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Title: The Complete Cook...and, with General Directions for Making Wines.
Author: Sanderson, J. M.
Publisher: Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.

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> THE COMPLETE COOK.

> RELATIVE DUTIES OF MISTRESS AND MAID.

IN this our little work, we more particularly address ourselves to Cook Maids in small families, where two maid servants only are kept, and where, consequently, all the business of the kitchen falls upon the cook, both as regards cleaning and cooking. In such families, it is true, the mistress in the house will take a part in the business of cooking upon herself; a most laudable custom, both as regards economy, and the real interests of the cook maid. To such mistresses, particularly the younger portion, it is hoped our little book will not be unacceptable. Cooking is neither a mean, nor a simple art. To make the best and the most of everything connected with the sustenance of a family, requires not only industry and experience, but also considerable mental capacity, or, at any rate, an aptness to learn.

One of the principal, if not the principal, requisite, in a cook, is order--that faculty by which a person is enabled to keep all things in their proper places. Without order there can be no cleanliness, another indispensable requisite in a cook: to be always cleaning, is not to be clean. There are some foolish, fussy women, who, with all the disposition on earth to be clean, not having order, dirty one thing as fast as they clean another. Nor is order an essential requisite, as regards the cleanliness of a kitchen, and of kitchen utensils, only; in dressing food, without order there can be no good cooking.

We have said, that the mistress will take a part in a small family in the business of cooking. We, perhaps, should have rather said, ought to take a part; for we are sorry to say, that there is too much reason to believe, that good housewifery is much neglected in the educating of young ladies now-a-days. If a mistress be really not acquainted with the general principles of cooking, she ought to do one of two things--either to make herself acquainted with them as an humble learner, or to keep out of the kitchen altogether; for her ignorant interference with a good cook maid will do no good, but may do a great deal of harm. And while on this subject we must give a word of friendly advice to the unfortunate cook, who may happen to fall in with an ignorant, irritable mistress. Let her take care to refrain from going into a passion with her: if the mistress scolds, let the maid be mild; and above all, let her not scold again, or answer in an angry or insulting manner. This is a hard thing to do, we are aware, particularly where a servant feels herself injured; but if she can do it, she will not only gain the victory over her mistress, but she


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will also feel a consciousness, a happy consciousness ing left undone those things which she ought not to have done, and of having done those things which she ought to have done. But if the tempers and habits of the mistress and maid are incompatible to that good understanding which ought always to subsist between the employer and the employed, the best course for the servant to do is, to give notice and leave. Let not this, however, be done in anger: before giving warning, let her consult her pillow.

It has been well observed, that it behoves every person to be extremely careful whom she takes into her service; to be very minute in investigating the character she receives, and equally cautious and scrupulously just in giving one to others. Were this attended to, many bad people would be incapacitated for doing mischief, by abusing the trust reposed in them. It may be fairly asserted, that the robbery, or waste, which is but a milder epithet for the unfaithfulness of a servant, will be laid to the charge of that master or mistress, who knowing, or having well-founded suspicions, of such faults, is prevailed upon by false pity, or entreaty, to slide him, or her, into another place. There are, however, some who are unfortunately capricious, and often refuse to give a character, because they are displeased that a servant leaves their service; but this is unpardonable, and an absolute robbery; servants having no inheritance, and depending on their fair name for employment. To refuse countenance to the evil, and to encourage the good servant, are actions due to society at large; and such as are honest, frugal and attentive to their duties, should be liberally rewarded, which would encourage merit, and inspire servants with zeal to acquit themselves well.

Servants should always recollect, that everything is provided for them, without care and anxiety on their part. They run no risks, are subject to no losses, and under these circumstances, honesty, industry, civility, and perseverance, are in the end sure to meet with their reward. Servants possessing these qualifications, by the blessing of God, must succeed. Servants should be kind and obliging to their fellow-servants; but if they are honest themselves, they will not connive at dishonesty in others. They who see crimes committed and do not discover them, are themselves legally and morally guilty. At the same time, however, well recollect, that tittle-tattling and tale-bearing, for the sake of getting in your mistress's good graces, at the expense of your fellow-servants, is, to the last degree, detestable. A sensible mistress will always discourage such practices.

We have known servants imagine, that because their employers are kind to them, that because they do not command them to do this or that, but rather solicit them, that, therefore, they cannot do without them, and instead of repaying their good-nature and humanity by gratitude and extra attention, give themselves airs, and become idle and neglectful. Such conduct cannot be too much condemned, and those servants, who practise it, may depend upon it, that, sooner or later, they will have cause to repent. Let it be remembered, that vice as well as virtue has its reward, though of a very different character.

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We shall conclude this our friendly advice to young cooks, by an extract from the "Cook's Best Friend," by the late Dr. Kitchiner. Nothing can be done in perfection, which must be done in a hurry, (except catching of fleas),--"Therefore," says the Doctor, "if you wish the dinner to be sent up to please your master and mistress, and do credit to yourself, be punctual; take care, that as soon as the clock strikes the dinner bell rings. This shows the establishment is orderly, is extremely gratifying to the master and his guests, and is most praiseworthy in the attendants. But remember you cannot obtain this desirable reputation without good management in every respect; if you wish to ensure ease and independence in the latter part of your life, you must not be unwilling to pay the price for which only they can be obtained, and earn them by a diligent and faithful performance of the duties of your station in your young days, in which if you steadily persevere, you may depend upon ultimately receiving the reward your services deserve."

All duties are reciprocal; and if you hope to receive favour, endeavour to deserve it by showing yourself fond of obliging, and grateful when obliged. Such behaviour will win regard, and maintain it; enforce what is right, and excuse what is wrong.

Quiet, steady perseverance, is the only spring which you can safely depend upon infallibly to promote your progress on the road to independence.

If your employers do not immediately appear to be sensible of your endeavours to contribute your utmost to their comfort and interests, be not easily discouraged; persevere, and do all in your power to MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL.

Endeavour to promote the comfort of every individual in the family; let it be manifest that you are desirous to do rather more than is required of you, than less than your duty; they merit little who perform nothing more than what would be exacted. If you are desired to help in any business that may not strictly belong to your department, undertake it cheerfully, patiently, and conscientiously.

The foregoing advice has been written with an honest desire to augment the comfort of those in the kitchen, who will soon find, that the ever-cheering reflection of having done their duty to the utmost of their ability, is in itself, with a Christian spirit, a never-failing source of comfort in all circumstances and situations, and that

"Virtue is its own reward."

Having thus briefly touched upon the relative duties of mistress and maid, we shall now proceed to make some general remarks (and though general, we think them most important) as respects the business of Cooking as an art, or, more properly speaking, as a science.

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> INTRODUCTORY GENERAL REMARKS ON COOKERY--IMPORTANCE OF GOOD COOKERY AS REGARDS HEALTH AND TEMPERANCE.

IT is an old, and somewhat vulgar saying, though very expressive, that "God sends meat, and the devil cooks." This adage shows, that cooking has always been considered of some importance in this country, even among the lowest classes of society. A great deal too little attention, however, is paid to the art of preparing food for the use of those who eat; and we think we may say, without much exaggeration, that in many families, even to this day, one-half of their meat is wasted, and the other half spoilt. But the mere waste arising from this system of cooking, or rather want of system, is not the greatest evil, though this is an enormous one; the diseases that badly dressed food occasions to the stomach are even a greater evil than the one to which we have first referred. A bad cook will turn that which was intended by the Giver of all good for the nourishment of the body into a sort of poison. The functions of the stomach, when loaded with crude, undressed, or half-dressed meat, are unable to digest it. Hence the stomach is not only injured, but a train of diseases is engendered, sufficient to render one's life miserable. From the cause alluded to arises acidity, or sourness of the stomach, which gives rise again to heart-burns, hiccups, flatulencies, or wind; which again creates pains in the stomach and head, and, indeed, in other parts of the body. Then again we have, from the same cause, the various descriptions of nightmare, horrid dreams, and restless nights. Country people, in agricultural districts in particular, think themselves, when so afflicted, bewitched, or possessed by the devil, when, in fact, if possessed at all, they are possessed by bad cookery and indigestible diet. Instead of resorting to charms, such persons ought to resort to a dose of opening medicine, and take care to eat food which is not spoilt by dressing. But the greatest of all ills by which we can be afflicted, ill-dressed, indigestible food will bring about--intellectual confusion--perhaps madness--for be assured, that a deranged stomach is always, more or less, accompanied with a deranged head.

In support of these opinions we might adduce many authorities of the highest reputation, but we shall content ourselves with the following:--"It cannot be doubted," says Dr. Cheyne, "that the clear, ready, and pleasant exercise of the intellectual faculties, and their easy and undisturbed application to any subject, is never to be obtained but by a free, regular performance of the natural functions, which the lightest (most digestible) food can only procure." Again, Dr. Cheyne says, "he that would have a clear head must have a clean stomach. It is sufficiently manifest how much uncomfortable feelings of the bowels affect the nervous system, and how immediately and completely the general disorder is relieved by an alvine evacuation." Then we have the testimony of Abernethy, who says, "we cannot reasonably expect tranquility of the nervous system, whilst there is


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disorder of the digestive organs. As we can imbibe no permanent source of strength but from the digestion of our food, it becomes important on this account, that we should attend to its quantity, quality, and the periods of taking it, with a view to ensure its proper digestion." But what says Dr. Kitchiner, who was an able physician, and the most learned and scientific writer upon the culinary art? "The stomach," he asserts, "is the main-spring of our system; if it be not sufficiently wound up to warm and support the circulation, the whole business of life will, in proportion, be ineffectually performed--we can neither think with precision--walk with vigour--sit down with comfort--nor sleep with tranquillity. There would be no difficulty in proving, that it influences (much more than people imagine) all our actions."

"One of the greatest, perhaps the greatest, moral writers of our age, Dr. Samuel Johnson, was a man," says Boswell, "of very nice discrimination in the science of cookery." He often remarked, "that some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat; for my part, I mind my belly very studiously and very carefully, and I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly, will hardly mind any thing else." To this, Kitchiner adds, "the Doctor might have said, cannot mind any thing else." The energy of our brains is sadly dependent on the behaviour of our bowels. Those who say, 'tis no matter what we eat, or what we drink, may as well as say, 'tis no matter whether we eat, or whether we drink.

Again, as to the relative importance of cookery as a science. Mr. Sylvester, in his Domestic Economy, says, that it is not difficult to foresee, that this department of philosophy must become the most popular of all others, because every class of human beings is interested in its result." Again, the same writer says, "if science can really contribute to the happiness of mankind, it must be in this department. The real comfort of the majority of men in this country is sought for at their own fire-sides: how desirable then it becomes to give every inducement to be at home, by directing all the means of philosophy to increase domestic happiness!"

Dr. Waterhouse, in his Lectures, thus speaks of the stomach:--"The faculty the stomach has of communicating the impressions made by the various substances that are put into it is such, that it seems more like a nervous expansion from the brain than a mere receptacle for food."

From allusions in the great Milton's writings, it is quite evident, that he appreciated the science of cookery highly. Speaking of philosophy, he says,

"'Tis a perpetual feast of nectar'd sweets,
Where no crude surfeit reigns."

Again,

"That which is not good is not delicious
To a well-govern'd and wise appetite."

But we have better evidence than these allusions, of Milton's attachment


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to nicely dressed dishes. In his brother's, the judge's testimony, in support of a nuncupative will, which it was alleged he made before his death in favour of his third and last wife, a passage occurs, to the effect, that, approving of his dinner on a certain occasion, he said, "this will do; get something nice for me to eat, for when I am gone it will be all your's." We quote from memory. The celebrated Dr. Parr, the great Grecian and theologian, was much attached to good eating himself, and thought it very necessary, both for the health of the body and the mind. A few weeks before his death, for he was perfectly conscious that he had but a short time to live, he made arrangements for his funeral; and, amongst other things, he prepared a bill of fare for his funeral dinner. The dishes were all cold. He expressed his regret to a clerical friend of ours, that he could not give them a hot dinner, "but that is impossible," he said, "for there is not convenience in the house to cook for so large a number. I am much afraid," he continued, "lest you parsons should get a hot dinner for yourselves, and leave the poor laymen to the cold meat; but I should be very angry if I could know it. I always liked to take care of my own stomach, and of other people's. If that is wrong, nothing can be right."

There are people who imagine, that it is beneath the dignity of a philosopher to trouble himself about eating; such a one was that gay fribble of a marquis, who, finding Descartes enjoying himself over a good dinner, exclaimed, "Hey! what, do you philosophers eat dainties?" "Do you think," replied Descartes, "that God made good things only for fools?"

There is a point with regard to the importance of good cookery, upon which we have not touched, though one of first-rate consequence, namely, temperance, from the neglect of which so many, and such deadly, evils arise. Let a man load his stomach with crude, indigestible food, that is, ill-dressed meats or other substances, and what is the consequence? he feels ill--in fact, he is ill--his mind does not possess its proper vigour and elasticity; in one word, the whole man, mind and body, is disordered--unhinged. He seeks relief in spirits, and he obtains it, perhaps, temporarily. Hence is the beginning of dram drinking, and all its concomitant evils; which it would fill a volume to enumerate. The members of temperance societies, and the promoters of temperance in general, would do well to turn their attention to this point, and we think they will agree with us on the importance of diffusing the art of cookery--the art of preparing good and wholsome food--as widely as possible among the people.

In this country we have the best of all descriptions of butcher's meat in the world, and, with a few exceptions, the worst cooks. If the poor, half-fed meats of France, were dressed as our cooks, for the most part, dress our well-fed excellent meats, they would be absolutely uneatable. In France, the cooks, both private and public, contrive to make most excellent and easily digestible food, out of substances that we should throw away, as perfectly incapable of being rendered fit to eat, or at least palatable.

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It has been proved by Dr. Prout, that sugar, butter, or oil, and white of egg, or substances partaking of their nature, form the chief alimentary food of man. The saccharine, or sugary principle, in its extended sense, is mostly derived from vegetables. A proper knowledge of these principles forms the basis, or foundation, of French cookery, or, indeed, every other good system of cookery. It does not follow, however, that it is necessary that a cook should understand these things philosophically, so as to be able to give a reason for them. It is sufficient for him or her to take for granted the maxims or rules that have been deduced from them, and act accordingly.

In France, most substances intended for food are exposed, by means of oil or butter, or grease, in a frying-pan, to a heat of 600° Fahrenheit, that is, nearly three times hotter than boiling water. This is done by frying, or by some other method similar to frying. They are then put into a macerating or stewing vessel, with a little water, and kept for several hours at a temperature, or heat, below the boiling point; that is to say, the liquid is never allowed to bubble up, nor yet scarcely to simmer. By these united processes, it has been clearly proved, that the most hard and tough substances, whether vegetable or animal, are, more or less, reduced to a state of pulp, fit for the action of the stomach, and consequently for easy digestion.

In this country, the majority of cooks, particularly in small families, toss the meat into a large quantity of water, make the water boil as speedily as possible, and as fast as possible; and foolishly imagine, that it will be sooner and better done. But what is the consequence? The outside of the meat is rendered so tough, that it will not admit the heat to penetrate the inside, which remains undone, and the result is, that both the outside and inside meat are spoilt, or at least greatly damaged, both as respects flavour and wholesomeness. Here an anecdote occurs to us, which, though it has been before related, will serve to illustrate our subject. An Irishman was ordered by his master to boil him an egg for his breakfast, and was particularly enjoined to boil it soft. After waiting for more than ten minutes, the master inquired after his egg, which, however, was not forthcoming; the servant was seeing about it. Another five minutes elapsed, when the impatient master was coolly told his egg was not done--"Yer honour told me to bile it soft, and sure I've biled it a quarter of an hour, and it is as hard as ever."

Our ignorant, and too often unteachable, cook maid, would laugh at the simplicity of the Irishman--not considering that the very means she uses to make meat tender and palatable, that is, fast boiling, are just as absurd as those taken by Paddy to boil an egg soft.

There is no rule, they say, without an exception; but, generally speaking, ill-dressed meats, or even solid food well-dressed, taken in large quantities, are indigestible. It is a mistake to imagine, that people who take violent exercise in the open air, are always free from indigestion, and those numerous diseases to which it gives rise. That they are not so liable as those confined to a house, or a workshop is true; and there are some stomachs that appear to be able to digest


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any thing; but these are exceptions to the general rule--they do not affect the truth of the rule itself.

> PHILOSOPHICAL COOKERY.--COUNT ROMFORD.

The first person, perhaps, with any pretensions to learning and philosophy, who studied the dressing of meat, for food, as a science, was a gentleman of the name of Thompson, who was afterwards created Count Romford, by one of the German princes. This excellent and ingenious individual lived in the last century. He demonstrated, by experiments, the principles which in our foregoing remarks we have merely asserted. We are about to give an abstract of some of his observations and experiments on this subject, which are so simply and clearly detailed, that they are perfectly intelligible to every common intellect, and we are sure will be read with interest and advantage, not only by cooks, but also by all classes of persons interested in the health and welfare of society at large.

The process by which food is most commonly prepared for the table--BOILING--is so familiar to every one, and its effects are so uniform, and apparently so simple, that few have taken the trouble to inquire how, or in what manner, these effects are produced; and whether any and what improvements in that branch of cookery are possible. So little has this matter been made an object of inquiry, that few, very few indeed, it is believed, among the millions of persons who for so many ages have been daily employed in this process, have ever given themselves the trouble to bestow one serious thought on the subject.

The cook knows from experience, that if his joint of meat be kept a certain time immersed in boiling water it will be done, as it is called in the language of the kitchen; but he be asked what is done to it? or how, or by what agency, the change it has undergone has been effected? if he understands the question, it is ten to one but he will be embarrassed; if he does not understand it, he will probably answer, without hesitation, that "the meat is made tender and eatable by being boiled." Ask him if the boiling of the water be essential to the success of the process? he will answer, "without doubt." Push him a little farther, by asking him whether, were it possible to keep the water equally hot without boiling, the meat would not be cooked as soon and as well, as if the water were made to boil? Here it is probable that he will make the first step towards acquiring knowledge, by learning to doubt.

When you have brought him to see the matter in its true light, and to confess, that in this view of it, the subject is new to him, you may venture to tell him (and to prove to him, if you happen to have a thermometer at hand,) that water which just boils is as hot as it can possibly be made in an open vessel. That all the fuel which is used in making it boil with violence is wasted, without adding in the smallest degree to the heat of the water, or expediting or shortening the process of cooking a single instant: that it is by the heat--its intensity--and the time of its duration, that the food is cooked; and not by boiling


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or ebullition or bubbling up of the water, which has no part whatever in that operation.

Should any doubts still remain with respect to the inefficacy and inutility of boiling, in culinary processes, where the same degree of heat may be had, and be kept up without it, let a piece of meat be cooked in a Papin's digester, which, as is well known, is a boiler whose cover (which is fastened down with screws) shuts with so much nicety that no steam can escape out of it. In such a closed vessel, boiling (which is nothing else but the escape of steam in bubbles from the hot liquid) is absolutely impossible; yet, if the heat applied to the digester be such as would cause an equal quantity of water in an open vessel to boil, the meat will not only be done, but it will be found to be dressed in a shorter time, and to be much tenderer, than if it had been boiled in an open boiler. By applying a still greater degree of heat to the digester, the meat may be so much done in a very few minutes as actually to fall to pieces, and even the very bones may be made soft.

Were it a question of mere idle curiosity, whether it be the boiling of water, or simply the degree of heat that exists in boiling water by which food is cooked, it would doubtless be folly to throw away time in its investigation; but this is far from being the case, for boiling cannot be carried on without a very great expense of fuel; but any boiling hot liquid (by using proper means for confining the heat) may be kept boiling hot for any length of time, without any expense of fuel at all.

The waste of fuel in culinary processes, which arises from making liquids boil unnecessarily, or when nothing more would be necessary than to keep them boiling hot, is enormous; there is not a doubt but that much more than half the fuel used in all the kitchens, public and private, in the whole world, is wasted precisely in this manner.

But the evil does not stop here. This unscientific and slovenly manner of cooking renders the process much more laborious and troublesome than otherwise it would be; and (what by many will be considered of more importance than either the waste of fuel, or the increase of labour to the cook) the food is rendered less savoury, and very probably less nourishing, and certainly less wholesome.

It is natural to suppose that many of the finer and more volatile parts of food (those which are best calculated to act on the organs of taste) must be carried off with the steam, when the boiling is violent: but the fact does not rest on these reasonings: it is proved to a demonstration, not only by the agreeable fragrance of the steam that rises from vessels in which meat is boiled, but also from the strong flavour and superior quality of soups which are prepared by a long process over a very slow, gentle fire. But the volatile parts of food are not only delightful to the organs of taste--the Editor has no doubt that they are also stimulating and refreshing to the stomach.

In many countries where soups constitute the principal part of the food of the inhabitants, the process of cooking lasts from one meal time to another, and is performed almost without either trouble or expense.


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As soon as the soup is served up, the ingredients for the next meal are put into the pot (which is never suffered to cool, and does not require scouring;) and this pot, which is of cast iron, or of earthenware, being well closed with its thick wooden cover, is placed by the side of the fire, where its contents are kept simmering for many hours, but are seldom made to boil, and never but in the gentlest manner possible.

Were the pot put in a close fire-place (which might easily be constructed, even with the rudest materials, with a few bricks or stone, or even with sods, like a camp-kitchen,) no arrangement for cooking could well be imagined more economical or more convenient.

Soups prepared in this way are uncommonly savoury, and there is little doubt that the true reason why nourishing soups and broths are not more in use among the common people in most countries, is because they do not know how good they really are, nor how to prepare them; in short because they are not acquainted with them. There is another important reason which the Editor must add--the common people for the most part cannot spare time from their labour to stay at home and attend to them.

To form a just idea of the enormous waste of fuel that arises from making water boil and evaporate unnecessarily in culinary processes, we have only to consider how much heat is expended in the formation of steam. Now it has been proved by the most decisive and unexceptionable experiments that have ever been made by experimental philosophers, that if it were possible that the heat which actually combines with water, in forming steam (and which gives it wings to fly up into the atmosphere,) could exist in the water, without changing it from a dense liquid to a rare elastic vapour, this water would be heated by it to the temperature of red-hot iron.

Many kinds of food are known to be most delicate and savoury when cooked in a degree of heat considerably below that of boiling water; and it is more than probable that there are others which would be improved by being exposed to a heat greater than that of boiling water.

In many of the seaport towns of our New England States, it has been a custom, time immemorial, among people of fashion, to dine one day in the week (Saturday) on salt fish, and a long habit of preparing the same dish has, as might have been expected, led to very considerable improvements in the art of cooking it. We have often heard foreigners who have partaken of these dinners, declare that they never tasted salt fish dressed in such perfection. The secret of this cooking is to keep the fish a great many hours in water, which is just scalding hot, but which is never made actually to boil.

The Count being desirous of finding out whether it was possible to roast meat with a much gentler heat than that usually employed, put a shoulder of mutton in a machine contrived for drying potatoes: the result, which we give in the Count's own words, was as follows:

"After trying the experiment for three hours, and finding it showed no signs of being done, it was concluded that the heat was not sufficiently intense, and, despairing of success, it was abandoned to the cookmaids.

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It being late in the evening, and the cookmaids thinking, perhaps, that the meat would be as safe in the drying machine as any where else, left it there all night; when they came in the morning to take it away, intending to cook it for their dinner, they were much surprised to find it already cooked, and not merely eatable, but perfectly done, and most singularly well tasted. This appeared to them the more miraculous, as the fire under the machine was quite gone out before they left the kitchen in the evening to go to bed, and as they had locked up the kitchen when they left it and taken the key.

This wonderful shoulder of mutton was immediately brought in triumph, and though we were at no great loss to account for what had happened, yet it certainly was unexpected: and when the meat was tasted we were much surprised indeed to find it very different, both in taste and flavour, from any we had ever tasted. It was perfectly tender, but though it was so much done it did not appear to be in the least sodden or insipid; on the contrary, it was uncommonly savoury and high-flavoured. It was neither boiled, nor roasted, nor baked. Its taste seemed to indicate the manner in which it had been prepared: that the gentle heat to which it had for so long a time been exposed, had by degrees loosened the cohesion of its fibres, and concocted its juices, without driving off their fine and more volatile parts, and without washing away or burning and rendering rancid its oils."

Having given an abstract of Romford's opinions and experiments on boiling water as a medium for the preparation of meat for the food of man, we shall now take an opportunity of remarking, that the same rule will not apply to the cooking of the greater part of vegetables, which must be put into the water boiling hot, and which cannot be boiled too quickly. This does not apply, however, to potatoes, which cannot be boiled too slowly. These things, however, will be treated of more particularly in the receipts, which we shall give for the cooking of different kinds of vegetables.

Seasoning is a very important element in the art of cookery. Experience is absolutely necessary to acquire this art, which to be properly done, requires great judgment and delicacy of taste. All the recommendations of Dr. Kitchiner and others to season by weight and measure, as apothecaries serve out drugs, are in the nature of the thing impracticable. "What's one man's meat is another man's poison," is a homely proverb, but a true one. So in seasoning, what one person likes, another may dislike. The writers we have alluded to ridicule the idea of directing the cook to use a pinch of that, and a dust of the other. M. Ude justly observes, "that where the quantities are indefinite, it is impossible to adjust the exact proportions of spice, or other condiments, which it will be necessary to add in order to give the proper flavour." If these remarks are correct, and who can doubt it, the general terms "handful, pinch, and dust," are the best that can be applied as directions upon such a subject.

In the use of salt in cooking, considerable judgment is required. The best rule is to employ as little as possible. It is easy to make a dish too fresh, salt; but if made too salt, it cannot be made fresh


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again. Sugar may be applied with advantage in various dishes, where it is not generally used in this country, and which will be enumerated hereafter, but great care must be taken, that in such preparations it should be employed to enrich, not to sweeten. The taste of sugar should not predominate, or even be recognised. We allude more particularly to soups and gravies, and in some cases in vegetables, such as green peas for instance. Meat intended to be broiled or fried, should be well peppered, but never salted; salt renders it hard. The author of "Domestic Cookery" says, that "salt should not be put into the water in which vegetables are boiled." We disagree with this lady; indeed, she disagrees with herself; for in another part of her book she directs salt to be put into the water in which potatoes are to be boiled; and we are quite sure it is very necessary in boiling cabbage, savoys, and most other descriptions of greens.

