Académique Documents
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Isabella Beeton
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Language: English
MISTRESS,
HOUSEKEEPER,
COOK,
KITCHEN-MAID,
BUTLER,
FOOTMAN,
COACHMAN,
VALET,
UPPER AND UNDER HOUSE-MAIDS,
LADY'S-MAID,
MAID-OF-ALL-WORK,
LAUNDRY-MAID,
NURSE AND NURSE-MAID,
MONTHLY, WET, AND SICK NURSES,
ETC. ETC.
Published Originally By
S. O. Beeton in 24 Monthly Parts
1859-1861.
PREFACE.
I must frankly own, that if I had known, beforehand, that this book
would have cost me the labour which it has, I should never have been
courageous enough to commence it. What moved me, in the first instance,
to attempt a work like this, was the discomfort and suffering which I
had seen brought upon men and women by household mismanagement. I have
always thought that there is no more fruitful source of family
discontent than a housewife's badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways. Men
are now so well served out of doors,--at their clubs, well-ordered
taverns, and dining-houses, that in order to compete with the
attractions of these places, a mistress must be thoroughly acquainted
with the theory and practice of cookery, as well as be perfectly
conversant with all the other arts of making and keeping a comfortable
home.
Besides the great portion of the book which has especial reference to
the cook's department, there are chapters devoted to those of the other
servants of the household, who have all, I trust, their duties clearly
assigned to them.
Towards the end of the work will be found valuable chapters on the
"Management of Children"----"The Doctor," the latter principally
referring to accidents and emergencies, some of which are certain to
occur in the experience of every one of us; and the last chapter
contains "Legal Memoranda," which will be serviceable in cases of doubt
as to the proper course to be adopted in the relations between Landlord
and Tenant, Tax-gatherer and Tax-payer, and Tradesman and Customer.
ISABELLA BEETON.
GENERAL CONTENTS
CHAP.
I.--THE MISTRESS.
2.--THE HOUSEKEEPER.
4.--INTRODUCTION TO COOKERY.
6.--RECIPES.
8.--RECIPES.
10.--RECIPES.
13.--RECIPES.
15.--RECIPES.
17.--RECIPES.
19.--RECIPES.
21.--RECIPES.
23.--RECIPES.
25.--RECIPES.
27.--RECIPES
29--RECIPES.
31.--RECIPES.
33.--RECIPES.
35.--RECIPES.
37.--RECIPES.
38.--INVALID COOKERY.
39.--RECIPES.
43.--THE DOCTOR
44.--LEGAL MEMORANDA
ANALYTICAL INDEX.
Maize 1721
Cobbett a cultivator of 1174
Or Indian wheat, boiled 1174
Malt wine 1824
Manchester pudding 1300
Mangling and ironing 2387-9
Mango chetney, Bengal recipe for making 392
Manna kroup pudding 1302
Qualities of 1302
Mansfield pudding 1303
Marble, to clean 2333-4
Marjoram, species of 173, 415
Marlborough pudding 1304
Marmalade, and vermicelli pudding 1305
Of Apricots 1522
Orange 1566-7
an easy way of making 1568
made with honey 1569
Quince 1586
Marrow, bones 635
Boiled 635
Dumplings 1306
Pudding, boiled or baked 1307
Mayonnaise 468
Measles 2547-59
Meat, action of salt on 607
Bad 605
Baking 665
Good 602
In season, January to December _pp_ 33-7
Modes of cooking 540-84
Pies, savoury jelly for 521
To buy economically 726
Meats, preserved 643
Medical memoranda 2689-93
Melon, description of the 1559
Introduced into England 1115
Uses of the 1559
Melons 1569
Meringues 1451
Military puddings 1308
Milk, and cream, separation of 1627
to keep in hot weather 1628
And suckling 2472-90
Excellence of 1627
General observations on 1608-14
Or cream, substitute for 1815
Qualities of 1628
Soup 137
Millet, Italian 1718
Pannicled 1733
Mince pies 1311
Minced collops 619
Mincemeat, to make 1309
Excellent 1310
Lemon 1293
Mint 469
Sauce 469
Vinegar 470
Mistress, after-dinner invitations 39
Charity and benevolence, duties of 14
Choice of acquaintances 6
Cleanliness indispensable to health 4
Conversation, trifling occurrences 9
Daily duties 22-6
Departure of guests 45-6
Dessert 37-8
Dinner announced 35
Domestics, engaging 17
giving characters to 20
obtaining 18
treatment of 19
yearly wages, table of 21
Mistress, dress and fashion 11
of the 13
Early rising 3
Etiquette of evening parties 40-3
the ball room 44
Evenings at home 48
Family dinner at home 47
Friendships should not be hastily formed 7
Good temper, cultivation of 10
Guests at dinner-table 36
Half-hour before dinner 34
Home virtues 5
Hospitality, excellence of 8
Household duties 1-2
House-hunting, locality, aspect, ventilation, rent 54
Housekeeping account-book 16
Introductions 51
Invitations for dinner 33
Letters of introduction 52-3
Marketing 15
Morning calls and visits 27-32
Purchasing of wearing apparel 12
Retiring for the night 49
Mock-turtle soup 172-3
Morello cherries, to preserve 1561
Moths, preservatives against 2285
Muffins 1727
Mulberries, preserved 1360
Mulberry, description of the 1360
Mullagatawny soup 174
Mullet, grey 284
Red 285
Muriatic acid 2651
Mushroom, the cultivated 473
Growth of the 476
How to distinguish the 472
Ketchup 472
Localities of the 1126
Nature of the 478
Powder 477
Sauce, brown 474
very rich and good 479
white 475-6
Varieties of the 1125
Mushrooms, baked 1124
Broiled 1125
Pickled 478
Stewed 1127
in gravy 1128
To dry 473
preserve 1126
procure 1127
Mustard 480
How to mix 480
Indian 480
Tartar 481
Mutton, baked minced 703
Breast of, boiled 704
(excellent way to cook a) 709
Broiled, and tomato sauce 710
Broth, quickly made 1873
to make 1872
Carving 759-63
China chilo 712
Mutton, chops, broiled 711
Collops 731
Curried 713
Cutlets, of cold 714
Italian 723
with mashed potatoes 732
Dormers 715
Fillet of, braised 707
Haricot 716-18
Hashed 719
Haunch of, roast 726
to carve a 759
Hodge-podge 720
Irish stew 721-2
Kidney, broiled 724
fried 725
Leg of, boiled 705
boned and stuffed 706
braised 708
roast 727
to carve a 760
Loin of, to carve a 761
roast 728
rolled 729
Neck of, boiled 730
rago�t of 736
roast 737
Pie 733-4
Pudding 735
Qualities of various 707
Saddle of, roast 738
to carve a 762
Shoulder of, roast 739
to carve a 763
Soup, good 175
Nasturtium, uses of the 482
Nasturtiums, pickled 482
Nature and art in nursing 2445-2452
Navet, description of the 1168
Nectar, Welsh 1830
Nectarines, preserved 1562
Needlework 2325
Negus, to make 1835
Nesselrode pudding 1313
Nitric acid 2650
Normandy pippins, stewed 1563
Notice to quit 2716
Noxious trades 2712
Noyeau cream 1452
Homemade 1825
Nurse, attention to children's dispositions 2401
Carrying an infant 2398
Convulsion fits 2406
Croup 2407
Dentition 2405
General duties of the 2402-4
Habits of cleanliness in children 2400
Hooping-cough 2408
Measles and scarlatina 2410-12
Miss Nightingale's remarks on children 2414-5
Worms 2409
Nursemaids, upper and under 2397
Nurse, Monthly, age of 2431
Nurse, Monthly, attention to cleanliness
in the patient's room 2433
Choice of a 2429
Doctor's instructions must be observed 2430
General duties of the 2432
Infant must not be exposed to light or cold too early 2434
Nurse, Sick, airing the bed 2425
Attention to food 2427
Bad smells must be removed 2422
Cleanliness, necessity of 2421
Diet suitable to the patient's taste 2428
Duties of the 2416
Necessity for pure air in the sick-room 2417
Night air injurious, a fallacy 2426
Opening of windows and doors 2418-9
Patient must not be waked 2424
Quiet in the patient's room 2423
Ventilation necessary in febrile cases 2402
Nurse, Wet, abstinence from improper food 2411
Age of the 2439
Diet of the 2442
General remarks on the 2435-8
Health and morality of the 2440
Spirits, wines, and narcotics to be avoided 2443
Nutmeg, the 378
Nuts, dish of 1599
hazel and filbert 1599
Sage 427
And onion stuffing 501
Sago, alimentary properties of 1367
How procured 152
Pudding 1367
Sauce for sweet puddings 1368
Soup 152
Salad, a poetic recipe for 508
Boiled 1151
Chicken 931
Dressing 506-8
French 503
Grouse 1026
Lobster 272
Orange 1571
Potato 1154
Scarcity of, in England 505
Summer 1152
Winter 1153
Salads 1153
Salmi de perdrix, or hashed partridge 1038
Salmon, � la Genevese 307
And caper sauce 302
Aversion of the 309
Boiled 301
Collared 303
Crimped 304
Curried 305
Cutlets 306
Growth of the 305
Habitat of the 303
Migratory habits of the 302
Pickled 308
Potted 309
To carve _p._ 175
choose 301
cure 308
Tribe 304
Salsify, description of 1149
To dress 1149
Salt, action of on meat 607
Common 403
Fish 233
Meat, Soyer's recipe for preserving the gravy in 609
Sandwiches, of cheese 1611
Pastry 1318
Toast 1877
Victoria 1491
Sauce, � l'Aurore 511
A la matelote 512
Allemande, or German sauce 509
Anchovy, for fish 362
Roast 990
Stuffing for 520
Soup 188
To carve a roast 1005
Wild 987
Turnip greens boiled 1169
Or the French navet 1168
Qualities of the 1167
Soup 157
Uses of the 1165
Whence introduced 157
Turnips, boiled 1165
German mode of cooking 1167
In white sauce 1168
Mashed 1166
Turnovers, fruit 1278
Turtle, mock 172-3
Soup, cost of 189
The green 189
Yeast 1383
Cake, nice 1788
Dumplings 1383
Kirkleatham 1717
To make, for bread 1716
Yorkshire pudding 1384
ENGRAVINGS.
Fennel 412
Figs, compote of 1541
Fish 199
Flounders 259
Flowers and fruit 61, 103, 584, 925
Fowl, black bantams 939
Black Spanish 962
Boiled 938
" to carve a 1000
Cochin-China 942
Dorking 940
Feather-legged bantams 958
Game 938
Guinea 970
Pencilled Hamburgs 965
Roast 952
" to carve a 1001
Sebright bantams 961
Spangled Polands 941
Speckled Hamburgs 959
Sultans 963
Fritter mould, star 1473
Scroll 1474
Fruit, dish of, mixed 1598
Dish of, mixed summer 1598
Game 1006
Garlic 392
Gherkins 428
Ginger 407
Gingerbread 1760
Glass measure, graduated 77
Goose, Emden 968
Roast 1002
" to carve a 1002
Toulouse 969
Gooseberry 429
Grape, raisin 1324
Sultana 1326
Gridiron, ancient 68
Modern 68
Revolving 569
Grouse, red 1025
Roast 1025
" to carve a 1058
Gudgeon, the 261
Gurnet, the 262
Jack-bottle 580
Jam-pot 1532
Jar-potting 642
Jellies, &c 1385
Jelly, bag 1411
Mould 1411, 1416
" oval 1449
Moulded with cherries 1440
Of two colours 1441
Open with whipped cream 1453
John Dory 248
Macaroni 135
Macaroons 1744
Mace 371
Mackerel, the 281
Maize, ear of 1721
Plant 1721
Marjoram 415
Marrow-bones 635
Milking cow 1608
Millet, Italian 1718
Panicled 1733
Mince pies 1311
Mint 469
Mould, baked pudding or cake 1329
Blancmange 1408, 1442
Boiled pudding 1196-8
Cake 1756, 1764, 1772
Cream 1430
For Christmas plum-pudding 1328
For an open tart 1365
Iced pudding 1289
Jelly 1411, 1416
" oval 1449
Lemon cream 1443
Open 1454, 1463
Raised pie, closed and open 1190
Raspberry cream 1475
Vanilla cream 1490
Muffins 1727
Mulberry, the 1560
Mullet, grey 284
Striped red 285
Mushroom, the 473
Mushrooms 1125
Broiled 1125
Mustard 450
Mutton, cutlets 732
Haunch of 726
" to carve a 759
Leg of 727
" to carve a 760
Loin of 728
" to carve a 761
Neck of 737
Saddle of 738
" to carve a 762
Side of, showing the several joints 695
Shoulder of 739
" to carve a 763
Nasturtiums 482
Nutmeg, the 378
Nuts, dish of 1598
Quadrupeds 585
Quail, the 1046
Quern, or grinding-mill 117
Quince, the 1233
Sage 427
Sago palm 152
Salad, in bowl 1152
Salmon, the 304
To carve a _p._ 175
Salt-mine at Northwich 403
Saucepan, ancient 68
Modern 68
Sauce tureen, boat, &c. 354
Sausages, fried 838
Saut�-pan 571
Ancient 68
Modern 68
Scales, ancient and modern 70
Screen, meat 582
Sea-bream, the 310
Sea-kale 1150
Boiled 1150
Shad, the 311
Shalot, the 410
Sheep 678
Heath ram 689
" ewe 690
Romney-Marsh ram and ewe 691
South-Down ram and ewe 687
Shortbread 1780
Shrimp, the 313
Skate, thornback 315
Snipe, the 1047
Roast 1047
" to carve a 1060
Sole, the 320
Sorrel 431
Souffl� pan 1481
Sow, and pigs 765
Berkshire 781
Chinese 785
Cumberland 784
Essex 782
Yorkshire 783
Spinach 155
Garnished with cro�tons 1155
Sponge cake 1783
Sprat, the 331
Sprouts, Brussels 1098
Stewpan 567
Stock-pot, ancient 66
Bronze 66
Modern 66
Stove, gas 575
Family kitchener 65
Leamington 65, 540
Pompeiian 65
Strawberries, dish of 1598
Sturgeon, the 332
Sugar-cane, the 1335
Sultana grape, the 1326
Swans 54
Tarragon 503
Tart, open 1365
Open mould for a 1365
Plum 1331
Tartlets, dish of 1371
Tazza and carrot leaves 121
Tea 1814
Teacakes 1787
Tench, the 334
Thyme, lemon 458
Tipsy cake 1487
Tomato, the 529
Tomatoes, stewed 1159
Trifle 1489
Trout, the 336
Truffles 1161
Turbot, the 338
Kettle 338
To carve a 176
Tureen, soup 88
Turkey, boiled 986
Roast 990
" to carve a 1005
Turnip 157
Turnips 1165
Turret on old Abbey kitchen 62
Turtle, the 189
COLOURED PLATES.
Apples in custard
Duck, wild
Ducks, couple of, roast
Lobsters, dressed
Mackerel, boiled
Mutton cutlets and mashed potatoes
Haunch of roast
Saddle of roast
Mutton, shoulder of roast
Oysters, scalloped
Partridge
Pheasant
Pie, raised
Pig, sucking, roast or baked
Pigeon
Plum-pudding, Christmas, in mould
Rabbit, boiled
Or fowl, curried
Raspberry cream
Rissoles
Salmon, boiled
Snipe
Soles, dish of filleted
Spinach and poached eggs
Strawberries, au naturel, in
ornamental flower-pot
Veal, fricandeau of
Vol-au-vent
THE MISTRESS.
"Strength, and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to
come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of
kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household; and eateth not
the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her
husband also, and he praiseth her."--_Proverbs_, xxxi. 25-28.
3. EARLY RISING IS ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL QUALITIES which enter into
good Household Management, as it is not only the parent of health, but
of innumerable other advantages. Indeed, when a mistress is an early
riser, it is almost certain that her house will be orderly and
well-managed. On the contrary, if she remain in bed till a late hour,
then the domestics, who, as we have before observed, invariably partake
somewhat of their mistress's character, will surely become sluggards. To
self-indulgence all are more or less disposed, and it is not to be
expected that servants are freer from this fault than the heads of
houses. The great Lord Chatham thus gave his advice in reference to this
subject:--"I would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the
walls of your chamber, 'If you do not rise early, you can make progress
in nothing.'"
14. CHARITY AND BENEVOLENCE ARE DUTIES which a mistress owes to herself
as well as to her fellow-creatures; and there is scarcely any income so
small, but something may be spared from it, even if it be but "the
widow's mite." It is to be always remembered, however, that it is the
_spirit_ of charity which imparts to the gift a value far beyond its
actual amount, and is by far its better part.
Visiting the houses of the poor is the only practical way really
to understand the actual state of each family; and although
there may be difficulties in following out this plan in the
metropolis and other large cities, yet in country towns and
rural districts these objections do not obtain. Great advantages
may result from visits paid to the poor; for there being,
unfortunately, much ignorance, generally, amongst them with
respect to all household knowledge, there will be opportunities
for advising and instructing them, in a pleasant and unobtrusive
manner, in cleanliness, industry, cookery, and good management.
15. IN MARKETING, THAT THE BEST ARTICLES ARE THE CHEAPEST, may be laid
down as a rule; and it is desirable, unless an experienced and
confidential housekeeper be kept, that the mistress should herself
purchase all provisions and stores needed for the house. If the mistress
be a young wife, and not accustomed to order "things for the house," a
little practice and experience will soon teach her who are the best
tradespeople to deal with, and what are the best provisions to buy.
Under each particular head of FISH, MEAT, POULTRY, GAME, &c., will be
described the proper means of ascertaining the quality of these
comestibles.
21. THE FOLLOWING TABLE OF THE AVERAGE YEARLY WAGES paid to domestics,
with the various members of the household placed in the order in which
they are usually ranked, will serve as a guide to regulate the
expenditure of an establishment:--
22. HAVING THUS INDICATED some of the more general duties of the
mistress, relative to the moral government of her household, we will now
give a few specific instructions on matters having a more practical
relation to the position which she is supposed to occupy in the eye of
the world. To do this the more clearly, we will begin with her earliest
duties, and take her completely through the occupations of a day.
23. HAVING RISEN EARLY, as we have already advised (_see_ 3), and having
given due attention to the bath, and made a careful toilet, it will be
well at once to see that the children have received their proper
ablutions, and are in every way clean and comfortable. The first meal of
the day, breakfast, will then be served, at which all the family should
be punctually present, unless illness, or other circumstances, prevent.
24. AFTER BREAKFAST IS OVER, it will be well for the mistress to make a
round of the kitchen and other offices, to see that all are in order,
and that the morning's work has been properly performed by the various
domestics. The orders for the day should then be given, and any
questions which the domestics desire to ask, respecting their several
departments, should be answered, and any special articles they may
require, handed to them from the store-closet.
26. THESE DUTIES AND PLEASURES BEING PERFORMED AND ENJOYED, the hour of
luncheon will have arrived. This is a very necessary meal between an
early breakfast and a late dinner, as a healthy person, with good
exercise, should have a fresh supply of food once in four hours. It
should be a light meal; but its solidity must, of course, be, in some
degree, proportionate to the time it is intended to enable you to wait
for your dinner, and the amount of exercise you take in the mean time.
At this time, also, the servants' dinner will be served.
27. AFTER LUNCHEON, MORNING CALLS AND VISITS may be made and received.
These may be divided under three heads: those of ceremony, friendship,
and congratulation or condolence. Visits of ceremony, or courtesy, which
occasionally merge into those of friendship, are to be paid under
various circumstances. Thus, they are uniformly required after dining at
a friend's house, or after a ball, picnic, or any other party. These
visits should be short, a stay of from fifteen to twenty minutes being
quite sufficient. A lady paying a visit may remove her boa or
neckerchief; but neither her shawl nor bonnet.
32. THE MORNING CALLS BEING PAID OR RECEIVED, and their etiquette
properly attended to, the next great event of the day in most
establishments is "The Dinner;" and we only propose here to make a few
general remarks on this important topic, as, in future pages, the whole
"Art of Dining" will be thoroughly considered, with reference to its
economy, comfort, and enjoyment.
Mr. and Mrs. A---- present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. B----,
and request the honour, [or hope to have the pleasure] of their
company
to dinner on Wednesday, the 6th of December next.
A---- STREET,
_November 13th, 1859. R. S. V. P._
The letters in the corner imply "_R�pondez, s'il vous pla�t;_" meaning,
"an answer will oblige." The reply, accepting the invitation, is couched
in the following terms:--
Mr. and Mrs. B---- present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. A---, and
will do themselves the honour of, [or will have much pleasure in]
accepting their kind invitation to dinner on the 6th of December next.
B---- SQUARE,
_November 18th, 1859._
34. THE HALF-HOUR BEFORE DINNER has always been considered as the great
ordeal through which the mistress, in giving a dinner-party, will either
pass with flying colours, or, lose many of her laurels. The anxiety to
receive her guests,--her hope that all will be present in due time,--her
trust in the skill of her cook, and the attention of the other
domestics, all tend to make these few minutes a trying time. The
mistress, however, must display no kind of agitation, but show her tact
in suggesting light and cheerful subjects of conversation, which will be
much aided by the introduction of any particular new book, curiosity of
art, or article of vertu, which may pleasantly engage the attention of
the company. "Waiting for Dinner," however, is a trying time, and there
are few who have not felt--
35. DINNER BEING ANNOUNCED, the host offers his arm to, and places on
his right hand at the dinner-table, the lady to whom he desires to pay
most respect, either on account of her age, position, or from her being
the greatest stranger in the party. If this lady be married and her
husband present, the latter takes the hostess to her place at table, and
seats himself at her right hand. The rest of the company follow in
couples, as specified by the master and mistress of the house, arranging
the party according to their rank and other circumstances which may be
known to the host and hostess.
36. THE GUESTS BEING SEATED AT THE DINNER-TABLE, the lady begins to help
the soup, which is handed round, commencing with the gentleman on her
right and on her left, and continuing in the same order till all are
served. It is generally established as a rule, not to ask for soup or
fish twice, as, in so doing, part of the company may be kept waiting too
long for the second course, when, perhaps, a little revenge is taken by
looking at the awkward consumer of a second portion. This rule, however,
may, under various circumstances, not be considered as binding.
38. WHEN FRUIT HAS BEEN TAKEN, and a glass or two of wine passed round,
the time will have arrived when the hostess will rise, and thus give the
signal for the ladies to leave the gentlemen, and retire to the
drawing-room. The gentlemen of the party will rise at the same time, and
he who is nearest the door, will open it for the ladies, all remaining
courteously standing until the last lady has withdrawn. Dr. Johnson has
a curious paragraph on the effects of a dinner on men. "Before dinner,"
he says, "men meet with great inequality of understanding; and those who
are conscious of their inferiority have the modesty not to talk. When
they have drunk wine, every man feels himself happy, and loses that
modesty, and grows impudent and vociferous; but he is not improved, he
is only not sensible of his defects." This is rather severe, but there
may be truth in it.
40. THE ETIQUETTE OF THE DINNER-PARTY TABLE being disposed of, let us
now enter slightly into that of an evening party or ball. The
invitations issued and accepted for either of these, will be written in
the same style as those already described for a dinner-party. They
should be sent out _at least_ three weeks before the day fixed for the
event, and should be replied to within a week of their receipt. By
attending to these courtesies, the guests will have time to consider
their engagements and prepare their dresses, and the hostess will, also,
know what will be the number of her party.
If the entertainment is to be simply an evening party, this must
be specified on the card or note of invitation. Short or verbal
invitations, except where persons are exceedingly intimate, or
are very near relations, are very far from proper, although, of
course, in this respect and in many other respects, very much
always depends on the manner in which the invitation is given.
True politeness, however, should be studied even amongst the
nearest friends and relations; for the mechanical forms of good
breeding are of great consequence, and too much familiarity may
have, for its effect, the destruction of friendship.
41. AS THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ARRIVE, each should be shown to a room
exclusively provided for their reception; and in that set apart for the
ladies, attendants should be in waiting to assist in uncloaking, and
helping to arrange the hair and toilet of those who require it. It will
be found convenient, in those cases where the number of guests is large,
to provide numbered tickets, so that they can be attached to the cloaks
and shawls of each lady, a duplicate of which should be handed to the
guest. Coffee is sometimes provided in this, or an ante-room, for those
who would like to partake of it.
44. THE BALL IS GENERALLY OPENED, that is, the first place in the first
quadrille is occupied, by the lady of the house. When anything prevents
this, the host will usually lead off the dance with the lady who is
either the highest in rank, or the greatest stranger. It will be well
for the hostess, even if she be very partial to the amusement, and a
graceful dancer, not to participate in it to any great extent, lest her
lady guests should have occasion to complain of her monopoly of the
gentlemen, and other causes of neglect. A few dances will suffice to
show her interest in the entertainment, without unduly trenching on the
attention due to her guests. In all its parts a ball should be
perfect,--
45. WHEN ANY OF THE CARRIAGES OF THE GUESTS ARE ANNOUNCED, or the time
for their departure arrived, they should make a slight intimation to the
hostess, without, however, exciting any observation, that they are about
to depart. If this cannot be done, however, without creating too much
bustle, it will be better for the visitors to retire quietly without
taking their leave. During the course of the week, the hostess will
expect to receive from every guest a call, where it is possible, or
cards expressing the gratification experienced from her entertainment.
This attention is due to every lady for the pains and trouble she has
been at, and tends to promote social, kindly feelings.
49. IN RETIRING FOR THE NIGHT, it is well to remember that early rising
is almost impossible, if late going to bed be the order, or rather
disorder, of the house. The younger members of a family should go early
and at regular hours to their beds, and the domestics as soon as
possible after a reasonably appointed hour. Either the master or the
mistress of a house should, after all have gone to their separate rooms,
see that all is right with respect to the lights and fires below; and no
servants should, on any account, be allowed to remain up after the heads
of the house have retired.
50. HAVING THUS GONE FROM EARLY RISING TO EARLY RETIRING, there remain
only now to be considered a few special positions respecting which the
mistress of the house will be glad to receive some specific information.
52. YOU MAY PERHAPS HAVE BEEN FAVOURED with letters of introduction from
some of your friends, to persons living in the neighbourhood to which
you have just come. In this case inclose the letter of introduction in
an envelope with your card. Then, if the person, to whom it is
addressed, calls in the course of a few days, the visit should be
returned by you within the week, if possible. Any breach of etiquette,
in this respect, will not readily be excused.
54. SUCH ARE THE ONEROUS DUTIES which enter into the position of the
mistress of a house, and such are, happily, with a slight but continued
attention, of by no means difficult performance. She ought always to
remember that she is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega in
the government of her establishment; and that it is by her conduct that
its whole internal policy is regulated. She is, therefore, a person of
far more importance in a community than she usually thinks she is. On
her pattern her daughters model themselves; by her counsels they are
directed; through her virtues all are honoured;--"her children rise up
and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praiseth her."
Therefore, let each mistress always remember her responsible position,
never approving a mean action, nor speaking an unrefined word. Let her
conduct be such that her inferiors may respect her, and such as an
honourable and right-minded man may look for in his wife and the mother
of his children. Let her think of the many compliments and the sincere
homage that have been paid to her sex by the greatest philosophers and
writers, both in ancient and modern times. Let her not forget that she
has to show herself worthy of Campbell's compliment when he said,--
Let her prove herself, then, the happy companion of man, and able to
take unto herself the praises of the pious prelate, Jeremy Taylor, who
says,--"A good wife is Heaven's last best gift to man,--his angel and
minister of graces innumerable,--his gem of many virtues,--his casket of
jewels--her voice is sweet music--her smiles his brightest day;--her
kiss, the guardian of his innocence;--her arms, the pale of his safety,
the balm of his health, the balsam of his life;--her industry, his
surest wealth;--her economy, his safest steward;--her lips, his faithful
counsellors;--her bosom, the softest pillow of his cares; and her
prayers, the ablest advocates of Heaven's blessings on his head."
Cherishing, then, in her breast the respected utterances of the good and
the great, let the mistress of every house rise to the responsibility of
its management; so that, in doing her duty to all around her, she may
receive the genuine reward of respect, love, and affection!
Great advances have been made, during the last few years, in the
principles of sanitary knowledge, and one most essential point to be
observed in reference to a house, is its "drainage," as it has been
proved in an endless number of cases, that bad or defective drainage is
as certain to destroy health as the taking of poisons. This arises from
its injuriously affecting the atmosphere; thus rendering the air we
breathe unwholesome and deleterious. Let it be borne in mind, then, that
unless a house is effectually drained, the health of its inhabitants is
sure to suffer; and they will be susceptible of ague, rheumatism,
diarrhoea, fevers, and cholera.
The rent of a house, it has been said, should not exceed one-eighth of
the whole income of its occupier; and, as a general rule, we are
disposed to assent to this estimate, although there may be many
circumstances which would not admit of its being considered infallible.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER II.
THE HOUSEKEEPER.
57. ALTHOUGH IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE COOK, the housekeeper does not
generally much interfere, yet it is necessary that she should possess a
good knowledge of the culinary art, as, in many instances, it may be
requisite for her to take the superintendence of the kitchen. As a rule,
it may be stated, that the housekeeper, in those establishments where
there is no house steward or man cook, undertakes the preparation of the
confectionary, attends to the preserving and pickling of fruits and
vegetables; and, in a general way, to the more difficult branches of the
art of cookery.
59. AFTER DINNER, the housekeeper, having seen that all the members of
the establishment have regularly returned to their various duties, and
that all the departments of the household are in proper working order,
will have many important matters claiming her attention. She will,
possibly, have to give the finishing touch to some article of
confectionary, or be occupied with some of the more elaborate processes
of the still-room. There may also be the dessert to arrange, ice-creams
to make; and all these employments call for no ordinary degree of care,
taste, and attention.
60. IN THE EVENING, the housekeeper will often busy herself with the
necessary preparations for the next day's duties. Numberless small, but
still important arrangements, will have to be made, so that everything
may move smoothly. At times, perhaps, attention will have to be paid to
the breaking of lump-sugar, the stoning of raisins, the washing,
cleansing, and drying of currants, &c. The evening, too, is the best
time for setting right her account of the expenditure, and duly writing
a statement of moneys received and paid, and also for making memoranda
of any articles she may require for her storeroom or other departments.
_Note_.--It will be useful for the mistress and housekeeper to know the
best seasons for various occupations connected with Household
Management; and we, accordingly, subjoin a few hints which we think will
prove valuable.
As, in the winter months, servants have much more to do, in consequence
of the necessity there is to attend to the number of fires throughout
the household, not much more than the ordinary every-day work can be
attempted.
In the summer, and when the absence of fires gives the domestics more
leisure, then any extra work that is required, can be more easily
performed.
The spring is the usual period set apart for house-cleaning, and
removing all the dust and dirt, which will necessarily, with the best of
housewives, accumulate during the winter months, from the smoke of the
coal, oil, gas, &c. This season is also well adapted for washing and
bleaching linen, &c., as, the weather, not being then too hot for the
exertions necessary in washing counterpanes, blankets, and heavy things
in general, the work is better and more easily done than in the intense
heats of July, which month some recommend for these purposes. Winter
curtains should be taken down, and replaced by the summer white ones;
and furs and woollen cloths also carefully laid by. The former should be
well shaken and brushed, and then pinned upon paper or linen, with
camphor to preserve them from the moths. Furs, &c., will be preserved in
the same way. Included, under the general description of house-cleaning,
must be understood, turning out all the nooks and corners of drawers,
cupboards, lumber-rooms, lofts, &c., with a view of getting rid of all
unnecessary articles, which only create dirt and attract vermin;
sweeping of chimneys, taking up carpets, painting and whitewashing the
kitchen and offices, papering rooms, when needed, and, generally
speaking, the house putting on, with the approaching summer, a bright
appearance, and a new face, in unison with nature. Oranges now should be
preserved, and orange wine made.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER III.
63. THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PRIMITIVE AGES has frequently been an object
of poetical admiration, and it delights the imagination to picture men
living upon such fruits as spring spontaneously from the earth, and
desiring no other beverages to slake their thirst, but such as fountains
and rivers supply. Thus we are told, that the ancient inhabitants of
Argos lived principally on pears; that the Arcadians revelled in acorns,
and the Athenians in figs. This, of course, was in the golden age,
before ploughing began, and when mankind enjoyed all kinds of plenty
without having to earn their bread "by the sweat of their brow." This
delightful period, however, could not last for ever, and the earth
became barren, and continued unfruitful till Ceres came and taught the
art of sowing, with several other useful inventions. The first whom she
taught to till the ground was Triptolemus, who communicated his
instructions to his countrymen the Athenians. Thence the art was carried
into Achaia, and thence into Arcadia. Barley was the first grain that
was used, and the invention of bread-making is ascribed to Pan.
64. IN THE PRIMARY AGES it was deemed unlawful to eat flesh, and when
mankind began to depart from their primitive habits, the flesh of swine
was the first that was eaten. For several ages, it was pronounced
unlawful to slaughter oxen, from an estimate of their great value in
assisting men to cultivate the ground; nor was it usual to kill young
animals, from a sentiment which considered it cruel to take away the
life of those that had scarcely tasted the joys of existence.
At this period no cooks were kept, and we know from Homer that
his ancient heroes prepared and dressed their victuals with
their own hands. Ulysses, for example, we are told, like a
modern charwoman, excelled at lighting a fire, whilst Achilles
was an adept at turning a spit. Subsequently, heralds, employed
in civil and military affairs, filled the office of cooks, and
managed marriage feasts; but this, no doubt, was after mankind
had advanced in the art of living, a step further than
_roasting_, which, in all places, was the ancient manner of
dressing meat.
65. THE AGE OF ROASTING we may consider as that in which the use of the
metals would be introduced as adjuncts to the culinary art; and amongst
these, iron, the most useful of them all, would necessarily take a
prominent place. This metal is easily oxidized, but to bring it to a
state of fusibility, it requires a most intense heat. Of all the metals,
it is the widest diffused and most abundant; and few stones or mineral
bodies are without an admixture of it. It possesses the valuable
property of being welded by hammering; and hence its adaptation to the
numerous purposes of civilized life.
66. FROM KITCHEN RANGES to the implements used in cookery is but a step.
With these, every kitchen should be well supplied, otherwise the cook
must not be expected to "perform her office" in a satisfactory manner.
Of the culinary utensils of the ancients, our knowledge is very limited;
but as the art of living, in every civilized country, is pretty much the
same, the instruments for cooking must, in a great degree, bear a
striking resemblance to each other. On referring to classical
antiquities, we find mentioned, among household utensils, leather bags,
baskets constructed of twigs, reeds, and rushes; boxes, basins, and
bellows; bread-moulds, brooms, and brushes; caldrons, colanders,
cisterns, and chafing-dishes; cheese-rasps, knives, and ovens of the
Dutch kind; funnels and frying-pans; handmills, soup-ladles, milk-pails,
and oil-jars; presses, scales, and sieves; spits of different sizes, but
some of them large enough to roast an ox; spoons, fire-tongs, trays,
trenchers, and drinking-vessels; with others for carrying food,
preserving milk, and holding cheese. This enumeration, if it does
nothing else, will, to some extent, indicate the state of the simpler
kinds of mechanical arts among the ancients.
_Figs_. 9 and 10 are flat sauce or _saut�_ pans, the ancient one
being fluted in the handle, and having at the end a ram's head.
Figs. 11 and 12 are colanders, the handle of the ancient one
being adorned, in the original, with carved representations of a
cornucopia, a satyr, a goat, pigs, and other animals. Any
display of taste in the adornment of such utensils, might seem
to be useless; but when we remember how much more natural it is
for us all to be careful of the beautiful and costly, than of
the plain and cheap, it may even become a question in the
economy of a kitchen, whether it would not, in the long run, be
cheaper to have articles which displayed some tasteful ingenuity
in their manufacture, than such as are so perfectly plain as to
have no attractions whatever beyond their mere suitableness to
the purposes for which they are made. Figs. 13 and 14 are
saucepans, the ancient one being of bronze, originally copied
from the cabinet of M. l'Abb� Charlet, and engraved in the
Antiquities of Montfaucon. Figs. 15 and 17 are gridirons, and 16
and 18 dripping-pans. In all these utensils the resemblance
between such as were in use 2,000 years ago, and those in use at
the present day, is strikingly manifest.
69. SOME OF THE ANCIENT UTENSILS represented in the above cuts, are
copied from those found amid the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii. These
Roman cities were, in the first century, buried beneath the lava of an
eruption of Vesuvius, and continued to be lost to the world till the
beginning of the last century, when a peasant, in digging for a well,
gradually discovered a small temple with some statues. Little notice,
however, was taken of this circumstance till 1736, when the king of
Naples, desiring to erect a palace at Portici, caused extensive
excavations to be made, when the city of Herculaneum was slowly unfolded
to view. Pompeii was discovered about 1750, and being easier cleared
from the lava in which it had so long been entombed, disclosed itself as
it existed immediately before the catastrophe which overwhelmed it,
nearly two thousand years ago. It presented, to the modern world, the
perfect picture of the form and structure of an ancient Roman city. The
interior of its habitations, shops, baths, theatres, and temples, were
all disclosed, with many of the implements used by the workmen in their
various trades, and the materials on which they were employed, when the
doomed city was covered with the lavian stream.
70. AMONGST THE MOST ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS of the kitchen are scales or
weighing-machines for family use. These are found to have existed among
the ancients, and must, at a very early age, have been both publicly and
privately employed for the regulation of quantities. The modern English
weights were adjusted by the 27th chapter of Magna Charta, or the great
charter forced, by the barons, from King John at Runnymede, in Surrey.
Therein it is declared that the weights, all over England, shall be the
same, although for different commodities there were two different kinds,
Troy and Avoirdupois. The origin of both is taken from a grain of wheat
gathered in the middle of an ear. The standard of measures was
originally kept at Winchester, and by a law of King Edgar was ordained
to be observed throughout the kingdom.
s. d.
1 Tea-kettle 6 6
1 Toasting-fork 1 0
1 Bread-grater 1 0
1 Pair of Brass Candlesticks 3 6
1 Teapot and Tray 6 6
1 Bottle-jack 9 6
6 Spoons 1 6
2 Candlesticks 2 6
1 Candle-box 1 4
6 Knives and Forks 5 3
2 Sets of Skewers 1 0
1 Meat-chopper 1 9
1 Cinder-sifter 1 3
1 Coffee-pot 2 3
1 Colander 1 6
3 Block-tin Saucepans 5 9
5 Iron Saucepans 12 0
1 Ditto and Steamer 6 6
1 Large Boiling-pot 10 0
4 Iron Stewpans 8 9
1 Dripping-pan and Stand 6 6
1 Dustpan 1 0
1 Fish and Egg-slice 1 9
2 Fish-kettles 10 0
1 Flour-box 1 0
3 Flat-irons 3 6
2 Frying-pans 4 0
1 Gridiron 2 0
1 Mustard-pot 1 0
1 Salt-cellar 0 8
1 Pepper-box 0 6
1 Pair of Bellows 2 0
3 Jelly-moulds 8 0
1 Plate-basket 5 6
1 Cheese-toaster 1 10
1 Coal-shovel 2 6
1 Wood Meat-screen 30 0
The Set �8 11 1
72. AS NOT ONLY HEALTH BUT LIFE may be said to depend on the cleanliness
of culinary utensils, great attention must be paid to their condition
generally, but more especially to that of the saucepans, stewpans, and
boilers. Inside they should be kept perfectly clean, and where an open
fire is used, the outside as clean as possible. With a Leamington range,
saucepans, stewpans, &c., can be kept entirely free from smoke and soot
on the outside, which is an immense saving of labour to the cook or
scullery-maid. Care should be taken that the lids fit tight and close,
so that soups or gravies may not be suffered to waste by evaporation.
They should be made to keep the steam in and the smoke out, and should
always be bright on the upper rim, where they do not immediately come in
contact with the fire. Soup-pots and kettles should be washed
immediately After being used, and dried before the fire, and they should
be kept in a dry place, in order that they may escape the deteriorating
influence of rust, and, thereby, be destroyed. Copper utensils should
never be used in the kitchen unless tinned, and the utmost care should
be taken, not to let the tin be rubbed off. If by chance this should
occur, have it replaced before the vessel is again brought into use.
Neither soup nor gravy should, at any time, be suffered to remain in
them longer than is absolutely necessary, as any fat or acid that is in
them, may affect the metal, so as to impregnate with poison what is
intended to be eaten. Stone and earthenware vessels should be provided
for soups and gravies not intended for immediate use, and, also, plenty
of common dishes for the larder, that the table-set may not be used for
such purposes. It is the nature of vegetables soon to turn sour, when
they are apt to corrode glazed red-ware, and even metals, and
frequently, thereby, to become impregnated with poisonous particles. The
vinegar also in pickles, by its acidity, does the same. Consideration,
therefore, should be given to these facts, and great care also taken
that all _sieves, jelly-bags,_ and tapes for collared articles, be well
scalded and kept dry, or they will impart an unpleasant flavour when
next used. To all these directions the cook should pay great attention,
nor should they, by any means, be neglected by the _mistress of the
household_, who ought to remember that cleanliness in the kitchen gives
health and happiness to home, whilst economy will immeasurably assist in
preserving them.
The use of coal for burning purposes was not known to the
Romans. In Britain it was discovered about fifty years before
the birth of Christ, in Lancashire, not tar from where
Manchester now stands; but for ages after its discovery, so long
as forests abounded, wood continued to be the fuel used for
firing. The first public notice of coal is in the reign of Henry
III., who, in 1272, granted a charter to the town of Newcastle,
permitting the inhabitants to dig for coal. It took some
centuries more, however, to bring it into common use, as this
did not take place till about the first quarter of the
seventeenth century, in the time of Charles I. A few years after
the Restoration, we find that about 200,000 chaldrons were
consumed in London. Although several countries possess mines of
coal, the quality of their mineral is, in general, greatly
inferior to that of Great Britain, where it is found mostly in
undulating districts abounding with valleys, and interspersed
with plains of considerable extent. It lies usually between the
_strata_ of other substances, and rarely in an horizontal
position, but with a _dip_ or inclination to one side. Our cut,
Fig. 21, represents a section of coal as it is found in the
stratum.
74. TO BE ACQUAINTED WITH THE PERIODS when things are in season, is one
of the most essential pieces of knowledge which enter into the "Art of
Cookery." We have, therefore, compiled the following list, which will
serve to show for every month in the year the
JANUARY.
FEBRUARY.
FISH.--Barbel, brill, carp, cod may be bought, but is not so good as in
January, crabs, crayfish, dace, eels, flounders, haddocks, herrings,
lampreys, lobsters, mussels, oysters, perch, pike, plaice, prawns,
shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, sprats, sturgeon, tench, thornback,
turbot, whiting.
MARCH.
APRIL.
GAME.--Hares.
MAY.
JUNE.
JULY.
AUGUST.
SEPTEMBER.
OCTOBER.
NOVEMBER.
DECEMBER.
75. WHEN FUEL AND FOOD ARE PROCURED, the next consideration is, how the
latter may be best preserved, with a view to its being suitably dressed.
More waste is often occasioned by the want of judgment, or of necessary
care in this particular, than by any other cause. In the absence of
proper places for keeping provisions, a hanging safe, suspended in an
airy situation, is the best substitute. A well-ventilated larder, dry
and shady, is better for meat and poultry, which require to be kept for
some time; and the utmost skill in the culinary art will not compensate
for the want of proper attention to this particular. Though it is
advisable that annual food should be hung up in the open air till its
fibres have lost some degree of their toughness, yet, if it is kept till
it loses its natural sweetness, its flavour has become deteriorated,
and, as a wholesome comestible, it has lost many of its qualities
conducive to health. As soon, therefore, as the slightest trace of
putrescence is detected, it has reached its highest degree of
tenderness, and should be dressed immediately. During the sultry summer
months, it is difficult to procure meat that is not either tough or
tainted. It should, therefore, be well examined when it comes in, and if
flies have touched it, the part must be cut off, and the remainder well
washed. In very cold weather, meat and vegetables touched by the frost,
should be brought into the kitchen early in the morning, and soaked in
cold water. In loins of meat, the long pipe that runs by the bone should
be taken out, as it is apt to taint; as also the kernels of beef. Rumps
and edgebones of beef, when bruised, should not be purchased. All these
things ought to enter into the consideration of every household manager,
and great care should be taken that nothing is thrown away, or suffered
to be wasted in the kitchen, which might, by proper management, be
turned to a good account. The shank-bones of mutton, so little esteemed
in general, give richness to soups or gravies, if well soaked and
brushed before they are added to the boiling. They are also particularly
nourishing for sick persons. Roast-beef bones, or shank-bones of ham,
make excellent stock for pea-soup.--When the whites of eggs are used for
jelly, confectionary, or other purposes, a pudding or a custard should
be made, that the yolks may be used. All things likely to be wanted
should be in readiness: sugars of different sorts; currants washed,
picked, and perfectly dry; spices pounded, and kept in very small
bottles closely corked, or in canisters, as we have already directed
(72). Not more of these should be purchased at a time than are likely to
be used in the course of a month. Much waste is always prevented by
keeping every article in the place best suited to it. Vegetables keep
best on a stone floor, if the air be excluded; meat, in a cold dry
place; as also salt, sugar, sweet-meats, candles, dried meats, and hams.
Rice, and all sorts of seed for puddings, should be closely covered to
preserve them from insects; but even this will not prevent them from
being affected by these destroyers, if they are long and carelessly
kept.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER IV.
INTRODUCTION TO COOKERY.
77. In order that the duties of the Cook may be properly performed, and
that he may be able to reproduce esteemed dishes with certainty, all
terms of indecision should be banished from his art. Accordingly, what
is known only to him, will, in these pages, be made known to others. In
them all those indecisive terms expressed by a bit of this, some of
that, a small piece of that, and a handful of the other, shall never be
made use of, but all quantities be precisely and explicitly stated. With
a desire, also, that all ignorance on this most essential part of the
culinary art should disappear, and that a uniform system of weights and
measures should be adopted, we give an account of the weights which
answer to certain measures.
79. THE DUTIES OF THE COOK, THE KITCHEN AND THE SCULLERY MAIDS, are so
intimately associated, that they can hardly be treated of separately.
The cook, however, is at the head of the kitchen; and in proportion to
her possession of the qualities of cleanliness, neatness, order,
regularity, and celerity of action, so will her influence appear in the
conduct of those who are under her; as it is upon her that the whole
responsibility of the business of the kitchen rests, whilst the others
must lend her, both a ready and a willing assistance, and be especially
tidy in their appearance, and active, in their movements.
80. IF, AS WE HAVE SAID (3), THE QUALITY OF EARLY RISING be of the first
importance to the mistress, what must it be to the servant! Let it,
therefore, be taken as a long-proved truism, that without it, in every
domestic, the effect of all things else, so far as _work_ is concerned,
may, in a great measure, be neutralized. In a cook, this quality is most
essential; for an hour lost in the morning, will keep her toiling,
absolutely toiling, all day, to overtake that which might otherwise have
been achieved with ease. In large establishments, six is a good hour to
rise in the summer, and seven in the winter.
82. IN THOSE NUMEROUS HOUSEHOLDS where a cook and housemaid are only
kept, the general custom is, that the cook should have the charge of the
dining-room. The hall, the lamps and the doorstep are also committed to
her care, and any other work there may be on the outside of the house.
In establishments of this kind, the cook will, after having lighted her
kitchen fire, carefully brushed the range, and cleaned the hearth,
proceed to prepare for breakfast. She will thoroughly rinse the kettle,
and, filling it with fresh water, will put it on the fire to boil. She
will then go to the breakfast-room, or parlour, and there make all
things ready for the breakfast of the family. Her attention will next be
directed to the hall, which she will sweep and wipe; the kitchen stairs,
if there be any, will now be swept; and the hall mats, which have been
removed and shaken, will be again put in their places.
83. BY THE TIME THAT THE COOK has performed the duties mentioned above,
and well swept, brushed, and dusted her kitchen, the breakfast-bell will
most likely summon her to the parlour, to "bring in" the breakfast. It
is the cook's department, generally, in the smaller establishments, to
wait at breakfast, as the housemaid, by this time, has gone up-stairs
into the bedrooms, and has there applied herself to her various duties.
The cook usually answers the bells and single knocks at the door in the
early part of the morning, as the tradesmen, with whom it is her more
special business to speak, call at these hours.
84. IT IS IN HER PREPARATION OF THE DINNER that the cook begins to feel
the weight and responsibility of her situation, as she must take upon
herself all the dressing and the serving of the principal dishes, which
her skill and ingenuity have mostly prepared. Whilst these, however, are
cooking, she must be busy with her pastry, soups, gravies, ragouts, &c.
Stock, or what the French call _consomm�_, being the basis of most made
dishes, must be always at hand, in conjunction with her sweet herbs and
spices for seasoning. "A place for everything, and everything in its
place," must be her rule, in order that time may not be wasted in
looking for things when they are wanted, and in order that the whole
apparatus of cooking may move with the regularity and precision of a
well-adjusted machine;--all must go on simultaneously. The vegetables
and sauces must be ready with the dishes they are to accompany, and in
order that they may be suitable, the smallest oversight must not be made
in their preparation. When the dinner-hour has arrived, it is the duty
of the cook to dish-up such dishes as may, without injury, stand, for
some time, covered on the hot plate or in the hot closet; but such as
are of a more important or _recherch�_ kind, must be delayed until the
order "to serve" is given from the drawing-room. Then comes haste; but
there must be no hurry,--all must work with order. The cook takes charge
of the fish, soups, and poultry; and the kitchen-maid of the vegetables,
sauces, and gravies. These she puts into their appropriate dishes,
whilst the scullery-maid waits on and assists the cook. Everything must
be timed so as to prevent its getting cold, whilst great care should be
taken, that, between the first and second courses, no more time is
allowed to elapse than is necessary, for fear that the company in the
dining-room lose all relish for what has yet to come of the dinner. When
the dinner has been served, the most important feature in the daily life
of the cook is at an end. She must, however, now begin to look to the
contents of her larder, taking care to keep everything sweet and clean,
so that no disagreeable smells may arise from the gravies, milk, or meat
that may be there. These are the principal duties of a cook in a
first-rate establishment.
85. WHILST THE COOK IS ENGAGED WITH HER MORNING DUTIES, the kitchen-maid
is also occupied with hers. Her first duty, after the fire is lighted,
is to sweep and clean the kitchen, and the various offices belonging to
it. This she does every morning, besides cleaning the stone steps at the
entrance of the house, the halls, the passages, and the stairs which
lead to the kitchen. Her general duties, besides these, are to wash and
scour all these places twice a week, with the tables, shelves, and
cupboards. She has also to dress the nursery and servants'-hall dinners,
to prepare all fish, poultry, and vegetables, trim meat joints and
cutlets, and do all such duties as may be considered to enter into the
cook's department in a subordinate degree.
86. THE DUTIES OF THE SCULLERY-MAID are to assist the cook; to keep the
scullery clean, and all the metallic as well as earthenware kitchen
utensils.
BRAISI�RE.--A saucepan having a lid with ledges, to put fire on the top.
CASSEROLE.--A crust of rice, which, after having been moulded into the
form of a pie, is baked, and then filled with a fricassee of white meat
or a pur�e of game.
CROUTONS.--Sippets of bread.
D�SOSSER.--To _bone_, or take out the bones from poultry, game, or fish.
This is an operation requiring considerable experience.
FEUILLETAGE.--Puff-paste.
GLACER.--To glaze, or spread upon hot meats, or larded fowl, a thick and
rich sauce or gravy, called _glaze_. This is laid on with a feather or
brush, and in confectionary the term means to ice fruits and pastry with
sugar, which glistens on hardening.
PANER.--To cover over with very fine crumbs of bread, meats, or any
other articles to be cooked on the gridiron, in the oven, or frying-pan.
PIQUER.--To lard with strips of fat bacon, poultry, game, meat, &c. This
should always be done according to the vein of the meat, so that in
carving you slice the bacon across as well as the meat.
RAGOUT.--Stew or hash.
REMOULADE.--Salad dressing.
TROUSSER.--To truss a bird; to put together the body and tie the wings
and thighs, in order to round it for roasting or boiling, each being
tied then with packthread, to keep it in the required form.
[Illustration]
SOUPS.
CHAPTER V.
88. LEAN, JUICY BEEF, MUTTON, AND VEAL, form the basis of all good
soups; therefore it is advisable to procure those pieces which afford
the richest succulence, and such as are fresh-killed. Stale meat renders
them bad, and fat is not so well adapted for making them. The principal
art in composing good rich soup, is so to proportion the several
ingredients that the flavour of one shall not predominate over another,
and that all the articles of which it is composed, shall form an
agreeable whole. To accomplish this, care must be taken that the roots
and herbs are perfectly well cleaned, and that the water is proportioned
to the quantity of meat and other ingredients. Generally a quart of
water may be allowed to a pound of meat for soups, and half the quantity
for gravies. In making soups or gravies, gentle stewing or simmering is
incomparably the best. It may be remarked, however, that a really good
soup can never be made but in a well-closed vessel, although, perhaps,
greater wholesomeness is obtained by an occasional exposure to the air.
Soups will, in general, take from three to six hours doing, and are much
better prepared the day before they are wanted. When the soup is cold,
the fat may be much more easily and completely removed; and when it is
poured off, care must be taken not to disturb the settlings at the
bottom of the vessel, which are so fine that they will escape through a
sieve. A tamis is the best strainer, and if the soup is strained while
it is hot, let the tamis or cloth be previously soaked in cold water.
Clear soups must be perfectly transparent, and thickened soups about the
consistence of cream. To thicken and give body to soups and gravies,
potato-mucilage, arrow-root, bread-raspings, isinglass, flour and
butter, barley, rice, or oatmeal, in a little water rubbed well
together, are used. A piece of boiled beef pounded to a pulp, with a bit
of butter and flour, and rubbed through a sieve, and gradually
incorporated with the soup, will be found an excellent addition. When
the soup appears to be _too thin_ or _too weak_, the cover of the boiler
should be taken off, and the contents allowed to boil till some of the
watery parts have evaporated; or some of the thickening materials, above
mentioned, should be added. When soups and gravies are kept from day to
day in hot weather, they should be warmed up every day, and put into
fresh scalded pans or tureens, and placed in a cool cellar. In temperate
weather, every other day may be sufficient.
89. VARIOUS HERBS AND VEGETABLES are required for the purpose of making
soups and gravies. Of these the principal are,--Scotch barley, pearl
barley, wheat flour, oatmeal, bread-raspings, pease, beans, rice,
vermicelli, macaroni, isinglass, potato-mucilage, mushroom or mushroom
ketchup, champignons, parsnips, carrots, beetroot, turnips, garlic,
shalots, and onions. Sliced onions, fried with butter and flour till
they are browned, and then rubbed through a sieve, are excellent to
heighten the colour and flavour of brown soups and sauces, and form the
basis of many of the fine relishes furnished by the cook. The older and
drier the onion, the stronger will be its flavour. Leeks, cucumber, or
burnet vinegar; celery or celery-seed pounded. The latter, though
equally strong, does not impart the delicate sweetness of the fresh
vegetable; and when used as a substitute, its flavour should be
corrected by the addition of a bit of sugar. Cress-seed, parsley, common
thyme, lemon thyme, orange thyme, knotted marjoram, sage, mint, winter
savoury, and basil. As fresh green basil is seldom to be procured, and
its fine flavour is soon lost, the best way of preserving the extract is
by pouring wine on the fresh leaves.
91. IT HAS BEEN ASSERTED, that English cookery is, nationally speaking,
far from being the best in the world. More than this, we have been
frequently told by brilliant foreign writers, half philosophers, half
_chefs_, that we are the _worst_ cooks on the face of the earth, and
that the proverb which alludes to the divine origin of food, and the
precisely opposite origin of its preparers, is peculiarly applicable to
us islanders. Not, however, to the inhabitants of the whole island; for,
it is stated in a work which treats of culinary operations, north of the
Tweed, that the "broth" of Scotland claims, for excellence and
wholesomeness, a very close second place to the _bouillon_, or common
soup of France. "_Three_ hot meals of broth and meat, for about the
price of ONE roasting joint," our Scottish brothers and sisters get,
they say; and we hasten to assent to what we think is now a very
well-ascertained fact. We are glad to note, however, that soups of
vegetables, fish, meat, and game, are now very frequently found in the
homes of the English middle classes, as well as in the mansions of the
wealthier and more aristocratic; and we take this to be one evidence,
that we are on the right road to an improvement in our system of
cookery. One great cause of many of the spoilt dishes and badly-cooked
meats which are brought to our tables, arises, we think, and most will
agree with us, from a non-acquaintance with "common, every-day things."
Entertaining this view, we intend to preface the chapters of this work
with a simple scientific _r�sum�_ of all those causes and circumstances
which relate to the food we have to prepare, and the theory and
chemistry of the various culinary operations. Accordingly, this is the
proper place to treat of the quality of the flesh of animals, and
describe some of the circumstances which influence it for good or bad.
We will, therefore, commence with the circumstance of _age_, and examine
how far this affects the quality of meat.
92. DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE BIRTH AND MATURITY OF ANIMALS, their
flesh undergoes very considerable changes. For instance, when the animal
is young, the fluids which the tissues of the muscles contain, possess a
large proportion of what is called _albumen_. This albumen, which is
also the chief component of the white of eggs, possesses the peculiarity
of coagulating or hardening at a certain temperature, like the white of
a boiled egg, into a soft, white fluid, no longer soluble, or capable of
being dissolved in water. As animals grow older, this peculiar animal
matter gradually decreases, in proportion to the other constituents of
the juice of the flesh. Thus, the reason why veal, lamb, and young pork
are _white, and without gravy_ when cooked, is, that the large quantity
of albumen they contain hardens, or becomes coagulated. On the other
hand, the reason why beef and mutton are _brown, and have gravy_, is,
that the proportion of albumen they contain, is small, in comparison
with their greater quantity of fluid which is soluble, and not
coagulable.
96. STOCK BEING THE BASIS of all meat soups, and, also, of all the
principal sauces, it is essential to the success of these culinary
operations, to know the most complete and economical method of
extracting, from a certain quantity of meat, the best possible stock or
broth. The theory and philosophy of this process we will, therefore,
explain, and then proceed to show the practical course to be adopted.
100. OSMAZOME is soluble even when cold, and is that part of the meat
which gives flavour and perfume to the stock. The flesh of old animals
contains more _osmazome_ than that of young ones. Brown meats contain
more than white, and the former make the stock more fragrant. By
roasting meat, the osmazome appears to acquire higher properties; so, by
putting the remains of roast meats into your stock-pot, you obtain a
better flavour.
102. BONES ought always to form a component part of the stock-pot. They
are composed of an earthy substance,--to which they owe their
solidity,--of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. _Two
ounces_ of them contain as much gelatine as _one pound_ of meat; but in
them, this is so incased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can
dissolve only the surface of whole bones. By breaking them, however, you
can dissolve more, because you multiply their surfaces; and by reducing
them to powder or paste, you can dissolve them entirely; but you must
not grind them dry. We have said (99) that gelatine forms the basis of
stock; but this, though very nourishing, is entirely without taste; and
to make the stock savoury, it must contain _osmazome_. Of this, bones do
not contain a particle; and that is the reason why stock made entirely
of them, is not liked; but when you add meat to the broken or pulverized
bones, the osmazome contained in it makes the stock sufficiently
savoury.
I. BEEF MAKES THE BEST STOCK; veal stock has less colour and taste;
whilst mutton sometimes gives it a tallowy smell, far from agreeable,
unless the meat has been previously roasted or broiled. Fowls add very
little to the flavour of stock, unless they be old and fat. Pigeons,
when they are old, add the most flavour to it; and a rabbit or partridge
is also a great improvement. From the freshest meat the best stock is
obtained.
II. IF THE MEAT BE BOILED solely to make stock, it must be cut up into
the smallest possible pieces; but, generally speaking, if it is desired
to have good stock and a piece of savoury meat as well, it is necessary
to put a rather large piece into the stock-pot, say sufficient for two
or three days, during which time the stock will keep well in all
weathers. Choose the freshest meat, and have it cut as thick as
possible; for if it is a thin, flat piece, it will not look well, and
will be very soon spoiled by the boiling.
III. NEVER WASH MEAT, as it deprives its surface of all its juices;
separate it from the bones, and tie it round with tape, so that its
shape may be preserved, then put it into the stock-pot, and for each
pound of meat, let there be one pint of water; press it down with the
hand, to allow the air, which it contains, to escape, and which often
raises it to the top of the water.
IV. PUT THE STOCK-POT ON A GENTLE FIRE, so that it may heat gradually.
The albumen will first dissolve, afterwards coagulate; and as it is in
this state lighter than the liquid, it will rise to the surface;
bringing with it all its impurities. It is this which makes _the scum_.
The rising of the hardened albumen has the same effect in clarifying
stock as the white of eggs; and, as a rule, it may be said that the more
scum there is, the clearer will be the stock. Always take care that the
fire is very regular.
V. REMOVE THE SCUM when it rises thickly, and do not let the stock boil,
because then one portion of the scum will be dissolved, and the other go
to the bottom of the pot; thus rendering it very difficult to obtain a
clear broth. If the fire is regular, it will not be necessary to add
cold water in order to make the scum rise; but if the fire is too large
at first, it will then be necessary to do so.
VI. WHEN THE STOCK IS WELL SKIMMED, and begins to boil, put in salt and
vegetables, which may be two or three carrots, two turnips, one parsnip,
a bunch of leeks and celery tied together. You can add, according to
taste, a piece of cabbage, two or three cloves stuck in an onion, and a
tomato. The latter gives a very agreeable flavour to the stock. If fried
onion be added, it ought, according to the advice of a famous French
_chef_, to be tied in a little bag: without this precaution, the colour
of the stock is liable to be clouded.
VII. BY THIS TIME we will now suppose that you have chopped the bones
which were separated from the meat, and those which were left from the
roast meat of the day before. Remember, as was before pointed out, that
the more these are broken, the more gelatine you will have. The best way
to break them up is to pound them roughly in an iron mortar, adding,
from time to time, a little water, to prevent them getting heated. It is
a great saving thus to make use of the bones of meat, which, in too many
English families, we fear, are entirely wasted; for it is certain, as
previously stated (No. 102), that two ounces of bone contain as much
gelatine (which is the nutritive portion of stock) as one pound of meat.
In their broken state tie them up in a bag, and put them in the
stock-pot; adding the gristly parts of cold meat, and trimmings, which
can be used for no other purpose. If, to make up the weight, you have
received from the butcher a piece of mutton or veal, broil it slightly
over a clear fire before putting it in the stock-pot, and be very
careful that it does not contract the least taste of being smoked or
burnt.
VIII. ADD NOW THE VEGETABLES, which, to a certain extent, will stop the
boiling of the stock. Wait, therefore, till it simmers well up again,
then draw it to the side of the fire, and keep it gently simmering till
it is served, preserving, as before said, your fire always the same.
Cover the stock-pot well, to prevent evaporation; do not fill it up,
even if you take out a little stock, unless the meat is exposed; in
which case a little boiling water may be added, but only enough to cover
it. After six hours' slow and gentle simmering, the stock is done; and
it should not be continued on the fire, longer than is necessary, or it
will tend to insipidity.
[Illustration]
RECIPES.
CHAPTER VI.
_The addition of the natural history, and the description of the various
properties of the edible articles in common use in every family, will be
serviceable both in a practical and an educational point of view._
_Speaking specially of the Recipes for Soups, it may be added, that by
the employment of the_ BEST, MEDIUM, _or_ COMMON STOCK, _the quality of
the Soups and their cost may be proportionately increased or lessened._]
_Mode_.--Line a delicately clean stewpan with the ham cut in thin broad
slices, carefully trimming off all its rusty fat; cut up the beef and
veal in pieces about 3 inches square, and lay them on the ham; set it on
the stove, and draw it down, and stir frequently. When the meat is
equally browned, put in the beef and veal bones, the poultry trimmings,
and pour in the cold water. Skim well, and occasionally add a little
cold water, to stop its boiling, until it becomes quite clear; then put
in all the other ingredients, and simmer very slowly for 5 hours. Do not
let it come to a brisk boil, that the stock be not wasted, and that its
colour may be preserved. Strain through a very fine hair sieve, or
tammy, and it will be fit for use.
MEDIUM STOCK.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat and bacon or ham into pieces about 3 inches
square; rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in 1/2 a pint
of water, the meat, and all the other ingredients. Cover the stewpan,
and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents. When
the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance,
add 4 quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for 5 hours. As we
have said before, do not let it boil quickly. Skim off every particle of
grease whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve.
This is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned, and will be
found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes.
ECONOMICAL STOCK.
_Mode_.--Let all the ingredients simmer gently for 6 hours, taking care
to skim carefully at first. Strain it off, and put by for use.
WHITE STOCK.
_Mode_.--Cut up the veal, and put it with the bones and trimmings of
poultry, and the ham, into the stewpan, which has been rubbed with the
butter. Moisten with 1/2 a pint of water, and simmer till the gravy
begins to flow. Then add the 4 quarts of water and the remainder of the
ingredients; simmer for 5 hours. After skimming and straining it
carefully through a very fine hair sieve, it will be ready for use.
_Note_.--In France, burnt onions are made use of for the purpose of
browning. As a general rule, the process of browning is to be
discouraged, as apt to impart a slightly unpleasant flavour to the
stock, and, consequently, all soups made from it.
TO CLARIFY STOCK.
_Note_.--The rule is, that all clear soups should be of a light straw
colour, and should not savour too strongly of the meat; and that all
white or brown thick soups should have no more consistency than will
enable them to adhere slightly to the spoon when hot. All _pur�es_
should be somewhat thicker.
ALMOND SOUP.
_Mode_.--Boil the beef, or veal, and the mutton, gently in water that
will cover them, till the gravy is very strong, and the meat very
tender; then strain off the gravy, and set it on the fire with the
specified quantities of vermicelli, mace, and cloves, to 2 quarts. Let
it boil till it has the flavour of the spices. Have ready the almonds,
blanched and pounded very fine; the yolks of the eggs boiled hard;
mixing the almonds, whilst pounding, with a little of the soup, lest the
latter should grow oily. Pound them till they are a mere pulp, and keep
adding to them, by degrees, a little soup until they are thoroughly
mixed together. Let the soup be cool when mixing, and do it perfectly
smooth. Strain it through a sieve, set it on the fire, stir frequently,
and serve hot. Just before taking it up, add the cream.
APPLE SOUP.
_Mode_.--Peel and quarter the apples, taking out their cores; put them
into the stock, stew them gently till tender. Rub the whole through a
strainer, add the seasoning, give it one boil up, and serve.
_Mode_.--Put the bacon and vegetables, which should be cut into thin
slices, into the stewpan with the butter. Braise these for 1/4 of an
hour, keeping them well stirred. Wash and pare the artichokes, and after
cutting them into thin slices, add them, with a pint of stock, to the
other ingredients. When these have gently stewed down to a smooth pulp,
put in the remainder of the stock. Stir it well, adding the seasoning,
and when it has simmered for five minutes, pass it through a strainer.
Now pour it back into the stewpan, let it again simmer five minutes,
taking care to skim it well, and stir it to the boiling milk or cream.
Serve with small sippets of bread fried in butter.
ASPARAGUS SOUP.
I.
II.
_Mode_.--Boil the peas, and rub them through a sieve; add the gravy, and
then stew by themselves the celery, onions, lettuce, and asparagus, with
the water. After this, stew altogether, and add the colouring and cream,
and serve.
[Illustration: ASPARAGUS.]
BAKED SOUP.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat and vegetables in slices, add to them the rice and
peas, season with pepper and salt. Put the whole in a jar, fill up with
the water, cover very closely, and bake for 4 hours.
_Note_.--This will be found a very cheap and wholesome soup, and will be
convenient in those cases where baking is more easily performed than
boiling.
BARLEY SOUP.
[Illustration: BARLEY.]
BREAD SOUP.
(_Economical_.)
_Mode_.--Boil the bread crusts in the stock with the butter; beat the
whole with a spoon, and keep it boiling till the bread and stock are
well mixed. Season with a little salt.
CABBAGE SOUP.
_Mode_.--Scald the cabbage, exit it up and drain it. Line the stewpan
with the bacon, put in the cabbage, carrots, and onions; moisten with
skimmings from the stock, and simmer very gently, till the cabbage is
tender; add the stock, stew softly for half an hour, and carefully skim
off every particle of fat. Season and serve.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
CARROT SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Put the liquor, bones, onions, turnip, pepper, and salt, into a
stewpan, and simmer for 3 hours. Scrape and cut the carrots thin, strain
the soup on them, and stew them till soft enough to pulp through a hair
sieve or coarse cloth; then boil the pulp with the soup, which should be
of the consistency of pea-soup. Add cayenne. Pulp only the red part of
the carrot, and make this soup the day before it is wanted.
II.
_Mode_.--Scrape and cut out all specks from the carrots, wash, and wipe
them dry, and then reduce them into quarter-inch slices. Put the butter
into a large stewpan, and when it is melted, add 2 lbs. of the sliced
carrots, and let them stew gently for an hour without browning. Add to
them the soup, and allow them to simmer till tender,--say for nearly an
hour. Press them through a strainer with the soup, and add salt and
cayenne if required. Boil the whole gently for 5 minutes, skim well, and
serve as hot as possible.
CELERY SOUP.
_Mode_.--Cut the celery into small pieces; throw it into the water,
seasoned with the nutmeg, salt, and sugar. Boil it till sufficiently
tender; pass it through a sieve, add the stock, and simmer it for half
an hour. Now put in the cream, bring it to the boiling point, and serve
immediately.
CHANTILLY SOUP.
_Mode_.--Boil the peas till quite tender, with the parsley and onions;
then rub them through a sieve, and pour the stock to them. Do not let it
boil after the peas are added, or you will spoil the colour. Serve very
hot.
_Mode_.--Take the outer rind from the chestnuts, and put them into a
large pan of warm water. As soon as this becomes too hot for the fingers
to remain in it, take out the chestnuts, peel them quickly, and immerse
them in cold water, and wipe and weigh them. Now cover them with good
stock, and stew them gently for rather more than 3/4 of an hour, or
until they break when touched with a fork; then drain, pound, and rub
them through a fine sieve reversed; add sufficient stock, mace, cayenne,
and salt, and stir it often until it boils, and put in the cream. The
stock in which the chestnuts are boiled can be used for the soup, when
its sweetness is not objected to, or it may, in part, be added to it;
and the rule is, that 3/4 lb. of chestnuts should be given to each quart
of soup.
_Time_.--rather more than 1 hour. _Average cost_ per quart, 1s. 6d.
[Illustration: CHESTNUT.]
COCOA-NUT SOUP.
_Mode_.--Take the dark rind from the cocoa-nut, and grate it down small
on a clean grater; weigh it, and allow, for each quart of stock, 2 oz.
of the cocoa-nut. Simmer it gently for 1 hour in the stock, which should
then be strained closely from it, and thickened for table.
_Seasonable_ in Autumn.
SOUP A LA CRECY.
_Mode_.--Put the vegetables with the butter in the stewpan, and let them
simmer 5 minutes; then add the lentils and 1 pint of the stock, and stew
gently for half an hour. Now fill it up with the remainder of the stock,
let it boil another hour, and put in the crumb of the rolls. When well
soaked, rub all through a tammy. Have ready the rice boiled; pour the
soup over this, and serve.
_Mode_.--Pare the cucumber, quarter it, and take out the seeds; cut it
in thin slices, put these on a plate with a little salt, to draw the
water from them; drain, and put them in your stewpan, with the butter.
When they are warmed through, without being browned, pour the stock on
them. Add the sorrel, chervil, and seasoning, and boil for 40 minutes.
Mix the well-beaten yolks of the eggs with the cream, which add at the
moment of serving.
EGG SOUP.
I.
II.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions, celery, and potatoes, and put them with the
butter and water into a stewpan, and simmer for an hour. Then fill up
the stewpan with stock, and boil gently till the potatoes are done,
which will be in about an hour. Rub all through a tammy, and add the
cream (previously boiled). Do not let it boil after the cream is put in.
SOUP A LA JULIENNE.
_Mode_.--Cut the vegetables into strips of about 1-1/4 inch long, and be
particular they are all the same size, or some will be hard whilst the
others will be done to a pulp. Cut the lettuce, sorrel, and chervil into
larger pieces; fry the carrots in the butter, and pour the stock boiling
to them. When this is done, add all the other vegetables, and herbs, and
stew gently for at least an hour. Skim off all the fat, pour the soup
over thin slices of bread, cut round about the size of a shilling, and
serve.
LEEK SOUP.
I.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
II.
_Mode_.--Well wash the leeks (and, if old, scald them in boiling water
for a few minutes), taking off the roots and part of the heads, and cut
them into lengths of about an inch. Put the fowl into the stock, with,
at first, one half of the leeks, and allow it to simmer gently. In half
an hour add the remaining leeks, and then it may simmer for 3 or 4 hours
longer. It should be carefully skimmed, and can be seasoned to taste. In
serving, take out the fowl, and carve it neatly, placing the pieces in a
tureen, and pouring over them the soup, which should be very thick of
leeks (a _pur�e_ of leeks the French would call it).
_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per quart; or, with stock No.
106, 1s.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Note_.--Without the fowl, the above, which would then be merely called
leek soup, is very good, and also economical. Cock-a-leekie was largely
consumed at the Burns Centenary Festival at the Crystal Palace,
Sydenham, in 1859.
[Illustration: LEEKS.]
MACARONI SOUP.
_Mode_.--Throw the macaroni and butter into boiling water, with a pinch
of salt, and simmer for 1/2 an hour. When it is tender, drain and cut it
into thin rings or lengths, and drop it into the boiling stock. Stew
gently for 15 minutes, and serve grated Parmesan cheese with it.
[Illustration: MACARONI.]
[Illustration: LETTUCE.]
_Mode_.--Boil the milk with the salt, cinnamon, and sugar; lay the bread
in a deep dish, pour over it a little of the milk, and keep it hot over
a stove, without burning. Beat up the yolks of the eggs, add them to the
milk, and stir it over the fire till it thickens. Do not let it curdle.
Pour it upon the bread, and serve.
ONION SOUP.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Mode_.--Cut the onions small, put them in the stewpan with the butter,
and fry them well; mix the rice-flour smoothly with the water, add the
onions, seasoning, and sugar, and simmer till tender. Thicken with
butter and flour, and serve.
[Illustration: ONION.]
PAN KAIL.
_Mode_.--Chop the cabbage very fine, thicken the water with oatmeal, put
in the cabbage and butter, or dripping; season and simmer for 1-1/2
hour. It can be made sooner by blanching and mashing the greens, adding
any good liquor that a joint has been boiled in, and then further
thicken with bread or pounded biscuit.
PARSNIP SOUP.
_Mode_.--Put the parsnips into the stewpan with the butter, which has
been previously melted, and simmer them till quite tender. Then add
nearly a pint of stock, and boil together for half an hour. Pass all
through a fine strainer, and put to it the remainder of the stock.
Season, boil, and serve immediately.
_Mode_.--Put the butter, ham, 1 quart of the peas, onions, and lettuces,
to a pint of stock, and simmer for an hour; then add the remainder of
the stock, with the crumb of the French rolls, and boil for another
hour. Now boil the spinach, and squeeze it very dry. Rub the soup
through a sieve, and the spinach with it, to colour it. Have ready a
pint of _young_ peas boiled; add them to the soup, put in the sugar,
give one boil, and serve. If necessary, add salt.
_Note_.--It will be well to add, if the peas are not quite young, a
little sugar. Where economy is essential, water may be used instead of
stock for this soup, boiling in it likewise the pea-shells; but use a
double quantity of vegetables.
_Mode_.--Put the peas to soak over-night in soft water, and float off
such as rise to the top. Boil them in the water till tender enough to
pulp; then add the ingredients mentioned above, and simmer for 2 hours,
stirring it occasionally. Pass the whole through a sieve, skim well,
season, and serve with toasted bread cut in dice.
_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 6d. per quart. _Seasonable_ all the
year round, but more suitable for cold weather. _Sufficient_ for 12
persons.
[Illustration: PEA.]
THE PEA.--It is supposed that the common gray pea, found wild in
Greece, and other parts of the Levant, is the original of the
common garden pea, and of all the domestic varieties belonging
to it. The gray, or field pea, called _bisallie_ by the French,
is less subject to run into varieties than the garden kinds, and
is considered by some, perhaps on that account, to be the wild
plant, retaining still a large proportion of its original habit.
From the tendency of all other varieties "to run away" and
become different to what they originally were, it is very
difficult to determine the races to which they belong. The pea
was well known to the Romans, and, probably, was introduced to
Britain at an early period; for we find peas mentioned by
Lydgate, a poet of the 15th century, as being hawked in London.
They seem, however, for a considerable time, to have fallen out
of use; for, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Fuller tells us
they were brought from Holland, and were accounted "fit dainties
for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear." There are some
varieties of peas which have no lining in their pods, which are
eaten cooked in the same way as kidney-beans. They are called
_sugar_ peas, and the best variety is the large crooked sugar,
which is also very good, used in the common way, as a culinary
vegetable. There is also a white sort, which readily splits when
subjected to the action of millstones set wide apart, so as not
to grind them. These are used largely for soups, and especially
for sea-stores. From the quantity of farinaceous and saccharine
matter contained in the pea, it is highly nutritious as an
article of food.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
POTATO SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--When the potatoes are boiled, mash them smoothly, that no lumps
remain, and gradually put them to the boiling stock; pass it through a
sieve, season, and simmer for 5 minutes. Skim well, and serve with fried
bread.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into thin slices, chop the potatoes and onion, and
put them in a stewpan with the water, peas, and rice. Stew gently till
the gravy is drawn from the meat; strain it off, take out the beef, and
pulp the other ingredients through a coarse sieve. Put the pulp back in
the soup, cut up the celery in it, and simmer till this is tender.
Season, and serve with fried bread cut into it.
III.
(_Very Economical_.)
_Seasonable_ in winter.
[Illustration: POTATOES.]
_Mode_.--Peel the turnips, and with a cutter cut them in balls as round
as possible, but very small. Put them in the stock, which must be very
bright, and simmer till tender. Add the veal stock and seasoning. Have
little pieces of bread cut round, about the size of a shilling; moisten
them with stock; put them into a tureen and pour the soup over without
shaking, for fear of crumbling the bread, which would spoil the
appearance of the soup, and make it look thick.
_Time_.--2 hours.
RICE SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Throw the rice into boiling water, and let it remain 5 minutes;
then pour it into a sieve, and allow it to drain well. Now add it to the
stock boiling, and allow it to stew till it is quite tender; season to
taste. Serve quickly.
_Mode_.--Boil the rice in the stock, and rub half of it through a tammy;
put the stock in the stewpan, add all the rice, and simmer gently for 5
minutes. Beat the yolks of the eggs, mix them with the cream (previously
boiled), and strain through a hair sieve; take the soup off the fire,
add the eggs and cream, stirring frequently. Heat it gradually, stirring
all the time; but do not let it boil, or the eggs will curdle.
SAGO SOUP.
_Mode_.--Wash the sago in boiling water, and add it, by degrees, to the
boiling stock, and simmer till the sago is entirely dissolved, and forms
a sort of jelly.
SEMOLINA SOUP.
153. INGREDIENTS.--5 oz. of semolina, 2 quarts of boiling stock, No.
105, or 106.
_Mode_.--Drop the semolina into the boiling stock, and keep stirring, to
prevent its burning. Simmer gently for half an hour, and serve.
_Mode_.--Beat the eggs, put them into a stewpan, and add the cream,
butter, and seasoning; stir in as much flour as will bring it to the
consistency of dough; make it into balls, either round or egg-shaped,
and fry them in butter; put them in the tureen, and pour the boiling
bouillon over them.
155. INGREDIENTS.--As much spinach as, when boiled, will half fill a
vegetable-dish, 2 quarts of very clear medium stock, No. 105.
_Mode_.--Make the cooked spinach into balls the size of an egg, and slip
them into the soup-tureen. This is a very elegant soup, the green of the
spinach forming a pretty contrast to the brown gravy.
TAPIOCA SOUP.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour. Average cost. 1s. or 6d. per quart.
TURNIP SOUP.
_Mode_.--Melt the butter in the stewpan, but do not let it boil; wash,
drain, and slice the turnips and onions very thin; put them in the
butter, with a teacupful of stock, and stew very gently for an hour.
Then add the remainder of the stock, and simmer another hour. Rub it
through a tammy, put it back into the stewpan, but do not let it boil.
Serve very hot.
[Illustration: TURNIP.]
THE TURNIP.--Although turnips grow wild in England, they are not
the original of the cultivated vegetable made use of in this
country. In ancient times they were grown for cattle by the
Romans, and in Germany and the Low Countries they have from time
immemorial been raised for the same purpose. In their cultivated
state, they are generally supposed to have been introduced to
England from Hanover, in the time of George I.; but this has
been doubted, as George II. caused a description of the Norfolk
system to be sent to his Hanoverian subjects, for their
enlightenment in the art of turnip culture. As a culinary
vegetable, it is excellent, whether eaten alone, mashed, or
mixed with soups und stews. Its nutritious matter, however, is
small, being only 42 parts in 1,000.
VEGETABLE-MARROW SOUP.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the marrows, and put them in the stock boiling.
When done almost to a mash, press them through a sieve, and at the
moment of serving, add the boiling cream and seasoning.
_Seasonable_ in summer.
VEGETABLE SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Boil the vegetables in the water 2-1/2 hours; stir them often,
and if the water boils away too quickly, add more, as there should be 2
quarts of soup when done. Mix up in a basin the butter and flour,
mustard, salt, and pepper, with a teacupful of cold water; stir in the
soup, and boil 10 minutes. Have ready the yolks of the eggs in the
tureen; pour on, stir well, and serve.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onions, carrots, and turnips; wash and drain them
well, and put them in the stewpan with the butter and powdered sugar.
Toss the whole over a sharp fire for 10 minutes, but do not let them
brown, or you will spoil the flavour of the soup. When done, pour the
stock or boiling water on them; add the bread, celery, herbs, and
seasoning; stew for 3 hours; skim well and strain it off. When ready to
serve, add a little sliced carrot, celery, and turnip, and flavour with
a spoonful of Harvey's sauce, or a little ketchup.
III.
_Mode_.--Peel the vegetables, and cut them up into small pieces; toast
the bread rather brown, and put all into a stewpan with the water and
seasoning. Simmer gently for 3 hours, or until all is reduced to a pulp,
and pass it through a sieve in the same way as pea-soup, which it should
resemble in consistence; but it should be a dark brown colour. Warm it
up again when required; put in the Harvey's sauce, and, if necessary,
add to the flavouring.
VERMICELLI SOUP.
I.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, exclusive of the fowl and bacon, 10d.
per quart.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
[Illustration: VERMICELLI.]
II.
_Mode_.--Put the vermicelli in the soup, boiling; simmer very gently for
1/2 an hour, and stir frequently.
WHITE SOUP.
_Note_.--A more economical white soup may be made by using common veal
stock, and thickening with rice, flour, and milk. Vermicelli should be
served with it.
_Average cost_, 5d. per quart.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat in small pieces, break the bones, put them in a
copper, with the 10 gallons of water, and stew for 1/2 an hour. Cut up
the vegetables, put them in with the sugar and beer, and boil for 4
hours. Two hours before the soup is wanted, add the rice and raspings,
and keep stirring till it is well mixed in the soup, which simmer
gently. If the liquor reduces too much, fill up with water.
BRILLA SOUP.
_Mode_.--Take the beef, cut off all the meat from the bone, in nice
square pieces, and boil the bone for 4 hours. Strain the liquor, let it
cool, and take off the fat; then put the pieces of meat in the cold
liquor; cut small the carrots, turnips, and celery; chop the onions, add
them with the thyme and seasoning, and simmer till the meat is tender.
If not brown enough, colour it with browning.
THYME.--This sweet herb was known to the Romans, who made use of
it in culinary preparations, as well as in aromatic liqueurs.
There are two species of it growing wild in Britain, but the
garden thyme is a native of the south of Europe, and is more
delicate in its perfume than the others. Its young leaves give
an agreeable flavour to soups and sauces; they are also used in
stuffings.
CALF'S-HEAD SOUP.
_Mode_.--Rub the head with salt, soak it for 6 hours, and clean it
thoroughly; put it in the stewpan, and cover it with the stock, or
pot-liquor, or water, adding the onion and sweet herbs. When well
skimmed and boiled for 1-1/2 hour, take out the head, and skim and
strain the soup. Mix the rice-flour with the ketchup, thicken the soup
with it, and simmer for 5 minutes. Now cut up the head into pieces about
two inches long, and simmer them in the soup till the meat and fat are
quite tender. Season with white pepper and mace finely pounded, and
serve very hot. When the calf's head is taken out of the soup, cover it
up, or it will discolour.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_,1s. 9d. per quart, with stock No.
107.
GIBLET SOUP.
_Mode_.--Scald the giblets, cut the gizzards in 8 pieces, and put them
in a stewpan with the beef, bones, ox-tail, mutton-shanks, onions,
herbs, pepper, and salt; add the 3 quarts of water, and simmer till the
giblets are tender, taking care to skim well. When the giblets are done,
take them out, put them in your tureen, strain the soup through a sieve,
add the cream and butter, mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, boil
it up a few minutes, and pour it over the giblets. It can be flavoured
with port wine and a little mushroom ketchup, instead of cream. Add salt
to taste.
_Mode_.--Slightly brown the meat and ham in the butter, but do not let
them burn. When this is done, pour to it the water, and as the scum
rises, take it off; when no more appears, add all the other ingredients,
and let the soup simmer slowly by the fire for 6 hours without stirring
it any more from the bottom; take it off, and let it settle; skim off
all the fat you can, and pass it through a tammy. When perfectly cold,
you can remove all the fat, and leave the sediment untouched, which
serves very nicely for thick gravies, hashes, &c.
HARE SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Skin and paunch the hare, saving the liver and as much blood as
possible. Cut it in pieces, and put it in a stewpan with all the
ingredients, and simmer gently for 8 hours. This soup should be made the
day before it is wanted. Strain through a sieve, put the best parts of
the hare in the soup, and serve.
OR,
II.
Proceed as above; but, instead of putting the joints of the hare in the
soup, pick the meat from the bones, pound it in a mortar, and add it,
with the crumb of two French rolls, to the soup. Rub all through a
sieve; heat slowly, but do not let it boil. Send it to table
immediately.
_Time_.-8 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d. per quart.
[Illustration: HARE.]
HESSIAN SOUP.
_Mode_.--Clean the head, rub it with salt and water, and soak it for 5
hours in warm water. Simmer it in the water till tender, put it into a
pan and let it cool; skim off all the fat; take out the head, and add
the vegetables cut up small, and the peas which have been previously
soaked; simmer them without the meat, till they are done enough to pulp
through a sieve. Add the seasoning, with pieces of the meat cut up; give
one boil, and serve.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
MOCK TURTLE.
I.
172. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 a calf's head, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of lean
ham, 2 tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little minced lemon thyme,
sweet marjoram, basil, 2 onions, a few chopped mushrooms (when
obtainable), 2 shallots, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 1/4 bottle of
Madeira or sherry, force-meat balls, cayenne, salt and mace to taste,
the juice of 1 lemon and 1 Seville orange, 1 dessert-spoonful of pounded
sugar, 3 quarts of best stock, No. 104.
_Mode_.--Scald the head with the skin on, remove the brain, tie the head
up in a cloth, and let it boil for 1 hour. Then take the meat from the
bones, cut it into small square pieces, and throw them into cold water.
Now take the meat, put it into a stewpan, and cover with stock; let it
boil gently for an hour, or rather more, if not quite tender, and set it
on one side. Melt the butter in another stewpan, and add the ham, cut
small, with the herbs, parsley, onions, shallots, mushrooms, and nearly
a pint of stock; let these simmer slowly for 2 hours, and then dredge in
as much flour as will dry up the butter. Fill up with the remainder of
the stock, add the wine, let it stew gently for 10 minutes, rub it
through a tammy, and put it to the calf's head; season with cayenne,
and, if required, a little salt; add the juice of the orange and lemon;
and when liked, 1/4 teaspoonful of pounded mace, and the sugar. Put in
the force-meat balls, simmer 5 minutes, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--4-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 3s. 6d. per quart, or 2s. 6d.
without wine or force-meat balls.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
II.
(_More Economical_.)
_Seasonable_ in winter.
MULLAGATAWNY SOUP.
_Mode_.-=Slice and fry the onions of a nice colour; line the stewpan
with the bacon; cut up the rabbit or fowl into small joints, and
slightly brown them; put in the fried onions, the garlic, and stock, and
simmer gently till the meat is tender; skim very carefully, and when the
meat is done, rub the curry powder to a smooth batter; add it to the
soup with the almonds, which must be first pounded with a little of the
stock. Put in seasoning and lemon-pickle or mango-juice to taste, and
serve boiled rice with it.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per quart, with stock No. 105.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Note_.--This soup can also be made with breast of veal, or calf's head.
Vegetable Mullagatawny is made with veal stock, by boiling and pulping
chopped vegetable marrow, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, and seasoning
with curry powder and cayenne. Nice pieces of meat, good curry powder,
and strong stock, are necessary to make this soup good.
[Illustration: CORIANDER.]
_Mode_.--Lay the ingredients in a covered pan before the fire, and let
them remain there the whole day, stirring occasionally. The next day put
the whole into a stewpan, and place it on a brisk fire. When it
commences to boil, take the pan off the fire, and put it on one side to
simmer until the meat is done. When ready for use, take out the meat,
dish it up with carrots and turnips, and send it to table; strain the
soup, let it cool, skim off all the fat, season and thicken it with a
tablespoonful, or rather more, of arrowroot; flavour with a little
sherry, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.
_Time_.--15 hours. _Average cost_, including the meat, 1s. 3d. per
quart.
OX-CHEEK SOUP.
_Mode_.--Lay the ham in the bottom of the stewpan, with the butter;
break the bones of the cheek, wash it clean, and put it on the ham. Cut
the vegetables small, add them to the other ingredients, and set the
whole over a slow fire for 1/4 of an hour. Now put in the water, and
simmer gently till it is reduced to 4 quarts; take out the fleshy part
of the cheek, and strain the soup into a clean stewpan; thicken with
flour, put in a head of sliced celery, and simmer till the celery is
tender. If not a good colour, use a little browning. Cut the meat into
small square pieces, pour the soup over, and serve with the crust of a
French roll in the tureen. A glass of sherry much improves this soup.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
OX-TAIL SOUP.
_Mode_.--Cut up the tails, separating them at the joints; wash them, and
put them in a stewpan, with the butter. Cut the vegetables in slices,
and add them, with the peppercorns and herbs. Put in 1/2 pint of water,
and stir it over a sharp fire till the juices are drawn. Fill up the
stewpan with the water, and, when boiling, add the salt. Skim well, and
simmer very gently for 4 hours, or until the tails are tender. Take them
out, skim and strain the soup, thicken with flour, and flavour with the
ketchup and port wine. Put back the tails, simmer for 5 minutes, and
serve.
PARTRIDGE SOUP.
_Mode_.--Cut the partridges into pieces, and braise them in the butter
and ham until quite tender; then take out the legs, wings, and breast,
and set them by. Keep the backs and other trimmings in the braise, and
add the onions and celery; any remains of cold game can be put in, and 3
pints of stock. Simmer slowly for 1 hour, strain it, and skim the fat
off as clean as possible; put in the pieces that were taken out, give it
one boil, and skim again to have it quite clear, and add the sugar and
seasoning. Now simmer the cut carrot and turnip in 1 pint of stock; when
quite tender, put them to the partridges, and serve.
PHEASANT SOUP.
_Mode_.--Cut up the pheasants, flour and braise them in the butter and
ham till they are of a nice brown, but not burnt. Put them in a stewpan,
with the onions, celery, and seasoning, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain
the soup; pound the breasts with the crumb of the roll previously
soaked, and the yolks of the eggs; put it to the soup, give one boil,
and serve.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. 10d. per quart, or, if made
with fragments of gold game, 1s.
PORTABLE SOUP.
_Mode_.--Take the marrow from the bones; put all the ingredients in a
stock-pot, and simmer slowly for 12 hours, or more, if the meat be not
done to rags; strain it off, and put it in a very cool place; take off
all the fat, reduce the liquor in a shallow pan, by setting it over a
sharp fire, but be particular that it does not burn; boil it fast and
uncovered for 8 hours, and keep it stirred. Put it into a deep dish, and
set it by for a day. Have ready a stewpan of boiling water, place the
dish in it, and keep it boiling; stir occasionally, and when the soup is
thick and ropy, it is done. Form it into little cakes by pouring a small
quantity on to the bottom of cups or basins; when cold, turn them out on
a flannel to dry. Keep them from the air in tin canisters.
RABBIT SOUP.
_Mode_.--Make the soup with the legs and shoulders of the rabbit, and
keep the nice pieces for a dish or _entr�e_. Put them into warm water,
and draw the blood; when quite clean, put them in a stewpan, with a
faggot of herbs, and a teacupful, or rather more, of veal stock or
water. Simmer slowly till done through, and add the 3 quarts of water,
and boil for an hour. Take out the rabbet, pick the meat from the bones,
covering it up to keep it white; put the bones back in the liquor, add
the vegetables, and simmer for 2 hours; skim and strain, and let it
cool. Now pound the meat in a mortar, with the yolks of the eggs, and
the crumb of the roll previously soaked; rub it through a tammy, and
gradually add it to the strained liquor, and simmer for 15 minutes. Mix
arrowroot or rice-flour with the cream (say 2 dessert-spoonfuls), and
stir in the soup; bring it to a boil, and serve. This soup must be very
white, and instead of thickening it with arrowroot or rice-flour,
vermicelli or pearl barley can be boiled in a little stock, and put in 5
minutes before serving.
REGENCY SOUP.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. per quart, if made with medium
stock, or 6d. per quart, with common stock.
SOUP A LA REINE.
I.
_Mode_.--Boil the fowl gently in the stock till quite tender, which will
be in about an hour, or rather more; take out the fowl, pull the meat
from the bones, and put it into a mortar with the almonds, and pound
very fine. When beaten enough, put the meat back in the stock, with the
crumb of the rolls, and let it simmer for an hour; rub it through a
tammy, add the sugar, 1/2 pint of cream that has boiled, and, if you
prefer, cut the crust of the roll into small round pieces, and pour the
soup over it, when you serve.
_Time_.--2 hours, or rather more. _Average cost_, 2s. 7d. per quart.
II. (Economical.)
_Mode_.--Take all the white meat and pound it with the rice, which has
been slightly cooked, but not much. When it is all well pounded, dilute
with the stock, and pass through a sieve. This soup should neither be
too clear nor too thick.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat small, add the water, and let it simmer for
23/4 hours. Now add the vegetables, cut in thin small slices; season,
and boil for 1 hour. Thicken with the oatmeal, and serve.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 3d. per quart without the meat.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
STEW SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Cut the beef up in small pieces, add the other ingredients, and
boil gently for 21/2 hours. Oatmeal or potatoes would be a great
improvement.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat in small pieces, as also the vegetables, and add
them, with the peas, to the water. Boil gently for 3 hours; thicken with
the oatmeal, boil for another 1/4 hour, stirring all the time, and
season with pepper and salt.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Note_.--This soup may be made of the liquor in which tripe has been
boiled, by adding vegetables, seasoning, rice, &c.
_Mode_.--Cut up the turkey in small pieces, and put it in the stock; let
it simmer slowly until the bones are quite clean. Take the bones out,
and work the soup through a sieve; when cool, skim well. Mix the
rice-flour or arrowroot to a batter with a little of the soup; add it
with the seasoning and sauce, or ketchup. Give one boil, and serve.
_Seasonable_ at Christmas.
_Mode_.--To make this soup with less difficulty, cut off the head of the
turtle the preceding day. In the morning open the turtle by leaning
heavily with a knife on the shell of the animal's back, whilst you cut
this off all round. Turn it upright on its end, that all the water, &c.
may run out, when the flesh should be cut off along the spine, with the
knife sloping towards the bones, for fear of touching the gall, which
sometimes might escape the eye. When all the flesh about the members is
obtained, wash these clean, and let them drain. Have ready, on the fire,
a large vessel full of boiling water, into which put the shells; and
when you perceive that they come easily off, take them out of the water,
and prick them all, with those of the back, belly, fins, head, &c. Boil
the back and belly till the bones can be taken off, without, however,
allowing the softer parts to be sufficiently done, as they will be
boiled again in the soup. When these latter come off easily, lay them on
earthen dishes singly, for fear they should stick together, and put them
to cool. Keep the liquor in which you have blanched the softer parts,
and let the bones stew thoroughly in it, as this liquor must be used to
moisten all the sauces.
All the flesh of the interior parts, the four legs and head, must be
drawn down in the following manner:--Lay the slices of ham on the bottom
of a very large stewpan, over them the knuckles of veal, according to
the size of the turtle; then the inside flesh of the turtle, and over
the whole the members. Now moisten with the water in which you are
boiling the shell, and draw it down thoroughly. It may now be
ascertained if it be thoroughly done by thrusting a knife into the
fleshy part of the meat. If no blood appears, it is time to moisten it
again with the liquor in which the bones, &c. have been boiling. Put in
a large bunch of all such sweet herbs as are used in the cooking of a
turtle,--sweet basil, sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, winter savory, 2 or 3
bay-leaves, common thyme, a handful of parsley and green onions, and a
large onion stuck with 6 cloves. Let the whole be thoroughly done. With
respect to the members, probe them, to see whether they are done, and if
so, drain and send them to the larder, as they are to make their
appearance only when the soup is absolutely completed. When the flesh is
also completely done, strain it through a silk sieve, and make a very
thin white _roux;_ for turtle soup must not be much thickened. When the
flour is sufficiently done on a slow fire, and has a good colour,
moisten it with the liquor, keeping it over the fire till it boils.
Ascertain that the sauce is neither too thick nor too thin; then draw
the stewpan on the side of the stove, to skim off the white scum, and
all the fat and oil that rise to the surface of the sauce. By this time
all the softer parts will be sufficiently cold; when they must be cut to
about the size of one or two inches square, and thrown into the soup,
which must now be left to simmer gently. When done, skim off all the fat
and froth. Take all the leaves of the herbs from the stock,--sweet
basil, sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, winter savory, 2 or 3 bay-leaves,
common thyme, a handful of parsley and green onions, and a large onion
cut in four pieces, with a few blades of mace. Put these in a stewpan,
with about 1/4 lb. of fresh butter, and let it simmer on a slow fire
till quite melted, when pour in 1 bottle of good Madeira, adding a small
bit of sugar, and let it boil gently for 1 hour. When done, rub it
through a tammy, and add it to the soup. Let this boil, till no white
scum rises; then take with a skimmer all the bits of turtle out of the
sauce, and put them in a clean stewpan: when you have all out, pour the
soup over the bits of turtle, through a tammy, and proceed as follows:--
HODGE-PODGE.
191. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of shin of beef, 3 quarts of water, 1 pint of
table-beer, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 turnips, 1 head of celery; pepper and
salt to taste; thickening of butter and flour.
_Mode_.--Put the meat, beer, and water in a stewpan; simmer for a few
minutes, and skim carefully. Add the vegetables and seasoning; stew
gently till the meat is tender. Thicken with the butter and flour, and
serve with turnips and carrots, or spinach and celery.
FISH SOUPS.
FISH STOCK.
_Mode_.--Cut up the fish, and put it, with the other ingredients, into
the water. Simmer for 2 hours; skim the liquor carefully, and strain it.
When a richer stock is wanted, fry the vegetables and fish before adding
the water.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, with meat, 10d. per quart; without,
3d.
CRAYFISH SOUP.
_Mode_.--Shell the crayfish, and put the fish between two plates until
they are wanted; pound the shells in a mortar, with the butter and
anchovies; when well beaten, add a pint of stock, and simmer for 3/4 of
an hour. Strain it through a hair sieve, put the remainder of the stock
to it, with the crumb of the rolls; give it one boil, and rub it through
a tammy, with the lobster-spawn. Put in the fish, but do not let the
soup boil, after it has been rubbed through the tammy. If necessary, add
seasoning.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 3d. or 1s. 9d. per quart.
[Illustration: CRAYFISH.]
EEL SOUP.
_Mode_.--Wash the eels, cut them into thin slices, and put them in the
stewpan with the butter; let them simmer for a few minutes, then pour
the water to them, and add the onion, cut in thin slices, the herbs,
mace, and seasoning. Simmer till the eels are tender, but do not break
the fish. Take them out carefully, mix the flour smoothly to a batter
with the cream, bring it to a boil, pour over the eels, and serve.
LOBSTER SOUP.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the lobsters, and beat the fins, chine, and
small claws in a mortar, previously taking away the brown fin and the
bag in the head. Put it in a stewpan, with the crumb of the roll,
anchovies, onions, herbs, lemon-peel, and the water; simmer gently till
all the goodness is extracted, and strain it off. Pound the spawn in a
mortar, with the butter, nutmeg, and flour, and mix with it the cream
and milk. Give one boil up, at the same time adding the tails cut in
pieces. Make the forcemeat balls with the remainder of the lobster,
seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt, adding a little flour, and a few
bread crumbs; moisten them with the egg, heat them in the soup, and
serve.
OYSTER SOUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor; take them out, beard
them, and put them in a tureen. Take a pint of the stock, put in the
beards and the liquor, which must be carefully strained, and simmer for
1/2 an hour. Take it off the fire, strain it again, and add the
remainder of the stock with the seasoning and mace. Bring it to a boil,
add the thickening of butter and flour, simmer for 5 minutes, stir in
the boiling cream, pour it over the oysters, and serve.
_Note_.--This soup can be made less rich by using milk instead of cream,
and thickening with arrowroot instead of butter and flour.
II.
_Mode_.--Beard the oysters, and scald them in their own liquor; then add
it, well strained, to the broth; thicken with the butter and flour, and
simmer for 1/4 of an hour. Put in the oysters, stir well, but do not let
it boil, and serve very hot.
PRAWN SOUP.
_Mode_.--Pick out the tails of the prawns, put the bodies in a stewpan
with 1 blade of mace, 1/2 pint of vinegar, and the same quantity of
water; stew them for 1/4 hour, and strain off the liquor. Put the fish
stock or water into a stewpan; add the strained liquor, pound the prawns
with the crumb of a roll moistened with a little of the soup, rub them
through a tammy, and mix them by degrees with the soup; add ketchup or
anchovy sauce to taste, with a little lemon-juice. When it is well
cooked, put in a few picked prawns; let them get thoroughly hot, and
serve. If not thick enough, put in a little butter and flour.
_Time_.--hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 1d. per quart, if made with water.
[Illustration]
FISH.
CHAPTER VII.
202. THE BODIES OF FISHES are mostly covered with a kind of horny
scales; but some are almost entirely without them, or have them so
minute as to be almost invisible; as is the case with the eel. The
object of these is to preserve them from injury by the pressure of the
water, or the sudden contact with pebbles, rocks, or sea-weeds. Others,
again, are enveloped in a fatty, oleaginous substance, also intended as
a defence against the friction of the water; and those in which the
scales are small, are supplied with a larger quantity of slimy matter.
204. THE POSITIONS OF THE TEETH OF FISHES are well calculated to excite
our amazement; for, in some cases, these are situated in the jaws,
sometimes on the tongue or palate, and sometimes even in the throat.
They are in general sharp-pointed and immovable; but in the carp they
are obtuse, and in the pike so easily moved as to seem to have no deeper
hold than such as the mere skin can afford. In the herring, the tongue
is set with teeth, to enable it the better, it is supposed, to retain
its food.
205. ALTHOUGH NATURALISTS HAVE DIVIDED FISHES into two great tribes, the
_osseous_ and the _cartilaginous_, yet the distinction is not very
precise; for the first have a great deal of cartilage, and the second,
at any rate, a portion of calcareous matter in their bones. It may,
therefore, be said that the bones of fishes form a kind of intermediate
substance between true bones and cartilages. The backbone extends
through the whole length of the body, and consists of vertebrae, strong
and thick towards the head, but weaker and more slender as it approaches
the tail. Each species has a determinate number of vertebrae, which are
increased in size in proportion with the body. The ribs are attached to
the processes of the vertebrae, and inclose the breast and abdomen. Some
kinds, as the rays, have no ribs; whilst others, as the sturgeon and
eel, have very short ones. Between the pointed processes of the
vertebrae are situated the bones which support the dorsal (back) and the
anal (below the tail) fins, which are connected with the processes by a
ligament. At the breast are the sternum or breastbone, clavicles or
collar-bones, and the scapulae or shoulder-blades, on which the
pectoral or breast fins are placed. The bones which support the ventral
or belly fins are called the _ossa pelvis_. Besides these principal
bones, there are often other smaller ones, placed between the muscles to
assist their motion.
208. THE FECUNDITY OF FISHES has been the wonder of every natural
philosopher whose attention has been attracted to the subject. They are
in general oviparous, or egg-producing; but there are a few, such as the
eel and the blenny, which are viviparous, or produce their young alive.
The males have the _milt_ and the females the _roe_; but some
individuals, as the sturgeon and the cod tribes, are said to contain
both. The greater number deposit their spawn in the sand or gravel; but
some of those which dwell in the depths of the ocean attach their eggs
to sea-weeds. In every instance, however, their fruitfulness far
surpasses that of any other race of animals. According to Lewenhoeck,
the cod annually spawns upwards of nine millions of eggs, contained in a
single roe. The flounder produces one million; the mackerel above five
hundred thousand; a herring of a moderate size at least ten thousand; a
carp fourteen inches in length, according to Petit, contained two
hundred and sixty-two thousand two hundred and twenty-four; a perch
deposited three hundred and eighty thousand six hundred and forty; and a
female sturgeon seven millions six hundred and fifty-three thousand two
hundred. The viviparous species are by no means so prolific; yet the
blenny brings forth two or three hundred at a time, which commence
sporting together round their parent the moment they have come into
existence.
210. FISHES ARE EITHER SOLITARY OR GREGARIOUS, and some of them migrate
to great distances, and into certain rivers, to deposit their spawn. Of
sea-fishes, the cod, herring, mackerel, and many others, assemble in
immense shoals, and migrate through different tracts of the ocean; but,
whether considered in their solitary or gregarious capacity, they are
alike wonderful to all who look through Nature up to Nature's God, and
consider, with due humility, yet exalted admiration, the sublime
variety, beauty, power, and grandeur of His productions, as manifested
in the Creation.
212. PASSING FROM AFRICA TO EUROPE, we come amongst a people who have,
almost from time immemorial, occupied a high place in the estimation of
every civilized country; yet the Greeks, in their earlier ages, made
very little use of fish as an article of diet. In the eyes of the heroes
of Homer it had little favour; for Menelaus complained that "hunger
pressed their digestive organs," and they had been obliged to live upon
fish. Subsequently, however, fish became one of the principal articles
of diet amongst the Hellenes; and both Aristophanes and Athenaeus allude
to it, and even satirize their countrymen for their excessive partiality
to the turbot and mullet.
213. THE GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION OF GREECE was highly favourable for the
development of a taste for the piscatory tribes; and the skill of the
Greek cooks was so great, that they could impart every variety of relish
to the dish they were called upon to prepare. Athenaeus has transmitted
to posterity some very important precepts upon their ingenuity in
seasoning with salt, oil, and aromatics.
At the present day the food of the Greeks, through the combined
influence of poverty and the long fasts which their religion
imposes upon them, is, to a large extent, composed of fish,
accompanied with vegetables and fruit. Caviare, prepared from
the roes of sturgeons, is the national ragout, which, like all
other fish dishes, they season with aromatic herbs. Snails
dressed in garlic are also a favourite dish.
214. AS THE ROMANS, in a great measure, took their taste in the fine
arts from the Greeks, so did they, in some measure, their piscine
appetites. The eel-pout and the lotas's liver were the favourite fish
dishes of the Roman epicures; whilst the red mullet was esteemed as one
of the most delicate fishes that could be brought to the table.
215. THE LOVE OF FISH among the ancient Romans rose to a real mania.
Apicius offered a prize to any one who could invent a new brine
compounded of the liver of red mullets; and Lucullus had a canal cut
through a mountain, in the neighbourhood of Naples, that fish might be
the more easily transported to the gardens of his villa. Hortensius, the
orator, wept over the death of a turbot which he had fed with his own
hands; and the daughter of Druses adorned one that she had, with rings
of gold. These were, surely, instances of misplaced affection; but there
is no accounting for tastes. It was but the other day that we read in
the "_Times_" of a wealthy _living_ English hermit, who delights in the
companionship of rats!
216. FROM ROME TO GAUL is, considering the means of modern locomotion,
no great way; but the ancient sumptuary laws of that kingdom give us
little information regarding the ichthyophagous propensities of its
inhabitants. Louis XII. engaged six fishmongers to furnish his board
with fresh-water animals, and Francis I. had twenty-two, whilst Henry
the Great extended his requirements a little further, and had
twenty-four. In the time of Louis XIV. the cooks had attained to such a
degree of perfection in their art, that they could convert the form and
flesh of the trout, pike, or carp, into the very shape and flavour of
the most delicious game.
217. FROM GAUL WE CROSS TO BRITAIN, where it has been asserted, by, at
least, one authority, that the ancient inhabitants ate no fish. However
this may be, we know that the British shores, particularly those of the
North Sea, have always been well supplied with the best kinds of fish,
which we may reasonably infer was not unknown to the inhabitants, or
likely to be lost upon them for the lack of knowledge as to how they
tasted. By the time of Edward II., fish had, in England, become a
dainty, especially the sturgeon, which was permitted to appear on no
table but that of the king. In the fourteenth century, a decree of King
John informs us that the people ate both seals and porpoises; whilst in
the days of the Troubadours, whales were fished for and caught in the
Mediterranean Sea, for the purpose of being used as human food.
Whatever checks the ancient British may have had upon their
piscatory appetites, there are happily none of any great
consequence upon the modern, who delight in wholesome food of
every kind. Their taste is, perhaps, too much inclined to that
which is accounted solid and substantial; but they really eat
more moderately, even of animal food, than either the French or
the Germans. Roast beef, or other viands cooked in the plainest
manner, are, with them, a sufficient luxury; yet they delight in
living _well_, whilst it is easy to prove how largely their
affections are developed by even the prospect of a substantial
cheer. In proof of this we will just observe, that if a great
dinner is to be celebrated, it is not uncommon for the appointed
stewards and committee to meet and have a preliminary dinner
among themselves, in order to arrange the great one, and after
that, to have another dinner to discharge the bill which the
great one cost. This enjoyable disposition we take to form a
very large item in the aggregate happiness of the nation.
IV. Salmon, mackerel, herrings, and trout soon spoil or decompose after
they are killed; therefore, to be in perfection, they should be prepared
for the table on the day they are caught. With flat fish, this is not of
such consequence, as they will keep longer. The turbot, for example, is
improved by being kept a day or two.
219. IN DRESSING FISH, of any kind, the first point to be attended to,
is to see that it be perfectly clean. It is a common error to wash it
too much; as by doing so the flavour is diminished. If the fish is to be
boiled, a little salt and vinegar should be put into the water, to give
it firmness, after it is cleaned. Cod-fish, whiting, and haddock, are
far better if a little salted, and kept a day; and if the weather be not
very hot, they will be good for two days.
221. FISH SHOULD BE PUT INTO COLD WATER, and set on the fire to do very
gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done. Unless
the fishes are small, they should never be put into warm water; nor
should water, either hot or cold, be poured _on_ to the fish, as it is
liable to break the skin: if it should be necessary to add a little
water whilst the fish is cooking, it ought to be poured in gently at the
side of the vessel. The fish-plate may be drawn up, to see if the fish
be ready, which may be known by its easily separating from the bone. It
should then be immediately taken out of the water, or it will become
woolly. The fish-plate should be set crossways over the kettle, to keep
hot for serving, and a clean cloth over the fish, to prevent its losing
its colour.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER VIII.
FISH.
FRIED ANCHOVIES.
_Mode_.--Mix the oil and wine together, with sufficient flour to make
them into a thickish paste; cleanse the anchovies, wipe them, dip them
in the paste, and fry of a nice brown colour.
_Mode_.--Wash the anchovies thoroughly; bone and dry them, and pound
them in a mortar to a paste. Mix the butter gradually with them, and rub
the whole through a sieve. Put it by in small pots for use, and
carefully exclude the air with a bladder, as it soon changes the colour
of anchovies, besides spoiling them.
POTTED ANCHOVIES.
POTTED ANCHOVIES are made in the same way, by adding pounded mace,
cayenne, and nutmeg to taste.
ANCHOVY TOAST.
BARBEL.
_Mode_--Boil the barbels in salt and water till done; pour off some of
the water, and, to the remainder, put the ingredients mentioned above.
Simmer gently for 1/2 hour, or rather more, and strain. Put in the fish;
heat it gradually; but do not let it boil, or it will be broken.
THE BARBEL,--This fish takes its name from the barbs or wattels
at its mouth; and, in England, is esteemed as one of the worst
of the fresh-water fish. It was, however, formerly, if not now,
a favourite with the Jews, excellent cookers of fish. Others
would boil with it a piece of bacon, that it might have a
relish. It is to be met with from two to three or four feet
long, and is said to live to a great age. From Putney upwards,
in the Thames, some are found of large size; but they are valued
only as affording sport to the brethren of the angle.
BRILL.
_Mode_.--Clean the brill, cut off the fins, and rub it over with a
little lemon-juice, to preserve its whiteness. Set the fish in
sufficient cold water to cover it; throw in salt, in the above
proportions, and a little vinegar, and bring it gradually to boil;
simmer very gently till the fish is done, which will be in about 10
minutes; but the time for boiling, of course, depends entirely on the
size of the fish. Serve it on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon,
parsley, horseradish, and a little lobster coral sprinkled over the
fish. Send lobster or shrimp sauce and plain melted butter to table with
it.
CODFISH.
231. Cod may be boiled whole; but a large head and shoulders are quite
sufficient for a dish, and contain all that is usually helped, because,
when the thick part is done, the tail is insipid and overdone. The
latter, cut in slices, makes a very good dish for frying; or it may be
salted down and served with egg sauce and parsnips. Cod, when boiled
quite fresh, is watery; salting a little, renders it firmer.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the fish thoroughly, and rub a little salt over the
thick part and inside of the fish, 1 or 2 hours before dressing it, as
this very much improves the flavour. Lay it in the fish-kettle, with
sufficient cold water to cover it. Be very particular not to pour the
water on the fish, as it is liable to break it, and only keep it just
simmering. If the water should boil away, add a little by pouring it in
at the side of the kettle, and not on the fish. Add salt in the above
proportion, and bring it gradually to a boil. Skim very carefully, draw
it to the side of the fire, and let it gently simmer till done. Take it
out and drain it; serve on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon,
horseradish, the roe and liver. (_See_ Coloured Plate C.)
TO CHOOSE COD.--The cod should be chosen for the table when it is plump
and round near the tail, when the hollow behind the head is deep, and
when the sides are undulated as if they were ribbed. The glutinous parts
about the head lose their delicate flavour, after the fish has been
twenty-four hours out of the water. The great point by which the cod
should be judged is the firmness of its flesh; and, although the cod is
not firm when it is alive, its quality may be arrived at by pressing the
finger into the flesh. If this rises immediately, the fish is good; if
not, it is stale. Another sign of its goodness is, if the fish, when it
is cut, exhibits a bronze appearance, like the silver side of a round of
beef. When this is the case, the flesh will be firm when cooked.
Stiffness in a cod, or in any other fish, is a sure sign of freshness,
though not always of quality. Sometimes, codfish, though exhibiting
signs of rough usage, will eat much better than those with red gills, so
strongly recommended by many cookery-books. This appearance is generally
caused by the fish having been knocked about at sea, in the well-boats,
in which they are conveyed from the fishing-grounds to market.
_Mode_.--Wash the fish, and lay it all night in water, with a 1/4 pint
of vinegar. When thoroughly soaked, take it out, see that it is
perfectly clean, and put it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold
water to cover it. Heat it gradually, but do not let it boil much, or
the fish will be hard. Skim well, and when done, drain the fish and put
it on a napkin garnished with hard-boiled eggs cut in rings.
COD SOUNDS.
Should be well soaked in salt and water, and thoroughly washed before
dressing them. They are considered a great delicacy, and may either be
broiled, fried, or boiled: if they are boiled, mix a little milk with
the water.
COD SOUNDS, EN POULE.
COD PIE.
(_Economical_.)
I.
_Mode_.--Flake the fish from the bone, and carefully take away all the
skin. Lay it in a pie-dish, pour over the melted butter and oysters (or
oyster sauce, if there is any left), and cover with mashed potatoes.
Bake for 1/2 an hour, and send to table of a nice brown colour.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
II.
_Mode_.--Lay the cod in salt for 4 hours, then wash it and place it in a
dish; season, and add the butter and stock; cover with the crust, and
bake for 1 hour, or rather more. Now make the sauce, by mixing the
ingredients named above; give it one boil, and pour it into the pie by a
hole made at the top of the crust, which can easily be covered by a
small piece of pastry cut and baked in any fanciful shape--such as a
leaf, or otherwise.
CURRIED COD.
_Mode_.--Flake the fish, and fry it of a nice brown colour with the
butter and onions; put this in a stewpan, add the stock and thickening,
and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the curry-powder into the cream; put it,
with the seasoning, to the other ingredients; give one boil, and serve.
COD A LA CREME.
_Mode_.--Boil the cod, and while hot, break it into flakes; put the
butter, shalot, parsley, and stock into a stewpan, and let them boil for
5 minutes. Stir in sufficient flour to thicken, and pour to it the milk
or cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the cayenne and sugar, and, when
liked, a little lemon-juice. Put the fish in the sauce to warm
gradually, but do not let it boil. Serve in a dish garnished with
cro�tons.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, with cream, 2s.
_Note_.--The remains of fish from the preceding day answer very well for
this dish.
COD A LA BECHAMEL.
_Mode_.--Flake the cod carefully, leaving out all skin and bone; put the
b�chamel in a stewpan with the butter, and stir it over the fire till
the latter is melted; add seasoning, put in the fish, and mix it well
with the sauce. Make a border of fried bread round the dish, lay in the
fish, sprinkle over with bread crumbs, and baste with butter. Brown
either before the fire or with a salamander, and garnish with toasted
bread cut in fanciful shapes.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Boil the cod, and either leave it whole, or, what is still
better, flake it from the bone, and take off the skin. Put it into a
stewpan with the butter, parsley, shalot, pepper, and nutmeg. Melt the
butter gradually, and be very careful that it does not become like oil.
