Chapter IX: Made Dishes (12)

Put one good plum into it, and Moost-Aye says, you may then tell the economist that you have made a good plum pudding--without plums: this would be what schoolboys call "mile-stone pudding," _i. e._ "a mile between one plum and another."

N.B. Half a pound of Muscatel raisins cut in half, and added to the above, will make a most admirable plum pudding: a little grated lemon-peel may be added.

_Obs._--If the water ceases to boil, the pudding will become heavy, and be spoiled; if properly managed, this and the following will be as fine puddings of the kind as art can produce.

Puddings are best when mixed an hour or two before they are boiled; the ingredients by that means amalgamate, and the whole becomes richer and fuller of flavour, especially if the various articles be thoroughly well stirred together.

A table-spoonful of treacle will give it a rich brown colour. See pudding sauce, No. 269, and pudding catchup, No. 446.

N.B. This pudding may be baked in an oven, or under meat, the same as Yorkshire pudding (No. 552); make it the same, only add half a pint of milk more: should it be above an inch and a quarter in thickness, it will take full two hours: it requires careful watching, for if the top gets burned, an empyreumatic flavour will pervade the whole of the pudding. Or, butter some tin mince-pie patty-pans, or saucers, and fill them with pudding, and set them in a Dutch oven; they will take about an hour.

_Maigre Plum Pudding._

Simmer half a pint of milk with two blades of mace, and a roll of lemon-peel, for ten minutes; then strain it into a basin; set it away to get cold: in the mean time beat three eggs in a basin with three ounces of loaf-sugar, and the third of a nutmeg: then add three ounces of flour; beat it well together, and add the milk by degrees: then put in three ounces of fresh butter broken into small pieces, and three ounces of bread-crumbs; three ounces of currants washed and picked clean, three ounces of raisins stoned and chopped: stir it all well together. Butter a mould; put it in, and tie a cloth tight over it. Boil it two hours and a half. Serve it up with melted butter, two table-spoonfuls of brandy, and a little loaf-sugar.

_A Fat Pudding._

Break five eggs in a basin; beat them up with a tea-spoonful of sugar and a table-spoonful of flour; beat it quite smooth; then put to it a pound of raisins, and a pound of suet; it must not be chopped very fine; butter a mould well; put in the pudding; tie a cloth over it tight, and boil it five hours.

N.B. This is very rich, and is commonly called a marrow pudding.

_Pease Pudding._--(No. 555.)

Put a quart of split pease into a clean cloth; do not tie them up too close, but leave a little room for them to swell; put them on in cold water, to boil slowly till they are tender: if they are good pease they will be boiled enough in about two hours and a half; rub them through a sieve into a deep dish, adding[343-*] to them an egg or two, an ounce of butter, and some pepper and salt; beat them well together for about ten minutes, when these ingredients are well incorporated together; then flour the cloth well, put the pudding in, and tie it up as tight as possible, and boil it an hour longer. It is as good with boiled beef as it is with boiled pork; and why not with roasted pork?

_Obs._--This is a very good accompaniment to cold pork or cold beef.

N.B. Stir this pudding into two quarts of the liquor meat or poultry has been boiled in; give it a boil up, and in five minutes it will make excellent extempore pease soup, especially if the pudding has been boiled in the same pot as the meat (see No. 218, &c.) Season it with pease powder, No. 458.

_Plain Bread Pudding._--(No. 556.)

Make five ounces of bread-crumbs; put them in a basin; pour three quarters of a pint of boiling milk over them; put a plate over the top to keep in the steam; let it stand twenty minutes, then beat it up quite smooth with two ounces of sugar and a salt-spoonful of nutmeg. Break four eggs on a plate, leaving out one white; beat them well, and add them to the pudding. Stir it all well together, and put it in a mould that has been well buttered and floured; tie a cloth over it, and boil it one hour.

_Bread and butter Pudding._--(No. 557.)

You must have a dish that will hold a quart: wash and pick two ounces of currants; strew a few at the bottom of the dish; cut about four layers of very thin bread and butter, and between each layer of bread and butter strew some currants; then break four eggs in a basin, leaving out one white; beat them well, and add four ounces of sugar and a drachm of nutmeg; stir it well together with a pint of new milk; pour it over about ten minutes before you put it in the oven; it will take three quarters of an hour to bake.

_Pancakes and Fritters._--(No. 558.)

Break three eggs in a basin; beat them up with a little nutmeg and salt; then put to them four ounces and a half of flour, and a little milk; beat it of a smooth batter; then add by degrees as much milk as will make it of the thickness of good cream: the frying-pan must be about the size of a pudding plate, and very clean, or they will stick; make it hot, and to each pancake put in a bit of butter about as big as a walnut: when it is melted, pour in the batter to cover the bottom of the pan; make them the thickness of half a crown; fry them of a light brown on both sides.

The above will do for apple fritters, by adding one spoonful more of flour; peel your apples, and cut them in thick slices; take out the core, dip them in the batter, and fry them in hot lard; put them on a sieve to drain; dish them neatly, and grate some loaf-sugar over them.

_Tansy Pancakes._

The batter for the preceding may be made into tansy pancakes by cutting fine a handful of young green tansy, and beating it into the batter. It gives the cakes a pleasant aromatic flavour, and an agreeable, mild bitter taste. A.

