The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère
by Alexis Soyer · English · Gutenberg #41899 · 906,776 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère
Author: Alexis Soyer
Release date: January 22, 2013 [eBook #41899]
Most recently updated: November 27, 2024
Language: English
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THE
MODERN HOUSEWIFE
OR,
MÉNAGÈRE.
COMPRISING
NEARLY ONE THOUSAND RECEIPTS,
FOR THE ECONOMIC AND JUDICIOUS
PREPARATION OF EVERY MEAL OF THE DAY,
WITH THOSE OF
THE NURSERY AND SICK ROOM,
AND MINUTE DIRECTIONS FOR FAMILY MANAGEMENT
IN ALL ITS BRANCHES.
Illustrated with Engravings.
BY
ALEXIS SOYER,
AUTHOR OF "THE GASTRONOMIC REGENERATOR."
EDITED BY AN AMERICAN HOUSEKEEPER.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 200 BROADWAY.
PHILADELPHIA: G. S. APPLETON, 146 CHESNUT ST.
1850.
ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by
D. APPLETON & COMPANY,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District
of New-York.
PREFACE BY THE EDITOR.
In adapting M. Soyer's admirable receipt book to the use of American
families, I have not presumed to amend, or attempted to improve upon the
text of so accomplished a master of the art, which may with entire
propriety be called the "preservative of all arts." All that I have
ventured to do has been to make a verbal correction here and there,
necessary to render the meaning of the author more plain; to erase
certain directions for cooking different kinds of game and fish unknown
in the new world; and to omit the purely local information, and scraps
of history, which only increased the cost and bulk of the book, without,
in any way, adding to its value.
Except in one instance, nothing has been added; for the object in
republishing the MENAGÈRE, was to furnish a new and valuable work on the
preparation of food, which should contain important receipts hitherto
unknown. Every country must have its indigenous dishes, and it is to be
presumed that every American housekeeper likely to profit by M. Soyer's
receipts, will need no instruction in the art of preparing the many
excellent dishes peculiar to the United States.
It is a vulgar error to suppose that French cookery is more costly and
highly flavored than English; an examination of the MENAGÈRE will
abundantly prove that the reverse is the fact, and that M. Soyer's
system, which has rendered him famous in Europe, is not only simple and
economical, but the best adapted to insuring the enjoyment of health,
the elevation of the mental faculties, and converting the daily
necessity of eating into a source of daily enjoyment. M. Soyer's great
work, THE GASTRONOMIC REGENERATOR, was prepared for the highest classes
of English society, and public festivals; but the MENAGÈRE is adapted to
the wants and habits of the middle classes, and, as presented in the
present edition, calculated for the use of the great bulk of American
families.
M. Soyer is the good genius of the kitchen; although he is the renowned
_chef_ of one of the most sumptuous of the London Club Houses, and the
pet of aristocratic feeders, he has labored continually to elevate the
mind, and better the condition of the poor by instructing them in the
art of obtaining the greatest amount of nourishment and enjoyment from
their food. The dietetic maxims and culinary receipts of M. Soyer are
not less needed in the United States than in England; but for different
reasons. Happily, our countrymen do not suffer for lack of raw
materials, so much as for lack of cooks; and, in the Modern Housewife of
M. Soyer, our housekeepers will find a reliable guide and an invaluable
friend.
_New York, December, 1849._
CONTENTS.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION,
DIALOGUE BETWEEN MRS. B---- AND MRS. L----, HER FRIEND
AND VISITOR, 1
LETTER NO. I., 5
LETTER NO. II., 6
BREAKFASTS, 7
FIRST SERIES OF RECEIPTS, 8
LETTER NO. III., 26
EARLY LUNCHEONS, 27
LETTER NO. IV., 27
THE NURSERY DINNER, 28
LETTER NO. V., ib.
COMFORTS FOR INVALIDS, 33
PUDDINGS FOR INVALIDS, 47
POULTRY FOR INVALIDS, 53
CULINARY CORRESPONDENCE, 55
LETTER NO. VI., ib.
LETTER NO. VII., 56
LETTER NO. VIII., 57
LETTER NO. IX., 58
LETTER NO. X., ib.
LETTER NO. XI., ib.
ROASTING, 59
BAKING, BOILING, STEWING, BRAISING, 60
FRYING, 61
SAUTEING, 62
BROILING, 63
SAUCES, 64
SOUPS, 75
FISH, 93
FISH SAUCES, 111
REMOVES, 117
LETTER NO. XII., 120
POULTRY, 143
FLANCS, 158
ENTRÉES, OR MADE DISHES, 158
LETTER NO. XIII., 178
LETTER NO. XIV., 181
DISHES WITH THE REMAINS OF LAMB, 184
EGGS, 216
GARNITURE FOR OMELETTES, 219
ENTRIES OF GAME, 220
ROASTS--SECOND COURSE, 227
SAVORY DISHES 234
LETTER NO. XV., 244
SHELL-FISH, 250
VEGETABLES, 253
OF DIFFERENT SORTS OF PASTRY, 268
JELLIES, 286
PUDDINGS IN MOULDS, 291
PUDDINGS BOILED IN CLOTHS, 293
PLAIN BAKED PUDDINGS IN DISHES, 294
REMOVES--SECOND COURSE, 296
SOUFFLE, 299
DESSERT, 305
LETTER NO. XVI., ib.
COMPOTE, 307
COMPOTES OF FRUIT SIMPLIFIED, 310
SALADS OF VARIOUS FRUITS, 321
LETTER NO. XVII., 327
LETTER NO. XVIII., 332
BEVERAGES FOR EVENING PARTIES, ib.
LETTER NO. XIX., 334
CONVERSATION ON HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS, 336
BILLS OF FARE, 339
LETTER NO. XX.--A NEW ALIMENT, 345
CARVING, 346
LETTER NO. XXI.--THE SEPTUAGENARIAN EPICURE, 348
INDEX, 351
INTRODUCTION.
In the following gossipping conversation between Mrs. B---- and
Mrs. L----, and in the two letters which follow, M. Soyer explains
the motive of the work; and, in a natural manner introduces the
subject.--ED.
DIALOGUE BETWEEN MRS. B---- AND MRS. L----, HER FRIEND AND VISITOR.
_Mrs. L._ I have now, my dear Mrs. B., been nearly a fortnight at your
delightful Villa, and I must say, with all truth, that I never fared
better in my life, yet I am considered somewhat of an epicure, as is
likewise my husband; but, of course, our means being rather limited, we
are obliged to live accordingly.
_Mrs. B._ Well, so must we; and I assure you that, during the first few
years of our marriage, our pecuniary resources were but small, but even
then I managed my kitchen and housekeeping at so moderate an expense
compared with some of our neighbors, who lived more expensively, but not
so well as we did, that, when any of them dined with us, they flattered
me with the appellation of the "Model Housekeeper," and admired the
comforts of our table, but would leave with the impression that I must
be the most extravagant of wives. Now, believe me, I have always prided
myself, whether having to provide for a ceremonious party or dining by
ourselves, to have everything properly done and served, that, if any
friends should come in by accident or on business, they were generally
well pleased with our humble hospitality, and that without extravagance,
as my husband is well convinced; for when we dine with any acquaintance
of ours he is very eager to persuade them to adopt my system of
management; for though he is no great judge of what is called the
highest style of cookery, yet he does not like to live badly at any
time; as he very justly says, it matters not how simple the food,--a
chop, steak, or a plain boiled or roast joint, but let it be of good
quality and properly cooked, and every one who partakes of it will enjoy
it.
_Mrs. L._ Nothing more true!
_Mrs. B._ But since you talk of limited income and economy, let me
relate to you a conversation which occurred a few years ago between Mr.
B. and a friend of his, who declared to him that his income would never
allow him to live in such luxury, which he called a comfortable
extravagance.
"Extravagance!" exclaimed Mr. B., "if you have a few minutes to spare, I
will convince you of the contrary, and prove to you that such an
expression is very unjust, if applied to my wife's management. Now, to
begin; what sum should you suppose would cover our annual housekeeping
expenditure, living as we do, in a style of which you so much approve,
but consider so extravagant? there are ten of us in family, viz., myself
and wife, three children, two female servants, and three young men
employed in my business, and including our usual Christmas party, which,
of course you know, (having participated in the last two), besides two
separate birthday parties of twenty each, and three juvenile
petits-soupers and dances for the children upon their natal
anniversaries, also a friend dropping in occasionally, which is never
less than once or twice a-week."--"Well, I do not know," answered our
friend; "but having nearly the same number to provide for, and in a more
humble way, my expenses for housekeeping are never less than £---- per
annum."--"Less than what?" exclaimed Mr. B.; "why, my dear friend, you
must be mistaken;" at the same time ringing the bell." I wish I were,
with all my heart," was the reply, as the servant entered the room;
"Jane," said Mr. B., "ask your mistress to step this way for a few
minutes; I wish to look at her housekeeping book." But being busy at the
time in the kitchen, I sent up a key for him to get it, which happened
to be a wrong one, but, upon discovering the mistake, sent up the right
one with an apology for not coming myself, as I was superintending the
cooking of some veal broth, which the doctor had ordered for our poor
little Henry, who was ill at the time. "Well," said his friend, "there
is a wife for you; I must confess mine can hardly find the way to the
kitchen stairs." "Now!" said my husband, opening my desk, and, taking up
my book, he showed him the last year's expenditure, which was £----.
"No! no! that is impossible," replied the other. "But," said Mr B.,
"there it is in black and white." "Why, good heavens!" exclaimed he,
"without giving so many parties, and also two less in family, my
expenditure is certainly greater." To which Mr. B. replied, "So I should
imagine from the style in which I saw your table provided the few days
when we were on a visit to your house; therefore I am not in the least
astonished. Here, however, is the account for the closing year just made
up to the 28th December, 1848. Let us see what it amounts to, probably
to £50 or £60 more." "So, so," replied the other, "that is an
increase;"--"Let it be so," said Mr. B.; "but you must remember that we
are twelve months older, and as our business increases, so do we
increase our comforts; and this year Mrs. B., with the children, had a
pretty little house at Ramsgate for two months, which will account for
the greater part of it."
_Mrs. L._ But, my dear Mrs. B., I am as much astonished as your friend
could possibly have been. I should, however, have liked you to explain
the matter; but here comes your husband, who will probably initiate me
in your culinary secrets.
Good morning, my dear Mr. B. I have been talking to Mrs. B. about her
system of housekeeping, who was relating to me a conversation you had
with a gentleman, who was surprised with its economy. I am also
surprised, and should like to take a few leaves out of your most
excellent book, if you will allow me.
_Mr. B._ Certainly, my dear madam; in my wife, without flattering her
too much, you see almost an accomplished woman (in hearing such praise,
Mrs. B. retired, saying, "How foolish you talk, Richard"); she speaks
two or three different languages tolerably well, and, as an amateur, is
rather proficient in music, but her parents, very wisely considering
household knowledge to be of the greater importance, made her first
acquainted with the keys of the store-room before those of the piano;
that is the only secret, dear madam; and this is the explanation that I
gave to my friend, who thought it a good jest and one of truth. I told
him to do the same by his two daughters, which would not only make them
more happy through life, but transmit that happiness to their posterity,
by setting an example worthy of being followed. I always say, give me a
domesticated wife, and with my industry I would not change my position
for a kingdom; "Very true, very true," was my friend's answer, and we
then parted.
I have never seen him since nor his wife, who was probably offended at
the economical propositions of her husband; for nothing, you are well
aware, is more common than for people to be offended when told the truth
respecting themselves; or perhaps she was too advanced in years to think
of changing her ideas of housekeeping.
I see, my dear Mrs. L., the Brougham is waiting at the gate to convey
you to the railway; allow me to see you safe to the station; you will
not have many minutes to spare, for the train will shortly be up.
About an hour after the above conversation, Mrs. L. was seen entering
her cottage at Oatlands, fully resolved to follow as closely as possible
the economic management of Mrs. B.; but a little reflection soon made
her perceive that she possessed only the theory, and was sadly deficient
in the practice: she then determined to beg of her friend a few receipts
in writing, and immediately dispatched the following letter:--
_From Mrs. L--- to Mrs. B----._
Oatlands Cottage; Jan. 1st, 1849.
MY DEAR HORTENSE,--Upon my arrival at home, I am happy to say that
I found all quite well, and delighted to see me, after (to them) so
long an absence as a fortnight, which my husband was gallant enough
to say appeared months; but to myself the time appeared to pass
very swiftly; for, indeed, every day I felt so much more interested
in watching closely how well you managed your household affairs,
that, believe me, you have quite spoiled me, especially with your
recherché style of cookery, which even now I cannot make out how
you could do it at such moderate expense: and, apropos of cooking,
Mr. L., expecting me home to dinner, had, I have no doubt, a long
interview and discussion with Cook respecting the bill of fare.
"Well, sir," I will suppose she said, "what can be better than a
fine fat goose, stuffed with sage and ingyons; we have a very fine
'un hanging in the larder." (You must observe, dear, that my cook
is plain in every way.) "A very excellent notion that, Cook;
nothing can be better than a good goose;" was no doubt, my
husband's answer, who, although very fond of a good dinner, cannot
endure the trouble of ordering it.
Well, then, here I am in my little drawing-room (the window
slightly open), enjoying the fresh country air, which seems to have
been amalgamated with a strong aroma from the aforesaid goose,
especially the sage and onions; and I am almost certain that the
inseparable applesauce is burnt or upset on the stove, from the
brown smoke now ascending from the grating over the kitchen window.
This style is now to me quite unbearable, and I mean to have quite
a reform in my little establishment, and first of all to bring up
my daughter in the way recommended by Mr. B. to his friend, to make
her more domesticated than I am myself, as I begin to perceive that
a knowledge of household affairs is as much required as
intellectual education; and, for my part, I have come to the
determination of adopting your system of management as closely as
possible; but first, you must know, that, without your scientific
advice, it will be totally impossible; therefore I beg to propose
(if you can afford the time) that you will, by writing, give me the
description how you lay out your breakfast-table, with the addition
of a few receipts for the making of rolls and the other breakfast
bread, which I so much enjoyed while with you; even how to make
toast, and more especially how you make coffee, chocolate, cocoa
(tea, of course, I know). And should this meet your approbation, I
mean to make a little journal, which may some day or other be
useful to our families and friends.
Until I hear from you I shall be waiting with anxiety for your
decision upon this important and domestic subject.
Yours very sincerely,
ELOISE.
_From Mrs. B----, in reply._
Bifrons Villa; Jan. 3d, 1849.
MY DEAR ELOISE,--In answer to yours, I agree, with the greatest
pleasure, to contribute towards your domesticated idea, which, I
must say, is very original, and may, as you observe, prove useful;
but why should we confine our culinary journal to breakfast only?
why not go through the different meals of the day? that is, after
breakfast, the luncheon; then the nursery-dinner at One; and here
it strikes me that, in that series, we might introduce some
receipts, to be called Comforts for Invalids; even our servants'
dinners and teas; then the early dinner at two or three for people
in business, the parlor-dinner at six, the coffee after dinner, and
even suppers for a small ball or evening party; but all on a
moderate scale, leaving the aristocratic style entirely to its
proper sphere.
* * * * *
To show my approbation of your idea, I enclose herewith the first
receipt, _How to make Toast_.
BREAKFASTS.
When we first commenced housekeeping, we were six in family, five of
whom breakfasted together, the three young men in the shop, Mr. B----,
and myself. The cloth was laid by the servant girl at half-past seven
precisely; at ten minutes to eight I used to make tea, and at eight
o'clock we were seated at breakfast, which was composed merely of bread
and butter at discretion, fresh water cresses when plentiful, or
sometimes boiled eggs, and for variation, once a week, coffee, and if in
the winter, we had toast, which I never suffered any servant to prepare
more than five minutes before we were seated, for, if standing any time,
the dry toast becomes tough, and the buttered very greasy, and
consequently unpalatable, as well as indigestible. Twenty minutes only
was the time allowed for breakfast, after which the table was cleared,
the cloth carefully folded and put by for the next morning, for we kept
a separate one for dinner, and imposed the fine of a half-penny upon any
one who should spill their tea or coffee over the cloth by carelessness.
Such was always my plan when in business; for you must know as well as
myself, it is not only the expense of the washing, but the continual
wear and tear of the linen, which make such frequent washings so
ruinous, but my cloth used always to look clean, and I am confident that
not less than five pounds a-year were saved on that very trifling
matter, and you know we thought as much then of five pounds as we
perhaps now do of twenty.
Before partaking of a breakfast, you must provide the materials (which I
always select of the best quality), and require to know how to prepare
them. I shall, therefore, give you a series of every description of
articles which may properly be partaken of at the breakfast-table.
FIRST SERIES OF RECEIPTS.
Perhaps some housekeepers may laugh at the presumption of M. Soyer
in attempting to give a formal receipt for so trifling a matter as
making a piece of toast. But, in Cookery, there are no trifles.
Every preparation of food, however simple, requires thought, care,
and experience. Among the unpleasantnesses of our breakfast-tables,
there are none more common than poor toast.--ED.
1. _Toast._--Procure a nice square loaf of bread that has been baked one
or two days previously (for new bread cannot be cut, and would eat very
heavy), then with a sharp knife cut off the bottom crust very evenly,
and then as many slices as you require, about a quarter of an inch in
thickness (I generally use a carving-knife for cutting bread for toast,
being longer in the blade, it is more handy, and less liable to waste
the bread); contrive to have rather a clear fire; place a slice of the
bread upon a toasting-fork, about an inch from one of the sides, hold it
a minute before the fire, then turn it, hold it before the fire another
minute, by which time the bread will be thoroughly hot, then begin to
move it gradually to and fro until the whole surface has assumed a
yellowish-brown color, when again turn it, toasting the other side in
the same manner; then lay it upon a hot plate, have some fresh or salt
butter (which must not be too hard, as pressing it upon the toast would
make it heavy), spread a piece, rather less than an ounce, over, and cut
into four or six pieces; should you require six such slices for a
numerous family, about a quarter of a pound of butter would suffice for
the whole; but cut each slice into pieces as soon as buttered, and pile
them lightly upon the plate or dish you intend to serve it. This way you
will find a great improvement upon the old system, as often in cutting
through four or five slices with a bad knife, you squeeze all the butter
out of the upper one, and discover the under one, at the peril of its
life, swimming in an ocean of butter at the bottom of the dish.
N.B. The warming of the bread gradually through, on both sides, is a
very great improvement upon the quality of the toast; it may give a
trifle more trouble, but still it is quicker done, and much lighter.