When all is well mixed and thoroughly hot, add the lemon-juice, and
serve.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d.; with remains of cold fish,
5d.
COD A L'ITALIENNE.
_Mode_.--Chop the shalots, mince the ham very fine, pour on the stock,
and simmer for 15 minutes. If the colour should not be good, add cream
in the above proportion, and strain it through a fine sieve; season it,
and put in the vinegar, lemon-juice, and sugar. Now boil the cod, take
out the middle bone, and skin it; put it on the dish without breaking,
and pour the sauce over it.
BAKED CARP.
STEWED CARP.
_Mode_.--Scale the fish, clean it nicely, and, if very large, divide it;
lay it in the stewpan, after having rubbed a little salt on it, and put
in sufficient stock to cover it; add the herbs, onions, and spices, and
stew gently for 1 hour, or rather more, should it be very large. Dish up
the fish with great care, strain the liquor, and add to it the port
wine, lemon-juice, and cayenne; give one boil, pour it over the fish,
and serve.
_Note_.--This fish can be boiled plain, and served with parsley and
butter. Chub and Char may be cooked in the same manner as the above, as
also Dace and Roach.
THE AGE OF CARP.--This fish has been found to live 150 years.
The pond in the garden of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, contained
one that had lived there 70 years, and Gesner mentions an
instance of one 100 years old. They are, besides, capable of
being tamed. Dr. Smith, in his "Tour on the Continent," says, in
reference to the prince of Cond�'s seat at Chantilly, "The most
pleasing things about it were the immense shoals of very large
carp, silvered over with age, like silver-fish, and perfectly
tame; so that, when any passengers approached their watery
habitation, they used to come to the shore in such numbers as to
heave each other out of the water, begging for bread, of which a
quantity was always kept at hand, on purpose to feed them. They
would even allow themselves to be handled."
THE CHUB.--This fish takes its name from its head, not only in
England, but in other countries. It is a river-fish, and
resembles the carp, but is somewhat longer. Its flesh is not in
much esteem, being coarse, and, when out of season, full of
small hairy bones. The head and throat are the best parts. The
roe is also good.
TO DRESS CRAB.
_Mode_.--Empty the shells, and thoroughly mix the meat with the above
ingredients, and put it in the large shell. Garnish with slices of cut
lemon and parsley. The quantity of oil may be increased when it is much
liked. (See Coloured Plate I.)
_Seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in May, June, and July.
TO CHOOSE CRAB.--The middle-sized crab is the best; and the crab, like
the lobster, should be judged by its weight; for if light, it is watery.
HOT CRAB.
_Mode_.--After having boiled the crab, pick the meat out from the
shells, and mix with it the nutmeg and seasoning. Cut up the butter in
small pieces, and add the bread crumbs and vinegar. Mix altogether, put
the whole in the large shell, and brown before the fire or with a
salamander.
_Seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in May, June, and July.
CRAYFISH.
246. Crayfish should be thrown into boiling water, to which has been
added a good seasoning of salt and a little vinegar. When done, which
will be in 1/4 hour, take them out and drain them. Let them cool,
arrange them on a napkin, and garnish with plenty of double parsley.
POTTED CRAYFISH.
_Mode_.--Boil the fish in salt and water; pick out all the meat and
pound it in a mortar to a paste. Whilst pounding, add the butter
gradually, and mix in the spice and seasoning. Put it in small pots, and
pour over it clarified butter, carefully excluding the air.
JOHN DORY.
_Average cost_, 3s. to 5s. _Seasonable_ all the year, but best from
September to January.
BOILED EELS.
_Mode_.--Choose small eels for boiling; put them in a stewpan with the
parsley, and just sufficient water to cover them; simmer till tender.
Take them out, pour a little parsley and butter over them, and serve
some in a tureen.
STEWED EELS.
I.
250. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of eels, 1 pint of rich strong stock, No. 104,
1 onion, 3 cloves, a piece of lemon-peel, 1 glass of port or Madeira, 3
tablespoonfuls of cream; thickening of flour; cayenne and lemon-juice to
taste.
_Mode_.--Wash and skin the eels, and cut them into pieces about 3 inches
long; pepper and salt them, and lay them in a stewpan; pour over the
stock, add the onion stuck with cloves, the lemon-peel, and the wine.
Stew gently for 1/2 hour, or rather more, and lift them carefully on a
dish, which keep hot. Strain the gravy, stir to the cream sufficient
flour to thicken; mix altogether, boil for 2 minutes, and add the
cayenne and lemon-juice; pour over the eels and serve.
II.
_Mode_.--Skin, wash, and clean the eels thoroughly; cut them into pieces
3 inches long, and put them into strong salt and water for 1 hour; dry
them well with a cloth, and fry them brown. Put the stock on with the
heads and tails of the eels, and simmer for 1/2 hour; strain it, and add
all the other ingredients. Put in the eels, and stew gently for 1/2
hour, when serve.
FRIED EELS.
252. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of eels, 1 egg, a few bread crumbs, hot lard.
_Mode_.--Wash the eels, cut them into pieces 3 inches long, trim and
wipe them very dry; dredge with flour, rub them over with egg, and cover
with bread crumbs; fry of a nice brown in hot lard. If the eels are
small, curl them round, instead of cutting them up. Garnish with fried
parsley.
EEL PIE.
_Mode_.--Skin and wash the eels, cut them into pieces 2 inches long, and
line the bottom of the pie-dish with forcemeat. Put in the eels, and
sprinkle them with the parsley, shalots, nutmeg, seasoning, and
lemon-juice, and cover with puff-paste. Bake for 1 hour, or rather more;
make the b�chamel hot, and pour it into the pie.
COLLARED EEL.
_Mode_.--Bone the eel and skin it; split it, and sprinkle it over with
the ingredients, taking care that the spices are very finely pounded,
and the herbs chopped very small. Roll it up and bind with a broad piece
of tape, and boil it in water, mixed with a little salt and vinegar,
till tender. It may either be served whole or cut in slices; and when
cold, the eel should be kept in the liquor it was boiled in, but with a
little more vinegar put to it.
EELS A LA TARTARE.
255. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of eels, 1 carrot, 1 onion, a little flour, 1
glass of sherry; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; bread crumbs, 1 egg,
2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; cut up the carrot
and onion, and stir them over the fire for 5 minutes; dredge in a little
flour, add the wine and seasoning, and boil for 1/2 an hour. Skin and
wash the eels, cut them into pieces, put them to the other ingredients,
and simmer till tender. When they are done, take them out, let them get
cold, cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry them of a nice
brown. Put them on a dish, pour sauce piquante over, and serve them hot.
EELS EN MATELOTE.
_Mode_.--Rub the stewpan with butter, dredge in a little flour, add the
onions cut very small, slightly brown them, and put in all the other
ingredients. Wash, and cut up the eels into pieces 3 inches long; put
them in the stewpan, and simmer for 1/2 hour. Make round the dish, a
border of croutons, or pieces of toasted bread; arrange the eels in a
pyramid in the centre, and pour over the sauce. Serve very hot.
_Time_.--If made of cooked fish, 1/4 hour; if made of fresh fish and
puff-paste, 3/4 hour.
_Note_.--A nice little dish may be made by flaking any cold fish, adding
a few oysters, seasoning with pepper and salt, and covering with mashed
potatoes; 1/4 hour will bake it.
FISH CAKE.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the bones of the fish, which latter put,
with the head and fins, into a stewpan with the water; add pepper and
salt, the onion and herbs, and stew slowly for gravy about 2 hours; chop
the fish fine, and mix it well with bread crumbs and cold potatoes,
adding the parsley and seasoning; make the whole into a cake with the
white of an egg, brush it over with egg, cover with bread crumbs, and
fry of a light brown; strain the gravy, pour it over, and stew gently
for 1/4 hour, stirring it carefully once or twice. Serve hot, and
garnish with slices of lemon and parsley.
BOILED FLOUNDERS.
[Illustration: FLOUNDERS.]
FRIED FLOUNDERS.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the fish, and, two hours before they are wanted, rub
them inside and out with salt, to render them firm; wash and wipe them
very dry, dip them into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs; fry
them in boiling lard, dish on a hot napkin, and garnish with crisped
parsley.
GUDGEONS.
_Mode_.--Do not scrape off the scales, but take out the gills and
inside, and cleanse thoroughly; wipe them dry, flour and dip them into
egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs. Fry of a nice brown.
_Time_.--3 or 4 minutes.
GURNET, or GURNARD.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the fish thoroughly, and cut off the fins; have ready
some boiling water, with salt in the above proportion; put the fish in,
and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour. Parsley and butter, or anchovy
sauce, should be served with it.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
BAKED HADDOCKS.
_Mode_.--Scale and clean the fish, without cutting it open much; put in
a nice delicate forcemeat, and sew up the slit. Brush it over with egg,
sprinkle over bread crumbs, and baste frequently with butter. Garnish
with parsley and cut lemon, and serve with a nice brown gravy, plain
melted butter, or anchovy sauce. The egg and bread crumbs can be
omitted, and pieces of butter placed over the fish.
BOILED HADDOCK.
_Mode_.--Scrape the fish, take out the inside, wash it thoroughly, and
lay it in a kettle, with enough water to cover it and salt in the above
proportion. Simmer gently from 15 to 20 minutes, or rather more, should
the fish be very large. For small haddocks, fasten the tails in their
mouths, and put them into boiling water. 10 to 15 minutes will cook
them. Serve with plain melted butter, or anchovy sauce.
DRIED HADDOCK.
I.
II.
267. The best way to cook these is to make incisions in the skin across
the fish, because they do not then require to be so long on the fire,
and will be far better than when cut open. The hard roe makes a nice
relish by pounding it in a mortar, with a little anchovy, and spreading
it on toast. If very dry, soak in warm water 1 hour before dressing.
_Mode_.--Take the herrings, cut off the heads, and gut them. Put them in
a pie-dish, heads and tails alternately, and, between each layer,
sprinkle over the above ingredients. Cover the fish with the vinegar,
and bake for 1/2 hour, but do not use it till quite cold. The herrings
may be cut down the front, the backbone taken out, and closed again.
Sprats done in this way are very delicious.
_Time_.--1/2 an hour.
TO CHOOSE THE HERRING.--The more scales this fish has, the surer the
sign of its freshness. It should also have a bright and silvery look;
but if red about the head, it is a sign that it has been dead for some
time.
KEGEREE.
_Mode_.--Pick the fish carefully from the bones, mix with the other
ingredients, and serve very hot. The quantities may be varied according
to the amount of fish used.
TO BOIL LOBSTERS.
_Mode_.--Buy the lobsters alive, and choose those that are heavy and
full of motion, which is an indication of their freshness. When the
shell is incrusted, it is a sign they are old: medium-sized lobsters are
the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling water, salted in the above
proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling quickly from 20
minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim
well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done
enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention.
Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off
again.
HOT LOBSTER.
_Mode_.--Pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter
and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. Beat the eggs, and make the
whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle
over it. Bake 1/4 hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail
and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster.
LOBSTER SALAD.
_Seasonable_ from April to October; may be had all the year, but salad
is scarce and expensive in winter.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square
pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the
lobster, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes. Serve it in the shell,
which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it
with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before
the fire, or with a salamander.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square
pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the
curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the
lobster; stew the whole slowly for 1/2 hour, and stir occasionally; and
just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. Serve boiled rice
with it, the same as for other curries.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the
butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the
ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn;
divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like
cutlets. They should not be very thick. Brush them over with egg, and
sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in
the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain
them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a
dish, and pour b�chamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets.
_Time_.--About 8 minutes after the cutlets are made.
TO DRESS LOBSTERS.
276. When the lobster is boiled, rub it over with a little salad-oil,
which wipe off again; separate the body from the tail, break off the
great claws, and crack them at the joints, without injuring the meat;
split the tail in halves, and arrange all neatly in a dish, with the
body upright in the middle, and garnish with parsley. (_See_ Coloured
Plate, H.)
_Mode_.--Line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small
piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a
light colour. Take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very
fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for 6
minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill
with the mixture, and replace the covers.
POTTED LOBSTER.
_Mode_.--Take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it
up. Put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as
evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. Cover
with butter, and bake for 3/4 hour in a gentle oven. When done, drain
the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the
seasoning about them. When cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if
very highly seasoned, it will keep some time.
BAKED MACKEREL.
_Mode_.--Clean the fish, take out the roes, and fill up with forcemeat,
and sew up the slit. Flour, and put them in a dish, heads and tails
alternately, with the roes; and, between each layer, put some little
pieces of butter, and pepper and salt. Bake for 1/2 an hour, and either
serve with plain melted butter or a _ma�tre d'h�tel_ sauce.
BOILED MACKEREL.
_Note_.--When variety is desired, fillet the mackerel, boil it, and pour
over parsley and butter; send some of this, besides, in a tureen.
BROILED MACKEREL.
FILLETS OF MACKEREL.
_Mode_.--Clean the fish, and fillet it; scald the herbs, chop them fine,
and put them with the butter and stock into a stewpan. Lay in the
mackerel, and simmer very gently for 10 minutes; take them out, and put
them on a hot dish. Dredge in a little flour, add the other ingredients,
give one boil, and pour it over the mackerel.
_Time_.--20 minutes. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 6d.
PICKLED MACKEREL.
_Mode_.--Boil the mackerel as in the recipe No. 282, and lay them in a
dish; take half the liquor they were boiled in; add as much vinegar,
peppercorns, and bay-leaves; boil for 10 minutes, and when cold, pour
over the fish.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
GREY MULLET.
_Mode_.--If the fish be very large, it should be laid in cold water, and
gradually brought to a boil; if small, put it in boiling water, salted
in the above proportion. Serve with anchovy sauce and plain melted
butter.
RED MULLET.
_Mode_.--Clean the fish, take out the gills, but leave the inside, fold
in oiled paper, and bake them gently. When done, take the liquor that
flows from the fish, add a thickening of butter kneaded with flour; put
in the other ingredients, and let it boil for 2 minutes. Serve the sauce
in a tureen, and the fish, either with or without the paper cases.
_Time_.--About 25 minutes.
FRIED OYSTERS.
_Mode_.--Boil the oysters for 1 minute in their own liquor, and drain
them; fry them with the butter, ketchup, lemon-peel, and parsley; lay
them on a dish, and garnish with fried potatoes, toasted sippets, and
parsley. This is a delicious delicacy, and is a favourite Italian dish.
SCALLOPED OYSTERS.
I.
_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard
them, and strain the liquor free from grit. Put 1 oz. of batter into a
stewpan; when melted, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; add the
stock, cream, and strained liquor, and give one boil. Put in the oysters
and seasoning; let them gradually heat through, but not boil. Have ready
the scallop-shells buttered; lay in the oysters, and as much of the
liquid as they will hold; cover them over with bread crumbs, over which
drop a little oiled butter. Brown them in the oven, or before the fire,
and serve quickly, and very hot.
II.
STEWED OYSTERS.
_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard
them, and strain the liquor; put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in
sufficient flour to dry it up, add the oyster-liquor and mace, and stir
it over a sharp fire with a wooden spoon; when it comes to a boil, add
the cream, oysters, and seasoning. Let all simmer for 1 or 2 minutes,
but not longer, or the oysters would harden. Serve on a hot dish, and
garnish with croutons, or toasted sippets of bread. A small piece of
lemon-peel boiled with the oyster-liquor, and taken out before the cream
is added, will be found an improvement.
_Time_.--Altogether 15 minutes.
_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and cut each
one into 3 pieces. Put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in sufficient
flour to dry it up; add the strained oyster-liquor with the other
ingredients; put in the oysters, and let them heat gradually, but not
boil fast. Make the patty-cases as directed for lobster patties, No.
277: fill with the oyster mixture, and replace the covers.
TO KEEP OYSTERS.
290. Put them in a tub, and cover them with salt and water. Let them
remain for 12 hours, when they are to be taken out, and allowed to stand
for another 12 hours without water. If left without water every
alternate 12 hours, they will be much better than if constantly kept in
it. Never put the same water twice to them.
_Mode_.--Scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and lay them
on a cloth, to drain thoroughly. Break the eggs into a basin, mix the
flour with them, add the milk gradually, with nutmeg and seasoning, and
put the oysters in the batter. Make some lard hot in a deep frying-pan,
put in the oysters, one at a time; when done, take them up with a
sharp-pointed skewer, and dish them on a napkin. Fried oysters are
frequently used for garnishing boiled fish, and then a few bread crumbs
should be added to the flour.
_Time_.--5 or 6 minutes.
BOILED PERCH.
_Mode_.--Scale the fish, take out the gills and clean it thoroughly; lay
it in boiling water, salted as above, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
If the fish is very large, longer time must be allowed. Garnish with
parsley, and serve with plain melted butter, or Dutch sauce. Perch do
not preserve so good a flavour when stewed as when dressed in any other
way.
_Time_.--Middling-sized perch, 1/4 hour.
_Note_.--Tench may be boiled the same way, and served with the same
sauces.
FRIED PERCH.
_Mode_.--Scale and clean the fish, brush it over with egg, and cover
with bread crumbs. Have ready some boiling lard; put the fish in, and
fry a nice brown. Serve with plain melted butter or anchovy sauce.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
_Mode_.--Scale the fish and take out the gills, and clean them
thoroughly; lay them in a stewpan with sufficient stock and sherry just
to cover them. Put in the bay-leaf, garlic, parsley, cloves, and salt,
and simmer till tender. When done, take out the fish, strain the liquor,
add a thickening of butter and flour, the pepper, nutmeg, and the
anchovy sauce, and stir it over the fire until somewhat reduced, when
pour over the fish, and serve.
_Time_.--About 20 minutes.
_Mode_.--Scale and clean the pike, and fasten the tail in its mouth by
means of a skewer. Lay it in cold water, and when it boils, throw in the
salt and vinegar. The time for boiling depends, of course, on the size
of the fish; but a middling-sized pike will take about 1/2 an hour.
Serve with Dutch or anchovy sauce, and plain melted butter.
BAKED PIKE.
_Mode_.--Scale the fish, take out the gills, wash, and wipe it
thoroughly dry; stuff it with forcemeat, sew it up, and fasten the tail
in the mouth by means of a skewer; brush it over with egg, sprinkle with
bread crumbs, and baste with butter, before putting it in the oven,
which must be well heated. When the pike is of a nice brown colour,
cover it with buttered paper, as the outside would become too dry. If 2
are dressed, a little variety may be made by making one of them green
with a little chopped parsley mixed with the bread crumbs. Serve anchovy
or Dutch sauce, and plain melted butter with it.
_Mode_.--This fish is fried in the same manner as soles. Wash and wipe
them thoroughly dry, and let them remain in a cloth until it is time to
dress them. Brush them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs mixed
with a little flour. Fry of a nice brown in hot dripping or lard, and
garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. Send them to table with
shrimp-sauce and plain melted butter.
STEWED PLAICE.
_Mode_.--Cut the fish into pieces about 2 inches wide, salt them, and
let them remain 1/4 hour. Slice and fry the onions a light brown; put
them in a stewpan, on the top of which put the fish without washing, and
add the ginger, lemon-juice, and water. Cook slowly for 1/2 hour, and do
not let the fish boil, or it will break. Take it out, and when the
liquor is cool, add 6 well-beaten eggs; simmer till it thickens, when
pour over the fish, and serve.
_Mode_.--Prawns should be very red, and have no spawn under the tail;
much depends on their freshness and the way in which they are cooked.
Throw them into boiling water, salted as above, and keep them boiling
for about 7 or 8 minutes. Shrimps should be done in the same way; but
less time must be allowed. It may easily be known when they are done by
their changing colour. Care should be taken that they are not
over-boiled, as they then become tasteless and indigestible.
_Average cost_, prawns, 2s. per lb.; shrimps, 6d. per pint.
TO DRESS PRAWNS.
300. Cover a dish with a large cup reversed, and over that lay a small
white napkin. Arrange the prawns on it in the form of a pyramid, and
garnish with plenty of parsley.
BOILED SALMON.
_Time_.--8 minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; 6 minutes for
thin fish. _Average cost_, in full season, 1s. 3d. per lb.
_Note_.--Cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish; and a
little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a
most agreeable addition. Boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs,
considered especially adapted to be served with salmon.
TO CHOOSE SALMON.--To be good, the belly should be firm and thick, which
may readily be ascertained by feeling it with the thumb and finger. The
circumstance of this fish having red gills, though given as a standing
rule in most cookery-books, as a sign of its goodness, is not at all to
be relied on, as this quality can be easily given them by art.
SALMON AND CAPER SAUCE.
COLLARED SALMON.
_Mode_.--Split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe
it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind
firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water (1/3
vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay-leaves and a good
seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. Do not remove
the lid. Serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. For preserving the
collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a
little more vinegar. Pour over when cold.
CRIMPED SALMON.
304. Salmon is frequently dressed in this way at many fashionable
tables, but must be very fresh, and cut into slices 2 or 3 inches thick.
Lay these in cold salt and water for 1 hour; have ready some boiling
water, salted, as in recipe No. 301, and well skimmed; put in the fish,
and simmer gently for 1/4 hour, or rather more; should it be very thick,
garnish the same as boiled salmon, and serve with the same sauces.
CURRIED SALMON.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale
brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer
gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut
the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and
bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do
not allow it to boil long.
SALMON CUTLETS.
306. Cut the slices 1 inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt;
butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with
their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with
anchovy or caper sauce. When higher seasoning is required, add a few
chopped herbs and a little spice.
_Time_.--5 to 10 minutes.
SALMON A LA GENEVESE.
_Mode_.--Rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the
shalots, herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for
10 minutes over a clear fire, and add the Madeira or sherry; simmer
gently for 1/2 hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which
stew in this gravy. As soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take
away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put
it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour,
and put in the anchovies, lemon-juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon
on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder
in a tureen.
PICKLED SALMON.
_Mode_.--After the fish comes from table, lay it in a nice dish with a
cover to it, as it should be excluded from the air, and take away the
bone; boil the liquor and vinegar with the other ingredients for 10
minutes, and let it stand to get cold; pour it over the salmon, and in
12 hours this will be fit for the table.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
POTTED SALMON.
309. INGREDIENTS.--Salmon; pounded mace, cloves, and pepper to taste; 3
bay-leaves, 1/4 lb. butter.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
BAKED SEA-BREAM.
_Mode_.--Well wash the bream, but do not remove the scales, and wipe
away all moisture with a nice dry cloth. Season it inside and out with
salt, pepper, and cayenne, and lay it in a baking-dish. Place the
butter, in small pieces, upon the fish, and bake for rather more than
1/2 an hour. To stuff this fish before baking, will be found a great
improvement.
_Seasonable_ in summer.
_Note_.--This fish may be broiled over a nice clear fire, and served
with a good brown gravy or white sauce, or it may be stewed in wine.
TO DRESS SHAD.
311. INGREDIENTS.--1 shad, oil, pepper, and salt.
_Mode_.--Scale, empty and wash the fish carefully, and make two or three
incisions across the back. Season it with pepper and salt, and let it
remain in oil for 1/2 hour. Broil it on both sides over a clear fire,
and serve with caper sauce. This fish is much esteemed by the French,
and by them is considered excellent.
_Time_.--Nearly 1 hour.
POTTED SHRIMPS.
_Mode_.--Have ready a pint of picked shrimps, and put them, with the
other ingredients, into a stewpan; let them heat gradually in the
butter, but do not let it boil. Pour into small pots, and when cold,
cover with melted butter, and carefully exclude the air.
_Mode_.--Pick the prawns or shrimps, and put them in a stewpan with the
stock; add a thickening of butter and flour; season, and simmer gently
for 3 minutes. Serve on a dish garnished with fried bread or toasted
sippets. Cream sauce may be substituted for the gravy.
_Time_.--3 minutes.
BOILED SKATE.
314. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.
CRIMPED SKATE.
_Mode_.--Clean, skin, and cut the fish into slices, which roll and tie
round with string. Have ready some water highly salted, put in the fish,
and boil till it is done. Drain well, remove the string, dish on a hot
napkin, and serve with the same sauces as above. Skate should never be
eaten out of season, as it is liable to produce diarrhoea and other
diseases. It may be dished without a napkin, and the sauce poured over.
TO BAKE SMELTS.
_Mode_.--Wash, and dry the fish thoroughly in a cloth, and arrange them
nicely in a flat baking-dish. Cover them with fine bread crumbs, and
place little pieces of butter all over them. Season and bake for 15
minutes. Just before serving, add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and garnish
with fried parsley and cut lemon.
TO FRY SMELTS.
_Time_.--5 minutes.
BAKED SOLES.
320. INGREDIENTS.--2 soles, 1/4 lb. of butter, egg, and bread crumbs,
minced parsley, 1 glass of sherry, lemon-juice; cayenne and salt to
taste.
_Mode_.--Clean, skin, and well wash the fish, and dry them thoroughly in
a cloth. Brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs mixed with
a little minced parsley, lay them in a large flat baking-dish, white
side uppermost; or if it will not hold the two soles, they may each be
laid on a dish by itself; but they must not be put one on the top of the
other. Melt the butter, and pour it over the whole, and bake for 20
minutes. Take a portion of the gravy that flows from the fish, add the
wine, lemon-juice, and seasoning, give it one boil, skim, pour it
_under_ the fish, and serve.
TO CHOOSE SOLES.--This fish should be both thick and firm. If the skin
is difficult to be taken off, and the flesh looks grey, it is good.
BOILED SOLES.
_Mode_.--Cleanse and wash the fish carefully, cut off the fins, but do
not skin it. Lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to
cover it, salted in the above proportion. Let it gradually come to a
boil, and keep it simmering for a few minutes, according to the size of
the fish. Dish it on a hot napkin after well draining it, and garnish
with parsley and cut lemon. Shrimp, or lobster sauce, and plain melted
butter, are usually sent to table with this dish.
_Mode_.--Skin, wash, and fillet the soles, and divide each fillet in 2
pieces; lay them in cold salt and water, which bring gradually to a
boil. When the water boils, take out the fish, lay it in a delicately
clean stewpan, and cover with the cream. Add the seasoning, simmer very
gently for ten minutes, and, just before serving, put in the lemon-juice.
The fillets may be rolled, and secured by means of a skewer; but this is
not so economical a way of dressing them, as double the quantity of cream
is required.
_Average cost_, from 1s. to 2s. per pair. _Seasonable_ at any time.
_Mode_.--Skin, and carefully wash the soles, separate the meat from the
bone, and divide each fillet in two pieces. Brush them over with white
of egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs and seasoning, and put them in a
baking-dish. Place small pieces of butter over the whole, and bake for
1/2 hour. When they are nearly done, squeeze the juice of a lemon over
them, and serve on a dish, with Italian sauce (see Sauces) poured over.
WHITING may be dressed in the same manner, and will be found very
delicious.
FRICASSEED SOLES.
326. Soles for filleting should be large, as the flesh can be more
easily separated from the bones, and there is less waste. Skin and wash
the fish, and raise the meat carefully from the bones, and divide it
into nice handsome pieces. The more usual way is to roll the fillets,
after dividing each one in two pieces, and either bind them round with
twine, or run a small skewer through them. Brush over with egg, and
cover with bread crumbs; fry them as directed in the foregoing recipe,
and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. When a pretty dish is
desired, this is by far the most elegant mode of dressing soles, as they
look much better than when fried whole. (_See_ Coloured Plate A.)
Instead of rolling the fillets, they may be cut into square pieces, and
arranged in the shape of a pyramid on the dish.
FRIED SOLES.
_Mode_.--Skin and carefully wash the soles, and cut off the fins, wipe
them very dry, and let them remain in the cloth until it is time to
dress them. Have ready some fine bread crumbs and beaten egg; dredge the
soles with a little flour, brush them over with egg, and cover with
bread crumbs. Put them in a deep pan, with plenty of clarified dripping
or lard (when the expense is not objected to, oil is still better)
heated, so that it may neither scorch the fish nor make them sodden.
When they are sufficiently cooked on one side, turn them carefully, and
brown them on the other: they may be considered ready when a thick smoke
rises. Lift them out carefully, and lay them before the fire on a
reversed sieve and soft paper, to absorb the fat. Particular attention
should be paid to this, as nothing is more disagreeable than greasy
fish: this may be always avoided by dressing them in good time, and
allowing a few minutes for them to get thoroughly crisp, and free from
greasy moisture. Dish them on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and
fried parsley, and send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted
butter.
_Time_.--10 minutes for large soles; less time for small ones.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the soles, but do not skin them, and lay them in a
fish-kettle, with the milk, water, butter, salt, and lemon-juice. Bring
them gradually to boil, and let them simmer very gently till done, which
will be in about 7 minutes. Take them up, drain them well on a cloth,
put them on a hot dish, and pour over them a good mushroom sauce. (_See_
Sauces.)
SPRATS.
_Mode_.--Wipe the sprats, and dip them in a batter made of the above
ingredients. Fry of a nice brown, serve very hot, and garnish with fried
parsley.
DRIED SPRATS.
331. Dried sprats should be put into a basin, and boiling water poured
over them; they may then be skinned and served, and this will be found a
much better way than boiling them.
BAKED STURGEON.
_Mode_,--Cleanse the fish thoroughly, skin it, and split it along the
belly without separating it; have ready a large baking-dish, in which
lay the fish, sprinkle over the seasoning and herbs very finely minced,
and moisten it with the lemon-juice and wine. Place the butter in small
pieces over the whole of the fish, put it in the oven, and baste
frequently; brown it nicely, and serve with its own gravy.
ROAST STURGEON.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the fish, bone and skin it; make a nice veal stuffing
(see Forcemeats), and fill it with the part where the bones came from;
roll it in buttered paper, bind it up firmly with tape, like a fillet of
veal, and roast it in a Dutch oven before a clear fire. Serve with good
brown gravy, or plain melted butter.
MATELOT OF TENCH.
334. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of stock No. 105, 1/2 pint of port wine, 1
dozen button onions, a few mushrooms, a faggot of herbs, 2 blades of
mace, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, thyme, 1 shalot,
2 anchovies, 1 teacupful of stock No. 105, flour, 1 dozen oysters, the
juice of 1/2 lemon; the number of tench, according to size.
_Mode_.--Scale and clean the tench, cut them into pieces, and lay them
in a stewpan; add the stock, wine, onions, mushrooms, herbs, and mace,
and simmer gently for 1/2 hour. Put into another stewpan all the
remaining ingredients but the oysters and lemon-juice, and boil slowly
for 10 minutes, when add the strained liquor from the tench, and keep
stirring it over the fire until somewhat reduced. Rub it through a
sieve, pour it over the tench with the oysters, which must be previously
scalded in their own liquor, squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve.
Garnish with croutons.
STEWED TROUT.
_Mode_.--Wash the fish very clean, and wipe it quite dry. Lay it in a
stewpan, with all the ingredients but the butter and flour, and simmer
gently for 1/2 hour, or rather more, should not the fish be quite done.
Take it out, strain the gravy, add the thickening, and stir it over a
sharp fire for 5 minutes; pour it over the trout, and serve.
_Time_.--According to size, 1/2 hour or more.
_Seasonable_ from May to September, and fatter from the middle to the
end of August than at any other time.
BOILED TURBOT.
_Time_.--After the water boils, about 1/2 hour for a large turbot;
middling size, about 20 minutes.
338. Take the crumb of a stale loaf, cut it into small pyramids with
flat tops, and on the top of each pyramid, put rather more than a
tablespoonful of white of egg beaten to a stiff froth. Over this,
sprinkle finely-chopped parsley and fine raspings of a dark colour.
Arrange these on the napkin round the fish, one green and one brown
alternately.
THE TURBOT.--This is the most esteemed of all our flat fish. The
northern parts of the English coast, and some places off the
coast of Holland, produce turbot in great abundance, and in
greater excellence than any other parts of the world. The London
market is chiefly supplied by Dutch fishermen, who bring to it
nearly 90,000 a year. The flesh is firm, white, rich, and
gelatinous, and is the better for being kept a day or two
previous to cooking it. In many parts of the country, turbot and
halibut are indiscriminately sold for each other. They are,
however, perfectly distinct; the upper parts of the former being
marked with large, unequal, and obtuse tubercles, while those of
the other are quite smooth, and covered with oblong soft scales,
which firmly adhere to the body.
[Illustration: TURBOT-KETTLE.]
_Mode_.--After having cleared the fish from all skin and bone, divide it
into square pieces of an equal size; brush them over with egg, sprinkle
with bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley and seasoning. Lay
the fillets in a baking-dish, with sufficient butter to baste with. Bake
for 1/4 hour, and do not forget to keep them well moistened with the
butter. Put a little lemon-juice and grated nutmeg to the cold lobster
sauce; make it hot, and pour over the fish, which must be well drained
from the butter. Garnish with parsley and cut lemon.
_Mode_.--Clear the fish carefully from the bone, and take away all skin,
which gives an unpleasant flavour to the sauce. Make the sauce hot, lay
in the fish to warm through, but do not let it boil. Garnish with
croutons.
_Time_.--5 minutes.
TURBOT A LA CREME.
_Mode_.--Clear away all skin and bone from the flesh of the turbot,
which should be done when it comes from table, as it causes less waste
when trimmed hot. Cut the flesh into nice square pieces, as equally as
possible; put into a stewpan the butter, let it melt, and add the cream
and seasoning; let it just simmer for one minute, but not boil. Lay in
the fish to warm, and serve it garnished with croutons or a paste
border.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
_Note_.--The remains of cold salmon may be dressed in this way, and the
above mixture may be served in a _vol-au-vent_.
TURBOT AU GRATIN.
_Mode_.--Cut the flesh of the turbot into small dice, carefully freeing
it from all skin and bone. Put them into a stewpan, and moisten with 4
or 5 tablespoonfuls of b�chamel. Let it get thoroughly hot, but do not
allow it to boil. Spread the mixture on a dish, cover with finely-grated
bread crumbs, and place small pieces of butter over the top. Brown it in
the oven, or with a salamander.
BOILED WHITING.
To CHOOSE WHITING.--Choose for the firmness of its flesh and the silvery
hue of its appearance.
BROILED WHITING.
344. INGREDIENTS.--Salt and water, flour.
_Mode_.--Wash the whiting in salt and water, wipe them thoroughly, and
let them remain in the cloth to absorb all moisture. Flour them well,
and broil over a very clear fire. Serve with _ma�tre d'h�tel_ sauce, or
plain melted butter (_see_ Sauces). Be careful to preserve the liver, as
by some it is considered very delicate.
FRIED WHITING.
_Mode_.--Take off the skin, clean, and thoroughly wipe the fish free
from all moisture, as this is most essential, in order that the egg and
bread crumbs may properly adhere. Fasten the tail in the mouth by means
of a small skewer, brush the fish over with egg, dredge with a little
flour, and cover with bread crumbs. Fry them in hot lard or clarified
dripping of a nice colour, and serve them on a napkin, garnished with
fried parsley. (See Coloured Plate D.) Send them to table with shrimp
sauce and plain melted butter.
_Mode_.--Clean and skin the fish, fasten the tails in the mouths; and lay
them in a baking-dish. Mince the herbs very fine, strew them over the
fish, and place small pieces of butter over; cover with another dish,
and let them simmer in a Dutch oven for 1/4 hour or 20 minutes. Turn the
fish once or twice, and serve with the sauce poured over.
TO DRESS WHITEBAIT.
_Time_.--3 minutes.
[Illustration: WHITEBAIT.]
_Mode_.--Clean and bone the tench, skin and bone the eels, and cut them
into pieces 2 inches long, and leave the sides of the tench whole. Put
the bones into a stewpan with the onions, herbs, mace, anchovies, water,
and seasoning, and let them simmer gently for 1 hour. Strain it off, put
it to cool, and skim off all the fat. Lay the tench and eels in a
pie-dish, and between each layer put seasoning, chopped parsley, and
hard-boiled eggs; pour in part of the strained liquor, cover in with
puff paste, and bake for 1/2 hour or rather more. The oven should be
rather quick, and when done, heat the remainder of the liquor, which
pour into the pie.
FISH SCALLOP.
I.
II.
_Mode_.--Pick the fish carefully from the bones, and moisten with milk
and the egg; add the other ingredients, and place in a deep dish or
scallop shells; cover with bread crumbs, butter the top, and brown
before the fire; when quite hot, serve.
WATER SOUCHY.
352. Perch, tench, soles, eels, and flounders are considered the best
fish for this dish. For the souchy, put some water into a stewpan with a
bunch of chopped parsley, some roots, and sufficient salt to make it
brackish. Let these simmer for 1 hour, and then stew the fish in this
water. When they are done, take them out to drain, have ready some
finely-chopped parsley, and a few roots cut into slices of about one
inch thick and an inch in length. Put the fish in a tureen or deep dish,
strain the liquor over them, and add the minced parsley and roots. Serve
with brown bread and butter.
DRY FISH.
SHELL FISH.
Oysters 495,896,000
Lobsters, averaging 1 lb each 1,200,000 1,200,000
Crabs, averaging 1 lb each 600,000 600,000
Shrimps, 324 to a pint 498,428,648
Whelks, 227 to a half-bushel 4,943,200
Mussels, 1000 to ditto 50,400,000
Cockles, 2000 to ditto 67,392,000
Periwinkles, 4000 to ditto 304,000,000
The whole of the above may be, in round numbers, reckoned to amount to
the enormous number of 3,000,000,000 fish, with a weight of 300,000
tons.
It will be seen, from the number and variety of the recipes which we
have been enabled to give under the head of FISH, that there exists in
the salt ocean, and fresh-water rivers, an abundance of aliment, which
the present state of gastronomic art enables the cook to introduce to
the table in the most agreeable forms, and oftentimes at a very moderate
cost.
Less nutritious as a food than the flesh of animals, more succulent than
vegetables, fish may be termed a middle dish, suited to all temperaments
and constitutions; and one which those who are recovering from illness
may partake of with safety and advantage.
As to which is the best fish, there has been much discussion. The old
Latin proverb, however, _de gustibus non disputandum_, and the more
modern Spanish one, _sobre los gustos no hai disputa_, declare, with
equal force, that where _taste_ is concerned, no decision can be arrived
at. Each person's palate may be differently affected--pleased or
displeased; and there is no standard by which to judge why a red mullet,
a sole, or a turbot, should be better or worse than a salmon, trout,
pike, or a tiny tench.
FISH CARVING.
(For recipe, see No. 232; and for mode of serving, Coloured Plate C.)
[Illustration]
First run the knife along the centre of the side of the fish, namely,
from _d_ to _b_, down to the bone; then carve it in unbroken slices
downwards from _d_ to _e_, or upwards from _d_ to _c_, as shown in the
engraving. The carver should ask the guests if they would like a portion
of the roe and liver.
_Note_.--Of this fish, the parts about the backbone and shoulders are
the firmest, and most esteemed by connoisseurs. The sound, which lines
the fish beneath the backbone, is considered a delicacy, as are also the
gelatinous parts about the head and neck.
SALMON.
(For recipe, see No. 301; and for mode of dressing, Coloured Plate B.)
[Illustration]
First run the knife quite down to the bone, along the side of the fish,
from _a_ to _b_, and also from _c_ to _d_. Then help the thick part
lengthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _a_ to _b_; and
the thin part breadthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from
_e_ to _f_, as shown in the engraving. A slice of the thick part should
always be accompanied by a smaller piece of the thin from the belly,
where lies the fat of the fish.
The usual way of helping this fish is to cut it quite through, bone and
all, distributing it in nice and not too large pieces. A
moderately-sized sole will be sufficient for three slices; namely, the
head, middle, and tail. The guests should be asked which of these they
prefer. A small one will only give two slices. If the sole is very
large, the upper side may be raised from the bone, and then divided into
pieces; and the under side afterwards served in the same way.
In helping FILLETED SOLES, one fillet is given to each person. (For mode
of serving, see Coloured Plate A.)
TURBOT.
(For recipe, see No. 337; and for mode of serving, Coloured Plate E.)
First run the fish-slice down the thickest part of the fish, quite
through to the bone, from _a_ to _b_, and then cut handsome and regular
slices in the direction of the lines downwards, from _c_ to _e_, and
upwards from _c_ to _d_, as shown in the engraving. When the carver has
removed all the meat from the upper side of the fish, the backbone
should be raised, put on one side of the dish, and the under side helped
as the upper.
A BRILL and JOHN DORY are carved in the same manner as a Turbot.
[Illustration]
_Note_.--The thick parts of the middle of the back are the best slices
in a turbot; and the rich gelatinous skin covering the fish, as well as
a little of the thick part of the fins, are dainty morsels, and should
be placed on each plate.
WHITING, &c.
The TAIL of the LOBSTER is the prime part, and next to that the CLAWS.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER IX.
GENERAL REMARKS.
355. THE PREPARATION AND APPEARANCE OF SAUCES AND GRAVIES are of the
highest consequence, and in nothing does the talent and taste of the
cook more display itself. Their special adaptability to the various
viands they are to accompany cannot be too much studied, in order that
they may harmonize and blend with them as perfectly, so to speak, as
does a pianoforte accompaniment with the voice of the singer.
356. THE GENERAL BASIS OF MOST GRAVIES and some sauces is the same stock
as that used for soups (_see_ Nos. 104, 105, 106, and 107); and, by the
employment of these, with, perhaps, an additional slice of ham, a little
spice, a few herbs, and a slight flavouring from some cold sauce or
ketchup, very nice gravies may be made for a very small expenditure. A
milt (either of a bullock or sheep), the shank-end of mutton that has
already been dressed, and the necks and feet of poultry, may all be
advantageously used for gravy, where much is not required. It may, then,
be established as a rule, that there exists no necessity for good
gravies to be expensive, and that there is no occasion, as many would
have the world believe, to buy ever so many pounds of fresh meat, in
order to furnish an ever so little quantity of gravy.
359. GRAVIES AND SAUCES SHOULD BE SENT TO TABLE VERY HOT; and there is
all the more necessity for the cook to see to this point, as, from their
being usually served in small quantities, they are more liable to cool
quickly than if they were in a larger body. Those sauces, of which cream
or eggs form a component part, should be well stirred, as soon as these
ingredients are added to them, and must never be allowed to boil; as, in
that case, they would instantly curdle.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER X.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and quarter the apples, and throw them into cold
water to preserve their whiteness. Put them in a saucepan, with
sufficient water to moisten them, and boil till soft enough to pulp.
Beat them up, adding sugar to taste, and a small piece of butter This
quantity is sufficient for a good-sized tureen.
_Mode_. Put the gravy in a stewpan, and add the apples, after having
pared, cored, and quartered them. Let them simmer gently till tender;
beat them to a pulp, and season with cayenne. This sauce is preferred by
many to the preceding.
_Mode_.--Break the asparagus in the tender part, wash well, and put them
into boiling salt and water to render them green. When they are tender,
take them out, and put them into cold water; drain them on a cloth till
all moisture is absorbed from them. Put the butter in a stewpan, with
the parsley and onions; lay in the asparagus, and fry the whole over a
sharp fire for 5 minutes. Add salt, the sugar and sauce tourn�e, and
simmer for another 5 minutes. Rub all through a tammy, and if not a very
good colour, use a little spinach green. This sauce should be rather
sweet.
_Time_.--Altogether 40 minutes.
_Mode_.--Lay the ham on the bottom of a stewpan, cut up the veal and
cow-heel into small pieces, and lay them on the ham; add the poultry
trimmings, vegetables, herbs, sherry, and water, and let the whole
simmer very gently for 4 hours, carefully taking away all scum that may
rise to the surface; strain through a fine sieve, and pour into an
earthen pan to get cold. Have ready a clean stewpan, put in the jelly,
and be particular to leave the sediment behind, or it will not be clear.
Add the whites of 3 eggs, with salt and pepper, to clarify; keep
stirring over the fire, till the whole becomes very white; then draw it
to the side, and let it stand till clear. When this is the case, strain
it through a cloth or jelly-bag, and use it for moulding poultry, etc.
(See Explanation of French Terms, page 44.) Tarragon vinegar may be
added to give an additional flavour.
_Mode_.--Put in a stewpan the milk, and 1/2 pint of water, with the
onions, mace, mushrooms, parsley, and salt. Let these simmer gently for
20 minutes. In the mean time, rub on a plate 1 oz. of flour and butter;
put it to the liquor, and stir it well till it boils up; then place it
by the side of the fire, and continue stirring until it is perfectly
smooth. Now strain it through a sieve into a basin, after which put it
back in the stewpan, and add the lemon-juice. Beat up the yolks of the
eggs with about 4 dessertspoonfuls of milk; strain this to the sauce,
keep stirring it over the fire, but do not let it boil, lest it curdle.
_Time_.--Altogether, 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 5d. per pint.
This is a good sauce to pour over boiled fowls when they are a bad
colour.
PICKLED BEETROOT.
_Mode_.--Wash the beets free from dirt, and be very careful not to prick
the outside skin, or they would lose their beautiful colour. Put them
into boiling water, let them simmer gently, and when about three parts
done, which will be in 1-1/2 hour, take them out and let them cool. Boil
the vinegar with pepper and allspice, in the above proportion, for ten
minutes, and when cold, pour it on the beets, which must be peeled and
cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with bladder to exclude the
air, and in a week they will be fit for use.
_Mode_.--Grate or scrape the horseradish very fine, and mix it with the
other ingredients, which must be all well blended together; serve in a
tureen. With cold meat, this sauce is a very good substitute for
pickles.
BREAD SAUCE (to serve with Roast Turkey, Fowl, Game, &c.).
I.
_Mode_.--Peel and quarter the onion, and simmer it in the milk till
perfectly tender. Break the bread, which should be stale, into small
pieces, carefully picking out any hard outside pieces; put it in a very
clean saucepan, strain the milk over it, cover it up, and let it remain
for an hour to soak. Now beat it up with a fork very smoothly, add a
seasoning of pounded mace, cayenne, and salt, with 1 oz. of butter; give
the whole one boil, and serve. To enrich this sauce, a small quantity of
cream may be added just before sending it to table.
[Illustration: MACE.]
II.
_Mode_.--Put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, &c., into a
stewpan; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than 1 pint
of water. Let this simmer for an hour, when strain the liquor over the
bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces.
Cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire;
then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain, and the whole
is nice and smooth. Let it boil for 3 or 4 minutes; keep stirring it
until it is rather thick; when add 3 tablespoonfuls of good melted
butter or cream, and serve very hot.
373. The browning for soups (_see_ No. 108) answers equally well for
sauces and gravies, when it is absolutely necessary to colour them in
this manner; but where they can be made to look brown by using ketchup,
wine, browned flour, tomatoes, or any colour sauce, it is far
preferable. As, however, in cooking, so much depends on appearance,
perhaps it would be as well for the inexperienced cook to use the
artificial means (No. 108). When no browning is at hand, and you wish to
heighten the colour of your gravy, dissolve a lump of sugar in an iron
spoon over a sharp fire; when it is in a liquid state, drop it into the
sauce or gravy quite hot. Care, however, must be taken not to put in too
much, as it would impart a very disagreeable flavour.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a fryingpan over a nice clear fire, and
when it smokes, throw in the parsley, and add the vinegar and seasoning.
Let the whole simmer for a minute or two, when it is ready to serve.
This is a very good sauce for skate.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
CLARIFIED BUTTER.
375. Put the butter in a basin before the fire, and when it melts, stir
it round once or twice, and let it settle. Do not strain it unless
absolutely necessary, as it causes so much waste. Pour it gently off
into a clean dry jar, carefully leaving all sediment behind. Let it
cool, and carefully exclude the air by means of a bladder, or piece of
wash-leather, tied over. If the butter is salt, it may be washed before
melting, when it is to be used for sweet dishes.
MELTED BUTTER.
I.
II.
_(More Economical.)_
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, which put into a
saucepan. Add the butter and a seasoning of salt, keep stirring _one
way_ till all the ingredients are melted and perfectly smooth; let the
whole boil for a minute or two, and serve.
THICKENED BUTTER.
CAMP VINEGAR.
_Mode_.--Slice the garlic, and put it, with all the above ingredients,
into a clean bottle. Let it stand to infuse for a month, when strain it
off quite clear, and it will be fit for use. Keep it in small bottles
well sealed, to exclude the air.
_Mode_.--Chop the capers twice or thrice, and add them, with their
liquor, to 1/2 pint of melted butter, made very smoothly; keep stirring
well; let the sauce just simmer, and serve in a tureen. Pickled
nasturtium-pods are fine-flavoured, and by many are eaten in preference
to capers. They make an excellent sauce.
_Mode_.--Cut the capers across once or twice, but do not chop them fine;
put them in a saucepan with 1/2 pint of good melted butter, and add all
the other ingredients. Keep stirring the whole until it just simmers,
when it is ready to serve.
_Mode_.--Boil the parsley slowly to let it become a bad colour; cut, but
do not chop it fine. Add it to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter,
with salt and vinegar in the above proportions. Boil up and serve.
PICKLED CAPSICUMS.
_Mode_.--Gather the pods with the stalks on, before they turn red; slit
them down the side with a small-pointed knife, and remove the seeds
only; put them in a strong brine for 3 days, changing it every morning;
then take them out, lay them on a cloth, with another one over them,
until they are perfectly free from moisture. Boil sufficient vinegar to
cover them, with mace and nutmeg in the above proportions; put the pods
in a jar, pour over the vinegar when cold, and exclude them from the air
by means of a wet bladder tied over.
This sauce may be made brown by using gravy instead of white stock, and
flavouring it with mushroom ketchup or Harvey's sauce.
[Illustration: ARROWROOT.]
_Mode_.--Wash the celery, boil it in salt and water till tender, and cut
it into pieces 2 inches long; make 1/2 pint melted butter by recipe No.
380; put in the celery, pounded mace, and seasoning; simmer for three
minutes, when the sauce will be ready to serve.
CELERY VINEGAR.
_Mode_.--Peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into
boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put
them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them
simmer for 1-1/2 hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. Rub the
whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the
cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time.
Serve very hot; and quickly. If milk is used instead of cream, a very
small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook
will determine.
392. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lbs. of moist sugar, 3/4 lb. of salt, 1/4 lb.
of garlic, 1/4 lb. of onions, 3/4 lb. of powdered ginger, 1/4 lb. of
dried chilies, 3/4 lb. of mustard-seed, 3/4 lb. of stoned raisins, 2
bottles of best vinegar, 30 large unripe sour apples.
_Mode_.--The sugar must be made into syrup; the garlic, onions, and
ginger be finely pounded in a mortar; the mustard-seed be washed in cold
vinegar, and dried in the sun; the apples be peeled, cored, and sliced,
and boiled in a bottle and a half of the vinegar. When all this is done,
and the apples are quite cold, put them into a large pan, and gradually
mix the whole of the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining
half-bottle of vinegar. It must be well stirred until the whole is
thoroughly blended, and then put into bottles for use. Tie a piece of
wet bladder over the mouths of the bottles, after they are well corked.
This chetney is very superior to any which can be bought, and one trial
will prove it to be delicious.
[Illustration: GARLIC.]
GARLIC.--The smell of this plant is generally considered
offensive, and it is the most acrimonious in its taste of the
whole of the alliaceous tribe. In 1548 it was introduced to
England from the shores of the Mediterranean, where it is
abundant, and in Sicily it grows naturally. It was in greater
repute with our ancestors than it is with ourselves, although it
is still used as a seasoning herb. On the continent, especially
in Italy, it is much used, and the French consider it an
essential in many made dishes.
CHILI VINEGAR.
_Mode_.--Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, and heat the sauce
gradually, by placing the vessel in which it is made in a saucepan of
boiling water. Do not allow it to boil, and serve directly it is ready.
This sauce, if bottled immediately, will keep good for a fortnight, and
will be found excellent.
395. Consomm� is made precisely in the same manner as stock No. 107,
and, for ordinary purposes, will be found quite good enough. When,
however, a stronger stock is desired, either put in half the quantity of
water, or double that of the meat. This is a very good foundation for
all white sauces.
396. INGREDIENTS.--1 crab; salt, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; 1/2
pint of melted butter made with milk (_see_ No. 380).
_Mode_.--Choose a nice fresh crab, pick all the meat away from the
shell, and cut it into small square pieces. Make 1/2 pint of melted
butter by recipe No. 380, put in the fish and seasoning; let it
gradually warm through, and simmer for 2 minutes. It should not boil.
CUCUMBER SAUCE.
_Mode_.--Peel the cucumbers, quarter them, and take out the seeds; cut
them into small pieces; put them in a cloth, and rub them well, to take
out the water which hangs about them. Put the butter in a saucepan, add
the cucumbers, and shake them over a sharp fire until they are of a good
colour. Then pour over it the gravy, mix this with the cucumbers, and
simmer gently for 10 minutes, when it will be ready to serve.
PICKLED CUCUMBERS.
_Mode_.--Cut the cucumbers in thick slices, sprinkle salt over them, and
let them remain for 24 hours. The next day, drain them well for 6 hours,
put them into a jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a
warm place. In a short time, boil up the vinegar again, add pepper and
ginger in the above proportion, and instantly cover them up. Tie them
down with bladder, and in a few days they will be fit for use.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the cucumbers (as for the table), sprinkle well
with salt, and let them remain for 24 hours; strain off the liquor, pack
in jars, a thick layer of cucumbers and salt alternately; tie down
closely, and, when wanted for use, take out the quantity required. Now
wash them well in fresh water, and dress as usual with pepper, vinegar,
and oil.
_Mode_.--Choose the greenest cucumbers, and those that are most free
from seeds; put them in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to
keep them down; tie a paper over them, and put them in a warm place till
they are yellow; then wash them and set them over the fire in fresh
water, with a very little salt, and another cabbage-leaf over them;
cover very closely, but take care they do not boil. If they are not a
fine green, change the water again, cover them as before, and make them
hot. When they are a good colour, take them off the fire and let them
cool; cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and pulp, and put them
into cold water. Let them remain for 2 days, changing the water twice
each day, to draw out the salt. Put the sugar, with 1/4 pint of water,
in a saucepan over the fire; remove the scum as it rises, and add the
lemon-peel and ginger with the outside scraped off; when the syrup is
tolerably thick, take it off the fire, and when _cold_, wipe the
cucumbers _dry_, and put them in. Boil the syrup once in 2 or 3 days for
3 weeks; strengthen it if required, and let it be quite cold before the
cucumbers are put in. Great attention must be paid to the directions in
the commencement of this recipe, as, if these are not properly carried
out, the result will be far from satisfactory.
_Mode_.--Put the milk in a very clean saucepan, and let it boil. Beat
the eggs, stir to them the milk and pounded sugar, and put the mixture
into a jug. Place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water; keep stirring
well until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
Serve the sauce in a tureen, stir in the brandy, and grate a little
nutmeg over the top. This sauce may be made very much nicer by using
cream instead of milk; but the above recipe will be found quite good
enough for ordinary purposes.
Note.--This sauce may be poured hot over salad, and left to get quite
cold, when it should be thick, smooth, and somewhat stiff. Excellent
salads may be made of hard eggs, or the remains of salt fish flaked
nicely from the bone, by pouring over a little of the above mixture when
hot, and allowing it to cool.
_Mode_.--Put the B�chamel into a saucepan with the seasoning, and bring
it to a boil. Make a green colouring by pounding some parsley in a
mortar, and squeezing all the juice from it. Let this just simmer, when
add it to the sauce. A moment before serving, put in the lemon-juice,
but not before; for otherwise the sauce would turn yellow, and its
appearance be thus spoiled.
TO PICKLE EGGS.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs for 12 minutes, then dip them into cold water,
and take off the shells. Put the vinegar, with the pepper and ginger,
into a stewpan, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Now place the eggs in
a jar, pour over them the vinegar, &c., boiling hot, and, when cold, tie
them down with bladder to exclude the air. This pickle will be ready for
use in a month.
[Illustration: GINGER.]
_Mode_.--Boil 6 eggs for 20 minutes, strip off the shells, take the
yolks and pound them in a mortar. Beat the yolks of the other 2 eggs;
add them, with a little flour and salt, to those pounded; mix all well
together, and roll into balls. Boil them before they are put into the
soup or other dish they may be intended for.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the eggs. _Average cost_, for this quantity,
8d.
409. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376; when
liked, a very little lemon-juice.
[Illustration: SHALOT.]
_Mode_.--Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, and put them
into a stewpan. Moisten these with 1/2 pint of the stock No. 107, and
simmer till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a nicely-coloured
glaze, when put in a few more spoonfuls to detach it. Add the remainder
of the stock, with the spices, herbs, shalots, and onions, and simmer
very gently for 1 hour. Strain and skim off every particle of fat, and
when required for use, thicken with butter and flour, or with a little
roux. Add the wine, and, if necessary, a seasoning of cayenne; when it
will be ready to serve.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
_Note_.--The wine in this sauce may be omitted, and an onion sliced and
fried of a nice brown substituted for it. This sauce or gravy is used
for many dishes, and with most people is a general favourite.
412. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376, rather more than
1 tablespoonful of chopped fennel.
_Mode_.--Make the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376; chop
the fennel rather small, carefully cleansing it from any grit or dirt,
and put it to the butter when this is on the point of boiling. Simmer
for a minute or two, and serve in a tureen.
_Time_.--2 minutes.
[Illustration: FENNEL.]
FISH SAUCE.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a large bottle, and shake well
every day for a fortnight. Keep it in small bottles well sealed, and in
a few days it will be fit for use.
_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the shell of the lobster, and pound it, with
the soft parts, in a mortar; add the celery, the yolk of the hard-boiled
egg, seasoning, and bread crumbs. Continue pounding till the whole is
nicely amalgamated. Warm the butter till it is in a liquid state; well
whisk the eggs, and work these up with the pounded lobster-meat. Make
into balls of about an inch in diameter, and fry of a nice pale brown.
[Illustration: MARJORAM.]
417. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of ham or lean bacon, 1/4 lb. of suet, the rind
of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 teaspoonful of
minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; 6 oz. of
bread crumbs, 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs,
taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning
to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together
with the bread crumbs, before wetting. Now beat and strain the eggs,
work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be
ready for use. When it is made into balls, fry of a nice brown, in
boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for 1/2 hour in a moderate
oven. As we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate
greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a
knife, and yet not dry and heavy. For very delicate forcemeat, it is
advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg;
but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose.
[Illustration: BASIL.]
_Mode_.--Beard and mince the oysters, prepare and mix the other
ingredients by recipe No. 416, and blend the whole thoroughly together.
Moisten with the cream and eggs, put all into a stewpan, and stir it
over the fire till it thickens, when put it into the fish, which should
have previously been cut open, and sew it up.
FRENCH FORCEMEAT.
PANADA.
_Mode_.--Soak the crumb of the rolls in milk for about 1/2 hour, then
take it out, and squeeze so as to press the milk from it; put the soaked
bread into a stewpan with the above quantity of white stock, and set it
on one side; then put into a separate stewpan 1 oz. of butter, a slice
of lean ham cut small, with a bay-leaf, herbs, mushrooms, spices, &c.,
in the above proportions, and fry them gently over a slow fire. When
done, moisten with 2 teacupfuls of white stock, boil for 20 minutes, and
strain the whole through a sieve over the panada in the other stewpan.
Place it over the fire, keep constantly stirring, to prevent its
burning, and when quite dry, put in a small piece of butter. Let this
again dry up by stirring over the fire; then add the yolks of 2 eggs,
mix well, put the panada to cool on a clean plate, and use it when
required. Panada should always be well flavoured, as the forcemeat
receives no taste from any of the other ingredients used in its
preparation.
421. Put the udder into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it; let
it stew gently till quite done, when take it out to cool. Trim all the
upper parts, cut it into small pieces, and pound well in a mortar, till
it can be rubbed through a sieve. That portion which passes through the
strainer is one of the three ingredients of which French forcemeats are
generally composed; but many cooks substitute butter for this, being a
less troublesome and more expeditious mode of preparation.
Veal Quenelles.
_Mode_.--Take the fleshy part of veal, scrape it with a knife, till all
the meat is separated from the sinews, and allow about 1/2 lb. for an
entr�e. Chop the meat, and pound it in a mortar till reduced to a paste;
then roll it into a ball; make another of panada (No. 420), the same
size, and another of udder (No. 421), taking care that these three balls
be of the same _size_. It is to be remembered, that equality of _size_,
and not of weight, is here necessary. When the three ingredients are
properly prepared, pound them altogether in a mortar for some time; for
the more quenelles are pounded, the more delicate they are. Now moisten
with the eggs, whites and yolks, and continue pounding, adding a
seasoning of pepper, spices, &c. When the whole is well blended
together, mould it into balls, or whatever shape is intended, roll them
in flour, and poach in boiling water, to which a little salt should have
been added. If the quenelles are not firm enough, add the yolk of
another egg, but omit the white, which only makes them hollow and puffy
inside. In the preparation of this recipe, it would be well to bear in
mind that the ingredients are to be well pounded and seasoned, and must
be made hard or soft according to the dishes they are intended for. For
brown or white rago�ts they should be firm, and when the quenelles are
used very small, extreme delicacy will be necessary in their
preparation. Their flavour may be varied by using the flesh of rabbit,
fowl, hare, pheasant, grouse, or an extra quantity of mushroom, parsley,
&c.
_Note_.--The French are noted for their skill in making forcemeats; one
of the principal causes of their superiority in this respect being, that
they pound all the ingredients so diligently and thoroughly. Any one
with the slightest pretensions to refined cookery, must, in this
particular, implicitly follow the example of our friends across the
Channel.
424. Cut the bread into thin slices, place them in a cool oven
overnight, and when thoroughly dry and crisp, roll them down into fine
crumbs. Put some lard, or clarified dripping, into a frying-pan; bring
it to the boiling-point, throw in the crumbs, and fry them very quickly.
Directly they are done, lift them out with a slice, and drain them
before the fire from all greasy moisture. When quite crisp, they are
ready for use. The fat they are fried in should be clear, and the crumbs
should not have the slightest appearance or taste of having been, in the
least degree, burnt.
425. Cut the bread into thin slices, and stamp them out in whatever
shape you like,--rings, crosses, diamonds, &c. &c. Fry them in the same
manner as the bread crumbs, in clear boiling lard, or clarified
dripping, and drain them until thoroughly crisp before the fire. When
variety is desired, fry some of a pale colour, and others of a darker
hue.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onion and carrot into small rings, and put them into
a stewpan with the herbs, mushrooms, bay-leaf, cloves, and mace; add the
butter, and simmer the whole very gently over a slow fire until the
onion is quite tender. Pour in the stock and sherry, and stew slowly for
1 hour, when strain it off into a clean saucepan. Now make a thickening
of butter and flour, put it to the sauce, stir it over the fire until
perfectly smooth and mellow, add the lemon-juice, give one boil, when it
will be ready for table.
_Time_.--Altogether 2 hours.
[Illustration: SAGE.]
PICKLED GHERKINS.
_Mode_.--Let the gherkins remain in salt and water for 3 or 4 days, when
take them out, wipe perfectly dry, and put them into a stone jar. Boil
sufficient vinegar to cover them, with spices and pepper, &c., in the
above proportion, for 10 minutes; pour it, quite boiling, over the
gherkins, cover the jar with vine-leaves, and put over them a plate,
setting them near the fire, where they must remain all night. Next day
drain off the vinegar, boil it up again, and pour it hot over them.
Cover up with fresh leaves, and let the whole remain till quite cold.
Now tie down closely with bladder to exclude the air, and in a month or
two, they will be fit for use.
_Time_.--4 days.
[Illustration: GHERKINS.]
TO GLAZE COLD JOINTS, &c.--Melt the glaze by placing the vessel which
contains it, into the bain marie or saucepan of boiling water; brush it
over the meat with a paste-brush, and if in places it is not quite
covered, repeat the operation. The glaze should not be too dark a
colour. (_See_ Coloured Cut of Glazed Ham, P.)
[Illustration: GLAZE-KETTLE.]
THE BAIN MARIE.--So long ago as the time when emperors ruled in
Rome, and the yellow Tiber passed through a populous and wealthy
city, this utensil was extensively employed; and it is
frequently mentioned by that profound culinary chemist of the
ancients, Apicius. It is an open kind of vessel (as shown in the
engraving and explained in our paragraph No. 87, on the French
terms used in modern cookery), filled with boiling or nearly
boiling water; and into this water should be put all the
stewpans containing those ingredients which it is desired to
keep hot. The quantity and quality of the contents of these
vessels are not at all affected; and if the hour of dinner is
uncertain in any establishment, by reason of the nature of the
master's business, nothing is so certain a means of preserving
the flavour of all dishes as the employment of the bain marie.
_Note_.--We have given this recipe as a sauce for green geese, thinking
that some of our readers might sometimes require it; but, at the
generality of fashionable tables, it is now seldom or never served.
[Illustration: SORREL.]
432. Either of the stocks, Nos. 104, 105, or 107, will be found to
answer very well for the basis of many gravies, unless these are wanted
very rich indeed. By the addition of various store sauces, thickening
and flavouring, the stocks here referred to may be converted into very
good gravies. It should be borne in mind, however, that the goodness and
strength of spices, wines, flavourings, &c., evaporate, and that they
lose a great deal of their fragrance, if added to the gravy a long time
before they are wanted. If this point is attended to, a saving of one
half the quantity of these ingredients will be effected, as, with long
boiling, the flavour almost entirely passes away. The shank-bones of
mutton, previously well soaked, will be found a great assistance in
enriching gravies; a kidney or melt, beef skirt, trimmings of meat, &c.
&c., answer very well when only a small quantity is wanted, and, as we
have before observed, a good gravy need not necessarily be so very
expensive; for economically-prepared dishes are oftentimes found as
savoury and wholesome as dearer ones. The cook should also remember that
the fragrance of gravies should not be overpowered by too much spice, or
any strong essences, and that they should always be warmed in a _bain
marie_, after they are flavoured, or else in a jar or jug placed in a
saucepan full of boiling water. The remains of roast-meat gravy should
always be saved; as, when no meat is at hand, a very nice gravy in haste
may be made from it, and when added to hashes, rago�ts, &c., is a great
improvement.
[Illustration: GRAVY-KETTLE.]
A QUICKLY-MADE GRAVY.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat into very small pieces, slice the onion and
carrot, and put them into a small saucepan with the butter. Keep
stirring over a sharp fire until they have taken a little colour, when
add the water and the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1/2 hour, skim
well, strain, and flavour, when it will be ready for use.
_Mode_.--Cut up the beef into small pieces, and put it, with the water,
into a stewpan. Add the shalot and seasoning, and simmer gently for 3
hours, taking care that it does not boil fast. A short time before it is
required, take the arrowroot, and having mixed it with a little cold
water, pour it into the gravy, which keep stirring, adding the Harvey's
sauce, and just letting it boil. Strain off the gravy in a tureen, and
serve very hot.
BROWN GRAVY.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a stewpan; set this on the fire, throw in
the onions cut in rings, and fry them a light brown; then add the beef
and bacon, which should be cut into small square pieces; season, and
pour in a teacupful of water; let it boil for about ten minutes, or
until it is of a nice brown colour, occasionally stirring the contents.
Now fill up with water in the above proportion; let it boil up, when
draw it to the side of the fire to simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hour;
strain, and when cold, take off all the fat. In thickening this gravy,
melt 3 oz. of butter in a stewpan, add 2 oz. of flour, and stir till of
a light-brown colour; when cold, add it to the strained gravy, and boil
it up quickly. This thickening may be made in larger quantities, and
kept in a stone jar for use when wanted.
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into thin slices, as also the onions, dredge them
with flour, and fry of a pale brown, but do not allow them to get black;
pour in the boiling water, let it boil up; and skim. Add the remaining
ingredients, and simmer the whole very gently for 2 hours, or until all
the juices are extracted from the meat; put it by to get cold, when take
off all the fat. This gravy may be flavoured with ketchup, store sauces,
wine, or, in fact, anything that may give additional and suitable relish
to the dish it is intended for.
[Illustration: PIMENTO.]
_Mode_.--Wash the feet of the fowls thoroughly clean, and cut them and
the neck into small pieces. Put these into a stewpan with the bread,
onion, herbs, seasoning, livers, and gizzards; pour the water over them
and simmer gently for 1 hour. Now take out the liver, pound it, and
strain the liquor to it. Add a thickening of butter and flour, and a
flavouring of mushroom ketchup; boil it up and serve.
_Mode_.--Chop the bones in small pieces, and put them in a stewpan, with
the trimmings, salt, pepper, spice, herbs, and celery. Cover with
boiling water, and let the whole simmer gently for 1-1/2 or 2 hours.
Slice and fry the onion in the butter till it is of a pale brown, and
mix it gradually with the gravy made from the bones; boil for 1/4 hour,
and strain into a basin; now put it back into the stewpan; flavour with
walnut pickle or ketchup, pickled-onion liquor, or any store sauce that
may be preferred. Thicken with a little butter and flour, kneaded
together on a plate, and the gravy will be ready for use. After the
thickening is added, the gravy should just boil, to take off the rawness
of the flour.
441. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1/4 lb. of lean ham, 1 onion
or a few shalots, 2 pints of water, salt and whole pepper to taste, 1
blade of mace, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1/2 a large carrot, 1/2 a
head of celery.
_Mode_.--Cut up the beef and ham into small pieces, and slice the
vegetables; take a jar, capable of holding two pints of water, and
arrange therein, in layers, the ham, meat, vegetables, and seasoning,
alternately, filling up with the above quantity of water; tie down the
jar, or put a plate over the top, so that the steam may not escape;
place it in the oven, and let it remain there from 6 to 8 hours; should,
however, the oven be very hot, less time will be required. When
sufficiently cooked, strain the gravy, and when cold, remove the fat. It
may be flavoured with ketchup, wines, or any other store sauce that may
be preferred.
It is a good plan to put the jar in a cool oven over-night, to draw the
gravy; and then it will not require so long baking the following day.
[Illustration: CELERY.]
_Mode_.--Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, put these in
a stewpan, moistening them with a small quantity of water; place them
over the fire to draw down. When the bottom of the stewpan becomes
covered with a white glaze, fill up with water in the above proportion;
add the remaining ingredients, stew very slowly for 3 or 4 hours, and do
not forget to skim well the moment it boils. Put it by, and, when cold,
take off all the fat. This may be used for B�chamel, sauce tourn�e, and
many other white sauces.
_Mode_.--Brown the trimmings over a nice clear fire, and put them in a
stewpan with the shank-bones and water; simmer gently for 2 hours,
strain and skim, and add the walnut ketchup and a seasoning of salt. Let
it just boil, when it is ready to serve.
_Time_.--2 hours.
445. On a very dry day, gather the herbs, just before they begin to
flower. If this is done when the weather is damp, the herbs will not be
so good a colour. (It is very necessary to be particular in little
matters like this, for trifles constitute perfection, and herbs nicely
dried will be found very acceptable when frost and snow are on the
ground. It is hardly necessary, however, to state that the flavour and
fragrance of fresh herbs are incomparably finer.) They should be
perfectly freed from dirt and dust, and be divided into small bunches,
with their roots cut off. Dry them quickly in a very hot oven, or before
the fire, as by this means most of their flavour will be preserved, and
be careful not to burn them; tie them up in paper bags, and keep in a
dry place. This is a very general way of preserving dried herbs; but we
would recommend the plan described in a former recipe.
HERB POWDER FOR FLAVOURING, when Fresh Herbs are not obtainable.
_Mode_.--Prepare and dry the herbs by recipe No. 445; pick the leaves
from the stalks, pound them, and sift them through a hair-sieve; mix in
the above proportions, and keep in glass bottles, carefully excluding
the air. This, we think, a far better method of keeping herbs, as the
flavour and fragrance do not evaporate so much as when they are merely
put in paper bags. Preparing them in this way, you have them ready for
use at a moment's notice.
Mint, sage, parsley, &c., dried, pounded, and each put into separate
bottles, will be found very useful in winter.
[Illustration: CORK WITH WOODEN TOP.]
CORKS WITH WOODEN TOPS.--These are the best corks to use when it
is indispensable that the air should not be admitted to the
ingredients contained in bottles which are in constant use. The
top, which, as will be seen by the accompanying little cut, is
larger than the cork, is made of wood; and, besides effectually
covering the whole top of the bottle, can be easily removed and
again used, as no corkscrew is necessary to pull it out.
_Mode_.--Grate the horseradish, and mix it well with the sugar, salt,
pepper, and mustard; moisten it with sufficient vinegar to give it the
consistency of cream, and serve in a tureen: 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of
cream added to the above, very much improve the appearance and flavour
of this sauce. To heat it to serve with hot roast beef, put it in a bain
marie or a jar, which place in a saucepan of boiling water; make it hot,
but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
HORSERADISH VINEGAR.
450. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of the best mustard, 1/4 lb. of flour, 1/2
oz. of salt, 4 shalots, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
ketchup, 1/4 bottle of anchovy sauce.
_Mode_.--Put the mustard, flour, and salt into a basin, and make them
into a stiff paste with boiling water. Boil the shalots with the
vinegar, ketchup, and anchovy sauce, for 10 minutes, and pour the whole,
_boiling_, over the mixture in the basin; stir well, and reduce it to a
proper thickness; put it into a bottle, with a bruised shalot at the
bottom, and store away for use. This makes an excellent relish, and if
properly prepared will keep for years.
[Illustration: MUSTARD.]
_Mode_.--Cut the cabbage, which must be hard and white, into slices, and
the cauliflowers into small branches; sprinkle salt over them in a large
dish, and let them remain two days; then dry them, and put them into a
very large jar, with garlic, shalots, horseradish, ginger, pepper,
allspice, and cloves, in the above proportions. Boil sufficient vinegar
to cover them, which pour over, and, when cold, cover up to keep them
free from dust. As the other things for the pickle ripen at different
times, they may be added as they are ready: these will be radish-pods,
French beans, gherkins, small onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies,
&c. &c. As these are procured, they must, first of all, be washed in a
little cold vinegar, wiped, and then simply added to the other
ingredients in the large jar, only taking care that they are _covered_
by the vinegar. If more vinegar should be wanted to add to the pickle,
do not omit first to boil it before adding it to the rest. When you have
collected all the things you require, turn all out in a large pan, and
thoroughly mix them. Now put the mixed vegetables into smaller jars,
without any of the vinegar; then boil the vinegar again, adding as much
more as will be required to fill the different jars, and also cayenne,
mustard-seed, turmeric, and mustard, which must be well mixed with a
little cold vinegar, allowing the quantities named above to each gallon
of vinegar. Pour the vinegar, boiling hot, over the pickle, and when
cold, tie down with a bladder. If the pickle is wanted for immediate
use, the vinegar should be boiled twice more, but the better way is to
make it during one season for use during the next. It will keep for
years, if care is taken that the vegetables are quite covered by the
vinegar.
This recipe was taken from the directions of a lady whose pickle was
always pronounced excellent by all who tasted it, and who has, for many
years, exactly followed the recipe given above.
452. INGREDIENTS.--8 oz. of sharp, sour apples, pared and cored; 8 oz.
of tomatoes, 8 oz. of salt, 8 oz. of brown, sugar, 8 oz. of stoned
raisins, 4 oz. of cayenne, 4 oz. of powdered ginger, 2 oz. of garlic, 2
oz. of shalots, 3 quarts of vinegar, 1 quart of lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Chop the apples in small square pieces, and add to them the
other ingredients. Mix the whole well together, and put in a
well-covered jar. Keep this in a warm place, and stir every day for a
month, taking care to put on the lid after this operation; strain, but
do not squeeze it dry; store it away in clean jars or bottles for use,
and the liquor will serve as an excellent sauce for meat or fish.
_Mode_.--Put the shalots and mushrooms into a stewpan with the stock and
ham, and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour, when add the B�chamel. Let it
just boil up, and then strain it through a tammy; season with the above
ingredients, and serve very hot. If this sauce should not have retained
a nice white colour, a little cream may be added.
_Mode_.--Put the lemons into a brine that will bear an egg; let them
remain in it 6 days, stirring them every day; have ready 2 quarts of
boiling water, put in the lemons, and allow them to boil for 1/4 hour;
take them out, and let them lie in a cloth until perfectly dry and cold.
Boil up sufficient vinegar to cover the lemons, with all the above
ingredients, allowing the same proportion as stated to each quart of
vinegar. Pack the lemons in a jar, pour over the vinegar, &c. boiling
hot, and tie down with a bladder. They will be fit for use in about 12
months, or rather sooner.
THE LEMON.--In the earlier ages of the world, the lemon does not
appear to have been at all known, and the Romans only became
acquainted with it at a very late period, and then only used it
to keep moths from their garments. Its acidity would seem to
have been unpleasant to them; and in Pliny's time, at the
commencement of the Christian era, this fruit was hardly
accepted, otherwise than as an excellent antidote against the
effects of poison. Many anecdotes have been related concerning
the anti-venomous properties of the lemon; Athenaeus, a Latin
writer, telling us, that on one occasion, two men felt no
effects from the bites of dangerous serpents, because they had
previously eaten of this fruit.
_Note_.--After this pickle has been made from 4 to 5 months, the liquor
may be strained and bottled, and will be found an excellent lemon
ketchup.
457. INGREDIENTS.--1 small lemon, 3/4 pint of melted butter, No. 380.
_Mode_.--Cut the lemon into very thin slices, and these again into very
small dice. Have ready 3/4 pint of melted butter, made by recipe No.
380; put in the lemon; let it just simmer, but not boil, and pour it
over the fowls.
458. INGREDIENTS.--3/4 pint of cream, the rind and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2
teaspoonful of whole white pepper, 1 sprig of lemon thyme, 3 oz. of
butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, 1 teacupful of white stock; salt to
taste.
_Mode_.--Put the cream into a very clean saucepan (a lined one is best),
with the lemon-peel, pepper, and thyme, and let these infuse for 1/2
hour, when simmer gently for a few minutes, or until there is a nice
flavour of lemon. Strain it, and add a thickening of butter and flour in
the above proportions; stir this well in, and put in the lemon-juice at
the moment of serving; mix the stock with the cream, and add a little
salt. This sauce should not boil after the cream and stock are mixed
together.
_(Author's Recipe.)_
LEMON BRANDY.
460. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of brandy, the rind of two small lemons, 2 oz.
of loaf-sugar, 1/4 pint of water.
_Mode_.--Peel the lemons rather thin, taking care to have none of the
white pith. Put the rinds into a bottle with the brandy, and let them
infuse for 24 hours, when they should be strained. Now boil the sugar
with the water for a few minutes, skim it, and, when cold, add it to the
brandy. A dessertspoonful of this will be found an excellent flavouring
for boiled custards.
_Mode_.--Beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add the milk, and
strain the whole through a hair-sieve. When the liaison is being added
to the sauce it is intended to thicken, care must be exercised to keep
stirring it during the whole time, or, otherwise, the eggs will curdle.
It should only just simmer, but not boil.
_Mode_.--Wash the liver, and let it boil for a few minutes; peel the
lemon very thin, remove the white part and pips, and cut it into very
small dice; mince the liver and a small quantity of the lemon rind very
fine; add these ingredients to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter;
season with a little salt, put in the cut lemon, heat it gradually, but
do not allow it to boil, lest the butter should oil.
_Mode_.--Wash and score the liver, boil it for a few minutes, and mince
it very fine; blanch or scald a small bunch of parsley, of which there
should be sufficient when chopped to fill a tablespoon; add this, with
the minced liver, to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter; let it
just boil; when serve.
(_Very Good_.)
_Note_.--Melted butter made with milk, No. 380, will be found to answer
very well for lobster sauce, as by employing it a nice white colour will
be obtained. Less quantity than the above may be made by using a very
small lobster, to which add only 1/2 pint of melted butter, and season
as above. Where economy is desired, the cream may be dispensed with, and
the remains of a cold lobster left from table, may, with a little care,
be converted into a very good sauce.
MAITRE D'HOTEL BUTTER, for putting into Broiled Fish just before it is
sent to Table.
MAITRE D'HOTEL SAUCE (HOT), to serve with Calf's Head, Boiled Eels, and
different Fish.
_Mode_.--Put at the bottom of a stewpan the minced ham, and over it the
poultry-trimmings (if these are not at hand, veal should be
substituted), with the shalots, garlic, and bay-leaf. Pour in the water,
and let the whole simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the liquor is
reduced to a full 1/2 pint. Then strain this gravy, put it in another
saucepan, make a thickening of butter and flour in the above
proportions, and stir it to the gravy over a nice clear fire, until it
is perfectly smooth and rather thick, care being taken that the butter
does not float on the surface. Skim well, add the remaining ingredients,
let the sauce gradually heat, but do not allow it to boil. If this sauce
is intended for an entr�e, it is necessary to make it of a sufficient
thickness, so that it may adhere to what it is meant to cover.
_Mode_.--Make 1/2 pint of melted butter, by recipe No. 376; stir in the
above ingredients, and let them just boil; when it is ready to serve.
_Note_.--In mixing the oil and vinegar with the eggs, put in first a few
drops of oil, and then a few drops of vinegar, never adding a large
quantity of either at one time. By this means, you can be more certain
of the sauce not curdling. Patience and practice, let us add, are two
essentials for making this sauce good.
_Note_.--Where green mint is scarce and not obtainable, mint vinegar may
be substituted for it, and will be found very acceptable in early
spring.
[Illustration: MINT.]
MINT.--The common mint cultivated in our gardens is known as the
_Mentha viridis_, and is employed in different culinary
processes, being sometimes boiled with certain dishes, and
afterwards withdrawn. It has an agreeable aromatic flavour, and
forms an ingredient in soups, and sometimes is used in spring
salads. It is valuable as a stomachic and antispasmodic; on
which account it is generally served at table with pea-soup.
Several of its species grow wild in low situations in the
country.
MINT VINEGAR.
_Mode_.--Procure some nice fresh mint, pick the leaves from the stalks,
and fill a bottle or jar with them. Add vinegar to them until the bottle
is full; _cover closely_ to exclude the air, and let it infuse for a
fortnight. Then strain the liquor, and put it into small bottles for
use, of which the corks should be sealed.
MIXED PICKLE.
(_Very Good_.)
MUSHROOM KETCHUP.
TO DRY MUSHROOMS.
473. _Mode_.--Wipe them clean, take away the brown part, and peel off
the skin; lay them on sheets of paper to dry, in a cool oven, when they
will shrivel considerably. Keep them in paper bags, which hang in a dry
place. When wanted for use, put them into cold gravy, bring them
gradually to simmer, and it will be found that they will regain nearly
their usual size.
_Mode_.--Put the gravy into a saucepan, thicken it, and stir over the
fire until it boils. Prepare the mushrooms by cutting off the stalks and
wiping them free from grit and dirt; the large flap mushrooms cut into
small pieces will answer for a brown sauce, when the buttons are not
obtainable; put them into the gravy, and let them simmer very gently for
about 10 minutes; then add the ketchup, and serve.
_Note_.--When fresh mushrooms are not obtainable, the powder No. 477 may
be used as a substitute for brown sauce.
I.
II.
476. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter, made with milk, No. 380;
1/2 pint of button mushrooms, 1 dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, if
at hand; cayenne and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Make the melted butter by recipe No. 380, and add to it the
mushrooms, which must be nicely cleaned, and free from grit, and the
stalks cut off. Let them simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until
they are quite tender. Put in the seasoning and ketchup; let it just
boil, when serve.
_Mode_.--Peel the mushrooms, wipe them perfectly free from grit and
dirt, remove the black fur, and reject all those that are at all
worm-eaten; put them into a stewpan with the above ingredients, but
without water; shake them over a clear fire, till all the liquor is
dried up, and be careful not to let them burn; arrange them on tins, and
dry them in a slow oven; pound them to a fine powder, which put into
small _dry_ bottles; cork well, seal the corks, and keep it in a dry
place. In using this powder, add it to the gravy just before serving,
when it will merely require one boil-up. The flavour imparted by this
means to the gravy, ought to be exceedingly good.
PICKLED MUSHROOMS.
478. INGREDIENTS.--Sufficient vinegar to cover the mushrooms; to each
quart of mushrooms, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1 oz. of ground pepper,
salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Choose some nice young button mushrooms for pickling, and rub
off the skin with a piece of flannel and salt, and cut off the stalks;
if very large, take out the red inside, and reject the black ones, as
they are too old. Put them in a stewpan, sprinkle salt over them, with
pounded mace and pepper in the above proportion; shake them well over a
clear fire until the liquor flows, and keep them there until it is all
dried up again; then add as much vinegar as will cover them; just let it
simmer for 1 minute, and store it away in stone jars for use. When cold,
tie down with bladder and keep in a dry place; they will remain good for
a length of time, and are generally considered delicious.
A VERY RICH AND GOOD MUSHROOM SAUCE, to serve with Fowls or Rabbits.
_Mode_.--Rub the buttons with a piece of flannel and salt, to take off
the skin; cut off the stalks, and put them in a stewpan with the above
ingredients, previously kneading together the butter and flour; boil the
whole for about ten minutes, stirring all the time. Pour some of the
sauce over the fowls, and the remainder serve in a tureen.
_Mode_.--Mustard should be mixed with water that has been boiled and
allowed to cool; hot water destroys its essential properties, and raw
cold water might cause it to ferment. Put the mustard in a cup, with a
small pinch of salt, and mix with it very gradually sufficient boiled
water to make it drop from the spoon without being watery. Stir and mix
well, and rub the lumps well down with the back of a spoon, as
well-mixed mustard should be perfectly free from these. The mustard-pot
should not be more than half full, or rather less if it will not be used
in a day or two, as it is so much better when freshly mixed.
TARTAR MUSTARD.
[Illustration: NASTURTIUMS.]
_Mode_.--Peel the onions and cut them in halves; put them in a stewpan,
with just sufficient water to cover them, and add the bay-leaf, ham,
cayenne, and mace; be careful to keep the lid closely shut, and simmer
them until tender. Take them out and drain thoroughly; rub them through
a tammy or sieve (an old one does for the purpose) with a wooden spoon,
and put them to 1/2 pint of B�chamel; keep stirring over the fire until
it boils, when serve. If it should require any more seasoning, add it to
taste.
_Time_.--3/4 hour to boil the onions.
WHITE ONION SAUCE, for Boiled Rabbits, Roast Shoulder of Mutton, &c.
_Mode_.--Peel the onions and put them into water to which a little salt
has been added, to preserve their whiteness, and let them remain for 1/4
hour. Then put them in a stewpan, cover them with water, and let them
boil until tender, and, if the onions should be very strong, change the
water after they have been boiling for 1/4 hour. Drain them thoroughly,
chop them, and rub them through a tammy or sieve. Make 1 pint of melted
butter, by recipe No. 380, and when that boils, put in the onions, with
a seasoning of salt; stir it till it simmers, when it will be ready to
serve. If these directions are carefully attended to, this onion sauce
will be delicious.
_Note_.--To make this sauce very mild and delicate, use Spanish onions,
which can be procured from the beginning of September to Christmas. 2 or
3 tablespoonfuls of cream added just before serving, will be found to
improve its appearance very much. Small onions, when very young, may be
cooked whole, and served in melted butter. A sieve or tammy should be
kept expressly for onions: an old one answers the purpose, as it is
liable to retain the flavour and smell, which of course would be
excessively disagreeable in delicate preparations.
485. INGREDIENTS.--6 large onions, rather more than 1/2 pint of good
gravy, 2 oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Slice and fry the onions of a pale brown in a stewpan, with the
above quantity of butter, keeping them well stirred, that they do not
get black. When a nice colour, pour over the gravy, and let them simmer
gently until tender. Now skim off every particle of fat, add the
seasoning, and rub the whole through a tammy or sieve; put it back in
the saucepan to warm, and when it boils, serve.
_Time_.--Altogether 1 hour.
_Mode_.--Have the onions gathered when quite dry and ripe, and, with the
fingers, take off the thin outside skin; then, with a silver knife
(steel should not be used, as it spoils the colour of the onions),
remove one more skin, when the onion will look quite clear. Have ready
some very dry bottles or jars, and as fast as they are peeled, put them
in. Pour over sufficient cold vinegar to cover them, with pepper and
allspice in the above proportions, taking care that each jar has its
share of the latter ingredients. Tie down with bladder, and put them in
a dry place, and in a fortnight they will be fit for use. This is a most
simple recipe and very delicious, the onions being nice and crisp. They
should be eaten within 6 or 8 months after being done, as the onions are
liable to become soft.
PICKLED ONIONS.
_Mode_.--Gather the onions, which should not be too small, when they are
quite dry and ripe; wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them; make a
strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions, and change
this, morning and night, for 3 days, and save the _last_ brine they were
put in. Then take the outside skin off, and put them into a tin saucepan
capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together.
Now take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions
were in, and pour this to them; to this add 2 large spoonfuls of salt,
put them over the fire, and watch them very attentively. Keep constantly
turning the onions about with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to
the top, and _vice vers�_; and let the milk and water run through the
holes of the skimmer. Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they
do, they will be good for nothing; and they should be quite transparent.
Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes, and, in stirring them, be
particular not to break them. Then have ready a pan with a colander,
into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep
in the steam. Place on a table an old cloth, 2 or 3 times double; put
the onions on it when quite hot, and over them an old piece of blanket;
cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam. Let them remain till
the next day, when they will be quite cold, and look yellow and
shrivelled; take off the shrivelled skins, when they should be as white
as snow. Put them in a pan, make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining
ingredients, boil all these up, and pour hot over the onions in the pan.
Cover very closely to keep in all the steam, and let them stand till the
following day, when they will be quite cold. Put them into jars or
bottles well bunged, and a tablespoonful of the best olive-oil on the
top of each jar or bottle. Tie them down with bladder, and let them
stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, when they will be fit
for use. They should be beautifully white, and eat crisp, without the
least softness, and will keep good many months.
_Mode_.--Put the onion, cut in slices, into a stewpan with the stock,
orange-peel, and basil, and let them simmer very gently for 1/4 hour or
rather longer, should the gravy not taste sufficiently of the peel.
Strain it off, and add to the gravy the remaining ingredients; let the
whole heat through, and, when on the point of boiling, serve very hot in
a tureen which should have a cover to it.
_Mode_.--Grate the bread very fine, and be careful that no large lumps
remain; put it into a basin with the suet, which must be very finely
minced, or, when butter is used, that must be cut up into small pieces.
Add the herbs, also chopped as small as possible, and seasoning; mix all
these well together, until the ingredients are thoroughly mingled. Open
and beard the oysters, chop them, but not too small, and add them to the
other ingredients. Beat up the eggs, and, with the hand, work
altogether, until it is smoothly mixed. The turkey should not be stuffed
too full: if there should be too much forcemeat, roll it into balls, fry
them, and use them as a garnish.
OYSTER KETCHUP.
PICKLED OYSTERS.
492. INGREDIENTS.--3 dozen oysters, 1/2 pint of melted butter, made with
milk, No. 380.
PARSLEY AND BUTTER, to serve with Calf's Head. Boiled Fowls, &c.
[Illustration: PARSLEY.]
495. Procure some nice young parsley; wash it and dry it thoroughly in a
cloth; pound the leaves in a mortar till all the juice is extracted, and
put the juice in a teacup or small jar; place this in a saucepan of
boiling water, and warm it on the _bain marie_ principle just long
enough to take off its rawness; let it drain, and it will be ready for
colouring.
AN EXCELLENT PICKLE.
_Mode_.--Take off the outside decayed leaves of a nice red cabbage, cut
it in quarters, remove the stalks, and cut it across in very thin
slices. Lay these on a dish, and strew them plentifully with salt,
covering them with another dish. Let them remain for 24 hours, turn into
a colander to drain, and, if necessary, wipe lightly with a clean soft
cloth. Put them in a jar; boil up the vinegar with spices in the above
proportion, and, when cold, pour it over the cabbage. It will be fit for
use in a week or two, and, if kept for a very long time, the cabbage is
liable get soft and to discolour. To be really nice and crisp, and of a
good red colour, it should be eaten almost immediately after it is made.
A little bruised cochineal boiled with the vinegar adds much to the
appearance of this pickle. Tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry
place.
_Seasonable_ in July and August, but the pickle will be much more crisp
if the frost has just touched the leaves.
PLUM-PUDDING SAUCE.
_Mode_.--Put the pounded sugar in a basin, with part of the brandy and
the butter; let it stand by the side of the fire until it is warm and
the sugar and butter are dissolved; then add the rest of the brandy,
with the Madeira. Either pour it over the pudding, or serve in a tureen.
This is a very rich and excellent sauce.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
_Mode_.--Scald the parsley, mince the leaves very fine, and add it to
all the other ingredients; after mixing the whole together thoroughly,
the sauce will be ready for use.
READING SAUCE.
_Time_.--Altogether, 3 hours.
_Mode_.--Boil 3 eggs quite hard for about 1/4 hour, put them into cold
water, and let them remain in it for a few minutes; strip off the
shells, put the yolks in a mortar, and pound them very smoothly; add to
them, very gradually, the mustard, seasoning, and vinegar, keeping all
well stirred and rubbed down with the back of a wooden spoon. Put in the
oil drop by drop, and when this is thoroughly mixed with the other
ingredients, add the yolk of a raw egg, and stir well, when it will be
ready for use. This sauce should not be curdled; and to prevent this,
the only way is to mix a little of everything at a time, and not to
cease stirring. The quantities of oil and vinegar may be increased or
diminished according to taste, as many persons would prefer a smaller
proportion of the former ingredient.
[Illustration: TARRAGON.]
_Mode_.--Peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer
for 5 minutes or rather longer, and, just before they are taken out, put
in the sage-leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness. Chop
both these very fine, add the bread, seasoning, and butter, and work the
whole together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready
for use. It should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage-leaves should
be very finely chopped. Many cooks do not parboil the onions in the
manner just stated, but merely use them raw. The stuffing then, however,
is not nearly so mild, and, to many tastes, its strong flavour would be
very objectionable. When made for goose, a portion of the liver of the
bird, simmered for a few minutes and very finely minced, is frequently
added to this stuffing; and where economy is studied, the egg may be
dispensed with.
I.
_Mode_.--Put the mixed mustard into a salad-bowl with the sugar, and add
the oil drop by drop, carefully stirring and mixing all these
ingredients well together. Proceed in this manner with the milk and
vinegar, which must be added very _gradually_, or the sauce will curdle.
Put in the seasoning, when the mixture will be ready for use. If this
dressing is properly made, it will have a soft creamy appearance, and
will be found very delicious with crab, or cold fried fish (the latter
cut into dice), as well as with salads. In mixing salad dressings, the
ingredients cannot be added _too gradually_, or _stirred too much_.
II.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs until hard, which will be in about 1/4 hour or 20
minutes; put them into cold water, take off the shells, and pound the
yolks in a mortar to a smooth paste. Then add all the other ingredients,
except the vinegar, and stir them well until the whole are thoroughly
incorporated one with the other. Pour in sufficient vinegar to make it
of the consistency of cream, taking care to add but little at a time.
The mixture will then be ready for use.
_Note_.--The whites of the eggs, cut into rings, will serve very well as
a garnishing to the salad.
III.
POETIC RECIPE FOR SALAD.--The Rev. Sydney Smith, the witty canon
of St. Paul's, who thought that an enjoyment of the good things
of this earth was compatible with aspirations for things higher,
wrote the following excellent recipe for salad, which we should
advise our readers not to pass by without a trial, when the hot
weather invites to a dish of cold lamb. May they find the
flavour equal to the rhyme.--
_Mode_.--Put the sauce into a stewpan, heat it, and stir to it the
beaten yolks of 2 eggs, which have been previously strained. Let it just
simmer, but not boil, or the eggs will curdle; and after they are added
to the sauce, it must be stirred without ceasing. This sauce is a
general favourite, and is used for many made dishes.
_Mode_.--Take the spawn and pound it in a mortar with the butter, until
quite smooth, and work it through a hair sieve. Put the B�chamel into a
stewpan, add the pounded spawn, the lemon-juice, which must be strained,
and a plentiful seasoning of cayenne and salt; let it just simmer, but
do not allow it to boil, or the beautiful red colour of the sauce will
be spoiled. A small spoonful of anchovy essence may be added at
pleasure.
_Mode_.--Slice and fry the onions of a nice brown colour, and put them
into a stewpan with the Espagnole, ketchup, wine, and a little liquor in
which the fish has been boiled. Add the seasoning, herbs, and spices,
and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring well the whole time; strain
it through a fine hair sieve, put in the lemon-juice and anchovy sauce,
and pour it over the fish. This sauce may be very much enriched by
adding a few small quenelles, or forcemeat balls made of fish, and also
glazed onions or mushrooms. These, however, should not be added to the
matelote till it is dished.
THE BAY.--We have already described (see No. 180) the difference
between the cherry-laurel (_Prunus Laurus cerasus_) and the
classic laurel (_Laurus nobilis_), the former only being used
for culinary purposes. The latter beautiful evergreen was
consecrated by the ancients to priests and heroes, and used in
their sacrifices. "A crown of bay" was the earnestly-desired
reward for great enterprises, and for the display of uncommon
genius in oratory or writing. It was more particularly sacred to
Apollo, because, according to the fable, the nymph Daphne was
changed into a laurel-tree. The ancients believed, too, that the
laurel had the power of communicating the gift of prophecy, as
well as poetic genius; and, when they wished to procure pleasant
dreams, would place a sprig under the pillow of their bed. It
was the symbol, too, of victory, and it was thought that the
laurel could never be struck by lightning. From this word comes
that of "laureate;" Alfred Tennyson being the present poet
laureate, crowned with laurel as the first of living bards.
_Mode_.--Put into a stewpan the butter, with the carrot and shalots,
both of which must be cut into small slices; add the herbs, bay-leaf,
spices, and ham (which must be minced rather finely), and let these
ingredients simmer over a slow fire, until the bottom of the stewpan is
covered with a brown glaze. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and put
in the remaining ingredients. Simmer very gently for 1/4 hour, skim off
every particle of fat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and serve very
hot. Care must be taken that this sauce be not made too acid, although
it should possess a sharpness indicated by its name. Of course the above
quantity of vinegar may be increased or diminished at pleasure,
according to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a stewpan, set it on the fire, and, when
browning, throw in the onions, which must be cut into small slices. Fry
them brown, but do not burn them; add the flour, shake the onions in it,
and give the whole another fry. Put in the gravy and seasoning, and boil
it gently for 10 minutes; skim off the fat, add the mustard, vinegar,
and lemon-juice; give it one boil, and pour round the steaks, or
whatever dish the sauce has been prepared for.
_Mode_.--Pound all the ingredients finely in a mortar, and put them into
the ketchup or walnut-liquor. Let them stand for a fortnight, when
strain off the liquor and bottle for use. Either pour a little of the
sauce over the steaks or mix it in the gravy.
SAUCE TOURNEE.
_Mode_.--Put the stock into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, and
mushrooms, and let it simmer very gently for about 1/2 hour; stir in
sufficient thickening to make it of a proper consistency; let it boil
for a few minutes, then skim off all the fat, strain and serve. This
sauce, with the addition of a little cream, is now frequently called
velout�.
_Mode_.--Put the above ingredients into a stewpan, set them over the
fire, and, when melted, pour in a tureen and serve. It should not be
allowed to boil.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, set it over the fire,
and let it simmer for about 5 minutes; then strain and serve the sauce
in a tureen.
520. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of lean pork, 6 oz. of fat pork, both weighed
after being chopped (beef suet may be substituted for the latter), 2 oz.
of bread crumbs, 1 small tablespoonful of minced sage, 1 blade of
pounded mace, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--Chop the meat and fat very finely, mix with them the other
ingredients, taking care that the whole is thoroughly incorporated.
Moisten with the egg, and the stuffing will be ready for use. Equal
quantities of this stuffing and forcemeat, No. 417, will be found to
answer very well, as the herbs, lemon-peel, &c. in the latter, impart a
very delicious flavour to the sausage-meat. As preparations, however,
like stuffings and forcemeats, are matters to be decided by individual
tastes, they must be left, to a great extent, to the discrimination of
the cook, who should study her employer's taste in this, as in every
other respect.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat and put it into a stewpan with all the
ingredients except the water; set it over a slow fire to draw down, and,
when the gravy ceases to flow from the meat, pour in the water. Let it
boil up, then carefully take away all scum from the top. Cover the
stewpan closely, and let the stock simmer very gently for 4 hours: if
rapidly boiled, the jelly will not be clear. When done, strain it
through a fine sieve or flannel bag; and when cold, the jelly should be
quite transparent. If this is not the case, clarify it with the whites
of eggs, as described in recipe No. 109.
_Mode_.--Make the melted butter very smoothly by recipe No. 376, shell
the shrimps (sufficient to make 1/4 pint when picked), and put them into
the butter; season with cayenne, and let the sauce just simmer, but do
not allow it to boil. When liked, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce may be
added.
_Mode_.--Pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves
in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve,
and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. Place this in a bain
marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. Watch it closely,
as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so
that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready
for colouring. If made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will
be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way.
[Illustration: CINNAMON.]
_Mode_.--Melt the butter in a stewpan over a slow fire, and dredge in,
very gradually, the flour; stir it till of a light-brown colour--to
obtain this do it very slowly, otherwise the flour will burn and impart
a bitter taste to the sauce it is mixed with. Pour it in a jar, and keep
it for use: it will remain good some time.
_Time_.--About 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 7d.
526. Allow the same proportions of butter and flour as in the preceding
recipe, and proceed in the same manner as for brown roux, but do not
keep it on the fire too long, and take care not to let it colour. This
is used for thickening white sauce. Pour it into a jar to use when
wanted.
SPANISH ONIONS--PICKLED.
_Mode_.--Boil all the ingredients _gently_ for about 1/2 hour; strain
the liquor, and bottle off for use.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Cut the tomatoes in two, and squeeze the juice and seeds out;
put them in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and let them simmer
_gently_ until the tomatoes are tender enough to pulp; rub the whole
through a sieve, boil it for a few minutes, and serve. The shalots and
spices may be omitted when their flavour is objected to.
I.
_Mode_.--Gather the tomatoes quite ripe; bake them in a slow oven till
tender; rub them through a sieve, and to every quart of pulp add cayenne
vinegar, shalots, garlic, and salt, in the above proportion; boil the
whole together till the garlic and shalots are quite soft; then rub it
through a sieve, put it again into a saucepan, and, to every six quarts
of the liquor, add 1 pint of soy and the same quantity of anchovy sauce,
and boil altogether for about 20 minutes; bottle off for use, and
carefully seal or rosin the corks. This will keep good for 2 or 3 years,
but will be fit for use in a week. A useful and less expensive sauce may
be made by omitting the anchovy and soy.
_Time_.--Altogether 1 hour.
II.
_Mode_.--Choose ripe tomatoes, put them into a stone jar, and stand them
in a cool oven until quite tender; when cold, take the skins and stalks
from them, mix the pulp with the liquor which is in the jar, but do not
strain it; add all the other ingredients, mix well together, and put it
into well-sealed bottles. Stored away in a cool dry place, it will keep
good for years. It is ready for use as soon as made, but the flavour is
better after a week or two. Should it not appear to keep, turn it out,
and boil it up with a little additional ginger and cayenne. For
immediate use, the skins should be put into a wide-mouthed bottle with a
little of the different ingredients, and they will be found very nice
for hashes or stews.
III.
_Mode_.--Choose the tomatoes when quite ripe and red; put them in a jar
with a cover to it, and bake them till tender. The better way is to put
them in the oven overnight, when it will not be too hot, and examine
them in the morning to see if they are tender. Do not allow them to
remain in the oven long enough to break them; but they should be
sufficiently soft to skin nicely and rub through the sieve. Measure the
pulp, and to each pound of pulp, add the above proportion of vinegar and
other ingredients, taking care to chop very fine the garlic, shalot,
capsicum, onion, and gherkins. Boil the whole together till everything
is tender; then again rub it through a sieve, and add the lemon-juice.
Now boil the whole again till it becomes as thick as cream, and keep
continually stirring; bottle it when quite cold, cork well, and seal the
corks. If the flavour of garlic and shalot is very much disliked,
diminish the quantities.
_Note_.--A quantity of liquor will flow from the tomatoes, which must be
put through the sieve with the rest. Keep it well stirred while on the
fire, and use a wooden spoon.
UNIVERSAL PICKLE.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
_Mode_.--Procure the walnuts while young; be careful they are not woody,
and prick them well with a fork; prepare a strong brine of salt and
water (4 lbs. of salt to each gallon of water), into which put the
walnuts, letting them remain 9 days, and changing the brine every third
day; drain them off, put them on a dish, place it in the sun until they
become perfectly black, which will be in 2 or 3 days; have ready dry
jars, into which place the walnuts, and do not quite fill the jars. Boil
sufficient vinegar to cover them, for 10 minutes, with spices in the
above proportion, and pour it hot over the walnuts, which must be quite
covered with the pickle; tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry place.
They will be fit for use in a month, and will keep good 2 or 3 years.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
WALNUT KETCHUP.
I.
_Mode_.--Procure the walnuts at the time you can run a pin through them,
slightly bruise, and put them into a jar with the salt and vinegar, let
them stand 8 days, stirring every day; then drain the liquor from them,
and boil it, with the above ingredients, for about 1/2 hour. It may be
strained or not, as preferred, and, if required, a little more vinegar
or wine can be added, according to taste. When bottled well, seal the
corks.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
II.
536. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 sieve of walnut-shells, 2 quarts of water, salt,
1/2 lb. of shalots, 1 oz. of cloves, 1 oz. of mace, 1 oz. of whole
pepper, 1 oz. of garlic.
_Mode_.--Put the walnut-shells into a pan, with the water, and a large
quantity of salt; let them stand for 10 days, then break the shells up
in the water, and let it drain through a sieve, putting a heavy weight
on the top to express the juice; place it on the fire, and remove all
scum that may arise. Now boil the liquor with the shalots, cloves, mace,
pepper, and garlic, and let all simmer till the shalots sink; then put
the liquor into a pan, and, when cold, bottle, and cork closely. It
should stand 6 months before using: should it ferment during that time,
it must be again boiled and skimmed.
537. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of white stock (No. 107), 1/2 pint of cream,
1 dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onions and carrot very small, and put them into a
stewpan with the butter; simmer them till the butter is nearly dried up;
then stir in the flour, and add the milk; boil the whole gently until it
thickens, strain it, season with salt and cayenne, and it will be ready
to serve.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk with the lemon-peel and rice until the latter is
perfectly tender, then take out the lemon-peel and pound the milk and
rice together; put it back into the stewpan to warm, add the mace and
seasoning, give it one boil, and serve. This sauce should be of the
consistency of thick cream.
CHAPTER XI.
GENERAL REMARKS.
541. BRILLAT SAVARIN says, that raw flesh has but one
inconvenience,--from its viscousness it attaches itself to the teeth. He
goes on to say, that it is not, however, disagreeable; but, when
seasoned with salt, that it is easily digested. He tells a story of a
Croat captain, whom he invited to dinner in 1815, during the occupation
of Paris by the allied troops. This officer was amazed at his host's
preparations, and said, "When we are campaigning, and get hungry, we
knock over the first animal we find, cut off a steak, powder it with
salt, which we always have in the sabretasche, put it under the saddle,
gallop over it for half a mile, and then dine like princes." Again, of
the huntsmen of Dauphiny it is said, that when they are out shooting in
September, they take with them both pepper and salt. If they kill a very
fat bird, they pluck and season it, and, after carrying it some time in
their caps, eat it. This, they declare, is the best way of serving it
up.
545. MEAT, THEN, PLACED ON BURNING FUEL was found better than when raw:
it had more firmness, was eaten with less difficulty, and the ozmazome
being condensed by the carbonization, gave it a pleasing perfume and
flavour. Still, however, the meat cooked on the coal would become
somewhat befouled, certain portions of the fuel adhering to it. This
disadvantage was remedied by passing spits through it, and placing it at
a suitable height above the burning fuel. Thus grilling was invented;
and it is well known that, simple as is this mode of cookery, yet all
meat cooked in this way is richly and pleasantly flavoured. In Homer's
time, the, art of cookery had not advanced much beyond this; for we read
in the "Iliad," how the great Achilles and his friend Patroclus regaled
the three Grecian leaders on bread, wine, and broiled meat. It is
noticeable, too, that Homer does not speak of boiled meat anywhere in
his poems. Later, however, the Jews, coming out of their captivity in
Egypt, had made much greater progress. They undoubtedly possessed
kettles; and in one of these, Esau's mess of pottage, for which he sold
his birthright, must have been prepared.
546. HAVING THUS BRIEFLY TRACED A HISTORY OF GASTRONOMICAL PROGRESSES,
we will now proceed to describe the various methods of cooking meat, and
make a few observations on the chemical changes which occur in each of
the operations.
547. IN THIS COUNTRY, plain boiling, roasting, and baking are the usual
methods of cooking animal food. To explain the philosophy of these
simple culinary operations, we must advert to the effects that are
produced by heat on the principal constituents of flesh. When
finely-chopped mutton or beef is steeped for some time in a small
quantity of clean water, and then subjected to slight pressure, the
juice of the meat is extracted, and there is left a white tasteless
residue, consisting chiefly of muscular fibres. When this residue is
heated to between 158� and 177� Fahrenheit, the fibres shrink together,
and become hard and horny. The influence of an elevated temperature on
the soluble extract of flesh is not less remarkable. When the watery
infusion, which contains all the savoury constituents of the meat, is
gradually heated, it soon becomes turbid; and, when the temperature
reaches 133�, flakes of whitish matter separate. These flakes are
_albumen_, a substance precisely similar, in all its properties, to the
white of egg (see No. 101). When the temperature of the watery extract
is raised to 158�, the colouring matter of the blood coagulates, and the
liquid, which was originally tinged red by this substance, is left
perfectly clear, and almost colourless. When evaporated, even at a
gentle heat, this residual liquid gradually becomes brown, and acquires
the flavour of roast meat.
550. DURING THE OPERATIONS OF BOILING, BOASTING, AND BAKING, fresh beef
and mutton, when moderately fat, lose, according to Johnston, on an
average about--
551. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROASTING MEAT AND BAKING IT, may be
generally described as consisting in the fact, that, in baking it, the
fumes caused by the operation are not carried off in the same way as
occurs in roasting. Much, however, of this disadvantage is obviated by
the improved construction of modern ovens, and of especially those in
connection with the Leamington kitchener, of which we give an engraving
here, and a full description of which will be seen at paragraph No. 65,
with the prices at which they can be purchased of Messrs. R. and J.
Slack, of the Strand. With meat baked in the generality of ovens,
however, which do not possess ventilators on the principle of this
kitchener, there is undoubtedly a peculiar taste, which does not at all
equal the flavour developed by roasting meat. The chemistry of baking
may be said to be the same as that described in roasting.
552. SHOULD THE OVEN BE VERY BRISK, it will be found necessary to cover
the joint with a piece of white paper, to prevent the meat from being
scorched and blackened outside, before the heat can penetrate into the
inside. This paper should be removed half an hour before the time of
serving dinner, so that the joint may take a good colour.
554. ALL DISHES PREPARED FOR BAKING should be more highly seasoned than
when intended to be roasted. There are some dishes which, it may be
said, are at least equally well cooked in the oven as by the roaster;
thus, a shoulder of mutton and baked potatoes, a fillet or breast of
veal, a sucking pig, a hare, well basted, will be received by
connoisseurs as well, when baked, as if they had been roasted. Indeed,
the baker's oven, or the family oven, may often, as has been said, be
substituted for the cook and the spit with greater economy and
convenience.
BOILING.
556. BOILING, or the preparation of meat by hot water, though one of the
easiest processes in cookery, requires skilful management. Boiled meat
should be tender, savoury, and full of its own juice, or natural gravy;
but, through the carelessness and ignorance of cooks, it is too often
sent to table hard, tasteless, and innutritious. To insure a successful
result in boiling flesh, the heat of the fire must be judiciously
regulated, the proper quantity of water must be kept up in the pot, and
the scum which rises to the surface must be carefully removed.
557. MANY WRITERS ON COOKERY assert that the meat to be boiled should be
put into cold water, and that the pot should be heated gradually; but
Liebig, the highest authority on all matters connected with the
chemistry of food, has shown that meat so treated loses some of its most
nutritious constituents. "If the flesh," says the great chemist, "be
introduced into the boiler when the water is in a state of brisk
ebullition, and if the boiling be kept up for a few minutes, and the pot
then placed in a warm place, so that the temperature of the water is
kept at 158� to 165�, we have the united conditions for giving to the
flesh the qualities which best fit it for being eaten." When a piece of
meat is plunged into boiling water, the albumen which is near the
surface immediately coagulates, forming an envelope, which prevents the
escape of the internal juice, and most effectually excludes the water,
which, by mixing with this juice, would render the meat insipid. Meat
treated thus is juicy and well-flavoured, when cooked, as it retains
most of its savoury constituents. On the other hand, if the piece of
meat be set on the fire with cold water, and this slowly heated to
boiling, the flesh undergoes a loss of soluble and nutritious
substances, while, as a matter of course, the soup becomes richer in
these matters. The albumen is gradually dissolved from the surface to
the centre; the fibre loses, more or less, its quality of shortness or
tenderness, and becomes hard and tough: the thinner the piece of meat
is, the greater is its loss of savoury constituents. In order to obtain
well-flavoured and eatable meat, we must relinquish the idea of making
good soup from it, as that mode of boiling which yields the best soup
gives the driest, toughest, and most vapid meat. Slow boiling whitens
the meat; and, we suspect, that it is on this account that it is in such
favour with the cooks. The wholesomeness of food is, however, a matter
of much greater moment than the appearance it presents on the table. It
should be borne in mind, that the whiteness of meat that has been boiled
slowly, is produced by the loss of some important alimentary properties.
559. FOR BOILING MEAT, the softer the water is, the better. When spring
water is boiled, the chalk which gives to it the quality of hardness, is
precipitated. This chalk stains the meat, and communicates to it an
unpleasant earthy taste. When nothing but hard water can be procured, it
should be softened by boiling it for an hour or two before it is used
for culinary purposes.
560. THE FIRE MUST BE WATCHED with great attention during the operation
of boiling, so that its heat may be properly regulated. As a rule, the
pot should be kept in a simmering state; a result which cannot be
attained without vigilance.
562. THE SCUM WHICH RISES to the surface of the pot during the operation
of boiling must be carefully removed, otherwise it will attach itself to
the meat, and thereby spoil its appearance. The cook must not neglect to
skim during the whole process, though by far the greater part of the
scum rises at first. The practice of wrapping meat in a cloth may be
dispensed with if the skimming be skillfully managed. If the scum be
removed as fast as it rises, the meat will be cooked clean and pure, and
come out of the vessel in which it was boiled, much more delicate and
firm than when cooked in a cloth.
563. WHEN TAKEN FROM THE POT, the meat must be wiped with a clean cloth,
or, what will be found more convenient, a sponge previously dipped in
water and wrung dry. The meat should not be allowed to stand a moment
longer than necessary, as boiled meat, as well as roasted, cannot be
eaten too hot.
564. THE TIME ALLOWED FOR THE OPERATION OF BOILING must be regulated
according to the size and quality of the meat. As a general rule, twenty
minutes, reckoning from the moment when the boiling commences, may be
allowed for every pound of meat. All the best authorities, however,
agree in this, that the longer the boiling the more perfect the
operation.
566. THE VESSELS USED FOR BOILING should be made of cast-iron, well
tinned within, and provided with closely-fitting lids. They must be kept
scrupulously clean, otherwise they will render the meat cooked in them
unsightly and unwholesome. Copper pans, if used at all, should be
reserved for operations that are performed with rapidity; as, by long
contact with copper, food may become dangerously contaminated. The
kettle in which a joint is dressed should be large enough to allow room
for a good supply of water; if the meat be cramped and be surrounded
with but little water, it will be stewed, not boiled.
[Illustration: BOILING-POT.]
[Illustration: STEWPAN.]
[Illustration: HOT-PLATE.]
BROILING.
569. GENERALLY SPEAKING, small dishes only are prepared by this mode of
cooking; amongst these, the beef-steak and mutton chop of the solitary
English diner may be mentioned as celebrated all the world over. Our
beef-steak, indeed, has long crossed the Channel; and, with a view of
pleasing the Britons, there is in every _carte_ at every French
restaurant, by the side of _� la Marengo_, and _� la Mayonnaise,--bifteck
d'Angleterre_. In order to succeed in a broil, the cook must have a
bright, clear fire; so that the surface of the meat may be quickly heated.
The result of this is the same as that obtained in roasting; namely, that
a crust, so to speak, is formed outside, and thus the juices of the meat
are retained. The appetite of an invalid, so difficult to minister to, is
often pleased with a broiled dish, as the flavour and sapidity of the meat
are so well preserved.
570. THE UTENSILS USED FOR BROILING need but little description. The
common gridiron, for which see engraving at No. 68, is the same as it
has been for ages past, although some little variety has been introduced
into its manufacture, by the addition of grooves to the bars, by means
of which the liquid fat is carried into a small trough. One point it is
well to bear in mind, viz., that the gridiron should be kept in a
direction slanting towards the cook, so that as little fat as possible
may fall into the fire. It has been observed, that broiling is the most
difficult manual office the general cook has to perform, and one that
requires the most unremitting attention; for she may turn her back upon
the stewpan or the spit, but the gridiron can never be left with
impunity. The revolving gridiron, shown in the engraving, possesses some
advantages of convenience, which will be at once apparent.
FRYING.
574. THE UTENSILS USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF FRYING are confined to
frying-pans, although these are of various sizes; and, for small and
delicate dishes, such as collops, fritters, pancakes, &c., the _saut�_
pan, of which we give an engraving, is used.
COOKING BY GAS.
ROASTING.
578. IF A SPIT is used to support the meat before the fire, it should be
kept quite bright. Sand and water ought to be used to scour it with, for
brickdust and oil may give a disagreeable taste to the meat. When well
scoured, it must be wiped quite dry with a clean cloth; and, in spitting
the meat, the prime parts should be left untouched, so as to avoid any
great escape of its juices.
579. KITCHENS IN LARGE ESTABLISHMENTS are usually fitted with what are
termed "smoke-jacks." By means of these, several spits, if required, may
be turned at the same time. This not being, of course, necessary in
smaller establishments, a roasting apparatus, more economical in its
consumption of coal, is more frequently in use.
582. UNDER EACH PARTICULAR RECIPE there is stated the time required for
roasting each joint; but, as a general rule, it may be here given, that
for every pound of meat, in ordinary-sized joints, a quarter of an hour
may be allotted.
[Illustration: HEAT-SCREEN.]
583. WHITE MEATS, AND THE MEAT OF YOUNG ANIMALS, require to be very well
roasted, both to be pleasant to the palate and easy of digestion. Thus
veal, pork, and lamb, should be thoroughly done to the centre.