No. 560

The following receipts are from Mr. Henry Osborne, cook to Sir Joseph Banks, the late president of the Royal Society:

_Soho Square, April 20, 1820._

Sir,--I send you herewith the last part of the Cook's Oracle. I
have attentively looked over each receipt, and hope they are now
correct, and easy to be understood. If you think any need further
explanation, Sir Joseph has desired me to wait on you again. I also
send the receipts for my ten puddings, and my method of using
spring fruit and gourds.

I am, Sir,
Your humble servant,
HENRY OSBORNE.

_Boston Apple Pudding._

Peel one dozen and a half of good apples; take out the cores, cut them small, put into a stew-pan that will just hold them, with a little water, a little cinnamon, two cloves, and the peel of a lemon; stew over a slow fire till quite soft, then sweeten with moist sugar, and pass it through a hair sieve; add to it the yelks of four eggs and one white, a quarter of a pound of good butter, half a nutmeg, the peel of a lemon grated, and the juice of one lemon: beat all well together; line the inside of a pie-dish with good puff paste; put in the pudding, and bake half an hour.

_Spring Fruit Pudding._

Peel, and well wash four dozen sticks of rhubarb: put into a stew-pan with the pudding a lemon, a little cinnamon, and as much moist sugar as will make it quite sweet; set it over a fire, and reduce it to a marmalade; pass through a hair-sieve, and proceed as directed for the Boston pudding, leaving out the lemon-juice, as the rhubarb will be found sufficiently acid of itself.

_Nottingham Pudding._

Peel six good apples; take out the core with the point of a small knife, or an apple corer, if you have one; but be sure to leave the apples whole; fill up where you took the core from with sugar; place them in a pie-dish, and pour over them a nice light batter, prepared as for batter pudding, and bake an hour in a moderate oven.

_Butter Pudding._

Take six ounces of fine flour, a little salt, and three eggs; beat up well with a little milk, added by degrees till the batter is quite smooth; make it the thickness of cream; put into a buttered pie-dish, and bake three quarters of an hour; or into a buttered and floured basin, tied over tight with a cloth: boil one and a half hour, or two hours.

_Newmarket Pudding._

Put on to boil a pint of good milk, with half a lemon-peel, a little cinnamon, and a bay-leaf; boil gently for five or ten minutes; sweeten with loaf sugar; break the yelks of five, and the whites of three eggs, into a basin; beat them well, and add the milk: beat all well together, and strain through a fine hair-sieve, or tamis: have some bread and butter cut very thin; lay a layer of it in a pie-dish, and then a layer of currants, and so on till the dish is nearly full; then pour the custard over it, and bake half an hour.

_Newcastle, or Cabinet Pudding._

Butter a half melon mould, or quart basin, and stick all round with dried cherries, or fine raisins, and fill up with bread and butter, &c. as in the above; and steam it an hour and a half.

_Vermicelli Pudding._

Boil a pint of milk, with lemon-peel and cinnamon; sweeten with loaf-sugar; strain through a sieve, and add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli; boil ten minutes; then put in the yelks of five, and the whites of three eggs; mix well together, and steam it one hour and a quarter: the same may be baked half an hour.

_Bread Pudding._

Make a pint of bread-crumbs; put them in a stew-pan with as much milk as will cover them, the peel of a lemon, a little nutmeg grated, and a small piece of cinnamon; boil about ten minutes; sweeten with powdered loaf-sugar; take out the cinnamon, and put in four eggs; beat all well together, and bake half an hour, or boil rather more than an hour.

_Custard Pudding._

Boil a pint of milk, and a quarter of a pint of good cream; thicken with flour and water made perfectly smooth, till it is stiff enough to bear an egg on it; break in the yelks of five eggs; sweeten with powdered loaf-sugar; grate in a little nutmeg and the peel of a lemon: add half a glass of good brandy; then whip the whites of the five eggs till quite stiff, and mix gently all together: line a pie-dish with good puff paste, and bake half an hour.

N.B. Ground rice, potato flour, panada, and all puddings made from powders, are, or may be, prepared in the same way.

_Boiled Custards._

Put a quart of new milk into a stew-pan, with the peel of a lemon cut very thin, a little grated nutmeg, a bay or laurel-leaf, and a small stick of cinnamon; set it over a quick fire, but be careful it does not boil over: when it boils, set it beside the fire, and simmer ten minutes; break the yelks of eight, and the whites of four eggs into a basin; beat them well; then pour in the milk a little at a time, stirring it as quick as possible to prevent the eggs curdling; set it on the fire again, and stir it well with a wooden spoon; let it have just one boil; pass it through a tamis, or fine sieve: when cold, add a little brandy, or white wine, as may be most agreeable to the eater's palate. Serve up in glasses, or cups.

Custards for baking are prepared as above, passed through a fine sieve; put them into cups; grate a little nutmeg over each: bake them about 15 or 20 minutes.

TO DRESS SPRING FRUIT.

_Spring Fruit Soup._

Peel and well wash four dozen sticks of rhubarb; blanch it in water three or four minutes; drain it on a sieve, and put it into a stew-pan, with two onions sliced, a carrot, an ounce of lean ham, and a good bit of butter; let it stew gently over a slow fire till tender; then put in two quarts of good _consommé_, to which add two or three ounces of bread-crumbs; boil about fifteen minutes; skim off all the fat; season with salt and Cayenne pepper; pass it through a tamis, and serve up with fried bread.