It ought to be well understood, that pepper and all descriptions of spice require to be subjected to the action of heat to bring out their genuine flavour. Thus it will be seen, that though it is very practicable to sweeten or salt things after they are dressed, it is not so as respects flavouring them with spice. In the use of spices it is, however, very important to take care that the aroma (commonly called smell), which they give forth, should not be allowed to evaporate or escape. Druggists and medical men always keep their essential oils, tinctures, volatile spirits and volatile gums, in ground stopper bottles, which are perfectly air-tight. This puts us in mind of a foolish custom, which cannot be too much deprecated, of exposing in the open air aromatic herbs, such as marjoram, thyme, mint, and several others, which are known by the general term of sweet herbs, and which are extensively used in seasoning. These herbs ought always to be kept as much as possible excluded from the air. This may be partially effected by tying the dried herbs in paper bags, but it is much better to reduce the leaves to a coarse powder, and confine it in well-corked bottles.

> RULES AND MAXIMS OF THE KITCHEN.

In our foregoing remarks we have endeavoured to explain the leading principles upon which the art of cookery is founded--principles with which the young cook should become thoroughly acquainted. We now proceed to lay down a series of rules or maxims, relative to the dressing of meat, and the general management of the kitchen. These rules should be well studied, and the most important of them committed to memory. By doing this a cook will save a great deal of trouble and loss of time, and she will also, by her knowledge of the general principles of the art, be enabled to vary, and probably improve the receipts, which she may have occasion to consult. In short, when she knows what must be always done, and what must never be done, she is, in a great measure, mistress of her art, inasmuch as the details will be easily acquired by practice.

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> WHAT MUST ALWAYS BE DONE, AND WHAT MUST NEVER BE DONE.

1. Keep yourself clean and tidy; let your hands, in particular, be always clean whenever it is practicable. After a dirty job always wash them. A cleanly cook must wash her hands many times in the course of the day, and will require three or four aprons appropriated to the work upon which she is employed. Your hair must never be blowsy, nor your cap dirty.

2. Keep apart things that would injure each other, or destroy their flavour.

3. Keep every cloth, saucepan and all other utensils to their proper use, and when done with, put them in their proper places.

4. Keep every copper stewpan and saucepan bright without, and perfectly clean within, and take care that they are always well tinned. Keep all your dish-covers well dried, and polished; and to effect this, it will be necessary to wash them in scalding water as soon as removed from the table, and when these things are done let them be hung up in their proper places.

5. The gridiron, frying-pan, spit, dripping-pan, &c., must be perfectly cleaned of grease and dried before they are put in their proper places.

6. Attention should be paid to things that do not meet the sight in the way that tins and copper vessels do. Let, for instance, the pudding cloth, the dish-cloth, and the dish-tub, be always kept perfectly clean. To these may be added, the sieve, the cullender, the jelly-bag, &c., which ought always to be washed as soon after they are used as may be practicable.

7. Scour your rolling-pin and paste-board as soon after using as possible, but without soap, or any gritty substance, such as sand or brick-dust; put them away perfectly dry.

8. Scour your pickle and preserve jars after they are emptied; dry them and put them away in a dry place.

9. Wipe your bread and cheese-pan out daily with a dry cloth, and scald them once a week. Scald your salt-pan when out of use, and dry it thoroughly. Scour the lid well by which it is covered when in use.

10. Mind and put all things in their proper places, and then you will easily find them when they are wanted.

11. You must not poke things out of sight instead of cleaning them, and such things as onions, garlick, &c., must not be cut with the same knife as is used in cutting meat, bread, butter, &c. Milk must not be put in a vessel used for greasy purposes, nor must clear liquids, such as water, &c., be put into vessels, which have been used for milk, and not washed; in short, no vessel must be used for any purpose for which it is not appropriated.

12. You must not suffer any kind of food to become cold in any metal vessel, not even in well-tinned iron saucepans, &c., for they will impart a more or less unpleasant flavour to it. Above all things


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you must not let liquid food, or indeed any other, remain in brass or copper vessels after it is cooked. The rust of copper or brass is absolutely poisonous, and this will be always produced by moisture and exposure to the air. The deaths of many persons have been occasioned by the cook not attending to this rule.

13. You must not throw away the fat which, when cold, accumulates on the top of liquors in which fresh or salt meat has been boiled; in short, you ought not to waste fat of any description, or any thing else, that may be turned to account; such as marrow-bones, or any other clean bones from which food may be extracted in the way of soup, broth, or stock, or in any other way: for if such food will not suit your table, it will suit the table of the poor. Remember, "Wilful waste makes woful want."

14. A very essential requisite in a cook is punctuality: therefore rise early, and get your orders from your mistress as early as possible, and make your arrangements accordingly. What can be prepared before the business of roasting and boiling commences should always be prepared.

15. Do not do your dirty work at a dresser set apart for cleanly preparations. Take care to have plenty of kitchen cloths, and mark them so as a duster may not be mistaken for a pudding-cloth, or a knife-cloth for a towel.

16. Keep your spit, if you use one, always free from rust and dust, and your vertical jack clean. Never draw up your jack with a weight upon it.

17. Never employ, even if permitted to do so, any knives, spoons, dishes, cups, or any other articles in the kitchen, which are used in the dining room. Spoons are sure to get scratched, and a knife used for preparing an onion, takes up its flavour, which two or three cleanings will not entirely take away.

18. Take great care to prevent all preparations which are delicate in their nature, such as custards, blancmange, dressed milks, &c., &c., from burning to which they are very liable. The surest way to effectually hinder this is to boil them as the carpenter heats his glue, that is, by having an outside vessel filled with water.

19. You ought not to do any thing by halves. What you do, do well. If you clean, clean thoroughly, having nothing to do with the "slut's wipe," and the "lick and a promise."

20. And last, though not least, be teachable: be always desirous to learn--never be ashamed to ask for information, lest you should appear to be ignorant; for be assured, the most ignorant are too frequently the most self-opinionated and most conceited; while those who are really well informed, think humbly of themselves, and regret that they know so little.

> CHOICE AND PURCHASING OF BUTCHER'S MEAT.

Inferior joints of the best animals should always be preferred to the prime joints of the ill-fed or diseased beasts. Inferior joints of good


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meat such as stickings, legs and shins of beef, shoulders of mutton and veal, may, if well dressed, be made as nourishing and palatable as the superior joints and may be bought much cheaper; but no cooking however well executed, will ever make bad meat good. Ill-conditioned beasts, too, are for the most part unhealthy.

21. Beef.--Ox beef is considered, truly, the best. Bull beef is coarse, tough, and has a strong, disagreeable smell and taste. Next to ox beef, that of a young heifer (if spayed the better) is preferred. Some persons, indeed, think it is the best. It is the most delicate and tender of all description of beef. Cow beef, particularly a young cow that has not had more than two or three calves, is very good. The grain is closer, and the fat whiter, than ox beef. Good beef has a fine, smooth, open grain, interlarded with thin streaks of delicate fat; and is of a deep healthy looking red colour. When the fat is of a dirty yellow colour, the meat is not good: it indicates its having been fed upon artificial food, such as oil cake. Grass-fed meat, or that fed upon hay and corn meal, is the best. When beef is old, a horny streak runs between the fat and lean; the harder this is, the older the meat. The flesh is not good flavoured, and eats tough.

22. Mutton.--Good mutton is firm in the grain; of a bright red colour; the lean delicately interlarded with thin streaks of fat; the fat itself being of a brightish white, tinted with a delicate pink. The fat of rotten mutton, in which the sheep was afflicted with a liver disease, is always of a dead white, and the flesh is of a pale colour. Such mutton is both unwholesome and unsavoury. The best way to detect this kind of mutton, is to examine the liver before it is removed from the sheep. If the liver be without bladders, or other marks of disease, the mutton is sound. Ewe mutton is not so good as wether mutton; the flesh is generally paler, and the texture finer. The best mutton is that which is fed upon the natural grasses. This is the reason why the Welsh and mountain Scotch muttons are so firm, short, and sweet. The sheep have liberty to choose their own food. Mutton fed on rape and turnips does not eat so well, nor near so well, as the grass-fed. Ram mutton has a strong, and, in some seasons of the year, an exceedingly disagreeable flavour. It is said that wether mutton, to be eaten in perfection, should be five years old; but it is scarcely ever kept to that age. In wether mutton there is a knob of fat on the part of the leg, where in the ewe you will find a part of the udder.

23. Venison when young has the cleft of the haunch smooth and close, and the fat is clear, bright and thick. In old venison, the cleft is wide and tough. If, after running a long, narrow, sharp knife into the lean of venison, it comes out without smelling, the venison is sweet. Some persons like it a little gone, and others a good deal. This state of putrescency is called by gourmands haut gout, high tasted; we should rather say at once, stinking. Venison requires more keeping than any other sort of meat to make it tender, unless it be dressed immediately it is killed, that is, before it is cold.

24. Veal.--This meat, to be truly good, delicate, fine flavoured, and


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tender, ought not to be more than five or six weeks old, and, of course, fed exclusively upon the milk of the mother. Writers on cookery gravely tell us, that the whiteness of veal is partly caused by the calf licking chalk. This is nonsense. The chalk is given to prevent calves from scouring, not to make their flesh white. However, whiteness is no proof of veal being good and juicy; it is caused by frequent bleeding. The flesh of the bull calf is said to be the firmest, but not so white. The fillet of the cow calf is sometimes preferred for the udder. The kidney of good veal is well covered with healthy looking fat, thick and firm. The bloody vein in the shoulder should look blue; if it be of any other colour, the meat is stale. Fresh veal is dry and white. When it is spotty and clammy it is stale. The kidney is gone when the fat or suet upon it is not firm. The kidney goes first.

25. Lamb that is fresh will have the veins bluish in the neck and fore-quarter. If there be a faint smell under the kidney it is not fresh. When the eyes are sunk in the head, it is a sure sign the lamb has been killed too long. Grass lamb, which is the only lamb that is in perfection, comes in in April, but it is better in May and June; that is to say, when men with hard hands can afford to eat it, and when there are green peas to eat with it. House lamb, for those who can afford to pay for it, and like to eat it, may be obtained all the year round.

26. Pork.--The quality of this kind of meat depends in a great measure upon its feeding. If grossly fed, it is bad, for the pig will eat any thing in the absence of delicate food. Dairy-fed pork we are told is the best: it is good, but we think not the best. To our taste, that is to be preferred in every respect which is fed not merely on dairy food, but upon good wholesome corn meal, whether of barley, oats, peas, or beans. Cookery writers tell us, that "if the rind is tough, and cannot easily be impressed by the finger, the meat is old;" and they add, that a thin rind is a merit in all pork." These directions are no guide whatever to the choice of pork: the rind may be made thin by dressing, but there are those, and no bad judges either, who prefer thick rinds. Moubray, on Poultry, &c., says, "the western pigs from Berks, Oxford, and Bucks, possess a decided superiority over the eastern of Essex, Sussex, and Norfolk; not to forget another qualification of the former, at which some readers may smile, a thickness of the skin, whence the crackling of the roasted pig is a fine gelatinous substance, which may be easily masticated, whilst the crackling of the thin-skinned breeds is roasted into good block tin, the reduction of which would almost require teeth of iron." So much for thin rinds. When pork is fresh, the flesh will be smooth and dry; when stale, clammy. What is called measly pork is to be avoided as a poison. It may be known by the fat being full of kernels, and by the general unwholesomeness of its appearance.

27. Bacon is good when the fat is almost transparent and of a delicate transparent pink tinge. The lean should adhere to the bone, be of a good colour, and tender. Yellow streaks in bacon show it is


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becoming rusty; when all is yellow, all is rusty and unfit to eat. Bacon and hams are frequently spoilt in the curing. Taste a little of the lean, and you will be able to judge whether it be too salt or not.

28. Hams are the best part of the pig when properly cured, perfectly sweet, and not too salt. To ascertain whether a ham is tainted, run a sharp knife under the bone, and if it comes out with a pleasant smell, and clean, the ham is good.

Summary of Directions.--Choose meat that has a clear red liver, free from knots and bladders, with kidneys firm, close, and well surrounded with firm, hard fat; the skirts which line the ribs should be full and fat. Meat possessing these qualifications may be depended on as of the first quality; but if the kidney or kernels of an animal have spots resembling measles, as is too frequently the case with pork, the meat is unwholesome.

We have said thus much on the choice of meats, but persons who keep up what is called an establishment, will do best to trust to their butcher, porkman, fishmonger, and poulterer, and not to choose at all, excepting tradesmen, taking care to deal only with the most respectable in the neighbourhood.

> CHOICE OF POULTRY, EGGS, AND FISH, AND SEASONS OF FISH.

Poultry of all kinds are preferred of a short thick make, broad and plump in the breast and thick in the rump and fat in the back. The spurs should be short as indicating youth, and the comb red as indicating health. The beak, bill, and claws, in a young bird will be tender, and the skin of the legs comparatively smooth; the contrary are certain indications of an old bird. But the best test of a fowl, as respects its age, is to try the two bones which run by the side of the belly to the vent; if these are gristly and easily broken at the end, the fowl is young. To judge of the age of geese or ducks, little or no dependence is to be placed upon the colour of the legs and bills--this varies according to complexion; but if the bills and feet have coarse red streaks, or a tinge of red in them, the bird is old. In young geese and ducks the above marks are not to be seen, and the webs will be smooth and thin.

29. Rabbits, young and in good condition, will be fat about the kidneys, and by the side of the belly. The flesh should be white, and if young, the legs will break easily.

30. Fowls are plentiful from August to January; chickens come in about April, tame ducks in May, continue through the summer months, and go out in October. Young geese may be dressed in the latter end of May and through the summer, but a goose is not thoroughly ripe till after stubbling, that is, about Michaelmas. Turkey poults are in season from May onwards, but turkeys are in high season about Christmas.

31. Rabbits and Pigeons may be had the year round; wild rabbits


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are best in the winter season; young pigeons may be had in February, and till September; wood-pigeons in December and January.

32. Game.--Hares, partridges and pheasants from September through the winter: the game season closes with February. All kinds of water fowl are most plentiful in keen, dry weather, especially in cold weather, after snow; also larks, wood-cocks, snipes, &c.

33. Eggs.--New eggs have always a rough fresh-looking shell, but this appearance may be effected by artificial means, and the purchaser be cheated with rotten ones, instead of getting fresh. A new-laid egg will sink in water, bad ones are more or less buoyant; but this is a tedious way of testing eggs. The best way is to form a sort of tube with the left hand, holding with the right hand the egg, close and opposite to this tube, in the light. If the egg is good the meat will look clear, and partly transparent; if bad, it will look dark with black spots in it.

34. Fish should be broad and thick of their kind, their eyes bright, gills red, and the scales close and shining: fish should feel firm to the touch and stiff. Stale fish have always a loose, limber feel, especially about the vent; their eyes are sunk and dim, the scales loose and flabby, and the whole has a dingy, disagreeable appearance. Lobsters and crabs are to be judged by their weight; if they feel light, they have wasted themselves by long keeping.

35. Seasons of Fish.--There are some kinds of fish absolutely poisonous eaten out of season; such are salmon, and skate. The following will give some idea of the seasons of fish, but they vary according to the weather. Cod comes in about October, and goes out about February; it is sometimes good for a short time about August. Salmon comes in in February, is in high season during May, June, and July, declines in August, and is quite out in September. Pickled salmon is good from May till September. Herrings are in season as long as they are full of roe; when shotten, they are worthless. Sprats are best in frosty weather. Lobsters and crabs are plentiful in the spring and early part of the summer. Haddock, flounders, muscles, come in in September or October, and are out about April or May. Jacks or pikes, eels, perch, tench, carp, and other fresh water fish, become plentiful about April or May, according to the weather. Eels are never out of season, but in cold weather are hardly to be procured. Hallibut is in season from the beginning of May until the end of September.

> PREPARATIONS FOR COOKING.

36. A great deal has to be done before the cook can commence the operation of cooking. She has to truss her fowls and prepare her fish, butcher's meat, and vegetables, with other things not necessary to mention here. Never wash butcher's meat except for the purpose of cleansing it of blood, which would otherwise disfigure it when dressed. Few joints require this operation; heads, hearts and scrags


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always require to be well washed before they are cooked, but if they or any thing else are intended for roasting or frying, they should first be rendered perfectly dry, by rubbing with a coarse cloth, or otherwise. Salt rubbed in with warm water will speedily remove the blood and cleanse the meat. Hares must be always well washed with salt and water, or milk and water.

37. Trussing is little required in butcher's meat; but loins, boned and stuffed, such as those of beef, mutton and pork, must of course be trussed. This is done by spreading the stuffing and seasoning over them, then rolling them up as tightly as possible, tying up with a tape or string, and securing all by skewers. The long flap of the fillet of veal must be filled with stuffing, and then secured as above directed.

38. All kinds of poultry should be killed the first thing in the morning, when their crops are empty. They should be plucked while they are warm; be sure take out all the flues, and let the hair be singed off with white paper. It is recommended to crop fowls and pigeons immediately you have them; but there is a difference of opinion as to the time of drawing them; some say they should be drawn as soon as killed, or at least as soon as bought, which prevents the disagreeable flavour so often perceived in chickens; others say, and indeed the generality of cooks are of this opinion, that they should not be drawn till just before they are dressed, as it is apt to make them dry: we are of opinion that poultry should be drawn soon after they are killed; we do not believe that this makes them dry, though we are sure that to leave them undrawn will be apt to make them stink.

39. In drawing poultry, or removing the entrails, a very small slit may be made under the vent with a penknife, at which slip in the fore-finger, and if there is any internal fat about the vent, draw it out, as it is in the way of taking out the entrails, and, if left in, would be very strong when roasted. Next get hold of the gizzard, which may be known by its being the hardest part of the interior; draw it out carefully; it will generally bring the whole of the intestines with it, but if the liver should be left, again slip in the finger and take hold of the heart, which will bring out with it the liver, which you must not touch for fear of bursting the gall-bladder. The heart is generally left in by poulterers, but it is much better out, as it is apt to give a bloody appearance to the interior of the fowl. Trim round the vent with a pair of scissors.

40. Be careful to take away the gall-bladder from the liver without breaking it, for if one drop of the gall escapes, the whole liver is spoilt. The gizzard consists of two parts, with a stomach or bag in the middle, containing gravel and undigested food; one part of the skin by which the two parts of the gizzard are united is rather narrower than the other; slit this with a knife, and turning the gizzard inside out, remove the stomach bag and trim round the gizzard, but avoid cutting the skin by which it is joined in the middle.

41. In trussing poultry, cut off the neck about two joints from its


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commencement at the shoulders, but be sure to leave half an inch, or more, of the skin longer than the part of the neck remaining, for the purpose of wrapping over on being tied.

42. The legs of fowls intended to be roasted should be taken off about one inch below the first joint; the feet and legs of young chickens are generally left on, but they must be scalded in boiling water, and the claws and outside scaly skin taken off. Thrust the liver through a slit made in the skinny part of one pinion, and the gizzard through the other; then turn the top of the pinion over the back, lay the legs close to the sides; with a wire skewer fix the middle joint of the pinion outside of the knee joint of the leg, and so through the body to the other knee and pinion; with a short skewer fix the lower joint to the lower part of the body; then the feet, or whatever part of them is left, may turn back over the belly. The skewer for this purpose must go through the sidesmen, fixing the stumps or feet between them.
For a fowl that is to be boiled, a slit is made on each side of the belly, and the leg-stump tucked in.

43. To remove the crop and windpipe of those whose heads are left on, open the skin a little just in front of the throat; then pull each separately gently, first from the beak or bill, then from the stomach. Fowls whose heads are taken off may have the crop removed by putting the finger down the throat. The windpipe is easily removed in the same way.

[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed chicken on a skewer.]

44. Before dressing, a little flour should be dusted over fowls Poulterers, to make the bird look plump, often break the breast bone; this is a bad practice--it lets the air into the fowl, and drys the meat; it often breaks the gall-bladder, and, of course, spoils the fowl, and it always renders the bone troublesome. The head of capon, we ought to observe, is often twisted under the wing in the same way as a pheasant's.

45. Ducks have the feet always left on, but the wings must be taken off at the middle joint; in doing this, leave more skin than belongs to the bone. The feet must be scalded, and the skin and claws taken away; they then must be turned over the back. In placing the skewers, keep the thigh joints outside of the pinions, and run the skewer through the leg, then through the bit of skin that hangs below the pinion, then through the body, the other pinion, skin, and the


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other leg. The short skewer must be inserted just above the joint, which is twisted to turn back the feet. Tie the skin round the throat; put in the seasoning at the vent and turn the rump through a small slit in the apron.

[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed duck on two skewers.]

46. Geese are trussed exactly in the same way as ducks, except the feet are cut off, and dressed with the giblets. The liver is sometimes dressed separately, and considered by some persons a great delicacy. A piece of greased white paper should be laid over the breast, and secured with a string, not skewers, before a goose is put down to roast.

47. Turkeys are trussed the same way as fowls, but the sinews of the leg must be drawn out before trussing. The gizzard of a turkey intended to be roasted should be scored, and both gizzard and liver covered with the caul of veal or lamb; but buttered paper does as well, and is more generally used: this is to prevent them becoming dry. The breast should be secured in the same way, with a piece of buttered paper. Nicely clean the head, and twist it under the wing.

48. Pigeons should be cleaned with great care. For roasting, truss with the feet on; tie the joints close down the rump, and turn the feet over the front (see engraving). Most people season them. For


[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed bird on a skewer.]




[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed bird on a skewer.]

boiling or stewing, cut off the feet, and truss just as fowls for boiling. For broiling, lay them open by cutting them down the back, and laying


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them flat. As pigeons have no gall, no extra care will be required with the liver.

49. Pheasants, Partridges, and Guinea Fowls, are trussed with the head tucked under the wing, and the feet on, which are twisted and tied to the rump, and turned back over the breast. The liver may be used in the stuffing.

50. Wild Ducks, and all other web-footed wild fowl, should have the feet left on, and be cleaned and trussed in the same manner a tame duck.

51. Woodcocks, Plovers, &c., and all other birds that live by suction, are not drawn; the feet are left on, the knees twisted round


[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed bird on a skewer.]

each other, and raised over the breast, by which means each foot turns back and falls on the side of the rump.

52. Hare, trussed for roasting, has the legs turned back without disjointing, so that the haunches are thrown up, much in the form that a cat is often seen sitting--the end bones of the fore and hind legs meet each other, and lie side by side. Two skewers should be inserted, one where the end of the leg meets the fleshy part of the shoulder, and the other where the end of the shoulder meets the fleshy part of the leg; the head is fixed back with a skewer thrust


[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed hare on three skewers.]

into the mouth, through the head, and into the back between the shoulders. The belly should be slit no more than is necessary for taking out the paunch. To secure its keeping in place, a string is


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employed for bracing it; the string is laid across the back, twisted round the end of both skewers, and brought back across the back and tied. In skinning hares and rabbits, particularly hares, the ears and tails should be preserved entire, as they improve the appearance of these dishes on the table, and are much esteemed.

53. Rabbits for boiling are opened all the way down the belly; joint the legs at the rump so as to admit of their turning along the sides; turn the shoulders back to meet them, so that the lower joints of each lie straight along, side by side; the head should be skewered down to the right shoulder.
Rabbits for roasting are trussed like hares.

[Illustration: An illustration of a trussed rabbit on a skewer.]

54. Fawns or Kids are generally trussed and dressed in the same way as hares. As the flesh is of a dry nature, they should be covered with a caul or buttered paper, which should be tied on, not skewered. Fawns will not keep above a day or two at the furthest.

55. Sucking Pigs, the moment they are killed, should be put into cold water for a few minutes. Some persons then rub them over with powdered resin: others object to this on account of the flavour of the resin, which the pig will retain, if not well washed. Put the pig for half a minute into a pail or pan of boiling water, and take it out and pull off the hair or bristles as quickly as possible. If any should remain, put it again into hot water; when quite free from hair, wash it thoroughly with warm water, and then rinse it several times in cold water, that no flavour of the resin may remain. The feet should be taken off at the first joint: then make a slit down the belly and remove the entrails; once more wash the pig inside and out in cold water, and wrap it in a wet cloth till you are ready to dress it, which should be done as soon as possible. Fill the belly with seasoning, and sew it up; skewer back the legs, and the trussing is completed.
The feet, heart, liver, lights, and melt, are to be dressed separately, when well cleaned. This dish is called pig's pettitoes.

56. Fish, in cleaning, should have every particle of the entrails very carefully removed. If the blood has settled down the back-bone, or elsewhere, it should be carefully taken away, and care should be taken not to break the gallbladder of the liver. Some fish must be slit in order to clean them; others may have their entrails drawn out at the gills, which should be always done when it is practicable. Mackerel, perch, &c. are cleaned in this way. Flat fish may be so


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cleaned, but it is usual to make a slanting slit on one side, just below the gill, in order to put in the finger and remove the clotted blood from the back-bone. Fishes with scales should be scraped from the tail to the head, till all the scales are removed; others, such as soles and eels, are skinned. The cook ought not to depend upon the cleaning of fish by the fishmonger, but carefully examine them before dressing.

57. Eels are remarkably tenacious of life, and appear to suffer after they are cut into several pieces. In order to take the sense of feeling entirely from this fish, it is only necessary, before it is skinned, to pierce the spinal marrow, just at the back of the skull, right through, when all feeling in the eel will instantly cease, though it has the appearance of being alive. Then raise the skin, at the part cut or pierced, draw it back over the mouth and head, secure the head with a strong fork to a table, or dresser, and draw back the whole skin. To prevent the eel from slipping through your hands, rub them with salt, and you will then draw off the skin easily. Eels, except very small ones, require to be slit all the way from the vent to the gills, and the inside of the back-bone should be rubbed with salt. The liver, roe or melt, are much esteemed, and should be therefore preserved.