584. MUTTON AND BEEF, on the other hand, do not, generally speaking,
require to be so thoroughly done, and they should be dressed to the
point, that, in carving them, the gravy should just run, but not too
freely. Of course in this, as in most other dishes, the tastes of
individuals vary; and there are many who cannot partake, with
satisfaction, of any joint unless it is what others would call
overdressed.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
QUADRUPEDS.
CHAPTER XII.
585. BY THE GENERAL ASSENT OF MANKIND, THE EMPIRE OF NATURE has been
divided into three kingdoms; the first consisting of minerals, the
second of vegetables, and the third of animals. The Mineral Kingdom
comprises all substances which are without those organs necessary to
locomotion, and the due performance of the functions of life. They are
composed of the accidental aggregation of particles, which, under
certain circumstances, take a constant and regular figure, but which are
more frequently found without any definite conformation. They also
occupy the interior parts of the earth, as well as compose those huge
masses by which we see the land in some parts guarded against the
encroachments of the sea. The Vegetable Kingdom covers and beautifies
the earth with an endless variety of form and colour. It consists of
organized bodies, but destitute of the power of locomotion. They are
nourished by means of roots; they breathe by means of leaves; and
propagate by means of seed, dispersed within certain limits. The Animal
Kingdom consists of sentient beings, that enliven the external parts of
the earth. They possess the powers of voluntary motion, respire air, and
are forced into action by the cravings of hunger or the parching of
thirst, by the instincts of animal passion, or by pain. Like the
vegetable kingdom, they are limited within the boundaries of certain
countries by the conditions of climate and soil; and some of the species
prey upon each other. Linnaeus has divided them into six
classes;--Mammalia, Birds, Fishes, Amphibious Animals, Insects, and
Worms. The three latter do not come within the limits of our domain; of
fishes we have already treated, of birds we shall treat, and of mammalia
we will now treat.
586. THIS CLASS OF ANIMALS embraces all those that nourish their young
by means of lacteal glands, or teats, and are so constituted as to have
a warm or red blood. In it the whale is placed,--an order which, from
external habits, has usually been classed with the fishes; but, although
this animal exclusively inhabits the water, and is supplied with fins,
it nevertheless exhibits a striking alliance to quadrupeds. It has warm
blood, and produces its young alive; it nourishes them with milk, and,
for that purpose, is furnished with teats. It is also supplied with
lungs, and two auricles and two ventricles to the heart; all of which
bring it still closer into an alliance with the quadrupedal species of
the animal kingdom.
588. ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN AND END OF NATURE, mammiferous animals are
calculated, when arrived at maturity, to subsist on various kinds of
food,--some to live wholly upon flesh, others upon grain, herbs, or
fruits; but in their infant state, milk is the appropriate food of the
whole. That this food may never fail them, it is universally ordained,
that the young should no sooner come into the world, than the milk
should flow in abundance into the members with which the mother is
supplied for the secretion of that nutritious fluid. By a wonderful
instinct of Nature, too, the young animal, almost as soon as it has come
into life, searches for the teat, and knows perfectly, at the first,
how, by the process of suction, it will be able to extract the fluid
necessary to its existence.
590. AMONG THE VARIOUS BREEDS OF THE OX, upon which man has bestowed his
highest powers of culture, there is now none takes a higher place than
that known by the name of Short-Horns. From the earliest ages, Great
Britain has been distinguished for the excellence of her native breeds
of cattle, and there are none in England that have obtained greater
celebrity than those which have this name, and which originated, about
seventy years ago, on the banks of the Tees. Thence they have spread
into the valleys of the Tweed; thence to the Lothians, in Scotland; and
southward, into the fine pastures of England. They are now esteemed the
most profitable breed of cattle, as there is no animal which attains
sooner to maturity, and none that supplies meat of a superior quality.
The value of some of the improved breeds is something enormous. At the
sale of Mr. Charles Colling, a breeder in Yorkshire, in 1810, his bull
"Comet" sold for 1,000 guineas. At the sale of Earl Spencer's herd in
1846, 104 cows, heifers, and calves, with nineteen bulls, fetched
�8,468. 5s.; being an average of �68. 17s. apiece. The value of such
animals is scarcely to be estimated by those who are unacquainted with
the care with which they are tended, and with the anxious attention
which is paid to the purity of their breed. A modern writer, well
acquainted with this subject, says, "There are now, at least, five
hundred herds, large and small, in this kingdom, and from six to seven
thousand head registered every alternate year in the herd-book." The
necessity for thus recording the breeds is greater than might, at first
sight, be imagined, as it tends directly to preserve the character of
the cattle, while it sometimes adds to the value and reputation of the
animal thus entered. Besides, many of the Americans, and large
purchasers for the foreign market, will not look at an animal without
the breeder has taken care to qualify him for such reference. Of
short-horned stock, there is annually sold from �40,000 to �50,000 worth
by public auction, independent of the vast numbers disposed of by
private contract. The brood is highly prized in Belgium, Prussia,
France, Italy, and Russia; it is imported into most of the British
colonies, and is greatly esteemed both for its meat and its dairy
produce, wherever it is known. The quickness with which it takes on
flesh, and the weight which it frequently makes, are well known; but we
may mention that it is not uncommon to tee steers of from four to five
years old realize a weight of from 800 to 1,000 lbs. Such animals
command from the butcher from �30 to �40 per head, according to the
quality; whilst others, of two or three years old, and, of course, of
less Weight, bring as much as �20 apiece.
596. THE MEAT ON THOSE PARTS OF THE ANIMAL in which the muscles are
least called into action, is most tender and succulent; as, for
instance, along the back, from the rump to the hinder part of the
shoulder; whilst the limbs, shoulder, and neck, are the toughest,
driest, and least-esteemed.
597. THE NAMES OF THE SEVERAL JOINTS in the hind and fore quarters of a
side of beef, and the purposes for which they are used, are as
follows:--
HIND QUARTER.
3. Aitch-bone,--boiling piece.
5. Mouse-round,--boiling or stewing.
6. Hock,--stewing.
8. Thin flank,--boiling.
FORE QUARTER.
11. Two ribs, called the chuck-rib,--used for second quality of steaks.
15. Shin,--stewing.
_First class_.--includes the sirloin, with the kidney suet (1), the
rump-steak piece (2), the fore-rib (9).
_Second class_.--The buttock (4), the thick flank (7), the middle-rib
(10).
_Third class_.--The aitch-bone (3), the mouse-round (5), the thin flank
(8), the chuck (11), the leg-of-mutton piece (12), the brisket (13).
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XIII.
I.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut the steaks into nice square pieces, with a small quantity
of fat, and the kidney divide into small pieces. Make a batter of flour,
eggs, and milk in the above proportion; lay a little of it at the bottom
of a pie-dish; then put in the steaks and kidney, which should be well
seasoned with pepper and salt, and pour over the remainder of the
batter, and bake for 1-1/2 hour in a brisk but not fierce oven.
(_Economical_.)
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into small pieces, and roll them in flour; put the
dripping into a stewpan with the onion, which should be sliced thin. Let
it get quite hot; lay in the pieces of beef, and stir them well about.
When nicely browned all over, add _by degrees_ boiling water in the
above proportion, and, as the water is added, keep the whole well
stirred. Put in the spice, bay-leaves, and seasoning, cover the stewpan
closely, and set it by the side of the fire to stew very _gently_, till
the meat becomes quite tender, which will be in about 3 hours, when it
will be ready to serve. Remove the bay-leaves before it is sent to
table.
_Time_.--3 hours.
BEEF A LA MODE.
_Mode_.--Slice and fry the onions of a pale brown, and cut up the other
vegetables in small pieces, and prepare the beef for stewing in the
following manner:--Choose a fine piece of beef, cut the bacon into long
slices, about an inch in thickness, dip them into vinegar, and then into
a little of the above seasoning of spice, &c., mixed with the same
quantity of minced herbs. With a sharp knife make holes deep enough to
let in the bacon; then rub the beef over with the remainder of the
seasoning and herbs, and bind it up in a nice shape with tape. Have
ready a well-tinned stewpan (it should not be much larger than the piece
of meat you are cooking), into which put the beef, with the vegetables,
vinegar, and water. Let it simmer _very gently_ for 5 hours, or rather
longer, should the meat not be extremely tender, and turn it once or
twice. When ready to serve, take out the beef, remove the tape, and put
it on a hot dish. Skim off every particle of fat from the gravy, add the
port wine, just let it boil, pour it over the beef, and it is ready to
serve. Great care must be taken that this does not boil fast, or the
meat will be tough and tasteless; it should only just bubble. When
convenient, all kinds of stews, &c., should be cooked on a hot-plate, as
the process is so much more gradual than on an open fire.
_Time_.--5 hours, or rather more.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for a winter dish.
_Mode_.--Make the oyster sauce by recipe No. 492, and when that is
ready, put it by the side of the fire, but do not let it keep boiling.
Have the steaks cut of an equal thickness, broil them over a very clear
fire, turning them often, that the gravy may not escape. In about 8
minutes they will be done, then put them on a very hot dish; smother
with the oyster sauce, and the remainder send to table in a tureen.
Serve quickly.
BEEF-STEAK PIE.
_Mode_.--Have the steaks cut from a rump that has hung a few days, that
they may be tender, and be particular that every portion is perfectly
sweet. Cut the steaks into pieces about 3 inches long and 2 wide,
allowing a _small_ piece of fat to each piece of lean, and arrange the
meat in layers in a pie-dish. Between each layer sprinkle a seasoning of
salt, pepper, and, when liked, a few grains of cayenne. Fill the dish
sufficiently with meat to support the crust, and to give it a nice
raised appearance when baked, and not to look flat and hollow. Pour in
sufficient water to half fill the dish, and border it with paste (see
Pastry); brush it over with a little water, and put on the cover;
slightly press down the edges with the thumb, and trim off close to the
dish. Ornament the pie with leaves, or pieces of paste cut in any shape
that fancy may direct, brush it over with the beaten yolk of an egg;
make a hole in the top of the crust, and bake in a hot oven for about
1-1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Procure some tender rump steak (that which has been hung a
little time), and divide it into pieces about an inch square, and cut
each kidney into 8 pieces. Line the dish (of which we have given an
engraving) with crust made with suet and flour in the above proportion,
leaving a small piece of crust to overlap the edge. Then cover the
bottom with a portion of the steak and a few pieces of kidney; season
with salt and pepper (some add a little flour to thicken the gravy, but
it is not necessary), and then add another layer of steak, kidney, and
seasoning. Proceed in this manner till the dish is full, when pour in
sufficient water to come within 2 inches of the top of the basin.
Moisten the edges of the crust, cover the pudding over, press the two
crusts together, that the gravy may not escape, and turn up the
overhanging paste. Wring out a cloth in hot water, flour it, and tie up
the pudding; put it into boiling water, and let it boil for at least 4
hours. If the water diminishes, always replenish with some, hot in a
jug, as the pudding should be kept covered all the time, and not allowed
to stop boiling. When the cloth is removed, cut out a round piece in the
top of the crust, to prevent the pudding bursting, and send it to table
in the basin, either in an ornamental dish, or with a napkin pinned
round it. Serve quickly.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a frying or _saut�_ pan, set it over the
fire, and let it get very hot; peel, and cut the potatoes into long thin
slices; put them into the hot butter, and fry them till of a nice brown
colour. Now broil the steaks over a bright clear fire, turning them
frequently, that every part may be equally done: as they should not be
thick, 5 minutes will broil them. Put the herbs and seasoning in the
butter the potatoes were fried in, pour it under the steak, and place
the fried potatoes round, as a garnish. To have this dish in perfection,
a portion of the fillet of the sirloin should be used, as the meat is
generally so much more tender than that of the rump, and the steaks
should be cut about 1/3 of an inch in thickness.
_Time_.--5 minutes to broil the steaks, and about the same time to fry
the potatoes. _Average cost_, 1s. per lb.
_Seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in warm weather, as the meat
cannot hang to get tender.
_Note_.--The liquor in which the meat has been boiled may be easily
converted into a very excellent pea-soup. It will require very few
vegetables, as it will be impregnated with the flavour of those boiled
with the meat.
609. SOYER'S RECIPE FOR PRESERVING THE GRAVY IN SALT MEAT, WHEN IT IS TO
BE SERVED COLD.--Fill two tubs with cold water, into which throw a few
pounds of rough ice; and when the meat is done, put it into one of the
tubs of ice-water; let it remain 1 minute, when take out, and put it
into the other tub. Fill the first tub again with water, and continue
this process for about 20 minutes; then set it upon a dish, and let it
remain until quite cold. When cut, the fat will be as white as possible,
besides having saved the whole, of the gravy. If there is no ice, spring
water will answer the same purpose, but will require to be more
frequently changed.
BEEF CAKE.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
_Time_.--8 to 10 minutes.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but not good in the height of summer, as the
meat cannot hang long enough to be tender.
_Mode_.--Wipe the mushrooms free from grit with a piece of flannel, and
salt; put them in a stewpan with the butter, seasoning, and ketchup;
stir over the fire until the mushrooms are quite done, when pour it in
the middle of mashed potatoes, browned. Then place round the potatoes
slices of cold roast beef, nicely broiled, over a clear fire. In making
the mushroom sauce, the ketchup may be dispensed with, if there is
sufficient gravy.
_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s, 6d., exclusive of the cold meat.
BROILED BEEF-BONES.
_Mode_.--Separate the bones, taking care that the meat on them is not
too thick in any part; sprinkle them well with the above seasoning, and
broil over a very clear fire. When nicely browned they are done; but do
not allow them to blacken.
_Mode_.--Put the heart into warm water to soak for 2 hours; then wipe it
well with a cloth, and, after cutting off the lobes, stuff the inside
with a highly-seasoned forcemeat (No. 417). Fasten it in, by means of a
needle and coarse thread; tie the heart up in paper, and set it before a
good fire, being very particular to keep it well basted, or it will eat
dry, there being very little of its own fat. Two or three minutes before
serving, remove the paper, baste well, and serve with good gravy and
red-currant jelly or melted butter. If the heart is very large, it will
require 2 hours, and, covered with a caul, may be baked as well as
roasted.
COLLARED BEEF.
617. INGREDIENTS.--7 lbs. of the thin end of the flank of beef, 2 oz. of
coarse sugar, 6 oz. of salt, 1 oz, of saltpetre, 1 large handful of
parsley minced, 1 dessertspoonful of minced sage, a bunch of savoury
herbs, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded allspice; salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Choose fine tender beef, but not too fat; lay it in a dish; rub
in the sugar, salt, and saltpetre, and let it remain in the pickle for a
week or ten days, turning and rubbing it every day. Then bone it, remove
all the gristle and the coarse skin of the inside part, and sprinkle it
thickly with parsley, herbs, spice, and seasoning in the above
proportion, taking care that the former are finely minced, and the
latter well pounded. Roll the meat up in a cloth as tightly as possible,
in the same shape as shown in the engraving; bind it firmly with broad
tape, and boil it gently for 6 hours. Immediately on taking it out of
the pot, put it under a good weight, without undoing it, and let it
remain until cold. This dish is a very nice addition to the
breakfast-table.
BEEF-COLLOPS.
_Mode_.--Have the steak cut thin, and divide it in pieces about 3 inches
long; beat these with the blade of a knife, and dredge with flour. Put
them in a frying-pan with the butter, and let them fry for about 3
minutes; then lay them in a small stewpan, and pour over them the gravy.
Add a piece of butter, kneaded with a little flour, put in the seasoning
and all the other ingredients, and let the whole simmer, but not boil,
for 10 minutes. Serve in a hot covered dish.
_Mode_.--Mince the beef and onion very small, and fry the latter in
butter until of a pale brown. Put all the ingredients together in a
stewpan, and boil gently for about 10 minutes; garnish with sippets of
toasted bread, and serve very hot.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
I.
621. Good and fresh dripping answers very well for basting everything
except game and poultry, and, when well clarified, serves for frying
nearly as well as lard; it should be kept in a cool place, and will
remain good some time. To clarify it, put the dripping into a basin,
pour over it boiling water, and keep stirring the whole to wash away the
impurities. Let it stand to cool, when the water and dirty sediment will
settle at the bottom of the basin. Remove the dripping, and put it away
in jars or basins for use.
ANOTHER WAY.
622. Put the dripping into a clean saucepan, and let it boil for a few
minutes over a slow fire, and be careful to skim it well. Let it stand
to cool a little, then strain it through a piece of muslin into jars for
use. Beef dripping is preferable to any other for cooking purposes, as,
with mutton dripping, there is liable to be a tallowy taste and smell.
_Mode_.--Lard the beef with bacon, and put it into a pan with sufficient
vinegar to cover it, with an onion sliced, parsley, and seasoning, and
let it remain in this pickle for 12 hours. Roast it before a nice clear
fire for about 1-1/4 hour, and, when done, glaze it. Pour some Spanish
sauce round the beef, and the remainder serve in a tureen. It may be
garnished with Spanish onions boiled and glazed.
FRICANDEAU OF BEEF.
624. INGREDIENTS.--About 3 lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin (a
piece of the rump may be substituted for this), pepper and salt to
taste, 3 cloves, 2 blades of mace, 6 whole allspice, 1 pint of stock No.
105, or water, 1 glass of sherry, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 2 shalots,
bacon.
_Mode_.--Cut some bacon into thin strips, and sprinkle over them a
seasoning of pepper and salt, mixed with cloves, mace, and allspice,
well pounded. Lard the beef with these, put it into a stewpan with the
stock or water, sherry, herbs, shalots, 2 cloves, and more pepper and
salt. Stew the meat gently until tender, when take it out, cover it
closely, skim off all the fat from the gravy, and strain it. Set it on
the fire, and boil, till it becomes a glaze. Glaze the larded side of
the beef with this, and serve on sorrel sauce, which is made as
follows:--Wash and pick some sorrel, and put it into a stewpan with only
the water that hangs about it. Keep stirring, to prevent its burning,
and when done, lay it in a sieve to drain. Chop it, and stew it with a
small piece of butter and 4 or 6 tablespoonfuls of good gravy, for an
hour, and rub it through a tammy. If too acid, add a little sugar; and a
little cabbage-lettuce boiled with the sorrel will be found an
improvement.
625. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold salt beef, pepper to taste, 1/4
lb. of butter, mashed potatoes.
_Mode_.--Cut any part of cold salt beef into thin slices, fry them
gently in butter, and season with a little pepper. Have ready some very
hot mashed potatoes, lay the slices of beef on them, and garnish with 3
or 4 pickled gherkins. Cold salt beef, warmed in a little liquor from
mixed pickle, drained, and served as above, will be found good.
FRIED RUMP-STEAK.
_Seasonable all the year, but not good in summer, as the meat cannot
hang to get tender._
_Mode_.--Mix very smoothly, and by degrees, the flour with the above
proportion of water; stir in 2 oz. of butter, which must be melted, but
not oiled, and, just before it is to be used, add the whites of two
well-whisked eggs. Should the batter be too thick, more water must be
added. Pare down the cold beef into thin shreds, season with pepper and
salt, and mix it with the batter. Drop a small quantity at a time into a
pan of boiling lard, and fry from 7 to 10 minutes, according to the
size. When done on one side, turn and brown them on the other. Let them
dry for a minute or two before the fire, and serve on a folded napkin. A
small quantity of finely-minced onions, mixed with the batter, is an
improvement.
_Time_.--From 7 to 10 minutes.
I.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients but the beef into a stewpan with
whatever gravy may have been saved from the meat the day it was roasted;
let these simmer gently for 10 minutes, then take the stewpan off the
fire; let the gravy cool, and skim off the fat. Cut the beef into thin
slices, dredge them with flour, and lay them in the gravy; let the whole
simmer gently for 5 minutes, but not boil, or the meat will be tough and
hard. Serve very hot, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread.
II.
_Mode_.--Take off all the meat from the bones of ribs or sirloin of
beef; remove the outside brown and gristle; place the meat on one side,
and well stew the bones and pieces, with the above ingredients, for
about 2 hours, till it becomes a strong gravy, and is reduced to rather
more than 1/2 pint; strain this, thicken with a teaspoonful of flour,
and let the gravy cool; skim off all the fat; lay in the meat, let it
get hot through, but do not allow it to boil, and garnish with sippets
of toasted bread. The gravy may be flavoured as in the preceding recipe.
HUNTER'S BEEF.
_Mode_.--Let the beef hang for 2 or 3 days, and remove the bone. Pound
spices, salt, &c. in the above proportion, and let them be reduced to
the finest powder. Put the beef into a pan, rub all the ingredients well
into it, and turn and rub it every day for rather more than a fortnight.
When it has been sufficiently long in pickle, wash the meat, bind it up
securely with tape, and put it into a pan with 1/2 pint of water at the
bottom; mince some suet, cover the top of the meat with it, and over the
pan put a common crust of flour and water; bake for 6 hours, and, when
cold, remove the paste. Save the gravy that flows from it, as it adds
greatly to the flavour of hashes, stews, &c. The beef may be glazed and
garnished with meat jelly.
_Time_.--6 hours.
I.
_Mode_.--Cut the kidneys into neat slices, put them into warm water to
soak for 2 hours, and change the water 2 or 3 times; then put them on a
clean cloth to dry the water from them, and lay them in a frying-pan
with some clarified butter, and fry them of a nice brown; season each
side with pepper and salt, put them round the dish, and the gravy in the
middle. Before pouring the gravy in the dish, add the lemon-juice and
sugar.
II.
_Mode_.--Take off a little of the kidney fat, mince it very fine, and
put it in a frying-pan; slice the kidney, sprinkle over it parsley and
shalots in the above proportion, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and
fry it of a nice brown. When it is done enough, dredge over a little
flour, and pour in the gravy and sherry. Let it just simmer, but not
boil any more, or the kidney would harden; serve very hot, and garnish
with cro�tons. Where the flavour of the shalot is disliked, it may be
omitted, and a small quantity of savoury herbs substituted for it.
_Time_.--From 5 to 10 minutes, according to the thickness of the slices.
III.
634. Cut the kidney into thin slices, flour them, and fry of a nice
brown. When done, make a gravy in the pan by pouring away the fat,
putting in a small piece of butter, 1/4 pint of boiling water, pepper
and salt, and a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. Let the gravy just
boil up, pour over the kidney, and serve.
BOILED MARROW-BONES.
_Mode_.--Have the bones neatly sawed into convenient sizes, and cover
the ends with a small piece of common crust, made with flour and water.
Over this tie a floured cloth, and place them upright in a saucepan of
boiling water, taking care there is sufficient to cover the bones. Boil
them for 2 hours, remove the cloth and paste, and serve them upright on
a napkin with dry toast. Many persons clear the marrow from the bones
after they are cooked, spread it over a slice of toast and add a
seasoning of pepper; when served in this manner, it must be very
expeditiously sent to table, as it so soon gets cold.
_Time_.--2 hours.
[Illustration: MARROW-BONES.]
_Mode_.--Put into a stewpan the butter with an onion chopped fine; add
the gravy, ale, and 1/2 a teaspoonful of flour to thicken; season with
pepper and salt, and stir these ingredients over the fire until the
onion is a rich brown. Cut, but do not chop the meat _very fine_, add it
to the gravy, stir till quite hot, and serve. Garnish with sippets of
toasted bread. Be careful in not allowing the gravy to boil after the
meat is added, as it would render it hard and tough.
MIROTON OF BEEF.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions and put them into a frying-pan with the cold
beef and butter; place it over the fire, and keep turning and stirring
the ingredients to prevent them burning. When of a pale brown, add the
gravy and seasoning; let it simmer for a few minutes, and serve very
hot. This dish is excellent and economical.
STEWED OX-CHEEK.
_Mode_.--Wash, scald, and thoroughly clean the feet, and cut them into
pieces about 2 inches long; have ready some fine bread crumbs mixed with
a little minced parsley, cayenne, and salt; dip the pieces of heel into
the yolk of egg, sprinkle them with the bread crumbs, and fry them until
of a nice brown in boiling butter.
STEWED OX-TAILS.
_Mode_.--Divide the tails at the joints, wash, and put them into a
stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and set them on the fire;
when the water boils, remove the scum, and add the onion cut into rings,
the spice, seasoning, and herbs. Cover the stewpan closely, and let the
tails simmer very gently until tender, which will be in about 2-1/2
hours. Take them out, make a thickening of butter and flour, add it to
the gravy, and let it boil for 1/4 hour. Strain it through a sieve into
a saucepan, put back the tails, add the lemon-juice and ketchup; let the
whole just boil up, and serve. Garnish with cro�tons or sippets of
toasted bread.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, and let them boil for
1/2 hour, clear off the scum as it rises, and when done pour the pickle
into a pickling-pan. Let it get cold, then put in the meat, and allow it
to remain in the pickle from 8 to 14 days, according to the size. It
will keep good for 6 months if well boiled once a fortnight. Tongues
will take 1 month or 6 weeks to be properly cured; and, in salting meat,
beef and tongues should always be put in separate vessels.
[Illustration: POTTING-JAR.]
POTTED BEEF.
I.
II.
_Note_.--If cold roast beef is used, remove all pieces of gristle and
dry outside pieces, as these do not pound well.
_Mode_.--The bones for this dish should have left on them a slight
covering of meat; saw them into pieces 3 inches long; season them with
pepper and salt, and put them into a stewpan with the remaining
ingredients. Stew gently, until the vegetables are tender, and serve on
a flat dish within walls of mashed potatoes.
_Mode_.--Mince the beef very fine, which should be rather lean, and mix
with this bread crumbs, herbs, seasoning, and lemon-peel, in the above
proportion, to each pound of meat. Make all into a thick paste with 1 or
2 eggs; divide into balls or cones, and fry a rich brown. Garnish the
dish with fried parsley, and send with them to table some good brown
gravy in a tureen. Instead of garnishing with fried parsley, gravy may
be poured in the dish, round the rissoles: in this case, it will not be
necessary to send any in a tureen.
_Mode_.--Mince the beef tolerably fine with a small amount of its own
fat; add a seasoning of pepper, salt, and chopped herbs; put the whole
into a roll of puff paste, and bake for 1/2 hour, or rather longer,
should the roll be very large. Beef patties may be made of cold meat, by
mincing and seasoning beef as directed above, and baking in a rich puff
paste in patty-tins.
_Time_,--1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Choose a fine rib, have the bone removed, rub some salt over
the inside, and skewer the meat up into a nice round form, and bind it
with tape. Put it into sufficient brine to cover it (the brine should be
made by recipe No. 654), and let it remain for 6 days, turning the meat
every day. When required to be dressed, drain from the pickle, and put
the meat into very hot water; let it boil rapidly for a few minutes,
when draw the pot to the side of the fire, and let it simmer very gently
until done. Remove the skewer, and replace it by a plated or silver one.
Carrots and turnips should be served with this dish, and may be boiled
with the meat.
_Time_.--A small round of 8 lbs., about 2 hours after the water boils;
one of 12 lbs., about 3 hours.
FRENCH BEEF.--It has been all but universally admitted, that the
beef of France is greatly inferior in quality to that of
England, owing to inferiority of pasturage. M. Curmer, however,
one of the latest writers on the culinary art, tells us that
this is a vulgar error, and that French beef is far superior to
that of England. This is mere vaunting on the part of our
neighbours, who seem to want _la gloire_ in everything; and we
should not deign to notice it, if it had occurred in a work of
small pretensions; but M. Curmer's book professes to be a
complete exposition of the scientific principles of cookery, and
holds a high rank in the didactic literature of France. We half
suspect that M. Curmer obtained his knowledge of English beef in
the same way as did the poor Frenchman, whom the late Mr.
Mathews, the comedian, so humorously described. Mr. Lewis, in
his "Physiology of Common Life," has thus revived the story of
the beef-eating son of France:--"A Frenchman was one day blandly
remonstrating against the supercilious scorn expressed by
Englishmen for the beef of France, which he, for his part, did
not find so inferior to that of England. 'I have been two times
in England,' he remarked, but I nev�re find the bif so sup�rieur
to ours. I find it vary conveenient that they bring it you on
leetle pieces of stick, for one penny: but I do not find the bif
sup�rieur.' On hearing this, the Englishman, red with
astonishment, exclaimed, 'Good heavens, sir! you have been
eating cat's meat.'" No, M. Curmer, we are ready to acknowledge
the superiority of your cookery, but we have long since made up
our minds as to the inferiority of your raw material.
BEEF OLIVES.
I.
_Mode_.--Have the steaks cut rather thin, slightly beat them to make
them level, cut them into 6 or 7 pieces, brush over with egg, and
sprinkle with herbs, which should be very finely minced; season with
pepper and salt, and roll up the pieces tightly, and fasten with a small
skewer. Put the stock in a stewpan that will exactly hold them, for by
being pressed together, they will keep their shape better; lay in the
rolls of meat, cover them with the bacon, cut in thin slices, and over
that put a piece of paper. Stew them very _gently_ for full 2 hours; for
the slower they are done the better. Take them out, remove the skewers,
thicken the gravy with butter and flour, and flavour with any store
sauce that may be preferred. Give one boil, pour over the meat, and
serve.
II.
(_Economical_.)
652. INGREDIENTS.--2 tails, 1-1/2 pint of stock, No. 105, salt and
cayenne to taste, bread crumbs, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--Wash the palates, and put them into a stewpan, with sufficient
water to cover them, and let them boil until perfectly tender, or until
the upper skin may be easily peeled off. Have ready sufficient gravy
(No. 438) to cover them; add a good seasoning of cayenne, and thicken
with roux, No. 625, or a little butter kneaded with flour; let it boil
up, and skim. Cut the palates into square pieces, put them in the gravy,
and let them simmer gently for 1/2 hour; add ketchup and onion-liquor,
give one boil, and serve.
BEEF PICKLE, which may also be used for any kind of Meat, Tongues, or
Hams.
_Time_.--For 10 lbs. of the rolled ribs, 3 hours (as the joint is very
solid, we have allowed an extra 1/2 hour); for 6 lbs., 1-1/2 hour.
_Note_.--When the weight exceeds 10 lbs., we would not advise the above
method of boning and rolling; only in the case of 1 or 2 ribs, when the
joint cannot stand upright in the dish, and would look awkward. The
bones should be put in with a few vegetables and herbs, and made into
stock.
_Mode_.--As a joint cannot be well roasted without a good fire, see that
it is well made up about 3/4 hour before it is required, so that when
the joint is put down, it is clear and bright. Choose a nice sirloin,
the weight of which should not exceed 16 lbs., as the outside would be
too much done, whilst the inside would not be done enough. Spit it or
hook it on to the jack firmly, dredge it slightly with flour, and place
it near the fire at first, as directed in the preceding recipe. Then
draw it to a distance, and keep continually basting until the meat is
done. Sprinkle a small quantity of salt over it, empty the dripping-pan
of all the dripping, pour in some boiling water slightly salted, stir it
about, and _strain_ over the meat. Garnish with tufts of horseradish,
and send horseradish sauce and Yorkshire pudding to table with it. For
carving, _see_ p. 317.
The rump, round, and other pieces of beef are roasted in the same
manner, allowing for solid joints; 1/4 hour to every lb.
TO SALT BEEF.
_Mode_.--Rub the beef well with the treacle, and let it remain for 3
days, turning and rubbing it often; then wipe it, pound the salt and
saltpetre very fine, rub these well in, and turn it every day for 10
days. Roll it up tightly in a coarse cloth, and press it under a large
weight; have it smoked, and turn it upside down every day. Boil it, and,
on taking it out of the pot, put a heavy weight on it to press it.
_Time_.--17 days.
BEEF SAUSAGES.
_Mode_.--Clear the suet from skin, and chop that and the beef as finely
as possible; season with pepper, salt, and spices, and mix the whole
well together. Make it into flat cakes, and fry of a nice brown. Many
persons pound the meat in a mortar after it is chopped ( but this is not
necessary when the meat is minced finely.)
_Mode_.--Have the steaks cut rather thick from a well-hung rump of beef,
and sprinkle over them a seasoning of pepper and salt. Make a forcemeat
by recipe No. 417; spread it over _half_ of the steak; roll it up, bind
and skewer it firmly, that the forcemeat may not escape, and roast it
before a nice clear fire for about 1-1/2 hour, or rather longer, should
the roll be very large and thick. Keep it constantly basted with butter,
and serve with brown gravy, some of which must be poured round the
steak, and the remainder sent to table in a tureen.
_Mode_.--Pare the potatoes as you would peel an apple; fry the parings
in a thin batter seasoned with salt and pepper, until they are of a
light brown colour, and place them on a dish over some slices of beef,
which should be nicely seasoned and broiled.
665. INGREDIENTS.--14 lbs. of the thick flank or rump of beef, 1/2 lb.
of coarse sugar, 1 oz. of saltpetre, 1/4 lb. of pounded allspice, 1 lb.
of common salt.
_Mode_.--Rub the sugar well into the beef, and let it lay for 12 hours;
then rub the saltpetre and allspice, both of which should be pounded,
over the meat, and let it remain for another 12 hours; then rub in the
salt. Turn daily in the liquor for a fortnight, soak it for a few hours
in water, dry with a cloth, cover with a coarse paste, put a little
water at the bottom of the pan, and bake in a moderate oven for 4 hours.
If it is not covered with a paste, be careful to put the beef into a
deep vessel, and cover with a plate, or it will be too crisp. During the
time the meat is in the oven it should be turned once or twice.
_Mode_.--Cut the celery into 2-inch pieces, put them in a stew-pan, with
the gravy and onions, simmer gently until the celery is tender, when add
the beef cut into rather thick pieces; stew gently for 10 minutes, and
serve with fried potatoes.
_Mode_.--Cut the steaks rather thick, from cold sirloin or ribs of beef;
brown them lightly in a stewpan, with the butter and a little water; add
1/2 pint of water, the onion, pepper, and salt, and cover the stewpan
closely, and let it simmer very gently for 1/2 hour; then mix about a
teaspoonful of flour smoothly with a little of the liquor; add the port
wine and oysters, their liquor having been previously strained and put
into the stewpan; stir till the oysters plump, and serve. It should not
boil after the oysters are added, or they will harden.
_Mode_.--About an hour before dressing it, rub the meat over with
vinegar and salt; put it into a stewpan, with sufficient stock to cover
it (when this is not at hand, water may be substituted for it), and be
particular that the stewpan is not much larger than the meat. Skim well,
and when it has simmered very gently for 1 hour, put in the vegetables,
and continue simmering till the meat is perfectly tender. Draw out the
bones, dish the meat, and garnish either with tufts of cauliflower or
braised cabbage cut in quarters. Thicken as much gravy as required, with
a little butter and flour; add spices and ketchup in the above
proportion, give one boil, pour some of it over the meat, and the
remainder send in a tureen.
_Note_.--The remainder of the liquor in which the beef was boiled may be
served as a soup, or it may be sent to table with the meat in a tureen.
_Mode_.--Cut out the bone, sprinkle the meat with a little cayenne (this
must be sparingly used), and bind and tie it firmly up with tape; put it
into a stewpan with sufficient stock to cover it, and add vinegar,
ketchup, herbs, onions, cloves, and seasoning in the above proportion,
and simmer very gently for 4 or 5 hours, or until the meat is perfectly
tender, which may be ascertained by piercing it with a thin skewer. When
done, remove the tape, lay it into a deep dish, which keep hot; strain
and skim the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add a glass of
port wine and any flavouring to make the gravy rich and palatable; let
it boil up, pour over the meat, and serve. This dish may be very much
enriched by garnishing with forcemeat balls, or filling up the space
whence the bone is taken with a good forcemeat; sliced carrots, turnips,
and onions boiled with the meat, are also a great improvement, and,
where expense is not objected to, it may be glazed. This, however, is
not necessary where a good gravy is poured round and over the meat.
When a lord's son came of age, in the olden time, the baron of
beef was too small a joint, by many degrees, to satisfy the
retainers who would flock to the hall; a whole ox was therefore
generally roasted over a fire built up of huge logs. We may here
mention, that an ox was roasted entire on the frozen Thames, in
the early part of the present century.
_Mode_.--Have the bone sawn into 4 or 5 pieces, cover with hot water,
bring it to a boil, and remove any scum that may rise to the surface.
Put in the celery, onion, herbs, spice, and seasoning, and simmer very
gently until the meat is tender. Peel the vegetables, cut them into any
shape fancy may dictate, and boil them with the onions until tender;
lift out the beef, put it on a dish, which keep hot, and thicken with
butter and flour as much of the liquor as will be wanted for gravy; keep
stirring till it boils, then strain and skim. Put the gravy back in the
stewpan, add the seasoning, port wine, and ketchup, give one boil, and
pour it over the beef; garnish with the boiled carrots, turnips, and
onions.
BOILED TONGUE.
TO CURE TONGUES.
I.
_Mode_.--Rub the above ingredients well into the tongue, and let it
remain in the pickle for 10 days or a fortnight; then drain it, tie it
up in brown paper, and have it smoked for about 20 days over a wood
fire; or it may be boiled out of this pickle.
II.
_Mode_.--Rub the above ingredients well into the tongues, and keep them
in this curing mixture for 2 months, turning them every day. Drain them
from the pickle, cover with brown paper, and have them smoked for about
3 weeks.
TO DRESS TRIPE.
BEEF CARVING.
AITCHBONE OF BEEF.
[Illustration]
BRISKET OF BEEF.
[Illustration]
RIBS OF BEEF.
[Illustration]
SIRLOIN OF BEEF.
[Illustration]
Some carvers cut the upper side of the sirloin across, as shown by the
line from 3 to 4; but this is a wasteful plan, and one not to be
recommended. With the sirloin, very finely-scraped horseradish is
usually served, and a little given, when liked, to each guest.
Horseradish sauce is preferable, however, for serving on the plate,
although the scraped horseradish may still be used as a garnish.
[Illustration]
A ROUND OF BEEF.
[Illustration]
BEEF TONGUE.
Passing the knife down in the direction of from 1 to 2, a not too thin
slice should be helped; and the carving of a tongue may be continued in
this way until the best portions of the upper side are served. The fat
which lies about the root of the tongue can be served by turning the
tongue, and cutting in the direction of from 3 to 4.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XIV.
680. THE GREAT OBJECT OF THE GRAZIER is to procure an animal that will
yield the greatest pecuniary return in the shortest time; or, in other
words, soonest convert grass and turnips into good mutton and fine
fleece. All sheep will not do this alike; some, like men, are so
restless and irritable, that no system of feeding, however good, will
develop their frames or make them fat. The system adopted by the breeder
to obtain a valuable animal for the butcher, is to enlarge the capacity
and functions of the digestive organs, and reduce those of the head and
chest, or the mental and respiratory organs. In the first place, the
mind should be tranquillized, and those spaces that can never produce
animal fibre curtailed, and greater room afforded, as in the abdomen,
for those that can. And as nothing militates against the fattening
process so much as restlessness, the chief wish of the grazier is to
find a dull, indolent sheep, one who, instead of frisking himself,
leaping his wattles, or even condescending to notice the butting gambols
of his silly companions, silently fills his paunch with pasture, and
then seeking a shady nook, indolently and luxuriously chows his cud with
closed eyes and blissful satisfaction, only rising when his delicious
repast is ended, to proceed silently and without emotion to repeat the
pleasing process of laying in more provender, and then returning to his
dreamy siesta to renew the delightful task of rumination. Such animals
are said to have a _lymphatic_ temperament, and are of so kindly a
nature, that on good pasturage they may be said to grow daily. The
Leicestershire breed is the best example of this lymphatic and contented
animal, and the active Orkney, who is half goat in his habits, of the
restless and unprofitable. The rich pasture of our midland counties
would take years in making the wiry Orkney fat and profitable, while one
day's fatigue in climbing rocks after a coarse and scanty herbage would
probably cause the actual death of the pampered and short-winded
Leicester.
681. THE MORE REMOVED FROM THE NATURE of the animal is the food on which
it lives, the more difficult is the process of assimilation, and the
more complex the chain of digestive organs; for it must be evident to
all, that the same apparatus that converts _flesh_ into _flesh_, is
hardly calculated to transmute _grass_ into flesh. As the process of
digestion in carnivorous animals is extremely simple, these organs are
found to be remarkably short, seldom exceeding the length of the
animal's body; while, where digestion is more difficult, from the
unassimilating nature of the aliment, as in the ruminant order, the
alimentary canal, as is the case with the sheep, is _twenty-seven times
the length of the body._ The digestive organ in all ruminant animals
consists of _four stomachs_, or, rather, a capacious pouch, divided by
doorways and valves into four compartments, called, in their order of
position, the Paunch, the Reticulum, the Omasum, and the Abomasum. When
the sheep nibbles the grass, and is ignorantly supposed to be eating, he
is, in fact, only preparing the raw material of his meal, in reality
only mowing the pasture, which, as he collects, is swallowed instantly,
passing into the first receptacle, the _paunch_, where it is surrounded
by a quantity of warm saliva, in which the herbage undergoes a process
of maceration or softening, till the animal having filled this
compartment, the contents pass through a valve into the second or
smaller bag,--the _reticulum_, where, having again filled the paunch
with a reserve, the sheep lies down and commences that singular process
of chewing the cud, or, in other words, masticating the food he has
collected. By the operation of a certain set of muscles, a small
quantity of this softened food from the _reticulum_, or second bag, is
passed into the mouth, which it now becomes the pleasure of the sheep to
grind under his molar teeth into a soft smooth pulp, the operation being
further assisted by a flow of saliva, answering the double purpose of
increasing the flavour of the aliment and promoting the solvency of the
mass. Having completely comminuted and blended this mouthful, it is
swallowed a second time; but instead of returning to the paunch or
reticulum, it passes through another valve into a side cavity,--the
_omasum_, where, after a maceration in more saliva for some hours, it
glides by the same contrivance into the fourth pouch,--the _abomasum_,
an apartment in all respects analogous to the ordinary stomach of
animals, and where the process of digestion, begun and carried on in the
previous three, is here consummated, and the nutrient principle, by
means of the bile, eliminated from the digested aliment. Such is the
process of digestion in sheep and oxen.
686. THE SOUTH-DOWN, the LEICESTER, the BLACK-FACED, and the CHEVIOT.
688. THE LEICESTER.--It was not till the year 1755 that Mr. Robert
Bakewell directed his attention to the improvement of his stock of
sheep, and ultimately effected that change in the character of his flock
which has brought the breed to hold so prominent a place. The Leicester
is regarded as the largest example of the improved breeds, very
productive, and yielding a good fleece. He has a small head, covered
with short white hairs, a clean muzzle, an open countenance, full eye,
long thin ear, tapering neck, well-arched ribs, and straight back. The
meat is indifferent, its flavour not being so good as that of the
South-Down, and there is a very large proportion of fat. Average weight
of carcase from 90 to 100 lbs.
691. THOUGH THE ROMNEY MARSHES, that wide tract of morass and lowland
moor extending from the Weald (or ancient forest) of Kent into Sussex,
has rather been regarded as a general feeding-ground for any kind of
sheep to be pastured on, it has yet, from the earliest date, been famous
for a breed of animals almost peculiar to the locality, and especially
for size, length, thickness, and quantity of wool, and what is called
thickness of stocking; and on this account for ages held pre-eminence
over every other breed in the kingdom. So satisfied were the Kentish men
with the superiority of their sheep, that they long resisted any
crossing in the breed. At length, however, this was effected, and from
the Old Romney and New Leicester a stock was produced that proved, in an
eminent degree, the advantage of the cross; and though the breed was
actually smaller than the original, it was found that the new stock did
not consume so much food, the stocking was increased, they were ready
for the market a _year_ sooner; that the fat formed more on the exterior
of the carcase, where it was of most advantage to the grazier, rather
than as formerly in the interior, where it went to the butcher as offal;
and though the wool was shorter and lighter, it was of a better colour,
finer, and possessed of superior felting properties.
692. THE ROMNEY MARSH BREED is a large animal, deep, close, and compact,
with white face and legs, and yields a heavy fleece of a good staple
quality. The general structure is, however, considered defective, the
chest being narrow and the extremities coarse; nevertheless its tendency
to fatten, and its early maturity, are universally admitted. The Romney
Marsh, therefore, though not ranking as a first class in respect of
perfection and symmetry of breed, is a highly useful, profitable, and
generally advantageous variety of the English domestic sheep.
695. ALMOST EVERY LARGE CITY has a particular manner of cutting up, or,
as it is called, dressing the carcase. In London this process is very
simple, and as our butchers have found that much skewering back,
doubling one part over another, or scoring the inner cuticle or fell,
tends to spoil the meat and shorten the time it would otherwise keep,
they avoid all such treatment entirely. The carcase when flayed (which
operation is performed while yet warm), the sheep when hung up and the
head removed, presents the profile shown in our cut; the small numerals
indicating the parts or joints into which one half of the animal is cut.
After separating the hind from the fore quarters, with eleven ribs to
the latter, the quarters are usually subdivided in the manner shown in
the sketch, in which the several joins are defined by the intervening
lines and figures. _Hind quarter_: No. 1, the leg; 2, the loin--the two,
when cut in one piece, being called the saddle. _Fore quarter_: No. 3,
the shoulder; 4 and 5 the neck; No. 5 being called, for distinction, the
scrag, which is generally afterwards separated from 4, the lower and
better joint; No. 6, the breast. The haunch of mutton, so often served
at public dinners and special entertainments, comprises all the leg and
so much of the loin, short of the ribs or lap, as is indicated on the
upper part of the carcase by a dotted line.
696. THE GENTLE AND TIMID DISPOSITION of the sheep, and its defenceless
condition, must very early have attached it to man for motives less
selfish than either its fleece or its flesh; for it has been proved
beyond a doubt that, obtuse as we generally regard it, it is susceptible
of a high degree of domesticity, obedience, and affection. In many parts
of Europe, where the flocks are guided by the shepherd's voice alone, it
is no unusual thing for a sheep to quit the herd when called by its
name, and follow the keeper like a dog. In the mountains of Scotland,
when a flock is invaded by a savage dog, the rams have been known to
form the herd into a circle, and placing themselves on the outside line,
keep the enemy at bay, or charging on him in a troop, have despatched
him with their horns.
697. THE VALUE OF THE SHEEP seems to have been early understood by Adam
in his fallen state; his skin not only affording him protection for his
body, but a covering for his tent; and accordingly, we find Abel
intrusted with this portion of his father's stock; for the Bible tells
us that "Abel was a keeper of sheep." What other animals were
domesticated at that time we can only conjecture, or at what exact
period the flesh of the sheep was first eaten for food by man, is
equally, if not uncertain, open to controversy. For though some
authorities maintain the contrary, it is but natural to suppose that
when Abel brought firstlings of his flock, "and the fat thereof," as a
sacrifice, the less dainty portions, not being oblations, were hardly
likely to have been flung away as refuse. Indeed, without supposing Adam
and his descendants to have eaten animal food, we cannot reconcile the
fact of Jubal Cain, Cain's son, and his family, living in tents, as they
are reported to have done, knowing that both their own garments and the
coverings of the tents, were made from the hides and skins of the
animals they bred; for the number of sheep and oxen slain for oblations
only, would not have supplied sufficient material for two such necessary
purposes. The opposite opinion is, that animal food was not eaten till
after the Flood, when the Lord renewed his covenant with Noah. From
Scriptural authority we learn many interesting facts as regards the
sheep: the first, that mutton fat was considered the most delicious
portion of any meat, and the tail and adjacent part the most exquisite
morsel in the whole body; consequently, such were regarded as especially
fit for the offer of sacrifice. From this fact we may reasonably infer
that the animal still so often met with in Palestine and Syria, and
known as the Fat-tailed sheep, was in use in the days of the patriarchs,
though probably not then of the size and weight it now attains to; a
supposition that gains greater strength, when it is remembered that the
ram Abraham found in the bush, when he went to offer up Isaac, was a
horned animal, being entangled in the brake by his curved horns; so far
proving that it belonged to the tribe of the Capridae, the fat-tailed
sheep appertaining to the same family.
LAMBS.
701. IN THE PURCHASING OF LAMB FOR THE TABLE, there are certain signs by
which the experienced judgment is able to form an accurate opinion
whether the animal has been lately slaughtered, and whether the joints
possess that condition of fibre indicative of good and wholesome meat.
The first of these doubts may be solved satisfactorily by the bright and
dilated appearance of the eye; the quality of the fore-quarter can
always be guaranteed by the blue or healthy ruddiness of the jugular, or
vein of the neck; while the rigidity of the knuckle, and the firm,
compact feel of the kidney, will answer in an equally positive manner
for the integrity of the hind-quarter.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XV.
_Mode_.--Cut off the superfluous fat; bone it; sprinkle over a layer of
bread crumbs, minced herbs, and seasoning; roll, and bind it up firmly.
Boil _gently_ for 2 hours, remove the tape, and serve with caper sauce,
No. 382, a little of which should be poured over the meat.
_Mode_.--A. leg of mutton for boiling should not hang too long, as it
will not look a good colour when dressed. Cut off the shank-bone, trim
the knuckle, and wash and wipe it very clean; plunge it into sufficient
boiling water to cover it; let it boil up, then draw the saucepan to the
side of the fire, where it should remain till the finger can be borne in
the water. Then place it sufficiently near the fire, that the water may
gently simmer, and be very careful that it does not boil fast, or the
meat will be hard. Skim well, add a little salt, and in about 2-1/4
hours after the water begins to simmer, a moderate-sized leg of mutton
will be done. Serve with carrots and mashed turnips, which may be boiled
with the meat, and send caper sauce (No. 382) to table with it in a
tureen.
_Seasonable_ nearly all the year, but not so good in June, July, and
August.
_Mode_.--Cut the mutton into pieces about 2 inches square, and let it be
tolerably lean; put it into a stewpan, with a little fat or butter, and
fry it of a nice brown; then dredge in a little flour, slice the onions,
and put it with the herbs in the stewpan; pour in sufficient water
_just_ to cover the meat, and simmer the whole gently until the mutton
is tender. Take out the meat, strain, and skim off all the fat from the
gravy, and put both the meat and gravy back into the stewpan; add about
a quart of young green peas, and let them boil gently until done. 2 or 3
slices of bacon added and stewed with the mutton give additional
flavour; and, to insure the peas being a beautiful green colour, they
may be boiled in water separately, and added to the stew at the moment
of serving.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours.
710. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold mutton, tomato sauce, No. 529.
CHINA CHILO.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions in thin rings, and put them into a stewpan
with the butter, and fry of a light brown; stir in the curry powder,
flour, and salt, and mix all well together. Cut the meat into nice thin
slices (if there is not sufficient to do this, it may be minced), and
add it to the other ingredients; when well browned, add the stock or
gravy, and stew gently for about 1/2 hour. Serve in a dish with a border
of boiled rice, the same as for other curries.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Time_.--About 7 minutes.
DORMERS.
_Mode_.--Chop the meat, suet, and rice finely; mix well together, and
add a high seasoning of pepper and salt, and roll into sausages; cover
them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot dripping of a nice brown.
Serve in a dish with made gravy poured round them, and a little in a
tureen.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to fry the sausages.
HARICOT MUTTON.
I.
_Mode_.--Trim off some of the fat, cut the mutton into rather thin
chops, and put them into a frying-pan with the fat trimmings. Fry of a
pale brown, but do not cook them enough for eating. Cut the carrots and
turnips into dice, and the onions into slices, and slightly fry them in
the same fat that the mutton was browned in, but do not allow them to
take any colour. Now lay the mutton at the bottom of a stewpan, then the
vegetables, and pour over them just sufficient boiling water to cover
the whole. Give one boil, skim well, and then set the pan on the side of
the fire to simmer gently until the meat is tender. Skim off every
particle of fat, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and a little
ketchup, and serve. This dish is very much better if made the day before
it is wanted for table, as the fat can be so much more easily removed
when the gravy is cold. This should be particularly attended to, as it
is apt to be rather rich and greasy if eaten the same day it is made. It
should be served in rather a deep dish.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut the mutton into square pieces, and fry them a nice colour;
then dredge over them a little flour and a seasoning of pepper and salt.
Put all into a stewpan, and moisten with boiling water, adding the
onion, stuck with 3 cloves, the mace, and herbs. Simmer gently till the
meat is nearly done, skim off all the fat, and then add the carrots and
turnips, which should previously be cut in dice and fried in a little
sugar to colour them. Let the whole simmer again for 10 minutes; take
out the onion and bunch of herbs, and serve.
_Mode_.--Cut the cold mutton into moderate-sized chops, and take off the
fat; slice the onions, and fry them with the chops, in a little butter,
of a nice brown colour; stir in the flour, add the gravy, and let it
stew gently nearly an hour. In the mean time boil the vegetables until
_nearly_ tender, slice them, and add them to the mutton about 1/4 hour
before it is to be served. Season with pepper and salt, add the ketchup
and port wine, give one boil, and serve.
_Time_.--1 hour.
HASHED MUTTON.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat in nice even slices from the bones, trimming off
all superfluous fat and gristle; chop the bones and fragments of the
joint, put them into a stewpan with the pepper, spice, herbs, and
celery; cover with water, and simmer for 1 hour. Slice and fry the onion
of a nice pale-brown colour, dredge in a little flour to make it thick,
and add this to the bones, &c. Stew for 1/4 hour, strain the gravy, and
let it cool; then skim off every particle of fat, and put it, with the
meat, into a stewpan. Flavour with ketchup, Harvey's sauce; tomato
sauce, or any flavouring that may be preferred, and let the meat
gradually warm through, but not boil, or it will harden. To hash meat
properly, it should be laid in cold gravy, and only left on the fire
just long enough to warm through.
_Mode_.--Mince the mutton, and cut up the lettuces and onions in slices.
Put these in a stewpan, with all the ingredients except the peas, and
let these simmer very gently for 3/4 hour, keeping them well stirred.
Boil the peas separately, mix these with the mutton, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
IRISH STEW.
I.
_Mode_.--Trim off some of the fat of the above quantity of loin or neck
of mutton, and cut it into chops of a moderate thickness. Pare and halve
the potatoes, and cut the onions into thick slices. Put a layer of
potatoes at the bottom of a stewpan, then a layer of mutton and onions,
and season with pepper and salt; proceed in this manner until the
stewpan is full, taking care to have plenty of vegetables at the top.
Pour in the water, and let it stew very gently for 2-1/2 hours, keeping
the lid of the stewpan closely shut the _whole_ time, and occasionally
shaking it to prevent its burning.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours.
II.
_Mode_.--Put the mutton into a stewpan with the water and a little salt,
and let it stew gently for an hour; cut the meat into small pieces, skim
the fat from the gravy, and pare and slice the potatoes and onions. Put
all the ingredients into the stewpan in layers, first a layer of
vegetables, then one of meat, and sprinkle seasoning of pepper and salt
between each layer; cover closely, and let the whole stew very gently
for 1 hour of rather more, shaking it frequently to prevent its burning.
_Mode_.--Ascertain that the kidneys are fresh, and cut them open very
evenly, lengthwise, down to the root, for should one half be thicker
than the other, one would be underdone whilst the other would be dried,
but do not separate them; skin them, and pass a skewer under the white
part of each half to keep them flat, and broil over a nice clear fire,
placing the inside downwards; turn them when done enough on one side,
and cook them on the other. Remove the skewers, place the kidneys on a
very hot dish, season with pepper and salt, and put a tiny piece of
butter in the middle of each; serve very hot and quickly, and send very
hot plates to table.
_Time_.--6 to 8 minutes.
_Average cost_, 1-1/2d. each.
_Note_.--A prettier dish than the above may be made by serving the
kidneys each on a piece of buttered toast out in any fanciful shape. In
this case a little lemon-juice will be found an improvement.
[Illustration: KIDNEYS.]
FRIED KIDNEYS.
_Mode_.--Cut the kidneys open without quite dividing them, remove the
skin, and put a small piece of butter in the frying-pan. When the butter
is melted, lay in the kidneys the flat side downwards, and fry them for
7 or 8 minutes, turning them when they are half-done. Serve on a piece
of dry toast, season with pepper and salt, and put a small piece of
butter in each kidney; pour the gravy from the pan over them, and serve
very hot.
_Time_.--7 or 8 minutes.
_Time_.--About 4 hours.
_Seasonable_ at any time, but not so good in June, July, and August.
_Mode_.--Cut and trim off the superfluous fat, and see that the butcher
joints the meat properly, as thereby much annoyance is saved to the
carver, when it comes to table. Have ready a nice clear fire (it need
not be a very wide large one), put down the meat, dredge with flour, and
baste well until it is done. Make the gravy as for roast leg of mutton,
and serve very hot.
_Mode_.--Hang the mutton till tender, bone it, and sprinkle over it
pepper, mace, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg in the above proportion, all
of which must be pounded very fine. Let it remain for a day, then make a
forcemeat by recipe No. 417, cover the meat with it, and roll and bind
it up firmly. Half bake it in a slow oven, let it grow cold, take off
the fat, and put the gravy into a stewpan; flour the meat, put it in the
gravy, and stew it till perfectly tender. Now take out the meat, unbind
it, add to the gravy wine and ketchup as above, give one boil, and pour
over the meat. Serve with red-currant jelly; and, if obtainable, a few
mushrooms stewed for a few minutes in the gravy, will be found a great
improvement.
_Mode_.--Trim off a portion of the fat, should there be too much, and if
it is to look particularly nice, the chine-bone should be sawn down, the
ribs stripped halfway down, and the ends of the bones chopped off; this
is, however, not necessary. Put the meat into sufficient _boiling_ water
to cover it; when it boils, add a little salt and remove all the scum.
Draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let the water get so cool
that the finger may be borne in it; then simmer very _slowly_ and gently
until the meat is done, which will be in about 1-1/2 hour, or rather
more, reckoning from the time that it begins to simmer.
Serve with turnips and caper sauce, No. 382, and pour a little of it
over the meat. The turnips should be boiled with the mutton; and, when
at hand, a few carrots will also be found an improvement. These,
however, if very large and thick, must be cut into long thinnish pieces,
or they will not be sufficiently done by the time the mutton is ready.
Garnish the dish with carrots and turnips placed alternately round the
mutton.
_Mode_.--Cut some very thin slices from a leg or the chump end of a loin
of mutton; sprinkle them with pepper, salt, pounded mace, minced savoury
herbs, and minced shalot; fry them in butter, stir in a dessertspoonful
of flour, add the gravy and lemon-juice, simmer very gently about 5 or 7
minutes, and serve immediately.
_Time_.--5 to 7 minutes.
_Mode_.--Cold mutton may be made into very good pies if well seasoned
and mixed with a few herbs; if the leg is used, cut it into very thin
slices; if the loin or neck, into thin cutlets. Place some at the bottom
of the dish; season well with pepper, salt, mace, parsley, and herbs;
then put a layer of potatoes sliced, then more mutton, and so on till
the dish is full; add the gravy, cover with a crust, and bake for 1
hour.
_Time_.--1 hour.
MUTTON PIE.
_Mode_.--Bone the mutton, and cut the meat into steaks all of the same
thickness, and leave but very little fat. Cut up the kidneys, and
arrange these with the meat neatly in a pie-dish; sprinkle over them the
minced parsley and a seasoning of pepper and salt; pour in the gravy,
and cover with a tolerably good puff crust. Bake for 1-1/2 hour, or
rather longer, should the pie be very large, and let the oven be rather
brisk. A well-made suet crust may be used instead of puff crust, and
will be found exceedingly good.
MUTTON PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Cut the mutton into small chops, and trim off the greater
portion of the fat; put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in a little
flour, add the sliced onions, and keep stirring till brown; then put in
the meat. When this is quite brown, add the water, and the carrots and
turnips, which should be cut into very thin slices; season with pepper
and salt, and stew till quite tender, which will be in about 3/4 hour.
When in season, green peas may be substituted for the carrots and
turnips: they should be piled in the centre of the dish, and the chops
laid round.
_Mode_.--For roasting, choose the middle, or the best end, of the neck
of mutton, and if there is a very large proportion of fat, trim off some
of it, and save it for making into suet puddings, which will be found
exceedingly good. Let the bones be cut short and see that it is properly
jointed before it is laid down to the fire, as they will be more easily
separated when they come to table. Place the joint at a nice brisk
fire, dredge it with flour, and keep continually basting until done. A
few minutes before serving, draw it nearer the the fire to acquire a
nice colour, sprinkle over it a little salt, pour off the dripping, add
a little boiling water slightly salted, strain this over the meat and
serve. Red-currant jelly may be sent to table with it.
_Mode_.--To insure this joint being tender, let it hang for ten days or
a fortnight, if the weather permits. Cut off the tail and flaps and trim
away every part that has not indisputable pretensions to be eaten, and
have the skin taken off and skewered on again. Put it down to a bright,
clear fire, and, when the joint has been cooking for an hour, remove the
skin and dredge it with flour. It should not be placed too near the
fire, as the fat should not be in the slightest degree burnt. Keep
constantly basting, both before and after the skin is removed; sprinkle
some salt over the joint. Make a little gravy in the dripping-pan; pour
it over the meat, which send to table with a tureen of made gravy and
red-currant jelly.
_Seasonable_ all the year; not so good when lamb is in full season.
_Mode_.--Put the joint down to a bright, clear fire; flour it well, and
keep continually basting. About 1/4 hour before serving, draw it near
the fire, that the outside may acquire a nice brown colour, but not
sufficiently near to blacken the fat. Sprinkle a little fine salt over
the meat, empty the dripping-pan of its contents, pour in a little
boiling water slightly salted, and strain this over the joint. Onion
sauce, or stewed Spanish onions, are usually sent to table with this
dish, and sometimes baked potatoes.
_Mode_.--Detach the brains from the heads without breaking them, and put
them into a pan of warm water; remove the skin, and let them remain for
two hours. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, add a little vinegar
and salt, and put in the brains. When they are quite firm, take them out
and put them into very cold water. Place 2 or 3 slices of bacon in a
stewpan, put in the brains, the onion stuck with 2 cloves, the parsley,
and a good seasoning of pepper and salt; cover with stock, or weak
broth, and boil them gently for about 25 minutes. Have ready some
cro�tons; arrange these in the dish alternately with the brains, and
cover with a matelote sauce, No. 512, to which has been added the above
proportion of lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Have the feet cleaned, and the long bone extracted from them.
Put the suet into a stewpan, with the onions and carrot sliced, the
bay-leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper, and let these simmer for 5 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoonfuls of flour and the water, and keep stirring till it
boils; then put in the feet. Let these simmer for 3 hours, or until
perfectly tender, and take them and lay them on a sieve. Mix together,
on a plate, with the back of a spoon, butter, salt, flour (1
teaspoonful), pepper, nutmeg, and lemon-juice as above, and put the
feet, with a gill of milk, into a stewpan. When very hot, add the
butter, &c., and stir continually till melted. Now mix the yolks of 2
eggs with 5 tablespoonfuls of milk; stir this to the other ingredients,
keep moving the pan over the fire continually for a minute or two, but
do not allow it to boil after the eggs are added. Serve in a very hot
dish, and garnish with cro�tons, or sippets of toasted bread.
_Mode_.--Clean the head well, and let it soak in warm water for 2 hours,
to get rid of the blood; put it into a saucepan, with sufficient cold
water to cover it, and when it boils, add the vegetables, peeled and
sliced, and the remaining ingredients; before adding the oatmeal, mix it
to a smooth batter with a little of the liquor. Keep stirring till it
boils up; then shut the saucepan closely, and let it stew gently for
1-1/2 or 2 hours. It may be thickened with rice or barley, but oatmeal
is preferable.
_Mode_.--Skin the lamb, cut it into pieces, and season them with pepper
and salt; lay these in a stewpan, pour in sufficient stock or gravy to
cover them, and stew very gently until tender, which will be in about
1-1/2 hour. Just before serving, thicken the sauce with a little butter
and flour; add the sherry, give one boil, and pour it over the meat.
Green peas, or stewed mushrooms, may be strewed over the meat, and will
be found a very great improvement.
LAMB CHOPS.
_Mode_.--Trim off the flap from a fine loin of lamb, aid cut it into
chops about 3/4 inch in thickness. Have ready a bright clear fire; lay
the chops on a gridiron, and broil them of a nice pale brown, turning
them when required. Season them with pepper and salt; serve very hot and
quickly, and garnish with crisped parsley, or place them on mashed
potatoes. Asparagus, spinach, or peas are the favourite accompaniments
to lamb chops.
747. INGREDIENTS.--8 cutlets, egg and bread crumbs, salt and pepper to
taste, a little clarified butter.
_Mode_.--Cut the cutlets from a neck of lamb, and shape them by cutting
off the thick part of the chine-bone. Trim off most of the fat and all
the skin, and scrape the top part of the bones quite clean. Brush the
cutlets over with egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and season with
pepper and salt. Now dip them into clarified butter, sprinkle over a few
more bread crumbs, and fry them over a sharp fire, turning them when
required. Lay them before the fire to drain, and arrange them on a dish
with spinach in the centre, which should be previously well boiled,
drained, chopped, and seasoned.
LAMB'S FRY.
748. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of lamb's fry, 3 pints of water, egg and bread
crumbs, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Boil the fry for 1/4 hour in the above proportion of water,
take it out and dry it in a cloth; grate some bread down finely, mix
with it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a high seasoning of pepper
and salt. Brush the fry lightly over with the yolk of an egg, sprinkle
over the bread crumbs, and fry for 5 minutes. Serve very hot on a napkin
in a dish, and garnish with plenty of crisped parsley.
_Mode_.--Take the blade-bone from the shoulder, and cut the meat into
collops as neatly as possible. Season the bone with pepper and salt,
pour a little oiled butter over it, and place it in the oven to warm
through. Put the stock into a stewpan, add the ketchup and shalot
vinegar, and lay in the pieces of lamb. Let these heat gradually
through, but do not allow them to boil. Take the blade-bone out of the
oven, and place it on a gridiron over a sharp fire to brown. Slice the
gherkins, put them into the hash, and dish it with the blade-bone in the
centre. It may be garnished with croutons or sippets of toasted bread.
_Mode_.--Do not choose a very large joint, but one weighing about 5 lbs.
Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, into which plunge the lamb, and
when it boils up again, draw it to the side of the fire, and let the
water cool a little. Then stew very gently for about 1-1/4 hour,
reckoning from the time that the water begins to simmer. Make some
B�chamel by recipe No. 367, dish the lamb, pour the sauce over it, and
garnish with tufts of boiled cauliflower or carrots. When liked, melted
butter may be substituted for the B�chamel: this is a more simple
method, but not nearly so nice. Send to table with it some of the sauce
in a tureen, and boiled cauliflowers or spinach, with whichever
vegetable the dish is garnished.
_Note_.--Loin and ribs of lamb are roasted in the same manner, and
served with the same sauces as the above. A loin will take about 1-1/4
hour; ribs, from 1 to 1-1/4 hour.
_Mode_.--Have ready a clear brisk fire, and put down the joint at a
sufficient distance from it, that the fat may not burn. Keep constantly
basting until done, and serve with a little gravy made in the
dripping-pan, and send mint sauce to table with it. Peas, spinach, or
cauliflowers are the usual vegetables served with lamb, and also a fresh
salad.
_Time_.--Rather more than 2 hours. _Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb.
_Time_.--Altogether 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. each.
_Mode_.--Soak the sweetbreads in water for an hour, and throw them into
boiling water to render them firm. Let them stew gently for about 1/4
hour, take them out and put them into a cloth to drain all the water
from them. Brush them over with egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs,
and either brown them in the oven or before the fire. Have ready the
above quantity of gravy, to which add 1/2 glass of sherry; dish the
sweetbreads, pour the gravy under them, and garnish with water-cresses.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d.
each.
HAUNCH OF MUTTON.
759. A deep cut should, in the first place, be made quite down to the
bone, across the knuckle-end of the joint, along the line 1 to 2. This
will let the gravy escape; and then it should be carved, in not too of
the haunch, in the direction of the line from 4 to 3.
LEG OF MUTTON.
760. This homely, but capital English joint, is almost invariably served
at table as shown in the engraving. The carving of it is not very
difficult: the knife should be carried sharply down in the direction of
the line from 1 to 2, and slices taken from either side, as the guests
may desire, some liking the knuckle-end, as well done, and others
preferring the more underdone part. The fat should be sought near the
line 3 to 4. Some connoisseurs are fond of having this joint dished with
the under-side uppermost, so as to get at the finely-grained meat lying
under that part of the meat, known as the Pope's eye; but this is an
extravagant fashion, and one that will hardly find favour in the eyes of
many economical British housewives and housekeepers.
LOIN OF MUTTON.
[Illustration: LOIN OF MUTTON.]
SADDLE OF MUTTON.
SHOULDER OF MUTTON.
763. This is a joint not difficult to carve. The knife should be drawn
from the outer edge of the shoulder in the direction of the line from 1
to 2, until the bone of the shoulder is reached. As many slices as can
be carved in this manner should be taken, and afterwards the meat lying
on either side of the blade-bone should be served, by carving in the
direction of 3 to 4 and 3 to 4. The uppermost side of the shoulder being
now finished, the joint should be turned, and slices taken off along its
whole length. There are some who prefer this under-side of the shoulder
for its juicy flesh, although the grain of the meat is not so fine as
that on the other side.
FORE-QUARTER OF LAMB.
764. We always think that a good and practised carver delights in the
manipulation of this joint, for there is a little field for his judgment
and dexterity which does not always occur. The separation of the
shoulder from the breast is the first point to be attended to; this is
done by passing the knife lightly round the dotted line, as shown by the
figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, so as to cut through the skin, and then, by
raising with a little force the shoulder, into which the fork should be
firmly fixed, it will come away with just a little more exercise of the
knife. In dividing the shoulder and breast, the carver should take care
not to cut away too much of the meat from the latter, as that would
rather spoil its appearance when the shoulder is removed. The breast and
shoulder being separated, it is usual to lay a small piece of butter,
and sprinkle a little cayenne, lemon-juice, and salt between them; and
when this is melted and incorporated with the meat and gravy, the
shoulder may, as more convenient, be removed into another dish. The,
next operation is to separate the ribs from the brisket, by cutting
through the meat on the line 5 to 6. The joint is then ready to be
served to the guests; the ribs being carved in the direction of the
lines from 9 to 10, and the brisket from 7 to 8. The carver should ask
those at the table what parts they prefer-ribs, brisket, or a piece of
the shoulder.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XVI.
765. THE HOG belongs to the order _Mammalia_, the genus _Sus scrofa_,
and the species _Pachydermata_, or thick-skinned; and its generic
characters are, a small head, with long flexible snout truncated; 42
teeth, divided into 4 upper incisors, converging, 6 lower incisors,
projecting, 2 upper and 2 lower canine, or tusks,--the former short, the
latter projecting, formidable, and sharp, and 14 molars in each jaw;
cloven feet furnished with 4 toes, and tail, small, short, and twisted;
while, in some varieties, this appendage is altogether wanting.
766. FROM THE NUMBER AND POSITION OF THE TEETH, physiologists are
enabled to define the nature and functions of the animal; and from those
of the _Sus_, or hog, it is evident that he is as much a _grinder_ as a
_biter_, or can live as well on vegetable as on animal food; though a
mixture of both is plainly indicated as the character of food most
conducive to the integrity and health of its physical system.
767. THUS THE PIG TRIBE, though not a ruminating mammal, as might be
inferred from the number of its molar teeth, is yet a link between the
_herbivorous_ and the _carnivorous_ tribes, and is consequently what is
known as an _omnivorous_ quadruped; or, in other words, capable of
converting any kind of aliment into nutriment.
768. THOUGH THE HOOF IN THE HOG is, as a general rule, cloven, there are
several remarkable exceptions, as in the species native to Norway,
Illyria, Sardinia, and _formerly_ to the Berkshire variety of the
British domesticated pig, in which the hoof is entire and _un_cleft.
769. WHATEVER DIFFERENCE IN ITS PHYSICAL NATURE, climate and soil may
produce in this animal, his functional characteristics are the same in
whatever part of the world he may be found; and whether in the trackless
forests of South America, the coral isles of Polynesia, the jungles of
India, or the spicy brakes of Sumatra, he is everywhere known for his
gluttony, laziness, and indifference to the character and quality of his
food. And though he occasionally shows an epicure's relish for a
succulent plant or a luscious carrot, which he will discuss with all his
salivary organs keenly excited, he will, the next moment, turn with
equal gusto to some carrion offal that might excite the forbearance of
the unscrupulous cormorant. It is this coarse and repulsive mode of
feeding that has, in every country and language, obtained for him the
opprobrium of being "an unclean animal."
770. IN THE MOSAICAL LAW, the pig is condemned as an unclean beast, and
consequently interdicted to the Israelites, as unfit for human food.
"And the swine, though he divideth the hoof and be cloven-footed, yet he
cheweth not the cud. He is unclean to you."--Lev. xi. 7. Strict,
however, as the law was respecting the cud-chewing and hoof-divided
animals, the Jews, with their usual perversity and violation of the
divine commands, seem afterwards to have ignored the prohibition; for,
unless they ate pork, it is difficult to conceive for what purpose they
kept troves of swine, as from the circumstance recorded in Matthew
xviii. 32, when Jesus was in Galilee, and the devils, cast out of the
two men, were permitted to enter the herd of swine that were feeding on
the hills in the neighbourhood of the Sea of Tiberias, it is very
evident they did. There is only one interpretation by which we can
account for a prohibition that debarred the Jews from so many foods
which we regard as nutritious luxuries, that, being fat and the texture
more hard of digestion than other meats, they were likely, in a hot dry
climate, where vigorous exercise could seldom be taken, to produce
disease, and especially cutaneous affections; indeed, in this light, as
a code of sanitary ethics, the book of Leviticus is the most admirable
system of moral government ever conceived for man's benefit.
771. SETTING HIS COARSE FEEDING AND SLOVENLY HABITS OUT OF THE QUESTION,
there is no domestic animal so profitable or so useful to man as the
much-maligned pig, or any that yields him a more varied or more
luxurious repast. The prolific powers of the pig are extraordinary, even
under the restraint of domestication; but when left to run wild in
favourable situations, as in the islands of the South Pacific, the
result, in a few years, from two animals put on shore and left
undisturbed, is truly surprising; for they breed so fast, and have such
numerous litters, that unless killed off in vast numbers both for the
use of the inhabitants and as fresh provisions for ships' crews, they
would degenerate into vermin. In this country the pig has usually two
litters, or farrows, in a year, the breeding seasons being April and
October; and the period the female goes with her young is about four
months,--16 weeks or 122 days. The number produced at each litter
depends upon the character of the breed; 12 being the average number in
the small variety, and 10 in the large; in the mixed breeds, however,
the average is between 10 and 15, and in some instances has reached as
many as 20. But however few, or however many, young pigs there may be to
the farrow, there is always one who is the dwarf of the family circle, a
poor, little, shrivelled, half-starved anatomy, with a small melancholy
voice, a staggering gait, a woe-begone countenance, and a thread of a
tail, whose existence the complacent mother ignores, his plethoric
brothers and sisters repudiate, and for whose emaciated jaws there is
never a spare or supplemental teat, till one of the favoured
gormandizers, overtaken by momentary oblivion, drops the lacteal
fountain, and gives the little squeaking straggler the chance of a
momentary mouthful. This miserable little object, which may be seen
bringing up the rear of every litter, is called the Tony pig, or the
_Anthony_; so named, it is presumed, from being the one always assigned
to the Church, when tithe was taken in kind; and as St. Anthony was the
patron of husbandry, his name was given in a sort of bitter derision to
the starveling that constituted his dues; for whether there are ten or
fifteen farrows to the litter, the Anthony is always the last of the
family to come into the world.
772. FROM THE GROSSNESS OF HIS FEEDING, the large amount of aliment he
consumes, his gluttonous way of eating it, from his slothful habits,
laziness, and indulgence in sleep, the pig is particularly liable to
disease, and especially indigestion, heartburn, and affections of the
skin.
774. IT IS A REMARKABLE FACT that, though every one who keeps a pig
knows how prone he is to disease, how that disease injures the quality
of the meat, and how eagerly he pounces on a bit of coal or cinder, or
any coarse dry substance that will adulterate the rich food on which he
lives, and by affording soda to his system, correct the vitiated fluids
of his body,--yet very few have the judgment to act on what they see,
and by supplying the pig with a few shovelfuls of cinders in his sty,
save the necessity of his rooting for what is so needful to his health.
Instead of this, however, and without supplying the animal with what its
instinct craves for, his nostril is bored with a red-hot iron, and a
ring clinched in his nose to prevent rooting for what he feels to be
absolutely necessary for his health; and ignoring the fact that, in a
domestic state at least, the pig lives on the richest of all
food,--scraps of cooked animal substances, boiled vegetables, bread, and
other items, given in that concentrated essence of aliment for a
quadruped called wash, and that he eats to repletion, takes no exercise,
and finally sleeps all the twenty-four hours he is not eating, and then,
when the animal at last seeks for those medicinal aids which would
obviate the evil of such a forcing diet, his keeper, instead of meeting
his animal instinct by human reason, and giving him what he seeks, has
the inhumanity to torture him by a ring, that, keeping up a perpetual
"raw" in the pig's snout, prevents his digging for those corrective
drugs which would remove the evils of his artificial existence.
775. THOUGH SUBJECT TO SO MANY DISEASES, no domestic animal is more
easily kept in health, cleanliness, and comfort, and this without the
necessity of "ringing," or any excessive desire of the hog to roam,
break through his sty, or plough up his _pound_. Whatever the kind of
food may be on which the pig is being fed or fattened, a teaspoonful or
more of salt should always be given in his mess of food, and a little
heap of well-burnt cinders, with occasional bits of chalk, should always
be kept by the side of his trough, as well as a vessel of clean water:
his pound, or the front part of his sty, should be totally free from
straw, the brick flooring being every day swept out and sprinkled with a
layer of sand. His lair, or sleeping apartment, should be well sheltered
by roof and sides from cold, wet, and all changes of weather, and the
bed made up of a good supply of clean straw, sufficiently deep to enable
the pig to burrow his unprotected body beneath it. All the refuse of the
garden, in the shape of roots, leaves, and stalks, should be placed in a
corner of his pound or feeding-chamber, for the delectation of his
leisure moments; and once a week, on the family washing-day, a pail of
warm soap-suds should be taken into his sty, and, by means of a
scrubbing-brush and soap, his back, shoulders, and flanks should be well
cleaned, a pail of clean warm water being thrown over his body at the
conclusion, before he is allowed to retreat to his clean straw to dry
himself. By this means, the excessive nutrition of his aliment will be
corrected, a more perfect digestion insured, and, by opening the pores
of the skin, a more vigorous state of health acquired than could have
been obtained under any other system.
776. WE HAVE ALREADY SAID that no other animal yields man so _many_
kinds and varieties of luxurious food as is supplied to him by the flesh
of the hog differently prepared; for almost every part of the animal,
either fresh, salted, or dried, is used for food; and even those viscera
not so employed are of the utmost utility in a domestic point of view.
777. THOUGH DESTITUTE OF THE HIDE, HORNS, AND HOOFS, constituting the
offal of most domestic animals, the pig is not behind the other mammalia
in its usefulness to man. Its skin, especially that of the boar, from
its extreme closeness of texture, when tanned, is employed for the seats
of saddles, to cover powder, shot, and drinking-flasks; and the hair,
according to its colour, flexibility, and stubbornness, is manufactured
into tooth, nail, and hairbrushes,--others into hat, clothes, and
shoe-brushes; while the longer and finer qualities are made into long
and short brooms and painters' brushes; and a still more rigid
description, under the name of "bristles," are used by the shoemaker as
needles for the passage of his wax-end. Besides so many benefits and
useful services conferred on man by this valuable animal, his fat, in a
commercial sense, is quite as important as his flesh, and brings a price
equal to the best joints in the carcase. This fat is rendered, or melted
out of the caul, or membrane in which it is contained, by boiling water,
and, while liquid, run into prepared bladders, when, under the name of
_lard_, it becomes an article of extensive trade and value.
779. THE GREAT QUALITY FIRST SOUGHT FOR IN A HOG is a capacious stomach,
and next, a healthy power of digestion; for the greater the quantity he
can eat, and the more rapidly he can digest what he has eaten, the more
quickly will he fatten; and the faster he can be made to increase in
flesh, without a material increase of bone, the better is the breed
considered, and the more valuable the animal. In the usual order of
nature, the development of flesh and enlargement of bone proceed
together; but here the object is to outstrip the growth of the bones by
the quicker development of their fleshy covering.
780. THE CHIEF POINTS SOUGHT FOR IN THE CHOICE OF A HOG are breadth of
chest, depth of carcase, width of loin, chine, and ribs, compactness of
form, docility, cheerfulness, and general beauty of appearance. The head
in a well-bred hog must not be too long, the forehead narrow and convex,
cheeks full, snout fine, mouth small, eyes small and quick, ears short,
thin, and sharp, pendulous, and pointing forwards; neck full and broad,
particularly on the top, where it should join very broad shoulders; the
ribs, loin, and haunch should be in a uniform line, and the tail well
set, neither too high nor too low; at the same time the back is to be
straight or slightly curved, the chest deep, broad, and prominent, the
legs short and thick; the belly, when well fattened, should nearly touch
the ground, the hair be long, thin, fine, and having few bristles, and
whatever the colour, uniform, either white, black, or blue; but not
spotted, speckled, brindled, or sandy. Such are the features and
requisites that, among breeders and judges, constitute the _beau id�al_
of a perfect pig.
781. THE BERKSHIRE PIG IS THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST ESTEEMED of all our
English domestic breeds, and so highly is it regarded, that even the
varieties of the stock are in as great estimation as the parent breed
itself. The characteristics of the Berkshire hog are that it has a tawny
colour, spotted with black, large ears hanging over the eyes, a thick,
close, and well-made body, legs short and small in the bone; feeds up to
a great weight, fattens quickly, and is good either for pork or bacon.
The New or Improved Berkshire possesses all the above qualities, but is
infinitely more prone to fatten, while the objectionable colour has been
entirely done away with, being now either all white or completely black.
782. NEXT TO THE FORMER, THE ESSEX takes place in public estimation,
always competing, and often successfully, with the Berkshire. The
peculiar characters of the Essex breed are that it is tip-eared, has a
long sharp head, is roach-backed, with a long flat body, standing high
on the legs; is rather bare of hair, is a quick feeder, has an enormous
capacity of stomach and belly, and an appetite to match its receiving
capability. Its colour is white, or else black and white, and it has a
restless habit and an unquiet disposition. The present valuable stock
has sprung from a cross between the common native animal and either the
White Chinese or Black Neapolitan breeds.
784. THOUGH ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY IN ENGLAND can boast some local variety
or other of this useful animal, obtained from the native stock by
crossing with some of the foreign kinds, Cumberland and the north-west
parts of the kingdom have been celebrated for a small breed of white
pigs, with a thick, compact, and well-made body, short in the legs, the
head and back well formed, ears slouching and a little downwards, and on
the whole, a hardy, profitable animal, and one well disposed to fatten.
786. WHEN JUDICIOUSLY FED ON VEGETABLE DIET, and this obese tendency
checked, the flesh of the Chinese pig is extremely delicate and
delicious; but when left to gorge almost exclusively on animal food, it
becomes oily, coarse, and unpleasant. Perhaps there is no other instance
in nature where the effect of rapid and perfect digestion is so well
shown as in this animal, which thrives on _everything_, and turns to the
benefit of its physical economy, food of the most _opposite nature_, and
of the most unwholesome and _offensive_ character. When fully fattened,
the thin cuticle, that is one of its characteristics, cracks, from the
adipose distension beneath, exposing the fatty mass, which discharges a
liquid oil from the adjacent tissues. The great fault in this breed is
the remarkably small quantity of lean laid down, to the immense
proportion of fat. Some idea of the growth of this species may be
inferred from the fact of their attaining to 18 stone before two years,
and when further advanced, as much as 40 stone. In its pure state,
except for roasters, the Chinese pig is too disproportionate for the
English market; but when crossed with some of our lean stock, the breed
becomes almost invaluable.
787. THE WILD BOAR is a much more cleanly and sagacious animal than the
domesticated hog; he is longer in the snout, has his ears shorter and
his tusks considerably longer, very frequently measuring as much as 10
inches. They are extremely sharp, and are bent in an upward circle.
Unlike his domestic brother, who roots up here and there, or wherever
his fancy takes, the wild boar ploughs the ground in continuous lines or
furrows. The boar, when selected as the parent of a stock, should have a
small head, be deep and broad in the chest; the chine should be arched,
the ribs and barrel well rounded, with the haunches falling full down
nearly to the hock; and he should always be more compact and smaller
than the female. The colour of the wild boar is always of a uniform hue,
and generally of an iron grey; shading off into a black. The hair of the
boar is of considerable length, especially about the head and mane; he
stands, in general, from 20 to 30 inches in height at the shoulders,
though instances have occurred where he has reached 42 inches. The young
are of a pale yellowish tint, irregularly brindled with light brown. The
boar of Germany is a large and formidable animal, and the hunting of
him, with a small species of mastiff, is still a national sport. From
living almost exclusively on acorns and nuts, his flesh is held in great
esteem, and in Westphalia his legs are made into hams by a process
which, it is said, enhances the flavour and quality of the meat in a
remarkable degree.
788. THERE ARE TWO POINTS to be taken into consideration by all breeders
of pigs--to what ultimate use is the flesh to be put; for, if meant to
be eaten fresh, or simply salted, the _small_ breed of pigs is host
suited for the purpose; if for hams or bacon, the large variety of the
animal is necessary. Pigs are usually weaned between six and eight weeks
after birth, after which they are fed on soft food, such as mashed
potatoes in skimmed or butter-milk. The general period at which the
small hogs are killed for the market is from 12 to 16 weeks; from 4 to 5
mouths, they are called store pigs, and are turned out to graze till the
animal has acquired its full stature. As soon as this point has been
reached, the pig should be forced to maturity as quickly as possible; he
should therefore be taken from the fields and farm-yard, and shut up on
boiled potatoes, buttermilk, and peas-meal, after a time to be followed
by grains, oil-cake, wash, barley, and Indian meal; supplying his sty at
the same time with plenty of water, cinders, and a quantity of salt in
every mess of food presented to him.
789. THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PIGS IN GREAT BRITAIN is supposed to exceed
20 millions; and, considering the third of the number as worth �2
apiece, and the remaining two-thirds as of the relative value of _10s_.
each, would give a marketable estimate of over �20,000,000 for this
animal alone.
790. THE BEST AND MOST HUMANE MODE OF KILLING ALL LARGE HOGS is to
strike them down like a bullock, with the pointed end of a poleaxe, on
the forehead, which has the effect of killing the animal at once; all
the butcher has then to do, is to open the aorta and great arteries, and
laying the animal's neck over a trough, let out the blood as quickly as
possible. The carcase is then to be scalded, either on a board or by
immersion in a tub of very hot water, and all the hair and dirt rapidly
scraped off, till the skin is made perfectly white, when it is hung up,
opened, and dressed, as it is called, in the usual way. It is then
allowed to cool, a sheet being thrown around the carcase, to prevent the
air from discolouring the newly-cleaned skin. When meant for bacon, the
hair is singed instead of being scalded off.
791. IN THE COUNTRY, where for ordinary consumption the pork killed for
sale is usually both larger and fatter than that supplied to the London
consumer, it is customary to remove the skin and fat down to the lean,
and, salting that, roast what remains of the joint. Pork goes further,
and is consequently a more economical food than other meats, simply
because the texture is closer, and there is less waste in the cooking,
either in roasting or boiling.
792. IN FRESH PORK, the leg is the most economical family joint, and the
loin the richest.
795. THE PRACTICE IN VOGUE FORMERLY in this country was to cut out the
hams and cure them separately; then to remove the ribs, which were
roasted as "spare-ribs," and, curing the remainder of the side, call it
a "gammon of bacon."
Small pork to cut for table in joints, is cut up, in most places
throughout the kingdom, as represented in the engraving. The sale is
divided with nine ribs to the fore quarter; and the following is an
enumeration of the joints in the two respective quarters:--
1. The leg.
HIND QUARTER 2. The loin.
3. The spring, or belly.
4. The hand.
FORE QUARTER 5. The fore-loin.
6. The cheek.
The weight of the several joints of a good pork pig of four stone may be
as follows; viz.:--
Of a bacon pig, the legs are reserved for curing, and when cured are
called hams: when the meat is separated from the shoulder-blade and
bones and cured, it is called bacon. The bones, with part of the meat
left on them, are divided into spare-ribs, griskins, and chines.
CHAPTER XVII.
_Mode_.--Cut the pork into nice-sized cutlets, trim off most of the fat,
and chop the onions. Put the butter into a stewpan, lay in the cutlets
and chopped onions, and fry a light brown; then add the remaining
ingredients, simmer gently for 5 or 7 minutes, and serve.
I.
_Mode_.--Cut the cutlets from a delicate loin of pork, bone and trim
them neatly, and cut away the greater portion of the fat. Season them
with pepper; place the gridiron on the fire; when quite hot, lay on the
chops and broil them for about 1/4 hour, turning them 3 or 4 times; and
be particular that they are _thoroughly_ done, but not dry. Dish them,
sprinkle over a little fine salt, and serve plain, or with tomato sauce,
sauce piquante, or pickled gherkins, a few of which should be laid round
the dish as a garnish.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 10d. per lb. for chops.
II.
(_Another Way_.)
799. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of cold roast pork, pepper and salt to taste,
1 dessertspoonful of minced parsley, 4 leaves of sage, a very small
bunch of savoury herbs, 2 blades of pounded mace, a little nutmeg, 1/2
teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel; good strong gravy, sufficient to fill
the mould.
_Mode_.--Cut, but do not chop, the pork into fine pieces, and allow 1/4
lb. of fat to each pound of lean. Season with pepper and salt; pound
well the spices, and chop finely the parsley, sage, herbs, and
lemon-peel, and mix the whole nicely together. Put it into a mould, fill
up with good strong well-flavoured gravy, and bake rather more than one
hour. When cold, turn it out of the mould.
_Mode_.--Choose a small leg of pork, and score the skin across in narrow
strips, about 1/4 inch apart. Cut a slit in the knuckle, loosen the
skin, and fill it with a sage-and-onion stuffing, made by Recipe No.
504. Brush the joint over with a little salad-oil (this makes the
crackling crisper, and a better colour), and put it down to a bright,
clear fire, not too near, as that would cause the skin to blister. Baste
it well, and serve with a little gravy made in the dripping-pan, and do
not omit to send to table with it a tureen of well-made apple-sauce.
(Sec No. 363.)
HASHED PORK.
_Mode_.--Chop the onions and fry them of a nice brown, cut the pork into
thin slices, season them with pepper and salt, and add these to the
remaining ingredients. Stew gently for about 1/2 hour, and serve
garnished with sippets of toasted bread.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Cut the bacon into thin slices, trim away the rusty parts, and
cut off the rind. Put it into a cold frying-pan, that is to say, do not
place the pan on the fire before the bacon is in it. Turn it 2 or 3
times, and dish it on a very hot dish. Poach the eggs and slip them on
to the bacon, without breaking the yolks, and serve quickly.
_Time_.--3 or 4 minutes. _Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb. for the
primest parts.
_Time_.--3 or 4 minutes.
_Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb. for the primest parts.
_Note_.--When the bacon is cut very thin, the slices may be curled round
and fastened by means of small skewers, and fried or toasted before the
fire.
BOILED BACON.
_Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb. for the primest parts.
_Mode_.--Sprinkle each flitch with salt, and let the blood drain off for
24 hours; then pound and mix the above ingredients well together and rub
it well into the meat, which should be turned every day for a month;
then hang it to dry, and afterwards smoke it for 10 days.
FOR CURING BACON, AND KEEPING IT FREE FROM RUST (Cobbett's Recipe).
806. THE TWO SIDES THAT REMAIN, and which are called flitches, are to be
cured for bacon. They are first rubbed with salt on their insides, or
flesh sides, then placed one on the other, the flesh sides uppermost, in
a salting-trough which has a gutter round its edges to drain away the
brine; for, to have sweet and fine bacon, the flitches must not be
sopping in brine, which gives it the sort of vile taste that barrel and
sea pork have. Every one knows how different is the taste of fresh dry
salt from that of salt in a dissolved state; therefore change the salt
often,--once in 4 or 5 days; let it melt and sink in, but not lie too
long; twice change the flitches, put that at bottom which was first on
the top: this mode will cost you a great deal more in salt than the
sopping mode, but without it your bacon will not be so sweet and fine,
nor keep so well. As for the time required in making your flitches
sufficiently salt, it depends on circumstances. It takes a longer time
for a thick than a thin flitch, and longer in dry than in damp weather,
or in a dry than in a damp place; but for the flitches of a hog of five
score, in weather not very dry or damp, about 6 weeks may do; and as
yours is to be fat, which receives little injury from over-salting, give
time enough, for you are to have bacon until Christmas comes again.
807. THE PLACE FOR SALTING SHOULD, like a dairy, always be cool, but
well ventilated; confined air, though cool, will taint meat sooner than
the midday day sun accompanied by a breeze. With regard to smoking the
bacon, two precautions are necessary: first, to hang the flitches where
no rain comes down upon them; and next, that the smoke must proceed from
wood, not peat, turf, or coal. As to the time required to smoke a
flitch, it depends a good deal upon whether there be a constant fire
beneath; and whether the fire be large or small: a month will do, if the
fire be pretty constant and rich, as a farmhouse fire usually is; but
over-smoking, or rather too long hanging in the air, makes the bacon
rust; great attention should therefore be paid to this matter. The
flitch ought not to be dried up to the hardness of a board, and yet it
ought to be perfectly dry. Before you hang it up, lay it on the floor,
scatter the flesh side pretty thickly over with bran, or with some fine
sawdust, not of deal or fir; rub it on the flesh, or pat it well down
upon it: this keeps the smoke from getting into the little openings, and
makes a sort of crust to be dried on.
808. To KEEP THE BACON SWEET AND GOOD, and free from hoppers, sift fine
some clean and dry wood ashes. Put some at the bottom of a box or chest
long enough to hold a flitch of bacon; lay in one flitch, and then put
in more ashes, then another flitch, and cover this with six or eight
inches of the ashes. The place where the box or chest is kept ought to
be dry, and should the ashes become damp, they should be put in the
fireplace to dry, and when cold, put back again. With these precautions,
the bacon will be as good at the end of the year as on the first day.
809. FOR SIMPLE GENERAL RULES; these may be safely taken as a guide; and
those who implicitly follow the directions given, will possess at the
expiration of from 6 weeks to 2 months well-flavoured and well-cured
bacon.
"I am sorry," replied his lordship, "I cannot admit the truth of
your instance: hog cannot be bacon till it is hanged; and so,
before I can admit your plea, or acknowledge the family compact,
Hogg must be hanged to-morrow morning."
TO BAKE A HAM.
Mode.--As a ham for baking should be well soaked, let it remain in water
for at least 12 hours. Wipe it dry, trim away any rusty places
underneath, and cover it with a common crust, taking care that this is
of sufficient thickness all over to keep the gravy in. Place it in a
moderately-heated oven, and bake for nearly 4 hours. Take off the crust,
and skin, and cover with raspings, the same as for boiled ham, and
garnish the knuckle with a paper frill. This method of cooking a ham is,
by many persons, considered far superior to boiling it, as it cuts
fuller of gravy and has a finer flavour, besides keeping a much longer
time good.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. by the whole ham.
TO BOIL A HAM.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. by the whole ham.
_Mode_.--Prepare the ham as in the preceding recipe, and let it soak for
a few hours in vinegar and water. Put it on in cold water, and when it
boils, add the vegetables and herbs. Simmer very gently until tender,
take it out, strip off the skin, cover with bread-raspings, and put a
paper ruche or frill round the knuckle.
"Why, take the pig by the tail," said the emperor, "and you will
see how quiet he will become."
"Ah, you must have learned the trade much longer than I, for you
understand it a great deal better."
_Mode_.--Cut the ham into slices, and take care that they are of the
same thickness in every part. Cut off the rind, and if the ham should be
particularly hard and salt, it will be found an improvement to soak it
for about 10 minutes in hot water, and then dry it in a cloth. Put it
into a cold frying-pan, set it over the fire, and turn the slices 3 or 4
times whilst they are cooking. When done, place them on a dish, which
should be kept hot in front of the fire during the time the eggs are
being poached. Poach the eggs, slip them on to the slices of ham, and
serve quickly.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. by the whole ham.
I.
_Mode_.--Mince the ham, fat and lean together in the above proportion,
and pound it well in a mortar, seasoning it with cayenne pepper, pounded
mace, and nutmeg; put the mixture into a deep baking-dish, and bake for
1/2 hour; then press it well into a stone jar, fill up the jar with
clarified lard, cover it closely, and paste over it a piece of thick
paper. If well seasoned, it will keep a long time in winter, and will be
found very convenient for sandwiches, &c.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
II.
_Mode_.--Cut some slices from the remains of a cold ham, mince them
small, and to every 2 lbs. of lean, allow the above proportion of fat.
Pound the ham in a mortar to a fine paste, with the fat, gradually add
the seasoning and spices, and be very particular that all the
ingredients are well mixed and the spices well pounded. Press the
mixture into potting-pots, pour over clarified butter, and keep it in a
cool place.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 2s. 6d.
_Mode_.--As soon as the pig is cold enough to be cut up, take the 2 hams
and rub them well with common salt, and leave them in a large pan for 3
days. When the salt has drawn out all the blood, drain the hams, and
throw the brine away. Mix sugar, salt, and saltpetre together in the
above proportion, rub the hams well with these, and put them into a
vessel large enough to hold them, always keeping the salt over them. Let
them remain for 3 days, then pour over them a quart of good vinegar.
Turn them in the brine every day for a month, then drain them well, and
rub them with bran. Have them smoked over a wood fire, and be particular
that the hams are hung as high up as possible from the fire; otherwise
the fat will melt, and they will become dry and hard.
_Mode_.--Two days before they are put into pickle, rub the hams well
with salt, to draw away all slime and blood. Throw what comes from them
away, and then rub them with treacle, saltpetre, and salt. Lay them in a
deep pan, and let them remain one day; boil the above proportion of
treacle, saltpetre, bay-salt, and common salt for 1/4 hour, and pour
this pickle boiling hot over the hams: there should be sufficient of it
to cover them. For a day or two rub them well with it; afterwards they
will only require turning. They ought to remain in this pickle for 3
weeks or a month, and then be sent to be smoked, which will take nearly
or quite a month to do. An ox-tongue pickled in this way is most
excellent, to be eaten either green or smoked.
_Mode_.--Before the hams are put into pickle, rub them the preceding day
well with salt, and drain the brine well from them. Put the above
ingredients into a saucepan, and boil for 1/4 hour; pour over the hams,
and let them remain a month in the pickle. Rub and turn them every day,
but do not take them out of the pickling-pan; and have them smoked for a
month.
_Mode_.--Rub the hams well with common salt, and leave them for a day or
two to drain; then rub well in, the above proportion of sugar, salt,
saltpetre, and vinegar, and turn them every other day. Keep them in the
pickle 1 month, drain them, and send them to be smoked over a wood fire
for 3 weeks or a month.
820. Take an old hogshead, stop up all the crevices, and fix a place to
put a cross-stick near the bottom, to hang the articles to be smoked on.
Next, in the side, cut a hole near the top, to introduce an iron pan
filled with sawdust and small pieces of green wood. Having turned the
tub upside down, hang the articles upon the cross-stick, introduce the
iron pan in the opening, and place a piece of red-hot iron in the pan,
cover it with sawdust, and all will be complete. Let a large ham remain
40 hours, and keep up a good smoke.
_Mode_.--Weigh the sides, hams, and cheeks, and to every 14 lbs. allow
the above proportion of saltpetre, salt prunella, and common salt. Pound
and mix these together, and rub well into the meat; lay it in a stone
trough or tub, rubbing it thoroughly, and turning it daily for 2
successive days. At the end of the second day, pour on it a pickle made
as follows:--Put the above ingredients into a saucepan, set it on the
fire, and stir frequently; remove all the scum, allow it to boil for 1/4
hour, and pour it hot over the meat. Let the hams, &c., be well rubbed
and turned daily; if the meat is small, a fortnight will be sufficient
for the sides and shoulders to remain in the pickle, and the hams 3
weeks; if from 30 lbs. and upwards, 3 weeks will be required for the
sides, &c., and from 4 to 5 weeks for the hams. On taking the pieces
out, let them drain for an hour, cover with dry sawdust, and smoke from
a fortnight to 3 weeks. Boil and carefully skim the pickle after using,
and it will keep good, closely corked, for 2 years. When boiling it for
use, add about 2 lbs. of common salt, and the same of treacle, to allow
for waste. Tongues are excellent put into this pickle cold, having been
first rubbed well with saltpetre and salt, and allowed to remain 24
hours, not forgetting to make a deep incision under the thick part of
the tongue, so as to allow the pickle to penetrate more readily. A
fortnight or 3 weeks, according to the size of the tongue, will be
sufficient.
822. The carcass of the hog, after hanging over-night to cool, is laid
on a strong bench or stool, and the head is separated from the body at
the neck, close behind the ears; the feet and also the internal fat are
removed. The carcass is next divided into two sides in the following
manner:--The ribs are divided about an inch from the spine on each side,
and the spine, with the ends of the ribs attached, together with the
internal flesh between it and the kidneys, and also the flesh above it,
throughout the whole length of the sides, are removed. The portion of
the carcass thus cut out is in the form of a wedge--the breadth of the
interior consisting of the breadth of the spine, and about an inch of
the ribs on each side, being diminished to about half an inch at the
exterior or skin along the back. The breast-bone, and also the first
anterior rib, are also dissected from the side. Sometimes the whole of
the ribs are removed; but this, for reasons afterwards to be noticed, is
a very bad practice. When the hams are cured separately from the sides,
which is generally the case, they are cut out so as to include the
hock-bone, in a similar manner to the London mode of cutting a haunch of
mutton. The carcass of the hog thus cut up is ready for being salted,
which process, in large caring establishments, is generally as follows.
The skin side of the pork is rubbed over with a mixture of fifty parts
by weight of salt, and one part of saltpetre in powder, and the incised
parts of the ham or flitch, and the inside of the flitch covered with
the same. The salted bacon, in pairs of flitches with the insides to
each other, is piled one pair of flitches above another on benches
slightly inclined, and furnished with spouts or troughs to convey the
brine to receivers in the floor of the salting-house, to be afterwards
used for pickling pork for navy purposes. In this state the bacon
remains a fortnight, which is sufficient for flitches cut from nogs of a
carcass weight less than 15 stone (14 lbs. to the stone). Flitches of a
larger size, at the expiration of that time, are wiped dry and reversed
in their place in the pile, having, at the same time, about half the
first quantity of fresh, dry, common salt sprinkled over the inside and
incised parts; after which they remain on the benches for another week.
Hams being thicker than flitches, will require, when less than 20 lbs.
weight, 3 weeks; and when above that weight, 4 weeks to remain under the
above-described process. The next and last process in the preparation of
bacon and hams, previous to being sent to market, is drying. This is
effected by hanging the flitches and hams for 2 or 3 weeks in a room
heated by stoves, or in a smoke-house, in which they are exposed for the
same length of time to the smoke arising from the slow combustion of the
sawdust of oak or other hard wood. The latter mode of completing the
curing process has some advantages over the other, as by it the meat is
subject to the action of _creosote_, a volatile oil produced by the
combustion of the sawdust, which is powerfully antiseptic. The process
also furnishing a thin covering of a resinous varnish, excludes the air
not only from the muscle but also from the fat; thus effectually
preventing the meat from becoming rusted; and the principal reasons for
condemning the practice of removing the ribs from the flitches of pork
are, that by so doing the meat becomes unpleasantly hard and pungent in
the process of salting, and by being more opposed to the action of the
air, becomes sooner and more extensively rusted. Notwithstanding its
superior efficacy in completing the process of curing, the flavour which
smoke-drying imparts to meat is disliked by many persons, and it is
therefore by no means the most general mode of drying adopted by
mercantile curers. A very impure variety of _pyroligneous_ acid, or
vinegar made from the destructive distillation of wood, is sometimes
used, on account of the highly preservative power of the creosote which
it contains, and also to impart the smoke-flavour; in which latter
object, however, the coarse flavour of tar is given, rather than that
derived from the smoke from combustion of wood. A considerable portion
of the bacon and hams salted in Ireland is exported from that country
packed amongst salt, in bales, immediately from the salting process,
without having been in any degree dried. In the process of salting above
described, pork loses from eight to ten per cent. of its weight,
according to the size and quality of the meat; and a further diminution
of weight, to the extent of five to six per cent., takes place in drying
during the first fortnight after being taken out of salt; so that the
total loss in weight occasioned by the preparation of bacon and hams in
a proper state for market, is not less on an average than fifteen per
cent. on the weight of the fresh pork.
TO MELT LARD.
825. Melt the inner fat of the pig, by putting it in a stone jar, and
placing this in a saucepan of boiling water, previously stripping off
the skin. Let it simmer gently over a bright fire, and as it melts, pour
it carefully from the sediment. Put it into small jars or bladders for
use, and keep it in a cool place. The flead or inside fat of the pig,
before it is melted, makes exceedingly light crust, and is particularly
wholesome. It may be preserved a length of time by salting it well, and
occasionally changing the brine. When wanted for use, wash and wipe it,
and it will answer for making into paste as well as fresh lard.
_Time_.--A leg of pork weighing 8 lbs., 3 hours after the water boils,
and to be simmered very gently.
_Mode_.--Bacon for larding should be firm and fat, and ought to be cured
without any saltpetre, as this reddens white meats. Lay it on a table,
the rinds downwards; trim off any rusty part, and cut it into slices of
an equal thickness. Place the slices one on the top of another, and cut
them evenly into narrow strips, so arranging it that every piece of
bacon is of the same size. Bacon for fricandeau, poultry, and game,
should be about 2 inches in length, and rather more than one-eighth of
an inch in width. If for larding fillets of beef or loin of veal, the
pieces of bacon must be thicker. The following recipe of Soyer is, we
think, very explicit; and any cook, by following the directions here
given, may be able to lard, if not well, sufficiently for general use.
"Have the fricandeau trimmed, lay it, lengthwise, upon a clean napkin
across your hand, forming a kind of bridge with your thumb at the part
you are about to commence at; then with the point of the larding-needle
make three distinct lines across, 1/2 inch apart; run the needle into
the third line, at the further side of the fricandeau, and bring it out
at the first, placing one of the lardoons in it; draw the needle
through, leaving out 1/4 inch of the bacon at each line; proceed thus to
the end of the row; then make another line, 1/2 inch distant, stick in
another row of lardoons, bringing them out at the second line, leaving
the ends of the bacon out all the same length; make the next row again
at the same distance, bringing the ends out between the lardoons of the
first row, proceeding in this manner until the whole surface is larded
in chequered rows. Everything else is larded in a similar way; and, in
the case of poultry, hold the breast over a charcoal fire for one
minute, or dip it into boiling water, in order to make the flesh firm."
_Mode_.--Score the skin in strips rather more than 1/4 inch apart, and
place the joint at a good distance from the fire, on account of the
crackling, which would harden before the meat would be heated through,
were it placed too near. If very lean, it should be rubbed over with a
little salad oil, and kept well basted all the time it is at the fire.
Pork should be very thoroughly cooked, but not dry; and be careful never
to send it to table the least underdone, as nothing is more unwholesome
and disagreeable than underdressed white meats. Serve with apple sauce,
No. 363, and a little gravy made in the dripping-pan. A stuffing of sage
and onion may be made separately, and baked in a flat dish: this method
is better than putting it in the meat, as many persons have so great an
objection to the flavour.
_Time_.--A loin of pork weighing 5 lbs., about 2 hours: allow more time
should it be very fat.
_Mode_.--Cut out the snout, remove the brains, and split the head,
taking off the upper bone to make the jowl a good shape; rub it well
with salt; next day take away the brine, and salt it again the following
day; cover the head with saltpetre, bay-salt, and coarse sugar, in the
above proportion, adding a little common salt. Let the head be often
turned, and when it has been in the pickle for 10 days, smoke it for a
week or rather longer.
_Note_.--A pig's check, or Bath chap, will take about 2 hours after the
water boils.
_Mode_.--Slice the liver and lights, and wash these perfectly clean, and
parboil the potatoes; mince the parsley and sage, and chop the onion
rather small. Put the meat, potatoes, and bacon into a deep tin dish, in
alternate layers, with a sprinkling of the herbs, and a seasoning of
pepper and salt between each; pour on a little water or broth, and bake
in a moderately-heated oven for 2 hours.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
PIG'S PETTITOES.
_Mode_.--Put the liver, heart, and pettitoes into a stewpan with the
bacon, mace, peppercorns, thyme, onion, and gravy, and simmer these
gently for 1/4 hour; then take out the heart and liver, and mince them
very fine. Keep stewing the feet until quite tender, which will be in
from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, reckoning from the time that they boiled up
first; then put back the minced liver, thicken the gravy with a little
butter and flour, season with pepper and salt, and simmer over a gentle
fire for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring the contents. Dish the mince,
split the feet, and arrange them round alternately with sippets of
toasted bread, and pour the gravy in the middle.
_Time_.--Altogether 40 minutes.
TO PICKLE PORK.
_Mode_.--As pork does not keep long without being salted, cut it into
pieces of a suitable size as soon as the pig is cold. Rub the pieces of
pork well with salt, and put them into a pan with a sprinkling of it
between each piece: as it melts on the top, strew on more. Lay a coarse
cloth over the pan, a board over that, and a weight on the board, to
keep the pork down in the brine. If excluded from the air, it will
continue good for nearly 2 years.
THE ANTIQUITY OF THE HOG.--By what nation and in what period the
hog was reclaimed, is involved in the deepest obscurity. So far
back as we have any records of history, we find notices of this
animal, and of its flesh being used as the food of man. By some
nations, however, its flesh was denounced as unclean, and
therefore prohibited to be used, whilst by others it was
esteemed as a great delicacy. By the Mosaic law it was forbidden
to be eaten by the Jews, and the Mahometans hold it in utter
abhorrence. Dr. Kitto, however, says that there does not appear
to be any reason in the law of Moses why the hog should be held
in such peculiar abomination. There seems nothing to have
prevented the Jews, if they had been so inclined, to rear pigs
for sale, or for the use of the land. In the Talmud there are
some indications that this was actually done; and it was,
probably, for such purposes that the herds of swine mentioned in
the New Testament were kept, although it is usual to consider
that they were kept by the foreign settlers in the land. Indeed,
the story which accounts for the peculiar aversion of the
Hebrews to the hog, assumes that it did not originate until
about 130 years before Christ, and that, previously, some Jews
were in the habit of rearing hogs for the purposes indicated.
_Mode_.--Rub into the flour a portion of the lard; the remainder put
with sufficient milk and water to mix the crust, and boil this gently
for 1/4 hour. Pour it boiling on the flour, and knead and beat it till
perfectly smooth. Now raise the crust in either a round or oval form,
cut up the pork into pieces the size of a nut, season it in the above
proportion, and press it compactly into the pie, in alternate layers of
fat and lean, and pour in a small quantity of water; lay on the lid, cut
the edges smoothly round, and pinch them together. Bake in a brick oven,
which should be slow, as the meat is very solid. Very frequently, the
inexperienced cook finds much difficulty in raising the crust. She
should bear in mind that it must not be allowed to get cold, or it will
fall immediately: to prevent this, the operation should be performed as
near the fire as possible. As considerable dexterity and expertness are
necessary to raise the crust with the hand only, a glass bottle or small
jar may be placed in the middle of the paste, and the crust moulded on
this; but be particular that it is kept warm the whole time.
836. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of mutton
suet, salt and white pepper to taste, 4 lbs. of the neck of pork, 1
dessertspoonful of powdered sage.
_Mode_.--Well dry the flour, mince the suet, and put these with the
butter into a saucepan, to be made hot, and add a little salt. When
melted, mix it up into a stiff paste, and put it before the fire with a
cloth over it until ready to make up; chop the pork into small pieces,
season it with white pepper, salt, and powdered sage; divide the paste
into rather small pieces, raise it in a round or oval form, fill with
the meat, and bake in a brick oven. These pies will require a fiercer
oven than those in the preceding recipe, as they are made so much
smaller, and consequently do not require so soaking a heat.
TO MAKE SAUSAGES.
837. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of pork, fat and lean, without skin or gristle;
1 lb. of lean veal, 1 lb. of beef suet, 1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, the
rind of 1/2 lemon, 1 small nutmeg, 6 sage-leaves, 1 teaspoonful of
pepper, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of savory, 1/2
teaspoonful of marjoram.
_Mode_.--Chop the pork, veal, and suet finely together, add the bread
crumbs, lemon-peel (which should be well minced), and a small nutmeg
grated. Wash and chop the sage-leaves very finely; add these with the
remaining ingredients to the sausage-meat, and when thoroughly mixed,
either put the meat into skins, or, when wanted for table, form it into
little cakes, which should be floured and fried.
FRIED SAUSAGES.
_Time_.--10 to 12 minutes.
SAUSAGE-MEAT CAKES.
839. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of lean pork, add 3/4 lb. of fat bacon,
1/4 oz. of salt, 1 saltspoonful of pepper, 1/4 teaspoonful of grated
nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley.
_Mode_.--Remove from the pork all skin, gristle, and bone, and chop it
finely with the bacon; add the remaining ingredients, and carefully mix
altogether. Pound it well in a mortar, make it into convenient-sized
cakes, flour these, and fry them a nice brown for about 10 minutes. This
is a very simple method of making sausage-meat, and on trial will prove
very good, its great recommendation being, that it is so easily made.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
TO SCALD A SUCKING-PIG.
840. Put the pig into cold water directly it is killed; let it remain
for a few minutes, then immerse it in a large pan of boiling water for 2
minutes. Take it out, lay it on a table, and pull off the hair as
quickly as possible. When the skin looks clean, make a slit down the
belly, take out the entrails, well clean the nostrils and ears, wash the
pig in cold water, and wipe it thoroughly dry. Take off the feet at the
first joint, and loosen and leave sufficient skin to turn neatly over.
If not to be dressed immediately, fold it in a wet cloth to keep it from
the air.
THE LEARNED PIG.--That the pig is capable of education, is a
fact long known to the world; and though, like the ass,
naturally stubborn and obstinate, that he is equally amenable
with other animals to caresses and kindness, has been shown from
very remote time; the best modern evidence of his docility,
however, is the instance of the learned pig, first exhibited
about a century since, but which has been continued down to our
own time by repeated instances of an animal who will put
together all the letters or figures that compose the day, month,
hour, and date of the exhibition, besides many other
unquestioned evidences of memory. The instance already given of
breaking a sow into a pointer, till she became more stanch even
than the dog itself, though surprising, is far less wonderful
than that evidence of education where so generally obtuse an
animal may be taught not only to spell, but couple figures and
give dates correctly.
ROAST SUCKING-PIG.
PORK CARVING.
SUCKING-PIG.
[Illustration: SUCKING-PIG.]
HAM.
[Illustration: HAM.]
LEG OF PORK.
844. This joint, which is such a favourite one with many people, is easy
to carve. The knife should be carried sharply down to the bone, clean
through the crackling, in the direction of the line 1 to 2. Sago and
onion and apple sauce are usually sent to table with this
dish,--sometimes the leg of pork is stuffed,--and the guests should be
asked if they will have either or both. A frequent plan, and we think a
good one, is now pursued, of sending sage and onion to table separately
from the joint, as it is not everybody to whom the flavour of this
stuffing is agreeable.
_Note_.--The other dishes of pork do not call for any special remarks as
to their carving or helping.
CHAPTER XVIII.
845. ANY REMARKS MADE ON THE CALF OR THE LAMB must naturally be in a
measure supplementary to the more copious observations made on the
parent stock of either. As the calf, at least as far as it is identified
with veal, is destined to die young,--to be, indeed, cut off in its
comparative infancy,--it may, at first sight, appear of little or no
consequence to inquire to what particular variety, or breed of the
general stock, his sire or dam may belong. The great art, however, in
the modern science of husbandry has been to obtain an animal that shall
not only have the utmost beauty of form of which the species is capable,
but, at the same time, a constitution free from all taint, a frame that
shall rapidly attain bulk and stature, and a disposition so kindly that
every _quantum_ of food it takes shall, without drawback or
procrastination, be eliminated into fat and muscle. The breed, then, is
of very considerable consequence in determining, not only the quality of
the meat to the consumer, but its commercial value to the breeder and
butcher.
847. THE COW GOES WITH YOUNG FOR NINE MONTHS, and the affection and
solicitude she evinces for her offspring is more human in its tenderness
mid intensity than is displayed by any other animal; and her distress
when she hears its bleating, and is not allowed to reach it with her
distended udders, is often painful to witness, and when the calf has
died, or been accidentally killed, her grief frequently makes her refuse
to give down her milk. At such times, the breeder has adopted the
expedient of flaying the dead carcase, and, distending the skin with
hay, lays the effigy before her, and then taking advantage of her
solicitude, milks her while she is caressing the skin with her tongue.
848. IN A STATE OF NATURE, the cow, like the deer, hides her young in
the tall ferns and brakes, and the most secret places; and only at
stated times, twice or thrice a day, quits the herd, and, hastening to
the secret cover, gives suck to her calf, and with the same,
circumspection returns to the community.
852. AS THE CALF PROGRESSES TOWARDS HIS TENTH WEEK, his diet requires to
be increased in quantity and quality; for these objects, his milk can be
thickened with flour or meal, and small pieces of softened oil-cake are
to be slipped into his mouth after sucking, that they may dissolve
there, till he grows familiar with, and to like the taste, when it may
be softened and scraped down into his milk-and-water. After a time,
sliced turnips softened by steam are to be given to him in tolerable
quantities; then succulent grasses; and finally, hay may be added to the
others. Some farmers, desirous of rendering their calves fat for the
butcher in as short a time as possible, forget both the natural weakness
of the digestive powers, and the contracted volume of the stomach, and
allow the animals either to suck _ad libitum_, or give them, if brought
up at the pail or by hand, a larger quantity of milk than they can
digest. The idea of overloading the stomach never suggests itself to
their minds. They suppose that the more food the young creature
consumes, the sooner it will be fat, and they allow it no exercise
whatever, for fear it should denude its very bones of their flesh. Under
such circumstances, the stomach soon becomes deranged; its functions are
no longer capable of acting; the milk, subjected to the acid of the
stomach, coagulates, and forms a hardened mass of curd, when the muscles
become affected with spasms, and death frequently ensues.
854. THE MANNER OF CUTTING UP VEAL for the English market is to divide
the carcase into four quarters, with eleven ribs to each fore quarter;
which are again subdivided into joints as exemplified on the cut.
_Hind quarter_:--
1. The loin.
2. The chump, consisting of the rump
and hock-bone.
3. The fillet.
4. The hock, or hind knuckle.
_Fore quarter_:--
5. The shoulder.
6. The neck.
7. The breast.
8. The fore knuckle.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XIX.
BAKED VEAL (Cold Meat Cookery).
