Chapter II: (More Economical.) (11)

_Ingredients._—¼ lb. of sweet almonds, ¼ lb. of cold veal or poultry, a thick slice of stale bread, a piece of fresh lemon-peel, 1 blade of mace, pounded, ¾ pint of cream, the yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 quarts of white stock. _Mode._—Reduce the almonds in a mortar to a paste, with a spoonful of water, and add to them the meat, which should be previously pounded with the bread. Beat all together, and add the lemon-peel, very finely chopped, and the mace. Pour the boiling stock on the whole, and simmer for an hour. Rub the eggs in the cream, put in the soup, bring it to a boil, and serve immediately. _Time._—1½ hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 6_d._ per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year. _Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note._—-A more economical white soup may be made by using common veal stock, and thickening with rice, flour, and milk. Vermicelli should be served with it. _Average cost_, 5_d._ per quart.

SPINACH, to Boil (English Mode).

_Ingredients._—2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 heaped tablespoonfuls of salt, 1 oz. of of butter, pepper to taste. _Mode._—Pick the spinach carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are left amongst it; wash it in several waters, and, to prevent it being gritty, act in the following manner:—Have ready two large pans or tubs filled with water; put the spinach into one of these, and thoroughly wash it; then, _with the hands_, take out the spinach, and put it into the _other tub_ of water (by this means all the grit will be left at the-bottom of the tub); wash it again, and should it not be perfectly free from dirt, repeat the process. Put it into a very large saucepan, with about ½ pint of water, just sufficient to keep the spinach from burning, and the above proportion of salt. Press it down frequently with a wooden spoon, that it may be done equally; and when it has boiled for rather more than 10 minutes, or until it is perfectly tender, drain it in a colander, squeeze it quite dry, and chop it finely. Put the spinach into a clean stewpan, with the butter and a seasoning of pepper; stir the whole over the fire until quite hot; then put it on a hot dish, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread. _Time._—10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach, 5 minutes to warm with the butter. _Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from November to March.

_Note._—Grated nutmeg, pounded mace, or lemon-juice may also be added to enrich the flavour; and poached eggs are also frequently served with spinach: they should be placed on the top of it, and it should be garnished with sippets of toasted bread.

SPINACH dressed with Cream, à la Française.

_Ingredients._—2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 tablespoonfuls of salt, 2 oz. of butter, 8 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 small teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a very little grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Boil and drain the spinach; chop it fine, and put it into a stewpan with the butter; stir it over a gentle fire, and, when the butter has dried away, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Previously to pouring in the cream, boil it first, in case it should curdle. Serve on a hot dish, and garnish either with sippets of toasted bread or leaves of puff-paste. _Time._—10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach; 10 minutes to stew with the cream. _Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from November to March.

SPINACH, French Mode of Dressing.

_Ingredients._—2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 tablespoonfuls of salt, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 8 tablespoonfuls of good gravy; when liked, a very little grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Pick, wash, and boil the spinach, and when tender, drain and squeeze it perfectly dry from the water that hangs about it. Chop it very fine, put the butter into a stewpan, and lay the spinach over that; stir it over a gentle fire, and dredge in the flour. Add the gravy, and let it boil _quickly_ for a few minutes, that it may not discolour. When the flavour of nutmeg is liked, grate some to the spinach, and when thoroughly hot, and the gravy has dried away a little, serve. Garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. _Time._—10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach; 10 minutes to simmer in the gravy. _Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from October to February.

_Note._—For an _entremets_ or second-course dish, spinach dressed by the above recipe may be pressed into a hot mould; it should then be turned out quickly, and served immediately.

SPINACH-GREEN, for Colouring various Dishes.

_Ingredients._—2 handfuls of spinach. _Mode._—Pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve, and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. Place this in a bain marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. Watch it closely, as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready for colouring. If made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way.

SPINACH SOUP (French Recipe).

_Ingredients._—As much spinach as, when boiled, will half fill a vegetable-dish, 2 quarts of very clear medium stock. _Mode._—Make the cooked spinach into balls the size of an egg, and slip them into the soup-tureen. This is a very elegant soup, the green of the spinach forming a pretty contrast to the brown gravy. _Time._—1 hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ per quart. _Seasonable_ from October to June.

SPONGE-CAKE.

_Ingredients._—The weight of 8 eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the weight of 5 in flour, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of brandy. _Mode._—Put the eggs into one side of the scale, and take the weight of 8 in pounded loaf sugar, and the weight of 5 in good _dry_ flour. Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, put them into a saucepan with the sugar, and let them remain over the fire until _milk-warm_, keeping them well stirred. Then put them into a basin, add the grated lemon-rind mixed with the brandy, and stir these well together, dredging in the flour very gradually. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, stir them to the flour, &c., and beat the cake well for ¼ hour. Put it into a buttered mould strewn with a little fine-sifted sugar, and bake the cake in a quick oven for 1½ hour. Care must be taken that it is put into the oven immediately, or it will not be light. The flavouring of this cake may he varied by adding a few drops of essence of almonds instead of the grated lemon-rind. _Time._—1½ hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 3_d._ _Sufficient_ for 1 cake. _Seasonable_ at any time.

SPONGE-CAKE.

_Ingredients._—½ lb. of loaf sugar, not quite ¼ pint of water, 5 eggs, 1 lemon, ½ lb. of flour, ¼ teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _Mode._—Boil the sugar and water together until they form a thick syrup; let it cool a little, then pour it to the eggs, which should be previously well whisked; and after the eggs and syrup are mixed together, continue beating them for a few minutes. Grate the lemon-rind, mix the carbonate of soda with the flour, and stir these lightly to the other ingredients; then add the lemon-juice, and, when the whole is thoroughly mixed, pour it into a buttered mould, and bake in rather a quick oven for rather more than 1 hour. The remains of sponge or Savoy cakes answer very well for trifles, light puddings, &c.; and a very stale one (if not mouldy) makes an excellent tipsy cake. _Time._—Rather more than 1 hour. _Average cost_, 10_d._ _Sufficient_ to make 1 cake. _Seasonable_ at any time.

