-flower or rose-water. Beat +it very hard, and then put it into gallipots. + +SOFT POMATUM. + +Soak half a pound of fresh lard and a quarter of a pound of beef marrow +in water for two or three days; squeezing and pressing it every day, +and changing the water. Afterwards drain off the water, and put the +lard and marrow into a sieve to dry. Then transfer it to a jar, and set +the jar into a pot of boiling water. When the mixture is melted, put it +into a basin, and beat it with two spoonfuls of brandy. Then drain off +the brandy, perfume the pomatum by mixing with it any scented essence +that you please, and tie it up in gallipots. + +COSMETIC PASTE. + +Take a quarter of a pound of Castile soap, and cut it into small +pieces. Then, put it into a tin or porcelain sauce-pan, with just water +enough to moisten it well, and set it on hot coals. Let it simmer till +it is entirely dissolved; stirring it till it becomes a smooth paste, +and thickening it with Indian meal, (which even in a raw state is +excellent for the hands.) Then take it from the fire, and when cool +scent it with rose-water, or with any fragrant essence you please. Beat +and stir it hard with a silver spoon, and when it is thoroughly mixed +put it into little pots with covers. + +ACID SALT. + +This is the composition commonly, but erroneously called salt of lemon, +and is excellent for removing ink and other stains from the hands, and +for taking ink spots out of white clothes. Pound together in a marble +mortar an ounce of salt of sorrel, and an ounce of the best cream of +tartar, mixing them thoroughly. Then, put it in little wooden boxes or +covered gallipots, and rub it on your hands when they are stained, +washing them in cold water, and using the acid salt instead of soap; a +very small quantity will immediately remove the stain. In applying it +to linen or muslin that is spotted with ink or fruit juice, hold the +stained part tightly stretched over a cup or bowl of boiling water. +Then with your finger rub on the acid salt till the stain disappears. +It must always be done before the article is washed. + +This mixture costs about twenty-five cents, and the above quantity (if +kept dry) will be sufficient for a year or more. + +Ink stains may frequently be taken out of white clothes by rubbing on +(before they go to the wash) some bits of cold tallow picked from the +bottom of a mould candle; Leave the tallow sticking on in a lump, and +when the article comes from the wash, it will generally be found that +the spot has disappeared. This experiment is so easy and so generally +successful that it is always worth trying. When it fails, it is in +consequence of some peculiarity in the composition of the ink. + +SWEET JARS. + +Take a china jar, and put into it three handfuls of fresh damask +rose-leaves; three of sweet pinks, three of wall-flowers, and stock +gilly-flowers, and equal proportions of any other fragrant flowers that +you can procure. Place them in layers; strewing fine salt thickly +between each layer, and mixing with them an ounce of sliced orris root. + +You may fill another jar with equal quantities of lavender, knotted +marjoram, rosemary, lemon thyme, balm of Gilead, lemon-peel, and +smaller quantities of laurel leaves and mint; and some sliced orris +root. You may mix with the herbs, (which must all be chopped,) cloves, +cinnamon, and sliced nutmeg; strewing salt between the layers. + +Flowers, herbs, and spice may all be mixed in the same jar; adding +always some orris root. Every thing that is put in should be perfectly +free from damp. + +The jar should be kept closely covered, except when the cover is +occasionally removed for the purpose of diffusing the scent through the +room. + +SCENTED BAGS. + +Take a quarter of a pound of coriander seeds, a quarter of a pound of +orris root, a quarter of a pound of aromatic calamus, a quarter of a +pound of damask rose leaves, two ounces of lavender blossoms, half an +ounce of mace, half an ounce of cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of +cloves, and two drachms of musk-powder. Beat them all separately in a +mortar, and then mix them well together. Make small silk or satin bags; +fill each with a portion of the mixture, and sew them closely all +round. Lay them among your clothes in the drawers. + +VIOLET PERFUME. + +Drop twelve drops of genuine oil of rhodium on a lump of loaf-sugar. +Then pound the sugar in a marble mortar with two ounces of orris root +powder. This will afford an excellent imitation of the scent of +violets. If you add more oil of rhodium, it will produce a rose +perfume. Sew up the powder in little silk bags, or keep it in a tight +box. + +DURABLE INK. + +Take, when empty, one of the little bottles that has contained +indelible ink, such as is sold in cases, and wash and rinse it clean. +Put into it half an inch of lunar caustic; fill it up with good +vinegar, and cork it tightly. This is the marking ink. + +Prepare the larger bottle that has contained the liquid used for the +first wash, by making it quite clean. Take a large tea-spoonful of salt +of tartar, and a lump of gum arabic the size of a hickory nut. Put them +into the wash bottle, and fill it up with clear rain water, Cork both +bottles tightly, and set them for two days in the sun. The liquids will +then be fit for use. + +Linen cannot be marked well with durable ink unless the weather is +clear and dry. Dip a camel’s hair pencil in the large bottle that +contains the gum liquid, and wash over with it a small space on a +corner of the linen, about large enough to contain the name. Dry it in +the sun, and let it alone till next day. Then take a very good pen, +acid with the ink from the smallest bottle, write the name you intend, +on the place that has been prepared by the first liquid. This also must +be dried in the sun. See that the bottles are always well corked, and +keep them in a covered box. + +After the linen is dried, iron it before you write on it. + +ANOTHER DURABLE INK. + +For the marking liquid—rub together in a small mortar five scruples of +lunar caustic with one drachm of gum arabic, one scruple of sap-green +and one ounce of rain water. + +For wetting the linen—mix together one ounce of salt of soda, two +ounces of boiling water, and a table-spoonful of powdered gum arabic. + +TO KEEP PEARL-ASH. + +Take three ounces of pearl-ash, and put it into a clean black bottle +with a pint and a half (not more) of soft water. The proportion is an +ounce of pearl-ash to half a pint of water. Cork it very tightly, shake +it, and it will be fit for use as soon as all the pearl-ash is +dissolved. A table-spoonful of this liquid is equal to a small +tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in the lump or powder. Keeping it ready +dissolved will be found very convenient. + +ALMOND PASTE. + +Blanch half a pound of shelled sweet, almonds, and a quarter of a pound +of bitter ones, and beat them in a mortar to a smooth paste—adding by +degrees a jill of rose or orange-flower water. Then beat in, gradually, +half a pound of clear strained honey. When the whole is well +incorporated, put it into gallipots, pouring on the top of each some +orange-flower or rose-water. Keep it closely covered. This is a +celebrated cosmetic for the hands. + + + + +MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. + + +MINCED OYSTERS. + +Take fifty fine large oysters, and mince them raw. Chop also four or +five small pickled cucumbers, and a bunch of parsley. Grate about two +tea-cupfuls of stale bread-crumbs, and beat up the yolks of four eggs. +Mix the whole together in a thick batter, seasoning it with cayenne and +powdered mace; and with a little salt if the oysters are fresh. Have +ready a pound of lard, and melt in the frying-pan enough of it to fry +the oysters well. If the lard is in too small a quantity they will be +flat and tough. When the lard is boiling hot in the pan, put in about a +table-spoonful at a time of the oyster-mixture, and fry it in the form +of small fritters; turning them so as to brown on both sides. Serve +them up hot, and eat them with small bread rolls. + +STEWED BLACK FISH. + +Flour a deep dish, and lay in the bottom a piece of butter rolled in +flour. Then sprinkle it with a mixture of parsley, sweet marjoram, and +green onion; all chopped fine. Take your black fish and rub it inside +and outside with a mixture of cayenne, salt, and