All kinds of toast require to be done the same way, but if to be served
under a bird, eggs, or kidneys, it requires to be toasted drier.
Being in every way an economist, I have generally saved the remnants of
the loaf that have become too dry to be eaten as bread, and by just
dipping them in warm water, toasting them gradually, and buttering them,
I have generally found that they have been eaten in preference, but
their being stale is a secret of my own, which, if divulged, would
prevent their ever being eaten after.
2. _Dry Toast._--Ought not to be toasted until quite ready to serve;
when done, place it in a toast-rack, or standing upon its edges, one
piece resting against another; any kind of toast that has been made half
an hour is not worth eating.
3. _To toast Muffins_ (for Receipt, see No. 6.)--Just open, half an inch
deep, the sides of the muffins, exactly in the centre, with a knife,
then put your toasting-fork in the middle of the bottom, hold it a
little distance from the fire, until partly warmed through, when turn it
and put it again to the fire until it becomes lightly toasted, when
again turn it to toast the other side; when done, pull it open, spread a
thin layer of butter on each side, close them together; lay them upon a
plate, then with a sharp knife divide them across the middle, and serve
very hot. If more than one muffin is required, cut them all separately,
and pile them lightly one upon another, on the plate; when well
prepared, they are, in my opinion, a very great luxury, obtainable at a
trifling expense.
4. _To toast Crumpets._--Crumpets stand lower in the general estimation
of the public, probably from not being so _distingué_, and having the
misfortune to be cheaper than their sister muffins; but, for all that,
the poor ought never to be forgotten, and a crumpet toasted as follows
is not to be despised. Choose your crumpets fresh if possible, though
they are not bad after having been made three or four days; toast them
by warming both sides first, like muffins, then give them a nice light
brown color on each side, lay them in a plate, and spread some rather
soft butter lightly upon each side; cut in halves with a sharp knife,
and serve; half a pat of butter to each crumpet is quite sufficient. If
you have several to serve, lay them separately upon a large hot dish;
some people lay them one upon the other, which is a very bad plan, as it
causes the under ones to eat like a piece of dough, and such food cannot
be wholesome. Crumpets require to be toasted rather quick.
5. _To make Rolls and other Breakfast Bread._--Put four pounds of flour
into an earthen pan, make a hole in the centre, in which put three parts
of a pint of warm water, to which you add a gill of white brewer's
yeast, free from bitter, mix a little flour to form a leaven, which set
in a warm place to rise (it must be allowed to remain until the leaven
has risen and begun to fall), then add a little salt and a pint of warm
milk, form the whole into a flexible dough, which keep in a warm place
for another hour; it is then ready, and may be moulded into the form of
rolls, twists, little crusty loaves, or any shapes most pleasing for the
breakfast-table.
6. _To make Muffins._--Mix a quart of warm water in which you have
dissolved a quarter of a pound of German yeast, with sufficient flour to
form a stiffish batter, which let remain in a warm place four hours,
then stir the mixture down, and break it into pieces weighing a quarter
of a pound each, which mould round with your hands, and put into wooden
trays containing a round bed of flour for each; let them remain in a
warm place two hours to prove, when have your muffin-stove hot; have a
round piece of iron; place on the fire to get hot; set the muffins upon
it, and when nicely risen, turn them gently over, baking them upon the
stove until sufficiently set, when they are done; they will take about
ten minutes baking if the stove is at the proper heat, which is known by
throwing a little flour on it and becoming brown. Muffins may also be
made of brewer's yeast, but then they would require longer proving, and
great care must be taken that the yeast be not bitter.
7. _To make Crumpets._--Mix a gill of brewer's yeast, free from bitter,
with two quarts of water, just lukewarm, to which add sufficient flour
to make a thinnish batter, and let it stand six hours in a warm place,
when stir it well with a wooden spoon, and let it remain four hours
longer; have the muffin-stove hot, upon which lay a number of tin hoops,
the size of crumpets, pour a small ladleful of the batter into each
hoop, and when the top is covered with small bladders, turn them quickly
over (hoops and all) with a large palate knife, and in about five
minutes afterwards they will be sufficiently baked.
8. _Rusks._--Put three pounds of flour upon a dresser, make a hole in
the middle, into which put two ounces of German yeast, dissolved in a
pint of warm water, mix a little of the flour in, and leave it half an
hour in a warm place to rise, then add two ounces of powdered sugar, and
a quarter of a pound of butter, dissolved in half a pint of warm water;
mix the whole into a dough, and let it remain in a warm place until well
risen, when work it down with the hands, divide it in three pieces, each
of which form into a long roll about two inches in thickness, place them
upon a buttered baking-sheet, four inches apart, and put them in a warm
place to prove, occasionally moistening the tops with milk; bake them in
a moderate oven; when cold, cut them in slices the thickness of a penny
piece, which lay upon a clean baking-sheet, and put into a warm oven,
when well browned upon one side, turn them over, put them again into the
oven until the other side is browned, when they are done and ready for
use.
9. _Tops and Bottoms._--Make a dough exactly as described in the last,
but using only half the butter; have a deep-edged baking-sheet well
buttered, and when the dough is ready, turn it on to a dresser, well
floured; divide into small pieces the size of walnuts, which mould into
round balls, and place close together upon the baking-sheet; put them in
a warm place to prove, and bake well in a moderate oven; when cold,
divide and cut each one in halves (making a top and bottom) which brown
in the oven as directed for rusks.
10. _Buns._--Put three pounds of flour in an earthen pan, make a hole in
the middle, in which put two ounces of German yeast, dissolved in three
parts of a pint of warm water, and stir in a little of the flour,
forming a thinnish batter, let it remain in a warm place nearly an hour,
until well fermented, when add half a pound of sugar, a few currants,
and half a pound of butter, dissolved in nearly a pint of warm milk, mix
the whole well together, making a soft but dry dough; let it remain in a
warm place until it rises very light, when turn it out of the pan on to
a board; work it well with the hands, shaking flour over lightly, then
mould it into small round balls, double the size of walnuts, which place
upon a buttered baking-sheet, four inches apart; moisten the tops with
milk; put them in a warm place to prove, not, however, permitting them
to crack, and bake them in a hot oven.
11.--_Brioche Rolls._--Put four pounds of flour upon a dresser, one
pound of which put on one side, make a hole in the middle into which
pour nearly three parts of a pint of warm water, in which you have
dissolved an ounce of German yeast; mix it into a stiff but delicate
paste, which roll up into a ball: cut an incision across it, and lay it
in a basin well floured, in a warm place, until becoming very light,
then make a large hole in the centre of the three pounds of flour, into
which put half an ounce of salt, two pounds of fresh butter, half a gill
of water, and sixteen eggs, mix it into a rather softish flexible paste,
which press out flat, lay the leaven upon it, folding it over and
working with the hands until well amalgamated, flour a clean cloth, fold
the paste in it and let remain all night. In the morning mould them into
small rolls; put them upon a baking-sheet, and bake in a moderate oven.
Unless your breakfast party is very large, half the above quantity would
be sufficient; but these rolls being quite a luxury, I only make them
upon very especial occasions.
12. _How to choose Eggs._--New-laid eggs should not be used until they
have been laid about eight or ten hours, for that part which constitutes
the white is not properly set before that time, and does not until then
obtain their delicate flavor; that which is termed milk in eggs being,
according to my opinion, very insipid; but that entirely depends upon
fancy.
Nothing being more offensive than eggs in a state of decomposition, it
is very important that every person should know how to detect them
(especially in the winter), if, by shaking them, they sound hollow, you
may be certain they are not new-laid, and not fit to be boiled for
breakfast: but, if broken, they may prove fit for any other culinary
purpose, except for soufflés, for which eggs must be very fresh. The
safest way to try them is to hold them to the light, forming a focus
with your hand; should the shell be covered with small dark spots, they
are very doubtful, and should be broken separately in a cup, and each
egg smelt previous to using; if, however, in looking at them, you see no
transparency in the shells, you may be sure they are rotten and only fit
to be thrown away; the most precise way is, to look at them by the light
of a candle; if quite fresh, there are no spots upon the shells, and
they have a brilliant light yellow tint; in the spring of the year, it
would be scarcely excusable to use any eggs that are not quite fresh.
13. _Eggs for Breakfast,--plain boiled._--Put about a pint of water to
boil in any kind of small stewpan (or saucepan) over the fire; when
boiling, put in two or three fresh eggs, gently, with a spoon, being
particular not to crack them or allow them to boil too fast, or the
interior of the eggs would partly escape before they were set, giving
them an unsightly appearance, and entirely prevent their cooking
regularly: three minutes is sufficient to cook a full-sized egg, but if
below the average size, two minutes and a half will suffice.
14. _Eggs au Beurre: a new method._--Let the eggs boil six minutes
instead of three, then take them out, dip them for two seconds in cold
water, crack and peel off the shells, and lay them in a hot plate (they
will remain quite whole if properly done), cut each egg in halves
lengthwise, spread a little fresh butter and sprinkle a little salt over
the interior, and eat them very hot.
Eggs done in this manner are delicate and digestible.
15. _To boil Eggs hard._--Never boil eggs for salads, sauces, or any
other purposes, more than ten minutes, and when done place them in a
basin of cold water for five minutes to cool: take off their shells, and
use them when required.
Nothing is more indigestible than an egg too hard-boiled.
16. _Poached Eggs._--Put a pint of water in a stewpan, with four
teaspoonfuls of vinegar and half a teaspoonful of salt, place it over
the fire, and when boiling, break your eggs into it as near the surface
of the water as possible, let them boil gently about three minutes; have
rather a thin piece of toast, as described (No. 1), upon a dish, take
the eggs out carefully with a small slice, lay the slice with the eggs
upon a cloth for a second to drain the water from them, set them
carefully upon the toast, and serve very hot. If the eggs are fresh they
will look most inviting, but the way of breaking and boiling them must
be most carefully attended to, and care should be taken not to boil too
many together; if the yolks separate from the white it may be presumed
that the egg is not fresh, but it may be eatable, for the same thing may
happen through awkwardness in poaching.
Again, the toast upon which they are served may be buttered either with
plain or maître d'hôtel butter, or two small pats of butter may be
melted, without boiling it, and poured over, or a little melted butter
sauce, or the same with the addition of a little maître d'hôtel butter
poured over when just upon the point of boiling, or a little anchovy
butter instead of the other; thus you may be able to indulge in nice
little luxuries at a trifling expense.
17. _Toast and Eggs._--Break three eggs into a small stewpan, add a
saltspoonful of salt, a quarter of that quantity of pepper, and two
ounces of fresh butter (the fresher the better), set the stewpan over a
moderate fire, and stir the eggs round with a wooden spoon, being
careful to keep every particle in motion, until the whole has become a
smooth and delicate thickish substance; have ready a convenient-sized
crisp piece of toast, pour the eggs upon it, and serve immediately.
18. _Eggs sur le Plat._--Lightly butter a small oval dish, upon which
break two, three, or more eggs without breaking the yolks, season
lightly with a little white pepper and salt, put a few small pieces of
butter here and there upon them, and then set the dish in a small oven,
where let it remain until the whites become set, but by no means hard,
and serve hot; if the oven is moderately hot, they will take about ten
minutes; if no oven, put the dish before the fire, turning it round now
and then until the eggs are set regular. This is a most excellent dish.
19. _Omelettes_ may also be served for breakfast with great advantage,
being very relishing, especially the omelettes _aux fines herbes_, _au
lard_, and _aux champignons_, but as they are considered to belong to
the dinner, they will be given in that series of receipts.
20. _Herring Toast Sandwich._--Choose a bloater for this purpose not too
dry, which split in two, cutting it down the back; lay them upon a plate
and pour a pint of boiling water over; let them soak five minutes, when
lay them upon a cloth to dry; then broil them very gradually upon a
gridiron; when well done, which will be in about four or five minutes,
have ready two thin slices of toast, made very crisp, butter them
lightly, then take away all the bones from the herrings, lay the fleshy
parts equally upon one piece of toast and cover with the other: serve
very hot.
21. _Toast and Eggs with Herring._--Prepare your toast and eggs as
directed (No. 17), but previous to pouring the eggs over, lay the flesh
of a herring as directed in the last, and pour the eggs over that.
Herrings upon toast, with a layer of mashed potatoes over, is also very
good.
Dried haddock may also be served the same, as also may sardines, but
they being ready-cooked, are laid over cold without splitting them; they
are very delicious; if wanted hot, set them a few minutes before the
fire.
22. _Fish for Breakfast,--Bloated Herrings._--They require to be freshly
salted, for if dry they are quite rank and unpalatable; scrape them
lightly with a knife, and wipe them well with a cloth; pass the point of
a knife down the back from head to tail, making an incision about a
quarter of an inch in depth; place them upon the gridiron over a sharp
fire; they will take about six minutes to cook, of course turning them
occasionally; when done, put them upon a hot dish, open the backs, and
place half a small pat of butter in each; again close them: cooked this
way they are delicious, especially if they are real bloaters. Another
way is to cut them quite open and broil them flat upon the gridiron, and
serve quite plain; this way they are done much more quickly. Or, if nice
and fresh, oil half a sheet of white paper for every fish, in which fold
them and broil fifteen minutes over a slow fire, turning them over three
or four times, and serve in the papers. Should you have any that have
become dry, soak them about twenty minutes in lukewarm water, and
proceed as first directed. (Same process will do for red herrings.)
23. _Dried Haddock._--A very excellent thing for breakfast, but they
never ought to be cooked whole, for one side being thinner than the
other is of course dried up before the other is much more than half
done, especially the larger ones; the better plan is to cut them in
halves lengthwise, put them upon the gridiron over a moderate fire,
keeping them frequently turned, and taking the thinnest half off first;
the thickest will require about ten minutes to cook it thoroughly; when
done, spread a pat of fresh butter over, and serve upon a very hot dish.
Haddocks may also be skinned and broiled in oiled paper, but of course
would take rather more time in cooking.
24. _Whitings._--Of all the modes of preparing and dressing whitings for
breakfast I cannot but admire and prize the system pursued by the
Scotch, which renders them the most light, wholesome, and delicious food
that could possibly be served for breakfast: their method is, to obtain
the fish as fresh as possible, clean and skin them, take out the eyes,
cover the fish over with salt, immediately after which take them out and
shake off the superfluous salt, pass a string through the eye-holes, and
hang them up to dry in a passage or some place where there is a current
of air; the next morning take them off, just roll them lightly in a
little flour, broil them gently over a slow fire, and serve very hot,
with a small piece of fresh butter rubbed over each, or serve quite dry
if preferable.
25. _Slips or Small Soles._--When cleaned, season them with a little
pepper and salt, dip lightly into flour, and broil them slowly over a
moderate fire about ten minutes, or according to the size; when done,
place them upon a hot dish, pour two tablespoonfuls of cream over and
serve immediately. They may of course be served dry, but pouring the
cream over is a new and very good idea. Nothing but small white fish
could be tolerated for breakfast.
26. _Sprats_ when nicely cooked are very commendable. Dip them lightly
into flour, and place them upon a gridiron over a slow fire; when about
half done, turn them; when done (which would be in about five minutes
from the time you put them on), serve dry in a very hot dish.
27. _Meat for Breakfast,--Sheep's Kidneys._--Procure as many as you may
require for your party, about one each is generally sufficient; be sure
that they are fresh, which any person can ascertain by smelling, if not
able to judge by their appearance; cut them open very evenly lengthwise,
down to the root, but not to separate them; then have some small iron or
wooden skewers, upon which thread the kidneys quite flat, by running the
skewer twice through each kidney, that is, under the white part; season
them rather highly with pepper and salt, and place them upon a gridiron
(the inside downwards), over a sharp fire; in three minutes turn them
over, and in about six they will be sufficiently done; then take them
off the skewers, place them in a very hot dish, and serve immediately.
In opening them be careful to cut them in the centre, for should one
half be thicker than the other, one would be dried before the other was
sufficiently cooked.
28. _Kidneys on Toast._--Prepare the kidneys precisely as in the last,
but when done have ready a piece of hot toast, which butter lightly; lay
the kidneys upon it; have ready a small piece of butter, to which you
have added a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; place a
small piece in the centre of each kidney, and when melted serve.
29. _Kidney bread-crumbed, à la Maître d'Hôtel._--Prepare the kidneys as
before, and when upon the skewer, have ready upon a plate an egg well
beat up with a fork; season the kidneys with a little salt and pepper,
dip them into the egg, then lightly cover them with bread-crumbs, put
them upon the gridiron, which place over a moderate fire, broil them
about ten minutes, turning them when half done, have ready a little
maître d'hôtel butter, put about half an ounce in each kidney, and serve
immediately upon a very hot dish; by the time it gets upon the table the
butter will be melted, and they eat very relishing; dressed this way
they may also be served upon toast.
30. _Sautéd Kidneys._--Should you not have a fire fit for broiling, put
an ounce of butter into a sauté-pan (which of course must be very
clean), cut the kidney in halves lengthwise; and when the butter is
melted, lay them in, the flat side downwards, having previously well
seasoned them with pepper and salt; set the pan on a moderate fire three
minutes, then turn them, place them again upon the fire until done; when
have ready a piece of dry toast, which place upon a hot dish, pour the
kidneys with the butter and gravy over and serve very hot, care must be
taken in sautéing that the butter does not become burnt.
Another way is to sprinkle about a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, or
onions, over them whilst being sautéd; this materially changes the
flavor, and meets the approbation of many.
For the cooking of mutton chops, steaks, cutlets, broiled fowl, broiled
bones, or remnants of poultry or game, I must refer you to where they
are given as receipts for the dinner-table.
31. _Bacon and Ham, how to choose both fit for broiling._--Ham for
broiling ought not to be too old or too dry, it would perhaps eat rank:
nothing requires more care than broiling. Either get a slice of ham
weighing a quarter of a pound or two ounces, which lay on your gridiron;
put them over the fire; it will take perhaps five minutes, if the fire
is good, and more, of course, if slow, but in that short space of time
turn them three or four times, and it is done. Proceed the same if you
want to serve it with poached eggs, but be careful that the eggs be
ready at the same time as the bacon or ham, or both would eat badly. If
you happen to have a whole ham by you for that purpose only, begin to
cut the slices in a slanting direction and the same thickness, and
proceed to the end of the ham with the remainder; it will prove more
profitable to broil with greens, peas, broad beans, &c., &c.
To sauté it, put a little butter or good fat in the pan; set it on the
fire with your slice in it, sauté very gently, turning very often, and
serve it on very thin toast.