SPONGE-CAKES, Small.

_Ingredients._—The weight of 5 eggs in flour, the weight of 8 in pounded loaf sugar; flavouring to taste. _Mode._—Let the flour be perfectly dry, and the sugar well pounded and sifted. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and beat the latter up with the sugar; then whisk the whites until they become rather stiff, and mix them with the yolks, but do not stir them more than is just necessary to mingle the ingredients well together. Dredge in the flour by degrees, add the flavouring; butter the tins well, pour in the batter, sift a little sugar over the cakes, and bake them in rather a quick oven, but do not allow them to take too much colour, as they should be rather pale. Remove them from the tins before they get cold, and turn them on their faces, where let them remain until quite cold, when store them away in a closed tin canister or wide-mouthed glass bottle. _Time._—10 to 15 minutes in a quick oven. _Average cost_, 1_d._ each. _Seasonable_ at any time.

SPRATS.

Sprats should be cooked very fresh, which can be ascertained by their bright and sparkling eyes. Wipe them dry; fasten them in rows by a skewer run through the eyes; dredge with flour, and broil them on a gridiron over a nice clear fire. The gridiron should be rubbed with suet. Serve very hot. _Time._—3 or 4 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_d._ per lb. _Seasonable_ from November to March.

TO CHOOSE SPRATS.—Choose these from their silvery appearance, as the brighter they are, so are they the fresher.

SPRATS, Dried.

Dried sprats should be put into a basin, and boiling water poured over them; they may then be skinned and served, and this will be found a much better way than boiling them.

SPRATS, Fried in Batter.

_Ingredients._—2 eggs, flour, bread-crumbs; seasoning of salt and pepper to taste. _Mode._—Wipe the sprats, and dip them in a batter made of the above ingredients. Fry of a nice brown, serve very hot, and garnish with fried parsley. Sprats may be baked like herrings.

SPROUTS, to Boil Young.

_Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda. _Mode._—Pick away all the dead leaves, and wash the greens well in cold water; drain them in a colander, and put them into fast-boiling water, with salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep them boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, until tender; and the moment they are done, take them up, or their colour will be spoiled; when well drained, serve. The great art in cooking greens properly, and to have them a good colour, is to put them into _plenty of fast-boiling_ water, to let them boil very quickly, and to take them up the moment they become tender. _Time._—Brocoli sprouts, 10 to 12 minutes; young greens, 10 to 12 minutes; sprouts, 12 minutes, after the water boils. _Seasonable._—Sprouts of various kinds may be had all the year.

STEW, Irish.

_Ingredients._—3 lbs. of the loin or neck of mutton, 5 lbs. of potatoes, 5 large onions, pepper and salt to taste, rather more than 1 pint of water. _Mode._—Trim off some of the fat of the above quantity of loin or neck of mutton, and cut it into chops of a moderate thickness. Pare and halve the potatoes, and cut the onions into thick slices. Put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of a stewpan, then a layer of mutton and onions, and season with pepper and salt; proceed in this manner until the stewpan is full, taking care to have plenty of vegetables at the top. Pour in the water, and let it stew very gently for 2½ hours, keeping the lid of the stewpan closely shut the _whole_ time, and occasionally shaking the preparation to prevent its burning. _Time._—2½ hours. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 2_s._ 8_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Suitable for a winter dish.

STEW, Irish.

_Ingredients._—2 or 3 lbs. of the breast of mutton, 1½ pint of water, salt and pepper to taste, 4 lbs. of potatoes, 4 large onions. _Mode._—Put the mutton into a stewpan with the water and a little salt, and let it stew gently for an hour; cut the meat into small pieces, skim the fat from the gravy, and pare and slice the potatoes and onions. Put all the ingredients into the stewpan, in layers, first a layer of vegetables, then one of meat, and sprinkle seasoning of pepper and salt between each layer; cover closely, and let the whole stew very gently for 1 hour, or rather more, shaking it frequently to prevent its burning. _Time._—Rather more than 2 hours. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Suitable for a winter dish.

_Note._—Irish stew may be prepared in the same manner as above, but baked in a jar instead of boiled. About 2 hours or rather more in a moderate oven will be sufficient time to bake it.

STILTON CHEESE.

Stilton cheese, or British Parmesan, as it is sometimes called, is generally preferred to all other cheeses by those whose authority few will dispute. Those made in May or June are usually served at Christmas; or, to be in prime order, should be kept from 10 to 12 months, or even longer. An artificial ripeness in Stilton cheese is sometimes produced by inserting a small piece of decayed Cheshire into an aperture at the top. From 3 weeks to a month is sufficient time to ripen the cheese. An additional flavour may also be obtained by scooping out a piece from the top, and pouring therein port, sherry, Madeira, or old ale, and letting the cheese absorb these for two or three weeks. But that cheese is the finest which is ripened without any artificial aid, is the opinion of those who are judges in these matters. In serving a Stilton cheese, the top of it should be cut off to form a lid, and a napkin or piece of white paper, with a frill at the top, pinned round. When the cheese goes from table, the lid should be replaced.

STOCKS for all kinds of Soups (Rich Strong Stock).