powdered cloves and +mace. Place skewers across the dish, and lay the fish upon them. Then +pour in a little wine, and sufficient water to stew the fish. Set the +dish in a moderate oven, and let it cook slowly for an hour. + +Shad or rock fish may be dressed in the same manner. + +FRIED SMELTS. + +These little fish are considered extremely fine. Before they are +cooked, cut off the heads and tails. Sprinkle the smelts with flour, +and have ready in a frying pan over the fire plenty of fresh lard or +butter. When it boils, put in the fish and fry them. + +BROILED SWEET-BREADS. + +Split open and skewer the sweet-breads; season them with pepper and +salt, and with powdered mace. Broil them on a gridiron till thoroughly +done. While they are broiling, prepare some melted butter seasoned with +mace and a little white wine, or mushroom catchup; and have ready some +toast with the crust cut off. Lay the toast in the bottom of a dish; +place the sweet-breads upon it, and pour over them the drawn butter. + +PICKLED EGGS. + +Boil twelve eggs quite hard, and lay them in cold water; having peeled +off the shells. Then put them whole into a stone jar, with a quarter of +an ounce of whole mace, and the same quantity of cloves; a sliced +nutmeg; a table-spoonful of whole pepper; a small bit of ginger; and a +peach leaf. Fill up the jar with boiling vinegar; cover it closely that +the eggs may cool slowly. When they are cold, tie up the jar; covering +the cork with leather. After it has stood three days pour off the +pickle, boil it up again, and return it boiling hot to the eggs and +spice. They will be fit for use in a fortnight. + +GUMBO SOUP. + +Take four pounds of the lean of a fresh round of beef and cut the meat +into small pieces, avoiding carefully all the fat. Season the meat with +a little pepper and salt, and put it on to boil with three quarts and a +pint of water (not more.) Boil it slowly and skim it well. When no more +scum rises, put in half a peck of ochras, peeled and sliced, and half a +peck of tomatas cut in quarters. Boil it slowly till the ochras and +tomatas are entirely dissolved, and the meat all to rags. Then strain +it through a cullender, and send it to table with slices of dry toast. +This soup cannot be made in less than seven or eight hours. If you dine +at two, you must put on the meat to boil at six or seven in the +morning. It should be as thick as a jelly. + +SHREWSBURY CAKES. + +Rub three quarters of a pound of butter into two pounds of sifted +flour, and mix in half a pound of powdered sugar, and half a pound of +currants, washed and dried. Wet it to a stiff paste with rich milk. +Roll it out, and cut it into cakes. Lay them on buttered baking sheets, +and put them into a moderate oven. + +RICE FLUMMERY. + +To two quarts of milk allow half a pound of ground rice. Take out one +pint of the milk, and mix the rice gradually with it into a batter; +making it quite smooth and free from lumps. Put the three pints of milk +into a skillet, (with a bunch of peach leaves or a few peach-kernels.) +and let it come to a boil. Then while it is still boiling, stir in by +degrees the rice batter, taking care not to have it lumpy; add sugar, +mace, and rose brandy to your taste; or you may flavour it with a small +tea-spoonful of oil of lemon. When it has boiled sufficiently, and is +quite thick, strain it, and put it into a mould to congeal. Make a rich +boiled custard, (flavoured in the same manner,) and send it to table in +a pitcher to eat with the flummery. Both should be cold. If you mould +it in tea-cups, turn it out on a deep dish, and pour the custard round +it. + +APPLE BUTTER WITHOUT CIDER. + +To ten gallons of water add six gallons of the best molasses, mixing +them well together. Put it into a large kettle over a good fire; let it +come to a hard boil, and skim it as long as any scum continues to rise. +Then take out half the liquid, and put it into a tub. Have ready eight +bushels of fine sound apples, pared, cored and quartered. Throw them +gradually into the liquid that is still boiling on the fire. Let it +continue to boil hard, and as it thickens, add by degrees the other +half of the molasses and water, (that which has been put into the tub.) +Stir it frequently to prevent its scorching, and to make it of equal +consistence throughout. Boil it ten or twelve hours, continuing to stir +it. At night take it out of the kettle, and set it in tubs to cool; +covering it carefully. Wash out the kettle and wipe it very dry. + +Next morning boil the apple butter six or eight hours longer; it should +boil eighteen hours altogether. Half an hour before you take it finally +out, stir in a pound of mixed spice; cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and +nutmeg, all finely powdered. When entirely done, put up the apple +butter in stone or earthen jars. It will keep a year or more. + +It can, of course, be made in a smaller quantity than that given in the +above receipt; and also at any time in the winter; fresh cider not +being an ingredient, as in the most usual way of making apple butter. + +AN APPLE POT PIE. + +Make a paste, allowing a pound of butter, or of chopped suet to two +pounds and a quarter of flour. Have ready a sufficient quantity of fine +juicy acid apples, pared, cored, and sliced. Mix with them brown sugar +enough to sweeten them, a few cloves, and some slips of lemon-peel. +Butter the inside of an iron pot, and line it with some of the paste. +Then put in the apples, interspersing them with thin squares of paste, +and add a very little water. Cover the whole with a thick lid of the +dough, which must be carefully closed round the edges. Pour on water +enough to fill the pot, and let it boil two hours. When done, serve it +up on a large dish, and eat it with butter and sugar. + +PUDDING CATCHUP. + +Mix together half a pint of noyau; a pint of sherry or other white +wine; the yellow peel of four lemons, pared thin; and half an ounce of +mace. Put the whole into a large bottle, and let it stand for two or +three weeks. Then strain it, and add half a pint of capillaire or +strong sugar syrup; or of Curaçoa. Bottle it, and it will keep two or +three years. It may be used for various sweet dishes, but chiefly for +pudding-sauce mixed with melted butter. + +CURAÇOA. + +Pound as much dried orange-peel as will make six ounces when done; the +peel of fresh shaddock will be still better; or you may substitute six +drachms of the oil of orange-peel. Put it into a quart of the strongest +and clearest rectified spirit; shake it, let it infuse for a fortnight, +and strain it. Then make a syrup by dissolving a pound of the best +loaf-sugar in a pint of cold water, adding to it the beaten white of an +egg, and boiling and skimming it till the scum ceases to rise. Mix the +syrup with the strained liquor. Let it stand till next day, and then +filter it through white blotting paper fastened to the bottom of a +sieve. Curaçoa is a great improvement to punch; also a table-spoonful +of it in a tumbler of water makes a very refreshing summer drink. + +PATENT YEAST. + +Boil half a pound of fresh hops in four quarts of water, till the +liquid is reduced to two quarts Strain it, and mix in sufficient wheat +flour to make a thin batter; adding half a pint of strong fresh yeast, +(brewer’s yeast, if it can be procured.) When it is done fermenting, +pour it into a pan, and stir in sufficient Indian meal to make a +moderately stiff dough. Cover it, and set it in a warm place to rise. +When it has become very light, roll it out into a thick sheet, and cut +it into little cakes. Spread them out on a dish, and let them dry +gradually in a cool place where there is no sun. Turn them five or six +times a day while drying; and when they are quite dry, put them into +paper bags, and keep them in a jar or box closely covered, in a place +that is not in the least damp. + +When you want the yeast for use, dissolve in a little warm water one or +more of the cakes, (in proportion to the quantity of bread you intend +making,) and when it is quite dissolved, stir it hard, thicken it with +a little flour, cover it, and place it near the fire to rise before you +use it. Then mix it with the flour in the usual manner of preparing +bread. + +This is a very convenient way of preserving yeast through the summer, +or of conveying it to a distance. + +TO DRY HERBS. + +By drying herbs with artificial