_Mode_.--Mince finely the veal and bacon; add the bread crumbs, gravy,
and seasoning, and stir these ingredients well together. Beat up the
eggs thoroughly; add these, mix the whole well together, put into a
dish, and bake from 3/4 to 1 hour. When liked, a little good gravy may
be served in a tureen as an accompaniment.
_Mode_.--Wash the veal, well wipe it, and dredge it with flour; put it
down to a bright fire, not too near, as it should not be scorched. Baste
it plentifully until done; dish it, pour over the meat some good melted
butter, and send to table with it a piece of boiled bacon and a cut
lemon.
_Mode_.--Cut the breast in half, after removing the bone underneath, and
divide the meat into convenient-sized pieces. Put the butter into a
frying-pan, lay in the pieces of veal, and fry until of a nice brown
colour. Now place these in a stewpan with the herbs, mace, cloves,
onions, lemon-peel, allspice, and seasoning; pour over them just
sufficient boiling water to cover the meat; well close the lid, and let
the whole simmer very gently for about 2 hours. Strain off as much gravy
as is required, thicken it with butter and flour, add the remaining
ingredients, skim well, let it simmer for about 10 minutes, then pour it
over the meat. Have ready some green peas, boiled separately; sprinkle
these over the veal, and serve. It may be garnished with forcemeat
balls, or rashers of bacon curled and fried. Instead of cutting up the
meat, many persons prefer it dressed whole;--in that case it should be
half-roasted before the water, &c. are put to it.
859. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold roast veal, a few slices of cold
ham, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little
pepper, good gravy.
_Mode_.--Cut off all the brown outside from the veal, and cut the eggs
into slices. Procure a pretty mould; lay veal, ham, eggs, and parsley in
layers, with a little pepper between each, and when the mould is full,
get some _strong_ stock, and fill up the shape. Bake for 1/2 hour, and
when cold, turn it out.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
861. INGREDIENTS.--A set of calf's feet; for the batter allow for each
egg 1 tablespoonful of flour, 1 tablespoonful of bread crumbs, hot lard
or clarified dripping, pepper and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--If the feet are purchased uncleaned, dip them into warm water
repeatedly, and scrape off the hair, first one foot and then the other,
until the skin looks perfectly clean, a saucepan of water being kept by
the fire until they are finished. After washing and soaking in cold
water, boil them in just sufficient water to cover them, until the bones
come easily away. Then pick them out, and after straining the liquor
into a clean vessel, put the meat into a pie-dish until the next day.
Now cut it down in slices about 1/2 inch thick, lay on them a stiff
batter made of egg, flour, and bread crumbs in the above proportion;
season with pepper and salt, and plunge them into a pan of boiling lard.
Fry the slices a nice brown, dry them before the fire for a minute or
two, dish them on a napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley. This
should be eaten with melted butter, mustard, and vinegar. Be careful to
have the lard boiling to set the batter, or the pieces of feet will run
about the pan. The liquor they were boiled in should be saved, and will
be found useful for enriching gravies, making jellies, &e. &e.
_Mode_.--Scald the head for a few minutes; take it out of the water, and
with a blunt knife scrape off all the hair. Clean it nicely, divide the
head and remove the brains. Boil it tender enough to take out the bones,
which will be in about 2 hours. When the head is boned, flatten it on
the table, sprinkle over it a thick layer of parsley, then a layer of
ham, and then the yolks of the eggs cut into thin rings and put a
seasoning of pounded mace, nutmeg, and white pepper between each layer;
roll the head up in a cloth, and tie it up as tightly as possible. Boil
it for 4 hours, and when it is taken out of the pot, place a heavy
weight on the top, the same as for other collars. Let it remain till
cold; then remove the cloth and binding, and it will be ready to serve.
_Mode_.--Remove all the bones from the head, and cut the meat into nice
square pieces. Put 1-1/2 pint of the liquor it was boiled in into a
saucepan, with mace, onion, herbs, and seasoning in the above
proportion; let this simmer gently for 3/4 hour, then strain it and put
in the meat. When quite hot through, thicken the gravy with a little
butter rolled in flour, and, just before dishing the fricassee, put in
the beaten yolks of eggs and lemon-juice; but be particular, after these
two latter ingredients are added, that the sauce does not boil, or it
will curdle. Garnish with forcemeat balls and curled slices of broiled
bacon. To insure the sauce being smooth, it is a good plan to dish the
meat first, and then to add the eggs to the gravy: when these are set,
the sauce may be poured over the meat.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions and apples, and fry them in a little butter;
then take them out, cut the meat into neat cutlets, and fry these of a
pale brown; add the curry-powder and flour, put in the onion, apples,
and a little broth or water, and stew gently till quite tender; add the
lemon-juice, and serve with an edging of boiled rice. The curry may be
ornamented with pickles, capsicums, and gherkins arranged prettily on
the top.
_Mode_.--Cut the veal into cutlets, flatten and trim them nicely; powder
over them a little salt and pepper; brush them over with the yolk of an
egg, dip them into bread crumbs, then into clarified butter, and,
afterwards, in the bread crumbs again; broil or fry them over a clear
fire, that they may acquire a good brown colour. Arrange them in the
dish alternately with rashers of broiled ham, and pour the sauce, made
by recipe No. 453, in the middle.
_Mode_.--Cut the cutlets about 3/4 inch in thickness, flatten them, and
brush them over with the yolk of an egg; dip them into bread crumbs and
minced herbs, season with pepper and salt and grated nutmeg, and fold
each cutlet in a piece of buttered paper. Broil them, and send them to
table with melted butter or a good gravy.
VEAL A LA BOURGEOISE.
(_Excellent_.)
_Mode_.--Cut the veal the same thickness as for cutlets, rather larger
than a crown-piece; flour the meat well, and fry a light brown in
butter; dredge again with flour, and add 1/2 pint of water, pouring it
in by degrees; set it on the fire, and when it boils, add the onion and
mace, and let it simmer very gently about 3/4 hour; flavour the gravy
with lemon-juice, peel, wine, and ketchup, in the above proportion; give
one boil, and serve.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
_Mode_.--Cut the veal into thin slices about 3 inches in width; hack
them with a knife, and grate on them the nutmeg, mace, cayenne, and
salt, and fry them in a little butter. Dish them, and make a gravy in
the pan by putting in the remaining ingredients. Give one boil, and pour
it over the collops; garnish with lemon and slices of toasted bacon,
rolled. Forcemeat balls may be added to this dish. If cream is not at
hand, substitute the yolk of an egg beaten up well with a little milk.
_Time_.--About 5 or 7 minutes.
_Mode_.--Have the fillet cut according to the size required; take out
the bone, and after raising the skin from the meat, put under the flap a
nice forcemeat, made by recipe No. 417. Prepare sufficient of this, as
there should be some left to eat cold, and to season and flavour a mince
if required. Skewer and bind the veal up in a round form; dredge well
with flour, put it down at some distance from the fire at first, and
baste continually. About 1/2 hour before serving, draw it nearer the
fire, that it may acquire more colour, as the outside should be of a
rich brown, but not burnt. Dish it, remove the skewers, which replace by
a silver one; pour over the joint some good melted butter, and serve
with either boiled ham, bacon, or pickled pork. Never omit to send a cut
lemon to table with roast veal.
_Mode_.--If the whole of the leg is purchased, take off the knuckle to
stew, and also the square end, which will serve for cutlets or pies.
Remove the bone, and fill the space with a forcemeat No. 417. Roll and
skewer it up firmly; place a few skewers at the bottom of a stewpan to
prevent the meat from sticking, and cover the veal with a little weak
stock. Let it simmer very _gently_ until tender, as the more slowly veal
is stewed, the better. Strain and thicken the sauce, flavour it with
lemon-juice, mace, sherry, and white pepper; give one boil, and pour it
over the meat. The skewers should be removed, and replaced by a silver
one, and the dish garnished with slices of cut lemon.
THE GOLDEN CALF.--We are told in the book of Genesis, that Aaron, in the
lengthened absence of Moses, was constrained by the impatient people to
make them an image to worship; and that Aaron, instead of using his
delegated power to curb this sinful expression of the tribes, and
appease the discontented Jews, at once complied with their demand, and,
telling them to bring to him their rings and trinkets, fashioned out of
their willing contributions a calf of gold, before which the multitude
fell down and worshipped. Whether this image was a solid figure of gold,
or a wooden effigy merely, coated with metal, is uncertain. To suppose
the former,--knowing the size of the image made from such trifling
articles as rings, we must presuppose the Israelites to have spoiled the
Egyptians most unmercifully: the figure, however, is of more consequence
than the weight or size of the idol. That the Israelite brought away
more from Goshen than the plunder of the Egyptians, and that they were
deeply imbued with Egyptian superstition, the golden calf is only one,
out of many instances of proof; for a gilded ox, covered with a pall,
was in that country an emblem of Osiris, one of the gods of the Egyptian
trinity. Besides having a sacred cow, and many varieties of the holy
bull, this priest-ridden people worshipped the ox as a symbol of the
sun, and offered to it divine honours, as the emblem of frugality,
industry, and husbandry. It is therefore probable that, in borrowing so
familiar a type, the Israelites, in their calf-worship, meant, under a
well-understood cherubic symbol, to acknowledge the full force of those
virtues, under an emblem of divine power and goodness. The prophet Hosea
is full of denunciations against calf-worship in Israel, and alludes to
the custom of kissing these idols, Hosea, viii, 4-6.
_Mode_.--Cut away the lean part of the best end of a neck of veal with a
sharp knife, scooping it from the bones. Put the bones in with a little
water, which will serve to moisten the fricandeau: they should stew
about 1-1/2 hour. Lard the veal, proceed in the same way as in the
preceding recipe, and be careful that the gravy does not touch the
fricandeau. Stew very gently for 3 hours; glaze, and serve it on sorrel,
spinach, or with a little gravy in the dish.
_Time_.--3 hours.
_Note_.--When the prime part of the leg is cut off, it spoils the whole;
consequently, to use this for a fricandeau is rather extravagant. The
best end of the neck answers the purpose nearly or quite as well.
_Mode_.--Put the head into boiling water, and let it remain by the side
of the fire for 3 or 4 minutes; take it out, hold it by the ear, and
with the back of a knife, scrape off the hair (should it not come off
easily, dip the head again into boiling water). When perfectly clean,
take the eyes out, cut off the ears, and remove the brain, which soak
for an hour in warm water. Put the head into hot water to soak for a few
minutes, to make it look white, and then have ready a stewpan, into
which lay the head; cover it with cold water, and bring it gradually to
boil. Remove the scum, and add a little salt, which assists to throw it
up. Simmer it very gently from 2-1/2 to 3 hours, and when nearly done,
boil the brains for 1/4 hour; skin and chop them, not too finely, and
add a tablespoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded.
Season with pepper and salt, and stir the brains, parsley, &c., into
about 4 tablespoonfuls of melted butter; add the lemon-juice and
cayenne, and keep these hot by the side of the fire. Take up the head,
cut out the tongue, skin it, put it on a small dish with the brains
round it; sprinkle over the head a few bread crumbs mixed with a little
minced parsley; brown these before the fire, and serve with a tureen of
parsley and butter, and either boiled bacon, ham, or pickled pork as an
accompaniment.
_Time_.--2-1/2 to 3 hours.
_Mode_.--After the head has been thoroughly cleaned, and the brains
removed, soak it in warm water to blanch it. Lay the brains also into
warm water to soak, and let them remain for about an hour. Put the head
into a stewpan, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and when it
boils, add a little salt; take off every particle of scum as it rises,
and boil the head until perfectly tender. Boil the brains, chop them,
and mix with them melted butter, minced parsley, pepper, salt, and
lemon-juice in the above proportion. Take up the head, skin the tongue,
and put it on a small dish with the brains round it. Have ready some
parsley and butter, smother the head with it, and the remainder send to
table in a tureen. Bacon, ham, pickled pork, or a pig's cheek, are
indispensable with calf's head. The brains are sometimes chopped with
hard-boiled eggs, and mixed with a little B�chamel or white sauce.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat into neat slices, and put the bones and trimmings
into a stewpan with the above proportion of liquor that the head was
boiled in. Add a bunch of savoury herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a strip of
lemon-peel, and 2 blades of pounded mace, and let these boil for 1 hour,
or until the gravy is reduced nearly half. Strain it into a clean
stewpan, thicken it with a little butter and flour, and add a flavouring
of sherry, lemon-juice, and ketchup, in the above proportion; season
with pepper, salt, and a little cayenne; put in the meat, let it
_gradually_ warm through, but not boil more than _two_ or _three_
minutes. Garnish the dish with forcemeat balls and pieces of bacon
rolled and toasted, placed alternately, and send it to table very hot.
_Mode_.--Cut the veal into long thin collops, flatten them, and lay on
each a piece of thin bacon of the same size; have ready some forcemeat,
made by recipe No. 417, which spread over the bacon, sprinkle over all a
little cayenne, roll them up tightly, and do not let them be more than 2
inches long. Skewer each one firmly, egg and bread crumb them, and fry
them a nice brown in a little butter, turning them occasionally, and
shaking the pan about. When done, place them on a dish before the fire;
put a small piece of butter in the pan, dredge in a little flour, add
1/4 pint of water, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, a seasoning of salt,
pepper, and pounded mace; let the whole boil up, and pour it over the
collops.
_Time_.--From 10 to 15 minutes.
_Mode_.--Cut the liver in thin slices, and cut as many slices of bacon
as there are of liver; fry the bacon first, and put that on a hot dish
before the fire. Fry the liver in the fat which comes from the bacon,
after seasoning it with pepper and salt and dredging over it a very
little flour. Turn the liver occasionally to prevent its burning, and
when done, lay it round the dish with a piece of bacon between each.
Pour away the bacon fat, put in a small piece of butter, dredge in a
little flour, add the lemon-juice and water, give one boil, and pour it
in the _middle_ of the dish. It may be garnished with slices of cut
lemon, or forcemeat balls.
_Note_.--Calf's liver stuffed with forcemeat No. 417, to which has been
added a little fat bacon, will be found a very savoury dish. It should
be larded or wrapped in buttered paper, and roasted before a clear fire.
Brown gravy and currant jelly should be served with it.
_Mode_.--A fillet of real that has been roasted the preceding day will
answer very well for this dish. Cut the middle out rather deep, leaving
a good margin round, from which to cut nice slices, and if there should
be any cracks in the veal, fill them up with forcemeat. Mince finely the
meat that was taken out, mixing with it a little of the forcemeat to
flavour, and stir to it sufficient B�chamel to make it of a proper
consistency. Warm the veal in the oven for about an hour, taking care to
baste it well, that it may not be dry; put the mince in the place where
the meat was taken out, sprinkle a few bread crumbs over it, and drop a
little clarified butter on the bread crumbs; put it into the oven for
1/4 hour to brown, and pour B�chamel round the sides of the dish.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat from a knuckle of veal into neat slices, season
with pepper and salt, and dredge them with flour. Fry them in a little
butter of a pale brown, and put them into a stewpan with the bone (which
should be chopped in several places); add the celery, herbs, mace, and
carrots; pour over all about 1 pint of hot water, and let it simmer very
gently for 2 hours, over a slow but clear fire. Take out the slices of
meat and carrots, strain and thicken the gravy with a little butter
rolled in flour; add the remaining ingredients, give one boil, put back
the meat and carrots, let these get hot through, and serve. When in
season, a few green peas, _boiled separately_, and added to this dish at
the moment of serving, would be found a very agreeable addition.
_Mode_.--Have the knuckle cut small, or cut some cutlets from it, that
it may be just large enough to be eaten the same day it is dressed, as
cold boiled veal is not a particularly tempting dish. Break the
shank-bone, wash it clean, and put the meat into a stewpan with
sufficient water to cover it. Let it gradually come to a boil, put in
the salt, and remove the scum as fast as it rises. When it has simmered
gently for about 3/4 hour, add the remaining ingredients, and stew the
whole gently for 2-1/4 hours. Put the meat into a deep dish, pour over
it the rice, &c., and send boiled bacon, and a tureen of parsley and
butter to table with it.
_Mode_.--Paper the kidney fat; roll in and skewer the flap, which makes
the joint a good shape; dredge it well with flour, and put it down to a
bright fire. Should the loin be very large, skewer the kidney back for a
time to roast thoroughly. Keep it well basted, and a short time before
serving, remove the paper from the kidney, and allow it to acquire a
nice brown colour, but it should not be burnt. Have ready some melted
butter, put it into the dripping-pan after it is emptied of its
contents, pour it over the veal, and serve. Garnish the dish with slices
of lemon and forcemeat balls, and send to table with it, boiled bacon,
ham, pickled pork, or pig's cheek.
_Note_.--A piece of toast should be placed under the kidney when the
veal is dished.
LOIN OF VEAL AU BECHAMEL (Cold Meat Cookery).
_Mode_.--A loin of veal which has come from table with very little taken
off, answers very well for this dish. Cut off the meat from the inside,
mince it, and mix with it some minced lemon-peel; put it into sufficient
B�chamel to warm through. In the mean time, wrap the joint in buttered
paper, and place it in the oven to warm. When thoroughly hot, dish the
mince, place the loin above it, and pour over the remainder of the
B�chamel.
_Mode_.--Cut off the chump from a loin of veal, and take out the bone;
fill the cavity with forcemeat No. 417, tie it up tightly, and lay it in
a stewpan with the bones and trimmings, and cover the veal with a few
slices of bacon. Add the herbs, mace, pepper, and onions, and stock or
water; cover the pan with a closely-fitting lid, and simmer for 2 hours,
shaking the stewpan occasionally. Take out the bacon, herbs, and onions;
reduce the gravy, if not already thick enough, to a glaze, with which
glaze the meat, and serve with tomato, mushroom, or sorrel sauce.
_Time_.--2 hours.
(_Very Good_.)
MINCED VEAL.
(_More Economical_.)
_Mode_.--Take about 1 lb. of veal, and should there be any bones, dredge
them with flour, and put them into a stewpan with the brown outside, and
a few meat trimmings; add rather more than a pint of water, the onion
cut in slices, lemon-peel, seasoning, mace, carrots, and herbs; simmer
these well for rather more than 1 hour, and strain the liquor. Rub a
little flour into some butter; add this to the gravy, set it on the
fire, and, when it boils, skim well. Mince the veal finely by _cutting_,
and not chopping it; put it in the gravy; let it get warmed through
gradually; add the lemon-juice and cream, and, when it is on the point
of boiling, serve. Garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread and
slices of bacon rolled and toasted. Forcemeat balls may also be added.
If more lemon-peel is liked than is stated above, put a little very
finely minced to the veal, after it is warmed in the gravy.
_Mode_.--Cut some nice slices from a cold fillet of veal, trim off the
brown outside, and mince the meat finely with the above proportion of
ham: should the meat be very dry, add a spoonful of good gravy. Season
highly with pepper and salt, add the grated nutmeg and bread crumbs, and
mix these ingredients with 1 or 2 eggs well beaten, which should bind
the mixture and make it like forcemeat. In the mean time, boil the
macaroni in salt and water, and drain it; butter a mould, put some of
the macaroni at the bottom and sides of it, in whatever form is liked;
mix the remainder with the forcemeat, fill the mould up to the top, put
a plate or small dish on it, and steam for 1/2 hour. Turn it out
carefully, and serve with good gravy poured round, but not over, the
meat.
_Mode_.--Mince the meat very fine, after removing from it all skin and
outside pieces, and chop the bacon; mix these well together, adding the
lemon-peel, onion, seasoning, mace, and toast. When all the ingredients
are thoroughly incorporated, heat up an egg, with which bind the
mixture. Butter a shape, put in the meat, and hake for 3/4 hour; turn it
out of the mould carefully, and pour round it a good brown gravy. A
sheep's head dressed in this manner is an economical and savoury dish.
_Mode_.--Have the veal cut from the best end of the neck; dredge it with
flour, and put it down to a bright clear fire; keep it well basted; dish
it, pour over it some melted butter, and garnish the dish with fried
forcemeat balls; send to table with a cut lemon. The scrag may be boiled
or stewed in various ways, with rice, onion-sauce, or parsley and
butter.
_Time_.--About 2 hours. _Average cost_, 8d. per lb.
895. INGREDIENTS.--A few thin slices of cold fillet of veal, a few thin
slices of bacon, forcemeat No. 417, a cupful of gravy, 4 tablespoonfuls
of cream, puff-crust.
VEAL PIE.
_Mode_.--Cut the cutlets into square pieces, and season them with
pepper, salt, and pounded mace; put them in a pie-dish with the savoury
herbs sprinkled over, and 1 or 2 slices of lean bacon or ham placed at
the top: if possible, this should be previously cooked, as undressed
bacon makes the veal red, and spoils its appearance. Pour in a little
water, cover with crust, ornament it in any way that is approved; brush
it over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a well-heated oven for
about 1-1/2 hour. Pour in a good gravy after baking, which is done by
removing the top ornament, and replacing it after the gravy is added.
_Mode_.--Cut the veal into nice square pieces, and put a layer of them
at the bottom of a pie-dish; sprinkle over these a portion of the herbs,
spices, seasoning, lemon-peel, and the yolks of the eggs cut in slices;
cut the ham very thin, and put a layer of this in. Proceed in this
manner until the dish is full, so arranging it that the ham comes at the
top. Lay a puff-paste on the edge of the dish, and pour in about 1/2
pint of water; cover with crust, ornament it with leaves, brush it over
with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a well-heated oven for 1 to 1-1/2
hour, or longer, should the pie be very large. When it is taken out of
the oven, pour in at the top, through a funnel, nearly 1/2 pint of
strong gravy: this should be made sufficiently good that, when cold, it
may cut in a firm jelly. This pie may be very much enriched by adding a
few mushrooms, oysters, or sweetbreads; but it will be found very good
without any of the last-named additions.
899. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of veal allow 1/4 lb. of ham, cayenne
and pounded mace to taste, 6 oz. of fresh butter; clarified butter.
_Mode_.--Any part of veal will make this dish. Cut the meat into
nice-looking pieces, put them in a stewpan with 1 oz. of butter, and fry
a light brown; add the gravy (hot water may be substituted for this),
thicken with a little butter and flour, and stew gently about 1/4 hour;
season with pepper, salt, and pounded mace; add the ketchup, sherry, and
lemon-juice; give one boil, and serve. Garnish the dish with forcemeat
balls and fried rashers of bacon.
901. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold roast veal, a few slices of ham
or bacon, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, 1 tablespoonful of minced
savoury herbs, 1 blade of pounded mace, a very little grated nutmeg,
cayenne and salt to taste, 2 eggs well beaten, bread crumbs.
_Mode_.--Mince the veal very finely with a little ham or bacon; add the
parsley, herbs, spices, and seasoning; mix into a paste with an egg;
form into balls or cones; brush these over with egg, sprinkle with bread
crumbs, and fry a rich brown. Serve with brown gravy, and garnish the
dish with fried parsley.
_Time_.--About 10 minutes to fry the rissoles.
_Mode_.--Cut a few slices from a cold fillet of veal 1/2 inch thick; rub
them over with egg; lay a thin slice of fat bacon over each piece of
veal; brush these with the egg, and over this spread the forcemeat
thinly; roll up each piece tightly, egg and bread crumb them, and fry
them a rich brown. Serve with mushroom sauce or brown gravy.
VEAL SAUSAGES.
_Mode_.--Chop the meat and bacon finely, and to every lb. allow the
above proportion of very finely-minced sage; add a seasoning of pepper
and salt, mix the whole well together, make it into flat cakes, and fry
a nice brown.
_Mode_.--Dredge the meat with flour, and roast or bake it for about 3/4
hour: it should acquire a nice brown colour. Put the meat into a stewpan
with the carrots, onions, potatoes, herbs, pepper, and salt; pour over
it sufficient boiling water to cover it, and stew gently for 2 hours.
Take out the meat and herbs, put it in a deep dish, skim off all the fat
from the gravy, and flavour it with lemon-juice, tomato sauce, and
mushroom ketchup in the above proportion. Have ready a pint of green
peas boiled; put these with the meat, pour over it the gravy, and
serve. The dish may be garnished with a few forcemeat balls. The meat,
when preferred, may be cut into chops, and floured and fried instead of
being roasted; and any part of veal dressed in this way will be found
extremely savoury and good.
[Illustration: SWEETBREADS.]
_Mode_.--Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for an hour; then boil them
for 10 minutes; cut them in slices, egg and bread crumb them, season
with pepper and salt, and put them into a frying-pan, with the above
proportion of butter. Keep turning them until done, which will be in
about 10 minutes; dish them, and pour over them a Ma�tre d'h�tel sauce,
made by recipe No. 466. The dish may be garnished with slices of cut
lemon.
_Note_.--The egg and bread crumb may be omitted, and the slices of
sweetbread dredged with a little flour instead, and a good gravy may be
substituted for the _maitre d'h�tel_ sauce. This is a very simple method
of dressing them.
_Mode_.--Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for 1 hour, and boil them
for 10 minutes; take them out, put them into cold water for a few
minutes; lay them in a stewpan with the stock, and simmer them gently
for rather more than 1/2 hour. Dish them; thicken the gravy with a
little butter and flour; let it boil up, add the remaining ingredients,
allow the sauce to get quite _hot_, but _not boil_, and pour it over the
sweetbreads.
_Note_.--A few mushrooms added to this dish, and stewed with the
sweetbreads, will be found an improvement.
SEASON AND CHOICE OF VEAL.--Veal, like all other meats, has its
season of plenty. The best veal, and the largest supply, are to
be had from March to the end of July. It comes principally from
the western counties, and is generally of the Alderney breed. In
purchasing veal, its whiteness and fineness of grain should be
considered, the colour being especially of the utmost
consequence. Veal may be bought at all times of the year and of
excellent quality, but is generally very dear, except in the
months of plenty.
VEAL CARVING.
BREAST OF VEAL.
CALF'S HEAD.
913. This is not altogether the most easy-looking dish to cut when it is
put before a carver for the first time; there is not much real
difficulty in the operation, however, when the head has been attentively
examined, and, after the manner of a phrenologist, you get to know its
bumps, good and bad. In the first place, inserting the knife quite down
to the bone, cut slices in the direction of the line 1 to 2; with each
of these should be helped a piece of what is called the throat
sweetbread, cut in the direction of from 3 to 4. The eye, and the flesh
round, are favourite morsels with many, and should be given to those at
the table who are known to be the greatest connoisseurs. The jawbone
being removed, there will then be found some nice lean; and the palate,
which is reckoned by some a tit-bit, lies under the head. On a separate
dish there is always served the tongue and brains, and each guest should
be asked to take some of these.
FILLET OF VEAL.
KNUCKLE OF VEAL.
LOIN OF VEAL.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XX.
921. BIRDS ARE DISTRIBUTED OVER EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE, being found in
the coldest as well as the hottest regions, although some species are
restricted to particular countries, whilst others are widely dispersed.
At certain seasons of the year, many of them change their abodes, and
migrate to climates better adapted to their temperaments or modes of
life, for a time, than those which they leave. Many of the birds of
Britain, directed by an unerring instinct, take their departure from the
island before the commencement of winter, and proceed to the more
congenial warmth of Africa, to return with the next spring. The causes
assigned by naturalists for this peculiarity are, either a deficiency of
food, or the want of a secure asylum for the incubation and nourishment
of their young. Their migrations are generally performed in large
companies, and, in the day, they follow a leader, which is occasionally
changed. During the night, many of the tribes send forth a continual
cry, to keep themselves together; although one would think that the
noise which must accompany their flight would be sufficient for that
purpose. The flight of birds across the Mediterranean was noticed three
thousand years ago, as we find it said in the book of Numbers, in the
Scriptures, that "There went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought
quails from the sea, and let them fall upon the camp, and a day's
journey round about it, to the height of two cubits above the earth."
924. ALL BIRDS BEING OVIPAROUS, the eggs which they produce after the
process of incubation, or sitting for a certain length of time, are, in
the various species, different both in figure and colour, as well as in
point of number. They contain the elements of the future young, for the
perfecting of which in the incubation a bubble of air is always placed
at the large end, between the shell and the inside skin. It is supposed
that from the heat communicated by the sitting bird to this confined
air, its spring is increased beyond its natural tenor, and, at the same
time, its parts are put into motion by the gentle rarefaction. By this
means, pressure and motion are communicated to the parts of the egg,
which, in some inscrutable way, gradually promote the formation and
growth of the young, till the time comes for its escaping from the
shell. To preserve an egg perfectly fresh, and even fit for incubation,
for 5 or 6 months after it has been laid, R�aumur, the French
naturalist, has shown that it is only necessary to stop up its pores
with a slight coating of varnish or mutton-suet.
925. BIRDS HOWEVER, DO NOT LAY EGGS before they have some place to put
them; accordingly, they construct nests for themselves with astonishing
art. As builders, they exhibit a degree of architectural skill,
niceness, and propriety, that would seem even to mock the imitative
talents of man, however greatly these are marked by his own high
intelligence and ingenuity.
"Each circumstance
Most artfully contrived to favour warmth.
Here read the reason of the vaulted roof;
How Providence compensates, ever kind,
The enormous disproportion that subsists
Between the mother and the numerous brood
Which her small bulk must quicken into life."
In building their nests, the male and female generally assist each
other, and they contrive to make the outside of their tenement bear as
great a resemblance as possible to the surrounding foliage or branches;
so that it cannot very easily be discovered even by those who are in
search of it. This art of nidification is one of the most wonderful
contrivances which the wide field of Nature can show, and which, of
itself, ought to be sufficient to compel mankind to the belief, that
they and every other part of the creation, are constantly under the
protecting power of a superintending Being, whose benign dispensations
seem as exhaustless as they are unlimited.
[Illustration]
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXI.
_Mode_.--Remove the breast and leg bones of the chickens; cut the meat
into neat pieces after having skinned it, and season the cutlets with
pepper, salt, pounded mace, and cayenne. Put the bones, trimmings, &c.,
into a stewpan with 1 pint of water, adding carrots, onions, and
lemon-peel in the above proportion; stew gently for 1-1/2 hour, and
strain the gravy. Thicken it with butter and flour, add the ketchup and
1 egg well beaten; stir it over the fire, and bring it to the
simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil. In the mean time, egg and
bread-crumb the cutlets, and give them a few drops of clarified butter;
fry them a delicate brown, occasionally turning them; arrange them
pyramidically on the dish, and pour over them the sauce.
_Mode_.--Mince very small the white meat from a cold roast fowl, after
removing all the skin; weigh it, and to every 1/4 lb. of meat allow the
above proportion of minced ham. Put these into a stewpan with the
remaining ingredients, stir over the fire for 10 minutes or 1/4 hour,
taking care that the mixture does not burn. Roll out some puff paste
about 1/4 inch in thickness; line the patty-pans with this, put upon
each a small piece of bread, and cover with another layer of paste;
brush over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a brisk oven for about
1/4 hour. When done, cut a round piece out of the top, and, with a small
spoon, take out the bread (be particular in not breaking the outside
border of the crust), and fill the patties with the mixture.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to prepare the meat; not quite 1/4 hour to bake the
crust.
929. INGREDIENTS.--2 small fowls or 1 large one, white pepper and salt
to taste, 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded
mace, forcemeat No. 417, a few slices of ham, 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1/2
pint of water, puff crust.
_Mode_.--Skin and cut up the fowls into joints, and put the neck, leg,
and backbones in a stewpan, with a little water, an onion, a bunch of
savoury herbs, and a blade of mace; let these stew for about an hour,
and, when done, strain off the liquor: this is for gravy. Put a layer of
fowl at the bottom of a pie-dish, then a layer of ham, then one of
forcemeat and hard-boiled eggs cut in rings; between the layers put a
seasoning of pounded mace, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Proceed in this
manner until the dish is full, and pour in about 1/2 pint of water;
border the edge of the dish with puff crust, put on the cover, ornament
the top, and glaze it by brushing over it the yolk of an egg. Bake from
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour, should the pie be very large, and, when done, pour
in, at the top, the gravy made from the bones. If to be eaten cold, and
wished particularly nice, the joints of the fowls should be boned, and
placed in the dish with alternate layers of forcemeat; sausage-meat may
also be substituted for the forcemeat, and is now very much used. When
the chickens are boned, and mixed with sausage-meat, the pie will take
about 2 hours to bake. It should be covered with a piece of paper when
about half-done, to prevent the paste from being dried up or scorched.
_Time_.--For a pie with unboned meat, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour; with boned
meat and sausage or forcemeat, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
_Mode_.--Strip the meat from the bones of cold roast fowl; when it is
freed from gristle and skin, weigh it, and, to every lb. of meat, allow
the above proportion of butter, seasoning, and spices. Cut the meat
into small pieces, pound it well with the fresh butter, sprinkle in the
spices gradually, and keep pounding until reduced to a perfectly smooth
paste. Put it into potting-pots for use, and cover it with clarified
butter, about 1/4 inch in thickness, and, if to be kept for some time,
tie over a bladder: 2 or 3 slices of ham, minced and pounded with the
above ingredients, will be found an improvement. It should be kept in a
dry place.
_Mode_.--Trim neatly the remains of the chicken; wash, dry, and slice
the lettuces, and place in the middle of a dish; put the pieces of fowl
on the top, and pour the salad-dressing over them. Garnish the edge of
the salad with hard-boiled eggs cut in rings, sliced cucumber, and
boiled beetroot cut in slices. Instead of cutting the eggs in rings, the
yolks may be rubbed through a hair sieve, and the whites chopped very
finely, and arranged on the salad in small bunches, yellow and white
alternately. This should not be made long before it is wanted for table.
_Mode_.--Cut the duck into nice joints, and put the trimmings into a
stewpan; slice and fry the onion in a little butter; add these to the
trimmings, pour in the above proportion of weak stock or water, and stew
gently for 1 hour. Strain the liquor, thicken it with butter and flour,
season with salt and cayenne, and add the remaining ingredients; boil it
up and skim well; lay in the pieces of duck, and let them get thoroughly
hot through by the side of the fire, but do not allow them to boil: they
should soak in the gravy for about 1/2 hour. Garnish with sippets of
toasted bread. The hash may be made richer by using a stronger and more
highly-flavoured gravy; a little spice or pounded mace may also be
added, when their flavour is liked.
933. INGREDIENTS.--1 large duck, pepper and salt to taste, good beef
gravy, 2 onions sliced, 4 sage-leaves, a few leaves of lemon thyme,
thickening of butter and flour.
_Mode_.--After having emptied and singed the duck, season it inside with
pepper and salt, and truss it. Roast it before a clear fire for about 20
minutes, and let it acquire a nice brown colour. Put it into a stewpan
with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it; slice and fry the
onions, and add these, with the sage-leaves and lemon thyme, both of
which should be finely minced, to the stock. Simmer gently until the
duck is tender; strain, skim, and thicken the gravy with a little butter
and flour; boil it up, pour over the duck, and serve. When in season,
about, 1-1/2 pint of young green peas, boiled separately, and put in the
rago�t, very much improve this dish.
ROAST DUCKS.
_Mode_.--To insure ducks being tender, never dress them the same day
they are killed; and if the weather permits, they should hang a day or
two. Make a stuffing of sage and onion sufficient for one duck, and
leave the other unseasoned, as the flavour is not liked by everybody.
Put them down to a brisk clear fire, and keep them well basted the whole
of the time they are cooking. A few minutes before serving, dredge them
lightly with flour, to make them froth and look plump; and when the
steam draws towards the fire, send them to table hot and quickly, with a
good brown gravy poured _round_, but not _over_ the ducks, and a little
of the same in a tureen. When in season, green peas should invariably
accompany this dish.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
_Mode_.--Cut up the duck into joints, lay it in the gravy, and add a
seasoning of cayenne, salt, and minced lemon-peel; let tins gradually
warm through, but not boil. Throw the peas into boiling water slightly
salted, and boil them rapidly until tender. Drain them, stir in the
pounded sugar, and the butter rolled in flour; shake them over the fire
for two or three minutes, and serve in the centre of the dish, with the
duck laid round.
_Time_.--15 minutes to boil the peas, when they are full grown.
_Mode_.--Cut up the duck into joints, fry the shalots, carrots, and
herbs, and put them, with the duck, into the gravy; add the pounded
mace, and stew gently for 20 minutes or 1/2 hour. Cut about 1 lb. of
turnips, weighed after being peeled, into 1/2-inch squares, put the
butter into a stewpan, and stew them till quite tender, which will be in
about 1/2 hour, or rather more; season with pepper and salt, and serve
in the centre of the dish, with the duck, &c. laid round.
[Illustration: CALL-DUCKS.]
THE DECOY MAN, DOG, AND DUCKS.--"The first thing the decoy-man
did, on approaching the ditch, was to take a piece of lighted
peat or turf, and to hold it near his mouth, to prevent the
birds from smelling him. He was attended by a dog trained to
render him assistance. He walked very silently about halfway up
the shootings, where a small piece of wood was thrust through
the reed fence, which made an aperture just large enough to
enable him to see if there were any fowl within; if not, he
walked to see if any were about the entrance to the ditch. If
there were, he stopped, made a motion to his dog, and gave him a
piece of cheese to eat, when the dog went directly to a hole
through the reed fence, and the birds immediately flew off the
back into the water. The dog returned along the bank between the
reed fences, and came out to his master at another hole. The man
then gave the dog something more to encourage him, and the dog
repeated his rounds, till the birds were attracted by his
motions, and followed him into the mouth of the ditch--an
operation which was called 'working them.' The man now retreated
further back, working the dog at different holes, until the
ducks were sufficiently under the net. He then commanded his dog
to lie down under the fence, and going himself forward to the
end of the ditch next the lake, he took off his hat, and gave it
a wave between the shootings. All the birds that were under the
net could then see him, but none that were in the lake could.
The former flew forward, and the man then ran to the next
shooting, and waved his hat, and so on, driving them along until
they came into the tunnel-net, into which they crept. When they
were all in, the man gave the net a twist, so as to prevent them
getting back. He then took the net off from the end of the
ditch, and taking out, one by one, the ducks that were in it,
dislocated their necks."
_Mode_.--When, they are firmly trussed, put them into a stewpan with
plenty of hot water; bring it to boil, and carefully remove all the scum
as it rises. _Simmer very gently_ until the fowl is tender, and bear in
mind that the slower it boils, the plumper and whiter will the fowl be.
Many cooks wrap them in a floured cloth to preserve the colour, and to
prevent the scum from clinging to them; in this case, a few slices of
lemon should be placed on the breasts; over these a sheet of buttered
paper, and then the cloth; cooking them in this manner renders the flesh
very white. Boiled ham, bacon, boiled tongue, or pickled pork, are the
usual accompaniments to boiled fowls, and they may be served with
B�chamel, white sauce, parsley and butter, oyster, lemon, liver, celery,
or mushroom sauce. A little should be poured over the fowls, after the
skewers are removed, and the remainder sent in a tureen to table.
[Illustration: GAME-FOWLS.]
_Mode_.--Truss the fowl as for boiling, and put it into a stewpan with
sufficient clear well-skimmed mutton broth to cover it; add the onion,
mace, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; stew very gently for about 1
hour, should the fowl be large, and about 1/2 hour before it is ready
put in the rice, which should be well washed and soaked. When the latter
is tender, strain it from the liquor, and put it on a sieve reversed to
dry before the fire, and, in the mean time, keep the fowl hot. Dish it,
put the rice round as a border, pour a little parsley and butter over
the fowl, and the remainder send to table in a tureen.
[Illustration: DORKINGS.]
CURRIED FOWL.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a stewpan, with the onions sliced, the fowl
cut into small joints, and the apple peeled, cored, and minced. Fry of a
pale brown, add the stock, and stew gently for 20 minutes; rub down the
curry-powder and flour with a little of the gravy, quite smoothly, and
stir this to the other ingredients; simmer for rather more than 1/2
hour, and just before serving, add the above proportion of hot cream and
lemon-juice. Serve with boiled rice, which may either be heaped lightly
on a dish by itself, or put round the curry as a border.
_Time_.--50 minutes.
_Note_.--This curry may be made of cold chicken, but undressed meat will
be found far superior.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions, peel, core, and chop the apple, and cut the
fowl into neat joints; fry these in the butter of a nice brown; then add
the curry-powder, flour, and gravy, and stew for about 20 minutes. Put
in the lemon-juice, and serve with boiled rice, either placed in a ridge
round the dish or separately. Two or three shallots or a little garlic
may be added, if approved.
[Illustration: COCHIN-CHINAS.]
_Mode_.--Truss and boil the fowls by recipe No. 938; make a pint of
B�chamel sauce by recipe No. 367; pour some of this over the fowls, and
the remainder send to table in a tureen. Garnish the dish with bunches
of boiled cauliflowers or brocoli, and serve very hot. The sauce should
be made sufficiently thick to adhere to the fowls; that for the tureen
should be thinned by adding a spoonful or two of stock.
(_Excellent_.)
_Mode_.--Truss a young fowl as for boiling; fill the inside with oysters
which have been bearded and washed in their own liquor; secure the ends
of the fowl, put it into a jar, and plunge the jar into a saucepan of
boiling water. Keep it boiling for 1-1/2 hour, or rather longer; then
take the gravy that has flowed from the oysters and fowl, of which there
will be a good quantity; stir in the cream and yolks of eggs, add a few
oysters scalded in their liquor; let the sauce get quite _hot_, but do
not allow it to _boil;_ pour some of it over the fowl, and the remainder
send to table in a tureen. A blade of pounded mace added to the sauce,
with the cream and eggs, will be found an improvement.
_Time_.--1 hour to make the gravy, 1/2 hour to simmer the fowl.
_Mode_.--Carve the fowls into nice joints; make gravy of the trimmings
and legs, by stewing them with the lemon-peel, mace, herbs, onion,
seasoning, and water, until reduced to 1/2 pint; then strain, and put in
the fowl. Warm it through, and thicken with a teaspoonful of flour; stir
the yolks of the eggs into the cream; add these to the sauce, let it get
thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
_Time_.--1 hour to make the gravy, 1/4 hour to warm the fowl.
I.
_Mode_.--Cut the fowl into nice joints; steep them for an hour in a
little vinegar, with salt, cayenne, and minced shalots. Make the batter
by mixing the flour and water smoothly together; melt in it the butter,
and add the whites of egg beaten to a froth; take out the pieces of
fowl, dip them in the batter, and fry, in boiling lard, a nice brown.
Pile them high in the dish, and garnish with fried parsley or rolled
bacon. When approved, a sauce or gravy may be served with them.
II.
POULET A LA MARENGO.
_Mode_.--Take the remains of roast fowls, mince the white meat very
small, and put it into a stewpan with the B�chamel and stock; stir it
well over the fire, and just let it boil up. Pour the mince into a dish,
beat up the white of egg, spread it over, and strew on it a few grated
bread crumbs; pour a very little clarified butter on the whole, and
brown either before the fire or with a salamander. This should be served
in a silver dish, if at hand.
RAGOUT OF FOWL.
_Mode_.--Cut the fowls up into neat pieces, the same as for a fricassee;
put the trimmings into a stewpan with the shalots, mace, herbs, ham,
onion, and stock (water may be substituted for this). Boil it slowly for
1 hour, strain the liquor, and put a small piece of butter into a
stewpan; when melted, dredge in sufficient flour to dry up the butter,
and stir it over the fire. Put in the strained liquor, boil for a few
minutes, and strain it again over the pieces of fowl. Squeeze in the
lemon-juice, add the sugar and a seasoning of pepper and salt, make it
hot, but do not allow it to boil; lay the fowl neatly on the dish, and
garnish with cro�tons.
ROAST FOWLS.
_Time_.--A very large fowl, quite 1 hour, medium-sized one 3/4 hour,
chicken 1/2 hour, or rather longer.
_Average cost_, in full season, 5s. a pair; when scarce, 7s. 6d. the
pair.
_Mode_.--Put the rice into the above proportion of cold stock or broth,
and let it boil very gently for 1/2 hour; then add the butter, and
simmer it till quite dry and soft When cold, make it into balls, hollow
out the inside, and fill with minced fowl made by recipe No. 956. The
mince should be rather thick. Cover over with rice, dip the balls into
egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and fry a nice brown. Dish them,
and garnish with fried parsley. Oysters, white sauce, or a little cream,
may be stirred into the rice before it cools.
_Mode_.--Mince the fowl, carefully removing all skin and bone, and fry
the shalots in the butter; add the minced fowl, dredge in the flour, put
in the pepper, salt, mace, pounded sugar, and sufficient white sauce to
moisten it; stir to it the yolks of 2 well-beaten eggs, and set it by to
cool. Then make the mixture up into balls, egg and bread-crumb them, and
fry a nice brown. They may be served on a border of mashed potatoes,
with gravy or sauce in the centre.
_Mode_.--Cut off the best joints from the fowl, and the remainder make
into gravy, by adding to the bones and trimmings a pint of water, an
onion sliced and fried of a nice brown, the carrots, mace, seasoning,
and herbs. Let these stew gently for 1-1/2 hour, strain the liquor, and
thicken with a little flour and butter. Lay in the fowl, thoroughly warm
it through, add the ketchup, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread.
_Mode_.--Cut out from the fowl all the white meat, and mince it finely
without any skin or bone; put the bones, skin, and trimmings into a
stewpan with an onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, a blade of mace, and
nearly a pint of water; let this stew for an hour, then strain the
liquor. Chop the eggs small; mix them with the fowl; add salt, cayenne,
and pounded mace, put in the gravy and remaining ingredients; let the
whole just boil, and serve with sippets of toasted bread.
_Mode_.--Cut the onions into slices, mince the apple, and fry these in
the butter; add pounded mace, pepper, salt, curry-powder, vinegar,
flour, and sugar in the above proportions; when the onion is brown, put
it the gravy, which should be previously made from the bones and
trimmings of the fowls, and stew for 3/4 hour; add the fowl cut into
nice-sized joints, let it warm through, and when quite tender, serve.
The dish should be garnished with au edging of boiled rice.
_Mode_.--Strip off the skin from the fowl; cut the meat into
thin slices, and warm them in about 1/2 pint, or rather more, of
B�chamel, or white sauce. When quite hot, serve, and garnish the
dish with rolled ham or bacon toasted.
_Mode_.--Cut the fowl into nice pieces; put the butter into a stew-pan;
sautez or fry the fowl a nice brown colour, previously sprinkling it
with pepper, salt, and pounded mace. Dredge in the flour, shake the
ingredients well round, then add the stock and peas, and stew till the
latter are tender, which will be in about 20 minutes; put in the pounded
sugar, and serve, placing the chicken round, and the peas in the middle
of the dish. When liked, mushrooms may be substituted for the peas.
_Time_.--Altogether 40 minutes.
FOWL A LA MAYONNAISE.
_Mode_.--Cut the fowl into neat joints, lay them in a deep dish, piling
them high in the centre, sauce the fowl with Mayonnaise made by recipe
No. 468, and garnish the dish with young lettuces cut in halves,
water-cresses, endive, and hard-boiled eggs: these may be sliced in
rings, or laid on the dish whole, cutting off at the bottom a piece of
the white, to make the egg stand. All kinds of cold meat and solid fish
may be dressed � la Mayonnaise, and make excellent luncheon or supper
dishes. The sauce should not be poured over the fowls until the moment
of serving. Should a very large Mayonnaise be required, use 2 fowls
instead of 1, with an equal proportion of the remaining ingredients.
_Average cost_, with one fowl, 3s. 6d.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to stew the fowl without the rice; 1/2 hour with it.
[Illustration: SULTANS.]
_Mode_.--Truss and roast a fowl by recipe No. 952, taking care that it
is nicely frothed and brown. Wash and dry the water-cresses, pick them
nicely, and arrange them in a flat layer on a dish. Sprinkle over a
little salt and the above proportion of vinegar; place over these the
fowl, and pour over it the gravy. A little gravy should be served in a
tureen. When not liked, the vinegar may be omitted.
_Mode_.--Select a large plump fowl, fill the breast with forcemeat, made
by recipe No. 417, truss it firmly, the same as for a plain roast fowl,
dredge it with flour, and put it down to a bright fire. Roast it for
nearly or quite an hour, should it be very large; remove the skewers,
and serve with a good brown gravy and a tureen of bread sauce.
GIBLET PIE.
_Mode_.--Clean, and put the giblets into a stewpan with an onion, whole
pepper, and a bunch of savoury herbs; add rather more than a pint of
water, and simmer gently for about 1-1/2 hour. Take them out, let them
cool, and cut them into pieces; line the bottom of a pie-dish with a few
pieces of rump-steak; add a layer of giblets and a few more pieces of
steak; season with pepper and salt, and pour in the gravy (which should
be strained), that the giblets were stewed in; cover with a plain crust,
and bake for rather more than 1-1/2 hour in a brisk oven. Cover a piece
of paper over the pie, to prevent the crust taking too much colour.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour to stew the giblets, about 1 hour to bake the pie.
HASHED GOOSE.
_Mode_.--Cut up the goose into pieces of the size required; the inferior
joints, trimmings, &c., put into a stewpan to make the gravy; slice and
fry the onions in the butter of a very pale brown; add these to the
trimmings, and pour over about a pint of boiling water; stew these
gently for 3/4 hour, then skim and strain the liquor. Thicken it with
flour, and flavour with port wine and ketchup, in the above proportion;
add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and put in the pieces of goose; let
these get thoroughly hot through, but do not allow them to boil, and
serve with sippets of toasted bread.
ROAST GOOSE.
_Mode_.--Geese are called green till they are about four months old, and
should not be stuffed. After it has been singed and trussed, the same as
in the preceding recipe, put into the body a seasoning of pepper and
salt, and the butter to moisten it inside. Roast before a clear fire for
about 3/4 hour, froth and brown it nicely, and serve with a brown gravy,
and, when liked, gooseberry-sauce. This dish should be garnished with
water-cresses.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
[Illustration: GUINEA-FOWLS.]
ROAST LARKS.
BROILED PIGEONS.
_Mode_.--Take care that the pigeons are quite fresh, and carefully
pluck, draw, and wash them; split the backs, rub the birds over with
butter, season them with pepper and salt, and broil them over a moderate
fire for 1/4 hour or 20 minutes. Serve very hot, with either
mushroom-sauce or a good gravy. Pigeons may also be plainly boiled, and
served with parsley and butter; they should be trussed like boiled
fowls, and take from 1/4 hour to 20 minutes to boil.
ROAST PIGEONS.
_Mode_.--Wipe the birds very dry, season them inside with pepper and
salt, and put about 3/4 oz. of butter into the body of each: this makes
them moist. Put them down to a bright fire, and baste them well the
whole of the time they are cooking (they will be done enough in from 20
to 30 minutes); garnish with fried parsley, and serve with a tureen of
parsley and butter. Bread-sauce and gravy, the same as for roast fowl,
are exceedingly nice accompaniments to roast pigeons, as also egg-sauce.
_Mode_.--Cut the steak into pieces about 3 inches square, and with it
line the bottom of a pie-dish, seasoning it well with pepper and salt.
Clean the pigeons, rub them with pepper and salt inside and out, and put
into the body of each rather more than 1/2 oz. of butter; lay them on
the steak, and a piece of ham on each pigeon. Add the yolks of 4 eggs,
and half fill the dish with stock; place a border of puff paste round
the edge of the dish, put on the cover, and ornament it in any way that
may be preferred. Clean three of the feet, and place them in a hole made
in the crust at the top: this shows what kind of pie it is. Glaze the
crust,--that is to say, brush it over with the yolk of an egg,--and bake
it in a well-heated oven for about 1-1/4 hour. When liked, a seasoning
of pounded mace may be added.
[Illustration: WOOD-PIGEON.]
STEWED PIGEONS.
_Mode_.--Empty and clean the pigeons thoroughly, mince the livers, add
to these the parsley and butter, and put it into the insides of the
birds. Truss them with the legs inward, and put them into a stewpan,
with a few slices of bacon placed under and over them; add the stock,
and stew gently for rather more than 1/2 hour. Dish the pigeons, strain
the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add the ketchup and port
wine, give one boil, pour over the pigeons, and serve.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 6d. to 9d. each.
BOILED RABBIT.
_Time_.--A very young rabbit, 1/2 hour; a large one, 3/4 hour; an old
one, 1 hour or longer.
CURRIED RABBIT.
_Mode_.--Empty, skin, and wash the rabbit thoroughly, and cut it neatly
into joints. Put it into a stewpan with the butter and sliced onions,
and let them acquire a nice brown colour, but do not allow them to
blacken. Pour in the stock, which should be boiling; mix the curry
powder and flour smoothly with a little water, add it to the stock, with
the mushroom powder, and simmer gently for rather more than 1/2 hour;
squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve in the centre of a dish, with an
edging of boiled rice all round. Where economy is studied, water may be
substituted for the stock; in this case, the meat and onions must be
very nicely browned. A little sour apple and rasped cocoa-nut stewed
with the curry will be found a great improvement.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
FRIED RABBIT.
_Mode_.--Cut the rabbit into neat joints, and flour them well; make the
dripping boiling in a fryingpan, put in the rabbit, and fry it a nice
brown. Have ready a very hot dish, put in the butter, shalot, and
ketchup; arrange the rabbit pyramidically on this, and serve as quickly
as possible.
_Note_.--The rabbit may be brushed over with egg, and sprinkled with
bread crumbs, and fried as above. When cooked in this manner, make a
gravy in the pan by recipe No. 866, and pour it round, but not over, the
pieces of rabbit.
RABBIT A LA MINUTE.
980. INGREDIENTS.--1 rabbit, 1/4 lb. of butter, salt and pepper to
taste, 2 blades of pounded mace, 3 dried mushrooms, 2 tablespoonfuls of
minced parsley, 2 teaspoonfuls of flour, 2 glasses of sherry, 1 pint of
water.
_Mode_.--Empty, skin, and wash the rabbit thoroughly, and cut it into
joints. Put the butter into a stewpan with the pieces of rabbit; add
salt, pepper, and pounded mace, and let it cook until three parts done;
then put in the remaining ingredients, and boil for about 10 minutes: it
will then be ready to serve. Fowls or hare may be dressed in the same
manner.
RABBIT PIE.
981. INGREDIENTS.--1 rabbit, a few slices of ham, salt and white pepper
to taste, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, a
few forcemeat balls, 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1/2 pint of gravy, puff crust.
Note.--The liver of the rabbit may be boiled, minced, and mixed with the
forcemeat balls, when the flavour is liked.
_Mode_.--Slice the onions, and put them into a stewpan with the flour
and butter; place the pan near the fire, stir well as the butter melts,
till the onions become a rich brown colour, and add, by degrees, a
little water or gravy till the mixture is of the consistency of cream.
Cut some thin slices of bacon; lay in these with the rabbit, cut into
neat joints; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, the lemon and bay-leaf,
and let the whole simmer until tender. Pour in the port wine, give one
boil, and serve.
_Mode_.--Empty, skin, and thoroughly wash the rabbit; wipe it dry, line
the inside with sausage-meat and forcemeat made by recipe No. 417, and
to which has been added the minced liver. Sew the stuffing inside,
skewer back the head between the shoulders, cut off the fore-joints of
the shoulders and legs, bring: them close to the body, and secure them
by means of a skewer. Wrap the rabbit in buttered paper, and put it down
to a bright clear fire; keep it well basted, and a few minutes before it
is done remove the paper, flour and froth it, and let it acquire a nice
brown colour. Take out the skewers, and serve with brown gravy and
red-currant jelly. To bake the rabbit, proceed in the same manner as
above; in a good oven, it will take about the same time as roasting.
_Average cost_, from 1s. to 1s. 6d. each. _Sufficient_ for 4 persons.
STEWED RABBIT.
_Mode_.--Cut the rabbit into small joints; put them into a stewpan, add
the onions sliced, the cloves, and minced lemon-peel. Pour in sufficient
water to cover the meat, and, when the rabbit is nearly done, drop in a
few forcemeat balls, to which has been added the liver, finely chopped.
Thicken the gravy with flour and butter, put in the ketchup, give one
boil, and serve.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. to 1s. 6d each.
The difference between the fancy and common rabbit in the back,
independent of the ears, is sufficient to strike the common
observer. Fancy rabbits fetch a very high price; so much as five
and ten guineas, and even more, is sometimes given for a
first-rate doe. If young ones are first procured from a good
family, the foundation of an excellent stock can be procured for
a much smaller sum. Sometimes the ears, instead of drooping
down, slope backwards: a rabbit with this characteristic is
scarcely admitted into a fancy lot, and is not considered worth
more than the common variety. The next position is when one ear
lops outwards, and the other stands erect: rabbits of this kind
possess but little value, however fine the shape and beautiful
the colour, although they sometimes breed as good specimens as
finer ones.
"The real lop has ears that hang down by the side of the cheek,
slanting somewhat outward in their descent, with the open part
of the ear inward, and sometimes either backwards or forwards
instead of perpendicular: when the animals stand in an easy
position, the tips of the ears touch the ground. The hollows of
the ears, in a fancy rabbit of a first-rate kind, should be
turned so completely backwards that only the outer part of them
should remain in front: they should match exactly in their
descent, and should slant outwards as little as possible."
The same authority asserts that perfect lops are so rare, that a
breeder possessing twenty of the handsomest and most perfect
does would consider himself lucky if, in the course of a year,
he managed to raise twelve full-lopped rabbits out of them all.
As regards variety and purity of colour an experienced breeder
says:--
"But A good fancy rabbit must likewise have other marks, without
which it cannot be considered a perfect model of its kind. There
should be a black or blue patch on its back, called the saddle;
the tail must be of the same colour with the back and snout;
while the legs should be all white; and there ought to be dark
stripes on both sides of the body in front, passing backwards to
meet the saddle, and uniting on the top of the shoulders at the
part called the withers in a horse. These stripes form what is
termed the 'chain' having somewhat the appearance of a chain or
collar hanging round the neck."
_Mode_.--Well wash the rabbit, cut it into quarters, lard them with
Blips of bacon, and fry them; then put them into a stewpan with the
broth, herbs, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; simmer gently until
the rabbit is tender, then strain the gravy, thicken it with butter and
flour, add the sherry, give one boil, pour it over the rabbit, and
serve. Garnish with slices of cut lemon.
BOILED TURKEY.
_Average cost_, 5s. 6d. to 7s. 6d. each, but more expensive at
Christmas, on account of the great demand.
_Mode_.--Cut some nice slices from the remains of a cold turkey, and put
the bones and trimmings into a stewpan, with the lemon-peel, herbs,
onion, pepper, salt, add the water; stew for an hour, strain the gravy,
and lay in the pieces of turkey. When warm through, add the cream and
the yolk of an egg; stir it well round, and, when getting thick, take
out the pieces, lay them on a hot dish, and pour the sauce over. Garnish
the fricass�e with sippets of toasted bread. Celery or cucumbers, cut
into small pieces, may be put into the sauce; if the former, it must be
boiled first.
The turkey is one of the most difficult birds to rear, and its
flesh is much esteemed.
HASHED TURKEY.
_Mode_.--Cut the turkey into neat joints; the best pieces reserve for
the hash, the inferior joints and trimmings put into a stewpan with an
onion cut in slices, pepper and salt, a carrot, turnip, mace, herbs, and
water in the above proportion; simmer these for an hour, then strain the
gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, flavour with ketchup and port
wine, and lay in the pieces of turkey to warm through; if there is any
stuffing left, put that in also, as it so much improves the flavour of
the gravy. When it boils, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of
toasted bread.
ROAST TURKEY.
990. INGREDIENTS.--Turkey; forcemeat No. 417.
992. After the fowl has been drawn and singed, wipe it inside and out
with a clean cloth, but do not wash it. Take off the head, cut through
the skin all round the first joint of the legs, and pull them from the
fowl, to draw out the large tendons. Raise the flesh first from the
lower part of the backbone, and a little also from the end of the
breastbone, if necessary; work the knife gradually to the socket of the
thigh; with the point of the knife detach the joint from it, take the
end of the bone firmly in the fingers, and cut the flesh clean from it
down to the next joint, round which pass the point of the knife
carefully, and when the skin is loosened from it in every part, cut
round the next bone, keeping; the edge of the knife close to it, until
the whole of the leg is done. Remove the bones of the other leg in the
same manner; then detach the flesh from the back--and breast-bone
sufficiently to enable you to reach the upper joints of the wings;
proceed with these as with the legs, but be especially careful not to
pierce the skin of the second joint: it is usual to leave the pinions
unboned, in order to give more easily its natural form to the fowl when
it is dressed. The merrythought and neck-bones may now easily be cut
away, the back-and side-bones taken out without being divided, and the
breastbone separated carefully from the flesh (which, as the work
progresses, must be turned back from the bones upon the fowl, until it
is completely inside out). After the one remaining bone is removed, draw
the wings and legs back to their proper form, and turn the fowl right
side outwards.
994. Cut through the skin down the centre of the back, and raise the
flesh carefully on either side with the point of a sharp knife, until
the sockets of the wings and thighs are reached. Till a little practice
has been gained, it will perhaps be bettor to bone these joints before
proceeding further; but after they are once detached from it, the whole
of the body may easily be separated from the flesh and taken out entire:
only the neck-bones and merrythought will then remain to be removed. The
bird thus prepared may either be restored to its original form, by
filling the legs and wings with forcemeat, and the body with the livers
of two or three fowls, mixed with alternate layers of parboiled tongue
freed from the rind, fine sausage-meat, or veal forcemeat, or thin
slices of the nicest bacon, or aught else of good flavour, which will
give a marbled appearance to the fowl when it is carved; and then be
sewn up and trussed as usual; or the legs and wings may be drawn inside
the body, and the bird being first flattened on a table, may be covered
with sausage-meat, and the various other ingredients we have named, so
placed that it shall be of equal thickness in every part; then tightly
rolled, bound firmly together with a fillet of broad tape, wrapped in a
thin pudding-cloth, closely tied at both ends, and dressed as
follows:--Put it into a braising-pan, stewpan, or thick iron saucepan,
bright in the inside, and fitted as nearly as may be to its size; add
all the chicken-bones, a bunch of sweet herbs, two carrots, two
bay-leaves, a large blade of mace, twenty-four white peppercorns, and
any trimmings or bones of undressed veal which may be at hand; cover the
whole with good veal broth, add salt, if needed, and stew it very
softly, from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half; let it cool in
the liquor in which it was stewed; and after it is lifted out, boil down
the gravy to a jelly and strain it; let it become cold, clear off the
fat, and serve it cut into large dice or roughed, and laid round the
fowl, which is to be served cold. If restored to its form, instead of
being rolled, it must be stewed gently for an hour, and may then be sent
to table hot, covered with mushroom, or any other good sauce that may be
preferred; or it may be left until the following day, and served
garnished with the jelly, which should be firm, and very clear and
well-flavoured: the liquor in which a calf's foot has been boiled down,
added to the broth, will give it the necessary degree of consistence.
995. First carve them entirely into joints, then remove the bones,
beginning with the legs and wings, at the head of the largest bone; hold
this with the fingers, and work the knife as directed in the recipe
above. The remainder of the birds is too easily done to require any
instructions.
TO DRESS WHEATEARS.
_Mode_.--After the birds are picked, gutted, and cleaned, truss them
like larks, put them down to a quick fire, and baste them well with
fresh butter. When done, which will be in about 20 minutes, dish them on
fried bread crumbs, and garnish the dish with slices of lemon.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
POULTRY CARVING.
ROAST DUCK.
BOILED FOWL.
1000. This will not be found a very difficult member of the poultry
family to carve, unless, as may happen, a very old farmyard occupant,
useless for egg-laying purposes, has, by some unlucky mischance, been
introduced info the kitchen as a "fine young chicken." Skill, however,
and the application of a small amount of strength, combined with a fine
keeping of the temper, will even get over that difficulty. Fixing the
fork firmly in the breast, let the knife be sharply passed along the
line shown from 1 to 2; then cut downwards from that line to fig. 3; and
the wing, it will be found, can be easily withdrawn. The shape of the
wing should be like the accompanying engraving. Let the fork be placed
inside the leg, which should be gently forced away from the body of the
fowl; and the joint, being thus discovered, the carver can readily cut
through it, and the leg can be served. When the leg is displaced, it
should be of the same shape as that shown in the annexed woodcut. The
legs and wings on either side having been taken off, the carver should
draw his knife through the flesh in the direction of the line 4 to 5: by
this means the knife can be slipped underneath the merrythought, which,
being lifted up and pressed backward, will immediately come off. The
collar--or neck-bones are the next to consider: these lie on each side
of the merrythought, close under the upper part of the wings; and, in
order to free these from the fowl, they must also be raised by the knife
at their broad end, and turned from the body towards the breastbone,
until the shorter piece of the bone, as shown in the cut, breaks off.
There will now be left only the breast, with the ribs. The breast can
be, without difficulty, disengaged from the ribs by cutting through the
latter, which will offer little impediment. The side-bones are now to be
taken off; and to do this, the lower end of the back should be turned
from the carver, who should press the point of the knife through the top
of the backbone, near the centre, bringing it down towards the end of
the back completely through the bone. If the knife is now turned in the
opposite direction, the joint will be easily separated from the
vertebra. The backbone being now uppermost, the fork should be pressed
firmly down on it, whilst at the same time the knife should be employed
in raising up the lower small end of the fowl towards the fork, and thus
the back will be dislocated about its middle. The wings, breast, and
merrythought are esteemed the prime parts of a fowl, and are usually
served to the ladies of the company, to whom legs, except as a matter of
paramount necessity, should not be given. Byron gave it as one reason
why he did not like dining with ladies, that they always had the wings
of the fowls, which he himself preferred. We heard a gentleman who, when
he might have had a wing, declare his partiality for a leg, saying that
he had been obliged to eat legs for so long a time, that he had at last
come to like them better than the other more prized parts. If the fowl
is, capon-like, very large, slices maybe carved from its breast in the
same manner as from a turkey's.
ROAST FOWL.
ROAST GOOSE.
1002. It would not be fair to say that this dish bodes a great deal of
happiness to an inexperienced carver, especially if there is a large
party to serve, and the slices off the breast should not suffice to
satisfy the desires and cravings of many wholesome appetites, produced,
may be, by the various sports in vogue at Michaelmas and Christmas. The
beginning of the task, however, is not in any way difficult. Evenly-cut
slices, not too thick or too thin, should be carved from the breast in
the direction of the line from 2 to 3; after the first slice has been
cut, a hole should be made with the knife in the part called the apron,
passing it round the line, as indicated by the figures 1, 1, 1: here the
stuffing is located, and some of this should be served on each plate,
unless it is discovered that it is not agreeable to the taste of some
one guest. If the carver manages cleverly, he will be able to cut a very
large number of fine slices off the breast, and the more so if he
commences close down by the wing, and carves upwards towards the ridge
of the breastbone. As many slices as can be taken from the breast being
carved, the wings should be cut off; and the same process as described
in carving boiled fowl, is made use of in this instance, only more
dexterity and greater force will most probably be required: the shape of
the leg, when disengaged from the body of the goose, should be like that
shown in the accompanying engraving. It will be necessary, perhaps, in
taking off the leg, to turn the goose on its side, and then, pressing
down the small end of the leg, the knife should be passed under it from
the top quite down to the joint; the leg being now turned back by the
fork, the knife must cut through the joint, loosening the thigh-bone
from its socket. The merrythought, which in a goose is not so large as
might be expected, is disengaged in the same way as that of a fowl--by
passing the knife under it, and pressing it backwards towards the neck.
The neck-bones, of which we give a cut, are freed by the same process as
are those of a fowl; and the same may be said of all the other parts of
this bird. The breast of a goose is the part most esteemed; all parts,
however, are good, and full of juicy flavour.
PIGEON.
[Illustration: PIGEON.]
RABBITS.
1004. In carving a boiled rabbit, let the knife be drawn on each side of
the backbone, the whole length of the rabbit, as shown by the dotted
line 3 to 4: thus the rabbit will be in three parts. Now let the back be
divided into two equal parts in the direction of the line from 1 to 2;
then let the leg be taken off, as shown by the line 5 to 6, and the
shoulder, as shown by the line 7 to 8. This, in our opinion, is the best
plan to carve a rabbit, although there are other modes which are
preferred by some.
ROAST TURKEY.
[Illustration: ROAST TURKEY.]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXII.
1006. THE COMMON LAW OF ENGLAND has a maxim, that goods, in which no
person can claim any property, belong, by his or her prerogative, to the
king or queen. Accordingly, those animals, those _ferae naturae_, which
come under the denomination of game, are, in our laws, styled his or her
majesty's, and may therefore, as a matter of course, be granted by the
sovereign to another; in consequence of which another may prescribe to
possess the same within a certain precinct or lordship. From this
circumstance arose the right of lords of manors or others to the game
within their respective liberties; and to protect these species of
animals, the game laws were originated, and still remain in force. There
are innumerable acts of parliament inflicting penalties on persons who
may illegally kill game, and some of them are very severe; but they
cannot be said to answer their end, nor can it be expected that they
ever will, whilst there are so many persons of great wealth who have not
otherwise the means of procuring game, except by purchase, and who will
have it. These must necessarily encourage poaching, which, to a very
large extent, must continue to render all game laws nugatory as to their
intended effects upon the rustic population.
1007. THE OBJECT OF THESE LAWS, however, is not wholly confined to the
restraining of the illegal sportsman. Even qualified or privileged
persons must not kill game at all seasons. During the day, the hours
allowed for sporting are from one hour before sunrise till one hour
after sunset; whilst the time of killing certain species is also
restricted to certain seasons. For example, the season for
bustard-shooting is from December 1 to March 1; for grouse, or red
grouse, from August 12 to December 10; heath-fowl, or black-game, from
August 20 to December 20; partridges from September 1 to February 12;
pheasants from October 1 to February 1; widgeons, wild ducks, wild
geese, wild fowls, at any time but in June, July, August, and September.
Hares may be killed at any time of the year, under certain restrictions
defined by an act of parliament of the 10th of George III.
1010. THE THEMES WHICH FORM THE MINSTRELSY OF THE EARLIEST AGES, either
relate to the spoils of the chase or the dangers of the battle-field.
Even the sacred writings introduce us to Nimrod, the first mighty hunter
before the Lord, and tell us that Ishmael, in the solitudes of Arabia,
became a skilful bow-man; and that David, when yet young, was not afraid
to join in combat with the lion or the bear. The Greek mythology teems
with hunting exploits. Hercules overthrows the Nemaean lion, the
Erymanthean boar, and the hydra of Lerna; Diana descends to the earth,
and pursues the stag; whilst Aesculapius, Nestor, Theseus, Ulysses, and
Achilles are all followers of the chase. Aristotle, sage as he was,
advises young men to apply themselves early to it; and Plato finds in it
something divine. Horace exalts it as a preparative exercise for the
path of glory, and several of the heroes of Homer are its ardent
votaries. The Romans followed the hunting customs of the Greeks, and the
ancient Britons were hunters before Julius Caesar invaded their shores.
1011. ALTHOUGH THE ANCIENT BRITONS FOLLOWED HUNTING, however, they did
not confine themselves solely to its pursuit. They bred cattle and
tilled the ground, and, to some extent, indicated the rudimentary state
of a pastoral and agricultural life; but, in every social change, the
sports of the field maintained their place. After the expulsion of the
Danes, and during the brief restoration of the Saxon monarchy, these
were still followed: even Edward the Confessor, who would join in no
other secular amusements, took the greatest delight, says William of
Malmesbury, "to follow a pack of swift hounds in pursuit of game, and to
cheer them with his voice."
1012. NOR WAS EDWARD the only English sovereign who delighted in the
pleasures of the chase. William the Norman, and his two sons who
succeeded him, were passionately fond of the sport, and greatly
circumscribed the liberties of their subjects in reference to the
killing of game. The privilege of hunting in the royal forests was
confined to the king and his favourites; and in order that these
umbrageous retreats might be made more extensive, whole villages were
depopulated, places of worship levelled with the ground, and every means
adopted that might give a sufficient amplitude of space, in accordance
with the royal pleasure, for the beasts of the chase. King John was
likewise especially attached to the sports of the field; whilst Edward
III. was so enamoured of the exercise, that even during his absence at
the wars in France, he took with him sixty couples of stag-hounds and as
many hare-hounds, and every day amused himself either with hunting or
hawking. Great in wisdom as the Scotch Solomon, James I., conceited
himself to be, he was much addicted to the amusements of hunting,
hawking, and shooting. Yea, it is oven asserted that his precious time
was divided between hunting, the bottle, and his standish: to the first
he gave his fair weather, to the second his dull, and to the third his
cloudy. From his days down to the present, the sports of the field have
continued to hold their high reputation, not only for the promotion of
health, but for helping to form that manliness of character which enters
so largely into the composition of the sons of the British soil. That it
largely helps to do this there can be no doubt. The late duke of
Grafton, when hunting, was, on one occasion, thrown into a ditch. A
young curate, engaged in the same chase, cried out, "Lie still, my
lord!" leapt over him, and pursued his sport. Such an apparent want of
feeling might be expected to have been resented by the duke; but not so.
On his being helped up by his attendant, he said, "That man shall have
the first good living that falls to my disposal: had he stopped to have
given me his sympathy, I never would have given him anything." Such was
the manly sentiment of the duke, who delighted in the exemplification of
a spirit similarly ardent as his own in the sport, and above the
baseness of an assumed sorrow.
1017. THE HERON WAS HUNTED BY THE HAWK, and the sport of hawking is
usually placed at the head of those amusements that can only be
practised in the country. This precedency it probably obtained from its
being a pastime to generally followed by the nobility, not in Great
Britain only, but likewise on the continent. In former times, persons of
high rank rarely appeared in public without their dogs and their hawks:
the latter they carried with them when they journeyed from one country
to another, and sometimes even took them to battle with them, and would
not part with them when taken prisoners, even to obtain their own
liberty. Such birds were esteemed as the ensigns of nobility, and no
action was reckoned more dishonourable in a man of rank than that of
giving up his hawk. We have already alluded to the hunting propensities
of our own Edward III., and we may also allude to his being equally
addicted to hawking. According to Froissart, when this sovereign invaded
France, he took with him thirty falconers on horseback, who had charge
of his hawks, and every day, as his royal fancy inclined him, he either
hunted, or went to the river for the purpose of hawking. In the great
and powerful, the pursuit of game as a sport is allowable, but in those
who have to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, it is to be
condemned. In Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholy" we find a humorous story,
told by Poggius, the Florentine, who reprobates this folly in such
persons. It is this. A physician of Milan, that cured madmen, had a pit
of water in his house, in which he kept his patients, some up to the
knees, some to the girdle, some to the chin, _pro modo insaniae_, as
they were more or less affected. One of them by chance, that was well
recovered, stood in the door, and seeing a gallant pass by with a hawk
on his fist, well mounted, with his spaniels after him, would needs know
to what use all this preparation served. He made answer, To kill certain
fowl. The patient demanded again, what his fowl might be worth which he
killed in a year? He replied, Five or ten crowns; and when he urged him
further, what his dogs, horse, and hawks stood him in, he told him four
hundred crowns. With that the patient bade him begone, as he loved his
life and welfare; "for if our master come and find thee here, he will
put thee in the pit, amongst the madmen, up to the chin." Thus reproving
the madness of such men as will spend themselves in those vain sports,
to the neglect of their business and necessary affairs.
[Illustration]
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXIII.
ROAST BLACK-COCK.
_Mode_.--Let these birds hang for a few days, or they will be tough and
tasteless, if not well kept. Pluck and draw them, and wipe the insides
and outsides with a damp cloth, as washing spoils the flavour. Cut off
the heads, and truss them, the same as a roast fowl, cutting off the
toes, and scalding and peeling the feet. Trussing them with the head on,
as shown in the engraving, is still practised by many cooks, but the
former method is now considered the best. Put them down to a brisk fire,
well baste them with butter, and serve with a piece of toast under, and
a good gravy and bread sauce. After trussing, some cooks cover the
breast with vine-leaves and slices of bacon, and then roast them. They
should be served in the same manner and with the same accompaniments as
with the plainly-roasted birds.
_Time_.--45 to 50 minutes.
_Average cost_, from 5s. to 6s. the brace; but seldom bought.
_Mode_.--Cut the remains of the duck into neat joints, put them into a
stewpan, with all the above ingredients; let them get gradually hot by
the side of the fire, and occasionally stir the contents; when on the
point of boiling, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted
bread.
_Mode_.--Ducks that have been dressed and left from the preceding day
will answer for this dish. Cut them into joints, reserve the legs,
wings, and breasts until wanted; put the trimmings into a stewpan with
the shalots and stock, and let them simmer for about 1/2 hour, and
strain the gravy. Put the butter into a stewpan; when melted, dredge in
a little flour, and pour in the gravy made from the bones; give it one
boil, and strain it again; add the wine, lemon-juice, and cayenne; lay
in the pieces of duck, and let the whole gradually warm through, but do
not allow it to boil, or the duck will be hard. The gravy should not be
too thick, and should be very highly seasoned. The squeeze of a Seville
orange is a great improvement to this dish.
_Time_.--About 1/2 hour to make the gravy; 1/4 hour for the duck
gradually to warm through.
_Mode_.--Carefully pluck and draw them; Cut off the heads close to the
necks, leaving sufficient skin to turn over, and do not cut off the
feet; some twist each leg at the knuckle, and rest the claws on each
side of the breast; others truss them as shown in our Illustration.
Roast the birds before a quick fire, and, when they are first put down,
let them remain for 5 minutes without basting (this will keep the gravy
in); afterwards baste plentifully with butter, and a few minutes before
serving dredge them lightly with flour; baste well, and send them to
table nicely frothed, and full of gravy. If overdone, the birds will
lose their flavour. Serve with a good gravy in the dish, or orange
gravy, No. 488; and send to table with them a cut lemon. To take off the
fishy taste which wild fowl sometimes have, baste them for a few minutes
with hot water to which have been added an onion and a little salt; then
take away the pan, and baste with butter.--See coloured plate, G1.
_Mode_.--Cut the remains of cold game into joints, reserve the best
pieces, and the inferior ones and trimmings put into a stewpan with the
onion, pepper, lemon-peel, salt, and water or weak stock; stew these for
about an hour, and strain the gravy; thicken it with butter and flour;
add the wine, lemon-juice, and ketchup; lay in the pieces of game, and
let them gradually warm through by the side of the fire; do not allow it
to boil, or the game will be hard. When on the point of simmering,
serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread.
GROUSE PIE.
_Mode_.--Line the bottom of a pie-dish with the rump-steak cut into neat
pieces, and, should the grouse be large, cut them into joints; but, if
small, they may be laid in the pie whole; season highly with salt,
cayenne, and black pepper; pour in the broth, and cover with a puff
paste; brush the crust over with the yolk of an egg, and bake from 3/4
to 1 hour. If the grouse is cut into joints, the backbones and trimmings
will make the gravy, by stewing them with an onion, a little sherry, a
bunch of herbs, and a blade of mace: this should be poured in after the
pie is baked.
_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour.
_Average cost_, exclusive of the grouse, which are seldom bought, 1s.
9d.
ROAST GROUSE.
_Mode_.--Let the birds hang as long as possible; pluck and draw them;
wipe, but do not wash them, inside and out, and truss them without the
head, the same as for a roast fowl. Many persons still continue to truss
them with the head under the wing, but the former is now considered the
most approved method. Put them down to a sharp clear fire; keep them
well basted the whole of the time they are cooking, and serve them on a
buttered toast, soaked in the dripping-pan, with a little melted butter
poured over them, or with bread-sauce and gravy.--See coloured plate,
L1.
_Average cost_, 2s. to 2s. 6d. the brace; but seldom bought.
GROUSE SALAD.
(_Soyer's Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs hard, shell them, throw them into cold water cut
a thin slice off the bottom to facilitate the proper placing of them in
the dish, cut each one into four lengthwise, and make a very thin flat
border of butter, about one inch from the edge of the dish the salad is
to be served on; fix the pieces of egg upright close to each other, the
yolk outside, or the yolk and white alternately; lay in the centre a
fresh salad of whatever is in season, and, having previously roasted the
grouse rather underdone, cut it into eight or ten pieces, and prepare
the sauce as follows:--Put the shalots into a basin, with the sugar, the
yolk of an egg, the parsley, and salt, and mix in by degrees the oil and
vinegar; when these ingredients are well mixed, put the sauce on ice or
in a cool place. When ready to serve, whip the cream rather thick, which
lightly mix with it; then lay the inferior parts of the grouse on the
salad, sauce over so as to cover each piece, then lay over the salad and
the remainder of the grouse, pour the rest of the sauce over, and serve.
The eggs may be ornamented with a little dot of radishes or beetroot on
the point. Anchovy and gherkin, cut into small diamonds, may be placed
between, or cut gherkins in slices, and a border of them laid round.
Tarragon or chervil-leaves are also a pretty addition. The remains of
cold black-game, pheasant, or partridge may be used in the above manner,
and will make a very delicate dish.
ROAST HARE.
_Mode_.--Skin, empty, and wash the hare; cut it down the middle, and put
it into a stewpan, with a few slices of bacon under and over it; add the
remaining ingredients, and stew very gently until the hare is tender,
and the flesh will separate easily from the bones. When done enough,
take it up, remove the bones, and pound the meat, _with the bacon_, in a
mortar, until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste. Should it not be
sufficiently seasoned, add a little cayenne, salt, and pounded mace, but
be careful that these are well mixed with the other ingredients. Press
the meat into potting-pots, pour over clarified butter, and keep in a
dry place. The liquor that the hare was stewed in, should be saved for
hashes, soups, &c. &c.
_Mode_.--Cut the legs and shoulders of a roast hare, season them highly
with salt and cayenne, and broil them over a very clear fire for 5
minutes. Dish them on a hot dish, rub over them a little cold butter,
and send to table very quickly.
_Time_.--5 minutes.
HASHED HARE.
_Mode_.--Cut the cold hare into neat slices, and put the head, bones,
and trimmings into a stewpan, with 3/4 pint of water; add the mace,
allspice, seasoning, onion, and herbs, and stew for nearly an hour, and
strain the gravy; thicken it with butter and flour, add the wine and
ketchup, and lay in the pieces of hare, with any stuffing that may be
left. Let the whole gradually heat by the side of the fire, and, when it
has simmered for about 5 minutes, serve, and garnish the dish with
sippets of toasted bread. Send red-currant jelly to table with it.
(_Very Good_.)
1031. INGREDIENTS.--1 hare, 1-1/2 lb. of gravy beef, 1/2 lb. of butter,
1 onion, 1 lemon, 6 cloves; pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste; 1/2 pint
of port wine.
_Mode_.--Skin, paunch, and wash the hare, cut it into pieces, dredge
them with flour, and fry in boiling butter. Have ready 1-1/2 pint of
gravy, made from the above proportion of beef, and thickened with a
little flour. Put this into a jar; add the pieces of fried hare, an
onion stuck with six cloves, a lemon peeled and cut in half, and a good
seasoning of pepper, cayenne, and salt; cover the jar down tightly, put
it up to the neck into a stewpan of boiling water, and let it stew until
the hare is quite tender, taking care to keep the water boiling. When
nearly done, pour in the wine, and add a few forcemeat balls, made by
recipe No. 417: these must be fried or baked in the oven for a few
minutes before they are put to the gravy. Serve with red-currant jelly.
II.
_Mode._--Wash the hare nicely, cut it up into joints (not too large),
and flour and brown them as in the preceding recipe; then put them into
a stewpan with the herbs, onions, cloves, allspice, pepper, and
lemon-peel; cover with hot water, and when it boils, carefully remove
all the scum, and let it simmer gently till tender, which will be in
about 1-3/4 hour, or longer, should the hare be very old. Take out the
pieces of hare, thicken the gravy with flour and butter, add the ketchup
and port wine, let it boil for about 10 minutes, strain it through a
sieve over the hare, and serve. A few fried forcemeat balls should be
added at the moment of serving, or instead of frying them, they may be
stewed in the gravy, about 10 minutes before the hare is wanted for
table. Do not omit to serve red-currant jelly with it.
_Note_.--Should there be any left, rewarm it the next day by putting the
hare, &c. into a covered jar, and placing this jar in a saucepan of
boiling water: this method prevents a great deal of waste.
[Illustration: LANDRAILS.]
_Mode_.--Pluck and draw the birds, wipe them inside and out with damp
cloths, and truss them in the following manner:--Bring the head round
under the wing, and the thighs close to the sides; pass a skewer through
them and the body, and keep the legs straight. Roast them before a clear
fire, keep them well basted, and serve on fried bread crumbs, with a
tureen of brown gravy. When liked, bread-sauce may also be sent to table
with them.
TO DRESS A LEVERET.
_Mode_.--Pluck, draw, and cut the partridges in half, and wipe the
inside thoroughly with a damp cloth. Season them with salt and cayenne,
broil them over a very clear fire, and dish them on a hot dish; rub a
small piece of butter over each half, and send them to table with brown
gravy or mushroom sauce.
PARTRIDGE PIE.
POTTED PARTRIDGE.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--After the partridges are plucked and drawn, roast them rather
underdone, and cover them with paper, as they should not be browned; cut
them into joints, take off the skin from the wings, legs, and breasts;
put these into a stewpan, cover them up, and set by until the gravy is
ready. Cut a slice of ham into small pieces, and put them, with the
carrots sliced, the shalots, mushrooms, herbs, cloves, and pepper, into
a stewpan; fry them lightly in a little butter, pour in the stock, add
the bones and trimming from the partridges, and simmer for 1/4 hour.
Strain the gravy, let it cool, and skim off every particle of fat; put
it to the legs, wings, and breasts, add a glass of sherry or Madeira and
a small lump of sugar, let all gradually warm through by the side of the
fire, and when on the point of boiling, serve, and garnish the dish with
cro�tons. The remains of roast partridge answer very well dressed in
this way, although not so good as when the birds are in the first
instance only half-roasted. This recipe is equally suitable for
pheasants, moor-game, &c.; but care must be taken always to skin the
joints.
_Time_.--Altogether 1 hour.
ROAST PARTRIDGE.
[Illustration: PARTRIDGES.]
PHEASANT CUTLETS.
ROAST PHEASANT.
Do not be uneasy, Savarin adds, about your dinner; for a pheasant served
in this way is fit for beings better than men. The pheasant itself is a
very good bird; and, imbibing the dressing and the flavour of the
truffle and snipe, it becomes thrice better.
_Mode_.--Cut the legs off at the first joint, and the remainder of the
bird into neat pieces; put them into a fryingpan with a little lard, and
when browned on both sides, and about half done, take them out and drain
them; brush the pieces over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs
with which has been mixed a good seasoning of cayenne and salt. Broil
them over a moderate fire for about 10 minutes, or rather longer, and
serve with mushroom-sauce, sauce piquante, or brown gravy, in which a
few game-bones and trimmings have been stewed.
TO DRESS PLOVERS.
_Mode_.--Pluck off the feathers, wipe the outside of the birds with a
damp cloth, and do not draw them; truss with the head under the wing,
put them down to a clear fire, and lay slices of moistened toast in the
dripping-pan, to catch the trail. Keep them _well basted_, dredge them
lightly with flour a few minutes before they are done, and let them be
nicely frothed. Dish them on the toasts, over which the _trail_ should
be equally spread. Pour round the toast a little good gravy, and send
some to table in a tureen.
THE PLOVER.--There are two species of this bird, the grey and
the green, the former being larger than the other, and somewhat
less than the woodcock. It has generally been classed with those
birds which chiefly live in the water; but it would seem only to
seek its food there, for many of the species breed upon the
loftiest mountains. Immense flights of these birds are to be
seen in the Hebrides, and other parts of Scotland; and, in the
winter, large numbers are sent to the London market, which is
sometimes so much glutted with them that they are sold very
cheap. Previous to dressing, they are kept till they have a game
flavour; and although their flesh is a favourite with many, it
is not universally relished. The green is preferred to the grey,
but both are inferior to the woodcock. Their eggs are esteemed
as a great delicacy. Birds of this kind are migratory. They
arrive in England in April, live with us all the spring and
summer, and at the beginning of autumn prepare to take leave by
getting together in flocks. It is supposed that they then retire
to Spain, and frequent the sheep-walks with which that country
abounds.
TO DRESS QUAILS.
TO DRESS SNIPES.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. to 2s. the brace.
ROAST TEAL.
_Mode_.--Choose fat plump birds, after the frost has set in, as they are
generally better flavoured; truss them in the same manner as wild duck,
No. 1022; roast them before a brisk fire, and keep them well basted.
Serve with brown or orange gravy, water-cresses, and a cut lemon. The
remains of teal make excellent hash.
_Time_.--From 9 to 15 minutes.
_Mode_.--Choose a haunch with clear, bright, and thick fat, and the
cleft of the hoof smooth and close; the greater quantity of fat there
is, the better quality will the meat be. As many people object to
venison when it has too much _haut go�t_, ascertain how long it has been
kept, by running a sharp skewer into the meat close to the bone; when
this is withdrawn, its sweetness can be judged of. With care and
attention, it will keep good a fortnight, unless the weather is very
mild. Keep it perfectly dry by wiping it with clean cloths till not the
least damp remains, and sprinkle over powdered ginger or pepper, as a
preventative against the fly. When required for use, wash it in warm
water, and _dry_ it _well_ with a cloth; butter a sheet of white paper,
put it over the fat, lay a coarse paste, about 1/2 inch in thickness,
over this, and then a sheet or two of strong paper. Tie the whole firmly
on to the haunch with twine, and put the joint down to a strong close
fire; baste the venison immediately, to prevent the paper and string
from burning, and continue this operation, without intermission, the
whole of the time it is cooking. About 20 minutes before it is done,
carefully remove the paste and paper, dredge the joint with flour, and
baste well with _butter_ until it is nicely frothed, and of a nice
pale-brown colour; garnish the knuckle-bone with a frill of white paper,
and serve with a good, strong, but unflavoured gravy, in a tureen, and
currant jelly; or melt the jelly with a little port wine, and serve that
also in a tureen. As the principal object in roasting venison is to
preserve the fat, the above is the best mode of doing so where expense
is not objected to; but, in ordinary cases, the paste may be dispensed
with, and a double paper placed over the roast instead: it will not
require so long cooking without the paste. Do not omit to send very hot
plates to table, as the venison fat so soon freezes: to be thoroughly
enjoyed by epicures, it should be eaten on hot-water plates. The neck
and shoulder may be roasted in the same manner.
In that country it is the substitute for the horse, the cow, the
goat, and the sheep. From its milk is produced cheese; from its
skin, clothing; from its tendons, bowstrings and thread; from
its horns, glue; from its bones, spoons; and its flesh furnishes
food. In England we have the stag, an animal of great beauty,
and much admired. He is a native of many parts of Europe, and is
supposed to have been originally introduced into this country
from France. About a century back he was to be found wild in
some of the rough and mountainous parts of Wales, as well as in
the forests of Exmoor, in Devonshire, and the woods on the banks
of the Tamar. In the middle ages the deer formed food for the
not over abstemious monks, as represented by Friar Tuck's
larder, in the admirable fiction of "Ivanhoe;" and at a later
period it was a deer-stealing adventure that drove the
"ingenious" William Shakspeare to London, to become a common
player, and the greatest dramatist that ever lived.
HASHED VENISON.
1050. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of roast venison, its own or mutton
gravy, thickening of butter and flour.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat from the bones in neat slices, and, if there is
sufficient of its own gravy left, put the meat into this, as it is
preferable to any other. Should there not be enough, put the bones and
trimmings into a stewpan, with about a pint of mutton gravy; let them
stew gently for an hour, and strain the gravy. Put a little flour and
butter into the stewpan, keep stirring until brown, then add the
strained gravy, and give it a boil up; skim and strain again, and, when
a little cool, put in the slices of venison. Place the stewpan by the
side of the fire, and, when on the point of simmering, serve: do not
allow it to boil, or the meat will be hard. Send red-currant jelly to
table with it.
STEWED VENISON.
_Mode_.--Hang the venison till tender; take out the bone, flatten the
meat with a rolling-pin, and place over it a few slices of mutton fat,
which have been previously soaked for 2 or 3 hours in port wine;
sprinkle these with a little fine allspice and pepper, roll the meat up,
and bind and tie it securely. Put it into a stewpan with the bone and
the above proportion of weak stock or gravy, whole allspice, black
pepper, and port wine; cover the lid down closely, and simmer, very
gently, from 3-1/2 to 4 hours. When quite tender, take off the tape, and
dish the meat; strain the gravy over it, and send it to table with
red-currant jelly. Unless the joint is very fat, the above is the best
mode of cooking it.
_Time_.--3-1/2 to 4 hours.
THE STAG.--The stag, or hart, is the male of the red deer, and
the hind is the female. He is much larger than the fallow-deer,
and his age is indicated by his horns, which are round instead
of being palmated, like those of the fallow-deer. During the
first year he has no horns, but a horny excrescence, which is
short and rough, and covered with a thin hairy skin. The next
year, the horns are single and straight; and in the third they
have two antlers, three the fourth, four the fifth, and five the
sixth year; although this number is not always certain, for
sometimes they are more, and often less. After the sixth year,
the antlers do not always increase; and, although in number they
may amount to six or seven on each side, yet the animal's age is
then estimated rather by the size of the antlers and the
thickness of the branch which sustains them, than by their
variety. Large as these horns seem, however, they are shed every
year, and their place supplied by new ones. This usually takes
place in the spring. When the old horns have fallen off, the new
ones do not make their appearance immediately; but the bones of
the skull ore seen covered with a transparent periosteum, or
skin, which enwraps the bones of all animals. After a short
time, however, the skin begins to swell, and to form a sort of
tumour. From this, by-and-by, rising from the head, shoot forth
the antlers from each side; and, in a short time, in proportion
as the animal is in condition, the entire horns are completed.
The solidity of the extremities, however, is not perfect until
the horns have arrived at their full growth. Old stags usually
shed their horns first, which generally happens towards the
latter end of February or the beginning of March. Such as are
between five and six years old shed them about the middle or
latter end of March; those still younger in the month of April;
and the youngest of all not till the middle or latter end of
May. These rules, though generally true, are subject to
variations; for a severe winter will retard the shedding of the
horns.--The HIND has no horns, and is less fitted for being
hunted than the male. She takes the greatest care of her young,
and secretes them in the most obscure thickets, lest they become
a prey to their numerous enemies. All the rapacious family of
the cat kind, with the wolf, the dog, the eagle, and the falcon,
are continually endeavouring to find her retreat, whilst the
stag himself is the foe of his own offspring. When she has
young, therefore, it would seem that the courage of the male is
transferred to the female, for she defends them with the most
resolute bravery. If pursued by the hunter, she will fly before
the hounds for half the day, and then return to her young, whose
life she has thus preserved at the hazard of her own.
ROAST WIDGEON.
_Mode_.--These are trussed in the same manner as wild duck, No. 1022,
but must not be kept so long before they are dressed. Put them down to a
brisk fire; flour, and baste them continually with butter, and, when
browned and nicely frothed, send them to table hot and quickly. Serve
with brown gravy, or orange gravy, No. 488, and a cut lemon.
ROAST WOODCOCK.
GAME CARVING.
BLACKCOCK.
[Illustration: BLACKCOCK.]
WILD DUCK.
ROAST HARE.
PARTRIDGES.
1057. There are several ways of carving this most familiar game bird.
The more usual and summary mode is to carry the knife sharply along the
top of the breastbone of the bird, and cut it quite through, thus
dividing it into two precisely equal and similar parts, in the same
manner as carving a pigeon, No. 1003. Another plan is to cut it into
three pieces; viz., by severing a small wing and leg on either side from
the body, by following the line 1 to 2 in the upper woodcut; thus making
2 helpings, when the breast will remain for a third plate. The most
elegant manner is that of thrusting back the body from the legs, and
then cutting through the breast in the direction shown by the line 1 to
2: this plan will give 4 or more small helpings. A little bread-sauce
should be served to each guest.
GROUSE.
[Illustration]
PHEASANT.
1059. Fixing the fork in the breast, let the carver cut slices from it
in the direction of the lines from 2 to 1: these are the prime pieces.
If there be more guests to satisfy than these slices will serve, then
let the legs and wings be disengaged in the same manner as described in
carving boiled fowl, No. 1000, the point where the wing joins the
neckbone being carefully found. The merrythought will come off in the
same way as that of a fowl. The most valued parts are the same as those
which are most considered in a fowl.
SNIPE.
[Illustration: SNIPE.]
1060. One of these small but delicious birds may be given, whole, to a
gentleman; but, in helping a lady, it will be better to cut them quite
through the centre, from 1 to 2, completely dividing them into equal and
like portions, and put only one half on the plate.
HAUNCH OF VENISON.
WOODCOCK.
[Illustration: WOODCOCK.]
1062. This bird, like a partridge, may be carved by cutting it exactly
into two like portions, or made into three helpings, as described in
carving partridge (No. 1057). The backbone is considered the tit-bit of
a woodcock, and by many the thigh is also thought a great delicacy. This
bird is served in the manner advised by Brillat Savarin, in connection
with the pheasant, viz., on toast which has received its drippings
whilst roasting; and a piece of this toast should invariably accompany
each plate.
LANDRAIL.
1063. LANDRAIL, being trussed like Snipe, with the exception of its
being drawn, may be carved in the same manner.--See No. 1060.
PTARMIGAN.
1064. PTARMIGAN, being of much the same size, and trussed in the same
manner, as the red-bird, may be carved in the manner described in
Partridge and Grouse carving, Nos. 1057 and 1058.
QUAILS.
1065. QUAILS, being trussed and served like Woodcock, may be similarly
carved.--See No. 1062.
PLOVERS.
1066. PLOVERS may be carved like Quails or Woodcock, being trussed and
served in the same way as those birds.--See No. 1055.
TEAL.
1067. TEAL, being of the same character as Widgeon and Wild Duck, may be
treated, in carving, in the same style.
WIDGEON.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXIV.
1069. "THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS," says Hogg, in his Natural
History of the Vegetable Kingdom, "may be aptly compared to the primary
colours of the prismatic spectrum, which are so gradually and intimately
blended, that we fail to discover where the one terminates and where the
other begins. If we had to deal with yellow and blue only, the eye would
easily distinguish the one from the other; but when the two are blended,
and form green, we cannot tell where the blue ends and the yellow
begins. And so it is in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. If our powers
of observation were limited to the highest orders of animals and plants,
if there were only mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and insects in the
one, and trees, shrubs, and herbs in the other, we should then be able
with facility to define the bounds of the two kingdoms; but as we
descend the scale of each, and arrive at the lowest forms of animals and
plants, we there meet with bodies of the simplest structure, sometimes a
mere cell, whose organization, modes of development and reproduction,
are so anomalous, and partake so much of the character of both, that we
cannot distinguish whether they are plants or whether they are animals."
1072. WHEN NATURE HAS FOUND A SOIL, her next care is to perfect the
growth of her seeds, and then to disperse them. Whilst the seed remains
confined in its capsule, it cannot answer its purpose; hence, when it is
sufficiently ripe, the pericardium opens, and lets it out. What must
strike every observer with surprise is, how nuts and shells, which we
can hardly crack with our teeth, or even with a hammer, will divide of
themselves, and make way for the little tender sprout which proceeds
from the kernel. There are instances, it is said, such as in the
Touch-me-not (_impatiens_), and the Cuckoo-flower (_cardamine_), in
which the seed-vessels, by an elastic jerk at the moment of their
explosion, cast the seeds to a distance. We are all aware, however, that
many seeds--those of the most composite flowers, as of the thistle and
dandelion--are endowed with, what have not been inappropriately called,
wings. These consist of a beautiful silk-looking down, by which they are
enabled to float in the air, and to be transported, sometimes, to
considerable distances from the parent plant that produced them. The
swelling of this downy tuft within the seed-vessel is the means by which
the seed is enabled to overcome the resistance of its coats, and to
force for itself a passage by which it escapes from its little
prison-house.
1078. THE ROOT AND THE STEM NOW DEMAND A SLIGHT NOTICE. The former is
designed, not only to support the plant by fixing it in the soil, but
also to fulfil the functions of a channel for the conveyance of
nourishment: it is therefore furnished with pores, or spongioles, as
they are called, from their resemblance to a sponge, to suck up whatever
comes within its reach. It is found in a variety of forms, and hence its
adaptation to a great diversity of soils and circumstances. We have
heard of a willow-tree being dug up and its head planted where its roots
were, and these suffered to spread out in the air like naked branches.
In course of time, the roots became branches, and the branches roots, or
rather, roots rose from the branches beneath the ground, and branches
shot from the roots above. Some roots last one year, others two, and
others, like the shrubs and trees which they produce, have an indefinite
period of existence; but they all consist of a collection of fibres,
composed of vascular and cellular tissue, without tracheae, or
breathing-vessels. The stem is the grand distributor of the nourishment
taken up by the roots, to the several parts of the plant. The seat of
its vitality is said to be in the point or spot called the neck, which
separates the stem from the root. If the root of a young plant be cut
off, it will shoot out afresh; if even the stem be taken away, it will
be renewed; but if this part be injured, the plant will assuredly die.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXV.
BOILED ARTICHOKES.
[Illustration: ARTICHOKES.]
FRIED ARTICHOKES.
_Mode_.--Trim and boil the artichokes by recipe No. 1080, and rub them
over with lemon-juice, to keep them white. When they are quite tender,
take them up, remove the chokes, and divide the bottoms; dip each piece
into batter, fry them in hot lard or dripping, and garnish the dish with
crisped parsley. Serve with plain melted butter.
_Mode_.--Cut the ends of the leaves, as also the stems; put the
artichokes into boiling water, with the above proportion of salt,
pepper, herbs, and butter; let them boil quickly until tender, keeping
the lid of the saucepan off, and when the leaves come out easily, they
are cooked enough. To keep them a beautiful green, put a large piece of
cinder into a muslin bag, and let it boil with them. Serve with plain
melted butter.
_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes.
_Mode_.--Trim and cut the artichokes into quarters, and boil them until
tender in water mixed with a little salt and butter. When done, drain
them well, and lay them all round the dish, with the leaves outside.
Have ready some good gravy, highly flavoured with mushrooms; reduce it
until quite thick, and pour it round the artichokes, and serve.
_Mode_.--Peel and cut the artichokes in the shape of a pear; cut a piece
off the bottom of each, that they may stand upright in the dish, and
boil them in salt and water until tender. Have ready 1/2 pint of white
sauce, made by recipe No. 538; dish the artichokes, pour over them the
sauce, and place between each a fine Brussels sprout: these should be
boiled separately, and not with the artichokes.
BOILED ASPARAGUS.
[Illustration: ASPARAGUS.]
ASPARAGUS PEAS.
ASPARAGUS PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Cut up the nice green tender parts of asparagus, about the size
of peas; put them into a basin with the eggs, which should be well
beaten, and the flour, ham, butter, pepper, and salt. Mix all these
ingredients well together, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the
pudding of the consistency of thick batter; put it into a pint buttered
mould, tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, place it in _boiling
water_, and let it boil for 2 hours; turn it out of the mould on to a
hot dish, and pour plain melted butter _round_, but not over, the
pudding. Green peas pudding may be made in exactly the same manner,
substituting peas for the asparagus.
_Average cost_, in full season, 1s. 4d. a peck; but, when forced, very
expensive.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 1/2 peck for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of July to the end of September; but may be
had, forced, from February to the beginning of June.
_Mode_.--Cut and boil the beans by the preceding recipe, and when
tender, put them into a stewpan, and shake over the fire, to dry away
the moisture from the beans. When quite dry and hot, add the butter,
pepper, salt, and lemon-juice; keep moving the stewpan, without using a
spoon, as that would break the beans; and when the butter is melted, and
all is thoroughly hot, serve. If the butter should not mix well, add a
tablespoonful of gravy, and serve very quickly.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour to boil the beans; 10 minutes to shake them over
the fire.
BOILED BEETROOT.
[Illustration: BEETROOT.]
BOILED BROCOLI.
_Mode_.--Strip off the dead outside leaves, and the inside ones cut off
level with the flower; cut off the stalk close at the bottom, and put
the brocoli into cold salt and water, with the heads downwards. When
they have remained in this for about 3/4 hour, and they are _perfectly_
free from insects, put them into a saucepan of _boiling_ water, salted
in the above proportion, and keep them boiling quickly over a brisk
fire, with the saucepan uncovered. Take them up with a slice the moment
they are done; drain them well, and serve with a tureen of melted
butter, a _little_ of which should be poured over the brocoli. If left
in the water after it is done, it will break, its colour will be
spoiled, and its crispness gone.
[Illustration: BROCOLI.]
_Mode_.--Clean the sprouts from insects, nicely wash them, and pick off
any dead or discoloured leaves from the outsides; put them into a
saucepan of _boiling_ water, with salt and soda in the above proportion;
keep the pan uncovered, and let them boil quickly over a brisk fire
until tender; drain, dish, and serve with a tureen of melted butter, or
with a ma�tre d'h�tel sauce poured over them. Another mode of serving
is, when they are dished, to stir in about 1-1/2 oz. of butter and a
seasoning of pepper and salt. They must, however, be sent to table very
quickly, as, being so very small, this vegetable soon cools. Where the
cook is very expeditious, this vegetable, when cooked, may be arranged
on the dish in the form of a pineapple, and, so served, has a very
pretty appearance.
_Mode_.--Pick away all the dead leaves, and wash the greens well in cold
water; drain them in a colander, and put them into fast-boiling water,
with salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep them boiling quickly,
with the lid uncovered, until tender; and the moment they are done, take
them up, or their colour will be spoiled; when well drained, serve. The
great art in cooking greens properly, and to have them a good colour, is
to put them into _plenty_ of _fast-boiling_ water, to let them boil very
quickly, and to take them up the moment they become tender.
BOILED CABBAGE.
_Mode_.--Cut the cabbage into very thin slices, put it into a stewpan,
with the ham cut in dice, the butter, 1/2 pint of stock, and the
vinegar; cover the pan closely, and let it stew for 1 hour. When it is
very tender, add the remainder of the stock, a seasoning of salt and
pepper, and the pounded sugar; mix all well together, stir over the fire
until nearly all the liquor is dried away, and serve. Fried sausages are
usually sent to table with this dish: they should be laid round and on
the cabbage, as a garnish.
BOILED CARROTS.
_Mode_.--Cut off the green tops, wash and scrape the carrots, and should
there be any black specks, remove them. If very large, cut them in
halves, divide them lengthwise into four pieces, and put them into
boiling water, salted in the above proportion; let them boil until
tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork into them: dish,
and serve very hot. This vegetable is an indispensable accompaniment to
boiled beef. When thus served, it is usually boiled with the beef; a few
carrots are placed round the dish as a garnish, and the remainder sent
to table in a vegetable-dish. Young carrots do not require nearly so
much boiling, nor should they be divided: these make a nice addition to
stewed veal, &c.
[Illustration: CARROTS.]
_Mode_.--Wash and scrape the carrots, and cut them into rings of about
1/4 inch in thickness. Put the butter into a stewpan; when it is melted,
lay in the carrots, with salt, nutmeg, parsley, and onion in the above
proportions. Toss the stewpan over the fire for a few minutes, and when
the carrots are well saturated with the butter, pour in the stock, and
simmer gently until they are nearly tender. Then put into another
stewpan a small piece of butter; dredge in about a tablespoonful of
flour; stir this over the fire, and when of a nice brown colour, add the
liquor that the carrots have been boiling in; let this just boil up,
pour it over the carrots in the other stewpan, and let them finish
simmering until quite tender. Serve very hot.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. Average cost, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.
STEWED CARROTS.
SLICED CARROTS.
_Mode_.--Scrape and wash the carrots, cut them into slices of an equal
size, and boil them in salt and water, until half done; drain them well,
put them into a stewpan with the sugar and stock, and let them boil over
a brisk fire. When reduced to a glaze, add the fresh butter and a
seasoning of salt; shake the stewpan about well, and when the butter is
well mixed with the carrots, serve. There should be no sauce in the dish
when it comes to table, but it should all adhere to the carrots.
BOILED CAULIFLOWERS.
[Illustration: CAULIFLOWER.]
_Mode_.--Choose cauliflowers that are close and white; trim off the
decayed outside leaves, and cut the stalk off flat at the bottom. Open
the flower a little in places to remove the insects, which generally are
found about the stalk, and let the cauliflowers lie in salt and water
for an hour previous to dressing them, with their heads downwards: this
will effectually draw out all the vermin. Then put them into
fast-boiling water, with the addition of salt in the above proportion,
and let them boil briskly over a good fire, keeping the saucepan
uncovered. The water should be well skimmed; and, when the cauliflowers
are tender, take them up with a slice; let them drain, and, if large
enough, place them upright in the dish. Serve with plain melted butter,
a little of which may be poured over the flower.
_Mode_.--Cleanse and boil the cauliflowers by recipe No. 1104, and drain
them and dish them with the flowers standing upright. Have ready the
above proportion of white sauce; pour sufficient of it over the
cauliflowers just to cover the top; sprinkle over this some rasped
Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, and drop on these the butter, which
should be melted, but not oiled. Brown with a salamander, or before the
fire, and pour round, but not over, the flowers the remainder of the
sauce, with which should be mixed a small quantity of grated Parmesan
cheese.
CELERY.
_Mode_.--Wash the celery thoroughly; trim, and boil it in salt and water
until tender. Put the cream and pounded mace into a stewpan; shake it
over the fire until the cream thickens, dish the celery, pour over the
sauce, and serve.
I.
[Illustration: CELERY.].
II.
_Mode_.--Wash the celery, strip off the outer leaves, and cut it into
lengths of about 4 inches. Put these into a saucepan, with the broth,
and stew till tender, which will be in from 20 to 25 minutes; then add
the remaining ingredients, simmer altogether for 4 or 5 minutes, pour
into a dish, and serve. It may be garnished with sippets of toasted
bread.
TO DRESS CUCUMBERS.
_Mode_.--Pare the cucumber, cut it equally into _very thin_ slices, and
_commence_ cutting from the _thick end_; if commenced at the stalk, the
cucumber will most likely have an exceedingly bitter taste, far from
agreeable. Put the slices into a dish, sprinkle over salt and pepper,
and pour over oil and vinegar in the above proportion; turn the cucumber
about, and it is ready to serve. This is a favourite accompaniment to
boiled salmon, is a nice addition to all descriptions of salads, and
makes a pretty garnish to lobster salad.
[Illustration: CUCUMBER.]
_Average cost_, when scarce, 1s. to 2s. 6d.; when cheapest, may be had
for 4d. each.
CUCUMBERS A LA POULETTE.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour.
FRIED CUCUMBERS.
STEWED CUCUMBERS.
_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.
_Seasonable_ in June, July, and August; but may be had, forced, from the
beginning of March.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the cucumbers, take out the seeds, and cut the
onions into thin slices; put these both into a stewpan, with the stock,
and let them boil for 1/4 hour or longer, should the cucumbers be very
large. Beat up the yolks of 2 eggs; stir these into the sauce; add the
cayenne, salt, and grated nutmeg; bring it to the point of boiling, and
serve. Do not allow the sauce to boil, or it will curdle. This is a
favourite dish with lamb or mutton chops, rump-steaks, &c.
_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.
ENDIVE.
[Illustration: ENDIVE.]
STEWED ENDIVE.
_Mode_.--Wash and free the endive thoroughly from insects, remove the
green part of the leaves, and put it into boiling water, slightly
salted. Let it remain for 10 minutes; then take it out, drain it till
there is no water remaining, and chop it very fine. Put it into a
stewpan with the broth; add a little salt and a lump of sugar, and boil
until the endive is perfectly tender. When done, which may be
ascertained by squeezing a piece between the thumb and finger, add a
thickening of butter and flour and the lemon-juice: let the sauce boil
up, and serve.
ENDIVE A LA FRANCAISE.
_Mode_.--Put the beans into cold water, and let them soak from 2 to 4
hours, according to their age; then put them into cold water, salted in
the above proportion, bring them to boil, and let them simmer very
slowly until tender; pour the water away from them, let them stand by
the side of the fire, with the lid of the saucepan partially off, to
allow the beans to dry; then add 1 oz. of butter and a seasoning of
pepper and salt. Shake the beans about for a minute or two, and serve:
do not stir them with a spoon, for fear of breaking them to pieces.
_Note_.--Haricots blancs, when new and fresh, should be put into boiling
water, and do not require any soaking previous to dressing.
_Mode_.--Should the beans be very dry, soak them for an hour or two in
cold water, and boil them until perfectly tender, as in the preceding
recipe. If the water should boil away, replenish it with a little more
cold, which makes the skin of the beans tender. Let them be very
thoroughly done; drain them well; then add to them the butter, minced
parsley, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Keep moving the stewpan
over the fire without using a spoon, as this would break the beans; and,
when the various ingredients are well mixed with them, squeeze in the
lemon-juice, and serve very hot.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Mode_.--Peel and mince the onions not too finely, and fry them in
butter of a light brown colour; dredge over them a little flour, and add
the gravy and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Have ready a pint of
haricot beans well boiled and drained; put them with the onions and
gravy, mix all well together, and serve very hot.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
HORSERADISH.
1122. This root, scraped, is always served with hot roast beef, and is
used for garnishing many kinds of boiled fish. Let the horseradish
remain in cold water for an hour; wash it well, and with a sharp knife
scrape it into very thin shreds, commencing from the thick end of the
root. Arrange some of it lightly in a small glass dish, and the
remainder use for garnishing the joint: it should be placed in tufts
round the border of the dish, with 1 or 2 bunches on the meat.
[Illustration: HORSERADISH.]
LETTUCES.
_Seasonable_ from March to the end of August, but may be had all the
year.
[Illustration: LETTUCE.]
BAKED MUSHROOMS.
_Mode_.--For this mode of cooking, the mushroom flaps are better than
the buttons, and should not be too large. Cut off a portion of the
stalk, peel the top, and wipe the mushrooms carefully with a piece of
flannel and a little fine salt. Put them into a tin baking-dish, with a
very small piece of butter placed on each mushroom; sprinkle over a
little pepper, and let them bake for about 20 minutes, or longer should
the mushrooms be very large. Have ready a _very hot_ dish, pile the
mushrooms high in the centre, pour the gravy round, and send them to
table quickly, with very _hot_ plates.
BROILED MUSHROOMS.
[Illustration: MUSHROOMS.]
TO PRESERVE MUSHROOMS.
_Mode_.--Peel the mushrooms, put them into cold water, with a little
lemon-juice; take them out and _dry_ them very carefully in a cloth. Put
the butter into a stewpan capable of holding the mushrooms; when it is
melted, add the mushrooms, lemon-juice, and a seasoning of pepper and
salt; draw them down over a slow fire, and let them remain until their
liquor is boiled away, and they have become quite dry, but be careful in
not allowing them to stick to the bottom of the stewpan. When done, put
them into pots, and pour over the top clarified butter. If wanted for
immediate use, they will keep good a few days without being covered
over. To re-warm them, put the mushrooms into a stewpan, strain the
butter from them, and they will be ready for use.
STEWED MUSHROOMS.
_Mode_.--Cut off the ends of the stalks, and pare neatly a pint of
mushroom-buttons; put them into a basin of water, with a little
lemon-juice, as they are done. When all are prepared, take them from the
water with the hands, to avoid the sediment, and put them into a stewpan
with the fresh butter, white pepper, salt, and the juice of 1/2 lemon;
cover the pan closely, and let the mushrooms stew gently from 20 to 25
minutes; then thicken the butter with the above proportion of flour, add
gradually sufficient cream, or cream and milk, to make the sauce of a
proper consistency, and put in the grated nutmeg. If the mushrooms are
not perfectly tender, stew them for 5 minutes longer, remove every
particle of butter which may be floating on the top, and serve.
_Mode_.--Make a pint of brown gravy by recipe 436; cut nearly all the
stalks away from the mushrooms and peel the tops; put them into a
stewpan, with the gravy, and simmer them gently from 20 minutes to 1/2
hour. Add the nutmeg and a seasoning of cayenne and salt, and serve very
hot.
_Mode_.--Put the onions, with their skins on, into a saucepan of boiling
water slightly salted, and let them boil quickly for an hour. Then take
them out, wipe them thoroughly, wrap each one in a piece of paper
separately, and bake them in a moderate oven for 2 hours, or longer,
should the onions be very large. They may be served in their skins, and
eaten with a piece of cold butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt; or
they may be peeled, and a good brown gravy poured over them.
[Illustration: ONION.]
THE GENUS ALLIUM.--The Onion, like the Leek, Garlic, and Shalot,
belongs to the genus _Allium_, which is a numerous species of
vegetable; and every one of them possesses, more or less, a
volatile and acrid penetrating principle, pricking the thin
transparent membrane of the eyelids; and all are very similar in
their properties. In the whole of them the bulb is the most
active part, and any one of them may supply the place of the
other; for they are all irritant, excitant, and vesicant. With
many, the onion is a very great favourite, and is considered an
extremely nutritive vegetable. The Spanish kind is frequently
taken for supper, it being simply boiled, and then seasoned with
salt, pepper, and butter. Some dredge on a little flour, but
many prefer it without this.
_Mode_.--Peel and chop the onions fine, and put them into a stewpan (not
tinned), with the water; let them boil for 5 minutes, then add the
sugar, and simmer gently until the mixture becomes nearly black and
throws out bubbles of smoke. Have ready the above proportion of boiling
vinegar, strain the liquor gradually to it, and keep stirring with a
wooden spoon until it is well incorporated. When cold, bottle for use.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour.
_Mode_.--Peel the onions, taking care not to cut away too much of the
tops or tails, or they would then fall to pieces; put them into a
stewpan capable of holding them at the bottom without piling them one on
the top of another; add the broth or gravy, and simmer _very gently_
until the onions are perfectly tender. Dish them, pour the gravy round,
and serve. Instead of using broth, Spanish onions may be stewed with a
large piece of butter: they must be done very gradually over a slow fire
or hot-plate, and will produce plenty of gravy.
BOILED PARSNIPS.
_Mode_.--Wash the parsnips, scrape them thoroughly, and, with the point
of the knife, remove any black specks about them, and, should they be
very large, cut the thick part into quarters. Put them into a saucepan
of boiling water salted in the above proportion, boil them rapidly until
tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork in them; take them
up, drain them, and serve in a vegetable-dish. This vegetable is usually
served with salt fish, boiled pork, or boiled beef: when sent to table
with the latter, a few should be placed alternately with carrots round
the dish, as a garnish.
BAKED POTATOES.
1136. INGREDIENTS.--Potatoes.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new
potatoes are in season.
POTATO-SUGAR.--This sugary substance, found in the tubers of
potatoes, is obtained in the form of syrup or treacle, and has
not yet been crystallized. It resembles the sugar of grapes,
has a very sweet taste, and may be used for making sweetmeats,
and as a substitute for honey. Sixty pounds of potatoes,
yielding eight pounds of dry starch, will produce seven and a
half pounds of sugar. In Russia it is extensively made, as
good, though of less consistency than the treacle obtained from
cane-sugar. A spirit is also distilled from the tubers, which
resembles brandy, but is milder, and has a flavour as if it were
charged with the odour of violets or raspberries. In France
this manufacture is carried on pretty extensively, and five
hundred pounds of the tubers will produce twelve quarts of
spirit, the pulp being given to cattle.