_Ingredients._—4 lbs. of shin of beef, 4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, ¼ lb. of good lean ham; any poultry trimmings; 2 oz. of butter; 3 onions, 3 carrots, 2 turnips (the latter should be omitted in summer, lest they ferment), 1 head of celery, a few chopped mushrooms, when obtainable; 1 tomato, a bunch of savoury herbs, not forgetting parsley; 1½ oz. of salt, 3 lumps of sugar, 12 white peppercorns, 6 cloves, 3 small blades of mace, 4 quarts of water. _Mode._—Line a delicately clean stewpan with the ham cut in thin broad slices, carefully trimming off all its rusty fat; cut up the beef and veal in pieces about 3 inches square, and lay them on the ham; set it on the stove, and draw it down, and stir frequently. When the meat is equally browned, put in the beef and veal bones, the poultry trimmings, and pour in the cold water. Skim well, and occasionally add a little cold water, to stop its boiling, until it becomes quite clear; then put in all the other ingredients, and simmer very slowly for 5 hours. Do not let it come to a brisk boil, that the stock be not wasted, and that its colour may be preserved. Strain through a very fine hair sieve, or cloth, and the stock will be fit for use. _Time._—5 hours. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 3_d._ per quart.

STOCK, Economical.

_Ingredients._—The liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled, say 4 quarts; trimmings of fresh meat or poultry, shank-bones, &c., roast-beef bones, any pieces the larder may furnish; vegetables, spices, and the same seasoning as in the foregoing recipe. _Mode._—Let all the ingredients simmer gently for 6 hours, taking care to skim carefully at first. Strain it off, and put by for use. _Time._—6 hours. _Average cost_, 3_d._ per quart.

STOCK, Medium.

_Ingredients._—4 lbs. of shin of beef, or 4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, or 2 lbs. of each; any bones, trimmings of poultry, or fresh meat, ¼ lb. of lean bacon or ham, 2 oz. of butter, 2 large onions, each stuck with 3 cloves; 1 turnip, 3 carrots, 1 head of celery, 3 lumps of sugar, 2 oz. of salt, ½ a teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1 large blade of mace, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 4 quarts and ½ pint of cold water. _Mode._—Cut up the meat and bacon or ham into pieces of about 3 inches square; rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in ½ a pint of water, the meat, and all the other ingredients. Cover the stewpan, and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents. When the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add the 4 quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for 5 hours. As we have said before, do not let it boil quickly. Remove every particle of scum whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve. This stock is the basis of most of the soups mentioned in this dictionary, and will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes. _Time._—5½ hours. _Average cost_, 9_d._ per quart.

STOCK, To Clarify.

_Ingredients._—The whites of 2 eggs, ½ pint of water, 2 quarts of stock. _Mode._—Supposing that by some accident the soup is not quite clear, and that its quantity is 2 quarts, take the whites of 2 eggs, carefully separated from their yolks, whisk them well together with the water, and add gradually the 2 quarts of boiling stock, still whisking. Place the soup on the fire, and when boiling and well skimmed, whisk the eggs with it till nearly boiling again; then draw it from the fire, and let it settle, until the whites of the eggs become separated. Pass through a fine cloth, and the soup should be clear.

_Note._—The rule is, that all clear soups should be of a light straw-colour, and should not savour too strongly of the meat; and that all white or brown thick soups should have no more consistency than will enable them to adhere slightly to the spoon when hot. All _purées_ should be somewhat thicker.

STOCK, White (to be used in the preparation of White Soups).

_Ingredients._—4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, any poultry trimmings, 4 slices of lean ham, 3 carrots, 2 onions, 1 head of celery, 12 white peppercorns, 2 oz. of salt, 1 blade of mace, a bunch of herbs, 1 oz. butter, 4 quarts of water. _Mode._—Cut up the veal, and put it with the bones and trimmings of poultry, and the ham, into the stewpan, which has been rubbed with the butter. Moisten with ½ a pint of water, and simmer till the gravy begins to flow. Then add the 4 quarts of water and the remainder of the ingredients; simmer for 5 hours. After skimming and straining it carefully through a very fine hair sieve, it will be ready for use. _Time._—5½ hours. _Average cost_, 9_d._ per quart.

_Note._—When stronger stock is desired, double the quantity of veal, or put in an old fowl. The liquor in which a young turkey has been boiled, is an excellent addition to all white stock or soups.

STOCK, Consommé or White, for many Sauces.

Consommé is made precisely in the same manner as white stock, and, for ordinary purposes, will be found quite good enough. When, however, a stronger stock is desired, either put in half the quantity of water, or double that of the meat. This is a very good foundation for all white sauces.

STRAWBERRY JAM.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of fruit allow ½ pint of red-currant juice, 1¼ lb. of loaf sugar. _Mode._—Strip the currants from the stalks, put them into a jar; place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is well drawn from the fruit; strain the currants, measure the juice, put it into a preserving pan, and add the sugar. Select well-ripened but sound strawberries; pick them from the stalks, and when the sugar is dissolved in the currant-juice, put in the fruit. Simmer the whole over a moderate fire, from ½ to ¾ hour, carefully removing the scum as it rises. Stir the jam only enough to prevent it from burning at the bottom of the pan, as the fruit should be preserved as whole as possible. Put the jam into jars, and when cold, cover down. _Time._—½ to ¾ hour, reckoning from the time the jam simmers all over. _Average cost_, from 7_d._ to 8_d._ per lb. pot. _Sufficient._—12 pints of strawberries will make 12 lbs. of jam. _Seasonable_ in June and July.

STRAWBERRY JELLY.

_Ingredients._—Strawberries, pounded sugar; to every pint of juice allow 1¼ oz. of isinglass. _Mode._—Pick the strawberries, put them into a pan, squeeze them well with a wooden spoon, add sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten them nicely, and let them remain for 1 hour, that the juice may be extracted; then add ½ pint of water to every pint of juice. Strain the strawberry-juice and water through a bag; measure it, and to every pint allow 1¼ oz. of isinglass, melted and clarified in ¼ pint of water. Mix this with the juice; put the jelly into a mould, and set the mould in ice. A little lemon-juice added to the strawberry-juice improves the flavour of the jelly, if the fruit is very ripe; but it must be well strained before it is put to the other ingredients, or it will make the jelly muddy. _Time._—1 hour to draw the juice. _Average cost_, with the best isinglass, 3_s._ _Sufficient._—Allow 1½ pint of jelly for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ in June, July, and August.