32. _Ham and Eggs._--While your ham is doing, break two fresh eggs in
the pan, season slightly with salt and pepper, set it before the fire
till the eggs are delicately done, and slip them whole carefully into
your dish, without breaking the yolk.
33. _Bacon._--The streaky part of a thick flank of bacon is to be
preferred; cut nice slices not above a quarter of an inch thick, take
off the rind, put to broil on the gridiron over a clear fire, turn it
three or four times in the space of five minutes; this will be all the
cooking required: serve it very hot. Though this is the best part, the
whole of the bacon is still good, especially if not rank, which can be
easily detected by its yellowish color: if too dry or salt, after it has
been cut in slices, dip it into a little vinegar and water three or four
times, and sauté as usual, it will make it softer and less salt: serve
as usual. If any remain after a dinner of boiled bacon, it is also very
good broiled or fried for next day's breakfast.
34. _Sausages._--Sausages are very frequently esteemed for breakfast. By
all means, never use them, except you are confident that they are fresh.
The skin must be transparent, that the meat should be seen through; they
keep good two or three days in a cold place in summer, nearly a week in
winter (with care). For the receipt how to make them in the homely way,
see future letter.
35. _Sausages, how to cook them._--Prick them with a pin all round about
twenty times, put them on the gridiron over a gentle fire, turn three or
four times, by doing which you will have them a very nice yellow color;
dish them, and serve them very hot.
36. _Sautéd Sausages._--If your fire smokes, it is preferable to sauté
them; put some butter in the pan, with four sausages; after you have
pricked them as before-mentioned, sauté gently, a few minutes will do
them, turn them often; in many instances a thin slice of bread sautéd in
the fat they have produced is a great improvement; save the fat, as it
is always useful in a kitchen. In case you are in a hurry to do them,
throw them into hot water for one minute previously to their being
broiled or sautéd; they will then be the sooner cooked, and even eat
rather more relishing to a delicate stomach, having extracted the oil
from the skin; they may also be fried in the frying-pan.
37. _Black Puddings, broiled._--Make about six or eight incisions
through the skin with a knife, in a slanting way, on each side of the
pudding; put it on the gridiron for about eight minutes, on rather a
brisk fire, turn it four times in that space of time, and serve it
broiling hot.
I should recommend those who are fond of black puddings to partake of no
other beverage than tea or coffee, as cocoa or chocolate would be a clog
to the stomach. In France they partake of white wine for breakfast,
which accounts for the great consumption of black pudding. Now really
this is a very favorite dish with epicures, but I never should recommend
it to a delicate stomach.
ON COFFEE.--Coffee, which has now come so generally into use,
originally came from Arabia, where it has been known from time
immemorial, but was brought into use in England in the year 1653;
as it is not generally known how it was introduced, I will give you
the account of it from "Houghton's Collection," 1698. "It appears
that a Mr. Daniel Edwards, an English Merchant of Smyrna, brought
with him to this country a Greek of the name of Pasqua, in 1652,
who made his coffee; this Mr. Edwards married one Alderman Hodges's
daughter, who lived in Walbrook, and set up Pasqua for a coffee-man
in a shed in the churchyard in St. Michael, Cornhill, which is now
a scrivener's brave-house, when, having great custom, the
ale-sellers petitioned the Lord Mayor against him, as being no
freeman. This made Alderman Hodges join his coachman, Bowman, who
was free, as Pasqua's partner; but Pasqua, for some misdemeanor,
was forced to run the country, and Bowman, by his trade and a
contribution of 1000 sixpences, turned the shed to a house.
Bowman's apprentices were first, John Painter, then Humphrey, from
whose wife I had this account." Having examined the renter
churchwarden's book of St. Michael, Cornhill, I find that the house
or shed Bowman built is now part of the Jamaica Coffee-House; it
was rebuilt by Bowman, after the fire, in 1667.
It is a very remarkable fact that but few persons in England know
how to make good coffee, although so well supplied with the first
quality of that delicious berry; but, by way of contrast, I must
say that the middle classes of France are quite as ignorant of the
method of making tea.
I remember, upon one occasion, whilst staying at Havre with Mr. B.,
where we were upon a visit at the house of one of his agents, who
invited a few of his friends to meet us at a tea-party _à
l'Anglaise_, as they used to call it, about an hour previous to
tea, and previous to the arrival of the guests, I was walking upon
the lawn before the house, when my attention was attracted by a
cloud of steam issuing from the kitchen-window, smelling most
powerfully of tea: my curiosity led me to the kitchen, where I
found the cook busily engaged making cocoa and most delicious
coffee, but preparing the tea in a ridiculous fashion, the leaves
of which were in an awful state of agitation, attempting as it were
to escape from an earthen pot at the side of the fire, in which the
delicious soup we had for dinner was made a few hours previously.
(_See_ Pot-au-Feu.)
"My dear girl," said I (in French), "what process do you call that
of making tea? it never ought to be boiled."
"I beg your pardon, Madame," says she, "master and mistress like it
well done, and it will be another short half-hour before it is
properly cooked (ce sera alors copieux)."
"You are decidedly wrong," said I, "and I shall be most happy to
show you the way we make it in England."
"Yes, I know what you mean, Madame," replied she; "I used to make
it that way before, but no one liked it, that is, to boil it one
hour in a copper-pan over a charcoal fire." Upon which I retired,
making a most comical grimace, to refrain from laughing at her
still more ridiculous fashion.
You must, however, observe that this occurred nearly twelve years
ago, and I have no doubt but a reform has taken place since then
by the continual traffic of the English through that part of the
country. I must say, with respect to ourselves, we do not make
quite such a blunder respecting coffee, but still our middle
classes very seldom enjoy the aroma of that delicious beverage,
which should be made as follows:
Choose the coffee of a very nice brown color, but not black (which
would denote that it was burnt, and impart a bitter flavor); grind
it at home if possible, as you may then depend upon the quality; if
ground in any quantity, keep it in a jar hermetically sealed. To
make a pint, put two ounces into a stewpan, or small iron or tin
saucepan, which set dry upon a moderate fire, stirring the coffee
round with a wooden spoon continually until it is quite hot
through, but not in the least burnt; should the fire be very
fierce, warm it by degrees, taking it off every now and then until
hot (which would not be more than two minutes), when pour over a
pint of boiling water, cover close, and let it stand by the side of
the fire (but not to boil) for five minutes, when strain it through
a cloth or a piece of thick gauze, rinse out the stewpan, pour the
coffee (which will be quite clear) back into it, place it upon the
fire, and, when nearly boiling, serve with hot milk if for
breakfast, but with a drop of cold milk or cream if for dinner.
To prove the simplicity of this mode of making coffee, I shall here
give a repetition of the receipt as it actually is:
38. Put two ounces of ground coffee into a stewpan, which set upon the
fire, stirring the powder round with a spoon until quite hot, when pour
over a pint of boiling water; cover over closely for five minutes, when
pass it through a cloth, warm again, and serve.[1]
The foregoing proportions would make coffee good enough for any
person, but more or less coffee could be used, if required; the
cloth through which it is passed should be immediately washed and
put by for the next occasion. A hundred cups of coffee could be
made as here directed in half an hour, by procuring a pan
sufficiently large, and using the proper proportions of coffee and
water, passing it afterwards through a large cloth or jelly-bag.
39. _Coffee, French fashion._--To a pint of coffee, made as before
directed, add a pint of boiling milk, warm both together until nearly
boiling, and serve. The French never use it any other way for breakfast.
40. _White Coffee, a new style._--Put two ounces of unground coffee,
slightly roasted, into a clean stewpan, which set upon a moderate fire,
slowly warming the coffee through, shaking the stewpan round every
half-minute; when very hot, which you will perceive by the smoke arising
from it, pour over half a pint of boiling water, cover the stewpan well,
and let it infuse by the side of the fire for fifteen minutes, then add
half a pint of boiling-hot milk, pass the coffee through a small fine
sieve into the coffee-pot or jug, and serve with white sugar-candy or
crystallized sugar; it is, as you will perceive, a great novelty, and an
agreeable change; but if by neglect you let the coffee get black, or the
least burnt, do not attempt to make use of it; it should only be
sufficiently charred to break easily in a mortar if required.
41. _Coffee, made with a filter._--To make a quart; first put a pint of
boiling water through the filter to warm it, which again pour away, then
put a quarter of a pound of ground coffee upon the filter, upon which
put the presser lightly, and the grating, pour over half a pint of
boiling water, let it drain three or four minutes, then pour over a pint
and a half more boiling water; when well passed through, pour it into a
clean stewpan, which set at the corner of the fire until a light scum
arises, but not boiling; pour it again through the filter, and when well
drained through, pour into the coffee-pot, and serve with hot milk, or a
little cream, separately.
42. _Another way, more economical._--Proceed as in the last, but
draining the coffee through once only, and serve, after which pour
another quart of boiling water over the coffee-grounds, which, when
drained through, reserve, and boil up for the next coffee you make,
using it instead of water, and an ounce less coffee.
TEA is, without doubt, one of the most useful herbs ever introduced
into England, which was in the year of the fire of London, 1666: it
has replaced an unwholesome and heavy drink (ale) which used to be
partaken of previously, and has created habits of sobriety. It is
indigenous to China, Japan, and Siam, and consists of many
varieties, the proper mixing of which constitutes the great art of
a tea-dealer. It is exceedingly useful in many cases of sickness,
and particularly after having partaken of any liquor to excess, or
after extraordinary fatigue. When new, it is a narcotic; but when
old it has a different effect,[2] and in its native country is
never partaken of until a year old, and not then, unless
exceedingly desiccated. I cannot recommend you any one in
particular, as that depends on taste; but this I advise, that when
you have a kind to your liking, to keep to it.
And now, my dear friend, without wishing in the least to offend
you, or attempting to aggravate your good nature, I must beg to
contradict your assertion made at the commencement of our
undertaking, where you say, respecting tea, of course I know how to
make it; you made it whilst staying at our house occasionally, and
Mr. B. found there was a great difference between it and mine. But
to tell you the truth respecting tea, I have a little secret of my
own, being a discovery which I made a short time ago by accident.
Whilst in the act of making tea, I had just put the dry tea in the
pot, when I heard a fearful scream up-stairs in the drawing-room;
rushing there, I found my little girl had had a severe fall in
reaching something from the chimney-piece, the stool upon which she
stood having upset: twenty minutes at least had elapsed before I
returned to my tea (which, being alone, I was in no particular
hurry for), when I found that the servant, thinking there was water
in the pot, and fearing the tea would be spoiled, put it into the
oven, which was rather hot; when she brought it to me, I was rather
annoyed, when all at once it struck me that the leaves being hot
through, the tea would not require so long to draw; I then filled
the teapot with boiling water, and in a minute afterwards had a
most delicious cup of tea, since which I have adopted the system
upon all occasions, and am now having made a small spirit-lamp to
warm the pot and leaves, as the oven is not always hot: it may,
however, be made hot in front of the fire, but not too close of
course. I gave the receipt to one of our neighbors, who actually
laughed at the idea, but never tried it, saying, "We cannot teach
anything to our grandmothers, and that what did for them would do
for us." Now what could you say to such people? why nothing, but
let them alone, as I shall do for the future. But you, my dear, I
know have better sense; proceed as I have directed, and you will
find it a great improvement. Put your tea in the pot a quarter of
an hour before ready for it, warming both tea and pot, fill with
boiling water, and leave it from three to five minutes to draw,
when it is quite ready.
CACAO was first known in Europe after the discovery of America, and
it retains its Indian name; of course, it was first used in Spain,
and did not come into use in England until much later; and we find
that there was imported into England, in the year 1694, about
13,000 lbs. weight of it; at the present day there was, in 1848,
410,000 lbs. It is a long fruit, about five to eight inches, and
three or four thick, which contains about thirty nuts: the tree
grows to only a few feet in height.
In the course of my experiments, I have found that the shell is
almost as nutritious as the kernel, with less oily particles in it,
which, to many, are unpleasant.
43. _Chocolate._--Scrape two ounces of the cake, which put into a stew
or saucepan, with a gill of water, upon the fire, keeping it stirred
with a wooden spoon until rather thick, when work it quickly with the
spoon, stirring in half a pint of boiling milk by degrees; serve very
hot, with sugar separate.
44. _Chocolate made in the Italian method._--Procure a regular
chocolate-pot with a muller, the handle of which comes through the lid,
one might be procured at any brazier's, put in two ounces of chocolate
(scraped), over which by degrees pour a pint of boiling milk, put on the
lid, with the muller inside, which keep well moving, setting the pot
upon the fire, and when very hot and frothy, serve.
45. _Cocoa._--Put a teaspoonful and a half of canistered cocoa into a
cup, which fill by degrees with boiling milk, stir it until dissolved,
when it is ready to serve; sugar separately.
LETTER No. III
Oatlands Cottage, Jan. 20, 1849.
DEAR HORTENSE,--I have inclosed the whole of the receipts which you
have sent me for the breakfasts, properly classified, having
omitted the cold meats (as you desired me) from this series,
thinking, as you do, they are more suited for the luncheon. To save
useless repetition, I have placed the receipts in numbers, by which
references can be easily made, and any dish appearing in the dinner
or luncheon series, but available for breakfast, can be directly
found.
But one thing I remember when at your house was, that when the
remains of a joint were rather large, you used to put it upon a
side table, and let any one help themselves from it there; your
idea being, I believe, that very few persons liked to have a large
dish of meat before their eyes almost immediately after rising from
their beds, or at the first meal of the morning. Respecting the way
your table was laid out, to the best of my recollection, it was as
follows:--First the large table-cloth, over which was laid a small
napkin before each person, with cups and saucers for tea or coffee,
at choice, small plates for rolls, and a size larger for meat,
sausages, eggs, &c., a small knife and fork for each; the butter in
a pretty freezing butter-glass, just covered with clear spring
water, and garnished with a few sprigs of parsley or watercresses;
the cream in a small china cream-jug, and a larger jug containing
hot milk for coffee; orange marmalade in its original pot,
honeycomb, watercresses, and once a few nice young radishes, which
were excellent, although a little out of season; one day also dry
toast was served, another day buttered, the next muffins, then
crumpets, white and brown bread, and small rolls, thus making a
continual change, but all so small and inviting. I shall always,
when I have company, as you had then, arrange everything in the
same manner, especially now that I have your receipts down. But
when you are alone, you tell me, you never make any such display,
which of course would be ridiculous; still even then you vary, by
having either tea, coffee, or chocolate, which change I like as
well as you. I eat meat but occasionally, but Mr. L---- generally
likes a little broiled bacon, or boiled egg, things in themselves
very simple and pleasant to have upon the table. Yours, in haste,
ELOISE.
EARLY LUNCHEONS.
LETTER
LETTER No. IV.
MY DEAR FRIEND,--I feel perfectly satisfied with the manner in
which you have classified my receipts respecting the breakfasts,
and must say I felt very much interested in looking over them; I am
confident they would prove interesting and instructive to any young
housekeeper; I hope, therefore, you will preserve the originals, as
I do not keep any copies, fearing they would confuse me by making
reference to them; so that, if at any future time I should make a
repetition in other series, you would be able to correct me, for I
am as willing as yourself that we should complete our work by going
through every series comprising meals of the day.
The next meal, then, to breakfast, in the ordinary course of
events, is the luncheon. Although it is a meal we never touch
ourselves, I am aware many small families make it a regular one, so
our little journal would not be complete without some few remarks,
which I intend making as short and concise as possible. When we
were in business, our luncheons were comprised of any cold meats
which were cooked for previous dinners; if a joint of cold roast or
boiled meat, it requires to be nicely trimmed before making its
appearance at table, but reserving the trimmings for hash, if of
roast meat, or bubble-and-squeak, if salt beef, which is an
excellent method of disposing of the remainder of a joint to
advantage; if the joint happened to be cold veal, I used to send
for a plate of ham to serve with it, unless there was a piece of
bacon also left; if mutton, I used to dish up the leg with a pretty
little paper frill upon the knuckle, also trimming the joint
lightly, for you must be aware that, after four or five have dined
from a leg of mutton, its appearance becomes quite spoiled, and
looks blackish when cold. Pork I also serve the same; when parsley
was cheap, I always laid a few branches round it, which used, as my
visitors said, to make the meat look very refreshing and inviting.
Our only addition was sometimes the remainder of game, which at
that time used frequently to be presented to us--pheasants,
partridges, or grouse; as it would then have been very extravagant
to have purchased them, especially when they were so expensive. As
an accompaniment to the meat, I always kept two different sorts of
mixed pickles, good bread, butter, cheese, and a glass of excellent
table ale; or, if our guest was some bosom friend or good customer,
a bottle of sherry (not decantered), never any port, thinking that
more fit for the dinner-table. Such was my plan in the first five
years after my marriage: everything upon our table was of the first
quality, and every one used to admire the neatness with which the
table was laid out.
My method now, when luncheon is required (as we do not dine until
half-past five o'clock, Mr. B. being engaged until four in the
city), I have the cloth laid at twelve, and lunch at half-past; and
that time being just after the nursery dinner, we generally have
some sort of pudding or tart, made at the same time with theirs.
For cold meat, I always serve that up which has been left from a
previous dinner, if any, or any remains of poultry, game, ham, or
tongue. When, however, we have six or eight friends from the
country at Christmas, I feel proud to show them my style of doing
things well and economically, for they are very intelligent people,
and can appreciate good living, though at home they really live too
plain for their incomes; but they say, "We do not understand how it
is that you make a nice little dish almost out of nothing." For
should I have the remnants of any poultry or game not very inviting
to the sight, I generally cut it up and show my cook how to hash it
in a variety of ways; and I always remark, that they never partake
of any cold meat whilst any of the hash remains. For the methods of
making various hashes of fowl, game, hare, rabbit, beef, mutton, as
also curries, minced veal and poached eggs, cold pies of game,
poultry, mutton, beefsteak, or pigeon, as also plain mutton
cutlets, steaks, and broiled bones, the whole of which may be
served for luncheon, I must refer you to the series of receipts
belonging to the dinner; any of these articles are placed in order
upon the table, with the pickle-stand, two different cruet-sauces,
orange marmalade, potatoes, butter, cheese, sherry and port wines.
This style of luncheon will no doubt surprise you, but I can assure
you it scarcely increases my expenditure, having the same number to
provide for daily, so that the luncheon is generally made up from
the remains of dinner, and the remains of luncheon will dine our
three servants at half-past one. In the summer, I introduce a few
dishes of fruit, and less meat; and when there are several ladies,
I often introduce some English-made wine, which once I used to make
myself, but which I can now buy cheaper.