58. Fish without Scales, &c.--Cod, mackerel, whiting, and some other fish, being without scales, need nothing doing to them except drawing them and washing or wiping. Sprats, for broiling, should have a long bird-skewer run through their eyes, or a common knitting-needle. Neither sprats nor the silver-stringed herring, which is the best, should ever be drawn. They should be wiped dry and clean. Fish for frying, should not be washed if it be possible to avoid it. If they require washing, it should be done an hour or two before they are fried, and wrapped up in a coarse cloth till they are thoroughly dry.

59. Turbot, Plaice, Flounders, &c., having been gutted and wiped, should be sprinkled with salt, and hung up for several hours before dressing.

60. Cod, having been drawn and washed, will eat firmer if it be sprinkled with salt some time before putting it into the fish-kettle, with cold water, where it may remain an hour or two before boiling, or it may be hung up like plaice, &c.

61. Oysters, if fresh from the sea, that is, uncleansed by the fishmonger, should, as soon as received, be laid in a pan or tub, with the flat shell upwards, and the whole fish covered with spring water; to which put a pint of salt to every two gallons of water. In a few hours the fish will have cleansed themselves, and become fit for use. If they are required to be kept longer, the water should be taken away at night, and renewed in the morning; but they are never better than after they have been in the water from six to ten hours. There are persons who recommend that they should always be kept under water, which they say should be renewed every twelve hours. Such persons forget that oysters, in their natural state, are not under


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water when the tide is out. Some writers recommend fresh water, but for what reason we know not, except to spoil the fish. Others order them to be sprinkled with flour, or oatmeal, for the purpose of making the fish white. We believe it has no such effect--much less will it feed them. Clear fresh spring water with a little salt, is the best; in this they will soon scour themselves, and become delicately white. Oysters should be opened very carefully--be turned round on the shell--the lower shell preserves the liquor best, and then served immediately; but they are better when eaten and opened at table. Every moment the oyster is kept after it is opened, injures it in quality and flavour. If served on the flat side of the shell, the liquor should be preserved and used for flavouring.--N. B. Oysters when taken fresh from the clean sea, that is, from beds devoid of mud, require no cleansing; but, on the contrary, we are assured on good authority, are much better without it. The process of cleansing deprives the fish of its flavour to a certain extent, and very much weakens the delicious liquor in the shell.

62. Vegetables, particularly green, in preparing for dressing, require great attention in point of cleanliness. If vegetables for boiling can be gathered perfectly clean, immediately before being put in the pot, they preserve their colour much better without washing. But this will seldom be the case, particularly with those purchased of the greengrocer. When they are a little stale, which is almost always the case, if not gathered in your own garden, putting them in water for a few hours will refresh them. Salt and water should be used for the purpose of bringing out the slugs, or caterpillars, in which summer cauliflowers and cabbage very often abound. Every drop of cold water, if possible, should be shaken out of them before boiling. Green peas, broad beans and French beans, ought not to be washed. Turnip greens, if quite clean and fresh, are better not washed; but it otherwise they must be washed through several waters.

63. Asparagus, Artichokes, Spinach, &c.--Scrape the stalks of asparagus clean, tie them up with tape, in bundles of twenty-five or thirty each; cut off the ends of the stalks to an equal length. If quite fresh they need not be washed. Artichokes require thorough washing, and should be soaked two hours or so in water before dressing. Spinach should be picked leaf by leaf; washed in three or four waters, and thoroughly drained. Celery should be well soaked.

64. Potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes should be well scrubbed with a birch broom, besom, or scrubbing brush, and washed very clean just before boiling; but they should never be the least wetted till they are about to be dressed. Some persons like them best boiled in the skins; they are best peeled before boiling when they are old or specky.

65. Carrots, Parsnips, Beetroots, and Turnips.--Carrots and parsnips should be well washed and scrubbed, but not scraped, as it is apt to injure the flavour. After boiling, rub the skins with a coarse cloth. For soups, &c., they should be scraped. Beetroots should be washed and scrubbed very clean, but if the red sort be scraped, or cut


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with a knife, the colour will escape. When done, carefully rub with a rough cloth. Wash and peel turnips.

Having given directions for the preparations for cooking, we now proceed to Cooking itself; and shall begin with

> SOUPS AND BROTHS, &c.

In our general directions we have given pretty full instructions on the art of making broths, stews, &c., which instructions are of themselves sufficient to enable a young cook, possessed of diligence and common sense, to prepare the different varieties of these dishes, without the assistance of particular receipts. We give, however, the following.

66. Clear Gravy Soups.--Cut half a pound of ham into slices, and lay them at the bottom of a large stew-pan, or stock pot, with two or three pounds of veal and the same weight of lean beef; break the bones and lay them on the meat; pare two turnips and skin two large onions; wash clean, and cut into pieces two large carrots, two heads of celery; put in a large blade of mace, and three cloves; cover the stew-pan close, and set it over a clear fire; when the meat begins to stick at the bottom of the stew-pan, turn it, and when there is a nice brown glaze at the bottom of the stew-pan cover the meat with hot water; put in half a pint when it is coming to a boil; take off the scum, and put in half a pint more of cold water; then skim it again, and continue to do so till no more scum rises: now set it on one side of the fire to boil gently for four hours; strain through a clean tamis (do not squeeze it, or the soup will be thick) into a clean stone pan; let it remain till it is cold, then remove all the fat; when you bottle it, be careful not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the pan. The broth should be of a fine amber colour, and very clear. If it is not quite as bright as you wish it, put it into a stew-pan; break two whites and the shells of eggs, mix well together and put them into the soup, set it on a quick fire, and stir it with a whisk till it boils, then set it on one side till it settles; run it through a fine napkin; then it is ready. If you skim your broth carefully as directed above, it will be clear enough; clarifying it impairs the flavour.--Observe.
This is the basis of almost all gravy soups, which are called by the name of the vegetables that are put into them: carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and a few leaves of chervil, make what is called spring soup; to this a pint of green peas, or asparagus, or French beans cut into pieces, or a cabbage lettuce, is an improvement.
With rice, Scotch barley, or vermicelli, maccaroni or celery, cut into lengths, it will be the soup usually called by those names.
Or turnips scooped, round or young onions, will give you a clear turnip or onion soup. The roots and vegetables used must be boiled first, or they will impregnate the soup with too strong a flavour. Seasoning for those soups is the same, viz. salt, and a very little cayenne pepper.

67. Ox Tail Soup.--Take three or four ox tails; divide at the joints; well wash, and soak them. Put them on the fire; to each


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tail allow a quart of water; when they boil, take off all the scum. If four tails add four onions, and eight or ten corns of allspice and black pepper to each tail. Simmer it slowly till the meat on the bones is tender. Then take out the tails, scrape off all the meat and cut it small; strain the soup through a sieve. To thicken it, take two ounces of butter, and as much flour as it will take up; mix it well with the whole, and let it simmer another half hour. If not perfectly smooth, it must be strained again; then put in the meat, with a glass of wine, a table-spoonful of mushroom catsup, a little cayenne, and salt to taste; simmer it again a few minutes. Or instead of thickening the soup, the meat may be returned to the gravy and warmed again, with or without the addition of carrots and turnips.

68. Hotch-potch.--Take lamb or mutton chops, and stew them in good gravy, with the addition of almost every kind of vegetable. A summer hotch-potch is composed of young onions, carrots, asparagus, green peas, lettuce, turnips, spinach, and parsley; a winter one is composed of full-grown turnips cut small, old carrots cut small or grated, celery and onions sliced, dried peas--the green or blue sort are the best colours for this purpose. The peas will take much longer boiling than either meat or green vegetables. Put them in the liquor boiling, and let them boil an hour before the addition of meat, and the other vegetables. The proportion is four pounds of meat to a gallon of stock, and two quarts of vegetables. Boil the meat and vegetables between two and three hours, slow boiling, with the lid on. If you add green peas or asparagus tops among the vegetables, keep out nearly all of them till within half an hour of sending them to table; then let them boil fast till tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve all together. Some people make it of brisket of beef, and add a bunch of sweet herbs. The beef will require stewing longer. A leg of beef, cut in pieces, and stewed six or seven hours, with carrots and the other ingredients, makes very good soup. A little small beer is an improvement to all brown soups.

69. Fish Broth.--Thick-skinned fish, and those which have glutinous, jelly-like substances, are the best. The liquor which eels have been boiled in is good enough of itself, as they require but little water. The liquor in which turbot or cod has been boiled, boil again, with the addition of the bones. If purposely made, small eels, or grigs, or flat fish, as flounders, soles, plaice or dabs, or the finny parts of cod, will do for the purpose. A pound of fish to three pints of water; add peppercorns, a large handful of parsley, and an onion; and boil till reduced to half. A spoonful of catsup, or vinegar, is an improvement. This broth is very nourishing and easy of digestion; but for a sick person, leave out the catsup or vinegar.

70. Cock-a-leeky Soup.--Take a small knuckle of veal, and a large fowl, or a scrag of mutton instead of veal. An old fowl will do. Add three or four large leeks, cut in pieces of half an inch long. Simmer in three quarts of good broth for an hour. Then add as many more leeks, and season with pepper and salt. Let it boil three-quarters of an hour longer, and serve all together. The leeks which are put


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in first, is with the intention of thickening the soup; and those which are put in last, should retain their form and substance.

71. Scotch Brose, or Crowdy.--Take half a pint of oatmeal; put it before the fire, and frequently turn it till it is perfectly dry and of a light brown. Take a ladle-full of boiling water, in which fat meat has been boiled, and stir it briskly to the oatmeal, still adding more liquor till it is brought to the thickness desired, which is about that of a stiff batter; a little salt and pepper may be added, if the liquor with which it was made was not salt.
Kale brose is the same thing, but with the addition of greens, cut small, and boiled in the liquor.

72. Pease Soup.--Put a quart of split peas to three quarts of boiling water, not more (Dr. Kitchiner says cold water,) with half a pound of bacon, not very fat, or roast beef bones, or four anchovies; or, instead of water, the liquor in which beef, mutton, pork or poultry, has been boiled; it will be very much better, but taste the liquor, as it must not be too salt. Wash two heads of celery, cut small (half a drachm of celery seed, pounded fine, and put into the soup, a quarter of an hour before it is finished, will flavour three quarts,) two onions peeled, and a sprig of savoury, or sweet marjoram, or lemon thyme. Let it simmer very gently, stirring it every quarter of an hour, to keep the peas from sticking to or burning at the bottom of the pot. Simmer till the peas are tender, which will be in about three hours. Some cooks now slice a head of celery and half an ounce of onions, and fry them in a little batter, and put them into the soup, till it is lightly browned; then work the whole through a coarse hair sieve, and then through a fine sieve, or through a tamis, with the back of a wooden spoon; then put it into a clean stew-pan, with a tea-spoonful of ground black pepper; let it boil again for ten minutes, and if any fat arises skim it off. Send up on a plate some toasted bread, cut into little pieces, an inch square; or cut a slice of bread (that has been baked two days) into dice, not more than half an inch square; put half a pound of quite clean dripping, or lard, into an iron frying-pan; when it is hot fry the bread; take care to turn the bread with a slice, that it may be of a delicate brown on both sides; take it up with a fish-slice, and lay it on a sheet of paper to drain the fat; be careful that this is done nicely. Send them up in one side dish, and dried and powdered mint, or savoury, in another. The most economical method of making pease soup, is to save the bones of a joint of roast beef, and put them into the liquor in which mutton, or beef, or pork, or poultry, has been boiled, and proceed as in the first receipt. A hock or shank bone of ham, a ham bone, the root of a tongue, or a red or pickled herring, are favourite additions with some people; others send up rice or vermicelli with pease soup. Pease soup may be made savoury and agreeable to the palate, without any meat, by putting two ounces of fresh and nicely clarified beef, mutton, or pork dripping, with two ounces of oatmeal, and mix this well into a gallon of soup prepared with the peas and vegetables, according to the first receipt, or in water alone.

73. Pease Soup and Pickled Pork.--Take two pounds of pickled


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pork, which will make very good broth for pease soup; if the pork is too salt, put it in water on the over-night. The pork should not be in salt more than two days. Put on the articles, mentioned in the first receipt, in three quarts of water; boil these gently for two hours; then put in the pork, and boil gently for an hour and a half, or two hours, according to the thickness of the pork; when done, wash the pork clean in some hot water; send it up in a dish, or cut it into little pieces, and put them into the tureen, with the toasted bread, &c., or as in the first receipt. The meat being boiled no longer than to be done enough to eat, you can get excellent soup without the expense of any other meat.

74. Plain Pease Soup.--To a quart of split peas, and two heads of celery, and a large onion, put three quarts of broth, or soft water; let them simmer gently over a slow fire for three hours. Stir them up every quarter of an hour, to prevent the peas sticking at the bottom of the pot, and burning.

75. Spanish Soup.--Take about three pounds of beef, off the leg or shin, with or without the bone--if with the bone, well crack it--a pound of knuckle of ham, or gammon. More than cover them with water, and when it boils skim it, and add a tea-spoonful of pepper. The ham will probably make it sufficiently salt--if not, add a little. Let this simmer by the side of the fire until it is three parts done, which will take two hours and a half. And then well wash some cabbage plants, or small summer cabbage; cut these into small pieces, also onions cut small; a tea-cup full of rice, with a bit of eschalot; put these in the saucepan, and let it simmer a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, until the rice is boiled enough. Then take it from the fire; separate the meat, vegetables, and rice, from the soup, and eat the soup before the meat. Separate the meat from the bones, and mix it with the vegetables. If the plants are too strong, scald them before putting them in the saucepan. In the summer, a few young peas make a great improvement. Leeks are better than onions, as you can have more in quantity of vegetables. The Spaniards use garlic. This will dine a family of seven or eight people.

76. Chicken Broth.--Chicken bones, and the heads and feet, make a basin of good broth, provided the fowls have been boiled, and the liquor used instead of water. The heads and feet of four fowls may be boiled in a quart of water, with the addition of an onion and a blade of mace, a little pepper and salt. Chicken broth may be enriched by the addition of a knuckle bone of veal, a bit of beef, or three or four shank bones of mutton.

77. Mutton Broth.--Scrags of mutton, or sheeps' heads, make a very good family dinner. Two or three scrags of mutton, or two sheeps' heads, may be put on in a two-gallon pot; when it boils, skim it well, then add six ounces of Scotch or pearl barley, or rice; let it boil an hour or more; then add eight or ten turnips, three or four carrots, cut up, and four or five onions. Half an hour before serving, put in a few small suet dumplings, a little parsley, and a few marigold blossoms. This broth should boil two hours and a half, or three hours.


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The knuckle of a shoulder of mutton answers very well in this manner. Serve the meat on a separate dish, and the broth, dumplings, and vegetables, all together in a large tureen.

78. Mutton Chop Broth.--Cut the chops from a neck or loin of mutton; cut as much as is required into thin chops; put them in a stew-pan, with an onion or two, a little salt, and cold water enough to cover them. Skim well when it boils, and let it stew slowly three-quarters of an hour, or an hour. Turnips may be boiled in this liquor, or boiled separately, and mashed. Serve the broth and meat together. In broth intended for invalids, the vegetables and spice should be left out.

79. Soup and Bouilli.--For the bouilli, roll five pounds of brisket of beef tight with a tape, put it into a stew-pan; four pounds of the leg of beef; about seven or eight quarts of water; boil these up quick; scum it; add one large onion, six or seven cloves, some whole pepper, two or three carrots, a turnip or two, a leek, two heads of celery; stew them very gently, closely covered, for six or seven hours; about an hour before dinner, strain the soup through a piece of flannel (put the rough side upwards,) or a hair sieve; have ready boiled carrots and turnips sliced, spinach, a little chervil, and sorrel, two heads of endive, one or two of celery, cut in pieces. Put the soup into a tureen. The carrots and turnips in separate dishes; add a little salt and cayenne to the soup. Take the tape from the bouilli very carefully, and serve in a dish. A leg or shin of beef, with a piece of fat beef, will answer the purpose.

80. A Cheap Soup.--Two pounds of lean beef, six onions, six potatoes (parboiled,) one carrot, one turnip, half a pint of split peas, four quarts of water, some whole pepper, a head of celery, a red herring; when boiled, rub through a coarse sieve, add spinach and celery boiled, dried mint, and fried bread.

81. Veal Soup.--Cut the meat off in thin slices; put the meat in a large jug or jar; put to it a bunch of sweet herbs, half an ounce of almonds, blanched, and beat fine; pour on it four quarts of boiling water; cover it close, and let it stand all night by the fire; the next day, put it into an earthen vessel; let it stew very slowly till it is reduced to two quarts; take off the scum as it rises while boiling, and let it stand to settle; then pour it clear off, and put it into a clean saucepan; mix with three ounces of either boiled rice or vermicelli.

82. Calf's Head Soup.--Take a calf's head, wash it clean, stew it with a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, mace, pearl barley, and Jamaica pepper; when it is very tender, put to it some stewed celery; season it with pepper; and serve it with the head in the middle.

83. Giblet Soup.--The most economical way is to take a pound or two of beef skirts, or of knuckle of veal; cut it into pieces two or three inches square; a set of goose giblets, or four sets of ducks', or the head, neck, and feet, of a turkey or two, or of six or eight fowls; all of these are good, either separate or together. Clean them well, split the heads, cut the gizzards across, crack the pinions and feet


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bones. Put all together into a stew-pan, with an ounce of butter, the red part of two or three carrots cut up, two or three onions sliced, and a clove or two of eschalots. Shake it over a clear slow fire a few minutes, to draw the gravy, then add water or broth enough to cover the whole; let it simmer two hours or more, then season with salt and pepper, and a large spoonful of catsup, and serve all together. It may be thickened with rice or barley, which should be added as soon as it boils.--
A more expensive way: Prepare the giblets as above and set them on with good gravy, enough to cover them; tie in a muslin bag an onion or two, a small bundle of sweet herbs, a few leaves of sweet basil, and twenty corns of allspice, the same of black pepper. Let it simmer till the giblets are tender, then take them out and cover up close while you thicken the gravy; remove also the bag of spice and herbs. Make some force meat balls as follows: when the livers are done enough to chop fine, take them out or part of them, pound them fine with half their weight in butter, and the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs; season with salt, cayenne, nutmeg, sage, and onions, scalded and chopped very fine, and also a leaf or two of sweet basil. Mix with half a tea-cup full of bread crumbs, wet with the yolk of an egg, and make up into little balls with a little flour. Having removed the giblets, thicken the soup with butter and flour, and when it boils add the balls; let them simmer a quarter of an hour, then add a glass of wine, a large table-spoonful of catsup, and the juice of half a Seville orange or lemon. Put in the giblets to warm through, and it is ready.

84. Kitchiner's cheap Soup.--Wash in cold water four ounces of Scotch barley, and put into five quarts of water, with four ounces of sliced onions; boil gently one hour, and pour it into a pan; then put into a saucepan from one to two ounces of fresh beef or mutton dripping. Dripping for this purpose should be taken out of the pan as fast as it drips from the meat; if suffered to remain in the pan it is apt to become rancid. If no dripping is at hand, melted suet will do, or two or three ounces of fat bacon minced fine. When melted in the saucepan, stir into it four ounces of oatmeal, and rub them together until they become a soft paste. Then add, by degrees, a spoonful at a time, the barley broth, stirring it well together till it boils. For seasoning, put in a tea-cup or basin a drachm of celery or cress seed, or half a drachm of each, and a quarter of a drachm of cayenne, finely powdered, or a drachm and a half of black pepper finely powdered, or half allspice; mix them smooth with a little of the soup; then stir it into the rest; simmer it gently another quarter of an hour, season with salt, and it is ready. The flavour may be varied by any variety of herbs, or thickening with garlic or eschalot instead of celery; a larger portion of onions, or carrots and turnips, or rice, or paste, instead of oatmeal or barley.

85. Soup Maigre.--Divide two or three heads of celery, two large carrots, three or four moderate-sized turnips, some onions, two young lettuces, a handful of spinach leaves, and a little sorrel. Cut the worst half of the vegetables in small pieces, and put them into the


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stew-pan with three ounces of butter; let them fry till the vegetables are brown and the butter absorbed; put a gallon of boiling water into the pan; when it boils fast, skim it well, stir in a little flour, and add some stale crust of bread; put in two dozen of black peppers, and the same of allspice, with two or three blades of mace; let it simmer for an hour and a half, then set it aside for a quarter of an hour, then strain it off very gently, so as not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the stew-pan, which clean. When the soup has stood two hours, pour it back again, avoiding to disturb any sediment, if any should escape from the first draining. Cut up the remainder of the vegetables and boil them in water five minutes, then drain them, and when the soup again boils, add them to it, and let it simmer till they are tender, which will be about three-quarters of an hour; season with salt, cayenne, and a table-spoonful of catsup. If green peas are in season, the liquor in which they have been boiled, added to the soup, is a great improvement.

86. Mock Turtle.--Have the head and broth ready for the soup the day before it is to be eaten; it will take eight hours to prepare it properly. Get the calf's head with the skin on, the fresher the better, take out the brains and wash the head several times in cold water, let it soak in spring water for an hour, then lay it in the stew-pan, cover it with cold water, and half a gallon over; as it becomes warm a great deal of scum will rise, which must be immediately removed; let it boil gently for one hour, then take it up. When almost cold cut the head into pieces about an inch and a half long and an inch and a quarter broad; the tongue into mouthfuls, or rather make a side dish of the tongue and brains. When the head is taken out, put in about five pounds of knuckle of veal, and as much beef; add to the stock all the trimmings and bones of the head; skim it well, then cover it close, let it boil five hours; reserve two quarts of this to make gravy sauce, then strain it off and let it stand till the next morning; then take off the fat, put a large stew-pan on the fire, with half a pound of good fresh butter, twelve ounces of onions sliced, four ounces of green sage chopped; let these fry one hour; rub in half a pound of flour by degrees, add your broth till it is the thickness of cream; season it with a quarter of an ounce of ground allspice and half an ounce of black pepper, ground very fine, salt to your taste add the rind of one lemon peeled very thin; let it simmer very gently for one hour and a half, then strain it through a hair sieve, do not rub your soup to get it through the sieve or it will make it grouty; if it do not run through easily, knock a wooden spoon against the side of the sieve; put it into a clean stew-pan with the head, and season by adding, to each gallon of soup, half a pint of wine, Madeira, or claret if you wish it dark; two table-spoonfuls of lemon juice, the same of catsup, one of essence of anchovy, a tea-spoonful of curry powder, or a quarter of a drachm of cayenne, the peel of a lemon pared very thin. Let it simmer gently till the meat is tender; this may take from half an hour to an hour; take care that it is not over-done; stir it frequently to prevent the meat sticking to the bottom of the stew-pan;


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when the meat is quite done, take out the lemon peel, and the soup is ready. Serve with force meat stuffing, or balls.

87. Carrot Soup.--Wash and scrape six large carrots, peel off the red outside (which is the only part used for this soup), put it into a gallon stew-pan, with one head of celery, and an onion cut into thin pieces; take two quarts of veal, beef, or mutton broth, put the broth to the roots, cover the stew-pan close, and set it on a slow stove for two hours and a half, when the carrots will be soft enough; put in a tea-cup full of bread crumbs, boil for two or three minutes, rub it through a tamis, or hair sieve, with a wooden spoon, add broth, and make it nearly as thick as pease soup; season it with a little salt, and send it up with some toasted bread, cut into pieces half an inch square. The celery and onions should be sliced and fried in butter, or nicely clarified dripping, and then put in the stew-pan and the broth added to it.
Or thus: Put some beef bones with four quarts of liquor in which a leg of mutton or beef has been boiled, two large onions, a turnip, pepper and salt, into a stew-pan, and stew for three hours; have ready six large carrots scraped, and cut thin; strain the soup on them, stew them till soft enough to pulp through a hair sieve, or a coarse cloth; then boil the pulp with the soup, which is to be as thick as pease soup. Make the soup the day before it is to be used; add cayenne. Pulp only the red part of the carrot, and not the yellow. The soup is better made with a shin of beef.

88. Curry or Mulligatawny Soup.--Cut four pounds of a breast of veal into pieces about two inches long and one inch broad; put the trimmings into a stew-pan with two quarts of water, with twelve corns of black pepper, and the same of allspice; when it boils skim it clean, and let it boil an hour and a half; then strain it off; while it is boiling, fry of a nice brown in butter the bits of veal, and four onions; when they are done put the broth to them, put it on the fire; when it boils skim it clean, let it simmer half an hour, then mix two spoonfuls of curry, and the same of flour, with a little cold water, and a tea-spoonful of salt; add these to the soup, and simmer it till the veal is quite tender, and it is ready; or bone a couple of fowls or rabbits, and stew them the same as veal, and you may put in a bruised eschalot, and some mace and ginger, instead of black pepper and allspice. The fowls and rabbits should be cut into joints, and fried of a nice brown in some batter.

89. Eel Soup.--To make a tureen full, take two middling sized onions, cut them in half, and cross your knife over them two or three times; put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan; when it is melted, put in the onions, stir them in the pan till they are of a light brown; cut into pieces three pounds of unskinned eels, put them into your stew-pan, and shake them over the fire for five minutes; then add three quarts of boiling water, and when they boil, take the scum off very clean, and then put in a quarter of an ounce of the green leaves (not dried) of winter savoury, the same of lemon-thyme, and twice the quantity of parsley, two drachms of allspice, the same of black pepper; cover it close, and let it boil gently for two hours, skim it


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clean and strain it off. To thicken it, put three ounces of butter into a clean stew-pan; when it is melted stir in as much flour as will make it of a thick paste, then add the liquid by degrees, let it simmer for ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve, then put your soup on in a clean stew-pan, and have ready some little square pieces of fried fish of nice light brown--either eels, soles, plaice, or skate, will do, the fried fish should be added about ten minutes before the soup is served up. Force meat balls are sometimes added.
Excellent fish-soup may be made of cod's head, or skate, or flounders, boiled in no more water than will cover them, and the liquor thickened with oatmeal, &c.

90. Gourd Soup should be made of full-grown gourds, but not those that have hard skins; slice three or four, and put them into a stew-pan with two or three onions and a good bit of butter, set them over a slow fire till quite tender, be careful not to let them burn; then add two ounces of crust of bread, and two quarts of good consommé, season with salt and cayenne pepper; boil ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, skim off all the fat, and pass it through a tamis when quite hot. Serve up with fried bread.