STRAWBERRIES and CREAM.

_Ingredients._—To every pint of picked strawberries allow 1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of finely-pounded sugar. _Mode._—Pick the stalks from the fruit, place it on a glass dish, sprinkle over it pounded sugar, and slightly stir the strawberries, that they may all be equally sweetened; pour the cream over the top, and serve. Devonshire cream, when it can be obtained, is exceedingly delicious for this dish; and, if very thick indeed, may be diluted with a little thin cream or milk. _Average cost_ for this quantity, with cream at 1_s._ per pint, 1_s._ _Sufficient_ for 2 persons. _Seasonable_ in June and July.

STRAWBERRIES, Preserved in Wine.

_Ingredients._—To every quart bottle allow ¼ lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar; sherry or Madeira. _Mode._—Let the fruit be gathered in fine weather, and used as soon as picked. Have ready some perfectly dry glass bottles, and some nice soft corks or bungs. Pick the stalks from the strawberries, drop them into the bottles, sprinkling amongst them pounded sugar in the above proportion, and when the fruit reaches to the neck of the bottle, fill up with sherry or Madeira. Cork the bottles down with new corks, and dip them into melted resin. _Seasonable._—Make this in June or July.

STRAWBERRIES, to Preserve Whole.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of fruit allow 1½ lb. of good loaf sugar, 1 pint of red-currant juice. _Mode._—Choose the strawberries not too ripe, of a fine large sort and of a good colour. Pick off the stalks, lay the strawberries in a dish, and sprinkle over them half the quantity of sugar, which must be finely pounded. Shake the dish gently, that the sugar may be equally distributed and touch the under-side of the fruit, and let it remain for 1 day. Then have ready the currant-juice, drawn as for red-currant jelly; boil it with the remainder of the sugar until it forms a thin syrup, and in this simmer the strawberries and sugar, until the whole is sufficiently jellied. Great care must be taken not to stir the fruit roughly, as it should be preserved as whole as possible. Strawberries prepared in this manner are very good served in glasses and mixed with thin cream. _Time._—¼ hour to 20 minutes to simmer the strawberries in the syrup. _Seasonable_ in June and July.

STRAWBERRY, Open Tart of, or any other Kind of Preserve.

_Ingredients._—Trimmings of puff-paste, any kind of jam. _Mode._—Butter a tart-pan of the shape shown in the engraving, roll out the paste to the thickness of ½ an inch, and line the pan with it; prick a few holes at the bottom with a fork, and bake the tart in a brisk oven from 10 to 15 minutes. Let the paste cool a little; then fill it with preserve, place a few stars or leaves on it, which have been previously cut out of the paste and baked, and the tart is ready for table. By making it in this manner, both the flavour and colour of the jam are preserved, which would otherwise be lost, were it baked in the oven on the paste; and, besides, so much jam is not required. _Time._—10 to 15 min. _Average cost_, 8_d._ _Sufficient._—1 tart for 3 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

STURGEON, Baked.

_Ingredients._—1 small sturgeon, salt and pepper to taste, 1 small bunch of herbs, the juice of ½ lemon, ¼ lb. of butter, 1 pint of white wine. _Mode._—Cleanse the fish thoroughly, skin it, and split it along the belly without separating it; have ready a large baking-dish, in which lay the fish, sprinkle over the seasoning and herbs very finely minced, and moisten it with the lemon-juice and wine. Place the butter in small pieces over the whole of the fish, put it in the oven, and baste frequently; brown it nicely, and serve with its own gravy. _Time._—Nearly 1 hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ per lb. _Seasonable_ from August to March.

STURGEON, Roast.

_Ingredients._—Veal stuffing, buttered paper, the tail-end of a sturgeon. _Mode._—Cleanse the fish, bone and skin it; make a nice veal stuffing (_see_ Forcemeats), and fill it with the part where the bones came from; roll it in buttered paper, bind it up firmly with tape, like a fillet of veal, and roast it in a Dutch oven before a clear fire. Serve with good brown gravy, or plain melted butter. _Time._—About 1 hour. _Average costs_, 1_s._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ per lb. _Seasonable_ from August to March.

_Note._—Sturgeon maybe plainly boiled, and served with Dutch sauce. The fish is very firm, and requires long boiling.

SUET PUDDING, to serve with Roast Meat.

_Ingredients._—1 lb. of flour, 6 oz. of finely-chopped suet, ½ saltspoonful of salt, ½ saltspoonful of pepper, ½ pint of milk or water. _Mode._—Chop the suet very finely, after freeing it from skin, and mix it well with the flour; add the salt and pepper (this latter ingredient may be omitted if the flavour is not liked), and make the whole into a smooth paste with the above proportion of milk or water. Tie the pudding in a floured cloth, or put it into a buttered basin, and boil from 2½ to 3 hours. To enrich it, substitute 3 beaten eggs for some of the milk or water, and increase the proportion of suet. _Time._—2½ to 3 hours. _Average cost_, 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note._—When there is a joint roasting or baking, this pudding may be boiled in a long shape, and then cut into slices a few minutes before dinner is served; these slices should be laid in the dripping-pan for a minute or two, and then browned before the fire. Most children like this accompaniment to roast-meat.

SUGAR, to Boil, to Caramel.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of lump sugar allow 1 gill of spring water. _Mode._—Boil the sugar and water together very quickly over a clear fire, skimming it very carefully as soon as it boils. Keep it boiling until the sugar snaps when a little of it is dropped in a pan of cold water. If it remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the fire. Set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then ready for use. The insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine threads or network. A dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks very pretty with this sugar spun lightly over it.