THE NURSERY DINNER.
LETTER No. V
DEAR FRIEND,--Now here I must call your especial attention to the
way many people treat this department of domestic comfort, which is
often very slight and irregular. Now, for my part, I have made
quite a study of it, and could prove that health is always
dependent on the state of the digestive organs; and that, if you
should improperly treat young stomachs, by over or under supplying
their wants, or using them to ill-cooked food, you not only destroy
the functionary coating of the stomach, but also impede the
development of the intellect. It is, then, as much a science to
manage the food of children, as to cater for the palate of the
gourmet, and I shall always consider that good food is to the body
what education is to the mind.
My plan of managing the nursery meals is as follows:--At eight
o'clock in the morning, which was my usual time, I used myself to
prepare that glutinous food upon which our ancestors and race were
first reared, rather unclassically denominated pap. My method was
very simple:
46.--Put two ounces of rusk, or tops and bottoms, in a small saucepan,
with just sufficient water to moisten them; set the saucepan upon the
fire until its contents are thoroughly warmed through; pour a little of
the water away, if too thin, pressing the rusk with a spoon; then add a
teaspoonful of brown sugar, and beat the whole with a spoon until quite
a pulp; it is then ready for use.
I have seen some poor people in the country make it with a stale
piece of bread, previously well dried and lightly toasted before
the fire, and you could scarcely tell the difference from rusks;
and you must observe, that people in a country village cannot
always supply themselves with everything in the way of luxury; but
look at the greater part of those country urchins,--are they not a
real picture of health? for, after all, nothing is more
advantageous to a delicate child than country air and country food.
When Mr. B. and myself were staying at Boulogne for a few weeks, I
was astonished to hear that everybody used to put their children
out to nurse. I was so surprised, that I made every inquiry, and
found it literally true, that even respectable tradespeople sent
their children a mile or two in the country, some to the houses of
very poor people: I cannot say that I approve of such a style of
bringing up infants, but even there they seem as healthy and as
joyful as possible. I also found there something to be learned, and
that was, how to make French pap, which I think very nutritious,
but which I considered at the time rather heavy for our climate;
but having afterwards made a trial of it upon our little Henry, I
found him doing so extremely well, that I continued feeding him
upon it for nearly eight months, until he was old enough to eat
other food. The following is the receipt:
47.--Put a tablespoonful of flour into a pap saucepan, to which add by
degrees two gills of milk, mixing it into a very smooth batter with a
wooden spoon; place the saucepan upon the fire, let it boil ten minutes,
keeping it stirred the whole time, or it is liable to burn or become
brown, then add about half an ounce of sugar and a little salt, put it
into a basin, and it is ready for use. A little butter is also very good
in it.
You will observe, that it is more difficult and troublesome to make
than our pap; but when used to it, you will expend no more time
over it; and, as the French people say, cooking is all pleasure and
no trouble. But what convinces me that it is more palatable and
nutritious is, that I have seen a very robust man make a hearty
dinner of two plates of it by introducing bread in it. I have no
doubt that our own hasty pudding was taken from it, for the use of
children of three or four years old, being thought too heavy for
infants. These long details may appear rather insignificant and
tedious to you, but I leave them to your good judgment, begging of
you to curtail my remarks should you think proper; but, although
you may consider that every person is acquainted with these
domestic habits, you would find upon inquiry that very many persons
neglect them almost entirely. Having written thus much upon the
food of infants, we must next consider the proper diet for children
of twelve months old, commencing with bread and milk.
48.--For which, cut about two ounces of any white bread into small thin
slices, which put into a small basin or a large breakfast cup, in a
little saucepan (only used for that purpose) have half a pint of milk,
which, when upon the point of boiling, pour over the bread; cover the
cup over five minutes, and it is ready for use.
I much prefer this method to that of boiling the bread and milk
together. In first commencing to feed a child upon the above, I
always added a little sugar, which I withdrew by degrees, as I do
not like to accustom children to too much sweets, as it inclines
them when a little older to be always wanting or eating sweet
stuff, which often spoils the best set of teeth; and here let me
remark, that the finest fortune you can give to your children is
health, and as loving mothers, whilst we have them under our
control, it is our duty to study their little comforts, and direct
their first steps in life in the road of happiness.
49. _Porridge._--When children are delicate, porridge is often
preferable to bread and milk. Put two tablespoonfuls of Scotch grits or
oatmeal in the milk saucepan, which moisten with half a pint of milk;
let it boil ten minutes, keeping well stirred, add a small piece of
butter and a little sugar, and it is ready for use.
When my children were about eighteen months or two years old, I
used to give them a little tender meat, such as boiled mutton, and
broth, but in very small quantities, keeping still for the general
food the bread and milk and porridge; but now they are old enough
to eat anything wholesome (one being nine and the other ten years
of age), their meals are composed thus:
50.--Bread and milk for breakfast at eight; the dinner at one, which was
composed as follows throughout the week: roast mutton and apple pudding,
roast beef and currant pudding, baked apples; boiled mutton with
turnips, after which rice or vermicelli pudding; occasionally a little
salt beef, with suet dumplings, plain and with currants in them, or
pease pudding; or if unwell, a little veal or chicken-broth, or beef-tea
(the receipts for which will be found in the series entitled Comforts
for Invalids).
When in business, the first three years we could not afford to keep
a nursery, in fact, we had no room to spare; the children then used
to dine with us at one, but at a side-table with their nurse.
51.--They then had a little plain meat, cut small in their plates, with
potatoes, pieces of bread, and gravy, after which, three times a week,
plain rice, bread, or other plain pudding, or rhubarb or apple tart;
and, at five o'clock, their bread and milk again, previous to going to
bed.
But if for people who could afford it, I should recommend the
following diet-table, for nurserymaid and all:
52.--First, about two pounds of mutton well-cooked, but with the real
gravy of the meat in it, which will require about one hour before a
moderate fire, dredge it ten minutes before being done; when taken up
and in the dish, sprinkle a little salt over the meat, and pour over
three or four spoonfuls of hot water to make a little light gravy.
Many persons will, I am aware, quite disapprove of this system of
washing the meat: they would serve it as if it were for full-grown
people, but you well know what would do for children as well as
I--plain, simple, and wholesome food; I always carried out this
system, and I now make my cook do the same.
53.--Then the next day I would give them a small piece of mutton, plain
boiled, with turnips, and apple tart; or a few slices of roast beef, or
a small piece roasted on purpose, after which a very plain currant
pudding; or, occasionally, a little pickled pork, with pease pudding, or
roast pork, with baked apples, and now and then a little salt beef, but
very well boiled, with suet dumplings, and occasionally, for change,
either bread, vermicelli, or tapioca puddings; in case of illness, and
with the approbation of the doctor, veal, mutton, or chicken-broth,
sago, gruel, panada, &c., for which refer to the receipts for invalids.
Now the more I write the more I am convinced that, for the method
of preparing certain articles for the children's dinners, we must
refer to the kitchen department of receipts and receipts for
invalids, especially as regards broth, meat, puddings, &c., or
otherwise we should have so many repetitions; so that it would be
better, upon the completion of the journal, to make references,
either by numbers of receipt or page; it will be more intelligible,
and less confused.
Many people would, perhaps, imagine that there is too much variety
of food for children; but it is quite the contrary, for change of
food is to the stomach what change of air is to the general health,
but, of course, with children, those changes must be effected with
judgment, and their food administered in smaller quantities; but
you must observe when children are well brought up with regard to
their meals, they possess extraordinary organs of digestion, the
proof of which is that they require feeding oftener than a
full-grown person, and never appear to be tired of eating, thus, of
course, they do not require such quantities at a time. Having here
terminated my remarks upon the Nursery, I shall leave this scene of
romp and confusion, to walk on tip-toe to the sick-room door, and
carefully enter, without noise, into this mournful abode of human
suffering and captivity, in hopes that, by watching over their
diet, my small efforts may improve their comforts, which, by being
properly managed, may assist in their restoration to health. I
shall, therefore, proceed to give some receipts, entitled Comforts
for Invalids.
Nothing is to me more painful than to see any food ill-prepared for
sick people, where the sense of taste is partially gone; everything
ordered by the doctors as food, should be cooked in the greatest
perfection, especially as everything they require is so very simple
and easily done, that it is unpardonable to do it badly, although I
am sorry to say that it is too often the case, even in many of our
first hospitals and other public establishments, where they have
provisions in abundance, and of the first quality.
Perhaps you may fancy I am too severe upon that delicate subject,
but I can assure you that I have for years been in the habit of
visiting some of these institutions for the sick, and can therefore
speak with confidence. I have grieved often to see it, and have
wished that they would follow a system I would lay down, but there
are some people who would not change their style, however bad, for
a better one, for the world.
Now I must here claim all your intelligence, for pointing out those
receipts the accomplishing of which is most plain, and will insure
success to those who may try to do them, and cause them to persuade
others to follow their example. I therefore inclose the following.
Yours, &c.
HORTENSE.
COMFORTS FOR INVALIDS.
54. _Meat for Invalids._--The best meat as food for invalids is, in
fact, that which is principally used, mutton and beef, lamb, if not too
young (sweetbreads, I consider, ought oftener to be introduced), and
calves' feet or head, scalded and boiled until tender, are very
nutritious; chickens, pigeons, partridges, are also very inviting. All
the above-mentioned articles are easy of digestion, excepting perhaps
the beef, which may require to be gently stewed until tender, if for a
delicate stomach just ordered to take meat after a serious fit of
illness.
55. _Plain Mutton Broth for Invalids._--Get one pound of scrag of
mutton, break the bone with a chopper, without separating the meat, then
put it into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of
salt; boil gently two hours, carefully removing all the scum and fat,
which is easily done by allowing it to simmer slowly by the side of the
fire; it will be by that time reduced to about one quart, and is then
ready to serve. This broth must not be expected to drink very palatable,
being deprived of vegetables and seasoning, being in fact more like a
beverage than a soup: at the commencement of convalescence more strength
may be given if ordered by the doctor, by reducing the original quantity
to one pint. This broth is often administered by a spoonful only at a
time.
56. _Seasoned Mutton Broth._--Put the same quantity of mutton and water
into your stewpan, add double the quantity of salt, and a quarter ditto
brown sugar, quarter of a middle-sized onion, very little celery, and
one ounce of turnip; set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil
draw it to the side; let it simmer gently two hours; skim off all the
scum and fat, and pass it through a sieve, and use it when required.
When finished, there ought to remain about a quart of broth; but if by
neglect it has boiled too fast, add more water, and set to boil for a
quarter of an hour longer. If the patient is getting better, his medical
man will probably order him to eat a little of the meat, or even
turnips, in which case serve them on a plate separately; should the meat
not be required by the patient, it is very excellent for a healthy
person, with a few spoonfuls of onions or caper sauce, or even plain. If
pearl-barley is required to be taken with the broth, put a tablespoonful
of it in with the water when you first put it upon the fire, the whole
will then be done together; if the barley is to be eaten by the patient,
take out the meat and vegetables, and skim off every spot of grease; but
if the barley is not required, pass the broth, as before, through a
sieve.
57. _Mutton Broth (with variations). With Vermicelli._--Having made your
broth, and passed it through a sieve, as before, put the meat and
vegetables upon a plate, and the broth back into the same stewpan; when
boiling, if about a quart, add one or two tablespoonfuls of vermicelli,
depending upon the strength of the patient's stomach; ten minutes'
boiling will be sufficient to cook vermicelli.
58. _With Rice._--One spoonful of best rice in the stewpan, with mutton
and water the same as the barley, as it is better for the rice to be in
pulp than underdone.
59. _With Semoulina._--Semoulina is very delicate and glutinous, and I
am quite confident that the faculty would approve of it after a trial or
two; it is good in any kind of broth or milk for invalids, of very easy
digestion, and having also the advantage of being tolerably cheap and
quickly cooked; proceed as directed for vermicelli.
60. _With Arrow-root._--After having passed your broth, place it again
into the stewpan to boil; when boiling, put two teaspoonfuls of
arrow-root into a cup, which mix smoothly with a gill of cold broth, or
half ditto of water; then pour it into your boiling broth, which keep
stirring with a spoon; let it simmer ten minutes, and it is ready for
use.
61. _Veal Broth (French method)._--The following is much recommended by
French physicians:--Put one pound of veal from knuckle, with but very
little of the bone, into a stewpan with three pints of water and a
salt-spoonful of salt, place it over the fire to boil; when boiling,
take off all the scum; then add a small cabbage-lettuce and a few sprigs
of chervil, if handy; let simmer slowly for two hours, it will then be
reduced to about a quart; pass it through a sieve, letting the meat
drain, and it is ready to serve.
62. _Another way, more palatable._--Take the same quantity of veal as
before, which cut into small dice (as you should cut all meat if
possible), put it into the stewpan, with a small pat of butter, half an
onion, about the same quantity of carrot and turnip, a little celery,
and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon the fire, keeping the
contents stirred, for about ten minutes, until the bottom of the stewpan
is covered with a whitish glaze, then add three pints of hot water; let
the whole simmer one hour at the corner of the fire, skim well, pass it
through a sieve, and use when required. This broth is most palatable and
very digestible, but of course only to be given to the convalescent; it
may be served with vermicelli, rice, arrow-root, and semoulina, as
directed for mutton broth.
63. _Another very Refreshing and Strengthening Veal Broth._--Put two
pounds of knuckle of veal into a stewpan, with a calf's foot split, and
the bone taken out and chopped up, add three quarts of water, a
good-sized onion, one leek, a piece of parsnip, and two salt-spoonfuls
of salt (if allowed by the doctor, if not, the salt must be omitted),
set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil, skim, and let it
simmer at the corner of the fire four hours; twenty minutes before
passing, again skim off all the fat, and add ten large leaves of
sorrel, or twenty small, one cabbage-lettuce, and a handful of chervil,
and when done pass it through a sieve, when it is ready for use. This
broth is very cooling and nutritious when taken cold, as it is then
quite a jelly; vermicelli, rice, &c., may be added when served hot, and
the veal and calf's foot is very excellent, eaten with parsley-and-butter
or sharp sauce; but should the patient require any, it must be quite
plain, with a little of the broth and only the gelatinous part of the
foot.
The above also makes an excellent dinner soup, and if put in a cool
place, would keep a week in winter and three days in summer.
64. _Soyer's new way of making Beef Tea._--Cut a pound of solid beef
into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with a small pat of
butter, a clove, two button onions, and a salt-spoonful of salt, stir
the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin
gravy, then add a quart of water, and let it simmer at the corner of the
fire for half an hour, skimming off every particle of fat, when done
pass through a sieve. I have always had a great objection to passing
broth through a cloth, as it frequently quite spoils its flavor.
The same, if wanted plain, is done by merely omitting the vegetables,
salt, and clove; the butter cannot be objectionable, as it is taken out
in skimming, pearl-barley, vermicelli, rice, &c., may be served in it if
required.
65. _Real Essence of Beef._--Take one pound of solid beef from the rump,
a steak would be the best, cut it into thin slices, which lay upon a
thin trencher, and scrape quite fine with a large and sharp knife (as
quickly as possible, or the juice of the meat would partially soak into
the wood, your meat thus losing much of its strengthening quality), when
like sausage-meat put it into a stewpan or saucepan, and stir over the
fire five or ten minutes, until thoroughly warmed through, then add a
pint of water, cover the stewpan as tightly as possible, and let it
remain close to the fire or in a warm oven for twenty minutes, then pass
it through a sieve, pressing the meat with a spoon to extract all the
essence.
I beg to observe that here you have the real juice of the meat; but if
wanted stronger, put only half instead of one pint of water; seasoning
may be introduced, that is, a little salt, sugar, and cloves, but no
vegetables, as they would not have time to cook, thus leaving a raw, bad
flavor.
66. _Pure Osmazome, or Essence of Meat._--Take two pounds of the flesh
of any animal or bird (the older the better for obtaining the true
flavor), as free from sinew as possible, and mince it well; place it in
a Florence oil-flask, and cork it; put this in a saucepan filled with
cold water, leaving the neck uncovered; place it on the side of the fire
until the water arrives at 160° Fahr., at which temperature it must
remain for twenty minutes; then remove it, and strain the contents
through a tammie, pressing the meat gently with a spoon; should it
require to be kept for some time, put the liquor in a basin or cup,
which place in the saucepan; subject it to a boiling heat until it is
reduced to a consistency like treacle, removing the scum; this, when
cold, will become solid, and will keep for any number of years. Osmazome
is known under various names in different cookery books, as "fumet,
essence," &c., but which are obtained in a different way, which causes
the gelatine to be produced with the osmazome; but, by the above plan,
it is left in the meat, and the osmazome, with a small quantity of the
albumen, is extracted, and the albumen is afterwards removed as the
scum.
67. _Chicken Broth._--Put half a raw chicken into a stewpan, with a
quart of water, a little leek and celery, with a salt-spoonful of salt,
and a few sprigs of parsley (if allowed), set the stewpan upon the fire;
when boiling, skim well, and let simmer upon the corner for one hour;
pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use.
The chicken would eat very nice with a little maître d'hôtel sauce, or
any other from that series would do for the parlor, that is, when the
patient is not allowed to eat it.
For a change, chicken-broth in the following way is very nutritious;
that is, after having passed the broth through a sieve, pour it back
again into the stewpan, which place over the fire; moisten a teaspoonful
of flour in a cup with a little cold broth or water, and when quite
smooth pour it into the broth whilst boiling, stirring quickly, let
simmer a quarter of an hour, and it is ready. Mutton or veal-broth may
also be varied the same.
68. _Eel Broth, very strengthening._--Take a small eel, which skin as
described, and wash well, then cut into slices, which put into a small
saucepan, just covered with water, add a little salt, a few sprigs of
parsley, two button onions, and a clove; let it simmer very gently until
the eels are tender, when skim off all the fat, pass the broth through a
very fine sieve into a cup: it is then ready to serve when required, but
a spoonful only should be taken at a time.
A patient is sometimes allowed to take part of the fish, which being so
much boiled, constitutes a lighter food than eels are in general; a
little melted butter and parsley might be served with them.
69. _Lait de Poule, French remedy for colds._--May be made from any of
the foregoing broths, and for colds is excellent. Break a fresh egg,
separate the white from the yolk, put the yolk in a basin, with a
quarter of a gill of good cream or milk, which mix well with a spoon,
have half a pint of broth boiling, which pour gradually over the egg and
cream, mixing it (as you pour the broth) with a wooden spoon; it is then
ready, and ought to be taken when going to bed, if only for a cold.
