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diff --git a/9624.txt b/9624.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1a924f --- /dev/null +++ b/9624.txt @@ -0,0 +1,17001 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Directions for Cookery, in its Various +Branches, by Eliza Leslie + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches + +Author: Eliza Leslie + +Posting Date: November 15, 2011 [EBook #9624] +Release Date: January, 2006 +First Posted: October 10, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** 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. + + + + + + + + + + + +DIRECTIONS FOR COOKERY, IN ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES. + +BY + +MISS LESLIE. + + +TENTH EDITION, WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY RECEIPTS. + + +1840. + + + + +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. + + + + +GENERAL CONTENTS. + +Soups; including those of Fish + +Fish; various ways of dressing + +Shell Fish; Oysters, Lobsters, Crabs, &c. + +Beef; including pickling and smoking it + +Veal + +Mutton and Lamb + +Pork; including Bacon, Sausages, &c. + +Venison; Hares, Rabbits, &c. + +Poultry and Game + +Gravy and Sauces + +Store Fish Sauces; Catchups, &c. + +Flavoured Vinegars; Mustards & Pepper + +Vegetables; including Indian Corn, Tomatas, Mushrooms, &c. + +Eggs; usual ways of dressing, including Omelets + +Pickling + +Sweetmeats; including Preserves and Jellies + +Pastry and Puddings; also Pancakes, Dumplings, Custards, &c., +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, &c. + +Domestic Liquors; including home-made Beer, Wines, Shrub, +Cordials, &c. + +Preparations for the Sick + +Perfumery + +Miscellaneous Receipts + +Additional Receipts + +Animals used as Butchers' Meat + +Index + + + + +MISS LESLIE'S COOKERY. + + + + +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 A 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 a-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 a-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 A 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, &c. + + +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, &c. + + +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, &c. + + +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, &c. + +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. + + +SEA CATCHUP. + +Take a gallon of stale strong beer, a pound of anchovies washed +from the pickle, a pound of peeled shalots or small onions, half +an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, a quarter of an ounce +of whole pepper, three or four large pieces of ginger, and two +quarts of large mushroom-flaps rubbed to pieces. Put the whole +into a kettle closely covered, and let it simmer slowly till +reduced to one half. Then strain it through a flannel bag, and let +it stand till quite cold before you bottle it. Have small bottles +and fill them quite full of the catchup. Dip the corks in melted +rosin. + +This catchup keeps well at sea, and may be carried into any part +of the world. A spoonful of it mixed in melted butter will make a +fine fish sauce. It may also be used to flavour gravy. + + + + +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, &c. + + +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 SOUFFLE. + +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 souffle 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 souffle 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 souffle 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, &c. 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 Curacoa. 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. + + +CURACOA. + +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. Curacoa 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. + + +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. 10. Fore Rib: 7 Ribs. +2. Rump. 11. Middle Rib: 4 Ribs. +3. Edge Bone. 12. Chuck Rib: 2 Ribs. +4. Buttock. 13. Brisket. +5. Mouse Buttock. 14. Shoulder, or Leg of Mutton Piece +6. Leg. 15. Clod. +7. Thick Flank. 16. Neck, or Sticking Piece. +8. Veiny Piece. 17. Shin. +9. Thin Flank. 18. Cheek.] + + +Veal. + +[Illustration: +1. Loin, Best End. 6. Breast, Best End. +2. Fillet. 7. Blade Bone. +3. Loin, Chump End. 8. Fore Knuckle. +4. Hind Knuckle. 9. Breast, Brisket End. +5. Neck, Best 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, a 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, +Chili 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, +Curacoa, +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 pack, +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 (a 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 +Mulligatawny 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, a 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 souffle +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 +Ortelans, 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, +Sweetbreads, to broil, +Sweetbreads, larded, +Sweetbreads, 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 sour, +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, +Watermelon 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, (bakers',) +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 drop's, +Pink champagne jelly, +Potato Yeast, + +Rock cake, + +Tennesee 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.txt or 9624.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/6/2/9624/ + +Produced by Digital & Multimedia 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