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Encyclopedia of Practical Cookery, 1891

A Foods of England online text. For more see Cookbooks


TITLE: The encyclopζdia of practical cookery : a complete dictionary of all pertaining to the art of cookery and table service
AUTHOR: Theodore Francis Garrett
PUBLISHER: Upcott Gill, London
DATE: 1891
THIS VERSION: This transcript is based on the online version at archive.org, from The University of Leeds Library. This is an Optical Character Recognition scan, it has been partly edited, but still contains very significant errors.

This is Volume 1 only, other volumes are available at Archive.org

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THE

ENCYCLOPAEDIA

OF PRACTICAL

COOKERY

A Complete Dictiohary of all pertaining to the Art of Cookery and Table Service.

INCLUDING ORIGINAL MODERN RECEIPTS FOR ALL KINDS OF DISHES FOR GENERAL, OCCASIONAL. AND EXCEPTIONAL USE; THE MAKING OF EVERY DESCRIPTION OF TABLE CONFECTIONERY; THE HOME MANUFACTURE OF WINES, LIQUEURS, AND TABLE WATERS; THE LAYING, DECORATING, AND PREPARING OF BANQUETS, WEDDING BREAKFASTS, LUNCHEONS, TEAS, CELEBRATION AND BALL SUPPERS, PICNICS, GARDEN-PARTY REFRESHMENTS,

RACE AND BOATING BASKETS, &C.; THE CARE AND GOOD MANAGEMENT OF THE CELLAR, BUTLER’S PANTRY, LARDER, ICE ROOMS AND CHESTS, &C.

ILLUSTRATED with COLOURED PLATES and ENGRAVINGS, by HAROLD FURNISS, GEORGE CRUIKSHANK, W. MUNN ANDREW, and others.

EDITED BY

THEODORE FRANCIS GARRETT,

Author of “ The Chefs Memoranda,” “ Plain and Artistic Cookery? “ Littlerknown Foods? “ Ice and Ice- Making? “ The Manufacture of British Wines, TFc.? “ Ball Suppers and their Service? “ Wine Adulteration? “ Savoury Suppers?

“ Muffins and Crumpets,” “ Sandwiches? “ American Drinks? “ Confectionery! “ Notes on Curries?

“ I.oving-Cups? “Antiquity of Cheese? “ Good Coffee? “ Lives of Famous Cooks? and numerous other Serial and Special Papers in Technical and Domestic Publications.

Assisted by WILLIAM A. RAWSON (Cook and Confectioner to Messrs. Ring and Brymer, Caterers for City of London and other Banquets; Sec. of the Original U.F. Society of Cooks and Confectioners);

And, in Special Departments, by the following and other distinguished CHEFS DE CUISINE

and CONFECTIONERS:

C. J. Corblet, Chef de Cuisine, Bute House, W.; Grand Diploma of Honour; tst Grand Prize, 1887; 1st Gold Medal of 1st Class, 1885.

J. Detraz, Chef de Cuisine, Hotel Metropole, London.

J. Fiorillo, Chef de Cuisine, late of Hotel Victoria, London; Grand Prix d’Honneur, Paris, 1889; 1st Prize, Gold Medal, 1885; Champion Silver Medal. 1885; 1st Prize, Gold Medal, 1888; 1st Prize, Gold Medal, 1889.

G. Heywood, Chef de Cuisine, and President of the Original U.F. Society of Cooks and Confectioners.

C. Norwak, Confectioner, Gold and Silver Medallist in Sugar-Flowers and Piping, London, 1889.

L. Lecomte, Chef de Cuisine to Lord Harewood, Silver Medal, Exposition Culinaire Internationale, London, 1885; Diploma of Honour, Grand Prize, and Gold Medal, Exposition Culinaire Internationale, London, 1887.

C. Reichert, Confectioner to Messrs. W. and G. Buszard.

A. Thoumire, Chef de Cuisine to Sir Julian Goldsmid; Silver Medal for Turtle Dinner of 13 Dishes, Universal Cookery and Food Exhibition, 1889; Bronze Medal for Menu Design, 1889; and Vermillion Medal, Exposition Culinaire, 1887.

T. Wallace, Chef de Cuisine, Great Eastern Hotel, London.

C. Willin, Chef de Cuisine, late of the Grand Hotel Bristol; 1st Prize in Open Turtle Competition.

LONDON: L. UPCOTT GILL.

Sole Agent: A. W. COWAN, 30 and 31, NEW BRIDGE STREET, LONDON, E.C.

LONDON

A.

BRADLEY, LONDON AND COUNTY PRINTING WORKS,

DRURY LANE, W.C.

UNIVERSITY

UNWARY

LEEDS

PREFACE.

OOKERY may now be considered one of the Fine Arts. Its

practice can be traced back to primitive man, who first impaled slices of flesh on sharpened sticks, and toasted them over the smouldering embers of a wood fire. Baking coarse-ground meal

cakes in holes dug in the ground, and heated by the ashes of a fire, may be regarded as the origin of the oven; but boiling, which was born of civilisation, followed later on. These crude processes were virtually the same as those practised in the present day — and as they were in the days of the luxurious

Romans, when Lucullus ordered pearls to be dissolved in soup, and a dish was

estimated by its cost rather than its culinary quality. Nightingales’ brains, and peacocks’ -tongues patty, “ o’erlayed with beaten gold,” were considered dishes fit to set before a king, even by such famous gourmets as Apicius, Epicurus, and others; but just as these culinary giants were in advance of the primeval toaster, so are our modern professional chefs de cuisine in advance of the Roman cooks.

Modern cookery ranks high amongst the Fine Arts, and its high priests and votaries have brought it into this elevated position by the investment of much artistic skill and scientific intelligence in its development. In France and some other Continental countries it is regarded as one of the greatest of arts, and cooks have been invested with the cordon rouge and cordon bleu — orders of a very high degree in the old French Courts; but it is to be feared that the honour has lost something of its original value and dignity by its frequent illegitimate application. The Grand Prix d’honneur de Paris is awarded to cooks of exceptional ability, and gold, silver, and bronze medals, and diplomas of special merit to those who excel; but in England we are apparently too indolent or indifferent to bestow special acknowledgment upon our native professional cooks, some of whom have proved themselves to be gifted with excellent talent. Indications of a new era are, however, not wanting, as shown in the establishment of Schools of Cookery, and the popularity of Cookery Exhibitions, which leads us to believe that the time is not far distant when good cookery at home will be regarded as the first of all

IV

PREFACE.

accomplishments. Cookery is a superior art, for it has the power to gratify three special senses at once — namely, sight, smell, and taste; and, in a minor degree, the sense of feeling, by comfort provided at the board. Add to these the gratification of the ear by music, or pleasing and congenial conversation, and the measure of man’s enjoyment should be full.

Cookery Books innumerable have been written or compiled by individuals professing some special qualification; but experience shows that the culinary art is made up of so many different branches that it would be impossible for any one cook, however expert, to be master of them all. With this view before us, we have invoked the aid of a staff of professional British and foreign cooks, confectioners, and others, and must record our great regret that we could not extend the number indefinitely amongst the numerous skilled culinary professors of our acquaintance, whose great charm is the readiness with which they impart, for the benefit of others, the knowledge which their lives have been spent in acquiring. In this case, at any rate, we trust it will be found that too many cooks have not spoiled the broth.

The arrangement we have adopted as most convenient is that of an alphabetical Encyclopaedia, the receipts being classified according to the chief material used, where such a distinction would be understood from the name; and although the highest branches of the art have been carefully treated and simplified, the bulk of the work is ruled by general domestic utility and economy. In this way we have been enabled to supply elementary instruction for the enlightenment of beginners, as well as a valuable book of ready reference for the use of the most experienced cooks and confectioners. May they, one and all, appreciate the labour we have undertaken. Remember the words of Desaugiers:

Un cuisinier, quand je dine,

Me semble un etre divin.

A cook, when I dine,

Seems to me a being divine.

THE

ENCYCLOPAEDIA

PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Abbreviations used: Eng., English; Fr., Fi-ench; Ger., German; Hind., Hindoostanee; Ital., Italian; Sp., Spanish.

Quantities and measurements are abbreviated in the usual manner: lb., pound; oz., ounce; gall., gallon; qt., quart; ft., foot; in., inch.

Note. — For further information upon any subject mentioned in the following articles, refer to that name

in its alphabetical order.

ABAT-FAIM. — Fr. for, literally, a “hunger-reducer,” such as a substantial joint of roast beef. Hence it comes to mean the piece de resistance — something to cut at and come again.

AB ATT AGE. — From abatter, to pull down. Applied to a pile of pieces, especially of game.

ABBOCATI. — Italian light wines, such as Muscatel, "Vino Santo, and Yernaccia. See Italian Wines.

ABDEIiAVI. — A sort of melon, or cucumber, which grows in Egypt and Arabia. Orientals eat the fruit both green and cooked, and look upon it as being very healthy. A refreshing and pleasing drink is made from the juice sweetened with sugar.

ABEIDERO.— A sort of peach, much used in Spanish confectionery.

ABERDEEN SANDWICHES— See Sandwiches.

ABERFRAU CAKES. — See Cakes.

ABERNETHY BISCUITS. — Very popular digestive biscuits, containing carraway seeds, and said to have been invented by the celebrated physician after whom they were named. See Biscuits.

ABLETTE. — Fr. for a bleak or sort of smelt, caught chiefly in the Seine. Answers to our whitebait.

ABRICOTE. — Fr. for a “ bon-bon” of crystallised apricots.

ABSINTHE (Fr. Absinthe; Ger. Wermuth - extract; Ital. Assenzio; Sp. Ajenjo). — This is the name given to a liqueur made from an infusion in strong alcohol of wormwood ( Absinthium Artemisia) and some other aromatic ingredients, but must not be confounded with Vermouth. It is manufactured largely in Neufchatel, Montpellier,

Absinthe — continued.

Lyons, and Pontarlier, each kind having its peculiar taste and odour; but since the demand for Absinthe has increased in this and other countries, inferior varieties have been prepared for the market, possessing qualities of a dangerously deleterious character, and adulterated with noxious compounds, such as indigo, sulphate of copper, and chloride of antimony, for colouring.

Genuine Absinthe has a greenish colour, is intensely bitter, and has a peculiarly penetrating odour. Age changes this green colour to greenish-yellow, and the liqueur is then much improved, becoming agreeable, odorous, and sweetish. It is considered good when it turns milky, or opalescent, on being diluted; but certain aromatic resins, such as benzoin, guaiacum, and others, are sometimes added to impure qualities of Absinthe, for the purpose of producing this “ milky ” result.

The wormwood plant grows wild in some parts of England, amongst rocks and rubbish, and is used in the brewing of purl; it is carefully cultivated in the Absinthemanufacturing districts of the Continent.

The various known brands of Absinthe are produced from the following formulae:

Lyons Absinthe ia made with large wormwood leaves, green anise, fennel, angelica seed, and alcohol, coloured with a mixture of small wormwood leaves, lemon balm, hyssop tops and flowers, and dried veronica.

Montpellier Absinthe resembles the Lyons, with these exceptions, that coriander seed is added, and the colouring is effected by hyssop herb and flowers, dried balm of Moldavia, and small wormwood leaves.

Neufchatel Absinthe. — About 41b. of the freshly-gathered leaves and tops of wormwood, together with loz. each of angelica and calamus roots, aniseed and marjoram leaves, macerated for ten days in 4galls. brandy, or spirit 12 under proof. Add lgall. of water, and distil 4galls. at a gentle heat.

B & C

2

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Absinthe — continued.

Dissolve in the distilled spirit 21b. of crushed white sugar,

and flavour with a few drops of oil of anise.

Fontarlier Absinthe. — The angelica seed is omitted; otherwise

the ingredients and proportions are similar to those of the Lyons.

ABTSSINIAN ALES.— These are brewed indiscriminately from either wheat, barley, or millet, and are generally called “ Tallah.” The grain is first dried, and then broken up in a mortar, or between stones, to divest it of some of the outer husk. After being passed through a grass sieve, the grain is put into a large earthenware saucer, about 2ft. in diameter and 6in. deep in the centre. In this the brewing takes place by the aid of heat, and the “ Ale ” is afterwards stored for fermentation in jars.

ACACIA. — The name of the gum extracted from the tree of the same name. Sometimes the gum is known as “ Gum Arabic.” See Gums.

ACAR1TJS. — See Mites (Cheese-mite, Meal-mite, Sugarmite, &c.).

ACCOLADE. — Fr. for a “ brace,” as of pheasants, partridges, &c. These are sometimes served two together, or en accolade.

ACCOMMODE(E). — Fr. for “arranged ” or “dressed,” as accommode au beurre, dressed with butter. Asparagus is said to be accommode en fagon de petit pois, or dressed after the fashion of green peas.

ACCOUNTS. — The economical householder is careful to obtain, so far as it lies in his power, a full return for his money. Whether he does so or not depends, in a great measure, upon the habits of those in charge of certain departments, but more especially the chief of the kitchen. A careful cook can more than double the value of services rendered, by practising economy and studying the interests of the master before those of the tradesman. That this is not always done, we have more than hearsay evidence to prove; although, perhaps, it is not so frequently due to dishonest collusion as to a culpably lax system, or entire lack, of keeping Kitchen Accounts.

In large hotels the chef is not responsible for the goods he receives: he merely signs his orders, which have to be again presented with the goods, and before the latter are sent to the kitchen, a superintendent appointed for the purpose carefully examines and weighs (or should do so) every article, to see that it corresponds in every particular with the order given. But a collusion between this superintendent and the tradesman might exist, and goods be forwarded up to the kitchen as correct weight which might be very much short. The cook is the loser, then, not only of material, but of reputation, for his kitchen profits must be less in proportion to the value of the dish that would have been prepared from the material of which he has been defrauded. These remarks apply with equal force to small kitchens as to large ones; and the suspicion naturally arises that a cook who is said to be “ careless ” in his or her Accounts is, in reality, in league with the tradesman to defraud the master. Sometimes the master or the mistress is to blame for any loss that may be sustained by dishonest dealing — servants insufficiently paid, long credit, and reckless ordering, might prevail — but where a rigid system of Kitchen Accounts and checking is instituted, and the servants are fairly treated, the most dishonest tradesman would fail in his attempts to cheat. Under such circumstances, the saving on the kitchen department will in some cases be found to more than repay the trouble of keeping Accounts.

As it would be impossible to organise a system of keeping Kitchen Accounts that would be found perfect enough to meet all purposes, something must be left to the cook and the master, each of whom will prove his ability to deal with the subject by formulating a system to meet his own requirements, based upon the few

Accounts — continued.

suggestions we are able to make for general guidance. We have to deal here with Accounts, and not with losses from indiscreet marketing or bad cooking: these matters have to be treated on their own merits.

Every cook should have an Order Book, with counterfoils, upon which an exact copy of the order issued should be taken. With each parcel of goods care should be taken to receive an Invoice, and no goods should be received without one. The Invoice should coincide with the counterfoils of the Order Book, and be marked with the weight or measure and price of each article. After the weights and measures have been corroborated by actual weighing and measuring, which is so often neglected, and the price is ascertained to be correct according to the markets, the next thing to do is to file the Invoice for future reference — or, where a kitchen clerk is kept, it may be entered up fully in an Invoice Book kept for the purpose. This is your check upon the tradesmen, whose petty defalcations are not in all cases a systematic fable. When once it is understood that goods are weighed and measured when received, the necessity for it will disappear; but the system should not be relaxed, for all that. Instead of an Order Form, books are sometimes used, in which the order is written and signed, and filled up with prices and quantities by the tradesman, and returned with the goods. This system saves much writing, but it is open to this objection: the book might be lost, and then the cook would have no existing check upon the account of the tradesman.

The cook should also keep a Journal or Diary — that is to say, a book in which can be scribbled down at the moment any circumstances worthy of note, especially such as cash paid out or received for kitchen purposes, orders received and executed, memoranda for a future day, and notes of new ideas. Besides this, there should be an Account or Gash Book in which tradesmen’s bills, wages, and cash transactions generally, are entered; a Petty Cash Book, in which small sums under a certain amount can be quickly entered without reference to the Account Book; and a slate hung up in a convenient spot.

Cooks in large kitchens have styles of bookkeeping convenient to themselves, as also have proprietors and managers of hotels; but the small householder is often the victim of the fraudulent tradesman because the cook is not expected to keep Accounts, and the mistress is too indolent or careless to do so. If the amount of money wasted yearly in this country through not keeping Kitchen Accounts could be calculated, it is certain that the total would be astonishing. See also Economy in the Kitchen and Marketing.

ACE PH ALE. — Fr. for fish such as oysters, mussels, cockles, scallops, limpets, periwinkles, &c.; signifying, literally, “without heads.”

ACETIC ACID. — This acid is the foundation of vinegars, but is not often used in its crude state, excepting to make artificial vinegars, which may be either white or brown, the latter being coloured with burnt sugar. Acetic Acid is very difficult to obtain in a state of purity — that is, free from metallic combination; hence it is not recommended for culinary purposes. See Yinegar.

ACHAR, Hind— A. salt or acid relish. The term is used by Anglo-Indians to signify pickles of any sort.

The composition of Achar is generally a combination of capsicums, onions, salt, and lemon- or lime-juice, or vinegar, in proportionate quantities to suit the taste, pounded, and mixed together. Salt-fish, mangoes, and other things, may be added at discretion. A pickle called Achar, or Archard, is made by macerating in vinegar the tender shoots of the bamboo, or the cabbage that grows in the crest of the palm-tree.

ACID DROPS.— See Sugar.

ACID PUDDING.— See Puddings.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

3

ACIDS. — There are several of these used in cookery and confectionery, such as Acetic Acid, Carbonic Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sulphuric Acid, Tartaric Acid, &c. Refer to those headings.

ACITRON. — Sp. for citron dried and made into sweetmeat; candied lemon-peel.

ACORN (literally, oak(ac)corn). — At an early period of barbaric existence this fruit of the oak was ground into meal to make a kind of cake, or bread. In modern times it is regarded as food lit only for hogs, and even that is disputed. It is stated that in Germany Acorns are sometimes chopped up and roasted to be used medicinally by invalids as coffee; by this process of roasting much of their intense astringency is destroyed.

ACQUACEDRATA . — Ital. for water sweetened with sugar and flavoured with lemon-peel — a sort of lemonade.

ADELAIDE PUDDING.— See Puddings.

ADELAIDE CAKES.— See Cakes.

ADELAIDE SANDWICHES.— See Sandwiches.

ADJOUE. — A paste made of dates, which the Arabs carry about with them to mix with water and make a refreshing drink.

ADMIRAL’S SAUCE.— See Sauces.

ADULTERATIONS. — It would be impossible to perfect a work of this kind without saying a few words upon this bane of commerce and health. The craze for cheap goods has fostered the evil; but the Acts of Parliament affecting it — which would be better if they were more rigidly enforced — make the penalties so heavy, that the risk of loss by exposure and fine would exceed the value of the gain. Unfortunately, the passing of an Act does not always ensure its activity; hence, in the case particularly of tinned and preserved foods, the Adulteration still carried on is prodigious. The great secret of its avoidance is to buy of the best makers only. Any purchaser can have food analysed by the public analyst on payment of a fee of 10s. 6d. The penalty for the first detected offence of adulteration is, should a conviction ensue, a fine not exceeding £50. The following are a few of the more common Adulterations: Allspice, with mustard-husks; Anchovies, with Armenian bole, Y enetian red, red ochre, &c.; Arrowroot, with cheaper starches — sago, tapioca, potato; Bread, with potatoes, alum, and inferior or diseased flour; Butter, with colouring matter, water, salt, lard, tallow, and other fats; Cayenne, with ground rice, vermilion, Venetian red, and turmeric; Cheese, with colouring matter; Chicory, with colouring matters, such as ferruginous earths, burnt sugar, and Venetian red, and different flours, such as wheat, rye, beans, and sometimes sawdust; Cloves, with clove-stalks; Cocoa and Chocolate, with arrowroot and other starchy matters; Coffee, with chicory and its adulterations (it is better to buy the roasted beans, and grind fresh for use); Confectionery, with dangerous colouring matters, especially in aromatic confectionery; Curry Powder, with red lead, ground rice, and salt; Custard and Egg Powders, with turmeric, chrome yellow, and indifferent flours; Flour, with many substances, such as other and inferior flours, rice, beans, Indian corn, potato, sulphate of lime, and alum; Gelatine, with salt and sugar; Ginger (ground), with turmeric and husks of mustard, flour, and sago; Honey, with flour and sugar; Isinglass, with inferior gelatine; Lard, with carbonate of soda, salt, potato, flour, lime; Lemon-juice (in bottles), with sugar and water, acidulated with sulphuric acid; Liquorice, with rice, chalk, gelatine, and cheap flours; Marmalade, with turnip pulp; Milk, with water (the old story of chalk is mythical, as it would be found at the bottom of the vessel after standing, and could not, therefore, be mistaken for cream); Mustard, with turmeric and wheat-flour; Oatmeal, with barley-flour, and rubble; Pepper, with linseed-meal, cheap flours, mustard-husks,

Adulterations — continued.

&c.; Pickles, with salts of copper; Porter and Stout, with sugar, treacle, liquorice, water, salt, and “ porter extract ” — a compound of iron, salt, liquorice, treacle, seeds of Paradise, and other abominations, sold to publicans in bladders, and added, by unscrupulous tradesmen, to wastebeer, to make porter; Rum, with water, cayenne, and burnt sugar; Sago, with potato-flour; Sauce, with treacle, salt, cochineal, Armenian bole, and other colouring matters; Sherry, with sulphate of potash, soda, brandy, burnt sugar, &c.; Soda ( Bicarbonate ), with carbonate and sulphate of soda; Spices, with colouring matters, flour and other substitutions; Sugar, with sand and flour; Tapioca, with inferior starch; Tea, with sand, iron, exhausted tea-leaves, foreign leaves, sloe-leaves, and, in green teas, black lead, Prussian blue, and China clay; Vinegar, with sulphuric acid, and metallic impurities, such as lead; Wines, with water, bitartrate of potash, jerupiga, and various substitutions. See Analysis.

AERATED BREAD. — Bread that has been raised by the injection of carbonic-acid gas in lieu of yeast or other leaven. See Bkead.

AERATED WATER ( Fr . Eau Gaseuse; Ger. Gashaltige Wasser).- — There are two sorts of popular beverages which come under this title; the one being from natural springs, or medicated, and the other, artificial and refreshing. Both kinds are impregnated with carbonic-acid gas under high pressure, and are bottled by machinery.

, Of the Natural springs, those best known are:

Apollinaris.— From the Apollinaris Brunnen Springs in the valley of the Ahr, Germany. It contains the carbonate, chloride, sulphate, and phosphate of soda, salts of potash, carbonates of magnesia and lime, oxides of iron and alumina, and silicic acid. This spring yields at the rate of 6000 quarts in an hour.

Carlsbad. — At Carlsbad, in Bohemia, there are several springs, of alkaline and saline composition, containing, in regular proportions, sulphates of potash and soda, chloride of soda, carbonates of soda, lime, and magnesia, strontia, alumina, and manganese, oxide of iron, phosphates of alumina and lime, fluoride of lime, and silica. It is strongly recommended in diabetes, gout, and biliary disorders. Should be taken warm.

Friedricbsball Bitter.— Obtained from Friedrichshall, near Coburg. Contains sulphates of soda, potash, magnesia, and lime, chlorides of sodium and magnesium, bromide of magnesia, carbonates of lime and magnesia, and the silicate of magnesia. Aperient and diuretic. A few drops of lemon-juice, or a glass of sherry, will take off some of the bitterness. This water keeps good for a length of time.

Pullna is a strong purgative, each pint holding in solution about 150 grains of sulphate of soda, 120 grains of sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts), and other salts..

Rosbach. — In the Wetterau the springs giving this water are found. It is famous because it is so perfectly free from organic impurities. It contains chloride of sodium (common salt) and carbonates of lime and magnesia.

Seltzer. — An artificial water of this name is so cheaply supplied by Aerated Water makers that it is doubtful how much of the spring-water is imported here. More than a million bottles of the water are said to be exported annually from Seitz, or Selters, in Nassau, near Mayence. It contains bicarbonates of soda, lime, and magnesia, bromide of iron, chlorides of sodium, and potassium, sulphates and phosphates of sodium, silica, and alumina. Seltzer is very pleasant drinking with brandy or wine, being highly gaseous and digestive. For invalids it is specially recommended with milk.

Vicby. — This water can be obtained from several springs, the chief of which are the Grande-grille, Petits puits carre, Grand puits carre, Hopital, Acacias, Lucas, Celestin, Desdames, &c. They are situated in the valley of the Allier, in France, and hold in solution carbonates of soda, lime, and magnesia, chloride of sodium, sulphate of soda, oxide of iron, and silica. Recommended in liver complaints and dyspepsia.

Wilbelm’s Quelle.— Kronthal, near Frankfort-on-the-Maine, is famous for this very ancient spring. The yield is bright and

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Scc., referred to, see under their special heads.

B & C 2

4

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Aerated Water — continued.

sparkling’, with an agreeable saline flavour, and being bottled at high pressure, the water is very full of gas. It is recommended in cases of gout, rheumatism, and diseases of the bladder. The water contains the chlorides of sodium and potassium, sulphate of potassium, bromide, iodide, phosphate and carbonate of sodium, carbonates of lithium, barium, strontium, lime, magnesia, and iron, manganese, and silica.

There are also mineral springs at Aix-la-Chapelle, Baden-Baden, Cauteret, Ems, Fachingen, Homburg, Kissingen, Kreuznach, Marienbad, Seidlitz, Vais, and others of less importance. In England, we have mineral and hot springs at Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Buxton, Cheltenham, Clifton, Filey, Harrogate, Hastings, Leamington, Malvern, Parton and Woodhall, Scarborough, and Tunbridge Wells. In Scotland, the principal are Airthrey, Bridge of Allan, Moffatt, and Strathpeffer; all having special medicinal claims, but known better locally than as bottled beverages.

Artificial Aerated Waters may be divided into three classes: (1) the Simple Aerated Water, commonly known as Soda-water, though containing no soda; (2) Saline and Medicated Aerated Waters, or imitations of natural springs; and (3) Saccharinated Aerated Waters, or those containing fruit-syrups and flavourings.

Simple Aerated Water. — This consists of pure water highly impregnated with carbonic-acid gas, which has been also thoroughly purified, yielding a pleasant, freely sparkling, almost tasteless beverage. It is commonly known as “ Sodawater,” having, in its early days, been rendered saline by the addition of certain salts of soda. It was for many years a fashionable dinner beverage.

Saline and other Medicated Aerated Waters. — These require no further notice than to observe that they are chalybeate and saline, in imitation of various natural springs. For many years these and the genuine spring waters were sold under the Patent Medicines Act, and carried a stamp; but in the year 1833 this Act, so far as they were concerned, was abolished. Numberless attempts have been made to introduce non-alcoholic Aerated Beverages that should be worthy imitations of bottled beers, stouts, and sparkling wines; and prizes are given yearly by Mr. J. Gilbert Smith, proprietor of the Mineral Water Trade Review (the representative trade journal), at the London Brewers’ Exhibition, for the best and newest specimens of this or any other kind. It is only just to say that these praiseworthy efforts have done good service, and in the next class considerable success has been achieved.

Saccharinated Aerated Waters.— First amongst these ranks Lemonade, and next in importance is Ginger Ale, Orangeade and some others flavoured with vanilla and fruit-syrup bringing up the rear. The process of aerating is too intricate to be treated of in these pages, and the machinery required is too expensive

Fig. 1. Aerating Machine.

and troublesome for private use (see Fig. 1). The flavourings are given by syrups with essential oils. Thus, lemon syrup, composed of essence of lemon, citric acid, and syrup, gives Lemonade; orange syrup, Orangeade; and ginger syrup, often

Aerated W ater — continued.

with essence of capsicum added to give it warmth, Gingerade, or Ginger Ale, as it is more frequently styled.

It is not necessary to go further into the manufacture of these excellent beverages, for they are produced for us at a price that could not be rivalled by home preparation. They form, however, a very important factor in our table festivities, and in summer a goodly supply, iced, should be ready at hand at all times to refresh a visitor or guest. Soda, Potash, and Seltzer Waters, served with the spiritflasks or claret, and Lemonade with sherry or Marsala, always betoken the liberality of the host.

iESCULAF. — An artificial saline-aperient aerated medicinal mineral water, named after Aesculapius, the great father of healing.

AFRICAN BEER. — The brewing of strong drink from grain has assumed a considerable importance in various parts of Africa, especially in Cairo, Tunis, Constantine, Algiers, Oran, Phillippeville, and other large towns, and is likely to increase considerably, since Mussulman lovers of it have discovered that it is not specially proclaimed by the Khoran. The best African Beer is that brewed in Algiers, which is of a bright golden colour, and of pleasing flavour, though inclined to be over-sweet. That brewed in inferior breweries is of a dark colour, and none too pleasing in aroma or flavour, but seems to meet the requirements of the natives, in spite of its high cost — averaging about 5d. per half-pint glass. Experts believe that the prevalence of the sirocco in some way affects the quality of the African brewing; but the probabilities are that the fault lies with the workmen. See Beer.

AFRICAN BITTERS. — A firm of manufacturers in Phillippeville, Algeria, produce a large quantity of a tonic bitter under this name. It is said to be compounded principally of bitter orange-peel, quinine or cinchona bark, quassia, gentian, and calumba root, macerated in spirits of wine, diluted, and sweetened with sugar.

AGLIONO.— The name of a Piedmontese white wine. See Italian Wines.

AGNELIiOTTO(I). — Hal. for a kind of mincemeat. Patties made of chopped meat, wrapped in pastry, and boiled in a good broth. Urbain-Dubois, formerly chef to the late King William of Prussia, gives the following receipt for preparing this fanciful dish:

Agnellotti Turin. — Prepare a nouille-paste with lib. of flour, the yolk of one egg, a small piece of butter, and the water required to make a stiff paste. Trim a piece of cold braised beef, cut it up into small pieces, and chop it. Fry in a stewpan, with butter, 2 table-spoonfuls of chopped onions, without allowing them to take colour. Moisten with a few gravy-spoonfuls of broth, and reduce to a glaze. Then put the pan back, and add the chopped meat to the onions. Introduce into this a handful of grated Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper, and let the preparation cool. In the meantime, divide the nouillepaste into two parts, and roll them out very thin. Take up the preparation in the stewpan with a spoon, and set small balls of it at short distances from each other on the first flat of paste. Moisten the paste, cover the first flat with the second, and press it down with your thumb between each of the small balls. Cut these flats with a pastry roulette into squares, which should be lifted with a palette-knife, and laid jon a floured napkin spread over a baking-sheet. A few minutes before serving, plunge the Agnellotti into boiling salt water, boil for a few seconds, and then draw the pan to one side, and in five or six minutes you can drain them. Whilst they are draining, clarify about lOoz. or 12oz. of butter, and add thereto J pint of good brown gravy. At the first bubbling, remove to one side, and drop in the Agnellotti. Pour the whole into a flat dish, and sprinkle freely with grated Parmesan cheese.

AGNEW PUDDING. — See Puddings.

AGRO DOLCE SAUCE .—Ital., literally, for “ bittersweet sauce ”; a great favourite in Italy, and served with a multitude of roast and baked dishes. The re

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

5

Agro Dolce Sauce — continued. ceipt for its manufacture is given by Mr. J. Fiorillo as follows:

lib. of pignoli, or pine-cone kernels, from which a pungent bitter is obtained, 2oz. pistachio kernels, 3oz. of chocolate, 2oz. of sugar, j- pint of wine vinegar, l.joz. of candied orangeand lemon-peel combined, 2oz. of black currants, and ljoz. of red-currant jelly; these ingredients are stewed for half-an-hour in a rich, clear, brown sauce, preferably that made from the flesh which forms the dish. Wild boar, venison, hare, and other savoury meats, are greatly improved by the addition of this sauce.

AIGEN. — The Tartar tribes give this name to a sort of arrack, which they ferment from cows’-milk, as the Arabs prepare koumiss from the milk of mares. See Koumiss.

AIGRETTE.— This is a French term, much used in ornamental confectionery, and signifies, literally, “ a bunch or group,” such as of grass, palms, or flowers, or a plume of grapes.

AIGUILLETTES. — Fr. for, literally, “little needles.” By some cooks the term is applied to “ very thin strips ” into which fish or meat is cut; but others, and Soyer amongst them, adapt the term to indicate the mode of serving — that is, “ on small, silver skewers.”

Aiguillettes of Fish. — This dish is given us by Dubois, and the term is applied as to the strips of flesh. Cut a slice of any fish to little more than lin. thick, remove the skin, and divide the slice into two, having removed the bone. Cut the slices up into very thin strips (forming the Aiguillettes), salt them, dip them in oil, roll them in flour, and plunge them into hot fat to fry them. As soon as the flesh is firm, take them out with a skimmer, drain, season them with salt, and dish up with a little fried parsley.

Note that this process is merely one of frying strips of flesh, and may therefore be applied equally well to almost any kind of fish flesh which may be convenient. The hot fat must be hotter than boiling water ( see Frying), and a thick batter may be used instead of oil and flour. Anchovy sauce goes well with these fish Aiguillettes.

“For this kind of hors-d'oeuvres,” says Soyer, “it is necessary to have twelve small silver” or electroplated. — Ed. “ skewers, about 4in. long, and the thickness of a packing-needle, with a ring or fancy design on the

top (see Fig. 2); the persons eating what is served upon, them taking the head of the skewer with the thrnnb and fingers of the left hand, and picking it off with the fork ” ( see Attelettes).

Aiguillettes of Sweetbread. — Boil three throat sweetbreads in water for ten minutes. Pour off the water, and add one onion, one carrot, one turnip (all sliced), two bay leaves, and 1 pint of white stock or broth. Let all simmer for about twenty minutes or so — that is, until the sweetbreads are quite firm. Then take out the sweetbreads, and lay them on a clean cloth. Cut them into pieces about the size round of a shilling, with a long, round cutter, and season with pepper and salt. The next part of the process is to chop two shallots very fine, and fry them in a stewpan with loz. of butter until they are quite white. Then add 10 table-spoonfuls of white sauce and 8 table-spoonfuls of light stock. Let it reduce slowly until thickish, when the yolks of two eggs may be beaten in, and the juice of half a lemon. Do not let it boil after the yolks are added, but remove to one side of the stove. Dip the pieces of sweetbread into the sauce with a fork, and lay them on a dish until they are cold. Bun the skewers through the centres of the pieces — two on a skewer. Egg and bread

Aiguillettes — cont inued.

crumb them freely, and fry in hot lard. Serve very hot, on

a folded napkin or dish-paper.

A variety of dainty foods can be served on these Aiguillettes, which would be inexpensive: Oysters threaded, egged, and breaded, or buttered, and fried; mussels ditto; bits of lobster or any other fish; or cold meats, such as chicken and ham alternately, served with a slice of lemon to each: either would complete a very novel and tasty supper-dish, well worthy of any cook’s consideration.

AILLADE.— Fr. for a piece of bread that has been rubbed with garlic.

AIR.— It is a remarkable fact that cooks and others pay very little attention to the value of a continuous supply of fresh Air to the apartments in which they are destined to spend so much of their time. A notion seems to prevail that a draught, as they term it, passing through the chamber, is calculated to delay the cooking by cooling the stove; whereas, the free access of Air increases the combustion of the fuel, and in that way increases the heat far beyond what the stream of Air can carry off. Roasting meats should at all times be protected by a screen ( see Roasting). The kitchen of the Orleans Club, London, under the direction of Mons. L. Cunat, is divided into compartments by glass partitions descending from the ceiling to within about 6ft. or 7ft. of the floor. The heated Air rises into these compartments, and is carried off by ventilators opening at the top of each. The result is, that whilst the massive ovens, stoves, and roasting-fumace are in full work, the heat is scarcely perceptible a few yards away from them. Such a clever and strictly scientific arrangement adds to the comfort and health of those working therein. Air contains moisture, which the heat of the stove quickly dries up; this moisture is essential to the well-being of the lungs and Air-passages. Hence, inhaling heated or dried Air leads to numerous irritative or inflammatory affections of the respiratory organs, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma, to all of which cooks and kitchen hands are notoriously subject. A wise cook will take care that a steady current of Air is gently, but continuously moving through the kitchen, and that this Air comes direct from the outside, and is therefore pure and unvitiated in transit. After coming into contact with the heated stoves, it passes up the flue, or through ventilators in or close to the ceiling.

Fig. 3. Ventilated Safe (Keen’s Principle).

As a stream of Air passes along, it bears on its soft wings particles of dust, which are continually falling when the Air is still, but which are raised again like featherdown in a gust or rapid draught. These particles may be

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

6

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Air — continued.

seen dancing about in the rays of sunshine like so many microscopical flies. Their vagaries may be watched with interest, and then their everlasting tendency to fall will be observed. It is important to understand this, because recent investigations have shown that amongst these floating particles are to be found the chrysalised germs of putrefaction. If the Air remains still, these germs will naturally settle upon anything that is within their falling course, and will start into active life so soon as they happen to alight upon congenial soil. This will suggest that food concealed under a bell-shaped cover — such as a tumbler of milk under a basin — will be less subject to putrefaction than that which is exposed to the influence of these falling bodies; and a very ingenious series of culinary utensils have been invented by Mr. Keen, of St. Leonards-on-Sea, to meet this view, and provide ventilation at the same time, an illustration of one of which is given by Fig. 3.

Further special reference will be made to this subject in the article on Food-preserving.

AITCHBONE. — That part of an ox which is cut from between the rump and the buttock. It is called indiscriminately Edge-bone, H-bone, and Haunch-bone. See Beef.

AJADA. — A Spanish sauce made of bread steeped in water, garlic, and salt.

AJO BLANCO. — To Spain this soup belongs. In Andalusia it is regarded with exceeding favour. A jo

being the Spanish for garlic, and bianco, white. This means literally “ white garlic broth.”

Pound in a mortar a large-sized clove of garlic and six or seven blanched almonds or peeled haricot beans until they are reduced to a smooth paste. Add to this, stirring well, a tablespoonful of olive oil, drop by drop; then water by degrees, rubbing thoroughly so as to entirely incorporate the lot. Continue to add water until the mass is sufficiently wet to soak a thick slice of bread; then pour in a dessert-spoonful of vinegar, and add a little salt. Put in the bread broken into pieces half the size of an almond, and allow them to soak. Mix up again, and serve.

AJOLIO. — Sp. for a sauce made of oil and garlic. See Ayoli.

AKEE. — This tree ( Blighia sap id a) is a native of Guinea, and is found also in the West Indies, to which part it was carried by Captain Bligh. According to Rhind, it was introduced into England in 1793. The fruit

is oblong, ribbed, compressed in the middle, and dull orange in colour; it contains several large seeds, to the end of which is attached a rich, tasty, and slightly acid outer coat, which is the part eaten.

A LA. — Fr. for “after the style of,” as a la mode Russe, in the Russian style; the word mode being understood.

ALAJU. — A Spanish dessert dish; a compote or paste made of almonds and walnuts.

ALBANY CAKES. — See Cakes.

ALBATROSS (Fr, Albatros; Ger., Kriegsscliiffvogel). — This monstrous bird of the Australian seas is not unfamiliar to chefs of sea-going ships’ kitchens. The flesh is hard, but makes capital stock, and the fat is proclaimed excellent for frying.

ALBEMARLE PUDDING. — See Puddings. ALBERT CAKES. — See Cakes.

ALBERT PUDDING.— See Puddings.

ALBORONIA. — A Sp anish dish made with tomatoes, pumpkins, and pimento.

ALBUMEN (Fr. Albumine; Ger. Eiweiss, Eiweistoff; literally, the white of egg). — Flesh consists chiefly of cells containing Albumen, which constitutes the nutrient quality of the meat; so that it is important for cooks to

Albumen — continued.

understand something of the nature and properties of this substance. It must not be confounded with isinglass or gelatine, from which it is quite distinct, although similar in some of its qualities. Gelatine or isinglass contains but little nourishing value, whereas Albumen is the most nourishing substance known.

In its natural state Albumen is thickly fluid, as seen in the white of an uncooked egg; but when subjected to heat it turns hard and white. The same result happens with the albuminous juice of meat when exposed to the heat of the fire in cooking, and, in consequence, the flesh becomes firm and set; with this exception, the Albumen of meat being combined with red corpuscles, which turn brown on cooking, it assumes a whitey-brown appearance instead of a pure white, as in the case of the Albumen of egg. Milk consists of minute oil globules, surrounded by albuminous serum; hence boiling renders it less subject to the attacks of putrefactive germs, which are ever floating in the air (see Air). So also with cooked meat: it is harder, and therefore “keeps better” ( see Food-preserving).

Uncooked Albumen is soluble in cold or tepid water; plunged into boiling water, it sets at once, and is no longer soluble. Hence, meat put into cold water, and then heated up to boiling, loses much of its nourishing albumen in the water or broth ( see Boiling). For a similar reason, the cut surfaces of a piece of meat intended for roasting, over which the freed albumen has been flowing, can be furnished with a hard case, preventing further exudation, by exposing at first to the full force of a hot fire ( see Roasting).

Albumen exists largely in fish, as well as in flesh, and in vegetables, especially those which are termed “ succulent,” such as seakale and asparagus. In all cases the quantity of Albumen present in it determines the nourishing value of the food, and, whether animal or vegetable, is subject to the same changes in cooking.

The various and almost innumerable uses to which the Albumen of the egg may be applied in cooking and confectionery, will be found under other headings. It is preserved in several convenient forms, the most important being that of uncooked Albumen, freed from its watery constituent by drying.

Dried Albumen. — Let a thin layer of white of egg, or the serum of bullock’s blood, be exposed to the evaporating influence of dry air, until it concretes into a thin sheet, resembling horn or palecoloured glue. In this condition it will keep in the dry for years. The drying may be still further continued by the aid of a gentle heat, until the Albumen becomes sufficiently brittle to be powdered. To prepare either for use, it is only necessary to dissolve sufficient in cold water, whisk into a froth, and stir up in the fluid to be clarified.

ALCOHOL.— This word is derived from the Arabic — al, the; Kohol, spirit, — its discovery being attributed to the Arabians, who were great chemists at one time, and sufficiently wise also to prohibit its use amongst themselves by direction of the Koran. Amongst some other races of men, being under the influence of strong drink was looked upon as equivalent to being possessed of evil spirits —hence the name, Alcohol — “ the spirit ”; but others, especially the natives of Central Africa, regarded such an individual as temporarily raised to the dignity of a god — or “elevated,” as we say in our language — and to such a one they permitted extravagances of conduct that, under other circumstances, would have been deemed outrageous.

Alcohol is the product of fermenting sugar, and gives to wines, spirits, and beers, their intoxicating qualities. It is highly inflammable, and is used as “spirits of wine” for heating purposes; it also evapoi - ates freely, for which reason ( see Refrigerating) it is sometimes used for cooling. Dilute. Alcohol may be procured by distillation from all saccharine liquors, after fermentation: brandy, from wine; mm, from the refuse juice of the sugar-cane; whisky, from fermented malt; arrack, from fermented

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

7

Alcohol — continued.

rice, or from palm wine, &c. “ Spirits of wine ” is diluted Alcohol (Alcohol is never found in an absolutely undiluted state), and may be either “rectified” or “proof.” Proof Spirit contains in 100 parts about 57 of Alcohol and 47 of water, the 4 per cent, over disappearing by the condensation that follows the admixture of spirit with water. Rectified Spirit is usually sold at from 54 to 64 over-proof, reckoning “ proof ” as 100; so that 100 pints of rectified spirit, at 64 over-proof, would contain as much Alcohol as 164 pints of proof spirit.

The terms “over-proof” (o.p.) and “under-proof” (u.p.) are thus shown to be calculated upon the consideration that proof spirit is, as nearly as possible, equal parts of pure (or absolute) Alcohol and water, and fixes the standard at 100. Gin is generally retailed at about 20 under proof, which indicates that 100 pints of gin at 20 u.p. would contain as much absolute alcohol as 80 pints of proof spirit. Brandy sold at 5 o.p. would show that 100 measures of that spirit would contain as much absolute Alcohol as 105 of proof spirit.

The following is a list of the average percentages of Alcohol found in some of the better-known spirits, wines, malt liquors, &c.: the exact amount varies somewhat

according to age and conditions of manufacture, and the “reduction” the spirit may have suffered at the hands of the retailer. In some cases this is regulated by Act of Parliament.

Spirits.

In a Hundred Parts.

Scotch Whisky

about 5 4 1

Irish Whisky

„ 54

Rum

534

Brandy

„ 534

Gin

514

Wines.

Raisin

„ 25

Marsala

,. 25

Amontillado

„ 24

Port

„ 234

Madeira

„ 22

Currant

,. 204

Constantia, White

,i 194

Lachryma Christi ...

„ m

Sherry

191

Malaga

19

Constantia, Red ...

19

Lisbon

184

Bucellas

„ 184

Cape Muscat

„ 184

Rousillion ...

„ 18

Grape

„ 18

Hermitage, White...

174

Malaga

174

Zante

„ 17

Malmsey

164

Claret

15

Burgundy ...

„ 144

Sauterne

,. 144

Champagne, Still ..

„ m

Vin de Grave

„ 134

Tent

134

Champagne, Sparkling

12f

Frontignac ...

„ 12f

Champagne, Red ...

„ 124

Hermitage, Red ...

„ 124

Hock

„ 12

Gooseberry...

m

Riidesheimer

„ 114

Orange

„ 1H

Tokay

03.

o 1,4

Elder

„ 91

Cider

9f

Hock

84

Rhenish

„ 84

Mead

„ 74

Perry

„ 74

Alcohol — continued.

Malt

Liquors.

In a hundred Parts.

Ale, Burton

about 8

Stout, Brown

„ 6f

Ale, Edinburgh

„ 64

,, Ordinary

54

Porter

44

Small Beer...

„ H

Sweet Liqueurs

from 20 to 35

For further information concerning the liquors mentioned in the above list, reference should be made to their special headings.

ALDERMAN’S PUDDING. — See Puddings.

ALE. — This old-fashioned English beverage is occasionally used in cookery (see Rarebits) as a vehicle for boiling some fish, such as eels, or for giving a body to thin soups and sauces. It has been also employed as a substitute for sherry or other wine in preparing jellies and other nourishing foods for invalids. See Beer.

Ale Flip. — An old and favourite drink for cold weather, prepared by heating good Ale, with sugar and spice to taste. For every quart beat up the yolks of two eggs, and the white of one — some put the two entire eggs in — and after mixing with a little cold Ale, stir in quickly, and froth up by dexterously pouring from one jug to another from a height.

Ale Posset. — A trusted remedy for colds. Boil lightly 4 pint of new milk, and stir in the beaten yolk of an egg and a piece of butter as large as a filbert; sweeten to sweetness with powdered sugar. Mix this with an equal quantity of warmed Ale, and boil until a scum rises, when it is ready. Pour over a welltoasted slice of bread from which the crusts have been removed, and serve steaming in a basin, with the toast.

Mulled Ale.— Ale is mulled by boiling with a small piece of butter, ginger, cloves, and sugar to taste. Eggs well beaten and whipped in may be added, and the whole served hot.

ALEATICO. — A light, sweet wine of Tuscany. See Italian Wines.

ALECOST. — See Costmary.

ALEXANDRA PUDDING.— See Puddings.

ALG1E. — A tribe of seaweeds, of which several edible varieties are known, all more or less wholesome and

Fig. 4. Two Varieties of Sea-Moss.

nutritious. Blyth, in his “ Dictionary of Hygiene,” declares them to contain a greater proportion of nourishment than

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, ifcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

8

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Algse — continued.

oatmeal or Indian corn. The following are the more familiar kinds:

Chondrus crispus, or Carrageen; better known as Irish Moss, Pearl-moss, or Sea-moss. See Pig. 4. See also Carrageen. Laminaria digitata, styled Sea-girdle in

Fig. 5. Sea-Girdle.

England, Tangle in Scotland, and Redware in the Orkneys. See Fig. 5. L. saccharina ( Alaria esculenta), or Bladderlock; called also by the Scotch, Henware or Honeyware. See Fig. 6. Porphyra laminata ( P . vulgaris ), called Laver in England, Stoke in Ireland, and Slouk in Scotland. See Fig. 7. Ulva latissima, or Green Laver. See Fig. 8.

From their nutritive qualities and plentiful distribution along our coasts, the foregoing Algas and others have been freely adopted by the poorer classes as a staple article of diet. In fashionable circles the Laver has been highly esteemed as “marine sauce.” It is gathered during the

Fig. 6. Bladderlock.

winter months, and is reckoned to be fit for food only in the cold season. Visitors to the seaside, especially invalids, should not fail to make the acquaintance of these Algee. They are easily prepared for eating, as follows:

Wash in cold water until all salt and sand are removed, and add a little bicarbonate of soda to the last water, in which you may

Algse — continued.

allow the weed to steep for some hours; this will remove some of the bitterness. Stew in rain water or milk until it becomes tender and mucilaginous, and serve either strained, like spinach, or in the broth. Pepper, vinegar or lemon-juice, salt or

Fig. 7. Laver. Fig. 8. Green Laver.

butter, may be addl at discretion, or according to taste. After Laver has been thoroughly boiled for some time it should assume a dark green colour, and then, when cold, can be stored away in earthenware jars for future use. It will keep good for two or three weeks.

ALGERIAN WINES.— A very large variety of Wines are produced from the sunny vineyards of Algeria, but they are considered inferior in quality to the sweet Wines of Spain and Portugal, which they otherwise closely resemble. They are not sufficiently known in this country. See Wines.

ALKALI. — An agent which neutralises acids. The chief Alkalies used in cookery or confectionery are Ammonia, Potash, and Soda. Refer to those headings.

ALKANET (Fr. Orcanet; Ger. Orkanet). — A plant of the Bugloss tribe ( Anchusa tinctoria). A beautiful crimson dye is obtained from the dried root, which is useful for colouring fats, oils, wax, spirits, essences, and other things in which it can be infused. Commercially, it is used for colouring cheese, and wine- merchants add it to inferior port to heighten the colour. Bottlers of port wine are apt to stain the new corks in a strong alcoholic infusion of Alkanet, to give them, when drawn, the character of old bottling. Alkanet is largely cultivated in Montpellier.

ALEEBNES.— A cordial prepared from Kermes (Arabian berries). See Cordials and Liqueurs.

Bruise lib. of mace, lib. of bay leaves, loz. of cloves, 2oz. of cinnamon, and 2oz. of nutmegs, and soak for some days in 3galls. of brandy. The whole should then be distilled to 2galls., with which 181b. of clarified syrup of kermes and 1 pint of orangeflower water, are to be eventually added. The distillation is important, but by straining and filtering the infusion as it is, a very good cordial is produced.

Imitation Alkermes. — Macerate for ten days 2 drachms each (bruised) of cinnamon and cloves, 4 drachms of nutmeg, in 4qts. of proof spirits; after straining and filtering this, dissolve 51b. of loaf sugar in 1 pint of rose-water, and add to the spirit, colouring a light red.

ALLIGATOR APPLE ( Anona palustris). — The tree bearing this fruit grows wild in the marshes of Jamaica. It is shiny and smooth in appearance, and pleasant to the taste, but highly narcotic.

ALLIGATOR PEAR ( Persea gratissima). — Another name for this is the Avocado. It is a native of the West Indies, about the size and shape of a large European pear, and is said to be the most delicious fruit in the world. It contains a kernel, inclosed in a soft rind, and

l'or details respecting Culinary Processes t Utensils, Sauces, Ac., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

9

Alligator Fear — continued. the yellow pulp, which is firm, has the delicate rich flavour of the peach, but is infinitely more grateful. “It is sometimes called vegetable marrow,” says a writer on these fruits, “ and is eaten with pepper and salt.” It appears

Fig. 9. Alligator Pear.

necessary, on account of the richness of its pulp, to take some spice or acid with it, and thus lime-juice is frequently added, well sweetened with sugar. There are three kinds, red, purple, and green, the last-named being considered the best of the three (see Fig. 9).

ALLSPICE.— Pimento, or Jamaica Pepper (Pimento, officinalis ), of the myrtle tribe, is the shrub from which this useful spice is obtained. The green berries are gathered from the plants along the “ Pimento walks,” and dried and powdered, the ripe berries being of too gelatinous a nature to admit of this process. Allspice, as we know it, is a powder yielding an aromatic odour of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmegs combined, from which it derives its name; but it is to be feared that the Allspice of commerce, or much of that sold under the name, is merely a mixture of those or inferior spices. The genuine powdered berry can readily be distinguished by spreading a portion out on a sheet of paper, and examining closely for grains of a distinct port-wine colour, with which it should be freely intermingled.

ALMA PUDDING. — See Puddings.

ALMACX’S CONFECTION.— There does not appear to be anything exceptional about this very nice sweetmeat, beyond the name, that should claim for it a special notice. It is very easily prepared.

Peel and core a dozen each of large cooking apples and pears, and cut two dozen large plums in halves, taking out the stones. Put them in alternate layers at the bottom of a deep jar or pan, place in the bain-marie or in a saucepan, with boiling water to cover the fruit, and stir constantly until done. Then turn the mixture into a preserving pan and add to it an equal weight of crushed loaf sugar. Set the pan on the fire and let it remain there for about forty-five minutes or so, by which time the contents should be quite thick. When it is so, pour out into a flat tin or basin, let it get cold, cut into slices, dust with caster sugar, and it is then ready to serve.

ALMONDS ( Fr . Amandes; Ger. Mandeln; Ital. Mandorle; Sp. Almendras). — The kernel of the Almond nut is

Almonds — continued.

largely used in cooking and confectionery for its delicate flavour. There are two kinds — Sweet and Bitter — so closely resembling each other in appearance as to be almost indistinguishable, excepting by the taste. The Sweet variety ( Amygdalus dulcis) are harmless, but the Bitter Almonds (A. amara) contain, or generate by fermentation, prussic acid, rendering them extremely dangerous to use without much discretion. A hundred grains of Bitter Almond pulp are said to contain two drops of the oil, and from fifteen to thirty drops of the oil are sufficient to cause death (see Flavourings). The skins of both kinds are very indigestible, and have been known, even when eaten in small quantities, to induce attacks of nettle-rash. For this reason Almonds should invariably be skinned, or “ blanched,” before using.

a b . c

Fig. 10. Almonds. a, Jordan; b, Valencia; c, Italian.

The best Almonds are the Jordan (see Fig. 10, a), imported chiefly from Malaga, and preferred for dessert. They are of two kinds: the one above lin. in length, flat, with a clean brown skin, sweet, mucilaginous, and rather tough; the other more plump, pointed at one end, brittle, but quite as sweet as the former. Valencia Almonds (see Fig. 10, b) are reckoned of the second quality: they are cheaper, and consequently are more used. They are under lin. long, round at one end and bluntly pointed at the other, flat, of a dingy-brown colour, and with a dusty skin. Barbary and Italian Almonds (see Fig. 10, c) are smaller, and less flattened. Spanish Almonds are of mediocre quality, and are usually imported in baskets. When fresh, either kind may be used; but cooks are strongly recommended not to buy kernels of any kind if they are dry, broken, worm-eaten, or smell in the least degree rancid.

To Blanch Almonds. — The Almonds should be thrown into a pan of boiling water, and allowed to remain over the fire until the skins will slip off readily when rubbed between the finger and thumb. It is well then to drain them off, and plunge them into cold water for a minute or two, when they may be drained again, and the skins rubbed off in a cloth. As they are blanched, throw them into cold water, with a little salt in it; leave them for a couple of hours, take them out, and then dry them. They are easily split with a knife, or may be cut lengthwise into long shreds, or crosswise into short ones, or may be chopped up, according to the purpose for which they are required.

To Colour Almonds. — Whether the Almonds are whole, shredded, or chopped, it is only necessary to rub them together with the colouring matter until all are saturated; they should then be dried in a screen.

To Found Almonds. — It is better after blanching to let the Almonds soak for an hour or so in cold water, which will prevent them in a measure from “ oiling.” A few drops of water, orange-flower water, or lemon-juice, should be added now and then, for the same purpose, as the pounding proceeds. When reduced to a softish pulp they are ready for use. Almond Albert Cakes. — Take lib. of ground Valencia Almonds, and put them into a large basin, with lib. of caster sugar, 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon, and teaspoonful of mixed spice. Mix up in this, with a wooden spoon, the yolks of fifteen eggs; then stir in the whites of the eggs, whipped till quite stiff; and lastly, work in thoroughly Jib. of sifted pastry flour. Have ready a sufficient number of buttered fancy moulds, and bake until a light brown in a moderately quick oven.

Almond Bavaroise, or Bavarian Cream. — Put )oz. of gelatine into a basin with 1 teacupful of milk, and soak it for two hours.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

10

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Almonds — continued.

Put I 2 pints of cream into a basin, and whip well until there is only 5 pint left, the remainder being in a stiff froth. Put 1 pint of blanched Sweet Almonds into a mortar, pound them well, mix in the unwhipped cream, and add three eggs beaten up with 1 teacupful of sugar. Put the whole into a saucepan, and stir well over the fire until the preparation commences to thicken. Add the gelatine, remove the pan from the fire, pour the whole through a sieve into a basin, and add 5 teaspoonful of Essence of Almonds. Whisk well until the mixture thickens, then add the whipped cream, stir well, and pour the cream into moulds, packed in ice. When it is set and firm, turn it out on to a dish, and serve. Whipped cream should accompany it.

Almond Birds’-nest Biscuits. — Prepare some paste as for Almond Faggots, or as follows: Blanch and pound lib. of Sweet Almonds with lib. of caster sugar and a few drops of essence of lemon, and make into a paste with yolks of eggs. To form the nests, roll out the paste thickly, and divide equally into pieces to form round balls the size of a large walnut, which arrange on a greased baking-sheet. Make a depression in the centre of each ball with any convenient round-ended instrument of about .'in. diameter, forming with this the hollow of the nest; drop three or four white confits into it, to represent eggs (see Fig. 11), and bake in a moderate oven. When baked a light brown, and cold, pipe round the rim of the nest with sugar icing; then lift each nest between the fingers and thumb, and dip it lightly into some very finely shredded pistachio kernels, so that the icing may take up enough to give the rim of the nest a very pretty chevauxde-frise appearance. These nests may be used for garnishing, or other artistic decoration.

Almond Biscuits. — (1) Blanch and pound 2oz. each of Bitter and Sweet Almonds, adding a few drops of orange-flower water to prevent them from oiling. Beat up the yolks of two eggs, and mix in jib. of caster sugar; add the Almond pulp, and sufficient flour to form a stiff paste, and roll out to in. thick. Cut into shapes with a pastry-cutter or the rim of a wineglass, and bake on a greased baking-sheet until a light brown.

(2) Into lilb. of fine pastry flour rub lib. of fresh butter, and mix in lib. of caster sugar. Pound 2oz. of blanched Bitter Almonds to a pulp, and add to the mixture of flour, butter, and sugar, making the whole into a stiff paste with three wellbeaten eggs. Mix and knead thoroughly, adding a little milk, milk-and-water, or water, if required. Boll out thin, cut into shapes, dock (see Biscuits), and bake in a quick oven.

(3) Blanch and pound to a pulp jib. of Bitter Almonds, grate off the outer skin of two lemons, and beat six yolks and three whites of eggs together. Beat up 1 teaspoonful of caster sugar with the remaining three whites. Put a baking-sheet into the oven to heat; grease it very lightly, when quite hot, with a piece of rag dipped in butter; paint over the surface with a large paste-brush dipped in the whites of the eggs. Two or three coats of white will be required to make the “ wafer-paper,” as the white is called, sufficiently thick. Bub 3oz. of fresh butter into lib. of fine flour; mix in the Almond pulp, grated lemon-rind, and lib. of caster sugar, and form into a stiff paste with the beaten eggs. Boll out this paste to;lin. thick, and cut into rounds, laying each one separately and apart on the prepared baking-sheet. Put into a quick oven until they are baked a light brown; remove from the oven, and divide the white of eggs on the baking-sheet with the point of a sharp knife between the biscuits, and when cold take up each biscuit by itself, and trim the white round with a pair of scissors.

Almond Blancmanger. — Blanch fib. of Jordan Almonds and l,oz. of Bitter ones. Pound them in a mortar, and add lqt. of water. Strain through a tammy cloth into a basin. Put ilb. of sugar and If pints of water into a stewpan, and stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, when it is well to

Fig. 11. Almond Bird's-nest Biscuit.

Almonds — continued.

strain through a silk sieve. When cool, this should be stirred into the Almond milk with 2oz. of gelatine dissolved in it, or vice versa, and the addition of a teaspoonful of orange-flower water is an improvement. Fill a mould with the mixture, and set in ice for at least two hours. It may be turned out then and served.

Almond Bread. — Blanch and pound 8oz. of Sweet and loz. of Bitter Almonds, put them in a basin, and mix with lib. 2oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Bub the mixture through a sieve into another basin, and add the grated rind of a lemon, 2oz. of flour, and sufficient yolk of egg to make them all into a light soft paste or batter. Pour the mixture into wellbuttered shallow tins to about 2in. in depth, bake gently in a slack oven until done, and it is ready for use.

Almond Cakes.— Mix lb. of warmed butter with lb. of caster sugar until it presents a creamy appearance; then work in gradually five beaten eggs. Having done this thoroughly, mix in lightly 2oz. of ground Sweet Almonds, with a few ground Bitter ones amongst them, a wineglassful of brandy, and 6oz. of flour. Pour this cake about lin. deep into a baking-sheet, previously buttered, and put it into a quick oven to bake. When the cake is nearly done, spread the following mixture over it: £lb. of chopped Almonds, 2oz. of caster sugar, and half the white of an egg, which must be well whipped. Beturn to the oven, and finish baking to a nice light brown colour. When done, the cake should be turned out and allowed to get cold; when it can be cut up in strips, and these into diamond shapes

Fig. 12. Method of Cutting a Strip into Diamonds.

(see Fig. 12), and built up like a pyramid on a fancy dishpaper or napkin. Sometimes whipped cream is served on the centre of each diamond.

Almond Carrot and Turnip Biscuits. — These are very easily made, and most useful for ornamenting sweet entremets. They are shaped by hand out of the same paste as is used for the Almond Walnuts and Nests, the one resembling small spring carrots, and the other turnips, about the size of large radishes. Into the crests of each, where the leaves should be, place a piece of thin stick, with a length of string attached to it, by which the shapes are to be suspended and left for twenty-four hours to dry, and then put into a moderate oven to bake. Have ready a

Fig. 13. Almond Carrot and Turnip Biscuit.

breakfast-cupful of liquid sugar icing coloured red and another plain white. Hip the carrots in the red, and the turnips in the white, and hang them up again to dry. When the icing is

For details respecting Culinary Processes. Utensils, Sauces, c tee., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

11

Almonds — continued.

well set, take out the sticks, and put in their places strips of angelica (see Fig. 13), fixing these in by dipping the end first in the prepared icing, and pushing into the hole from which the piece of stick has been removed.

Almond. Cheese-cakes. — (1) Take 4oz. of Sweet Almonds and six Bitter Almonds, blanch, and pound them in a mortar, adding a few drops of water to prevent them from oiling. Put into a basin Jib. of sugar, a table-spoonful of cream, a small piece of butter the size of a walnut, warmed to melting, and the well-beaten whites of two eggs, and then stir in the pounded Almonds and 20 drops of essence of lemon. Mix all well together, and have ready some light paste, with which line some small tartlet- or patty-pans; fill up the pans with the mixture, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

(2) Beat up together very light Jib. of powdered sugar and the whites of four eggs. Beat up Jib. of ground Almonds with the eggs and sugar. Add a little Oil of Almonds or rose-water, and bake in pastry.

(3) Soak Jib. of Almonds in cold water all night. Next morning, blanch them, lay them on a clean cloth to dry, and then beat them fine in a marble mortar with a little orange-flower or rose-water. Then beat and strain six yolks and two whites of eggs, add Jib. of white sugar, and a little powdered mace. Bub all well together in the mortar. Melt lOoz. of fresh butter, and add the grated peel of one lemon. Mix all the ingredient together and fill tartlet-pans, after lining with a puff paste.

(4) Take 6oz. of Sweet and Joz. of ground Bitter Almonds. Work Jib. of butter to a cream with a spoon, put in the Almonds, and add 6oz. of finely-powdered caster sugar, four eggs well whisked, 1 gill of cream, and a little grated lemon-peel. Then take some tartlet-pans, line them with puff paste, fill them with the mixture, put a little candied peel on the top of each, and bake for half-an-hour in a quick oven.

Almond Crackling's. — Take 6oz. of blanched Almonds cut in short shreds, 4oz. of ground Almonds, lOoz. of sifted sugar, the whites of two eggs, and a few drops of essence of vanilla. Mix them together in a basin, and use a dessert-spoon to lay out pieces the size of a walnut upon a sheet of paper, spread on baking-plates. The cracklings should bo placed 1 Jin. apart, and he slightly spread out with the tip of the finger dipped in water. The circular form may be preserved, and Jin. is sufficient thickness. Bake the cracklings of a light brown colour in a moderately hot oven.

Almond Cream. — Alexis Soyer gives a receipt for this, which we have arranged to suit modern requirements. Blanch Jib. of Sweet Almonds, dry and pound them well. Put them into a stewpan with 6oz. of lump sugar and the yolks of four eggs, and mix well together with a fork. In another stewpan have 1 pint of milk in which you have put loz. of isinglass; boil slowly down to f pint, pass through a tammy, and pour over the preparation in the other stewpan. Stir over the fire until it all thickens, when it may be poured into the howl prepared for it. Let it remain until cold, stirring occasionally to keep it smooth, and shortly after add 2 wineglassfuls of noyeau, maraschino, or curagoa.

Almond Crisps or Pralines.— Blanch lib. of Sweet Almonds, and set them in a slow oven to dry. When sufficiently dry and crisp without being discoloured, they may be pounded in a mortar; lib. of icing-sugar is then to be mixed with them. Pass this through a wire sieve on to a marble slab, and then rub in Jib. of good butter, a little chopped thin rind of lemon or a few drops of the essence, and the yolks of three eggs well beaten, and make into a paste. Boll out this paste, and cut into equal-sized pieces; bake in a sharp oven, and dip in sugar boiled to the “crack” ( see Sugar-boiling). Set to harden.

Almond Croquettes.— (1) Take 8oz. of flour, 8oz. of Almonds, 8oz. of sugar, the zest of two oranges rasped by lumps of sugar, two whole eggs and one extra yolk. Scald the Almonds, and remove their skins, afterwards soaking for two hours in cold salt-and-water. Pound them thoroughly in the mortar, with a few drops of orange-flower water added to prevent oiling, until reduced to a pulp; then mix in the remainder of the ingredients by pounding all together. Take up the paste, knead it with a little flour upon the slab, roll it with a bit of flat board into the shape of a straight rolling-pin, lay this on

Almonds — continued.

a greased baking-sheet, egg it over, and bake in very moderate heat; when done, and while hot, cut it up in thin slices (see

Fig. 14. Cutting-up Almond Croquettes.

Fig. 14), and dry them on a baking-sheet in a very slow oven. After they are dried, moisten their edges with royal icing, dip them in finely-chopped pistachio kernels, and dry them a few minutes longer.

(2) Use the same ingredients as in the preceding; mix all together, leaving the Almonds whole; roll as before in the form of a rolling-pin, and when baked in very moderate heat, cut it up into slices while hot (for if allowed to cool it would be hard and difficult to cut); colour the edges with pink chopped Almonds, or pink-coloured sugar.

Almond Custard Fritters.— Beat up five eggs, mix in a stewpan with lib. of flour, and pour in by degrees lqt. of new milk, taking care to keep the mixture quite smooth. Stir this over a gentle stove for twenty minutes or so, until the custard is sufficiently thickened, when add a mixture of Jib. of sugar, loz. of blanched and well-pounded Bitter Almonds, six yolks of eggs, and a small pinch of salt. This will then form a thick custard, which may be spread on a slightly-buttered bakingsheet; and when cold it may be cut into pieces of about 2in. by ljin. These pieces are now to be dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in very hot fat until slightly coloured. Drain by skimmer, dust with caster sugar, and serve piled up on a folded napkin or dish-paper. These are not “ fritters ” in the general acceptation of the term, hence it is more convenient to insert them here than under that generic head.

Almond Faggots. — Blanch and pound to a pulp Jib. of Sweet Almonds, adding a teaspoonful of orange-flower water to pre

Fig. 15. Strip for Almond Faggot.

vent them from oiling. Mix up the Almond pulp, with Jib. of fine caster sugar, into a paste with the whites of two eggs

and 10 drops of essence of lemon, and work in as much fine pastry flour as may be required to make a stiff paste.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heaas.

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Almonds — continued.

Roll this out very thin, and cut into bands about 2in. wide. Cut these bands slantingly crosswise into strips of about -jin. in width, split the ends of some of them (see Rig. 15), gather up five or six into a bundle, and fasten round the centre with another strip (see Fig. 16); twist the ends of the bands together lightly, lay each faggot upon paper, and bake in a moderate oven. Some pastrycooks believe that this sort of paste should be made up on one day, and kept in a cool place covered over with a cloth until the next day, before baking. The object of this delay is that the paste may dry before baking. They should be eaten quite freshly made, but cold.

Almond Flavouring. — See Essence of Bitter Almonds.

Almond Genoese Pastry. — Put 2oz. of butter into a basin, warm it, and beat in jib. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, and 2oz. of Almonds, blanched and pounded with a little orange-flower water; then add the whites of two eggs and the yolks of four, one at a time; and lastly, dredge in by degrees jib. of dried and sifted flour. Work the mixture well with a spoon until it is perfectly smooth, then add a little essence of vanilla to flavour. Put a border of rich puff paste round a dish, pour in the mixture, smooth it on the top, and bake in a moderate oven. Take it out when done, and spread a layer of apricot jam on the top of it. Put the whites of two eggs into a basin with a little each of lemon-juice and icing sugar, work well with a spoon, adding slowly more of the sugar, until the mixture is quite thick and of the consistence of butter. Put this icing over the jam, smoothing over the surface, and set it in the oven again for a few minutes, for the icing to set; take it out, let it get quite cold, cut it into slices, and it is ready for use.

Almond Hardbake. — This is made by dissolving, say, lib. of loaf sugar to a breakfast-cupful of water, and boiling to the “ crack ” (see Sugar-boiling). When the syrup has arrived at this degree (it can be tested by dropping a little on a cold marble slab or plate, when its brittle character will be your guide; or you may drop it into cold water for the same indication), add the juice of half a lemon and a full ounce of butter, and then pour it out on to a well-greased tin or slab. Have ready jib. of split Almonds, and set them in the syrup before it has time to cool, with their flat surfaces upwards.

Sometimes the Almonds are mixed in with the syrup, when they are left unskinned, and the whole is cast in a slab about ljin. deep, and before cold cut into strips about 1 jin. broad.

Almond Icing for Cakes. — Put 8oz. of blanched Sweet Almonds and loz. of Bitter ones into a mortar, pound them well, adding a little rose-water to prevent their oiling, add gradually 9oz. of finely crushed and sifted loaf sugar, and work the whole into a smooth paste; if it be too dry, add a little white of egg. The cake intended to be iced should be first spread over with this paste and then with the sugar-icing when it is set and dry. It can also be made from Bitter Almonds — which have been infused in spirit to obtain the extract of Alm onds — and no Sweet Almonds will then be required. See Icings.

Almond Jumbles. — Put lib . of butter in a basin, warm it, and beat it to a cream, adding gently an equal quantity of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Work in lib. of flour and jib. of Almonds, blanched and pounded or cut up into very small pieces, and the strained juice of a lemon. Knead the mixture well, turn it out on to a floured board, roll it out very thin, and cut it with a tin biscuit-cutter into rounds. Put these on a baking-dish, and bake in a sharp oven until they are done. Take them out, and when cold they are ready for use.

Almond Kosher Pudding.— Blanch and pound 4oz. of Sweet Almonds and three or four Bitter ones, adding a teaspoonful of water to prevent them oiling. Put them into a basin with jib. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, mixing in 2 tablespoonfuls of rose-water and the well-beaten yolks of four eggs and whites of three. Beat this mixture well for about ten minutes, then pour it into a buttered mould or basin, put it in a quick oven, and bake for half-an-hour. Turn it out on to a dish, pour round a little lemon-flavoured syrup coloured with cochineal, and serve.

Almond Meringues. — Put the whites of two eggs into a bowl, whisk them to a stiff froth, and add 4oz. of caster sugar; continue to whisk vigorously, and mix in 4oz. of Sweet Almonds, blanched and finely chopped. Drop the mix

Almonds — continued.

ture on to pieces of thin paper, and put them to dry in the drying closet or slow oven with the door open. Take them out, carefully remove the paper from them, either by damping it or easing the Meringues off with a knife, arrange them on a dish, and serve when quite cold and dry.

Almond Milk. — When Almonds, either Bitter or Sweet, are pounded together, and water added, the liquor resulting is of a milky appearance, and is commonly known to confectioners as “ Almond Milk.” Pound 4oz. of Almonds with 1 pint of water; strain this over jib. of caster sugar, boil up once, and put into bottles for future use. This preparation will keep good for a week.

Almond Oil. — An oil expressed from Sweet Almonds. Sometimes used by cooks and confectioners as a lubricant. This must not be confounded with the Essential Oil of Bitter Almonds.

Almond Paste. — Blanch jib. of Jordan Almonds the day before they are required for use, and allow them to remain in cold water. Soak 4oz. of very clean gum dragon in a jar with 1 gill of water, long enough to allow it to absorb all the water. Pound the Almonds to a pulp, adding a little lemon-juice so as to prevent them from “ oiling.” When they are like a smooth paste, rub them through a close hair sieve. Having done this, put the Almonds into a sugar -boiler with jib. of icing-sugar, and well stir the whole with a wooden spoon. This should be done briskly, so that the paste may not acquire colour. When it does not stick to the sides of the pan it may be taken off the fire. The gum must now be squeezed through strong cloth, and rubbed upon the slab and gradually worked into the paste along with another Jib. of sugar. This kind of paste is usually employed for making baskets, &c., which, when filled with strawberries and cream, or any other kind of fruit, make a pretty dish. See Marzipan.

Almond Paste Candied. — Blanch and pound jib. of Jordan Almonds in a mortar, moistening with a little white of egg to prevent oiling. To this add a table-spoonful of kirschenwasser or maraschino, jib. of caster sugar, and a little red colouring matter, such as extract of cochineal. Mix well together, and when cold divide into pieces of equal size, and shape with the fingers. Put these pieces on a sieve and dry in the hot- closet for at least four hours; then set them in a candy-tin. Pour over some syrup at 36deg. of strength ( see Sugar-boiling), and let it flow to about lin. above the pieces. Cover with a sheet of paper, and set to candy in a drying hot-closet. About this time a crust will have formed over the syrup, which must be broken, and the syrup drained off, when the pieces of paste will be found candied. Set them on a wire drainer, and dry in the hotcloset.

Almond Pudding'. — (1) Put 4oz. of butter into a basin, and warm it. Beat the yolks of six eggs and the whites of five in a basin, and add gradually jib. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, then the butter, then jib. of Sweet Almonds, blanched and pounded, and next jib. of sifted breadcrumbs. Turn the mixture into a well-buttered basin or mould, in layers alternately with apricot jam; tie the mould over with a wet cloth, and boil the pudding in a saucepan of water for an hour-anda-half. Turn it out on to a dish, pour sweet sauce round, and serve.

(2) Put four pounded crackers into a basin and mix them up with lib. of Almonds, blanched and pounded with a little rose-water. Then add six eggs, lib. of sugar, 1 pint of cream or milk, jib. of warm butter, and 4 tablespoonfuls of wine. Line a pie-dish with rich puff paste, put in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven until done. Take it out, and serve.

(3) Put lqt. all but a teacupful of milk into a saucepan with 1 pint of blanched and pounded Almonds, put the saucepan on the fire, and as soon as the milk boils add 1 tablespoonful of rice-flour mixed smooth in 1 teacupful of cold milk. Boil for six minutes, turn it out into a basin, and let it cool. When it is lukewarm add 1 teacupful of sugar beaten until quite light with an equal quantity of warmed butter, and when the mixture is perfectly cold, add the wellbeaten yolks of six eggs, two dozen macaroons dried and rolled, and 1 pint of cream. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking-dish, bake it slowly for forty-five minutes, take it out and serve when cold.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

13

Almonds — continued.

Almond Puddings. — Put 1 breakfast-cupful of milk and 2oz. of butter into a saucepan, and when the liquor boils, pour it over 6oz. of breadcrumbs in a basin; then add a dozen blanched and pounded Jordan Almonds, two well-beaten eggs, and sufficient sugar to sweeten. Pour the mixture into buttered cups or small moulds, and bake them for half-an-hour in a quick oven. Turn them out when done, and serve at once.

Almonds and Raisins for Dessert.— The finest quality of Valencia Raisins, in good bunches, with a purple bloom on the fruit, should be procured for this purpose. Pile up the bunches on the dish in a pyramidal heap, upon a lace-pattern dessertpaper, and strew well-blanched Almonds over and between the bunches. See Raisins.

Almond and Raspberry Ice. — 1st Mixture: Blanch, peel, and pound jib. of Jordan Almonds and joz. of Bitter Almonds. Boil 3 pints of cream, or half milk and half cream, pour into a stewpan, and let it cool; then stir in jib. of finely-powdered or caster sugar, and when that is quite dissolved beat up and stir in sharply the yolks of twelve eggs; stir over the fire, without allowing to boil, until the mixture thickens; add quickly the pounded Almonds, and 1 table-spoonful of kirschenwasser; strain the whole through a tammy cloth into a basin. 2nd Mixture: Mix lqt. of raspberry-juice and lqt. of syrup at 18deg. by the saccharometer ( see Sybups), or take 2qts. of raspberry syrup made without vinegar, and strain through a sieve, if necessary. Freeze these two mixtures in separate pots ( see Ices), and serve in layers.

Almond and Rice Pudding. — Put 2 breakfast-cupfuls of milk and 3oz. of ground rice into a saucepan, and boil them. Pour the mixture into a basin, and when it is quite cold mix in 6oz. each of sugar and warmed butter, six yolks and nine whites of eggs, and five or six blanched and shred Sweet Almonds. Put the mixture into a buttered dish, and bake it until done. Turn it out on to a dish, cover it with pieces of Almonds stuck into it, and serve.

Almond Rock Biscuits. — As these keep well in a tin, and there is always a lively demand for them, it is just as well to make plenty at one baking. Blanch and mince coarsely 21b. of Sweet Almonds, and dry them slightly in a screen or very slow oven, or before a warm fire. Mix up the Almonds with the yolks of eight eggs and white of one, and two piled table-spoonfuls of caster sugar. Blend all together to form a paste, and then prepare a baking-sheet with egg wafer (see Almond Biscuits, No. 2), drop a dessert-spoonful of the paste at regular intervals upon it, and bake in a sharp oven. When done, dry them before the fire, or in a screen.

Almond-sandwich Biscuits with Raspberry Jam.—

Blanch and pound to a pulp lib. of Sweet Almonds, adding the white of one egg to prevent them from oiling. Then mix up the Almond pulp and lib. of caster sugar into a paste with the whites of one or two more eggs. Divide the mass into two equal parts, and into one part work 2 table-spoonfuls of flour to make it into a stiff paste. Roll this out thin, and trim off the edges of the sheet of pastry to make it square. Mask it over with raspberry jam, and cover with a rolled-out sheet of the second part of the Almond paste. Cut into squares or diamonds with a sharp knife, and lay each one carefully on a baking-sheet prepared with white of egg (see Almond Biscuits, No. 2). Put into a slow oven, and bake lightly.

To use up the trimmings of the cuttings, it will be well to chop them into dice, and pile them into little groups on a second baking-sheet prepared as above, and put a little sugaricing over them (white and pink if desired), a slip of citronpeel, and a dash here and there of jam. Bake in a slow oven as before, and trim the “ wafer ” with a pair of sharp scissors.

Almond Savarin Pudding. — Put loz. of yeast (German) into a basin, and let it dissolve in a little less than a breakfastcupful of warm milk; pass the liquor through a fine sieve into another basin, and add sufficient flour to make it into a stiff dough. A pound of flour will be required for the pudding, and the quantity that is not used with the milk must be put into a basin underneath the dough mixture, which has been

' rolled into a ball. Set the sponge or dough in a warm place, and when it is sufficiently risen, work in jib. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, jib. of slightly warmed butter, eight eggs, and a small quantity of salt. Cover the bottom of a well-buttered plain border mould with small pieces of Almonds, turning it

Almonds — continued.

over so that those pieces that do not adhere will fall out, and pour in the mixture, when it is quite smooth, to about three-fourths fill it. Put a cover over the mould, set it in a warm place, and when it has sufficiently risen, put it in a moderate oven and bake for an hour-and-a-half. Take it out, and before turning it out of the mould, make several incisions with a knife all over the bottom, and pour in a mixture of onethird weak syrup and two-thirds rum. When it has well soaked in, say to about lin. in depth, turn the pudding out on to a dish and serve, either hot or cold, as desired.

Almond Savoy Cake. — Blanch and pound in a mortar fib. of Sweet Almonds and jib. of Bitter, or purchase the Almonds ready ground; pass them through a sieve into a basin, add 21b. of caster sugar, and mix well together. Then add j pint of eggs, and well mix again; after that add 1 pint of the yolks of eggs very slowly, stirring until the mixture is quite light; mix in the well-whisked whites of twelve eggs; and lastly, lib. of finely-sifted flour, which sprinkle in a little at a time, working freely. Butter some savoy moulds, put in the mixture to about three-quarters fill them, and bake in a moderate oven. See Savoy Cakes.

Almond Soup.— (1) Blanch and pound 1 jib. of Sweet Almonds and a dozen Bitter ones, adding a little water to prevent them from oiling, and work them until they are quite smooth. Pour 3qts. of water into a saucepan, set it on the fire, and when the water boils, add joz. of coriander and the pulp of half a lemon, and let them infuse. Add a little at a time of this to the pounded Almonds, and rub them several times through a cloth or sieve, until the mixture has the appearance of milk; sweeten to taste, and sprinkle in a little salt. Set the pan in the bain-marie or in a larger saucepan of boiling water until wanted, and a few minutes before serving add thin slices or pieces of toast.

(2) Blanch and pound 8oz. of Sweet Almonds and five or six Bitter ones, using a little water to prevent them from oiling. Pour 3qts. of milk into a saucepan on the fire, boil it, and rub a part of it with the Almonds through a cloth or very fine sieve. Repeat this operation until the mixture has the appearance of milk, and in the other part of the milk infuse half a stick of vanilla, which must be removed before the two lots of milk are again mixed. Pour the milk containing the Almonds into a saucepan, sweeten to taste, and add a little salt; then pour in the vanilla-flavoured milk, set the saucepan in the bain-marie, and add loz. of butter. Turn the Soup into the tureen over pieces of toasted bread, and serve.

(3) Pour 3qts. of milk into a saucepan and let it boil. Put the yolks of eight eggs into a saucepan, and add two dozen Almond macaroons, half sweet and half bitter, crushed with a rolling-pin; then pour in 3 pints of the milk, which must be hot but not boiling, sweeten to taste, and add 1 tablespoonful of orange-flower water and a slight seasoning- of salt, stirring well, so that the whole of the ingredients shall be well mixed. Cut off some thin slices of bread from a household loaf, sprinkle them well with sugar, glaze them in the oven, and put them in the soup tureen; stir the plain milk with a wooden spoon, and pour it over. Put the saucepan containing the Almond-flavoured milk on to the fire to thicken, stirring well without boiling, add it to the tureen, and serve. Pralines may be used instead of macaroons if desired.

(4) Put a fowl, 101b. of veal, and some bones from the veal, into a saucepan with 5qts. of water, and boil over a good fire until the liquor is reduced to 3qts., and forms jelly. Care must be taken at first to prevent the veal burning at the bottom of the pan. Add a thin slice of uncooked ham, a tablespoonful of chopped onion, half a blade of mace, half a nutmeg, six cloves, and a sprig of green thyme. Set the pan on the fire and boil until the various flavourings are thoroughly incorporated with the Soup; strain it into a jar or bowl, skim it well, and pour off the clear into another saucepan, and set it on the side of the fire to keep hot. Blanch lib. of Almonds, and pound 12oz. of them, cutting into shreds the remainder. Put the pounded Almonds into the Soup, add a little salt to taste, remove the saucepan from the fire, stir in the shred Almonds and 1 pint of boiling thick sweet cream, pour the Soup into the tureen, and serve at once. The cream must not be allowed to boil with the Soup, otherwise it would curdle,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Almonds — continued.

and the Soup would be spoilt. A bowl of cold cream whipped to a froth, and a table-spoonful of it dropped into each soupplate when being served, is a great improvement.

Almond Sponge Biscuits.— Crack twelve eggs separately into a teacup, and having ascertained that each is good, as you break it, pour them all into a large kitchen basin, and beat up with a whisk until thoroughly mixed; then add by degrees lib. 2oz. of fine caster sugar, and beat in until the sugar is quite dissolved. Then add lib. 3oz. of fine pastry flour, and work into a light dough. Have ready sufficient sponge-cake or other convenient small moulds; warm them, and butter the inner surfaces neatly. Fill level to the rims with the dough, dust over the top with caster sugar, lay over them some chopped blanched Almonds, and bake in a moderate oven.

Almond Sponge Cake — Take lib. of ground Sweet Almonds, and mix with the whites of three eggs; add a teaspoonful of grated lemon-rind, lib. of caster sugar, and the yolks of fifteen eggs, well whisked. Then take the whites of twelve eggs, whip them to a froth, and stir them in. Next sift in slowly, beating all the time, jib. of dried flour; pour this into a tin, carefully buttered and dusted with caster sugar, until it is half full, put it into the oven, and hake for an hour. When done, turn it out and set it on a sieve to cool. See Sponge Cakes.

Almond Tablets. — Dissolve lib. of loaf-sugar in a saucepan with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of water, set the saucepan on the fire, and boil quickly until the sugar candies ( see Sugar-boiling). Add a small quantity of cream of tartar and 6oz. of Almonds, blanched, cut into shreds, and dried or toasted in the oven. Butter or oil a flat tin dish, pour in the mixture, and when it is cool, mark it in the shapes required with a blunt knife. When it is quite cold, turn it out and break it into tablets, which are then ready for use.

Almond Tartlets. - — Line a dozen tartlet-moulds with paste, cut the paste on the rims of the moulds, then mask the bottom with a thin layer of marmalade. Pound 6oz. of blanched Almonds, dried in the oven, mixing up by degrees the same amount of fine sugar, a little orange or lemon zest, and the yolks of six eggs. Bemove this from the mortar, put it into a kitchen basin, and work up with it eight whipped whites of eggs. Pill the tartlets, sprinkle them over with fine sugar, and bake in a slack oven for twenty-five to thirty minutes.

Almond Wafers. — Blanch and pound to a pulp in a mortar fib. of Sweet Almonds, and beat them up with two eggs; sift in gradually, whilst still beating, 1 teacupful of caster sugar and 1 table-spoonful of fine flour. Add 2 or 3 drops of essence of lemon. Butter lightly a warmed, clean baking-sheet, and spread the mixture with a spatula very thinly and evenly over it. Put into a quick oven, and bake a pale brown. Bemove to the table, cut the paste with a knife into oblongs, and roll each one lengthwise round a piece of round stick about jin. in diameter. Let them get cold and hard, and then remove the sticks. These wafers are very useful as a garnish for creams and other light, sweet entremets.

Almond Walnut Biscuits. — To make these, special moulds or stamps are required — one for the half-kernel, and the other for the half-shell (see Fig. 17).

(Note. — These moulds may be purchased of any culinaryutensil manufacturers.) Use the same paste as for Almond Birds’-nest Biscuits, roll it -in. thick, cut out the shapes with the moulds, place each on greased paper, and let stand for a day. Then bake the shells dark and the kernels much lighter, and join the two neatly together with icing, placing them afterwards in a very slow oven for a few minutes to set.

Amandines.— Put fib. of butter into a basin, warm it, and beat it to a cream with fib. of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Add gradually 3oz. of Bitter Almonds, blanched and pounded in a mortar with a little rose-water; next add sufficient flour to make a thick paste, and stir in lastly the whites of

Almonds — continued.

twelve eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Half-fill small buttered cups or tins with the mixture, and bake them in a quick oven for about half-an-hour. Turn them out, decorate some of them with chopped pistachio kernels, and some with cochineal, sugar, or sugar-icing, and they are ready for use.

Apple and Almond Pudding 1 . — See Apples.

Burnt Almond Charlotte B-usse. — Line a plain mould with finger biscuits as for other charlottes. Chop up finely fib. of best Almonds, and brown them by boiling in fib. of sugar; cool them on a baking-sheet, pound them thoroughly in a mortar, adding after, as you stir in a pan on the fire, lqt. of cold milk; press through a tammy cloth or stout napkin. Steep loz. of isinglass in 1 gill of tepid water. Put the Almond Cream into a stew-pan with eight beaten yolks of eggs, add fib. of finely-powdered sugar, and stir over the fire until it thickens; pour into a kitchen basin, and stir in the solution of isinglass, after straining it; pack the basin in broken ice, and stir the mixture slowly until it begins to freeze. As soon as it shows symptoms of congelation, pour it carefully into the biscuit-lined mould, and cover it with a thin sheet of tin, a baking-sheet, or a plate, with ice piled on it, and leave it thus for an hour or so longer, or till wanted; it may then be turned out on to a glass dish, and garnished with crystallised fruits.

Burnt Almonds and Orange Ice. — 1st Mixture: Chop 2oz. of blanched Almonds, and melt 2 table-spoonfuls of coarselypounded sugar in a sugar-boiler; add the chopped Almonds, and stir over the fire until they are red-brown, when they must be spread on a baking-sheet to hai-den. Boil If pints of rich cream. Put the beaten yolks of six eggs into a stewpan with fib. of pounded sugar, stir in the hot cream, and continue to stir over the fire or stove until the mixture thickens. Pound the Burnt Almonds as finely as possible in a mortar, and then add them to the cream, stirring briskly. 2nd Mixture: Take 1 pint of syrup at 18 deg. by the saccharometer, and rasp into it the thin rind (zest) of eight oranges. Squeeze the juice of sixteen oranges, and dilute with f pint of water; tinge with carmine, and dissolve in it 1 tablespoonful of citric acid. Strain this mixture through a pointed strainer. Whisk in thoroughly the white of one egg. Freeze the two ices separately in a freezer ( see Ices), and mould together in layers when serving. These cream ices are declared to be exquisitely delicious.

Cannelons of Almond Baste. — Make a good Almond Paste by pounding in a mortar fib. of Sweet Almonds, blanched and peeled, using a little white of egg to moisten them and prevent oiling when pounding. When thoroughly pounded, mix with them fib. of caster sugar and two eggs, one beaten in at a time. Make some good puff paste, and roll it out, about fin. in thickness. Divide the Almond Paste into equal-sized portions, 2in. long and lin. wide, cover over with paste and stick the edges well together by wetting, cut them apart, and fry them in hot fat. When they are done, drain them and sift a little caster sugar over the tops; then serve.

Essence of Bitter Almonds, or Almond Flavouring. —

This favourite flavouring is prepared by dissolving the oil of Bitter Almonds with a large proportion of spirits of wine. As these flavourings require great care in selecting and making up, they are generally bought in bottles, ready mixed for use, from druggists’ and other domestic stores. Almond Flavouring is stated to contain prussic acid, but it has been satisfactorily shown that the peculiar Almond flavour does not depend upon the presence of this poisonous acid, hence successful attempts have been made to supply the flavour deprived of the deleterious ingredient.

Forcemeat of Almonds. — Put 1 teacupful of cream into a basin, and beat it up with the yolks of three eggs and a little grated nutmeg to flavour it. Put 3oz. of blanched Sweet Almonds into a mortar, and pound them well, adding sufficient white of egg to moisten them. Put this into the cream mixture with 3oz. of butter, broken into small pieces, and 12oz. of finelysifted breadcrumbs. Put the whites of the three eggs into a basin, whisk them to a stiff froth, and stir them into the other mixture, when it will be ready for use.

Pithiviers Almond Cake. — Pithiviers is the name of a town in France celebrated for lark pies, Almond Cakes, honey, and

Fig. 17. Almond Walnut Biscuit.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

15

Almonds — continued.

a variety of other delightful things. The receipt generally favoured for this Almond Cake is that given by Urbain-Dubois, which is something as follows: Pound 4oz. of Sweet and Bitter Almonds in equal proportions, with the same quantity of sugar, and half a medium stick of vanilla. Bub into this 3oz. of butter, a little chopped orange-rind peeled very thin, and a little pinch of salt, and work up with the yolks of two eggs and one whole one. When sufficiently combined, pass through a medium sieve into a basin, and stir with a spoon for a few minutes. Take lib. of puff paste, roll out lightly to the thickness of fin., and cut out a round about 6in. in diameter. Boll out the remainder of the paste, and cut another round, the same size as the previous one. Put one of these flats on the baking-sheet, and spread the Almond preparation smoothly over it to within lin. of the circumference. Wet the uncovered edge with the paste-brush, and then lay the other round flat exactly over this. Press down gently so as to fix the two rounds, and cut out the edges ornamentally. Brush over the surface of the cake with white of egg, and mark the top with the point of a well

Fig. 18 . Pithiviers Almond Cake.

floured knife in any pattern fancied (see Fig. 18). Bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes, sprinkle over with caster sugar, and put it back into the oven again for five or ten minutes to glaze. Serve cold on a folded napkin.

Salted and “ Devilled ” Almonds. — Blanch and dry in a

cloth as many Jordan Almonds as may be required; put them into a frying-pan with a little butter, and fry them until they are of a delicate fawn colour. Then pour them into a colander, and sprinkle them over immediately with fine tablesalt, tossing them as they are sprinkled. Serve, hot or cold, in little trays with cheese.

To “devil” them, mix with the salt twice the quantity of cayenne pepper, and sprinkle as before.

Sugared Almonds. — These are usually manufactured wholesale by machinery, but can be made in small quantities, if desired, by those who have a sufficient knowledge of the practical details of sugar-boiling. The invention of a revolving apparatus has considerably simplified their manufacture for the trade.

Blanch, wash, wipe, and dry in the oven, lib. of Jordan Almonds. Have ready dissolved 6oz. of gum arabic, not too thin; you must also have at hand, clarified, 3ilb. of the finest loaf sugar syrup of 32deg. ( see Syrups). The syrup, quite hot but no I boiling, must be kept over a stove, at a low heat. Put a sixth part of the syrup into a sugar-boiler, with a sixth part of the dissolved gum, and boil this to the thread degree ( see Sugarboiling). Suspend a round-bottomed stewpan over a low gas-stove, put the Almonds in it, toss them until they arc hot, add 1 teaspoonful of gum, shake together until the gum is dried on the Almonds, then add another spoonful of gum, and shake or dredge in a little starch-powder, to give them another coating. Next use the beading-funnel, to give a coating with the boiled sugar and gum, and this done, the Almonds being detached and separated from each other, and perfectly dry, turn them out upon a cane sieve to riddle off any fragments of sugar. Starch and gum five times more, cleaning out the pan each time, and put the confits to dry, at a very slow heat, till next day. Now give the confits six more charges or coatings in the manner before described, and afterwards dry them in slow heat to whiten them. Colours must be added in a liquid or powdered state. When giving the last two charges, a few drops of any land of essence, such as vanilla, orange, lemon, roses, cinnamon, &c., may be

Almonds — con t inned.

added to flavour the syrup used for the preparation of

the confits.

See also Macaeoons, Marzipan, Royeau, Orgeat, and Ratafias.

AXiOJA. — A Spanish beverage made of honey, water, and spice.

ALOXE. — The name of a red Burgundy wine. See Wines.

ALUM (TV. Alun; Ger. Alaun; Ital. Alunna; Sp. Alumbre). — Alum is a white, transparent, mineral salt, having very astringent qualities. It is sometimes used by bread-makers and pastrycooks to whiten flour. It is generally regarded as an adulteration. Publicans employ it to quickly clear gin which has become turbid by the addition of water. It gives a creamy head to porter, and a smack of old age to other beers. To inferior port wine it is thought to add brilliancy of colour. When employed for these purposes, it is technically known in the trade as “Rocky,” or “Stuff.”

Alum is largely manufactured in this country, there being numerous Alum-works in different parts of England and Scotland; amongst these, the more important are those of Lord Glasgow, near Glasgow; Lord Dundas and Mulgrave, at Whitby; Mr. Spence, at Manchester, and Goole, in Yorkshire; and Mr. Pochin, also at Manchester. These two latter have distinct processes of their own, and are credited with the largest and best productions. There are also extensive Alum-works in the neighbourhood of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

In some parts of the world Alum is found in a natural state; but the Alum of commerce is almost invariably prepared from aluminous earths, known as Alum-ores, Alum-rock, Alum-stone, or Alunite. Rone but the very best Alum should be used for culinary purposes, as inferior kinds contain numerous impurities.

AMABELE. — A favourite food of the Kaffir, consisting of millet-seed crushed and toasted into the form of brown sawdust. It is served in a small pot, from which the guests take pinches at a time.

AMANDINES.— See Almonds.

• AMASI. — This is the name given by the natives of Central Africa to a drink made from sour milk, in which condition it is believed to be more wholesome, nutritious, and easy of digestion. It is prepared by adding to new milk a small quantity of milk previously allowed to sour. This, upon stirring, affects the whole in a very short space of time, after which it will be ready for drinking. The ingenuity of the distiller appears to have reached this almost unexplored country long before its customs were known to civilised men, for recent travellers affirm that a very harsh spirit is obtained from fermented Amasi, which is a choice beverage supplied at the expense of the chiefs during the wild orgies of sacrificial festivals.

AMAZON BITTERS. — See Bitters.

AMAZON TEA. — The leaves of this plant (Eupatorium Ayapana ) are much used in Brazil in combination with China Teas, and are considered to improve the bouquet and flavour.

AMBER PUDDING.— See Puddings.

AMBERGRIS. — A solid, opaque, ash-coloured, inflammable substance, variegated like marble, remarkably light, rugged on its surface, and, when heated, emitting a fragrant odour. It is a concretion, the supposed result of disease, produced in the intestines of the spermaceti whale, and is sometimes found floating on the ocean in regions frequented by whaleSj in immense masses. It is chiefly useful for toilet purposes, but enters occasionally into confectionery, and vintners dissolve it in wine to give bouquet, one grain being sufficient to perfume a whole hogshead.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces. lc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

AMBROSIA (Food for the Gods). — The nearest approach to Ambrosia is a combination of sweet oranges and pineapples, sliced very thin, layered alternately, sugared well with caster sugar, wetted with Madeira wine, and with a dusting of sugar over all. Ornamented with small shapes cut out of crystallised angelica, this makes a beautiful dish. Tinned pineapple answers well. The following is a splendid receipt: —

Skin sufficient oranges, and remove all pith and seeds; cut into thin slices, and place a layer of them on a glass dish; dust over well with caster sugar, and moisten with maraschino and brandy mixed in equal proportions. Spread ever this a layer of desiccated cocoanut, and then lay over that thin slices of pared fresh or tinned pineapple, dusting with sugar and moistening as before. Continue piling up these alternate layers, graduating into a conical shape, and sprinkling cocoanut after each layer of either fruit. Decorate with dried cherries and shapes cut out of candied angelica, and top up with whipped cream. Garnish the dish round with croutons of sweet jelly, and here and there a little chopped jelly, coloured if convenient.

AMBROSIA SYRUP. — A mixture of equal parts of vanilla and strawberry syrups.

AMERICAN BEER. — The brewing of Beer has rapidly increased of late years in the United States, the varieties most in demand being a sort of Lager and Golden Ale, introduced by enterprising Germans. Its percentage of alcohol is low, but as it is bright, sparkling, has a good head, and is retailed icy cold, it suits the dry climate of America. Other Ales on the British principle — bitter and strong — are brewed in the country, but are not so greatly in demand; and black or dark brown Beers, such as Porter and Stout, find little or no favour.

AMERICAN BISCUITS. — See Biscuits.

AMERICAN CHEESE. — See Cheese.

AMERICAN DISHES.— The culinary products of the United States differ very slightly from those of the “old country,” and that more in the materials than in the mode or style of preparing. Maize, or Indian corn, ripe (whole or ground) and in the green ear, occupies an important position amongst American cooks. Pumpkins Melons, Bananas, and Tams, are indigenous. Okra is a vegetable unknown to us, except by importation; it makes a delicious mucilaginous soup, commonly styled Okra Gumbo. Hickory Nuts are largely used in confectionery. Candies, Buckwheat Cakes, Chow-Chow, Pan-Dowdy, Pumpkin-pie, Popcorn, and Dougli-nuts, and more recently Chewing-gum, are held in high favour. Amongst birds are the Canvas-back Duck (a great delicacy). Mallard, Prairie Chicken, Reed-bird, and the indigenous Turkey; and of fish there are the Bass, Sheep’s-head, and Bluefish, besides the famous Clams of “Clam-chowder” celebrity, and Terrapins. These will be further described under their various names.

AMERICAN DRINKS. — It is not our purpose to detail the eccentric combinations which are so highly esteemed by thirsty American epicures, as hitherto efforts to make them popular in this country have failed. With the exception of Iced Soda Creams flavoured with fruit syrups, we shall do well to rest satisfied with our present productions. In some of the liquor-bars of the States are to be found praiseworthy efforts to combine nourishment with stimulants, such as Lactarts, Egg Phosphates, Acid Phosphates, Moxie’s Nerve Foods, hot Beef Tea, Chicken Tea, and other refreshing and invigorating fluids, for many of which we have our British counterparts. But where the American asserts his superiority is in the nomenclature of his drinks. Punch, in several forms, is familiar to us; but “ Spread Eagle ” Punch, “ Thirtysecond Regiment ” Punch, “ Light Guard ” Punch, “ Rocky Mountain” Punch, “Tip Top” Punch, “Bimbo” Punch,

American Drinks — continued.

“Duke of Norfolk” Punch, and “Uncle Toby” Punch, would be innovations. Amongst the “ Noggs ” America holds its own; but the “Julep” is said to be peculiarly an American beverage, and is more popular than any other. It was introduced into England by Captain Marryat, who wrote of it thus:

“I must descant a little upon the Mint Julep, as it is, with the thermometer at lOOdeg., one of the most delightful and insinuating potations that ever was invented, and may be drunk with equal satisfaction when the thermometer is as low as TOdeg. There are many varieties, such as those composed of claret, madeira, &c.; but the ingredients of the real Mint Julep are as follows. I learnt how to make them, and succeeded pretty well.

“ Put into a tumbler about a dozen sprigs of the tender shoots of mint (see Fig. 19), upon them put a table-spoonful

of pounded white sugar (caster sugar), and equal proportions of peach and common brandy, so as to fill it up one-third, or perhaps a little less. Then take rasped or pounded ice, and fill up the tumbler. Epicures rub the lips of the tumbler with a piece of fresh pineapple, and the tumbler itself is very often incrusted outside with stalactites of ice. As the ice melts, you drink. I once overheard two ladies talking in the next room to me, and one of them said: ‘Well, if I have a weakness for any one thing, it is for a Mint Julep ! ’ — a very amiable weakness, and proving her good sense and good taste. Mint Juleps are, in fact, like the American ladies, irresistible.”

The “ Smash ” is a Julep on a small plan. The “ Cobbler ” is claimed to be of American origin, but it is said to be a favourite now in all warn climates; perhaps, because it requires but little skill to manufacture. The “ Cocktail ” is par excellence American; so also is the “ Crusta,” which is said to be an improvement on the “Cocktail.” Jerry Thomas, the celebrated “bar-tender” of New York, gives the following receipt for a “ Crusta ”:

First mix a Brandy Cocktail thus: Three or four

dashes of gum syrup, three or four dashes of bitters,

1 wineglassful of brandy, one or two dashes of cura 9 oa, squeeze of lemon- juice, fill glass one-third full of ice, strain into a fancy wineglass, throw a piece of lemon-peel on top, and add more lemon-juice. Now take a fancy red wineglass, rub a sliced lemon around the rim of the same and dip it in pulverised sugar, so that the sugar will adhere

to the edge of the glass. Pare half a lemon the same as you would an apple (all in one piece), so that the paring will fit in the wineglass, and strain the Crusta (see Fig. 20) from the tumbler into it. Then smile.

Fig. 20. A Crusta.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

17

American Drinks — continued.

“Mulls” and “ Sangai-ees,” “Toddies” and “Slings,” Flip,” “ Negus,” “Bishop,” and “Shrub,” are common, and may be classed as importations or “ settlers ”; but “Fixes” and “Sours” are indigenous. It is not until we get to the “ fancy ” drinks that the American’s inventive genius and “ tall talk ” distinguish themselves. When we are invited to partake of a “ Pousse 1’ Amour,” “ Sleeper,” “Balaklava Nectar,” “Crimean Cup,” “Tom and Jerry,” “ White Tiger’s Milk,” “ White Lion,” “ Locomotive,”

Fio. 21. Mixing American Drink, Blue Blazer.

“ Archill shop,” “ Cardinal,” “ Pope,” “ Knickerbocker,” “ Rumfustian,” “Bottled Velvet,” “Blue Blazer,” “Stone Juice,” “Gin Straight,” “Fixed Bayonets,” “Elephant’s Milk,” “ Widow’s Tears,” “ Corpse Reviver,” and many others equally suggestive, our ideas of moderation betray us. The art of mixing some of these depends upon the skill with which the mixer can empty one glass into another from a height (see Fig. 21).

AMERICAN MEAT, — The trade in Meat exported in refrigerating chambers from the United States has assumed great proportions, and the . produce gives general satisfaction to the cook, both in quality and price. It differs slightly from our fresh meats, but according to good authority the quality is not deteriorated by the freezing process to which it is subjected. The market price is considerably below that of our own. The question of imported preserved Meats is fully discussed under Australian Meat, to which any remarks made apply more emphatically, in consideration of the much longer time required in transit. See Food-preserving.

AMERICAN OVENS. — In small kitchens, or for the purpose of cooking diminutive dishes, such as bacon or a sheep’s heart, this utensil is very convenient, as it will accomplish before a very small fire what no other oven would do with a similar degree of heat. It is in many respects the counterpart of what is generally known as the Dutch oven, although it has some advantages

American Ovens — continued. of construction that the Dutch oven does not generally possess.

The American Oven is fitted with a shelf as well as an inclined floor, and concentrates the heat very fully

Fig. 22. American Oven.

without being set nearer than a foot to the fire; and it is not an absolute necessity that the fire should be glowing or free from flame. Made of tin or thin sheet iron, its cost is very small in comparison with its usefulness. Meat cooked in it requires care and attention, and frequent basting and turning.

AMERICAN WHITE-CAKE. — See Cakes.

AMERICAN WINES. — During the past few years America has produced a large quantity of Wines of variable quality; and it is confidently asserted and believed by Americans that the time is not far distant when America will assert her pre-eminence as a Wine-producing country, and that her vineyards will yield finer Wines, and in greater quantities, than France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and all other European coimtries combined. This may be but an idle boast, but it is certain that over 25,000,000 galls, are now produced annually, and that with a very small proportion of acreage under grape plantation. It is remarkable that, except in California, none of the European vines will succeed; hence, according to Professor Simmonds, the American vintners are “compelled to search in their forests, and develop in nurseries and vineyards, the varieties which are, in the future, to be their reliance for competing with foreign producers.” Wine made from the Catawba grape is amongst the best and most popular, and of this the native poet Longfellow sang: — The richest and best Is the Wine of the West,

That grows by the beautiful river,

Whose sweet perfume Fills all the room With a benison on the giver.

Very good, in its way,

Is the Verzenay,

Or the Sillery, soft and creamy;

But Catawba Wine Has a taste more divine —

More dulcet, delicious, and dreamy.

Whether American Wines are ever likely to supersede European in universal favour it is not possible to say: at present the country consumes nearly all it can produce, and the importation of foreign Wines has fallen in the last ten years from 7,000,000 galls, to less than half that quantity.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

D & E

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

AMES CAKE.— See Cakes.

AMHURST PUDDING.— See Puddings.

AMMONIA (Fr. Ammoniaque; Ger. Ammoniak). — A very volatile salt, prepared commercially from tlie ammoniacal liquor of the gasworks and the manufactories of ivory-black, animal charcoal, &c., in which it exists in a variety of chemical combinations. The Sesquicarbonate of Ammonia, commonly known as “Volatile Salt,” “ Voil,” or “ Saleratus,” is used in cooking to lighten pastry and cakes, or to stimulate meat teas and jellies for invalids. It requires much discrimination in its use, lest the “hartshorn” flavour predominate to the extent of being unpleasant. It should he purchased in solid lumps, and pounded well in a mortar fresh before using. Being exceedingly volatile, it is advisable to beep it in a closelystoppered, wide-mouthed bottle.

AMNASTICH.— This is a Jewish dish, and is, like most of the Hebrew culinary preparations, exceedingly pure and tasty.

Wash thoroughly lib. of rice by passing a stream of water through it in a colander, and stirring briskly until the water runs away quite clear. Put this into a lined stewpan, with lqt. of white stock, and bring slowly to the boil over a moderate fire. When the rice has begun to soften, add a large onion stuck with twelve cloves, and a bundle of selected sweet herbs. Into this mixture put a fine young chicken, stuffed with forcemeat, to simmer, and stew until thoroughly done. Then place the fowl on a dish, strain off the rice, picking out the herbs, onions, and any loose cloves. Beat up with the rice the yolks of four eggs, the juice of a lemon, and 1 table-spoonful of strong infusion of saffron (made by steeping teaspoonful of hay saffron in 1 wineglassful of boiling water, allowing it to stand until cold, and then straining off the clear liquor). This infusion must, of course, be prepared early enough to be ready when wanted. Garnish the fowl with the rice, and season according to taste. Serve hot.

AMONTILLADO. — A pale, dry Spanish wine of the sherry order, which does well for all culinary purposes in which that class of wine is used.

AMOURETTES (Fr. for, literally, “little loves”).— This term is applied to small garnishes made from the spinal marrow of beef, veal, or mutton. Amourettes are usually prepared thus:

Cut up the bones containing the marrow into lengths, take out the marrow from them, and remove any sinewy skin. Tie the marrow up loosely in a cloth, and let it soak for a few hours in salted water. Drain it, and place it in a stewpan, pouring sufficient tepid water over to cover it. Add salt, a small quantity of vinegar, a minced onion, and a sprig or two of parsley to taste. Let the water boil for two or three minutes, and then remove, alio whig the marrow to cool in the liquor. It is then ready to be used in any way required.

Timbale of Amourettes (Old Roman Style).- — Take 21b. of the spinal marrow of beef, and prepare as above. Cut the marrow into lengths of 2in. each, and lay them flat on the bottom of a stewpan; season them with pepper and salt, and moisten with a little good Spanish sauce. Cut up lib. of the lean of cooked ham into very small squares; take the same weight of cooked black truffles, cut up like the ham, and sprinkle over the marrow. Take 21b. cf veal or poultry forcemeat, and work up with a little of the Spanish sauce. Butter a dome-shaped mould, and arrange on the bottom and round the sides a few shapely truffles; then plaster with a spoon (over the truffles) the inside of the mould with a layer of the ready-made forcemeat, spreading it about in. thick. Three-quarters-of-an-hour before the timbale is wanted for serving, place the cold marrow-mixture in the hollow of the mould, leaving space to cover over the top with a lin. layer of the forcemeat. Smooth with a knife or spatula to the level of the rim of the mould, and cover with a round of buttered paper. Set the mould on a hollow support placed on the bottom of a stewpan, taking care that the sides of the stewpan are higher than the mould as it stands; pour boiling water into the stewpan up to half the height of the mould; put

Amourettes — continued.

it on the stove, and let the water boil. Then immediately cover over the stewpan, and regulate the heat so as to keep up constant simmering without boiling up. In about forty minutes the timbale will be ready to serve. Before turning out of the mould, put a folded cloth on the top, in order to sponge up any superfluous moisture, and then turn the timbale out boldly on to a dish. Surround it with a wre ath of

boiled mushroom-heads (see Fig. 23), selected as nearly the same size as possible, pour round the dish a little velouG sauce, and serve more in a sauce-boat with the Timbale, which should bo very hot.

AMPHITRYON. — Literally used to denote the host, or a hospitable person. Kettner tells us, in his “ Book of the Table,” that few names are more highly honoured than this; yet none is more ambiguous, nor more curiously linked with shame and ridicule. The true Amphitryon was thoroughly befooled and dishonoured. He was thus injured by the king of gods, who took his name and form, entered his house, and made love to his wife. When the two Amphitryons were brought face to face, and each claimed against the other to be the true one, the false Amphitryon, Jupiter, invited the assembled company to dine, whereupon his friend, Mercury, exclaimed that this settled the question and resolved all doubts; therefore Le veritable Amphitryon Est l’Amphitryon ou l’on dine.

The lines are those of Moliere, who converted the plot into an amusing comedy.

AMYDON. — A starchy material, used some centuries ago to thicken broths; it was made from fine wheat-flour steeped in water, strained, and left to stand and settle, then drained and dried in the sun. The term is now used to denote the starch-powder employed by Continental confectioners, as d’Amydon.

ANACREON. — A famous French cake, very popular in Paris, and christened after the celebrated Greek lyric, who was a lover of cake and wine. M. Corblet gives the receipt thus:

Take 11b. of sweet almonds; blanch, and shred small; then lib. of caster sugar, ten yolks of eggs, four whole eggs, and 1 wineglassful of kirschenwasser; mix all thoroughly together, to insure that the paste shall be light, and then work in 11b. of potato-flour, Jib. of warmed butter, lib. of cherries (chopped), and the whites of ten eggs beaten stiff. When the whole is thoroughly mixed, put it in a Breton mould, and bake in a moderate oven. Ice with kirsch icing.

ANALYSIS.— The meaning of this term is, literally, a resolution of anything into its constituent elements. . It is applied to a process by which the chemical composition of foods and other matter is decided. Analysis is of

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred, to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

19

Analysis — continued.

great importance where it is advisable to ascertain the purity of a food ( see Adulterations), or determine its chemical nutritive value. The examination may be of either a simple or a superficial character, when it is termed “ Proximate,” or it may extend to the elementary principles, when it is known as “ Ultimate.” When merely the number and nature or quality of the component parts are ascertained, the Analysis is “ Qualitative ”; but when their proportions or quantities also are determined, the Analysis is termed “ Quantitative.”

By the Analysis of food, science contributes a powerful aid to the cook, which is sometimes insufficiently appreciated, or even ignored; not because the careful cook is unmindful of the importance of dealing with pure and nutritive foods, hut because chemistry, although entering deeply into and governing every phase of the culinary art, extends so inimitably beyond it that the wise cook iscontented to perfect himself in the practical details, and leave the abstruse science to the chemist.

ANCHOVIES (Fr. Anchois; Ger. Anschove-sardellen; Ital. Acciughe; Sp. Anchovas). — These delicious little sea-fish are chiefly imported from the Mediterranean, the best kind being those which are sent from Gorgona. Anchovies are found along the shores of Great Britain, but are probably only met with in sprat shoals, hence we have no specific fisheries of them. They are caught at night-time by nets, being allured to the fishermen’s boats by fires hanging from the sterns.

To preserve them for exportation the heads, which are bitter, are cut off, and the bodies gutted. They are then thrown into brine, and packed in barrels holding from 51b. to 201b.; and from these bairels our merchants fill

Fig. 24. Anchovy.

bottles for the market. Dutch Anchovies may be known by having been cleaned of their scales; French Anchovies by their larger size; and both by the pale tint of their flesh. Anchovies may also be distinguished from sprats and sardines by their colour, although attempts are frequently made to impart the necessary reddish-brown hue by artificial means.

The following hints are worth notice: The colour of

the pickle of the best fish, after repose or being filtered, is of a clear pink, without red sediment; whereas that from inferior sorts is generally turbid and red only when stirred or agitated. A heavy red sediment is deposited, which the fishermen, of Provence especially, add to make up for deficiency of the natural colour of the fish. This red colouring may be either Armenian bole, Yenetian red, or ochre. Brine of bay-salt should alone be used, and changed two or three times before final packing.

The uses to which the savoury Anchovy may be applied in cooking are innumerable, every cook having special receipts of his or her own. It will be impossible here to give more than a few of the typical preparations; but from these it will be possible, with a little ingenuity, to produce many others.

To Serve Anchovies to Table. — They must be thoroughly

cleaned, honed, and trimmed. To open them easily, or “ fillet ” them, as it is called, they should be soaked in cold water for a couple of hours, taken out and dried in a cloth, and the backs divided by the points of the two thumbs, rather than with a knife, which should never touch them unless it be electro-plated or silver. Lay the halves or fillets neatly in a shallow dish, and garnish tastily with finely-chopped white of egg and parsley; pour salad oil over all.

Anchovies — continued.

Aigrettes of Anchovies.— Fillet about one dozen Anchovies, and after washing them, lay them in a marinade or pickle of oil and vinegar, with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper over them. After leaving them so for about two or three hours, take them out and let them drain. Make a light batter, and dip them in; drop them in very hot lard, and fry to a nice golden colour. Break off the rough parts, and ornament with chopped parsley and lobster coral that has been rubbed through a sieve. Build them up on a napkin, and serve very hot.

Anchovy Allumettes. — Take a bottle of Anchovies preserved in oil, dry them, cut them into long thin strips, roll each one up in paste, and plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling fat. Take them out when done, drain on a sieve placed in front of the fire, put in two-and-two across one another on a napkin spread over a dibs, and serve very hot, with a garnish of sprigs of fried parsley.

Anchovy Biscuits. — Take lb. of patten paste, and work well into it sufficient potted Anchovy to give it a good flavour. Boll the paste out to fin. in thickness, and then stamp it out with a fancy cutter, or cut into strips about 3in. long, and twist them round. Place them upon a sheet of white paper, laid on a baking-sheet, and bake until nicely done. Dish them upon a neatly-folded napkin, and serve hot or cold.

Anchovy Butter. — This is a very useful savoury to have in stock, and can be used to spread on slips of toast as a relish, or may be employed in making Anchovy Sauce for fish, or be served in pats garnished with parsley. Clean, bone, and beat in a mortar to a paste, one part of Anchovies to two parts of fresh butter; or take eight Anchovies to loz. of butter, and add 4oz. more butter. Pass through a sieve.

Some cooks add spices, and others finely-chopped parsley that has been scalded. Francatelli recommends the addition of cayenne pepper and grated nutmeg to taste; or it may be made by working 1 teaspoonful of Anchovy Essence into loz. of butter.

Anchovy Butter Sauce. — Beat up a piece of Anchovy Butter tho size of a small egg in 1 pint of good brown sauce, warm over a slow fire, and stir in the juice of half a lemon, or more, according to taste. This sauce goes well with baked fish.

Anchovy and Caper Sauce. — Put £ pint of melted butter into a saucepan, dredge in a little flour to thicken, add a little seasoning of pepper and salt, a small quantity of grated nutmeg, and pour in a little of the vinegar from capers; mix all well together, and then stir in a boned Anchovy and 1 table-spoonful of capers, both very finely chopped. Set the saucepan on the fire, boil the sauce for five minutes, and it is ready for use.

Anchovy Cream.— The following is one of Soyer’s favourite receipts: Make 1 pint of ordinary melted butter (butter sauce), and place it in a stewpan over a slow heat. When hot, add 3oz. of Anchovy Butter, stir till dissolved, and then stir in quickly 2 table-spoonfuls of whipped cream, but do not let it boil. A delicious sauce for fried fish: the cream enriches the melted butter supremely.

Anchovies with Eggs and Endive.— Carefully remove the shells from half-a-dozen hard-boiled eggs, and with the point of a sharp knife cut them round, so as to take off the halves of white without injuring them. Put the yolks into a basin with a little Anchovy Sauce, and mix them well; form them into their original shapes, and put them carefully inside the whites. Decorate a round dish or plate with leaves of endive, keeping the points of the leaves towards the rim of the plate, put the eggs on these, and servo. Great care must be taken, for if the white should crack or break, the effect will be spoilt.

Anchovy Cushions, or Canapes. — (1) Cut slices, jin. thick, off a stale tinned loaf, and trim off the crusts. Divide them into slips 2Jin. long and lin. wide, fry them in clarified butter till they are a nice golden brown, and when cold spread them with Anchovy Butter. Clean, bone, and trim, removing all the small bones, some Anchovy fillets as previously directed. Place four fillets lengthwise on each piece of toast, and lay chopped parsley along the middle

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc ., referred to, see under their special heads.

D & E 2

20 THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Anchovies — continued.

groove, and chopped hard yolk of egg along the two outer or reverse this order. Arrange the charged toasts with regularity on a dish previously fitted with an ornamental dish-paper.

(2) Butter some square pieces of fried or toasted bread, and spread over them a little Anchovy paste. Chop up very fine a little mustard-and-cress or lettuce; boil hard two eggs, chop up the white, and rub the yolks through a very fine sieve; arrange these cress and eggs on the paste in circles, triangles, or any other design, put

- the croutons of bread on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve quite cold.

(3) Cut half-a-dozen little French rolls lengthwise into halves, and scoop out the crumb. Set the crust to dry before a fire. Chop up some hard-boiled eggs sufficient to fill the roll shells, and mix with this a little finely-chopped tarragon, chervil, and chives; mix into a paste in a basin with tarragon vinegar and salad oil, and season nicely with pepper and salt. Fill the crusts with this mixture, and lay thin slips or shreds of Anchovy fillets lattice-wise over them. This makes an elegant liors-d’ceuvre.

(4) Cut some rounds of bread about 4in. in diameter. In the meantime, have the required quantity of boned Anchovies, capers, hard-boiled yolks and whites of eggs, all very finely chopped. Put one of these ingredients in a small circle in the centre of the round of bread, then a little larger circle of another of them, and so on until there are the four circles. They should be varied as much as possible; or they may be put in quarters on the rounds, or in any other artistic design. Arrange them on a napkin on a dish, and serve.

Anchovy Essence. — Very useful to have in stock, and can be made after a variety of receipts. The following will be found vastly superior to the essence sold in many shops: Take

lb. of boned and cleaned Anchovies, beat them to a pulp in a mortar, and rub this through a hair sieve. Boil in £ pint of water for a quarter-of-an-hour the bones and trimmings of the Anchovies, and add to this liquor, when strained, loz. each of salt and flour, the flour to be first mixed with a little cold water. A saltspoonful of cayenne pepper may be added or not, according to taste. Having these materials ready, stir the fluid into the Anchovy pulp by degrees, being careful to mix all smooth, and then simmer the whole slowly for a few minutes; remove, and pour into a large jug. When cold, stir in briskly 1 teacupful of strong pickling vinegar. The essence is now ready for bottling -, and if required to keep, the corks must be tied over with bladder or sealing-waxed.

Note . — The addition of 1 teacupful of mushroom or walnut ketchup improves the quality, and the thin peel of a lemon boiled with the liquor is another optional flavouring. If a high colour is desired, cochineal or annatto may be used without harm.

Ancliovy Essence, for Chops, Steaks, &c. — Fillet nine Anchovies, then bone and wash them, and pound in a mortar with

1 table-spoonful of capers and a chopped shallot. Put these into a stewpan, with a bay-leaf, a little thyme and parsley,

2 table- spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, a little mace, and 1 pint of good chicken stock. Eeduce this to one-half, add a little lemon- juice, and rub through a close hair sieve. It will then be ready for use.

Ancliovy Fritters. — Cleanse, bone, and fillet two dozen good Anchovies, steep them in vinegar for an hour or two, and then dry them with a cloth. Take up the fillets, removing all small bones, and spread them on a plate. Anoint them with salad oil, and sprinkle over some finely-chopped parsley. Five minutes before they are required, roll up each fillet, tie it with thread, dip it in batter, and plunge them into a pan of fat so hot that water dropped upon it hisses, splutters, and flies off in steam. In a very short time the batter will be fried light brown, when the fritters must be removed with a skimmer. Place them on a strainer to dry, and then range them on a neatly-folded napkin or ornamental dish-paper, and garnish with fried parsley.

Anchovy Ketchup. — Put 8oz. of Anchovies and half-a-dozen small-sized onions into a saucepan with 2qts. of mild ale, and add two cloves, three blades of mace, two dozen peppercorns, a small quantity of whole ginger, and 1 tea For details respecting Culinary Processes. Utensils,

Anchovies — continued.

spoonful of crushed loaf sugar. Set the saucepan on the fire, and boil the liquor up quickly; then remove the pan to the side of the fire, and simmer gently for about fortyfive minutes. Pass the liquor through a very fine sieve into a basin, mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, pour it into bottles when cold, cork them down securely, and the ketchup is ready for use.

Anchovies with Olives. — Thoroughly, wash and cut off the fillets of four Anchovies, and chop them up very fine with a very little parsley and onion; put the whole into a mortar and pound it well, adding a little cayenne foxseasoning. Cut nine large Spanish olives in halves, take out the stones, and fill them with the pounded Anchovy mixture. In the meantime, cut nine small rounds of bread about lin. in thickness and lin. in diameter, scrape out a little from the centre of each, put them into a frying-pan with butter, and fry to a nice light golden colour. Take them out, drain, arrange when cold on a napkin spread over a dish, put an olive in each, and serve with a little mayonnaise . sauce poured over and round the foot of the croutons of fried bread.

Ancliovy Omelet. — Cut a slice off a stale tinned loaf, not more than jin. thick, remove the crusts, and cut into pieces lin. square. Fry these lightly in oil or butter. Beat up a dozen eggs into an omelet, and season with pepper, salt, and 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. Pour half of this into a small, flat, well-buttered stewpan, and cook one side only; then remove it, set the pieces of bread over it, and upon each piece of bread lay a in. length of a fillet of Anchovy. Make a second omelet, and lay on the top of all, the side of the omelet that was nearest the fire going uppermost. Set these in an oven between two plates for a few minutes, and serve with a little Spanish sauce.

Anchovy Paste.- — Prepared the same as Anchovy Butter, but with a much larger proportion of Anchovy.

Anchovy Powder. — This is rather a novelty for a breakfasttable, and, being somewhat troublesome of preparation, is likely to remain so. Pound Anchovy fillets to a paste, and rub this through a fine hair or silk sieve. What you cannot rub through the first time may be poixnded again and again until all passes, except bits of bone or other refuse. Make a dry dough of this Anchovy pulp by working in flour; roll this dough into very thin layers, cut into narrow ribbons, and dry by a gentle heat before a stove. When sufficiently dry it may be powdered in a mortar, passed through a coarser sieve, and bottled ready for use. Sprinkled on bread-and-butter, or hot buttered toast, it makes a capital relish.

Anchovy Kelish. — Put a little finely-shred beef-suet into a saucepan, boil it until it is all dissolved, and then strain it into a bowl of boiling water; when it is quite cold, remove the fat, scrape it clean and dry, and put it in paper until wanted for use. Put a dozen or so Anchovies into a basin of milk, and let them steep for two hours, when the bone can easily be removed; wipe them dry, bone and trim them, and pound them in a mortar with a little less than their bulk of the clarified suet. Spread this paste over thin pieces of toast or wafer biscuits, and serve. In this way it is more wholesome than the Anchovy Butter.

Anchovy Salad. — (1) Fillet some Anchovies, and shred them lengthwise. Arrange them tastefully upon a small plate, and garnish with groups of chopped hard eggs, chopped parsley, and onions, ornamented with whole capers. Pour salad oil, or oil and vinegar, over the whole, and serve.

This is a very favourite dish at the tables of some of the foreign aristocracy, but the following is more in accordance with British notions of a salad:

(2) Wash a good lettuce, and dry it thoroughly on a cloth. Split it lengthwise into quarters, and then cut crosswise into fine shreds — the finer the better. Slice very finely some small onions, and chop up a pinch of parsley. Mix thoroughly in a bowl. Then shred lengthwise a dozen fillets of Anchovies, sprinkle them over the salad, and pour over all oil and lemonjuice, beaten togethex -, ixx equal propox-tioxxs.

Anchovy Sandwiches. — Empty a bottle of Anchovies into a bowl of water, and wash them thoroughly, chaxxging the water frequently. Put them, when drained and boned, into a mortar with an equal quantity of butter, and pound them

Sauces, fee., referred to, see under their special heads.

21

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Anchovies — continued.

well to a very smooth paste. Spread this over thin slices of bread, put two of these together to form the sandwich, and serve.

Anchovy Sauce. — (1) Take three or four filleted Anchovies, and beat them in a mortar, with 3oz. of butter. Put this Anchovy Butter into a stewpan, with 1 wineglassful of water, 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and 1 table-spoonful of flour (previously rubbed down smooth with the water). Stir over the fire until it thickens, and then rub it through a coarse hair sieve.

The following is more simple and suitable for boiled fish:

(2) Warm in a fry -pan 1 heaped table-spoonful of flour, with a piece of butter the size of a small egg; stir them together until a light brown. Stir in slowly 1 breakfast-cupful of the liquor tho fish for which this sauce is being prepared has been boiling in, and boil up; strain, and add 2 table-spoonfuls of Anchovy Essence, 1 table-spoonful of lemon-juice, and a pinch of cayenne.

(3) Make J pint or more of melted butter, and stir in a sufficiency of the Anchovy Essence according to taste. To use Anchovy Butter for this is sheer waste of labour in making the butter, as the essence answers admirably. Some add, and beat in well, the juice of half a lemon to J- pint of the sauce.

As it is advisable to please the eye as well as the palate, and the abovo mixtures would have rather a poor colour, it is a good plan, when possible, to add some raw lobster-spawn, rubbed through a sieve, which gives a natural and effective tint, and adds a tone not obtainable in any other way.

Anchovies in Surprise. — Take about a dozen very small dinner rolls, cut tho tops off, and take out all the crumb. Then mix tho following: 1 teaspoonful eacli of chopped

tarragon, chervil, and chives, 3 table-spoonfuls of salad oil, three hard-boiled eggs chopped very fine, a little cayenne pepper, and tho fillets of twelve Anchovies washed and cut in halves. Mix the whole well together, and fill the rolls with it. Replace the tops as neatly as possible, and serve upon a neatly-folded napkin.

Anchovy Stuffing. — Put two large finely-chopped onions into a frying-pan with a little oil or butter, and fry them to a light brown. Put them in a basin, and add 2 handfuls of breadcrumbs that have been dipped in water and squeezed quite dry; then add a small piece of the finely-chopped liver of the bird intended to be stuffed, the fillets of seven or eight salted Anchovies, a pinch of parsley, and a few chopped capers. Work these well together, sprinkle over a little pepper, and thicken tho mixture with the yolks of two or three eggs, when it is ready for use. The scoter, a waterfowl common in the south of France, is usually stuffed with this.

Anchovy Tart. — Pare and clean about two-and-a-half dozen salted Anchovies, pound them in a mortar, and rub them through a sieve into a basin. Add gradually 1 teacupful of olive oil, working it into a smooth but not too thin paste. Roll out jib. of puff paste into a round flat about lOin. in diameter, put it on a baking-sheet, trim it neatly round, and spread over the Anchovy Paste,- keeping it at a little distance from the edge. Roll out another equal quantity of the paste, having it a little larger round, trim it, and with a plain tin biscuit-cutter cut out a round about 3in. in diameter; then cut the flat like a scroll with eight equal pieces, take one at a time and arrange them on the flat with tho Anchovy puree, covering both it and tho paste, and placing tho scrolls slightly overlapping one another, leaving a hollow in the centre of the tart. Secure tho edge by pressing it, channel tho tart all round, brush it over with egg, and with the point of a sharp small knife decorate each scroll or piece of the paste. Put tho tart into a quick oven, and bake for thirty-five minutes. Take it out when done, put it carefully on a dish, and pour in a little olivo oil through the hole in the centre of the top.

Anchovy Tartines. — Unroll, dry, and cut into narrow strips a bottle of Anchovies preserved in oil. Cut some French rolls into round slices, butter them well, and arrange a few of the strips of Anchovy on them so as to form an open or trellis work. In the centre or opening put the yolk and white of egg and parsley or finely-chopped gherkins, varying

Anchovies — continued.

them so as not to let the colours contrast, put them on a dish with a napkin spread over it, and serve with cheese.

Anchovy Toast. — (1) Soyer had a famous method of serving this delicious breakfast relish, thus: Thoroughly cleanse and fillet a dozen Anchovies, and chop them small, or crush them out with a silver (or electro-plated) knife. Put this puree into a small stewpan with 6 table-spoonfuls of Provence (or salad) oil; warm slightly, and stand it by. Cut twelve slices of bread, nearly Jin. thick, and trim to an even oblong shape; toast them both sides on a gridiron, basting with a brush dipped in oil. Spread the Anchovy over them, and sprinkle over all a little chopped parsley. Push the gridiron, with the dressed slices on, into a sharp oven for a few minutes, and serve hot.

(2) Spread thin, hot toast with Anchovy Butter, and lay striplets of Anchovy fillets over them in lattice fashion.

There is an air of simplicity about this latter; but a very nice Anchovy Toast can be prepared more simply yet, by

(3) Spreading chopped Anchovy fillets, or Anchovy Essence, over hot buttered toast from which the crusts have been removed.

(4) Bruise up the fillets of six Anchovies with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, and a dust of cayenne. Pass through a sieve. Cut some slices, about jin. thick, off a tinned loaf, and with a round cutter stamp out of tho slices sufficient pieces to make six croutons. Fry these in boiling fat, or toast light brown before a sharp fire; spread the centres with the paste, and trim round the edge, or sprinkle all over with the whites of the eggs chopped very fine.

Tried Ancliovies. — Put a dozen or so of Anchovies with their oil into a frying-pan, and fry them gently for a few minutes. Take them out, put them on thin slices of toast, arrange them on a dish, and serve with cheese.

Ol’lys of Anchovies. — Tho Anchovies which come from Nice should be used for this, as they are smaller and fatter than the others. Put a dozen or so into a basin of cold water, and steep them until they are easily opened. Take them out, drain, chop off their heads, scrape off the scales, and cut out the backbone. Trim them round to an even shape, put them in a basin of milk, and steep for an hour. Take them out again, drain, cover over with flour, plunge into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry until done. Take them out, drain them on paper, put in tho form of a pyramid on a napkin spread over a dish, garnish with sprigs of fried parsley, and servo with a sauceboatful of Poivrado sauce. Potted Ancliovy. — Pound sufficient well-cleansed Anchovy fillets, with allspice and cayenne pepper to taste. Put it into pots, and press down smooth with an ordinary palette-knife, leaving sufficient room for warm clarified butter to bo poured over to jin. in depth. Tho potted Anchovies sold in hermetically-sealed tins, or jars, should be purchased of tho best makers only, lest other fish and worse adulterations find a place within them.

Stuffed Anchovies. — Split open a dozen or so Anchovies wash them well in white rvine, and bone them. Mince a little cooked fish of any kind, put it into a basin with very fine breadcrumbs, and make into a paste by adding yolk of egg. Stuff the Anchovies with this mixture, dip into frying-batter, plunge into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry to a light colour. Take them out when done, drain, arrange on a dish, and serve with a garnish of fried parsley.

ANCHOVY FEAR ( Grias cauUflora). — This fruit is a great favourite in the West Indies, where it is indigenous. It is about the size and shape of a roundish egg, brownish, and having a kind of pulp over a single oval kernel. It very much resembles the mango in taste, and is, like that fruit, often converted into pickle before it is ripe.

ANDOUILLE(S). — Fr. for a kind of Sausage(s) made of chitterlings.

ANDOUILLETTE(S).— Fr. for “little sausage(s).” The name given to little rolls of minced veal with which hot pies and vol-au-vents are garnished.

ANGEL-FISH ( Squatina angelus). — This is known also as the Fiddle-fish, Monk-fish, Shark-ray, and wrongfully, in some parts of America, as the “ Porgey.” It

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Ac., referred to, see under their special heads.

22

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Angel-Fish — continued.

is found occasionally along the British and French coasts, and the southern coast of the United States, and commonly in the West Indies. Its flesh is declared by some to be “ very savoury wherefore, as it is caught varying from 6ft. to 8ft. long, it should be a valuable article of food. Naturalists have described the Angel-fish (Fig. 25) as a cross between the shark and the skate, which would

suggest that the quality of the flesh also varies between that of the shark and that of the skate — and this would not recommend it to the epicure as likely to make a prime dish. There are, however, several varieties of it, some of which are found superior to others for culinary purposes; but these are so rarely met with that no special culinary treatment of them has as yet been described.

ANGELICA (Fr. Angelique; Ger. Angelika, Angelicawurzel, Angel- Kraut). — An aromatic herb ( Angelica Archangelica) which grows wild in this and other countries (rarely in this). It is cultivated on the Continent for the purpose (when candied) of flavouring and ornamenting confectionery, and for dessert. It may be seen in any large confectionery establishment, neatly tied into bundles with coloured ribbon. Angelica was at one time eaten like celery, raw and stewed. Herbalists have attached so many virtues to this herb, especially that of driving away pestilence, that the common name for it in rural districts is “ Holy Ghost.” Candies, compotes, jellies, &c., are made or flavoured with Angelica. Angelica may be preserved in syrup, candied, and used in a number of ways. The Americans put it into punch.

Angelica Confits. — Cut up some candied Angelica into little diamond shapes or tiny strips. Put these into a small, shallow preserving-pan, fitted with a long handle, strewing them thinly and evenly over the bottom of it; set it over a very slow heat, and let it warm thoroughly. Make a syrup with 21b. of sugar to 1 pint of water in which loz. of powdered gum arabic has been previously dissolved, and when the pan and Angelica are quite hot, but not burning, pour some of the syrup loosely over the Angelica and shake freely till it dries on. Six or eight coatings must be given in this way, shaking the pan continually during the whole time it remains over the fire, and bearing in mind that the confits must he turned out of the pan upon a baking-sheet to be dried after every charge of syrup, the pan being cleaned on each occasion. Finally, when sufficiently coated, dry upon a sieve at a little distance from the fire, or in a screen. If desired, the syrup may be flavoured, or coloured.

Angelica Punch. — Stone and chop Jib. of raisins; put them into a basin with the grated rind of half a lemon, the strained juice of a whole one, and 1 pint of boiling water; stir in ilb. of sugar till dissolved. Strain the liquor through a fine hair sieve, rubbing the raisin pulp through at the same time. Pour it into a freezer, add 1 pint of Angelica wine, and work it till frozen. When nearly frozen, add the whites of two eggs that have been whipped till thick with 2 tablespoonfuls of caster sugar. When quite frozen, the punch will have the appearance of cream; it is then ready for serving.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Angelica — continued.

Angelica Ratafia. — Macerate for ten days in a large stone jar 1 drachm of bruised Angelica seed (bruised in a stone mortar), Jib. of sliced fresh or dried Angelica stalk, loz. of bruised bitter almonds (blanched), and 6qts. of proof spirit, or brandy. When ready, filter off the liquor and stir into it lqt. of syrup (21b. to the pint). Let this stand for two or three weeks, then strain it through a sieve, and bottle for use.

Compote of Green Angelica. — Take sufficient preserved green Angelica, and arrange the sticks crosswise on a glass dish; pour over all some of its own syrup, slightly flavoured with orange. The stalks may be cut into rings.

Dried. Angelica. — Prepare the Angelica as for preserving, and then cut the stalks into short strips, lozenges, or large and small rings; give them two or three more boilings in the syrup (see Preserved Green Angelica); drain, give them a roll in finely-powdered sugar, dry thoroughly in a screen, and pack away in tins for future use.

Preserved Angelica with Jellies. — Select a few broad, hollow stalks or reeds of green preserved Angelica, cut them in slanting or transverse slices lin. wide, fill up the hollows with apple or currant jelly, or any other stiff preserve, dip them in caster sugar, and place them on a sieve in the screen to dry slowly for an hour. Serve in a glass dish, or use to garnish sweet entremets, such as jellies, creams, and blancmangers. Preserved Green Angelica. — Let the Angelica selected be as fresh, young, crisp, and tender as can be got. Cut the tubes or stalks into 6in. lengths, and wash them clean; boil them in water for ten minutes, and then, having drained them, boil in syrup for half-an-hour, and set aside to cool, leaving in the syrup. Preserve in jars or wide-mouthed bottles. Francatelli advises a very elaborate process: First scald the sticks in

boiling water for three or four minutes, and then “ refresh ” them in cold water; drain them upon a sieve, and then parboil them in water (without allowing it to come to the boil) for ten minutes; once again drain, and throw them into cold water; drain again, and put them with sufficient syrup at 22deg. (see Syrups) to make them swim in a copper preserving-pan. Set them on the fire till the syrup begins to simmer; then remove to a cool place, leaving them in the pan with the syrup, the surface being covered over with vine-leaves, and leave thus until the following day. The Angelica sticks are next to he drained on a sieve, the vine-leaves thrown away, pint of water added to the syrup, the pan scoured out, the syrup replaced in it, boiled up once and well skimmed, the Angelica to be added, and covered afresh with vine-leaves, and set aside till the next day This process must be repeated twice more — in all, four different charges to be given four days running; at the end of this time the Angelica will be perfectly green and tender.

ANGELS’ BREAD.— This is a very popular variety of Cocoanut Cake. See Cakes.

ANGELS’ CAKE. — This resembles in many respects the cake described as Angels’ Bread; but as it is known to confectioners under a specific name, it is considered advisable to distinguish one from the other. See Cakes.

ANGELS ON HORSEBACK (Fr. Anges au Cheval). — The origin of this unique term is of quite modern birth, it being originally applied, we believe, to oysters on steak. So many fanciful variations have ensued from the inventive genius of our cooks, who evidently have been taken with the name, that the term may now be considered to represent a class of dishes.

(1) Select a few dozen large oysters, open them, and remove their beards and the hard part; put them on a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Blanch a piece of bacon, and when cold cut it into thin strips, and then into squares, each about the diameter of an oyster. Take the oysters one by one, and pile them on little silver or electro-plated skewers ( see Aiguillettes), alternating each of the oysters with a square of bacon, until six of each are on a skewer. Sprinkle over these a little breadcrumb mixed with chopped parsley; or egg and breadcrumb in the usual way. Broil at a brisk fire for three minutes only, and dish, placing the skewers on little croutons fried in butter, and kept very hot.

(2) Beard two dozen oysters (large ones do for cooking), and set them on one side. Next cut some bread about lin.

Sauces, fce., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

23

Angels on Horseback — continued.

thick, toast it, and cut it into squares about l jin. each way. Spread upon these toasts some anchovy butter. Lay an oyster (or two, if they are small) upon the centre of each, and season with a dust of cayenne. Upon the oyster lay a piece of fat bacon, cut very thin and patted flat with a knife, so as to prevent it from curling when cooking; upon the bacon put a little chopped parsley, and a small squeeze of lemon-juice. Set these on a baking-sheet, and put them in the oven to bake. When hot, dish upon an ornamented dishpaper or neatly-folded napkin, and serve.

(3) Roll the oysters in the bacon, and secure by transfixing with a large needle. Otherwise treat the same as No. 2.

ANGOSTURA HITTERS. — Although the first manufacture of this now famous appetiser dates back to the early part of the present century, its introduction to this country is quite recent. The tonic was invented by one Dr. Liegert, of Angostura, for his own use; but his friends soon assisted him to make it famous. Angostura Bitters is aromatic, stomachic, and digestive, and probably contains a preparation of the Galipca cusp aria, or Angostura bark, as well as a proportion of chamomile flowers, cardamoms, cinnamon, and orange-peel. A few drops in a glass of dry sherry form a splendid tonic.

ANIMAIi WINES.— The value to delicate stomachs of soups, jellies, and other nourishing foods, combined with wine or some other stimulant, has long been recognised; but, according to a recent writer (Professor Simmonds on “Popular Beverages”), it is to the Chinese that we are indebted for the suggestion. He says: “ Among these beverages are Mutton Wine, Dog Wine, Deer and Deer- horn Wine, Snake Wine, and Tortoise Wine. To assure purchasers that the article is genuine, a strip of the skin of the animal is fastened to the top of the containing vessel. These animal substances are macerated in fermented or distilled liquors Another authority tells us that the flesh was first macerated, and then fermented; both may be right. — Ed., and by the Chinese nearly all portions of animals thus prepared are supposed to be efficacious in the treatment of disease” — Kidney Wine for kidney disease, Liver Wine for livers, Heart Wine for hearts, Brain Wine for brains, &c. “ The

officinal Mutton Wine is, in fact, goat’s flesh,” he facetiously adds, “ these two animals (sheep and goat) being often confounded. It is a sweet and unctuous liquor, and believed to be a great restorer of the constitution. The alcoholic percentage is over 9. Sugar, raisins, almonds, litchi fruit, and skim-milk, enter into its composition.” See Koumiss.

ANIMELLES.— This is a dish very little known in England or France, but much esteemed in Italy, both in Naples and Rome. Animelles are only to be found in entire male sheep.

Pried Animelles. — Remove the skin that covers eight or ten Animelles, cut them lengthwise in quarters, put into a basin, dredge over with salt, and let them stand to macerate for ten minutes or so, by which time all the moisture will be extracted. Take up the pieces a few at a time, dredge over with flour, plunge into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry until they are done and hard inside. Take them out, drain, wipe gently with a cloth, sprinkle over with salt, arrange on a napkin folded on a dish, and serve with a garnish of fried parsley.

ANISE (Fr. Anis; Ger. Gemeiner Anis). — An aromatic herb of the Pimpinella tribe. The essential oil is used as a flavouring in confectionery The best only should be used, as common kinds are largely adulterated with the oil of Star Anise, which, although from quite another plant, possesses the aromatic qualities of the Anise, but in a much less delicate form.

ANISEED. — The seed of Anise from which Oil of Aniseed is made.

Aniseed Bread. — Stir -)-lb. of caster sugar with the yolks of ten eggs until frothy; add to this loz. of bruised Aniseed,

Aniseed — continued.

and work in lOoz. of best flour. Make into a dough, and form into rolls, setting them on paper and putting them into a hot oven to bake. This bread is said to be especially good for children.

Aniseed Cake. — Break five eggs in a basin, add lib. of sugar, beat well, then add gradually lib. of flour and 1 drachm of Essence of Aniseed; take small quantities up with a fork, and drop lightly on buttered baking-sheets, leaving a small space between each; set in a warm place to rise for twenty-five minutes, and bake in a moderate oven.

Aniseed Confits or Balls.— Put 21b. of Aniseed into a confitpan, and pour over a mixture of thin liquid gum, worked up with flour until it is of a consistence that does not stick to the hand. Set the confit-pan in action, heating it with a little steam, and add slowly to the Aniseed mixture some boiling thin syrup, flavoured with oil of Aniseed, keeping the mixture moving while adding it, and allowing it to coat well before more is put on. Continue to add the syrup until the confits are of the required size, letting the action of the pan complete the process. Take them out, and they are ready for use. Common sugar should be used for the syrup; and about six coatings of this will be sufficient to make Confits the size of peas.

Aniseed Cordial. — This may be manufactured from either the bruised seed or the essential oil. Take 2oz. of Aniseed, or 1 drachms of the oil, macerate or dissove it in lgall. of proof spirit, and dissolve in that about 41b. of crushed loaf sugar. Reduce the whole by adding an equal quantity of cold water. The cordial must not be of a lower alcoholic strength than 45 under proof, or it will be cloudy. A strong syrup of 21b. of loaf sugar to the pint, made by dissolving the sugar in the water at a heat a little below boiling-point, may be used instead.

Aniseed Lozenges. — Put 141b. of crushed loaf sugar on a marble slab, make a cavity in the centre, and pour in about Iqt. of strained gum mucilage, made in the proportion of 21b. weight of boiling water 1 to each pound of gum arabic, or tragacanth. Mix in goz. of oil of Aniseed and a little extract of liquorice to colour, and work the whole well into a stiff paste. Put a small quantity of this on to another slab, and roll it out to the required thickness, using the ball of the band to smooth the surface. Brush it over gently, and cut it into shapes with an oval tin cutter. Put the lozenges on boards or trays dusted over with starch powder, let them get cold, and they are ready for use.

Essence of Aniseed. — As a substitute for Aniseed when used as a flavouring, the essence is by some confectioners considered to be greatly superior. It is prepared by dissolving one part of the oil of Anise in four parts of rectified spirits of wine. Shake the bottle, and keep it well stoppered.

ANISETTE. — A French cordial made with Oil of Aniseed.

Anisette Jelly -with Pears. — Cut six rather largo pears into six pieces each, boil them in some syrup, and colour with a few drops of prepared cochineal. Whisk over the fire, till boiling, 2oz. of gelatine, the whites of three beaten eggs, fib. of lump sugar, the juice of one lemon, and 2 j pints of water. Take this mixture off, let it cool, and then add J pint of Anisette. Drain the pears, and fill a plain cylinder mould with pears and jelly alternately. Pack the mould in ice, and when the jelly is solid (about two hours) turn out and send to table.

ANKER.— This is the name given to a small cask or runlet, which was at one time much used in this country for wine, its measure being fixed at 8.1 galls. It is now in common use on the Continent, but varies in its capacity from 7-tgalls. to lOgalls.

ANNATTO (sometimes spelt Annatta, Aimotta, Anotto, Arnatto, or Arnotto; Fr. Rocou, Roucou, or Roucoue; Ger. Orleans).— A harmless colouring matter obtained from the outer pellicle of the seeds of Bixa Orellana (see Fig. 26), an evergreen tree, indigenous to Cayenne and other parts of tropical America, and now cultivated for exportation in the East and West Indies.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads.

24

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Annatto — continued.

The best Annatto should be in the form of a paste, soft and smooth to the touch, and with a peculiar odour, but not putrid or disagreeable. The colour should be deep red, brighter in the middle than on the outside. Inferior or adulterated Annatto is sold in the form of a hard, brown cake, frequently with the manufacturer’s name stamped

Fig. 26. Flowering Branchlet of Annatto Plant.

thereon, and the mystic word “patent.” The texture of these specimens is generally hard and leathery, and the smell extremely disagreeable.

Annatto is very sparingly soluble in water, but freely so in spirits, ether, oils, or fats. Plain, it gives an orange colour; the addition of an alkali darkens it, strong acids turn it blue, and most acids will cause it to fall from the solution in a dark orange-red precipitate.

ANTELOPES.— The Antelopes constitute a very large and varied class of warm-climate animals. The flesh of some is considered very delicate, and of others quite uneatable. It is usually cooked in plain hunter’s style, but may be treated like venison.

ANTHRACITE. — A species of hard, dull-looking coal, which is beginning to find favour for kitchen purposes. It is difficult to kindle, and requires a strong draught to keep it burning; then it makes up for its deficiencies by showing neither flame nor smoke, and throwing out an intense heat. In the United States it is commonly employed in kitchen stoves, and will be used more in Great Britain when it is better known. Culm is an inferior kind of Anthracite, of no use for cooking.

ANTIPERMENTS. — Chemists have long striven to discover some agent which, when added to fruit-juices, jams, syrups, and other foods, will prevent fermentation setting up, as it frequently does, and spoiling the goods. Salicylic Acid, Sulphate of Lime, Marble Dust, Ground Oyster- shells, Chalk, Sulphate of Potash, new Black Mustard Seed ground, Cloves, Capsicum, &c., are claimed as Antiferments, but are scarcely eligible for mixing with foods. Some of them are used occasionally, however, but then they become forms of adulteration.

APES.— Some species of Ape are mentioned by hungered travellers as forming a palatable diet; but this would much depend upon the kind and quality of the animal, and the taste of the individual. No special style of cooking is prescribed.

APICIUS.— The name of a celebrated Roman gastronome, who lived in the time of Augustus and Tiberius Caesars. It is said that he spent an enormous fortune in inventing and producing new dishes. Several dishes and sauces are named after him by modern cooks, who regard him in the light of the father of the art.

APOSTELKUCHEN. — A German savoury cake eaten with cheese.

APPEARANCES. — Mr. C. J. Corblet expresses himself upon this subject as follows: “ There are two important principles to be constantly borne in mind in cookery: one is to please the palate, the other to please the eye. I have called them two principles, but in reality they are one, for the reason that the palate is pleased by means of the eye. There are some good old sayings pregnant with meaning, such as ‘ It makes one hungry to look at it,’ or ‘ It makes one’s mouth water.’ I believe that, in teaching young cooks, one cannot begin too soon to impress upon them the importance of appearances. For instance, in London, at times, in cheap eating-houses, will be seen a window with perhaps fifty or a hundred cold roast fowls all heaped up together, ‘ going cheap.’ Does it make your mouth water even if you are hungry p No. Suppose, however, we were to take one of these fowls, put it on a nice bright silver dish, and ornament it with some green double parsley and a few thin slices of cut lemon, and place the dish on a cloth as white as snow. What a difference ! Again, look at a sirloin of beef that has got cold in the dish in which it was originally served hot — the gravy has settled, and the whole joint is studded with wafers of fat; the edge of the dish, too, is greasy. Suppose some stupid servant were to bring up the joint just as it is. It is perfectly wholesome, but would it look tempting? On the other hand, look at a cold sirloin on the sideboard, in a large, clean dish, with plenty of curly, white horse-radish and parsley. There are, to my mind, few dishes more tempting. Tet, bear in mind, the difference between the two is simply that of Appearance. I have known cooks exclaim, ‘ Oh, never mind what it looks like, as long as it tastes all right.’ This is, however, a great mistake. Experienced cooks will put a few drops of vinegar into the water in which they poach eggs. Why? For the simple reason that the eggs will look whiter; the colouring matter mixed in with the eggs is more soluble in boiling water slightly acid than in ordinary water, and, consequently, poached eggs treated this way will come to table presenting that snowy appearance that renders them far more appetising — not that they taste better, but that the palate is affected through the eye.”

The principle of pleasing the palate through the eye can be extended indefinitely, and it is upon the acceptation of that fact that the instructions given in this Encyclopaedia are based. — Ed.

APPETITE.— All the cooking in the world would be useless except for an Appetite, which is, as we are told by a philosopher, “the best sauce.” Appetite, like hunger, should be ready at regular intervals, and whilst proclaiming the system’s need of supplies, should continue up to, and last no longer than, the amount required shall be swallowed. Disordered or irregular Appetite indicates some systemical derangement requiring medical treatment; and the famous maxim applies here that “ a stitch in time saves nine.” The ingenuity of man has created for us numerous Appetisers, which will be further mentioned under the heading Bittees; but it is not our province to recommend “Appetite forcers” when Nature leaves a ready means open to us of promoting a healthy desire for food by exercise in the open air, regular feeding hours and not too many of them, and total abstinence between meals, combined with discretion in eating and a wise choice of foods.

Some good suggestions on this and kindred subjects will be found under other headings; but as this is not a medical encyclopaedia, we must content ourselves with observing to those who purpose concocting and enjoying some of the good things provided for them in these pages, “May good digestion wait on Appetite, and health on both ! ”

APPLE JACK. — See Apple Brandy.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads.

No. 2.

No. 5.

PAPER CASES, ORNAMENTS, ETC.,

For Entremets, Entrees, Ices, Jellies, and other Sweet or Savoury Dishes

(DRAWN FROM SAMPLES SUPPLIED BY MESSRS. HUNT, MANSELL, CATTY, AND CO.).

, P .hon for bSiOI. !

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

25

APP.LES (Fr. Pommes; Ger. Apfel or Aepfel; Ital. Mele). — The Apple has justly gained for itself the title of “ cook’s friend,” at any rate amongst fruits; for it is in season, so to speak, from one year’s end to the other, and the uses to which it is applied for the table are so numerous that it would be impossible to describe them all in one volume. Its sweet-acid flesh renders it particularly delicious in sweet foods, but when used as a sauce for meats its piquant flavour is, in the opinion of epicures, unequalled by that of any other fruit.

Apples may bo classed as (1) Dessert; (2) “ Kitchen,” or Cooking; (3) those suitable for both cooking and dessert; (4) the common Cider or Crab Apple, with which we have no present business. Dessert Apples take first place for quality, and are characterised by a firm, juicy pulp, piquant flavour, regular form, and handsome colour. The principal of these are to be found amongst the Pippins, Pearmains, Nonpareils, and Russets. “ Kitchen ” or Cooking Apples are characterised by their property of “ falling ” into a pulpy mass of equal consistency when subjected to heat, and in a degree by their large size and keeping qualities. Some Apples will “fall” in cooking when green, such as the Codlins; and others will only do so when ripe, as the Russets. Others, again, are equally good for dessert or cooking, and amongst these are some of the Pippins.

In Nicholson’s “ Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening ” we find the following enumeration of Apples. We have extracted from that work some remarks upon their appearance and quality, and the periods during which they are in season.

For Dessert. — Adams’ Pearmain, very handsome, juicy and sugary; December to March. Ashmead’s Kernel, or Cockle Pippin, very rich and sugary; November to January. Boston Russet (American), very sugary and rich; similar to Ribston Pippin; January to May. Calville Blanche, first class; October

Fig. 27. Dessert Apple, Calville Blanche.

to December; see Pig. 27. Claygate Pearmain, rich, aromatic, excellent, like Ribston Pippin; January to May. Coe’s Golden Drop, small, with a crisp and juicy flavour; November to January. Cornish Aromatic, rich, juicy, and aromatic; October to December. Cornish Gillyflower, very rich, quite aromatic; October to January. Court of Wick, very handsome, flavour like Golden Pippin; December to March. Cox’s Orange Pippin, rich aromatic flavour, very handsome, and one of the best grown; October to December. Devonshire Quarrenden, excellent quality and handsome; July to September. Duke of Devonshire, flavour crisp, juicy, rich and sugary; December to March. Golden Pippin, small, very excellent flavour; November to January. Golden Reinette, small, yellowish-red, streaked with red, flavour excellent, sweet, and rich; one of the best and most useful of Dessert Apples; October to December. Irish Peach (sometimes known as Early Crofton), yellowish-green, juicy, and excellent; July and August. Iveddlestone Pippin, small, yellow or golden, specked with russet, delicious, highly aromatic; December to March. Kerry Pippin, flesh firm, yellow and red, sugary and rich; September and October. King of the Pippins, yellow and red, juicy and rich; October to January. Lodgemore Nonpareil, rich, sugary, and aromatic; January to May. Mr. Gladstone, large and

“The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening.” Edited by George Nicholson, A.L.S. 4 vols. London; L. Upcott Gill.

Apples — continued.

handsome, scarlet cheek, striped and shaded, quality excellent; July and August. Northern Spy, large, tender, and highly aromatic; December to May. Old Nonpareil, tender and juicy; November to January. Pitmaston Pineapple, small, flavour very rich; July to September. Red Astrachan, good size, bright, flavour delicate and rich; August and September. Red Ingestrie, bright red next the sun, and yellow ground, flesh pale yellow, flavour brisk and sparkling; August and September. Red Juneating (or Margaret), very good; July and August. Red Quarrenden, bright scarlet, crisp and sweet; August. Reinette du Canada, large, greenish-yellow and brown, juicy.

Fig. 28. Dessert Apple, Reinette du Canada.

brisk, and sub-acid; November to May; see Pig. 28. Reinette Grise, flesh yellowish- white, sugary, pleasant, and sub-acid;

Fig. 29. Dessert Apple, Reinette Grise.

November to April; see Fig. 29. Ribstone Pippin, greenishyellow and red, rich and aromatic; October to December. Sam Young (Irish), small, yellowish, with russet spots, delicious, tender, and juicy; October to December. Scarlet Crofton, yellow and red, crisp, juicy, and sweet; October to December. Scarlet Nonpareil, well coloured and large, crisp and juicy; January to March. Stamford Pippin, large, brisk flavour and agreeable aroma; November to January. Sturmer Pippin, brisk and rich; February to June. Syke House Russet, small and rich; January to May. Van Mons. Reinette, small, rich, aromatic flavour; November to January. White Juneating, small, good quality, but bad keeper; J uly and August. White Nonpareil, delicious; March to June.

For Cooking'. — Alexander, large, showy, and good; September to December. Alfriston, fine, large, white flesh; November to April. Bedfordshire Foundling, large, and very useful; February to May. Bess Pool, large and good; December to May. Betty Geeson, large; February to May. Blenheim Pippin, one of the best; November to February. Cellini, perfect; October to January. Cox’s Pomona, large; October. D. T. Fish, large, roundish, of a clear straw-colour, with small specks of russet, slightly flushed with crimson on the side where the sun strikes it, sub-acid; November to January. Duchess of Oldenburgh (Russian), large, red-striped; August to October. Dumelow’s Seedling (or Wellington, or Normanton Wonder), firm and large, and acid; November to March. French Crab, large, pale green, firm, acid, and the longest keeper. Gravenstein, large, handsome, sweet and crisp; November to January. Greenup’s Pippin, large, February to May. Jolly Beggar, large, pale yellow, tender and juicy; November to January. Keswick

For details respecting Culinarii Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

26

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Apples— continued.

Codlin, large and early, and an excellent fruit; August to October. Lord Suffield, large, white, soft, and excellent for sauce or tarts; August and September. Manx’s Codlin, one of the finest and most useful; September and October. Mere de Menage, large and good; October to March. New (or Winter) Hawthornden, very large and excellent, one of the best for sauce and cooking; November to January. Nonsuch, large and juicy, unequalled for sauce and cooking; August to October. Norfolk Beefing, large and good-flavoured, an excellent keeper, most useful for baking whole and preserving; November to July. Norfolk Greening, rather acid, keeps till April and May. Small’s Admirable, large, crisp, sweet, and juicy; November to January. Tower of Glammis, yellow, large, square-shaped, crisp, and excellent; February to May. Waltham Abbey Seedling, large; November and December. Warner’s King, large, handsome, and good; November to March. Worcestershire Pearmain, large, conical, of a very brilliant colour, crisp and juicy; August to October. Yorkshire Greening, large, juicy, and tender; November to January.

For Dessert or Cooking'. — Brabant Bellefleur, large, round, pale yellow, red streaked, most useful for cooking; November to April. Court Pendu Plat, rich russet-brown, of first-rate

Fig. 30. Dessert or Cooking Apple, Court Pendu Plat.

quality; November to April; see Fig. 30. Early Harvest, juicy and pleasantly sharp; July to September. Lady Henniker, yellow, with crimson streaks near the sun, highly flavoured, and with a pleasant perfume; February to May. Winter Quoining (or Queening), very bright, almost red, flavour excellent; November to May. Wormsley Pippin, excellent quality, large, and pale green; September and October. There was at one time a very fine kind of cooking Apple sold in this country, called Costards, from which the term “costermonger,” or seller of Costards, is derived; they are not met with now, having been superseded by other varieties. Pippins have ever been favourites, especially for dessert, and Shakespeare makes Sir Hugh Evans say, in “ The Merry Wives of Windsor”;

“ I will make an end of my dinner;

There’s pippins and cheese to come.”

Cheese is sometimes eaten with Apple Pie in these days of gastronomic enlightenment.

The addition of Apples to some foods adds a wonderful zest to their appetising qualities. For instance, with pork and goose, Apple Sauce is an essential of the gourmet’s table; and in some parts of the country a farmer’s dinner would be incomplete without Apple Pie or Pudding. But there are many capital receipts in which Apples form the most prominent item, and a selection of these will be found in their place.

Cider is manufactured largely in Apple-growing comities, by grinding down the fruit to a pulp, and pressing and squeezing out the juice, which is then fermented by the addition of yeast. It is a brisk and pleasing acid drink, and although variable in alcoholic strength, is not usually found much more intoxicating than small beer.

The nutritive value of Apples is very small, probably less than that of rice; but their piquant acid flavour and ready adaptability to all sorts of culinary purposes render them of illimitable value to the cook. The best Apples for use are those which are freshly picked, but those imported from America and the colonies in tubs are generally good cookers and soimd. Dried Apples are

Apples — continued.

to be found in the market under the name of Norfolk “Beau-fines” (corrupted to “Biffins”) and Normandy - Pippins; they are dried whole under heavy weights: those supplied in chips and slices are dried by exposure to heat. In this state they can be kept in stock, and are very serviceable, seeing how readily they absorb moisture in place of that which has been driven out of them by evaporation. Tinned Apples are not so well flavoured as the dried kinds.

American Crab Apples are sometimes used by confectioners; they resemble red cherries in size and appearance, and make pretty decorations and good compotes. Apple and Almond Pudding 1 . —Peel and core a dozen or so of cooking Apples, put them into a saucepan with a little water, and cook them to a pulp. Put this at the bottom of a buttered basin or mould, and let it cool. Put 5oz. ol blanched almonds into a mortar with an equal weight of crushed loaf sugar, pound them well, and mix in the wellbeaten yolks of seven eggs, the strained juice and grated rind of a lemon, and 1 table-spoonful of flour to thicken it. When these are incorporated, add the whites of the seven eggs beaten to a stiff froth, turn the whole into the basin or mould over the Apples, put it into a moderate oven, and bake for about half-an-hour, when the pudding should be of a light brown. Take it out when done, turn it out on to a dish, and serve with sweet sauce.

Apples in Apricot Jam. — Pare and carefully core a couple of dozen small Reinette Apples, and cut them into slices about the thickness of a halfpenny-piece. Put a layer of apricot jam on a dish, cover over with a layer of Apples, and continue in this way to form a dome. Sprinkle it over freely with caster sugar, glaze it in the oven, and serve.

Apple and Apricot Meringue. — Pare and core a dozen or so Apples, cut them up into quarters, put them into a saucepan with 2oz. of sugar, and cook them until they are done and quite tender. Turn them out on to a sieve over a basin to strain off all the juice, then arrange them at the bottom of a dish, put a layer of apricot jam over them, spread over the whites of five eggs whipped to a snowy froth, dust this over with caster sugar, and put the dish in a moderate oven for a few minutes to dry the egg froth. Take it out before it colours, and serve.

Apple Bavaroise. — Peel and cut into quarters 41b. of sweet Apples, and put them into a preserving'-pan; add the juice of two lemons, 2 wineg'lassfuls of sherry, lb. of caster sugar, and loz. of isinglass dissolved in 1 gill of warm water and strained. Place the pan over a moderate fire, stirring the contents occasionally with a wooden spoon. Stew until the Apples are quite tender, and then rub the lot through a tammy sieve into a kitchen basin. Place this upon ice, and stir slowly until upon the point of setting, when 1 pint of whipped cream must be stirred in, and the whole poured into a mould. Turn out when sot, and serve. A wineglassful of maraschino or noyeau adds considerably to the richness of the flavour.

Apple and Blackberry Jam. — See Blackberries.

Apple Brandy. — A spirit made wholesale in the United States from Apples, and more familiarly known as Apple Jack. To 5 barrels of good rectified spirit add lgall. of syrup of gum arabic, lib. of oil of Apple, and Jib. of oil of pear. Let it remain for some time in the barrel, then stir well, and filter.

Apple Bread. — Put ljlb. of coarsely-broken lump sugar into a round-bottomed pan with 1£ pints of water, and boil to crack ( see Sugar-boiling). Have ready, peeled, cored, and sliced thin, about twenty-four good cooking Apples, and when the syrup is ready put these in, stirring continuously until the whole is a thick marmalade. Then take it off the fire, and pour into a well-buttered, round mould with a central hollow, and let it remain until cold. It must be well shaken — not pressed — down into the mould. When firm, turn upside down. Fill the central depression with whipped cream, and pour over the following: 2 table-spoonfuls of red-currant jelly melted over heat, with the addition of 2 wineglassfuls of rum. Other embellishments may suggest themselves to the artist.

Apple Butter. — In some parts of the world — notably America and Germany — special parties are gathered together to mako

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

27

Apples — continued.

Apple Butter. The first part of the business is to pare, quarter, and core as many cooking Apples as may bo deemed necessary. Whilst this is going on, let a quantity of new clear cider be boiled down to about half in a large pan or galvanised copper; put in the Apples to fill the boiler, and let the lot be continually stirred by relays of friends. By boiling some considerable time, the mass becomes as thick as hasty pudding. At this stage throw in a quantity of finely-powdered allspice, and after that is well stirred about, the Butter is ready for putting into pots for preservation, and will keep for years if well secured by covering. Eaten as a preserve.

Apple Cake. — (1) This is a very delicious dish when well made. Bub jib. of fresh butter into jib. of best flour mixed with jib. of caster sugar, the grated rind of one lemon, and make into a paste with water. Divide into halves, and roll out one half into a round about lOin. in diameter, and cover this flat, lin. from the edge, with slices of peeled cooking Apples; strew over a few well-washed currants, sugar to sweeten, and a little ground cinnamon. With the other half of the paste make a trellis-work and ornamental border, and wash over with an egg. Bake in a cake-hoop.

(2) The Germans make a very nice Apple Cake thus: Peel, core, and mince a few good cooking Apples, and put them into a stewpan with jib. of warm butter; when very hot, remove them, and allow them to cool. Put jib. of flour into a large basin, and mix to a thick cream with cold milk; beat in four or five whole eggs; whip well, and pass through a sieve, adding afterwards 3 piled table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar, a little orange flavouring, and j teaspoonful of salt. Mix this and the Apples together, pour into a well-buttered, large, flat baking-tin, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty minutes. When set and dry, sprinkle over powdered sugar to glaze it, and put it back into the oven till done. Bemove, cut into long squares, and serve on a folded napkin.

(3) Take sufficient dough or good tart paste, roll out to about jin., and lay on a greased, flat baking-sheet, turning up the edges a little. Peel, core and cut into eighths sufficient cooking Apples, and arrange these in rows like horses (a cheval) by pressing the thin edge slightly into the paste. Sprinkle over thickly with caster sugar, flavoured with finely-powdered cinnamon or orange flavouring, set in a quick oven, and bake until done; then remove, and cut into squares for the table; sprinkle over more sugar before serving. These are delicious eaten hot as a tea-cake, or with lemon sauce as a pudding, or cold. When baker’s dough is used, it will require thoroughly kneading, and setting to rise; butter and sugar must be worked in during the kneading. To lib. of dough about 4oz. of butter and 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar will bo sufficient for the paste.

(4) Pare and slice ljlb. of cooking Apples, and put them in a stewpan with 1 breakfast-cupful of raw sugar, 1 teacupful of water, and the rind and juice of one lemon. When the Apples have stewed till quite tender, rub all through a fine hair sieve; mix with them loz. of gelatine that has previously been dissolved in a little water. Take 1 teacupful of the above preparation, colour it with a few drops of cochineal, pour it into a well-oiled mould, and leave it till set; then pour in the rest. Great care must be taken that the cake is quite firm before it is turned out of the mould. When served, a custard or some whipped cream eaten with it is a great addition.

Apple Charlotte. — This is one of those dainty and tasty dishes which so well repay any amount of trouble taken in preparing them. Every cook has a special receipt, these differing more in the shapes and ornamentation than in the materials or mode of preparation. To begin with, take a large loaf of stale bread, and after removing all the crusts, with a very sharp knife cut up the crumb into slices about j in. thick, and these slices again into shapes, such as hearts, long triangles, thin squares, rounds, and slips, or fingers, as they are called; the shape to be cut out depending upon the style of ornamental arrangement desired. Cut out a round ljin. in diameter, and lay in the centre of the bottom of a round tin mould then shape out several hearts, large enough for the points to rest on the round disc, whilst their rounded ends touch the sides of the mould. Next cut some of the slices of bread into long rectangular strips, and set them round the side of the mould, standing upright, resting on the round ends of the hearts, and overlapping each other. Dip each piece of bread in warmed

Apples — continued.

butter before setting in the mould. Have ready some thick Apple Marmalade prepared thus: Peel and core about eighteen Apples, and cut them in slices. Put them into a stewpan with fib. caster sugar, the peel (cut thin) of half a lemon, and a bit of cinnamon, tied together. Moisten with rather less than j pint of water. Put these ingredients upon the stove to boil, and then let them simmer until the Apples fall. Bemove from the stove, take out the lemon-peel and cinnamon, and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until the marmalade is of a stiff consistency. Pour this into the bread-lined mould, and cover the top with a slice of bread dipped in the warmed butter, and cut to fit the mould. Put the charlotte into a brisk oven, and bake until the bread is a golden-brown. Turn out on to a dish and sprinkle caster sugar over it, and then glaze it with a very hot salamander, and pour apricot marmalade or apricot puree round the dish; or, instead of the glazed sugar, cover the charlotte over with apricot marmalade. The bread may be cut into any other fanciful shapes, such as may suggest themselves to the artistic cook.

Apple Chartreuse. — This dish owes its origin to the inventive genius of Ude, and has been somewhat simplified by Soyer. In any case it is a troublesome sweetmeat to prepare, but fully repays the artist for the pains taken. Cut off the tops and bottoms of twenty small Busset Apples, and then with a long, round vegetable-cutter (like a tube or cheese-taster) bore out as many pieces as you can of about lin. in length. The cutter should be not much thicker than a quill. Have ready in a stewpan on the fire a strong syrup made from jib. of sugar dissolved in j pint of water, with the juice of a lemon added. When the syrup is ready, throw in half the pieces of Apple, and stow them until tender, but not to break; take them out, and lay them out upon a hair sieve. Put the other half of the Apples into the syrup, and stew them until nearly done; then add a little essence of cochineal, and stew a minute or so longer. Take them out, and lay them on the sieve till cold. Oil lightly a plain round mould, cut some pieces of crystallised angelica, and form a star with them at the bottom of the mould, and a fancy border round the edge. Now take the white pieces of Apple, and stand them slantingly in a row all round the mould, one leaning upon the other. Above this place a row of the red pieces in the same manner, and so on alternately until the rows reach the top. Before you commence to dress the mould in this way, you should make a marmalade of about a dozen-and-a-half Apples diced — the fragments of the pierced slices may be added to the others, in which case less than eighteen will be required. Put them into a preserving-pan with jib. of sugar, the juice of a lemon, a small piece of butter, a little powdered cinnamon, and a small liqueur glass of rum; keep them over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally until they form a thick marmalade. Put them into a basin to cool. You can then fill up the Chartreuse, prepared as before described; and when ready to serve, turn out on a glass or silver dish. Garnish with little bits of red-currant jelly or preserved cherries, and pour a little white syrup, reserved from the first boiling of the Apples, over all.

Apple Cheese. — Pare and core a quantity of Apples, put some into a saucepan with sufficient cider to cover them, and boil until they are quite tender. The cider should be previously boiled and reduced one-third — that is, 3qts. boiled down to 2qts. Take out the Apples carefully, straining off all the liquor from them; then put in another lot of Apples to the cider, and continue in this way until the 2qts. are absorbed. Put the Apples into an earthenware vessel, and let them remain for ten or twelve hours; then put them into a preserving-pan and boil them until they are of the consistence of porridge and of a rich golden colour. "When done, turn it back into the earthenware jar until wanted for use.

Apple Cheesecakes. — Put a dozen large pared and cored Apples into a saucepan with a little water, and boil to a pulp. Beat with a spoon, and add the juice and grated rind of two lemons, the yolks of six eggs, sufficient sugar to taste, and lastly, jib. of butter warmed and beaten to a cream. Have ready some small patty- or tartlet-pans, lined with rich puff paste; put the mixture in them, and bake for from fifteen to twenty minutes. Turn them out on to a dish, and serve.

For details respectin' Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Apples — continued.

Apple Cheese and Cream. — Put lib. of sugar in a saucepan with a little water and boil it, skimming frequently; add lib. of Apples, pared, cored, and cut up into quarters, and the juice and finely-chopped peel of a lemon. Boil this mixture over a clear fire until it is of the consistence of a thick jam. Pour it into a mould, and turn it out when set and firm. In the meantime, put a pint of cream or milk into a saucepan and stir in the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, the thin peel of a lemon, a stick of cinnamon, and a table-spoonful of orange-flower water. Set the pan on the fire, boil for a few minutes, stirring frequently, and then let it get quite cold. Turn the Apple Cheese out on to a dish, pour the cream round, and serve.

Apples a la Cherbourg.— Choose firm but good cooking Apples. Pare them, and cut them into bricks. Put lib. of sugar, the thickly-peeled rind of two lemons, and a little ginger, to every pound of Apples, and cover them closely for some hours. Then place them in a preserving-pan, being careful not to break the Apples, and put to them a breakfastcupful of cider; let them boil until the Apples look quite clear (for about twenty-five minutes). Bemove them one by one to a dish. When cold, place them in cross piles, and crown the whole with lemon-peel. Pour the syrup round, and eat them with Devonshire cream.

Apple (flavoured) Chocolate.— See Chocolate.

Apple Chutney. — Pare and core half-a-dozen Apples, and mince them very fine with half the quantity of onions and 6oz. of sultana rasins. Put the mince into a mortar, and add J table-spoonful each of salt, essence of anchovy, and Indian soy, 1 table-spoonful of olive oil, 2 table-spoonfuls of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoonful of ground ginger, and half the quantity of cayenne; pound the whole veiy fine, adding gradually a dessert-spoonful of vinegar. Put the Chutney into jars or bottles, cork them down securely, and keep them in a cool place until wanted.

Apple and Cornflour Pudding. — Pare, core, and cut into quarters sufficient sweet cooking Apples to fill a quart measure. Put Jgall. of milk into a double-boiler, and set it on the fire; when the milk boils, pour it gradually over a breakfast-cupful of cornflour, in a basin, and stir it until quite smooth. Beturn the mixture to the double-boiler and cook for half-an-hour longer, stirring it frequently. Add 1 breakfast-cupful of molasses, 3 table-spoonfuls of butter, 1 dessert- spoonful of salt, and the quart of Apples. Turn the mixture into a well-buttered dish, put it in a slack oven, and bake for three hours. Take it out, and serve.

Apple Cream. — Pare, core, and finely mince half-a-dozen good cooking Apples, put them into a stewpan, with a piece of butter the size of a small egg, 1 teacupful of powdered white sugar, 1 wineglassful of water, and a beaten egg. Add 10 drops of lemon or orange essence to flavour. Stir smartly over a quick fire for about ten minutes. This makes a nice relish for tea, or a good sauce for a batter pudding.

Apple Cream Cake. — Put loz. of butter into a basin, warm it, and rub it into 12oz. of flour. Put 1 breakfast-cupful of sour cream into a basin, and mix in 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 1 teaspoonful of hot water, stirring well until there is a good froth. Should the cream be very sour and refuse to froth easily, add a little more soda, made in the same way as before, as the success of the cake depends entirely on the froth. Turn it into the basin containing the flour, and work the whole into a soft light paste. In the meantime have ready some cold stewed and well-sweetened Apples, grate a little lemon-peel over them, put them on a strainer, and let as much of the juice as possible drain from them. Put a thin layer of this light paste over a well-buttered plate or flat dish, spread the Apple stew over, leaving a margin round the edge, cover over with a layer about an inch thick, fastening the edges well together, put into a sharp oven, and bake until done. Take it out, and serve either hot or cold.

Apple Croquettes. — An Apple Marmalade is prepared as for Apple Bread, and fonned by the hands into the shape of pears. Have three well-whisked eggs in a basin; dip each croquette into this, and throw them afterwards into a dish of very fine breadcrumbs. Smooth them over with a knife, and dip a second time in the egg. Pry in a saute-pan of very best

Apples — continued.

lard until the bread colours a golden-brown. Bemove, place on a sieve to drain, and then pile pyramid fashion on a neatly-folded napkin, and dust freely with sifted sugar which has been flavoured with orange.

Apple and. Crumb Pudding. — Cover the bottom of a wellbuttered deep pie-dish with sifted breadcrumbs; over that put a layer of Apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices; then sprinkle these over with powdered cinnamon and sufficient sugar to sweeten; continue in this way until the dish is full. Put it in a slow oven, and bake for about half-an-hour. Turn it out on to a dish, pour round a little cream, and servo.

Apples with Currants. — Pare half-a-dozen or so large Beinette Apples, and cut out the cores with a tin cutter, taking out a little more of the Apples than for merely coring them. Put the required quantity of well-washed currants into a basin of warm water to soften, take them out, drain and wipe them dry, and stuff the Apples with them. Sprinkle over a little caster sugar, put them on a dish, place a small lump of butter on each one, pour a few table- spoonfuls of white wine into the dish, put them in a slow oven, and bake for about twenty-five minutes. Take out the dish when the Apples are well cooked, and serve.