SUPPERS.

Much may be done in the arrangement of a supper-table, at a very small expense, provided _taste_ and _ingenuity_ are exercised. The colours and flavours of the various dishes should contrast nicely; there should be plenty of fruit and flowers on the table, and the room should be well lighted. We have endeavoured to show how the various dishes may be placed; but of course these little matters entirely depend on the length and width of the table used, on individual taste, whether the tables are arranged round the room, whether down the centre, with a cross one at the top, or whether the supper is laid in two separate rooms, &c., &c. The garnishing of the dishes has also much to do with the appearance of a supper-table. Hams and tongues should be ornamented with cut vegetable flowers, raised pies with aspic jelly cut in dice, and all the dishes garnished sufficiently to be in good taste without looking absurd. The eye, in fact, should be as much gratified as the palate. Hot soup is now often served at suppers, but is not placed on the table. The servants fill the plates from a tureen on the buffet, and then hand them to the guests: when these plates are removed, the business of supper commences.

Where small rooms and large parties necessitate having a standing supper, many things enumerated in the following bill of fare may be placed on the buffet. Dishes for these suppers should be selected which may be eaten standing without any trouble. The following list may, perhaps, assist our readers in the arrangement of a buffet for a standing supper.

Beef, ham, and tongue-sandwiches, lobster and oyster-patties, sausage-rolls, meat-rolls, lobster-salad, dishes of fowls, the latter _all cut up_; dishes of sliced ham, sliced tongue, sliced beef, and galantine of veal; various jellies, blancmanges, and creams; custards in glasses, compôtes of fruit, tartlets of jam, and several dishes of small fancy pastry; dishes of fresh fruit, bon-bons, sweetmeats, two or three sponge-cakes, a few plates of biscuits, and the buffet ornamented with vases of fresh or artificial flowers. The above dishes are quite sufficient for a standing supper; where more are desired, a supper must then be laid and arranged in the usual manner.

SUPPER, BILL OF FARE FOR A BALL, FOR 60 PERSONS (for Winter).

BOAR’S HEAD,
garnished with Aspic Jelly.

Fruited Mayonnaise of Fowl. Charlotte
Lobster Jelly. Russe. Lobster
Salad. Small Ham, garnished. Salad.
Small Biscuits.
Pastry. Iced Savoy Cake.

Vanilla Epergne, with Fruit. Fruited
Cream. Jelly.

Prawns. Two Boiled Fowls, with Prawns.
Béchamel Sauce.
Two Biscuits. Small Two
Roast Tongue, ornamented. Pastry. Roast
Fowls, Fowls,
cut up. Custards, Trifle, ornamented. Custards, cut up.
in glasses. in glasses.
Raised Chicken Pie.

Tipsy Cake.
Fruited Swiss
Jelly. Roast Pheasant. Cream.

Lobster Meringues. Epergne, with Fruit. Meringues. Lobster
Salad. Salad.
Galantine of Veal.
Raspberry Fruited
Cream. Tipsy Cake. Jelly.

Small Pastry. Raised Game Pie. Biscuits.

Custards, Trifle, ornamented. Custards,
Two in glasses. in glasses. Two
Roast Tongue, ornamented. Roast
Fowls, Prawns. Prawns. Fowls,
cut up. Two Boiled Fowls, with cut up.
Béchamel Sauce.
Biscuits. Small Pastry.
——
EPERGNE, WITH FRUIT.
——
Fruited Iced Savoy Cake. Blancmange.
Jelly.
Lobster Small Ham, garnished. Lobster
Salad. Salad.
Charlotte Mayonnaise of Fowl. Fruited
Russe. Jelly.
Larded Capon.

_Note._—When soup is served from the buffet, Mock Turtle and Julienne may be selected. Besides the articles enumerated above, Ices, Wafers, Biscuits, Tea, Coffee, Wines, and Liqueurs will be required. Punch à la Romaine may also be added to the list of beverages.

SUPPER, BILL OF FARE FOR A BALL,

Or a Cold Collation for a Summer Entertainment, or Wedding or Christening Breakfast for 70 or 80 Persons (July),

Dish of Tongue.
Lobster, Ribs of Lamb. Veal-and-Ham
cut up. Two Roast Fowls. Pie.
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Salmon. ~%@|
|~%@ Charlotte ~%@|
|~%@ Russe à la Lobster Epergne, Lobster Savoy ~%@|
|~%@ Vanille. Salad. with Flowers. Salad. Cake. ~%@|
|~%@ ~%@|
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Trout. ~%@|
|~%@ Tongue, garnished. ~%@|
|~%@ Boiled Fowls and Béchamel Sauce. Dish of ~%@|
|~%@ Lobster, ~%@|
|~%@ Pigeon Pie. Collared Eel. cut up. ~%@|
|~%@ Ham. ~%@|
|~%@ Raised Pie. ~%@|
|~%@ Lobster Two Roast Fowls. Lobster ~%@|
|~%@ Salad. Shoulder of Lamb, stuffed. Salad. ~%@|
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Salmon. ~%@|
|~%@ Dish of ~%@|
|~%@ Lobster, Larded Epergne, Boar’s Pigeon ~%@|
|~%@ cut up. Capon. with Flowers. Head. Pie. ~%@|
|~%@ ~%@|
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Trout. ~%@|
|~%@ Tongue. ~%@|
|~%@ Lobster Boiled Fowls and Béchamel Sauce. Lobster ~%@|
|~%@ Salad. Raised Pie. Salad. ~%@|
|~%@ Ham, decorated. ~%@|
|~%@ Dish of ~%@|
|~%@ Pigeon Pie. Shoulder of Lamb, stuffed. Lobster, ~%@|
|~%@ Two Roast Fowls. cut up. ~%@|
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Salmon. ~%@|
|~%@ Charlotte Veal ~%@|
|~%@ Dish of Savoy Lobster Epergne, Lobster Russe and ~%@|
|~%@ lobster Cake. Salad. with Flowers. Salad. à la Ham ~%@|
|~%@ cut up. Vanille. Pie. ~%@|
|~%@ Mayonnaise of Trout. ~%@|
|~%@ Tongue, garnished. Dish of ~%@|
Boiled Fowls and Béchamel Sauce. Lobster,
cut up.
@ : 4 Blancmanges, to be placed down the table. 4 Jellies, to be placed down the table.
% : 3 Dishes of Small Pastry. 3 Fruit Tarts. 3 Cheesecakes.
~ : 3 Compôtes of Fruit. 3 English Pines. 20 Small Dishes of various Summer Fruits.