70. _Sweet Lait de Poule._--This is also reckoned very good for a cold.
Put two yolks of eggs into a cup, with two teaspoonfuls of pounded
sugar, a few drops of orange-flower water, or the eighth part of the
rind of a fresh lemon grated, beat them well together for ten minutes,
then pour boiling water gradually over, keeping it stirred, until the
cup is nearly full. Drink this very hot when in bed; I can strongly
recommend it from experience.
71. _Riz au Lait, or Rice Milk_, is a very favorite food, or soup; in
France many persons make their suppers from it, even when in a state of
perfect health. Proceed as follows: wash a tablespoonful of good rice
in water, which drain and put into a stewpan, with a pint of milk, upon
the fire, and when boiling, place it at the corner to simmer, until the
rice is quite tender, but for invalids, must be in a pulp; sweeten with
a little sugar, and it is quite ready.
72. _Rice Milk seasoned._--Proceed exactly as in the last, but when the
rice is quite tender add an ounce of butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar,
and a little salt, stir well together, and it is then ready; this must
neither be too thick nor too thin, but about the thickness of well-made
gruel; in France they always add a few drops of orange-flower water, but
that depends upon taste. These two last are very nutritious, especially
after a long illness.
73. _Vermicelli au Lait._--Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling add
sufficient vermicelli to make it about the thickness of the last
article; it may be served quite plain if required, or seasoned as for
the riz au lait, but omitting the orange-flower water.
74. _Semoulina au Lait._--Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling add a
tablespoonful of semoulina, stirring it gently, to prevent its becoming
lumpy; let it simmer twenty minutes, and serve either plain or seasoned,
as for the riz au lait.
75. _Tapioca au Lait._--Proceed exactly as in the last, but it will
require rather longer to simmer before the tapioca is tender; and, by
way of change, add a little grated lemon-peel, or a glass of white wine,
if allowed by the doctor, or season as for the last.
76. _Arrow-root._--Put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root, which mix
gradually with enough water or milk, stirring it with a spoon, let it
boil a few minutes, and if made with milk, add only a little butter,
sugar, and salt, or serve plain; but if made with water, add the eighth
part of the rind of a fresh lemon to boil with it; when done add a glass
of port or sherry, sugar, a little salt, and a small piece of butter,
unless prohibited.
77. _Gruel._--Put two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or prepared groats into
a stewpan, and by degrees add a pint of water, mixing smoothly with a
wooden spoon, place it upon the fire, keeping it well stirred, until it
has boiled a couple of minutes, when pour it into a basin, add half a
salt-spoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of brown sugar, and two ounces
of butter, the latter especially, if for a cold in the chest, even more
than that quantity, if the stomach is strong enough to bear it.
Gruel when properly made ought to adhere rather thickly to the back of
the spoon, but not to be pasty; it ought, likewise, to be eaten directly
it is made, or it becomes thick and unpleasant to eat; if required
plain, omit all the seasoning; it might also be made of milk.
78. _Gruel from Scotch Groats._--Proceed as above, but adding rather
more water, and boiling a few minutes longer; many people prefer eating
it with the rough groats in it, but if objectionable, place a small
clean sieve over the basin you intend serving it in, pass the gruel
through, and season as in the last. Some people add spirits or wine; but
that I should never recommend any one to do, unless by the doctor's
orders, and that would be but very seldom, especially as regards
spirits.
79. _Sago Gruel._--Put two tablespoonfuls of sago into a small saucepan,
which moisten gradually with a pint of cold water, set it over a slow
fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thickish and clear,
similar to a jelly, then add a little grated nutmeg and sugar according
to taste, and serve; half a pat of butter might also be added with the
sugar, or it might be made with new milk, and a little salt added, and a
glass of wine in either case makes it more palatable.
80. _Arrow-root, Transparent Jelly._--Put a good teaspoonful of
arrow-root into a basin, which mix smoothly with two spoonfuls of water,
then add enough boiling water to make it about the consistency of
starch, stirring all the time, pour it into a stewpan, and stir over the
fire until it has boiled two minutes; add a little cream, a small glass
of wine, and a little sugar, and serve.
81. _French Panada, for aged people, invalids, and children._--Break a
stale penny roll into a saucepan, in which pour just sufficient water to
cover the bread, stir well over the fire, allowing it to boil five
minutes, then add half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of fresh
butter, mix them, and take from the fire; have one yolk of egg well
beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of milk (if handy) or water, which pour
into the panada, stirring very quickly for half a minute, it is then
ready to pour into a basin and serve. Any common bread would do for
panada, but would not eat so light as when made from a roll.
I knew a very aged lady in France who accustomed herself to eat a basin
of panada every night, a few minutes previous to going to bed, for a
period of eighteen years, which will prove that, although very
substantial in appearance, it must be very easily digested.
Panada ought to be rather thicker than gruel, and may likewise be made
of milk, but water is preferable, especially when for bilious people.
82. _Barley Water._--Put half a gallon of water into a very clean
saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl barley, when
boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a
small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender; sweeten with
half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and
use when required. The juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be
introduced.
83. _Rice Water._--Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a
handful of clean rice (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let
boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pass it through a
hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible,
and when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it
very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm.
84. _A New Drink._--Put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when
boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into
eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which
keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pass the water through a
sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not
rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it a little sweetish, and
drink lukewarm.
Two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a
great improvement. People in good health would much enjoy such drink,
during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country,
where apples are plentiful. Any kind of apples would suit, and brown
sugar instead of honey, or even no sugar at all.
85. _Cooling Drink._--Bake four or six apples, without peeling them;
when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints
of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is
ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very
palatable.
86. _Almond Water._--Put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds
into a saucepan, with a pint of hot water, set them upon the fire, and,
when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set
them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in
a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to
prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, when throw in
the mashed almonds; boil together a minute, then set it at the corner to
simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pass through a fine
sieve for use. When required, add any quantity of cold water you please
to make it palatable, according to taste or direction.
87. _Barley Lemonade._--Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small
stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or
until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and
the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of
barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five
minutes longer, pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover
with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when
cold, it is ready for use; if put cold into a bottle and well corked
down, it would keep good several days.
_Barley Orangeade_ is made the same, substituting the rind and juice of
oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when
taken as a refreshing beverage.
88. _A Refreshing Beverage._--Slice two oranges and one lemon, which put
into a jug, with two ounces of sugarcandy, over which pour one quart of
boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, when drink it a little
at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. This drink is
also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather.
89. _Raspberry Vinegar Beverage._--Put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry
vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when
cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of
fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that
is, currants, cherries, strawberries, mulberries, &c.
90. _A very Strengthening Drink._--Put a teacupful of pearl-barley into
a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon and a
small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley
becomes tender, when strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a
spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar
will do.
91. _Fresh Fruit Water._--Fresh fruits, when in season, are very
preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of
the first confectioners or Italian warehouses.
Pick a bottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may
require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half
a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pass
it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use; both the
syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to
taste.
Red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting
the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp.
92. _Cherry Draught._--Choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from
which take the stalk and stones, have a pint of syrup boiling, into
which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes, then take
them from the fire, and add a good wine-glassful of Madeira or sherry,
and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when
cold, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use: the wine may be
omitted if not required. A drink of the same description may likewise be
made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added.
93. _Arrow-root Water._--Put half a gallon of water to boil with two
apples, the same as in No. 84, with the addition of a stick of cinnamon;
let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of
arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it
into the boiling water: let the whole boil ten minutes, and pass it
through a sieve; when cold, it will drink light and thickish.
94. _French Herb Broth._--This is a very favorite beverage in France, as
well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in
the spring, when the herbs are young and green. Put a quart of water to
boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a
cabbage-lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when
the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a
teaspoonful of salt and half an ounce of fresh butter; cover your
saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pass it through
a sieve or colander. This is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring
of the year, after the change from winter. I generally drink about a
quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must
be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. To prove that it
is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs
to eat grass at that season of the year. I do not pretend to say that it
would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide
upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes as
well as change their medicines.
95. _Dry Plum Beverage._--Put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the
fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry French plums, and let
them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to
cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two
tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and a very small quantity of port wine.
They are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink.
96. _Figs and Apple Beverage._--Have two quarts of water boiling, into
which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples,
previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil
together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool,
then pass through a sieve; drain the figs, which will be also good to
eat.
97. _Stewed Plums._--Put twelve French plums in a stewpan, with a
spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some
thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a
basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. They are
sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret.
98. _Baked Apples_ are very much used by invalids: have a common yellow
dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about
twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put
them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be
large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat
them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar.
99. _Cooling Lemonade._--Put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into
which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter
of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather
thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into
the stewpan and boil two minutes longer; then pour it into a jug, which
cover closely with paper until cold, then pass it through a sieve: add a
teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use.
100. _Imperial, a cooling Drink for the Spring._--Two ounces of cream of
tartar, two lemons, juice and peel, four ounces of sugar; place in a
stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get
cold, and bottle for use; or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls
of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. This is excellent
aerated-like soda water. Essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added,
with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to
spirits.
101. _Orangeade._--Proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the
orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar candy, and
adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which
pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. The
arrow-root makes it very delicate.
102. _Toast and Water._--The ease and simplicity of making this popular
drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten,
that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done,
or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; I
venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from
house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at
each, they would not find two of the same flavor, and perhaps not any of
it properly made. To make it to perfection, proceed as follows: cut a
piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it
upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn
it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow color, then
place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate color, put
it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug
until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use:
never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation
in a short time. I would almost venture that such toast and water as I
have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles.
The idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite
a popular delusion, for nothing nourishing could come from it: if your
house was burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt
bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the
bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being
burnt.
PUDDINGS FOR INVALIDS.
103. _Apple and Rice._--Boil half an ounce of Carolina rice in a gill of
milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of butter, sugar, a
little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a
middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of
butter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender;
when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice,
which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it
may also be made quite plain, if preferred.
104. _Custard Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of
lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to
three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it
into a buttered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with
some water (see No. 112), turn out on a plate and serve.
105. _Rice Puddings._--Wash well two ounces of rice in some water,
strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small
piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf, tied together; let
it boil gently, stirring it occasionally, until quite tender; then put
to it one ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of
sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a buttered tart-dish, and bake it half
an hour.
106. _Macaroni Pudding._--Blanch two ounces of Naples macaroni in some
water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, add it to one pint of boiling
milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel,
cinnamon, and one ounce of butter; when the macaroni is quite tender,
add two eggs and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a
stewpan, in a buttered tart-dish.
107. _Vermicelli Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce
of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar;
pour these in a buttered mould, and steam it half an hour.
108. _Tapioca Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce
to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of butter; pour these in a buttered
mould, and steam half an hour.
109. _Bread Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon
and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two
eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a
buttered mould for one hour.
110. _Cabinet Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel, pour it on one ounce of sponge biscuit, let it soak half an
hour, then add three eggs, half an ounce of currants, and very little
sugar: steam it in a buttered mould, lined with raisins, one hour.
111. _Bread and Butter Pudding._--Butter a tart-dish well and sprinkle
some currants all round it, then lay in a few slices of bread and
butter; boil one pint of milk, pour it on two eggs well whipped, and
then on the bread and butter; bake it in a hot oven for half an hour.
112. _A Small Bread Pudding._--Cut an ounce of the crumb of bread into
thin slices, with the least piece of butter spread over each, which
place in a small tart-dish; then break an egg into a cup with a
teaspoonful of sugar and a little powdered cinnamon, beat well; then add
about six tablespoonfuls of boiled milk, mix well together, pour over
the bread, and bake in a slow oven, or steam it, if preferred, by
standing the dish in a stewpan containing about half a pint of water,
that is, the water should be about half way up to the rim of the dish;
set the stewpan (covered close) upon the fire, and let it slowly boil
about ten minutes or longer, until the pudding is properly set, then
take the cover from the stewpan, which let remain a few minutes longer
upon the fire; then take out the pudding, wipe the dish, and serve.
_Fish for Invalids._--Slips, soles, flounders, whitings, and smelts are
the lightest of any fish, and upon that account more to be recommended
to invalids in a state of convalescence.
113. _Whiting, plain boiled._--Put two quarts of water into a small fish
kettle, with about an ounce of salt; when boiling, put in the whiting,
draw the kettle to the corner of the fire to keep it just simmering, and
no more; a whiting of the ordinary size would take about ten minutes;
when done, which you can tell by trying with the point of a knife
whether it leaves the bone easily, take it up carefully, and dish it
upon a clean napkin, with a few sprigs of parsley round; although the
parsley is of course useless as far as the stomach is concerned, nothing
can be more pleasing to an invalid than to see his meals carefully
cooked and invitingly served.
At any time I prefer a whiting with the skin on, whether boiled,
grilled, or fried; a little butter just melted, with a pinch of salt,
and the least drop of lemon-juice added, is very excellent to eat as
sauce with them. Should you purchase your fish in the country, it will
of course require cleaning, by opening the belly and pulling out the
gills and interior; but never wash these fish, merely wipe them with a
cloth.
114. _Broiled Whiting._--Having cleaned your whiting, and wiped it
gently dry with a cloth, flour it all over lightly, rub the gridiron
over with a little oil, lay the whiting upon it, and put it over a clear
fire, but not too close, turn it carefully three or four times, and when
it feels firm to the touch of the finger, it is done; if a large one, it
will take about twenty minutes; sprinkle a little salt over, if
required, and serve with plain melted butter, with a few drops of
essence of anchovies in it.
115. _Sautéd Whitings._--Put some fat or butter in a frying-pan, which
place over a clear but moderate fire; have your whiting floured as in
the last, and when the fat or butter is melted, lay it in the pan; let
it sauté slowly until it is done, which try as in either of the last
two; when done, drain it upon a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and
serve.
If fried, enveloped in bread-crumbs, dip the fish lightly into flour,
then egg it all over with a paste-brush, and dip in some very fine
bread-crumbs, and fry it rather longer, but do not let the fat get
black, or it will give the fish a black, heavy appearance, and quite
spoil the flavor. Fish fried in oil would have a much better appearance
than when fried in fat, but probably would be objectionable to a weak
stomach. They ought to be completely covered with the fat.
116. _Smelts_ are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain
boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet
for the sick, I shall here give two receipts for dressing them very
plainly, yet still very palatable. Choose them rather large,--if so, two
would be sufficient for a meal,--having previously drawn and cleansed
them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a
saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when
boiling lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if
larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out
carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and
broth are excellent. They may be cooked the same way in the oven.
Another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold
water, to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the
chest. Be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the
bottom of the stewpan; there should be about three parts of the quantity
of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to
evaporate whilst boiling.
117. _Broiled Smelts._--When cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip
them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire,
for five, or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve
plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are
forbidden moist food. I can highly recommend any kind of white fish
cooked in this manner; and it is well known that nothing in the way of
food is more digestible than fish.
Water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to
invalids, by proceeding the same as above.
_Meat, Game, and Poultry,_ of every kind, for invalids, ought to be
served as free from fat as possible.
118. _A Mutton Chop._--Choose one from a lean loin of mutton, or if one
in the house rather fat cut the greater part of it off; your chop should
be about six ounces in weight, and cut off an equal thickness; lay it
upon a table, and beat it lightly with the flat part of your chopper,
then lay it upon a gridiron, over a good clear fire; season with a
little salt, if allowed, and turn it four or five times whilst broiling;
it will require about eight minutes over a good fire, but of course
longer over an indifferent one; if by pressing it with a knife it feels
firm, it is done; serve upon a very hot plate, for if partly cold, the
least fat would immediately set, and be very unpleasant, especially to a
person unwell.
119. _Plain Mutton Cutlet, from the Neck._--An invalid will frequently
be tired of a mutton chop; and for my own part I must say a cutlet is
far superior in flavor, and has a much neater appearance; cut off a rib
from the neck, of the same thickness as a mutton chop; cut away the skin
upon each side of the bone, to the chine, which chop off; trim away the
greater part of the fat, cut a piece at the end of the bone, which
scrape off, leaving about half an inch of the bone bare; then beat it
lightly with the flat of the chopper; season; broil and serve very hot,
as in the last.
120. _Stewed Chop or Cutlet._--Put it into a stewpan or small saucepan,
with a pint of water, and a little salt and sugar; let it stew as gently
as possible from an hour and a half to two hours, skim off all the scum
and fat, and the patient may partake of both chop and broth; if
seasoning is allowed, put a teaspoonful of pearl-barley, with a little
celery, leek, and turnip, cut up very small, into the stewpan with the
water, when you first put the chop on, and proceed as before; serve the
broth in a soup basin, with the chop in it; should the meat happen to be
tough, let it stew rather longer; the broth should be reduced to about
half a pint.
121. _Beef, Rump Steak._--The tenderest part of the rump should be
selected, about half a pound, not cut too thick, and very even; place it
upon your gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it frequently; when
done, sprinkle a little salt over; ten minutes would cook it thoroughly,
but if wanted underdone, as in many cases where the patient only sucks
the gravy, less time must be allowed.
122. _Stewed Beef._--Put the same quantity of beef as in the last into a
saucepan, with a quart of water, which place over the fire, and when
beginning to boil, well skim, then add a little celery, turnip, and
carrot, the whole weighing about an ounce, and cut very small, let stew
gently about three hours, by which time the broth will be reduced to one
quarter; skim all the fat off carefully; serve the meat upon a plate,
and the broth in a basin.
123. _Lamb Chops or Cutlets._--Proceed as just described for mutton, but
being more delicate, they will require but little more than half the
time to cook.
124. _Lambs' Feet_ are very nutritious; purchase them ready cleaned; lay
them ten minutes in boiling water, by doing which you will be able to
draw out the leg-bone with facility; then put them in a stewpan (two
would be sufficient), and pour over a pint of water with which you have
mixed smoothly a tablespoonful of flour, and half a teaspoonful of salt;
place them upon the fire, stirring frequently until boiling, when add a
small onion, with a celery, parsley, and parsnip; boil gently for two
hours, and when done, serve plain upon a plate, or with a little melted
butter and parsley poured over. By using a little white broth from any
meat instead of water, you make a delicious soft soup, which may be
partaken of freely.
Calves' feet are dressed in the same manner, but using a double
proportion of everything, and stewing them double the time; they are
served precisely the same.
POULTRY FOR INVALIDS.