TO BOIL POTATOES.
_Mode_.--Choose potatoes of an equal size, pare them, take out all the
eyes and specks, and as they are peeled, throw them into cold water. Put
them into a saucepan, with sufficient cold water to cover them, with
salt in the above proportion, and let them boil gently until tender.
Ascertain when they are done by thrusting a fork in them, and take them
up the moment they feel soft through; for if they are left in the water
afterwards, they become waxy or watery. Drain away the water, put the
saucepan by the side of the fire, with the lid partially uncovered, to
allow the steam to escape, and let the potatoes get thoroughly dry, and
do not allow them to get burnt. Their superfluous moisture will
evaporate, and the potatoes, if a good sort, should be perfectly mealy
and dry. Potatoes vary so much in quality and size, that it is difficult
to give the exact time for boiling; they should be attentively watched,
and probed with a fork, to ascertain when they are cooked. Send them to
table quickly, and very hot, and with an opening in the cover of the
dish, that a portion of the steam may evaporate, and not fall back on
the potatoes.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new
potatoes are in season.
_Note_.--To keep potatoes hot, after draining the water from them, put a
folded cloth or flannel (kept for the purpose) on the top of them,
keeping the saucepan-lid partially uncovered. This will absorb the
moisture, and keep them hot some time without spoiling.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new
potatoes are in season.
TO STEAM POTATOES.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but not so good whilst new potatoes are in
season.
_Mode_.--Mash the potatoes with a fork until perfectly free from lumps;
stir in the other ingredients, and add sufficient milk to moisten them
well; press the potatoes into a mould, and bake in a moderate oven until
nicely brown, which will be in from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. Turn them
out of the mould, and serve.
_Mode_.--Peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices, as nearly the same
size as possible; make some butter or dripping quite hot in a
frying-pan; put in the potatoes, and fry them on both sides of a nice
brown. When they are crisp and done, take them up, place them on a cloth
before the fire to drain the grease from them, and serve very hot, after
sprinkling them with salt. These are delicious with rump-steak, and, in
France, are frequently served thus as a breakfast dish. The remains of
cold potatoes may also be sliced and fried by the above recipe, but the
slices must be cut a little thicker.
_Mode_.--Put the butter and flour into a stewpan; stir over the fire
until the butter is of a nice brown colour, and add the broth and
vinegar; peel and cut the potatoes into long thin slices, lay them in
the gravy, and let them simmer gently until tender, which will be in
from 10 to 15 minutes, and serve very hot. A laurel-leaf simmered with
the potatoes is an improvement.
_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes.
_Mode_.--Wash the potatoes clean, and boil them in salt and water by
recipe No. 1138; when they are done, drain them, let them cool; then
peel and cut the potatoes into thick slices: if these are too thin, they
would break in the sauce. Put the butter into a stewpan with the pepper,
salt, gravy, and parsley; mix these ingredients well together, put in
the potatoes, shake them two or three times, that they may be well
covered with the sauce, and, when quite hot through, squeeze in the
lemon-juice, and serve.
MASHED POTATOES.
_Mode_.--Boil the potatoes in their skins; when done, drain them, and
let them get thoroughly dry by the side of the fire; then peel them,
and, as they are peeled, put them into a clean saucepan, and with a
large fork beat them to a light paste; add butter, milk, and salt in the
above proportion, and stir all the ingredients well over the fire. When
thoroughly hot, dish them lightly, and draw the fork backwards over the
potatoes to make the surface rough, and serve. When dressed in this
manner, they may be browned at the top with a salamander, or before the
fire. Some cooks press the potatoes into moulds, then turn them out, and
brown them in the oven: this is a pretty mode of serving, but it makes
them heavy. In whatever way they are sent to table, care must be taken
to have them quite free from lumps.
_Mode_.--Boil the potatoes, well drain them, and pound them smoothly in
a mortar, or beat them up with a fork; add the stock or broth, and rub
the potatoes through a sieve. Put the puree into a very clean saucepan
with the butter; stir it well over the fire until thoroughly hot, and it
will then be ready to serve. A puree should be rather thinner than
mashed potatoes, and is a delicious accompaniment to delicately broiled
mutton cutlets. Cream or milk may be substituted for the broth when the
latter is not at hand. A casserole of potatoes, which is often used for
rago�ts instead of rice, is made by mashing potatoes rather thickly,
placing them on a dish, and making an opening in the centre. After
having browned the potatoes in the oven, the dish should be wiped clean,
and the ragout or fricass�e poured in.
_Time_.--About 1/2 hour to boil the potatoes; 6 or 7 minutes to warm the
pur�e.
POTATO RISSOLES.
_Mode_.--Boil and mash the potatoes by recipe No. 1145; add a seasoning
of pepper and salt, and, when liked, a little minced parsley. Roll the
potatoes into small balls, cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry
in hot lard for about 10 minutes; let them drain before the fire, dish
them on a napkin, and serve.
POTATO SNOW.
1148. INGREDIENTS.--Potatoes, salt, and water.
TO DRESS SALSIFY.
BOILED SEA-KALE.
_Mode_.--Well wash the kale, cut away any wormeaten pieces, and tie it
into small bunches; put it into _boiling_ water, salted in the above
proportion, and let it boil quickly until tender. Take it out, drain,
untie the bunches, and serve with plain melted butter or white sauce, a
little of which may be poured over the kale. Sea-kale may also be
parboiled and stewed in good brown gravy: it will then take about 1/2
hour altogether.
[Illustration: SEA-KALE.]
BOILED SALAD.
[Illustration: CHERVIL.]
_Mode_.--Boil the celery and beans separately until tender, and cut the
celery into pieces about 2 inches long. Put these into a salad-bowl or
dish; pour over either of the sauces No. 506, 507, or 508, and garnish
the dish with a little lettuce finely chopped, blanched endive, or a few
tufts of boiled cauliflower. This composition, if less agreeable than
vegetables in their raw state, is more wholesome; for salads, however
they may be compounded, when eaten uncooked, prove to some people
indigestible. Tarragon, chervil, burnet, and boiled onion, may be added
to the above salad with advantage, as also slices of cold meat, poultry,
or fish.
SUMMER SALAD.
_Average cost_, 9d. for a salad for 5 or 6 persons; but more expensive
when the herbs are forced.
[Illustration: CUCUMBER-SLICE.]
WINTER SALAD.
POTATO SALAD.
_Mode_.--Cut the potatoes into slices about 1/2 inch in thickness; put
these into a salad-bowl with oil and vinegar in the above proportion;
season with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley; stir the
salad well, that all the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated, and
it is ready to serve. This should be made two or three hours before it
is wanted for table. Anchovies, olives, or pickles may be added to this
salad, as also slices of cold beef, fowl, or turkey.
_Mode_.--Pick the spinach carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are
left amongst it; wash it in several waters, and, to prevent it being
gritty, act in the following manner:--Have ready two large pans or tubs
filled with water; put the spinach into one of these, and thoroughly
wash it; then, _with the hands_, take out the spinach, and put it into
the _other tub_ of water (by this means all the grit will be left at the
bottom of the tub); wash it again, and, should it not be perfectly free
from dirt, repeat the process. Put it into a very large saucepan, with
about 1/2 pint of water, just sufficient to keep the spinach from
burning, and the above proportion of salt. Press it down frequently with
a wooden spoon, that it may be done equally; and when it has boiled for
rather more than 10 minutes, or until it is perfectly tender, drain it
in a colander, squeeze it quite dry, and chop it finely. Put the spinach
into a clean stewpan, with the butter and a seasoning of pepper; stir
the whole over the fire until quite hot; then put it on a hot dish, and
garnish with sippets of toasted bread.
[Illustration: SPINACH.]
BAKED TOMATOES.
(_Excellent_.)
_Mode_.--Take off the stalks from the tomatoes; cut them into thick
slices, and put them into a deep baking-dish; add a plentiful seasoning
of pepper and salt, and butter in the above proportion; cover the whole
with bread crumbs; drop over these a little clarified butter; bake in a
moderate oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, and serve very hot. This
vegetable, dressed as above, is an exceedingly nice accompaniment to all
kinds of roast meat. The tomatoes, instead of being cut in slices, may
be baked whole; but they will take rather longer time to cook.
STEWED TOMATOES.
I.
_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes.
II.
_Mode_.--Take out the stalks of the tomatoes; put them into a wide
stewpan, pour over them the above proportion of good brown gravy, and
stew gently until they are tender, occasionally _carefully_ turning
them, that they may be equally done. Thicken the gravy with a little
butter and flour worked together on a plate; let it just boil up after
the thickening is added, and serve. If it be at hand, these should be
served on a silver or plated vegetable-dish.
TRUFFLES AU NATUREL.
[Illustration: TRUFFLES.]
_Mode_.--After cleansing and brushing the truffles, cut them into thin
slices, and put them in a baking-dish, on a seasoning of oil, pepper,
salt, parsley, garlic, and mace in the above proportion. Bake them for
nearly an hour, and, just before serving, add the lemon-juice, and send
them to table very hot.
_Time_.--Nearly 1 hour.
TRUFFLES A L'ITALIENNE.
_Mode_.--Wash the truffles and cut them into slices about the size of a
penny-piece; put them into a saut� pan, with the parsley, shalot, salt,
pepper, and 1 oz. of butter; stir them over the fire, that they may all
be equally done, which will be in about 10 minutes, and drain off some
of the butter; then add a little more fresh butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of
good gravy, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and a little cayenne; stir over the
fire until the whole is on the point of boiling, when serve.
_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.
BOILED TURNIPS.
_Mode_.--Pare the turnips, and, should they be very large, divide them
into quarters; but, unless this is the case, let them be cooked whole.
Put them into a saucepan of boiling water, salted in the above
proportion, and let them boil gently until tender. Try them with a fork,
and, when done, take them up in a colander; let them thoroughly drain,
and serve. Boiled turnips are usually sent to table with boiled mutton,
but are infinitely nicer when mashed than served whole: unless nice and
young, they are scarcely worth the trouble of dressing plainly as above.
_Seasonable_.--May be had all the year; but in spring only useful for
flavouring gravies, &c.
[Illustration: TURNIPS.]
MASHED TURNIPS.
_Mode_.--Pare the turnips, quarter them, and put them into boiling
water, salted in the above proportion; boil them until tender; then
drain them in a colander, and squeeze them as dry as possible by
pressing them with the back of a large plate. When quite free from
water, rub the turnips with a wooden spoon through the colander, and put
them into a very clean saucepan; add the butter, white pepper, or
cayenne, and, if necessary, a little salt. Keep stirring them over the
fire until the butter is well mixed with them, and the turnips are
thoroughly hot; dish, and serve. A little cream or milk added after the
turnips are pressed through the colander, is an improvement to both the
colour and flavour of this vegetable.
_Seasonable_.--May be had all the year; but in spring only good for
flavouring gravies.
_Mode_.--Peel and cut the turnips in the shape of pears or marbles; boil
them in salt and water, to which has been added a little butter, until
tender; then take them out, drain, arrange them on a dish, and pour over
the white sauce made by recipe No. 538 or 539, and to which has been
added a small lump of sugar. In winter, when other vegetables are
scarce, this will be found a very good and pretty-looking dish: when
approved, a little mustard may be added to the sauce.
_Mode_.--Wash the greens well in two or three waters, and pick off all
the decayed and dead leaves; tie them in small bunches, and put them
into plenty of boiling water, salted in the above proportion. Keep them
boiling quickly, with the lid of the saucepan uncovered, and when
tender, pour them into a colander; let them drain, arrange them in a
vegetable-dish, remove the string that the greens were tied with, and
serve.
_Mode_.--Peel, and boil the marrows until tender in salt and water; then
drain them and cut them in quarters, and take out the seeds. When
thoroughly drained, brush the marrows over with egg, and sprinkle with
bread crumbs; have ready some hot lard, fry the marrow in this, and,
when of a nice brown, dish; sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, and
serve.
[Illustration: VEGETABLE-CUTTER.]
1172. The annexed engraving represents a cutter for shaping vegetables
for soups, ragouts, stews, &c.; carrots and turnips being the usual
vegetables for which this utensil is used. Cut the vegetables into
slices about 1/4 inch in thickness, stamp them out with the cutter, and
boil them for a few minutes in salt and water, until tender. Turnips
should be cut in rather thicker slices than carrots, on account of the
former boiling more quickly to a pulp than the latter.
_Mode_.--Pare the marrows; cut them in halves, and shape each half at
the top in a point, leaving the bottom end flat for it to stand upright
in the dish. Boil the marrows in salt and water until tender; take them
up very carefully, and arrange them on a hot dish. Have ready 1/2 pint
of white sauce, made by recipe No. 539; pour this over the marrows, and
serve.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXVI.
1175. PUDDINGS AND PASTRY, familiar as they may be, and unimportant as
they may be held in the estimation of some, are yet intimately connected
with the development of agricultural resources in reference to the
cereal grasses. When they began to be made is uncertain; but we may
safely presume, that a simple form of pudding was amongst the first
dishes made after discovering a mode of grinding wheat into flour.
Traditional history enables us to trace man back to the time of the
Deluge. After that event he seems to have recovered himself in the
central parts of Asia, and to have first risen to eminence in the arts
of civilization on the banks of the Nile. From this region, Greece,
Carthage, and some other parts along the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea, were colonized. In process of time, Greece gave to the Romans the
arts which she had thus received from Egypt, and these subsequently
diffused them over Europe. How these were carried to or developed in
India and China, is not so well ascertained; and in America their
ancient existence rests only on very indistinct traditions. As to who
was the real discoverer of the use of corn, we have no authentic
knowledge. The traditions of different countries ascribe it to various
fabulous personages, whose names it is here unnecessary to introduce. In
Egypt, however, corn must have grown abundantly; for Abraham, and after
him Jacob, had recourse to that country for supplies during times of
famine.
1177. OATMEAL AMONGST THE GREEKS AND ROMANS was highly esteemed, as was
also rice, which they considered as beneficial to the chest. They also
held in high repute the Irion, or Indian wheat of the moderns. The flour
of this cereal was made into a kind of hasty pudding, and, parched or
roasted, as eaten with a little salt. The Spelt, or Red wheat, was
likewise esteemed, and its flour formed the basis of the Carthaginian
pudding, for which we here give the scientific recipe:--"Put a pound of
red-wheat flour into water, and when it has steeped some time, transfer
it to a wooden bowl. Add three pounds of cream cheese, half a pound of
honey, and one egg. Beat the whole together, and cook it on a slow fire
in a stewpan." Should this be considered unpalatable, another form has
been recommended. "Sift the flour, and, with some water, put it into a
wooden vessel, and, for ten days, renew the water twice each day. At the
end of that period, press out the water and place the paste in another
vessel. It is now to be reduced to the consistence of thick lees, and
passed through a piece of new linen. Repeat this last operation, then
dry the mass in the sun and boil it in milk. Season according to taste."
These are specimens of the puddings of antiquity, and this last recipe
was held in especial favour by the Romans.
1178. HOWEVER GREAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE QUALIFICATIONS of the ancients,
however, in the art of pudding-making, we apprehend that such
preparations as gave gratification to their palates, would have
generally found little favour amongst the insulated inhabitants of Great
Britain. Here, from the simple suet dumpling up to the most complicated
Christmas production, the grand feature of substantiality is primarily
attended to. Variety in the ingredients, we think, is held only of
secondary consideration with the great body of the people, provided that
the whole is agreeable and of sufficient abundance.
1181. _Flour_ should be of the best quality, and perfectly dry, and
sifted before being used; if in the least damp, the paste made from it
will certainly be heavy.
1182. _Butter_, unless fresh is used, should be washed from the salt,
and well squeezed and wrung in a cloth, to get out all the water and
buttermilk, which, if left in, assists to make the paste heavy.
1184. _Suet_ should be finely chopped, perfectly free from skin, and
quite sweet; during the process of chopping, it should be lightly
dredged with flour, which prevents the pieces from sticking together.
Beef suet is considered the best; but veal suet, or the outside fat of a
loin or neck of mutton, makes good crusts; as also the skimmings in
which a joint of mutton has been boiled, but _without_ vegetables.
1187. In mixing paste, add the water very gradually, work the whole
together with the knife-blade, and knead it until perfectly smooth.
Those who are inexperienced in pastry-making, should work the butter in
by breaking it in small pieces and covering the paste rolled out. It
should then be dredged with flour, and the ends folded over and rolled
out very thin again: this process must be repeated until all the butter
is used.
1189. To insure rich paste being light, great expedition must be used in
the making and baking; for if it stand long before it is put in the
oven, it becomes flat and heavy.
1190. _Puff-paste_ requires a brisk oven, but not too hot, or it would
blacken the crust; on the other hand, if the oven be too slack, the
paste will be soddened, and will not rise, nor will it have any colour.
Tart-tins, cake-moulds, dishes for baked puddings, pattypans, &c.,
should all be buttered before the article intended to be baked is put in
them: things to be baked on sheets should be placed on buttered paper.
Raised-pie paste should have a soaking heat, and paste glazed must have
rather a slack oven, that the icing be not scorched. It is better to ice
tarts, &c. when they are three-parts baked.
[Illustration: PIE-DISH.]
1191. To ascertain when the oven is heated to the proper degree for
puff-paste, put a small piece of the paste in previous to baking the
whole, and then the heat can thus be judged of.
1194. Raisins and dried fruits for puddings should be carefully picked,
and, in many cases, stoned. Currants should be well washed, pressed in a
cloth, and placed on a dish before the fire to get thoroughly dry; they
should then be picked carefully over, and _every piece of grit or stone_
removed from amongst them. To plump them, some cooks pour boiling water
over them, and then dry them before the fire.
1195. Batter pudding should be smoothly mixed and free from lumps. To
insure this, first mix the flour with a very small proportion of milk,
and add the remainder by degrees. Should the pudding be very lumpy, it
may be strained through a hair sieve.
1198. For dishing a boiled pudding as soon as it comes out of the pot,
dip it into a basin of cold water, and the cloth will then not adhere to
it. Great expedition is necessary in sending puddings to table, as, by
standing, they quickly become heavy, batter puddings particularly.
1199. For baked or boiled puddings, the moulds, cups, or basins, should
be always buttered before the mixture is put in them, and they should be
put into the saucepan directly they are filled.
[Illustration: PUDDING-BASIN.]
1201. The _dry ingredients_ for puddings are better for being mixed some
time before they are wanted; the liquid portion should only be added
just before the pudding is put into the saucepan.
1203. When baked puddings are sufficiently solid, turn them out of the
dish they were baked in, bottom uppermost, and strew over them fine
sifted sugar.
1204. When pastry or baked puddings are not done through, and yet the
outside is sufficiently brown, cover them over with a piece of white
paper until thoroughly cooked: this prevents them from getting burnt.
[Illustration]
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXVII.
VERY GOOD PUFF-PASTE.
1205. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1 lb. of butter, and not
quite 1/2 pint of water.
_Mode_.--Carefully weigh the flour and butter, and have the exact
proportion; squeeze the butter well, to extract the water from it, and
afterwards wring it in a clean cloth, that no moisture may remain. Sift
the flour; see that it is perfectly dry, and proceed in the following
manner to make the paste, using a very _clean_ paste-board and
rolling-pin:--Supposing the quantity to be 1 lb. of flour, work the
whole into a smooth paste, with not quite 1/2 pint of water, using a
knife to mix it with: the proportion of this latter ingredient must be
regulated by the discretion of the cook; if too much be added, the
paste, when baked, will be tough. Roll it out until it is of an equal
thickness of about an inch; break 4 oz. of the butter into small pieces;
place these on the paste, sift over it a little flour, fold it over,
roll out again, and put another 4 oz. of butter. Repeat the rolling and
buttering until the paste has been rolled out 4 times, or equal
quantities of flour and butter have been used. Do not omit, every time
the paste is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the
rolling-pin, to prevent both from sticking. Handle the paste as lightly
as possible, and do not press heavily upon it with the rolling-pin. The
next thing to be considered is the oven, as the baking of pastry
requires particular attention. Do not put it into the oven until it is
sufficiently hot to raise the paste; for the best-prepared paste, if not
properly baked, will be good for nothing. Brushing the paste as often as
rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of
an egg, assists it to rise in _leaves_ or _flakes_. As this is the great
beauty of puff-paste, it is as well to try this method.
MEDIUM PUFF-PASTE.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter lightly into the flour, and mix it to a smooth
paste with the water; roll it out 2 or 3 times, and it will be ready for
use. This paste may be converted into an excellent short crust for sweet
tart, by adding to the flour, after the butter is rubbed in, 2
tablespoonfuls of fine-sifted sugar.
1209. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow the yolk of 1 egg, the
juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, cold water, 1 lb. of fresh
butter.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, after having ascertained that
the latter is perfectly dry; add the sugar, and mix the whole into a
stiff paste, with about 1/3 pint of water. Roll it out two or three
times, folding the paste over each time, and it will be ready for use.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, and mix the whole
as lightly as possible to a smooth paste, with the yolks of eggs well
beaten, and the milk. The proportion of the latter ingredient must be
judged of by the size of the eggs: if these are large, so much will not
be required, and more if the eggs are smaller.
FRENCH SUGAR.--It had long been thought that tropical heat was
not necessary to form sugar, and, about 1740, it was discovered
that many plants of the temperate zone, and amongst others the
beet, contained it. Towards the beginning of the 19th century,
circumstances having, in France, made sugar scarce, and
consequently dear, the government caused inquiries to be
instituted as to the possibility of finding a substitute for it.
Accordingly, it was ascertained that sugar exists in the whole
vegetable kingdom; that it is to be found in the grape,
chestnut, potato; but that, far above all, the beet contains it
in a large proportion. Thus the beet became an object of the
most careful culture; and many experiments went to prove that in
this respect the old world was independent of the new. Many
manufactories came into existence in all parts of France, and
the making of sugar became naturalized in that country.
_Mode_.--With a knife, work the flour to a smooth paste with 1/2 pint of
water; roll the crust out rather thin; place the butter over it in small
pieces; dredge lightly over it some flour, and fold the paste over;
repeat the rolling once more, and the crust will be ready for use. It
may be enriched by adding another 2 oz. of butter; but, for ordinary
purposes, the above quantity will be found quite sufficient.
_Mode_.--Free the suet from skin and shreds; chop it extremely fine, and
rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the
above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use. This
crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one
is desired, use from 1/2 to 3/4 lb. of suet to every lb. of flour. Some
cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small
quantity of butter. It should then be laid on the paste in small pieces,
the same as for puff-crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot
tarts. 5 oz. of suet to every lb. of flour will make a very good crust;
and even 1/4 lb. will answer very well for children, or where the crust
is wanted very plain.
1217. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1/2 pint of water, 1-1/2
oz. of butter, 1-1/2 oz. of lard, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.
_Mode_.--Put into a saucepan the water; when it boils, add the butter
and lard; and when these are melted, make a hole in the middle of the
flour; pour in the water gradually; beat it well with a wooden spoon,
and be particular in not making the paste too soft. When it is well
mixed, knead it with the hands until quite stiff, dredging a little
flour over the paste and board, to prevent them from sticking. When it
is well kneaded, place it before the fire, with a cloth covered over it,
for a few minutes; it will then be more easily worked into shape. This
paste does not taste so nicely as the preceding one, but is worked with
greater facility, and answers just as well for raised pies, for the
crust is seldom eaten.
_Mode_.--Clear the flead free from skin, and slice it into thin flakes;
rub it into the flour, add the salt, and work the whole into a smooth
paste, with the above proportion of water; fold the paste over two or
three times, beat it well with the rolling-pin, roll it out, and it will
be ready for use. The crust made from this will be found extremely
light, and may be made into cakes or tarts; it may also be very much
enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour.
ALMOND CHEESECAKES.
_Mode_.--Blanch the almonds, and dry them thoroughly; put them into a
mortar, and pound them well, wetting them gradually with the whites of 2
eggs. When well pounded, put them into a small preserving-pan, add the
sugar, and place the pan on a small but clear fire (a hot-plate is
better); keep stirring until the paste is dry, then take it out of the
pan, put it between two dishes, and, when cold, make it into any shape
that fancy may dictate.
(_Very rich_.)
_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with the water;
mix these with the butter, which should be melted; beat up the eggs,
grate the lemon-rind, and strain the juice; add these, with the cream,
sugar, and wine, to the other ingredients, and stir them well together.
When well mixed, put it into a pie-dish lined with puff-paste, and bake
for 1/2 hour.
_Note_.--To make this pudding more economically, substitute milk for the
cream; but then add rather more than 1 oz. of finely grated bread.
ALMOND PUFFS.
_Mode_.--Pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing
them, and make 1/2 lb. of suet-crust by recipe No. 1215; roll the apples
in the crust, previously sweetening them with moist sugar, and taking
care to join the paste nicely. When they are formed into round balls,
put them on a tin, and bake them for about 1/2 hour, or longer should
the apples be very large; arrange them pyramidically on a dish, and sift
over them some pounded white sugar. These may be made richer by using
one of the puff-pastes instead of suet.
APPLE CHEESECAKES.
1226. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of apple pulp, 1/4 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4
lb. of butter, 4 eggs, the rind and juice of 1 lemon.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and boil sufficient apples to make 1/2 lb. when
cooked; add to these the sugar, the butter, which should be melted; the
eggs, leaving out 2 of the whites, and take grated rind and juice of 1
lemon; stir the mixture well; line some patty-pans with puff-paste, put
in the mixture, and bake about 20 minutes.
_Time_.--About 20 minutes.
_Average cost_, for the above quantity, with the paste, 1s. 2d.
_Mode_.--Pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing
them; sweeten, and roll each apple in a piece of crust, made by recipe
No. 1211; be particular that the paste is nicely joined; put the
dumplings into floured cloths, tie them securely, and put them into
boiling water. Keep them boiling from 1/2 to 3/4 hour; remove the
cloths, and send them hot and quickly to table. Dumplings boiled in
knitted cloths have a very pretty appearance when they come to table.
The cloths should be made square, just large enough to hold one
dumpling, and should be knitted in plain knitting, with _very coarse_
cotton.
I.
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce; put them into a
stewpan, with only just sufficient water to prevent them from burning,
and let them stew until reduced to a pulp. Weigh the pulp, and to every
1/2 lb. add sifted sugar, grated lemon-rind, and 6 well-beaten eggs.
Beat these ingredients well together; then melt the butter, stir it to
the other things, put a border of puff-paste round the dish, and bake
for rather more than 1/2 hour. The butter should not be added until the
pudding is ready for the oven.
II.
(_More Economical_.)
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce, and boil them
until reduced to a pulp; then add the butter, melted, and the eggs,
which should be well whisked. Beat up the pudding for 2 or 3 minutes;
butter a pie-dish; put in a layer of bread crumbs, then the apple, and
then another layer of bread crumbs; flake over these a few tiny pieces
of butter, and bake for about 1/2 hour.
_Note_.--A very good economical pudding may be made merely with apples,
boiled and sweetened, with the addition of a few strips of lemon-peel. A
layer of bread crumbs should be placed above and below the apples, and
the pudding baked for 1/2 hour.
1230. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. of suet, 1/2 lb. of
currants, 1/2 lb. of apples, 1/2 lb. of moist sugar, 6 eggs, 12 sweet
almonds, 1/2 saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet very fine; wash the currants, dry them, and pick
away the stalks and pieces of grit; pare, core, and chop the apple, and
grate the bread into fine crumbs, and mince the almonds. Mix all these
ingredients together, adding the sugar and nutmeg; beat up the eggs,
omitting the whites of three; stir these to the pudding, and when all is
well mixed, add the brandy, and put the pudding into a buttered mould;
tie down with a cloth, put it into boiling water, and let it boil for 3
hours.
_Time_.--3 hours.
(_Very Good_.)
_Mode_.--Mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk; add the eggs,
which should be well whisked, and put this batter into a well-buttered
pie-dish. Wipe the apples clean, but do not pare them; cut them in
halves, and take out the cores; lay them in the batter, rind uppermost;
shake the suet on the top, over which, also grate a little nutmeg; bake
in a moderate oven for an hour, and cover, when served, with sifted loaf
sugar. This pudding is also very good with the apples pared, sliced, and
mixed with the batter.
_Time_.--1 hour.
_Seasonable_ from August to March; but the apples become flavourless and
scarce after February.
_Note_.--Many things are suggested for the flavouring of apple pie; some
say 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of beer, others the same quantity of sherry,
which very much improve the taste; whilst the old-fashioned addition of
a few cloves is, by many persons, preferred to anything else, as also a
few slices of quince.
[Illustration: QUINCE.]
APPLE SNOWBALLS.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to boil the rice separately; 1/2 to 1 hour with the
apple.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into small pieces; put
sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them into a basin; add the lemon-peel,
which should be finely minced, and the cream; stir these ingredients
well, whisk the eggs, and melt the butter; mix altogether, add the
sliced apple, and let these be well stirred into the mixture. Line a
large round plate with the paste, place a narrow rim of the same round
the outer edge, and lay the apples thickly in the middle. Blanch the
almonds, cut them into long shreds, and strew over the top of the
apples, and bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, taking care that the almonds do
not get burnt: when done, strew some sifted sugar over the top, and
serve. This tourte may be eaten either hot or cold, and is sufficient to
fill 2 large-sized plates.
ALMA PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling hot, and pour it on to the bread crumbs;
when half cold, add the sugar, the well-whisked yolks of the eggs, and
the sherry. Divide the apricots in half, scald them until they are soft,
and break them up with a spoon, adding a few of the kernels, which
should be well pounded in a mortar; then mix the fruit and other
ingredients together, put a border of paste round the dish, fill with
the mixture, and bake the pudding from 1/2 to 3/4 hour.
APRICOT TART.
_Mode_.--Break the apricots in half, take out the stones, and put them
into a pie-dish, in the centre of which place a very small cup or jar,
bottom uppermost; sweeten with good moist sugar, but add no water. Line
the edge of the dish with paste, put on the cover, and ornament the pie
in any of the usual modes. Bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, according to size;
and if puff-paste is used, glaze it about 10 minutes before the pie is
done, and put it into the oven again to set the glaze. Short crust
merely requires a little sifted sugar sprinkled over it before being
sent to table.
_Note_.--Green apricots make very good tarts, but they should be boiled
with a little sugar and water before they are covered with the crust.
_Mode_.--Mix the arrowroot with as much cold milk as will make it into a
smooth batter, moderately thick; put the remainder of the milk into a
stewpan with the lemon-peel, and let it infuse for about 1/2 hour; when
it boils, strain it gently to the batter, stirring it all the time to
keep it smooth; then add the butter; beat this well in until thoroughly
mixed, and sweeten with moist sugar. Put the mixture into a pie-dish,
round which has been placed a border of paste, grate a little nutmeg
over the top, and bake the pudding from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, in a moderate
oven, or boil it the same length of time in a well-buttered basin. To
enrich this pudding, stir to the other ingredients, just before it is
put in the oven, 3 well-whisked eggs, and add a tablespoonful of brandy.
For a nursery pudding, the addition of the latter ingredients will be
found quite superfluous, as also the paste round the edge of the dish.
A BACHELOR'S PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and mince the apples very finely, sufficient, when
minced, to make 4 oz.; add to these the currants, which should be well
washed, the grated bread, and sugar; whisk the eggs, beat these up with
the remaining ingredients, and, when all is thoroughly mixed, put the
pudding into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for 3
hours.
BAKEWELL PUDDING.
(_Very Rich_.)
I.
_Mode_.--Cover a dish with thin paste, and put over this a layer of any
kind of jam, 1/2 inch thick; put the yolks of 5 eggs into a basin with
the white of 1, and beat these well; add the sifted sugar, the butter,
which should be melted, and the almonds, which should be well pounded;
beat all together until well mixed, then pour it into the dish over the
jam, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven.
II.
BARONESS PUDDING.
(_Author's Recipe_.)
BARBERRY TART.
_Mode_.--Pick the barberries from the stalks, and put the fruit into a
stone jar; place this jar in boiling water, and let it simmer very
slowly until the fruit is soft; then put it into a preserving-pan with
the sugar, and boil gently for 15 minutes; line a tartlet-pan with
paste, bake it, and, when the paste is cold, fill with the barberries,
and ornament the tart with a few baked leaves of paste, cut out, as
shown in the engraving.
_Seasonable_ in autumn.
[Illustration: BARBERRY.]
_Mode_.--Mix the flour with a small quantity of cold milk; make the
remainder hot, and pour it on to the flour, keeping the mixture well
stirred; add the butter, eggs, and salt; beat the whole well, and put
the pudding into a buttered pie-dish; bake for 3/4 hour, and serve with
sweet sauce, wine sauce, or stewed fruit. Baked in small cups, this
makes very pretty little puddings, and should be eaten with the same
accompaniments as above.
_Mode_.--Mix the milk, flour, and eggs to a smooth batter; add a little
salt, the suet, and the currants, which should be well washed, picked,
and dried; put the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake in a
moderate oven for 1-1/4 hour. When fresh fruits are in season, this
pudding is exceedingly nice, with damsons, plums, red currants,
gooseberries, or apples; when made with these, the pudding must be
thickly sprinkled over with sifted sugar. Boiled batter pudding, with
fruit, is made in the same manner, by putting the fruit into a buttered
basin, and filling it up with batter made in the above proportion, but
omitting the suet. It must be sent quickly to table, and covered
plentifully with sifted sugar.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, and add sufficient milk to moisten
it; carefully rub down all the lumps with a spoon, then pour in the
remainder of the milk, and stir in the butter, which should be
previously melted; keep beating the mixture, add the eggs and a pinch of
salt, and when the batter is quite smooth, put it into a well-buttered
basin, tie it down very tightly, and put it into boiling water; move the
basin about for a few minutes after it is put into the water, to prevent
the flour settling in any part, and boil for 1-1/4 hour. This pudding
may also be boiled in a floured cloth that has been wetted in hot water;
it will then take a few minutes less than when boiled in a basin. Send
these puddings very quickly to table, and serve with sweet sauce, wine
sauce, stewed fruit, or jam of any kind: when the latter is used, a
little of it may be placed round the dish in small quantities, as a
garnish.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a stewpan, with the bitter almonds; let it
infuse for 1/4 hour; bring it to the boiling point; strain it on to the
bread crumbs, and let these remain till cold; then add the eggs, which
should be well whisked, the butter, sugar, and brandy, and beat the
pudding well until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed; line the
bottom of a pie-dish with the candied peel sliced thin, put in the
mixture, and bake for nearly 3/4 hour.
_Note_.--A few currants may be substituted for the candied peel, and
will be found an excellent addition to this pudding: they should be
beaten in with the mixture, and not laid at the bottom of the pie-dish.
_Mode_.--Break the bread into small pieces, and pour on them as much
boiling water as will soak them well. Let these stand till the water is
cool; then press it out, and mash the bread with a fork until it is
quite free from lumps. Measure this pulp, and to every quart stir in
salt, nutmeg, sugar, and currants in the above proportion; mix all well
together, and put it into a well-buttered pie-dish. Smooth the surface
with the back of a spoon, and place the butter in small pieces over the
top; bake in a moderate oven for 1-1/2 hour, and serve very hot. Boiling
milk substituted for the boiling water would very much improve this
pudding.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling, and pour it on the bread crumbs; let
these remain till cold; then add the other ingredients, taking care that
the eggs are well beaten and the currants well washed, picked, and
dried. Beat the pudding well, and put it into a buttered basin; tie it
down tightly with a cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil for
1-1/4 hour; turn it out of the basin, and serve with sifted sugar. Any
odd pieces or scraps of bread answer for this pudding; but they should
be soaked overnight, and, when wanted for use, should have the water
well squeezed from them.
BROWN-BREAD PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Grate 3/4 lb. of crumbs from a stale brown loaf; add to these
the currants and suet, and be particular that the latter is finely
chopped. Put in the remaining ingredients; beat the pudding well for a
few minutes; put it into a buttered basin or mould; tie it down tightly,
and boil for nearly 4 hours. Send sweet sauce to table with it.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling, pour it on to the bread crumbs, and let
them soak for about 1/2 hour. Beat the eggs, mix these with the bread
crumbs, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well until all is
thoroughly mixed. Butter some small cups; rather more than half fill
them with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven from 20 minutes to
1/2 hour, and serve with sweet sauce. A few currants may be added to
these puddings: about 3 oz. will be found sufficient for the above
quantity.
_Mode_.--Cut 9 slices of bread and butter not very thick, and put them
into a pie-dish, with currants between each layer and on the top.
Sweeten and flavour the milk, either by infusing a little lemon-peel in
it, or by adding a few drops of essence of vanilla; well whisk the eggs,
and stir these to the milk. _Strain_ this over the bread and butter, and
bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour, or rather longer. This pudding may
be very much enriched by adding cream, candied peel, or more eggs than
stated above. It should not be turned out, but sent to table in the
pie-dish, and is better for being made about 2 hours before it is baked.
_Mode_.--Melt some butter to a paste, and with it, well grease the mould
or basin in which the pudding is to be boiled, taking care that it is
buttered in every part. Cut the peel into thin slices, and place these
in a fanciful device at the bottom of the mould, and fill in the spaces
between with currants and sultanas; then add a few slices of sponge cake
or French roll; drop a few drops of melted butter on these, and between
each layer sprinkle a few currants. Proceed in this manner until the
mould is nearly full; then flavour the milk with nutmeg and grated
lemon-rind; add the sugar, and stir to this the eggs, which should be
well beaten. Beat this mixture for a few minutes; then strain it into
the mould, which should be quite full; tie a piece of buttered paper
over it, and let it stand for 2 hours; then tie it down with a cloth,
put it into boiling water, and let it boil slowly for 1 hour. In taking
it up, let it stand for a minute or two before the cloth is removed;
then quickly turn it out of the mould or basin, and serve with sweet
sauce separately. The flavouring of this pudding may be varied by
substituting for the lemon-rind essence of vanilla or bitter almonds;
and it may be made much richer by using cream; but this is not at all
necessary.
CANARY PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Boil the carrots until tender enough to mash to a pulp; add the
remaining ingredients, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the
pudding of the consistency of thick batter. If to be boiled, put the
mixture into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for
2-1/2 hours: if to be baked, put it into a pie-dish, and bake for nearly
an hour; turn it out of the dish, strew sifted sugar over it, and serve.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk, add the
remaining ingredients _gradually_, and when well mixed, put it into four
basins or moulds half full; bake for 3/4 hour, turn the puddings out on
a dish, and serve with wine sauce.
CHERRY TART.
_Mode_.--Pick the stalks from the cherries, put them, with the sugar,
into a _deep_ pie-dish just capable of holding them, with a small cup
placed upside down in the midst of them. Make a short crust with 1/2 lb.
of flour, by either of the recipes 1210 or 1211; lay a border round the
edge of the dish; put on the cover, and ornament the edges; bake in a
brisk oven from 1/2 hour to 40 minutes; strew finely-sifted sugar over,
and serve hot or cold, although the latter is the more usual mode. It is
more economical to make two or three tarts at one time, as the trimmings
from one tart answer for lining the edges of the dish for another, and
so much paste is not required as when they are made singly. Unless for
family use, never make fruit pies in very _large_ dishes; select them,
however, as deep as possible.
[Illustration: CHERRY.]
COLD PUDDING.
COLLEGE PUDDINGS.
_Mode_.--Put the bread crumbs into a basin; add the suet, currants,
candied peel, sugar, and nutmeg, grated, and stir these ingredients
until they are thoroughly mixed. Beat up the eggs, moisten the pudding
with these, and put in the brandy; beat well for a few minutes, then
form the mixture into round balls or egg-shaped pieces; fry these in hot
butter or lard, letting them stew in it until thoroughly done, and turn
them two or three times, till of a fine light brown; drain them on a
piece of blotting-paper before the fire; dish, and serve with wine
sauce.
CURRANT DUMPLINGS.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely, mix it with the flour, and add the
currants, which should be nicely washed, picked, and dried; mix the
whole to a limp paste with the water (if wanted very nice, use milk);
divide it into 7 or 8 dumplings; tie them in cloths, and boil for 1-1/4
hour. They may be boiled without a cloth: they should then be made into
round balls, and dropped into boiling water, and should be moved about
at first, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
Serve with a cut lemon, cold butter, and sifted sugar.
_Average cost_, 9 d.
_Mode_.--Wash the currants, dry them thoroughly, and pick away any
stalks or grit; chop the suet finely; mix all the ingredients together,
and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding into a stiff
batter; tie it up in a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and
boil for 3-1/2 hours; serve with a cut lemon, cold butter, and sifted
sugar.
[Illustration: CURRANTS.]
_Mode_.--Strip the currants from the stalks, and put them into a deep
pie-dish, with a small cup placed in the midst, bottom upwards; add the
raspberries and sugar; place a border of paste round the edge of the
dish, cover with crust, ornament the edges, and bake from 1/2 to 3/4
hour: strew some sifted sugar over before being sent to table. This tart
is more generally served cold than hot.
_Average cost_.
[Illustration: RASPBERRY.]
RASPBERRIES.--There are two sorts of raspberries, the red and
the white. Both the scent and flavour of this fruit are very
refreshing, and the berry itself is exceedingly wholesome, and
invaluable to people of a nervous or bilious temperament. We are
not aware, however, of its being cultivated with the same amount
of care which is bestowed upon some other of the berry tribe,
although it is far from improbable that a more careful
cultivation would not be repaid by a considerable improvement in
the size and flavour of the berry; neither, as an eating fruit,
is it so universally esteemed as the strawberry, with whose
lusciousness and peculiarly agreeable flavour it can bear no
comparison. In Scotland, it is found in large quantities,
growing wild, and is eagerly sought after, in the woods, by
children. Its juice is rich and abundant, and to many, extremely
agreeable.
1268. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 pint of milk, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1/4 lb.
of moist sugar, 4 eggs.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a saucepan with the sugar and lemon-rind, and
let this infuse for about 4 hour, or until the milk is well flavoured;
whisk the eggs, yolks and whites; pour the milk to them, stirring all
the while; then have ready a pie-dish, lined at the edge with paste
ready baked; strain the custard into the dish, grate a little nutmeg
over the top, and bake in a _very slow_ oven for about 1/2 hour, or
rather longer. The flavour of this pudding may be varied by substituting
bitter almonds for the lemon-rind; and it may be very much enriched by
using half cream and half milk, and doubling the quantity of eggs.
_Mode_.--Put the damsons, with the sugar between them, into a deep
pie-dish, in the midst of which, place a small cup or jar turned upside
down; pile the fruit high in the middle, line the edges of the dish with
short or puff crust, whichever may be preferred; put on the cover,
ornament the edges, and bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour in a good oven. If
puff-crust is used, about 10 minutes before the pie is done, take it out
of the oven, brush it over with the white of an egg beaten to a froth
with the blade of a knife; strew some sifted sugar over, and a few drops
of water, and put the tart back to finish baking: with short crust, a
little plain sifted sugar, sprinkled over, is all that will be required.
[Illustration: DAMSONS.]
DAMSON PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Make a suet crust with 3/4 lb. of flour by recipe No. 1215;
line a buttered pudding-basin with a portion of it; fill the basin with
the damsons, sweeten them, and put on the lid; pinch the edges of the
crust together, that the juice does not escape; tie over a floured
cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil from 2-1/2 to 3
hours.
_Time_.--2-1/2 to 3 hours.
DELHI PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into slices; put them into a
saucepan, with the nutmeg, lemon-peel, and sugar; stir them over the
fire until soft; then have ready the above proportion of crust, roll it
out thin, spread the apples over the paste, sprinkle over the currants,
roll the pudding up, closing the ends properly, tie it in a floured
cloth, and boil for 2 hours.
_Time_.--2 hours.
EMPRESS PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Boil the rice in the milk until very soft; then add the butter
boil it for a few minutes after the latter ingredient is put in, and set
it by to cool. Well beat the eggs, stir these in, and line a dish with
puff-paste; put over this a layer of rice, then a thin layer of any kind
of jam, then another layer of rice, and proceed in this manner until the
dish is full; and bake in a moderate oven for 3/4 hour. This pudding may
be eaten hot or cold; if the latter, it will be much improved by having
a boiled custard poured over it.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
EXETER PUDDING.
(_Very rich_.)
_Mode_.--Put the bread crumbs into a basin with the sago, suet, sugar,
minced lemon-peel, rum, and 4 eggs; stir these ingredients well
together, then add 3 more eggs and the cream, and let the mixture be
well beaten. Then butter a mould, strew in a few bread crumbs, and cover
the bottom with a layer of ratafias; then put in a layer of the mixture,
then a layer of sliced sponge cake spread thickly with any kind of jam;
then add some ratafias, then some of the mixture and sponge cake, and so
on until the mould is full, taking care that a layer of the mixture is
on the top of the pudding. Bake in a good oven from 3/4 to 1 hour, and
serve with the following sauce:--Put 3 tablespoonfuls of black-currant
jelly into a stewpan, add 2 glasses of sherry, and, when warm, turn the
pudding out of the mould, pour the sauce over it, and serve hot.
FIG PUDDING.
I.
1275. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of figs, 1 lb. of suet, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2
lb. of bread crumbs, 2 eggs, milk.
_Mode_.--Cut the figs into small pieces, grate the bread finely, and
chop the suet very small; mix these well together, add the flour, the
eggs, which should be well beaten, and sufficient milk to form the whole
into a stiff paste; butter a mould or basin, press the pudding into it
very closely, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for 3 hours, or rather
longer; turn it out of the mould, and serve with melted butter,
wine-sauce, or cream.
II.
(_Staffordshire Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely, mix with it the flour, and make these
into a smooth paste with milk; roll it out to the thickness of about 1/2
inch, cut the figs in small pieces, and strew them over the paste; roll
it up, make the ends secure, tie the pudding in a cloth, and boil it
from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
FOLKESTONE PUDDING-PIES.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
GERMAN PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk with the lemon-rind until well flavoured; then
strain it, and mix with it the flour, arrowroot, butter, and sugar. Boil
these ingredients for a few minutes, keeping them well stirred; then
take them off the fire and mix with them the eggs, yolks and whites,
beaten separately and added separately. Boil some sugar to candy; line a
mould with this, put in the brandy, then the mixture; tie down with a
cloth, and boil for rather more than 1 hour. When turned out, the brandy
and sugar make a nice sauce.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, make a hole in the centre, into
which put the yeast, and rather more than 1/4 pint of warm milk; make
this into a batter with the middle of the flour, and let the sponge rise
in a warm temperature. When sufficiently risen, mix the eggs, butter,
sugar, and salt with a little more warm milk, and knead the whole well
together with the hands, beating the dough until it is perfectly smooth,
and it drops from the fingers. Then cover the basin with a cloth, put it
in a warm place, and when the dough has nicely risen, knead it into
small balls; butter the bottom of a deep saut�-pan, strew over some
pounded sugar, and let the dampfnudeln be laid in, but do not let them
touch one another; then pour over sufficient milk to cover them, put on
the lid, and let them rise to twice their original size by the side of
the fire. Now place them in the oven for a few minutes, to acquire a
nice brown colour, and serve them on a napkin, with custard sauce
flavoured with vanilla, or a _comp�te_ of any fruit that may be
preferred.
GINGER PUDDING.
1281. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of suet, 1/4 lb. of moist
sugar, 2 large teaspoonfuls of grated ginger.
_Mode_.--Shred the suet very fine, mix it with the flour, sugar, and
ginger; stir all well together; butter a basin, and put the mixture in
_dry_; tie a cloth over, and boil for 3 hours.
GOLDEN PUDDING.
1282. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of bread crumbs, 1/4 lb. of suet, 1/4 lb. of
marmalade, 1/4 lb. of sugar, 4 eggs.
_Mode_.--Put the bread crumbs into a basin; mix with them the suet,
which should be finely minced, the marmalade, and the sugar; stir all
these ingredients well together, beat the eggs to a froth, moisten the
pudding with these, and when well mixed, put it into a mould or buttered
basin; tie down with a floured cloth, and boil for 2 hours. When turned
out, strew a little fine-sifted sugar over the top, and serve.
1284. INGREDIENTS.--3/4 lb. of suet crust No. 1215, 1-1/2 pint of green
gooseberries, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar.
GOOSEBERRY TART.
_Mode_.--With a pair of scissors cut off the tops and tails of the
gooseberries; put them into a deep pie-dish, pile the fruit high in the
centre, and put in the sugar; line the edge of the dish with short
crust, put on the cover, and ornament the edges of the tart; bake in a
good oven for about 3/4 hour, and before being sent to table, strew over
it some fine-sifted sugar. A jug of cream, or a dish of boiled or baked
custards, should always accompany this dish.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
[Illustration: GOOSEBERRY.]
HALF-PAY PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely; mix with it the currants, which should be
nicely washed and dried, the raisins, which should be stoned, the flour,
bread crumbs, and treacle; moisten with the milk, beat up the
ingredients until all are thoroughly mixed, put them into a buttered
basin, and boil the pudding for 3-1/2 hours.
_Time_.--3-1/2 hours.
HERODOTUS PUDDING.
1287. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. of good figs, 6 oz.
of suet, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 3 eggs, nutmeg
to taste.
_Mode_.--Mince the suet and figs very finely; add the remaining
ingredients, taking care that the eggs are well whisked; beat the
mixture for a few minutes, put it into a buttered mould, tie it down
with a floured cloth, and boil the pudding for 5 hours. Serve with wine
sauce.
_Time_.--5 hours.
_Average cost_, 10d.
HUNTER'S PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Stone and shred the raisins rather small, chop the suet finely,
and rub the bread until all lumps are well broken; pound the spice to
powder, cut the candied peel into thin shreds, and mix all these
ingredients well together, adding the sugar. Beat the eggs to a strong
froth, and as they are beaten, drop into them the essence of lemon and
essence of almonds; stir these to the dry ingredients, mix well, and add
the brandy. Tie the pudding firmly in a cloth, and boil it for 6 hours
at the least: 7 or 8 hours would be still better for it. Serve with
boiled custard, or red-currant jelly, or brandy sauce.
_Time_.--6 to 8 hours.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
ICED PUDDING.
(_Parisian Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and simmer them
over the fire until soft; then mix with them the apricot-jam and the
sugar, on which the rind of the orange should be previously rubbed; work
all these ingredients through a sieve, and put them into the
freezing-pot. Stone the raisins, and simmer them in a little syrup for a
few minutes; add these, with the sliced citron, the almonds cut in dice,
and the cherries drained from their syrup, to the ingredients in the
freezing-pot; put in the Cura�oa and Maraschino, and freeze again; add
as much whipped cream as will be required, freeze again, and fill the
mould. Put the lid on, and plunge the mould into the ice-pot; cover it
with a wet cloth and pounded ice and saltpetre, where it should remain
until wanted for table. Turn the pudding out of the mould on to a clean
and neatly-folded napkin, and serve, as sauce, a little iced whipped
cream, in a sauce-tureen or glass dish.
[Illustration: ICE-SPATTLE.]
_Time_.--2 hours.
_Average cost_, 9d.
LEMON CHEESECAKES.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
LEMON MINCEMEAT.
_Mode_.--Pare the lemons, squeeze them, and boil the peel until tender
enough to mash. Add to the mashed lemon-peel the apples, which should be
pared, cored, and minced; the chopped suet, currants, sugar, sliced
peel, and spice. Strain the lemon-juice to these ingredients, stir the
mixture well, and put it in a jar with a closely-fitting lid. Stir
occasionally, and in a week or 10 days the mincemeat will be ready for
use.
LEMON DUMPLINGS.
_Mode_.--Mix the bread, suet, and moist sugar well together, adding the
lemon-peel, which should be very finely minced. Moisten with the eggs
and strained lemon-juice; stir well, and put the mixture into small
buttered cups. Tie them down and boil for 3/4 hour. Turn them out on a
dish, strew sifted sugar over them, and serve with wine sauce.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
I.
_Mode_.--Beat the eggs to a froth; mix with them the sugar and warmed
butter; stir these ingredients well together, putting in the grated rind
and strained juice of the lemon-peel. Line a shallow dish with
puff-paste; put in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for 40
minutes; turn the pudding out of the dish, strew over it sifted sugar,
and serve.
_Time_.--40 minutes.
II.
_Mode_.--Bring the milk to the boiling point, stir in the butter, and
pour these hot over the bread crumbs; add the sugar and very
finely-minced lemon-peel; beat the eggs, and stir these in with the
brandy to the other ingredients; put a paste round the dish, and bake
for 3/4 hour.
[Illustration: LEMON.]
LEMON.--The lemon is a variety of the citron. The juice of this
fruit makes one of our most popular and refreshing
beverages--lemonade, which is gently stimulating and cooling,
and soon quenches the thirst. It may he freely partaken by
bilious and sanguine temperaments; but persons with irritable
stomachs should avoid it, on account of its acid qualities. The
fresh rind of the lemon is a gentle tonic, and, when dried and
grated, is used in flavouring a variety of culinary
preparations. Lemons appear in company with the orange in most
orange-growing countries. They were only known to the Romans at
a very late period, and, at first, were used only to keep the
moths from their garments: their acidity was unpleasant to them.
In the time of Pliny, the lemon was hardly known otherwise than
as an excellent counter-poison.
III.
(_Very rich_.)
_Mode_.--Mix the pounded sugar with the cream, and add the yolks of eggs
and the butter, which should be previously warmed. Blanch and pound the
almonds, and put these, with the grated rind and strained juice of the
lemons, to the other ingredients. Stir all well together; line a dish
with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for 1 hour.
_Time_.--1 hour.
_Mode_.--Mix the suet, bread crumbs, sugar, and flour well together,
adding the lemon-peel, which should be very finely minced, and the
juice, which should be strained. When these ingredients are well mixed,
moisten with the eggs and sufficient milk to make the pudding of the
consistency of thick batter; put it into a well-buttered mould, and boil
for 3-1/2 hours; turn it out, strew sifted sugar over, and serve with
wine sauce, or not, at pleasure.
_Time_.--3-1/2 hours.
_Note_.--This pudding may also be baked, and will be found very good. It
will take about 2 hours.
_Time_.--2 hours.
_Time_.--1 hour.
_Mode_.--Put the macaroni, with a pint of the milk, into a saucepan with
the lemon-peel, and let it simmer gently until the macaroni is tender;
then put it into a pie-dish without the peel; mix the other pint of milk
with the eggs; stir these well together, adding the sugar and brandy,
and pour the mixture over the macaroni. Grate a little nutmeg over the
top, and bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. To make this pudding look
nice, a paste should be laid round the edges of the dish, and, for
variety, a layer of preserve or marmalade may be placed on the macaroni:
in this case omit the brandy.
_Time_.--3/4 hour to simmer the macaroni; 1/2 hour to bake the pudding.
[Illustration: MACARONI.]
_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds in a mortar; mix them with the
manna kroup; pour over these a pint of boiling milk, and let them steep
for about 1/4 hour. When nearly cold, add sugar and the well-beaten
eggs; mix all well together; put the pudding into a buttered dish, and
bake for 1/2 hour.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
MANSFIELD PUDDING.
MARLBOROUGH PUDDING.
MARROW DUMPLINGS, to serve with Roast Meat, in Soup, with Salad, &c.
(_German Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Beat the marrow and butter together to a cream; well whisk the
eggs, and add these to the other ingredients. When they are well
stirred, put in the rolls, which should previously be well soaked in
boiling milk, strained, and beaten up with a fork. Add the remaining
ingredients, omitting the minced onion where the flavour is very much
disliked, and form the mixture into small round dumplings. Drop these
into boiling broth, and let them simmer for about 20 minutes or 1/2
hour. They may be served in soup, with roast meat, or with salad, as in
Germany, where they are more frequently sent to table than in this
country. They are very good.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling, pour it hot on to the bread crumbs, and
let these remain covered for about 1/2 hour; shred the marrow, beat up
the eggs, and mix these with the bread crumbs; add the remaining
ingredients, beat the mixture well, and either put it into a buttered
mould and boil it for 2-1/2 hours, or put it into a pie-dish edged with
puff-paste, and bake for rather more than 3/4 hour. Before sending it to
table, sift a little pounded sugar over, after being turned out of the
mould or basin.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours to boil, 3/4 hour to bake. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d.
MILITARY PUDDINGS.
1308. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of suet, 1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 1/2 lb. of
moist sugar, the rind and juice of 1 large lemon.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely, mix it with the bread crumbs and sugar,
and mince the lemon-rind and strain the juice; stir these into the other
ingredients, mix well, and put the mixture into small buttered cups, and
bake for rather more than 1/2 hour; turn them out on the dish, and serve
with lemon-sauce. The above ingredients may be made into small balls,
and boiled for about 1/2 hour; they should then be served with the same
sauce as when baked.
MINCEMEAT.
_Mode_.--Stone and _cut_ the raisins once or twice across, but do not
chop them; wash, dry, and pick the currants free from stalks and grit,
and mince the beef and suet, taking care that the latter is chopped very
fine; slice the citron and candied peel, grate the nutmeg, and pare,
core, and mince the apples; mince the lemon-peel, strain the juice, and
when all the ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together,
adding the brandy when the other things are well blended; press the
whole into a jar, carefully exclude the air, and the mincemeat will be
ready for use in a fortnight.
EXCELLENT MINCEMEAT.
_Mode_.--Grate the rinds of the lemons; squeeze out the juice, strain
it, and boil the remainder of the lemons until tender enough to pulp or
chop very finely. Then add to this pulp the apples, which should be
baked, and their skins and cores removed; put in the remaining
ingredients one by one, and, as they are added, mix everything very
thoroughly together. Put the mincemeat into a stone jar with a
closely-fitting lid, and in a fortnight it will be ready for use.
MINCE PIES.
_Time_.--1 hour.
_Mode_.--Bruise the sponge cake or ratafias into fine crumbs, and pour
upon them the milk, which should be boiling. Rub the rinds of 2 of the
oranges on sugar, and add this, with the juice of the remainder, to the
other ingredients. Beat up the eggs, stir them in, sweeten to taste, and
put the mixture into a pie-dish previously lined with puff-paste. Bake
for rather more than 1/2 hour; turn it out of the dish, strew sifted
sugar over, and serve.
[Illustration: ORANGE.]
_Mode_.--Well beat the eggs; stir to them the milk, the butter, which
should be beaten to a cream, the sugar, and flour; mix these ingredients
well together, put them into a very clean saucepan, and bring them to
the simmering point, but do not allow them to boil. Flavour with essence
of vanilla, bitter almonds, lemon, grated chocolate, or any flavouring
ingredient that may be preferred. Line some round tartlet-pans with good
puff-paste; fill them with the custard, and bake in a moderate oven for
about 20 minutes; then take them out of the pans; let them cool, and in
the mean time whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; stir into
this the pounded sugar, and spread smoothly over the tartlets a little
of this mixture. Put them in the oven again to set the icing, but be
particular that they do not scorch: when the icing looks crisp, they are
done. Arrange them, piled high in the centre, on a white napkin, and
garnish the dish, and in between the tartlets, with strips of bright
jelly, or very firmly-made preserve.
ALMOND FLOWERS.
_Mode_.--Roll the paste out to the thickness of 1/4 inch, and, with a
round fluted cutter, stamp out as many pieces as may be required. Work
the paste up again, roll it out, and, with a smaller cutter, stamp out
some pieces the size of a shilling. Brush the larger pieces over with
the white of an egg, and place one of the smaller pieces on each. Blanch
and cut the almonds into strips lengthwise; press them slanting into the
paste closely round the rings; and when they are all completed, sift
over some pounded sugar, and bake for about 1/4 hour or 20 minutes.
Garnish between the almonds with strips of apple jelly, and place in the
centre of the ring a small quantity of strawberry jam; pile them high on
the dish, and serve.
FLUTED ROLLS.
PASTRY SANDWICHES.
PETITES BOUCHEES.
_Mode_.--Blanch the almonds, and chop them fine; rub the sugar on the
lemon-rind, and pound it in a mortar; mix this with the almonds and the
white of the egg. Roll some puff-paste out; cut it in any shape that may
be preferred, such as diamonds, rings, ovals, &c., and spread the above
mixture over the paste. Bake the bouch�es in an oven, not too hot, and
serve cold.
POLISH TARTLETS.
_Mode_.--Roll some good puff-paste out thin, and cut it into 2-1/2-inch
squares; brush each square over with the white of an egg, then fold down
the corners, so that they all meet in the middle of each piece of paste;
slightly press the two pieces together, brush them over with the egg,
sift over sugar, and bake in a nice quick oven for about 1/4 hour. When
they are done, make a little hole in the middle of the paste, and fill
it up with apricot jam, marmalade, or red-currant jelly. Pile them high
in the centre of a dish, on a napkin, and garnish with the same preserve
the tartlets are filled with.
_Time_.--15 to 25 minutes.
PARADISE PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and mince the apples into small pieces, and mix
them with the other dry ingredients; beat up the eggs, moisten the
mixture with these, and beat it well; stir in the brandy, and put the
pudding into a buttered mould; tie it down with a cloth, boil for 1-1/2
hour, and serve with sweet sauce.
PEASE PUDDING.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours to boil the peas, tied loosely in the cloth; 1 hour
for the pudding.
BAKED PLUM-PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely; mix with it the flour, currants, stoned
raisins, and candied peel; moisten with the well-beaten eggs, and add
sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of very thick
batter. Put it into a buttered dish, and bake in a good oven from 2-1/4
to 2-1/2 hours; turn it out, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. For a
very plain pudding, use only half the quantity of fruit, omit the eggs,
and substitute milk or water for them. The above ingredients make a
large family pudding; for a small one, half the quantity would be found
ample; but it must be baked quite 1-1/2 hour.
_Time_.--Large pudding, 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours; half the size, 1-1/2 hour.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
[Illustration: RAISIN-GRAPE.]
_Mode_.--Mix the flour, currants, suet, and sugar well together; have
ready the above proportions of mashed carrot and potato, which stir into
the other ingredients; add the treacle and lemon-peel; but put no liquid
in the mixture, or it will be spoiled. Tie it loosely in a cloth, or, if
put in a basin, do not quite fill it, as the pudding should have room to
swell, and boil it for 4 hours. Serve with brandy-sauce. This pudding is
better for being mixed over-night.
_Time_.--4 hours.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
AN UNRIVALLED PLUM-PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Stone and cut up the raisins, but do not chop them; wash and
dry the currants, and cut the candied peel into thin slices. Mix all the
dry ingredients well together, and moisten with the eggs, which should
be well beaten and strained, to the pudding; stir in the brandy, and,
when all is thoroughly mixed, well butter and flour a stout new
pudding-cloth; put in the pudding, tie it down very tightly and closely,
boil from 6 to 8 hours, and serve with brandy-sauce. A few sweet
almonds, blanched and cut in strips, and stuck on the pudding, ornament
it prettily. This quantity may be divided and boiled in buttered moulds.
For small families this is the most desirable way, as the above will be
found to make a pudding of rather large dimensions.
_Mode_.--Let the suet be finely chopped, the raisins stoned, and the
currants well washed, picked, and dried. Mix these with the other dry
ingredients, and stir all well together; beat and strain the eggs to the
pudding, stir these in, and add just sufficient milk to make it mix
properly. Tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put it into boiling water,
and boil for at least 5 hours. Serve with a sprig of holly placed in the
middle of the pudding, and a little pounded sugar sprinkled over it.
(_Very Good_.)
_Mode_.--Stone and cut the raisins in halves, but do not chop them;
wash, pick, and dry the currants, and mince the suet finely; cut the
candied peel into thin slices, and grate down the bread into fine
crumbs. When all these dry ingredients are prepared, mix them well
together; then moisten the mixture with the eggs, which should be well
beaten, and the brandy; stir well, that everything may be very
thoroughly blended, and _press_ the pudding into a buttered mould; tie
it down tightly with a floured cloth, and boil for 5 or 6 hours. It may
be boiled in a cloth without a mould, and will require the same time
allowed for cooking. As Christmas puddings are usually made a few days
before they are required for table, when the pudding is taken out of the
pot, hang it up immediately, and put a plate or saucer underneath to
catch the water that may drain from it. The day it is to be eaten,
plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling for at least 2 hours;
then turn it out of the mould, and serve with brandy-sauce. On
Christmas-day a sprig of holly is usually placed in the middle of the
pudding, and about a wineglassful of brandy poured round it, which, at
the moment of serving, is lighted, and the pudding thus brought to table
encircled in flame.
A POUND PLUM-PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely; mix with it the dry ingredients; stir
these well together, and add the well-beaten eggs and milk to moisten
with. Beat up the mixture well, and should the above proportion of milk
not be found sufficient to make it of the proper consistency, a little
more should be added. Press the pudding into a mould, tie it in a
floured cloth, and boil for 5 hours, or rather longer, and serve with
brandy-sauce.
[Illustration: PLUM.]
PLUM TART.
1331. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of good short crust No. 1211, 1-1/2 pint of
plums, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar.
POTATO PASTY.
_Mode_.--Place the meat, cut in small pieces, at the bottom of the pan;
season it with pepper and salt, and add the gravy and butter broken,
into small pieces. Put on the perforated plate, with its valve-pipe
screwed on, and fill up the whole space to the top of the tube with
nicely-mashed potatoes mixed with a little milk, and finish the surface
of them in any ornamental manner. If carefully baked, the potatoes will
be covered with a delicate brown crust, retaining all the savoury steam
rising from the meat. Send it to table as it comes from the oven, with a
napkin folded round it.
POTATO PUDDING.
1334. To glaze pastry, which is the usual method adopted for meat or
raised pies, break an egg, separate the yolk from the white, and beat
the former for a short time. Then, when the pastry is nearly baked, take
it out of the oven, brush it over with this beaten yolk of egg, and put
it back in the oven to set the glaze.
1335. To ice pastry, which is the usual method adopted for fruit tarts
and sweet dishes of pastry, put the white of an egg on a plate, and with
the blade of a knife beat it to a stiff froth. When the pastry is nearly
baked, brush it over with this, and sift over some pounded sugar; put it
back into the oven to set the glaze, and, in a few minutes, it will be
done. Great care should be taken that the paste does not catch or burn
in the oven, which it is very liable to do after the icing is laid on.
_Sufficient_--Allow 1 egg and 1-1/8 oz. of sugar to glaze 3 tarts.
1336. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 3/4 lb. of stoned raisins, 1/2 lb. of
suet, a pinch of salt, 1 oz. of sugar, a little grated nutmeg, milk.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet finely; stone the raisins and cut them in halves;
mix these with the suet, add the salt, sugar, and grated nutmeg, and
moisten the whole with sufficient milk to make it of the consistency of
thick batter. Put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for
1-1/2 hour, or rather longer. Turn it out of the dish, strew sifted
sugar over, and serve. This is a very plain recipe, and suitable where
there is a family of children. It, of course, can be much improved by
the addition of candied peel, currants, and rather a larger proportion
of suet: a few eggs would also make the pudding richer.
1337. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of stoned raisins, 1/2 lb.
of chopped suet, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, milk.
_Mode_.--After having stoned the raisins and chopped the suet finely,
mix them with the flour, add the salt, and when these dry ingredients
are thoroughly mixed, moisten the pudding with sufficient milk to make
it into rather a stiff paste. Tie it up in a floured cloth, put it into
boiling water, and boil for 4 hours: serve with sifted sugar. This
pudding may, also, be made in a long shape, the same as a rolled
jam-pudding, and will then not require so long boiling;--2-1/2 hours
would then be quite sufficient.
RHUBARB TART.
_Seasonable_ in spring.
[Illustration: RHUBARB.]
1340. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of flour allow 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2
pint of water, the yolks of 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt (these are
for the crust); 1 large fowl or pheasant, a few slices of veal cutlet, a
few slices of dressed ham, forcemeat, seasoning of nutmeg, allspice,
pepper and salt, gravy.
_Seasonable_, with poultry, all the year; with game, from September to
March.
_Mode_.--To raise the crust for a pie with the hands is a very difficult
task, and can only be accomplished by skilled and experienced cooks. The
process should be seen to be satisfactorily learnt, and plenty of
practice given to the making of raised pies, as by that means only will
success be insured. Make a hot-water paste by recipe No. 1217, and from
the mass raise the pie with the hands; if this cannot be accomplished,
cut out pieces for the top and bottom, and a long piece for the sides;
fasten the bottom and side-piece together by means of egg, and pinch the
edges well together; then line the pie with forcemeat made by recipe No.
415, put in a layer of veal, and a plentiful seasoning of salt, pepper,
nutmeg, and allspice, as, let it be remembered, these pies taste very
insipid unless highly seasoned. Over the seasoning place a layer of
sliced bacon or cooked ham, and then a layer of forcemeat, veal
seasoning, and bacon, and so on until the meat rises to about an inch
above the paste; taking care to finish with a layer of forcemeat, to
fill all the cavities of the pie, and to lay in the meat firmly and
compactly. Brush the top edge of the pie with beaten egg, put on the
cover, press the edges, and pinch them round with paste-pincers. Make a
hole in the middle of the lid, and ornament the pie with leaves, which
should be stuck on with the white of an egg; then brush it all over with
the beaten yolk of an egg, and bake the pie in an oven with a soaking
heat from 3 to 4 hours. To ascertain when it is done, run a
sharp-pointed knife or skewer through the hole at the top into the
middle of the pie, and if the meat feels tender, it is sufficiently
baked. Have ready about 1/2 pint of very strong gravy, pour it through a
funnel into the hole at the top, stop up the hole with a small leaf of
baked paste, and put the pie away until wanted for use. Should it
acquire too much colour in the baking, cover it with white paper, as the
crust should not in the least degree be burnt. Mushrooms, truffles, and
many other ingredients, may be added to enrich the flavour of these
pies, and the very fleshy parts of the meat may be larded. These pies
are more frequently served cold than hot, and form excellent dishes for
cold suppers or breakfasts. The cover of the pie is sometimes carefully
removed, leaving the perfect edges, and the top decorated with square
pieces of very bright aspic jelly: this has an exceedingly pretty
effect.
I.
_Mode_.--Put the lemon-rind and milk into a stewpan, and let it infuse
till the milk is well flavoured with the lemon; in the mean time, boil
the rice until tender in water, with a very small quantity of salt, and,
when done, let it be thoroughly drained. Beat the eggs, stir to them the
milk, which should be strained, the butter, marrow, currants, and
remaining ingredients; add the rice, and mix all well together. Line the
edges of the dish with puff-paste, put in the pudding, and bake for
about 3/4 hour in a slow oven. Slices of candied-peel may be added at
pleasure, or Sultana raisins may be substituted for the currants.
II.
_Mode_.--Wash the rice, put it into a pie-dish with the sugar, pour in
the milk, and stir these ingredients well together; then add the butter
cut up into very small pieces, or, instead of this, the above proportion
of finely-minced suet; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake the
pudding, in a moderate oven, from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. As the rice is not
previously cooked, care must be taken that the pudding be very slowly
baked, to give plenty of time for the rice to swell, and for it to be
very thoroughly done.
I.
_Mode_.--Stew the rice very gently in the above proportion of new milk,
and, when it is tender, pour it into a basin; stir in the butter, and
let it stand to cool; then beat the eggs, add these to the rice with the
sugar, salt, and any flavouring that may be approved, such as nutmeg,
powdered cinnamon, grated lemon-peel, essence of bitter almonds, or
vanilla. When all is well stirred, put the pudding into a buttered
basin, tie it down with a cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil
for 1-1/4 hour.
II.
_Time_.--1 hour to boil the rice without the fruit; 1 hour, or longer,
afterwards.
Note.--This pudding is very good made with apples: they should be pared
cored, and cut into thin slices.
_Mode_.--Pick, wash, and soak the rice in plenty of cold water; then
have ready a saucepan of boiling water, drop the rice into it, and keep
it boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, until it is tender, but not
soft. Take it up, drain it, and put it on a dish before the fire to dry:
do not handle it much with a spoon, but shake it about a little with two
forks, that it may all be equally dried, and strew over a little salt.
It is now ready to serve, and may be heaped lightly on a dish by itself,
or be laid round the dish as a border, with a curry or fricassee in the
centre. Some cooks smooth the rice with the back of a spoon, and then
brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and set it in the oven to colour;
but the rice well boiled, white, dry, and with every grain distinct, is
by far the more preferable mode of dressing it. During the process of
boiling, the rice should be attentively watched, that it be not
overdone, as, if this is the case, it will have a mashed and soft
appearance.
RICE, in the native rough state, with the husk on, is called
_paddy_, both in India and America, and it will keep better, and
for a much longer time, in this state, than after the husk has
been removed; besides which, prepared rice is apt to become
dirty from rubbing about in the voyage on board ship, and in the
warehouses. It is sometimes brought to England in the shape of
paddy, and the husk detached here. Paddy pays less duty than
shelled rice.
(_Soyer's Recipe_.)
_Time_.--15 to 25 minutes.
BUTTERED RICE.
_Mode_.--Wash and pick the rice, drain and put it into a saucepan with
the milk; let it swell gradually, and, when tender, pour off the milk;
stir in the butter, sugar, and nutmeg or cinnamon, and, when the butter
is thoroughly melted, and the whole is quite hot, serve. After the milk
is poured off, be particular that the rice does not burn: to prevent
this, do not cease stirring it.
_Time_.--From 3/4 to 1 hour to swell the rice, 1/2 to 3/4 hour to bake
the casserole.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a stewpan with the lemon-rind, and let it
infuse for 1/2 hour, or until the former is well flavoured; then take
out the peel; have ready the rice washed, picked, and drained; put it
into the milk, and let it gradually swell over a very slow fire. Stir in
the butter, salt, and sugar, and when properly sweetened, add the yolks
of the eggs, and then the whites, both of which should be well beaten,
and added separately to the rice. Butter a mould, strew in some fine
bread crumbs, and let them be spread equally over it; then carefully
pour in the rice, and bake the pudding in a _slow_ oven for 1 hour. Turn
it out of the mould, and garnish the dish with preserved cherries, or
any bright-coloured jelly or jam. This pudding would be exceedingly
nice, flavoured with essence of vanilla.
_Mode_.--Put 1-1/2 pint of the milk into a stewpan, with any of the
above flavourings, and bring it to the boiling-point, and, with the
other 1/2 pint of milk, mix the ground rice to a smooth batter; strain
the boiling milk to this, and stir over the fire until the mixture is
tolerably thick; then pour it into a basin, leave it uncovered, and when
nearly or quite cold, sweeten it to taste, and add the eggs, which
should be previously well beaten, with a little salt. Put the pudding
into a well-buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, plunge it into
boiling water, and boil for 1-1/2 hour. For a baked pudding, proceed in
precisely the same manner, only using half the above proportion of
ground rice, with the same quantity of all the other ingredients: an
hour will bake the pudding in a moderate oven. Stewed fruit, or
preserves, or marmalade, may be served with either the boiled or baked
pudding, and will be found an improvement.
_Mode_.--Put the rice into a stewpan, with the milk and sugar, and let
these simmer over a gentle fire until the rice is sufficiently soft to
break up into a smooth mass, and should the milk dry away too much, a
little more may be added. Stir the rice occasionally, to prevent its
burning, then beat it to a smooth mixture; add the yolks of the eggs,
which should be well whisked, and the vanilla (should this flavouring
not be liked, essence of bitter almonds may be substituted for it); put
this rice custard into the freezing-pot, and proceed as directed in
recipe No. 1290. When wanted for table, turn the pudding out of the
mould, and pour over the top, and round it, a _comp�te_ of oranges, or
any other fruit that may be preferred, taking care that the flavouring
in the pudding harmonizes well with the fruit that is served with it.
_Mode_.--Let the rice swell in 1 pint of the milk over a slow fire,
putting with it a strip of lemon-peel; stir to it the butter and the
other 1/2 pint of milk, and let the mixture cool. Then add the
well-beaten eggs, and a few drops of essence of almonds or essence of
vanilla, whichever may be preferred; butter well some small cups or
moulds, line them with a few pieces of candied peel sliced very thin,
fill them three parts full, and bake for about 40 minutes; turn them out
of the cups on to a white d'oyley, and serve with sweet sauce. The
flavouring and candied peel might be omitted, and stewed fruit or
preserve served instead, with these puddings.
_Mode_.--Mix the arrowroot smoothly with the water; put this into a
stewpan; add the sugar, strained lemon-juice, and grated nutmeg. Stir
these ingredients over the fire until they boil, when the sauce is ready
for use. A small quantity of wine, or any liqueur, would very much
improve the flavour of this sauce: it is usually served with bread,
rice, custard, or any dry pudding that is not very rich.
_Time_.--Altogether, 15 minutes.
(_German Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of 3 eggs, and put the
former into a stewpan; add the sugar, milk, and grated lemon-rind, and
stir over the fire until the mixture thickens; but do _not_ allow it to
_boil_. Put in the brandy; let the sauce stand by the side of the fire,
to get quite hot; keep stirring it, and serve in a boat or tureen
separately, or pour it over the pudding.
_Mode_.--Make 1/2 pint of melted butter by recipe No. 380, omitting the
salt; stir in the sugar, add a little grated lemon-rind, nutmeg, or
powdered cinnamon, and serve. Previously to making the melted butter,
the milk can be flavoured with bitter almonds, by infusing about half a
dozen of them in it for about 1/2 hour; the milk should then be strained
before it is added to the other ingredients. This simple sauce may be
served for children with rice, batter, or bread pudding.
_Mode_.--Beat the eggs, sweeten the milk; stir these ingredients well
together, and flavour them with essence of vanilla, regulating the
proportion of this latter ingredient by the strength of the essence, the
size of the eggs, &c. Put the mixture into a small jug, place this jug
in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir the sauce _one way_ until it
thickens; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle.
Serve in a boat or tureen separately, with plum, bread, or any kind of
dry pudding. Essence of bitter almonds or lemon-rind may be substituted
for the vanilla, when they are more in accordance with the flavouring of
the pudding with which the sauce is intended to be served.
_Mode_.--Put the butter and flour into a saucepan, and stir them over
the fire until the former thickens; then add the sugar, salt, and wine,
and mix these ingredients well together. Separate the yolks from the
whites of 4 eggs; beat up the former, and stir them briskly to the
sauce; let it remain over the fire until it is on the point of
simmering; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle.
This sauce is delicious with plum, marrow, or bread puddings; but should
be served separately, and not poured over the pudding.
_Mode_.--Make 1/2 pint of melted butter by recipe No. 377, omitting the
salt; then stir in the sugar and wine or spirit in the above proportion,
and bring the sauce to the point of boiling. Serve in a boat or tureen
separately, and, if liked, pour a little of it over the pudding. To
convert this into punch sauce, add to the sherry and brandy a small
wineglassful of rum and the juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon.
Liqueurs, such as Maraschino or Cura�oa substituted for the brandy, make
excellent sauces.
_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of 5 eggs; beat them, and
put them into a very clean saucepan (if at hand, a lined one is best);
add all the other ingredients, place them over a sharp fire, and keep
stirring until the sauce begins to thicken; then take it off and serve.
If it is allowed to boil, it will be spoiled, as it will immediately
curdle.
QUICKLY-MADE PUDDINGS.
1366. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4 lb.
of flour, 1 pint of milk, 5 eggs, a little grated lemon-rind.
_Mode_.--Make the milk hot; stir in the butter, and let it cool before
the other ingredients are added to it; then stir in the sugar, flour,
and eggs, which should be well whisked, and omit the whites of 2;
flavour with a little grated lemon-rind, and beat the mixture well.
Butter some small cups, rather more than half fill them; bake from 20
minutes to 1/2 hour, according to the size of the puddings, and serve
with fruit, custard, or wine sauce, a little of which may be poured over
them.
SAGO PUDDING.
TAPIOCA PUDDING.
_Mode_.--Wash the tapioca, and let it stew gently in the milk by the
side of the fire for 1/4 hour, occasionally stirring it; then let it
cool a little; mix with it the butter, sugar, and eggs, which should be
well beaten, and flavour with either of the above ingredients, putting
in about 12 drops of the essence of almonds or vanilla, whichever is
preferred. Butter a pie-dish, and line the edges with puff-paste; put in
the pudding, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. If the pudding is
boiled, add a little more tapioca, and boil it in a buttered basin 1-1/2
hour.
TARTLETS.
_Mode_.--Roll out the paste to the thickness of about 1/2 inch; butter
some small round patty-pans, line them with it, and cut off the
superfluous paste close to the edge of the pan. Put a small piece of
bread into each tartlet (this is to keep them in shape), and bake in a
brisk oven for about 10 minutes, or rather longer. When they are done,
and are of a nice colour, take the pieces of bread out carefully, and
replace them by a spoonful of jam or marmalade. Dish them high on a
white d'oyley, piled high in the centre, and serve.
1372. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of suet crust No. 1215, 1 lb. of treacle, 1/2
teaspoonful of grated ginger.
SOMERSETSHIRE PUDDINGS.
_Mode_.--Chop the suet very finely, after freeing it from skin, and mix
it well with the flour; add the salt and pepper (this latter ingredient
may be omitted if the flavour is not liked), and make the whole into a
smooth paste with the above proportion of milk or water. Tie the pudding
in a floured cloth, or put it into a buttered basin, and boil from 2-1/2
to 3 hours. To enrich it, substitute 3 beaten eggs for some of the milk
or water, and increase the proportion of suet.
VERMICELLI PUDDING.
_Time_.--3/4 hour.
VICARAGE PUDDING.
1378. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of chopped suet, 1/4 lb.
of currants, 1/4 lb. of raisins, 1 tablespoonful of moist sugar, 1/2
teaspoonful of ground ginger, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.
_Time_.--3 hours.
[Illustration: VOL-AU-VENT.]
WEST-INDIAN PUDDING.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 2s. 8d.
YEAST DUMPLINGS.
Mode.--Make a very light dough as for bread, using to mix it, milk,
instead of water; divide it into 7 or 8 dumplings; plunge them into
boiling water, and boil them for 20 minutes. Serve the instant they are
taken up, as they spoil directly, by falling and becoming heavy; and in
eating them do not touch them with a knife, but tear them apart with two
forks. They may be eaten with meat gravy, or cold butter and sugar, and
if not convenient to make the dough at home, a little from the baker's
answers as well, only it must be placed for a few minutes near the fire,
in a basin with a cloth over it, to let it rise again before it is made
into dumplings.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin with the salt, and stir gradually to
this enough milk to make it into a stiff batter. When this is perfectly
smooth, and all the lumps are well rubbed down, add the remainder of the
milk and the eggs, which should be well beaten. Beat the mixture for a
few minutes, and pour it into a shallow tin, which has been previously
well rubbed with beef dripping. Put the pudding into the oven, and bake
it for an hour; then, for another 1/2 hour, place it under the meat, to
catch a little of the gravy that flows from it. Cut the pudding into
small square pieces, put them on a hot dish, and serve. If the meat is
baked, the pudding may at once be placed under it, resting the former on
a small three-cornered stand.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXVIII.
1386. JELLIES are not the nourishing food they were at one time
considered to be, and many eminent physicians are of opinion that they
are less digestible than the flesh, or muscular part of animals; still,
when acidulated with lemon-juice and flavoured with wine, they are very
suitable for some convalescents. Vegetable jelly is a distinct
principle, existing in fruits, which possesses the property of
gelatinizing when boiled and cooled; but it is a principle entirely
different from the gelatine of animal bodies, although the name of
jelly, common to both, sometimes leads to an erroneous idea on that
subject. Animal jelly, or gelatine, is glue, whereas vegetable jelly is
rather analogous to gum. Liebig places gelatine very low indeed in the
scale of usefulness. He says, "Gelatine, which by itself is tasteless,
and when eaten, excites nausea, possesses no nutritive value; that, even
when accompanied by the savoury constituents of flesh, it is not capable
of supporting the vital process, and when added to the usual diet as a
substitute for plastic matter, does not increase, but, on the contrary,
diminishes the nutritive value of the food, which it renders
insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality." It is this substance
which is most frequently employed in the manufacture of the jellies
supplied by the confectioner; but those prepared at home from calves'
feet do possess some nutrition, and are the only sort that should be
given to invalids. Isinglass is the purest variety of gelatine, and is
prepared from the sounds or swimming-bladders of certain fish, chiefly
the sturgeon. From its whiteness it is mostly used for making
blanc-mange and similar dishes.
1387. THE WHITE OF EGGS is perhaps the best substance that can be
employed in clarifying jelly, as well as some other fluids, for the
reason that when albumen (and the white of eggs is nearly pure albumen)
is put into a liquid that is muddy, from substances suspended in it, on
boiling the liquid, the albumen coagulates in a flocculent manner, and,
entangling with it the impurities, rises with them to the surface as a
scum, or sinks to the bottom, according to their weight.
1388. SOUFFLES, OMELETS, AND SWEET DISHES, in which eggs form the
principal ingredient, demand, for their successful manufacture, an
experienced cook. They are the prettiest, but most difficult of all
entremets. The most essential thing to insure success is to secure the
best ingredients from an honest tradesman. The entremets coming within
the above classification, are healthy, nourishing, and pleasant to the
taste, and may be eaten with safety by persons of the most delicate
stomachs.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXIX.
_Mode_.--Peel, cut, and core the apples; put them into a lined saucepan
with the cold water, and as they heat, bruise them to a pulp; sweeten
with moist sugar, and add the grated lemon-rind. When cold, put the
fruit at the bottom of a pie-dish, and pour over it a custard, made with
the above proportion of milk, eggs, and sugar; grate a little nutmeg
over the top, place the dish in a moderate oven, and bake from 25 to 35
minutes. The above proportions will make rather a large dish.
_Time_.--25 to 35 minutes.
_Mode_.--Pare the apples, and take out the cores without dividing them;
boil up the sugar and water for a few minutes; then lay in the apples,
and simmer them very gently until tender, taking care not to let them
break. Have ready sufficient marmalade made by recipe No. 1395, and
flavoured with lemon, to cover the bottom of the dish; arrange the
apples on this with a piece of butter placed in each, and in between
them a few spoonfuls of apricot jam or marmalade; place the dish in the
oven for 10 minutes, then sprinkle over the top sifted sugar; either
brown it before the fire or with a salamander, and serve hot.
_Note_.--The syrup that the apples were boiled in should be saved for
another occasion.
_(Sweet Entremets.)_
1392. A MORE SIMPLE FLANC may be made by rolling out the paste, cutting
the bottom of a round or oval shape, and then a narrow strip for the
sides: these should be stuck on with the white of an egg, to the bottom
piece, and the flanc then filled with raw fruit, with sufficient sugar
to sweeten it nicely. It will not require so long baking as in a mould;
but the crust must be made everywhere of an equal thickness, and so
perfectly joined, that the juice does not escape. This dish may also be
served hot, and should be garnished in the same manner, or a little
melted apricot jam may be poured over the apples, which very much
improves their flavour.
1393. INGREDIENTS.--For the batter, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of butter,
1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, milk, apples, hot lard or clarified
beef-dripping.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs; separate the whites from the yolks, and beat
them separately. Put the flour into a basin, stir in the butter, which
should be melted to a cream; add the salt, and moisten with sufficient
warm milk to make it of a proper consistency, that is to say, a batter
that will drop from the spoon. Stir this well, rub down any lumps that
may be seen, and add the whites of the eggs, which have been previously
well whisked; beat up the batter for a few minutes, and it is ready for
use. Now peel and cut the apples into rather thick whole slices, without
dividing them, and stamp out the middle of each slice, where the core
is, with a cutter. Throw the slices into the batter; have ready a pan of
boiling lard or clarified dripping; take out the pieces of apple one by
one, put them into the hot lard, and fry a nice brown, turning
them--when required. When done, lay them on a piece of blotting-paper
before the fire, to absorb the greasy moisture; then dish on a white
d'oyley, piled one above the other; strew over them some pounded sugar,
and serve very hot. The flavour of the fritters would be very much
improved by soaking the pieces of apple in a little wine, mixed with
sugar and lemon-juice, for 3 or 4 hours before wanted for table; the
batter, also, is better for being mixed some hours before the fritters
are made.
_Mode_.--Peel and core a dozen of the apples without dividing them, and
stew them very gently in a lined saucepan with 1/2 lb. of sugar and 1/2
pint of water, and when tender, lift them carefully on to a dish. Have
ready the remainder of the apples pared, cored, and cut into thin
slices; put them into the same syrup with the lemon-peel, and boil
gently until they are reduced to a marmalade: they must be kept stirred,
to prevent them from burning. Cover the bottom of a dish with some of
the marmalade, and over that a layer of the stewed apples, in the
insides of which, and between each, place some of the marmalade; then
place another layer of apples, and fill up the cavities with marmalade
as before, forming the whole into a raised oval shape. Whip the whites
of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix with them the pounded sugar, and cover
the apples very smoothly all over with the icing; blanch and cut each
almond into 4 or 5 strips; place these strips at equal distances over
the icing sticking up; strew over a little rough pounded sugar, and
place the dish in a very slow oven, to colour the almonds, and for the
apples to get warm through. This entremets may also be served cold, and
makes a pretty supper-dish.
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and boil the apples with only sufficient water to
prevent them from burning; beat them to a pulp, and to every lb. of pulp
allow the above proportion of sugar in lumps. Dip the lumps into water;
put these into a saucepan, and boil till the syrup is thick and can be
well skimmed; then add this syrup to the apple pulp, with the minced
lemon-peel, and stir it over a quick fire for about 20 minutes, or until
the apples cease to stick to the bottom of the pan. The jelly is then
done, and may be poured into moulds which have been previously dipped in
water, when it will turn out nicely for dessert or a side-dish; for the
latter a little custard should be poured round, and it should be
garnished with strips of citron or stuck with blanched almonds.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and boil them,
with the lemon-peel, until tender; then strain off the apples, and run
the juice through a jelly-bag; put the strained juice, with the sugar
and isinglass, which has been previously boiled in 1/2 pint of water,
into a lined saucepan or preserving-pan; boil all together for about 1/4
hour, and put the jelly into moulds. When this jelly is nice and clear,
and turned out well, it makes a pretty addition to the supper-table,
with a little custard or whipped cream round it: the addition of a
little lemon-juice improves the flavour, but it is apt to render the
jelly muddy and thick. If required to be kept any length of time, rather
a larger proportion of sugar must be used.
_Time_.--From 1 to 1-1/2 hour to boil the apples; 1/4 hour the jelly.
_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
APPLES A LA PORTUGAISE.
_Mode_.--Choose rather large apples; peel them and take out the cores,
either with a scoop or a small silver knife, and put into each apple 2
cloves and as much sifted sugar as they will hold. Place them, without
touching each other, in a large pie-dish; add more white sugar, the
juice of 1 lemon, and 2 teacupfuls of water. Bake in the oven, with a
dish over them, until they are done. Look at them frequently, and, as
each apple is cooked, place it in a glass dish. They must not be left in
the oven after they are done, or they will break, and so would spoil the
appearance of the dish. When the apples are neatly arranged in the dish
without touching each other, strain the liquor in which they have been
stewing, into a lined saucepan; add to it the rind of the lemon, and a
tablespoonful of gelatine which has been previously dissolved in cold
water, and, if not sweet, a little more sugar, and 6 cloves. Boil till
quite clear; colour with a few drops of prepared cochineal, and strain
the jelly through a double muslin into a jug; let it cool _a little_;
then pour it into the dish round the apples. When quite cold, garnish
the tops of the apples with a bright-coloured marmalade, a jelly, or the
white of an egg, beaten to a strong froth, with a little sifted sugar.
_Mode_.--Peel the apples, halve them, and take out the cores; put them
into a stewpan with the butter, and strew sufficient sifted sugar over
to sweeten them nicely, and add the minced lemon-peel. Stew the apples
very gently until tender, taking care they do not break. Boil the rice,
with the milk, sugar, and nutmeg, until soft, and, when thoroughly done,
dish it, piled high in the centre; arrange the apples on it, warm the
apricot jam, pour it over the whole, and serve hot.
_Time_.--About 30 minutes to stew the apples very gently; about 3/4 hour
to cook the rice.
_Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
APPLE SNOW.
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and put them into
a saucepan with the lemon-peel and sufficient water to prevent them from
burning,--rather less than 1/2 pint. When they are tender, take out the
peel, beat them to a pulp, let them cool, and stir them to the whites of
the eggs, which should be previously beaten to a strong froth. Add the
sifted sugar, and continue the whisking until the mixture becomes quite
stiff; and either heap it on a glass dish, or serve it in small glasses.
The dish may be garnished with preserved barberries, or strips of
bright-coloured jelly; and a dish of custards should be served with it,
or a jug of cream.
APPLE SOUFFLE.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk with the lemon-peel until the former is well
flavoured; then strain it, put in the rice, and let it gradually swell
over a slow fire, adding sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely. Then
crush the rice to a smooth pulp with the back of a wooden spoon; line
the bottom and sides of a round cake-tin with it, and put it into the
oven to set; turn it out of the tin carefully, and be careful that the
border of rice is firm in every part. Mix with the marmalade the beaten
yolks of eggs and the butter, and stir these over the fire until the
mixture thickens. Take it off the fire; to this add the whites of the
eggs, which should be previously beaten to a strong froth; stir all
together, and put it into the rice border. Bake in a moderate oven for
about 1/2 hour, or until the souffl� rises very light. It should be
watched, and served instantly, or it will immediately fall after it is
taken from the oven.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Pare and take out the cores of the apples, without dividing
them, and, if possible, leave the stalks on; boil the sugar and water
together for 10 minutes; then put in the apples with the lemon-rind or
cloves, whichever flavour may be preferred, and simmer gently until they
are tender, taking care not to let them break. Dish them neatly on a
glass dish, reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly for a few minutes,
let it cool a little; then pour it over the apples. Have ready quite 1/2
pint of custard made by recipe No. 1423; pour it round, but not over,
the apples when they are quite cold, and the dish is ready for table. A
few almonds blanched and cut into strips, and stuck in the apples, would
improve their appearance.--See coloured plate Q1.
APPLE TRIFLE.
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices, and put them
into a saucepan with 2 tablespoonfuls of water, the sugar, and minced
lemon-rind. Boil all together until quite tender, and pulp the apples
through a sieve; if they should not be quite sweet enough, add a little
more sugar, and put them at the bottom of the dish to form a thick
layer. Stir together the milk, cream, and eggs, with a little sugar,
over the fire, and let the mixture thicken, but do not allow it to reach
the boiling-point. When thick, take it off the fire; let it cool a
little, then pour it over the apples. Whip some cream with sugar,
lemon-peel, &c., the same as for other trifles; heap it high over the
custard, and the dish is ready for table. It may be garnished as fancy
dictates, with strips of bright apple jelly, slices of citron, &c.
APRICOT CREAM.
_Mode_.--Divide the apricots, take out the stones, and boil them in a
syrup made with 1/4 lb. of sugar and 1/4 pint of water, until they form
a thin marmalade, which rub through a sieve. Boil the milk with the
other 1/4 lb. of sugar, let it cool a little, then mix with it the yolks
of eggs which have been previously well beaten; put this mixture into a
jug, place this jug in boiling water, and stir it one way over the fire
until it thickens; but on no account let it boil. Strain through a
sieve, add the isinglass, previously boiled with a small quantity of
water, and keep stirring it till nearly cold; then mix the cream with
the apricots; stir well, put it into an oiled mould, and, if convenient,
set it on ice; at any rate, in a very cool place. It should turn out on
the dish without any difficulty.
_(Sweet Entremets.)_
_Mode_.--Make a short crust by recipe No. 1212, and line a mould with it
as directed in recipe No. 1391. Boil the sugar and water together for 10
minutes; halve the apricots, take out the stones, and simmer them in the
syrup until tender; watch them carefully, and take them up the moment
they are done, for fear they break. Arrange them neatly in the flanc or
case; boil the syrup until reduced to a jelly, pour it over the fruit,
and serve either hot or cold. Greengages, plums of all kinds, peaches,
&c., may be done in the same manner, as also currants, raspberries,
gooseberries, strawberries, &c.; but with the last-named fruits, a
little currant-juice added to them will be found an improvement.
ARROWROOT BLANC-MANGE.
_Mode_.--Mix to a smooth batter the arrowroot with 1/2 pint of the milk;
put the other pint on the fire, with laurel-leaves or lemon-peel,
whichever may be preferred, and let the milk steep until it is well
flavoured. Then strain the milk, and add it, boiling, to the mixed
arrowroot; sweeten it with sifted sugar, and let it boil, stirring it
all the time, till it thickens sufficiently to come from the saucepan.
Grease a mould with pure salad-oil, pour in the blanc-mange, and when
quite set, turn it out on a dish, and pour round it a comp�te of any
kind of fruit, or garnish it with jam. A tablespoonful of brandy,
stirred in just before the blanc-mange is moulded, very much improves
the flavour of this sweet dish.
BLANC-MANGE.
1408. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of new milk, 1-1/4 oz. of isinglass, the rind
of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 lb. of loaf sugar, 10 bitter almonds, 1/2 oz. of sweet
almonds, 1 pint of cream.
CHEAP BLANC-MANGE.
[Illustration: BLANC-MANGE.]
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a lined saucepan, and boil gently
until the isinglass is dissolved; taste it occasionally, to ascertain
when it is sufficiently flavoured with the laurel-leaves; then take them
out, and keep stirring the mixture over the fire for about 10 minutes.
Strain it through a fine sieve into a jug, and, when nearly cold, pour
it into a well-oiled mould, omitting the sediment at the bottom. Turn it
out carefully on a dish, and garnish with preserves, bright jelly, or a
compote of fruit.
BREAD-AND-BUTTER FRITTERS.
_Mode_.--Make a batter, the same as for apple fritters No. 1393; cut
some slices of bread and butter, not very thick; spread half of them
with any jam that may he preferred, and cover with the other slices;
slightly press them together, and cut them out in square, long, or round
pieces. Dip them in the batter, and fry in boiling lard for about 10
minutes; drain them before the fire on a piece of blotting-paper or
cloth. Dish them, sprinkle over sifted sugar, and serve.
_Time_.--About 10 minutes.
[Illustration: JELLY-BAG.]
_Mode_.--The stock for jellies should always be made the day before it
is required for use, as the liquor has time to cool, and the fat can be
so much more easily and effectually removed when thoroughly set. Procure
from the butcher's 2 nice calf's feet: scald them, to take off the hair;
slit them in two, remove the fat from between the claws, and wash the
feet well in warm water; put them into a stewpan, with the above
proportion of cold water, bring it gradually to boil, and remove every
particle of scum as it rises. When it is well skimmed, boil it very
gently for 6 or 7 hours, or until the liquor is reduced rather more than
half; then strain it through a sieve into a basin, and put it in a cool
place to set. As the liquor is strained, measure it, to ascertain the
proportion for the jelly, allowing something for the sediment and fat at
the top. To clarify it, carefully remove all the fat from the top, pour
over a little warm water, to wash away any that may remain, and wipe the
jelly with a clean cloth; remove the jelly from the sediment, put it
into a saucepan, and, supposing the quantity to be a quart, add to it 6
oz. of loaf sugar, the shells and well-whisked whites of 5 eggs, and
stir these ingredients together cold; set the saucepan on the fire, but
_do not stir the jelly after it begins to warm_. Let it boil about 10
minutes after it rises to a head, then throw in a teacupful of cold
water; let it boil 5 minutes longer, then take the saucepan off, cover
it closely, and let it remain 1/2 hour near the fire. Dip the jelly-bag
into hot water, wring it out quite dry, and fasten it on to a stand or
the back of a chair, which must be placed near the fire, to prevent the
jelly from setting before it has run through the bag. Place a basin
underneath to receive the jelly; then pour it into the bag, and should
it not be clear the first time, run it through the bag again. This stock
is the foundation of all _really good_ jellies, which may be varied in
innumerable ways, by colouring and flavouring with liqueurs, and by
moulding it with fresh and preserved fruits. To insure the jelly being
firm when turned out, 1/2 oz. of isinglass clarified might be added to
the above proportion of stock. Substitutes for calf's feet are now
frequently used in making jellies, which lessen the expense and trouble
in preparing this favourite dish; isinglass and gelatine being two of
the principal materials employed; but, although they may _look_ as
nicely as jellies made from good stock, they are never so delicate,
having very often an unpleasant flavour, somewhat resembling glue,
particularly when made with gelatine.
_Average cost_.--Calf's feet may be purchased for 6d. each when veal is
in full season, but more expensive when it is scarce.
_Seasonable_ from March to October, but may be had all the year.
_Mode_.--Procure 2 heels that have only been scalded, and not boiled;
split them in two, and remove the fat between the claws; wash them well
in warm water, and put them into a saucepan with the above proportion of
cold water; bring it gradually to boil, remove all the scum as it rises,
and simmer the heels gently from 7 to 8 hours, or until the liquor is
reduced one-half; then strain it into a basin, measuring the quantity,
and put it in a cool place. Clarify it in the same manner as calf's-feet
stock No. 1411, using, with the other ingredients, about 1/2 oz. of
isinglass to each quart. This stock should be made the day before it is
required for use. Two dozen shank-bones of mutton, boiled for 6 or 7
hours, yield a quart of strong firm stock. They should be put on in 2
quarts of water, which should be reduced one-half. Make this also the
day before it is required.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
_Sufficient_, with wine, syrup, fruit, &c., to fill two moderate-sized
moulds.
1414. Uncork the bottle; place it in a saucepan of hot water until the
jelly is reduced to a liquid state; taste it, to ascertain whether it is
sufficiently flavoured, and if not, add a little wine. Pour the jelly
into moulds which have been soaked in water; let it set, and turn it out
by placing the mould in hot water for a minute; then wipe the outside,
put a dish on the top, and turn it over quickly. The jelly should then
slip easily away from the mould, and be quite firm. It may be garnished
as taste dictates.
_Mode_.--Put the sugar and water into a stewpan; set it on the fire,
and, when the sugar is dissolved, add the white of the egg, whipped up
with a little water. Whisk the whole well together, and simmer very
gently until it has thrown up all the scum. Take this off as it rises,
strain the syrup through a fine sieve or cloth into a basin, and keep it
for use.
CALF'S-FEET JELLY.
[Illustration: JELLY-MOULD.]
To make this jelly more economically, raisin wine may be substituted for
the sherry and brandy, and the stock made from cow-heels, instead of
calf's feet.
SHERRY.--There are several kinds of sherry, as pale and brown, and there
are various degrees of each. Sherry is, in general, of an amber-colour,
and, when good, has a fine aromatic odour, with something of the
agreeable bitterness of the peach kernel. When new, it is harsh and
fiery, and requires to be mellowed in the wood for four or five years.
Sherry has of late got much into fashion in England, from the idea that
it is more free from acid than other wines; but some careful experiments
on wines do not fully confirm this opinion.
CHARLOTTE-AUX-POMMES.
1418. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of rather stale bread 1/2 inch thick,
clarified butter, apple marmalade made by recipe No. 1395, with about 2
dozen apples, 1/2 glass of sherry.
[Illustration: CHARLOTTE-AUX-POMMES.]
CHARLOTTE RUSSE.
CREAM A LA VALOIS.
_Mode_.--Cut the sponge-cakes into thin slices; place two together, with
preserve between them, and pour over them a small quantity of sherry
mixed with a little brandy. Sweeten and flavour the cream with the
lemon-juice and sherry; add the isinglass, which should be dissolved in
a little water, and beat up the cream well. Place a little in an oiled
mould; arrange the pieces of cake in the cream; then fill the mould with
the remainder; let it cool, and turn it out on a dish. By oiling the
mould, the cream will have a much smoother appearance, and will turn out
more easily than when merely dipped in cold water.
BOILED CUSTARDS.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and
whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred (the lemon-rind
flavours custards most deliciously), and let the milk steep by the side
of the fire until it is well flavoured. Bring it to the point of
boiling, then strain it into a basin; whisk the eggs well, and, when the
milk has cooled a little, stir in the eggs, and _strain_ this mixture
into a jug. Place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire;
keep stirring the custard _one way_ until it thickens; but on no account
allow it to reach the boiling-point, as it will instantly curdle and be
full of lumps. Take it off the fire, stir in the brandy, and, when this
is well mixed with the custard, pour it into glasses, which should be
rather more than three-parts full; grate a little nutmeg over the top,
and the dish is ready for table. To make custards look and eat better,
ducks' eggs should be used, when obtainable; they add very much to the
flavour and richness, and so many are not required as of the ordinary
eggs, 4 ducks' eggs to the pint of milk making a delicious custard. When
desired extremely rich and good, cream should be substituted for the
milk, and double the quantity of eggs used, to those mentioned, omitting
the whites.
_Time_. 1/2 hour to infuse the lemon-rind, about 10 minutes to stir the
custard. _Average cost_, 8d.
GINGER APPLES.
_Time_.--3 days to soak the ginger; about 3/4 hour to simmer the apples
very gently.
FRENCH PANCAKES.
_Mode_.--Beat the eggs thoroughly, and put them into a basin with the
butter, which should be beaten to a cream; stir in the sugar and flour,
and when these ingredients are well mixed, add the milk; keep stirring
and beating the mixture for a few minutes; put it on buttered plates,
and bake in a quick oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a cut lemon and
sifted sugar, or pile the pancakes high on a dish, with a layer of
preserve or marmalade between each.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to simmer the isinglass; about 1/4 hour to stir the
mixture over the fire.
_Average cost_, 4s. 6d., if made with sherry; less with raisin-wine.
PALE SHERRIES are made from the same grapes as brown. The latter
are coloured by an addition of some cheap must, or wine which
has been boiled till it has acquired a deep-brown tint. Pale
sherries were, some time ago, preferred in England, being
supposed most pure; but the brown are preferred by many people.
The inferior sherries exported to England are often mixed with a
cheap and light wine called Moguer, and are strengthened in the
making by brandy; but too frequently they are adulterated by the
London dealers.
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs, separating the whites from the yolks, and put
them into different basins; add to the yolks the sugar, flour, and
chocolate, which should be very finely grated, and stir these
ingredients for 5 minutes. Then well whisk the whites of the eggs in the
other basin, until they are stiff, and, when firm, mix lightly with the
yolks, till the whole forms a smooth and light substance; butter a round
cake-tin, put in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven from 15 to 20
minutes. Pin a white napkin round the tin, strew sifted sugar over the
top of the souffl�, and send it immediately to table. The proper
appearance of this dish depends entirely on the expedition with which it
is served, and some cooks, to preserve its lightness, hold a salamander
over the souffl� until it is placed on the table. If allowed to stand
after it comes from the oven, it will be entirely spoiled, as it falls
almost immediately.
(_Sweet Entremets_.)
_Mode_.--Mix the flour to a smooth batter, with the milk; stir in the
cream, sugar, the eggs, which should be well whisked, and the butter,
which should be beaten to a cream. Put in some essence of vanilla, drop
by drop, until the mixture is well flavoured; line some dariole-moulds
with puff-paste, three-parts fill them with the batter, and bake in a
good oven from 25 to 35 minutes. Turn them out of the moulds on a dish,
without breaking them; strew over sifted sugar, and serve. The
flavouring of the darioles may be varied by substituting lemon,
cinnamon, or almonds, for the vanilla.
CURRANT FRITTERS.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a basin with the flour, which should
previously be rubbed to a smooth batter with a little cold milk; stir
these ingredients together; add the well-whisked eggs, the rice,
currants, sugar, and nutmeg. Beat the mixture for a few minutes, and, if
not sufficiently thick, add a little more boiled rice; drop it, in small
quantities, into a pan of boiling lard or clarified dripping; fry the
fritters a nice brown, and, when done, drain them on a piece of
blotting-paper, before the fire. Pile them on a white d'oyley, strew
over sifted sugar, and serve them very hot. Send a cut lemon to table
with them.
CHOCOLATE CREAM.
[Illustration: CREAM-MOULD.]
_Mode_.--Beat the yolks of the eggs well; put them into a basin with the
grated chocolate, the sugar, and 1 pint of the cream; stir these
ingredients well together, pour them into a jug, and set this jug in a
saucepan of boiling water; stir it one way until the mixture thickens,
but _do not allow it to boil_, or it will curdle. Strain the cream
through a sieve into a basin; stir in the isinglass and the other 1/2
pint of cream, which should be well whipped; mix all well together, and
pour it into a mould which has been previously oiled with the purest
salad-oil, and, if at hand, set it in ice until wanted for table.
GENEVA WAFERS.
_Mode_.--Well whisk the eggs; put them into a basin, and stir to them
the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; add the flour and sifted
sugar gradually, and then mix all well together. Butter a baking-sheet,
and drop on it a teaspoonful of the mixture at a time, leaving a space
between each. Bake in a cool oven; watch the pieces of paste, and, when
half done, roll them up like wafers, and put in a small wedge of bread
or piece of wood, to keep them in shape. Return them to the oven until
crisp. Before serving, remove the bread, put a spoonful of preserve in
the widest end, and fill up with whipped cream. This is a very pretty
and ornamental dish for the supper-table, and is very nice and very
easily made.
_Time_.--Altogether 20 to 25 minutes.
GINGER CREAM.
_Mode_.--Slice the ginger finely; put it into a basin with the syrup,
the well-beaten yolks of eggs, and the cream; mix these ingredients well
together, and stir them over the fire for about 10 minutes, or until the
mixture thickens; then take it off the fire, whisk till nearly cold,
sweeten to taste, add the isinglass, which should be melted and
strained, and serve the cream in a glass dish. It may be garnished with
slices of preserved ginger or candied citron.
_Mode_.--Cut the tops and tails off the gooseberries; put them into a
jar, with 2 tablespoonfuls of water and a little good moist sugar; set
this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil until the fruit
is soft enough to mash. When done enough, beat it to a pulp, work this
pulp through a colander, and stir to every pint the above proportion of
milk, or equal quantities of milk and cream. Ascertain if the mixture is
sweet enough, and put in plenty of sugar, or it will not be eatable; and
in mixing the milk and gooseberries, add the former very gradually to
these: serve in a glass dish, or in small glasses. This, although a very
old-fashioned and homely dish, is, when well made, very delicious, and,
if properly sweetened, a very suitable preparation for children.
_Time_.--From 3/4 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, 6d. per pint, with milk.
GOOSEBERRY TRIFLE.
INDIAN FRITTERS.
INDIAN TRIFLE.
1436. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of milk, the rind of 1/2 large lemon, sugar
to taste, 5 heaped tablespoonfuls of rice-flour, 1 oz. of sweet almonds,
1/2 pint of custard.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk and lemon-rind together until the former is well
flavoured; take out the lemon-rind and stir in the rice-flour, which
should first be moistened with cold milk, and add sufficient loaf sugar
to sweeten it nicely. Boil gently for about 5 minutes, and keep the
mixture stirred; take it off the fire, let it cool _a little_, and pour
it into a glass dish. When cold, cut the rice out in the form of a star,
or any other shape that may be preferred; take out the spare rice, and
fill the space with boiled custard. Blanch and cut the almonds into
strips; stick them over the trifle, and garnish it with pieces of
brightly-coloured jelly, or preserved fruits, or candied citron.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to simmer the milk, 5 minutes after the rice is added.
ITALIAN CREAM.
1437. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of milk, 4 pint of cream, sugar to taste, 1
oz. of isinglass, 1 lemon, the yolks of 4 eggs.
_Mode_.--Put the cream and milk into a saucepan, with sugar to sweeten,
and the lemon-rind. Boil until the milk is well flavoured then strain it
into a basin, and add the beaten yolks of eggs. Put this mixture into a
jug; place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and
stir the contents until they thicken, but do not allow them to boil.
Take the cream off the fire, stir in the lemon-juice and isinglass,
which should be melted, and whip well; fill a mould, place it in ice if
at hand, and, when set, turn it out on a dish, and garnish as taste may
dictate. The mixture may be whipped and drained, and then put into small
glasses, when this mode of serving is preferred.
_Mode_.--Beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately; then mix them
and beat well again, adding a few thin slices of citron, the cream, and
sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten it nicely. When the mixture is well
beaten, put it into a buttered pan, and fry the same as a pancake; but
it should be three times the thickness of an ordinary pancake. Cover it
with jam, and garnish with slices of citron and holly-leaves. This dish
is served cold.
JAUNEMANGE.
_Seasonable_, with fresh fruit, from June to October; with dried, at any
time.
_Mode_.--Make 1-1/2 pint of jelly by recipe No. 1416, or, if wished more
economical, of clarified syrup and gelatine, flavouring it in any way
that may be preferred. Colour one-half of the jelly with a few drops of
prepared cochineal, and the other half leave as pale as possible. Have
ready a mould well wetted in every part; pour in a small quantity of the
red jelly, and let this set; when quite firm, pour on it the same
quantity of the pale jelly, and let this set; then proceed in this
manner until the mould is full, always taking care to let one jelly set
before the other is poured in, or the colours would run one into the
other. When turned out, the jelly should have a striped appearance. For
variety, half the mould may be filled at once with one of the jellies,
and, when firm, filled up with the other: this, also, has a very pretty
effect, and is more expeditiously prepared than when the jelly is poured
in small quantities into the mould. Blancmange and red jelly, or
blancmange and raspberry cream, moulded in the above manner, look very
well. The layers of blancmange and jelly should be about an inch in
depth, and each layer should be perfectly hardened before another is
added. Half a mould of blancmange and half a mould of jelly are
frequently served in the same manner. A few pretty dishes may be made,
in this way, of jellies or blancmanges left from the preceding day, by
melting them separately in a jug placed in a saucepan of boiling water,
and then moulding them by the foregoing directions. (See coloured plate
S1.)
_Average cost_, with calf's-feet jelly, 2s.; with gelatine and syrup,
more economical.
_Note_.--In making the jelly, use for flavouring a very pale sherry, or
the colour will be too dark to contrast nicely with the red jelly.
LEMON BLANCMANGE.
_Mode_.--Make a custard with the yolks of the eggs and 1/2 pint of the
milk, and, when done, put it into a basin: put half the remainder of the
milk into a saucepan with the ground rice, fresh butter, lemon-rind, and
3 oz. of the sugar, and let these ingredients boil until the mixture is
stiff, stirring them continually; when done, pour it into the bowl where
the custard is, mixing both well together. Put the gelatine with the
rest of the milk into a saucepan, and let it stand by the side of the
fire to dissolve; boil for a minute or two, stir carefully into the
basin, adding 3 oz. more of pounded sugar. When cold, stir in the
lemon-juice, which should be carefully strained, and pour the mixture
into a well-oiled mould, leaving out the lemon-peel, and set the mould
in a pan of cold water until wanted for table. Use eggs that have
rich-looking yolks; and, should the weather be very warm, rather a
larger proportion of gelatine must be allowed.
_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, and the best isinglass, 2s.
6d.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a lined saucepan with the almonds, which
should be well pounded in a mortar, the gelatine, lemon-rind, and lump
sugar, and boil these ingredients for about 5 minutes. Beat up the yolks
of the eggs, strain the milk into a jug, add the eggs, and pour the
mixture backwards and forwards a few times, until nearly cold; then stir
briskly to it the lemon-juice, which should be strained, and keep
stirring until the cream is almost cold: put it into an oiled mould, and
let it remain until perfectly set. The lemon-juice must not be added to
the cream when it is warm, and should be well stirred after it is put
in.
LEMON CREAMS.
(_Very good_.)
_Mode_.--Blanch and chop the almonds, and put them into a jug with the
cream; in another jug put the sherry, lemon-rind, strained juice, and
sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. Pour rapidly from
one jug to the other till the mixture is well frothed; then, pour it
into jelly-glasses, omitting the lemon-rind. This is a very cool and
delicious sweet for summer, and may be made less rich by omitting the
almonds and substituting orange or raisin wine for the sherry.
LEMON JELLY.
LEMON SPONGE.
LIQUEUR JELLY.
_Mode_.--Put the sugar, with 1 pint of the water, into a stewpan, and
boil them gently by the side of the fire until there is no scum
remaining, which must be carefully removed as fast as it rises. Boil the
isinglass with the other 1/2 pint of water, and skim it carefully in the
same manner. Strain the lemon-juice, and add it, with the clarified
isinglass, to the syrup; put in the liqueur, and bring the whole to the
boiling-point. Let the saucepan remain covered by the side of the fire
for a few minutes; then pour the jelly through a bag, put it into a
mould, and set the mould in ice until required for table. Dip the mould
in hot water, wipe the outside, loosen the jelly by passing a knife
round the edges, and turn it out carefully on a dish. Noyeau,
Maraschino, Cura�oa, brandy, or any kind of liqueur, answers for this
jelly; and, when made with isinglass, liqueur jellies are usually
prepared as directed above.
_Mode_.--Put the milk into a saucepan, with the lemon-peel and sugar;
bring it to the boiling-point, drop in the macaroni, and let it
gradually swell over a gentle fire, but do not allow the pipes to break.
The form should be entirely preserved; and, though tender, should be
firm, and not soft, with no part beginning to melt. Should the milk dry
away before the macaroni is sufficiently swelled, add a little more.
Make a custard by recipe No. 1423; place the macaroni on a dish, and
pour the custard over the hot macaroni; grate over it a little nutmeg,
and, when cold, garnish the dish with slices of candied citron.
MERINGUES.
[Illustration: MERINGUES.]
_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint and the best isinglass, 4s.
ORANGE JELLY.
_Mode_.--Put the water into a saucepan, with the isinglass, sugar, and
the rind of 1 orange, and the same of 1/2 lemon, and stir these over the
fire until the isinglass is dissolved, and remove the scum; then add to
this the juice of the Seville orange, the juice of the lemon, and
sufficient juice of China oranges to make in all 1 pint; from 8 to 10
oranges will yield the desired quantity. Stir all together over the fire
until it is just on the point of boiling; skim well; then strain the
jelly through a very fine sieve or jelly-bag, and when nearly cold, put
it into a mould previously wetted, and, when quite set, turn it out on a
dish, and garnish it to taste. To insure this jelly being clear, the
orange-and lemon-juice should be well strained, and the isinglass
clarified, before they are added to the other ingredients, and, to
heighten the colour, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added.
_Mode_.--Boil 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar with 1/2 pint of water until there
is no scum left (which must be carefully removed as fast as it rises),
and carefully peel the oranges; divide them into thin slices, without
breaking the thin skin, and put these pieces of orange into the syrup,
where let them remain for about 5 minutes; then take them out, and use
the syrup for the jelly, which should be made by recipe No. 1454. When
the oranges are well drained, and the jelly is nearly cold, pour a
little of the latter into the bottom of the mould; then lay in a few
pieces of orange; over these pour a little jelly, and when this is set,
place another layer of oranges, proceeding in this manner until the
mould is full. Put it in ice, or in a cool place, and, before turning it
out, wrap a cloth round the mould for a minute or two, which has been
wrung out in boiling water.