heat as quickly as possible, you +preserve their scent and flavour much better than when they are dried +slowly by exposing them to the sun and air; a process by which a large +portion of their strength evaporates. All sorts of herbs are in the +greatest perfection just before they begin to flower. Gather them on a +dry day, and place them in an oven, which must not be hot enough to +discolour, scorch, or burn them. When they are quite dry, take them +out, and replace them with others. Pick the leaves from, the stems, +(which may be thrown away,) and put them into bottles or jars; cork +them tightly, and keep them in a dry place. Those that are used in +cookery should be kept in a kitchen closet. + +PEACH KERNELS. + +When peaches are in season, have in a convenient place an old basket or +something of the sort, in which all the peach stones can be saved; they +are too useful to be thrown away. Then have them carefully cracked, so +as to extract the kernels whole if possible. Spread them out on a dish +for one day. Then, put them into a box or jar, and keep them to use as +bitter almonds; for which they are an excellent substitute in +flavouring custards, creams and cakes. Plum stones are worth saving in +the same manner. + +LEMON-PEEL. + +Never throw away the rind of a lemon; Keep a wide-mouthed bottle half +full of brandy, and put into it (cut in pieces) all the lemon-rind that +you do not immediately want. As the white part of the rind is of no +use, it will be best to pare off the yellow very thin, and put that +alone into the brandy, which will thus imbibe a very fine lemon +flavour, and may be used for many nice purposes. + +TO KEEP TOMATAS. + +Take fine ripe tomatas, and wipe them dry, taking care not to break the +skin. Put them, into a stone jar with cold vinegar, adding a small thin +muslin bag filled with mace, whole cloves, and whole peppers. Then cork +the jar tightly with a cork that has been dipped in melted rosin, and +put it away in a dry place. Tomatas pickled in this manner keep +perfectly well and retain their colour. For this purpose use the small +round button tomatas. + + + + +ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. + + +FRENCH GREEN PEA SOUP. + +This soup is made without meat. Put into a soup-pot four quarts of +shelled green peas, two large onions sliced, a handful of leaves of +sweet marjoram shred from the stalks, or a handful of sweet basil; or a +mixed handful of both—also, if you like it, a handful of green mint. +Add four quarts of water, and boil the whole slowly till all the peas +are entirely to pieces. Then take off the pot, and mash the peas well +against its sides to extract from them all their flavour. Afterward +strain off the liquid into a clean pot, and add to it a tea-cup full of +the juice of spinach, which you must prepare, while the soup is +boiling, by pounding some spinach in a mortar. This will give the soup +a fine green colour. Then put in a quarter of a pound of the best fresh +butter rolled whole in flour; and add a pint and a half more of shelled +young peas. If you wish the soup very thick, you may allow a quart of +the additional peas. Season it with a very little salt and cayenne; put +it again over the fire, and boil it till the last peas are quite soft, +but not till they go to pieces. + +Have ready in a tureen two or three slices of toasted bread cut into +small squares or dice, and pour the soup on it. + +This soup, if properly made, will be found excellent, notwithstanding +the absence of meat. It is convenient for fast days; and in the +country, where vegetables can be obtained from the garden, the expense +will be very trifling. What is left may be warmed for the next day. + +GIBLET SOUP. + +Take three pounds of shin of beef or of neck of mutton. Cut off the +meat and break the bones. Then put the meat with the bones into a +soup-pot, with a tea-spoonful of salt, and three quarts of water. Add a +bunch of sweet marjoram, one of sweet basil, and a quarter of an ounce +of black pepper-corns, all tied in a thin muslin rag; a sliced onion, +and six or eight turnips and carrots, cut small. Let the whole boil +slowly for two or three hours, skimming it well. In the meantime, have +ready two sets of goose-giblets, or four of duck. They must he scalded, +and well washed in warm water. Cut off the bills and split the heads; +and cut the necks and gizzards into mouthfuls. Having taken the meat +and bones out of the soup, put in the giblets, with a head of celery +chopped. Boil it slowly an hour and a half; or more, taking care to +skim it. Make a thickening of an ounce and a half of butter, and a +large table-spoonful of flour, mixed together with a little of the +soup. Then stir it into the pot, adding a large table-spoonful of +mushroom catchup, and some small force-meat balls, or little dumplings. +Boil the soup half an hour longer. Then send it to table with the +giblets in the tureen. + +GUMBO. + +Take an equal quantity of young tender ochras, and of ripe tomatas, +(for instance, a quarter of a peck of each.) Chop the ochras fine, and +scald and peel the tomatas. Put them into a stew-pan without any water. +Add a lump of butter, and a very little salt and pepper; and, if you +choose, an onion minced fine. Let it stew steadily for an hour. Then +strain it, and send it to table as soup in a tureen. It should be like +a jelly, and is a favourite New Orleans dish. Eat dry toast with it. + +HAM OMELET. + +Take six ounces of cold coiled ham, and mince it very fine, adding a +little pepper. Beat separately the whites and yolks of six eggs, and +then mix them together add to them gradually the minced ham. Beat the +whole very hard, and do not let it stand a moment after it is +thoroughly mixed. Have ready some boiling lard in a frying-pan, and put +in the omelet immediately. Fry it about ten minutes or a quarter of an +hour. When done, put it on a hot dish, trim off the edges, and fold it +over in a half moon. Send it to table hot, and covered. It is eaten at +breakfast. + +If you wish a soft omelet, (not to fold over,) fry it a shorter time, +and serve it in a deep dish, to be helped with a spoon. + +A similar omelet may be made of the lean of a cold smoked tongue. + + +BATTER PUDDING. + +Take a quart of milk, and stir into it gradually eight table spoonfuls +of sifted flour, carefully pressing out all the lumps with the back of +the spoon. Beat eight eggs very light, and add them by degrees to the +milk and flour. Then stir the whole very well together. + +Dip your pudding-cloth into boiling water, and then dredge it with +flour. Pour in the pudding, and tie it tightly, leaving room for it to +swell. Put it into a pot full of boiling water, and boil it hard for +two hours. Keep it in the pot till it is time to send it to table. +Serve it up with wine-sauce, butter and sugar, or molasses and cold +butter. + +PEACH MANGOES. + +Take free-stone peaches of the largest size, (when they are full grown, +but not quite ripe,) and lay them in salt and water for two days, +covered with a board to keep them down. Then take them out, wipe them +dry, cut them open, and extract the stones. Mix together, to your +taste, minced garlic, scraped horseradish, bruised mustard seed, and +cloves; and a little ginger-root soaked in water to soften, and then +sliced. Fill the cavity of the peaches with this mixture. Then tie them +round with packthread, and put them into a stone jar till it is +two-thirds full. Strew among them some whole cloves, broken cinnamon, +and a little cochineal. Season some cold vinegar, (allowing to each +quart a jill of fresh made mustard, and a little ginger, and nutmeg,) +and having mixed this pickle well, fill up the jar with it. + +BROILED TOMATAS. + +Take large ripe tomatas; wipe them, and split them in half. Broil them +on a gridiron till brown, turning them when half done. Have ready in a +dish some butter seasoned with a little pepper. When the tomatas are +well broiled, put them into the dish, and press each a little with the +back of a spoon, so that the juice may run into the butter and mix with +it. This is to make the gravy. Send them to table hot. + +Tomatas are very good sliced, and fried in butter. + +PRESERVED TOMATAS. + +Take large fine tomatas, (not too ripe,) and scald them to make the +skins come off easily. Weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of +the best brown sugar, and