Apple and Currant Soup. — Pare a dozen or so Apples, put them into a saucepan with a few slices of bread cut from a household loaf, and add a flavouring of lemon-peel. Pour over sufficient water to cover them, place the saucepan on the fire, and stew until the Apples are quite soft and pulpy. Strain the liquor into another saucepan, and add about Jib. of well-washed currants, 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, and a sufficient quantity of sugar to sweeten. A teaspoonful of aniseed may be added if desired, and two or three cloves stewed with the Apples are an improvement to the taste. Put the saucepan on the fire, boil a few minutes longer, pour the soup into a tureen, and serve very hot.

Apple Custard. — Take 1J pints of Apple Marmalade or Stewed Apples, and warm up with Jib. of finely -powdered sugar; let this stand in a basin until cold. Beat up half-a-dozen eggs very light, and then stir and beat them well into lqt. of new milk: a little cream enriches the custard. Mix this up with the Apples, pour into a deep dish, and bake for twenty minutes.

Apple Custard Pie. — Peel, core, and chop up sufficient Apples to make a pie, and stew them in not more water than just enough to keep them from burning. When done, mash well, and add to each quart of fruit the following: Pour eggs (well beaten), 1 pint of sweet milk, 4oz. of butter (melted), a grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice, and Jib. of powdered sugar. When the Apples are cool, stir all up together, and bake in a rich pastry crust.

Apple Custard Pudding. — (1) Stew half-a-dozen good largo cooking Apples (pared, cored, and minced) in a little water; when done, rub through a coarse sieve, and sweeten. Make a good custard of 3 pints of milk, six eggs, and 4 table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar and lemon flavouring. Pour the Apples into a pudding-dish, and the custard mixture on top of the Apples, and put into a slow oven to bake until done — about half-an-hour.

(2) Sometimes a rich short-paste is used; a dish or mould is then lined with it. The paste should be put into the oven to set before adding the Apple and custard. Over the top of the custard apricot marmalade may be spread to give the whole an exceeding richness.

Apple Custard with. Vanilla. — This is a very exquisite but extravagant sweetmeat. Strongly flavour with vanilla Jib. of Apple Marmalade, and squeeze through a tammy cloth. Work up 3oz. of warmed butter with a spoon in a basin until creamed, gradually introducing into it the yolks of twelve eggs and the whito of one. When this is worked frothy, add 4 table-spoonfuls of finely-powdered loaf sugar, and the Apple Marmalade. Stir well, and throw in a couple of handfuls of ratafia biscuits. Pour the whole into a buttered mould, and let it poach for some time in the bain-marie. Turn out on to a warm dish, and mask with almond-cream, thickened with apricot marmalade.

Apple Dessert. — Pare, core, and mince 21b. of green Apples, and drop them into I pint of strong boiling syrup. Add the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, kc:, referred to see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

29

Apples — continued.

juice of a large lemon and 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon. Boil till it is all a mass, and then turn out into a wet mould to stand until cold. Serve with hoiled custard or flavoured cream.

Apple Devil.— Pare and core two or three dozen cooking Apples, cut them into rings or slices, and put at once into a saucepan with a little cold water, adding their equal weight in crushed loaf sugar, the strained juice and thin rind of a couple of lemons, 1 teaspoonful of cayenne, and 2oz. of ground ginger. Put the saucepan over a moderate fire, and boil until the Apples are done and quite clear. Put the Apples into jars, and they will keep good for years. When wanted for use, arrange them on a dish, heap over them white of egg beaten to a stiff froth, with a little crushed and sifted loaf sugar, and brown in the oven for a few minutes. Serve hot or cold, as desired.

Apple Drink. — Invalids are generally fond of this. Throw 2 table-spoonfuls of clean rice into 2qts. of boiling water, and add quickly half-a-dozen Apples, jieeled, cored, and sliced very thin. Boil for an hour, then pass the liquor through a colander, pressing the rice and Apples with a spoon, but not squeezing them through. When cold it may bo drunk with impunity in almost any stage of illness, and in some cases it may be iced. Some persons prefer it sweetened with powdered loaf sugar, but it does not then quench thirst so readily.

Apple Dumplings.- — These favourite British dainties are almost unknown, or unnoticed, by foreign cooks, and, according to history, created great astonishment in the mind of George III., who exclaimed when he saw them: “ Oh ! Goody, Goody, how did the apples get in f ” Prom this circumstance they are sometimes called “Apples en surprise.” They are either baked or boiled, the pastry in each case being made to suit the cooking.

Baked Dumplings are made with a good short or tart crust. First pare the Apples whole, and then cut out the core by means of a sharp, thin knife, or a corer. Fill up the cavity with sugar, butter, and a little cinnamon, or a clove. Cut some rounds of paste rather larger than the Apples, and cover the fruits, leaving no cracks. A better plan, perhaps, is to roll out the paste to the required thickness (jin.), and put an Apple under it, closing, and pinching' off the pastry underneath. The dumplings should be baked in a pan; the juice is certain to ooze out of some of them, and should not be wasted, for by adding a little sugar, butter, and nutmeg, it forms a capital sauce to serve with or over the dumplings. Before the dumplings are quite done - — they take about an hour in a quick oven — the tops may be damped and a little sugar sprinkled over to give a glaze.

In America these dumplings are baked in a deep bakingdish nearly full of a rich sauce, made of 1 pint of water, Jib. of sugar, a piece of butter the size of a fowl’s egg, and 1 teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon. With this syrup the dumplings should be well covered, and a little poured over before serving.

Boiled Dumplings are best made with a good puff paste, and are universally made and served in America thus:

(1) Pare some large Apples, cut them into quarters, and take out the cores very neatly. Take a piece of crust and roll it large enough for an Apple. Boll the crust round each, and make them round like a ball. Have a pot of water boiling: take a clean cloth, dip it in the water, and shake flour over it. Tie each dumpling by itself, and plunge them into the water, which is still boiling. If your crust is light and good, and the Apples not too large, half-an-hour will be long enough to boil them; but if the Apples are large, they will require nearly an hour. Serve with fresh butter and sugar; or the butter and sugar may be melted together to make a sauce. A little essence of lemon or orange improves the flavour of the sauce.

In Scotland the paste is sometimes baker’s dough, and the dumplings are boiled in a fine net. They look very pretty when served.

(2) Another American Apple Dumpling is made thus: Take 3 pints of flour, 1J pints of milk, 1 large table-spoonful of butter, one egg, and as many Apples (chopped fine) as the batter will take. Work into a pudding, and divide into dumplings of the required size. Boil for two hours in a well-floured cloth. The water should be boiling when the dumplings

Apples — continued.

are dropped in, and should be kept boiling all the while until they are done, or else they will be heavy. These should be eaten with sugar, butter, and lemon.

Apple Flawn.— (1) This is made with short paste, prepared as follows: Mix well together fib. of butter to each pound of flour, the yolks of three eggs, 4 table-spoonfuls of finelypowdered sugar, a tiny pinch of salt, and a little water. After it has stood for a time in a cool place, covered with a cloth, it will be ready to use. Line a flawn-circle, cut the paste at the level of the top, mask the bottom of the flawn with a layer of orange marmalade, then fill the hollow with good Apple Marmalade, flavoured and well sweetened. Over this put a lattice of strips of paste, crossing one another from side to side (see Fig. 31); “solder” these to the edge of the paste by moistening the ends and pressing gently down, and cover the joins by a ring of paste, ornamented by nipping into points with a pair of well-floured scissors or a knife. Egg the surface of the paste, and push into a slack oven, baking for about thirty-five minutes. Before the flawn is quite done, take it from the oven and sprinkle freely with powdered sugar, returning it to complete, and glaze. Let it cool before removing the mould.

(2) A simpler method of making Apple Flawns is to cut up some Apples into quarters, peel, core, and mince them, put them into a basin, sprinkle some sugar over them, and let them macerate together for half-an-hour or so, tossing them occasionally. Place a flawn-circle on a baking-sheet, and line it with tartlet paste. Sprinkle over the Apples some powdered sugar, well flavoured with orange essence, and after the sugar throw over the lot 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of well-cleansed currants. Spread this mixture in the flawn-case, and heap it up to a dome above the rim, or it will sink below in cooking. It is usual to cover the Apples with a flat of the same pastry, to prevent them from burning in baking. A moderate oven is sufficient, and forty minutes’ baking should be enough. When done, take the flawn out of the oven, and remove the upper paste; and when it is cooled down a little, mask the contents with good icing-sugar. Bernove the circle before serving.

Apple Float. — Bub lqt. of stewed Apples through a coarse sieve, or mash them thoroughly. Sweeten with G tablespoonfuls of sugar, and flavour with nutmeg; add this, a spoonful at a time, to the well-beaten whites of four eggs. Put 1 pint of cream, seasoned with sugar and nutmeg, at the bottom of your dish, and put the Apples on top. Put in the oven for twenty minutes, and serve either hot or cold.

Apple Fool. — Peel and core as many Apples as may be required, and add Jib. of sugar to every 2qts. of fruit. Stew in sufficient water to cover, and when quite tender pass through a coarse sieve. If not sweetened to taste, add more sugar, and lqt. of new milk warmed, 1 teacupful of cream, and a well-beaten egg. Let this milk and egg thicken in the stewpan, and when cold add the fruit and stir all together. This may be served cold or hot.

Apple Fritters. — (1) Peel and core the Apples, and cut in slices about -jin. thick. Dip in the batter, and fry for six minutes in boiling fat. Serve on a hot dish. The Apples may be sprinkled with sugar and a little nutmeg, and allowed to stand for an hour before being fried. In that case, sprinkle them with sugar when you serve them.

(2) Peel the Apples; slice them across into rounds, after removing the cores. Dip them in batter, and fry to a light brown and until tender. Pile them regularly in the dish, and dust with sugar before serving. Oil is the best to fry them in; but whatever fat is used, it is of no use attempting fritters unless you have plenty of it. Some steep the sliced Apples for a time in brandy or rum before dipping them into the batter, which is an excellent plan.

(3) Take lib. of flour, J pint of milk or water, Jib. of butter (melted), and mix well together; smooth this with a little table beer. Whisk the whites of three eggs stiff, and stir in gently. Have six Apples peeled, and the cores taken out; cut in slices Jin. thick, dip in the batter, and fry in hot lard for about six

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Apples — co ntinued.

minutes, the fat not too hot at first: they should be crisp and of a nice golden colour. Serve piled on a napkin, with caster sugar sifted over each.

A la Due d’Orleans. — Pare and core a dozen or so Apples, cut them in halves, put in a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and cook until quite tender. Take them out and drain on a strainer until quite cold. Eoll out some brioche paste, cut or divide it into as many rounds as there are Apples, put an Apple on each, fold the paste over, securely fastening the edges, and plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling lard. Take them out when done, drain on a cloth, put on a napkin on a dish, and serve.

Apple Ginger. — Take 41b. each of Apples and sugar. Make a syrup of the sugar, adding 1 pint of water. Chop the Apples very fine, with loz. of green ginger; or if you cannot get the green ginger, use the dried. Put this mince into the syrup with the grated rind of four lemons, and boil slowly for two hours — that is, until it looks clear.

Apple Hedgehog.— Put Jib. of sugar into a saucepan with a breakfast-cupful of water, and convert it into syrup; add a dozen-and-a-half of large Apples, pared and cored, set the pan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently until they are quite tender. Take them out, drain off all the syrup, fill the cavity of the core with strawberry or apricot jam, and arrange on a dish in the form of a hedgehog. Pare and core about 51b. of sweet cooking Apples, put them in a saucepan with a little water, and boil to a pulp; pour this over the Apples on the dish, covering them with it, and carefully filling up all the holes. Put 3oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar into a bowl with the whites of three eggs, and whip them to a stiff froth; spread this over the Apples, dusting the whole over with caster sugar. Cut Jib . of blanched sweet almonds into tiny narrow strips, stick them over the hedgehog to represent the bristles, and set the dish in a slack oven for a few minutes to slightly colour the almonds and heat the Apples. Take it out, and serve.

Apple Ice. — Cut fifteen good cooking Apples into quarters, peel them, put them into a stewpan, with J pint of water, half a stick of vanilla, and 2 table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Boil this on a quick fire, keeping the stewpan covered; then pass it through a fine sieve. Dilute this puree with 2 wineglassfuls of syrup at 30deg. (see Syrups), and add the juices of three oranges and three lemons, with 10 drops of essence of lemon. Put into a freezer to solidify.

Apple Jam. — (1) Pare and core some good Apples, cut them into small pieces, and place them in a preserving-pan, with sufficient water to cover them. Boil them until they are reduced to a pulp, then pass through a hair sieve. To lib. of pulp add 12oz. of preserving- sugar, boil and skim till no more scum rises, then put into pots. When cold, cover with paper soaked in brandy and cut to fit the inside of the pots. Tie over with paper in the usual way.

(2) Pare and core the Apples, and cut them up small. Allow lib. of preserving-sugar to lib. of fruit. Put the fruit and a quarter of the sugar into a preserving-pan, adding sufficient water to cover the fruit. When boiling, add another quarter of the sugar; boil again, add more sugar, and when all is used let the jam boil till it hardens on the spoon. Cooking in only a little sugar at a time prevents the fruit from getting hard. A little mixed spice added is an improvement.

Apple Jelly. — (1) Pare and core some good Apples, and slice them into a preserving-pan, with enough water to cover them. Put the pan on the fire, and boil the Apples until they are reduced to a mash. Pour the mixture into a flannel bag, so that the liquid can drain off. For each pound of filtered Apple- juice take 12oz. of sugar, boil it, and remove any scum that may rise. When sufficiently boiled, the syrup should cling to the wooden spoon; or a little dropped on a cold plate sets soon. Put in pots and tie down as for jam.

(2) Take 61b. of sound Apples, peel, core, and slice them thin, and put them in a preserving-pan to boil, with 2qts. of water. When the Apples are reduced to a pulp, drain them on a hair sieve and press out the juice into a basin. Weigh the juice, and to every pound of it add lOoz. of loaf sugar. (The Apple which remains on the sieve may be used for marmalade.) Put the jelly and sugar into the pan again, set over the stove, and when all the sugar is melted, pass the jelly through a

Apples — continued.

tammy, and boil it up again, keeping it on the simmer, until it will set on a cold plate. Then put into jars to preserve.

Apple Johnny Cake. — This is an American cake held in great esteem. It is made with 1 pint of flour, mixed with 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar, J teaspoonful of salt, J teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and milk enough to make quite soft. Three Apples, pared, cored, and sliced up small, are worked in, and the mass is put into a shallow cake-pan, and baked for about half-an-hour. Powdered sugar, sifted over the top before removing from the oven, is a pleasing embellishment.

Apple Manger. — Stew 31b. of Pippins, or other good cooking Apples, with 1J pints of water and 31b. of sugar; just before they are done, add a few drops of lemon- juice. Mash well. If put in moulds or jam jars before cooling, it will keep, if necessary, for a long time. Turned out and sliced, it is delicious at tea. Quinces treated in this way are very nice, and may be mixed with Apples if desired.

Apple Marmalade. — A variety of receipts are given for making Apple Marmalade, used in preparing dishes of different kinds.

(1) Take a dozen good cooking Apples, and cut them into quarters. Core and peel them, and put them in a stewpan, with 2 table-spoonfuls of water and 6oz. of powdered sugar. Put them over a slow stove until they fall to a pulp; then reduce by simmering until the marmalade clings to the spoon. Cool, and dish up in a compote-dish, or put in jars to keep. If required for immediate use, sprinkle some caster sugar over the top, and glaze by passing a red-hot salamander over it to melt the sugar.

(2) Some confectioners stew the Apples with water, and then pass the pulp through a sieve, making a puree. This they pour into a stewpan, with two-thirds of its volume of fine sugar and a little lemon-peel cut thin, putting it back on the fire again to reduce it, stirring slowly with a spoon. When it will set jellylike on a cold plate, the lemon-peel should be removed, and the whole poured on to a glass dish for immediate use. Smooth the top with the blade of a knife, sprinkle some caster sugar over, and glaze it with the aid of an iron skewer made red-hot in the fire. With this skewer the surface can be ornamented by forming a little rosette. Surround the dish with soft biscuits, cut into triangular shape.

Apple Meringo or Meringue. — There are several methods of preparing this pretty dish, some of which are, to all appearance, exceedingly elaborate, but, like a Chinese puzzle, simple enough when understood.

(1) Core and pare seven large Apples, and bake on a shallow plate till soft, but not broken. Beat the yolks of three eggs with 3 table-spoonfuls of finely -powdered sugar, a little salt, and 1 pint of scalded milk. Pour this over the baked Apples, which may be piled in a pyramid. Bake these till the custard is firm, and then take it out of the oven and allow it to cool. Make a meringue of the whites of the three eggs by beating them till foamy, gradually adding 3 table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar and a little lemon flavouring, and beat till quite stiff. Place this over the Apples with a spoon, and then set in the oven to brown.

(2) Pare and core the Apples as in the former case, and fill the cavity with sugar and mixed spice, or with sugar, butter, and grated lemon-peel. Bake, and cover with meringue prepared as in No. 1. Make the yolks into a boiled custard for a sauce; or the dish may be served with cream. Brown the meringue by holding a hot stove-cover or salamander over it, and serve hot or cold.

(3) Stew the Apples until well done and smooth. Sweeten to taste, and add the rind of a grated lemon. Beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth; add to them 1 teacupful of powdered sugar, a little rose-water, the juice of a lemon, or any flavouring preferred. Put the fruit into a flat dish, and put the egg mixture on with a spoon. Set in the oven for a few minutes to brown. Add a little butter to the Apples while hot.

(4) Pare and cut up two Apples, put them into a saucepan, with a teaspoonful of butter and a table-spoonful of sugar, and let them boil to a marmalade, which spread on a small, flat dish. While this is cooling, beat the whites of three eggs to a firm froth with 4 table-spoonfuls of pounded sugar. When quite stiff, with two dessert-spoons shape this froth into egg-shaped lumps, which you must jdace side by side over

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Apples — continued.

the marmalade until you have covered it and completely hidden the Apples. Strew pounded sugar lightly over all, and put into a quick oven for a few minutes, till crisp and bright yellow. Serve instantly, as it is worthless cold. If you have a lemon at hand, it will improve the flavour of the Apples to put a little both of the rind and of the juice into the marmalade.

(5) Put a dozen large pared and cored Apples into a saucepan with sufficient sugar to sweeten, and cook them slowly for from four to five hours. Beat to a pulp, and put a layer of this at the bottom of a souffle dish; over that put a layer of stewed preserved Apple sours, covering over again with the remainder of the Apple pulp. Put the dish in a moderate oven, and hake for an hour. Take it out, cover the Apple over with sugar icing, return it to the oven to brown for a few minutes, and serve very hot.

(6) This is not an elaborate dish, as described by Jules Gouffe. Take eighteen Apples, cut them in quarters, peel them, take out the cores, and cut them iu slices iu. thick. Put into a saute-pan 6oz. of butter, the sliced Apples, and 4oz. of powdered sugar, and stir over a brisk fire for about fifteen minutes. Add 2 table-spoonfuls of apricot jam. Put the Apples on a round dish, raising them towards the centre. Whip the whites of three eggs, and when very firm mix gently with 4oz. of powdered sugar. Cover the Apples thickly with this mixture; sprinkle some sugar over, and put into a slow oven for ten minutes; when the top assumes a nice yellow colour, the dish may be served.

(7) Urbain-Dubois gives a very pretty arrangement for an Apple Meringue in his book of “Artistic Cookery.” It is almost too intricate for general use, and requires great care and neatness in building. He tells us to get eight or ten small Kennet Apples; peel, core, and boil them in a light syrup, or in water, keeping them very white. When soft, hut not falling, let them cool, and mask them with their own syrup reduced to a jelly. Into the hollow of each of the Apples put a few preserved cherries. Again, cut eight or ten Apples into quarters, peel them, remove the pips, blanch them slightly, and place them in a flat stewpan, with 2oz. of butter and a piece of vanilla. Sprinkle sugar over, let them cook, turning them, and being careful to keep the pieces whole. When cooked, moisten them with 4 table-spoonfuls of apricot marmalade, take them off the fire, and let them cool in the

stewpan. Three-quarters-of-an-hour before serving, lay a few pieces of toast at the bottom of a dish so as to form a circular platform, mask this with a layer of Apple Marmalade, and upon this arrange in a pyramid the cooked quarters. Then mask this pyramid with longish beads of meringue squeezed through a silk bag ( poche ). The decoration is in imitation of a pineapple Begin the beading by making small ones all round the top, enlarging as the circles get larger. Stick long shreds of blanched almonds into these beads. When this part of the performance is completed, sprinkle powdered sugar over all, and put the dish into a moderate oven till it takes a tinge of colour. When it is baked, stick slips of angelica, cut to imitate pineapple leaves, into the top, and surround the base of the pyramid with the Apples containing the cherries (see Fig. 32).

Apples — continued.

Apple Molasses. — This is very useful for dressing other dishes, because of its piquant flavour. It is made by boiling a large number of Apples in a boiler, with just enough water to steam them — say to about one-fourth of the depth of the boiler filled with fruit. When soft, turn them into a basket with a little clean straw at the bottom, place a board, such as a copper-lid, on them, and pile weights upon that. The juice may be caught in a tub or earthenware crock. Remove the juice to a large galvanised saucepan, and reduce by simmering to the consistency of treacle. This will keep well in tightly-covered jars or bottles.

Apple Open-Tart. — Put lqt. of Apples, pared, cored, and cut into slices, into a saucepan with 1 teacupful of moist sugar - pour over 1 gill of water, and add the grated peel of a lemon and half a nutmeg, also grated. Cook gently until the Apples are quite tender, then put the mixture into a basin and let it cool. Put it to about -Jin. in depth into a shallow pie-dish lined with rich puff paste. Have ready some more of the paste, rolled and cut into strips, brushed over with yolk of egg, mixed with a little milk and sugar. Arrange these strips over the top of the Apple mixture from side to side of the edge of the crust, trim the tart, and bake in a moderate oven until done, which is ascertained by the crust easily separating from the dish. Turn it out carefully on to a dish, and serve.

Apple Pancakes.— The same batter as that used for ordinary pancakes is used in this case; and it may be observed that it is always better to mix batter with yeast in it some three or four hours before it is required for cooking, in order to give it time to rise, and insure the pancakes being light. Break four eggs into a large bowl, and beat up well, adding 1 table-spoonful of yeast, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 wineglassful of brandy, and a little powdered cinnamon or grated nutmeg. In a smaller basin mix as much flour and milk as may bring the whole to the consistency of a batter, and when it is worked smooth, stir it into the large bowl with the other ingredients. Cover with a cloth, and set in a warm place to work. Prepare a few Apples by coring, peeling, and mincing small. With each quantity taken for a pancake — say 1 teacupful (according to the size of pan used) — stir in a piled teaspoonful of the minced Apple. If too much Apple is added, the pancakes are liable to break, unless made extra thick. These — indeed, all pancakes — should be sent to table “ hot and hot,” accompanied by pounded sugar and oranges or lemons, cut into halves, for squeezing over.

Apple Paste. — This preparation requires some knowledge of confectionery; but as that is now so easily obtained, no further difficulty will be found in manufacturing this elegant sweetmeat, for which we are indebted to the famous Wm. Gunter. Procure some good Apples, core and peel them, and boil in a little water in a covered pan until they are soft; when done, take them out, mash them, and pass through a sieve. Next weigh the mashed Apples, and put them into a pan. Take the same weight of sugar, clarify it, and when it has boiled to the feather (see Sugar-boiling), remove it from the fire, and stir in the mashed Apples. Set the mixture on a slow fire, stir well, and when it just simmers, or boils very gently, remove it, and pour it out thin on small plates, or into shallow moulds or rings of various shapes; the latter should be arranged on a clean tin, or the paste may be spx-ead on sheets of tin, placed level, with a thin knife. Dry them in a drying-stove or oven at a very low temperature until the paste is sufficiently hard to be manipulated. The strips may then be tied in knots, and crystallised if desired.

If it is desired to colour this paste for any purpose, the colour must be put into the pulp after the cooking is finished, and then the paste must be warmed up for one moment before taking off the fire, as colours do not stand when exposed for any length of time to boiling-heat.

Apple Pickle. — To make this, all that is necessary is to put the ingredients into an earthenware covered jar, and set in a hot oven until the Apples become clear. As it will keep in wide-mouthed stoppered bottles, we give the proportions for a considerable quantity; half, or a quarter, or less, may be made: 61b. of good cooking Apples (cored, pared, and minced), 41b. of powdered loaf sugar, lqt. of vinegar, 2 teaspoonfuls of mace, 2 table-spoonfuls of bruised cinnamon, two dozen cloves, 4 teaspoonfuls of allspice, 2 table-spoonfuls of bruised ginger, and

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2 table-spoonfuls of celery seed. It requires no straining, but should be rubbed through a coarse sieve. See Spiced Apples and Pickles.

Apple Pies. — If there is more than one way of killing a pig, most decidedly there is more than one way of making an Apple pie or pudding. Every country has its characteristic style, and so has every county in this country. This being the case, we have selected those which are simplest, and therefore the more likely to give satisfaction.

Small Pies. — (1) Either take a good puff paste, or rub ilb. of butter into lib. of fine flour until they are evenly mixed right through; then pour cold water in the middle, add a little salt, and stir up with two fingers, drawing in the flour gradually. Spread some of the flour on the table, and pat the paste into a smooth mass in it; roll out the paste once, fold it up like doubling up a napkin, and it is ready for use. Cover each patty-pan with a layer of paste rolled thin. Peel two good Apples, slice them off the cores into the pie, cover with another crust, cut off the edges by pressing with both hands against the patty-pan, turning it round at the same time. Bake in a slack oven until the Apples are done — from fifteen to thirty minutes. Some persons add grated nutmeg or cinnamon to the Apples, dredge a little flour over them, and add sugar before putting on the top crust. A little sugar dusted over the top after they are baked improves their appearance.

(2) Pare, core, and slice thin across the core-hole, making rings, some of the best cooking Apples procurable. Line some patty -pans as in No. 1, and fill with about two layers of slices. Sprinkle moist sugar and grated nutmeg over the Apples, and put in each a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and 1 tablespoonful of cold water. Bake without a top crust slowly and dry. The Apples soon become transparent, and half-candied.

Large Pies. — (1) Make a good puff paste, and lay some round the sides and bottom of a pie-dish, whilst the pared and cut Apples are stewing. Put in a thick layer of Apples, throw in half the sugar you destine for the pie, grate a little orange-peel on to it; squeeze out over them a little of the orange-juice, add a few cloves, and then put in the rest of the Apples and sugar. Boil the peelings and cores of the Apples with a blade of mace; strain, and boil this liquor with a little sugar till there is but very little left, then pouring it into the pie. Put on the upper crust, and bake. The quantity of sugar put on the Apples depends upon taste and the quality of the fruit.

(2) Put a good tart crust (see Pastes) over the bottom of a dish. Spread on this layers of sliced Apples, previously peeled and cored, and powdered sugar alternately until the dish is filled. Add a few cloves, and a few teaspoonfuls of rose-water if you have it handy. Put on the top crust after wetting the edges of the under-crust with a paste-brush, and press together. Ornament the edge with a fork, or other stamp; stick a knife in the centre to let out the steam, and bake in a moderate oven.

(3) Core, pare, and mince some good Apples, and then stew them till thoroughly done. Bub through a sieve or colander, and sweeten with powdered sugar. Whip 1 teacupful of cream and the whites of three eggs with 1 pint of Apple, and beat all together. Spread this upon crusts of puff paste on shallow tin patty-pans. Grate nutmeg over each, and bake. Pile them on a dish, and serve with good custard.

(4) Core, pare, and slice as many Apples as may be required. Make a little thick syrup of white sugar, into which throw a few cloves, allspice, or mace, and scald a few of the Apples at a time in this syrup, taking them out in a short time, and putting more in till all are partly cooked. Set them aside to cool, and put into deep patty-pans lined with tart-paste. Dredge with flour, put bits of butter over all, then dredge again, cover with paste, and bake. A wineglassful of wine or brandy added to the Apples will improve the pies exceedingly.

(5) Peel about two dozen good Apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the cores. Put them into a pie-dish, with a good handful of sugar, six or eight cloves, the zest of a lemon, and 1 gill of water. Line round the edge of the dish with tartpaste rolled rather thin, wet the edge with water, cover over the top with some more tart-paste, and trim round the edge, notching with the back of a knife. A very pretty further ornamentation can be made by putting on the top in some

Apples — continu ed.

order a number of paste leaves. These paste leaves are made by cutting a long strip of paste, say lin. wide, into diamonds, and marking these diamonds with the back of the knife. To lay the paste evenly over the top of the pie, first roll it round the rolling-pin, and then unroll it as you lay it over.

German Style. — Boil Apples (cored, pared, and cut into quarters) in as little water as possible, with a glass of red wine, some sugar, and lemon-peel. When cold, put them into a pie-dish that has been well smeared with butter. Stir 1 tablespoonful of warm butter into 1 gill of cream, and add nine eggs, lh. of flour, 1 pint of cream, and lib. of sugar. Take care to rub the flour in smoothly little by little. When this is all thoroughly mixed together, pour it over the Apples, and bake.

Apple Porcupine. — (1) This is an ornamental dish, and, although simple enough to prepare, always gives pleasure and satisfaction. Make a stiff Apple Marmalade with a dozen or so of Apples, and put into a compote-case, spreading a little boiled custard over the top. Make a stiff meringue as follows: Beat up the whites of two eggs until they are very stiff, and then add gently -£lb. of castor sugar. Spread this smoothly over the Apple. Shred lengthwise jib. of blanched Jordan almonds, and stick them all over the Porcupine in imitation of the quills of the animal. The head and feet may be shaped out of angelica. Put into an oven to bake a nice fawn-colour. To complete the figure, after removing from the oven, when cold make two dents where the eyes should be, and drop in a little jelly from the Apples, and in the centre of each drop of jelly stick a currant. The compotecase should not be more than 2in. high. To finish, draw red-currant jelly down the back between the rows of almonds.

(2) A variety of the preceding dish is made, so far as the body is concerned, of Apples baked in the following syrup: 1 breakfast-cupful each of powdered sugar and water, and a slip of stick cinnamon. Boil slowly for ten minutes, skimming well. Core and pare eight or ten good Apples, and cook in the syrup until nearly done. Drain, and set them in a quick oven for a few minutes. Boil the syrup to almost a jelly Arrange the Apples conveniently to form the body of the Porcupine, and fill up the interstices with quince jelly. Make a thick meringue, as above, and spread over, sticking long shreds of blanched almonds to resemble quills. Set in the oven to bake a fawn colour, and serve with boiled custard.

Apples a la Fortugaise (Portuguese style). — Take a dozen fine cooking Apples, and see that they are perfectly sound. Core and pare them, and then boil in a thin syrup until they are just done. Make a very white marmalade with other Apples, and put on a dish, levelling smooth with a knife. Having drained the Apples until no syrup remains upon them, set them round the dish at equal distances, and in such a manner that they may be more elevated towards the centre. In the cavity of each Apple place a preserved cherry. If you have any apricot marmalade (generally called apricot jam), you may use it freely to decorate this very nice entremet, or anything else that fancy or ingenuity may dictate.

Apple (flavoured) Posset.— See Possets.

Apples a la Princess of Wales. — Core and peel about eighteen good-sized Apples, and cut them into slices. Put these into a stewpan, with 1 pint of water, the rind of a lemon, six cloves, and 6oz. of caster sugar. Boil well, and when reduced a little add loz. of gelatine, and pass the lot through a tammy sieve. Divide this puree, and colour one-half with cochineal strong enough to make it a handsome red; then add to the other half a little cream, to make it whiter. Put these two upon some ice, or in a very cool place, to set; and when firm enough, stamp out pieces of the size of shillings, or a little larger, and arrange alternately round a plain charlotte mould with sufficient lemon-jelly to make them adhere to the sides. Dissolve what you have left of the two Apple purees, keeping them separate, and pour into the mould a layer of each until it is filled, taking the greatest care that one layer shall set before the other is laid on. When thoroughly set, turn out on to a dish with a fancy paper on it, by dipping the mould into hot water and then inverting it. Put upon the top a ball of whipped cream mixed with chopped pistachio nuts. As this dish requires some time to prepare, it should be got ready the day before it is wanted. Its solidity and firmness will depend upon the temperature

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Apples — continued.

to which it is exposed. It is rarely satisfactory unless kept in or on ice some time before it is required for use.

Apple Puddings. — (1) Peel, quarter, and remove the cores of eighteen Apples. Mix Jib. of finely-chopped suet, lib. of flour, and a pinch of salt, with water, into paste of a rather stiff consistency. Line a buttered pudding-basin with this (the pudding-basin should have a round rim). Put in the Apples, with six cloves, a little grated lemon-peel, a good handful of sugar, and about 1 gill of water. Moisten round the edge where the paste has been trimmed off the basin, and cover the top with a flat of paste, which must be soldered to that lining the basin. Tie a pudding-cloth over the basin, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil for two hours. Bemove the cloth, and run a small knife round the inside of basin, so as to loosen the pudding without cutting it. If the basin was fairly greased, the pudding should turn out easily. Lay the flat dish accurately upon it, upside down, and turn over quickly. If this is neatly effected, the pudding should remain unbroken.

(2) A very excellent Apple Pudding is given by Dubois, who advises that the cloth should be tied under the basin. The ingredients are arranged as follows: Prepare a mince of Apples, sweeten it, and thicken it with a little apricot marmalade. Butter a dome-mould or basin, and line it with very thin short paste; fill the hollow with the Apples, setting them in layers, and sprinkling over each layer a pinch of currants and one of chopped raisins or sultanas. Close up the pudding with a flat of paste, and solder round the edge of the mould. Butter Fig. 33. Apple Pudding Boiled in Mould. the centre of a napkin, and lay it over the mould, drawing tight and tying underneath. Plunge into boiling water, and boil for two hours on a slow fire, but keeping the saucepan covered, and not interrupting the boiling. Drain, remove the napkin, and turn the pudding out on a dish (see Pig. 33). Pour over the pudding, before serving, some apricot marmalade or syrup, mixed with a little kirschenwasser or maraschino.

French Mode. — Cut Apples, peeled and cored, into very thin slices; boil them for half-an-hour, adding a sufficient quantity of pounded lump sugar, well-washed currants, Malaga raisins, and white wine. When these are boiled together so that the Apples will mash into a marmalade, smear with butter the bottom of a circular dish which is rather deep and will stand the fire. Break up into crumbs a good quantity of sweet biscuits; strew a layer of these crumbs at the bottom of the dish, and over them put a layer of marmalade, then another layer of crumbs, and so on, continually diminishing the circumference, so that the pudding is conical in shape, almost terminating in a point. The top layer should be composed of biscuit. Beat up five whole eggs with 5 pint of milk and 1 liqueurglass of kirschenwasser; pour this over the pudding, and immediately set it on a stand in a moderate oven. Leave it there for half-an-hour, and serve very hot.

German Style (Potjdin Allemand, or Deutscher Pudding). — Mr. C. Beichert contributes the following receipt as a special favourite. The ingredients required are: fib. of butter, lib. of caster sugar, lflb. of white breadcrumbs wetted with a little milk, lb. of chopped cooking Apples, fib. sultana raisins, 6 oz. of mixed candied peel chopped small, ten yolks of eggs, and ten whites whipped to a stiff snow. Cream the butter by working with the sugar, mix in the yolks of the eggs, then the wetted breadcrumbs, the peel, sultanas, and lastly the whipped whites of the eggs, very lightly. Fill some wellgreased charlotte-moulds, and either steam or bake for an hour-and-a-half in the oven, the mould standing upright in a little water. Serve with a sauce made by diluting red-currant jelly with water.

Baked. — (1) Take twelve large Pippins, or other cooking Apples, pare and core them, and put them into a saucepan with four or five table- spoonfuls of water. Boil till quite soft and easy to mash, and then heat them up well. Stir in lib. of

Apples — continued.

powdered loaf sugar, the peel of three lemons, cut thin and beaten in a mortar (f teaspoonful of essence of lemon will do as well), and the well-beaten yolks of eight eggs, and mix all together. Bake in a slack oven, in a dish lined with puff paste, and with the edges ornamented. Sprinkle well with fine sugar before serving.

(2) Fill a 3qt. earthen dish with pared and quartered Apples. Sprinkle over these 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, a grating of nutmeg, 1 table-spoonful of butter, and breakfast-cupful of water. Cover with a sheet of greased paper, and bake for half-an-hour. Boll a piece of short paste, and cut into a strip 2in. deep to reach round the pie-dish. Boll more paste to cover the dish. Take the pie-dish from the oven, slip the strip of paste between the Apples and the dish, and put on the top crust, after moistening that part of the rim upon which it will rest. Beturn to the oven, and bake for another hour. Dust with caster sugar, and serve with sugar and cream.

(3) Boil and strain twelve Apples as for sauce. Stir in ilb. each of butter and sugar. When cold, add four wellbeaten eggs. Pour into a baking-dish, thickly strewn with crumbs of bread, and strew crumbs on the top. When done, grate white sugar freely over it before serving.

(4) Ingredients: Three eggs, 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of butter (melted), 1 breakfast-cupful of now milk, 1 J breakfast-cupfuls of minced Apples, 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon. Mix well together, and bake in a small dish lined with puff paste.

Dutch Style. — To 1 pint of flour add 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, £ teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and g teaspoonful of salt, and rub through a sieve. Beat an egg and stir into j breakfast-cupful of new milk. Bub 2 tablespoonfuls of butter (salt butter will do, in which case less salt is used) into the flour. Mix the paste thoroughly with the milk and egg, and roll to in. deep on a well-buttered baking-sheet. Pare and core the Apples, cut them into eighths, and press these close together in rows into the dough. Sprinkle well with caster sugar, bake in a quick oven for about twenty-five minutes, or until the paste is done, and cut into squares before serving. This is to be eaten with orange-flavoured custard, cream, or a sweet sauce.

Apple Pudding - with. Rice. — (1) Well wash a breakfastcupful of rice and soak it for two hours in cold water. Peel, core, and quarter two dozen Apples. Wet a pudding-cloth, and spread it in a colander; cover with two-thirds of the rice; lay in the Apples, packing as closely as possible; sprinkle the remainder of the rice over them, tie up the pudding-cloth as tightly as possible, and plunge into boiling water. Boil for an hour, and servo with a sweet sauce.

(2) A variety of the above can be made which is superior in many respects. The rice is to be parboiled first until it no longer crackles between the teeth. Drain it, and put it into a stewpan, adding a piece of butter as large as a fowl’s egg, grated orange- or lemon-peel, or both; sprinkle pounded white sugar over, and let it cool. Moisten a napkin in cold water, wring it out, butter its centre, spread it over a basin, and then place the rice in layers on the napkin, alternately with quartered Apples, which have been peeled and cored, and slightly fried in butter with a little sugar. Let the last layer, as well as the first, be rice. Tie the pudding up tightly after pressing the mass together, plungo into boiling water, and let it boil continuously for an hour-and-a-half. Drain, unwrap, turn out on to a dish, and mask with Apple Marmalade flavoured with orange.

Apple Puffs. — (1) These little pieces of Apple pastry are very simple and tasty. One pound of second or “ patten ” paste — that is, the trimmings off puff paste — will make several. Boll it out to iin. in thickness, and cut into round flats about 4in. in diameter. Peel, core, and coarsely mince some score or so of good Apples, and put them into a saute -pan, with a large piece of butter, a piece or two of cinnamon, and 2 breakfastcupfuls of raw sugar. Let them toss quickly, so that the Apples may be cooked without breaking; remove, and pick out the cinnamon. When cool, the flats should have a small quantity spread half-way over each without going quito to the edge ( see Fig. 34, a). Wet this free edge with the paste-brush, and fold over so as to quite cover the Apples. Press the edges together neatly, and flatten so as to give the shape

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Apples — continued.

shown in Fig. 34, b. Channel along the top ornamentally with the point of a small knife. Egg over slightly, and bake on a greased baking-sheet in a slack oven; but before they are

Fig. 34. Ornamental Apple Puff.

quite done withdraw them, and sprinkle them over with fine sugar for a glaze, and then let them finish baking. A most effective supper or lunch dish.

(2) Boll out some puff paste to a thin sheet, and cut into 3 Jin. squares. Put some Apple Jam or sugary marmalade in the centre, and fold over to make a three-cornered puff. Pinch the edges together as ornamentally as you please. Brush over the tops, after placing on the greased baking sheet, with egg and water, and sprinkle granulated sugar over them. This will glaze them. Bake in a moderately slack oven.

Some cooks use finely-minced Apples, with clove, cinnamon, or lemon flavouring.

Apple and Quince Tart. — Pare and core eight or ten good cooking Apples, cut in slices, and arrange at the bottom of a pie-dish. Cut a quince into slices, put it in a saucepan with a little water, and add 3oz. of sugar and loz. of butter. Set the saucepan on the fire and stew the quince until it is quite tender; then put it on top of the Apples in the pie-dish, add sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole, and grate over the rind of a lemon. Put a thin strip of rich puff paste round the edge of the dish, damp it, and cover the tart over with a flat of the paste, securing it all round at the edge. Decorate the cover with leaves, &c., in paste, brush the whole over with egg, put it into a moderate oven, and bake for from forty-five minutes to an hour, according to the size of the tart and the heat of the oven. Take it out when done, and serve.

Apple Roly-poly. — Pare and core a few Apples, cut them into rings or slices, and put on a flat round of suet crust rolled out very thin; sprinkle over sufficient moist sugar to sweeten, and flavour with ground cinnamon or finely-grated rind of lemon. Boll the crust over, fasten the edge and ends by damping and squeezing with the finger and thumb, tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil for an hour-and-a-half. Then turn it out on to a dish, sprinkle over a little caster sugar, and serve.

Apple Sandwich. — Mix breakfast-cupful of sugar and salt-spoonful of cinnamon, or the grated rind of half a lemon. Melt 2 breakfast-cupful of butter, and stir it into 1 pint of soft breadcrumbs. Pare, core, and slice Apples to fill 3 pints. Butter a pie-dish, put in a thick layer of crumbs, then sliced Apples, and sprinkle with the prepared sugar. Bepeat this order of layers until the materials are all used up, finishing off with a thick layer of crumbs at the top. A squeeze of lemon-juice over the Apples adds to the flavour. Bake in a slow oven.

Apple Sauce. — (1) A few good “ falling ” Apples should be pared and sliced into a saucepan. Pour in sufficient water to just cover the Apples, and stew with a lid on until quite done — about half-an-hour. Whilst they are stewing, throw in a bit of butter, and mash all up with a silver fork or spoon. Do not add any sugar.

(2) Other cooks add a little sugar (to tart Apples), a squeeze of lemon-juice, and a little grated nutmeg.

(3) Ude advises cooks to stew the Apples with a little brown sugar. Beat up with a wooden spoon, add a little butter, and serve for goose and roast pork.

(4) Delamere recommends boiling the Apples in cider, flavouring with cloves and mace, and mashing up with a little fine sugar.

Apples — continued.

Apple Shape. — Pare and core 21b. or more of firm, green Apples, plunge them into a basin of cold water for a few minutes to preserve their colour, take them out, drain, and put into a copper saucepan, with only just sufficient water to prevent them burning or sticking to the saucepan. Boil until they are quite . tender, then pass them through a fine sieve back into the saucepan, and add 12oz. of crushed loaf sugar to every pound of fruit. Place the pan back on to

the fire, and boil quickly, stirring frequently until quite

done. Then turn it into a mould, and when perfectly cold and firm turn on to a dish, and serve.

Apple Shortcake.— Put 6oz. of butter or lard into a basin, warm it, and rub it into 9oz. of dried and sifted flour,

adding 1 teacupful of iced water to make it into a paste.

Put this on to a floured board, roll it, and fold six times; then roll it out thin, and cover over two jelly cake-tins with it. Trim round the edges, and bake in a moderate oven until done. Turn out of the tins, spread a thick layer of Apple Cream on one, cover it over with the other, mask it with crushed loaf sugar, wet it with water, and put the shortcake into the oven or hot closet to dry. Take it out, and serve.

Apple Snow. — Stew or steam a dozen large tart Apples, cored and quartered; drain, and rub through a hair sieve. Beat up the whites of a dozen eggs until stiff; add lib. of powdered white sugar, and beat again; add the Apple, and beat all together until like snow. Pile lightly on a glass dish, and garnish with coloured jellies or holly leaves. This eats nice with well-flavoured custard or sweetened cream.

Apple Snow with Sponge Cakes —Take four or five stale sponge cakes, cut them up into slices, arrange these on a dish, damp them with maraschino or light wine, and pour over them i pint of rich custard or whipped cream. Next take twelve good-sized Apples, bake until they open and are quite soft, remove the cores and rind, and weigh the remainder. About fifteen minutes before this is wanted, take lb. of it, and beat it up with the juice of a lemon, adding sufficient caster sugar to sweeten; add the whites of two eggs, well whisked, and continue whisking the mixture until it has the appearance of white snow. Heap this on the custard, and garnish with dried cherries and diamonds of angelica. A wonderfully pretty and tasty dish for a ball buffet.

Apple Snowballs. — Boil a sufficient quantity of rice until tender. Soak some small pudding-cloths — say about 1ft. square — in hot water, wring, and lay them over small bowls or large cups. Spread the rice with a spoon about -jin. thick over the cloth, and set an Apple in each. (These Apples should be cored, pared, and the core-hole stuffed with flavoured and well-sweetened rice.) Tie up tightly in the cloths, and put in hot water to boil for half-an-hour. Serve with butter and

Fig. 35. Apple Snowballs, or Apples in Rice.

sugar, sweet sauce, or some kind of marmalade. See Fig. 35. Apricots are very nice in these instead of Apples.

Apple Soup. — This is a favourite dish amongst the Germans. Pare, core, and coarsely mince some good cooking Apples; boil them to a mash in sufficient water to cover them, with grated breadcrumbs of an equal amount to the Apples, lemon-peel and lemon-juice, and cinnamon, cardamoms, or other aromatic spice to taste. When cooked to a pulp, rub the whole through a sieve; add white wine, warm up in a stewpan, and sweeten. Serve hot with sippets of toasted bread.

Apple Souffle. — (1) The word Souffle has come, by erratic use, to be applied to a great number of light dishes which have very little resemblance to, and no possible culinary connection with, each other. That which we are now describing consists of a raised border of dry stewed Apples, with the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces t &c-- referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

35

Apples — continued.

hollow centre filled in with boiled custard, and whipped white of egg and sugar piled on top. It need not be baked, but the top may be browned by holding a red-hot shovel over it, or by placing it on the shelf in the oven. Serve cold.

(2) Stir with 1 pint of hot stewed Apple 1 table-spoonful of butter, f teacupful of sugar, a little grated nutmeg, and the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. When this is cold, beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into the Apple. Butter a 3-pint dish, turn the souffle into it, and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. Serve immediately, hot, with any kind of sweet or wine sauce.

(3) Take lglb. of slightly-sweetened Apple Marmalade, well reduced and perfumed, flavoured with a few drops of essence of lemon; let it boil steadily, stirring continuously; then take it off the fire, and beat with it seven or eight whites of eggs, whipped very firm. Pour this preparation into a soufflepan, smooth its surface with the blade of a knife, giving it a dome or inverted-cone shape, set in a slack oven, and bake for twenty minutes. Candied angelica, cut in diamonds or other shapes, and half-candied cherries, may be set upon the souffle to ornament its sloping sides.

Apple Souffle in Paste. — Cover the outside of a wellbuttered pie-dish with some rich puff paste, put it in the oven, and bake it lightly; take it out, and carefully remove the dish, so that the paste will form a shell. Pare, core, and stew to a pulp a dozen large Apples, put them in the shell of paste, and add the thin rind of half a lemon (cooked quite soft and tender) and 3oz. of crushed and pounded loaf sugar; then heap over all the whites of four eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and dust it over with caster sugar. Put the souffle in the oven, and bake until it is of a light golden colour. Take it out, and serve on a napkin folded on a dish, with another one put round the base of the souffle to keep it in position.

Apple Sugar. — This, made on the principle of Barley Sugar, is generally much liked as a sweetmeat. Boil lib. of fine loaf sugar in 8oz. of water and 8oz. of expressed Apple-juice. Add 1 teaspoonful of acetic acid, and boil to the crack ( see Sugar-boiling). Then add the juice of a lemon and a few drops of essence of lemon, and give the sugar another boil. Cool the bottom of the pan by plunging a little way into cold water, and when the heat of the sugar is subsiding pour the sugar on to a marble slab very slightly smeared with oil of almonds. As the sugar spreads, lift it up all round in a heap with a knife, and as soon as it has cooled a little, cut off slips as wide as your finger; roll these into round sticks, twist them so as to resemble cords, and lay them on an oiled baking-sheet to set. These sticks want keeping in closely-stoppered bottles or jars.

Apple Syrup. — Cut off the peel from 101b. or 201b. of Apples, put them into a mortar with a little crushed loaf sugar, and pound well. Put this into a very fine sieve, and squeeze out all the juice, to every pint of which take 3 teacupfuls of water and 31b. of sugar. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and boil them; then add the juice, remove the pan at once from the fire, stir well, skim off all the scum, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin or jar, and it is ready for use.

Apple and Tapioca Pudding. — Pare and core half-a-dozen large, sweet, cooking Apples, and stuff them with a mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon. Arrange them in a piedish, put a small lump of butter on each, sprinkle round them a breakfast-cupful of tapioca sweetened with sugar and well flavoured with lemon-rind finely grated, pour in sufficient water to fill the dish, place it in a slow oven, and bake until both the Apples and tapioca are thoroughly cooked. Take the dish out of the oven, and serve.

Apple Tapioca — Soak some tapioca — f breakfast-cupful in lqt. of cold water — for a few hours, or pour lqt. of boiling water over it. Boil this in a convenient utensil until the tapioca is transparent. Stir often, and add f teaspoonful of salt. Core and pare seven or eight large Apples, and either quarter them or leave them whole. If quartered, they must be stirred into the tapioca, with 1 breakfast-cupful of powdered white sugar and 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon, and the mass turned out into a buttered dish, and baked for half-an-hour. If whole, the core-holes should be filled with sugar and lemon-juice.

Apples — continued.

Pour the tapioca over them, and bake till the Apples are very soft. Serve either hot or cold, with sugar and cream.

A delicious variation may be made by using equal parts of Apples and canned or fresh quinces.

Apple Tart. — (1) An Apple Pie may be converted into a tart by cutting out the top crust (being careful not to break the border), and filling up the centre to the rim of the dish with strongly-flavoured boiled custard, smoothed over. With some fancy tin cutters stamp out the pastry top which you have taken off, and put the pieces in some design upon the custard. Then pipe round the edges of the pieces of paste with pipingsugar in paper cones, and fill in the centres with Apple and Red-currant Jelly. This dish is a really pretty and uncommon one.

(2) Take fib. of puff paste, and roll out to about fin. in thickness. Provide yourself with an open-tart mould, butter it well, and lay it upon a buttered baking-sheet. Lay the paste over, press it into the shape, and trim off to the level of the rim of the mould. Fill in with minced Apples flavoured with lemon or cinnamon. Or the Apples may be prepared in this way: Put into a saute-pan 6oz. of butter, eighteen peeled, cored, and sliced Apples, and 4oz. of powdered sugar, and stir over a brisk fire for about a quarter-of-anhour. Bake the tart with the Apples in for half-an-hour, and when cold spread over the face of the Apples 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of apricot jam or Apple Jelly.

Flemish Style. — Peel, core, and mince 21b. or 31b. of good cooking Apples, put them into a flat stewpan with butter, and toss them over a brisk fire. Add a little sugar, and heat them gently until sufficiently done without breaking. Put them into a flat dish, and smooth them into a dome, covering after with rich almond cream or meringue. Decorate with coloured jellies, angelica, crystallised fruit, or whatever may be according to taste or at hand. Sprinkle over some fine sugar, and put into a moderate oven for twenty minutes or so to finish.

German Style. — (1) Prepare what is called a half-brioche paste of lib. of flour, foz. of German yeast previously made into a sponge, 4oz. of butter, 2oz. of sugar, four eggs well beaten, and the grated peel of one lemon. Let the paste be stiff, then roll it out into a round flat, and make an inchhigh border of puff paste. Fill up with Apples, previously pared, cored, quartered, and each quarter cut into three pieces. Put brown sugar over the top, and a few well-washed currants. Bake over a round, flat baking-tin, and when done dredge over with caster sugar.

(2) Work 6oz. of fresh butter into fib. of fine flour mixed with loz. of sugar, and make this into a stiff shortpaste with water. Roll out into a round about lOin. to 12in. diameter, and make a border lin. wide of puff paste. Prick the short-paste all about with the point of a knife to prevent its blistering, and bake crisp. Peel and core about eight large cooking Apples, and cut each into twelve wedgeshaped pieces. Make a syrup by boiling lib. of sugar in 1 pint of water, and whilst still hot put the Apples in to blanch, with six cloves. Do not boil them, but allow them to remain until soft without falling. Spread some Apple or apricot marmalade over the short-crust, and arrange the Apple slices closely in the form of a star. Strew over a few well-washed currants which have previously been boiled up, dredge sugar all over, and serve.

Westphalian Style. — Peel and mince about fifteen good Apples, and fry them quickly with butter, but so as to get them soft without breaking. Thicken the Apples with 4 tablespoonfuls of apricot marmalade, put them into a flat dish, and smooth nicely. Work up fib. of butter with a spoon until creamy; then add to this, one by one, the yolks of four or five eggs, and fib. of grated breadcrumb, or fine biscuitpowder passed through a sieve. Next add, and stir in thoroughly, 6oz. of powdered white sugar flavoured with vanilla. With this cream mask over the Apples smoothly with a knife, sift over a little sugar, and put the dish into a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes.

Apple Tart and Custard. — Put a border of rich puff paste round a pie-dish, and put in 21b. of Apples, pared, cored, and cut into thin slices; sprinkle over 4oz. of sugar, and grate over the rind of half a lemon. Mix 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice in a little water, pour it over the Apples and

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Apples — continued.

cover the whole over with a crust of the paste. Put the tart into the oven, bake it for about three-quarters-of-anhour, then take it out, and with a sharp knife cut away all the inside of the crust, leaving merely the edge or border. Pour over the Apples a pint of boiled custard, grate over a little nutmeg, let the tart get quite cold, and serve.

Apple Tartlets. — These require little moulds, which may be either the ordinary patty-pans, mince-pie tins, or tartletpans. The tartlet-pans are better than any, being deeper and more ornamental.

(1) The pans are first buttered, and then lined with good

tart-paste and trimmed off round the edges. The centre is then filled with stiff Apple Marmalade (or jam, as it is called by some). This may be made in several ways, as already described, or as an ordinary marmalade; but Soyer recommends the following for tartlets: “Take ten good

cooking Apples, cut each one in halves, peel them neatly, and take out the cores. Put the juice of a lemon into your sugar-pan, into which throw the halves as you peel them. When they are all done, add £lb. of lump sugar, and a little thin lemon-peel cut into strips; stew them gently until tender, and leave them to get cold in their syrup. Put half an Apple into each tartlet, and fill up with the syrup, to which yon have added a little apricot marmalade; turn out, and serve.”

(2) Tbellised.— Tartlets are sometimes ornamented with what is called “ stringing ” paste — that is, a piece of paste, say as large as an Apple, worked up on the pastry-board, with a little water, until it becomes so stringy that you can pull it out thin enough to overlay the tartlets like a lattice (see Fig. 36), or in other pretty design. Solder the strips to the edge of the rim, pinch off, and snip round to form a wreath. Egg the surface of the paste, and bake in a slack oven.

Three minutes before the tartlets are cooked, take them out of the oven, sprinkle sugar over them, and put back to glaze.

(3) Another good preparation of Apples for tartlets is given by Dubois. Cut up some Apples in quarters, and mince them transversely, so that the slices be not too broad. Put them into a kitchen basin, sprinkle over lemon-flavoured sugar, and a handful of currants. Let them macerate for an hour; then fill up the moulds with tartlet-paste, and pile the Apples in them. Cover the Apples with a round of the same paste, solder it to the edges of the mould, and bake in a slack oven for forty minutes. Sprinkle with sugar before serving.

(4) This tartlet is quite a novelty amongst cooks. Make a good, flaky short-paste with 6oz. of butter or lard, 9oz. of finely-sifted flour, and £ breakfast-cupful of iced water. When rolled out sufficiently, cover patty-pans with the paste, trim, and bake separately. When cooked a light brown, mask the paste with Apple Marmalade, and fill up high with Apple Snow.

Apple Tartlets with Cream. — Line the moulds with paste, as above, and fill with good stiff Apple Marmalade. Bake in a slack oven. When cool, spread apricot marmalade over the Apple, and over this lay whipped vanilla-flavoured cream. Smooth the cream over into a dome, and decorate round with crystallised cherries cut into halves, angelica, or other ornamentation.

Apple Timbale. — This is a dish requiring much care and practical experience to make successfully.

(1) Soyer tells us to line a plain round mould, previously buttered, with fine paste, but the paste is not to be thicker in any part than a shilling. Then the interior of the paste is to be lined with rice, previously boiled, and eight Apples, previously quartered and cooked with flavourings and syrup. Cover another sheet of paste over, and put in a hot oven until the paste is quite done. When three-parts cold, turn out upon your dish and mask over with apricot marmalade, decorating it with dried cherries and blanched pistachios. This may be served hot, but it is much better cold.

(2) We have a very much more surprising dish, called by Dubois “ Timbale of Milan,” which appears to be more difficult to make than it is. Pare, core, and quarter a dozen good

Apples — continued.

Apples, and put them into a stewpan, with half a stick of vanilla, a table-spoonful of butter, and 2 handfuls of sugar. Toss them over a brisk fire until they are tender without breaking. Then mix in 1 teacupful of sultana raisins and 1 dessert-spoonful of chopped citron-peel, and let stand till cool. Next take some short-paste — made with 12oz. of flour, 8oz. of butter, 4oz. of sugar, the yolks of two eggs, a little salt, and a little water. After standing a bit, this paste must be divided into a few pieces, which, after being rolled,

must be cut into strips about £in. wide, or less. Have ready a buttered, dome-shaped mould, and into this lay the strips t of paste round and round, commencing at the bottom, and working in a spiral, taking care that each fresh ring shall sit fast on its predecessor. The ends of the strips must also be well soldered together by wetting with water. Having filled the mould, dip a paste-brush in warm butter, and thoroughly moisten the inside of the coil with it. Then fill in with Apples, and cover with a paste flat. Bake for about fifty minutes, and turn it out on to a dish, masking afterwards with apricot marmalade (see Fig. 37). Trim round with small preserved Apples, greengages, apricots, or any other ornamental fruit. Half an Apple or apricot, topped with crystallised cherries, surmounting the Timbale, gives a very pretty effect.

Apple Toddy. — An American colonel supplies the following: lgall. of Apple brandy or whisky, Ingalls, of hot water (well sweetened), a dozen large Apples (well roasted), two grated nutmegs, 1 gill of allspice, 1 gill of cloves, and a large pinch of mace. Season with £ pint of good rum. Let it stand for three or four days before using.

Apple Trifle. — Peel and core a dozen or so of Apples, cut them up, put into a saucepan with a little water, to prevent them burning or sticking to the pan, and add the grated rind of a lemon and sufficient sugar to sweeten. Stew them gently until quite tender, then remove the pan from the fire. Beat to a pulp and put it at the bottom of a trifle-dish. Put the yolks of two eggs into a basin, and beat them well with 1 teacupful of cream and 3 teacupfuls of milk, sweetened to taste; put the basin in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir well until the mixture is quite thick. Lot it get cold, pour it over the Apple pulp in the trifledish, put a heap of whipped cream over it, and serve.

Apple Turnovers. — Another name for these would be “puffs”; but as there is some difference in the arrangement of the pastry, both styles are given, although under different names. Peel about a dozen Apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the cores. Put them into a stewpan, with a little butter, £lb. of powdered sugar, a little lemon-zest, and 1 gill of water. Put this upon the stove, and shake it well until about half done. Next, roll out some tart paste, and cut it round about the size of a large plate (the edge should be a little the thickest). Put the Apples in the centre, with some apricot jam over them. Boll out another piece of paste like the first, and cover over the other, having first wetted the edges. With the fingers twist the edges together, or notch them with the back of a knife. Put the turnover into an oven on a bright, greased baking- sheet, and when rather more than half done take it out and wash it over with whipped white of egg, using a

Fig. 36. Apple Taetlet, Trellised.

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Apples — continued.

brush for that purpose. Shake some rough sugar over the top, and return to the oven to bake a nice brown colour. These turnovers may be served hot or cold.

Apple Water. — This delicate drink is very grateful to invalids, especially after it has been standing for a time in ice.

(1) Slice two large Apples, put them into a jug, and pour a pint of boiling water over them. Lot them stand for an hour. Sweeten very lightly.

(2) Apple Water is also sometimes made by boiling lib. of sliced Apples for an hour in 2 pints of water, with 1 tablespoonful of powdered loaf sugar (or none at all if preferred), and straining through a tammy.

Apple Water Ice. — Peel and core the required number of Apples, cut them in quarters, and put them into a saucepan. Set the pan over a clear fire, and cook them until they are tender. Pass them through a very fine sieve over a basin, rubbing as much through as possible, and mix them up with a sufficient quantity of water, highly flavoured with lemon. Pack the basin in ice, and when the mixture is frozen, it is ready for use.

Apple Wine.— Pare and core sufficient Apples to make lib. when cut up into quarters. Put them into a basin, mix in half the quantity of sugar, and pour over 2qts. of boiling water. Let them remain in this until the liquor is quite cold, then strain off the liquor into another basin, and beat the Apples to a pulp. Pour the liquor in again, let it stand for an hour or so longer, strain it again, and it is ready for use.

Baked Apples. — (1) Core and peel some good cooking Apples, and set them almost touching in a shallow bakingdish. Mix in proportion 1 teaspoonful of grated lemon-rind to 6 teaspoonfuls of sugar, and fill with it the cavities from which the cores have been taken; pour in sufficient water to cover the bottom of the dish, and bake in a very quick oven till soft, basting frequently with the syrup formed with the water and sugar.

(2) Some cook's advise that the Apples should not be peeled, but sliced off at the top and bottom, and cored. Fill the core-holes with sugar, and put a piece of butter and nutmeg on the top of the sugar. Add water as above, bake, and baste frequently. The syrup should be served with the Apples.

To prevent the Apples from blackening or blistering before they are done through, a sheet of greased paper should be laid over them.

Baked Apples with Butter. — Pare a few good Apples — say eight or ten — and remove the cores with a long cutter. Spread a thin layer of butter on a baking-dish, and set the Apples thereon, with a pinch of powdered cinnamon sprinkled over them. Fill the core-holes with pounded sugar, and baste over with about a table-spoonful of butter melted for the purpose. Put in the oven until done, and serve hot.

Baked Apples, Glazed. — We are indebted to Urbain-Dubois for this pretty but simple dish. Choose some small Apples of an equal size; hollow them in the centre by removing the cores, peel them, and let them boil in acidulated (with lemonjuice or citric acid), slightly-sweetened water. Care should

Fig. 38. Baked Apples, Glazed, and Ornamented with Cherries, Icing, and Angelica.

be taken that the water only just simmers, so that the Apples may not break. Keep them covered. Drain them when ready, and place in a kitchen basin; pour over a little syrup, and let them cool. Well coat them with apricot marmalade, and decorate them round the top with angelica

Apples — continued.

rounds. Fill the hollows with preserved cherries, or with fruit jelly, and dish in a group, decorated with angelica slips cut like leaves, as shown in Fig. 38. The angelica rounds may bo cut with a tube.

Baked Apple Roll. — Roll out thinly a good tart-paste, spread over it thin slices of pared and cored Apples, sprinkle well with sugar, and roll up. Seal the ends, and lay in a baking-pan, with a little water, sugar, and butter round the roll. Grate a nutmeg over all, and put into the oven until cooked. Any other fruit does as well.

Bavaroise of Apples a la St. Albans. — Core a dozen large, sweet, cooking Apples, cut them up into slices of equal thickness, and with a tin biscuit-cutter cut them into rounds of equal size. Put them into a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and stew gently, without allowing to boil or to cook too much. Take them out, drain, colour one half with cochineal, and let them all get quite cold. Wash the bottom and sides of a charlotte mould with a little warmed Apple Jelly, pack the mould in ice, put the rounds of Apples in chains or circles round it, commencing from the bottom and finishing at the top, and let them set; then fill in the spaces between the pieces of Apple with more of the jelly. Put a smaller mould in the large one, and fill the cavity between them with more of the warmed jelly, being careful not to disturb the Apple. Let it set, and then remove the inner mould. Pare and core half-a-dozen Apples, cut them up in pieces, put into a saucepan with sufficient water to moisten them, and add the zest of half a lemon, two cloves, and a small quantity of apricot jam or marmalade. Put the saucepan on the fire, and boil until the mixture is quite thick; then add oz. of soaked gelatine, and stir well until it is dissolved. Rub this through a fine sieve into a basin, stir in a teacupful of cream, and pour it into the centre of the mould. Then cut when set, and serve.

Buttered Apples. — Pare and core a dozen or so large Apples and put them into a deep pie-dish, filling the centres of them where the core was cut out with a mixture of sugar and butter. Put a few lumps of butter in the dish, place this in a saucepan, cover it over, and set it in a cool oven. Baste frequently with the butter, and cook until the Apples are done, but in their original shape, and not burst or broken. Take them out when done, put them on a dish, and serve.

Compote of Apples. — (1) Peel about eighteen Apples, and with a tin cutter stamp out the cores; boil them in a light syrup, with the rind of a lemon (pared very thin) and six cloves; when done, remove the peel and cloves, and allow the Apples to get cold. Line a compote-case with tart-paste, put a sheet of paper in next the paste, and fill the centre with flour; set in the oven to bake. When done, and cold, remove the flour and paper, put in the centre some boiled rice, and pile the Apples round it in the shape of a pyramid; mask them over with diluted apricot jam, and ornament the compote with preserved cherries and angelica cut into the shape of leaves; also a few shredded almonds. Care should be taken that the case suits the shape of the dish it is to be served upon. Remove the case, and ornament the pastry with icing.

(2) Make a syrup with 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and a square inch of stick cinnamon; boil slowly for ten minutes, skimming well. Core and peel eight or ten tart Apples, stew them nearly to falling in the syrup; take out and drain, and again cook them a few minutes in the oven. Boil the syrup till almost like a jelly. Arrange the Apples on a dish for serving, fill the core-cavities with jelly or marmalade, and pour the syrup over them. Put whipped cream round the base, and garnish the cream with coloured jellies.

(3) Take some ripe Apples, and pare, core, and weigh them, to each pound allowing lib. of fine loaf sugar and two lemons; parboil the Apples, and set them aside to cool. Peel off very nicely (with a penknife) the yellow rind of one lemon, taking care not to break it, and then with scissors trim the edges to an even width all along; put the lemonrind to boil by itself until it becomes tender, and set it to cool. Allow i pint of water to each pound of sugar; when the sugar is melted, set it on the fire in a preserving-pan, put in the Apples, and boil till they are clear and tender all through, but do not allow them to break. Skim the

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Apples — continued.

syrup carefully after you have taken out the Apples, add the lemon-juice, put in the lemon-peel, and boil till quite transparent. Arrange the Apples on a dish, and pour the syrup over and around them.

(4) A very pretty compote was prepared by Francatelli thus: Cut the Apples in halves, scoop out the cores neatly, either trim or peel them in straight bands of equal breadths, and as each is turned out of hand, drop it into some acidulated water; simmer in 28deg. syrup ( see Syrups) until the Apples are partially done through, and allow them to steep in their syrup in a basin until they are cold and ready to be dished up. Drain them well on a napkin, and place in the dish. Decorate the compote with angelica, the red peel of apples, and different sorts of preserves, all previously cut in thin sheets or slices, and stamped out with tin cutters in ornamental shapes to form tasteful designs upon each piece of Apple, representing wreaths, stars, &c. Cover the whole with a thin sheet of Apple Jelly.

Crisped Apples. — Pare and core some medium-sized cooking Apples, put them into a bowl with sufficient syrup, well flavoured with lemon, to cover them, and let them remain for several hours. Take them out, roll well in flour, plunge into a fryingpan of boiling lard, and fry until done and of a good colour. Take them out, drain, put on a dish, pour sweet sauce over or round them, and serve.

Dried American Crab-Apples. — Cut the stalks to about an inch in length of the required quantity of American Crab-Apples, prick them, and put them into a preserving-pan with sufficient syrup of 22 deg. ( see Syrups) to cover them, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for ten minutes. Remove the pan from the fire, cover the Apples over with leaves, and let them remain in the syrup for a day. Drain off the syrup, return it without the Apples to the preserving-pan or sugarboiler, boil up, skim well, and pour over the Apples. Repeat this operation twice more. Take out the Apples, drain them on a sieve, and dry thoroughly in the hot closet. Add the juice of a lemon to a sufficient quantity of syrup at 35 deg., working it against the side of the boiler until it becomes of a dull appearance; plunge in the Apples, toss them up in it, take them out carefully, put them in a strainer in the hot closet, and let them dry for about an hour. Pack them in layers in boxes, with paper between them, and they are ready for use.

Dried Apples. — Put the Apples into boiling water until soft, then remove, peel carefully, and place them on a strainer, under which is a dish to catch the juice. Place the peeled fruits in an oven, about hot enough to bake bread, and let them remain there for twenty-four hours. When taken out and cooled, the Apples may be pressed flat by a board with weights upon it. When set, dip them in their own juice, and pack away in boxes or jars.

Florentine Mode of Preparing Apples. — Peel seven or eight of the best cooking Apples procurable, remove the cores, and hollow out the inside with a column-tube. Boil them in e light acidulated syrup: 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice to 5 pint of syrup is sufficient. Keep them a little firm and whole. Drain them, and fill the cavities with boiled sweetened rice, and mask the aperture with apricot marmalade. Spread on a dish a layer of chestnut puree, which is made by baking for a few minutes two or three dozen chestnuts, and after skinning and cleaning them, boiling them in water until they mash easily with cream, flavouring with vanilla, sweetening with sugar, and stiffening with eggs. Place the Apples on this layer, glaze them by means of a paste-brush with apricot marmalade, and put into a hot oven for a few minutes. When thoroughly heated through, sprinkle freely with chopped pistachios, and serve.

Fried Apples. — There is scarcely a restaurant in New York where this dish cannot be obtained, especially as a complement to salt pork; it has an excellent repute for its tasty qualities, and is described thus: It consists essentially of

slices of unpeeled Apple, fried in bacon or pork fat. A competent authority (Whitehead) advises that only “five or six slices should be fried at a time, flat in a large frying-pan, with no more pork fat (or butter) than just enough to cover the bottom. When the slices are brown on one side, turn over with a knife.” When they are thrown into a dripping-pan and cooked in the oven, whether they are a success or not

Apples — continued.

very inuch depends upon careful draining. Sometimes it is as well to dip the slices in flour before frying; and if soaked for a time in rum or cognac, the result is very gratifying.

Glazed Apple Marmalade. — Pare and core eight or nine large Apples, put them in a saucepan with a little water, and cook to a pulp. Rub this through a fine sieve, put it back into the saucepan, and add two-thirds of its bulk in crushed loaf sugar, and a little lemon-zest tied up in a muslin bag. Put the saucepan back on the fire, and stir constantly until the moisture is greatly reduced. Take out the zest, and turn the Apple pulp out on to a dish, smooth its surface with a knife, sprinkle it over freely with caster sugar, and glaze it with a red-hot skewer or small iron bar, making a pattern like a small rosette. Cut a few finger biscuits in triangular-shaped pieces, put them round the rosette on top of the Apple, and serve.

Minced Apples. — Pare and core five or six good Apples, and cut them up into pieces about the size of small nuts. Place these in a stewpan with 6oz. of sugar, and the thin peel of half a lemon. Pour on water to three-quarters of their height, and to this add the juice of two or three lemons. Cover the stewpan and set it on the fire. Let it boil up once or twice, and then remove. When the syrup is cold, remove the lemon-peel, and pour out on to a deep dish; sprinkle over this some wellcleansed currants.

Minced Apples -with. Crodtons. — Mince seven or eight Apples, and put them into a flat stewpan with some butter, 5oz. of powdered sugar, a little orange or lemon flavouring, and vanilla. Toss the Apples over a quick fire till their moisture is reduced, and they are set, but not done too much so as to fall. Cut some slices of bread, and shape them into triangles; cut five or six of them into strips, and one quite round. Put these into a flat stewpan with some butter, and colour a golden-brown. Drain them, and sprinkle over with powdered sugar. Place the Apple Mince on the centre of a dish, smooth over to a handsome dome, and surround with the

Fig. 39. Minced Apples with Croutons of Fried Bread.

crusts, as shown in Fig. 39. On the centre form a rosette with the round and slips. The crusts may be ornamented with coloured jams or marmalades to form an exceedingly pretty dish.

Miroton of Apples. — To the incomparable Soyer we owe so many of our best dishes that no apology is needed for reproducing this. Procure a dozen Russet Apples, which cut into slices in. in thickness; peel and take out the cores with a round cutter. Next put 2oz. of butter into a saute-pan, spread it over the bottom of the pan, and lay in the Apples, with lb. of powdered sugar and the juice of two lemons. Stew gently over a moderate fire. They are done when they yield readily to pressure. Dress them rather high in a crown shape upon the dish. Melt 3 table-spoonfuls of red-currant jelly in a small pan, mix with it a wineglassful of Madeira wine, and pour over the Apples. This is a beautiful dish for many purposes, and is very easy of preparation.

Orange and Apple Tart. — See Oranges.

Preservation of Apples. — Let the Apples remain upon the trees until frost sets in, when they should be carefully picked by hand, put into close casks, and kept as dry and cool as possible. If suffered to lie on the floor for weeks, they will wither and lose their flavour, without acquiring any additional durability. Bought Apples should be carefully examined one by one to see that they are not bruised or rotten, and then be packed away in tubs or boxes of well-dried sand. The sand must be thoroughly dry, or it will be worse than useless to put Apples in it to keep. Lay the Apples singly, and

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Apples — continued.

not touching, upon a layer of sand, coyer oyer level with more sand, and repeat these layers until the receptacle is full. “ The singular advantages,” says an authority, “of this mode of treatment are these: Firstly, the sand keeps the Apples from the air, to do which is essential to their preservation; secondly, the sand checks the evaporation of the Apples, thus preserving them in their full flavour. At the same time, any moisture yielded by the Apples (and some there will be) is absorbed by the sand, so that the Apples are kept dry, and all mustiness is prevented.” It is a good plan to cover the casks or boxes with a nailed-down lid.

Preserved Apples. — Core, pare, and slice some Pippins, and put to each pound of the Apples lb. of preserving sugar, and to every 81b. thus sweetened lqt. of water, a few cloves, and the thin rind and juice of a lemon. Stew this till the Apples go clear, and put into wide-mouthed bottles or jars for use in winter. Eaten with cream, it is very good.

Preserved Pippins. — Boil the rind of an orange till tender, then lay it in cold water for three days. Select two dozen nice Golden Pippins, peel six of them, boil to a strong jelly, and strain it several times through a jelly-bag till quite clear. Put 31b. of loaf sugar in a preserving-pan, pour in 1J pints of water, and boil it. Peel and core the remaining Pippins, and put them in with the syrup when boiling; add the orange-rind cut in long, thin strips, boil fast till the sugar is thick and will almost candy; then put in the Pippin Jelly and boil it fast till the jelly is clear and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Move the pan off the fire, and leave the contents till cool. Put the Pippins, syrup, and orange-peel into glass jars, and tie them down.

Spiced Apples. — This is a variety of what has previously been described as Apple Pickle. Boil together 81b. of pared and cored Apples, 41b. of loaf sugar, lqt. of vinegar, loz. of stick cinnamon, and Joz. of cloves. When the Apples are tender, but not broken, take them out and put them (whole) into earthenware jars. Reduce the syrup to three-quarters by boiling, and pour it over the Apples in the jars. Tie down with bladder for keeping. Two or three Spiced Apples served on a glass dish are a nice addition to the dinner-table.

Stewed Apples. — It is usual to make a mash of Apples when stewing them; but this destroys the great beauty they display when boiled nearly transparent, and yet served whole. They are, in this latter state, capable of unlimited manipulation in the way of ornamentation. Some care is necessary in the selection of Apples for stewing to avoid those which “ fall ” easily. The cores must be removed before peeling, and the Apples then put into sufficient water and sugar to cover them. A little spinach-green is recommended to give them a nice colour. When the Apples are transparent but not yet broken, they may be lifted out carefully with a strainer and placed on a glass dish. The centres may be filled with red jelly, and the tops masked with apricot or orange marmalade. The sweet water they were boiled in should be reduced by simmering until it is quite syrupy; it may then be coloured with a little cochineal, flavoured with lemon, and poured round in the dish.

Stewed Apples and Rice. — Pare and core a dozen or so large Russet Apples, put them in a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and simmer gently on the side of the fire until they are done and quite tender. Clean and blanch lib. of rice, put it into a saucepan with a little milk, sugar, and salt to taste, set the saucepan on the fire, and as the milk is absorbed pour in a little more; continue in this way until the rice is quite cooked and firm, and all the milk absorbed. Turn it out on to a dish, put the Apples on it, fill up the spaces between them with some of the rice, and place it in the oven for a few minutes to acquire a light golden colour. Take it out, and serve.

Stewed Dried Apples. — Put the required quantity of dried Apples into a bowl of cold water, and let them steep for several hours. Take them out, put into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, add a little lemon-juice, cover over the pan, set it on the fire, and stew until nearly all the water is dried up or evaporated. Turn the Apples out, and they are ready, and can be used for tarts, pies, &c.

Suedoise of Apples. — Make a marmalade of Apples as stiff as possible. Then take small pieces of Apples cut into “ corks ”

Apples — continued.

by a vegetable tube-cutter, stain them of different colours by steeping in a little syrup coloured with carmine, saffron, &c., and just boil up once. Let the Apples cool in the coloured syrups, so that the colour may spread equally over them. To dish these, first spread some Apple Marmalade over the middle of the dish, and then arrange the coloured corks upright symmetrically, viz., white, red, yellow, and so on. Make the second layer of corks smaller, and the third still smaller. The top may be decorated with crystallised cherries, greengages, angelica, &c. Cover the Suedoise over with firm Apple Jelly, and put it into an ice-chamber to cool. This dish is capable of any amount of extension and variation, both as to arrangement of colours, ornamentation, and flavourings.

Soyer says of this dish: “ These very grotesque entremets were never favourites of mine; any kind of ornament, such as cascades, ruins, arches, &c., may be made from them, and ornamented with various fruits; but they look very heavy, and from the Apples being so much boiled and reduced, become very unpalatable, they being nothing more than Apples boiled in syrup to a very firm marmalade.” Soyer’s opinion on this subject is worthy of all respect.

Sugar-Iced Apples. — Pare and core a dozen fine, firm Apples, leaving them whole. Put them into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and stew until the Apples can be pierced with a straw. Remove them from the water, and set in a dish to cool. Fill the centres with currant or some other jelly, and ice over each with lemon-flavoured sugar-icing. These are excellent with rich cream or custard.

Surprise Apples.— Pare and core eight or ten Apples (Reinette Apples for preference), and put them on an equal number of round flats of puff or short paste. Brush them over with butter, sprinkle them with caster sugar, and fill the cavities where the cores were cut out — some with pear preserve or marmalade, and others with plum, apricot, or any other kind of jam or preserve. Damp the edges of the paste and fold it over the Apples, securely fastening it at the top. Put them on a well-buttered baking-sheet at a little distance from one another, and bake them in a moderate oven until quite done. A few minutes before serving, dust them over with caster sugar, glaze in the oven, put on a dish, and serve. The edges of the crust should be soldered together by means of a narrow strip of the paste, as in this way it gives a neater appearance. Vol-au-Vent of Apples. — Take sixteen good cooking Apples, cut them into quarters, peel and core them, put them in a stewpan with the rind of a lemon pared very thin and six cloves, nearly cover them with water, and add 1 teaspoonful of coarsely-powdered sugar. Stew until the Apples are done through, strain them, and pick out a few of the best-looking quarters and put aside. Boil down the remainder in the stewpan to a rather stiff consistency, having previously stirred in 2 table-spoonfuls of apricot jam. Next roll out a piece of best puff paste about lin. thick, and with a bold, ornamental cutter stamp out a piece about Tin. or 8in. long and 3in. or 4in. wide, and with a smaller cutter, the same shape as the larger, stamp the top about half-way through. Put on a greased baking-sheet and bake in a moderately-heated oven. When this paste is nicely done, let it get cold. Then remove the paste at the top where the inner stamp has been, so as to leave a case, into which the selected quarters are to be put, with some of the stew, well reduced by simmering. With a little ingenuity the quarters may be piled up very neatly, and the top flattened, or slightly hollowed, and then, just before sending to table, some good whipped cream may be put on the top, with some chopped pistachio kernels sprinkled over it. Serve on a fancy dish-paper or nicely-folded napkin. Note. — A great number of receipts for preparing Apples crowd before us; but the selection made lias been governed by variety, leaving something, if further should be required, to the ingenuity of the cook.

APRICOTS ( Fr . Abricots; Ger. Aprikosen; Hal. Albicocche; Sp. Albaricoques). — In old English works we find this word written Apricock or Abricock, which, according to the name in some of the Continental languages, appears to be nearer the correct way of spelling than our more modern word. The fruit is said to have been introduced into this country from France in the

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Apricots — continued.

reign of Henry VIII. It is supposed by some to be a native of America, but by others of Africa. In China Apricots are very plentiful, and are employed in many ways by the people of that country. The flesh of the fruit of the wild tree is of little value, but it contains a very large kernel, from which an oil is extracted. The fruit of the cultivated tree is preserved wet by the Chinese in all the flavour of its kind; they make lozenges of the clarified juice, which afford a very agreeable beverage when dis

Fig. 40. Moorpark Apricot.

solved in water. There are not many varieties of Apricots, and the difference in flavour is not readily distinguishable, although perhaps the Moorpark is the best (see Fig. 40).

The coarser, and consequently cheaper, sorts of Apricots do quite as well as any other for cooking purposes; and the green fruit picked from the trees during the process called “ thinning ” can be used for tarts in the same manner as green gooseberries. Tinned and dried Apricots are much used also, and very effectively sometimes, in combination with other fruits, such as rhubarb, apples, and plums. Apples in Apricot Jam . — See Apples.

Apple and Apricot Meringue . — See Apples.

Apricot d’Artois. — Boll out some patten paste rather thinly, about the size of the baking-sheet you are going to use. Lay the paste over this by winding upon the rolling-pin, ari spread some Apricot Jam all over it. Eoll out another piece the same size, and lay over the other by winding round the rolling-pin as before explained. With the back of a knife mark out pieces about 2in. by lin., or in diamonds same size, running the knife from top to bottom and crossways. Set in a moderate oven to bake. When done, let it cool, and when quite cold, cut it up through the marks, or stamp it out with a fancy-shaped cutter. Pipe each D’Artois with sugar round the edge and across the top, so as to leave spaces on each, which are to be filled in with apple and red-currant jelly. These form a very pretty dish when laid upon an ornamental dish-paper or neatly -folded napkin. The piping is very simple, and can easily be performed by anyone after reading the instructions given under that head.

Apricot Biscuits. — (1) Put the yolks of fourteen eggs into a basin, and beat in lib. of sifted, crushed loaf sugar and a small pinch of salt; add a little orange, lemon, or any other flavouring, and work well for about twenty minutes, when the mixture should have the consistence and appearance of cream. Put the whites of the fourteen eggs into a bowl, taking care that not a drop of the yolks is with them, whip into a stiff froth, and stir lightly into the yolks, adding gradually 4Joz. each of flour and potato or Indian corn-flour. Put this batter into a biscuit-forcer, and lay it

Apricots — continued.

out upon well buttered and floured baking-sheets in the shape of halves of Apricots, sprinkle them over with caster sugar, put them into a moderate oven, and bake to a light golden colour. Take them out, connect two of the halves together with a little Apricot Jam, cover them over with jam, and glaze with transparent Apricot Icing. Put them as soon as done upon a wire tray or sieve over a baking-sheet, dry in the hot closet, take them out, and they are ready for use. If preferred, royal icing, slightly coloured with orange sugar or gamboge, may be substituted for the transparent Apricot Icing.

(2) Spread over some square, flat, thinnish pieces of sponge cake some Apricot Jam. Boil 21b. of sugar to a blow ( see Sugar-boiling), add half a wineglassful of noyeau, boil again for half-a-minute, and then remove the boiler from the fire. Now work the syrup by rubbing with a spoon or spatula on the side of the boiler until the sugar granulates; .then dip Apricot Biscuits into this with a fork, and lay them on a sieve to set.

Apricot Bombe with Maraschino. — This is given by Jules Gouffe, and deserves attention on that account. Make lqt. of Apricot Puree, and mix it with lqt. of syrup at 30deg.; strain this through a silk sieve into a basin. Put the yolks of fourteen eggs into a stewpan, with £ pint of syrup at 32deg., £ pint of cream, and 3 tablespoonfuls of maraschino; stir over the fire until the egg begins to thicken. Strain the cream through a silk sieve into a basin, and whip it until it becomes of the consistency of biscuit paste. Set two freezing-pots and a bombo-mould in some pounded ice and bay-salt. Put the Apricot Syrup into one freezing-pot, freeze, and work it with the spatula. Put the cream into the other pot, and work it with the spatula, adding £ pint of whipped cream. Line the mould with a coating of Apricot Ice lin. thick; fill the centre with maraschino ice, close the mould, and embed it in the ice for two hours. Turn the bombe out on a sheet of paper, cut it into slices fin. thick, cut each slice across, and dish the pieces on a napkin.

Apricot Bonnes Boucli.es. — Prepare a biscuit batter as for Apricot Biscuits, put it into a biscuit-forcer, and squeeze out in rounds about ljin. in diameter, letting them fall upon a sheet of stiff paper spread over a baking-sheet. Sprinkle them over with a little caster sugar, and put in a moderate oven to bake a light golden colour. Take them out, trim, remove the paper by inverting and damping it, and put on a wire sieve. Take them up as required, place half an Apricot on each, allowing time for any moisture from the halves of Apricots to be absorbed by the sugar, then glaze with noyeau-flavoured icing, put in the hot closet or screen, and let them remain for a few minutes so that they may dry. Take them out, and they are ready for use. They are frequently required for ornamenting cakes, &c.

Apricot Brandy. — (1) Put two dozen Apricots into a saucepan with a syrup made of Jib. of sugar and a little water. Boil them up in this, then take them out, put into jars, and when cold fill them up with brandy. Cover them over securely, and let them remain for several days, when they are ready for use. They may be carefully and thinly peeled after putting them into the syrup, but this way is not generally adopted.

(2) Cut into halves three or four dozen Apricots, put them into a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and let them simmer gently on the side of the fire for five minutes. Let them remain in this for a day, then take them out and put into wide-mouthed bottles or jars. Put the saucepan with the syrup back on to the fire, and boil it down to the feather degree ( see Sugar-boiling); then add an equal quantity of pale brandy to it, lot it get quite cold, pour it into the bottles or jars, cork them down, tie them over with bladder to exclude the air, and put them in a cool cellar until wanted for use.

Apricot Cakes. — Eoll out a piece of puff paste — trimmings, or “ patten ” paste, as they are called, will do nicely Spread this over a baking-sheet, by first winding it on the rollingpin, and then unwinding. Spread some Apricot Marmalade with a spatula equally all over the paste. Next cut some more rolled paste into long, narrow strips, and roll it like a cord. Arrange these strips over the marmalade, and finish off the ends, soldering on to the edge of the pasto flat, by

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Apricots — continued.

moistening with water. Lay icing-sugar along the bars in an ornamental manner, and then bake in a moderately hot oven. When done, cut into oblong pieces 2in. by 3in., and pile one upon the other on a dish with a cut paper spread on it.

Ude recommends that this dish should be decorated with almonds cut into different shapes and coloured.

Apricot Charlotte Russe.— Line a plain round mould with finger-biscuits, and pack it in ice. Eub 1 pint of Apricot Marmalade through a sieve, put it into a basin, and stir in loz. of gelatine, dissolved in 1 gill of water, and strained. Put the basin on the ice, and work the mixture with a spoon until it begins to freeze; then add lqt. of well-whipped cream, mix, and fill the mould with it. Cover the mould with a bakingsheet, with ice on the top; let it remain in this way for an hour; then turn the charlotte out of the mould on to a suitable dish, and serve.

Apricot Chartreuse. — Put 6oz. of sugar into a saucepan with a tin of preserved Apricots, and add a wineglassful of white wine and a breakfast-cupful of water. Sot the pan on the fire, boil the liquor up once, pour the whole on to a sieve over a basin, cut the Apricots in halves, remove the stones, take out the kernels, and carefully skin the Apricots. Pour 1 pint of the syrup into a saucepan, add fifteen sheets of French gelatine, previously soaked in water, and set the pan on the fire; boil the liquor, then add the whites and broken shells of three eggs, and strain the whole through a jelly-hag into a basin. Pour a little warmed sweet jelly on the bottom of a mould packed in ice, put a layer of the halves of Apricots, with a few of the kernels blanched and cut in halves also, and let the jelly set; then cover them with more jelly, and let that set also. Put a smaller mould, about ljin. less in diameter than the other, into the larger one, taking care to have it exactly in the centre, and fill the cavity between them with more of the jelly; when it is nearly set, add the remainder of the Apricots and kernels, so as to have them well distributed round the side. Pour a little warm water ints the smaller mould, to remove it, when the jelly is quite firm; fill the space with Apricot Syrup mixed with well-whipped cream and a little dissolved gelatine, cover over the mould, pack ice on the top, and let it remain until the whole is set. Turn it out on to a dish when ready, and serve.

Apricot Clieese. — (1) Take any form of Apricot, parboil, and reduce to a pulp by beating in a mortar or with a fork. Pass through a sieve, rejecting the skin; add lb. of powdered sugar to every pound of strained fruit, or puree, as it is called, and the kernels of half the stones, nicely blanched. Boil until it has thickened, and then pour into buttered moulds. Set in a very slow oven or drying-closet, and when quite firm, turn out and serve with whipped cream.

(2) Take, according to their size, eight or twelve ripe Apricots; peel and stone them, and pound to a pulp in a mortar, with a little caster sugar. When well pounded, rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon. Mix a little softened isinglass with this puree. Well beat 1 pint of thick cream, and mix it with the Apricots. Taste whether the cream is sweetened enough. Continue to whip it over ice till you perceive that the isinglass is well melted and blended with the mixture, then put the cheese into a mould, and surround well with ice pounded with salt. If the stirring is neglected when over the ice, the Apricot will fall to the bottom of the mould, so that when the ice-cream is turned upside down into the dish, it will appear of two colours, and the yellow part will be tough. A pot of Apricot Marmalade or tinned Apricots may be used instead by rubbing into a puree through a hair sieve. Proceed as before, and then take 1 pint of thick cream, or more, according to the size of the mould, whip it well, mix it gently over ice with the fruit, and when they are well mixed put them into the mould, and pack in ice.

Apricots a la Colbert. — Put a little rice into a saucepan with milk, and boil it. Cut a dozen or so Apricots in halves, form a little of the rice into the same shape, and fasten both together so as to have a shape like an Apricot, only half Apricot and half rice. Dip them into egg, roll in breadcrumbs, plunge into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry them. Take them out, drain, roll in sugar, put on a dish, and serve with a little sweet sauce made with Apricot

Apricots — continued.

Syrup. The rice should be boiled and prepared as for rice croquettes.

Apricots a la Cond£. — Divide and remove the kernels from a dozen ripe Apricots, and stew them in a light syrup until done, with the rind of one lemon pared very thin. Next prepare a border of rice suitable to the dish you are going to use; fill in the centre with the Apricot, and just before serving pour some whipped cream over the top, and sprinkle with pistachio nuts chopped very fine.

Apricot Cream. — (1) Divide and remove the kernels from twelve ripe Apricots, and put them into a stewpan with gib. of caster sugar and a little water; stew them gently until soft, and then add ioz. of gelatine. Eub the Apricots through a tammy sieve, and mix with them 1 pint of whipped cream, adding more sugar if required, as some Apricots are not so sweet as others, and pour the mass into a fancy mould; or use for any purpose required. If a mould is used, the top should be ornamented with a little crystallised fruit or coloured jelly. When ready to be served, dip the mould into warm water to loosen the cream, but do not let the water overflow the top. Turn out on a glass dish, and serve.

(2) Take some ripe Apricots, split them, and remove the stones; put them in a preserving pan with lb. of sugar and 1 gill of water, stir them over the fire until the Apricots are quite soft, then rub through a hair sieve into a pan. Mix with the puree 1 pint of whipped cream and loz. of dissolved isinglass, pour the cream into a fancy mould, and put it upon the ice or in a cool place to set. When set and ready for use, dip the mould into clean warm water, to loosen the cream, so that the water does not cover it, and turn out in the usual way. This sort of cream may be prepared with plums instead of Apricots.

Apricot Flawn. — (1) Butter a flawn-circle, which place on a baking-sheet. Line it with puff paste (trimmings will do), and trim off level to the rim. Mask the bottom with a thin layer of powdered sugar, and upon this sugar arrange halves of peeled or tinned Apricots in sufficient quantity to fill the flawn. Ornament the rim of the paste with a strip that has been stamped. Sprinkle over with sugar, and bake in a slack oven for thirty-five minutes.

(2) Line a well-buttered flawn-mould with about 12oz. of short-crust paste, fill it up with flour, and bake for about fifteen minutes. Take it out, remQve all the flour, and return it to the oven for five minutes longer, to dry, and colour slightly. Put lOoz. of crushed loaf sugar into a saucepan with the thin rind of a lemon, pour in 3 teacupfuls of water, and boil the whole to a thin syrup. Cut a dozen Apricots in halves, take out the stones, put them into the syrup, and cook gently until they are quite tender. Turn the shell of paste carefully out of the mould, put the Apricots in, as well as the syrup, and serve.

Apricot Fritters. — (1) Make lib. of brioche paste, using only jib. of butter, and set it for three hours to rise; then lay the paste on the slab, fold it over, and roll out thick; fold over again, and put it in a basin on ice or other very cool place. When it is quite firm, roll it out to gin. thickness, and stamp out rounds with a cutter 2in. in diameter; moisten the top of the edge of the rounds with a little brush dipped in water, and put g teaspoonful of Apricot Jam in the centre of each; cover this with a second round of paste, and press the two together, taking care to make the edges stick fast. Prick with a skewer-point round the top about gin. from the edge, and fry the fritters in warm fat; drain, and sprinkle some fine sugar over them. Pile them on a napkin on a dish, and serve ornamented with sugar piping. Halves of crystallised cherries and angelica cut in shapes may be substituted for the sugar dust, if an elaborate dish is desired.

(2) Cut some ripe Apricots into halves, remove the stones, and cut each half into two or three pieces; peel them, and range them in a kitchen basin. Sprinkle over a handful of sugar, and moisten with a little cognac. After soaking halfan-hour, drain them, dip them into thin, sweet batter, and plunge them into hot frying fat. Cook them a few at a time, drain them, and serve hot, with fine sugar dusted over them.

Apricot Ice. — Stew for a few minutes lib. of chopped-up Apricots and the peeled kernels of half of them in 1 pint of water with gib. of sugar. Eub the fruit, with the back of a

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PBACTICAL COOKERY.

Apricots — continued.

spoon, through a strainer into the freezer, and mix in the syrup. Freeze, and when it is nearly set, whip the whites of two eggs to a firm froth; mix them in, and turn the freezer rapidly a short time longer. Cut up two or three very ripe Apricots, and stir them into the ice just before serving. Tinned Apricots can be used if fresh ones are not available; and if preserved in syrup, that will serve for mixing with them; or the liquor can be made into syrup by boiling with a proper proportion of sugar.

Apricot Ice Cream. — Put 8oz. of Apricot Jam into a basin or bowl, and mix in the strained juice of a lemon, half-adozen bitter almonds blanched and pounded, a liqueur-glassful of noyeau, and 2 breakfast- cupfuls of cream. Work these well with a pestle or rolling-pin, rub the mixture through a fine sieve into the freezer, and when nearly set, put it into a mould packed in ice. Turn it out on to a dish when firm, and serve.

Apricot Jam. — (1) Split, peel thin, and slice up as many Apricots as desired; break the stones, extract the kernels, scald them to remove the skins, and then add them to the fruit. Boil an equal weight of sugar in a pan, with pint of water to the pound, to the pearl degree ( see Sugar-boiling), and throw in the fruit. Stir the whole as it boils for about twenty minutes, removing the scum as it rises. When the marmalade hangs in drops from the edge of the spoon it is sufficiently done. Pour into pots, and when cold, cover and tie down in the usual way. Some confectioners do not peel the Apricots; but the peels need not be wasted, as they make a nice little dish of preserve for family use.

(2) Take some ripe Apricots, and place them in boiling water. After they have been in a short time, take them out, cut out the stones, and press the fruit through a hair sieve by working it through with a spoon-bowl. Make a syrup of lib. of preserving-sugar to lib. of the pulp, and whilst boiling throw in the pulp by degrees. Stir well as it boils, and then after a time the mixture will be found to adhere to the spoon like a jelly. Remove from the fire, and add the kernels of the Apricots, previously blanched and dried on a cloth. Store in jars in the usual way.

(3) Cut 81b. of good Apricots in slices, and put them into a basin, with 51b. of pounded sugar and lqt. of water. Stir with a wooden spoon till the sugar is melted, and put the whole into the preserving-pan to boil for ten minutes, whilst continuously stirring, and skimming off the scum as it rises. To judge if the jam is done, take the skimmer out and cool what is on it, and this should feel greasy under the finger. Another mode of ascertaining when the jam is done is to pour a little into a cold plate: if it shows an inclination to set without running, it is made, and must be removed at once, as to leave it longer causes a waste of material. Pour the jam into pots, and cover as usual.

Apricot Jelly. — Cut eighteen ripe, fleshy Apricots into slices and remove the stones. Put them into a basin, with the juice of three lemons. Have ready boiling pints of clarified syrup, pour it over the Apricots, cover the basin with a cloth, and let the contents cool. Then add to the syrup when half-cold lfoz. of isinglass, mix well in, and strain through a jelly-bag into a mould. The remainder of the Apricots make a very good, but inferior-looking, marmalade, or compote, for nursery use.

Apricot Marmalade. — Select some Apricots quite ripe, stone, and pass them through a sieve; weigh 31b. of the Apricot puree, put it into a preserving-pan, and mix with it 21b. of crushed sugar. Set the pan over a fire or stove, and let the marmalade reduce slowly until it coats over the spoon, and falls in large drops from it. Add some of the kernels of the Apricots, blanched in hot water and dried, and pour it into jars, as for jams. Apricot Marmalade and Apricot Jam are virtually one and the same thing.

Apricots with Noyeau Jelly.— Beat the whites of three eggs and put them in a stewpan, with 2oz. of gelatine, fib. of loaf sugar, the juice of one lemon, and lqt. of water. Whisk it over the fire till it boils. Boil some Apricots, cut in halves, in syrup; drain them, and crack the stones; blanch and peel the kernels, divide them in halves, and strew them in a plain cylinder mould with a little dissolved gelatine. Fill the mould alternately with layers of jelly and Apricots, cover it with a

Apricots — continued.

baking-sheet, imbed it in ice, with ice on the top, and let it freeze for two hours. When ready to serve, wipe the mould and turn the jelly out.

Apricot Omelet. — Put the yolks of six eggs and the whites of four into a basin, sprinkle over them a small quantity of salt, and beat them well. Pour this into an omelet-pan with a little melted butter in it, and as soon as it is set turn it carefully out. Spread over as much Apricot Jam or Marmalade as required, fold the omelet up, put it on a dish, sprinkle over caster sugar, glaze it in the oven or with a salamander, and servo hot. •

Apricot Open Tart. — Proceed, as for Apple Pie No. 2, to trim an open-tart mould, spread sugar over the paste, and fill up the centre with halves of Apricots instead of apples. Sprinkle sugar freely over the fruit, and bake for half-an-hour or so, until done.

Apricot “ Pain,” or Bread (as described by a celebrated Parisian confectioner). — Dissolve loz. of best isinglass in % pint of lukewarm water, and stir this into an equal quantity of Apricot Marmalade. Add to this the juice of an orange and 1 teaspoonful of orange flavouring, pass through a sieve, and stir upon ice until partly set. Fix a dome-shaped mould in broken ice, and put some of the Apricot mixture into it. When that is set, let down on to it, exactly in the centre, another mould of the same shape but much smaller, and let this inside mould be filled with pounded ice and salt. Pour the Apricot mixture all round this mould until it fills the space between the moulds up to the top. Let all set. Then remove the ice from the inner mould, and pour in a little water, so that by the difference of temperature it may loosen itself. Have ready some syrup flavoured with vanilla, and mix with it a little dissolved isinglass. Stir on ice until this mixture begins to thicken, and then introduce into it i pint of whipped cream, and some strawberries preserved whole. Pour it into the hollow left by the removal of the inner mould; let it set, and as soon as it is quite firm, turn it out on to a dish.

Apricot Paste. — Make a very firm Apricot Jam, pour it upon a clean baking-sheet, and put it in a very slow oven to dry. When set, stamp out or cut into any shapes, such as rings, rounds, ovals, leaves, lozenges, &c., and place on trays to be dried in the screen. Cover with paper to keep off the dust. A very low oven will do where a drying-screen is not available. The shapes when quite dry may be dusted with fine sugar, and packed in tin boxes for use when required.

Apricot Pastille Drops. — Put jib. of coarsely-sifted, crushed loaf sugar into a small, spouted, and round-bottomed sugarboiler, and place it on a sheet of wrought iron prepared for this purpose, having a hole about 6in. in diameter cut in the centre, so as to reduce the heat, and only allow the bottom part of the sugar-boiler to be exposed to the fire. Stir well for two minutes with a wooden spoon until the sugar begins to dissolve at the bottom, and then with a piece of bent wire cut off lumps as big as peas as the mixture runs out of the spout, letting them fall gently in close rows upon sheets of stiff paper. Let them remain until they are quite firm and set. Turn the paper over, damp it, and the pastilles will fall from it on to a dry sieve. Roll them in this gently over a slow fire to dry them, put them into jars or bottles, well stoppered to exclude the air, place them in a dry, cool place, and let them remain until wanted.

Apricot Pie. — (1) English Fashion . — Take an ordinary pie-dish, and make sufficient tart paste, according to the sized tart you propose making. Lay closely pressed round the border of the dish (previously wetted) a band of paste, 3in. wide and £in. thick. Within the dish arrange a sufficient quantity of halves of Apricots to fill it — unripe fruit will do for these pies — 1 teacupful of sugar, and 2oz. or 3oz. of butter. Roll out some more paste to make a crust, and having wetted the band with a paste-brush, cover with the sheet of paste prepared for the purpose. Press the edges down, trim off with an upright knife, and notch round with the back of the knife, or ornament in any other way. Brush over the top of the pie with white of egg, and strew finely-broken sugar over. Bake for a hour-and-a-quarter, and serve hot. If to be served cold, the butter is better omitted.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Apricots — continued.

(2) Dubois puts a little water at the bottom of the dish, instead of butter, as in No. 1. The paste he also makes with yolks of eggs and sugar.

Apricot and Pistachio Ice. — Blanch, peel, and pound jib. of pistachio kernels. Boil 1 j pints of milk. Put the yolks of six eggs in a stewpan, with jib. of pounded sugar and the boiled milk. Stir over the fire till the eggs begin to thicken. Let this cool, then add the pounded pistachios and a little green spinach-colouring, and strain the whole through a tammy cloth into a basin. Make 1 pint of Apricot purde (by stewing the fruit until soft and then rubbing it through a sieve), mix with 1 pint of syrup, and strain through a sieve. Freeze the two mixtures separately, and serve them moulded together.

Apricot Pudding. — (1) Take two dozen Apricots, divide them, and remove the stones. Put the halves into a stewpan upon the stove, with 6oz. of caster sugar. Pour over them j pint of water, well shake them, and when about half cooked through pour them into a pudding-basin, which has been previously buttered and lined with a good suet paste. Cover the top with the same sort of paste, tie over with a pudding-cloth, plunge into boiling water, and boil for two hours. Remove from the saucepan, untie the cloth, turn out upon a dish, and serve. By running the edge of a small knife round the edge of the basin between it and the pudding, the latter turns out more readily.

(2) Careme advises the addition of a few of the blanched kernels of the stones; but as the tinned Apricots (which have no kernels) are more likely to be used, the addition of j teaspoonful of almond flavouring will answer the purpose instead.

Apricot Ratafia. — Cut two dozen Apricots into pieces. Take the kernels out of their shells, blanch them, and crush in a mortar. Put all together into a jar, with jib. of fine sugar, eight cloves, a little cinnamon, and lqt. of brandy. Cover up the jar quite closely, and allow the contents to macerate for three weeks, when they may be passed through a tammy filter and bo bottled for use. Peach brandy is made in a similar manner.

Apricots with. Rice. — Cut eighteen or twenty Apricots in halves, put them without their stones into a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and simmer them gently until quite tender. In the meantime, prepare a croustade of rice the size of the dish about to be used, and about 2in. in height. Put a breakfast- cupful of rice into a saucepan with 1 quart of milk, add a stick of vanilla for flavouring, and sufficient sugar to sweeten; set the pan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently for about an hour. Turn the rice into the croustade placed on the dish, forming it into the shape of a dome, put the halves of Apricots round it in circles, reduce the syrup quickly, pour it over, and serve at once.

Apricot Sauce. — Cut a dozen or so Apricots in halves, remove and break the stones, blanch and pound the kernels, and put them with the fruit in a saucepan, with a little water, to prevent them burning. Pour over 1 wineglassful of madeira when the fruit is stewed quite soft, add sufficient sugar to sweeten, and a thickening of flour or arrowroot mixed smooth with water. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a sauceboat, and it is ready for use. Apricot Jam and sherry may be substituted for the fresh Apricots and madeira if desired.

Apricot Snowballs. — Divide a little more than a breakfastcupful of boiled rice into six equal parts, and spread each part over a small, wet pudding-cloth placed over a half-pint basin to about a third of an inch in thickness. Cut half-adozen Apricots only sufficient to extract the stones, fill the cavities with a little of the cooked rice, place them in the centre of the rice, and draw the cloths gently round until the Apricots are covered with the rice; then tie them round securely and tightly, put them in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water, and steam for ten minutes. Take them out, carefully remove the cloths, put them on a dish, pour over a little sweet sauce made from Apricot Syrup, and Berve.

Apricot Souffle. — (1) Take one dozen Apricots, divide them, and remove the stones; cook them in a light syrup — lib. of sugar to 1 pint of water — and put them upon a sieve to drain. Make the following custard: jib. of flour, the same amount of butter, the yolks of eight eggs, and jib. of caster

Apricots — continued.

sugar. Flavour with vanilla and 1 gill of the Apricot Syrup. Stir the whole upon the fire until it boils, then remove it. Cut the Apricots up into small squares, add them and the whites of twelve eggs, whisked up very firm, also about jib. of Almonds, having previously blanched them; mix the whole together carefully. Butter a souffle-tin, put some buttered paper round it, and tie with a string. Put the mixture in the oven, and bake for about one hour and a-quarter. When

it has been in the oven one hour, dust it over with caster

sugar, and return it to finish baking. When quite done,

remove the paper, and put the souffle into a souffle-dish.

It should be served immediately it is taken from the oven.

(2) Bub through a sieve sufficient halves of tinned Apricots to make 3 gills. Put this puree into a basin, with double its volume of powdered sugar — a part of which may be flavoured with orange. Set the basin on ice, work the preparation with a spoon till thickened; then add the white of an egg, not whipped, and continue working the mixture briskly. As soon as the white of one egg is well worked in, add another, and continue to add the whites of eggs up to ten. To insure this souffle turning out light, it must be worked for three-quarters-of-an-hour at least. Pour into a souffle-pan, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty minutes.

Apricot Tartlets. — The first step is to decide how many you mean to make, and then if this receipt is carefully carried out, a very beautiful dish will result. Prepare the Apricots by boiling 4oz. of sugar with 1 pint of the juice in which they are preserved in the tins, and if you have not sufficient of this to make 1 pint, you must add water to make up the quantity. Partly cook twelve halves of Apricots in this syrup, and when sufficiently boiled, take them up on a fork, and lay them on a plate. Put another twelve halves in, parboil, and remove as before. Separate the skins from the Apricots, and strain the syrup they were cooked in through a tammy; then boil down to half. Take sufficient good puff paste, and roll it out very thin; fold it double, and cut through twenty-four very narrow strips. Unfold the paste after cutting off the strips, and cut twenty-four sheets to line the tartlet-moulds. Boll the strips cut off between the fingers and the dresser, and then form a sort of cord by twisting two together. Moisten the edges of the tartlet, so that the strips may be soldered on like a ring or framework. Into each mould cast a good pinch of sugar, and upon that lay half an Apricot, kernel-side down. Bake on a baking-sheet in a quick oven, and when the paste at the bottom of the pans looks done, and of a fine yellow colour, take them out of the oven, and pour over each 1 table-spoonful of the syrup. Set half a blanched kernel (if you have any) on each half of the fruit.

Apricot Tartlets -with Cream.— A dozen, or any other number, of tartlet-pans are to be lined with sweetened short-paste, and sufficient custard placed in to fill them. Bake these in a slack oven for about twenty-five minutes, and when they have half cooled, mask over the custard with Apricot Marmalade. In each of these tartlets place half an Apricot, peeled, and very slightly cooked in a weak syrup, made by adding sugar to the juice from the tin, and boiling together for a little time. Push back into a slack oven for a short time, and then take them out, and carefully remove the moulds before serving.

An ornamentation of halves of crystallised cherries (Fig. 41), dots of meringue, or icing, is an addition, the meringue requiring to be set by placing in the oven for a few minutes.

Apricot Toast. — Cut a dozen or so Apricots in halves to extract the stones, put them into a saucepan with sufficient syrup to cover them, pour in a wineglassful of wine, set the saucepan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently for a few minutes. Cut two dozen thin rounds of bread a little larger than the Apricots, put them into a frying-pan with a little butter, and fry to a light golden colour. Take them out, drain, put on a dish, place a half of Apricot on each, with the hollow side uppermost, put half a blanched kernel in each, pour over a little of the syrup, and serve with whipped cream poured round.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Apricots — continued.

Apricot Water Ice. — Take about eighteen ripe Apricots, and slice them without peeling. Boil them soft in J pint of water and 1 pint of syrup. Add three drops of strong hitter-almond flavouring, mix up well, and put into the freezer.

Bavaroise of Apricots. — A dozen ripe Apricots, out in halves and stewed, or two dozen tinned halves will do. Put these into a preserving-pan, with -.'.111. of sugar, the juice of two lemons, and loz. of isinglass which has been previously dissolved in a little water. Stew them until they are sufficiently tender to he mashed, when they must be rubbed through a sieve into a hasin. Stir upon ice until just about to set, when 1 pint of whipped cream must be stirred in smartly, and the whole turned into a mould. Set this in ice, and when quite firm, turn out on to a glass dish.

Bottled Apricots. — For this, Apricots that have fallen before they are quite ripe are generally used, as they are not fit for tarts or anything else. Put them in wide-mouthed bottles, fill up with some syrup at 22deg. ( see Syeups), cork and tie down tightly, put them in a saucepan with water up to their necks, and boil slowly for twenty minutes. Let them cool, and they are ready for use.

Bottled Halves of Apricots. — Select very ripe fruit, cut them in halves, and remove the stones; scald the halves in a little hot water, remove their skins, and then plunge them into cold water to soak. Put them in wide-mouthed bottles with their kernels (blanched and dried), packing them in tightly, and fill up the bottles with syrup at 26deg. ( see Sugae-boiling). Cork up the bottles, tie them down; put them in a saucepan of water, and boil gently on the side of the fire for ten minutes. Take the bottles out, let them cool, and the Apricots are ready for use.

Broiled Apricots. — Cut a dozen or so Apricots in halves, take out the stones, and sprinkle the former over with finely-sifted, crushed loaf sugar; put them on a gridiron over a clear fire, or hot embers, and broil them. Put a few stoned Apricots into a mortar with an equal quantity of raspberries and sufficient sugar to sweeten, and pound them well together. Put this fruit-pulp into a saucepan, and boil it until done. Place the broiled halves of Apricots on a glass dish, and serve very hot, with the fruit-pulp poured over.

Compote of Apricots. — (1) Split the fruit in halves, peel them thinly and smoothly, let them simmer for a few minutes in thin syrup (made by boiling lib. of sugar in 1 pint of water), add the blanched kernels, dish them up piled in a pyramidal form, and pour the syrup over the top.

(2) Remove the stones from one dozen ripe Apricots, and stew them in a light syrup with a little lemon-peel pared very thin; and when done, allow them to get cold. Next prepare a compote-case — that is, a case lined with patten or second paste -about ljin. high. Previous to putting this paste in the oven, line it with a piece of paper, and fill the centre with flour, so as to keep the paste a good shape. When dene and cold, remove the flour and paper, and fill in with the Apricots. Cover over the top with some whipped cream, smooth it nicely with a knife, and ornament it with angelica and cherries, or pistachio nuts if preferred.

Croutons with Apricots.— Slice up some good bread or dinnerrolls, about Jin. thick. From these slices stamp or cut out

Fig. 42. Croutons with Apricots.

rounds, according to the number required, and fry them a nice golden colour in clarified butter. Drain them, sprinkle over with icing-sugar, and give them a little more colour by

Apricots — continued.

putting in the oven upon a flat haking-sheet. When this is done, lay upon each crouton half an Apricot, hollow side down (see Fig. 42). But before this the Apricots, whether fresh or tinned, must be in halves, without stones, and partly cooked in a light syrup. Arrange the croutons on the dish upon which they are to be served, and then pour over and round a rich custard sauce made with the syrup. Serve very hot.

Dried Apricots. — This is a very useful mode of preserving Apricots, and they make an exceedingly tasty side-dish. Prepare the fruit by halving and peeling, then set them in a stewpan or preserving-pan, with a thin syrup. Boil up, remove, and drain — three times. At the last charge of syrup, place them separately on the drainer at a distance from each other, resting upon a baking-sheet, and put in the screen or hot-closet to dry. A very slow oven will dry them, especially if it is heated by regulatable gas-burners. Boil 21b. of sugar to the pearl degree (see Sugae-boiling); add the juice of 1 lemon, and with the bowl of a spoon or a spatula work the sugar at the side of the pan until it becomes dulled or whitish; then throw in the dried halves of Apricots, shake all round gently together, and use a silver fork to lift out the pieces, placing them, with the round side uppermost, upon the drainer as before, and set them in the screen again for about an hour to dry the sugar on them. When finished, put them away in boxes, with a sheet of clean paper between the layers of dried fruit.

Effervescing 1 Apricot Drink.— Filter until clear 1 pint of the expressed juice of Apricots. The juice may be obtained by pounding the fruit in a mortar and squeezing in a tammy cloth until no more can be extracted. Make this clear juice into a syrup by heating with Jib. of sugar, and add loz. of tartaric acid. When required for use, put 20 grains of pure carbonate of soda into f tumblerful of ice-cold water, and add 2 tablespoonfuls of the syrup, stirring quickly.

Frozen Apricots. — Tinned Apricots do well for this. Take one tin of fruit, lib. of sugar, lqt. of water, and 1 pint of whipped cream — measured after whipping. Cut the Apricots into small pieces, add the sugar and water, and set to freeze. When nearly frozen, add the cream. A very tasty dish, which may also be served without the cream.

Breen Apricot Compote. — Select the best of the green Apricots thinned from the trees, and blanch thorn in boiling water. When thoroughly scalded, remove them from the fire, and cover over with a towel. By so doing, they become green again. Drop them into cold water, and then drain in a hair sieve. Boil some preserving-sugar in a stewpan, put your fruit into it, and give them a boil (there should be enough syrup to completely cover the Apricots). Put the pan on one side, and let the fruit soak in the warm syrup for three or four hours. When you are ready to use them, drain off the syrup, and boil it to the thread degree ( see Sugae-boiling). Put the fruit in a glass dish, and cover it with the syrup when cold. This compote should be used within twenty-four hours of boiling, or if required to bo kept longer, it must be fresh boiled every second day.

Imitation Apricots. — Put the required quantity of sugar into a sugar-boiler and boil it to the ball degree (see Sugaeboiling); then add a few drops of acetic acid, and with a tablespoon (a silver one should be used) rub it well against the sides of the boiler, taking it up in large quantities, until the whole has a white appearance. Have ready some moulds made in halves, joined together with a hinge, in imitation of Apricots, pour the sugar in, and let it remain until it is set and quite firm in the centre. Turn out on to a board, and proceed to colour them as follows: Grind a little gamboge with water on a plate and rub in a little carmine; coat the Apricots with this, putting it on in three different thin shades, allowing one to dry before another is put on. To imitate the small reddy-brown spots, dip a stiffhaired brush into carmine slightly coloured with brown, and dot them over with it. Let them get perfectly dry, then give a thin coating of dissolved gum, dredge over a little very fine starch-powder in imitation of the bloom, and they are ready for use.

Nougats of Apricots. — (1) Lay Jib. of puff paste, rolled very thin, over a baking-sheet. Spread Apricot Marmalade about Jin. thick over the paste. Then have ready jib. of minced Jordan almonds, which put into a basin with lb. of powdered

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

45

Apricots — continued.

sugar, and mix with the whites of four eggs. Spread this mixture all over the marmalade, and bake in a hot oven to a nice golden-brown. When cold it maybe cut up, like Apricot Cakes, piled up, and served on a napkin or ornamental dishpaper.

(2) Boll out some patten or puff paste very thin, lay it upon a baking-sheet by winding round the rolling-pin, lifting, and then unwinding, and spread over it some very good Apricot Jam. Roll out another piece of paste about the same size, and lay on top in the same manner. Then mix in a basin some chopped, blanched almonds with an equal amount of sugar, which should be sifted through a coarse sieve with the almonds, to ensure their both being in pieces of about the same size. Add the whipped white of an egg, mix well together, and spread over the top crust. Put this into a moderate oven to bake until done, and then allow it to stand until it is cold. Cut out into diamonds or oblongs, or stamp out with a fancy cutter. Serve on a dish-paper or neatly-folded napkin.

Preserved Apricots. — Several methods of preparing this delicious fruit for keeping are described by various confectioners, all being more or less troublesome and expensive. Packing in strong, hot syrup, or drying by heat, are the methods usually recommended; but since the introduction to our markets of Apricots in tins, there is no longer any necessity for the cook to waste time or trouble over preserving them, seeing that those sold as “ tinned Apricots ” are far less expensive at all times, and always ready to hand. Suedoise of Apricots. — Put a little warmed Apricot Jelly at the bottom of a mould packed in ice, and let it set. In the meantime cut a dozen Apricots in halves and remove the stones, put them into a preserving-pan with sufficient syrup to cover them, and boil until quite tender. Take them out, let them get cold, and cut each half up into three strips; arrange these in the mould, commencing at the bottom, and continue all round the sides, dipping them in more of the warmed jelly to make them adhere to the sides. When they have set, pour in a little more jelly to cover the pieces at the bottom, place a small mould inside the large one, leaving about -jin. space all round, and fill the space up with more jelly, pouring it in carefully so as not to disturb the pieces of Apricot. When all is set and firm, pour a little warm water into the small mould to remove it. Cut three Apricots in halves, remove and break the stones, blanch the kernels, and put them with the Apricots into a saucepan with sufficient water to moisten them, and cook until they are soft. Add Joz. of dissolved gelatine, rub the whole through a fine sieve, and pour in 1 teacupful of cream; sweeten to taste. Pour this into the centre of the mould, and let it set. Turn it out on to a dish, and serve. Vol-au-Vents of Apricots. — Prepare a few vol-au-vents with some puff paste, and bake them in a quick oven for ten minutes or so. Take them out, sprinkle a little sugar in the inside, and melt it by holding a red-hot shovel or salamander over it. Pill them up with Apricot Jam or stewed Apricots, pile some whipped cream on the top, and serve.

APRICOT WINS. — California is famous for its prolific growth of Apricots, which is so greatly in excess of ordinary requirements that many tons of them are annually converted into Wine, producing a rich-flavoured, clear, sparkling liquor. In less-favoured countries the yield of Apricots is not sufficiently large to warrant their use for this purpose.

AQUA VITAS (literally, “water of life”). — An old name for Irish Whiskey.

ARABIC. — See Gums.

ARMADILLO. — The “little animals in armour” called Armadilloes are esteemed “ fine eating ” by the natives of South and Central America, but owing to the rank and strong flavour of the flesh, it is not much fancied by Europeans. Stewed or as toasted steaks would appear to be the favourite processes of cooking.

ARMAGNAC. — An inferior quality of Brandy, known as Bas-Armagnac and Haut-Armagnac.

ARNATTO. — See Annatto.

AROMATIC SEASONING. — See Bouquets Garnis, Herbs, and Spices.

ARRACACHA ( Arrncacha esculenta ). — A farinaceous root, about the size of a cow’s horn, which grows abundantly on the plains of Columbia, Jamaica, and other tropical regions. Arracacha roots have been grown in England; but although it is reputed that a few which were planted near Plymouth tln'ived exceedingly, they do not appear to have made much progress in the ranks of our farinaceous vegetables. The root is cultivated in South America, and when boiled, baked, or roasted like potatoes, is declared to be exceedingly palatable, having a flavour something between a parsnip and a sweet chestnut.

ARRACK. — The natives of India and Ceylon distil a rough spirit, called Arrack, from the juice of the date, cocoa-nut, and other palms, rice, molasses, and probably from many other things also. It is not much used by Europeans, though some Anglo-Indian cooks make use of it occasionally for sauces, preserves, and punch. It is nearly colourless, but when kept a long time, gains a slight yellow tinge. The three best known varieties derive their names from Batavia, Madras, and China.

The alcoholic strength of Arrack is uncertain, differing greatly not only in various kinds, but in successive productions from the same still.

ARROPIA. — A Spanish cake made of flour, honey, and spice.

ARROWROOT. — The delicate flavour of this starchy food renders it exceedingly grateful to invalids, and to those who have delicate stomachs. As a nutriment it ranks very low, but this is compensated for in a measure by its combination with eggs, milk, or cream, and its ready digestibility. Arrowroot is prepared from the root, or tuber, of the Maranta, a plant which grows in the West Indies and India to the height of some 2ft. or 3ft., and bears pretty spikes of small, white flowers

Fig. 43. Tuber, Flowers, and Leaves of Arrowroot-plant.

(see Fig. 43). It was called Arrowroot because it was at one time confounded with the root of another plant, with which the Indians used to poison their arrows.

The process of manufacture is described thus: When

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Arrowroot — continued.

the roots (see Fig. 43) are a year old, they are dug up and carefully washed in clean water, and their paperlike scales and discoloured and defective parts are removed by hand. They are then again washed and drained, and next subjected to the action of a wheel rasp, grated, or beaten into a pulp in a large wooden mortar. This pulp is then thrown into a quantity of clean rain-water, and after being thoroughly stirred up, the milky fluid is passed through a hair sieve, or a coarse cloth, which arrests' the fibrous matter of the root; the starch is then allowed, by standing, to settle to the bottom, and the water is drained off. After the further washing of the pasty deposit, and draining some two or three times, it is spread out on clean white cloths, and allowed to dry in the sun. In this state it is ready to be packed for market, and will keep for any length of time if moisture is kept from it.

There are several kinds of so-called Arrowroot in the market, notably Brazilian Arrowroot, which is Cassava Starch or Tapioca Meal; East Indian Arrowroot, or Curcuma Starch; English Arrowroot, Potato Starch;

Portland Arrowroot, from the tubers of the Wake-Robin Arum maculatum), a plant which grows wild in many parts of this country; Tahiti An-owroot, which is Tacca Starch, or Otaheite Salep. The best are known as “Bermuda,” “St. Yincent,” and “St. Kitts” or “West Indian” Arrowroots; all these are good alike, the preference, if any, being in favour of the former two. Arrowroot is imported in tins, barrels, and boxes, and should be a light, dull, dead white, tasteless, inodorous powder, or in small, pulverulent masses; it should feel firm to the fingers, and crackle when pressed or rubbed. Under a pocket lens the starch granules appear as shown in Fig. 44.

In cookery, Arrowroot is used for making cakes, biscuits, and puddings, and for thickening soups and other fluid foods; but in order to render it nourishing, eggs, milk, and butter must be added, either one or all, in due proportion. It requires no boiling, unless for invalids, when it is better cooked for a few minutes after mixing.

Arrowroot Biscuits. — (1) Whisk up five eggs into Jib. of caster sugar, then add 3oz. of pastry flour and the same amount of Bermuda Arrowroot; let both be sifted and stirred in lightly. When the paste is ready and very smoothly mixed, put small quantities into small, round tins, and dust over with sugar. Bake in a moderately quick oven.

(2) Small. — Kub 8oz. of butter into 5 Jib. of flour, then add 6oz. of sugar and fioz. of fine Arrowroot. Make a bay in the flour, and into this pour throe eggs beaten up in 1 pint of water. Mix into a stiff dough, break, and then set to prove, covered over in a cool place. Make lib. of dough into sixteen biscuits,

Arrowroot — continued.

roll each one of them separately into a round cake, 3in. in diameter, dock with an arrowroot-docker, and bake in a hot oven.

Arrowroot Blanc-mang-. — (1) For lqt. of milk it will be

sufficient to mix 3oz. of best Arrowroot with a small quantity of the milk, taking care to make it quite smooth. Boil the rest of the milk with half-a-dozen laurel leaves in it, or half a stick of vanilla (20 drops of the essence may be used instead). Watch carefully, and just as the milk rises, take it off the fire and pour it on to the Arrowroot, stirring thoroughly. This may then be sweetened to taste, and set upon the fire for ten minutes, stirring all the time. Pour it into a mould, cool, and turn out. It will not keep very long. If the blancmanger cracks, it is either under-boiled, or the Arrowroot is of an inferior quality. Lemon-peel boiled in the milk is sometimes preferred to laurel or vanilla as a flavouring.

(2) A little isinglass dissolved in the milk will make the blanc-mang stand firmer.

(3) Take 1 teacupful of Arrowroot, put it into a large bowl, and dissolve it in a little cold water. When it is melted, pour off the water, and let the Arrowroot remain at the bottom. Boil this water in J pint of unskimmed milk, made very sweet with white sugar; add a grated nutmeg, and eight or nine blades of mace, mixed with the juice and grated peel of a lemon. When it has boiled long enough to be highly flavoured, strain it into 1J pints of very rich milk or cream, and add fib. of sugar. Boil the whole for ten minutes, then strain it, boiling hot, over the Arrowroot. Stir well and frequently till cold, then put it into moulds, and let it set.

(4) Boil lqt. of milk with loz. of sweet almonds and fifteen or sixteen bitter almonds, blanched aud pounded, or with noyeau. Moisten 2 teacupfuls of Arrowroot with a little cold milk, and pour on it the boiling milk, stirring all the time. Then put it in the saucepan, and boil a minute or two longer, still stirring. Pour into a mould to set.

Arrowroot Cake. — Almost any mode of preparing this deliciously-flavoured starch is welcome, especially amongst invalids of delicate stomach. The following receipt is given by a ladycook of considerable experience, and will be found very good: Beat lib. of butter to a cream. In a separate basin beat 8 eggs until they are light and very frothy, when add, gradually, lib. of finely-powdered sugar and the grated peel of a lemon. Beat this together, add lib. of the very best Arrowroot, little by little, and continue to beat for at least an hour. Pour into a well-buttered mould, and bake in a moderate oven until done, which can be determined by sticking a knitting-needle into the centre: if it is not done, the needle will come out not quite clear of the dough. Slices of candied peel laid on the top, and a dust of sugar ten minutes before removing from the oven, add to the beauty of the cake.

Arrowroot Cream. — Boil 1 pint of milk, or half milk and half cream, with a bay or laurel leaf or two and the thin rind of a lemon, and sweeten. Stir up 1 table-spoonful of Arrowroot with 2 table-spoonfuls of cold water. When the milk is boiling, remove the leaves and peel, and pour rapidly on to the moistened Arrowroot; stir thoroughly, and continue to do so now and again until it is cold. Serve in a glass dish with tarts or stewed fruit.

Arrowroot Custard. — Beat up an egg with a little sweetened milk; stir this on to 1 teaspoonful of Arrowroot, and add sufficient hot milk for the mixture to fill a small buttered cup. Stand this in a stewpan with so little water that it cannot boil over the sides of the cup, and steam for about twenty minutes. When done, turn out. Serve hot or cold, and with stewed fruit or jam if desired.

These custards can be flavoured with essence of vanilla or lemon.

Arrowroot Drink. — Mix up 2 teaspoonfuls of Arrowroot with 3 table-spoonfuls of water. Add to this when smooth J pint of boiling water, stirring quickly; then add slowly J pint of cold water, or enough to make the mixture of the consistency of cream. Stir till quite smooth, and then add by degrees 2 wineglassfuls of sherry, or 1 wineglassful of brandy, and sufficient sugar to barely sweeten. When cold, or iced, this is delicious.

Arrowroot Drink, with. Black-currant Preserve. — Boil

up in a stewpan 2 table-spoonfuls of good black-currant pre

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Arrowroot — continued.

serve in lqt. of hot or cold water; cover it over, and let it stew by the side of the stove for another half-hour. Strain, and then set the liquor on the stove again. Whilst this is getting hot, mix 1 teaspoonful of Arrowroot in cold water, and when the liquor boils, pour it upon the Arrowroot, stirring quickly. Let it get cold, strain it again, and serve. Children take this readily.

Arrowroot Drops. — Into a buttered or well-oiled saucepan pour 1 teacupful of Arrowroot, which has been crushed in a mortar, or under a rolling-pin. Add 2oz. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of pounded sugar, 1 teaspoonful of grated lemon-rind, a well-beaten egg, and warm them all up together, beating thoroughly to make the mixture light and thick. Then drop pieces about as large as a walnut, or smaller if preferred, at regular intervals on to a buttered, bright baking-sheet, and put into a quick oven for about a quarter-of-an-hour. When done, the drops can be lifted off with a knife.

The addition of a small chip of candied citron- or orange-peel, or a slip of angelica, pressed on to each drop before baking, is by some considered an improvement.

Arrowroot Food.— (1) Break an egg, separate the yolk from the white, and whip each to a stiff froth. Add 1 tablespoonful of Arrowroot and a little water to the yolk, and rub till smooth and free from lumps. Pour slowly into J pint of boiling water, stirring all the time, and let it simmer till jellylike. Sweeten to taste, and add 1 table-spoonful of French brandy. Stir in the frothed white, and serve hot in winter. In summer, set first on ice, then stir in the beaten white. Milk may be used instead of water.

(2) Mix 1 table-spoonful of Arrowroot with enough cold water to make a paste, free from lumps. Pour this slowly into £ pint of boiling milk, and let it simmer until it becomes thick and jelly-like. Sweeten to taste, and add a little nutmeg or cinnamon.

Arrowroot Fritters. — Dissolve 1 piled-up table-spoonful of caster sugar in 1 pint of new milk, and boil in a saucepan, with three or four laurel- or bay-leaves. Whilst this is heating', moisten Jib. of Arrowroot with a little cold water, and make quite smooth; stir this into the milk as soon as it boils. Beat up the yolks of four eggs, stir in briskly, and make smooth also. Then pour this into a well-buttered baking-tin, and bake it in a quick oven. When it is well done and cold, stamp it out in rounds, dip the rounds in egg and breadcrumb, and fry for five minutes in hot lard. Drain and pile up on a dishpaper, and serve with raspberry jam.

Arrowroot Jelly. — This is considered a very fine food for invalids with weak bowels. Mix thoroughly loz. of Arrowroot (the best only must be used for jellies and blancmangers) with a little cold water, and when smooth stir in £ pint of boiling water. Beef tea, strong chicken or veal stock, or milk, may be used instead of the water. Add a wineglassful of port or madeira, and flavour with nutmeg, or vanilla if milk or water only is used.

Arrowroot Pudding'. — (1) Mix loz. of Arrowroot smooth with a little cold water in a basin. Boil 1 pint of milk with a little lemon-peel and sugar, and pour on quickly, stirring well. Beat up the yolks of two eggs and stir in, afterwards adding the whites beaten to a froth. Stir lightly, pour into a baking-dish, and bake for ten or fifteen minutes. Serve at once whilst hot, as it is liable to turn watery when cold.

(2) Boil lqt. of milk and make it into a thick batter with Arrowroot. Add the yojks of six eggs, Jib. of sugar, Jib. of butter, half a nutmeg, and a little grated lemon-peel. Line a pie-dish with thin pastry, and pour in the Arrowroot mixture to fill the dish. Bake it nicely. When done, stick slips of citron all over the top, and pour over it the whites of six eggs, beaten stiff, sweetened with 3 or 4 table-spoonfuls of sugar, and flavoured to taste.

(3) Mix thoroughly 1 piled table-spoonful of Arrowroot with 3 pint of milk, put in a strip of thinly-cut lemon-rind, and boil slowly, stirring well. Add the yolks of four eggs, 1 wineglassful of sherry or madeira, and 1 teacupful of orange-flower water. Beat up the whites of four eggs, and stir in lightly, sweetening to taste. Butter a mould, arrange dried cherries in it, and pour in the mixture. Set in a stewpan of water, and steam for half-an-hour with some fire on the lid of the stewpan, which makes the pudding light. Serve with a sweet wine sauce.

Arrowroot — continued.

(4) Rub 1 teapcupful of Arrowroot smooth with J pint of cold milk. Boil lqt. of milk in a saucepan, with cinnamon and lemon- or orange-peel, sweetening with 2oz. of sugar. Pound twelve bitter almonds, and mix them with the Arrowroot and cold milk; strain through a hair sieve, and add the boiling milk, stirring well. When the mixture begins to thicken, add 1 teaspoonful of fresh butter, and when it is thoroughly done, pour into a mould. Put in a cold place to set.

Arrowroot Sauce. — For this, 2 dessert-spoonfuls of Arrowroot, mixed smooth with J pint of milk or white wine, and sufficient sugar to sweeten, are required. Add a little grated orange- or lemon-peel. Stir this over a slow fire, and when thick remove to ope side. Ten minutes afterwards remove the peel, and add a few table-spoonfuls of rum, or of maraschino or any other liqueur. Pour over light puddings.

Arrowroot Shape. — Mix 2oz. of Arrowroot in J pint of cold water, and let it settle; pour off the water, and flavour the Arrowroot with 1 table-spoonful of orange-flower water. Boil lqt. of milk with 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar and a little cinnamon, and strain through a tammy cloth on to the Arrowroot, stirring all the time. Simmer a short time, still stirring, and put it into a well-buttered mould. Put it in a cold place to set. Turn it out on the following day, and serve with a custard made with 1 pint of milk and the yolks of four eggs, and flavoured with essence of vanilla or orangeflower water.

Arrowroot Souffle. — Moisten 4 or 5 table-spoonfuls of Arrowroot with J pint of cold milk, and pass through a sieve into a stewpan, adding a grain of salt, 4oz. of sugar, 20 drops of essence of lemon or vanilla, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. Stir over the fire until the mixture is in a smooth batter. Boil quickly for a few minutes; pour into another stewpan, and beat in the yolks of five or six eggs. When cool, mix in the whipped whites of four eggs, and 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. Pour this into a buttered souffledish, put into a slack oven, and bake for twenty-five minutes. Sprinkle with caster sugar, and serve. Apricot marmalade is an excellent garnish for this.

Arrowroot Soup. — Any soup or broth, particularly white soups, may be thickened with Arrowroot. Put a small quantity in a basin, add some of the broth drop by drop, working with the back of a spoon till the mixture is of the consistency of thick mustard. Stir into the soup, and boil up.

ART.— Ger. for “ after the fashion of,” as Pariser art — Parisian style. The term is frequently used in Continental

cookery.

ARTICHOKES (Fr. Artichauts; Ger. Artischoken). — There are two kinds of vegetables known by this name — the Green. or Globe Artichoke ( Gynara Scolymus), the flower of which resembles that of a thistle, and provides the edible part; and the Jerusalem Artichoke, which is a species of sunflower, with edible, tuberous roots (Helianthus tuberosus ). The latter is the most common in this country, and grows very profusely in any soil or situation.

The name “ Jerusalem ” is probably a corruption of the word Girasole, which is the Italian name for the sunflower. “Artichoke ” is most likely of Arabic origin, the name for the plant in that language being Alkharciof, which is pronounced very hard and abruptly. Some authorities believe that it is derived from the Greek word artitykos, meaning “ suitable for seasoning.”

The Globe Artichoke (see Fig. 45) is mentioned as a favourite dish in the reign of Henry VIII., when it is said to have been first transplanted from France into

Fig. 45. Green or Globe Artichoke.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Artichokes — con t inued.

British gardens. In the privy-purse expenses of this king are several entries about Artichokes. Thus:

“ Paied to a servant of Maister Tresorer in reward for bringing Archecokks to tho King’s Grace to Yorke place, iiij 3 iiijd.”

There are three kinds of Glohe Artichoke commonly cultivated; hut the variety with the green (not purplish) head is generally reckoned the best, and it is the largest. Before cooking they should be very carefully washed in several waters, and plunged into hot water with salt and soda. They require from twenty to twenty-five minutes’ fast boiling, and are served upon a vegetable- dish on a napkin or strainer. In France, where Globe Artichokes are very plentiful, they are eaten raw as a salad or relish. Dr. Delamere describes the proceeding thus:

Tho eater makes upon Ms plate a mixture of pepper, oil, vinegar, and salt, commonly called a poivrade. He then takes the Artichoke in his left hand, holding it by the top or the tips of the leaves, and with the knife in his right hand he cuts successively from the bottom very thin slices, to each of which is attached a leaf; then holding the leaf between his finger and thumb, he dips the sliced bottom into the poivrade, and duly masticates it as he would uncooked celery, radishes, and the like, and it is not a bit more wholesome or digestible.

The Flower, Glohe, or “Burr” Artichoke, as it is sometimes called, is largely cultivated on the Continent, and is such a favourite food that the bottoms are sold ready

Fig. 46. Methods of Preparing Globe Artichokes.

boiled in some of the appropriate shops in Paris, simply covered by a cloth to keep them hot. In some parts of the Continent, these vegetables are so prolific as to be thrown away in large quantities; hut in Great Britain they are rarely cultivated, forming an expensive vegetable luxury of not sufficient delicacy to become popular at the price charged for them in our markets.

To prepare the Globe Artichokes (Fig. 46, a) for cooking, it is necessary to trim off the stalks, and cut through the tops of the leaves ( b, c). For plain serving, it is usual only to trim the bottoms and cut off the leaf-tips in this way; but the fibrous core, called the “choke,” may be removed by quartering (d, e), for which purpose the leaves must be cut off lower down than they would be for cooking whole (c). Dubois advises, when these quarters are thoroughly cleaned, that they should he rubbed with a lemon, and then half-boiled in acidulated, salted water. After draining, they are to be ranged in a flat stewpan, side by side, with a hit of butter popped in between them here and there. Add a little seasoning, and boil over a slow fire. Served with brown or white sauce, finished with chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon, it would be difficidt to find a nicer dish.

The Continental cook avails himself of the cup-like shape to which the Artichoke bottoms may be trimmed (g) to use it as an elegant and appropriate receptacle

Artichokes — continued.

for little, highly-seasoned dainties, such as minces of game, and its shield-like appearance () renders it exceedingly available for a garnish. It is not surprising then that amongst artistic cooks the Glohe Artichoke holds an important position.

A few modes of cooking and serving these flowers are here described.

Artichokes a la Barigoule. — (1) Cut off about fin. from the tops of four Artichokes, trim off a few of the leaves from the bottom and burn them. Wash them thoroughly, put into a saucepan with a good supply of slightly-salted water, and boil until quite tender. Take them out, drain, scoop out the fibrous insides, and squeeze perfectly dry. Put the tops of the leaves into a frying-pan with about 6 table-spoonfuls of oil, and fry them. Put ( lb . of grated bacon into a saucepan with ioz. each of flour and butter, add 1 gill of prepared fine herbs, and pour over 1 teacupful of broth; put the saucepan on the fire, and stir well for about five minutes. Place a quarter of this mixture into each Artichoke (previously seasoned with salt and pepper internally), cover the top or opening made to scoop out the inside with a thin slice of bacon about 2in. square, bind them round with string to keep them in position, put into a saute-pan with a breakfast- cupful of broth, set the pan in the oven, and bake for twenty minutes. Arrange the cooked leaves on a dish, remove the string and bacon from the Artichokes, place them on the leaves, and serve.

(2) Prepare, blanch, and parboil six Artichokes as above. Trim them, scoop out the insides or choke, and fill them up with a mixture of sifted breadcrumbs, savoury meat, parsley, truffles, mushrooms, and shallots, all chopped very fine and seasoned with salt and pepper. Arrange them close together at the bottom of a saucepan, on top of a little each of ham, bacon, carrots in slices, and sweet herbs, and pour over 1 wineglassful of Chablis or any other white wine. Cover over the saucepan, set it on the fire, and cook the Artichokes until quite tender. Take them out when done, arrange on a dish, strain the liquor into another saucepan, thicken it with a little baked flour, strain it again, pour it round the Artichokes, and serve.

Artichokes Boiled Plain. — (1) Cut off the tips of the leaves (Pig. 4G, c) and round off the bottoms, removing the stalk and trimming the under-leaves away. Soak in saltand-water, washing well. Throw them into boiling saltand-water, and let them boil fast until quite tender. The leaves come away readily when they are done. Boiling in a large quantity of water is advisable, as it helps to rid them of a certain bitterness to which they are liable, especially in the autumn. It is advisable when the Artichokes are cooked to drain upon a cloth, and then remove with a spoon the soft or fibrous substance found in the inside, and which is fancifully styled the “ choke.” Throw them once again into the boiling water, to heat up; take them out again, drain,

Fig. 47. Dish of Globe Artichokes Plain Boiled.

and serve in a vegetable-dish with a strainer (see Pig. 47) or upon a neatly -folded napkin. Serve with melted butter, or butter which has been oiled.

(2) Cold they are eaten with pepper, oil, and vinegar.

(3) Cut the Artichokes into four pieces, and remove the core. Plunge into boiling water in which 1 teaspoonful of salt

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

The Crucifixion.

WILLIAM ON HIS HUNTING-GROUND AT RODEN RECEIVES INTELLIGENCE FROM TOSTIG OF HAROLD’S CORONATION.

FREEHAND SUGAR PIPING, BY C. NORWAK.

Awarded Gold Medal at Unix'. Coolc. Ex., 1S89.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

49

Artichokes — continued.

and a piece of baking-soda the size of a bean have been dissolved. Boil for about half-an-hour, or until the soft end of the leaf is tender. Serve with butter.

Artichoke Bottoms for Canapes.— Cook some Artichokes, spread over the bottoms some Anchovy Butter, and decorate them with pickled cucumbers, capers or gherkins, anchovies, and the whites and yolks of hard-boiled eggs. Pour over them a salad dressing, and garnish with water-cresses.

Artichoke Bottoms with French Beans. — This is essentially a Continental dish, and one that is deservedly a favourite. Unfortunately, the Globe Artichokes are too rare in this country to admit of such extravagance, but it may be known that these bottoms, in a state of preservation in tins, are easily obtainable from warehouses or shops supplying special French comestibles. The Artichoke Bottoms (see Fig. 46, ) are to be first partially boiled; then arrange them one by one in a flat stewpan, and moisten with sufficient white broth very fat, the juice of two or three lemons, and a little white wine to cover them over. Lay a buttered paper over them, and finish the cooking gently. Take 1 pint of French beans, and mince or leave whole. Put them in boiling water, with plenty of salt, and boil over a hot fire until done. Drain in the usual way, and after dropping into a stewpan a good jib. of butter, season a little as required, and toss them well over the fire until the butter is all melted; then add the juice of a couple of large lemons.

Pile up in a pyramid on a dish (see Fig. 48), and arrange the Artichoke Bottoms round them like shields, slightly overlapping. The Artichoke Bottoms should be selected as nearly one size as possible. This dish is to be had for the asking in almost any Continental dining-room.

Artichoke Bottoms for Garnish.— Cut off all the top leaves and trim the under ones of the required number of Artichokes, put them into a saucepan of slightly-salted water, and boil until the skin can easily be removed. Take them out, skin, trim, and turn them, put them into a saucepan with a composition of flour, water, salt, lemon, and butter, and cook until quite tender. Remove the pan from the fire, let them get quite cold in the mixture, and take them out when wanted.

Artichoke Cream. — Put half-a-dozen Artichokes into a saucepan of slightly-salted water, and parboil them; take them out, trim off the leaves, squeeze out the edible part of them into a sieve, scoop out the chokes, and rub them through with the pulp from the leaves into a basin. Mix up this puree with a little well-whipped cream, put the whole into a mould, set it in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water, and steam for about twenty minutes, or until the puiAo mixture is done. Turn it out of the mould on to a dish, pour round a little cream sauce, and serve. A small quantity of onions, boiled and rubbed through a sieve, may be added to the Artichoke pulp if desired.

Artichokes and Eggs. -Prepare and boil half-a-dozen Artichoke bottoms, arrange them on small pieces of toast or fried bread cut into rounds a little bigger than the Artichoke bottoms, and on top of each put half a hot hard-boiled egg, with the point upwards. Pour over melted butter or gravy, and serve very hot.

Artichokes — continued.

Artichokes Cooked in Italian Style. — (1) Take a dozen Artichokes, or as many as may be required, and trim them, cutting them into quarters (see Fig. 46, d, e ), and removing the fibrous centre. Throw them into boiling water for ten minutes, with a pinch of salt. Having done so, remove and drain them; now arrange them in a saute-pan, having first spread 6oz. of butter over the bottom of it. Sprinkle a little caster sugar over them, and season with pepper and salt. Add 1 wineglassful of white wine and 1 gill of chicken stock, and let these simmer for three-quarters-of-an-hour. Dish them up in the shape of a dome. Put into the saut5pan pint of Spanish sauce, stir over the fire for five minutes, strain, and pour over the Artichokes before serving.

(2) Parboil some Artichoke bottoms as previously described. Chop a few onions very small, brown them in butter, mix them, without mashing them, with equal quantities of grated breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Fill the Artichoke bottoms with this mixture, piling it up, set in the oven to brown, and serve hot, with a squeeze of lemon over them. This makes a wonderfully tasty dish.

Artichoke Omelet.— Select half-a-dozen or so fresh, tender Artichokes, free of all fibre, cut off all the green leaves, and cut the others to half their height; chop the Artichokes in halves, and cut them again into long thin slices. Put these into a frying-pan with a little butter, sprinkle them over with salt and pepper, and fry until done, turning them frequently, so as to cook them on both sides and thoroughly. Take them out and put them on a sieve to drain. Put ten eggs into a basin with a slight seasoning of salt and pepper, beat them well for a minute or so, add the prepared Artichokes and a small quantity of finely-chopped parsley, pour the omelet into an omelet-pan with a little butter, and when it thickens, roll it. Take it out when done, put it on a dish, and serve.

Artichoke Soup. — Mince some cooked Artichoke bottoms, fry them with a little butter, season them well, thicken with a few table-spoonfuls of bechamel sauce and a little glaze, and pass them through a fine sieve or tammy. Dilute this puree with 3qts. of stock; pass it through a tammy into a stewpan; boil up, and then remove at once to the side of the stove, and let it remain there for a quarter-of-an-hour; skim off the fat, and thicken the soup with the yolks of four eggs; then pour it into the tureen, and serve.

Artichokes Stewed in Gravy. — Trim off the leaves and remove the chokes or cores from the required number of Artichokes, plunge them into a bowl of lukewarm water, and let them soak for several hours, changing the water frequently. Take them out, drain, put into a saucepan with a little gravy flavoured with mushroom or other ketchup, and add a little lemon-juice, and a small quantity of butter kneaded with flour, to thicken. Put the saucepan on the fire (not too fierce a one), and boil for about twenty-five minutes, when the Artichokes should be done. Take them out, arrange on a dish, strain the liquor over, and serve.

Artichoke and Tomato Salad. — Prepare a mixture of chervil, tarragon, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil; dip some cooked Artichoke bottoms and slices of tomatoes into this, arrange them alternately in a salad-bowl, pour over salad dressing, and serve.

Bonnes Bouches of Artichokes. — Take about one dozen Artichokes, cut off the tips, and trim them well; throw them into hot lard for a few minutes; take them out, and drain them on a cloth, so as to absorb all the lard. Having done this, remove the fibrous substance from the centre, and fill up with a mixture made as follows: Chop up very fine six or eight button mushrooms, some sprigs of parsley, four shallots, and lb. of ham; put these into a stewpan, with a little pepper and salt, also a little chopped thyme, and stir over the fire for five minutes; then add the yolks of four eggs and 1 wineglassful of white wine. Having filled the centre with this mixture, cover over each Artichoke with a thin slice of fat bacon, tie them up with string, and put them in a large stewpan with some of the fat bacon at the bottom; moisten with 1 tumblerful of wine and about the same quantity of chicken stock. Put on a tight-fitting cover, and bring to a boil; then place in an oven to simmer for about an hour. When done, remove carefully, drain, and put them upon the dish. Put into the centre of each 1 tea H & I

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Artichokes — continued.

spoonful of white wine, having first removed the string and bacon. Italian sauce should be served in a boat.

Fried Artichoke Bottoms. — Take a sufficient quantity of the preserved or fresh bottoms, partly boil them, and then, after draining, dip them in batter, or first flour them, then dip in egg-yolk and breadcrumb them. Fry in a pan of boiling fat or oil. Sprinkle each lightly with a little fine salt, and then pile up on a napkin or dish-paper.

Preserved Artichokes. — (1) Plunge some Artichokes into a saucepan of boiling water on the fire, and let them remain until the leaves will easily fall out. Take them out, drain, remove the leaves, and scoop out the chokes. Trim them, put on to a strainer to dry, and then into the hot closet to get firm. When wanted for use, they must bo warmed up in gravy.

(2) Trim the required number of Artichokes in the same way as for cooking them. Put them into a saucepan and boil quickly for a few minutes, take them out, scoop out the choke, and put them on a strainer to drain. Put them into jars or bottles, pour over sufficient strong salt pickle to cover them, and let remain for a few days. Then pour off the pickle, boil and strain it, pour it over the Artichokes again, and in a couple or three days pour in oil or warmed butter, to about 2in. in height. Cover the jars over, first with paper, then with parchment, and let them remain about three months. Pour off the pickle again, and repeat the operation with fresh pickle and oil or warmed butter. They are then ready for use. Artichoke bottoms can be preserved in the same way, after being parboiled, but without cooking them too soft; the choke scooped out; and well rubbed with lemon.

Puree of Artichokes. — Prepare and cook some Artichoke bottoms as for garnish, and when they are quite soft, take them out, drain, and cut up. Put them into a saucepan with an equal bulk of bechamel sauce, glaze them and reduce the liquor, rub the whole through a fine sieve into a basin, mix in a little hot cream and butter, and serve. Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms. — Prepare, cut in quarters, and cook some Artichokes as for Artichokes in the Italian style, and fill the centre of each quarter with a little chicken forcemeat, mixed with d’uxelles sauce. Put them into a saute-pan with a little butter, and place in the oven to poach the forcemeat. Take them out, arrange on a dish, and serve with a little half-glaze poured over them.

There are various other methods of dressing and cooking these delicate vegetables; but hitherto they have not made sufficient progress in popular favour in this country to demand further attention.

Fig. 49. Jerusalem Artichokes.

Jerusalem Artichokes (see Fig. 49) are very troublesome to prepare for cooking, on account of the awkward bulbous excrescences that crop out of the tubers in all directions; but as these may be removed by a clean sweep of the knife, giving each large tuber the shape of a pear, or by the exercise of a little patience if economy is to be observed, there is no other reason why these tasty vegetables should be so constantly disregarded by culinary artists. Soyer writes very highly of them, and in one of his numerous works observes: “The Jerusalem Artichoke is one of the best and most useful vegetables ever introduced to table, and anything but appreciated as it deserves

Artichokes — continued.

to be. To prove to you that I am a great admirer of it, you will find it very often mentioned in my receipts. In using them for the second course, I choose about twelve of the same size, peel them, and shape them like pears, but flat at the bottom, wash them well, boil gently in 3 pints of water, loz. of salt, loz. of butter, and a few sliced onions. When tender, I make a border of mashed potatoes on a dish, fix them on it point upwards, sauce them over with either cream sauce, white sauce, melted butter, or maitre - d’hotel butter, and place a fine Brussels sprout between them, which contrast is exceedingly inviting, simple, and pretty.”

The nutritive value of Jerusalem Arti chokes is small, not much greater than that of turnips, although they contain a large proportion of sugar; not being of a starchy nature, they do not swell, become floury, and burst in cooking, as do potatoes; nor are they subject to injury from frost, for which reason they are easily kept during a hard winter. As fast as the Artichokes are peeled they should be thrown into a basin of cold water, to prevent them from soiling or turning black by exposure to the air — a peculiarity that is analogous to the cut surfaces of apples turning brown.

Baked Jerusalem Artichokes. — Peel and trim a dozen or so Jerusalem Artichokes, and put them in a baking-dish with 2oz. of butter, melted and seasoned with salt and pepper. Put the dish in the oven, baste them frequently, and bake for halfan-hour, by which time they should be done and of a rich brown. Take out the dish, and serve.

Jerusalem Artichoke Chips. — Peel the required number of Jerusalem Artichokes, cut them up into thin strips, put into a frying-pan with a little butter, and fry to a light golden colour. Take them out, put on a plate or piece of paper, dry in front of the fire, place on a napkin on a dish, and serve. Jerusalem Artichokes au Gratin. — Peel some Jerusalem Artichokes, put them into a saucepan with sufficient milk and water, in equal proportions, to cover them, and boil until quite tender. Take them out, rub through a fine sieve into a basin, and mix with a small quantity of cream. Put this into a shallow dish, grate over a little Parmesan cheese, brown the surface with a salamander or before the fire, and serve.

Jerusalem Artichokes Cooked in Italian Style. — This very dainty dish is highly recommended for a small dinnerparty. Prepare 31b. of Jerusalem Artichokes in the usual manner, keeping them white, and shaping smoothly. Spread 2oz. or 3oz. of salt butter in a stewpan, and arrange the Artichokes evenly upon it; sprinkle over pepper, salt, nutmeg, and 2 large table-spoonfuls of lemon-juice. Pour over 1 large breakfastcupful of good broth, and simmer with the lid on for half-an-hour. When they have assumed a good yellow colour, and are soft enough to yield to the pressure of the spoon, they are ready to serve. Pour over each one a little of the sauce in which they have been cooking.

Jerusalem Artichoke and Onion Salad. — Cut into slices a few cold cooked onions and Jerusalem Artichokes, arrange alternately on a dish, and pour over a little salad-dressing. Put round a garnish of pickled cauliflower, beetroot, and cold boiled carrots cut into forms to represent olives, and serve.

Jerusalem Artichoke Sauce. — Pare a dozen large Jerusalem Artichokes, wash them well, and put in a saucepan with lqt. of water, 1 table-spoonful of salt, and loz. of butter. Put the saucepan on the fire, and as the liquor commences to boil, add a piece of ham weighing about loz., an onion cut in slices, 2oz. more of butter, a seasoning of bay-leaf, a stick of celery, and a small quantity of mace, and pour in 2 breakfast-cupfuls of milk. Boil again until it is of the consistence of melted butter, strain it into another saucepan, heat it up, pour into a sauceboat or tureen, and serve. The sauce will require about one hour’s boiling in all.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup. — (1) Put four slices of lean ham into a saucepan, and add one turnip, one onion, half a head of celery, all finely chopped, and 3oz. of butter. Set the saucepan on the fire, and boil quickly for a little longer than a quarter-of-an-hour, stirring constantly until the saucepan is slightly glazed with the mixture. Pour 2 breakfast

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Artichokes — continued.

cupfuls of water over fourteen or fifteen Jerusalem Artichokes, pared and cut up small, and cook until they are quite tender. Then add a slight thickening of flour mixed smooth in a little water, pour in $ gall, of good stock, salted to taste, and set the liquor to boil, stirring frequently. As soon as it boils, turn the contents of the saucepan out on to a fine sieve placed over another saucepan; rub through as much as possible, remove all the scum, place the saucepan on the fire, and boil for a few minutes; add 2 table-spoonfuls of cream, pour the soup at once into a soup-tureen over pieces of toast, and serve. From the commencement to the finish the soup will require to boil for at least an hour-and-a-half. A breakfast-cupful of milk added after the soup has been strained is an improvement.

(2) Pare, wash, and cut into slices four large potatoes. Put them into a saucepan with a dozen Jerusalem Artichokes, also pared and washed, and a couple of onions cut up small. Pour over gall. of mutton-broth, place the saucepan on the fire, and boil until all the vegetables are tender, which will take about an hour. Pour the whole into a fine sieve placed over a saucepan, and rub it through, adding salt and pepper to taste. Put the saucepan on the fire, boil up once more, remove the pan from the fire, pour in 1 teacupful each of milk and cream, or 2 teacupfuls of cream, and stir well. Pour the soup into a tureen over pieces of toast, or bread fried in butter, and serve.

(3) Cut into small pieces 61b. of peeled Jerusalem Artichokes, a small head of celery, one medium-sized onion, and three turnips. Put them into a saucepan, and cover with white veal stock. Put the saucepan on the fire, and boil slowly for about an hour, or until all the vegetables are soft; then pass them with the liquor through a fine sieve into another saucepan, pour in a little milk if the soup be too thick, and boil up once more. Eemove the pan from the fire, pour in 1 breakfast-cupful of cream, add sufficient sugar, cayenne, salt, and pepper to season, and stir well. Pour the whole into the tureen, and serve very hot.

Boiled Jerusalem Artichokes. — Have a lined saucepan of boiling salt-and-water ready to hand, and plunge the Artichokes into it as soon as they are ready; boil from twenty to twentyfive minutes, drain, and serve them on a napkin or a vegetabledish with a strainer. White sauce or melted butter should be sent to table with them. Great care is required in boiling these Artichokes: watch them carefully, and remove them as soon as they are soft, as by continuing the boiling after that they soon become hard again.

Boiled Jerusalem Artichokes with White Sauce. — Peel a dozen or so Jerusalem Artichokes, wash them thoroughly, dry, and cut up into pear shapes, chopping off a small piece from the bottom or thick end. Plunge them into a saucepan of salted water, and boil for from twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until quite tender. Arrange them on a dish, standing them on end, pour over a good supply of hot white or bechamel sauce, place a few cooked brussels sprouts in the cavities and round them, and serve.

Tried Jerusalem Artichokes. — (1) Slice the Artichokes, or cut them round; put them into boiling salt-and-water, and let them boil until nearly done; then let them drain, and get cool. Place them in a stewpan, with butter, and let them fry over a slow fire. Season, dish up, and mask with a little white or brown sauce.

(2) The Artichokes may be dipped in batter, or egg and breadcrumbs, and fried a light brown in a pan containing plenty of fat. Drain, and serve with brown sauce. Cold Artichokes may be sliced and served in a similar manner.

Mashed Jerusalem Artichokes. — When the Artichokes are boiled (in salt-and-water) quite soft — not longer, for reasons previously explained — take them out and mash them like turnips, adding butter or cream, pepper, and salt. This mashing is not so easy to perform as with turnips, hence it is advisable to rub through a coarse sieve, or to use a vegetable-masher, and warm up again in the stewpan before serving. Mashed Artichokes are very nice with boiled leg of mutton.

Scalloped Jerusalem Artichokes.— Pare and parboil half-adozen or so of Jerusalem Artichokes, and cut them up into the size and shape of oysters. Put them into scallop-shells, well buttered and sprinkled over with breadcrumbs seasoned

Artichokes — continued.

with salt and pepper, sprinkle the pieces of Artichoke over with more salt and pepper and a little pounded anchovy, then with more breadcrumbs, and a small lump of butter on each. Place them in the oven to brown, or brown them with a salamander, and serve.

ARTIFICIAL MILKS.— Imitations of cow’s, ass’s, and goat’s milks are sometimes found exceedingly useful when the real articles cannot be obtained or kept sweet and fresh. Receipts by which to prepare them will be found under their various headings.

ASH CAKE.— See Cakes.

ASHBERRIES.— These are gathered from the common Mountain Ash ( Pyrus Aueuparia), upon which, in autumn, they hang in brilliant scarlet clusters. They should be gathered before the frosts set in, for they easily spoil in cold weather.

Asliberry Jelly. — Put lqt. of Asliberries into a preserving-pan, with lqt. of water. Let the water simmer until it is coloured and tastes bitter; then strain off the liquor, and throw the berries away, cleaning the pan afterwards. Strain the liquor, and return it to the pan; put in with it 21b. of preserving-sugar and boil slowly over a hot stove for an hour, or a trifle less. Add -£oz. of isinglass, which will readily dissolve in the warm liquor; strain off again into jars, and when cold, cover in the usual way. This jelly is said to be very nice with roast venison, but is not often made. ASPARAGUS (Fr. Asperges; Ger. Spargeln; Ital. Asparago; Sp. Espavragos). — In the markets of Great Britain this select vegetable is generally sold under the name of “ Sparrow-grass a term that has no meaning, being merely a very simple and old-fashioned corruption of the correct appellation. The plant is one of the lily tribe, and, although cultivated in gardens for table use, is not unfrequently met with growing wild along the sea-sliore. It has a very ancient reputation, and is mentioned in several Greek and Roman books. Cato (b.c. 200) and Columella (a.d. 20-40), two Latin authors, speak very highly of it, and Pliny (a.d. 50) describes a sort that grew near Ravenna, yielding edible shoots so large that three of them would weigh a pound.

The Asparagus of commerce, as sold in bundles in our markets, is the young shoot of the plant cut for use, when only a few inches above the ground, by means of a knife specially constructed for the purpose. The head of this young shoot only is edible; but, if the shoot were left to develop instead of being gathered in, it would rapidly assume the proportions of a tall, feathery plant. Rliind describes the progress of the Asparagus -plant thus: “ The shoot grows only from the extremity, and works or vegetates from the centre, and not from the surface as in trees; thus it pushes up through the soil in one mass. The branches, which lie so thick together, safe and well protected xmder their scaly leaves, soon begin to be developed, and are drawn out until the whole plant, with its numerous thread-like leaves, assumes very much the character of a larch-tree, having its miniature parts more light and elegant, and the colour of a more lively green. The flowers, which wave in graceful panicles, are of a yellow hue, and exhale a fragrant smell. They are followed by round berries of a bright orange-red.”

There are two varieties of Asparagus sold in our markets, the one Red and the other Green. The first is a larger kind, growing fuller and closer, which, though handsomer in appearance, is not considered of so good a flavour as the Green. Nicholson, in the “ Dictionary of Gardening,” pronounces Conover’s Colossal and Giant sorts to be those held in the greatest esteem; but, according to some practical cooks, there is little to choose between sorts so long as the shoots are young, large, clean-looking, freshgathered, and tender.

The nutritive value of Asparagus as a food is not very great; but, like many other vegetables in frequent use, it is chiefly admired for its flavour. Its culinary preparations are for the same reason extremely limited, lest the delicate

II & 12

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Asparagus — continued.

flavour should he interfered with by injudicious combinations or adjuncts. Asparagus is seasonable in spring, about May or June. See that the heads are full, green or purple, and heavy. Before cooking, it is necessary to pick off the loose leaves, and scrape the stalks clean; then cut off the white ends to make them all of a length or nearly so, unless some other form of dressing is particularly described.

Since the introduction into this country of foods preserved in hermetically-sealed tins, foreign Asparagus has found its way into our markets, and offers many advantages over our own “ fresh cut.” It comes to us already partially cooked by the process of preservation it has undergone, and requires, therefore, only to be warmed up in the tins in which it is packed to be ready for immediate use. In or out of season it is available at all times for all the purposes to which Asparagus is adapted, and claims superiority of flavour over that cooked in the ordinary way, for this reason: when closely packed in the tins, only a very small proportion of water can come into contact with the Asparagus, and this is sealed up with the sticks, forming a sort of juice in which it is afterwards warmed up. Boiled in the ordinary way, Asparagus loses much of its flavour and aroma to the water in which it is boiled, which is invariably thrown away. The juice in the tin, however, forms an excellent basis for a sauce.

Asparagus with Cream. — Cut into small pieces a bunch of Asparagus, put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and blanch them for three minutes. Take them out, drain, put into another saucepan with a very little water, some butter, sugar, and one onion. Set the saucepan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently for half-an-hour. Take out the onion, add a thickening of yolk of egg or cream, stir well, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

Asparagus in a Crust. — Make a strong paste with flour and the yolfcs of eight eggs, and form it into a sheet 19in. long by liin. wide. Boll out a flat, which cut to a round of 6 jin. in diameter; moisten the edg’e, fasten the band round to form a crust, pinch it into a firm position, and decorate (see Fig. 50).

Egg over, and bake in a slow oven until of a handsome brown. Have ready some fine Asparagus heads, which have been boiled quickly in a preserving-pan (this will preserve the colour), and when they are nearly done, cool them by draining off the water in which they have been boiled and pouring on cold. Bemove from the pan, and lay upon a napkin to dry; pat them gently with another, and when ready, cut seven of the largest to 9in. long, and stand these in the centre of the crust; around these group sixteen or twenty other heads, 7in. long; and around these again two other circles, one of 6in. long and the other of 5in. long. When thus arranged, set in the oven to warm, if desired hot; or serve the dish cold, with oil poured over, or a good mayonnaise sauce.

Asparagus and Eggs, — Put 2 table-spoonfuls each of gravy and cream (or milk) into a saucepan with 2oz. of butter and a

Asparagus — continued.

slight seasoning of salt and pepper. Place the saucepan on the fire, and as soon as the butter is melted, add six eggs, and cook gently until they begin to set. In the meantime, cut a couple of dozen heads or sticks of Asparagus into small pieces, using the green part only; parboil them in salted water, drain them, throw them into the egg mixture, and stir gently over the fire for thirty or forty seconds. Turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve with a garnish of fried bread or toast.

Asparagus in French. Soils. — Carefully cut off a small piece from one end of each of three French rolls, and scrape out all the crumb with the handle of a spoon. Put the tops and shells of crust into a frying-pan with a little butter and fry them, or place them before the fire to get crisp. Pour 1 breakfastcupful of cream into a saucepan, add the yolks of five eggs, beat these together for a few minutes, and season with a little salt and grated nutmeg. Set the saucepan on the fire, and when the mixture commences to thicken, put in about seventy green parts of Asparagus, cut up into small pieces. Fill the rolls with this mixture, replace the lids or pieces of the tops that were cut off, and with a sharp-pointed stick or skewer make sufficient holes at one end of each of them to insert about ten more of the green parts of the Asparagus. Arrange them in a napkin on a dish, and serve. The pieces of Asparagus projecting from the rolls will give them the appearance of growing out of them.

Asparagus Ice. — Take lib. of green Asparagus points, and cut them up in pieces jin. long. Boil them in salt-and-water in a stewpan, keeping them firm; take them out, drain them, pound them in a mortar, and pass them through a sieve. Dilute this puree with lqt. of strong, cold syrup flavoured with vanilla, and add j pint of cream; pass it all through a tammy, and then set it in the freezer. Add a little spinach-green to the syrup to give a high green colour.

Francatelli goes so far as to freeze a similar mixture in moulds made to represent heads of Asparagus: the tips only are then coloured with a brush after freezing.

Asparagus Omelet. — Sprue Asparagus is used for this. Scrape them slightly, cut the tips off the heads, break the stems at the part ceasing to be tender, cut them transversely into pieces jin. long to fill a pint measure. Put them into a frying-pan, with 1 table-spoonful of butter. Season them with salt and pepper, and toss over a sharp fire till they are done rather soft. Be careful not to blacken or dry them by over-cooking; drain them on a sieve. Break ten eggs into a basin, season with salt, pepper, and 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley; beat the eggs up together with the parsley. Have some butter warmed in an omelet-pan, into which pour the eggs after stirring in the Asparagus. Stir the omelet slowly as it thickens, toss it gently on the fire, and when done, fold it over, and put it on a dish to serve.

Asparagus Peas. — The long, thin Asparagus, called “ sprue,” is used for this purpose, although contrary to the advice of many gardeners, who declare that this is an unwise consumption of the young plant, to the prevention of its increasing in size as a shoot for the next season. Others are of opinion that the root is strengthened by the removal of these young heads. The “ peas ” are greatly in request by some cooks when the real thing is not in season.

(1) Procure a bunch of small green Asparagus, or sprue, break off the tops into pieces the size of large peas, and boil them in plenty of water with a full quantity of salt — 2pz. to lgall. When boiled quite tender, strain them off, having taken care that they shall not be too much done, or gone “ mashy,” in which case they would be watery. Soyer then proceeded as follows: He drained them upon a sieve, and put them into a stewpan with 8 table-spoonfuls of white sauce to lqt. of “ peas,” a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, together with 1 teaspoonful of powdered sugar; placed the stewpan upon the fire, moved them gently round and round with a spoon, added four pats of butter, each about the size of a large walnut, and when the butter was melted, stirred in the yolk of one egg beaten up with £ gill of cream. When this was all nicely amalgamated and thickened, he poured it upon a dish, and dressed with crohtons of fried bread.

(2) When the “ peas ” are boiled, toss them, with butter, in a sautd-pan, and use for a garnish.

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(3) Ude recommends that after being partly boiled in salt water, the “ peas ” shall be dried upon a soft towel. Then put them into a stewpan with a small piece of butter, a bunch of parsley and green onions, and toss in the stewpan over the fire for ten minutes. Add a little flour and a small lump of sugar, and moisten with boiling water. They must boil over a large fire. When well reduced, take out the parsley and green onions, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten up with a little cream, and a pinch of salt. “ Remember, ” he says, “ that in this entremet sugar must predominate, and that there is to be no sauce.”

Asparagus Points may be dressed in something of the same style as the foregoing receipt of Ude’s for Asparagus Peas. Boil them till done, put them into cold water for two or three minutes to harden a little, and then drain them upon a sieve. Put them into a stewpan, with a little green onion and parsley tied together, 2oz. of fresh butter, 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar, a little grated nutmeg and salt. Set the pan upon the stove to simmer very gently for five or six minutes. Remove the onion and parsley, and mix in a pat of fresh butter and a liaison of the yolks of four eggs mixed with igill of cream. Stir very gently so as to set the liaison, and pile upon a dish in a dome.

Asparagus Points with Cream. — Cut off the points or heads of a bundle of Asparagus, wash and drain them, put into a saucepan with a little warmed butter. Set the saucepan on the fire, stir in a little bechamel sauce, and let them remain until done. Take them out, put on a dish, pour over the sauce, and serve.

Asparagus a la Pompadour. — Untie a bundle of Asparagus, put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil it until done. Take the sticks out, cut them into lengths of about 2in., put in a cloth near the fire, and let them dry. Prepare a little sauce with vinegar, butter, yolk of egg, salt and pepper. Put the pieces of Asparagus on a dish, pour the sauce over, and serve.

Asparagus Pudding. — Put 1 table-spoonful of finely-minced lean ham into a basin, and mix it up with four well-beaten eggs, ljoz of warmed butter, lj- table-spoonfuls of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. When these are thoroughly incorporated, add 1 breakfast-cupful of the green part of Asparagus cut up into pieces about the size of a pea, and stir them well in, and then add sufficient milk to give the mixture the appearance and consistence of butter. Butter a mould, taking one that is just large enough to hold all the ingredients, put in the mixture, cover it over with a floured cloth, tie securely, plunge it into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil for a couple of hours. Turn it out on to a dish when done, pour round melted butter, and serve. Sweet sauce may be substituted for the melted butter if desired.

Asparagus Salad. — (1) It is not necessary to boil Asparagus especially for this, as any that has been left over cold will do up well in this way, and produce a very tasty dish with cold meat or cheese. Wash off any melted butter which may remain on with hot salt water, and cool. Cut off the tender points, arrange them on a glass dish, and pour over a cream saladdressing.

(2) German Style. — Take sufficient cold boiled Asparagus points, and put them into a basin with one-third of their quantity of crayfish-tails. Season with salt and pepper. Pass through a sieve the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs, and beat up with a little oil, vinegar, and salt to the consistency of thick cream. Pour this over the Asparagus and crayfishtails, and dish in a salad-bowl.

Crayfish are not sufficiently common to be used generally in this way; but almost any cold shell-fish will do.

Asparagus and Salmon Salad. — Put two bunches of Asparagus into a saucepan with lqt. of cold water and 1 table-spoonful of salt, and boil them for twenty minutes. Take tnem out, cut off the heads or points, and put them (the points') on a sieve to drain. Put lqt. of cooked salmon into a basin, and mix in 3 table-spoonfuls of oil, 2 of strained lemon-juice, and 1 of vinegar; sprinkle over 1 teaspoonful of salt, and a third of that quantity of pepper. Put the basin into the ice-box or chest, and let it remain for two hours. Turn it out on to the centre of the dish, put round

Asparagus — continued.

the Asparagus points when cold, pour 1 breakfast-cupful of mayonnaise salad-dressing over the salmon, and serve with a garnish of slices of lemon cut into triangles, put round the dish.

Asparagus Sauce (Hot). — Season about J teacupful of boiling water with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Put the yolks of two eggs in the water; whisk it by the side of the fire, but do not let it boil. Add gradually lb. of butter, broken into small pieces, and continue whisking till it presents the appearance of smooth cream. Squeeze in a small quantity of lemonjuice, and serve the sauce in a sauce-boat. This sauce is very good when served on cold slaw.

Asparagus Soup. — When the season is nearly over, and the Asparagus is hard and coarse, it may be used to make a very delicious soup.

About a hundred heads should be picked, scraped, and thoroughly washed, and the tops broken off as far down the stalks as possible. Cook in boiling salted water for about twenty minutes. Put the stalks into lqt. of good veal stock, and boil for twenty minutes. Cut an onion into thin slices, and fry in 3 table-spoonfuls of butter for ten minutes, being careful not to let it burn, and then add part of the Asparagus tops. Cook for a few minutes, stirring gently. Add a sprinkle or two of flour, and continue cooking for a few minutes longer. Remove the stalks from the stock, pour in the contents of the frying-pan, and boil all together for twenty minutes. Rub through a sieve. Have ready boiling 1 pint of milk and 1 pint of cream, and add to the stock. Season well with salt and pepper, and then serve. A very delicious soup.

Asparagus in Spanish Style. — Boil several heads of Asparagus in salted water, and remove them from the fire when done. Pour a part of their cooking stock into a smaller pan, add a few table-spoonfuls of vinegar to it, and when it boils, poach a dozen large eggs in it. Drain off the eggs, trim them, and having piled the Asparagus on a napkin folded to occupy just the room required in the centre of the dish, lay the poached eggs round, and serve with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper mixed. This sauce is termed “ vinaigrette ”; it may be mixed before sending to table, and then it is best served in a sauceboat.

Asparagus with Young Carrots. — Partly boil three or four dozen small, young carrots of about equal size; drain them, and put them into a stewpan with butter, to fry over a moderate fire. Season, and when done thicken with a little Wloute sauce. Two minutes after, add the same amount of small Asparagus, cut into lengths of lin. each, previously also parboiled in salted water, and well drained. Let these cook thoroughly. Season, and put little bits of butter about amongst them, so soon as they are on the dish ready to be served.

Boiled Asparagus. — (1) Procure the supply as freshly-cut as possible, scrape and clean as explained before, wash thoroughly, and tie with string in bundles of five or six shoots each. The bundles may be much larger, but they should not contain more than twenty-five at the most, or the centre sticks of the bundle will not cook so readily as those outside. Take care

Fig. 51. Boiled Asparagus on Toast.

to adjust the points so that when you cut off the bottoms of the stalks all will be of one length. Put the bundles into boiling salt-and-water, and let them boil fast, without the lid, until tender; this will take from twenty minutes to halfan-hour. Have ready some slices of toast, without crust.

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Asparagus — continued.

and lay them for sippets at the bottom of the vegetable-dish, Take out the bundles of Asparagus from the boiling water, using great care to prevent the heads from falling off. Lay the bundles on the toast, and untie them upon it, allowing the Asparagus to fall so that all shall be in one direction on the toast, and the sippet be saturated with the water of the Asparagus. Melted butter with the juice of a lemon in every pint, may be poured over, or served separate in a butter-boat. Oiled butter is sometimes served with Asparagus, especially in Paris and other continental cities.

(2) After boiling as above for thirty minutes, take out of the pot, drain, and cut that which is tender into pieces about lin. in length; put these into a flat saucepan, with just enough milk or cream to cover them. Warm up to boiling, and just before serving add 1 tablespoonful of butter, in which 1 teaspoonful of flour has been previously thoroughly rubbed. Season with salt and pepper.

Carrots and Asparagus . — See Carrots.

Cauliflower and Asparagus Salad . — See Cauliflowers.

Preserved Asparagus. — Scrape the required quantity of sticks of Asparagus, clean them, wash thoroughly, drain, tie up into bundles, and cut the ends so as to have them all of one length. Fill a saucepan about three-parts full, add a little pepper, salt, and vinegar, and a few cloves. Set the pan on the fire, and as soon as the liquor boils, plunge in the bundles of Asparagus and let them blanch. Take them out, drain, put into jars, pour in sufficient strong salt-and- water pickle to cover them, and let them remain in this for a few days. Pour off the pickle, boil and skim it, pour it back again into the jars, let it remain for two or three days, and then pour in oil or hot butter to the depth of about 2in. Cover the jars over with paper first, then with parchment or bladder, and let them remain for about three months in a cool place. Repeat the operation with fresh pickle and oil or butter, cover over the jars again, and the Asparagus is then ready for use. They will remain good for a long time in this pickle.

Puree of Asparagus. — Take the tender parts of a large bundle of Asparagus, wash well, heat in boiling water with salt to make them green. When beginning to get tender, drain and put in cold water. When they are cold, drain on a clean towel, and when dry put into a stewpan previously prepared with a small piece of fresh butter, some sprigs of green parsley, and a few green onions; fry them as quickly as possible, to preserve the green colour. Add a lump of sugar, a little salt, sprinkle with 1 table-spoonful of fine flour, and moisten with a good broth. Cool quickly, and rub through a tammy sieve, adding a little spinach-green to colour.

A plain puree may be used for soups.

Sprue and Eggs.— For this dish take the long, thin, overgrown Asparagus, that is useless for serving in any other way; cut the sticks into lin. lengths, and boil them till tender. Separate the yolks and whites of three eggs or more, according to the quantity of Asparagus, and beat them well; then mix them together with a little butter and cream. Thoroughly drain the Asparagus, then pour the above mixture into the saucepan with it, and toss over the fire till quite hot. Turn the Asparagus into a hot deep dish, garnish with croutons of fried bread, and serve.

Stewed Asparagus Points. — Put a little fat bacon or lard into a saucepan over the fire, and when it is melted add a little each of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and finely-chopped chervil and parsley. Add the required number of Asparagus heads, moisten with a little stock, and when the heads are cooked, mix in a little beef gravy. Turn the whole on to a dish, and serve.

To Warm and Serve Tinned Asparagus.— Open the tin, and stand it over a stove in a shallow stewpan with sufficient water to simmer without boiling over the edges of the tin; or the tin may be set in a slow oven for a short time. Remove the heads from the tin one by one, lifting them by the white end, and taking great care not to break off the points. Lay them neatly upon toast previously soaked with part of the liquor from the tin. Put the remainder of the liquor or juice in a little saucepan, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, a squeeze of lemon-juice, salt to taste, and stir up with sufficient flour to make a thin “ melted-butter ” sauce, which pour over, and serve.