[Illustration: OMELET.]
_Mode_.--Break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of 3, and beat
them up with the salt and pepper until extremely light; then add 2 oz.
of the butter broken into small pieces, and stir this into the mixture.
Put the other 2 oz. of butter into a frying-pan, make it quite hot, and,
as soon as it begins to bubble, whisk the eggs, &c. very briskly for a
minute or two, and pour them into the pan; stir the omelet with a spoon
one way until the mixture thickens and becomes firm, and when the whole
is set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form;
and when it is nicely brown on one side, and quite firm, it is done. To
take off the rawness on the upper side, hold the pan before the fire for
a minute or two, and brown it with a salamander or hot shovel. Serve
very expeditiously on a very hot dish, and never cook it until it is
just wanted. The flavour of this omelet may be very much enhanced by
adding minced parsley, minced onion or eschalot, or grated cheese,
allowing 1 tablespoonful of the former, and half the quantity of the
latter, to the above proportion of eggs. Shrimps or oysters may also be
added: the latter should be scalded in their liquor, and then bearded
and cut into small pieces. In making an omelet, be particularly careful
that it is not too thin, and, to avoid this, do not make it in too large
a frying-pan, as the mixture would then spread too much, and taste of
the outside. It should also not be greasy, burnt, or too much done, and
should be cooked over a gentle fire, that the whole of the substance may
be heated without drying up the outside. Omelets are sometimes served
with gravy; but _this should never be poured over them_, but served in a
tureen, as the liquid causes the omelet to become heavy and flat,
instead of eating light and soft. In making the gravy, the flavour
should not overpower that of the omelet, and should be thickened with
arrowroot or rice flour.
_Mode_.--Mince the ham very finely, without any fat, and fry it for 2
minutes in a little butter; then make the batter for the omelet, stir in
the ham, and proceed as directed in recipe No. 1456. Do not add any salt
to the batter, as the ham is usually sufficiently salt to impart a
flavour to the omelet. Good lean bacon, or tongue, answers equally well
for this dish; but they must also be slightly cooked previously to
mixing them with the batter. Serve very hot and quickly, without gravy.
_Mode_.--Skin the kidneys, cut them into small dice, and toss them in a
frying-pan, in 1 oz. of butter, over the fire for 2 or 3 minutes. Mix
the ingredients for the omelet the same as in recipe No. 1456, and when
the eggs are well whisked, stir in the pieces of kidney. Make the butter
hot in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles, pour in the omelet, and fry
it over a gentle fire from 4 to 6 minutes. When the eggs are set, fold
the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form, and be careful
that it is not too much done: to brown the top, hold the pan before the
fire for a minute or two, or use a salamander until the desired colour
is obtained, but never turn an omelet in the pan. Slip it carefully on
to a _very hot_ dish, or, what is a much safer method, put a dish on the
omelet, and turn the pan quickly over. It should be served the instant
it comes from the fire.
_Time_.--4 to 6 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.
OMELETTE SOUFFL�.
_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, add to the
former the sugar, the rice-flour, and either of the above flavourings
that may be preferred, and stir these ingredients well together. Whip
the whites of the eggs, mix them lightly with the batter, and put the
butter into a small frying-pan. As soon as it begins to bubble, pour the
batter into it, and set the pan over a bright but gentle fire; and when
the omelet is set, turn the edges over to make it an oval shape, and
slip it on to a silver dish, which has been previously well buttered.
Put it in the oven, and bake from 12 to 15 minutes; sprinkle
finely-powdered sugar over the souffl�, and _serve it immediately_.
BACHELOR'S OMELET.
_Mode_.--Make a thin cream of the flour and milk; then beat up the eggs,
mix all together, and add a pinch of salt and a few grains of cayenne.
Melt the butter in a small frying-pan, and, when very hot, pour in the
batter. Let the pan remain for a few minutes over a clear fire; then
sprinkle upon the omelet some chopped herbs and a few shreds of onion;
double the omelet dexterously, and shake it out of the pan on to a hot
dish. A simple sweet omelet can be made by the same process,
substituting sugar or preserve for the chopped herbs.
_Time_.--2 minutes.
ORANGE CREAM.
_Mode_.--Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemon; strain it, and
put it into a saucepan with the isinglass, and sufficient water to make
in all 1-1/2 pint. Rub the sugar on the orange and lemon-rind, add it to
the other ingredients, and boil all together for about 10 minutes.
Strain through a muslin bag, and, when cold, beat up with it 1/2 pint of
thick cream. Wet a mould, or soak it in cold water; pour in the cream,
and put it in a cool place to set. If the weather is very cold, 1 oz. of
isinglass will be found sufficient for the above proportion of
ingredients.
ORANGE CREAMS.
1464. INGREDIENTS.--1 Seville orange, 1 tablespoonful of brandy, 1/4 lb.
of loaf sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1 pint of cream.
_Mode_.--Boil the rind of the Seville orange until tender, and beat it
in a mortar to a pulp; add to it the brandy, the strained juice of the
orange, and the sugar, and beat all together for about 10 minutes,
adding the well-beaten yolks of eggs. Bring the cream to the
boiling-point, and pour it very gradually to the other ingredients, and
beat the mixture till nearly cold; put it into custard-cups, place the
cups in a deep dish of boiling water, where let them remain till quite
cold. Take the cups out of the water, wipe them, and garnish the tops of
the creams with candied orange-peel or preserved chips.
_Note_.--To render this dish more economical, substitute milk for the
cream, but add a small pinch of isinglass to make the creams firm.
ORANGE FRITTERS.
1465. INGREDIENTS.--For the batter, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of butter,
1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, milk, oranges, hot lard or clarified
dripping.
1466. INGREDIENTS.--6 large oranges, 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, 1/4 pint of
water, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 tablespoonfuls of any kind of liqueur, sugar
to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, and boil them until
the sugar becomes brittle, which may be ascertained by taking up a small
quantity in a spoon, and dipping it in cold water; if the sugar is
sufficiently boiled, it will easily snap. Peel the oranges, remove as
much of the white pith as possible, and divide them into nice-sized
slices, without breaking the thin white skin which surrounds the juicy
pulp. Place the pieces of orange on small skewers, dip them into the hot
sugar, and arrange them in layers round a plain mould, which should be
well oiled with the purest salad-oil. The sides of the mould only should
be lined with the oranges, and the centre left open for the cream. Let
the sugar become firm by cooling; turn the oranges carefully out on a
dish, and fill the centre with whipped cream, flavoured with any kind of
liqueur, and sweetened with pounded sugar. This is an exceedingly
ornamental and nice dish for the supper-table.
TO MAKE PANCAKES.
[Illustration: PANCAKES.]
_Mode_.--Ascertain that the eggs are fresh; break each one separately in
a cup; whisk them well, put them into a basin, with the flour, salt, and
a few drops of milk, and beat the whole to a perfectly _smooth_ batter;
then add by degrees the remainder of the milk. The proportion of this
latter ingredient must be regulated by the size of the eggs, &c. &c.;
but the batter, when ready for frying, should be of the consistency of
thick cream. Place a small frying-pan on the fire to get hot; let it be
delicately clean, or the pancakes will stick, and, when quite hot, put
into it a small piece of butter, allowing about 1/2 oz. to each pancake.
When it is melted, pour in the batter, about 1/2 teacupful to a pan 5
inches in diameter, and fry it for about 4 minutes, or until it is
nicely brown on one side. By only pouring in a small quantity of batter,
and so making the pancakes thin, the necessity of turning them (an
operation rather difficult to unskilful cooks) is obviated. When the
pancake is done, sprinkle over it some pounded sugar, roll it up in the
pan, and take it out with a large slice, and place it on a dish before
the fire. Proceed in this manner until sufficient are cooked for a dish;
then send them quickly to table, and continue to send in a further
quantity, as pancakes are never good unless eaten almost immediately
they come from the frying-pan. The batter may be flavoured with a little
grated lemon-rind, or the pancakes may have preserve rolled in them
instead of sugar. Send sifted sugar and a cut lemon to table with them.
To render the pancakes very light, the yolks and whites of the eggs
should be beaten separately, and the whites added the last thing to the
batter before frying.
RICHER PANCAKES.
_Mode_.--Ascertain that the eggs are extremely fresh, beat them well,
strain and mix with them the cream, pounded sugar, wine, nutmeg, and as
much flour as will make the batter nearly as thick as that for ordinary
pancakes. Make the frying-pan hot, wipe it with a clean cloth, pour in
sufficient batter to make a thin pancake, and fry it for about 5
minutes. Dish the pancakes piled one above the other, strew sifted sugar
between each, and serve.
_Time_.--About 5 minutes.
PEACH FRITTERS.
1469. INGREDIENTS.--For the batter: 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of butter,
1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, milk;--peaches, hot lard or clarified
dripping.
[Illustration: PEACH.]
PEARS A L'ALLEMANDE.
_Mode_.--Peel and cut the pears into any form that may be preferred, and
steep them in cold water to prevent them turning black; put them into a
saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them, and boil them with
the butter and enough sugar to sweeten them nicely, until tender; then
brush the pears over with the yolk of an egg, sprinkle them with sifted
sugar, and arrange them on a dish. Add the gelatine to the syrup, boil
it up quickly for about 5 minutes, strain it over the pears, and let it
remain until set. The syrup may be coloured with a little prepared
cochineal, which would very much improve the appearance of the dish.
MOULDED PEARS.
PINEAPPLE FRITTERS.
_Time_.--5 to 8 minutes.
_Average cost_, when cheap and plentiful, 1s. 6d. for the pine.
PLAIN FRITTERS.
_Time_.--From 6 to 8 minutes.
POTATO FRITTERS.
_Mode_.--Boil the potatoes, and beat them up lightly with a fork, but do
not use a spoon, as that would make them heavy. Beat the eggs well,
leaving out one of the whites; add the other ingredients, and beat all
together for at least 20 minutes, or until the batter is extremely
light. Put plenty of good lard into a frying-pan, and drop a
tablespoonful of the batter at a time into it, and fry the fritters a
nice brown. Serve them with the following sauce:--A glass of sherry
mixed with the strained juice of a lemon, and sufficient white sugar to
sweeten the whole nicely. Warm these ingredients, and serve the sauce
separately in a tureen. The fritters should be neatly dished on a white
d'oyley, and pounded sugar sprinkled over them; and they should be well
drained on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire previously to being
dished.
_Time_.--From 6 to 8 minutes.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk, cream, and isinglass together for 1/4 hour, or
until the latter is melted, and strain it through a hair sieve into a
basin. Let it cool a little; then add to it sufficient raspberry jelly,
which, when melted, would make 1/3 pint, and stir well till the
ingredients are thoroughly mixed. If not sufficiently sweet, add a
little pounded sugar with the brandy; whisk the mixture well until
nearly cold, put it into a well-oiled mould, and set it in a cool place
till perfectly set. Raspberry jam may be substituted for the jelly, but
must be melted, and rubbed through a sieve, to free it from seeds: in
summer, the juice of the fresh fruit may be used, by slightly mashing it
with a wooden spoon, and sprinkling sugar over it; the juice that flows
from the fruit should then be used for mixing with the cream. If the
colour should not be very good, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be
added to improve its appearance. (_See_ coloured plate T1.)
_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, and the best isinglass, 3s.
RICE BLANCMANGE.
_Mode_.--Mix the rice to a smooth batter with about 1/2 pint of the
milk, and the remainder put into a saucepan, with the sugar, butter, and
whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred; bring the milk to
the boiling-point, quickly stir in the rice, and let it boil for about
10 minutes, or until it comes easily away from the saucepan, keeping it
well stirred the whole time. Grease a mould with pure salad-oil; pour in
the rice, and let it get perfectly set, when it should turn out quite
easily; garnish it with jam, or pour round a comp�te of any kind of
fruit, just before it is sent to table. This blancmange is better for
being made the day before it is wanted, as it then has time to become
firm. If laurel-leaves are used for flavouring, steep 3 of them in the
milk, and take them out before the rice is added: about 8 drops of
essence of almonds, or from 12 to 16 drops of essence of vanilla, would
be required to flavour the above proportion of milk.
RICE CROQUETTES.
_Mode_.--Put the rice, milk, and sugar into a saucepan, and let the
former gradually swell over a gentle fire until all the milk is dried
up; and just before the rice is done, stir in a few drops of essence of
any of the above flavourings. Let the rice get cold; then form it into
small round balls, dip them into yolk of egg, sprinkle them with bread
crumbs, and fry them in boiling lard for about 10 minutes, turning them
about, that they may get equally browned. Drain the greasy moisture from
them, by placing them on a cloth in front of the fire for a minute or
two; pile them on a white d'oyley, and send them quickly to table. A
small piece of jam is sometimes introduced into the middle of each
croquette, which adds very much to the flavour of this favourite dish.
RICE FRITTERS.
_Mode_.--Swell the rice in the milk, with the sugar and butter, over a
slow fire until it is perfectly tender, which will be in about 3/4 hour.
When the rice is done, strain away the milk, should there be any left,
and mix with it the marmalade and well-beaten eggs; stir the whole over
the fire until the eggs are set; then spread the mixture on a dish to
the thickness of about 1/2 inch, or rather thicker. When it is perfectly
cold, cut it into long strips, dip them in a batter the same as for
apple fritters, and fry them a nice brown. Dish them on a white d'oyley,
strew sifted sugar over, and serve quickly.
RICE SOUFFLE.
_Mode_.--Place the preserve at the bottom of a glass dish; put the milk
into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and make it boil. Mix to a smooth
batter the tous les mois, with a very little cold milk; stir it briskly
into the boiling milk, add the flavouring, and simmer for 2 minutes.
When rather cool, but before turning solid, pour the cream over the jam,
and ornament it with strips of red-currant jelly or preserved fruit.
STRAWBERRY JELLY.
_Mode_.--Pick the strawberries, put them into a pan, squeeze them well
with a wooden spoon, add sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten them
nicely, and let them remain for 1 hour, that the juice may be extracted;
then add 1/2 pint of water to every pint of juice. Strain the
strawberry-juice and water through a bag; measure it, and to every pint
allow 1-1/4 oz. of isinglass, melted and clarified in 1/4 pint of water.
Mix this with the juice; put the jelly into a mould, and set the mould
in ice. A little lemon-juice added to the strawberry-juice improves the
flavour of the jelly, if the fruit is very ripe; but it must be well
strained before it is put to the other ingredients, or it will make the
jelly muddy.
TO MAKE SYLLABUB.
_Mode_.--Put the wine into a bowl, with the grated nutmeg and plenty of
pounded sugar, and milk into it the above proportion of milk frothed up.
Clouted cream may be laid on the top, with pounded cinnamon or nutmeg
and sugar; and a little brandy may be added to the wine before the milk
is put in. In some counties, cider is substituted for the wine: when
this is used, brandy must always be added. Warm milk may be poured on
from a spouted jug or teapot; but it must be held very high.
TIPSY CAKE.
TO MAKE A TRIFLE.
[Illustration: TRIFLE.]
_Mode_.--The whip to lay over the top of the trifle should be made the
day before it is required for table, as the flavour is better, and it is
much more solid than when prepared the same day. Put into a large bowl
the pounded sugar, the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a
stiff froth, a glass of sherry or sweet wine, and the cream. Whisk these
ingredients well in a cool place, and take off the froth with a skimmer
as fast as it rises, and put it on a sieve to drain; continue the
whisking till there is sufficient of the whip, which must be put away in
a cool place to drain. The next day, place the sponge-cakes, macaroons,
and ratafias at the bottom of a trifle-dish; pour over them 1/2 pint of
sherry or sweet wine, mixed with 6 tablespoonfuls of brandy, and, should
this proportion of wine not be found quite sufficient, add a little
more, as the cakes should be well soaked. Over the cakes put the grated
lemon-rind, the sweet almonds, blanched and cut into strips, and a layer
of raspberry or strawberry jam. Make a good custard by recipe No. 1423,
using 8 instead of 5 eggs to the pint of milk, and let this cool a
little; then pour it over the cakes, &c. The whip being made the day
previously, and the trifle prepared, there remains nothing to do now but
heap the whip lightly over the top: this should stand as high as
possible, and it may be garnished with strips of bright currant jelly,
crystallized sweetmeats, or flowers; the small coloured comfits are
sometimes used for the purpose of garnishing a trifle, but they are now
considered rather old-fashioned. (See coloured plate, V1.)
VANILLA CREAM.
_Mode_.--Put the milk and sugar into a saucepan, and let it get hot over
a slow fire; beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add gradually the
sweetened milk; flavour the whole with essence of vanilla, put the
mixture into a jug, and place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water.
Stir the contents with a wooden spoon one way until the mixture
thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will be full of lumps. Take
it off the fire; stir in the isinglass, which should be previously
dissolved in about 1/4 pint of water, and boiled for 2 or 3 minutes;
pour the cream into an oiled mould, put it in a cool place to set, and
turn it out carefully on a dish. Instead of using the essence of
vanilla, a pod may be boiled in the milk instead, until the flavour is
well extracted. A pod, or a pod and a half, will be found sufficient for
the above proportion of ingredients.
VICTORIA SANDWICHES.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
"Madame R�camier wished to retire, but the Cur� would not hear of it. A
neat white cloth covered the table; some good old wine sparkled in a
crystal decanter; the porcelain was of the best; the plates had heaters
of boiling water beneath them; a neatly-costumed maid-servant was in
attendance. The repast was a compromise between frugality and luxury.
The crawfish-soup had just been removed, and there was on the table a
salmon-trout, an omelet, and a salad.
"'My dinner will tell you,' said the worthy Cur�, with a smile, 'that it
is fast-day, according to our Church's regulations.' Madame R�camier and
her host attacked the trout, the sauce served with which betrayed a
skilful hand, the countenance of the Cur� the while showing
satisfaction.
"And now they fell upon the omelet, which was round, sufficiently thick,
and cooked, so to speak, to a hair's-breadth.
"As the spoon entered the omelet, a thick rich juice issued from it,
pleasant to the eye as well as to the smell; the dish became full of it;
and our fair friend owns that, between the perfume and the sight, it
made her mouth water.
Then came the salad, which Savarin recommends to all who place
confidence in him. It refreshes without exciting; and he has a theory
that it makes people younger.
"'I never,' said the Cur�, 'take spirits; I always offer liqueurs to my
guests but reserve the use of them, myself, to my old age, if it should
please Providence to grant me that.'
"Finally, the charming Madame R�camier took her leave, and told all her
friends of the delicious omelet which she had seen and partaken of."
OMELETTE AU THON.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXX.
PRESERVES.
1495. From the nature of vegetable substances, and chiefly from their
not passing so rapidly into the putrescent state as animal bodies, the
mode of preserving them is somewhat different, although the general
principles are the same. All the means of preservation are put in
practice occasionally for fruits and the various parts of vegetables,
according to the nature of the species, the climate, the uses to which
they are applied, &c. Some are dried, as nuts, raisins, sweet herbs,
&c.; others are preserved by means of sugar, such as many fruits whose
delicate juices would be lost by drying; some are preserved by means of
vinegar, and chiefly used as condiments or pickles; a few also by
salting, as French beans; while others are preserved in spirits. We
have, however, in this place to treat of the best methods of preserving
fruits. Fruit is a most important item in the economy of health; the
epicurean can scarcely be said to have any luxuries without it;
therefore, as it is so invaluable, when we cannot have it fresh, we must
have it preserved. It has long been a desideratum to preserve fruits by
some cheap method, yet by such as would keep them fit for the various
culinary purposes, as making tarts and other similar dishes. The expense
of preserving them with sugar is a serious objection; for, except the
sugar is used in considerable quantities, the success is very uncertain.
Sugar also overpowers and destroys the sub-acid taste so desirable in
many fruits: these which are preserved in this manner are chiefly
intended for the dessert. Fruits intended for preservation should be
gathered in the morning, in dry weather, with the morning sun upon them,
if possible; they will then have their fullest flavour, and keep in good
condition longer than when gathered at any other time. Until fruit can
be used, it should be placed in the dairy, an ice-house, or a
refrigerator. In an icehouse it will remain fresh and plump for several
days. Fruit gathered in wet or foggy weather will soon be mildewed, and
be of no service for preserves.
1496. Having secured the first and most important contribution to the
manufacture of preserves,--the fruit, the next consideration is the
preparation of the syrup in which the fruit is to be suspended; and this
requires much care. In the confectioner's art there is a great nicety in
proportioning the degree of concentration of the syrup very exactly to
each particular case; and they know this by signs, and express it by
certain technical terms. But to distinguish these properly requires very
great attention and considerable experience. The principal thing to be
acquainted with is the fact, that, in proportion as the syrup is longer
boiled, its water will become evaporated, and its consistency will be
thicker. Great care must be taken in the management of the fire, that
the syrup does not boil over, and that the boiling is not carried to
such an extent as to burn the sugar.
1497. The first degree of consistency is called _the thread_, which is
subdivided into the little and great thread. If you dip the finger into
the syrup and apply it to the thumb, the tenacity of the syrup will, on
separating the finger and thumb, afford a thread, which shortly breaks:
this is the little thread. If the thread, from the greater tenacity,
and, consequently, greater strength of the syrup, admits of a greater
extension of the finger and thumb, it is called the great thread. There
are half a dozen other terms and experiments for testing the various
thickness of the boiling sugar towards the consistency called _caramel_;
but that degree of sugar-boiling belongs to the confectioner. A solution
of sugar prepared by dissolving two parts of double-refined sugar (the
best sugar is the most economical for preserves) in one of water, and
boiling this a little, affords a syrup of the right degree of strength,
and which neither ferments nor crystallizes. This appears to be the
degree called _smooth_ by the confectioners, and is proper to be used
for the purposes of preserves. The syrup employed should sometimes be
clarified, which is done in the following manner:--Dissolve 2 lbs. of
loaf sugar in a pint of water; add to this solution the white of an egg,
and beat it well. Put the preserving-pan upon the fire with the
solution; stir it with a wooden spatula, and, when it begins to swell
and boil up, throw in some cold water or a little oil, to damp the
boiling; for, as it rises suddenly, if it should boil over, it would
take fire, being of a very inflammable nature. Let it boil up again;
then take it off, and remove carefully the scum that has risen. Boil the
solution again, throw in a little more cold water, remove the scum, and
so on for three or four times successively; then strain it. It is
considered to be sufficiently boiled when some taken up in a spoon pours
out like oil.
1499. The fruits that are the most fit for preservation in syrup are,
apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples, greengages, plums of all kinds,
and pears. As an example, take some apricots not too ripe, make a small
slit at the stem end, and push out the stone; simmer them in water till
they are softened and about half done, and afterwards throw them into
cold water. When they have cooled, take them out and drain them. Put the
apricots into the pie-serving-pan with sufficient syrup to cover them;
let them boil up three or four times, and then skim them; remove them
from the fire, pour them into an earthen pan, and let them cool till
next day. Boil them up three days successively, skimming each time, and
they will then be finished and in a state fit to be put into pots for
use. After each bailing, it is proper to examine into the state of the
syrup when cold; if too thin, it will bear additional boiling; if too
thick, it may be lowered with more syrup of the usual standard. The
reason why the fruit is emptied out of the preserving-pan into an
earthen pan is, that the acid of the fruit acts upon the copper, of
which the preserving-pans are usually made. From this example the
process of preserving fruits by syrup will be easily comprehended. The
first object is to soften the fruit by blanching or boiling it in water,
in order that the syrup by which it is preserved may penetrate through
its substance.
1501. Any of the fruits that have been preserved in syrup may be
converted into dry preserves, by first draining them from the syrup, and
then drying them in a stove or very moderate oven, adding to them a
quantity of powdered loaf sugar, which will gradually penetrate the
fruit, while the fluid parts of the syrup gently evaporate. They should
be dried in the stove or oven on a sieve, and turned every six or eight
hours, fresh powdered sugar being sifted over them every time they are
turned. Afterwards, they are to be kept in a dry situation, in drawers
or boxes. Currants and cherries preserved whole in this manner, in
bunches, are extremely elegant, and have a fine flavour. In this way it
is, also, that orange and lemon chips are preserved.
1502. Marmalades, jams, and fruit pastes are of the same nature, and are
now in very general request. They are prepared without difficulty, by
attending to a very few directions; they are somewhat expensive, but may
be kept without spoiling for a considerable time. Marmalades and jams
differ little from each other: they are preserves of a half-liquid
consistency, made by boiling the pulp of fruits, and sometimes part of
the rinds, with sugar. The appellation of marmalade is applied to those
confitures which are composed of the firmer fruits, as pineapples or the
rinds of oranges; whereas jams are made of the more juicy berries, such
as strawberries, raspberries, currants, mulberries, &c. Fruit pastes are
a kind of marmalades, consisting of the pulp of fruits, first evaporated
to a proper consistency, and afterwards boiled with sugar. The mixture
is then poured into a mould, or spread on sheets of tin, and
subsequently dried in the oven or stove till it has acquired the state
of a paste. From a sheet of this paste, strips may be cut and formed
into any shape that may be desired, as knots, rings, &c. Jams require
the same care and attention in the boiling as marmalade; the slightest
degree of burning communicates a disagreeable empyreumatic taste, and if
they are not boiled sufficiently, they will not keep. That they may
keep, it is necessary not to be sparing of sugar.
1504. Fruit jellies are compounds of the juices of fruits combined with
sugar, concentrated, by boiling, to such a consistency that the liquid,
upon cooling, assumes the form of a tremulous jelly.
1505. Before fruits are candied, they must first be boiled in syrup,
after which they are taken out and dried on a stove, or before the fire;
the syrup is then to be concentrated, or boiled to a candy height, and
the fruit dipped in it, and again laid on the stove to dry and candy:
they are then to be put into boxes, and kept dry.
CONFECTIONARY.
DESSERT DISHES.
1509. With moderns the dessert is not so profuse, nor does it hold the
same relationship to the dinner that it held with the ancients,--the
Romans more especially. On ivory tables they would spread hundreds of
different kinds of raw, cooked, and preserved fruits, tarts and cakes,
as substitutes for the more substantial comestibles with which the
guests were satiated. However, as late as the reigns of our two last
Georges, fabulous sums were often expended upon fanciful desserts. The
dessert certainly repays, in its general effect, the expenditure upon it
of much pains; and it may be said, that if there be any poetry at all in
meals, or the process of feeding, there is poetry in the dessert, the
materials for which should be selected with taste, and, of course, must
depend, in a great measure, upon the season. Pines, melons, grapes,
peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, apples, pears, oranges,
almonds, raisins, figs, walnuts, filberts, medlars, cherries, &c. &c.,
all kinds of dried fruits, and choice and delicately-flavoured cakes and
biscuits, make up the dessert, together with the most costly and
_recherch�_ wines. The shape of the dishes varies at different periods,
the prevailing fashion at present being oval and circular dishes on
stems. The patterns and colours are also subject to changes of fashion;
some persons selecting china, chaste in pattern and colour; others,
elegantly-shaped glass dishes on stems, with gilt edges. The beauty of
the dessert services at the tables of the wealthy tends to enhance the
splendour of the plate. The general mode of putting a dessert on table,
now the elegant tazzas are fashionable, is, to place them down the
middle of the table, a tall and short dish alternately; the fresh fruits
being arranged on the tall dishes, and dried fruits, bon-bons, &c., on
small round or oval glass plates. The garnishing needs especial
attention, as the contrast of the brilliant-coloured fruits with
nicely-arranged foliage is very charming. The garnish _par excellence_
for dessert is the ice-plant; its crystallized dewdrops producing a
marvellous effect in the height of summer, giving a most inviting sense
of coolness to the fruit it encircles. The double-edged mallow,
strawberry, and vine leaves have a pleasing effect; and for winter
desserts, the bay, cuba, and laurel are sometimes used. In town, the
expense and difficulty of obtaining natural foliage is great, but paper
and composite leaves are to be purchased at an almost nominal price.
Mixed fruits of the larger sort are now frequently served on one dish.
This mode admits of the display of much taste in the arrangement of the
fruit: for instance, a pine in the centre of the dish, surrounded with
large plums of various sorts and colours, mixed with pears, rosy-cheeked
apples, all arranged with a due regard to colour, have a very good
effect. Again, apples and pears look well mingled with plums and grapes,
hanging from the border of the dish in a _n�glig�_ sort of manner, with
a large bunch of the same fruit lying on the top of the apples. A
dessert would not now be considered complete without candied and
preserved fruits and confections. The candied fruits may be purchased at
a less cost than they can be manufactured at home. They are preserved
abroad in most ornamental and elegant forms. And since, from the
facilities of travel, we have become so familiar with the tables of the
French, chocolate in different forms is indispensable to our desserts.
ICES.
1511. The aged, the delicate, and children should abstain from ices or
iced beverages; even the strong and healthy should partake of them in
moderation. They should be taken immediately after the repast, or some
hours after, because the taking these substances _during_ the process of
digestion is apt to provoke indisposition. It is necessary, then, that
this function should have scarcely commenced, or that it should be
completely finished, before partaking of ices. It is also necessary to
abstain from them when persons are very warm, or immediately after
taking violent exercise, as in some cases they have produced illnesses
which have ended fatally.
[Do ladies know to whom they are indebted for the introduction of ices,
which all the fair sex are passionately fond of?--To Catherine de'
Medici. Will not this fact cover a multitude of sins committed by the
instigator of St. Bartholomew ?]
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXXI.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for 1/4 hour, carefully
removing the scum as it rises: the syrup is then ready for the fruit.
The articles boiled in this syrup will not keep for any length of time,
it being suitable only for dishes intended to be eaten immediately. A
larger proportion of sugar must be added for a syrup intended to keep.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
1513. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1/2 pint of water and
1/2 the white of an egg.
_Mode_.--Put the sugar, water, and the white of the egg, which should,
be well beaten, into a preserving-pan or lined saucepan; and do not put
it on the fire till the sugar is dissolved. Then place it on the fire,
and when it boils, throw in a teacupful of cold water, and do not stir
the sugar after this is added. Bring it to the boiling-point again, and
then place the pan by the side of the fire, for the preparation to
settle. Remove all the scum, and the sugar will be ready for use. The
scum should be placed on a sieve, so that what syrup runs from it may be
boiled up again: this must also be well skimmed.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together very quickly over a clear
fire, skimming it very carefully as soon as it boils. Keep it boiling
until the sugar snaps when a little of it is dropped in a pan of cold
water. If it remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then
squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the
fire. Set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then
ready for use. The insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented
with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine
threads or network. A dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks
very prettily with this sugar spun lightly over it. The sugar must be
carefully watched, and taken up the instant it is done. Unless the cook
is very experienced and thoroughly understands her business, it is
scarcely worth while to attempt to make this elaborate ornament, as it
may be purchased quite as economically at a confectioner's, if the
failures in the preparation are taken into consideration.
COMPOTE OF APPLES.
1515. INGREDIENTS.--6 ripe apples, 1 lemon, 1/2 lb. of lump sugar, 1/2
pint of water.
APPLE GINGER.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water until they form a rich syrup, adding
the ginger when it boils up. Pare, core, and cut the apples into pieces;
dip them in cold water to preserve the colour, and boil them in the
syrup until transparent; but be careful not to let them break. Put the
pieces of apple into jars, pour over the syrup, and carefully exclude
the air, by well covering them. It will remain good some time, if kept
in a dry place.
APPLE JAM.
_Mode_.--Peel the apples, core and slice them very thin, and be
particular that they are all the same sort. Put them into a jar, stand
this in a saucepan of boiling water, and let the apples stew until quite
tender. Previously to putting the fruit into the jar, weigh it, to
ascertain the proportion of sugar that may be required. Put the apples
into a preserving-pan, crush the sugar to small lumps, and add it, with
the grated lemon-rind and juice, to the apples. Simmer these over the
fire for 1/2 hour, reckoning from the time the jam begins to simmer
properly; remove the scum as it rises, and when the jam is done, put it
into pots for use. Place a piece of oiled paper over the jam, and to
exclude the air, cover the pots with tissue-paper dipped in the white of
an egg, and stretched over the top. This jam will keep good for a long
time.
_Time_.--About 2 hours to stew in the jar; 1/2 hour to boil after the
jam begins to simmer.
APPLE JELLY.
I.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into slices, and put them into a
jar, with water in the above proportion. Place them in a cool oven, with
the jar well covered, and when the juice is thoroughly drawn and the
apples are quite soft, strain them through a jelly-bag. To every quart
of juice allow 2 lbs. of loaf sugar, which should be crushed to small
lumps, and put into a preserving-pan with the juice. Boil these together
for rather more than 1/2 hour, remove the scum as it rises, add the
lemon-juice just before it is done, and put the jelly into pots for use.
This preparation is useful for garnishing sweet dishes, and may be
turned out for dessert.
II.
_Mode_.--Pare and cut the apples into pieces, remove the cores, and put
them in a preserving-pan with sufficient cold water to cover them. Let
them boil for an hour; then drain the syrup from them through a hair
sieve or jelly-bag, and measure the juice; to every pint allow 3/4 lb.
of loaf sugar, and boil these together for 3/4 hour, removing every
particle of scum as it rises, and keeping the jelly well stirred, that
it may not burn. A little lemon-rind may be boiled with the apples, and
a small quantity of strained lemon-juice may be put in the jelly just
before it is done, when the flavour is liked. This jelly may be
ornamented with preserved greengages, or any other preserved fruit, and
will turn out very prettily for dessert. It should be stored away in
small pots.
_Time_.--1 hour to boil the fruit and water; 3/4 hour to boil the juice
with the sugar.
_Average cost_, for 6 lbs. of apples, with the other ingredients in
proportion, 3s.
1520. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of apples allow 3/4 lb. of sugar, 1-1/2
oz. of the best white ginger; 1 oz. of ginger to every 1/2 pint of
water.
_Mode_.--Peel, core, and quarter the apples, and put the fruit, sugar,
and ginger in layers into a wide-mouthed jar, and let them remain for 2
days; then infuse 1 oz. of ginger in 1/2 pint of boiling water, and
cover it closely, and let it remain for 1 day: this quantity of ginger
and water is for 3 lbs. of apples, with the other ingredients in
proportion. Put the apples, &c., into a preserving-pan with the water
strained from the ginger, and boil till the apples look clear and the
syrup is rich, which will be in about an hour. The rind of a lemon may
be added just before the apples have finished boiling; and great care
must be taken not to break the pieces of apple in putting them into the
jars. Serve on glass dishes for dessert.
_Time_.--2 days for the apples to remain in the jar with sugar, &c.; 1
day to infuse the ginger; about 1 hour to boil the apples.
COMPOTE OF APRICOTS.
_Mode_.--Make the syrup by recipe No. 1512, and when it is ready, put in
the apricots whilst the syrup is boiling. Simmer them very gently until
tender, taking care not to let them break; take them out carefully,
arrange them on a glass dish, let the syrup cool a little, pour it over
the apricots, and, when cold, serve.
_Time_.--12 hours sprinkled with sugar; about 3/4 hour to boil the jam.
BARBERRIES IN BUNCHES.
_Seasonable_ in autumn.
TO MAKE BARLEY-SUGAR.
1524. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1/2 pint of water, 1/2
the white of an egg.
_Mode_.--Put the sugar into a well-tinned saucepan, with the water, and,
when the former is dissolved, set it over a moderate fire, adding the
well-beaten egg before the mixture gets warm, and stir it well together.
When it boils, remove the scum as it rises, and keep it boiling until no
more appears, and the syrup looks perfectly clear; then strain it
through a fine sieve or muslin bag, and put it back into the saucepan.
Boil it again like caramel, until it is brittle, when a little is
dropped in a basin of cold water: it is then sufficiently boiled. Add a
little lemon-juice and a few drops of essence of lemon, and let it stand
for a minute or two. Have ready a marble slab or large dish, rubbed over
with salad-oil; pour on it the sugar, and cut it into strips with a pair
of scissors: these strips should then be twisted, and the barley-sugar
stored away in a very dry place. It may be formed into lozenges or
drops, by dropping the sugar in a very small quantity at a time on to
the oiled slab or dish.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
_Mode_.--Select young carrots; wash and scrape them clean, cut them into
round pieces, put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover
them, and let them simmer until perfectly soft; then beat them through a
sieve. Weigh the pulp, and to every lb. allow the above ingredients. Put
the pulp into a preserving-pan with the sugar, and let this boil for 5
minutes, stirring and skimming all the time. When cold, add the
lemon-rind and juice, almonds and brandy; mix these well with the jam;
then put it into pots, which must be well covered and kept in a dry
place. The brandy may be omitted, but the preserve will then not keep:
with the brandy it will remain good for months.
_Average cost_, 1s. 2d. for 1 lb. of pulp, with the other ingredients in
proportion.
DRIED CHERRIES.
1527. CHERRIES may be put in a slow oven and thoroughly dried before
they begin to change colour. They should then be taken out of the oven,
tied in bunches, and stored away in a dry place. In the winter, they may
be cooked with sugar for dessert, the same as Normandy pippins.
Particular care must be taken that the oven be not too hot. Another
method of drying cherries is to stone them, and to put them into a
preserving-pan, with plenty of loaf sugar strewed amongst them. They
should be simmered till the fruit shrivels, when they should be strained
from the juice. The cherries should then be placed in an oven, cool
enough to dry without baking them. About 5 oz. of sugar would be
required for 1 lb. of cherries, and the same syrup may be used again to
do another quantity of fruit.
CHERRY JAM.
_Mode_.--Weigh the fruit before stoning, and allow half the weight of
sugar; stone the cherries, and boil them in a preserving-pan until
nearly all the juice is dried up; then add the sugar, which should be
crushed to powder, and the currant-juice, allowing 1 pint to every 6
lbs. of cherries (original weight), and 1 lb. of sugar to every pint of
juice. Boil all together until it jellies, which will be in from 20
minutes to 1/2 hour; skim the jam well, keep it well stirred, and, a few
minutes before it is done, crack some of the stones, and add the
kernels: these impart a very delicious flavour to the jam.
(_Very delicious_.)
BLACK-CURRANT JAM.
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be very ripe, and gathered on a dry day. Strip it
from the stalks, and put it into a preserving-pan, with a gill of water
to each lb. of fruit; boil these together for 10 minutes; then add the
sugar, and boil the jam again for 30 minutes, reckoning from the time
when the jam simmers equally all over, or longer, should it not appear
to set nicely when a little is poured on to a plate. Keep stirring it to
prevent it from burning, carefully remove all the scum, and when done,
pour it into pots. Let it cool, cover the top of the jam with oiled
paper, and the top of the jars with a piece of tissue-paper brushed over
on both sides with the white of an egg: this, when cold, forms a hard
stiff cover, and perfectly excludes the air. Great attention must be
paid to the stirring of this jam, as it is very liable to burn, on
account of the thickness of the juice.
_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the fruit and water; 30 minutes with the
sugar, or longer.
_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. for a pot capable of holding 1 lb.
BLACK-CURRANT JELLY.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to extract the juice; 1/2 hour to boil the
jelly.
RED-CURRANT JAM.
1532. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.
[Illustration: JAM-POT.]
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be gathered on a fine day; weigh it, and then
strip the currants from the stalks; put them into a preserving-pan with
sugar in the above proportion; stir them, and boil them for about 3/4
hour. Carefully remove the scum as it rises. Put the jam into pots, and,
when cold, cover with oiled papers; over these put a piece of
tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg; press
the paper round the top of the pot, and, when dry, the covering will be
quite hard and air-tight.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour, reckoning from the time the jam boils all
over.
RED-CURRANT JELLY.
WHITE-CURRANT JELLY.
_Mode_.--Pick the currants from the stalks, and put them into a jar;
place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the
juice is well drawn from the fruit, which will be in from 3/4 to 1 hour.
Then strain the currants through a fine cloth or jelly-bag; do not
squeeze them too much, or the jelly will not be clear, and put the juice
into a very clean preserving-pan, with the sugar. Let this simmer gently
over a clear fire until it is firm, and keep stirring and skimming until
it is done; then pour it into small pots, cover them, and store away in
a dry place.
_Time_.--3/4 hour to draw the juice; 1/2 hour to boil the jelly.
_Mode_.--Choose sound fruit, not too ripe; pick off the stalks, weigh
it, and to every lb. allow the above proportion of pounded sugar. Put
the fruit into large dry stone jars, sprinkling the sugar amongst it;
cover the jars with saucers, place them in a rather cool oven, and bake
the fruit until it is quite tender. When cold, cover the top of the
fruit with a piece of white paper cut to the size of the jar; pour over
this melted mutton suet about an inch thick, and cover the tops of the
jars with thick brown paper, well tied down. Keep the jars in a cool dry
place, and the fruit will remain good till the following Christmas, but
not much longer.
DAMSON CHEESE.
_Mode_.--Pick the stalks from the damsons, and put them into a
preserving-pan; simmer them over the fire until they are soft,
occasionally stirring them; then beat them through a coarse sieve, and
put the pulp and juice into the preserving-pan, with sugar in the above
proportion, having previously carefully weighed them. Stir the sugar
well in, and simmer the damsons slowly for 2 hours. Skim well; then boil
the preserve quickly for 1/2 hour, or until it looks firm and hard in
the spoon; put it quickly into shallow pots, or very tiny earthenware
moulds, and, when cold, cover it with oiled papers, and the jars with
tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. A few
of the stones may be cracked, and the kernels boiled with the damsons,
which very much improves the flavour of the cheese.
_Time_.--1 hour to boil the damsons without the sugar; 2 hours to simmer
them slowly, 1/2 hour quickly.
COMPOTE OF DAMSONS.
_Mode_.--Procure sound ripe damsons; pick the stalks from them, and put
them into boiling syrup, made by recipe No. 1512. Simmer them gently
until the fruit is tender, but not sufficiently soft to break; take them
up, boil the syrup for 5 minutes; pour it over the damsons, and serve.
This should be sent to table in a glass dish.
DAMSON JAM.
_Mode_.--Put the damsons (which should be picked from the stalks and
quite free from blemishes) into a jar, with pounded sugar sprinkled
amongst them in the above proportion; tie the jar closely down, set it
in a saucepan of cold water; bring it gradually to boil, and simmer
gently until the damsons are soft, without being broken. Let them stand
till cold; then strain the juice from them, boil it up well, strain it
through a jelly-bag, and pour it over the fruit. Let it cool, cover with
oiled papers, and the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides
with the white of an egg, and store away in a dry cool place.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to simmer the fruit after the water boils; 1/4
hour to boil the juice.
(_Useful in Winter_.)
1540. INGREDIENTS.--Damsons or plums; boiling water.
_Mode_.--Pick the fruit into clean dry stone jars, taking care to leave
out all that are broken or blemished. When full, pour boiling water on
the plums, until it stands one inch above the fruit; cut a piece of
paper to fit the inside of the jar, over which pour melted mutton-suet;
cover down with brown paper, and keep the jars in a dry cool place. When
used, the suet should be removed, the water poured off, and the jelly at
the bottom of the jar used and mixed with the fruit.
1541. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of syrup No. 1512, 1-1/2 pint of green figs,
the rind of 1/2 lemon.
I.
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be full grown, but not too ripe, and gathered in
dry weather. Pick it off the stalks without bruising or breaking the
skin, and reject any that is at all blemished: if gathered in the damp,
or if the skins are cut at all, the fruit will mould. Have ready some
_perfectly dry_ glass bottles, and some nice new soft corks or bungs;
burn a match in each bottle, to exhaust the air, and quickly place the
fruit in to be preserved; gently cork the bottles, and put them into a
very cool oven, where let them remain until the fruit has shrunk away a
fourth part. Then take the bottles out; _do not open them,_ but
immediately beat the corks in tight, cut off the tops, and cover them
with melted resin. If kept in a dry place, the fruit will remain good
for months; and on this principally depends the success of the
preparation; for if stored away in a place that is in the least damp,
the fruit will soon spoil.
_Time_.--From 5 to 6 hours in a very slow oven.
II.
_Mode_.--Procure some nice sprigs of holly; pick the leaves from the
stalks, and wipe them with a clean cloth free from all moisture; then
place them on a dish near the fire, to get thoroughly dry, but not too
near to shrivel the leaves; dip them into oiled butter, sprinkle over
them some coarsely-powdered sugar, and dry them before the fire. They
should be kept in a dry place, as the least damp would spoil their
appearance.
_Seasonable_.--These may be made at any time; but are more suitable for
winter garnishes, when fresh flowers are not easily obtained.
COMPOTE OF GOOSEBERRIES.
_Mode_.--Top and tail the gooseberries, which should not be very ripe,
and pour over them some boiling water; then take them out, and plunge
them into cold water, with which has been mixed a tablespoonful of
vinegar, which will assist to keep the fruit a good colour. Make a pint
of syrup by recipe No. 1512, and when it boils, drain the gooseberries
and put them in; simmer them gently until the fruit is nicely pulped and
tender, without being broken; then dish the gooseberries on a glass
dish, boil the syrup for 2 or 3 minutes, pour over the gooseberries, and
serve cold.
_Seasonable_ in June.
GOOSEBERRY JAM.
I.
1547. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar;
currant-juice.
II.
_Mode_.--Have the fruit gathered in dry weather, and cut off the tops
and tails. Prepare 1 quart of red-currant juice, the same as for
red-currant jelly No. 1533; put it into a preserving-pan with the sugar,
and keep stirring until the latter is dissolved. Keep it boiling for
about 5 minutes; skim well; then put in the gooseberries, and let them
boil from 1/2 to 3/4 hour; then turn the whole into an earthen pan, and
let it remain for 2 days. Boil the jam up again until it looks clear;
put it into pots, and when cold, cover with oiled paper, and over the
jars put tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an
egg, and store away in a dry place. Care must be taken, in making this,
to keep the jam well stirred and well skimmed, to prevent it burning at
the bottom of the pan, and to have it very clear.
_Time_.--5 minutes to boil the currant-juice and sugar after the latter
is dissolved; from 1/2 to 3/4 hour to simmer the gooseberries the first
time, 1/4 hour the second time of boiling.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to boil the sugar and water, 3/4 hour the jam.
GOOSEBERRY JELLY.
1550. INGREDIENTS.--Gooseberries; to every pint of juice allow 3/4 lb.
of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Put the gooseberries, after cutting off the tops and tails,
into a preserving-pan, and stir them over the fire until they are quite
soft; then strain them through a sieve, and to every pint of juice allow
3/4 lb. of sugar. Boil the juice and sugar together for nearly 3/4 hour,
stirring and skimming all the time; and if the jelly appears firm when a
little of it is poured on to a plate, it is done, and should then be
taken up and put into small pots. Cover the pots with oiled and egged
papers, the same as for currant jelly No. 1533, and store away in a dry
place.
_Time_.--3/4 hour to simmer the gooseberries without the sugar; 3/4 hour
to boil the juice.
_Seasonable_ in July.
COMPOTE OF GREENGAGES.
_Mode_.--Make a syrup by recipe No. 1512, skim it well, and put in the
greengages when the syrup is boiling, having previously removed the
stalks and stones from the fruit. Boil gently for 1/4 hour, or until the
fruit is tender; but take care not to let it break, as the appearance of
the dish would be spoiled were the fruit reduced to a pulp. Take the
greengages carefully out, place them on a glass dish, boil the syrup for
another 5 minutes, let it cool a little, pour over the fruit, and, when
cold, it will be ready for use.
GREENGAGE JAM.
_Mode_.--Divide the greengages, take out the stones, and put them into a
preserving-pan. Bring the fruit to a boil, then add the sugar, and keep
stirring it over a gentle fire until it is melted. Remove all the scum
as it rises, and, just before the jam is done, boil it rapidly for 5
minutes. To ascertain when it is sufficiently boiled, pour a little on a
plate, and if the syrup thickens and appears firm, it is done. Have
ready half the kernels blanched; put them into the jam, give them one
boil, and pour the preserve into pots. When cold, cover down with oiled
papers, and, over these, tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with
the white of an egg.
_Time_.--3/4 hour after the sugar is added.
_Sufficient._--Allow about 1-1/2 pint of fruit for every lb. pot of jam.
1553. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1 lb. of fruit, 1/4 pint
of water.
1554. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1 lb. of loaf sugar 1/4
pint of water.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for about 10 minutes; divide
the greengages, take out the stones, put the fruit into the syrup, and
let it simmer gently until nearly tender. Take it off the fire, put it
into a large pan, and, the next day, boil it up again for about 10
minutes with the kernels from the stones, which should be blanched. Put
the fruit carefully into jars, pour over it the syrup, and, when cold,
cover down, so that the air is quite excluded. Let the syrup be well
skimmed both the first and second day of boiling, otherwise it will not
be clear.
_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the syrup; 1/4 hour to simmer the fruit the
first day, 10 minutes the second day.
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be well ripened; pick it off the stalks, and put
it into a large earthen pan. Stir it about with a wooden spoon, breaking
it until it is well mashed; then, with the back of the spoon, rub it
through a hair sieve. Sweeten it nicely with pounded sugar; whip the
cream for a few minutes, add it to the fruit, and whisk the whole again
for another 5 minutes. Put the mixture into the freezing-pot, and freeze
in the same manner as directed for Ice Pudding, No. 1290, taking care to
stir the cream, &c., two or three times, and to remove it from the sides
of the vessel, that the mixture may be equally frozen and smooth. Ices
are usually served in glasses, but if moulded, as they sometimes are for
dessert, must have a small quantity of melted isinglass added to them,
to enable them to keep their shape. Raspberry, strawberry, currant, and
all fruit ice-creams, are made in the same manner. A little pounded
sugar sprinkled over the fruit before it is mashed assists to extract
the juice. In winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable, a little jam
may be substituted for it: it should be melted and worked through a
sieve before being added to the whipped cream; and if the colour should
not be good, a little prepared cochineal or beetroot may be put in to
improve its appearance.
_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 4d. each ice.
_Mode_.--Select nice ripe fruit; pick off the stalks, and put it into a
large earthen pan, with a little pounded sugar strewed over; stir it
about with a wooden spoon until it is well broken, then rub it through a
hair sieve. Make the syrup by recipe No. 1513, omitting the white of the
egg; let it cool, add the fruit-juice, mix well together, and put the
mixture into the freezing-pot. Proceed as directed for Ice Puddings, No.
1290, and when the mixture is equally frozen, put it into small glasses.
Raspberry, strawberry, currant, and other fresh-fruit-water ices, are
made in the same manner.
LEMON-WATER ICE.
MELONS.
PRESERVED MULBERRIES.
1/4 hour to boil the mulberries the first time, 1/4 hour the second
time.
[Illustration: MULBERRY.]
_Mode_.--Select ripe cherries; pick off the stalks, and reject all that
have any blemishes. Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes; put
in the cherries, and boil them for 10 minutes, removing the scum as it
rises. Then turn the fruit, &c. into a pan, and let it remain until the
next day, when boil it all again for another 10 minutes, and, if
necessary, skim well. Put the cherries into small pots; pour over them
the syrup, and, when cold, cover down with oiled papers, and the tops of
the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of
an egg, and keep in a dry place.
PRESERVED NECTARINES.
_Mode_.--Divide the nectarines in two, take out the stones, and make a
strong syrup with sugar and water in the above proportion. Put in the
nectarines, and boil them until they have thoroughly imbibed the sugar.
Keep the fruit as whole as possible, and turn it carefully into a pan.
The next day boil it again for a few minutes, take out the nectarines,
put them into jars, boil the syrup quickly for 5 minutes, pour it over
the fruit, and, when cold, cover the preserve down. The syrup and
preserve must be carefully skimmed, or it will not be clear.
_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the sugar and water; 20 minutes to boil the
fruit the first time, 10 minutes the second time; 5 minutes to boil the
syrup.
_Mode_.--Well wash the pippins, and put them into 1 quart of water with
the above proportion of cinnamon and ginger, and let them stand 12
hours; then put these all together into a stewpan, with the lemon sliced
thinly, and half the moist sugar. Let them boil slowly until the pippins
are half done; then add the remainder of the sugar, and simmer until
they are quite tender. Serve on glass dishes for dessert.
ICED ORANGES.
COMPOTE OF ORANGES.
ORANGE MARMALADE.
I.
II.
_Mode_.--Weigh the sugar and oranges, score the skin across, and take it
off in quarters. Boil these quarters in a muslin bag in water until they
are quite soft, and they can be pierced easily with the head of a pin;
then cut them into chips about 1 inch long, and as thin as possible.
Should there be a great deal of white stringy pulp, remove it before
cutting the rind into chips. Split open the oranges, scrape out the best
part of the pulp, with the juice, rejecting the white pith and pips.
Make a syrup with the sugar and water; boil it until clear; then put in
the chips, pulp, and juice, and boil the marmalade from 20 minutes to
1/2 hour, removing all the scum as it rises. In boiling the syrup, clear
it carefully from scum before the oranges are added to it.
1568. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of pulp allow 1-1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Choose some fine Seville oranges; put them whole into a stewpan
with sufficient water to cover them, and stew them until they become
perfectly tender, changing the water 2 or 3 times; drain them, take off
the rind, remove the pips from the pulp, weigh it, and to every lb.
allow 1-1/2 of loaf sugar and 1/2 pint of the water the oranges were
last boiled in. Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes; put in
the pulp, boil for another 10 minutes; then add the peel cut into
strips, and boil the marmalade for another 10 minutes, which completes
the process. Pour it into jars; let it cool; then cover down with
bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of
an egg.
_Time_.--2 hours to boil the oranges; altogether 1/2 hour to boil the
marmalade.
_Mode_.--Peel the oranges and boil the rind in water until tender, and
cut it into strips. Take away the pips from the juice and pulp, and put
it with the honey and chips into a preserving-pan; boil all together for
about 1/2 hour, or until the marmalade is of the proper consistency; put
it into pots, and, when cold, cover down with bladders.
TO PRESERVE ORANGES.
_Mode_.--Wholly grate or peel the oranges, taking off only the thin
outside portion of the rind. Make a small incision where the stalk is
taken out, squeeze out as much of the juice as can be obtained, and
preserve it in a basin with the pulp that accompanies it. Put the
oranges into cold water; let them stand for 3 days, changing the water
twice; then boil them in fresh water till they are very tender, and put
them to drain. Make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar and
water, sufficient to cover the oranges; let them stand in it for 2 or 3
days; then drain them well. Weigh the juice and pulp, allow double their
weight of sugar, and boil them together until the scum ceases to rise,
which must all be carefully removed; put in the oranges, boil them for
10 minutes, place them in jars, pour over them the syrup, and, when
cold, cover down. They will be fit for use in a week.
_Time_.--3 days for the oranges to remain in water, 3 days in the syrup;
1/2 hour to boil the pulp, 10 minutes the oranges.
ORANGE SALAD.
COMPOTE OF PEACHES.
_Mode_.--Peaches that are not very large, and that would not look well
for dessert, answer very nicely for a comp�te. Divide the peaches, take
out the stones, and pare the fruit; make a syrup by recipe No. 1512, put
in the peaches, and stew them gently for about 10 minutes. Take them out
without breaking, arrange them on a glass dish, boil the syrup for 2 or
3 minutes, let it cool, pour it over the fruit, and, when cold, it will
be ready for table.
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be gathered in dry weather; wipe and weigh it,
and remove the stones as carefully as possible, without injuring the
peaches much. Put them into a jar, sprinkle amongst them pounded loaf
sugar in the above proportion, and pour brandy over the fruit. Cover the
jar down closely, place it in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire,
and bring the brandy to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to
boil. Take the fruit out carefully, without breaking it; put it into
small jars, pour over it the brandy, and, when cold, exclude the air by
covering the jars with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both
sides with the white of an egg. Apricots may be done in the same manner,
and, if properly prepared, will be found delicious.
BAKED PEARS.
_Mode_.--Pare and cut the pears into halves, and, should they be very
large, into quarters; leave the stalks on, and carefully remove the
cores. Place them in a clean baking-jar, with a closely-fitting lid; add
to them the lemon-rind cut in strips, the juice of 1/2 lemon, the
cloves, pounded allspice, and sufficient water just to cover the whole,
with sugar in the above proportion. Cover the jar down closely, put it
into a very cool oven, and bake the pears from 5 to 6 hours, but be very
careful that the oven is not too hot. To improve the colour of the
fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added; but this will not
be found necessary if the pears are very gently baked.
PRESERVED PEARS.
_Mode_.--Procure some Jargonelle pears, not too ripe; put them into a
stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and simmer them till rather
tender, but do not allow them to break; then put them into cold water.
Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes, skim well, put in the
pears, and simmer them gently for 5 minutes. Repeat the simmering for 3
successive days, taking care not to let the fruit break. The last time
of boiling, the syrup should be made rather richer, and the fruit boiled
for 10 minutes. When the pears are done, drain them from the syrup, and
dry them in the sun, or in a cool oven; or they may be kept in the
syrup, and dried as they are wanted.
STEWED PEARS.
_Mode_.--Pare the pears, halve them, remove the cores, and leave the
stalks on; put them into a _lined_ saucepan with the above ingredients,
and let them simmer very gently until tender, which will be in from 3 to
4 hours, according to the quality of the pears. They should be watched,
and, when done, carefully lifted out on to a glass dish without breaking
them. Boil up the syrup quickly for 2 or 3 minutes; allow it to cool a
little, pour it over the pears, and let them get perfectly cold. To
improve the colour of the fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may
be added, which rather enhances the beauty of this dish. The fruit must
not be boiled fast, but only simmered, and watched that it be not too
much done.
PINEAPPLE CHIPS.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the fruit thinly, put it on dishes, and strew
over it plenty of pounded sugar. Keep it in a hot closet, or very slow
oven, 8 or 10 days, and turn the fruit every day until dry; then put the
pieces of pine on tins, and place them in a quick oven for 10 minutes.
Let them cool, and store them away in dry boxes, with paper between each
layer.
_Time_.--8 to 10 days.
PRESERVED PINEAPPLE.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to boil the fruit. _Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb.
pot.
_Mode_.--Cut the pine into slices 1/4 inch in thickness; peel them, and
remove the hard part from the middle. Put the parings and hard pieces
into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and boil for 1/4
hour. Strain the liquor, and put in the slices of pine. Stew them for 10
minutes, add sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole nicely, and boil
again for another 1/4 hour; skim well, and the preserve will be ready
for use. It must be eaten soon, as it will keep but a very short time.
PLUM JAM.
_Mode_.--In making plum jam, the quantity of sugar for each lb. of fruit
must be regulated by the quality and size of the fruit, some plums
requiring much more sugar than others. Divide the plums, take out the
stones, and put them on to large dishes, with roughly-pounded sugar
sprinkled over them in the above proportion, and let them remain for one
day; then put them into a preserving-pan, stand them by the side of the
fire to simmer gently for about 1/2 hour, and then boil them rapidly for
another 15 minutes. The scum must be carefully removed as it rises, and
the jam must be well stirred all the time, or it will burn at the bottom
of the pan, and so spoil the colour and flavour of the preserve. Some of
the stones may be cracked, and a few kernels added to the jam just
before it is done: these impart a very delicious flavour to the plums.
The above proportion of sugar would answer for Orleans plums; the
Imp�ratrice Magnum-bonum, and Winesour would not require quite so much.
PRESERVED PLUMS.
1581. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar;
for the thin syrup, 1/4 lb. of sugar to each pint of water.
_Mode_.--Stew the plums gently in water for 1 hour; strain the water,
and with it make the syrup. When it is clear, put in the plums with the
port wine, lemon-juice, and rind, and simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hour.
Arrange the plums on a glass dish, take out the lemon-rind, pour the
syrup over the plums, and, when cold, they will be ready for table. A
little allspice stewed with the fruit is by many persons considered an
improvement.
_Time_.--1 hour to stew the plums in water, 1-1/2 hour in the syrup.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
PRESERVED PUMPKIN.
_Mode_.--Obtain a good sweet pumpkin; halve it, take out the seeds, and
pare off the rind; cut it into neat slices, or into pieces about the
size of a five-shilling piece. Weigh the pumpkin, put the slices in a
pan or deep dish in layers, with the sugar sprinkled between them; pour
the lemon-juice over the top, and let the whole remain for 2 or 3 days.
Boil altogether, adding 1/4 pint of water to every 3 lbs. of sugar used
until the pumpkin becomes tender; then turn the whole into a pan, where
let it remain for a week; then drain off the syrup, boil it until it is
quite thick; skim, and pour it, boiling, over the pumpkin. A little
bruised ginger and lemon-rind, thinly pared, may be boiled in the syrup
to flavour the pumpkin.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the quinces, and put them into a preserving-pan
with sufficient water to float them. Boil them until tender, and the
fruit is reduced to a pulp; strain off the clear juice, and to each pint
allow the above proportion of loaf sugar. Boil the juice and sugar
together for about 3/4 hour; remove all the scum as it rises, and, when
the jelly appears firm when a little is poured on a plate, it is done.
The residue left on the sieve will answer to make a common marmalade,
for immediate use, by boiling it with 1/2 lb. of common sugar to every
lb. of pulp.
_Time_.--3 hours to boil the quinces in water; 3/4 hour to boil the
jelly.
QUINCE MARMALADE.
1586. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of quince pulp allow 3/4 lb. of loaf
sugar.
_Time_.--3 hours to boil the quinces without the sugar; 3/4 hour to boil
the pulp with the sugar.
RAISIN CHEESE.
_Mode_.--Stone the raisins; put them into a stewpan with the sugar,
cinnamon, and cloves, and let them boil for 1-1/2 hour, stirring all the
time. Let the preparation cool a little, pour it into a glass dish, and
garnish with strips of candied lemon-peel and citron. This will remain
good some time, if kept in a dry place.
RASPBERRY JAM.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to simmer the fruit without the sugar; 1/4 hour after
it is added.
RASPBERRY JELLY.
1589. INGREDIENTS.--To each pint of juice allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Wipe the rhubarb perfectly dry, take off the string or peel,
and weigh it; put it into a preserving-pan, with sugar in the above
proportion; mince the lemon-rind very finely, add it to the other
ingredients, and place the preserving-pan by the side of the fire; keep
stirring to prevent the rhubarb from burning, and when the sugar is well
dissolved, put the pan more over the fire, and let the jam boil until it
is done, taking care to keep it well skimmed and stirred with a wooden
or silver spoon. Pour it into pots, and cover down with oiled and egged
papers.
_Time_.--If the rhubarb is young and tender, 3/4 hour, reckoning from
the time it simmers equally; old rhubarb, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour.
_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.
1592. _Mode_.--Fruit salads are made by stripping the fruit from the
stalks, piling it on a dish, and sprinkling over it finely-pounded
sugar. They may be made of strawberries, raspberries, currants, or any
of these fruits mixed; peaches also make a very good salad. After the
sugar is sprinkled over, about 6 large tablespoonfuls of wine or brandy,
or 3 tablespoonfuls of liqueur, should be poured in the middle of the
fruit; and, when the flavour is liked, a little pounded cinnamon may be
added. In helping the fruit, it should be lightly stirred, that the wine
and sugar may be equally distributed.
_Sufficient._--1-1/2 pint of fruit, with 3 oz. of pounded sugar, for 4
or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ in summer.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, with cream at 1s. per pint, 1s.
STRAWBERRY JAM.
_Mode_.--Strip the currants from the stalks, put them into a jar; place
this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is
well drawn from the fruit; strain the currants, measure the juice, put
it into a preserving-pan, and add the sugar. Select well-ripened but
sound strawberries; pick them from the stalks, and when the sugar is
dissolved in the currant juice, put in the fruit. Simmer the whole over
a moderate fire, from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, carefully removing the scum as it
rises. Stir the jam only enough to prevent it from burning at the bottom
of the pan, as the fruit should be preserved as whole as possible. Put
the jam into jars, and when cold, cover down.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour, reckoning from the time the jam simmers all
over.
1596. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1-1/2 lb. of good loaf
sugar, 1 pint of red-currant juice.
_Mode_.--Choose the strawberries not too ripe, of a fine large sort and
of a good colour. Pick off the stalks, lay the strawberries in a dish,
and sprinkle over them half the quantity of sugar, which must be finely
pounded. Shake the dish gently, that the sugar may be equally
distributed and touch the under-side of the fruit, and let it remain for
1 day. Then have ready the currant-juice, drawn as for red-currant jelly
No. 1533; boil it with the remainder of the sugar until it forms a thin
syrup, and in this simmer the strawberries and sugar, until the whole is
sufficiently jellied. Great care must be taken not to stir the fruit
roughly, as it should be preserved as whole as possible. Strawberries
prepared in this manner are very good served in glasses and mixed with
thin cream.
_Mode_.--Put the water and sugar into a brass pan, and beat the butter
to a cream. When the sugar is dissolved, add the butter, and keep
stirring the mixture over the fire until it sets, when a little is
poured on to a buttered dish; and just before the toffee is done, add
the essence of lemon. Butter a dish or tin, pour on it the mixture, and
when cool, it will easily separate from the dish. Butter-Scotch, an
excellent thing for coughs, is made with brown, instead of white sugar,
omitting the water, and flavoured with 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger. It is
made in the same manner as toffee.
_Time_.--18 to 35 minutes.
DESSERT DISHES.
1598. The tazza, or dish with stem, the same as that shown in our
illustrations, is now the favourite shape for dessert-dishes. The fruit
can be arranged and shown to better advantage on these tall high dishes
than on the short flat ones. All the dishes are now usually placed down
the centre of the table, dried and fresh fruit alternately, the former
being arranged on small round or oval glass plates, and the latter on
the dishes with stems. The fruit should always be gathered on the same
day that it is required for table, and should be tastefully arranged on
the dishes, with leaves between and round it. By purchasing fruits that
are in season, a dessert can be supplied at a very moderate cost. These,
with a few fancy biscuits, crystallized fruit, bon-bons, &c., are
sufficient for an ordinary dessert. When fresh fruit cannot be obtained,
dried and foreign fruits, compotes, baked pears, stewed Normandy
pippins, &c. &c., must supply its place, with the addition of preserves,
bon-bons, cakes, biscuits, &c. At fashionable tables, forced fruit is
served growing in pots, these pots being hidden in more ornamental ones,
and arranged with the other dishes.--(See coloured plate W1.) A few
vases of fresh flowers, tastefully arranged, add very much to the
appearance of the dessert; and, when these are not obtainable, a few
paper ones, mixed with green leaves, answer very well as a substitute.
In decorating a table, whether for luncheon, dessert, or supper, a vase
or two of flowers should never be forgotten, as they add so much to the
elegance of the _tout ensemble_. In summer and autumn, ladies residing
in the country can always manage to have a few freshly-gathered flowers
on their tables, and should never be without this inexpensive luxury. On
the continent, vases or epergnes filled with flowers are invariably
placed down the centre of the dinner-table at regular distances. Ices
for dessert are usually moulded: when this is not the case, they are
handed round in glasses with wafers to accompany them. Preserved ginger
is frequently handed round after ices, to prepare the palate for the
delicious dessert wines. A basin or glass of finely-pounded lump sugar
must never be omitted at a dessert, as also a glass jug of fresh cold
water (iced, if possible), and two goblets by its side. Grape-scissors,
a melon-knife and fork, and nutcrackers, should always be put on table,
if there are dishes of fruit requiring them. Zests are sometimes served
at the close of the dessert; such as anchovy toasts or biscuits. The
French often serve plain or grated cheese with a dessert of fresh or
dried fruit. At some tables, finger-glasses are placed at the right of
each person, nearly half filled with cold spring water, and in winter
with tepid water. These precede the dessert. At other tables, a glass or
vase is simply handed round, filled with perfumed water, into which each
guest dips the corner of his napkin, and, when needful, refreshes his
lips and the tips of his fingers.
After the dishes are placed, and every one is provided with plates,
glasses, spoons, &c., the wine should be put at each end of the table,
cooled or otherwise, according to the season. If the party be small, the
wine may be placed only at the top of the table, near the host.
DISH OF NUTS.
1599. These are merely arranged piled high in the centre of the dish, as
shown in the engraving, with or without leaves round the edge. Filberts
should always be served with the outer skin or husk on them; and walnuts
should be well wiped with a damp cloth, and then--with a dry one, to
remove the unpleasant sticky feeling the shells frequently have.
HAZEL NUT AND FILBERT.--The common Hazel is the wild, and the
Filbert the cultivated state of the same tree. The hazel is
found wild, not only in forests and hedges, in dingles and
ravines, but occurs in extensive tracts in the more northern and
mountainous parts of the country. It was formerly one of the
most abundant of those trees which are indigenous in this
island. It is seldom cultivated as a fruit-tree, though perhaps
its nuts are superior in flavour to the others. The Spanish nuts
imported are a superior kind, but they are somewhat oily and
rather indigestible. Filberts, both the red and the white, and
the cob-nut, are supposed to be merely varieties of the common
hazel, which have been produced, partly by the superiority of
soil and climate, and partly by culture. They were originally
brought out of Greece to Italy, whence they have found their way
to Holland, and from that country to England. It is supposed
that, within a few miles of Maidstone, in Kent, there are more
filberts grown than in all England besides; and it is from that
place that the London market is supplied. The filbert is longer
than the common nut, though of the same thickness, and has a
larger kernel. The cob-nut is a still larger variety, and is
roundish. Filberts are more esteemed at the dessert than common
nuts, and are generally eaten with salt. They are very free from
oil, and disagree with few persons.
BOX OF CHOCOLATE.
DISH OF APPLES.
1603. The apples should be nicely wiped with a dry cloth, and arranged
on a dish, piled high in the centre, with evergreen leaves between each
layer. The inferior apples should form the bottom layer, with the
bright-coloured large ones at the top. The leaves of the laurel, bay,
holly, or any shrub green in winter, are suitable for garnishing dessert
dishes. Oranges may be arranged in the same manner; they should also be
wiped with a dry cloth before being sent to table.
1605. These are usually served on glass dishes, the fruit piled high in
the centre, and the almonds blanched, and strewn over. To blanch the
almonds, put them into a small mug or teacup, pour over them boiling
water, let them remain for 2 or 3 minutes, and the skins may then be
easily removed. Figs, dates, French plums, &c., are all served on small
glass plates or oval dishes, but without the almonds.
_Seasonable_ at any time, but more suitable in winter, when fresh fruit
is not obtainable.
DISH OF STRAWBERRIES.
_Mode_.--Place the walnuts in the salt and water for 24 hours at least;
then take them out, and rub them dry. Old nuts may be freshened in this
manner; or walnuts, when first picked, may be put into an earthen pan
with salt sprinkled amongst them, and with damped hay placed on the top
of them, and then covered down with a lid. They must be well wiped
before they are put on table.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXXII.
MILK.
1608. Milk is obtained only from the class of animals called Mammalia,
and is intended by Nature for the nourishment of their young. The milk
of each animal is distinguished by some peculiarities; but as that of
the cow is by far the most useful to us in this part of the world, our
observations will be confined to that variety.
1609. Milk, when drawn from the cow, is of a yellowish-white colour, and
is the most yellow at the beginning of the period of lactation. Its
taste is agreeable, and rather saccharine. The viscidity and specific
gravity of milk are somewhat greater than that of water; but these
properties vary somewhat in the milk procured from different
individuals. On an average, the specific gravity of milk is 1.035, water
being 1. The small cows of the Alderney breed afford the richest milk.
1613. Milk of the _human subject_ is much thinner than cow's milk;
_Ass's milk_ comes the nearest to human milk of any other; _Goat's milk_
is something thicker and richer than cow's milk; _Ewe's milk_ has the
appearance of cow's milk, and affords a larger quantity of cream;
_Mare's milk_ contains more sugar than that of the ewe; _Camel's milk_
is used only in Africa; _Buffalo's milk_ is employed in India.
1616. The taste of butter is peculiar, and very unlike any other fatty
substance. It is extremely agreeable when of the best quality; but its
flavour depends much upon the food given to the cows: to be good, it
should not adhere to the knife.
CHEESE.
EGGS.
1625. The Metropolis is supplied with eggs from all parts of the
kingdom, and they are likewise largely imported from various places on
the continent; as France, Holland, Belgium, Guernsey, and Jersey. It
appears from official statements mentioned in McCulloch's "Commercial
Dictionary," that the number imported from France alone amounts to about
60,000,000 a year; and supposing them on an average to cost fourpence a
dozen, it follows that we pay our continental neighbours above �83,000 a
year for eggs.
1626. The eggs of different birds vary much in size and colour. Those of
the ostrich are the largest: one laid in the menagerie in Paris weighed
2 lbs. 14 oz., held a pint, and was six inches deep: this is about the
usual size of those brought from Africa. Travellers describe _ostrich
eggs_ as of an agreeable taste: they keep longer than hen's eggs.
Drinking-cups are often made of the shell, which is very strong. The
eggs of the _turkey_ are almost as mild as those of the hen; the egg of
the _goose_ is large, but well-tasted. _Duck's eggs_ have a rich
flavour; the albumen is slightly transparent, or bluish, when set or
coagulated by boiling, which requires less time than hen's eggs.
_Guinea-fowl eggs_ are smaller and more delicate than those of the hen.
Eggs of _wild fowl_ are generally coloured, often spotted; and the taste
generally partakes somewhat of the flavour of the bird they belong to.
Those of land birds that are eaten, as the _plover, lapwing, ruff_, &c.,
are in general much esteemed; but those of _sea-fowl_ have, more or
less, a strong fishy taste. The eggs of the _turtle_ are very numerous:
they consist of yolk only, without shell, and are delicious.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
1628. When the weather is very warm, and it is very difficult to prevent
milk from turning sour and spoiling the cream, it should be scalded, and
it will then remain good for a few hours. It must on no account be
allowed to boil, or there will be a skin instead of a cream upon the
milk; and the slower the process, the safer will it be. A very good plan
to scald milk, is to put the pan that contains it into a saucepan or
wide kettle of boiling water. When the surface looks thick, the milk is
sufficiently scalded, and it should then be put away in a cool place in
the same vessel that it was scalded in. Cream may be kept for 24 hours,
if scalded without sugar; and by the addition of the latter ingredient,
it will remain good double the time, if kept in a cool place. All pans,
jugs, and vessels intended for milk, should be kept beautifully clean,
and well scalded before the milk is put in, as any negligence in this
respect may cause large quantities of it to be spoiled; and milk should
never be kept in vessels of zinc or copper. Milk may be preserved good
in hot weather, for a few hours, by placing the jug which contains it in
ice, or very cold water; or a pinch of bicarbonate of soda may be
introduced into the liquid.
DEVONSHIRE CREAM.
1630. The milk should stand 24 hours in the winter, half that time when
the weather is very warm. The milkpan is then set on a stove, and should
there remain until the milk is quite hot; but it must not boil, or there
will be a thick skin on the surface. When it is sufficiently done, the
undulations on the surface look thick, and small rings appear. The time
required for scalding cream depends on the size of the pan and the heat
of the fire; but the slower it is done, the better. The pan should be
placed in the dairy when the cream is sufficiently scalded, and skimmed
the following day. This cream is so much esteemed that it is sent to the
London markets in small square tins, and is exceedingly delicious eaten
with fresh fruit. In Devonshire, butter is made from this cream, and is
usually very firm.
DEVONSHIRE JUNKET.
_Mode_.--Make the milk blood-warm; put it into a deep dish with the
brandy, sugar, and rennet; stir it altogether, and cover it over until
it is set. Then spread some thick or clotted cream over the top, grate
some nutmeg, and strew some sugar over, and the dish will be ready to
serve.
1632. Fresh butter should be kept in a dark, cool place, and in as large
a mass as possible. Mould as much only as is required, as the more
surface is exposed, the more liability there will be to spoil; and the
outside very soon becomes rancid. Fresh butter should be kept covered
with white paper. For small larders, butter-coolers of red brick are now
very much used for keeping fresh butter in warm weather. These coolers
are made with a large bell-shaped cover, into the top of which a little
cold water should be poured, and in summer time very frequently changed;
and the butter must be kept covered. These coolers keep butter
remarkably firm in hot weather, and are extremely convenient for those
whose larder accommodation is limited.
[Illustration: BUTTER-DISH.]
CURLED BUTTER.
1635. Tie a strong cloth by two of the corners to an iron hook in the
wall; make a knot with the other two ends, so that a stick might pass
through. Put the butter into the cloth; twist it tightly over a dish,
into which the butter will fall through the knot, so forming small and
pretty little strings. The butter may then be garnished with parsley, if
to serve with a cheese course; or it may be sent to table plain for
breakfast, in an ornamental dish. Squirted butter for garnishing hams,
salads, eggs, &c., is made by forming a piece of stiff paper in the
shape of a cornet, and squeezing the butter in fine strings from the
hole at the bottom. Scooped butter is made by dipping a teaspoon or
scooper in warm water, and then scooping the butter quickly and thin. In
warm weather, it would not be necessary to heat the spoon.
BUTTER may be kept fresh for ten or twelve days by a very simple
process. Knead it well in cold water till the buttermilk is
extracted; then put it in a glazed jar, which invert in another,
putting into the latter a sufficient quantity of water to
exclude the air. Renew the water every day.
FAIRY BUTTER.
ANCHOVY BUTTER.
_Mode_.--Wash, bone, and pound the anchovies well in a mortar; scald the
parsley, chop it, and rub through a sieve; then pound all the
ingredients together, mix well, and make the butter into pats
immediately. This makes a pretty dish, if fancifully moulded, for
breakfast or supper, and should be garnished with parsley.
CHEESE.
STILTON CHEESE.
1640. The usual mode of serving cheese at good tables is to cut a small
quantity of it into neat square pieces, and to put them into a glass
cheese-dish, this dish being handed round. Should the cheese crumble
much, of course this method is rather wasteful, and it may then be put
on the table in the piece, and the host may cut from it. When served
thus, the cheese must always be carefully scraped, and laid on a white
d'oyley or napkin, neatly folded. Cream cheese is often served in a
cheese course, and, sometimes, grated Parmesan: the latter should he put
into a covered glass dish. Rusks, cheese-biscuits, pats or slices of
butter, and salad, cucumber, or water-cresses, should always form part
of a cheese course.
CHEESE SANDWICHES.
_Mode_.--Cut from a nice fat Cheshire, or any good rich cheese, some
slices about 1/2 inch thick, and place them between some slices of brown
bread-and-butter, like sandwiches. Place them on a plate in the oven,
and, when the bread is toasted, serve on a napkin very hot and very
quickly.
CAYENNE CHEESES.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter in the flour; add the grated cheese, cayenne.
and salt; and mix these ingredients well together. Moisten with
sufficient water to make the whole into a paste; roll out, and cut into
fingers about 4 inches in length. Bake them in a moderate oven a very
light colour, and serve very hot.
TO MAKE A FONDUE.
_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former
in a basin, and grate the cheese, or cut it into _very thin_ flakes.
Parmesan or Cheshire cheese may be used, whichever is the most
convenient, although the former is considered more suitable for this
dish; or an equal quantity of each may be used. Break the butter into
small pieces, add it to the other ingredients, with sufficient pepper
and salt to season nicely, and beat the mixture thoroughly. Well whisk
the whites of the eggs, stir them lightly in, and either bake the fondue
in a souffl�-dish or small round cake-tin. Fill the dish only half full,
as the fondue should rise very much. Pin a napkin round the tin or dish,
and serve very hot and very quickly. If allowed to stand after it is
withdrawn from the oven, the beauty and lightness of this preparation
will be entirely spoiled.
_Mode_.--Take the same number of eggs as there are guests; weigh the
eggs in the shell, allow a third of their weight in Gruy�re cheese, and
a piece of butter one-sixth of the weight of the cheese. Break the eggs
into a basin, beat them well; add the cheese, which should be grated,
and the butter, which should be broken into small pieces. Stir these
ingredients together with a wooden spoon; put the mixture into a lined
saucepan, place it over the fire, and stir until the substance is thick
and soft. Put in a little salt, according to the age of the cheese, and
a good sprinkling of pepper, and serve the fondue on a very hot silver
or metal plate. Do not allow the fondue to remain on the fire after the
mixture is set, as, if it boils, it will be entirely spoiled. Brillat
Savarin recommends that some choice Burgundy should he handed round with
this dish. We have given this recipe exactly as he recommends it to be
made; but we have tried it with good Cheshire cheese, and found it
answer remarkably well.
I.
_Mode_.--Put the milk and water into a saucepan with sufficient salt to
flavour it; place it on the fire, and, when it boils quickly, drop in
the macaroni. Keep the water boiling until it is quite tender; drain the
macaroni, and put it into a deep dish. Have ready the grated cheese,
either Parmesan or Cheshire; sprinkle it amongst the macaroni and some
of the butter cut into small pieces, reserving some of the cheese for
the top layer. Season with a little pepper, and cover the top layer of
cheese with some very fine bread crumbs. Warm, without oiling, the
remainder of the butter, and pour it gently over the bread crumbs. Place
the dish before a bright fire to brown the crumbs; turn it once or
twice, that it may be equally coloured, and serve very hot. The top of
the macaroni may be browned with a salamander, which is even better than
placing it before the fire, as the process is more expeditious; but it
should never be browned in the oven, as the butter would oil, and so
impart a very disagreeable flavour to the dish. In boiling the macaroni,
let it be perfectly tender but firm, no part beginning to melt, and the
form entirely preserved. It may be boiled in plain water, with a little
salt instead of using milk, but should then have a small piece of butter
mixed with it.
_Note_.--Riband macaroni may be dressed in the same manner, but does not
require boiling so long a time.
II.
_Mode_.--Wash the macaroni, and boil it in the gravy and milk until
quite tender, without being broken. Drain it, and put it into rather a
deep dish. Beat the yolks of the eggs with the cream and 2
tablespoonfuls of the liquor the macaroni was boiled in; make this
sufficiently hot to thicken, but do not allow it to boil; pour it over
the macaroni, over which sprinkle the grated cheese and the butter
broken into small pieces; brown with a salamander, or before the fire,
and serve.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hour to boil the macaroni, 5 minutes to thicken
the eggs and cream, 5 minutes to brown.
III.
_Mode_.--Wash the macaroni, and boil it in salt and water until quite
tender; drain it, and put it into rather a deep dish. Have ready a pint
of good brown gravy, pour it hot over the macaroni, and send it to table
with grated Parmesan served on a separate dish. When the flavour is
liked, a little pounded mace may be added to the water in which the
macaroni is boiled; but this must always be sparingly added, as it will
impart a very strong flavour.
POUNDED CHEESE.
_Mode_.--Boil the crumb of the roll in milk for 5 minutes; strain, and
put it into a mortar; add the cheese, which should be finely scraped,
the butter, the yolks of the eggs, and seasoning, and pound these
ingredients well together. Whisk the whites of the eggs, mix them with
the paste, and put it into small pans or saucers, which should not be
more than half filled. Bake them from 10 to 12 minutes, and serve them
very hot and very quickly. This batter answers equally well for macaroni
after it is boiled tender.
_Time_--10 to 12 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 4d.
_Mode_.--The remains or odd pieces of paste left from large tarts, &c.
answer for making these little dishes. Gather up the pieces of paste,
roll it out evenly, and sprinkle it with grated cheese of a nice
flavour. Fold the paste in three, roll it out again, and sprinkle more
cheese over; fold the paste, roll it out, and with a paste-cutter shape
it in any way that may be desired. Bake the ramakins in a brisk oven
from 10 to 15 minutes, dish them on a hot napkin, and serve quickly. The
appearance of this dish may be very much improved by brushing the
ramakins over with yolk of egg before they are placed in the oven. Where
expense is not objected to, Parmesan is the best kind of cheese to use
for making this dish.
_Mode_.--Cut some nice rich sound cheese into rather thin slices; melt
it in a cheese-toaster on a hot plate, or over steam, and, when melted,
add a small quantity of mixed mustard and a seasoning of pepper; stir
the cheese until it is completely dissolved, then brown it before the
fire, or with a salamander. Fill the bottom of the cheese-toaster with
hot water, and serve with dry or buttered toasts, whichever may be
preferred. Our engraving illustrates a cheese-toaster with hot-water
reservoir: the cheese is melted in the upper tin, which is placed in
another vessel of boiling water, so keeping the preparation beautifully
hot. A small quantity of porter, or port wine, is sometimes mixed with
the cheese; and, if it be not very rich, a few pieces of butter may be
mixed with it to great advantage. Sometimes the melted cheese is spread
on the toasts, and then laid in the cheese-dish at the top of the hot
water. Whichever way it is served, it is highly necessary that the
mixture be very hot, and very quickly sent to table, or it will be
worthless.
_Mode_.--Cut the bread into slices about 1/2 inch in thickness; pare off
the crust, toast the bread slightly without hardening or burning it, and
spread it with butter. Cut some slices, not quite so large as the bread,
from a good rich fat cheese; lay them on the toasted bread in a
cheese-toaster; be careful that the cheese does not burn, and let it be
equally melted. Spread over the top a little made mustard and a
seasoning of pepper, and serve very hot, with very hot plates. To
facilitate the melting of the cheese, it may be cut into thin flakes or
toasted on one side before it is laid on the bread. As it is so
essential to send this dish hot to table, it is a good plan to melt the
cheese in small round silver or metal pans, and to send these pans to
table, allowing one for each guest. Slices of dry or buttered toast
should always accompany them, with mustard, pepper, and salt.
SCOTCH WOODCOCK.
_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the
former, stir to them the cream, and bring the sauce to the
boiling-point, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. Have
ready some hot buttered toast, spread with anchovies pounded to a paste;
pour a little of the hot sauce on the top, and serve very hot and very
quickly.
TO CHOOSE EGGS.
1654. In choosing eggs, apply the tongue to the large end of the egg,
and, if it feels warm, it is new, and may be relied on as a fresh egg.
Another mode of ascertaining their freshness is to hold them before a
lighted candle, or to the light, and if the egg looks clear, it will be
tolerably good; if thick, it is stale; and if there is a black spot
attached to the shell, it is worthless. No egg should be used for
culinary purposes with the slightest taint in it, as it will render
perfectly useless those with which it has been mixed. Eggs that are
purchased, and that cannot be relied on, should always be broken in a
cup, and then put into a basin: by this means stale or bad eggs may be
easily rejected, without wasting the others.
1656. Eggs for boiling cannot be too fresh, or boiled too soon after
they are laid; but rather a longer time should be allowed for boiling a
new-laid egg than for one that is three or four days old. Have ready a
saucepan of boiling water; put the eggs into it gently with a spoon,
letting the spoon touch the bottom of the saucepan before it is
withdrawn, that the egg may not fall, and consequently crack. For those
who like eggs lightly boiled, 3 minutes will be found sufficient; 3-3/4
to 4 minutes will be ample time to set the white nicely; and, if liked
hard, 6 to 7 minutes will not be found too long. Should the eggs be
unusually large, as those of black Spanish fowls sometimes are, allow an
extra 1/2 minute for them. Eggs for salads should be boiled from 10
minutes to 1/4 hour, and should be placed in a basin of cold water for a
few minutes; they should then be rolled on the table with the hand, and
the shell will peel off easily.
BUTTERED EGGS.
DUCKS' EGGS.
FRIED EGGS.
_Mode_.--Put the flour and half the butter into a stewpan; stir them
over the fire until the mixture thickens; pour in the milk, which should
be boiling; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and simmer the whole for
5 minutes. Put the remainder of the butter into the sauce, and add the
minced parsley; then boil the eggs hard, strip off the shells, cut the
eggs into quarters, and put them on a dish. Bring the sauce to the
boiling-point, add the lemon-juice, pour over the eggs, and serve.
_Mode_.--Butter a dish rather thickly with good fresh butter; melt it,
break the eggs into it the same as for poaching, sprinkle them with
white pepper and fine salt, and put the remainder of the butter, cut
into very small pieces, on the top of them. Put the dish on a hot plate,
or in the oven, or before the fire, and let it remain until the whites
become set, but not hard, when serve immediately, placing the dish they
were cooked in on another. To hasten the cooking of the eggs, a
salamander may be held over them for a minute; but great care must be
taken that they are not too much done. This is an exceedingly nice dish,
and one very easily prepared for breakfast.
_Time_.--3 minutes. _Average cost_, 5d.
PLOVERS' EGGS.
1662. Plovers' eggs are usually served boiled hard, and sent to table in
a napkin, either hot or cold. They may also be shelled, and served the
same as eggs � la Tripe, with a good B�chamel sauce, or brown gravy,
poured over them. They are also used for decorating salads, the
beautiful colour of the white being generally so much admired.
POACHED EGGS.
_Mode_.--Put the water, vinegar, and salt into a frying-pan, and break
each egg into a separate cup; bring the water, &c. to boil, and slip the
eggs gently into it without breaking the yolks. Simmer them from 3 to 4
minutes, but not longer, and, with a slice, lift them out on to a hot
dish, and trim the edges. Empty the pan of its contents, put in the
cream, add a seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded sugar;
bring the whole to the boiling-point; then add the butter, broken into
small pieces; toss the pan round and round till the butter is melted;
pour it over the eggs, and serve. To insure the eggs not being spoiled
whilst the cream, &c., is preparing, it is a good plan to warm the cream
with the butter, &c., before the eggs are poached, so that it may be
poured over them immediately after they are dished.
SCOTCH EGGS.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs for 10 minutes; strip them from the shells, and
cover them with forcemeat made by recipe No. 417; or substitute pounded
anchovies for the ham. Fry the eggs a nice brown in boiling lard, drain
them before the fire from their greasy moisture, dish them, and pour
round from 1/4 to 1/2 pint of good brown gravy. To enhance the
appearance of the eggs, they may be rolled in beaten egg and sprinkled
with bread crumbs; but this is scarcely necessary if they are carefully
fried. The flavour of the ham or anchovy in the forcemeat must
preponderate, as it should be very relishing.
EGGS A LA TRIPE.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs hard; put them into cold water, peel them, take
out the yolks whole, and shred the whites. Make 3/4 pint of B�chamel
sauce by recipe No. 368; add the parsley, and, when the sauce is quite
hot, put the yolks of the eggs into the middle of the dish, and the
shred whites round them; pour over the sauce, and garnish with leaves of
puff-paste or fried cro�tons. There is no necessity for putting the eggs
into the saucepan with the B�chamel; the sauce, being quite hot, will
warm the eggs sufficiently.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXXIV.
1671. In our own times, and among civilized peoples, bread has become an
article of food of the first necessity; and properly so, for it
constitutes of itself a complete life-sustainer, the gluten, starch, and
sugar, which it contains, representing azotized and hydro-carbonated
nutrients, and combining the sustaining powers of the animal and
vegetable kingdoms in one product.
BREAD-MAKING.
1676. The yeast must be good and fresh, if the bread is to be digestible
and nice. Stale yeast produces, instead of vinous fermentation, an
acetous fermentation, which flavours the bread and makes it
disagreeable. A poor thin yeast produces an imperfect fermentation, the
result being a heavy unwholesome loaf.
1677. When the dough is well kneaded, it is left to stand for some time,
and then, as soon as it begins to swell, it is divided into loaves;
after which it is again left to stand, when it once more swells up, and
manifests, for the last time, the symptoms of fermentation. It is then
put into the oven, where the water contained in the dough is partly
evaporated, and the loaves swell up again, while a yellow crust begins
to form upon the surface. When the bread is sufficiently baked, the
bottom crust is hard and resonant if struck with the finger, while the
crumb is elastic, and rises again after being pressed down with the
finger. The bread is, in all probability, baked sufficiently if, on
opening the door of the oven, you are met by a cloud of steam which
quickly passes away.
1678. One word as to the unwholesomeness of new bread and hot rolls.
When bread is taken out of the oven, it is full of moisture; the starch
is held together in masses, and the bread, instead of being crusted so
as to expose each grain of starch to the saliva, actually prevents their
digestion by being formed by the teeth into leathery poreless masses,
which lie on the stomach like so many bullets. Bread should always be at
least a day old before it is eaten; and, if properly made, and kept in a
_cool dry_ place, ought to be perfectly soft and palatable at the end of
three or four days. Hot rolls, swimming in melted butter, and new bread,
ought to be carefully shunned by everybody who has the slightest respect
for that much-injured individual--the Stomach.
1679. AERATED BREAD.--It is not unknown to some of our readers that Dr.
Dauglish, of Malvern, has recently patented a process for making bread
"light" without the use of leaven. The ordinary process of bread-making
by fermentation is tedious, and much labour of human hands is requisite
in the kneading, in order that the dough may be thoroughly
interpenetrated with the leaven. The new process impregnates the bread,
by the application of machinery, with carbonic acid gas, or fixed air.
Different opinions are expressed about the bread; but it is curious to
note, that, as corn is now reaped by machinery, and dough is baked by
machinery, the whole process of bread-making is probably in course of
undergoing changes which will emancipate both the housewife and the
professional baker from a large amount of labour.
1681. In the patent process, the dough is mixed in a great iron ball,
inside which is a system of paddles, perpetually turning, and doing the
kneading part of the business. Into this globe the flour is dropped till
it is full, and then the common atmospheric air is pumped out, and the
pure gas turned on. The gas is followed by the water, which has been
a�rated for the purpose, and then begins the churning or kneading part
of the business.
1682. Of course, it is not long before we have the dough, and very
"light" and nice it looks. This is caught in tins, and passed on to the
floor of the oven, which is an endless floor, moving slowly through the
fire. Done to a turn, the loaves emerge at the other end of the
apartment,--and the A�rated Bread is made.
1683. It may be added, that it is a good plan to change one's baker from
time to time, and so secure a change in the quality of the bread that is
eaten.
1686. Indian-corn flour mixed with wheat-flour (half with half) makes a
nice bread; but it is not considered very digestible, though it keeps
well.
1687. Rice cannot be made into bread, nor can potatoes; but one-third
potato flour to three-fourths wheaten flour makes a tolerably good loaf.
1688. A very good bread, better than the ordinary sort, and of a
delicious flavour, is said to be produced by adopting the following
recipe:--Take ten parts of wheat-flour, five parts of potato-flour, one
part of rice-paste; knead together, add the yeast, and bake as usual.
This is, of course, cheaper than wheaten bread.
1689. Flour, when freshly ground, is too glutinous to make good bread,
and should therefore not be used immediately, but should be kept dry for
a few weeks, and stirred occasionally, until it becomes dry, and
crumbles easily between the fingers.
1690. Flour should be perfectly dry before being used for bread or
cakes; if at all damp, the preparation is sure to be heavy. Before
mixing it with the other ingredients, it is a good plan to place it for
an hour or two before the fire, until it feels warm and dry.
1693. The first thing required for making wholesome bread is the utmost
cleanliness; the next is the soundness and sweetness of all the
ingredients used for it; and, in addition to these, there must be
attention and care through the whole process.
1696. Heavy bread will also most likely be the result of making the
dough very hard, and letting it become quite, cold, particularly in
winter.
1698. MILK OR BUTTER.--Milk which is not perfectly sweet will not only
injure the flavour of the bread, but, in sultry weather, will often
cause it to be quite uneatable; yet either of them, if fresh and good,
will materially improve its quality.
1701. Yeast must always be good of its kind, and in a fitting state to
produce ready and proper fermentation. Yeast of strong beer or ale
produces more effect than that of milder kinds; and the fresher the
yeast, the smaller the quantity will be required to raise the dough.
1702. As a general rule, the oven for baking bread should be rather
quick, and the heat so regulated as to penetrate the dough without
hardening the outside. The oven door should not be opened after the
bread is put in until the dough is set, or has become firm, as the cool
air admitted will have an unfavourable effect on it.
1703. Brick ovens are generally considered the best adapted for baking
bread: these should be heated with wood faggots, and then swept and
mopped out, to cleanse them for the reception of the bread. Iron ovens
are more difficult to manage, being apt to burn the surface of the bread
before the middle is baked. To remedy this, a few clean bricks should be
set at the bottom of the oven, close together, to receive the tins of
bread. In many modern stoves the ovens are so much improved that they
bake admirably; and they can always be brought to the required
temperature, when it is higher than is needed, by leaving the door open
for a time.
1704. _Eggs_ should always be broken into a cup, the whites and yolks
separated, and they should always be strained. Breaking the eggs thus,
the bad ones may be easily rejected without spoiling the others, and so
cause no waste. As eggs are used instead of yeast, they should be very
thoroughly whisked; they are generally sufficiently beaten when thick
enough to carry the drop that falls from the whisk.
1705. _Loaf Sugar_ should be well pounded, and then sifted through a
fine sieve.
1708. Less butter and eggs are required for cakes when yeast is mixed
with the other ingredients.
1709. The heat of the oven is of great importance, especially for large
cakes. If the heat be not tolerably fierce, the batter will not rise. If
the oven is too quick, and there is any danger of the cake burning or
catching, put a sheet of clean paper over the top. Newspaper, or paper
that has been printed on, should never be used for this purpose.
1711. Cakes should be kept in closed tin canisters or jars, and in a dry
place. Those made with yeast do not keep so long as those made without
it.
BISCUITS.
1714. SEA, or SHIP BISCUITS, are made of wheat-flour from which only the
coarsest bran has been separated. The dough is made up as stiff as it
can be worked, and is then formed into shapes, and baked in an oven;
after which, the biscuits are exposed in lofts over the oven until
perfectly dry, to prevent them from becoming mouldy when stored.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXXV.
_Mode_.--Boil the hops in the water for 20 minutes; let it stand for
about 5 minutes, then add it to 1 lb. of bruised malt prepared as for
brewing. Let the mixture stand covered till about lukewarm; then put in
not quite 1/2 pint of yeast; keep it warm, and let it work 3 or 4 hours;
then put it into small 1/2-pint bottles (ginger-beer bottles are the
best for the purpose), cork them well, and tie them down. The yeast is
now ready for use; it will keep good for a few weeks, and 1 bottle will
be found sufficient for 18 lbs. of flour. When required for use, boil 3
lbs. of potatoes without salt, mash them in the same water in which they
were boiled, and rub them through a colander. Stir in about 1/2 lb. of
flour; then put in the yeast, pour it in the middle of the flour, and
let it stand warm on the hearth all night, and in the morning let it be
quite warm when it is kneaded. The bottles of yeast require very careful
opening, as it is generally exceedingly ripe.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the hops and water, the yeast to work 3 or 4
hours.
KIRKLEATHAM YEAST.
_Mode_.--Boil the hops and water for 20 minutes; strain, and mix with
the liquid 1/2 lb. of flour and not quite 1/2 pint of yeast. Bottle it
up, and tie the corks down. When wanted for use, boil potatoes according
to the quantity of bread to be made (about 3 lbs. are sufficient for
about a peck of flour); mash them, add to them 1/2 lb. of flour, and mix
about 1/2 pint of the yeast with them; let this mixture stand all day,
and lay the bread to rise the night before it is wanted.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a large earthenware bowl or deep pan; then,
with a strong metal or wooden spoon, hollow out the middle; but do not
clear it entirely away from the bottom of the pan, as, in that case, the
sponge (or leaven, as it was formerly termed) would stick to it, which
it ought not to do. Next take either a large tablespoonful of brewer's
yeast which has been rendered solid by mixing it with plenty of cold
water, and letting it afterwards stand to settle for a day and night; or
nearly an ounce of German yeast; put it into a large basin, and proceed
to mix it, so that it shall be as smooth as cream, with 3/4 pint of warm
milk-and-water, or with water only; though even a very little milk will
much improve the bread. Pour the yeast into the hole made in the flour,
and stir into it as much of that which lies round it as will make a
thick batter, in which there must be no lumps. Strew plenty of flour on
the top; throw a thick clean cloth over, and set it where the air is
warm; but do not place it upon the kitchen fender, for it will become
too much heated there. Look at it from time to time: when it has been
laid for nearly an hour, and when the yeast has risen and broken through
the flour, so that bubbles appear in it, you will know that it is ready
to be made up into dough. Then place the pan on a strong chair, or
dresser, or table, of convenient height; pour into the sponge the
remainder of the warm milk-and-water; stir into it as much of the flour
as you can with the spoon; then wipe it out clean with your fingers, and
lay it aside. Next take plenty of the remaining flour, throw it on the
top of the leaven, and begin, with the knuckles of both hands, to knead
it well. When the flour is nearly all kneaded in, begin to draw the
edges of the dough towards the middle, in order to mix the whole
thoroughly; and when it is free from flour and lumps and crumbs, and
does not stick to the hands when touched, it will be done, and may again
be covered with the cloth, and left to rise a second time. In 3/4 hour
look at it, and should it have swollen very much, and begin to crack, it
will be light enough to bake. Turn it then on to a paste-board or very
clean dresser, and with a large sharp knife divide it in two; make it up
quickly into loaves, and dispatch it to the oven: make one or two
incisions across the tops of the loaves, as they will rise more easily
if this be done. If baked in tins or pans, rub them with a tiny piece of
butter laid on a piece of clean paper, to prevent the dough from
sticking to them. All bread should be turned upside down, or on its
side, as soon as it is drawn from the oven: if this be neglected, the
under part of the loaves will become wet and blistered from the steam,
which cannot then escape from them. _To make the dough without setting a
sponge_, merely mix the yeast with the greater part of the warm
milk-and-water, and wet up the whole of the flour at once after a little
salt has been stirred in, proceeding exactly, in every other respect, as
in the directions just given. As the dough will _soften_ in the rising,
it should be made quite firm at first, or it will be too lithe by the
time it is ready for the oven.
_Time_.--To be left to rise an hour the first time, 3/4 hour the second
time; to be baked from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, or baked in one loaf from 1-1/2
to 2 hours.
THE RED VARIETIES OF WHEAT are generally hardier and more easily
grown than the white sorts, and, although of less value to the
miller, they are fully more profitable to the grower, in
consequence of the better crops which they produce. Another
advantage the red wheats possess is their comparative immunity
from the attacks of mildew and fly. The best English wheat comes
from the counties of Kent and Essex; the qualities under these
heads always bearing a higher price than others, as will be seen
by the periodical lists in the journals.
RICE BREAD.
INDIAN-CORN-FLOUR BREAD.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
SODA BREAD.
_Time_.--1 hour.
EXCELLENT ROLLS.
[Illustration: ROLLS.]
_Mode_.--Warm the butter in the milk, add to it the yeast and salt, and
mix these ingredients well together. Put the flour into a pan, stir in
the above ingredients, and let the dough rise, covered in a warm place.
Knead it well, make it into rolls, let them rise again for a few
minutes, and bake in a quick oven. Richer rolls may be made by adding 1
or 2 eggs and a larger proportion of butter, and their appearance
improved by brushing the tops over with yolk of egg or a little milk.
HOT ROLLS.
1724. This dish, although very unwholesome and indigestible, is
nevertheless a great favourite, and eaten by many persons. As soon as
the rolls come from the baker's, they should be put into the oven,
which, in the early part of the morning, is sure not to be very hot; and
the rolls must not be buttered until wanted. When they are quite hot,
divide them lengthwise into three; put some thin flakes of good butter
between the slices, press the rolls together, and put them in the oven
for a minute or two, but not longer, or the butter would oil; take them
out of the oven, spread the butter equally over, divide the rolls in
half, and put them on to a very hot clean dish, and send them instantly
to table.
1726. A loaf of household bread about two days old answers for making
toast better than cottage bread, the latter not being a good shape, and
too crusty for the purpose. Cut as many nice even slices as may be
required, rather more than 1/4 inch in thickness, and toast them before
a very bright fire, without allowing the bread to blacken, which spoils
the appearance and flavour of all toast. When of a nice colour on both
sides, put it on a hot plate; divide some good butter into small pieces,
place them on the toast, set this before the fire, and when the butter
is just beginning to melt, spread it lightly over the toast. Trim off
the crust and ragged edges, divide each round into 4 pieces, and send
the toast quickly to table. Some persons cut the slices of toast across
from corner to corner, so making the pieces of a three-cornered shape.
Soyer recommends that each slice should be cut into pieces as soon as it
is buttered, and when all are ready, that they should be piled lightly
on the dish they are intended to be served on. He says that by cutting
through 4 or 5 slices at a time, all the butter is squeezed out of the
upper ones, while the bottom one is swimming in fat liquid. It is highly
essential to use good butter for making this dish.
MUFFINS.
[Illustration: MUFFINS.]
_Mode_.--Warm the milk, add to it the yeast, and mix these well
together; put them into a pan, and stir in sufficient flour to make the
whole into a dough of rather a soft consistence; cover it over with a
cloth, and place it in a warm place to rise, and, when light and nicely
risen, divide the dough into pieces, and round them to the proper shape
with the hands; place them, in a layer of flour about two inches thick,
on wooden trays, and let them rise again; when this is effected, they
each will exhibit a semi-globular shape. Then place them carefully on a
hot-plate or stove, and bake them until they are slightly browned,
turning them when they are done on one side. Muffins are not easily
made, and are more generally purchased than manufactured at home. _To
toast them_, divide the edge of the muffin all round, by pulling it
open, to the depth of about an inch, with the fingers. Put it on a
toasting-fork, and hold it before a very clear fire until one side is
nicely browned, but not burnt; turn, and toast it on the other. Do not
toast them too quickly, as, if this is done, the middle of the muffin
will not be warmed through. When done, divide them by pulling them open;
butter them slightly on both sides, put them together again, and cut
them into halves: when sufficient are toasted and buttered, pile them on
a very hot dish, and send them very quickly to table.
CRUMPETS.
[Illustration: CRUMPETS.]
1728. These are made in the same manner as muffins; only, in making the
mixture, let it be more like batter than dough. Let it rise for about
1/2 hour; pour it into iron rings, which should be ready on a hot-plate;
bake them, and when one side appears done, turn them quickly on the
other. _To toast them_, have ready a very _bright clear_ fire; put the
crumpet on a toasting-fork, and hold it before the fire, _not too
close_, until it is nicely brown on one side, but do not allow it to
blacken. Turn it, and brown the other side; then spread it with good
butter, cut it in half, and, when all are done, pile them on a hot dish,
and send them quickly to table. Muffins and crumpets should always be
served on separate dishes, and both toasted and served as expeditiously
as possible.
PLAIN BUNS.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, mix the sugar well with it, make a
hole in the centre, and stir in the yeast and milk (which should be
lukewarm), with enough of the flour to make it the thickness of cream.
Cover the basin over with a cloth, and let the sponge rise in a warm
place, which will be accomplished in about 1-1/2 hour. Melt the butter,
but do not allow it to oil; stir it into the other ingredients, with
enough warm milk to make the whole into a soft dough; then mould it into
buns about the size of an egg; lay them in rows quite 3 inches apart;
set them again in a warm place, until they have risen to double their
size; then put them into a good brisk oven, and just before they are
done, wash them over with a little milk. From 15 to 20 minutes will be
required to bake them nicely. These buns may be varied by adding a few
currants, candied peel, or caraway seeds to the other ingredients; and
the above mixture answers for hot cross buns, by putting in a little
ground allspice; and by pressing a tin mould in the form of a cross in
the centre of the bun.
LIGHT BUNS.
[Illustration: BUNS.]
_Mode_.--Rub the tartaric acid, soda, and flour all together through a
hair sieve; work the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and
caraway seeds, when the flavour of them latter is liked. Mix all these
ingredients well together; make a hole in the middle of the flour, and
pour in the milk, mixed with the egg, which should be well beaten; mix
quickly, and set the dough, with a fork, on baking-tins, and bake the
buns for about 20 minutes. This mixture makes a very good cake, and if
put into a tin, should be baked 1-1/2 hour. The same quantity of flour,
soda, and tartaric acid, with 1/2 pint of milk and a little salt, will
make either bread or teacakes, if wanted quickly.
_Time_.--20 minutes for the buns; if made into a cake, 1-1/2 hour.
VICTORIA BUNS.
_Mode_.--Whisk the egg, stir in the sugar, and beat these ingredients
well together; beat the butter to a cream, stir in the ground rice,
currants, and candied peel, and as much flour as will make it of such a
consistency that it may be rolled into 7 or 8 balls. Put these on to a
buttered tin, and bake them from 1/2 to 3/4 hour. They should be put
into the oven immediately, or they will become heavy; and the oven
should be tolerably brisk.
ITALIAN RUSKS.
1733. A stale Savoy or lemon cake may be converted into very good rusks
in the following manner. Cut the cake into slices, divide each slice in
two; put them on a baking-sheet, in a slow oven, and when they are of a
nice brown and quite hard, they are done. They should be kept in a
closed tin canister in a dry place, to preserve their crispness.
TO MAKE RUSKS.
(_Suffolk Recipe_.)
[Illustration: RUSKS.]
_Mode_.--Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and keep shaking it
round until the latter is melted. Put the flour into a basin with the
sugar, mix these well together, and beat the eggs. Stir them with the
yeast to the milk and butter, and with this liquid work the flour into a
smooth dough. Cover a cloth over the basin, and leave the dough to rise
by the side of the fire; then knead it, and divide it into 12 pieces;
place them in a brisk oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Take the
rusks out, break them in half, and then set them in the oven to get
crisp on the other side. When cold, they should be put into tin
canisters to keep them dry; and, if intended for the cheese course, the
sifted sugar should be omitted.
1737. This powder may be purchased in tin canisters, and may also be
prepared at home. Dry the biscuits well in a slow oven; roll them and
grind them with a rolling-pin on a clean board, until they are reduced
to powder; sift it through a close hair sieve, and it is fit for use. It
should be kept in well-covered tins, and in a dry place.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
_Mode_.--These cakes are made in the same manner as the soda bread No.
1722, with the addition of eggs and sugar. Mix the flour, tartaric acid,
and salt well together, taking care that the two latter ingredients are
reduced to the finest powder, and stir in the sifted sugar, which should
also be very fine. Dissolve the soda in the milk, add the eggs, which
should be well whisked, and with this liquid work the flour, &c. into a
light dough. Divide it into small cakes, put them into the oven
immediately, and bake for about 20 minutes.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
_Mode_.--Whisk the eggs until they are very light; add the sugar
gradually; then stir in the cocoa-nut. Roll a tablespoonful of the paste
at a time in your hands in the form of a pyramid; place the pyramids on
paper, put the paper on tins, and bake the biscuits in rather a cool
oven until they are just coloured a light brown.
CRISP BISCUITS.
1742. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sifted
sugar, the yolks of 6 eggs, flavouring to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a basin; warm it, but do not allow it to
oil; then with the hand beat it to a cream. Add the flour by degrees,
then the sugar and flavouring, and moisten the whole with the yolks of
the eggs, which should previously be well beaten. When all the
ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, drop the mixture from a spoon
on to a buttered paper, leaving a distance between each cake, as they
spread as soon as they begin to get warm. Bake in rather a slow oven
from 12 to 18 minutes, and do not let the biscuits acquire too much
colour. In making the above quantity, half may be flavoured with ground
ginger and the other half with essence of lemon or currants, to make a
variety. With whatever the preparation is flavoured, so are the biscuits
called; and an endless variety may be made in this manner.
LEMON BISCUITS.
_Mode_.--Rub the flour into the butter; stir in the pounded sugar and
very finely-minced lemon-peel, and when these ingredients are thoroughly
mixed, add the eggs, which should be previously well whisked, and the
lemon-juice. Beat the mixture well for a minute or two, then drop it
from a spoon on to a buttered tin, about 2 inches apart, as the cakes
will spread when they get warm; place the tin in the oven, and bake the
cakes of a pale brown from 15 to 20 minutes.
[Illustration: MACAROONS.]
_Mode_.--Blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them well with a
little orange-flower water or plain water; then add to them the sifted
sugar and the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a stiff
froth, and mix all the ingredients well together. When the paste looks
soft, drop it at equal distances from a biscuit-syringe on to sheets of
wafer-paper; put a strip of almond on the top of each; strew some sugar
over, and bake the macaroons in rather a slow oven, of a light brown
colour when hard and set, they are done, and must not be allowed to get
very brown, as that would spoil their appearance. If the cakes, when
baked, appear heavy, add a little more white of egg, but let this always
be well whisked before it is added to the other ingredients. We have
given a recipe for making these cakes, but we think it almost or quite
as economical to purchase such articles as these at a good
confectioner's.
RATAFIAS.
[Illustration: RATAFIAS.]
_Mode_.--Blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them in a mortar
with the white of an egg; stir in the sugar, and gradually add the
remaining whites of eggs, taking care that they are very thoroughly
whisked. Drop the mixture through a small biscuit-syringe on to
cartridge paper, and bake the cakes from 10 to 12 minutes in rather a
quicker oven than for macaroons. A very small quantity should be dropped
on the paper to form one cake, as, when baked, the ratafias should be
about the size of a large button.
ROCK BISCUITS.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs into a basin, beat them well until very light,
add the pounded sugar, and when this is well mixed with the eggs, dredge
in the flour gradually, and add the currants. Mix all well together, and
put the dough, with a fork, on the tins, making it look as rough as
possible. Bake the cakes in a moderate oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour;
when they are done, allow them to get cool, and store them away in a tin
canister, in a dry place.
_Mode_.--Break the eggs into a basin, separating the whites from the
yolks; beat the yolks well, mix with them the pounded sugar and grated
lemon-rind, and beat these ingredients together for 1/4 hour. Then
dredge in the flour gradually, and when the whites of the eggs have been
whisked to a solid froth, stir them to the flour, &c.; beat the mixture
well for another 5 minutes, then draw it along in strips upon thick
cartridge paper to the proper size of the biscuit, and bake them in
rather a hot oven; but let them be carefully watched, as they are soon
done, and a few seconds over the proper time will scorch and spoil them.
These biscuits, or ladies'-fingers, as they are called, are used for
making Charlotte russes, and for a variety of fancy sweet dishes.
SEED BISCUITS.
1749. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4 lb. of
butter, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 3 eggs.
_Mode_.--Warm the butter in the milk until the former is dissolved, and
then mix it with the flour into a very stiff paste; beat it with a
rolling-pin until the dough looks perfectly smooth. Roll it out thin;
cut it with the top of a glass into round biscuits; prick them well, and
bake them from 6 to 10 minutes. The above is the proportion of milk
which we think would convert the flour into a stiff paste; but should it
be found too much, an extra spoonful or two of flour must be put in.
These biscuits are very nice for the cheese course.
_Time_.--6 to 10 minutes.
SODA BISCUITS.
1751. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1/4
lb. of fresh butter, 2 eggs, 1 small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin; rub
in the butter, add the sugar, and mix these ingredients well together.
Whisk the eggs, stir them into the mixture, and beat it well, until
everything is well incorporated. Quickly stir in the soda, roll the
paste out until it is about 1/2 inch thick, cut it into small round
cakes with a tin cutter, and bake them from 12 to 18 minutes in rather a
brisk oven. After the soda is added, great expedition is necessary in
rolling and cutting out the paste, and in putting the biscuits
_immediately_ into the oven, or they will be heavy.
ALMOND CAKE.
CHRISTMAS CAKE.
_Mode_.--Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow
it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger, and
raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these
dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream,
treacle, and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes.
Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular
that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put
the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven
immediately, and bake it from 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter lightly into the flour; add all the dry
ingredients, and mix these well together. Make the milk warm, but not
hot; stir in the yeast, and with this liquid make the whole into a light
dough; knead it well, and line the cake-tins with strips of buttered
paper; this paper should be about 6 inches higher than the top of the
tin. Put in the dough; stand it in a warm place to rise for more than an
hour; then bake the cakes in a well-heated oven. If this quantity be
divided in two, they will take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours' baking.
ECONOMICAL CAKE.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
1756. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter
or lard, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, the
whites of 4 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk.
_Mode_,--In making many sweet dishes, the whites of eggs are not
required, and if well beaten and added to the above ingredients, make an
excellent cake, with or without currants. Beat the butter to a cream,
well whisk the whites of the eggs, and stir all the ingredients together
but the soda, which must not be added until all is well mixed, and the
cake is ready to be put into the oven. When the mixture has been well
beaten, stir in the soda, put the cake into a buttered mould, and bake
it in a moderate oven for 1-1/2 hour.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; wash, pick, and dry the currants;
whisk the eggs; blanch and chop the almonds, and cut the peel into neat
slices. When all these are ready, mix the dry ingredients together; then
add the butter, milk, and eggs, and beat the mixture well for a few
minutes. Put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for
rather more than 1-1/2 hour. The currants and candied peel may be
omitted, and a little lemon or almond flavouring substituted for them:
made in this manner, the cake will be found very good.
_Mode_.--Mix the sugar and cream together; dredge in the flour, with as
much honey as will flavour the mixture nicely; stir it well, that all
the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed; add the carbonate of soda, and
beat the cake well for another 5 minutes; put it into a buttered tin,
bake it from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, and let it be eaten warm.
_Mode_.--Put the treacle into a basin, and pour over it the butter,
melted so as not to oil, the sugar, and ginger. Stir these ingredients
well together, and whilst mixing, add the candied peel, which should be
cut into very small pieces, but not bruised, and the caraway and
coriander seeds, which should be pounded. Having mixed all thoroughly
together, break in an egg, and work the whole up with as much fine flour
as may be necessary to form a paste. Make this into nuts of any size,
put them on a tin plate, and bake in a slow oven from 1/4 to 1/2 hour.
_Time_.--1/4 to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, from 1s. to 1s. 4d. per lb.
THICK GINGERBREAD.
[Illustration: GINGERBREAD.]
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin, with the sugar, ginger, and
allspice; mix these together; warm the butter, and add it, with the
treacle, to the other ingredients. Stir well; make the milk just warm,
dissolve the carbonate of soda in it, and mix the whole into a nice
smooth dough with the eggs, which should be previously well whisked;
pour the mixture into a buttered tin, and bake it from 3/4 to 1 hour, or
longer, should the gingerbread be very thick. Just before it is done,
brush the top over with the yolk of an egg beaten up with a little milk,
and put it back in the oven to finish baking.
_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. to 1s. 4d. per lb.
WHITE GINGERBREAD.
1762. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of loaf
sugar, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 oz. of ground ginger, 1 nutmeg grated, 1/2
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 gill of milk.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, which should be
finely pounded and sifted, and the minced lemon-rind, ginger, and
nutmeg. Mix these well together; make the milk just warm, stir in the
soda, and work the whole into a nice smooth paste; roll it out, cut it
into cakes, and bake in a moderate oven from 15 to 20 minutes.
_Mode_.--Mix the baking-powder with the flour; then rub in the butter
and lard; have ready the currants, washed, picked, and dried the raisins
stoned and cut into small pieces (not chopped), and the peel cut into
neat slices. Add these with the sugar to the flour, &c., and mix all the
dry ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the milk,
and with this liquid moisten the cake; beat it up well, that all may be
very thoroughly mixed; line a cake-tin with buttered paper, put in the
cake, and bake it from 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours in a good oven. To ascertain
when it is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, and if, on
withdrawing it, the knife looks clean, and not sticky, the cake is done.
To prevent its burning at the top, a piece of clean paper may be put
over whilst the cake is soaking, or being thoroughly cooked in the
middle. A steamer, such as is used for steaming potatoes, makes a very
good cake-tin, if it be lined at the bottom and sides with buttered
paper.