91. Game Soup.--In the game season it is easy to make very good soup at a little expense, by taking all the meat off the breasts of any cold birds that have been left on the preceding day, and pound it in a mortar; beat to pieces the legs and bones, and boil in some broth for an hour; boil six turnips, and mash them and strain them through a tamis cloth, with the meat that has been pounded in a mortar; strain your broth and put a little of it at a time into the tamis to help you to strain all of it through. Put your soup kettle near the fire, but do not let it boil. When ready to dish your dinner, have six yolks or eggs mixed with half a pint of cream, then strain it through a sieve; put your soup on the fire, and as it is coming to boil, put in the eggs, and stir it well with a wooden spoon. Do not let it boil, or it will curdle.

92. Turnip and Parsnip Soups are made the same as carrot soup.

93. Celery Soup.--Split six heads of celery into slips about two inches long; wash them well, lay them on a hair sieve to drain, and put them into three quarts of gravy soup in a gallon soup pot; set it by the side of the fire to stew very gently till the celery is tender--this will take about an hour; if any scum rises, take it off. Season it with a little salt. When celery cannot be procured, half a drachm of the seed pounded fine may be considered as the essence of celery, which may be had very cheap, and can be bought at any season; put this in about a quarter of an hour before the soup is done, and a little sugar will give as much flavour to half a gallon of soup as two heads of celery--or add a little essence of celery.

94. Lamb Stew.--Take a lamb's head and lights, and wash them; remove all the bones and skin from the nose, put them in the pot with some beef stock made with three quarts of water and two pounds of shin of beef, strained; boil very slowly for an hour, wash and string two or three good handfuls of spinach, put it in twenty minutes before


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serving, add one or two onions and a little parsley a short time before it comes off the fire; season with salt and pepper, and it is ready. Serve all together in a tureen.

95. Hare, Rabbit, or Partridge Soup.--When hares and rabbits and other game are too tough to eat (in the ordinary way of cooking,) they will make very good soup. Cut off the legs and shoulders of a hare, divide the body crossways, and stew very gently in three quarts of water, with one carrot, about one ounce of onions, two blades of pounded mace, four cloves, twenty-four black peppers, and a bundle of sweet herbs; stew it till the hare is tender. Most cooks add to the above two slices of ham or bacon, and a bay leaf, but the hare makes sufficiently savoury soup without this addition. The time this will take depends upon the age and time it has been kept before it is dressed; as a general rule, about three hours. Make a dozen and a half of force meat balls, as big as nutmegs. When hare is tender, take the meat off the back and upper joints of the legs; cut it into mouthfuls, and put on one side; cut the rest of the meat off the legs, shoulders, &c., mince it and pound it in a mortar with an ounce of butter, and two or three table-spoonfuls of flour moistened with a little soup; rub this through a hair sieve, and put it into the soup to thicken it; let it simmer for half an hour longer, skim it well, and put it through the tamis in the pan again; put the meat in, a glass of port or claret wine, with a table-spoonful of currant jelly to each quart of soup. Season it with salt; put in the force meat balls, and when all is hot, the soup is ready.

96. Portable Soup.--The fresher the meat is from which this article is made the better. Shins or legs of beef answer very well, and you may add trimmings of fresh meat, poultry, or game, and the liquor in which a leg of mutton, or a knuckle of veal, has been boiled. No salt, on any account, must be used. If you have a digester, it should be used for this article, in preference to a closely covered stew-pan, but the latter will do. Just cover the meat with cold liquor, and let an hour at least be occupied in coming to boil. Skim it, and throw in cold water two or three times, for the purpose of throwing up the scum, which must be carefully removed. When thoroughly cleared of the scum, close the vessel, and let it boil for eight or ten hours. Strain through a hair sieve into an earthenware pan, and let the liquor cool. The meat will do for potting. Every particle of fat must be removed from the top, and the gravy put into a well-tinned copper stew-pan, taking care that the sediment is separated from it; put in two drachms of whole black pepper, and let it boil briskly with the lid off over a quick fire. The scum, if any, should of course be removed. When it becomes very thick, and is reduced to about a quart, put it into a smaller stew-pan, set it over a gentle fire, and let it simmer till reduced to the consistence of very thick syrup. It must now be watched every moment. Take out a few drops on a cold spoon or plate; if it soon sets into a stiff jelly, it is done enough. If not, boil it a little longer till it does. Have ready some small pots with lids, such as are used for potting meat; or it may be poured out


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on a large flat dish, so as to be a quarter of an inch deep; when cold, turn it out, and, with a paste cutter, divide into squares of half an ounce or an ounce each. Or pour it into the round parts of basins or cups turned upside down. Put them in a warm room, and turn them frequently for eight or ten days, then they will be thoroughly dry and hardened like glue. Put them in a tin box, or a glass case, in a dry place, and they will keep for years. If at any time the surface appears mouldy, wipe it off, or the taste will penetrate the mass. The chief use of this article is in country places, or at sea, where fresh meat cannot be obtained. A basin of broth, soup or gravy of any strength, may be had in five minutes, by dissolving one or more of these cakes in boiling water; any flavouring ingredients may be added at pleasure. See Flavouring.

97. Green Turtle Soup.--This recipe has been collated from the best authorities, to which is added our own experience. The day before you wish to serve up the soup it will be necessary to cut off the head of your turtle, and place it in a position to allow all the blood to be drained from it. The next morning open the turtle, being careful to do so without breaking the gall. After cutting all around the upper and lower shell, drain the water off, divide the meat in small pieces, and wash clean and carefully. Then put the shells in a large pot of boiling water, where you let them remain until you find they separate from the flesh readily; but no longer, as the softer parts must be boiled again. Keep the liquor and stew the bones thoroughly; after which it is to be used for moistening the broth. The flesh of the interior parts, and the four legs and head, must be cooked in the following manner. Mask the bottom of a large stew-pan with slices of ham, over which lay two or three knuckles of veal, according to the size of the turtle; and over the veal place the inside flesh of the turtle, covering the whole with the other parts of the turtle. Add to it about a gallon of the liquor in which the bones were stewed, and place on the fire until thoroughly done, which you must ascertain by sticking your knife into the fleshy part of the meat; and if no blood issue from it, add another gallon of the liquor. Then throw in a bunch of the stalks of sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, bay leaves, savoury, common thyme, and sweet basil; also a handful of parsley and green onions, and a large onion stuck with cloves, and a few grains of pepper. Let the whole stew until thoroughly done, say from three to four hours. The leaves of the herbs are to be used for making a sauce, to be described hereafter. When the larger portions of the turtle are done, place them aside to be used when wanted. When the flesh is also thoroughly done, drain on a dish, and make a white thickening very thin, and add to it through a tamis some portion of the liquor of the bones, and place on the fire until it boils; and, having arrived at the proper consistency, neither too thick nor too thin, set the stew-pan on the side of the stove, and skim off all the white scum and fat that arises to the surface. Then cut the softer parts--green fat and white meat--into dice of about an inch square (without any waste,) and add to the sauce, which must be allowed to simmer gently until


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sufficiently done, when it must be taken off, at the same time skimming it carefully. Then take the leaves of the sweet basil, sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, common thyme and winter savoury, together with a handful of parsley, some green onions, a large onion cut in four pieces, with a few leaves of mace; put the whole in a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of butter. Let this simmer on a slow fire until melted, and add a bottle of Madeira and a small lump of sugar, and boil gently for an hour. Then rub it through a tamis, and add to your sauce, which you must boil until no white scum arises; then with a skimmer drain out all the bits of turtle, and put them into a clean stew-pan, and pass the sauce through a tamis into the stew-pan containing the turtle, and proceed as follows. Take out the fleshy part of a leg of veal, say about one pound, scrape off all the meat without leaving any of the fat or sinews in it, and soak in about the same quantity (one pound) of crumbs of bread, which, when well soaked, squeeze and put into a mortar with the veal, a small quantity of calf's udder, a little butter, the yolks of four eggs hard boiled, a little cayenne pepper, salt and spices, and pound the whole very fine. Then thicken the mixture with two whole eggs, and the yolk of a third; and, to try its consistency, put it in boiling hot water; if you find it too thin, add the yolk of another egg. When it is perfected, take one half of it, and add some chopped parsley. Cook it and roll into balls the size of the yolk of an egg; poach them in boiling water with a little salt. The other half must be made also into balls, and place the whole on a sieve to drain. Before serving your soup, squeeze the juice of two or three lemons, with a little cayenne pepper, and pour it into the soup. The fins may be served as a side dish, with a little turtle sauce. When lemon juice is used, be careful that the lemons are good; a musty lemon will spoil all the turtle, and too much will destroy its flavour.

98. Irish Stew.--Take two pounds of potatoes; peel and slice, and parboil, and throw away the water; rather more than two pounds of mutton chops, either from the loin or neck; part of the fat should be taken off; beef two pounds, six large onions sliced, a slice of ham, or lean bacon, a spoonful of pepper, and two of salt. This stew may be done in a stew-pan over the fire, or in a baker's oven, or in a close covered earthen pot. First put a layer of potatoes, then a layer of meat and onions, sprinkle the seasoning, then a layer of potatoes, and again the meat and onions and seasoning; the top layer should be potatoes, and the vessel should be quite full. Then put in half a pin of good gravy, and a spoonful of mushroom catsup. Let the whol stew for an hour and a half; be very careful it does not burn.

> BROTHS OR STOCKS, GLAZE AND GRAVIES.

These articles are all nearly allied to each other, differing principally in degrees of strength. In extensive establishments, a large quantity of stock, both brown and white, is constantly kept. Stocks are distinguished by the names of first stock, or long broth,--in the


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French kitchen, "le grand bouillon"--second stock, in French, "jus de bœuf,"--and jelly stock, in French, "consommé." In preparing a regular dinner, they will all be found exceedingly useful. The materials for the making of stocks will not cost much, if the cook does her duty. In such case, she will take great care of all the trimmings of meat, and the necks, heads, gizzards, feet, &c., of game and poultry. Boiled and roast meat gravy not used ought to be carefully collected and kept. The author of "The Housekeeper's Guide," says, "We should recommend the cook when she sets away after the dinner the meat on clean dishes, to collect in one basin every drop of roast meat gravy; in another, every drop of boiled meat gravy; and in another, every little bit of trimming of dressed meat, and pour over it some hot liquor, in which meat has been boiled, or hot water. Next morning, when she prepares meat for dressing, let her collect all the little trimming bits, and boil them with the liquor and bits set by the day before. This may be done before the fire is wanted for other purposes. Thus she will always have gravy in store for every emergency. Then if she have white sauce to prepare, such as celery or oyster sauce, parsley and butter, or caper sauce, the cold boiled meat gravy (which she will most likely find a stiff jelly) will form an excellent basis for it, much more rich and relishing than water. If she wants good brown gravy for roast meat, or fried, the cold roast meat gravy will enrich and colour the stock or store gravy, with the addition of any flavouring that may be required. Good managers, who attend to this every day, do not know what it is to be distressed for gravy, or running to the butcher's for gravy beef." The cook, we must add, should be careful to have her broth or stock clear, and devoid of fat, which, eaten by itself, that is, unincorporated with farinaceous or vegetable substances, is very indigestible, yielding little or no nourishment, but when so incorporated, fat becomes very nutritious and wholesome--more so indeed, according to some writers, than lean meat.

99. First Stock, or Beef Broth, &c.--Wash a leg or shin of beef very clean; let the butcher crack the bone in two or three places, and take out the marrow; add meat trimmings, and heads, necks, gizzards, feet, &c., of game and poultry; cover them with cold water; watch and stir up well, and the moment the simmering commences skim it very clear of all the scum. Then add some cold water, which will make the remaining scum rise, and skim it again. No fat should enter into the composition of broth of this description, nor indeed of any other, unless incorporated with meal by way of thickening. Stock should be quite clear and limpid. When the surface of the broth is quite clear, put in carrots, turnips, celery, and onions, according to the quantity. Some persons direct one moderate sized carrot, a head of celery, two turnips, and two onions. But this is a very poor criterion as to the quantity which ought to be used of these vegetables, which differ so much in size. No taste of sweet herbs, spice, &c., should be given to the stock. After the vegetables are added, cover it close, and set it by the side of the fire, and let it simmer


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very gently, not wasting the broth, for four or five hours, or more, according to the weight of the meat. Strain through a sieve into a clean, dry stone pan, and put it in a cold place, for use. This is the basis for all sorts of soup and sauce, whether brown or white. The meat may be used for immediate food, or for making potted beef--that is, if it be not overdone to rags.

100. The following method has been adopted in the kitchen of the reviser for several years past, and is inserted as being more concise than the English plan:--Put in a large boiler, of the capacity of six or seven gallons, two large skins of beef; a small piece of the rump of about five pounds; five gallons of water, and two handsful of salt; place the pot on the fire, and before it commences to boil, and whilst boiling, skim it carefully and frequently, adding a little cold water to bring up the scum completely. When you find no more scum rising to the top, add three large carrots, three turnips, and three onions with six cloves stuck in them (that is, two cloves in each onion), and let it boil for four or five hours. Before using it, skim all the fat off the top, and strain it through a double sieve. If the beef is to be used, let it be taken out of the pot when cooked, and pour over it a little of the top of the broth, to keep it moist until it may be wanted, when you can serve it with such sauce as you may fancy. For a family it will be necessary to make the broth about once a week, but great care should be taken to keep a portion always on hand.

101. Second Stock may be made from the meat left after straining the first stock off, by covering it with water, and by letting it go on boiling for four or five hours. This stock will produce good glaze, or portable soup (see 316).

102. Glaze is a strong gravy boiled as quick as possible till it thickens, as directed in braising (see 316).

103. Beef Gravy, sometimes called second stock, or in French jus de bœuf, is thus made:--Take a slice of good lean ham, or lean bacon, four or five pounds of gravy beef, cut into eight or ten pieces, a carrot, an onion with two cloves stuck in it, and a head of celery. Cover the bottom of a clean well-tinned stew-pan with these things, putting in the ham first, and then put a pint of stock, or water; cover close; set over a moderate fire till the water is so reduced as to just save the ingredients from burning, then turn it all about and let it brown slightly and equally all over. You must put in three quarts of boiling water just at the moment the meat has obtained its proper colour; if it is suffered to burn, the gravy will have a bad taste, and if the water is put in too soon the gravy will want flavour. When it boils up, skim carefully and clean the sides of the stew-pan with a cloth. The gravy ought to be delicately clean and clear. Set it by the side of a fire, and stew gently for about four hours; strain through a tamis sieve, skim it carefully, and put it in a cold place. If well managed, that is, not boiled too fast, it will yield two quarts of good gravy.

104. Gravy for Roast Meat.--Take the trimmings off the joint you are about to cook, which will make half a pint of plain gravy. Colour by adding a few drops of burnt sugar.
If you do not wish to


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make gravy in this way, about half an hour before the meat is done mix a salt-spoonful of salt with a full quarter of a pint of boiling water: drop this by degrees on the brown parts of the meat, set a dish under to catch it, and set it by; the meat will soon brown again. When the gravy you have made is cold take the fat from the surface, and when the meat is done, warm up the gravy and put it in the dish.
Or you may make good browning for roast meat by saving the brown bits of boiling or roast meat: cut them small, put them into a basin and cover them with boiling water, and put them away; next put them into a saucepan and boil two or three minutes, then strain it through a sieve, and put by for use. When you want gravy for use put two table-spoonsful in a quarter of a pint of boiling water, with a little salt. If for roasted veal, put three table-spoonsful into half a pint of thin melted butter. The gravy which remains in the dish after the family has dined should be put by to enrich hashes or little made dishes.

105. Gravy for Boiled Meat is nothing more than a tea-cup full of the liquor in which the meat has been boiled, carefully skimmed and free from fat.

106. Gravy for Roast Veal.--Make in the same way as for any other roast meat, and make a tea-cup full of thick melted butter, or melt the butter in the gravy. The same gravy for target or loin of lamb.

107. Rich brown Gravy for Poultry, Ragout, or Game.--If your stock or store gravy is poor, to enrich it add one pound of meat to one pint of your store gravy; cut the meat clear from the bones, chop it up as fine as mince meat, chop also one ounce of ham, or gammon, unless you have by you the gravy that has settled in the dish from a ham. Lay at the bottom of the stew-pan one ounce of butter, an onion sliced, and the chopped meat; cover it close, and set it on a clear, slow fire; move it about to prevent it sticking. When the gravy draws, and the meat is rather brown, add by degrees the liquor; when it boils, put in the bones of the meat, chickens' head and feet; and when it boils again carefully skim it. Add a crust of bread toasted brown, a sprig of winter savoury, or lemon thyme and parsley, a dozen berries of allspice, a strip of lemon peel, and a dozen black peppercorns; cover it close and keep it boiling gently till it is reduced to half; when cold, take off all the fat and thicken it with the following thickening: Melt a piece of butter in a saucepan; take out all the buttermilk that may be at the top, then sprinkle flour into it, shaking it all the time: make it a thick paste, and stir this into your gravy boiling.

> SAUCES.

These are a very numerous class of condiments, particularly in French cookery. Foreigners say that the English have only one sauce (melted butter) for vegetables, fish, flesh, and all other eatables requiring sauce--and they add, with some truth, that they seldom make


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it good. It certainly is a very general sauce, both in England and the United States; and, therefore, we shall begin our recipes with

108. Melted Butter cannot be made good with mere flour and water. Dr. Kitchiner says, that he has tried every way of making this sauce, and gives it as his opinion that the following, if carefully observed, will be always found to give satisfaction: Cut two ounces of butter into little bits, put it into a clean stew-pan, with a large teaspoonful of flour, arrow-root, or potatoe starch, and add two table-spoonsful of milk; when thoroughly mixed, add six table-spoonsful of water, hold it over the fire, and shake it round the same way every minute, till it begins to simmer; then let it boil up. This is a good recipe for melted butter where it is not intended to be used with acids or wine, which will have the effect of curdling the milk. Pure water is best when the melted butter is intended for fish and puddings, to which any mixture of wine is intended. Clear stock or gravy, instead of water, is preferable when it is intended to be eaten with roast meat, or for vegetables to be eaten with roast meat.
The old-fashioned method of mixing is as good as the Doctor's. It is as follows: Break up the butter on a trencher, and work the flour into it thoroughly, then add it to the cold liquid in the saucepan; or you may drop the flour, a quarter of an hour before it is set on the fire, on the top of the liquid, without stirring at all; when the flour has all sunk to the bottom, shake it round till the flour is well incorporated with the liquid; then add the butter, and melt over a clear brisk fire. Fresh, rich cream is sometimes used instead of milk, water, or gravy. You should take care that your saucepan for melted butter be always well tinned, and kept delicately clean. Some recommend a silver saucepan; but this seems to us to be a stupid piece of extravagance. Dr. Kitchiner, however, who talks a great deal about economy, gravely tells us that a pint silver saucepan will not cost more than four or five pounds! Melted butter is frequently spoilt in the making; for ordinary purposes it should be of the thickness of good cream, but when intended to be mixed with flavouring, it should be of the thickness of light batter. If by any chance it become oiled, put a spoonful of cold water to it, and stir it with a spoon, or pour it back and forwards till it is right again. By mixing such vegetables as parsley, chervil, and others, generally eaten with melted butter, and sending them to the table on a little plate, those who like their flavour may mix for themselves. In the same way, all descriptions of flavouring essences, such as catsup, anchovy, &c., &c., may be mixed at table. This plan will be found to be a great saving in butter.

109. Sauce for Fricassee of Fowls, Rabbits, white Meat, Fish, or Vegetables.--You have no occasion to buy meat for these sauces, as their flavour is but small. The liquor that has boiled fowls, veal, or rabbit, or a little broth that you may have by you, or the feet and necks of chickens, or raw or dressed veal, will do very well. Stew with a little water any of these, add to it an onion sliced, a bit of lemon peel, a little pounded mace or nutmeg, some white peppercorns, and a bunch of sweet herbs, until the flavour is good; then strain it,


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and add a little good cream, a piece of butter, and a little flour; salt to your taste. A squeeze of lemon may be added after the sauce is taken from the fire, shaking it well. Yolk of egg is frequently used in fricassee, but if you have cream it is better, as the egg is apt to curdle.

110. Sauce for cold Fowl, or Partridge.--Boil two eggs hard, rub them down in a mortar with an anchovy, two dessert spoonfuls of oil, three of vinegar, an eschalot, cayenne (sometimes,) and a tea-spoonful of mustard. All should be pounded before the oil is added; then strain it; eschalot vinegar instead of eschalots eats well; if so, omit one spoonful of the common vinegar: salt to your taste.

111. A very rich Mushroom Sauce for Fowls or Rabbits.--Pick, rub and wash a pint of young mushrooms, and sprinkle with salt to take off the skin. Put them into a saucepan with a little salt, a blade of mace, a little nutmeg, a pint of cream, and a piece of butter rolled in flour: boil them up and stir till done, then pour it into the dish with the chickens; garnish with lemon. If you cannot get fresh mushrooms, use pickled ones, done white, with a little mushroom powder with the cream.

112. Sauce for boiled Carp, or Boiled Turkey.--Make some melted butter with a little water and a tea-spoonful of flour, and add a quarter of a pint of cream, half an anchovy not washed, chopped fine; set it over the fire, and as it boils up, add a large spoonful of Indian soy: if that does not give it a fine colour, put a little more; add a little salt, and half a lemon; stir it well to prevent it curdling.

113. Green Sauce for green Geese or Ducklings.--A glass of white wine, some scalded gooseberries, a pint of sorrel juice, some white sugar, and a bit of butter. Boil them up, and serve in a boat.

114. Egg Sauce.--Boil the eggs hard, chop them fine, then put them into melted butter.

115. Onion Sauce.--Take the skins off ripe onions, remove the rooty fibres and the tops, let them lie in salt and water an hour, then put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil them till they are tender. You should allow them plenty of water. When tender, skin them, cut them exceedingly small, or rub them through a colander; season them with pepper and salt, and mix with an equal quantity of thick melted butter. This sauce is usually eaten with shoulder or leg of mutton. If you wish it very mild, use the large silvery onions, and boil them in several waters. Onion sauce is also eaten with rabbits, boiled ducks, tripe, and sometimes with a scrag of mutton or veal.

116. Apple Sauce.--Take four or five juicy apples, two table-spoonfuls of cold water or cider; instead of putting the lid on, place the parings over the apples, and put them by a gentle fire. When they sink they are done; remove the saucepan from the fire, and beat up the apples; take the parings from the top first, add a bit of butter, a tea-spoonful of fine powdered sugar, and a dust of nutmeg.

117. Gooseberry Sauce.--Scald half a pint of green gooseberries; do them till they are tender, but not broken; drain them on a sieve;


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when the liquor is cold, take half a pint of it, and make a thick batter of it, stir in the gooseberries with a little grated ginger and lemon peel. This sauce is sometimes used for mackerel.

118. Wow wow Sauce, for stewed beef or bouilli. Quarter and slice two or three pickled cucumbers or walnuts, or part of each, chop fine a handful of parsley, make some melted butter in half a pint of broth in which the beef is boiled, add a tea-spoonful of made mustard and a table-spoonful of vinegar, and the same of port wine and mushroom catsup: let it simmer till thick, then stir in the parsley and pickles to get warm; pour the whole over the beef, or put in a sauce tureen. The flavour may be varied by a tea-spoonful or two of any kind of the vinegars.

119. Curry Sauce is made by putting a little powdered curry into some melted butter, or curry vinegar.

120. Parsley and Butter.--Wash and pick leaf by leaf some parsley; put a tea-spoonful of salt into half a pint of boiling water, boil the parsley about ten minutes; drain it on a sieve, mince it quite fine, and then bruise it to a pulp: put it into a sauce boat, and mix with it by degrees about half a pint of melted butter. Never pour parsley and butter over boiled things, but send up in a boat.

121. Fennel and Butter for Mackerel is prepared in the same way as parsley and butter.

122. Plum Pudding Sauce.--A glass of sherry, half a glass of brandy, cherry bounce or Curaçoa, or essence of punch, and two tea-spoonfuls of pounded lump sugar (a very little grated lemon peel is sometimes added,) in a quarter of a pint of thick melted butter: grate nutmeg on the top.

123. Anchovy Sauce.--Pound three anchovies in a mortar with a bit of butter; rub it through a double hair sieve with the back of a wooden spoon, and stir it into about half a pint of melted butter, or stir in a table-spoonful of essence of anchovy. Many cooks add cayenne and lemon juice.

124. Caper Sauce.--Take a table-spoonful of capers, and two tea-spoonfuls of vinegar; mince one-third of them very fine, and divide the others in half; put them in a quarter of a pint of melted butter, or good thickened gravy; stir the same way as you do melted butter, or it will oil. Sometimes half a Seville orange or lemon or parsley, chervil, or tarragon, are added.

125. Mock Caper Sauce.--Take French beans, gherkins, green peas, or nasturtiums, all pickled; cut them into bits the size of capers; put them into half a pint of melted butter; add two tea-spoonfuls of lemon juice or vinegar.

126. Shrimp Sauce.--Shell a pint of shrimps, and stir into half a pint of melted butter; a little cream makes a delicate addition. It is used with salmon, turbot, and soles.

127. Oyster Sauce.--Two dozen oysters will make half a pint of sauce, not more. Open the oysters, save all the liquor, perfectly free from bits of shell, scald the oysters in the liquor till they look plump, then take out the fish and add to the liquor two ounces of butter rolled


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in flour, and two table-spoonfuls of cream; boil it up. Take off the beards or fringy part of the oysters; if they are large, cut them in two; stir them in the butter, and set them by the fire for a minute or two, but do not let them boil, as it hardens them.

128. Lobster Sauce.--Choose a hen lobster, pick out all the spawn and red coral that runs down the back, pound it to a paste with a lump of butter, pull the meat of the back and claws to pieces with two forks, stir the lobster into some boiling hot melted butter; keep it on the fire till the lobster is warmed through, and well mixed. You may add, if liked, catsup, lemon juice, cayenne, anchovy; but the simple flavour of the lobster is best. A little cream is an improvement.