_Spring Fruit Pudding._

Clean as above three or four dozen sticks of rhubarb; put it in a stew-pan, with the peel of a lemon, a bit of cinnamon, two cloves, and as much moist sugar as will sweeten it; set it over a fire, and reduce it to a marmalade; pass it through a hair-sieve; then add the peel of a lemon, and half a nutmeg grated, a quarter of a pound of good butter, and the yelks of four eggs and one white, and mix all well together; line a pie-dish, that will just contain it, with good puff paste; put the mixture in, and bake it half an hour.

_Spring Fruit--A Mock Gooseberry Sauce for Mackerel, &c._

Make a marmalade of three dozen sticks of rhubarb, sweetened with moist sugar; pass it through a hair-sieve, and serve up in a sauce-boat.

_Spring Fruit Tart._

Prepare rhubarb as above: cut it into small pieces into a tart-dish; sweeten with loaf-sugar pounded; cover it with a good short crust paste; sift a little sugar over the top, and bake half an hour in a rather hot oven: serve up cold.

_Spring Cream, or mock Gooseberry Fool._

Prepare a marmalade as directed for the pudding: to which add a pint of good thick cream; serve up in glasses, or in a deep dish. If wanted in a shape, dissolve two ounces of isinglass in a little water; strain it through a tamis, and when nearly cold put it to the cream; pour it into a jelly mould, and when set, turn out into a dish, and serve up plain.

_Spring Fruit Sherbet._

Boil six or eight sticks of rhubarb (quite clean) ten minutes in a quart of water; strain the liquor through a tamis into a jug, with the peel of a lemon cut very thin, and two table-spoonfuls of clarified sugar; let it stand five or six hours, and it is fit to drink.

_Gourds_ (now called _vegetable Marrow_) _stewed._

Take off all the skin of six or eight gourds, put them into a stew-pan, with water, salt, lemon-juice, and a bit of butter, or fat bacon, and let them stew gently till quite tender, and serve up with a rich Dutch sauce, or any other sauce you please that is _piquante_.

_Gourd Soup_,

Should be made of full-grown gourds, but not those that have hard skins; slice three or four, and put them in a stew-pan, with two or three onions, and a good bit of butter; set them over a slow fire till quite tender (be careful not to let them burn); then add two ounces of crust of bread, and two quarts of good _consommé_; season with salt and Cayenne pepper: boil ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour; skim off all the fat, and pass it through a tamis; then make it quite hot, and serve up with fried bread.

_Fried Gourds._

Cut five or six gourds in quarters; take off the skin and pulp; stew them in the same manner as for table: when done, drain them quite dry; beat up an egg, and dip the gourds in it, and cover them well over with bread-crumbs; make some hog's-lard hot, and fry them a nice light colour; throw a little salt and pepper over them, and serve up quite dry.

_Another Way._

Take six or eight small gourds, as near of a size as possible; slice them with a cucumber-slice; dry them in a cloth, and then fry them in very hot lard; throw over a little pepper and salt, and serve up on a napkin. Great attention is requisite to do these well; if the fat is quite hot they are done in a minute, and will soon spoil; if not hot enough, they will eat greasy and tough.

_To make Beef, Mutton, or Veal Tea._--(No. 563.)

Cut a pound of lean gravy meat into thin slices; put it into a quart and half a pint of cold water; set it over a very gentle fire, where it will become gradually warm; when the scum rises, let it continue simmering gently for about an hour; then strain it through a fine sieve or a napkin; let it stand ten minutes to settle, and then pour off the clear tea.

N.B. An onion, and a few grains of black pepper, are sometimes added.

If the meat is boiled till it is thoroughly tender, you may mince it and pound it as directed in No. 503, and make potted beef.

To make half a pint of beef tea in five minutes for three halfpence, see No. 252.

_Mutton Broth for the Sick._--(No. 564.)

Have a pound and a half of a neck or loin of mutton; take off the skin and the fat, and put it into a saucepan; cover it with cold water, (it will take about a quart to a pound of meat,) let it simmer very gently, and skim it well; cover it up, and set it over a moderate fire, where it may stand gently stewing for about an hour; then strain it off. It should be allowed to become cold, when all the greasy particles will float on the surface, and becoming hard, can be easily taken off, and the settlings will remain at the bottom.

See also Nos. 490 and 252.

N.B. We direct the meat to be done no more than just sufficiently to be eaten; so a sick man may have plenty of good broth for nothing; as by this manner of producing it, the meat furnishes also a good family meal.

_Obs._--This is an inoffensive nourishment for sick persons, and the only mutton broth that should be given to convalescents, whose constitutions require replenishing with restorative aliment of easy digestion. The common way of making it with roots, onions, sweet herbs, &c. &c. is too strong for weak stomachs. Plain broth will agree with a delicate stomach, when the least addition of other ingredients would immediately offend it.

For the various ways of flavouring broth, see No. 527.

Few know how much good may be done by such broth, taken in sufficient quantity at the beginning and decline of bowel complaints and fevers; half a pint taken at a time. See the last two pages of the 7th chapter of the Rudiments of Cookery.

_Barley Water._[350-*]--(No. 565.)

Take a couple of ounces of pearl barley, wash it clean with cold water, put it into half a pint of boiling water, and let it boil for five minutes; pour off this water, and add to it two quarts of boiling water: boil it to two pints, and strain it.

The above is simple barley water. To a quart of this is frequently added

Two ounces of figs, sliced;
The same of raisins, stoned;
Half an ounce of liquorice, sliced and bruised;
And a pint of water.

Boil it till it is reduced to a quart, and strain.