LEMON CAKE.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
_Mode_.--Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs whisk the former
to a stiff froth; add the orange-flower water, the sugar, grated
lemon-rind, and mix these ingredients well together. Then beat the yolks
of the eggs, and add them, with the lemon-juice, to the whites, &c.;
dredge in the flour gradually; keep beating the mixture well; put it
into a buttered mould, and bake the cake about an hour, or rather
longer. The addition of a little butter, beaten to a cream, we think,
would improve this cake.
LUNCHEON CAKE.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour until it is quite fine; add the
caraway seeds, currants (which should be nicely washed, picked, and
dried), sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices; mix these well
together, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well whisked. Boil
the milk, and add to it, whilst boiling, the carbonate of soda, which
must be well stirred into it, and, with the milk, mix the other
ingredients. Butter a tin, pour the cake into it, and bake it in a
moderate oven from 3/4 to 1 hour.
1767. INGREDIENTS.--1 quartern of dough, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar, 1/4 lb.
of butter or good beef dripping, 1/4 pint of warm milk, 1/2 grated
nutmeg or 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds.
_Mode_.--If you are not in the habit of making bread at home, procure
the dough from the baker's, and, as soon as it comes in, put it into a
basin near the fire; cover the basin with a thick cloth, and let the
dough remain a little while to rise. In the mean time, beat the butter
to a cream, and make the milk warm; and when the dough has risen, mix
with it thoroughly all the above ingredients, and knead the cake well
for a few minutes. Butter some cake-tins, half fill them, and stand them
in a warm place, to allow the dough to rise again. When the tins are
three parts full, put the cakes into a good oven, and bake them from
13/4 to 2 hours. A few currants might be substituted for the caraway
seeds when the flavour of the latter is disliked.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and
allspice; warm the milk, stir to it the yeast, and mix the whole into a
dough; knead it well, and put it into 6 buttered tins; place them near
the fire for nearly an hour for the dough to rise, then bake the cakes
in a good oven from 1 to 11/4 hour. To ascertain when they are done,
plunge a clean knife into the middle, and if on withdrawal it comes out
clean, the cakes are done.
1769. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sugar,
1/2 lb. of currants, 2 oz. of candied lemon-peel, 1/2 pint of milk, 1
teaspoonful of ammonia or carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Put the flour into a basin with the sugar, currants, and sliced
candied peel; beat the butter to a cream, and mix all these ingredients
together with the milk. Stir the ammonia into 2 tablespoonfuls of milk
and add it to the dough, and beat the whole well, until everything is
thoroughly mixed. Put the dough into a buttered tin, and bake the cake
from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
POUND CAKE.
_Mode_.--Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar,
currants, candied peel, which should be cut into neat slices, and the
almonds, which should be blanched and chopped, and mix all these well
together; whisk the eggs, and let them be thoroughly blended with the
dry ingredients. Beat the cake well for 20 minutes, and put it into a
round tin, lined at the bottom and sides with a strip of white buttered
paper. Bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, and let the oven be well heated
when the cake is first put in, as, if this is not the case, the currants
will all sink to the bottom of it. To make this preparation light, the
yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and added
separately to the other ingredients. A glass of wine is sometimes added
to the mixture; but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be
found quite rich enough without it.
_Time_.--1-1/2 to 2 hours.
A PAVINI CAKE.
1771. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of
raisins stoned and cut into small pieces, 1/4 lb. of currants, 1/4 lb.
of butter, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of sifted loaf sugar, 1/2
nutmeg grated, 1 pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Stone and cut the raisins into small pieces; wash, pick, and
dry the currants; melt the butter to a cream, but without oiling it;
blanch and chop the almonds, and grate the nutmeg. When all these
ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together; make the milk
warm, stir in the soda, and with this liquid make the whole into a
paste. Butter a mould, rather more than half fill it with the dough, and
bake the cake in a moderate oven from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or less time
should it be made into 2 cakes.
[Illustration: CAKE-MOULD.]
RICE CAKE.
1772. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of
loaf sugar, 9 eggs, 20 drops of essence of lemon, or the rind of 1
lemon, 1/4 lb. of butter.
_Mode_.--Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; whisk them both
well, and add to the latter the butter beaten to a cream. Stir in the
flour, rice, and lemon (if the rind is used, it must be very finely
minced), and beat the mixture well; then add the whites of the eggs,
beat the cake again for some time, put it into a buttered mould or tin,
and bake it for nearly 1-1/2 hour. It may be flavoured with essence of
almonds, when this is preferred.
QUEEN-CAKES.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and _tous-les-mois_ together; add the sugar, the
candied peel cut into thin slices, the butter beaten to a cream, and the
eggs well whisked. Beat the mixture for 10 minutes, put it into a
buttered cake-tin or mould, or, if this is not obtainable, a soup-plate
answers the purpose, lined with a piece of buttered paper. Bake the cake
in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, and when cold, put it away in a
covered canister. It will remain good some weeks, even if it be cut into
slices.
COMMON SEED-CAKE.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar,
mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well
together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake
again for 10 minutes. Put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and
bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. This cake would be equally nice made with
currants, and omitting the caraway seeds.
SNOW-CAKE.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream; then add the egg, previously well
beaten, and then the other ingredients; if the mixture is not light, add
another egg, and beat for 1/4 hour, until it turns white and light. Line
a flat tin, with raised edges, with a sheet of buttered paper; pour in
the cake, and put it into the oven. It must be rather slow, and the cake
not allowed to brown at all. If the oven is properly heated, 1 to 1-1/4
hour will be found long enough to bake it. Let it cool a few minutes,
then with a clean sharp knife cut it into small square pieces, which
should be gently removed to a large flat dish to cool before putting
away. This will keep for several weeks.
SNOW-CAKE.
_Average cost_, with the best Bermuda arrowroot, 4s. 6d.; with St.
Vincent ditto, 2s. 9d.
SCRAP-CAKES.
_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes.
[Illustration: WHEAT.]
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD.
[Illustration: SHORTBREAD.]
_Time_.--25 to 30 minutes.
SODA-CAKE.
_Mode_.--Rub the butter into the flour, add the currants and sugar, and
mix these ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs well, stir them to
the flour, &c., with the milk, in which the soda should be previously
dissolved, and beat the whole up together with a wooden spoon or beater.
Divide the dough into two pieces, put them into buttered moulds or
cake-tins, and bake in a moderate oven for nearly an hour. The mixture
must be extremely well beaten up, and not allowed to stand after the
soda is added to it, but must be placed in the oven immediately. Great
care must also be taken that the cakes are quite done through, which may
be ascertained by thrusting a knife into the middle of them: if the
blade looks bright when withdrawn, they are done. If the tops acquire
too much colour before the inside is sufficiently baked, cover them over
with a piece of clean white paper, to prevent them from burning.
_Time_.--1 hour.
SAVOY CAKE.
_Mode_.--Break the 7 eggs, putting the yolks into one basin and the
whites into another. Whisk the former, and mix with them the sugar, the
grated lemon-rind, or any other flavouring to taste; beat them well
together, and add the whites of the eggs, whisked to a froth. Put in the
flour by degrees, continuing to beat the mixture for 1/4 hour, butter a
mould, pour in the cake, and bake it from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour. This is a
very nice cake for dessert, and may be iced for a supper-table, or cut
into slices and spread with jam, which converts it into sandwiches.
SPONGE-CAKE.
I.
[Illustration: SPONGE-CAKE.]
_Mode_.--Put the eggs into one side of the scale, and take the weight of
8 in pounded loaf sugar, and the weight of 5 in good _dry_ flour.
Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, put
them into a saucepan with the sugar, and let them remain over the fire
until _milk-warm,_ keeping them well stirred. Then put them into a
basin, add the grated lemon-rind mixed with the brandy, and stir these
well together, dredging in the flour very gradually. Whisk the whites of
the eggs to a very stiff froth, stir them to the flour, &c., and beat
the cake well for 1/4 hour. Put it into a buttered mould strewn with a
little fine sifted sugar, and bake the cake in a quick oven for 1-1/2
hour. Care must be taken that it is put into the oven immediately, or it
will not be light. The flavouring of this cake may be varied by adding a
few drops of essence of almonds instead of the grated lemon-rind.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
II.
1784. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, not quite 1/4 pint of water,
5 eggs, 1 lemon, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together until they form a thick
syrup; let it cool a little, then pour it to the eggs, which should be
previously well whisked; and after the eggs and syrup are mixed
together, continue beating them for a few minutes. Grate the lemon-rind,
mix the carbonate of soda with the flour, and stir these lightly to the
other ingredients; then add the lemon-juice, and, when the whole is
thoroughly mixed, pour it into a buttered mould, and bake in rather a
quick oven for rather more than 1 hour. The remains of sponge or Savoy
cakes answer very well for trifles, light puddings, &c.; and a very
stale one (if not mouldy) makes an excellent tipsy-cake.
_Mode_.--Let the flour be perfectly dry, and the sugar well pounded and
sifted. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and beat the
latter up with the sugar; then whisk the whites until they become rather
stiff, and mix them with the yolks, but do not stir them more than is
just necessary to mingle the ingredients well together. Dredge in the
flour by degrees, add the flavouring; batter the tins well, pour in the
batter, sift a little sugar over the cakes, and bake them in rather a
quick oven, but do not allow them to take too much colour, as they
should be rather pale. Remove them from the tins before they get cold,
and turn them on their faces, where let them remain until quite cold,
when store them away in a closed tin canister or wide-mouthed glass
bottle.
TEA-CAKES.
_Mode_.--Put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin mix
with it the salt, and rub in the butter or lard; then beat the egg well,
stir to it the yeast, and add these to the flour with as much warm milk
as will make the whole into a smooth paste, and knead it well. Let it
rise near the fire, and, when well risen, form it into cakes; place them
on tins, let them rise again for a few minutes before putting them into
the oven, and bake from 1/4 to 1/2 hour in a moderate oven. These are
very nice with a few currants and a little sugar added to the other
ingredients: they should be put in after the butter is rubbed in. These
cakes should be buttered, and eaten hot as soon as baked; but, when
stale, they are very nice split and toasted; or, if dipped in milk, or
even water, and covered with a basin in the oven till hot, they will be
almost equal to new.
TO TOAST TEA-CAKES.
[Illustration: TEA-CAKES.]
1787. Cut each tea-cake into three or four slices, according to its
thickness; toast them on both sides before a nice clear fire, and as
each slice is done, spread it with butter on both sides. When a cake is
toasted, pile the slices one on the top of the other, cut them into
quarters, put them on a very hot plate, and send the cakes immediately
to table. As they are wanted, send them in hot, one or two at a time,
as, if allowed to stand, they spoil, unless kept in a muffin-plate over
a basin of boiling water.
A NICE YEAST-CAKE.
_Mode_.--Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and shake it round
over a fire until the butter is melted, but do not allow the milk to get
very hot. Put the flour into a basin, stir to it the milk and butter,
the yeast, and eggs, which should be well beaten, and form the whole
into a smooth dough. Let it stand in a warm place, covered with a cloth,
to rise, and, when sufficiently risen, add the currants, sugar, and
candied peel cut into thin slices. When all the ingredients are
thoroughly mixed, line 2 moderate-sized cake-tins with buttered paper,
which should be about six inches higher than the tin; pour in the
mixture, let it stand to rise again for another 1/2 hour, and then bake
the cakes in a brisk oven for about 1-1/2 hour. If the tops of them
become too brown, cover them with paper until they are done through. A
few drops of essence of lemon, or a little grated nutmeg, may be added
when the flavour is liked.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXXVI.
1791. The beverages composed partly of fermented liquors, are hot spiced
wines, bishop, egg-flip, egg-hot, ale posset, sack posset, punch, and
spirits-and-water.
1793. The beverage called tea has now become almost a necessary of life.
Previous to the middle of the 17th century it was not used in England,
and it was wholly unknown to the Greeks and Romans. Pepys says, in his
Diary,--"September 25th, 1661.--I sent for a cup of tea (a China drink),
of which I had never drunk before." Two years later it was so rare a
commodity in England, that the English East-India Company bought 2 lbs.
2 oz. of it, as a present for his majesty. In 1666 it was sold in London
for sixty shillings a pound. From that date the consumption has gone on
increasing from 5,000 lbs. to 50,000,000 lbs.
1794. Linnaeus was induced to think that there were two species of
tea-plant, one of which produced the black, and the other the green
teas; but later observations do not confirm this. When the leaves of
black and green tea are expanded by hot water, and examined by the
botanist, though a difference of character is perceived, yet this is not
sufficient to authorize considering them as distinct species. The
tea-tree flourishes best in temperate regions; in China it is
indigenous. The part of China where the best tea is cultivated, is
called by us the "tea country." The cultivation of the plant requires
great care. It is raised chiefly on the sides of hills; and, in order to
increase the quantity and improve the quality of the leaves, the shrub
is pruned, so as not to exceed the height of from two to three feet,
much in the same manner as the vine is treated in France. They pluck the
leaves, one selecting them according to the kinds of tea required; and,
notwithstanding the tediousness of the operation, each labourer is able
to gather from four to ten or fifteen pounds a day. When the trees
attain to six or seven years of age, the produce becomes so inferior
that they are removed to make room for a fresh succession, or they are
cut down to allow of numerous young shoots. Teas of the finest flavour
consist of the youngest leaves; and as these are gathered at four
different periods of the year, the younger the leaves the higher
flavoured the tea, and the scarcer, and consequently the dearer, the
article.
1795. The various names by which teas are sold in the British market are
corruptions of Chinese words. There are about a dozen different kinds;
but the principal are Bohea, Congou, and Souchong, and signify,
respectively, inferior, middling, and superior. Teas are often perfumed
and flavoured with the leaves of different kinds of plants grown on
purpose. Different tea-farms in China produce teas of various qualities,
raised by skilful cultivation on various soils.
1801. It appears that coffee was first introduced into England by Daniel
Edwards, a Turkey merchant, whose servant, Pasqua, a Greek, understood
the manner of roasting it. This servant, under the patronage of Edwards,
established the first coffee-house in London, in George Yard, Lombard
Street. Coffee was then sold at four or five guineas a pound, and a duty
was soon afterwards laid upon it of fourpence a gallon, when made into a
beverage. In the course of two centuries, however, this berry, unknown
originally as an article of food, except to some savage tribes on the
confines of Abyssinia, has made its way through the whole of the
civilized world. Mahommedans of all ranks drink coffee twice a day; it
is in universal request in France; and the demand for it throughout the
British isles is daily increasing, the more especially since so much
attention has been given to mechanical contrivances for roasting and
grinding the berry and preparing the beverage.
1802. Of the various kinds of coffee the Arabian is considered the best.
It is grown chiefly in the districts of Aden and Mocha; whence the name
of our Mocha coffee. Mocha coffee has a smaller and rounder bean than
any other, and likewise a more agreeable smell and taste. The next in
reputation and quality is the Java and Ceylon coffee, and then the
coffees of Bourbon and Martinique, and that of Berbice, a district of
the colony of British Guiana. The Jamaica and St. Domingo coffees are
less esteemed.
1804. The roasting of coffee in the best manner requires great nicety,
and much of the qualities of the beverage depends upon the operation.
The roasting of coffee for the dealers in London and Paris has now
become a separate branch of business, and some of the roasters perform
the operation on a great scale, with considerable skill. Roasted coffee
loses from 20 to 30 per cent, by sufficient roasting, and the powder
suffers much by exposure to the air; but, while raw, it not only does
not lose its flavour for a year or two, but improves by keeping. If a
cup of the best coffee be placed upon a table boiling hot, it will fill
the room with its fragrance; but the coffee, when warmed again after
being cold, will be found to have lost most of its flavour.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
TO MAKE CHOCOLATE.
_Mode_.--Make the milk-and-water hot; scrape the chocolate into it, and
stir the mixture constantly and quickly until the chocolate is
dissolved; bring it to the boiling-point, stir it well, and serve
directly with white sugar. Chocolate prepared with in a mill, as shown
in the engraving, is made by putting in the scraped chocolate, pouring
over it the boiling milk-and-water, and milling it over the fire until
hot and frothy.
[Illustration: MILL.]
TO ROAST COFFEE.
TO MAKE COFFEE.
1810. INGREDIENTS.--Allow 4 oz., or 1 tablespoonful, of ground coffee to
each person; to every oz. of coffee allow 1/3 pint of water.
_Mode_.--To make coffee good, _it should never be boiled_, but the
boiling water merely poured on it, the same as for tea. The coffee
should always be purchased in the berry,--if possible, freshly roasted;
and it should never be ground long before it is wanted for use. There
are very many new kinds of coffee-pots, but the method of making the
coffee is nearly always the same; namely, pouring the boiling water on
the powder, and allowing it to filter through. Our illustration shows
one of Loysel's Hydrostatic Urns, which are admirably adapted for making
good and clear coffee, which should be made in the following,
manner:--Warm the urn with boiling water, remove the lid and movable
filter, and place the ground coffee at the bottom of the urn. Put the
movable filter over this, and screw the lid, inverted, tightly on the
end of the centre pipe. Pour into the inverted lid the above proportion
of boiling water, and when all the water so poured has disappeared from
the funnel, and made its way down the centre pipe and up again through
the ground coffee by _hydrostatic pressure_, unscrew screw the lid and
cover the urn. Pour back direct into the urn, _not through the funnel_,
one, two, or three cups, according to the size of the percolater, in
order to make the infusion of uniform strength; the contents will then
be ready for use, and should run from the tap strong, hot, and clear.
The coffee made in these urns generally turns out very good, and there
is but one objection to them,--the coffee runs rather slowly from the
tap. This is of no consequence where there is a small party, but tedious
where there are many persons to provide for. A remedy for this objection
may be suggested; namely, to make the coffee very strong, so that not
more than 1/3 of a cup would be required, as the rest would be filled up
with milk. Making coffee in filters or percolaters does away with the
necessity of using isinglass, white of egg, and various other
preparations to clear it. Coffee should always be served very hot, and,
if possible, in the same vessel in which it is made, as pouring it from
one pot to another cools, and consequently spoils it. Many persons may
think that the proportion of water we have given for each oz. of coffee
is rather small; it is so, and the coffee produced from it will be very
strong; 1/3 of a cup will be found quite sufficient, which should be
filled with nice hot milk, or milk and cream mixed. This is the 'cafe au
lait' for which our neighbours over the Channel are so justly
celebrated. Should the ordinary method of making coffee be preferred,
use double the quantity of water, and, in pouring it into the cups, put
in more coffee and less milk.
_Mode_.--Have a small iron ring made to fit the top of the coffee-pot
inside, and to this ring sew a small muslin bag (the muslin for the
purpose must not be too thin). Fit the bag into the pot, pour some
boiling water in it, and, when the pot is well warmed, put the ground
coffee into the bag; pour over as much boiling water as is required,
close the lid, and, when all the water has filtered through, remove the
bag, and send the coffee to table. Making it in this manner prevents the
necessity of pouring the coffee from one vessel to another, which cools
and spoils it. The water should be poured on the coffee gradually, so
that the infusion may be stronger; and the bag must be well made, that
none of the grounds may escape through the seams, and so make the coffee
thick and muddy.
[Illustration: COFFEE.]
CAFE AU LAIT.
CAFE NOIR.
1813. This is usually handed round after dinner, and should be drunk
well sweetened, with the addition of a little brandy or liqueurs, which
may be added or not at pleasure. The coffee should be made very strong,
and served in very small cups, but never mixed with milk or cream. Cafe
noir may be made of the essence of coffee No. 1808, by pouring a
tablespoonful into each cup, and filling it up with boiling water. This
is a very simple and expeditious manner of preparing coffee for a large
party, but the essence for it must be made very good, and kept well
corked until required for use.
TO MAKE TEA.
1814. There is very little art in making good tea; if the water is
boiling, and there is no sparing of the fragrant leaf, the beverage will
almost invariably be good. The old-fashioned plan of allowing a
teaspoonful to each person, and one over, is still practised. Warm the
teapot with boiling water; let it remain for two or three minutes for
the vessel to become thoroughly hot, then pour it away. Put in the tea,
pour in from 1/2 to 3/4 pint of boiling water, close the lid, and let it
stand for the tea to draw from 5 to 10 minutes; then fill up the pot
with water. The tea will be quite spoiled unless made with water that is
actually 'boiling', as the leaves will not open, and the flavour not be
extracted from them; the beverage will consequently be colourless and
tasteless,--in fact, nothing but tepid water. Where there is a very
large party to make tea for, it is a good plan to have two teapots
instead of putting a large quantity of tea into one pot; the tea,
besides, will go farther. When the infusion has been once completed, the
addition of fresh tea adds very little to the strength; so, when more is
required, have the pot emptied of the old leaves, scalded, and fresh tea
made in the usual manner. Economists say that a few grains of carbonate
of soda, added before the boiling water is poured on the tea, assist to
draw out the goodness: if the water is very hard, perhaps it is a good
plan, as the soda softens it; but care must be taken to use this
ingredient sparingly, as it is liable to give the tea a soapy taste if
added in too large a quantity. For mixed tea, the usual proportion is
four spoonfuls of black to one of green; more of the latter when the
flavour is very much liked; but strong green tea is highly pernicious,
and should never be partaken of too freely.
[Illustration: TEA.]
_Mode_.--Beat up the whole of the egg in a basin, put it into a cup (or
a portion of it, if the cup be small), and pour over it the tea or
coffee very hot. These should be added very gradually, and stirred all
the time, to prevent the egg from curdling. In point of nourishment,
both these beverages are much improved by this addition.
TO MAKE COCOA.
[Illustration: COCOA-BEAN.]
COWSLIP WINE.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for 1/2 hour, carefully
removing all the scum as it rises. Pour this boiling liquor on the
orange and lemon-rinds, and the juice, which should be strained; when
milk-warm, add the cowslip pips or flowers, picked from the stalks and
seeds; and to 9 gallons of wine 3 tablespoonfuls of good fresh brewers'
yeast. Let it ferment 3 or 4 days; then put all together in a cask with
the brandy, and let it remain for 2 months, when bottle it off for use.
ELDER WINE.
[Illustration: ELDER-BERRIES.]
GINGER WINE.
GOOSEBERRY VINEGAR.
LEMON SYRUP.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for 1/4 hour, and put it into
a basin, where let it remain till cold. Beat the citric acid to a
powder, mix the essence of lemon with it, then add these two ingredients
to the syrup; mix well, and bottle for use. Two tablespoonfuls of the
syrup are sufficient for a tumbler of cold water, and will be found a
very refreshing summer drink.
LEMON WINE.
_Mode_.--Peel and slice the lemons, but use only the rind of 25 of them,
and put them into the cold water. Let it stand 8 or 9 days, squeezing
the lemons well every day; then strain the water off and put it into a
cask with the sugar. Let it work some time, and when it has ceased
working, put in the isinglass. Stop the cask down; in about six months
put in the brandy and bottle the wine off.
MALT WINE.
_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes; skim it well,
and put the liquor into a convenient-sized pan or tub. Allow it to cool;
then mix it with the sweet-wort and tun. Let it stand for 3 days, then
put it into a barrel; here it will work or ferment for another three
days or more; then bung up the cask, and keep it undisturbed for 2 or 3
months. After this, add the raisins (whole), the candy, and brandy, and,
in 6 months' time, bottle the wine off. Those who do not brew, may
procure the sweet-wort and tun from any brewer. Sweet-wort is the liquor
that leaves the mash of malt before it is boiled with the hops; tun is
the new beer after the whole of the brewing operation has been
completed.
HOME-MADE NOYEAU.
_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds, and mix with them the sugar,
which should also be pounded. Boil the milk; let it stand till quite
cold; then mix all the ingredients together, and let them remain for 10
days, shaking them every day. Filter the mixture through blotting-paper,
bottle off for use in small bottles, and seal the corks down. This will
be found useful for flavouring many sweet dishes.
ORANGE BRANDY.
(_Excellent_.)
1826. INGREDIENTS.--To every 1 gallon of brandy allow 3/4 pint of
Seville orange-juice, 1-1/4 lb. of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--To bring out the full flavour of the orange-peel, rub a few
lumps of the sugar on 2 or 3 unpared oranges, and put these lumps to the
rest. Mix the brandy with the orange-juice, strained, the rinds of 6 of
the oranges pared very thin, and the sugar. Let all stand in a
closely-covered jar for about 3 days, stirring it 3 or 4 times a day.
When clear, it should be bottled and closely corked for a year; it will
then be ready for use, but will keep any length of time. This is a most
excellent stomachic when taken pure in small quantities; or, as the
strength of the brandy is very little deteriorated by the other
ingredients, it may be diluted with water.
A VERY SIMPLE AND EASY METHOD OF MAKING A VERY SUPERIOR ORANGE WINE.
_Mode_.--Break up the sugar into small pieces, and put it into a dry,
sweet 9-gallon cask, placed in a cellar or other storehouse, where it is
intended to be kept. Have ready close to the cask two large pans or
wooden keelers, into one of which put the peel of the oranges pared
quite thin, and into the other the pulp after the juice has been
squeezed from it. Strain the juice through a piece of double muslin, and
put it into the cask with the sugar. Then pour about 1-1/2 gallon of
cold spring water on both the peels and pulp; let it stand for 24 hours,
and then strain it into the cask; add more water to the peels and pulp
when this is done, and repeat the same process every day for a week: it
should take about a week to fill up the cask. Be careful to apportion
the quantity as nearly as possible to the seven days, and to stir the
contents of the cask each day. On the ''third' day after the cask is
full,--that is, the 'tenth' day after the commencement of making,--the
cask may be securely bunged down. This is a very simple and easy method,
and the wine made according to it will be pronounced to be most
excellent. There is no troublesome boiling, and all fermentation takes
place in the cask. When the above directions are attended to, the wine
cannot fail to be good. It should be bottled in 8 or 9 months, and will
be fit for use in a twelve month after the time of making. Ginger wine
may be made in precisely the same manner, only, with the 9-gallon cask
for ginger wine, 2 lbs. of the best whole ginger, 'bruised', must be put
with the sugar. It will be found convenient to tie the ginger loosely in
a muslin bag.
RASPBERRY VINEGAR.
1828. INGREDIENTS.--To every 3 pints of the best vinegar allow 4-1/2
pints of freshly-gathered raspberries; to each pint of liquor allow 1
lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
RHUBARB WINE.
_Mode_.--Gather the rhubarb about the middle of May; wipe it with a wet
cloth, and, with a mallet, bruise it in a large wooden tub or other
convenient means. When reduced to a pulp, weigh it, and to every 5 lbs.
add 1 gallon of cold spring water; let these remain for 3 days, stirring
3 or 4 times a day; and, on the fourth day, press the pulp through a
hair sieve; put the liquor into a tub, and to every gallon put 3 lbs. of
loaf sugar; stir in the sugar until it is quite dissolved, and add the
lemon-rind; let the liquor remain, and, in 4, 5, or 6 days, the
fermentation will begin to subside, and a crust or head will be formed,
which should be skimmed off, or the liquor drawn from it, when the crust
begins to crack or separate. Put the wine into a cask, and if, after
that, it ferments, rack it off into another cask, and in a fortnight
stop it down. If the wine should have lost any of its original
sweetness, add a little more loaf sugar, taking care that the cask is
full. Bottle it off in February or March, and in the summer it should be
fit to drink. It will improve greatly by keeping; and, should a very
brilliant colour be desired, add a little currant-juice.
WELSH NECTAR.
CLARET-CUP.
_Seasonable_ in summer.
CHAMPAGNE-CUP.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a silver cup; stir them together,
and serve the same as claret-cup No. 1831. Should the above proportion
of sugar not be found sufficient to suit some tastes, increase the
quantity. When borage is not easily obtainable, substitute for it a few
slices of cucumber-rind.
_Seasonable_.--Suitable for pic-nics, balls, weddings, and other festive
occasions.
GINGER BEER.
_Mode_.--Peel the lemons, squeeze the juice, strain it, and put the peel
and juice into a large earthen pan, with the bruised ginger, cream of
tartar, and loaf sugar. Pour over these ingredients 3 gallons of boiling
water; let it stand until just warm, when add the yeast, which should be
thick and perfectly fresh. Stir the contents of the pan well, and let
them remain near the fire all night, covering the pan over with a cloth.
The next day skim off the yeast, and pour the liquor carefully into
another vessel, leaving the sediment; then bottle immediately, and tie
the corks down, and in 3 days the ginger beer will be fit for use. For
some tastes, the above proportion of sugar may be found rather too
large, when it may be diminished; but the beer will not keep so long
good.
LEMONADE.
TO MAKE NEGUS.
_Mode_.--Squeeze the juice from the lemon; strain, and add it to the
water, with sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. When
well mixed, put in the soda, stir well, and drink while the mixture is
in an effervescing state.
TO MULL WINE.
1838. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of wine allow 1 large cupful of water,
sugar and spice to taste.
_Mode_.--Rub the sugar over the lemon until it has absorbed all the
yellow part of the skin, then put the sugar into a punchbowl; add the
lemon-juice (free from pips), and mix these two ingredients well
together. Pour over them the boiling water, stir well together, add the
rum, brandy, and nutmeg; mix thoroughly, and the punch will be ready to
serve. It is very important in making good punch that all the
ingredients are thoroughly incorporated; and, to insure success, the
processes of mixing must be diligently attended to.
WHISKEY CORDIAL.
_Mode_.--Strip the currants from the stalks; put them into a large jug;
add the lemon-rind, ginger, and whiskey; cover the jug closely, and let
it remain covered for 24 hours. Strain through a hair sieve, add the
lump sugar, and let it stand 12 hours longer; then bottle, and cork
well.
[Illustration]
INVALID COOKERY.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
1841. LET all the kitchen utensils used in the preparation of invalids'
cookery be delicately and 'scrupulously clean;' if this is not the case,
a disagreeable flavour may be imparted to the preparation, which flavour
may disgust, and prevent the patient from partaking of the refreshment
when brought to him or her.
1842. For invalids, never make a large quantity of one thing, as they
seldom require much at a time; and it is desirable that variety be
provided for them.
1843. Always have something in readiness; a little beef tea, nicely made
and nicely skimmed, a few spoonfuls of jelly, &c. &c., that it may be
administered as soon almost as the invalid wishes for it. If obliged to
wait a long time, the patient loses the desire to eat, and often turns
against the food when brought to him or her.
1847. Never leave food about a sick room; if the patient cannot eat it
when brought to him, take it away, and bring it to him in an hour or
two's time. Miss Nightingale says, "To leave the patient's untasted food
by his side, from meal to meal, in hopes that he will eat it in the
interval, is simply to prevent him from taking any food at all." She
says, "I have known patients literally incapacitated from taking one
article of food after another by this piece of ignorance. Let the food
come at the right time, and be taken away, eaten or uneaten, at the
right time, but never let a patient have 'something always standing' by
him, if you don't wish to disgust him of everything."
1848. Never serve beef tea or broth with the _smallest particle_ of fat
or grease on the surface. It is better, after making either of these, to
allow them to get perfectly cold, when _all the fat_ may be easily
removed; then warm up as much as may be required. Two or three pieces of
clean whity-brown paper laid on the broth will absorb any greasy
particles that may be floating at the top, as the grease will cling to
the paper.
1849. Roast mutton, chickens, rabbits, calves' feet or head, game, fish
(simply dressed), and simple puddings, are all light food, and easily
digested. Of course, these things are only partaken of, supposing the
patient is recovering.
RECIPES.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
TO MAKE ARROWROOT.
_Mode_.--Mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then
pour on it the _boiling_ water, _stirring_ all the time. The water must
be _boiling_ at the time it is poured on the mixture, or it will not
thicken; if mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean
saucepan, and boiled until it thickens; but this is more trouble, and
quite unnecessary if the water is boiling at first. Put the arrowroot
into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated
nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, 3
tablespoonfuls of port or sherry. As arrowroot is in itself flavourless
and insipid, it is almost necessary to add the wine to make it
palatable. Arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but
is not so easily digested. It should be mixed in the same manner, with 3
tablespoonfuls of cold water, the boiling milk then poured on it, and
well stirred. When made in this manner, no wine should be added, but
merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel.
BARLEY GRUEL.
_Mode_.--After well washing the barley, boil it in 1/2 pint of water for
1/4 hour; then pour this water away; put to the barley the quart of
fresh boiling water, and let it boil until the liquid is reduced to
half; then strain it off. Add the wine, sugar, and lemon-peel; simmer
for 5 minutes, and put it away in a clean jug. It can be warmed from
time to time, as required.
TO MAKE BARLEY-WATER.
_Mode_.--Wash the barley in cold water; put it into a saucepan with the
above proportion of cold water, and when it has boiled for about 1/4
hour, strain off the water, and add the 2 quarts of fresh boiling water.
Boil it until the liquid is reduced one half; strain it, and it will be
ready for use. It may be flavoured with lemon-peel, after being
sweetened, or a small piece may be simmered with the barley. When the
invalid may take it, a little lemon-juice gives this pleasant drink in
illness a very nice flavour.
_Mode_.--Have the meat cut without fat and bone, and choose a nice
fleshy piece. Cut it into small pieces about the size of dice, and put
it into a clean saucepan. Add the water _cold_ to it; put it on the
fire, and bring it to the boiling-point; then skim well. Put in the salt
when the water boils, and _simmer_ the beef tea _gently_ from 1/2 to 3/4
hour, removing any more scum should it appear on the surface. Strain the
tea through a hair sieve, and set it by in a cool place. When wanted for
use, remove every particle of fat from the top; warm up as much as may
be required, adding, if necessary, a little more salt. This preparation
is simple beef tea, and is to be administered to those invalids to whom
flavourings and seasonings are not allowed. When the patient is very
low, use double the quantity of meat to the same proportion of water.
Should the invalid be able to take the tea prepared in a more palatable
manner, it is easy to make it so by following the directions in the next
recipe, which is an admirable one for making savoury beef tea. Beef tea
is always better when made the day before it is wanted, and then warmed
up. It is a good plan to put the tea into a small cup or basin, and to
place this basin in a saucepan of boiling water. When the tea is warm,
it is ready to serve.
(_Soyer's Recipe_.)
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into very small dice; put it into a stewpan with
the butter, clove, onion, and salt; stir the meat round over the fire
for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy; then add the water,
and let it simmer gently from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, skimming off every
particle of fat. When done, strain it through a sieve, and put it by in
a cool place until required. The same, if wanted quite plain, is done by
merely omitting the vegetables, salt, and clove; the butter cannot be
objectionable, as it is taken out in skimming.
_Note_.--The meat loft from beef tea may be boiled a little longer, and
pounded, with spices, &c., for potting. It makes a very nice breakfast
dish.
DR. CHRISTISON says that "every one will be struck with the
readiness with which certain classes of patients will often take
diluted meat juice, or beef tea repeatedly, when they refuse all
other kinds of food." This is particularly remarkable in case of
gastric fever, in which, he says, little or nothing else besides
beef tea, or diluted meat juice, has been taken for weeks, or
even months; and yet a pint of beef tea contains scarcely 1/4
oz. of anything but water. The result is so striking, that he
asks, "What is its mode of action? Not simple nutriment; 1/4 oz.
of the most nutritive material cannot nearly replace the daily
wear and tear of the tissue in any circumstances." Possibly, he
says, it belongs to a new denomination of remedies.
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into small square pieces, after trimming off all
the fat, and put it into a baking-jar, with the above proportion of
water and salt; cover the jar well, place it in a warm, but not hot
oven, and bake for 3 or 4 hours. When the oven is very fierce in the
daytime, it is a good plan to put the jar in at night, and let it remain
till the next morning, when the tea will be done. It should be strained,
and put by in a cool place until wanted. It may also be flavoured with
an onion, a clove, and a few sweet herbs, &c., when the stomach is
sufficiently strong to take those.
CALF'S-FOOT BROTH.
_Mode_.--Stew the foot in the water, with the lemon-peel, very gently,
until the liquid is half wasted, removing any scum, should it rise to
the surface. Set it by in a basin until quite cold, then take off every
particle of fat. Warm up about 1/2 pint of the broth, adding the butter,
sugar, and a very small quantity of grated nutmeg; take it off the fire
for a minute or two, then add the beaten yolk of the egg; keep stirring
over the fire until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil
again after the egg is added, or it will curdle, and the broth will be
spoiled.
CHICKEN BROTH.
_Mode_.--An old fowl not suitable for eating may be converted into very
good broth, or, if a young one be used, the inferior joints may be put
in the broth, and the best pieces reserved for dressing in some other
manner. Put the fowl into a saucepan, with all the ingredients, and
simmer gently for 1-1/2 hour, carefully skimming the broth well. When
done, strain, and put by in a cool place until wanted; then take all the
fat off the top, warm up as much as may be required, and serve. This
broth is, of course, only for those invalids whose stomachs are strong
enough to digest it, with a flavouring of herbs, &c. It may be made in
the same manner as beef tea, with water and salt only; but the
preparation will be but tasteless and insipid. When the invalid cannot
digest this chicken broth with the flavouring, we would recommend plain
beef tea in preference to plain chicken tea, which it would be without
the addition of herbs, onions, &c.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
NUTRITIOUS COFFEE.
Our great nurse Miss Nightingale remarks, that "a great deal too
much against tea is said by wise people, and a great deal too
much of tea is given to the sick by foolish people. When you see
the natural and almost universal craving in English sick for
their 'tea,' you cannot but feel that Nature knows what she is
about. But a little tea or coffee restores them quite as much as
a great deal; and a great deal of tea, and especially of coffee,
impairs the little power of digestion they have. Yet a nurse,
because she sees how one or two cups of tea or coffee restore
her patient, thinks that three or four cups will do twice as
much. This is not the case at all; it is, however, certain that
there is nothing yet discovered which is a substitute to the
English patient for his cup of tea; he can take it when he can
take nothing else, and he often can't take anything else, if he
has it not. Coffee is a better restorative than tea, but a
greater impairer of the digestion. In making coffee, it is
absolutely necessary to buy it in the berry, and grind it at
home; otherwise, you may reckon upon its containing a certain
amount of chicory, at least. This is not a question of the
taste, or of the wholesomeness of chicory; it is, that chicory
has nothing at all of the properties for which you give coffee,
and, therefore, you may as well not give it."
_Mode_.--Have the cutlet cut from a very nice loin or neck of mutton;
take off all the fat; put it into a stewpan, with the other ingredients;
stew _very gently_ indeed for nearly 2 hours, and skim off every
particle of fat that may rise to the surface from time to time. The
celery should be cut into thin slices before it is added to the meat,
and care must be taken not to put in too much of this ingredient, or the
dish will not be good. If the water is allowed to boil fast, the cutlet
will be hard.
EEL BROTH.
_Mode_.--After having cleaned and skinned the eel, cut it into small
pieces, and put it into a stewpan, with the other ingredients; simmer
gently until the liquid is reduced nearly half, carefully removing the
scum as it rises. Strain it through a hair sieve; put it by in a cool
place, and, when wanted, take off all the fat from the top, warm up as
much as is required, and serve with sippets of toasted bread. This is a
very nutritious broth, and easy of digestion.
EGG WINE.
1867. INGREDIENTS.--1 egg, 1 tablespoonful and 1/2 glass of cold water,
1 glass of sherry, sugar and grated nutmeg to taste.
TO MAKE GRUEL.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
INVALID'S JELLY.
_Mode_.--Soak the shanks in plenty of water for some hours, and scrub
them well; put them, with the beef and other ingredients, into a
saucepan with the water, and let them simmer very gently for 5 hours.
Strain the broth, and, when cold, take off all the fat. It may be eaten
either warmed up or cold as a jelly.
NOURISHING LEMONADE.
_Mode_.--Pare off the lemon-rind thinly, put it into a jug with the
sugar, and pour over the boiling water. Let it cool, then strain it; add
the wine, lemon-juice, and eggs, previously well beaten, and also
strained, and the beverage will be ready for use. If thought desirable,
the quantity of sherry and water could be lessened, and milk substituted
for them. To obtain the flavour of the lemon-rind properly, a few lumps
of the sugar should be rubbed over it, until some of the yellow is
absorbed.
_Mode_.--Put the mutton into a stewpan; pour over the water cold and add
the other ingredients. When it boils, skim it very carefully, cover the
pan closely, and let it simmer very gently for an hour; strain it, let
it cool, take off all the fat from the surface, and warm up as much as
may be required, adding, if the patient be allowed to take it, a
teaspoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded. Pearl
barley or rice are very nice additions to mutton broth, and should be
boiled as long as the other ingredients. When either of these is added,
the broth must not be strained, but merely thoroughly skimmed. Plain
mutton broth without seasoning is made by merely boiling the mutton,
water, and salt together, straining it, letting the broth cool, skimming
all the fat off, and warming up as much as is required. This preparation
would be very tasteless and insipid, but likely to agree with very
delicate stomachs, whereas the least addition of other ingredients would
have the contrary effect.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat into small pieces, put it into a saucepan with the
bones, but no skin or fat; add the other ingredients; cover the
saucepan, and bring the water quickly to boil. Take the lid off, and
continue the rapid boiling for 20 minutes, skimming it well during the
process; strain the broth into a basin; if there should be any fat left
on the surface, remove it by laying a piece of thin paper on the top:
the greasy particles will adhere to the paper, and so free the
preparation from them. To an invalid nothing is more disagreeable than
broth served with a quantity of fat floating on the top; to avoid this,
it is always better to allow it to get thoroughly cool, the fat can then
be so easily removed.
1874. INGREDIENTS.--2 very young rabbits, not nearly half grown; 1-1/2
pint of milk, 1 blade of mace, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, a little salt
and cayenne.
RICE-MILK.
_Mode_.--Well wash the rice, put it into a saucepan with the milk, and
simmer gently until the rice is tender, stirring it from time to time to
prevent the milk from burning; sweeten it, add a little grated nutmeg,
and serve. This dish is also very suitable and wholesome for children;
it may be flavoured with a little lemon-peel, and a little finely-minced
suet may be boiled with it, which renders it more strengthening and more
wholesome. Tapioca, semolina, vermicelli, and macaroni, may all be
dressed in the same manner.
TO MAKE TOAST-AND-WATER.
TOAST SANDWICHES.
1878. Besides the recipes contained in this chapter, there are, in the
previous chapters on cookery, many others suitable for invalids, which
it would be useless to repeat here. Recipes for fish simply dressed,
light soups, plain roast meat, well-dressed vegetables, poultry, simple
puddings, jelly, stewed fruits, &c. &c., all of which dishes may be
partaken of by invalids and convalescents, will be found in preceding
chapters.
CHAPTER XL.
1880. Dinner, being the grand solid meal of the day, is a matter of
considerable importance; and a well-served table is a striking index of
human, ingenuity and resource. "Their table," says Lord Byron, in
describing a dinner-party given by Lord and Lady Amundevillo at Norman
Abbey,--
And we may well say, Who, indeed, would suppose it? The gulf between the
Croat, with a steak under his saddle, and Alexis Soyer getting up a
great dinner at the Reform-Club, or even Thackeray's Mrs. Raymond Gray
giving "a little dinner" to Mr. Snob (with one of those famous
"roly-poly puddings" of hers),--what a gulf it is!
It may be observed, in passing, that the poets, though they have more to
say about wine than solid food, because the former more directly
stimulates the intellect and the feelings, do not flinch from the
subject of eating and drinking. There is infinite zest in the above
passage from Milton, and even more in the famous description of a dainty
supper, given by Keats in his "Eve of Saint Agnes." Could Queen Mab
herself desire to sit down to anything nicer, both as to its
appointments and serving, and as to its quality, than the collation
served by Porphyro in the lady's bedroom while she slept?--
But Tennyson has ventured beyond dates, and quinces, and syrups, which
may be thought easy to be brought in by a poet. In his idyl of "Audley
Court" he gives a most appetizing description of a pasty at a pic-nic:--
We gladly quote passages like these, to show how eating and drinking may
be surrounded with poetical associations, and how man, using his
privilege to turn any and every repast into a "feast of reason," with a
warm and plentiful "flow of soul," may really count it as not the least
of his legitimate prides, that he is "a dining animal."
1882. It has been said, indeed, that great men, in general, are great
diners. This, however, can scarcely be true of any great men but men of
action; and, in that case, it would simply imply that persons of
vigorous constitution, who work hard, eat heartily; for, of course, a
life of action _requires_ a vigorous constitution, even though there may
be much illness, as in such cases as William III. and our brave General
Napier. Of men of thought, it can scarcely be true that they eat so
much, in a general way, though even they eat more than they are apt to
suppose they do; for, as Mr. Lewes observes, "nerve-tissue is very
expensive." Leaving great men of all kinds, however, to get their own
dinners, let us, who are not great, look after ours. Dine we must, and
we may as well dine elegantly as well as wholesomely.
1883. There are plenty of elegant dinners in modern days, and they were
not wanting in ancient times. It is well known that the dinner-party, or
symposium, was a not unimportant, and not unpoetical, feature in the
life of the sociable, talkative, tasteful Greek. Douglas Jerrold said
that such is the British humour for dining and giving of dinners, that
if London were to be destroyed by an earthquake, the Londoners would
meet at a public dinner to consider the subject. The Greeks, too, were
great diners: their social and religious polity gave them many chances
of being merry and making others merry on good eating and drinking. Any
public or even domestic sacrifice to one of the gods, was sure to be
followed by a dinner-party, the remains of the slaughtered "offering"
being served up on the occasion as a pious _pi�ce de r�sistance;_ and as
the different gods, goddesses, and demigods, worshipped by the community
in general, or by individuals, were very numerous indeed, and some very
religious people never let a day pass without offering up something or
other, the dinner-parties were countless. A birthday, too, was an excuse
for a dinner; a birthday, that is, of any person long dead and buried,
as well as of a living person, being a member of the family, or
otherwise esteemed. Dinners were, of course, eaten on all occasions of
public rejoicing. Then, among the young people, subscription dinners,
very much after the manner of modern times, were always being got up;
only that they would be eaten not at an hotel, but probably at the house
of one of the _heterae_. A Greek dinner-party was a handsome,
well-regulated affair. The guests came in elegantly dressed and crowned
with flowers. A slave, approaching each person as he entered, took off
his sandals and washed his feet. During the repast, the guests reclined
on couches with pillows, among and along which were set small tables.
After the solid meal came the "symposium" proper, a scene of music,
merriment, and dancing, the two latter being supplied chiefly by young
girls. There was a chairman, or symposiarch, appointed by the company to
regulate the drinking; and it was his duty to mix the wine in the
"mighty bowl." From this bowl the attendants ladled the liquor into
goblets, and, with the goblets, went round and round the tables, filling
the cups of the guests.
1886. The gastronomist from whom we have already quoted, has some
aphorisms and short directions in relation to dinner-parties, which are
well deserving of notice:--"Let the number of your guests never exceed
twelve, so that the conversation may be general. [Footnote: We have seen
this varied by saying that the number should never exceed that of the
Muses or fall below that of the Graces.] Let the temperature of the
dining-room be about 68�. Let the dishes be few in number in the first
course, but proportionally good. The order of food is from the most
substantial to the lightest. The order of drinking wine is from the
mildest to the most foamy and most perfumed. To invite a person to your
house is to take charge of his happiness so long as he is beneath your
roof. The mistress of the house should always be certain that the coffee
be excellent; whilst the master should be answerable for the quality of
his wines and liqueurs."
BILLS OF FARE.
JANUARY.
_First Course._
_Entr�es._
_Second Course._
Roast Turkey.
Pigeon Pie.
Tongue, garnished.
Saddle of Mutton.
_Third Course._
Jelly.
Jelly.
Snipes,
removed by
Pommes � la Cond�.
We have given above the plan of placing the various dishes of the 1st
Course, Entr�es, 2nd Course, and 3rd Course. Following this will be
found bills of fare for smaller parties; and it will be readily seen, by
studying the above arrangement of dishes, how to place a less number for
the more limited company. Several _menus_ for dinners _� la Russe,_ are
also included in the present chapter.
FIRST COURSE.
Carrot Soup � la Cr�cy.
Oxtail Soup.
Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
Fried Smelts, with Dutch Sauce.
ENTREES.
Mutton Cutlets, with Soubise Sauce.
Sweetbreads.
Oyster Patties.
Fillets of Rabbits.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Turkey.
Stewed Rump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
Boiled Ham, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
Boiled Chickens and Celery Sauce.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Hare.
Teal.
Eggs � la Neige.
Vol-au-Vent of Preserved Fruit.
1 Jelly. 1 Cream.
Potatoes � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
Grilled Mushrooms.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup � la Reine.
Whitings au Gratin.
Crimped Cod and Oyster Sauce.
ENTREES.
Tendrons de Veau.
Curried Fowl and Boiled Rice.
SECOND COURSE.
Turkey, stuffed with Chestnuts, and Chestnut Sauce.
Boiled Leg of Mutton, English Fashion,
with Capers Sauce and Mashed Turnips.
THIRD COURSE.
Woodcocks or Partridges.
Widgeon.
Charlotte � la Vanille.
Cabinet Pudding.
Orange Jelly.
Blancmange.
Artichoke Bottoms.
Macaroni, with Parmesan Cheese.
FIRST COURSE.
Mulligatawny Soup.
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
Fried Whitings.
ENTREES.
Fricasseed Chicken.
Pork Cutlets, with Tomato Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Turkey and Celery Sauce.
Boiled Tongue, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Pheasants.
Meringues � la Cr�me.
Comp�te of Apples.
Orange Jelly.
Cheesecakes.
Souffl� of Rice.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Soles � la Normandie.
ENTREES.
Sweetbreads, with Sauce Piquante.
Mutton Cutlets, with Mashed Potatoes.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Venison.
Boiled Fowls and Bacon, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Plum-pudding.
Custards in Glasses.
Apple Tart.
Fondue � la Brillat Savarin.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Fried Slices of Codfish and Anchovy Sauce.
John Dory.
ENTREES.
Stewed Rump-steak � la Jardini�re Rissoles.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Leg of Mutton.
Curried Rabbit and Boiled Rice.
THIRD COURSE.
Partridges.
Apple Fritters.
Tartlets of Greengage Jam.
Orange Jelly.
Plum-pudding.
DESSERT.
1893.--DINNER FOR 6 PERSONS (January).--III.
FIRST COURSE.
Pea-soup.
Baked Haddock.
Soles � la Cr�me.
ENTREES.
Mutton Cutlets and Tomato Sauce.
Fricasseed Rabbit.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Pork and Apple Sauce.
Breast of Veal, Rolled and Stuffed.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Jugged Hare.
Whipped Cream, Blancmange.
Mince Pies.
Cabinet Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Palestine Soup.
Fried Smelts.
Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Rago�t of Lobster.
Broiled Mushrooms.
Vol-au-Vent of Chicken.
SECOND COURSE.
Sirloin of Beef.
Boiled Fowls and Celery Sauce.
Tongue, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Cheesecakes.
Transparent Jelly, inlaid with Brandy Cherries.
Blancmange.
Nesselrode Pudding.
1899. _Thursday._--1. Vegetable soup (the bones from the ribs of beef
should be boiled down with this soup), cold beef, mashed potatoes. 2.
Pheasants, gravy, bread sauce. 3. Macaroni.
* * * * *
1903. _Monday._--1. The remains of codfish picked from the bone, and
warmed through in the oyster sauce; if there is no sauce left, order a
few oysters and make a little fresh; and do not let the fish boil, or it
will be watery. 2. Curried rabbit, with boiled rice served separately,
cold mutton, mashed potatoes. 3. Somersetshire dumplings with wine
sauce.
1905. _Wednesday._--1. The remains of the fowls cut up into joints and
fricasseed; joint of roast pork and apple sauce, and, if liked,
sage-and-onion, served on a dish by itself; turnips and potatoes. 2.
Lemon pudding, either baked or boiled.
1907. _Friday._--1. Boiled beef, either the aitchbone or the silver side
of the round; carrots, turnips, suet dumplings, and potatoes: if there
is a marrowbone, serve the marrow on toast at the same time. 2. Rice
snowballs.
FEBRUARY.
Hare Soup,
removed by
Turbot and Oyster Sauce.
Oyster Soup,
removed by
Crimped Cod � la Ma�tre
d'H�tel.
_Entr�es._
Lark Pudding.
Fricasseed Chicken.
_Second Course._
Braised Capon.
Boiled Ham, garnished.
P�t� Chaud.
Haunch of Mutton.
_Third Course_
Ducklings,
removed by
Ice Pudding.
Partridges,
removed by
Cabinet Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup a la Reine.
Clear Gravy Soup.
Brill and Lobster Sauce.
Fried Smelts.
ENTREES.
Lobster Rissoles.
Beef Palates.
Pork Cutlets � la Soubise.
Grilled Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Braised Turkey.
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Capon and Oysters.
Tongue, garnished with tufts of Brocoli.
Vegetables and Salads.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Plovers.
Orange Jelly.
Clear Jelly.
Charlotte Russe.
Nesselrode Pudding.
G�teau de Riz.
Sea-kale.
Maids of Honour.
FIRST COURSE.
Palestine Soup.
John Dory, with Dutch Sauce.
Red Mullet, with Sauce G�noise.
ENTREES.
Sweetbread Cutlets, with Poivrade Sauce.
Fowl au B�chamel.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Saddle of Mutton.
Boiled Capon and Oysters.
Boiled Tongue, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Guinea-Fowls. Ducklings.
Pain de Rhubarb.
Orange Jelly.
Strawberry Cream.
Cheesecakes.
Almond Pudding.
Fig Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Mock Turtle Soup.
Fillets of Turbot a la Cr�me.
Fried Filleted Soles and Anchovy Sauce.
ENTREES.
Larded Fillets of Rabbits.
Tendrons de Veau with Pur�e of Tomatoes.
SECOND COURSE.
Stewed Rump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
Roast Fowls.
Boiled Ham.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Pigeons or Larks.
Rhubarb Tartlets.
Meringues.
Clear Jelly. Cream.
Ice Pudding.
Souffl�.
FIRST COURSE.
Rice Soup.
Red Mullet, with G�noise Sauce.
Fried Smelts.
ENTREES.
Fowl Pudding.
Sweetbreads.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Turkey and Sausages.
Boiled Leg of Pork.
Pease Pudding.
THIRD COURSE.
Lemon Jelly.
Charlotte � la Vanille.
Maids of Honour.
Plum-pudding, removed by Ice Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Spring Soup.
Boiled Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
ENTREES.
Fricasseed Rabbit.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Round of Beef and Marrow-bones.
Roast Fowls, garnished with Water-cresses and rolled Bacon.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Marrow Pudding.
Cheesecakes.
Tartlets of Greengage Jam.
Lemon Cream.
Rhubarb Tart.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Fried Whitings. Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Poulet � la Marengo.
Breast of Veal stuffed and rolled.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Leg of Pork and Apple Sauce.
Boiled Capon and Oysters.
Tongue, garnished with tufts of Brocoli.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Lobster Salad.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Pain de Rhubarb.
Vanilla Cream.
Orange Jelly.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Ox-tail Soup.
Cod � la Cr�me.
Fried Soles.
ENTREES.
Lark Pudding.
Fowl Scollops.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Leg of Mutton.
Boiled Turkey and Celery Sauce.
Pigeon Pie.
Small Ham, boiled and garnished.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Game, when liked.
Tartlets of Raspberry Jam.
Vol-au-Vent of Rhubarb.
Swiss Cream. Cabinet Pudding.
Brocoli and Sea-kale.
DESSERT.
1922. _Friday_.--1. Pea-soup made with liquor that the pork was boiled
in. 2. Cold pork, mashed potatoes. 3. Baked rice pudding.
* * * * *
1925. _Monday_.--1. The remainder of fowl curried and served with rice;
rump-steaks and oyster sauce, cold mutton. 2. Rolled jam pudding.
1926. _Tuesday_.--1. Vegetable soup made with liquor that the mutton was
boiled in on Sunday. 2. Roast sirloin of beef, Yorkshire pudding,
brocoli, and potatoes. 3. Cheese.
1928. _Thursday_.--1. Boiled rabbit and onion sauce, stewed beef and
vegetables, made with the remains of cold beef and bones. 2. Macaroni.
1929. _Friday_.--1. Roast leg of pork, sage and onions and apple sauce;
greens and potatoes. 2. Spinach and poached eggs instead of pudding.
Cheese and water-cresses.
1930. _Saturday_.--1. Rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, cold pork and
mashed potatoes. 2. Baked rice pudding.
MARCH.
_First Course._
Spring Soup,
removed by
Boiled Turbot and Lobster
Sauce.
_Entr�es_
Fricasseed Chicken.
Larded Sweetbreads.
_Second Course._
Fore-quarter of Lamb.
Braised Capon.
Roast Fowls.
Rump of Beef � la
Jardini�re.
_Third Course._
Guinea-Fowls, larded,
removed by
Cabinet Pudding.
Italian Cream.
Damson Tart. Ducklings, Cheesecakes.
removed by
Nesselrode Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
White Soup.
Clear Gravy Soup.
Boiled Salmon, Shrimp Sauce, and dressed Cucumber.
Baked Mullets in paper cases.
ENTREES.
Filet de Boeuf and Spanish Sauce.
Larded Sweetbreads.
Rissoles.
Chicken Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal and B�chamel Sauce.
Boiled Leg of Lamb.
Roast Fowls, garnished with Water-cresses.
Boiled Ham, garnished with Carrots and mashed Turnips.
Vegetables--Sea-kale, Spinach, or Brocoli.
THIRD COURSE.
Two Ducklings.
Guinea-Fowl, larded.
Orange Jelly.
Charlotte Russe.
Coffee Cream.
Ice Pudding.
Macaroni with Parmesan Cheese.
Spinach, garnished with Croutons.
FIRST COURSE.
Macaroni Soup.
Boiled Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
Salmon Cutlets.
ENTREES.
Comp�te of Pigeons.
Mutton Cutlets and Tomato Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb.
Boiled Half Calf's Head, Tongue, and Brains.
Boiled Bacon-cheek, garnished with spoonfuls of Spinach.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Plum-pudding.
Ginger Cream.
Trifle.
Rhubarb Tart.
Cheesecakes.
Fondues, in cases.
FIRST COURSE.
Calf's-Head Soup.
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
Broiled Mackerel � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
ENTREES.
Lobster Cutlets.
Calf's Liver and Bacon, aux fines herbes.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Loin of Veal.
Two Boiled Fowls � la B�chamel.
Boiled Knuckle of Ham.
Vegetables--Spinach or Brocoli.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Apple Custards.
Blancmange.
Lemon Jelly.
Jam Sandwiches.
Ice Pudding.
Potatoes � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Soles � la Cr�me.
ENTREES.
Veal Cutlets.
Small Vols-au-Vent.
SECOND COURSE.
Small Saddle of Mutton.
Half Calf's Head.
Boiled Bacon-cheek, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Cabinet Pudding.
Orange Jelly.
Custards, in glasses.
Rhubarb Tart.
Lobster Salad.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Baked Mullets.
ENTREES.
Chicken Cutlets.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb and Mint Sauce.
Boiled Leg of Pork.
Pease Pudding.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Swiss Cream.
Lemon Jelly.
Cheesecakes.
Rhubarb Tart.
Macaroni.
Dessert.
FIRST COURSE.
Oyster Soup.
Boiled Salmon and dressed Cucumber.
ENTREES.
Rissoles. Fricasseed Chicken.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Leg of Mutton, Caper Sauce.
Roast Fowls, garnished with
Water-cresses.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Orange Jelly.
Lemon Cream.
Souffl� of Arrowroot.
Sea-kale.
DESSERT.
1938.--DINNER FOR 6 PERSONS (March).--IV.
FIRST COURSE.
Ox-tail Soup.
Boiled Mackerel.
ENTREES.
Stewed Mutton Kidneys.
Minced Veal and Oysters.
SECOND COURSE.
Stewed Shoulder of Veal.
Roast Ribs of Beef and Horseradish Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Tartlets of Strawberry Jam.
Cheesecakes.
Gateau de Riz.
Carrot Pudding.
Sea-kale.
DESSERT.
1939. _Sunday_.--1. Boiled 1/2 calf's head, pickled pork, the tongue on
a small dish with the brains round it; mutton cutlets and mashed
potatoes. 2. Plum tart made with bottled fruit, baked custard pudding,
Baroness pudding.
1941. _Tuesday_.--1. Mock turtle soup, made with liquor that calf's head
was boiled in, and the pieces of head. 2. Hashed mutton, rump-steaks and
oyster sauce. 3. Boiled plum-pudding.
1943. _Thursday_.--1. Pea-soup made from liquor that beef was boiled in.
2. Stewed rump-steak, cold beef, mashed potatoes. 3. Rolled jam pudding.
* * * * *
1950. _Thursday_.--1. Vegetable soup made with liquor that the mutton
was boiled in, and mixed with the remains of gravy soup. 2. Roast ribs
of beef, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, brocoli and potatoes. 3.
Apple pudding or macaroni.
1951. _Friday_.--1. Stewed eels, pork cutlets and tomato sauce. 2. Cold
beef, mashed potatoes. 3. Plum tart made with bottled fruit.
APRIL.
_First Course._
Spring Soup,
removed by
Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
Soles a la Cr�me.
_Entr�es._
Grenadines de Veau.
_Second Course._
Larded Capon.
Spring Chickens.
Braised Turkey.
_Third Course._
Ducklings,
removed by
Cabinet Pudding.
Raspberry Cream.
Nesselrode Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup � la Reine.
Julienne Soup.
Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
Slices of Salmon a la Gen�v�se.
ENTREES.
Croquettes of Leveret.
Fricandeau de Veau.
Vol-au-Vent.
Stewed Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Fore-quarter of Lamb.
Saddle of Mutton.
Boiled Chickens and Asparagus Peas.
Boiled Tongue garnished with Tufts of Brocoli.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings. Larded Guinea-Fowls.
Charlotte a la Parisienne.
Orange Jelly.
Meringues.
Ratafia Ice Pudding.
Lobster Salad.
Sea-kale.
FIRST COURSE
Gravy Soup.
Salmon and Dressed Cucumber.
Shrimp Sauce.
Fillets of Whitings.
ENTREES.
Lobster Cutlets.
Chicken Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Boiled Leg of Lamb.
Ham, garnished with Brocoli.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Comp�te of Rhubarb.
Custards.
Vanilla Cream.
Orange Jelly.
Cabinet Pudding.
Ice Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Spring Soup.
Slices of Salmon and Caper Sauce.
Fried Filleted Soles.
ENTREES.
Chicken Vol-au-Vent.
Mutton Cutlets and Tomato Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Loin of Veal.
Boiled Fowls � la B�chamel.
Tongue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Guinea-Fowl.
Sea-kale.
Artichoke Bottoms.
Cabinet Pudding.
Blancmange.
Apricot Tartlets.
Rice Fritters.
Macaroni and Parmesan Cheese.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Tapioca Soup.
Boiled Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
ENTREES.
Sweetbreads.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Capon and White Sauce.
Tongue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Souffl� of Rice.
Lemon Cream.
Charlotte & la Parisienne.
Rhubarb Tart.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Fried Whitings.
Red Mullet.
ENTREES.
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
Rissoles.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Ribs of Beef.
Neck of Veal � la B�chamel.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Lemon Pudding.
Rhubarb Tart.
Custards.
Cheesecakes.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
ENTREES.
Fricandeau of Veal.
Lobster Cutlets.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fore-quarter of Lamb.
Boiled Chickens.
Tongue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Goslings.
Sea-kale.
Plum-pudding.
Whipped Cream.
Comp�te of Rhubarb.
Cheesecakes.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Ox-tail Soup.
Crimped Salmon.
ENTREES.
Croquettes of Chicken.
Mutton Cutlets and Soubise Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Boiled Bacon-cheek garnished with Sprouts.
Boiled Capon. Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Sea-kale. Lobster Salad.
Cabinet Pudding.
Ginger Cream.
Raspberry Jam Tartlets.
Rhubarb Tart. Macaroni.
DESSERT.
1965. _Thursday._--1. Pea-soup made with liquor that beef was boiled in.
2. Cold beef, mashed potatoes, mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. 3.
Macaroni.
1967. _Saturday._--1. Stewed veal with vegetables, made from the remains
of the shoulder. Broiled rump-steaks and oyster sauce. 2.
Yeast-dumplings.
* * * * *
1973. _Friday._--1. Irish stew or haricot, made from cold mutton, minced
veal. 2. Half-pay pudding.
MAY.
_First Course._
Asparagus Soup,
removed by
Salmon and Lobster
Sauce.
Oxtail Soup,
removed by
Brill & Shrimp Sauce.
_Entr�es._
Veal Rago�t.
_Second Course._
Saddle of Lamb.
Raised Pie.
Braised Ham.
Roast Veal.
_Third Course._
Noyeau Jelly.
Inlaid Jelly.
Plovers' Ducklings,
Eggs. removed by Tartlets.
Nesselrode Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
White Soup.
Asparagus Soup.
Salmon Cutlets. Boiled Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
ENTREES.
Chicken Vol-au-Vent.
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
Fricandeau of Veal.
Stewed Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb. Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled and Roast Fowls.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Goslings.
Charlotte Russe.
Vanilla Cream.
Gooseberry Tart. Custards.
Cheesecakes.
Cabinet Pudding and Iced Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Spring Soup.
Salmon � la Gen�v�se.
Red Mullet.
ENTREES.
Chicken Vol-au-Vent.
Calf's Liver and Bacon aux Fines Herbes.
SECOND COURSE.
Saddle of Mutton.
Half Calf's Head, Tongue, and Brains.
Braised Ham.
Asparagus.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Pigeons.
Ducklings.
Sponge-cake Pudding.
Charlotte � la Vanille.
Gooseberry Tart.
Cream.
Cheesecakes.
Apricot-jam Tart.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Brill and Lobster Sauce.
Fried Fillets of Mackerel.
ENTREES
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
Lobster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Boiled Leg of Lamb.
Asparagus.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Gooseberry Tart.
Custards.
Fancy Pastry.
Souffl�.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Boiled Salmon and Anchovy Sauce.
ENTREES.
Fillets of Beef and Tomato Sauce.
Sweetbreads.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb.
Boiled Capon.
Asparagus.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Cabinet Pudding.
Comp�te of Gooseberries.
Custards in Glasses.
Blancmange.
Lemon Tartlets.
Fondue.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Macaroni Soup.
Boiled Mackerel � la Maitre d'H�tel.
Fried Smelts.
ENTREES.
Scollops of Fowl.
Lobster Pudding.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Leg of Lamb and Spinach.
Roast Sirloin of Beef and Horseradish Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Leveret.
Salad.
Souffl� of Rice.
Ramekins.
Strawberry-jam Tartlets.
Orange Jelly.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Trout with Dutch Sauce.
Salmon Cutlets.
ENTREES.
Lamb Cutlets and Mushrooms.
Vol-au-Vent of Chicken.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb.
Calf's Head � la Tortue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Spring Chickens.
Iced Pudding.
Vanilla Cream.
Clear Jelly.
Tartlets.
Cheesecakes.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup � la Reine.
Crimped Trout and Lobster Sauce.
Baked Whitings aux Fines Herbes.
ENTREES.
Braised Mutton Cutlets and Cucumbers.
Stewed Pigeons.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Bacon-cheek and Greens.
Fillet of Beef � la Jardini�re.
THIRD COURSE.
Ducklings.
Souffl� � la Vanille.
Comp�te of Oranges.
Meringues.
Gooseberry Tart.
Fondue.
DESSERT.
* * * * *
JUNE.
_First Course_.
Asparagus Soup,
removed by
Crimped Salmon.
Fillets of Garnets. Vase of Soles aux fines herbes.
Flowers.
Vermicelli Soup,
removed by Whitebait.
_Entr�es_.
Larded Sweetbreads.
_Second Course_.
Saddle of Lamb.
Tongue.
Ham.
_Third Course_.
Wine Jelly.
Blancmange.
Goslings,
removed by
Cheesecake Fondues, in cases. Plover's Eggs.
FIRST COURSE.
Green-Pea Soup.
Rice Soup.
Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
Trout � la Gen�v�se.
Whitebait.
ENTREES.
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
Fricasseed Chicken.
Lobster Rissoles.
Stewed Veal and Peas.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Quarter of Lamb and Spinach.
Filet de Boeuf � la Jardini�re.
Boiled Fowls.
Braised Shoulder of Lamb.
Tongue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Goslings.
Ducklings.
Nesselrode Pudding.
Charlotte � la Parisienne.
Gooseberry Tartlets.
Strawberry Cream.
Raspberry-and-Currant Tart.
Custards.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Salmon Trout and Parsley-and-Butter.
Red Mullet.
ENTREES.
Stewed Breast of Veal and Peas.
Mutton Cutlets � la Maintenon.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Boiled Leg of Lamb, garnished with young Carrots.
Boiled Bacon-cheek.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Ducks.
Leveret.
Gooseberry Tart.
Strawberry Cream.
Strawberry Tartlets,
Meringues.
Cabinet Pudding.
Iced Pudding.
ENTREES.
Lamb Cutlets and Peas.
Fricasseed Chicken.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Ribs of Beef.
Half Calf's Head, Tongue, and Brains.
Boiled Ham.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Ducks.
Comp�te of Gooseberries.
Strawberry Jelly.
Pastry.
Iced Pudding.
Cauliflower with Cream Sauce.
FIRST COURSE.
Spring Soup.
Boiled Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Loin of Veal.
Boiled Leg of Lamb and White Sauce.
Tongue, garnished.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Strawberry Cream.
Gooseberry Tartlets.
Almond Pudding.
Lobster Salad.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Calf's-Head Soup.
Mackerel � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
Whitebait.
ENTREES.
Chicken Cutlets.
Curried Lobster.
SECOND COURSE.
Fore-quarter of Lamb and Salad.
Stewed Beef � la Jardini�re.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Goslings.
Green-Currant Tart.
Custards, in glasses.
Strawberry Blancmange.
Souffl� of Rice.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Green-Pea Soup.
Baked Soles aux fines herbes.
Stewed Trout.
ENTREES.
Calf's Liver and Bacon.
Rissoles.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Saddle of Lamb and Salad.
Calf's Head � la Tortue.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Ducks.
Vol-au-Vent of Strawberries and Cream.
Strawberry Tartlets.
Lemon Blancmange.
Baked Gooseberry Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Spinach Soup.
Soles � la Cr�me.
Red Mullet.
ENTREES.
Roast Fillet of Veal.
Braised Ham and Spinach.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Fowls and White Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Leveret.
Strawberry Jelly.
Swiss Cream.
Cheesecakes.
Iced Pudding.
DESSERT.
2006. _Monday_.--1. Light gravy soup. 2. Small meat pie, minced veal,
garnished with rolled bacon, spinach and potatoes.
3. Raspberry-and-currant tart.
2010. _Friday_.--1. Cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. 2.
Boiled gooseberry pudding and baked custard pudding.
* * * * *
2013. _Monday_.--1. Cold lamb and salad, stewed neck of veal and peas,
young carrots, and new potatoes. 2. Almond pudding.
2018. _Saturday_.--1. Cold boiled beef and salad, lamb cutlets and green
peas. 2. Boiled gooseberry pudding and plain cream.
JULY.
2019.--DINNER FOR 18 PERSONS.
_First Course_.
Green-Pea Soup,
removed by
Salmon and dressed
Cucumber.
Soup � la Reine,
removed by
Mackerel � la Maitre
d'H�tel.
_Entr�es_
Chicken Patties.
_Second Course_.
Haunch of Venison.
Pigeon Pie.
Braised Ham.
Saddle of Lamb.
_Third Course_.
Strawberry Cream.
Green Goose,
removed by
Creams. Iced Pudding. Tartlets.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup � la Jardini�re.
Chicken Soup.
Crimped Salmon and Parsley-and-Butter.
Trout aux fines herbes, in cases.
ENTREES.
Tendrons de Veau and Peas.
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
SECOND COURSE.
Loin of Veal � la B�chamel.
Roast Fore-quarter of Lamb.
Salad.
Braised Ham, garnished with Broad Beans.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Ducks.
Turkey Poult.
Stewed Peas � la Francaise.
Lobster Salad.
Cherry Tart.
Raspberry-and-Currant Tart.
Custards, in glasses.
Lemon Creams.
Nesselrode Pudding.
Marrow Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Green-Pea Soup.
Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
Crimped Perch and Dutch Sauce.
ENTREES.
Stewed Veal and Peas.
Lamb Cutlets and Cucumbers.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Venison.
Boiled Fowls � la B�chamel.
Braised Ham.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Ducks.
Peas � la Fran�aise.
Lobster Salad.
Strawberry Cream.
Blancmange.
Cherry Tart.
Cheesecakes.
Iced Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Soup � la Jardini�re.
Salmon Trout and Parsley-and-Butter.
Fillets of Mackerel � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
ENTREES.
Lobster Cutlets.
Beef Palates � la Italienne.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb.
Boiled Capon and White Sauce.
Boiled Tongue, garnished with small Vegetable Marrows.
Bacon and Beans.
THIRD COURSE.
Goslings.
Whipped Strawberry Cream.
Raspberry-and-Currant Tart.
Meringues.
Cherry Tartlets.
Iced Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Crimped Salmon and Caper Sauce.
Whitebait.
ENTREES.
Croquettes � la Reine.
Curried Lobster.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Lamb.
Rump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
THIRD COURSE.
Larded Turkey Poult.
Raspberry Cream.
Cherry Tart.
Custards, in glasses.
G�teaux � la Gen�v�se.
Nesselrode Pudding.
DESSERT.
2026. _Tuesday_.--1. John dory and lobster sauce. 2. Curried fowl with
remains of cold fowls, dish of rice, veal rolls with remains of cold
fillet. 3. Strawberry cream.
2030. _Saturday_.--1. Cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. 2.
Rolled jam pudding.
* * * * *
AUGUST.
Mock-Turtle Soup,
removed by
Broiled Salmon and
Caper Sauce.
Soup � la Julienne,
removed by
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
_Entr�es._
Fricandeau de Veau
� la Jardini�re.
Fillets of Ducks
and Peas.
_Second Course._
Haunch of Venison.
Ham, garnished.
Leveret Pie.
Saddle of Mutton.
_Third Course._
Grouse,
removed by
Cabinet Pudding.
Larded Peahen,
removed by
Iced Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Soup � la Reine.
Boiled Salmon.
Fried Flounders.
Trout en Matelot.
ENTREES.
Stewed Pigeons.
Sweetbreads.
Rago�t of Ducks.
Fillets of Chickens and Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Quarter of Lamb.
Cotelette de Boeuf � la Jardini�re.
Roast Fowls and Boiled Tongue.
Bacon and Beans.
THIRD COURSE.
Grouse.
Wheatears.
Greengage Tart.
Whipped Cream.
Vol-au-Vent of Plums.
Fruit Jelly.
Iced Pudding.
Cabinet Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Julienne Soup.
Fillets of Turbot and Dutch Sauce.
Red Mullet.
ENTREES.
Riz de Veau aux Tomates.
Fillets of Ducks and Peas.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Venison.
Boiled Capon and Oysters.
Ham, garnished.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Leveret.
Fruit Jelly.
Compote of Greengages.
Plum Tart. Custards, in glasses.
Omelette souffl�.
DESSERT AND ICES.
FIRST COURSE.
Macaroni Soup.
Crimped Salmon and Sauce Hollandaise.
Fried Fillets of Trout.
ENTREES.
Tendrons de Veau and Stewed Peas.
Salmi of Grouse.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Loin of Veal.
Boiled Bacon, garnished with French Beans.
Stewed Beef � la Jardini�re.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Turkey Poult.
Plum Tart.
Custard Pudding.
Vol-au-Vent of Pears.
Strawberry Cream.
Ratafia Souffl�.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Vegetable-Marrow Soup.
Stowed Mullet.
Fillets of Salmon and Ravigotte Sauce.
ENTREES.
Curried Lobster.
Fricandeau de Veau � la Jardini�re.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Saddle of Mutton.
Stewed Shoulder of Veal, garnished with Forcemeat Balls.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Grouse and Bread Sauce.
Vol-au-Vent of Greengages.
Fruit Jolly.
Raspberry Cream.
Custards.
Fig Pudding.
DESSERT.
PLAIN FAMILY DINNERS FOR AUGUST.
2044. _Monday_.--1. Cold lamb and salad, small meat pie, vegetable
marrow and white sauce. 2. Lemon dumplings.
2048. _Friday_.--1. Fried soles and melted butter. 2. Cold beef and
salad, lamb cutlets and mashed potatoes. 3. Cauliflowers and white sauce
instead of pudding.
* * * * *
2051. _Monday_.--1. Baked soles. 2. Cold veal and bacon, salad, mutton
cutlets and tomato sauce. 3. Boiled currant pudding.
2055. _Friday_.--1. Vegetable soup, made from liquor that beef was
boiled in. 2. Cold beef and dressed cucumber, veal cutlets and tomato
sauce. 3. Fondue.
SEPTEMBER.
_First Course_.
Julienne Soup,
removed by
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
Giblet Soup,
removed by
Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
_Entr�es_.
Sweetbreads and
Tomata Sauce.
_Second Course_.
Saddle of Mutton.
Veal-and-Ham Pie.
Filet of Veal.
_Third Course_.
Comp�te of Greengages.
Pastry Sandwiches.
Mock-Turtle Soup.
Soup � la Jardini�re
Salmon and Lobster Sauce.
Fried Whitings.
Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Veal Cutlets.
Scalloped Oysters.
Curried Fowl.
Grilled Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Calf's Head � la B�chamel.
Braised Ham.
Roast Fowls aux Cressons.
THIRD COURSE.
Leveret.
Grouse.
Cabinet Pudding.
Iced Pudding.
Comp�te of Plumbs.
Damson Tart.
Cream.
Fruit Jelly.
Prawns.
Lobster Salad.
FIRST COURSE.
Flemish Soup.
Turbot, garnished with Fried Smelts.
Red Mullet and Italian Sauce.
ENTREES.
Tendrons de Veau and Truffles.
Lamb Cutlets and Sauce Piquante.
SECOND COURSE.
Loin of Veal � la B�chamel.
Roast Haunch of Venison.
Braised Ham.
Grouse Pie.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Hare.
Plum Tart.
Whipped Cream.
Punch Jelly.
Comp�te of Damsons.
Marrow Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Game Soup.
Crimped Skate.
Slices of Salmon a la Gen�v�se.
ENTREES.
Fricasseed Sweetbreads.
Savoury Rissoles.
SECOND COURSE.
Sirloin of Beef and Horseradish Sauce.
Boiled Leg of Mutton and Caper Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Partridges.
Charlotte Russe.
Apricots and Rice.
Fruit Jelly.
Cabinet Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Thick Gravy Soup.
Fillets of Turbot � la Cr�me.
Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Vol-au-Vent of Lobster.
Salmi of Grouse.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Venison.
Rump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
Hare, boned and larded, with Mushrooms.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Grouse.
Apricot Blancmange.
Comp�te of peaches.
Plum Tart.
Custards.
Plum-pudding.
DESSERT.
PLAIN FAMILY DINNERS FOR SEPTEMBER.
2063. _Monday_.--1. Crimped skate and crab sauce. 2. Cold beef and
salad; small veal-and-ham pie. 3. Vegetable marrow and white sauce.
2066. _Thursday_.--1. Vegetable soup, made from liquor that beef was
boiled in. 2. Lamb cutlets and cucumbers, cold beef and salad. 3. Apple
pudding.
* * * * *
2069. _Sunday_.--1. Fried filleted soles and anchovy sauce. 2. Roast leg
of mutton, brown onion sauce, French beans, and potatoes; half calf's
head, tongue, and brains. 3. Plum tart; custards, in glasses.
2073. _Thursday_.--1. Brill and shrimp sauce. 2. Roast hare, gravy, and
red-currant jelly; mutton cutlets and mashed potatoes. 3. Scalloped
oysters, instead of pudding.
OCTOBER.
Mock-Turtle Soup,
removed by
Crimped Cod and Oyster
Sauce.
Julienne Soup,
removed by
John Dory and Dutch
Sauce.
_Entr�es_
_Second Course._
Roast Saddle of
Mutton.
Grouse Pie.
Ham.
Larded Turkey.
_Third Course._
Italian Cream.
Peach Jelly.
Roast Hare,
removed by
Lobster Salad. Iced Pudding. Apple Tart.
DESSERT AND ICES.
FIRST COURSE.
Carrot Soup � la Cr�ci.
Soup � la Reine.
Baked Cod.
Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Riz de Veau and Tomata Sauce.
Vol-au-Vent of Chicken.
Pork Cutlets and Sauce Robert.
Grilled Mushrooms.
SECOND COURSE.
Rump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
Roast Goose.
Boiled Fowls and Celery Sauce.
Tongue, garnished.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Grouse.
Pheasants.
Quince Jelly.
Lemon Cream.
Apple Tart.
Compote of Peaches.
Nesselrode Pudding.
Cabinet Pudding.
Scalloped Oysters.
FIRST COURSE.
Calf's-Head Soup.
Crimped Cod and Oyster Sauce.
Stewed Eels.
ENTREES.
Stewed Mutton Kidneys.
Curried Sweetbreads.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Leg of Mutton, garnished with Carrots and Turnips. Roast Goose.
THIRD COURSE.
Partridges.
Fruit Jelly. Italian Cream.
Vol-au-Vent of Pears.
Apple Tart.
Cabinet Pudding.
DESSERT AND ICES.
FIRST COURSE.
Hare Soup.
Broiled Cod � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
Haddocks and Egg Sauce.
ENTREES.
Veal Cutlets, garnished with French Beans.
Haricot Mutton.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Capon and Rice.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Pheasants.
Punch Jelly. Blancmange.
Apples � la Portugaise.
Charlotte � la Vanille.
Marrow Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Mock-Turtle Soup.
Brill and Lobster Sauce.
Fried Whitings.
ENTREES.
Fowl � la B�chamel.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Sucking-Pig.
Stewed Hump of Beef � la Jardini�re.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Grouse.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Coffee Cream.
Cheesecakes.
Apricot Tart.
Iced Pudding.
DESSERT.
2082. _Monday_.--1. Vegetable soup, made from liquor that mutton was
boiled in. 2. Sucking-pig en blanquette, small meat pie, French beans,
and potatoes. 3. Pudding, pies.
* * * * *
NOVEMBER.
2095.--DINNER FOR 18 PERSONS.
_First Course._
_Entr�es._
Poulet � la Marengo.
Mushrooms saut�s.
_Second Course._
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Ham.
_Third Course._
Wine Jelly.
Snipes,
removed by
Prawns. Charlotte glac�e. Apricot
Tartlets.
FIRST COURSE.
Hare Soup.
Julienne Soup.
Baked Cod.
Soles � la Normandie.
ENTREES.
Riz de Veau aux Tomates.
Lobster Patties.
Mutton Cutlets and Soubise Sauce.
Cro�tades of Marrow aux fines herbes.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Sirloin of Beef.
Braised Goose.
Boiled Fowls and Celery Sauce.
Bacon-cheek, garnished with Sprouts.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Partridges.
Apples � la Portugaise.
Bavarian Cream.
Apricot-jam Sandwiches.
Cheesecakes.
Charlotte � la Vanille.
Plum-pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Mulligatawny Soup.
Fried slices of Codfish and Oyster Sauce.
Eels en Matelote.
ENTREES.
Broiled Pork Cutlets and Tomata Sauce.
Tendrons de Veau � la Jardini�re.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Leg of Mutton and Vegetables.
Roast Goose.
Cold Game Pie.
THIRD COURSE.
Snipes.
Teal.
Apple Souffl�.
Iced Charlotte.
Tartlets.
Champagne Jelly.
Coffee Cream.
Mince Pies.
FIRST COURSE.
Oyster Soup.
Crimped Cod and Oyster Sauce.
Fried Perch and Dutch Sauce.
ENTREES.
Pigs' Feet � la B�chamel.
Curried Rabbit.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Sucking-Pig.
Boiled Fowls and Oyster Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Jugged Hare.
Meringues � la Cr�me.
Apple Custard.
Vol-au-Vent of Pears.
Whipped Cream.
Cabinet Pudding.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Game Soup.
Slices of Codfish and Dutch Sauce.
Fried Eels.
ENTREES.
Kidneys � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Saddle of Mutton.
Boiled Capon and Rice.
Small Ham.
Lark Pudding.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Hare.
Apple Tart.
Pineapple Cream.
Clear Jelly.
Cheesecakes.
Marrow Pudding.
Nesselrode Pudding.
DESSERT.
2105. _Friday_.--1. Roast hare, gravy, and currant jelly; rump-steak and
oyster sauce; vegetables. 2. Macaroni.
* * * * *
2107. _Sunday_.--1. Crimped cod and oyster sauce. 2. Roast fowls, small
boiled ham, vegetables; rump-steak pie. 3. Baked apple pudding, open jam
tart.
DECEMBER.
_First Course_.
Mock-Turtle Soup,
removed by
Cod's Head and Shoulders
and Oyster Sauce.
_Entr�es_.
Sweetbreads.
_Second Course_.
Haunch of Mutton.
Game Pie.
_Third Course_.
Plum-pudding.
Vanilla Cream.
Blancmange.
Wild Ducks,
removed by
Tipsy Cake. Iced Pudding. Mince Pies.
FIRST COURSE.
Game Soup.
Clear Vermicelli Soup.
Codfish au gratin.
Fillets of Whitings � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
ENTREES.
Filet de Boeuf and Sauce Piquante.
Fricasseed Chicken.
Oyster Patties.
Curried Rabbit.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Turkey and Sausages.
Boiled Leg of Pork and Vegetables.
Roast Goose.
Stewed Beef � la Jardini�re.
THIRD COURSE.
Widgeon.
Partridges.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Mince Pies.
Orange Jelly.
Lemon Cream.
Apple Tart.
Cabinet Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Mulligatawny Soup.
Fried Slices of Codfish.
Soles � la Cr�me.
ENTREES.
Croquettes of Fowl.
Pork Cutlets and Tomata Sauce.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Ribs of Beef.
Boiled Turkey and Celery Sauce.
Tongue, garnished.
Lark Pudding. Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Roast Hare. Grouse.
Plum-pudding. Mince Pies.
Charlotte � la Parisienne.
Cheesecakes.
Apple Tart.
Nesselrode Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Carrot Soup.
Crimped Cod and Oyster Sauce.
Baked Soles.
ENTREES.
Mutton Kidneys � la Fran�aise.
Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Boiled Beef and Vegetables.
Marrow-bones.
Roast Fowls and Water-cresses
Tongue, garnished.
Game Pie.
THIRD COURSE.
Partridges.
Blancmange.
Comp�te of Apples.
Vol-au-Vent of Pears.
Almond Cheesecakes.
Lemon Pudding.
FIRST COURSE.
Rabbit Soup.
Brill and Shrimp Sauce.
ENTREES.
Curried Fowl. Oyster Patties.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Turkey and Sausages.
Boiled Leg of Pork. Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Hunters' Pudding.
Lemon Cheesecakes.
Apple Tart. Custards, in glasses.
Raspberry Cream.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Ox-tail Soup.
Crimped Cod and Oyster Sauce.
ENTREES.
Savoury Rissoles.
Fowl Scollops � la B�chamel.
SECOND COURSE.
Haunch of Mutton.
Boiled Chickens and Celery Sauce.
Bacon-cheek, garnished with Brussels Sprouts.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Snipes.
Orange Jelly. Cheesecakes.
Apples � la Portugaise.
Apricot-jam Tartlets.
Souffl� of Rice.
DESSERT.
FIRST COURSE.
Vermicelli Soup.
Soles � la Ma�tre d'H�tel.
Fried Eels.
ENTREES.
Pork Cutlets and Tomato Sauce.
Rago�t of Mutton � la Jardini�re.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Goose.
Boiled Leg of Mutton and Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Pheasants.
Whipped Cream.
Meringues. Comp�te of Normandy Pippins.
Mince Pies. Plum-pudding.
Dessert.
FIRST COURSE.
Carrot Soup.
Baked Cod.
Fried Smelts.
ENTREES.
Stewed Rump-steak � la Jardini�re.
Fricasseed Chicken.
SECOND COURSE.
Roast Leg of Mutton, boned and stuffed.
Boiled Turkey and Oyster Sauce.
Vegetables.
THIRD COURSE.
Wild Ducks.
Fancy Pastry.
Lemon Cream.
Damson Tart, with bottled fruit.
Custards, in glasses.
Cabinet Pudding.
Dessert.
2124. _Tuesday_.--1. Hashed beef and broiled bones, pork cutlets and
tomata sauce; vegetables. 2. Baked lemon pudding.
* * * * *
2129. _Sunday_.--1. Roast turkey and sausages, boiled leg of pork, pease
pudding, vegetables. 2. Baked apple pudding, mince pies.
2131. _Tuesday_.--1. Pea-soup made from liquor in which pork was boiled.
2. Boiled fowls and celery sauce, vegetables. 3. Baked rice pudding.
2134. _Friday_.--1. Hare soup, made with stock and remains of roast
hare. 2. Hashed mutton, pork cutlets, and mashed potatoes. 3. Open
tarts, rice blancmange.
_First course_.
Hare Soup.
Pur�e of Grouse. Vase of Pheasant Soup.
Flowers.
Soup � la Reine.
_Entr�es_.
Perdrixaux Choux.
Curried Rabbit.
_Second Course_.
Larded Pheasants.
Leveret, larded and
stuffed.
Grouse.
Larded Partridges.
_Third Course_.
Quails.
Teal.
Dantzic Jelly.
Charlotte Russe.
Maids of Plum Pudding. Comp�te of
Honour. Apples.
_Dessert._
Apples.
MENU.
Julienne Soup.
Vermicelli Soup.
Boiled Salmon.
Turbot and Lobster Sauce.
Soles-Water Souchy.
Perch-Water Souchy.
Red Mullet.
Trout.
Lobster Rissoles.
Whitebait.
Canards � la Rouennaise.
Mutton Cutlets � la Jardini�re.
Tongue.
Ham and Peas.
Quails, larded.
Roast Ducks.
Turkey Poult, larded.
Mayonnaise of Chicken.
Tomatas.
Green Peas � la Fran�aise.
Su�doise of Strawberries.
Charlotte Russe.
Comp�te of Cherries.
Neapolitan Cakes.
Pastry.
Madeira Wine Jelly.
MENU.
Ox-tail Soup.
Soup � la Jardini�re.
Stewed Eels.
Soles � la Normandie.
Lobster Rissoles.
Oyster Patties.
Roast Beef.
Poulets aux Cressons.
Haunch of Mutton.
Roast Turkey.
Grouse.
Pheasants.
Hare.
Salad.
Artichokes.
Stewed Celery.
Italian Cream.
Charlotte aux Pommes.
Comp�te of Pears.
Iced Pudding.
SUPPERS.
2140. Where small rooms and large parties necessitate having a standing
supper, many things enumerated in the following bill of fare may be
placed on the buffet. Dishes for these suppers should be selected which
may be eaten standing without any trouble. The following list may,
perhaps, assist our readers in the arrangement of a buffet for a
standing supper.
2141. Beef, ham, and tongue sandwiches, lobster and oyster patties,
sausage rolls, meat rolls, lobster salad, dishes of fowls, the latter
_all cut up_; dishes of sliced ham, sliced tongue, sliced beef, and
galantine of veal; various jellies, blancmanges, and creams; custards in
glasses, comp�tes of fruit, tartlets of jam, and several dishes of small
fancy pastry; dishes of fresh fruit, bonbons, sweetmeats, two or three
sponge cakes, a few plates of biscuits, and the buffet ornamented with
vases of fresh or artificial flowers. The above dishes are quite
sufficient for a standing supper; where more are desired, a supper must
then be laid and arranged in the usual manner.
Boar's Head,
garnished with Aspic Jelly.
Lobster Salad Lobster Salad.
Fruited Jelly. Mayonnaise of Fowl. Charlotte Russe.
Two Roast Fowls, cut up. Two Roast Fowls, cut up.
Tipsy Cake
Lobster Salad. Lobster Salad.
Fruited Jelly. Swiss Cream.
Roast Pheasant.
Meringues. EPERGNE, WITH FRUIT. Meringues.
Tipsy Cake.
Small Pastry. Biscuits.
Raised Game Pie.
Two Roast Fowls, cut up. Two Roast Fowls, cut up.
Tongue, ornamented.
Prawns. Prawns.
Two Boiled Fowls, with B�chamel
Sauce.
Biscuits. Small Pastry.
EPERGNE, WITH FRUIT.
Lobster Salad. Lobster Salad.
Fruited Jelly. Iced Savoy Cake. Blancmange.
Mayonnaise of Fowl.
Charlotte Russe. Fruited Jelly.
Larded Capon.
_Note:_ When soup is served from the buffet, Mock Turtle and Julienne
may be selected. Besides the articles enumerated above, Ices, Wafers,
Biscuits, Tea, Coffee, Wines and Liqueurs will be required. Punch a la
Romaine may also be added to the list of beverages.
[Columns 1 and 5]
4 Blancmanges, to be placed down the table.
4 Jellies, to be placed down the table.
3 Dishes of Small Pastry.
3 Fruit Tarts.
3 Cheesecakes.
3 Compotes of Fruit.
3 English Pines.
20 Small Dishes of various Summer Fruits.
[Column 2]
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
Charlotte Russe � la Vanille.
Lobster Salad
Pigeon Pie.
Lobster Salad.
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
Larded Capon.
Lobster Salad.
Pigeon Pie.
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
Savoy Cake.
Lobster Salad.
[Column 3]
Tongue.
Ribs of Lamb.
Two Roast Fowls.
Mayonnaise of Salmon.
Epergne, with Flowers.
Mayonnaise of Trout.
Tongue, garnished.
Boiled Fowls and B�chamel Sauce.
Collared Eel.
Ham.
Raised Pie.
Two Roast Fowls.
Shoulder of Lamb, stuffed.
Mayonnaise of Salmon.
Epergne, with Flowers.
Mayonnaise of Trout.
Tongue.
Boiled Fowls and B�chamel Sauce.
Raised Pie.
Ham, decorated.
Shoulder of Lamb, stuffed.
Two Roast Fowls.
Mayonnaise of Salmon.
Epergne, with Flowers.
Mayonnaise of Trout.
Tongue, garnished.
Boiled Fowls and B�chamel Sauce.
Collared Eel.
[Column 4]
Veal-and-Ham Pie.
Lobster Salad.
Savoy Cake.
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
Lobster Salad.
Boar's Head.
Pigeon Pie.
Lobster Salad.
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
Lobster Salad.
Charlotte Russe � la Vanille.
Veal and Ham Pie.
Dish of Lobster, cut up.
_Note_.--The length of the page will not admit of our giving the dishes
as they should be placed on the table; they should be arranged with the
large and high dishes down the centre, and the spaces filled up with the
smaller dishes, fruit, and flowers, taking care that the flavours and
colours contrast nicely, and that no two dishes of a sort come together.
This bill of fare may be made to answer three or four purposes, placing
a wedding cake or christening cake in the centre on a high stand, if
required for either of these occasions. A few dishes of fowls, lobster
salads, &c. &c., should be kept in reserve to replenish those that are
most likely to be eaten first. A joint of cold roast and boiled beef
should be placed on the buffet, as being something substantial for the
gentlemen of the party to partake of. Besides the articles enumerated in
the bill of fare, biscuits and wafers will be required, cream-and-water
ices, tea, coffee, wines, liqueurs, soda-water, ginger-beer, and
lemonade.
BREAKFASTS.
2144. It will not be necessary to give here a long bill of fare of cold
joints, &c., which may be placed on the side-board, and do duty at the
breakfast-table. Suffice it to say, that any cold meat the larder may
furnish, should be nicely garnished, and be placed on the buffet.
Collared and potted meats or fish, cold game or poultry, veal-and-ham
pies, game-and-Rump-steak pies, are all suitable dishes for the
breakfast-table; as also cold ham, tongue, &c. &c.
2145. The following list of hot dishes may perhaps assist our readers in
knowing what to provide for the comfortable meal called breakfast.
Broiled fish, such as mackerel, whiting, herrings, dried haddocks, &c.;
mutton chops and rump-steaks, broiled sheep's kidneys, kidneys � la
ma�tre d'h�tel, sausages, plain rashers of bacon, bacon and poached
eggs, ham and poached eggs, omelets, plain boiled eggs, oeufs-au-plat,
poached eggs on toast, muffins, toast, marmalade, butter, &c. &c.
2146. In the summer, and when they are obtainable, always have a vase of
freshly-gathered flowers on the breakfast-table, and, when convenient, a
nicely-arranged dish of fruit: when strawberries are in season, these
are particularly refreshing; as also grapes, or even currants.
2149. A joint of cold roast beef, a joint of cold boiled beef, 2 ribs of
lamb, 2 shoulders of lamb, 4 roast fowls, 2 roast ducks, 1 ham, 1
tongue, 2 veal-and-ham pies, 2 pigeon pies, 6 medium-sized lobsters, 1
piece of collared calf's head, 18 lettuces, 6 baskets of salad, 6
cucumbers.
2150. Stewed fruit well sweetened, and put into glass bottles well
corked; 3 or 4 dozen plain pastry biscuits to eat with the stewed fruit,
2 dozen fruit turnovers, 4 dozen cheesecakes, 2 cold cabinet puddings in
moulds, 2 blancmanges in moulds, a few jam puffs, 1 large cold
plum-pudding (this must be good), a few baskets of fresh fruit, 3 dozen
plain biscuits, a piece of cheese, 6 lbs. of butter (this, of course,
includes the butter for tea), 4 quartern loaves of household broad, 3
dozen rolls, 6 loaves of tin bread (for tea), 2 plain plum cakes, 2
pound cakes, 2 sponge cakes, a tin of mixed biscuits, 1/2 lb, of tea.
Coffee is not suitable for a picnic, being difficult to make.
DOMESTIC SERVANTS.
CHAPTER XLI.
2157. The domestic duties of the butler are to bring in the eatables at
breakfast, and wait upon the family at that meal, assisted by the
footman, and see to the cleanliness of everything at table. On taking
away, he removes the tray with the china and plate, for which he is
responsible. At luncheon, he arranges the meal, and waits unassisted,
the footman being now engaged in other duties. At dinner, he places the
silver and plated articles on the table, sees that everything is in its
place, and rectifies what is wrong. He carries in the first dish, and
announces in the drawing-room that dinner is on the table, and
respectfully stands by the door until the company are seated, when he
takes his place behind his master's chair on the left, to remove the
covers, handing them to the other attendants to carry out. After the
first course of plates is supplied, his place is at the sideboard to
serve the wines, but only when called on.
2158. The first course ended, he rings the cook's bell, and hands the
dishes from the table to the other servants to carry away, receiving
from them the second course, which he places on the table, removing the
covers as before, and again taking his place at the sideboard.
2159. At dessert, the slips being removed, the butler receives the
dessert from the other servants, and arranges it on the table, with
plates and glasses, and then takes his place behind his master's chair
to hand the wines and ices, while the footman stands behind his mistress
for the same purpose, the other attendants leaving the room. Where the
old-fashioned practice of having the dessert on the polished table,
without any cloth, is still adhered to, the butler should rub off any
marks made by the hot dishes before arranging the dessert.
2160. Before dinner, he has satisfied himself that the lamps, candles,
or gas-burners are in perfect order, if not lighted, which will usually
be the case. Having served every one with their share of the dessert,
put the fires in order (when these are used), and seen the lights are
all right, at a signal from his master, he and the footman leave the
room.
2163. In addition to these duties, the butler, where only one footman is
kept, will be required to perform some of the duties of the valet, to
pay bills, and superintend the other servants. But the real duties of
the butler are in the wine-cellar; there he should be competent to
advise his master as to the price and quality of the wine to be laid in;
"fine," bottle, cork, and seal it, and place it in the binns. Brewing,
racking, and bottling malt liquors, belong to his office, as well as
their distribution. These and other drinkables are brought from the
cellar every day by his own hands, except where an under-butler is kept;
and a careful entry of every bottle used, entered in the cellar-book; so
that the book should always show the contents of the cellar.
2165. The butler, we have said, has charge of the contents of the
cellars, and it is his duty to keep them in a proper condition, to fine
down wine in wood, bottle it off, and store it away in places suited to
the sorts. Where wine comes into the cellar ready bottled, it is usual
to return the same number of empty bottles; the butler has not, in this
case, the same inducements to keep the bottles of the different sorts
separated; but where the wine is bottled in the house, he will find his
account, not only in keeping them separate, but in rinsing them well,
and even washing them with clean water as soon as they are empty.
2168. As the wine draws near to the bottom of the cask, a thick
piece of muslin is placed in the strainer, to prevent the
viscous grounds from passing into the bottle.
2169. Having carefully counted the bottles, they are stored away
in their respective binns, a layer of sand or sawdust being
placed under the first tier, and another over it; a second tier
is laid over this, protected by a lath, the head of the second
being laid to the bottom of the first; over this another bed of
sawdust is laid, not too thick, another lath; and so on till the
binn is filled.
2171. Where a single footman, or odd man, is the only male servant,
then, whatever his ostensible position, he is required to make himself
generally useful. He has to clean the knives and shoes, the furniture,
the plate; answer the visitors who call, the drawing-room and parlour
bells; and do all the errands. His life is no sinecure; and a methodical
arrangement of his time will be necessary, in order to perform his many
duties with any satisfaction to himself or his master.
2173. The footman is expected to rise early, in order to get through all
his dirty work before the family are stirring. Boots and shoes, and
knives and forks, should be cleaned, lamps in use trimmed, his master's
clothes brushed, the furniture rubbed over; so that he may put aside his
working dress, tidy himself, and appear in a clean jean jacket to lay
the cloth and prepare breakfast for the family.
2181. Having got through his dirty work, the single footman has now to
clean himself and prepare the breakfast. He lays the cloth on the table;
over it the breakfast-cloth, and sets the breakfast things in order, and
then proceeds to wait upon his master, if he has any of the duties of a
valet to perform.
2182. Where a valet is not kept, a portion of his duties falls to the
footman's share,--brushing the clothes among others. When the hat is
silk, it requires brushing every day with a soft brush; after rain, it
requires wiping the way of the nap before drying, and, when nearly dry,
brushing with the soft brush and with the hat-stick in it. If the
footman is required to perform any part of a valet's duties, he will
have to see that the housemaid lights a fire in the dressing-room in due
time; that the room is dusted and cleaned; that the washhand-ewer is
filled with soft water; and that the bath, whether hot or cold, is ready
when required; that towels are at hand; that hair-brushes and combs are
properly cleansed, and in their places; that hot water is ready at the
hour ordered; the dressing-gown and slippers in their place, the clean
linen aired, and the clothes to be worn for the day in their proper
places. After the master has dressed, it will be the footman's duty to
restore everything to its place properly cleansed and dry, and the whole
restored to order.
2185. For dinner, the footman lays the cloth, taking care that the table
is not too near the fire, if there is one, and that passage-room is
left. A tablecloth should be laid without a wrinkle; and this requires
two persons: over this the slips are laid, which are usually removed
preparatory to placing dessert on the table. He prepares knives, forks,
and glasses, with five or six plates for each person. This done, he
places chairs enough for the party, distributing them equally on each
side of the table, and opposite to each a napkin neatly folded, within
it a piece of bread or small roll, and a knife on the right side of each
plate, a fork on the left, and a carving-knife and fork at the top and
bottom of the table, outside the others, with the rests opposite to
them, and a gravy-spoon beside the knife. The fish-slice should be at
the top, where the lady of the house, with the assistance of the
gentleman next to her, divides the fish, and the soup-ladle at the
bottom: it is sometimes usual to add a dessert-knife and fork; at the
same time, on the right side also of each plate, put a wine-glass for as
many kinds of wine as it is intended to hand round, and a finger-glass
or glass-cooler about four inches from the edge. The latter are
frequently put on the table with the dessert.
2186. About half an hour before dinner, he rings the dinner-bell, where
that is the practice, and occupies himself with carrying up everything
he is likely to require. At the expiration of the time, having
communicated with the cook, he rings the real dinner-bell, and proceeds
to take it up with such assistance as he can obtain. Having ascertained
that all is in order, that his own dress is clean and presentable, and
his white cotton gloves are without a stain, he announces in the
drawing-room that dinner is served, and stands respectfully by the door
until the company are seated: he places himself on the left, behind his
master, who is to distribute the soup; where soup and fish are served
together, his place will be at his mistress's left hand; but he must be
on the alert to see that whoever is assisting him, whether male or
female, are at their posts. If any of the guests has brought his own
servant with him, his place is behind his master's chair, rendering such
assistance to others as he can, while attending to his master's wants
throughout the dinner, so that every guest has what he requires. This
necessitates both activity and intelligence, and should be done without
bustle, without asking any questions, except where it is the custom of
the house to hand round dishes or wine, when it will be necessary to
mention, in a quiet and unobtrusive manner, the dish or wine you
present.
DINNERS � LA RUSSE.
2188. In some houses the table is laid out with plate and glass,
and ornamented with flowers, the dessert only being placed on
the table, the dinner itself being placed on the sideboard, and
handed round in succession, in courses of soup, fish, entries,
meat, game, and sweets. This is not only elegant but economical,
as fewer dishes are required, the symmetry of the table being
made up with the ornaments and dessert. The various dishes are
also handed round when hot; but it involves additional and
superior attendance, as the wines are also handed round; and
unless the servants are very active and intelligent, many
blunders are likely to be made. (See p. 954.)
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
2189. While attentive to all, the footman should be obtrusive to none;
he should give nothing but on a waiter, and always hand it with the left
hand and on the left side of the person he serves, and hold it so that
the guest may take it with ease. In lifting dishes from the table, he
should use both hands, and remove them with care, so that nothing is
spilt on the table-cloth or on the dresses of the guests.
2191. During dinner each person's knife, fork, plate, and spoon should
be changed as soon as he has done with it; the vegetables and sauces
belonging to the different dishes presented without remark to the
guests; and the footman should tread lightly in moving round, and, if
possible, should bear in mind, if there is a wit or humorist of the
party, whose good things keep the table in a roar, that they are not
expected to reach his ears.
2193. At the end of the first course, notice is conveyed to the cook,
who is waiting to send up the second, which is introduced in the same
way as before; the attendants who remove the fragments, carrying the
dishes from the kitchen, and handing them to the footman or butler,
whose duty it is to arrange them on the table. After dinner, the
dessert-glasses and wines are placed on the table by the footman, who
places himself behind his master's chair, to supply wine and hand round
the ices and other refreshments, all other servants leaving the room.
2194. As soon as the drawing-room bell rings for tea, the footman enters
with the tray, which has been previously prepared; hands the tray round
to the company, with cream and sugar, the tea and coffee being generally
poured out, while another attendant hands cakes, toast, or biscuits. If
it is an ordinary family party, where this social meal is prepared by
the mistress, he carries the urn or kettle, as the case may be; hands
round the toast, or such other eatable as may be required, removing the
whole in the same manner when tea is over.
2211. _The Groom's_ first duties are to keep his horses in condition;
but he is sometimes expected to perform the duties of a valet, to ride
out with his master, on occasions, to wait at table, and otherwise
assist in the house: in these cases, he should have the means of
dressing himself, and keeping his clothes entirely away from the
stables. In the morning, about six o'clock, or rather before, the
stables should be opened and cleaned out, and the horses fed, first by
cleaning the rack and throwing in fresh hay, putting it lightly in the
rack, that the horses may get it out easily; a short time afterwards
their usual morning feed of oats should be put into the manger. While
this is going on, the stable-boy has been removing the stable-dung, and
sweeping and washing out the stables, both of which should be done every
day, and every corner carefully swept, in order to keep the stable sweet
and clean. The real duties of the groom follow: where the horses are not
taken out for early exercise, the work of grooming immediately
commences. "Having tied up the head," to use the excellent description
of the process given by old Barrett, "take a currycomb and curry him all
over the body, to raise the dust, beginning first at the neck, holding
the left cheek of the headstall in the left hand, and curry him from the
setting-on of his head all over the body to the buttocks, down to the
point of the hock; then change your hands, and curry him before, on his
breast, and, laying your right arm over his back, join your right side
to his left, and curry him all under the belly near the fore-bowels, and
so all over from the knees and back upwards; after that, go to the far
side and do that likewise. Then take a dead horse's tail, or, failing
that, a cotton dusting-cloth, and strike that away which the currycomb
hath raised. Then take a round brush made of bristles, with a leathern
handle, and dress him all over, both head, body, and legs, to the very
fetlocks, always cleansing the brush from the dust by rubbing it with
the currycomb. In the curry-combing process, as well as brushing, it
must be applied with mildness, especially with fine-skinned horses;
otherwise the tickling irritates them much. The brushing is succeeded by
a hair-cloth, with which rub him all over again very hard, both to take
away loose hairs and lay his coat; then wash your hands in fair water,
and rub him all over while they are wet, as well over the head as the
body. Lastly, take a clean cloth, and rub him all over again till he be
dry; then take another hair-cloth, and rub all his legs exceeding well
from the knees and hocks downwards to his hoofs, picking and dressing
them very carefully about the fetlocks, so as to remove all gravel and
dust which will sometimes lie in the bending of the joints." In addition
to the practice of this old writer, modern grooms add wisping, which
usually follows brushing. The best wisp is made from a hayband,
untwisted, and again doubled up after being moistened with water: this
is applied to every part of the body, as the brushing had been, by
changing the hands, taking care in all these operations to carry the
hand in the direction of the coat. Stains on the hair are removed by
sponging, or, when the coat is very dirty, by the water-brush; the whole
being finished off by a linen or flannel cloth. The horsecloth should
now be put on by taking the cloth in both hands, with the outside next
you, and, with your right hand to the off side, throw it over his back,
placing it no farther back than will leave it straight and level, which
will be about a foot from the tail. Put the roller round, and the
pad-piece under it, about six or eight inches from the fore legs. The
horse's head is now loosened; he is turned about in his stall to have
his head and ears rubbed and brushed over every part, including throat,
with the dusting-cloth, finishing by "pulling his ears," which all
horses seem to enjoy very much. This done, the mane and foretop should
be combed out, passing a wet sponge over them, sponging the mane on both
sides, by throwing it back to the midriff, to make it lie smooth. The
horse is now returned to his headstall, his tail combed out, cleaning it
of stains with a wet brush or sponge, trimming both tail and mane, and
forelock when necessary, smoothing them down with a brush on which a
little oil has been dropped.
2227. In preparing the carriage for use, the whole body should be rubbed
over with a clean leather and carefully polished, the iron-work and
joints oiled, the plated and brass-work occasionally cleaned,--the one
with plate-powder, or with well-washed whiting mixed with sweet oil, and
leather kept for the purpose,--the other with rottenstone mixed with a
little oil, and applied without too much rubbing, until the paste is
removed; but, if rubbed every day with the leather, little more will be
required to keep it untarnished. The linings require careful brushing
every day, the cushions being taken out and beaten, and the glass sashes
should always be bright and clean. The wheel-tires and axletree are
carefully seen to, and greased when required, the bolts and nuts
tightened, and all the parts likely to get out of order overhauled.
2229. Having, with or without the help of the groom or stable-boy, put
his horses to the carriage, and satisfied himself, by walking round
them, that everything is properly arranged, the coachman proceeds to the
off-side of the carriage, takes the reins from the back of the horses,
where they were thrown, buckles them together, and, placing his foot on
the step, ascends to his box, having his horses now entirely under
control. In ordinary circumstances, he is not expected to descend, for
where no footman accompanies the carriage, the doors are usually so
arranged that even a lady may let herself out, if she wishes it, from
the inside. The coachman's duties are to avoid everything approaching an
accident, and all his attention is required to guide his horses.
2231. In choosing his horses, every master will see that they
are properly paired,--that their paces are about equal. When
their habits differ, it is the coachman's duty to discover how
he can, with least annoyance to the horses, get that pace out of
them. Some horses have been accustomed to be driven on the
check, and the curb irritates them; others, with harder mouths,
cannot be controlled with the slight leverage this affords; he
must, therefore, accommodate the horses as he best can. The
reins should always be held so that the horses are "in hand;"
but he is a very bad driver who always drives with a tight rein;
the pain to the horse is intolerable, and causes him to rear and
plunge, and finally break sway, if he can. He is also a bad
driver when the reins are always slack; the horse then feels
abandoned to himself; he is neither directed nor supported, and
if no accident occurs, it is great good luck.
2232. The true coachman's hands are so delicate and gentle, that the
mere weight of the reins is felt on the bit, and the directions are
indicated by a turn of the wrist rather than by a pull; the horses are
guided and encouraged, and only pulled up when they exceed their
intended pace, or in the event of a stumble; for there is a strong
though gentle hand on the reins.
2233. _The Whip_, in the hands of a good driver, and with well-bred
cattle, is there, more as a precaution than a "tool" for frequent use;
if he uses it, it is to encourage, by stroking the flanks; except,
indeed, he has to punish some waywardness of temper, and then he does it
effectually, taking care, however, that it is done on the flank, where
there is no very tender part, never on the crupper. In driving, the
coachman should never give way to temper. How often do we see horses
stumble from being conducted, or at least "allowed," to go over bad
ground by some careless driver, who immediately wreaks that vengeance on
the poor horse which might, with much more justice, be applied to his
own brutal shoulders. The whip is of course useful, and even necessary,
but should be rarely used, except to encourage and excite the horses.
2235. Some of the duties of the valet we have just hinted at in treating
of the duties of the footman in a small family. His day commences by
seeing that his master's dressing-room is in order; that the housemaid
has swept and dusted it properly; that the fire is lighted and burns
cheerfully; and some time before his master is expected, he will do well
to throw up the sash to admit fresh air, closing it, however, in time to
recover the temperature which he knows his master prefers. It is now his
duty to place the body-linen on the horse before the fire, to be aired
properly; to lay the trousers intended to be worn, carefully brushed and
cleaned, on the back of his master's chair; while the coat and
waistcoat, carefully brushed and folded, and the collar cleaned, are
laid in their place ready to put on when required. All the articles of
the toilet should be in their places, the razors properly set and
stropped, and hot water ready for use.
2237. Having thus seen his master dressed, if he is about to go out, the
valet will hand him his cane, gloves, and hat, the latter well brushed
on the outside with a soft brush, and wiped inside with a clean
handkerchief, respectfully attend him to the door, and open it for him,
and receive his last orders for the day.
2242. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to add, that having discharged all the
commissions intrusted to him by his master, such as conveying notes or
messages to friends, or the tradesmen, all of which he should punctually
and promptly attend to, it is his duty to be in waiting when his master
returns home to dress for dinner, or for any other occasion, and to have
all things prepared for this second dressing. Previous to this, he
brings under his notice the cards of visitors who may have called,
delivers the messages be may have received for him, and otherwise
acquits himself of the morning's commissions, and receives his orders
for the remainder of the day. The routine of his evening duty is to have
the dressing-room and study, where there is a separate one, arranged
comfortably for his master, the fires lighted, candles prepared,
dressing-gown and slippers in their place, and aired, and everything in
order that is required for his master's comforts.
FEMALE DOMESTICS.
2243. The duties of a lady's-maid are more numerous, and perhaps more
onerous, than those of the valet; for while the latter is aided by the
tailor, the hatter, the linen-draper, and the perfumer, the lady's-maid
has to originate many parts of the mistress's dress herself: she should,
indeed, be a tolerably expert milliner and dressmaker, a good
hairdresser, and possess some chemical knowledge of the cosmetics with
which the toilet-table is supplied, in order to use them with safety and
effect. Her first duty in the morning, after having performed her own
toilet, is to examine the clothes put off by her mistress the evening
before, either to put them away, or to see that they are all in order to
put on again. During the winter, and in wet weather, the dresses should
be carefully examined, and the mud removed. Dresses of tweed, and other
woollen materials, may be laid out on a table and brushed all over; but
in general, even in woollen fabrics, the lightness of the tissues
renders brushing unsuitable to dresses, and it is better to remove the
dust from the folds by beating them lightly with a handkerchief or thin
cloth. Silk dresses should never be brushed, but rubbed with a piece of
merino, or other soft material, of a similar colour, kept for the
purpose. Summer dresses of bar�ge, muslin, mohair, and other light
materials, simply require shaking; but if the muslin be tumbled, it must
be ironed afterwards. If the dresses require slight repair, it should be
done at once: "a stitch in time saves nine."
To wash Brushes.
2250. Dissolve a piece of soda in some hot water, allowing a piece the
size of a walnut to a quart of water. Put the water into a basin, and,
after combing out the hair from the brushes, dip them, bristles
downwards, into the water and out again, keeping the backs and handles
as free from the water as possible. Repeat this until the bristles look
clean; then rinse the brushes in a little cold water; shake them well,
and wipe the handles and backs with a towel, _but not the bristles_, and
set the brushes to dry in the sun, or near the fire; but take care not
to put them too close to it. Wiping the bristles of a brush makes them
soft, as does also the use of soap.
To clean Combs.
2251. If it can be avoided, never wash combs, as the water often makes
the teeth split, and the tortoiseshell or horn of which they are made,
rough. Small brushes, manufactured purposely for cleaning combs, may be
purchased at a trifling cost: with this the comb should be well brushed,
and afterwards wiped with a cloth or towel.
_Mode_.--Pour the boiling water over the borax and oil; let it cool; then
put the mixture into a bottle. Shake it before using, and apply it with
a flannel. Camphor and borax, dissolved in boiling water and left to
cool, make a very good wash for the hair; as also does rosemary-water
mixed with a little borax. After using any of these washes, when the
hair becomes thoroughly dry, a little pomatum or oil should be rubbed
in, to make it smooth and glossy.
_Mode_.--Mix these ingredients together, and store away in jars for use.
To make Bandoline.
An excellent Pomatum.
_Mode_.--Wash the lard well in the elder-flower water; drain, and beat
it to a cream. Mix the two oils together, and heat them sufficiently to
dissolve the spermaceti, which should be beaten fine in a mortar. Mix
all these ingredients together with the brandy and whatever kind of
scent may be preferred; and whilst warm pour into glass bottles for use,
keeping them well corked. The best way to liquefy the pomatum is to set
the bottle in a saucepan of warm water. It will remain good for many
months.
_Mode_.--Mix the ingredients together, rub the roots of the hair every
night with a little of this liniment, and the growth of it will very
soon sensibly increase.
2259. Where sashes are worn, pin the bows securely on the inside
with a pin, so as not to be visible; then raise the bow with the
fingers. The collar is arranged and carefully adjusted with
brooch or bow in the centre.
2262. Having swept the bedroom with equal care, dusted the tables and
chairs, chimney-ornaments, and put away all articles of dress left from
yesterday, and cleaned and put away any articles of jewellery, her next
care is to see, before her mistress goes out, what requires replacing in
her department, and furnish her with a list of them, that she may use
her discretion about ordering them. All this done, she may settle
herself down to any work on which she is engaged. This will consist
chiefly in mending; which is first to be seen to; everything, except
stockings, being mended before washing. Plain work will probably be one
of the lady's-maid's chief employments.