_Note._—The length of the page will not admit of our giving the dishes as they should be placed on the table; they should be arranged with the large and high dishes down the centre, and the spaces filled up with the smaller dishes, fruit, and flowers, taking care that the flavours and colours contrast nicely, and that no two dishes of a sort come together. This bill of fare may be made to answer three or four purposes, placing a wedding cake or christening cake in the centre on a high stand, if required for either of these occasions. A few dishes of fowls, lobster salads, &c. &c., should be kept in reserve to replenish those that are most likely to be eaten first. A joint of cold roast and boiled beef should be placed on the buffet, as being something substantial for the gentlemen of the party to partake of. Besides the articles enumerated in the bill of fare, biscuits and wafers will be required, cream-and-water ices, tea, coffee, wines, liqueurs, soda-water, ginger-beer, and lemonade.

SWEETBREADS, Baked (an Entrée).

_Ingredients._—3 sweetbreads, egg and bread-crumbs, oiled butter, 3 slices of toast, brown gravy. _Mode._—Choose large white sweetbreads; put them into warm water to draw out the blood, and to improve their colour; let them remain for rather more than 1 hour; then put them into boiling water, and allow them to simmer for about 10 minutes, which renders them firm. Take them up, drain them, brush over with egg, sprinkle with bread-crumbs; dip them in egg again, and then into more bread-crumbs. Drop on them a little oiled butter, and put the sweetbreads into a moderately-heated oven, and let them bake for nearly ¾ hour. Make 3 pieces of toast; place the sweetbreads on the toast, and pour round, but not over them, a good brown gravy. _Time._—To soak 1 hour, to be boiled 10 minutes, baked 40 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_s._ to 5_s._ _Sufficient_ for an entrée. _Seasonable._—In full season from May to August.

SWEETBREADS, Fried (à la Maître d’Hôtel), an Entrée.

_Ingredients._—3 sweetbreads, egg and bread-crumbs, ¼ lb. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, rather more than ½ pint of maître-d’hôtel sauce. _Mode._—Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for an hour; then boil them for 10 minutes; cut them in slices, egg and bread-crumb them, season with pepper and salt, and put them into a frying-pan, with the above proportion of butter. Keep turning them until done, which will be in about 10 minutes; dish them, and pour over them a maître-d’hôtel sauce. The dish may be garnished with slices of cut lemon. _Time._—To soak 1 hour, to be boiled 10 minutes, to be fried about 10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_s._ to 5_s._, according to the season. _Sufficient_ for an entrée. _Seasonable._—In full season from May to August.

_Note._—The egg and bread-crumb may be omitted, and the slices of sweetbread dredged with a little flour instead, and a good gravy may be substituted for the maître-d’hôtel sauce. This is a very simple method of dressing them.

SWEETBREADS, Stewed (an Entrée).

_Ingredients._—3 sweetbreads, 1 pint of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, 6 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 blade of pounded mace, white pepper and salt to taste. _Mode._—Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for 1 hour, and boil them for 10 minutes; take them out, put them into cold water for a few minutes; lay them in a stewpan with the stock, and simmer them gently for rather more than ½ hour. Dish them; thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour; let it boil up, add the remaining ingredients, allow the sauce to get quite _hot_, but _not boil_, and pour it over the sweetbreads. _Time._—To soak 1 hour, to be boiled 10 minutes, stewed rather more than ½ hour. _Average cost_, from 1_s._ to 5_s._, according to the season. _Sufficient_ for an entrée. _Seasonable._—In full season from May to August.

_Note._—A few mushrooms added to this dish, and stewed with the sweetbreads, will be found an improvement.

SWEETBREADS, Lambs’, larded, and Asparagus (an Entrée).

_Ingredients._—2 or 3 sweetbreads, ½ pint of veal stock, white pepper and salt to taste, a small bunch of green onions, 1 blade of pounded mace, thickening of butter and flour, 2 eggs, nearly ½ pint of cream, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, a very little grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Soak the sweetbreads in lukewarm water, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient boiling water to cover them, and let them simmer for 10 minutes; then take them out and put them into cold water. Now lard them, lay them in a stewpan, add the stock, seasoning, onions, mace, and a thickening of butter and flour, and stew gently for ¼ hour or 20 minutes. Beat up the egg with the cream, to which add the minced parsley and a very little grated nutmeg. Put this to the other ingredients; stir it well till quite hot, but do not let it boil after the cream is added, or it will curdle. Have ready some asparagus-tops, boiled; add these to the sweetbreads, and serve. _Time._—Altogether ½ hour. _Average cost_, 2_s._ 6_d._ to 3_s._ 6_d._ each. _Sufficient._—3 sweetbreads for 1 entrée. _Seasonable_ from Easter to Michaelmas.

SWEETBREADS, another Way to Dress (an Entrée).