the grated peel of a large lemon. Put all +together into a preserving kettle, and having boiled it slowly for +three hours, (skimming it carefully,) add the juice of the lemons, and +boil it an hour longer. Then put the whole into jars, and when cool +cover and tie them up closely. This is a cheap and excellent sweetmeat; +but the lemon must on no account be omitted. It may be improved by +boiling a little ginger with the other ingredients. + +TOMATA HONEY. + +To each pound of tomatas, allow the grated peel of a lemon and six +fresh peach-leaves. Boil them slowly till they are all to pieces; then +squeeze and strain them through a bag. To each pint of liquid allow a +pound of loaf-sugar, and the juice of one lemon. Boil them together +half an hour, or till they become a thick jelly. Then put it into +glasses, and lay double tissue paper closely over the top. It will be +scarcely distinguishable from real honey. + +PRESERVED CUCUMBERS. + +Your cucumbers should be well shaped, and all of the same size. Spread +the bottom and sides of a preserving kettle with a thick layer of vine +leaves. Then put in the cucumbers—with a little alum broken small. +Cover them thickly with vine leaves, and then with a dish. Fill up the +kettle with water, and let them hang over a slow fire till nest +morning, but do not allow the water to boil. Next day, take them out, +cool them, and repeat the process with fresh vine leaves, till the +cucumbers are a fine green. When cold drain them, cut a small piece out +of the flat side, and extract the seeds. Wipe the cucumbers in a dry +cloth, and season the inside with a mixture of bruised mace and grated +lemon-peel. Tie on with a packthread the bit that was cut out. + +Weigh them, and to every pound of cucumbers allow a pound of +loaf-sugar. Put the sugar into a preserving kettle, a half pint of +water to each pound, and. the beaten white of an egg to every four +pounds. Boil and skim the sugar till quite clear, adding sliced ginger +and lemon parings to your taste. When cool, pour it over the cucumbers, +and let them lie in it two days, keeping them covered with a plate, and +a weight on it to press it down. Then boil up the syrup again, adding +one-half as much sugar, &c. as you had at first; and at the last the +juice and grated peel of two lemons for every six cucumbers. The lemon +must boil in the syrup but ten minutes. Then strain the syrup all over +the cucumbers, and put them up in glass jars. + +If they are not quite clear, boil them in a third syrup. + +Small green melons may be preserved in this manner. + +APPLE RICE PUDDING. + +Wash half a pint of rice and boil it till soft and dry. Pare, core, and +cut up six large juicy apples, and stew them in as little water as +possible. When they are quite, tender, take them out, and mash them +with six table-spoonfuls of brown sugar. When the apples and rice are +both cold, mix them. together. Have ready five eggs beaten very light, +and add them gradually to the other ingredients, with five or six drops +of essence of lemon, and a grated nutmeg. Or you may substitute for the +essence, the grated peel and the juice of one large lemon. Beat the +whole very hard after it is all mixed; tie it tightly in a cloth, +(leaving but a very small space for it to swell,) and stopping up the +tying place with a lump of flour moistened to paste with water. Put it +into a pot of boiling water, and boil it fast for half an hour. Send it +to table hot, and eat it with sweetened cream, or with beaten butter +and sugar. + +BAKED APPLE DUMPLINGS. + +Take large, fine, juicy apples, and pare and core them, leaving them as +whole as possible. Put them into a kettle with sufficient water to +cover them, and let them parboil a quarter of an hour. Then take them +out, and drain them on a sieve. Prepare a paste in the proportion of a +pound of butter to two pounds of flour, as for plain pies. Roll it out +into a sheet, and cut it into equal portions according to your number +of apples. Place an apple on each, and fill up the hole from whence the +core was extracted with brown sugar moistened with lemon-juice, or with +any sort of marmalade. Then cover the apple with the paste, closing it +neatly. Place the dumplings side by side in buttered square pans, (not +so as to touch,) and bake them of a light brown. Serve them warm or +cool, and eat them with cream sauce. + +They will be found very good. + +INDIAN LOAF CAKE. + +Mix a tea-cup full of powdered white sugar with a quart of rich milk, +and cut up in the milk two ounces of butter, adding a salt-spoonful of +salt. Put this mixture into a covered pan or skillet, and set it on +coals till it is scalding hot. Then take it off, and scald with it as +much yellow Indian meal (previously sifted) as will make it of the +consistence of thick boiled mush. Beat the whole very hard for a +quarter of an hour, and then set it away to cool. + +While it is cooling, beat three eggs very light, and stir them +gradually into the mixture when it is about as warm as new milk. Add a +tea-cup full of good strong yeast, and beat the whole another quarter +of an hour—for much of the goodness of this cake depends on its being +long and well beaten. Then have ready a turban mould or earthen pan +with a pipe in the centre, (to diffuse the heat through the middle of +the cake.) The pan must be very well buttered, as Indian meal is apt to +stick. Put in the mixture, cover it, and set it in a warm place to +rise. It should be light in about four hours. Then bake it two hours in +a moderate oven. When done, turn it oat with the broad surface +downwards, and send it to table hot and whole. Cut it into slices, and +eat it with butter. + +This will be found an excellent cake. If wanted for breakfast, mix it, +and set it to rise the night before. If properly made, standing all +night will not injure it. Like all Indian cakes, (of which this is one +of the best,) it should be eaten warm. + +It will be much improved by adding to the mixture, a salt-spoon of +pearl-ash, or sal-aratus, dissolved in a little water. + +PLAIN CIDER CAKE. + +Sift into a large pan a pound and a half of flour, and rub into it half +a pound of butter. Mix in three-quarters of a pound of powdered white +sugar and melt a small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus or pearl-ash in a +pint of the best cider. Pour the cider into the other ingredients while +it is foaming, and stir the whole very hard. Have ready a buttered +square pan, put in the mixture, and set It immediately in a rather +brisk oven. Bake it an hour or more, according to its thickness. This +is a tea cake, and should be eaten fresh. Cut it into squares, split +and butter them. + +TENNESSEE MUFFINS. + +Sift three pints of yellow Indian meal, and put one-half into a pan and +scald it. Then set it away to get cold. Beat six: eggs, whites and +yolks separately. The yolks must be beaten till they become very thick +and smooth, and the whites till they are a stiff froth, that stands +alone. When the scalded meal is cold, mix it into a batter with the +beaten yolk of egg, the remainder of the meal, a salt-spoonful of salt, +and, if necessary, a little water. The batter must be quite thick. At +the last, stir in, lightly and slowly, the beaten white of egg. Grease +your muffin rings, and set them in an oven of the proper heat; put in +the batter immediately, as standing will injure it. + +Send them to table hot; pull them open, and eat them with butter. + + +HOE CAKE. + +Beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and sift into a pan a +quart of wheat flour, adding a salt-spoon of salt. Make a hole in the +middle, and mix in the white of egg so as to form a thick batter, and +then add two table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. Cover it, and let +it stand all night. In the morning, take a hoe-iron (such as are made +purposely for cakes) and prop it before the fire till, it is well +heated. Then flour a tea-saucer, and filling it with batter, shake it +about, and clap it to the hoe, (which must be previously greased,) and +the batter will adhere, till it is baked. Repeat this with each cake. +Keep them hot, and eat them with butter. + +MILK TOAST. + +Boil a pint of rich milk, and then take it off, and stir into it a +quarter of a pound of fresh butter, mixed with a small table-spoonful +of flour. Then let it again come to a boil. Have ready two deep