2264. Among other duties, the lady's-maid should understand the various
processes for washing, and cleaning, and repairing laces; edging of
collars; removing stains and grease-spots from dresses, and similar
processes, for which the following recipes will be found very useful. In
washing--
2266. Lace collars soil very quickly when in contact with the
neck; they are cleaned by beating the edge of the collar between
the folds of a fine linen cloth, then washing the edges as
directed above, and spreading it out on an ironing-board,
pinning it at each corner with fine pins; then going carefully
over it with a sponge charged with water in which some
gum-dragon and fig-blue have been dissolved, to give it a proper
consistence. To give the collar the same tint throughout, the
whole collar should be sponged with the same water, taking care
not to touch the flowers.
2275. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of gin, 1/2 lb. of honey, 1/2 lb. of soft
soap, 1/2 pint of water.
2276. If the fabric will bear it, sharp rubbing will frequently entirely
discharge a newly-made paint-stain; but, if this is not successful,
apply spirit of turpentine with a quill till the stains disappear.
2277. Place a little water in a teakettle, and let it boil until there
is plenty of steam from the spout; then, holding the crape in both
hands, pass it to and fro several times through the steam, and it will
to clean and look nearly equal to new.
2279. Ladies who keep a waiting-maid for their own persons are in the
habit of paying visits to their friends, in which it is not unusual for
the maid to accompany them; at all events, it is her duty to pack the
trunks; and this requires not only knowledge but some practice, although
the improved trunks and portmanteaus now made, in which there is a place
for nearly everything, render this more simple than formerly. Before
packing, let the trunks be thoroughly well cleaned, and, if necessary,
lined with paper, and everything intended for packing laid out on the
bed or chairs, so that it may be seen what is to be stowed away; the
nicer articles of dress neatly folded in clean calico wrappers. Having
satisfied herself that everything wanted is laid out, and that it is in
perfect order, the packing is commenced by disposing of the most bulky
articles, the dressing-case and work-box, skirts, and other articles
requiring room, leaving the smaller articles to fill up; finally, having
satisfied herself that all is included, she should lock and cover up the
trunk in its canvas case, and then pack her own box, if she is to
accompany her mistress.
2280. On reaching the house, the lady's-maid will be shown her lady's
apartment; and her duties here are what they were at home; she will
arrange her mistress's things, and learn which is her bell, in order to
go to her when she rings. Her meals will be taken in the housekeeper's
room; and here she must be discreet and guarded in her talk to any one
of her mistress or her concerns. Her only occupation here will be
attending in her lady's room, keeping her things in order, and making
her rooms comfortable for her.
2288. The valet and lady's-maid, from their supposed influence with
their master and mistress, are exposed to some temptations to which
other servants are less subjected. They are probably in communication
with the tradespeople who supply articles for the toilet; such as
batters, tailors, dressmakers, and perfumers. The conduct of
waiting-maid and valet to these people should be civil but independent,
making reasonable allowance for want of exact punctuality, if any such
can be made: they should represent any inconvenience respectfully, and
if an excuse seems unreasonable, put the matter fairly to master or
mistress, leaving it to them to notice it further, if they think it
necessary. No expectations of a personal character should influence them
one way or the other. It would be acting unreasonably to any domestic to
make them refuse such presents as tradespeople choose to give them; the
utmost that can be expected is that they should not influence their
judgment in the articles supplied--that they should represent them truly
to master or mistress, without fear and without favour. Civility to all,
servility to none, is a good maxim for every one. Deference to a master
and mistress, and to their friends and visitors, is one of the implied
terms of their engagement; and this deference must apply even to what
may be considered their whims. A servant is not to be seated, or wear a
hat in the house, in his master's or mistress's presence; nor offer any
opinion, unless asked for it; nor even to say "good night," or "good
morning," except in reply to that salutation.
2290. Plunge the stems into boiling water, and by the time the water is
cold, the flowers will have revived. Then cut afresh the ends of the
stems, and keep them in fresh cold water.
2293. The first duty of the housemaid in winter is to open the shutters
of all the lower rooms in the house, and take up the hearth-rugs of
those rooms which she is going to "do" before breakfast. In some
families, where there is only a cook and housemaid kept, and where the
drawing-rooms are large, the cook has the care of the dining-room, and
the housemaid that of the breakfast-room, library, and drawing-rooms.
After the shutters are all opened, she sweeps the breakfast-room,
sweeping the dust towards the fire-place, of course previously removing
the fonder. She should then lay a cloth (generally made of coarse
wrappering) over the carpet in front of the stove, and on this should
place her housemaid's box, containing black-lead brushes, leathers,
emery-paper, cloth, black lead, and all utensils necessary for cleaning
a grate, with the cinder-pail on the other side.
[Illustration: CARPET-BROOMS.]
2294. She now sweeps up the ashes, and deposits them in her cinder-pail,
which is a japanned tin pail, with a wire-sifter inside, and a
closely-fitting top. In this pail the cinders are sifted, and reserved
for use in the kitchen or under the copper, the ashes only being thrown
away. The cinders disposed of, she proceeds to black-lead the grate,
producing the black lead, the soft brush for laying it on, her blacking
and polishing brushes, from the box which contains her tools. This
housemaid's box should be kept well stocked. Having blackened, brushed,
and polished every part, and made all clean and bright, she now proceeds
to lay the fire. Sometimes it is very difficult to get a proper polish
to black grates, particularly if they have been neglected, and allowed
to rust at all. Brunswick black, which is an excellent varnish for
grates, may be prepared in the following manner:--
2300. The several fires lighted, the housemaid proceeds with her
dusting, and polishing the several pieces of furniture in the
breakfast-parlour, leaving no corner unvisited. Before sweeping the
carpet, it is a good practice to sprinkle it all over with tea-leaves,
which not only lay all dust, but give a slightly fragrant smell to the
room. It is now in order for the reception of the family; and where
there is neither footman nor parlour-maid, she now proceeds to the
dressing-room, and lights her mistress's fire, if she is in the habit of
having one to dress by. Her mistress is called, hot water placed in the
dressing-room for her use, her clothes--as far as they are under the
house-maid's charge--put before the fire to air, hanging a fire-guard on
the bars where there is one, while she proceeds to prepare the
breakfast.
[Illustration: BANISTER-BROOM.]
[Illustration: STAIRCASE-BROOM.]
2303. Before laying the cloth for breakfast, the heater of the tea-urn
is to be placed in the hottest part of the kitchen fire; or, where the
kettle is used, boiled on the kitchen fire, and then removed to the
parlour, where it is kept hot. Having washed herself free from the dust
arising from the morning's work, the housemaid collects the
breakfast-things on her tray, takes the breakfast-cloth from the napkin
press, and carries them all on the tray into the parlour; arranges them
on the table, placing a sufficiency of knives, forks, and salt-cellars
for the family, and takes the tray back to the pantry; gets a supply of
milk, cream, and bread; fills the butter-dish, taking care that the salt
is plentiful, and soft and dry, and that hot plates and egg-cups are
ready where warm meat or eggs are served, and that butter-knife and
bread-knife are in their places. And now she should give the signal for
breakfast, holding herself ready to fill the urn with hot water, or hand
the kettle, and take in the rolls, toast, and other eatables, with which
the cook supplies her, when the breakfast-room bell rings; bearing in
mind that she is never to enter the parlour with dirty hands or with a
dirty apron, and that everything is to be handed on a tray; that she is
to hand everything she may be required to supply, on the left hand of
the person she is serving, and that all is done quietly and without
bustle or hurry. In some families, where there is a large number to
attend on, the cook waits at breakfast whilst the housemaid is busy
upstairs in the bedrooms, or sweeping, dusting, and putting the
drawing-room in order.
[Illustration: SCRUBBING-BRUSH.]
FURNITURE POLISH.
FURNITURE POLISH.
_Mode_.--When used, shake the mixture well, and rub on the furniture
with a piece of linen rag, and polish with a clean duster. Vinegar and
oil, rubbed in with flannel, and the furniture rubbed with a clean
duster, produce a very good polish.
FURNITURE PASTE.
_Mode_.--Mix the ingredients together, adding the water when cold; shake
the mixture frequently in the bottle, and do not use it for 48 hours
after it is made. It should be applied with a piece of flannel, the
furniture polished with a duster, and then with an old silk rubber.
2311. The chambers are finished, the chamber candlesticks brought down
and cleaned, the parlour lamps trimmed;--and here the housemaid's utmost
care is required. In cleaning candlesticks, as in every other cleaning,
she should have cloths and brushes kept for that purpose alone; the
knife used to scrape them should be applied to no other purpose; the
tallow-grease should be thrown into a box kept for the purpose; the same
with everything connected with the lamp-trimming; the best mode of doing
which she will do well to learn from the tradesman who supplies the oil;
always bearing in mind, however, that without perfect cleanliness, which
involves occasional scalding, no lamp can be kept in order.
2313. The furniture must be carefully gone over in every corner with a
soft cloth, that it may be left perfectly free from dust; or where that
is beyond reach, with a brush made of long feathers, or a goose's wing.
The sofas are swept in the same manner, slightly beaten, the cushions
shaken and smoothed, the picture-frames swept, and everything arranged
in its proper place. This, of course, applies to dining as well as
drawing-room and morning-room. And now the housemaid may dress herself
for the day, and prepare for the family dinner, at which she must
attend.
2314. We need not repeat the long instructions already given for laying
the dinner-table. At the family dinner, even where no footman waits, the
routine will be the same. In most families the cloth is laid with the
slips on each side, with napkins, knives, forks, spoons, and wine and
finger glasses on all occasions.
2315. She should ascertain that her plate is in order, glasses free from
smears, water-bottles and decanters the same, and everything ready on
her tray, that she may be able to lay her cloth properly. Few things add
more to the neat and comfortable appearance of a dinner-table than
well-polished plate; indeed, the state of the plate is a certain
indication of a well-managed or ill-managed household. Nothing is easier
than to keep plate in good order, and yet many servants, from stupidity
and ignorance, make it the greatest trouble of all things under their
care. It should be remembered, that it is utterly impossible to make
greasy silver take a polish; and that as spoons and forks in daily use
are continually in contact with grease, they must require good washing
in soap-and-water to remove it. Silver should be washed with a soapy
flannel in one water, rinsed in another, and then wiped dry with a dry
cloth. The plate so washed may be polished with the plate-rags, as in
the following directions:--Once a week all the plate should receive a
thorough cleaning with the hartshorn powder, as directed in the first
recipe for cleaning plate; and where the housemaid can find time, rubbed
every day with the plate-rags.
To Clean Plate.
[Illustration: PLATE-BRUSH.]
2317. Wash the plate well to remove all grease, in a strong lather of
common yellow soap and boiling water, and wipe it quite dry; then mix as
much hartshorn powder as will be required, into a thick paste, with cold
water or spirits of wine; smear this lightly over the plate with a piece
of soft rag, and leave it for some little time to dry. When perfectly
dry, brush it off quite clean with a soft plate-brush, and polish the
plate with a dry leather. If the plate be very dirty, or much tarnished,
spirits of wine will be found to answer better than the water for mixing
the paste.
2318. Boil soft rags (nothing is better for the purpose than the tops of
old cotton stockings) in a mixture of new milk and hartshorn powder, in
the proportion of 1 oz. of powder to a pint of milk; boil them for 5
minutes; wring them as soon as they are taken out, for a moment, in cold
water, and dry them before the fire. With these rags rub the plate
briskly as soon as it has been well washed and dried after daily use. A
most beautiful deep polish will be produced, and the plate will require
nothing more than merely to be dusted with a leather or a dry soft
cloth, before it is again put on the table.
2319. For waiting at table, the housemaid should be neatly and cleanly
dressed, and, if possible, her dress made with closed sleeves, the large
open ones dipping and falling into everything on the table, and being
very much in the way. She should not wear creaking boots, and should
move about the room as noiselessly as possible, anticipating people's
wants by handing them things without being asked for them, and
altogether be as quiet as possible. It will be needless here to repeat
what we have already said respecting waiting at table, in the duties of
the butler and footman: rules that are good to be observed by them, are
equally good for the parlour-maid or housemaid.
2320. The housemaid having announced that dinner is on the table, will
hand the soup, fish, meat, or side-dishes to the different members of
the family; but in families who do not spend much of the day together,
they will probably prefer being alone at dinner and breakfast; the
housemaid will be required, after all are helped, if her master does not
wish her to stay in the room, to go on with her work of cleaning up in
the pantry, and answer the bell when rung. In this case she will place a
pile of plates on the table or a dumbwaiter, within reach of her master
and mistress, and leave the room.
[Illustration: CRUMB-BRUSH].
2321. Dinner over, the housemaid removes the plates and dishes on the
tray, places the dirty knives and forks in the basket prepared for them,
folds up the napkins in the ring which indicates by which member of the
family it has been used, brushes off the crumbs on the hand-tray kept
for the purpose, folds up the table-cloth in the folds already made, and
places it in the linen-press to be smoothed out. After every meal the
table should be rubbed, all marks from hot plates removed, and the
table-cover thrown over, and the room restored to its usual order. If
the family retire to the drawing-room, or any other room, it is a good
practice to throw up the sash to admit fresh air and ventilate the room.
2323. In summer-time the windows of all the bedrooms, which have been
closed during the heat of the day, should be thrown open for an hour or
so after sunset, in order to air them. Before dark they should be
closed, the bedclothes turned down, and the night-clothes laid in order
for use when required. During winter, where fires are required in the
dressing-rooms, they should be lighted an hour before the usual time of
retiring, placing a fire-guard before each fire. At the same time, the
night-things on the horse should be placed before it to be aired, with a
tin can of hot water, if the mistress is in the habit of washing before
going to bed. We may add, that there is no greater preservative of
beauty than washing the face every night in hot water. The housemaid
will probably be required to assist her mistress to undress and put her
dress in order for the morrow; in which case her duties are very much
those of the lady's-maid.
2324. And now the fire is made up for the night, the fireguard replaced,
and everything in the room in order for the night, the housemaid taking
care to leave the night-candle and matches together in a convenient
place, should they be required. It is usual in summer to remove all
highly fragrant flowers from sleeping-rooms, the impression being that
their scent is injurious in a close chamber.
2327. This general cleaning usually takes place in the spring or early
summer, when the warm curtains of winter are replaced by the light and
cheerful muslin curtains. Carpets are at the same time taken up and
beaten, except where the mistress of the house has been worried into an
experiment by the often-reiterated question, "Why beat your carpets?" In
this case she will probably have made up her mind to try the cleaning
process, and arranged with the company to send for them on the morning
when cleaning commenced. It is hardly necessary to repeat, that on this
occasion every article is to be gone over, the French-polished furniture
well rubbed and polished. The same thorough system of cleaning should be
done throughout the house; the walls cleaned where painted, and swept
down with a soft broom or feather brush where papered; the window and
bed curtains, which have been replaced with muslin ones, carefully
brushed, or, if they require it, cleaned; lamps not likely to be
required, washed out with hot water, dried, and cleaned. The several
grates are now to be furnished with their summer ornaments; and we know
none prettier than the following, which the housemaid may provide at a
small expense to her mistress:--Purchase two yards and a half of
crinoline muslin, and tear it into small strips, the selvage way of the
material, about an inch wide; strip this thread by thread on each side,
leaving the four centre threads; this gives about six-and-thirty pieces,
fringed on each side, which are tied together at one end, and fastened
to the trap of the register, while the threads, unravelled, are spread
gracefully about the grate, the lower part of which is filled with paper
shavings. This makes a very elegant and very cheap ornament, which is
much stronger, besides, than those usually purchased.
[Illustration: CORNICE-BRUSH.]
[Illustration: HOUSE-PAIL.]
[Illustration: DUSTING-BRUSH.]
2331. Breaking glass and china is about the most disagreeable thing that
can happen in a family, and it is, probably, a greater annoyance to a
right-minded servant than to the mistress. A neat-handed housemaid may
sometimes repair these breakages, where they are not broken in very
conspicuous places, by joining the pieces very neatly together with a
cement made as follows:--Dissolve an ounce of gum mastic in a quantity
of highly-rectified spirits of wine; then soften an ounce of isinglass
in warm water, and, finally, dissolve it in rum or brandy, till it forms
a thick jelly. Mix the isinglass and gum mastic together, adding a
quarter of an ounce of finely-powdered gum ammoniac; put the whole into
an earthen pipkin, and in a warm place, till they are thoroughly
incorporated together; pour it into a small phial, and cork it down for
use.
To clean Marble.
2333. Mix with 1/4 pint of soap lees, 1/2 gill of turpentine, sufficient
pipe-clay and bullock's gall to make the whole into rather a thick
paste. Apply it to the marble with a soft brush, and after a day or two,
when quite dry, rub it off with a soft rag. Apply this a second or third
time till the marble is quite clean.
Another method.
To clean Floorcloth.
2335. After having washed the floorcloth in the usual manner with a damp
flannel, wet it all over with milk and rub it well with a dry cloth,
when a most beautiful polish will be brought out. Some persons use for
rubbing a well-waxed flannel; but this in general produces an unpleasant
slipperiness, which is not the case with the milk.
To clean Decanters.
2336. Roll up in small pieces some soft brown or blotting paper; wet
them, and soap them well. Put them into the decanters about one quarter
full of warm water; shake them well for a few minutes, then rinse with
clear cold water; wipe the outsides with a nice dry cloth, put the
decanters to drain, and when dry they will be almost as bright as new
ones.
2338. Make a strong paste of fresh lime and water, and with a fine brush
smear it as thickly as possible over all the polished surface requiring
preservation. By this simple means, all the grates and fire-irons in an
empty house may be kept for months free from harm, without further care
or attention.
German Furniture-Gloss.
2339. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. yellow wax, 1 oz. black rosin, 2 oz. of oil
of turpentine.
_Mode_.--Cut the wax into small pieces, and melt it in a pipkin, with
the rosin pounded very fine. Stir in gradually, while these two
ingredients are quite warm, the oil of turpentine. Keep this composition
well covered for use in a tin or earthen pot. A little of this gloss
should be spread on a piece of coarse woollen cloth, and the furniture
well rubbed with it; afterwards it should be polished with a fine cloth.
2341. The general servant's duties commence by opening the shutters (and
windows, if the weather permits) of all the lower apartments in the
house; she should then brush up her kitchen-range, light the fire, clear
away the ashes, clean the hearth, and polish with a leather the bright
parts of the range, doing all as rapidly and as vigorously as possible,
that no more time be wasted than is necessary. After putting on the
kettle, she should then proceed to the dining-room or parlour to get it
in order for breakfast. She should first roll up the rug, take up the
fender, shake and fold up the table-cloth, then sweep the room, carrying
the dirt towards the fireplace; a coarse cloth should then be laid down
over the carpet, and she should proceed to clean the grate, having all
her utensils close to her. When the grate is finished, the ashes cleared
away, the hearth cleaned, and the fender put back in its place, she must
dust the furniture, not omitting the legs of the tables and chairs; and
if there are any ornaments or things on the sideboard, she must not dust
round them, but lift them up on to another place, dust well where they
have been standing, and then replace the things. Nothing annoys a
particular mistress so much as to find, when she comes down stairs,
different articles of furniture looking as if they had never been
dusted. If the servant is at all methodical, and gets into a habit of
_doing_ a room in a certain way, she will scarcely ever leave her duties
neglected. After the rug is put down, the table-cloth arranged, and
everything in order, she should lay the cloth for breakfast, and then
shut the dining-room door.
2342. The hall must now be swept, the mats shaken, the door-step
cleaned, and any brass knockers or handles polished up with the leather.
If the family breakfast very early, the tidying of the hall must then be
deferred till after that meal. After cleaning the boots that are
absolutely required, the servant should now wash her hands and face, put
on a clean white apron, and be ready for her mistress when she comes
down stairs. In families where there is much work to do before
breakfast, the master of the house frequently has two pairs of boots in
wear, so that they may be properly cleaned when the servant has more
time to do them, in the daytime. This arrangement is, perhaps, scarcely
necessary in the summer-time, when there are no grates to clean every
morning; but in the dark days of winter it is only kind and thoughtful
to lighten a servant-of-all-work's duties as much as possible.
2343. She will now carry the urn into the dining-room, where her
mistress will make the tea or coffee, and sometimes will boil the eggs,
to insure them being done to her liking. In the mean time the servant
cooks, if required, the bacon, kidneys, fish, &c.;--if cold meat is to
be served, she must always send it to table on a clean dish, and nicely
garnished with tufts of parsley, if this is obtainable.
2344. After she has had her own breakfast, and whilst the family are
finishing theirs, she should go upstairs into the bedrooms, open all the
windows, strip the clothes off the beds, and leave them to air whilst
she is clearing away the breakfast things. She should then take up the
crumbs in a dustpan from under the table, put the chairs in their
places, and sweep up the hearth.
2345. The breakfast things washed up, the kitchen should be tidied, so
that it may be neat when her mistress comes in to give the orders for
the day: after receiving these orders, the servant should go upstairs
again, with a jug of boiling water, the slop-pail, and two cloths. After
emptying the slops, and scalding the vessels with the boiling water, and
wiping them thoroughly dry, she should wipe the top of the wash-table
and arrange it all in order. She then proceeds to make the beds, in
which occupation she is generally assisted by the mistress, or, if she
have any daughters, by one of them. Before commencing to make the bed,
the servant should put on a large bed-apron, kept for this purpose only,
which should be made very wide, to button round the waist and meet
behind, while it should be made as long as the dress. By adopting this
plan, the blacks and dirt on servants' dresses (which at all times it is
impossible to help) will not rub off on to the bed-clothes, mattresses,
and bed furniture. When the beds are made, the rooms should be dusted,
the stairs lightly swept down, hall furniture, closets, &c., dusted. The
lady of the house, where there is but one servant kept, frequently takes
charge of the drawing-room herself, that is to say, dusting it; the
servant sweeping, cleaning windows, looking-glasses, grates, and rough
work of that sort. If there are many ornaments and knick-knacks about
the room, it is certainly better for the mistress to dust these herself,
as a maid-of-all-work's hands are not always in a condition to handle
delicate ornaments.
2346. Now she has gone the rounds of the house and seen that all is in
order, the servant goes to her kitchen to see about the cooking of the
dinner, in which very often her mistress will assist her. She should put
on a coarse apron with a bib to do her dirty work in, which may be
easily replaced by a white one if required.
2347. Half an hour before dinner is ready, she should lay the cloth,
that everything may be in readiness when she is dishing up the dinner,
and take all into the dining-room that is likely to be required, in the
way of knives, forks, spoons, bread, salt, water, &c. &c. By exercising
a little forethought, much confusion and trouble may be saved both to
mistress and servant, by getting everything ready for the dinner in good
time.
2348. After taking in the dinner, when every one is seated, she removes
the covers, hands the plates round, and pours out the beer; and should
be careful to hand everything on the left side of the person she is
waiting on.
2350. When the dinner things are cleared away, the servant should sweep
up the crumbs in the dining-room, sweep the hearth, and lightly dust the
furniture, then sit down to her own dinner.
2351. After this, she washes up and puts away the dinner things, sweeps
the kitchen, dusts and tidies it, and puts on the kettle for tea. She
should now, before dressing herself for the afternoon, clean her knives,
boots, and shoes, and do any other dirty work in the scullery that may
be necessary. Knife-cleaning machines are rapidly taking the place, in
most households, of the old knife-board. The saving of labour by the
knife-cleaner is very great, and its performance of the work is very
satisfactory. Small and large machines are manufactured, some cleaning
only four knives, whilst others clean as many as twelve at once. Nothing
can be more simple than the process of machine knife-cleaning; and
although, in a very limited household, the substitution of the machine
for the board may not be necessary, yet we should advise all
housekeepers, to whom the outlay is not a difficulty, to avail
themselves of the services of a machine. We have already spoken of its
management in the "Duties of the Footman," No. 2177.
2352. When the servant is dressed, she takes in the tea, and after tea
turns down the beds, sees that the water-jugs and bottles are full,
closes the windows, and draws down the blinds. If the weather is very
warm, these are usually left open until the last thing at night, to cool
the rooms.
2353. The routine of a general servant's duties depends upon the kind of
situation she occupies; but a systematic maid-of-all-work should so
contrive to divide her work, that every day in the week may have its
proper share. By this means she is able to keep the house clean with
less fatigue to herself than if she left all the cleaning to do at the
end of the week. Supposing there are five bedrooms in the house, two
sitting-rooms, kitchen, scullery, and the usual domestic offices:--on
Monday she should thoroughly clean the drawing-room; on Tuesday, two of
the bedrooms; on Wednesday, two more; on Thursday, the other bedroom and
stairs; on Friday morning she should sweep the dining-room very
thoroughly, clean the hall, and in the afternoon her kitchen tins and
bright utensils. By arranging her work in this manner, no undue
proportion will fall to Saturday's share, and she will then have this
day for cleaning plate, cleaning her kitchen, and arranging everything
in nice order. The regular work must, of course, be performed in the
usual manner, as we have endeavoured to describe.
2356. A bustling and active girl will always find time to do a little
needlework for herself, if she lives with consistent and reasonable
people. In the summer evenings she should manage to sit down for two or
three hours, and for a short time in the afternoon in leisure days. A
general servant's duties are so multifarious, that unless she be quick
and active, she will not be able to accomplish this. To discharge these
various duties properly is a difficult task, and sometimes a thankless
office; but it must be remembered that a good maid-of-all-work will make
a good servant in any capacity, and may be safely taken not only without
fear of failure, but with every probability of giving satisfaction to
her employer.
2362. _Churns_ are of all sorts and sizes, from that which
churns 70 or 80 gallons by means of a strap from the engine, to
the square box in which a pound of butter is made. The churn
used for families is a square box, 18 inches by 12 or 13, and 17
deep, bevelled below to the plane of the _dashers_, with a loose
lid or cover. The dasher consists of an axis of wood, to which
the four beaters or fanners are attached; these fans are simply
four pieces of elm strongly dovetailed together, forming an
oblong square, with a space left open, two of the openings being
left broader than the others; attached to an axle, they form an
axis with four projecting blades; the axle fits into supports at
the centre of the box; a handle is fitted to it, and the act of
churning is done by turning the handle.
2364. The dairy-maid receives the milk from the cowkeeper, each pail
being strained through the hair-sieve into one of the milk-basins. This
is left in the basins from twenty-four to thirty-six hours in the
summer, according to the weather; after which it is skimmed off by means
of the slicer, and poured into glazed earthenware jars to "turn" for
churning. Some persons prefer making up a separate churning for the milk
of each cow; in which there is some advantage. In this case the basins
of each cow, for two days, would either be kept together or labelled. As
soon as emptied, the pails should be scalded and every particle of milk
washed out, and placed away in a dry place till next required; and all
milk spilt on the floor, or on the table or dresser, cleaned up with a
cloth and hot water. Where very great attention is paid to the dairy,
the milk-coolers are used larger in winter, when it is desirable to
retard the cooling down and increase the creamy deposit, and smaller in
summer, to hasten it; the temperature required being from 55� to 50�, In
summer it is sometimes expedient, in very sultry weather, to keep the
dairy fresh and cool by suspending cloths dipped in chloride of lime
across the room.
2366. In spring and summer, when the cow has her natural food, no
artificial colour is required; but in winter, under stall-feeding, the
colour is white and tallowy, and some persons prefer a higher colour.
This is communicated by mixing a little finely-powdered arnotto with the
cream before putting it into the churn; a still more, natural and
delicate colour is communicated by scraping a red carrot into a clean
piece of linen cloth, dipping it into water, and squeezing it into the
cream.
2367. As soon as the butter comes, the milk is poured off, and the
butter put into a shallow wooden tub or bowl, full of pure spring water,
in which it is washed and kneaded, pouring off the water, and renewing
it until it comes away perfectly free from milk. Imperfect washing is
the frequent cause of bad butter, and in nothing is the skill of the
dairy-maid tested more than in this process; moreover, it is one in
which cleanliness of habits and person are most necessary. In this
operation we want the aid of Phyllis's neat, soft, and perfectly clean
hand; for no mechanical operation can so well squeeze out the sour
particles of milk or curd.
2371. Besides churning and keeping her dairy in order, the dairy-maid
has charge of the whole produce, handing it over to the cook, butler, or
housemaid as required; and she will do well to keep an exact account
both of what she receives and how and when she disposes of it.
2374. Adjoining the bleaching-house, a second room, about the same size,
is required for ironing, drying, and mangling. The contents of this room
should comprise an ironing-board, opposite to the light; a strong white
deal table, about twelve or fourteen feet long, and about three and a
half feet broad, with drawers for ironing-blankets; a mangle in one
corner, and clothes-horses for drying and airing; cupboards for holding
the various irons, starch, and other articles used in ironing; a
hot-plate built in the chimney, with furnace beneath it for heating the
irons; sometimes arranged with a flue for carrying the hot air round the
room for drying. Where this is the case, however, there should be a
funnel in the ceiling for ventilation and carrying off steam; but a
better arrangement is to have a hot-air closet adjoining, heated by
hot-air pipes, and lined with iron, with proper arrangements for
carrying off steam, and clothes-horses on castors running in grooves, to
run into it for drying purposes. This leaves the laundry free from
unwholesome vapour.
2376. Every article having been examined and assorted, the sheets and
fine linen should be placed in one of the tubs and just covered with
lukewarm water, in which a little soda has been dissolved and mixed, and
left there to soak till the morning. The greasy cloths and dirtier
things should be laid to soak in another tub, in a liquor composed of
1/2 lb. of unslaked lime to every 6 quarts of water which has been
boiled for two hours, then left to settle, and strained off when clear.
Each article should be rinsed in this liquor to wet it thoroughly, and
left to soak till the morning, just covered by it when the things are
pressed together. Coppers and boilers should now be filled, and the
fires laid ready to light.
2377. Early on the following morning the fires should be lighted, and as
soon as hot water can be procured, washing commenced; the sheets and
body-linen being wanted to whiten in the morning, should be taken first;
each article being removed in succession from the lye in which it has
been soaking, rinsed, rubbed, and wrung, and laid aside until the tub is
empty, when the foul water is drawn off. The tub should be again filled
with luke-warm water, about 80�, in which the articles should again be
plunged, and each gone over carefully with soap, and rubbed. Novices in
the art sometimes rub the linen against the skin; more experienced
washerwomen rub one linen surface against the other, which saves their
hands, and enables them to continue their labour much longer, besides
economizing time, two parts being thus cleaned at once.
2378. After this first washing, the linen should be put into a second
water as hot as the hand can bear, and again rubbed over in every part,
examining every part for spots not yet moved, which require to be again
soaped over and rubbed till thoroughly clean; then rinsed and wrung, the
larger and stronger articles by two of the women; the smaller and more
delicate articles requiring gentler treatment.
2381. Woollen articles are liable to shrink, unless the flannel has been
well shrunk before making up. This liability is increased where very hot
water is used: cold water would thus be the best to wash woollens in;
but, as this would not remove the dirt, lukewarm water, about 85�, and
yellow soap, are recommended. When thoroughly washed in this, they
require a good deal of rinsing in cold water, to remove the soap.
2382. Greasy cloths, which have soaked all night in the liquid
described, should be now washed out with soap-and-water as hot as the
hands can bear, first in one water, and rinsed out in a second; and
afterwards boiled for two hours in water in which a little soda is
dissolved. When taken out, they should be rinsed in cold water, and laid
out or hung up to dry.
2384. Satin and silk ribbons, both white and coloured, may be cleaned in
the same manner.
2388. Linen, cotton, and other fabrics, after being washed and dried,
are made smooth and glossy by mangling and by ironing. The mangling
process, which is simply passing them between rollers subjected to a
very considerable pressure, produced by weight, is confined to sheets,
towels, table-linen, and similar articles, which are without folds or
plaits. Ironing is necessary to smooth body-linen, and made-up articles
of delicate texture or gathered into folds. The mangle is too well known
to need description.
TO MAKE STARCH.
_Mode_.--Put the starch into a tolerably large basin; pour over it the
cold water, and stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon until it is
perfectly free from lumps, and quite smooth. Then take the basin to the
fire, and whilst the water is _actually boiling_ in the kettle or
boiler, pour it over the starch, stirring it the whole time. If made
properly in this manner, the starch will require no further boiling; but
should the water not be boiling when added to the starch, it will not
thicken, and must be put into a clean saucepan, and stirred over the
fire until it boils. Take it off the fire, strain it into a clean basin,
cover it up to prevent a skin forming on the top, and, when sufficiently
cool that the hand may be borne in it, starch the things. Many persons,
to give a shiny and smooth appearance to the linen when ironed, stir
round two or three times in the starch a piece of wax candle, which also
prevents the iron from sticking.
2392. When the "things to be starched" are washed, dried, and taken off
the lines, they should be dipped into the hot starch made as directed,
squeezed out of it, and then just dipped into cold water, and
immediately squeezed dry. If fine things be wrung, or roughly used, they
are very liable to tear; so too much care cannot be exercised in this
respect. If the article is lace, clap it between the hands a few times,
which will assist to clear it; then have ready laid out on the table a
large clean towel or cloth; shake out the starched things, lay them on
the cloth, and roll it up tightly, and let it remain for three or fours,
when the things will be ready to iron.
2394. It is a good plan to try the heat of the iron on a coarse cloth or
apron before ironing anything fine: there is then no danger of
scorching. For ironing fine things, such as collars, cuffs, muslins, and
laces, there is nothing so clean and nice to use as the box-iron; the
bottom being bright, and never placed near the fire, it is always
perfectly clean; it should, however, be kept in a dry place, for fear of
its rusting. Gauffering-tongs or irons must be placed in a clear fire
for a minute, then withdrawn, wiped with a coarse rubber, and the heat
of them tried on a piece of paper, as, unless great care is taken, these
will very soon scorch.
2396. After things are mangled, they should also be ironed in the folds
and gathers; dinner-napkins smoothed over, as also table-cloths,
pillow-cases, and sometimes sheets. The bands of flannel petticoats, and
shoulder-straps to flannel waistcoats, must also undergo the same
process.
2399. Most children have some bad habit, of which they must be
broken; but this is never accomplished by harshness without
developing worse evils: kindness, perseverance, and patience in
the nurse, are here of the utmost importance. When
finger-sucking is one of these habits, the fingers are sometimes
rubbed with bitter aloes, or some equally disagreeable
substance. Others have dirty habits, which are only to be
changed by patience, perseverance, and, above all, by regularity
in the nurse. She should never be permitted to inflict
punishment on these occasions, or, indeed, on any occasion. But,
if punishment is to be avoided, it is still more necessary that
all kinds of indulgences and flattery be equally forbidden.
Yielding to all the whims of a child,--picking up its toys when
thrown away in mere wantonness, would be intolerable. A child
should never be led to think others inferior to it, to beat a
dog, or even the stone against which it falls, as some children
are taught to do by silly nurses. Neither should the nurse
affect or show alarm at any of the little accidents which must
inevitably happen: if it falls, treat it as a trifle; otherwise
she encourages a spirit of cowardice and timidity. But she will
take care that such accidents are not of frequent occurrence, or
the result of neglect.
2400. The nurse should keep the child as clean as possible, and
particularly she should train it to habits of cleanliness, so
that it should feel uncomfortable when otherwise; watching
especially that it does not soil itself in eating. At the same
time, vanity in its personal appearance is not to be encouraged
by over-care in this respect, or by too tight lacing or
buttoning of dresses, nor a small foot cultivated by the use of
tight shoes.
2402. Such are the cares which devolve upon the nursemaid, and it is her
duty to fulfil them personally. In large establishments she will have
assistants proportioned to the number of children of which she has the
care. The under nursemaid lights the fires, sweeps, scours, and dusts
the rooms, and makes the beds; empties slops, and carries up water;
brings up and removes the nursery meals; washes and dresses all the
children, except the infant, and assists in mending. Where there is a
nursery girl to assist, she does the rougher part of the cleaning; and
all take their meals in the nursery together, after the children of the
family have done.
2403. In smaller families, where there is only one nursemaid kept, she
is assisted by the housemaid, or servant-of-all-work, who will do the
rougher part of the work, and carry up the nursery meals. In such
circumstances she will be more immediately under the eye of her
mistress, who will probably relieve her from some of the cares of the
infant. In higher families, the upper nurse is usually permitted to sup
or dine occasionally at the housekeeper's table by way of relaxation,
when the children are all well, and her subordinates trustworthy.
2404. Where the nurse has the entire charge of the nursery, and the
mother is too much occupied to do more than pay a daily visit to it, it
is desirable that she be a person of observation, and possess some
acquaintance with the diseases incident to childhood, as also with such
simple remedies as may be useful before a medical attendant can be
procured, or where such attendance is not considered necessary. All
these little ailments are preceded by symptoms so minute as to be only
perceptible to close observation; such as twitching of the brows,
restless sleep, grinding the gums, and, in some inflammatory diseases,
even to the child abstaining from crying, from fear of the increased
pain produced by the movement. Dentition, or cutting the teeth, is
attended with many of these symptoms. Measles, thrush, scarlatina,
croup, hooping-cough, and other childish complaints, are all preceded by
well-known symptoms, which may be alleviated and rendered less virulent
by simple remedies instantaneously applied.
2409. _Worms_ are the torment of some children: the symptoms are, an
unnatural craving for food, even after a full meal; costiveness,
suddenly followed by the reverse; fetid breath, a livid circle under the
eyes, enlarged abdomen, and picking the nose; for which the remedies
must be prescribed by the doctor.
2410. _Measles_ and _Scarlatina_ much resemble each other in their early
stages: headache, restlessness, and fretfulness are the symptoms of
both. Shivering fits, succeeded by a hot skin; pains in the back and
limbs, accompanied by sickness, and, in severe cases, sore throat; pain
about the jaws, difficulty in swallowing, running at the eyes, which
become red and inflamed, while the face is hot and flushed, often
distinguish scarlatina and scarlet fever, of which it is only a mild
form.
2412. In all cases, cleanliness, fresh air, clean utensils, and frequent
washing of the person, both of nurse and children, are even more
necessary in the nursery than in either drawing-room or sick-room,
inasmuch as the delicate organs of childhood are more susceptible of
injury from smells and vapours than adults.
2413. It may not be out of place if we conclude this brief notice of the
duties of a nursemaid, by an extract from Florence Nightingale's
admirable "Notes on Nursing." Referring to children, she says:--
2414. "They are much more susceptible than grown people to all
noxious influences. They are affected by the same things, but
much more quickly and seriously; by want of fresh air, of proper
warmth; want of cleanliness in house, clothes, bedding, or body;
by improper food, want of punctuality, by dulness, by want of
light, by too much or too little covering in bed or when up."
And all this in health; and then she quotes a passage from a
lecture on sudden deaths in infancy, to show the importance of
careful nursing of children:--"In the great majority of
instances, when death suddenly befalls the infant or young
child, it is an _accident_; it is not a necessary, inevitable
result of any disease. That which is known to injure children
most seriously is foul air; keeping the rooms where they sleep
closely shut up is destruction to them; and, if the child's
breathing be disordered by disease, a few hours only of such
foul air may endanger its life, even where no inconvenience is
felt by grown-up persons in the room."
2416. All women are likely, at some period of their lives, to be called
on to perform the duties of a sick-nurse, and should prepare themselves
as much as possible, by observation and reading, for the occasion when
they may be required to perform the office. The main requirements are
good temper, compassion for suffering, sympathy with sufferers, which
most women worthy of the name possess, neat-handedness, quiet manners,
love of order, and cleanliness. With these qualifications there will be
very little to be wished for; the desire to relieve suffering will
inspire a thousand little attentions, and surmount the disgusts which
some of the offices attending the sick-room are apt to create. Where
serious illness visits a household, and protracted nursing is likely to
become necessary, a professional nurse will probably be engaged, who has
been trained to its duties; but in some families, and those not a few
let us hope, the ladies of the family would oppose such an arrangement
as a failure of duty on their part. There is, besides, even when a
professional nurse is ultimately called in, a period of doubt and
hesitation, while disease has not yet developed itself, when the patient
must be attended to; and, in these cases, some of the female servants of
the establishment must give their attendance in the sick-room. There
are, also, slight attacks of cold, influenza, and accidents in a
thousand forms, to which all are subject, where domestic nursing becomes
a necessity; where disease, though unattended with danger, is
nevertheless accompanied by the nervous irritation incident to illness,
and when all the attention of the domestic nurse becomes necessary.
2418. Windows, however, must be opened from above, and not from below,
and draughts avoided; cool air admitted beneath the patient's head
chills the lower strata and the floor. The careful nurse will keep the
door shut when the window is open; she will also take care that the
patient is not placed between the door and the open window, nor between
the open fireplace and the window. If confined to bed, she will see that
the bed is placed in a thoroughly ventilated part of the room, but out
of the current of air which is produced by the momentary opening of
doors, as well as out of the line of draught between the window and the
open chimney, and that the temperature of the room is kept about 64�.
Where it is necessary to admit air by the door, the windows should be
closed; but there are few circumstances in which good air can be
obtained through the chamber-door; through it, on the contrary, the
gases generated in the lower parts of the house are likely to be drawn
into the invalid chamber.
2419. These precautions taken, and plain nourishing diet, such as the
patient desires, furnished, probably little more can be done, unless
more serious symptoms present themselves; in which case medical advice
will be sought.
2424. Never let the patient be waked out of his first sleep by noise,
never roused by anything like a surprise. Always sit in the apartment,
so that the patient has you in view, and that it is not necessary for
him to turn in speaking to you. Never keep a patient standing; never
speak to one while moving. Never lean on the sick-bed. Above all, be
calm and decisive with the patient, and prevent all noises over-head.
2425. A careful nurse, when a patient leaves his bed, will open the
sheets wide, and throw the clothes back so as thoroughly to air the bed;
She will avoid drying or airing anything damp in the sick-room.
2428. Diet suitable for patients will depend, in some degree, on their
natural likes and dislikes, which the nurse will do well to acquaint
herself with. Beef-tea is useful and relishing, but possesses little
nourishment; when evaporated, it presents a teaspoonful of solid meat to
a pint of water. Eggs are not equivalent to the same weight of meat.
Arrowroot is less nourishing than flour. Butter is the lightest and most
digestible kind of fat. Cream, in some diseases, cannot be replaced.
But, to sum up with some of Miss Nightingale's useful maxims:--Observation
is the nurse's best guide, and the patient's appetite the rule. Half a
pint of milk is equal to a quarter of a pound of meat. Beef-tea is the
least nourishing food administered to the sick; and tea and coffee, she
thinks, are both too much excluded from the sick-room.
2430. Receiving, as she often will, instructions from the doctor, she
should bear these in mind, and carefully carry them out. In those
instances where she does not feel herself sufficiently informed, she
should ask advice from the medical man, and not take upon herself to
administer medicines, &c., without his knowledge.
2432. What the nurse has to do in the way of cleaning and dusting her
lady's room, depends entirely on the establishment that is kept. Where
there are plenty of servants, the nurse, of course, has nothing whatever
to do but attend on her patient, and ring the bell for anything she may
require. Where the number of domestics is limited, she should not mind
keeping her room in order; that is to say, sweeping and dusting it every
morning. If fires be necessary, the housemaid should always clean the
grate, and do all that is wanted in that way, as this, being rather
dirty work, would soil the nurse's dress, and unfit her to approach the
bed, or take the infant without soiling its clothes. In small
establishments, too, the nurse should herself fetch things she may
require, and not ring every time she wants anything; and she must, of
course, not leave her invalid unless she sees everything is comfortable;
and then only for a few minutes. When down stairs, and in company with
the other servants, the nurse should not repeat what she may have heard
in her lady's room, as much mischief may be done by a gossiping nurse.
As in most houses the monthly nurse is usually sent for a few days
before her services may be required, she should see that all is in
readiness; that there be no bustle and hurry at the time the confinement
takes place. She should keep two pairs of sheets thoroughly aired, as
well as night-dresses, flannels, &c. &c. All the things which will be
required to dress the baby the first time should be laid in the basket
in readiness, in the order in which they are to be put on; as well as
scissors, thread, a few pieces of soft linen rag, and two or three
flannel squares. If a berceaunette is to be used immediately, the nurse
should ascertain that the mattresses, pillow, &c. are all well aired;
and if not already done before she arrives, she should assist in
covering and trimming it, ready for the little occupant. A monthly nurse
should be handy at her needle, as, if she is in the house some time
before the baby is born, she will require some work of this sort; to
occupy her time. She should also understand the making-up of little
caps, although we can scarcely say this is one of the nurse's duties. As
most children wear no caps, except out of doors, her powers in this way
will not be much taxed.
2434. The infant during the month must not be exposed to strong light,
or much air; and in carrying it about the passages, stairs, &c., the
nurse should always have its head-flannel on, to protect the eyes and
ears from the currents of air. For the management of children, we must
refer our readers to the following chapters; and we need only say, in
conclusion, that a good nurse should understand the symptoms of various
ills incident to this period, as, in all cases, prevention is better
than cure. As young mothers with their first baby are very often much
troubled at first with their breasts, the nurse should understand the
art of emptying them by suction, or some other contrivance. If the
breasts are kept well drawn, there will be but little danger of
inflammation; and as the infant at first cannot take all that is
necessary, something must be done to keep the inflammation down. This is
one of the greatest difficulties a nurse has to contend with, and we can
only advise her to be very persevering, to rub the breasts well, and to
let the infant suck as soon and as often as possible, until they get in
proper order.
THE WET-NURSE.
2435. We are aware that, according to the opinion of some ladies, there
is no domestic theme, during a certain period of their married lives,
more fraught with vexation and disquietude than that ever-fruitful
source of annoyance, "the Nurse;" but, as we believe, there are
thousands of excellent wives and mothers who pass through life without
even a temporary embroglio in the kitchen, or suffering a state of moral
hectic the whole time of a nurse's empire in the nursery or bedroom. Our
own experience goes to prove, that although many unqualified persons
palm themselves off on ladies as fully competent for the duties they so
rashly and dishonestly undertake to perform, and thus expose themselves
to ill-will and merited censure, there are still very many fully equal
to the legitimate exercise of what they undertake; and if they do not in
every case give entire satisfaction, some of the fault,--and sometimes a
great deal of it,--may be honestly placed to the account of the ladies
themselves, who, in many instances, are so impressed with the propriety
of their own method of performing everything, as to insist upon the
adoption of _their_ system in preference to that of the nurse, whose
plan is probably based on a comprehensive forethought, and rendered
perfect in all its details by an ample experience.
2437. Properly speaking, there are two nurses,--the nurse for the mother
and the nurse for the child, or, the monthly and the wet nurse. Of the
former we have already spoken, and will now proceed to describe the
duties of the latter, and add some suggestions as to her age, physical
health, and moral conduct, subjects of the utmost importance as far as
the charge intrusted to her is concerned, and therefore demanding some
special remarks.
2439. The age, if possible, should not be less than twenty nor exceed
thirty years, with the health sound in every respect, and the body free
from all eruptive disease or local blemish. The best evidence of a sound
state of health will be found in the woman's clear open countenance, the
ruddy tone of the skin, the full, round, and elastic state of the
breasts, and especially in the erectile, firm condition of the nipple,
which, in all unhealthy states of the body, is pendulous, flabby, and
relaxed; in which case, the milk is sure to be imperfect in its
organization, and, consequently, deficient in its nutrient qualities.
Appetite is another indication of health in the suckling nurse or
mother; for it is impossible a woman can feed her child without having a
corresponding appetite; and though inordinate craving for food is
neither desirable nor necessary, a natural vigour should be experienced
at meal-times, and the food taken should be anticipated and enjoyed.
2440. Besides her health, the moral state of the nurse is to be taken
into account, or that mental discipline or principle of conduct which
would deter the nurse from at any time gratifying her own pleasures and
appetites at the cost or suffering of her infant charge.
2441. The conscientiousness and good faith that would prevent a nurse so
acting are, unfortunately, very rare; and many nurses, rather than
forego the enjoyment of a favourite dish, though morally certain of the
effect it will have on the child, will, on the first opportunity, feed
with avidity on fried meats, cabbage, cucumbers, pickles, or other crude
and injurious aliments, in defiance of all orders given, or confidence
reposed in their word, good sense, and humanity. And when the infant is
afterwards racked with pain, and a night of disquiet alarms the mother,
the doctor is sent for, and the nurse, covering her dereliction by a
falsehood, the consequence of her gluttony is treated as a disease, and
the poor infant is dosed for some days with medicines, that can do it
but little if any good, and, in all probability, materially retard its
physical development. The selfish nurse, in her ignorance, believes,
too, that as long as she experiences no admonitory symptoms herself, the
child cannot suffer; and satisfied that, whatever is the cause of its
screams and plunges, neither she, nor what she had eaten, had anything
to do with it, with this flattering assurance at her heart, she watches
her opportunity, and has another luxurious feast off the proscribed
dainties, till the increasing disturbance in the child's health, or
treachery from the kitchen, opens the eyes of mother and doctor to the
nurse's unprincipled conduct. In all such cases the infant should be
spared the infliction of medicine, and, as a wholesome corrective to
herself, and relief to her charge, a good sound dose administered to the
nurse.
CHAPTER XLII.
2445. The infantine management of children, like the mother's love for
her offspring, seems to be born with the child, and to be a direct
intelligence of Nature. It may thus, at first sight, appear as
inconsistent and presumptuous to tell a woman how to rear her infant as
to instruct her in the manner of loving it. Yet, though Nature is
unquestionably the best nurse, Art makes so admirable a foster-mother,
that no sensible woman, in her novitiate of parent, would refuse the
admonitions of art, or the teachings of experience, to consummate her
duties of nurse. It is true that, in a civilized state of society, few
young wives reach the epoch that makes them mothers without some
insight, traditional or practical, into the management of infants:
consequently, the cases wherein a woman is left to her own unaided
intelligence, or what, in such a case, may be called instinct, and
obliged to trust to the promptings of nature alone for the well-being of
her child, are very rare indeed. Again, every woman is not gifted with
the same physical ability for the harassing duties of a mother; and
though Nature, as a general rule, has endowed all female creation with
the attributes necessary to that most beautiful and, at the same time,
holiest function,--the healthy rearing of their offspring,--the cases
are sufficiently numerous to establish the exception, where the mother
is either physically or socially incapacitated from undertaking these
most pleasing duties herself, and where, consequently, she is compelled
to trust to adventitious aid for those natural benefits which are at
once the mother's pride and delight to render to her child.
2451. What the key is to the mechanical watch, air is to the physical
man. Once admit air into the mouth and nostrils, and the lungs expand,
the heart beats, the blood rushes to the remotest part of the body, the
mouth secretes saliva, to soften and macerate the food; the liver forms
its bile, to separate the nutriment from the digested aliment; the
kidneys perform their office; the eye elaborates its tears, to
facilitate motion and impart that glistening to the orb on which depends
so much of its beauty; and a dewy moisture exudes from the skin,
protecting the body from the extremes of heat and cold, and sharpening
the perception of touch and feeling. At the same instant, and in every
part, the arteries, like innumerable bees, are everywhere laying down
layers of muscle, bones, teeth, and, in fact, like the coral zoophyte,
building up a continent of life and matter; while the veins, equally
busy, are carrying away the _d�bris_ and refuse collected from where the
zoophyte arteries are building,--this refuse, in its turn, being
conveyed to the liver, there to be converted into bile.
2452. All these--and they are but a few of the vital actions constantly
taking place--are the instant result of one gasp of life-giving air. No
subject can be fraught with greater interest than watching the first
spark of life, as it courses with electric speed "through all the gates
and alleys" of the soft, insensate body of the infant. The effect of air
on the new-born child is as remarkable in its results as it is wonderful
in its consequence; but to understand this more intelligibly, it must
first be remembered that life consists of the performance of _three_
vital functions--RESPIRATION, CIRCULATION, and DIGESTION. The lungs
digest the air, taking from it its most nutritious element, the
_oxygen_, to give to the impoverished blood that circulates
through them. The stomach digests the food, and separates the
nutriment--_chyle_--from the aliment, which it gives to the blood for
the development of the frame; and the blood, which is understood by the
term circulation, digests in its passage through the lungs the
nutriment--_chyle_--to give it quantity and quality, and the _oxygen_
from the air to give it vitality. Hence it will be seen, that, speaking
generally, the three vital functions resolve themselves into
one,--DIGESTION; and that the lungs are the primary and the most
important of the vital organs; and respiration, the first in fact, as we
all know it is the last in deed, of all the functions performed by the
living body.
THE LUNGS.--RESPIRATION.
2453. The first effect of air on the infant is a slight tremor about the
lips and angles of the mouth, increasing to twitchings, and finally to a
convulsive contraction of the lips and cheeks, the consequence of sudden
cold to the nerves of the face. This spasmodic action produces a gasp,
causing the air to rush through the mouth and nostrils, and enter the
windpipe and upper portion of the flat and contracted lungs, which, like
a sponge partly immersed in water, immediately expand. This is succeeded
by a few faint sobs or pants, by which larger volumes of air are drawn
into the chest, till, after a few seconds, and when a greater bulk of
the lungs has become inflated, the breast-bone and ribs rise, the chest
expands, and, with a sudden start, the infant gives utterance to a
succession of loud, sharp cries, which have the effect of filling every
cell of the entire organ with air and life. To the anxious mother, the
first voice of her child is, doubtless, the sweetest music she ever
heard; and the more loudly it peals, the greater should be her joy, as
it is an indication of health and strength, and not only shows the
perfect expansion of the lungs, but that the process of life has set in
with vigour. Having welcomed in its own existence, like the morning
bird, with a shrill note of gladness, the infant ceases its cry, and,
after a few short sobs, usually subsides into sleep or quietude.
2454. At the same instant that the air rushes into the lungs, the valve,
or door between the two sides of the heart-and through which the blood
had previously passed-is closed and hermetically sealed, and the blood
taking a new course, bounds into the lungs, now expanded with air, and
which we have likened to a wetted sponge, to which they bear a not unapt
affinity, air being substituted for water. It here receives the _oxygen_
from the atmosphere, and the _chyle_, or white blood, from the digested
food, and becomes, in an instant, arterial blood, a vital principle,
from which every solid and fluid of the body is constructed. Besides the
lungs, Nature has provided another respiratory organ, a sort of
supplemental lung, that, as well as being a covering to the body,
_in_spires air and _ex_pires moisture;--this is the cuticle, or skin;
and so intimate is the connection between the skin and lungs, that
whatever injures the first, is certain to affect the latter.
2456. The great practical advantage derivable from this fact is, the
knowledge that whatever relieves the one benefits the other. Hence,
too, the great utility of hot baths in all affections of the lungs or
diseases of the skin; and the reason why exposure to cold or wet is, in
nearly all cases, followed by tightness of the chest, sore throat,
difficulty of breathing, and cough. These symptoms are the consequence
of a larger quantity of blood than is natural remaining in the lungs,
and the cough is a mere effort of Nature to throw off the obstruction
caused by the presence of too much blood in the organ of respiration.
The hot bath, by causing a larger amount of blood to rush suddenly to
the skin, has the effect of relieving the lungs of their excess of
blood, and by equalizing the circulation, and promoting perspiration
from the cuticle, affords immediate and direct benefit, both to the
lungs and the system at large.
THE STOMACH--DIGESTION.
2458. We have described the most important of the three functions that
take place in the infant's body-respiration and digestion; the third,
namely, circulation, we hardly think it necessary to enter on, not being
called for by the requirements of the nurse and mother; so we shall omit
its notice, and proceed from theoretical to more practical
considerations. Children of weakly constitutions are just as likely to
be born of robust parents, and those who earn their bread by toil, as
the offspring of luxury and affluence; and, indeed, it is against the
ordinary providence of Nature to suppose the children of the hardworking
and necessitous to be hardier and more vigorous than those of parents
blessed with ease and competence.
2459. All children come into the world in the same imploring
helplessness, with the same general organization and wants, and
demanding either from the newly-awakened mother's love, or from the
memory of motherly feeling in the nurse, or the common appeals of
humanity in those who undertake the earliest duties of an infant, the
same assistance and protection, and the same fostering care.
THE INFANT.
2463. The object in this case, as in the previous one, is to dilate the
lungs as quickly as possible, so that, by the sudden effect of a
vigorous inspiration, the valve may be firmly closed, and the impure
blood, losing this means of egress, be sent directly to the lungs. The
same treatment is therefore necessary as in the previous case, with the
addition, if the friction along the spine has failed, of a warm bath at
a temperature of about 80�, in which the child is to be plunged up to
the neck, first cleansing the mouth and nostrils of the mucus that might
interfere with the free passage of air.
2465. The time that this state of negative vitality will linger in the
frame of an infant is remarkable; and even when all the previous
operations, though long-continued, have proved ineffectual, the child
will often rally from the simplest of means--the application of dry
heat. When removed from the bath, place three or four hot bricks or
tiles on the hearth, and lay the child, loosely folded in a flannel, on
its back along them, taking care that there is but one fold of flannel
between the spine and heated bricks or tiles. When neither of these
articles can be procured, put a few clear pieces of red cinder in a
warming-pan, and extend the child in the same manner along the closed
lid. As the heat gradually diffuses itself over the spinal marrow, the
child that was dying, or seemingly dead, will frequently give a sudden
and energetic cry, succeeded in another minute by a long and vigorous
peal, making up, in volume and force, for the previous delay, and
instantly confirming its existence by every effort in its nature.
THE MILK.
2472. As Nature has placed in the bosom of the mother the natural food
of her offspring, it must be self-evident to every reflecting woman,
that it becomes her duty to study, as far as lies in her power, to keep
that reservoir of nourishment in as pure and invigorating a condition as
possible; for she must remember that the _quantity_ is no proof of the
_quality_ of this aliment.
2473. The mother, while suckling, as a general rule, should avoid all
sedentary occupations, take regular exercise, keep her mind as lively
and pleasingly occupied as possible, especially by music and singing.
Her diet should be light and nutritious, with a proper sufficiency of
animal food, and of that kind which yields the largest amount of
nourishment; and, unless the digestion is naturally strong, vegetables
and fruit should form a very small proportion of the general dietary,
and such preparations as broths, gruels, arrowroot, &c., still less.
Tapioca, or ground-rice pudding, made with several eggs, may be taken
freely; but all slops and thin potations, such as that delusion called
chicken-broth, should be avoided, as yielding a very small amount of
nutriment, and a large proportion of flatulence. All purely stimulants
should be avoided as much as possible, especially spirits, unless taken
for some special object, and that medicinally; but as a part of the
dietary they should be carefully shunned. Lactation is always an
exhausting process, and as the child increases in size and strength, the
drain upon the mother becomes great and depressing. Then something more
even than an abundant diet is required to keep the mind and body up to a
standard sufficiently healthy to admit of a constant and nutritious
secretion being performed without detriment to the physical integrity of
the mother, or injury to the child who imbibes it; and as stimulants are
inadmissible, if not positively injurious, the substitute required is to
be found in _malt liquor_. To the lady accustomed to her Madeira and
sherry, this may appear a very vulgar potation for a delicate young
mother to take instead of the more subtle and condensed elegance of
wine; but as we are writing from experience, and with the avowed object
of imparting useful facts and beneficial remedies to our readers, we
allow no social distinctions to interfere with our legitimate object.
2474. We have already said that the suckling mother should avoid
stimulants, especially spirituous ones; and though something of this
sort is absolutely necessary to support her strength during the
exhausting process, it should be rather of a _tonic_ than of a
stimulating character; and as all wines contain a large percentage of
brandy, they are on that account less beneficial than the pure juice of
the fermented grape might be. But there is another consideration to be
taken into account on this subject; the mother has not only to think of
herself, but also of her infant. Now wines, especially port wine, very
often--indeed, most frequently--affect the baby's bowels, and what might
have been grateful to the mother becomes thus a source of pain and
irritation to the child afterwards. Sherry is less open to this
objection than other wines, yet still _it_ very frequently does
influence the second participator, or the child whose mother has taken
it.
2475. The nine or twelve months a woman usually suckles must be, to some
extent, to most mothers, a period of privation and penance, and unless
she is deaf to the cries of her baby, and insensible to its kicks and
plunges, and will not see in such muscular evidences the griping pains
that rack her child, she will avoid every article that can remotely
affect the little being who draws its sustenance from her. She will see
that the babe is acutely affected by all that in any way influences her,
and willingly curtail her own enjoyments, rather than see her infant
rendered feverish, irritable, and uncomfortable. As the best tonic,
then, and the most efficacious indirect stimulant that a mother can take
at such times, there is no potation equal to _porter_ and _stout_, or,
what is better still, an equal part of porter and stout. Ale, except for
a few constitutions, is too subtle and too sweet, generally causing
acidity or heartburn, and stout alone is too potent to admit of a full
draught, from its proneness to affect the head; and quantity, as well as
moderate strength, is required to make the draught effectual; the equal
mixture, therefore, of stout and porter yields all the properties
desired or desirable as a medicinal agent for this purpose.
2480. As the first milk that is secreted contains a large amount of the
saline elements, and is thin and innutritious, it is most admirably
adapted for the purpose Nature designed it to fulfil,--that of an
aperient; but which, unfortunately, it is seldom permitted, in our
artificial mode of living, to perform.
2482. One of the most common errors that mothers fall into while
suckling their children, is that of fancying they are always hungry, and
consequently overfeeding them; and with this, the great mistake of
applying the child to the breast on every occasion of its crying,
without investigating the cause of its complaint, and, under the belief
that it wants food, putting the nipple into its crying mouth, until the
infant turns in revulsion and petulance from what it should accept with
eagerness and joy. At such times, a few teaspoonfuls of water, slightly
chilled, will often instantly pacify a crying and restless child, who
has turned in loathing from the offered breast; or, after imbibing a few
drops, and finding it not what nature craved, throws back its head in
disgust, and cries more petulantly than before. In such a case as this,
the young mother, grieved at her baby's rejection of the tempting
present, and distressed at its cries, and in terror of some injury, over
and over ransacks its clothes, believing some insecure pin can alone be
the cause of such sharp complaining, an accident that, from her own care
in dressing, however, is seldom or ever the case.
2483. These abrupt cries of the child, if they do not proceed from
thirst, which a little water will relieve, not unfrequently occur from
some unequal pressure, a fold or twist in the "roller," or some
constriction round the tender body. If this is suspected, the mother
must not be content with merely slackening the strings; the child should
be undressed, and the creases and folds of the hot skin, especially
those about the thighs and groins, examined, to see that no powder has
caked, and, becoming hard, irritated the parts. The violet powder should
be dusted freely over all, to cool the skin, and everything put on fresh
and smooth. If such precautions have not afforded relief, and, in
addition to the crying, the child plunges or draws up its legs, the
mother may be assured some cause of irritation exists in the stomach or
bowels,--either acidity in the latter or distension from overfeeding in
the former; but, from whichever cause, the child should be "opened"
before the fire, and a heated napkin applied all over the abdomen, the
infant being occasionally elevated to a sitting position, and while
gently jolted on the knee, the back should be lightly patted with the
hand.
2484. Should the mother have any reason to apprehend that the _cause_ of
inconvenience proceeds from the bladder--a not unfrequent source of
pain,--the napkin is to be dipped in hot water, squeezed out, and
immediately applied over the part, and repeated every eight or ten
minutes, for several times in succession, either till the natural relief
is afforded, or a cessation of pain allows of its discontinuance. The
pain that young infants often suffer, and the crying that results from
it, is, as we have already said, frequently caused by the mother
inconsiderately overfeeding her child, and is produced by the pain of
distension, and the mechanical pressure of a larger quantity of fluid in
the stomach than the gastric juice can convert into cheese and digest.
2485. Some children are stronger in the enduring power of the stomach
than others, and get rid of the excess by vomiting, concluding every
process of suckling by an emission of milk and curd. Such children are
called by nurses "thriving children;" and generally they are so, simply
because their digestion is good, and they have the power of expelling
with impunity that superabundance of aliment which in others is a source
of distension, flatulence, and pain.
2486. The length of time an infant should be suckled must depend much on
the health and strength of the child, and the health of the mother, and
the quantity and quality of her milk; though, when all circumstances are
favourable, it should never be less than _nine_, nor exceed _fifteen_
months; but perhaps the true time will be found in the medium between
both. But of this we may be sure, that Nature never ordained a child to
live on suction after having endowed it with teeth to bite and to grind;
and nothing is more out of place and unseemly than to hear a child, with
a set of twenty teeth, ask for "the breast."
2488. Though we have said that twelve months is about the medium time a
baby should be suckled, we by no means wish to imply that a child should
be fed exclusively on milk for its first year; quite the reverse; the
infant can hardly be too soon made independent of the mother. Thus,
should illness assail her, her milk fail, or any domestic cause abruptly
cut off the natural supply, the child having been annealed to an
artificial diet, its life might be safely carried on without seeking for
a wet-nurse, and without the slightest danger to its system.
2492. In these days of intelligence, there are few ladies who have not,
in all probability, seen the manner in which the Indian squaw, the
aborigines of Polynesia, and even the Lapp and Esquimaux, strap down
their baby on a board, and by means of a loop suspend it to the bough of
a tree, hang it up to the rafters of the hut, or on travel, dangle it on
their backs, outside the domestic implements, which, as the slave of her
master, man, the wronged but uncomplaining woman carries, in order that
her lord may march in unhampered freedom. Cruel and confining as this
system of "backboard" dressing may seem to our modern notions of freedom
and exercise, it is positively less irksome, less confining, and
infinitely less prejudicial to health, than the mummying of children by
our grandmothers a hundred, ay, fifty years ago: for what with
chin-stays, back-stays, body-stays, forehead-cloths, rollers, bandages,
&c., an infant had as many girths and strings, to keep head, limbs, and
body in one exact position, as a ship has halyards.
2493. Much of this--indeed we may say all--has been abolished; but still
the child is far from being dressed loosely enough; and we shall never
be satisfied till the abominable use of the _pin_ is avoided _in toto_
in an infant's dressing, and a texture made for all the under garments
of a child of a cool and elastic material.
2495. Children do not so much cry from the washing as from the
irritation caused by the frequent change of position in which they are
placed, the number of times they are turned on their face, on their
back, and on their side, by the manipulations demanded by the
multiplicity of articles to be fitted, tacked, and carefully adjusted on
their bodies. What mother ever found her girl of six or seven stand
quiet while she was curling her hair? How many times nightly has she not
to reprove her for not standing still during the process! It is the same
with the unconscious infant, who cannot bear to be moved about, and who
has no sooner grown reconciled to one position than it is forced
reluctantly into another. It is true, in one instance the child has
intelligence to guide it, and in the other not; but the _motitory
nerves_, in both instances, resent coercion, and a child cannot be too
little handled.
2496. On this account alone, and, for the moment, setting health and
comfort out of the question, we beg mothers to simplify their baby's
dress as much as possible; and not only to put on as little as is
absolutely necessary, but to make that as simple in its contrivance and
adjustment as it will admit of; to avoid belly-bands, rollers, girths,
and everything that can impede or confine the natural expansion of the
digestive organs, on the due performance of whose functions the child
lives, thrives, and develops its physical being.
REARING BY HAND.
2498. To those persons unacquainted with the system, or who may have
been erroneously informed on the matter, the rearing of a child by hand
may seem surrounded by innumerable difficulties, and a large amount of
personal trouble and anxiety to the nurse or mother who undertakes the
duty. This, however, is a fallacy in every respect, except as regards
the fact of preparing the food; but even this extra amount of work, by
adopting the course we shall lay down, may be reduced to a very small
sum of inconvenience; and as respects anxiety, the only thing calling
for care is the display of judgment in the preparation of the food. The
articles required for the purpose of feeding an infant are a night-lamp,
with its pan and lid, to keep the food warm; a nursing-bottle, with a
prepared teat; and a small pap saucepan, for use by day. Of the lamp we
need hardly speak, most mothers being acquainted with its operation: but
to those to whom it is unknown we may observe, that the flame from the
floating rushlight heats the water in the reservoir above, in which the
covered pan that contains the food floats, keeping it at such a heat
that, when thinned by milk, it will be of a temperature suitable for
immediate use. Though many kinds of nursing-bottles have been lately
invented, and some mounted with India-rubber nipples, the common glass
bottle, with the calf's teat, is equal in cleanliness and utility to
any; besides, the nipple put into the child's mouth is so white and
natural in appearance, that no child taken from the breast will refuse
it. The black artificial ones of caoutchouc or gutta-percha are
unnatural. The prepared teats can be obtained at any chemist's, and as
they are kept in spirits, they will require a little soaking in warm
water, and gentle washing, before being tied securely, by means of fine
twine, round the neck of the bottle, just sufficient being left
projecting for the child to grasp freely in its lips; for if left the
full length, or over long, it will be drawn too far into the mouth, and
possibly make the infant heave. When once properly adjusted, the nipple
need never be removed till replaced by a new one, which will hardly be
necessary oftener than once a fortnight, though with care one will last
for several weeks. The nursing-bottle should be thoroughly washed and
cleaned every day, and always rinsed out before and after using it, the
warm water being squeezed through the nipple, to wash out any particles
of food that might lodge in the aperture, and become sour. The teat can
always be kept white and soft by turning the end of the bottle, when not
in use, into a narrow jug containing water, taking care to dry it first,
and then to warm it by drawing the food through before putting it into
the child's mouth.
2500. Baked flour, when cooked into a pale brown mass, and finely
powdered, makes a far superior food to the others, and may be considered
as a very useful diet, especially for a change. Prepared groats may be
classed with arrowroot and raw flour, as being innutritious. The
articles that now follow in our list are all good, and such as we could,
with conscience and safety, trust to for the health and development of
any child whatever.
2502. The packets sold as farinaceous food are unquestionably the best
aliment that can be given from the first to a baby, and may be
continued, with the exception of an occasional change, without
alteration of the material, till the child is able to take its regular
meals of animal and vegetable food. Some infants are so constituted as
to require a frequent and total change in their system of living,
seeming to thrive for a certain time on any food given to them, but if
persevered in too long, declining in bulk and appearance as rapidly as
they had previously progressed. In such cases the food should be
immediately changed, and when that which appeared to agree best with the
child is resumed, it should be altered in its quality, and perhaps in
its consistency.
2503. For the farinaceous food there are directions with each packet,
containing instructions for the making; but, whatever the food employed
is, enough should be made at once to last the day and night; at first,
about a pint basinful, but, as the child advances, a quart will hardly
be too much. In all cases, let the food boil a sufficient time,
constantly stirring, and taking every precaution that it does not get
burnt, in which case it is on no account to be used.
2504. The food should always be made with water, the whole sweetened at
once, and of such a consistency that, when poured out, and it has had
time to cool, it will cut with the firmness of a pudding or custard. One
or two spoonfuls are to be put into the pap saucepan and stood on the
hob till the heat has softened it, when enough milk is to be added, and
carefully mixed with the food, till the whole has the consistency of
ordinary cream; it is then to be poured into the nursing-bottle, and the
food having been drawn through to warm the nipple, it is to be placed in
the child's mouth. For the first month or more, half a bottleful will be
quite enough to give the infant at one time; but, as the child grows, it
will be necessary not only to increase the quantity given at each time,
but also gradually to make its food more consistent, and, after the
third month, to add an egg to every pint basin of food made. At night
the mother puts the food into the covered pan of her lamp, instead of
the saucepan--that is, enough for one supply, and, having lighted the
rush, she will find, on the waking of her child, the food sufficiently
hot to bear the cooling addition of the milk. But, whether night or day,
the same food should never be heated twice, and what the child leaves
should be thrown away.
2505. The biscuit powder is used in the same manner as the farinaceous
food, and both prepared much after the fashion of making starch. But
when tops-and-bottoms, or the whole biscuit, are employed, they require
soaking in cold water for some time previous to boiling. The biscuit or
biscuits are then to be slowly boiled in as much water as will, when
thoroughly soft, allow of their being beaten by a three-pronged fork
into a fine, smooth, and even pulp, and which, when poured into a basin
and become cold, will cut out like a custard. If two large biscuits have
been so treated, and the child is six or seven months old, beat up two
eggs, sufficient sugar to properly sweeten it, and about a pint of skim
milk. Pour this on the beaten biscuit in the saucepan, stirring
constantly; boil for about five minutes, pour into a basin, and use,
when cold, in the same manner as the other.
2507. Semolina, or manna croup, being in little hard grains, like a fine
millet-seed, must be boiled for some time, and the milk, sugar, and egg
added to it on the fire, and boiled for a few minutes longer, and, when
cold, used as the other preparations.
2509. About three months after birth, the infant's troubles may be said
to begin; teeth commence forming in the gums, causing pain and
irritation in the mouth, and which, but for the saliva it causes to flow
so abundantly, would be attended with very serious consequences. At the
same time the mother frequently relaxes in the punctuality of the
regimen imposed on her, and, taking some unusual or different food,
excites diarrhoea or irritation in her child's stomach, which not
unfrequently results in a rash on the skin, or slight febrile symptoms,
which, if not subdued in their outset, superinduce some more serious
form of infantine disease. But, as a general rule, the teeth are the
primary cause of much of the child's sufferings, in consequence of the
state of nervous and functional irritation into which the system is
thrown by their formation and progress out of the jaw and through the
gums. We propose beginning this branch of our subject with that most
fertile source of an infant's suffering--
Teething.
2510. That this subject may he better understood by the nurse and
mother, and the reason of the constitutional disturbance that, to a
greater or less degree, is experienced by all infants, may be made
intelligible to those who have the care of children, we shall commence
by giving a brief account of the formation of the teeth, the age at
which they appear in the mouth, and the order in which they pierce the
gums. The organs of mastication in the adult consist of 32 distinct
teeth, 16 in either jaw; being, in fact, a double set. The teeth are
divided into 4 incisors, 2 canine, 4 first and second grinders, and 6
molars; but in childhood the complement or first set consists of only
twenty, and these only make their appearance as the development of the
frame indicates the requirement of a different kind of food for the
support of the system. At birth some of the first-cut teeth are found in
the cavities of the jaw, in a very small and rudimentary form; but this
is by no means universal. About the third month, the jaws, which are
hollow and divided into separate cells, begin to expand, making room for
the slowly developing teeth, which, arranged for beauty and economy of
space lengthwise, gradually turn their tops upwards, piercing the gum by
their edges, which, being sharp, assist in cutting a passage through the
soft parts. There is no particular period at which children cut their
teeth, some being remarkably early, and others equally late. The
earliest age that we have ever ourselves known as a reliable fact was,
_six weeks_. Such peculiarities are generally hereditary, and, as in
this case, common to a whole family. The two extremes are probably
represented by six and sixteen months. Pain and drivelling are the
usual, but by no means the general, indications of teething.
2511. About the sixth month the gums become tense and swollen,
presenting a red, shiny appearance, while the salivary glands pour out
an unusual quantity of saliva. After a time, a white line or round spot
is observed on the top of one part of the gums, and the sharp edge of
the tooth may be felt beneath if the finger is gently pressed on the
part. Through these white spots the teeth burst their way in the
following order:--
2512. Two incisors in the lower jaw are first cut, though, in general,
some weeks elapse between the appearance of the first and the advent of
the second. The next teeth cut are the four incisors of the upper jaw.
The next in order are the remaining two incisors of the bottom, one on
each side, then two top and two bottom on each side, but not joining the
incisors; and lastly, about the eighteenth or twentieth month, the four
eye teeth, filling up the space left between the side teeth and the
incisors; thus completing the infant's set of sixteen. Sometimes at the
same period, but more frequently some months later, four more double
teeth slowly make their appearance, one on each side of each jaw,
completing the entire series of the child's first set of twenty teeth.
It is asserted that a child, while cutting its teeth, should either
dribble excessively, vomit after every meal, or be greatly relaxed.
Though one or other, or all of these at once, may attend a case of
teething, it by no means follows that any one of them should accompany
this process of nature, though there can be no doubt that where the pain
consequent on the unyielding state of the gums, and the firmness of the
skin that covers the tooth, is severe, a copious discharge of saliva
acts beneficially in saving the head, and also in guarding the child
from those dangerous attacks of fits to which many children in their
teething are liable.
2513. _The Symptoms_ that generally indicate the cutting of teeth, in
addition to the inflamed and swollen state of the gums, and increased
flow of saliva, are the restless and peevish state of the child, the
hands being thrust into the mouth, and the evident pleasure imparted by
rubbing the finger or nail gently along the gum; the lips are often
excoriated, and the functions of the stomach or bowels are out of order.
In severe cases, occurring in unhealthy or scrofulous children, there
are, from the first, considerable fever, disturbed sleep, fretfulness,
diarrhoea, rolling of the eyes, convulsive startings, laborious
breathing, coma, or unnatural sleep, ending, unless the head is quickly
relieved, in death.
2515. Besides these, there is another means, but that must be employed
by a medical man; namely, scarifying the gums--an operation always safe,
and which, when judiciously performed, and at a critical opportunity,
will often snatch the child from the grasp of death.
2516. There are few subjects on which mothers have often formed such
strong and mistaken opinions as on that of lancing an infant's gums,
some rather seeing their child go into fits--and by the unrelieved
irritation endangering inflammation of the brain, water on the head,
rickets, and other lingering affections--than permit the surgeon to
afford instant relief by cutting through the hard skin, which, like a
bladder over the stopper of a bottle, effectually confines the tooth to
the socket, and prevents it piercing the soft, spongy substance of the
gum. This prejudice is a great error, as we shall presently show; for,
so far from hurting the child, there is nothing that will so soon
convert an infant's tears into smiles as scarifying the gums in painful
teething; that is, if effectually done, and the skin of the tooth be
divided.
2519. From their birth till after teething, infants are more or less
subject or liable to sudden fits, which often, without any assignable
cause, will attack the child in a moment, and while in the mother's
arms; and which, according to their frequency, and the age and strength
of the infant, are either slight or dangerous.
2520. Whatever may have been the remote cause, the immediate one is some
irritation of the nervous system, causing convulsions, or an effusion to
the head, inducing coma. In the first instance, the infant cries out
with a quick, short scream, rolls up its eyes, arches its body
backwards, its arms become bent and fixed, and the fingers parted; the
lips and eyelids assume a dusky leaden colour, while the face remains
pale, and the eyes open, glassy, or staring. This condition may or may
not be attended with muscular twitchings of the mouth, and convulsive
plunges of the arms. The fit generally lasts from one to three minutes,
when the child recovers with a sigh, and the relaxation of the body. In
the other case, the infant is attacked at once with total insensibility
and relaxation of the limbs, coldness of the body and suppressed
breathing; the eyes, when open, being dilated, and presenting a dim
glistening appearance; the infant appearing, for the moment, to be dead.
Mix thoroughly, and divide into three powders, which are to be taken as
advised for an infant one year old; for younger or weakly infants,
divide into four powders, and give as the other. For thirst and febrile
symptoms, give drinks of barley-water, or cold water, and every three
hours put ten to fifteen drops of spirits of sweet nitre in a
dessert-spoonful of either beverage.
2525. The whole digestive canal, of which the stomach and bowels are
only a part, is covered, from the lips, eyes, and ears downwards, with a
thin glairy tissue, like the skin that lines the inside of an egg,
called the mucous membrane; this membrane is dotted all over, in a state
of health, by imperceptible points, called follicles, through which the
saliva, or mucous secreted by the membrane, is poured out.
2528. The situation and character of thrush show at once that the cause
is some irritation of the mucous membrane, and can proceed only from the
nature and quality of the food. Before weaning, this must be looked for
in the mother, and the condition of the milk; after that time, in the
crude and indigestible nature of the food given. In either case, this
exciting cause of the disease must be at once stopped. When it proceeds
from the mother, it is always best to begin by physicking the infant
through the parent; that is to say, let the parent first take the
medicine, which will sufficiently affect the child through the milk:
this plan has the double object of benefiting the patient and, at the
same time, correcting the state of the mother, and improving the
condition of her milk. In the other case, when the child is being fed by
hand, then proceed by totally altering the style of aliment given, and
substituting farinaceous food, custards, blanc-mange, and ground-rice
puddings.
2529. As an aperient medicine for the mother, the best thing she can
take is a dessert-spoonful of carbonate of magnesia once or twice a day,
in a cup of cold water; and every second day, for two or three times, an
aperient pill.
2530. As the thrush extends all over the mouth, throat, stomach, and
bowels, the irritation to the child from such an extent of diseased
surface is proportionately great, and before attempting to act on such a
tender surface by opening medicine, the better plan is to soothe by an
emollient mixture; and, for that purpose, let the following be prepared.
Take of
Half a teaspoonful three times a day, to an infant from one to two years
old; a teaspoonful from two to three years old; and a dessertspoonful at
any age over that time. After two days' use of the mixture, one of the
following powders should be given twice a day, accompanied with one dose
daily of the mixture:--
Divide into twelve powders, for one year; eight powders, from one to
two; and six powders, from two to six years old. After that age, double
the strength, by giving the quantity of two powders at once.
2532. To those, however, who wish to try the honey process, the best
preparation to use is the following:-Rub down one ounce of honey with
two drachms of tincture of myrrh, and apply it to the lips and mouth
every four or six hours.
2536. The class of diseases we are now approaching are the most
important, both in their pathological features and in their consequences
on the constitution, of any group or individual disease that assails the
human body; and though more frequently attacking the undeveloped frame
of childhood, are yet by no means confined to that period. These are
called Eruptive Fevers, and embrace chicken-pox, cow-pox, small-pox,
scarlet fever, measles, milary fever, and erysipelas, or St. Anthony's
fire.
2537. The general character of all these is, that they are contagious,
and, as a general rule, attack a person only once in his lifetime; that
their chain of diseased actions always begins with fever, and that,
after an interval of from one to four days, the fever is followed by an
eruption of the skin.
2544. Fortunately the State has now made it imperative on all parents to
have their children vaccinated before, or by the end of, the twelfth
week; thus doing away, as far as possible, with the danger to public
health proceeding from the ignorance or prejudice of those parents whose
want of information on the subject makes them object to the employment
of this specific preventive; for though vaccination has been proved
_not_ to be _always_ an infallible guard against small-pox, the attack
is always much lighter, should it occur, and is seldom, if indeed
_ever_, fatal after the precaution of vaccination. The best time to
vaccinate a child is after the sixth and before the twelfth week, if it
is in perfect health, but still earlier if small-pox is prevalent, and
any danger exists of the infant taking the disease. It is customary, and
always advisable, to give the child a mild aperient powder one or two
days before inserting the lymph in the arm; and should measles, scarlet
fever, or any other disease arise during the progress of the pustule,
the child, when recovered, should be _re-vaccinated_, and the lymph
taken from its arm on no account used for vaccinating purposes.
2545. The disease of cow-pox generally takes twenty days to complete its
course; in other words, the maturity and declension of the pustule takes
that time to fulfil its several changes. The mode of vaccination is
either to insert the matter, or lymph, taken from a healthy child, under
the cuticle in several places on both arms, or, which is still better,
to make three slight scratches, or abrasions, with a lancet on one arm
in this manner, ,,",, and work into the irritated parts the lymph,
allowing the arm to dry thoroughly before putting down the infant's
sleeve; by this means absorption is insured, and the unnecessary pain of
several pustules on both arms avoided. No apparent change is observable
by the eye for several days; indeed, not till the fourth, in many cases,
is there any evidence of a vesicle; about the fifth day, however, a pink
areola, or circle, is observed round one or all of the places,
surrounding a small pearly vesicle or bladder. This goes on deepening in
hue till the seventh or eighth day, when the vesicle is about an inch in
diameter, with a depressed centre; on the ninth the edges are elevated,
and the surrounding part hard and inflamed. The disease is now at its
height, and the pustule should be opened, if not for the purpose of
vaccinating other children, to allow the escape of the lymph, and subdue
the inflammatory action. After the twelfth day the centre is covered by
a brown scab, and the colour of the swelling becomes darker, gradually
declining in hardness and colour till the twentieth, when the scab
falls, off, leaving a small pit, or cicatrix, to mark the seat of the
disease, and for life prove a certificate of successful vaccination.
Measles.
2547. This much-dreaded disease, which forms the next subject in our
series of infantine diseases, and which entails more evils on the health
of childhood than any other description of physical suffering to which
that age of life is subject, may be considered more an affection of the
venous circulation, tending to general and local congestion, attended
with a diseased condition of the blood, than either as a fever or an
inflammation; and though generally classed before or after scarlet
fever, is, in its pathology and treatment, irrespective of its
after-consequences, as distinct and opposite as one disease can well be
from another.
2550. On the third day, small red points make their appearance, first on
the face and neck, gradually extending over the upper and lower part of
the body. On the fifth day, the vivid red of the eruption changes into a
brownish hue; and, in two or three days more, the rash entirely
disappears, leaving a loose powdery desquamation on the skin, which rubs
off like dandriff. At this stage of the disease a diarrhoea frequently
comes on, which, being what is called "critical," should never be
checked, unless seriously severe. Measles sometimes assume a typhoid or
malignant character, in which form the symptoms are all greatly
exaggerated, and the case from the first becomes both doubtful and
dangerous. In this condition the eruption comes out sooner, and only in
patches; and often, after showing for a few hours, suddenly recedes,
presenting, instead of the usual florid red, a dark purple or blackish
hue; a dark brown fur forms on the gums and mouth, the breathing becomes
laborious, delirium supervenes, and, if unrelieved, is followed by coma;
a fetid diarrhoea takes place, and the patient sinks under the congested
state of the lungs and the oppressed functions of the brain.
2557. When measles assume the malignant form, the advice just given must
be broken through; food of a nutritious and stimulating character should
be at once substituted, and administered in conjunction with wine, and
even spirits, and the disease regarded and treated as a case of typhus.
But, as this form of measles is not frequent, and, if occurring, hardly
likely to be treated without assistance, it is unnecessary to enter on
the minutiae of its practice here. What we have prescribed, in almost
all cases, will be found sufficient to meet every emergency, without
resorting to a multiplicity of agents.
2558. The great point to remember in measles is, not to give up the
treatment with the apparent subsidence of the disease, as the
_after-consequences_ of measles are too often more serious, and to be
more dreaded, than the measles themselves. To guard against this danger,
and thoroughly purify the system, after the subsidence of all the
symptoms of the disease, a corrective course of medicine, and a regimen
of exercise, should be adopted for some weeks after the cure of the
disease. To effect this, an active aperient powder should be given every
three or four clays, with a daily dose of the subjoined tonic mixture,
with as much exercise, by walking, running after a hoop, or other bodily
exertion, as the strength of the child and the state of the atmosphere
will admit, the patient being, wherever possible, removed to a purer air
as soon as convalescence warrants the change.
2560. Though professional accuracy has divided this disease into several
forms, we shall keep to the one disease most generally mot with, the
common or simple scarlet fever, which, in all cases, is characterized by
an excessive heat on the skin, sore throat, and a peculiar speckled
appearance of the tongue.
2563. When the fever runs high in the first stage, and there is much
nausea, before employing the effusions of water, give the patient an
emetic, of equal, parts of ipecacuanha and antimonial wine, in doses of
from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, according to age. By these means,
nine out of every ten cases of scarlatina may be safely and
expeditiously cured, especially if the temperature of the patient's room
is kept at an even standard of about sixty degrees.
Hooping-Cough.
Croup.
2568. This is by far the most formidable and fatal of all the diseases
to which infancy and childhood are liable, and is purely an inflammatory
affection, attacking that portion of the mucous membrane lining the
windpipe and bronchial tubes, and from the effect of which a false or
loose membrane is formed along the windpipe, resembling in appearance
the finger of a glove suspended in the passage, and, consequently,
terminating the life of the patient by suffocation; for, as the lower
end grows together and becomes closed, no air can enter the lungs, and
the child dies choked. All dull, fat, and heavy children are peculiarly
predisposed to this disease, and those with short necks and who make a
wheezing noise in their natural breathing. Croup is always sudden in its
attack, and rapid in its career, usually proving fatal within three
days; most frequently commences in the night, and generally attacking
children between the ages of three and ten years. Mothers should,
therefore, be on their guard who have children predisposed to this
disease, and immediately resort to the means hereafter advised.
2572. Should the symptoms remain unabated after a few hours, apply one
or two leeches to the throat, and put mustard poultices to the foot and
thighs, retaining them about eight minutes; and, in extreme cases, a
mustard poultice to the spine between the shoulders, and at the same
time rub mercurial ointment into the armpits and the angles of the jaws.
Diarrhoea.
2575. When much griping and pain attend the diarrhoea, half a
teaspoonful of Dalby's Carminative (the best of all patent medicines)
should be given, either with or without a small quantity of castor oil
to carry off the exciting cause.
THE DOCTOR.
CHAPTER XLIII.
2578. "Time," according to the old proverb, "is money;" and it may also,
in many cases, and with equal truthfulness, be said to be life; for a
few moments, in great emergencies, often turn the balance between
recovery and death. This applies more especially to all kinds of
poisoning, fits, submersion in water, or exposure to noxious gases; and
many accidents. If people knew how to act during the interval that must
necessarily elapse from the moment that a medical man is sent for until
he arrives, many lives might be saved, which now, unhappily, are lost.
Generally speaking, however, nothing is done--all is confusion and
fright; and the surgeon, on his arrival, finds that death has already
seized its victim, who, had his friends but known a few rough rules for
their guidance, might have been rescued. We shall, therefore, in a
series of papers, give such information as to the means to be employed
in event of accidents, injuries, &c., as, by the aid of a gentleman of
large professional experience, we are warranted in recommending.
2590. 3. _Myrrh and Aloes Pills_.--Ten grains made into two pills are
the dose for a full-grown person.
2599. All fluid applications to the body are exhibited either in a hot
or cold form; and the object for which they are administered is to
produce a stimulating effect over the entire, or a part, of the system;
for the effect, though differently obtained, and varying in degree, is
the same in principle, whether procured by hot or cold water.
2601. _Warm and Hot Bath_.--These baths are used whenever there is
congestion, or accumulation of blood in the internal organs, causing
pain, difficulty of breathing, or stupor, and are employed, by their
stimulating property, to cause a rush of blood to the surface, and, by
unloading the great organs, produce a temporary inflammation in the
skin, and so equalize the circulation. The effect of the hot bath is to
increase the fulness of the pulse, accelerate respiration, and excite
perspiration. In all inflammations of the stomach and bowels, the hot
bath is of the utmost consequence; the temperature of the warm bath
varies from 92� to 100�, and may be obtained by those who have no
thermometer to test the exact heat, by mixing one measure of boiling
with two of cold water.
2603. _Cold_, when applied in excess to the body, drives the blood from
the surface to the centre, reduces the pulse, makes the breathing hard
and difficult, produces coma, and, if long continued, death. But when
medicinally used, it excites a reaction on the surface equivalent to a
stimulating effect; as in some cases of fever, when the body has been
sponged with cold water, it excites, by reaction, increased circulation
on the skin. Cold is sometimes used to keep up a repellent action, as,
when local inflammation takes place, a remedy is applied, which, by its
benumbing and astringent effect, causes the blood, or the excess of it
in the part, to recede, and, by contracting the vessels, prevents the
return of any undue quantity, till the affected part recovers its tone.
Such remedies are called _Lotions_, and should, when used, be applied
with the same persistency as the fomentation; for, as the latter should
be renewed as often as the heat passes off, so the former should be
applied as often as the heat from the skin deprives the application of
its cold.
How to Bleed.
2609. BITES AND STINGS may be divided into three kinds:--1. Those of
Insects. 2. Those of Snakes. 3. Those of Dogs and other Animals.
2610. 1. _The Bites or Stings of Insects_, such as gnats, bees, wasps,
&c., need cause very little alarm, and are, generally speaking, easily
cured. They are very serious, however, when they take place on some
delicate part of the body, such as near the eye, or in the throat. _The
treatment_ is very simple in most cases; and consists in taking out the
sting, if it is left behind, with a needle, and applying to the part a
liniment made of finely-scraped chalk and olive-oil, mixed together to
about the thickness of cream.
2611. Bathing the part bitten with warm turpentine or warm vinegar is
also of great use. If the person feels faint, he should lie quietly on
his back, and take a little brandy-and-water, or sal-volatile and water.
When the inside of the throat is the part stung, there is great danger
of violent inflammation taking place. In this case, from eight to twelve
leeches should be immediately put to the outside of the throat, and when
they drop off, the part to which they had been applied should be well
fomented with warm water. The inside of the throat is to be constantly
gargled with salt and water. Bits of ice are to be sucked. Rubbing the
face and hands well over with plain olive-oil, before going to bed, will
often keep gnats and musquitoes from biting during the night. Strong
scent, such as eau-de-Cologne, will have the same effect.
2619. BURNS AND SCALDS being essentially the same in all particulars,
and differing only in the manner of their production, may be spoken of
together. As a general rule, scalds are less severe than burns, because
the heat of water, by which scalds are mostly produced, is not, even
when it is boiling, so intense as that of flame; oil, however, and other
liquids, whose boiling-point is high, produce scalds of a very severe
nature. Burns and scalds have been divided into three classes. The first
class comprises those where the burn is altogether superficial, and
merely reddens the skin; the second, where the injury is greater, and we
get little bladders containing a fluid (called serum) dotted over the
affected part; in the third class we get, in the case of burns, a
charring, and in that of scalds, a softening or pulpiness, perhaps a
complete and immediate separation of the part. This may occur at once,
or in the course of a little time. The pain from the second kind of
burns is much more severe than that in the other two, although the
danger, as a general rule, is less than it is in the third class. These
injuries are much more dangerous when they take place on the trunk than
when they happen on the arms or legs. The danger arises more from the
extent of surface that is burnt than from the depth to which the burn
goes. This rule, of course, has certain exceptions; because a small burn
on the chest or belly penetrating deeply is more dangerous than a more
extensive but superficial one on the arm or leg. When a person's clothes
are in flames, the best way of extinguishing them is to wind a rug, or
some thick material, tightly round the whole of the body.
2620. _Treatment of the First Class of Burns and Scalds_.--_Of the part
affected_.--Cover it immediately with a good coating of common flour, or
cotton-wool with flour dredged well into it. The great thing is to keep
the affected surface of the skin from the contact of the air. The part
will shortly get well, and the skin may or may not peel
off.--_Constitutional Treatment_. If the burn or scald is not extensive,
and there is no prostration of strength, this is very simple, and
consists in simply giving a little aperient medicine--pills (No. 2), as
follows:--Mix 5 grains of blue pill and the same quantity of compound
extract of colocynth, and make into two pills--the dose for a full-grown
person. Three hours after the pills give a black draught. If there are
general symptoms of fever, such as hot skin, thirst, headache, &c. &c.,
two tablespoonfuls of fever-mixture are to be given every four hours.
The fever-mixture, we remind our readers, is made thus:-Mix a drachm of
powdered nitro, 2 drachms of carbonate of potash, 2 teaspoonfuls of
antimonial wine, and a tablespoonful of sweet spirits of nitro, in half
a pint of water.
2630. STYE IN THE EYE.--Styes are little abscesses which form between
the roots of the eyelashes, and are rarely larger than a small pea. The
best way to manage them is to bathe them frequently with warm water, or
in warm poppy-water, if very painful. When they have burst, use an
ointment composed of one part of citron ointment and four of spermaceti,
well rubbed together, and smear along the edge of the eyelid. Give a
grain or two of calomel with 5 or 8 grains of rhubarb, according to the
age of the child, twice a week. The old-fashioned and apparently absurd
practice of rubbing the stye with a ring, is as good and speedy a cure
as that by any process of medicinal application; though the number of
times it is rubbed, or the quality of the ring and direction of the
strokes, has nothing to do with its success. The pressure and the
friction excite the vessels of the part, and cause an absorption of the
effused matter under the eyelash. The edge of the nail will answer as
well as a ring.
Fits.
2643. _Hysterics_.--These fits take place, for the most part, in young,
nervous, unmarried women. They happen much less often in married women;
and even (in some rare cases indeed) in men. Young women, who are
subject to these fits, are apt to think that they are suffering from
"all the ills that flesh is heir to;" and the false symptoms of disease
which they show are so like the true ones, that it is often exceedingly
difficult to detect the difference. The fits themselves are mostly
preceded by great depression of spirits, shedding of tears, sickness,
palpitation of the heart, &c. A pain, as if a nail were being driven in,
is also often felt at one particular part of the head. In almost all
cases, when a fit is coming on, pain is felt on the left side. This pain
rises gradually until it reaches the throat, and then gives the patient
a sensation as if she had a pellet there, which prevents her from
breathing properly, and, in fact, seems to threaten actual suffocation.
The patient now generally becomes insensible, and faints; the body is
thrown about in all directions, froth issues from the mouth, incoherent
expressions are uttered, and fits of laughter, crying, or screaming,
take place. When the fit is going off, the patient mostly cries
bitterly, sometimes knowing all, and at others nothing, of what has
taken place, and feeling general soreness all over the body. _Treatment
during the fit_. Place the body in the same position as for simple
fainting, and treat, in other respects, as directed in the article on
Epilepsy. _Always well loosen the patient's stays_; and, when she is
recovering, and able to swallow, give 20 drops of sal volatile in a
little water. The _after-treatment_ of these cases is very various. If
the patient is of a strong constitution, she should live on plain diet,
take plenty of exercise, and take occasional doses of castor oil, or an
aperient mixture, such as that described as "No. 1," in previous
numbers. If, as is mostly the case, the patient is weak and delicate,
she will require a different mode of treatment altogether. Good
nourishing diet, gentle exercise, cold baths, occasionally a dose of No.
3 myrrh and aloes pills at night, and a dose of compound iron pills
twice a day. [As to the myrrh and aloes pills (No. 3), 10 grains made
into two pills are a dose for a full-grown person. Of the compound iron
pills (No. 4), the dose for a full grown person is also 10 grains, made
into two pills.] In every case, amusing the mind, and avoiding all
causes of over-excitement, are of great service in bringing about a
permanent cure.
2647. Poisons shall be the next subject for remark; and we anticipate
more detailed instructions for the treatment of persons poisoned, by
giving a simple LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL POISONS, with their ANTIDOTES OR
REMEDIES.
Pearlash ......................\
Soap-Lees...................... \
Smelling-Salts................. \
Nitre.......................... Lemon-Juice and Vinegar-and-Water
Hartshorn...................... /
Sal-Volatile.................../
Arsenic........................\
Fly-Powder, or................. Emetics, Lime-Water, Soap-and-Water,
White Arsenic.................. Sugar and Water, Oily Drinks.
Kings Yellow, or............... /
Yellow Arsenic................./
Mercury........................\
Corrosive Sublimate............ Whites of Eggs, Soap-and-Water.
Calomel......................../
Opium.......................... Emetic Draught, Vinegar-and-Water,
Laudanum....................... dashing Cold Water on
chest and
face, walking up and down two or
three hours.
Lead...........................\
White Lead..................... Epsom Salts, Castor Oil, Emetics.
Sugar of Lead................../
Goulard's Extract............./
Copper
Blue-stone .................... Whites of Eggs, Sugar-and-Water,
Verdigris...................... Castor Oil, Gruel.
Henbane........................\
Hemlock........................ Emetics and Castor Oil;
Nightshade..................... Brandy-and-Water, if necessary.
Foxglove......................./
2648. The symptoms of poisoning may be known for the most part from
those of some diseases, which they are very like, from the fact of their
coming on _immediately_ after eating or drinking something; whereas
those of disease come on, in most cases at least, by degrees, and with
warnings. In most cases where poison is known, or suspected, to have
been taken, the first thing to be done is to empty the stomach, well and
immediately, by means of mustard mixed in warm water, or plain warm
salt-and-water, or, better, this draught, which we call No. 1:--Twenty
grains of sulphate of zinc in an ounce and a half of water. This draught
to be repeated in a quarter of an hour if vomiting does not ensue. The
back part of the throat should be well tickled with a feather, or two of
the fingers thrust down it, to induce vomiting. The cases where vomiting
must not be used are those where the skin has been taken off, and the
parts touched irritated and inflamed by the poison taken, and where the
action of vomiting would increase the evil. Full instructions are given
in the article on each particular poison as to where emetics are or are
not to be given. The best and safest way of emptying the stomach is by
means of the stomach-pump, as in certain cases the action of vomiting is
likely to increase the danger arising from the swollen and congested
condition of the blood-vessels of the head, which often takes place. In
the hands, however, of any one else than a surgeon, it would be not only
useless, but harmful, as a great deal of dexterity, caution, and
experience are required to use it properly. After having made these
brief introductory remarks, we shall now proceed to particulars.
2655. When very strong fumes of smelling-salts have in any way been
inhaled, there is great difficulty of breathing, and alarming pain in
the mouth and nostrils. In this case let the patient inhale the steam of
warm vinegar, and treat the feverish symptoms as before.
Mix carefully, and divide into 12 powders for a child from 1 to 2 years
old; into 9 powders for a child from 2 to 4 years; and into 6 powders
for a child from 4 to 6 years. Where the patient is older, the strength
may be increased by enlarging the quantities of the drugs ordered, or by
giving one and a half or two powders for one dose. The ointment is to be
well washed off every morning with soap-and-water, and the part bathed
with the lotion before re-applying the ointment. An imperative fact must
be remembered by mother or nurse,--never to use the same comb employed
for the child with ringworm, for the healthy children, or let the
affected little one sleep with those free from the disease; and, for
fear of any contact by hands or otherwise, to keep the child's head
enveloped in a nightcap, till this eruption is completely cured.
2678. CURE FOR THE TOOTHACHE.--Take a piece of sheet zinc, about the
size of a sixpence, and a piece of silver, say a shilling; place them
together, and hold the defective tooth between them or contiguous to
them; in a few minutes the pain will be gone, as if by magic. The zinc
and silver, acting as a galvanic battery, will produce on the nerves of
the tooth sufficient electricity to establish a current, and
consequently to relieve the pain. Or smoke a pipe of tobacco and
caraway-seeds. Again--
2679. A small piece of the pellitory root will, by the flow of saliva it
causes, afford relief. Creosote, or a few drops of tincture of myrrh, or
friar's balsam, on cotton, put on the tooth, will often subdue the pain.
A small piece of camphor, however, retained in the mouth, is the most
reliable and likely means of conquering the paroxysms of this dreaded
enemy.
MEDICAL MEMORANDA.
LEGAL MEMORANDA.
CHAPTER XLIV.
2696. The laws of purchase and sale of property are so complicated that
Lord St. Leonards devotes five chapters of his book on Property Law to
the subject. The only circumstances strong enough to vitiate a purchase,
which has been reduced to a written contract, is proof of fraudulent
representation as to an encumbrance of which the buyer was ignorant, or
a defect in title; but every circumstance which the purchaser might have
learned by careful investigation, the law presumes that he did know.
Thus, in buying a leasehold estate or house, all the covenants of the
original lease are presumed to be known. "It is not unusual," says Lord
St. Leonards, "to stipulate, in conditions of sale of leasehold
property, that the production of a receipt for the last year's rent
shall be accepted as proof that all the lessor's covenants were
performed up to that period. Never bid for one clogged with such a
condition. There are some acts against which no relief can be obtained;
for example, the tenant's right to insure, or his insuring in an office
or in names not authorized in the lease. And you should not rely upon
the mere fact of the insurance being correct at the time of sale: there
may have been a prior breach of covenant, and the landlord may not have
waived his right of entry for the forfeiture." And where any doubt of
this kind exists, the landlord should be appealed to.
2697. Interest on a purchase is due from the day fixed upon for
completing: where it cannot be completed, the loss rests with the party
with whom the delay rests; but it appears, when the delay rests with the
seller, and the money is lying idle, notice of that is to be given to
the seller to make him liable to the loss of interest. In law, the
property belongs to the purchaser from the date of the contract; he is
entitled to any benefit, and must bear any loss; the seller may suffer
the insurance to drop without giving notice; and should a fire take
place, the loss falls on the buyer. In agreeing to buy a house,
therefore, provide at the same time for its insurance. Common fixtures
pass with the house, where nothing is said about them.
2700. THE RELATIONS OF LANDLORD AND TENANT are most important to both
parties, and each should clearly understand his position. The proprietor
of a house, or house and land, agrees to let it either to a
tenant-at-will, a yearly tenancy, or under lease. A tenancy-at-will may
be created by parol or by agreement; and as the tenant may be turned out
when his landlord pleases, so he may leave when he himself thinks
proper; but this kind of tenancy is extremely inconvenient to both
parties. Where an annual rent is attached to the tenancy, in
construction of law, a lease or agreement without limitation to any
certain period is a lease from year to year, and both landlord and
tenant are entitled to notice before the tenancy can be determined by
the other. This notice must be given at least six months before the
expiration of the current year of the tenancy, and it can only terminate
at the end of any whole year from the time at which it began; so that
the tenant entering into possession at Midsummer, the notice must be
given to or by him, so as to terminate at the same term. When once he is
in possession, he has a right to remain for a whole year; and if no
notice be given at the end of the first half-year of his tenancy, he
will have to remain two years, and so on for any number of years.
2703. A lessor may also grant an under-lease for a term less than his
own: to grant the whole of his term would be an assignment. Leases are
frequently burdened with a covenant not to underlet without the consent
of the landlord: this is a covenant sometimes very onerous, and to be
avoided, where it is possible, by a prudent lessee.
2704. A lease for any term beyond three years, whether an actual lease
or an agreement for one, must be in the form of a deed; that is, it must
be "under seal;" and all assignments and surrenders of leases must be in
the same form, or they are _void at law_. Thus an agreement made by
letter, or by a memorandum of agreement, which would be binding in most
cases, would be valueless when it was for a lease, unless witnessed, and
given under hand and seal. The last statute, 8 & 9 Vict. c. 106, under
which these precautions became necessary, has led to serious
difficulties. "The judges," says Lord St. Leonards, "feel the difficulty
of holding a lease in writing, but not by deed, to be altogether void,
and consequently decided, that although such a lease is void under the
statute, yet it so far regulates the holding, that it creates a tenancy
from year to year, terminable by half a year's notice; and if the tenure
endure for the term attempted to be created by the void lease, the
tenant may be evicted at the end of the term without any notice to
quit." An agreement for a lease not by deed has been construed to be a
lease for a term of years, and consequently void under the statute; "and
yet," says Lord St. Leonards, "a court of equity has held that it may be
specifically enforced as an agreement upon the terms stated." The law on
this point is one of glorious uncertainty; in making any such agreement,
therefore, we should be careful to express that it is an agreement, and
not a lease; and that it is witnessed and under seal.
2706. It is important for lessee, and lessor, also, that the latter does
not exceed his powers. A lease granted by a tenant for life before he is
properly in possession, is void in law; for, although a court of equity,
according to Lord St. Leonards, will, "by force of its own jurisdiction,
support a _bon� fide_ lease, granted under a power which is merely
erroneous in form or ceremonies," and the 12 & 13 Vict. c. 26, and 13 &
14 Vict. c. 19, compel a new lease to be granted with the necessary
variations, while the lessor has no power to compel him to accept such a
lease, except when the person in remainder is competent and willing to
confirm the original lease without variations, yet all these
difficulties involve both delay, costs, and anxieties.
2709. The law declares that a tenant is not bound to repair damages by
tempest, lightning, or other natural casualty, unless there is a special
covenant to that effect in the lease; but if there is a general covenant
to repair, the repair will fall upon the tenant. Lord Kenyon lays it
down, in the case of a bridge destroyed by a flood, the tenant being
under a general covenant to repair, that, "where a party, by his own
contract, creates a duty or charge upon himself, he is bound to make it
good, because he might have guarded against it in the contract." The
same principle of law has been applied to a house destroyed by
lightning. It is, therefore, important to have this settled in the
insurance clause.
2710. Lord St. Leonards asserts that "his policies against fire are not
so framed as to render the company _legally_ liable." Generally the
property is inaccurately described with reference to the conditions
under which you insure. They are framed by companies who, probably, are
not unwilling to have a legal defence against any claim, as they intend
to pay what they deem just claim without taking advantage of any
technical objection, and intending to make use of their defence only
against what they believe to be a fraud, although they may not be able
to prove it. "But," says his lordship, "do not rely upon the moral
feelings of the directors. Ascertain that your house falls strictly
within the conditions. Even having the surveyor of the company to look
over your house before the insurance will not save you, unless your
policy is correct." This is true; but probably his lordship's legal
jealousy overshoots the mark here. Assurance companies only require an
honest statement of the facts, and that no concealment is practised with
their surveyor; and the case of his own, which he quotes, in which a
glass door led into a conservatory, rendering it, according to the view
of the company, "hazardous," and consequently voiding the policy, when a
fire did occur, the company paid, rather than try the question; but even
after the fire they demurred, when called upon, to make the description
correct and indorse on the policy the fact that the drawing-room opened
through a glass door into conservatories. One of two inferences is
obvious here; either his lordship has overcoloured the statement, or the
company could not be the respectable one represented. The practice with
all reputable offices is to survey the premises before insurance, and to
describe them as they appear; but no concealment of stoves, or other
dangerous accessories or inflammable goods, should be practised. This
certainly binds the office so long as no change takes place; but the
addition of any stove, opening, or door through a party wall, the
introduction of gunpowder, saltpetre, or other inflammable articles into
the premises without notice, very properly "voids the policy." The usual
course is to give notice of all alterations, and have them indorse on
the policy, as additions to the description of the property: there is
little fear, where this is honestly done, that any company would adopt
the sharp practice hinted at in Lord St. Leonards' excellent handy book.
2713. FIXTURES.--In houses held under lease, it has been the practice
with landlords to lease the bare walls of the tenement only, leaving the
lessee to put in the stoves, cupboards, and such other conveniences as
he requires, at his own option. Those, except under particular
circumstances, are the property of the lessee, and may either be sold to
an incoming tenant, or removed at the end of his term. The articles
which may not be removed are subject to considerable doubt, and are a
fruitful source of dispute. Mr. Commissioner Fonblanque has defined as
tenants' property all goods and chattels; 2ndly, all articles "slightly
connected one with another, and with the freehold, but capable of being
separated without materially injuring the freehold;" 3rdly, articles
fixed to the freehold by nails and screws, bolts or pegs, are also
tenants' goods and chattels; but when sunk in the soil, or built on it,
they are integral parts of the freehold, and cannot be removed. Thus, a
greenhouse or conservatory attached to the house by the tenant is not
removable; but the furnace and hot-water pipes by which it is heated,
may be removed or sold to the in-coming tenant. A brick flue does not
come under the same category, but remains. Window-blinds, grates,
stoves, coffee-mills, and, in a general sense, everything he has placed
which can be removed without injury to the freehold, he may remove, if
they are separated from the tenement during his term, and the place made
good. It is not unusual to leave the fixtures in their place, with an
undertaking from the landlord that, when again let, the in-coming tenant
shall pay for them, or permit their removal. In a recent case, however,
a tenant having held over beyond his term and not removed his fixtures,
the landlord let the premises to a new tenant, who entered into
possession, and would not allow the fixtures to be removed--it was held
by the courts, on trial, that he was justified. A similar case occurred
to the writer: he left his fixtures in the house, taking a letter from
the landlord, undertaking that the in-coming tenant should pay for them
by valuation, or permit their removal. The house was let; the landlord
died. His executors, on being applied to, pleaded ignorance, as did the
tenant, and on being furnished with a copy of the letter, the executors
told applicant that if he was aggrieved, he knew his remedy; namely, an
action at law. He thought the first loss the least, and has not altered
his opinion.
2714. TAXES.--Land-tax, sewers-rate, and property-tax, are landlord's
taxes; but by 30 Geo. II. c. 2, the occupier is required to pay all
rates levied, and deduct from the rent such taxes as belong to the
landlord. Many landlords now insert a covenant, stipulating that
land-tax and sewers-rate are to be paid by the tenants, and not
deducted: this does not apply to the property-tax. All other taxes and
rates are payable by the occupier.
2717. Tenancy for less than a year may be terminated according to the
taking. Thus, when taken for three months, a three months' notice is
required; when monthly, a month's notice; and when weekly, a week's
notice; but weekly tenancy is changed to a quarterly tenure if the rent
is allowed to stand over for three months. When taken for a definite
time, as a month, a week, or a quarter, no notice is necessary on either
side.
2720. The law does not regard a day as consisting of portions. The
popular notion that a notice to quit should be served before noon is an
error. Although distraint is one of the remedies, it is seldom advisable
in a landlord to resort to distraining for the recovery of rent. If a
tenant cannot pay his rent, the sooner he leaves the premises the
better. If he be a rogue and won't pay, he will probably know that nine
out of ten distresses are illegal, through the carelessness, ignorance,
or extortion of the brokers who execute them. Many, if not most, of the
respectable brokers will not execute distresses, and the business falls
into the hands of persons whom it is by no means desirable to employ.
In the county courts the amount of rent due may be claimed, as well as
the possession of the premises, in one summons.
If to this you add the time of payment, as "payable in one month from
this date," your I. O. U. is worthless and illegal; for it thus ceases
to be a mere acknowledgment, and becomes a promissory note. Now a
promissory note requires a stamp, which an I. O. U. does not. Many
persons, nevertheless, stick penny stamps upon them, probably for
ornamental effect, or to make them look serious and authoritative. If
for the former purpose, the postage-stamp looks better than the receipt
stamp upon blue paper. If you are W. Brown, and you didn't see the I. O.
U. signed, and can't find anybody who knows Jones's autograph, and Jones
won't pay, the I. O. U. will be of no use to you in the county court,
except to make the judge laugh. He will, however, allow you to prove the
consideration, and as, of course, you won't be prepared to do anything
of the sort, he will, if you ask him politely, adjourn the hearing for a
week, when you can produce the coalheavers who delivered the article,
and thus gain a glorious victory.
2726. In civil cases, a wife may now give evidence on behalf of her
husband in criminal cases she can neither be a witness for or against
her husband. The case of assault by him upon her forms an exception to
this rule.
2727. The law does not at this day admit the ancient principle of
allowing moderate correction by a husband upon the person of his wife.
Although this is said to have been anciently limited to the use of "a
stick not bigger than the thumb," this barbarity is now altogether
exploded. He may, notwithstanding, as has been recently shown in the
famous Agapemone case, keep her under restraint, to prevent her leaving
him, provided this be effected without cruelty.
2728. By the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1857, a wife deserted
by her husband may apply to a magistrate, or to the petty sessions, for
an order to protect her lawful earnings or property acquired by her
after such desertion, from her husband and his creditors. In this case
it is indispensable that such order shall, within ten days, be entered
at the county court of the district within which she resides. It will be
seen that the basis of an application for such an order is _desertion_.
Consequently, where the parties have separated by common consent, such
an order cannot be obtained, any previous cruelty or misconduct on the
husband's part notwithstanding.
2729. When a husband allows his wife to invest money in her own name in
a savings-bank, and he survives her, it is sometimes the rule of such
establishments to compel him to take out administration in order to
receive such money, although it is questionable whether such rule is
legally justifiable. Widows and widowers pay no legacy-duty for property
coming to them through their deceased partners.
2730. RECEIPTS for sums above �2 should now be given upon penny stamps.
A bill of exchange may nevertheless be discharged by an indorsement
stating that it has been paid, and this will not be liable to the stamp.
A receipt is not, as commonly supposed, conclusive evidence as to a
payment. It is only what the law terms _prim� facie_ evidence; that is,
good until contradicted or explained. Thus, if A sends wares or
merchandise to B, with a receipt, as a hint that the transaction is
intended to be for ready money, and B detain the receipt without paying
the cash, A will be at liberty to prove the circumstances and to recover
his claim. The evidence to rebut the receipt must, however, be clear and
indubitable, as, after all, written evidence is of a stronger nature
than oral testimony.
2732. WILLS.--The last proof of affection which we can give to those left
behind, is to leave their worldly affairs in such a state as to excite
neither jealousy, nor anger, nor heartrendings of any kind, at least for
the immediate future. This can only be done by a just, clear, and
intelligible disposal of whatever there is to leave. Without being
advocates for every man being his own lawyer, it is not to be denied
that the most elaborately prepared wills have been the most fruitful
sources of litigation, and it has even happened that learned judges left
wills behind them which could not be carried out. Except in cases where
the property is in land or in leases of complicated tenure, very
elaborate details are unnecessary; and we counsel no man to use words in
making his will of which he does not perfectly understand the meaning
and import.
2733. All men over twenty-one years of age, and of sound mind, and all
unmarried women of like age and sanity, may by will bequeath their
property to whom they please. Infants, that is, all persons under
twenty-one years of age, and married women, except where they have an
estate to their "own separate use," are incapacitated, without the
concurrence of the husband; the law taking the disposal of any property
they die possessed of. A person born deaf and dumb cannot make a will,
unless there is evidence that he could read and comprehend its contents.
A person convicted of felony cannot make a will, unless subsequently
pardoned; neither can persons outlawed; but the wife of a felon
transported for life may make a will, and act in all respects as if she
were unmarried. A suicide may bequeath real estate, but personal
property is forfeited to the crown.
2735. By the act of 1852 it was enacted that no will shall be valid
unless signed at the foot or end thereof by the testator, or by some
person in his presence, and by his direction; but a subsequent act
proceeds to say that every will shall, as far only as regards the
position of the signature of the testator, or of the person signing for
him, be deemed valid if the signature shall be so placed at, or after,
or following, or under, or beside, or opposite to the end of the will,
that it shall be apparent on the face of it that the testator intended
to give it effect by such signature. Under this clause, a will of
several sheets, all of which were duly signed, except the last one, has
been refused probate; while, on the other hand, a similar document has
been admitted to probate where the last sheet only, and none of the
other sheets, was signed. In order to be perfectly formal, however, each
separate sheet should be numbered, signed, and witnessed, and attested
on the last sheet. This witnessing is an important act: the witnesses
must subscribe it in the presence of the testator and of each other; and
by their signature they testify to having witnessed the signature of the
testator, he being in sound mind at the time. Wills made under any kind
of coercion, or even importunity may become void, being contrary to the
wishes of the testator. Fraud or imposition also renders a will void,
and where two wills made by the same person happen to exist, neither of
them dated, the maker of the wills is declared to have died intestate.
2736. A will may always be revoked and annulled, but only by burning or
entirely destroying the writing, or by adding a codicil, or making a
subsequent will duly attested; but as the alteration of a will is only a
revocation to the extent of the alteration, if it is intended to revoke
the original will entirely, such intention should be declared,--no
merely verbal directions can revoke a written will; and the act of
running the pen through the signatures, or down the page, is not
sufficient to cancel it, without a written declaration to that effect
signed and witnessed.
2741. In sudden emergencies a form may be useful, and the following has
been considered a good one for a death-bed will, where the assistance of
a solicitor could not be obtained; indeed, few solicitors can prepare a
will on the spur of the moment: they require time and legal forms, which
are by no means necessary, before they can act.
2748. Your entire estate is chargeable with your debts, except where the
real estate is settled. Let it be distinctly stated out of which
property, the real or personal, they are paid, where it consists of
both.
2751. A witness may, on being requested, sign for testator; and he may
also sign for his fellow-witness, supposing he can only make his mark,
declaring that he does so; but a husband cannot sign for his wife,
either as testator or witness, nor can a wife for her husband.
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