_Obs._--These drinks are intended to assuage thirst in ardent fevers and inflammatory disorders, for which plenty of mild diluting liquor is one of the principal remedies: and if not suggested by the medical attendant, is frequently demanded by honest instinct, in terms too plain to be misunderstood: the stomach sympathizes with every fibre of the human frame, and no part of it can be distressed without in some degree offending the stomach: therefore it is of the utmost importance to sooth this grand organ, by rendering every thing we offer to it as elegant and agreeable as the nature of the case will admit of: the barley drink prepared according to the second receipt, will be received with pleasure by the most delicate palate.

_Whey._--(No. 566.)

Make a pint of milk boil; put to it a glass or two of white wine; put it on the fire till it just boils again; then set it on one side till the curd has settled; pour off the clear whey, and sweeten it as you like.

Cider is often substituted for wine, or half the quantity of vinegar that we have ordered wine.

_Obs._--When there is no fire in the sick room, this may be put hot into a bottle, and laid between the bed and mattress; it will keep warm several hours.

_Toothache and anti-rheumatic Embrocation._--(No. 567.)

In no branch of the practice of physic is there more dangerous quackery, than in the dental department.

To all people the toothache is an intolerable torment; not even a philosopher can endure it patiently; what an overcoming agony then must it be to a grand gourmand! besides the mortification of being deprived of the means of enjoying that consolation which he looks to as the grand solace for all sublunary cares.

When this affliction befalls him, we recommend the following specific for it;--

[Rx] Sal volatile, three parts.
Laudanum, one part.

Mix, and rub the part affected frequently, or if the tooth which aches be hollow, drop some of this on a bit of cotton, and put it into the tooth. For a general faceache, or sore throat, moisten a bit of flannel with it, and put it at night to the part affected.

_Stomachic Tincture_--(No. 569.)--is

Peruvian bark, bruised, one ounce and a half.
Orange-peel, do. one ounce.
Brandy, or proof spirit, one pint.

Let these ingredients steep for ten days, shaking the bottle every day; let it remain quiet two days, and then decant the clear liquor.

Dose--a tea-spoonful in a wineglass of water, twice a day, when you feel languid, _i. e._ when the stomach is empty, about an hour before dinner, and in the evening.

This agreeable aromatic tonic is an effective help to concoction; and we are under personal obligations to it, for frequently restoring our stomach to good temper, and procuring us good appetite and good digestion.

In low nervous affections arising from a languid circulation, and when the stomach is in a state of debility from age, intemperance, or other causes, this is a most acceptable restorative.

N.B. Tea made with dried and bruised Seville orange-peel, in the same way as common tea, and drank with milk and sugar, has been taken by nervous and dyspeptic persons with great benefit.

Sucking a bit of dried orange-peel about an hour before dinner, when the stomach is empty, is very grateful and strengthening to it.

_Paregoric Elixir._--(No. 570.)

A drachm of purified opium, same of flowers of benjamin, same of oil of aniseed, camphor, two scruples; steep all in a pint of brandy or proof spirit; let it stand ten days, occasionally shaking it up: strain.

A tea-spoonful in half a pint of White wine whey (No. 562), tewahdiddle (No. 467), or gruel (No. 572), taken the last thing at night, is an agreeable and effectual medicine for coughs and colds. It is also excellent for children who have the hooping-cough, in doses of from five to twenty drops in a little water, or on a little bit of sugar.

_Dr. Kitchiner's Receipt to make Gruel._--(No. 572.)

Ask those who are to eat it, if they like it thick or thin; if the latter, mix well together by degrees, in a pint basin, one table-spoonful of oatmeal, with three of cold water; if the former, use two spoonfuls.

Have ready in a stew-pan, a pint of boiling water or milk; pour this by degrees to the oatmeal you have mixed; return it into the stew-pan; set it on the fire, and let it boil for five minutes; stirring it all the time to prevent the oatmeal from burning at the bottom of the stew-pan; skim and strain it through a hair-sieve.

2d. To convert this into caudle, add a little ale, wine, or brandy, with sugar; and if the bowels are disordered, a little nutmeg or ginger, grated.

_Obs._ Gruel may be made with broth (No. 490, or No. 252, or No. 564), instead of water; (to make _crowdie_, see No. 205*); and may be flavoured with sweet herbs, soup roots, and savoury spices, by boiling them for a few minutes in the water you are going to make the gruel with; or zest (No. 255), pease powder (No. 458), or dried mint, mushroom catchup (No. 409); or a few grains of curry powder (No. 455); or savoury ragoût powder (No. 457); or Cayenne (No. 404); or celery-seed bruised, or soup herb powder (No. 459); or an onion minced very fine and bruised in with the oatmeal; or a little eschalot wine (No. 402); or essence of celery (Nos. 409, 413, 417, or No. 420), &c.

Plain gruel, such as is directed in the first part of this receipt, is one of the best breakfasts and suppers that we can recommend to the rational epicure; is the most comforting soother of an irritable stomach that we know; and particularly acceptable to it after a hard day's work of intemperate feasting: when the addition of half an ounce of butter, and a tea-spoonful of Epsom salt, will give it an aperient quality, which will assist the principal viscera to get rid of their burden.

"Water gruel," says Tryon in his _Obs. on Health_, 16mo. 1688, p. 42, is "the king of spoon meats," and "the queen of soups," and gratifies nature beyond all others.