129. Liver Sauce.--Scald the liver, clear away all the fibres and specky parts, pound it in a mortar, with a bit of butter, then boil it up with melted butter; season it with cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon juice. You may add catsup or anchovy.

130. Bread Sauce is either made with gravy or milk. Stew the heads, necks, and feet of the poultry for which it is intended, with an onion, a little allspice, and a few peppercorns; when reduced to half a pint, strain it and boil up again; put in a small tea-cup full of bread crumbs, let it boil till quite stiff, hold it over the fire and shake it till it boils thoroughly, then put it on the hob till time to serve; stir in a bit of salt, one ounce of butter, and two table-spoonfuls of cream.

131. Sauce for Tripe, Calf's-head, or Cow-heel.--Garlic vinegar according to taste, a table-spoonful of brown sugar, mustard and black pepper a tea-spoonful of each, stirred into oiled melted butter. (See 466.)

132. Celery Sauce.--Take fresh celery; take off all the outside leaves, leave none but what are quite crisp, and which may be known by their breaking short without any strings, cut up in pieces about an inch long, take liquor that has boiled veal, chickens, or lamb, when fast boiling.

133. Tarragon or Burnet makes rich pleasant sauce, chiefly used for steaks; sent to table in a sauce tureen.

134. Sorrel Sauce for Lamb or Veal, and Sweet-breads.--Two quarter of sorrel leaves will not make more than a sauce tureen of sauce; pick and wash them clean, put them into a stew-pan with one ounce of butter, cover close and set over a slow fire for a quarter of an hour; then rub them through a coarse hair sieve, season them with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a small lump of sugar, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and make the whole thoroughly hot.

135. Poor Man's Sauce.--A handful of young parsley leaves, chopped fine, a dozen of young green onions, chopped fine, put to them salt and pepper, two table-spoonfuls of salad oil, and four of vinegar; a little scraped horse-radish, pickled French beans, or gherkins, may be added. This sauce is taken with cold meats.

136. Truffle Sauce.--Truffles are only good while in season, that is, in a green state. Add two ounces of butter to eighteen truffles sliced, simmer them together till they are tender; then add as much


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good gravy, brown or white, as to bring it to a proper thickness, season it with salt, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

137. Sharp Sauce for Venison.--Best white wine vinegar half a pint, loaf sugar pounded a quarter of a pound; simmer it gently; skim, and strain it through a tamis.

138. Sweet Sauce for Venison.--Currant jelly, either black or red, melted and served hot; others like it sent to table as jelly.

139. Wine Sauce for Venison, Hare, or Haunch of Mutton.--Take equal parts of rich mutton gravy, without any flavourings, and port wine. Simmer them together to half a pint, add a table-spoonful of currant jelly, let it just boil up.

140. Sauce for a Pig.--Three quarters of a pint of good beef gravy, six or eight leaves of sage, chopped very fine, a blade of mace, a tea-cup full of bread crumbs, and eight white peppercorns; let them boil six or eight minutes, then stir into the sauce the brains, gravy, and whatever sticks about the dish on which you have split the pig, one ounce of butter rolled in flour, two table-spoonfuls of cream, and one or two of catsup, if liked; simmer a minute or two, and serve in a sauce tureen.

141. Turtle Sauce.--To a pint of rich beef gravy, thickened, put a wine glass of Madeira, six leaves of basil, the juice and peel of half a lemon, a few grains of cayenne or curry powder, an eschalot sliced, a table spoonful of essence of anchovy; simmer together five minutes, then strain, and add a dozen turtle force meat balls. This sauce is used for calf's head, or hashed or stewed veal, or for any other rich dish in imitation of turtle.

142. A Sauce for all sorts of Fish.--Half a pint of port or claret, half a pint of rich gravy, a little nutmeg, three anchovies, two table-spoonfuls of catsup, and salt; simmer all together till the anchovies are done, then add three ounces of butter thickened with flour, arrow-root, or potatoe mucilage; when it boils, add some scraped horse-radish, a dozen or two of oysters, a lobster cut in bits, a few small mushrooms, and half a pint of picked shrimps or crawfish. This sauce is intended to pour over the fish--boiled carp, tench, pike, whiting, boiled cod, and haddock.

143. Pudding Sauce.--Half a glass of brandy, one glass of white wine, a little grated rind of lemon, half an ounce of grated loaf sugar, and a little powdered cinnamon, mixed with melted butter. It is a good way to keep a bottle of these ingredients to mix with melted butter when wanted. In a bottle containing one pint of brandy and two pints of sherry, steep the kernels of apricots, nectarines, and peaches, with an ounce of shaved lemon rind, half an ounce of mace, and a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar; pour off clear to mix with butter. Two table-spoonfuls will flavour a boat of sauce; the mace and lemon peel may be steeped in half a pint of brandy, or a pint of sherry, for fourteen days; strain, and add a quarter of a pint of capillaire.

144. Custard Sauce.--For rice or other plain puddings, or with fruit pies, stir a pint of sweet cream in a double saucepan till it boils; beat the yolks of two or three eggs, with a spoonful of cold cream,


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and an ounce of powdered sugar; pour the boiling cream to them, and pour backwards and forwards two or three times to prevent curdling; then set the inner saucepan over the boiling water, and stir it continually one way till it thickens. Serve in a china basin with grated nutmeg, or pounded cinnamon strewed over the top.

145. Roe Sauce.--Boil the soft roes of mackerel, clear away all the skin, and bruise them with the back of a wooden spoon; beat up the yolk of an egg with a little salt and pepper, a little fennel and parsley scalded and chopped fine, rub the whole together, and stir into melted butter. Some people prefer a spoonful of catsup, essence of anchovy, or walnut pickle.

> BOILING.

As this is the most common mode of preparing food for human sustenance, it is therefore the more necessary that its principles should be well understood; for though the operations of boiling may appear to be very simple, yet a great deal of skill and judgment is required to carry them into effect properly. We repeat, that the young cook ought to read attentively our observations upon this subject, in the "Introductory Remarks." Instead of using the word boiling, we ought rather to have said, the mode of preparing meats for food by means of hot water; for we are quite convinced, that all meats are more or less injured by being subjected to a boiling heat; that is, a heat of 212° of Fahrenheit. We have dressed salt cod fish in water never exceeding 145° of heat, and it was much more tender, and better flavoured, than when dressed in boiling water: we ought to add, that the fish is required to remain in this partially hot water four or five hours, in which time it becomes divested of the salt, and eats, comparatively speaking, quite fresh.

146. Take care that your vessel is large enough for the water to cover the meat, and to surround it. Do not suffer the steam to escape; and to effect this, see that the lid of the vessel fits it as closely as possible; by this means the water may be kept at a proper heat, that is to say, nearly simmering, but not bubbling, whereby fuel will be saved, and the meat much better dressed. In short, one of the greatest errors that can be committed in boiling meat, is to suffer the water to boil violently. It has the effect of hardening the outside of the joints, or, in other words, making it tough, while the inside will be raw, or only partially done.

147. Always prefer soft water to hard, whenever the former is to be procured. River, or clean rain water, should be used in preference to hard spring water; but your water must always be as pure and as bright as possible.

148. In making up a fire for cooking, regard must be had as to whether it is intended for boiling or roasting, or for both. A moderate fire is best for boiling, but a brisk and somewhat fierce fire is required for roasting. If you are going to roast and boil at the same fire, you must take care that your boiling vessels are sufficiently far removed


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from it. With a good kitchen range, or steam cooking apparatus, all this may be done without difficulty or trouble.

149. All fresh meats are directed by the generality of culinary writers to be put into the pot, or saucepan, when the water is warm, not hot; but salt meat, for the most part, should be put in when the water is perfectly cold; by this means the superfluous salt will be extracted from it. The pot should not, with fresh meat, be allowed to boil, or rather to arrive at the boiling point, under forty or fifty minutes; more time should be taken with salt meat. The usual direction is, as above, to put fresh meat into warm water--but we are convinced, that the better plan is always to use cold. Meat, thoroughly cooked, will take twenty minutes boiling to each pound. Salt, a little more.

150. When the scum rises, let it be carefully removed; and if the heat of the water is checked with a small portion of cold water, it will throw up an additional scum, which must, of course, be also carefully taken away. The scum rises just as the water is beginning to boil. The nice clear appearance of the meat, when done, in a great measure depends upon attending to the above directions.

151. When the liquor in your vessel once boils, after all the scum has been cleared away, let it continue to simmer till the meat is done. From fifteen to twenty minutes is generally directed to be allowed for each pound of meat, but twenty is better. Never stick your fork into meat, whether boiling or roasting, upon any account; the effect will be to let out the gravy. Bacon is an exception.

152. Meats of any description, just killed, and still warm, whether to be roasted or boiled, will do as soon, and eat as tender, as meat which has hung the usual time; but if once suffered to become cold after slaughtering, it will require more dressing, and after all will not eat so tenderly, unless hung a proper time.

153. Meat which has been frozen must be immersed in cold water two or three hours, or till the frost is taken out of it, before it is dressed, or it will never be well done. In cold weather meat requires more dressing than in warm.

154. Salt meat will require more boiling than fresh, and thick parts, whether salt or fresh, rather more than thin ones.

155. In boiling bacon, if very salt, it is a good plan to take away a part or the whole of the water, when it is on the point of boiling, and filling up the pot with cold water. This process renders it more mild. Bacon or ham is done when the skin is easily removed, or the fork leaves it readily.

156. Hams, beef, tongues, and even pork, which have been kept long in pickle, should be soaked before they are boiled--if hard, in warm water. A ham weighing twenty pounds, or upwards, will take from five to six hours to dress it well (the water should not boil); and a large dry tongue should be boiled, or rather simmered, for four hours or more. The following is a good plan to dress a ham: Put certain quantity of suet into the pan which is to be used for the cooking of the ham; then put in the ham and cover it with paper, over


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which lay a cover of coarse paste, or the paper may be used without the paste, or the paste without the paper; place the pan in the oven, where let it remain till the ham is done. The gravy coming from the meat will be a jelly, which, mixed with fresh stock or broth for gravies, &c. will greatly improve it.

157. Meat boiled by steam requires no water unless soup is wanted. Meat boiled in the ordinary way should not be permitted to touch the bottom of the pot. This object may be effected by placing a fish-drain in the pot, or by putting a plate upside down in it, or laying some skewers across it a little way from the bottom.

158. There is a method of boiling meat without allowing it to touch or come in contact with the water. This plan, which is little followed in America, has been strongly recommended. To effect this object, fowls filled with oysters may be boiled in a bladder, or in a close jar, by which means they are deliciously stewed, and the flavour and animal juices are all preserved. Meat of any description may be dressed in a similar manner, that is, by putting it into a close jar and immersed in water, which is kept boiling till the meat is done. The Scotch dress their haggis in this way, and the custom was followed by ancient Romans. Similar modes of dressing meat are used by savages in different parts of the world.

159. Any thing that is to be warmed and sent to the table a second time, should be put into a basin or jar, placed in hot water, which is not permitted to come to the boiling point. If allowed to boil, the meat will harden, or the sauce will be reduced and become thick; by avoiding these chances the flavour will be preserved, and the viands may be warmed up more than once without injury. The steam apparatus now employed in most kitchens, is admirably adapted to this purpose, since the heat can be regulated by the required temperature.

160. The heads, brains, and so forth, of animals, every thing in fact, which in the cleaning process requires soaking, should be soaked in warm, not hot water, as the hot will fix the blood, and injure both the appearance and flavour of the viand. All cooks must be particular in keeping their saucepans well skimmed; nothing will more completely spoil a dish of any kind than the neglect of this essential point. In order to take off the fat from the braise, or any other gravy, plunge the basin containing it into cold water; the fat will immediately coagulate, and may be removed.

161. It is much better to dress meat immediately after it is killed, that is, while it is warm, than to suffer it to get cold, and not let it hang a proper length of time. Indeed, there is no doubt that meat dressed while warm is as tender, or nearly as tender, as when it has been hung for some days. If, therefore, you cannot procure well-hung meat, and can get that which has been just killed, you ought to prefer the latter.

162. Bacon, ham, and salt beef, may be done, if you want to use your fire for vegetables, half an hour before serving, as it will not sustain any injury by remaining that time in the hot liquor; but all other descriptions of meat would be injured by such a course of proceeding

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163. Potatoes must never be boiled with meat, or indeed with any thing else, for the meat is injured by the potatoes and the potatoes by the meat.

164. You may boil turnips, carrots, parsnips, and pease pudding, with salt meat; by so doing these vegetables will be improved, and the meat not injured; but the liquor will not keep so long, though it will be rendered better for some kinds of soup.

165. Green vegetables, such as savoys, &c., should be always put into boiling water with a handful of salt, particularly if they are harsh and strong; they are generally kept boiling till they are done. In warm countries, in Italy, for instance, they first boil them in a large quantity of water for a considerable time; but as this will neither make them sweet nor tender, they are frequently taken out of the pot, and well washed in cold spring water; they are then boiled again till they are sweet and tender. Old tough meat may be similarly treated with like effect.

166. Old potatoes must never be put into warm or hot water. On the contrary, the water in which this useful vegetable is boiled should be perfectly cold when the potatoes are first put in. New potatoes are better put in boiling water.

> BOILING.--BUTCHER'S MEAT AND POULTRY.

The general directions which we have given for boiling in the preceding pages, if they have been well studied by the young cook, as we trust they have, render it useless for us to go into the question at any length; we shall, therefore, content ourselves with a few special directions relative to the dressing of the different things designated at the head of this section. It will not be necessary to give a great multiplicity of receipts; for if the general principles of boiling are well understood, and we have spared neither time nor space to make them so, the cook will find no difficulty in preparing any particular dish without especial directions from us, or any other writer. The receipts which follow are selected according to the best of our judgment. We do not pretend to say that they are original; upon such a subject it is impossible to be original, with the exception, perhaps, of a few instances. Dr. Kitchiner apologises in his "Cook's Oracle," for his "receipts differing a little from those in former cookery books." Very different is this open and candid proceeding from that of a voluminous writer of great pretensions, who claims the following mode of dressing rice, which is as old as the introduction of tha article into this country, as original! "Tie some rice in a cloth, leaving plenty of room for it to swell; boil it in water for an hour or two, and eat it with butter and sugar, or milk."

167. Boiled Beef.--Fresh boiled beef is called beef bouilli by some, but in the French kitchen the term means fresh beef dressed, without absolutely boiling, it being suffered only to simmer till it is done. Indeed, it may be laid down as a general rule, that whether you are dressing beef bouilli, or any other meat, it should never be suffered


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to go into a boiling gallop, except for a minute or two, for the purpose of throwing up the scum. After the scum is all cleared away, let it simmer till it is done. But you must be careful not to let your meat boil too quickly; for this purpose it should be put over a moderate fire, and the water made gradually hot, or the meat will be hardened, and shrink up as if it were scorched; but by keeping the meat a certain time heating, without boiling, the fibres of the meat dilate, and it not only yields the scum more freely, but the meat is rendered more tender. The advantage of dressing fresh meat in the way practised by the French with regard to fresh beef is twofold. In the first place, meat dressed in this manner affords much more nourishment than it does cooked in the common way, is easy of digestion, and will yield soup of a most excellent quality. (See Soup and Bouilli, and 99.)

168. Boiled Salt Beef.--A piece of beef of fifteen pounds will take three hours, or more, simmering after it has boiled, and it ought to be full forty minutes on the fire before it does boil; skim carefully; put a tea-cup full of the liquor, and garnish with sliced carrots. Vegetables, carrots, turnips, kale, parsnips; sauce, melted butter.
Pease pudding is sometimes boiled with salt beef, and the liquor, if not too salt, will make good pease soup. An aitch, or H bone of beef, a round, or ribs salted and rolled, and indeed all other beef, are boiled in the same way. Briskets and other inferior joints require, perhaps, more attention than superior ones; they should in fact rather be stewed than boiled, and in a small quantity of water, by which means, if good meat, they will be delicious eating.

169. Mutton.--A leg will take from two to three hours boiling. Accompaniments--parsley and butter, caper sauce, eschalot, onion, turnips, carrots, spinach, &c., and to boiled mutton in general.

170. Neck of Mutton.--As the scrag end takes much longer to boil, some people cut it off and boil it half or three-quarters of an hour before the rest, as it is apt to be bloody, however well washed; you had better skim it well. When it is time to put the best end in, add cold water to check the heat, allowing an hour and a half or three-quarters, after the second boiling up. Cut off some of the fat before dressing, or at least peel off the skin when taken up. For accompaniments, see 169.

171. Shoulder, boiled.--The whole is sometimes boiled, and sometimes cut in half, taking the knuckle part, and leaving the oyster for roasting; it will take not less than two hours slow boiling, though it may not weigh above five pounds. Boil it either plain or in broth. Accompaniments, 169.

172. Breast, boiled, will require from two and a half, to three hours. Accompaniments, 169.

173. Sheeps' Heads, plain boiled.--Boil them two hours; before boiling, take out the brains, wash them clean and free from all skin; chop about a dozen sage leaves very small, tie them in a small bag, and let them boil half an hour, then beat them up with pepper and salt, and


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half an ounce of butter; pour it over the head, or serve in a boat or tureen; skin the tongue before serving. Accompaniments, 169.

174. Leg of Lamb, boiled.--From an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. Accompaniments--caper sauce, melted butter, turnips, spinach, carrots, &c.

175. Neck, boiled.--One hour; if very large, an hour and a quarter.

176. Lamb's Head and Pluck.--Parboil the lights and a small bit of the liver till it will chop fine, and boil the head in the same liquor; it will take nearly an hour to boil; scald the brains, tied up in a small bag, with five or six sage leaves, chopped very fine; they will take twenty minutes to do; warm the mince in a little of the liquor, seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; thicken with flour, and half an ounce of butter, and stir in the brains. Take up the head; skin the tongue; pour over the mince; sippets of toasted bread and slices of lemon. The liver, heart, and sweetbread, to be fried, and laid round the dish with slices of bacon; or served in a separate dish, which is preferable, as the liver requires a little brown gravy. Vegetables, turnips, carrots, &c.

Browned.--After boiling, wash the head with the yolk of an egg; sprinkle with bread crumbs and chopped parsley, and brown it in a dutch oven, the mince to be poured round it. Some people like the flavour of catsup in the mince; others like a little sliced lemon peel, and a spoonful or two of cream.

177. Boiled Veal.--A knuckle, whether of leg or shoulder, will take full two hours. A scrag of neck or breast, an hour and three-quarters to two hours. Sauce, melted butter, parsley and butter, celery, &c.

178. Calf's Head, boiled.--Let it be cut in half by the butcher, and all the inside bones removed; take out the brains, wash the head well in several waters, with a little salt, to draw out the blood; boil it slowly in plenty of water two hours or two hours and a quarter. Sauce. Well clean the brains, and boil them in a cloth half an hour, with about a dozen sage leaves chopped fine, or parsley, or part of each; when done, beat them up in a small saucepan, with a little salt and pepper, one ounce of butter, and a little lemon juice; have them ready quite hot to pour over the tongue, when skinned. Some people mix the brains with parsley and butter, and pour over the whole head. However it is dressed, it is usually garnished with sliced lemon.

179. Tripe, when raw, will take four or five hours simmering. If previously well boiled, twenty minutes to three-quarters of an hour. It may be in milk, or milk and water, or equal parts of milk and its own liquor. Boil with the tripe eight or ten large onions. To keep the tripe warm, serve it in the liquor, and beat up the onions with pepper, salt, and butter; or the tripe may be served without liquor, and the onion sauce poured over. If onions are not approved, serve parsley and butter, or caper sauce.
Tripe may be cut in pieces the size of a hand dipped in batter and fried, with rashers of bacon


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laid round the dish.--N. B. Mustard is always an accompaniment of tripe, and generally vinegar also.

In some of the English towns, particularly at Birmingham, famous for tripe, the belly or paunch of the animal, after being well cleaned, (in doing which thoroughly great attention and care must be observed,) is sent to the oven in a deep earthenware pot, or jar, closely covered over the top, and baked, or rather stewed, in just a sufficient quantity of water, for four or five hours, or till it is well done. It is sold while yet hot, in the public-houses or tripe shops, at so much a "large or small cut," with a proportionate quantity of "broth," that is, the liquor in which it has been stewed; nothing else is eaten with it, except mustard and salt. In Birmingham it is usually eaten for supper, and of course by candle-light, and at no other meal; a relation of ours, however, was so fond of it, that he used to have the dining-room darkened, and the candles lit, in order that he might partake of it for his dinner, under the same apparent circumstances as at supper. We have heard of whist devotees who could not play the game with any gusto by daylight, and who resorted to the same expedient to imitate night as our tripe gourmand. Tripe cooked in the Birmingham fashion is delicious--far, very far, superior to that gotten in London; this may be partly accounted for by the fact that all meat is greatly deteriorated by being twice subjected to heat.

180. Cow-heel in the hands of a skilful cook, will furnish several good meals; when boiled tender, cut it into handsome pieces, egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them a light brown; lay them round a dish, and put in the middle of it sliced onions fried, or the accompaniments ordered for tripe.

181. Pig's Pettitoes consist of the feet and internal parts of a sucking pig. Set on with a quantity of water, or broth; a button onion or two may be added, if approved--also, four or five leaves of sage chopped small. When the heart, liver, and lights, are tender, take them out and chop fine; let the feet simmer the while; they will take from half to three-quarters of an hour to do. Season the mince with salt, nutmeg, and a little pepper, half an ounce of butter, a table-spoonful or two of thick cream, and a tea-spoonful of arrow-root, flour, or potatoe starch; return it to the saucepan, in which the feet are; let it boil up, shaking it one way. Split the feet, lay them round in the mince. Serve with toasted sippets. Garnish. Mashed potatoes.

182. Salt Pork requires long boiling, never less than twenty minutes to a pound, and a thick joint considerably more. A leg of ten pounds will take four hours simmering, a spring two hours, a porker's head the same. Be very careful that it does not stick to the pot. No sauce is required, except a quarter of a pint of the liquor in which it was boiled, to draw the gravy, and plenty of good fresh mustard. A chine is usually served quite dry. The vegetable accompaniments are pease pudding, turnips, carrots, and parsnips.

183. Pickled Pork, which is usually bought pickled, requires to be well washed before boiling, and must boil very slowly. It is seldom eaten alone, but as an accompaniment to fowls, or other white meat.

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184. Bacon, Ham, Tongues.--First, well wash and scrape clean. If very salt, it may soak in cold water a few hours; allow plenty of water, fresh rain or river water is best; put it in when the chill is off, and let it be a good while coming to the boil, then keep it very gently simmering. If time allows, throw away nearly or quite all the liquor of bacon as soon as it boils up, and renew it with fresh cold water; reckon the time from the second boiling. A pound of streaky bacon will require three-quarters of an hour to boil; a quarter of an hour for every additional pound. If good bacon it will swell in boiling, and when done the rind will pull off easily. Take it up on a common dish to remove the rind, and sprinkle it over with bread raspings, sifted through a flour dredge, or grater. A ham of twelve or fourteen pounds will require four or five hours simmering, or four hours baking in a moderate oven. When done, remove the skin as whole as possible, and preserve it to cover over the ham and keep it moist. If to be served hot, strew raspings as above; but if intended for eating cold, omit the raspings. It will be much the more juicy for not cutting hot. Set it on a baking stand, or some other contrivance, to keep it from touching the dish; this preserves it from swamping in the fat that drips from it, keeps the fat nice and white for use, and also makes the ham keep the longer from becoming mouldy, by the outside being perfectly dry. Whether hot or cold, garnish with parsley. A neat's tongue, according to its size, age, and freshness, will require from two hours and a half to four hours slow boiling. When done, it will stick tender, and the skin will peel off easily. A dried chine, or hog's cheek, may be allowed the same boiling as bacon, viz. four pounds an hour and a half, and a quarter of an hour for every additional pound.

185. To poach Eggs.--The best vessel for this purpose is a frying pan; but it must be kept for that purpose only, or the grease will adhere to the water, and spoil the delicate appearance of the eggs. A wide-mouthed stew-pan will do as well. Both the vessel and water must be delicately clean. Break the eggs into separate cups; when the water boils, gently slip in the eggs, and set the vessel on the hob for a minute or so, till the white has set, then set it over the fire; let it once boil up, and the eggs are done. The white should retain its transparency, and the yellow appear brightly through it. Take up very carefully with a slice; trim off any rough edges of white, and serve on buttered toast, a piece for each egg, a little larger than the egg itself; or on a fish drainer. Garnish with sliced bacon or ham, sausages, or spinach.

186. Turkeys, Capons, Chickens, &c., are all boiled exactly in the same manner, only allowing time according to their size. A chicken will take about twenty minutes--a fowl, forty--a fine five-toed fowl or a capon, about an hour--a small turkey, an hour and a half--a large one, two hours or more. Chickens or fowls should be killed at least one or two days before they are to be dressed.* Turkeys (especially


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large ones) should not be dressed till they have been killed three or four days at least--in cold weather, six or eight--or they will neither look white nor eat tender. Turkeys and large fowls should have the strings or sinews of the thighs drawn out. Fowls for boiling should be chosen as white as possible: those which have black legs should be roasted. The best use of the liver is to make sauce. Poultry must be well washed in warm water; if very dirty from the singeing, &c., rub them with a little white soap, but thoroughly rinse it off before you put them into the pot. Make a good and clear fire; set on a clean pot, with pure and clean water, enough to cover the turkey, &c.; the slower it boils, the whiter and plumper it will be. When there rises any scum, remove it; the common method of some (who are more nice than wise) is to wrap them up in a cloth, to prevent the scum attaching to them; which if it do by your neglecting to skim the pot, there is no getting it off afterwards, and the poulterer is blamed for the fault of the cook. If there be water enough, and it is attentively skimmed, the fowl will both look and eat much better this way than when it has been covered up in the cleanest cloth; and the colour and flavour of your poultry will be preserved in the most delicate perfection.

[Editorial note: The following note appears at the bottom of page 66 in the original text.]

*If they are dressed immediately after they are killed, before the flesh is cold all poultry eat equally tender.

> FISH.