_Ingredients._—Sweetbreads, egg and bread-crumbs, ½ pint of gravy, ½ glass of sherry. _Mode._—Soak the sweetbreads in water for an hour, and throw them into boiling water to render them firm. Let them stew gently for about ¼ hour, take them out and put them into a cloth to drain all the water from them. Brush them over with egg, sprinkle them with bread-crumbs, and either brown them in the oven or before the fire. Have ready the above quantity of gravy, to which add ½ glass of sherry; dish the sweetbreads, pour the gravy under them, and garnish with water-cresses. _Time._—Rather more than ½ hour. _Average cost_, 2_s._ 6_d._ to 3_s._ 6_d._ each. _Sufficient_—3 sweetbreads for 1 entrée. _Seasonable_, from Easter to Michaelmas.

SYLLABUB.

_Ingredients._—1 pint of sherry or white wine, ½ grated nutmeg, sugar to taste, 1½ pint of milk. _Mode._—Put the wine into a bowl, with the grated nutmeg and plenty of pounded sugar, and milk into it the above proportion of milk from the cow. Clouted cream may be laid on the top, with pounded cinnamon or nutmeg and sugar; and a little brandy may be added to the wine before the milk is put in. In some counties, cider is substituted for the wine: when this is used, brandy must always be added. Warm milk may be poured on from a spouted jug or teapot; but it must be held very high. _Average cost_, 2_s._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

SYLLABUBS, Whipped.

_Ingredients._—½ pint of cream, ¼ pint of sherry, half that quantity of brandy, the juice of ½ lemon, a little grated nutmeg, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, whipped cream the same as for trifle. _Mode._—Mix all the ingredients together, put the syllabub into glasses, and over the top of them heap a little whipped cream, made in the same manner as for trifle. Solid syllabub is made by whisking or milling the mixture to a stiff froth, and putting it in the glasses, without the whipped cream at the top. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 8_d._ _Sufficient_ to fill 8 or 9 glasses. _Seasonable_ at any time.

SYRUP for Jellies, to Clarify.

_Ingredients._—To every quart of water allow 2 lbs. of loaf sugar; the white of 1 egg. _Mode._—Put the sugar and water into a stewpan; set it on the fire, and, when the sugar is dissolved, add the white of the egg, whipped up with a little water. Whisk the whole well together, and simmer very gently until it has thrown up all the scum. Take this off as it rises, strain the syrup through a fine sieve or cloth into a basin, and keep it for use.

TAPIOCA PUDDING.

_Ingredients._—3 oz. of tapioca, 1 quart of milk, 2 oz. of butter, ¼ lb. of sugar, 4 eggs, flavouring of vanilla, grated lemon-rind, or bitter almonds. _Mode._—Wash the tapioca, and let it stew gently in the milk by the side of the fire for ¼ hour, occasionally stirring it; then let it cool a little; mix with it the butter, sugar, and eggs, which should be wall beaten, and flavour with either of the above ingredients, putting in about 12 drops of the essence of almonds or vanilla, whichever is preferred. Butter a pie-dish, and line the edges with puff-paste; put in the pudding, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. If the pudding is boiled, add a little more tapioca, and boil it in a buttered basin 1½ hour. _Time._—1 hour to bake, 1½ hour to boil. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 2_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

TAPIOCA SOUP.

_Ingredients._—5 oz. of tapioca, 2 quarts of stock. _Mode._—Put the tapioca into cold stock, and bring it gradually to a boil. Simmer gently till tender, and serve. _Time._—Rather more than 1 hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 6_d._ per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year. _Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

TARTLETS.

_Ingredients._—Trimmings of puff-paste, any jam or marmalade that may be preferred. _Mode._—Roll out the paste to the thickness of about ½ inch; butter some small round patty-pans, line them with it, and cut off the superfluous paste close to the edge of the pan. Put a small piece of bread into each tartlet (this is to keep them in shape), and bake in a brisk oven for about 10 minutes, or rather longer. When they are done, and are of a nice colour, take the pieces of bread out carefully, and replace them by a spoonful of jam or marmalade. Dish them high on a white d’oyley, piled high in the centre, and serve. _Time._—10 to 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_d._ each. _Sufficient._—1 lb. of paste will make 2 dishes of tartlets. _Seasonable_ at any time.

TARTLETS, Polish.

_Ingredients._—Puff-paste, the white of an egg, pounded sugar. _Mode._—Roll some good puff-paste out thin, and cut it into 2½-inch squares; brush each square over with the white of an egg, then fold down the corners, so that they all meet in the middle of each piece of paste; slightly press the two pieces together, brush them over with the egg, sift over sugar, and bake in a nice quick oven for about ¼ hour. When they are done, make a little hole in the middle of the paste, and fill it up with apricot jam, marmalade, or red-currant jelly. Pile them high in the centre of a dish, on a napkin, and garnish with the same preserve the tartlets are filled with. _Time._—¼ hour or 20 minutes. _Average cost_, with ½ lb. of puff-paste, 1_s._ _Sufficient_ for 2 dishes of pastry. _Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note._—It should be borne in mind, that, for all dishes of small pastry, such as the preceding, trimmings of puff-paste, left from larger tarts, answer as well as making the paste expressly.

TEA, to make.