plates +with half a dozen slices of toast in each. Pour the milk over them hot, +and keep them covered till they go to table. Milk toast is generally +eaten at breakfast. + +POTATO YEAST. + +Pare half a dozen middle-sized potatoes, and boil them in a quart of +soft water, mixed with a handful of hops, till quite soft. Then mash +the potatoes smooth, not leaving in a single lump. Mix with them a +handful of wheat flour. Set a sieve over the pan in which you have the +flour and mashed potatoes, and strain into them the hop-water in which +they were boiled. Then stir the mixture very hard, and afterwards pass +it through a cullender to clear it of lumps. Let it stand till it is +nearly cold. Then stir in four table-spoonfuls of strong yeast, and let +it stand to ferment. When the foam has sunk down in the middle, (which +will not be for several hours,) it is done working. Then put it into a +stone jug and cork it. Set it in a cool place. + +This yeast will be found extremely good for raising home-made bread. + +Yeast when it becomes sour may be made fit to use by stirring into it a +little sal-aratus, or pearl-ash, allowing a small tea-spoonful to a +pint of yeast. This will remove the acidity, and improve the bread in +lightness. The pearl-ash must be previously melted in a little lukewarm +water. + +CREAM CHEESE. + +The cheese so called (of which numbers are brought to Philadelphia +market) is not in reality made of cream, but of milk warm from the cow, +and therefore unskimmed. + +Having strained into a tub a bucket of new milk, turn it in the usual +way with rennet water. When it has completely come, take a clean linen +cloth and press it down upon the firm curd, so as to make the whey rise +up over it. As the whey rises, dip it off with a saucer or a skimming +dish. Then carefully put the curd (as whole as possible) into a cheese +hoop, or mould, which for this purpose should be about half a foot +deep, and as large round as a dinner plate—first spreading a clean wet +cloth under the curd, and folding it (the cloth) over the top. Lay a +large brick on it, or something of equivalent weight, and let the whey +drain gradually out through the holes at the bottom of the mould. It +must not be pressed hard, as when finished a cream cheese should be +only about the consistence of firm butter. The curd will sink gradually +in the mould till the whole mass will be about two or three inches +thick. Let it remain in the mould six hours, by which time the whey +should cease to exude from it. Otherwise, it must be left in somewhat +longer. + +When you take out the cheese, rub it all over with a little lard, and +sprinkle it slightly with fine salt. Set it in a dry dark place, and in +four or five days it will be fit for use. When once cut, it should (if +the weather is warm) be eaten immediately; but if uncut, it will keep a +week in a cold place, provided it is turned three or four times a day. +Send it to table whole on a large plate, and cut it when there into +wedge-shaped pieces as you would a pie. It is usually eaten at tea or +supper, and is by most persons considered a delicacy. + +ALMOND BREAD. + +Blanch, and pound in a mortar, half a pound of shelled sweet almonds +till they are a smooth paste, adding rose-water as you pound them. They +should be done the day before they are wanted. Prepare a pound of +loaf-sugar finely powdered, a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, (mace, +nutmeg, and cinnamon,) and three-quarters of a pound of sifted flour. +Take fourteen eggs, and separate the whites from the yolks. Leave out +seven of the whites, and beat the other seven to a stiff froth. Beat +the yolks till very thick and smooth, and then beat the sugar gradually +into them, adding the spice. Next stir in the white of egg, then the +flour, and lastly the almonds. You may add twelve drops of essence of +lemon. + +Put the mixture into a square tin pan, (well buttered,) or into a +copper or tin turban-mould, and set it immediately in a brisk oven. Ice +it when cool. It is best if eaten fresh. You may add a few bitter +almonds to the sweet ones. + +CUSTARD CAKES. + +Mix together a pound of sifted flour and a quarter of a pound of +powdered loaf-sugar. Divide into four a pound of fresh butter; mix +one-fourth of it with the flour, and make it into a dough. Then roll it +out, and put in the three remaining divisions of the butter at three +more rollings. Set the paste in a cool place till the custard is ready. +For the custard, beat very light the yolk only of eight eggs, and then +stir them gradually into a pint of rich cream, adding three ounces of +powdered white sugar, a grated nutmeg, and ratafia, peach-water, or +essence of lemon, to your taste. Put the mixture into a deep dish; set +it in an iron baking pan or a Dutch oven half full of boiling water, +and bake it a quarter of an hour. Then put it to cool. + +In the mean time roll out the paste into a thin sheet; cut it into +little round cakes about the size of a dollar, and bake them on flat +tins. When they are done, spread some of the cakes thickly with the +custard, and lay others on the top of them, making them fit closely in +the manner of lids. + +You may bake the paste in patty-pans like shells, and put in the +custard after they come out of the oven. If the custard is baked in the +paste, it will be clammy and heavy at the bottom. + +They are sometimes called cream cakes or cream tarts. + +HONEY GINGER CAKE. + +Rub together a pound of sifted flour and three-quarters of a pound of +fresh butter. Mix in, a tea-cup of fine brown sugar, two large +table-spoonfuls of strong ginger, and (If you like them) two +table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. Having beaten five eggs, add them to +the mixture alternately with a pint of strained honey; stirring in +towards the last a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, that has been +melted in a very little water. + +Having beaten or stirred the mixture long enough to make it perfectly +light, transfer it to a square iron or block-tin pan, (which must be +well buttered,) put it into a moderate oven, and bake it an hour or +more, in proportion to its thickness. + +When cool, cut it into squares. It is best if eaten fresh, but it will +keep very well a week. + +ROCK CAKE. + +Blanch three-quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and bruise +them fine in a mortar, but not to a smooth paste as for maccaroons. +Add, as you pound them, a little rose-water. Beat to a stiff froth the +whites of four eggs, and then beat in gradually a pound of powdered +loaf-sugar. Add a few drops of oil of lemon. Then mix in the pounded +almonds. Flour your hands, and make the mixture into little cones or +pointed cakes. Spread sheets of damp, thin, white paper on buttered +sheets of tin, and put the rock cakes on it, rather far apart. Sprinkle +each with powdered loaf-sugar. Bake them of a pale brown, in a brisk +oven. They will be done in a few minutes. + +When cold, take them off the papers. + +FROZEN CUSTARD. + +Slice a vanilla bean, and boil it slowly in half a pint of milk/till +all the strength is extracted and the milk highly flavoured with the +vanilla. Then strain its and set it aside. Mix a quart of cream and a +pint of milk, or, if you cannot procure cream, take three pints of rich +milk, and put them into a skillet or sauce-pan. Set it on hot coals, +and boil it. When it has come to a boil, mix a table-spoonful of flour +in three table-spoonfuls of milk, and stir it info the boiling liquid. +Afterwards add two eggs, (which have been beaten up with two +table-spoonfuls of milk,) pouring them slowly into the mixture. Take +care to stir it all the time it is boiling. Five minutes after, stir in +gradually half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and then the decoction +of vanilla. Having stirred it hard a few moments, take it off the fire, +and set it to cool. When quite cold, put it into a mould and freeze it, +as you would ice-cream, for which it frequently passes. + +You may flavour it with a tea-spoonful of strong oil of lemon, stirred +in just before you take it from the fire, or with a quarter of a pound +of shelled bitter almonds, blanched, pounded in a mortar with a little +water, and then boiled in half a pint of milk, till the flavour Is +extracted. + +CHERRY CORDIAL. + +Take a bushel of fine ripe cherries, either red or black, or