187. Salmon to boil.--The water should be blood-warm: allow plenty to cover the fish, with a good handful of salt, and a quarter of a pint of vinegar; this makes the fish boil firm. Remove the scum as fast as it rises. Keep it at a very gentle boil from half an hour to an hour, according to the thickness of the fish. When the eyes start, and the fins draw out easily, it is done. Lay the fish-drainer across the kettle a minute or two before shifting the fish. Sauce, lobster, shrimp, anchovy, or parsley and butter. Melted butter is the universal sauce for fish, whether boiled, fried, or baked. Whatever other sauce is served, plain melted butter must never be omitted: we shall therefore only refer to the number of other sauces suitable for particular kinds of fish. Observe, also, potatoes, either boiled or mashed, are the only vegetables eaten with fish, excepting parsnips with salt fish.

188. Broiled Salmon.--This is a good method of dressing a small quantity of salmon for one or two persons. It may be cut in slices the whole round of the fish, each taking in two divisions of the bone; or the fish may be split, and the bone removed, and the sides of the fish divided into cutlets of three or four inches each: the former method is preferable, if done neatly with a sharp knife. Rub it thoroughly dry with a clean rough cloth; then do each piece over with salad oil or butter. Have a nice clean gridiron over a very clear fire, and at some distance from it. When the bars are hot through wipe them, and rub with lard or suet to prevent sticking; lay on the salmon, and sprinkle with salt. When one side is brown, carefully turn and brown the other. They do equally well or better in a tin,


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or flat dish, in an oven, with a little bit of butter, or sweet oil; or they may be done in buttered paper on the gridiron. Sauce, lobster or shrimp.

189. Baked Salmon.--If a small fish, turn the tail to the mouth, and skewer it; force meat may be put in the belly, or, if part of a large fish is to be baked, cut it in slices, egg it over, and dip it in the force meat. Stick bits of butter about the salmon (a few oysters laid round are an improvement). It will require occasional basting with the butter. When one side becomes brown, let it be carefully turned, and when the second side is brown, it is done. Take it up carefully, with all that lies about it in the baking dish. For sauce, melted butter, with two table-spoonsful of port wine, one of catsup, and the juice of a lemon, poured over the fish; or anchovy sauce in a boat.

190. Pickled Salmon.--Do not scrape off the scales, but clean the fish carefully, and cut into pieces about eight inches long. Make a strong brine of salt and water; to two quarts, put two pounds of salt, and a quarter of a pint of vinegar; in all, make just enough to cover the fish; boil it slowly, and barely as much as you would for eating hot. Drain off all the liquor; and, when cold, lay the pieces in a kit or small tub. Pack it as close as possible, and fill up with equal parts of best vinegar and the liquor in which the fish was boiled. Let it remain so a day or two, then again fill up. Serve with a garnish of fresh fennel.
The same method of pickling will apply to sturgeon, mackerel, herrings, and sprats. The three latter are sometimes baked in vinegar, flavoured with allspice and bay leaves, and eat very well; but will not keep more than a few days.

191. Turbot, Halibut, and Brill, boiled.--Score the skin across the thick part of the back, to prevent its breaking on the breast, which it would be liable to do when the fish swells in boiling. Put the fish in the kettle in cold water, with a large handful of salt; as it comes to boil, skim it well, and set it aside to simmer as slowly as possible for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. If it boil fast it will break. It may be garnished with fried smelts or gudgeons, laid all round like spokes of a wheel. Sauce, lobster or shrimp.

192. Soles and Dutch Plaice may be boiled exactly in the same way as turbot, and with the same garnish and sauce, or with parsley, fennel, or chervil sauce. If you have not a turbot kettle, these flat fish boil very well in a large frying pan, provided it admits depth of water to cover them.

193. Soles, fried.--Having cleaned, wipe them thoroughly dry, and keep them in a coarse cloth an hour or two before using. In case any moisture should remain, flour them all over, and again wipe it off. They may be fried either with or without bread crumbs or oatmeal. If bread crumbs are to be used, beat up an egg very finely; wash over the fish with a paste-brush; then sprinkle over it bread crumbs or oatmeal, so that every part may be covered, and one part not be thicker than another. Lift up the fish by a fork stuck in the head, and shake off any loose crumbs that may adhere. Have plenty of fat in your pan, over a brisk fire, and let it quite boil before you


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put the fish in. The fat may be salad oil, butter, lard or dripping. If sweet and clean, the least expensive answers as well as the best, but let there be enough to cover the fish. Give the fish a gentle shove with a slice, that it may not stick to the pan. In about four or five minutes one side will be brown; turn it carefully, and do the other; which, being already warm, will not take so long. The best way to turn a large sole, is to stick a fork in the head, and raise the tail with a slice, otherwise it is liable to be broken with its own weight. If the soles are very large, it is a good way to cut them across in four or five pieces, by which means the thick parts can have more time allowed them, without overdoing the thin.
The very same rules will apply to the frying of Dutch plaice, flounders, eels, jack perch, roach, and other fresh-water fish. Jack and eels to be cut in pieces three or four inches long. Sauce, anchovy, parsley and butter, or melted butter flavoured with mushroom catsup. Garnish, sprigs of parsley or lemon juice.

194. Soles or Eels, stewed.--They may be first half fried, so as to give them a little brownness; then carefully drain them from fat; season with pepper and salt, and set them on with as much good beef gravy as will cover them. Let them simmer very gently for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, according to their thickness, but be very careful that they be not overdone. Take up the fish very gently with a slice. Thicken the sauce with flour and butter; flavour with mushroom catsup and port wine; simmer a minute or two, then strain it over the fish. Some people do not like the addition of wine, and instead thereof mix the thickening with a tea-cup full of good cream, seasoned with cayenne and nutmeg, and with or without the addition of a spoonful of catsup.

195. Cod.--The head and shoulders, comprehending in weight two-thirds or three-quarters of the fish, is much better dressed separately; the tail being much thinner would be broken to pieces before the thicker parts are done. The best way of dressing the tail, is to fry it. For boiling cod, allow plenty of room and water, that the fish may be perfectly covered. Put it in blood-warm water, with a large handful of salt. Watch for its boiling, that it may be set a little aside. A small cod will require twenty minutes after it boils; a large one, half an hour. When the fins pull easily, and the eyes start, the fish is done. Slip it very carefully on the fish plate, that it may not be broken. Take out the roe and liver, which are much esteemed; they will serve to garnish the dish, together with horse-radish and slices of lemon, or fried smelts, or oysters. Sauce, oyster. The sound, a fat jelly-like substance, along the inside of the backbone, is the great delicacy of the fish. Cod is sometimes boiled in slices. Let them be soaked half an hour in salt water; then set on with cold spring water and salt, just enough to cover them. Let it boil up; then carefully skim and set aside for ten minutes. Serve with the same sauce as above. Slices of cod are much better fried as soles. Slices of crimped cod, for boiling, are put in boiling water, and when done served on a napkin.

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196. Ling is a large fish, somewhat resembling cod, and may be dressed in the same way, but is very inferior in quality.

197. Haddock is but a poor fish, make the best of it. It may be boiled, and served with egg sauce, but it is better stuffed, and baked or broiled, and served with good gravy, or melted butter, flavoured with anchovy or mushroom catsup.

198. Whitings may be skinned or not. Fasten the tail to the mouth; dip the eggs and bread crumbs, or oatmeal, and fry as soles, or they may be cut in three or four pieces, and fried. They do not take long to fry; not more than five minutes; but several minutes should be allowed to drain the fat from them, as the beauty of them is to be perfectly dry. Sauce, anchovy, or parsley and butter.

199. Sturgeon.--If for boiling take off the skin, which is very rich and oily; cut in slices; season with pepper and salt; broil over a clear fire; rub over each slice a bit of butter, and serve with no other accompaniment than lemon; or the slices may be dipped in seasoning or force meat, twisted in buttered white paper, and so broiled. For sauce, serve melted butter with catsup. Garnish with sliced emon, as the juice is generally used with the fish.

200. Roast Sturgeon.--A piece of sturgeon may be tied securely on a spit, and roasted. Keep it constantly basted with butter, and when nearly done dredge with bread crumbs. When the flakes begin to separate, it is done. It will take about half an hour before a brisk fire. Serve with good gravy, thickened with butter and flour, and enriched with an anchovy, a glass of sherry wine, and the juice of half a Seville orange or lemon.

201. Stewed Sturgeon.--Take enough gravy to cover the fish; set it on with a table-spoonful of salt, a few corns of black pepper, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion or two, scraped horse-radish, and a glass of vinegar. Let this boil a few minutes; then set it aside to become pretty cool; then add the fish; let it come gradually to boil; and then stew gently till the fish begins to break. Take it off immediately; keep the fish warm; strain the gravy, and thicken with a good piece of butter; add a glass of port or sherry wine, a grate of nutmeg, and a little lemon juice. Simmer till it thickens, and then pour over the fish. Sauce, anchovy.

202. Mackerel, boiled.--Put them on with cold water and salt. When the kettle boils, set it aside, but watch it closely, and take up the moment the eyes begin to start, and the tail to split. Sauce, parsley and butter (fennel), or roe sauce, or gooseberry sauce. Garnish, fennel and slices of lemon.

203. Broiled Mackerel.--Cut a slit in the back that they may be thoroughly done. Lay them on a clean gridiron (having greased the bars), over a clear, but rather slow, fire. Sprinkle pepper and salt over them; when thoroughly done on both sides, take them up on a very hot dish without a fish plate. Rub a bit of butter over each fish, and put inside each a little fennel and parsley, scalded and chopped, seasoned with pepper and salt, and a bit of fresh butter. Fennel sauce, parsley and butter.

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204. Baked or Pickled Mackerel.--Take off the heads; open the fish; take out the roes, and clean them thoroughly; rub the inside with pepper, salt, and allspice, and replace the roes. Pack the fish close in a deep baking pan; cover with equal parts of cold vinegar and water, and two bay leaves. Tie over strong white paper doubled, or still thicker. Let them bake an hour in a slow oven. They may be eaten hot, but will keep ten days or a fortnight. Cold butter, and fresh young fennel (unboiled), are eaten with them.
Sprats or herrings may be done in the same way.

205. Skate and Thornback.--These fish (like cod) are frequently crimped, that is, slashed in slices, by which means the meat contracts, and becomes more firm as the watery particles escape. Cut them in pieces, and boil in salt and water; serve with anchovy sauce; or they may be fried with egg and bread crumbs, as soles; or stewed as soles.

206. Smelts, Gudgeons, Sprats, or other small Fish, fried.--Clean and dry them thoroughly in a cloth, fry them plain, or beat an egg on a plate, dip them in it, and then in very fine bread crumbs, that have been rubbed through a sieve: the smaller the fish, the finer should be the bread crumbs--biscuit powder is still better; fry them in plenty of clean lard or dripping; as soon as the lard boils and is still, put in the fish; when they are delicately browned, they are done; this will hardly take two minutes. Drain them on a hair sieve, placed before the fire, turning them till quite dry.

207. Trout is sometimes fried, and served with crisp parsley and plain melted butter. This answers best for small fish. They are sometimes broiled, which must be done over a slow fire, or they will break. While broiling, sprinkle salt and baste with butter; serve with anchovy sauce, to which may be added a few chopped capers and a little of the vinegar. The sauce is generally poured over the fish.

208. Stewed Trout.--When the fish has been properly washed, lay it in a stew-pan, with half a pint of claret or port wine, and a quart of good gravy; a large onion, a dozen berries of black pepper, the same of allspice, and a few cloves, or a bit of mace; cover the fish-kettle close, and let it stew gently for ten or twenty minutes, according to the thickness of the fish; take the fish up, lay it on a hot dish, cover it up, and thicken the liquor it was stewed in with a little flour; season it with a little pepper, salt, essence of anchovy, mushroom catsup, and a little chili vinegar; when it has boiled ten minutes, strain it through a tamis, and pour it over the fish; if there is more sauce than the dish will hold, send the rest up in a boat.

209. Red Mullets.--These delicate fish are sometimes fried, and served with anchovy sauce; but more frequently either stewed or baked.

210. Eels, fried.--Skin and gut them, and wash them in cold water; cut them in pieces four inches long; season them with pepper and salt; beat an egg well on a plate, dip them in the egg, and then in fine bread crumbs; fry them in fresh clean lard; drain them


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well from the fat; garnish with crisp parsley. Sauce, plain, and melted butter sharpened with lemon juice, or parsley and butter.

211. Boiled Eels.--Twist them round and round, and run a wire skewer through them. Do them slowly in a small quantity of salt and water, with a spoonful of vinegar, and a handful of parsley. They may be put in cold water, and will take very few minutes after they boil. Sauce, parsley, or fennel, and butter.

212. Pike or Jack.--For either baking or boiling, it is usual to stuff them with pudding. To secure it, bind it round with narrow tape. The fish may be dressed at full length, or turned with its tail in its mouth. For boiling, use hard water with salt, and a tea-cup full of vinegar; put it in blood-warm, and when it boils set it aside that it may simmer slowly. It will take from ten minutes to half an hour, according to its size. Sauce, oyster. Garnish, slices of lemon, laid alternately with horse-radish. If baked, being stuffed, put it in a deep dish, with a tea-cup full of gravy, and some bits of butter stuck over it. Serve with rich thickened gravy, and anchovy sauce.

For frying, the fish is to be cut in pieces, and may be done with egg and bread crumbs, as soles. The usual sauce is melted butter and catsup, but anchovy or lobster sauce is sometimes used.

213. Carp, fried.--The same as soles; make sauce of the roe, and anchovy sauce with lemon juice.

214. Carp, stewed.--With the addition of preserving the blood, which is to be dropped into port or claret wine, well stirring the whole time, carp may be stewed in the same manner as sturgeon, the wine and blood to be added with the thickening, and the whole poured over the fish. Sippet of bread toasted, sliced lemon and barberries.
The same process for lampreys.

215. Perch, boiled.--Put them on in as much cold spring water as will cover them, with a handful of salt. Let them boil up quickly; then set aside to simmer slowly for eight, ten, or fifteen minutes, according to their size. Sauce, parsley and butter, or fennel, or melted butter with catsup.

216. Salt Fish.--It should be soaked a considerable time in soft water, changing the water two or three times. The length of time required will be according to the hardness or softness of the fish. One night will do for that which has been but a fortnight or three weeks in salt; but some require two or even three nights' soaking, and to be laid through the intermediate days on a stone floor. Set it on in cold or luke-warm water, and let it be a long time coming to boil. It should be kept at a slow simmer from half an hour to an hour and a half. When done enough, lay the tin fish-drainer across the kettle; remove any straggling bones and skin; pour through a quart of boiling water to rinse it, and serve with plenty of egg sauce, red beet-root, parsnips, and mashed potatoes. Some of the parsnips and beet-roots should be served whole, or in slices for garnish, together with horse-radish, and a dish also of equal parts of red beet-root and parsnips, mashed together, with pepper, butter, and cream.
Salt fish is sometimes served with the vegetables. When boiled as above, it is


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broken in flakes, and stewed a few minutes in good gravy, flavoured with onions or eschalots, but not salted, and thickened with flour, butter, and cream; then beat up with it either potatoes, or parsnips and beet-root, mashed with cream and butter. Sauce, egg.
Salt fish, whether cod, ling, haddock, or salmon, is often cut in slices, soaked in beer, and broiled as red herrings for a breakfast relish.

217. Terrapins.--This is a favourite dish for suppers and parties; and, when well cooked, they are certainly very delicious. Many persons in Philadelphia have made themselves famous for cooking this article alone. Mrs. Rubicam, who during her lifetime always stood first in that way, prepared them as follows. Put the terrapins alive in a pot of boiling water, where they must remain until they are quite dead. You then divest them of their outer skin and toe-nails; and, after washing them in warm water, boil them again until they become quite tender, adding a handful of salt to the water. Having satisfied yourself of their being perfectly tender, take off the shells and clean the terrapins very carefully, removing the sand-bag and gall without breaking them. Then cut the meat and entrails into small pieces, and put into a saucepan, adding the juice which has been given out in cutting them up, but no water, and season with salt, cayenne, and black pepper, to your taste; adding a quarter of a pound of good butter to each terrapin, and a handful of flour for thickening. After stirring a short time, add four or five table-spoonfuls of cream, and a half pint of good Madeira to every four terrapins, and serve hot in a deep dish. Our own cook has been in the habit of putting in a very little mace, a large table-spoonful of mustard, and ten drops of the gall; and, just before serving, adding the yolks of four hard boiled eggs. During the stewing, particular attention must be paid to stirring the preparation frequently; and it must be borne in mind, that terrapins cannot possibly be too hot.

218. Oysters au gratin.--Take the best oysters you can find, and dry them on a napkin; you then place them on a silver shell, made expressly for the purpose, or fine, large, deep oyster shells, if handier, which should be well cleaned, placing in them four or six oysters, according to their size; season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley, mushrooms hashed very fine, a small quantity of bread crumbs, with which the surface of the oysters must be covered, placing on top of all a small piece of the best butter. Then put them in a hot oven, and let them remain until they acquire a golden colour. Serve them hot.

219. Oysters, stewed.--For this purpose the beard or fringe is generally taken off. If this is done, set on the beards with the liquor of the oysters, and a little white gravy, rich but unseasoned; having boiled a few minutes, strain off the beards, put in the oysters, and thicken the gravy with flour and butter (an ounce of butter to half a pint of stew,) a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, or mace, a spoonful of catsup, and three of cream; some prefer a little essence of anchovy to catsup, others the juice of a lemon, others a glass of white wine; the flavour may be varied according to taste. Simmer till the stew is


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thick, and warmed through, but avoid letting them boil. Lay toasted sippets at the bottom of the dish and round the edges.

220. A more simple, and, as we think, a better method is to put, say two hundred oysters in a saucepan with nothing but their own juice; place them on a brisk fire, and let them remain, stirring them occasionally, until they begin to boil, then remove them, and pass the juice through a tin colander, leaving the oysters to drain. Then mix well together three-quarters of a pound of good butter, and a handful of flour. When this is done, strain the juice of the oysters through a sieve into the saucepan containing the butter and flour, and put it on the fire again, and add pepper and salt to your taste, stirring the whole frequently and briskly. When it begins to boil again, add the oysters, and the following articles, well beaten together, viz., the yolks of three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of milk, and the juice of half a lemon; whilst adding these, stir the whole briskly, and serve immediately.

221. Oysters, fried.--Large oysters are the best for this purpose. Simmer for a minute or two in their own liquor; drain perfectly dry; dip in yolks of eggs, and then in bread crumbs, seasoned with nutmeg, cayenne, and salt; fry them of a light brown. They are chiefly used as garnish for fish, or for rump steaks; but if intended to be eaten alone, make a little thick melted butter, moistened with the liquor of the oysters, and serve as sauce.

222. Broiled Oysters.--The oysters should be the largest and finest you can get. Prepare your gridiron, which should be a double one made of wire, by rubbing with butter, and having placed your oysters so that they will all receive the heat equally, set them over a brisk fire, and broil both sides without burning them. Let them be served hot, with a small lump of fresh butter, pepper and salt, added to them. Some establishments serve them egged and breaded; either way, however, they are good.

> ROASTING.

223. Mind that your spit is clean, and take care that it passes through the meat as little as possible. Before it is spitted, see that the meat is jointed properly, particularly necks and loins. When on the spit it must be evenly balanced, that its motion may be regular, and all parts equally done; for this purpose, take care to be provided with balancing skewers and cookholds; a cradle spit is the best.

224. The bottle or vertical jack is an excellent instrument for roasting, better than spits for joints under forty pounds; but if you have neither of these things, as is often the case in small families, a woollen string twisted round a door key makes a good substitute. In this case a strong skewer should be passed through each end of the joint, in order that it may be conveniently turned bottom upwards, which will insure an equality of roasting and an equal distribution of the gravy. A Dutch oven is a convenient utensil for roasting small joints; but by far the best and most economical thing of the kind is, improperly, called the American oven, by which you may roast meat before a sitting-room fire, without any extra fuel, and without the


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slightest inconvenience to the persons occupying the apartment. This contrivance will save, in the course of a year, all the expense, and more, of its original cost, in bakings, with this additional consideration, that meat so dressed will be equal to roasted meat. Meat cooked in a common oven, to say nothing of the abstracting of the dripping by the generality of bakers, is greatly inferior, both in flavour and tenderness, to that dressed in the American oven, where the air is not confined. It is not, however, meat alone that may be dressed in the American oven. All sorts of cakes may be made in it, and indeed, all the operations of baking and roasting may be performed by it, on a limited scale, but sufficiently large for a small family in contracted circumstances; in short, with the addition of the recent improvement, a sort of oval iron covering, we have baked bread before a parlour fire as perfectly as it could be produced by the regular process of baking; in one word, no family, whether in poor or middling circumstances, ought to be without the American oven, which may be had for a few shillings.

225. The fire for roasting should be made up in time, but it is better not to be very hot at first. The fire should, in point of size, be suited to the dinner to be dressed, and a few inches longer at each end than the article to be roasted, or the ends will not be done.

226. Never put meat down to a fierce fire, or one thoroughly burnt up, if you can possibly avoid it; but if not, you must take care and place it a considerable distance from the grate; indeed, meat should always be done slowly at first; it is impossible to roast a joint of very considerable size well under some hours. It is said that George III., who lived principally upon plain roasted and boiled joints, employed cooks who occupied four, five, or even six hours in roasting a single joint; but the result amply repaid the loss of labour and time; the meat was full of gravy, perfectly tender, and of a delicious flavour.

227. In placing paper over the fat to preserve it, never use pins or skewers; they operate as so many taps, to carry off the gravy; besides, the paper frequently starts from the skewers, and is, consequently, liable to take fire, to the great injury of both the flavour and appearance of the meat. For these reasons, always fasten on your paper with tape, twine, or any other suitable string.

228. The fire should be proportioned to the quantity of the meat intended to be roasted, as we have intimated above. For large joints make up a good strong fire, equal in every part of the grate, and well backed by cinders or small coals. Take care that the fire is bright and clear in the front. The larger the joint to be roasted, the farther it must be kept from the fire till nearly done-mind that. When you have to roast a thin and tender thing, let your fire be little and brisk.

229. When your fire is moderately good, your meat, unless very small, ought not to be put down nearer than from ten to fifteen inches off the grate; in some instances a greater distance would be preferable, but it is impossible to lay down any definite rule on this subject.

230. Slow roasting, like slow boilng, is the best, and the more


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slow, in reason, the better. The time usually directed to be allowed for roasting meat, where the fire is good, the meat screen sufficiently large, and the meat not frosted, is rather more than a quarter of an hour to a pound, but we take this to be too short a time; however, the cook must judge for herself; much will depend upon the temperature of the atmosphere, &c., and more upon the degree of basting it has undergone. The more the meat is basted the less time it will take to do, for the meat is rendered soft and mellow outside, and consequently, admits the heat to act upon the inside. On the contrary, meat rendered hard on the outside by having too hot a fire, or neglecting to baste, the fire is prevented from operating upon the interior. When the meat is half done the fire should be well stirred for browning, that is, it must be made to burn brightly and clearly. When the steam begins to rise, depend upon it the meat is thoroughly done, that is, well saturated with heat, and all that goes off from the meat in evaporation is an absolute waste of its most savoury and nourishing particles.

231. A good cook will be particular to place her dripping pan so as to catch the dripping, but not the loose hot coals which may chance to fall from the fire. Your dripping pan should be large, not less than twenty-eight inches long and twenty inches broad, and should have a well-covered well on the side from the fire, to collect the dripping; "this," says Dr. Kitchiner, "will preserve it in the most delicate state."

232. Roasting and boiling, as being the most common operations in cooking, are generally considered the most easy; this is a great error: roasting, in particular, requires unremitting attention to perform it well, much more so than stewing, or the preparing many made dishes. A celebrated French author, in the Almanack des Gourmands, says, that "the art of roasting victuals to the precise degree, is one of the most difficult things in this world, and you may find half a thousand good cooks sooner than one perfect roaster; five minutes on the spit, more or less, decide the goodness of this mode of cookery."

> ROASTING, BROILING, AND FRYING.

Before entering into any detail as to the best method of preparing the different dishes under this head, we must recommend the young cook to again carefully read our preliminary observations on roasting. We may here too be allowed to enter our most decided protest against baking meat, generally speaking--whether in the common brick oven, or in the iron ovens attached to kitchen ranges, particularly in the latter, unless they have a draught of air through them, when they will dress, or rather roast meat very well. Meat cannot be subjected to the influence of fire without injury, unless it is open to the air, by which the exhalations are carried off, and the natural flavour of the meat is preserved. Under the idea of saving fuel, persons are induced to use stoves in their kitchen instead of ranges. They should consider,


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however, that baking not only injures the meat, but absolutely spoils the dripping, which from roasted meat is much more valuable than the extra cost of coals. For a small family, we recommend the bottle jack--and for large establishments, a kitchen range, a smoke jack, and the usual quantity of plating for stewing, or boiling. In the following receipts we have generally indicated the time which a joint will take roasting, but a good cook will never wholly depend upon time, either in roasting or boiling; she ought to exercise her own judgment, as to whether a thing is done or not. When roast meat streams towards the fire, it is a sure sign that the meat is nearly done. On no account, whatever, should gravy be poured over any thing that is roasted. It makes the meat insipid, and washes off the frothing, or dredging.

233. Sirloin of Beef, roasted.--Sirloin or ribs, of about fifteen pounds, will require to be before a large sound fire about three and a half or four hours; take care to spit it evenly, that it may not be heavier on one side than the other; put a little clean dripping in the dripping pan (tie a piece of paper over it to preserve the fat), baste it well as soon as it is put down, and every quarter of an hour all the time it is roasting, till the last half hour; then take off the paper, and make some gravy for it; stir the fire and make it clear; to brown and froth it, sprinkle a little salt over it, baste it with butter, and dredge it with flour; let it go a few minutes longer, till the froth rises; take it up. Garnish it with a hillock of horse-radish, scraped as fine as possible with a very sharp knife. A Yorkshire pudding is an excellent accompaniment. The inside of the sirloin should never be cut hot, but reserved entire for the hash, or a mock hare.