125. _Roast Chicken._--Procure a nice plump chicken, which draw and
truss, and cut the sinews; pass the spit through under the skewer as
usual, and set it down before a clear fire; after being there five
minutes, have ready a pat of butter, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, with
which rub the chicken all over; if the fire is too fierce, put it back a
short distance, that it may roast of a yellowish-brown color; when a
light smoke arises from the chicken, which will be in about twenty
minutes from the time it was put down, it is done; but to be quite sure
whether a bird is done, the better way is to press it lightly, with your
finger and thumb; should it feel quite set, it is sufficiently cooked.
126. _Boiled Chicken._--Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with
a saltspoonful of salt, and two ounces of butter; when boiling, lay in
the chicken, which keep gently simmering for twenty minutes, when it
will be done.
By adding a few vegetables of each description to the water, and
straining it when you take out the chicken, you have a very excellent
broth either for the sick or healthy, especially after skimming off the
fat you add a little vermicelli, which must be boiled in it five
minutes.
As it is very improbable that a sick person would eat the whole of a
chicken at once, I have annexed a few receipts, by which a chicken would
suffice for four meals.
First, put a tablespoonful of rice in a stewpan, with half a pint of
light broth; let it boil gently until the rice is in pulp, then put in
the wing or leg of the previously-cooked chicken, which let remain to
warm about five minutes; should the rice be too dry, add a little more
broth; serve the fowl and rice together upon a hot plate. Secondly, if
wanted plain, set it in a stewpan, with a few spoonfuls of stock, and
let it warm gently. Thirdly, it may be folded in a sheet of paper
lightly oiled, and warmed very gently upon a gridiron. Or fourthly,
plain broiled upon a gridiron, and served with a little light gravy.
127. _Partridge._--Proceed in every manner to roast as just directed for
the chicken; a young one would require about ten minutes, or an old one
fifteen, but then the breast only ought to be eaten; whatever remains
may be served in either of the ways directed for chickens.
128. _Pigeons_ may be roasted the same as partridges, but would not
require so long. A pigeon may also be stewed as follows:--Put half a
pint of mutton-broth into a stewpan, with a pigeon trussed as for
boiling, let it stew gently twenty minutes, if young; both the pigeon
and broth ought to be partaken of. Pigeons may also be broiled, by
cutting them open from the bottom of the breast to the joint of the
wings, but not separating them; rub over with a little butter, broil
twenty minutes over a moderate fire, and serve with a little gravy.
129. _Pulled Fowl._--With the remainder of a roast or boiled fowl or
chicken you may make a very light dish, by pulling off all the flesh
with a fork, and putting it into a stewpan, then in another stewpan
place all the bones (previously broken small with a chopper), with a
little parsley, salt, sugar, and half a pint of water; let it boil
gently until the water has reduced to a gill, then strain it over the
flesh of the chicken in the other stewpan, which place over the fire
until quite hot, and serve; should it be too thin, a small piece of
butter and flour rubbed together may be added, and boiled a minute. Old
or young fowls may be used, as it is not always convenient to get a
young fowl, especially in the country, where everything must be turned
to account and properly used: you would proceed with an old fowl the
same as for a chicken, but stewing it three times as much, and adding
more water in proportion; it would be here impossible to name the exact
time required, as the fluctuation is so great, but by feeling the thigh
of the fowl with the finger and thumb, you may ascertain, for if done
sufficiently it will feel tender to the touch, and leave the bone with
ease.
CULINARY CORRESPONDENCE.
LETTER No. VI
DEAREST ELOISE,--I here inclose you the last receipt which I intend
to give you for invalids. You will, no doubt, fancy that my diet is
extravagant; but let me teach you that when you must pay the
doctor's bill, which I consider an extra and painful tax upon
humanity, it is ours and their duty to try to restore health as
soon as possible, which my receipts might, if well coupled with the
science of a medical man, cause a prompt restoration, and have the
desired effect of increasing the butcher's bill by diminishing that
of the doctor. But I must also tell you that I intend this part of
our little work, if ever published, to be useful to all classes of
society, and that, among those receipts, the rich as well as the
humble, may partake and benefit by them in selecting according to
their means and their requirements. I am confident that you will
agree with me that even here I have closely studied the rules of
economy.
I shall therefore close the sick-room door to open the one of the
parlor, and to witness the merry faces of the million who have
abandoned their industrious occupations for the day, and partake,
in the family circle, their simple but substantial Sunday meal. I
always used to say, when in business, that he who works well
deserves to live well,--I do not mean to say extravagantly, but
that devoting one hour a day to their principal meal ought to be
classified as a matter of business in regard to economy. We,
therefore, must be very positive upon this important question, and
make them perceive that dining well once or twice a week is really
unworthy of such a civilized and wealthy country as ours, where
provisions cannot be excelled by any other, both in regard to
quantity and quality. Yours, etc.
HORTENSE.
LETTER No. VII
MY DEAR MRS. B.--Your observation upon the way many people live in
this country is no doubt very correct, but do you not think that if
you were not quite so abrupt on the subject, we should probably be
more likely to succeed in bringing our friends round to your style
of management; of which, for my part, I very much approve. But as
it is a matter of importance, I should like you to describe in your
next communication what are the principal and most useful joints in
a family, and to discourse on them, in pointing out the good which
may be achieved, and the evils to be avoided. Ever yours, &c.
ELOISE.
LETTER No. VIII
Many compliments to you, my dear Mrs. L.
At your request I here inclose the list you require, and which will
show you how circumscribed the middle classes are in respect to the
variation of their meals, in the way of meat and manner of cooking
it. I do not disapprove of your idea in wishing me here to give a
series or list of those provisions; but, on the other hand, I must
tell you frankly my opinion, it being a subject which for some
years I have made a study, indeed quite a hobby. If I am wrong, let
any one who knows better correct me; you will allow I am always
open to conviction and improvement, no matter how trifling, which
often leads to an important one.
I shall therefore name all joints of meat which, though numerous,
offer but little variation when continually dressed the same way,
and observe that everybody has the bad habit of running only upon a
few which are considered the best. They are as follow:
Those in beef are the sirloin, ribs, round, silver-side,
aitch-bone.
In mutton--leg, saddle, haunch, loin.
Lamb--fore-quarter and leg.
Veal--fillet, loin.
Pork--leg, sparerib, loin.
Every one of these joints are of the most expensive parts, because
generally used, although many of the other parts are equally as
good, as I shall prove to you, in the receipts which I shall write
for the dinner, what can be done in the way of made dishes out of
those parts which are rarely or never used in this country by the
middle classes, which will more clearly develope to you my ideas on
the subject Besides, there is this advantage, that if a small
tradesman were to follow these receipts, and buy every other time
he goes to the butcher what he now considers a second-class joint,
he would not only be conferring a public benefit, but also one on
himself, and be the means of diminishing the price of those now
considered the first class, which at the present moment bear too
high a price in proportion, but which his pride causes him to
purchase.
To prove to you that my argument is correct, look carefully over
the inclosed list, which contains all the joints that are cut from
beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, and you will find that ten of the
prime are in daily use to one of the other, and principally for a
want of the knowledge of cookery; leaving the science of cooking
our food to a fierce or slow fire, or plunging our expensive
provisions into an ocean of boiling water, which is thrown away,
after having absorbed a great portion of the succulence of the
meat. Try the receipt for the Pot-au-feu; taste the broth and eat
the meat, and tell me which plan you consider the best. Do not
think that I object to our plain joint, because, now and then, I am
rather partial to them; but why not manage to make use of the
broth, by diminishing the quantity of water, and simmering them,
instead of galloping them at a special railway-train speed? Were
the middle classes only but slightly acquainted with the domestic
cookery of France, they would certainly live better and less
expensively than at present, very often, four or five different
little made dishes may be made from the remains of a large Sunday's
joint, instead of its appearing on the table of a wealthy tradesman
for several days cold, and often unsightly, and backed by a bottle
of variegated-colored pickles, made with pyroligneous acid, which
sets my teeth on edge merely in thinking of it, and balanced by a
steaming dish of potatoes, which, seen through the parlor window by
the customers in the shop, would make them think there was a grand
gastronomic festivity taking place at Mr. A.'s or B.'s, the
butterman or greengrocer; this may be excusable once or twice, on a
hot summer's day, with an inviting salad, seasoned with merely
salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar, but the continual repetition of
that way of living in winter is, I consider, a domestic crime.
You will, perhaps, say that, in large firms, where forty or fifty,
or more young men dine every day, or even in public establishments
still more numerous, many professed cooks would be required to
dress the dinner, if my plan was adopted; not at all, if the
kitchen is properly constructed: but in these establishments,
joints, of necessity, must be the principal viand, and there is
very little left; what there is, is consumed cold for supper; but
even there an amelioration might take place, although only a plain
joint, either boiled or roasted, roasted or boiled, which is
generally the yearly bill of fare, and so simple, yet seldom well
done, and often badly, which, in a large establishment, must create
great waste, and make bad food out of good meat, and that for want
of care or a little more knowledge, which may appear to you but a
trifling matter, but not so to thousands of poor old people, with
toothless gums and fatigued stomachs, made comfortable within walls
erected by the good feelings of government, or by public charity. I
have often thought, when visiting these establishments, that a
professed cook ought to be appointed, as well as a medical man, to
visit all such in the metropolis, not only to inspect the quality
of the provisions, but superintend the arrangements of the dietary
table, and see that the viands are properly cooked, and thus
correct the lamentable ignorance which exists at the present day; I
am confident that tons of meat are daily wasted in such
institutions throughout the country, which, if well employed, would
feed a great part of the starving poor of the United Kingdom. The
same system ought to be adopted in all the provincial towns; and,
if it was in existence, we should not have to deplore such
lamentable scenes which we had latterly to witness at Tooting,
where, no doubt, many were to blame; for, by the calculation I have
made, the allowance, though rather limited, was amply large enough
to allow for good provisions, and leave sufficient remuneration for
any reasonable and not covetous man. Why should not these poor
children be watched over, and made as comfortable in every respect
as the wish of those who pay to support them require? besides, it
has an effect upon after generations; for upon the food at the
period of growth depends the nature of the mind at a more advanced
age, as well as the stature of the man. Do we not evince our care
to objects of the brute creation, and feed, with the greatest
attention, the race-horse? compare him with others of his species
not so humanely treated, and note the difference: so it is with the
human race; and I might almost say the prosperity of a country
depends upon the food of its youth. You will perhaps think that I
am rather sharp in my remarks, and probably longer than is
required, but still it will be gratifying to both of us, should we
find that these remarks prove beneficial to such establishments as
above-mentioned; and it is only by giving notoriety to these
important details, and being positive in exposing the truth, that
we can be believed and followed, and you must not mind displeasing
the few, if you are to be useful to the many. Forever, &c.
HORTENSE.
LETTER No. IX
MY DEAR HORTENSE,--After the receipt of your last observations,
which, on first seeing, I thought too long, but after having read
them over again, I am convinced that I shall not be able to shorten
them; at all events, there is a great deal of truth in them, and,
as you justly say, they are the observations of a person who has
constantly studied domestic comfort and economy; I shall therefore
copy them in the journal just as you send them to me. Truly yours,
ELOISE.
LETTER No. X
MY DEAR ELOISE,--I am glad to hear that you will not alter any of
my last copy sent, because I assure you I wrote with a full
conviction that I was right, and from facts which experience alone
can engrave on the memory; but, however, we will now proceed: but I
think it will be necessary to alter our original intention, namely,
in order to save any confusion, to class all the receipts for the
dinner together, and thus form a large bill of fare, and follow, on
a small plan, what M. Soyer, of the Reform Club, has done on a
large scale, in his 'Gastronomic Regenerator,' by which the most
inexperienced hands may easily provide a large or small dinner
adapted for all classes, without committing a blunder, and thus
make a selection from soups, different dishes of fish, and an
innumerable number of removes; entrées, roasts, savory dishes,
vegetables, sweets, dessert, &c., and having chosen one or two of
each series, and, on referring to the receipt, an idea of their
cost, within a few pence of the market-price, may be gained.
Let me know, dear, by return of post, if you approve of my new
idea, as it is rather deviating from our original one; but observe,
that having so very distinctly given the Breakfast Receipts, and
also for Invalids, it will be more clearly understood than by
repeating the same over and over again, which would be unavoidable
if following our first proposition. Yours truly, in haste,
HORTENSE.
LETTER No. XI
MY DEAR HORTENSE,--Never were you inspired by a better idea
respecting your new plan; it is so clearly explained, that I fancy
our labor is over; but I must tell you that, on the receipt of
your last, I wrote to M. Soyer, to inquire if he would object to
our taking a few hints from his "Kitchen at Home," which forms the
last part of his work. His answer was immediate, short, and as
follows:
"DEAR MADAM,--It would be entirely deviating from the preface of my
'Gastronomic Regenerator' to refuse you anything in my power; and
as your simple demand lies within that scope, you are quite welcome
to take a few hints, if you require them for your little work, from
the part entitled 'My Kitchen at Home.'
"Wishing your exertions may be well appreciated, I am, dear madam,
most sincerely, your humble and devoted,
"Reform Club.
A. SOYER."
As you have his book, you, no doubt, know to which part he alludes.
He says, in his preface, that he has made it a rule never to refuse
ladies anything in his power; so far he has kept his word with us:
so you may, dearest, if you require, make use of his offer. I shall
expect, by the next post, the commencement of the Dinner Receipts,
which I am confident you will make as simple and as short as
possible. With kindest regards, yours,
ELOISE.
_Roasting, Baking, Boiling, Stewing, Braising, Frying, Sautéing,
Broiling._
ROASTING being the most general in use, we will first describe it,
although not that which was first put in practice in cooking, it being
evidently an improvement on broiling: we can easily understand how, in
the early primitive times, man, finding that his food got covered with
the ashes with which he cooked his meat, he would invent a species of
grate upon which he could raise the fire, and cook his meat before it:
this primitive mode of cooking has lasted, in many countries, up to the
present day, and even in London to within a few years; for I remember
seeing, in the old Goldsmith's Hall, a fire-place, consisting of stages,
on which was laid the wood, and when the meat, &c., was spitted and
arranged before it, the wood was lighted, and a man turned the spits.
(It was, no doubt, from arranging the wood thus in stages that the name
of range was derived.) In many noblemen's castles and ecclesiastical
establishments, dogs were kept to turn the spit, from whence we have
those of the name of turnspit; whilst in others, where there happened to
be a person of a mechanical turn of mind, they applied a water-wheel to
the purpose, and the water from it formed a stream in the kitchen, which
served as a reservoir for live fish. Different opinions exist as to the
mode and time required for roasting, but this must all depend upon the
nature of the fire and the meat. In the Receipts will be found the time
which each requires. My plan is to make up as large a fire as the nature
of the grate will allow, because I can place my joint near or not, as
may be required, and thus obtain every degree of heat.
BAKING is a branch of the art of cooking which, although one of the
oldest, is the least understood. (As I shall have to refer to this
subject again, I will give the reason why in a future letter.) It is
performed in various kinds of air-tight chambers, called ovens, the best
of which have the same form as in the time of the Egyptians. Previous to
the art of baking being practised, boiled pulse and corn were the food
of the people; even Rome contained no bakers until near six hundred
years after it was founded. Of late years, great improvements have been
made in the construction of ovens for baking of meat, called roasting
ovens, which cause great economy in the expenditure of fuel; and, in
large public establishments, where a number of the same kind of joints
are required, it is the best plan of cooking. In the Receipts will be
found the time required by each for baking, but, in a general way, for
meat, hot ovens are the best; for poultry, not so hot as meat; and
pastry, according to its kind. In using dishes or utensils for the oven,
they ought, if of metal, to be of galvanized iron, and separate ones for
meat and fish.
BOILING is the next branch of the art which is of the most importance
and appears the most simple, yet, at the same time, the most difficult,
and is a subject upon which, if I were to dilate, would occupy a good
quarto volume; it is one of those easy things which it is supposed
everybody can do, and therefore no attention is paid to it, and it is
generally done badly. According to the way in which it is done, meat may
be rendered hard and tough or tender, lose or retain its flavor or
nourishment; great difference of opinion exists amongst medical men
which are the easiest of digestion--roasted or boiled meats. I say it is
a subject quite impossible to decide, as it must depend upon the
different constitutions and climate; for we might as well say that the
food of the Esquimaux is adapted for the native of Italy.
STEWING ought to be the best understood, on account of its economy;
pieces of coarse meat, subjected to stewing, if properly done, become
tender, as the gelatinous parts become partly dissolved; it should be
done slowly, the pan partly uncovered, and frequently skimmed. Great
cleanliness should be observed in all the vessels used for stewing.
BRAISING is the next and most important part of the art of cooking, and,
like the sauté, belongs entirely to the French school, from whom it
takes its name, _braise_ being the remains of wood burnt in the oven, or
live charcoal: and as this plan of cookery requires the action of the
fire under and over the braising-pan, which is air-tight, in order that
the aromatic flavor arising from its contents may be imbibed by the meat
or poultry, and give it that succulence so much esteemed by epicures.
The braise is put on the cover, which, in some cases, is made deep on
purpose to hold it. Its origin is stated to be owing to a gastronomic
society which was formerly in existence in Paris, whose object was to
benefit and improve the art of cookery, and who offered a reward of a
silver gridiron to any culinary artist who would discover a new mode of
dressing a turkey. Although a gridiron was, no doubt, intended to be
used, yet a young artist named La Gacque, warmed by the offer, directed
his imagination to quite a different mode, and used the pan instead of
the gridiron, and thus composed the braise, which was unanimously
approved of by that scientific, gastronomic, and epicurean body, who
awarded him the prize. The chief art in braising is to do it slowly,
taking care that the ingredients are well-proportioned, receipts for
which will be found in their proper place.
FRYING.--Of all the apparently simple modes of cookery there is none
more so than that of frying, but yet how rare to meet with it done
properly. I believe it is to be attributed, in a great measure, to the
idea that, to do it well is expensive. I have therefore made a series of
experiments upon a plan such as should be followed in every private
house, and I am convinced that to do it well is cheaper than doing it
badly; but, in the first place, we ought to consider, What is frying? It
is the insertion of any substance into boiling oil, or grease, by which
the surface of that substance becomes carbonized, and the heat which
effects this object is sufficient to solidify the albumen and gelatine,
or, more commonly speaking, cooked; to do this properly, the substance
ought to be covered by the liquid, so that the heat acts all over it at
the same time, or otherwise the osmazome, or gravy, will be dried out of
that part which is not covered, and the succulence and flavor of the
viand lost; or, should the liquid not be of that degree of heat which
would carbonize the surface on the moment of its immersion, it would
then enter into the substance, render it greasy, and destroy its flavor,
which no degree of heat afterwards could remedy. Those articles which
are fried are generally those which have a coating of materials (such as
bread-crumbs and batter) which are quickly carbonized, and thus form a
crust which prevents the grease penetrating, concentrates the liquids,
and preserves the flavor of the article; the carbonization once
effected, the fire should be immediately moderated, particularly if the
article is large, in order that the interior may become properly
solidified. All articles properly fried are generally much liked, as
they are agreeable to the eye, and afford a pleasing variety.