In the "Art of Thriving," 1697, p. 8, are directions for preparing fourscore noble and wholesome dishes, upon most of which a man may live excellently well for two-pence a day; the author's Obs. on water gruel is, that "essence of oatmeal makes a noble and exhilarating meal!"

Dr. Franklin's favourite breakfast was a good basin of warm gruel, in which there was a small slice of butter, with toasted bread and nutmeg; the expense of this he reckoned at three halfpence.

_Scotch Burgoo._--(No. 572*.)

"This humble dish of our northern brethren forms no contemptible article of food. It possesses the grand qualities of salubrity, pleasantness, and cheapness. It is, in fact, a sort of oatmeal hasty pudding without milk; much used by those patterns of combined industry, frugality, and temperance, the Scottish peasantry; and this, among other examples of the economical Scotch, is well worthy of being occasionally adopted by all who have large families and small incomes."

It is made in the following easy and expeditious manner:--

"To a quart of oatmeal add gradually two quarts of water, so that the whole may smoothly mix: then stirring it continually over the fire, boil it together for a quarter of an hour; after which, take it up, and stir in a little salt and butter, with or without pepper. This quantity will serve a family of five or six persons for a moderate meal."--Oddy's Family Receipt Book, p. 204.

_Anchovy Toast._--(No. 573.)

Bone and wash the anchovies, pound them in a mortar with a little fresh butter; rub them through a sieve, and spread them on a toast, see Nos. 434 and 435, and No. 355.

_Obs._ You may add, while pounding the anchovies, a little made mustard and curry powder (No. 455) or a few grains of Cayenne, or a little mace or other spice. It may be made still more savoury, by frying the toast in clarified butter.

_Deviled Biscuit_,--(No. 574.)

Is the above composition spread on a biscuit warmed before the fire in a Dutch oven, with a sufficient quantity of salt and savoury spice (No. 457), zest (No. 255), curry powder (No. 455), or Cayenne pepper sprinkled over it.

_Obs._ This _ne plus ultra_ of high spiced relishes, and No. 538, frequently make their appearance at tavern dinners, when the votaries of Bacchus are determined to vie with each other in sacrificing to the jolly god.

FOOTNOTES:

[300-*] This may be still longer preserved by the process directed in No. 252.

[303-*] Hashes and meats dressed a second time, should only simmer gently till just warm through; it is supposed they have been done very nearly, if not quite enough, already; select those parts of the joint that have been least done.

In making a hash from a leg of mutton, do not destroy the marrow-bone to help the gravy of your hash, to which it will make no perceptible addition; but saw it in two, twist writing-paper round the ends, and send it up on a plate as a side dish, garnished with sprigs of parsley: if it is a roast leg, preserve the end bone, and send it up between the marrow-bones. This is a very pretty luncheon, or supper dish.

[303-+] See "_The Court and Kitchen of_ ELIZABETH, commonly called _Joan Cromwell_," 16mo. London, 1664, page 106.

[304-*] The "_bain-marie_," or water-bath (see note to No. 529*), is the best utensil to warm up made dishes, and things that have been already sufficiently dressed, as it neither consumes the sauce, nor hardens the meat. If you have not a water-bath a Dutch oven will sometimes supply the place of it.

"_Bain-marie_ is a flat vessel containing boiling water; you put all your stew-pans into the water, and keep that water always very hot, but it must not boil: the effect of this _bain-marie_ is to keep every thing warm without altering either the quantity or the quality, particularly the quality. When I had the honour of serving a nobleman, who kept a very extensive hunting establishment, and the hour of dinner was consequently uncertain, I was in the habit of using _bain-marie_, as a certain means of preserving the flavour of all my dishes. If you keep your sauce, or broth, or soup, by the fireside, the soup reduces, and becomes too strong, and the sauce thickens as well as reduces. This is the best way of warming turtle, or mock turtle soup, as the thick part is always at the bottom, and this method prevents it from burning, and keeps it always good."--UDE'S _Cookery_, page 18.

[306-*] Probably a contraction of "_haut ragoût_."

[308-*] The proverb says, "_Of all the fowls of the air_, commend me to the shin of beef; for there's marrow for the master, meat for the mistress, gristles for the servants, and bones for the dogs."

[309-*] The remotest parts of the world were visited, and earth, air, and ocean ransacked, to furnish the complicated delicacies of a Roman supper.

"_Suidas_ tells us, that _Pityllus_, who had a _hot_ tongue and a _cold_ stomach, in order to gratify the latter without offending the former, made a sheath for his tongue, so that he could swallow his pottage scalding hot; yea, I myself have known a Shropshire gentleman of the like quality!!"--See Dr. MOFFAT _on Food_, 4to. 1655.

"In the refined extravagance of the tables of the great, where the culinary arts are pushed to excess, luxury becomes false to itself, and things are valued, not as they are nutritious, or agreeable to the appetite, but in proportion as they are rare, out of season, or costly."--CADOGAN _on Gout_, 8vo. 1771, p. 48.

[309-+] "Cookery is an art, appreciated by only a very few individuals, and which requires, in addition to a most studious and diligent application, no small share of intellect, and the strictest sobriety and punctuality."--Preface to UDE'S _Cookery_, p. 6.

[310-*] This suet is not to be wasted: when it comes from the oven, take out the beef, and strain the contents of the pan through a sieve; let it stand till it is cold; then clarify the fat as directed in No. 83, and it will do for frying, &c.

[312-*] If you have no broth, put in half a pint of water, thicken it as in the above receipt, and just before you give it the last boil up, add to it a large spoonful of mushroom catchup, and, if you like, the same quantity of port wine.