234. Rump and Round.--Rump and rounds of beef are sometimes roasted; they require thorough doing, and much basting to keep the outside from being dry. It should be before the fire from three hours, and upwards, according to size. Gravy and garnish as above.

235. Mock Hare--The inside lean of a sirloin of beef may be dressed so as to resemble hare, and is by many people greatly preferred to it. Make a good stuffing. If possible, get the inside meat of the whole length of sirloin, or even of two, lay the stuffing on half the length, turn the other end over and sew up the two sides with a strong twine, that will easily draw out when done; roast it nicely, taking care to baste it well, and serve with sauces and garnishes the same as hare; or, it may be partly roasted and then stewed, in rich thickened gravy with force meat balls, and sauce.

236. Ribs of Beef, boned.--Take out the ribs, &c. and roll it as round as possible; bind with tape; roast with or without veal stuffing, laid over before rolling. Thoroughly soak it, and brown it before a quick fire. Roast beef accompaniments, and, if liked, wow-wow sauce.

237. Roasting Mutton.--A saddle of mutton of ten or twelve pounds will take from two hours and a half to three hours roasting. Mutton should be put before a brisk fire; a saddle of mutton requires to be protected from the heat by covering it with paper, which should


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be taken off about a quarter of an hour before it is done; when of a pale-brown colour, baste it; flour it lightly to froth. The leg of mutton, the shoulder, the loin, the neck, the breast, and the haunch, require the same treatment as the saddle, with the exception of papering, which, however, may be sometimes required. The haunch should be served with plain but rich mutton sauce, and with sweet sauce; of course separately.

238. Mutton, Venison fashion.--Hang till fit for dressing a good neck of mutton; two days before dressing it, rub it well twice each day with powdered allspice, and black pepper; roast it in paste, as ordered for the haunch of venison.

239. Roasting Veal.--This meat requires particular care to roast it a nice brown; the fire should be the same as for beef; a sound large fire for a large joint, and a brisker for a smaller: soak thoroughly, and then bring it nearer the fire to brown; baste on first putting down, and occasionally afterwards. When done and dished, pour over it melted butter, with or without a little brown gravy. Veal joints, not stuffed, may be served with force meat balls, or rolled into sausages as garnish to the dish; or fried pork sausages. Bacon or ham, and greens, are generally eaten with veal.

240. Fillet of Veal of from twelve to sixteen pounds will require from four or five hours at a good fire; make some stuffing or force meat, and put it under the flap, that there may be some left to eat cold, or to season a hash; brown it, and pour good melted butter over it; garnish with thin slices of lemon and cakes or balls of stuffing. A loin is the best part of the calf, and will take about three hours roasting; paper the kidney fat and back. A shoulder from three hours to three hours and a half; stuff it with the force meat ordered for the fillet of veal, or balls made of 271. Neck, best end, will take two hours; same accompaniments as the fillet. The scrag part is best in a pie or broth. Breast from an hour and a half to two hours. Let the caul remain till it is almost done, then take it off to brown it; baste, flour and froth it.

241. Veal Sweetbread.--Trim a fine sweetbread (it cannot be too fresh), parboil it for five minutes, and throw it into a basin of cold water. Roast it plain, or beat up the yolk of an egg, and prepare some bread crumbs. When the sweetbread is cold, dry it thoroughly in a cloth; run a lark-spit or a skewer through it, and tie it on the ordinary spit; egg it with a paste-brush; powder it well with bread crumbs, and roast it. For sauce, fried bread crumbs round it, and melted butter, with a little mushroom catsup, or serve them on buttered toast, garnished with egg sauce, or with gravy. Instead of spitting them, you may put them into a tin dutch oven or fry them.

242. Roasting Lamb.--To the usual accompaniments of roasted meat, lamb requires green mint sauce or salad, or both. Some cooks, about five minutes before it is done, sprinkle it with a little fresh-gathered and finely minced parsley, or crisped parsley. Lamb and all young meats ought to be thoroughly done; therefore, do not take either lamb or veal off the spit till you see it drop white gravy.


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When green mint cannot be got, mint vinegar is an acceptable substitute for it, and crisp parsley, on a side plate, is an admirable accompaniment. Hind-quarter of eight pounds will take from an hour and three-quarters to two hours; baste, and froth it. A quarter of a porkling is sometimes skinned, cut, and dressed lamb fashion, and sent up as a substitute for it. The leg and the loin of lamb, when little, should be roasted together, the former being lean, the latter fat, and the gravy is better preserved. Fore-quarter of ten pounds, about two hours. It is a pretty general custom, when you take off the shoulder from the ribs, to squeeze a Seville orange, or lemon, over them, and sprinkle them with a little pepper and salt; this may be done by the cook before it comes to table. Some people are not remarkably expert at dividing these joints nicely. Leg of five pounds, from an hour to an hour and a half. Shoulder, with a quick fire, an hour. Ribs, almost an hour to an hour and a quarter; joint them nicely, crack the ribs across, and divide them from the brisket after it is roasted. Loin, an hour and a quarter. Neck, an hour. Breast three-quarters of an hour.

243. Roasting Pork.--If this meat be not well done, thoroughly well done, it is disgusting to the sight and poisonous to the stomach. "In the gravy of pork, if there is the least tint of redness," says Dr. Kitchiner, "it is enough to appal the sharpest appetite. Other meats under-done are unpleasant, but pork is absolutely uneatable." A Leg of eight pounds will require about three hours; score the skin across in narrow stripes (some score it in diamonds) about a quarter of an inch apart; stuff the knuckle with sage and onion minced fine, and a little grated bread, seasoned with pepper, salt, and the yolk of an egg. See 252 and 270. Do not put it too near the fire; rub a little sweet oil on the skin with a paste-brush, or a goose-feather; this makes the crackling crisper and browner than basting it with dripping, and it will be a better colour than all the art of cookery can make it in any other way; and this is the best way of preventing the skin from blistering, which is principally occasioned by its being put too near the fire.

244. Leg of Pork roasted without the skin; or Mock Goose.--Parboil a leg of pork, take off the skin, and then put it down to roast; baste it with butter, and make a savoury powder of finely minced or dried or powdered sage, ground black pepper, salt, and some bread crumbs rubbed together through a colander; you may add to this a little very finely minced onion; sprinkle it with this when it is almost roasted; put a half pint of made gravy into the dish, and goose stuffing under the knuckle skin, or garnish the dish with balls of it, fried or broiled.

245. Spare rib: when you put it down to roast, dust on some flour, and baste it with a little butter; dry a dozen sage leaves, rub them through a hair sieve, put them into the top of a pepper box, and about a quarter of an hour before the meat is done baste it with butter; dust the pulverised sage, or savoury powder, in, or sprinkle it with duck stuffing; some people prefer it plain.

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246. Loin of Pork, of five pounds, must be kept at a good distance from the fire, on account of the crackling, and will take about two hours--if very fat, half an hour longer: stuff it with duck stuffing (252 and 270;) score the skin in stripes about a quarter of an inch apart, and rub it with salad oil. You may sprinkle over it some of the savoury powder recommended for the mock goose (244.)

247. Sucking Pig should be about three weeks old, and it ought to be dressed as quickly as possible after it is killed; if not quite fresh, the crackling can never be made crisp. It requires constant attention and great care in roasting. As the ends require more fire than the middle, an instrument called the pig-iron has been contrived to hang before the latter part. A common flat iron will answer the purpose, or the fire may be kept fiercest at the ends. A good stuffing may be made as follows:--Take five or six ounces of the crumb of stale bread; crumble and rub through a colander; mince very fine a handful of sage, and a large onion; mix with an egg, pepper, salt, and a piece of butter about the size of an egg; fill the belly, and sew it up; put it to the fire, and baste it with butter tied up in a rag, by applying it to the back of the pig. Kitchiner recommends basting it with olive oil till it is done. It should never be left. It should be placed before a clear brisk fire, at some distance; and great care should be taken that the crackling should be nicely crisped, and delicately browned. It will require from an hour and a half to two hours, according to the size of the pig. When first put to the fire, it should be rubbed all over with fresh butter, or salad oil; ten minutes after this, and when the skin looks dry, dredge it well with flour all over. Let this remain on an hour, and then rub it off with a soft cloth. A sucking pig being very troublesome to roast, is frequently sent to the oven. A clever baker will do it so as to be almost equal to roasted; he will require a quarter of a pound of butter, and should be told to baste it well. (See 284.) Before you take the pig from the fire, cut off the head, and part that and the body down the middle; chop the brains very fine with some boiled sage leaves, and mix them with good veal or beef gravy, or what runs from the pig when you cut the head off. Send up a tureen full of gravy besides. Currant sauce is still a favourite with some of the old school. Lay your pig back to back in the dish, with one half of the head on each side, and the ears at each end, which you must take care to make nice and crisp, or you will get scolded, and deservedly. When you cut off the pettitoes, leave the skin long, round the end of the legs.

248. Turkey, Turkey Poults, and other Poultry.--A fowl and a turkey require the same management at the fire, only the latter will take longer time. Let them be carefully picked, break the breast-bone (to make them look plump,) and thoroughly singe them with a sheet of clean writing paper. Prepare a nice brisk fire for them. Make stuffing according to 269; stuff them under the breast where the craw was taken out; and make some into balls, and boil or fry them, and lay them round the dish; they are handy to help, and you can reserve some of the inside stuffing to eat with the cold turkey, or


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to enrich a hash. Score the gizzard; dip it in the yolk of an egg, or melted butter, and sprinkle it with salt and a few grains of cayenne; put it under one pinion, and the liver under the other; cover the liver with buttered paper, to prevent it getting hardened or burnt. When you first put your turkey down to roast, dredge it with flour, then put about an ounce of butter into a basting ladle, and as it melts baste the bird. Keep it at a distance from the fire for the first half hour that it may warm gradually, then put it nearer, and when it is plumped up, and the steam draws towards the fire, it is nearly done enough; then dredge it lightly with flour, and put a bit of butter into your basting ladle, and as it melts baste the turkey with it; this will raise a finer froth than can be produced by using the fat out of the pan. A very large turkey will require about three hours to roast it thoroughly; a middling sized one, of eight or ten pounds, about two hours; a small one may be done in an hour and a half. Turkey poults are of various sizes, and will take about an hour and a half. Fried pork sausages are a very savoury accompaniment to either roasted or boiled turkey. Sausage meat is sometimes used as a stuffing, instead of the ordinary force meat. If you wish a turkey, especially a very large one, to be tender, never dress it till at least four or five days (in cold weather, eight or ten) after it has been killed, unless it be dressed immediately after killing, before the flesh is cold; be very careful not to let it freeze. Hen turkeys are preferable to cocks for whiteness and tenderness, and the small tender ones, with black legs, are most esteemed. Send up with them oyster, egg, and plenty of gravy sauce.

249. Capons or Fowls must be killed a couple of days in moderate, and more in cold, weather, before they are dressed, unless dressed immediately they are killed, or they will eat tough: a good criterion of the ripeness of poultry for the spit, is the ease with which you can pull out the feathers; when a fowl is plucked, leave a a few to help you to ascertain this. They are managed exactly in the same manner, and sent up with the same sauces, as a turkey, only they require proportionably less time at the fire--a full-grown five-toed fowl about an hour and a quarter; a moderate sized one, an hour; a chicken, from thirty to forty minutes. Have also pork sausages fried, as they are in general a favourite accompaniment, or turkey stuffing; see Force meats, 278; put in plenty of it, so as to plump out the fowl, which must be tied closely (both at the neck and rump,) to keep in the stuffing; some cooks put the liver of the fowl into this force meat, and others mince it and pound it, and rub up with flour and melted butter. When the bird is stuffed and trussed, score the gizzard nicely; dip it into melted butter; let it drain, and then season it with cayenne and salt; put it under one pinion, and the liver under the other; to prevent their getting hardened or scorched, cover them with double paper buttered. Take care that your roasted poultry be well browned; it is as indispensable that roasted poultry should have a rich brown complexion, as that boiled poultry should have a delicate white one.


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For sauces, see 111; or liver and parsley, and those ordered in the last receipt.

250. Goose.--When a goose is well picked, singed and cleaned, make the stuffing with about two ounces of onion, and half as much green sage; chop them very fine, adding four ounces of stale bread crumbs, a bit of butter about as big as a walnut, and a very little pepper and salt (to this some cooks add half the liver, parboiling it first,) the yolk of an egg or two, and, incorporating the whole together, stuff the goose; do not quite fill it, but leave a little room for the stuffing to swell. From an hour and a half to an hour and three-quarters will roast a fine full-grown goose. Send up gravy and apple sauce with it. Geese are called green till they are about four months old.

251. Canvass Back Ducks, or Red Neck Ducks.--Let your duck be young and fat, if possible; having picked it well, draw it and singe carefully, without washing it, so as to preserve the blood, and consequently, all its flavour. You then truss it, leaving its head on for the purpose of distinguishing it from common game, and place it on the spit before a brisk fire, for at least fifteen minutes. Then serve it hot, in its own gravy, which is formed by the blood, &c., on a large chafing dish. The best birds are found on the Potomac river; they have the head purple, and the breast silver colour, and it is considered superior in quality and flavour to any other species of wild duck. The season is only during the cold weather.

252. Duck.--Mind your duck is well cleaned, and wiped out with a clean cloth; for the stuffing, take an ounce of onion and half an ounce of green sage; chop them very fine, and mix them with two ounces of bread crumbs, a bit of butter about as big as a walnut, a very little black pepper and salt, and the yolk of an egg to bind it; mix these thoroughly together, and put into the duck. From half to three-quarters of an hour will be enough to roast it, according to the size; contrive to have the feet delicately crisp, as some people are very fond of them;--to do this nicely, you must have a sharp fire. Gravy sauce, and sage and onion sauce. To hash or stew ducks, the same as goose. If you think the raw onion will make too strong an impression upon the palate, parboil it. To insure ducks being tender, in moderate weather kill them a few days before you dress them.

253. Haunch of Venison.--To preserve the fat, make a paste of flour and water, as much as will cover the haunch; wipe it with a dry cloth in every part; rub a large sheet of paper all over with butter, and cover the venison with it; then roll out the paste about three-quarters of an inch thick. Lay this all over the fat side, cover it with three or four sheets of strong white paper, and tie it securely on with packthread; have a strong close fire, and baste your venison as soon as you lay it down to roast (to prevent the paper and string from burning;) it must be well basted all the time. A buck haunch which generally weighs from twenty to twenty-five pounds, will take about four hours and a half roasting in warm, and longer in cold, weather. A haunch of from twelve to eighteen pounds will be done in about three hours, or three hours and a half. A quarter of an hour before it is done, the string must be cut, and the paste carefully taken off; now


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baste it with butter, dredge it lightly with flour, and when the froth rises, and it has got a very light-brown colour, it is done. Garnish he knuckle bone with a ruffle of cut writing paper, and send it up with good strong (but unseasoned) gravy in one boat, and currant jelly sauce in the other, or currant jelly in a side plate (not melted.) See for Sauces, 137, 138, 139. Buck venison is in greatest perfection from Midsummer to Michaelmas, and doe from November to January.
Neck and Shoulder of venison are to be treated the same way as the haunch, but they will not take so much time, nor do they need the paste covering.

254. A Fawn should be dressed as soon after it is killed as possible; when very young, it is dressed the same as a hare; but they are better eating when the size of the house lamb, or when they are large enough to be roasted in quarters. The hind-quarter is considered the best. Fawns require a very quick fire. They are so delicate that they must be constantly basted, or be covered with sheets of fat bacon; when nearly done, remove the bacon, baste it with butter, and froth it. Serve with venison sauce.

255. A Kid is very good eating when a suckling, and when the dam is in fine condition. Roast, and serve it like a fawn or hare.

256. Hare when young is easy of digestion, and very nourishing--when old, the contrary, unless rendered so by keeping and dressing. When you receive a hare, take out the liver--if it be sweet, parboil it, and keep it for stuffing. Wipe the hare quite dry; rub the inside with pepper, and hang it in a cool place till it is fit to be dressed, that is to say, till it comes to the point of putrefaction, but not putrefied. Then paunch and skin, wash and lay it in a large pan of cold water four or five hours, changing the water two or three times; lay it in a clean cloth; dry it well, and truss. To make the stuffing, see 272. Let it be stiff; put it in the belly, and sew it up tightly. The skin must be cut to let the blood out of the neck. Some persons baste it with skimmed milk, but we decidedly prefer dripping; it ought to be constantly basted till it is nearly done; then put a little bit of butter into your basting ladle; flour and froth nicely. Serve with good gravy and currant jelly.
Cold roast hare, chopped to pieces, and stewed in water for a couple of hours, will make excellent soup.

257. Rabbit.--Put it down to a sharp clear fire; dredge it lightly and carefully with flour; take care to have it frothy and of a fine light brown; boil the liver with parsley while the rabbit is roasting; when tender, chop them together; put half the mixture into melted butter, use the other half for garnish, divided into little hillocks. Cut off the head, divide it, and lay half on each side the dish. A fine well-grown and well-hung warren rabbit, dressed as a hare, will eat very much like it.

258. A Pheasant should have a smart fire, but not a fierce one; baste it, butter and froth it, and preprare sauce for it. Some persons, the pheasant being a dry bird, put a piece of beef or rump steak into the inside before roasting. It is said that a pheasant should be suspended by one of the long tail feathers till it falls. It is then ripe


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and ready for the spit, and not before. If a fowl be well kept, and dressed as a pheasant, and with a pheasant, few persons will discover the pheasant from the fowl.

259. Guinea Fowls, Partridges, Pea Fowls, Blackcock, Grouse, and Moorgame, are dressed in the same way as pheasants. Partridges are sent up with rice sauce, or bread sauce, and good gravy. Blackcock, moorgame, and grouse, are sent up with currant jelly and fried bread crumbs.

260. Wild Ducks, Widgeon, and Teal, are dressed before a clear fire, and on a hot spit. Wild ducks will require fifteen or twenty minutes to do them in the fashionable way, but to do them well will require a few minutes longer. Widgeon and teal, being smaller birds, of course will require less time.

261. Woodcocks and Snipes are never drawn; they should be tied on a small bird spit, and put to roast at a clear fire; a slice of bread is put under each bird, to catch the trail, that is the excrements of the intestines; they are considered delightful eating; baste with butter, and froth with flour; lay the toast on a hot dish, and the birds on the toast; pour some good gravy into the dish, and send some up in a boat. They are generally roasted from twenty to thirty minutes--but some epicures say, that a woodcock should be just introduced to the cook, for her to show it the fire, and then send it up to table. Garnish with slices of lemon. Snipes are dressed in the same way, but require less time.

262. Pigeons, when stuffed, require some green parsley to be chopped very fine with the liver and a bit of butter, seasoned with a little pepper and salt; or they may be stuffed with the same as a fillet of veal. Fill the belly of each bird with either of these compositions. They will roast in about twenty or thirty minutes. Serve with parsley and butter, with a dish under them, with some in a boat. Garnish with crisp parsley, fried bread crumbs, bread sauce, or gravy.

263. Small Birds.--The most delicate of these are larks, which are in high season in November and December. When cleaned and prepared for roasting, brush them with the yolk of an egg, and roll in bread crumbs; spit them on a lark-spit, and tie that on a larger spit; ten or fifteen minutes at a quick fire will do them; baste them with fresh butter, and sprinkle them with bread crumbs till they are quite covered, while roasting. Sauce, grated bread fried in butter, which set to drain before the fire that it may harden; serve the crumbs under the larks when you dish them, and garnish them with slices of lemon.
Wheatears are dressed in the same way.

264. Reed Birds.--Having carefully picked your birds, which should be very fat, draw them with the greatest care possible so as not to rob them of any fat, and truss them on a skewer, which you fasten to the spit, and cook them before a brisk fire; a very few minutes is requisite. In serving them, place them on buttered toast, and pour a small portion of gravy over them. Let them be hot. This is generally considered the best manner of serving reed birds, although many persons prefer them breaded and fried, or barbacued.


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When they are very fat it is unnecessary to draw them. The season for this delicious bird is from the middle of September to the first or second week in October.

> SEASONINGS.

The art of making seasonings, or stuffings, principally consists in so proportioning the flavours as that none may predominate, or be tasted more than another. In stuffing, care must be taken to leave room for swelling; if not, it is apt to be hard and heavy.

265. Seasoning for Roast Pork, Ducks, or Geese.--Two-thirds onion, one-third green sage, chopped fine, bread crumbs equal in weight to the sage and onions; season with a little pepper and salt, and incorporate it well with the yolk of an egg or two, and a bit of butter. Some omit the bread crumbs, and some again do not like the onions, while others add to them a clove of garlic.

266. Seasoning for a Sucking Pig.--A large teacup full of grated bread, two ounces of butter, season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; scald two small onions, chop fine, and about thirty leaves of young sage, and egg beat fine, and mix altogether, and sew it in the belly of the pig.

267. Seasoning for a Goose.--Scald the liver, chop fine, crumb twice its weight in bread, chop fine four small onions, or an equal weight of chives, half the weight of green sage, half an ounce of butter, the yolk of an egg, and a table spoonful of potato starch; season highly with salt and pepper; mix well.

268. Chesnut Seasoning for Goose.--Fry or boil chesnuts till the outer skin comes off very easily, and the inside will pound or grate; reduce them to powder, scald the liver of the goose, and an onion or two, the juice of a lemon, season with pepper, cayenne, salt; mix well together.

> STUFFINGS AND FORCE MEATS.

269. Stuffing for Veal, Roast Turkey, Fowl, &c.--Mince a quarter of a pound of beef marrow (beef suet will do,) the same weight of bread crumbs, two drachms of parsley leaves, a drachm and a half of sweet marjoram (or lemon thyme,) and the same of grated lemon peel, an onion, chopped very fine, a little salt and pepper, pound thoroughly together, with the yolk and white of two eggs, and secure it in the veal with a skewer, or sew it in with a needle and thread. Make some of it into balls or sausages; flour and fry or boil them, and send them up as a garnish, or in a side dish with roast poultry, veal, or cutlets, &c. This is sufficient quantity for a turkey poult; a very large turkey will require twice as much; an ounce of dressed ham may be added to the above, or use equal parts of the above stuffing and pork sausage meat.

270. Goose or Duck stuffing.--Chop very fine about one ounce of green sage leaves, two ounces of onion also chopped fine (both unboiled,)


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a bit of butter about the size of a walnut, four ounces of bread crumbs, a little salt and pepper, the yolk and white of an egg; some add to this a little apple.

271. Force meat balls for turtle, mock turtle, or made dishes:--Pound some veal in a marble mortar, rub it through a sieve with as much of the udder as you have of veal, and about the third of the quantity of butter; put some bread crumbs in a stew-pan, moisten with milk, add a little chopped eschalot, and a little parsley; rub them well together in a mortar till they form a smooth paste; put it through a sieve, and when cold, pound and mix all together, with the yolk of three eggs boiled hard; season it with curry powder, or cayenne pepper and salt; add the yolks of two unboiled eggs, rub it well together, and make small balls; a few minutes before your soup is ready, put them in.

272. Stuffing for Hare.--Three ounces of fine bread crumbs, two ounces of beef suet, chopped fine, eschalot half a drachm, one drachm of parsley, a drachm of lemon thyme, marjoram, winter savoury, a drachm of grated lemon peel, and the same of pepper and salt; mix these with the white and yolk of an egg; do not make it thin, for if it is not stiff enough, it will be good for nothing; put it in the hare and sew it up. If the liver is quite sound, parboil it, mince it very fine, and put to the stuffing.

273. Veal Force meat.--Of undressed veal take two ounces, scrape it quite fine, and free from skin and sinews, the same quantity of beef or veal suet, and the same of bread crumbs; chop fine one drachm of lemon peel, two drachms of parsley, the same quantity of sweet herbs, and half a drachm of mace or allspice beaten to a fine powder; pound all together in a mortar, break into it the yolk and white of an egg, rub it all well together, and season with pepper and salt. This may be made more savoury by adding cold pickled tongue, eschalot, anchovy, cayenne, or curry powder.

274. Stuffing for Pike, Carp, or Haddock.--A dozen oysters bearded and chopped, two yolks of eggs, a small onion, or two cloves of eschalot and a few sprigs of parsley chopped fine, season with cayenne, mace, allspice, pepper, and salt; add their weight of bread crumbs, or biscuit powder, then put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan, and simmer them till they have sucked up the butter; as they begin to bind, sprinkle over them more bread crumbs or biscuit powder, till the whole forms into a ball, with which stuff the fish. Some people like the addition of ham or tongue scraped, and suet or marrow instead of butter.

Another way. Beef suet, or marrow and fat bacon, and fresh butter, two ounces of each; pound them with the meat of a lobster, ten or twelve oysters, one or two anchovies; season with thyme, parsley, knotted marjoram, savoury, chopped fine and scalded; add salt, cayenne, and nutmeg, a few drops of essence of eschalot; add the yolk of an egg, and bread crumbs. This pudding will be sufficiently done in the belly of the fish, if you do not add the eschalot in substance.

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275 Stuffing for Heart and many other purposes.--Take half a pound of grated bread; chop fine a quarter of a pound of beef or lamb suet, or beef marrow; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; a handful of parsley leaves, thyme about a quarter as much, six sprigs of marjoram and vervain, winter savoury or knotted marjoram, and the juice of a quarter of a lemon. Mix well with two eggs well beaten. You may add a dozen of oysters, chopped, and the liquor, or two ounces of dressed ham, chopped. This stuffing may be used for a turkey, with an equal quantity of sausage meat parboiled; rub them well together, and keep out half a pound, to which add an egg to make up into balls and fry, and lay round the dish as a garnish. Turkey is sometimes stuffed with chesnuts (see 267); take basil and parsley instead of onions, and add a quarter of a pound of dressed ham grated, and a little nutmeg.

276. A very rich stuffing for Veal, Poultry, and Game.--Take two pounds of beef suet, one pound of bread crumbs, a tea spoonful of thyme, the same quantity of marjoram, a tea-cup full of chopped parsley, chopped eschalot a table spoonful, half a lemon grated, half a nutmeg, half an ounce each of salt and pepper, and five eggs, well mixed.