ASPERULE ODORANTE ( Asperula odorata ). — This plant is variously named, hut is generally known as Woodruff, Wald-meister, and Muguet des Bois. The inhabitants of North Germany value it highly for the fragrant taste imparted by its leaves to a drink which they partake of with much gusto about the time its leaves are fully formed. This being in May, the drink is named accordingly; but it is very little known in this country.

Mai-trank is made thus: (1) lib. of pounded white sugar is put into a large bowl, and moistened with a few table-spoonfuls of cold water to dissolve it. To this is added 1 bottle of white Moselle wine, and a pinch of well-washed Asperule leaves, which are permitted to infuse in the liquor for the space of twenty-five minutes. Then the liquid is passed through a strainer into a punch-bowl, and set on ice to cool.

(2) Put a dozen black-currant leaves into a glass bowl or mug, add a little woodruff and lemon-juice, and sugar to taste. Pour in 1 pint of moselle or hock, stir well for thirty minutes or so, and it is ready for use. The commonest wine that can be obtained is the best for this, and if any other wines, such as Sauterne, Yin de Grave, &c., are used, they must be diluted with water. This is a very good beverage, and can only be made when the shoots of the woodruff are fresh and tender; that is, from the middle of April to the middle of June.

The Asperule odorante is used in France for scenting clothes and wardrobes, and is considered to be a sime preventive against the attacks of moths.

ASPIC.— This is the name of a clear savoury .jelly made from meat, which has lately come into very general use in preparing ornamental entrees, decorating hams, pies, and many other tasty dishes. The origin of the name is not distinctly understood, although “ Aspic ” is universally adopted by all Continental countries. Some assert that it owes its title to a small serpent of the Asp species that waits for its prey in a bed of transparent jelly with which it has enshrined itself. “ Cold as an Aspic,” is a common French saying; but it is just possible that the term “ cold ” refers to the jelly rather than to the snake. Other authorities express it as their opinion that Aspic refers to lavender; but that derivation appears to be somewhat exaggerated and far-fetched.

As there are so many uses to which Aspic is applied, it is not surprising to find that there are several ways of producing it; but whatever their number may be, they all take their foundation from one source, and that is savoury meat. In preparing “ Aspics,” the art is displayed in the arrangement of fish, flesh, fowl, or game, with truffles, cockscombs, sliced pickles, and the like, and the subsequent inclosing the same in a body of moulded jelly. The jelly may be variously coloured and cut up, or separately moulded, or may undergo a variety of artistic metamorphoses; but in all cases its technical constitution is the same, with this exception — that French cooks generally add tarragon vinegar to them Aspic.

Aspic Jelly.— (1) Put two scalded and well-cleaned calf’s feet, chopped up, 41b. of lean veal, 31b. of lean ham, two large onions sliced, three sliced carrots, and lgall. of water into a pot; boil steadily for eight or ten hours — that is to say, until the stock is reduced to about one-half. Strain this into a large stewpan, and stir in the well-beaten whites of four eggs, a large bunch of savoury herbs, three blades of mace (bruised), 1 teaspoonful of white peppercorns, and as much salt as would be necessary to season the stock. Keep it stirred over a stove until nearly boiling; let it simmer for twenty or thirty minutes, and then strain through a stout jelly-bag or clean kitchen cloth, stretched by its corners to the four legs of an inverted chair. If not quite clear and bright, strain again and again until it is. In this state it is ready for use; and if allowed to cool and solidify, it can be re-melted at any time by warming it in a pan.

(2) Pack into a stewpan two calf’s feet, chopped into small pieces, a few slices or bits of ham, from which all fat has been removed, the chopped-up carcase of a fowl (as old

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Aspic — continued.

as you please), two onions and two carrots cut into slices, a head of celery, one shallot, and a sprig or two of parsley, sweet herbs, spices, pepper, and salt to taste. Fill up with lgall. of ordinary clear stock, and set the whole to simmer gently for three or four hours. Strain off the liquor into a crock, and when cold carefully remove all the fat, should there be any; then put the jelly which has resulted into a saucepan, and add to it what colouring you require — say a little burnt sugar, to make it a golden-brown. Boasting the chicken before boiling will give a nice colour. Put the saucepan on the fire, and when the jelly is melted, whisk into it the whites of two eggs and 1 wineglassful of tarragon vinegar. When this has reached the boiling-point, strain it through a jelly-bag or kitchen cloth, as described in No. 1. Warm up and strain again if the first product is not quite bright and clear.

(3) Put 1 pint of good brown stock, which must be quite free from fat, into a clean saucepan, with 1 pint of water, loz. of gelatine, the rind and juice of a lemon, a bouquet garni (which consists of a sprig of thyme and marjoram, two bay-leaves, and a little parsley, tied together in a bunch), a small carrot and an onion (sliced), one blade of mace, six cloves, teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of peppercorns, and 1 dessert-spoonful of tarragon vinegar, and, lastly, stir in the whites and shells of two eggs. Well whisk all this over the fire until it boils; let it simmer for fifteen minutes with the lid on at the side of the fire, and then strain twice through a napkin or jelly-bag into a crock, and it is ready for use.

Veal, ham, and chicken hones, with calf’s feet, if in sufficient quantity, will make a good Aspic. Dissolved gelatine can be added instead of the calf’s feet, if they are not at hand, to give it consistency when cold, hut care must he taken not to add the gelatine too liberally, or the Aspic will be hard — about 2oz. of the French gelatine to lqt. will be sufficient. Herbs and spices are sometimes added in great variety, but it is a question worth considering how far they injure or destroy each other’s flavour. White wines and lemon- juice are also frequently added when economy is no object.

The whites of eggs, and sometimes them shells, when used as clarifiers, must be stirred into the stock when it is quite hot and liquid. By allowing it to stand a few minutes the egg quickly settles, carrying other floating matters to the bottom with it. Before straining it is advisable to pour the clear liquor off the sediment, and warm again to a thin fluid. The more thoroughly the Aspic is strained and clarified, the brighter it will be. A clouded Aspic is considered indicative of inexperience or neglect.

With this information, the next step is to use some ingenuity with whatever may be to hand to produce an Aspic which shall be gratifying not only to the taste, but also to the sight and smell, of those before whom it is placed. Aspics are vei'y pretty dishes when well prepared, but their success depends very greatly upon the translucency of the jelly. From the following receipts it will be simple enough to concoct others of much more elaborate detail, and something, it must not be forgotten, will be due to the shape of the mould. To set an Aspic in the mould, ice is almost an essential.

Aspic Jelly Sauce for Salad. — Put about 1 teacupful of Aspic Jelly in a saucepan and melt it; leave it till cooled, but not firm, then mix with it 1 teacupful of salad oil and 1 table-spoonful of tarragon vinegar; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Stand the bowl in ice-water, and whisk the sauce until it thickens and whitens; then squeeze in a small quantity of lemon-juice. The sauce should be kept on ice up to the time of serving.

Aspic Lie or Sauce. — Put a little each of tarragon, chervil, and burnet, into a saucepan, pour over a little vinegar, and set the saucepan over a slow fire, to let the herbs infuse, for half-anhour. Pour in about three times the quantity of vinegar in Spanish sauce, boil for ten minutes or a quarter-of-an-hour, and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the whole into a jelly

Aspic — continued.

bag, hung over a basin, and when it has all run through, it is ready for use.

Aspic of Lobster . — See Lobsters.

Aspic in Norman Style. — As seen in Fig. 52, the whole secret of this dish consists in cutting out with a cutter rounds of different savoury meats, such as sweetbread, liver, kidney, tongue, ham, veal, pork, slices of sausages, alternating the layers of these with sliced truffles or sliced button mushrooms, and filling up the mould with jelly, as before. The arrangement is very simple, and all that is required is to season the meats with salt and pepper as they are laid in. The centro of the mould should be hollowed, which may be easily done by

Fig. 52. Aspic, Norman Style.

putting a narrower mould inside. But the cylindrical moulds are so inexpensive that nothing would be gained by using two moulds when one will do. The centre may be filled with a good finely-cut salad of vegetables in season, thickened with mayonnaise sauce; and round the top a ring of sliced mushrooms should be laid. There is not so much difficulty in preparing this dish as might appear to some: the

difficulty is to provide a sufficient variety of tasty meats to make it savoury.

Aspic of Oysters . — See Oysters.

Border of Aspic Jelly. — A very pretty border can be made with Aspic and vegetables cut into slices and shapes. Pour into a suitable border mould (see Fig. 53), set in ice, sufficient clear Aspic to cover the bottom of the mould about m- thick; take care to keep the mould quite even. Have ready some

Fig. 53. Aspic Border Moulds.

slices of cooked carrots and beetroot, and cut them with vegetable cutters to any fancy shapes, such as crescents, stars, diamonds, triangles, or squares; also some slices of hardboiled eggs. When the jelly is set, lay these upon it in order,

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Aspic — continued.

and tastefully. Then fill up the mould with more jelly until quite full. Leave in the ice-packing until quite firm, and then turn out carefully on to a dish, and fill the centre with chipped salad.

Crayfish in Aspic.— See Crayfish.

Crofttons of Aspic for Ornamentation. — With appropriate moulds, it is astonishing what can be done with Aspic Jelly in the way of ornamenting cold dishes, especially when used in a variety of colours. Attelettes (silver skewers with ornamental heads) are frequently decorated with a string of fancy meats or vegetables embedded in Aspic shapes. It is more frequently used either in mass, as described in the preceding recipes, or as croutons, of which Fig. 54 gives a good idea.

These croutons may be of almost any shape, a well-made Aspic being easily cut and manipulated; or little moulds may be used, into which the hot jelly is poured.

As a specimen of decorating a cold joint with Aspic Croutons, the accompanying engraving (Fig. 55) of cold ribs of beef thus ornamented, as illustrated by Gouffe, is a noteworthy example. After trimming the joint, which lies upon its side, and dressing the bone with a paper frill, a star is formed upon the broad part by the careful placing of croutons (see Fig. 54), and the centre is then filled in with finely-chopped Aspic. The tail part can

be similarly decorated, and the joint surrounded on the dish by croutons and Aspic chopped as before. The effect is very pretty, and by the addition of slices of beetroot, stamped into patterns by a vegetable-cutter, and set about symmetrically amongst the jelly, together with sprays of well-washed, curly parsley, the picturesqueness of the design is greatly enhanced. A multitude of dishes, in the preparation and decoration of which Aspic Jelly plays an important part, will be found described in the course of this work.

ASS. — Although it has been stated that the flesh of the Donkey is quite as palatable as that of the horse, it is doubtful whether either will ever occupy any

Ass — continued.

position amongst our natural foods. The Wild Ass of Persia is, however, considered by the Persians to form a very delectable dish, and the animals are hunted for culinary purposes only. No particular mode of cooking is prescribed, but from the reports received from travellers in Persia, the flesh would appear to admit of varied treatment.

ASSES’ MILK. — The milk of the maternal donkey is recommended by some physicians as being superior to cows’ milk for the use of invalids. That it is richer in some respects there can he no reason to doubt, but the difficulty of obtaining it, and the excessive price charged for it where it is available, carry it beyond the reach of the moderate investor. The following receipts are endorsed by the medical faculty as being worthy imitations:

(1) Put 2 teaspoonfuls of prepared pearl barley into a basin, and add 2 table-spoonfuls of water, working it well until it is perfectly smooth, and then mix in 2 breakfastcupfuls of boiling water. Set the saucepan on the fire, add a piece of sugar-candy to sweeten, and simmer gently for five minutes. Pass the liquor through a fine sieve into a basin, and add 2 breakfast- cupfuls of new cows’ milk and two well-beaten eggs. Let it get cool, and it is ready for use.

(2) Put Joz. each of candied eringo-root and prepared pearl barley into a saucepan over the fire, pour in 1 pint of water, and boil until it is reduced to 1 breakfast-cupful. Add 1 breakfast-cupful of cows’ milk, a small quantity of sugar, and loz. of gelatine dissolved in cold water. Pour the whole into a basin, and when cold it is ready for use.

(3) To make 1 tumblerful of artificial milk, beat up the yolks of four fresh eggs, and add by degrees £ teacupful of orange-flower water. When these are well mixed, add 1 dessert-spoonful of caster sugar, and when that is thoroughly dissolved, pour in sufficient hot water to fill a tumbler, stirring briskly or beating with a fork. This is best prepared fresh as required, and the greatest care must be taken to have the eggs perfectly sweet and pleasant, for the least taint once will sicken an invalid of this useful preparation.

(4) Put 2oz. of pearl barley into a saucepan with lqt. of water, and boil it gently for a few minutes; then strain off all the water and pour in another quart. Add oz. of hartshorn shavings, and double the quantity of candied eringo-root. Set the pan on the fire, and boil slowly until the liquor is reduced to half its original quantity. Pass it through a cloth or fine sieve into a basin, and it is ready for use. It should be mixed with an equal quantity of cows’ milk before using.

Two noted chemists (Ckevallier and Baudrimont) give the comparative nutritive values of asses’ and cows’ milk, thus:

Water. Casein. Butter. Sugar.

Asses’ milk ... 907 ... 1'7 ... 1'55 ... 5’8

Cows’ milk ... 86'5 ... 36 ... 405 ... 55

by which it will be seen that cows’ milk contains much more casein (cheese) and butter, a trifle less sugar, and considerably less water than asses’ milk — rather a strong indication in favour of the cows’ milk for quality.

ASSAFCETIDA.— This is a gum-resin exuded from the excised roots of Ferula ( Nartliex ) Asafcetida and some other plants of the same genus. It is brought into England in small, agglutinated, hard, but brittle masses or grains of different colours, whitish, reddish, or violet. It emits an extremely foetid odour, and has a pungent, aromatic, bitter taste, somewhat resembling that of garlic. In India it is used by the natives as a seasoning for their food, and is styled by them the “Food of Gods.” In Persia the leaves of the plant are eaten as salad; and the root, after being roasted, is considered a delicacy. In more civilised cookery it is sometimes used in place of garlic, and we are told by Dr. Pereira that he has been assured “ by an experienced gastronome that the finest relish which a beefsteak can possess may be communicated by

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, 1 be., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

57

Assafcetida— cont inued. slightly rubbing the gridiron on which the steak is to he cooked with Assafoetida.” As a substitute for garlic it may he used, but only when garlic, with which it has hut slight affinity, cannot he procured.

ASSAM. — This is the name of an Indian district bordering on China. It has become famous lately for a tea, grown amongst its swamps, which possesses a strong, musky flavour and deep colour. It is much liked by those whose predilections are in favour of strong-tasting, cheap teas.

ASSIETTES MONTEES. — Fr. for “raised dishes.”

ASTI.— The name of an Italian sparkling white wine, named after the district in which it is produced.

ASUREE. — To Marie Kibrigli Pasha we are indebted for this receipt and others of Turkish dishes.

Take 21b. of wheat, unground, and wash it; throw it into a large saucepan of cold water, and boil for an hour; then dry it near the stove on a cloth. When it is quite dry beat it in a mortar, to get off the husks; then put the wheat into a strong muslin bag, and tie it up; put it into a saucepan of cold water, and let it boil all day until the liquor becomes of the consistency of jelly. Then take out the bag, squeeze it until all the liquor is out, and throw the dregs away. Put lib. of sifted, crushed loaf sugar in the liquor, and boil it again; if not sweet enough, add more sugar. Put a handful of Sultana raisins into a basin, with a few blanched almonds, cut small; mix the jelly with these, and put it into glass dishes. It will keep many days, and is not only strengthening, but a very nice dish.

ATHERINE (Atlie rina presbyter). — The name by which this little fish (Pig. 56) is generally known is the

Fig. 56. Atherine.

Silverside or Sand-smelt, being often passed off in the market for the real smelt. It is related to the family of the mullets, and may he recognised by the absence of the cucumber smell peculiar to the smelt, and by the handsome bright stripe running the whole length of its side. It is declared by epicures to be a delicious fish, little, if anything, inferior to the smelt, and much more wholesome. It is dressed in the same way. tSee Smelts.

ATHOLE BROSE.— See Brose.

ATHOLE CAKES.— See Cakes

ATTELETTES. — These are small skewers, generally silver or thickly electro-plated, with ornamental heads. The name is sometimes spelled “Attelets,” or “Hatelets.” Soyer gives a few specimens of them (see Fig. 57), which are very ornamental; but more modern manufacturers than those of his time have produced a great variety, some of which are remarkable for the beauty and appropriateness of their designs. In length and size the Attelettes in general use differ considerably, according to the purpose for which they are intended; those of a smaller and simpler character being used for entrees and the larger for removes.

The larger ornamental skewer is frequently used for transfixing and holding in position small pieces upon larger, such as small birds upon a capon or turkey; or for decorating joints with shapes of aspic jelly, or meats with cocks’ combs, mushrooms, truffles, crayfish, and

Attelettes — con tinu ed.

other titbits. Indeed, the utility of the Attelette to the artistic cook is in proportion to its almost universal adaptability. Dubois, who spells the word “Hatelet,” gives in his high-class book of artistic cookery an extraordinarily handsome collection of garnished and transparent Attelettes for ornamenting hot and cold dishes, and he prefaces his description with the following sensible remarks: “ If Hatelets are applied with discernment, they always serve as a relief, and add splendour to the dishes intended for entertainments, such as great dinners or ball suppers. Hatelets as such are applicable to all dishes served, provided the form and nature of the latter agree with the ornaments; but intelligent cooks are careful not to lavish them without reason. A lady of rank displays her rich jewels only on festival days, and then only when dressed in

garments corresponding with their splendour; Hatelets, being the diamonds of cookery, ought to be shown only on solemn occasions, and applied to pieces worthy of such an honour: to be too prodigal with them is to diminish their value and their charm.”

Attelettes are easily put together, but, even though very artistic in construction, are not always seen to the best advantage, this being generally due to indiscretion in their application. Por instance, one would not wish to ornament a salmon with cocks’ combs, or fix a string of crayfish or prawns on a capon, or truffles and mushrooms on sweetmeats; such combinations would be incompatible. Neither shoidcl Attelettes be placed where they would be even partially concealed from view. They should not only be appropriate to the viand, but mounted as conspicuously as possible.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces t £c., referred to see under their special heads.

58

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Attelettes — continued.

Our Plate represents a particularly artistic variety of Attelettes in all the splendour of their natural colourings; they present examples of combination which ingenious cooks will have no difficulty in imitating, or varying according to taste and convenience. They are arranged to suit either hot or cold dishes, savoury or sweet; and great care should he taken to insure their adding to the appetising qualities of the dish they are used to ornament, and every bit of them, except the skewer, should be edible, although rarely eaten at table.

When Attelettes are used for cold dishes, especially such as spiced or pressed meats, galantines, and aspics, it is usual to string small ornamental cuttings of vegetables, &c., and cover them with a column of jelly. This is effected by means of moulds specially constructed for the purpose (Fig. 58), and the mode of operation is as follows: Thread the ornaments carefully upon the skewer to a convenient distance from the top, and then plunge

Fig. 58. Attelette Moulds.

the skewer-shaft through the hole in the bottom of the mould. Tie round the skewer, below the'mould, a piece of tape or string, so as to support the mould in its appointed place, and then closely bung up the bottom aperture with stiff flour-and-water paste, so that the liquid jelly to be used cannot leak through. The ornaments on the Attelettes should be of such dimensions that they will pass readily into the mould without touching the sides. Next, pass the skewer shafts through holes in a convenient frame, so that they can be packed round with pounded ice, and kept perfectly upright.

To fill the moulds, use very bright, clear jelly, quite liquid, and as cool as it is possible to have it; and when this has set firm, remove the string and paste from beneath the mould, dip the mould quickly into warm water, and out again. When the pin is removed the mould will come away, leaving the jelly shape perfect. These Attelettes must be kept in a cold place, as warmth would make the jelly run.

Attelettes — continued.

For hot dishes, a great variety of Attelettes may be formed, all the ingredients being cooked as for eating, but they need not be hot themselves. A thin coating of meat glaze brushed over them makes them very bright, and adds very considerably to their ornamental appearance. Sweet jelly may be used, with crystallised fruits, and fruit pastes cut into shapes. Sugar glazing brushed over such ornaments as fresh fruits will give them extra brilliancy. The mode of preparing the different articles used will be found described under their own headings.

Description of Plate.

The preparation of decorative Attelettes opens up a large field for the display of artistic taste and culinary skill. The ornamental design crowning the Attelette may not be at all times subject to the cook’s selection, nor the materials at his disposal just such as ho would desire for any particular purpose; but as very pretty arrangements can be made out of such simple articles as carrots, turnips, mushrooms, and coloured glaze, which are to be found amongst the usual kitchen stock, even though cocks’ combs, truffles, prawns, and crayfish are unattainable, a really ingenious cook will never be at a loss for an Attelette. The combinations depicted on the coloured plate are examples of what can be done in this way, and therefore form a series of suggestions for the exercise of the cook’s skill.

No. 1. A combination of truffles, button mushrooms, and crayfish.

No. 2. Truffles, cocks’ combs, and button mushrooms. The cock ornamenting the crown of the Attelette makes this a good addition to capons, poultry, and other birds. May be either hot or cold.

No. 3. Truffles, prawns, or mushrooms.

No. 4. This is compounded of green peas, carrot rings, barberries, and mushrooms with aspic jelly. The crown of the Attelette forms a particularly suitable ornament for a hunting luncheon.

No. 5. Crystallised fruits, preserved violets, and cherries, with sweet jelly.

No. C. This gives an excellent opportunity for displaying the skilful use of a small knife. The combination is small carrots and turnips cut out of large ones, parsley, truffles, and mushrooms.

No. 7. Rings of carrot with peas in between, crayfish and truffles, and set in aspic jelly.

No. 8. Rings of green peas, barberries in the centre, truffles on slices of carrot in savoury jelly.

Note. — The mode of preparing each of the different ingredients used for Attelettes, will be found described under their particular headings.

ATTEREAU(X) —The meaning of this term is somewhat obscure. It was formerly spelt “Hatereau,” taking its origin fx-om hate, haste; but here a strange confusion seems to have taken place amongst French etymologists, for the word “haste” they conceived to be derived from the Latin word hasta, a spear or javelin. Hence the meaning of Attereaux may apply to those dishes which can be prepared “in haste,” or to the practice of spearing the dainty scraps on small skewers. Hatelet (see Attelettes) may have some such confused origin; but Time, the great reducer, and his confrere Custom have brought these terms into general use spelt as we have them here.

Many tasty little dishes are to be found amongst the Attereaux receipts of experienced cooks, and from amongst several we have selected the subjoined, in the hope that this style of quickly-prepared supper titbits may soon come into fashion again. Soyer used them and styled them Aiguillettes — “ little needles ” — evidently referring to the spear, or skewer, and not to “haste.” In any case, the confounding of “spear,” or “javelin,” with “ haste ” is suggestive.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fee., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

59

Attereau(x) — continued.

To Louis Eustaclie Ude we are indebted for the following: —

Attereaux of Goose’s Tat Liver. — See Goose’s Fat Liver. Attereaux of Ox-palates.— See Ox-palates.

Attereaux of Rabbits in the Italian Style. — See Babbits. Attereaux of Sweetbreads.— See Sweetbreads.

AU RAIN-MARIE. — Fr. for the act of keeping sauces and other things warm in a hot-water bath. See Bain-marie.

AU BLEU. — Fr. for “plain-boiled.”

AU FOUR. — Fr. for “ in the oven.”

AU GRAS. — Fr. for any dish that is prepared with meat stock.

AU GRATIN. — Fr. for any dish prepared with breadcrumbs.

AU JUS. — Fr. for “with gravy”; and hence, “in its own gravy.”

AUM, or OHM.— A wine-cask holding 30galls., and much used in Germany for exporting wines.

AU MAIGRE. — Fr. term for soups and other dishes prepared without meat.

Australian Meat — continued.

Water.

Per Cent.

Australian Mutton No. 1

99 99 99

„ „ 9, 3

Home-grown Mutton

59-2G

6148

6157

52-59

This shows a very large percentage of water in the pound of Australian meat, which, as all know, is not nourishing, and therefore present at the expense of the good qualities of the meat.

Fat.

Per Cent.

Australian Mutton No. 1

1962

„ „,, 2

14-62

„ „,9 3

15-79

Home-grown Mutton

28-88

Extractive

Matters.

Alcoholic

Water

Total

Extract.

Extract.

Per Cent.

Australian Mutton No. 1

2-47 ...

4-47

.. 6-94

2

2-87 ...

4-05

.. 692

99 99 99 3 ...

3T2 ...

3-82

.. 6-91

Home-grown Mutton

2-28 ...

1-85

.. 4-13

The nourishing qualities of the extractive matter vary according to composition.

Albumen and Fibrine.

AU NATUREL.-. for “plain.”

AURELIAN CAKES.— See Cakes.

AURORA SAUCE ( Sauce d la Aurore ). — This Sauce is so called from the Aurora-like colour that is introduced into it. For the receipt for its manufacture, see Sauces.

AUSTRALIAN BEER. — Considerable improvement has in late years been made in the brewing of Beer in our Australasian Colonies. That made in Tasmania is reckoned to be the best produced, and in nowise inferior to our best English brews; this being, in a great measure, due to the superiority of Tasmanian hops.

Australian Mutton No. 1

„ „ 99 2

„ „ „ 3

Per Cent. 14-60 16-92 16-39

Home-grown Mutton ... ... ... 14"40

(of which by far the larger proportion is albumen).

Of this the albumen is the nourishing quality, but in the case of cooked (such as tinned) Meats it is not possible to separate them, hence they are stated under one analysis.

The toughness and hardness of Meat depend upon the proportion and strength of its fibrine, hence its nutritive qualities are less in proportion.

The mineral matters are not of so much importance; they are as follow:

AUSTRALIAN MEAT— There are two methods of preserving meat, grown and killed in Australia, for use in this country, the first and most important being that of conveying by ship the whole carcases of sheep, lambs, pigs, calves, and halves of beef, hung in freezing-chambers; and the other is that of putting up cooked meats in hermetically-sealed tins. The efficacy of this or that mode of preserving is not of so much importance to the cook as is the condition of the flesh when it reaches the market and is offered for sale. Some chemists have written boldly declaring that Australian frozen meat is not only quite as good as, but greatly superior to, anything to be met with as native to this country; but the declamations of such individuals are of little value, seeing that in almost every instance where such a wholesale statement has been made, the chemist making it has been, in a sense, an interested party. Independent chemists assure us that the frozen flesh of the imported animal is greatly inferior to the fresh meat of our market, and would scarcely be recognised as even a second-class quality, as regards either its nutritive value or its flavour; and, moreover, what is of much greater consequence, that the difference in cost is no real saving after all. This inferiority of Australian meat is not necessarily due to the influence of freezing, — indeed, the probability is that little or no change takes place during the time that King Frost reigns supreme —but the quality of the meat at the time of killing is inferior.

Mr. Ogilvie, in the Chemical News, in 1874, pointed out the comparative nutritive values of Australian and home mutton, and his figures are too important to be ignored. In the first place, he gives the results of his analyses of three kinds of Australian meat, and compares them with an average of the home produce.

Mineral Matters.

Soluble Insoluble Total Per Cent. Pel- Cent. Per Cent. Australian Mutton No. 1 ... 0’654 ... 0'444 ... 1-098

„ „ „ 2 ... 1-019 ... 0-543 .. 1-562

„ „ „ 3 ... 0-705 ... 0 160 ... 0-865

Home-grown mutton ... 0'303 ... 0'150 ... 0 - 453

(much less than in the imported article).

From these tables it may be readily conceived that if correct — and they have not been disputed — the Meat imported from Australia is not so nutritious as that of home production; it lacks fat and albumen, and contains too much water and mineral and extractive matters in its composition. These remarks apply equally to Meats imported under similar conditions from America.

With regard to the various preparations of Meat imported in tins, Blyth observes: “ There are two serious objections to this Meat — the one that it is invariably overcooked, from the desire to insure the complete exclusion of atmospheric air; and the second, that the tins often crack from the constant pressure of the atmosphere, there being a vacuum within them.” This “cracking” of the tins has been overcome by the introduction of a nondecomposing gas, such as carbonic acid or nitrogen. Nevertheless, in spite of all that can be urged in their favour, Australian Meats, in whatever fashion imported, are shown to be inferior to home-grown produce, and therefore only serviceable to those families to whom price is of more importance than quality. See American Meat. To Cook Frozen Meat. — The first thing to do with Frozen Meat, before attempting to cook it, is to “ unfreeze ” it, or thaw the flesh gradually; for it may be taken for granted that during the voyage the whole substance of the animal has been frozen, and this can only be thawed by degrees. The

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their svecial heads.

60

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Australian Meat — continued.

appearance of the outside is no criterion of the condition of the inside, and unless the joint be thawed quite through, it will remain uncooked in the middle.

In effecting this “unfreezing” of the joint right to the bone, a little care is advisable. If a bottle of water be carried from an ice-chamber into a warm or muggy atmosphere, it will condense the vapour contained in the atmosphere on its outside. The Frozen Meat does precisely the same thing, hence the outside fibres are apt to turn pale and soppy. The plan which salesmen of Frozen Meat have found most effective is that of thawing by gradation. The Meat is first taken to a dry chamber at about 40deg. Fahr., then to another at, say, 55deg., and then to one at about 70deg., or the same temperature as the outside air. By this plan, after carefully wiping the Meat and dusting here and there with flour, it can be exposed in a shop or a cook’s larder, looking as dry and fresh as home-killed Meat of the same quality.

In some other respects the joints of Frozen Meat differ very widely from those of freshly-killed Meat; they yield their nourishing juices somewhat too readily. This peculiarity can be scientifically accounted for, and, happily, prevented. Spon states that if you were about to cook a joint of Australian Meat, the first thing to do would be to pitch from loz. to 2oz. of fat off it into the fire, and hold the lean part in the blaze till the surface is seared and sealed by the action of the fire upon the albuminous juice — an operation that may be equally well effected by placing the part to be seared on a gridiron over a bright, smokeless fire. If it be required to roast a leg, the thick end, where the cut lean is apparent, should be served in the same way. If the leg is to be boiled, the water should be made to boil rapidly, and the leg rested against the side of the saucepan or boiler, so that the thick end at the bottom is covered only by about lin. of water. Let it remain thus on the fire for about ten minutes, and then fill up the boiler with more hot water, lay the leg in its proper position, and simmer till done. If you put the whole leg into the water at once, the water will cease to boil, and the cut end of the mutton will yield its juices freely; which may be all very well where broth is desired, but for a boiled joint should not be allowed. Covering the joint, or the end of it, with a stiff paste made of flour and water answers the same purpose as scalding. If a neck of Australian Mutton is to be boiled, the lean end should be hung in the water when it is boiling rapidly, and the whole joint put into the water gradually, keeping the water on the boil.

Australian Tinned Meats vary very slightly, if at all, from American, Brazilian, and other similar imports.

AUSTRALIAN WINES.— The manufacture of Wine is rapidly gaining ground in the southern colonies of Australia, namely, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. The Wines so far produced arc of different qualities, many being exceedingly good, luscious, and fruity, and the poorest being good enough for most cooking purposes. The Red Wines are strongly recommended as possessing a remarkable burgundy flavour, quite equal to the fuller wines of the South of Prance. The White Wines, resembling sauteme or muscatel, are excellent for sauces. Until quite recently the practice of fortifying Australian Wines with alcohol to the extent of 35 per cent, prevailed, to the great injury of their British sale; but our Colonial brethren have possibly learned by this time that their chances of supplying the Old Country with Wine, or any other produce, depends more upon the quality of their goods than the price. Indeed, the heavy charges for freightage from Australia to England go far to level their cost with Continental Wines, being moi-e than three times that charged for bringing Wines from Prance.

The plains of Adelaide provide Wines similar to those of the South of Spain, whereas the hilly districts are adapted to the growth of clarets and the higher class of Wines, each being christened according to the fancy of the cultivator. Tintara is best known to fame, owing, in a great measure, to the popularity of the vineyard proprietor, Dr. Kelly, who, it is said, has done much to encourage the growth of grapes in Australia. The range of varieties and qualities is very great — from light sherry to heavy port.

AUSTRIAN WINES. — Some excellent Wines are produced in Austrian vineyards; the principal districts where grapes are grown being Dalmatia, Lower Austria, the Northern Tyrol, Styria, and Istria. The character of the Austrian Red Wines is lighter and cruder than those of France; while the White Wines, in respect to quality, are inferior to those of the Rhine, but possess a larger proportion of alcohol than those of either the Rhine or the Moselle.

Among the finest and most celebrated Austrian Wines are the Sparkling and Still Voslauer; while of the Hungarian, the Tokay, Red Carlowitz, and Paluggy are best known. It is almost superfluous to add that for culinary uses suitable Austrian Wines can hardly be surpassed. See Wines.

AVA-PARA.— The name given to a wine manufactured by the Tahiti Islanders from the Pandanus odoratissimus, and called Pandanus Wine.

AVI. — Fr. for the burnt part of a loaf: Un pain qui a regu I’avi — a loaf that has been burnt. Sometimes spelt Havi.

AVOCADO PEAR. — See Alligator Pear.

AY OIi I (compoimded of aye and oli, garlic and oil; probably derived from the Spanish ajo, garlic, pronounced ayo). — This is the name given to the “ Butter of Garlic,” which is much used for culinary purposes in Provence and the South of Prance, and wherever garlic is held in esteem. It is especially coveted as a sauce for codfish, whether served cold or hot.

Ayoli is made by pounding a few cloves of garlic in a

mortar, gradually adding olive-oil until the whole is reduced

to the consistency of paste. See Garlic.

AZIA. — A French preparation of pickled cucumbers.

AZUCARILLO.— A Spanish sweetmeat consisting of flom-, sugar, and rose-water.

BABA. — This is the name given to certain sweet leavened cakes having something of the characteristic of brioches. They are said to have been made famous by King Stanislaus of Poland (“ un Prince fort gourmand,” as Careme describes him), who was so very fond of them that he caused them to be made for him during a state visit paid by him to France in the early part of the seventeenth century. Since that time

Fig. 59. Baba Moulds.

(Designs by Adams and Son.)

they have risen to high esteem throughout the Continent, and attained great favour amongst cooks and confectioners.

The modes of preparing Baba cake (or pudding, as it is sometimes called) differ in a few particulars — so also do the modes of serving; but the great secret seems to be to soak the cake in some sweet sauce strongly flavoured with fruit; or in rum-pnnch, and pour a sweet sauce over. The centre cavity also is usually filled to heaping with chopped preserved fruits. Some excellent receipts for its manufacture will be found hereunder.

For details respectinj Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, $cc., referred to, see under their special heads,

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

61

Baba — continued.

Baba Cake. — (1) Sift 41b. of dried flour on to a marble or slate slab, put one quarter of it into a basin, and pour in the centre loz. of German yeast dissolved in 1 teacupful of warm water. Mix well, using the fingers onty, adding a little more water if required to make a stiff paste. Roll into the shape of a ball, put this in the basin again, score it across the top in the form of a cross, set the basin in a warm place, and let the dough rise for about ten minutes, or until it is quite light. Make a cavity in the centre of the 31b. of flour, add 21b. of butter, slightly warmed, oz. of salt, £ teacupful of water, and fifteen eggs. Work the eggs and butter well together, then mix the whole into a paste, keeping it rather soft. In about five minutes, add six more eggs, singly, and work lightly with the hand for ten minutes, sprinkling 1 teaspoonful of powdered saffron over the dough, and mixing it in. Put 4oz. of Smyrna and 8oz. of Malaga raisins, 4oz. of cleaned currants, and a small quantity each of mixed candied peels, cut into thin slices, into a basin, pour over 1 breakfast- cupful of Madeira wine, and 3 wineglassfuls of brandy or rum, whichever is preferred, and let the ingredients soak for a few minutes. Mix them all in with the paste, using the hand lightly, and let the preparation stand for a few minutes. Put a strip of paper about 3in. above the rim of a well-buttered mould, put in the mixture lightly to about three-quarters the height of the mould, set it in a warm place, and when the paste has risen to the top of the mould, put it in a slack oven on a trivet or stand, and bake until done, which will take about three hours. Turn it out carefully on to a sieve, and serve either hot or cold. Great care must he taken not to have the paste too thin

Fig. 60. Baba Cake.

or the fruit will fall to the bottom of the cake, and the effect will be lost. As the fruit in some cakes has a tendency to stick to the mould when cooked, the latter may be masked with a coating of the plain paste before putting the cake mixture in.

(2) Take lib. of flour, sift it, and mix into a fourth of it oz. of German yeast, having first mixed it in a little warm water, adding 1 pinch of salt. Put this in a pan in a warm place, so as to let it ferment into a sponge. Spread out the remainder of the flour, and work in lOoz. of butter and 2oz. of sugar, mixing together with seven eggs, and working it well with the hands for five minutes. When this is done, mix the two together if the sponge has sufficiently risen. A mould must now be buttered and lined with a thin coating of the paste. Mix with the remainder of the paste 3oz. of muscatel raisins, 2oz. of washed and dried currants, loz. of chopped-up candied peel, 1 wineglassful of brandy and the same quantity of rum, and fill in the centre. The Baba should then be set to rise gradually in a place where the temperature is moderate. As soon as it has risen sufficiently, place it in an oven upon a thick baking-sheet, with a roll of paper round the mould to prevent the Baba from receiving too much heat at first, and it should not acquire too much colour. About three-quarters-of-an-hour will suffice to bake it.

(3) Have ready fib. of the best flour, 1 drachm of compressed yeast, and f gill of warm water; put 3oz. of the flour into a vessel, make a hollow in the centre, and in it

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Baba — co ntinued.

lay the yeast and water; with the hands mix the yeast gently with the water for three minutes, then mix all together for three minutes more. Cover the vessel with a towol, and leave it in the warmest place in the kitchen (not on the stove), and after thirty minutes it will rise to twice the original size. Lay the remainder of the flour on the table, make a hollow in the centre, putting in it loz. of powdered sugar and four raw eggs; mix the sugar and eggs with the hands; then add 1 gill of cream and gill of good Madeira wine; season with 1 drachm of very fine salt, and mix all with the flour for five minutes. Make a hollow in the centre again, and into this put 5oz. of good, fresh, softened butter; mix well again for two minutes. If the prepared yeast-dough be now raised to its proper height, mix the two pastes together for at least five minutes, return it to the vessel, and put it in the same warm place, covering as before. When rested one hour, have ready 2oz. of cleaned sultana raisins, 2oz. of cleaned and stoned valencias, and loz. of finely-chopped citron-peel. Grease with cold butter the inside of a cylindrical copper or tin mould large enough to hold 3 pints. If the mixed paste be now raised to twice the original size, mix in the raisins, currants, and citron-peel, stirring thoroughly for about five minutes; put it in the mould, and lay it in a warm place (not on the stove) for another twenty minutes; then place it in a moderate oven for one hour. When a good golden colour, remove, and let it cool slightly; place a round dish over the mould, turn it upside down, lift off the mould, and glaze the cake with a thin syrup. Decorate the top and dish with candied fruits, and send to the table.

(4) Dissolve oz. of yeast in 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, and add sufficient flour to make a sponge. Set it to rise. Beat ilb. each of butter and sugar to a cream, add ioz. of blanched and chopped bitter almonds, £lb. each of raisins and sultanas, the grated rind of two lemons, 1 pinch of salt, 1 saltspoonful of powdered mace, and the yolks of ten eggs. Now add another breakfast-cupful of milk, the remainder of the flour, and the sponge when raised, working the whole well until perfectly smooth, and adding lastly the whites of ten eggs beaten to a snow. Turn the mixture into a buttered Baba cake' mould, and bake. Turn it out when done, soak it in punch, ice it with chocolate or other icing, fill the cavity with preserved and dried fruits of all kinds, cut up into small pieces, and serve.

Baba au Madere. — Prepare a Baba cake as described in No. 3, but do not glaze it. Slit the cake into halves, and remove the top piece. Pour 1 pint of cold water in a very clean pan, add Jib. of sugar and half a medium-sized lemon, place it on the stove, and boil well for three minutes; then remove, and at once add 1 gill of good sherry wine and l gill of cura 5 oa. Lay the top part of the cake in a round, flat-bottomed vessel. To avoid breaking it, a wire basket is recommended, with which it can be lowered carefully into the pan. Pour gradually over it the prepared sauce; let it rest for two minutes, then replace it carefully on top of the other half of the cake. Arrange it nicely on a dessert serving dish, garnish tastefully with candied cherries, and decorate the border with thin slices of candied pine-apple.

Baba with Vanilla Cream Sauce. — Prepare a Baba cake. When removed from the mould, and laid on a dish, cut it into six equal parts. Take 6oz. of apricot marmalade, and proceed as follows: take one piece of cake in the left hand, and, with a knife in the right, cover both sides, where cut, with the marmalade. When finished, arrange the six pieces together on the dish, and give them the same form as before. To be eaten with vanilla cream sauce.

Hot BclbcL Cake. — Put lib. 3oz. of flour on a baking-sheet in the oven, dry it, and pass through a fine sieve into a basin. Put a quarter of this into another basin, and mix it up with ioz. of yeast and 1 wineglassful of lukewarm milk; when well mixed, put the basin in a warm place for this to rise. Form a hollow in the centre of the rest of the flour, and mix in 2 table-spoonfuls each of cream and sifted, crushed loaf sugar, four eggs, 6oz. of warmed butter, and a small pinch of salt. Work well with the hand until thoroughly mixed and quite smooth, then add singly four more eggs, working one well in before another is added. Add 4oz. more butter, pulled into small pieces, and work this in for about

Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Baba — continued.

five minutes; mix in the dough, work for five or six minutes longer, sprinkle in about 1 teacupful each of Smyrna raisins and well-washed and dried currants, and a little less than 1 teacupful of finely-chopped mixed candied peel. Take up the preparation with the hand, in small quantities, drop it into a well-buttered cylindrical-shaped mould, filling it to about three-quarters full, put it in a warm place to rise (or the heat of the kitchen will perhaps be sufficient), and when it has risen to the rim of the mould put it into a slack oven and bake it until done. Turn out very carefully on to a dish, smear over with chocolate or apricot sauce or orange cream, and serve. The proportion of ingredients used in the above should be sufficient to make two cakes.

GoufK serves Baba cake with the following sauce: Put lb. pot of apricot jam in a stewpan, with £ pint of syrup and 1 gill of rum. Boil, and strain through a hair sieve. Serve in a tureen, or poured over and round the cake.

Mr. C. Norwak gives us the following receipt for making sauce for Baba cake, as made by him in Krakau, Poland: Take 1 pint of good wine, and mix with it the strained juice of a large lemon, and a small piece of cinnamon just to give a flavour; work this up with 4oz. of caster sugar, the yolks of four eggs thoroughly beaten up over the fire, and when ready, pour over the hot Baba.

BABEURRE.-ft. for “butter-milk.”

BABKA — This is the name of a Polish cake made with eggs, milk, sugar, cream-cheese, and chopped almonds. It stands very high and narrow, and is said to be called “ Babka ” on account of its resemblance to an old woman with her head depressed. More than a hundred varieties of it are known in Poland, made with fruit, vegetables, fish, and other things.

BACALAO. — The Spanish mode of dressing salt codfish with oil and garlic, as follows:

(1) Clean a cod-fish, put it in a bowl of slightly salted water, and soak it for a day; take the fish out, cut it up in pieces or slices, lay a few of them at the bottom of an earthenware dish to cover it, then put over this a layer of garlic, parsley, and grated bread, continuing in this way until the dish is full. Pour over a mixture of oil and garlic well seasoned with salt and pepper, cover over the dish, and boil until nearly all the liquor has evaporated or is absorbed and the ingredients are nearly dry. When done, take it out, and serve.

(2) Clean and cut in slices a cod-fish; boil the pieces in a saucepan of water, and when done, take them out and drain them. Put the pieces into a bowl with sufficient honey to nearly cover them, and when they are well soaked, take them out, dust them over with flour, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry them. Take the pieces out, drain them, and serve on a napkin spread over a dish. Or instead of being soaked in the honey, the pieces may be dipped in egg beaten with a little salt, well floured, fried in boiling fat, and dusted over with caster sugar.

(3) Cut some onions and tomatoes in rather thick slices, put a few of these at the bottom of an earthenware dish, and add a little garlic and ground cinnamon. Cover this over with slices of cod-fish, and continue in this way until the dish is full or all the cod-fish used up. Pour over a mixture of oil, whole and ground pepper, and cloves, filling up all the crevices, and boil over a clear fire until the liquor from the tomatoes and onions, together with the oil, is nearly absorbed. When done, take out the dish, and serve.

(4) Lay onions, cut in thick circles, at the bottom of a pipkin, with tomatoes, a grain of garlic, and cinnamon; on this place a layer of cod-fish sliced, and so on in alternate layers. Pour in plenty of oil, cloves, pepper (whole and ground), and then set on the fire to boil, without adding any stock, till the juice of the tomatoes and onions is nearly absorbed.

Bacalao A la Biscayexme. — After soaking and cutting in bits, put the fish on to boil; meanwhile toast a few tomatoes before the fire, skin them, and well mash them with a wooden spoon; chop up plenty of onions very small, put them to boil in oil, and just before they turn colour add the tomatoes. Now place the cod in a pipkin, throw in

Bacalao — continued.

the onions and tomatoes, with the oil in which they were cooked, and set on a slow fire to simmer gently till quite done.

Bacalao with Garlic Sauce. — Prepare this by boiling the fish first, then adding a sauce at the time of serving, made by frying garlic in oil, and adding peppers, green and red, with vinegar in equal quantity with the oil.

Bacalao a la Vizcaino. — Clean a cod-fish, cut it up in

pieces or slices, soak these for a day or so in slightly salted water, and boil them until done. Have ready a few tomatoes, toasted before the fire and skinned, and mash them to a pulp. Cut up a good lot of onions into very small pieces, put these into a saucepan with sufficient oil to cover them, and boil them. When they begin to change colour, add the tomato pulp, and cook until all are done. Arrange the slices of cod at the bottom of an earthenware dish, pour over the oil mixture, and place the dish on the side of the fire; simmer gently until the whole is done, and serve hot.

BACKINGS.— These are a very delicious kind of pancakes or fritters, highly esteemed in some parts of the United States as a breakfast delicacy.

Beat 1 breakfast-cupful of buckwheat meal in a basin with sufficient warm milk to make it soft and smooth. Into this stir £ teacupful of fresh yeast, or loz. of American cake yeast dissolved in 1 wineglassful of lukewarm water. Set this to rise until a good sponge has formed, and then dilute the whole till it forms a liquid batter. Just before being wanted for serving, have ready a frying-pan with plenty of hot fat in it, pour in f teacupful at a time, cook both sides as for pancakes, and serve in the same manner. A better name for these, perhaps, would be “ Buckwheat Pancakes.”

BACON ( Fr. Bacon; Ger. Speck; Ital. Lardo; Sp. Tocino). — The term “ Bacon ” is derived from the German bachen, the plural of bache — a wild sow — which it is more than probable formed, when dried, a very important item in the dietary of the rural German inhabiting the vast forests of the country where the wild pig or boar abounded. Bacon is defined as “ the flesh of swine, salted and dried, and subsequently smoked or not,” and the name, so far as we know it, is restricted to the sides and belly so prepared. Other parts of the pig are cured in a similar manner, hut these have distinctive names, such as “ hams ” and “ Bath chaps,” and will be treated under those heads. In some of the northern countries of Europe and America the term “ Bacon ” is more generally used and applied to other kinds of dried and smoked flesh, especially that of the bear, which is said to be of a very superior flavour; but with that we have nothing to do here, our remarks being confined to the belly and side of the domestic pig — “ salted and dried, and subsequently smoked or not.”

From the foregoing introductory notes it is plain that there are two kinds of Bacon to be met with in this country, namely, that which has been salted and dried only, and that which has been salted, dried, and subsequently smoked. We take the description of Bacon cured by the simplest process first.

Bacon, Salted and Dried (or “ Green,” as it is called). — After the slain pig has been cleaned and deprived of its head, it is slit carefully down the back (as shown in Fig. 61) by means of a butcher’s chopper, or in a largo pig the chine (a) is cut out for roasting or boiling. The hams (c) and hands (d) are removed, or the shoulder in small pork may be left. The hair on the skin is then singed off over a fire, or by means of kindled straw laid over it. Scalding with water is not advisable, as the dampness produced interferes with the process of salting. A large wooden trough or tray is provided, having a gutter round its edges to drain off the brine; the flitches, as they are called, are then sprinkled over with salt, and left for twenty-four hours on the trough, or on sloping boards, so that the flesh may drain. When the time prescribed for draining has elapsed, each flitch should be taken separately and wiped perfectly dry, and the drainings from them thrown away. Both sides of the flitches are then

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred, to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

63

Bacon — continued.

to be well rubbed with common salt, but the fleshy side will require considerably more rubbing than the skin.

Some curers use after the first salting a mixture of salts in these proportions: 31b. or 41b. of common salt, £lb. of saltpetre, and lib. of coarse sugar or treacle, and this “ pickle ” gives to the Bacon a flavour that is much admired by good judges. It is usual to dry the salt in an old fryingpan over the fire before using. When the process of rubbing is completed, the flitches have to be placed in the picklingtrough upon each other, skin side downwards, and the next day it is as well to rub salt into them again. They should be left in the trough for a month or six weeks, according to the size of the flitches and the state of the weather (cold weather requiring longer time). Repeat the rubbing process four or five times at intervals of about a week.

Fig. 61. Pig Marked Out for Cutting-up for Bacon.

The next step is to dry them by hanging them up high over a kitchen fireplace, or in some other equally warm and draughty place. When they are hard and firm, they may be removed to racks or hooks prepared for their reception near the kitchen ceiling. In old farm-houses the kitchen chimney is well adapted to the curing of Bacon, and the constantly open door permits a draught through, which removes any superfluous heat that might rise to the ceiling or rafters and injure the Bacon by turning it “ rusty.” Exposure to the sun will also turn Bacon rusty, and must therefore be carefully avoided.

Some slight variations of the foregoing process are practised in different parts of the country, but they are not sufficiently important to require special description. See Curing, Pickle, &c.

Bacon, Salted, Dried, and Smoked.— For this the salting and drying process is precisely the same as that just described, the only difference being in the next step, which is smoking. In London it is unusual to meet with any Bacon but that which has been smoked, but in some of our large midland cities and towns “ green ” Bacon finds the readier sale. The smoke is generally that of burning wood or straw (in America hickory chips and corn-cobs are used). Woods containing resins, such as pine, are not advisable, as they would give an unpleasant flavour to the Bacon. The plan usually adopted is to dry the flitches slowly over the smoke made by burning sawdust of oak or beech. The fire may be kept up night and day by smothering with dry sawdust. In some parts of the country drying and smoking are practised as a regular trade, and sums are charged for smoking Bacon varying from 4d. to 6d. for a ham, and lOd. or Is. for flitches; and this convenience is widely appreciated in rural districts. The flitches should be hung up high until quite dry, but not so hard that the rind begins to peel off. Sometimes the rubbing over of the flitch with bran is advocated; but it cannot judiciously be recommended, for it encourages flies to settle upon the Bacon, and lay their eggs there, which produce maggots. This may be prevented to some extent by wrapping in paper or suspending in calico bags.

To Choose Bacon. — The best Bacon is that which has a thin rind, agreeable odour, firm, consistent fat, with a slight tint of red about it; the lean should be red and bright, tender, and fast on the bone. Do not buy Bacon with yellow fat, for that means that it is “ rusty.”

To test the quality of Bacon, a knife or skewer should be thrust into the meat close to or along a bone, and if it smells sweet when withdrawn, and the flesh is moderately firm, it is sure to be fresh and good.

Bacon — continued.

As to the choice of the different parts of Bacon, much is due to the purpose for which the Bacon may be required, and something to fancy. The streaky covering of the rib bones is generally preferred for ordinary use, or as breakfast rashers, and commands the highest price, although in all other animals this part is the least esteemed, and consequently the cheapest.

Fig. 62. a, b, and c, constitute the Entire Side; A and B, or B and C, are a Three-quarter Side; A, Fore-end, weighing about 181b.; B, Middle, 351b.; c, Gammon with Corner, 141b.

Fig. 63. D, e, f, Middle, cut through into three pieces, each weighing about 121b.

p o n M

Fig. 64. G, Fore Hock, weighing about 101b.; H, Thick Streaky, or Middle Cut, 81b.; J, Thin Streaky, 61b.; K, Flank, 3J,lb.; L, Gammon, 101b.; M, Corner of Gammon, 41b.; N, Long Loin, 81b.; o. Back and Ribs, 81b.; P, Collar, 71b.

X W V U T S

FIG. 65. Q, Top of Thick Streaky, weighing about 31b.; r, Prime Thick Streaky, or Middle Cut, 6ilb.; S, Leanest part of Loin, 21b.; T, Loin, 61b.; u, Back Ribs, prime cut, 61b.; v, Thick Back, 21b.; w, Prime part of Collar, 51b.; x, End of Collar, 21b.

PLANS OF A FLITCH OF BACON OF 64lb.

For lean Bacon, the back or gammon would be selected; and for cheapness, the fore hock, or fore end, would serve best, especially for boiling for family use. Part of the thick flank also doe3 very well for boiling. The above diagrams (Figs. 62 to 65) explain the parts into which a flitch is generally sub-divided.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

64

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bacon — continued.

The foregoing list of parts is quite sufficient guide for use in ordering Bacon of the merchant; and as good Bacon is not always to be purchased near home, the above plan should be found very useful in obtaining supplies from a distance.

There are so many uses to which Bacon is applied by cooks, that it will be repeatedly mentioned throughout the receipts contained in these pages — in many cases as an incidental savoury; but there are a few conditions in which it forms the basis of a dish, and these are described in their place.

To Prepare Bacon for Breakfast. — Procure fine, fresh Bacon, and with a keen knife cut the under-bones off; pare both edges neatly, also the end (the opposite side to the string which hangs it up). With the help of the same sharp knife, cut the necessary number of slices desired for immediate use, and no more. Thin slices are always preferable, so that the Bacon, whether broiled or fried, will be crisp and tasty. When cutting off the slices, be careful to avoid detaching them from the skin; also cut them crosswise, but never lengthwise. Arrange the slices on the broiler, and broil over a moderate fire for two minutes on each side; dress the slices on a hot dish, and serve immediately. Four minutes will suffice for frying. See that the Bacon is kept hanging by the string in a dry, cool place, but do not put it on ice. Bacon and Eggs. — (1) To prepare these nicely, the rashers of Bacon, cut thin — slices of the back are best — must be trimmed of all bone, rind, and smoked part, and put into a hot enamelled frying-pan, or one that is bright and scrupulously clean. The Bacon is then to be cooked nicely brown without burning, and care taken that the fat especially shall not “catch.” When the Bacon is laid on a dish and popped into the oven, the shells of the eggs must be carefully broken so as not to break the yolks, and put into a cup — a shallow saucer is perhaps better, as being less likely to burst the yolk by the fall from the shell into the deep cup. Each egg should be broken and kept separately; first, because a bad

one would spoil the others (shop eggs, when really fresh, are quite good enough for this mode of cooking them); and secondly, because a fair share of white will then be apportioned to each yolk. As each egg is added to those in the frying-pan, the white about it should be allowed to set before adding another. Baste them with the hot fat, trim, and put one on each piece of Bacon. Sometimes mashed potatoes are served round the dish.

(2) Break several eggs, one at a time, and put them in a dish, close up in front of a fierce fire. Toast over these slices of streaky Bacon, allowing all the drippings to fall upon the eggs. By the time sufficient Bacon is cooked, the eggs should be done. Lay the Bacon about the eggs, and serve together.

Bacon-fat is declared by all cooks to be the best medium for frying such tasty foods as onions for curry, also for frying liver, and veal cutlets. Slices of bread fried in Bacon-fat make an excellent breakfast dish. The crusts should be trimmed off, and the bread fried a light brown, peppered, and served quite hot, garnished with parsley.

Bacon-fat Salad Dressing. — Take 2 table-spoonfuls of Baconor pork-fat, 1 table-spoonful of flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of lemonjuice, k teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of mustard, two eggs, J breakfast-cupful of water, and i breakfast-cupful of vinegar. Have the fat hot. Add the flour, and stir until smooth, but not brown. Add the water, and boil up once. Place the saucepan in a bain-marie, or in another saucepan partly filled with boiling water.

Bacon — continued.

Have the eggs and seasoning beaten together. Add the vinegar to the boiling mixture, and stir in the beaten egg. Cook four minutes, stirring briskly all the time. Cool, and use. If put into bottles and corked tightly, this will keep in a cool place, and forms a very pleasant addition to a salad.

Bacon with Macaroni. — Put 2oz. of broken macaroni into a saucepan with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of well-seasoned stock, and simmer gently on the side of the fire until it is quite tender, which will take about an hour; but it should be frequently tried, to prevent its being overdone or pulpy. Add 2oz. of streaky Bacon, boiled and cut up into small squares, and a small piece of butter. Toss the pan over the fire for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper, turn the preparation out on to a dish, and serve very hot.

Bacon Omelet. — Put Jib. of finely-minced lean Bacon into a frying-pan with a little butter or lard, and fry it until done. Have ready a sufficient number of eggs, well beaten with salt and pepper, and stir them into the Bacon. When the omelet is cooked, take it out carefully, put it on a dish, and serve with piquant sauce, either in a sauceboat or poured round it.

Bacon Salad. — Cut about Jib. of slices of fat Bacon into small squares, put them into a frying-pan, and fry them till lightly browned. Bemove the pan from the fire, and mix in with the Bacon one-third vinegar to two-thirds Baconoil. Prepare a salad by chopping up whatever greenmeats happen to be obtainable, season it, and pour the Bacon sauce over it; if the pieces of Bacon are not wanted, strain the sauce through a strainer. Beaten eggs may be mixed with the Bacon-fat if according to taste: they should be stirred into it over the fire till the dressing is thick, then let the mixture cool before pouring it over the salad.

Bacon and Spinach. — Line a pudding-basin with thin slices of raw Bacon, trimmed so as to be all of one size, and let them be arranged symmetrically. Take some boiled spinach, ready chopped for table, and seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper; also some boiled carrots, turnips, and small onions cut into Jin. squares. Whip up the yolk of an egg with pepper and salt, and mix the carrots and turnips up with the egg and seasoning. Now arrange the squares of vegetables alternately and thickly amongst the slices of Bacon, and fill up the centre of the dish with spinach. When the basin is full, cover over with more slices of Bacon, and put into a saucepan partially filled with boiling water, not deep enough to boil over, and steam for an hour. Turn out into a flat dish, and serve with a rich brown gravy.

Boiled Bacon. — (1) Before putting the piece of Bacon selected into the pot, it is advisable to soak it for some hours. This will remove superfluous salt, and enable the meat to soften and swell. Cut off any part that looks rusty, and scrape the flesh side quite clean. Put the piece into cold water, lot it come very slowly to the boiling-point, and then simmer gently until done. The time required may be calculated as twenty-five minutes for each pound, and twenty-five minutes over. When done, let it get cold in the liquor in which it has boiled, placing a folded cloth under the lid to keep in the steam. Peel off the skin (which may go into the stockpot, if you have one), and sprinkle the fat side freely with grated crust or browned breadcrumbs, which may be made by baking scraps of bread in the oven until brown, and then crushing them with a rolling-pin. Boiled Bacon can, when cold, be glazed by brushing it over with a solution of loz. of gelatine in 1 gill of warm water. Sometimes well-boiled ribbon vermicelli, after being thoroughly boiled, is cut into ornamental shapes and laid on the Bacon before glazing.

(2) Should the required piece of Bacon be very salt, it should first be soaked in cold water for several hours. Bemove any rusty or discoloured uneatable pieces, scrape the underneath parts, put it into a saucepan of water over a slow fire, and let it gradually come to the boiling-point. Bemove the saucepan to the side of the fire, and simmer slowly until the Bacon is quite tender. The time allowed for boiling Bacon is about twenty-five minutes for each pound, and if a big piece, about twenty minutes longer. When the Bacon is done, take it out, skin it, and sprinkle the fat over witli bread-raspings.

(3) Wash and scrape about 31b. of Bacon cut from the back or ribs, plunge it into a saucepan of water, and boil it

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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65

Bacon — continued.

gently until quite clone, which will take about an hour-anda-half. Then remove the pan from the fire, place a cloth under the lid to keep in the steam, and let it remain until the Bacon and liquor are quite cool. Take the Bacon out, drain and skin it, and grate bread over it; or when it is quite cold it may be glazed with ijoz. of gelatine, dissolved in I teacupful of boiling water, with a little caramel colouring added. The piece of Bacon may be decorated with designs in vermicelli, which is prepared for the purpose by plunging it into boiling water and boiling for two or three minutes, and then taking it up with a fork or skewer and dropping it on to the glaze before it is set.

Boiled Bacon and Cabbage. — (1) This dish is not always prepared with cabbage; sometimes French beans are selected, or Bacon and broad beans are the choice. In either case the process differs only in the vegetable. Cut a good cabbage into quarters, and remove some of the thick part of the stem — as much as you can without disturbing the leaves. Soak it in a pan of cold water until wanted — some add salt to the water, but this does not appear to have any value. Put the cabbage into a large saucepan containing boiling water, with 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda, and cook for half-an-hour. Take lib. of the back of Bacon, clean off the smoky parts, put into cold water, and boil for half-an-hour by itself. Then drain both the cabbage and the Bacon, and put them together in one pot, covering them with boiling water which has not been used before, and let them cook slowly for another half-hour. Remove the cabbage as whole as the spoon will allow you, drain thoroughly through a colander, and after slicing the Bacon, serve it on the cabbage in a dish with a drainer.

(2) Take a piece of the back or middle of Bacon, and clean and trim it. Cut, quarter, and wash clean a good head of cabbage, and press the water out as well as you can. Boil the cabbage and Bacon, with half a pod of red pepper, together for one or two hours, according to the thickness of the meat; and having skinned the Bacon, serve it on the top of the cabbage, in slices, or surrounded by the cabbage; or the cabbage may he in a vegetable dish by itself.

Broiled Bacon. — Slices of streaky Bacon, nicely trimmed, may be broiled in a double gridiron over or in front of a clear fire. Turn frequently until done. Or the slices, cut all of a size, may he rolled up and impaled on skewers, when they may either be broiled, or baked in an oven; remove from the skewer before serving.

A very useful contrivance for cooking Bacon before the fire is a Bacontoaster. The rashers can be turned as often as desired by lifting the liook-bar by the handle provided for the purpose (see Fig. 67).

Broiled Liver and Bacon. — Broiling the Bacon for this dish is considered wasteful, hence it is usual in small kitchens to fry the liver and Bacon together. In this way the beauty of the dish is spoiled. The neatest plan is to fry the welltrimmed thin slices of Bacon, and having washed and sliced the liver not too thick, say -jin., dried it thoroughly in a cloth, floured it, and then dipped it in the Bacon-fat in the fryingpan, to broil that over or before a clear fire, peppering and salting whilst it is cooking. When done, lay each slice on a dish, with a piece of Bacon on each piece of liver.

Egg-and-Bacon Pie . — See Eggs.

Fowl-and-Bacon Sausages. See Fowls.

Fried Bacon. — Select a piece of streaky or back, and trim the piece to be cooked of rind, bone, and smoky parts before slicing. Many try to cut rashers by slicing through the rind, wherein they make a great mistake; for in the first place, it requires an exceedingly sharp knife to cut through the tough skin at all, and when it does cut it through, the chances are that the knife works unevenly and cuts the rashers irregularly. By laying the Bacon rind-side down, slices may be cut towards the skin, and trimmed off after, which will leave the rind uncut, and therefore serviceable for other culinary purposes. Cook in a frying-pan till the fat is transparent and the lean lightly browned on both sides, and crisp.

Bacon — continued.

Drain on paper, and serve. Rashers of Bacon may also be broiled when they are much milder in flavour; but when fried it is advisable that the frying-pan should contain some other fat than that of the Bacon, or tho rashers will be fried too fast and burned up. Some cooks dip tho slices in egg and breadcrumb, with chopped parsley and pepper, and fry in hot lard. Thin rashers, too, may be rolled up and tied, hut when cooked the string must be removed before serving.

Fried Eggs with Bacon. — See Eggs.

Steamed Bacon. — Wash and scrape the piece of Bacon required to be cooked, put it into a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water on the fire, and steam it until it is quite tender. Take it out, and it is ready for use. By cooking in this way, the quantity does not waste as in boiling, nor does the quality deteriorate.

BADEN-BADEN PUDDING-.— See Puddings.

BADET. — A fermented liquor made in Java from rice. It is a favourite drink amongst tlie natives, and no J avanese banquet or festival would be considered complete without it. By the addition of various spices and fruit juices to this Badet, some very delicious beverages are concocted.

BAEL. — This fruit, sometimes known as Bengal Quince, is imported from the East Indies; it grows upon a tree of the orange tribe (JEgle Marmelos), and is usually gathered when but half ripe, then dried, and

Fig. 68. Bael Fruit.

used as a medicine. When ripe and freshly gathered, the fruit is very fragrant, and pleasantly refreshing to the taste. In our Indian possessions the European residents hold it in high esteem as a preserve.

The dried fruit as received in this country is usually cut into slices, having on the outer side a smooth, greyish shell, and internally a hard orange or red pulp. It has no distinct smell, but tastes slightly acid and gummy. In its fresh state the fruit is mostly globular (see Fig. 68), and measures, on an average, from 2in. to 4in. in diameter; it, however, varies very much both in shape and size, some being flattened at each end like an orange, whilst others are oval, and others again partake of the shape of a pear. They have a smooth, hard shell, the interior being apportioned into ten to fifteen uneven cells, something of the character of an orange, each cell containing several woolly seeds. Between the cells the fruit is filled with a mucilaginous, juicy pulp, which has an agreeable aromatic flavour. The pulp, when mixed with water, and sweetened, forms a palatable cooling drink. The fruit is rarely eaten fresh.

Bael Jam. — Cut up the required quantity of half-ripe Bael fruit, and remove the stones and gum round about them; rub the fruit with a little water through a sieve into a preserving-pan, add sufficient sugar to sweeten well, and simmer gently for about half-an-hour, by which time the jam should be thick. Let it get cold, turn it into bottles or jars, cork or cover them over, and let them stand in a cool place until wanted.

K & L

Fig. 67. Bacontoaster.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

66

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bael — continued.

Bael Preserve. -For this, fruit which is rather less than half ripe should be used. Cut as many as required into slices about jin. in thickness, and carefully remove all the seeds and the gum surrounding them. Throw them as cut into cold water, let them steep for a few minutes, take them out, put them into a saucepan with strong syrup, and simmer over a slow fire for thirty minutes or so, by which time the preserve should be a rich light brown. Let it get cold, bottle it, taking care to have the fruit well covered with the syrup, cork down the bottles, and keep them in a cool place until wanted.

Bael Sherbet (Indian). — Scoop out the whole contents of a ripe sweet Bael, add a little water to make it into a paste, sweeten to taste, pour in more water until it is as thick as honey, and strain it to remove the seeds and fibres. It is then ready for drinking. This is considered a delicious drink, and possesses the peculiarity, that if drank about as fluid as stout, it is a mild aperient; but if taken as thick as pea-soup, it has an astringent effect.

Candied Bael.— Cut up some Bael fruit into quarters or slices, remove the seeds and gum, and steep the fruit in cold

water. After a few hours, take them out, drain them, put

them into a preserving-pan, with sufficient syrup to cover, and simmer gently for half-an-hour, by which time the fruit should be tender. Turn it out on to oiled paper, lay

it on trays, set the trays in the sun for a few hours, and

the Candying will be complete. It may be stored away in boxes. The oiled paper is used to prevent the candy from sticking to the trays.

BAGRATION SOUP.— -See Soups.

BAIN-MARIE. — In kitchens where a demand might he made at any time upon sauces, gravies, stews, and such-like culinary preparations, the Bain-marie, or hotwater bath, is of the first importance; because by the principle of its construction it allows the most delicate fluids to be kept at a temperature equal to boiling water, without themselves boiling or being exposed to the uncertain heat of a hot-plate or stove. In small kitchens one pot stood in another, or in a flat tin containing water, answers for all purposes; but where several such pots are, or may be, required, the Bain-marie becomes an essential.

The origin of the term is doubtful, some Continental etymologists asserting that it obtained its wonderful name from the prophetess Marie, to whom the credit of its invention is attributed; but others, of a more practical turn of mind, are of opinion that it is styled Bainmarie, from bain, a bath, and marie — a corruption of mer — the sea, from the ocean-like appearance of the broad expanse of water the pan presents when the pots are removed. Amongst illiterate cooks it is occasionally styled the Banburee, but this is an evident corruption.

In large hotels and club kitchens the Bain-marie plays an important part, and its pans are kept perpetually supplied with stock sauces, which it is usual to label as shown in the illustration (Fig. 69).

Mr. Wilson, of the Wilson Engineering Company, has provided a very clever little Bain-marie pot, which

Bain-marie — continued.

can be made to fit into an ordinary kitchen boiler when the lid of the boiler is removed (see Fig. 70). The steam is quite as effectual as the hot water, so that the quantity of water in the boiler is not material to the utility of the pot.

Ude proclaims the value of the Bain-marie thus:

“ You put all your stewpans into the water, and f; keep that water always 1 i very hot, but it must not 11 m boil. The effect of this is

to keep every dish warm p IG 70. Wilson’s Bain-marie Pot without altering either the to Fit in a Kitchen Boiler. quantity or quality. When

I had the honour of serving a nobleman in this country, who kept a very extensive hunting establishment, and the hour of dinner was consequently uncertain, I was in the habit of using the 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 fire-side, the soup reduces and becomes too strong, and the sauce thickens as well as reduces.” All this, and the possibility of burning, is avoided by using the Bain-marie.

BAKEHOUSE.— If it were in the power of every baker to organise his own Bakehouse, the probabilities are that he would aim at constructing something very different from those generally met with. There is no reason why they should not be amply ventilated; but this the builder seems to carefully avoid, probably under the grievous misapprehension that heat is required outside as well as inside the oven. Sky-lights, or high windows that open widely, are essential to the well-being of those working in Bakehouses, allowing the superabundant heat from the oven and the steam from the bread to escape. Many important improvements have been made in modern bakeries, especially in the matter of Ovens, which are described under that head.

BAKESTONE CAKES.— -See Cakes.

BAKEWELL PUDDING.— This is named after the town of Bakewell, near Cliatsworth, in Derbyshire, where it is naturally and deservedly a great favourite. The term “ Bakewell ” does not, therefore, apply to the mode of cooking. The secret of its concoction is sufficiently simple to render it worthy of universal note.

(1) Line a pie-dish with a light paste, and spread over it

a thick layer of preserved fruit of any kind — plums, apples, pears, gooseberries, strawberries, cherries, apricots, or peaches, &c. — and over this sprinkle some thin slips of candied orangeor citron-peel. Make a rich custard of six yolks and three whites of eggs, worked up with 5oz. of warmed, clarified butter, 6oz. of caster sugar, and 1 wineglassful of lemonbrandy, and flavour with 30 drops of essence of lemon. Pour the custard over and among the preserved fruit, and bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters-of-an-hour or until done. .

(2) Put 8oz. of butter into a basin, warm it, and add the beaten yolks of eight eggs and the whites of two. When the mixture is nearly cold, add 8oz. of sugar and a little essence of almonds for flavouring. Have ready a dish lined with puff paste, mask it at the bottom with a layer of jam or preserve, pour the mixture over to about lin. in thickness, put the dish in the oven, and bake for an hour, when if will be ready to be served.

(3) Grate jib. of finger biscuits into a basin, and mix them up with 6oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar and 1 teacupful of cream. Put a thin layer of this mixture at the bottom of a buttered, plain mould, then a layer of peeled and cored pears; over this sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs, and again over this put a few preserved or dried cherries, intermixed with small pieces of blanched almonds. Well beat a couple of eggs, pour them over, and continue in this way twice more, making three distinct layers, finishing with egg, cherries, and almonds.

Fur details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

67

Bakewell Pudding — continued.

Two dozen sweet almonds, 2oz. of dried cherries, and 41b. of pears, will be sufficient. Place the pudding in a quick oven, aud bake for twenty minutes; then take it out, and serve. A little sugar and salt beaten with the eggs is an improvement.

(4) Put 4oz. of finely-crushed loaf sugar into a basin, and mix in the grated peel and juice of two lemons, and the well-beaten yolks of eight eggs and whites of two. When these are all well mixed, pour in 3oz. of melted butter. Have ready a dish lined with puff paste and masked with strawberry, raspberry, or any other preserve to about 4in. in thickness, pour in the pudding mixture, set the dish in a sharp oven, and bake until done. Take it out, and serve. Bakewell Pudding with Almonds. — Put 3oz. each of breadcrumbs, sugar, blanched and finely-shred almonds, and warmed butter into a basin, and mix with them a little nutmeg, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, and lastly, add the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. Line a pie-dish with puff paste, spread a layer of raspberry or strawberry jam about Jin. thick on the bottom, pour the mixture in, put the dish in a moderate oven, and bake for twenty minutes, when the pudding should be quite done and ready to bo served.

BAKING. — The literal meaning of this term, we are informed, is drying or hardening by heat, such as the surface of the earth by the action of the sun; but in cooking parlance it is generally accepted that the process of Baking is, broadly speaking, “cooking in an oven.” The Germans use the term baclcen — to bake; but it is peculiar that neither the French, Spanish, nor Italians have any verb which expresses the operation in a word; thus the French for “to bake” is cuire au four; Italian, cuocere al forno; Spanish, cocer en homo; all literally signifying “ to cook in an oven.” This being the accepted meaning of the term, a few words on the general management of an oven will not be out of place, leaving the description of the various styles of construction to special headings, under which the most recent information obtainable will be found. See Ovens and Stoves.

Fig. 71. Improved Baking-dish, with Grid, Double Jacket, and Basting Well.

(Wilson Engineering Company.)

It is of the highest importance that the oven shall be scrupulously clean before anything is put into it to bake; this precaution being essential to the preservation of pure flavoiu's, but one unhappily too frequently neglected.

Large ovens are best for baking bread and joints, because the temperature is more even, and can be better regulated. In a small oven the variation of heat is generally very great, for the mere opening of the door to examine the food may cool the interior. In all cases care should be taken not to slam the door when closing it, as 'by doing so you are apt to drive out the hot air by the gust created.

An oven that is intended for baking meat should have a ventilator, which ought to be left open, because certain empyreumatic gases and odours escape from the meat as.it is cooking, which by being re-absorbed render the joint unpalatable and tough; and again, without such means of exit, meat will bake sodden by the action of its own vapour.

Some ovens are fitted with thermometers set in the

Baking — continued.

door, with the bulb inside, but registering outside. Upon the index is marked the various degrees required for cooking various foods; but, although very highly spoken of by experienced cooks, thermometers are not calculated to find much favour in private houses. First, because they are very easily broken, and secondly, because they are not understood by “ plain cooks,” as they are called, who prefer to trust to their “feel” of the handle, or some other “rule of thumb,” rather than to the scientific indications of a thermometer. It is not unusual

Fig. 72. Baking-sheet.

for cooks to test the heat of an oven by placing a piece of white wrapping-paper on the baking-sheet. If it ignites soon after the door is closed, the oven is too hot for any kind of cookery; if it merely scorches, it is at what has been styled “ dark-brown-paper heat,” and will suit for bread. “Liglit-brown-paper heat” is a few degrees lower, and answers for meat pies. “ Dark-yellowpaper heat” is necessary for cakes and pastry; and “ light yellow ” proclaims a very slow oven. Sprinkling flour on the baking-sheet is another good test; the flour giving the same indications as the paper. In either case the heat must be judged by the colour given to the paper, or hour, within a very short time — say two or three minutes — of closing the oven door upon it.

Before starting upon an important Bake, it is well to see that the hues are thoroughly cleaned and free from soot and ashes; unless they are so, you cannot expect to have the oven hot. For anything that rises, such as pastry and bread, the oven should be hot at first, and cooled afterwards, if the heat continues so great as to threaten burning. When first heated, the air in the body of the pastry expands and lifts the crust up in hakes with it. If the heat of the oven is not great enough to set the pastry as it rises, the air will escape, and the paste settle down again, eventually being heavy, or “sad,” as it is sometimes called. Some cakes burn quickly, especially those with much sugar in them, such as sponge-cake; for these the oven should be cooler, and a piece of buttered paper be laid over the cake as a further precaution against scorching the top.

Baking meat is said to be a more economical style of cooking than roasting, because less evaporation takes place. But the notion impresses itself upon one that the advantage is in the saving of trouble in watching and basting — although baking-meats require basting occasionally. Get your oven hot whilst you are preparing the dish, for most dishes bake better when fresh prepared; and remember that the top shelf is always the hottest.

Every cook has his particular fancy in shape, size, and fashion of what are called baking-dishes, and it may be taken for granted that each style has its merits. The baking-dish, of which an illustration is given (Fig. 71), is fitted with a double jacket, stand, and well for basting-gravy. The advantages of this will be readily understood after reading this article. The object of the double jacket is that, although the hotter air surrounds the tin, the heat is not conducted by a continuity of metal from the fire direct to the fat, or dripping, which would then probably be burned, and give a disagreeable taste to the meat.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Baking — continued.

A useful article is a flat sheet of tin or thin iron, turned up a little at the edges, and made to slide in and out of the oven; upon this hatches of small cakes, &c., can he conveniently arranged (Fig. 72). Utensils of this kind are sometimes quite flat, round, or square, and are known as baking-sheets or plates. Others are constructed of coarse wire gauze, to allow the hot air equal access to both top and bottom of the biscuits or cakes.

BAKING-POWDERS.— These are for the most part mixtures of tartaric acid, carbonate of soda, and some form of farinaceous matter, such as ground rice, or potato-starch. They are mixed dry with the flour, and when wetted effervesce like Seidlitz powders, the carbonic-acid gas generated giving the required lightness to the dough or paste. A Mr. M’Dougall has recently advocated the use of phosphoric acid in place of the tartaric acid, the salt formed with the soda being a more natui-al constituent of food, and upon this supposition he has pi'oduced for us what is styled “phosphatic yeast,” which is simply a form of this substitution.

Analysts complain loudly of the impurities and adulterations found in some Baking-Powders, due in a great measure to the use of impure chemicals. Dr. Hassall states that he has found a large proportion of arsenic in some specimens that have been submitted to him for analysis, due to the use of common washing soda instead of the bicarbonate. The temptation to adulteration must be very great, especially in the very cheap forms of the powder, and it is therefore better to prepare Baking-Powder at home, unless one of the known good makes is obtainable, especially as the process is simple. Amongst the reliable makes may be safely included Borwick’s, Freeman’s, Teatman’s, and Goodall’s. Here are two or three excellent receipts:

(1) Take Jib. of powdered tartaric acid, fib. of bicarbonate of soda, and fib. of ground rice, or British arrowroot; dry them separately, and then mix them by rubbing through a sieve. This should be packed away in perfectly dry bottles without delay.

(2) Take fib- of powdered tartaric acid, (lb. of powdered alum, fib. of bicarbonate of soda, and lib. of ground rice; dry separately, and mix by rubbing through a sieve, and then add 3oz. of sesquicarbonate of ammonia, freshly and finely powdered.

(3) The following, which is known as “ Green’s receipt,” is for wholesale purposes: Tartaric acid, 351b.; bicarbonate of soda, 561b.; potato-flour, lcwt. Mix, and rub through a sieve.

By the addition of a little turmeric, say J dr. to each pound, the above Baking-Powders may be converted into eggpowder.

Should there be any difficulty in the way of either preparing Baking-Powder for private use, or purchasing it in packets, bicarbonate of soda and sour milk answer every purpose for making cakes — a little soda in excess being of no particular importance. One teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda should be sufficient to neutralise i pint of thoroughly soured milk, and carbonic-acid gas will be given off as soon as they are blended either in the cake or separate. The method usually adopted by confectioners is to mix the bicarbonate of soda with the flour, and wet the cake down with the sour milk.

BAKLAVA. — A sort of pastry-cake made in Turkey.

BALLACHONY. — This Indian preparation is in great favour amongst the European residents of India as an appetiser.

(1) Shell and clean eight or nine dozen boiled prawns, and pound them with a pestle and mortar, using a little vinegar to keep the mortar moistened. Put the mass into a basin, and mix in loz. of green ginger, half the quantity of chillies, and the rind of four lemons, all pounded separately; when they are incorporated, add 2oz. of salt and the strained juice of two lemons. In the meantime, cut four small onions into rings, put them into a frying-pan with 2oz. or 3oz. of butter, and

Ballachony — continued.

fry them until they are quite soft, taking care not to burn them. Add the mixture, cook until it is quite dry, and then take it out. As soon as it is quite cold, put it into jars or pots, cover it over with orange -leaves, tie the jars over with bladder, and keep them in a cool place until wanted. The Ballachony will keep in this way for years.

(2) For this either cooked or uncooked fish may be used, but if the latter, the onions must be half cooked before being added. Bemove the skin and bones from 21b. of any uncooked fish, mince it very fine, and add five or six large onions, also finely chopped, 2 table-spoonfuls of curry powder, and 1 teaspoonful of cayenne. When these are well mixed, add about 5 teacupful of tamarind-juice, the juice of two lemons, and 8oz. of butter. Put the preparation into a frying-pan over a slow fire, and stir well until it is cooked, adding a small quantity more of butter if required. Add a little salt if necessary, turn the whole out on to a dish, put it into jars or pots when cold, cover and tie them over, and the Ballachony is ready for use.

BALLOON OR PRUSSIAN CAKES. — See

Cakes.

BALLOON PUDDING.— Bee Puddings.

BALL-SUPPERS AND REFRESHMENTS.—

By these the host gives the key-note to the entire entertainment; for however exquisitely the room may be decorated, however sweet the music and highly polished the floor, and however charming and fascinating the company may prove, all is lost and absorbed in the discontentment born of a badly-served or ill-provided supper. The very act of dancing being one of over-heating and exertion, causes an exhaustion of the animal tissue and fluids, which must be reinstated to insure the comfort of the individual. For this reason it is advisable to show much discretion in the selection of refreshments, care being taken to avoid all those which might increase exhaustion by causing irritation — such as poultry, game, or fish with bones — or which by their nature provoke rather than relieve hunger and thirst, except perhaps in the case of those whose palates require something of an exciting character to gratify them. Another incidental to be borne in mind is that the measure of man’s or woman’s power of abstinence and appetite varies in each individual, as well as the meed of physical power which enables them to dance for a certain time without food or drink. Some are undoubtedly more capable of this abstention than others.

These and other such considerations have taught the careful hostess to provide a continual supply of refreshments throughout the evening, so that the thirsty can drink, and the hungry eat, just when it suits them to do so; but in the majority of cases these desires, however keen they may be, can only be gratified at the suppertable, and then the gentlemen are expected, in the ordinary course, to give their attention to the ladies, with the result that in the end they come off very badly themselves. It would appear that society is at last awaking to a knowledge of this state of affairs, and begins to admit that “ sit-down ” suppers, as they are styled, are a mistake, and that the true ball-supper should unhesitatingly commence with the dance, and last the dancing through.

Supposing that a buffet supper is decided upon, it will be obvious that any interval in the dance-programme would be inconvenient, and lead to a raid upon the buffet at one given time; so that it is better to state plainly bn the programme cards that refreshments are available during the whole evening; and if displayed in another room, which is almost imperative, the direction of the room should be specified.

How to the buffet. What do we find P A very simply constructed bar, behind which two or three of the female servants dispense the good things that are laid out before them. In the space facing the buffet, and beyond into the conservatory, hall, or other convenient space, there

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec ., referred to, sec under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

GO

Ball-Suppers and Refreshments— continued. should be set numerous little marble-topped tables, or tables covered by snowy cloths, surmounted by little cruets, flowers in vases, knives, forks, spoons, glasses, and serviettes. Or, if the space will not admit of these cosy tables, then a few chairs should be set before the buffet for ladies, and the gentlemen will wait upon them and take care of themselves at the same time. In such case, instead of the single serviettes, it would be advisable to hang a row of clean damask cloths along the front of the buffet for gentlemen to wipe their fingers and moustaches upon. Finger-bowls here and there containing scented water would be an advantage.

What have we on the buffet? Little fairy lamps supporting tiny bouquets of flowers, and menu cards amongst tall ferns, grasses, and vases of fine flowers— a dozen or more of these cards, according to the company.

“ And what will you take? ” That depends, of course, upon what there may happen to be, as shown by the card.

Let it be observed here that a buffet presents a finer effect if decorated with tall flowers, and especially grasses; but should the supper be spread upon a table, then the only tall pieces must be of fruits or confectionery, or the guests will be hidden from each other across the table. But in the case of the buffet, as the maid-servants and the wall only, and perhaps a few piles of empty

lates, glasses, and other paraphernalia, are visible

ehind, it will be in perfect taste to lay it with a sort of background of noble epergnes, ferns, and foliage plants, provided always that they do not interfere with the serving from behind.

In lieu of menu cards, a far better plan is to have each dish of savouries plainly labelled — this does not so much matter for sweets, and is not at all necessary for fruits or biscuits, but applies especially to sandwiches and aspics. Wines, spirits, and liqueurs, and other beverages, should certainly be plainly marked, and this may prevent disappointment and enable the guest with a choice to get the drink he or she really wishes.

Of what shall the viands consist? Handsomely-piled dishes of fruit, such as grapes, with scissors to cut them; pine and melon, cut in slices and served with sugar; oranges, quartered and sugared; and any other juicy fruit, such as apples and pears, that may be in season. Nuts are of course inadmissible. Candied fruits are favourites with ladies, and make pretty little dishes with vanilla chocolates, as a set-off to the olives provided for the gentlemen. Gravy soups, always hot, served in small cups, with sippets, a variety of tasty sandwiches, small patties, rissoles, quenelles, boudins, boned poultry stuffed with savoury minces, salmis, ham and tongue, and cold ribs or round of beef, are available. Oysters, scalloped or plain, served on shell, mayonnaises, macedoines, aspics, galantines, and raised pies. Salads of different kinds, including lobster, celery, cheese straws, cheese souffles, macaroni cheese, and fried mushrooms on toast.

In the way of sweets, there are cakes and biscuits in almost any variety. J ellies, creams, ices, served on plates, and ice-puddings, compotes, blancmanges, custards, trifles, vol-au-vents, timbales, minces, meringues, flawns, tartlets, baba-cake, brioches, charlottes, and many other light dishes that are described in these pages. The prevailing idea should be to provide foods which can be eaten without difficulty, either with fork or spoon, or in rare cases with both, or even with a knife; but no bones of any kind should be served to a guest. No savouries of strong-smelling character, such as those prepared with onions or garlic, should be admitted, nor strongly-scented fish; even preparations of cheese might well be discarded. Luscious sweetmeats are not advisable; but a choice should be made of those which give a sweet acid flavour, and may therefore be regarded as refreshing. Lemon ices are preferable to strawberry creams, and so is lemonade to ginger beer. Cooling and thirst-assuaging ices and iced beverages should abound, and these are to be found

Ball-Suppers and Refreshments — continued. in syphons of effervescing waters, clarets, vins rouges et blancs, and light sparkling wines which have been standing in ice, such as champagne, hock, and moselle, and claret, cider, and other cups. With such a selection as the foregoing, surely no hostess need be at a loss to provide a supper. Please observe, however, that indigestible food, such as salmon, cucumber, radishes, and that style of food, should find no place at a ball. We give a Coloured Plate of a nicely-arranged Ball-Supper Buffet.

If a “ sit-down ” supper is decided upon, little or no further remarks are necessary excepting as to decorations, the guests usually taking care of themselves. The servants in attendance should see that as soon as a dish is getting low, it is replaced by a full one. The butler should take similar care of the decanters and claret-jugs. Claret-cup and cider-cup should be at everyone’s call, and be kept covered by a cloth, lest the dust floating in the room should settle upon its surface in the bowl. A plentiful supply of clean plates, glasses, knives, forks, and spoons should be always at hand; and if all the servants do their duty as well as a host and hostess can wish, such a Ball Buffet as we have described should assuredly prove a success.

Towards the small hours, tea, coffee, and chocolate with cream should be handed round, accompanied by large plates of rolled bread-and-butter, fingers of cakes, and biscuits. A flask of cognac should accompany the coffee.

One word more. As the host and hostess will probably have sufficient upon their hands in making themselves agreeable to their guests, and the guests agreeable to one another, it is advisable, if not imperative, that they should appoint some enthusiastic dancer, gifted also with discretion, to act as master of the ceremonies. But with his duties we have nothing to do, beyond mentioning that it is usual to provide him with a tambourine or gong, by which he can announce the next dance to the company, leaving the host and hostess to look after the more material comforts of the guests.

BALLOTTINES.— The name given to dishes prepared by mincing game, poultry, or other flesh with forcemeat, ham, and seasoning, and stuffing small birds, such as quails and larks, with the meat thus prepared. These are generally arranged, when highly ornamented, upon socles of fat or rice; being frequently garnished with aspic jelly in colours and a variety of designs. The illustration (Fig. 73) is that of a Ballottine made from a galantine of poultry cooked in the skin of a turkey’s leg. The forcemeat is prepared with meat of turkey and bacon in equal parts, mixed afterwards with a salpicon of fat, liver, and raw truffles. These galantines are sewn up so as to give them the shape of small hams.

When cold, they are masked with a white chandfroid sauce; then on the pointed end with a brown sauce, to imitate the skin of a ham. They are afterwards ornamented, slightly covered over with aspic jelly, decorated with paper frills, and dished up on an elaborate stand made of stearine, fat, or rice. See Fowls, Lamb, Larks, Partridges, Pigeons, Quails, Turkeys, &c.

BALLS.— A variety of sweet and savoury preparations are made up in this convenient form, and are described under their various names, such as Oakes, Codfish, Eggs, Forcemeat, &c.

BALMORAL CAKES. — See Cakes.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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3ALORINE. — This peculiar dish might not perhaps suit the taste of Southern Europeans, but it is nevertheless held in great esteem in Russia, whence it owes its origin. It is prepared as follows:

Russian Balorine. — Cut lib. or so of cold roast or boiled fresh beef into very small pieces, and mix in some finelychopped spring onions, five or six slices of boiled beetroot, and 1 teaspoonful of caraway seeds. Have ready a border of pieces of sorrel or spinach, put the mixture in the centre, pour over 1 wineglassful of whisky, sprinkle over or mix in one or two chopped hard-boiled eggs, and serve.

BALTIMORE BUTTER PIE.— Jessup Whitehead, a famous American cook, states that at the Kissimmeequick Hotel — a noted resort on the Kissimmee River — they have a custom of keeping custard pie as a standing dish. But as supplies are sometimes delayed in delivery, and eggs are occasionally at a discount, the following receipt is nsed for making it without eggs, and it is then called Baltimore Butter Pie:

Boil lqt. of milk with Coz. of fresh butter and 1 tablespoonful of caster sugar; then mix together the balance of 12oz. of sugar and 4oz. of dried flour, and stir them into the boiling milk, beating rapidly with an egg-whisk, and let it continue heating until thick. Line two deep custard pieplates with crust rolled very thin, and pour all the mixture into them. No flavouring besides the butter is required. Bake in a slack oven until the filling begins to rise in the middle, hut be careful not to bake too long, or the contents will flow over and spoil the appearance of the pie. Cream used instead of the milk, or equal parts of each, makes a very rich pie.

BAMBOO. — Of late years Bamboo canes have found their way freely into our markets, and a ready adaptation has been made of them to a variety of articles, such as small tables, chairs, supports for baskets, flower-pots, and other ornamental ware. But as an edible ingredient of culinary preparations, the British cook might be loth to accept them. Nevertheless, in many parts of India they form very favourite dishes, the yoimg shoots being exceedingly tender, crisp, and succulent, and often compared to asparagus.

Bamboo Pickle.— Gather the young shoots when they are first v'sible above the ground, cut them into pieces about lin. in length, put them in a deep dish, sprinkle plenty of salt over them, and let them remain thus for two days. At the end of that time, put the Bamboo shoots in a jar with a root of green ginger that has been cut into slices, a few peppercorns, and a clove of garlic. Pill the jar up with vinegar, and set it in the sun, or in a warm temperature, for seven or eight days. At the end of that time the pickle will bo ready for use. Should it be required hot, one or two green chillies should be put in.

Bamboo Salad. — Procure the tender shoots of the Bamboo, and blanch them in boiling water; drain them, put them in a salad-bowl, pour a plain dressing over, and serve. This dish is a favourite with tourists in Florida, and the mode of preparation is extremely simple.

BANANAS (Musa sapientum ).- — Whether it is that these deteriorate by the journey to England, or that they are gathered before they are mature, or whatever the reason may be, it is certain that Bananas as supplied to us here are a very inferior class of fruit, and of little or no use for dessert, cooking, or any other purpose. In some parts of the world where it llourishes, and that is wherever the mean temperature of the year exceeds 75deg. Fahrenheit, it is an important item of food, although it is admittedly deficient in nutritive qualities. The sugar it contains appears to constitute its chief claim to be regarded as a nutrient.

The ripe fruit of the Banana is preserved, like the fig, by drying in the sun. It is then stated to be very agreeable eating, and meal can be made from it by cutting it in slices, drying in the sun, and pounding it. There has been some talk of introducing the tree into this

Bananas— continued.

country, and cultivating it as a British fruit, for its admirers say that in flavour it “ surpasses the finest pear.” But no real efforts seem at present to have been made to render the idea popular. By the natives it is eaten raw, roasted, or boiled, and is made into fritters, preserves, and marmalades, the meal into bread, and wine brewed from its juice.

Baked Bananas. — Remove the skin or peel from a dozen or so Bananas, and cut them lengthwise in halves. Arrange these at the bottom of a baking-dish, putting them close together, sprinkle them over with caster sugar, put a few small lumps of butter on the top, grate a little nutmeg over the whole, and bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. By this time the Bananas should be well glazed, and if there is not sufficient of their own syrup to baste them with, add a little to the dish a few minutes before taking it out of the oven. Bananas cooked in this way should be eaten with cake and milk.

Banana Cream Ice. — (1) Pour 1 pint of water into a saucepan on the fire, add 3 teacupfuls of sugar, and boil this for about twenty minutes; then add the pulp of six Bananas — or one or two more if a very strong flavour is desired — and add also the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. Stir well for six minutes, then remove the pan from the fire, put it into a bowl of cold water, and beat well for ten minutes. When the mixture is cold, pass it through a tammy sieve, add lqt. of cream, turn the whole into the freezer, and let it remain until frozen. It is then ready for use.

(2) Peel three large ripe Bananas, rub them through a fine sieve into a basin, mix them into lqt. of boiling sweet cream, and boil for five or six minutes. Lot the mixture cool, turn it into the freezer, and when sufficiently frozen it is ready for use.

(3) Put in a vessel Jib. of powdered sugar with the yolks of six eggs, and mix well with the spatula for ten minutes; add 1 pint of boiling milk, stir for two minutes longer, and pour the whole into a copper basin. Place the mixture on a hot stove and heat it thoroughly, stirring continually, but not letting it boil; remove, lay it on the table, mix in immediately 1 pint of sweet cream, and leave it to cool for half-an-hour. Have ready four peeled ripe Bananas, wipe them, cut them into halves, and remove the stones. Mash the Bananas into the cream, mixing thoroughly for three minutes; strain through a fine sieve into a freezer, pressing the Bananas through with a wooden spoon. Put on the lid, and set the mixture in an ice-tub, filling the freezer all round with broken ice mixed slightly with rock-salt; then turn the handle on the cover as briskly as possible for three minutes. Lift up the lid, and with a wooden spoon detach the cream from all round the freezer, and from the bottom as well; re-cover it, and turn the handle sharply for three minutes more; uncover, and detach the cream the same as before, being careful that no ice or salt drops in. Put the lid on, and repeat the same

Fur details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, J -c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Bananas — continued.

three times more. The cream should by this time bo quite firm. Spread a folded napkin over a cold dish, dress the cream over, and send to the table.

Banana Cream Pie. — Put ljoz. of butter into a basin, warm it, and mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of crushed loaf sugar, the yolks of two eggs, 1 teacupful each of milk and sherry or angelica, and a littlo more than 1 breakfast-cupful of Bananas mashed to a pulp. Pour the mixture into a deep dish, stir in the well-whipped whites of the two eggs, put the dish in a moderate oven, and bake until done, taking care, by covering it over with paper, not to let it bake too quickly. Take it out, and serve.

Banana Fritters. — (1) Peel a dozen or so Bananas, cut them in halves if large, put into a basin, and soak in a mixture of rum and sugar. Take the Bananas out, dip them into thin batter, plunge into a frying-pan of boiling lard, and fry to a light brown. When done, take them out, drain, drop them in caster sugar, and serve on a dish; or they may be served with sweet sauce, or with syrup poured over them.

(2) Peel a dozen Bananas, cut them in halves, not lengthwise, put these into a basin, and steep in syrup for an hour or two. Take the Bananas out, drain them, roll them well in flour, coating them thickly with it, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling lard, and fry to a light brown. Take them out when done, put on a dish, pour over more syrup, and serve. They may also be baked until they are crisp and well browned, but should be kept basted with syrup while baking. Banana Pie. — Line a pie-dish with rich puff paste, having it thinner in the centre of the dish than it is at the outside. This can bo easily done by folding over the paste and rolling it. Remove the peel from four or five mellow Bananas, cut them up lengthwise in slices, put these in the dish, cover them with crushed loaf sugar, put a few small lumps of butter on the top, and pour over 4 or 5 table-spoonfuls of wine. Bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes; take out the pie when done, and serve.

Banana Syrup. — Dissolve 2 drachms of the essential oil of Banana in G pints of simple syrup, and stir in 1 drachm of powdered tartaric acid.

Compote of Bananas. — Peel a dozen or so Bananas, cut them in halves, put them into a saucepan with sufficient sweet sauce to cover them, and parboil. Put a thick layer of wellsweetened boiled rice on a dish, lay the Bananas on it, pour the sauce over, and serve.

BANBURY CAKES.— The town of Banbury, in Oxfordshire, has for generations past been famous for the manufacture of these delicacies, and cheese, as well as for its famous cross, to visit which we were in our

Fig. 75. Banbury Cakes.

childhood so often invited by our nurses to “ ride a cockhorse,” and behold the musically-disposed young lady “ sit on a white horse.” Whether the fame of the cakes preceded the rhyme, or the rhyme called attention to the cakes, we are unable to state; or, indeed, whether there is any connection whatever between the two excepting that of localisation; but this we can confidently state, that the inventor of the Banbury Cake deserved, if he did not realise, a fortune — he has been much flattered by a multitude of imitators. Whether the cake was first made in Banbury, or merely fantastically named after that town, is another moot point; certain it is, how

Banbury Cakes — continued. ever, that local confectioners have taken full advantage of the circumstance, and, as with the Richmond “ maids of honour,” there are more makers of them there now than the originator.

(1) Put lib. of butter on to a board well sprinkled with flour, and roll it out in sheets. Put the remainder of the flour (using ljlb. in all) into a basin, add a little yeast, pour over 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and make the whole into a stiff paste. Boll this out, place tho sheets of butter on it, double up, and roll out, repeating the operation five times in all. Cut up into squares of about ljin. in diameter, and cover each square over with 1 teaspoonful of a mixture made of finely-chopped candied peel, well-washed and dried currants, moist sugar, and brandy. Bring the corners of the paste together in the centre, over the mixture, giving the cakes an oval appearance; turn them over on to a bakingsheet, having the joins underneath, dust with caster sugar, and let them remain for a little time; then put them into a moderate oven, and bake very gently for about half-an-hour. Take them out when done, and they are ready for use. A rich mincemeat for the cakes may be made with 2oz. of bcof-suet, 12oz. of currants, 4oz. of candied orange- or lemon-peel (or half of each), 3oz. of ratafias, and a little seasoning of grated nutmeg, chopped up fine together.

(2) Put lib. of butter into a basin, warm it, and mix in fib. of flour, lib. of moist sugar, 21b. of well-washed and dried currants, fib. each of candied orange- and lemon-peel, and Joz. each of powdered cinnamon and allspice. When thoroughly mixed, jiut small quantities of it upon little rounds of puff paste, close the paste over the top, flatten them, dust over with caster sugar, arrange on a baking-sheet, giving them a littlo distance between one another, and bake in a moderate oven until done. Then take them out, and serve either hot or cold.

(3) Take 31b. of fine sifted flour, and work into it fib. of fresh butter. Moisten the flour with about 1 pint of water in which a little German yeast has previously been stirred up, and make into a smooth paste. Boll out on a large sheet, and lay on the remainder of butter (21b. in all); fold over, and roll out again: do this three times, and then cut into square pieces about as large as a duck’s egg. Have ready a mincemeat of currants, candied peel choiped fine, and moist sugar, moistened with a little brandy. Boll out the pieces of paste square, and put 2 teaspoonfuls of this mixture on each piece; bring the two corners together in the middle, close them up into an oval shape, and turn tho cake upside down, so that the closing may be downwards. Sift finelypowdered loaf sugar over the tops, put them on a cold wellbuttered tin, let them stand awhile in the cold to prove (as bakers call it), and bake in a moderate oven.

(4) Take 21b. of currants, foz. each of ground allspice and powdered cinnamon, 4oz. each of candied orange- and lemonpeel, 8oz. of fresh butter, lib. of moist sugar, and 12oz. of flour, and mix the whole well together. Boll out a piece of rich puff paste, and cut into oval shapes. Put a small quantity of the mince into each, double them up in the shape of an oval puff, passing the closing under, and flatten down with the floured hand or rolling-pin. Sift powdered sugar over the tops, and set on buttered baking-sheets to cook.

(5) Take lib. of fresh butter, warm it, and beat to a cream. Into this stir lib. of candied lemon- and orange-peel minced very finely, 21b. of well-washed and dried grocers’ currants, loz. of powdered cinnamon, 4oz. of powdered allspice. Mix them all together thoroughly, and put into a covered jar for future use. The paste should be a tolerably rich puff rolled out thin, and cut into rounds, squares, or ovals. Put a layer of the mince on each flat, and fold over, passing tho closing (wet the edges for this) under, flatten with the hand, and shape. Lay these on buttered baking-sheets, and bake. Before putting them into the oven, brush the tops over with the whites of eggs beaten into a froth with icing sugar. They will take about fifteen minutes to bake.

Banbury Mincemeat. — Wash and dry well fib. of currants, and mix them with 2oz. of beef-suet chopped as fine as possible, a little nutmeg, Jib. of candied orange-peel shred very fine, 3oz. of ratafias crushed up, and a slip of lemonpeel. Mix all well together, and when required for use it should be spread over paste, and baked.

For details respecting Culimry Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jec., referred to, see under their special heads

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BANDES. — The term used in French cookery for strips of paste used for various purposes, such as those forming the lattice-work over a tart. Bande dn tour is the long piece of paste used to surround other pieces and keep them together; bandes des cervelas — strings of sausages.

BANNOCKS. — Custom has led us to regard these cakes as of Scotch origin, whereas history tells us that in the days of King Alfred Bannocks were indigenous to all parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. The story of the burning of the cakes and the Battle of Bannockburn renders the name sufficiently familiar to us; but the Bannocks of to-day are more refined in their constitution than those which were formerly prepared from ground oats, dried peas, or barley-meal. Although any other meal may be used, corn-flour gives the most satisfactory results.

(1) Put 1 breakfast-cupful of corn-meal (corn-flour) into a basin, and mis in 1 teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, and 2 breakfast-cupfuls of boiling milk. Let the preparation cool, add two well-beaten eggs, turn the whole into a shallow earthenware dish, put it into a very hot oven, and bake. Take it out when done, and serve. These cakes may be cooked upon a griddle.

(2) Put lqt. of corn-meal into a basin, pour over a sufficient quantity of boiling milk or water to scald it, and let it cool. Add 2 table-spoonfuls of yeast,

1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 egg, and lqt. of flour; mix well, set the mixture in a warm place to rise, and work in i teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Divide the mixture into the required number of pieces, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling lard, and fry. When done, take them out, drain, put on a dish, and serve.

BANQUETS Fr. Banquettes; Gtr. Banketten;

Ital. Banchetti; Sp . Banquetes). — The same term runs throughout all European languages, and has evidently originated from the Latin word bancus — a bench. Such an origin is quite natural, seeing that to ancient Rome we owe all that we know of luxurious feasting. It was the habit of these conquerors of the world, upon the smallest occasion, to indulge in Banquets, served with sumptuous extravagance, but, according to Careme, who made a special study of their dishes, not of the same culinary refinement as practised in more modern times. Lavish expenditure and voluptuous ease appear to have merited higher consideration than artistic combination of fine flavours. A piece of goat’s flesh broiled on a stick, and served with peacocks’ brains or a patty of nightingales’ tongues, would meet with greater approval, on account of its outrageous cost, than a delicately-seasoned ragout made from the remnants of a previous feast. But if the Romans failed, as they certainly did, in their epicurean proclivities, they set us an example of banqueting ease that has never been equalled in modern times. Picture to yourself a Roman Banquet, with the guests, male and female, lolling at length upon softly-pillowed couches, clad in loose drapery, with arms and chests exposed at will to the cooling air, which, laden with sweet odours, is wafted now and again over their brows, heated with sweet wines. Picture to yourself the tables covered with cloth of golden tissue, or richly embroidered silks, and spread with vessels of solid gold, piled with the rich fruits of the sunny south. Picture to yourself the silent ebony slaves as they glided noiselessly from guest to guest, replenishing from huge golden vases the golden goblets held out carelessly at arm’s length. Hark to the rude boasting and loud laughter of some riotous guest as the wine drowns his sense of decorum, and his noisy shouts are heard above the strains of dreamy distant music that fill the air. Hear the rippling laughter of privileged dames as they pass the joke that should scarcely have found place in such full fair lips, and

Banquets — continued.

mark the freedom of their flowing drapery, which makes no effort to conceal their abundant charms. Mark all this — listen — and picture to yourself the noisy brawlers returning from such a feast as this with tempers turned and swords hanging ready at their sides: picture all this, and then — take a peep at a modern banquet, where the gentlemen guests are clad in tight-fitting costumes of sombre black, stiff collar, and light waistcoats, and ladies with low-necked dresses, and figures trussed up with stiff, tight stays, sit uncomfortably upright before a table that is laid out with consummate taste and design, but having the appearance of so much careful arrangement that the guests fear to destroy the picture for the indulgence of the palate. Mark the order and regularity with which each viand is served, and each wine supplied — sherry with fish, and port with the fruit; and at the time when the relaxation of the body should come, and the mind be given free play, and the tongue free vent of speech, there cometh instead the solemn announcement from the master of the toasts that the time for toasting has arrived, which means listening with enforced courtesy to the indistinct utterances of some prosy

speakers, upon topics which are quite distinct from festivity, and jumping ever and again to their feet to do honour to the toast. The intervals between the speeches are devoted to hearing songs and music, which demand your entire attention, and arrest all attempts at conversation. Where is the luxury of freedom gone? where are the rollicking Romans and their soft couches P and where are the jovial jests and laughter? Ah, where! Modern banqueters may have much to be thankful for in the improvement and superiority of their dishes, thanks to such cooks as we have around us; but if the dishes of the Romans were not refined, nor their manners either, their fruits and wines were sweet and delicious, and their notions of luxury supreme.

The term Banquet is now generally applied to a feast held for the purpose of solemnising some great occasion — such as the election of Lord Mayor — Masonic and other annual festivals, or perhaps the foundation of a charity. Whatever the occasion may be, the mode of preparation and procedure are precisely the same. The decoration of the banqueting hall is in some way indicative of the occasion, and in those establishments where Banquets are plentiful, the same decorations serve time after time—

Fig. 76. Bad Arrangement of Tables.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dee., referred to, see under their special heads.

ATELETTES.

' Crayfish, ornamentally cut, Mushrooms, and Truffles, -z. Button Mushrooms, Cockscdmbs, ami Truffles.— j. Mushroom, Prawns, and Truffles. — 4, Star of Aspic felly with centre of Barberries, surroundedby rings of Carrot, with Green Peas in the rings; Green Peas and ornamented Mushrooms. — 5. Sweet jelly shape studded with half cherries; rounds of A ngelica, Strawberries, and other crystallized fruits. — 5 . Ornamented Mushrooms, Truffles, Green Peas, Parsley and Carrots, and Parsnips cut in miniature . — 7. Aspic Jelly shape, ornamental centre of Green Peas and Carrots, Truffles and Crayfish.— 8. Aspic Jelly shape, centred with Barberries and rings of Green Peas, Truffles, and rounds of Carrots.

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Banquets — continued.

the same banners, the same epergnes, the same vases of flowers, the same towering ferns and raised pieces, the same fruit dishes, and often the same fruit— the funeral baked meats serving for the wedding-breakfast — no variety, no change. With but trifling alterations, the same list of dishes might be served from one month’s end to the other if Banquets had to be provided each day, which system may be considered one of profit to the caterer, and saving of labour, but contributing little or nothing to the genuine art of cookery. Indeed, there are many points in the present mode of serving Banquets which are radically wrong. They have sprung from habit or custom, and maintained their uncanny existence in spite of the acknowledged fact that they are inconvenient and unnecessary, because no host has yet had the audacity to drive them from his board. It is the fashion — it must therefore be slavishly followed; it is the custom — let it abide. But one of the prime objects of this Encyclopaedia is to introduce and advocate culinary reforms; and so, in giving our notions of what a Banquet should be, and how it should be served, we rely upon our own views, without regard to the established errors of others.

The hall should certainly be decorated with quiet designs, and the walls duly draped with trophies; but as the details must depend entirely upon circumstances, it will be sufficient here to say that there should be nothing about these wall decorations so striking as to attract the eye from the table. Nor should the walls or ceilings be dazzlingly bright, or beautiful, for in that case the table may pale in comparison. Let them be rich if you will, but sombre.

The tables should not be more than 4ft. wide, so as to permit conversation between opposite guests; indeed, the tables are better if only 3ft. or 3ft. 6in. in width, for they take up so much less room and allow more for guests, besides requiring infinitely less materials to make a display. The position of the tables has always been a sorry feature of a Banquet, however well-conducted in other respects, and leads occasionally to much irritation between guests and waiters. For instance, a favourite plan is to place two, three, or more long tables parallel in the length of the room, and a head or top table at right angles to these, close upon them, or touching (Fig. 76). In this way those unfortunate guests who happen to be placed in the cuts de sac so formed, will probably fare badly — first because the waiters have some difficulty in reaching them; and when they do get up so far, the dishes they bring with them that ought to be hot, are cold.

One reason for this close-up arrangement is possibly that it prevents guests from seating themselves at the lower side of the top table, and thus the chairman preserves a full view of his guests; but this can be secured quite as well by a little good management and the provision of plenty of room; for it is a good axiom rather to lay too many covers than not enough, but rather be one or two short than have rows of empty chairs. The top or cross table should just be sufficiently far away from the ends of the long tables to allow waiters to pass freely to and fro. On special occasions, when distinguished visitors are present, the top table should be raised upon a dais or platform not more than 6in. from the floor. A cross table should be also laid at the bottom end of the long tables at a similar distance from the lower ends of the long tables, and a special chair placed for the vicechairman, who should also have a clear view of the guests, and face the chairman.

Under this collective heading it will not be possible to give more than a few general ideas of how a Banquet should be conducted, special feasts being treated under their respective headings, such as Ball-suppers,

Banquets — continued.

Dinnebs, Luncheons, Picnics, Wedding-breakfasts, &c.

It is not to be supposed that a hall can be altered to suit present requirements if these were overlooked at the first building; but as in these days of rebuilding and altering, the opportunity might occur at one time or another of building a banqueting-room on a strictly modern plan, the following suggestions may be found useful, especially for large hotels, now that the fashion is so rapidly growing of private persons entertaining guests upon special occasions at an hotel rather than have the fuss and worry at home.

The chamber should be oblong, not square, and lighted from the roof, either by electricity or gas. The oldfashioned candelabra were very well before other illuminants were known, and are no doubt ornamental; but the glare from the light is too near the line of sight, and therefore dazzling and uncomfortable to the guests.

Fig. 77 shows a typical plan of a banqueting-room with a convenient arrangement of the tables. A is the “ chair ”; b the “ vice-chair ”; and c c crescent-shaped tables, backs to screens, built in stages, to hold glasses,

Fig. 77. Plan of Banqueting-Room and Tables Conveniently Arranged.

knives and forks, plates, decanters, cruets, and other ware — it should have no square corners, or a clumsy waiter in his hurry may run against it, to his own injury and that of the goods placed upon it. A long buffet arrangement may be used instead, but usually occupies too much room, e is the grand entrance for guests; f, private entrance for the chairman and special guests, who will have previously congregated in an ante-room; G G are lavatories; and d the kitchen entrance, which should be quite clear from the guests, and where all used plates, knives, forks, and other goods should be carried out, and the carvers’ dishes (on wheels) loaded.

Let each man have his work to do, and see that he does it. This applies to cooks, carvers, and waiters. At the entrance E should be hung in a conspicuous place on the back of the screen, plans of the room, with every cover numbered or indited with the name of the guest. This will save a great deal of confusion, and enable all to be seated at the sound of a gong, when the chairman and special guests will enter at f, Grace be speedily said, and the service of the soups commenced. Smoking

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, kc., referred to, see under their special heads .

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Banquets — continued.

lounges at either of h h h would he pleasant for those who cared to indulge in a quiet cigar.

Table Decorations and Table Service will he treated under these heads.

When Music is provided, let it be placed in a gallery or loft if possible. If a platform or stage has been built, it should be behind the “chair,” and let this sort of entertainment be of the very softest character. Singing, either plaintive or comic, is not suited to a Banquet, neither is a brass nor military band. There should be no sound sufficiently marked or noisy to interrupt conversation. A Banquet should not be mistaken for or confounded with a concert, and the caterer should understand that amongst that large congregation of guests it is quite possible some conversationalists may be found. The speech infliction is quite bad enough, but an essential of the gathering. The old formalities of “The Queen”; “The Army, Navy, and Yolunteers”; “The House of Lords”; “The Commons”; and others, could be amassed in one, to be drunk in silence thus: “ England, her Queen and Constitution ” — the band (chiefly strings and flutes) should here be heard in a soft, dreamy sound playing “ God save the Queen ! ” and gliding almost imperceptibly into “ Rule Britannia ! ” instead of bursting out with drums and trumpets, giving a decided headache to many, and promoting indigestion. After this may commence the business of the Banquet, and an address from the Chairman, followed by the Yice and others who are called upon to speak. In this way more business may be got through in a short time, and more time given to enjoy the Banquet, for which in most cases a high price of admission has been paid.

BAR. — This fish is frequently mistaken for the haddock, to which it bears some slight resemblance, but differs materially in the quality of its flesh. Continental cooks consider it to be superior for culinary purposes to salmon, but it is so very scarce that many cooks are unaware of its existence. This may be due in a measure to the fact that, although actually a sea-fish, it frequents the mouths of rivers, and may therefore be considered out of the way of the deep-sea fisherman. It is described as a well-shaped fish, weighing frequently as much as 151b. Its body is round, and the flesh is white and firm, with a very fine flavour, and therefore much esteemed by epicures. A silver stripe runs down each side of the back, and in some few respects it also resembles the perch.

Fig. 73. Bar, Trimmed for Cooking.

Bar Boiled in Court-bouillon. — Scrape off the scales of a Bar, cut the fins short with scissors, and chop the end off the tail with a knife (Fig. 78); open the belly and clean it inwardly, stuff with bread- stuffing, sew up the cut, put the fish on a drainer, tying it over three or four times with string to keep it in its place, put it into the fish-kettle, and pour over sufficient court-bouillon to cover it. Set the kettle on the fire and boil, then remove it to the side, and simmer gently for about forty-five minutes. When done, take out, drain, place on a napkin over a drainer on a dish, garnish with potatoes or sprigs of parsley, and serve with anchovy sauce.

BAR. — An intoxicating drink made by the Indian tribes of the Western Ghats.

BARAQUILLE. — This is the name for a very savoury French pasty filled with minced partridge, chicken, veal, sweetbread, truffles, mushrooms, and other good things, seasoned according to taste. It is not

Baraquille — continued.

much known in this country excepting as a foreign introduction.

BARBADOS CRBAM. — See Cordials and Liqueurs.

BARBARIE, A LA. — This term is used by Ude for a mode of dressing meat, game, or poultry, and is probably intended to denote something like cruelty in the preparation of the flesh. The principal feature appears to be studding deeply with truffles cut like nails. See Fowls, Partridges, Yeal, &c.

BARBE BE CAPUCINE.— French name for a kind of blanched chicory, endive, or succory, very much used in Continental salads. The method of blanching usually adopted is to place the roots of the wild chicory in a dark chamber, and cut off the leaves and shoots as they grow long enough for use; but some persons like

Fig. 79. Barge de Capucine.

to plant the roots in a closed tub, with several holes in it, through which the leaves shoot, and give to the tub a barbed appearance. Receipts for salad made from endive will be found under that head; but, supposing the Barbe de Capucine to have some special quality, the following receipt is also appended:

Take two bunches of clear, white, fresh Barbe de Capucine; clean and wipe them carefully and thoroughly, but do not wash the salad, as this destroys its taste, and renders it too soft for use; cut it into three shreds, and place it in a saladbowl. Mix well in a basin 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, J pinch of salt, and J pinch of pepper; pour this over the salad, then add 1 table-spoonful of oil, mix well, and serve immediately.

BARBECUE.— This word signifies to dress and roast an animal whole. Pope writes;

Oldfield, with more than happy throat evoked,

Cries, “ Send me, gods, a whole hog barbecued.”

The term is derived from the French barbe it queue — beard to tail; but more modern usage has adopted it for other meanings in some way emanating from the original. Thus in America a kind of open-air festival, where animals are roasted whole, is styled a Barbecue.

BARBEL ( Barbus vulgaris) (Fr. Harbeau; Ger. Barbe). — This fish is of the carp and goldfish tribe, but differs from them in this, that the upper jaw extends considerably in advance of the lower, and has attached to it four soft barbules — two near the point, and one at each angle of the leathery snout (see Fig. 80). They frequent several European rivers, and afford good sport to the angler, often reaching 2ft. or oft. long, and weighing sometimes as much as 161b. or 181b. The Barbel of the Nile sometimes weighs as much as 701b. It has a long shape, and is in section nearly circular; the general colour of the head and upper part of the body

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Barbel — continued.

is greenish-brown, becoming yellowish-green on the sides, the belly white, the fins are red, and the tail is of a deep purple colour.

As a food, the Barbel is not considered a delicacy, although it is said that the flesh is much improved by keeping in water for a few days before cooking. At

Fig. 80. Barrel.

any time the flesh is coarse and woolly, and the roe is found to be violently cathartic. There are, however, a few receipts given for its preparation which may be appreciated by the hardy; but, as a rule, high-class cooks omit this fish from their list of good things.

Baked Barbel. — Put into a fish-kettle enough water, with a little vinegar, to cover the fish; add some fennel, and a good quantity of salt. When the water boils, put in the fish, thoroughly scraped, washed, and cleaned, and boil slowly. When done, drain for one hour, remove the fish from the

kettle, put it into a pie-dish with plenty of butter and

minced parsley, and bake in an oven for one hour. Serve very hot.

Baked Barbel served with. Parmesan Cheese. — Bcmove the skin and bones, if any, from pieces of cooked Barbel, break them up small, and warm in a saucepan with a little thick bechamel sauce. Turn the mixture out on to a tin or dish, smooth over the surface, sprinkle it over first with breadcrumbs and then with grated Parmesan cheese, put it in the oven to brown, or brown it with a salamander, and

serve. This is a vei-y good way of using up any pieces of

the fish left over from dinner.

Baked Barbel in Spanish Style. — Mr. C. Willin strongly recommends the following receipt: Clean the fish by taking out the inside gills and scaling; dust the inside with salt and cayenne mixed, laying the salt and pepper deeply along the backbone, add the juice of a lemon, and lay the fish on its back while preparing the following stuffing: Take a few champignons, a small piece of lean ham, a piece of garlic about the size of a coriander-seed, a good bunch of parsley, and chop all very fine. Place sufficient butter and flour in a stewpan to form a roux, with just a little cayenne, nutmeg, and salt, and mix with enough boiling milk to form a stiff paste that will not adhere to either spoon or sides of the pan; then add tho abovo chopped mixture of ham, parsley, &c.; stir well over a dull fire for five minutes, add the yolks of two eggs, and stuff tho inside of the fish, having previously rinsed out the pepper and salt with a little white wine vinegar. Tho above stuffing must be made in quantity according to tho sizo of the fish being prepared. Envelope tho fish in a well-buttered paper, taking care to turn in the edge of the paper so as to make it as air-tight as possible, and bake in a medium heat till quite done. Serve with tho following sauce: Chop an onion very fine and saute in butter till a light brown colour; add a finelyshredded red capsicum or chilli pepper, a little salt, a small clove of chopped garlic, a small quantity of sugar, and 1 tin of American cooked tomatoes; boil till reduced onefourth, keeping it constantly stirred to prevent burning. Pour a little around the fish on going to table, and also serve some in a sauceboat. A few browned breadcrumbs shaken over tho fish improves the appearance.

Barbel Boiled in Court-bouillon. — Clean and wash a good-sized Barbel, not scaling it, put it into a shallow dish,

75

Barbel— continued.

pour over boiling vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let it soak for an hour or so. In the meantime, pour a little wine into a saucepan, and add a seasoning of onions, lemon-peel, sweet herbs, laurel leaves, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set it to boil, and put in the fish. Boil the fish in this until it is quito tender, then take it out, scale it, drain off all the liquor, put it on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve with a good sharp or other sauce. A little watercress should bo served as a garnish.

Broiled Barbel. — Scale, wash, and remove the gills, by making as small a hole as possible, so as not to interfere with the appearance of the fish; slit it up through tho belly, score it six or eight times, according to tho size of tho fish, across the back, and having spread it open on skewers broil it over a clear fire, turning frequently, and basting with butter, plenty of salt, and a little powdered thyme rubbed up with the salt.

Broiled Barbel a, la Maitre d’Hotel. — Take two Barbel weighing as nearly lib. each as possible, if you can get them. Scrape off the scales, remove the gills and fins, and make them as clean as possible. Score them across tho back and down both sides as shown in Fig. 81. Put them on a largo

Fig. 81. Scored Barrel.

dish to steep for an hour, with 1 tcacupful of oil poured over, after sprinkling freely with salt and pepper. Broil them for a few minutes over a clear fire, and turn, until done, and serve on a hot dish with maitre-d’hotcl butter.

Matelote of Barbel and Eel. — This mode of preparing Barbel is about the best that has been noticod. Take an eel weighing about 1 j 1 b ., skin and clean it, and steep it in boiling water for two or three minutes, and then you can rub off with a cloth the second skin of tho eel, which is exceedingly indigestible. Steep the eel until it does come off. Trim off tho fins, and chop into lengths of about 2in. Scrape, and clean a Barbel of about 1 jib., or thereabouts (selecting the two fish of about equal weights), and cut it into pieces about 2in. wide. Put into a large stewpan 2oz. of butter and twenty small round onions, nicely peeled and scalded. Fry tho onions in the butter until they are coloured, and then dredge in 2 table-spoonfuls of flour. Stir for ten minutes, and add lqt. of red wine, '2 pinches of salt, 2 small pinches of pepper, 1 double bunch of herbs, and a whole clove of garlic. Simmer for ten minutes, keeping the stewpan closely covered. Put in tho pieces of eel, and boil gently for a quarter-of-an-hour; then add tho pieces of Barbel and gill of brandy, and simmer for ten minutes more. Season to taste, remove the herbs and garlic, put tho fish on a dish, and pour over the onions and sauce.

Boasted Barbel. — Scrape off the scales, wash, and remove the gills, by making as small a hole as possible, so as not to interfere with the appearance of the fish; stuff tbo interior with sweet herbs — such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram, parsley, and winter savory, chopped vei’y fine. Boast beforo a quick fire, basting frequently with vinegar and butter, and plenty of salt.

Stewed Barbel. — Scale and clean a Barbel, wash it well, put it into a saucepan with sufficient red wine to moisten it, and add a seasoning of salt, black pepper, two cloves, a small bunch of sweet herbs, and a good lump of butter. Put the saucepan on the fire, and boil until the fish is clone. Take it out, put it on a dish, and pour over tho liquor, thickened with butter and flour and strained, and servo very hot.

BARBERA.-Tlie name of a famous class of Italian

wines, made in the Piedmont district.

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BARBERRIES ( Fr . Epine-vinette, Yinettier; Ger. Berberitzer). — The fruit of the Berberis vulgaris (Fig. 82) is not so highly prized by cooks and others as it deserves to be, either for making jellies, preserves, cooling drinks, or sweetmeats. The plant from which the fruit is gathered is a very ornamental shrub, and when covered, either with flowers in spring, or fruit in autumn, is very pleasing

to the eye. The leaves are of a yellowish or bluish green, and the red berries are gratefully acid to the taste; the odour of the flowers may be grateful at a distance, but close to they are strongly offensive. In olden times this plant grew profusely in the hedgerows of England, but has suffered banishment, if not extirpation, from a strange belief that its presence is injurious to the growth of corn crops. The roots boiled in an alkali yield a very good yellow dye.

Barberry Cream. — To those who admire sharp sweet flavours, this should be a welcome dish. It is made by stirring into 1 pint of cream, Jib. of Barberry Jelly and Joz. of isinglass in an enamelled pan over a low fire. When the isinglass and jelly are dissolved, remove them from the fire, and add a little cochineal to colour. Sweeten with caster sugar to taste, whisk to a fine froth, and pour into a suitable mould, and pack in ice to set. For a light supper dish, this cream is supreme.

Barberry Drops. — (1) Squeeze out as much juice as possible from 6oz. of Barberries, and mix it up with ljlb. of sugar. The sugar for drops should be crushed, then passed through a coarse sieve and afterwards through a very fine sieve, and the small lumps that remain in the fine sieve should only be used, as the fine or powder sugar is apt to spoil the appearance of the drops by making them heavy and compact. Put the juice and sugar mixture into a sugar-boiler with a spout or lip to it, and if it is too thick, add a little water. Stir well with a spatula over a stove until the sugar begins to make a slight noise, but without letting it boil, keeping the boiler on the side of the fire until the paste is done, which is ascertained by dropping a little on a slab, and seeing if it retains its round form and does not spread. If it is too thin, add a little more sugar. Let the drops fall from the spout on to a copper plate, or thick piece of cartridge-paper, cutting them off the spout with a bent piece of wire. Let them remain for one-and-a-half or two hours; take them off the plate with a knife, or by damping the back of the paper;

Barberries — continued.

put them in boxes with paper between the layers, and they are ready for use.

(2) Press out the juice of Jib. of Barberries through a sieve by means of a wooden spoon, and mix with it ljlb. of pounded sugar. Should the juice not moisten the sugar sufficiently, add a little clear water. Make no more paste than you are prepared to use at the time, as the second time it is heated it becomes greasy and difficult to drop. Boil to crack ( see Sugar-boiling), and drop upon a buttered baking-sheet. When cold, these drops may be raised from the sheet by a flat knife. They make a very nice sweetmeat for children.

Barberry Jam. — (1) Put 41b. of picked ripe Barberries into a preserving-pan with a little water and cook them slightly; add 3jlb. of sugar, and mash them well together until the sugar is dissolved. Put the pan on the fire, and boil quickly for from eighteen to twenty-five minutes, skimming frequently. When the jam is done and drops like a thick jelly from the spoon, pour it into jars, cover and tie down, and put away in a cool place until wanted.

(2) Put equal weights of well-washed ripe Barberries and coarsely -broken preserving-sugar into a preserving-pan, with sufficient water to cover the Barberries before the sugar is added. Boil together slowly, and skim as required. When the jam sets by dropping a little on a cold plate, remove the pan from the stove, stir well for a few minutes longer, then put into jars, and tie down in the usual way. See Jams.

Barberry Jelly. — (1) Put Gib. of ripe Barberries into a preserving-pan with i pint of water, stir over a stove until it begins to simmer, and then pass through a hair sieve, or the juice may be pressed out by means of a fruit-press. Leave this juice in a basin, and make a strong syrup at ball degree (see Sugar-boiling); add the fruit or juice, and continue to simmer for a little longer, stirring gently now and then. Remove with a skimmer any scum that rises, and in about twenty minutes the jelly will hang in broad triangular drops from the skimmer held sidewise, then (and not till then) the jelly is done, and ready to be put into pots as soon as it begins to cool.

(2) Gunter advises that the syrup should be made first, the fruit added in the preserving-pan, and the whole boiled to the pearl ( see Sugar-boiling), when the contents of tbe pan should be passed through a sieve, and the fruit pressed through as much as possible with a wooden spoon or spatula. In all other respects proceed as in No. 1.

(3) Dubois’ system differs from either of the foregoing in that he uses gelatine to make the jelly, which simplifies the process and insures success, which is not so easily attained without by other than experienced confectioners. Take 3 handfuls of the berries, which have been picked free from stalks, throw these into J pint of boiling thin syrup in a pan, remove the pan from the stove, and leave its contents to infuse for half-an-hour or so. Then stir in loz. of fine gelatine, set on the stove again, and let it come to the boil, stirring slowly all the time. Directly it bubbles freely, regulate the heat so that it will simmer for an hour, and then strain through a fine sieve. To make this jolly very bright and clear, pass it again and again through a jelly-bag. When it begins to cool down, but before setting firm, stir in sharply a small bottle of champagne, and fill champagne glasses with the jelly, and pack in ice, taking care to keep the glasses perfectly upright. These jellies are very nice for ball-suppers, or buffets.

Barberry Jelly with. Apples. — (1) Some cooks, and Jules Gouffe amongst them, will not use Barberries alone to make a jelly, but mix them with some other fruit, such as apples, gooseberries, or apricots. The addition of apples is certainly justifiable, and gives a body to the jelly; but apricots lose flavour by the mixture, and gooseberries have not a sufficiently distinctive character in their flavour to make any marked difference one way or the other. A very pretty compound dish of Barberry Jelly and Apples can be made in this way: Peel, cut into eight so-called quarters, five or six large cooking apples (Blenheim Orange or Calville apples for choice), and boil them soft without falling, in their syrup, made up of lqt. of water and 31b. of preserving-sugar; remove with a skimmer, and set aside on a sieve to drain. Boil up again the syrup from which the apples have been

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

77

Barberries — continued.

removed, and then throw in Jib. of picked Barberries, remove from the fire or stove, cover, and leave for two or three hours to infuse. Then strain and squeeze the Barberries from the syrup through a white napkin. Dissolve 2oz. of fine gelatine in J pint of warm water, add the juice of one lemon, and mix with the syrup. Add also a few drops of infusion of cochineal to make a nice colour. Pack a plain cylinder mould in broken ice, and pour in a little of the jelly to the depth of Jin. When that is set, arrange on it a layer of the pieces of apple in any methodical design — on their backs as crescents, with one end pointing to the centre, does very well. Pour on sufficient jelly to just cover them, let that set, and arrange another layer of apple and again cover with jelly, and so on until the mould is full, taking care to finish with jelly. Put a small baking-sheet with ice on it over the mould, and let the jelly stand for at least two hours, then turn out on a suitable dish, and serve. Note that when filling the mould, the jelly must not be stiff, nor must it be warm; but just in that agreeable intermediary condition which a little experience in jelly-making will teach you how to obtain and preserve.

(2) Put into lqt. of boiling syrup Jib. of picked Barberries, and turn all into a basin. Put a cloth over the top, and let the contents stand for two hours. Dissolve 2oz. of gelatine in the whites of three eggs, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1J pints of water. Strain the Barberries through a fine hair sieve, and mix the syrup with the gelatine, colouring with a few drops of cochineal if required. Cut five cooking apples into about forty pieces, boil them in syrup, and drain them. Pour a little of the jelly into a plain cylinder mould, and when it has set put a layer of apple over it, then some more jelly, and so on until the mould is nearly full, letting each layer of jelly set before adding the fruit, and finishing with a layer of jelly on the top. Embed the mould in ice, cover with a baking-sheet, put ice on the top of that, and let the jelly freeze for two hours. Turn it out of the mould when ready to serve.

Barberry Ketchup. — (1) Have 3qts. of Barberries stewed and strained; 4qts. of cranberries, 1 breakfast-cupful of stoned raisins, a large quince, and four small onions, all stewed with lqt. of water, and strained. Mix these ingredients with the Barberries, and add J pint of vinegar, £ breakfast-cupful of salt, Jib. of sugar, 1 dessert-spoonful each of ground cloves and ground allspice, 2 table-spoonfuls each of black pepper and ground celery-seed, 1 table-spoonful of ground mustard, 1 teaspoonful each of cayenne, cinnamon, and ginger, and a grated nutmeg. Let the whole boil up for a minute. If too thick, add vinegar or water till it is of a useful consistency. With the quantities given, about 3qts. of ketchup can be made. Bottle for future use.

(2) Put 1 breakfast-cupful of stoned raisins, four small onions, one large quince, and lgall. of cranberries into a saucepan with lqt. of water, and boil them until all are done. Strain off all the water, put the whole into a bowl, and mix in 3qts. of Barberries, also stewed and strained, 1 teacupful of vinegar, 1J teacupfuls of salt, 1 dessert- spoonful each of ground cloves and allspice, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of sugar, 1 table-spoonful of ground mustard, 2 table-spoonfuls each of black pepper and celery-seed, a grated nutmeg, and 1 teaspoonful each of cayenne and ground cinnamon and ginger. Boil for a minute, and if the ketchup is too thick, add a little water or more vinegar. These quantities will be sufficient to make about 3qts. of ketchup, which should be kej)t in bottles in a cool place.

This ketchup is of American origin, but requires only to be known in this country to be a prime favourite. With chops, steaks, and some fish, it is superior to almost all other sauces.

Barberry Marmalade. — Boil 21b. of ripe Barberries in 1 pint of water until they are soft; pour the liquor through a coarse sieve, and return to the preserving-pan, adding sufficient extra water to make lqt. In this water boil 41b. of preserving-sugar to make a strong syrup, and then put in the fruit and boil up again very gently for a quarter-ofan-hour or so, or until you are satisfied that the marmalade will set. Some confectioners would stir in thoroughly loz. of gelatine with the fruit. Put into jars, and tie down in the usual way.

Barberries — continued.

Barberry Syrup. — This syrup is valuable for so many purposes where the flavour and colour of Barberries are desired, that it may be prepared in as large quantities as you may please or estimate to meet your probable requirements. Select and pick over the fruit, and then mash it in a sieve, squeezing and pressing out all the juice you possibly can. A fruit-press will save a lot of trouble, and produce much more juice from the same quantity of berries. Pass the juice once or twice through a tammy or flannel bag, or until it is quite bright. Make a syrup by boiling to the crack (see Stjgar-boiling) lib. of sugar to every pint of water, and adding to this quantity J pint of juice. Stir well over the stove, and let it boil, removing scum as it rises. When it has boiled for a quarter-of-an-hour, strain through a flannel jelly-bag, and put into wide-mouthed bottles for future use.

Barberry Tart. — Butter a deep dish, line it with any crust preferred, and bake in a quick oven. Pick the stalks off the fruit, put it into a saucepan with half its weight of sugar, or rather more if not quite ripe, pour in a very small quantity of water, and cook them over a slow fire. When cooked, turn the fruit into the crust, and serve.

Barberry Water Ice. — Put into a small sugar-boiler 21b. of well-washed ripe Barberries, with 1 teacupful of water, and boil until quite soft, then pass through a sieve by rubbing ' with the back of a wooden spoon. Into 1 pint of thick syrup stir 20 drops of essence of vanilla, 1 teaspoonful of infusion of cochineal, and the Barberry purde. Stand this in a freezer whilst you beat up the white of 1 egg - with a dessert- spoonful of caster sugar to make a meringue; work this into the syrup, and put into the freezer again to finish.

Bottled Barberries. — (1) The fruit should be quite ripe. Pick the berries off the stalks, put into bottles, shake them down close, and fill up with a thin syrup. Stand in boiling water up to the shoulder for fifteen minutes; cork and tie down.

In Bunches. — (2) Wash the bunches by dipping them several times in tepid water in which a good lump of alum has been dissolved. Drain them, and afterwards lay the bunches carefully in close layers in the bottles prepared for them; fill up with syrup, and stand in boiling water for twenty minutes. Keep the water boiling, cork, and tie down.

Compote of Barberries. — Pick off from the bunches all the bright red berries, wash them thoroughly by sousing several times in water, and drain them. Let them simmer gently for a quarter-of-an-hour in a good syrup, and when done pile them on a glass compote-dish, or compotier, and pour the syrup over them.

Pickled Barberries. — Bemove the leaves and stalks from the required quantity of Barberries. Put them into bottles or jars, pour over sufficient well-salted water to cover them, and tie down with bladder. As soon as the scum rises, strain off the salted water, and add fresh; cover over the bottles or jars again, and put them in a cool place until wanted. Vinegar is not used for this pickle, on account of the intense acidity of the juice of the fruit.

Preserved Barberries.— (I) There are several modes of preserving this fruit. Put them into a jar in layers with a good sprinkling of salt between each layer, and tie paper over the top.

(2) Take bunches of Barberries, and tie several together. Make a syrup, consisting of lib. of sugar boiled with £ pint of water, and clarify it with white of egg. When strained quite clear through a tammy, throw in the bunches, and boil quickly until the fruit looks slightly transparent. Pack them in jars, pour the syrup over, and when cold tie down with bladder.

(3) Pick the fruit off the stalks on to a clean hair sieve, and rub the pulp through with a wooden spoon into a clean white pan. Add 4oz. of pounded sugar to each pound of pulp. Mix thoroughly, and fill the bottles. Cork, and stand in a pan of boiling water for ten minutes, and tie down whilst hot.

Preserved Barberry Pulp. — Pick 41b. of Barberries, put them in a fine sieve, and rub through into a basin. Add ljlb. of crushed loaf sugar; mix well together, put into bottles, cork, and tie down; place in a saucepan of water, and boil for eight minutes. Let this cool, then take out, and put. in a cold, dry place until wanted.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

BARCELONNETTES.— A sort of French iced cakes, surmounted with confits, and so called after Barcelona, where a similar confection is in great vogue.

BARDING. — This term is frequently confounded with larding, but differs from it materially in one or two particulars. The word “ bard ” signifies a breastplate, or piece of armour; hence it was at one time usual to speak of barding as “ enarming.” A thin sheet of bacon-fat is sliced off and then trimmed square to fit, and tied over

Fig. 83. Barded Bird.

the breast of the bird with two or three pieces of thread (Fig. 83). The distinction between Barding and larding will be best understood by referring to Larding.

BARFOED PUDDING.— See Puddings.

BARIGOULE, A LA. - — The French name for a style of dressing artichokes, in which olive oil takes a prominent part. Barigoule is also the French botanical name for a sort of edible mushroom.

BARLEY (FY Orge; Ger. Gerste, from which we get “Grist”).- — This well-known grain is the produce of several species of the hordeum, and is chiefly of value in its natural state for “malting.” It forms, when ground to meal and relieved of husk, a good wholesome bread, but less nutritious than that made from wheat. Barley-meal or flour are also more perishable than wheatflour, and soon acquire a hot, nauseous taste, which is not destroyed or removed by cooking. “ Barley,” we are told, “was extensively cultivated by the Romans and many other nations of antiquity, as well as by the ancient inhabitants of Gaul; and the Greeks are said to have trained their athletes upon it.”

There is not sufficient demand upon the supply of Barley-meal to render its adulteration of much commercial value to the adulterator. The best test for its

genuineness is the microscope (see Fig. 84), when any impurities, such as dust, grit, or insects, are readily detected.

Pearl Barley (Ft. Orge perle; Ger. Perlengraupen). — This is plain Barley deprived of its husks. The mode of operation is by steaming spring Barley to soften the skin, drying it, and then grinding it in a mill with the mill-stones set so far apart that the grain is deprived of its husk, all but that which remains in the furrow, rounded and polished.

Barley — continued.

Scotch Barley differs from the Pearl by not being rounded so completely.

Scotch Pearl Barley and French Pearl Barley

are very much the same, but are smaller, being prepared from the winter grain.

Baked Barley Pudding. — Put 4 “breakfast-cupfuls of boiled Barley into a basin with toacupful of black molasses, 3oz. of finely-shred beef-suet, two eggs, 1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and 1 breakfast-cupful of milk or water. Mix them thoroughly, put the preparation into a buttered pie-dish, place it in a moderate oven, and bake for an hour. Take it out when done, and serve. If desired, 1 breakfast-cupful of stoned raisins may be sprinkled on the top, but must not bo stirred in, or they will sink to the bottom.

Barley Beverage.— Put 1 teaspoonful of ground Barley into a basin, and make it into a smooth paste by adding about 1 table-spoonful of cold water. Put it in a saucepan, pour over gradually lqt. of boiling water, and boil for ten minutes, stirring frequently; let it get cold, strain off the liquor, pour it into a basin or bowl, add the juice and rind of half a lemon, and sufficient sugar, honey, or capillaire to sweeten; let the mixture stand for an hour or so, strain it, and it is ready for use.

Barley Broth. — Put a trimmed sheep’s head, or 21b. of fleshy shin of beef, in ) gallon of water, add 1 teacupful of well-washed and strained Pearl Barley, two sliced onions, a few sprigs of parsley, half-a-dozen peeled and sliced old potatoes, and a little thyme; season with pepper and salt, and simmer for three or four hours. This broth should be frequently stirred to prevent the meat and vegetables settling at the bottom and burning. Solve very hot.

Barley Cream. — (1) Take lib. of chicken flesh, veal, beef, or other full-flavoured lean meat, and mince, or pass through a mincing machine if possible. Put this in lqt. of cold water, and add 1 piled table-spoonful of Pearl Barley and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Simmer slowly for two or three hours. When required, pound the meat and Barley in a mortar, and rub through a sieve with the gravy; add more salt to taste, and when cool stir in J pint of cream. Bice is sometimes used instead of the Barley. Serve in a breakfast-cup, lukewarm. Care should be taken that the meat is quite freed from fat and skin.

(2) Put lib. of Pearl Barley into a stewpan with 2qts. of water, a little salt, and butter the size of a fowl’s egg; cover the stewpan, bring the liquid to the boil, and remove it back to simmer, stirring the Barley from time to time. An hour or so after, drain off the water and work the Barley briskly with a wooden spoon to smash it; moisten by degrees with 3qts. of white broth. Let this boil for an hour at the side of the fire, and then pass the whole through a sieve, and afterwards, if required to be very fine, through a tammycloth. This “ cream ” must now be put into a stewpan and boiled up. Add to it 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar and ilb. of chopped-up large macaroni, previously boiled in water to make it full and soft. Break six eggs, put the yolks into a basin, and beat them up with 2 piled table-spoonfuls of grated Parmesan; add 1 pinch of powdered nutmeg, dilute with l pint of raw cream, and with this mixture thicken the cream over the fire without letting it do more than simmer.

(3) Put a piece of butter the size of a duck’s egg into a stewpan, melt it, and mix in 6 piled table-spoonfuls of Pearl Barley; let it stew for two or three minutes, then moisten it with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of boiling water, and add 1 pinch of salt. When this begins to boil, cover the stewpan, and remove it to the side of the fire to simmer. Boil the Barley in this way for two hours, adding a little rich clear broth from time to time. When the Barley is quite soft and done, take it off the fire, and smash it with a spoon in the same stewpan. Pass the whole through a sieve, lighten with more broth if required, and again strain it. Let it boil once more, stirring it, and then immediately it bubbles remove it to the side of the fire to simmer as before. In half-an-hour’s time skim the fat off the soup, thicken it with the well-beaten yolks of five eggs, and flavour with a little nutmeg and 1 teaspoonful of caster sugar.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die:, referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

79

Barley — continued.

Pour the soup through a colander into the tureen. Serve vvitli dice of bread sautes in butter.

(4) Moisten pint of well-washed Barley with lqt. of broth, adding- a bouquet of herbs and a whole onion; boil in the saucepan on the stove for three-quarters-of-an-hour, and season with £ table-spoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Strain through a coarse colander, and remove the bouquet; thicken with 1 breakfast-cupful of cream and the yolks of two raw eggs, and servo with sippets of bread fried in butter.

Barley Cream Soup. — Well wash 1 teacupful of Barley, put it into a saucepan with an onion, a small piece of stick cinnamon, half a blade of mace, and 3 pints of chicken broth. When this boils, move the saucepan to the side of the fire and let the contents simmer slowly for five hours. Pass the above mixture through a fine hair sieve, return it to the saucepan, mix with it 2 table-spoonfuls of butter and J pint of boiling milk; or cream may be used instead of milk, and in that case the butter must be omitted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Beat the yolks of four eggs in 1 teacupful of milk; mix this in the soup, and stir it by the side of the fire for a few minutes, but do not let it boil after the eggs are added, or they will curdle. Turn the soup into a tureen, and serve it with a plate of sippets of toast or croutons of fried bread.

Barley Brittens. — (1) Boil 1 pint of Barley, drain it, put it into a basin, season with salt and pepper, add two eggs, 4oz. of fine flour, and £ pint of cold milk. Stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon, without beating it, for about five minutes, by which time it will be sufficiently thick and firm. Well buttter a frying-pan, and with a ladle that holds about 1 teacupful put the preparation into the pan, taking care not to let the fritters touch one another. Let them fry to a golden colour on each side, which will take about four minutes, take them out with a skimmer, place thorn on a dish over a folded napkin, and serve.

(2) Mix a small piece of butter and a little salt with lb. of Barley-meal, stir in sufficient boiling water to form a stiff paste, knead it well on a floured board, roll it out, cut it into round cakes with a cutter, cook them on a griddle until done on both sides, and serve either hot or cold.

Barley Gruel. — This, when well mado, is an important and valuable item in the dietary of an invalid. There are several formulae given for making it, from which the best have been selected.

(1) Wash 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of Pearl Barley in cold water, and then boil it for a few minutes in 1 pint of other water. Pour this water away after the boiling, and put a fresh quart of boiling water to the Barley; let this simmer for three hours, then strain, and add any flavouring that may be desired. Lemon-peel cut very thin and infused for an hour in enough cold water to cover it, gives a fine result. Stir this infusion into the Barley Gruel. A few drops of essence of lemon, almond, or vanilla will answer the same purpose. Equal quantities of milk and Barley Gruel make a very nourishing drink for invalids. This is sometimes described as Barley Water.

(2) Wash and soak in cold water loz. of Pearl or “pot” Barley, strain off this washing, and put the Barley into a stewpan over a slow fire, with 1 pint of beef-tea or strong broth to moisten it, and let it simmer for two hours or more. Then strain, salt to taste, and serve hot. It should be quite thick.

(3) A very simple receipt is to boil 1 breakfast-cupful of Pearl Barley in 1 pint of water for a few minutes, and then strain this off. Then add 2qts. of boiling water, and simmer until reduced one-half. Strain, add sugar, essence of lemon, or wine to taste, and warm up before serving. This must not be given hot to invalids.

(4) Scald in hot water 2oz. of Pearl Barley, and then strain it through a sieve. Put the scalded Barley into a pan with lqt. of boiling water, and set over tho fire to simmer. Boil and skim till thick and clear, then pour in 1 pint of red wine, 1 table-spoonful of well-washed grocers’ currants, and powdered sugar to taste. Serve in a tureen with lemon to squeeze into it, and a few small dry biscuits, or sippets of toast.

Barley — continued.

Barley-meal Scones. — These very delicious tea-cakes may be prepared as follows: — Take as much good fresh Barleymeal as you require, season with a little salt, and mix with hot milk until it forms a stiff paste. Boll this out into thick round cakes, and quarter witli a knife into scones. Bake in a quick oven, or on a greased griddle over a bright fire. The addition of 1 teaspoonful of bakingpowder to each cake makes them very light. Butter, and serve hot.

Barley Milk. — Wash 2 table-spoonfuls of Pearl Barley in several waters, and then put it into a large jar, and stand in a stewpan of water. Stir in 1 pint of milk and i teaspoonful of salt, and boil the water until the milk is reduced to onehalf of its original volume. Strain off tho milk, and sweeten or flavour to suit the taste of the patient. Tho Barley itself is nice served on a plate with a wineglassful of sherry poured over, and a sprinkling of castor sugar.

Barley Negus (American).— Boil 1 table-spoonful of wellwashed Pearl Barley in 1 pint of water, and add i- pint of sherry or marsala, 1 table-spoonful of lemon-juice, and a little grated nutmeg. Sweeten with powdered sugar to taste.

Barley Puree. — Put the required quantity of Barley into a saucepan, with sufficient chicken broth to cover it, and boil for an hour. Bub the Barley through a fine sieve into a basin, moisten with stock, sprinklo over salt and pepper to taste, warm the puree up, put it on a dish, and serve with pieces of toast or fried bread for garnish.

Barley Soup. — (1) When there is choico of meat, this soup should be made with mutton, or a piece of cold mutton may he cut up and put into it, and 2 or 3 pints of good stock added instead of the fresh meat. Wash 1 teacupful of Pearl Barley in two or three waters, straining each time, and boil it in plenty of fresh water for about two hours; then strain away tho liquor from it, rinse once more in cold water, and tho Barley is then ready when required to put in the soup. Cut two slices of turnip and half as much carrot and onion into small dice, all of a size, and boil them in the soup or stock until tender — that would be about three-quarters-of-an-hour. Cut up in small squares about as much meat — all lean — as there was of turnips, and add to the soup; follow that with tho cooked Barley and chopped parsley, seasoning slightly. This is a very cheap soup, and is greatly recommended for its nourishing qualities.

(2) Boil in a good broth 1 breakfast-cupful of Pearl Barley, stirring tho broth that the Barley may not settle at the bottom; add 2 table-spoonfuls of flour mixed thin and smooth with a little cold broth, and place the soup over a slow fire, that it may simmer slowly without stopping for five hours; then take off the scum that has formed on the top, and add 1 dessert-spoonful of caster sugar. When serving, put a ladleful of the soup into a puree of the pounded flesh of two fowls, nicely seasoned, and add immediately 2 or 3 more table-spoonfuls of Barley, stirring it into the puree; pour this into tho tureen with the remaining Barley, mixing them perfectly. This is an extravagant dish, but exceedingly nutritious and delightful.

(3) A very fine rich soup, in tho compounding of which Pearl Barley takes a prominent part, can be prepared according to the following receipt, which is of Continental origin: Cut up into small, thin pieces two carrots, two turnips, two onions, two leeks, and one small head of celery, and toss them for half-an-hour in a saute-pan with plenty of butter. Add two heads of lettuce finely shredded, a sprig or two each of parsley, chervil, and niai'joram, putting these into 2qts. of hot water with teaspoonful of pepper, 1 teaspoonful of salt, a few cloves, and 1 teaspoonful of sugar. Let this simmer for two hours, then strain the soup through a fine strainer. Boil 1 pint of washed Pearl Barley in lqt. of this stock till tho Barley is soft enough to be reduced to a pulp; then rub it through a hair sieve, and add as much more of the liquor as will bo required to make the soup as thick as good cream. Put it on tho fire, and when it boils take it off, and stir into it the yolk of one egg beaten up with 1 gill of cream. Add 1 dessertspoonful of butter, pour the soup into the tureen, and serve with small dice of bread fried in butter.

tor details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jec., referred to. see under their special heads.

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Barley — continued.

(4) Take lib. of neck of mutton, remove all fat and bones, cut tbe meat up small, and add to it 1 table-spoonful of well-washed Barley and 1 pint of cold water. Boil up slowly, and simmer for two hours. Then remove the bones, boil them separately in about J pint of cold water for halfan-hour, and then strain the liquor into the soup. Season with salt, skim off what fat there may be, and serve with dry biscuits.

(5) Put into a large saucepan 2qts. of good broth free from fat. Add to it Jib. of well-washed Pearl Barley, which has been previously boiled in water for half-an-hour; also put in at the same time 2 breakfast-cupfuls of young vegetables, such as carrots, celery roots, and turnips cut into small dice. Boil up, and simmer for an-hour-and-ahalf. When the vegetables are done, pour the soup into the tureen, in which a few table-spoonfuls of cooked green-peas, asparagus heads, or cauliflower sprays have been previously placed. Further season with a little chopped chervil, and serve.

(6) The variety of Pearl-Barley soups appears to be almost interminable, owing in a large measure to the great adaptability of this grain to soups and broths. The following is a French receipt, and greatly esteemed at high-tea tables: Melt 6oz. of butter in a stewpan, and fry in it for a few minutes Jib. of well- washed Pearl Barley; add 2qts. or 3qts. of thin broth, stir the soup until boiling, season with salt, and simmer gently for about two hours; then introduce into it 7 or 8 table-spoonfuls of celery cut into small slices; halfan-hour after thicken the soup with the yolks of four eggs, beaten up with J tumblerful of cream. Place again upon the stove, and whilst simmering stir in 4oz. of butter, a little at a time. Pour it into the soup-tureen, and serve quite hot.

Barley Stew. — (1) Cut into pieces Jib. of cold roasted or broiled meat, and put it into a saucepan with J teacupful of well-washed Barley and two finely-chopped onions. Sprinkle over 1 table-spoonful of flour, 1 dessert-spoonful of salt, and a small quantity of pepper; pour in lqt. of flour, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about two hours. Add four potatoes, peeled, washed, and cut in slices, simmer for an hour longer, and then sprinkle in a little more salt and pepper if required. Turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

(2) Take about Jib. of cold roasted or broiled lean of meat, two medium-sized onions, four potatoes, J breakfastcupful of Barley, 1 table-spoonful of flour, and lqt. of water. Cut the meat into dice, wash the Barley, and cut the onions very fine. Put all in a stewpan, dredge with the flour, adding J table-spoonful of salt and J teaspoonful of pepper, add the water, and simmer for two hours. Pare and slice the potatoes, add them to the stew, and simmer one hour longer. More salt and pepper may be added if required. Serve very hot.

Barley Water. — (1) The following receipt is especially recommended for its simplicity: Put 1 teacupful of washed Pearl Barley in lqt. of very pure, cold, soft water, and place on the fire. When it boils up, skim carefully, and let it continue boiling for at least half-an-hour; then strain off the water from the Barley, and let it cool. Some sweeten Barley Water, and flavour it with the juice of lemon; but it is better for invalids to take it without these additions. Note that the same Barley may be boiled two or three times over.

(2) If a sweet Barley Water is desired, as it may be sometimes for taking after or disguising medicine, such as cod-liver oil, take 1 table-spoonful of Pearl Barley, and wash it well in cold water; then pour off the water, and put the Barley, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and half a lemon (sliced) into boiling water. Let it stand covered and where it will keep hot without boiling, for three hours; then strain it, and let it get cold for use. Currant jelly or orange-juice may be used instead of the lemon.

Barley Water for Coughs. — Add to lqt. of Barley Water (No. 1) Joz. of sliced and well-bruised stick-liquorice, 2oz. of chopped dried figs, 2oz. of stoned and chopped raisins, and 1 pint of water. Let this boil up, then simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 2 pints, and then strain for use. For children with whooping-cough this drink is

Barley — continued.

invaluable, but must be given with discretion, a sip or so at a time.

BARLBY SUGAR. — The reason that Barley Sugar is so named is because it was originally made with a decoction of Barley. To make this favourite sweetmeat some knowledge of sugar-boiling is necessary; so that it will be well before commencing, to make acquaintance with the details given under that heading. There are several methods advocated by different confectioners, each having one for himself, but the following receipts will be found sufficient for all practical purposes. Any flavouring, such as vanilla, ginger, &c., may be added.

(1) Put 21b. of crushed loaf sugar in a pan with 1 pint of water, and place it on the fire to boil; when it is at the feather degree see Sugar-boiling), add a little cream of tartar, and continue boiling to the crack degree; when this degree is attained shake in a few drops of essence of lemon, and colour with a few drops of infusion of sandelkolz mixed with 2 drops of acetic acid; pour the syrup on to a marble slab or large flat dish (previously oiled), cut it into strips, and when nearly cold take the strips in your fingers and twist them. When quite cold put them into bottles, and keep dry and cool.

(2) Dissolve and boil 31b. of crushed loaf sugar in 1 pint of pure water, and in this stir briskly the white of an egg. Strain the syrup, and boil to candy height ( see Sugarboiling); add 1 teaspoonful of citric acid or white vinegar, and then boil again quickly for a minute or two, so as to regain the candy height. Stir in essence of lemon to flavour. Then pour the syrup over an oiled marble slab, and when it sets stiff and can be handled, cut it into strips, and twist it like a screw or rope.

(3) White Barley Sugar is made the same as above, only without colouring. When poured out on the marble slab, throw the sides of it which cool first over against the middle, so that it cools all alike, and then when possible to handle, it is to be pulled over a hook on the wall and drawn over and over by doubling until the body of it becomes quite white. Dip your hands now and then in fine starch-powder to protect them from the heat of the sugar. After this drawing is completed, pull the mass out, and twist it; let it cool on the slab, cut it into lengths, and put into bottles to keep.

(4) When Barley Sugar is required for decorative purposes it is not an unusual thing with high-class confectioners to increase tho “ golden ” effect by mixing in, after the sugar is boiled, a few sheets of thin leaf gold, such as are used for gilding. Pour the syrup into a small oiled pan, and just before it becomes set it may be shaped with the back part of a knife or other tool. Mark it out over the surface, and when the sugar is quite stiff and brittle the shapes may be easily snapped apart.

When an orange flavour is desired, it is better to rub off the rind on to lumps of sugar and add these to the boil. The juice if added is liable to burn, or discolour the Barley Sugar, and render it bitter. A little caramel can be used for colouring at discretion.

Australian Barley Sugar. — Put lib. of crushed loaf sugar into a sugar-boiler, and add 1 breakfast-cupful of water. Set the sugar-boiler on the fire, and boil to the crack degree; then add 1 teacupful of filtered orange-juice, 1 liqueur-glassful of kirschenwasser, and 1 teaspoonful of acetic acid, also a few sheets of thin gold leaf, the same sort as is used for gilding. Have ready a well-oiled deep saute-pan, pour in the mixture, and before it sets mark it in the shape of diamonds. When the Barley Sugar is quite set and firm break it up where it was marked, and it is ready for use.

Barley-sugar Cream. — The famous Louis Eustache Ude has left us a receipt for this, which has been modified hereunder to suit modern times: Melt about loz. of sugar with a table-spoonful of water in a small sugar-boiler. Let it reduce till it is brown, but bo careful to keep stirring to prevent the sugar burning and getting bitter to tho taste. When it is quite brown, dilute it with 1 table-spoonful of sweetened water. Take lqt. of cream that has been gently warmed, pour the caramel into it, and add sufficient sugar to make it sweet and palatable. If you wish to have the cream iced,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under tlieir special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

81

Barley Sugar — continued.

mix in the yolks of eight eggs, and when the eggs are well mixed, put the stewpan containing the mixture over the fire to thicken. When it begins to thicken, stir it well, and throw in Joz. of isinglass previously dissolved in a wineglassful of warm water, then pour the preparation into a mould, and when cool, ice it. You must let it cool first, or it will melt the ice, and the mould will be liable to tilt over, and the cream fall out. When you do not intend to put isinglass into the cream, you must add the yolks of twelve eggs instead of eight. Butter a mould, pour the cream into it, and set in a pan of boiling water with fire on the lid, to prevent the condensed steam falling in.

Barley-sugar Drops. — Put the required quantity of sugar into a sugar-boiler with a little water, and boil; add a squeeze or so of lemon-juice after boiling to the caramel degree (see Sugar-boiling). Have ready some icing-sugar, spread it out on a table, make some small holes in it, and let it dry. Add a few drops of essence of lemon to the boiled sugar, pour it into these holes, and let it cool. Take out the drops when quite cold, put them in boxes, and keep in a dry place until wanted, or the mass when cooled on a slab may be cut up into strips, and then into squares with a pair of scissors, and the corners shaped in by the fingers.

Vanilla-flavoured Barley Sugar. — Put lib. of broken loaf sugar into a sugar-boiler, with 1 breakfast-cupful of water and 1 tea-spoonful of acetic acid. Put the boiler on the fire, and boil to the crack degree ( see Sugar-boiling), and stir in a few drops of vanilla extract to flavour. Cool the bottom of the boiler by dipping it into cold water, and when the sugar has cooled a little, turn it out on to a marble slab which has been slightly rubbed over with oil of almonds. As the sugar spreads, turn it back again with the spatula until it is cool; then cut it into strips about Jin. in diameter, roll and twist into shape like a corkscrew, put them on a slightly-oiled baking-sheet, and let them remain until they are quite stiff and cold. Put the sticks into bottles or jars, cork or stopper them down, and keep them in a dry place until wanted.

BARLEY WINE.— The early name for English beer, and now employed by a large firm of brewers to denote a high-class liquor brewed from malt, possibly without hops.

BARM. — See Yeast.

BAROLO.— The name of a fine Piedmontese wine. See Italian Wines.

BARON OP BEEP. — The name given to two sirloins joined together at the backbone, corresponding in some respects to a saddle of mutton. This may be considered a title of greater honour than “Sir ’’-loin, it being due to its greater size that this cut of beef is entitled to the higher honour.

BARQUETTE . — Fr. for a piece of pastry formed into the shape of a ship.

BARREL. — This may be considered the standard of beer-measure from which other beer-vessels take their capacity as multiples or dividends. Thus, taking the Barrel of 36galls. as 1, a hogshead is It, a puncheon 2, a butt 3, and a tun 6. In the descending scale, a kilderkin is i, and a firkin These exact capacities are not, however, strictly adhered to throughout the. British Isles and they differ greatly in most parts of Europe, especially when employed for holding wines and spirits.

BARS AC. — A kind of sauterne manufactured in the locality of Bordeaux. See Wines.

BARSZCZ. — Tli is is the name given to a soup much appreciated in Poland. The principal featm'e of its manufacture is the introduction of the red juice of the beetroot. Some cooks term it indifferently Barsch,

bor details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Barszcz — continued.

Borsch, &c. But the name given is that by which it is generally known in the country from which it takes its origin.

(1) Cut off 41b. of the rump of beef, and put it into a stockpot with lgall. of sour beetroot-juice, made as follows: Scrape three or four beetroots clean, put them in an earthenware basin, moisten with a little warm water with a little vinegar in it, and add 11b. of breadcrumbs and 1 breakfast-cupful of milk. Put the basin in a warm place with a cover over it; let it stand for a day, and strain the juice through a sieve. Put the pot with the beef on the fire, add a little salt, boil up, skim well, and place it on the side of the fire. Singe and blanch a salted pig’s ear, put it in the pot, add two leeks, place the pot on the fire again, and cook until the meat is done. Shred a little beetroot, celery, one leek, and a few mushrooms; put them in a frying-pan with a little butter, and fry them for a few minutes. Pour in 2qts. or 3qts. of the prepared broth well strained, boil it up, and add four or five smoked sausages. Let this boil for twenty minutes, add a few table-spoonfuls of raw beetroot-juice that has been well strained and is of a deep red colour, then the pig’s ear cut in small pieces, and a little of the beef, also cut up rather small. Take out the sausages, cut them up in slices, put them into a tureen, pour in the soup, add a little finely minced parsley, and garnish with croutons of fried bread hollowed out in the centre and filled with beef-marrow.

(2) Select a piece of very fat brisket of beef, about 31b., and put it into a saucepan with sufficient hot water to cover it; put in with it also about lib. of fat smoked bacon. Stew gently until nearly done. Chop up finely some slices of raw beetroot, three large onions, four leeks, a quarter of a large white cabbage-head, and a stick of celery, and fry all these in butter, adding a small quantity of salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables 2qts. of the broth in which the meat was boiled, and let it boil up. Cut up the beef and bacon in small squares, and stir in. Then add 1 teacupful of beetroot-juice, acidified by adding 2 teaspoonfuls of vinegar, 1 breakfast-cupful of sour cream, and 21b. or 31b. of rasped raw beetroot, and a large pinch of finely-chopped fennel. Servo in a tureen.

(3) The following receipt is that which is more frequently

adopted: Select 31b. of fat beef, and having previously scalded it, and washed it thoroughly, cut it up in small pieces, and put it into a saucepan with sufficient thin stock to cover it. Add some finely-chopped vegetables, two or

three onions, two or three leeks, and a cabbage cut in quarters and halved again. Boil steadily until the cabbage is quito done, and then pour in 1 teacupful of acidulated beetroot-juice. Sometimes the Russians add rye-beer (kwass), or vinegar and salt. This has now to be boiled thoroughly until all the vegetables and meat are quite done. Then add about lib. of boiled ham cut in small squares; boil up again, and skim off the fat. Take out the cabbage, and put it into another saucepan with about lib. of sliced cooked beetroot, and more juice of a raw beetroot, pepper, salt, and sufficient stock to cover it. Boil up again, and then add altogether, and servo with chopped fennel. A few bay-leaves boiled in tho stock with the meat improve the flavour greatly.

BARTAVELLES.— The French name for their redlegged partridges. As these are almost unknown in this country, it will only be necessary to observe that they are subject to the same culinary processes as an ordinary partridge.

BASIL, SWEET ( Ocimum Basilicum) (Fr. Basilic; Ital. Bassilico). — A very favourite herb, used largely on the Continent for seasoning meats, and chiefly in this country as one of the flavourings of turtle. The leaves when pinched emit a very pungent odour, not unlike that of cloves, and are sometimes added to French salad. The plant is a native of the East Indies, and very scarce in this country, for which reason it is generally used dried.

i Basil Vinegar. — Put some freshly - gathered Basil -leaves into a wide-mouthed bottle, cover them with warm vinegar,

M & N

Sauces, &c., referred to, sec under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Basil, Sweet— continued.

and let them steep for ten days. If too strong, pour some of the vinegar off into other bottles, and add more fresh hot vinegar to the herbs; cork the bottle, seal it down, and keep

Fig. 85. Sweet Basil.

it in a cool store cupboard; at the end of two weeks it will be ready for use. Basil vinegar is often used in salads where a very high seasoning is desirable.

BASIN (Fr. Bassin; Ger. Becken, from which we get “ beaker ”; Ital. Bacino). — It would he almost impossible to describe the varieties of basins used in the kitchen. They are manufactured of all sorts and sizes,

for all sorts of purposes, and of different materials — china, earthenware, tin, iron, and more recently of a material called “ steel-pulp,” resembling papier-mache, but much harder, very light, and indestructible.

BASKETS (Fr. Corbeilles). — The multitude of designs and styles in which these vessels for carrying fruits and other dessert are made, is almost incalculable. They are manufactured of glass, china, gold, and silver, and sometimes of two or three of these combined. Some confectioners make them for themselves of almond-paste, sugar, the rinds of oranges, and a variety of less harmless materials; but their efforts rarely attain to the dignity of art, and it is the opinion of many of our best cooks that they would do better to leave such fragile imitations alone.

Francatelli excelled in making Baskets of sugar, and filling them with nougats and imitation fruits; but with the exception of Ude (in a small way), the principle does not seem to have met with much favour where it might have been most expected.

The custom of setting in the centre of the dinner-table a handsome candelabra, or stand of flowers, can be better replaced by a stand or basket of fruit in tiers. A Basket of fruit (see Fig. 87), rich, abundant, and varied in its selection, relieved by vine or other leaves, gives to a dinner-table arranged a la Russe, an aristocracy

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Baskets — continued.

of decoration which depends for its measure upon the elegance of the Basket and the beauty of the fruit. Dubois advises that when arranging a Basket of fruit for a dinner-table, only “the freshest, the rarest, and the most beautiful kinds should be selected,” but many of our commonest fruits, such as blackberries, barberries, and others equally simple, can be made to add elegance to a Basket if arranged by a master-hand. The sort and colour of fruits to be chosen must, of course, depend on the season; but they should he of as great a variety, and as diversified in tint, as possible. In short, “ such a Corbeille of fruit represents a portable garden in miniature, whereon the eye and the palate may be equally gratified.” When the available fruit is large, such as pears, apples, or pine-apples; they ought to be removed from the Basket to be cut up, and then should be handed round on plates; or pine-apples may be arranged ready peeled and sliced, and large pears quartered without being peeled. Several of these Baskets, of different styles, sizes, and patterns, may be arranged on one table.

Sometimes it is advisable to arrange a Basket of one kind of fruit only, such as of grapes, apples, peaches, &c.,

Fig. 87. Basket of Fruit.

and then vine and other ornamental leaves may he made to set it off. Grapes are especially useful to the tabledecorator, for they can be made to hang from handles and artificial arches, and nuts of all kinds can, by a little ingenuity, be arranged with dried brown and bronzed leaves to form an elegant dish for table ornamentation. A clever artist has a wealth of decorative material in Baskets of fruit or flowers.

Modem ingenuity has enabled enterprising caterers to contrive vehicles capable of conveying food, and the necessary utensils for serving it, in such a compact form, that whilst no space is lost, every detail is provided for. Railway Baskets are now supplied upon many lines, which contain all that the heart can desire, without any further trouble to the traveller than a message to the station where he proposes to refresh. Other Baskets, such as for Picnics or Races, are fully described under those heads.

BASMUTTEE.— A very fine kind of Indian Rice.

BASS.— There are many species of this fish, all of which belong to the perch tribe, and are considered great culinary delicacies. In France there is one sort known as the “Sea-Wolf” (Loup de mer), which is especially

t ces. dec., referred to, see under their special heads .

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

83

Bass — continued.

deserving of a cook’s notice. It is more correctly known as the European. Sea-Bass ( Labrax lupus) (Fig. 88). The Striped Bass of America ( L . lineatus) is the famous Rock-fish; the White Bass or Lake Perch (L. albidus) (Fig. 89), the Ruddy Bass of the coast

Fig. 88. Sea-Bass, or Sea-Wolf.

(L. rufus), the White Perch (L. pallidus), the Canadian Black Bass ( Grystes nigricans) (Fig. 90), the Little Black Bass ( L . nigricans), the Spotted Bass of the St. Lawrence River ( Grystes notatus), the Stone Bass (Fig. 91), and several others, are pronounced by epicures to be more exquisite than salmon. They are all sold under the general name of Bass.

The Bass is essentially a sea-fish, hut is sometimes taken in rivers as well as along the coast. It has been caught weighing as much as 101b. or 151b., but commonly ranges from Mb. to 61b. or 71b. It makes a very handsome dish, the body being well shaped, round, and fleshy, and it is in season nearly all the year round, but at its best in March, April, and May.

Striped Bass, or Rock-Fish. — This fish is found in the American waters, and ranges from Mb. to 801b. or 1001b. in weight. The smaller sized are cooked as for Sea-Bass, and are better eating than the larger, which must be cut up in slices before they can be cooked.

The mode generally advocated for cooking Bass is to boil it in a good fish stock, or it may be boiled plain in salted water, or baked, or braised in wine. If boiled, oyster sauce should be served with it; if braised, a good veloute, reduced with the stock in which the fish has been boiled; if baked or broiled, a good maitre-d’hotel sauce is the best. Garnished with parsley and crayfish, it presents a handsome dish.

Baked Bass. — (1) Wash, scale, and clean a Bass, and leave the head intact if it is to be sent to the table whole. Mako a stuffing of 2 breakfast-cupfuls of breadcrumbs, 1 toacupful of butter, the rind of a quarter of a lemon minced fine, and two or three sprigs each of parsley, green thyme, and marjoram. Season this mixture with pepper and salt. Beat up two eggs, 1 table-spoonful of water, and mix the stuffing with it. Fill in the fish, and sew np when stuffed. Score both sides with a sharp knife by cutting down to the bone, and put a thin slice of salt pork into each incision. Bake in a pan, and baste with stock and seasoning. Thirty or forty minutes will cook the fish, according to size. Put a little tomato pure or tomato sauce into the pan with the

Bass — continued.

gravy after removing the fish, and lot this boil up; then skim and strain, to serve in a tureen with the fish. The greatest care must be taken not to break the fish in transferring it from the pan to the dish. An ornamental dishpaper should lie under the fish, and sprays of parsley, with prawns or crayfish prettily arranged, will complete the dressing. A glass of white wine added to each £ pint of sauce is considered an improvement.

(2) Lay a well-cleaned Bass, weighing about 31b., on a buttered baking-dish; season with £ pinch of salt and £ pirch of pepper, and moisten with £ wineglassful of white wine, and 3 table-spoonfuls of mushroom liquor. Cover with a heavy piece of buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes; then lay the fish on a dish. Pour the liquor into a saucepan, with £ pint of good German sauce, thicken with 1 table-spoonful of butter, toss the pan until well dissolved, pour it over the Bass, and serve with six croutons of fried bread cut in any desired shape.

Baked Bass d la Bordelaise.— Cut a deep incision down the back of a 31b. Sea-Bass; put it in a baking-dish with £ wineglassful of red wine, £ pinch of salt, and £ pinch of pepper. Sprinkle over a finely-chopped shallot, cover with

buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes; then lay the Bass on a dish. Put the liquor in a saucepan with 1 gill of Spanish sauce, four finely- shredded mushrooms, a thin slice of finely-chopped garlic, and cook for five minutes longer. Pour it over the fish, garnish with six cooked crayfish or shrimps, and serve very hot.

Bass d la Chambord. — Lift the middle skin from the back of a 31b. Bass, leaving the head and tail covered; lard the fish with a very small larding-needle, and lay it on a buttered, deep haking-pan, adding to it £ wineglassful of white wine, ha, If a carrot, half an onion, both sliced, and a bouquet garni. Season with 1 pinch of salt and £ pinch of popper. Cover with a buttered paper, and cook in the oven for thirty minutes, being very careful to baste it frequently; then take out the fish, and lay it on a dish. Strain the gravy into a saucepan, with £ pint of Chambord garnishing, moistened with £ pint of Spanish sauce, and reduce for

five minutes. Decorate the dish with clusters of the garnishing, three decorated fish quenelles, and three small, cooked crayfish, and serve with the sauce poured over.

Bass Dressed en Casserole. — Scale and clean a Bass, wash it well, and drain it. In the meantime prepare a stuffing of butter well rolled in flour, finely-chopped sweet herbs,

M & N 2

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, d'c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bass — continued.

and highly seasoned with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stuff the fish with this mixture, sew or tie it up, put it into a saucepan with only sufficient water or weak stock to prevent it burning or sticking to the pan, place the pan on the fire, and cook until it is done, allowing about six minutes to the pound. Take it out, put it on a dish, squeeze a little lemon-juice over it, and serve.

Boiled Bass. — Scale and clean a Basa, wash it well, drain it, put it into a saucepan of warm salted water, and set the saucepan on the fire. As soon as the water boils, remove the pan to the side of the fire, and let it simmer gently for twenty minutes, by which time the fish should be quite done. Let it remain in the liquor until wanted; then take it out, drain it, put it on a napkin spread over a dish, garnish with boiled potatoes and sprigs of parsley, and serve.

Broiled Bass. — (1) Clean a Bass, split it lengthwise in halves, and cut each half again into two or three pieces; sprinkle these over with flour, put em on a gridiron over a clear but slow fire, and broil them very gently, brushing them over continually with butter to prevent them burning. When done, and of a light brown colour, put the pieces of fish on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve. Small Bass may be broiled whole with their heads on.

(2) Another way is to wrap the fish or pieces in buttered or oiled paper, partly broil them, and complete the cooking in the oven.

Fried Bass with Bacon. — Wash, scale, and carefully clean the fish, cut off the fins with a chop of the knife, and if small cook them as they are; if large, split them lengthwise, cut them across into four pieces, and season them well with pepper and salt. Boll them in flour, and let them lie in it until you are ready to cook them, then drop them into a pan of very hot lard, and let them fry until nicely browned. The time will depend upon the size of the pieces. Fry in a separate pan four slices of streaky bacon, one for each piece of fish, and lay a slice of the bacon on each piece of fish. Garnish with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes.

Fried Black Bass. — Scale and clean the required number of Black Bass, if possible selecting fish weighing about lib. each. Boll them well in flour, put them into a frying-pan with hot fat to about half their height, and fry them until done, taking care that a black burnt part does not appear where the thick part of the fish touches the pan. When done, put them on a dish, garnish with potatoes, slices of lemon, and sprigs of fried or plain parsley, and serve.

Stewed Stuffed Bass with Mushroom Sauce. — Scale and clean a Bass, wash it well, stuff it with highly-seasoned veal-stuffing, sew it up, put it into a saucepan with loz. of butter, pour over 1 teacupful of water or weak stock, and cook gently over the fire until it is done, being careful not to burn it, and turning it as often as required. When done, put it on a dish, and serve witli mushroom sauce, either in a sauceboat or poured round.

BASTING.— It is usual when roasting joints, poultry, and other meat, to haste freely during the process, especially towards the end of the cooking, by pouring the melted fat or gravy over at intervals. The object is to keep the surface moist, which prevents scorching, and diminishes the evaporation of the juices

Fig. 92. Basting Ladle.

of the meat. For the last ten minutes or so before dishing up, it is advisable to leave the joint unbasted; but poultry and game, when basted with butter, can be continued up to the last moment, Fat joints require less basting than lean ones. A basting ladle is shown at Fig. 92. See Baking, Braising, and Roasting.

BATCH.— This is the technical term applied by bakers to the number of loaves of bread which are put in the oven at one time, and as a distinction between them and what is called pan-bread, or bread baked in tins. Thus, one of our authorities writes, “ An oven which is either too hot or too cold will spoil what would otherwise be a good Batch of bread. Pan-bread, or bread baked in tins, needs a greater heat than Batch-bread, as pan-bread dough is of a lighter nature than Batch-bread dough, and consequently requires more heat to keep it up.” See Bread.

BATH BUNS. — It would be difficult to trace back to their origin the famous history of these popular buns. In some way or another they owe their existence to the town of Bath, and date back to the time when this oncecelebrated watering-place held highest rank under the

Fig. 93. Bath Buns.

favour and continual presence of royalty. Here were congregated the beaux and belles of court and fashionable life, who not only dipped their sweet lips in the waters of the pump-room, but partook of an occasional bun. But to whom the credit is due of the invention of Bath Buns it is impossible to say, there being, as there mostly are in such cases, more than one claimant to the honour. Anyhow, there are but few examples of fancy pastry which have maintained unflagging for so many years the reputation they have gained at the bands of fashion.

(1) Take 5oz. of sugar, 5oz. of butter, lloz. of flour, two eggs, lj gills of milk, 1 loz. of carbonate of soda, 1 pinch of nutmeg, and some chopped candied citron-peel. Warm 5oz. of butter, and pour it into a basin, and work it up with a spoon till it creams; then stir into it two eggs one by one, lfoz. of carbonate of soda, 5oz. of sugar, lib. of flour, 1 igills of milk by degrees, and 1 pinch of powdered nutmeg, working the preparation with the spoon. The paste must be of just sufficient stiffness to maintain itself without spreading when raised up. Take it up with a table-spoon in equal pieces of the size of a nut; range these pieces at a little distance from one another on a baking-sheet, and place on each of them a little slice of candied citron, two or three caraway comfits, and a sprinkle of fine sugar. Bake the buns in a slack oven.

(2) Put in a bowl lib. of fine flour, 1 teaspoonful of yeast, and lb. of caster sugar. Dissolve lb. of butter in 1 teacupful of cream; beat up three eggs, and add. Knead all well together, then let it rise. When light, roll out and shape the buns, place them on a baking-sheet, and bake in a hot oven.

(3) Prepare lib. of brioche paste as follows: lib. of flour, lOoz. of butter, Joz. of German yeast, 1 teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, and about seven eggs. Put one-fourth of the flour on the slab, spread it out so as to form a well in the centre, put in the yeast, and dissolve it with a little tepid water. When this is effected, add enough water to mix the whole into a rather soft paste. Knead this into the form of a round ball, put it into a stewpan capable of holding three times the quantity, score it all round with a knife, put the lid on, and set it to rise in a rather warm place. In the winter

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, A c., referred to, see under their special heads.

ERRATUM.