mixed; +stone them, put them into a clean wooden vessel, and mash them with a +mallet or beetle. Then boil them about five minutes, and. strain the +juice. To each quart of juice allow a quart of water, a pound of sugar, +and a quart of brandy. Boil in the water (before you mix it with the +juice) two ounces of cloves, and four ounces of cinnamon; then strain +out the spice. Put the mixture into a stone jug, or a demijohn, and +cork it tightly. Bottle it in two or three months. + +COMMON ICE CREAM. + +Split into pieces a vanilla bean, and boil it in a very little milk +till the flavour is well extracted; then strain it. Mix two +table-spoonfuls of arrow-root powder, or the same quantity of fine +powdered starch, with just sufficient cold milk to make it a thin +paste; rubbing it till quite smooth. Boil together a pint of cream and +a pint of rich milk; and while boiling stir in the preparation of +arrow-root, and the milk in which the vanilla has been boiled. When it +has boiled hard, take it off, stir in half a pound of powdered +loaf-sugar, and let it come to a boil again. Then strain it, and put it +into a freezer placed in a tub that has a hole in the bottom to let-out +the water; and surround the freezer on all sides with ice broken +finely, and mixed with coarse salt. Beat the cream hard for half an +hour. Then let it rest; occasionally taking off the cover, and scraping +down with a long spoon the cream that slicks to the sides. When it is +well frozen, transfer it to a mould; surround it with fresh salt and +ice, and then freeze it over again. + +If you wish to flavour it with lemon instead of vanilla, take a large +lump of the sugar before you powder it, and rub it on the outside of a +large lemon till the yellow is all rubbed off upon the sugar. Then, +when the sugar is all powdered, mix with it the juice. + +For strawberry ice cream, mix with the powdered sugar the juice of a +quart of ripe strawberries squeezed through a linen cloth. + +PINK CHAMPAGNE JELLY. + +Beat half the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and then stir it hard +into three wine-glasses of filtered water. Put twelve ounces of the +best double-refined loaf-sugar (powdered fine and sifted) into a +skillet lined with porcelain. Pour on it the white of egg and water, +and stir it till dissolved. Then add twelve grains of cochineal powder. +Set it over a moderate fire, and boil it and skim it till the scum +ceases to rise. Then strain it through a very fine sieve. Have ready an +ounce and a half of isinglass that has been boiled in a little water +till quite dissolved. Strain it, and while the boiled sugar is lukewarm +mix it with the isinglass, adding a pint of pink champagne and the +juice of a large lemon. Run it through a linen bag into a mould. When +it has congealed so as to be quite firm, wrap a wet cloth round the +outside of the mould, and turn out the jelly into a glass dish; or +serve it broken up, in jelly glasses, or glass cups. Jelly may be made +in a similar manner of Madeira, marasquin, or noyau. + +A CHARLOTTE RUSSE. + +Boil in half a pint of milk a split vanilla bean, till all the flavour +is extracted. Then strain the milk, and when it is cold stir into it +the yolks of four beaten eggs, and a quarter of a pound of powdered +loaf-sugar. + +Simmer this custard five minutes over hot coals, but do not let it come +to a boil. Then set it away to cool. Having boiled an ounce of the best +Russian isinglass in a pint of water till it is entirely dissolved and +the water reduced to one-half, strain it into the custard, stir it +hard, and set it aside to get quite cold. + +Whip to a stiff froth a quart of rich cream, taking it off in spoonfuls +as you do it, and putting it to drain on an inverted sieve. When the +custard is quite cold, (but not yet set or congealing,) stir the whipt +cream gradually into it. + +Take at circular mould of the shape of a drum, the sides being +straight. Cut to fit it two round slices from the top and bottom of an +almond sponge-cake; glaze them with white of egg, and lay one on at the +bottom of the mould, reserving the other for the top. + +Having thus covered the bottom, line the sides of the mould with, more +of the sponge-cake, cut into long squares and glazed all over with +white of egg. They must be placed so as to stand up all round—each +wrapping a little over the other so as to leave not the smallest +vacancy between; and they must be cut exactly the height of the mould, +and trimmed evenly. Then fill up with the custard and cream when it is +just beginning to congeal; and cover the top with the other round slice +of cake. + +Set the mould in a tub of pounded ice mixed with coarse salt; and let +it remain forty minutes, or near an hour. Then turn out the Charlotte +on a china dish. Have ready an icing, made in the usual manner of +beaten white of egg and powdered sugar, flavoured with essence of +lemon. Spread it smoothly over the top of the Charlotte, which when the +icing is dry will be ready, to serve. They are introduced at large +parties, and it is usual to have two or four of them. + +A CHARLOTTE POLONAISE. + +Boil over a slow fire a pint and a half of cream. While it is boiling +have ready six yolks of eggs, beaten up with two table-spoonfuls of +powdered arrow-root, or fine flour. Stir this gradually into the +boiling cream, taking care to have it perfectly smooth and free from +lumps. Ten minutes will suffice for the egg and cream to boil together. +Then divide the mixture by putting it into two separate sauce-pans. + +Then mix with it, in one of the pans, six ounces of chocolate scraped +fine, two ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, and a quarter of a pound of +maccaroons, broken up. When it has come to a hard boil, take it off, +stir it well, pour it into a bowl, and set it away to cool. + +Have ready, for the other sauce-pan of cream and egg, a dozen bitter +almonds, and four ounces of shelled sweet almonds or pistachio nuts, +all blanched and pounded in a mortar with rose-water to a smooth paste, +and mixed with an ounce of citron also pounded. Add four ounces of +powdered sugar; and to colour it green, two large spoonfuls of spinach +juice that has been strained through a sieve. Stir this mixture into +the other half of the cream, and let it come to a boil. Then put it +aside to cool. + +Cut a large sponge-cake into slices half an inch thick. Spread one +slice thickly with the chocolate cream, and cover another slice with +the almond cream. Do this alternately (piling them evenly on a china +dish) till all the ingredients are used up. You may arrange it in the +original form of the sponge-cake before it was cut, or in a pyramid. +Have ready the whites of the six eggs whipped to a stiff froth, with +which have been gradually mixed six ounces of powdered sugar, and +twelve drops of oil of lemon. With a spoon heap this meringue (as the +French call it) all over the pile of cake, &c., and then sift powdered +sugar over it. Set it in a very slow oven till the outside becomes a +light brown colour. + +Serve it up cold, ornamented according to your taste. + +If you find the chocolate cream too thin, add more maccaroons. If the +almond cream is too thin, mix in more pounded citron. If either of the +mixtures is too thick, dilute it with more cream. + +This is superior to a Charlotte Russe. + +APPLE COMPOTE. + +Take large ripe pippin apples. Pare, core, and weigh them, and to each +pound allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar and two lemons. Parboil the +apples, and then set them out to cool. Pare off very nicely with a +penknife the yellow rind of the lemons, taking care not to break it; +and then with scissors trim the edges to an even width all along. Put +the lemon-rind to boil in a little sauce-pan by itself, till it Becomes +tender, and then set it to cool. Allow half a pint of water to each +pound of sugar; and when it is melted, set it on the fire in the +preserving kettle, put in the apples, and boil them slowly till they +are clear and tender all through, but not till they break; skimming the +syrup carefully. After you have taken out the apples, add the +lemon-juice, put in the lemon-peel, and boil it till quite transparent. +When the whole is cold, put the apples with the syrup into glass +dishes, and dispose the wreaths of lemon-peel fancifully about them. + + + + +ANIMALS + + +FIGURES EXPLANATORY OF THE PIECES INTO WHICH THE FIVE LARGE ANIMALS ARE +DIVIDED BY THE BUTCHERS. + +_Beef._ + + +[Illustration] + +1. Sirloin. 