[313-*] "It must be allowed to muse gently for several hours, inaccessible to the ambient air, and on the even and persevering heat of charcoal in the furnace or stove. After having lulled itself in its own exudations, and the dissolution of its auxiliaries, it may appear at table with a powerful claim to approbation."--_Tabella Cibaria_, p. 47.

[313-+] "'_C'est la soupe_,' says one of the best of proverbs, '_qui fait le soldat_.' 'It is the soup that makes the soldier.' Excellent as our troops are in the field, there cannot be a more unquestionable fact, than their immense inferiority to the French in the business of cookery. The English soldier lays his piece of ration beef at once on the coals, by which means the one and the better half is lost, and the other burned to a cinder. Whereas, six French troopers fling their messes into the same pot, and extract a delicious soup, ten times more nutritious than the simple _rôti_ could ever be."--BLACKWOOD'S _Edinburgh Magazine_, vol. vii. p. 668.

[314-*] The less gravy or butter, and the more beating, the better will be your potted beef, if you wish it to keep: if for immediate eating, you may put in a larger proportion of gravy or butter, as the meat will pound easier and look and taste more mellow.

[318-*] See receipt to hash mutton, Nos. 360 and 361, and No. 484.

[320-*] Some cooks make the gravy, &c. in the following manner:--Slice a large onion; fry it brown; drain all fat from it, and put it into a stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs, a couple of dozen berries of allspice, same of black pepper, three blades of mace, and a pint and a half of water; cover down close, and boil gently, for half an hour; then strain it through a sieve over the veal, and let it simmer gently for about three hours: about half an hour before it is done, mix two table-spoonfuls of flour in a tea-cupful of cold water; mix some of the gravy with it, and then put it into the stew-pan.

N.B. Three pints of full-grown green pease are sometimes added when the veal is put in.

[323-*] Vulgo, _salary_.

[324-*] Supposed sorrel.

[324-+] This is by Dr. BENTLEY thought to be time, or thyme.

[324-++] Parsley. Vide CHAMBERLAYNE.

[324-§] Of this composition, see the works of the copper-farthing dean.

[324-||] Which we suppose to be near four hours.

[325-*] To boil bacon, see No. 13.

[325-+] Meat dressed by the heat of boiling water, without being immediately exposed to it, is a mode of cookery that deserves to be more generally employed: it becomes delicately tender, without being over-done, and the whole of the nourishment and gravy is preserved. This, in chemical technicals, is called _balneum maris_, a water-bath; in culinary, _bain-marie_; which A. CHAPELLE, in his "_Modern Cook_," 8vo. page 25, London, 1744, translates "Mary's bath." See note to No. 485.

MARY SMITH, in her "_Complete Housekeeper_," 1772, 8vo. pages 105 and 247, translates "_Sauce Robert_," ROE-BOAT-SAUCE; an "_omelette_," a HAMLET; and gives you a receipt how to make "_Soupe à la_ RAIN!"

[331-*] Rotten cheese toasted is the _ne plus ultra_ of _haut goût_, and only eatable by the thorough-bred _gourmand_ in the most inverted state of his jaded appetite.

[331-+] The nursery name for bread toasted on one side only.

[337-*] Straining the water is an indispensable precaution, unless you use spring-water.

[338-*] "A couple of poached eggs, with a few fine, dry, fried collops of pure bacon, are not bad for breakfast, or to begin a meal," says Sir KENELM DIGBY, M.D. in his _Closet of Cookery_, London, 1669, page 167.

[338-+] "The lightest mode of preparing eggs for the table, is to boil them only as long as is necessary to coagulate slightly the greater part of the white, without depriving the yelk of its fluidity."--Dr. PEARSON'S _Mat. Alim._ 8vo. 1808, p. 36.

[339-*] VARIOUS WAYS OF MAKING TEA.

1.

"The _Japanese_ reduce their tea to a fine powder by pounding it; they put certain portions of this into a tea-cup, pour boiling water upon it, stir it up, and drink it as soon as it is cool enough."

2.

"DUBUISSON'S MANNER OF MAKING TEA.

"Put the tea into a kettle with cold water; cover it close, set it on the fire, and make it all but boil; when you see a sort of white scum on the surface, take it from the fire; when the leaves sink it is ready."

3.

"The night before you wish to have tea ready for drinking, pour on it as much cold water as you wish to make tea; next morning pour off the clear liquor, and when you wish to drink it, make it warm."

The above are from "_L'Art du Limonadier_" _de_ DUBUISSON, Paris, p. 267, 268. Or,

4.

"A great saving may be made by making a tincture of tea, thus: pour boiling water upon it, and let it stand twenty minutes, putting into each cup no more than is necessary to fill it about one-third full: fill each cup up with hot water from an urn or kettle; thus the tea will be always hot and equally strong to the end, and one tea-spoonful will be found enough for three cups for each person: according to the present mode of making it, three times the quantity is often used."--See Dr. TRUSLER'S _Way to be Rich and Respectable_, 8vo. 1796, page 27.

[Tea should only be made as an infusion,--that is, pouring boiling hot water upon it, and letting it stand a few minutes to draw. A.]

[340-*] See Dr. Houghton on Coffee, in vol. xxi. of the _Phil. Trans._ page 311.

[The best of coffee is imported into this country, and can be had cheap and good. A.]