Page 84, Bath Buns (No. 1), 2nd line, for loz. of carbonate of soda read 1J drachms.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

85

Bath. Buns — continued.

it may be put in tbe screen before tbe fire, but in hot weather the fermentation will proceed more satisfactorily if it is placed on the kitchen table, or in some such place of moderate warmth. This part of the operation is termed “ setting the sponge.” Next, put the remainder of the flour on the slab, and spread it out to form a hollow in the centre; then put in the salt and the sugar, pour in a little water to dissolve them, add the butter, break in six eggs, and work the whole well together with the hands until it is well mixed; then rubbing the paste with both fists held flat on the slab, move them to and fro, so as to reduce any remaining lumps to smoothness. By the time that the paste is mixed, the sponge will probably have risen sufficiently. To be perfect it must have been increased three times its original size. Spread it out on the paste ready to receive it. It should present the appearance of what is called a honeycomb sponge, full of holes, from which circumstance it takes its name. Both the above should then be immediately, gently but thoroughly, mixed. A napkin must be spread in a wooden bowl, or basin, some flour shaken all over the bottom and sides, and the paste lifted into it. Sprinkle some flour over the paste, and after throwing the corners of the napkin over all, set the bowl containing the paste in a cool place in the larder or cellar, free from any current of air, till the next morning. Take up lib. of this paste, add thereto 1 gill of cream, 1 small glass of orange-flower water, 4oz. of cut candied peel, and 2oz. of cherry-kernel comfits. Mix all together, divide the whole into twelve equal parts, knead them into round balls, and press them down slightly upon buttered baking-sheets. Egg them over, sprinkle nibs of loaf sugar upon them, and bake them in a moderate heat till brown.

(4) Take lib. of fine flour, the grated peel of two lemons, Jib. of butter melted and stirred into 1 teacupful of cream, 1 teaspoonful of yeast, and three eggs. Mix thoroughly, and add £lb. of powdered loaf sugar. Mix this well again, and let it stand to rise, and then pinch off pieces sufficiently large to fill a table-spoon. Shape these on a buttered bakingsheet, and put into a hot oven to cook. This quantity should make about three dozen buns.

(5) Eor about a dozen buns take lib. of flour, 8oz. of butter, 8oz. of sugar, four eggs, a little warm milk, loz. of yeast, some citron-peel cut small, and half a grated nutmeg. Bub the butter in with the flour, make a bay, and break the eggs into it; add the yeast, with sufficient milk to make the whole into a dough of moderate consistence, and put in a warm place to rise. When it has risen enough, mix in the peel, a little essence of lemon, and the sugar, which should be in small pieces about the size of peas. Divide into pieces for buns, prove (that is, leave to rise in a warm place), and bake in gentle heat. They may be washed with egg and dusted with sugar before proving.

(6) Take 41b. of flour, 11b. of butter, 6oz. of sugar, 4oz. of yeast, four eggs, and sufficient milk to make all into a dough, adding essence of lemon. Warm the milk, add the sugar and yeast, with sufficient flour to make a ferment. When ready, add butter, eggs, and remainder of flour, with currants or peel to taste. Weigh or divide into 3oz. each, mould them round, egg over the top, and roll in caster sugar. Slightly prove, and bake in a moderate oven.

(7) The following receipt is that generally preferred by the famous William Gunter: Bub £lb. of butter into lib. of flour, and add five beaten eggs and 1 teacupful of yeast. Having well mixed the whole of these ingredients in a large pan, put it in a warm place to prove, and when sufficiently risen add lb. of finely-powdered sugar and loz. of powdered caraway-seeds well mixed in. Boll out, and shape into little cakes, and bake on buttered tins in a hot oven. Sift a little powdered loaf sugar on top, and stick on a few caraway comfits before putting the tins in the oven.

BATH CAKES. — See Cakes.

BATH CHAPS. — This somewhat fanciful title appears to have no definite meaning so far as the name of the city is concerned. It is only natural to associate it in some way or other with the fashionable wateringplace; but there are no authentic records that we know of to connect smoked chaps with Bath. They form,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Bath Chaps — continued.

however, a very delicious breakfast-dish when boiled or baked, and are prepared as follows:

Select cheeks from pigs not weighing more than 8 score. To each stone of chaps mix lib. each of coarse sugar and bayor rock-salt, and loz. each of pepper and saltpetre. Bub well daily for a week; turn in the pickle for another fortnight; wipe dry. Coat with coarse oatmeal warmed in an oven, and hang up to dry for a week, and then put in a smoke-house for a month. See Cueing.

Bath Chaps are best cooked by boiling, after soaking in water for a few hours. They do not require more than an hour or three-quarters of sharp cooking, according to size, and should then be allowed to cool a bit in the liquor, after which skin and sprinkle with raspings of crust, or crushed baked breadcrumbs.

BATH OLIVER BISCUITS. — See Biscuits.

BATH PIPE. — Tbis sweetmeat is a great favourite in all families as a sedative in cases of irritable cough. It is easily made, and the following is an excellent receipt for it:

Put 3oz. of gum dragon into a basin of water; allow it to soak for a day, and then rub it through a sieve. Put lqt. of this gum mucilage into a basin with joz. of oil of aniseed and 21b. of extract of liquorice made into a solution, and work in sufficient finely-crushed and sifted loaf sugar to form a very stiff paste. Pull off a small piece, roll it out with the hands until it is of the required thickness, then roll it out again with a board, pressing it very slightly and evenly, so as to have the pipe of an equal thickness all over, and with a smooth surface. Arrange these pipes on a sieve, put them in the hot closet to dry, take them out when done, and they are ready for use.

BATH POLONIES. — See Polonies.

BATH PUDDING— See Puddings.

A

BATONS.— This is the name given by French confectioners to what would be termed generally in this country “sugar sticks.” There are several receipts given for them.

Milanese Batons. - — Put £lb. of flour on a marble slab, make a hole in the centre, and mix in 5oz. of loaf sugar crushed and sifted, 1 table-spoonful of vanilla sugar, two eggs, and a small quantity of salt. Work well until the mixture is quite elastic, then divide it into twenty-four parts of equal size. Put these on a floured board, and roll them out into thin sticks. As soon as this is done, put them on a baking-sheet, pressing down the ends to keep the sticks straight while baking. Place in a moderate oven, and bake for about eight minutes. Take them out when done, and put in tins for future use.

BATON DE JACOB. — A little French cake of an oblong shape, made of a spongy character, in two halves, hollowed, into which flavoured cream is put before fastening the two halves together. The tops are often covered with chocolate icing, or other kinds of different flavour and colours.

BATTEBi. — A mixture of flour, water, milk, and eggs is so called from the amount of “ battering,” or beating, required to mix it. French cooks have no definite name for this mixture, although it is frequently used by them in preparing English and some foreign dishes.

Batter holds a very important position in British cookery, as is testified by the variety of receipts given hereunder; and in some parts of England, especially in Yorkshire, it is so highly esteemed that scarcely a dinner is provided at which it does not appear in some form or other. For frying purposes, Batter is sometimes better than, or preferred to, the old-fashioned egg-andbreadcrumb dressing — due in a measure, perhaps, to the simplicity of its application; but, excepting in rare cases, the egg-and-breadcrumb results are considered by good cooks to be more satisfactory and refined. As a paste I for puddings, it is capable of a great variety of adaptations,

Sauces, kc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENG YGL0PTED1A OF PRAGTTGAL COOKERY.

Batter — continued.

and enters in modified forms into the composition of several famous dislies, such as Muffins and Crumpets, Pancakes, Pikelets, Toad-in-the-Hole, Yorkshire Pudding, and others, to which headings special reference may be made.

Batter can he used in preparing many dishes in which Cold meats are warmed up again, or rechauffes, as they are styled. A nice mince of any meat, bound together with egg, rolled in slices of cooked bacon, then dipped in Batter, and fried in hot fat, makes a toothsome cromesky. Fish fillets served in the same way and fried are nice, and so are fillets of cold rabbit or chicken.

The following receipts, gathered from several sources, are practical and good:

Baked Batter Pudding. — Take two eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, 1 table-spoonful of butter, and 1 breakfast-cupful of milk. Put the butter in a basin, beat to a cream before the fire, beat in the eggs, add a little white sugar and a few drops of essence of lemon. Put in the flour and milk, and beat all together. Pour the mixture into a buttered shallow dish, or saucer, and bake in a sharp oven for twenty minutes or so. If cooked in saucers, they should be doubled over when turned out, and sugar placed between and over them.

Baked or Boiled Batter Pudding. — A good authority tells us that the great secret of making a light Batter Pudding is that the flour should be mixed thoroughly with water before adding the milk. The yolks and whites of the eggs also should be beaten separately.

Take Mb. of fine flour, and work it smooth, pouring in 1 gill of cold water; add by degrees 1 pint of milk, 1 pinch of salt, and the yolks of two eggs. Have a sufficiently large basin, oil it well with butter, and when ready to receive the pudding, beat up the whites of the eggs to a froth, and stir them into the Batter. Pour into the basin, cover with a cloth tied tight, and boil for an-liour-and-aquarter. If preferred, this pudding can be baked, and then

1 teaspoonful of baking-powder stirred in quickly just before baking will make it nice and light. Or put loz. of butter, lard, or clarified beef-suet into a tart-dish or bakingtin, and let it get very hot; then put in the Batter, and bake sharply for forty minutes or so.

Baked Batter Pudding with Pruit. — One pint of milk,

2 piled breakfast-cupfuls of flour, four eggs, 1 table-spoonful of butter, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 pint of fruit, pared and quartered (apples, apricots, or peaches are best). Beat the eggs well with a spoon, and add the milk to them. Add this mixture by degrees to the flour, and beat to a light smooth Batter. Sprinkle in the fruit, and pour into a greased baking-dish. Bake for half-an-hour, and serve very hot with a good wine or sweet sauce.

Baked Batter Pudding with. Marmalade. — Make a Batter of two eggs, 1 pint of milk, 6 table-spoonfuls of flour, and 1 pinch of salt. Line a pie-dish with orange marmalade or other preserve, pour the Batter into the dish, bake about forty minutes in a quick oven, turn out, and serve. Minced apples, flavoured with essence of lemon, mixed in the Batter make a very good dish.

Batter for Basting. — Put 2 table-spoonfuls of flour into a basin, and mix in two whole eggs and one yolk, 2 dessertspoonfuls of salad-oil, and a small quantity of salt. Stir in sufficient milk to make a thin paste, and it is ready for use. Hare when about half roasted should be basted with this, and is a great improvement; but the paste must be kept quite thin, or the effect will be lost.

Batter Bread. — (1) An American food held in great esteem. Break two eggs into a bowl, and beat to a stiff froth. Pour in 1 teacupful of buttermilk, 1 teacupful of water, 1 teacupful of corn-meal, the same quantity of fine flour, teaspoonful of salt, 1 heaped teaspoonful of butter melted before the fire, and beat all well together. Have eight or ten muffin-moulds already heated on a baking-sheet. Grease them well with a piece of rag or paper dipped in lard, fill each one nearly full with the Batter, first sifting and stirring into it teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Set in a hot oven, and bake until they assume a light brown

Batter — continued.

colour. New milk may be used instead of buttermilk-andwater, and then add another egg, but omit the bicarbonate of soda.

(2) Take 4 teacupfuls of corn-flour, 2 teacupfuls of sweet milk, four eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, 1 table-spoonful of lard, 1 teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and proceed as in No. 1.

(3) Take 1 teacupful of corn-flour or flour, 1 teacupful of sweet milk, 1 teacupful of butter-milk, two eggs, 1 tablespoonful of butter, 1 table-spoonful of flour, £ teaspoonful of salt, and the same quantity of bicarbonate of soda. Bake in moulds, as in No. 1, or cups.

Batter Cakes. — (1) Beat two eggs well into 1 teacupful of milk, and add it gradually to 1 pint of flour, with which 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda has been mixed, also salt to taste. When they are ready to be baked, take 1 teaspoonful of tartaric acid, and having dissolved it in 1 tablespoonful of water, woi'k in quickly and thoroughly; then lay the cakes on a greased baking-sheet, and put into a quick oven until brown.

(2) Mix 1 pint of cream, 1 pint of sour milk or butter-milk, four eggs, 1 tcaspoonful of salt, sufficient bicarbonate of soda to neutralise the acidity of the milk, and 3 pints of sifted flour, or enough to make a stiff Batter. Stir these well together, and bake in a deep dish. If for griddle cakes, the Batter may be made a little thinner, by not adding so much flour. To bo served with butter and sugar, and eaten hot for tea or breakfast.

Batter Cakes with Bread. — Take 4 pressed teacupfuls of fine breadcrumbs, 1 teacupful of flour, 2 teacupfuls of buttermilk, one egg, a little salt, and 1 tcaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Let the breadcrumbs be very small. Pour the buttermilk over them, and let it remain sufficiently long to soften, then mix in the flour, egg, and soda, and proceed as for Batter Cakes with Bice. If butter-milk cannot be obtained, use water, with 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder.

Batter Cakes with Klice. — Take 1 teacupful of thoroughlywashed and cleansed large rice, and boil in 1 pint of water, in a saucepan with the lid close on. Cold boiled rice will do quite as well. Warm £ pint of milk, and mash the rice up with it, using a little of the milk at a time, and work with a spoon until quite smooth. Add 4 table-spoonfuls of flour, 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder, and a large pinch of salt, working in with two well-beaten eggs and 2 table-spoonfuls of golden syrup. Leave covered with a cloth in a warm place for a short time, and then cut off and shape pieces the size of a small fist into flat, round cakes, and bake on a griddle. These make nice teacakes, cut open, and buttered hot.

Batter Cakes with Yeast and without Eggs. — (1) Take 1 breakfast- cupful of flour, ) pint of water or milk, breakfastcupful of yeast, 2 table-spoonfuls each of melted lard and golden syrup, and a little salt, mixing all well together. Set this Batter in a warm place in the morning, having kept it in the cool all night, and let it rise ready to cook for breakfast. Beat well with the rolling-pin, and make into cakes for baking.

(2) Put 3 breakfast-cupfuls of flour into a bowl; pour in 2 breakfast-cupfuls of lukewarm water and 1 teacupful of yeast; mix well, and set it to rise in a warm place. Add 1 tablespoonful each of melted lard and syrup, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Beat well with a spoon, divide the Batter into cakes, bake them in a moderate oven, and serve.

Batter-cream Soup. — Put 4 or 5 table-spoonfuls of flour into a saucepan, and pour in sufficient water to make a very thick Batter. Add four or five eggs, beat them well in, pour over the required quantity of well-strained and highly-seasoned boiling broth, stir well over the fire for a few minutes, pour the whole into a tureen, and serve very hot.

Batter Flannel Cakes. — Put 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour into a basin, and mix in 1 teacupful of yeast and 4 breakfast-cupfuls of warm water. Let this remain in a warm place for eight or ten hours; then add 1 table-spoonful of syrup, ljoz- of melted lard, two eggs, and 1 pinch of salt. Boll this paste out on a floured board, after it has risen again, cut it into shapes, put these in a moderate oven, and bake until done. Take them out, and serve.

Batter for Fritters. — Make a smooth Batter by mixing Mb. of flour with 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and beating in,

For details respecting Culinary Processes. Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

87

Batter — continu ed.

adding gradually, 2oz. of hot butter. When these are incorporated, beat in lightly the -whites of two eggs, whipped to a froth, and the Batter is ready for use.

Batter for Frying. — (1) Stir with a fork 1 pint of water, or milk, gradually into a well, formed in 1 breakfast-cupful of flour, allowing the water to take up the flour by degrees, and keeping fluid all the time by adding more liquid as fast as the stirring thickens. Add 1 table -spoonful of olive oil, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and wineglassful of brandy, beating together thoroughly until quite smooth. When about to use for frying, beat an egg to a froth, and mix with the above. Dip the things to be fried into the Batter so that their surfaces are equally and thoroughly covered with it; and to insure this, dry first by dabbing with a cloth.

(2) Provence. — Mix in a basin lib. of flour, the yolks of two eggs, 4 table-spoonfuls of fine oil, and sufficient cold water to form the flour into a thin paste, working it with a wooden spoon until quite smooth, and add 1 pinch of salt and the well-whipped whites of two eggs. It is essential that the fat for frying should be quite hot for this Batter; for should it not be sufficiently so, the paste will soften, and the dish look poor, instead of crisp and firm.

(3) Dutch. — This is prepared precisely the same as No. 2, except that 1 pint of good strong beer is used for moistening instead of water.

Por frying sweet things, such as apple fritters, substitute 1 table spoonful of sugar for the salt; or use the following:

Batter for Frying 1 Sweet Things. — Take breakfast- cupful of milk, one egg, 2 table-spoonfuls of warmed broth, 1 tablespoonful of golden syrup, 1 breakfast-cupful of flour, and teaspoonful of baking-powder. Mix the baking-powder and flour together, and put them with the other ingredients into a pan, the flour last. Add 1 pinch of salt, and work well with a spoon until the Batter is quite smooth. It should be thin enough to coat whatever is dipped in it, clinging in lumps like paste.

Batter for Frying Vegetables.— Mix the required quantity of flour with water to the consistency of cream, then add a small quantity of salt, 1 table-spoonful of olive oil, and H table-spoonfuls of brandy. Beat thoroughly, and a few minutes before using it add the white of an egg beaten to a froth.

Batter Pudding (Small).— Put the yolks of eight and the whites of five eggs into a basin, and beat them up well with lb- of moist sugar. Beat 4oz. of butter that has been melted, in pint of cream and 4oz. of flour. Butter some breakfast-cups, sprinkle a few well-washed currants at the bottom of them, pour the Batter in, and bake for twenty minutes. These are sometimes called “blackcaps.”

Batter Bolls. — Beat the whites of six eggs to a froth, mix with them the yolks, well beaten, and 2 table-spoonfuls of flour previously mixed with 1 pints of milk, and make with this a Batter. Put a piece of butter in an omelet-pan, and when it is hot, turn in the Batter, and fry both sides. Mask it with jam, roll it, dust caster sugar over, and serve hot.

Boiled Batter Pudding. — Stir fast-cupful of flour with £ teaspoonful of salt; beat up two eggs, and mix with 1 pint of new milk; make a well in the flour in a large basin, and add the egg and milk gradually, stirring briskly until there are no lumps. Let the Batter stand a short time to set. Butter a pudding-basin, and pour the Batter into it; tie this over tightly and securely with a floured cloth, and put it into a saucepan of boiling water to boil. Move the saucepan backwards and forwards sharply every now and then after the pudding is first put in — this will prevent the flour settling at the bottom rather more than one hour, tl

up in a basin 1 piled break

Fig. 94. Boiled Batter Pudding (Mode of Tying Cloth over Mould).

of the basin. Let it boil for en turn it out, and serve very i

Batter — continued.

hot, with either wine or sweet sauce; or mask it with orange, apple and quince, or apricot marmalade.

Clabber Batter Cakes.— Sift the required quantity of flour into a basin, and pour in sufficient clabber, or milk curdled by souring, to make it of the proper consistence. Mix in a small quantity each of bicarbonate of soda and salt, form the Batter into cakes, cook them on the griddle over the fire, and they are ready for use.

Gratinated Batter. — Pour lqt. of warm milk into a basin, mix in 5oz. of flour, strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan, and stir over a good fire until it thickens; as soon as it commences to boil, remove it to the side, and mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar, a little yeast, and a small pinch of salt. Let the Batter cook in this way for a quarter-of-anhour, by which time it should be quite thick and consistent. Turn about a fourth of this Batter into another saucepan, and thicken it quickly on the fire; when quite thick, take off the pan, work in the yolks of three or four eggs, and let this cool. Boil or simmer the remainder of the Batter for about forty-five minutes, adding from time to time a little warm milk to lighten it, as it must be quite light and free from grains. Well butter a baking-sheet, pour over a thin layer of the egg Batter, brown and dry it in a slack oven; take it out, cut it up into pieces, and remove them from the sheet by pushing a knife-blade under them. Pour the other mixture into a deep dish, cover with the pieces, and serve. Schwarn Batter. — Mix a little sugar, salt, and grated lemonpeel with Jib. of flour, adding the beaten yolks of four eggs and sufficient milk or cream to make it the consistency of thick Batter. Whisk the whites of the four eggs to a stiff froth, then stir them into the Batter. Put 2 table-spoonfuls of butter into a saucepan, and when melted pour in the Batter, put the lid on, and leave till the Batter is lightly browned at the bottom; then break it up with a fork, and leave it till set and browned again. Turn the Batter out, tear it lightly into small pieces, put it into a hot dish, pour some stewed fruit over it, and serve at once.

BATVINA, or BATUINIA.— This is the name of a Russian soup which has the unusual characteristic of being served cold. Although the mode of spelling varies somewhat according to different authorities, it is probable that the two ways given are pronounced in Russia very much the same. Dubois gives for its preparation a receipt somewhat as follows:

Blanch separately 4 handfuls of well-washed spinach and 2 handfuls of sorrel. Boil and drain them, and then press them through a sieve to make a puttie. Mix them together in a large kitchen basin, and moisten with lqt. of kislichi, a kind of sourish beer, made in Russia, in some respects resembling cider, and foaming like champagne. To this mixture add £ teaspoonful of moist sugar, and when that is stirred in, pour the whole into a silver stewpan, and keep the contents simmering by the side of the fire for a time, and then set it on the ice. Pick out five or six dozen crayfish tails, cut into thin slices a piece of braised sturgeon, and another of cold boiled salmon. Lay these on a dish. Pare two or three salted gherkins, and cut them into small squares. Garnish round the dish with little piles of these, and a tuft of scraped horseradish at each side or end. Put a few pieces of ice in the soup, and serve with the fish and garnish.

BAVARIAN’ BBBR. — According to some authorities, there is more beer consumed in Bavaria in proportion to the population than in any other country in the world. The average beer brewed is not of a very high alcoholic character, and is said to obtain some of its characteristic flavour from the pitch used to line the casks. Beer brewed from wheat — white beer — is monopolised by the Duke of Bavaria, who has established a Royal white-beer brewery.

BAVARIAN CREAMS. — A great variety of these are to be found under the name of Bavakoises, to which reference must be made for receipts for their preparation.

BAVARIAN SAUCE. — See Sauces.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, doc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TITE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

BAVAROISES. — This name was first applied to drinks that were composed of tea, coffee, or chocolate, to which capillaire syrup was added instead of sugar. During a visit of certain Bavarian princes to Paris at the beginning of the last century, they frequently took tea at the Cafe Procope. This tea was served to them at them request in crystal vessels, and instead of sugar they sweetened it with capillaire syrup, from which circumstance these drinks have obtained the name “ Bavaroises.” Modern cooks have extended its application, however, to other comestibles prepared with milk, sugar, and the yolks of eggs, and flavoured with fruits, preserves, syrups, and other things, and iced. Gouffe and Dubois were both famous for these handsome dishes, and they have deservedly become general favourites amongst our principal cooks. A very usual name for them is Bavarian Creams, under which heading some of our culinary authors include dishes that do not in any way partake of the distinguishing characteristics of the Bavaroises. As in their preparation considerable skill and culinary tact is required, they are worthy of the highest efforts of our best confectioners; and it will be seen at once that in the matter of mounting, ornamenting, and garnishing, there is no limit to the display of artistic ability that may be exercised in this alone, without taking into consideration the opportunity they offer for exhibiting taste in manipulating flavours. They are mostly prepared according to the following mode, admitting of considerable variation, especially with regard to the shape of the mould.

Fruit Bavaroise with Cream. — Set a plain charlottemould on ice, and decorate it inside with any small fruit that is in season, dipping this into liquid jelly to make it adhere to the mould. Pour over the fruit a little more of the jelly so as to cover it, but taking care not to disturb it or prevent it showing when turned out. When the jelly is set, insert in the mould a smaller one, about ljin. less in diameter. Fill the cavity between the two moulds with more of the jelly and fruit, and when these have set and are quite firm, carefully remove the inner mould by pouring warm water into it. Fill the centre of the larger mould with strawberry or any kind of cream, and let it remain until it is set. Turn the Bavaroise out of the mould on to a dish, loosening it by damping the mould with a hot cloth or dipping it into warm water. Decorate the edge at the top of the Bavaroise with diamond-shaped pieces of angelica about lin. in length, and in the centre of these pile a little well-whipped cream, sprinkled over with finely-shred pistachiokernels, colour a little more of the cream with a few drops of cochineal, take it up in small quantities with a tea or dessert-spoon, garnish the dish with it, and serve. See Almond, Apple, Apricot, Chocolate, Cocoa, Coepee, Lemon, Maraschino, Orange, Peach, Pine-apple, Pistachio, Punch, Strawberry, &c.

BAVETTE D’ALOYAU. — French for that part of beef which lies between the sirloin and the flank.

BAVEUX(SE). — The French term for slimy — commonly used to signify a partially-cooked omelette, as

omelette baveuse.

BAY-LEAVES. — These are used by cooks for flavouring; but a prejudice has existed against them for no genuine reason, but probably because the aromatic flavour and odour to some extent resemble bitter almonds. The Bay-tree is a shrub of the Laurel tribe, Laurus nobilis (Fig. 95), and grows freely in this country. The classical epicures of ancient Rome used the leaves to form their crowns of victory and triumph, as well as for culinary purposes; but the Greeks, more chaste in their ideas and less epicurean, consecrated its use to priests as well as heroes, and used it in their sacrifices. They may be gathered in the summer, tied in bunches, and hung up in paper bags to dry; but they give better results if used freshly gathered.

Bay-Leaves — continued.

Bay-leaf Flavouring 1 . — This is made by macerating for ten days Bay-leaves in rectified spirit, sufficient to cover them

Fig. 95 . Leaves, Flower, and Fruit of the Bay-tree.

when tightly packed in a bottle. The clear fluid will he

very resinous, but will give a very fine flavouring.

BAYONNAISE. — See Mayonnaise, for which this word is sometimes erroneously used.

BEACHE-DE-MER. — Sometimes this is written (erroneously) Beche-de-mer. It is a gelatinous mass found on the sand-banks and near the islands of the Chinese Archipelago, and Pacific Ocean, and commonly known as “ sea-pudding.” Along the shores of New Holland it is exceedingly abundant. The Chinese regard it as a great delicacy, and worthy to be set before a king. They cook it in various ways, and frequently add it to soups; but with that eccentric people as an exception, the seapudding is not much eaten.

Soup made from the Beache-de-mer is the turtle soup of China and Fiji, where it is regarded as a royal dish. The mode of cooking is as follows: It is soaked in cold water for an hour, scraped and cleaned, then boiled for eight hours, with some salt. After this it is again soaked for two hours in cold water. It is then boiled again for lialf-an-hour, and meat stock and seasoning added before it is ready for serving.

The Holothuria, or sea-slug, is another variety of the Beache-de-mer, and some thirty or forty kinds are enumerated by those who trade in them — black, white, red, yellow, and other colours — and when parboiled, dried, and smoked, it is a very hard, rigid, untempting-looking, brownish-black substance, which has to be softened by cooking.

BEAU'S. — Of those cultivated in this country for food there are two distinct kinds: the Broad or Windsor ( Faba vulgaris), and the Kidney Bean ( Pliaseolus vulgaris). The Broad Bean has many varieties, all having more or less similar characteristics — whereas the Kidney Bean is of two partly- distinct sorts — the Dwarf and the Runner. For culinary considerations it will be convenient to treat of them as three distinct vegetables, and then we must include the dried Beans of the Kidney species, known as “ Haricots,” the Lima or Butter Bean, and the Brazilian Black Bean, all being eaten as food in the countries where they grow.

Black Beans. — The kind of Beans known under this title are grown chiefly in Central America, and are much esteemed by both Brazilians and Mexicans, who call them Frijoles, and adapt them to various culinary processes, for which other Beans might be used.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, kc., referred to, see under their special heads

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Beans — continued.

Black-Bean Soup. — The night before the soup is made, soak 1 pint of Black Beans in 3qts. of water. On the following morning, drain the water off the Beans and put them into a saucepan with 3qts. of fresh water. When boiling, move the saucepan to the side of the fire and let them simmer for six hours, when the water should be reduced to lqt. Put in with the Beans a bunch of sweet herbs, one large onion, a slice each of carrot and turnip, and a stalk of celery, all of which have been finely chopped and fried in butter. Add a small quantity of whole allspice, cloves, mace, and cinnamon, and pour in lqt. of stock. Put 1 table-spoonful of butter and 1 table-spoonful of flour in a frying-pan, and stir over the fire till brown; then stir it into the soup, and keep it simmering for one hour. Put some slices of lemon in a soup-tureen, pour in the soup, straining it through a fine hair sieve, and serve it with a dish of egg balls.

Boiled Black Beans. — Put 1 pint of these Beans into a basin of water, and soak for about three hours. Then put them into a saucepan of water, and boil for three hours. Take them out, drain them, put them into another saucepan with a few small pieces of bacon, a little each of chutney, mushroom ketchup, anchovy paste, and gravy, and cook well for about balf-an-bour. Turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve with a garnish of boiled rice. In Brazil these Beans are cooked with various sorts of meat.

Broad Beans (Fr. Feves; Gcr. Bolmen; Ital. Gavas; Sp. Habas). — These are grown in almost every kitchen garden or patch, and have a world-wide reputation. They were known as a food to the early Egyptians and Greeks, and were possibly introduced into Britain

by the Romans. They are cultivated in China and Japan, and most parts of Africa, and some of the better kinds are believed to have been transported by the Moors into Spain, and by the Portuguese into their own country. In Barbary these Beans ripen about February, and continue in bearing throughout the whole of the spring. When stewed with oil and flavoured with garlic, they form a food that is highly esteemed by all classes of the natives.

In this country Broad or Windsor Beans are eaten in their fresh state, for when dried they are fit only for feeding horses and fattening pigs for bacon. The flour of Beans is largely used by dishonest millers to adulterate wheat-flour. It was found by Sir Humphrey Davy to contain 570 parts of nourishing matter out of every 1000: this is not so high as wheat, but it contains as a set-off a, much higher percentage of salts, such as potash and lime. The flesh-forming agent of Beans is legumin, or vegetable casein, and this is found in combination with sulphur and phosphorus. Blyth states that “both men and animals can be nourished on Beans alone for some time. Added to rice they form the staple food of large populations.”

In cooking Broad Beans it is as well to remember, as a general precaution, that they should be boiled slowly and for a long time. Old Beans, no matter how long boiled, will not soften; in fact, on prolonged boiling they become harder. As a food, they are digestible in proportion to whether they are young or old: in the latter case, a large proportion passes through the system almost unaltered. As, in any case, they are liable to produce flatulency, it is better always to eat them

For details respecting Culinary

Beans — continued.

with spices and some fatty matter, such as bacon or butter.

•

Boiled Broad Beans. — (1) When young the Beans may simply he boiled in salted water, and served up with parsley and butter. When old, the external skin may be taken off after they have been boiled, and the green part well mashed over a gentle fire, adding butter and a little flour, chopped parsley, pepper, and salt. Parmesan or other cheese, grated over and heated by the salamander, adds materially to the flavour. Some pieces of boiled bacon, cut into shapes, may be set about instead of the cheese.

(2) Shell very young and newly-gathered Beans as nearly as possible of one size. Boil them in plenty of fast-boiling salted water, with a sprig or two of savoury herbs. When boiled soft, drain them, and serve with the following sauce, either in a sauceboat, or poured over them: Mix 2oz. of butter in a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of flour; add 1 tumblerful of boiling water, pepper and salt to taste, and a handful of finely-chopped parsley. Stir continually whilst cooking, and when the sauce boils it is ready to be served with the Beans.

(3) Boil the Beans in salted water. When nearly done, drain, and stew them in a little sauce, with a bunch of parsley and green onions, a little savoury, chopped very fine, and a small lump of sugar. When they are sufficiently cooked, throw them into a thickening made of the yolks of two eggs beaten up lightly with a little cream. Serve them with a savoury sauce. When the Beans are large, you must skin off the white coats and boil the green bodies in salted water. Cook them as for No. 4, not longer, and serve same way.

(4) (After Soyer).— Take 2qts. of Beans directly they are shelled, and boil them nearly ten minutes in salted water. When done, drain them upon a sieve, and put them into a stewpan. Pour J pint of maitre-d’hotel sauce over them, and add a little chopped tarragon and powdered sugar. Warm up, and serve.

Boiled. Broad Beaus and Bacon. — (1) Put a piece of streaky bacon into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover it, and boil for half-an-hour; then add the required quantity of Beans, and continue to boil until they are done. Take them out, drain them, and serve very hot, either with the bacon or without, as desired.

(2) Take a piece of streaky bacon, or back, and boil it for a couple of hours. When ready to send up, take off the rind, and braise the bacon over the top with a red-hot shovel or salamander. Powder the bacon over with raspings of bread, give it a pleasing shape, and lay it over the Beans, that have been boiled in salted water only, without any sauce. Send up separately in a boat some chopped parsley in melted butter. Beans, when young, are likewise an excellent garnish to a ham; servo them plain round it, and cook them as directed above.

Broad Beans and Cream. — Boil full-grown shelled Broad Beans in salted water, with sprigs of summer savoury. When very nearly or quite done, drain them, peel off their skins (which French cooks call their robes), and put them into a stewpan with a lump of butter the size of a fowl’s egg, a dust of flour, the same of sugar, and a little parsley and summer savoury, chopped very fine. Give them a few minutes’ tossing in this, then add 1 breakfast-cupful of cream. When all is well-heated, take up the Beans, pile them on a hot dish, thicken the cream with yolk of egg, pour it over them, and serve hot.

French or Kidney Beans (Fr. Haricots verts; Ger. Grime Bolmen; Ital. Flaginoli; Sp. Habichuelas, Judias,

Fig. 97. Dwarf or French Bean.

Alubias verdes). — Whether as dwarfs (Fig. 97) or Scarletrunners (Fig. 98), this vegetable has been a favourite of kings for centuries past. The first idea of cultivating the Scarlet-runner was for ladies’ bouquets, on account of the

Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Beaus —continued.

exquisite colour of tlie flower, and it is stated that for more than a hundred years it maintained its ornamental reputation, the pod being unknown as a food until a gardener of Chelsea, named Miller, discovered late in the eighteenth century that it was good to eat. With the exception of the superior quality of the pods of the dwarf Kidney Beans, there is little to choose between the two kinds for flavour.

Fig. 98. Scarlet-runner Bean.

The varieties of each kind cultivated by market and private gardeners are more numerous than useful so far as the quality of the vegetable is concerned; it is only necessary in purchasing to see that they are young, crisp, and juicy. They become limp and had to cook very soon after gathering. The term kidney is applied to this vegetable on account of the shape of the Bean.

Always select those with smooth skins, and which will break across easily and clean without hanging by a shred. Wash them, cut off both ends, and pull away the strings at the edges, then cut them slantingly across (Fig. 100) — not in long shreds, or they will lose all their flavour in the cooking.

Boiled French Beans. — (1) Take 2qts. of fresh tender Beans, break off the tops and bottoms carefully, string' both sides, and pare both edges neatly; wash them well in cold water, and drain. Place them in boiling salted water, and cook for twenty-five minutes. Drain again, and return them to cold water, letting them get thoroughly cool. Lift them out, and dry. They are now ready to use when required for salads or any other purpose.

(2) String 2qts. of Beans; if too large cut them lengthwise in halves, and cook them in water with salt and butter; drain, and place them in a saucepan with loz. of butter; add 1 teaspoonful of parsley and the same of chopped chives. Cook for five minutes longer, and when done, thicken the gravy with breakfast-cupful of cream, the yolks of two eggs, and the juice of a lemon. Mix well together for two minutes, and serve.

French Beans for Garnishing 1 . — Select a few large, young, and fresh French Beans, cut them across to form diamondshapes (see Fig. 99), and boil them in salted water. When

Fig 99. How to Cut French Beans into Diamonds for Garnishing.

done, drain them on a sieve, and put them into a saute-pan with some butter for a few minutes. They are then ready for use.

French Beans Plain-boiled.— (1) Cut the Beans into thin shreds, removing the ends. They should bo quite young, and fresh gathered. Throw them into boiling water with a piece of common soda the size of a small nut, and boil from ten to twenty minutes, according to the age of the Beans. They should be piled on a strainer, and served without sauce. They may also be boiled whole, when the flavour is decidedly better, none of the juice being lost by bleeding from the cut surfaces.

Beans — continued.

(2) The nice flavour of this vegetable depends on its freshness and the mode of cooking. It is better not to cut them, but simply to take off the tops and tails, pull away the thin stringy strip at each side of the Bean, and then wash them, but do not leave them in the water. Throw them into a saucepan of boiling water, salted with 1 tablespoonful of salt to each igall. of water, and boil quickly with the lid off until they are quite tender. Drain in a colander or sieve until all the water has run from them, then pile on a vegetable dish, and put several pieces of fresh butter over and about them.

(3) Pick the Beans carefully over, wash, and throw them into fast-boiling salted water, and boil in an uncovered stewpan until tender. Drain, and put them again into a stewpan with a large piece of butter and a squeeze of lemon-juice added. Toss about over the fire for a few minutes, and then serve.

(4) Cut enough young Beans into long shreds (see Fig. 100) to fill a large dish. Have a stewpan with lgall. of water, into which you have put £lb. of salt. When boiling, put in the Beans, which must boil very fast until tender.

When done, strain, put a layer of them upon the dish, with bits of butter all over them, and sprinkle with pepper and salt; then put on more Beans, and proceed as before, till you have formed a pyramid of them; then serve very hot.

(5) Pick and wash lib. of French Beans, and put them into a gallon stewpan, with 3qts. of boiling water and 1 pinch of salt; boil till tender. Gouffe gives the following receipt for a sauce to serve them in: Put in a 2qt. stewpan loz. of butter and loz. of flour; stir over the fire for three minutes, and add 3 gills of water and 1 pinch of salt; boil for ten minutes; thicken with two yolks of eggs and oz. of butter. Drain the Beans, put them in the sauce, with J table-spoonful of chopped parsley, mix, and serve. These Beans will retain their colour if boiled on a sharp fire, with plenty of water, in an uncovered stewpan, and a small quantity of salt only in the water.

(G) Boil in plenty of salted water over a sharp fire, that they may retain their green colour. Cut some onions into slices, and fry them a fine brown colour; take 2 tablespoonfuls of Spanish sauce, and work into it 1 dessertspoonful of fresh butter warmed. After draining the onions and Beans, pour them into the sauce, keep stirring, season them well with salt and a little pepper, and serve up hot all together.

French Beans a l’Angdaise. — Blanch and cook the Beans as for Boiled French Beans, keep them warm and of a light green colour, place them on a hot dish, pour over them 1 gill of melted butter, sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top, and serve very hot.

French Beans a la Bretonne. — Cut a medium-sized onion into dice-shaped pieces, and place these in a saucepan with ljoz. of butter; let it get a golden colour on the stove for five minutes, and add 1 table-spoonful of flour. Stir well, and moisten it with 1 pint of white broth. Stir well again, until it comes to a boil, and season with pinch each of salt and pepper; add the cooked Beans, with a clove of crushed garlic, to the sauce, cook for ten minutes, place on a hot dish, sprinkle 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley over it, and serve.

French Beans with Cream. — (1) Prepare 3 breakfastcupfuls or so of French Beans, put them into a saucepan of slightly-salted water, and boil until tender. In the meantime put the yolks of three eggs into a basin, and beat them up with 2 table-spoonfuls of cream; add 2oz. of warm butter, beat well, pour the mixture into a saucepan on the fire, and when it is very hot mix in 1 or 2 table-spoonfuls . of vinegar, together with the Beans; after they have been

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred, to, see under their special heads.

TIIE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

91

Beans — continued.

drained, remove the pan to the side of the fire, and steam them gently for six or seven minutes, stirring constantly. When done, turn the preparation out on to a dish, and serve at once.

(2) Put 2qt.s. of blanched Beans into a saucepan with loz. of butter, and cook on the stove for five minutes, tossing them well. Season with i pinch of salt, the same of pepper, and add bunch of chives, and two sprigs of parsley tied together. Pour in ij breakfast-cupful of cream or milk, diluted with the yolks of two eggs. Heat well, without boiling, for five minutes. Then serve as a hors d’oeuvre or entremet. Sugar may be added with advantage, if desired.

French Beans with Garlic.— Boil the Beans in slightlysalted water until they are tender. Take two small pieces of garlic which have been crushed on the dresser with a wooden spoon, and mix them with a little fresh butter. Drain quite dry, and then stir in lightly the garlic with £lb. of butter, and keep stirring the Beans till the whole is well combined. Mix some fine herbs, such as parsley and shallots, chopped fine, or green onions, with the above, and pour over them a little olive oil. Continue the stirring, and then the oil will form a paste. Season it well, and add the juice of a lemon. Servo up hot and quickly, that the oil may not drop through.

French Beans with Gravy.— Put 1 pint or so of cold, cooked French Beans into a saucepan with a little chopped parsley and onions, fried in butter, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss them over the fire for about ten minutes. Now pour in sufficient stock and gravy from roasted meat to moisten, cook gently for fifteen minutes, skim out the Beans and put them on a dish. Add the yolks of two or three eggs to the gravy to thicken it, pour it over the Beans, and serve very hot.

French Beans with Parsley and Butter. — Put about 2oz. of butter into a saucepan, sprinkle in a few chopped, green parsley leaves, and about lqt. of French Beans, stir well until the butter is melted, the Beans are coated with it, and the parsley is equally spread over them. Cover over the pan, cook gently on the side of the fire for fifteen or twenty minutes, and serve.

French Beans a la Ponlette. — (1) Prepare and boil the Beans as before, and when done drain them quite dry, put them into a stewpan with £ pint of bechamel sauce, 6 table-spoonfuls of stock, pepper, salt, 1 teaspoonful of caster sugar, a bunch of small green onions, and parsley, and stew gently for ten minutes; take out the bunch, add 1 tcaspoonful of chopped parsley, and finish with a liaison of two yolks of eggs mixed with 1 gill of cream; stir this in quickly, and when it begins to thicken, it is ready to serve.

(2) Prepare the required quantity of young French Beans by stringing them or removing the fibres; wash them thoroughly, put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil them. When done, strain off the water, add a little warm butter, well seasoned with chopped parsley and chives, toss the pan over the fire for a few minutes, mix in a little flour and salt, pour in a sufficient quantity of stock to moisten, reduce quickly, and add the yolks of eggs to thicken. When done, remove the saucepan from the fire, squeeze in a, little lemonjuice, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

French-Bean Salad. — (1) Blanch some French Beans, cut up into diamond-shaped pieces, let them cool, and drain thoroughly; mix them up with salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, and a little ravigote sauce, turn the salad into a croustade made of paste, and serve cold.

(2) Take lqt. of cooked French Beans; place them in a

salad-bowl, seasoning with 1 pinch of salt, £ pinch of pepper, and sprinkle over 1 pinch of chopped parsley; add 3 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and 2 table-spoonfuls of oil, and mix all well together with a wooden spoon before serving.

French Beans with Salted Herrings. — This is a much esteemed German dish, and is very easily prepared. Slice lengthwise a few handfuls of tender French Beans, put them into a saucepan and moisten to half their height with white broth. Bring the liquor to the boil, remove the pan to a moderate fire, and finish cooking the Beans. When they are done and the liquor is well reduced, season with salt,

Beans — continued.

pepper, and pounded dry or chopped fresh savoury, add a thickening of butter, turn the whole out on a dish, and keep hot. Well wash two or three salted herrings, cut off their heads, skin them and cut them up into slices, slightly slanting. Spread a dish over with vino-leaves, arrange the herrings in their original forms on top, and serve at the same time as the Beans.

French. Beans Sautes in Butter. — Take £qt. of fine French Beans, parboil them in boiling and slightly-salted water for one-and-a-half minutes, drain them on a colander, and place them immediately in a saucepan on a hot stove with loz. of butter; season with 1 teaspoonful of salt, and shuffle lightly with a wooden spoon while cooking for three minutes. When ready add teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley; place them on a hot dish, and serve.

Mixed Beans Fanaclies. — Place pint of cooked blanched French Beans and the same quantity of Scarlet-runners or Lima Beans in a saute-pan with ljoz. of butter, season with pinch each of salt and pepper, toss them well while cooking for five minutes, place them on a hot dish, sprinkle over a pinch of chopped parsley, and serve.

Pickled French Beans.— (1) For this, the Beans should bo gathered before they are stringy, and the stalk-end should not be cut off. Put the required quantity into a basin of brine — which must bo very strong — and let them remain until they turn yellow. Take out and drain them, put them into a jar, pour over boiling water, cover over to prevent the steam escaping, and let them remain for a day. Drain off the water and repeat the process for four days, by which time the Beans will turn green again. Turn them, without the water, into a jar, add a little bruised ginger and a few peppercorns, pour over hot vinegar to cover them, and in a day or two they will be ready for use.

(2) Put the French Beans into a bowl together with 'sufficient brine to cover them, and let them remain for a day; boil up the brine and pour it over them, continuing this for ten days, and then leave them for two or three weeks before boiling again. Put them into fresh water to soak out the salt, changing it frequently until they are sufficiently fresh; then put them into an iron vessel, with sufficient vinegar to cover them, and keep them on the side of the fire until the liquor is nearly boiling. Take them out, put them into another vessel, cover with more cold vinegar, and add a seasoning of mustard-seed, olive oil, green pepper pods, horseradish, allspice, ginger, mace, and cloves, mixing in lib. of moist sugar to each gallon of vinegar. In a few days the Beans will be fit for use.

Flageolets. — This is a term used for French Beans in their second stage — that is, before the shells are too old to be eaten, and the Beans inside are green and like peas. They can be cooked in the same way as green peas; but if they are in cans or preserved, they must be well washed and dried on a cloth before being used.

Haricot Beans (Fr. Haricots blancs; Ger. Weisse Bohnen). — These are simply the dried seeds of the Kidney Bean, of which the white variety, whether large (runner) or small (dwarf) are usually selected for cooking. The reason of this selection is chiefly for the sake of appearance, there being little or no difference in the nutritive and culinary qualities of red or white. Before purchasing these Beans, it is advisable to snap one through, when the kernel being exposed will enable you to judge by its colour and general quality whether they are this year’s Beans or last. New Beans only are fit for cooking or eating — those of another year, whilst probably answering the purpose of seed, are so hardened by keeping that they are not only difficult to soften, but indigestible when served. The meal resembles that of the dried Broad Bean in some particulars, but differs in that it is much more delicately flavoured. Baked Haricot Beans.— Wash lqt. of Beaus, put them into a basin with sufficient cold water to cover them, and let them soak for ten or twelve hours. Strain off the water, put the Beans in a saucepan, cover them with boiling water, put 21b. of corned beef or pork into the saucepan with them, and boil until the Beans begin to split open. It will take from halfan-hour to an hour, according to the age of the Beans. Take

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Beans — continued.

out the meat, turn the Beans into a sieve, and pour over several quarts of cold water. Put half of them into a deep earthenware pot, called a Bean-pot, place the meat on them, scoring the rind of pork if it is used, and cover over with the remainder of the Beans. Add 1 teaspoonful of mustard and 1 table-spoonful of molasses mixed in a little water, and pour over sufficient boiling water to cover the Beans. Put the pot into a moderate oven, and bake slowly for ten hours, adding a little water occasionally as required. When done, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

Boiled Haricot Beans. — (1) Soak the Beans required in cold water all night; then put them in cold water with salt enough to cover them, and let them simmer until they are tender, which may be some two hours or more. Strain off the water, and leave them to steam until wanted. Serve hot with parsley and butter. The water in which the Beans were boiled makes good soup. Or they may be put into a large earthenware jar and seasoned with pepper and salt, with sufficient water added to cover them. A few slices of fat bacon on the Beans is very much liked by some. Bake three hours in a fairly hot oven.

(2) Boil as above (No. 1) till quite tender, then drain, and put them at once into a stewpan, with some fresh butter, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little lemon-juice; toss them well, and serve very hot.

Boiled Haricot Beans with Capsicum Butter. — Put the

required quantity of Beans into a saucepan of water over the fire, and boil them. When they are done, take them out, drain, and put them into another saucepan with some capsicum butter, and toss them over the fire for a few minutes. When done, put them on a dish, and serve.

Fricassee of White Haricot Beans. — Blanch and skin lqt. of freshly-gathered White Kidney Beans, put them into a saucepan with 1 breakfast-cupful of water or veal broth, and add a small bunch of sweet herbs, a little each of mace, grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and 1 wineglassful of white wine. Cover over the saucepan, and cook gently for fifteen minutes; then remove the bunch of sweet herbs, and add a small lump of butter kneaded with flour, tossing it about in the pan until it is dissolved and the liquor thick. Put the yolks of two eggs in a basin, pour in 1 breakfast-cupful of cream, and beat well together; add them to the saucepan, and shake it in one direction until the liquor is quite thick and smooth. Remove the pan from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon, turn the fricassee on to a hot dish, and serve. If dried Beans are used, they must be soaked in salted water for ten or twelve hours, and then boiled until they are tender, when the skins will easily come off.

Fried Haricot Beans. - — Cold Beans are nice warmed up in the following manner: Put 1 breakfast- cupful of dripping into a stewpan, and let it heat to a froth; then put in some of the Beans, with a very little chopped sage, and toss them about with a wooden spoon till they are a pale gold colour. Remove them from the fat, and put to warm whilst more are cooking; let them all drain for a minute or two, adding pepper and salt to taste, and serve hot.

Haricot Beans and Boiled Pork. — Take a suitable piece of salt pork, score the skin, and boil for half-an-hour. To each pound of meat take lqt. of Beans that have been soaked over night in soft water. Put them on

to boil in cold water, and when they are soft drain off the water thoroughly, and having set the pork in a deep dish on a layer of the Beans, cover it nearly over with the remainder, adding 1 breakfast-cupful of warm water. Bake a nice brown. A dessert-spoonful of moist sugar mixed with the Beans before placing them in the dish, is considered by many to be a genuine improvement.

Haricot Beaus a la Maxtre d’Hotel. — For this dish it is best to have the Beans fresh shelled, of which about lqt. will be sufficient for a dish. Boil 3qts. of water, with 3 pinches of salt, in a gallon stewpan; when boiling, throw in the Beans, and simmer gently for two or three hours, or until they are done — which can be ascertained by pressing one between the fingers, when it should crush easily. Drain them, and put them back into the emptied stewpan. Mix ioz. of flour with loz. of butter to a smooth paste, divide it in small pieces, and add these to the Beans, with 1 salt

Beans — continued.

spoonful of salt, 1 pinch of pepper, 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley, and .j teacupful of the liquor in which the Beans have been boiled. Toss the Beans till the stock thickens, and then serve hot.

Haricot Beans and Marrow. — Put the required quantity of -Haricot Beans into a saucepan of salted water over the fire, and boil them. Take them out, drain, put them into a saucepan with some beef-marrow, warm all together, sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, and add a little lemon-juice. Turn the mixture out on to a dish, and serve.

Haricot-Bean Omelet. — Wash and prepare 1 pint of Haricot Beans by steeping them in slightly-salted water for six or eight hours. Put them into a saucepan of water and boil them until perfectly soft; take them out, mash them up with 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, and rub the whole through a fine sieve into a basin. Mix in 4 table-spoonfuls of finelysifted breadcrumbs, the yolks and whites of eight eggs beaten separately, 2 table-spoonfuls of dissolved butter, loz. of minced parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the omelet, when well mixed, into a buttered pan, and bake in a moderately hot oven for from three-quarters-of-an-hour to an hour. Serve on a hot dish, with sharp brown sauce in a sauceboat.

Haricot Beans Panaches a la Maitre d’Hotel. — Put £ pint each of Haricot and French Beans into separate saucepans of water, and boil them until they are tender. Put 2oz. of butter into a frying-pan, melt it, drain the Beans, and put them in; toss the pan until they are well mixed and quite hot, then turn them out on to a dish, and serve with fried bread for garnish.

Haricot-Bean Porridge. — Put 1 pint of dry white Beans into a basin of water, and soak them for ten or twelve hours. Drain off the water, put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, add a small quantity of bicarbonate of soda, and boil until they are soft. Put 51b. of corned beef — not too salt — or 41b. of beef and lib. of salted pork, into a saucepan of water, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for five or six hours, or until the meat is quite done and tender. Take out the meat, cut it up in pieces about 2in. square, removing all the bone, skin, and gristle; skim the liquor, put the meat and drained Beans into it, set the saucepan back on the side of the fire, and simmer for three or four hours longer, by which time nearly all the Beans should have broken. Put 4 table-spoonfuls of corn-flour into a basin, make it into a smooth paste with water, stir it into the saucepan with the Beans, sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for half-an-hour longer, by which time the liquor should be quite thick, and the meat will easily fall apart. Add 1 pint of hulled corn, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve with slices of brown bread.

Haricot-Beau Puree for Soup. — Put 1 breakfast-cupful of dried Beans into a saucepan of water with a small lump of bicarbonate of soda, and boil them until they are perfectly soft. Rub them through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pour in gradually 4 gall, of good stock, and stir well. Add 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped onion, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for from fifteen to twenty minutes. Add a little seasoning of well-minced red pepper and salt, and 1 teaspoonful of made mustard mixed in with 1 table-spoonful of thickening; sprinkle over a little chopped parsley when the soup is in the tureen, and serve with crusts of bread or toast.

Haricot-Bean Soup. — (1) Put 3qts. of soup stock into a saucepan with 1 breakfast-cupful or more of vegetables, such as onions, carrots, and turnips, cut up very small, having the onion in excess; add also 3 breakfast- cupfuls of cooked Haricot Beans, and boil for half-an-hour. Add 1 table-spoonful of flour, wet with water, sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste, and a little chopped parsley. Turn the soup into a tureen, and serve.

(2) Put 2 breakfast- cupfuls of Haricot Beans into a bowl of cold water and let them soak for ton or twelve hours. Put them into a saucepan with three times the quantity of water, and add a sprig or two of parsley, a little whole pepper, salt to taste, a bay -leaf, an onion stuck with three cloves, and a head of celery. Boil slowly until the Beans are done, strain off the liquor, and rub the remainder through a fine sieve

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Beans — continued.

into another saucepan. Stir well over the fire, add 1 oz. or 2oz. of butter, and, if required, a little of the Bean liquor, and serve.

(3) Put 1 teaeupful of white Haricot Beans into a basin, pour over sufficient boiling water to cover them, and let them remain for five or six minutes; take off their skins, and plunge the Beans into cold water. The skins, being very indigestible, should always be removed before cooking. Pour lqt. of water over the Beans in a saucepan, add two onions and 2oz. of fat bacon or pickled pork, and boil for about three hours, by which time they should be perfectly tender. A little more boiling water should be added now and then, otherwise the Beans are liable to stick to the pan. Take out the bacon or pork, mince it as fine as possible, rub the remainder through a sieve into a saucepan, put in the mince, add more broth or water, according to the thickness of the soup required, boil well again, turn the soup into a tureen, and serve very hot. Should the skins not be taken off the Beans, they will require longer to cook.

Potted Haricot Beans. — Take 1 pint or so of cold boiled Haricots — boiled in plain salted water. Pound them in a mortar, and add 3oz. or 4oz. of grated Cheshire cheese (or any other well-flavoured cheese), 2 table- spoonfuls of breadcrumbs, 2oz. of butter, some salt, cayenne, and nutmeg to taste. Mix thoroughly, fill into small jars, pour warm butter over, and use as potted meat. This makes a nice savoury for luncheon, but must be highly seasoned, or it will be somewhat insipid.

Preserved Haricot Beans. — For this the skins must be removed either by steeping the Beans in soft water for ten or twelve hours, or by pouring over them boiling water, letting it get cold, pouring it away, and adding more boiling water, by which time the skins can easily bo removed. Put the Beans into a saucepan with sufficient soft water to cover them, and boil until they are done, adding more boiling water as the other evaporates or is absorbed, and having only sufficient to moisten the Beans when done. Put them away in jars, and use as required.

Puree of Haricot Beans. — New White Beans freshly- gathered and shelled are the best for a pur£e. Put them into boiling water if fresh, and into cold water if dried, with a little butter, which will make the skins mellow. When they are thoroughly cooked, throw in 1 table-spoonful of salt. Fry a sliced onion in a little butter, and when the slices are of a nice brown colour dredge them with about table-spoonful of flour; moisten with veal or other stock, and season with a little salt and pepper. When the flour is done, mix it all well with the Beans; let them boil fifteen minutes longer, squeeze them well, and then rub them through a sieve. Let the puree be rather liquid, as it is likely to thicken on the fire. A short time before it is served, mix a little butter with the puree. This makes a nice additional vegetable for roast pork and other meats. A squeeze of lemon-juice over them is an addition.

Puree of Haricot Beans fl, la Soubise. — After soaking 1 pint of White Haricot Beans for four hours, cook them in a saucepan with loz. of butter and two sliced onions, and moisten with 3 pints of white broth, seasoning with % tablespoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Boil for forty-five minutes; then rub through a fine sieve, and serve with a thickening made of the yolks of two eggs and i breakfastcupful of cream. Add twelve forcemeat quenelles to the soup, and serve.

Puree of Red Haricot Beans.— Put 1 pint of Red Beans into a saucepan of salted water, add one onion, one carrot, and a bunch of sweet herbs; put the saucepan on the fire, and boil until they are quite tender. When done, pour off the water, and rub the remainder through a fine sieve into another saucepan; add a little butter or gravy, and stew for a few minutes. Turn the puree on to a dish, garnish with pieces of toast or fried bread, and serve.

Red Haricot Beans a la Bourguignonne.— (1) Put some Red Haricot Beans into a saucepan with sufficient stock to cover them, and add a large lump of butter, one onion stuck with cloves, and a bunch of sweet herbs. Boil until the Beans are thoroughly done; then remove the herbs and onion, add salt and pepper to taste, and a small quantity of red wine; make the whole quite hot, turn it out on to a dish, and serve.

Beans — continued.

(2) Take lqt. of Red Beans, piok out any stones; wash them thoroughly, lay them in plenty of cold water, and lot them soak for six hours. Drain, and put them in a saucepan, covering with fresh water, adding loz. of butter, a bouquet garni, and a medium-sized onion, with two cloves stuck in it. Boil for twenty minutes, stirring in 1 wineglassful of red wine; season with 1 pinch of salt and £ pinch of pepper, and let this cook for forty-five minutes longer. Remove, take out the onion and bouquet, place the Beans in a hot deep dish. Decorate with six small glazed onions round the dish, and serve.

Red Haricot Bean Puree Soup.- — Place in a saucepan 1 pint of Red Beans previously soaked for four hours in cold water. Moisten with lqt. of white broth. Cook till soft, rub them through a sieve, and add 2oz. of blanched salt pork, one onion, one carrot, a bouquet garni, and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Cook thoroughly for one hour; then strain, add i wineglassful of claret, and serve with 2 table-spoonfuls of small croutons of fried bread.

Red Haricot Beans with Wine.— Put 1 pint of Red Haricot Beans into a saucepan with a piece of smoked blanched bacon and boil them. In the meantime, blanch two dozen small onions, fry them in butter, add a little broth, and reduce to a glaze. Drain the Beans, put them into a saucepan with 1 pint of white wine, reduce to about one-third, simmer gently for about fifteen minutes, and add a thickening of well-kneaded butter. Turn the Beans on to a dish, garnish them with the bacon cut into slices and the glazed onions, and serve.

Salad of Boiled Haricot Beans.— Lot the Beans be cold, put them in a salad-bowl, and season with oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt, and 1 table-spoonful of chervil and tarragon, chopped fine.

Stewed Haricot Beans. — Take lqt. of Haricot Beans, and boil them till tender. Next take lb. of streaky bacon, remove tho rind, and cut the bacon into pieces lin. long and in. thick; scald these for five minutes in boiling water, drain, and put into a 2qt. stewpan; stir over tho fire till of a light brown colour, then add ioz. of flour, and stir for throe minutes more; next add a tumblerful of French r'ed wine, 2 teacupfuls of water, and 1 saltspoonful of popper, and simmer for twenty-five minutes. Drain tho Beans, put them into the stewpan with tho bacon, and add loz. of butter. Toss over the fire till tho butter is melted, and serve very hot.

Stewed Red Haricot Beans. — Remove tho rind of ilb. of streaky bacon, cut it up into pieces lin. long and Jin. thick, and put them into boiling water to blanch. Take them out in fivo minutes time, drain, put them into a large saucepan over the fire, and cook until they are of a light brown colour. Then add ioz. of flour, stir for two or three minutes longer, and add 3 teacupfuls of red wine, 2 teacupfuls of water, and a littlo pepper. Simmer gently on tho side of tho fire for twenty-five minutes, then add lqt. of boiled Red Haricot Beans and loz. of butter, and toss the pan for a few minutes to melt tho butter. Turn the whole out on to a hot dish, and serve.

White Haricot Beans and Cream. — Put two or three boiled and mashed onions into a saucepan with 1 gill of cream, and add ljoz. of butter, a little grated nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Now add about lqt. of cooked Haricot Beans, and stir gently over the lire until they are hot but without boiling; they aro then ready for use.

White Haricot Beans in Gravy. — Put a littlo butter and flour into a saucepan to prepare a roux, put in a few chopped onions to brown them, and add a little gravy and stock and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Have ready some boiled Haricot Beans, toss them in tho roux for about ten minutes, add 1 table-spoonful or so more of the gravy, and pour the whole over the meat with which they are to be served.

White Haricot Bean Puree.— Soak 1 pint of White Beans in water for a few hours, and boil them in lqt. of broth

until they are soft. Rub the Beans and broth through a

sieve, and add to the puree 2oz. of butter and a bouquet garni. Season with f table-spoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of

pepper. Cook well for half-an-hour, then strain the soup,

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Bear’s Paws — continued.

Beans — continued.

and stir in 1 teacupful of good cream. Serve with sippets of toast. It is advisable not to let the soup boil again after adding the cream, and to remove the herbs before straining.

Lima or Butter Beans. — Jerrold informs us in “ Our Kitchen Garden,” that “ The Butter Bean, Mount d’Or, or Golden Butter Bean, and Haricot d’Algiers, or Wax Runner, have not received the attention they deserve.” They gi - ow to the height of 6ft., are prolific bearers, and the pods having no tough inside skins, the Beans are cooked entire, forming a delicious dish when boiled and eaten with fresh butter, salt, and pepper. Lima Beans are greatly appreciated in the United States.

Boiled Dried Lima or Butter Beans.— (1) Soak 1 breakfastcupful of dried Lima Beans in water for two or three hours; then drain, and boil them in salted water for one hour. When cooked, drain ofE the water, put some pieces of butter in, then turn them all on to a dish, and serve.

(2) Put the Beans to soak overnight. Next morning soak again in fresh water till two hours before they are wanted for dinner. Boil steadily in a covered saucepan nntil tender. Drain, and stir up with them 1 table-spoonful of fresh butter and a little salt.

Boiled Lima Beans.— (1) Shell, and throw into cold water lqt. of Beans, and leave them ready for use. An hour before dinner put them into boiling water, add some salt, and boil them; when tender, drain off the water, and add 1 table-spoonful of fresh butter. These Beans want thoroughly cooking.

(2) Boil thoroughly as above (No. 1), and when tender, drain, and stew them a little time with butter, pepper, salt, and 1 gill of cream.

(3) Put the required quantity of Butter Beans into a saucepan of water, with a small piece of bacon and a little salt, and boil them until they are quite soft. Take them out, drain, and put them on a dish, sprinkle them well over with pepper, pour over a little melted butter, and serve. If desired, after the Beans have been boiled they may be fried or baked.

Cream of Lima Beans. — Put 2oz. of butter in a saucepan with pint of mirepoix, 1 table-spoonful of flour', and 1 pint of boiled Lima Beans, seasoning with £ table-spoonful of salt. Moisten with 3 pints of white broth, and cook for thirty minutes. Then strain through a sieve, and serve with 1 teacupful of cream and a handful of croutons souffles.

Lima Beans Sautes. — Take lqt. of freshly-shelled Lima Beans, or 3qts. of unshelled, and parboil them in salted water for about twenty minutes; then take them from the fire, drain, and cool in fresh water. Drain again, and place them in a saute-pan with l£oz. of butter, seasoning with pinch each of salt and pepper, and -1, pinch of nutmeg. Cook for five minutes, tossing well; then moisten with 2 table-spoonfuls of cream, adding 1 pinch of chopped parsley. Mix well together, and serve.

BEAR. — Tlie flesh of this animal, if young and well kept (almost to spoiling), is very good eating: it has the taste of sweet pork, but is very dark-coloured, and, like pork, difficult to cook thoroughly. The meat of the Black Bear is considered to he the best, and a steak or roasted ham served with red or black-currant jelly, or cranberry sauce, is not by any means to be despised; indeed, such luxuries are high-priced — more on account probably of their scarcity than their quality. The flank and breast make good soup, stews, or ragouts.

BEAR’S PAWS. — This exceptionally Russian dish has no place in English cookery; nevertheless, the manner of preparing it may be of some interest.

Wash the bear’s paws, wipe, salt, and put them into a kitchen basin; cover them with cooked marinade, and let them macerate for two or three days. Spread a stewpan with trimmings of bacon and ham, and sliced vegetables; place the paws thereon, moisten with the marinade and a good broth, cover them with thin layers of bacon, and boil them for seven or eight hours on a slow fire, adding more broth

as the stock reduces. The paws being tender, leave them in their stock until nearly cold; then drain, wipe, and divide each of them into four pieces lengthwise; sprinkle over cayenne . pepper, roll them in melted lard and breadcrumbs, and broil them for half-an-hour over a very slow fire; then dish up. Pour on th9 dish some piquante sauce, and stir in 2 table-spoonfuls of red-currant jelly. The mode of dishing would depend upon a variety of circumstances.

BPARNAIS(E). — This term is used in French cookery to signify common quality, and is applied chiefly to meat of stringy, lean character, such as might be expected from animals bred in mountainous districts, such as Beam, a province in the South-west of France. See Sauces.

BfATXLI.ES. — Fr. for delicate luxuries, such as sweetbreads, cocks’ combs, Strasburg fat livers, and viands of that description. “ Une assiette de Beatilles” means a plate of dainty, choice food.

BEAUFORT PUNCH.— See Punch.

BEAUFORT PUDDING. — See Puddings. BEAULIEU CAKES— See Cakes.

BEAULIEU PUDDING.— See Puddings.

BEAUVILLIERS CAKE. — This is named after a celebrated French cook, who kept a famous restaurant in Paris, near the Palais Royal. He was also the author of “L’Art de Cuisinier” (1814), a work of considerable merit in those days. See Oakes.

BECCAPICO.— See Fig -PECKER.

BfCHAMEL.— A white sauce made of veloute (see Sauces) and milk reduced by boiling. It is named after Louis de Bechamel, or Bechameil, Marquis of Nointel, to whom its invention is attributed. Grinod, the French author, states that the Marquis of Bechamel was maitre d’hotel to Louis XIY., and was immortalised by inventing this sauce. Anyhow, it is a great favourite in all kitchens nowadays, and some receipts for its preparation will be found under Sauces. Bechamel graisse is another sauce of the same kind, but rather more elaborate in its preparation, being made of dice of bacon, veal-fat, several vegetables, and broth, the whole being highly seasoned with spices and aromatics.

BEDAGOSA. — A fictitious coffee, prepared from cassia-seeds, and frequently used on the Continent for adulterating.

BEEP (Fr. Bceuf; Ger., Rindfleisch; Ital. Manzo, Carne di Bue; Sp. Yaca la Carne de la Yaca, 6 del Buey). — The English race are famous for their Beef, and owe much of their courage and prowess, it is said, to its consumption as food. “The glorious roast Beef of Old England” has for hundreds of generations past maintained its prime position amongst meats, and the noble sirloin continues uninterruptedly to occupy the principal position on a British table. Other countries have emulated this taste, and served up dishes of Beef prepared in several ways; but foreign Beef has not yet attained to the perfection of that grown in this country, so that failure in cooking may be, in some degree, attributed to inferiority of quality; but so long as the “ rage for I’agouts ” and other “ kickshaws ” continues to influence foreign tables, observes a British gourmet, the probability of our Continental neighbours improving their physical powers by such noble joints as our ox supplies, need cause us no anxiety whatever. What is John Bull without Beef? A culinary writer from France, of some considerable eminence (Delamere), tells us that formerly to eat first-rate Beef, you had to go to London, where it used to be far better than in its native place in the immediate neighbourhood of the pastures where it was bred and fattened. Now, people complain

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Beef — continued.

that London Beef is no longer so good as it was, but that Beef everywhere is pretty much alike. “ The reason of this is,” he further tells us, “that Beef is a meat which is improved by travelling while alive. Like EastIndia madeira, it is the better for the journey — only, in the case of the bullock, it must he performed on foot. A moderate degree of fatigue, not amounting to exhaustion, causes the fat to incorporate more intimately with the lean, and the muscle itself to become more tender. Such meat acquired a softer, marrow-like consistency, and was doubtless more digestible than the robust, hardfibred flesh which reaches town by rail without the slightest physical exertion. It is one little item in the irresistible course of events, to which we must all of us submit. The cook must make up as well as she can for the ameliorating effects which pedestrian travel once produced in oxen.” “Beef renders good service by its mere appendages,” continues this amusing author; and he is correct, for the tail comes in for a great many dainty dishes, such as soup, stew, or ragout; the roll of the loin, or fillet, sliced artistically thin, laid a few minutes on the gridiron, and served on a hot dish with no other seasoning than a bit of fresh butter rolled in finely-chopped parsley, constitutes the wonder which the Continental epicurean lights of other days called (after its English confrere) “ a Beef’s Teak,” stating that it formed the principal dish at the average British dinner, and that it was worth braving the voyage across the Channel to taste. It is to be feared that some considerable disappointment would await the intrepid traveller should he venture to hope to find a fillet-steak in a British eating-house. Ho; this part of the ox is generally reserved for a more dignified fate, and figures as a prime cut in a sirloin or baron of Beef.

Of the various parts of Beef, their qualities, and different modes of cooking, ample information will be found in the directions and receipts hereto appended, but for special parts, such as Cow-Heels, Maebow, OxCheeks, Ox-Heads, Ox-Heaets, Ox-Kidneys, OxLivee, Ox-Tails, Ox-Tongues, Teipe, &c., special reference must be made to those headings.

The first consideration is to buy good Beef, and to do that you must know how to choose it, and recognise one part and one quality from another. For convenience’ sake, we divide the carcases into either Ox-Beef or CowBeef, and then English Beef and Scotch Beef, both of which may be prime, middling, or inferior; and although it may require some practical experience to distinguish one from the other, an attentive cook, by the aid of the following instructions and an intelligent use of the eyes, will soon be competent to pick out the best, which is always the cheapest in the end.

Ox-Beep Prime ). — The flesh of this should be bright cai’mine-red, marbled with yellow fat, and a thick outside layer of fat under a fine skin. The lean should be firm and elastic on pressure, standing out boldly and round from the bones. The suet, again, should be dry, and crumble easily. All this indicates a young, healthy, wellfed animal.

Cow-Beef. — Some buyers are not able to judge between inferior Ox-Beef and superior Cow-Beef, nor is the difference so very striking. The grain is closer, and the fat is white instead of yellow, and the flesh not quite so brilliant a red.

Infeeiok Beef. — Unfortunately, there is a great deal of this sort of meat sold for the use of the poor, or even to the ignorant rich. Hot only is it inferior in appearance, having a hard skin, with the fat, darkcoloured flesh sometimes quite a red-brown, with homy, ‘ligamentous texture prevailing throughout; but its nutritive qualities are exceedingly low, and it shrinks badly in cooking.

Scotch Beef, for reasons of superior feeding and breeding, is regarded by butchers and cooks alike as the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Beef— continued.

primest of the prime. It is generally small in size, and of exquisite colour, the yellow fat being most attractively blended with the fibres of the lean. Bear the foregoing indications in mind, and you will very likely buy good meat almost instinctively. As for the joints, in the shambles, the ox i3 divided somewhat differently to what

it is when the dead sides are cut up into joints, to which we shall refer directly. In this case (Fig. 101) we have — 1, head and cheek; 2, sticking-piece, or locality of throatcutting; 3, chuck-ribs; 4, middle-ribs; 5, fore-ribs; 6, sirloin; 7, rump; 8, clod; 9, leg of mutton piece; 10, brisket; 11, thin flank; 12, veiny parts; 13, aitchbone; 14, buttock; 15, mouse buttock; 16, thick flank; 17, leg.

To cut up a side of Beef into joints, the following plan (Fig. 102) is usually adopted; but as a customer may want half, or only a small portion of any joint, the butcher then creates a cutting-up theory of his own, diverging at times from any recognised plan: 1, sirloin; 2, rump; 3, aitchbone; 4, buttock (silverside); 5, mouse buttock, or mouse round; 6, hock; 7, thick flank; 8, thin flank; 9, fore-rib; 10, middle-rib; 11, chuck-rib; 12, leg of mutton piece; 13, brisket, or breast; 14, neck, clod, and sticking-piece; 15, shin.

Fig. 102 . Side of Beef Divided into Joints.

Of all these, the sirloin (1) is decidedly the prime joint, though by many it is considered to be wasteful. A baron of Beef is two of these sirloins in one, answering to a saddle of mutton. The under-cut, or fillet, is much prized, but the foreign cook regards it as of most value for special dishes. The rump (3d is famous for its British steaks, which the butcher slices off a good leg with a flash of the knife that proclaims great pride, dexterity, and neatness. The aitchbone (3) and buttoclc parts (4 and 5) are better suited for boiling or stewing, but are occasionally roasted. The latter (5) is better known when salted as silverside. The thicle flanlc (7) roasts well, and is an inexpensive, economical joint having no bone; the thin flanlc (8) makes good

Sauces, hc., referred, to, see under their special heads.

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Beef — continued.

puddings and pies, and stews nicely. The fore-ribs (9) are by many preferred to the sirloin. They are certainly more economical, but have no “under-cut.” The middle-ribs (10) are not so good as the fore-ribs, and the chuckribs (11) are still more inferior. The worst cut of the chuck-ribs may be recognised by a piece of yellow gristle running round it, between the muscles, about an inch from the outside. The leg of mutton piece (12) yields Beef-steaks. It has no bone, and, although not highpriced, the meat is generally tender and juicy, and not at all fat. The brisket (13), or breast, is mostly used for pickling; the neck, clod, and sticking-piece (14) being only fit for soups, stews, and puddings. The shin (15) is also good for soups, stock, and Beef-tea. To know more than this it will be necessary to study the animal from an anatomical point of view, which would be a decidedly unnecessary move in advance of the ordinary butcher; but, for the cook’s assistance, an extensive variety of drawings, illustrating the different cuts of Beef, are distributed through the text of this article. For special information as to the plan of carving any particular joint, see Carving.

Beep-steaks. — This term is evidently of early origin, dating back into the Anglo-Saxon period, when the half-civilized native broiled his slice of “ quivering flesh ” on a stick or stake over the embers of a wood fire. Although modern usage has established a different method of spelling this word according to whether it applies to the flesh or to the wood, there is no doubt that both are virtually identical. The old Norse for “a cook” is steikari; therefore it is more than probable, as Wedgwood states in his “ Dictionary of English Etymology,” that “as roast seems originally to signify the rod or what the meat was stuck on by way of a ‘ spit,’ so it is probable that steak is a modification of stick, or stake; ” and the German for Rump-steak is Rump f stuck. The Frenchman knows Beef-steak as Beef-teck, or tele, just as our roast Beef is converted by them into Rosbif; the German, as Rindfleischschnitte; the Spaniard as Lonja de Came de Vaca; and the Italian as Braciuda di Manzo — not an approach upon the simplicity of “steak.” From this we understand that the word “ steak ” does not apply to any particular cut of the Beef, but is applied generally to a slice of Beef prepared for broiling. This may be, therefore, either a fillet-steak or a loin-steak; a rump-steak or a steak from any other part of the body, taking its distinguishing name from the part whence it is cut.

There are certain features about a steak that are specially worthy of the cook’s notice. They are usually cut for broiling, and should therefore be from the tenderest part of a good animal. First in order is the “Porterhouse” steak, cut from the best part of the loin near the rump; then comes the fillet-steak, or “tenderloin,” which is cut from the underpart of the sirloin. These latter are round in form, and exceedingly juicy and tender. Steaks from the upper-cut of the loin are not so often met with, because in cutting them the joint must suffer in appearance. The rump of Beef is usually devoted to the cutting of steaks; but the largest are those cut from the round, which are not always the most delicate or toothsome, because that part is permeated by a network of fibre, making it tough to masticate. But, no matter where the steak is cut from, the success of its serving depends almost exclusively upon the skill and care of the cook.

In the first place, the meat should be hung for a week or more after killing, if in the winter; but if in the summer-time, it must be beaten with a steak-tenderer, or a hammer fitted with sharp teeth. Some cooks score the meat on each side across and across with a sharp knife; but that is not so satisfactory in its results as beating. The steak should be cut from fin. to lin. in thickness, unless cut thinner or thicker for some especial

Beef — continued.

purpose. Broiled steak or fried steak must be cooked quickly over a brisk fire; to stew steak requires more time, to ensure its being tender.

Broiled steak does not require any sauce in its serving beyond a slight sprinkle of chopped parsley, a bit of butter in the dish, and perhaps a dessert-spoonful of mushroom ketchup; or some say the rubbing over once of the hot plate with the cut surface of a garlic clove or onion. Fried steak is improved by being served with mushroom, oyster, or tomato sauce, heightened by 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovy and a shred or two of horseradish. Various receipts for cooking steaks will be found in their alphabetical order.

Beef, we are informed, is the least wasteful of all meats to cook; but it is not so much on this account as for its exquisite flavour, that British cooks, and foreign chefs practising in this country, where they can get prime Beef, have devoted so much time and intelligence to its culinary treatment. The receipts following give an exhaustive variety of the modes of cooking Beef as employed by all nations and all classes. They are inserted alphabetically, without regard to their comparative merits.

Beef-tea. — The term “tea,” as applied to this “infusion of Beef,” is exceedingly inappropriate, no tea whatever entering into its composition; the beverage we style “ tea ” being but an infusion of the leaves of that plant, and as much entitled to be called tea-beef as this has to be called Beef- tea. Nevertheless, custom lias confirmed the adoption of the term, and grudgingly permitted its extension to some other meats, such as veal or chicken.

Beef-tea is unquestionably one of the gems of the sick-room, although the proportion of nourishment contained in it cannot be compared to solid Beef; yet its pleasant meat flavour, its freedom from fat, its liquid state requiring no exertion in mastication and but very little in swallowing, have gained for it a high position amongst invalid foods, which it appears likely to maintain in spite of the acknowledged fact that from being a fluid it passes through the stomach before it is sufficiently digested, and frequently causes flatulence and intestinal irritation and uneasiness. On this account it should be taken in small quantities with a spoon, and not drunk like tea from a cup. It should also be served with a thin slice of toast cut into lin. squares, each square being quite separated in cutting from its fellows, and the plate containing them quite free from crumbs. Lightlyboiled rice is sometimes preferred. The toast or rice, when soaked and swallowed, excite the stomach to detain the Beef-tea with the solids until it is digested, and provide a very important addition to the nourishing value of the food. A blade or so of mace added to the Beef -tea whilst infusing, is believed to avert flatulency; but some invalids object to the taste of spice, in which case it is better left out. The same remark applies to peppercorns and salt. Physicians occasionally prescribe the addition of port wine, beer, or brandy, in which case the stimulant should be added just before serving. Milk or cream in small quantities is often added to increase the nutritive value of the Beef-tea. A good nurse will see that the Beef-tea when served to the patient is quite warm but not too hot to drink right off, for to have to wait until it is cool is very irksome to an invalid.

A la mode Beef. — The precise moaning of this term is not so clearly defined as it might he, there being nothing sufficiently characteristic in the receipts given by different cooks to give any one of them an indisputable claim to originality. It is more than probable that the term A la mode, or “fashionable,” as applied to Beef, was first used in this country by an enterprising foreigner, who thus announced to the public that Beef at his establishment was prepared “a la mode Frangaise. ” A la mode dining-rooms — or “alamode,” as it is commonly written now — were at one time very popular, but have fallen out of fashion in

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

BRIDE CAKES.

From Designs by C. Noewak.































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these times, owing probably to the establishment of other foreign refreshment-houses of all descriptions; and something perhaps is due to the quality of the “h la mode Beef” sold at those eating-houses which elected to cozen the title. They provided a cheap dish of warmed-up salt Beef, covered with a thick brown gravy of so poor a character as not to merit the dignified name of “sauce.”

A la mode Beef, we are told, should be highly flavoured. A clove of garlic is therefore sometimes added, although it is not essential.

The following receipts are by different cooks of great repute, and will therefore be found vastly superior to the “ a la mode Beef ” of many of the shops:

(1) Take 41b. to 61b. of the under-part of a round of Beef. Wipe, and trim off the edges, put it in a deep earthen dish, and pour over it spiced vinegar. This is made by boiling for five minutes 1 breakfast-cupful of vinegar with one onion chopped fine, 3 teaspoonfuls of salt, and teaspoonful each of mustard, pepper, cloves, and allspice. Let the meat stand in this for several hours, turning it often. Then dress it with ten or twelve strips of salt pork, cut -Jin. square and as long as the meat is thick, inserting these strips with a large larding-needle, or by boring a hole in the meat with a carving-steel; or large incisions may be made, and stuffed with breadcrumbs highly seasoned with salt, pepper, onions, thyme, marjoram, &c., moistened with hot water, 1 tablespoonful of butter, and one well-beaten egg. Tie the Beef into a good shape with a narrow strip of cotton cloth, in such a way as to keep in the stuffing, and dredge with flour. Cut up fine two onions, half a carrot, and half a turnip, fry them in fat or dripping until brown, and put them in the stewpan. Then brown the meat all over in the same fat, and put it on a trivet in the pan. Half cover with boiling water, and add 1 teaspoonful of mixed herbs, tied in a small muslin bag. Cover closely, and simmer for four hours, or

Fig. 103. Beef-fork.

until tender. Take it up carefully with a Beef-fork (Fig. 103), remove the strings, and put the Beef on a large dish. Skim off the fat from the gravy, add more seasoning, and thicken with flour previously wetted and worked smooth in a little cold water; boil up for eight or ten minutes, and strain it over the meat. Garnish with potato balls and small onions.

(2) For 101b. of Beef, take four onions chopped up, 1 tablespoonful of allspice, 1 teaspoonful of mace, with red pepper and salt to taste. Macerate these in 1 pint of strong vinegar. Rub the Beef twice daily in this mixture, for three or four days; then cook in a covered pan in the oven with all these ingredients in the pan. The mouse-piece (Fig. 102, 5) is generally the part used for this purpose.

Fig. 104. Round of Beef.

(3) Take the bone from a round of fresh Beef (Fig. 104), and beat the meat all over slightly to make it tender. Grate a loaf of bread into fine crumbs, and mix with equal quantities of thyme and parsley dried and rubbed fine, 1 onion chopped small, the marrow from the bone, Jib. of minced

Beef — continued.

suet, with pepper and salt, cloves and nutmeg, to taste. Mix these with three eggs well beaten, and fill the place from whence the bone was removed. What is left may be rubbed all over the round. Tie up with tape to keep in shape. Cover a pan with slices of bacon, put the Beef upon them, and lay pieces of butter to the extent of Jib. over the meat. Pour in the pan round the meat 1 pint of water, cover closely, and stew gently for six hours. When done quite tender, take out the Beef, skim the fat from the gravy, strain this into a saucepan, set it on the stove, and stir into it 1 teacupful of port wine. Let it come to a boil, and send to the table in a sauce-tureen. Garnish the dish with vegetables and whites of eggs boiled hard and chopped fine.

Fig. 105 Rump of Beef.

(4) Take a round or a rump of Beef (Fig. 105), and remove the bone, gristle, and all the tough pieces about the edges. Fill the cavities from which the bone is taken with suet and fat salt pork. Press this so as to make it perfectly round, and tie up in a strong piece of cloth to hold it firmly in shape. The cloth must be the same width as the joint is thick, so as to leave the top and bottom open. With a larding-needle fill this thickly with strips of fat pork, running through from top to bottom, and about lin. apart each way; set this in a baking-pan, and pour over 1 teacupful of boiling water mixed with 1 teacupful of boiling vinegar; and add 1 full table-spoonful of moist sugar and a bunch of sweet herbs. Sprinkle over the Beef liberally with salt and black pepper; chop up a small onion very fine, and lay over the top of it; and simmer in an oven for two or three hours, basting frequently, and keeping an inverted tin plate over the Beef, except when basting. If the gravy stews down low, add stock or broth of any kind. Turn the meat over, and let the top be at the bottom. When it is done and tender, take out the meat, and put it on a hot dish. Skim the fat from the gravy, and pour over 2 table-spoonfuls of celery vinegar, 2 table-spoonfuls of pepper, 2 table-spoonfuls of wet mustard, and 1 table-spoonful of red-currant jelly. Put the meat back, and simmer in the oven for two hours longer, frequently basting, that it may be soft and seasoned through and through. Take the Beef from the pan, and remove the cloth; place on a large flat dish, pour over the gravy, and over this again 1 teacupful of good mushroom ketchup. Sift finelypowdered baked breadcrumbs over the top, and garnish with grated or scraped horseradish and parsley.

(5) Take any fleshy piece of Beef (say 51b. or 61b. weight), and remove the bone; lard it all over with unsmoked fat bacon, and dust it well with finely-minced parsley and chives, salt, ground pepper, and mixed spices. Take a saucepan, into which put 1 teacupful of white wine (good cider will do well as a substitute), Jib. of bacon cut into small dice, six shallots minced fine, two dozen small onions whole, two carrots sliced, 1 teaspoonful of peppercorns, and a little salt. Lay the Beef upon these ingredients, cover the stewpan close, and put it over a slow fire. Make it simmer gently for five or six hours, and then serve, with all its accompaniments and seasonings poured over.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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(6) Take 41b. of thick flank of Beef (Fig. 102, 7) and lOoz. of fat bacon (cut off the rind, and put it aside to scald). Cut the bacon into strips in. thick, and sprinkle them with pepper. Lard the Beef in the grain of the meat with these strips, and tie it into a good shape with string. Put it into a stewpan with 1 pint of French white wine, 1 gill of brandy, pints of broth, 1 pint of water, two calf’s feet which have been blanched and boned; also the blanched rind of bacon. Put on the fire, add loz. of salt, then boil, and skim. Now add three whole carrots (about lib.), one onion minced, 2 small pinches of pepper, three cloves, and one faggot of sweet herbs. Put to simmer, in a closed stewpan, for four-hours-and-a-half, on the stove corner. Try the Beef, and when done, take it out, together with the calf’s feet and carrots. Keep hot till serving. Strain the gravy through a gravy-strainer, take off all the fat, and reduce it one-fourth. IJntie the Beef, put it on a dish, and garnish it round with the calf’s feet, each cut into eight pieces, with the carrots cut to the shape of corks with a vegetablecutter, and ten glazed onions. Pour the gravy over all, and should there be too much, reserve it for the next day. Taste for seasoning.

(7) Cut fib. of salt fat pork into thick strips, and with a larding-needle draw them through a piece of Beef about 61b. in weight, cutting off the upper part of the round. Trim off the ends of the pork if they are showing. Put 3 table-spoonfuls of butter into a 6qt. stewpan, place it on the fire, and when it is melted add two onions, half a carrot, and the same quantity of a turnip, all chopped fine; stir them well, and let them stew for five minutes. Sift some flour over the meat, and put that in, and when it is brown on one side, turn it over and brown the other; add lqt. of water, stir well, and then another quart of water, a small piece of cinnamon, a bunch of sweet herbs, two cloves, six allspice, 1 table-spoonful of salt, and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Cover over the pan, remove it to the side of the fire, and let it simmer for four hours. Add 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice and a little more salt and pepper if necessary. Let it simmer for another twenty minutes; then take out the meat, skim off the fat, and put the pan on the fire, where it can boil quickly for from ten to fifteen minutes. Put the meat on a dish, strain the gravy through a sieve over it, and serve with a garnish of potato balls or small button mushrooms.

(8) Cut a piece of fat pork into narrow strips, and rub them well in a mixture of chopped onion, fine herbs, salt, pepper, and spices; with these lard a tenderloin of Beef weighing 61b. or 71b. Put a slice or two of pork at the bottom of a saucepan, place the Beef on top, set it over a quick fire, and let it brown all over; half-cover it with consomme, add 1 wineglassful of brandy, cover over the pan, and boil for a few minutes. When the meat is nearly cooked, add two carrots and two turnips cut into pieces, and one small whole onion, and cook until the meat is done. Take it out and put it on a dish, strain the gravy, skim off all the fat, pour it over the Beef, and serve very hot. About four hours in all will be required for cooking.

(9) Marseilles Style. — This receipt is given by Dubois, but it is rather more elaborate than useful: Cut from a loin of Beef a piece weighing from 41b. to 61b.; divide it into square pieces of 5oz. or 6oz. each, which interlard with fillets of raw bacon and ham; season with a little salt and pepper, and anoint with a little oil. Chop up lib. of bacon, put it into an earthen stock-pot with lard, melt it on a moderate fire, add to it the squares of meat, and fry them gently for ten or twelve minutes; then moisten with bottle of red wine, which let boil on a brisk fire until reduced, giving the pot a jerk from time to time, thus keeping the pieces of meat from adhering to the bottom. The wine being reduced, draw the earthen stock-pot on to some hot ashes, and surround it with them to half its height. Put into it a piece of dry orange-peel, a few whole cloves of garlic, a bunch of parsley tied up with two bay-leaves, and lastly, a pig’s foot, boned, singed, and blanched; or if this be not handy, 1 handful of blanched rinds of pork. Then cover the earthen stock-pot, first with a round piece of paper, and then with a soup-plate half-filled with water. Let the Beef boil for eight hours, being careful to keep the ashes round the pot, adding occasionally a few live embers, in order to have

Beef — continued.

them always hot, so that the stock may boil without interruption, but very gently. Turn the meat twice. When done, it should be highly flavoured, juicy, and succulent. Place the meat in a deep dish, and surround it with squares of tripe, boiled separately. Skim the fat off the stock, remove all solid ingredients, pour it over the Beef, and serve.

A la mode Beef Soup. — Put 51b. of Beef with the bones into a saucepan with 5galls. of water, and boil gently over a slow fire for about six hours. Take out the meat and bones, add twelve cloves and a bay-leaf, and continue to boil until the liquor is reduced to 3galls., which will take from three to four hours. Strain it into another saucepan, skim off all the fat, add an onion, turnip, and carrot, all finely chopped, as well as the Beef minced very fine, and boil for half-an-hour longer. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste, turn the whole out into a soup-tureen, and serve very hot.

Baked Brisket of Beef. — Take all the bones out of 81b. of brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13), and make holes in it about lin. apart with the end of a steel. Fill the first with bacon-fat, the second with parsley, the third with oysters, and so on until all are filled; also add to the above, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. When completely stuffed, lay it in a pan, dredge it with flour, pour on it pint of water and the same of broth, and bake it three hours; then skim off the fat, put the meat into a dish, strain the gravy over, and garnish with any sort of pickles. Any piece of fresh meat may be dressed in this way, or baked before the fire in a Dutch oven with onions, the meat being frequently brushed over with oil.

Baked Fillet of Beef with Truffles. — Trim a good fillet of Beef (Fig. 106), stud its surface with truffles by making holes

Fig. 106. Beef-steak Fillet, Studded with Truffles, Prepared for Baking.

and sticking pieces of truffle in the holes, cover it with strips of bacon, and set it on a narrow baking-sheet with upturned rim, the bottom of which is masked with trimmings of bacon and vegetables, as well as sweet herbs; moisten it with 1 wineglassful of wine, then bake in a slack oven for nearly an hour, basting it repeatedly. Take the fillet out of the oven, drain it well, dish it, and surround it with a garnish composed of larded sweetbreads, marrow, and farced onions. These garnishes should be dished round the fillet in groups. Mask the fillet with brown sauce finished with 1 pinch of cayenne pepper; mask the marrow with a little white sauce; glaze the sweetbreads and onions, and serve with rich brown sauce.

Baked Larded Fillet of Beef.— Trim off the tough skin and uneatable parts from a short fillet of Beef (Fig. 134) weighing about 31b., dust it well with salt and pepper, flour it well, fasten it into shape with skewers, and lard it in two rows with strips of fat pork. Put it into a baking-pan, without any liquor, and bake for thirty minutes or so. It should bo first placed in the coolest part of the oven for ten minutes, and then in the hottest for the remainder of the time. When done, put it on a dish, pour round Hollandaiso or tomato sauce, or mushroom ketchup, and serve. A true fillet of Beef is the tenderloin; but a rib, boned and rolled, is also called a fillet.

Baked Larded Fillet of Beef, with Chateaubriand Sauce.

— Take a Beef-fillet, kept hung to tenderness, and trim and lard it (Fig. 107). Cover the bottom of a ruasting-pan, or a bakingtin, with chopped Beef-fat and some minced vegetables, and set the fillet upon them. Season with salt, moisten with

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1 gill of broth, cover the meat with buttered, paper, and bake in a slack oven for three-quarters-of-an-hour, or for one hour at the most, according to its size. Baste it frequently with its own fat; and when done to satisfaction, drain it, place it on a dish, and pour over it some Chateaubriand sauce. Serve the vegetables separately.

Baked Red Round of Beef. — Bub a round of Beef (Big. 102, 5) with a pickle composed of salt, saltpetre, and a small quantity each of pepper and allspice; put it into an earthenware bowl, and let it remain in this pickle for a fortnight or so, rubbing and turning it over every now and then. Take it out, rub it over well and vigorously with slices of onion, put it into a baking-pan with Beef-suet or dripping put over it, pour over 2 or 3 wineglassfuls of Madeira wine with a little ground mace in it, put the pan into a moderate oven, and bake until it is quite done, the time required depending on the size of the piece of Beef and the temperature of the oven. Take it out when done, put it on a dish, pour the gravy over, and serve.

Baked Ribs of Beef.— Break or saw off the ends of the bones of the required quantity of ribs of Beef (Big. 102, 10), take out the chine-bone, put the meat into a baking-pan, sprinkle it over with salt, put small lumps of butter all over it, dust it over with flour, and bake in a moderate oven until done; the time allowed being fifteen minutes to each pound. When done, put it on a dish, garnish with horseradish, and serve very hot.

Beef Bouilli. — Put a brisket or round of Beef, or any part of either of them, into a saucepan, together with any small pieces or trimmings of Beef, veal, lamb, or fowl giblets; sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, pour over sufficient water to cover them, and boil until nearly done. Then add one onion and two carrots cut in slices, a hunch of parsley, 1 teacupful each of browned flour and butter to thicken, cover over the saucepan, and cook for about twenty minutes longer. When the meat is done, take it out, and put it on a dish. Strain the liquor, add 1 wineglassful of mushroom ketchup or white wine to it, pour it over the meat, and serve. The time allowed for cooking is fifteen minutes to each pound of meat, giving an extra twenty minutes at the finish to cook the vegetables. The chine-bone, if cooked with the meat, will greatly improve the gravy.

Beef Brasciolettes. — Short Beef-steak (Big. 108), freed from fat, is best for these. Bemove all skin and gristle, and, having minced it very finely, pound it in a mortar to a stiff paste with a little flour. Grate some breadcrumb, and season it with pepper, salt, spices, and chopped 'parsley. Cut some lean bacon into thin strips, spread out the meat-paste to the thickness of iin., and cut it into squares of from 2in. to 4Jin. Put a slip of bacon on each, with a small piece of butter on it, and four or five pine-cone kernels (pignoli). Strew over a little of the prepared breadcrumb, and roll the bacon and kernels up on the table in the meat-paste; then roll these brasciolettes between the palms of the hands with plenty of breadcrumbs. When they are all ready and nicely shaped, lay them close on the bottom of a well-buttered baking-dish, strew more breadcrumbs over them, and put hero and there a little bit of butter. Bake in a quick oven, and in about fifteen minutes they will be done. Serve with tomato sauce.

Beef Broth, with Vermicelli— Divide lib. of lean Beef into small square pieces, chop it, and put it in a stewpan, with an egg broken and poured over it; skim the fat off

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Beef — continued.

2qts. of cold bouillon, and pour over it; add a piece of leek, a piece of celery, and a little minced carrot; stir occasionally, and when it bubbles move it to one side, and simmer gently fifteen or twenty minutes. Drain it through a wet cloth (see Broths) with a good-sized bowl underneath, skim off all the fat, and let it boil five minutes, adding from 3oz. to 5oz. of blanched vermicelli. Serve in a tureen with toast.

Beef Cakes. — Chop fine about lib. of under-done Beef, and mix it up with about 6oz. of boiled and mashed potatoes; sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, and add a few sprigs of finely-chopped parsley; bind the mixture with yolk of egg. Blour the hands, and form the mince into cakes about iin. thick and 3in. in diameter. Sprinkle these well with flour, put them into a frying-pan with hot lard or dripping, and fry to a brown. Take them out when done, drain, put them on a napkin on a dish, garnish with fried sprigs of parsley, and serve.

Beef and Celery Bouillon — Mince 31b. of lean Beef and three large heads of celery together with the roots, put them into a saucepan with 3qts. of cold water, set the pan on the side of the fire, and heat gradually. Boil for an hour, adding salt and pepper to taste, and pour the liquor through a cloth into another saucepan. Skim off every particle of fat, beat in the whites of four eggs, boil up once more, strain the liquor two or three times through a cloth, brown it with 1 table -spoonful of burnt sugar, and let it get cold. Mix in the whites of two more eggs, and the bouillon is ready for use. A third of a tumblerful of the preparation, filled up with boiling water poured from a height, so as to mix well, makes a good drink.

Beef Collops. — (1) Take llb. of lean Beef and chop it fine, mixing with it 1 table-spoonful of fresh lard and 1 tablespoonful of butter, with enough water to cook it. Put into a stewpan, and when the Beef is done thicken the gravy with a little roux, and season with 1 table-spoonful of vinegar and pepper.

(2) Mince lib. of fresh Beef (inferior parts will do) very fine, and put it into a stewpan with 2oz. of butter, a little flour, pepper, and salt. Put it over a slow fire, stirring and beating it so that it does not go into lumps, and let it cook for half-an-hour. Serve with fried bread, toast, or mashed potatoes.

(3) Mince 21b. of lean Beef very finely, and put it into a saucepan with a bit of butter large enough to prevent the meat sticking to the pan. When hot, add 1 teaspoonful of flour and 1 teacupful of stock or water, stirring continuously to prevent them becoming lumpy. Allow twenty minutes to cook. Onions minced, or a little hot pickle, may be added.

Beef Collops with. Piquante Sauce. — These collops are generally made to warm up cold roasted fillet. Mince very fine, and warm up in sufficient sauce piquante to cover the mince, without boiling. Should 'cold roasted meat be allowed to boil, it will harden, and lose its flavour.

Beef Croquettes. — (1) The following cold Beef croquettes are described by J. Gouffe: Chop ljlb. of cold Beef very

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fine; make 1 pint of poulette sauce in a 2qt. stewpan, reduce it to £ pint, and thicken with the yolks of three eggs; put the chopped Beef in the sauce, add 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley, 1 pinch of salt, and 2 small pinches of pepper; mix well together with a wooden spoon, and spread out on the dish to the thickness of ljin. Let it get firm and cold, then divide into sixteen equal parts. Strew a board with breadcrumbs about Jin. in thickness, put the sixteen parts of mince thereon, leaving a space of 2in. between each, cover them with a similar thickness of breadcrumbs, and roll each part into the shape of a cork, making them as near the same size as possible. Beat the three whites of the eggs for one minute, so as to mix but not froth them; add 1 small pinch of pepper, 2 pinches of salt, 1 table-spoonful of oil, and 1 table-spoonful of water. Dip the croquettes in this mixture, roll them in the breadcrumbs, and set them on a plate. Twenty minutes before serving, have some hot fat; arrange the croquettes in the fryingbasket, and put them into the fat to fry; when they are nearly fried, move them gently with a slice to insure their colouring evenly. When they are of a light brown colour and crisp, they are done. Sprinkle them with salt, dish up, garnish with parsley, and serve.

(2) Put llb. of minced, cooked, and well-seasoned Beef into a saucepan with an onion finely chopped and fried in butter, pour over 1 breakfast- cupful of weak broth or water, and stir in 1 teaspoonful of gravy -browning and a small quantity of flour. Put the saucepan on the fire, boil for a few minutes, stir in quickly the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, turn the whole out on to a dish, and let it get cold.

Fig. 109. Beef Croquettes.

Form it into balls, cover these with breadcrumbs, dip them in yolk of egg beaten with a little salt, and breadcrumb them again, giving them a smooth appearance. Plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and lightly colour them; take them out, drain, arrange them in a heap on a napkin spread over a dish (Fig. 109), put sprigs of fried parsley round, and serve. This is a good dish for an entree.

Beef a la Cuiller (a Cuiller is a large ladle). — To make this dish you require a small cold roasted or braised rump of Beef. Scoop this out above with a sharp knife, forming a sort of cup or cavity. Set it on a gratin-dish, trim away the fat and ragged portions of the meat, and cut these into thinlysliced strips. Slice about twenty button mushrooms, put them into a shallow stewpan with butter, fry them over a brisk fire, and moisten with a little stock to which has been added a few table-spoonfuls of madeira and 2 table-spoonfuls of bottled tomato sauce. Boil this ragofit for a few minutes, and then add to it the slices of Beef. Warm these over a slow fire, and when hot pour them into the cavity made in the piece of Beef. Mask the top with a layer of sliced mushrooms, and sprinkle over the whole a few breadcrumbs, basting it with warm butter. Pour over the bottom of the dish a part of the gravy of the braised slices of meat, into which a glass of white wine has been stirred, and put the meat on it into a slow oven to warm up, basting from time to time with the gravy. When ready, serve it up on the same dish, with the remainder of the stock in a sauceboat.

Beef — continued.

Beef Cutlets. — Trim off all the skin and fat of some slices of Beef, and shape like cutlets, using the cutlet-bat to flatten them; then sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Put a small piece of butter in a saute-pan, and when it is melted, fry the cutlets on both sides till they are done. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley over the cutlets, dish them, and pour over them a thick brown gravy.

Beef it la Daube. — (1) Lard well a round of Beef (Fig. 102, 5), and put it in a stewpan; cut it in slices nearly to the bone, and have a few slices of bacon placed around and over it, with carrots and onions; season with pepper, salt, and thyme. Cover the whole with water, and let it stew very slowly from four to six hours; then take out the round, and let it cool. To make the jelly, take all the meat from the stewpan, strain the broth through a sieve, skim the fat from the top very carefully, put it on the fire with a few grains of pepper, and let it simmer slowly. Beat the whites of four eggs in a cup of water, and stir them in, and let all remain on the fire simmering for fifteen or twenty minutes. Strain the jelly, and when cool garnish the meat with it. This dish should be prepared the day before it is wanted.

(2) Take a Beef shin (Fig. 102, 15), and chop in several places to break the bone. Cook it till it falls to pieces in just enough water to prevent burning. Then, after taking out the bones, mix with 1 heaped teaspoonful of flour rubbed into 1 teaspoonful of butter, and season with a taste of red and black pepper, salt, and bruised celery-seed. Stew it long enough to cook the flour. Pour into a deep dish, cover with a plate, and put weights on it to press it. This is a very nice dish.

Beef Doopiaja. — Cut twelve onions into slices, brown them in a frying-pan with 3oz. of fat, take them out when done, and chop them up. Add to the fat 1 teaspoonful each of ground chillies and turmeric, 4 teaspoonfuls of ground onions, i teaspoonful of ground ginger, and i teaspoonful of ground garlic, cooking them until brown. Add 21b. of Beef cut up into small pieces, sprinkle over 1£ teaspoonfuls of salt, pour in 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and simmer gently for an hour or so, until the meat is perfectly tender, and the liquor is considerably reduced in quantity. Turn the curried meat out on to a dish, chop up the onions and sprinkle them over, and serve at once.

Beef £, la Franqaise. — Put two cow-heels and 4galls. of water into a stock-pot, set it on the fire at eight o’clock in the morning, and leave to boil slowly until the meat has dropped off the bones; then add half of a large onion, two large red pepper pods, and one sprig of parsley, all chopped fine. Remove the bones. Put into another pot 2galls. of water, in which place 101b. of nice pieces of Beef cut up small, half an onion, one red pepper, parsley (all chopped fine), and salt. When the meat has boiled to pieces, mix all together, and boil it for half-an-hour longer. Serve either hot, or cold as a jelly.

Beef Cooked in German Style. — Boil in a stock-pot a small rump of Beef (Fig. 102, 2) from which the bone has been removed. When about three-parts done, drain, and trim it square; then place it in a stewpan in which thin bacon and sliced vegetables have been laid; moisten to half its height with broth, gravy, and white wine. Let the stock boil, and remove the pan back to the side of the stove fire to simmer, putting hot embers on the lid. Let the meat finish cooking in this way. It should be glazed nicely. When ready to serve, remove and drain the piece of Beef, trim it, and set on a dish. Put Brussels sprouts on one side and glazed chestnuts on the other. Pour over the meat some of the stock in which it has been cooked, strained and freed of fat, having first added another glass of white wine. Serve up separately a dish of mashed potatoes and a sauce-tureen with veloute sauce in which 1 table-spoonful of essence of anchovies has been dissolved.

Beef Gobbets or Mouthfuls. — Cut intcfclices about lib. of Beef, taken from any part but the leg, Amt it into a saucepan with sufficient water or weak stck to cover it, and cook for about one hour. Add a very small quantity of mace, a few whole peppers, and two or three cloves, all tied up in a bag; add also half a head of celery cut up small, two carrots and turnips in slices, a sprig of parsley, a bunch of sweet herbs, salt to taste, loz. of rice, and a large crust

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of bread. Cover over the pan, and cook until the whole is done; then remove the bag of spices, bread-crust, and the bunch of herbs. Toast a French roll, and cut it into quarters; put these on a dish, put the meat in the centre, pour the gravy over, and serve as hot as possible.

Beef Grenadines. — Cut up 21b. of the under-cut of the rump (Fig. 110) into cutlets about £in. thick, lard them with thin strips of bacon, and put them in a stewpan with a small piece of butter, lightly sprinkling the upper side with pepper and salt. Let them cook very slowly for fifteen minutes, without approaching the frying point, then turn them on the other side, and again lightly pepper and salt the upper. Allow them to cook for another fifteen minutes. Have

Fig. 110. Back of Rump op Beef.

reay 4 pint of good brown gravy, thickened with 1 tablespoonful of flour to the half-pint. Coat the grenadines with this, place them on the dish in which they are to be served, and pour the gravy over them. This dish may be made to look very pretty by a little garnish of sprigs of cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or any vegetable in season. After these are boiled and drained from the water, toss in a saut-pan with a little butter.

Beef Hams. — (1) Divide the bam into three parts, and rub on pint of molasses; let it remain in this molasses a day and two nights, turning it over occasionally during the time. Rub on then 1 handful of kitchen salt, and put it back in the vessel with the molasses; turn it over morning and night for ten days. Hang it up to dry for one week, then smoke a little ( see Cueing). It is an excellent plan, after the Beef is sufficiently smoked, to put each piece in a bag, to protect it from insects, and then it may be kept hanging till wanted for use.

(2) Take a leg of Beef weighing about 141b. or 161b., trim it, and shape it like a ham; put it into a deep bowl or pan, rub it well over with a pickle made with lib. each of salt and moist sugar, foz. of coarsely-ground black pepper, loz. each of bay-salt and saltpetre, 3oz. of molasses, and sufficient beer to moisten them. Baste the ham twice a day at regular intervals for a month, turning it daily; then take it out, drain it thoroughly, roll it well in bran, and smoke it ( see Cueing). Put it into a canvas bag, wash it over with lime, hang it in a dry, cool place, and let it remain until wanted.

Beef Jelly. — Prepare an extract of Beef in the same way as if for Beef-tea, without adding water, and with only a very little (if any) salt. Put 5OZ. of gelatine into a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of cold water, and soak it; let it remain until sufficiently swollen, then put it on the fire, and boil it until dissolved. Take 1 teacupful of the -Beef extract when nearly cold, add the gelatine, stir well, let it set, and use as required.

Beef Jelly Broth with Vermicelli. — Trim the skin, &c., off lib. of lean Beef, and cut the Beef into small pieces; put them in a saucepan with a beaten egg and 2qts. of cold broth that has been skimmed and strained. Put in the broth a minedd carrot, a stick of celery, and a piece of leek. When boiling, move the saucepan to the side of the fire, stir the contents occasionally, and let them simmer for thirty minutes. Strain the broth through a wet jelly-bag, pour it into a saucepan, and skim off all the fat. Boil the broth up, mix in 5oz. of blanched vermicelli, and let the whole boil gently for five minutes. Pour the soup into a soup-tureen, and serve.

Beef — continued.

Beef a la Neapolitaine. — A piece of fresh silverside about 61b. or 81b. is best for this dish. Make two or three holes in it with a carving-steel or any other convenient borer, and insert in each a strip of fat bacon rolled in powdered sweet herbs and pepper. Tie up the meat with white tape, to keep it a good shape. Next mince a piece of fat bacon with a meat chopper, adding to it a clove of garlic, an onion, some parsley, thyme, and marjoram. When these are finely minced and well incorporated, put the mixture into a saucepan with the meat, and stew. Turn the meat frequently till it is browned on all sides; then moisten with plenty of tomato sauce, diluted with a little stock, and add salt to taste. Let the meat stew slowly till done. Remove the string, and serve with macaroni round the dish, dressed as follows: First boil it in milk or water, and then, when quite soft, mix with it some of the sauce of the meat, strained and freed from fat. To this add plenty of grated Parmesan cheese. The macaroni should be mixed in a warmed tureen, not over the fire.

Beef Olives. — (1) Take lib. of fillet, rump, or tender Beefsteak, and cut it into slices £in. thick, and 3in. by 4in. in diameter, or thereabouts, taking care to have all the same size. Flatten them with the side of a meat-chopper or cutlet-bat wet. Prepare a stuffing with the Beef trimmings chopped up, loz. of suet, a small scrap of bacon or ham, 1 teaspoonful of mixed powdered sweet herbs, a lemon-rind grated, salt, pepper, 2oz. of fine breadcrumbs, and an egg. Work this into a mass, and make into shapes like wine-corks, around each of which a piece of meat must be rolled and tied firm. Put these into 1 pint of boiling stock or brown sauce, and stew very gently for an hour. When serving they should be piled methodically on a flat dish, garnished with little piles of mashed potatoes, alternated with spinach, and the sauce in which they were cooked may be poured round the dish; or the following: Melt 1 table-spoonful of butter in a little saucepan, and work in smoothly 1 table-spoonful of flour, 4 pint of the stock in which the olives were cooked, and 1 table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup or tomato sauce; then boil up. Mashed potatoes may be heaped in the centre of the dish, and the olives ranged round. Pour on the sauce, and fill the centre up with spinach.

(2) Chop fine two slices of lean ham or bacon, put them into a mortar with 1 teacupful of breadcrumbs, half that quantity of shred beef-suet, and a few sweet herbs, and pound them well together. Have ready some slices of cooked cold Beef, in. thick and 4in. square, mix in the yolk of an egg to the pounded forcemeat, spread it over the slices of meat, roll them up, and fasten them in shape with string or skewers. Now brush them over with yolk of egg beaten with a little salt, cover with breadcrumbs, put them to brown in a Dutch oven or an ordinary one, then put them into a saucepan with rich gravy to moisten, and cook until they are quite tender. Put them carefully on a dish, pour the gravy over, garnish with pieces of toast or fried bread, and serve.

(3) Cut 141b. of lean Beef, rump-steak for preference, into slices Jin. in thickness and about 6in. in length, and brush them well over with beaten yolk of egg. Put 1 teacupful of breadcrumbs into a basin, and mix them up with 2oz. of beef-suet or marrow and a sprig of parsley, both finely chopped, a small quantity of powdered mace, the grated rind of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide this mixture, and spread it over the slices of meat; roll these round, fastening them with small skewers, put them in a Dutch oven in front of a clear fire, and brown them. Put them into a saucepan with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of rich brown gravy, and add 1 table-spoonful each of browning and ketchup, and 1 teaspoonful of lemon pickle; thicken with a lump of butter rolled in flour, and stew them until done. Turn the whole out on to a dish, remove the skewers, and serve with forcemeat balls for garnish.

Beef Cooked in Parisian Style.— Take a rump of Beef (Fig. 102, 2) weighing 51b. or 61b., bone, and lard, following the grain of the meat, with strips of bacon and raw ham, previously seasoned. Place it in a kitchen basin, season, pour over 4- bottle of white wine, and let it macerate for five or six hours; after which, drain, roll, and tie it up

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into shape. Spread thin layers of bacon in a large stewpan, and set the meat upon them; add two blanched calf’s feet, freed of the bones by boiling; baste the meat with its marinade, and pour in broth to the height of the meat -; cover it with layers of bacon, add a hunch of aromatics and a clove of garlic, and put on the stove to boil, removing back to simmer. Put live embers on the lid, and occasionally turn

Fig. 111. Rump op Reef in Parisian Stile.

the meat. When this is three-parts done, pass all the stock through a sieve, put it again into the stewpan, adding two carrots, two turnips, and six small onions, sliced and slightly blanched; continue to boil gently, and when ready to serve, drain the meat, dish it up, take off the strings, and surround it with vegetables (Pig. 111). Skim the fat off the cooking stock (which then should be half glaze), pass it through a sieve, and pour it over the Beef.

Beef Patties. — Boll out thin about Jib. of puff paste, cut it into shapes the same as for puffs, and fill each one with a little mince made of partly-cooked Beef, highly seasoned with salt, pepper, and a small quantity of finely-chopped shallot or onion. Fold the paste over, fastening the edges, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry them for about ten minutes or to a good brown colour. Take them out when done, drain off all the fat, put them in a heap on a napkin placed on a dish, and serve with a garnish of fried sprigs of parsley.

Beef Pilau. — For this dish take 21b. of Beef and cut it up into slices. Put 1 breakfast-cupful of rice into a saucepan, cover it with gravy well seasoned with onions, ginger, salt, and spices, and boil until the rice is quite soft. Put the Beef into a saucepan with sufficient boiling water to cover it, and boil until done. Place the piece of meat in the centre of a dish, pour over the rice, and serve with fried onions and bacon, and hard-boiled eggs cut into slices for garnish. Cold cooked meat is frequently used, and the slices may be first browned in a frying-pan.

Beef Pie. — Fill a pie-dish with bits of Beef cut into small pieces and rolled in flour. Season with pepper and salt. Pour over the meat 1 teacupful of water, cover with a suet- or good pie-crust, and bake in a quick oven, top shelf at first, and afterwards, when the crust is hard, on the lower one. Turn frequently to prevent burning. Hard eggs, slices of potato, macaroni, kidney, tomatoes, or mushrooms, may be mixed with the meat if fancied.

Beef Pie made with Stewed Shin. — Take about 31b. of the thick fleshy part of a shin of Beef (Fig. 102, 15), and stew it slowly for about three hours with six onions, a large turnip, and sliced carrot, in lqt. of water. Add 1 eggcupful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of black pepper. See that the meat cooks quite tender without being ragged. When done, remove it, and cut into thin slices, across the grain; mince it, put it in a basin, and mix up well with the vegetables (mashed) cooked with it. Beduce the gravy by boiling slowly in an open stewpan to about J pint, and pour this over the meat and vegetables. Some minced uncooked ox-kidney and finelychopped mushrooms add to the quality. Make a good suet paste, roll it out, then put a layer round the edge, and cover the pie, finishing in the usual style.

Beef Pot-au-feu. — For this receipt, which may be regarded as one of the best, any cut of Beef will do — about Gib. with Jib. or so of bone. Tie up the meat with string, and put it

Beef — continued.

with the bone into a very large saucepan; fill up with sufficient water to come over the meat and bones above an inch, and then set on the fire to boil. As the scum rises, take it off with a skimmer. Do not allow the water to quite boil. Begulate this by adding at convenient intervals a small quantity of cold water to the extent of 1 pint in all: this will check the bubbling, and help the scum to rise. When the scum is all removed, put in about 1 table-spoonful each of salt, whole pepper, and allspice, one onion stuck with twelve cloves, one onion toasted almost black before the fire, one leek, three carrots of average size cut in lengths, two turnips of average size each cut in four, and a bunch of herbs, such as two bay -leaves, two or three sprigs each of thyme and marjoram, a clove of garlic, and a small handful of parsley, all tied together into a bundle. The vegetables should not be put in all at once, but gradually, so as not to check the gentle simmering of the pot-au-feu, which it is most essential to keep up uninterruptedly. Skim once more, and leave in a convenient place on the stove to simmer for at least four hours. According to the season, celery, tomatoes, parsnips, and chervil may be added. Before serving this delicious broth, strain it, and skim off all the fat, which can be best effected when cold. Add 1 teaspoonful of sugar, and more salt to taste; make it very hot, and pour it into the soup-tureen over small slices of toasted bread without crusts. Add the vegetables or not, as desired, according to taste.

Beef Pot-Pie. — Cut into pieces of uniform size 21b. of coarse fat Beef, selecting such parts as are not suitable for steaks; put them into a saucepan with cold water, and stew them for about two hours with the lid on the pan; add a slice of fat pork or bacon, one onion, salt and pepper to taste, and a thickening of flour-and-water; turn the whole into a dish lined with biscuit dough, such as would be used for dumplings, cover over with more of it, and hake in a quick oven until done. Turn out carefully on to a dish, and serve.

Beef Cooked in Prussian Style. — A piece of the fillet-steak is best for this, but any other tender part of Beef without bone will do. Take about 61b., and lard it with bacon and raw ham; salt it, and put into a kitchen basin. Pack round the meat parsley and celery-roots, a carrot, and an onion sliced; also a little thyme, basil if available, bay-leaves, cloves, and peppercorns; cover with table ale or German Weissbier (white beer), and leave to soak until wanted, turning the meat frequently. Keep in a cool place. Into a stewpan put some trimmings of bacon and the vegetables out of the above marinade; set the meat thereon, pour the marinade over, and add more beer to cover the lot; add also a few rinds or strips of pork. Set this on the stove to boil, and skim it carefully. As soon as this begins to bubble, lay a thickly -buttered paper over the meat, replace the lid on the stewpan, and put it into a very slow oven to simmer. In three hours’ time turn the meat, and continue cooking it for three hours more; it should then bo done. Bemove the Beef, and set it on a dish. Strain the stock in which it was boiled through a sieve, skim the fat off carefully, and pour it over the Beef; then cover the stewpan, and keep the meat hot, having first emptied the stock into a second stewpan. Let this boil, and thicken it with 5 or G table-spoonfuls of gingerbread soaked in water and pounded smooth. As soon as the sauce boils, place it on the side to settle, add to it the grating of an orange-peel, the pulp and juice of a lemon without peel or pips, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf. Twenty minutes after, skim off the fat again, and strain into another stewpan; then mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of red-currant jelly, and after boiling it for a few minutes, take it off the fire. Place the Beef on a large dish, and pour the sauce over. Garnish the dish with a few thin slices of lemon, and send up separately a small side dish of cucumbers which have been peeled, sliced, and salted.

Beef Pudding 1 . — Grease a basin, and lino it with suet paste Jin. thick: 1 Jib. of flour will make sufficient paste to line a quart basin. Trim the paste off the edge. Cut the Beef (any part will do, if not too fat) into about pieces lin. by ljin. square, roll them in flour, and season with pepper and salt. Fill the basin with the meat, and pouiin a very little water. A few oysters or chopped mushrooms will greatly improve the flavour. Boll out the

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trimmings of the paste, wet the edge round the basin, and cover the top; dip a cloth in boiling water, and tie it over the pudding; put into boiling water, and boil for fully three hours. Let it cool a minute or so before turning out of the basin, or it will be liable to burst. Garnish the dish round with potato croquettes (Pig. 112).

Fig. 112. Beep Pudding with Potato Croquettes

Beef Puree Soup. — Take a piece of cold Beef, about 21b., and remove all the fat, skin, or gristle; mince, and then pound the meat in a large mortar with a piece of butter. Season well, and add to it three or four yolks of eggs; rub this all through a wire sieve. Chop an onion small, and fry it with butter, without allowing it to take colour; sprinkle 1 table-spoonful of flour over this, and fry for a few seconds longer; then dilute it with 2qts. of broth; stir the liquid till it boils, and then immediately move it to one side, to clarify, and skim it of all fat. Twenty minutes or so after this, strain the soup through a sieve into another stewpan, and thicken it with the meat puree. Warm up without boiling, and pop in at the finish 1 pinch of chopped parsley or fennel.

Beef Raised-Pie. — Chop fine 4oz. of Beef-suet, put it into a saucepan with an equal quantity of butter, pour in 2 breakfast-cupfuls of water, and boil. Put 21b. of flour into a basin, make a hole in the centre, pour in the liquor from the saucepan through a sieve, and mix well with a spoon until the paste is quite cool. When it is smooth, turn it out on to a floured board, roll it out to about .jin. in thickness, and line a buttered raised-pie mould with it, pressing it firmjy against tho sides. Cut 21b. of lean Beef (Beefsteak is best) into small pieces or collops, dust them well with flour, sprinkle them over with finely-chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, put a layer of them at tho bottom of a mould, then a layer of thin slices of potatoes, and continue in this way until the mould is full. Put a flat of the paste over the mould, raising it in tho centre, make a hole in the middle, decorate with leaves of paste, putting one over to conceal the hole, brush the top over with egg, put it into a moderate oven, and bake for about three-hours-and-aquarter. Take it out when done, pour in a little rich gravy through the hole in the top, turn it out of the mould, and serve at once.

Beef Rissoles. — Mince a few slices of lean cold roasted Beef, sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, season with finelychopped sweet herbs and lemon-peel, and mix in about half the weight of the Beef in breadcrumbs. Make tho mixture into a thick paste with yolk of egg, shape it into balls, dip them into beaten egg and breadcrumbs, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry them for six or seven minutes. Take them out when brown, drain off tho fat, heap them on a dish, and serve with hot rich brown gravy poured round them; or they may be put on a napkin on a dish, and served plain.

Beef Rissolettes. — Mince 21b. of fresh Beef very fine, removing all skin and gristle; mix with the minced Beef about a fourth of its weight in breadcrumbs, add an onion boiled

Beef — continued.

tender, a few drops of essence of anchovy, pepper and salt and sufficient egg to make it all into a stiff paste. Boll into egg-shaped balls, dip each in egg, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry very gently. One egg, if well beaten, will

suffice to mix tho rissolettes, and egg the outside of a dozen. Make a little gravy by boiling the trimmings of the meat in the water the onion was boiled in, and when the rissolettes are done, pour the fat from the frying-pan, let the gravy boil up in it, and thicken it with a small quantity of flour worked smooth in a little water. Stir in the juice of half a lemon, season with pepper and salt, place the rissolettes neatly round a heap of mashed potatoes (Big. 113) on the dish, and pour the gravy round, but not over them.

Beef Rolls or Paupiettes. — (1) These can be made from almost any scraps of cold Beef, whether boiled, roasted, stewed, or braised, so long as the piece will cut into neat thin slices. Prepare a forcemeat of chopped parsley, fat bacon, sweet herbs, and a grating of lemon-peel; season with salt and peppier, and spread a small portion on each slice of meat; then roll up, tie round with thread in two places (Big. 114), dip into a thin batter, and throw into

boiling fat. When nicely hot, remove, and serve with brown sauce.

(2) Take some thin slices of cold Beef, and cut them into pieces 2Jin. by 4in. Chop up the trimmings and fat, and to every slice of meat allow 1 table-spoonful of it. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs, and add about a quarter as much bread- or cracker-crumbs as there is meat. Put this mixture on tho slices of meat, spreading it nearly to the edge; roll them up, and tie them with string; sprinkle over a little flour, salt, and pepper, put them into a frying-pan with a little dripping or salt-pork fat, and fry them brown. When they are done, pour the fat into a stewpan, add 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and put it on the fire to brown, and then add 1 pint of hot water; add a little more salt and pepper, pour it over the rolls of meat, previously put into a saucepan, and let them simmer on tho side of the fire until quite done and tender. Take them out, cut off the string, and put them on a dish. Add a littlo seasoning to the gravy, and pour it over.

Beef Roulette. — Cut off a large thin slice from a round of Beef, or any tough part, beat it with a rolling-pin to break the fibre, and trim it into a rectangular shape. Dust

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it over with salt and pepper, and cover it with any stuffing prepared. Roll it over, tie it with string, and cook in a frying-pan with a little pork fat or dripping. When done, remove the string, dish up, pour some hot gravy over it, and serve. If preferred cold, cut into slices before serving.

Beef Salad. — Take lib. of lean cold boiled Beef, the rump part for preference, remove all the fat, and cut it into pieces l£in. in length, as thinly as possible. Place the pieces in a bowl, season with 1 pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, and two medium-sized cooked and sliced potatoes, also 1 pinch of parsley, 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and the same of sweet oil. Mix all well together, arrange in a salad bowl, decorate with six medium-sized pickles, or beets, and serve.

Beef Sausages. — Cut off the fat and remove the sinews from 121b. of Beef, and mince it very fine with 1 teacupful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of saltpetre. Mince also 61b. of lean pork and 21b. of lean bacon, mix this up with the Beef, and add 4 table-spoonfuls of pepper and 2 tablespoonfuls each of powdered pimento and coriander. When the mince is very fine, pour over 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and stir it in. Have ready some entrails of a good size, squeeze the mixture into them, tie them round, or twist them, the length required for the sausages, and put them to smoke for a couple of days ( see Cubing). Put them into a saucepan with some stock, boil them until the liquor is discernible under the skin, take them out, and wrap them round with a cloth. When they are quite cold, they are ready for use.

Beef Soup.— Put 21b. of the lower portion of a round of Beef (Fig. 102, 5) into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover it, add a bay-leaf, six cloves, an onion, a veal-bone, and any Beef trimmings that may be handy. Boil well until the meat is done and tender, skimming frequently. Pour the soup through a fine sieve into another saucepan, boil up once more, and stir in a thickening of butter rolled in flour. Put 2 breakfastcupfuls of any finely-chopped vegetables into the soup, as well as an equal quantity of the cooked meat also chopped up, cover over the pan, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about an hour, skimming frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste, half a lemon cut in slices, and 1 tablespoonful of walnut ketchup; stir well, pour the soup into a tureen, and serve.

Beef Soup a l’Anglaise. — Cut up into small squares ilb. of raw, lean Beef; brown these pieces a little in a saucepan on the hot range, then moisten with 3 pints of broth. Add i pint of finely-chopped vegetable soup, a handful of pearl barley, and i pinch each of salt and pepper. Boil thoroughly for half-an-hour, and a few moments before serving put in one medium-sized sliced tomato. Taste to see if sufficiently seasoned, then pour the soup into a hot tureen, and send to the table.

Beef Soup a l’Ecossaise. — Brown in a little fat, in a saucepan, ilk of small squares of lean Beef and a sliced onion, and moisten with 3 pints of broth, adding breakfast-cupful of oatmeal, 1 small glass of Madeira wine, £ table-spoonful of salt, and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Let it cook for thirty minutes, then serve.

Beef-steak with Anchovy Butter. — For an ordinary-sized steak, take one large anchovy, which should bo well washed and dried, and pounded on a board with the back of a knife — the mortar is not required for so small a quantity. Mix the anchovy with loz. of butter, pass through a hair sieve, put on a warm dish, lay the steak on the anchovy butter, and serve.

Beef-steak Carpet-hag. — Cut off a steak about 2in. thick from the rump of Beef, and split it three-quarters of the way through, taking care not to injure the sides. Fill it inwardly with thick oyster sauce, skewer or sew it up, and put it on a broiler over a clear fire. When done, put the steak on a hot dish, remove the skewer or string, dust liberally with salt and pepper, spread over 1 table-spoonful or more of warmed butter, and serve as hot as possible. This is better known as Steak a la Chateaubriand.

Beef-steak and Kidney Pudding. — Cut lib. of long Rumpsteak (Fig. 115) into pieces, about in. thick, and sprinkle these over with salt and pepper and a little flour. Chop up an oxkidney into seven or eight pieces, put these with the meat into a buttered basin lined with suet-crust, pour over 4 or

Beef — continued.

5 table-spoonfuls of water or weak stock, cover over with a flat of the paste, and fasten it all round the edge. Tie a well-floured cloth over the basin, put it into a saucepan with lgall. or so of water, and boil for about two hours, adding more boiling water to keep up the quantity. When done, turn the pudding carefully on to a dish, and serve very hot.

Fig. 115. Long Rump-steak.

Beef-steak Pie.— (1) For preference choose steak that has been hung; cut up ljlb. of it into moderate-sized pieces, and trim off all the skin and sinews. Season with pepper, salt, and minced shallot or onion. Lay them in a dish (which may have a nice crust in it, according to taste), with two kidneys cut up, and two eggs boiled hard and cut into quarters lengthwise. Arrange nicely, with pieces of fat here and there, put a lump of butter here and there, and 1 breakfastcupful of water poured in, but not over, or it will wash the seasoning down. Cover it with a thick crust, and bake it in a moderate oven until done. Chopped tomatoes or mushrooms are sometimes added to flavour.

(2) Cut the steaks into small pieces, and dust them on each side with flour, pepper, and salt. Arrange them in the dish, intermingling with them a small proportion of fat. A few pieces of kidney, pork, or veal, with two or three hardboiled eggs in quarters, make an agreeable variety in the contents of the pie. Pour over 1 gill of well-seasoned stock, cover with a rather thick crust, and bake thoroughly. Serve hot.

(3) Cut up 21b. of lean Beef into small squares, add two sliced onions, and stew them together in a saucepan with some butter for ten minutes; stir in 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and mix well; moisten with lqt. of water, or thin broth, still stirring. Season with pinch each of salt and pepper, and add a bouquet of sweet herbs. Let it cook for twenty minutes, take out the bouquet, and fill a deep dish with the preparation. Cut two hard-boiled eggs into shoes, lay them on top of the meat, and cover with a plain crust; glaze the surface with yolk of egg, and bake the pie till it is a light-brown colour; then serve.

(4) American Style. — Proceed the same as for No. 3, but using in place of the eggs six or eight potatoes cut in small pieces, and cooked with the Beef.

Beef-steak Pie with Oysters. — Cut six or seven thin slices out of the sirloin or fillet of Beef, beat them, season them with salt and pepper, flour them, and range them in a pio

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dish, and surround them with two dozen blanched oysters. Pour on the bottom of the dish a little cold gravy, finish the pie with a good crust, and hake it lightly for an-hourand-a-quarter.

Beef-steak Pot. — Mince 21b. or 31b. of tough Beef-steak, season with salt and pepper, put it into an earthenware jar with a few cloves and a slice of fat bacon, and pour over 2 breakfast-cupfuls of water mixed with vinegar. Put the lid on the jar, place it in a slow oven, and bake for about three hours. Take out the meat when done, put it on a dish, mix 1 table-spoonful of walnut ketchup with the gravy, pour it over the meat, and serve.

Beef-steak Pudding'. — The same instructions that have been given for making Beef-steak pies will serve for puddings also, the difference being in the make of the crust and the mode of cooking. In good cooking the crust may be made as follows: Spread over the tabl& or slab lib. of flour in a circle, in the centre of which put Jib. of finely-chopped Beef-suet (kidney, for preference), a little salt, 1 teacupful of cold water, and mix well together. Gather up the paste, without working much, and having allowed it to rest for a few minutes, roll it out, and line a basin or dome-shaped mould. For an ordinary economical pudding almost any scraps of juicy Beef will do, especially of that part which is commonly known as “Beef-skirt.” The pieces should be trimmed of all skin, string, and other hard things, and cut small: bits of raw kidney or liver, or of any other meat, may be added if handy; an onion, partly boiled and chopped small, should be mixed with the pieces, and the pudding-basin, lined with pastry, filled with it. Season freely with pepper and salt, and add 1 teacupful of water or thin stock. Wet round the edges of the paste trimmed on the edge of the basin, lay a sheet of paste over, and set firmly together. Cover over with a cloth dipped in scalding water, tie round the rim with string, and having pulled the cloth tight pin the corners together over the top. Boil for about two hours, according to the size of the pudding. Lift from the saucepan by the corners of the cloth; remove the cloth, and let the pudding stand for two or three minutes before turning out. By this rest the pudding cools a little, and the pressure of steam from within subsides; and then by running a thin knife round the edge between the pudding and the basin, it can be turned out readily, if the basin or mould has been greased before using.,

To Make a Pudding foe Boiling in a Cloth without a Basin. — This is not recommended except for farmhouses and such places, or when the pudding paste is required to predominate over the meat. Boll the crust thick, scald a cloth and lay it in a basin, lino this with the whole sheet of paste, put in the meat as before, and draw the crust over, wetting and pinching well together in the centre. Tie up the cloth tightly, and put into boiling water to cook. The time taken will be quite as long as when a basin is used, if not longer.

Beef-steak Pudding with Oysters. — Cut up 111b. of tender Beef-steak into small fillets, and season them with salt and pepper. Chop up an onion, and slightly fry it with butter in a flat stewpan; add to it the Beef-steaks, which warm quickly on both sides to “ set,” and place them on a dish. Sprinkle table-spoonful of flour into the stewpan in which the Beef-steaks have been fried, fry this flour for a few seconds, stirring it, and then moisten it with 1 teacupful of gravy and 1 glass of wine, and pour it over the Beef-steaks. Eight or ten minutes later, fill in the hollow of a lined bowl or mould, alternating the layers with two or three dozen raw oysters, and pour over each a little of the sauce. The mould being full to its height, fold the paste over on the centre, and cover it with a round flat of the same paste, thus enclosing the mould completely. Butter and flour the centre of a damp napkin, put it over the pudding, and fasten it tightly below the mould with string as for Batter Pudding (see Fig. 94). Plunge the pudding into boiling water, and let it boil quickly for an-hour-and-a-half. Afterwards drain the mould, dip it into cold water, remove the napkin, and turn the pudding out on a dish. Garnish round with potatocroquettes.

Beef-steak, Spanish (as in Mexico). — The receipt for this exceedingly delicious mode of cooking a steak was contributed

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by an old Kentuckian who has practised the same for many years, and who declares that whether tough or tender before cooking, there is no dish equal to it after. Any cut of Beef will do, but a thick slice from the round is best. Put sufficient water into a frying-pan to three-parts cover the steak, and let it cook over a steady fire, turning once only. As the water boils away add 1 table-spoonful of dripping, and some green peppers and sliced onions. When the water has all disappeared, leaving nothing but the fat to cook the steak in, turn the meat once more and add 2 table-spoonfuls of stewed tomatoes for each person. Heat up thoroughly and serve. A little salt dusted over and about the steak in the first instance, and a dust or so over the peppers, onions, and stewed tomatoes adds much to the savouriness.

Beef-tea. — (1) Take lib. or more of lean rump of Beef, remove every particle of fat, cut the meat into small pieces, put them into a champagne bottle, cork, and tie down tightly. Place the bottle in a deep saucepan with cold water to reach two-thirds of the way up the bottle, place the pan on a slow fire, and lot it come slowly to the boil. After boiling for fifteen minutes take out the bottle, pour out the liquor, which will be about 2 table-spoonfuls, and use as required.

(2) Mince lib. of lean Beef, put it into a porcelain bowl with sufficient cold water to cover it, and let it macerate for three or four hours. Turn all into a saucepan, bring it slowly to the boil, skimming frequently, strain off the liquor, season with pepper and salt, and serve. If desired, rice and chopped onions may be cooked with it.

(3) Take a rump-steak about lin. thick and without fat, cut it into pieces about the size of the palm of the hand, place them on a wire double broiler, and make them hot through and through. Put each piece separately into a lemon squeezer, squeeze out all the juice, make it hot, and serve as required.

(4) Cut up lib. of lean Beef and pound it well; then put it into a stewpan with Iqt. of cold water, and boil for twenty minutes, removing any scum that rises. Strain it, and let it get cold. Cut lib. of tender rump-steak into thin slices, spread them over a deep dish, sprinkle with salt, and pour over the slices I pint of boiling water. Cover the dish, place it in a very slow oven for half-an-hour, add this to the previous broth, boil for fifteen minutes, and strain for use.

(5) Cut up the Beef finely, put it into a jar with a little salt sprinkled over it, and set in a slow oven to draw out the juice. As this accumulates at the bottom of the jar, pour it off into a small vessel, and preserve for use. Continue this for twenty minutes, and when all the juice has been collected, pour over the meat 1 pint of water, let it cook in the oven or boil in a stewpan for an hour or so, and pour off or strain to serve, adding the juice previously obtained. In this way it is contended that much more nourishment is drawn from the meat.

(6) Cut into strips lib. of juicy steak, quite free from fat and sinew, and scrape it with a sharp knife; or mince up the meat and bruise it thoroughly in a mortar, a little at a time. Put it into a jar with a piece of salt as it is pounded, and pour over it 1 pint of cold water. Let it stand for about an hour, then put it into a stewpan, and boil up. Strain and serve; or the meat may be taken with the tea.

(7) Cut some lean Beef into small pieces, put it into a stone jar, stand a plate on the top, and put it into a moderate oven for four hours. Drain all the gravy off the Beef, and keep it in a cool place. When ready to serve, mix boiling water with the gravy, thinning it to the strength required.

(8) Cut lib. of gravy Beef into small pieces, and soak it in 1 pint of water into which 5 drops of muriatic acid and 1 pinch of salt have been stirred. When the gravy of the Beef has been extracted, strain it through muslin, and serve it.

(9) Mince lib. of gravy Beef, removing at the same time all fat; put it into a saucepan with f pint of cold water, press it with a spoon till on the point of boiling, add 1 saltspoonful of salt, and let it simmer gently for a-quarterof-an-hour. Drain the gravy off the Beef, and servo it with dry toast.

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(10) Put into a jar 21b. of gravy Beef that has been cut into pieces, adding 1 pinch of salt and 2J- pints of water. Put a plate on the top of the jar, and stand it in a warm oven for three hours. When cooked, strain the tea through a silk sieve, and keep it in a cold place till required.

(11) Any juicy lean piece of Beef will do, the shin or roll of the shoulder being often selected. Trim lib. of it clear of all fat, chop it into small pieces, put it into a stewpan with 1 pint of cold water, allow it to simmer slowly for one hour or more, strain through a gravy-strainer, and serve.

(12) Put the meat into a pint jar with a closely-fitting lid, and fill with cold water. Place the jar in a slow oven for a couple of hours or more, remove, strain, and serve. Or the jar may be stood in a saucepan of water, and boiled for two hours at the very least, four or five hours being better. Care must be taken that the water in the saucepan shall not boil into the jar, and that hot water shall be added occasionally to that in the saucepan, lest it boil dry or get low.

(13) The addition of two or three peppercorns and a minced shallot (shallots are milder than onions) are approved by some.

(14) The celebrated Dr. Pavy was of opinion that Beef- tea should he prepared as follows: lib. of lean Beef is cut up as fine as possible, and steeped in cold water. When this infusion has stood for one hour it is to be kept for another hour in a closed vessel at a moderately high temperature, best of all in a gently boiling water-bath. Lastly, the infusion is poured into a coarse sieve, through which the Beef-tea runs. It contains a quantity of a fine precipitate, which is to he drunk with the liquid. Such Beeftea has an agreeable and very pronounced flavour of meat; salt may be added at pleasure.

Dr. Pavy considers it an error, though often practised, to boil the infusion for a long time over an open fire, since in this way a highly gelatinous broth is obtained, but not a true Beef-tea, for the preparation of which a temperature of 76deg. Cent, is sufficient. Beef-tea of a highly concentrated character can be prepared as follows:

(15) Lean Beef is cut up into small pieces, which are placed in a glass jar or wide-necked bottle without the addition of water. The receptacle is then closed, and kept for several hours standing in boiling water. The meat juice that runs out gives a small quantity of highly concentrated Beef-tea.

An excellent nutritious meat drink can be made from Barley-water (see Barley) with an extract of meat, sircb as Liebig’s, stirred in. Ready-made Beef -teas, such as Bovril, Dickson’s Beef-tea, Brand’s Bouillon, Bouillon Fleet, and others, although inferior in nourishing qualities to fresh-made Beef -tea, are very palatable, and have the great advantage of being ready for immediate use. By enlarging the proportion of the extract when mixing with water beyond the quantity recommended in the instructions the nutriment may be increased at the expense of the delicate flavour.

Beef A la Vinaigrette. — From a round of boiled fresh Beef cut a slice about 3in. iu thickness; put this into a saucepan, pour over 1 wineglassful of white wine and a little less than 1 breakfast-cupful of water, adding a bay-leaf, a small bunch of sweet herbs, two or three cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Put the saucepan on the fire, and cook until the liquor is about half absorbed, turning the meat occasionally, Place it on a dish when cold, and servo with a sauceboatful of the liquor strained and 1 teaspoonful of vinegar mixed in with it.

Boiled Beef. — (1) Choose a piece of the round (Fig. 102, 5), silverside (Fig. 102, 4), aitchbone (Fig. 102, 3), or brisket (Fig. 102, 13). Skewer it if necessary, and tie it up with string. Put it into a saucepan, cover it with cold water, and let it come gradually to the boil, removing the scum as it rises, and throwing in a small quantity of cold water from time to time. When well skimmed, add two or more quartered carrots, an onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, and salt to taste. Draw the pan to the side of the fire, and let the Beef boil slowly for two to two-and-a-half hours. Keep the liquor, after straining, for soup stock. Garnish with vegetables (Fig. 117), and serve.

Beef — continued.

(2) Salted Beef should be put into cold water, and fresh Beef into boiling water. Allow twenty minutes to each pound, and half-an-hour over for salted meat; rather less for fresh. Carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and sometimes suet puddings are boiled and served with the Beef. A little of the liquor may be poured round to take off the dryness of the meat, and the rest makes excellent stock for soup.

Fig. 117. Boiled Beef, Garnished with Vegetables.

Boiled Brisket of Beef. — Get a nice brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13) with as little fat as possible. If there is too much fat attached, trim a little of it off, and cut out the bones. Then mako a pickle with 201b. of common salt, fib. of saltpetre, four cakes of sal prunella, 21b. of moist sugar, and two cloves of garlic, with which rub the meat well, and leave it smothered in the pickle for rather more than a week, rubbing and turning it over every day. When the pickling is over, wash, drain, and wipe the brisket, cut it into two equal parts, and place one upon the other in such a way that the fat and lean mix well; tie them together, and wrap in a clean cloth. Put this into a large stewpan or stock-pot containing at least 6gall. of water, and let it simmer for eight hours. When the meat is tender, which you can ascertain by probing with a long skewer, take it out, and set it upon a dish to drain. Have ready a large earthenware crock, and put the Beef into it, opening the cloth so that it lies smoothly, and then with a fork you can arrange the meat as you wish it to cool, fat and lean alternately. Get a piece of board about in. thick and large enough to cover the meat in the pan, and place it upon the meat with a heavy weight upon it. Let it be put in a cold place until the next morning, then take off the weight and board, and lift out the meat by the cloth, and turn it over upon a large dish. Remove the cloth, and garnish with parsley, watercress, and small radishes (if in season). Cut into thin strips crosswise. This was Soyer’s favourite mode of preparing this dish.

Boiled Brisket of Beef with Peas Pudding. — Take a piece of brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13) weighing about 81b. or 101b. (Fig. 118); bone, and pickle with salt, mixed up with saltpetre, thyme, bay-leaves, and coriander-seed, and a handful

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of brown sugar Put a weight oyer it, and leave it in the pickle for a fortnight or so, turning it over several times. When the meat is wanted for use, soak it for a few hours, to wash off the pickle, and put it into cold water to boil. When done and ready to serve, drain it, and trim it neatly; then dish up, and moisten the dish with a little of the gravy Serve with vegetables in season and peas pudding.

Boiled Corned Beef with Spinach. — (1) Take 31b. of rump or brisket of Corned Beef, and put it into a saucepan, covering it with fresh water; boil briskly for an-hour-and-a-half, and serve with boiled spinach.

(2) The same as for the above, only substituting 2qts. of kale-sprouts for the spinach half-an-hour before the Beef is cooked; then arrange the cooked kale-sprouts on a dish, and lay the Corned Beef upon them, and serve

Boiled Fillet of Beef with Poached Eggs. — Trim and lard a fillet of Beef, tie it round with broad tape to keep it in shape, put it into a saucepan with an onion and carrot cut in slices, and a small bunch of sweet herbs; pour over 1 wineglassful of Madeira wine and sufficient stock to nearly cover it, and sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Put the saucepan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently until the meat is quite cooked. Take out and dish the meat when done, skim and strain the gravy, and poach a few eggs in it; remove them, and cook some mushrooms and artichoke bottoms in it, arrange the whole round the Beef, and serve.

Boiled Bound of Salted Beef. — To the famous Alexis Soyer, cooks are indebted for many a valuable hint, especially in preparing those dishes which may be considered purely British — such as this. He says that it must be cut pretty freely from the knuckle, and placed in a brine-tub. Then cover it well with common salt, rubbing the salt well in. Leavo it until the next day to soak, when again rub it with the salt and brine created by the gravy from the meat. Repeat the rubbing every other day for a fortnight, that is if the meat weighs from 301b. to 351b. Larger or smaller joints would take more or less time, according to one’s own judgment Take it out of the pickle in time, let it drain twenty minutes or more, and then force it into a good shape, folding the fat round, fixing with skewers, and tying it round with a few yards of very wide tape. When ready to boil, tie it up in a thin cloth, place it in a large stockpot with plenty of cold water, set upon a good fire, and when beginning to boil draw it to the corner to simmer for five hours. Two hours before it is done, put in eight fine carrots, scraped and cut into six or eight long pieces, twelve turnips (peeled), and two suet puddings weighing from 2 gib. to 31b. apiece. Putting all these articles into the stockpot will perhaps cause the water to cease boiling; if so, place it right over the fire until it bubbles again, and then move to the side as before. When the meat is done, take out the round, and let it drain for ten minutes; take it from the cloth, detach tho tape, take out the skewers, replacing them as you take them out with long silver ones, set upon a large hot-water dish, and pour over about lqt. of the liquor it was boiled in. As the meat looks coarse and untempting in its rough state, cut a large slice from the top about 2in. or a little less in thickness, so as to present a fresh level surface (the piece cut off does for lots of purposes), lay the carrots and turnips tastefully around, and serve. Put tho puddings upon a separate dish, sending them up to table one after the other rather than altogether — they will eat so very much lighter in this way.

Boiled Bump of Beef. — Take a piece of rump of Beef (Pig. 102, 2), bone it, roll it up, tie it with string, put it into a boiler, cover it well with cold water, add salt, and let tho water boil, skimming it carefully. Directly it boils, move it to tho side of the fire to simmer. Prepare and cut up plenty of vegetables, and put into the boiler with the meat. Boil steadily for five or six hours, according to the size of the joint. The rump generally requires a long time for cooking. Remove the meat, and set on a dish to drain; trim it, and dish up surrounded with vegetables. Tomato or piquant sauce, or simply a good thickened gravy, can be served separately.

Boiled Salted Aitchbone of Beef (Fig. 119). — (1) A good large one would weigh from 151b. to 201b. Pickle it for one

Beef — continued.

week, then boil nearly three hours, and serve with vegetables, and a suet pudding separate, or dumplings round the dish. If to be eaten cold, do not take tho tape, with which it is tied up, from it until cold; trim the top, run an ornamented silver skewer in at tho extremity, and servo garnished with sprigs of green parsley.

Fig. 119. Aitchbone of Beef.

(2) Trim an aitchbone of Beef (Pig. 119), put it into a bowl, rub it well with 41b. of salt and oz. of saltpetre, and let it remain in this for ten days, rubbing it with tho brine, and turning it once or twice a day. Put it into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover it, and boil slowly for about five hours. When done, take it out, drain it, and serve with a garnish of cooked vegetables and a little of the liquor, slightly coloured with browning, poured over it. It may be rolled, tied, and skewered if desired.

Boiled Salted Boll of Beef.— The sirloin of Beef, boned, and salted for fourteen or eighteen days, is best for this, and makes an excellent remove. The meat should bo boiled immediately after being removed from the brine. Wash it, cut it straight on the side, roll it up, and bind it with tape; put it into a large vessel, cover it completely with cold water, add to it some vegetables, long slices of carrots and turnips, let it just boil up, and then simmer gently for three hours. Next remove the vessel off tho fire so that tho liquid ceases to boil, but yet keeps hot; let it be for two hours, and then tho moat should be well done and tender. Servo with a good brown sauce, and garnish with vegetables according to the season.

Boiled Salted Bound of Beef. — (1) Cut any hard uneatable parts off a round of Beef, put it into a bowl, and rub it well over with ioz. of saltpetre mixed with 41b. of salt. Let the joint remain in this pickle for about ten days, rubbing it and turning it daily. Take it out, drain off the pickle as much as possible, roll it into shape, securing it with string and skewers, put it into a saucepan of water, and boil slowly for about fivo hours. Care must bo taken not to boil too fast, or tho meat will be spoiled. When done, take it out, turn it, remove the string and wooden skewers, and fasten it with silver or electro-plated ones; put it on a dish, pour round a little of the liquor mixed with a small quantity of browning, put a few cooked vegetables round it for garnish, and serve very hot.

(2) ( Scarlet ) Put a round of Beef into a basin or bowl with a good pickle, let it remain for four days, then rub it over with oz. of salt mixed with loz. of saltpetre very finely powdered. This will give it the required scarlet appearance, which is much esteemed. Let it remain for a day or so, then rub in a mixture of oz. of pepper, the samo of allspice, 7oz. of moist sugar, and lib. of warm Beef-suet. When this is well rubbed in, stick loz. of cloves in the meat, lay tho remainder of the suet-mixture that is not rubbed in on tho top, put it into a saucepan with 2 or 3 pints of water poured over it, cover ovor the saucepan, and cook the meat slowly over a clear firo until done, allowing thirty minutes to each pound. Care must be taken to let the meat stew and not boil, otherwise it would be spoiled. When done, put the meat on a hot dish, and serve.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Beef — continued.

Boiled Silverside of Beef. — Put 101b. or 121b. of tbe silverside of Beef (Fig. 102, 4) into a bowl of pickle, and let it remain for about ten days. Take it out, drain and wash it, tie it up into a round shape, fastening it with broad tape, put it into a saucepan of water over the fire, and boil it for a few minutes. Carefully take off all the scum, remove the saucepan to the side of the fire, and simmer gently for two-and-a-half or three hours. When done, skewer it, remove the tape, put it on a dish, pour over a little of the liquor, and serve with carrots and parsnips as a garnish.

Boiled Tom Thumb Rib of Pickled Beef. — Take out the bone from a rib of Beef (Fig. 120) weighing from 91b. to 101b.,

rub the inside with a little salt, roll it up, and secure it either with tape or skewers. Put it into a bowl of pickle, and let it remain for six or seven days, turning it daily. Take it out, drain, put it into a saucepan of boiling water on the side of the fire, and let it simmer slowly for about three hours, or until the joint is done. Take it out, remove the wooden skewers, if any are used, supplanting them with silver or plated ones, put the meat on a dish, and serve.

Braised Beef. — (1) Cover the bottom of a stewpan with a layer of sliced onions, and over this arrange a layer of thick slices of fat bacon, and place a piece of round of Beef (Fig. 102, 5) — about 101b. — on the bacon. Tie the Beef up first into a nice shape with string. Set the saucepan on the fire for twenty minutes, and turn the Beef over once or twice during that time; then add 1 tumblerful of wine, two carrots, an onion cut in slices, a bundle of sweet herbs, pepper and salt to taste, and a few cloves. Then fill up the saucepan with sufficient stock to cover the top of the Beef. Put the lid of the pan on, and braise the Beef from four to five hours, putting from time to time a few hot cinders on the lid. Serve this joint with its own gravy, after straining and freeing from fat.

(2) Take 41b. to 61b. of Beef from the lower part of the round (Fig. 102, 5) or face of the rump (Fig. 121). Trim, and well ruh with salt, pepper, and flour. Cut two small onions into dice, and fry them until light brown in pork-fat or dripping.

Beef — continued.

Skim them out into a hraising-pan, then brown the meat all over in this fat, adding more fat if needed. Put the meat into the pan resting on skewers, to keep it from touching the pan, with the onions around, not under the meat. Add lqt. of boiling water, and 1 table-spoonful of mixed herbs, which should be tied in a small piece of tammy-cloth or muslin. Cover closely, putting a brick on the cover to keep it down, and cook in a moderate oven for four hours, basting every twenty minutes; turn over after two hours. Add more water as it evaporates, so as to have 1 pint left for gravy. When tender, take up the meat, remove the fat and bag of herbs from the gravy, add more salt and pepper, and if desired add lemon-juice, tomatoes or mushrooms, or their ketchups. Wet 2 table-spoonfuls of flour in a little cold water, and add to thicken. Cook ten minutes, and pour over the meat. Garnish with potato balls, boiled onions, or with piles of vegetables. Scraped horseradish is sometimes served with this meat.

(3) Procure a rump of Beef (Fig. 102, 2) weighing 31b., lard it with four large pieces of salted pork, seasoned with 1 pinch of chopped parsley and a crushed clove of garlic. Lay the Beef in a braising- pan, with pieces of salted pork or fat at the bottom, add one sliced onion, the round slices of one carrot, one sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf; season with J table-spoonful of salt and J pinch of pepper; then cover, and brown it well on both sides for ten minutes. Moisten with J pint of broth, and 2 pint of Spanish sauce; then cook for an hour. When finished, lay it on a dish, garnishing with six stuffed cabbages. Skim off the fat, strain the gravy, and pour the sauce over, or else serve it in a tureen.

Braised Beef a la Bignonne. — Braise a rump of Beef. Take six large potatoes, and pare them as round as possible; scoop out the insides with a vegetable-cutter, being careful not to break them, parboil them slightly for three minutes on a quick fire, and then fill them with any kind of forcemeat; place them in the oven with 2 table-spoonfuls of clarified butter, and bake well for twenty minutes. Serve them around the Beef, three on each side of the dish.

Braised Beef en Daube.— Add to a piece of braised Beef, loz. of salted pork, cut in small square pieces, the round slices of two carrots and twelve glazed onions, also one cut-up turnip. Put all these ingredients into the pan with the Beef three-quarters-of-an-hour before serving.

Braised Beef & la Flamande. — Braise the Beef as described under Braised Beep, and serve it decorated with clusters of a quarter of a cooked red cabbage, two cooked turnips, and two carrots, all sliced. (Bed cabbage, carrots, and turnips should all be cooked separately.)

Braised Beef d la mode. — Lard with four large pieces of salted pork a piece of Beef weighing about 31b. Let it marinade for twelve hours with the juice of half a lemon, 1 table-spoonful of salt, half the quantity of pepper, one sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, and half-a-dozen parsley roots. Put the meat (after marinading) in a saucepan with Joz. of butter, and let both sides brown well for ten minutes; take it out, and lay it on a dish. Then add to the gravy about 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, stirring it well, and moisten with lqt. of broth, mixing it in slowly while the sauce is boiling. Beplace the Beef in the saucepan with two sliced carrots and twelve small glazed onions, and cook for one hour, adding a strong bouquet garni, 1 wineglassful of claret wine, and a tiny piece of crushed garlic; also J teaspoonful of salt, and the third of that quantity of pepper. Serve on a hot dish, skim the fat off the gravy, and strain it over. Arrange the carrots and onions in clusters around the dish, and serve.

Braised Beef a l’Orsini. — Braise a piece of Beef, as described under Braised Beep, and serve it on a dish garnished with rice, prepared as follows: With some cold boiled rice form six balls the size of eggs, roll them in breadcrumbs, then dip them in beaten eggs, lard them with Jin. slices of cooked smoked tongue, and fry in hot fat for three minutes. Serve these round the Beef, with its own gravy well skimmed and strained over.

Braised Beef a la Providence. — Braise a piece of Beef weighing about 31b., as described under Braised Beep, adding a quarter of a cooked cauliflower, J breakfast-cupful of flageolet beans, and 1 breakfast-cupful of cooked carrots, cut with a

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, tee under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

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Beef — continued.

vegetable scoop five minutes before serving. Place the vegetables with the skimmed gravy in a pan, and reduce for five minutes. Dress the Beef on a hot dish, and arrange the vegetables in four heaps, one at each end of the dish and one on each side of it. Pour the gravy over the Beef, and serve.

Braised Beef & la Russe. — Braise a piece of Beef, and serve it with a little of the gravy on the dish, and £ pint of Russian sauce in a tureen.

Braised Brisket of Beef in Flemish Style. — Take out the bone from a brisket of Beef, roll it round, tie, and skewer it. Put it into a saucepan with sufficient stock to cover it, and simmer gently for about three hours. Take it out, drain it, put it into another saucepan, pour over 1 pint of sherry or other white wine, and about 1 pint of stock, and simmer gently on the side of the fire until it is quite done and tender; then take it out, and keep it hot. Trim off the outside leaves of one or two cabbages, blanch them, put them between a couple of plates with a weight on the top, and let them remain until cold. Dredge the cabbage over with salt and pepper, tie it round with broad tape, put it into a saucepan with sufficient stock to cover it, and add a few pork or beef sausages, German sausages, a piece of bacon, a bunch of sweet herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the whole over with a sheet of greased paper, boil until the bacon and sausages are done, take them all out, skin the sausages when they are cold, cut them up in slices and the bacon in small squares, put them into a saucepan with butter, and warm them thoroughly. Place the meat in the centre of a dish, surround it with the cabbage cut in triangularshaped pieces, arrange the bacon and sausages round that, and serve with a sauceboatful of sauce made with the liquor from the meat, mixed with a little Madeira sauce.

Braised Chump of Beef. — Put a layer of carrots, onions, savoury herbs, spices, and seasoning at the bottom of a braisingpan; place a chump of Beef on them, cover it over with more of the seasoning and herbs, pour in 2 wineglassfuls of brandy, and sufficient white wine to moisten. Cover over the pan, hermetically sealing the lid; put it over a slow fire with hot ashes on the top, and cook gently until the meat is done. When done, put the joint on a dish, pass the liquor, vegetables, and herbs through a fine sieve into another saucepan, reduce this by quick boiling, pour it over the meat, and serve

Braised Larded Fillet of Beef Garnished with Tomatoes. — Put a larded fillet of Beef into a saucepan, pour over 1 wineglassful or so of white wine, 1 table-spoonful of brandy, and some rich stock, and add one onion and carrot cut into thick slices, a bunch of thyme and parsley, a bayleaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Put the saucepan on the

fire, boil quickly, and skim well; then remove the pan to the side and simmer gently until the meat is done. Put the joint on to a dish, skim and strain the liquor, reduce it, garnish with stewed tomatoes (Fig. 122), warm the whole on the side of the fire for ten minutes, without boiling, pour it round the Beef, and serve.

Braised Larded Rump of Beef. — Remove the bone from a rump of Beef, beat it well with a rolling-pin, lard it with strips of fat bacon, put it into a saucepan, and add a calf’s foot, a small quantity of bacon-rind, and a seasoning of sweet herbs, bay-leaves, thyme, and garlic, one onion and carrot, a few cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in about lgall. of water, set the saucepan on a slow fire, with a cloth under the lid, and cook gently for about six hours. Take out

Beef — continued.

the meat when done, put it on a dish, strain the liquor over, after the fat has been removed, and serve very hot. The lid may be hermetically sealed, and hot ashes put on the top, to give more heat to the meat, but on no account must the steam be allowed to evaporate.

Braised Rib of Beef. — Take a chuck-rib of Beef (Fig. 102, 11), weighing about 41b., cut very short; cut off the chine-bone neatly, leaving only the rib; tie up with string, and put it into a stewpan that will just hold it. Add 2 pints of broth, 1 gill of brandy, loz. of salt, two small pinches of pepper, an onion, a clove, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a carrot. Cover the stewpan, and boil slowly for two hours. Ascertain if the meat is done

Fig, 123. Braised Rib of Beef, with Vegetable Garnishing.

tender by trying it with a trussing-needle; if so, take it out and put it on a dish, and keep it warm whilst preparing the gravy. Strain the stock in which it has been cooked through a strainer, and, after taking off the fat, reduce it one-half over the fire, and pour it over the meat.

This joint may be garnished with macaroni, nouilles, or vegetables (Fig. 123).

Braised Ribs of Beef with Macaroni. — (1) Take a thick piece of the ribs (Fig. 102, 10) and cut short the bones; cut off also the backbone, or chine; put the meat in a large stewpan, the bottom of which is masked with vegetables and scraps of bacon, season it, and let it braise in the ordinary way for three or four hours. When the meat is quite done, it should show a nice colour when removed from the pan, and the gravy from it be full of meat-juice. Strain the gravy stock, skim off its fat, and pour into a sauceboat. Let the meat drain, and then dish it up, surrounded with a garnish of macaroni, which has been cooked with Parmesan cheese.

Fig. 124. Ribs of Beef Prepared for Boiling.

(2) Remove the bones from some ribs of Beef, and roll them round, tying them into shape with broad tape (Fig. 124); put them into a braising-pan with a seasoning of onions, carrots, mixed spices, grated nutmeg, thyme, laurel-leaves, sweet herbs, salt and pepper, at the bottom of the pan and on top of the meat, and pour over sufficient white wine to moisten. Cover over the pan, hermetically sealing the lid with water and flour paste; set it on a clear fire with hot ashes on the lid, and cook until the meat is done, then take it out and keep it hot in the oven or before the fire. Strain the liquor

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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"Beef— continued.

half into a saucepan, and the other half into a sauceboat; skim off any fat, put some boiled macaroni into the saucepan with the gravy, dust it over with salt and pepper to taste, and add a little grated cheese (Parmesan or Gruyere) and a lump of butter. Make this hot without boiling, put it on a dish with the joint on the top, and serve.

Braised Boll of Beef a. la Minton. — Take a piece of ribs of Beef, bone it and roll it up, skewer it, and secure it with string; put it into a braising-pan with six whole carrots, the same amount of turnips and onions, cover with slices of bacon, add pint of sherry, and barely cover with stock; let the whole simmer gently until done. Put into a stewpan Jib. of chicken glaze; when melted, add nearly pint of gherkins chopped fine. When quite ready, put the Beef on a dish, arrange the vegetables round it, pour the glaze over the top, and serve.

Braised Boll of Beef •witli Nouilles. — Select half a sirloin of Beef, second cut (Fig. 125), entirely free it from bone, and trim it straight and neat, especially about the fat. Lard the lean meat with seasoned fillets of bacon. Set the meat in a large crock or basin, season it, moisten it with 1 wineglassful of white wine, mix up with it some minced vegetables, as well as a bunch of sweet herbs, and let it soak for six or seven hours. Then roll the meat up, bind it with string or tape, and

braise it. When it is done through, it should be glazed to a nice colour and its stock bo juicy. Set the meat on a dish, and surround it with a garnish of nouilles flavoured with Parmesan cheese and dressed with a little sauce and butter; pass the gravy of the meat through a sieve, skim off its fat, and serve in a sauceboat separately. This piece may be served garnished with vegetables.

Braised Bump of Beef. — For this magnificent dish a long stewpan will be required, capable of holding the piece of meat provided; cover the bottom of it with some trimmings of fat and some sliced onions; set the meat on this, and season it. Put round it a few quartered carrots, a bunch of parsley, and another of sweet herbs. Pour over the moat about £ pint of good broth. Put the cover on the stewpan, set it over a moderate fire, and let the broth reduce to a glaze. Again add more broth to what is left to make about pint in all. This second quantity of broth is better if the fat has not been skimmed off it. Add 1 wineglassful of white wine as well; cover the meat with a greased paper, and set it over a slow fire, or in a very slow oven; leave it for six hours or more, if the piece of meat is large, but carefully remove the fat off the stock from time to time as it rises, and lighten with a little broth now and again whilst it is reducing. When the meat is done it will be a good brown, and the gravy meaty and savoury. When quite ready to serve, drain the Beef, trim its upper surface as well as both ends, in order to give it a regular shape; put it on a dish, and surround it tastily with a garnish of boiled cabbage, carrots, and small onions. This dish can also be served with a garnish of macaroni, as described for ribs. Skim the

Beef — continued.

reduced stock, and pass it through a sieve; slightly thicken it with a little tomato sauce, and serve separately in a sauceboat.

Braised Bump of Beef d la Jardiniere. — Take a rump of Beef weighing 161b., bone, bind it with string, and boil in a stockpot for three hours. Drain and trim the Beef, and put it on a drainer in a braising-pan or stewpan; pour in 1 bottle of marsala, lqt. of mirepoix, and simmer for two hours, basting occasionally with the gravy, to glaze the meat. Drain it, and strain the gravy through a silk sieve into a stewpan; reduce it, and add 1 pint of Spanish sauce; skim, and keep it warm to serve in a boat with the meat. Put the Beef on a dish, garnish with a jardinifere, consisting of four parts of cauliflowers, eight of carrots, and four of Brussels sprouts. Put a portion of the cauliflowers at each end and on both sides of the dish, place some carrots on each side of the cauliflowers, and fill the places between with the Brussels sprouts; glaze the Beef and the carrots, and serve with the gravy in a boat.

This joint can also be garnished with six portions of carrots trimmed to a pear shape, and six portions of glazed onions, put alternately round the Beef; or cauliflower and stuffed cabbage, or plain lettuce if served cold.

Braised Bump of Beef in Parisian Style. — Take a whole rump of Beef, trim it on the broad side, thus giving it an oblong form, and truss it. Spread a braising-pan, or an oblong stewpan, with trimmings of fat, sliced carrot and onion, and place the Beef thereon; salt it slightly, moisten with pints of broth, and set the pan on the fire until the broth is reduced to a glaze. Then moisten the meat again, to its height, with broth; put it on the fire, and directly it boils remove the pan back, or to such a part of the stove that the stock will braise gently for seven hours. When the stock begins to thicken, add just a little more broth from time to time When the meat is nearly

done, lay it on a baking-sheet to drain. Mix into the stock 1 wineglassful of white wine, boil, strain, and skim off the fat. Pare the moat, and put it again into the braising pan, basting it with the strained stock, to finish cooking

it, and giving it a good glaze all over. When ready to serve, cut away transverse slices off the outside To dish up this joint to the best advantage, it should be placed on a basis of cooked meat, minced fine and well seasoned, which may be prepared with the trimmings. Surround it on both sides with a garnish composed of croquettes of potatoes,

either of an oblong or round shape, artichoke bottoms,

filled with minced vegetables, and small timbales of cabbages. Insert in each end of the Beef a garnished attelette. Free the stock of fat, reduce to half-glaze, and thicken with a few table- spoonfuls of tomato sauce.

Braised Bump-steak. — Bub a small quantity of salt and pepper over the steak, then roll it round and tie it; put it into a braising-pan or stewpan with an onion stuck with three cloves, one carrot, a bunch of thyme, laurel-leaves and parsley, all tied together, and seven or eight peppercorns. Pour in lqt. of stock, pint of French white wine, and 1 wineglassful of brandy. When boiling, skim the liquor, put some hot ashes on the lid, and let the contents cook over a slow fire. The stewpan should be moved from the fire occasionally, to prevent the meat burning at the bottom. When cooked, strain the liquor off the meat into a saucepan, boil it quickly till reduced to about 1 teacupful, mix a puree of tomatoes with the sauce, and stir it over the fire for ten minutes. Put the steak on a hot dish, and serve it with the sauce in a sauceboat.

Braised Sirloin of Beef. — -Take out the bone from a sirloin of Beef, first cut (Fig. 126), roll it round, skewer it, and lard it. Put it into a braising-pan, with a good supply of spices, sweet herbs, and other seasonings, pour over sufficient rich stock or white wine to moisten, cover over the pan, closing it so as to prevent the steam escaping, put it on the fire with hot ashes on the top, and set the liquor to boil. Bemove the pan to a less fierce fire, and simmer slowly for about four hours. Take out the Beef when done, and keep it hot. Beduce the liquor to a glaze, strain it and skim off the fat, put it into a saucepan, place the meat in it, warm the whole up without boiling, put the meat on a dish, pour the sauce over, and serve.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Ill

Beef — continued.

Breslau of Beef.— Cut off the brown parts from £lb. of roasted Beef, cbop tbe meat up very fine, put it into a basin, and mix in 3oz. of sifted breadcrumbs, 2 table-spoonfuls eaeb of minced thyme and parsley, 3oz. of butter in small pieces, and 1 teaspoonful of grated rind of lemon; pour over 1 teacupful of rich gravy or cream a,nd three well-beaten eggs. When these are incorporated, sprinkle over cayenne, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Put the mixture into buttered cups or tins, put these in a moderate oven, and bake for thirty minutes or so. Turn them out when done, arrange them on a dish, and serve with egg-balls for a garnish. A boatful of gravy or Spanish sauce should also accompany it.

Fig. 126. First Cut of Sirloin of Beef.

Brisket of Beef d la Royale. — Remove the bones from a brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13), make small holes all over it, keeping them about lin. apart; fill these alternately with oysters, parsley, and fat bacon (all finely chopped). Sprinkle the Beef with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper, put it into a bakingpan, and pour over 2 breakfast-cupfuls of boiling claret. Dredge the meat well with flour, put it in the oven, and bake it for three hours or so. When done, put it on a dish, skim and strain the gravy, pour it over, and serve with a garnish of pickled onions.

Broiled Beef Bones. — For this any Beef bones may be used. Cut them up into convenient-sized pieces, rub them well with a mixture of mustard, salt, and pepper, put them on a gridiron over a clear fire, and broil them. They will bo quite done in about ten minutes, and should be served with fried potatoes as a garnish.

Broiled Beef Cakes. — Chop some lean, raw Beef quite fine, and season with salt, pepper, and a little chopped onion. Press and pat it into small flat cakes, and broil on a well-greased gridiron, or in a hot frying-pan. Serve very hot with butter or maitre-d’hotel sauce. The flank end of the sirloin is very suitable for this purpose.

Fig. 127. Beef-steak Grill for Kitchener Stove.

(Wilson’s Design.)

Broiled Beef-steak.- — Beat a steak till tender, and place it on a gridiron over a clear fire, turning frequently. Have ready a hot dish, place the steak on it, pepper and salt well, then spread freely with 1 large table-spoonful of fresh butter, turning and pressing it so as to absorb the butter; pepper again, and set the dish over boiling water until wanted. When served it will be found both tender and juicy, if not cooked too long. One

Beef — continued.

table-spoonful of tarragon vinegar gives to this the taste of venison; and to this may be added 1 table-spoonful of made mustard, for those who like highly-seasoned dishes.

Broiled Double Porterhouse-steak. - Porterhouse-steaks are usually cut from the middle or best part of the loin, commencing lin. or 2in. from where the fillet begins, and going as far back as the round bone at the point of the hip. They are cut or sawn right through, including bone, loin, and underloin, and should be lin. thick and weigh from 11-lb. to 21b., according to the size of the joint from which they are cut. Select a porterhouse-steak of 31b., or thereabouts, cut thick. Broil over a rather slow fire— charcoal if possible — for ten minutes on each side, and serve with a garnish of watercress.

Broiled Fillet of Beef. — (1) Cut some slices from the fillet, wipe them dry, and dust with pepper and salt. Grease the gridiron, and broil over a clear fire, turning every ten counts, for three or five minutes.

Spread with maitre-d’hotel butter, and serve with spinach and chip potatoes.

(2) Cut off a slice or steak about lin. in thickness and £lb. in weight from a fillet of Beef, cut it round the edge to prevent it curling while cooking, and flatten it with a cutlet-bat or cleaver until it is only about Jin. in thickness. Brush it over with warmed butter, put it on a gridiron over a clear fire, and broil for about five minutes, or until it is done. Dredge over salt and pepper, put it on a dish, pour over 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of hot butter, and serve with a garnish of sprigs of parsley and half-slices of lemon.

(3) Cut a fillet-steak into slices, broil them, lay them on a dish on the top of a gill of hot bearnaise sauce, place on each slice one artichoke bottom filled with hot minced vegetables, pour just a little meat glaze over all, and serve.

(4) Broil three slices of fillet-steak, place them on a warm dish, and have ready prepared the following garnishing: Put into a saucepan 1 pint of Madeira sauce; add to it two truffles cut into square pieces, four mushrooms, an artichoke bottom, and a small blanched sweetbread (either from the throat or heart), all well minced together, and cook for ten minutes; then pour this over the hot serving-dish. Dress the slices of meat upon it, and serve.

(5) Broil three or four slices of fillet, put them on a hot dish with i pint of mushroom sauce, lay six poached eggs on top, and serve.

(6) Broil three or four slices of fillet, pour J- pint of bearnaise sauce over them, and garnish with two or three slices of truffles on each; also place on each a little meat glaze, and serve.

(7) Procure 2lb. of fillet of Beef, pare it, cut it into three equal parts, and flatten each a little. Place these on a dish, season them with a dust of salt and pepper, baste them with 1 teaspoonful of sweet oil, roll them well in it, put them on the broiler over a moderate fire, and let them cook for five minutes on each side. Then place them on a hot dish, and use any kind of sauce or garnishing that may be desired.

(8) Take 2lb. of fillet of Beef, and treat it exactly as in No. 7. While the fillets are cooking, chop one small shallot very fine, put it in a saucepan on the hot range with 1 teaspoonful of butter, and fry for a minute or so, adding 5 wineglassful of marsala, or other light wine, and reducing to onehalf. Add a medium -sized pickled pepper and a sweet pepper cut into small pieces, season with salt and a little cayenne, add 4 teacupful of Spanish sauce, and cook briskly for a minuto or two; then pour the sauce on a hot dish, arrange the fillets over it, garnish the dish with fried bread sippets, and serve.

Broiled Loin-steaks. — Select two loin-steaks of lib. each, season them with salt and pepper, baste on both sides with i table-spoonful of oil, put them on a broiler over a bright charcoal fire, and broil them for six minutes on each side.

Fig. 128. Larded Slice of Fili.et of Beef.

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Place them on a hot dish, pour Bordeaux sauce over them, garnish with rounds of marrow, and serve very hot.

Broiled Porterhouse-steaks— (1) Trim the steaks so as to leave about 3in. of the thin flank attached, chop or saw off a part of the back bone, to give them a neat appearance, and notch round the edges of the steaks to prevent them curling when being cooked. Brush them over with warmed butter, put them on a hot gridiron over a clear fire, and broil for about ten minutes, or until they are cooked as required. Put them on a dish, garnish with fried potatoes, and serve.

(2) Procure two porterhouse-steaks of lflb. each, cutting them from the short loin; flatten them well with a cutletbat, pare and trim them, and season with 1 pinch of salt and J pinch of pepper. Put them on a dish with J tablespoonful of oil; roll them well in it, put them over a moderate fire on a broiler, and broil for seven minutes on each side. Lay them on a warm dish, pour over 1 gill of maitred’hotel butter, and serve with a little watercress around the dish for garnish.

Broiled Ribs of Beef witli Marrow.— Cut off the required number of slices of meat from ribs of Beef, trim them to a good shape, brush them over with olive oil, and dust with salt and pepper. Put them on a hot gridiron over a clear fire, and broil them; take them off when done, and arrange them on a dish. In the meantime, blanch some Beef-marrow, cut it up into slices, dip each one separately into warmed glaze, brown them with a salamander, place them on the slices of meat, pour Bordeaux sauce over, and serve.

Broiled Rib-steak. — Cut a steak Jin. thick from between two ribs, remove all gristle and fat, trim it to a flat pear shape, sprinkle it over on both sides with salt and pepper, and oil it to prevent the outside hardening. Broil twelve minutes over a moderate and even fire. Put 4oz. of maitred’hotel butter on a dish, lay the steak on it, and garnish with fried (chip) potatoes. Either piquant, Italian, or tomato sauce may be served with this steak.

Broiled Rib-steak a la Bordelaise. — Cut out the bone from a rib of Beef, and divide the meat into two steaks, trimming them into shape. Put them on a hot gridiron over a clear fire, broil them for about ten minutes, take them off when done, put them on a dish, cover them over with Beefmarrow, blanched and heated in the oven, pour round some Bordeaux sauce, and serve.

Broiled Rump-steak. — Take a prime rump-steak (Fig. 129), wipe, trim off the superfluous fat, and remove the bone if there be any. Grease the gridiron with some of the fat.

Fig. 130. Beef-steak Tongs.

Broil over a clear fire, turning every ten seconds with tongs (Pig. 130). Cook three or four minutes if liked rare; longer if well done. Serve on a hot plate. Season with butter, salt, and pepper; or serve with maitre-d’hotel butter.

Broiled Rump-steaks served with Marrow. — Saw a

marrow-bone into two or three pieces, and let them soak; put

Beef — continued.

them into a stewpan with some broth, and boil them on a slow fire for three-quarters-of-an-hour. Cut some rump-steaks about Jin. thick, trim them nicely, and round them (Fig. 131), leaving a little fat on the side. Beat them a little, season with salt and pepper, roll them in warm butter or in oil, and range them side by side on a gridiron. Let them broil for ten or twelve minutes, turning them frequently with the tongs. Take them off when the meat offers a slight resist

ance if pressed with the tongs; dish them, place between each a proportion of cooked Beef-marrow, seasoned with a little cayenne pepper, and glazed with the paste-brush; also glaze the steaks, but serve them without gravy. They may be garnished with potatoes or watercress.

The marrow is prepared by cutting the bones into lengths, and boiling in a thin broth for three-quarters-of an-hour. Prepared in the Chateaubriand style, the steaks are slit to form a pocket, and the marrow is cooked inside.

Broiled Sirloin-steak. — (1) Cut a steak about Jin. thick and weighing about lib. from the thick end of a sirloin of Beef, place it on a gridiron over a clear fire, and broil until done. Put it on a dish, with a little warmed butter poured over it, and serve.

(2) Arrange two broiled sirloin-steaks on a hot dish. Cut six medium-sized cepes into quarter pieces, put them in a frying-pan with 1 table-spoonful of oil, and fry for two minutes with a finely-chopped shallot and a crushed quarter of a clove of garlic. Add to these J pint of Madeira sauce, and boil for two minutes longer; pour this sauce over the steaks, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve.

(3) Broil two sirloin-steaks; then take J pint of Madeira sauce, and add to it a few drops of tarragon vinegar, also the blanched marrow of one marrow-bone cut in round slices. Boil up, and pour the sauce over the steaks; serve very hot.

(4) Broil two sirloin-steaks, and serve surrounded with cooked potatoes and maitre-d’hotel butter.

(5) Arrange two broiled sirloin-steaks on a hot dish, and pour over them a sauce made as follows: Empty three green peppers of their seeds, mince them very finely, put them into a stewpan with 1 table-spoonful of oil, and cook for about three minutes, moistening with J pint of Madeira sauce; warm up for five minutes longer, pour the sauce over the steaks, and serve.

(6) Broil two or more sirloin-steaks; when cooked, pour over them bdarnaise sauce, and serve.

Broiled Steak. — (1) Mix together thoroughly loz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and J teaspoonful of lemonjuice. Bub this over the steak after it is broiled and dished on a hot plate, and serve immediately. Fresh butter alone should be used. Tomato or oyster sauce is sometimes served with a broiled steak.

(2) The plate may be covered with anchovy butter, and the steak laid upon it.

Cannelon of Beef. — Chop 21b. or 31b. of lean Beef very fine, and mix it up with half the quantity of bacon or ham that has been well pounded in a mortar; add the thin rind of a lemon and a small bunch of sweet herbs, also finely chopped; sprinkle the mixture with grated nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, binding the whole together with the yolks of two or three eggs. Shape the mixture into a long roll, tie or wrap it round with buttered paper, put it into a bakingpan in a moderately hot oven, and bake for an hour or so. Take it out when done, remove the paper, place it on a dish,

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pour over some hot rich gravy, and serve. Garnish with fried potato balls.

Chateaubriand of Beef. — Cut off some thick slices from a fillet of Beef, and with a sharp knife slit each one nearly in halves; put 1 table-spoonful of ox-marrow seasoned with salt and cayenne, and a few strips of onion in the cavity: press the sides together, well brush over with warm butter or oil, and put them on a warm gridiron over a clear fire.