277. Veal Cake.--Boil six eggs hard, cut the yolks in two, butter a mould; lay some of the pieces of egg at the bottom, sprinkle salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; then lay thin slices of veal and ham; sprinkle again with the seasoning, and then eggs, and so on till the dish is filled. Then add gravy, till it covers the top of the meat; spread one ounce of butter over the top, tie it over with paper, and bake one hour; then press it close together with a spoon, and let it stand till cold.
Another way is to pound the meat instead of slices, two-thirds of lean veal and one-third of fat ham. When the cake is wanted, set the mould in boiling water for a minute or two, and the cake will turn out.

278. Force meat for Veal or Fowls.--Take equal parts of cold veal, beef suet, ham or gammon, a few parsley leaves, a small onion, the rind of lemon a little; chop all together very fine; season with pepper, salt, cayenne, mace, or nutmeg; pound the whole in a mortar, with an equal quantity of bread crumbs, and add two eggs to bind it. This is a good force meat for patties.

279. Light force meat balls.--Cold veal or chicken a quarter of a pound, chopped, half a pound of suet, chopped, crumbs of bread a tea-cup full. Season with sweet herbs, and spice and eschalots, and three or four eggs beat separately; mix these articles with all the yolks and as much of the whites as is necessary to bring it to a moist paste, roll them in small balls, and fry them in butter, or lard, for garnish to roast turkey, fowl, &c.

280. Egg balls.--Boil four eggs for ten minutes and put them into cold water; when they are cold beat the yolks in a mortar with the yolk of a raw egg, some chopped parsley, a tea-spoonful of flour, a pinch or two of salt, and a little black pepper, or cayenne; rub them well together, roll them into small balls, and boil them two minutes.

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281. Brain balls.--Take a calf's brains, or two or three lambs', scald them for ten minutes, quite free from every bit of vein and skin, beat up with seasoning the same as egg balls, adding a tea spoonful of chopped sage; rub a tea-cup full of bread crumbs, three tea spoonfuls of flour, and a raw egg with them. Make them up into balls, rub each ball with bread, fry them with butter or lard; serve as a garnish to calf's head, or as a separate side dish.

282. Curry balls.--Take bread crumbs, the yolk of an egg boiled hard, and a bit of fresh butter; beat together in a mortar, and season with curry powder; make them into small balls, and boil or fry them.

> BAKING MEAT, &c.

283. As baking is the only means by which the poor inhabitants of towns for the most part can enjoy a joint of meat at home,* we shall say a word or two upon the subject, particularly with regard to those joints which, when they are carefully baked, most resemble roasted ones. Legs and loins of pork, legs of mutton, fillets of veal, &c., may be baked with advantage, if the meat be good and tolerably fat. Besides the joints here enumerated, there are many others which may be baked, providing the meat is not poor or lean. The following are observations on baking meat by a well-experienced baker; they are particularly deserving the attention of a careful house-keeper.

284. "A pig when sent to the baker prepared for baking should have its ears and tail covered with buttered paper, properly fastened on, and a bit of butter tied up in linen to baste the back with, otherwise it will be apt to blister. With a proper share of attention from the baker, this way is thought to be equal to a roasted one.

285. "A goose prepared as for roasting, taking care to have it on a stand, and when half done, to turn the other side upwards. A duck should be treated in the same way.

286. "After a buttock of beef has been in salt about a week, well wash it, and put it in a brown earthen pan with a pint of water, cover the pan quite over and tightly with two or three thicknesses of cap or foolscap paper (never use brown paper--it contains tar, &c.). Bake for four or five hours in a moderate heated oven.
A ham properly soaked may be baked in the same way.

[Editorial note: The following note appears at the bottom of page 88 in the original text.]

*We hope, however, in a few years, to see the American oven supersede the custom of dressing meat in the public bake-house.

287. "Bakers are in the habit of baking small cod fish, haddock, and mackerel, with a dust of flour and some bits of butter put on them.
Eels, when large and stuffed.
Herrings and sprats in a brown pan, with a little vinegar and a little spice, and tied over with paper.
A hare, prepared the same as for roasting, with a few pieces of butter and a little drop of milk put into the dish, and basted several times, will be found nearly equal to roasting; or cut it up, season it properly, put it into a jar or pan, and cover it over, and bake it in a


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moderate oven for about three hours.
In the same manner legs and shins of beef, ox cheeks, &c., prepared with a seasoning of onions, turnips, &c., may be baked: they will take about four hours; let them stand till cold to skim off the fat; then warm up altogether, or part, as you may want it.

288. "The time that each of the above articles should take, depends much upon the state of the oven; they should be sent to the baker in time, and he must be very neglectful if they are not ready at the time they are ordered."

289. We may be here allowed to remark, that the process of dressing meat in an oven in a covered pan is more analogous to stewing than it is to baking. It is, however, an excellent mode of cooking. The great objection to baking meat in an open pan, and among many other different descriptions of dishes, is the bad flavour which is apt to be imparted to it. There is, too, another objection to baked meat, which arises from the exclusion of the external air, or for want of a draught. The exhalations from the meat in baking, &c., not being carried off, they have a tendency to sodden it.

290. Dr. Kitchiner, no mean authority, deprecates the machines which the economical grate-makers call roasters, being in fact, as he asserts, "in plain English--ovens." The Doctor intimates, that these things are all very well for saving fuel, but affirms that the rational epicure, who has been accustomed to enjoy beef well roasted, will soon discover the difference. Notwithstanding this high authority, we have no hesitation in stating, that meat cooked in the roaster attached to Flavell's cooking apparatus, is as good as meat roasted before the fire. But we ought to observe, that Mr. Flavell's roaster has a current of air passing through it when so employed, but when used as an oven the current of air is prevented by the introduction of a damper. We can state from the experience of some years, that the apparatus alluded to is a most excellent contrivance for cooking generally.

291. "Nothing can be more preposterous," says Mr. Sylvester, in his 'Philosophy of Domestic Economy,' "and inappropriate, than the prevailing construction and management of a gentleman's kitchen. Before the discovery of the stew hearths, all the culinary processes were carried on with one immense open grate, burning as much fuel in one day as might do the same work for ten. The cook and the furniture of the kitchen get a proportion of this heat, the articles to be dressed another portion, but by far the greatest quantity goes up the chimney.

292. "The introduction of the stew hearth has in some degree reduced the magnitude of these grates; but they are yet disgraceful to science and common sense. In the present state (1819) of culinary improvement, a kitchen may be fitted up with apparatus, requiring much less labour and attention, with much less consumption of fuel; rendering the food more wholesome and agreeable, and also preventing that offensive smell which has made it so often necessary to detach the kitchen from the rest of the house."

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293. The stew hearth is a most useful addition to the ordinary kitchen grate, but small families of limited means are seldom possessed of one. A stew hearth, indeed, or a substitute for one, which may be easily obtained, is indispensable in French, and indeed in good English cookery.

> FRYING.

294. Frying, as is properly observed by Dr. Kitchiner, is often convenient mode of cookery; it may be performed by a fire which will not do for roasting or boiling, and by the introduction of the pan between the meat and the fire, things get more equally dressed.

295. Be very particular that your frying pan is perfectly clean before using it. Never use any oil, butter, lard, or drippings, which are not perfectly free from salt, and perfectly sweet and fresh. As frying is, in fact, boiling in oil fat, it is of the first importance that your fat should be clean, or it will spoil the look as well as the flavour, and salt will prevent the meat from browning.

296. Good oil is, perhaps, the best to fry in, but sweet fresh lard, or clarified mutton or beef suet, will answer every purpose, nearly, if not quite as well as the best oil or butter, and, what is of greater importance, at a much less expense. Nice clean dripping is almost as good as any thing. After you have done frying preserve your fat, which, if not burnt, will do for three or four fryings; but fat in which fish has been fried will do for nothing else.

297. If your fat is not of a proper heat, your frying cannot be well done; this is, in short, the great secret in frying, which the young cook ought and must acquire. The frying pan must be always set over a sharp and clear fire, or otherwise the fat is too long before it becomes ready. When the fat has done hissing, or bubbling, that is, when it is still, you may be pretty sure that it is hot enough. It is a good way to try the heat of your fat, by throwing a little bit of bread into the pan; if it fries crisp, the fat is of the right heat--if it burns the bread, it is too hot.

298. When your things are well done, take care and drain all the fat from them most thoroughly, particularly those that have been fried in bread crumbs, &c.; if you do not, your cookery will be marred. Fried fish ought to be quite dry. This depends in a great measure upon the fat in which they are dressed being of a proper heat. If the fish are well done, and are well drained of the fat, they will become quite dry and crisp in a few minutes after they have been taken out of the pan. If this, however, should not be the case, and the fish on the contrary should be damp and wet, lay them on a soft cloth before the fire, turning them occasionally till they are dry. They will sometimes take ten or fifteen minutes drying.

299. In preparing bread crumbs in a considerable quantity, in order to save unbroken the crust, and preserving it fit for the table, cut your loaf into three equal parts, that is, cut off the bottom and top crusts, and use the middle part or the crumb for your frying. The


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bread should be at least two days old. A good and cheap substitute for bread is oatmeal, which will cost, comparatively speaking, nothing.

It is scarcely necessary to refer the cook to our general remarks upon the above operation. Frying is preferred by many persons to broiling; and our own opinion is, that steaks, chops, &c., may be dressed with much more certainty and regularity by the former, than by the latter, method. But plenty of oil, butter, or sweet grease, must always be used, or the frying will be imperfect.

300. Steaks.--Cut them rather thinner than for broiling; put some butter, or, what is much cheaper and quite as good, some clarified dripping or suet, into an iron frying-pan, and when it is quite hot put in the steaks, and keep turning them until they are done enough. The sauce for steaks, chops, cutlets, &c., is made as follows:--Take the chops, steaks or cutlets, out of the frying pan; for a pound of meat, keep a table-spoonful of the fat in the pan, or put in an ounce of butter; put to it as much flour as will make it a paste; rub it well together over the fire till they are a little brown; then add as much boiling water as will reduce it to the thickness of good cream, and a table-spoonful of mushroom or walnut catsup, or pickle, or browning; let it boil together a few minutes, and pour it through a sieve to the steaks, &c. To the above is sometimes added a sliced onion, or a minced eschalot, with a table-spoonful of port wine, or a little eschalot wine. Garnish with scraped horse-radish, or pickled walnut, gherkins, &c. Some beef-eaters like chopped eschalots in one saucer, and horse-radish grated in vinegar in another. Broiled mushrooms are favourite relishes to beef-steaks.

301. Beef-steaks and Onions.--The steaks are fried as directed above; the common method is to fry the onions cut small, but the best plan perhaps is to use onions prepared as directed in 115.

302. Sausages.--Sausages are not good unless they are quite fresh. Put a bit of butter or dripping into a frying-pan, before it gets hot put in the sausages, shake the pan, and keep turning them (be careful not to break or prick them in so doing); fry them over a very slow fire till they are nicely browned on all sides; when they are done, lay them on a hair sieve, place them before the fire for a couple of minutes to drain the fat from them. The secret of frying sausages is, to let them get hot very gradually--then they will not burst, if they are not stale. You may froth them by rubbing them with cold fresh butter, and lightly dredge them with flour, and put them in a cheese-toaster for a minute. The common practice to prevent their bursting is to prick them with a fork; but this lets out the gravy.

303. Veal Cutlets should be about half an inch thick; trim and flatten; fry in plenty of fresh butter, or good dripping; when the fire is very fierce, you must turn them often--but when not so, do them brown on one side before you turn them. Make gravy of the trimmings, &c.; you may add some browning, mushroom or walnut catsup, or lemon, pickle, &c. Or you may dress them as follows: Cut the veal into pieces about as big as a crown piece; beat them with a


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cleaver, dip in egg, beat up with a little salt, and then in fine bread crumbs; fry them a light brown in boiling lard; serve under them some good gravy or mushroom sauce, which may be made in five minutes. Garnish with slices of ham, or rashers of bacon, or pork sausages.
Many persons prefer frying veal cutlets with ham or bacon rashers, which will afford sufficient fat to fry them, but will be done much sooner; remove the rashers, and keep them warm. When the veal is done, take it out, pour off any fat that may remain, and put into the pan a large tea-cup full or more of gravy or broth, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. When it boils, add herbs and crumbs of bread, pour over the veal, and lay the rashers round the edge of the dish. Garnish, sliced lemon.

304. Sweetbreads should always be got fresh and parboiled immediately. When cold cut them in pieces about three-quarters of an inch thick, dip them in the yolk of an egg, then in fine bread crumbs (some add spice, lemon peel, and sweet herbs;) put some clean dripping into a frying-pan; when it boils put in the sweetbreads, and fry them a fine brown. For garnish, crisp parsley; and for sauce, mushroom catsup and melted butter, or anchovy sauce, or bacon, or ham. This is called full dressing. They are dressed plain as follows: Parboil and slice them as before, dry them on a clean cloth, flour them, and fry them a delicate brown; take care to drain the fat well from them, and garnish them with slices of lemon and sprigs of chervil, parsley, or crisp parsley. For sauce, mushroom catsup, or force meat balls made as 278.

305. Lamb or Mutton Chops are dressed in the same way as veal cutlets, and garnished with crisp parsley, and slices of lemon.
If they are bread-crumbed, and covered with buttered writing paper, and then broiled, they are called "Maintenon cutlets."

306. Pork Chops.--Take care that they are trimmed very neatly; they should be about half an inch thick; put a frying-pan on the fire, with a bit of butter; as soon as it is hot, put in your chops, turning them often till brown all over, and done; take one upon a plate and try it; if done, season it with a little finely minced onion, powdered sage, and pepper and salt. Sauce, sage and onions, or Robert sauce.

307. Fried Eggs.--Well-cleansed dripping, or lard, or fresh butter, is the best fat for frying eggs. Be sure the frying-pan is quite clean; when the fat is hot, break two or three eggs into it; do not turn them, but, while they are frying, keep pouring some of the fat over them with a spoon; when the yolk just begins to look white, which it will in about a couple of minutes, they are done enough; the white must not lose its transparency, but the yolk be seen blushing through it. If they are done nicely, they will look as white and delicate as if they had been poached; take them up with a tin slice, drain the fat from them, trim neatly, and send them up with toasted bacon round them. For Frying Fish, see section Fish, p. 66, par. 193, &c.

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> BROILING.

308. Let your gridiron be quite clean, particularly between the bars, and keep it bright on the top. Before using it, you should be careful to make the bars thoroughly hot, or otherwise that part of the meat which is covered by the bars will not be equally done with the other parts of the steak or chop.

309. Chops, steaks, or slices for broiling, should be from half to three quarters of an inch in thickness; if too thick, they will be done outside before the inside--and if too thin, they will be dry and gravyless.

310. In broiling, a brisk and clear fire is indispensable, and to obtain this you should prepare your fire in time, so that it may burn clear. It is a good plan to lay over a pretty strong fire a layer of cinders, or coke; some use charcoal, but cinders or coke are equally good. If your fire is not bright you cannot give the nice brown appearance to the meat, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but is relishing to the taste.

311. The bars of the best gridirons are made concave, terminating in a trough to catch the gravy, and keep the fat from falling into the fire and making a smoke, which will spoil both the appearance and taste of the broil. Before using the gridiron the bars should be rubbed with clean mutton suet. The cook should watch the moment when the broil is done. Send it to the table immediately on a hot dish, from whence it should be transferred to the mouth all hot!--smoking hot!!! The upright gridiron, which is made of strong wire and may be now bought in the streets for a few pence, is, as Dr. Kitchiner avers, the best, as it can be used at any fire, without fear of smoke, and the trough under it preserves all the gravy. The Dutch oven, or bonnet, may be substituted for the gridiron, when the fire is not clear.

312. Steaks and Chops.--Meat to be broiled should be hung till it is tender; the inside of a sirloin of beef, cut into steaks, is greatly preferred by most people. But steaks are generally cut from the rump (the middle is the best), about six inches long, four inches wide, and half an inch thick. Do not beat them, it makes them dry and tasteless. Steaks should be done quickly; for this purpose, take care to have a very clear brisk fire, throw a little salt on it, make the gridiron hot, and set it slanting to prevent the fat from dropping into the fire, and making a smoke. It requires more practice and care than is generally supposed to do steaks to a nicety; and for want of these little attentions, this very common dish, which every body is supposed capable of dressing, seldom comes to table in perfection. Some like it under, some thoroughly, done. It is usual to put a table-spoonful of catsup, or a little minced eschalot, into a dish before the fire, while you are broiling; turn the steak with a pair of steak-tongs; it will be done in about ten or fifteen minutes; rub a bit of butter over it, and send it up garnished with pickles and finely scraped horse-radish. Serve with the usual sauces.

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313. Kidneys.--Cut them through the long way, score them, sprinkle a little pepper and salt on them, and run a wire skewer through them to keep them from curling on the gridiron, so that they may be evenly broiled. Broil them over a very clear fire, turning them often till they are done; they will take about ten or twelve minutes, if the fire is brisk: or, fry them in butter, and make gravy from them in the pan (after you have taken out the kidneys), by putting in a tea spoonful of flour; as soon as it looks brown, put in as much water as will make gravy; they will take five minutes more to fry than to broil. Serve with the usual sauce. Some cooks chop a few parsley leaves very fine, and mix them with a bit of fresh butter and a little pepper and salt, and put a little of this mixture on each kidney.

314. A Fowl or Rabbit.--Pick and truss it the same as for boiling, cut it open down the back, wipe the inside clean with a cloth, season it with a little pepper and salt, have a clear fire and set the gridiron at a good distance over it, lay the chicken on with the inside towards the fire (you may egg it and strew some grated bread over it), and broil it till it is a fine brown; take care the fleshy side is not burnt. Lay it on a hot dish, pickled mushrooms or mushroom sauce thrown over it, or parsley and butter, or melted butter flavoured with mushroom catsup. Garnish with slices of lemon, and the liver and gizzard, slit and notched, seasoned with pepper and salt, and broiled nicely brown.

315. Pigeons.--Clean them well, and pepper and salt them; broil them over a clear slow fire; turn them often, and put a little butter on them; when they are done, pour over them either stewed or pickled mushrooms, or catsup and melted butter. Garnish with fried bread crumbs, or sippets. Or, when the pigeons are trussed for broiling, flat them with a cleaver, taking care not to break the skin of the backs or breast; season them with pepper and salt, a little bit of butter, and a tea spoonful of water, and tie them close at both ends; so, when they are brought to table, they bring their sauce with them Egg and dredge them well with grated bread (mixed with spice and sweet herbs), lay them on the gridiron, and turn them frequently; if your fire is not very clear, lay them on a sheet of paper well buttered, to keep them from getting smoked. They are much better broiled whole.

> BRAISING, GLAZING, BLANCHING, LARDING, AND BONING.

316. A braiser, or braising pan, is a sort of oblong camp kettle, with a bordered lid, on which, and secured by the border, is put small burning coal, charcoal, or wood ashes. The lid should fit the pan as close as possible.

317. Braising. To braise your meat, put the meat into the braiser (a good stew-pan will answer the purpose, but not so well); then cover the meat with thick slices of fat bacon; lay round it six or eight


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onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, some celery, and if it be to brown, some thick slices of carrots; meat trimmings, or fresh meat bones, a pint and a half of water, or the same quantity of stock, which will make it richer than water will; over the meat lay a sheet of white paper, season and put the pan, with the lid well fastened down and tight, over a moderately hot stove, rather slow. It will require two or three hours, according to its size or quality. The meat and gravy are then put into a colander to drain, but be sure to keep it quite hot, skim the gravy very carefully, and boil it as quick as you can till it thickens; then glaze the meat--and if it has been larded, put it into the oven for a few minutes.

318. Glazing consists in covering meat with a preparation called glaze, which is strong gravy boiled as quick as possible till it thickens, as directed in braising. The glaze is put on with a brush kept for the purpose. Hams, tongues, and stewed beef, may be thus glazed, if thought proper.

319. Blanching is performed by putting the article in cold water over the fire, and when it boils up, take it out and plunge it into cold water, and let it remain till quite cold. This will make it white and plump. Tongues, palates, &c., are said to be blanched, when after long boiling the skin can be easily peeled off.

320. Larding and Forcing. Possess yourself of larding pins of different sizes; cut slices of bacon into bits of proper length, quite smooth; pierce the skin and a very little of the meat with the larding pin, leaving the bacon in; the two ends should be of equal length outwards. Lard in rows the size you think proper. Forcing is nothing more than stuffing fowls, &c., with force meat, which is generally put in between the skin and the flesh.

321. Boning. To bone any bird, the cook should begin first to take out the breast-bone; she will then have sufficient space to remove the back with a sharp small knife, and then she must take out the leg bones. The skin must be preserved whole, and the meat of the leg be pushed inwards.

> COLOURINGS, THICKENINGS, FLAVOURINGS, SEASONINGS, STOCKS, GRAVIES, SAUCES, STUFFING, FORCE-MEAT, AND CLARIFYING.

Having laid down, as we trust, clearly and fully, under the preceding heads, all that is necessary to be known, generally speaking, with regard to ordinary dishes, we shall now proceed to treat of those preparations which are employed in the compounding of made dishes together with those articles which the prudent, care-taking cook will always keep by her as stores, ready to be used when wanted. By 'made dishes' we mean not only those commonly so called, but also those in the dressing of which other articles are sometimes, or always, used by way of stuffing, seasoning, &c.--such, for instance, as geese, ducks, and roast pork. This done, we shall then give directions


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for the choice of meat, fish, and poultry, recipes for cooking them, and the best mode of carving them, under separate heads. Recipes for cooking all other dishes, will also, of course, be given.

> COLOURING, OR BROWNING.

322. The greater part of the preparations for colouring are very unwholesome, or, in other words, very indigestible. They are employed to give the appearance of richness, but they are worse than useless, being used for the silly purpose of pleasing the eye only, generally at the expense of the stomach and taste. Most of the preparations for colouring are a medley of burnt butter, spices, catsup, wine, flour, and other things not necessary to mention. A French writer says, the generality of cooks calcine bones till they are as black as a coal, and throw them hissing hot into the stew-pan, to give a brown colour to their broths and soups. These ingredients, under the appearance of a nourishing gravy, envelop our food with stimulating acid and corrosive poison. Such things as essence of anchovy are frequently adulterated with colouring matters containing red lead! The following recipes for colouring are pretty harmless, and, except for the purpose of pleasing the eye, as useless as they are innocent.

Some persons, instead of colouring or browning their soups after they are made, brown the meat of which they are intended to be made, by putting it into a stew-pan with a little butter, salt, and pepper, but without water; then covering it close, placing it over a clear fire, all the time shaking it to keep it from sticking to the pan, till the meat becomes of a light brown, when the liquor of which the soup or gravy is to be made is added.

The best colouring is, perhaps, the following: Half a pound of powdered lump sugar and a table-spoonful of water, put into a clean saucepan, or frying-pan, and set over a slow fire and stirred with a wooden spoon till it is of a fine brown colour, and begins to smoke; then add an ounce of salt, and dilute by degrees with water, till it is of the thickness of soy; boil, take off the scum, and put it into well-corked bottles; or you may, provided you do not wish to keep the above by you, colour your gravies or soups by pounding a tea-spoonful of lump sugar, and putting it into an iron spoon, which hold over a quick fire till the mixture becomes of a dark-brown colour; mix with the soup or gravy while it is hot. Some persons use butter in the first mixture instead of water.

Toasted bread, quite hard and of a deep brown, not burnt, may be put into the boiling gravy, without stirring, and then carefully strain off the gravy without any crumbs of bread in it. You may also colour with flour browned on a flat-iron over the fire. Various flavouring articles serve also the purpose of colouring.

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> THICKENINGS.

323. Flour, or some other farinaceous article, is, or ought to be, the basis of all thickenings; starch of potatoes, or indeed any other pure starch, is a good substitute for flour. We do not recommend preparations of Carraghan moss, ivory dust, or eggs; they are troublesome, and not at all necessary. A table-spoonful of potatoe or any other starch, such as arrow-root, mixed in two table-spoonsful of cold water, and stirred into soup, sauce, or gravy, &c. and afterwards simmered, just before serving, will thicken a pint. Flour will also answer the same purpose.
In large establishments, the following thickening is generally kept ready prepared; the French call it roux; it is thus made: Put some fresh butter, if clarified the better, (or some use the skimmings of the pots, clean and not impregnated with vegetables,) into a stew-pan over a clear slow fire; when it is melted, add fine flour sufficient to make it the thickness of paste; stir well together when over the fire, for ten or fifteen minutes, till it is quite smooth and of a fine "yellow-boy" colour. Do all this gradually and patiently, or you will spoil your thickening by getting it burnt, or giving to it a burnt flavour, which will spoil your gravy, &c. Pour it into an earthen pan for use, it will keep for a fortnight; and if, when cold, it is thick enough to be cut with a knife, a large spoonful will be enough to thicken a quart of gravy, &c. Most made dishes, such as sauces, soups, and ragouts, are thus thickened. The broth or soup, &c., to which the thickening is put, must be added by degrees, so as to incorporate them well together.
To cleanse or finish a sauce, put into a pint two table-spoonsful of broth, or warm water, and put it by the side of the fire to raise any fat, &c., which must be carefully removed as it comes to the top.

We would strongly recommend mistresses of families, particularly those residing in the country, where potatoes are cheap, to keep a good stock of potatoe starch always by them. If kept dry and from the air, it will keep almost for any length of time. Damaged potatoes will yield starch or mucilage, if raw. It may be made from the old potatoes, when by germination in the spring they have become unfit for the table, or from the refuse of a newly gathered crop in the autumn. The starch will be found extremely useful, not only in a thickening, but also for mixing with wheat flour in making bread, &c. Starch may be made, and is made, from various vegetable substances, and used as a substitute for corn flour. The following is the mode of making potatoe starch; arrow-root starch and all other starches are made by a similar process:

The potatoes must be carefully washed and peeled, and every speck removed; provide yourself with a number of deep dishes, according to the quantity of starch you wish to make; for every pound of potatoes to be prepared in each dish, put a quart of clear water; grate them into the water on a bread grater; stir it up well, and then pour it through a hair sieve, and leave it ten minutes to settle, or till the water is quite clear; then pour off the water, and put to it a


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quart of fresh water: stir it up, then let it settle, and repeat this till the