[343-*] To increase the bulk and diminish the expense of this pudding, the economical housekeeper, who has a large family to feed, may now add two pounds of potatoes that have been boiled and well mashed. To many this mixture is more agreeable than pease pudding alone. See also No. 107.

[350-*] Ground barley, or barley-meal, is sold in this city; with which barley-water gruel or a panada may be readily made, for the sick, or for soups. A.

MARKETING TABLES,

_Showing the seasons when_ MEAT, POULTRY, _and_ VEGETABLES, _are_ BEST _and_ CHEAPEST.

MEAT.

+-----------+-----------+------------------------------------------------+
|_Weight |_Weight | |
| of Meat | of Bone | |
| before | after | BEEF. |
| it was | being | |
| dressed._ | dressed._ | THE HIND QUARTER. |
|-----------+-----------+ |
|_lb._ _oz._|_lb._ _oz._| _per lb._ | |
| 13 0 | 1 8 | 1. Sirloin 0 9 | Roasted (No. 19). |
| 20 0 | 4 0 | 2. Rump 0 9 |{Steak to Broil (No. |
| | | |{ 94), to Stew (Nos.|
| | | |{ 500 and 501). |
| 11 0 | 1 4 | 3. Edge-Bone 0 6 | Boiled (No. 8). |
| 13 12 | 1 8 | 4. Buttock, or 0 7 |{Ditto (No. 7), or |
| | | Round |{ Savoury Salted |
| | | |{ Beef (No. 496). |
| | | 5. Mouse ditto 0 6 |{For Alamode Beef |
| | | |{ (No. 502). |
| | | 6. Veiny Piece 0 7 |{Generally Baked or |
| | | |{ Salted. |
| 11 0 | 1 8 | 7. Thick Flank 0 6 | Salted. |
| | | 8. Thin ditto 0 6-1/2| Ditto. |
| | | 9. Leg 0 2-1/2|{Soup of (No. 193), |
| | | |{ Stewed (No. 493) |
| | | |
| | | THE FORE QUARTER. |
| | | |
| | | _per lb._ | |
| 14 4 | 1 12 |10. Fore Ribs, 0 9 |{Roasted (No. 20), |
| | | 6 Ribs |{ Boned and Rolled |
| | | |{ (No. 21). |
| | |11. Middle do., 0 7 | Ditto. |
| | | 3 do. | |
| | |12. Chuck do., 0 5 | For making Gravy. |
| | | 3 do. | |
| | |13. Shoulder, or}0 6 | For Steaks or Soup. |
| | | Leg of } | |
| | | Mutton Piece} | |
| | | |{For Stewing (No. |
| | |14. Brisket 0 6 |{ 494), or Haricot |
| | | |{ (No. 495),--or |
| | | |{ Salted. |
| | |15. Clod 0 4-1/2|{Principally used for|
| | | |{ Beef Sausages. |
| 8 4 | 0 10 |16. Neck, or } 0 3-1/2|{Ditto, or making |
| | | Sticking } |{ Soup. |
| | | Piece } | |
| | | |{Excellent Scotch |
| 9 0 | 2 4 |17. Shin 0 2-1/2|{ Barley Broth (No. |
| | | |{ 204), and Stewed |
| | | |{ (No. 493). |
| | |18. The Head |{Soup of (No. 239), |
| | | |{ Stewed, (No. 507);|
| | | |{ and |
| | | The Tail |{Do. (No. 240), do. |
| | | |{ (No. 508.) |
| | | The Heels |{Boiled (No. 18*), |
| | | |{ Jelly of (No. |
| | | |{ 198), Soup (No. |
| | | |{ 240*). |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | MUTTON. |
| | | |
|_lb._ _oz._|_lb._ _oz._| _per lb._ | |
| 8 0 | 0 13 | 1. Leg } |{ Boiled (No. 1), or |
| | | 2. Loin, best} |{ Roasted (No. 24). |
| | | end } 0 8 |{ Do. (No. 1,) |
| | | 3. Do., chump} |{ Roasted (No. 28), |
| | | end } |{ Chops. |
| | | |{ Do. (No. 2.) |
| 6 0 | 0 8 | 4. Neck, best} 0 7 |{ Roasted (No. 29), |
| | | end } |{ Irish Stew (No. |
| | | |{ 488), Haricot (No.|
| | | |{ 489), Stewed (No. |
| | | |{ 490). |
| | | 5. Do., scrag} |{To make Broth (No. |
| | | end } 0 5 |{ 194). |
| 8 4 | 1 0 | 6. Shoulder 0 7 | Roasted (No. 27). |
| | | 7. Breast 0 5 |{Grilled (_Obs._ to |
| | | |{No. 38). |
| | | Head | Broth. |
| | | The Chine, or} | |
| | | the Saddle, } | |
| | | two Loins, } |{Roasted (No. 31), |
| | | The Haunch }0 8 |{ Venisonified (No. |
| | | is a Leg, } |{ 32). |
| | | and part of } | |
| | | the Loin } | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | VEAL. |
| | | |
| | | _per lb._ | |
| | | 1. Loin, best} 0 11 | Roasted (No. 35). |
| | | end } | |
| | | 2. Do., chump} 0 11 | Do. do. |
| | | end } | |
| | | |{Roasted (No. 34), to|
| | | 3. Fillet 1 1 |{ make Veal Olives |
| | | |{ (No. 518), Scotch |
| | | |{ Collops (No. |
| | | |{ 517*). |
| | | 4. Knuckle, } 0 7 |{To Ragoût (No. |
| | | Hind } |{ 522), to Stew (No.|
| | | The whole} 0 10-1/2|{ 523), Soup of |
| | | Leg } |{ (No. 193). |
| 9 0 | 1 0 | 5. Neck, best} 0 11 | Roasted (No. 37). |
| | | end } | |
| 5 0 | 0 10 | 6. Do., scrag} 0 8 | Do. do. |
| | | end } | |
| | | The whole} 0 9-1/2| |
| | | Neck } | |
| | | 7. Blade Bone 0 10 | Roasted. |
| | | |{Stewed (No. 515); to|
| | | 8. Breast, best}0 11 |{ Ragoût (No. 517), |
| | | end } |{ to Curry (No. |
| | | |{ 497). |
| | | 9. Do., brisket}0 10 |{Stewed (No. 515); to|
| | | end } |{ Ragoût (No. 517). |
| | |10. Knuckle,} 0 7 | Same as Hind |
| | | Fore } | Knuckle. |
| | | The head, |{Boiled, plain (No. |
| | | with the skin |{ 10), to Hash (Nos.|
| | | on |{ 10 and 520). |
| | | Do., skinned | |
| | | Cutlets |{Fried (No. 90), |
| | | |{ Broiled (No. 521).|
------------+-----------+--------------------------+---------------------+