When they are done, which will take from ten to fifteen

minutes, take them off, put them on a dish, squeeze a little lemon-juice over them, and serve as hot as possible. Great care must be taken to prevent the marrow from oozing out while cooking, and this may be done by sewing the cut edges together with a small kitchen skewer.

Cold Boiled Beef au Gratin. — Cut 1 J lb. of cold boiled Beef into slices about jin. thick, put them into a gratin pan, and pour over them 1 pint of Italian sauce. Cover

with fine bread-raspings, warm in the oven, and brown with a salamander.

Cold Boiled Beef Plain-warmed. — Cut up some cold boiled Beef into slices about iin. thick; put some butter to melt in a frying-pan, place the slices in the pan (avoid their lying one over the other), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. After five minutes’ frying, turn the slices over, and let them fry five minutes longer on the other side; sprinkle again with salt and pepper, take them out, and lay them on a dish; add 2 table- spoonfuls of vinegar to the butter in the pan, boil for a minute, and then pour it over the Beef. Garnish with chopped fried parsley, and serve.

Cold Boiled Beef Warmed with Bacon and Potatoes.

Take ljlb. of cold Beef, or as much more as may be required, cut it into pieces 1 Jin. square, and remove all dry and fat parts. Select a piece of streaky bacon about lb., remove the rind, and cut the bacon in pieces ljin. square; fry, with 1 tablespoonful of butter, in a large stewpan. When it is sufficiently I browned, add lqt. of water, a bunch of herbs, one medium sized onion, and lib. of potatoes peeled and cut in squares like the Beef. Boil for fifteen minutes. Add the pieces of Beef, and boil gently for ten minutes. When the potatoes are done, take out the herbs. The saltness of the bacon will be appreciated, and more salt may bo added if the taste should so dictate. Serve hot.

Cold Boiled Beef Warmed and Served with Italian

Sauce. — Cut about ljlb. of cold boiled Beef into slices fin. thick, and warm them in the oven for about fifteen minutes; pour over 1 pint of Italian sauce, and serve.

Cold Boiled Beef Warmed and Served with Piquant Sauce.— Cut some cold boiled Beef into slices about fin. thick; set these in a gratin-pan, moisten with 1 teacupful of broth, and put in the oven for fifteen minutes. Pour 1 pint of piquant sauce over the meat, and serve.

Cold Boiled Beef Warmed and Served with Tomato Sauce. — Cut about ljlb. of cold boiled Beef into slices fin. thick, and warm them in the oven for about fifteen minutes. Take 1 pint of tomato sauce, pour it over the slices, and serve.

Cold Stewed Bibs of Beef with Aspic Jelly. — Trim the first five ribs of Beef (Pig. 132) in a piece, and lard it with fat bacon and ham seasoned with salt and pepper; wrap it up in slices of fat bacon, and tie up to a good shape; tie packthread round it also, to preserve it as thick as possible; then put it into an oval stewpan with some trimmings of veal and Beef, J pint of Madeira wine, 1 gill of brandy,

2 ladlefuls of consomm5, with roots, herbs, and spices as usual. Cover with a buttered paper, boil it four hours very slowly, and leave it to cool in its stock. When nearly cold, take it up, and press it between two stewpan-covers weighted above. When quite cold, trim it, taking care not to detach the bones, which should be trimmed and scraped very white. Cover with glaze, and place it on an entree dish, garnished with chopped aspic; form on it a light decoration of aspic, and surround it with a fine border of croutons of aspic and vegetables. The artistic taste of the cook can be well displayed in garnishing this dish with aspic. See Aspic.

Collared Beef. — (1) Put a piece of the thin end of the flank of Beef, weighing 6 Jib. or 71b., into a bowl, and rub in a pickle made with Goz. of salt, loz. of saltpetre and a little coarse

Beef — continued.

moist sugar. Let the meat remain in this for ten days, rubbing and turning it over frequently; then take it out, and remove all the bone, skin, and gristle. Dust it over with 3oz. of finely-powdered sweet herbs and a good supply of salt and pepper, roll it up in the same way as a fillet would be, tie it up securely with broad tape, wrap it round with a cloth, put it into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover it, and boil gently, allowing thirty minutes to each pound of meat. Take it out when done, put it under a heavy weight until cold; then remove the cloth and tape, and it is ready to be served.

(2) Take a flank of fresh Beef or other lean piece and put it into a stewpan with popper, salt, allspice, saltpetre, thyme, and sage, and pour over enough broth to cover it. Then roll hard, wind string around it, and boil till done. It must be served cold, cut in slices.

(3) The flank is the best piece for collaring, about 141b. to 161b. or so; cut this square or oblong, and take off the inner skin. Prepare a brine of bay-salt and water strong enough to float an egg, and let the meat lie covered in it for a week. Then take it out, dry it well, and afterwards rub it over thoroughly with finely-powdered saltpetre. Put it back into the original brine and let it remain there for a week longer. Take it out at the expiration of that time, and wipe it completely dry. Now beat up in a mortar loz. of powdered white pepper, ljoz. of grated nutmeg, loz. of mace, loz. of cloves, and four shallots shredded fine, into a paste, which is to be spread evenly and completely over the inner side of the meat. Boll up the Beef as tight as possible, and tie up firmly with tape. It is then ready for smoking or boiling.

Fig. 132. First Five Kibs of Beef.

Corned Beef. — (1) Select a piece of pickled Beef which has a fair proportion of fat — such as the brisket (Fig. 102, 13) or neck. If very salt, soak it in cold water for half-an-hour. Put it on to boil in fresh cold water, enough to cover it; skim carefully when it begins to boil, and cook slowly, simmering (not boiling) until it is so tender that you can pick it to pieces with a fork. Let the water boil quickly towards the last, and having removed it from the fire, let the Beef stand in the water to cool. Then before getting quite cold lift the meat out of the water and pack it in a pan, or large oblong tin, so that the fibres run lengthwise, arranging the fat amongst the lean so that it will be well marbled. Put a thin board, a trifle smaller than the inside of the pan, over the moat, and pross by putting a heavy weight on the board. When cold, cut in thin slices to servo.

(2) Fifty pounds of meat will require 4Jlb. of salt, ljlb. of brown sugar, ljlb. of saltpetre, and lqt. of molasses or dark brown sugar. Mix theso well, boil, and skim; when milkwarm, pour it over the meat with a ladle. The Beef must be soaked in clear water and wiped dry before putting in the brine. It will be ready for use in a few weeks. Should the brine mould, skim and boil again. Keep the meat under the brine.

(3) Having a quarter of Beef cut into proper sizes and shapes for nice roasting pieces, put it in a barrel of weak brine, and lot it remain four days. Then make a brine that

Q & R

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will float an egg, to which add 1,1b. of saltpetre and 31b. of brown sugar. Transfer the Beef to this barrel, coyer closely, and let it remain a week. Put a weight on the meat to ensure its being kept under the brine. Beef thus prepared in January will keep well through to the month of March, improving with the lapse of time. It is best served cold.

(4) The following is known as “ Pocock’s pickle”: Put 4galls. of water, 1 ilb. of molasses or foot sugar, 2oz. of saltpetre, and 71b. of common salt, into a boiler; take off the scum as it rises, and when well boiled let it remain to get cold. Put sufficient of this pickle over the meat to cover it, and keep it under the brine by pressing down with a board upon which are bricks or any other kind of weight except iron. The same pickle may be used over and over again by reboiling and adding a small quantity more of each ingredient.

(5) Take about 81b. of salted brisket or flank of Beef, and soak it for several hours, washing off as much of the brine as possible. Put it into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil gently for six hours; let it remain to cool in the liquor for two or three hours, then take it out, drain it, and remove all the bones. Put it into a tin shape, with a heavy weight on the top, and when it is quite cold take it out, and it is ready for use.

Corned Beef as Cooked and Served in America. — Soak 41b. of corned Beef and put it on to boil in fresh cold water; skim and simmer until tender, but not long enough for it to fall to pieces. Let it cool in the liquor in which it was boiled, and then before cold put it into a flat hollow dish, cover with a hoard, and press with a heavy weight. Bemove all the fat from the meat liquor and save it, but do not let it stand in an iron kettle or tin pan. Have two or three beets ready boiled, and cover them with vinegar. The next day, after boiling and pressing the meat, prepare the vegetables (a small cabbage, two small carrots, one small turnip, six or eight potatoes, and a small crooked-neck squash); wash them all, scrape the carrots, and cut the cabbage into quarters; pare the turnip and squash, cutting them into Jin. slices, and pare the potatoes. Put the meat-liquor on to boil about two hours before dinner-time; when boiling, put in the carrots, afterwards the cabbage and turnips, and halfan-hour before dinner add the squash and potatoes. When tender, take the vegetables up carefully and drain the water from the cabbage by pressing it in a colander. Slice the carrots. Put the cold meat in the centre of a large dish, and serve the carrots, potatoes, and turnips round the edge, with the squash, cabbage, and pickled beets in separate dishes; or serve each vegetable in a dish by itself. This may be all done the same day if the meat be put on to boil very early and removed as soon as tender, the fat taken off, and the vegetables added to the boiling meat-liquor, beginning with those which require the longest time to cook. This will depend very much upon their freshness. But whichever way the dish is prepared, boil the beets alone, remove the meat and fat before adding the vegetables, and serve each as whole and daintily as possible.

Corned Bound of Beef Plain-Boiled. — Wash the meat, sew it in a coarse towel, put in cold water, and boil six or eight hours. Do not remove the towel until next day. This is improved by putting the meat in a mould and giving it a good shape. When perfectly cold, trim nicely, and carve it across the grain.

Curing Beef for Drying. — This method keeps the meat moist, so that it has none of that toughness dried Beef mostly has when a little old. To every 281b. or 301b., allow 1 tablespoonful of saltpetre and lqt. of fine salt, mixed with molasses or dark brown sugar until the colour is light brown; rub the pieces of meat with the mixture, and when well worked in, let all stick to it that will. Pack in a keg or half-barrel, that the pickle may cover the meat, and let it remain fortyeight hours; at the end of that time enough pickle will be formed to cover it. Take it out and hang in a suitable place for drying. Allow all the mixture to adhere to the meat that will.

Curried Beef. — (1) Cut llb. of Beef into small pieces, put them into a frying-pan with a little butter, and brown them; add two onions cut up small, brown them also, and turn them all into a saucepan. Add 3 table-spoonfuls of curry-powder, a table-spoonful of curry-paste, and a small lump of butter

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Beef — continued.

rolled in flour; pour over a little gravy, and cook gently for about an hour-and-a-half. Turn the curry out on to a dish, and serve with boiled rice round the dish or separate.

(2) Put one or two small onions, cut up in slices, into a saucepan with 2oz. of butter, and brown them; then add 1 table-spoonful of flour, and stir well for a few minutes; put in lib. of lean Beef cut up into small squares, and cook for a few minutes longer. Mix 1 table-spoonful of curry-powder in 1 breakfast-cupful of water, weak stock or gravy, boil it for half-an-hour, strain it into the saucepan containing the meat, and cook gently for about an hour-and-a-half. Sprinkle in 1 saltspoonful of salt, and add a small quantity of vinegar or walnut ketchup, to give it an acidulated flavour. When done, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve with a border of well-boiled rice.

(3) Chop up two small onions, brown them in a saucepan with 2oz. of butter, add 1 table-spoonful of curry-powder, and stir it well in. Cook for a few minutes, then add ljlb. of Beef cut up into small pieces, pour over about J breakfast-cupful of milk, simmer gently on the side of the fire for about thirty minutes, and add a quarter of a cocoa-nut cut up very fine and rubbed through a fine sieve. Bemove the saucepan from the fire, add the juice of a lemon, turn the curry out on to a dish, and serve with a border of boiled rice.

(4) Portuguese Style. — Cut 21b. of the primest fat Beef into large squares, put these into a basin with 1 teacupful of vinegar, and mix in teaspoonful of salt, 1 table-spoonful each of bruised garlic, ground garlic, and ground ginger, 2 teaspoonfuls of ground chillies, 1 teaspoonful of roasted and ground coriander-seed, half that quantity of roasted and ground cumin-seed, four or five roasted and ground cloves and cardamoms, and six small sticks of cinnamon, also roasted and ground. Let the Beef steep in this for eighteen or twenty four hours; then turn the whole into a frying-pan with 6oz. of hot mustard-oil, fat, or lard, add a few peppercorns and two or three bay-leaves, and cook gently over a slow fire for about two hours, or until the meat is tender. Turn the curry out on to a dish, and serve very hot. Mustard-oil, if obtainable, should be used in preference to fat or lard.

Curried Beef Forcemeat Balls. — Cut into small pieces about 21b. of fat Beef (rejecting the veins or other uneatable parts), put these into a mortar, pound them well, and mix in 1 teaspoonful each of salt, pepper, and finely-chopped sweet herbs, and 2 table-spoonfuls of sifted breadcrumbs. Pour in a little Beef-broth, or milk, to give the preparation the required consistence, then add a well-beaten egg, and form the mixture into balls, rolling them into more breadcrumbs. Warm a frying-pan, put in 3oz. or 4oz. of fat, make it hot, add 1 tablespoonful of ground onions, J table-spoonful each of ground chillies and turmeric, teaspoonful each of ground peppercorns and green ginger, and j teaspoonful of ground garlic; make them quite hot and brown, sprinkling over 1 tablespoonful of cold water, put in the forcemeat balls, sprinkle over salt to taste, fry them until they are brown, pour in 1 breakfast-cupful of Beef-broth or water, and simmer gently over a slow fire for about two hours. Turn the curry out on to a dish, and serve at once. Ground hot spices may be added to the other curry ingredients, if desired.

Devilled Beef. — Cut some rather thick slices of Beef from the end of a cold boiled or braised rump of Beef, trim them without removing any of the fat, sprinkle over with salt, and roll them well in oil mixed up with mustard and pepper to taste, but the latter in predominance; cover the slices with grated breadcrumbs, put them on a warm gridiron over a slow but clear fire, and cook them. Baste frequently with more oil, using a bunch of parsley as a paste-brush to baste. When they are quite warm, and have obtained a slight colour, put them on a dish, pour round a little rich gravy, and serve.

Dutch. Beef. — Bub the lean part of a buttock of Beef with moist sugar, put it into a pan, and leave it there for two or three hours, rubbing it constantly with the sugar; then rub it well with a mixture of (lb. of bay-salt, 2oz. each of sal prunella and saltpetre, 1 teacupful of finely-bruised juniper-berries, and lib. of common salt. Let it remain in this for a fortnight, turning it and rubbing it frequently

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Beef — cont inued.

with the pickle. Roll it np tightly in a cloth, put it in the pres3 for twenty-four hours, hang it up in a dry place or in a wide chimney, and let it remain until wanted. When

used for cooking, it must he tied up in a cloth.

Essence of Beef. — Take of lean Beef, sliced (inferior parts will do), a sufficient quantity to fill the body of a bottle; cork up loosely, and place it in a pot of cold water, attaching the neck, by means of a string, to the handle of the pot. Boil from one-and-a-half to two hours, then pour off what liquid there may be in the bottle, and strain it. To this preparation may be added celery, spices, salt, wine, brandy, &c. A dessert-spoonful in a cup of warm water makes a fine Beef-tea drink.

Fillet of Beef. — The fillet of Beef is properly the under-cut of the sirloin, or “ tenderloin ” as it is called, which, from its tender, juicy character, is a great favourite for the operations of artistic cooks. Several receipts which exhibit very great taste and ingenuity are given for its preparation:

(1) Wipe, and remove the fat, veins, and tough tendinous portions in the middle of a fillet, and trim into shape. Lard the upper side, dredge with salt, pepper, and flour, put several pieces of pork in the pan under the meat, and bake in a hot oven twenty or thirty minutes. The pork may be omitted, and choice pieces of Beef-fat put over the meat. Serve with mushroom sauce; or, brush the fillet with beaten egg and sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs all over it, and bake twenty minutes; or, stuff the incisions left by the removal of the veins and tendons with any stuffing or forcemeat, dredge with salt and flour, and bake. The centre part only should be carved at a first-class table (Fig. 133).

Fig. 133. Larded Fillet of Beef Cut as for Carving.

(2) Take a piece of fillet, cut it into slices about 4in. square and Jin. thick, and lard them. Put them into a pan with a very little good stock, some vegetables cut small, and braise them. They will take three-quarters-of-an-hour to stew and a few minutes to brown. Serve in a circle with gravy poured round, and the centre filled with tomatoes or mixed vegetables.

(3) Take a piece of fillet of Beef, trim off the fat neatly and the thin skin next to it, lard (not too finely) the outside of the fillet with fat bacon, and lay it for a whole day in a pie-dish with plenty of olive-oil, pepper, salt, parsley, slices of onions, and bay-leaves. Turn it occasionally. Cover the larded side with a piece of oiled paper, roast it at a brisk fire, and do not let it be overdone. Baste it frequently with butter, or with some of the marinade in which it has been lying; and a short time before serving, remove the paper, dust the fillet with salt, and cease basting, to lot the larding take colour. Collect what gravy is in the dripping-pan, free it. entirely from fat, and serve it under the fillet, garnished with fried potatoes and watercress. If you cannot collect sufficient gravy from the fillet, some well-flavoured Beef stock may be added to make up a sufficient quantity.

(4) Fillet of Beef may be fried in butter and served with tomatoes sliced and baked on a baking-sheet for three or four minutes, with some pieces of fat cut into rounds. It should be cut into Jin. slices, and a tomato, &c., placed on each, with a small pat of maitre-d’hotel butter.

(5), Cut the fillet into slices, season, and cook them on a gridiron. Then glaze them and lay them over a pile of mashed potatoes. A small piece of cooked fat should be

Beef — continued.

laid on each fillet, surmounted by a tuft of finely-scraped horseradish; while a few fried onions in the centre, and a good rich gravy over all, make an appetising dish. Celery, well seasoned and stewed in stock, is rubbed through a coarse sieve, and served with a braised fillet.

Fillet of Beef in Aspic. — Cut off the ragged parts of a small fillet of Beef, to give it a nice appearance, also the thickest part of the thin end, and make a deep incision down the thin side. Finely chop and pound some lean veal, pass it through a fine hair sieve, return it to the mortar, and mix with it an equal quantity of chopped Beef-suet and about one-third the quantity of panada. Pound all well together, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and bind it together with beaten eggs; then mix in some truffles, oxtongue, and whites of hard-boiled eggs, all cut into small pieces. Stuff the fillet with the forcemeat; cover it first with slices of celery, then with cooked ham, and lastly with thin slices of fat bacon; then tie it up. Put the Beef in a braising-pan with two calf’s feet and some stock, place the pan over a slow fire, and stew the meat between two and three hours till it is tender. When cooked, take the fillet out of the liquor and leave it till cold. Strain the cooking liquor through a fine hair sieve into a basin and leave it till set; strain off all the fat, and mop it over with a cloth dipped in hot water, to remove the grease; clarify the liquor, and pass it through a silk sieve. Pour a small quantity of the liquor into a mould that will hold the fillet, and place it on ice till set. Trim the fillet at both ends, cut some small pieces of whites of hard-boiled eggs, tongue, and truffles, which arrange tastefully about on the set jelly; pour in sufficient of the jelly stock to cover them, and let it get firm; then lay the fillet of Beef on the jelly, the top downwards, and pour in the rest of the clarified liquor. When ready to serve, dip the mould in tepid water, to loosen the jelly at the sides, wipe it, and turn the contents on to a dish. Garnish and ornament to taste, and serve.

Fillet of Beef with Bearnaise Sauce. — Take 21b. of fillet of Beef cut up into small round slices, 2oz. of glaze, 2oz. of butter, one chopped mushroom, pepper, and salt. Fry the fillets in the butter with the mushroom and seasoning. When cooked, brush each one over with a little glaze. Dish the fillets in a circle on mashed potato or spinach, and serve Bearnaise sauce in the centre, with some brown sauce poured round.

Fillet of Beef A la Broche. — Having trimmed the skin off, beat the fillet lightly and lard it lengthwise with fillets of fat bacon; lay it in a deep dish, cover it thickly with some slices of carrots, turnips, and onions, and pieces of celery, leek, thyme, and parsley, and moisten it with a few tablespoonfuls of salad-oil. Let the fillet steep in the marinade for several hours. When ready to cook, cover the fillet with the vegetables, and bind it tightly round with plenty of thick paper. Fix the meat on a spit, and roast it in front of a clear fire for about an hour-and-three-quarters, basting it continually. Prepare the following sauce: Boil a few chopped shallots in about J teacupful of vinegar for a minute, then mix in 1 pint of half-glaze and a little less than J pint of broth. Boil the liquor till reduced to a thick cream, and season it with a small quantity of sugar and cayenne pepper. Make a croustade, something the shape of a breast-plate, and fix it at the head of a dish; drain the fillet, remove the vegetables, brush the larded part over with glaze, and brown it under a salamander. Put the fillet in the centre of the dish, and garnish it round with a border of potatoes, on which place alternately some glazed fillets of tongue and quenelles. Cut some cooked heads of asparagus into different lengths, and fix them inside on the top of the croustade to represent arrows. Pour the sauce over the fillet, and serve.

Fillet of Beef d la Chateaubriand. — Take 2 Jib. of fillet of Beef, cut it up into round pieces about 2in. in diameter and Jin. thick, and lay these in a marinade of oil and vinegar, four bay-leaves, a few allspice, and a little chopped vegetables, about two hours before they are required for the table. When wanted for use, take them out, drain them, and toss them in a saute-pan with clarified butter; when one, the butter should be drained off, and half-glaze poured over them. Build them round upon a border of mashed potatoes, with fried potatoes in the centre. When sending

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to table, more of the half-glaze should be poured over the fillets.

Fillet of Beef in Continental Style. — Cut the steaks across the fillet rather more than lin. thick; they will be somewhat circular; make them as much so as you can, by paring off the fibres and loose pieces, but leaving every bit of fat. TTlatten each on a block by a blow or two with the flat side of a meat-chopper, or a wooden beater made for the purpose, till it is reduced to about half its original thickness. Dip it in tepid butter, dust it over with pepper and salt, and grill it on a gridiron over a brisk, clear fire, turning it frequently. Serve it rather underdone and full of gravy, on a hot dish in the middle of which you have laid a piece of butter sprinkled with chopped parsley, garnished with fried potatoes; or with watercress, seasoned with pepper, salt, and vinegar; or with brown mushroom sauce.

Fillet of Beef in Flemish Style. — Skin and lard carefully about 31b. of the fillet steak of Beef. Braise until cooked, which will take about three-quarters-of-an-hour, or less. Slice the fillet, not too thick (about -(in.), and arrange around, or along the centre of a large dish. Garnish with seasonable vegetables, and serve with Spanish sauce. The vegetables should be cut up into shapes, and between each pile lay two or three bits of rolled streaky bacon.

Fillet of Beef a la Gouffe. — Trim a fillet of Beef weighing from 81b. to 101b., lard it with some strips of fat bacon, put it in an oval pot, or fish-kettle, with lqt. of mirepoix and £ bottle of marsala, and cook for two hours, basting the meat frequently with the gravy. When the fillet is done, put it in the oven to keep warm, and glaze it with meat glaze. Prepare the garnish as follows: make eight chicken forcemeat quenelles, Sin. by ll 2 in., roll them to an oval shape, and “ contise ” them with thin slices of tongue. Take twelve large truffles, carefully washed, but not pared, and cooked in marsala. Wash and cook twelve cocks’ combs. Make some small chicken quenelles. Slice some mushrooms and truffles, and mix them together with the small quenelles in some Godard sauce. Take a dish, and with some boiled rice make a socle or stand on it, of the same length and breadth as the fillet, and 3in. in height; brush it over with egg, and colour it in the oven. Drain the fillet, and put it on the rice socle, put the ragout of small quenelles, sliced mushrooms, and truffles all round the socle on the dish; on the ragout place all round alternately the large quenelles and the truffles, and put a cock’s comb on each truffle. Garnish four silver skewers ( see Attelettes) with cocks’ combs and truffles, putting the cocks’ combs at the top; stick these skewers in the fillet, and serve with more Godard sauce in a boat. This very high-class dish should only be attempted by experienced cooks.

Fillet of Beef l’Hollandaise. — Select a short fillet of

Beef (Fig. 134), trim it, and cut it into slices about in. thick.

Fig. 134. Short Fillet of Beef.

Sprinkle these over with salt, put them into a basin with 6 table-spoonfuls of butter warmed and slightly oily, squeeze over a little lemon-juice, and let them remain for an hour. Dip them lightly in flour, put them into a double broiler, or on a gridiron, over a clear fire, and cook them for five or six minutes, turning them, to cook both sides. Put a pile of mashed potatoes in the centre of a dish, arrange the

Beef — continued.

slices round it, pour round Dutch sauce, and serve with sprigs of parsley for garnish. A short fillet would weigh from 2ilb. to 31b.

Fillet of Beef in Jelly. — Trim a short fillet of Beef (Fig. 134), weighing about 211b., cut from the tenderloin, and make a deep slit in the side, but taking care not to go through the ends on to the other side; stuff the cavity with veal forcemeat, sew up the incision, and bind the fillet round with broad tape, making it into a good shape. Put a couple of slices each of ham and pork into a saucepan, place the fillet on them, and add two calf’s feet and two sticks of celery. Pour over igall. of good clear stock, place the saucepan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently for two-and-a-half hours. Strain off all the liquor, and let the meat harden; then scrape off every morsel of fat, put it into another saucepan, and add a small slice of onion and the whites of two eggs well beaten in 4 table-spoonfuls of cold water. Put the saucepan on the fire, and when the liquor boils, sprinkle over salt to taste, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about half-an-hour. Strain the liquor through a cloth, put a little of it on the bottom and round the sides of a charlotte-mould, say to about jin. in depth, pack the mould in ice, and let the jelly harden. When it is nearly set, decorate the mould with hard-boiled eggs cut in rings or slices. Trim off the ends of the fillet, remove the tape, put it in the centre of the mould, and pour over the remainder of the strained jelly. Should the fillet float in the jelly before it is hardened, place a slight weight on the top of it to keep it down. When the whole is firm and set, turn it carefully out on to a dish, with a garnish of hardboiled eggs cut in rings, and a stoned olive in the centre; decorate these with sprigs of parsley, and serve.

Fillet of Beef with Macaroni. — Prepare the fillet, lard it through the thickest part with strips of cooked tongue and fat bacon, and tie it up with string. Melt alb. of butter in a saucepan, put in the fillet with two or three onions, some cloves, peppercorns, and bay-leaves, and cover it with slices of fat bacon. Place over a brisk fire for a few minutes, then half cover the fillet with broth and sherry in equal quantities. Stew the meat very slowly for two hours. Boil lib. of macaroni till tender, then drain off the water. When the meat is cooked, skim the fat off its stock, which pass through a fine hair sieve on to the macaroni. Add to the macaroni a little less than J pint of tomato sauce, stir it over the fire till it begins to boil, then mix in £lb. of grated Parmesan cheese and the same quantity of Gruyero cheese; stir it about quickly over the fire, and season with salt, sugar, and a small quantity of cayenne pepper. Spread half of the macaroni on a hot dish, then a layer of grated cheese, then spread the remainder of the macaroni on that, brush it over with beaten eggs, cover it with greated breadcrumbs, baste these with a few table-spoonfuls of warmed butter, and brown them under a salamander. Put the meat on the macaroni, brush it over with glaze, and serve, with a sauceboatful of gravy.

Fillet of Beef a la Mirabean. — Take a fine slice of fillet steak and broil it nicely; place a pat of maitre-d’hotel butter on the top, and garnish round with fillets of anchovies, olives, and watercress.

Fillet of Beef in Neapolitan Style.— Cut off five or six steaks from a fillet of Beef, previously trimmed, which beat slightly, season, and put into a kitchen basin; pour over a cooked marinade, and let them remain therein for two hours; drain them, then wipe, sponge, and place them in a saute-pan with butter, and fry them on both sides. Put into a small stewpan 1 handful of dried currants well cleansed and scalded in boiling water for one minute, mix in it 3 table-spoonfuls of dried almonds blanched and cut up in long shreds. The Beef-steaks being done, take them out, drain off the fat out of the saute-pan, leaving the meat-sediment, pour in a part of the marinade stock of the Beef-steaks, let it boil, thicken it with a little brown sauce, and 1 table-spoonful of red-currant jelly. Two minutes or so later, pour this sauce over the currants, passing it through the tammy, and let it boil up again. Dish the Beef-steaks, and pour the sauce over.

Forcemeat of Beef. — Put 4oz. of finely-chopped Beef-suet into a basin with some breadcrumbs, lib. of finely-minced

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raw Beef, a little finely-chopped parsley and lemon-peel, grated nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Beat up the yolks of two eggs and add to the mixture, to moisten it. Take out small quantities about the size of a large egg, roll them in flour into ball shapes, and hake in a good oven until crisp. A little pounded ham will be a great improvement if added to the Beef.

Forcemeat Croquettes of Beef and Potatoes.— Cut some thin slices of Beef, mince them, and add some cold mashed potatoes, a little savoury herbs, with pepper and salt to taste. Add two eggs to them and work into a paste. Take

Fig. 135. Flat Croquettes oe Beef Arranged over a Dome of Mashed Potatoes.

a little of the paste at a time and roll it into halls; flatten these, put them into a frying-basket, and fry to a rich brown colour. Put them on a dish when done, and arrange them over a pile of mashed potatoes (Fig. 135).

Fricandeau of Beef. — Lard a piece of lean Beef with bacon seasoned with pepper, powdered cloves, mace, and allspice. Put it into a stewpan, with 1 pint of broth or Beef-gravy, 1 wineglassful of sherry, a bundle of parsley and sweet herbs, a clove of garlic, and a shallot or two. When the meat is tender, cover it closely, skim the sauce, strain it, and boil until it is reduced to a glaze. Then mask the larded side with the glaze, and serve the fricandeau with tomato sauce.

Fricassee of Beef. — Take any piece of Beef from the forequarter, such as is generally used for corning, and cook it tender in just water enough to evaporate in cooking. When about half done, put in salt enough to season well, and i teaspoonful of pepper. If the water should not boil away soon enough, strain it off, and let the Beef fry in the saucepan fifteen minutes. This dish is proclaimed to be better than the best roast Beef. To 2 table-spoonfuls of flour add what liquid fat can be collected, and when mixed pour over the hot juice of the meat lying at the bottom of the pan. Serve with apple sauce.

Fricassee of Cold Boasted Beef. — Put a pound or so of thin slices of cold roasted Beef into a saucepan with an onion cut into quarters, a handful of chopped parsley, loz. or 2oz. of butter, and sufficient rich stock to moisten; sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, and simmer gently on the side of the stove for about fifteen minutes. Now add 1 tablespoonful of vinegar, the yoiks of two eggs, and, if desired, 1 wineglassful of port wine; stir well and quickly. Turn the fricassee out on to a hot dish rubbed with onion or garlic, and serve immediately.

Fried Sliced Fillet of Beef. — (1) Prepare six small slices of fillet, fry them for three minutes on each side, then lay them on a dish, and pour over them £ pint of hot Madeira sauce. Serve with six large Beef-forcemeat quenelles.

(2) Lay on a dish six small slices of fillet, prepared the same as for No. 1, and pour over them pint of hot Madeira sauce. Garnish with cooked macaroni and 2 table -spoonfuls of grated cheese, and cover them with a round slice of cooked smoked tongue.

(3) Prepare and fry six small fillets, as for No. 1, for three minutes on both sides; lay them on a dish, adding 1 pint of hot Madeira sauce, with 6 drops of tarragon vinegar and some slices of marrow. Pour the sauce round the dish, dressing the marrow on top of the fillets, and serve.

(4) Pare nicely six small slices of fillet, and cook three

Beef— continued.

minutes as directed for No. 1. Put £ pint of Madeira sauce in a saucepan, with two truffles and six mushrooms cut in slices. Let this cook for ten minutes. Arrange on a hot dish, and pour the sauce round, but not over them; then serve.

(5) After procuring 2Jlb. of fine tender fillet of Beef, pare it nicely all round, then cut it into six equal slices; flatten these slightly and equally with a cutlet-bat, place them on a dish, and season with salt and pepper; put them in a stewpan with £ gill of clarified butter, and cook them for four minutes on each side. Prepare 1 pint of bearnaise sauce, and pour three-quarters of it over a hot dish, reserving the other quarter for further use. Lay six round-shaped pieces of bread (croutons), lightly fried in butter, over the bearnaise sauce; dress the six slices, one on top of each crouton; then arrange six warm artichoke bottoms right in the centre of the slices. Fill up the artichokes with 1 table-spoonful of hot minced vegetables, and evenly divide the remaining pint of hot bearnaise sauce over them. Cut into six even slices one large truffle; place one slice on the top of each, and send to the table as hot as possible.

(6) When cooked the same as described for No. 1, pour over the fillets, placed on a dish, J gill of good maitre-d’hotel butter thickened with meat-glaze, and garnish with small new potatoes.

Fried Hamburg- Steak served with Russian Sauce.

— Select 21b. of lean Beef — the buttock for preference — remove all the fat, and pass it through a chopping-machine; lay it in a bowl, adding a very finely-chopped shallot, two raw eggs, a good pinch of salt, 3 pinch of pepper, and 1 pinch of grated nutmeg. Mix well together, and form the mass into six flat balls the size of small fillets; roll these in breadcrumbs, and fry them in a pan with 2 table-spoonfuls of clarified butter for four minutes, turning them frequently and keeping them underdone. Serve with 3 pint of Russian sauce.

Fried Minced Beef-steak. — Chop fine 31b. of Beef, cut from the flank, and having about 12oz. of fat with it; season it well with salt and pepper, and pour over 1 teacupful of water. Press this mince into a square tin, cut it into slices, put these in a frying-pan with butter, and fry until quite done and well browned. Put them on a dish, pour over rich hot gravy, and serve. Any stringy or tough parts of Beef may be used for this.

Fried Steak. — (1) Take a thin long-handled frying-pan, put it on the stove, and make it quite hot. Into this put the pieces of steak, previously pounded; but do not put a particle of butter in the frying-pan, nor salt the steak, for that only draws out its juice. Allow the steak to merely glaze over, and then turn it quickly to the other side, turning it several times in this manner until it is done. Four minutes is sufficient for cooking over an ordinary good fire. When done, lay it on a hot dish, butter it, and season with salt, and set a moment in the oven till quite ready to serve.

(2) American Style. — Get a tenderloin or porterhouse steak. Do not wash it, but be careful to put it on a clean block, and beat it well, but not into holes, nor so as to look ragged. Sprinkle over pepper and salt, then dredge with flour on both sides. Have ready a hot fryingpan, lay in the steak, and cover closely with an inverted plate if the frying-pan has no lid; or use a flat enamelled stewpan with a lid. The juice of the meat will be sufficient to cook the steak. Turn often, and do not let the pan get hot enough to scorch or make the steak and gravy brown. Before it gets hard, butter liberally, and place on a hot dish; pepper again, and, if preferred, pour over first 1 table-spoonful of chilli vinegar and 1 table-spoonful of made mustard, and pour the hot gravy over all. Sift powdered cracker over, and serve.

(3) Lay a good steak in a deep dish, pour over 1 teacupful of vinegar, taken from any pickles, and let it stand one hour. Take a clean frying-pan, throw in 1 table-spoonful of butter, and some of the vinegar from the dish, sufficient to stew the steak. If managed properly, when done it will be imbedded in a thick gravy. Put the steak on a hot plate, cover it, and put before the fire to keep hot. Into the pan in which the steak was cooked put 1 teaspoonful of black pepper, 2 teaspoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, and

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1 teaspoonful of raw mustard. Stir thoroughly, warm up, pour over the steak, and serve.

Frizzled Beef — (1) Brown a piece of butter the size of an egg at the bottom of a saucepan; add 1 teacupful of cream and 1 teaspoonful of flour, mixed with a little cold milk. Have ready £lb. of thinly-sliced cold smoked or salted Beef, lay the slices in the saucepan, and let them come to the boil. Serve hot.

(2) Cut up some cold boiled salted or dried Beef, parboil it until it is sufficiently freshened, drain off the water, and add enough fresh boiling water to cover it. Bub equal quantities of butter and flour together until smooth, then add to the Beef. Beat up three eggs, yolks and whites together, and stir in with a little pepper a couple of minutes before taking from the fire. Serve hot on toast.

(3) Cut i lb. of smoked Beef into thin pieces or shavings, pour some boiling water over it, and leave it for ten minutes. Take it out, drain it, put it into a frying-pan with 1 tablespoonful of melted butter, and fry it for a minute or so to curl or frizzle it. Make a little sauce with 1 breakfastcupful of milk and 1 table-spoonful each of butter and flour. Put the meat on a dish, and pour the sauce over, having added an egg well beaten and a little pepper. Serve hot.

Galantine of Beef. — Bemove the bone and fat from about 51b. of the rump of Beef next the round (Fig. 136), lard it, and tie it round tightly with strips of wide tape, to keep it in shape. Put 1 table-spoonful of butter into a saucepan, make it hot, add an onion and a carrot cut in slices, a calf’s foot, or any veal or liver trimmings that are handy, and pour in 2 gall, of rich stock or broth. Place the saucepan on the fire, warm the liquor, and add the joint of meat, two bay-leaves and cloves,

Fig. 135. Rump of Beef, Showing the End which Joins Round.

a little chopped shallot and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil for a few minutes, skim well, then remove the pan to the side of the fire, and simmer gently for about four hours, or until the meat is done. Take out the meat, put it into a mould, and pour the liquor through a very fine sieve or muslin strainer over the meat; let it cool, skim off the fat, if any, and when the jelly is set, turn the galantine out on to a dish and serve. After the calf’s foot is used in the cooking, it may be boned, egg-and-breadcrumbed, and fried or served on a dish with rich sauce over it.

Hamburg’ Steak.- — (1) Beat with a rolling-pin a slice of round steak so as to break the fibre. (A very effective machine has been invented for this purpose.) Fry two or three onions, minced fine, in butter until slightly browned. Spread the onions over the meat, fold the ends of the meat together, and pound again, to keep the onions in the middle. Broil two or three minutes. Spread with butter, salt, and pepper.

(2) Chop up about 21b. of tender Beef, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Put the meat on a dish, form it into six small, flattened steaks, and pour over each one the yolk of an egg, garnishing with two chopped shallots, 1 tablespoonful each of minced parsley and capers, and three boned anchovies, likewise chopped. Place them in clusters round the dish, and serve.

Hashed Beef. — (1) The best cold roasted Beef for this dish is the under-cut of the sirloin, which should be sliced fin. thick, put into a stewpan, and covered with stock, adding one or

Beef — continued.

two minced onions and a turnip to every pound of meat. Let the meat get hot slowly, and simmer for three-quarters of-an-hour. Thicken the gravy with flour stirred in smoothly, add salt and pepper, and when ready put on a dish and serve with red-currant jelly. A wineglassful of claret and 2 teaspoonful of moist sugar can be added to enrich the gravy. Garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread.

(2) Take 2 tumblerfuls of hot water, 1 table- spoonful of butter, 3 table-spoonfuls of grated cheese, and the same quantity of fine breadcrumbs. Season this highly with cayenne pepper, adding lib. or more of cold Beef, minced. Stir all well together. Warm up, and serve as soon as hot. Put sippets of toast round tho dish.

(3) Cut a small onion into thin slices and fry in butter, and when it begins to colour, stir in 1 table-spoonful of flour; then add 1 breakfast-cupful of stock, pepper and salt, a small pinch of powdered sweet herbs, and f wineglassful of tarragon vinegar. When the sauce has boiled for a minute or two, strain it into another saucepan; when cold, put in lib. or so of cold Beef cut in thin slices. If roasted Beef, all outside parts must be trimmed off. Set the saucepan by the side of the fire for the contents to warm gradually, and when nearly ready add 1 table-spoonful of sliced pickled gherkins. The longer the hash takes to get hot, the softer the meat will be. Serve with mashed potatoes.

(4) Cut some underdone roasted or boiled Beef into thin slices, lay them one by one in a buttered baking-tin, and strew over them some mushrooms, onions, and a little parsley, all finely chopped; add pepper and salt, and pour in at the side of the pan as much liquid stock as will come up to the top of, but not over the meat. Strew plenty of baked breadcrumbs over all, and set the tin in a moderate oven for halfan-hour, or till the moisture is nearly dried up. Half a wineglassful of white wine may be added with the stock.

(5) Take some roasted Beef according to the amount required, and slice it up in thin pieces. Chop an onion, and place it in a stewpan with pint of rich brown gravy, and let this boil until the onions are cooked. Next throw in the meat, season well with pepper and salt, add 1 table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup and 1 gill of brown sauce, boil for five minutes, and serve with pieces of toasted bread round it.

(6) Put 1 breakfast-cupful or more of good gravy into a saucepan with a small lump of butter kneaded with flour, and add 2 table-spoonfuls of Worcester sauce, half that quantity of mushroom ketchup, and 1 pinch of pepper; simmer gently on the side of the fire for fifteen minutes, and then let it get cold. Skim off the fat, add about lib. of Beef cut in slices and dusted with flour, and simmer gently for ten minutes or until the meat is hot, taking care not to let the liquor boil, or the meat will harden. Turn the hash out on to a dish, garnish with fingers of toast, and serve very hot.

(7) Put 2oz. of butter into a frying-pan, warm it, add 1 teacupful of small onions dusted with flour, and fry them brown, adding salt and pepper to taste. Put them with the butter into a saucepan, pour over 1 breakfast-cupful of rich stock or broth, 1 table-spoonful of lemon-pickle, half that quantity of mushroom ketchup, and double the quantity of port wine. Put the saucepan over a clear slow fire, and cook until the onions are done. Have ready some slices of cold cooked Beef; put them on a dish, pour over the onion mixture, let it remain for thirty minutes to soak, put it near the fire until it is all quite hot, but without boiling, and serve.

Hashed Boiled Beef. — Put a few chopped onions into a frying-pan with a little butter, brown them over the fire, dust them over with flour, and pour in 1 tumblerful of red wine and half that quantity of stock. Boil for a minute or so, and add a few chopped mushrooms, a little thyme, salt and pepper, and one or two laurel-leaves. Boil until they are all done, pour the whole over some slices of cold boiled Beef placed in a dish, warm them all together in the oven for about half-an-hour, and serve at once.

Hashed Corued Beef.— (1) Brown in a saucepan two sliced onions with loz. of butter, and add lib. of cooked, wellchopped corned Beef, and four chopped potatoes. Moisten with 1 teacupful each of broth and Spanish sauce, season with pepper and nutmeg, stir well, and cook for fifteen

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minutes. Put it on a dish, and serve with poached eggs laid on the top, sprinkling over with chopped fried parsley.

(2) Make a hash as for No. 1, put it into a lightlybuttered baking-dish, and sprinkle with rasped breadcrumbs. Moisten with 1 teaspoonful of clarified butter, and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes, or until brown. It will then be ready to be served.

(3) Form a border round a baking-dish with mashed potatoes, set it to warm for two minutes in the oven, fill the centre with hot hashed corned Beef, sprinkle over the top with fried parsley, and serve.

(4) This is prepared the same as No. 1, adding to the hash two good-sized sliced tomatoes, one bruised clove of garlic, and some chopped parsley. Cook for fifteen minutes, and serve very hot.

Hung Beef. — (1) This is essentially an American dish, and is prepared by salting and drying, either without or with smoke. Hang up the Beef (any thick lean piece will do) three or four days till it becomes tender, but take care it does not turn green or spoil; then salt it in the usual way, either by dry-salting or by brine with bay-salt, brown sugar, and saltpetre, with a little pepper and allspice; afterwards roll it tight in a cloth, and hang it up to dry in a warm, but not in a hot, place for a fortnight or more, till it is sufficiently hard. If desired, it may be smoked, and then it will keep a long time. Cut into thin slices; grated and spread on hot buttered toast; and shredded in omelets, are the usual modes of serving this tasty meat.

(2) The meat should be soaked for a few hours, then boiled slowly until tender with carrots and cabbage. It is best eaten cold, but slices of it can be broiled on a gridiron and served with green vegetables.

(3) Put a piece of Beef weighing about 121b. into an earthenware bowl, rub it well with a mixture of lib. each of coarse moist sugar and salt, and half that quantity of saltpetre. Let it remain in this for ten or twelve days, turning it and rubbing it daily with the pickle; then take it out and smoke it. The Beef should be well rubbed with a portion of the saltpetre first before the other ingredients, so as to give it the fine red colour required. A clove of garlic may also be added to the pickle, and this very much improves the flavour of the meat.

(4) Dutch Style. — Take a lean piece of Beef, rub it well with treacle or coarse sugar, and let it remain for three days, turning it frequently. After that, wipe it dry, and salt it well with common salt and saltpetre well dried and beaten fine; turn it every day for a fortnight. Boll it quite tight in a coarse cloth, and put it into a cheese-press, or under a heavy weight, for a day; hang it then to dry in the smoke of wood or turf, but turn it upside-down every day.

Fig. 137. Loin Suitable for Hungarian Beef.

Hungarian Beef. — At the very best this is but a coarse dish, but is regarded by some foreign palates as a very desirable

Beef — continued.

food. Much depends upon the curing. Take about 101b. of fine fat sirloin of Beef (Fig. 137) that has been killed four or five days, and rub thoroughly with lb. of coarse sugar or treacle until none can be seen. After lying to drain two days, take 2oz. of juniper-berries, 07„ of bay-salt, 2oz. of saltpetre, loz. of sal prunella, and lib. of common salt; beat them all together into a powder, and mix in some bay-leaves and thyme chopped small; rub the Beef with this brine for an hour every day for three weeks, leaving it to lie in an earthen pan with the brine about it. At the expiration of the prescribed time, take it out, wipe it well, and plunge into cold water, letting it soak for twelve hours. Wipe it perfectly dry again, and paint with bullock’s blood to colour it. Hang it up to smoke lightly for the first three days, and then smoke thoroughly until nearly black. It is used like ham or bacon, and sometimes eaten raw.

Irish Stew of Corned Beef.— See Irish Stew.

Macaronied Beef. — Take the lower end of a loin of Beef (Fig. 138) weighing about 61b.. make some large holes in it with a

Fig. 138. Lower End of Loin of Beef.

larding-needle or skewer, and squeeze lb. of macaroni into them. Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper to season. Put 1 teacupful of butter into a 6qt. stewpan with four large onions peeled and chopped fine; place the pan over the fire, and stir until the onions are a light brown; put in the meat, and push the onions to one side of the pan; sift 2 table-spoonfuls of flour into it, and cover the meat over with the onions; add two cloves and lqt. of boiling water, cover over the pan, and let it simmer on the side of the fire for three hours; add lqt. of peeled and sliced tomatoes, and simmer for an hour longer. Take out the meat, put it on a dish, pour the gravy through a strainer over it, and serve with boiled macaroni.

Macedoine of Beef. — Cut some rump-steak into slices a little more than tin. thick, shape them like cutlets, 3in. by 2in. flat, trim them all to the same size, and lard them thickly on one side with fine lardoons of bacon-fat. Lay them out, the larded side uppermost, in a flat pan, and put into it as much richly-flavoured stock as will come up to the top of the meat slices. Put the lid on the pan, and set it in an oven to braise for an hour. Bemove the lid, baste the slices with the gravy, and let them remain uncovered in the oven till the larding has taken colour; they are then ready to dish up. Take equal quantities of sliced carrots and turnips, cutting the slices into fancy shapes; take also equal quantities of green peas, French beans, asparagus-points, and small sprigs of cauliflowers. Boil all these vegetables in salted water until tender. Then melt a piece of butter in a saucepan, add 1 table-spoonful of flour, stir in sufficient milk to make a sauce, and add pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg. Put all the vegetables into this sauce, of which there should be just enough to make them adhere together, and toss them gently in it to make them quite hot. Pile them in the middle of a dish, and dispose the slices round them in a circle. Skim off the fat from the gravy, pour it round the dish — not over the slices — and serve.

Minced Beef. — (1) Take some slices of cold roasted Beef about iin. thick, cut these into strips about the same width, and slice up finely, this being done with a very sharp knife. Next put into a stewpan 1 wineglassful of port wine,

tor details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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one shallot chopped very fine, the shredded rind of half an orange, and a little grated nutmeg; season with salt and cayenne pepper, and let it simmer for four or five minutes; then add f pint of good brown sauce. Mix the Beef with the preparation, add a few drops of lemon-juice, and bring the whole to a boil again. Put it in the centre of the dish, shake a few raspings of bread over it, put some three-cornered pieces of bread (which have been previously fried in butter) round the dish, and a poached egg on each, with scallops of tongue in between.

(2) Mix about 21b of minced cold roasted Beef with 5oz. of sifted breadcrumbs or grated bread; sprinkle over a little chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and a small onion if desired; put the mixture into a saucepan, and pour over 1 teacupful of rich gravy mixed with 1 table-spoonful of vinegar or lemon-juice, to give it a sharp acid taste Put the saucepan on the fire for a few minutes, and warm the mixture; turn it out on to a dish in a sloping direction from the centre, smooth the surface, put a few small lumps of butter on it, cover it over with breadcrumbs, put more lumps of butter on this, and put it in the oven or Dutch oven It will require about twenty minutes to brown. Take it out, and serve.

(3) Prepare lflb. of any part of cold boiled Beef by removing the gristle, fat, or skin, and chop fine, or pass through a mincing-machine. Stir 1 heaped table-spoonful of flour and loz. of butter in a stewpan, and cook for three minutes. Take off the fire, add 1 pint of broth, 1 dessert-spoonful of salt, and 1 pinch of pepper, and mix for two minutes; put on the fire, stir for ten minutes, then add the Beef, together with 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley, and stir again for two or three minutes. Should the mince be thick, add a little more broth to soften it. This mince may he made with Italian or tomato sauce, to which, when warmed, the Beef should be added as above, stirred on the fire for five minutes, and served

Minced Beef a I’Espagnole. — Cut some cold meat into thin slices, then into strips, and lastly into dice; put these into a saute-pan to brown in oil, and add two very finelychopped shallots, one onion, and a green pepper cut into pieces. When well browned, after five minutes, put in

1 pint of Spanish sauce, J pinch of salt, and the same of pepper. Cook again for fifteen minutes, and serve with 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley strewn over.

Minced Beef with Poached Egg’s. — Take about lib. of roast Beef, carefully remove the fat and skin, cut it into very thin slices, and then chop it very fine; put the Beef into a stewpan with k pint of good brown sauce, season with a little grated nutmeg, lemon-peel, and a dust of cayenne pepper, and stir the whole upon the stove for about five minutes. Put some square pieces of toast round the edges of the dish you are about to serve it upon, pour the minced Beef into the centre, place a poached egg upon each piece of toast, and serve very hot

Minced Beef a la Portugaise. — The same as for Minced Beep with Poached Eggs, but leaving out the eggs, and garnishing with six timbales, which are prepared as follows: Thoroughly clean the interiors of six small timbale-moulds, then butter them well inside; fill them up half their height with hot boiled rice, well pressed down, so that when turned out of the moulds they will hold perfectly firm; place them in the hot oven for two minutes; turn them out, and arrange at equal distances round the dish. Dress six small, hot, roasted tomatoes, one on top of each column of rice, and then serve.

Minced Beef a la Provenale. — Cut into slices a piece of cooked Beef weighing ljlb., and put them into a saucepan with 2 table-spoonfuls of fat and two or three chopped onions; brown all together for a few minutes, then dredge over about

2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and cover with broth; stir well, and put in two sliced tomatoes, two crushed cloves of garlic, and five or six finely-shredded mushrooms; season with salt and pepper, and place the lid on the pan. Let this cook for twenty minutes, then spread it on a hot dish, arrange six heart-shaped croutons round the dish, and serve.

Minced Beef-steaks. — Take the thick and thin end of a fillet of Beef (about lib.), trim away the sinewy skin, cut up the meat in pieces, and chop it very fine; add to this a fourthpart of its volume of clean Beef kidney-suet, which must also be

Beef — continued.

chopped fine, and season with salt and pepper. Divide into portions each the size of a fowl’s egg, and form these into round balls, which flatten with a cutlet-bat to the thickness of a common Beef-steak. A quarter-of-an-hour previous to their being wanted, melt in a frying-pan a large piece of butter, put in the Beef-steaks, fry them gently on both sides (for they are soon done), and dish them up. Sprinkle over each of them a minced onion fried in butter, pour over some melted glaze, and arrange them tastefully round a dish of mashed potatoes.

Miroton of Beef. — (1) The preparation of this tasty dish is usually confined to cooks of high standing, for considerable practical experience is required to produce it satisfactorily. Cut up llb. of cold boiled Beef into slices about in. thick, removing the outside which may be dry, and all the fat; set the slices in the smallest of the oval copper gratin-pans, and sprinkle with 1 pinch of salt and 2 small pinches of pepper. Cut up lib. of onions into halves, and then crosswise into thin shreds; scald in boiling water for five minutes, fry in a little batter, and when they are of a light brown colour, sprinkle them with 1 table-spoonful of flour, 1 pinch of salt, and 2 small pinches of pepper, and let them cook five minutes longer. Take off the fire, and add 1 pint of broth; then stir well over the fire for twenty minutes. Add 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard and £ teaspoonful of burnt sugar. Pour the onions on the slices of Beef, bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes, and serve in the pan used for cooking.

(2) Cut up in thick round slices a piece of boiled or braised rump of Beef (Pig. 102, 2). Slice three or four onions and a few shallots, put them into a flat stewpan, fry them with butter

Fig. 139. Miroton of Beef.

to a nice colour, add a bay-leaf, and then sprinkle over 1 pinch of flour; a few seconds after, moisten gradually with gravy and a little vinegar, or white wine, thus getting the sauce a little thickisli, and colour it with a few drops of burnt sugar if it appears too pale; then add to it some chopped or sliced mushrooms, and 1 pinch of pepper. Let the sauce boil for a while, and then add to it the slices of Beef, seeing that the sauce exactly covers the meat; put the lid on the stewpan, and let the Beef simmer for half-an-hour over a very slow fire, putting a few hot ashes on the lid. Skim the fat away, sprinkle over 1 pinch of chopped parsley, then dish up the slices of Beef arranged in a circle (Fig. 139). Take out the bay-leaf, and pour the sauce and onions over the meat.

(3) Half fry in butter a couple of sliced medium- sized onions. When they are nicely browned, add a dust of flour, some sliced mushrooms, 1 breakfast-cupful of stock, and 1 wineglassful of red wine. Let these simmer over a gentle fire until the onions are cooked to a pulp, then set it on the side of the stove. Presently put in the slices of Beef, nicely trimmed and cut very thin, to warm up and absorb the sauce. They must not boil. When it is time to serve, arrange the slices of Beef round the dish with a spoon and fork, and pour the sauce in the middle. Some cooks heighten the seasoning of this sauce with a dash of mustard.

.Toix of Beef with Meat Jelly.— Take a noix of Beef, trim it, leaving the fat on the top, lard the fleshy part with fat bacon and raw ham alternately, cover over the lean part with slices of fat bacon, and tie them on securely; put the noix into a braising-pan with sufficient mirepoix to cover, and cook gently for about six hours. Remove the pan from the fire,

For details respecting Culinary Processes. Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

ORNAMENTAL BUTTER-WORK.

Ihis Plate is a Reproduction from the original Prize Specimen of Butter-Work upon Glass executed by C. Norwais, Gold and Silver Medallist

in Artistic Confectionery.

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Beef — continued.

aul let the meat cool in the liquor; take it out, drain it, trim it so as to expose tlie larding, trim also tlie fat, cut any design on it, and glaze tlie meat, but keep tlie fat white. Arrange a rice rock on the dish, put the Beef on it, cover over with Montpellier butter, and serve with the dish garnished with croutons of meat jelly.

Pickled Brisket of Beef. — The whole brisket (Pig. 102, 13) should be pickled for a week; it must not be too fat. As this is a long, awkward joint, it may be cut in two pieces and served upon different occasions. Wash off the pickle, wipe dry, and put into cold water with a few cloves to boil for about five hours. Serve with vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and parsnips arouild it. When upon table, it must be cut into thin slices, fat and lean in fair proportions. Cold brisket of Beef is an excellent dish for cold collations, luncheons, &c.

Pilau of Beef as Prepared in Spain. — Take about 21b. of rump-steak cut with the grain (Fig. 140), and cut it up into pieces tin. square. Put these into a stewpan with -lib. of streaky bacon cut up into dice, a chopped onion, a bunch of parsley, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a piece of butter or fresh lard about as large as a fowl’s egg. Set the stewpan on a good fire to cook the meats; salt lightly, and when the moisture is reduced, put in £ pint of good broth; cover the stewpan,

Fig. 140. Rumt-steak Cut with the Crain.

and simmer down the broth to a glaze. By this time the meats should be done; if so, add lib. of rice, picked, washed in three waters, and dried on a sieve; two seconds after, moisten the rice and meats, to double their height, with more broth. Boil up again for five or six minutes, and season with 1 pinch of saffron, a good sprinkle of Spanish pepper, a little cayenne, and 4 table-spoonfuls of tomato sauce. Put the lid on the stewpan, remove it back to simmer for twenty minutes, and dish up.

Polish Method of Cooking Fillet of Beef.- Cut off a fillet of Beef, rub it well with salt, and let it remain for four or five hours in a bowl. Put an equal quantity of wine, vinegar, and water into a saucepan with two or three slices of lemon, an onion in slices, a clove, a bay-leaf, and a little each of ground ginger and thyme. Boil this mixture, pour it hot over the meat, and let it stand for a day; strain off the liquor, boil up, and pour it over again; in a day’s time repeat the operation. Take out the meat, drain it, make several holes over it with a larding-needle, and fill them up with small pieces of boned anchovy; put the meat into a saucepan on top of a few thin slices of bacon, cover it over with more of the slices, pour round the liquor in which the Beef was soaking, cover over the pan first with a piece of oiled or buttered paper, and then with the lid, put it on the side of the fire, and simmer gently until the meat is done. Baste the meat frequently while cooking, with its own liquor and sour milk alternately. Skim off all the fat and scum, put the meat on a dish, and serve with the following sauce poured over or round it: Put a little sour milk and butter into a saucepan, warm them, mix in a thickening of flour, and a little pounded anchovy to taste, pour in some of the Beef liquor, and boil the whole up.

Potted Beef. — It is astonishing what a lot of odds and ends can be worked up into nice potted meat. Any part that is free from fat, gristle, bone, and such-like can be pounded soft, and spiced in to make a tasty breakfast or luncheon

Beef — continued.

delicacy, especially serviceable for sandwiches. The following are good receipts:

(1) Put 21b. of lean Beef into a jar with £ pint of water; cover, and place this in a deep stewpan full of boiling water, and simmer slowly for five hours. Take out the Beef, mince it very finely, and pound it in a mortar with 1 teaspoonful each of pepper, salt, and mace; when smooth, add 6oz. of butter. Pill small pots with this, and pour clarified butter over the top, to keep the air out. Tie down with paper, and keep in a cool pantry for use.

(2) Take lib. of lean cold roasted Beef, free from skin, sinews, and gristle; mince fine, and pound in a mortar to a paste. When pounding, add by degrees 1 saltspoonful of

-salt, half that quantity of black pepper, 1 pinch of cayenne, a little finely-powdered mace, and 2oz. of warmed butter. Press into small jars, and cover with a coating of warm clarified butter; tie over with bladder or paper.

(3) A very superior kind of potted meat is made as follows: Take 21b. of rump- or fillet-steak, remove all skin and sinew, cut the meat into very small pieces, and put it into a covered earthenware pot, which place in a large saucepan of water, or in a slow oven, and let it cook gently until the gravy has run out. Pour off the gravy, and keep it for other uses, such as Beef-tea, and pound the meat in a mortar until quite smooth. To each pound of meat put jib. of fresh butter, or fat cold boiled bacon pounded in the mortar, 2 table-spoonfuls of essence of anchovy, 1 small teaspoonful of pepper, and salt to taste. Put the meat back again into the covered jar, and let it warm gently for a little time longer; when hot through, stir occasionally until nearly cold, and then press it firmly into little pots, and the next day pour over each (to cover) some butter warmed to melting or melted mutton-suet.

(4) Cut off all the skin and gristle from a piece of Beef so as to leave 2Jlb. of lean. Put it into an earthenware or stone jar with 1 table-spoonful of hot water, place it in the bain-marie or a saucepan of boiling water, and cook for about four hours, taking care not to let any additional water get into it. Take out the meat when done, chop it very fine, and pound it in a mortar; sprinkle it over with salt and pepper to taste, and a slight seasoning of ground mace. Beat well until the mixture is quite smooth; mix in 5oz. of warmed butter and a small quantity of the liquor in which the meat was cooked, squeeze the mixture into jars, pour melted butter over the top, tie them over with bladder or thickish paper, and put them in a cool place until wanted. The meat in this way will keep for some time.

Note. — The butter used for covering need not be wasted; it will serve again for basting poultry or game.

Potted Beef with Venison Flavour. — Cut into quarters 41b. of lean Beef, taken from the buttock; put it into a deep pan, rub it well over with a mixture of 4oz. of salt, 2oz. each of saltpetre and bay-salt, and oz. of sal prunella, and let it remain for four days, rubbing and turning it frequently. Take it out, put it into another pan, cover it with water mixed with a small quantity of the brine pickle, put it into the oven, and cook for from two to two-and-a-half hours, by which time the meat should be quite tender. Take it out, drain it, remove the skin and sinews, and any objectionable parts, put it into a mortar, and pound it. Turn it out on to a dish, spreading it out, dust it over with powdered mace, pepper, and cloves, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg, and mix the whole together with a little warm butter. Put the mixture into jars, pressing it down tightly; put them at the door of the oven for a few minutes, pour over clarified butter to about Jin. in depth, cover the jars over with paper, and fasten down. Put them in a cool, dry place, and the meat will remain good for a long time.

Pressed Beef. — (1) Select a nice-looking piece of the flank (Fig. 102, 7) of about 61b., and put it in the following pickle: Dissolve in lgall. of water 31b. of common salt, or lib. of bay-salt, lib. of coarse brown sugar, loz. of black pepper and the same quantity of mixed spice bruised and tied in muslin, and two bay-leaves, and boil together twenty minutes. Skim well, and when cold put in the meat, which must be covered by the brine. The thin flank will be ready in ten days; the thick flank, or other parts, according to size and

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Beef — continued.

thickness. Take out the Beef, and sprinkle it with sweet herbs dried and pounded, chopped parsley, and allspice; roll it lightly and tie it with tape to preserve a good shape; put it into cold water enough to cover it, with 1 wineglassful of tarragon vinegar and a few vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, and onions. Bring it to the boil very slowly, and let it simmer until it is tender. Then leave it in the stock in which it was boiled, with a heavy weight on it, till cold. Unfasten the tape, and serve garnished with parsley. Glaze all over with a brush.

(2) A square piece of the thick flank (Fig. 102, 7) should be cured lightly in a good pickle. Put it into a large saucepan with a bay-leaf, an onion, and a bundle of sweet herbs, and cover with stock. Bring to the boil, and then simmer until perfectly tender. Remove it, and place it between two flat dishes, with heavy weights on the top. The next day trim it neatly, and glaze. This looks nice, and is improved if when cold it is cut to the size of a deep tin dish, into which sufficient melted aspic jelly has been poured to cover the bottom about -in. When this is set, place the meat in it, and pour in more jelly to fill the tin. When set and firm, turn out on to its dish to he served. The moat should be found covered with a bright, clear jelly, in. to 1 in. thick.

(3) Cut off a thick piece of the brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13) weighing t)lb. or 101b., put it into an earthenware pan, rub it well over with 21b. of salt, and let it stand for a day. Put lib. more of the salt into a basin, add 4oz. of bay-salt, 8oz. of moist sugar, and a little saltpetre and allspice, and rub the Beef well with this mixture for fourteen days or so, turning it over frequently. Take it out, put it into a saucepan of water over a slow fire, and boil for about five hours. A small bunch of sweet herbs, and an onion stuck with a couple of cloves, may be added to improve the flavour. When the meat is done and the bones fall out, take it out, remove the bones, and let it cool a little; put it in a tin ring or shape, with a weight on the top, and when it is quite cold it is ready for use.

(4) Cut off about 101b. from the thin flank of Beef (Fig. 102, 8), put it into an earthenware bowl, and rub it well with a mixture of 21b. of salt and 8oz. of moist sugar incorporated with oz. of dissolved saltpetre. Let it remain for a week, rubbing and turning it daily; take it out, roll, tie it with broad tape, plunge it into a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about five hours. When done, pour off the water, add sufficient cold water to cover it, let it remain in this for eight minutes or so, then drain it in a sieve. Put it on a board with a weighted one on top, let it get cold, untie it, and it is ready for use.

(5) Remove the bones from a brisket of Beef (Fig. 102, 13), chop it in halves, and rub well with salt and saltpetre, turning and rubbing it frequently for about twelve days. Tie it up tightly in a cloth, put it into a saucepan of water, with a small quantity of beer mixed in with it, and boil for seven hours. When done, take it out, press it between two boards until it is cold, remove the cloth, and serve. This is a good substantial dish for breakfast, and does not cost much to prepare.

Boasted Baron of Beef. — A baron of Beef is generally cut from a small Scotch ox, and sometimes includes the two rumps with the two sirloins and an extra rib on each side.

It must be trussed precisely as a saddle of mutton. Pass

a thin spit through the spinal marrow-bone, then wrap the Beef up in thick paste made with flour and water, and wrap round with paper; set it 3ft. from a brisk fire, pouring fat over the paper to prevent its scorching. Twenty minutes afterwards, remove the spit 2ft. farther from the

roasting fire; enclose the joint well with the screen, and

roast eight or nine hours, keeping it steadily turned by hand. Half-an-hour before it is to be served, take off the paste and paper, and give the Beef a fine golden colour before the fire. A cradle-spit is very often used in this country for cooking a “baron.” Serve on a large dish with Beef-gravy.

Boasted Beef. — (1) Cut off most of the flap of the sirloin (Fig. 141), and trim the joint neatly. Have a clear brisk fire well built up. Place the joint close to the fire for the first halfhour, then move it farther off. Baste frequently. When nearly done, sprinkle the joint well over with salt. The time required

Beef — continued.

varies with the shape of the joint, as well as with its weight. Under average circumstances allow a quarter-of-anhour to a pound, and a quarter- of -an-hour over; rather more for a very thick joint. For the gravy, take up the meat, pour the fat from the dripping-pan, leaving the brown sediment, pour in some boiling water and salt, stir thoroughly,

and strain round the meat. Do not pour the gravy over the joint after it has been finally removed from the fire, because it washes off what should be left on. A thickening of flour may be added, then the gravy must be boiled in the pan over the fire. Garnish with horseradish, and serve horseradish sauce in a tureen.

(2) The sirloin is the best joint for roasting. Plunge the Beef in boiling water and boil for thirty minutes, then put it in the stove-pan; skim the top of the water in which it has been boiled, and baste the roast, after dredging it with flour, and pepper and salt to taste. Baste frequently, and roast till done.

(3) Urbain Dubois paid great court to the process of roasting. He advised that when a piece of Beef is to be roasted on the common spit it should be pierced, transversely or lengthwise, according to its thickness, just above the flat bone which separates the large and the minion fillet (undercut). The joint should then be supported by two iron skewers, one placed on the top, the other underneath, and bound together. If the Beef can be roasted on a cradle-spit, the operation is simplified; but if no such spit be at hand, the Beef can be roasted in the oven, on a roasting-pan, or else on a large baking-sheet with upturned rim. In order to ensure the success of this operation, the roasting Beef must he placed on a gridiron set on the baking-sheet, but elevated enough to hinder the fat of the baking-sheet reaching to the height of the meat. A piece of roasting Beef baked on these conditions, basted frequently and turned now and then, gives excellent results.

If the Beef be roasted on the spit, it must be none the less basted repeatedly with the fat of the dripping-pan; but care must be taken to use only the fat, for if a piece of roasting Beef be basted with fat mixed with watery particles the cook runs the risk of spoiling the roast.

Fig. 142. Third Cut of Sirloin Trimmed for Roasting.

A piece of Beef weighing 81b. or 101b., if roasted in the oven, or on the spit, will require one hour-and-a-half, if the action of the fire be well directed and kept up. Brown meat when roasted (such as Beef and mutton) requires to be kept

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under-done, being then more tender and juicy. The Beef Bhould be wrapped in white paper, which must be disengaged a quarter-of-an-hour before being taken down, and must not be salted till the moment of being taken off the spit. Boasted Beef, when done, must be served on a large dish, without gravy, or garnish; if the meat is meant to be carved at the table, the garnish and the gravy are served separately. The garnishes to be served with roasted Beef consist most commonly of Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, boiled in steam, or else with salted water; beside these, other vegetables are also served, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, French beans, &c. The third cut of sirloin was Dubois’ selection, as it has a very handsome appearance, whether hot or cold (Fig. 142).

(4) American Style. — Lay the meat on some sticks in a dripping-pan or other vessel, so that it will not touch the water which it is necessary to have in the bottom. Season with salt and pepper, and put in the roasting-oven three or four hours before it is wanted for the table. Baste it often with the water in the bottom of the pan, renewing this as often as it gets low. This makes sweet, juicy roasted Beef. The great secret of cooking it is not to have the meat touch the water in the bottom of the pan, and to baste it often. Tough, unpromising- pieces of Beef are best cooked by steaming them an hour-and-a-half or so, and then putting them in the oven and roasting as much longer. Crackers, first browned and then pounded, should always be kept to sift over roasted meats; and curled parsley to garnish it. Grated horseradish is also excellent with the roast.

Boasted Fillet of Beef with. Piquant Sauce. — Trim and lard a fillet of Beef. Place it on a dish, and season it; pour over it a little oil and some lemon-juice, add to it one minced onion, sweet herbs, and sprigs of parsley, and let it macerate for a few hours, turning it. Fifty minutes previous to serving, drain the fillet, pierce it through lengthwise with an iron skewer, which fix to the spit, and roast the fillet at a brisk fire, basting it with the foregoing marinade. The flesh should remain of a rose colour and smell savoury. Season the fillet with a dust of salt, take it off the spit, put it in a dish, and garnish it with fried potatoes. Serve with a piquant sauce mixed with the stock of the dripping-pan, from which all fat has been first removed.

Roasted Fillet of Beef with. Plain Sauce. — Take a good fillet of Beef, cut away a part of its fat, remove also the sinewy skin, and then lard the upper surface. Place it in a kitchen basin, season with salt and pepper, pour over some fine oil, add V the juice of two lemons, a large sliced

onion, and 1 handful of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, and in this allow it to macerate for twenty-four hours. At the expiration of that time, take it out of the marinade and put it before the fire to roast. Moisten it with a little oil, and pour the marinade into the dripping-pan. Boast the fillet for thirty-five or forty minutes, basting often. When about to serve, dish it up, and pour over a sauce made thus: A few minutes before taking the fillet from the fire, pour into the dripping-pan about £ pint of hot Beef -broth, and let it boil; strain it through a sieve into a stewpan, and skim off the fat. Chop up one onion and a shallot; fry them

in a little oil or butter, without allowing thorn to take colour; sprinkle over them 1 table-spoonful of flour, and fry that also for a few seconds. Dilute this with

the strained gravy from the dripping-pan; then mix in 4

table-spoonfuls of good vinegar, and keep it boiling for five or six minutes, stirring well; move it back, throw in 1 tablespoonful of chopped capers, with the fillets of three anchovies, and season further with a dust of pepper and a small spoonful of chopped parsley.

Roasted Fillet of Beef as in Poland. — Trim a fillet of Beef by removing fat and skin, and let it soak in a cooked marinade for two or three days. Drain it, lard it with thin bacon, put it on the spit, and let it roast at a good fire for one hour. Pour into the dripping-pan 1 teacupful of the marinade in which it was soaked, and the same quantity of sour cream; baste the fillet well with this, and when done take it off the spit, dish it, and garnish all round with stuffed mushrooms. Strain the stock in the dripping-pan through a fine sieve into a saut6-pan, skim off all fat, and stir into it £ teacupful of melted glaze; reduce this to a sauce;

Beef — continued.

squeeze in the juice of a lemon, strain again, and put into a sauceboat to serve with the fillet.

Roasted Fillet of Beef, various modes of serving-. —

(1) Boast 41b. of fillet-steak. Slice £ pint of button mushrooms, and add them to £ pint of Madeira sauce, with one crushed clove of garlic. Pour the sauce on to a dish, lay the steak on top, decorate with some shredded anchovies and stoned olives, and serve.

(2) Take 41b. of fillet-steak, pare it well, and lard it, using a fine needle. Line the bottom of a roasting-pan with some pork skin, one sliced onion, one sliced carrot, and some well-washed parsley roots. Place the fillet-steak on top, add 1 pinch of salt, and roast it in a brisk oven for thirty-five minutes, basting- it occasionally with its own juice. Dish it up, and skim the fat off the gravy; then strain this over the fillet, pour £ pint of Madeira sauce over, and garnish with new potatoes.

(3) Boast a piece of fillet-steak weighing about 21b., lay it on a dish, and pour over £ pint of good Madeira sauce. Garnish one side of the dish with boiled celery — the white part only — and the other side with Brussels sprouts or cooked gumbos, and serve.

(4) Procure 41b. of fillet-steak, pare it, and season with salt and pepper; butter the surface lightly, lay it in a roasting-pan, and cook for ten minutes in a brisk oven. Set it aside to cool, afterwards place it over a pain of chicken forcemeat, sprinkle over with sifted breadcrumbs, and baste with clarified butter. Boast it again for thirty-five minutes, and serve with f pint of Hussaril garnish.

(5) 1 pint of hot Bichelieu sauce may be served under the fillet.

(6) Boast 41b. of fillet-steak, lay it on a hot dish, and arrange six stuffed tomatoes around it at equal distances. Put in a saucepan £ pint of tomato sauce, and 1 gill of half-glaze; let this boil for one minute, then pour it into a sauceboat, and serve separately.

Roasted Ribs of Beef. — (1) Before roasting, take out the wooden skewers put in by the butcher, unroll, season well with salt and pepper, and roll again tightly, fastening securely with metal skewers. Put it in a pan on a trivet, made to keep just above a pint of water poured into the pan; pepper and salt freely, dredge with flour, and baste. Some persons like £ teacupful of chilli vinegar poured over the roast just before it is done, and a minced onion, with a sprig or two of thyme and parsley stewed in the gravy.

(2) Bibs of Beef (Fig. 102, 10) may be boned, rolled, tied round with a string, and so roasted in a solid lump, which is convenient for carving, and also more presentable cold; but it is questionable whether boned joints of meat are quite so juicy and succulent as those in which the bones are allowed to remain. In the former case, however, the bones may render service by helping to make stock-broth.

(3) Bemove the backbone (chine) and ribs, skewer or tie into a round shape, and rub over both sides with flour. Allow a longer time for roasting than when on the bone, as the meat is in a more compact form. When done, let it stand skin side up on the dish, and carve thin slices. Serve with the gravy.

Fig. 143. Chuck-rib of Beef.

(4) Select a chuck-rib of Beef (Fig. 143) cut short, and take out the chine-bone, leaving only the rib. Boast one hour

tor details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Sec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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before a moderate and even fire. Strain tbe gravy out of the dripping-pan, take off the fat, and pour over the meat. Serve with potatoes and other vegetables.

(5) A piece of meat from 201b. to 251b. makes a very handsome joint. Trim neatly by sawing off the tips of the chine-bones to make it set flat; saw also about 3in. from the tips of the ribs, merely sawing through the bones, and detach them from the meat, leaving a flap, which fold under and fix with wooden skewers, not, however, pulling it too tight, or it will cause the skin to crack in roasting. Boast from two-hours-and-a-lialf to three hours, unless very thick. For a cold joint, the ribs are better than the sirloin.

(6) Cut off the three-rib piece near the short loin part of a piece of Beef, and saw off the spine, also the bones of the three ribs, to lin. from the meat, so as to have it as nearly a round shape as possible. Season with salt, sprinkled equally all over, tie it round, and place it lengthwise in a roasting-pan. Pour 1( table-spoonfuls of water into the pan so as to prevent burning, with a few very small bits of butter distributed on top of the Beef. Set it in a rather moderate oven, and roast for one hour and ten minutes, taking care to baste frequently with the gravy. Bemove it from the oven, untie, and dress it on a very hot dish. Skim the fat from the gravy, pour in 2 table-spoonfuls of broth, heat up a little, strain into a sauceboat, and send to the table. The parings from the Beef can be utilised for soup-stock, so that nothing need be wasted.

Boasted Boiled Bibs of Beef. — Bemove the bones from the ribs of Beef, roll it up, fastening it with skewers, or tying it round with broad tape, and put it on a spit, a foot or so away from the fire, gradually moving it nearer as it cooks. Baste it frequently with dripping, and about twenty minutes before it is done, dust it over with salted flour, baste it with butter, and let it finish cooking. The time allowed is twenty minutes for each pound. When done, remove the tape and skewers, substituting silver or plated skewers for the wooden ones, put the meat on a dish, pour over rich gravy, and serve. The meat may be covered with a highly-seasoned breadcrumb forcemeat, and rolled up with it if desired.

Boasted Bump of Beef. — This is a lovely joint for the winter months. It must be hung for from three weeks to a month if it is to be perfection. A rump weighing from 301b. to 351b. (Fig. 102, 2) is the best; it should be trimmed neatly, leaving all the fat upon it, for, taking so long to roast, should it be short of fat it would go to table dry. Boast it in a cradle-spit if you have one; it will take in this way from four-and-a-half to five hours’ cooking. Some cooks like to roast this joint in paste, and others wrap it up in several sheets of well-buttered paper, either of which must be removed twenty minutes before taking from the fire, so that the joint may be browned. The back of the rump is considered by some cooks to be the best and cheapest piece for roasting, as the meat is all good, and there is not so much bone as in other cuts. It is usually too large for a small family; but in cold weather it may be used to advantage, by cutting steaks from the thickest end, using the small end for a roast, and the bones for soup.

Boasted Sirloin of Beef. — Hang a sirloin of Beef on a spit at about l(ft. from a clear fire, baste it well and frequently with dripping and its own fat, and let it remain until done; it will take about fifteen minutes for each pound. About twenty minutes previous to removing it from the fire, dust it over with salt and flour, and let it brown. When done, put it on a hot dish, pour over some hot rich gravy, or the liquor in the dripping-pan mixed with a little water, and serve with horseradish for garnish. Yorkshire pudding, either baked in the oven or cooked under the meat, should also accompany it.

Boasted Sirloin-steak a la Duchesse. — Select a piece of tender sirloin; bone, pare, and trim it nicely, lard it over the top with a small larding-needle, and season with salt and pepper. Line a baking-dish with slices of fat pork, one sliced carrot, three or four well-cleaned parsley roots, one peeled and sliced onion, one sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf. Place the sirloin on top, and put it in the oven to roast for thirty minutes. Take it out from the oven when done, and set it on a hot dish. Mix pint of broth, or consomme,

Beef — continued.

with the gravy, boil it for two minutes, skim the fat off, strain the gravy into a sauceboat, and serve.

Boasted Sirloin- steak Larded. — Take a 41b. piece of top of sirloin (Fig. 144), bone it, and lard it— using a small larding-needle — with very thin pieces of fresh ham and truffles, all cut the same size, and put it into the oven to roast for thirty-five minutes; then lay it on a dish, trimming

the meat carefully, the larded part being on the top. Pour over (- pint of hot Madeira sauce, and garnish with artichoke bottoms filled with hot minced carrots, three bouchees filled with spinach, and three large game quenelles. Arrange these neatly round, and serve.

Boiled Beef. — Take a slice of lean Beef weighing lib., and a similar slice of leg of veal. These slices should be cut across the fibre of the muscle, and be about (in. in thickness. Then take (lb. of fresh sausage-meat, and as much grated breadcrumbs soaked in milk as will fill an eggshell, and mix these thoroughly together with a beaten egg. Sprinkle both the slices of meat with pepper and salt, and spread over them equally the sausage-meat, &c. Then roll up first the Beef, beginning at one end, exactly as you would a roly-poly pudding; then roll the slice of veal and its stuffing over the rolled-up Beef. Tie all together with a string. The Beef is put inside because it may be eaten more underdone than veal. Put the rolled meat into a stewpan with a lump of butter, and when it is nicely browned outside, moisten with stock enough to cook it in. Let it stew for an hour-and-a-half or an hour-and-three-quarters, turning it from time to time. When done, place the rolled meat in its dish. Thicken the sauce with arrowroot, adding lemon-juice, mushroom, and chopped parsley, boil it up, and pour over the meat.

Boiled Beef-steaks. — (1) Beat a large tender steak thoroughly and carefully. Sprinkle over it salt somewhat freely, pepper, powdered sage, finely-minced onion, minced parsley, and bits of butter. Have ready some boiled potatoes, mashed fine and seasoned with butter and salt. Spread this thickly over the steak, roll up tightly, and fasten the ends and sides securely with skewers. Place the steak in a baking-pan with a little of any broth or meat gravy that may be handy; or pour 2 teacupfuls of boiling water, a small minced onion, pepper, salt, and a small slice of pork chopped small, round the tin, simmer, and baste thoroughly; sift over it browned breadcrumbs, and serve hot, with a very little of the strained gravy round it.

(2) Chop fine 12oz. of veal, put it into a mortar with 8oz. of lean ham or bacon and a small quantity of Beefsuet, pound the whole, and mix in a bunch of sweet heiiis, the thin rind of a lemon, both finely chopped, the wellbeaten yolks of four eggs, a sprinkling of grated nutmeg, and 1 breakfast-cupful of cream. Put this mixture into a saucepan, stir well over the fire for about ten minutes, and then let it cool. Cut off two steaks weighing about lib. each, spread the veal forcemeat over, roll them round, fastening them with skewers, put them into a frying-pan with a small quantity of butter, and brown them. Put them into a saucepan with a few pickled mushrooms, pour over 2 tablespoonfuls of ketchup, the same of port wine, and 2 breakfast

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cupfuls of rich gravy, and stew gently on the side of the fire for a quarter-of-an-hour or until done. Put them on a dish, score them on the top, pour the liquor round them, and serve with slices of lemon for garnish.

(3) Chop fine lib. of lean veal, half that quantity of ham, and a small quantity of Beef-marrow or suet, mixing in any trimmings of cooked fowl that may be available; put the mixture into a mortar, and pound it well; then mix in loz. of chopped boiled truffles and a bunch of sweet herbs; sprinkle the forcemeat with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and form the whole into a mass by adding the well-beaten yolks of four eggs. Cut off three steaks, about Jin. in thickness and lOin. long, trim them as nearly square as possible, cover them over with the forcemeat, and roll them up tightly, fastening them with thick tape or string; dredge them well with flour, put them into a saucepan, and brown them in butter: strain off the butter, add 1 breakfast-cupful of

mushrooms, four chopped shallots, a lump of butter kneaded with flour, salt and pepper to taste, and pour in 2 breakfastcupfuls of rich gravy and half that quantity of port wine; cover over the pan, and cook gently for about an hour. Take out the meat, remove the string, put it on a diBh, skim off the fat from the sauce, pour it over the meat, and serve.

A few forcemeat balls, fried in butter, should accompany this dish.

Boiled Flank of Beef. — This will require 41b. or 51b. of a fine flank (Fig. 102, 7). Wipe nicely, tear off the skin and thin membrane, and cut away all superfluous fat. Beat and trim to a uniform thickness, and then make a stuffing as follows: 1 breakfast-cupful of biscuit-crumbs, 2 tablespoonfuls of finely-chopped salt pork or bacon, J teaspoonful of salt, 1 saltspoonful each of thyme, marjoram, and sage,

J saltspoonful of pepper, half an onion chopped fine, and one egg. Mix all these ingredients, and moisten with hot water until soft enough to spread over the meat. When this is done, roll it up firmly, tie round and round securely, wrap a cloth around it, put it into boiling water, and simmer six hours, or until tender. Remove the cloth, put a weighted board upon it to press it, and when it is cold remove the strings. Serve in thin slices.

Corned flank may be prepared in the same way. The stuffing may be omitted, and the meat covered with vinegar, spiced and flavoured with onion and cloves; and after remaining in the pickle several hours, it may then bo rolled, and boiled as above.

Boiled Larded Fillet of Beef to resemble Boasted Hare. — Put a fillet of Beef into a bowl, and pour over it 1 wineglassful each of port wine and vinegar; let it soak in this for twenty-four hours. Take it out, cover it over with highly-seasoned forcemeat, roll it into the shape of a trussed hare, lard it with strips of bacon, and suspend it from a spit in front of a clear fire. Put 1 wineglassful more of port wine and vinegar into the basting-dish with a little pounded allspice, baste the meat frequently with it, and roast until done, allowing fifteen minutes to each pound of meat. When done, put it on a hot dish, pour round hot rich gravy, and serve with red-currant jelly. This is a very savoury dish.

Boulade of Beef. — Procure a fino brisket of Scotch Beef (Fig. 102, 13), roll it up, and tie securely. Put into a saucepan one peeled onion, one well-washed and scraped carrot, both cut in thin slices, one sprig of thyme, one bay-leaf, three cloves, and a few shreds of fat bacon, and place the roulade of Beef on the top; season with salt and pepper, cover the pan very tightly to prevent steam from escaping, and set a weight on top of the lid. Place it on a moderate fire, and simmer gently for twenty minutes in all. Remove the lid, and add 2 wineglassfuls of white wine and 1 gill of broth. Cover very tightly again, place the pan in the hot oven, and braise for fully two hours; remove it from the oven, untie it, and place it on a hot dish. Skim off the fat from the gravy, strain it into a saute-pan, and reduce it on the hot range to one-half. Have ready loz. of cooked smoked ox-tongue cut into fancy shapes, one good-sized sliced truffle, six veal-forcemeat quenelles, and six mushrooms; put them all into a saute-pan on the fire, with J wineglassful of Madeira wine, and boil for one minute; strain the reduced gravy of the roulade over this, I

Beef — continued.

and add J gill of tomato sauce and J gill of Spanish sauce. Cook again for five minutes, then pour it into a sauceboat, and serve with the meat, having them both very hot.

Bump of Beef d. la Portugaise. — Remove the bone from a rump of Beef (Fig. 102, 2), cut the meat into two pieces, a thick and a thin, dust the thin with flour, and cook it in a frying-pan. Scald, peel, and chop fine, two dozen chestnuts, mix them up with 4oz. of shred Beef-suet, one boned anchovy, one onion, a sprig of parsley, a bunch of sweet herbs, and salt and pepper to taste, and make the mixture stiff by adding the yolks of two eggs. Stuff the thick end of the rump with this, put it into a saucepan, and pour over 1 breakfastcupful of white wine and Jgall. of rich broth. Add a finelychopped clove of garlic, cover over the pan, and cook gently on a slow fire for about four hours. When done, put it in the centre of a dish, cut the thin end in halves, place one at either end of the dish, and put them in the oven or near the fire to keep hot. Strain the liquor into another saucepan, skimming off the fat, add 1 table-spoonful of browning, a few pickled cucumbers cut in slices, another couple of dozen chestnuts scalded and peeled, and a lump of butter kneaded with flour. Put the saucepan on the fire, boil until the liquor is smooth, season with cayenne, salt and pepper, pour it over the Beef, and serve with a garnish of slices of lemon and fried oysters.

Bump-steaks Stewed in Wine. — Put two rump-steaks, weighing about lib. each, into a basin, pour over 3 teacupfuls of port wine and one of cider, and add a dozen whole peppers, half a blade of mace, and salt to taste. Let them remain in this for a couple of days, turning them frequently. Put them with the liquor into a saucepan over a clear fire, and stew for about four hours, turning the meat frequently. Pour in 1 teacupful of rich gravy, and boil for a few minutes; then put the steaks on a dish, pour the liquor over, and serve very hot.

Salad of Cold Boiled Beef.— Cut up 1 Jib. of cold boiled Beef into small squares, after removing all the gristle and fat; put these pieces into a salad-bowl, with 1 teaenpful of cold Beef-broth, 2 table-spoonfuls of malt vinegar, 1 saltspoonful of salt, and a free sprinkling of pepper, and set to macerate for three hours. Before serving, add 4 tablespoonfuls of oil, 2 table-spoonfuls of chopped ravigote, and more seasoning if required. Minced or sliced onions and shallots are sometimes added to this salad.

Salted Beef.— (1) All meat takes salt faster in warm weather than in cold. First rub it with pounded saltpetre, to give the scarlet tinge to tho inside (but too much must not be used, for fear of turning the meat hard, loz. being enough for a joint from 71b. to 81b.); then lay the Beef in the saltingpan and cover it completely with common salt well heaped over it. Turn the meat every day, and ladle it with the brine which forms in tho pan. Beef so salted is more delicate than when plunged into a ready-made brine; which plan, howovor, has its advantages when several pieces are salted at once, as well as in hot weather, when flies are troublesome. Tho addition of sugar for salting Beef is a matter of taste; it is usually reserved for meat intended to bo dried, hung, or smoked.

(2) After being carefully examined and wiped, tho meat should be sprinkled with water and hung for a few hours before being rubbed with salt; this cleanses it from blood, and improves the delicacy of the flavour. The salt should be rubbed in evenly; first, half of the quantity, and after two days tho remainder. The meat should be turned every day, kept covered with the pickle, and rubbed daily. If required, the brine will serve for more than one parcel of meat, if it be boiled, skimmed, and used cold. In salting, tho brisket and fat ribs should be “jointed,” so as to let in the salt, which should also be rubbed well into each piece. The meat should then be put down tightly in the pan, the prime pieces at the bottom, and covered with salt; the coarse at the top, to be used first. Delamere recommends tho following brine: To 3galls. of spring water add filb. of common salt, 21b. of bay-salt, 21b. of common loaf sugar, and 2oz. of saltpetre. Boil these over a gentle fire; take off the scum as it rises, and let it stand till quite cold before you put the Beef in.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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(3) Beef may be salted in twenty-four hours, or in a night and morning, thus: Take a large shallow dish, fill it with water, and lay over it three or four crossed sticks. On these place the piece of Beef, the upper and under surfaces of which should be flat. On the Beef, pile as much salt as it will carry. The vapour from the water, caught by the salt, will form a concentrated brine, which, trickling down, will rapidly penetrate the meat. If during the time allowed yon can turn the meat, applying the salt to the other side also, it will still further hasten the process.

To Boil Salted Beef it must be set on in cold water, that is if it is to be tender and to swell in the boiling. Freshsalted Beef may be rinsed, or only wiped; long-salted Beef requires steeping in fresh water, tho time varying with its condition.

Savoury Beef-steak. — Cut a piece of Beef-steak of even thickness. Mix together breadcrumbs, powdered sweet herbs, and finely-chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste, and spread this rather thickly over the steak. Boll up the steak with the seasoning inside, tie with a string, and bake in a quick oven. A brown gravy and mashed potatoes should be served with this.

Savoury Minced Beef Collops. — Warm 2oz. of butter in a saucepan, stir in 1 table-spoonful of flour, and brown it, addingsalt and pepper to taste and 1 table-spoonful of finely-chopped sweet herbs. Brown this also, and stir in ljlb. of minced Beef, cutting it from the rump for preference; pour over a little less than 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and cook gently for ten minutes or so. Stir in 1 table-spoonful of lemonjuice or mushroom ketchup to givo an acid flavour, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve at once.

Scalloped Beef. — Molt together 2oz. of Parmesan cheese and 2oz. of butter; mince (in a machine, if at hand) .Jib. of tender and underdone cold roasted Beef, and mix up thoroughly with the cheese and butter, seasoning it with pepper and salt. Pack this in tin or plated scallop-shells, sprinkle over with breadcrumbs, and then grate Parmesan cheese over that, with little bits of butter put here and there. Bake either in the oven or beforo the fire. Servo very hot, and browned over with a salamander.

Skin of Beef Soup. — Put 101b. of shin of Beef (Fig. 102, 15) into a saucepan, with lgall. of cold water. When it boils, remove the scum, and add one good-sized carrot, one onion, six cloves, eighteen whole peppers, a bouquet garni, and 1 table-spoonful of salt. Let this boil over a moderate firo for four hours. Put in a saucepan 2oz. of butter, 4 tablespoonfuls of flour, mixed well together, and place it also on a moderate fire, stirring it once in a while until it has taken a light brown colour. When the broth has boiled for some hours, strain either through a napkin or a sieve into a vessel, and let it cool for five minutes; then gradually add it to the flour, stirring continually; place it on the fire, and when it boils skim it once more, and let it simmer for ten minutes longer. Cut a piece of the meat into small diceshapes Jin. square, add them to the soup, and let all boil ten minutes longer; squeeze in tho juice of one medium-sized lemon, add 1 wineglassful of Madeira wine, and serve in a hot tureen.

Skort Fillets of Beef, Marinaded, Sautes, and Served with. Russian Sauce. — Trim nicely and lard six tail ends of fillet of Beef (weighing each Jib.), and steep them in cooked marinade for twelve hours; then drain, and cook them for three or four minutes on each side in a saute-pan with a pat of clarified butter. Serve with 1 pint of Bussian sauce poured on the dish, and the fillets on top.

Smoked Beef. — To a piece of Beef weighing about 121b. or 141b. rub in the following mixture: 1 pint of salt, 1 breakfast-cupful of brown sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of molasses, and J teaspoonful of pounded saltpetre. Bub, this well over the Beef, let it lie in it, and turn it several times. At the end of ten days, drain it, rub bran over it, and hang it up in a smoke-house to be smoked for several days. See Cubing.

Smoked Beef d la Crdme.- — Take lib. of very finely-minced smoked Beef, put it in a stewpan with Joz. of butter, cook for two minutes, and moisten slightly with J breakfast- cupful of cream, adding 2 table-spoonfuls of bechamel sauce. Serve as soon as it boils.

Beef — continued.

Smoked Beef Omelet. — Warm 2 table-spoonfuls of finely-minced smoked Beef in a frying-pan with Joz. of butter, add twelve beaten eggs, and make this into an omelet, as described under Omelets.

Smoked Hamburg Beef. — This is a favourite meat in Germany, and cannot be imitated elsewhere. It is excellent when recently smoked. The rump, the loin, the ribs, and the brisket, are the usual joints, and are first salted; the first of these pieces is usually boned beforehand, rolled up, and trussed; but the brisket is smoked with its bones. The best way to cook this Beef is to take a piece and soak it in cold water for five or six hours, and plain boil it. When ready to serve, dish it up, drain it, and pour over a littlo thickened brown gravy, sending up with it a dish of spinach, mashed with butter, salt, and lemon-juice.

Smothered or Pot-Roasted Beef. — Take 41b. to 61b. of the middle or face of the rump, the flank, or the round. Wipe it with a clean, wet cloth, and sear all over by placing in a hot frying-pan and turning until all the surface is browned. Put it in a kettle with J pint of water, and place it where it will keep just below the boiling-point. Do not let the water boil entirely away, but continue to add just enough now and again to keep the meat from burning. Have the cover fitting closely to keep in the steam. Cook until very tender, but do not let it break. Serve hot or cold. The meat when cold is delicious, cut in Jin. slices, and tossed in hot butter.

Spiced Beef. — There are but fow more economical or useful viands than a good lump of cold spiced Beef. Whether for luncheon, supper, breakfast, or light dinner, it serves admirably, and not only satisfies the most vigorous appetite, but gratifies the most capricious palate. There are several receipts given for its preparation, some of which may be superior to others, but in all the principle is the same.

(1) Bemove the bones from a piece of thin flank, and put it to soak for ten days in a covered crock containing the following pickle: Boil for twenty minutes in 2galls. of water, 51b. of salt, 21b. of coarse sugar, 4oz. of saltpetre, together with 2oz. of black pepper and 3oz. of mixed spice slightly bruised in a mortar, and tied in a muslin bag. A few bay-leaves are also recommended when available. Skim off the scum as it rises, and when finished let it stand until cold.

To boil the meat, put it into cold water to cover it, with 1 wineglassful of vinegar and a few vegetables. If the thin flank, it should be first rolled, with chopped parsley, sweet herbs, and allspice. Let it come very slowly to the boilingpoint, and then simmer it very slowly, and leave it in the stock to get cold, lest it may eat dry. If it is hard, it has been cooked too fast. The addition of vinegar to the stock makes tho flesh tender.

(2) To a round of Beef that weighs 251b., take the following: 3oz. of saltpetre, loz. of cloves, loz. of nutmeg, loz. of

allspice, and 1 pint of salt. Let tho round of Beef hang in a cool, dry place twenty-four hours. Take out the bone, and fill tho space with suet and spices mixed. Bub the above ingredients all over the round, put it in a wooden box or tub, turn it over occasionally, and rub a small quantity of salt over it. Let it remain three weeks, turning and rubbing occasionally. Then make a stiff paste of flour and water, cover the round with it, and set in the oven Bake slowly for three hours. Bemove the paste when cold, trim neatly the rough outside, and slice horizontally. Serve only when cold.

(3) Take 81b. or 101b. of tho thin flank, remove any gristle, skin, or bones; rub it over with Joz. of saltpetre and Joz. of bay-salt; then rub it well in with a mixture of spices, the following proportions being used; loz. of black pepper, loz. of allspice, Joz. of ground ginger, joz. of cloves, and Joz. of mace. Use only as much as will suffice to rub the Beef all over; then add 3oz. of common salt, and Jib. of coarse sugar. Let the Beef remain a fortnight in this pickle, turning it and rubbing it every day; then take it out, cover it with the spices and chopped sweet herbs, roll it very tight, tie with tape, put it into a pan with J pint of water and Jib. of suet, cover it, and bake it for six hours. Take it out of the pan and put a heavy weight upon it to keep it flat, and when cold take off the tape.

(4) Take Jib. of common salt, loz. of saltpetre (pounded),

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Beef — continued.

2oz. of bay-salt (pounded), 3oz. of moist sugar, oz. of whole pepper, ioz. of long pepper, two blades of mace, £oz. of whole allspice, two bay-leaves, five or six sprigs each of thyme and marjoram, two stalks of basil, and four or five white savoury. Boil in 3 pints of water for half-an-hour, skim, and let it stand to get cold. Bub the Beef all over with a little salt before putting it into this pickle. Keep it there for a fortnight, turning and rubbing often. This quantity of pickle is only enough for a small piece of meat. To cook this, put lqt. of cold water and a quantity of suet, or Beefdripping, into a large stewpan; put in the Beef and cover it over with the fat, and stand a plate upon that. Cover up, and set to bake for six hours, turning the meat when half done. Let it drain as it gets cold.

(5) Select the thin part of a piece of Beef. When the rib piece, or flank, has been cut off, remove the bones, if any, rub it well with salt, and let it stand for a couple of days. Mix ioz. each of pepper, black pepper, mace, cloves, and chopped parsley, all the spices being kept whole. Spread the Beef over with this, roll, and tie it up securely with tape. Put it into a saucepan with a little water, or weak stock, and stew gently until done. Take it out, put it under a slight weight until cold, removo the tape, and it is ready for use.

(6) Put a piece of Beef weighing about 81b. into a bowl, and rub it well with a mixture of 8oz. of coarse moist sugar, half that quantity of all spice, )oz. of saltpetre, and lib. of salt; rub and turn it daily or twice a day for a fortnight. Take it out, wash it well in several waters, and dry it thoroughly. Put some Beef-suet at the bottom of a bakingdish, place the joint on it, cover it over with more of it, put it into a moderate oven, and babe for about four hours, basting frequently. Put it on a dish, pour round rich Becfgravy, and serve.

(7) Put a round of Beef, weighing from 201b. to 301b., into

a bowl, rub it well with a mixture of 8oz. of moist sugar,

loz. of cayenne, six ground cloves, and 2oz. each of salt,

saltpetre, sal prunella, and ground ginger and allspice. Let the meat remain in this for three weeks, rubbing and turning it frequently; then take it out, cut out the bone, filling the cavity with fat, tie it up with broad tape, cover it with flour-and-water paste, put it in a dish, and bake for from three to four hours, or until done. Take it out, remove tho paste and tape, and serve either hot or cold, as required.

Spiced Beef Cheese. — Take 41b. to 01b. from the middle cut of the shin; wash the meat on the outside, cut off any part of the skin which is not sweet and clean, and pick off

all the fine fragments of bone. Cut the meat into several

pieces, and cover with boiling water. Skim carefully as it boils, and then simmer until the meat falls to pieces, and the liquor is reduced to £ pint. Bcmove the meat, season the liquor highly with salt, pepper, sage, and thyme, add it to the meat, and mix with a fork until tho meat is all broken. Pack in a brick-loaf pan, and, when cold, serve by cutting into thin slices.

Spiced Bound of Beef, or Hunters’ Beef.— (1) To a round of Beef (Eig. 102, 5) weighing 241b., take 3oz. of saltpetre, 3oz. of coarsest sugar, loz. of cloves, 1 nutmeg, Joz. of allspice, and 3 handfuls of salt, beating all into the finest powder. Allow the Beef to hang three or four days; remove the bone, then rub the spices well into it, continuing to do so every two days for two or three weeks. When to be dressed, dip it in cold water to take off the loose spices, bind up tightly, and put it into a pan with 1 teacupful of water at the bottom. Sprinkle the top of the meat with suet, cover it over with a thick batter, and lay a piece of greased brown paper over it. Bake five hours.

(2) For a large round of Beef, of from 301b. to 401b., take?lb. of ground allspice, a little bruised mace, lib. of saltpetre, and 21b of common salt. Mix these ingredients well together, and with them rub the Beef well twice a day for ten days! Get 31b. of good Beef-dripping, and lay it over the round of Beef, covering the whole with a thick paste made of flour and water; then put it into a very slow oven to bake for seven or eight hours. It must not be cut up until cold. By leaving the crust of paste sticking round it, it will keep good for two or three months if carefully protected from flies and damp.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Beef — continued.

Stewed Beef. — The aitchbone (Fig. 102, 3) is the best part to use for this dish. There is some very juicy meat on the upper side in the large muscle which lies next to the top of the round. It will serve a family for a roast and then may be made into a stew, the flavour obtained by roasting adding greatly to the general effect; for this reason, when the meat has not been cooked, brown it in a little fat in a frying-pan before stewing. The bones should not be chopped and splintered, but sawed through carefully, and all tho fine crumbly pieces removed before cooking. Other good pieces for stews are 21b. or 31b. from tho middle cut of the shin, or the flank end of a large roasted sirloin, or the upper part of the chuck-rib (Fig. 102, 11). Any part that has bone and fat, as well as lean, either cooked or uncooked, makes the better stew.

(1) Bemovo the meat from the bones, and put tho bones with part of the fat into the stewpan. Cut the meat into small pieces, and if not previously cooked, dredge with salt, pepper, and flour, and brown in a frying-pan in salt pork fat or dripping. When this is done, put them into the stewpan where the bones and fat are waiting. Cut up two onions, one small white turnip, and half a small carrot into in. dice. Cook thorn slightly in tho dripping in the frying-pan, and afterwards add them to the stew. Four on boiling water enough to cover all tho contents, and simmer two or three hours, till tho meat is quite tender. While the meat is cooking, pare six or eight small potatoes, and soak them in cold water; pour boiling water over them, and boil five minutes to take out tho acrid taste. When tho meat is done, and tho stock has boon skimmed, drain these potatoes and add them to the stew. Season with salt and popper to taste. Bemove all bones before serving.

When dumplings aro to bo served with the stow; add them when the potatoes are nearly done. The liquor should come up just even with the potatoes, that tho dumplings may rest on them. Cover closely to keep in tho steam, and cook ten minutes without lifting' tho cover Tako out tho dumplings, put tho meat and potatoes in tho centro of a large dish, and tho dumplings round the odge. Bemove tho fat from the broth, and add more salt and pepper if needed. If tho broth bo not thick enough, add a little flour worked smooth in cold water and boil five minutes longer. Add 1 teacupful of tomato sauce and 1 toaspoonful of chopped parsley. Pour part of tho gravy over tho meat, serving the remainder in a sauce-tureen.

(2) This is best when mado of slices cut from an underdono roast, and simmered in any liquor in which meat has been boiled; but if none is at hand, use water instead — just covering tho Beef. To half - a - dozen slices of the usual size, weighing about lib., add 2 table-spoonfuls of chilli vinegar, 1 table-spoonful of made mustard, 1 table-spoonful of acid fruit jelly, 1 table-spoonful of butter, I teaspoonful of salt, 1 toaspoonful of celery-seed, 1 saltspoonful of black pepper, ono raw turnip grated or scraped fine, one mashed large potato, ono minced onion, and a few sprigs of parsley. Boil up, and serve. Cold Beef-steak or mutton-chops are delicious cut up in small pieces and mixed or stewed as above.

(3) Trim off all the fat and skin from a piece of rump of Beef weighing 2,)lb. or 31b., and cut it up into pieces about 3in. squaro. Put them into a saucepan, pour over lqt. of good broth, boil it up, sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste, remove the pan to tho side of tho fire, and simmer gently for a couple of hours. Add the finoly-chopped rind of a lemon, cook for twenty minutes longer, and stir in a mixture of 2 table-spoonfuls of Harvey sauce, half the quantity of flour, 1 wineglassful of whito wine, and a small quantity of mushroom or other ketchup. When done, put the meat on a dish, pour over the sauce, and serve. A wineglassful of sherry wine may be added to tho sauce if desired.

(4) Chop up 21b. of juicy Beef, freed from fat, skin, and gristle, brown them in a saucepan with two onions cut in square pieces, add 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and cook for six minutes. Stir well, and moisten with lqt. of broth and 1 gill of tomato sauce. Put in also eight raw potatoes cut in quarters, and cook thoroughly for twentyfive minutes with a bunch of sweet herbs, 1 good pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper, also ono crushed garlic. When done, turn out the whole, without the bunch of sweet herbs, on to a dish, and serve.

ices, c kc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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'Beet— continued.

(5) Chop up into small square pieces 21b. of Beef, and brown them in a stewpan with loz. of butter, adding two onions, also cut into square pieces. When well browned, add 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, stir briskly, pour in 1 pints of white broth, also 1 gill of tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper, put in a bunch of sweet herbs and one crushed clove of garlic, and cook for twenty-five minutes longer. Dish up the Beef with a bunch of cooked Brussels sprouts, also three heads of cooked celery, for garnish.

(6) Proceed as for No. 4, omitting the potatoes, and adding two tomatoes cut in pieces, six chopped mushrooms, and two crushed cloves of garlic. Serve with 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley strewn over the meat.

(7) Proceed as for No. 4; then with eight or ten tomatoes, stew slowly 31b. of Beef cut in slices or slips; add salt, a few cloves, and, just at taking up, a little butter. A gill of tomato ketchup and an onion may be added if high flavour is desired.

(8) Cook the Beef as directed for No. 4, substituting 1 teaspoonful of curry for the flour, and serve with cooked rice instead of the potatoes.

(9) Brazilian Style. — A pound of the shin of Beef does very well for this. It should be cut into small thin slices, and placed in a stone jar in layers, alternating with chopped vegetables, such as onions, carrots, turnips, and celery. Macaroni, pearl barley, and tomatoes or mushrooms added, with the grated rind of a lemon, make an exquisitely tasty dish. Season each layer well with pepper, salt, and a suspicion of cayenne popper. (In some parts of Spain a clove of garlic would be cut up and mixed in very minute proportions with the other vegetables.) Pour over all 1 teacupful of water and 1 table-spoonful of tarragon vinegar, cover the jar, and put into a slow oven to stew for three or four hours. Of course, a variation in the ingredients used may be dictated by circumstances, but when macaroni or pearl barley are selected, the layers of either should be placed upon the meat, and below the vegetables. This stew must be tried to be appreciated.

Stewed Beef-steaks. — At the bottom of a stewpan put a layer of sliced carrots, onions, and any other vegetables to taste, together with a bunch of sweet herbs. Moisten with just enough stock to keep them from burning. On these lay the steaks, cut into largish slabs, and season with pepper and salt. Cover close with the lid, and let them stew very slowly for several hours, until quite tender. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom. You may serve the gravy with it, either just as it comes from the stewpan, or thickened with 1 table-spoonful of sifted flour worked smooth in a little water, and boiled up until the flour is quite cooked. Pour over the steak on the dish, after removing the bunch of herbs.

Stewed Beef-steak and Oysters. — Put 2oz. of butter into a saucepan, and, when it is warm, put in a steak weighing about ljlb., and pour over a small quantity of water. Cook for about twenty minutes, pour over 1 breakfast-cupful of water, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the liquor from a dozen-and-a-half of oysters. Continue to stew in this for another hour; then pour in 3 table-spoonfuls of port wine, and add a small lump of butter well kneaded in flour and a dozen-and-a-half oysters. When the oysters are done, take out the steak, put it on a dish with the oysters on the top or round it, pour over the liquor, and serve as hot as possible.

Stewed Brisket of Beef. — Put a piece of brisket of Beef, weighing about 6jlb., into a basin, rub it well over with salted vinegar, and let it stand for forty-five minutes or so. Put it into a saucepan only a trifle larger than the meat, pour over sufficient water or weak stock to cover it, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about an hour, skimming frequently as the scum rises. Put in half-a-dozen each of onions, turnips, and carrots, and cook gently until the meat and vegetables are all done. Take out the meat, carefully draw out the bones, and put it on a dish with the vegetables round it. Add to the liquor 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of mushroom or walnut ketchup and a lump of butter rolled in flour, boil for a minute or two, pour some of it over the meat, and serve the remainder in a sauceboat.

Beef —continued.

Stewed Billet of Beef with Oysters. — To lib. of fillet steak take a dozen oysters. Mix loz. of butter and oz. of flour together in a stewpan; peel and chop up one Spanish onion, cut up two pickled walnuts, put them into the stewpan, with 2 table-spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 1 dessert-spoonful of walnut ketchup, and 1 teaspoonful of Worcester sauce. Lay the steak in on these and let it stew for an hour, turning it every twenty minutes or so, but do not let it boil. Open the .oysters, remove their beards, strain their liquor through a tammy cloth, and add just before serving.

Stewed Billets of Beef and Olives. — Cut off some equalsized slices from the under-cut of a sirloin or the tender fillet of a rump of Beef, trim them, rub them well with oil and vinegar, put them into a frying-pan with butter, and toss them over the fire for two or three minutes. Pour in sufficient gravy, stock, or water to moisten them, add 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 2 wineglassfuls of sherry or claret, and a thickening of flour. Cover over the saucepan, set it on the side of the fire, and cook gently until the meat is quite done, adding a small quantity of stewed olives about five minutes before serving. Take out the meat, put it in the centre of a hot dish, pour the remainder of the sauce round, and serve.

Stewed Larded Billet of Beef. — Take 31b. of fillet of Beef, trim it neatly, and lard it with fat bacon. Cut up a few mixed vegetables, and put them into a stewpan, with three bay-leaves, twelve allspice, and jib. of fresh butter; fry the vegetables upon the stove for five minutes. Put the Beef upon the vegetables, add lqt. of good stock, cover over with slices of fat bacon, put the lid on (use one that fits tightly), and let it simmer very gently for one hour upon the stove; or, if more convenient, it can be put in the oven just as it is. When done, strain off the liquor, and reduce it by boiling to a light glaze. Put the fillet of Beef upon a dish, pour the glaze over it, and serve with a dish of fried potatoes.

Stewed Scraps or Trimmings of Raw Beef. — Take any scraps of raw Beef, and chop up very fine, picking out all the strings, gristle, and other hard parts; put them into a kettle, and rather more than cover with cold water; let it boil several hours, or until the water is nearly all gone. Season with butter, pepper, and salt; but it is rich as it is, and needs but little seasoning. Serve hot, as you would hash. A splendid stimulating food for a convalescent.

Stewed Skin of Beef. — Chop or saw a shin of Beef into three or four pieces, put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, and simmer gently on the side of the fire for about thrce-hours-and-a-half. Then add a small bunch of sweet herbs, a head of celery cut up, and a dozen each of allspice and black pepper. Simmer for fifteen minutes longer; add three carrots, and cook for another quarter-of-an-hour; put in two turnips and a dozen small onions, and when these have cooked for another fifteen minutes, making the time from tho commencement four-and-a-quarter hours in all, put the meat on a dish and place tho vegetables round it. Put 1 teacupful of the meat liquor into a small saucepan, stir in 3 table -spoonfuls of flour, work it smooth, and pour over 5 teacupfuls more of tho liquor. Add 1 wineglassful of mushroom ketchup, salt and pepper to tasto, boil up quickly, skim off any scum there may be, pour it through a fine sieve over tho meat, and servo very hot.

Stewed Silverside of Beef. — Cut off a piece of the silversido of Beef, weighing about 71b., put it into a saucepan, with a couple of onions and carrots cut up, three or four cloves, a small bunch of parsley, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, 1 teacupful of chopped celery, parsnip or leek; pour in 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom or other ketchup, 1 wineglassful of white wine, and 3 or 4 breakfast-cupfuls of water; sprinkle over salt and pepper to tasto, and lastly add a small quantity of browning. Cover over the saucepan with the lid, fastening it on tightly to prevent the steam escaping, and cook very gently on a slow fire for about three hours. Fifteen or twenty minutes previous to serving, take out the meat, strain the liquor into another saucepan, add a slight thickening of flour, put back the meat when tho flour is mixed smooth, warm the whole without boiling, and serve. If desired, the Beef may be larded and a calf’s foot cooked with it, and this will be found a great improvement.

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Beef — continued.

Stewed Slices of Cold Beef with Green Peas. — Put 6qts. of young green peas into a lined saucepan with the head of a cabbage-lettuce cut in slices, pour over a little more than 1 breakfast-cupful of weak broth or stock, put the saucepan on the side of the fire, and simmer gently for an-hour-anda-quarter. Have ready some slices of cold roasted Beef wellseasoned with salt and pepper, put them into the saucepan with the peas, add a small onion cut in slices and browned in butter, and simmer gently for an-hour-and-a-half longer. Add a lump of butter kneaded with flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of Worcester sauce, and 1 teaspoonful of mustard; stir well, boil up quickly, turn the whole out on to a hot dish, and serve at once.

Tough Beef-steaks Cooked Tender in Gravy. — Cut lilb. of tough Beef-steak into slices, put these into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, and add a few pieces of salted pork, and salt and pepper to taste. Put 2oz. of butter into a frying-pan, warm it, place the slices of steak in it, brown them well, sprinkle over 1 or 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, stir well until it is mixed, and pour in the liquor the meat was cooked in, after it had been reduced to half its original quantity and well strained. Cook for ten minutes longer, put the meat on a dish, pour over the liquor, and serve very hot.

Tough Beef Made Tender. — For each 201b. of Beef use a mixture of Ingalls, of water to 3 breakfast-cupfuls of vinegar. Let the meat, if weighing 201b., remain in this for twelve hours, and less time if smaller, according to the size. The meat must be well drained before being cooked. Tournedos of Beef. — Cut off the required number of slices, about iin. thick, from a cooked fillet of Beef, put them into a saucepan with sufficient gravy to cover them, and warm them on the side of the fire without boiling. Cut off some slices of bread the same size and thickness as the meat, put them into a frying-pan with some fat skimmed off stock, and fry them. Arrange the slices of meat and bread alternately round a dish, fill the centre with cooked French beans or olives, and serve with a sauceboatful of piquant sauce. Vol-au-Vent of Beef Tendons. — Put 21b. of Beef tendons into a basin after the skin and nerves have been removed, pour over sufficient warm water to cover them, and let them soak until they are quite white. Put them into a saucepan of salted water and a little vinegar, and boil for ten minutes. Take them out when firm, drain them, and cut them up into 2in. lengths; put them again into a basin, pour over more warm water, and soak them for ten minutes longer. In the meantime, line a vol-au-vent case with puff paste, and bake it in the oven; take it out when done, and turn it out when cold. Place it in the oven for a few minutes to warm, put in the pieces of tendon, pour over sufficient bechamel sauce to cover them, and put a couple of dozen of boiled button mushrooms on this. Put the vol-au-vent in the oven, and serve as hot as possible.

BEEBi ( Fr . Biere; Gar. Bier; Ital. Birra; Sp. Cerveza). — At what period of the world’s history, or by what people the brewing of Beer from malted barley was originated, we have not sufficient reliable record to show. Herodotus tells us that the ancient Egyptians excelled in the art of brewing a fermented liquor from barley, and Tacitus, who wrote in the first century, describes it as of common use in Germany. Pliny, who wrote his “ Natural History ” about the same time, states that “ All the nations of the West of Europe have a liquor with which they intoxicate themselves, made of corn and water. The manner of making this liquor is somewhat different in Gaul (that is France), Spain, and other countries, and it is called by various names; but its nature and properties are everywhere the same. The people of Spain, in particular, brew this liquor so well that it will keep for a considerable time. So exquisite is the ingenuity of mankind in gratifying their vicious palates that they have invented a method to make water itself intoxicate.” Xenophon alludes to malt liquor as early as 401 b.c., and other writers before him write of “ Barley wine.” The Saxons and Danes, who probably introduced the beverage into this country, were

Beer — continued.

extravagantly fond of Beer, and believed that drinking it in long draughts out of monster goblets would be one of the rewards of their paradise in the “ Hall of Odin.” Alehouses were mentioned in A.D. G80, and “ ale-booths ” were regulated by law in a.d. 728; and from that time and before, Beer was the recognised national beverage of the British Isles, as well as of many other countries. But this much-loved liquor of our ancestors was then little better than sweet wort, the aromatic hop being unknown to the English brewer until the sixteenth century.

There are several different sorts of Beer now brewed in this country, such as strong ale, table ale, pale ale, and brown ale, or stout. The pale ales are made from malt which has only been slightly dried over a kiln after malting, whereas brown ale is made with malt which has been roasted. The malt liquors in use before 1730 were called ale, Beer, and “ twopenny,” and it was customary, so Leigh tells us, to call for a pint or tankard of “ halfand-half,” which is half ale and half Beer. Then it became customary to ask for a pint of “ three-thirds,” meaning a third each of ale, beer, and twopenny. To save trouble, Harwood, a celebrated brewer, produced a liquor which partook of the united flavours of the three favourites, and this he dubbed “ entire.” From this circumstance it has become customary to speak of a Beerhouse as an “ entire,” which is on a par with the name of “porter” given to this entire drink, because it found so much favour amongst porters and persons of that class, and “ stout ” to a stronger, and therefore more fattening, Beer, for reasons that are obvious.

Ail chemists agree that in Beer there is a considerable amount of nutritive matter, such as sugar, dextrine, and albuminates, which must be taken into account when we consider its action in use as a beverage, although it is not altogether for that reason that it is such a universal favourite. Beer owes its value mainly to its pleasing taste, the presence of carbonic acid, and to the alcohol it contains, which, although very small in proportion to other liquors (see Alcohol), is sufficient to produce certain effects, which, if continued to excess, provoke intoxication. Besides the above-named constituents, Beer contains also bitter (tonic) and resinous extractives of hops, as well as glycerine, small quantities of acids, and ash. “ The oil of hops,” says Ziemssen, “ is the cause of the peculiar heaviness and drowsiness that often follows excessive indulgence in Beer.”

Beer brewed from a variety of fermentable matters is prepared in different countries, rice often being used in hot climates. In Great Britain, America, Australia and other English-speaking countries, the term Beer is given to many concoctions, all of which would appear to be in more or less favour, as Beetroot Beer, Birch Beer, Corn Beer, Ginger Beer, Herb Beer, Nettle Beer, Persimmon Beer, Potato Beer, Spruce Beer, Treacle Beer, and others.

In making Beer, malt — that is, barley which has begun to germinate and then been dried— is steeped in warm water; a liquid is thus obtained, which is a solution of sugar, dextrine, albuminates, diastase, and salt. This “ wort,” as it is called, is then boiled after hops have been added, cooled, and turned into vats for fermentation with yeast. Before the fermentation is completed the Beer is transferred to large vats, to stand for a time, during which a feeble fermentation goes on. According to the quantity of sugar in the wort will be the proportion of alcohol ( see Alcohol, Fermentation, Malt, Sugar, Yinegar, &c.), the strongest ale being that of British production, and varying between 3 and 8 per cent. Sometimes other starchy materials are used instead of barley, such as wheat or rice; the so-called White Beer, of Prussian notoriety, being made of wheat. Other substitutes are sometimes found in grape-sugar, made from potato-starch or Indian corn; glucose, made from wheat; maltine, made from corn; cane syrup, corn-starch, potato s

For details respecting Culmary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see tinder their special heads.

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Beer — continued.

starch, corn meal, rye malt, oats, and other things, such as gentian, quassia, or wormwood, as bitter substitutes for hops.

The law is, however, now very stringent against substitutions or “ adulterations,” even to the adding of sugar or molasses; and very properly so, seeing to what an extent adulteration has been carried on. Cooley states that “ It is a well-known and authenticated fact, that Beer is commonly, and sometimes dangerously, adulterated. The cupidity of fraudulent brewers and publicans frequently induces them to introduce other ingredients than malt and bitters into their liquors, with a view of giving them a false appearance and strength. Thus, to give pungency, capsicum, grains of paradise, ginger, &c., have been added; to give intoxicating properties, opium, cocculus indicus, tobacco, &c.; as a substitute for malt, molasses, treacle, colouring, honey, &c.; to impart a false appearance of age, sulphuric acid, alum, green vitriol, glycerine, mustard, &c.; to remove acidity, pearlash, soda, chalk, &c.; and to impart a frothy head, alum, foots, table-salt, &c. Publicans generally ‘ reduce ’ their strong Beer with water (which they call ‘ liquor ’), and add treacle, together with a mixture of copperas, salt, and alum (termed ‘heading’), to make it bear a frothy head. The cheap Beer sold in many of the low taverns of London is made by dividing the contents of two butts between three butts, filling them up with water, and adding a bladder of 1 porter extract ’ (technically termed ‘P.E.’) to each. This ‘ P.E.’ is a mixture of powdered cocculus, Spanish juice, caramel (burnt sugar), capsicum, &c., boiled up with treacle and water to the consistency of a thin extract, and then put into bladders for sale.”

Beer is frequently added to broths, jellies, and other dishes as a stimulant, and is used in cooking to give body and flavour to some foods, especially those prepared for fastidious tastes. The following is a simple receipt for brewing good beer at home.

The utensils required will be a large copper or boiler, with the usual furnace built under it, two large flat tubs for mashing, and a large barrel standing on end, with a tap near the lower ring, so that the clear liquor can be drawn from the bottom. In addition to these, smaller barrels or bottles will be required for storing.

Boil 36galls. of water in the copper boiler for twenty minutes, then damp the fire down with wet ashes. When the steam subsides sufficiently for the surface of the water to be seen, ladle some of the water out and pour it over 1 bushel of malt set in one of the mash-tubs, and continue to do so until there is sufficient to cover the malt. Let this stand for an hour, then cover the wet malt with dry malt, cover over the tub, and let all stand for an hour longer. Next add more water, running off that which has been standing with the malt in it, into the second mash-tub. Pour more water from the copper boiler over the malt, drain off again after standing a short time, and repeat until all the water has passed through the malt. Put the “wort,” as the liquor is now called, into the copper boiler again, reserving 1 pint of warm wort to dissolve some German yeast (unless fresh yeast is available), boil up well with 31b. or 41b. of hops, and leave the Beer to simmer for two or three hours. Then fix a canvas strainer over the top of the large barrel and strain the wort through into it. Put in the yeast, stir up from the bottom to mix it well in, and cover over for the whole to ferment. When the Beer begins to work it will swell up and overflow, but when the working is at an end or has nearly subsided it will go down again, or ebb and flow for a while until fermentation is over. Then fill up the cask with other malt Beer in which at least loz. of fine isinglass has been dissolved. When the cask is full, rouse up with the stick, or stirrer, and when the Beer has settled, bring down, or rack off into smaller casks, taking the precaution to insert the tap into the cask sufficiently high to miss the settling at the bottom, so that clear Beer only is drawn off. A very good small-beer may be made from a second mashing of the malt.

Beer — continued.

Beer Caudle. — Mix some fine oatmeal with good Beer in the place of water; turn it into a saucepan, and for every quart of gruel put in i teaspoonful of allspice and J teaspoonful of ground ginger. Sweeten it to taste with moist sugar. Stir the gruel over the fire till thick and cooked, then turn it into a bowl or soup-plate, and serve it.

Beer Soup with Bread. — (1) Cut five thin slices of bread off a stale loaf, and, after soaking them in warm butter, put them in the oven to brown. When they are done, break them up fine, and pour over them 1 pint each of Beer and port wine, or claret; into this put one large stick of cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful of cloves, and 1 teacupful of powdered white sugar. Boil up lightly, pass through a strainer into a bowl, and serve with slices of bread fried in butter floating on the top.

(2) Put one large stick of cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful of cloves, the thin rind of one lemon, and 4 table-spoonfuls of sugar into a large saucepan with 4 pints of good strong ale. Boil up until it is scalding hot, and then strain it into a bowl or tureen containing the yolks of six eggs and 5 pint of cream, and whisk into a foam. Serve with sippets of bread fried in butter, or dry toast.

Beer Soup for Cold Weather. — Mix thoroughly into lqt. of table-beer, £ tumblerful of port wine, the yolks of eight eggs, a little powdered cinnamon, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Put this into a saucepan and stand over the fire, stirring well until it begins to boil; then serve in cups or glasses, with sippets of dry toast.

Beer Soup with Cream. — To every quart of mild Beer add j pint of cream, 1 table-spoonful of butter, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, 5 teaspoonful of salt, and the same of allspice. Boil up slowly, and then add 1 table-spoonful of flour which has been previously worked smooth in a little of the cream or Beer; boil up again, and as it begins to cool stir in well the yolks of two eggs, also previously diluted in a little of the Beer.

Beer made with Tar (fob Consumption). — Whether the concoction possesses the merits claimed for it, or not, is a matter of doubt. Put 3qts. of water in a stone vessel with lqt. of wheat bran, 1 pint of tar, and i pint of honey, and let them simmer by the side of the fire for three hours. At the end of that time move the jar off, and lot the contents cool. When cool, mix 5 pint of brewer’s yeast with the Beer, leave it for thirty-six hours, and it is then ready for use.

German Beer Soup. — (1) Put Jib. of butter into a stewpan and melt it slowly, stirring in jib. of flour; fry this for awhile to cook the flour, but do not allow it to colour; then pour in, stirring well, 3qts. of Beer, and when it boils remove it off the fire to the back, and let it stand for half-anhour. Whilst this mixture is standing, put in a small pan

wineglassful of good rum and i wineglassful of sherry or Madeira; add to this a small piece of ginger and a small stick of cinnamon, 3oz. of moist sugar, and the thin rind of half a lemon; cover up, and put into the bain-marie to infuse. Skim off all fat from the soup, and mix up with it the yolks of fifteen eggs diluted with a little water; stir this over the fire, but do not allow it to boil; when heated, pass through a sieve into another pan, aud then stir in jib. of butter added bit by bit. When all the butter is worked in, add the infusion of rum, pass the whole through a strainer, and pour into the soup-tureen. Serve with it some sippets of fried bread.

(2) Stolzer Heinrich. — Put half a dozen or so small ham sausages, well tied at the ends, into a stewpan, pour in sufficient ale or Beer to cover them, fix the lid on tightly, and boil gently for half-an-hour. At the end of that time take out the sausages, and boil the liquor until it is reduced to a thick brown sauce, skim the fat off the top, put in 1 wineglassful of red wine, 1 wineglassful of ale, the same of vinegar, 1 teacupful of rich gravy, 1 breakfast-cupful of grated brown bread, 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds, the thinly-pared rind of half a lemon, and a lump of sugar; season highly with salt and pepper, and boil the sauce until thick and smooth, stirring it occasionally. Pass the sauce through a fine hair sieve into another stewpan; put in the sausages, and place over the fire until quite hot again. Turn all into a hot dish, garnish with slices of lemon, and serve.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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BEETROOTS ( Fr . Betteraves; Ger. Beeten; Ital. Barbabietolas; Span. Betarragas). — A very useful class of vegetables of tbe Beta genus, of which, out of a great number of varieties, the red and the white Beets, only are concerned in culinary operations. The white is cultivated principally in Prance and Germany for producing Beet sugar (it contains 8 per cent.); but the red (also rich in sugar) is the sirbject of considerable solicitude on the part of British market gardeners, because of its extensive use in this country for cooking. The yellow Beet is grown in fields for cattle food only. In some parts of the Continent the leaves of the Beet are cooked and served like spinach, and the footstalks and midribs of the leaves are stewed and eaten under the name of Swiss cliard or poiree aux carottes; but the

Fig. 145. Red Beet.

root of the red (Pig- 145) is of the greatest value to us, and when cooked should be tender, well-flavoured, of a rich crimson colour throughout, and therefore of supreme service for these reasons in salads, pickles, and ornamental cookery. It is sometimes made into jams and other confections.

To Prepare Beetroots for tlie Table. — Select, if possible, the small, smooth varieties; wash clean without cutting or scraping, and boil for from one to four hours, according to age and size. Let them cool, then peel and cut them into thin slices, and serve in a glass dish alone, or mixed up in a salad.

Baked. Beetroots. — Wash thoroughly, and put into a slowish oven, either whole or cut into thick slices. When done serve hot, with butter, pepper, and salt. Whole they will take from six to eight hours to cook thoroughly To those who are fond of Beets as a vegetable accompaniment to hot meats, baking especially recommends itself, for in that way none of the flavour is lost, as happens in the case of boiling. When cold a small Beetroot may be cut up into slices, and then across and across into dice, and warmed up as follows: Mince half an onion very fine, put it into a saute-pan with a piece of butter the size of an egg, and heat over the stove until the onion takes colour; then add the Beetroot, pepper and salt to taste, and 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. Toss well until hot through, and serve.

Beetroot a la Poitevine.— Put a little brown thickening into a saucepan with a small quantity of chopped onion and ground mixed spice; warm it, and add a cold boiled Beetroot cut up in slices. When the Beetroot is warmed through, add a teaspoonful or so of vinegar, stir gently, turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

Beetroot Beer. — Wash and peel by scraping as many Beetroots as may be required, the number depending upon the quantity of beer to be made. Cut them into thick slices, and again into pieces lin. or so thick; almost fill the copper or boiler with these pieces, and pour over sufficient cold water to cover them; boil for five or six hours, and then strain, without pressing, through a coarse sieve Return the liquor or “ wort ” to the boiler, add lib. of hops to every 4galls. of liquor, and after boiling for two hours strain again into a well-cleaned cask ready for working. See Beer. Beetroot in Butter Sauce. — Put a Beetroot into a saucepan of water and boil for about one hour; then put it into a basin of cold water and rub off the skin. Cut it up into slices, put these into a saucepan with 2 breakfast- cupfuls of water, i breakfast-cupful of vinegar, 1 teacupful of butter, and a little salt. Warm up this mixture over the fire, and when it boils add a thickening of flour. Turn the whole out on to a dish, and serve.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Beetroots— continued.

Beetroot with. Cream. — There are several modes of preparing and serving this exquisite dish, and it may fairly be said that the greatest gourmet in the world does not know the perfection of Beetroot flavour until he has tasted one or the other of them. Boil some Beetroot as described in the receipt given for it; peel it, and let it get cold; then slice it, and put it into a stowpan with 5 pint of good stock, and stew till thoroughly hot; then strain off the stock (or plain water may be used instead of stock). Beat up the yolk of one egg with lqt. of cream, and stir it into the stock, or water, in which the Beetroot has been warmed up. Place the Beetroot on a dish, and pour the sauce over.

Cold Beetroot with cream and mayonnaise sauce poured over is much esteemed.

Beetroot Fritters. — (1) Slice a cold boiled yellow Beetroot and two or throe onions. Put a slice of onion on one of the slices of Beetroot, sprinkle over a seasoning of grated nutmeg, chopped chervil and pimpernel leaves; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover this over with another slice of Beetroot, and continue in this way until all the latter is used up. Dip the fritters into batter, put them into a frying-pan of boiling lard or other fat, and fry them to a light brown colour When done, take them out, drain them, put them on a napkin spread over a dish, dust them over with salt, and serve.

(2) Boil a large Beetroot until it is tender, and beat it to a pulp in a mortar. Add the well-beaten yolks of four eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and 3 table-spoonfuls of cream. Sweeten to taste, grate in some nutmeg and the peel of half a lemon, add 1 wineglassful of brandy, and mix all well together. Form it into fritters, and fry these in butter. Garnish them with any green sweetmeats, preserved apricots, or green sprigs of myrtle, and serve.

Beetroot Pie. — Pies made in this way are richer and more substantial than most pies, and resemble rhubarb pie somewhat in appearance and flavour. Cut up sufficient red Beetroot to fill the dish to be used, season with vinegar, sugar, and spices to taste, put it into a dish lined with paste, cover over with more paste, and bake in a moderate oven, allowing the same time as for an apple pie. The Beetroot may be used without boiling if it is finely chopped, but the best way is to have it boiled before using.

Beetroot Salad. — (1) Slices of cold Beetroot arranged on a dish with an ordinary salad-dressing poured over them; or (2) the slices of Beetroot may be alternated with slices of hard-boiled eggs. Over this pour a dressing consisting of oil and vinegar (most oil), seasoned with pepper and salt. Garnish with a few pickled mushrooms, small onions, and horseradish.

(3) To servo Beetroot artistically, see that the slices are cut all of one size and rounded by a vegetable-cutter, and then lay them on a dish in a wreath overlapping one

another (see Fig. 146). Pour over the slices a dressing made with cream, and fill the centre with chopped hard-boiled eggs, or a pile of halves with a sprinkle of chopped parsley about them, and little garnishes of horseradish between the slices. Plain cream, acidulated with vinegar and seasoned with salt and pepper, or mayonnaise sauce, makes a very good dressing for this dish.

s 2

Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Beetroots — continued.

Beetroots Sautes in Butter. — Proceed as for Boiled Beetroots. When cooked and peeled, cut them up in heart-shaped slices, put them into a sauR-pan with loz. of butter, season with 1 pinch of pepper, and sprinkle over a very little powdered loaf sugar. Let them cook on the stove for six minutes, carefully tossing them from time to time; then arrange them on a hot vegetable-dish, and serve.

Beetroots Sautes a la Creme. — Proceed the same as for preceding receipt, adding £ pint of hot bechamel sauce three minuses before serving.

Boiled Beetroots. — Wash lqt. of sound, young Beetroots in cold water, place them in a saucepan, covering them with cold water, season with a handful of salt and 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, put on the lid, and cook for an hour and ten minutes. Take them from the fire, lift them from the water, and peel them while they are warm. When done, put them into a stone jar, strain over them the liquor in which they were boiled, spread 2 table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar on top, cover them, and put them away in a cool place until required. When served hot, cut them into slices, dust with caster sugar and salt, and pour butter (warmed) over all. Some persons like a little salad-oil and cayenne pepper added also. Care must be taken not to cut or break the skins anywhere; for should this happen the root is apt to bleed into the water, and become white and tasteless. This may be prevented in small injuries by rubbing flour over the wound, and plunging the Beetroot into boiling water.

Boiled Beetroot Leaves. — Cut off the tender leaves from young Beetroots, removing the thick stalks, wash them well, and let them soak in cold water for several hours. Put a small lump of common soda into a saucepan of water, and when it boils put in the greens and cook for half-an-hour. Take them out, drain them, sprinkle them over with salt and a little of the fat from corned beef, or butter, chop them up fine, and serve in a vegetable-dish.

Dandelion-and-Beetroot Salad. — See Dandelion.

Macerated Beetroots. — Peel and mince one or two boiled Beetroots. Put a layer of this at the bottom of a jar, cover over with minced horseradish and a few peppercorns, and continue in this way until the ingredients are used up. Pill the jar with vinegar, let it stand for a day, and the Beetroot is then ready for use. It can be used for garnishing cooked salads.

Pickled Beetroots.— (1) As this pickle is little more than sliced cold Beetroot with vinegar poured over, it keeps no better, and should therefore be prepared in small quantities. On the Continent it is usual to flavour the pickle with a variety of things, and the following is a good receipt for pickling in that way: Slice, or cut up into squares, as many cold cooked Beets as required, and put them into wide-mouthed pickle bottles. Boil in sufficient vinegar to cover them, a blade of mace, Joz. of ginger-root, and 1 drachm of scraped horseradish to the pint; pour this whilst boiling hot over the Beetroot, and cork or tie down with wet bladder whilst cooling. To prevent the bottles cracking when the vinegar is poured in, stand them in hot water for a little time before filling.

(2) Wash the Beetroots, cut off the stalks, boil until tender, then peel and cut into thin slices; arrange the slices in a jar, and pour over them £ pint of the liquor in which they were cooked. Peel two cloves of garlic, and pound them in a mortar with a small lump of salt; then mix them in with the Beetroot, and also 1 table-spoonful of moist sugar. Pour in £ pint of the best white vinegar, and stir the pickle well; it is then ready for use.

(3) Another very good way to pickle Beetroots is to fill the jars with the slices as in No. 1, and then to every lb. of Beetroot add 1 teaspoonful of moist sugar, two cloves, and 1 teaspoonful of coriander- or caraway-seeds, and fill up with boiling vinegar. Cork or tie down.

BEIGNET(S).— French for fritter(s).

BELGIAN IEEE. — This differs from most other

beers in its peculiar vinous flavour. Amongst the more

celebrated are Lambic, Faro, Nitzet of Flanders, Arge

of Antwerp, and Fortes-Saisons of the Walloons. Louvain,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils,

Belgian Beer — continued.

a white beer of Antwerp, which is very popular amongst the working classes, has the combined flavours, so it is said, of “ water, beer, pitch, pinewood, soapsuds, vinegar, treacle, and a few other things.”

BELGIAN PTJBEE — This is so called because the principal of the ingredients comprising the puree is Brussels Sprouts, and under that heading the receipt for its preparation will be foimd.

BENCOOLEN TEA. — Made by the inhabitants of the Malayan Islands from the leaves of the Glapliyria nitida. It is said to be very aromatic and refreshing, and occasionally, no doubt, finds its way into other teas as a substitution. See Tea.

BENEDICTINE. — A liqueur made at the Abbey of Fecamp, not considered of such great merit as many others. Somewhat similar to Chartreuse.

BENGAL CUBBY.— See Curries.

BENI.— This is the name of a Russian sacramental repast or feast observed at Easter by Russians, Poles, Greeks, and other members of the Greek Church, and is probably the origin of our word “ beanfeast.” It is fully described by Urbain Dubois, who had some experience of it when engaged as royal cook in Prussia. He tells us that the guests partake of it standing up, and that the table, which is usually elegantly laid, is not cleared all day, but dishes are replaced as soon as emptied.

Amongst the ordinary kinds of viands to be found at a Beni feast are poultry, game, hams, veal, and sausages, but fish is rigorously excluded. Baba cakes, both moulded and baked in a square shape, and sprinkled with chopped almonds, are common to all, but no Beni feast would be complete without salt cooked in a special style, cheese prepared in a certain way and decorated with currants, coloured hard-boiled eggs, sucking pigs stuffed and roasted, and a lamb (the Pascal) modelled in butter, placed on an invitation table, and holding a Greek cross between its fore feet.

The cheese is a white variety, squeezed in a cloth, then pounded up with a piece of butter slightly sweetened with caster sugar, and mixed up with a few table-spoonfuls of raw cream. It is afterwards pressed through a sieve and kept a few hours in a wooden mould in the shape of a pyramid. The mould is composed of four movable slabs, mounted by the aid of grooves, and bearing on at least two of the inside faces a cross cut out or raised. Before moulding the cheese, the interior surfaces are spread with a fine cloth. When the cheese is taken out of the mould the cloth is removed and its angles are decorated with currants. The salt is first finely pounded, then diluted with the white of egg to form a very stiff paste, then wrapped up in a cloth, secured with string, and set in glowing ashes for three or four hours. When the cloth is consumed by the fire, the salt forms a white calcined lump. It is then pounded, and placed in the salt-cellars.

Before cooking the eggs, a Greek cross should be drawn on the shells with fat or soap, and then the eggs are plunged into water coloured with cochineal or saffron, to boil; this colours them red or yellow. The Russians eat the eggs with the purified salt.

All the dishes ought to be blessed by the priest before being offered to the family or guests. Russians never fail to celebrate this Easter feast wherever they may be sojourning. Hence this description of it may be of interest to some who have Russian friends to entertain.

BENZOIN. — This gum-resin is used for flavouring and giving body and aroma to cordials and liqueurs. When required for watery solutions it must first be distilled. See Cordials and Liqueurs.

BEQUET. — The lower jaw of a pig’s head, which is generally cured and smoked, as with our Bath chaps.

Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

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BERGAMOT.- — From the rind of the Bergamot orange, a fruit of the citrus (citron) genus, a very fragrant essential oil is obtained which is occasionally used in high-class confectionery, but more commonly in the preparation of toilet perfumes. The name is also given to a very choice variety of pear, shaped like an apple, and very juicy.

Bergamot Water Ice. — Put into a basin the strained juice of seven lemons and the zest of three rubbed off on loaf sugar, mix in 3 teacupfuls of plain syrup and a little water, add a few drops of Essence of Bergamot to flavour, and 1 wineglassful of brandy. Stir well, pour the mixture into the freezer, and freeze as desired.

BERGARMO.— The name of a very good wine produced in Lombardy. See Italian Wines.

BER1IIGOT. — The French name for a sort of American caramel; a kind of barley-sugar.

BERLIN SAUCES. — See Sauces.

BERZILLE.— This is the name of a thin French soup ( maigre ) in which bread is broken up ( bresille ). It is made with roux, milk, and bread and water.

BESIS.— A sort of stew manufactured by the French with the inferior parts of beef, with which is mixed pearl barley softened in water, oil, and the juice of oranges and lemons. See Bezin.

BEVERAGES. — Be it observed that man is by nature a thirsty creature; but there is no physical reason why he should drink more in proportion to his size than other animals. The tissue of which his body is composed is not more fluid than other flesh, all of which is made up of one-third solid matter and two-thirds of fluid. Man, like other animals, eats and drinks to replace tissue wasted by energy and action. This food, therefore, should consist of at least two-thirds of fluid, which may be plain water; but, by a provision of man’s own ingenious construction, so many tasty liquors have been invented by himself to tempt his wavering thirst, that cases are not unknown in which his daily food abounds in the liquid form. In other words, man is apt to dr ink more than his bodily waste requires for its restoration. Nature has averaged the required amount at about pints in every twenty-four hours for each full-grown individual, and this of plain water; but as the average man is not famous for his consumption of plain water, the probabilities are that he absorbs his 5 pints in a state of combination with something else. For instance, the food he eats contains a large proportion of water — perhaps, as in the case of soups, more in proportion than is required for the reconstitution of his wasted flesh; and, on the other hand, much of the liquor he drinks contains solid food, such as beers, wines, spirits, tea, coffee, chocolate, milk, or saccharinated aerated waters. And here we arrive at a point where the teetotalers stand in formidable array, prepared, like valiant knights, to give battle upon the least provocation, and fight loyally against all disputants for the sovereignty of the cause they have espoused. But as this cause, whichever way it may be decided in the dim future, has but little to do with the simple facts of which we are treating, like a knight-errant — more errant than disputative — we turn aside from that which does not concern us here, and take up the subject at another point, where no argument can possibly arise.

Foods taken in a liquid form are universally admitted to be more readily digested than solids; hence, commencing with spring water, which contains the minutest proportion of nutrient material, and passing rapidly on to the list of tea, coffee, cocoa, milk, broth, beef -tea, and soups, to turtle soup, which latter is so largely composed of liquid gelatine as to be almost a solid in disguise, we have an assortment of liquid foods which should be ample for the purpose of supplying the daily

Beverages — continued.

5 h pints of water required. But man has a taste for luxuries, which the beast of the field has not; moreover, he has a mind more capable of receiving and appreciating nervous gratification. The beast of the field gnaws his grass and drinks his water from the pond; but man, in his princely, almost god-like, estate, feeds on ambrosial foods, and sips wine that is equal to nectar.

Some liquid foods contain but little nourishment, such as beer, wine, spirits, cider and perry, cordials, liqueurs, and aerated waters; to these, therefore, we assign the less comprehensive term of “thirstquenchers,” “ drinks,” or Beverages.

Beer claims pride of place in this country, and Pereira says in his work on “ Food and Diet ”: “ The practice of taking a moderate quantity of mild malt liquor, of sound quality, at dinner, is in general not only unobjectionable, but beneficial. It is specially suited for those who lead an active life, and are engaged in laborious pursuits.” Whether bottled or on draught it is exceedingly refreshing, and although of recent date a demand has sprung up for foreign light lager beers, it may be regarded as a freak of fashion which will not make much headway against the old-fashioned strong ales of Great Britain. So-called “beers” are concocted from a great variety of materials, such as spruce beer and mum from the decoctions of the fir-tree, ginger beer, beetroot beer, and the famous herb-beers of the midland counties; but they can scarcely be classified amongst our national drinks.

Cider and Perry once held the post that beer does now; but the taste for fruit Beverages is not so universal through the country as that for liquors made from grain, which may be due to a variety of causes — possibly as much as any to this, that we have the plain, juicy, unmanipulated fruit to eat at will.

Mead and metheglin, prepared from honey, were at one time held in high favour, but have disappeared with the advance of civilisation. Vintners may deny this, and claim that wines were as well made 500 years ago— aye, even in the days of Noah — as they are now. That may be so, in view of the many tricky adulterations that the advancement of chemical science has brought about; but the beer of our ancestors was little better than sweet “wort,” which the introduction of hops has so far brought to perfection that all other Beverages have been superseded by beer. By the wisdom of our Parliament, Acts for the protection of beer’s integrity are passed, which only require thorough administration to insure their lasting popularity; but, unfortunately, it is one thing to make a law, and another thing to enforce it. No fault can be found with the laws against adulteration as they exist; but either the agents employed to enforce them are very incompetent, or are in some cases weak enough to be bribed; for certain it is that, in spite of them, beer is frequently supplied by brewers in an adulterated condition, and then undergoes further “ doctoring ” and “ reducing ” by the retailer.

Cider is in some respects more nearly allied to wine, which leads a celebrated American chemist to class them together in the following remark: “A glass of wine, cider, or other fruit wine, is exactly the food suitable to a tired condition. It furnishes that which requires least work from the stomach for assimilation. It does it quickly, which is a great consideration, and it satisfies the more interior parts of the system, which therefore cease to importune the stomach.”

Who invented wine it would be difficult to say: the authorship is attributed to Noah, and our German friends have a little legend illustrative of the assertion which is more amusing than conclusive. “ An angel visiting the earth some time after the Deluge, found the patriarch Noah sitting at noon in the shadow of a fig-tree, very disconsolate. The angel inquired the cause of his grief Noah replied that he was thirsty and had nothing tG

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces,, be., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Beverages — continued.

drink. ‘ Nothing to drink? ’ replied the angel. ‘ Look around. Do not the rains fall, and the rivers run, and is there not a spring of water bubbling up at the cottage door P ’ ‘ It is true,’ replied Noah, smiting his breast, ‘that there is abimdance of water in which thy servant can bathe; hut, alas ! when I think of the multitudes of strong men, of beautiful women, and of innocent children, and of the countless hosts of animals, that were drowned in the Flood, the idea of water becomes distasteful, and my lips refuse to drink.’ ‘ There is reason in what thou sayest,’ replied the angel, and spreading his wings, he flew up to heaven swift as the lightning-flash; and while the eyes of Noah were still dazzled with the brightness of his presence, returned with stock of the vine, which he taught the grateful patriarch how to plant and tend, and when the fruit was ripe, to press it into wine.” “ This,” says the German story-teller, “ was the source of all the beneficial and benevolent drinks which the world owes to the grape.” But teetotalers will scarcely be disposed to admit such a Divine source, or accept the additional supplement that Noah planted the stocks, and that they grew, bore grapes, which he gathered, pressed, fermented the juice, and matured as wine within an hour or so of the angel’s first visit.

Taking the fact into consideration that wine exists, no matter what may have been its origin, we are entitled to hear the words of such an authority as Professor Liebig on the subject of its consumption. He says: “ As a restorative, a means of refreshment, where the powers of life are exhausted; of giving animation and energy where man has to struggle with days of sorrow; as a means of correction and compensation when misproportion occurs in nutrition, and the organism is deranged in its operations; and as a means of protection against organic disturbances, wine is surpassed by no product of nature or of art.” We quote this as an excuse for not entering into any discussion on the merits or demerits of wine- drinking, and conclude this part of the subject by quoting the words of a sapient writer, who says, “ Sensible Englishmen already see, as all Englishmen will hereafter understand, that true temperance consists not in refraining from the use of wine, but in drinking it moderately; and that not the lightly alcoholised wines must he regarded as the true foe, but the amylic and other alcohols which are not obtained from wines, and which are only used either neat or apart from wine.” Other information concerning the composition and varieties of wines will he found under appropriate headings.

Spirits contain the largest proportion of alcohol, and are therefore much more intoxicating in their effects than any other Beverage to which we have alluded. The various kinds sold in this country are all more or less subject to adulteration; but as they can scarcely be considered Beverages, or “thirst quenchers,” in the precise acceptation of the term, their further consideration as applied to culinary purposes will be found under their respective heads.

Mineral and saccliarinated aerated waters have made rapid strides as popular Beverages in this and all other countries, whether as a separate Beverage or a vehicle for, or in combination with, others, such as brandy or claret in soda and seltzer, sherry and lemonade, gin and gingerbeer, and others too numerous to mention. The carbonic acid contained in them gives a piquancy to their flavour which can only be approached by bottled beers and sparkling wines. Of their various uses and adaptations to culinary purposes mention is made under the headings in which they occur.

Cordials and liqueurs are not entitled to be classed as Beverages, but take rank rather amongst spirits; they are, however, much used in confectionery, and other forms of cooking, so receive considerable attention under that combined heading.

Beverages — continued.

It would be impossible to enumerate and treat individually in this work of the multitude of Beverages that are consumed in this country, for indeed there seems to be no end to them; and it may well be said, in the words of Haywood in his “Rape of Lucrece,” slightly altered, perhaps, to meet the times:

The Russ drinks quass; Dutch, Lubeck beer,

And that is strong and mighty;

The Briton, he metheglin quaffs,

The Irish, aqua- vita;

The French affect the Orleans grape,

The Spaniard tastes his sherry;

The English none of these can ’scape,

But he with all makes merry.

Drink for an Invalid. — (1) Mix 1 wineglassful of brandy with f teacupful of water, then break in three eggs, and beat all well together. Strain the mixture through a silk sieve, and give the patient about 1 teaspoonful at a time of it.

(2) Put pint of milk into a very clean saucepan, and when it is on the point of boiling, stir in quickly 2 wineglassfuls of madeira or sherry. Strain the mixture through a silk sieve to rid it of the curds, then give it to the patient.

German Beverage. — Pour lqt. of orgeat or milk of almonds into a basin, and mix in 1 teacupful of rum and kirschenwasser in equal proportions and lqt. of seltzer water. Ice the Beverage in the freezer, turn it into glasses, and serve. Imperial Drink. — Pour some boiling water in a jug, then turn it out and put in it between foz. and Joz. of cream of tartar; pour in lqt. of boiling water, flavour it with lemon, using either peel or essence for the purpose, and sweeten it to taste.

Indian Pinaree. — To prepare this drink, grate the required number of bitter cassava, squeeze out the juice, and rub the pulp through a sieve: there should remain about 4 breakfast-cupfuls of the coarser pulp in the sieve; put it into a jar, add sufficient fresh-boiled cassava to moisten, and add the other ingredients, together with two grated sweet potatoes. Cover over the jar with a leaf, let it remain for about three days, when it will be ready for use. A small quantity of it at a time should be used with water. By being allowed to stand for several days it becomes very intoxicating.

Nightcap. — Warm a pint pitcher or tumbler, and put into it a little more than 1 wineglassful of either Scotch or Irish whisky, loz. of powdered loaf sugar, a small piece of lemonpeel, and £ teaspoonful of red-currant jelly. Pour over J pint of boiling water, stir well, and it is ready.

Persian Beverage. — Pour 2 breakfast-cupfuls each of pomegranate- and strawberry- juice into a basin, add 1 pint of syrup at 32deg., % teacupful of orange-flower water, and lqt. of filtered or spring water. Mix well, pour the liquor into the freezer, freeze until it will only just run when poured out, put it into glasses, and serve.

Spanish Beverage. — (1) Mix the juice of six lemons, and the thin rind of two, with 3 teacupfuls of syrup at 32deg., pour in a pint of claret, grate over half a nutmeg, and add a little water if required. Pour the preparation through a fine sieve into a freezer, work well, easing the ice from the sides with a spatula; and when it becomes like snow, and only just sufficiently liquid to run, pour it into glasses, and serve.

(2) Blanch and pound 6oz. of Jordan almonds, put them into a basin, and mix in fib. of crystallised moist sugar, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of grape-juice, and 6 breakfast-cupfuls of clear spring-water. Stir well, pass the liquor through a filter into a basin packed in ice, and when it is quite cold it is ready for use.

Summer Drinks. — (1) Put 1 breakfast-cupful of syrup into a saucepan over a slow fire, add loz. of black-currant jelly, and stir until the latter is dissolved; let it get cold, add a tumblerful of rum, and it is ready for use.

(2) Put 1J pints of ale into a large glass, pour in a bottle of effervescing ginger beer, mix well, and drink at once.

(3) Pour Igall. of old cider into a bowl, sweeten to taste, taking care that the sugar dissolves, add half a grated nutmeg, 1 wineglassful each of noyeau and brandy, a little

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Beverages — continued.

powdered ginger, and a few thin slices of lemon. Set the howl on the ice, let it remain for fully two hours, and serve.

(4) A refreshing drink may be made by mixing milk and whisky, according to taste.

(5) Pour 1 pint of boiling water over some tea-leaves, let it stand for five minutes only, pour off the liquor, let it get cold, add 1 wineglassful of brandy, and serve.

Winter Drink. — Put a jar containing black currants into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it remain until all the juice is extracted. Strain it into a saucepan, add 8oz. of sugar to each pint of juice, boil up once, and skim well. Let it get cold, add an equal quantity of gin or rum to it, mix well, pour it into a bottle, and use as required.

For other Beverages, see special headings. BEYROUT SAUCE. — See Sauces.

BEZIN. — A sort of besis prepared with very great care, and of which the barley is ground down to a paste in a mortar. See Besis.

BHAHJEES. — An Indian term signifying fried, and usually applied to a concoction for frying vegetables in, composed of mustard-oil, ground turmeric, chillies, and salt.

BIESTINGS, or BEASTINGS.— The first milk drawn from the cow after calving. Usually very thick and creamy. Much appreciated in country districts for making puddings and custards. It should be used cautiously, as it is somewhat aperient.

BIFFINS. — In cookery these are apples which have been peeled, partly baked, and dried under pressure; but the name is properly “ beaufins,” and belongs to a sort of Norfolk apple ( see Apples). The dried fruit may be prepared as follows:

Select as many as are required of good cooking apples, peel them, and place them in a slow oven for a few minutes, taking them out to press by placing a board and weights upon them, and returning them to the oven again when cold. This alternate process of baking and pressing is repeated until the Biffins are crushed down to considerably less than half their original thickness. In this condition they can be preserved for any length of time, and if well dried retain all the flavour of the fresh fruit.

BIGARADE. — The French name for the Seville or bitter orange.

BIGARADE SAUCE. — See Oranges.

BIGARRE, — A French term signifying “ particoloured.” Ude applies it to a dish of calf’s head, which has that peculiarity about its culinary preparation.

BIGOS. — This _ is a Polish dish, and although not generally known in England, is worthy of notice, especially as it is very savoury, and much esteemed in Germany.

Cook 21b. of good sour-crout, drain, and arrange it in layers in an earthern stewpan, alternating each layer with slices of cooked meats, such as venison, mutton, chicken, duck, ham, sausages, or bacon; pour over the meats a little good gravy, cover the stewpan, and keep it in the oven for half -an-hour. Serve hot or cold.

BILBERRIES.— These not very tasty berries are known by a variety of names in different parts of the world. They are dubbed, apparently indifferently, Blueberries, Blaeberries, Whortleberries, Huckleberries, and probably have many other local names with which we are not acquainted. The shrub ( Vaccinium myrtUlus) from which the berries are gathered grows wild in North America and Northern Europe. They are chiefly used to make a rich wine.

Bilberry Cake. — (1) Mix 1 pint of flour with £ teaspoonful of salt and 2 teaspoonfuls of haking-powder, and pass it two or three times through a sieve. Put a breakfast-cupful of Bilberries in a little water, wash them well, pick them over, dry

Bilberries - continued .

them, and sprinkle over with flour. Work 2oz. of warmed butter to a cream, mix in gradually fib. of caster sugar, and beat them well, adding the beaten yolk of an egg and 1 breakfast-cupful of milk. Pour this into the flour, work it well, add the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth, and, lastly, the Bilberries, taking care not to break them. Put this mixture in a shallow pan, and bake for thirty minutes; or it may be put in muffin-rings, if preferred. Sour milk may be used without the baking-powder, but adding a saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda instead. Half flour and half cornflour can be used instead of all flour.

(2) Put lqt. of flour into a basin, and mix with it 1 teaspoonful of salt, 4 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and fib. of moist sugar. Mix these thoroughly, and add sufficient milk or water to make it into a stiffish dough that will not run when dropped from a spoon. Wash and dry 1 pint of Bilberries, flour them over, and stir them in, taking care not to break them. Butter a shallow pan, and with a large spoon drop the cake into it, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

(3) Bub fib. of butter into lqt. of flour mixed with pint of sifted cornflour and 1 teaspoonful each of powdered mace and cinnamon; when quite smooth, stir in six eggs beaten separately and f pint of milk with a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in it; mix thoroughly, and then add lqt. of Bilberries, having previously sifted flour over them. Put in a greased tin, and bake.

Bilberry Pie. — Put into a basin If pints of well-picked and cleaned Bilberries, add 2oz. of powdered loaf sugar, and mix well. Line a pie-dish with paste, spread over 1 table-spoonful of apple sauce, place the berries on top, and put a rim of paste round the dish, moistening it with beaten egg. Bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes, sprinkle over powdered sugar, melt this in the oven, take out the pie, spread 2oz. or 3oz. of sweet jelly over the berries, and serve either hot or cold.

Bilberry Tartlets. — Prepare 1 pint of Bilberries, put them into a basin, and mix in 2oz. of powdered loaf sugar. Line six scalloped tart-moulds with lb. of puff paste, mask them with 3oz. of apple marmalade equally distributed, place the berries over this, dust them over with more powdered sugar, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Take out the tarts, dust the edges with more of the sugar, melt this in the oven for two minutes, take them out again, and let them get cold. Turn them out carefully, cover over with a thin coating of apple jelly, arrange on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve.

Bilberry Wine. — Bemove the stalks and leaves from 2galls. of ripe and dry Bilberries, put them into a large tub, pour over 3galls. of water, or half cider and half water, and add 51b. of sugar. When the liquor has fermented, pour in lqt. of brandy, and add loz. each of powdered ginger and tartar, and a small quantity each of rosemary and lavender leaves. Let the mixture stand for a couple of days, strain it through a fine sieve into a cask, put the bung in lightly, and as soon as the fermenting is over, which can be ascertained by the hissing noise ceasing, bung it down tightly, and bottle in about three months. It should remain for eight or nine months in the bottles before being used, and will keep good for a long time.

Boiled Bilberry Pudding 1 .— Pick over, wash, and dry lqt.

of Bilberries, and roll them in flour. Sift together lqt. of flour and 1 teaspoonful each of salt and bicarbonate of soda. Butter a tin pudding-mould, beat i breakfast-cupful of butter and 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar to a cream, beat two eggs to a cream with 1 breakfast-cupful more of the sugar, put the berries, flour, butter, sugar, and eggs into a mixing-bowl, and stir in sufficient sour milk to make a soft dough; put this dough into the buttered tin mould, close the mould so that no water can penetrate it, put it into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil it steadily for three hours; then turn the pudding from the mould, and servo it hot with any good pudding sauce. Tho same pudding is excellent if baked in a buttered dish until the dough is quite done, say for about half-an-hour.

Fried Bilberry Cakes.— Sift 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder and 1 saltspoonful of salt into 2 breakfast-cupfuls of flour. Carefully pick over lqt. of Bilberries. Beat three eggs for

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Bilberries — continued.

five minutes, stir into the beaten eggs 2 breakfast-cupfuls of sugar and 1 pint of milk, then add the berries and the flour, mixing all the ingredients lightly and quickly. The mixture should form a stiff batter; if more flour is needed, add it. Fry the cakes, by the table-spoonful, in smokinghot fat, or fry them in a hot frying-pan with just enough fat to prevent them sticking to the pan. Use them, buttered, for tea or luncheon.

BIIiLS OP FARE. — This plain English term has of late years, when applied to viands and the order of serving them, given place to ‘the more stylish “ Menu,” and is now generally used to indicate tariffs of hotel charges, including beds, breakfasts, dinners, and attendance. See Menus.

BIRCH BEER.' — The bark of the black Birch (Betula lenta) is sometimes used for manufacturing a beer for which in country districts numerous medicinal qualities are claimed. Whether its virtues are over-estimated or not depends principally upon the opinion of those who profess to hold it in high favour. But to the unprejudiced it is probably inferior to any other beverage, whether medicinal or merely refreshing. It may be prepared as follows:

Make a liquid extract of the bark by boiling lib. of it in a gallon of water, straining and reducing the liquor rapidly until the residue is as thick as treacle. Next boil 2 large handfuls of hops and lb. each of pimento and ginger in 3galls. of water for a quarter-of-an-hour. Strain this, and dissolve in the liquor the Birch extract. Boil up, and stir in 6qts. of golden syrup. Put this into a cask and add 20galls. of water, and when this is cool add 1 pint of fresh yeast or 4oz. of German yeast dissolved in 1 pint of warm water. In a short time the beer will show signs of fermenting; let this go on for two days, leaving the bung out, and the bung-hole tightly covered with a piece of stout cloth. When the fermentation begins to flag, draw off the beer into bottles, passing it first through a strainer composed of several thicknesses of flannel, cork down securely (see Bottling), and store in a cool place. As only a little of this beer is usually drunk at a time, the smaller-sized bottles are best.

BIRDS’-NEST SOUP. — Although this is almost exclusively a Chinese dish, it is not altogether unknown in this country, the nests being imported in small quantities, and commanding enormous prices: the best white or clean sort fetch sometimes as much as £5 10s. per pound of about fifty. They are of a peculiar gelatinous construction, but contain no other special qualities of flavour, requiring the addition of fowls’ flesh and seasoning to render them palatable. One nest will make 1 pint of soup. It is first well washed in cold water, and then cooked in a bain-marie for eight hours; a fowl is then boned, and the flesh beaten to extract the juice, which is then added to the nest with seasoning, and boiled up for a quarter-of-an-hour.

BISCOSCHA. — This dish is attributed to Arabia, but appears to be most in vogue amongst the Turks. It apparently owes its origin to the Spanish bizcocho (biscuit).

Put twelve eggs and lib. of finely-sifted crushed loaf sugar into a deep round-bottomed bowl or pan, and beat them vigorously with a wire whisk for fully half-an-hour, by which time the contents should be about double or treble the original volume. Add gradually a flavouring of vanilla and fib. of cornflour or other starch, and stir very gently and only sufficiently to mix them. Put the mixture into an oiled or buttered deep turban-shaped mould, set it in a moderate oven, and bake for half-an-hour. Turn it out when done, and it is ready for use.

BISCOTIN(S). — French for small crisp biscuits of various kinds, usually served with ices, creams, wine, coffee, or chocolate. Doubtless these Biscotins correspond to the Italian Biscottini. Custom has given special meanings to varieties in Continental countries; but they are in Great Britain virtually all included under the one general term of Biscuits.

BISCOTTES.- — A French term applied to small pieces of milk bread, baked a light brown, and served with coffee. Answering to our “ pulled bread.”

Brussels Biscottes. — Sift 4oz. of dried flour on to a slab, make a hole in the centre, and pour in oz. of yeast dissolved in a little warm water; mix this in carefully and lightly, adding a little more water to make a soft, smooth paste; roll this into a ball, put it in a bowl, score it with a knife, cover it over, and set it to rise in a warm place. Sift 12oz. more of the dried flour into a basin, make a hole in the centre, put in 4oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar and a small pinch of salt, and pour over sufficient water to dissolve them; now add lOoz. of butter, and the grated rind of two lemons, and work the whole into a smooth paste, using the hands very lightly, but taking care to break all the lumps. When the dough has risen to about three times its original bulk, add it to the paste, together with 1 teacupful of well-whipped cream, and beat well with the hand to give it an elastic appearance. Cut the paste into twelve equal-sized parts, roll them out to about 3in. in length, put each one into a well-buttered tin of an oblong shape, let them rise in the heat of the kitchen, brush them over with egg, put them on a baking-sheet in a moderate oven, and bake them until they are done and of a light colour. Take them out, cut them lengthwise into slices, and colour them slightly in the oven; then take them out again, and serve.

BISCOTTINI. — Although this Italian term may be considered to refer in a general way to the tribe of small sweet cakes, or Biscuits, nevertheless it has a special as well as a general signification, particularly as applied to the following receipts:

Polish. Biscottini. — Put the yolks of six eggs into a basin with 3oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, and work them together until they become quite white; then add 6oz. of flour, 1 dessert-spoonful of aniseed or of liqueur, teacupful of cream, and 1 pinch of salt. Mix well, turn the paste on to a floured board, roll it out into the shape of a short rollingpin, about 8in. long and 2in. in diameter. Have ready a stiff paper case, long and wide enough to admit the roll of paste, and mask it well with butter. Brush the paste over with egg, put it into the case, and bake in a moderate oven until done. Take it out, and while warm cut it lengthwise into slices; brown these lightly in the oven, take them out again, and they are ready for use.

Russian Biscottini. — Sift lb. of flour on to a board, make a hole in the centre, put in loz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, aoz. of salt, the same of caraway-seeds, and 1 teacupful of cream. Mix thoroughly, cut the paste into about two-and-ahalf dozen equal parts, roll them out like thin sticks, put them on a baking-sheet (not greased), fastening down the ends to keep them in position, put the baking-sheet into a rather quick oven, and bake for about six minutes. Take them out when done, let them get cold, and serve with cheese.

Victoria Biscottini. — Put 4oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar into a basin with the yolks of four eggs, and work them well for eight or ten minutes; then add 2oz. of warmed or dissolved butter, 1 table- spoonful of orange sugar, Joz. of yeast dissolved in a little warm water, 6oz. of flour, and a few drops of essence of cloves. Mix well, and add thick royal icing, made with one white of egg; work the paste well with the hands, put it into a biscuit-forcer, squeeze it out into rings, about l£in. in diameter, on to a well-waxed baking-sheet, and bake them to a light colour in a moderate oven. Take them out when done, cover them with rose-pink icing, and they are ready for use.

BISCUITS ( Fr . Biscuits; Ger. Swiebacken; Ital. Biscotti; Sp. Bizcochos). — Bis, twice, and cuits (or Latin coctus), cooked, is the derivation of this term, referring probably in its origin to a class of goods which were only partially baked in the first instance and put in the oven again, or toasted, before serving, such as our teacakes and muffins. Larousse, the French etymologist, believes that the term was first applied to “ a wellknown variety of hard, dry, unleavened bread made in thin flat pieces.” Biscuit is universally adopted now by all Continental confectioners as applying in the broader sense to an extensive description of pastry goods

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Biscuits — continued.

which have only one apparent characteristic running throughout them, that of being baked brittle or crisp. Pastrycooks and confectioners, both British and foreign, appear to have mutually agreed to retain this feature as the only one necessary to distinguish a tribe of kinds which differ from each other in almost every other particular. So greatly, indeed, do they differ, that it is almost impossible to attempt their classification, passing as they do with rapid strides from dry to sweet, hard to soft, flaky to short, and plain to fancy, or from one combination to another.

The simplest Biscuit is, of course, that made of flour, or meal and water, and commonly known as Sea-Biscuit. These are so solid and free from water that Blyth believes them to be more nourishing than bread in the proportion of four to three. They are, however, difficult of digestion, and deficient in fat. During the American War, a manufacturer in Texas (Gail Borden, of Galveston) produced a coarse Biscuit made with meat- juice, which was found very portable and useful by the soldiers employed in that memorable struggle: 101b. of them were said to be sufficient to serve as a man’s whole food for fourteen days. They were made by mixing flour with a strong meat stock instead of water, and were finished in the usual manner prescribed for that class of goods. After soaking in cold water for a few minutes and boiling for twenty or thirty minutes longer, they produced a very satisfying soup; but they were not regarded with much favour by the soldiers, and chemists declared that as they contained neither fat nor meat fibrine, they were nothing like so nutritious as they were represented to be by the inventor and manufacturer.

In this country the term “ Biscuit ” appears to have a much wider signification than in any other, and they are no longer simply used as foods, but attempts have been made to utilise them as vehicles for medicine. Bragg’s Charcoal Biscuits, for the cure of heartburn and flatulence, are world-renowned, and Biscuits for the destruction of worms in children are not unknown; but amongst Continental pastrycooks it seems to be a necessity that the paste should contain eggs, flour, and sugar. Careme is said to have made himself famous by preparing a Biscuit paste without eggs, but it is more probable that these “ Biscuits de Careme ” were made famous by having the name of the great cook attached to them, for the culinary fame of Careme extended far away beyond Biscuits. Amongst the more famous of Continental Biscuits are “ Biscuits de Savoy ” and “ Biscuits de Rheims,” of which latter it is said that as many as 18,000doz. have been sold daily, and that Paris alone consumes over 2,555,000doz. yearly. Receipts suitable for making these and others in small quantities will be found in these pages, but the prolific productions of such important manufacturers as Messrs. Huntley and Palmer, Peek, Frean and Co., and others, could only be produced by machinery of the very highest order. Up to the year 1833 the system employed for making Sea-Biscuits for the navy in the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard at Gosport was that of hand work only, and as a consequence the Biscuits produced were of a very inferior quality and exceedingly expensive as compared with those produced since the introduction, in that year, of machinery invented by Mr. Grant, of Gosport. As a description of Grant’s process cannot fail to be instructive, the following has been taken from Tomlinson’s “Encyclopaedia of Useful Arts.” In the first process, the meal is conveyed into a cylinder 4ft. long and 3ft. 2in. in diameter, and the water is let in from a cistern at the back of the cylinder, regulated by a gauge to the exact quantity required for mixing the meal. In the centre of the cylinder is fitted a shaft armed with knives, and working horizontally. The shaft being set in motion, the knives revolve through the meal and water. During the first half-minute the

Biscuits — continued.

meal and water do not appear to unite; but after this the dough begins to assume a consistency, and in two minutes 5cwt. of well-mixed dough is produced. The cylinder is formed so that its lower half is easily separated by means of a wheel and pinion from the upper sides, thereby forming a trough containing the dough, from which it is removed and placed under the breakingrollers to be kneaded. These rollers, two in number, weigh 15001b. each, and are propelled in such a manner that they pass backwards and forwards over the dough

for the space of five minutes, when the 5ewt. of dough is brought into a solid, perfect, and equal consistency. After the breaking-rollers have done their duty the dough is cut into pieces 18in. square, and placed on boards 6ft. long by 3ft. wide, which are conveyed to another machine to be rolled to the required thickness for making the Biscuits. The square of dough being now pressed out to cover the surface of the board, it is forthwith transferred to the cutting and stamping plate, and is at one motion cut and stamped with holes, i.e., docked and incompletely divided into forty-two six-sided Biscuits, which are then in one sheet ready for baking. The ovens

Fig. 148. Biscuit-break, and Rubler Combined. (E. Cox’s Design.)

are specially constructed, and each one will bake an immense number at once. When done, the Biscuits are easily broken apart by hand, and the saving effected by Government in making Biscuits by this machinery can hardly be calculated, so much do they gain by economy of labour and expedition.

Such machinery as that described is, of course, far too elaborate and expensive for minor or domestic use. Other machines have, however, been invented, which are very useful to professional pastrycooks (see Figs. 147, 148).

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Biscuits — continued.

The importance of kneading the dough thoroughly is the same in one case as the other; it is therefore advisable to use some sort of artificial means for “ breaking,” as it is called, but which in reality signifies thorough mixing. A very simple apparatus can be constructed for anyone’s use as follows: Get a bar of strong wood, 2Jin. deep by ljin. thick, about Sin. longer than the width of the table upon which the paste is rolled, and shape one end as a handle; bore a hole through the other, as shown in Fig. 149, and fasten the perforated end to a screw fixed firmly into the table under the top, about the middle of its length, and then the dough can be passed to and fro

under this bar with one hand, whilst with the other the operator works it up and down from side to side like a lever chopper, or bread-cutter. In this way a very important process in Biscuit-making will be efficiently provided for; but if such a simple contrivance is not forthcoming, it will be necessary to use a rolling-pin as a sort of blunt divider (see Fig. 150). An yhow, for most dry Biscuits the dough must be broken thoroughly if success is to be attained.

When machinery is not available, or sometimes when it is, the ingenious pastrycook has a little knack of his own (see Fig. 151).

One other instrument (or set of instruments) is necessary to the Biscuit-maker, and that is a “docker,” or tool for

making the holes to be seen at intervals on the faces of Biscuits. These holes are believed to keep the Biscuit substance solid and compact. Dockers (see Fig. 152) of all sizes can be purchased at a small cost from any confectioners’ tool-maker, or can be made up by piercing a thin piece of wood in as many places as may be required, and driving a set of French nails right through to their heads, so that there shall be sufficient of the point on the other side to pierce the Biscuit to the bottom without bringing the lower surface of the wood into collision with the dough. A two-pronged fork may be used instead of a docker.

It should be borne in mind when baking that Biscuits containing sugar take colour easier than others, there

Biscuits — continued.

fore do not require a very hot oven, but rather a slow heat than otherwise.

Another very important addition to the pastrycook’s implements is a Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153), somet im es

Fig. 151. The Cook’s Own Biscuit-break.

called a “ savvy-bag,” being used very much to prepare Savoy Biscuits. It should be made of the strongest fustian, and so shaped as to come to a point like a jelly-bag, and into this point must be firmly bound a tin pipe 2in. long, which may vary in diameter to suit certain requirements. The toile should be boiled two or three times before using, so that the Biscuit batter may not come through. By some these are styled also “ Biscuit-forcers,” and are used by twisting and pressing with the right hand whilst guiding and stopping with

Fig. 152. Biscuit-docker.

(Wm. Smith and Co.)

the left (see Fig. 154) Some cooks prefer to tie the top of the filled bag, but this is not usually done.

Other Biscuit-forcers are in use which certainly present great advantages over the bag, as this is not ai vays easy

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Biscuits — continued. to manage without considerable practice and experience. These are made upon the syringe principle (see Fig. 155), but differ in that they are tilled by removing the piston and stuffing the cylinder in its absence, afterwards re

Fig, 153. Biscuit-bag.

placing the piston, and by its agency forcing the Biscuit dough through fancy or plain funnel-shaped nozzles.

Biscuits — continued.

plain, round, or oval, to extreme fancy. Being very effective in their working, and inexpensive, no pastry

Fig 156. Box of Various Biscuit- or Paste-cutters. (E. Cox’s Selection.)

Fig. 154. Working with Biscuit-bag.

Fig. 155 is worked by holding the two transverse handles and pressing the piston-handle against the chest. Some

Fig. 155. Biscuit-forcer. (Wm. Smith and Co.)

of these Biscuit-forcers on a large scale are worked by screw-levers and crank -handles.

Tin Biscuit-cutters, or paste-cutters as they are sometimes called, should be familiar objects in every kitchen. They are made in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from

cook would attempt Biscuit-making without them. Boxes of selected varieties are sold by most large manu

Fig. 157. Box of Fluted or Scalloped Biscuit- or Paste-cutters. (E. Cox.)

facturers of culinary utensils, and in this form they are very convenient (see Figs. 156, 157).

Fig. 158. Biscuit Boxes.

(Adams’ Designs.)

When cold. Biscuits should be stored in tins, but they keep very well for occasional use in ornamental Biscuit boxes made of glass, china, wood, or metal (see Fig. 158). Abernethy Biscuits. -(1) Warm i pint of new milk, and melt in it lb. of fresh butter. Mix with 41b. of finest Biscuit flour (pastry-whites: see Flour) lb. of caster sugar and 1

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Biscuits — continued.

teacupful of caraway-seeds; stir thoroughly together in a large crock, and haying made a well in the flour, pour in the milk and butter, and stir round and round until it is all taken up by the flour. Knead well, adding more milk and water if required, to make a stiff dough. Place this upon the pastry table, and work for lialf-an-hour or more under the Biscuit-break (see Pig. 149). Boll out to -jin. thickness, stamp out with a large pastry-cutter, prick with docker, set on a greased baking-sheet, and put into a quick oven until baked a light brown. Bemove, and let them dry on a cloth before the fire, or in a screen. Half a teaspoonful of finely-powdered carbonate of ammonia, dissolved in a tablespoonful of water, added to the milk before mixing will make a lighter paste.

(2) Bub lib. of best butter into 71b. of fine sifted flour, and stir in lib. of caster sugar and 2 table-spoonfuls of carawayseeds; mix into a stiff dough with lqt. of water in which 1 wineglassful of compound spirits of ammonia (sal volatile) has been poured, adding more water if required. Work this under the break (see Fig. 149) for kalf-an-hour or longer, roll, cut into Biscuits, and bake. Some cooks brush the top surface over with white of egg. Each Biscuit should contain about 2oz. of paste.

(3) The following ingredients and proportions make good Abernethy Biscuits: six eggs beaten up with lqt. of milk, 8oz. of caster sugar, and foz. of caraway-seeds; add sufficient sifted flour to make a stiff dough. Weigh off into 2oz. pieces to make Biscuits, dock, and bake.

(4) Bub 2oz. of butter into lib. of fine flour, add 2oz. of caster sugar, 1 dessert-spoonful of caraway-seeds, and 1 pinch of salt; make a well in the centre, and pour in sufficient milk and water to make a stiff dough. Break, shape out, dock, and bake.

(5) Work llb. of butter and lard (in equal proportions) into 81b. of fine sifted flour, and mix in lib. of caster sugar and 2 OZ. of caraway-seeds. Dissolve oz. of volatile salt (carbonate of ammonia) in lqt. of water, and with this, and what more water is required, make the whole into a strong dough. Break, shape, dock, and bake.

(6) B. Wells gives the following as the mixture used for making these Biscuits in London bakeries: 71b. of flour, 8oz. of sugar, 8oz. of butter, four eggs, 1J- pints of milk, 21b. of orange-flower water, and foz. of caraway seeds.

Note. — To turn out Abernethy, and some other Biscuits, with all honours, they should be rolled on a “crimper,” which is a piece of board scored in such a manner as to stamp a diamond

Fig. 159. Biscuit-crimping Board.

lattice pattern on the backs (see Fig. 159). For the domestic manufacture of Biscuits it is wise to cut out the size and shape with a round pastry-cutter after rolling, but experienced pastrycooks flatten out each Biscuit by itself from a piece of the

Fig. 160. Tonbridge Roller for Biscuits. (Wm. Smith and Co.)

dough cut off to weight, which they first roll into a ball. To make Biscuits this way with anything like accuracy or symmetry requires considerable practice. A “ Tonbridge Boiler,” as it is called (Fig. 160), is used for stamping certain kinds of Biscuits, and is not infrequently preferred to the “ crimper.” Its mode of operation differs very slightly from the ordinary rotating pin, the surface being cut to give the required pattern.

Biscuits — continued.

American Biscuits. — (1) Beat up in a mortar 2oz. of blanched bitter almonds, add the yolks of five eggs, and mix well in a basin; then work in by degrees 8oz. of caster sugar, and whisk well until the mixture is white and creamy. Noxt sprinkle in 2oz. of fine cornflour, and whisk together for ten minutes; then add the whites of five eggs, having previously whipped them well, and shake in little by little, whisking hard all the time, another 2oz. of cornflour, and continue to stir until the whole is thoroughly blended. Have ready, buttered lightly, some small flat fancy moulds; dust them with flour, fill with the paste, dredge caster sugar over, and bake in a moderate oven. When cold, remove them, and mount each with a small quantity of orange or lemon marmalade.