2. Rump. 3. Edge Bone. 4. Buttock. 5. Mouse Buttock. 6. +Leg. 7. Thick Flank. 8. Veiny Piece. 9. Thin Flank. 10. Fore Rib: 7 +Ribs. 11. Middle Rib: 4 Ribs. 12. Chuck Rib: 2 Ribs. 13. Brisket. 14. +Shoulder, or Leg of Mutton Piece. 15. Clod. 16. Neck, or Sticking +Piece. 17. Shin. 18. Cheek. + +_Veal_. + + +[Illustration] + +1. Loin, Best End. 2. Fillet. 3. Loin, Chump End. 4. Hind Knuckle. 5. +Neck, Best End. 6. Breast, Best End. 7. Blade Bone. 8. Fore Knuckle. 9. +Breast, Brisket End. 10. Neck, Scrag End. + +_Mutton._ + + +[Illustration] + +1. Leg 2. Shoulder 3. Loin, Best End. 4. Loin, Chump End. 5. Neck, Best +End. 6. Breast. 7. Neck, Scrag End. + + +_Note:_ A Chine is two Loins, and two Necks of the Best End. + +_Pork._ + + +[Illustration] + +1. Leg. 2. Hind Loin. 3. Fore Loin. 4. Spare Rib. 5. Hand. 6. Spring. + +_Venison_ + + +[Illustration] + +1. Shoulder. 2. Neck. 3. Haunch. 4. Breast. 5. Scrag. + + + + +INDEX + + +Acid salt +Almond cake +Almond custard +Almond ice-cream +Almond maccaroons +Almond pudding +Another almond pudding +Anchovy catchup +Anchovy sauce +Anniseed cordial +Apees +Apples, baked +Apple butter +Apple butter, without cider +Apple custard +Apple dumplings +Apple fritters +Apple jelly +Apple and other pies +Apple pot-pie Apples, preserved +Apple pudding, baked +Apple pudding, boiled +Apple sauce +Apple water +Apricots, preserved +Arrow-root blanc-mange +Arrow-root jelly +Arrow-root pudding +Artichokes, to boil +Asparagus, to boil +Asparagus soup + +Balm of Gilead oil +Barberry jelly +Barberries, to pickle +Barley water +Bath buns +Bean soup +Beans, (dried,) to boil +Beans, (green or French,) to boil +Beans, (green,) to pickle +Beans, (Lima,) to boil, and dry +Beans, (scarlet) to boil +Beef, remarks on +Beef, à la mode +Beef, baked +Beef bouilli +Beef (corned or salted) to boil +Beef cakes +Beef, to corn +Beef, to dry and smoke +Beef dripping, to save +Beef, hashed +Beef’s heart, roasted +Beef’s heart, stewed +Beef kidney, to dress Beef, potted +Beef, to roast +Beef soup, fine +Beef steaks, to broil +Beef steaks, to fry +Beef steak pie +Beef steak pudding +Beef, to stew +Beef, (a round of,) to stew +Beef, (a round of,) to stew another way +Beef and tongues, to pickle +Beef tea +Beets, to boil +Beets, to stew +Beer, (molasses) +Beer, (sassafras) +Biscuit, (milk) +Biscuit, (soda) +Biscuit, (sugar) +Biscuit, (tea) +Bishop +Bitters +Black cake +Black-fish, to stew +Blanc-mange +Blanc-mange, (arrow-root) +Blanc-mange, (carrageen) +Bottled small beer +Bran bread +Bread +Bread, (rye and Indian) +Bread cake +Bread jelly +Bread pudding, baked +Bread pudding, boiled +Bread and butter pudding +Bread sauce +Brocoli, to boil +Brown soup, rich +Buckwheat cakes +Burnet vinegar +Burns, remedy for +Butter, to brown +Butter, melted or drawn +Butter, to make +Butter, to preserve +Butternuts, to pickle + +Cabbage, to boil +Cabbage, (red,) to pickle +Cale-cannon +Calf’s feet broth +Calf’s feet, to fry +Calf’s feet jelly +Calf’s head, dressed plain +Calf’s head, hashed +Calf’s head soup +Calf’s liver, fried +Calf’s liver, larded +Cantelope, preserved +Caper sauce +Capillaire +Carrots, to boil +Carrot pudding +Carp, to stew +Carrageen blanc-mange +Catfish soup +Cauliflower, to boil +Cauliflower, to pickle +Cayenne pepper +Celery, to prepare for table +Celery sauce +Celery vinegar +Charlotte, (plum) +Charlotte, (raspberry) +Cheese, to make +Cheese, (cottage) +Cheese, (sage) +Cheese, (Stilton) +Cheesecake, (almond) +Cheesecake, (common) +Cherry bounce +Cherry cordial +Cherries, (dried) +Cherry jam +Cherry jelly +Cherries, preserved +Cherries, preserved whole +Cherry shrub +Chestnuts, to roast +Chestnut pudding +Chicken broth, and panada, +Chickens, broiled, +Chicken croquets and rissoles, +Chicken curry, +Chicken dumplings or puddings, +Chickens, fricasseed, +Chicken jelly, +Chicken pie, +Chicken salad, +Chilblains, remedy for, +Chilli vinegar, +Chitterlings, or calf’s tripe, +Chocolate, to make, +Chocolate custard, +Chowder, +Cider cake, +Cider, (mulled,) +Cider vinegar, +Cider wine, +Cinderellas, or German puffs, +Citrons, to preserve, +Clam soup, +Clam soup, (plain,) +Clotted cream, +Cocoa, to prepare, +Cocoa shells, to boil, +Cocoa-nut cakes, +Cocoa-nut cakes, (white,) +Cocoa-nut custard, baked, +Cocoa-nut custard, boiled, +Cocoa-nut jumbles, +Cocoa-nut maccaroons, +Cocoa-nut pudding, +Cocoa-nut pudding, another way, +Codfish, (fresh,) to boil, +Codfish, (fresh,) to boil another way, +Codfish, salt, to boil, +Coffee, to make, +Coffee, (French,) +Cold cream, +Cold slaw, +Cold sweet sauce, +Cologne water, +Colouring for confectionary, +Corn, (Indian,) to boil, +Corn, (green,) pudding, +Corns, remedy for, +Cosmetic paste, +Crab-apples, (green,) to preserve, +Crab-apples, (red,) to preserve, +Crabs, (cold,) +Crabs, (hot,) +Crabs, (soft,) +Cranberries, to preserve, +Cranberry sauce, +Cream cake, +Cream, (lemon,) +Cream, (orange,) +Cream, to preserve, +Cream sauce, +Cucumbers, to dress raw, +Cucumbers, to fry, +Cucumbers, to pickle, +Cup cake, +Curaçoa, +Curds and whey, +Currant jelly, (black,) +Currant jelly, (red,) +Currant jelly, (white,) +Currant shrub, +Currant wine, +Custard, (boiled,) +Custard, (plain,) +Custard, (rice,) +Custard, (soft,) +Custard pudding, + +Dough nuts, +Ducks, to hash, +Ducks, to stew, +Ducks, to roast, +Dumplings, (apple,) +Dumplings, (light,) +Dumplings, (plain suet,) +Dumplings, (fine suet,) +Dumplings, (Indian,) +Durable ink, +Durable ink, another way, + +Eastern pudding, +Eggs, to boil for breakfast, +Eggs, to fricassee, +Eggs, to keep, +Eggs with ham, +Egg nogg, +Eggs, to pickle, +Egg plant, to stew, +Egg plant, to fry, +Egg plant, stuffed, +Eggs, raw, +Egg sauce, +Election cake, +Elderberry wine, +Elder-flower wine, +Essence of lemon peel, +Essence of peppermint, +Eve’s pudding, + +Family soup, +Federal cakes, +Flannel cakes, +Flax-seed lemonade, +Floating island, +Flour, to brown, +Flour hasty-pudding, +Force-meat balls, +Fowls, to boil, +Fowls, to roast, +Fox-grape shrub, +Friar’s chicken, +Fritters, (apple,) +Fritters, (plain,) +Frosted fruit, +Fruit queen-cakes, + +General sauce, +Gherkins, to pickle, +Ginger, to preserve, +Ginger beer, +Ginger plum-cake, +Gingerbread, (common,) +Gingerbread nuts, +Gingerbread, (Franklin,) +Gingerbread, (white,) +Gooseberries, bottled, +Gooseberry custard, +Gooseberry fool, +Gooseberries, to preserve, +Gooseberries, to stew, +Gooseberry wine, +Goose pie, +Goose pie for Christmas, +Goose, to roast, +Grapes, in brandy, +Grapes, (wild,) to keep, +Grape jelly, +Gravy, (drawn or made,) +Gravy soup, (clear,) +Ground nuts, to roast, +Ground rice milk, +Grouse, to roast, +Gruel, to make, +Gruel, oatmeal, + +Halibut, to boil, +Halibut cutlets, +Ham, to boil, +Ham, to broil, +Ham or bacon, directions for curing, +Ham, (to glaze,) +Ham dumplings, +Ham pie, +Ham sandwiches, +Ham, to roast, +Ham, (Westphalia,) to imitate, +Hare or rabbit soup, +Hare, to roast, +Harvey’s sauce, +Herbs, to dry, +Hominy, to boil, +Honey cake, +Horseradish vinegar, +Huckleberry cake, +Hungary water, + +Ice cream, (almond,) +Ice cream, (lemon,) +Ice cream, (pine apple,) +Ice cream, (raspberry,) +Ice cream, (strawberry,) +Ice cream, (vanilla,) +Ice lemonade, +Ice orangeade, +Icing for cakes, +Indian batter cakes, +Indian corn, to boil, +Indian dumplings, +Indian flappers, +Indian muffins, +Indian mush, +Indian mush cakes, +Indian pound cake, +Indian pudding, baked, +Indian pudding, boiled, +Indian pudding without eggs, +Italian Cream, + +Jaune-mange, +Jelly cake, +Johnny cake, +Julienne (à la) soup, + +Kid, to roast, +Kitchen, pepper, +Kitchiner’s fish-sauce, +Kisses, + +Lady cake, +Lamb, to roast, +Larding, +Lavender, compound, +Lavender water, +Laudanum, antidote to, +Lead water, +Lemon brandy, +Lemon catchup, +Lemon cordial, +Lemon cream, +Lemon custard, +Lemon juice, to keep, +Lemon peel, to keep, +Lemon peel, (essence of,) +Lemons, preserved, +Lemon pudding, +Lemon syrup, +Lemonade, +Lettuce or salad, to dress, +Lip salve, +Liver dumplings, +Liver puddings, +Lobster, to boil, +Lobster catchup, +Lobster, to fricassee, +Lobster, to dress cold, +Lobster, pickled, +Lobster, potted, +Lobster pie, +Lobster sauce, +Lobster soup, +Lobster, to stew, + +Maccaroni, to dress, +Maccaroni soup, +Maccaroni