The plan that I recommend you to adopt is, to obtain an iron or copper
pan long enough for a good-sized sole, and 6 to 8 inches deep, and fill
three to four inches of it with fat--the skimmings of the stock-pot, or,
if that should not be sufficient, the kidney-fat of beef, cut up,
melted, and strained. In wealthy establishments, lard, and, in some,
bacon-fat melted is used, and, for some articles, olive oil, which can
only be used once; but in our less luxurious homes I think the above is
sufficient, besides, it has the advantage of not requiring that great
attention which the other does. When you have the fat on, before
immersing the substance you intend to fry, see that it is sufficiently
hot by dipping your finger (not in the fat), but in a little water, and
then hold it over the fat, so that a few drops go into it; if it spits
and throws back the water, it is sufficiently hot: or, throw in a small
dice of bread and take it out immediately; if it is firm or colored, it
is hot enough: or, in frying of fish, before putting it in, lay hold of
the head and dip the end of the tail, and, if it crisps it, then let the
remainder go in. I have found, if due attention is paid to the pan to
prevent it from burning, forty articles may be fried in it before it
wants renewing; and I am certain it will be found cheaper than the
common way of putting a little fat into the frying-pan and turning the
sole over and over, for you are then almost certain of sending the
grease up to the table, where it is not wanted. When the fat is not
used, it should be emptied, whilst hot, through a sieve, into an earthen
pipkin, and covered with paper to prevent the dust going in it. For the
purpose of frying, an iron wire-basket, with a handle, is used, in which
the object to be cooked is placed, and thus inserted in the liquid. The
cost of this instrument is trifling.
SAUTEING.--You will perceive, dearest, by the following, that the word
fried is often wrongly used in cookery instead of the word sauté, which
process is totally different, and produces quite another effect on food.
Sauté means anything cooked in a very small quantity of butter, oil,
lard, or fat, one side of the article at a time, whilst the other
requires about 100 times more of the above-named materials to cook
properly. You will see, in these remarks, that it is not frying a
pancake, omelette, or still less a chop, steak, or cutlet, but that they
are sautéd; and how to explain that word, to use it instead of the
misapplied word fry, puzzles me considerably, as I am quite ignorant of
its origin as regards its application to cookery. All the researches I
have made in English and French Dictionaries and Encyclopædias, have not
enlightened me in the least on the subject. In French, it means to jump,
hop, skip, understood by our boys at school, as well as by the
grasshopper tribe, called in French sauterelles, from the word sauter,
to jump. I well remember at school we had a French emigré for a
dancing-master, who used to get into a passion when we did not dance to
his professional taste; and used to say, in shaking his powdered wig, as
holding his fiddle in one hand and his bow in the other, making all
kinds of grimaces and contortions, which used to remind me of the
principal figure in the group of the Laocoon,--"Mon dieu, mon dieu,
young miss, vous sautez très bien, mais vous dansez fort mal;" which
means, "You jump very well, but you dance very badly." It also reminds
me of an expression made by a friend of ours from Havre, who was on a
visit to us last November. Seeing some Guy Fawkes carried about the
street, he asked me what it meant; when I told him, that in the year
1605, an attempt was made to destroy by gunpowder the King and
Parliament in the House of Lords, as well as----. "Oui, oui, madame, I
know, I remember reading of it in English history; it was that little
brute qui a voulut faire _sauter_ le Parlement," replied he very
quickly. "_Sauter, sauter,_" I said; "no, sir, not sauté--blow up."
"Oui, oui, madame, I know, it is the same thing." "Same thing," replied
I. This of course puzzled my culinary imagination still more; and I
perceived, that if the word was translated to his meaning, it would
sound most absurd and ridiculous; as, for example, on being at a festive
board, and a polite young gentleman, or even your own husband, might
gallantly offer to give you a _blow-up_ cutlet, instead of a cotelette
sauté, as they say in fashionable circles. I can easily conceive, that
if the cotelette was blown up, it would stand a chance of coming down on
the other side, thus saving the cook the trouble; but if Guy Fawkes had
unfortunately succeeded, it would have produced quite another effect.
Having failed in my literary researches, I tried to find it in practice.
I therefore went to my kitchen, and put two spoonfuls of oil in a
sautépan; I took a nice spring chicken prepared for broiling, put on the
fire; and, as it began to act upon it, the oil began to jump, and also
slightly the chicken. I then perceived that the way my French friend
used the word was right; and that, after all, there was not such a great
difference in Guy Fawkes's plan of cooking the Parliament and that of a
cutlet or chicken, for both were doomed to destruction, the one by
falling in awful ruins on the fire, and the other devoured by a ravenous
stomach on the dinner-table. Now, dearest, having found no means of
translating it to my satisfaction, I see no other plan but to adopt it
amongst us, and give it letters of naturalization, not for the beauty of
the word, but for its utility. The process of sautéing is at once quick,
simple, and economical, and to be well done furnishes a pleasing article
of food. The art of doing it well consists in doing it quickly, to keep
the gravy and succulence in the meat, which a slow process would
nullify, and is of course confined to small articles of every kind of
food.
BROILING is, without doubt, the earliest and most primitive mode of
cookery, it being that which would present itself to man in a state of
nature. It is one of the easiest parts of cookery, and therefore should
be done well; it entirely depends upon the fire, which must be
exceedingly clear, and the best gridiron is that having round bars,
which should be placed slanting over the fire, to prevent the fat going
into it; the bars should be greased, and the gridiron should be placed
on the fire to get hot before the object to be cooked is placed on it I
have heard that great difference of opinion exists in cookery books upon
the proper broiling of a steak, if it should be turned only once or
often. My plan is to turn it often, and my reason is, that, if turned
but once, the albumen and the fibrine of the meat get charred, and the
heat throws out the osmazome or gravy on the upper side, which, when
turned over, goes into the fire; by turning it often, so as at first
only to set the outside, the gravy goes into the centre, and it becomes
evenly done throughout. (_See_ "Soyer's Mutton Chop.") As regards the
thickness of the meat to be broiled, that depends in a great measure on
the intensity of the fire, but the quicker the better, and also the
sooner it is eaten after taken from the fire the better. I have
latterly, in broiling rump-steaks, added that which, by a great many, is
considered an improvement; it is, on turning them the last time, to
dredge them out of a dredger with fine holes, in which has been placed
four tablespoonfuls of fine biscuit or rusk-powder, one tablespoonful of
salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, a saltspoonful of either
eschalot-powder or mushroom-powder, or finely-pulverized salts of
celery, well mixed together, and the steak to be placed in a very hot
dish, with a little mushroom-ketchup and a small piece of butter, and
served immediately.
SAUCES.
Sauces in cookery are like the first rudiments of grammar, which
consists of certain rules called Syntax, which is the foundation of
all languages: these fundamental rules are nine, so has cookery the
same number of sauces, which are the foundation of all others; but
these, like its prototype the grammar, have two--brown and white,
which bear a resemblance to the noun and verb, as they are the
first and most easily learnt, and most constantly in use; the
others are the adjuncts, pronouns, adverbs, and interjections; upon
"the proper use of the two principal ones depends the quality of
all others, and the proper making of which tends to the enjoyment
of the dinner; for to my fancy they are to cookery what the gamut
is in the composition of music, as it is by the arrangement of the
notes that harmony is produced, so should the ingredients in the
sauce be so nicely blended, and that delightful concord should
exist, which would equally delight the palate, as a masterpiece of
a Mozart or a Rossini should delight the ear; but which, if badly
executed, tantalize those nervous organs, affect the whole system,
and prove a nuisance instead of a pleasure. I will therefore be
very precise in describing the two, in order that when you make
them, you will not cause your guests to make grimaces at each
other, when partaking of them at your festive board, for the
present age is a little more refined than at the time of Dr.
Johnson, and we are often obliged to swallow what we do not like;
for it is reported of him, that being at a ceremonious
dinner-party, and indulging in his usual flow of wit, he
unconsciously partook of a spoonful of very hot soup, which he
immediately returned to the plate he had taken it from; and
observing the astonishment of some of his neighbors, he very coolly
remarked, "A fool would have burnt his mouth."
When we are at home alone, I very seldom trouble myself by making
white or brown sauce, which I can avoid by selecting simplified
dishes, which easily produce their own sauce whilst cooking them.
But when I expect a little company, the first I order of my cook is
to make me half of the quantity of the following receipts for white
and brown sauces:--
130. _White Sauce._--Cut and chop a knuckle of veal, weighing about four
pounds, into large dice; also half a pound of lean bacon; butter the
bottom of a large stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, add two
onions, a small carrot, a turnip, three cloves, half a blade of mace, a
bouquet of a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and six of parsley, add a gill
of water, place over a sharp fire, stirring round occasionally, until
the bottom of the stewpan is covered with whitish glaze, when fill up
with three quarts of water, add a good teaspoonful of salt, and let
simmer at the corner of the fire an hour and a half, keeping well
skimmed, when pass it through a hair sieve into a basin; in another
stewpan put a quarter of a pound of butter, with which mix six ounces of
flour, stirring over the fire about three minutes, take off, keep
stirring until partly cold, when add the stock all at once, continually
stirring and boiling for a quarter of an hour; add half a pint of
boiling milk, stir a few minutes longer, add a little chopped mushrooms
if handy, pass through a hair sieve into a basin, until required for
use, stirring it round occasionally until cold; the above being a
simplified white sauce, will be referred to very often in the receipts.
131. _Brown Sauce._--Put two ounces of butter into a stewpan, rub it
over the bottom, peel two or three large onions, cut them in thick
slices, lay them on the bottom, cut into small pieces about two pounds
of knuckle of veal,[3] all meat, or three pounds if with bone, a quarter
of a pound of lean bacon cut small, two cloves, a few peppercorns, a
tablespoonful of salt, two bay-leaves, a gill of water; set it on a
brisk fire, let it remain ten minutes, when stir it well round, subdue
the fire, let it remain a few minutes longer, and stir now and then
until it has a nice brown color; fill your pan with three quarts of
water; when boiling, set it on the corner of the stove, with the lid
three parts on the saucepan; when boiling, skim fat and all; after one
hour, or one hour and a half simmering, pass it through a sieve into a
basin. To make the thickening or roux for it, proceed as follows:--Put
two ounces of butter into a pan, which melt on a slow fire, then add
three ounces of flour, stir it until getting a thin deep yellow color;
this in France is called roux, being very useful in cookery, and will be
often referred to in these receipts. This process will take five
minutes, when remove from the fire for two minutes to cool, then add at
once three and a quarter pints of the above stock, very quickly set it
on the fire to boil, remove to corner to simmer, and skim; it ought to
be entirely free from grease, and of a light chestnut color.
132. _Demi-Glaze--Thin Brown Sauce for Made Dishes._--When I have a
small dinner-party, I always, as I told you before, make small
quantities of white and brown sauce as above, but this is a nice way of
clarifying a brown sauce without much trouble, and makes it a beautiful
transparent brown color: but although I have made it quite a study, that
each _entrée_, or made dish for daily use, should make its own sauce,
yet I must impress upon you that this sauce is the real key to cooking a
good and ceremonious dinner. Put a pint of brown sauce in a middle-sized
stewpan, add to it half a pint of broth or consommé, put it on the
stove, stir with wooden spoon, let it boil as fast as possible, take the
scum off which will rise to the surface, reduce it until it adheres
lightly to the spoon, pass it through a sieve or tammy into a basin,
stir now and then until cold, to prevent a skin forming on the top, put
it by until wanted for use. It will keep for a week in winter, by adding
half a gill of white broth every other day, and giving it a boil; the
addition of a tablespoonful of tomatos, gives it a beautiful color; use
where indicated.
133. _Thin Brown Sauce of Mushrooms._--Put twelve tablespoonfuls of thin
brown sauce in a small stewpan to boil, then have six or eight small
mushrooms well cleaned and washed, chop them fine, and place in sauce,
and boil for five minutes; taste if it is to your liking; the addition
of a little sugar is an improvement: a little cayenne, if liked, may be
introduced. This sauce is good for cutlets, broiled fowl and game, &c.
134. _Eschalot Sauce._--Chop fine about a good tablespoonful of
eschalot, wash them by placing them in the corner of a napkin, and
pouring water over them; press them until dry, put them in a small
stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one clove, a little mace;
boil two minutes, add ten tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, boil a little
longer, add a little sugar, and serve.
135. _Piquant Sauce._--Put two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, or
eschalots, cleaned as above, into a stewpan; put also four
tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a bay-leaf, and boil; then add ten
tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, half a one of chopped parsley, ditto of
green gherkins; boil five minutes, skim, add a little sugar, taste if
well seasoned, take out bay-leaf and serve.
136. _Tarragon Sauce._--Put eight tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, and four
of broth, into a stewpan; boil for a few minutes, add a tablespoonful of
vinegar, have ready picked twenty leaves of fresh tarragon, put in to
simmer two minutes, and serve with any kind of poultry, but especially
spring chickens.
137. _Brown Cucumber Sauce._--Peel a small fresh cucumber, cut it in
neat pieces, put in a stewpan with a little sugar, add half an ounce of
butter, set it on a slow fire, stir it now and then, add twelve
tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, and four of broth; let it simmer till
tender, skim the butter off, remove the cucumbers into another stewpan,
reduce the sauce a little, taste it and serve.
138. _Mince Herb Sauce._--Put two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped
onions in a stewpan, add a tablespoonful of oil, place it on the fire,
stir a few minutes, add ten tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze and four of
broth or water; boil, skim; if too thick, and the scum should not rise,
add half a gill of broth or water; boil, and reduce to a proper
thickness, and add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley if handy, one of
mushrooms, and season with a little cayenne, the juice of a quarter of a
lemon; serve. I often introduce a little garlic in this.
139. _Italian Herb Sauce._--Proceed in the same way as the above, only
add a little chopped thyme and a small glass of sherry.
140. _Robert Sauce._--Peel and cut up two good-sized onions, put them in
a stewpan with an ounce of butter till they are a nice yellow color,
then add eight tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, and two of water or broth;
skim, boil quick; when a proper thickness, add a good tablespoonful of
French mustard; season it rather high; if no French mustard, use
English, but it completely changes the flavor, though still very
palatable.
141. _Ravigote Sauce._--Put in a stewpan one middle-sized onion sliced,
with a little carrot, a little thyme, bay-leaf, one clove, a little
mace, a little scraped horseradish, a little butter, fry a few minutes,
then add three teaspoonfuls of vinegar, ten tablespoonfuls of brown
sauce, four of broth; when boiling, skim, add a tablespoonful of currant
jelly; when melted, pass all through a tammy, and serve with any kind of
meat or poultry; with hare or venison it is excellent.
142. _Brown Mushroom Sauce._--Clean and cut twelve small mushrooms in
slices, place them in a stewpan with a little butter, salt, pepper, the
juice of a quarter of a lemon, set it on a slow fire for a few minutes,
then add ten spoonfuls of demi-glaze; boil till they are tender, and
serve. A little mushroom catsup may be introduced.
143. _Orange Sauce for Game._--Peel half an orange, removing all the
pith; cut it into slices, and then in fillets; put them in a gill of
water to boil for two minutes; drain them on a sieve, throwing the water
away; place in the stewpan ten spoonfuls of demi-glaze, or two of broth;
and, when boiling, add the orange, a little sugar, simmer ten minutes,
skim, and serve. The juice of half an orange is an improvement. This is
served with ducklings and waterfowl: those that like may add cayenne and
mustard.
144. _Garlic Sauce._--Though many dislike the flavor of this root, yet
those that like it ought not to be deprived of it. Put in a stewpan ten
tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, a little tomatos if handy; boil it a few
minutes, scrape half a clove of garlic, put it in with a little sugar,
and serve.
145. _Mint Sauce for Lamb._--Take three tablespoonfuls of chopped leaves
of green mint, three tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, and put into a basin
with half a pint of brown vinegar; stir it well up, add one saltspoonful
of salt, and serve.
146. _Liaison of Eggs._--Break the yolks of three eggs in a basin, with
which mix six spoonfuls of milk, or eight of cream; pass it through a
fine sieve, and use when directed.
147. _Anchovy Butter Sauce._--Put into a stewpan eight spoonfuls of
demi-glaze, or three of broth; when boiling, add one ounce of anchovy
butter; stir continually till melted: serve where directed.
148. _Soyer's Sauce._--Put six spoonfuls of demi-glaze into a stewpan;
when hot, add four spoonfuls of Soyer's Gentleman's Sauce; let boil, and
serve with either chop, steak, cotelettes, poultry, or game.
149. _Papillotte Sauce._--Scrape half an ounce of fat bacon, put it in a
pan with four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, stir over the fire for a
few minutes, then add ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, and boil; then
add a tablespoonful of mushrooms chopped, one ditto of parsley, a little
nutmeg, a little pepper and sugar, a little scraped garlic; reduce till
rather thickish; put on dish till cold, and use it for anything you may
put up "_en papillotte_."
150. _Tomato Sauce._--If fresh, put six in a stewpan; having removed the
stalk, and squeezed them in the hand to remove pips, &c., add half an
onion, sliced, a little thyme, bay-leaf, half an ounce of celery, one
ounce of ham, same of butter, teaspoonful of sugar, same of salt, a
quarter one of pepper; set on fire to stew gently; when all tender, add
a tablespoonful of flour, moisten with half a pint of broth, boil five
minutes, add a little cayenne, taste if highly seasoned, pass it through
sieve or tammy, put it back in stewpan, until it adheres rather thick to
the back of the spoon, and use it for any kind of meat or poultry. If
preserved tomato, proceed as for poivrade sauce respecting the
vegetables, omitting the vinegar, add the tomato, instead of brown
sauce, add a tablespoonful of flour and broth to bring it to a proper
thickness, and pass it through a sieve, and serve as above.