(2) Mix together 6oz. of caster sugar and 21b. of finelysifted flour, and rub in 6oz. of butter; add 20 drops of essence of lemon, and make into a stiff dough with milk. Boll up in a cloth, and set in a warm place for an hour; then put under the break, and work well. Cut into equal-sized pieces about as large as walnuts; roll these into balls, flatten, roll on a crimper, if you have one, dock with small docker, lay on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a quick oven.

(3) Plain. — Bub Jib. of butter into 41b. of sifted flour, add 1 pinch of salt, and make into a stiff dough with milk and water. Break, shape small, dock, and bake in a quick oven.

American Beaten, or Maryland, Biscuits. — (1) Bub into lqt. of flour a piece of lard the size of a fowl’s egg, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt. Mix into a stiff dough with milk, and break or beat thoroughly for half-an-hour or more. Boll this, stamp out with cutter, dock, and bake in a quick oven.

(2) Bub lib. each of butter and lard into lqt. of flour, adding 1 teaspoonful of salt. Beat up one egg in a breakfast- cupful of skim milk, and mix all into a stiff dough. Break, or beat well with a rolling-pin; roll out thin, shape, or cut into Biscuits, dock, and bake quickly.

(3) Have ready lqt. of flour, 1 table-spoonful of lard, teaspoonful of salt, 1 breakfast-cupful of cold water Bub the lard and salt into the flour, and mix with cold water to a very stiff dough. Knead ten minutes, or until well mixed; then beat hard with a Biscuit-break or heavy rolling-pin, turning the mass over and over until it begins to blister and looks light and puffy; or “ until, pulling off a piece quickly, it will give a sharp snapping sound.” When in this condition pull off a small piece suddenly, form it into a round Biscuit, then pinch off a bit from the top. Turn over, and press with the thumb, leaving a hollow in the centre. Put the Biscuits some distance apart in the pan, prick with a fork or docker, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. They should be light, even-grained, and crack at the edges like American crackers.

Bath. Oliver Biscuits. — Pour lqt. of warmed milk into a basin, stir in lb. of sugar, 2oz. of German yeast, and a small quantity from 6lb. of flour to form a sponge. Cover over with a cloth, and let it ferment for an-hour-and-a-half. Bub lib. of butter into the remainder of the flour, add the sponge, and form the whole into a smooth dough. Leave it for two hours, roll it out thin, cut it in rounds 3in. in diameter, dock them, put them on damped tins, brush over with milk, put them in a hot closet for half-an-hour, and bake in a slack oven.

Biscuits for Beer. — These Biscuits are strongly recommended by connoisseurs for cheese, or to be eaten with a glass of beer. They are made by rubbing lb. of butter into lib. of flour, and then mixing up with it 1 dessert-spoonful of bicarbonate of soda and the same quantity of salt, and making into a dough by working to and fro on the slab with the knuckles. When quite blended, light, and elastic, put it on to a floured plate, cover it over with a cloth, and set it aside in a cool place until the next day, when it will be lit for use. It must then be rolled out with the hands on the pasteboard into a long rope about lin. thick, and cut with a dough-knife into pieces about lin. long. Drop these into a stewpan of boiling water on the fire, skim them off as they rise, and throw into a pan of cold water. Leave them in the cold water for two or three hours. Drain on a sieve or folded cloth, and then place in rows 2in. apart on a deep baking-sheet, and bake for twenty minutes in a sharp

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Biscuits — continued.

oven. Sometimes double iron baking-sheets are used for baking this class of Biscuits.

Biscuit Cakes. — Mix to a paste with some thick cream fib. of flour, Jib. of currants washed and dried, and 1 pinch of salt. Knead and roll out about jin. thick, cut into rounds 2in. in diameter, and bake in a brisk oven. They can be made without cream by rolling out some puff paste very thinly, and covering half with moist sugar and currants, doublingthe other half over, cutting into rounds, and baking in a brisk oven for ten or fifteen minutes.

Biscuits for Coffee. — Mix a level teaspoonful of baking powder with jib. of flour and 1 table-spoonful of sugar, rub in 4oz. of butter, and make into a stiffish paste by adding one egg beaten up in a little milk. Work well until quite smooth, roll it out thin, cut it into Biscuits 3in. long by ljin. wide, perforate the tops with a fork or docker, put them into a moderately quick oven, and bake to a yellow colour. Take them out when done, and serve cold.

Biscuit Jelly. — Break up 4oz. of white Biscuits, such as crackers, and boil in 2qts. of water down to lqt.; strain, and then evaporate down to 1 pint; work into it lib. of powdered loaf sugar, 1 wineglassful of port wine, and 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon-water, the whole to be well mixed. It will set to a jelly, and can be ornamented with fruit or jam. Invalids with delicate or weak digestion relish this.

Biscuit Powder. — This is used occasionally instead of bread raspings. It is prepared by drying plain Biscuits thoroughly in an oven, and crushing with a rolling-pin.

Biscuit Pudding. — Put five or six large broken Biscuits into a saucepan with 1 breakfast-cupful of milk and the grated rind of half a lemon, and boil them. Work the mixture into a smooth paste, and add 3oz. of warmed butter, 2oz. of finelycrushed loaf sugar, 1 table-spoonful of brandy, and four wellbeaten eggs. Pour the mixture into a well-buttered basin, tie it over with a cloth, put it into a saucepan of water, and boil for about twenty minutes. Turn it out on to a dish when done, pour over a little wine sauce, and serve.

Brighton Biscuits.— (1) Work, by rubbing, Ijlb. of fresh butter into ljlb. of flour, previously mixed with jib. of caster sugar and 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder, 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds, and 20 drops of essence of lemon; mix this into a stiff dough with milk, break, and roll out into thin sheets. Cut these small and dock them, and set on oiled baking-sheets in a quick oven till light brown.

(2) Mix lib. of caster sugar with 21b. of best flour, and sift into a pan; rub in 2oz. of butter, and whilst doing so sprinkle in 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds. Form a well in the centre of the flour, and pour in 1 pint of milk-and-water with 1 teacupful of honey dissolved in it. Mix into a good dough, but do not work under the Biscuit-break, roll it out thin, cut into small Biscuits, dock, put well apart on a buttered baking-sheet, and hake in a slow oven.

Buttered Biscuits. — Bub jib. of butter into 3jlb. of flour till smooth; then add j pint of yeast, and stir in gradually 1 pint of warm water. Cover the dough, and set it to rise in a warm temperature. When risen to twice its original size, dust a small quantity of flour over the dough, knead it, and let it rise again. Boll the dough out on a floured table to about tin. in thickness, then cut it into Biscuits with a round tin cutter. Butter a baking-sheet, arrange the Biscuits on it a short distance from each other, brush them over with a paste-brush dipped in milk, and bake in a quick oven. When cooked, take the Biscuits off the baking-sheet, leave them till cool, then put in tins till ready to use.

Captains’ Biscuits. — (1) Bub Jib. of butter into 71b. of fine sifted flour, and make into a dough with lqt. of water or milk, or a little more if required, taking every precaution to keep the dough as dry as consistent with adhesiveness. Break thoroughly, and roll out pieces of 4oz. each to 4jin. in diameter; dock these, and lay them with their faces together. When the oven is ready, lay them on a baking-sheet, and bake quickly to a light brown.

(2) Into lib. of fine pastry flour work 2oz. of fresh butter and 1 pinch of salt. Make a well in the flour, and stir into it sufficient milk-and-water to make a stiff dough. When thoroughly worked up, let it stand for two or three

Biscuits — continued.

hours; then break, smooth with either of the Biscuit-breaks previously described, and divide the dough into ten equal parts. Work each piece lightly into balls, roll these out with a bulging rolling-pin so that the centre may be a trifle thinner than the outside edge, dock on both sides, and bake on baking-sheets in a quick oven.

Captains’ Biscuits may bo made thin by using about loz. of paste for each, and rolling thin.

Champagne Biscuits. — (1) These are so-called because they are very nice served with that wine. Take 21b. of flour and loz. of caraway-seeds; beat up twelve eggs and add by degrees lib. of caster sugar, continuing the beating until they form a thick paste; warm lib. of butter and beat it to a cream, so that when the sugar and eggs have thickened the butter may be in a fit condition to be worked in with them; then add, by degrees, 21b. of fine sifted flour and loz. of caraway-seeds. Lay the Biscuits on greased paper which has been crinkled, set them with the papers into small tin moulds, and bake in a hot oven.

(2) Put jib. of fresh butter into a round-bottomed basin, warm it slightly, and beat with a wooden spoon into a cream; add gradually jib. of caster sugar, continue beating thoroughly, and add little by little three eggs. When all are quite incorporated, stir in lightly Goz. of fine pastry white flour, a sprinkling of caraway-seeds, and put this mixture into a Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153), by which it can be forced into the Vandykes of a vandyke-tin, and then bake.

A vandyke-tin is one that has several V' s h a P e l grooves in it, thus:

n v v — v — ' y

Into these grooves sufficient of the paste to make a Biscuit Tig 161. Champagne

is forced from the Biscuit- iscuits.

bag, and then baked. When

removed the Biscuits will be shaped something like the quarter of an orange (see Fig. 161).

Chesterfield Biscuits. — Put the yolks of six eggs into a kitchen basin with jib. of caster sugar and 15 drops of essence of lemon, and beat well with a spoon until the mixture thickens. Beat up the whites thoroughly, and stir into the other mixture; next stir in jib. of sifted flour, and make the whole into a thin paste. Put this into a Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153) and lay out on papered vandyke-tins — three in a row. Scatter a few caraway-seeds over the top of each, and bake in a hot oven.

Common Biscuits. — Bub jib. of butter into jib. of flour and jib. of caster sugar, and mix up with two eggs. Work up thoroughly, and then roll small pieces into balls; flatten these with the hands, prick with a fork or docker, and set upon a baking-sheet in a moderate oven until brown.

Date-shaped Biscuits. — Sift lib. of the best white flour on to a paste-board, and make a hole in the centre, in which put 1 teaspoonful of salt, 4oz. of warmed butter, and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda that has been dissolved in a small quantity of water. Mix the above ingredients with the hands until quite smooth, then stir in sufficient water to make a soft, flexible paste. Boll the paste out with ihe hands as far as it will extend, making it a little thicker than the thumb; then cut it into pieces the shape and size of dates, and roll these on a piece of basket-work to give them the impression of dates. Put about 4oz. of butter in a fryingpan, and when it is hot put in the pieces of paste and fry them till delicately coloured; then drain them and put them into a saucepan of boiling syrup, which should be standing near the fire, and leave them for seven or eight minutes. Arrange them tastefully in groups on a hot dish, dust a little powdered cinnamon over them, and serve.

Digestive Biscuits. — (1) Bub 2jlb. of butter into 61b. of flour, make a hollow in the centre, pour in 5qts. of water and milk in equal proportions, and 2oz. of German yeast, addinosufficient flour to form the whole into a dough; break it a little, and set it to rise, or prove, in a warm place. When it is sufficiently light, break it until it is smooth and clear, then roll it out to about jin. thick, cut it into rounds with a Biscuit-cutter, and bake these in a hot oven until done.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Ac., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Biscuits — continued.

(2) Rub lib. of butter into 51b. of granulated wheat-meal, and mis in 4oz. each of sugar and ground arrowroot, oz of bicarbonate of soda, and four eggs. Make a cavity in the centre, pour in lqt. of milk, and proceed as for No. 1.

Drop Biscuits. — Break eight eggs into a round-bottomed pan, and whisk them till they are hot, having the pan placed over hot water; take them off, and whisk them till they are cold; then put in lib. of caster sugar, and whisk till hot, after which again whisk until they are cold. When the eggs and sugar are perfectly light, take out the whisk, and stir in 2oz. of flour gently. From beginning to end the operation should not take more than twenty minutes. Cover the tins or wires with wafer-papers, and lay out the Biscuits, any size required, from a Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153). Dust them over with coarselybroken loaf sugar, and bake in a hot oven.

Dutch. Biscuits. — Put 41b. of sifted flour on to a board, and mix in 1 table-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar and l tablespoonful of salt; make a cavity in the centre, add fib. of warmed butter, 1 pint of milk, pint of yeast, and four eggs, adding one ingredient at a time, and mixing it in before another is added. Put the whole into a bowl in a warm place to rise; then make it up into small loaves, bake these in a quick oven for thirty minutes, take them out, cut them into halves, put them on tins, dry them again in the oven, pack them in boxes, and they are ready for use at any time.

Edinburgh Biscuits. — Into 41b. of flour rub lib. of butter, and add 6oz. of sugar and 1 pint of milk. Mix thoroughly, then break smooth, and make twelve Biscuits out of every pound of dough; roll thin, dock, and bake in a brisk oven.

“Excellent” Biscuit. — Take f gall, of flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of butter (or half lard will answer as well), 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and enough sour milk to make a very soft dough (not a batter), which should be well kneaded, but not broken. Shape into biscuits, and put into a cool oven on a baking-sheet, and heat up by degrees.

Frozen Biscuits. — A very dainty dish this, but requiring special apparatus to prepare it. Put the yolks of six eggs into a copper basin with 2oz. of powdered sugar, gill of maraschino, and J gill of kirsch; with a pastry- whisk beat well together for two minutes; then place the basin on a hot stove, and stir briskly with the whisk for five minutes. Remove the basin from the fire, and immediately put it into a vessel containing ice water, and stir continually for two minutes more. Add 11 pints of whipped vanilla cream, and mix well with the rest for three minutes; then cover the basin with a napkin, and let the contents rest for ten minutes. Have ready six paper cases, 4in. long, 3in. wide, and ljin. high,

Fig. 162 . Frozen Biscuit.

and fill equally with the preparation (Fig. 162). Have ready also a square box, lOin. high by 6in. square, fitted inside with a loose two-tier frame; place this box in a freezing- tub, filling the tub round it with broken ice mixed with rock-salt. Wipe the cover neatly, and, after lifting it up, remove the frame and place three Biscuits on each tier; return the frame to the box, put the cover on, and let it freeze for an-hour-anda-half. Have ready in the ice-chest a cold dessert-dish covered with a folded napkin; uncover the box, lift up the frame, and dress the Biscuits nicely on the dish, sending them to table at once.

Geneva Biscuits. — (1) Put 3oz. each of pounded sweet and bitter almonds into a mortar, and add 12oz. of flour and the same of powdered loaf sugar; then add the whites of two

Biscuits — continued.

or three eggs, and pound well. Turn the mixture into a basin, add the yolks of four more eggs and 12oz. of warmed butter, and work well until all the lumps disappear; then add the whites of four eggs whisked to a froth, and mix well. Put the preparation into small round or oval moulds, sprinkle over ground burnt almonds, and bake in a quick oven. The Biscuits may be cut into small pieces after being baked or iced, but in the latter case no burnt almonds should be sprinkled over them.

(2) Rub 14oz. of butter into 61b. of flour, and mix in 41b. of sugar, ten eggs, and (oz. of baking-powder. Make a nice stiff dough with the eggs and as much milk as may be required; roll out the dough in strips lin. wide, and cut into lengths of 3in. Brush over the tops with white of egg and throw on lump sugar broken to the size of split peas. Bake lightly, and dry in the screen, or before the fire.

German Biscuits. — Lay out on a pasteboard 41b of fine flour, and into this stir two beaten eggs, 1 saltspoonful of salt, 1 dessert-spoonful of grated orange-peel (or zest, as it is called), and 1 table-spoonful of bicarbonate of soda; work up thoroughly until it makes a light dough, then cover it over with a stout cloth, and let it rest for two or three hours. Have ready a large stewpan two-thirds full of boiling water; roll out the paste lin. thick, cut it into strips lin. wide, and cut these strips into 2in. lengths; wet the ends and form them into rings, and then drop them one at a time into the boiling water Let them boil until they float on the top of the water, and a minute or two more; then take them out with a skimmer, and put them into a pail of cold water, where they may be left two hours. At the expiration of that time take them out, and set on a sieve or folded cloth to drain. Put them on an oiled baking-sheet, brush the tops over with white of egg, and bake in a quick oven.

Hermit Biscuits. — Rub 4oz. of butter into 21b. of flour, and then mix in lib of caster sugar and 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds; work this into a dough with five or six eggs, and 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of ammonia. Make up the dough with the Biscuit-break (see Fig. 149), roll it out, cut the paste into rounds the size of half-a-crown, and egg them on top. Have ready some caster sugar and almonds with the skins on cut up into the size of split peas; dust the board thickly with the sugar, and scatter the almonds over Place the Biscuits on the sugar and almonds, press them down, so as to pick up some of both before putting them on buttered tins, and bake in a moderately quick oven.

Honeycomb Biscuits. — Rub lib of butter in with 41b of flour, make a bay, add 21b. of finely-powdered sugar, and make into a paste with nine eggs and 1 teaspoonful of powdered carbonate of ammonia. Roll this out .) in . thick, and cut out with a small round plain cutter; but before doing so run over the surface with a crimping-pin. Bake on tins in a moderately quick oven.

Iced. Biscuits. — (1) Beat up the yolks of fifteen eggs, and pass them through a strainer into a copper egg-bowl slightly warmed, and stir in 1 pint of syrup at 32deg.; add J pint of peach pulp pinked with carmine, 1 teacupful of noyeau, and a few drops of essence of vanilla. Place the bowl in a pan containing 6in. of hot water, and whisk steadily until it assumes the appearance of creamy batter; then remove it from the pan and whisk for ten minutes longer. Have ready some brick moulds, pour the mixture into them, and freeze in ice for an-hour-and-a-half. Take the bricks out, cut them into slices about lin. in thickness, and mask them all over with chocolate-water ice. (This is made w'ith 1 pint of syrup and jib. of chocolate dissolved to a smooth paste and frozen.) Smooth this over with a knife, wet with cold water, place the slices in the ice cave, and when all are packed in bury it in rough ice and salt, and freeze for an-hour-and-a-half.

(2) This is prepared the same as No. 1, using 1 pint of strawberry pulp and loz. of vanilla sugar instead of the peach pulp, noyeau and essence of vanilla, and omitting the masking with chocolate-water ice. When the mixture is incorporated with the cream, put it in paper cases edged with stiff bands, and freeze in the ice cave. When ready for serving, remove the cases, and sprinkle the surfaces of the Biscuits over with brown ratafias crushed to a fine powder.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Ssc referred, to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

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Biscuits — continued.

Imitation. Fruit Biscuits.— These are more especially useful for garnishing creams, jellies, and other sweet entremets. They should not be made large, and require considerable tact in shaping. This, however, can be effected readily enough with a bag or Biscuit-forcer and funnel (see Figs. 153, 155). The funnel should be of medium size. The paste for making Biscuits to imitate any kind of fruit is prepared thus: Break six eggs, and put the whites in one basin and

the yolks in another. Into the basin holding the yolks put Jib. of caster sugar and 1 teaspoonful of lemon-zest (grated lemon-peel); beat up with a wooden spoon to a stiff mixture, and add the six whites previously beaten together; then stir in lightly Jib. of sifted flour (best pastry whites). Place some of this dough in a Biscuit-forcer, lay out on a sheet of lightlygreased paper marked with lines to show the shape of the halves of the fruit you wish to imitate, dust over with sugar, and bake in a slow oven. Bemove the halves from the paper, and join them together with apricot jam. Cut some thin strips of green angelica, and stick them in the Biscuits to form stalks. Dip in a glace icing coloured appropriately, and finish as follows:

For Apricots. — Colour the icing a pale yellow with a tinge of saffron, and put on delicately the pink patches with a feather dipped in dry carmine. Use saffron and cochineal for tingeing icing.

For Peaches. — Same as for apricots.

For Pears. — Very pale green tinge of spinach extract to icing sugar; currant for eye, and strip of angelica for stalk.

For Plums. — Tinge the icing sugar with extract of spinach.

It is very evident from the above that the fruit and other designs which may be produced in the above way are almost indefinite.

Imperial Biscuits. — Bub Jib. of butter into 1 Jib. of flour; then mix 1 Jib. of sugar with the flour and butter, make a bay, put in four beaten eggs and 1 pinch of powdered ammonia, and mix all well together. Boll out a piece at a time Jin. thick, and cut into Jin. strips; cut these strips into 2in. lengths, and place about lin. apart on slightly-buttered tins. The oven should be very slow.

Kent Biscuits. — Bub lib. of butter in with 41b. of flour; or make a bay of the flour, and cream the butter by working it near the fire with a spoon; take ten beaten eggs, 1 Jib. of sugar, and 2 teaspoonfuls of powdered ammonia, and pour into the bay; mix well together and make into a dough. Boll out a sheet about Jin. thick, stamp out pieces with a small scalloped cutter (see Fig. 157), lay these on lump sugar previously broken into pieces the size of split peas, and then place them on tins slightly buttered. Brush over the tops with white of egg, and bake in a moderate oven.

Lady’s Fingers. — (1) Bub Jib. of butter into 31b. of flour previously mixed with Jib. of caster sugar, and drop in all about 30 drops of essence of lemon. Mix all these ingredients with milk into a firm dough, and put this in a cloth for half-anhour to settle before using. At the expiration of this time, put it under the Biscuit-break (see Fig. 149) or beat with a rolling-pin, until it is thoroughly smooth; then roll out thin.

Fig. 163. Tin for Lady's Fingers.

and cut into strips, and these into 5in. lengths; but if these Biscuits are wanted for charlottes, it is imperative that they should be cut out with a pastry-cutter shaped for this purpose, or forced from the bag into grooves made on purpose for them in a hollow sheet or tin (Figs. 163, 164). If cut out

Biscuits — continued.

with a pastry- cutter, set them on an oiled baking-sheet, bake in a hot oven till a very light brown, remove from the sheet,

Fig. 164. Tin for Lady's Fingers.

and dry on a cloth or wire sieve (see Fig. 164) before the fire, or in a screen.

Fig. 165. Biscuit Wire Tray or Drainer. (Wm. Smith and Co.)

(2) Put 4oz. of powdered sugar and the yolks of five eggs into a small bowl, and beat thoroughly with a spatula for five minutes. Put the whites of the eggs into a copperbasin, and with a wire whisk beat them to a stiff froth. Add to the sugar and yolks 4oz. of flour, mix tog-ether gently for a minute-and-a-half, and then add the whites. Beat gently for one minute more, and the preparation will be ready. Take a well-cleaned pastry-bag, slide into it a small tube, and with a wooden spoon or small skimmer pour the preparation into the bag. When it is all in, close the upper part of the bag very firmly, and lay it aside for one moment. Take two separate sheets of solid brown paper, each measuring 17in. long by 5in. wide; lay them on the table, one beside the other. Take hold of the lower part of the bag near the tube with the left hand, and the upper part with the right; press with the latter, and drop the batter on the paper in straight strips 4in. long by lin. wide. Make ten of equal size on each paper, being careful to leave an interval of fin. between each. Then with a sugar- dredger sprinkle them lightly with powdered sugar three times, at one minute’s interval between each sprinkling. When finished, lift up one paper at a time, keeping it perfectly straight, and shake off the loose sugar, being particular that the Biscuits do not detach themselves from the paper. Now lay them in a baking-plate, and let them rest for two minutes; put into a slow oven, and bake for twenty minutes or until of a. light golden colour. Bemove, lift them from the plate, and lay on a table to cool. Have ready a dessert-dish with a folded napkin; then detaching the Biscuits gently from the paper with the hands, dress them neatly on the dish, and send to table.

Lemon-flavoured Biscuits.— Bub Jib. of butter into Jib. of flour, add Jib. of caster sugar and 20 drops of essence

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of lemon, and make into a dough, with three eggs and as much water as may be required. Make this into Biscuits by rolling and cutting, and bake quickly.

Light Biscuits. — (1) Bub into 2qts. of flour 1 large tablespoonful of lard and the same quantity of butter, salt to taste, and 1 teaspoonful of soda. Make into a soft dough with butter-milk. Cut this into convenient shapes and set on buttered tins to bake quickly.

(2) Boil four large Irish potatoes, and while hot mash them with a piece of lard the size of an egg; add 1 teacupful each of milk and fresh yeast, stir in enough flour to make a good batter, and set it to rise. It will take about 2qts. of flour. When light, make up the dough, adding more water or milk if required. Boll thick, cut into shapes, let these rise, and then bake in a very quick oven.

(3) Prepare a Biscuit batter with a little lard rubbed into 21b. of flour and 1 pint of butter-milk, or sufficient to make the dough quite soft. Form it into Biscuits, bake these in a moderate oven, and let them get cold before using.

Luncheon Biscuits. — Into 5Jlb. of flour rub 6oz. of lard and 6oz. of butter; make a bay and mix in 21b. of caster sugar, and make into a dough with 1 pint of milk and i pint of water. Mix in with the sugar 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and with the water 1 teaspoonful of hydrochloric acid. Let the dough be stiff, and break it well with the Biscuitbreak (see Fig. 149). Boll out thin, and cut out pieces with round or oval cutter. Leave these covered over in a warm place to rise, and when they look puffy, put on buttered baking-sheets in a quick oven for twenty minutes.

Madrid Biscuits. — Put 2oz. of dissolved butter into a basin with loz. of orange-zest, the yolks of six eggs, and 2 tablespoonfuls of brandy; mix vigorously for about twelve minutes, using a whisk; add 12oz. of ground oswego, and 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder. Make this at once into a stiff paste, shape it into small twists, arrange these on well-buttered baking-sheets, brush them over lightly with egg, put them in a sharp oven, and bake. Take them out when done, and use hot or cold.

Magnum Bonum Biscuits. — Put the yolks of fourteen eggs into one basin and the whites into another, keeping the latter in a cool place until wanted. Add lib. of finely-sifted pounded loaf sugar and 1 pinch of salt to the yolks, also a little flavouring either of vanilla, orange, or lemon; beat well for about twenty minutes, or until the batter becomes quite creamy in appearance. Whisk the whites to a stiff froth, work them in with the yolk mixture, stirring very lightly, and add gradually 4Voz. each of flour and potato-flour, adding a little at a time. Put the mixture into a pastry-bag or forcer and squeeze out lumps the size of half plums; stick two of these together with plum or damson jam, cover them with more of the jam, glaze them with coloured transparent icing, using carmine mixed with a very little ultramarine blue so as to obtain a natural plum colour; let the Biscuits get dry, and with a fine camel’s-hair brush and finely-powdered sugar give them the bloom necessary to imitate plums. Dry them thoroughly, and they are ready for use.

Marseillaise Biscuits. — These favourite little Biscuits are made thus: Bub 7oz. of butter into 31b. of flour mixed with 21b. of caster sugar; make a bay and put in i teaspoonful of finely -powdered carbonate of ammonia, adding after, gradually, five eggs well beaten together. Make a stiff dough with milk, and break. Boll out in thin strips, and cut off pieces the size of marbles; put about twenty or thirty of these at a time into a hair sieve and roll them about like pills to make them round. Bake in a quick oven on dry tins.

Naples Biscuits.— (1) These are so universally known as “ Biscuits ” that although they would be more correctly classified under the heading of “ Cakes ” it is considered advisable to insert here the receipts for their preparation. Put lib. of loaf sugar with 1 gill of water into a small stewpan or roundbottomed boiler, and let it dissolve and come to the boil to make a syrup. Whisk eight eggs, pour in the syrup gently, and continue the whisking until very light. When it is quite cold, sprinkle in a little over lib. of flour, and stir it with the whisk until quite smooth. Have ready some Naples Biscuit-frames which are about 8in. long, 3in. broad, and lin. deep. In these the partitions are upright, and they

Biscuits — continued.

must be papered neatly. Put the mixture into the frames, and fill them well; bake in a good oven, but not too hot. Dust them over with caster sugar before baking.

(2) The following ingredients and quantities may be used instead of the above: 111b. each of flour and finely-powdered sugar, nine eggs, and £ pint of rose-water. Beat the eggs well, put the rose-water in by degrees, then mix the flour and sugar together, and fill the frames.

Nonpareil Biscuits.— Bub 3oz. of fresh lard into 2Vlb. of flour until it all crumbles; make a bay or well in the centre, and put in lflb. of fine moist or caster sugar, loz. of finelyand freshly-powdered ammonia, and make into a dough with milk; do not work it more than is required to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Boll and cut out pieces the size and thickness of a penny, and wash the top with milk; have some “hundreds and thousands” or “nonpareil” sweets spread on the table, lift each Biscuit on a spatula and turn it over into the sweets. When they are sufficiently covered with the sweets, lift again and turn over on to slightly-greased tins. Bake in a moderately quick oven.

Nursery Biscuits. — (1) These very useful but old-fashioned additions to the infant dietary can be prepared satisfactorily only in the following manner: Dissolve 3oz. of German yeast in lqt. of warm milk in which 5oz. of finely-powdered loaf sugar has been previously dissolved; stir into this 1 teacupful of flour, and let it work until it not only rises to a big head, but drops again; then stir in -Jib. of Bermuda arrowroot, and rub 5oz. of butter into 2 double-handfuls of flour until it has crumbled away. Make a well (or bay, as it is technically called) of the flour in a large crock or basin, into which put the ferment previously prepared, and work the whole into a good stiff dough, adding more flour if required. Break carefully; return to the crock after flouring well; cover with a cloth, and set aside to rise, or prove. When it has become light and spongy it is ready for use. Now weigh off 41b. batches of the dough, and roll each one out on the paste-slab, or board, with a plain pin to lin. thickness, and cut out the Biscuits with a round cutter about 1 jin. or 2in. in diameter. Set the Biscuits as they are cut out a little way apart on lightly-greased baking-sheets, cover them over, and let them prove before the fire or in a steam press; and when they have risen well, put them into a quick oven and bake a good brown. Let the oven cool, and when only warm put the Biscuits back again to dry; they will then keep well and be very digestible.

(2) Dissolve 1 loz. of German yeast in -j- pint of warm water and stir it into 21b. of flour; allow this to work to a fine head. When this ferment ceases to rise, stir into it quickly lib. of butter warmed to an oil, and then add lib. of finely-powdered sifted sugar (caster sugar is better) and 3 pints of warm milk. Stir this mixture freely for a little time, and then work in by degrees sufficient fine flour, dredged or sifted, to produce a firm dough, and leave it in the basin to rise. Put this under the Biscuit-break for a time, then divide into pieces the size of a fowl’s egg, and shape with the hands till like buns. Flatten them a little as you lay them on a lightlygreased baking-tin, cover them with a cloth, and let them prove well before the fire until they are considerably puffed up; then brush them lightly over with a brush or feather dipped in milk, prick the top of each five times with a skewer, and set to bake in a quick oven. When thoroughly cooked and a rich brown, remove them, and place in a screen to dry; or, let the oven get cool, and replace them in it until they are crisp. They can be stored in tins for use.

To prepare these for food, put one in a basin and pour a little boiling water over it, and as it soaks the Biscuit will swell up; when quite soaked, pour the water off, add J teaspoonful of caster sugar, beat up well with a fork, and it is then ready.

Patience Biscuits. — Beat up with a strong whisk the whites of six eggs, adding by degrees as the mixture stiffens fib. of caster sugar. Dredge in whilst stirring lightly 1 tablespoonful of tine pastry-flour and 20 drops of essence of cinnamon. When thoroughly mixed, fill a Biscuit forcing-bag (see Fig. 153) with a small-sized tin funnel, lay out on a slightly-buttered baking sheet in long fingers, sift sugar over through a very fine sieve, and set in a screen or almost cold

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads

ARTISTIC STANDS OF CRYSTALLIZED FRUITS AND FLOWERS.

1. Crystallized Pears, Apricots, Angelica, and Violets.

2. Crystallized Pears, Apricots, Strawberries, Violets, Primroses, and other Flowers.

3. Pears, Cherries, Apples, Greengages, Apricots, Apricot Rings, and Angelica Points.

6. China Shell, containing Crystallized Flowers, Cherries, and Angelica.

7. Crystallized Flowers, Carnations, Violets, Primroses, Orange Flowers, and Angelica

4. Carnations, Violets, Orange Flowers. Apricots, Greengages, Plums, Angelica Rings and Points ft. Plums. Apricots, Cherries. Violets, and Orange Flowers

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

145

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oven to dry thoroughly. When sufficiently firm, place in a hot, sharp oven for a minute or two to colour a very pale brown.

Penelope Biscuits. — Beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, mix in lib. of sugar, and add 3 wineglassfuls of water. Put the mixture into a saucepan, and boil slowly until it begins to rope or a small quantity of it will cool on a plate; then pour it gradually over the white of an egg in a basin and beat well until the preparation is cool, next working in 2 tablespoonfuls of powdered cinnamon. Work 4oz. of butter into lib. of flour, and mix in the yolks of six eggs, lib. of sugar, and 1 table-spoonful of warmed lard. Form this into Biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven; rover them with the icing mixture, and when cold they are ready for use.

Peruvian Biscuits. — (1) Prepare a dough as for other Biscuits, using lib. of rice-flour, Jib. of arrowroot, lib. of butter, lib. of sugar, £oz. of voil, 4oz. of flour, and sufficient milk. Boll this out, and cut it into strips in. in thickness; cut these into pieces the size of marbles, roll them, and bake on greased tins in a moderate oven.

(2) Mix together jib. of pastry flour, lib. of rice-flour, and jib. of Bermuda arrowroot; sift lightly, and rub into it lib. of butter until it has all crumbled up. Make into a dough with six eggs and milk, in which Joz. of finely-powdered carbonate of ammonia has been dissolved. Break thoroughly, and then roll into round strips the thickness of a finger; cut and roll these into small marbles, and bake on a lightlygreased baking-sheet in a moderately quick oven.

Petits Biscuits Ambrosiens. — Proceed the same as for Lady Fingers. After the paste has been placed in the bag 1, have a well-cleaned pastry baking-sheet or plate buttered and lightly sprinkled with flour. Drop the paste carefully on to the sheet, forming Biscuits about 2in. long by lin. wide. There should be in all about forty Biscuits. Place them in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. Bemove, lay them on a table, and with a hair brush spread over them 6oz. of apricot marmalade, and glaze them by brushing over with a paste-brush dipped in water flavoured with curaqoa. Sprinkle over them 4oz. of finely-chopped pistachios, shake the baking-sheet lightly, and they will adhere to the glazing. Set for two minutes in the oven to get dry, then remove, and when cool dross them neatly in a glass bowl to serve.

Plain Biscuits. — (1) Bub loz. of butter into fib. of flour, and make into a dough, with a pinch of salt and sufficient lukewarm water. Break (see Figs. 149 and 150) and roll out thin, and stamp out with large round cutters; put them on lightly-buttered baking-sheets, and bake for a few minutes in a quick oven.

(2) Bub fib. of fresh butter into 21b. of flour, mix in 1 saltspoonful of salt, and work into a stiff dough with f pint of skim-milk or cold water. Knead this well, and break with Biscuit-break (see Fig. 149), or beat both sides with the rolling-pin (see Fig. 150). Boll out to fin. thick, and cut into pieces the size of a fowl’s egg; beat into round Biscuits, and dock with a docker (see Fig. 152) or prick with a two-pronged fork or skewer. Set these on a well-floured baking-sheet, and bake a light brown in a rather slow oven.

Plum-shaped Biscuits. — Prepare a savoy Biscuit batter, and with a Biscuit-forcer lay them out in forms of halves of egg-plums on baking-sheets that have been slightly rubbed over with butter and then dusted over with flour. When all the batter is thus used, sift some caster sugar over the Biscuits and bake them till lightly browned in a quick oven. When the Biscuits are cooked, stick two of them together with some plum jam, coat the surfaces with plum jam, and glaze them with a transparent icing that has been slightly tinged with extract of spinach. Dry the icing on the cakes in a moderately heated screen. If the Biscuits are not eaten when finished, they should be kept in tins or jars, or they are likely to become sodden.

Princess Biscuits. — Blanch and pound very fine in a mortar lib. of best Valentia almonds, adding the white of an egg whilst pounding to prevent oiling. Stir in llb. of caster sugar and two or three more whites of eggs, beating well together. Then work in by degrees lib. of finely- sifted

Biscuits — continued.

flour. Take out the pestle, add two more whites, and work them well with a spatula (commonly called a spaddle) until the whole of the whites are incorporated. If the paste appears to be smooth and light, it is ready; but if not soft enough, add one more white of egg, as it is not possible to ascertain the exact number of whites to use, something depending upon the size of the eggs and the nature of the flour. Lay it out by means of the Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153) on wliiteof-egg wafer paper half the size used for macaroons, and put a dried cherry on the top for effect, or use a small square of citron-peel on some and a square of angelica on others. Dust them over with sugar, and bake them in a slow oven.

Bheims Biscuits. — (1) Put fib. of caster sugar into a basin, then beat in, one at a time, four eggs, and continue the beating till quite frothy; whip the mixture over a slow fire for ten minutes, then take it off and whip it till cool. Mix ilb. of dried and sifted flour, 1 pinch of starch, 1 pinch of salt, and a small quantity of grated lemon-peel with the beaten eggs, and when they are thoroughly incorporated add the well-whipped white of one egg. Melt some beef-suet in

Fig. 166. Riieims Biscuit-tin and Biscuit.

Bheims Biscuit-tins (see Fig. 166), turn them about to coat them well, drain out the superfluous fat, glaze them with starch, and fill them three-parts full with the batter, baking them in a quick oven. When cooked, put the Biscuits in a hot closet, and leave them for an hour or two; then take them out of the tins. These Biscuits are generally served at dessert.

(2) Put 15oz. of powdered loaf sugar into a round-bottomed copper basin, add the yolks of ten and the whites of twelve eggs, and 1 pinch of salt; set the basin over a slow fire, and whisk until the batter has considerably increased in bulk and appears of a yellowish-creamy colour. Bemove from the fire, and continue to whisk until quite cold; add 6oz. of sifted flour, and work well until incorporated. Have the required number of tins ready, buttered and dusted with caster sugar, fill them half-full with the mixture, dust them over with more sugar, and bake in a moderate oven to a fawn colour. Take them out, and use as required. As these are intended for wine Biscuits, they require no flavouring, which would interfere with the taste of the wine.

Bheims Biscuits with Cream and Kirschenwasser. — Put some Bheims Biscuits into a deep dish, cover them with kirschenwasser, and let them soak. Put the yolks of six eggs into a stewpan with 9oz. of caster sugar, and beat them well; then add 1J pints of milk, and stir the mixture over the fire till on the point of boiling, flavouring it with essence of vanilla. When thick, pass the cream through a fine hair sieve into a basin, and leave it till cold. Cover the Biscuits with a cold cream, and serve them without delay.

Boiled Biscuits. — (1) Put the yolks of fourteen eggs into a basin, mix in lib. of sugar, 1 pinch of salt, and a flavouring of vanilla, orange, or lemon, and work well for about twenty minutes, or until the mixture has the appearance of cream. Add the whites of the fourteen eggs beaten to a froth, stir lightly to incorporate, and sift in slowly 4oz. each of flour and potato-flour. Take ilb. of this mixture (called savoy Biscuit batter), turn it into a baking-sheet lined with buttered paper and bake it; then turn it out with the paper uppermost, remove the paper, mask the surface with any kind of jam, roll it up, cutting one end slantwise, and put the roll upon the closed part to make the whole adhere. Let it get quite cold, cut it into slices about jin. thick, cover over with icing, and they are ready for use.

(2) Prepare and bake the Biscuit batter as above, and at the same time have a baking-sheet covered with apple jelly of about the same thickness as the batter-mixture. Turn the jelly over on to the Biscuit mixture, roll it up, cut it

T

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in slices, mask these with maraschino-flavoured icing, dry them in a hot closet, and they are then ready.

Bout Biscuits. — Put lib. of finely-powdered and sifted loaf sugar into a basin with 3 teacupfuls of milk, and let it stand two hours, stirring occasionally; rub £lb. of butter into 21b. of sifted flour, and make a well or bay in it. Put teaspoonful of finely-powdered carbonate of ammonia and a beaten egg into the milk and dissolved sugar; stir together and mix into a smooth dough. Let it stand covered for a few minutes, then roll out to Jin. thick; cut out with round cutter, place on buttered baking-sheets, brush over with milk, and bake quickly.

Boyal Biscuits. — Bub lib. of butter into 21b. of flour until it is all crumbled, then add lib. of finely-powdered sugar; make a well in the centre and pour in pint of milk, adding 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds, and make into a dough; break (see Pig. 149), and then roll the paste in sheets of the thickness of a halfpenny, and cut into Biscuits with a small round or oval cutter (see Pig. 156). Place these on lightly-buttered baking-sheets, see that they do not quite touch, dock with a fork or docker, and bake in a quick oven till they just begin to change colour. When cold, they will be crisp.

Savoury Biscuits fi, la Melton. — Eub 4oz. of butter into 4oz. of flour until quite smooth, then mix in 4oz. of finely-grated Parmesan cheese and 2 table-spoonfuls of grated ham, also a dash of cayenne pepper. Work the ingredients well until a smooth paste is obtained; then roll this out to a moderate thickness, cut it into pieces 2in. long and lin. wide, lay these on a buttered sheet of paper on a baking-sheet, and bake them in a quick oven until lightly browned. Serve the Biscuits while very hot.

Savoy Biscuits. — (1) These famous Biscuits are made in several ways. Break six eggs, put the yolks into a large pudding-basin, and stir in lb. of caster or finely-powdered and sifted loaf sugar; add 1 teaspoonful of grated lemonpeel (zest), and beat well with a wooden spoon or spaddle until it forms a stiff light batter. Beat up the whites quite stiff, and mix in lightly; stir in £lb. of sifted flour, and mix thoroughly. Pill a Biscuit-bag (see Pig. 153) with the mixture and lay it out in Biscuits about 3) in. long on cartridge or foolscap paper; sift sugar over them through a fine sieve, shake the excess off quickly, and bake on bakingsheets in a sharp oven. When done, cut the Biscuits off the paper and join them together in pairs with white of egg. Instead of sifting the sugar over the Biscuits, many practical cooks lay out the sugar on a piece of paper spread on the board before them, and then, seizing the paper on which the Biscuits are laid by the corners farthest away, by an adroit action turn the sheet of Biscuits upside down on to the sugar. By a similar action the sheet is turned up again, when the Biscuits will be found to be completely sugared without any waste whatever.

(2) Hot Process. — Very similar to the preceding, with this exception, that the whole eggs and sugar are beaten together with a whisk in a round-bottomed mixing-pan ovgr a moderate fire or hot-water bath, or in a bain-marie, until warm; then remove, and beat until cold; and lastly, stir in the flour very gently. Proceed in all other respects as for No. 1.

(3) Take fifteen eggs, and beat the whites and yolks separately; lib. of caster sugar and the grated peel, or zest, of two lemons are next added to the yolks, and the whole beaten with two little wooden spaddles, one in each hand, as with little drum-sticks, to make the mixture froth. This must be continued for a quarter-of-an-hour, during which time the whites may be prepared by an assistant beating them briskly with a whisk; add these whilst in a state of froth to the yolks and sugar, during this time the whole being constantly stirred; let lb. of flour be sifted in by the assistant, the stirring being still continued. When well mixed, the paste is spread, by means of a Biscuitforcer (see Fig. 155), in lengths of Sjin. on sheets of paper. As each paper is filled, finely-powdered sugar is sifted over them through a lawn or silken sieve; after remaining for a few minutes, while the sugar settles on the Biscuits, shake off the loose sugar and put them on baking-sheets, and bake them a fine clear colour; when cold, detach the pieces

Biscuits — continued.

from the paper with the back of a knife, and lay them back to back.

(4) Sift lightly lib. of flonr; warm a mixing-pan, and put in lib. of caster sugar; break a dozen eggs upon it, and beat both together with a whisk over a slow fire or in a bain-marie until warm; then remove and continue beating till cold; stir in the lightly-sifted flour; have a Biscuit-bag (see Fig. 153) ready, put the batter into it, and force it through on to sheets of thick paper; sift sugar over, and bake in a quick oven. When cold, turn up and wet bottom of paper; turn back again, and in five minutes or so they will come off.

(5) Savoy Biscuits are sometimes flavoured with vanilla, in which case they are laid by a Biscuit-forcer (see Fig. 155) to about the size of half-a-crown, and dusted with vanilla-flavoured sugar.

Shell Biscuits. — Eub lib. of butter with 51b. of flour and lib. of caster sugar, and make into a dough with 1 pint of milk. Break (see Fig. 149), and roll into sheets in. thick, cut with a large oval-pointed cutter in shape thus O, place them on a crimping-board, and with a knife curl them up in the direction of the grooves on the board. Put on lightly-buttered baking-sheets, and bake in a moderate heat.

Ship or Sea Biscuits. — These are generally made of water and flour only, but sometimes a small proportion of yeast worked up with the dough is considered to make an improvement in them. It is then usual to make a sponge by dissolving say lib. of German yeast in igall. of warm water and stirring in 71b. of flour; put 1 teacupful of this, when well worked, with every Jib. of flour, and make into a dough. Break thoroughly (see Fig. 149), cut off pieces the size of a cricket ball, roll out quite round, dock (see Fig. 152), and bake.

Shrewsbury Biscuits. — (1) Eub lb. of butter into 111b. of flour, and make a bay or well in it; add;jlb. of finely-sifted sugar, two small eggs, and 1 dessert-spoonful of spice; make the whole into a dough with milk, break it (see Fig. 149), roll it out on an even board to the thickness of Jin., cnt out pieces with a plain round cutter 2in. in diameter, place them on dry tin baking-sheets, and bake in a cool oven. When the Biscuits are a little coloured round the edges, they are sufficiently baked.

(2) Eub lib. of butter into 21b. of flour, add 11b. of caster sugar, and make into a dough with four eggs, 1 pinch of powdered cinnamon, and as much milk as may be required. Break (see Fig. 149), and bake on lightly-buttered tins.

(3) Take 14oz. of flour, lOoz. of sugar, lOoz. of butter, two small eggs, half a grated nutmeg, a little cinnamon and mace, and 1 pinch of carbonate of ammonia, sometimes called “ voil,” or “volatile salt,” and proceed as for No. 1.

Snowdrop Biscuits. — Eub lib. of butter into lib. of flour, add lib. of best arrowroot, and make a bay in it, adding Jib. of caster sugar and 1 teaspoonful of finely -powdered car 1 onate of ammonia. Mix into a dough with the whites of ten eggs, break (see Fig. 149), and roll into strips the thickness of your finger; cut these the size of marbles, and bake on slightlygreased tins in a very cool oven.

Soda Biscuits.— (1) Mix together lqt. of sifted flour, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, and sift all together twice; then rub in 1 large table-spoonful of butter, and make a very soft dough with milk, using a broad knife and wetting only a small part of the flour with each addition of the milk. When just stiff enough to be handled, cut it th:ough with the knife again and again until mixed. (It should look spongy in the cuts and seem full of air.) Turn it out on a weU-floured board, toss with the knife till well floured all over, touching it with the hands as little as possible, pat it with the rolling-pin, which must be lifted quickly that it may not stick, and when the dough is about Jin. thick cut it in rounds and bake at once.

To make Twin Biscuits, roll the dough out less than Jin. thick, cut into rounds, spread with softened butter, and put two together, baking them ten or fifteen minutes.

(2) Eub 6oz. of lard into 12 Jib. of flour, loz. of salt, and ljoz. of bicarbonate of soda, and make into a dough with loz. of hydrochloric acid dissolved in 2qts. of water; break (see Fig. 149) the dough smooth, and let it lay for about half-an-hour; then roll out in large sheets nearly Jin- in thickness, cut out with an oval or any other shaped cutter

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Biscuits — continued.

5in. in length and 3in. in breadth, dock (see Fig. 152), and bake in a quick oven.

Sponge Biscuit. — Beat ten eggs very thick and smooth, and add gradually lib. of powdered and sifted refined sugar; grate the peel of a lemon, and stir it into the mixture; squeeze in the juice of the lemon, and add 2 table-spoonfuls of rose-water; beat the mixture very hard; then take Jib. of potato-flour (this is best), or else of fine wheat-flour, and stir it in very lightly and slowly. It must be baked immediately. Have ready some small square or oblong cases of thick white,paper, with an edge turned up all round, and secured at the corners. They should be about 3in. in length, ljin. in breadth, and ljin. in depth. Butter these paper cases, then put some of the mixture in each (but do not quite fill them), grate loaf sugar over the top, and bake them quickly. These cakes are much better when baked in paper cases, tins being generally too thick for them. No cake requires greater care in baking; if the oven is not hot, both at top and bottom, they will fall and be heavy, and lose their shape.

Biscuits — continued.

True-lovers’ Knots. — Break six eggs into a basin, beat in 1 table-spoonful of orange-flower water, 6oz. of crushed loaf sugar, and sufficient flour to form a stiff paste. Boll this out twice and knead it well, cut off small pieces of it, roll them out long and thin, tie them into true-lovers’ knots, put them on a baking-sheet, and bake them a light brown in a moderate oven. In the meantime clarify 6oz. of sugar, boil it, put in the cakes, toss them in the pan over the fire until they and the sugar are quite dry and white, put them out to cool, and serve as required.

Turkish Biscuits.— Warm 4oz. of butter, beat it until creamy, then mix with it 4oz. of sugar, 2oz. of flour, 2oz. of pounded almonds, the grated peel of half a lemon, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon. Work the mixture well, then roll it out on a floured board, and cut it into small cakes of various fancy shapes. Brush them over with a paste -brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake them in a slow oven. When cooked, the cakes should be of a pale yellow colour. Keep them dry in Biscuit-tins.

Sugar Biscuits. — (1) Take 31b. of sifted flour, lib. of butter, 111b. of powdered sugar, 1 pint of milk, 2 table-spoonfuls of brandy, 1 small teaspoonful of powdered ammonia dissolved in water, and 4 table-spoonfuls of caraway-seeds. Bub the butter into the flour, add the sugar and caraway-seeds, pour in the brandy, and then the milk; lastly, put in the ammonia; stir all well with a knife, and mix these thoroughly until they become a lump of dough. Flour the paste-board, lay the dough on it, knead it very well, divide it into eight or ten pieces, and knead each piece again separately; then put them all together, and knead them well in one lump. Cut the dough in halves, and roll it out in sheets about Jin. thick; beat these very hard on both sides with the rolling-pin, and cut them out into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler or cutter about that size. Butter bakingsheets, and lay the cakes on them, baking a very pale brown. If done too much, they will lose their taste. These cakes, kept in a stone jar closely covered from the air, will continue perfectly good for several months.

(2) Mix well together lib. of flour, lib. of pounded lump sugar, a few blanched and pounded almonds, 6 table-spoonfuls of rose-water, and eight eggs beaten up to a froth. When these are thoroughly blended, put portions of the mixture into small tins of various shapes, and bake them in a slow oven.

(3) Bub lib. of lard into 71b. of fine pastry-flour, add 31b. of caster sugar and 4oz. of finely-powdered ammonia, and mix into a dough with milk; but do not work the mixture too much. Take a portion of the dough, and roll it out a little thicker than a penny-piece, cut out with a large-size scalloped cutter (see Fig. 157), dock (see Fig. 152), and lay on buttered baking-sheets; brush the tops over with milk, throw on a few currants, and bake in a sharp oven.

Sweet Biscuits. — Mix together Jib. each of butter, loaf sugar, and flour, six eggs, 6 drops of essence of lemon, and 2 tablespoonfuls of well-washed currants. When these are thoroughly beaten together and incorporated, lay lumps of the mixture with a spoon on an iron plate, and set them in a brisk oven.

Tea Biscuits. — Heat 1 pint of sour milk with 1 table-spoonful of butter until it is dissolved, add 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and flour enough to make a soft dough. Break with the rolling-pin (see Fig. 150), roll out, and cut into small Biscuits. Set on a lightly-buttered baking-sheet to bake in a quick oven. These are nice when served hot and buttered.

Thick Biscuits. — Into 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour rub 1 tablespoonful of lard and butter mixed, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Make a well or bay, and put in sufficient milk to make a stiff dough. Work well, and break (see Fig. 149), or beat with a rolling-pin (see Fig. 150) for at least half-an-hour. Boll out thin and stamp out into small Biscuits, dock, and bake in a quick oven.

Tortoni Biscuits. — Prepare and proceed exactly the same as for Frozen Biscuits, placing the preparation into six round paper cases instead of square ones. When filled, sift evenly over the surfaces 2oz. of finely-powdered macaroons, lay them on the tiers of the frame, and freeze them, serving them precisely as the Frozen Biscuits.

Twin Biscuits . — See Soda Biscuits No. 1.

Unleavened Biscuits. — Put 8oz. of flour into a basin with J teaspoonful of salt, and add sufficient milk to make a stiff dough; knead this well, roll it out thin, cut it into Biscuits, dock, and bake them in a quick oven.

Venice Biscuits. — Bub ljlb. of butter into 51b. of flour until it is all crumbled, add 2Jlb. of finely-powdered sugar, lib. of finely-chopped mixed candied peel, and loz. of finely-powdered volatile salt (ammonia). Make a well or bay, and having beaten up one dozen small eggs, pour into the bay and work the flour mixture in until you have a fine dough. Break a little (see Fig. 149), roll out on a sheet, and cut out with a small oval-fluted cutter (see Fig. 157); brush over the tops with egg, and sprinkle over them coarsely-broken loaf sugar, pressing gently into the dough with a spatula. Bake on slightly-buttered baking-sheets in a moderately hot oven.

Victoria Biscuits. — (1) Bub 2oz. of butter into 3 Jib. of flour, and make a bay; add 2oz. of caster sugar and one dozen eggs, beat them well up, and make the whole into a firm dough, adding more eggs if required. Break the dough well (see Fig. 149) that it may be thoroughly blended, roll into thin sheets, cut with an oval cutter, put them on lightly-greased baking-sheets, and bake in a hot quick oven.

(2) Sometimes chopped almonds and fine sugar are sprinkled over the tops.

Wafer Biscuits. — (1) Mix 1 saltspoonful of salt with 1 pint of flour, and rub in 1 table-spoonful of butter until it is quite crumbled; add the beaten white of one egg and new milk enough to make a stiff dough, and beat for half-an-hour with a rolling-pin (see Fig. 150) or Biscuit-break (see Fig. 149). This done satisfactorily, break off a little piece of dough at a time, and roll it out as thin as paper on lightly-buttered baking-sheets; cut into large rounds with a 3in. diameter cutter, remove the paste from between the rounds with the point of a narrow knife, prick here and there with a small wooden skewer, and bake quickly without burning. Before getting cold, these may be rolled round pieces of stick, or not, according to taste.

(2) Bub ljoz. of butter into 8oz. of flour and teaspoonful of salt, and add sufficient sweet milk to form a stiff dough; knead this thoroughly, roll it out thin, cut it into rounds, then roll each out as thin as paper, stamp in the middle, put them on a floured baking-sheet, and bake. Take them out, and serve when cold.

Walnut Biscuits.— The principal feature of these Biscuits is their shape, which is obtained by the use of moulds or stamps in the shape of half -walnuts (which can be purchased at most confectioners’ tool-makers); one may represent the shell and another the kernel, when the very pretty effect of a halfshelled walnut results (see Fig.

167). Bub Jib. of butter into

21b. of fine flour. Simmer Jib. each of caster and moist

Fig. 167. Walnut Biscuit.

sugars over a slow fire with J pint of milk.

When this T 2

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Biscuits — continued.

syrup is cold, make a well or bay in the flour and pour it in, mixing gradually into a stiff dough; break carefully (see Fig. 149), and then fill the “ blocks,” stamps, or moulds with the dough, trimming off with a knife. Shake the Biscuits out of the moulds on to lightly-buttered bakingsheets (the half-kernels on one and the same number of half-shells on the other), put into a quick oven, and bake the kernels a shade or two lighter brown than the shells. Dip the kernels in white of egg and lay correctly and accurately on the shell halves, and put before the fire in a screen, or in a very slow oven, just to set firm. These make a very pretty dish, or garnish for jellies, creams, &c.

Washington Biscuits. — As the name indicates, these are American favourites, and are made as follows: Beat up five yolks of eggs with Jib. of caster sugar, 2oz. of blanched and powdered sweet almonds, and J wineglassful of rum; then add 2oz. of cornflour (Oswego), and stir in the whites of five eggs, having previously beaten them stiff; lastly, mix in 2oz. of highly-dried, finely-sifted flour. Put the mixture into small round buttered biscuit-tins, and bake in a moderately quick oven. When done, spread apricot jam over each, and dip in transparent icing flavoured with curaijoa.

White Biscuits. — Bub .jib. of lard into 3 jib. of fine Biscuitflour, add ljlb. of moist sugar and 2oz. of finely-powdered ammonia, and make into a dough with milk. Take a small portion of the dough at a time and work it into a square or round shape, roll it out a little thicker than a penny -piece, cut out in any varieties of shapes (see Figs. 156, 157), having previously well docked the sheet, put on buttered bakingtins, brush over with milk, and strew a few currants on the top. Bake in a sharp oven.

Wine Biscuits. — (1) Bub Jib. of butter into 21b. of flour, make a bay, pour in about J pint of water, take in the flour and butter by degrees and shake it all up. In “shaking up” these Biscuits, when the dough is mixed, let your two thumbs meet in its substance, giving the mixture a shake-up in the air over your knuckles, and repeating the process until you have all the dry flour worked in and the mixture is nice and moist; and the more you shake-up, the better Biscuits you will have. Bake on a wire tray (see Fig. 165) in a quick oven.

(2) Bub lib. of butter into 21b. of flour, add Jib. of caster sugar, and make into a firm dough with milk; break (see Fig. 149) and roll out thin, and stamp out into different sizes and shapes (see Fig. 156); lay these on buttered baking-sheets, brush the tops over with milk, sprinkle caraway-seeds over, and bake in a quick oven. Brush over with white of egg to finish.

(3) Mix 8oz. of flour with 6oz. of butter by rubbing together; add 6oz. of pounded loaf sugar, one egg, and a few drops of essence of lemon. Make into a paste and roll out thin, cutting into shapes (see Fig. 156); set on buttered baking-sheets, and bake in a quick oven.

York Biscuits. — Bub Jib. of butter into 21b. of flour, add lib. of caster sugar and 4 pint of milk, and mix into a dough. Boll this out Jin. thick, cut it in long ribands, and then crosswise into diamond shapes or squares, dock them (see Fig. 152) or roll on a crimping-board (see Fig. 159), and bake in a sharp oven.

For some other so-called Biscuits see Cakes and Special Headings.

BISHOP. — Amongst the drinks made from spiced wines this is to be found, and it has been honoured for centuries past. Swift writes as follows:

Fine oranges,

Well roasted, with sugar and wine in a cup,

They’ll make a sweet Bishop when gentlefolks sup.

When made with Burgundy or Bordeaux wine, Professor Simmonds informs us, it is called “Bishop”; when old Rhine wine is used, it receives the name of “Cardinal”; and when Tokay is employed, it is distinguished by the appellation of “ Pope.”

(1) Pour a bottle of any red wine into a saucepan, add 2oz. of loaf sugar, the rind of an orange or lemon cut as thin as possible, and six cloves; make' the mixture as hot as possible

Bishop — continued.

without boiling, strain it into a jug or basin, and it is ready for use.

(2) Cut a large orange into rather thick slices, and stick twelve cloves into one of the end pieces; sprinkle caster or crushed loaf sugar between the slices, and put them together again; set the orange before the fire and toast it well, browning without scorching. Warm a bottle of medium-class claret in a large lined saucepan or muller, and dissolve in it before boiling Jib. of loaf sugar. When the wine is hot, put the orange in a Bishop-bowl, and pour the wine over the slices. This should be served very hot. If a larger quantity is required, half-a-dozen bitter oranges should be used, and each should be studded with twelve cloves before being set before the fire to roast. Cut the oranges into halves, and put them in a large bowl, pouring the hot sweetened wine (six bottles) over as before. Put the cover on, and lay cloths over all, leaving this for some hours to digest. Half-an-hour before this Bishop is required, strain off the liquor, squeezing the oranges thoroughly by pressing them witli a silver spoon. Warm up again, replace in the warmed bowl, cover over, and serve.

(3) Slice two large lemons, and roast them before the fir6. In the meantime, heat up a bottle of claret, sweeten as it warms with Jib. of loaf sugar, and add the slices of lemon. Just before sending to table, drop into the Bishop 1 tablespoonful of bay rum, and its redolence will pervade the whole building like an incense offered before the shrine of Bacchus.

Heidelberg - Bishop. — Pour a bottle of red wine (Bkenish) into a saucepan, stir in 2oz. of loaf sugar, the thin rind of half a lemon, six coriander-seeds, a very small stick of cinnamon, and 1 wineglassful of kirschenwasser. Make the mixture as hot as possible without boiling, strain it into any vessel desired, and it is ready for use.

Iiawn Sleeve. — This is prepared almost in the same way as Bishop. Prick or pierce over the rind of a medium-sized lemon, and in the holes insert cloves; place the lemon in front of the fire and roast it. Pour 1 breakfast-cupful of cold water into a saucepan, season with cloves, mace, allspice, and cinnamon, using them in equal proportions, and boil until the liquor is reduced to 1 teacupful. Put a bottle of Madeira or sherry wine into a saucepan with 3 or 4 wineglassfuls of hot calf’s-foot jelly, boil well, ignite it to burn away a little of the spirit, put in the roasted lemon and the spiced liquor, stir well, and remove the saucepan to the side of the fire, where it will keep hot without boiling, for ten minutes or so. With a few lumps of sugar rub off a little of the rind of a lemon, put them into a tankard or jug, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, not using the one that was roasted, pour in the wine mixture, sweeten to taste, grate over a little nutmeg, and serve. Oranges can be used instead of lemons, but they are not so good. The calf’s-foot jelly used for this should be as plain as possible, and not seasoned.

BISK (Fr. Bisque; Ger. Kraftsuppe). — A term that

is not very often met with in modern cookery. It is

described as having been formerly a very favourite Con

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149

Bisk — continued.

tinental soup into which a great many tasty ingredients were cleverly blended. It was composed generally of some sort of broth or gravy stock, with quenelles of poultry or game, pounded shell-fish — especially crayfish — and minced fish. Ude, who never stinted on account of expense, says that it is to he sent to table on galadays only, when you are obliged to make a frequent change of soups.

Bisk of Fresh-water Crayfish. — (1) Take the best freshwater crayfish to be procured; five or six dozen are not too many as a rule. If you boil the crayfish especially for this occasion, do not put any vinegar into the water. Select twoand-a-half dozen of the finest tails that remain whole. Pound the rest with all the meat and fleshy parts of the inside in a mortar with the flesh of the breasts of two roasted fowls or chickens. Boil the crumb of two French penny rolls in some rich broth; put this into a mortar with some yolks of eggs boiled hard, and pound together; then mix up with the crayfish and chicken. Next put the shells of the crayfish to boil in 1 pint of broth, use some of the liquor to dilute the pounded meat, and rub it through a fine sieve. Then boil lj pints of cream, and keep stirring it round so that no scum shall rise; pour into the soup, and season all well with salt and pepper. Have ready the red spawn of a lobster well pounded, dilute it with some of the broth, and mix it up with the soup. Keep hot without boiling. Soak a few rounds of bread, and lay them at the bottom of the tureen; pour the Bisk on to them, place the tails that have been reserved over the soup, and serve up hot. This Bisk should not bo too thick.

(2) Mannheim Style. — Dubois gives a receipt for this which differs in some particulars from the above. Choose two dozen live crayfish, put them into a stewpan with a little salt, a bunch of parsley mixed with a few sprigs of aromatic herbs, and I teaspoonful of peppercorns; moisten witli 1 wineglassful of good white wine and 3 or 4 table-spoonfuls of tomato sauce, or half-a-dozen sliced tomatoes. Cover, and warm up to boiling for ten minutes; then drain, take out a part of the tails, and pound the remainder of the crayfish with 6oz. of rice boiled dry in broth. Dilute this with the liquor the crayfish were boiled in, and lqts. of fish- or meat-broth. Pass the soup twice through a fine sieve, season highly, warm well without letting it boil, and add it to the crayfish-tails minced fine, and sprinkle over a pinch of cayenno pepper. Serve up the soup in a tureen, with small dice of bread fried in butter or bacon-fat.

(3) Delamere gives a receipt for an economical Bisk, as follows: Take fifty live crayfish, and boil them in a very small quantity of water, seasoned with salt, c.oarse-ground or whole pepper, parsley, and onion. Let them cook twenty minutes after boiling up, stirring now and then gently, so as to have all equally cooked, but taking care not to break them. Drain, and stand to cool in the stock in which they have been boiled. When cool, pick out the flesh of the tails, half open them to remove the black thread or intestine which runs through their whole length, pick out the flesh of the claws, and sot all these aside together. Pound in a mortar all the rest (shells and heads) very small, reducing them to a stiff paste with a lump of butter about the size of an orange. Put this paste into a stewpan with pint of water, and boil till all the goodness is extracted, say for an-hour-and-a-half; then strain, and pass the whole through a fine hair sieve. Add 2qts. of veal-stock or broth, and boil up again. Arrange a layer of bread cut into dice and fried in butter, together with the meat of the crayfish set aside for the purpose, pour the soup over, and serve.

(4) The soup No. 3 may be considerably enriched by using more fish, and adding J pint of cream, 1 gill or so of pounded lobster coral, the pounded yolks of hard-boiled eggs, or the pounded flesh of two or three boiled soles. Small lobsters, prawns, and shrimps make quite as good a Bisk as crayfish, whose chief merit appears to be that they can bo caught inland.

Bisk of Lobster.— Pick the meat of the lobster from the shell, and cut the tender pieces into Jin. dice. Put the ends of the claw-meat, and any other tough hard parts, in a saucepan with the bones of tbe body and 1 pint of cold water; boil it

Bisk — continued.

for twenty minutes, adding more water as it boils away. Tut the coral to dry in a moderate oven. Mix 2 table-spoonfuls of flour with a little cold milk, then stir it into the remainder of 1 qt. of milk, which should be boiling; stir it over the fire and boil for ten minutes; then strain the water from the bones and other parts, mix it with the milk, put in 1 tablespoonful of butter, and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bub the dried coral through a fine hair sieve, and put sufficient in the soup to make it a bright pink colour. Put the green fat and lobster-dice in a soup-tureen, strain the boiling soup over them, and serve at once. If liked, forcemeat balls made in the following manner may be put in the soup: put only half of the lobster-meat cut in dice in the soup; chop the remainder, put it in a mortar with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, 1 teaspoonful of butter, a little salt and pepper; pound it, then mix it to a stiff paste with a beaten egg; shape the paste into balls the size of a nutmeg, put them in the soup before it is turned out, and let them simmer long enough to cook the egg, which will take about five minutes.

Bisk of Prawns.— Put a hundred well- washed prawns into 2qts. of boiling water, and boil them until the shells turn red. In the meantime, wash 21b. of eels in cold water, cut them in lin. pieces, and put them over the fire in sufficient cold water to cover them, together with 1 gill of vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of whole peppercorns, a blade of mace, an onion peeled and stuck with a dozen whole cloves, a sprig of any sweet herb except sage, a small sprig of parsley with root attached, a stalk of celery, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. As soon as the prawns are red, put the hot liquor in which they were boiled with the above-named ingredients, and then take the prawns from the shells; put the flesh of the prawns aside until the soup is nearly ‘done, add the shells to the other ingredients, cover the soup-kettle, and boil until they are reduced to a pulp; then strain the soup through a towel laid in a colander. Put 2 tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour in a saucepan, and stir them over the fire until they bubble; then gradually stir in the strained soup, about J breakfast-cupful at a time, until a creamy soup is made; add the flesh of the prawns to this, season it palatably, put with it 1 gill of Sauterne wine, let it heat to the boiling-point, and then serve it hot. If prawns are not plentiful, some lobster flesh may be shredded and used for the soup.

BISMARCKS.— This name has been given to a sort of American dough-nut, made up with stewed fruit inside. An American pastrycook gives the following plan and proportions for their manufacture:

Take 21b. of light dough, and put it into a largo pan with i teacupful each of molasses and brown sugar, a beaten egg, and 2oz. of melted lard. Work these together thoroughly, and then leave the dough to rise a little, say for half- an hour or so. Then work in sufficient sifted flour to stiffen the dough, and leave it again, covered with a cloth and in a warm place, to prove. In the course of four or five hours the dough may be rolled out into a very thin sheet, and bo brushed over with a paste-brush dipped in water. Put 1 teaspoonful of stewed fruit of the kind chosen (any kind without stones will do) at a convenient distance apart, say a clear lin. every way; cover this with another sheet of the dough, and cut out with a largo biscuit-cutter so that the fruit is carefully enclosed, one pile in each Bismarck. Set these on a floured tray to rise a bit, then drop them into hot lard, and fry to a light brown.

BISQUE.— Fr. for Bisk.

BITTERS. — “ The taste for Bitters is growing day by day,” says a writer on popular beverages, which statement is met by the following from another author: “ This class of liquors has been justly charged with being the fertile cause of habitual intemperance, of disease, and even of death.” And again, “ Their occasional use as tonics or stomachics is also objectionable — owing to the trash and even deleterious substances, which so frequently enter into their composition.” Yet another writer upon the subject comments upon the above in the following words: “ That an occasional

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Bitters — continued.

dose of Bitters is objectionable, we most emphatically deny, and boldly assert tbat it is contrary to all precedent to state that they promote drunkenness. Indeed it seems to me that if all alcoholic drinks were strongly impregnated with Bitters, there would not be quite such a large return upon their consumption made to the revenue of the country.”

Bitters prepared wholesale for the market are numerous both in kind and quality, differing from each other in some particulars, but especially in name. Thus we have Angostura, Amaranth, African, Amazon, Danvita, Khoosh, Hop, Orange, Yermouth, and a variety of others, such as Boonekamp, Alter, Schwede, Inglandine, Menschenfreund, and Malakoff. But it is probable that the physiological action of the Bitters, whatever it may be, is much the same in every case, stimulating the coats of the stomach to activity, and thus strengthening and preparing the digestive faculties for coming work, and creating an appetite.

An extensive assortment of vegetable Bitters find favour with various manufacturers, amongst which we find calumba, cinchona, cascariUa, cliiretta, chamomiles, gentian, hops, orange-peel, quassia, and wormwood; the five latter taking precedence probably because of their cheapness and ready manipulation. But many other Bitters have been used, such as Buck-bean, 2oz. of which is said to yield as much bitter principle as lib. of hops. The common box-tree is used in Paris, and in some other parts of France, as well as in Germany. The tops of the broom are employed; and this as well as heath has been used from time immemorial in Norway, Sweden, and the north of Scotland. In England mugwort has been used, and it is well known that the Bitters quassia and gentian are sometimes used in brewing aromatic calamus, while calisaya may also be recognised as belonging to this list.

Without venturing to discuss the virtues or evils of taking Bitters at all, we give the following receipts which will be found equal to any of the best Bitters made.

Amazon Bitters. — The following receipt is for a very large quantity; but smaller quantities can be made by proportionately reducing the amount of each ingredient, 90galls. of plain proof spirit, 3Jlb. of red Peruvian bark, 3 Jib. of calisaya bark, one and one-eighth of a calamus root, 4flb. of orangepeel, 3Joz. of cinnamon, 3Joz. of cloves, 3Joz. of nutmeg, 2oz. of cassia buds, and 611b. of red sanders wood. All these must be bruised and broken up, and then put in the spirit to macerate for fourteen days, stirring two or three times a day. When the spirit is drawn off, it should be coloured with 11 pints of brandy colouring (caramel), to give it a dark red tint. Mix this thoroughly in. Dissolve 301b. of white sugar in 30galls. of water, and stir this in also. Let the mixture rest four or five days, and when it is bright, bottle it off for use. From the above receipt and quantities there will bo obtained 120galls. at 25deg. below proof.

Aromatic Bitters. — Grind to a coarse powder 11b. of cardamomseeds, 2oz. of nutmegs, Jib. grains of paradise, lib. of cinnamon, lib. of cloves, lib. of ginger, lib of bitter orange-peel, 2oz. of lemon-peel, and lib. of bruised gentian-root, and macerate all these for three weeks in 4) galls, of proof spirit. Just before drawing off to filter, stir in a thin syrup made by boiling 101b. of loaf sugar in 4!galls. of water.

Bitters for Liqueurs. — When used in liqueurs, Bitters are prepared as follow:

(1) Well mix 21b. of powdered gentian-root with lib. of extract of gentian and ljlb. of treacle.

(2) Put loz. of lesser cardamom-seeds into a vessel with 4oz. of gentian-root and 2oz. of orange-peel cut into thin pieces, pour over 4 pints of rectified spirit, and let the whole infuse.

(3) Add 3qts. of rectified spirit to lqt. of raisin wine, 4oz. of orange-peel, 1 drachm of cochineal, and Jib. each of powdered cardamom-seeds and gentian.

Bitters Swizzle. — Pour about a teacupful of cold water into a jar, and add about a wineglassful of crushed ice and a

Bitters — continued.

wineglass one-third full of orange bitters and the remainder brandy; sweeten with crushed loaf sugar, and beat with a stick until a rich froth appears. Pour it into glasses and serve at once. A well-beaten egg can be added, but is not an improvement.

Hamburg Bitters.— Put into a mortar and grind to a coarse powder, 3oz. each of quassia wood, dried orange apples, and gentian-root, 2oz. of agaric, 4oz. of cassia buds, 5oz. of cinnamon, ljoz. of orange-peel, oz. of cardamom-seeds, and Joz. of grains of Paradise. Turn the mixture into a large bowl, pour over 4Jgalls. of 95 per cent, alcohol mixed up with 5jgalls. of water, and let it macerate. Add 2Joz. of acetic ether, pour the Bitters into bottles, and keep them corked until wanted. When properly mixed and macerated, the Bitters will be of a brown colour.

Nonpareil Bitters. — Put into a mortar and grind to a coarse powder, 25 grains each of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, fifteen cayenne-seeds, Joz. each of bitter and sweet orangepeel, and 2oz. of Peruvian bark. Turn this into a bowl, add 2galls. of 65 per cent, alcohol, and let it infuse for about ten days. Filter into bottles, and use as required.

Peruvian Bitters. — Take Jib. of red Peruvian bark, Jib. of bitter orange-peel, 1J drachms each of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and seventy-five cayenne-pepper seeds. Bruise in a mortar, and then infuse for two or three weeks in 8galls. of proof spirit. Draw off and filter.

Spanish. Bitters. — Grind to a coarse powder 5oz. of polypody, 6oz. of calamus-root, 8oz. of orris-root, 2Joz. of corianderseeds, loz. of centaurin, 3oz. of bitter orange-peel, 2oz. of camomile-flowers, and macerate with 4 ’galls, of alcohol (95 p. sp.), adding presently 5Jgalls. of water and ljlb. of sugar. Filter, and colour brown with caramel.

Wormwood Bitters.— Put into a vessel 1 drachm of oil of orange, J drachm of oil of caraway, and the same of oil of wormwood, pour in 1 pint of spirits of wine, and mix well. Put into another vessel, -Joz. of almond cake, Joz. each of coriander-seeds and Virginia snake-root all well bruised, and add another pint of spirits of wine. Let both these stand for a fortnight, shaking them frequently; then strain them into one vessel, add 2Jlb. of sugar dissolved in hot water, and fine with Joz. of alum boiled in 1 teacupful of water. Bottle, and use as required. These Bitters are sometimes called British Vermouth.

BLACK BASS. — See Bass.

BLACK BEANS.— See Beans.

BLACKBERBIES. — The fruit of the common bramble ( Rubus fruticosus) is known by this name, although it is not strictly speaking a berry, but a cluster of small fruits, of which each contains its own seed. The Blackberry, and several other kinds of the raspberry species, such as the dewberry and cloudberry, are found growing wild in all parts of the country; but their cultivation has recently been strongly advocated, it having been practised in America with considerable success so far as an improvement in the size and flavour of the fruit is concerned. But it is a question for marketgardeners to decide whether the demand for Blackberries in this country would be sufficiently increased by any improvement in the quality of the fruit to render it of importance as an addition to their industry.

For culinary purposes Blackberries are not usually very greatly esteemed, as they are astringent in taste; but it must be admitted that when prepared according to any of the following receipts they will be found to render good results. They should be gathered when the sun is upon them.

Blackberry Brandy. — (1) In the United States and Canada there is a great demand for this fruit spirit, on account of its astringent medicinal qualities. In England it does not seem to meet with so much favour, although it has been recently introduced and advertised by some enterprising American firms. It is usually prepared thus: Macerate in 5galls. of spirit (a little under proof) Joz. each of cinnamon, cloves, and

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Blackberries — continued.

mace, and half that weight of cardamoms. These should all be well bruised in a mortar before putting into the spirit. Take 161b. of large ripe Blackberries and mash them thoroughly with a fruit-masher, or with a pestle in a large mortar, adding to the spirit as soon as done. Allow these all to macerate for at least a fortnight, then strain off the juice through a coarse sieve, pressing the residue thoroughly either in a press or by squeezing in a bag or cloth. Strain the juice two or three times through a tammy cloth. Prepare a thin syrup by boiling 21b. of sugar in 3galls. of water, and add this to the spirit and juice. Filter into bottles through a funnel lined with filtering- or blotting-paper, and cork securely to preserve for use. Sometimes the oils of cinnamon, or cassia, and cloves are used instead of the spices, in which case teaspoonful of each will suffice.

(2) Soak lgall. of crushed Blackberries in lgall. of good brandy for five or six days; strain off the liquor, dissolve 21b. of loaf sugar in it, and in two or three weeks filter off and put into bottles for use.

(3) Take 51b. of Blackberries, crush them, put them with their juice into a large jar with a narrow mouth, and add 4qts. of brandy, or any other spirit over proof. Put in also 1 teaspoonful of crushed mace, 1 teaspoonful of crushed cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful of crushed cloves, and twelve crushed cardamom-seeds. Put a large cork in the jar to keep it airtight, and let it stand for a fortnight. Boil 21b. of sugar in 1 pint of water, taking the scum off as it rises, till a little of it put in a saucer thickens as it cools. Strain the spirit from the fruit and spice, add the syrup, mix together, and put it into a clean jar so corked as to be air-tight; let it stand for a fortnight, then strain it again, and bottle, corking the bottles and sealing them to keep them air-tight.

Blackberry Cordial. — This is a very tasty preparation, and might be better known in England than it is. As a specific for summer diarrhoea it has gained a great reputation in America.

(1) A very simple mode of preparing this is to put lgall. of brandy in a 3gall. wide-mouthed jar, or keg, fill it up with Blackberries, cover it over tightly, and set away to macerate for three months. Then pour off the liquor through a sieve, squeezing the fruit well, so as to get all the liquor you can. Measure it, and to every quart add £lb. of crushed loaf sugar, 1 pint of good port wine, and 1 pint of pure water. Strain through a tammy cloth, bottle, and cork thoroughly. Leave it for six weeks before using.

(2) To each pound of Blackberries allow £lb. of moist sugar, mix well, and put into large wide-mouthed jars, filling them up with brandy to cover the fruit. Add 1 teaspoonful each of cloves and allspice to each gallon jar, cover, and leave three weeks to macerate. Pour off the liquor, squeeze the fruit thoroughly, filter through a tammy cloth, bottle, and cork. This may be served with water.

(3) Spon gives a very elaborate receipt, which is, although simplified in some particulars, as follows: Soak 16oz. of dried Blackberries in a little water, and express, repeating the process of adding water and expressing until 6 pints of juice are obtained; or, if the berries are fresh, first express the juice of them and then wash the residue with water and express again, repeating this until G£ pints are collected. Mix with this C.j- pints of juice, lqt. of brandy, 1J pints of port wine, and 1 pint of spirits of wine. Moisten the following powdered spices and root with this liquor and pack them in a percolator, allowing the spirit to pass through, and drain: lib. of powdered Blackberry root (possibly for the sake of the extra astringency given by the tannin), loz. of powdered mace, 9 drachms of powdered cassia, and 5 drachms each of powdered allspice and cloves. Measure off what has passed through the spices in the percolator, and pour on water to run through to the extent of 10 pints in all. Then stir in 51b. of powdered loaf sugar, let it dissolve, and then filter and bottle.

A better plan would be to measure the liquor percolated before adding the water, and then to percolate sufficient water to make the 10 pints, receiving it in a separate vessel. The 51b. of sugar might then bo dissolved in the percolated water by gentle heat, and when cold added to the spirit. In this way the difficulty of dissolving the sugar in the spirit would be overcome. The percolation of the water would be for the purpose of washing through any spirit

Blackberries — continued.

or flavour of the spice that might be remaining after the SDirit percolation had ceased.

(4) Simmer together for half-an-liour in a large stewpan closely covered to prevent evaporation, 2qts. of Blackberry juice, lib. of loaf sugar, four grated nutmegs, ioz. of ground cloves, Joz. of ground allspice, and Joz. of ground cinnamon. Strain through a cloth, and when cold add 1 pint of best brandy. Very old whisky may be used instead of the brandy, but is not so generally liked.

(5) Take i bushel of Blackberries, mash them well, and boil in their own juice for an hour with lib. of pounded allspice and 2oz. of pounded cloves. Strain through a cloth, and then dissolve lib. of powdered loaf sugar in each pint of juice. Boil up again, and when cold add igall. of best brandy. Bottle and cork for use.

(G) Crush lgall. of ripe Blackberries, and macerate for a week in lgall. of brandy; then express the liquor, dissolve in it 21b. of loaf sugar, and in the course of a week or two strain through flannel into bottles.

Blackberry Dessert. — Put lqt. of Blackberries into a saucepan with lqt. of sugar and 1 teacupful of water, and cook them until done. Turn them out on to a dish, and serve with powdered cracker, sugar, and cream, on another dish.

Blackberry or American Down-Bast Pudding - . — Put 1 pint of molasses into a basin, and mix with it lqt. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 1 table-spoonful of salt, and 3 pints of Blackberries, previously picked and cleaned of leaves, &c. Put this mixture into a basin and boil it for three hours. When done, turn it out, and serve with sauce made with 1 teacupful of butter beaten to a cream, the same quantity of caster sugar, and 1 teaspoonful of brandy added very gradually. Beat in the yolk of an egg, and when this is creamy add the white, previously beaten to a froth; lastly, stir in carefully 2 teaspoonfuls of boiling water.

Blackberry Jam. — Pick over carefully and remove tho stalks of as much fruit as you propose to preserve, and see that it is ripe and dry, for which reason it should be gathered in the early morning. Allow from lib. to Jib. of crushed preserving sugar to every lib. of tho fruit. Put the fruit and sugar into the preserving-pan as you weigh it, and then place them over a very slow fire, or turned-down gas-stove, so as to warm the whole without burning. By this time tho juice will begin to run from the berries, and stirring with a wooden spoon must bo continued without ceasing, as from the first. In course of time the contents of the pan will begin to simmer, at which heat tho jam must be kept until it sets nicely when dropped on a cold plate. Skimming is not necessary, as the jam keeps well if what little scum might rise is stirred in. Put in jars, and when cold tie down in tho usual way.

Blackberry Jam with Apples — Take any kind of good cooking apples, pare, core, and chop them up, and mix with tho Blackberries (selected as for Blackberry Jam) to tho extent of half their weight; put both in the preserving-pan, with, at the very least, 3lb. of coarsely-bi-oten preserving sugar to every 41b. of fruit. Proceed in every other way as for Blackberry Jam.

The juice and grated rind of one lemon may be added to the foregoing to each lib. of fruit with considerable advantage to the flavour. The seeds may be removed from the Blackberries by rubbing the partly-boiled fruit through a fine hair sieve.

Blackberry Jelly.— (1) Proceed as for Blackberry Jam so far as picking and selecting the fruit. Then partly cook the Blackberries in the preserving-pan with % pint of water to every 41b. of fruit, or bake in a crock in the oven in the same way until soft enough to squeeze through a tammy cloth or flannel jelly-bag. Then put Jib. of coarselybroken preserving sugar to every pint of juice, and boil slowly for at least three-quarters-of-an-hour, or until, when poured on to a cold plate or slab, it “ jellies,” that is, sets firm as it cools. Pot and tie down when cold.

(2) Equal parts of bullaees and Blackberries treated in the manner described mako a very nice jelly.

(3) Half the quantity of apples may also bo added, and nicely sharpened up with the juice and grated rind of a lemon to every 21b. of fruit.

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Blackberries — continued.

Blackberry Meringue. — Put 8oz. of sugar and fire eggs into a basin, beat tbem well for two or three minutes, then add 4oz. of warmed butter, 12oz. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of bakingpowder, and 1 teacupful of milk; when well mixed, spread the preparation on to a baking-sheet, and bake until done. Care must be taken in spreading out the mixture to have it a little thinner in the centre than at the sides. When done, take it out of the oven, cover the surface with Blackberries, and cover them again with meringue made by beating the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth, and mixing in 4 tablespoonfuls of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Put the cake in the oven, bake for a minute, take it out, and serve.

Blackberry Pie. — Pick the Blackberries clean of stalks and debris, and put them into a flat pie-dish lined with a good paste. Grate a little nutmeg over, add the juice of a lemon and its grated rind, and a piled teacupful of moist sugar; then pour in 1 gill of water, put on a top crust, and bake in a moderate oven. Sometimes apples to the extent of a third of the fruit are added, and the juice of a lemon is another great improvement.

Blackberry Pudding. — Take a sufficient quantity of Blackberries and thinly-sliced apples, mixed, to fill a puddingbasin. Turn out the fruit from the basin, and line with a good pudding crust; replace the fruit, add 21b. of sugar, cover over, and tie up with a cloth. Plunge into boiling water, and let it boil for two hours, or nearly.

Blackberry Shape. — Carefully select and pick over a full pint of large freshly-gathered ripe Blackberries, freeing them from stalks, leaves, and any other debris. Put them in a widemouthed jar, stand this in a saucepan partly filled with water, and let them stew with the lid on the jar until they are soft; then squeeze all the juice out of them by twisting in a cloth. Have ready pared, cored, and chopped as many good cooking apples as will weigh lib.; put them into the preserving-pan with the juice of the Blackberries, and let them boil for a little until the apples are soft; then add (stirring) fib. of moist sugar, and let it simmer until the sugar is all dissolved, and for a few minutes after; then stir in the grated peel of half a lemon, and put into a stone or earthenware mould. This will set better if the full mould is packed in ice. Before turning out, dip the outside of the mould for a second into a basin of hot water, and the shape will fall out of the mould quite easily.

Blackberry Shortcake.— Put into a basin Jib. of crushed loaf sugar with Jib. of well- washed butter, grate in the rind of half a lemon, and mix well with the hand for ten minutes. Break in five eggs, one at a time, meanwhile mixing for ten minutes longer, always with the hand. Add gradually Jib. of sifted flour, and mix for three minutes. Cover a baking-sheet with thick paper, place on this three tin cake-rings, 9in. in diameter and lin. high, divide the preparation equally into them, and place in a moderate oven to bake for thirty minutes. Remove, and allow the cakes thirty minutes more to cool. Lift up the paper with the cakes, turn it upside down on the table, remove the paper, and detach the cakes from the rings by passing a knife all round. Pick and clean 3 pints of fine ripe Blackberries. Have ready a dish with a fancy paper over; lay one of the cakes on top of this, spread over evenly 2 table-spoonfuls of whipped cream, cover with half the Blackberries, sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar, cover with another cake, spread over the same quantity of cream as before, arrange the other half of the Blackberries on top, dredge again with powdered sugar, and lay the last cake over all, sprinkling with more sugar. Fix a small tube into a pastry-bag, put into the bag 6 table-spoonfuls of whipped vanilla cream, and with it decorate the top of the cake in an artistic manner.

Blackberry Syrup. — (1) Mash and express the juice from as many freshly-gathered ripe Blackberries as you may have for the purpose, and to each quart of juice add a syrup made by boiling 61b. of sugar in 1J pints of water. When the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, add the juice, boil up, and then remove from the fire; skim, and pass through a fine strainer into bottles.

(2) To 2qts. of juice add lib. of sugar, Joz. of powdered nutmeg, Joz. of powdered cinnamon, Joz. of powdered cloves, and Joz. of powdered allspice; boil together for a short time, and when cold add 1 pint of good brandy.

Blackberries — continued.

Blackberry Tarts. — (1) Take Jib. of puff paste, roll it out 12in. long by 8in. wide, and with a pastry-cutter cut out six pieces; arrange these neatly on six scalloped tart-moulds, each 3 Jin. wide. Take each separate mould in the hand, and with the thumb press the paste gently down at the bottom and sides, so to give it the perfect shape of the mould, but avoid pressing the paste on the edge, so that in baking it will swell and rise. Divide into them evenly 8oz. of apple marmalade, lay them on a baking-sheet, and put them in a moderate oven for twenty minutes; remove them to the door, sprinkle the edges with powdered sugar, return them to the oven, and close the door for two minutes, so that the sugar melts thoroughly; lift them out, put them to cool for twenty minutes, and take out half the marmalade. Pick and wash 1 pint of Blackberries, put them in a vessel with 2oz. of powdered sugar, and mix well for one minute; divide this equally into the six tarts, spread over ljoz. of apple jelly, dress them on a dish with a folded napkin or ornamental paper, and serve.

(2) Spread 12oz. of apple marmalade over a pie-dish lined with paste, put a strip of paste round the rim, and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes; dust the surface

profusely with powdered loafi sugar, and bake for two minutes longer. Take it out, ler'dt get quite cold, and with a spoon scoop out about half of thte apple; fill up the cavity with 1J pints of Blackberries mixed up with 2oz. of sugar, spread over a little apple jelly, and serve.

Blackberry Tartlets. — Same as for Blackberry Pie, excepting that small tartlet-pans are used instead of a piedish, and the fruit is left uncovered.

Blackberry Wine. — (1) A variety of instructions are given by different authors for the preparation of this wine, but all err more or less in one very important particular — the addition of so much sugar that only a small part is broken up by fermentation, leaving a rich syrupy liquor instead of a pleasantly drinkable beverage. The best plan is to get -what Blackberries you can, taking care that they are gathered when the sun is up; for should the day be dull or wet, the fruit is not generally fit to ferment, and is flavourless. Mash the fruit with a masher as soon after gathering as possible, and put it in a vat with equal parts of warm water in which a little sugar has been dissolved over heat — lib. of sugar to lgall. of fruit and water is ample. Pour off the juice and press the mass thoroughly to get out all the liquor you can; then put into a well-cleaned tub to ferment, but do not fill the tub by 2in. or 3in. In the course of a few days the fermentation will have thoroughly set in without the addition of yeast. When the active fermentation has in a measure subsided, fill up the barrel with old Blackberry wine if you have any, or sugary water (lib. to a gall.), and bung up. In the course of two or three months it will be soon enough to .draw off into another cask, and fine down by pouring into it the whites of two or three eggs to every 9galls., or loz. of gelatine dissolved in a little of the wine; stir in well, re-bung, and leave for a fortnight or more; then draw off into bottles, taking every care to cork them thoroughly. Lay down in a cellar for a year or so before using, as wine made in this way improves by keeping.

(2) Cover a quantity of Blackberries with water, and put them into an oven to draw out the juice. Strain the liquor through a sieve, and leave it to ferment for fifteen days. Afterwards add lib. of sugar to each 2qts. of juice, and stir in J pint of gin or brandy. Bottle, cork loosely, and in a few days’ time it will be ready for use. See British Wines.

Blackberry Wine with Blums. — (1) Pick off all the stalks and remove all the leaves from 3galls. of freshly-gathered Blackberries. Put Jgall. at a time into a saucepan or preserving-pan, pour in 2 breakfast-cupfuls of water, and stir over a slow fire until they commence to boil. Pass the liquor through a jelly-bag into a basin, and proceed udth the remaining Blackberries, serving them in the same way. When all the liquor is obtained, measure it, and to each gallon add l.Vlb. of any kind of plums, such as egg-plums, bullaces, sloes, or damsons, and 31b. of sugar; put them all into a tub, pour in lgall. of water, add sufficient yeast to ferment it. When the fermentation is completed, remove the head,

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Blackberries — continued.

and pour it into a cask. Bottle off in a few months, and use as required.

(2) The same ingredients are used as for No. 1, but all the fruit is put into a barrel and left for a year to clear, without the addition of any fining; it may then be bottled and corked down securely.

Imitation Blackberry Brandy. — Dissolve 5 or 6 drops each of oil of cinnamon and oil of cloves in J pint of rectified spirit; add this to If pints of German black-cherry juice, and pour into this 6qts. more of rectified spirit. Let this stand for a time, and then add 2£ pints of plain syrup and 2 pints of distilled water, and after filtering there will be produced a liqueur which is certain to be in great winter demand, and useful for many kitchen purposes. Pickled Blackberries. — Put lib. of sugar into a saucepan with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of vinegar, and add 1 teaspoonful each of allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, all finely powdered; place the saucepan on the fire, and boil slowly for a quarter-of-an-hour. Put in lgall. of picked Blackberries, and cook them, without boiling, for ten minutes. Pour the mixture into jars, and it is ready for use. The spices may be dispensed with if they are not liked.

BLACKBIRDS.— It is only in very primitive parts of the country that the Merle, as it is sometimes called, finds its way into the kitchen excepting as a living pet; but it is nevertheless considered very good eating in a pie, especially when prepared as follows:

Blackbird Pie. — Por this dish the birds should only be used from November to the end of January. Pick and draw the required number of Blackbirds, and stuff them with a mixture made as follows: Put the crumb of a French roll into a basin with a little milk, soak it, put it into a saucepan with 2oz. of butter, the yolks of two eggs, and a seasoning of chopped parsley and shallot, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Put the pan over the fire, and stir well until the paste is quite thick; it is then ready for use. Put a few fried slices of beef at the bottom of a pie-dish, place the stuffed birds on them, intermix a few hard-boiled yolks of eggs, pour over sufficient good gravy to moisten, and cover over the dish with a light crust. Put the pie into a hot oven, bake for an-hour-and-a-quarter, take it out when done, and serve.

BLACK BREAD. — See Bread.

BLACK BUTTER (Beurre noir). — See Butter. BLACK CAKE— See Cakes.

BLACKCAP PUDDING.— See Puddings.

BLACKCOCK (Fr. Coq de Bruyere (Heath-cock); Ger. Schwarzwild, or Birkliahn).— This bird ( Tetrao tetrix), of the grouse species, is found very plentifully on the moors and mountains of Scotland and northern England; it is also occasionally seen in the mountains and marshy parts of the Continent, and especially in Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia, where it abounds, and whence many of the birds, mostly cocks, are sent to this country. Its favourite haunts are moors, bogs, and morasses, covered with rank herbage. The male, which generally weighs about 41b., is of a shining rich bluish-black colour, with a conspicuous white bar on the wings below the ends of the great wing-covers; the outer tail-feathers on each side are elongated and curved outwards. The female, which rarely weighs more than 21b., is of a rust colour, and is commonly known as the “ grey-hen.” The Blackcock is also known as the Heath-fowl, or Black-grouse. It is gregarious, but in winter-time the males and females form separate flocks. After pairing they build nests of a very simple construction on the ground, and lay in each six or eight eggs, which are about 2in. long. The flesh is considered very delicate, and is, therefore, highly esteemed for the table. It is in season from 20th August to 10th December.

To Truss a Blackcock. — Pluck and draw tbo bird, wipe it well both inside and out, and chop off its head. Insert a skewer in the first joint of each of the pinions, bringing the

Blackcock — continued.

middle of the legs close to it, then put skewers through the middle of the legs, and through the body, then two more through the small of the leg and through the sides. The feet should be scalded and picked, and the toes chopped off. It may also be trussed with the head on, which should then be secured under the left wing. It is usual to truss with the head under the wing, for some of our epicures declare that there are some very delicate pickings about the head when opened — the brain, to wit; but the probability is that the head is left on as an assurance to the expectant guest that he is not being imposed upon with a capon — an imposition that some would readily pardon. In carving a Blackcock, do not forget that the two thighs are reckoned the choice morsels of this bird, although the breast is by no means to be despised.

Roasted Blackcock. — (1) If the bird is not very young, it is advisable to lard it. In that case, remove the skin of the breast, and lard the flesh with fillets of bacon. Fix the bird on the spit, and roast it in front of a clear fire, basting it continually with butter. The Blackcock requires about forty minutes’ cooking, and it should be kept rather underdone. When cooked, put it on a hot dish, garnish with watercress, and serve with a sauceboatful of rich gravy.

(2) Pluck, draw, and singe off the undergrowth of a young Blackcock, truss it like a fowl, tie a thin slice of fat bacon over the breast, and set to roast before a bright fire, basting with butter occasionally. When the bird is quite done (about fifty minutes), place it upon a dish, remove the strings and trussing skewers, and serve plain, garnished with sprigs of watercress, but with a rich gravy as for roasted fowl.

(3) Let the bird hang in the air, head downwards, until quite tender — that is, for a few days if the weather continues cold. Be careful that it does not show symptoms of decay. Pluck, draw, and then truss it; or it may be plucked and drawn before hanging, although some cooks believe that hanging in the feathers is an advantage to the flesh, improving its flavour. Fasten a sheet of bacon-fat over the breast, and put the bird on to a stand in a baking-tin with a piece of butter the size of a fowl’s egg; salt over slightly and let it roast in a hot oven, basting occasionally. When about half-done, say lialf-an-hour after putting in the oven, pour over it £ pint of sour cream, and finish cooking. It should take rather less than an hour. Dish it up when done, removing all strings and skewers. Add pint of good broth to that which is in the tin, reduce it over the fire or stove, stirring slowly until it becomes quite thick, pass it through a strainer, and serve poured over the bird.

(4) After roasting as in No. 2, it is not unusual to cut a large slice of bread, largo enough for the bird to lie on after the crusts are trimmed off; toast it very lightly, dip it into lemon-juice, and lay it in the dripping-pan under the bird a few minutes before serving. Sometimes bread sauce is served with roasted Blackcock.

Stewed Blackcock. — This dish is only admissible when the bird is a veritable oldster. Cut up the Blackcock into suitable pieces, and put them into a frying-pan with a little butter and a sliced clove of garlic, twisting and turning the pieces about with a fork until they are lightly browned. Then remove the pieces from the frying-pan and put them into a stewpan, and set aside whilst you make the following gravy: Pour into the frying-pan 1 teacupful of good meat stock and 2 wineglassfuls of port wine, and a few strips of lemonpeel cut thin; sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste, and warm up in the pan until quite hot. Then pour the whole through a strainer over the pieces in a stewpan, and put it on the fire, tightly covered, to simmer until well-cooked through and tender. Pile the pieces of meat in the centre of the dish, and pour the gravy round. Garnish with triangular sippets of toast, and serve as hot as you can.

BLACK CURRANTS. — See Currants.

BLACK-DIVER. — This active little bird of t-lie duck tribe is met with in many parts of the American continent, and is greatly esteemed by native epicures. In colour it is blackish-brown, with bright tints about the bill, neck, and wings. Although not altogether imknown in this country, it very rarely finds its way to British tables;

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Slack-Diver — continued.

but as a stray specimen may be obtainable now and again, the following receipts will not be without interest. Black-Diver -with Chocolate Sauce. — Pick and draw a Black-Diver, dry it well on a cloth, and rub it well with brandy. Brown it over a slow fire, put it into an earthenware jar, with a few laurel-leaves, fine herbs, salt, and sufficient white wine to moisten, and simmer gently on the side of the fire until the bird is done. Put it on a dish, pour over chocolate-flavoured sauce, and serve.

Salmis of Black-Diver. — Pluck, draw, and clean a BlackDiver, put it on a spit in front of a clear fire, roast it until it is nearly done, and cut it up into pieces. Put into a saucepan a few trimmings of truffles, warm them in butter, mix in a little flour and white wine, an onion stuck with cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, a head of garlic, and a few laurel-leaves. Cook gently for five or six minutes, pour in some vegetable stock or broth, and add a few stoned olives and blanched sticks of celery. When all these are thoroughly cooked, put in the pieces of bird, simmer gently on the side of the fire until they are done. Put on a dish, place the celery and olives round, pour over the sauce through a strainer, and serve.

BLACKFISH (Centrolophus paupilus). — This very scarce fish is caught in deep water, in the Mediterranean Sea, off the western coast of Europe, and occasionally along the southern coast of Great Britain. It sometimes measures 30in. in length, and weighs from 51b. to 141b. Its skin is tough and black, and can be stripped off like an eel’s. By epicures Blackfisli is considered a great delicacy, the flesh being exquisitely white and tender. When boiled whole it is usually served handsomely garnished, and with a l’ich brown sauce. There are several species known, some closely related to the tench, and others to the dolphin or whale.

Fried Blackfisli. — Clean the fish by putting it into cold water after it is scaled, and rubbing it thoroughly with a handful of salt; draw the intestines from the gills, and then again wash the fish in cold water. Have ready a frying-pan half-full of fat over the fire, and a plateful of corn-meal seasoned with salt and pepper. Cut the fish across in slices about lin. thick, and trim off the fins and tail; roll the slices in the meal, and then fry them brown in the hot fat. When the fish is done, take it out of the fat with a skimmer, lay it on brown paper for a moment to free it from grease, and serve hot. A lemon, cut in quarters, makes a good garnish. Stewed Blackfisli.— Draw and clean the fish. Prepare a stuffing of finely-minced pork, onions, and breadcrumbs; season with salt and pepper, and stuff the fish with it. Lay the fish in a fish-kettle, cover it with hot water, put on the lid, and stew slowly for three hours. Make a rich meat gravy with claret, thickening it with scorched flour and seasoning it with salt, pepper, cloves, and a small quantity of cayenne pepper. When the fish is cooked, take it carefully out of the fish-kettle, drain it, lay it on a hot dish, strain the gravy over, and serve.

BLACK JACKS. — Leathern drinking-cups with silver rims; once greatly in vogue, but only met with now as curiosities.

BLACK PUDDINGS (Fr. Boudins noirs; Ger. Blutwursten; It. Sanguinaccioni; Sp. Morcillas). — These nondescript sort of sausages are made chiefly from pig’s or sheep’s blood and suet. They are much relished in Scotland, are known in various parts of the country as black-pot, and are universal favourites amongst the labouring classes. Hudibras alludes to them thus:

And fat Black Puddings — proper food For warriors, who delight in blood.

Several receipts are to be met with for their manufacture, some of which are more suitable for wholesale purposes than domestic use.

(1) First of all obtain a supply of large pig’s entrails; thoroughly cleanse them in hot water, and then leave them to soak in cold. As it is imperative that the blood shall be used freshly drawn, the day for making these puddings should

Black Puddings— continued.

certainly be the same upon which the animal is slaughtered. Mince up very small 51b. of onions, and stew them in a little water, stirring continually until they are nearly cooked and ready to fall, and then mince up as finely as possible. Chop up in a mincing machine or on a board 41b. of fresh pork without bone, and plenty of fat — the flank answers admirably. Mix this with the onions, add plenty of pepper and salt to season, and ground allspice; stir together in a large crock, and pour upon it, still stirring, about lqt. of warm pig’s blood. Cut the entrails that have been soaking into lengths of about £yd.; tie up one end and insert a large funnel in the other, through which the skin must be lightly filled, passing each mass through the funnel down to the end of the skin. When full, close this end also, and then divide into puddings by pinching the desired length between the fingers and thumbs and twisting the two pieces in different directions; tie the two ends together to make a sort cf coil, throw them into boiling water, and let it continue boiling for about half-an-hour. Take them out, and let them be kept in a cool place. Black Puddings made in this way are usually boiled, or they may be simply toasted before the fire.

(2) Well wash and boil fib. of sound rice, and let it thoroughly drain. Cut all the crust off a quartern-loaf, break it up and put it into a crock or large pan, and pour over it 2qts. of warm new milk. Add to the rice foz. each of grated nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground ginger, lib. of finely-chopped partially cooked onions, 1 teaspoonful of finely-minced thyme, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1 teaspoonful of black pepper, and i teaspoonful of ground or pounded cloves, and work in at the same time 21b. of finely-minced suet and six well-beaten eggs. When the bread has absorbed as much milk as it will hold, pour off what remains unabsorbed and add the rice mixture to the bread, beating up well together, and 21b. of the inner fat of the pig chopped into small dice. When all these are sufficiently mixed, work in 2qts. of liquid pig’s blood, put into sausage skins, and treat as described in No. 1, boiling for an hour. Before serving, they should be soaked in boiling water, and then toasted before the fire.

(3) In some parts of France these puddings are made by

the working classes, the receipt employed being as follows, with slight variations according to localities, tastes, and circumstances: The blood is drawn off and stirred con tinuously to prevent clotting, and a little vinegar added to assist in the same purpose. It is then seasoned with onions thoroughly minced and partially cooked by stewing in lard — lib. to a quart of blood; also to the same quantity 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, with salt, pepper, and ground allspice to taste. Stir in £lb. of inner pork-fat cut into small dice. With this mixture the skin may be filled by passing through a funnel as described in No. 1, and tied or twisted into lengths, and then all thrown into boiling water and kept simmering until quite firm. They may be tested by pricking with a needle — if only fat runs, they are done; but if blood oozes, it is necessary to put them into the hot water again, and keep them boiling for some time longer. When done, before getting quite cold they should be rubbed over with butter to give them a gloss, and tied up in muslin bags to keep. They may be parboiled so as to serve hot, or cut into slices and fried. A flavour of garlic adds greatly to the merit of these puddings in the opinion of many.

(4) In Spain the mode of manufacture practised is very complete. The fat that is taken from the inside of the pig is minced up fine and thrown into a vessel with the following seasoning: For every pound of fat, 1 teaspoonful each of salt and pepper, four large onions partly boiled and chopped very fine, and 1 teaspoonful each of powdered cloves and cinnamon. Mix well together, and then add 2qts. of blood slowly, stirring well with a wooden spoon. When the paste is ready, fill the skin with it (as in No. 1), divide, put into lukewarm water, and boil up slowly until the puddings are firm. Sometimes finely-chopped fennel is added to the other seasoning.

French Black Pudding - . — Blanch and chop about six onions; put 8oz. of chopped pork-fat into a stewpan, melt it, remove the pieces of skin, put the onions in with the melted fat, boil them for a few minutes, and then take them off the fire, leaving them till partly cooled. Trim off the skin from 21b. of pork-fat, and cut the fat into small squares. Strain 2qts. of pig’s blood through a fine hair sieve, and mix it with

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Black Puddings — continued.

the half-cooled fat and onions. Add to the mixture 1 breakfast-cupful of thick cream, season it with salt and spices, and stir it over a moderate fire till it assumes a creamy thickness; then mix in the squares of fat. Thoroughly cleanse and soak the pig’s intestines, fix a tin funnel in the opening at one end, and fill with the mixture, being careful not to crack them. When the intestines are full, fasten them securely at the ends, and plunge them into a stewpan of hot water. When poached, drain the puddings on a cloth, rub them over with a piece of skin, cover them, and leave them till cool. When wanted for serving, the puddings must be well broiled over a clear fire.

German Black Puddings.— Cut the rind off some fresh pork, blanch it, then scrape, wash well, and boil it. Drain the rind, chop finely, and mix with it a third of its quantity of chopped bacon. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, powdered thyme, and marjoram, and moisten it with a small quantity of liquid pig’s blood. Fill some prepared intestines with the mixture, tie them up at the ends, put them into a saucepan of hot water, and boil them over a slow fire for forty minutes. These puddings can be smoked.

BLANC (Fr. for “white”). — The term is used in French cookery to denote meats that are served an blanc — that is, with white sauce; also for pieces of the breast of fowl, as blanc de volatile.

Finely chop some beef-suet and some trimmings of bacon; put this into a saucepan with 4oz. of butter, two finelyminced lemons (having removed their pips), half a laurelleaf, half a blade of mace, a few sprigs of thyme and basil, two or three cloves, 1 pinch of mignonette pepper, and a small quantity of salt. Stir the mixture over the fire for a few minutes, but do not brown it; then pour in sufficient water to cover it, move the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let the contents stew gently for two hours. At the end of that time strain the Blanc through a fine hair sieve, and put it by for use.

Blanc for Vegetables in General. — Cut -lib. of fat bacon and a small lump of beef-suet into moderate-sized pieces; put them into a stewpan with half a lemon cut into slices, 2oz. of butter, a small lump of salt, and as much water as will cover whatever vegetables are to be boiled in it. Stew the Blanc for half-an-hour, at tho end of which time it will be ready for the vegetables.

BLANCHING. — In cookery tliis term, or its equivalent in other languages, especially French, has a very extended signification, originating doubtless in the first intention of soaking almonds or other kernels in

Fig. 169. Blanching-pan.

hot water to get their coats off. It is now used to imply the mere act of soaking anything for a short time in scalding water and refreshing in cold. Some meats are blanched to get the skin off — as ox-tongues,

Blanching — continued.

palates, cow-heels, and pig’s feet; other meats are blanched for the purpose of giving firmness to the flesh, and thus facilitating the process of larding; others, again, to preserve the whiteness — such as of rabbits and fowls. Some vegetables are blanched to preserve their colour, and others to remove any acridity or bitter taste of which they might be possessed. The mode usually practised is to plunge the article, whatever it may be, into a Blanching-pan (Fig. 169) of boiling water, letting it remain there some two or three minutes, and then to remove from the hot water, and throw into cold, leaving it there to cool. In Blanching kernels, it is necessary to keep up the heat until the skins are removed.

Confectioners use the term “ Blanching ” as applied to the immersion of certain fruits, such as apricots and peaches, into a sort of lye, in order to rid them of their woolly or downy coats.

BLANC-MANGE.— A corruption of Blanc-manger Fr. for, literally, “something white to eat”; Ger. Weiss Gallerte; Ital. Bianco-mangeare). In this country the word Blanc-mange is used almost indiscriminately, whereas

Fig. 170. Blanc mange Decorated with Preserved Cherries, and Garnished with Crystallised Apples.

amongst Continental cooks Blanc-manger is applied to a dish which is made from animal jelly (gelatine), sweetened, spiced, and mixed with an emulsion of sweet almonds, which renders it white. The term Blanc-mange, without the final r, seems to have foimd favour amongst British confectioners, and to have been almost universally adopted in this country; and for that reason it has been accepted in this Encyclopaedia as correct.

As might be supposed, various receipts for Blancmange are to be found, amongst which milk, cream, rice, and cornflour are employed to give the necessary white appearance. The following may be relied upon for giving good results, and when turned out upon dishes and garnished with jams or stewed, preserved, or crystallized fruits, present not only very tasty dishes, but are ornaments to the table as well (see Fig. 170).

(1) Simmer together 1 pint each of cream and milk, with a small stick of cinnamon previously bruised in a mortar, i teaspoonful of coriander-seeds also bruised, sugar to taste, and a bay-leaf; to these add ljoz. of isinglass, and when it is dissolved, strain the mixture. Set it by to cool, and if any film arises on the surface, skim it off. When nearly cold, pour it into a quart mould, and place in a convenient place to got cool and set. Turn out, and serve.

(2) Blanch and pound in a mortar, with 1 table-spoonful of orange-flower water, )oz. of bitter almonds and 8oz. of sweet almonds. When reduced to a pulp, pour over 1 pint of warm milk, sweetened to taste with pounded loaf sugar; strain this through a tammy cloth, and squeezo it well into a basin. Dissolve eight or nine sheets of French gelatine in 1 pint of lukewarm water, and add to the almond mixture;

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Blanc-mange — continued.

mix well, and pour into a mould packed in ice. Turn it out when wanted for serving.

(3) Warm £ pint of new milk or cream, and dissolve in it oz. of gelatine, previously soaked all niglit in 1 wineglassful of water. Sweeten to taste with white sugar and -flavour with vanilla. When nearly cold, stir into the Blanc-mange the whites of two or three eggs beaten to a strong froth, pour into moulds to set, and turn out to serve when required.

(4) Simmer ljoz. of fine isinglass in 1J pints of new milk, add the rind of half a lemon shred very fine, a blade or two of mace, and a stick of cinnamon, and sweeten with 2Joz. of loaf sugar. Blanch Joz. of sweet almonds and eight or ten hitter ones, and pound them with 1 table-spoonful of rose-water; add this to the milk, and mix. When the isinglass is quite dissolved, strain through white flannel into J pint of rich cream, and stir well together. When it has stood an hour, pour it off into another basin, leaving the sediment at the bottom; and when nearly cold, pour it into moulds, jelly-glasses, or custard-cups. Two table-spoonfuls of noyeau will answer the purpose of the almonds. The isinglass may be dissolved in 1 pint of water and J pint of milk.

(5) Blanch and pound in a mortar lib. of sweet almonds, dilute them with lqt. of cold water, and then pass them through a napkin, squeezing thoroughly. Mix into this almond-milk 9oz. of pounded sugar, and add to it J teaspoonful each of lemon- and orange-zest; a-quarter-of-an-hour after mix into it twelve or fourteen leaves of gelatine which have been dissolved in a little water; pass this through a fine sieve into a pan, set on ice, stir it slowly with a spoon till it begins to slightly thicken, and then pour it into a cylinder-mould set in a kitchen basin and surrounded with pounded ice. An hour after, the preparation ought to be quite set. At serving-time dip the mould quickly into warm water, and turn the Blanc-mange out on to a cold dish. This may be garnished in a variety of ways, and the centre may be filled with clotted cream.

(6) Dissolve over a fire ljoz. of isinglass in 1 gill of water; pour the melted isinglass into lqt. of cream (or mixed cream and milk) sweetened with Jib. of loaf sugar; put this into an enamelled stewpan, and boil slowly for half-an-hour; then strain it, and add Jib. of sweet almonds blanched and shaved fine. Season to the taste with vanilla and 1 wineglassful of Madeira, but do not add the wine while hot. Pour into a mould or moulds.

(7) Pour 2 table-spoonfuls of cold water on 2oz. of gelatine to soften it. Boil 3 pints of rich cream. Stir the gelatine whilst on the fire, and sweeten to the taste. When it cools, season with 3 table-spoonfuls of peach-water. Pour ounces of almonds, blanched and pounded very fine and boiled with the Blanc-mange, are a great improvement. When it begins to thicken, pour into moulds. Serve with plain cream.

(8) Sweeten lqt. of new milk (or new milk and cream), add two or three laurel-leaves, Joz. each of sweet and bitter almonds blanched and pounded, 1 teaspoonful of ratafia, or the thinly-peeled rind of a lemon. Soak ljoz. of gelatine in a little of the milk, then put all the ingredients into an enamelled stewpan, and stir over the fire until the gelatine is dissolved. If cream is used, it should not be boiled with the milk, but added after. Strain the mixture into a basin, and when nearly cold pour it into a mould. A little coloured jelly may be first set in the bottom of the mould as an ornament.

(9) Mix 3oz. of cornflour with a little cold milk; boil lqt. of milk with sugar and lemon-peel flavouring, and pour it into the cornflour, stirring well, so that there are no lumps. Put it again into the saucepan, and stir till it thickens sufficiently to leave the sides of the saucepan. Pour it into moulds. The yolk of an egg is sometimes added to make it richer.

(10) For 2 pints of new milk allow 1 pint of cream and 2oz. of isinglass. Flavour with lemon-peel, and sweeten to taste. Boil for twenty minutes, and then remove the lemonpeel. When nearly cold, add 1 wineglassful of sherry and 1 liqueur -glassful of brandy, and pour into a mould to cool and stiffen.

(11) Soak Joz. of isinglass for some hours in J gill of cold water, and boil in 1 pint of new milk (a little more

Blanc-mange — continued.

isinglass or gelatine will be required in summer); sweeten with loz. of loaf sugar, rubbing two or three lumps on the peels of a lemon and an orange, and add a very small piece of cinnamon. Blanch six bitter almonds and Joz. of sweet ones, and pound them in a mortar, adding 1 tablespoonful of rose-water by degrees to prevent them oiling. When pounded to a pulp, mix the almonds with the hot milk and gelatine, and then let it stand for half-an-hour. Strain through a fine sieve, stir in J pint of good cream, pour into a mould, and let it stand till set.

(12) Take Jib. of sweet almonds and ten bitter ones, blanch, and pound them in a mortar with a little milk. Melt lib. of sugar in 4 tumblerfuls of milk, and in it boil the pounded almonds, flavouring with vanilla. Strain the whole through a piece of coarse muslin, and while the ingredients are still hot, stir into them ljoz. of isinglass, previously dissolved in 2 table-spoonfuls of water and then strained. Pour the whole into a mould, which must remain twenty-four hours in a cold cellar, or six hours on ice, before turning the Blanc-mange out of it.

(13) Blanch and peel Jib. of Jordan almonds and Joz. of bitter ones, pound them in a mortar with 1 table-spoonful of orange-flower water, and add lqt. of water gradually; strain through a cloth, squeeze, and put the almond-milk in a basin. Put 3oz. of gelatine, Jib. of sugar, and 1£ pints of water in a stewpan, stir over the fire till the gelatine is melted, and strain it through a fine sieve; when cold, add the strained almond-milk and 1 teaspoonful of orange-flower water, and mix the whole thoroughly. Put a cylinder-mould in the ice, fill it with Blanc-mange, and let it remain for two hours; then turn it out of the mould, and serve.

(14) Parisian Style. — Take about Jib. of fresh filberts, and have them well pounded together with a few table-spoonfuls of water, moisten with 5 gills of vanilla-syrup, and pass it through a tammy. Mix the preparation up with eighteen leaves of gelatine, then add 2 table-spoonfuls of noyeau liqueur and the same of maraschino. Let it cool on the ice, stirring slowly, and as soon as it is setting gradually introduce into it double its volume of whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a cylinder-mould of low form embedded in ice, and keep it there for an hour. When about to serve, dip the mould in warm water, wipe it, and turn the Blanc-mange out on a cold dish.

(15) Russian Style. — Take J gill of sweetened almondmilk lightly flavoured with orange-zest; dissolve six leaves of gelatine, stir it in, and pour the mixture into a pan. Thicken it on ice, continually stirring, and introduce into it 2 tumblerfuls of whipped cream. Pour into a dome-shaped mould, previously embedded in pounded ice and salt, shut the mould, solder its junctures with paste, and cover it with salted ice. One hour after, dip the mould in tepid water, and turn the Blanc-mange out on an ornamental paper on a dish.

Blanc-mange a, la Delmonico. — Blanch Goz. of sweet almonds and 2oz. of bitter ones, put them in a vessel, cover them with cold water, and let them soak for fully one hour. Drain thoroughly through a sieve, and pound them well in a mortar, adding, little by little, 1 gill of cold water, and continue pounding for ten minutes. Now remove to a vessel, add 2 gills of lukewarm water, and mix together with the spatula for two minutes. Spread a large napkin over another vessel, pour on the above preparation, lift up the four corners, and holding them with the left hand, squeeze the liquid through with the right. Lay this almond-milk aside for further use. Put into a saucepan 2 gills of cold water, Joz. of gelatine, a piece of vanilla bean 2in. long and split in halves, and 4oz. of powdered sugar. Mix well with the spatula for two minutes, remove the spatula, put on tho lid, and let tho contents infuse for thirty minutes. Then place the saucepan on the hot stove, and stir gently from the bottom, allowing it to boil slowly for four minutes. Remove it from the fire, and let the pan rest on the table for three minutes. Pour in tho almond-milk, mix again for two minutes, using the spatula, and strain the whole through a fine sieve into another vessel. Have a 3-pint fluted Blanc-mange mould, put some broken ice at the bottom of a pail, place the mould on it, arranging more broken ico around the sides, so that tho mould is entirely sunk in the ico as far up as tho edge. Stir the preparation for one minute, then pour it into the mould, cover the pail with a napkin, and leave

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Blanc-mange — continued.

it to freeze. After an hour or so take out the mould carefully from the pail, wipe off the ice with a towel, and have ready a cold dessert-dish with a folded napkin over it. Turn out the Blanc-mange into this, decorate the surface with candied cherries and angelica, and it is ready for the table.

Blanc-mange Powders are offered for sale in packets. They are made of some preparation of starch, and are pronounced good and inexpensive.

Dutch Blanc-mange.— Put loz. of gelatine in 1 pint of hot water, and when it has dissolved, strain it through a jellybag till clear. Mix in it the grated peel of a large lemon, squeeze in the juice, taking care to keep back the pips, add £ pint of sherry, and caster sugar to taste. Put the mixture into a saucepan, and stir it over the fire till on the point of boiling; then move it off at once before it can curdle, mix in the well-beaten yolks of four eggs, and stir until nearly cold. Turn the Blanc-mange into a quart mould, and leave it till set. When ready to serve, turn it out of the mould on to a fancy or glass dish.

Parisian Blanc-mange.— Put J teacupful of orange-perfumed, sweetened almond-milk into a pan with six leaves of dissolved gelatine, and stir well on the ice until the mixture thickens; then add 2 wineglassfuls of whipped cream, turn the whole into a mould packed in ice, and let it remain for an hour. Turn the Blanc-mange out on to a napkin folded on a dish, and serve.

Ribbon Blanc-mange. — Prepare lqt. of Blanc-mange, divide it into four equal parts, colour one part green by adding prepared spinach- juice, another with cochineal, another with boiled chocolate, and the last with a little saffron; or colour it by adding the well-beaten yolks of two or three eggs, a few table-spoonfuls of milk, and stirring over the fire until it is of the consistence of the other parts. All these should be poured while warm into oiled moulds about lin. deep, and cooled. Pack a mould in ice, put in a layer first of one colour and then of another, and continue in this way until the mould is full, or all the Blanc-mange used up. Let it thoroughly set, turn it out on a dish when required, and serve. It has a very pretty effect.

Spanish Blanc-mange. — Mix Coz. of caster sugar and 2oz. of lemon sugar with 1 pint of cream; add J pint of water and the juice of a lemon, and stir the mixture till the sugar has dissolved; then stir in another pint of cream. Dissolve loz. of isinglass in 1 teacupful of warm water, then mix it with the other ingredients, and stir the whole over the fire till warm. Pour the Blanc-mange into a mould, and set it in a cool place till quite firm.

BLANQUETTE. — This is the French term for a common white sparkling wine made in Languedoc. It is also used to denote a sort of very sparkling white beer — a kind of lager. In cookery it is applied to a white stew of white meats, garnished with mushrooms, morels, or truffles, and answers to our fricassee. See Fowls, Lamb, Ox-palates, Rabbits, Sturgeon, Yeal, &c.

BLEAK. — Little fresh-water fish (Fig. 171) of the carp family. They are to be caught in most European

rivers, and are considered a delicacy cooked like sprats. No doubt the fry of the Bleak constitute a large proportion of the English whitebait, under which circumstance it obtains a favour amongst epicures that, from

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157

Bleak — continued.

its tasteless flesh, it would hardly acquire when full grown. There are no special modes of cooking the adult fish prescribed by our cooks, therefore it may be taken for granted that it is but little esteemed.

BLIGHXTI. — A pie made with pastry and fish, nicely seasoned; much esteemed amongst the Russians.

BLINIS. — Small meal cakes which are eaten in Russia during Lent. They are frequently served with melted butter and caviar. Dubois gives a rather elaborate receipt for their manufacture, which can be rendered more simply thus:

Dissolve 2oz. of German yeast in 1 tumblerful of lukewarm milk. Sift lib. of fine flour into a kitclien-basin, and form a hollow or well in the centre, into which pour the diluted yeast. Gradually stir in the flour, and make a light soft batter; cover the basin with a cloth, and set to rise for two hours in a moderately warm part of the kitchen. Beat up three or four yolks of eggs in a basin, and pour on 1 teacupful of lukewarm milk; mix fib- of rice-flour into the risen paste, and dilute it with the eggs and milk. The paste being light and smooth, introduce into it four whipped whites of eggs and 1 tumblerful of whipped cream. Let the paste rise for an-hour-and-a-lialf. Ten minutes before serving, warm a dozen small Blini-moulds, which are of the shape of tartlet-moulds, but larger and higher (they are made in flattened iron-wire); butter these witli the paste-brush dipped in warm butter, and put into each of them a piled table-spoonful of the paste. Lift the moulds by means of a flat spoon, place them in a hot oven, and five minutes afterwards turn them, and moisten them on top with the paste-brush dipped in a little butter. Three or five minutes afterwards take the moulds out of the oven, remove the Blinis, and serve them immediately, with a sauceboatful of melted butter.

BLOATERS.— This word takes its origin from the verb blote or blotan, the Anglo-Saxon for “ to kill for sacrifice,” or “ burnt-offering,” and lienee to cure by smoking. The verb to bloat, from which bloater would appear to be derived, is given by etymologists as from to blow, blowed, or blowt — swollen out; but the former suggestion seems to be the more probable. In that case, however, the word should be spelled “ bloter,” and in some old dictionaries it is. Bloaters are smoked herrings, in the preparation of which, for home and foreign consumption, Yarmouth has no rival. The correct way to prepare them is to wash the freshlycaught herrings thoroughly, and then put them for a short time into brine. As they are taken out, the brine should be wiped off them, and then they should be strung through the gills and mouth on long rods, and hung up for a few days to dry, and then put in a smoke-house for a week.

Bloater Billets. — Put three or four Bloaters into a stewpan with water, and boil long enough to let the skin peel off easily; take off the flesh in strips or fillets, and let these be of the same size, and neatly done. Toast some slices of tinned loaf, butter well, cut off the crusts, and cut into strips lengthwise; lay one fillet on each, brush the fillets over with warm butter, dust them lightly with cayenne pepper, and put them in an oven until quite hot.

Bloater Paste. — When nicely and carefully made, this forms an excellent breakfast relish, and finds a ready market as a popular favourite. But that which is prepared wholesale for the cheap markets is of a very inferior character, the flesh of the Bloater being frequently mixed up with the flesh of all manner of coarse fish, and refuse. The following is an excellent receipt:

Put a dozen large Bloaters into a baking-tin and set in a slow oven for a-quarter-of-an-hour or twenty minutes, or until so far done that the skin can be readily removed and the flesh picked off the bones. They are milder and more readily stripped if baked in water; but the flesh is not so firm as when dry, and the flavour of the roasted fat is lost. Put the flesh into a mortar little by little, and pound thoroughly, and when in a fine pulp add a small piece of butter, just

Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Bloaters — continued.

enough to soften and amalgamate the paste, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, mixed spice — and salt, if baked in water. Mix well together, and then nearly fill pots with it, covering the paste with melted salt butter, or mutton kidney-suet. Bloaters a la Sefton.— Take the flesh of three Bloaters, soak them thoroughly, take out, and dry. Then remove the flesh from the bones in fillets, pound in a mortar, and mix in Jib of grated Parmesan cheese; season with pepper, and shape into spindle-like pieces about 2in. long and in. through; egg-and-breadcrumb them, fry in hot fat, and serve on a folded napkin. For a breakfast relish, these are delicious. Garn'sh the dish with parsley and thin slices of lemon. Broiled Bloaters. — Scrape the required number of Bloaters, wipe them dry on a cloth, and split them down the belly from head to tail. Put them flat upon a buttered gridiron over a clear fire, and broil for about six minutes, turning them so as to cook both sides. When done, put them on a dish, with a little butter over them, and serve.

Pickled Bloaters. — Wash a dozen or so Bloaters, dry them on a cloth, put them into a basin, pour over sufficient milk to cover them, and let them remain for a day. Take them out, drain, put them into a deep dish, and add 2oz. of capers, twelve cloves, a dozen-and-a-half peppercorns, four bay-leaves, half-a-dozen slices of lemon and onion, and sufficient oil and vinegar in equal quantities to cover them. Cover them over with a buttered paper, and bake in an oven. Let them remain in the dish for a day or so, and they are then ready for use. Toasted Bloaters. — (1) Open the fish with a sharp knife along the belly, and flatten them out, but do not take out the backbone. Toast on a gridiron, exposing the skin-side to the fire. All they require is to be a little more than well warmed through.

(2) To have Bloaters toasted to perfection, they should not be split open, says an acknowledged good cook. Let them be thoroughly cleansed, then make a slight cut across the back of the head, and twist it off with the fingers and thumb, and the internals will draw away with it. Hold the Bloater under a tap and let the water rush through it, then wipe it quite dry, and put it on a gridiron over a slow fire; turn it frequently until it begins to smoke, and then it is done.

BLOND ( Fr . for, literally, “ fair ” — hence, light in colour). — It is used by cooks as applied to stock made from white meats, such as from veal — blond de veau; or the pale stock of lamb — blond d’agneau; chicken stock — blond de volaille. Sauce blonde is a white or creamcoloured sauce made with flour and butter, answering to our “ melted butter.”

BLOND DE VEAU —See Teal. BLUEBERRIES. — See Bilberries.

BLUEFISH ( Temnodon saltator). — The coasts of America are the most favoured resorts of this fine table fish. It is also met with along the coasts of Europe, where it makes its presence felt by the voracity with which it preys upon mackerel and other fish. In some parts of the world it is known as the “horse-mackerel.” The skin is blue, and the flesh, when cooked, partakes

Fig. 172. Bluefish.

also of a lightly bluish tint, which makes it very tempting in appearance. It is sometimes caught weighing as much as 101b., but the average size would be from 51b. to 71b. In the spring and summer it is found most plentiful and in greatest perfection (see Fig. 172).

The mode of cooking, as in the case of all other fish, depends upon the fancy of the cook; by some it is broiled whole, by others boiled in court-bouillon after being divided into slices, but baking appears to be the

Bluefish. — continued.

method most favoured. Fillets may also be cut from the sides and tossed in butter, and served garnished with crayfish, prawns, and lobster coral. The following is a good substantial mode of cooking the fish whole:

Baked Bluefish.. — (1) The larger the fish, the better for this mode of cooking. Scrape off the scales, clean the inside away by opening the throat, but do not cut the belly open further than is absolutely necessary to thoroughly clean it out. Chop off the fins and shorten the tail, and then thrust a sharp-pointed knife into the backbone so as to sever it in such a manner that slices of fish can be cut off to serve. Wipe out the inside with a dry cloth, and prepare the following stuffing to put in it: Finely crumble about lib. of bread (half a half-quartern loaf), and mix with it 1 teaspoonful each of powdered dried thyme and savory, also teaspoonful of salt, and 1 teaspoonful of white pepper. Have ready finely minced, 1 teacupful of beef or veal suet, and mix all together in a basin with 1 teacupful of lukewarm water and a beaten egg. Make into a stiff paste, and stuff the belly of the fish with it, taking care to sew it up carefully and closely, and lay it on its belly in a baking-dish which is large enough to hold it quite. Put three or four pieces of butter as large as walnuts round about the fish, and pour into the bottom of the dish £ pint of court-bouillon (if you have any), water, or weak broth, and half a finely-minced onion. Bake until tender but not falling (half to three-quarters of an hour), basting frequently after the first ten minutes. Remove to a dish by means of two flat slices, and lay carefully on the dish without breaking. That done, add salt and plenty of pepper to the stock in the baking-pan, stir up thoroughly over a stove, and strain into a sauce-tureen to serve with the fish. The dish may be garnished with an ornamental paper or folded napkin, or the fish may be laid upon a bed of well-curled parsley neatly laid to receive it, and this parsley again may be garnished with crayfish, prawns, new potatoes, and boiled mushroom heads. The mushrooms should be boiled in the gravy. When the parsley is used, it must be warmed with the dish preparatory to receiving the fish.

(2) Scale and score 21b. of Bluefish, and place it on a wellbuttered baking-dish, moistening with 3 table-spoonfuls of mushroom liquor and wineglassful of white wine. Season with pinch of salt and pinch of pepper, cover with a buttered paper, and cook in a moderately hot oven for fifteen minutes Take it out when done, and lay it on a dish. Put the liquor into a stewpan, add 3 table-spoonfuls of tomato sauce, oz. of finely-minced, cooked, smoked ox-tongue, and boil for two minutes longer; turn the whole over the fish when serving. Garnish with six small cooked crayfish.

Baked Bluefish a l’ltalienne. — Score and scale 21b. of Bluefish, and place it in a buttered pan, with I wineglassful of white wine, 3 table-spoonfuls of mushroom liquor, half of a very finely-chopped onion, and six chopped mushrooms; season with 1 pinch of salt and I pinch of pepper. Cover tho fish with a buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes; take it out when done, and lay it on a dish. Put the liquor into a stewpan, adding 1 gill of Spanish sauce, with 1 wineglassful of white wine, and reduce for two minutes. Pour this over the fish, with 1 pinch of finely-chopped parsley, and serve with six heart-shaped croutons of fried bread.

Baked Bluefisli a la Venetienne. — Prepare the fish as for Baked Bluefish a l’Italienne, adding to it one tomato cut in pieces, I pint of Spanish sauce, and six whole mushrooms. Sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs, throw over all a few drops of clarified butter, and put it in the oven for eight minutes. Serve with i pinch of chopped parsley.

Stuffed and Baked Bluefisli. — Scale and clean a Bluefish, cut off the fins, and wipe it dry on a cloth. Stuff it with bread-stuffing, sew it up, put it into a baking-dish with a slice of pickled pork, a little butter or dripping, two or three pieces of onion, salt to taste, and sufficient water to keep the pan from burning. Put the fish into the oven and bake for forty- five minutes, basting it frequently. Take it out carefully when done, put it in a dish, strain the liquor over it, and serve. To facilitate the carving, before the fish is stuffed drive the point of a knife through the bone at the required intervals, or where the fish will be cut.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, de., referred to, see under their special heads.

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BOAR (Fr. Pore (wild — sanglier; wild boar’s head — hure de sanglier); Ger. Eber (wild — wilde-schwein); Ital. Yerro (wild — cingniale, cignale); Sp. Yerraco (wild — Jabali). — In its correct sense this name refers to the male domestic pig (Sms scrofa ); but as the term is rarely used in cooking except as applying to “ Boar’s head,” it is apt to be confused with the Wild Boar, from which the service of the Boar’s head originally sprung. Spearing the Wild Boar has always been regarded as an exceedingly meritorious sport, being attended with no inconsiderable amount of danger, from the simplicity of the weapon used by the hunter. The head was considered the trophy, and was probably served to table on special occasions more as a proof of the host’s prowess in the field than for its delicacy as a food. The custom is still continued in some places at times of great festivity, especially at Queen’s College, Oxford, on Christmas-day, where the Boar’s head is brought to table with great pomp. The custom of serving a Boar’s head at Christmastide continues to be observed in many large houses, so also is it frequently prepared for banquets without regard to special season; but the wisdom of our cooks, or the scarcity of the Wild Boar of the woods, and the still less necessity for the display of a host’s valour in the chase, which is now taken for granted in polite circles, has led to the slaughter of the less furious tame pig of the sty, and the elaborate boning, stuffing, and dressing of its head. It forms an effective dish, and is exceedingly tasty withal; and cooks love to exercise their talents and decorative skill in converting an otherwise by no means handsome or intelligent countenance into one so ornamental that it seems a pity to cut it. Let the custom continue by all means, but let it not be forgotten that the romance is dead, that the dreaded Wild Boar is almost a beast of the past, and that the Boar’s head as now served is nothing fiercer than the head of the domestic pig.

To dress a Boar’s head handsomely is regarded by cooks as a proof of culinary skill, and it is not therefore surprising to find that some of the most skilful have laid themselves out to produce something that shall be beyond the ordinary in this respect. To their credit be it observed, that where it has been possible to obtain the veritable Wild Boar’s head, it has been done. Soyer, Gouffe, and Ude have been very successful in their efforts in this direction, and the same may be said of many others; but if we are to judge of the abilities of the cooks of to-day, as exhibited in the Boar’s head competitions held at certain “ Cookery and Food ” exhibitions, then the cookery of the country is at a discount, for the Boars’ heads shown, and to which gold and silver medals were awarded, were little better than what an eminent cook proclaimed them to be — “ Guy Fawkes masks.”

Cutlets of Wild. Boar. — Cut from a young Boar a dozen cutlets, remove the hard skin, clear the end of the rib bones, and put them to soak for a day in a cooked pickle or marinade as given for Deessed Boae’s Head. Drain them, wipe them dry with a sponge, and put them into a sautepan with equal parts of butter and oil; fry them quickly, turning them once or twice. As soon as the flesh is set, drain off the fat, pour over them a little meat-glaze, and arrange them on a dish in a circle. Pour some Spanish sauce in the centre of the dish, and serve up a sauceboatful separately.

Dressed Boar’s Head. — (1) Gouffe gives very good instruction for the preparation of a boiled head in the old stylo. He first instructs the cook to singe carefully and clean thoroughly a Boar’s head (wild, if he can get one). Remove the ears, which should be boiled separately, and not be over-done, so that they may not lose their fine shape. Bone the head (see No. 2), sprinkle it with salt, and put it in a basin of pickle for four or five hours. Cut the flesh of four rabbits into large dice, and mix with 21b. of peeled truffles, 21b. of tongue, 21b. of boiled fat bacon, all cut in lin. squares. Free the remaining fragments or trimmings of the flesh of the

Boar — continued.

rabbits from skin and gristle to make a forcemeat, and chop it up coarsely, together with 41b. of veal and 41b. of fat bacon, similarly freed of gristle and skin; season with 2oz. of salt and loz. of mixed spice, and put this forcemeat into a basin. Take the Boar’s head out of the pickle, drain it, wipe it in and out, and season the inside by dusting freely with mixed spice, but no salt will be required. Having done this, spread the inside freely with a layer of the forcemeat and then a layer of the first mixture, and continue spreading in first one and then the other until they are both used up. Then wrap the head up in a cloth, shape it as cleverly as possible, and boil it for five hours in a thin broth well seasoned, adding a bottle of Madeira. When the head is done, let it cool; then drain, take it out of the cloth, wrap it up again in a clean cloth, and bind it round very tightly with tape Gin. wide, beginning at the snout and binding round and round the head, shaping as you go. When quite cold, untie the head, put it in the oven for a minute, and wipe off the fat with a cloth. Trim the back part of the head, put the ears in their places, fixing them in with small wooden skewers, and using a mixture of lard and muttonsuet to hide the skewers.

Now comes the question of the colour, and these are Gouffo’s words: “ Mix some clean soot with: lb. of lard, and rub it all over the head, to produce a shiny black surface. Some cooks use chocolate for this colouring, but I consider soot preferable, as it produces a smoother surface; moreover, I have seen Careme himself employ this very process to

Fig. 173. Boar's Head.

colour Boar’s head; and in this, as in most other instances, I think it well to follow the lead of this talented practitioner.” (As this skin is removed by the carver as he proceeds with his slicing, the sooty colouring should not be objectionable: it is very effective and life-like.) When the head is coloured, cut out a piece of the skin in the shape of a shield between the eyes, 3in. from the snout. This can best be done by cutting out the shield-shape first in stout cardboard, and then marking it out through the skin with the point of a very sharp, small knife. Fill this place with white lard, and decorate it with flowers made of fat, or natural flowers will be better, especially such as camellias, or hothouse roses. The tusks and eyes are then remodelled in fat and carefully adjusted to complete the imitation. Next place the head upon a raised dish or specially solid rice socle, over which Montpellier butter has been thickly spread. Add shapes of coloured aspic jelly at discretion, and serve with all the honours.

(2) Procure a head specially cut with a large piece of the neck attached, singe it well, wipe it carefully with a cloth, and scrape all over with a knife without scratching the skin. Next bone it, by laying it on a cloth upon its face, opening it with a knife from the tip of the under-jaw to the cut part of the neck, and then proceeding to strip the flesh from the bones without piercing the skin, leaving no flesh whatever upon the bones. Remove the bones of the neck in the same way, and cut it into long strips 2in. wide and 2in. thick. Place the mask and strips from neck in a saltingtub, and throw over it 101b. of kitchen salt, lib. of brown

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Boar — continued.

sugar, ten bay-leaves, Joz. of peppercorns, Joz. of cloves, six blades of mace, eight minced middle-sized onions, twenty sprigs of thyme, ten sprigs of winter savoury, and two sliced carrots; mix all these well together and leave the head in it for eight or ten days, rubbing it with salt every other day; at the end of that time take it out, dry it well upon a cloth, and lay it straight before you, skin-side downwards. Have ready 101b. of forcemeat (see No. 1), using the Wild Boar’s flesh instead of veal, if you have any, and line the head lin. thick in the thinnest parts with this; roll the salted fillets cut from the neck in pieces of rind cut from any part of the Boar, place a layer of them lengthwise in the head, with a long piece of fat bacon Jin. square between them, sprinkle a little chopped shallots, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg over each layer, and place here and there about lib. of truffles, with lib. of very green pistachio kernels blanched and skinned, and continue filling the head first with the forcemeat and then witli the other ingredients, until you have used the whole, or filled it; then join the two sides together over the stuffing, and sew it up with packthread, being careful to retain the shape of the head as much as possible. Fold the whole in one or two large thin cloths, leaving the ears out and upright (some cooks boil the ears separately), and cook as follows: Put Jib. of butter in a large braising-pan or stock-pot, and add 151b. of trimmings of pork or knuckles of veal, eight onions, two carrots, four turnips, eight bay-leaves, 1 table-spoonful of peppercorns, twelve cloves, ten sprigs of thyme, ten of marjoram, four blades of mace, a bottle of Bucellas wine, and four calf’s feet (the quantities are as given by Soyer); place it upon a sharp fire, stirring it occasionally until the bottom is covered with a clearish glaze, then add 6galls. of water and lib. of salt; when boiling, draw it to the corner of the stove, skim, and put in the head, ears uppermost, and let it simmer for seven or eight hours, or more, according to the size and age of the Boar. Pierce the head deeply with a plated skewer, and if it enters the flesh easily it is done. Skim the stock as the simmering goes on, and when done leave the head to partially cool in it. Remove the head, place it upon a board, and having partly undone the cloths, tie them up again tighter than before if possible. Next put it upon a large bakingsheet, support it upright with two flat pieces of wood, one at each side, and keep them in their places with kitchen weights; then place one piece of wood upon the top between the ears, on which place a 141b. weight. Let it remain all night until quite cold, when it may be taken out of the cloths, the thread with which it was sewn removed, and the head placed in position. Now trim off the neck by cutting a thick slice right through to level it, so that thin slices can be carved from it for serving. The meat will have a marbled appearance. Trim the head a little, setting the ears in a proper position, glaze it with a brownish glaze, form the whites of the eyes with a little white fat, set round pieces of truffles in the centre of the fat for the pupils, and model the tusks in confectioner’s paste, baking them hard. Decorate with tulips, camellias, and roses, which should be set in the ears, and some round and about in wreaths or other tasteful design, but leaving space to carve behind the ears. Garnish the head, and dish with croutons of aspic made from the clarified stock in which the head was boiled.

(3) Cut off an ordinary pig’s head well back into the shoulders before the dead animal is scalded. Singe off the bristles with lighted straw or paper. Bone it carefully (see No. 2), and rub the head thoroughly with the following mixture: 51b. of coarse kitchen salt, Jib. of saltpetre, Jib. of brown moist sugar, 1 dessert-spoonful of dried juniper-berries, a few bay-leaves, 1 teaspoonful of cloves, six blades of mace, a few sprigs each of marjoram and basil, and double the quantity of thyme. Having thoroughly done this, put the head in a crock with the pickle, pour a bottle of port wine over it, and let it remain to soak for fourteen days, turning it over every other day. At the end of the fortnight, take the head out of the pickle, wash it in soft water, and wipe it quite dry with a cloth. Have ready the following forcemeat: ljlb. of veal, lib. of fat bacon chopped into dice and mixed up with a handful of chopped mushrooms, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of black pepper, 1 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, and 2 table-spoonfuls of finely-chopped parsley. These ingredients should be pounded together in a wooden mortar

Boar — continued.

and moistened with the yolks of four eggs. When this forcemeat is ready, the next thing is to have ready boiled a good coloured neat s tongue, about 21b. of cold boiled fat bacon • sliced into long fillets, a handful of truffles cut up small, and Jib. of blanched pistachio-kernels. With these materials ready at hand, you can commence to make up the head. Lay it on the face, spread it open and trim off the uneven or jagged parts from the cut edges, and cut the trimmings into narrow strips. First spread the inside of the head with a layer of forcemeat lin. thick, then lay in some of the fillets of tongue, fat bacon, and trimmings, with a portion of the truffles and pistachio-kernels between the fillets of tongue and bacon; over that spread a layer of forcemeat, and then another layer of fillets, truffles, and pistachios, and so on alternately until the head is well filled. Draw the cut edges together, rounding well with both hands, and sew up with packthread, using a large trussing-needle. If this is done neatly and carefully, none of the contents will escape. Shape the head nicely and as artistically as possible, by pressing and smoothing with the hands; then bandage it round and round with long strips of cloth, leaving the ears exposed, and lay a flat piece of board over the neck. Put the head into a large braising-pan, ears erect, and stack round it two cow-heels sliced up, any bits of meat there may be about, remains of game, and anything likely to make a good-flavoured stock. Then set this aside whilst a finely-seasoned sauce is prepared thus: Put lib. of finely-chopped beef-suet and the same quantity of fat bacon cut into small pieces into a stewpan with 21b. of chopped parsley, lib. of chopped shallots, two or three sprigs of lemon thyme, two or three bay-leaves, two sliced carrots, two whole onions stuck' with cloves, the juice of two lemons, and 1 teaspoonful each of peppercorns and salt. Place these over a slow fire for a few minutes, warming very slowly, and taking great care that they do not brown or burn, adding by degrees a bottle of sherry, Bucellas, or

Madeira, and about lqt. of broth; simmer slowly for two

hours, strain, and pour over the Boar’s head in the braisingpan. Then set the pan on the fire, let it heat to boiling, and then draw aside and allow it to simmer continually for five or six hours, or longer if necessary. When done (which can be ascertained by piercing through the neck with a skewer, which should penetrate easily), take out the head, place it on a dish, remove the bandages, put them on again tightly, and then return it to the broth and let it remain in this to cool. Then take out the head, set it on a baking-sheet, remove the cloths, and when quite cold take out the stitches; set the head upon its dish, or on a rice socle. Next paint the head with a rich brown glaze, or

colour black with clean soot worked up in fat, fashion

the eyes and tusks as described in No. 2, and garnish with parsley, a hard-boiled white of egg, truffles cut into shapes and chopped, or croutons of aspic jelly. Then ornament with flowers and moulded fat.

Soyer tells us that a plain pickled Boar’s head, without being boned, is also very much esteemed, and is a noble dish: “ Singe the head, but leave a few bristles round the eyes and ears, pickle, tie it up in a cloth, and braise until quite tender. The head of the young Boar (or marcassin) is very delicate, dressed in either method; so likewise are the legs, neck, shoulders, and saddle, pickled and roasted, or braised, and served with a poivrade or any other highly-seasoned sauce; cutlets may also be cut from the neck.” Other cooks disagree as to the quality of the flesh of the Wild Boar.

rillets of Wild Boar.— Cut up the under-fillets of a Wild Boar into slices Jin. thick by 3 jin. long and 3in. broad, trim them to pear shapes (grenadines), and lard them lightly. Soak them for twenty-four hours in a marinade, such as ordered for Dressed Boar’s Head, and when about to cook them, drain dry and set in a saut-pan with a little mirepoix, but not enough to cover them; cook them, and when done glaze them and arrange upon a dish in a circle; pour some Robert sauce in the dish, and then glaze over the fillets again before serving.

Galantine of Boar’s Head. — Take the head of a small Boar, singe, and bone it; put the meat into a stewpan, just cover

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, etc ., referred, to, see under their special heads.

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Boar — continued.

it with 1 teacupful of vinegar and sufficient water, adding 1 teaspoonful of salt, a few cloves, three or four blades of mace, peppercorns, and coriander. Let it boil, then remove the pan to the side of the fire to simmer. When the head is done, drain it, divide it into two parts, lay them open upon a baking-sheet, and dust the insides with salt and pepper. Cut the tongue and ears into fillets, put some in each half of the head, and then roll up separately; tie in two cloths, bind well with string, and let the half heads cool under pressure of a board with weights on it. When cooled, unwrap the galantines, and cut them into transverse slices, not too thick, arrange them upon a dish in a circular form, and garnish with aspic jelly. Serve with Sauce as fob Dressed Boar’s Head (No. 3).

Galantine of "Wild Boar’s Head. — A Wild Boar’s head intended to be stuffed for galantine should belong to a young animal, says Dubois; those of old Wild Boars, requiring too much cooking, are not so well suited to the purpose. When the head is thoroughly cleaned and singed, the ears must be cut off, the head itself opened from underneath, which, as well as the ears, must be placed in an earthenware basin, then seasoned and surrounded with spices. A little Madeira wine is poured over it, and it is kept thus for several hours. Drain and dry the head, and then prepare a good forcemeat of chopped lean pork and bacon mixed up with a few wellcooked poultry livers; chop small, and pound in a mortar to a pulp, season with salt and pepper, and rub through a sieve. Have ready some raw truffles cut into pieces, a pickled tongue, and cold boiled bacon in equal proportions and to the extent of a third of the forcemeat. Fill the cavity of the head, as described in Nos. 2 and 3, with alternate layers, and sew up carefully, preserving the form of the head. Mask the neck with a large fat slice of raw pork cut to fit, then wrap the head up in a napkin, and sew it together lightly with thick thread. Remove the ears, plug the cavities with large carrots, wrap the ears separately in a cloth, and cook them with the head. To cook the head, place it in a largo stewpan, and pack it round with sliced vegetables, aromatic herbs, and spices, moistened with broth and a bottle of white wine. Simmer very slowly for four or five hours, according to the age of the animal. When the head is done, leave it in the stock until half cold; then take it out and remove the cloth, wrap it up again tighter, then place it on a narrow baking-sheet, and set it up straight to cool. When set quite firm, take it out of the cloth and trim it neatly. Put the ears back in their places, and imitate the eyes either with jelly or with enamel ones; the snout is a little open and brought into shape with the aid of a little liver pounded and made into paste, or butter may be used instead, and all tho inequalities are to be smoothed over with butter, or with the liver preparation. The head is then rubbed with lard, coloured with very black caramel, and set on an ornamental rice socle, glued on a dish with stiff gelatine. Tho tusks may be natural, or imitated in fat; they are to be placed in a natural position on both sides of tho snout, and the head served up with such other decorations and garnishes of aspic and other things as may bo desired, or the decorative ingenuity of the cook may devise. Tartar sauce is recommended to bo used with this.

Haunch of Boar a la Royale.— Put a larded haunch of Boar into a bowl, and soak it in white wine for five days. Take it out, tie it up securely in a cloth, put it into a braising-pan with 6 pints each of any white wino and water, and add a bouquet of parsley, a few chives, a little bay-salt, eight carrots and onions, three heads of cloves, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg. Simmer gently on the stove for about six hours, then remove it to a quick fire, and boil for an hour, by which time the haunch should be well cooked. Remove the pan from the fire, and let the haunch remain in the liquor for half-an-hour longer; take it out, remove the cloth, put it on a hot dish, strain over tho liquor, and let the meat get quite cold. Sprinkle it over with grated bread or breadcrumbs, and serve.

Haunch of Young Wild Boar. — Take a quarter of young Wild Boar, remove tho rind, take out the thigh-bone, and saw off the thin end; rub it with salt, put it into a pan, and pour over marinade to cover it. Let it soak in this for two or three days; then drain, wipe dry with a cloth,

For details respecting Culinary ' Processes,

Boar— continued.

put it into a deep baking-dish with a quantity of lard, cover it with a greased paper, and put it into a hot oven for three-quarters-of-an-hour, basting frequently with the fat in the dish; then add 2 teacupfuls of the marinade, and cook half-an-hour longer, basting with tho stock. When done, remove from the oven, drain, and spread over a thick layer of bread-raspings, dried and pounded, mixed with a little caster sugar and finely-powdered cinnamon, and sufficiently moisten this with red wine to make it into a paste. Over this layer sprinkle dry bread-raspings. Put the haunch back into the baking-dish, and keep it at the entrance of tbe oven for twenty minutes, basting often with the fat; then take it up, put a paper frill on the end of the bone, and dish .Send up separately some orange sauce.

Sauces for Boar’s Head. — See Sauces.

Smoked Boar’s Head. — Get the largest pig’s head you can, place it on the face, open the neck, and remove the gullet, tongue, eyes, small bones, and brain, taking care to clean it out thoroughly, and wash well with salt and water; then wipe the head quite dry, and rub it over with salt, leaving it to drain for at least a day and night, and then put it into a pan with the following pickle: into lgall. of water put 21b. each of coarse brown sugar and bay-salt, jib. of prunella salt, 2 table-spoonfuls of juniper-berries, 1 tablespoonful of black pepper, 1 table- spoonful of chopped shallots, and two cloves of garlic chopped fine. Boil for twenty minutes, skim, and when cold pour it over the head and tongue. These should bo turned every other day for a month, but at the end of a fortnight the tongue should be removed. The head may be taken out at the same time, and tho pickle boiled up afresh with another pound of salt, the head being replaced in the pan as before, pouring on the pickle when cold. At the end of the time mentioned remove the head from the pickle, wipe it dry, and with tho point of a knife score the skin in lines 2in. apart from the nose to the base of the head. Trim off any superfluous fat from tho neck, and rub all over with dried fine oatmeal. Skin the tongue and place it in the mouth, fixing it with a wooden skewer; draw the cut edges together, and sew with twine; then wrap in brown paper, and hang in a smokehouse for three weeks. When required for use, put in a baking-tin, cover with buttered paper, and bake until quite tender in every part. When cold decorate with glaze, aspic jelly, or any other ornament, and place upon the table as a prime dish.

Wild Boar Flesh Prepared in Italian Style. — Cut off

from a young Wild Boar a piece of the saddle or the haunch; remove the skin, and put the meat into a crock; cover it with cooked pickle (marinade), as given for either of tho Boar’s Heads, highly spiced and seasoned; leave it in this to macerate for two days; then take it out, drain it, and sponge it well, drying with a cloth; put it into a stewpan with plenty of hog’s lard, and lot it fry on a moderate fire, giving a nice colour to all its surfaces; then sprinkle over 2 table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Two minutes after, moisten the meat with the strained marinade, and let it boil on a moderate fire till the meat is three-parts cooked; then drain it, and place it in another stewpan, and let it keep warm whilst the sauce is prepared. Strain tho cooking-stock through a sieve, and carefully skim off all its fat. Now crumble up one or two mustacciuoli, or cakes of Naples gingerbread (or ordinary gingerbread will do), moisten with a little tepid water, and when softened crush them with a spoon. Dilute this paste with some of the stock in which the head has been cooked. Pour all together into the stewpan, stir till boiling, and then reduce it till slightly thickened. Pour this sauce through a sieve into the stewpan containing the Wild Boar’s flesh, add to it a handful of roasted pignoli-kernels, and finish cooking the meat in this sauce over a very moderate fire, basting repeatedly with the sauce. Ten minutes previous to serving it, mix in the sauce a handful of currants, the same of chopped Smyrna raisins, well washed in tepid water, picked over, and dried in a cloth, and simmer freely till required for serving; then dish the piece of Wild Boar, surround it with the sauce, and garnish with vegetables in season.

Wild Boar’s Ham. — Singe off tho bristles, wash the ham in hot water, and saw off the bone 2in. below the knuckle.

U

Utensils, Sauces, Sec., referred to, see under their special heads.

162

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Boar — continued.

Put the ham to soak in either of the pickles prescribed for Boar’s Head, and let it remain in it for eight or ten days; then drain, wipe it with a clothg, wrap it in buttered paper, and set it to roast before a clear fire, basting it every two minutes with the liquor in which it has been soaking (marinade), and which should be liberally supplied with wine. ‘When the ham is done, take it from the fire, untie the paper, and strip off the skin. Place it on a dish, brush over with strong meat glaze, and put it in the oven for half-an-liour. Place it on a dish with a paper frill round the knuckle-bone, and serve hot with one of the sauces given for Boar’s Head.

BOBOTEE.— ' This is a very delicate and tasty Indian curry, but very little known in England.

Cut an onion into slices and fry them in butter. Soak a small thin slice of bread, mix it up with the onion, and add eight grated sweet almonds and two eggs beaten up in 1 teacupful of milk. Now stir in lib. of chopped meat, 1 table-spoonful of curry -powder, and 1 oz. of butter. Brush a pie-dish with butter, squeeze over a little lemon-juice, pour in the preparation, and bake for half-an-hour in a moderately hot oven. Put a border of boiled rice round a hot dish, pour in the curry, and serve.

BOHEA. — A quality of Chinese tea named after a mountain. See Tea.

BOILERS. — Although British cooks undoubtedly take the term “to boil” from the French bouillir, it is a fact

that the Continental cook has no term which corresponds in its extended application to our “Boiler.” We have Boilers constructed for a variety of purposes, all of

which are dubbed “ Boilers,” pi-eceded in many cases by a qualifying term, such as “ Iron Boiler,” “ Copper

Boilers — continued.

Boiler,” “ Kitchen Boiler ”; and others again denoting their use, such as “ Milk Boiler,” “ Sugar Boiler,” “ Tea or Coffee Boiler,” and so on.

The three illustrations selected for this article are Boilers of general use. The first, an iron oval Boiler (Fig. 174), is an exceedingly serviceable vessel, as it can be used for almost any purpose, reaches well on to the back of the stove, and can be emptied, or the contents drawn off as required, by means of a tap. The Double Boiler (Fig. 175) is an American invention, and answers the purpose of a sort of bainmarie. It consists of two vessels, the upper fitting deeply into the lower. The lower vessel contains water, which may be kept perpetually on the boil; but any fluid, such as milk or sauce, contained in the upper vessel remains at a temperature below the boiling water, and can, therefore, be heated and kept hot without fear of waste or boiling over. For cooking custards, porridge, gruel, and such-like foods, the double Boiler is invaluable. The third sample (Fig. 176) is a Tea or Coffee Boiler, which, however useful for keeping these refreshing beverages at a respectable heat, rather belies its own name, seeing that neither tea nor coffee require to be boiled. Where a continued demand is made for coffee or tea, this Boiler, of which a very good sample is given in the illustration, becomes essential to commercial success.

Many other vessels used for boiling liquid or heating it will be found described under their specific names, such as Bain-marie, Kettle, Muller, Saucepan, Stewpan, &c.

BOILING.— By what accident the possibility of boiling water in a vessel over a fire revealed itself to mankind, we have no history to decide; the Jews practised it from their earliest record, and the Chinese, as usual, are reputed to have practised it before them. Its introduction to savage races has followed the footsteps of civilisation, but races have been met with by travellers who have been quite ignorant either of the fact or the mode of manufacturing vessels of such material as would stand the heat of the fire, and hold water at the same time. The Esquimaux seem to have caught the idea from such visitors as Franklin and others, and have become quite skilful, not only in that branch of cooking, but in making vessels from potstone. The native Britons used to heat water in wooden vessels by dropping hot stones into it; but a bowl of fat soup must have been an unknown luxury to them. In these modern times, by the aid of chemistry, “twin-sister to cookery,” we have learned so much of the principles upon which its details are carried out, that the process of boiling, in its many degrees and varieties, has been brought to a fine art.

The definition of the term “ boiling ” is the arrival of any liqiid to such a pitch of heat that it undergoes a physical change, and passes from the liquid state to that of vapour or steam.

All liquors are not of the same density, but vary between the rarest ether to the densest mercury; and, as may be supposed, the degree of heat required to effect ebullition and its consequent vaporisation in these two extreme cases, varies very greatly. For instance, ether will boil with the heat of the hand, that is, about 90deg. Fahr., and soon disappears in vapour if the heat should be continued; but mercury can only be made to

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc., referred to, see under their special heads.

Fig. 176. Boiler for Tea or Coffee (Adams’s).

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

163

Boiling — continued.

boil at red heat, and then it yields its vapour very tardily. Plain water may be regarded as intermediary, or between the two, and as it is a convenient liquid to form a standard, chemists have adopted it in its purest form — that is, quite free from salts, sugar, or other soluble matters — and ascertained its boiling-point to be 212deg. Fahr., or lOOdeg. Cent.; that is to say, pure water may be heated up to 212deg. Fahr., which is the same as lOOdeg. Cent., without any particular change taking place in its character; but directly that boilingpoint is reached, violent bubbling takes place, and the water is converted into steam as fast as circumstances will permit. In other words, pure water cannot be heated beyond 212deg. Falir., because at that point it becomes steam. In a like manner it cannot be reduced below 32deg. Falir., or Odeg. Cent., because at that point it becomes solid ice. See Freezing, Ice, Refrigerating, &c.

It is a grievous pity that the Centigrade marking of thermometers has not been universally adopted in kitchens. It is exceedingly convenient and simple, being based upon the changing-point of water from freezing (Odeg. Cent.) to boiling (lOOdeg. Cent.). According to Fahrenheit’s scale, which has been used in this country ever since its invention, the freezing-point of water is 32deg., and the boiling-point 212deg., giving a wider range of nominal degrees; but as each Centigrade degree can be divided into tenths, we have a much liner graduation than could possibly be required in cooking.

Intelligent cooks (and what cooks are not intelligent P) will wonder, perhaps, how it is that water may be made to boil in a large vessel, such as a stockpot or boiler, without any very great amount of steam escaping. Of course, steam does come away, but nothing like what might be expected from the violence of the ebullition. The explanation is simply that although the water may boil at the bottom of the vessel (nearest the fire), the remainder of the water above tbat which is boiling is actually a degree or so below boiling-point, and, perhaps, several degrees lower at the top, especially if the boiler is uncovered and exposed to the cooling influence of the air. If all the water in the vessel could be heated to boiling-point at the same time, the whole would fly off in a volume of steam, which might be productive of very serious consequences to the cook and kitchen. The heat given off by the fire is of a very much higher degree than that of boiling water, and it is only the continuous falling of the cooler surface water to the bottom of the pot which prevents the whole lot being converted into steam at once. The hotter water is, the lighter it is in density; hence, as the heated water ascends in the pot, the colder and therefore denser and heavier water sinks down to the bottom to be heated — a provision of nature th'at cooks ought to thoroughly understand. Upon this circle of heated bottom-water rising and colder surface-water sinking, a few problems of cookery are established; for instance, by putting a cover on the boiler the air is kept from the surface of the water, and the degree of heat of the entire mass of water is therefore much higher than it would be if uncovered. This is useful to know, and accounts for the practice of sometimes putting fire on the lid of a pot as well as under ( see Braising). The heat of the entire mass of water contained between these two fires is thus considerably increased over that contained in the simple covered pot, and therefore much more over that which is in the pot which is open. The practical application of this in cooking will be seen hereafter.

When water is raised to the boiling-point at the bottom of the pan, the surface of the water is thrown into commotion. This is due to the water at the bottom of the pot nearest the heat being raised to boiling

Boiling — continued.

point, converted into steam, and struggling to escape. But in a deep vessel, such as a stockpot, containing much water, it will be observed that this commotion does not exhaust itself by bursting in huge bubbles of steam on the surface; on' the contrary, the bubbling may be of the very smallest character, quite insignificant in comparison with the disturbance going on. This is explained by the fact that although the steam forms in large volumes at the bottom of the pan, it is recondensed again into water before it can reach the surface by the influence of the cooler mass of water through which it has to pass before escaping. If the mass of water above the thin boiling layer at the bottom is not sufficiently cool or extensive to recondense the steam formed by the boiling as it forces its way upwards to escape, then vaporisation will go on freely, and the water be rapidly reduced and exhausted. This is a very important consideration in the process of “ reducing,” and shows plainly that the less depth of liquid you have above the bottom or heating surface, wherever that may be, the more easily and rapidly steam will escape (see Reducing), upon which the reduction of the liquid depends.

From the foregoing explanations it will be evident that until pure water is converted into steam it does not actually reach the boiling degree of 212deg. Fahr. or lOOdeg. Cent., although for convenience’ sake it is said to be “ boiling,” and the commotion of ebullition goes on according to the heat of the fire beneath the pot. Steam is given off in minor quantities from the first application of heat, and, indeed, a steady vaporisation goes on from the surface of the water without the application of any heat at all beyond that of the temperature of the air; but when boiling sets in, the quantity of water converted into steam and escaping will be greatly increased, and quite sufficient to lessen the bulk of the water by degrees, although the quantity of steam escaping may not be easily detected. If sufficient heat could be applied all round the pot, so as to bring the whole mass of water to a boiling-point or very near it, the escape of steam would be excessive, as seen in the column ejected from the spout of a kettle in which the water is boiling freely; but even in this case the mass of the water is still below the boiling degree, although that which is being converted into steam is not. In other words, water cannot be converted into steam until it reaches the actual boilingpoint; and, therefore, until it is converted into steam it is not chemically boiling; hence, although we continue to use the term “ boiling,” it must not be overlooked that only that water which is converted into steam and effects its escape has attained the necessary degree of temperature called boiling.

How does this affect cooking? Very slightly, provided cooks will bear in mind that in their phraseology “ boiling ” does not signify that the water in the pot has reached 212deg. Fahr. (lOOdeg. Cent.), although it may be within a few degrees of it. Simmering is a modified form of the same sort of so-called “boiling,” but at a much lower degree, which it is of the first importance to understand, especially in its chemical relation to and effect upon foods.

The boiling degree of water, or point of conversion into steam, is determined by chemists as 212deg. Fahr (lOOdeg. Cent.); but this only refers to pure water and liquids of an exactly similar density. Any fluid of a lighter density, such as spirits of wine, will boil at a much lower degree than water; and fluids of a greater density, such as thick gelatinous broths, or syrups, will require a great increase of temperature; but there are certain conditions in which the material mixed with the water does not alter its density, because of its insolubility. It may be suspended in the water; but merely floats about in it without raising its boiling degree.

u 2

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Ac., referred to, see under their special heads.

1G4

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Boiling — continued.

Other materials there are which yield to the water a certain amount of soluble matter, such as gelatine or sugar, and these raise the boiling-point in proportion to the degree of density they confer upon the water. The boiling-point of water is raised by the addition of salt or soda, which has an important bearing upon the cooking of some soi-ts of vegetables, such as “greens”; and the addition of liquids with less density than water, such as wine, will lower the boiling degree sometimes very considerably, which may in a measure be counteracted by the addition of sugar, salt, gelatine, or some other liquid of a proportionately denser character. This will be better understood when we consider the effects of heat upon foods.

The flesh of animals called “ meat ” consists of fibrous cells containing a gummy, glairy (albuminous) juice resembling white of egg, and gelatinous and fibrous membranes holding these fibrous cells together; bone consists of gelatine and earthy matter; while ligaments and tendons are of a strictly gelatinous character, with a small propoi'tion of albuminous blood. Fat does not enter into our calculations here, as it cannot affect the density or boiling of water by solution. It may thus be seen that in boiling a piece of meat we have generally to deal with a substance made up of four principal ingredients — gelatine, albumen, fibrous and earthy matters. Of these, gelatine is soluble in water, and albumen is miscible in it but not soluble. By applying heat, gelatine is readily soluble — that is to say, water will take up gelatine more readily as it gets warmer, even up to boiling-point; but albumen will coagulate as the boiling-point is reached; and the only impression made upon the fibrous tissue is that the water as it gets hotter dissolves out of it what gelatine it may contain, and therefore renders it harder and firmer; while the trifling amount of soluble salts contained in the earthy matters of the bone are dissolved out of it. The flavour and nourishing qualities of the meat are due to the albumen contained in the flesh cells and blood; but gelatine, fibrous tissue, and earthy matters of bone possess very little nourishing or flavouring qualities, hence they are not much loss to the meat; but the loss of albumen affects the value of the meat iu every way, so that cooks will do well to take precautions to prevent its escape. How can this be done? Chemists tell us that albumen coagulates or hardens like the white of egg (see Albumen) on boiling. Cooks are therefore apt to believe that albumen coagulates only at the actual boiling-point of water, he., 212deg. Fahr. (lOOdeg. Cent.); but this is a mistake, for albumen (white of egg) will harden at a heat some degrees below boilingpoint (about 164deg. Fahr.), which accounts for the fact, known to many, that eggs can be boiled quite hard without the water in which they are put coming to the boil at all.

If a piece of meat, with its surfaces cut across the bundles of cells, be placed in cold water and heat gradually applied, a stream of gelatine and albumen will be steadily drawn into the water from the cut surfaces; and as the warmth increases, the dissolving of the gelatine out of the fibrous tissue forming the cell walls, tendons, ligaments, skin, and bone, increases also, breaking up and weakening to some extent the tissues containing it, especially the fibrous cell walls and the fibrous network and thin membranes which bind the cells together. This renders the meat soft and loose in texture, and the cell walls weak and leaky, thus permitting the escape of the nourishing and flavouring albumen into the water, not merely from the cells which are cut through but also from those which are weakened by their walls being dissolved away, rendering them leaky and fragile; and, as the textiu-e loosens by this continued dissolving away of the fibrous tissue binding the cells together, the influence of the water as it warms extends rapidly into the substance of the meat, and the meat becomes ragged

Boiling — continued.

and flavourless, whilst the water teems with its albumen and gelatine. This proceeding is very well when it is desired to make stock, but if it is- the cook’s desire to serve up a boiled joint, it stands to reason that the exudation of the albumen and gelatine must be stopped on the threshold; and how is that to be done P

Albumen is coagulable at something much below 212deg. Fahr. (lOOdeg. Cent.), and the cut surfaces of meat, which are the weakest points, are invariably covered with a layer of albumen; therefore, it stands to reason that if the water in the pot can be brought up to a temperature closely approximating to boiling and the cut surfaces popped suddenly into it, the albuminous layer will coagulate at once, and form a sort of hard “ white-of-egg ” sheath over the cut siirfaces thus dipped. Carrying this idea a little further, the water in the pot should be brought to the highest possible pitch, and the meat (unwiped) plunged in; this will in a measure protect the cut surfaces. In braising (a cooking process not sufficiently understood or practised in this country), good cooks first apply the cut surfaces of a joint to great heat, thus arresting any unnecessary exudation. This might also be done with advantage before putting meat into water to boil; first, because cooks are apt to consider the water quite hot enough if only warm, and, secondly, because plunging a large joint into water however hot must necessarily reduce the temperature of the whole quantity far below that degree required to coagulate albumen. If cooks would only bear these stubborn facts in mind, we should have boiled joints served with full flavour, and the stock would contain but little of the quality of the meat. In most cases, nowadays, in private kitchens, the stock in which the meat is boiled constitutes the most important part of the boiled joint. By salting meat the fibrous tissue is hardened, but this does not prevent, although it slightly interferes with the readiness of, the solvent action of the heated water upon the gelatine. Every cook knows that gelatine, however hard and dry, is soluble in hot water, and sparingly so in cold, for which reason it has come to pass that cooks put salt meat into cold water with impunity, as they think; but as the water warms up, the gelatine has to give way, more slowly for having been hardened, and out pours the albumen; not so soon, perhaps, but that the coagulation of that remaining will take place by the water boiling before so much has had time to escape as would happen if the gelatine were not hardened by salting.

The gelatine of some meats is much softer and more easily dissolved than that of beef; that of mutton, veal, pork, poultry, and fish, for instance, are soft in the order given, and consequently the precautions necessary to be taken for the immediate coagulation of their albumen are the more emphatically important, if it were possible to be so, than in beef. But some fish are of an exceedingly fibrous character, such as turbot and salmon, with the result that cooks put them into cold water first, without probably knowing the reason why they do so.

Vegetables contain albumen in a very large proportion, which makes them firm when raw, but soft and brittle when cooked, and these should almost without exception be plunged into boiling water to set their albumen before it escapes. Potatoes and some other vegetables contain a large proportion of starch, which swells in a moist heat, so that it is advisable to bring the water steadily up to boiling-point, that the heat may enter the heart of the vegetable before the outside has been seriously affected.

From what has been said it is quite evident that cooks must use considerable judgment in boiling, because the mode of procedure will depend in all cases upon the chemical quality and composition of the food to be boiled

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, do., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Boiling — continued.

Foods rich in albumen, and with soft fibrous tissue, require to be put in the hottest water at once; fibrous food is better for cold water; the whole secret of boiling depending on the softening or breaking up of fibre by dissolving out its gelatine, and hardening or coagulating the albumen. Gelatine is soluble in boiling water, but albumen hardens in it, and is not.

The following tables should be of some service to the cook, as pointing out the time required for boiling and simmering after once the water has reached the boilingpoint as nearly as it can. Remember always that when the material to be boiled is put into the water, however hot, it reduces its temperature greatly; therefore the heat should be applied as briskly as ever until the water boils again, and then it may be drawn to one side to simmer.

Times Required for Boiling.

Artichokes, Jerusalem

Asparagus

Beetroot

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts Cabbage

Carrots (according to age)

Cauliflower French Beans ...

Greens ...

Onions (according to size)

Parsnips (according to size) ...

Peas, Green (according to age)

Spinach ...

Crabs (according to size)

Lobster (according to size) ...

Salmon (according to size of piece or fish)

Steak Pudding (according to size)

about J hour. i to 1 hour.

1 to 3 or 4 hours. 15 to 20min.

10 to 15min.

1 to 1 hour.

20min. to f hour. 15 to 20min.

15 to 20min. about 25min.

1 to 2 hours.

35min. to li hours. 15min. to i hour. 12 to 15min.

20min. to f hour. 20min. to hour.

1 lOmin. to each lb. 3i to 4 hours.

Times Requibed for Simmering.

Bacon (from 21b. upwards)

1 hours upwards.

Beef, Aitchbone (about 101b.)...

about 2j hours.

„ Brisket (about 101b.)

„ 2f hours.

„ Round (about 201b.)

,, 5 hours.

Calf’s Head (with skin on, put into cold water first) ...

j 3 to 4 hours.

Calf’s Head (with skin off, put into cold water first) ...

2J to 3J hours.

Calf’s Feet (put into cold water first)

6 to 7 hours.

Ham (about 151b.)

4 to 5 hours.

Mutton, Leg (about 91b.)

about 2i hours.

„ Neck (about 71b.)

„ 2 hours.

Ox-tongue, Fresh

„ 2i hours.

„ Salt (put into cold water

first)

j „ 3J hours.

Pig’s Cheek

„ 2J hours.

Pig’s Feet

,, 3 hours.

Pork, Leg (about 81b.)

„ 3 hours.

„ Hand (about 61b.) Veal, Breast (about 71b.)

,, 2J hours.

,, 2 hours.

„ Knuckle (about 71b.)

„ 2j hours.

Chicken (according to size and age)...

to J hour.

Fowl (according to size)

1 to 1J hours.

Partridge

about 20min.

Pigeon ...

„ 20min.

Turkey (according to size)

1£ to 2 hours.

Cod (according to size of piece or fish)

30 to 40min.

Herrings

about lOmin.

John Dory

10 to 20min.

Mackerel

15 to 20min.

Skate

12 to 20min.

Soles

6 to 12min.

Turbot (about 151b., put into cold )

water first) ... ) 35 to 40mln '

The articles quoted in the above tables are sufficient to supply a very useful general estimate for all purposes. In many receipts special mention is made of the time required for cooking.

As a general rule, cooks allow a quarter-of-an-liour

Boiling — continued.

per lb. for young meat, small pieces, and poultry; but twenty minutes is not too long for older and primer meat and large pieces. After boiling up, it is not necessary to keep the temperature of the water above 170deg. Fahr., because all that is required is the softening of the fibrous tissue, which takes place at a much lower temperature, and the gradual setting of the albumen, whioli coagulates at Kildog. Fain - .

Hard water is generally chosen for boiling albuminous foods, and salt (2oz. to the gallon) is sometimes added for this purpose; but soft water is powerfully solvent, and frequently bicarbonate of soda (oz. to the gallon) is added to soften hard water for boiling fibrous vegetables and fibrous fish.

The invention of gas-stoves for boiling has effected quite a revolution in this culinary process; but the kitchener or old open range answers very well if carefully attended. Cooks are apt to leave the stoking of a grate to a kitchen hand, who entertains notions of saving labour by stoking up high, and letting it burn low, a system which interrupts the regular process of boiling.

Let it be remembered that all liquors in which foods have been boiled contain some amount of nourishment, such as gelatine, meat juice, or vegetable albumen, for which reason they should never be thrown away, but used as stock for soup or broth if possible. It is therefore advisable, for this and other reasons already explained, to boil joints in as little water as possible, just enough to cover the meat, and as the liquor boils away it can be renewed by adding hot water, not cold. For small joints, or pieces of meat, fish, or poultry, boiling is a very wasteful process unless it is intended to make use of the stock.

When boiling fish, excepting small ones, simmering only is necessary, or, as the fibrous tissue is generally very delicate, hard or salted water should be used. The addition of gill of vinegar to the gallon of water is much recommended, tending not only to harden the water, but to whiten the flesh of the fish.

Before closing this article, it is advisable to mention that the density of the atmosphere exercises an extraordinary influence over boiling; so much so that at the top of a high mountain such as Mont Blanc, water will boil at such a low temperature that it is quite impossible to cook meat or vegetables, or boil eggs. This is very easily explained: the higher we go, the rarer or less dense the atmosphere becomes; and as the density of water, which is naturally elastic, depends upon the density of the air above it, the higher we go the rarer or less dense the water becomes; wherefore, as before explained, the degree of temperature at which a fluid boils depending upon its density, the mountain water boils at a much lower temperature than 212deg. Fahr., or lOOdeg. Cent., decreasing the higher we go. This fact led an ingenious French chemist — Papin by name — to invent a sort of stockpot (“Papin’s Digester”), the lid of which screws down, and the only escape for the steam and heated air is through a valvular opening in the top of the lid, which requires a considerable pressure from within to raise the weight. In this way, the pressure on the water could be kept up, and perhaps a little in increase of what it would otherwise be; hence the degree of temperature at which the water boils is considerably increased, and the cooking goes on as before, no matter how high the mountain may be.

BOLOGNA.— This is the name of a town in Italy, celebrated in the annals of culinary history as the birthplace of a famous sausage named after it, made of various meats, such as beef, pork, veal, goat’s flesh, ham and bacon fat, spiced and pounded together, put into skins, and smoked. In Italy it is known as the “ Satsiccia di Bologna,” and is looked upon by all classes as a spicy morsel. The peasants make it wholesale for family use

Far details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, Jcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bologna — continued.

and having flavoured it well with garlic and smoked it, are content to forego any further cooking. Sometimes, however, they are partly boiled before smoking.

Bologna Sausage. — (1) Cut off all the fat and skin from some beef and pork, so as to have 31b. of the lean of each; put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil for half-an-hour or so; take the meat out when done, and cut it up into small pieces. Chop very flue 21b. of the fat of bacon or liam separately, then mix them up with the beef and pork, and add a sprig of thyme finely chopped, a little ground mace, and salt and pepper to taste. Clean and soak the required number of skins from the intestines of an ox; fill them with the mixture, secure the ends, put the sausages into a bowl of good beef pickle, and let them remain for nine or ten days. Take them out, dry them with a cloth, wrap them round with muslin, and put them to smoke for twelve or fourteen days. Rub them well over with pepper or ground ginger, store them in a cool place, and they are ready for use.

(2) Mince lib. each of lean veal, beef, and pork, the fat and lean of the same quantity of bacon, in equal proportions, and mix in 12oz. of finely-shred beef-suet, a dozen or so sageleaves dried and powdered, a few sweet herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Have ready a large skin (intestines) from an ox, thoroughly cleansed and soaked, put the mixture into it, plunge it into a saucepan of boiling water, and boil gently for an hour. Take it out, drain and dry it on a bundle of straw, and it is ready for use when cold. It should have a few holes pricked in the skin before being boiled, to prevent the skin bursting.

BOMB (Fr. Bombe; Ger. Bombe; Ital. Bomba; Sp. Bomba). — It is remarkable how much inclined some culinary practitioners are to introduce the arts of warfare into their peaceful and uneventful occupations. The Bomb-ice is just one of these remarkable productions, having no more than a very fanciful resemblance to the bomb-shell from which it is designed. The constituents of the ice may vary in manifold ways of colour, flavouring, and ingredients, their sole resemblance being in their spherical shape. Moulds have been specially manufactured for the casting of these ices, and can be obtained of any mould-maker, but as a dish the Bomb has become old-fashioned, and gives place to the more modern Neapolitan. To Francatelli much of the fame of Bomb-ices is due, and to his ingenuity must be ascribed some of their popularity, for he not only served them upon every available occasion, whether in times of war or peace, but of every conceivable variation

Fig. 177. Bomb-moulds.

(Adams’s designs.)