soup, (rich,) +Maccaroons, (almond,) +Maccaroons, (cocoa-nut,) +Maccaroon custard, +Mackerel, to boil, +Mackerel, to broil, +Mangoes, to pickle, +Marbled veal, +Marlborough pudding, +Marmalade cake, +Mead, +Meg Merrilies’ soup, +Milk biscuit +Milk punch +Milk soup +Mince pies +Mince meat +Mince meat for Lent +Mince meat, (very plain) +Minced oysters +Mint sauce +Molasses beer +Molasses candy +Molasses posset +Moravian sugar-cake +Morella cherries, to pickle +Mock oysters of corn +Mock turtle, or calf’s head soup +Muffins, (common) +Muffins, (Indian) +Muffins, (water) +Mulled cider +Mulled wine +Mullagatawny soup +Mush, (Indian,) to make +Mush cakes +Mushrooms, to broil +Mushroom catchup +Mushrooms, to pickle brown +Mushrooms, to pickle white +Mushroom sauce +Mushrooms, to stew +Musquito bites, remedy for +Mustard, (common) +Mustard, (French) +Mustard, (keeping) +Mutton, to boil +Mutton broth +Mutton broth made quickly +Mutton, (casserole of) +Mutton chops, broiled +Mutton chops, stewed +Mutton cutlets, à la Maintenon +Mutton harico +Mutton, hashed +Mutton, (leg of,) stewed +Mutton, to roast +Mutton soup, (including cabbage and noodle soups) + +Nasturtians, to pickle +Nasturtian sauce +New York cookies +Nougat +Noyau + +Oatmeal gruel +Ochra soup +Oil of flowers +Omelet, (plain) +Omelet soufflé +Onions, to boil +Onions, to fry +Onions, to pickle +Onions, pickled white +Onions, to roast +Onion sauce, (brown) +Onion sauce, (white) +Onion soup +Orangeade +Orange cream +Orange jelly +Orange marmalade +Orange pudding +Orgeat +Ortolans, to roast +Oyster catchup +Oysters, fried +Oyster fritters +Oysters, minced +Oysters, pickled +Oysters, pickled for keeping +Oyster pie +Oysters, scalloped +Oysters, stewed +Oyster soup +Oyster soup, (plain,) +Ox-tail soup, +Oyster Sauce, + +Panada, (chicken,) +Pancakes, (plain,) +Pancakes, (sweetmeat,) +Parsley, to pickle, +Parsley sauce, +Parsnips, to boil, +Partridges, to roast, +Partridges, to roast another way, +Paste, (dripping,) +Paste, (lard,) +Paste, (the best plain,) +Paste, (potato,) +Paste, (fine puff.) +Paste, (suet,) +Paste, (sweet,) +Peaches, (in brandy,) +Peach cordial, +Peaches, (dried,) +Peaches for common use, +Peach jelly, +Peach kernels, +Peach marmalade, +Peaches, to pickle, +Peaches, to preserve, +Peach sauce, +Peas, (green,) to boil, +Peas soup, +Peas soup, (green,) +Pears, to bake, +Pears, to preserve, +Peppers, (green,) to pickle, +Peppers, (green,) to preserve, +Pepper pot, +Perch, to fry, +Pheasants, to roast, +Pheasants, to roast another way, +Pies, +Pie crust, (common,) +Pies, (standing,) +Pies, (apple and other,) +Pickle, (East India,) +Pig, to roast, +Pig’s feet and ears, soused, +Pigeon or chicken dumplings, +Pigeon pie, +Pigeons, to roast, +Pilau, +Pine-apple ice cream, +Pine-apples, (fresh,) to prepare for eating, +Pine-apples, to preserve, +Plovers, to roast, +Plum charlotte, +Plums for common use, +Plums, to preserve, +Plums, (egg,) to preserve whole, +Plums, (green gage,) to preserve, +Plum pudding, baked, +Plum pudding, boiled, +Poke, to boil, +Pomatum, (soft,) +Pork and beans, +Pork cheese, +Pork, (corned,) to boil, +Pork, (pickled,) to boil with peas pudding, +Pork cutlets, +Pork, (leg of,) to roast, +Pork, (loin of,) to roast, +Pork, (middling piece,) to roast, +Pork pie, +Pork steaks, +Pork, to stew, +Port wine jelly, +Pot pie, +Pot pie, (apple,) +Potatoes, to boil, +Potatoes, to fry, +Potatoes, roasted +Potato pudding +Potato snow +Pound cake +Prawns, to boil +Prune pudding +Pudding catchup +Pumpkin, to boil +Pumpkin chips +Pumpkin pudding +Pumpkin yeast +Punch +Punch, (frozen,) +Punch, (milk,) +Punch, (fine milk,) +Punch, (regent’s,) +Punch, (Roman,) +Pyramid of tarts, +Pink sauce, + +Quails, to roast +Queen cake +Quin’s sauce for fish +Quince cheese +Quince cordial +Quince jelly +Quince marmalade +Quinces, preserved +Quinces, to preserve whole +Quince pudding + +Rabbits, fricasseed +Rabbits, to fry +Rabbits, to stew +Radishes, to prepare for table +Radish pods, to pickle +Raspberry charlotte +Raspberry cordial +Raspberry ice-cream +Raspberry jam +Raspberries, to preserve +Raspberry vinegar +Raspberry wine +Ratafia +Raw egg +Reed birds, to roast +Rennet whey +Rhubarb tarts +Rice, to boil +Rice, to boil for curry Rice custard +Rice cakes +Rice dumplings +Rice flummery +Rice jelly +Rice pudding, boiled +Rice pudding, (farmer’s,) +Rice pudding, (ground,) +Rice pudding, (plain,) +Rice pudding, (plum,) +Rice milk +Rice milk, (ground,) +Ringworms, remedy for, +Rock-fish, to boil, +Rock-fish, to pickle, +Rolls, (common,) +Rolls, (French,) +Rose brandy +Rhubarb jam +Rose cordial +Rose vinegar +Rusk +Russian or Swedish turnip, to boil, +Rye and Indian bread + +Sago +Sago pudding +Salad, to dress, +Salmon, (fresh,) to bake whole, +Salmon, (fresh,) to bake in slices, +Salmon, (fresh,) to boil, +Salmon, (pickled,) +Salmon, (smoked,) +Salmon steaks +Sally Lunn cake, +Salsify, to dress, +Sandwiches, (ham,) +Sangaree, +Sassafras beer, +Sausage meat, (common,) +Sausages, (fine,) +Sausages, (Bologna,) +Savoy biscuits, +Scented bags, +Scotch cake, +Scotch queen-cake, +Scotch sauce for fish, +Sea bass or black-fish, boiled, +Sea bass, fried, +Sea catchup, +Sea kale, to boil, +Secrets, +Seidlitz powders, +Shad, baked, +Shad, to fry, +Shalot vinegar, +Shells, +Short cakes, +Shrub, (cherry,) +Shrub, (currant,) +Shrub, (fox-grape,) +Smelts, to fry, +Snowball custard, +Snipes, to roast, +Soda biscuit, +Soda water, +Spanish buns, +Spinach, to boil, +Spinach and eggs, +Sponge cake, +Spruce beer, +Squashes or cymlings, to boil, +Squash, (winter,) to boil, +Squash, pudding, +Strawberries, preserved, +Strawberry ice-cream, +Strawberry cordial, +Sturgeon cutlets, +Suet pudding, +Sugar biscuit, +Sugar syrup, clarified, +Sweet basil vinegar, +Sweet jars, +Sweet sauce, (cold,) +Sweet potatoes, boiled, +Sweet potatoes, fried, +Sweet potato pudding, +Sweet-breads, to broil, +Sweet-breads, larded, +Sweet-breads, to roast, +Syllabub or whipt cream, +Syllabub, (country,) +Shrewsbury cake, + +Tamarind water, +Tapioca, +Tarragon vinegar, +Tea, to make, +Terrapins, +Thieves’ vinegar, +Toast and water, +Tomatas, to bake, +Tomata catchup, +Tomatas, to keep, +Tomatas, to pickle, +Tomatas, to stew, +Tomata soy, +Tongue, (salted or pickled,) to boil, +Tongue, (smoked,) to boil, +Trifle, +Tripe, to boil, +Tripe, to fry, +Tripe and oysters, +Trout, to boil, +Trout, to fry, +Turkey, to boil, +Turkey, to roast, +Turkish sherbet, +Turnips, to boil, + +Veal, (breast of,) to stew, +Veal, (breast of,) to roast, +Veal cutlets, +Veal, (fillet of,) to stew, +Veal, (fillet of,) to roast, +Veal, (knuckle of,) to stew, +Veal, (loin of,) to roast, +Veal, (minced,) +Veal patties, +Veal pie, +Veal soup +Veal soup, (rich,) +Veal steaks +Veal or chicken tea, +Vegetable soup, +Venison hams, +Venison, (cold,) to hash, +Venison pasty, +Venison, to roast, +Venison soup, +Venison steaks, +Vermicelli soup, +Vinegar (cider,) +Vinegar, (sugar,) +Vinegar, (white,) +Violet perfume, + +Wafer cakes, +Waffles, +Walnut catchup, +Walnuts, pickled black, +Walnuts, pickled green, +Walnuts, pickled white, +Warm slaw, +Warts, remedy for, +Washington cake, +Water-melon rind, to preserve, +Water souchy, +Welsh rabbit, +White soup, (rich,) +Wine jelly, +Wine sauce, +Wine whey, +Wonders or crullers, +Woodcocks, to roast, + +Yam pudding, +Yeast, (baker’s,) +Yeast, (bran,) +Yeast, (common,) +Yeast, (patent,) +Yeast, (pumpkin,) + + + + +ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS + + +Almond bread, +Almond paste, +Apple dumplings, (baked,) +Apple compote, +Apple rice pudding, + +Batter pudding +Blood, to stop, + +Charlotte Polonaise, +Charlotte Russe, +Cherry cordial, +Cider cake, (plain,) +Cream cheese, +Cucumbers, (preserved,) +Custard cakes, + +Frozen custard, + +Giblet soup, +Green pea soup, (French,) +Green ointment, +Gumbo, +Gumbo soup, + +Ham omelet, +Hoe cake, +Honey ginger cake, + +Ice cream, (common,) +Indian loaf cake, + +Lemon drops, + +Milk toast, + +Peach leather, +Peach mangoes, +Pearlash, to keep, +Peppermint drops, +Pink champagne jelly, +Potato Yeast, + +Rock cake, + +Tennessee muffins, +Tomatas, (broiled,) +Tomata honey +Tomatas, (preserved,) + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY *** + +***** This file should be named 9624-0.txt or 9624-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/6/2/9624/ + +Produced by Digital & Multimedia 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