There is very little art in making good tea; if the water is boiling, and there is no sparing of the fragrant leaf, the beverage will almost invariably be good. The old-fashioned plan of allowing a teaspoonful to each person, and one over, is still practised. Warm the teapot with boiling water; let it remain for two or three minutes for the vessel to become thoroughly hot, then pour it away. Put in the tea, pour in from ½ to ¾ pint of _boiling_ water, close the lid, and let it stand for the tea to draw from 5 to 10 minutes; then fill up the pot with water. The tea will be quite spoiled unless made with water that is actually _boiling_, as the leaves will not open, and the flavour not be extracted from them; the beverage will consequently be colourless and tasteless,—in fact, nothing but tepid water. Where there is a very large party to make tea for, it is a good plan to have two teapots, instead of putting a large quantity of tea into one pot; the tea, besides, will go farther. When the infusion has been once completed, the addition of fresh tea adds very little to the strength; so, when more is required, have the pot emptied of the old leaves, scalded, and fresh tea made in the usual manner. Economists say that a few grains of carbonate of soda, added before the boiling water is poured on the tea, assist to draw out the goodness; if the water is very hard, perhaps it is a good plan, as the soda softens it; but care must be taken to use this ingredient sparingly, as it is liable to give the tea a soapy taste if added in too large a quantity. For mixed tea, the usual proportion is four spoonfuls of black to one of green; more of the latter when the flavour is very much liked; but strong green tea is highly pernicious, and should never be partaken of too freely. _Time._—2 minutes to warm the teapot, 5 to 10 minutes to draw the strength from the tea. _Sufficient._—Allow 1 teaspoonful to each person.

TEA-CAKES.

_Ingredients._—2 lbs. of flour, ½ teaspoonful of salt, ¼ lb. of butter or lard, 1 egg, a piece of German yeast the size of a walnut, warm milk. _Mode._—Put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin; mix with it the salt, and rub in the butter or lard; then beat the egg well, stir to it the yeast, and add these to the flour with as much warm milk as will make the whole into a smooth paste, and knead it well. Let it rise near the fire, and, when well risen, form it into cakes; place them on tins, let them rise again for a few minutes before putting them into the oven, and bake from ¼ to ½ hour in a moderate oven. These are very nice with a few currants and a little sugar added to the other ingredients, they should be put in after the butter is rubbed in. These cakes should be buttered, and eaten hot as soon as baked; but, when stale, they are very nice split and toasted; or, if dipped in milk, or even water, and covered with a basin in the oven till hot, they will be almost equal to new. _Time._—¼ to ½ hour. _Average cost_, 10_d._ _Sufficient_ to make 8 tea-cakes. _Seasonable_ at any time.

TEA-CAKES, to toast.

Cut each tea-cake into three or four slices, according to its thickness; toast them on both sides before a nice clear fire, and as each slice is done, spread it with butter on both sides. When a cake is toasted, pile the slices one on the top of the other, cut them into quarters, put them on a very hot plate, and send the cakes immediately to table. As they are wanted, send them in hot, one or two at a time, as, if allowed to stand, they spoil, unless kept in a muffin-plate over a basin of boiling water.

TEAL, Roast.

_Ingredients._—Teal, butter, a little flour. _Mode._—Choose fat, plump birds, after the frost has set in, as they are generally better flavoured; truss them in the same manner as wild duck; roast them before a brisk fire, and keep them well basted. Serve with brown or orange gravy, water-cresses, and a cut lemon. The remains of teal make excellent hash. _Time._—From 9 to 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_s._ each; but seldom bought. _Sufficient._—2 for a dish. _Seasonable_ from October to February.

TEAL.

TEAL, being of the same character as widgeon and wild duck, may be treated, in carving, in the same style.

TENCH, Matelot of.

_Ingredients._—½ pint of stock, ½ pint of port wine, 1 dozen button onions, a few mushrooms, a faggot of herbs, 2 blades of mace, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, thyme, 1 shalot, 2 anchovies, 1 teacupful of stock, flour, 1 dozen oysters, the juice of ½ lemon; the number of tench, according to size. _Mode._—Scale and clean the tench, cut them into pieces, and lay them in a stewpan; add the stock, wine, onions, mushrooms, herbs, and mace, and simmer gently for ½ hour. Put into another stewpan all the remaining ingredients but the oysters and lemon-juice, and boil slowly for 10 minutes, when add the strained liquor from the tench, and keep stirring it over the fire until somewhat reduced. Rub it through a sieve, pour it over the tench with the oysters, which must be previously scalded in their own liquor, squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve. Garnish with croûtons. _Time._—¾ hour. _Seasonable_ from October to June.

TENCH, Stewed with Wine.

_Ingredients._—½ pint of stock, ½ pint of Madeira or sherry, salt and pepper to taste, 1 bay-leaf, thickening of butter and flour. _Mode._—Clean and crimp the tench, carefully lay it in a stewpan with the stock, wine, salt and pepper, and bay-leaf, let it stew gently for ½ hour; then take it out, put it on a dish, and keep hot. Strain the liquor, and thicken it with butter and flour kneaded together, and stew for 5 minutes. If not perfectly smooth, squeeze it through a tammy, add a very little cayenne, and pour over the fish. Garnish with balls of veal forcemeat. _Time._—Rather more than ½ hour. _Seasonable_ from October to June.

TENDRONS DE VEAU, Stewed (an Entrée).

_Ingredients._—The gristles from 2 breasts of veal, white stock, 1 faggot of savoury herbs, 2 blades of pounded mace, 4 cloves, 2 carrots, 2 onions, a strip of lemon-peel. _Mode._—The _tendrons_ or gristles, which are found round the front of a breast of veal, are now very frequently served as an entrée, and when well dressed, make a nice and favourite dish. Detach the gristles from the bone, and cut them neatly out, so as not to spoil the joint for roasting or stewing. Put them into a stewpan, with sufficient stock to cover them; add the herbs, mace, cloves, carrots, onions, and lemon, and simmer these for nearly, or quite, 4 hours. They should be stewed until a fork will enter the meat easily. Take them up, drain them, strain the gravy, boil it down to a glaze, with which glaze the meat. Dish the _tendrons_ in a circle with croûtons fried of a nice colour placed between each; and put mushroom sauce, or a purée of green peas or tomatoes, in the middle. _Time._—4 hours. _Sufficient_ for 1 entrée. _Seasonable._—With peas, from June to August.

TENDRONS DE VEAU (an Entrée).