(see Fig. 177), all exhibiting artistic taste and genius. For instance, they were of all sorts of colours and designs, or plain with various fine flavours, each one being large enough for one person, or so large that it would require slicing to serve. The flame which should issue from the aperture of a live bomb-shell was imitated with spun barley-sugar, and with excellent effect. Soyer, after his return from the Crimea, where he possibly saw some of the real articles in active existence, appears, from his writings, to have discarded Bomb-ices from that time. Francatelli, on the contrary, literally revelled in them, and possibly produced more varieties than any other confectioner, and these he named, as was the wont in

Bomb — continued.

those days, after every celebrity he could encounter. Thus, he had besides his stock Bomb-ices, Bomb-ice a la Kinnaird, a la Massey Stanley, a la Montrose, a la Rachel, a la Robert Peel, a la Rowland Errington, a la Wilton, and many others. It is to be hoped that such prolific complacency met its just reward in equivalent pecuniary compliments. Their further composition will be found described under Ices.

BOMBAK.DE— The name of a favourite dish among the Tyrolese, composed of sheeps’ tongues and minced meats.

BOMBAY PUDDING.— See Puddings.

BONBONS.— A French term applied to sweetmeats generally, or any other kind of delicacy. It is merely the repetition of the word bon — good, and answers to our child’s term of “ goody-goodies.”

Candied Liqueur Bonbons. — With a fluted, ring-shaped mould, make some impressions in a thick layer of dry starch powder that has been sifted through a silk sieve, a space of f 2 in. being left between each of these impressions. Boil lib. of sugar to the “ small blow,” then mix in 1 wineglassful of kirsclienwasser, maraschino, or other spirit liqueur; let it cool, and work it with a spatula or wooden spoon till it forms a paste; then heat it in a sugar-boiler to melt it, without allowing the sugar to boil; then put it into a paper cornet, and, by squeezing the cornet, fill all the impressions in the starch. In ten minutes’ time, when the Bonbons will be dry, take them out of the starch, dust them lightly over with a soft brush, and put them in a candying-tin on a wire; fill up the tin with syrup at 34deg. that has been previouly cooled, allowing it to come a little above the rings; cover the tin with a sheet of paper or linen, and put it in the hot closet for twelve or fourteen hours. At the end of that time break one corner of the crust of the sugar, let the syrup drain off for twelve hours, then remove the Bonbons on a sieve, dry them again in the hot closet for another twelve hours, when they will be ready to be packed away. If liked, a preserved cherry that has been well drained and dried may be put in the centre of each ring previous to putting it in the candying-tin; but if not thoroughly dried, the candy will not adhere to the cherry.

These Bonbons are called after the name of the liqueur they contain, and, when cold, the liqueur will be found in the middle of the sugar. It is better, but not actually necessary, to candy the Bonbons after cooling. Other kinds of Bonbons will be found described under their English synonyms.

BONBONNIERES. — Fr. for boxes used to keep sweets (bonbons) in; generally made of cliina, and of elegant design.

BONDONS. — Neufchatel, in Normandy, is famous for its cheeses, and especially for those which bear this name, given to them from their resemblance in shape to a bung ( bondon ). They are manufactured from curdled milk,

which is considerably salted, and put in little moulds to drain and dry. The genuine Bondon cheese is deservedly a great favourite; but in foreign markets so many imitations are to be met with of inferior quality, that Bondons have come to be regarded in this country as coarse and unpalatable, and quite distinct from the richer and somewhat similar Neufchatel. See Cheese.

BONES. — The composition of Bone is half earthy salts and half gelatine; the earthy salts can be extracted by soaking Bone in acid (vinegar will do it in time, but stronger acids, such as hydrochloric, would be more expeditious in their action), and when the process is complete nothing but gelatine will remain, still retaining the exact shape and apparent substantiality of the Bone, but soft as india-rubber. This will give some notion of the amount of gelatine that can be extracted from Bones.

Bones for Soup. — Bones as well as meat can be used for soups, and should never be thrown away; for Gib. or 71b. of Bones have the same food value as lib. of meat. Gelatine is

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167

Bones — continued.

prepared from them, as explained above. The gelatine can also be extracted by long and continued boiling, and then nothing but the hard earthy salts remain, the Bones being then quite brittle and not pliable. It is easy to detect when a Bone is done with — that is, all the gelatine used up — by all the cavities having the appearance of sponge. There should bo no waste in the kitchen, and a good cook will commit Bonos of all or any sorts to the stock-pot rather than to the rag-and-bone-man’s bag. Whether Bones have meat upon them or not, an excellent soup can be made from them as follows: Put as many as you have or can get into a stockpot or digester, and cover them with water. Let them boil for some hours — the longer, within reason, the better: say from six hours upwards, taking care to replace the water with more that is hot as fast as it boils off. Add, some considerable time before the soup is required, to every gallon, two large carrots sliced thin, 1 handful of celery trimmings, two or three sprays of sweet herbs, i handful of parsley, two or three onions sliced coarsely, two or three blades of mace, 2 teaspoonful of cloves, 1 teaspoonful of peppercorns, and 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, continuing to boil freely. Within half-an-hour of the soup being required, strain it off, removing all fat; beat up a couple of eggs, shells and all, with a teacupful of cold water, stir well into the soup, simmer for thirty minutes, strain, and serve.

Devilled Bones.— Select those Bones, especially beef, that have not been quite stripped of their meat; indeed, there should be sufficient left on them to afford a good substantial picking. Mix together 1 teaspoonful of dry mustard and the same quantity of salt, and make up with a piece of butter the size of a walnut. Rub this well into and over the Bones, dust lightly with cayenne pepper, and broil. Serve with mushrooms fried in butter.

Marrow-bones. — These may be devilled or boiled, but in each case the ends should be carefully sealed with a stiff paste made with flour and water. Servo with slices of hot buttered toast, without crust, and a marrow-spoon, so that the marrow may be transferred to the toast.

BONING. — This, like every other process of cookery, requires some practical experience; hut is not considered by cooks to present any difficulties that cannot be readily mastered. A small Boning-knife (Pig. 178) is required, with a sharp, short, pointed blade, and with this it is the aim of the operator to remove the external flesh from

Fig. 178. Boning-knife.

birds, fish, and joints, that the space from which the bone is taken may be stuffed with forcemeats and other things, in such a manner that the carving also shall be reduced to the simplicity of cutting a slice right through.

Boning a Chop. — The operator commences at the big end of the bone, and by a “ scraping ” movement of the knifepoint removes the meat quite cleanly, without jagging or ragging, until the smooth part of the rib is reached, when the meat can almost be stripped off by pressing along with the finger and thumb. Should there be any of the tender “under-cut” attached to the bone, it must be removed in a similar manner, and replaced in position after the bone is away.

Boning Fish. — Boning fish, whether round or flat, is the next in order of difficulty. It should be commenced by carefully stripping off the skin and then laying the body flat on a board, and commencing from the tail, work towards the head, passing the point of the knife under the flesh close upon the bone. Continue to work down by a scraping motion over the ribs, holding the flesh so carefully in the left hand as not to injure the flakes. Having stripped the top side, work upon the under-side in the same way until

Boning — continued.

the skeleton can be raised and taken away, and the flesh remain on the board. Lay it open and pull out all the small bones you can feel with your fingers and thumbs. Flat fish are always filleted ( see Plaice, Soles, &c.), and small bony fish, such as chad and herrings, are too troublesome to bo boned; but cod, mackerel, haddock, and others like them, answer very well prepared in this way. The next step depends upon the mode of cooking determined upon, and this will bo found under the namo of the particular fish boned.

Boning a Leg of Mutton. — A leg of mutton for boning should be cut off the carcase as high as possible, and the boning is ccmmenced by loosening the flesh round the first joint, leaving all gristle and tendon undisturbed on the bone. It would, of course, be a very simple operation to open the leg in its entire length, and dissect the bone out, but that would expose the meat to a loss of gravy in cooking, besides necessitating its being sewn up — a disfigurement to be avoided if possible. Continue clearing the bone by feel if you cannot see, pressing the meat down until the other joint is reached, when more care will be required to work round it, and a very little work after that will clear the bone. The next step is to stuff the centre from which the bone has been extracted; tie up both ends, and cook.

Bolling Poultry. — Poultry, such as fowls and turkeys, are the most difficult of all to bone, not even excepting hares and rabbits, which are seldom prepared for cooking in this way. Take care to procure perfectly fresh birds, without a wound in the skin. Remove the head and pin feathers, singe, and wipe clean; if a turkey or capon, cut off the feet in such a manner that the tendons at the sides of the leg joint remain uncut; pull these out by force. Next, loosen the skin round the end of the drumsticks with the point of the boning-knife, set the bird on its breast (undrawn), and make an incision through the skin from the neck to the middle of the back, or as far as where the side bones are joined on. Then loosen the flesh from the backbone along one edge of the incision, lifting with the finger and thumb, and working towards the shoulder-blade; over that to the first wing joint; sever the ligaments of this, and continue on along the collar-bone, or merrythought, to the breast, remembering that the skin over the crest of the breastbone is thin, and there is no flesh under it. The flesh in the grooves of the breastbone may be left, and the skin stripped off it, being cut out afterwards as fillets, and placed in the interior; but most cooks lift it with the first operation, and use the flat handle of the knife, if it has one, to work under it and raise it uncut. Repeat this operation on the other side, and you will have a very important part of the work done. (Some cooks force the meat off the first wing bone, down to the second joint, and cut it off there, leaving the next bones as being of use in preserving the shape of the wings, and not in the way of the carving; but others leave the first bones of the wings and legs until all the rest is away, and then remove those after. One plan is quite as good as another, and equally effectual). Next, work down towards the hip joints, and press and scrape off the flesh to the second joint, leaving the drumstick for future operation. Remove the skin and flesh from the membrane covering the belly, strip down to the tail and cut that off, leaving it with a small piece of the backbone in the bird. Now remove the bones of the wings and logs just as explained for the leg of mutton, and you will have taken the flesh off the bird’s bones almost as easily as you can draw off a glove. Stuff the bird as directed under its particular heading, sew up, and truss as if it had not been boned, bracing up tightly the lower parts of the body with strips of cloth, so that it shall maintain something like its original shape.

Another way of Boning a bird when it is required to be rolled up for a galantine is to cut off the wings at the second joint, break the drumsticks midway between the joints, cut the skin down the entire length of the backbone, and strip the flesh as before down to the second joint of the wing, turning the limb inside out as the bone is pulled through; pass over the breast, leaving the flesh on the breasBone until last; work down to the legs in the same way, turning them also inside out, and then remove the skeleton, stuff the interior, roll up tight, and sew up along the length of the bird and at both ends.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Boning — continued.

Boning Ribs of Beef. — Ribs of Beef require the same style of working, on a larger scale, as a chop does; and a ready facility acquired by practising on such joints serves the cook in good stead when boning fish or poultry.

BONNES BOUCHES. — The literal translation of this French term •would he “ good months,” and it might perhaps he better expressed as “bouchees”— “monthfuls” — a word more generally adopted by modern cooks.

Bonnes Bouches of Chicken with Truffles. — Take two chickens, which should be boned, boil them until tender, remove all the meat from the skin, and chop it up rather fine; next chop up four large truffles also fine, put these into a stewpan with £ pint of good white sauce and a little chicken glaze, bring to a boil, and add six yolks of eggs; season well with cayenne pepper and salt, bring to a boil again, pour out upon a flat dish, allow it to set, and proceed as in the directions given for Bonnes Bouches of Oysters.

Bonnes Bouches of Oysters. — Take two dozen oysters, put them on the stove in a stewpan with just enough liquor to cover them, bring them to a boil, and strain them, reserving the liquor. Put into a stewpan 2oz. each of fresh butter and sifted flour, knead well together, work in slowly the liquor from the oysters, add 1 gill of cream, and season well with cayenne and salt. Beard the oysters, cut the soft parts into small square pieces, and chop the hard parts up very fine; put into the stewpan with the sauce, which should be of rather a stiff consistency, add six yolks of eggs and joz. of gelatine, bring the whole to a boil, see that it is nicely seasoned, pour out upon a flat dish, and stand in a cool place or upon the ice to set. Next rub through a wire sieve some stale bread, and when the Bonnes Bouches mixture is set, cut it out into pieces about in. thick, ljin. long, and lin. wide, throwing them into the breadcrumbs; take them out, pat them into shape ag-ain, and put them into some wellbeaten eggs; take them out and pass them through the crumbs again, keeping them in shape, fry them in hot lard to a nice golden colour, dish upon a napkin or fancy dish-paper, garnish with fried parsley, and serve.

Bonnes Bouches a la Parisienne. — Put into a stewpan pint of white sauce; chop up about £ pint of goose’s fat liver in small square pieces, and put this into the stewpan with some truffles, white mushrooms chopped very fine, six yolks of eggs, and a very little gelatine. Bring to a boil, season well with cayenne pepper and salt, add a few breadcrumbs, pour out upon a dish, allow it to set, and proceed as in the foregoing directions for Bonnes Bouches of Oysters.

BONNE FEMME SOUP. — See Soups.

BONNET DE TURUIE. — A piece of pasty made to resemble a Turk’s cap.

BORAGE. — The leaves and dowers (Fig. 179) of the Borageplant ( Borago officinalis) are not much used in English cookery excepting for flavouring claret cup and other similar concoctions. Borage grows wild in our fields and hedges, and yields a distinctive aromatic flavour.

BORDEAUX. — The name fig. 179. Borage

given to a class of wines (clarets) Flower.

made from grapes grown in the

Bordelais districts. They are amongst those which reach us in the purest and most natural state, and are valued accordingly. See Wines.

BORDEAUX SAUCE.— See Sauces.

BORDELAISE, A EA. — This term is used in cookery to signify in Bordeaux style, as Sauce d la Bordelaise.

BORDERS (Fr. Bordures; Ger. Randen; It. and Sp. Bordos). — Some very pretty dishes, especially suitable for ball suppers, can be prepared by moulding fruit or savoury jellies in ring-shaped moulds, and filling the

SovAevs— continued.

centres with some sort of entremets suitable to be eaten with the jellies. As this class of dishes are peculiar to themselves, receipts for their preparation are given under the name of any particular meat or fruit that might enter into their composition; and it may be here

Fig. 180. Specimens of Border Moulds. (Designs by Adams and Son.)

observed that the mould is not always used so as to form a solid ring, but that the materials are sometimes arranged in the form of a wall, and the softer contents placed within. See also Aspic, Potatoes, Rice, &c.

BORSCH.— See Barszcz.

_ BOSH BUTTER.— A very _ inferior kind of imitation butter, manufactured in Hamburg, and sent over to this country for the purposes of adulterating butter.

BOSTON PUDDING. — See Puddings.

BOTARGO. — See Boutargue.

BOTTLES. — If it were of sufficient practical value, a most interesting story could be written about Bottles, commencing with the earliest historical record we have of their use, and tracing each periodical improvement till we arrive at the clever productions of the present era. Of the many kinds of Bottles that exist now it would be beyond the power of man to enumerate, or render any accurate account, from the stone ginger-beer Bottle to the finely-cut crystal decanter; from the Bottle of golden liqueur to the phial of nauseous physic; from the Bottle of blacking to the lady’s gold-mounted vinaigrette; and yet all apparently originated with the first Bottle that was made some 500 years ago.

Bottles have been not only made of glass’ and earthenware, but of a variety of substances, such as leather, metal, and india-rubber; and in some parts the bottlegourd, cocoa-nut, bamboo (between the nodes), and ostrich eggs have been adapted to such a use. But our interest is chiefly with those in use at the present day to hold wines, liqueurs, beers, and other beverages and foods, and they are sufficiently familiar to require no further special mention.

BOTTLING. — This has now reached the dignified position of a fine art, so much have its exponents done for it in the way of improving the apparatus and bottles used therein. The aerated water trade has taken the lead, and surpassed anything that could possibly have been anticipated from it, or from any other class of Bottling, such as wines or beers, both of which appear to have remained stationary for centuries. The aeratedwater-bottling machine, judging from those exhibited at the Brewers’ Exhibition, has now reached such a degree of perfection that it is made to perform three distinct operations — viz., syruping, filling, and stoppering the bottles — almost simultaneously, and requires no skilled hand to work it. The old-fashioned method of Bottling by hand and knee directly from the tap, had many disadvantages, the chief being that it required much practice to get rid of the air in the bottle, and to

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169

Bottling — continued.

retain the gas whilst a cork end was compressed, fitted to the month of the bottle, and driven home. The invention of aerated water bottles fitted with glass ball stoppers has created quite a revolution in the practice, and the latest and most effectual bottler fills the bottles upside down, so that when the stream of fluid is turned off, the marbles or glass balls fall on to the indiarubber collars prepared to receive them. The syphon bottle has been well received, because it admits of the consumer drawing off as much as may be required for immediate use without deteriorating to any considerable extent that which remains in the bottle, and this is filled by a machine especially devised for the purpose.

Bottling ales has long been regarded as a special branch of the trade, but was at one time very much practised in private houses, when the simple process employed by the housewife frequently produced better and more satisfactory results than have been attained by the most expert. This might be due to accident, but the probability is that it was due to the great cleanliness exercised in the domestic bottling. An authority (Spon) believes that “the change effected in beer by storing it in close vessels appears to be due to an insensible fermentation which goes on for a considerable time, resulting in the impregnation of the liquor with carbonic-acid gas.” Dr. Ure boldly states that “ the

quality of the beer never remains stationary when in the store vats, and that from the moment it ceases to improve, it begins to deteriorate by acetic fermentation.” These opinions are not based upon experiment, but are mere haphazard observations, for it is an ascertained fact that after beers are bottled they undergo a fermentation which is by no means either insensible or deteriorative. Dr. Graham maintains that living yeast cells floating about in the beer when it is drawn into bottles set up the fermentation in the bottles, which results in the impregnation with carbonic-acid gas, and further proposes that the beer should be run from the store cask, and corked with a cork that has been saturated with paraffin wax, by which means the cork is rendered impervious. “ The next process is to destroy the ferment in the ale itself, because, however bright the ale may be, there are always floating on it minute yeast cells.” But how these yeast cells floating on the beer happen to be drawn off into the bottles from the lower part of the cask is not explained, and therefore it is within the bounds of possibility that neither brewers nor chemists have yet succeeded in tracing bottle fermentation to its correct source. Dr. Graham further observes: “If the ale were placed in a bottle and heated to a sufficient temperature to destroy these yeast cells, ale that did not contain sufficient carbonic acid would be unpleasant to drink, because it would not effervesce. It is necessary, therefore, for the bottler to charge each bottle with carbonic-acid gas; and this may be done by merely allowing the bottles to remain until there is produced in the ale enough carbonic acid by subsequent fermentation, a process occupying two or three weeks. When the ale has thus obtained sufficient carbonic acid, it must be heated to about 140deg. Fahr. (60deg. Cent.); but if the bottler be pressed for time, and the ale is very flat and is required for immediate export, carbonic acid may be forced into the ale by an ordinary carbonicacid apparatus, and the bottles afterwards heated.”

Cider is frequently bottled at home by merely drawing off from the cask into scrupulously clean bottles and standing upright in a warm place for a day or two, and then removing to an ordinary wine cellar. Before bottling, it is usual to add small quantities of brandy, and colouring of burnt sugar; or perhaps a little infusion of hops may be considered advantageous to the flavour; but in any case it is well to let cider remain in the cask for quite twelve months before attempting to draw into bottles. By that time it has fairly proved

Bottling — continued.

itself, and will then stand in bottle for many years if thoroughly corked.

As to the bottling of wine, there is no secret in it beyond that of scrupulous cleanliness and the use of good corks. But we are told that experience shows us that “ wines bottled in fine, dry weather preserve their clearness and liquidity much better than those bottled in damp weather, or in a southerly wind.” Care must be taken that the wine is quite bright, and the cask must not be shaken. The corks should be well squeezed and driven home with a bat, and then cut off level with the neck of the bottle and waxed over with bottling-wax. Store away in a cool cellar, and let the bottles lie down on clean sand or sawdust. To make light wines sparkle when uncorked, it is usual to add a few grains of loaf sugar, as the vintners do with French champagnes, and tie the corks down. See Cellaring, Fermentation, &c.

When bottling fruits, take care to have them fresh picked, morning gathered, not over-ripe, but dry and sound; and see also that the bottles are not only clean, but free from cracks, and with well-fitting corks. Pack the fruit in the bottle carefully without wounding, and fill up to the top with weak syrup. Place each filled bottle in an upright position upon a grating in a stock-pot or other large vessel, pour in sufficient cold water to reach rather better than half-way up the sides of the bottles, cover these over with a wet cloth, put on the lid of the vessel containing the bottles, and heat up on a gas-stove. Have your corks floating in sweetened tepid water, and when the contents of the bottles have boiled up for a few minutes, according to the fruit, grasp each bottle round the neck with a cloth, and force in the cork. Set on a board or table to cool, and cover the corks with wax, or tie down with wet bladder.

Cement for Sealing Corks of Bottles or Jars for long keeping. — With 3oz. of powdered resin mix loz. of powdered caustic (washing-) soda, and stir that up with pint of water. Have ready corked the jars or bottles to be stopped, cut the corks level with the rims, and then stir into the mixture 4oz. or 5oz. of plaster of Paris (gypsum) to make a stiff paste, and spread over the corks and bottle-tops with a broad knife. This will set hard and firm in less than an hour, and is absolutely impermeable. For goods bottled for export, nothing can be more protective.

Gum for Adhesive Labels. — Soak for twenty-four hours lib. of glue and 3oz. of gum arabic in sufficient cold water to cover them, and then dissolve this in lqt. of water heated gently for the purpose, stir in a table-spoonful or two of sugar, and put in a bottle ready for use. Brush the labels over with this and let them dry. When used, lick or damp the gummed surface.

Wax for Bottling. — Put lib. of common resin into a mortar, pound it well, put it into an old saucepan or tin, and add 4oz. of shred beeswax and the same of tallow. Put the saucepan on a slow fire, and as soon as the ingredients are melted, boil for five or six minutes, stirring frequently, and the wax is then ready for use. It must be made hot before being used.

_ B0UCHEES.— This is the name given to numerous little specimens of tasty cookery, such as patties, savoury or sweet, which are great favourites for suppers and light refections. The term is French, and signifies a mouthful. They may be served either hot or cold.

Bouchees a l’Astor. — Butter and flour a baking-sheet. Put into a pastry-bag a small quantity of the paste used for Lady’s Finger Biscuits, and drop it on to the bakingsheet into bean-shaped pieces Din. long by Jin. wide; sprinkle these lightly with powdered sugar, and place them in a brisk oven to bake for twelve minutes. Take them out and let them cool for fifteen minutes, then put them upsidedown on a table, and in the middle of each one cut a hole lin. long by tin. wide. Fill the holes with apricot marmalade, then arrange them two by two, so as to enclose the marmalade, and make up the perfect shape of beans. Ice them over smoothly by dipping them separately into sugar icing,

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170 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bouchees — continued.

and lay them on a pastry-grating for fifteen minutes to dry. Dress them on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

Bouchees a la Patissiere. — Roll out -jib. of puff paste to about the thickness of a penny, cut it with an oval fluted cutter into fifteen pieces about 2 jin. in length and ljin. in breadth, and damp them with water. Take up and roll out the trimmings in the same way, from which cut fifteen pieces lin. in diameter, removing the centres with a smaller cutter, forming them into rings. Place them in the centre of the other shapes, damp them slightly, dip the tops into sifted sugar, put them on a buttered baking-sheet, and bake them in a moderate oven until they are of a light colour. Take them out when done, fill the centre of the ring with currant, apple, or other jelly, put a cherry or other small preserve on top, and serve.

Bouchees £, la Seine. — (1) Roll fib. of puff paste to fin. thick, let it rest for ten minutes in a cold place, then cut six rounds out of the paste with a 3in. diameter fluted paste-cutter (see Pig. 181). Lay these on a buttered tin baking-dish, slightly apart from each other, brush over with beaten egg, and make a mark on the surface of each with a paste-cutter 2in. in diameter, being careful to dip the cutter each time in hot water, so that the marked outline may remain perfect. Put them in a brisk oven for twenty minutes, then lift the centres with a knife, remove the crumb, and fill with a white salpipon, made of truffles, mushrooms, Fig. 181. Scalloped Pastefinely-shred chicken, and tongue, cutter for Bouchees.

cut up into small dice. Set the

centres on again as covers, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin or ornamental dish paper.

(2) Strip the meat from one or two boiled chickens, cut it in dice, with one-third the quantity of ham, and put it in a saucepan with a little grated nutmeg, pepper, the juice of half a lemon, and 1 pinch of salt. Pour over it j pint of bechamel sauce, and simmer gently at the back of the fire. Prepare some patty cases as for No. 1, and fill them with the mixture. In place of the sauce, 1 pint of milk thickened with 1 tablespoonful of flour added to the chicken may be used, but it must not be made too thick.

Bouchees de Dames. — (1) Put into a pastry-bag a small quantity of paste as for Lady’s Ringer Biscuits. Butter and flour a baking-sheet, form about fifty small round biscuits the shape of macaroons, sprinkle slightly with powdered sugar, and place in a brisk oven to bake for twelve minutes. Remove, and set to cool for fifteen minutes; then lift from the pan, lay them upside down on a table, with a knife make a small cavity jin. in diameter in the centre of each, and fill with cream. Fasten them two by two, to enclose the cream; they will then be ball-shaped. Dip carefully one after the other into a thick sugar icing, and lay them on a pastrygrating to dry for fifteen minutes; then dress on a dessertdish with a folded napkin or ornamental dish-paper, and send to the table.

(2) Prepare a batter in the following way: Put the yolks of fourteen eggs into a basin, and the whites into a round bowl, and place in a cool place till wanted. Add lib. of sifted sugar and 1 pinch of salt to the yolks, flavour to taste, work all together for twenty minutes, when the batter will be creamy. Whisk the white into a froth, and mix very lightly with the batter, adding 1 teacupful of sifted flour and 1 teacupful of cornflour at the same time. Spread a sheet of paper on a baking-sheet, push the batter through a biscuitforcer on to this paper in rounds measuring ljin. across, sift caster sugar over the top, and bake to a light brown; then place them on a sieve, put a circular piece of red-currant jelly, or any kind of preserve, on the tops, gloss them over with transparent icing, and leave them to dry for a few minutes before serving.

Bouchees with Game Puree. — Make lib. of puff paste, roll it out at six turns to about jin. in thickness. Let it rest

Bouchees — continued.

for five minutes, then with a tin channelled paste-cutter 2in. in diameter cut the paste into rounds. Brush a bakingsheet over with a paste-brush dipped in cold water, arrange the flats of paste on it, leaving a short space between each, and brush them over with beaten egg. Cut three-parts through the centre of each flat of paste with a tin cutter lin. in diameter, mark three lines across the inner circle of the paste with a sharp-pointed knife, and bake the patties for twenty minutes in a hot oven. When cooked, take them out, remove them from the baking-sheet by slipping a thinbladed knife underneath them, lift the lids, and scoop out the underdone paste. Have a puree of game warmed at the moment, fill each of the patties with some, then put the lids on again. Arrange them in a group on a folded napkin or ornamental dish-paper on a hot dish, garnish them with a few neat little sprigs of parsley, and serve. This dish is also known as “ Bouchees a la Saint Hubert.”

Bouchees with Oranges. — Beat the yolks of fourteen eggs with lib. of caster sugar, 1 pinch of salt, and some orangezest sugar, till of a thick creamy substance. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, then mix them with the beaten yolks, adding gradually at the same time 9oz. of potato- and wheat-flour, mixed in equal proportions. Spread a sheet of white paper over a baking-sheet, fill a biscuit-forcer with the batter, and squeeze it out on the paper in rounds measuring lfin. across; sift some caster sugar over them, and bake till lightly browned. Quarter some oranges, and stew them for a short time in a small quantity of syrup. When cooked, put the Bouchees on a wire drainer, drain the quarters of oranges, put a slice on each Bouchee, glaze them over with transparent icing, and set them in the screen to dry. In ten minutes the Bouchees will be ready for serving. This dish is also known as “ Bouchees h la Seville.” Bouchees with Peaches. — Proceed as for Bouchees with Oranges. Stamp the biscuits with a tin cutter to remove any uneven parts round the edges; then stand them on a wire drainer, put half of a preserved peach on each, and allow any excess of moisture from the syrup to become entirely absorbed in the biscuit; then glaze them over with a transparent icing flavoured with noyeau and tinged with carmine, and dry them for a few minutes in the screen. Arrange the cakes in a fancy dish, and serve them for dessert. They make a very pretty addition to the table, and are delicious to eat. Also known as “Bouchees Montreuil.”

Petites Bouchees. — (1) Make some puff paste, roll it out to jin. thick, cut out about eighteen or twenty Bouchees with a fluted paste-cutter 2in. in diameter, place them on a greased baking-sheet, and let them stand for ten minutes on ice; remove them, brush them over with egg, and cut through

Fig. 182. Savoury Bouchees with Pear-shaped Croquettes.

one-third of the thickness of the paste with a cutter about ljin. in diameter; this will form the cover, as it can be removed when baked. Bake in a brisk oven. Removo the covers from the centres when done, take out some of the inside of the patties from under the lid, and smooth it with a handle of a knife. Mince some cold chicken, truffles, tongue, and mushrooms, add

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

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Bouchees — continued.

some German sauce, boil it, and fill the Bouchees with it; put on the covers, and serve on a neatly-folded napkin or dish-paper, garnishing- with fried parsley.

The patties or Bouchees made as above may be garnished with croquettes of game or poultry chopped fine (see Fig. 182), but a mince or salpiijon of crayfish, prawns, oysters, or lobsters can also be used. Form the croquettes into the shape of pears, the stalks, made by a stem of parsley, a fillet of truffle or pickled tongue, or piece of maccaroni, being added after the croquettes are fried. These can be made with game, poultry, or fish, in accordance with the garnish of the patties.

(2) Boll up about Jib. of puff paste to the size of half a sheet of foolscap, dust a little flour on a board to provent it sticking to it, and cut the paste into squares of about 2in.; dip a paste-brush in the white of eggs lightly frothed, and touch the four corners and middle of the paste. Sift some refined sugar, spread that which remains in the sieve over the pastry, and bake in a medium oven. Make a little hollow in the centre, and fill with raspberry jam or cherries.

Sweet Bouchees. — (1) Boll out to T ,in. in thickness about 12oz. of puff paste at ten turns, cut it up with a fluted cutter about 2in. wide, and with the rest of the paste form more of them cut with a plain cutter lRn. wide, cutting out the centres with another cutter lin. wide. Damp the surfaces of the fluted pieces of paste, over them put the smaller rings, pressing them together (see Fig. 183), dust over with powdered sugar, and bake in a moderate oven to a light colour. Take them out, lot them get cold, mask the tops of the flutes with white of eggs mixed with sugar, dust over with more sugar in coarse grains, and put them for about two minutes into the oven to dry the egg; take them out, cover the rings with the same mixture of egg and sugar, dip them into chopped pistachios, dry again in the oven, take them out, fill them with any kind of preserve, and serve cold.

A 11

Fig. 183. Bouciiee. a, single layer; B, Bouchee complete.

(2) Prepare about 11b. of puff paste at nine rolls, roll it out to about £in. thick, and with a square cutter about 2in. wide cut out two dozen pieces. Make up the trimmings of the paste again, and roll it out as before; with a half -moon cutter, ljin. wide and Lin. across, cut out ten dozen pieces, damp them, and on the flat pieces of paste arrange rosettes with them; dust over with sugar, put on a baking-sheet in a moderate oven, and bake to a light colour. With the remainder of the paste cut out two dozen rings fin. in width, removing the centres with a cutter in. in width; bake them separately in the oven with sugar dusted over them. When done, arrange a ring in the centre of the squares, dust the rings with chopped pistachios and the other parts with coarse loaf sugar, dry in the oven, letting them colour slightly, and garnish with red-currant jelly between the crescents before serving.

(3) Prepare 12oz. of puff paste, giving it four rolls, and roll it out to about -jin. in thickness. Have handy a biscuit-cutter about 2in. wide and having four flutes, each about lin. in diameter, and with this cut out two dozen pieces; then roll out the trimmings of the paste to about -in. in thickness, cut out eight dozen pieces with a round cutter lin. in diameter, and again cut out the centres with a cutter fin. in diameter. Brush them over slightly with water, put one in each corner or flute of the square pieces of paste, press gently to make them adhere, dust over with sugar, put on a baking-sheet in a moderate oven, and bake to a light colour. Take them out, let

Bouchees — continued.

them get cold, brush the tops of the small rings with egg-andsugar, sprinkle them over or dip them into coarsely-sifted loaf sugar or chopped pistachios, and set them to dry in the oven or hot closet; take them out, fill all the rings with different kinds of jelly, or any kind of sweetmeats or preserves, and serve.

A very stylish mode of serving sweet Bouchees is to arrange them on an office-paste stand, and garnish round the dish with discs of dried-fruit pastes, or crystallised fruits and flowers (see Fig. 184).

Fig. 184. Sweet Bouchees on Stand, Garnished Round with Discs op Dried-fruit Pastes.

Numerous other Bouchees are given under the names of a variety of fruits, sweets, and savouries, such as Greengage, Lobster, Ox-Palates, Oysters, Raspberries, Salmon, Sardines, Shrimps, Soles, Strawberries, Sweetbreads, Woodcocks, &c.

BOUCHERE, A LA (literally, “butcher’s style”). — A mode of indicating the preparation of certain meats, as entre-cote d la Bouchere — ribs grilled and served without other seasoning than pepper and salt; cdtelettes d la Bouchere — cutlets which have not been trimmed; that is, ragged and rough.

BOUDIN ABB. — The French term for a boned quarter of lamb stuffed with white and black puddings, roasted, and served with rich sauce.

BOUDINS. — From this French term the English word “ pudding ” is derived; but amongst Continental cooks the acceptation is much less extensive, and is limited chiefly to a class of goods made of various meats, such as poultry, game, and fish, in the shape of sausages or Boudins noirs — black puddings. Reference will be made to them and receipts given under those special heads.

The Boudin de mer is the sea-pudding or “trepang.”

BOUFP. — A kind of German cake, made with eggs, sugar, butter, flour, currants, raisins, and lemon-juice.

BOUIIiLABAISSE. — Sometimes this is written Bouille-abaisse, or Bouille-a-haisse, and is used to signify a fish soup in great favour amongst the Provencal French, so called because in preparing it the cook lets it boil up and then draws it away from the fire over and over again. This dish is said to be best prepared at Marseilles, and the following is the general mode adopted: The basis of the Bouillabaisse is formed out of any big fish, as coarse as you may please, to which several small fish are added, all chopped into little pieces, and chosen when possible from those that infest the rocks along the coasts of the Mediterranean. All are put together in a big vessel, with chopped onions,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bouillabaisse — continued.

a little garlic, parsley, bay-leaves, fennel, ground pepper, salt, a large pinch of hay saffron, sliced tomatoes, and a proportion of salad oil. All these ingredients are mixed together cold, and are then tossed together in the casserole until all have just caught the colour of the saffron. Then sufficient water is added to cover the fish, and the kettle (casserole) is placed over a very quick fire. There it is left to boil up for five or six minutes, and then it is turned out on to a large dish covered with slices of bread. In Provence the love of this dish is almost an insanity, and modern troubadours have sung of its merits in flattering verse; but no poet appears to have hit the mark so cleverly as Thackeray. This appears to have given the greatest offence to a certain famous French author, who first translates Thackeray’s verses into execrable French, and then calls upon the good people of Marseilles to find someone to do better, because

Non, non, jamais en France,

Jamais 1’ Ang-lais ne regnera.

(1) Jules Gouffe gives the following receipt for Bouillabaisse: — Put in a saucepan 61b. of mixed fish, such as soles, whiting, gurnet, and flounders, cut in pieces; add four sliced onions, one sliced carrot, three shallots, two unpicked cloves of garlic, a bunch of thyme and parsley, five or six cloves, two bay-leaves, £ tablespoonful of capsicum, 1 teacupful of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in with the above ingredients 2qts. of water, and boil them gently for half-an-hour, keeping the lid on the saucepan. When cooked, drain the fish, and arrange it on a hot dish. Mix 1 teaspoonful of saffron with the soup, and pass it through a pointed strainer into a soup-tureen. Serve the soup with the fish and a plate of croutons of fried bread or sippets of toast.

(2) Put 2 table-spoonfuls of chopped onions in a stewpan with a small quantity of oil or butter, and fry them over the fire till browned; then put in a small bunch of parsley and bay-leaves, lib. of peeled potatoes not cut up, and lqt. of water; season to taste with pepper and salt, and add x saltspoonful of saffron. Boil gently till the potatoes are nearly cooked, then put in four or five moderate-sized slices of cod, and boil them till done. Put some slices of French roll in a hot deep dish; when the cod is cooked, put it on the bread, garnish with the potatoes, strain the cooking liquor over all, and serve.

(3) Chop very fine two medium-sized, peeled, sound onions with one medium-sized, fine, fresh, green pepper, and put them in a pan over the fire, with 1 gill of sweet oil. When well browned, moisten with 3 pints of hot white broth. Cut three skinned, good-sized, sound, well-washed potatoes into quarters, also three good-sized, sound, red, peeled tomatoes into rather small pieces; put all in the soup. Season with 1 table-spoonful of salt and half that quantity of pepper, and then boil well for fully an-hour-and-a-half, placing into it at the beginning a bouquet of sweet herbs, also £ teaspoonful of powdered saffron diluted in a little water; when nearly done add lib. of boned cod-fish cut into small pieces, boil again for three minutes, pour into a hot soup-tureen, and serve with half-a-dozen slices of toasted bread.

(4) Clean and cut into pieces of moderate size one large whiting weighing about llb. or 21b., a gurnet, and a very small turbot. Make about 2qts. of broth with the heads, some small fish, chopped vegetables, white wine or Madeira, and water; pass this through a strainer, skim, and let it stand. Put a large onion and a leek, minced, into a stewpan with J pint of good olive oil and a clove of garlic, and fry to a light brown colour. When done, put in the fish with a little more white wine and sufficient of the broth to cover them; then add a small raw lobster, a large pinch of salt, a little saffron, a bay-leaf, the pulp of a lemon without the rind, and a bunch of parsley. Boil briskly until done, then remove the stewpan and take out the parsley. Have ready some slices of bread about iin. in thickness, pour the liquid over this, put the pieces of fish on the dish with the heads and broth, and serve.

(5) Clean a moderate-sized fresh whiting, a raw lobster, a small turbot (or half a medium-sized one), and two small gurnets;

Bouillabaisse — continued.

cut them up in pieces, and wipe them well. Make a broth of about 3qts. with the heads, some small fish, a small slice of conger eel, and bones of any fresh fish. Put two minced leeks into a stewpan, and fry in pint of Provence oil; when ready, add two tomatoes peeled and cut in pieces. Now add the pieces of fish, with half a bottle of white wine and sufficient fish-broth made hot to cover them. Tie up in a bag a bay-leaf, a bunch of parsley, a small teaspoonful of pimento, a sprig of fennel, a little saffron, and the pulp of two lemons peeled and sliced, and put in the saucepan. Boil until the fish is done, which should be about a-quarter-ofan-hour, when the liquid would be reduced to a quarter of its original quantity. Take out the pieces of fish, bone the best pieces, and place them in a soup-tureen, into which the broth has previously been poured. Remove the parsley, &c., from the broth, and add the leeks. Serve some thin slices of toasted bread separately.

(6) Russian Style. — Clean and cut in pieces a small sterlet ( see Sturgeon). Put a clove of garlic and two onions, minced, into a stewpan with some olive oil. Fry gently to a bright brown colour, and then add the sterlet, a small eel, half-a-dozen crayfish cut in halves, and twelve prawns. Season with sliced pulp of lemon, two red peppers, a handful of parsley, salt, and 3 table-spoonfuls of tomato ketchup. Cover the fish with white wine or Madeira, and fish broth, in the proportion of three parts wine to one part broth, and boil briskly for twelve to fifteen minutes. Remove the pan from the fire, and strain the broth into a deep dish with slices of bread laid at the bottom. Serve the fish on a separate dish.

(7) Put into a large saucepan about 1 teacupful of best olive oil, and a little mixed spice and pepper. Add an onion, minced, with a tomato, and a little garlic and parsley. Boil until the onion begins to colour, and then add any fish handy, with 1 pinch each of salt and powdered saffron. Fill the saucepan to the top of the fish with hot water, and boil over a quick fire for fifteen or twenty minutes, or until the broth is one-quarter the bulk of the original quantity. Pour the broth over slices of bread about Jin. thick, and serve the fish on a separate dish.

(8) Cut in pieces about the size of an egg any kind of fish that is in season, such as turbot, gurnets, plaice, soles, lobsters, crayfish, &c. Put two minced onions in a stewpan with a little butter, and slightly brown it over the fire; put in the fish, with a little olive oil, two or three bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, a little pulp of a lemon, a large pinch of saffron, and two sound, ripe tomatoes, witii about 5 tumblerful of Madeira or white wine. Cover the whole with sufficient stock, boil quickly from twelve to fifteen minutes, and skim carefully. A handful of finely-chopped parsley should be added before serving. The fish can be served separately from the broth or with it, according to taste.

(9) Marseillaise Style. — Brown in a saucepan two large sliced onions in 1 gill of oil, and moisten this with lqt. of strong fish stock, adding a bouquet garni and three cloves of garlic, bruised and minced exceedingly fine. Dilute 3- pinch of powdered Spanish saffron in water, and add to it the gravy. Take one small eel, one very small bass, one small sole, one raw lobster, or any other firm fish ready at hand, cut them in shoes, season with 1 pinch of salt and % saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, and put them all together into the saucepan on a slow fire. Cook for twenty minutes, and when ready, serve very hot in a deep dish, on which six pieces of toast have been previously arranged.

(10) Put a chopped onion, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, and 2 table-spoonfuls of olive oil into a saucepan, and toss them about over the fire for a few minutes. Clean and cut into slices some whiting, put them in the saucepan with the onion, add two or three sliced tomatoes, three or four slices of lemon, 1 pinch each of saffron, pepper, and salt, and 1 wineglassful of white wine. Pour in sufficient water to cover the fish, and boil it quickly for fifteen minutes. When cooked, take the fish out, put it on a dish, and keep it hot near the fire. Strain the cooking-liquor into another saucepan, mix in 1 tablespoonful of chopped parsley and just sufficient flour to prevent it being quite thin (but not much, as the sauce should not be thick), stir it over the fire, and boil it up again. Put some slices of a penny roll in a deep dish, pour the sauce over them, and serve them with the dish of fish.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

173

BOUZLLI(E). — Fr. for “boiled,” as bceuf bouilli — boiled beef.

BQUILXjIE. — T his is the name given in France to floor or other farinaceous food boiled in milk to the consistency of paste. Much used for feeding children. Amongst the more prominent of these are Polenta, Miliasse, Cruchade, Gaudes, or Fromert.

BOHIXsIjQU. — Fr. for “ broth.” The term has been very much adopted in recent years as a generic term for concentrated beef and other meat essences.

BOTTLE A BIZ. — A bowl made of tin or metallic gauze, in which rice or small patties are enclosed when it is desired to cook them in the saucepan in which broth is being made.

BQULETTES.' — Little balls of chopped meat or breadcrumb, used chiefly for garnishing.

BOUQUET GARNI. — Fr. for a bunch of sweet herbs used for flavouring soups, stews, &c. It consists usually of a small handful of parsley, a sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf. The parsley should be first thoroughly washed, the thyme and bay-leaf set in the middle of it, and the ends of the parsley folded down to hold the two others in; it must then lie tied round with string, and trimmed so that none of the outside leaves can break off in the soup or ragout. About 3in. would be the length of a well-constructed bouquet. The following directions are given by a distinguished cook:

Take four sprays of well-washed parsley-leaves — if the sprays be small, take six — one stalk of well-washed soup celery, one bay-leaf, one sprig of thyme, and two cloves placed in the centre of the parsley; fold it well, and tie tightly with a string, so as to prevent cloves, thyme, and bay-leaf from dropping out while cooking, and use when prescribed in various receipts.

BOVRANI. — An Oriental dish, which is a sort of consomme of chicken, and barley cleared of its hull, reduced to a bouilli, and perfumed with various kinds of herbs.

BOUBGEOISE, A LA. — The literal meaning of this French term is “ in a citizen’s or commoner’s style ”; but continued use has raised it above its lowly origin, and it is now used to signify a more elaborate preparation than would be likely to be used by the class to which it refers. See Sauces.

BOURGNIGNON (N£) . — A French term applied to several dishes prepared with red-wine, as bceuf Bourgnignon — beef with Burgundy.

EOUTABGUE. — The roe of the mullet, dried and pickled, which is eaten raw in Provence, and in parts of Italy and the East. Also known as Botargue or Botargo and Poutargue.

Boutargue with. Oil. — Cut the Boutargue in slices, season with oil, pepper, and lemon-juice, and serve as a hors d’oeuvre or side dish.

Boutargue Salad. — Put lib. of Boutargue in a mortar, and pound it well; mix with it 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice and 1 teaspoonful of the best olive oil, and pound again for a few minutes. Pour in the same quantity as before of lemon- juice and olive oil, and pound again; continue in this way until the mixture is of the consistency of thick cream; then pour it on to a dish. Blanch and skin some pistachios or almonds, cut them into fillets, ornament the top of the salad with them, and serve. The above is a Turkish dish, and is served in that country at breakfast or luncheon, or in the middle of dinner, to sharpen the appetite. See Caviare.

BOVAXiIUE. — A sort of extract of beef juice, which is considered by some cooks to be a useful adjunct to gravy stock.

BOVB1X,.— “ Liquid beef,” as this essence is sometimes called, has obtained great favour in this and other countries for its savoury, nutritious, and invigorating qualities. Its mode of preparation being the secret of

Bovril — continued.

its manufacturers, we must accept the verdict of analysts, who proclaim it to be produced from genuine meat. A teaspoonful in a breakfast-cupful of hot water, seasoned to taste, gives a very nice beef-tea drink, and is pleasantly stimulating whether consumed hot or cold. As a strengthener for soups and gravies, its employment is a matter of taste.

BRACRETO. — A Piedmontese wine of fine flavour and bouquet.

BRAINS (Fr. Cerveaux; Ger. Geliirn, Hirn). — The modem cook has a marvellous faculty for turning every part of an animal into food, and, amongst other portions of what by some would be treated as offal, we have delectable dishes that are very digestible and nutritious prepared from Brains. A few receipts for their preparation are given hereunder, all or any of which will give good results if diligently followed; but it must not be forgotten that the first care is to thoroughly cleanse them of blood and skin, and see that they are taken from a freshly-killed animal. All Brains are so precisely the same in constitution that, excepting for size, it matters little from what animal they are taken.

Brain Cakes. — (1) Blanch the Brains by soaking in salted water for two or three hours, and then boil them for fifteen or twenty minutes to get them firmer; chop them up, and put them in a mortar with 1 teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, 1 saltspoonful each of mace and cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and two eggs well beaten, and pound well together until they make a stiff paste. Lay out the paste in small rounds about lin. in diameter, dip them in egg-and-breadcrumbs, and fry a light brown. These cakes are used as a garnish for calf’s head, and are considered very delicate.

(2) Wash the Brains in salted water to remove the blood, and boil fast for ten or twelve minutes to harden them. When done, take them out and mince finely. Make a paste of breadcrumbs, 1 pinch of salt, a little pepper and chopped parsley, with sufficient egg to make it thick. For every fibof Brains take Alb. of this paste, or double its quantity, and mix together with the Brains. Take a small quantity of this mixture and roll it into a ball, and then flatten into a cake. Dip the cake in egg-and-breadcrumbs, and fry in a little butter on both sides until a light brown. They can be served with either toasted bacon, gravy, or as a garnish.

Brain Croquettes. — Put three large Brains into salted water, wash them thoroughly to remove the membranes and make them perfectly white, and beat them up well with three eggs to make a paste. Boll the paste into egg-shaped balls, dip into egg (well beaten) and breadcrumbs seasoned with a little parsley, pepper, and salt, and fry in lard to a light brown.

Brain Cutlets. — This is an easy way of using the remains of Brains that have been left. Cut them into pieces about lfin. in diameter, dip each piece into egg first, and then into raspings finely sifted, a small quantity of parsley dried and rubbed to a powder, with pepper and salt to taste. Fry in butter till of a light brown colour. Garnish the dish with pieces of bread fried in the same way, cut the same size, and arranged alternately. Serve with a rich gravy.

Brain Fritters. — Wash a large Brain in salted water, and boil for fifteen or eighteen minutes in a good stock. Allow it to get cold, cut it in very thin slices, dip each one in frying batter, and put them into very hot fat. To prepare the batter, mix a level teacupful of flour with 1 gill of water, add 1 table-spoonful of olive oil or butter warmed to melting, the yolk of an egg, and 1 pinch of pepper and salt. Let it stand for an-hour-and-a-half or two hours, then beat the white of an egg to a strong froth, and mix all together. The fritters are best fried separately or two at a time. When done, let them rest on paper or a sieve, to drip the fat from them. Serve on a folded napkin or dish-paper, garnished with parsley dried and dipped in the fat.

Brains and Tongues au Gratin.— Take two small Brains and tongues, and wash them well in salt and water. Place all in a stewpan and cover them with cold water, with a little salt, and boil for two minutes; then remove from the water and

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Brains — continued.

set aside. Put in a stewpan lqt. of water, two onions, a

bay -leaf, 1 pinch of saltpetre, and 1 teaspoonful of salt; put the tongues in this, and boil for three hours. Boil the Brains separately in a well-seasoned stock — ten minutes will suffice. When the tongues are done, let them cool in their liquor, then skin them. Cut each half of the Brains into four slices, and dip them in egg and well-seasoned breadcrumbs. Trim the tongues, divide them into slices, and eggand-breadcrumb them. Put in a frying-pan loz. of butter; when it froths, put in the tongues and Brains, and fry until lightly browned. Flavour a little gravy with mushrooms (if these are not in season, a little lemon-juice), and pour round the dish.

Forcemeat of Brains. — Put some Brains into a little warm water, and let them remain for three hours to soak. Take them out, clean, and boil them; let them get cold, chop them up small, and pound them in a mortar with a little flour, parsley finely minced, with salt and pepper to taste; add sufficient egg to moisten, and make them into small balls; put these into a frying-pan with a little butter or fat, and fry for about ton minutes, or until of a light brown colour. Take them out, and they are ready for use.

Fried Brains. — (1) Extract the blood from the Brains of any animal by soaking in cold salted water for several hours, drain them, and put them in a stewpan; pour boiling water over them, put them on the fire to simmer gently for a few minutes, form them in a round shape (careful handling is required, as they are very liable to break), add a very small quantity of pepper and salt, cover the top of the Brains with egg beaten up, sift grated bread over, and fry in hot lard. Fry both sides, keeping the pan covered while cooking.

(2) Wash any Brains carefully in cold salted water, and boil them fast in well-seasoned stock so as to harden them. Take them out when done, and put to cool. When they are quite cold, cut them in halves or slices, dip each piece first in well-beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little dried parsley rubbed to a fine powder, and fry in butter till of a light brown colour. Skim the fat off the stock when it is cold, reduce it in a saucepan to about one-quarter its previous quantity, and pour it round the Brains on a dish. A slice of tomato placed under or by the side of each piece of Brain is a great addition. Pickled cucumber may be added to the gravy and served in it.

(3) Lay the Brains in salted water, to remove the blood. Make a light batter of flour and eggs, and scramble the Brains like eggs with a fork. Dip the Brains in the batter, and fry to a light brown.

Scrambled Brains in Patties. — Put lib. of Brains into a stewpan with water and a little vinegar, and simmer gently for twenty minutes. Remove the dark outside, and put them in a frying-pan with loz. of butter, four eggs, and a little parsley finely chopped, adding salt and pepper to taste. Put them on the fire, and stir well until the eggs are cooked soft. Have ready some puff paste, and fill patty-pans with it; take a biscuit-cutter not so large as the pans, and cut the centre of the paste half through, so as to form a lid'; put them in the oven for a few minutes to cook before putting in the Brains. When the paste is set, remove the centre lids, fill up the central cavities with the Brain preparation, replace the lids, and put a sprig of parsley on each. Return to the oven for a few seconds to heat.

Stewed Brains. — (1) Put the Brains in salted water for two or three hours to get the blood out, and then boil for thirty minutes in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them. Pour the water off, and add 1 teacupful of milk (or cream if procurable), 1 pinch of salt, a little pepper, and about ljoz. of butter. Boil quickly for ten or twelve minutes, add 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, and serve.

(2) Spanish Style. — Put the Brains into a basin of warm water and soak them until all the blood is extracted and the skin comes off easily. Put a few slices of veal or veal trimmings at the bottom of a saucepan, with two slices of fat pork and two carrots and onions cut in slices; arrange the Brains on the top of this, pour in sufficient stock to moisten, put a piece of buttered paper over all, cover over the pan, and simmer gently on the side of the fire until the Brains are done. Take them out, put them on a dish, simmer the liquor until it is nearly thick, strain it into another

Brains — continued.

saucepan, warm the Brains in it for a few minutes, and turn the whole out on to a dish. Pour a little hot gravy or stock into the saucepan, stir it well so as to remove any of the Brain liquor that may have stuck to the pan, pour it over the Brains, and serve very hot.

BRAISING.— This is perhaps more clearly described as a combination of baking and stewing, and may be considered as one of the early processes of cooking, or burying in hot ashes. To the French cooks in this country we are indebted for the restoration of the process as one worthy of practice, and that in spite of the observation made by a very modern writer on the subject of cookery, who says: “ I do not dwell at very great length on the process, as I am convinced that it will never be a popular form of cooking with us.” It is not a question as to the value or merit of the process with writers on cookery of the stamp above-mentioned, but the mere fact that it has not yet found much favour in this country is sufficient to induce them to withhold their favour. The chances are that any person hazarding such a remark in a book which is supposed to instruct young cooks, knows little or nothing of the subject upon which he is writing. Mr. Dallas says of it: “ The meat, which is nearly always boned, is put into a copper stewpan with broth and vegetables, and set upon embers or upon the corner of the stove to simmer very gently. Tims far it is the easiest-going stew that can be imagined. It is at the same time on its upper surface subject to another process of heat. The lid is tightly closed upon it, sometimes with clay or dough, and is in a form to hold burning embers, which ought to generate upon the surface of the stew a heat that, if applied below and in contact with the metal bottom, might burn it. Below there is a slow stew going on; above, the meat is in a sort of miniature oven baking and browning. It is a favourite mode of cooking with the French, and is supposed to create unusual flavour, combining the advantages of roasting and boiling. Whether it does so is another question. Braised meat is no doubt an improvement upon boiled, but it never reaches the flavour of a roast. This, however, is a matter of opinion, and French cooks often put paper over delicate meat which is to be braised — say a fowl or turkey — to make sure that the heat of the hrasier above will not give it too much of the taste.” Another authority tells us that pieces of meat with gristle can be made digestible by braising, if the process is carried out by a slow fire and for the proper length of time — that is, upwards of four hours — and if it is basted about every twenty minutes with the gravy which surrounds, but does not cover the meat. Jessup Whitehead, whose opinion as a practical cook and ingenious writer upon culinary matters is worthy of much consideration, expresses himself strongly in favour of braising; he tells us that it is “ a little process in cookery that is but little known by that name; but without understanding it, it is impossible to be a very good cook. Many an old Virginia black ‘aunty,’ and many another in the places where open fireplaces prevail, bakes something that has a wonderfully savoury smell while cooking and delicious juiciness when done, in her old-fashioned oven or skillet, or whatever it is, on the hearth with a lid and coals on top of it, without ever dreaming that she is carrying on the process of braising, one of the chief methods of French cookery, and in a manner more successful through her constant practice than the imitation done on top of a range can generally be. The English substitutes used are ‘ potted ’ and ‘ smothered,’ which, however, are not equivalent and not of single meaning. We are particular in trying to lay this down plainly, because anyone who is familiar with the traditions of that savoury home-cooking that made the turkey, or duck, or sucking-pig, or Dinah’s ’coon or ’possum, with sweet potatoes browning alongside of it — that cooking

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Braising — continued.

that was done in the oven on the hearth, with coals under and on top, and that has always been declared to beat anything the city cooks ever do now — knows better what we are doing when we set about braising. It may as well be stated at once that there is no method that is good that the masters of French cookery have not adopted, and where possible improved upon, and they have made the best possible use of this method of cooking with the steam shut in and little or no water, simmering the meat in its own gravy and fat, keeping the outside soft and free from crust and discoloration, even while getting it shining brown. And not content only to make the meat tender (for the toughest goose even can be dissolved into soup-meat by this way of cooking), they delighted to change the flavour of the meats, and make them seem like something else, by adding large proportions of vegetables and an undue allowance of spices. The great use of braising with us is to make the tough and dry and undesirable pieces of meat or fowl or game tender, and even delicious eating, by slow cooking in little more liquor than their own gravy; and we shall do well, if we would please the taste of the generality of people, not to throw into the skillet or oven the multifarious seasonings of the French style, but follow the home practice of only an onion pepper, and salt, and perhaps a few sprigs of garden herbs.”

Delamere says of braising: “ The pan is contrived to have a lid which will hold lighted charcoal on the top (see Fig. 185). The viands to be cooked are therefore between two fires — one above and one beneath. The operation must be performed slowly, and requires great care. The cover must fit so closely as to prevent all evaporation, causing the meat to be thoroughly impregnated with the flavour of the vegetables and aromatics employed; and carrot, onion, parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and cloves are indispensable to a braise, and they may be increased or varied by chervil, knotted marjoram, celery, red wine, Madeira, and other flavours. Everything braised must be thoroughly done, and allowed to take its proper time. For instance, braised leg of mutton is otherwise known as gigot de sept heures (seven-hours’ leg of mutton).”

To prevent the meat from burning, a round of buttered paper cut to the size of the stewpan may be placed on the top of the meat, care being taken that it may not drop into the gravy. This piece of paper must be lifted each time of basting.

It is to be hoped that braising will be soon numbered amongst our favourite culinary processes, for it is not only economical, but savoury. Several suitable receipts will be found under various heads of meat, poultry, and game.

BRAN (Fr. Son; Ger. Kleie).— The inner husk or covering of wheat and other grains. It is not much used in cooking, although it is sometimes employed as food for the production of yeast for bakers; it also forms an important item in some forms of brown bread.

Bran Tea. — Take of frosli wheat Bran lib., and boil in 3qts. of

water down to lqt.; strain, and add sugar, honey, or treacle

to taste.

BRANCINO.— There are few fish so highly esteemed amongst Venetian gourmets as this. It is a native of the Adriatic, and slightly resembles our pike, to which species it is in a measure allied. The body has a vigorous appearance, is well and flesliily constructed, slightly compressed about its middle, and sloping towards the back. The head is small, and much shorter than that of any other fish of its kind (see Fig. 186).

Brancino — continued.

The large fish are boiled in salt and water, or courtbouillon, but the smaller ones are considered better if fried. The larger fish when boiled in court-bouillon are best served hot, with Genoese or matelote sauce; and

Fig. 186. Brancino.

those cooked in salt and water require oyster or Dutch sauce. It has a capital appearance served with jelly, half-coated with it, garnished with croutons of aspic, and served with mayonnaise sauce.

BRANDADE(S). — This name is applied to dishes made of codfish cut into little pieces, pounded, with the addition of garlic, parsley, lemon-juice, and pepper, and beaten up with olive oil to form a paste of about the consistence of cream cheese. It is sometimes known also under the name of Branlade, and is a great favourite in Provence. In Montpellier it is prepared as follows:

(1) Take about llb. of salted codfish, divide it into squares, and soak for two or three days in fresh water, changing the water repeatedly. Clean thoroughly, and put into a stewpan with plenty of cold water, cover over, and set on a quick fire. Directly the water boils, draw the pan to one side, and lot it simmer for a quarter-of-an-hour. Remove the fish with a skimmer, drain on a sieve, remove bones, and put the pieces of meat and the skin in a basin. Chop up two or three shallots and a large onion, and fry in 2 table-spoonfuls of oil; when those are of a brown colour, add the cod, warm it, put it into a mortar, and well pound it. Put the paste thus made into a pan, and whilst stirring with a spoon, work in 1 teacupful of good salad oil. Continue to work up until all the oil is absorbed, and then add the juice of two lemons, adding 1 breakfast-cupful more of oil by degrees. Add to this when creamy, a few table-spoonfuls of cream; season with pepper, nutmeg, salt, and a pinch or two of chopped parsley. Work up again, and add the juice of a third lemon. “ It should now,” says Dubois, “ be of a good consistence, but delicato, smooth, and relishing.” The secret of its manufacture is continuous working with the spoon after pounding the fish, in order to keep the oil thoroughly incorporated. Warm up, pile on a dish in a dome-shape, and sprinklo with chopped truffles. Place on the top of the Brandade a whole truffle, fill the croustades with crayfish-tails, and surround the croustades on the dish with scallops of fish and truffles alternately, and the space between the croustades looks well fortified with a pyramid of oyster patties (see Fig. 187).

Fig. 187. Brandade of Salted Codfish.

(2) Take a piece of cod and steep it in water until nearly all the saltness has disappeared; then put it in a stewpan nearly full of water, and place it on the fire to boil. When it has boiled up, cover the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes, or until the fish is quite done. Then take out the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dee., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Brandade — continued.

fish, put it on a strainer to drain, take off the skin, and remove the bone very carefully. Put the fish into another pan, and stir it sharply for a few minutes over the fire, adding gradually a little olive oil. Then take it off the fire, and with a spoon work it into a smooth paste. Put in a little double cream, with a small quantity of garlic (pounded), season to taste, and mix all together thoroughly. Then pile the Brandade on a dish, and surround it with croutons of fried bread. The fish to be used for this should not have been long in salt, or it will neither mix well nor work smoothly.

BBAWBY (Fr. Eau-de-vie; Ger. Branntwein; Hal. Acquavite; Sp. Aguardiente). — This spirit is a great acquisition to the cook, and finds its way into many a sweet or savoury dish; hut as a spirit by that name can he purchased cheaper than the genuine “cognac,” the probability is that it . would be considered by many to he good enough for cooking. Genuine Brandy is distilled direct from wine, the better kinds from French white wines, but the inferior qualities from dark-red Spanish and Portuguese wines, and a still lower class from the refuse of the wine-press, known to the distiller as eau-de-vie de marc. In England we have a British Brandy distilled from no fruit at all, but merely concocted from different, and often indifferent, ingredients by the “rectifying distiller.”

A pure Brandy should be clear and sparkling, of a light colour when new, yellow if a few years old, and brownish-yellow if very old; its flavour should be sweet, mellow, slightly vinous, and not in any degree fiery from raw alcohol. Brandies of an inferior or “ concocted ” character are harsh and hot, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste. Spoil, in his “ Encyclopaedia,” gives the following as the order of merit for French Brandies:

1. Cognac fine champagne.

2. „ champagne.

3. „ petite champagno.

4.,, premier bois.

5. „ deuxitme bois.

6. „ Saintonge.

7. „ Saint Jean d’Angely.

8. „ Bas-Armagnac.

9. Eau-de-vie de Tenartze.

10. Cognac (Surgtres).

11. Eau-de-vie Haut-Armagnac.

12. Rochelle aigre feuille.

13. Rochelle.

14. Marmande.

15. Pays (Marmande).

16. Trois-six Languedoc.

Unfortunately, Brandies Sre much subject to adulteration, so that it is not unusual to find those kinds prepared for the British markets of a very inferior character indeed, although sold under the distinguished title of “cognac.” As Brandy improves by age, and darkens as it grows older, a variety of obnoxious colouring agents are employed to give new Brandies the appearance of age, and perhaps the least harmful of these is burnt sugar. An expert in Brandy will detect good from bad, or old from new, by rubbing a little on the palms of his hands, allowing the spirit to evaporate, and then inhaling through the nose the odours of the residue. Pure Brandy will exhale the odour of the wine from which it is made — as of sherry, and some of the flavour is retained, however old the Brandy may be.

Tu consequence of the numerous adulterations and doctorings to which Brandies have been subjected by dealers of pretended integrity upon the Continent and at home, the British public have habituated themselves to the use of those specially bottled and guaranteed by certain firms, such as Martell and Hennessy; and then- qualities are in each case distinguished as “ one star,” “ two star,” and “ three star ” Brandies, the latter being the strongest and oldest.

Brandy — continued.

The following are a few of the preparations in which the

Brandy flavour takes an active part:

Brandy Bitters. — Take 21b. of dry orange-peel, lib. of cardamom-seeds, 31b. of gentian root, 2oz. of cochineal, and 2oz. of cinnamon, and grind to a coarse powder. Pour over them lgall. of Brandy and 8galls. of water, leave for ten days, and then filter.

Brandy Butter. — Beat to a cream equal parts by weight of caster sugar and butter, and add to every pound 1 wineglassful or more each of Brandy and sherry, beating all the time; or the sherry may be omitted. Sometimes this is iced before placing on the table.

Reference will be made to this preparation occasionally; it is a favourite with some cooks.

Brandy Butter-sauce for Sweets. — Beat to a cream 1 teacupful of caster sugar and half the quantity of butter, add 1 table-spoonful of Brandy and a little essence of nutmeg, set it on the ice, and use as required. The whites of two eggs may be whisked in with the above, but it is not to be recommended.

Brandy Cordial. — Mix lqt. of water with 6qts. of Brandy, add the peel of seven-and-a-half lemons, 2oz. of bruised corianderseeds, and i table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, infuse for eight days, and then distill. Dissolve lflb. of loaf sugar in 3qts. of water, mix it with the cordial, and then filter and bottle it.

Brandy Cream. — Blanch and pound two dozen each of sweet and bitter almonds, put them into a saucepan with a few table-spoonfu's of milk, and boil them. Lot the mixture cool, then add the yolks of five eggs beaten up with 1 tablespoonful of cream, 3oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar, and pour in 2 wineglassfuls of Brandy. Mix well, pour in lqt. of cream, stir well one way on the side of the lire until the mixture thickens, then pour it into small glasses or cups, and serve.

Brandy Flavourings. — (1) Put into jgall. of proof spirit loz. of green oil of cognac, and cork tightly; shake occasionally for three days, and then add 2oz. of sesquicarbonate of ammonia powdered. Let it stand three days longer, and then pour it into a 3gall. wide -mouthed stone jar, dropping in 21b. of mashed prunes with the kernels broken, and lib. of fine black tea. Next pour in lgall. of spirit at 20 over proof, cover well, and let it stand for eight days; then filter, and mix with the oil and ammonia spirit. Bottle for use, and cork well.

(2) Pound up 121b. of prunes (cracking kernels as well), 251b. of raisins, lib. of sliced pine-apple, and 61b. of figs. Put them in a large jar, and pour over them 20galls. of proof spirit. Let them remain to macerate for fourteen or fifteen days, stirring occasionally; then pour off, strain, press the fruit, and filter.

Brandy G-ruel. — Put the thinly-peeled rind of half a lemon in a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of loaf sugar (about five lumps) and 1 teacupful of milk, and boil them. Mix 1 dessert-spoonful of fine oatmeal in 1 teacupful of cold milk, and when quite smooth, pour it into the boiling milk; season with 1 saltspoonful of salt, stir the gruel over the fire, and let it boil between five and ten minutes. When cooked, turn the gruel into a basin, remove the lemon-peel, and mix with it a piece of butter about the size of a Spanish nut, and 1 wineglassfuls of Brandy. Serve while hot.

Brandy Jelly. — Put lqt. of cold water into a saucepan with £lb. of sugar and 2oz. of gelatine in small pieces, and grate in the rind of a medium-sized lemon, squeezing in the juice as well. Mix well, and place the saucepan on the hot stove. Beat up in a basin the whites of two eggs, add them to the other ingredients, and grate 1 saltspoonful of nutmeg, adding six cloves and one bay-leaf, and mixing well the while for one minute. Have ready a jelly-bag, and tie it on a jellystand — or two kitchen chairs, one inverted on the other, will answer the purpose. Stir the preparation, and when it is coming to the boil, set it back to a cooler part of the stove to prevent it overflowing, and continue to stir while boiling for six minutes. Place a vessel under the jelly-bag, remove the pan from the fire, and pour the whole of its contents into the bag, repeating the straining until the jelly

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

I

FANCY LOAVES AND ROLLS.

1. Currant Roll.

2. V HOLE-M EAL BREAD.

3. Horseshoe Twist.

4. French Rim; Loaf.

5. Household Loaf.

6. Cottage Loaf.

7. Luncheon Roll.

8. French Household Loaf.

9. French Roll.,

10. Long Loaf.

11. Tin-loaf.

12. French Long Loaf.

13. Brick.

14. Coburg Loaf.

15. Italian Crescent Roll.

16. Italian Roll.

17. Brown Bread.

18. Twist.

19. Italian Long Roll.

20. German Black Bread.

21. Baker’s Roll.

22. Small Vienna Roll.

23. Large Vienna Roll.

24 Italian Caraway-seed Roll.

25. French Dinner Roll.

26. Italian Ring Roll.

27. Italian Twist.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

177

Brandy — continued.

is bright, and then add to it 1 gill of Brandy. Have ready a quart jelly-mould, pour the jelly from the vessel into it, and set it aside in a cool place for two hours; then pack it in ice, and let it remain for two hours. Dip the mould lightly and carefully to near its edge in lukewarm water, take it up immediately, turn it out, wiping neatly, and serve at once.

Brandy Sauce. — (1) Mix to a stiff paste 1 table-spoonful of arrowroot with a little cold water, add gently enough water to make a creamy sauce, sweeten to taste, and place it on the fire till the sauce thickens. Before serving, stir in 1 wineglassful of Brandy.

(2) Mix about 1 dessert-spoonful of French potato-flour in a little cold water, add slowly J pint of boiling water, and boil for two minutes; then add loz. of fresh butter and 3oz. of caster sugar, squeezing a little lemon- juice and a little grated nutmeg in it. When this is dissolved, stir in 1 gill of Brandy, and serve.

(3) Mix the yolks of three eggs with J pint of cream, or milk and cream, or milk, 1 dessert-spoonful of caster sugar, and 1 wineglassful of Brandy; beat well together, and warm up in a saucepan for seven or eight minutes in the bainmarie. Stir continuously, so that it shall not curdle.

(4) Beat to a cream Jib. each of fresh butter and powdered white sugar, mix with it J gill of Brandy, the juice of one lemon, and half a nutmeg grated. Stir slowly into this J breakfast-cupful of boiling water, let it simmer a few minutes, and then pour into a warm sauce-tureen.

(5) Mix 1 table-spoonful of best flour with 1 gill of cold water, pour into it 1 gill of boiling water, and stir over the fire until it is thick. Add the yolk of an egg, stir five minutes more, and sweeten with 2oz. of powdered white or caster sugar. Stir into the sauce 1 wineglassful of Brandy and 2 table-spoonfuls of sherry, while a little grated nutmeg is an improvement.

Brandy Shrub. — Squeeze out with a squeezer 1 pint of lemonjuice and 1 pint of orange-juice into lgall. of Brandy, add the peel of one lemon and the peel of two oranges, and let it stand for twenty-four hours. Dissolve in 5 pints of water 41b. of white sugar, strain the liquor, add the two together, and let them macerate for a fortnight; then strain off, and filter if necessary.

Cognac Bitters. — Put into a mortar Jib. each of bitter orange peel, red Peruvian bark, sweet orange peel, and calisaya bark; add 2oz. of cardamom-seeds, loz. of calamusroot, ljlb. of red cherry bark, 2oz. of caraway-seeds, and Joz. each of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pound these to a coarse powder, and put it into a bowl with 22Jgalls. of proof spirit, or SOgalls. of 25deg. below proof spirit; stir frequently, and let it remain for fully fifteen days. It must not be racked off. Add sufficient caramel to give it the required dark -red colour, pour in 7 Jib. of sugar dissolved in 7Jgalls. of water, and let it stand, after stirring well, until it is quite settled; filter it, and it is ready for use. To obtain an amber colour to the bitters, the caramel and cherry bark must be omitted.

Dantzic Brandy. — Prepared as for Eau Cordiale (see Cordials and Liqueurs), with lib. of petals of roses, Jib. each of orange flowers, lemon-peel, and bitter almonds, loz. of mastic, and using the same quantities of spirits, water, and capillairo.

Imitation Brandy. — Put loz. of oil of cognac into a vessel with lgall. of plain spirit (95 per cent.), pour it into a bottle, cork securely, and shake vigorously two or throe times a day for a week; then uncork the bottle, and add to the contents 2 fluid ounces of spirit of ammonia. Put loz. each of red roseleaves and freshly-gathered jasmine flowers into a stone or earthenware jar, add 4oz. of rough black tea and lib. of prunes, previously crushed and the kernels broken in a mortar with 4oz. of bitter almonds. Pour the spirit out of the bottle into the jar, add also lgall. of plain proof spirit, and mix well. Let this stand for about fourteen days, then cover it closely, filter, and bottle for future use. Before using for cooking purposes, it will be as well to reduce it.

Oil of Cognac.— An essential oil distilled from brandy; it is much used in making imitation brandy.

Other concoctions in which Brandy forms an ingredient will be found under their special headings. See also Cordials and Liqueurs.

BRANDY BALLS. — See Sugar.

BRANDY SNAPS. — These delights of our youth were probably originally made with a Brandy flavouring as one of their ingredients; but with that lack of discriminative taste peculiar to uneducated palates, the presence of the Brandy flavour was not sufficiently appreciated to render its presence essential to the success of the manufacture; hence, as the “ snaps ” could be made cheaper without Brandy, and yielded more sweets for the same money, the spirituous prefix became but a name. Brandy Snaps are sometimes confounded with jumbles, but these have a distinctive characteristic, in that they are curled round the finger or a stick before cooling, while Brandy Snaps are flat — a distinction that can only be appreciated by the young. See Jumbles.

(1) Bub Jib. of butter into lib. of flour, and mix into this 2 lb. of moist sugar, 2oz. of ground ginger, 1 dessert-spoonful of allspice, the grated peel of half a lemon, and the juice of a whole one; beat in also Jib. of treacle. Spread the paste thinly over some buttered baking-sheets, and bake lightly in a moderately slow oven. When sufficiently cooked, cut into squares.

(2) Bub Jib. of butter into Jib. of flour, add Joz. of ground ginger, Jib. of moist sugar, and the grated rind and juice of one lemon; stir in a little treacle until the mixture is thin enough to spread on tins. Bake in a moderate oven; when done, cut it into strips. They must be put in a tin as soon as cold, or they will lose their crispness.

(3) Mix Jib. of moist sugar, Jib. of flour, and ljoz. of ground ginger. Put in a saucepan Jib. of salt butter, 6oz. of treacle, and Jib. of moist sugar; when this boils, mix it with the other ingredients. Spread the mixture thinly with a knife over a buttered sheet tin, cut into rounds, and bake.

BRASILLB(B). — Fr. for “ toasted quickly,” as of a slice of bread.

BRAWN.— The literal meaning of this term is “the flesh of the boar,” or bawr-en (in the Anglo-Saxon easily corrupted to Brawn). This was probably the original application of the term, but with the advance of civilisation it has come to be used with a much less comprehensive signification, and is now pretty much confined to the boned head of a pig, chopped into pieces, boiled with spices, and pressed into a shape by a weight or a machine specially devised for the purpose (see Fig. 188). The annexed receipts, although resembling each other in some respects, will be found to give varied results.

(1) Bemove the tongue and brains from a pig’s bead, and lay all in salt for one day; drain off the salt and put fresh brine, taking care to keep the head well covered; in three days add to the brine 1 table-spoonful each of crushed saltpetre, black pepper, and allspice. Turn the head occasionally in the brine, and after it has been in pickle for four days, boil both it and the tongue. When tender, remove the meat from the bones, and cut it up while hot. Tie the brains in muslin, boil for half-an-hour, and then mix them with the meat. Skin the tongue, cut it in large pieces, and mix with the other. Season the whole with allspice, black pepper, and salt if necessary, put it in a collaring-tin with a weight on the top, and let it stand for a day or two.

(2) Boil a well-cleaned pig’s head until tender. Line a basin with pieces of the skin, cut the meat off the bones into squares, place first a layer of fat, then lean, and so on, until the basin is full, adding pepper and dried sage between the layers. Cover the basin with a small plate, and place a weight on it, then let it stand till cold. To make it leaner, one or two sheeps’ or additional pigs’ tongues can be cut up and laid in.

Fig. 188. Brawn-press (Adams and Son).

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, referred to, see under their special heads.

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• THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Brawn — continued.

(3) Cut out the tongue of a pig’s head, remove the brains, put them with the remainder of the head into a bowl with salt at the bottom, and cover them well over with more of it, taking especial care to see that the eye-holes and ears are well covered. Let them remain in this for three days, changing the salt daily, and the last day adding 1 table-spoonful each of allspice, black pepper, and saltpetre finely crushed. Leave them in this pickle for four days longer, turning the head frequently. Take them all out, tie the brains in a muslin bag, put the head and tongue into a saucepan of water, and boil until they are tender and quite done. Cut off all the meat from the head, skin the tongue, and chop both of them up into moderately small pieces; then add the brains (which must be boiled separately for half-an-hour only, breaking them up with a spoon and mixing them in), and sprinkle over a little more black pepper, ground allspice, and a little salt. The tongue should' not be cut up into quite as small pieces as the head and ears. Put the mixture into a collaring-tin or Brawn-mould, place a weight on the top, and let it remain for a day or so until quite

cold and firm, when it is ready for use. If a Brawn-press

(Fig. 188) is used the meat is much firmer, and the process simpler.

(4) Put a pig’s head weighing about 71b. into a bowl of water, and thoroughly clean and wash it. Take it out,

put it into a saucepan with about lflb. of lean beef, pour

over sufficient water to cover those, set the pan on the fire, and boil gently for from two-and-a-half to three hours, skimming frequently. Take them out, remove all the bones from the head, put the meat on a dish in front of a clear fire, and let it dry, keeping it from getting cold. Mince the meat up as quickly as possible, sprinkle over it four pounded cloves, and cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. When these are thoroughly mixed, put them into a collaring-tin or Brawnmould, place a weight on the top, and let the Brawn stand for six hours, or until it is set and perfectly cold. Turn the Brawn out n to a dish, and it is ready for use. This should be served wrapped in an ornamental paper.

Brawn in Jelly. — Cut off the ears of a pig from below the root, take out the tongue, and chop off the four feet. Put these, with any other small pieces of pork that are handy, into a bowl of salted water, and let them remain for ten or twelve hours; then take them all out and clean them. Put them into a saucepan with only a little water, so that the meat shall not stick to the pan, set the pan on the fire, and boil gently for three hours. Take them out, remove the bones from the feet, cut the ears into narrow strips and the tongue into slices, sprinkle them well over with salt, pepper, and ground allspice, return them to the saucepan containingthe liquor in which they were boiled, and cook for an hourlonger. A few minutes before the Brawn is cooked, add to the pan a small quantity of parsley, scalded and minced, and one carrot cut into cubes or small pieces. Put the whole into a mould, lot it get firm and set, turn it out on to a dish, and serve. The juice will form a bright stiff jelly.

Mock Brawn. — (1) Clean four or five large cow-heels, boil till the meat is falling from the bone and very tender, then cut the meat into long strips, and stew them in a little stock. Chop a handful of capers, not quite as many pickled gherkins, mix with 1 breakfast-cupful of vinegar, and stir in with the heels. Let it simmer down, then pour it all into a mould, and leave until cold.

(2) Thoroughly clean and scald a sheep’s head in salt and water for five minutes, then put it into fresh water with lib. of pickled pork, and boil until well done. Carefully remove the meat from the head, chop it up with the pork, brains, and tongue, and season with black pepper, allspice, and salt to taste. Put it into a collaring-tin with a weight on the top, and allow it to stand for a day to set firm.

(3) Skin and clean a sheep’s head, put it into a saucepan of salted water, and boil it gently for about five minutes. Take it out, put it into another saucepan of water with lib. of pickled pork, set the pan on the fire, and boil until they are both done and tender. Take them out, drain them, and remove all the meat from the bones. Chop up the meat and pork, add the brains and tongues, both boiled separately, and the tongue skinned and cut into rather large pieces,

Brawn — continued.

adding a little seasoning of black pepper and allspice. Put the Brawn into a Brawn-mould or collaring-tin, put a weight on the top, and when it is cold and firm, turn it out, when it is ready for use.

(4) Clean the feet, ears, and two hocks of a pig, put them into a saucepan of water, and boil them until they are quite tender. Take them out, drain them, remove all the bones and skin, and put the meat on a plate or dish. Arrange the skin at the bottom and round the sides of an oval-shaped pan, cut the meat up into small pieces, and put these in; then place a weight on the top of the Brawn, and let it remain for a couple of days or so. Take it out of the pan without breaking it, wrap it round with broad pieces of tape or calico, put it into a bowl of salted water, and keep it there for throe days, changing the water frequently. Take it out, drain it, remove the binding, and it is ready for use.

Scrappel, or American Brawn. — This is prepared the same way as Brawn in Jelly, with a little sage and more seasoning added. As soon as the liquor boils, after the Brawn is cooked, add enough cornflour to make it quite thick, and stir over the fire for ten minutes. (The carrot and parsley should be omitted from this.) Turn the Brawn out on to a dish, smooth it over with a spatula or knife, let it get quite cold, and then cut it up into slices. Put these in a frying-pan with a very small quantity of butter or fat, and fry them to a light brown. Take them out when done, arrange them on a napkin folded over a dish, and serve.

Sussex Brawn. — Cut off the ears from a pig’s head, remove the brains, clean the head well, chop it in halves, dust over with salt, and drain. In the meantime, prepare the feet and the ears of the pig. Bub into all loz. of saltpetre mixed up with 6oz. of sugar, let them remain for a few hours, and then rub in 6oz. of salt. Let them remain in this for about a day, then pour over 1 teacupful of vinegar, and let them stand for a week, turning them daily. Wash all the parts, put them into a saucepan of water, and boil until the bones can be easily removed. Take them out, bone them, keeping the halves of head in shape as nearly as possible, put the latter on a board, one half on top of the other, cut off a little of the moat from the thickest part, put it on the thin part, and flatten the whole until it is of equal thickness. Sprinkle over a seasoning of ground cloves, mace, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, intermix the cars, tongue, and feet, place them over, and roll the whole into a long shape. Tie it round tightly, fasten it up in a cloth, sewing up the ends, place it in a saucepan with a few onions and carrots, a head of celery, a bunch of sweet herbs, a good supply of black pepper, and sufficient water to cover them. Place the saucepan on the fire, boil for about four hours, and let the roll cool in Ihe liquor. Take it out, remove the cloth, put it between two boards, with a weight on the top, and let it remain for a day or so; then put it on a dish, and serve.

Yorkshire Brawn. - After having cleaned a pig’s head, cut it up, and put it with the ears into a saucepan; cover with water, add pepper and chopped sage to taste, and 1 tablespoonful of salt. Let the water simmer gently till the meat leaves the bones, then chop it up and put it in a basin. Beduce the liquor which the meat was boiled in to half its original quantity, pour it over the meat, stir well, and put into moulds or collaring-tins.

BRAZIL NUTS. — The fruit of the Bertholletia excelsa, a native tree of Brazil, that sometimes reaches 100ft. or 120ft. in height. They are sometimes called “chestnuts of Brazil,” Juvia, or Castanha nuts, and reach us chiefly from the shores of Para. Brazil Nuts are much esteemed for their delicate flavour, being not unlike our hazel-nut in taste. The kernels yield a large quantity of oil — not less than 9oz. to lib. of nuts.

BREAD (Fr. Pain; Ger. Brod; Ital. Pane; Sp. Pan). — The English term is said to be derived from “to bray” or grind to powder, brod, or brayed; but when the conversion of brayed meal into Bread first originated, it is only possible to guess, so far back into the dark regions of man’s existence does it extend. It was probably “ Necessity,” the “ gaunt mother of Invention,”

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179

Bread— contimied.

which first taught man to grind the hard corn between stones and convert it into flour; and then a mere accident might have taught him liow to make this into Bread — perhaps the meal got wet in a shower and dried in the sun into a cake, and then follows the timid bait hungry man tasting his “ spoiled ” goods, and the revelation that it was not spoiled — nay, quite good — better even in this form than in the other. The leavening, or raising of Bread by the introduction of a ferment, does not suggest so ready an explanation, although it was evidently understood some centuries before the commencement of the Christian era. It may have originated with the Egyptians, who were well versed in tlic arts, and we know that the Jews were forbidden to eat leavened Bread at the time of the Passover — this telling of its existence. The Romans, who doubtless derived the art of making Bread from the Greeks, were early known as “ pulse-eaters,” and are shown by historians to have established bakeries for the manufacture of leavened Bread at least 200 years b.c. But there are many people still existing who make Bread without leaven, and amongst them are the Swedish lower classes, who j bake only twice a year a hard rye-loaf or biscuit, which has to serve them, as our sailors’ biscuits do, for a long time after leaving the oven. In Scotland, barleybannocks and oaten-cakes are common food.

The term loaf is stated to be derived from the AngloSaxon word hlif-ian — to raise, or lift up, and liloaf, or loaf — raised. Leaven takes its name and significance from the Latin word levo — I raise, or from the French lever. Dough is the derivate of the Anglo-Saxon deawian — to wet, or moisten; hence, dow, or dough, and dew. But however interesting these historical details may be, we have here to deal with more practical matter, such ar modern Bread-making.

Bread, in this and most other civilised countries, is the I veritable “ staff of life,” and is in greater demand than I any other food known, forming as it now does one of the greatest industries in the world; but, like all other extensive domestic requirements, the making of Bread has been transferred from the home to the enterprising wholesale dealer. If housewives gain in tills by saving time and trouble, they lose much both in actual cost and purity of the production; for it is notorious that the loaves produced by the majority, if not all, of our bakers, are deficient in nourishing qualities, weight, and value, owing to substitution. The fear that a 41b. loaf should weigh a trifle over the specified amount, has troubled the bakers considerably of late. By a very simple calculation it can be shown that making Bread at home effects a very extensive saving in cost, besides producing a genuine food; and the degree of nourishing qualities it contains may be reckoned as more than doubled. It is to that unhappy “ substitution,” as it is politely called, that the quality of our “staff of life” has fallen to the lowest ebb, especially amongst small producers, whose turnover will not allow them to compete against great makers unless they cheat their customers with bad flour, short weight, or adulterations called “ substitutions.” It is not our province here to go deeper into this matter, but to give housewives ample directions for the manufacture of the family supply of Bread in its purest, best, and therefore most nutritious state. The fact that bakers have so seriously failed to produce the genuine article has evoked numerous introductions of varieties backed up by chemical opinion; but the simple fact is, that Bread made honestly from the best wheatenflour cannot be excelled by any one of these new productions in any one of the particulars in which their inventors claim precedence.

Bread is generally either white or brown, and the latter is supposed to possess certain qualities that the plain white does not. White Bread, with which we have principally to do, is made in three qualities, depending

Bread — continued. chiefly upon tlic quality of the flour: 1st, Wheaton Bread, or “ firsts,” of the finest flour, entirely free from bran; 2nd, Household Bread, or “ seconds,” which is a trifle coarser, and not quite so free from bran; and 3rd, Brown Bread, or “ thirds,” which contains a great deal of bran, and is often of an inferior flour.

The great secret of making Bread is to attend thoroughly to the kneading, and if this be observed, together with the instructions given hereunder, the whole mystery is at an end, and the home manufacture of Bread no longer need be a process of difficulty.

The following is a receipt given in the Guide to the Trade for making a very fair quality of Bakers’ Bread:

Take bushel of best wheaten flour, and put it all except about 41b. into a tub or pan, in winter placing’ it before the fire to warm; mix Goz. or Soz. of powdered salt with the flour, or work it in with the dough. Then take 1 pint of good fresh yeast — German yeast is sometimes used — and mix it well with a sufficient quantity of water at blood heat; make a deep hole in tho middle of the flour, pour the water and yeast gradually into it, mixing the whole together with tho hands until all are well incorporated. Cover this mixture up, and place it near the fire until it is well risen; then work tho remaining flour into it till it becomes a nice, smooth, tough dough. Make this dough into loaves, and bake in an oven properly heated. It will take from an-hourand-a-half to two hours in baking, but the Bread should always remain in the oven half-an-hour after it has become brown, or it will not be cooked through.

Aerated Bread requires for its production the employment of a very elaborate and expensive plant; but the following is given as a very good imitation of the real thing:

Mix into 51b. of sifted flour oz. of bicarbonate of soda, £ drachm of carbonate of ammonia, and 4 drachms or teaspoonfuls of common salt; when these arc thoroughly incorporated, add the following solution: 50oz. or 2 imperial pints of cold water, and 5 drachms of hydrochloric acid. This Bi’ead should be baked in a rather quick oven until it is well browned and crusty.

“ This Bread,” says Dr. Smith, of Leeds, “ is easily made, requires little labour, no kneading, and no time for the dough to rise. It costs a trifle more than Bread made with yeast, but has the advantage of keeping longer without turning mouldy or sour, and is wholly free from any bitter or unpleasant taste. Its dietetic properties are of the utmost importance. Common Bread is liable in weak stomachs to turn sour, and produce heartburn and flatulency, and to aggravate cases of dyspepsia; but Bread made by the new process is free from these baneful effects. Its daily use in health prevents these symptoms, and in many cases it corrects that morbid condition of the stomach and intestines on which these symptoms depend. It is useful in assisting to restore the biliary, and especially the renal, secretions to a healthy condition, as well as in the treatment of various cutaneous eruptions, originating in disorder of the digestive functions.” Another receipt is given for Aerated Bread by a Mr. Dean:

Take 41b. of the very best flour, oz. of bicarbonate of soda, 4j fluid drachms of hydrochloric acid, oz. of common salt, and 40 fluid ounces, or 2 imperial pints, of cold water. Mix tho soda perfectly witli the flour, and the acid with the water, then the whole intimately and speedily together, using a flat piece of wood, or spaddle, for the purpose. This may be made into two loaves, and put into a quick oven immediately. It will require about half-an-hour to bake. In this kind of Bread, kneading will prove injurious by making it too heavy. The dough must not bo too stiff.

As regards the shapes of loaves (see Plate), they arc, to a great extent, matter of taste and fancy; but custom has provided some sort of regulation and order in this, by which various kinds and qualities of Bread may Ire known. For instance, we have the Square and Long Household,

x 2

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bread — continued.

tlie Brick, Coburg, Tinned, Cottage, &c., some of which, it is to be feared, were originated in order to bring loaves of ordinary dough under the denomination of Fancy Bread, and thus avert the penalties that are due to loaves

Fig. 189. New Six-sided Breadtin (Mathews and Son).

Fig. 190. New-shaped Breadtin (Mathews and Son).

“ under weight.” In Figs. 189 and 190 are seen two new shapes for tinned loaves. In the manufacture of “ penny ” and “twopenny” loaves, rolls, twists, and other “petits pains,” the baker has ample scope for treating his customers very much to their disadvantage — an opportunity of which some bakers are only too ready to avail themselves. See also Alum, Baking, Flouk, Yeast, &c.

Should loaves or rolls “ catch ” in the baking, and present a hard, black, burnt crust, as they sometimes will do in spite of every care and precaution, the worst of the black can be removed by means of a rasp made for the purpose (see Fig. 191).

Housekeepers are very apt to spoil their Bread by the unsuitable places and conditions chosen for its storing, fig. 191. Bread Rasp A warm cupboard and a damp pantry (Mathews and Son), are both ecpially bad; the former causing the Bread to become stale and hard, and the latter making it soft and mildewy. The best plan is to store it away in a large earthenware crock fitted with a lid. But here again a great trouble is liable to arise from putting hot Bread into a crock without any way of escape for the dampness generated by the steaming loaves.

Fig. 192. Bread-crock with Ventilated Lid (Keen’s Principle).

Bread — continued.

Stale Bread may be made quite soft and fresh again by dipping the loaf into a bowl of water, leaving it to soak for a couple of minutes, not longer, and then putting it into a slow oven for an hour.

The following receipts will be found to give all the instructions that are necessary for the manufacture of Bread, providing at the same time a very large assortment, and all within the range of family culinary facilities. American Bread. — Put in an earthen vessel, wider at top than bottom, ljlb. of flour and pint of fresh brewers’ yeast, and mix with it 1 pint of lukewarm water; then set it away for three or four hours till it rises and falls again (if winter, it should be kept in a warm temperature). Put 2 table-spoonfuls of salt in 2qts. of water, mix well with the above, add about 91b. of flour, work together, leave it until light, and then shape it into loaves. In the spring and fall of the year, the water should be lukewarm; in hot weather, cold; in winter, warm. Put it in a hot oven at first, allowing it to cool afterwards. If the loaves are large, bake a little more than one hour.

American Brown Bread. — (1) Mix together 2 breakfastcupfuls of flour and 1 breakfast-cupful each of cornflour, rye-meal, and molasses. Dissolve 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in a little boiling water, add that and the milk to the molasses, beat it up with the other ingredients, and add a well-beaten egg. Mix thoroughly, pour into a buttered tin that holds 2qts., let it steam in a slow oven for four hours, and then let it bake in a quick oven for half-an-hour.

(2) Put lqt. of cornflour in a Bread-pan, sprinkle a little salt over it, and wet it with scalding water. When cool, put in iqt. of rye-meal, add J pint of fresh yeast, and mix with water as stiff as can be kneaded. If summer, stand for an-hour-and-a-half in a cool place; if winter, in a warm one. Bake in an oven for three hours.

(3) Put 1 pint of yellow corn-meal into a mixing-bowl, and add sufficient boiling water to wet it; let it stand ten minutes, and then make a soft batter by adding colder water. Whilst it is warm, add 1 teacupful of yeast, 1 saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 1 teacupful of molasses or treacle, 1 saltspoonful of salt, and 1 pint of rye-meal. Beat well together, and put it to rise until it breaks open; then stir it down, and put it in a tin (buttered and floured) to rise again. Sprinkle a little flour on the top, and bake for two hours in a moderate oven.

American Premium Bread. — Make a stiff dough of 5qtsof flour, I pinch of salt, and pint of yeast mixed with warm milk. Knead and put in a warm place to rise. Knead again thoroughly, and stand it in the pan covered over for twenty or thirty minutes for a second rising. Make into loaves, and bake.

American Thirded Bread. — Mix 8oz. each of flour, ryeflour, and yellow corn-meal with sufficient milk (that has been scalded and cooled) to make it thick enough to be shaped; then add 1 teacupful of yeast, 3 table-spoonfuls of sugar, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Let this rise until it cracks open, when stir it down, and put it into an earthenware pan (see Pig. 193, b) to rise again. When well risen, bake it for an hour.

A B

Fig. 193. Pans for Brown Bread.

a, Iron; n, Earthenware.

The illustration (Fig. 192) shows a Bread-crock with a ventilator fitted into the centre of the lid, and experience has shown that this is a consideration worthy of special attention.

Black Bread. — Kub 101b. of brewers’ grains to a paste, and work into it lib. of fresh yeast, 51b. of coarse flour, and 1 handful of salt. Let it rise, then, when twice its original bulk, shape into loaves and bake. A favourite in Germany, Russia, and other countries.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Bread — continued.

Boston Brown Bread. — (1) Take 3 pints of cornflour, 3 pints of rye-meal, a few largo spoonfuls of pumpkin, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, i teacupful of yeast, and teacupful of molasses, and stir in some warm water until it forms a stiff paste. Have two iron pans (see Fig. 193, a) well buttered, pour in tlio mixture, and smooth on the top with the hand, first wetted in cold water. "When it has risen, bake in a hot oven.

(2) Pour 1 pint of boiling water over lib. of cornflour in a pan, and mix; throw in 1 teaspoonful of salt, and add 5 breakfast-cupful of black molasses and 1 breakfast-cupful of cold water; then 1 breakfast-cupful of fresh yeast, Jib. of rye-meal, and lib. of wheat-flour. Line two sheet-iron Brown

Fig. 194. Brown-Bread Pail.

Bread pails (see Fig. 194) with greased paper, put in the dough, and let it rise from one to two hours; then bake for five hours.

Bread made with Potatoes. — Mash lib. of boiled potatoes while hot, and add 2 pints of tepid water, loz. of German yeast, and 2 handfuls of flour. Leave this to ferment in a warm place for six or seven hours, then put it into a pan with lgall. of flour and 1 loz. of salt, and mix the whole into a dough. Let it stand another three hours to rise, make it into loaves, and bake as quickly as possible.

Butter-milk Bread.— Put 21b. of the finest flour in a small crock, and add 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar, and a pinch or two of salt; stir together, and make into a stiff dough with butter-milk. Knead it well, shape into loaves, and bake.

Corn Bread. — (1) Scald 1 breakfast-cupful of white corn-meal, and mix with it an egg, 2 table-spoonfuls of melted lard, 1 teacupful of milk or cold water, 1 breakfast-cupful of boiling water, 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder, and a pinch of salt, beating well together. Pour this batter into a hot tin, not greased (it should be over lin. deep in the tin), and bake about half-an-hour, quickly. If preferred, butter-milk and bicarbonate of soda can be used instead of cold milk and baking-powder.

(2) Beat up the yolks of four eggs in 1 pint of butter-milk, stir in quickly a small handful of corn-meal, add 1 tablespoonful of warmed butter, and stir in alternately the wellbeaten whites of the eggs and meal enough to make a stiff batter, adding a little bicarbonate of soda. Pour the mixture into buttered tins, and bake in a quick oven.

(3) Mix 4 pints of corn-meal with 3 pints of warm water, add 1 teaspoonful of salt, stir with the hand, make into loaves, and bake in a quick oven.

(4) Mix lqt. of corn-meal with cold milk, beat two eggs and 1 table-spoonful of warmed butter into it, make it into a cake, and bake slowly with coals underneath and on top of the pan, or cook it on a griddle over a fire. This is best eaten hot with butter.

(5) Sift together 1 breakfast-cupful of cornflour, 1 teacupful of flour, £ teaspoonful of salt, and 3 teaspoonfuis of bakingpowder; mix with these ingredients 1 teacupful each of butter and flour beaten to a cream, four eggs beaten for two minutes, and 1 pint of milk. Put the Bread into a well-buttered iron pan, bake it for about twenty minutes or until nicely browned, and serve hot.

Bread — cont inued.

(6) Put into a basin 2 breakfast-cupfuls of yellow corn-meal, 1 breakfast-cupful of flour, 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and 1 saltspoonful of salt; mix these, and then add 2oz. of butter (which has been creamed by warming and beating), two eggs beaten with i teacupful of moist sugar, and 1 pint of milk; beat all into a smooth paste. Butter some cake-tins, 4in. deep, and pour the mixture in. This loaf is best eaten with honey, in which case the sugar may be omitted.

Corn Bread of St. Charles. — Pour J pint of boiling water into 2 lb. of white corn-meal, add 2oz. of wanned butter, 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, 1 pinch of salt, two eggs (beaten), and 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder. Beat thoroughly, pour into a hot greased cake-tin, and bake for half-an-hour. Serve hot.

Cornflour Sponge Bread. — Beat together in a large basin three eggs and 1 pint of butter-millc; then add 1 pint of cornflour and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, beating all the time. Bake as a loaf in a quick oven.

Diabetic Bread. — Boil 3qts. of wheat bran for ten minutes, and strain it through a sieve; boil it again in fresh water for another ten minutes, then turn it on to the sieve, and pour cold water over it until the water runs off quite clear. Squeeze the bran in a cloth to extract all the water possible; then spread it out on a plate and put it in a slow oven. When perfectly dry and crisp, the bran will be fit for grinding. The bran must be ground to a powder through a very fine mill, then sifted through a fine hair sieve; what does not pass through the sieve should be ground and sifted again. For 3oz., troy, of the bran powder, allow three eggs, 1 i oz. of butter, and 1 breakfast-cupful of very fresh milk. Beat the three eggs with half of the milk; put the remainder of the milk in a small saucepan with the butter, and stir it over the fire until it has dissolved, then mix both lots of milks together, and stir in the bran; season to taste with ground ginger, nutmeg, or any spice liked. Butter a basin, stir into the bran mixture, first 35 grains of sesquicarbonate of soda, and then 3 drachms of dilute hydrochloric acid. Pour the mixture immediately into the basin, and put it in the oven. The Bread will require a little over an hour’s baking.

Dietetic Bread. — Put the yolks of twelve and the whites of six eggs into a bowl, and whisk them so as to break them. Pour 1 teacupful of water into a saucepan with lib. of sugar, and let it just come to the boil; then remove the pan from the fire, add the eggs, and whisk until cold. Sprinkle and stir in lightly lib. of flour, turn the preparation into papered square tins, dust their surfaces over with broken loaf sugar, and bake in a slack oven until they are firm on the top and quite dry. Take them out, and serve as desired.

Dyspepsia Bread. — Mix 3qts. of unsifted wheat-meal with lqt. of soft warm water, add j pint of molasses, j pint of fresh yeast, and 1 teaspoonful of powdered carbonate of ammonia. Shape into two loaves, and bake for an hour.

Egg Bread. — Take 1 breakfast-cupful each of rice and hominy and mash them well; then add the yolks of four eggs well beaten, and mix in 3 table-spoonfuls of flour, pint of sweet milk, and 1 table-spoonful of butter. Whisk the whites of the eggs well, and just before making the mass into loaves add them. Bake in a quick oven until done.

Egg-and-Cornflour Bread. — Kub up jib. of butter with lqt. of cornflour, add 1 teaspoonful of salt, and the yolks of four eggs, and stir in gradually lqt. of cold milk; beat the mixture until it forms a smooth batter. Butter the pan in which the Bread is be baked (see Fig. 193, A). Beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, stir them into the batter lightly and quickly, put it into the buttered pan, and bake the Bread in a moderate oven for half-an-hour, or until a clean skewer run into the centre of the loaf can be withdrawn clean. The Bread may be used either hot or cold. The same batter can be baked in smaller pans or in earthen cups.

Gluten Bread. — Mix together the following materials: 1 jib. of fresh moist gluten, 3j drachms of bicarbonate of ammonia, lj drachms of common salt, 48 grains of powdered caraway, 4joz. of wheaten-flour, ljoz. of powdered bran, and 4oz. of salt butter. When well incorporated, put the mixture into small and flat tin pans. Bako the Bread on a moderately heated hearth.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Bread — continued.

Graham-flour Bread. — (1) Mix together C breakfast-cupfuls of Graham-flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and breakfast-cupful of yeast, and work to a dough, adding 1 pint of milk scalded and cooled, and making it a little softer than for white Bread. Let it rise till light, stir it down, pour it into well-greased pans, or if stiff enough shape it into loaves, let it rise again, and bake a little longer, and in a cooler oven than for white Bread. • Graham-flour rises' more rapidly than white flour, as it contains more gluten; it is consequently liable to sour if mixed overnight. To avoid this, use less yeast, and use sugar instead of molasses, or mix in the morning. Always sift the flour through a coarse sieve. When made with ordinary Graham-flour, bread is much lighter if onethird wlieat-flour is added.

(2) Sift together 1 pint of wheat-flour, lqt. of Graham-flour, and 2 table-spoonfuls of salt; add to them 1 teacupful each of molasses and liquid yeast, or loz. of compressed yeast dissolved in 1 teacupful of warm water; then stir in enough warm water or milk to make a batter thick enough to hold a drop let fall from a spoon, and cover the bowl containing this sponge with a folded towel, keeping it in a moderately warm place until light and foaming. When the sponge is quite light, stir in as much more Graham-flour as can be readily mixed in with a spoon, and put the dough into well-buttered baking-pans; cover the pans with a folded towel, put them where the dough will be kept warm (in some place not too hot to rest the hand for a minute without burning it), and let them stand until the dough has risen to double its original bulk; then put the Bread into a moderate oven, and bake it for an-hour-and-ahalf, taking care that it does not burn.

Graham-flour and Cornflour Bread. — Sift together 1 pint each of cornflour and Graham-flour, and 1 teaspoonful of salt; mix with them 1 pint of sour milk and a bare £ pint of molasses in which 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of ammonia has been dissolved. When all these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, pour them into a buttered Brown- Bread tin (see Pig. 193, a) which can be tightly covered, and steam the Bread for two hours. The tin, or pail (see Pig. 194), closely covered, may be set in a covered saucepan containing enough boiling water to reach two-thirds up its sides, if a regular steamer is not available. After the Bread has been steamed for two hours, remove the cover from the pail, and bake the Bread in a hot oven until a crust is formed. It may be nsed either hot or cold.

Henrietta Bread. — Put 1 pint of flour into a basin, add 1 table-spoonful of melted butter or lard, two eggs — the whites and yolks beaten separately — and 2 breakfast-cupfuls of milk. Make the whole into a paste, turn it into cups or moulds, and bake in a quick oven. Turn them out when done, and they are ready.

Household Bread. — (1) Mix 101b. of best flour into about igall. of water. Care must bo taken not to make it too wet, some flours requiring more water than others. As soon as it is well mixed, add i pint of yeast, and knead it; then cover it over, and put in a warm place for an-hour-and-alialf to rise. Make into loaves, or rolls, &c., and bake. In making a loaf to weight, a little more dough must be used; for instance, a 31b. loaf requires 3lb. of dough, and so on.

(2) Mix 1 table-spoonful of salt in Clb. of flour. Dissolve 2oz. of German yeast in 3 pints of tepid water, strain this on to the flour, and knead the whole together. Put the dough to “prove” in a warm place, covered with a cloth, and let it swell to twice its original size; then turn it on to a floured board, and knead in it so much flour that it no longer sticks to the fingers. Divide into suitable loaves, and set to rise for twenty minutes near the fire; then bake an-hour-and-a-half to two hours.

(3) Take a quartern of flour and make a hole in the centre, and mix into it 1 breakfast-cupful of milk or lukewarm water, 1 pinch of salt, and 1 teacupful of fresh yeast. Place this before the fire to rise, and let it remain all night; then knead it with pint more water or milk for ten or fifteen minutes. Let the dough rise before the fire for an hour or an-hour-and-a-half, make it into loaves, and bake until done (an-hour-and-a-half or two hours).

(4) Dissolve loz. of German compressed yeast in lqt. of warm water, and mix 31b. of flour with it; place the pan

Bread — continued.

in a warm corner, to remain four hours. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoonful of salt, mix to a stiff dough, turn out of the pan, and knead smooth. Rub the pan with a little melted lard, to prevent sticking, put in the dough, brush it over, and let it rise for two hours. Then knead, make into loaves, prove, and bake.

(5) Dissolve rather less than oz. of German yeast in a little cold water, stir into it f pint of lukewarm water, and pour this rapidly on to lib. of finely-sifted flour mixed with 1 pinch of salt, beating well all the time with a wooden spoon. Work in gradually another pound of flour, kneading it well, and use more water if required. Let the dough l-ise in a temperature of 80deg., and let it remain for one hour; then place it on a floured board, and shape it into a square loaf. Bake for about one hour in an oven very hot for the first ten minutes, but afterwards slackened.

(0) Pour 1' pints of boiling water over 1 breakfast-cupful of Indian-meal, stir well, and leave it till cool. When bloodwarm, mix with the meal half a cake of compressed yeast, 1 table -spoonful of sugar, and 1 teaspoonful of salt; add 2qts. of flour to the meal, and work it till well mixed. Sprinkle some flour on a table, turn the dough on to it, and knead with the hands for half-au-liour. Put the dough back in the basin, slightly warm a small lump of lard (about oz.), and rub it all over the dough. Cover the dough to preserve it from dust and air, and set it in a warm place to rise for nine or ten hours, or till the following morning; then divide it, shape it into loaves, and let these rise in a hot temperature for one hour. Test the heat of the oven with a small quantity of flour in a saucer; if it browns in five minutes, put in the loaves, and bake them from forty minutes to an hour, according to their size. When cooked, take the loaves out of the tins, and lean them against a support on a table till cold. The Bread should be kept in an earthenware or stone bread-pan till served.

Italian Bread. Place in a warmed pan lib. of butter and lib. of good moist sugar, and mix until it becomes light. Take twelve eggs, and add them two or three at a time, working the mixture well before more are added. Continue this mode of working until all the eggs are used; then cut Jib. of candied peel into slices, and stir in 18oz. of flour. Butter some tins (long narrow ones are generally used), and place in them a layer of mixture and a layer of the peel alternately, filling the tin three-parts full, and bake in a slow oven.

Iaaplaud Bread.- — Put lqt. of flour into a basin, and mix in lqt. of cream and the yolks of twelve beaten eggs, then adding the whites of the eggs also beaten. Pour the mixture into floured and greased tins, and bake in a moderate oven until done. This is considered an excellent and delicious Bread.

Light Bread. — Sift 2qts. of flour on to a table or board, and divide it into three equal parts; put one part into a jar or bowl, another into a basin, mixing in with this 1 teaspoonful each of sugar and salt, -J- teacupful of yeast, one well-beaten egg, and 1 pint of water. When well mixed, pour this into the bowl over the other flour, cover over

with the remaining portion of flour, and set the whole to

rise for a couple of hours. Work it well, adding a small

piece of lard, form it into loaves, and bake as for other

Bread.

Lunch Bread. — Sift 1 pint of flour into a basin, mix in 1 tablespoonful of warmed butter, 3 table-spoonfuls of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, two eggs, and 1 breakfast-cupful of slightly-salted milk. Turn the preparation into a flat pan, bake in a quick oven, and serve very hot.

Mateo Bread. — Boil to a light syrup lib. of sugar and 1 teacupful of water, and pour it while boiling over eight wellbeaten eggs in a basin, working well and continuously until cold; then add lib. of matso-meal and a small quantity of grated lemon-peel. Turn the preparation into buttered or papered tins, and bake in a moderate oven. Turn out of the tins while hot, and serve either at once or when cold.

Milk Bread. — (1) In 1 pints of lukewarm milk dissolve loz. of German yeast, and stir in lib. of flour. Set to rise into a

h'or details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY. 183

Bread — continued.

sponge. Mis 1 teaspoonful of salt with 21b. of flour, and stir in the sponge, kneading well together. Cover over the pan with a cloth, and set to prove, or rise. When ready, make the dough into three loaves, put these on a well-floured baking-sheet, and bake in a hot oven for an hour. When they are cooked, the loaves should be put on a stand or turned over on their sides to prevent the bottom crust from becoming wet and soddened with steam.

(2) Put into 1 pint of scalded milk 1 table-spoonful of butter, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and 1 pinch of salt; when cool, add breakfast-cupful of fresh yeast, and stir in gradually enough flour to make a dough. Knead till smooth and elastic, cover with a cloth, and let it rise; then divide into four parts, and make into any shape preferred. Let it rise again in the pans, and bake forty or fifty minutes. If preferred not kneaded, use about 1 breakfast-cupful less of flour, mix: it with a knife, work it until all the dry flour is well incorporated with the other ingredients, and make just soft enough to be shaped into a loaf.

Potato Bread. — Put 2lb. of peeled potatoes into a saucepan of slightly-salted water, and boil until they are soft and mealy; then turn them out into a basin, mash them, mix them up with a little cold water, and pass them through a sieve into a bowl or earthenware pan; stir in a teacupful of yeast and 2 oz. of salt, and work the whole into a stiff paste by adding 71b. of flour; cover the pan with a cloth, and put it in a warm place to rise. When the dough has sufficiently risen, knead it well, form it into the shape of loaves, put them in the oven, and bake for from an-hour-and-a-half to two hours. Take them out, and they are ready for use, and may be eaten as ordinary Bread. One or two eggs and a little butter may be added to the paste before the flour is mixed in, and are a great improvement to the flavour.

Pumpkin Bread. — (1) Peel a pumpkin, cut it in slices, and boil it. When soft, strain the slices through a colander, and mash very fine. Use half as much wheat-flour as there is pumpkin, and prepare a sponge with yeast in the ordinary way; when it begins to rise, work the pumpkin in, using as much of it as will bring the dough to a proper degree of stiffness without water. The pumpkin should not be too hot. Knead the dough smoothly, cover it, and set it to rise in a warm place for two or three hours. Knead it again, shape the loaves, and bake in a moderate oven.

(2) American. — Take 1 breakfast-cupful of pumpkin squash, and mix with it 2 table-spoonfuls of fine sugar and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Melt 2oz. of butter in 1J pints of scalded milk, and when the milk is cool add 1 teacupful of yeast and flour enough to sponge it. When risen, mix all together and add flour enough to knead it. Let it rise until light. Knead again thoroughly, and shape into loaves or biscuits. Let it rise again, and when well risen, bake as other Bread.

Queen’s Bread. — Prepare a stiff dough with Jgall. of water at about 94deg. Fahr., lib. of moist sugar and 5oz. of German yeast dissolved in it, and llb. of flour; mix well, and set to rise; then add lib. of butter and lard, 2 oz. of salt, and one egg to each pound of dough, set it to rise for half-an hour, form it into any desired shapes, and bake in a moderate oven.

Biice Bread. — (1) Put 1 Jib. of rice into a saucepan with 3qts. of water, and boil slowly for four or five hours; beat the rice to a smooth pulp, then mix in 141b. of flour, 3oz. of salt, and 1 breakfast-cupful of yeast. Turn the mixture into an earthenware bowl, cover it with a cloth, and let it rise before the fire or in a warm place. Make it into loaves, and bake these in the oven as for ordinary Bread.

(2) Put lqt. of ground rice into a saucepan, pour in sufficient warm water to make a thick pulp, then add 2qts. or 3qts. of boiling water, and stir well over the fire until the liquor boils; add 2 breakfast- cupfuls of milk, boil for a minute or two, and then let the mixture cool. Add a breakfast-cupful of yeast and sufficient flour to make the paste stiff, turn it into a bowl, and let it rise in front of the fire. Work in a little more flour, form the Bread into loaves, put these in the oven, and bake.

Bye Bread. — Put 1 table-spoonful each of butter and sugar into a basin, pour over 1 pint of boiling milk, add 1 teaspoonful of salt; let the mixture cool, and then add a teacupful of yeast. Make the sponge in the . morning, and allow it to stand covered all night in a cool pantry, then add 3 breakfast

Bread — continued.

cupfuls of rye-flour, beat well, and let it rise. When it is sufficiently risen, add more rye-flour to make it firm, knead well for half-an-liour, let it rise again, knead it again, shape it into loaves or rolls, put these in the oven, and bake.

Scotch Bread. — Anything in the way of Bread from the “ Land o’ Cakes ” is considered in South Britain to be very superior; whereas at one time Scotch Bread was rather inclined to be coarse and rough flavoured, being made chiefly from potato ferment. These conditions have apparently been changed, for Scotch Bread is now famous for its softness, purity, and whiteness — the latter marked quality being due to the superfine quality of the flour. The leaven mostly used is that known as Parisian barm, and the process of making is as follows: To make 1 sack of biscuit flour into Bread with a quarter sponge, take lgall. of lukewarm water, to this add Jgall. of Parisian barm, and work into it sufficient flour to make a stiffish dough. This may be set about midday, and will then be ready to use before 4 o’clock. It should drop a little in the tub in which it was set before it is turned into the bread trough. Add 10 galls, of water in which 21 b. of common salt have been dissolved, and mix well into a well-beaten sponge; add Ggalls. more lukewarm water with 111b. more salt dissolved in it, and work this up with the remainder of the sack of flour into a soft dough — the softer the dough can be worked, the clearer and showier will the loaf be. When quite ready and thoroughly kneaded, cut through in places, leave to rise a little in a warm place, and then, when the dough is light enough according to your judgment, which in this case proclaims your experience and skill, shape into large oblong, square-cornered loaves, press together, and bake in a slow oven until the crusts are browned. Or the loaves may be put into lightly-greased oblong tins (see Fig. 195), and these tinned Scotch loaves are usually preferred to those baked in batches.

Soda Bread. — With 21b. of flour mix loz. of tartaric acid and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Dissolve loz. of bicarbonate of soda in 1 pint of milk, and when all the sediment has disappeared, pour it into the flour, and mix up quickly. Make into loaves, and bake for an hour.

Sweet Potato Bread. — Boil, peel, and mash sweet potatoes sufficient to yield lqt. of pulp; to this add 1 pint of milk in which has been dissolved ioz. of compressed yeast and 2 teaspoonfuls each of salt and sugar; add also 1 pint of boiling water, and just enough flour to make a stiff batter. Put this batter in a warm place near the fire to rise, keeping it covered with a thick towel folded three times. When the batter has risen to twice its original bulk, mix with it more flour — enough to make a soft dough; knead this for five minutes, then put it into three buttered iron pans (see Fig. 193, a), half-filling each, and again cover. Let the loaves rise to double their original bulk, then bake them in a moderate oven until quite done. Use this Bread hot or cold.

Togus Bread.— Mix together lj pints of sweet milk, J pint of sour milk, ljoz. of corn-meal, 4oz. of flour, 1 teacupful of molasses, and 1 teaspoonful each of salt and powdered carbonate of ammonia; knead thoroughly, form into a flat loaf, and bake for three hours.

Turnip Bread. — Boil some turnips till tender, press out the juice, and when the pulp is dry beat it very fine; mix with this the same quantity of flour, and season with salt. Knead, let the dough rise a little, and then bake like ordinary Bread.

Water Bread. — Sift 2qts. of flour into a bowl holding about 4qts. (keeping back, however, 1 breakfast-cupful of it to uso later on if needed), and mix in 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar, rubbing in 1 table-spoonful of warmed butter until fine. Mix Jib. cake of compressed yeast in 5 breakfast-cupful of water, and stir in with the flour with another pint of warm water. Scrape the dry flour from the sides and bottom of the bowl, and bring the knife up through the dough, turning the mass over and over until no dry flour is

Fig. 195. Scotch-bread Tin (Mathtws anil Son).

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184

TEE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OE PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bread — continued.

left. If it be too soft to be bandied easily, use a little of the reserved flour; if too stiff, add more water. Knead it for half-an-hour, then cover, and let it rise until it has doubled in size. Cut it through several times, and let it rise again; then divide into four parts, shape these into loaves, cover, and let it rise again. Bake in a hot oven lor nearly an hour.

Whole-meal Bread. — Mix 1 pint of scalded milk, 2 tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, f breakfastcupful of yeast, 5 or 6 breakfast- cupfuls of fine granulated wheat flour (or 2 breakfast-cupfuls of white flour), and 3 or 3J breakfast-cupfuls of sifted Graham-flour, into a dough a little softer than for white bread, and let this rise till light; then stir it down, pour it into well-greased pans (see Fig. 193, b), or, if stiff enough, shape it into loaves, let it rise again, and bake a little longer and in a less hot oven than for white Bread.

Rolls and Twists. — If it is difficult to distinguish between the qualities of plain and fancy Bread, it is still more difficult to define what sort of dough is suitable for Rolls and Twists and what is not. The object of these “ petits pains ” is convenience, and to some extent appearance — two advantages that have been secured at the cost of quantity and sometimes of dietetic quality. Indeed, the dough prepared for some of these exceedingly white, light, spongy breads is subject to adulterative treatments that are injurious to health. Any such have been carefully avoided in giving instructions for the manufacture of the following.

American Astor-Honse Rolls. — Put 2qts. of sifted flour into a deep bowl, make a hollow in the centre, and put into it the following ingredients: 1 pint of lukewarm milk with 1 table-spoonful of butter dissolved in it, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and 2 gills of yeast; with the hand mix enough of. the flour with these ingredients to fom a smooth thin batter. Cover the bowl with a folded cloth, and put it in a warm place until the batter is light and foamy; then mix in the rest of the flour, knead the dough for five minutes, cover it again, and let it stand until twice its original size. When the dough is light, roll and

Fig. 196. American Astor-House Boll.

cut it into thick rounds, sot two together (see Fig. 196), and bake in a quick oven until browned.

American Parker-House Rolls. — Put 2qts. of flour into a deep bowl or pan, make a hollow in the middle of it, and put in the following ingredients without mixing them, and in the order in which they are named: 1 table-spoonful of sugar, 1 table-spoonful of butter broken into small pieces, 1 pint of cold scalded milk, and 5 pint of yeast. Cover the pan with a folded towel, and place it in a cool part of the kitchen. This being done in the evening, the dough will be risen in the morning. Add to it a teaspoonful of salt dissolved in a little warm water, mix all the ingredients, and knead the dough for fifteen minutes; then return it to the pan, cover with the cloth, and let it rise again for six hours. Again knead the dough for two or three minutes, roll it out evenly about -)in. thick, and cut it with a smooth biscuit-cutter. Put a small piece of butter, on one side of each round of dough, and double them; put the rolls in a buttered baking-pan, cover them with a folded cloth, set the pan in a moderately warm place, and let the rolls rise for half-an-hour; then bake them in a quick oven for about fifteen minutes, and serve hot.

Butter Rolls for Tea.— Put Rb. of light bread dough into a basin, mix in 2 teaspoonfuls of sugar, loz. of butter, the

Bread — continued.

yolk of an egg, teacupful of milk or cream, and about 1 breakfast-cupful of flour. Set the preparation to rise in a warm temperature for a couple of hours, then knead it well on a floured table, pressing it with the knuckles, and continue in this way for several minutes, until the dough is full of air bubbles, light, and with a silky appearance. Make out the dough into round balls, and when all are done roll them out flat; brush half of them over with melted butter, place the other half on the top, press in the centre, brush over the surfaces with melted butter, and set them to rise again. Put them into a moderate oven, and bake for from fifteen to twenty minutes; take them out, cut them into halves or quarters, butter them inwardly, and serve hot.

Caraway Roll. — Dissolve 1 table-spoonful of yeast in 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of warm milk. Warm 2oz. of butter, and beat it with 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar; then mix it with the yeast, and add 2 lb. of flour, a few caraway-seeds, and sufficient warm milk to make a light dough. Knead the dough thoroughly, put it on a floured paste-board, and shape into a long roll. Lay the roll on a tin, cover it with a cloth, and keep it in a warm place until risen. Bake the roll till of a light yellow colour in a moderate oven. When cooked, brush it over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and strew caster sugar over it.

Derbyshire Rolls. — Rub 6 oz. of butter into 61b. of the best wheaten-flour till quite smooth. Mix R table-spoonfuls of yeast in R pints of milk, and beat in the yolks of six eggs. Work all these ingredients together till quite smooth. Divide the dough into equal portions, shape into rolls, let these rise in a warm temperature, and then bake them. On the following day dip the rolls in milk, put them in a Dutch oven, and brown them before a clear fire. Serve hot, with butter.

Family Rolls. — Mix 2qts. of flour with 2 teaspoonfuls of salt and 2 table-spoonfuls of butter or lard, add sufficient sponge to make a 2qt. loaf of Bread, mix in 2 breakfast-cupfuls of milk, and form the whole into a dough; make this into rolls, and bake in a slack oven.

French Rolls. — (1) Mix lqt. of flour in with 1 teaspoonful of salt, two eggs, 1 table-spoonful of lard, 2 table-spoonfuls of yeast, and sufficient milk to make a dough, and work it well; then sot the dough to rise for the night. Work it well again in the morning, then form it into rolls; set those to rise again, and bake them in a quick oven.

(2) Work 1 gill of yeast in with 3 pints of flour, add a wellbeaten egg and 1 table-spoonful of butter, and sufficient milk or warm water to form a dough; set this to rise, and when risen, form it into rolls, and bake in a quick oven.

(3) Beat loz. of butter into lib. of flour, adding a small pinch of salt, a well-beaten egg, 1 table-spoonful of yeast, and sufficient milk to form a stiff dough. Work this well

Fig. 197. Frencii-roll Tin (Mathews and Son).

without kneading, set it to rise, put it into tins (see Fig. 197), and bake for about half-an-hour.

(4) Put 1 breakfast-cupful of milk into a saucepan, and warm it; add loz. of butter, melt it, pour all into a basin, add one beaten egg, a little salt, 2 table-spoonfuls of yeast, and Rib. of flour; set the dough to rise for an-hourand-a-half; then knead it well, form it into shape or put it in tins (see Fig. 198), and bake in a quick oven for about forty-five minutes.

(5) Put 21b. of flour into a basin, work in 4oz. of butter, and then add two well-beaten eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of yeast, -£ teaspoonful of salt, and sufficient warm milk to form a soft dough. Put this in a bowl in a warm place to rise for about

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

185

Bread — continued.

two hours, dusting 1 it over with a little flour; then form it into rolls about lin. thick and 3in. long, using plenty of flour on the hands while doing so. Bake the rolls in a quick oven for a-quarter-of-an-hour, brush them over with a little milk, bake for five or sis minutes longer, and they will be done and ready to be served.

Fig. 198. French-roll Tins (Adams and Son).

German Bolls. — (1) Put 2lb. of flour into a large basin or bowl, make a hole in the centre, and add loz. of dissolved German yeast, oz. of baking-powder, and 1 table-spoonful of salt dissolved in 1 pint of lukewarm milk. Work in only sufficient of the flour to produce an elastic mass, put the pan in a warm place, and let the dough rise. Add lb. of butter warmed and worked up, six eggs, and 2oz. of sugar, and work vigorously with the 1 and for about ten minutes, when all the flour will be used up. Dust the dough over with a little more flour, make it into a lump in the pan, cover over with a cloth, and set it away in a warm place to rise. It must remain in this way for two or more hours — in fact, it should be made the night before it is intended to be used, in which case it must be kept in a cold place. Put the mixture when “proved” on a slab, break it with flour, and knead it well, so as to make it elastic; cut it up into as many pieces as required, form these pieces into shapes, put them on well-buttered bakingsheets, let them rise, or “ prove,” again in a warm temperature, brush them over with well-beaten egg, put them into a moderately hot oven, and bake. Take them out when done, and they are ready for use, either hot or cold.

(2) Prepare a sponge by dissolving 2oz. of dry yeast in J pint of warm milk, and stirring in lightly lb. of flour. Cover the sponge with a cloth, and set it in a warm temperature to rise. Mix with 111b. of flour 4oz. of sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, 1 table-spoonful of pounded bitter almonds, half a grated 1 nutmeg, a small quantity of salt, four beaten eggs, and sufficient warm milk to make a light smooth dough. Add the sponge to the dough, and thoroughly work the whole. Wash fib. of currants, stone Jib. of raisins, and chop 2oz. each of mixed candied peel and blanched sweet almonds. Slightly warm lb. of fresh butter, and mix this and the other ingredients with the dough. Knead the dough, cover with a cloth, and set to rise. Dust flour over a paste-board, put the dough on it, and shape into a long roll. Butter a baking-sheet, lay the roll on it, make two incisions about lin. in depth down the length of the roll with a knife, and lot it rise again; then bake it in a moderate oven, without allowing it to colour too darkly. When cooked, spread the top of the roll with butter, and leave until cold; then strew caster sugar on the top, and servo.

Irish Bolls. — Sift 21b. of flour into a basin, and mix in -J- teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and 1 dessert-spoonful of sugar. Beat the whites of two eggs to a froth, adding gradually sufficient butter-milk to form the flour into a stiff dough; form this into shapes, roll or otherwise, brush them over with white of egg, and bake in a quick oven for fifteen or twenty minutes, or until they are of a light brown colour. Sour milk will do instead of the sour butter-milk, and the sourer the latter is, the lighter it will make the rolls.

Mannheim Bolls. — Sift Goz. of flour on to a table, make a hole in the centre, and mix in three eggs and 3 tablespoonfuls of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Mix well to a firm paste, and sprinkle in ioz. of finely-powdered aniseed. Should the paste be too moist, add a little more flour and sugar. Divide the paste into three or four pieces, rolling them out about £in. thick and 1ft. in length, place them carefully on a well-buttered baking-sheet, glaze them with yolk

Bread — continued.

of egg, make a slight incision with a knife lengthwise, put them into a hot oven, and bake them. When done, take them out, cut them into slices about in. in thickness (see Big. 199), and they are ready for use.

Fig. 199. Cutting up Mannheim Roll.

Milk Bolls.— Mix fib. of flour, lb. of butter, and 1 tablespoonful of baking-powder with a little salt, and make into a light dough with cold milk. Form the dough into the shape of rolls, brush these over with egg, and dust a little flour over them. Bake in a sharp oven for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Potato Bolls.- — (1) In the afternoon, bake two large white potatoes, and mash them perfectly smooth before they cool; add to them 2 table-spoonfuls of white sugar and 1 breakfastcupful each of flour and lukewarm water, and beat the mixture for five minutes or until it foams. In the meantime, dissolve half d small cake of compressed yeast in 1 gill of lukewarm water, and add it to the sponge when it foams (or use instead 1 gill of fresh yeast); cover the bowl containing the sponge with a thick towel folded several times, and set it where no draught or air can strike it. In the evening, put the sponge into a Broad-mixing bowl with 4qts. of sifted flour, 1 tablespoonful of salt, 1 teacupful of sugar, and 4 table- spoonfuls of lard or butter chopped or rubbed into the flour; add enough lukewarm water to make a dough stiff enough to knead, and knead it for half-an-hour, using flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the hands or board. When the dough is smooth and shining, put it into a buttered bowl or pan large enough for it to double its original bulk in rising; butter the top of the dough, cover the bowl with a folded towel, and set it in a place free from draughts in summer, and in cold weather near enough to the fire to prevent chilling of the dough. Two hours before wanted, knead the dough again for five minutes, form it into little rolls, put these in buttered baking-pans, brush the surfaces with milk or a little butter, cover them with a folded towel, put the pans where they will be shielded from draughts and where the temperature will be about 98deg. Fahr., let the rolls rise until they have doubled their size, and then bake them. The rolls will be all the better if there is time for them to rise to more than twice the original size before they are put into the oven, because the heat penetrates them so quickly that there is very little chance for the expansion to continue. The rolls should bo put into a hot oven, and baked for about fifteen or twenty minutes.

(2) Use 1 pint of mashed potatoes mixed with 1 pint of lukewarm milk in which (lb. of lard or butter has been molted; dissolve also in the milk oz. of compressed yeast and 1 teaspoonful of salt; add to these ingredients flour to make a batter thick enough to hold for a moment a drop let fall from the mixing-spoon. Cover this batter in an earthen bowl to prevent chilling by draughts, and place it in a moderately warm place until it is light and foaming. The length of time required for rising will depend upon the temperature of the room; if the heat is too great, the fermentation cannot take place properly, and the rising will be checked. The bowl, therefore, should not be put where the hand cannot be borne with comfort, for the heat will be too great. When the sponge is light, mix with it more flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead without sticking to the hands or the paste-board, knead the dough for five minutes, roll it out about 4 in. thick, and cut it out into rounds with a biscuit-cutter; lay two of these together, put them upon a buttered baking-pan, cover again with a folded towel, and let them rise again to twice their original height. When the rolls are light, brush them with

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Bread — con tinned.

melted butter, bake them in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes, or until done, and serve hot.

Swedish Bolls. — Dissolve J teacupful of sugar and 1 teaspoonful of salt in 1 pint of boiling milk, and melt 1 teacupful of butter. When the milk is lukewarm, add the butter, 1 teacupful of yeast, and the whites of two eggs, and mix t in sufficient flour to form a batter, setting this to rise; then add more flour, to form a stiff dough, and knead it well for about twenty minutes; let it rise again for several hours, then knead it slightly, and roll it out into a large rectangular piece about Jin. in thickness, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Spread over this a thin layer of butter, and sprinkle it with a little each of sugar, cinnamon, grated lemon-rind, and currants. Boll up the dough, cut off slices about lin. in thickness, put these on a well-buttered bakingdish, let them rise again, and bake in a hot oven for from fifteen to twenty minutes. When done, glaze them with sugar dissolved in milk, or rub them over with soft butter, dry them in the oven for a few minutes, and they are ready. Should the mixture be made in the morning, make a sponge with the scalded milk cooled, the eggs, salt, sugar, and part of the flour. Place the bowl containing this in a pan of warm water for two or three hours; then add the butter and remainder of the flour, and knead well; when risen, roll out as before.

Tea or Breakfast Bolls. — Sift lib. of flour on to a table and rub in 4oz. of butter. Make a hollow in the flour, work in one egg and 1 table-spoonful of yeast dissolved in a little warmed milk, and set it to rise in a warm place. When it has risen, form a light dough, and let this rise again in front of the fire; then shape it into rolls, put these in front of the fire again for about ten minutes, brush them over with egg, and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Tea Bolls. — Put ljlb. of flour in a bowl, and place it near the fire where it will just get warm. Slightly warm 6oz. of butter, and beat it with 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar, the yolks of three eggs, and the white of one. Dissolve 2 table-spoonfuls of dry yeast in J pint of warm milk, mix it with the beaten eggs, and then stir the whole gradually into the flour. Well beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until a light dough is formed. If too stiff, use more milk. Take the dough up a table-spoonful at a time, and roll it with floured hands into small oval shapes, pointing them slightly at each end. Butter a bakingsheet, and place the rolls on it, leaving a short space between each; leave them covered with a cloth in a warm place until well risen. Beat the whites of two eggs with J table-spoonful of caster sugar, then dip a paste-brush in it, and brush over the tops of the rolls. Bake them in a brisk oven until lightly coloured, but not browned.

Turin Bolls. — Prepare a sponge with lOoz. of flour and 1 breakfast- cupful of warm milk. Dissolve 2oz. of sugar and Joz. of salt in 1 table-spoonful of water, mix this into lib. 14oz. of flour, with the yolks of eight eggs and Jib. of butter made hot without boiling, and stir thoroughly. Let the sponge rise, add to it the egg paste, cover it over, and let it remain for several hours; then add 2 breakfast-cupfuls of cream, and work the preparation with the hand against the side of the pan until it becomes quite elastic. Half-fill some small well-buttered moulds with it, let it rise again in a warm place, put the mould on a baking-sheet in a quick oven, and bake to a light colour. The rolls may also be made into shaj)e by the hand on a floured board (making them about ljin. thick in the centre and pointing the ends), put on a baking-sheet, brushed over with egg, a small cut made in each centre, and baked without being allowed to rise.

Twists. — (1) Stir 2 table-spoonfuls of dry yeast into 1 pint of warm milk until dissolved; then make a well in the centre of 21b. of flour, pour in the milk, and work the whole gradually into a smooth dough. Cover the dough with a cloth, and keep it in a warm temperature until risen. Slightly warm Jib. of butter, then beat it with four eggs and about 1 teaspoonful of pounded cloves. Thoroughly beat the butter and eggs in with the dough, and let it rise again. Divide the dough into three equal portions, roll these out on a floured paste board into three long strips, then plait them (see Fig-. 200, in which the upper right-hand loose piece should be shown higher and

Bread— continued.

broader) and point them at each end. Lay the twists on a buttered baking-sheet, brush them over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake in a moderate oven, not allowing them to take too much colour.

Fig. 200. Plaiting Twist.

(2) Prepare a sponge with 2 Jib. of sifted flour, 2oz. of German yeast, 4oz. of warmed butter, a little salt, sufficient lukewarm water to form a dough, and set it to prove, or rise. Knead it well, form it into twists, or any fancy shapes, put these on buttered baking-sheets, let them rise for a short time, brush them over with millc-and-egg, bake them in a quick oven, and they are ready for use.

Vienna Bolls. — (1) Dissolve 1 teacupful of German yeast in lqt. of lukewarm milk, stir .in lib. of fine flour, and set to sponge; three hours afterwards add 1 table-spoonful each of salt and moist sugar, and make all up into a stiff dough. Let this rise for four hours, then work it well on a table or board, and roll it out to about Jin. in thickness; then cut it into strips about Gin. in width; these must be cut again into long triangles, not very wide at the base. Boll these pieces up, commencing from the base or bottom, and the top of the triangle will come in the centre of the roll. Boll them a little with the hands, then put them in a crescent shape on to a baking-sheet, and brush over with melted lard or water; let them rise on the sheets for half-an-hour, and then bake for about ten minutes, or until lightly coloured.

(2) Dissolve in 1 pint of new milk Jib. of moist sugar; add Jib. of warmed butter, 2oz. of German yeast, and stir in enough Vienna flour to make a stiff dough. Shape this into pointed rolls, and bake a dark brown in a quick oven. From the foregoing list of receipts many excellent Breads may be prepared, and from the following a great variety of dishes in which Bread forms an important ingredient. The very great adaptability of Bread to the cook’s purposes renders its use almost universal, and for this reason it is impossible to give raider this one heading more than a typical selection.

Baden-Baden Bread Pudding 1 . - Work lib. of warmed butter with a spoon until it is thick like cream, gradually adding eight yolks and four whites of eggs. Moisten lib. of Bread cut into small squares with a little cream, and let it remain for ten minutes to soak; then press it with a spoon to extract all the moisture possible, beat it into a pulp, and add Jib. of caster sugar and 1 table-spoonful of flour; work it a little while after adding these, and then put in the butter, &c., with lib. of sultana raisins and 1

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Bread — continued.

teacupful of citron -peel cut into very small dice. Wet the centre of a cloth, butter and flour the place where it is wet, pour the mixture on to the cloth spread over a basin, bring the corners together level with the mixture, and tie tightly. Place the pudding in boiling water, and keep it bubbling for an-hour-and-a-half. When done, turn it out on a dish, and serve with a good wine sauce.

Bread Biscuits. — Work with a spoon Jib. of warmed butter to a cream, stirring in Jib. of finely-powdered sifted sugar; then add Jib. of Breadcrumbs which have been previously baked, and make into a batter. Work for ten minutes, then add 1 teacupful of cream and 1 table-spoonful of vanilla sugar. Fill small round paper moulds with the mixture, and dust caster sugar over them; allow the sugar to nearly dissolve, and then bake in a moderately hot oven until done.

Bread Brandy Cakes. — Beat the yolks of eight eggs with the whites of five. Heat 1 pint .of milk, dissolve Jib. of butter in it, and pour it while hot over about lqt. of Breadcrumbs. Let this get cold, then add the eggs, 1 breakfastcupful of sugar, and the same measure of well-washed currants, with a little nutmeg and 1 wineglassful of best brandy. Make some short paste, line sufficient patty-pans with it, and put 1 table-spoonful of the mixture in each. Set in a moderate oven, and bake for twenty minutes, or until done to a light brown.

Bread-and-Butter Pudding (Baked).-- (1 ) Butter the inside of a pie-dish, and cut slices of very thin Bread-and-butter, the butter being thickly spread. Place a layer at the

bottom of the dish, and sprinkle a few well-washed currants over it, a few raisins being a great improvement. Continue to put these layers until the dish is nearly full, but allowing room for the Bread to swell. The top layer should not have currants sprinkled over it, as they are apt to get dry or burnt. Take sufficient milk with three or four eggs beaten up in it to fill the dish, sweeten to taste, and flavour with a little orange-flower water; pour this over the slices of Bread-and-butter, and let it soak for a little while. A little powdered sugar or grated nutmeg, and a few raisins stoned and cut in halves, put on the top layer, are admissible. Bake for about three-quartersof-an-hour in a moderate oven.

(2) Take lib. of Bread and cut into slices; butter these, and put them in a dish with a little finely-cut citron-peel and a few raisins between the slices. Beat 4 tablespoonfuls of sugar into eight eggs, and add about 3 pints of milk and a little grated nutmeg. Pour this on the Bread, and let it stand for the Bread to soak up some of the milk; then bake in a moderate oven for threequarters-of-an-hour.

Bread Cake. — (1) Set half- a- quartern of Bread dough in a warm place to rise; when risen, work in 1 teaspoonful of baking - powder, Jib. of butter, Jib. of caster sugar, Jib. of sultana raisins, Jib. of stoned raisins, Jib. of currants that have been well washed and dried, Jib. of chopped candied peel, 1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and a little grated nutmeg. Butter a cake-tin, turn the mixture in, and bake it nicely.

(2) Scald 1 pint of milk, and let it cool; then add 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 teacupful of fresh yeast, and 5 or C breakfast-cupfuls of flour, or sufficient to make a soft dough. Let this stand to work. The next day make a mixture of 1 breakfast-cupful of creamed butter, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of brown sugar, 1 table spoonful of mixed spices, and the yolks and whites of four eggs, beaten separately; add this to the dough, and beat well. Throw in Jib. of stoned raisins, Jib. of washed and dried currants (floured), and 2oz. of cut citron-peel. Let the dough rise till light. Stir it, and pour into small buttered cake-tins to two-thirds full; stand these in a warm place for twenty minutes, then bake for about an hour in a moderate oven.

(3) Dissolve loz. of German yeast in 1 breakfast-cupful of water, and stir into 1 pint of finely-sifted flour. Let this rise for lialf-an-hour, and then add 1 breakfast-cupful of caster sugar, one egg, 2oz. of butter, loz. of thinly-sliced candied peel, and a little caraway-seed and cinnamon, both powdered. Mix well together, cover with a cloth, and let the dough rise for lialf-an-hour; then put it in a buttered tin, and bake at first in a very hot oven, allowing the oven

to cool a little by degrees, so that the cake may be done through.

(4) Mix at night-time 1 pint of scalded new milk, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and J breakfast-cupful of yeast, and add enough flour to make a soft dough. In the morning, prepare 1 breakfast-cupful of creamed butter, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of sugar, 1 table-spoonful of mixed spices, and four eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. Add this mixture to the beaten dough, and beat again well; then put 1 breakfastcupful of stoned and chopped raisins, 1 breakfast-cupful of well-washed and picked-over currants, and J breakfast-cupful of sliced citron-peel. Flour the fruit, stir the dough down, put it into cake-tins two-tliirds full, stand these in a warm place for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then bake one hour or longer in a moderate oven.

Bread Cheesecakes. - Cut a French roll into very thin slices, pour 1 pint of boiling cream over it, and let it soak for an hour. Slightly warm Jib. of butter and beat it with eight eggs, mix the cream and bread with the eggs, put in Jib. of well-washed and dried currants, 1 wineglassful of brandy, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg. Beat all the ingredients until they are well mixed and the mixture smooth. Butter some patty-pans and line them with a good puff paste, fill them with the mixture, and bake for twenty minutes in a quick oven. When cooked, take the cheesecakes out of the tins, arrange them on a folded table-napkin or an ornamental dish-paper that has been placed on a dish, and serve.

Bread Cream Ice. — Grate into a jug two stale penny sponge cakes and two slices of stale Bread (brown Bread will do). Put Jib. of caster sugar into 1 pint of cream and J pint of milk, dissolve thoroughly, and pour it over the cakes and Bread. Put the jug in a saucepan with water two-tliirds up the jug, and boil until the contents get quite thick; or use the bain-marie if you have one. When thick enough, take the jug out of the pan, stir well, and put the cream into a freezer. A glass of maraschino or curaoa added before freezing gives a fine flavour to these ices.

Bread Croustades a la B.eine. — Cut eight small croustades any shape preferred out of some household Bread, and scoop them out on the top. Put some liog’s-lard in a frying-pan, and when it is hot fry the croustades in it. When they are a nice brown, drain them, and fill with a puree of either meat or game.

Bread Croustades for Savouries.— Cut a household loaf into even slices about lin. in thickness, then with a sharp knife shape each slice into croustades, as shown in Fig.

201, one end being pointed and the other rounded. With the point of a very sharp knife cut into one surface about twothirds through, starting at the pointed end about Jin. from Fig. 201. Bread Croustade the outer edge, and, holding R0R Truffles and other Tit i Savouries. the knife perpendicularly, cut

round very exactly, observing

precisely the same distance from the outside edge all the way. To ensure the knife not entering too deeply so as to endanger the bottom of the case, paste a strip of paper round the blade, so that the distance between the edge of the paper and point of the knife shall exactly represent the depth the knife is to cut. Before the centre is removed, put the croustades into boiling fat, or if for sweets into hot butter, until they are lightly browned; then take them out and drain them. With the point of the same knife the centres are next to be removed to the depth of the cut, and when sufficiently hollowed out the croustades may be filled. Dubois recommends these for serving stewed truffles.

Bread Croustades for Stewed Fruit.— Many cooks like to exercise their ingenuity in carving out of stale Bread a variety of shaped croustades. An exceedingly sharp knife is of tho first importance, and then there is no end to the designs and purposes that may be accomplished. Fig. 202 gives an illustration of a croustade shaped like a box with a lid. Before hollowing at the centres, the croustades should either be fried in fat, if small enough to be submerged, or basted with oil and put in a quick oven to brown.

Bread — continued.

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Bread — continued.

Bread Croustades Filled with Stewed Fruit.— Cut off

the crust of a stale French roll, divide the crumb into three pieces, scoop out the centres, taking care not to injure the sides, and make them into the form of baskets. They should not he more than in. thick. Plunge them into a saucepan of fat, which must be at such a degree of heat that it will colour the Bread at once, and leave them in it for only half-a-minute; then take them out, drain them thoroughly on paper, fill them with any desired stewed fruit, put them on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve at once.

Fio. 202. Bread Croustade with Lid (after a Design by Dubois).

Bread Crodtons with Compote of Fruits.— Trim off the crusts from a couple of stale French rolls, and then cut the crumb into even slices; or some in. slices may be cut off a stale tin loaf, and stamped out with a large round pastrycutter. Dip these slices into sweetened vanilla-flavoured milk, and then fry them a very light golden colour in butter. Pile the compote — of any fruit — in the centre of a glass dish, and after dusting the croutons with caster sugar, arrange

Fig. 203. Bread Croutons with Compote of Fruits.

them round as shown in the illustration (Fig. 203). The croutons are generally preferred to sweet biscuits, and make a tasty dish for dessert.

Bread Crodtons for Entrees. — Cut some slices of Bread fin. thick into heart-shaped pieces about 2in.; long melt some butter in a frying-pan, and when hot fry the Bread in it until of a pale yellow, taking care to colour them all over alike.

Bread Crodtons for Entremets. — Cut some slices of Bread J-in. thick, take off the crust, cut the crumb into lin. triangular pieces, trim off the angles, and fry a golden colour in butter.

Bread Grodtons for Garnishing 1 . — (1) Cut siz rather thin slices off a trimmed loaf, and stamp them with a pastry-cutter into heart-shaped croutons; lay them on a tin plate, drip a

Bread — continued.

little clarified butter over them, place in a hot oven, and let them get a good golden colour. Take them out of the oven and use as required.

(2) Take a long, narrow loaf of stale Bread, and trim it down on both sides like a piece of carpenter’s moulding, so that when it is sliced up with a sharp knife the slices will be the shape of a heart, a leaf, a “ club,” a “ spade,” and all alike. Put a piece of butter or lard in a frying-pan, and when it is hot fry the croutons in it, tossing them about to get them a nice even colour. Take them out, drain them, and they are ready for use.

Bread Crodtons for Soup. — (1) Put slices of any Bread on a wire toaster (see Fig. 207) before a fire, and toast them. The fire must not be too hot. Brown on both sides, and cut into dice or small squares.

(2) Cut some in. slices of Bread, trim off the crust, and cut the crumb in in. dice. Make some clarified butter hot in the pan, and fry the croutons in it till they are a light golden colour, tossing them about to ensure their being coloured all over equally. Serve on a separate dish. These croutons should be drained on a piece of paper before serving.

Bread Crodtons a la Conde for Soup. — Cut off the dark crusts from rolls or slices of Bread, cut the Bread into dice, and put it in a tin in the oven to brown. Take them out, and serve in the soup-plates with soup.

Bread Fritters. — Boil lqt. of milk with some sugar and cinnamon to taste, and stir in 1 table-spoonful of rose-water. Have ready some slices of Bread cut into circular shapes, soak them in milk, drain them, dip them into yolks of eggs well beaten, and fry them in plenty of butter. Serve with powdered sugar or jam. A round biscuit-cutter should be used to shape the slices, so that all may be of the same size.

Bread Fritters with Fruit. — Cut off the crust of about twelve slices of bread, butter well, spread any kind of jam over them, and cover over with another slice, or put two together with the jam inside. Prepare a batter, cut the slices into various shapes, dip them in, and fry for about ten or twelve minutes in boiling lard or dripping, but lard for preference. Take them out, drain them, and put them on a cloth before the fire; then sprinkle a little caster sugar over them, and serve.

Bread Jelly. — (1) Cut a French roll into slices, toast these on both sides, put them in lqt. of water, and boil until the whole forms a jelly; if required, adding more water. Strain through a coarse cloth or fine hair sieve, and flavour with lemon.

(2) Cut a French roll into slices, toast these on both sides to a light brown colour, put them into lqt. of water, and boil until they become like a jelly. When done, strain, pour over a little wine with grated lemon-peel soaked in it, and juice sweetened with sugar. Serve cold.

(3) Cut a slice of Bread from a stale loaf, and boil to a pulp in sufficient water to cover it; rub this pulp through a sieve, flavour with lemon or maraschino, and sweeten to taste. Put it into a cup or a mould; when quite cold, turn out, and serve with cream and sifted sugar.

Bread-and-Marrow Pudding 1 . — Soak 3 breakfast-cupfuls of Breadcrumbs in boiling water for ten minutes, then squeeze them as dry as you can, and mash with a spoon; add to this 1 breakfast- cupful of caster sugar, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of beef-marrow chopped fine, 1 pinch of ginger, and a little grated lemon-peel; moisten with 1 wineglassful of brandy and four eggs; then add jib. of candied citron-peel cut into small dice, and fib. of sultana raisins. Tie this up in a buttered and floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for two hours. When done, drain it, turn it out on to a dish, and pour a little sauce made with apricot jam over it, or 1 wineglassful of kirschenwasser.

Bread Omelet. — To 1 teaspoonful of Breadcrumbs add a similar quantity of cream; let it stand for a few minutes until the Bread has absorbed all the cream, when it must be bruised with a fork; then add three well-beaten eggs, a little salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and loz. of butter broken into small pieces. Fry three or four minutes as for an ordinary omelet.

Bread Panada. — This is a very important preparation, for it is much used in Continental cookery. Fry Hb. of fine Breadcrumbs in ilb. of butter (melt the butter first), stirring it,

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Bread — continued.

and not allowing it to colour; moisten with 5 pint of broth, stir until it boils, and then remove it to the side of the fire to simmer; let it remain for an hour, then skim off the fat, and thicken with sis yolks of eggs. Remove it from the fire, and add 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of minced cold fowl or turkey; or use in any other way required.

Bread Panada with Milk. — Put the required quantity of Breadcrumbs into a basin, pour in sufficient milk to soak them, and stir well before the fire until they are quite dry. Mix in yolk of egg to make it the required thickness, pack it in jars, cover these over, and keep them in a cool place until wanted. This is generally used for quenelles or forcemeat.

Bread Patties. — Cut off the tops of some small stale rolls, scoop out the insides, fill them with minced fish or chicken made hot in cream sauce and then cooled, trim the edges of the tops, replace them, arrange the patties on a napkin spread over a dish, and serve with a garnish of watercress.

Bread Pudding' (Baked). — (1) Put into a saucepan J pint of sweet cream, 3oz. of powdered sugar, and the peel of half a medium-sized lemon; place the pan on the stove, stir with a spatula, boil for three minutes, and remove from the fire. Have lOoz. of stale Bread, pare off the crust, and cut it into small dice-shaped pieces; add these to the preparation, mixing lightly, put on the lid, and let the Bread soak for ten minutes. Chop up very fine loz. of candied citron, mix it with 4oz. each of dried currants, melted butter, and melted and strained beef-marrow, and 1 saltspoonful of salt, stirring thoroughly with the hand for two minutes. Pour this preparation in with the soaked Bread, and mix gently, either with the hand or a spatula, for ten minutes; meanwhile breaking in three eggs, one by one, at a minute’s interval, and adding 1 gill of Madeira wine and J gill of cognac. Butter and sprinkle well with Breadcrumbs a 2qt. pudding-mould, pour in all the preparation, lay it on a baking-plate, and put it in a slow oven to bake for an-hourand-a-half. Remove, and with the aid of a towel turn it on to a hot dish, serving it with Sabayon Sauce au Madere poured over.

(2) Put in the oven any scraps or pieces of Bread, and let them bake there until they are a light brown; then take them out and roll them to a fine powder while they are hot. To every Jib. of crumbs add 1 teacupful of stoned raisins, sultanas, or currants, lqt. of milk, 1 teacupful of brown sugar or golden syrup, and Joz. of allspice. Pour J pint of boiling water over the crumbs, and let this stand for a short time until they are soft; then add all the other ingredients and stir well together. Rub the sides and bottom of a largo pie-dish with butter or dripping, pour in the mixture, and put a little more butter or dripping on the top of it. Place it in the oven, and bake for about half-anhour.

(3) Take any stale pieces of Bread and soak them in cold water; squeeze them dry and break up or remove any lumps there may be; then add an egg beaten up, sufficient sugar to sweeten, a little grated nutmeg, and about J pint of boiling milk to 1 pint of soaked Bread. Bake in a slow oven until it becomes firm. A few raisins added are an improvement. If the Bread is very light, such as Vienna rolls, it may be soaked in cold milk instead of cold water. When it is soft, add the flavouring sugar and eggs, and proceed as before. Sometimes minced candied orange- and lemon-peel are added.

(4) Take equal proportions of Breadcrumbs and flour, about lib. each, and well mix together, adding 1 teaspoonful of ginger and a little salt and sugar; then add the yolks of four well-beaten eggs and the whites of two, with sufficient milk to make a batter, Jib. of stoned raisins, and Jib. of currants, beating all together. Pour the batter into a buttered dish, and bake until done.

(5) Put any stale pieces of Bread into a pan with sufficient water to cover them, let them stand for about an hour, and then squeeze them as dry as possible. To each pound of bread put an egg well beaten in J pint of boiling milk, loz. of finely-chopped suet, and sugar to taste. Grate a little nutmeg and lemon-peel into it, put in a dish rubbed well inside with butter or lard, and bake slowly for threequarters-of-an-hour.

(C) Blanch and peel Jib. of almonds, put them in a mortar,

Bread — continued.

pound them, and mix with them the grated peel of one lemon, 2oz. of caster sugar, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon. Cut small French rolls into thin slices; butter a pie-dish, cover the bottom with a layer of the slices, over these strew about half of the pounded almonds; put in another layer of the slices, then the remainder of the almonds, and cover with more slices. Put a few small lumps of butter on the top. Beat six eggs, mix with them 1 pint of milk, and sweeten to taste with sugar; pour this over the Bread. Put the pudding into a moderate oven. When cooked, pass a knife between the sides of the pudding and the pie-dish to loosen it, turn it over into a hot dish, pour wine sauce over, and serve.

Bread Pudding (Boiled). — (1) Boil 1 pint of milk, and pour it over J pint of Breadcrumbs; allow it to get cold, then add 2oz. of currants, three eggs well beaten, a little grated nutmeg and sugar to taste, and mix all well together. Butter a basin, pour in the mixture, tie a cloth over the top, and boil for an hour or an-hour-and-a-quarter.

(2) Beat one egg up well, and add 2oz. each of warmed butter, flour, and Breadcrumbs, and 1 dessert-spoonful each of raspberry jam and orange marmalade. Beat all well together, and then put in a small teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Pour this into a buttered basin or mould, tie down tightly, and steam in a large saucepan for an-hourand-a-half. When done, turn it out of the basin or mould, and serve with custard, jam, or wine sauce.

(3) Put Jib. of Breadcrumbs in a dish with only as much boiling milk as they will absorb. Beat up eggs in the proportion of one to every table-spoonful of crumbs, and mix all well together, with a little grated nutmeg to flavour. Butter a basin, pour in the mixture, and boil for about twenty minutes, or a little longer if the pudding is a good size. It may be baked also, fifteen or twenty minutes being sufficient for this, as it is only required to be of a light brown colour.

Bread Pudding' with Cream Sauce. — Take a deep oval dish large enough to hold 3 pints. Pare off the crust of half a loaf of stale wheaten Bread, cut it into slices Jin. thick, butter them well with melted butter, and with them line the dish. Put in a basin Coz. of currants, two eggs, 1 pint of cold milk, and loz. of powdered loaf sug'ar, and grate in the rind of a medium-sized lemon, adding also its juice. Mix well together with a spatula for two minutes; then pour it into the dish, and place it in a moderate oven to cook for thirty minutes. Take it from the oven, lay it on another dish, and serve very hot.

Bread Pudding served with Pruit Sauce. — Moisten lib. of crumb of Bread cut into dice with a little warm milk; let it stand for ten minutes, and then take a small quantity at a time and squeeze it as dry as possible. Put it in a stewpan and beat up with a spoon; then add ten yolks and six whites of eggs, Jib. of butter, Jib. of vanilla-flavoured sugar, fib. of currants, 1 pinch of salt, and 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of raw cream. Pour this into a well - buttered timbale-mould, put it on a trivet in a stewpan, and fill half-way up with water. Let the water boil first, then cover the stewpan, put it in the oven, and keep it boiling for an hour. When done, turn it out on a dish, and mask with cherry or other fruit sauce.

Bread Salad. — Cut some slices of stale home-made Bread about Jin. thick, remove the crusts, and cut them into small squares or diamond-shaped pieces; put these into a bowl with 1 teacupful of salad-oil, and toss them about occasionally till the oil is absorbed; finely chop three hard-boiled eggs, three small pickled onions, and a small branch of pickled cauliflower; slice a boiled beetroot, and cut it into small diamond-shaped pieces. Mix all the above ingredients together, and season them well with pepper and salt. Turn the salad on to a flat dish, arrange a border of watercress round it, having first washed it and freed it from stalks pour a small quantity of vinegar over, and serve. This dish is an excellent relish when served with cold roast beef or mutton.

Bread Sauce. — (1) Pour 1 pint of milk in which an onion has been boiled for ten minutes over Jib. of sifted Breadcrumbs; add a small piece of butter (size of a walnut), 1 pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Put this on the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Bread — continued.

fire, and boil until it gets quite thick, stirring all the time. Servo in a sauco-turccn.

(2) Boil about 41b. of Breadcrumbs in 1 pint of milk, with a little onion or shallot, and salt and pepper to taste. It should be thick when done. Before removing from the fire, add a small piece of butter.

(3) Crumble up very fine Toz. of fresh Breadcrumbs, and place it in a saucepan with not quite 4 breakfast-cupful of cold water; add 4oz. of butter, 4 table-spoonful of salt, and six whole peppers. Cook for five minutes, pour in £ breakfastcupful of cream or milk, and then cook again for five minutes. Serve in a sauce-bowl, having first removed the peppers.

(4) For Game. — Take a thick slice of Bread and dry it in the oven; roll it into rather coarse crumbs, and sift them through a fine sieve. Take the fine ones that fall through, put them in a saucepan with 1 pint of milk and a small piece of onion, and boil for ten or fifteen minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, take out the onion, and add 1 table-spoonful of butter. Put the coarse crumbs of Bread in

a frying-pan with loz. of butter made very hot before the crumbs are put in, and fry them till nicely browned. Cover the breast of the birds with the browned crumbs, pour the sauce round them, and serve.

(5) Boil 4 breakfast-cupful of fine Breadcrumbs with one onion chopped fine in 1 pint of milk for a quarter-of-an-hour, and add loz. of butter and 1 pinch each of salt and pepper. Fry 4 breakfast-cupful of coarser crumbs in loz. of butter until brown. Pour the sauce round but not over tho birds, and sprinklo the fried Breadcrumbs over the whole.

(6) Boil 1 pint of milk and pour it into a sauce-tureen over 41b. of Breadcrumbs, with a little grated nutmeg and pepper, stirring gently to mix. Twenty whole peppercorns and two blades of mace boiled with the milk may be used instead of tho nutmeg and pepper, and sometimes a bay-leaf. This is a very tasty sauce for those who dislike the flavour of onion or shallot.

(7) Boil the head, legs, and neck of a fowl for two hours, with a little salt, mace, and a few peppercorns. Pour pint of this broth over 6oz. of finely-sifted Breadcrumbs, and boil for ten minutes. When done, add 2 tahle-spoonfuls of cream.

Bread Soup. — (1) Chop up four small onions, a small stick of celery, and two turnips, and boil in lqt. of slightly-salted water; when the vegetables are tender, put in another quart of water. Break up .’-lb. of crusts of Bread, add them to the broth, and boil for twenty minutes longer. Stir the Bread until it is broken up, then add loz. of butter, 1 pinch each of salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoonful of parsley dried and finely powdered. This is a savoury light dish for a delicate stomach.

(2) Boil a turnip and an onion in lqt. of water until done, and then take them out and rub them through a sieve to make a puree. Work this into 1 breakfast-cupful of French roll or other crumb, put them all back into the water, and boil for half-an-hour, stirring frequently to prevent the Bread from sticking to the pan. Add by degrees 1 pint of milk,

1 teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, and 1 loz. of butter, and boil up again, stirring well. Servo very hot.

(3) BoB two slices of Bread, toasted brown, in 1 pint of water; add an egg well beaten up, loz. of butter, 1 teacupful of milk, and a little salt and pepper,

(4) Cut three penny French rolls into moderately thick slices, and pour boiling water on them; leave them for five or ten minutes, then pass the whole through a fine hair sieve into a saucepan, and place over the fire. Slightly warm 3oz. of butter, and beat it until creamy. Beat the yolks of four eggs with 4 pint of milk. Move the saucepan containing' the soup to the side of the fire, stir in the butter, and when it is well mixed, stir in the beaten eggs. Season tho soup with salt and grated nutmeg, turn it into a soup-tureen, and serve.

Bread Sticks. — dissolve 4 teacupful of butter in 4 pint of lukewarm boiled milk; beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth; dissolve 4 0Z - of German yeast in 4 teacupful of cold water; mix lqt. of flour, 2oz. of sugar, and 1 saltspoonful of salt; add all these together, and knead them well. Put the dough thus formed to rise overnight, and in the morning roll small pieces in balls about the size of large walnuts; roll these balls into sticks about lOin. long, put them on lightly-greased baking-sheets about liin. or 2in. apart, place them in a cool place to rise for half-an-hour, and hen bake half-an-hour in

Bread — continued.

a moderate oven. If baked too quickly, these sticks will not be dry and crisp, as they should be.

Bread-and-Suet Dumplings. — (1) Grate about 41b. of stale crumb of Bread, and chop an equal weight of beef-suet; put them in a basin, and add thejuice and grated rind of one lemon, 41b. of moist sugar, and two well-beaten eggs. When well blended, divide the mixture into several equal-sized portions, roll these into balls, tie them in separate cloths, and boil for thirty minutes. When cooked, turn the dumplings out of the cloths on to a hot dish, and serve them with a sauceboatful of sweet sauce.

(2) Put in a basin some grated Breadcrumbs and some finelychopped suet, in equal quantities; add a small quantity of salt, some grated fiutmeg or other spice, and 4 wineglassful of white wine, and mix all well together. Divide the mixture, shape it into balls, and throw these into a saucepan of boiling water, previously tying them in cloths. In thirty minutes, drain the dumplings, put them on to a hot dish, and serve with a sauceboatful of sweet sauce. The hands should be kept well floured whilst shaping the dumplings.

Bread or Toast Jelly. — Put some Bread or toast into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it remain until it is dissolved; then pass it through a fine hair sieve, and add 1 table-spoonful of brandy and the yolk of an egg beaten up in hot water. It is then ready for use.

Breadcrumbs. — Take some pieces of stale brown Bread, cut them into slices of equal thickness, put these in the oven, and bake till light brown;' roll them with a rolling-pin till they are broken into small crumbs, then sift these crumbs through a coarse sieve. Any crumbs that are too large to pass through the sieve, roll and sift again till all have passed through. Put the crumbs into tin canisters with tight-fitting ' lids. They may be used for thickening soup or hot milk for children or invalids.

Breadcrumb Panada. — Panada is employed as an auxiliary to forcemeats, in order to give them consistency. Breadcrumb Panada is prepared with flour of wheat or rice-meal, the latter being preferable. Pour into a small stewpan 1 breakfastcupful of water; let the liquid boil, then take it off tho fire, and put into it enough flour to make a thickish batter. Dry this over tho fire till it will not adhere to the sides of the stewpan, then pour it into a kitchen basin, and let it cool before using.

Breadcrumb Pie. — Finely chop some cold cooked meat (any kind can be used), season it with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and mix with some finely-grated Breadcrumbs. Put the mixture into a pie-dish, moisten it with a little rich gravy, cover it with a thick layer of finely-grated Breadcrumbs, put some small pieces of butter about on the top of tho Breadcrumbs, and put the pie into the oven till well browned. Serve while hot.

Breadcrumb Pudding 1 . — Put 1

breakfast-cupful of Breadcrumbs into a saucepan with 4 breakfastcupful of milk, and boil them.

When thick, move the saucepan off the fire, and stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. Butter a tart-dish, turn the pudding into it, and bake in a slow oven for three-quartersof-an-hour. Spread some strawberry jam on the top of tho pudding, and mask it with the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth with 4oz. of caster sugar, smoothing it over with the blade of a knife dipped in hot water. Brown the pudding under a salamander, and serve at once.

Breadcrumbs and Raspings.— Crumble stale Bread as fine as possible, and rub it through a coarse sieve; then lay it out on a baking-sheet and put it in a very slow oven for a few minutes to dry. Stale household Bread may be crumbled on a grater (see Fig. 204).

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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191

Bread — continued.

Raspings are properly the outside of an over-baked loaf, removed by a roll-rasp (see Fig. 191); but they can be equally well prepared by baking odd pieces of Bread until a light brown, crushing them with a rolling-pin, and passing through a sieve. Either may be put by in a tin until wanted. Biscuit-powder is used for a similar purpose to the above.

Broken-Bread Pudding.— This is a good way of using up any stale pieces of Bread, no matter how stale they may be so long as they are not mouldy. Put enough pieces into a large dish to fill it, with as much milk as the Bread will take up; add 3 table-spoonfuls of well-minced kidney suet, and 1 pinch of salt; beat in two or three eggs, and add 1 breakfast-cupful of stoned raisins and currants in equal proportions, and a little nutmeg. Baker" in a greased piedish for an-hour-and-a-half.

Brown or Black-Bread Pudding. — Put G table-spoonfuls of caster sugar into a basin, break in one at a time three eggs, and beat up with a spoon; then add', one at a time, the yolks of three more eggs, reserving the whites for further use. When the mixture is frothy, stir in 2 table-spoonfuls of scraped chocolate, J teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a small quantity of finely-shred lemon-peel. Soak fib. of grated crumb of brown or black Bread in some red wine; blanch and chop 6oz. of almonds, or use Goz. of ground almonds, and chop finely 4oz. of candied lemon-peel. Mix all these ingredients together, then stir in the well-whipped whites of the three eggs. Butter a pudding-mould, dredge in some flour, and shake out all that does not adhere to the mould. Pour the mixture into the mould, cover it with a sheet of paper, stand it in a saucepan with boiling water to three-parts its height, and steam it for an-hour-and-a-half. When cooked, turn the pudding out of the mould on to a hot dish, pour some chocolate sauce over it, and serve.

Brown-Bread Biscuits. — Dissolve 2oz. of butter in 1 breakfast-cupful of boiling water, and mix in lib. of fine flour and brown Breadcrumbs in equal proportions; mix all well together and knead it. Lay the dough on a table, and roll out to about fin. in thickness; then cut into round shapes with a biscuit-cutter, dock, and bake in a quick oven.

Brown-Bread Brewis. — Pull in pieces about lin. long 1 teacupful of dry white Bread and 2 teacupfuls of brown Bread. Put 2oz. of butter in a frying-pan, and when it is melted, put in the Bread and 1 pint or If pints of milk; place it on the fire and let it simmer, stirring to keep it from sticking. When the milk is all absorbed and the Bread soft, stir in 1 pinch of salt, and serve.

Brown-Bread Cream Ice. — (1) Dry the crust of brown Bread in an oven, roll it, and sift it. Beat up 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar with half that quantity of flour and two eggs, turn this into 1 pint of boiling milk in a saucepan, and stir well, cooking for about twenty minutes, and stirring continuously. Let it cool, add about 1 pint of the Breadcrumbs, a little more sugar, and lqt. of cream. Turn the preparation into the freezer, let it set, and it is then ready for use.

(2) Grate finely about a breakfast-cupful of the very best stale brown Bread, soak it for half-an-hour in lqt. of cream, and then rather over-sweeten it. Have ready a freezer packed with a freezing mixture composed of one part salt to throe parts pounded ice, put the cream into the freezer, and freeze it.

Brown-Bread Ice. — Finely grate the crumb of sufficient brown Bread to fill 2 breakfast-cupfuls; then boil 1 pint of cream or milk, and pour it over the Breadcrumbs, flavouring with 1 breakfast-cupful of noyeau or maraschino syrup. When nearly cold, turn the mixture into a freezing-pot, and work it till frozen; then put it into a mould, and pack it in pounded ico and salt for two hours. When ready to serve, dip tho mould into tepid water, wipe it, and turn the contents out on to a fancy dish.

Brown-Bread Budding 1 . — Take Jib. of brown Breadcrumbs, the same of currants (well washed), and the same of suet chopped fine; add 1 wincglassful of brandy or liqueur, Jib. of moist sugar, and 1 wineglassful' of cream. Beat six yolks and four whites of eggs well together, and mix with the other ingredients. Pour all into a buttered baking-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for two hours. When done, turn out, and mask with wine sauce and sugar dusted over the top.

Bread — continued.

Crodton of Fried Bread. — This is used for serving roasted poultry or game, in pairs or fours — a pillar for the birds to lean against. Cut off all the crust of a loaf of Bread, and trim the crumb into a block, 8in. high, Gin. square at tho base, and taper it off to 3Jin. square at' the top (see Fig. 205). Put a large lump of clarified fat or lard in a pan, and place it over

Fig. 205. Large Crouton of Fried Bread for Mounting Roasted Poultry or Game.

the fire until it begins to boil; then put in the Broad, fry it, and turn it until nicely browned on all sides. When fried, drain the Bread for a minute or two on a sieve, or elso on a piece of paper in front of tho fire. To stick it on a dish, a paste should bo made of flour and whito-of-egg, which will hold the crouton firm enough for almost any purpose that is likely to be required of it.

Devilled Bread for Breakfast. — These little pieces form capital appetisers after a night’s dissipation. Cut off the crust from a slice of toasted Broad, and keep it hot in tho oven. Put 1 teaspoonful of butter into a basin, beat it soft but not oiled, add gradually J teaspoonful of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of Worcester sauce, and a little cayonne, and mix until quite smooth. Spread the mixture over the piece of toast, and serve hot.

Egg 1 Bread in Soup.— Beat the yolks of two eggs, and add tho white of one whilst beating, with sufficient flour to make a hard dough. Put this in a very slow oven to dry, and then with a very coarse Bread-grater grate it on to a large board and let it get perfectly dry and crisp, when it can bo sprinkled lightly into a boiling beef soup and sent to table.

French - Roll Fritters. — Cut the rolls, lengthwise, into moderately thick slices; put a lump of butter in a frying-pan, make it hot, dip the slices of rolls in beaten egg, then fry them in the butter until nicely browned on both sides. As each slice is fried, take it out of the pan and put itjon a sieve to drain. Prepare a syrup with 11b. of loaf sugar and lqt. of water, and put the slices into it while it is hot. In ten minutes’ time take tho slices out of the syrup, arrange them tastefully on a dish, sprinkle a few drops of rose-water over them, and serve.

French-Roll Pudding 1 . — Cut a roll into thin slices, leaving tho crust on, and put these in a deep dish. Beat two eggs with 1 pint of milk, and season it with caster sugar and nutmeg to taste. Pour the mixture over the Bread; and leave it to soak for an hour. At the end of that time, take tho pieees of Bread out of the milk, put them on a sieve, and let them drain for an hour. Fry tho pieces of roll in butter till nicely browned, then drain them, arrange them on a folded napkin or a lace-edged dish-paper on a dish, and serve them with a sauceboatful of sauce, prepared in the following way: Put 2oz. of butter in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoonful of flour, and stir over tho fire till well mixed; then pour in J pint of hot milk, flavour it with a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel, and sweeten it to taste with coarsely-crushed loaf sugar. Stir the sauce over the fire till boiling, and then mix 1 wineglassful each of sherry and brandy with it, when it will be ready.

For details respecting Culinary riocesscs, Utensils, Sauces, £c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Bread — conti nued.

French Toast. — Beat up one egg in a basin with a little salt and 1 teaspoonful of milk, and in this dip some thin slices of Bread, covering them on both sides; then plunge the Bread into a frying-pan of boiling fat, and fry to a light brown. Take them out, drain them, and they are ready to be served. Spreading them over with stewed rhubarb, or other fruit in season, is a great improvement.

Fried Bread. — Cut Jib. of Bread into small squares, sift these to remove any crumbs, put them into a frying-basket, plunge into a pan with some boiling fat, and move the basket to and fro, to brown the Bread. Turn it out on to pieces of paper to drain, and it is ready for any desired purpose. Bread carefully fried in this way will be crisp, but not hard.

Fried Bread Cakes. — Make 21b. of dough, and work in Jib. of caster sugar, Jib. of butter, four eggs (beaten), 1 teaspoonful of salt, and a little mixed spice; knead this well together on a floured board, and set before the fire to rise until it is very light. When it has risen sufficiently, knead it again, roll out thin, and cut into diamond shapes. Let these stand for a little while, and then fry them in boiling lard. Remove with a skimmer, let them drain, and serve as quickly as possible on a folded napkin.

Fried Bread Cases. — Cut a French roll in halves, remove the crust, cut off a small piece from the ends of the halves so that they can stand up, and with a round cutter mark a place in the centre to be scooped out with a knife, removing as much of the inside as possible, but taking care not in the least to injure the outside. Fry them in boiling fat, and they are ready for use. Cases cut out of the Bread and prepared in this way are great favourites with some cooks for holding various savoury titbits.

Fried Breadcrumbs. — (1) Dry slices or pieces of any stale Bread in the oven, and then roll them into crumbs. Put some lard or dripping into a frying-pan, and when the fat is about to boil, add the crumbs, and stir them till they become of a light brown colour. Take them out, drain them, and put them on paper spread on a tray before the fire. Butter may be used instead if preferred. They are generally served with game.

(2) Fry loz. of butter with Jib. of Breadcrumbs, stirring gently until they assume a golden colour. When done, drain on a sheet of paper, season with salt if for gratins, or salt and cayenne pepper if eaten with game.

Genoa Toast. — Take a French roll and lard it with ham and anchovies; then cut the roll into slices, lay on each slice a thin piece of bacon, dip them into batter, and fry them in boiling lard. Lay them on paper to drain, and serve hot with ravigote sauce.

German Toast. — Cut some thick slices off the bottom of a stale household loaf, and lay them in a deep dish; beat four eggs, mix them with lqt. of milk, and pour this over the slices of Bread. Leave the slices of Bread until they have absorbed all the milk, then arrange them side by side on a buttered gridiron, and broil over a clear fire; turn them when lightly browned on one side, and brown the other. Arrange the toast on a folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper on a hot dish, and serve with a sauceboatful of rich wine sauce.

Bread— continued.

Golden Crusts. — Take off the crust from a stale loaf of Bread, and cut the crumb into slices about ljin. in thickness. Stir a little milk into an egg broken on a plate oldish, and put the slices in it to soak; then put them into a frying-pan with a good supply of butter, and fry them to a golden colour. Take them out, drain them, dust them over first with moist sugar and then with nutmeg and cinnamon, and serve. If preferred, hot jam or preserved fruit may be put between two crusts, and served as sandwiches.

Pulled Bread. — Take a loaf of new Bread, pull pieces of the crumb off, and put these in the oven or before a fire to brown. They may be stored in a tin like biscuits, but are better made fresh. Tinned Bread or French rolls make the best.

Pumpernickel Ice. - — For this ice, Jib. of pumpernickel (Brown Bread of Westphalia) is required. Grate the Bread, dry it a little, pass it through a colander into a basin with a small quantity of syrup, and let it thoroughly soak. Have ready some vanilla cream ice, and when it is well set, mix with it 2 table-spoonfuls of sweetened cream well whipped; add some of this to the pumpernickel mixture, put it in the freezer, and work it well with a spatula or spoon. When it is quite firm, pile it upon a dish, and serve.

Savoury Bread Pudding - . — Boil four smallish onions in 1 pint of milk or well-seasoned stock; then scald a couple of French rolls or lib. of Bread in the liquid, and beat well up, removing any unsoftened crust or lumps; rub the onions to a fine pulp (purlie), and mix with the Bread. A little minced ham may bo added if desired. Beat up two eggs, and mix in thoroughly, with pepper and salt to taste, put into a baking-dish, and bake in a fast oven. Serve hot.

Savoury Toast. — Put Joz. of butter into a basin, melt it, and stir in 1 dessert-spoonful of new milk, the same of Harvey sauce, and the yolk of one egg. When well incorporated, add 1 table-spoonful of minced meat of any kind, but chicken for preference, season with salt, cayenne, and nutmeg to taste, and work the whole to a smooth paste. Have ready the required number of pieces of dry toast, spread them evenly with the mixture, brown their surfaces in the oven for a few minutes, and serve immediately.

Toast and Water. — Cut a piece of well-browned toast into small squares. Put a thin slice of lemon into a bowl, pour in 1J pints of boiling water, put in the pieces of toast, and let the water get cold. Strain this, and use it as required.

Toasted - Bread Drink. — Thoroughly brown by toasting (see Fig. 207) two or three thin slices of Bread, and pour over them 1 pint of boiling water. Let them soak for ten minutes or so, and then strain off the clear liquor through a cloth, and add sugar and cream, or new milk, to taste.

This is merely a strong “ toast and water,” served as though it were an infusion of coffee. Invalids are exceedingly fond of the substitution of toasted Bread for coffee.

Fig. 207 . Bread-toaster.

Water Toast. — Make a dozen slices of toast; have ready about 3 table-spoonfuls of slightly-warmed butter and a dish of hot water. Dip the slices of toast quickly into the hot water, letting them remain in it only until they are moist. Lift them out with a skimmer, draining of all superfluous water, lay them on a hot dish, buttering each slice, and as soon as all are dipped serve them hot.

BREAD FRUIT— The tree from which this natural bread grows ( Artocarpus incisa ) is a native of Southern Asia, of the islands of the South Pacific, and of the Indian Archipelago, where it is very highly esteemed. The fruit is nearly spherical in shape, and is covered with a rough rind, which is marked with small irregular hexagonal divisions, having each a small prominence in the middle. A single fruit sometimes weighs 41b. or more,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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193

Bread Bruit — continued.

and. contains a large proportion of starch, which forms an excellent food; it is not much known in this country. The pulp is sweet, juicy, and yellow when it is fully ripe, but it is in a better condition for cooking before reaching maturity. When it is gathered before ripening, and is baked, the pulp is white and mealy, resembling wheat bread. The usual practice is to cut the fruit into three or four slices, and bake them in an oven. If baked whole and in large quantities on heated stones, it keeps good for years, and supplies a great number of people with bread.

BREAKFASTS (literally, break fasts). — The French term for the first meal of the day is dejeuner, and the German Friihstiicks, or “ early bit ”; but there are few countries in which it is so socially partaken of as among the people of this country. This may be due in a measure to the lateness of the hour society prescribes for its retiring and rising; hence what others might term luncheons are here described as Breakfasts — WeddingBreakfasts, to wit, which frequently take place some time after midday. Fashion has, however, yielded in a measm-e to the exigencies of lazy and luxurious habits, and transferred the invitation to Breakfast into one for luncheon, neither being of a formal or protracted character. The French wisely divide the late from the early Breakfast by distinguishing titles, as dejeuner d la tasse (cup), and dejeuner d la fourchette (fork), the one being literally a coffee Breakfast, and the other a substantial lunch with wines.

Of the many dishes suitable for a light fashionable Breakfast may be mentioned fish, prepared in various ways, esjiecially toasted or devilled; eggs prepared in any way; toast, anchovies, sardines, kidneys, ham, side-dishes of curry, rissoles, croquettes, quenelles, cromeskies, potted meats, brawn, pig’s head, cold Bath chaps, brains, small game, especially woodcocks and quails, sausages of all sorts, sweetbread, pate de foie gras, and tinned meats and fish. With such an extensive assortment, and the usual kitchen resources, there can be no difficulty in providing for an ordinary Breakfast; but when it conies to a Wedding Breakfast, the formality is increased tenfold, and complicated by the length of time previously that the invitations are issued. Baskets and stands of fruit are admissible as well as flowers.