151. _Curry Sauce._--This I generally keep ready-made in the
larder, being very fond of what I consider such wholesome food as
curry; but not liking to be troubled with making it often, I cause
my cook to prepare a certain quantity at a time. Mr. B. is very
partial to curry, but he likes it in winter; for my part, I prefer
it in summer. After having partaken of some one very hot summer's
day, I felt quite cool. Capt. White, who has been nearly twenty
years in the East Indies, tells me that it will produce that
refreshing effect; but I can enjoy it in any season.
Put into a pan four good-sized onions, sliced, and two of peeled apples,
with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same of lean ham, a blade of
mace, four peppercorns, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme; stir them
over a moderate fire until the onions become brown and tender, then add
two tablespoonfuls of the best curry powder, one of vinegar, two of
flour, a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar; moisten it with a quart of
broth or milk, or even water, with the addition of a little glaze; boil
till in a pulp, and adhering rather thickly to the back of the spoon;
pass all through a fine sieve or tammy, give it another boil for a few
minutes, put it in a basin, and use when required. Any kind of meat,
poultry, and fish, or parts of game, is excellent warmed in this sauce,
and served with well-boiled and dry rice. I have kept this sauce in a
cool place in the winter for a month, boiling it now and then. The
quantity of powder may be omitted, and a spoonful of curry paste used,
or some mangoes. (_See Curries._)
152. _A very good and useful White Sauce (quite new)._--Put a quart of
white sauce in a stewpan of a proper size on a fire; stir continually
until reduced to one third; put two yolks of eggs in a basin, stir them
well up, add your sauce gradually, keep stirring, put back in stewpan,
set it to boil for a few minutes longer, then add one pint of boiling
milk, which will bring it to its proper thickness; that is, when it
adheres transparently to the back of a spoon; pass through a tammy into
a basin, stir now and then till cold; if not immediately required, and I
have any stock left, I use half of it with half of milk. I also try this
way, which is very convenient: when the yolks are in, and well boiled, I
put it in a large gallipot, and when cold, cover with pieces of paper,
and it will keep good in winter for two or three weeks, and above a week
in summer; and when I want to use a little of it, I only take a spoonful
or two and warm it on the fire, and add enough milk or white broth to
bring it to a proper thickness, and use where required. This sauce is
very smooth, and never, turns greasy; it lies beautifully on fowl, or
any white made dish; the addition of a drop of cream gives it a very
fine white appearance.
153. _Onion Purée Sauce._--Peel and cut six onions in slices; put in a
stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, one
of sugar, a half one of pepper; place on a slow fire to simmer till in a
pulp, stirring them now and then to prevent them getting brown, then add
one tablespoonful of flour, a pint of milk, and boil till a proper
thickness, which should be a little thicker than melted butter; pass
through a tammy, warm again, and serve with mutton cutlets, chops,
rabbits, or fowl; by not passing it, it will do for roast mutton and
boiled rabbit as onion sauce.
154. _Purée of Cauliflower Sauce._--Boil a cauliflower well in three
pints of water, in which you have previously put one ounce of butter,
two tablespoonfuls of salt; when done, chop it up, having prepared and
slowly cooked in a stewpan an onion sliced, a little celery, half a
turnip, one ounce of ham, two of butter, a little bay-leaf, mace, add
then the cauliflower, stir round, add a tablespoonful of flour, moisten
as above for onions, pass and finish the same way.
155. _Jerusalem Artichoke Sauce._--Peel twelve, and well wash, boil till
tender, and proceed as above.
156. _Turnip Sauce Purée._--Boil six middle-sized ones, press all the
water you can out of them, and proceed as the above.
157. _White Cucumber Purée._--Peel two, or one large one, cut in slices,
put in the stewpan with the same vegetables, &c., as for the
cauliflower; when tender, add a tablespoonful of flour, three gills of
milk or broth, boil, and finishing as the cauliflower.
158. _Sorrel Sauce, or Purée._--Wash well four handfuls of sorrel, put
it nearly dry into a middle-sized stewpan, with a little butter; let it
melt, add a tablespoonful of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, half one of
pepper, moisten to a thick purée, with milk, or broth, or cream; pass it
through a sieve, put it back in a stewpan, warm again, add two whole
eggs, two ounces of butter, and stir well, and serve where directed.
159. _Spinach Purée (see Vegetables, 2d Course)._--Endive is often used
in France, and called chicorée. This purée may be made like the
cauliflower, or only plainly chopped, put into a pan with two ounces of
butter, a gill of white sauce, a little grated nutmeg, and a little
salt, pepper and sugar.
160. _Stewed Peas and Sprew Grass._--For cutlets, sweetbreads, fowls, or
any dishes, they are applicable (see Vegetables, second course), also
French beans, only using one third of the quantity that you would for a
made dish for an entremet.
161. _Scooped Jerusalem Artichokes._--Scoop with a round cutter
twenty-four pieces of artichoke, of the size of half an inch in
diameter, wash them, put them in a small stewpan with half an ounce of
butter and a quarter of an ounce of sugar; put it on a slow fire for a
few minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, six of white broth
or milk, let them simmer till tender, skim, mix a yolk of an egg with
two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour in stewpan, and move it round very
quick, and serve; it must not be too thick, and the artichokes must be
well done; they must not be in purée; they are good with or served under
any white meat.
162. _Scooped Turnips._--Proceed exactly the same, only serve a little
thinner: they will not do if stringy.
163. _Button Onions._--The same, only make the sauce thinner, and boil
longer, according to their size.
164. _Young Carrots._--Scrape and trim to shape twenty small and young
carrots, pass in sugar and butter, add white or brown sauce, but keep it
thinner, as it requires a longer time boiling; when tender, if for white
sauce, add a tablespoonful of liaison, stir, and serve.
165. _White Mushroom Sauce._--Use small white ones; cut the dark part
out and remove the tail, wash in several waters, put in a stewpan with a
little butter, salt, pepper, juice of lemon, sauté it for a few minutes,
add a gill of white sauce, four table-spoonfuls of broth, milk, or
water; boil and serve under any white meat.
166. _White Cucumber Sauce._--Peel two cucumbers, divide each lengthways
into four, remove the pips, and cut into pieces one inch long; add, in
stewpan one ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar, half of salt, let
it stew on the fire for fifteen minutes, then add a gill of white sauce,
six spoonfuls of milk, broth, or water, simmer gently and skim, add a
tablespoonful of liaison, and serve where directed, but observe that all
these garnitures ought to be served under the meat and over poultry.
167. _Ragout of Quenelles._--Make twelve nice small quenelles (see
_Quenelles_), warm half a pint of white sauce, in which you have put
four tablespoonfuls of milk, and half a teaspoonful of eschalot; when
well done, pour on the liaison over with the juice of a lemon, and
serve. A few English truffles or mushrooms may be added to this sauce.
168. _Maître d'Hôtel Sauce._--Put eight spoonfuls of white sauce in a
stewpan, with four of white stock or milk; boil it five minutes, then
stir in two ounces of maître d'hôtel butter; stir it quickly over the
fire until the butter is melted, but do not let the sauce boil after the
butter is in; this sauce should only be made at the time of serving.
169. _Green Peas Stewed._--Put a pint of young peas, boiled very green,
into a stewpan, with three table-spoonfuls of white sauce, two ounces
of butter, a little sugar and salt, and two button onions, with parsley,
tied together; boil them ten minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of liaison,
stir it in quickly, and serve.
170. _Green Peas, with Bacon._--Put a pint of well-boiled peas into a
stewpan, with five spoonfuls of brown sauce, two of brown gravy, a
teaspoonful of sugar, two button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let it
boil about ten minutes; have ready braised about a quarter of a pound of
lean bacon, cut it in dice about a quarter of an inch square, add it to
the peas, take out the onions and parsley, season with an ounce of
butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar; mix well together, stew twenty
minutes, and serve.
171. _Blanched Mushrooms._--Get a pottle of fresh mushrooms, cut off the
dirt, and likewise the heads (reserving the stalk for chopping), wash
the heads in a basin of clean water, take them out and drain in a sieve;
put into a stewpan two wine-glasses of cold water, one ounce of butter,
the juice of half a good lemon, and a little salt; turn or peel each
head neatly, and put them into the stewpan immediately, or they will
turn black; set your stewpan on a brisk fire, let them boil quickly five
minutes, put them into a basin ready for use; chop the stalks and peel
very fine, put them into a stewpan with three tablespoonfuls of the
liquor the mushrooms have been boiled in; let them simmer three minutes,
put them into a jar, and use where indicated.
Observe: Turning or peeling mushrooms is an art that practice alone can
attain; if they are very fresh and white, wash them quickly, and wipe
them on a cloth; throw them into the liquid above mentioned.
172. _Onions Stuffed._--Peel twelve large onions, cut a piece off at the
top and bottom to give them a flat appearance, and which adds a better
flavor if left, blanch them in four quarts of boiling water twenty
minutes, then lay them on a cloth to dry; take the middle out of each
onion, and fill them with veal forcemeat (with a little chopped
eschalot, parsley, and mushroom, mixed in it), and put them in a
sauté-pan well buttered, cover them with white broth, let them simmer
over a slow fire until covered with a glaze, and tender; turn them over
and serve where required.
173. _Hot Tartar Sauce._--Put two table-spoonfuls of white sauce in a
small stewpan, four of broth or milk, boil a few minutes, then add two
tablespoonfuls of the tartar sauce (see Salads) in it, stir it very
quick with a wooden spoon, make it quite hot but not boiling; put it on
a dish, and serve where described.
174. _Mephistophelian Sauce._--Do not be afraid of the title, for
it has nothing diabolical about it; the first time I tried it was
at Mr. B.'s birthday party; and some of his friends having over and
over again drank his health, till he had hardly any health left to
carry him to the drawing-room, where the coffee was waiting, about
eleven o'clock, having asked for some anchovy sandwiches, but, from
a mistake, not having any in the house, I composed this ravigotante
sauce, which partly brought them back to their senses.
I cut up the remains of the turkey, rubbed some mustard over it,
sprinkled a little salt and plenty of cayenne, put it on the gridiron on
the fire, and made the following sauce: I chopped six eschalots, washed
and pressed them in the corner of a clean cloth, then put them into a
stewpan with one and a half wine-glassful of Chili vinegar, a chopped
clove, a piece of garlic, two bay-leaves, an ounce of glaze, and boiled
all together for ten minutes; then added four tablespoonfuls of tomato
sauce, a little sugar, and ten of gravy or brown sauce; boiled it a few
minutes longer, then added a pat of butter, stirring it well in, removed
the bay-leaf, and poured over turkey, and served.
SOUPS.
In France, no dinner is served without soup, and no good soup is
supposed to be made without the pot-au-feu (see No. 215), it being
the national dish of the middle and poorer classes of that country;
thinking it might be of service to the working classes, by showing
the benefits to be derived from more frequently partaking of a hot
dinner, as I have previously observed, especially in a cold
climate like ours. Clear light soups are very delicate, and in this
country more fit for the wealthy; whilst the more substantial thick
soups, such as mock turtle, ox-tail, peas, &c., are more in vogue,
consequent to being better adapted to the million; therefore, after
giving a few series of clear soups, I shall proceed to give a
greater variety of the thicker sorts, being careful that every
receipt shall be so plain as to give a correct idea of its cost.
175. _Stock for all kinds of Soup._--Procure a knuckle of veal about six
pounds in weight, which cut into pieces about the size of an egg, as
also half a pound of lean ham or bacon; then rub a quarter of a pound of
butter upon the bottom of the stewpan (capable of holding about two
gallons), into which put the meat and bacon, with half a pint of water,
two ounces of salt, three middle-sized onions, with two cloves in each,
one turnip, a carrot, half a leek, and half a head of celery; put the
cover upon the stewpan, which place over a sharp fire, occasionally
stirring round its contents with a wooden spoon, until the bottom of the
stewpan is covered with a white thickish glaze, which will lightly
adhere to the spoon; fill up the stewpan with cold water, and when upon
the point of boiling, draw it to the corner of the fire, where it must
gently simmer for three hours, carefully skimming off every particle of
grease and scum; pass your stock through a fine hair sieve, and it is
ready for use when required.
The above will make a delicious broth for all kinds of clear soups, and
of course for thick soups or purées; by boiling it rather faster about
five minutes before passing, you will be better enabled to take off
every particle of grease from the surface. In making a stock of beef
proceed as above, but allow double the time to simmer; mutton or lamb,
if any trimmings, might also be used; if beef, use seven pounds; if
mutton, eight; or lamb, seven, of course bones and all included; with
care, this broth would be quite clear. To give a little color, as
required for all clear soups, use a little brown gravy or browning, but
never attempt to brown it by letting it color at the bottom of the
stewpan, for in that case you would destroy the greater part of the
osmazome.
176. _Another way, more economical._--Instead of cutting up the knuckle
of veal so small, cut it in four or five pieces only, and leave the
bacon in one piece; then, when the broth is passed, take out the veal,
which is very excellent served with a little of the broth for gravy, and
the bacon with a few greens upon another dish. This is as I always eat
it myself; but some persons would probably prefer a little
parsley-and-butter sauce or sharp sauce, served with it. Should any of
the veal be left until cold, it might be cut into thin slices, and
gradually warmed in either of the before-mentioned sauces. Should you
make your stock from the leg or shin of beef, stew it double the time,
preserve the vegetables boiled in the stock, and serve with beef, or
serve the beef with some nice sharp sauce over; the remainder, if cold,
may also be hashed in the ordinary way. If of mutton, and you have used
the scrags of the neck, the breast, head, or the chump of the loin, keep
them in as large pieces as possible; and, when done, serve with a few
mashed turnips, and caper sauce, separately; if any remaining until
cold, mince it. Lamb would be seldom used for stock, being much too
expensive; but in case of an abundance, which there sometimes is in the
country, proceed the same as for mutton.
177. _Brown Gravies._--Rub an ounce of butter over the bottom of a
stewpan which would hold about three quarts; have ready peeled four
onions, cut them into thick slices, with which cover the bottom of the
stewpan; over these lay about two pounds of beef from the leg or shin,
cut into thin slices, with the bone chopped very small, add a small
carrot, a turnip cut in slices, and a couple of cloves; set the stewpan
upon a gentle fire for ten minutes, shaking it round occasionally to
prevent burning; after which, let it go upon a slow fire for upwards of
an hour, until the bottom is covered with a blackish glaze, but not
burnt; when properly done, and ready for filling up, you will perceive
the fat that runs from the meat quite clear, fill up the stewpan with
cold water, add a teaspoonful of salt; and when upon the point of
boiling, set it on a corner of the fire, where let it simmer gently
about an hour, skimming off all the fat and scum which may rise to the
surface; when done, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin, and put
by to use for the following purposes:--For every kind of roast meat,
poultry, or game especially; also to give a good color to soups and
sauces. This gravy will keep several days, by boiling it every other
day. Although beef is the most proper meat for the above purpose, it
may be made of veal, mutton, lamb, or even with fresh pork, rabbits, or
poultry.
178. _Browning._--When in business, and not so much time to devote to
the kitchen, I used to make shift with a browning from the following
receipt, using, however, but a very few drops: put two ounces of
powdered sugar into a middling-sized stewpan, which place over a slow
fire; when beginning to melt, stir it round with a wooden spoon until
getting quite black, then pour over half a pint of cold water: leave it
to dissolve, and take a little for use when required.
179. _Glaze_ is an almost indispensable article in a _cuisine
bourgeoise_, and should be kept by all persons in the middle classes of
life, the advantage being that it will keep for months together, is very
simple to make, and is always useful in cookery, however humble; in
fact, with it you can dress a very good dinner with very little trouble.
Make a stock as directed in No. 175, but omitting the salt, which, when
done, pass through a cloth into a basin; then fill the stewpan up a
second time with hot water, and let boil four hours longer to obtain all
the succulence from the meat, then pass it through a cloth the same as
the first; then pour both stocks in a large stewpan together, set it
over the fire, and let it boil as fast as possible, leaving a large
spoon in, to stir occasionally and prevent its boiling over; when
reduced to about three pints, pour it into a smaller stewpan, set again
to boil at the corner, skimming well if required; when reduced to a
quart, place it quite over the fire, well stirring with a wooden spoon
until forming a thickish glaze (which will adhere to the spoon) of a
fine yellowish-brown color; pour it into a basin, or, if for keeping any
time, into a long bladder, from which cut a slice and use where
directed.
Where, however, only a small quantity is required, reduce only the
second stock, using the first for either soup or sauce; but in that case
the salt must not be omitted from the first stock, but from the second
only. Veal at all times makes the best glaze, but any kinds of meat,
game, or poultry will produce more or less.
180. _To clarify Stock, if required._--In case, by some accident, your
stock should not be clear, put it (say three quarts) into a stewpan, and
place it over a good fire, skim well, and, when boiling, have ready the
whites of three eggs (carefully separated from their yolks), to which
add half a pint of water; whisk well together; then add half a pint of
the boiling stock gradually, still whisking the eggs; then whisk the
boiling stock, pouring the whites of eggs, &c., in whilst so doing,
which continue until nearly boiling again, then take it from the fire,
let it remain until the whites of eggs separate themselves, pass it
through a clean fine cloth into a basin; this must be taken as a rule
for every kind of clear soup, which must be strictly followed by every
person wishing to profit by this little work. These principles, once
learned, would be useful at all times, and save a great deal of useless
reference in the perusal of these receipts; and no persons can make
themselves answerable for the success of any individual in making soups
if the instructions recommended be not strictly followed. The following
rule should be therefore punctually attended to.
All clear soups ought not to be too strong of meat, and must be of a
light brown sherry or straw color. All white or brown thick soups should
be rather thin, with just sufficient consistency to adhere lightly to a
spoon when hot, soups of fish, poultry, or game especially. All purées,
no matter whether of meat or vegetables, require to be somewhat thicker,
which may be ascertained by its adhering more thickly to the spoon.
Every Italian soup must be very clear, rather stronger of meat, and the
color of pale sherry.
By following the few foregoing observations, experience will teach
you volumes; for as there is a great difference in the quality of
different materials (flour, for instance, which, if strong, would
tend to thicken, but, if weak, actually almost turns to water by
boiling), therefore your judgment, with the above few important
remarks, will make you more perfect than the most precise
quantities of weights and measurements, upon that important point.
181. _Clear Vegetable Soup._--Peel a middling-sized carrot and turnip,
which cut first into slices, then into small square pieces about the
size of dice; peel also eighteen button onions; wash the whole in cold
water, and drain them upon a sieve; when dry, put them into a stewpan
with two ounces of butter and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar; set them
upon a very sharp fire for ten minutes, tossing them over every now and
then until the vegetables become covered with a thin shiny glaze, which
m
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