The Nos. refer to the receipts for dressing.

In the foregoing table, we have given the proportions of _bone_ to _meat_,--the former not being weighed till cooked, by which, of course, its weight was considerably diminished.

These proportions differ in almost every animal,--and from the different manner in which they are cut.

Those who pay the highest, do not always pay the _dearest_ price. In fact, the best meat is the _cheapest_; and those who treat a tradesman liberally, have a much better chance of being well served, than those who are for ever bargaining for the market penny. In dividing the joints, there is always an opportunity of apportioning the bones, fat, flaps, &c., so as to make up a variation of much more than a penny per pound in most pieces; and a butcher will be happy to give the turn of his knife in favour of that customer who cheerfully pays the fair price of the article he purchases:--have those who are unwilling to do so any reason to complain?--have they not invited such conduct?

The _quality_ of butcher's meat, varies quite as much as the _price_ of it, according to its age, how it has been fed, and especially how it has been treated the week before it has been killed.

The following statements were sent to us by a very respectable tradesman:--

Beef is _best_ and _cheapest_ from Michaelmas to Midsummer. The price, per pound, now varies from 4_d._ to 1_s._

Veal is _best_ from March to July. The price varies according to the season and the supply; and the quality differs so much, that the same joints now sell from 5_d_. to 11_d._ per pound.

Mutton is _best_ from Christmas to Midsummer; the difference in price between the worst and the best, is now from 5_d._ to 9_d._ per pound.

Grass lamb is _best_ from Easter to June; house lamb from Christmas to June.

POULTRY.

+----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+
| _Poultry._ |_Come into | _Continue._ | _Cheapest._ |
| | Season._ | | |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+
| |{Spring chickens |To be had all the}| |
|Chickens |{ April | year }| November. |
|Poulards, with |March |Till June | December. |
| eggs | | | |
| |{Dearest in April,|To be had all the}| |
|Fowls |{ May, and June | year }| November. |
|Capons |{Largest at |Ditto |{October and |
| | Christmas | |{November. |
|Green Geese |March |Till September | do. |
|Geese |September |---- February | do. |
|Turkey poults |April |---- June | do. |
|Turkeys |September |---- March | do. |
|Ducklings |March |---- May | do. |
|Ducks |June |---- February | do. |
| | | |{December; |
|Wild ducks |September |Till ditto |{but the flights|
| | | |{are uncertain. |
|Widgeons | | | |
|Teal | | | |
|Plovers | | | |
|Larks |November |Till March | Ditto. |
|Wheatears |July |And during August | |
|Wild pigeons |March |Till September | August. |
|Tame do. | | | |
|Tame rabbits | |All the year | |
|Wild do. |June |Till February | November. |
|Sucking pigs | |All the year | |
|Leverets |March |Till September | |
|Hares |September | | |
|Partridges |Do. | | |
|Pheasants |October | | |
|Grouse |August | | |
|Moor game | |Till March | |
|Woodcock snipes |November | | |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+

Cocks' combs, fat livers, eggs, &c. are _dearest_ in April and May, and _cheapest_ in August.

Fowls' heads may be had three for a penny; a dozen will make a very good pie or _soup_, like No. 244.

Turkey heads, about a penny each.

Duck giblets, about three half-pence a set; four sets will make a _tureen of good soup for sixpence_. See No. 244.

_Obs._--Poultry is in greatest perfection when in greatest plenty.

The _price of it_ varies as much as the size and quality of it, and the supply at market, and the demand for it.

It is generally _dearest_ from March to July, when the town is fullest; and _cheapest_ about September, when the game season commences, and the weather being colder, allows of its being brought from more distant parts, and the town becoming thin, there is less demand for it.

The above information will, we trust, be very acceptable to economical families, who, from hearing the very high price poultry sometimes costs, are deterred from ever inquiring about it. In the cheap seasons, we have noted, it is sometimes as cheap as butcher's meat.

VEGETABLES.

The public are frequently, from want of regular information when the proper seasons arrive for vegetables, put to much inconvenience in attending the markets, taking unnecessary inquiries, &c.

The following list, it is presumed, will afford much useful information to the reader:--