To provide for a Wedding Breakfast, the host and hostess will do well to convert in their minds the term from Breakfast to luncheon, or perhaps more aptly into dejeuner d la fourchette, for nothing less than a very substantial feast will suffice for such occasions. Cold dishes are the order of the day, and the more savoury the better; soup may be served, and hot cutlets, croquettes, rissoles, and any other small entrees, handed round; but the dishes upon the table should be solid, good, and cold.

Considerable skill may be exercised in the arrangement of the Wedding Breakfast and the decoration of the table, but the avoidance of all tall dishes, excepting a central piece and the cake, ought to be studiously observed. Flowers are indispensable, but should not be raised more than a few inches from the cloth. Scrolls and wreaths of flowers laid upon the cloth and curled round and about in pattern between the dishes, have the most charming appearance, especially if the wreaths be made to lie flat, and are composed of suitable flowers, with here and there a tuft of orange-blossoms. Our interest is chiefly with the food, however, and not so much its arrangement upon the table, which must in a great measure depend upon the artistic tastes of those to whom it is entrusted, and the materials at hand; and a list of suitable dishes may be useful, especially as the receipts for their preparation are to be found under their special headings.

Fish of almost any kind, especially cold salmon, mayonnaise of lobster, prawns, and crayfish — prettily garnished

Breakfasts — continued.

with parsley and aspic. The veteran dishes of cold fowl and ham are sure to find a place, but the fowl should either be neatly carved by an expert carver beforehand and tied up with ribbon, or, what is many times better, boned and stuffed, or formed into galantine. Turkey makes a fine galantine. And then we come to ham, glazed and ornamented with aspic jelly, and tongue, cold beef (sirloin, of course, or baron), game, and meat pies.

For sweets we have varieties of jellies, creams, blancmanges, trifles, meringues, accompanied with tarts and tartlets, cheesecakes, brioches and sweet biscuits, small dishes of crystallised fruits, and a variety of the very best fruits possible, but no nuts. Ices are always welcome, and so, too, even in the coldest weather, is ice an advantage to the champagne.

Of the varieties of wines it is not necessary here to give any opinion, as much will depend upon circumstances; but sparkling wines, such as champagne and moselle, and still wines, such as hock, sherry, and claret, are advisable. Port is too heavy, and spirits and liqueurs are only admissible after the viands are disposed of, as accompaniments to a cup of black coffee.

BIREAM (. Fr . Breme; Ger. Brassen; Ital. Beina; 8f. Brema). — There are two sorts of this fish known to cooks —the Sea Bream ( Pargus centrodontus ) and the Fresli

Fig. 208. Carp Bream.

water or Carp Bream (Fig. 208) ( Abvamis brama), the latter being rarely considered worthy of special treatment. Of the Sea Bream there are many varieties, but of these the Black, or “old wife,” and the Gilshead, are considered the choicer.

Baked Sea Bream. — Put a large Sea Bream into a dish (a deep one is required) or tin, with a marinade of onions, vineg-ar, salt, pepper, sweet oil, a bay-leaf, thyme, and a few cloves, basting it occasionally, and allowing it to remain for two or three hours; then cover it with oiled paper, and put it in the oven for half-an-hour, or until the fish is done. Put oz. of butter into a saucepan to melt, and add oz. of flour to it. Pour the marinade through a strainer into this, and add an onion or shallot, a large pinch of finelychopped parsley, and a little stock. Let this boil, and then pour it over the fish.

Broiled. Bream. — Clean a large Bream, wipe it dry, and put it on a dish with 1 teacupful of salad oil, the same of claret, a few sprigs of marjoram or any other sweet herbs, 1 pint of vinegar, twelve cloves, three or four blades of mace, pepper, and loz. of bruised ginger, and let it remain for two or three hours before broiling. Take the fish direct from the marinade to the grill and broil over a slow, clear fire, basting it with the liquor it has been soaking in. Boil the liquor with the herbs and other things, add loz. of butter, with a little lemon or orange-juice, mix thoroughly, and serve in a tureen with the fish. The spawn should be boiled by itself in a little good salad oil, and used with parsley to garnish the dish.

Broiled Bream with Sliallot Sauce. — Take a fresh Bream and clean it, taking off the fins, tips of the tail, and scales.

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Bream —continued.

Wipe it dry, baste it with well-seasoned oil, and score it a little to allow the oil, &c., to enter. Broil the fish on both sides on a gridiron or grill over a moderate fire, baste well with oil, put it on a dish, and pour some shallot sauce over it.

Broiled Sea Bream a la Maitre d’Hotel. — Clean a fresh fish, trim off the fins and tips of the tail only, and take away the gills, scraping off the scales; then dip it quickly in cold water, wipe it dry, and score it slightly. Lay it on a dish or tin, and steep it for thirty minutes in 3oz. of good salad oil, j saltspoonful of salt, one minced onion, a little dried parsley, and 1 pinch of pepper; then remove it, drain it well, taking away the parsley and onion if any remain on the fish, and place it on a grill or large gridiron, cooking it sharply for about five minutes, and turning it so that both sides are done. Put it on a hot dish, and serve with maitre-d’liotel sauce.

Roasted Bream. — Kemove the spawn of a fresh fish, cut out the gills, and clean the fish without removing the scales; cut off the tips of the tail and fins, and dry the body. For stuffing make a stiff mixture of three eggs, 1 breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, 1 dessert-spoonful of candied peel, 1 teaspoonful each of almond paste and well-washed currants, 1 gill of cream, the juice of a lemon, and salt. Stuff the fish, but not to overcrowd it, and put it in the oven on a dish with sticks placed across, so as to allow the gravy to drop into the dish. Take it out when done, place it in a dish with some sauce made from the gravy, and put some slices of lemon round the dish. The juice of a lemon or orange, a piece of butter, and a little cinnamon should be added to the gravy, as this improves it very much.

Soused Bream. — Clean and wash a fresh Bream, but do not cut off the fins or scale it. To jgall. of water add 1 pint of white wine or Madeira, a little spice, marjoram, and other sweet herbs; put the fish in this, boil it until done, and then take it out. Add a little ground ginger and pepper to the liquor, and boil it up again; when cold, put in the fish, and let it remain for three or four days, when it may be served with vinegar and fennel sauce.

BRESIL. — Fr. for a quarter of beef dried and smoked; sometimes called Brezi. A favourite Provencal method of preserving this meat.

BRETONNE, A LA. — Belonging to Brittany; in Brittany style. See Sauces.

BREWERS’ MUTTON CHOPS.— See Mutton.

BREWING.— The art and process of making beer. It can scarcely be argued that any special knowledge of the mysteries of Brewing is necessary to the cook; but it may be useful to give just the outlines. In the first place, barley undergoes a steeping in water tanks, which causes it to sprout, and indicates that its starchy components have been converted into sugar. This malt, as it is then called, is dried and ground, and placed in a mash-tun. Boiling water is thrown upon it, and it is “ mashed,” or infused, and a sugary fluid drawn off. Tins is transferred to a boiler and boiled up with sufficient hops, and in course of time run off into a cooler. When sufficiently cool, this “ wort,” as it is called, is run off into tuns, and yeast added, which speedily sets up fermentation. After a time this process ceases or is arrested, and the beer is drawn off into casks, in which a secondary fermentation takes place, besides clearing, and the liquor is ready for consumption. It is, however, improved by keeping. See Beer.

BRICK TEA. — The Chinese have a method of compressing tea into the shapes of bricks or slabs, for which they find a ready sale in Siberia, Tartary, and also in Russia, whither it is carried on the backs of camels. To use this Brick Tea, it is first rubbed into a fine powder and boiled with alkaline steppewater to which salt and fat have been added, and the liquor is afterwards carefully strained off. Such large cpiantities of this tea are consumed by the different tribes frequenting the large tracts

Brick Tea — continued.

of land mentioned, that the exact process of its preparation may be interesting. The brick is first broken up and then a small quantity, sufficient for the purpose according to taste, say lib., is infused in about 2galls. of water and boiled. Into this a large ladleful of ghee (a sort of fluid butter) is poured, and a goodly supply of salt; then the whole is stirred and churned up with a stout stick until it becomes a smooth, oily, and brown liquid, not unlike thin cocoa in appearance.

BRIDAGE. — A term used by French cooks for the process of tying up the limbs of game or poultry with string.

BRIDE CAKES.— These are more commonly known as wedding cakes, but either name, according to old traditions, should lie correct. The custom of having a special cake at a wedding was introduced into this country by the Romans, as well as the nuptial ring, this latter signifying a form of servitude; but the cake or biscuit extended its signification to fruitfulness, hospitality, and prosperity. The custom of throwing rice over a bride has the same intention, but may be regarded as properly out of date since the Bride Cake has been introduced. For many centuries after the Romans had left this country the practice of breaking a cake or biscuit over the bride’s head was continued, and the fragments were picked up and piled before her to distribute among her friends; and then came the Restoration of Charles II., and with him came French cooks, who speedily converted the ancient biscuit into a delicious confectionery, iced with sugar, which, as time went on, grew into the beautiful production that graces the wedding breakfast of to-day. We give a Plate showing typical specimens of modern cakes.

The Bride Cake.

This day, my Julia, thou must make,

For mistresse bride, the wedding cake;

Knead out the dow, and it will be To paste of almonds turn’d by thee;

Or kisse it thou, but once or twice,

And for the bride cake there’ll be spice.

Herrick (17th century).

(1) Beat to a cream lib. of warmed butter with lib. of caster sugar; then beat in twelve eggs, two at a time, and when all are in and the batter whisked for three-quartersof-an-hour, stir in gradually lib. of sifted flour; add lilb. each of raisins and currants, both chopped, fib. of pounded bitter almonds, -jib. of candied peel minced very fine, the grated rinds of an orange and a lemon, and 1 gill of brandy. Pour the mixture into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake until perfectly done. This may be ascertained by stabbing the centre with a bright skewer — it should return quite clean. Turn upside down, and let it get cold preparatory to icing and ornamenting.

(2) Beat up lib. of butter in a pan held before the fire till it melts; then add lib. of powdered loaf or caster sugar, and beat again; add jib. of fine flour and four eggs, beat up with the hand, and add -jib. more flour and four more eggs; beat again, stir in another jib. of flour, and 2jlb. of wellwashed and dried currants; next add jib. of stoned raisins, jib. of sweet almonds blanched and shredded, 2oz. each of candied citron-, lemon-, and orange-peel sliced, joz. of mace, loz. of cinnamon bruised in a mortar, and 1 wineglassful of brandy. Mix thoroughly into a good dough, paper the tin, and bake in a slow oven. When done, remove from the tin, and let it get cold turned upside down on the bottom of the tin. When quite cold and set, it may be iced and decorated.

(3) Take 21b. of caster sugar, 1 gill each of brandy and sherry, and 41b. of Vienna flour, well dried and sifted light. Whip 41b. of butter before a fire to a cream, and slowly mix in the sugar, stirring it continuously; add the yolks of eighteen eggs, and then beat up the whites to a froth and add them, beating all together; now add lib. of sweet almonds blanched and shredded, minced, or pounded, with a little orange-flower water, and pound joz. each of mace, cinnamon, cloves, and

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Bride Cakes — continued.

nutmegs. Beat well, and sprinkle in 21b. of currants well washed and dried, and then slicing thinly Jib. of each candied peels, finish by making all smooth with the brandy and sherry. Beat until ready for baking. A well-buttered paper must, be put round the baking-tin, and the mixture should not more than three-parts fill the tin. Put a greased paper over the top, and bake in a moderately hot oven. When nearly cold, coyer with almond icing, let it dry, and then add ornamented sugar icing -yin. in thickness, and ornament according to circumstances and ability.

(4) Work ljlb. of butter in a pan with a spoon to a cream; then add by degrees ljlb. of sifted sugar, 2Vlb. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and twelve eggs, and mix well together; then add lib. of dried cherries stoned and chopped up, lib. of well-washed currants, llb. of mixed candied peel, £ pint of brandy, oz. each of cloves, cinnamon, coriander-seeds, and nutmeg well pounded, 1 teacupful of caramel, the grated rind (zest) of four oranges, and Rb. of ground almonds. Mix all well together. Line a hoop with buttered paper at both the sides and bottom, put it upon a baking-sheet, pour in the mixture, and bake for about two-hours-and-a-half in a moderate oven always kept at one heat.

(5) Put lib. of crushed loaf sugar and 14oz. of butter into a basin, and beat them to a cream; add twelve eggs beaten as light as possible, alternate with lib. of sifted flour. When well mixed, add a grated nutmeg, 2 teaspoonfuls of powdered mace, and 1 gill of brandy; mix well again, and add 31b. of stoned raisins, 21b. of sultanas, and lib. each of well-washed and dried currants and candied citron-peel cut into small strips. All the fruit should be well dredged with flour before being added. Mix vigorously for fully ten minutes, then turn the batter into a pan or mould lined with buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven for about four hours. Turn it out, let it get cold, and serve. It may be iced if desired.

(6) Place in a large bowl lib. each of powdered sugar and well-washed butter; grate in the rind of two lemons, and with the hand knead well for ten minutes; break in ten whole eggs, two at a time, and knead for ten minutes longer. Mix in a plate 1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful of ground cloves, 2 teaspoonfuls of ground allspice, 1 teaspoonful each of mace and grated nutmeg, and add these, with gill of treacle. Mix well for one minute with the hand, and then add lib. of well-sifted flour, stirring for two minutes more; add 21b. of well-washed and dried currants, 21b. each of sultanas and Malaga raisins, lib. of candied citron-peel finely sliced, and 1 gill each of rum and brandy. Mix the whole well together for fifteen minutes, using both hands if necessary. Butter the interior of a plain 5qt. round cake-mould, line the bottom and sides with paper, leaving it lin. higher than the edge of the mould, pour in all the preparation, and place it in a very slow oven to bake for five hours. When done, lay it on a table to cool off for about four hours. Turn out of the mould, detach the paper, and turn the cake bottom up in a wire pastry grating; after ten minutes, glaze it with one egg-white which has been beaten in a bowl with 4oz. of icing sugar, using the spatula to apply the glazing. Lay the cake in a warm place to dry for two hours. Beat up the whites of three eggs with 12oz. of icing sugar for ten minutes, and ice over the cake as before, evenly all around, and lay aside for two hours more. After it is thoroughly dried, lay it on a round wooden board, with a fancy paper cover 2in. wider than the board; procure a fancy wedding bell, with a miniature bride and groom standing under, or any other ornament that may be suitable for the occasion, and set it in the centre of the cake, fastening it on with royal icing. Decorate the surface of the cake with ornaments made of the icing; also a fancy border round the edge and base, pressed through a strong paper cornet with a fancy tube. Let it dry for two hours, and it is ready to serve.

(7) Melt 2Rb. of butter, cream it by beating with the hand, and adding at the same time 2flb. of caster sugar, together with loz. of mixed spice; then add slowly lqt. of broken eggs, stirring all the time. Chop up finely Rib. of candied orange- and lemon-peel, 31b. of citron-peel, 4j-lb. of currants which have been washed, dried, and soaked in 1 pint of brandy, and 211b. of ground sweet almonds, and mix them all ' with the butter, taking care that it is still warm; then sift in gradually 2jlb. of best white flour. Line a broad tin hoop at the bottom with several sheets of paper,

Bride Cakes — continued.

and round the sides with one, having previously buttered the side likely to come in contact with the cake; pour the mixture into this, cover the top with six sheets of paper, and bake for ten hours in a moderate oven.

(8) Mix 21b. each of butter and moist sugar (warming the butter) until it becomes creamy; next break into a bowl twenty eggs, and well whisk them together, adding them to the butter and sugar a little at a time. They must not be added too quickly, or the mixture will curdle. Having worked them all in, add 51b. of well-washed and dried currants, 21b. of mixed peel cut up in thin slices, oz. of spice, lib. of blanched almonds, 1 gill eacli of port and brandy, and i gill of orange-flower water, mixing in 21b. of sifted flour, and working together gently. Line a cake-hoop with buttered paper, also covering the bottom; place two sheets of buttered paper upon a baking-sheet, and the cake-hoop upon this, then put in the mixture. Before putting the cake into the oven, another baking-sheet should bo put under the first one to prevent burning. A moderate heat is sufficient to bake this cake, and care must be taken that it is properly baked through. Next mix together Rib. of ground almonds, 21b. of finely-sifted loaf sugar, a little orange-flower water, and sufficient yolks of eggs to make it into a stiff paste. Boll this out about the size of the cake, place it upon the top after it has become cold, and roll it round and at the sides so as to make it smooth and level with the cake. Let this dry. The whole cake may now be iced over about Rn. thick. When this has become perfectly hard, decorate the top and sides with gum-paste ornaments tastefully arranged, either in the form of garlands, wreaths, scrolls, &c., or else the cake may be decorated with piping, using for the purpose the remainder of the icing. The ornaments, flowers, wreaths, &c., must be white and should be appropriate to the quality of the occasion.

(9) Warm £lb. of butter and lib. of sugar, and stir them together to a cream; add ten eggs, two at a time, beating well, then add 111b. of flour by degrees. When all the flour is in, add Rib. of stoned raisins, Rib. of washed and dried currants, lib. of chopped citron-peel, 8oz. of ground almonds, 1 tablespoonful of mixed ground spices, i pint of brandy, and the juice and grated rind of one lemon. Line the mould with buttered paper, and bake from one to two hours, according to depth. Ice and ornament at discretion.

BRIE CHEESE— A sort of cream cheese manufactured at La Brie, which is situated within a few miles of Paris. This cheese was at one time considered superior to all others of the cream class; but since the introduction of Roquefort, spurious imitations consequent upon its scarcity and the difficulty of keeping it, have caused it to retire commercially into the second class, although those epicures who have had the privilege of tasting the real thing declare that it has no rival in the world. It is a soft, creamy, and glutinous cheese, made in large rounds, hut not more than fin. in thickness. The secret of its manufacture, if there be any beyond the richness of the pasturage and quality of the kine, is best known to the producers.

BRILIi ( Rhombus Icevis, or R. vulgaris ). — A species of flat fish between a turbot and a sole, and, from a culinary point of view, inferior to both. It most resembles the turbot, from which, however, it may be distinguished by the absence of bony tubercles, with which all turbot-eaters are familiar; by the small, almost smooth, scales; and by the reddish-brown spots on the upper side (Pig. 209). It seldom weighs more than 81b., and is not so firm in flesh as the turbot, and is in season from September to May.

Baked Brill.— (1) Take a good-sized fish, clean it well, and then open the back with a knife as far as the backbone will allow. Chop up very fine 1 teacupful of small onions and shallots and 1 teacupful of mushrooms, and spread them over a well-buttered baking-dish, adding 1 teacupful of brown sauce or gravy, and 1 wineglassful of Madeira. Put the Brill on its back on the dish, sprinkle some breadcrumbs and some of the herbs over it, and pour a little melted butter over. Put the dish in the oven, and bake for thirty minutes, basting

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Brill — continued.

frequently -with the liquor. When done, remove to a dish, strain the gravy, and pour it over as a sauce. Garnish with slices of lemon and parsley.

(2) Shin and clean a Brill, wash it well, dry it, and put it into a baking-pan with a few slices of onion and a little chopped parsley, seasoning with salt and pepper, and pouring over 3 wineglassfuls of water and 1 pint of white wine. Place a sheet of greased paper over the fish, set it in a slow oven, and bake until done; then take it out, put it on a dish, and serve with a sauceboatful of bechamel sauce, mixed with liquor of crayfish or crayfish-juice.

Boiled Brill.— (1) Clean a thick Brill, cut off its fins, rub it over with the juice of a lemon and some salt, place it in a fish-kettle, sprinkle some salt and a little vineg-ar over it, cover with water, and place on the fire. When it boils, remove the kettle on one side, and let it simmer g'ently till done, which would be about twenty minutes for a 41b. Brill. Lay it on a napkin, the white side up, and serve garnished with slices of lemon and parsley.

(2) Soak a Brill in salted water for an hour (the skin must be scored across the thickest parts of the back, or the breast will break by the swelling of the fish), put it on a drainer in a fish-kettle, sprinkle over it a little salt, cover with water, and let it boil g-ently for twenty minutes. Cover a fish-drainer with a napkin, and when the fish is done, lay it gently on this utensil; then get a little of the coral spawn of a lobster, and rub through a fine hair sieve over the fish. Serve garnished with horseradish, some slices of lemon, and sprigs of parsley.

(3) Cooking a small Brill takes about half-an-hour, and to keep it white, it is a good plan to rub a little lemon-juice and salt over it a short time previous to boiling. Place the Brill in a fish-kettle with some salt sprinkled over, cover it with a cloth, pour boiling water over, and let it simmer till done. It is sometimes thought advisable to make an incision down the backbone to prevent the skin of the belly from cracking, but if boiled slowly this is not necessary. Garnish and serve.

(4) Take a Brill, rub it well over with lemon and salt, and put it into about 6qts. of boiling water with lib. of salt. Simmer gently on the side of the fire for thirty minutes until the fish slightly cracks; then take it out, let it drain, place it in a cloth, and serve garnished with parsley. Shrimp sauce should be served either separately or poured over the fish; if in the latter way, do not use a cloth.

Boiled Brill with Ancliovy Cream. — Put a good-sized Brill in a stewpan with about 6qts. of water and lib. of salt, place it by the side of the fire, and let it simmer for thirty minutes. Place it on a dish without a cloth, and make some sauce as follows: Put a stewpan with lqt. of melted butter on the fire, and let it nearly boil, then adding -lb. of anchovy butter and 1 teacupful of cream. Whip the cream well before adding it to the butter. Mix all well together, and place it on the fire again (where it must not be allowed to boil) until wanted for use. Pour the sauce over the fish, and then throw a few capers and also some gherkins, finely chopped, over all.

Brill — continued.

Boiled Brill with Bechamel Sauce. — Clean a Brill, put

it into a basin of water, and soak it for a couple of hours; then take it out, drain it, put it into a deep dish, cover it over with salt, and let it remain for an hour. Put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil gently for from twenty to twenty-five minutes, taking great care that the fish does not break while cooking. When done, put it carefully on a dish, and serve with bechamel sauce either poured round or in a sauceboat.

Boiled Brill with Caper Sauce. — Take a fresh Brill, trim off the fins, clean it, cut it into pieces, and place it in a flat kettle; add 1 pint of milk or cream and 1 teacup• ful of salt, and let it remain in this for an hour or so. When nearly required for serving, fill a stewpan with water, add some salt, a sprig of parsley, and a little vinegar, and place it on the fire; when it begins to boil, put in the fish, and boil up for three or four minutes, then leaving it to simmer on the side of the fire with a cover on. Let it stand for fifteen minutes; then take out the pieces of fish, drain them, place them on a cloth spread over a perforated strainer, garnish with parsley, and serve with sauce made as follows: Put 1 breakfast-cupful of melted butter into a pan, and let it nearly boil; then add 1 table-spoonful of flour, 3 table-spoonfuls of capers, and a little pepper and salt to taste. Serve either with the fish or separately. Lobster sauce may be used instead of this.

Boiled Brill Garnished with Potatoes and Crayfish.— Put a Brill in cold water for two hours, having previously cleaned and cut off the fins; wash it in fresh water, put it in a fish-kettle, sprinkle 2 table-spoonfuls of salt on top, cover with a cloth, pour boiling water in, and let it simmer for half-an-hour or more. Dish up and drain. Have some potatoes, cut to a regular oval, already cooked, and put them hot round the dish, with crayfish here and there, as though crawling between them. The fish itself may be garnished with lobster coral, slices of lemon, scraped horseradish, or parsley.

Boiled Brill served in Parisian Style. — Get a thick, fresh Brill, thoroughly clean, dry, and score it along the back. Spread a gratin-dish thickly with butter, and put it in a fishkettle with the fish on it; then mince an onion and a few pieces of mushrooms, and put in the kettle, sprinkling in a little salt, and covering the fish with white wine. When it

boils, remove it to one side. Boil nineteen or twenty fresh button-mushrooms in some butter and lemon-juice; poach three dozen large oysters in white wine, and add to the mushrooms, with a few peeled truffles which have been boiled in wine and cut into large slices; prepare a few fish quenelles, and poach them; boil in a court bouillon about eighteen or nineteen live crayfish. Make a thick paste of 4oz. of flour and 4oz. of butter mixed with a little liquor in which the Brill is being cooked, and pass through a sieve into a saucepan, mixing

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Brill — continued.

with it half the liquor of the oysters and mushrooms, and boiling it on a sharp fire, adding by degrees the remainder of the liquor; thicken with the yolks of two eggs, pass it through a sieve, and place it near the fire, but do not let it boil; remove the sauce back, add gradually, while stirring, 4oz. of butter, a small piece of red butter, made from lobster coral, and do not let it boil. When done, drain the fish, surround the head and tail at one side with a group of trimmed oysters, and at the other with white button-mushrooms, pour over the fish half the sauce, and place on the middle of it button-mushrooms, truffles, and a few crayfishtails and quenelles in alternate groups (Fig. 210). Serve the remainder of the sauce in a sauceboat.

Brill a. la Conti. — Take off the skin from a Brill, clean and wash it, score it on the back several times, put it into a saucepan, with a tumblerful of olive-oil, half that quantity each of rich stock and white wine, a few finely-chopped sweet herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer slowly over a slow fire until the fish is cooked, taking care not to cook it too fast, or it will break in pieces. Put it on a dish when done, and keep it hot. Pour 2 breakfast-cupfuls of rich stock into a saucepan, and reduce to half the quantity, adding 1 pinch of minced parsley. Pour this over the fish, and serve.

Brill a la Hollfilldaise. - Take a nice fresh fish, rub it well with salt, and boil it in a kettle with 6qts. of water to which lib. of salt has been added. Put it on the fire, and let it simmer gently for half-an-hour. Prepare a sauce as follows: Put Jib. of butter in a stewpan with four yolks of eggs, the juice of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and 1 pinch of pepper; put it on the fire, and let it simmer gently, stirring all the while. When the butter is partially melted, remove the pan from the fire, and keep it off until the whole of the butter melts, keeping it well stirred all the time; let it thicken on the fire for a minutes, then add lqt. of new milk, and put it on the fire again; stir it well, but do not let it boil, as it would soon curdle; then pour it through a tammy, put it into a clean stewpan, and place it in the bain-marie. Keep it well stirred until required. This sauce may either bo served separately in a sauceboat or poured over the fish.

Brill a la Kavigote. — Clean a Brill, selecting as small a one as possible, slit it down the back, dust it over with salt and pepper, put it on a hot gridiron over a clear fire, and broil it; or it may be wrapped in buttered or oiled paper and baked in the oven. Put it on a dish when done, and serve with a sauceboatful of mayonnaise sauce coloured green with chopped tarragon, chervil, and chives.

Brill a la Saint Menehould, — Put any pieces of cold boiled Brill into a saucepan with sufficient thick bechamel sauce to moisten them; warm them, put the mixture into a bakingdish, smooth the surface with a knife, cover it with grated bread and Parmesan cheese, put it into the oven, and brown it. Take it out, and serve hot.

Brill Boiled in Wine. — Clean a good-sized Brill and split it down the back. Butter a dish, place the fish on it with the brown side down, pour over it a bottle of Madeira or white wine and a little water, sprinkle over with salt, and place it covered upon the fire. Let it boil gently for a few minutes, then remove it to the side, and leave it for halfan-hour. Place the fish when done on a long dish, and pour over it the following sauce: Take the liquid the fish has been boiled in, and mix loz. of butter with it. Beat up in a basin three yolks of eggs, and add 1 breakfast-cupful of cream or milk, and strain it through a gravy strainer; add this to the other, also loz. of fresh butter pulled into pieces, a small quantity of grated nutmeg, and a little finely-chopped parsley. When the butter is dissolved, the sauce is ready to be served in a tureen, and a little over tho fish.

Brill au Gratill. — Mix 4oz. of flour in lqt. of milk, remove all the lumps, and pour it into a stewpan, adding a sprig each of parsley and thyme, one or two shallots, and a bayleaf (all tied together); then add J saltspoonful of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Stir this well over a quick fire, and let it remain there until it is quite thick; then tako it off, mix in Jib. of butter and two yolks of eggs, stir well together, and strain. Pour a little of the

Brill — continued.

sauce on to a dish, then place on it a layer of fillets of the fish, season with pepper and salt, then another layer of sauce, then again of fish, alternately. Leave enough sauce to pour over the top to cover it. Next dust the top slightly with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, place it in the oven, let it remain for half-an-hour, use the salamander to give it a brown colour, and serve it on the dish upon which it was baked.

Brill with Orlys of Whiting 1 . — Take a Brill, cleaned and with the fins cut off, and put it in cold water for two hours; afterwards wash it well in clean water, put it in a fish-kettle with 1 table-spoonful of salt sprinkled over it, cover it with a cloth, pour boiling water on the top, and let it simmer for half-an-hour. Cut some fillets of whiting which have been skinned across and lengthwise into strips, cut a small onion into slices, take a few sprigs of parsley, and put in a dish with the whiting; sprinkle some salt and pepper on the top, and a squeeze of lemon-juice, and let them pickle for about two hours. Take out the whiting fillets and dry them, dip them in batter, fry them in boiling fat, drain them, and garnish the dish with them, interspersed with a few sprigs of fried parsley.

Broiled Brill.— (1) Clean a small Brill, incise the back down to the bone, dry it well, lay it on a dish, put some salt, pepper, and a little sweet oil over it to prevent it from drying, and broil over a slow fire for about three-quarters-ofan-hour. To prevent the gridiron making black streaks on the fish, lay some straws over it.

(2) Mix 2 table-spoonfuls of finely-chopped onions and Jib. of salt, and rub them well into the fish, which must have been cleaned and scored with a sharp knife in the belly part; then pour a little salad oil over it, dip it in flour, put it back upwards on a gridiron over the fire, but not close to it, and let it remain twenty-five or thirty minutes. Then place another gridiron on the top, turn it over to cook the other side, and put it over the fire for thirty or forty minutes. Dish it up, and pour some Sauce a la Menniere over it. To make this sauce, Soyer tells us to put Jib. of butter into a stewpan with 1 breakfast-cupful of melted butter; put it on the fire, and keep on moving the pan when it is hot, but do not allow it to oil. Then break the yolks of two eggs in a basin, add 1 breakfast-cupful of milk or cream, and strain it through a tammy, seasoning with a little salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. Mix all quickly, and pour it over the fish. This sauce should always be served poured over the fish, and not in a sauceboat.

Fried Brill. — Skin and clean a Brill, put it into a basin with sufficient olive-oil to cover it, and let it soak for an hour; then put it into a frying-pan with a little of the oil, and fry it to a good colour and until quite clone. Take it out, cut it up into fillets, put it on a dish, and garnish with cooked stuffed olives and a sauceboatful of anchovy sauce.

BRINE.— This is a purely Anglo-Saxon word, signifying salt-water — as the “briny ocean”; but the usages of cookery have converted it into signifying the nearly saturated solution of salt in water; that means, as much salt dissolved in the water as it can be made to take up. For Brine in combination with other salts and spices, see Pickles.

(1) Dissolve lib. of common salt and loz. of saltpetre in soft water till it will take up no more.

(2) To No. 1 add Jib. of sugar or treacle; but bay-salt is recommended when the meat is to be kept for a very long period. Meat preserved in Brine that has been used for curing several times, however, is said to become poisonous.

BRIOCHES. — This is the name of a sort of French pastry, greatly esteemed wherever introduced, and useful for a variety of confectionery. It is made with flour, butter, and eggs. The French have an idiom in which the term is introduced thus: faire une brioche, signifying to make a mistake or false note in music; but a witty author observes, “ This should not throw discredit upon the pastry, which is really excellent, and one of the ornaments of our desserts, provided sour milk and bad

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Brioches — continued.

eggs are conspicuous by tlieir absence.” Brioches are usually made in either of two or three sizes, and although shaped like miniature cottage loaves, they differ in that the correct practice is to bake them in fluted moulds, hence the bottoms take that impression. (See Big. 211.) Other shapes may be used at discretion.

Fig. 211. Brioche and Mould.

(1) Make a sponge of loz. of German yeast dissolved in 1 breakfast-cupful of warm water, mixed with enough flour to form a batter. When it has risen to twice its original size, it is ready for further manipulation. Put on a paste-board lib. of flour, make a bay in the centre, place in this lib. of warmed fresh butter, 1 teacupful of milk, ten eggs, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and the sponge, and work together, adding more flour if needed. Place it in a basin with a cover on, and put it by in a warm temperature for three hours. Afterwards roll out, and fold it up again three times in succession. Take about one-quarter of the paste away, make the other round, slightly flatten it on the top, wet the bottom of the smallest piece of paste, make a ball of that also, flatten it, and put it on the other, glaze over with a pastebrush dipped in a beaten egg, set on a buttered tin, and bake in a quick oven for three -quarters-of-an-hour.

(2) Take 21b. of flour, and put Jib. of it in a bowl; mix with this some warm water and 1 breakfast-cupful of yeast, cover it over, and place it in a warm place to rise. Mix with the other flour lib. of warmed butter, and work it in till smooth; then add 1 dessert-spoonful of salt, 1 dessert-spoonful of caster sugar, 1 table-spoonful of cream or milk, and six well-beaten eggs. If the paste is too stiff, one or two more eggs can be added. When the leaven is risen, knead with the paste, rolling and mixing it several times. Roll the Brioche in a floured cloth, put in a basin, and let it remain for one night, in a cool or warm place, according to the season. When ready to use, form it into any shape required, glaze with yolk of egg, and bake in a fast oven about halfan-hour.

(3) Brioche paste is always better for being made the day before using. Sift 41b. of flour on the table, and divide it into four parts. With one part mix 2oz. of yeast dissolved in 1 pint of water or warm milk, and set aside to form a sponge; make some slits across the leaven, put it into a pan with a cloth covered over it, and put before the fire for a quarter-of-an-hour to rise. In the remaining 31b. of flour mix 3 large pinches of salt and 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar, breaking in the hand 21b. of butter and putting it in the midst; then break over it fifteen eggs, mix all well together, knead thoroughly, flatten, and put the leaven over it. Pull to pieces, roll, flatten, and knead again; dust some flour on a cloth, put the paste in it, and cover over; lay it in a basin, and set in a cool or warm place, according to the season, to rise. When the paste is twice its original size, cut three parts into even pieces, shape them round with the hands, and lay them down; shape the rest of the paste into small round balls, make small hollow bays in the larger pieces, and put the balls in them. Glaze by brushing over with egg, and bake in a hot oven; when it begins to colour, cover with paper, and bake till done.

(4) Take Jib. of sifted flour, put 2oz. of it into a basin, make a hollow in the centre, and put into this 2 drachms of compressed yeast and J gill of lukewarm milk. Dissolve well the yeast with the milk for about one minute, then quickly

Brioches— continued.

beat in the flour for another minute. Cover the basin with a cloth, and let it rest in a warm closet for fifteen minutes. Put into another basin the remaining 6oz. of flour, make a hollow in the centre, and add to -it J saltspoonful of salt, three eggs, 2 table-spoonfuls of sweet cream, 2oz. of butter, and loz. of powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly with the hand all except the flour for three minutes; then incorporate the flour gradually, and beat it sharply with the hands for three minutes. Add one egg, and beat one minute; add another egg, and beat one minute longer. Take 4oz. of butter, spread it in pieces over the paste, and mix in well for two minutes. The yeast being properly raised double by this time, add it to the other ingredients, and mix the whole carefully by cutting it several times with the hand, taking care to repeat this for at least five minutes. Cover the basin with a cloth, and lay it in a closet or elsewhere, at a temperature of about 80deg., for three hours, when it will have risen to

twice the original size. With the right hand cut it again

into pieces in every direction, for about four minutes; recover the basin with the cloth, and leave it in a cool place

for thirty minutes. Dredge a board with flour, and pour the paste over it; cut off a 3oz. piece and lay it aside, with the hands rolling up the remaining part of the paste into a ball. Butter well a round 2qt. mould, lino it with paper, and put in the paste. Take the piece laid aside, roll it pear-shaped with the hand, and make a small cavity in the centre of the paste in the mould, using a spoon; arrange the pear-shaped piece in this, having the larger part on top. Lay the mould on a baking-sheet, glaze the top lightly with beaten egg, and put it in a moderate oven; after it has been in fifteen minutes, cover it with a buttered paper, close the oven-door, and bake for one hour longer. Test it by thrusting in a larding-needle, and if no dough adheres to this, the Brioche is thoroughly cooked; if not, leave it in ten minutes longer. Remove from the oven, turn it out, let it cool, place it on a dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

(5) Make a sponge with Jib. of sifted flour and Joz. of German yeast dissolved in I teacupful of warm water, mix rather softer than puff paste, put in a covered pan with a little warm water, and let it rise. Add to Jib. of flour, Joz. of sugar, lOoz. of butter rubbed in, and 1 pinch of salt, and mix by adding alternately J teacupful of water and an egg, until three eggs are used. Mix in the sponge when it has risen to twice its original size, put in a basin, and stand in a warm temperature for four hours. Turn it out on to a floured board, and fold and roll it several times; then put it back in the basin for two hours to rise further; fold and roll again, and once more put in a cool place for two hours. Take the paste, put it on a baking-sheet, shape it round, and drag the paste from the centre till it forms a ring 12in. in diameter; after a few minutes, egg with a paste-brush, open well the inside of the ring to prevent its closing, and bake in a brisk oven for half-an-hour. The Brioche can be shaped according to fancy, but this will be found the easiest for baking. A Jib. Gruyero cheese cut in Jim dice, or Jib. of grated Parmesan, mixed with the above paste, will be found a relishing improvement.

(6) Put Jib. of well-sifted flour on a slab, spread it out to form a well in the centre, put in Joz. of German yeast, mixed with a little warm water to dissolve it, and then mix in sufficient water to form a rather soft paste; knead this into a ball, put it into a basin, cover it with a cloth, and set it in a warm place where it may rise. Put fib. of flour on the slab, make a hollow in the centre, and put in 1 teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, dissolving them with a small quantity of water, and working in lOoz. of butter. When quite smooth, break in sufficient eggs to make a dough, and work the wholo well with the hands. When the sponge has risen to about three times its original size, put it on the dough, which should have been spread out, and knead them both together till thoroughly mixed. Spread a cloth over a basin, dust some flour over it, then lift the Brioche paste into it, and dredge over some more flour; fold the corners of the cloth over, and set the bowl in a cool place, but kept away from all draughts. On the following morning, turn the Brioche out of the napkin on to the slab, which should be marble, shake a little flour over it, and fold and knead the paste six times. Put the paste back in the floured napkin and basin, cover it, and leave it for two hours. Take two.

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Brioches — continued.

thirds of the paste, and with floured hands shape it into a ball; then press it into a tin hoop, which should be placed on a baking-sheet. Take the remaining paste, roll that also into a ball, and stick it on the first ball, using beaten egg to make it adhere. Brush the Brioche over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, score the sides with a knife, put it into a moderate oven, and bake for an hour, covering it with a sheet of paper when first tinged with brown. When cooked, turn the cake out of the mould, put it on to a folded napkin on a hot plate, and serve. These cakes can be eaten with butter, and are very nice for breakfast or tea.

Brioche d la Conde. — Prepare and cook a Brioche paste. When done, cut it crosswise into halves, and with a spoon spread over the top of the lower half 4oz. of apricot marmalade, mixed with loz. of melted butter; replace the other half on top. Put in a saucepan 2oz. of candied cherries, 4oz. of candied apricots cut in slices, and 4oz. of candied pineapple; add £ pint of cold water, and boil well together on a hot fire for three minutes. Dress the Brioche on a dish, pour over the preparation, and serve hot.

Brioche Buns. — Put lib. of flour into a basin, mix in loz. of yeast and sufficient lukewarm water to make a stiff sponge, and set it to rise in a warm place. Put fib. of butter into a saucepan, warm it, and work in 1 gill of milk; when the milk is warm, add four well-whipped eggs, and stir the mixture into the sponge to make a stiff batter. Set it to rise again in a warm place for an hour; then sprinkle in sifted crushed loaf sugar to sweeten, and caraway-seeds or currants, and form the mixture into buns; let these rise again, brush them over with beaten egg, put them on a baking-sheet in a hot oven, and bake. When done, take them out, and serve either hot or cold.

Brioches Fluttes. — Prepare a Brioche paste, lay it on a floured board, and cut it into twelve equal pieces. Roll out each one separately with the hands until it is about lOin. long, rounding them into shape. Put these on a baking-sheet, and leave them in a hot closet to rise for ten minutes; take them out, glaze them lightly with beaten eggs, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and put them in the oven for ten minutes. Kemove, put them on a dish with a folded napkin, and serve when cold. These Brioches will keep well for three or four days, and they are delicious when served with tea, coffee, or chocolate.

Brioche with Madeira Sauce. — German Style. — Make some Brioche paste, half fill a buttered mould with it, and when it is risen to the top, bake. Boil for three minutes 2 pint of Madeira with 41b. of apricot jam that has been rubbed through a hair sieve, stirring thoroughly. Turn the Brioche out of the mould when done, and cut it into four flat rounds, spreading each slice with the apricot mixture, and laying them on top of each other again. Mask the outside with some more of the apricot, and serve the rest in a boat.

Brioche Ring'. — Dissolve foz. of German yeast in 1 teacupful of warm water, mix with fib. of flour to make a stiff

Fig. 212. Ring of Brioche Paste as a Border.

dough, put this in a pan with a little warm water over the bottom to prevent it sticking, cover, and let it remain in a warm place to rise. Mix with 41b. of flour, 8oz. or 9oz. of butter, three eggs, 1 pinch of salt, and 2 pinches of sugar, and work well with the hands for twelve minutes; add three eggs gradually when quite smooth and soft, and work in the dough for about ten minutes. Pull this in little pieces, put

Brioches — continued.

it in a basin, a,nd let it rise in a warm temperature to nearly double its original size; then beat well with floured hands on a floured table, flatten and fold it several times, put it in a basin, and keep in a cool place for four hours; then turn and roll it again, and keep in a cool place for an hour. When firm, shape it in a ball, put it on a baking-sheet, flatten, and form a hollow in the centre so as to make a ring (see Pig. 212); then glaze it, and bake in a hot oven for twenty or thirty minutes.

Brioche Tea-cake. — Sift on a board lib. of fine flour; dissolve loz. of German yeast in 1 teacupful of warm water, and mix up with about a quarter of the flour, so as to form a soft dough; have in a stowpan 4 teacupful of warm water, place the dough in it, cover over, and let it rise to double the size. Mix fib. of warmed butter and five eggs together, add the remainder of the flour, 2 dessei’t-spoonfuls of caster sugar, and 1 teaspoonful of salt, and work it well with both hands until smooth; lay it out on the board, and spread the sponge on the top; roll it up again, put it in a basin, and let it rise for six hours in a cool place. When risen, work again with the hands, and place in a warm temperature till it rises to double its original size; when risen, beat it on a floured board with well-floured hands, flatten it, fold the corners over to the centre, place on a tin or baking-sheet, and keep it on ice for half-an-hour. Get a Brioche-mould (see Fig. 211), Gin. wide and rather low, and butter it; take twothirds of the paste, make it into a ball with tho hands, put it in, and press well into the folds of the mould; form the remainder of the paste in a round shape. With wet fingers make a bay in tho paste in the mould, put the other paste in it, and glaze over with egg; set in a moderate oven, cover with paper as soon as it begins to colour, and bake for an-hour-and-a-quarter. When done, let it remain for about five minutes, then turn out, and leave to cool.

Brioche Timbale with Fruit.— (1) Boll out some Brioche paste prepared as previously described to fin. in thickness, and line a plain mould with it; put in a buttered saute-pan five cooking pears, peeled, cored, and cut in quarters, sprinkle some caster sugar on them, and cover, putting red-hot coals on the top, and cooking on a very slow fire. Boil in syrup for two minutes twenty-four preserved plums, stoned and cut in halves; cook in the same w T ay as the pears five good cooking apples; then drain, mix them all together, and fill the Brioche timbale with them. Cover the top with Brioche paste, make a hole in the middle of the cover, and bake in a slow oven. When done, fill in the hole in the cover with a piece of paste, and turn on a dish. Mix f pint of noyeau with 1 pint of the syrup tho fruit was cooked in. Blake a hole in the top or apex of the timbale, pour in the syrup through a funnel, and fill the hole with a preserved cherry.

(2) Prepare a Brioche timbale as for No. 1; the apples and pears being done in the same way. Halve and stone some preserved greengages and apricots, fill the mould with the fruit and preserved cherries, cover the top with Brioche paste, and finish as before, pouring in 1 pint of syrup at 30deg., with f pint of Maraschino, through a hole in the top.

Crohtons of Brioche. — Cut a score of slices from a Brioche, of an oblong shape, and fin. thick; sprinkle some caster sugar over them, and put them in the oven for a few minutes to glaze tho surface. Take them out, mask with a layer of apricot marmalade, and arrange them in a circle on a dish; put in the centre some half-preserved chestnuts mixed with about 2 teacupfuls of Smyrna raisins, mask them with cura 9 oa syrup, and sprinkle over the top some finelychopped pistachios. Serve with punch sauce and prepared curaqoa separately.

Fried Brioche with Madeira Sauce. — Take some Brioche paste made as previously described, and when cold, cut it into slices about fin. thick, and then into short strips. Mix in a basin the yolks of four eggs and f pint of cream; put fib. of clarified fresh butter in a sauto-pan over tho fire, dip eight pieces of Brioche into the cream and eggs, and fry a light yellow in the hot butter. Border a dish with apricot marmalade, put in the Brioches, and keep them hot in the oven. Melt fib. of marmalade in a stewpan, and add 1 pint of Madeira wine; when boiling, pour it over the Brioche, and serve hot.

Small Brioches. — (1) Make a Brioche paste as described previously; wdien cool, roll it out, and cut it into scrips about

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Brioches — continued.

lin. thick, fold these round the fingers, and place them in a buttered Brioche-mould, with the joined part of the ring downwards. Mould some more Brioche paste in a long shape, pointed at one end, and stick through the centre of the Brioches, glaze the top, and bake in a hot oyen for twenty minutes.

(2) Prepare the dough as for Brioches, No. 4, and when raised to twice the original size, lay it upon a board which has been lightly dredged with flour.; cut out a piece of 3oz., and lay it aside until needed; cut the rest of the paste into twelve equal pieces, and with the hand roll them into separate balls, laying these on a baking-sheet. Divide the paste laid aside into twelve parts, roll them out, and give each one a pear shape. With a spoon make a cavity in the centre of each ball, and put one of the pear pieces into each, having the larger part on the top. Leave them to rise in a hot closet for fifteen minutes, glaze them lightly with beaten egg, and put them in a brisk oven for twelve or fifteen minutes, but no longer. Remove, and with a light hair brush glaze them with butter, keeping them in a warm place until wanted. If the Brioches should be required cold, do not glaze them with butter, but dress them on a dish with a folded napkin. It is advisable to prepare the paste the evening previous, covering it with a cloth, and leaving it in a cool place all night.

BRISOTIN OF VEAXs. — See Teal.

BRITISH WINES.— If it is to be considered that good wine can be produced from the juice of the grape only, then it is time to inquire what are the peculiar wine-produeing qualities of the grape-juice that the juices of other fruits do not possess. So far as flavour is concerned, there are many fruits grown in this country that possess richer flavours and finer fragrance than grapes. Currants, gooseberries, cherries, plums, apples, and even rhubarb, all lay claim to decided characteristics of flavour that might be developed in wine, producing a variety of bouquets that should be grateful to the most fastidious palate. But, in defiance of this acknowledged fact, wines made from these fruits are very little appreciated; a circumstance which may be due in a measure to errors of manufacture.

In a very elaborate work written upon this subject ( The Practical Manufacture of British Wines) the authors lay great stress upon the lack of skill shown in the manufacture of British Wines, and further observe that “ science in its advanced state informs us that the chemistry of wine-making is no longer enveloped in mystery — the whole book lies open before us now, and a careful examination of its pages tells us that the faculty of producing good wine is no longer a monopoly of the grape, but that many, if not all, fruits and vegetables are capable, by the simple assistance that chemistry affords, of producing wines that need differ only from those of the grape in character of bouquet and variety of flavour.” Again, we read, “Although wines made from currants, gooseberries, rhubarb, or what not, might not suit the palates of confirmed drinkers of port, sherry, and Madeira, yet, with the exception of such cases as where the taste has been ensured and substantiated by habits of long practice, it is our contention and honest belief that a distinction could not be drawn ’twixt the two; and that even experts may be, and are, deceived, or deceive; for by a statistical return . . . it is evident that not one-half

of the wines retailed in this country as foreign have ever left the shores of Great Britain, or made the acquaintance of grapes. This is especially the case with champagnes and other sparkling wines, in which, if the contents of the bottles could speak, or the manufacturers would, it would lie found that many times more than half were actually compounded of the juices of the fruits we have mentioned.”

However correct this sweeping statement may have been at the time the book from which these remarks are taken was written, it must be admitted that further legislation

British Wines — continued.

has served in a measure to break the back of the nefarious system of substitution that was unhappily practised, and this to the advantage of the consumer and honest merchant alike.

Gooseberry and rhubarb wines entered largely into the “ preparation” to which champagnes have been subject almost from their first introduction to this country; and as wines so “ blended ” are preferred by many British consumers, who are wont to select those which are cheapest and sweetest, it would not be very extraordinary should such consumers prefer a wine composed entirely of that which gives to other champagnes the quality they so admire in them.

Numerous attempts have been made in England to grow grapes for wine-making, but these have signally failed in almost every case. Evelyn informs us in his Diary that there were vineyards in Kent, Surrey, and Gloucestershire as late as 1655, but he tells us also that although he had the opportunity of tasting some of the very best samples of the wine produced, he found them “ good for little.” This may have been due to the difficulty of ripening grapes in such a cold climate as this, and that therefore the wines consisted largely of the juice of unripe grapes, which is watery, acid, and lacking bouquet or flavour. If every country has its wine-producer, it is evident that grapes are not the wine-producers of Great Britain; therefore it behoves us to turn to some other fruit which grows freely, ripens readily in a British climate, is sweet, juicy, and otherwise suitable for wine-making. Instinctively we turn to currants, gooseberries, elderberries, rhubarb (which can scarcely be called a fruit), and other fruits, vegetables such as carrot and parsnip, and flowers such as elder, cowslip, and primrose, which will be found described under their various headings; and so, also, will receipts for making raisin, orange, lemon, and ginger wines be found under their respective headings; but these latter can scarcely be termed British Wines, seeing that they are manufactured from foreign fruits. Wines from apples and pears are better known as cider and perry.

In the Health Exhibition Handbook on Alcoholic Drinks, the author (Dr. J. L. Thudichum) tells us that before the reduction of the wine duties in 1860 large quantities of wine were made at various places in England from fresh imported grapes, and this wine was ultimately converted into champagne, “ which only differed from real champagne by being made in England, but in all other respects they were genuine wholesome wines of fair quality at their price.” Again, “ grapes are still imported into this country to serve as ferments of larger quantities of saccharine matter, mostly in the form of cane sugar,” the wines produced being converted into sherry and port by the addition of “ flavouring and colouring matters,” and alcohol to bring up the strength. Describing different British Wines, Dr. Thudichum says of them, “they are so peculiar and so good, so original in their taste when properly made, and, on account of their cheapness, so useful to many classes of the people, that we think it just and patriotic to put their merits properly before the public.” These remarks are not applicable to the so-called British Wines that are made for the grocers’ shops, and come under the denomination of “ sweets,” being of so low an alcoholic percentage that they do not affect the excise. Such concoctions are in many cases little more than sugary infusions, coloured, flavoured, and very lightly alcoholised. The wines alluded to here are genuine fermented juices of British-grown fruits, some of which are equal to anything the Continent has ever produced, and which can be manufactured in Great Britain and retailed at a price even less than ordinary beer.

Under the heading of Fermentation will be found all that is necessary to be known of that magic process, and therein it is explained that in order to set up fermentation the juice of the fruit must contain a just proportion of glucose (grape sugar), ferment, and nitrogenous food for

For details respecting Culinary F recesses, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

20l

British Wines — continued.

the ferment; other sugar (cane sugar) may he present, and acid in excess, hut these have little or no effect unless the cane sugar (sucrose) becomes converted into grape sugar (glucose), in which case it also becomes fermentable. The greater the percentage of fermentable sugar (glucose) in the juice, the higher will be the percentage of alcohol, provided all things are equally favourable; therefore, from the following table, a very shrewd guess may be made at the relative wine-producing values of various fruits:

Grapes (Hot-house)

Percentage of glucose. ... 17-26

Percentage of sucrose.

Apples

... 12-63

2-19

Figs (Black)

... 11-55

Cherries (Black) ...

... 10-00

Grapes (Out-door)...

... 9-42

Pears

... 8-42

0-36

Cherries (White) ...

... 8-25

Currants (White) ...

... 6-40

Strawberries

... 5-86

Raspberries

... 5-22

201

Oranges

... 4-36

4-22

Greengages

... 4-33

1-23

Apricots

... 2-74

6-04

Pineapples...

... 1-98

11-33

Peaches

.. 1-07

0-92

Lemons

... 1-06

0-41

Other juices might be mentioned from which wine can be produced, such as that of blackberries, black currants, elderberries, rhubarb, and parsnip; and those flowers which have no wine-making juice, but provide flavour and ferment only, such as cowslip and primrose, in which the proportion of glucose varies considerably. In order to bring these up to the necessary standard, the addition of a proportion of glucose naturally suggests itself, but, unfortunately, there has not yet appeared in the market a glucose sufficiently pure for wine-making, so that there is no alternative but to add pure cane sugar, such as loaf, crystallised, or sugar-candy. This cane sugar undergoes changes when in solution with the juice of the fruit that converts it by a simple process into glucose, i.e., fermentable sugar.

The first care of the wine-maker is to prepare the juice, or liquor, commonly called the must. In the case of fresh fruit or vegetables this is done by expressing, in which case a strong wooden press, such as is described under Cider, is invaluable.

Should only a small quantity of wine be contemplated, and such a press not be available, then a method of twist

Fic. 213. Squeezing Juice out or Fruit by Twisting Towel.

ing in a towel (see Fig. 213) may be found sufficiently efficacious.

Dried fruits, such as raisins and grocers' currants, yield their wine-making qualities to maceration in warm water, and flowers give up all that they possess of any value to boiling and infusing.

The next step is to ascertain the saccharine value of

British Wines — continued.

the must, and this can only be effected by a saccharometer. Should this register 12deg., a very good percentage of alcohol may be expected, and anything below that, the alcohol will be in proportion. Having settled this to your satisfaction, by adding more sugar if the saccharine degree is too low, or more water — called “ liquor ” — if, in your estimation, the saccharine degree is too high, put the must into a barrel standing upright on a stand, with a tap set in it about Gin. from the

Fig. 214. Domestic Ferme.nting-tun.

head upon which it is resting (see Fig. 214). This tun should be located in a covered chamber where it will be possible to regulate the warmth of the air and keep it at about 78deg. to BOdeg. Fahr. Lay the cover (a mat does very well) over, and in the course of a day or two a creamy froth will appear on the surface, and then bubbling will quickly follow, and continue until fermentation subsides. As ‘fermentation proceeds, the fruitfibre that is certain to be floating in the juice will rise to the top and form a sort of “ head ” or “ cap.” This should be occasionally pressed down under the fluid.

When fermentation has subsided, the wine should be drawn off into clean casks, and bunged down, when it will usually clear itself; but in some cases artificial clarification is advisable. Let these casks be stored in a moderately warm cellar, and in the course of a few months the wine, which always improves with keeping, will be ready for bottling.

As regards setting up fermentation, it may be explained that the juices of all fresh fruits, and some dried ones, carry their own ferments, and only require a suitable temperature (78deg. Fahr.) to start by themselves; but others, such as rhubarb or parsnip wine, require some assistance, and it is then advisable to stir up in the must some fresh yeast, or purified German yeast ( see Yeast), to the extent of, say, pint of fresh yeast, or diluted German, to the 36galls. of must. The result is in this way attained more expeditiously and certainly.

Information on all other subjects connected with winemaking, clarifying, storing, bottling, &c., will be found under the specific heads, and also receipts for special wines, together with any variations of the process of manufacture that are advocated by experienced wineproducers.

BROAD BEANS. — See Beans.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, sec under their special heads.

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BROCCOIiI ( Fr. Brocoli). — Of all the Cabbage tribe (Brassica oleracea ) there are none so highly esteemed by cooks as this sub-variety of the cauliflower B. o. botrytis). As its name indicates, it is of Italian origin, and is known in that favoured country as (singular) broccolo, (plural) broccoli, which has doubtless led to the confusion of tongues between the educated classes — who style it persistently, whether singular or plural, “ broccoli,”— and the uneducated masses — who call it “ brockilo,” — both being equally right and wrong. Broccoli is much hardier than cauliflower, and its chief varieties are the green, purple, and dwarf kinds, although there are as many as thirteen cultivated by our market-gardeners. In the culture of no vegetable has so marked and rapid an improvement taken place as in that of Broccoli. A hard white variety of recent production is considered of much finer flavour as well as of handsomer appearance than either the green or

the purple (see Fig. 215). Broccoli are in season throughout the winter, and the earliest spring crop follows so closely upon the winter growth that no cessation need take place in the supply, and only does so because of the abundance of other vegetables during two or three months of the year. It is more costly to cultivate than cabbage, wherefore its price is not likely to fall to that level. The head should be large, round, flattish on top, and the flower as close and white as foam.

Boiled Broccoli. — (1) Remove the outer leaves, wash the flowers well in salt and water, and put them in a saucepan of boiling water with a lump of salt, but do not put the lid on. Boil for ten or fifteen minutes, according to size. When done, they should be drained at once, or they will go a bad colour. Serve with melted butter.

(2) American Style. — Soak the Broccoli for an hour in salted water, put into hot water, and boil till half done, after which add as much milk as there is water, and finish cooking. Cut it up, and season with butter, pepper, and salt; or serve whole with vinegar.

Boiled Broccoli served with Buttered Eggs. — Put three heads of Broccoli, one larger than the others, into a pan of salted water, and soak them for about an hour to remove the worms or insects, if any; then put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and cook for about fifteen minutes with the lid off. In the meantime, put jdb. of butter into a saucepan, warm it, and mix in half a-dozen well-beaten eggs, working well until the mixture has the consistence of cream. Have ready several slices of toasted or fried bread, put them close together on a dish, pour over the egg mixture, place the large Broccoli on the top in the centre, and the other two cut up in pieces and used as a garnish. Serve very hot. Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese. — Well wash a Broccoli, trim it, and boil it in plenty of hot water, with a little salt, being careful not to boil it too much; about ten minutes

Broccoli — continued.

will do it. When the stem is soft, it is done; then put it on a hair sieve to drain. When quite cold, cut it up neatly and carefully, put the roughest pieces on a flat buttered dish, so as to form a foundation, sprinkle with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg, and cover it well with grated Parmesan cheese; put the remaining pieces on the top, add more pepper, salt, and nutmeg, cover with grated Parmesan, then add a few baked breadcrumbs, and pour over all a little warmed butter. Bake from fifteen to twenty minutes in a quick ayen, and serve.

Broccoli with White Sauce. — (1) Take a couple of Broccoli, cut off the stalks and leaves close, and put them head downwards into a saucepan full of boiling salted water. When done, heat a pudding-basin, pick the Broccoli out into sprigs, and arrange them in it head downwards. Press them in gently, turn them out on a dish, and pour over the following sauce boiling hot: Put into a saucepan 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, let it melt, and mix with it 1 table-spoonful of flour, adding i pint of boiling water; stir till it thickens, then put salt and white pepper to taste; take the saucepan off the fire, and stir in the yolks of two eggs beaten up with the juice of a lemon and strained.

(2) Cut off all the green leaves, and wash well, taking care to remove all insects, which are often found near the heart, and leave the Broccoli in cold water for about an hour; then throw it into boiling water, with a little salt and butter. This vegetable is soon cooked; but if you wish to use it underdone, remove it from the fire when only half done, for if left in, the water will soon finish it. Drain, and put in a dish with white sauce over it, as for No. 1.

(3) Wash well, and throw into cold water as before, with plenty of salt over them; put them into a saucepan with hot salt and water, and boil till the stalks are tender. The heads should not be too large, and the best are close and firm. When done, arrange some well-shaped Brussels sprouts upon the crest of a border of mashed potatoes, and set the Broccoli in the centre; pour over white sauce as for No. 1, and serve very hot.

Pickled Broccoli. — The Broccoli should not be quite ripe, but they should be large, white, and very close. Cut off all the outside pieces and green leaves; then partially boil the Broccoli in salt and water with a little white vinegar in it to keep the flower white. When well drained, separate the branches into convenient-sized pieces, and put them in a jar. Boil in a lined saucepan 1 pint of white vinegar, 1 tablespoonful of salt, loz. of whole ginger, and 1 teaspoonful of peppercorns; after a few minutes’ boiling, let it cool, and pour over the Broccoli when cold. This pickle must be increased in quantity according to the amount of Broccoli to be pickled.

BROCHAN. — Scotch for “ porridge.”

BROCHE. — Fr. for the “ spit,” or sharp-pointed rod of iron upon which poultry and meat are threaded to be roasted before the fire. Hence the term d la broche signifies roasted. The lady’s “ brooch ” derives its name from this word, the pin representing the spit.

BROCHETTES. — Fr. for small strips of wood, skewers, iron rods, or straws, upon which little delicacies, such as candied fruits, are strung. See Aiguillettes. Brochettes of Candied Emits and Pastes. — All kinds of half-dried preserved fruits, such as cherries, small plums, sliced pine-apple, &c., or different kinds of fruit pastes, stamped out small and dried, may be used; pierce these through with a large-sized bradawl, then run them upon straws (or delicatelycut splinters of wood will serve the same purpose); about lin. space should be loft between each piece. Wire or wooden rests must be placed in the candying-pan to keep the Brochettes from going to the bottom, which is not desirable, and the method of Candying; is precisely the same as described under that head.

Receipts for Savoury Brochettes will be found under Eels, Lamb, Lobsters, Oysters, Sheep's Kidneys, and Turkeys.

BRODCHEN. — Ger. for “little bread”; hence brod chen comes to signify “ sandwich.”

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred fo, see under their special heads.

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203

BROGLIO. — One of the fine wines of Tuscany, not altogether unknown in this country.

BROILING. — This culinary term is derived from the French bruler — to burn; but as French cooks give to the verb bruler its literal meaning of “ to burn,” and substitute griller for “to broil” or “ grill,” it will be more convenient to treat the process under the head of Grilling. It may be mentioned here that since the introduction of closed stoves, broiling before the fire has almost gone out of date as a culinary process, although for cooking some articles, such as rashers of bacon, it is not satisfactorily superseded. Pot-broiling is described elsewhere.

BROSE.— The meaning of this term is not clearly defined, but as it is universally admitted to be a Scotch dish, and prepared by rubbing oatmeal down in water, it is just possible that it may be the past participle of “ to bray,” as in a mortar. However that may be, there are receipts to be met with in which a variety of ground pulse is used. Some of these will be found hereunder.

Atliole Brose. — Put 1 table-spoonful of ground oatmeal into a small jug, and stir it about in nearly a tumblerful of cold water. Put 1 table-spoonful of honey into a large bowl, and add by degrees a little of the water off the meal until it is about the thickness of cream and about 1 dessertspoonful of milk, stirring it well; add next 3 wineglassfuls of whisky toddy, stirring all well together. Turn the Brose into a clean bowl, leaving the grounds and coarse honey at the bottom, put it into glasses, and hand round with oatmeal cakes. A bowl of hot gruel and a glass of Athole Brose taken at bedtime are a specific for a cold.

Brose. — Put 2 table-spoonfuls of oatmeal into a basin, add a little salt and a small piece of butter, pour in sufficient boiling water to cover the meal, and stir it well with the shank of a spoon. Do not beat out all the lumps, as they are considered an improvement. Add sufficient sweet milk to taste.

Cadger's Brose is the same as Brose, with this exception, that all the lumps are rubbed smooth.

Kale Brose, — This is made by putting a handful or two of oatmeal into a basin, and adding a little salt and pepper to taste. Pour on this sufficient boiling green-kale broth to make it nicely thick.

Peas Brose. — The best pea-meal only must be used for this. Put 2 table-spoonfuls of it into a basin with a sprinkle of salt to taste, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. Put i pint of water in a stewpan on the fire, and when it boils pour in the meal, and stir it with the handle of a spoon until it is of such thickness that a spoon will stand up in it. To be eaten with sweet milk.

Scotch. Brose. — Boil a neck of mutton in 2qts. of water for a couple of hours, having previously removed as much of the fat as possible. Skim well, and when done cut off the scrag end, divide it into several pieces, and return it to the broth; then add two or three sliced carrots, onions, turnips, and celery, a sprig of parsley, pepper and salt to taste, 1 teacupful of split peas, and 6 table-spoonfuls of pearl barley, both of the latter being previously steeped in tepid water. Cut the best end of the neck into chops, exactly as if for frying, put them in soon after the vegetables, and simmer the whole well until tender. In serving there should be a chop for each person.

Scotch Fat Brose. — Take an ox or a sheep’s head, or a shin of beef will do, and boil until all the fat is out and floating on the top. Toast some oatmeal before the fire or in the oven, and put 1 teacupful of it, seasoned with a little salt, into a basin; pour over it about pint of the broth, fat and all, stir it quickly as you pour it on, leaving the oatmeal in lumps, as the more there are the better it is considered.

BROTH (Fr. Bouillon, Consomme; It. Brodo; Sp. Brodio, Calclo; Ger. Fleisclibruhe). — This good old AngloSaxon name for a brew of meat, from briwan — to brew, brot — brewed, appears to be likely to die out and give place to the more exquisite Consomme; but it is just

Broth — con tinued.

possible that it may in this country survive the attack made upon it, as our “ soup ” appears to survive the intrusion of “ potage.” But the term “ Broth ” as at present used is somewhat indefinite, being often applied to the mere

Fig. 216. Broth-napkin Stretched on Frame.

liquor in which meat has been boiled, which the French cook calls “ bouillon ”; and some difficulty appears to be in the way of its distinction, when flavoured, from soup. Perhaps the more convenient definition will be that Broth ranges from simply the water in which meat has

Fig. 217. Adaptation of Kitchen Chairs for Stretching Brothnapkin.

been boiled to a flavoured consomme, and soup consists of Broth and other things in a more highly finished state of seasoning. Before the introduction of foreign culinary terms, the distinction was readily drawn, because the

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, d:c., referred to, sec under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Broth — continued.

number of receipts for its preparation were few; but since French cookery has become popular in this country, a vast array has been brought before us, so that it has become more difficult to distinguish Broths from soups or consommes from potages. Bouillon stands almost by itself, and thus, according to our Continental chef, we have Bouillon — a weak Broth; Consomme — a finished or seasoned Broth; Potage — a soup requiring much skill in compounding. A Broth-napkin stretched on frame is shown at Fig. 216, while Fig. 217 illustrates a ready method of stretching a Broth-napkin. When cold the

cakes of fat should be removed with a skimmer (see Fig. 218), and put in a pot for future culinary uses.

Put 61b. of beef in a stockpot with a knuckle of veal and half a fowl, cover with plenty of water, and let it come to the boil slowly, removing the scum as it rises to the top, so that it may be quite clear; when boiling, put into the liquid a head of celery, three small carrots, three leeks, three turnips, and two onions, one of these having been stuck with four cloves. Move the stockpot to the side of the fire, and let the contents simmer gently for four hours; at the end of that time skim all the fat off the Broth with a skimmer (see Fig. 218), and put in a lump of salt. It is then ready for use.

Broth in Eorty Minutes. — Put into a stewpan 41b. of lean meat from a leg of beef, previously cutting it into small squares, taking care to remove all fat and skin; put 2 qts. of cold water to every pound of meat, and then add a few minced vegetables, such as carrots, leeks, celery roots, and onions, 1 pinch of chervil, a few peppercorns, cloves, and, if handy, a few backs or trimmings of either raw or cooked fowl can be added. Put the pan over the fire, stirring from time to time, and when beginning to boil, move the pan back so as to let it simmer gently. Twenty minutes after, drain the Broth through a moistened cloth, and clear it of its fat.

Broth in an Hour. — Let lib. of lean beef cut into pieces, with chopped onions and carrots, and a few thin slices of bacon, simmer in a stewpan in half a tumbler of water for a quarter-of-an-hour. When it begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add lqt. of boiling water, with 1 pinch of salt, and boil three-quarters-of-an-hour; then strain, and use. Broth with Macaroni. — Boil lib. of good macaroni till nearly done; then strain, and put it into a rich stock Broth to boil. When well done, serve, with grated Parmesan cheese separately in a dish.

Broth Banacla. — Pour 1 pint of Broth into a stewpan with 2 table-spoonfuls of crumbled crusts of bread, put it on the fire, and boil from forty-five to sixty minutes, stirring it all the time, and adding ioz. of butter and salt to taste. A little celery flavour added is usually appreciated.

Broth Thickened with Eggs. — Many an invalid will be thankful to Ude for the following: Take sufficient good

game or fowl consomme, and to every 5 pint add the yolk

' of one egg; beat in and thicken it with a little flour. If

it is wanted to set so as to turn out in a shape, use two

yolks of eggs to each 5 pint, butter the moulds, put the

Broth in, and boil in the bain-marie till hard; then turn them out on a dish. Thicken some more consomme with the yolks of two eggs, and pour over as a sauce.

Cheap Broth. — Clean and wash a sheep's head, remove the brains and tongue, put it in a stewpan with sufficient water and a little salt, and boil for ten minutes, when it will be quite clean. Pour off the water, and add lgall. of fresh water, lib. of the scrag end of the neck of mutton cut into small pieces, a dozen peppercorns, half-a-dozen onions, 2

Broth — continued.

table-spoonfuls of pearl barley, and salt to taste. Place this over the fire or stove, and -when it boils skim it carefully; then put on the cover, and simmer very gently for six hours. A little warm water should be added now and then, to make up for that which boils away. When done, pass it through a conical strainer, and squeeze the pearl barley and onions through a sieve to make them fine. Skim off the fat, moisten a little flour in a small quantity of the Broth, and pour it in to thicken it; then boil up again, and serve very hot.

Invalid Broth. — Chop up a handful or so each of well-washed chervil, sorrel, beet-leaves, and purslane, and the leaves of two large lettuces, and put them into a saucepan with 1 breakfast-cupful of boiling water; bring the water once more to the boil, put on the lid, remove the pan from the fire, and let it stand for twenty minutes. Add a little salt and 2 oz. of butter, stir well until melted, strain through a fine sieve, and use as desirde.

Maigre Broth. — Cut into slices ten carrots, turnips, and onions, put them into a saucepan with two lettuces, two sticks of celery, one parsnip, half a cabbage, all cut up, and a little chervil; mix in 8 oz. of butter and 2 breakfastcupfuls of water, cover over the pan, and cook until nearly all the liquor is absorbed or evaporated. Half fill the pan with boiling water, add two or three cloves, lqt. of green peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil for three or four hours, strain the Broth into a tureen, and serve.

Nutritive Broth. — (1) Cut 61b. of meat off a shoulder of beef, take away the bones, and divide the meat into square pieces about 6 oz. each; put these in a saucepan, and moisten with 8 qts. or lOqts. of cold water; set the saucepan on the fire, add a little salt, skim the fat off, garnish with vegetables, and let it simmer gently. Two hours later, add to it a bone of roasted beef, or that of a leg of mutton. When the meat is done, pour the Broth through a napkin, and skim the fat off.

(2) Chop into small pieces 41b. of the scrag end of a neck of mutton, take away all the fat, and put the meat into a saucepan with 6 pints of water. When it boils, skim and stand it aside to simmer for an hour. Chop into small pieces a turnip and a small head of celery, add 1 teacupful of washed rice, and let the Broth simmer for two or three hours. Skim off all fat, and season with salt and pepper.

(3) Put in a stockpot half a chicken, a knuckle of veal, and about 61b. of lean beef; cover with cold water, and boil it slowly, skimming it well. Add two onions (one stuck with three cloves), three turnips, two carrots, and one head of celery, and simmer gently for four hours. When done, add a little salt, skim again, strain, and serve.

Pectoral Broth. — Pluck, singe, and draw an old fowl, cut it into quarters, clean the feet, crop, liver, and wings, and put them all into a stockpot together with a little marsh-mallow root, which any herb-chemist will supply; add 2 handfuls of best pearl barley well washed in two or three waters, and cover with cold water. Let this boil gently for three hours, strain through a cloth, and serve. The addition of 1 tablespoonful of rum improves this Broth.

Refreshing' Broth. — Divide an old fowl into four parts, cut a small knuckle of veal into small pieces, put both in a stockpot, sprinkle a little salt over the top, add 4qts. of cold water, and put it over the fire till it boils; then skim, and move it on one side. Put in a carrot, a piece of turnip, two leeks, and 1 teacupful of well-washed pearl barley, and let it simmer gently for an hour; then add two small whole onions that have been browned in the oven, three fresh wellwashed cabbage lettuces, and let it simmer for another hour; then add a pinch of chervil; half-an-liour later, skim off all the fat, and strain through a damp cloth.

Rich Broth. — First truss, and then roast two fowls before a sharp fire, so that they may be browned before being more than half cooked. Put them into a saucepan with 61b. of gravy beef, 41b. of leg of veal, and 7qts. of stock, and place on the fire to boil; then skim, and add lib. of salt, three or four carrots, and four leeks. Let it simmer at the side of the fire for four hours; then strain, take off the fat carefully, and clarify the Broth with fillets of the fowls, reserved for the purpose. Strain again through a Broth-napkin into a basin, and keep in a cool place till wanted.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dc., referred to, sec under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

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Broth — co ntinued.

Scotch Broth. — (1) Put into a saucepan 21b. of tlie scraggy part of a neck of mutton; cut the meat from the bones into small pieces, and remove all the fat; add one large turnip, one carrot, one onion, a stalk of celery (all cut line), 1 teacupful of pearl barley, and 3 pints of cold water, and simmer for two hours. Put the bones in 1 pint of water, simmer two hours, and strain upon the Broth. Cook 1 table-spoonful each of flour and butter together until perfectly smooth, stir into the Broth, and add 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(2) Wash well 2 table-spoonfuls of pearl barley, and soak overnight in cold water. Scrape 21b. of the neck of mutton from the bones and cut the meat up into -Jin. squares, wiping with a clean wet cloth, and removing the fat and skin. Put the bones on to boil in 1 pint of cold water, and the meat in another vessel with 3 pints. Boil the latter quickly, and skim carefully just as it begins to boil. When the scum is white, add the barley, and skim again. Take 1 teacupful each of cut carrot, onion, turnip, and celery, fry them five minutes in 1 table-spoonful of butter, and add them to the meat, simmering- until the meat and barley are tender. Strain the water in which the bones have simmered. Put 1 tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of flour, and when warm beat smooth with a spoon; add the strained bone Broth gradually and stir into the meat Broth, adding 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1 saltspoonful of white pepper, and 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley. Simmer ten minutes, and serve without straining.

(3) Put in a saucepan lb. of well-washed pearl barley and 51b. to Gib. of neck of mutton, and cover with 5qts. of cold water; let this come to the boil, and then leave it to simmer for half-an-hour. Then add two each of turnips, carrots, onions or leeks, and a head of celery cut up small, and if available i pint or so of dried green peas, and simmer twohours-and-a-half longer. Skim the fat off as it rises. The meat may be served separately, if desired, with vegetables round it, and the Broth in a tureen.

(4) Put 31b. of the scrag end of a neck of mutton in a pan, and cover with 2qts. of cold water; add one onion, one small turnip, a little parsley, a little thyme, and not quite a teacupful of rice; a carrot and a little celery added will give a nice flavour. When boiling, skim carefully; then cover the pan and let it simmer for two hours. Do not cut the vegetables too small. Serve very hot.

(5) Cut up a shoulder of mutton into pieces, wash them well in warm water, and then put in a stockpot; sprinkle a little salt over, pour in 8 or 9 pints of cold water, and set it on the stove to boil. When it boils, skim, place the pot on one side to simmer, put in whole a root of celex-y, two large carrots, one turnip, 1 teacupful of well-washed pearl barley, two or three cloves, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, and let it simmer for two-hours-and-a-half; then take the mutton and vegetables out of the stockpot, strain the Broth through a damp cloth, and let it cool. Fry in butter the white of two leeks; when done, put them in 2qts. of the mutton Broth, and boil; boil also separately 1 breakfastcupful of well-washed pearl barley in salted water; cut the carrots, turnip, and celery-root into squares, and add all these and the barley to the Broth, with the meat, also cut in squares; simmer for a few minutes, and serve in a tureen, with a pinch of chopped parsley to float on top.

(6) Trim two necks of mutton and put them in a saucepan with 4qts. of water, the breast bones and trimmings, two onions (with two cloves stuck in one), a little salt and pepper, and boil slowly for three hours. After an-hour-and-ahalf’s boiling, take out both the necks and put them on a dish to cool. Boil j lb. of well-washed pearl barley in some water, with a little butter and salt. Blanch and cut in small squares a small carrot, a turnip, two leeks, one head of white celery, and jib. of onions; fry them in fib. of butter for five minutes, stirring all the time; then add 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, and mix all with the Broth. Warm up vei-y hot and serve.

Stock or First Broth— (1) Take some pieces of beef, such as the rump or breast, put in a saucepan with some cold water, simmer gently, and skim off all fat and scum. Add a little cold water to bring the white scum to the top. Put in one or two heads of celery, a few turnips, carrots, leeks, and four large onions (sticking five cloves in one of the onions),

Broth — continued.

add 1 table-spoonful of salt, and simmer for five hours. Remove all the fat off the top, and strain through a gravy strainer.

(2) This Broth can be made with all sorts of meat, as well as veal or poulti-y. Put in a stockpot a knuckle of veal, a piece of beef (buttock or any other kind), the trimmings of meat or fowl, accoi-ding to the quantity of Broth required. Cover with about £ pint of water, and add two or three green onions and a bunch of parsley. When you have let them stand for a short time until no blood appears when the meat is cut, fill up with boiling water or bouillon, and simmer for four hours. When the Broth remains on the fire too long it loses flavour, and tastes sti-ong and disagreeable. Take off all scum that rises to the top.

Tea-kettle Broth. — This meagre Broth is made by putting into a basin some small pieces of thin toast, over which are sprinkled a little salt and a dust of pepper; then put in the basin a piece of butter the size of a pigeon’s egg, and 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of good ci-eam. The rest is loft to the tea-kettle, and the basin may be filled as full as desired with the hot water from it. Serve hot.

Turkish Broth. — Thoroughly wash between 51b. and Gib. of knuckle of veal or slices of beef, put it in a saucepan with two or three onions peeled and cut in quarters, a stick of celery cut into small pieces, a lump of salt, and from 3qts. to 4qts. of water. Put the saucepan over the fire until the water boils, then move it to the side, and skim well. Let it simmer till the meat separates from the bones. Strain the Broth through a fine hair sieve, and keep it in a basin for use.

Vegetable Broth. — Boil in lqt. of water two sliced potatoes, one carrot, one turnip, and one onion, for about an hour, taking care to keep up the original quantity by adding water from time to time; flavour with salt and a small portion of sweet herbs, and then strain. A small quantity of mushroom ketchup is a desirable addition.

Welsh Broth. — Put the Broth from a boiled leg of pork, mutton, or piece of beef, into a saucepan with 21b. or 31b. of scrag of mutton, and any pieces or trimmings of cooked or uncooked meat, a few bones, and 1 cowheel or ox-tail, pouring in water to make up the required quantity of liquor. Set the saucepan on the side of the fire, or in a slow oven, and cook gently for aboxxt four hours. Add a large onion, two carrots, and two turnips, cut in pieces, and cook for another hour-and-a-half; add 1 table-spoonful of moist sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and sufficient oatmeal to give the Broth the thickness of gruel. Strain the Broth through a coarse sieve into another saucepan, make it quite hot, pour it into a soup-tureen, and serve.

White Broth (Bouillon Blanc). — (1) Put in a stockpot some veal-bones, the giblets of one or two chickens, and two knuckles of veal; sprinkle a little salt over them, pour in 4qts. or 5qts. of water, and let it simmer for half-an-hour; then skim, and add one carrot, a little celei'y, a small piece of turnip, two leeks, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Simmer gently till the meat is done, then strain. When cold, remove the flakes of fat, and keep ready for use.

(2) Place in a large stock-urn on a moderate fire a good heavy knuckle of fine white veal, with all the debris or scraps of meat, including bones (but not of game), remaining in the kitchen; cover fully with cold water, and add a handful of salt. As it comes to the boil be very careful to skim off all the scum — no particle should be left in — and then put in two lai'ge, sound, well-scraped carrots (whole), one whole cleaned sound turnip, one whole peeled lai'ge sound onion, one well-cleaned parsley root, three roughlywashed leeks, and a few stalks of cleaned celei'y. Boil very slowly for six hours on the corner of the range, skim the grease off cleanly, then strain well through a wet cloth into a china bowl or a stone jar, and put it away in a cool place for general use. This Broth can bo used for general cooking purposes.

See also Fish, Fowl (for Chicken), Jelly, Mutton, Rabbit, Semolina, Yeal, &c.

BBiOUILLBS. — F rench for dishes that are mashed and mixed up, as “ scrambled eggs.”

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, i be., referred to, see under their special heads.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

BROUSSA TEA. — Tlie leaves of a plant known as Vaccinium Arctostapliylos, after being dried and slightly heated, are in some parts of North America much used as a substitute for tea, and occasionally find their way into teas which reach this market.

BROUSSE— The French name for a sort of cheese obtained by boiling the whey of milk. It is the Brousso, or Bronco, of Provence, and the Corsican’s Braccio, and is made as follows:

Curdle new milk with rennet, and strain the whey from the curds. The curds are made at once into cheese, but the whey is converted into Brousse by boiling. A sort of coagulation ensues which rises to the surface like a cream, is skimmed off, and put into a mould to drain. It is very delicate, and will only keep good for a few hours.

BROWN BETTY. — “ This is English cousin of the Continental charlotte,” says Kettner, bread-and-butter and apples being largely concerned in the production of each; but there can be little doubt that the more elegant name has entirely superseded the commoner, at any rate at the table of the aristocrat.

Pare, core, and slice a dozen large apples, and grate up the crumb of a half-quartern stale loaf. Put a layer of the breadcrumbs on the bottom of a large pie-dish, and over that a layer of sliced apples, brown sugar, small pieces of butter, and a slight grating of lemon- and orange-peel. More crumbs, fruit, sugar, butter, and zest until the dish is nearly full. Pour in a small teacupful of water, and then cover over the top with thin slices of bread-and-butter without crusts. Bake slowly, and shortly before removing it from the oven as done, dust freely over the top with caster sugar, and replace in the oven to finish and glaze. Served with cream this is delicious. Brown Betty may also be made with pounded rusks soaked in milk instead of breadcrumbs. A few drops of maraschino scattered between the layers improves the flavour greatly.

BROWN SAUCE. — See Sauces.

BROWNING-. — A preparation used to colour sauces and gravies. If made properly it should also add to the flavour of soups and other savoury dishes. Several receipts are given for its preparation, but the following may be considered about the best. Some of them are used as sauces.

(1) Melt 11b. of brown sugar and loz. of butter in a

frying-pan with 1 table-spoonful of water, and continue to heat it until the whole has turned to a deep brown; the heat may then be lowered a little, and some port wine (about 1 pint) gradually poured in; the pan must then be removed from the stove, and the mixture well stirred until the roasted sugar is entirely dissolved. Then put it into a bottle, and add £ oz. each of bruised pimento and black pepper, five or six shallots cut small, a little mace and finelygrated lemon-peel, and I pint of mushroom ketchup. The

bottle must be shaken daily for a week, and the clear liquid, after macerating for five or six days, strained off into another bottle. Beer or water may be used instead of wine, and 1 wineglassful of spirit may be added, after bottling, to keep it.

(2) One pint of sugar-colouring, lib. of salt, £ pint of mushroom ketchup, and mixed spice to taste, make a very good Browning for ordinary purposes.

(3) Put 2lb. of sugar in lb. of salad-oil, and heat to colour; then add a bottle of port wine, three bottles of sherry, 6oz. of shallots, ilb. cf mixed spice, 3oz. of black pepper, loz. of mace, lib. of salt, 1 pint of lemon-juice, and lqt. of ketchup, leave for some days to macerate; then strain into another bottle.

(4) Take lqt. each of sugar colouring and mushroom ketchup, loz. each of Jamaica pepper, black pepper, and shallots, loz. each of cloves, cassia, and mace, bruised, and boil in a large stewpan for a few minutes; then macerate for two or three weeks, and strain. Chilli vinegar and British brandy or rum are frequently added to this.

(5) Put Bb. of finely-powdered sugar into a frying-pan with loz. of butter, place the pan on the fire, and mix well

Browning — continued.

together; when it begins to froth, take it off the fire. When it becomes of a dark brown colour pour in 1 pint of red wine, a little at a time, keeping it well stirred; then add i teaspoonful of pepper, four shallots, two blades of mace, six cloves, and a little salt. Boil it slowly for about ten minutes, let it get cold, and then skim it. This should be put into bottles and well corked down, when it will keep for a long time.

(6) Put 2oz. of sugar in a stewpan and place it on the fire; stir it frequently so as not to let it burn, and very slowly add 1 breakfast-cupful of water. When all the sugar is dissolved, put it in bottles.

Pea-shell Browning for Soups, &c,— Take a small quantity of shells (after the peas have been taken out), put a layer of them on a baking-sheet, put this in a slow oven, and bake them brown, but do not burn them. These shells must be added to soup or broth while boiling, when they will not only make the broth a nice colour, but will improve the flavour.

BRUNOISE, — This is the French title for a sort of Julienne soup, made with carrots, turnips, and celery, and a variety of other vegetables.

Brunoise. — Pare and cut into small squares three mediumsized carrots, one turnip, half an onion, and two leeks; put these with 2oz. of butter in a covered saucepan for a few moments, moisten with 3 pints of broth, and season with

1 table-spoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of pepper; cook for three-quarters-of-an-hour, and then add a handful of c-hiffonade. When ready, serve with a few slices of toasted bread.

Brunoise with. Rice. — The same as for Brunoise, adding a teacupful of uncooked rice about twenty minutes before serving. Taste to see if sufficiently seasoned, and serve. Brunoise with Sorrel. — The same as Brunoise, adding

2 good handfuls of chopped sorrel about two minutes before serving.

BRUNSWICK CAKE.— See Cakes. BRUNSWICK SALAD. — See Salads.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS (B rassica oleracea bullata gemmifera). — Although these tasty little vegetables are

Fig. 219. Plant of Brussels Sprouts.

of the great cabbage family, they are so exceptional in many respects that they merit independent treatment. They are a sub-variety of the savoy cabbage, and grow

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

207

Brussels Sprouts — continued. with an elongated stem (see Fig. 219), from which sprout out small green heads like miniature cabbages (see Fig. 220).

The usual mode of cooking is boiling, but the French cook tosses them afterwards in butter and seasoning

Fig. 220. Brussels Sr routs.

such as pepper and nutmeg, over a hot fire. They constitute a very elegant garnish, and are much used for that purpose.

Belgian Puree. — Blanch 1 pint of fresh Brussels Sprouts in salted water, drain them, and cook them for a few minutes in a saucepan with a small quantity of butter. Take them out, put them into a mortar, and sprinkle over salt and pepper to taste; pound well, mix them up with a little piece of butter and two or three yolks of eggs, and rub the mixture through a very fine sieve. Put 6oz. of butter into a saucepan over the fire, and when it is melted mix in 2 table -spoonfuls of flour, and cook for a few minutes, taking care not to let the flour get discoloured. Pour over the required quantity of good broth, stir well until it boils, remove the pan to the side, skim frequently, and let it stand for twenty-five minutes or so until it is quite clear. Strain it into another saucepan, boil up once more, and add the puree; when the broth is thick, sweeten it slightly, add a small piece of butter, turn the whole into a tureen, and serve.

Boiled Brussels Sprouts. — (1) About 21b. make a good dish. Wash well in salted water, and pick them over. Put on the fire a saucepan full of water, with some salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda; when boiling, put in the sprouts, leave the lid off, and let them boil fast till quite tender — i.e., about twenty minutes. When done, drain and dry them in a cloth. Put into a large saute-pan 2oz. of butter, a little salt and pepper, and toss the sprouts in this till they are quite hot again; but do not lot them fry. Sometimes they are served on a quartered round of buttered toast.

(2) Wash and boil as for No. 1. When half-done, strain off the water, put in 1 teaspoonful of fresh butter, toss them gently, but do not stir them. Make a sauce with f pint of beef gravy, and bring it to the boil; then mix 1 teaspoonful of flour or arrowroot in a little cold water, work it smooth, and add 1 teacupful of brown sauce. Stir in with the gravy, and boil up. Pour this into the pan with the sprouts. Keep them closely covered, and when dishing up squeeze a little lemon-juice over them.

Brussels Sprouts a la MSitre d'Hotel. — Boil a sufficient quantity of sprouts; put them into a stewpan with a large piece of butter, and let them heat. Put jib. of fresh butter in a pan with 2 table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley, the juice of two lemons, teaspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of white pepper; mix well together with a spatula, and whilst boiling stir it quickly, and sauce over the sprouts on the dish, or sauce them in layers as you pile them up.

Brussels Sprouts Tried in Butter. — Put the required quantity of sprouts into a bowl of slightly-salted water, wash them thoroughly, put them into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil them. Take them out when tender, drain

Brussels Sprouts— continued.

and squeeze out all the water, put them into a frying-pan with butter, and fry them. Put them into a vegetable-dish, dredge them over with salt and pepper, and serve.

Brussels Sprouts for Garnish. — The pretty diminutive cabbage-like appearance of these vegetables render them exceptionally suitable for garnishing many sorts of dishes. Boil for a-quarter-of-an-hour lib. of picked, washed, and drained Brussels Sprouts in 4qts. of water with ioz. of salt, and drain them on a clean cloth. Melt ioz. of butter in a frying-pan, and toss the sprouts for a couple of minutes, sprinkling them with a little salt and grated nutmeg.

Brussels Sprouts Sautes. — (1) Wash and boil lib. of Brussels Sprouts, put them in a pan, toss them over a sharp fire with a piece of butter the size of a fowl’s egg, and 1 pinch of salt, for eight minutes. Sprinkle over it 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley, and serve when done.

(2) Wash and boil for about twenty minutes in salted water a sufficient quantity; when done, drain them, and put them into a stewpan with lb. of butter, a little salt and pepper, 1 table-spoonful of brown sugar, and the juice of a lemon to every vegetable-dishful. Pile them upon the dish, and serve hot.

Brussels Sprouts Sautes au Beurre. — Pare neatly, and pick off the outer dead leaves of lib. of Brussels Sprouts; wash them thoroughly, drain, and cook them in boiling salted water for seven minutes. Drain, and cool in cold water; drain them once more, and then throw them into a saute-pan containing 2oz. of butter. Season with J pinch each of salt and pepper, adding 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, cook slightly for five minutes, and serve.

Brussels Sprouts Sautes a la Creme. — Pare, pick, and blanch lib. of sprouts. When well drained, put them into a saute-pan with 2 table-spoonfuls of veloute sauce; season

Fig. 221. Brussels Sprouts Sautes 1 la Creme.

with £ pinch of salt and 1 pinch each of pepper and nutmeg, and add breakfast-cupful of sweet cream. Let them heat, but not boil, for five minutes, tossing them frequently. Dress on a hot dish, and serve (see Fig. 221).

Brussels Sprouts en Turban with Cucumbers. — Get three fresh cucumbers, cut them in pieces about 2in. long, peel each separately, then cut off the outside flesh and divide into three or four slices according to size, leaving the seeds in one piece in the middle, and trimming off all the edges neatly. Put into a saucepan 4 table-spoonful of sugar, loz. of butter, a little chopped shallots, and the cucumber; toss them over a moderate fire for ten minutes without breaking, and keep them quite white. Make a turban rrpon a border of mashed potatoes, and dress in pyramids with boiled Brussels Sprouts. Pour over the cucumber a good thin Dutch sauce, and over the sprouts bechamel sauce, not too thick, or else the Brussels Sprouts will not show through.

Dressed Brussels Sprouts. — Thoroughly wash the sprouts, trim off the outside leaves, and boil them in plenty of salted water. When cooked, drain the sprouts, pressing them in a colander, to free them as much as possible from water. Put them into a saucepan with some white sauce, or if preferred some brown gravy, stir them for five or six minutes over the fire, then turn them on to a hot dish. Garnish the sprouts with croutons of fried bread or sippets of toast, and servo them.

Omelets with Brussels Sprouts. — Beat up six eggs, and mix with two dozen boiled Brussels Sprouts, each sprout dried and

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, ic., referred to, see under their special licads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

209

Buckwheat — continued.

pan that has been slightly greased. The quantity used at one time should not be more than will make a thin cake the size of a dinner-plate. Put them on the fire and fry first one side and then the other, and when done butter them hoth sides and serve hot. Sometimes sugar or treacle is used instead of the butter.

(6) Put 1 table-spoonful of syrup or treacle (treacle for preference) and 1 teaspoonful of salt into lqt. of warm water, add sufficient Buckwheat flour to make a thick batter, and 1 table-spoonful of German yeast. Put it before the fire to rise. Put some muffin-rings on a baking-sheet, put in the batter, and place them in a slow oven. These cakes require toasting and well buttering before sending to table.

(7) .Dilute 1 drachm of compressed yeast with 1 gill of lukewarm water, and let it rest for ten minutes; then add it to lb. of Buckwheat flour in a basin, pouring in 1 pint of cold water, and season with a light pinch of salt; mix thoroughly with the spatula, cover the basin with a cloth, and let it rest for four hours. Have a griddle large enough to hold six cakes, grease lightly with a piece of fat pork rind, and place it on a hot stove. Pour half of the batter into the six sections of the griddle, distributing it evenly, and bake two-and-a-half minutes; then turn over, and bake twoand-a-half minutes longer. Heap them on a hot dish. Make he other six exactly the same way. Send to the table with honey or maple-sugar separately.

(8) The night before making these cakes, prepare a sponge by mixing together 1 breakfast-cupful of yeast, 21b. of Buckwheat flour, and 2qts. of water. In the morning, mix teacupful of syrup, teacupful of melted lard, and 1 teaspoonful of salt, with the sponge, and beat till well mixed and elastic; then roll the dough thinly, divide it into cakes, and bake them on the griddle. Serve either hot or cold.

Buck-wheat Pancakes.— Bee Backings.

Buckwheat Soup in German Style.— Mix lOoz. of Buckwheat flour in a stewpan with Jgall. of foiling broth, dropping the flour through a dredger to make it fall lightly; boil gently on the side of the fire for thirty minutes, and then strain it through a sieve. Beturn it to the pan, and add a little grated nutmeg, and a very small quantity of sugar; place it on the fire, stirring it until it boils; then stir in quickly, to thicken, three or four yolks of eggs well beaten up in a little cream, and serve.

BUFFALO. — This animal is not eaten as beef, but the flesh is used for making an extract, and this forms an important industry in the Dutch East Indian possessions, whence the extract is sent into Holland.

BUFFET. — This term is of French introduction, and is generally accepted now to denote a sort of sideboard or counter spread with viands, wines, and other refreshments. Tiie origin of the term is uncertain; by some etymologists it is considered to be a corruption of buvette, a sort of leather bag or wine skin. Whatever it may have taken its origin from, it is used in this country with very extended signification, being sometimes used to indicate not only the laden sideboard or counter, but the room in which it is laid. The old “Beefeaters” of the Tower of London are said to be so called from a corruption of the word “ buffeters,” or attendants at the buffet.

BUFF PUDDING. — See Puddings.

BUGNE.— A kind of pancake fried in oil, specially esteemed and commonly made in Lyons. The term gives origin to our “ bun.”

BUISSON. — French for a dish piled as a pyramid — literally a bush of feathers. Un buisson d’ecrevisses — a pile of crayfish.

BULLACES.— Supposed to be a corruption of the word “bull-sloes” — a sort of wild plum of the Prunus tribe, greenish yellow, and the size of cherries (see Fig. 223). Sometimes they are made into pies or puddings by the working classes; they are best prepared in the following manner.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils

Bullaces — continued.

Bullace Cheese. — Pick the fruit when it has been slightly touched by frost, and for every pound take 4oz. of preservingsugar. Put the Bullaces dry into a jar, and place this in a saucepan with boiling water up to its neck, tying over the mouth to exclude the air. When the Bullaces are tender, pour them all into a basin and take out the stones; then pour the fruit into a stewpan, add the sugar, and boil until it is reduced to a thick pulp. The time for boiling cannot be given, as it varies; but the easiest way to tell is by putting a teaspoonful in a saucer and placing it out of doors, when if it sets to a jelly it is done; if not, continue boiling until it will do so.

Fig. 223. Bullaces.

Bullace Pie. — Pick the stalks off the fruit, put it in a piedish with 2 large table-spoonfuls of brown sugar (or more, according to the quantity of fruit), and pour in 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of water. Line the edges of the pie-dish with strips of any kind of paste preferred, and cover with a flat of the same paste; moisten and press the edges together, make a slight incision in the top of the pie, and bake it in a moderate oven. When cooked, sprinkle caster sugar over the crust, and serve either hot or cold.

BULLOCK. — An old Saxon term for Ox, but more often used in the shambles than the kitchen. See Beef and Ox.

BUNS (Scotch, Bunn(s); Fr. Bugne(s), from beignet; Sp. Bunuelo(s); Ger. Bungo(s). — Small sweet cakes that are not cakes, having quite an individuality of their own, as may be seen by the numerous receipts that are given for their preparation.

Bath Buns are described under their own heading.

Buns. — (1) Mix Jib. of butter and Jib. of sugar with 31b. of sifted flour, and rub well together; then add lib. of currants, washed and dried, some caraway-seeds, and foz. of yeast. When the paste has been set to rise for about half-anliour, mix the ingredients up, and let the dough stand again until well risen. Boll out, and shape in small cakes, place these on greased baking- sheets, and bake in a hot oven.

(2) Mix gib. of butter with lib. of Hour until quite fine; add four eggs, 1 pint of milk beaten to a light froth, 1 tablespoonful each of rose-water, brandy, and wine, 2 table-spoonfuls of yeast, and Jib. of sugar, beating together with a knife; sift in lib- of flour, mix all till quite smooth, and set to rise. Pill four square pans, and bake.

(3) Put in a basin 4oz. of butter, 4oz. of sugar, 1 pint of potato-yeast, one egg, and enough flour to make a soft dough; roll out, shape it, and bake on greased baking-sheets.

(4) Dissolve loz. of German yeast in 1 pint of warm water, mix with it lib. of flour, and stand it in a warm place to form a sponge. In half-an-hour knead in another pound of flour, and set it to rise again. When very light melt lib. of butter and work in, but do not let the butter be oiled or hot. Add -g-lb. of scalded currants, washed and dried, Jib. of sugar, a little ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg, and 1 large teaspoonful of baking powder. Flour a baking-sheet, cut the dough and shape it into balls, and put on the tin, leaving a little space between each. Beat the yolk of one egg in g teacupful of milk and 1 teaspoonful of sugar, and glaze the Buns by brushing with a paste-brush dipped in it. Bake in a hot oven until well browned.

(5) Mix overnight 2 breakfast-cupfuls of flour, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 1 pinch of salt, £ teacupful of yeast, and one egg beaten up in 1 breakfast- cupful of scalded milk. In the morning make a stiff dough by adding more flour, knead for a-quarter-of-an-hour, then let it rise. When light.

Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their suecial heads.

7,

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TIIE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Buns — continued.

work in 1 teacupful of washed currants, 1 saltspoonful of nutmeg or ground cinnamon, and f teacupful of butter; then let it rise again. When light, roll it out, shape into small cakes, and put these on a baking-sheet, with a little space between them. Beat the white of egg with some sugar, and glaze the Buns with it.

These Buns can be made into Hot Cross Buns by marking across with the point of a knife.

Bun Pudding. — Put in a large pio-dish as many stale Buns as it will hold without crowding. Make a custard with five eggs to each quart of milk, with sugar and flavouring to taste. Pour this over the Buns, and let them soak in it from one-and-a-half to two hours. When the Buns have soaked up all the custard, bake in a moderate oven for an-hour-and-ahalf.

Cheap Buns. — Mix with lib. of light bread dough 2oz. of sugar, 2oz. of butter, and a little powdered cinnamon, and let this stand one hour; then knead it well till the dough is full of bubbles. Three hours after, knead again, shape into round balls, put these on a buttered baking-sheet a short distance apart from each other, cover with a cloth, and let them rise an hour before putting them into the oven. Bake about twenty minutes; then brush over the tops with syrup, and sift a little powdered sugar over them.

Chelsea Buns. — Boll out 1 quartern of light bread dough into a sheet about fin. thick, spread about 6oz. of butter over the top, and fold and roll it three or four times; roll out again, sift some caster sugar over it, sprinkle over a little water, cut in strips fin. wide, and roll these into coils about 2in. in diameter. Butter a baking-sheet, put the coils on it a short distance from each other, cover with a cloth, and let them rise in a warm place. Bake in a moderate oven, and when done sift some caster sugar over them.

Chester Buns.— Bub fib. of butter into 21b. of white flour in which 1 table-spoonful of sugar and 1 pinch of salt have been previously mixed. Beat an egg in f pint of warm milk, and add to it f wineglassful of yeast; knead together, and set it in a warm place to rise. When light, divide into several parts, and shape them round. Butter a baking-sheet, put them on, cover with a cloth, and let them stand for a little time to rise. Bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes.

Christmas Buns. — Bub fib. of fresh butter into 21b. of flour and 1 pinch of salt; mix 2 table-spoonfuls of fresh yeast in a little warm water; make into a stiff dough, and knead until light. Take 21b. of stoned raisins, lflb. of currants washed and dried, fib. mixed candied peel, sliced, and foz. of blanched almonds, mince all together, and work in with two-thirds of the paste; add loz. of white pepper, loz. of powdered cinnamon, and loz. of ground ginger, working well in. Shape into a cylindrical form. Take the remainder of the paste, encase the Bun in it, fasten the edges together by first damping them, pierce some holes in the top, run a skewer through two or three times, wrap some thick wellfloured paper round the Bun, tie it round, and bake for an-hour-and-a-half in a moderate oven. Several of these are usually made at the same time.

Cinnamon Buns. — Warm lqt. of milk, put in it 6oz. of sugar, 2oz. of German yeast, 6oz. of flour, and two eggs; mix together, put in a basin in a warm placo to sponge, covering it over with a cloth. When it has sponged and fallen again, mix with it fib. more sugar, foz. of mixed spice, lib. of butter, a little powdered cinnamon, and 41b. of flour, less the 6oz. you have used for the sponge. When you have worked it into a soft dough in the sponge, put it in a warm place for half-an-hour or so to prove. Divide it into several pieces, and shape into balls with the hands. Butter some baking-sheets, place them on a fow inches apart from each other, set them to rise for a few minutes, brush over the tops with milk, and set them to rise again. Bake in a hot oven, and when done brush the tops again with milk.

Common German Buns for Wholesale Use. -These are made as for German Buns, only using 41b. of flour, 2oz. of cream of tartar, loz. of bicarbonate of soda, If lb . of moist sugar, f-lb. of lard, a little turmeric, and churned milk to form a dough.

Currant Buns.— Bub 2oz. of butter into lib. of flour; when quite worked in, dissolve foz. of German yeast and foz. of

Buns — continued.

baking-powder in f pint of warm milk, and mix with it also two eggs well beaten and 2oz. of caster sugar. When well mixed, gather up the paste, and put into a basin in a warm place to rise. Half-an-hour after, mix with the dough 2oz. of currants well washed and dried, break the dough on a

floured slab into about nine parts, and shape into balls. Butter a baking-sheet, place the balls upon it, pressing lightly with the hand to make them adhere, brush them over with beaten egg, and bake in a hot oven. See Fig. 221.

Devonshire Buns. — Mix with lib. of fine white flour, f teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, f teaspoonful of tartaric acid, thoroughly mixed by sifting, and then work in 2oz. of butter; add 2oz. of caster sugar, fib. of currants, and a few carawayseeds. Beat f pint of Devonshire cream and one egg together, if too thick adding a little warm water, and mix with the others, working together with a knife. Have some buttered baking-sheets ready, take up as much dough as you can on a fork, and drop it on the sheet. Bake in a hot oven.

Enfield Buns. — Into lflb. of fine flour mix foz. of bakingpowder, rub in fib. of butter, and add fib. of cleaned dry currants, fib. of caster sugar, and one egg well beaten in f pint of milk. Mako into a dough and put into tins, sift a little caster sugar over the tops, and bake in a hot oven.

Geneva Buns. — Make a sponge with lib. of flour, 2oz. of butter, 1 pinch of salt, and 1 dessert-spoonful of yeast dissolved in f pint of milk, and let it rise for one hour; afterwards knead it, add an egg well beaten in a little warm milk, a little chopped candied peel, a little sugar, and a few currants.

Fig. 225. Geneva Buns.

Put tho bowl containing this, with a cloth over the top, in a warm place to rise. In half-an-hour take the dough, shape in rolls, put on a buttered baking-sheet, glaze tho tops with egg, and bake for about twenty minutes in a hot oven. Seo Fig. 225.

German Buns. — Sift 41b. of flour on to a table and work in 2oz. of cream of tartar and loz. of bicarbonato of soda; make a cavity in tho centre, put in 12oz. of butter and lflb. of sugar, work them to a cream, and add four eggs and sufficient milk, flavoured with 10 drops of essence of lemon, to make a dough. Cut this into shapes, put on buttered tins, keeping them about lin. apart, brush over with egg, dust over with caster sugar, and bake them in a moderate oven.

Guernsey Buns. — Bub fib. of butter into lib. of flour, mix into a dough with 1 pinch of salt, f teacupful of fresh yeast, and a little warm milk, cover it, and set it in a warm place to rise. Shape into Buns, and put these on buttered bakingtins, leaving a short space between each. After they have risen to nearly double their original size, bake in a hot oven.

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Buns — continued.

Hanover Buns. — Dissolve 1 table-spoonful of fresh yeast in a little over teacupful of warm milk, mix with it jib. of flour, and leave it to rise. Put in a basin lib. of flour, the grated rind of one lemon, 1 table-spoonful of caster sugar, 1 saltspoonful of salt, and -lib. of butter rubbed into the flour; into this beat with the hand the yolks of three eggs, the white of one, and the yeast. When it begins to rise and bubble, put on buttered baking-sheets in the shape of small cakes, taking care to leave a little space between each, and set in a warm place. When well risen, glaze the tops with egg, and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes, dusting a little caster sugar over them when done.

Hot Cross Buns. — (1) Warm lqt. of new milk, add to it lib. of flour, lib. of sugar, and two eggs, and dissolve in it 2oz. of German yeast; stir all together, cover the pan, and set in a warm temperature to sponge. When it has risen with a good cauliflower top and again fallen, mix with it 41b. of flour in which has been rubbed 12oz. of butter, lib. more sugar, loz. of mixed spice, and use more flour if it is wanted to make a stiff dough; then sot in a warm place with a cloth covered over it to rise again. When tho dough has risen to nearly double its original size, shape it into small balls with the hands, and put these on buttered bakingtins, leaving a little space between each to prevent them joining. Set to prove for a little time, and then cut across the top in the shape of a cross, brush over with a little milk, finish proving, and bake in a hot oven. When done, brush the tops again with milk. See Fig. 226.

(2) Dissolve loz. of German yeast in l pint of warm milk; add to this 2oz. of butter, loz. of baking-powder, and mix with lib. of flour; add two eggs, 2oz. of caster sugar, loz. each of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and corianderseed, woi-k well together, put it in a pan, cover with a cloth, and set in a warm place to rise. In about half-an-hour, break ( see Biscuits) tho dough on a slab with flour, divide into nine or ton parts, and shape into balls with tho hands floured; butter a baking-shoot, press them lightly upon this, brush the tops with egg, cross them, and bake in a hot oven.

Jubilee Buns. — Bub 12oz. of butter in with 21b. of sifted flour, form a cavity in tho centre, add 12oz. of sugar, loz. of voil pounded in a little milk, four oggs, and sufficient milk to make a dough. Out of every pound of the dough form six Buns, brush tho tops with egg, sprinkle over a few currants, dust them over with sugar, and bake in a moderate oven.

Lig'ht Tea Buns. — Put in a bowl lib. of flour, l teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and l teaspoonful of tartaric acid, and pass all through a sieve; rub in 2oz. of butter until quite absorbed, add 2oz. of caster sugar, lib. of currants well washed and dried, and 1 tcaspoonful of caraway-seeds. Beat one egg in l pint of milk, and mix tho flour into it with a knife. Butter some baking-tins, place the dough on it in small nuggets, and bake in a hot oven.

London Buns. — Pour into a basin 2 breakfast-cupfuls of warmed milk, mix in 2oz. of yeast, lib. of moist sugar, and sufficient flour to form a stiff dough. When well mixed, work in 12oz. of butter and a littlo salt; then add two eggs and a littlo lemon-juice or essence, and set the dough to prove; brush it over with egg when about half proved, and

Buns — continued.

dust over with sugar when fully proved. Form into Buns, bake in a moderate oven, and use as required.

Madeira Buns. — Bub 5oz. of butter into lib. of flour, add the gratod rind of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of ground ginger, 2oz. of caster sugar, loz. of caraway-seeds, 1 pinch of salt, and a little nutmeg; mix together with l wineglassful of sherry and two well-beaten eggs. Butter some patty-pans, fill with the mixture, and bake for a-quarter-of-an-hour in a quick oven. See Fig. 227.

Plum Buns. — Bub fib. of butter in 31b. of flour, and add 1 pinch of salt; make a hole in tho centre and pour in gradually f pint of warm water with loz. of German yeast dissolved in it; mix together, and put it in a warm place to sponge. In an hour’s time whisk two fresh eggs with fib. of moist sugar, stir them into the yeast with 1 pint of warm milk, knead tho dough, cover, and let it stand until it is lightly risen. In an-liour-and-a-half mix with it lib. of washed and dried currants, shape tho dough into Buns of an equal size, put these on buttered baking-tins, leaving a little space between, let them rise for about ten minutes in a warm place, and bake in a hot oven.

Rum Buns. — Sift lib. of flour on a board. Take one-third of it, make a hollow in its centre, and put into it 2 drachms of compressed yeast and l gill of warm water. When the yeast is dissolved, mix well for one minute, put it into a bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it riso in a warm place until twice the original size. Take the rest of the flour, make a hollow in the centre, and put into it 2oz. of sugar, three eggs, and six drops of orange-flower water. Knead" well together, slowly incorporating the flour; gradually add loz. of butter and tho prepared yeast dough. Mix all together for five minutes, return to tho bowl, and again lay it aside to rise once more. Butter well six round cake-moulds, fill them about three-quarters high with tho dough, lot it rise until they aro full, then lay them on a baking-sheet in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. When well browned, turn them out,place them on a pastry-grid, and pour over them a sauce made thus: Put fib. of sugar in a saucepan with l pint of water, adding half a sliced lemon; when boiling, take from tho fire, pour in l gill of rum, and pour it over the Buns. Dress on a dish, and serve.

Saffron Buns. — Mix together lqt. of warm milk (rather warmer in cold than in hot weather), lib. of flour, lib. of sugar, 2oz. of German yeast, and two eggs; cover the basin with a cloth, and set in a warm temperature to rise. Let it sponge up and go nearly flat again, and then add lib. more sugar, loz. of mixed spice, loz. of caraway-seeds, 41b. of flour, and 12oz. of butter, which has to be rubbed well into the flour. Colour with a littlo tincture of saffron. When all is well worked together, and a soft dough is formed, cover it, and put in a warm place until the dough has risen some inches. Divido the dough into equal parts, mould with tho hands into balls, and place those on buttered baking-tins which are just warm, leaving a little space between each to prevent them sticking to one another. Glaze the tops over with milk when half proved, finish proving, and bake in a hot oven. When taken from the oven, brush a little more milk over the tops.

Spanish Buns.— (1) Bub lib. of butter into lib. of flour, and mix with it 6 table-spoonfuls of caster sugar, 1 pinch of salt, a little grated nutmeg and powdered cinnamon, and make into a dough with four woll-beaten eggs. Flour a baking-sheet, drop tho mixture on it in small quantities with

z 2

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Buns — continued.

a fork, and bake for ten minutes; take them out, brush over with milk, put them in the oven, and finish baking 1 .

(2) Kub Jib. of fresh butter into lib. of fine white flour; when quite smooth, add fib. of caster sugar, 1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg, and 1 pinch of salt; mix, and add four well-beaten eggs, teacupful of rose-water, and sufficient milk to form a thick batter. Knead with f pint of fresh yeast, cover it, and put in a warm place till the next morning; then knead again, and let

it rise. Three-parts fill some shallow buttered tins with the dough, and bake in a slow oven. When done, let them cool, cut them into squares, and sift some caster sugar over the tops, putting them back into the oven for a couple of minutes. See Pig. 228.

Sweet Buns Made Without Egg's. — Work 2oz. of butter with 2 breakfast-cupfuls of light bread dough, mix in 2 heaped table-spoonfuls of sugar, and flavour with grated nutmeg or powdered cinnamon. Let the dough stand in a warm temperature for an hour, then turn it on to a table over which has been dusted a small quantity of flour, and knead it well till it is full of air-bubbles, silky-looking, and elastic. Leave the dough in a warm place, and covered, for an hour longer, then knead it again, divide it into small equal portions, and roll these into round balls with the hands. Butter a baking-sheet, put the balls on it, flatten them slightly, brush them with warmed butter at the sides where they may touch, and let them rise for an hour longer. Bake the Buns in a quick oven for about twenty minutes. When they are cooked, brush the tops over with syrup, and sift a small quantity of granulated sugar over them.

BUONBOCCONI. — The Genoese are famous for the dishes prepared by them under this name. Indeed, they may be regarded as national dishes, and Dubois declares that, prepared as he directs, they are fit for the table of a king. The name signifies “ good mouthfuls,” and, therefore, corresponds exactly to the French “ Bonnes Bouches.” Steep in cold water lib. of beef-marrow, sponge it, pound in a mortar, and rub it through a sieve. Cut in small pieces 5oz. or 6oz. of the candied peels of lemon, orange, and citron, pound these peels also, and pass them through a sieve; then pound them up with the beef-marrow, and put the whole into a basin, work well with a spoon, add 2 tablespoonfuls of orange-flavoured sugar, 1 pinch of orange

Fig. 229. Buonbocconi.

blossoms chopped and crisped (pralines) like burnt almonds, and one or two yolks of eggs. The preparation should be thick and consistent. Take fib. of trimmings of puff paste, or else fine short paste, and roll it out thin on a floured slab; with half of this flat, mark several ovals or rounds with a biscuit-cutter lin. in diameter, moisten the edges of these shapes with the wet paste-brush, then put on the centre of each a little bit of the marrow preparation rolled up into

Buonbocconi — continued.

a ball to about the size of a pigeon’s egg. From the rest of the flat of paste cut the same quantity of ovals or rounds, larger than the first; with these cover the marrow preparation, soldering them to the paste beneath; press both the flats on all round in order to solder them down well, then cut them out with the paste-cutter; place these fritters (see Fig. 229), one beside the other, on a floured cloth. Have warmed, at the entrance of the oven, -1-lb. of caster sugar. A few minutes previous to serving, plunge the Buonbocconi

into hot hog’s lard or butter, fry to a light golden colour, drain, roll them in the warm sugar, and dish them piled up (see Fig. 230) on a folded napkin or ornamental dish-paper in a glass dish. Serve hot.

BURBOT.— See Eel-pout.

BURDWAN. — This Indian dish answers in every respect to our hash or ragout, and provides an excellent method of using up cold meat.

(1) Any kind of cold cooked meat can be used for this dish, but if raw meat only is available, it must be partially boiled first. Place in a stewpan 1 teacupful of stock, a small onion, 1 small pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 gill of white wine, 1 teaspoonful of butter, half-a-dozen chillies, a little garlic, and the juice of half a lemon, and stir them all well together over a moderate fire. Then cut up the meat rather small, put it in the pan, place it again on the fire, and let it simmer gently until done. Squeeze a little lemon-juice over it, and put it on a dish with a border of boiled rice; or the rice may be served in a separate dish.

(2) Put 1 pint of cold water in a stewpan, and add 1 table-spoonful of essence of anchovies, loz. of butter, a little cayenne pepper, and loz. of flour; mix these well together, and then add loz. of finely-minced onion and Joz. of shallots, also finely minced. Place it on the fire, let it simmer for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then add 2 wineglassfuls of white wine and 1 table-spoonful of chilli vinegar; put the stewpan on the side of the fire, and then put in some cold meat cut into small pieces. When the meat is hot through, let the pan remain near the fire for half-an-hour, but do not let the contents boil.

(3) Use either cold meat or poultry. Put 1 breakfast-cupful of stock or good gravy in a stewpan, add 1 saltspoonful of cayenne, a dash each of Worcester sauce and ketchup, the juice of half a lemon, and 1 teaspoonful of pickled cucumber vinegar. Place the stewpan over the fire until it comes to the boil, then put in the meat, and let it simmer until wanted. This cannot be served too hot.

BURGOO.— The seaman’s term for oatmeal pudding and thick gruel. Sometimes, also, this is spelled Burgout or Bourgout, which would probably be a corruption of the two words bourgeois and gout. A celebrated Kentucky historian declares Burgoo to be one of the oldest dishes known in the Southern States, and that pots of it have simmered over a hot fire in the sun at every big political gathering thereabouts. As described by this writer, Burgoo is a sort of cross between a soup and a

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Burgoo — continued.

stew, and is exceedingly palatable and nourishing. It should be made in the open air, as follows:

Put some red peppers in the bottom of a large iron cauldron, with potatoes, tomatoes, and corn; then put in half-a-dozen prairie chickens, as many more tender “ yellowlegs,” and two dozen soft-shelled crabs; also some young squirrels if you can get any. Moisten with water till the solid contents begin to float; then hang the pot over the fire, and let the contents simmer for six hours, stirring continuously with a hickory stick. The hickory stick is believed to be best, although there seems to bo no valid reason why it should be selected in preference to any other. About an hour before it will be ready to serve, season with salt to taste; and when the meats are falling off the bones, the Burgoo is done.

BURGUHDY. — Tliis is the name applied generally to a class of French wines having an acid astringent taste and fine full grape flavour. They are produced principally in the departments of Cote d’Or, Rhone, Saone-et-Loirc, and Tonne; and are known commercially as Chambertin, Clos-Yougeot, Romanee- Conti, Corton, Pommard, Meursault, Montrachet, and others of less importance. Although Burgundy wines are of considerable table and culinary value, it is to be feared that a great bulk of that sold to us in this country under that distinguished name are but sorry concoctions, in which the real Burgundy grape takes no part. See Wines.

SUBNET (Salad Burnet or Garden Burnet). — A sweet herb, once used in salads and sauces. The following mixture was employed to make a ravigote, or pick-me-up: tarragon, Burnet, chives, and chervil.

BUBB ARTICHOKE.- See Artichokes (Globe).

BURT Fr. Bertonncau). — A flat fish of the turbot kind, sometimes also known as Bret, Brit, or Brut. The flesh is inferior to the turbot, but superior to the plaice, between which two fish it appears to lie a cross-breed. Baked Burt. — Prepare a largo Burt as for Pried Burt. Butter a baking-tin thoroughly, and put in the fish, together with 1 pint of white wine, 2 pinches each of salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for twenty minutes. Place into a quart saucepan loz. of butter and loz. of flour, put it on the fire, and stir for two minutes; then add 1 pinch of salt, 1 small pinch of pepper, and 3 gills of water; pour the liquor from the Burt into this sauce, and boil up for one minute; then add 1 table-spoonful each of butter and chopped parsley, and move off the fire, stirring till the butter is melted. Lay the fish gently on a flat dish, and pour some of the sauce over and the rest round the fish, or serve in a separate tureen. Garnish with slices or sections of lemon, and parsley.

Burt au Gratin. — Clean and scrape the fish, remove the fins, and wash it thoroughly. Spread a thick layer of butter in a gratin-pan, put in the fish with 1 teacupful of water and the strained juice of a lemon, season with salt and pepper (about a teaspoonful of each), and bake it in the oven for twenty minutes. Put loz. of butter and 2 table-spoonfuls of flour into a stewpan, stir it over the fire until mixed but not browned, then pour in 1)- breakfast-cupfuls of water, and continue stirring it over the fire until boiling. When the fish is cooked, strain its liquor into the sauce, add a small handful of finely-chopped parsley and loz. of butter, and stir it over the fire until the butter has dissolved. Put the fish on a hot dish, pour the sauce over it, and serve.

Fried Burt. — Remove the gills, clean out the inside, take off the black skin, scrape the other side, and wash and dry the fish. On the side that has been scraped make an incision 5 in. deep down each side of the backbone, steep the fish in milk for ten minutes, then flour well on both sides; or brush it over with egg and breadcrumb it. Put it in a large pan with plenty of fat, and fry slowly till it is of a golden colour; drain it, sprinkle lightly with salt, put it on a napkin placed on a dish, and garnish with fried parsley and lemons cut in slices, halves, or quarters.

BUETAS.- The Indian name for mashes of potatoes, vegetables, cold meats, fisli, &c., usually served as accompaniments to curry and rice.

BUSECA. — This is literally the Italian for a dish composed of the internal parts of an animal, such as tripe, which is only used to form a basis, as it were, of a very tasty dish. The following receipt is contributed by a distinguished cook.

Put in a saucepan 1 pint of minced raw vegetables, adding J- pint of chopped celery; let this steam gently for about ten minutes, then moisten with 3 pints of white broth, and stir in Rb. of finely-shred tripe; season with tablespoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of pepper. Cook thoroughly for twenty-five minutes, and serve with a little grated cheese on a separate dish.

BUSH TEA.— The leaves of the South African Cyclopia genistoides are dried and used under this name for the purpose of making a beverage which has much of the flavour and taste of the Chinese teas, to which it is sometimes added as an adulteration. See Tea.

BUSTARI)(S) Fr. Bistarde(s); It. Ottardo(i); Sp. Avutarda(s) ). — A bird of the ostrich species, and the largest land bird known in Europe. It is not often met with, and still more rarely enters the kitchen for culinary purposes, although by some its flesh is considered little inferior to that of the wild turkey.

Braised Bustard. — As this bird is apt to be tough, it is a good plan to braise it. See Braising.

Bustards in Russian Style.— Pick, singe, and draw two or three fat young Bustards, truss them, and with a sharp knife make a slit down the breasts. Stuff these incisions with butter, dredge the birds over with salt and pepper to taste, cover them with thin slices of bacon and flour-and-water paste, brush the whole over with yolk of egg beaten with a little salt, put them in a baking-pan in a moderate oven, and bake. Take them out when done, put them on a dish, and serve with a sauceboatful of rich and thick brown gravy. Roasted Bustard. — Pick and draw a Bustard, singe off the small feathers, truss, and dress it. Lard it, wrap it in a sheet of greased paper, put it on a spit in front of a clear fire, and roast it. Boil or otherwise cook the liver of the bird, pound it in a mortar, and mix in a little of the drippings from the roast, with a small quantity of lemon-juice; sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste, and warm the preparation in a saucepan. Put the bird on a dish, removing the paper, and servo with the sauce in a sauceboat.

Stewed Bustard. — Let the Bustard hang in a cool, airy place for a few days; then pluck, draw, and clean it, tip the wings and cut off the neck; cut the thighs from the back, and the back from the breast; lard the thighs and breast with bacon, season, put in an earthen pan, pour over f pint of malt vinegar, and let them soak for twenty-four hours. Cover the bottom and sides of a stockpot with thin layers of fat bacon, slice a few small onions, and dress over the bacon with two calf’s feet blanched and boned, 1 pinch each of cloves, peppercorns, and aromatics scattered about, and then put in the backbone and legs, with the breast, previously drained, laid on the top; moisten with white wine to about half their height, and cover all with thin slices of fat bacon. Set the stockpot in hot ashes to about half its height, and let the bird stew until it is quite tender, which will take about six or seven hours. When done, take it carefully out, and dish it with the vegetables and calf’s feet. Skim off all the fat from the stock, and pour over the meat.

BUTTER ( Anglo-Saxon Buter; Ger. Butter; Fr. Beurre; Ital. Burro; Sp. Manteca).— Butter is described in the dictionary as “ an oily, unctuous substance, obtained from milk by churning.” It consists of t-lie fatty portions of the milk brought together into a mass; the oil globules of the cream with their albuminous surroundings having been broken up by agitation. This is effected by means of machinery, which has so improved in modern times that it is one of the prides of the engineer’s art. The old-fashioned method of laying out the milk to cream in large flat crocks, and skimming off the surface, is superseded by a machine called a “ separator,” which separates I the cream from the milk, by the turning of a wheel or ! handle. The milk is poured in and the machine set going,

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Butter — continued.

when the cream streams out of one exit and the skimmed, or “ separated,” milk out of another. This and other processes of creaming will be explained under Cream.

Fig. 231. Box Butter-churn (Dairy Supply Co.).

Our object here is to make Butter, and for that purpose we can use either whole milk or cream; the former naturally requiring a much larger quantity for the production of an equal amount of Butter.

The first thing to be done is to select a churn suitable

Fig. 232. Cylinder Butter-churn (Dairy Supply G'o.).

to your requirements, and these machines are sufficiently ! numerous in style and design to cause a little confusion i in choice, but this difficulty may be overcome by accepting the fact that all are good of their kind. First, as one of the simplest, we have the Box Churn (Fig. 231); next

Fig. 233. Barrel Butter-churn (Dairy Supply Co.).

we have the Cylinder Butter-churn (Fig. 232); then a Barrel Churn (Fig. 233), that revolves on its own endto-end axis; and after that another form of Revolving

Butter — continued.

Butter-churn (Fig. 234), that turns on a side-to-side axis, and is said to give very speedy results. A fanciful glass Butter-churn (Fig. 235) is also offered by the Dairy Supply Company, which appears to have the great merit of positive cleanliness, while the operator is furthermore

Fig. 234. Revolving Butter-churn (Dairy Supply Co.).

enabled to watch the process and decide forthwith upon the result of the churning. Larger churns, worked by steam, are made for large dairies.

Having selected one of the churns described, the Butter-maker may set to work, having first decided whether the Butter shall be produced from milk or cream; in either case the churn should be heated with warm water, poTired in and poured out, and then the greatest care should be taken that the milk or cream is at a medium temperature of 50deg. to 55deg. Fahr., this

Fig. 235. Glass Butter-churn (Dairy Supply Co.).

having been pronounced by competent authorities to be the most effective degree. Anything beyond this temperature gives proportionately bad results, hence the use of a thermometer is recommended, although the experienced dairymaid generally trusts to her sense of feeling.

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215

Fig. 236. Temperature Regulator (Dairy Supply Co.).

Butter — continued.

Should the temperature he too low or too high, it must be raised or lowered by means of a Temperature Regulator (Fig. 236). This is simply a cylindrical tin, which may contain either hot water or ice, and by swinging it about in the milk or cream the degree of temperature may be raised or decreased according to the requirement. Having warmed the churn and regulated the temperature of the milk or cream, the next step is to partly fill the churn, and, after securing the opening, to commence a steady action of the handle, which will have to be kept up with great regularity for about an-hour-anda-half for cream and at least three hours for milk. By that time the stiff working of the chum should indicate that the Butter has formed; but if not, the churning must be continued until it does. Milk and cream together require a much higher temperature than milk or cream separately (from 70deg. to 75deg.)

— the reason of this not being clearly explained.

Directly the Butter is won it should be removed from the churn and the butter-milk emptied out, and then the churn should be scalded again and thoroughly cleansed. The object of scalding the churn before putting in the cream is to prevent the Butter sticking to its sides. Should the Butter show an inclination to do so, cold water may be poured into the churn to solidify and harden the Butter.

After the Butter has been all removed from the churn, it has to be washed, pressed, worked up by the hand, or by a suitable machine, mixed with a small quantity of salt, and then made into pats, or stored in crocks, tubs, or baskets.

The machines manufactured for Butter- working are almost .as diversified and numerous as the churns. The object is to break the Butter and squeeze out the butter-milk from the mass, and unless this is effectually accomplished the Butter is certain to turn rancid in a very short time. Even when the best results have been obtained, as might be expected from using either of the two capital Butter-workers shown in the illustrations (Figs.

237 and 238), there is always a quantity of curd remaining in the Butter, which causes rancidity; but this our cooks provide against by what they call “ clarifying ” the Butter — and clarified Butter will keep good for an almost unlimited time.

The very great use of Butter in the kitchen renders its quality a question of the first importance, and this depends as much upon the mode of manufacture as upon the quality of the milk. Butters vary considerably, and are known under different names, and classified according to merit; but it oftentimes requires an exceedingly clever judge to distinguish one Butter from another, or even pure Butter from that which is adulterated, for which

Fig. 237. Bradeord’s Arch Albany Buttf.r-worker, with Helical Roller.

Butter — continued.

reason it is probable that cooks have in many instances given up using pure Butter in pastry and taken to margarine.

The best Butters in the market are known as Jersey, Normandy, Brittany, Devon, Dorset, and Irish. Large quantities of Butter are imported, but unfortunately it is subject to adulterations, which in some cases render it unfit for human food, although in other cases the adulterations are less important. According to Blyth, the most common adulteration is the incorporation of large quantities of water with the Butter. Professor Calvert, in his evidence before the Parliamentary Committee, stated that “the quantity of water and salt that such an article as Butter ought to contain is 24 per cent, of salt and 10 per cent, of water.” Mr. Wanklyn, however, gives the amount in fresh Devonshire Butter as 162 of water and 11 of salt; and in Normandy Butter the quantity of water is 16T, and that of salt P8, in 100 parts. Mr. Wanklyn examined a great many Butters supplied to the London workhouses; the amount varied from 8 6 to 237 parts of water in 100 parts of Butter, the samples containing the lowest and highest quantity being described as “ wretched.” Dr. Hassall has found as much as 35 per cent, of water in Butter, and Messrs. Angell and Hehner 42'35 per cent. A method said to

Fig. 238. The Alderney Butter-worker (Dairy Supply Co.).

be adopted by the trade to adulterate Butter is as follows: The Butter is brought to the melting-point, and water and salt are then stirred in until the mixture becomes cold. The inferior kind of Butter known as “bosh” is occasionally mixed with starch, generally potato-flour. The adulteration is only practised at a certain time, and depends on the wholesale price of Butter. Sir John Gordon, Mayor of Cork, in his evidence before the Parliamentary Committee, mentioned curds as an adulteration to which Butter is sometimes subjected. Animal fats are also occasionally used, such as lard, beef, mutton, veal, and horse fat.

A process lias lately been devised by Mege Mouriez for mixing beef-suet with Butter. The beef-suet is melted in warm water with carbonate of potash and portions of fresh sheep’s stomachs. The fat thus separated from the cellular tissue is cooled and subjected to hydraulic pressure, when the oleo-margarine is separated from the more solid stearine (which is used for candle-making) and mixed with milk, with a little of the soluble matter obtained by soaking cows’ udders in milk and with annatto, and is then churned. This process, it is obvious, could only be practised on a large scale.

Scraped carrots and annatto are the common substances used to colour Butter.

For details respectinj Culinary Processes. Utensils, Sauces, fcc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Butter — continued.

There is a practice very prevalent of making from salt Butter a so-called fresh Butter. Irish salted Butter of a very inferior quality is used for this purpose. This is repeatedly washed with water in order to free it from the salt, which being accomplished, the next process is to wash it frequently with milk, and the manufacture is completed by the addition of a small quantity of sugar.

Wheat-flour, oatmeal, pea-flour, &c., are also said to be used for the sophistication of Butter, but such adulterations are extremely rare.

M. Chevallier gives the following as a list of the adulterants found in French Butters: Chalk, potatostarch, cooked potatoes, wheat-flour, good Butter mixed with Butter of an inferior quality, carbonate or acetate of lead, saffron, juice of carrot, alkanet, flowers of marigold, aspergrallus berries, the fruit of the winter cherry, and the juice of celandine to give it a yellow colour.

Before describing the various preparations to which Butter, in some form or other, is subjected by cooks for culinary purposes, the following hints will be found of considerable value.

Butter Prepared in Haste. — Put some milk as it comes from the cow into a pan, and make it as hot as possible over the fire without boiling it. Let it cool, skim off the cream, put this into an earthenware bowl, and beat it well until the Butter is formed, which will be done in a short time. Take out the Butter, work it in a basin with a small quantity of cold water, add a little less than 1 table-spoonful of salt to each pound, and beat it well in. Form the Butter into a roll, cover it over with muslin, put it in a cool place, and it is ready for use. A little finely-sifted sugar worked in with the salt is a great improvement.

Ornamental Butter for Table. — Butter can be made up into many pretty forms, such as small pats in the shape of a pine, the roughness being made with a silver fork; or it may be put on a crimping-board, and rolled on a cut pattern with either name or crest; or scooped out with the bowl of a spoon (by dipping the spoon in salted water each time, it will form a shell). When served, it should be garnished with parsley.

Removing 1 Salt from Butter.— Put 31b. or 41b. of salted Butter into a bowl, pour over sufficient cold water to cover it, and beat it with a spoon until the water is slightly discoloured. Pour off the water, and add more until it remains quite clear after the Butter has been worked in it. Restoring Rancid Butter. — Melt it at a very low temperature, and stir into every pound 1 tablespoonful of finelypowdered animal charcoal. Keep the Butter warm until the charcoal settles to the bottom.

Irrespective of the various sauces and other preparations in which Butter takes a prominent part, the provident chef engaged in an extensive kitchen stocks himself with a variety of Butters, elaborated and compounded from the following receipts. Each has its particular value, whether prepared for storing or for immediate use, and may therefore be regarded as a stock Butter. For other special Butters, see Anchovy, Crayfish, Garlic, Horseradish, Lobster, Orange, Peach, Pumpkin, Rum, Shrimp, &c.

Black or Brown Butter. — (1) Put Jib. of Butter in a stewpan, and keep it on the fire until it browns, then let it cool. Take another pan and put 1 teacupful of vinegar in it, with a little pepper, and boil until the quantity is . reduced one-third. When the Butter is cold, put in the pepper and vinegar, and warm it over the fire, stirring well, but do not let the mixture boil. When thoroughly incorporated, pour off into pots for future use, or use at once. The flavour of the Butter is entirely destroyed by the heat, so that inferior Butter does very well for this.

(2) Pour into a stewpan 2 wineglassfuls of white vinegar, to which add a bay-leaf, and then let this reduce over the fire to half the original quantity. Remove the bay-leaf, and let the vinegar stand. Put Jib. of Butter in a stewpan or skillet, warm it until it begins to brown, but do not let it burn;

Butter — continued.

take it off the fire, mix in a pinch each of salt and pepper, and a little chopped parsley; gently pour the liquid into the stewpan containing the vinegar, stirring freely, let it boil up, and then serve in a hot sauceboat.

(3) German Method. — Put the quantity of Butter required to be browned into a saucepan over a slow fire, and stir until it is coloured, but be careful that it is not burned. Must be used at once.

Camp Butter. — Blanch for two minutes in boiling water a bunch of chervil, a small bunch of tarragon-leaves, and about six blades of chives; drain them, squeeze out all the water, and chop them. Work ljlb. of fresh Butter with the herbs till thoroughly mixed, then keep it packed in a tin box. The above mixture makes a capital sauce for fish, or either tinned or fresh vegetables. When ready to use it, a frying-pan should be made hot, then removed from the fire, and a piece of the Butter, about the size of an egg, put in; stir this about in the hot pan till it melts, then squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Either pour the sauce over the article for which it is intended, or serve it in a sauceboat. When camping out in hot countries, the Butter can be kept by digging a hole in the ground, putting in a small lump of ice (if this can be obtained), standing the tin containing the Butter on it, covering it with a marble or stone slab, over which fresh grass should be kept, constantly changing this as it dries by the heat of the sun. In this manner the Butter can be kept firm for some considerable time.

Clarified Butter. — This is a very important preparation of Butter, and must be thoroughly understood. Put the Butter in a saucepan to melt, and as it heats remove any scum that rises. Let it stand near the fire to settle, and then strain it through a fine silk sieve, leaving any sediment at the bottom of the pan. When hot, it may be used instead of oil, both for salads and other purposes. The milky particles left at the bottom of the pan are curds, which decompose readily, so that Butter when clarified will keep for an indefinite period.

Creamed Butter. — In this condition Butter is best adapted for making cakes and some kinds of pastry. Put the prescribed quantity in a warm basin, and hold it near the fire, beating quickly as it melts with the hand or a wooden spoon. The hand is better because of its warmth.

Drawn Butter. — Dissolve Jib. of Butter over a slow fire, sprinkle in 1 table-spoonful of flour, then add J pint of boiling water and 1 pinch of salt; stir well, and boil up for a few minutes; then put in 1 teaspoonful of cold water. If intended to be eaten with pudding as sauce, put in a glass of white wine and half a grated nutmeg, stirring all the time.

Fairy Butter. — Take the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, and either grate them or pound them in a mortar until they are quite smooth; mix into these 1 teacupful of Butter slightly softened before the fire, 3 table-spoonfuls of caster sugar, and flavour with 1 teaspoonful of orange-flower water. Put this mixture in a basin, place it in a very cool place, and when perfectly cold rub it through a fine sieve, when it should have the appearance of vermicelli. This fairy Butter is used piled on a dish with a snow cake cut in slices, and eaten together like bread-and-butter.

Gascony Butter. — Put a dozen or so of heads of garlic in a saucepan of water, and boil them until tender; take them out, drain off all the liquor, put them into a mortar, pound them well, and mix them up with Jib. of Butter. Sprinkle over grated nutmeg, cayenne, and salt to taste, and it is ready for use.

Green Butter. — Blanch loz. of parsley-leaves in boiling water for five minutes, drain, and chop up as fine as possible. Wash loz. of anchovies or sardines, bone them, and pound them in a mortar, adding the parsley and 2oz. of Butter. Rub the whole through a fine sieve, and serve as cold as possible on pieces of toast.

Kneaded Butter. — This is used to thicken light sauces just before the time of serving, fut the Butter into a small basin, and work into it with a wooden spoon an equal bulk of flour; let it form a smooth paste, and be quite free from lumps or irregularities.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, kc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

217

Butter — continued.

Maitre-d’Hotel Butter. — (1) Put in a basin lb. of fresh Butter, 2 good table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley, £ teaspoonful of salt, half that quantity of white pepper, and the juice of two lemons. Mix all together, and keep in a cool place.

(2) Put loz. of good Butter in a bowl with 1 teaspoonful of very finely-chopped parsley, adding the juice of half a lemon. Mingle well with a very little nutmeg, and keep it in a cool place to use when needed.

(3) Warm slightly gib. of Butter, then mix with it the strained juice of a lemon, 1 table-spoonful of chopped parsley, and 1 pinch of cayenne pepper When well mixed, put the Butter on ice till ready to serve.

Melted Butter. — See Butter Sauce.

Montpellier Butter. — Blanch for two minutes in boiling water lib. of mixed chervil, tarragon, burnet, chives, and cress;

- drain them, and when cool, squeeze the water out of them by putting them in a cloth and twisting the ends; put them in a mortar with six yolks of hard-boiled eggs, 2oz. of gherkins, the fillets of 6 well-washed anchovies, 2oz. of capers (also pressed in a cloth to free them of vinegar), a small piece of garlic (about the size of a pea), and season with salt and pepper; pound all well together, and pass it through a fine hair sieve. Wash the mortar, and put in 21b. of butter, the pounded mixture, 2 table-spoonfuls of oil, and 1 table-spoonful of tarragon vinegar; pound and mix all well together.

Preserved Butter. — (1) Melt the Butter at a moderate heat, not exceeding 17Gdeg. Falir., and when oiled, all albuminous and curdy matters will coagulate and fall to the bottom. Strain off, add a little salt, and put in jars. In this way Butter will keep good for many months — an important consideration for travellers. Butter is sometimes preserved by working into it salt and saltpetre. In fresh Butter, the proportion would be for 181b. of Butter, lib. of salt, ljoz. of saltpetre; for 211b. of salted Butter, lib. of salt and loz. of saltpetre, mixed in each case with 2oz. of honey or fine brown sugar. In course of time the Butter assumes a taste like delicious marrow.

(2) Put 3 or 4 teaspoonfuls of caster sugar on a board, and mix in 4 or 5 teaspoonfuls of salt, so as to give the latter the predominance; drain 41b. of Butter, work the sugar-and-salt mixture well in, put it into jars, or cover it round with muslin, and it is ready for use.

Ravig-ote Butter. — (1) Pound together in a mortar one sprig of parsley, the same of tarragon, very little chives, the same of chervil, and 1 small peeled shallot; add % teaspoonful of anchovy essence, loz. of good Butter, and drop of spinach green. Bub through a fine sieve, and keep it in a cool place for general use.

(2) Mix with lb. of fresh Butter, 1 table-spoonful each of chopped tarragon and chervils, the juice of two lemons, 1 saltspoonful of salt, 1 pinch of white pepper, and 1 dessert- spoonful of chilli vinegar; mix all well together, and put in a cool place to keep till wanted.

Thickened Butter (Beurre Lie). — Put the yolks of two eggs into a saucepan, break them gently with a spoon, and add slowly 4oz. of Butter melted but without being browned; set the saucepan on a slow fire, and stir well until it is of the required consistence. It is then ready for use, and is generally employed for anything that is either rolled in or stewed with breadcrumbs.

When any of the foregoing butters are applied to pastry

or bread, it is usual to paint them on when warm with a Butter-brush (see Fig. 239).

Fig. 239. Butter-brush.

The following sauces are those in which Butter forms the prime ingredient; our “ Melted Butter ” assuming the more accurate term of “ Butter Sauce.”

Albert (Sweet-Butter) Sauce.— Put 2oz. of sugar and 4oz. of Butter into a basin, and beat them to a cream with a wooden spoon, by which time they should have a white appearance;

Butter — continued.

pour in 2 table-spoonfuls each of water and lemon-juice, a drop at a time, and Joz. of blanched and pounded almonds, and continue to mix and beat until the sauce is smooth and resembles clotted cream. The Butter should be very fresh. Black - Butter Sauce. — Warm loz. of good Butter in the frying-pan until it becomes brown; add six parsley-leaves, heat again for one minute, then add five drops of vinegar. Pour it into a saucebowl, and serve.

Brown-Butter Sauce. — Put the required quantity of Butter into a saucepan, and warm it until it becomes of a rich brown colour, but without burning. Pour it over the fish or joint it is intended to be served with, add a little vinegar or lemon-juice to the pan, pour this also over, and serve. Brown-Butter Sauce for Croquettes. — Put into a saucepan 1 teacupful each of rich brown meat gravy and Butter, and sufficient salt and pepper to taste. Boil well for a few minutes, or until well incorporated, and serve a table-spoonful or so over each croquette.

Butter of Garlic. — See A volt.

Butter Sauce. — (I) Melt about loz. of fresh Butter in a pan, add 1 table-spoonful of flour, and stir it smooth with a spoon; lightly season with salt and then add J pint of water, hot or cold. Let the sauce boil (not simmer, or it will have a raw, pasty taste), and keep stirring.

(2) Put loz. of good Butter in a saucepan on a slow fire, stir, and when melted add the juice of half a lemon. Serve in a sauceboat.

(3) French Style. — Put gib. of fresh Butter, 1 tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, 1 wineglassful of water, 1 table-spoonful of white vinegar, and a little grated nutmeg in a saucepan. Put it on the fire to thicken, but do not allow it to boil too fast, or it will taste of burned flour.

Butter Sauce witli Capers. — Put into a stewpan 4oz. of good Butter with the same weight of flour, which, by the aid of a wooden spoon, incorporate into the Butter, so as to obtain a paste; add to it 1 pint of cold water, a pinch of salt, some pepper, a bunch of parsley, and the juice of two lemons; stir the sauce on the fire till it begins to boil, then remove it off the fire, and take out the parsley; add a piece of good Butter, and 2 table-spoonfuls of little capers. Serve in a warm saaiceboat. The sauce can be thickened by beating in two yolks of eggs.

Butter Sauce with Parsley. -Put 6oz. of Butter into a saucepan on the fire and let it melt; remove from the fire, let it settle for five minutes, pour off the clear into another pan, warm it up, mix in a little each of salt and very finely-chopped parsley, and serve hot in a sauceboat.

Drawn-Butter Sauce. — Put 2oz. of Butter in a saucepan, adding 2 table-spoonfuls of flour while stirring; moisten with lqt. of water, and season with 1 table-spoonful of salt and 5 teaspoonful of pepper. Let it simmer at the side of the stove for thirty minutes until it thickens; then add, little by little, Joz. of Butter, beating it continually until it becomes perfectly white, and squeeze in the juice of a lemon; stir once more, strain through a hair sieve, and serve.

The innumerable uses to which Butter is applied in British and Continental cookery and confectionery will be found under various headings throughout the Encyclopaedia: two or three receipts, however, suggest themselves as worthy of special notice here.

Butter Biscuits. — (1) Cut up .lb. of Butter in 21b. of sifted flour, and put 1 teaspoonful of salt to it; wet it to a stiff dough with i pint of milk, or cold water, and mix it well with a knife. Take the dough out of the pan, put it on to a floured paste-board, and knead it well; roll it out into a large thick sheet, and beat it very hard on both sides with tho rolling-pin, or break it ( see Biscuits). After having beaten it some time, cut it out into small, round, thick cakes with a tin cutter or cup, beat each cake on both sides, prick them with a fork or dock them ( see Biscuits), put them in buttered pans, and bake them to a light brown in a slow oven.

(2) Put ljlb. of flour into a basin, and rub in 4oz. of Butter; add f teaspoonful of salt, 1 pint of milk, and $ teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a little boiling water. Knead the paste thoroughly, roll it out to about

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Butter — continued.

fin. in thickness, cut it into small rounds, prick these all over, put them on buttered baking-sheets, and bake in a moderate oven.

Butter Jack. — Put lib. of fresh Butter into a stewpan to melt, and stir in fib. of caster sugar and 1 wineglassful of sherry. Beat up six eggs with a little sherry, and having moderately cooled the pan, pour in two bottles of sherry gently, and then stir in the eggs. Let this remain at the side of the fire till quite hot, but do not let it boil; add sugar to taste.

Butter Biolls. — See Bread.

Butterscotch. — See Toffy.

Butter Soup. — Peel two each of carrots, turnips, and onions, cut them into quarters, put them in a saucepan with two chopped -up sticks of celery and a bunch of sweet herbs; pour 2qts. of water over, and boil. When the vegetables are soft, strain through a fine hair sieve, return the liquor to the saucepan, and boil it up again. Warm 3oz. of Butter, and beat it until creamy, then mix with it C table-spoonfuls of flour and six eggs; stir the Butter until quite smooth; season to taste with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Let the Butter run in a thin stream into the boiling vegetable water, boil the soup for five minutes, then turn it into a tureen, and serve it with a plate of croutons of fried bread or sippets of toast.

It would be difficult to find any valuable article, whether culinary or otherwise, which is not flattered by imitations. The two following receipts may be classed rather as substitutes than imitations, and as they sliai-e with Butter certain distinct domestic qualifications, they claim to be described under a heading that can otherwise scarcely be considered to belong to them.

Black Butter. — Boil any kind of fruit, either apples, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, rhubarb, or any other fruit that may be at hand, in a saucepan with lib. of moist sugar to each 21b. of fruit until the quantity is reduced to two-thirds of what it originally was. Put it into pots, and use as a substitute for Butter.

Spanish. Butter. — Put 1 wineglassful of rose-water into an enamelled saucepan, and dissolve in it at a gentle heat %oz. of isinglass; put in also a few bitter almonds, blanched and sliced, and let it stand near the fire until the isinglass is dissolved. Beat up the yolks of three eggs with pint of cream, and add; sweeten, and stir on the stove until thick; take it off, and continue stirring until cold. Wet a small mould with rose-water, and fill it. When set, turn out on a glass dish, and garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.

BUTTERINE. — This is a preparation introduced to us from New York as a substitute for butter. It is a slightly coloured mixture of animal fats, which an authority states is, when fresh, quite as wholesome as butter. It is easily distinguished from butter because it retains a good deal of the crumbling characteristics of the dripping from which it is made. By heating it the smell of the dripping soon betrays its origin. By Act of Parliament it is now termed in this country “ margarine.”

BUTTER-MILK. — This is the fluid that remains in the churn after the butter has been removed from the cream. As a nutritious and pleasant drink, fresh Buttermilk cannot be excelled, and it is a great addition to fruit puddings, useful in making cakes, and is said to allay nervous irritability brought on by drinking strongtea. In some parts of the country it is usual to put Butter-milk into a linen bag, and after the whey has drained through serve the remaining curds with cream and caster sugar.

Butter-milk Biscuits. — Sift 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda into lqt. of flour, and add a little salt. Make a hollow in the centre of the flour, pour in 1 pint of Butter-milk, make it into a dough, and use great care in rolling it out, as it should be as soft as possible. Press it with the hands perfectly flat to knead it. Let it remain for five or ten minutes to allow the soda to dissolve, and then knead it

Butter-milk — continued.

again. Cut it into shapes with a cutter, dock (see Biscuits), and bake on a greased baking-sheet in a moderate oven.

Butter-milk Bread. — See- Bread.

Butter-milk Cakes. — Bub into 21b. of biscuit-flour lb. of butter, add 1 teacupful each of stoned raisins and wellwashed currants, about half that quantity of minced candied peel, and 1 teacupful of sugar. Mix well, and add 2 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, 2 teaspoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda, and 1 saltspoonful of salt. When sufficiently mixed, make into a stiff dough with Butter-milk, form into cakes, put these into greased moulds, and bake.

Butter-milk Cream Ice. — Boil 3 pints of sweet milk, and add the yolks of eight eggs and the whites of four well beaten together; let this thicken, stirring all the time, and then take it off to cool. When quite cold, stir in lgall. of Butter-milk very slowly, and add sugar and flavouring to taste. When done, put it on the ice and let it freeze.

Butter-milk Pudding. — Put 2qts. of fresh milk over the fire, and when it boils add lqt. of Butter-milk. Strain it, and mix with the curd the grated rind of a lemon, one small grated nutmeg, Coz. of butter melted to oil, i pint of cream, the beaten whites of four eggs, the beaten yolks of nine eggs, and the sifted crumb of two rolls; sweeten to taste, and bake it or boil it for an-hour-and-tln-ee-quarters.

BUTTER-NUT.— This fruit is sometimes known as tlie “White Walnut” (Juglans cinerea), and, like some other things that are not good for much, has been somewhat freely exported from the United States to this

Fig. 240. Butter-nut, showing (1) Flower, (2) Fruits, and (3) Catkins.

country. The nut (see Pig. 240) is 2in. or Sin. long, has a hard, thick, dense shell, covered with viscid matter when growing, and an oily, almost flavourless, kernel. It has no culinary use, and is rarely purchased by the average Englishman, excepting as a curiosity.

BUTTERY. — The room in a house set apart for keeping butter, milk, and other provisions. Hence the term comes to be more liberally applied to the stores of a university or other extensive establishment.

BUTYRIC ACID. — The acid obtained from rancid butter, and considered very injurious to health.

CABARET. — Fr. for a public-house, but in domestic circles it has come to denote a tea-board.

CABBAGES Fr. Choux; Ger. Kohln; Ital. Cavoli; Sp. Berza, Kols). — This term is applied to a very extensive variety of esculent vegetables, comprehending amongst others, white and red or “pickling” Cabbages, Savoy Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflowers, and

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, See., referred, to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

219

Cabbages — continued.

Kales (or Kails). Although these are all classified as one botanical tribe ( Brassica oleracea), they nevertheless differ from each other in conformation and other particulars, such as culinary adaptation. For instance, of the white and red Cabbage and Savoy, the first growth of leaves, with or without a heart, forms the part selected for cooking; of Brussels Sprouts, the secondary growths, or shoots, are gathered; of the Broccoli and Cauliflowers,

the flower of the plant is eaten; and the Red Cabbage is commonly used for pickling.

Jerrold, in “ Our Kitchen Garden,” pronounces Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflowers to be the aristocracy of the Brassica family, leaving the common Cabbage to maintain the much more extensive democracy; in confirmation of this he further states, “Indeed, so universal is the liking for spring Cabbage that we have heard persons profess to consider it better than green peas.” Undoubtedly a crisp, freshly-cut, quickly-grown Cabbage may be reckoned almost second to no other vegetable, but there are some few coarse, stringy, tough, strong-flavoured, bitter Cabbages to be met with in our open markets that can hardly be considered fit food for anything better than cattle. Cultivation has much to do with the quality of Cabbages, and since our cooks have learned to appreciate them for culinary purposes a happy combination of interests betwixt the cook and the gardener have tended to raise the quality and estimation all round. The indefinite term “ greens ” is sometimes given to Cabbages, as also

to sprouts, turnip-tops, and other green food; but it is advisable, for the sake of distinction, to relegate that appellation, however comprehensive, to the region of nick-names, and discard it for ever from our kitchens and kitchen-gardens, for it has no meaning whatever which is not already more perfectly supplied by other terms.

Cabbages — continued.

Jerrold further informs us that, “Among the hearting Cabbages may be placed the Drumheads and Savoys. The former, of enormous size, is largely grown for cattle, biit is an excellent vegetable, very useful when stewed in soups or broth, although most country people have such a prejudice against Cabbage of any description being boiled in soup that wc have known a hard-working labouring-man throw into the hog-tub a whole gallon of pea-soup, simply because lie found that Cabbage had been boiled with other vegetables in its preparation.”

Blytli maintains that Cabbages possess anti-scorbutic properties, and contain sulphur, hence their disagreeable smell when boiling. They hold also other sanitary salts, and about 90 per cent, of water. The nutritive value of Cabbages is not high, but Continental cooks have obtained the best results from them by boiling them in meat stock, and serving them with sundry rich sauces. The custom of boiling in plain water, with or without the addition of soda to preserve the colour, has not increased the popularity of Cabbages; the soda destroys much of the distinctive flavour. Coarse Cabbages may be rendered more palatable by boiling them in several waters; but those which are crisp, freshly cut and young, should be plunged at once into hot water or stock, and boiled fast until they are tender.

Under the denomination “ Cabbages ” our consideration will be confined to Cabbages proper — White, Red, Savoy, and a comparative stranger known as “ Stock ” Cabbage, leaving other kinds of Brassica with specific names to be treated under their own headings.

Fig. 243. St. John’s Day Cabbage.

White Caeeages. — It would be a difficult matter to pronounce in favour of any particular kind of white Cabbage, although there can be little doubt that amongst such a vast number of existing varieties some will probably possess superior qualities to others. But it must be remembered that the quality of a Cabbage as food depends greatly upon the nature of the cooking.

Nicholson, in the “Dictionary of Gardening,” recommends the following varieties of white Cabbage: Atkins’ Matchless, Carter’s Heartwell, Early Battersea, Early York (Fig. 241), a very handsome Cabbage, with large smooth leaves and cone-shaped heart; Ellam’s Early Dwarf, Enfield Market, Oxlieart (Fig. 242), a short stumpy Cabbage, of fine quality, with small round full heart; St. John’s Day (Fig. 243), a Savoy-like Cabbage, with very crisp, tender leaves, and round, firm heart; Sugarloaf, Wheeler’s Imperial, and Portugal or Couve Tronchuda. The lastnamed was introduced recently from Portugal.

The following receipts, by our best cooks, provide numerous modes for cooking Cabbages, and ensure for this vegetable an appreciation that might otherwise be unknown.

American Slaw.— (1) Cold.— Chop up small a Cabbage that has been boiled and then allowed to get cold. Dissolve

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loz. of sugar in 1 gill of vinegar, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper. Pour this over the Cabbage, and then add a little more vinegar if desired.

(2) Boil a firm head of white Cabbage of medium size in plenty of cold water, and cut it into thin slices. Put in a porcelain-lined saucepan over the fire £ breakfast-cupful each of vinegar and water, 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, saltspoonful of pepper, and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Let them just begin to boil; then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, where its contents will not boil; stir in the yolks of four eggs, and as soon as this sauce is stirred smooth pour it over the cold Cabbage. Serve the cold slaw with roasted meat or poultry.

(3) Hot. — Carefully wash a firm white Cabbage, cut it into shreds, and put it over the fire in boiling salted water to boil only until tender, which will take from five to twenty minutes, according to tho age of the Cabbage. Drain it, and serve with a dressing made as follows: Melt together by gentle heat 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, 1 teacupful of rich cream, and 2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and add them to the boiled Cabbage; season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve tho hot slaw as soon as it is prepared, with any dish of fried poultry or meat.

(4) Take a large clean Cabbage, chop it into fine shreds, put it into a stewpan, and boil until quite tender. There should be only just sufficient water, so that when the Cabbage is quite done there will bo very little left. To 1 teacupful of vinegar, add ljoz. of butter, 1 table-spoonful of chilli vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Add this to the Cabbage, and put it over the fire, gently tossing the pan for about five minutes, when it will bo ready to serve.

Blanched Cabbage. — Pare off the outer leaves from a mediumsized Cabbage, cut it into four square pieces, wash thoroughly, dry, and put them into a saucepan, covering with salted hot water. Cook for ten minutes, drain, and put them into cold water to cool; remove from the water, and drain again.

Boiled Cabbages. — Remove the outside leaves and put the Cabbages into plenty of salted water to cleanse them, then into a saucepan with boiling salted water and boil up fast. Do not use a lid to cover them. When done, strain them well,

cut into quarters (see Pig. 244), and serve at once. It is well to change the water when they have boiled for ten minutes, as this gives the Cabbages a better flavour.

Boiled Cabbage and Bacon. — (1) Cut a large Cabbage into quarters and thoroughly cleanse it with salted water. One hour before serving, put it into the saucepan in which the bacon has been boiling. A pod of red pepper put with it will improve the flavour of botli bacon and Cabbage.

(2) Cut up a large blanched Cabbage, put tho pieces into a saucepan with a piece of salted pork or bacon and a few slices of German sausage, season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, and pour over sufficient water to moisten. Boil quickly over a good clear fire, then remove the saucepan to a smaller fire, and cook gently until the Cabbage is done. Put it on a dish together with the bacon or pork, reduce and thicken the liquor with a lump of butter rolled in flour, pour it over the whole, and serve.

Boiled Cabbage with Cream. — Clean two Cabbages (young ones for preference) and boil until soft; then take them out of the water, drain, and press them until thoroughly dry. Chop them up fine and put them in a stewpan in which loz. of butter has been previously melted, and add pepper and salt to taste. Put the whole on the fire for two or three

Cabbages — continued.

minutes, and stir frequently. When it is quite hot, sprinkle a small handful of flour over it, and add gradually pint of milk or cream. Mix all well together, and when done serve.

Boiled Cabbage and Sausages. — Boil a Cabbage in the ordinary way, drain and squeeze it, put it on a board, and chop it finely, taking care that no lumps are left. Put it in a stewpan with a little butter, pepper and salt to taste, and heat it up again, but not enough to let it get brown; or fry. When hot, spread it in tho centre of a dish, and level the top with a spoon or knife; on this put the sausages, either boiled or fried. Poached eggs may also be used, placed in tho middle of the Cabbage, and the sausages put round in a ring.

Cabbage with Apples. — Wash and trim off the discoloured leaves of a Cabbage, put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil it for ten minutes. Drain the Cabbage in a colander, pressing it well to free it from water as much as possible. Peel about lib. of cooking apples, core them, and cut them in quarters; put a good-sized lump of butter into a stewpan, place it over tho fire until melted, then put in the Cabbage and apples. Pour in £ pint of clear broth or water, season with salt and a small quantity of sugar, and stew the whole gently until tender. When cooked, turn the Cabbage and apples on to a hot dish, and serve.

Cabbage Cake. — Wash and boil a large Cabbage, put it in a colander, and press it by putting a plate on the Cabbage; chop it finely. Have ready a pie-dish that is well buttered and sprinkled with fine breadcrumbs. Put in a layer of Cabbage and then a layer of any cold meat finely minced, and so on alternately until the dish is nearly full, but let the last layer bo of Cabbage. Put four or five rashers of fat bacon over the top, and place in a moderate oven. When the bacon is done and the remainder is heated through, which will take about forty minutes, turn it out as if it were in a mould on to a dish, and pour brown gravy round, but not over, it.

Cabbage with Cream. — Drain and cool a well-blanched Cabbage, chop it up, and place it in a saucepan with 2oz. of butter, seasoning with 1 pinch of salt, jj pinch of pepper, and i pinch of grated nutmeg; add 1 table-spoonful of flour, stir well, and moisten with 1 breakfast-cupful of cream. Reduce until the Cabbage and cream are well incorporated, which will take about forty-five minutes. Arrange on a hot dish, and serve.

Cabbage for Garnishing. — Put a Cabbage into a saucepan of boiling water, with a lump of salt and a small piece of common soda about the size of a pea, and boil it for half-anliour. At tho end of that time take the Cabbage out of the saucepan, refresh it with cold water, then drain it well and press the water out as much as possible. Chop the Cabbage finely, throwing away the coarse stalk; put 4oz. of butter into a stewpan, melt it, put in the Cabbage, dredge a small quantity of flour over, and toss it about until it begins to brown. Pour a small quantity of clear broth over the Cabbage, stirring it at the same time, and when it boils season with salt, three or four peppercorns, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg. Continue boiling the sauce gently until sufficiently thick, then remove the peppercorns, and serve it.

Cabbage au Gratin. — Boil a white-heart Cabbage until it is quite tender, divide it or cut it up into pieces, put a layer of these on a buttered baking-sheet, cover over with melted butter sauce mixed up with grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, then put on another layer of Cabbage, and so on until all is used up. Sprinkle the surface with a little more grated cheese, then with breadcrumbs, pour over a small quantity of hot butter, and bake in a moderate oven. Turn it out on to a dish, and serve very hot. The cheese may be omitted if objected to, and care must be taken to serve the Cabbage entirely covered with the sauce.

Cabbage a la Mode. — Choose a close, firm head of Cabbage, and wash it well in cold water; have ready a saucepan of boiling water, put into it a very small piece of common soda about twice the size of a pea, then when the water boils very fast put in the Cabbage, and let it boil fast for a-quarterof-an-hour; take it out, put it into a colander to drain, and let it cool a little. Take -jib. of cold roasted or boiled chicken, half that weight of cold boiled pork, and one large onion, and

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chop them fine. Next wash jib. of rice and mix it with the chopped meat and onion, season this with 1 teaspoonful of pepper and 1 teaspoonful of salt, then gently open the leaves of the Cabbage and insert this mixture between them, and bind the Cabbage with a long piece of narrow tape to keep the meat, &c., secure. Melt jib. of butter in a large saucepan, and let the Cabbage fry in it till it is quite brown. Take 1 pint of stock and 1 table-spoonful of flour, and blend the flour smooth in a little of the stock; when quite free from lumps, add the rest of the stock, pour it on to the browned Cabbage in the saucepan, and lot it stew slowly for three hours. When it is done, serve it in a vegetable-dish with the gravy poured round it for sauce, first removing the tape. Cabbage a la Mode may be made with cold roasted beef or cold mutton, but chicken is generally considered better.

Cabbage with Rice. — Thoroughly wash 2 breakfast-cupfuls of rice, using plenty of water, put it into a saucepan with lj pints of water, and boil it gently until soft and dry. Trim off the outside leaves of a Cabbage, cut it in halves, wash it, then put it into a saucepan, with water to cover, a lump of salt and a piece of common soda about the size of a poa. Boil the Cabbage until cooked, then place it in a colander so that the water will drain out of it. Mash the rice and cabbage together, mix a lump of dripping with it, and season to taste with salt and pepper. When well mashed, turn the mixture on to a hot dish, piling it up dome shape, smooth it over with a knife, and serve it. This is a cheap substantial dish.

Cabbage-and-Rice Balls. — Take out the inside leaves of a Cabbage, wash them well, put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and parboil them. In the meantime, put lib. or 21b. of rice into a saucepan with two or three finely-chopped and fried onions, mix them well, pour over sufficient stock to moisten, and boil. When the rice is done, spread it over the Cabbage-leaves, roll them up, fastening them with string

Fig. 245. Cabbage-and-Rice Balls.

or tape, put them into a saucepan with a few chopped onions fried in butter, pour in a little water, and cook until the Cabbage-leaves are quite done. Put them on a dish, dredge them over with grated cheese (see Fig. 245), pour over tomato sauce, and serve. After the rice has been boiled it may be fried in stock or water to thicken slightly, and a little grated cheese and warmed butter may be mixed with it.

Cabbage Salad. — (1) Cut with a very sharp knife a large Cabbage in quarters, and wash it well in cold water; take off all the outside or bad leaves and cut out the tough parts, boil, and when cold cut into slices. Boil twelve eggs hard, and chop ten of them very fine. Place these with the

Cabbage. Make a dressing by mixing lj teaspoonfuls of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 2 teaspoonfuls of mustard, 1 table-spoonful of warmed butter, and j pint of vinegar. Place the Cabbage on a dish, pour over the dressing, and garnish with slices of the other two eggs and slices of pickled beets.

(2) Wash and thoroughly clean the Cabbages, cut them up if too big, and boil very fast in a saucepan of salted water. Take them out, and drain. When cold, slice up, and serve with a mixture of oil and vinegar (in the proportion of three of oil to one of vinegar), with pepper and salt to taste. Pour the mixture over the salad.

(3) Fob Winter. — Put into separate saucepans an equal

Cabbages — continued.

quantity of red and white Cabbage, with boiling water, and boil for five minutes; then throw them into separate bowls of cold water. Well drain the Cabbages, and cut the thin leaves into narrow strips, leaving out all the hard leaves. Arrange the Cabbages tastefully in a salad-bowl in tufts of red and white, and garnish to taste. For the dressing, rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs until quite smooth with a small quantity of vinegar; then mix in 1 teaspoonful of mustard, 1 table-spoonful of finely-minced shallot, a few tarragon-leaves also finely minced, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, one beaten egg, and j wineglassful of red wine; pour in 1 teacupful of salad-oil and sufficient white-wine vinegar to give the salad the desired acidity, but not to make it too sour. Well stir the mixture, season it to taste with salt and pepper, pour it over the Cabbage, and servo without delay.

Cabbage Soup. — (1) Take a very fine Cabbage with a large white heart, wash, and trim off tho outer leaves; chop it into very fine shreds, put it into a stevvpan with lqt. of water, and boil until quite tender. Put the Cabbage and the water into lqt. of mutton broth, add salt and pepper to taste, and boil again. When ready for serving, stir in 1 teaspoonful of fresh butter and two or three small lumps of sugar. The quantity of Cabbage used should bo sufficient to make the soup quite thick.

(2) Wash and thoroughly clean a white Cabbage, chop it up very fine, put it in a stewpan with a little water and a small piece of butter, and let it simmer over a slow fire. WTien it begins to get tender, add about j pint of good broth and 1 gill of gravy of veal. Skim off the fat, and let the soup remain until it becomes a light brown colour; then cut some jin. slices of bread into small rounds, about ljin. in diameter, and throw them in. Remove the pan from the fire, and serve.

(3) Wash and remove all the outer leaves of one or two summer Cabbages, and mince them up very fine; also a few carrots, turnips, and two or three leeks; mix them all well together in a basin. Make a good broth from any kind of meat, such as lean beef, neck or shoulder of mutton, a knuckle of veal, &c.; boil it up very fast, and add the vegetables. Chop up into very small shreds two large onions, fry them in a little butter to a rich brown, add them to the soup, stir up well, and serve hot.

(4) Cut two Cabbages into quarters, parboil them, and squeeze dry. Put them into a large pan, so that there may be plenty of room to insert a spoon between the pieces, and let them boil for about two hours, with as much gravy or stock as will cover them. Put -jib. of butter and a handful of flour into a saucepan, set it over the fire, and, keeping it stirred, add two minced onions and lqt. of veal gravy; boil it a little, pour it all over the Cabbage, and serve. Four pigeons, stuffed with veal forcemeat, and fried a light colour in a little butter, may be added to the soup, and cooked until they arc done. Take them out, arrange them on a dish, garnish with slices of fat bacon and a little fried or boiled chopped Cabbage, pour over the Cabbage soup, and serve.

(5) German. — Well wash a white Cabbage, mince it as fine as possible, put it into a saucepan with a little butter, and let it cook or sweat on a moderate fire until tender. Add sufficient broth and veal gravy to cover, boil up again, skim off the fat, and continue to cook until the soup has a brown appearance. Throw in pieces of bread cut up to about the size of a penny, boil for a few minutes longer, turn the soup into a tureen, and serve.

Cabbage Soup with Bacon. — Cut and trim a piece of bacon weighing about 21b., put it in water and let it remain for an hour; then rinse it in tepid water. Put 5qts. or 6qts. of water in a stockpot, add the bacon, and let it boil for an hour. Cut two small white Cabbages into quarters, cut each quarter again transversely, and put them in the pot with two leeks, a large onion, a root of celery, two turnips, and two large carrots, all cut up into rather small pieces; put in a few cloves and salt to taste, cover over the pot, and boil for an-hour-and-a-half. Now add some raw potatoes in slices, boil again until all the vegetables are cooked, and then place them in a tureen in alternate layers, with slices of bread in between the layers. Pepper the Cabbage a little, put the bacon with a little of the Cabbage on a separate dish, and serve hot.

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Cabbage Soup with Rice. — Take two small heads of Cabbage, wash, remove the outer leaves, cut in quarters, and mince the tender leaves. Put -Jib. of bacon cut into small dice in a stewpan with a little butter, and fry until it becomes a light yellow colour; add an onion finely chopped and let it remain for ten minutes, then 4qts. or 5qts. of good broth. Let the whole boil for five minutes, then mix in a few handfuls of rice that has not been either washed or blanched, and cover over the pan. When the rice is thoroughly done, season with a little pepper, and serve hot. A plate of grated Parmesan cheese served with it, but separately, is a good addition.

Cabbage Sour-crout. — Wash and trim off the outside leaves of the required quantity of Cabbages and cut out the stalks; put them in a heap to sweat for a couple of days or so. Have some thoroughly drained casks, choosing those that have been used for white wine in preference to any other; pack the crout in, allowing the large leaves to cover the sides of the cask, and sprinkling them well with salt; add a few juniper berries or caraway-seeds to aromatize it. When the casks are filled, cover the whole with a layer of salt: cover with some outside Cabbage leaves, then with a wet cloth, put in tlio head of the cask, and then a heavy weight on the top of that, to prevent the Cabbage from rising during fermentation — din. or 5in. ought to remain empty below the head of the cask. A wooden spigot should be introduced, by which the Cabbage-water can run off, it being extremely fetid and thick. This water must be replaced with salted water or pickle every three or four days till it runs off clear and has no disagreeable odour. The cask should be kept in a cool place and filled up every month with pickle, and the cloth should be changed every two months. Prepared in tho above manner the sour-crout can be kept throughout the winter, provided it is always in a cool place.

Cabbage Stewed witli Milk.— Trim off the outer leaves of the Cabbage, wash it thoroughly in plenty of water, then cut it into four pieces. Put the Cabbage into a saucepan of boiling water with a lump of salt and a small piece of charcoal, and boil it slowly until tender. When cooked, turn the Cabbage into a colander, and drain it as much as possible. Put a lump of butter, about 2oz., into a saucepan, melt it, put in the Cabbage, dredge a small quantity of flour over it, pour in J- pint of milk, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Put the pan over a slow fire, and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the milk has somewhat reduced. When ready, turn the Cabbage on to a hot dish, and serve.

Dolmas of Cabbage in Grecian Style. — Strip off the leaves of a white Cabbage, wash them thoroughly, put

them into a saucepan of salted water, and boil for twenty- f five minutes. Take them out, plunge into cold water, and j

Fig. 246. Dolmas of Cabbage in Grecian Style.

afterwards dry them. In the meantime, prepare ljlb. of forcemeat, using an equal quantity of finely-chopped fat bacon and lean mutton, two eggs, a small quantity of chopped onion, a handful of sifted breadcrumbs, 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of minced mushrooms, and a little minced parsley. Divide this into pieces about the size of a walnut, wrap them up separately in pieces of the leaves, put them close together in a

Cabbages — continued.

saute-pan, sprinkle well with salt, pour over a little melted butter, and add broth to half their height. Cover them over, and cook until tho liquid is reduced to a glaze; then remove the pan to tho side. Have ready a risot made with lOoz. of rice, and finished with butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the bottom and sides of a timbale-mould with tender large leaves of tho Cabbage, without any of their hard parts, spread a layer of the risot lin. thick over the bottom leaves, mask this with tomato sauce, arrange ten slightly-flattened dolmas on top, grate over a little Parmesan cheese, and continue in this way until all are used up, by which time the mould should be full. Cover over with a Cabbage-leaf, then with thin slices of fat bacon, put the mould in a moderate oven, and cook for an hour. Drain off the fat, remove the bacon and Cabbage-leaf, turn the timbale out on to a hot dish, glaze tho leaves with a paste-brush, and serve at once. Or these dolmas may be cooked in a stewpan, and garnished with bacon round the dish on which they aro piled (see Fig. 246).

Dolmas of Cabbage in Turkish Style.— Pull off the white leaves of a large Cabbage, plunge them into boiling water for a few minutes, tako them out, dip into cold water, drain, put them on a cloth, and with a sharp knife remove all the tough parts. Remove tho sinews from lib. of fillet of mutton, miueo it, put it into a basin, add about 1 breakfast-cupful of slightly-blanched rice, one small chopped onion, a little chopped parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. Divide this preparation into small pieces about the size of filberts, wrap each one separately in a piece of Cabbage-leaf, pack them in five or six rows in a high saucepan, putting one

row over tho other, and seasoning well as each set of rows are complete; pour in sufficient broth to nearly cover them, put a plate or cover over, so as to press them well, boil until the liquor is reduced to about one-quarter its original quantity, and removo tho pan to the side of the fire for twenty minutes longer. Tako out tho dolmas one at a time, and place them in a pilo on a hot dish; strain the liquor into another saucepan, boil it up again, add a thickening of tho yolks of five or six eggs mixed up with the juice of two or three lomons, pour it over the dolmas, and serve at once. See Fig. 247.

Fried White Cabbage. — Chop cold boiled Cabbage, press out all tho moisture, add 1 toacupful of cream to a quart bowlful of Cabbage, and season with salt and pepper. Put 2 tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan over the fire, and let it got smoking hot; then put in tho Cabbage, and brown it quickly on tho under-side. Turn it at once upside down on a hot dish, and serve.

Gratinated Cabbages with Soup. — Make a beef broth, and when tho meat is nearly done cut two small Cabbages in quarters, clean them, and put into boiling water, with a little salt added; leave them to blanch for fifteen minutes, drain, dip them into cold water for a minute, and then squeeze dry. Take a flat stewpan and mask the bottom with fat bacon trimmings, a slice of raw ham, and a few sliced carrots and onions; place tho quarters of tho Cabbages on these, sprinkle over a little salt, and add sufficient broth to cover the lot. Stew until the vegetables are dono, then tako them out and put them on a sieve to drain. Do not squeeze them, but carefully remove tho Cabbage-stalks and cut each of tho quarters of Cabbago into two or three pieces, which place in a basin gradually, and mix in with a spoon a little

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grated Parmesan. Put a layer of shaped slices of bread on the bottom of a dish, then a layer of Cabbage, and so on. alternately, pouring a little broth over each layer. Pill up the dish, sprinkle oyer all a handful of grated Parmesan, put the dish in the oven, and let it remain for twenty minutes. Serve the Gratinated Cabbages and remaining broth separately; but first strain and clear it of fat.

Minced Cabbage. — Boil a Cabbage and press it dry in a colander, then chop it up very finely. Put into a frying-pan Jib. of fresh butter and 1 table-spoonful of flour; place it over the fire, and as soon as it becomes smooth and hot, add the Cabbage, and season with pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar; let it fry for five minutes, stirring constantly. Place it when done on a dish, smooth it over with a knife, and place pieces of hard-boiled egg round it for garnish.

Pickled White Cabbage. — (1) Remove tho tough part of the stalks from four large white Cabbages, cut them into slices, put them in an earthen jar or a wooden tub, sprinkle over about J pint of salt, and let them stand overnight. The next day draw off tho brine, put the Cabbage over the fire, with four peeled and chopped onions, 4oz. of mustard-seed, 2oz. each of ground mustard, celery-seed, and turmeric, loz. each of whole mace, cloves, allspice, and popper, 21b. of brown sugar, and enough vinegar to cover the whole. Boil all these ingredients together until the stalks of the Cabbage aro tender; then cool the pickle, and put it up in air-tight jars.

(2) Select three or four large white-heart Cabbages, and trim off the outside leaves; wash them in salted water, then drain, and cut them each crosswise into pieces. Place a small quantity of yeast at the bottom of a stone jar, and put in the Cabbage, with 3 or 4 table-spoonfuls of finely-chopped capsicums; cover with brine, and place the lid on tho jar. Keep the pickle in a dry store-cupboard, and at tho end of every three or four days pour tho brine in the jar backwards and forwards. When the Cabbage has turned acid, it is ready for use.

(3) Remove the defective, bruised, and green coarse outer leaves of firm white Cabbages, and slice enough to fill a 4qt. measure. Take an equal quantity each of green tomatoes, small green cucumbers, and green peppers, and slice them thin, after wiping with a wet cloth. Put the wliolo into earthen or wooden vessels, sprinkling 1 pint of salt among them, and let them stand overnight; drain them tho next day, and put them into a preserving-pan with 1 pint of small red peppers and the following spices: loz. each of wholo mace, peppercorns, mustard-seed, and powdered turmeric, Joz. each of wholo cloves, celery-seed, and grated horseradish, and sufficient vinegar to cover them. Boil them gently for lialf-an-hour, then cool them, and put up in earthen or glass jars with close covers. See also Chow-Chow.

Stewed Cabbage Stuffed with Forcemeat. — Trim off the outer leaves and chop off tho stalk of a largo Cabbage, put it into a bowl of boiling water, and scald it for about ten minutes. Cut a small holo in the centro by the side of the stalk, fill it up with highly-seasoned beef or mutton forcemeat, and put a small quantity of this between tho leaves. Tie tho Cabbage round with broad tape to keep in tho forcemeat, place it upright in a saucepan, with a slice of fat bacon, two carrots, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of thyme, pour in sufficient stock to nearly cover it, place the saucepan on a slow fire, and cook gently until tho Cabbage is done. Romovo the tape, put tho Cabbage on a dish, and servo with a garnish of cooked carrots and turnips cut in slices or whole.

Stewed Cabbage and Tinned Beef. — Take a fine, firm, wellhearted Cabbage (or, should tho Cabbages bo small, take two), cut out all tho stalk, and chop tho Cabbage into very thin strips; wash these well, and drain them. Have a large pan of water boiling, throw in a handful of salt, and, if necessary, skim it; put tho Cabbage into the water while it is boiling fast, and lot it boil hard for ten or fifteen minutes till the Cabbage is tender; then turn it into a colander, press the water from it thoroughly, and chop it a little. Put about 2oz. of butter into a saucepan, and when it molts put tho Cabbage on top of it, season with pepper and salt, and stir it over a clear fire till it seems pretty dry. Shake in lightly 1 table-spoonful of flour, then add very gradually the gravy in which tho beef has been cooked, which should, while the

Cabbages — continued.

Cabbage was being cooked, have been done in the following way: Open the tin, turn the beef out and scrape off the fat, then put it back in tho tin with its gravy and a little water; place the tin in a stowpan of boiling water, and keep the water boiling till tho moat is hot through. When the beef is hot, put it on tho dish it is to be served on, and arrange the Cabbago round it.

Stewed 'White Cabbage. — (1) Trim off the outside and discoloured leaves of two Cabbages, wash them, put them into a saucepan of boiling water with a lump of salt and a small piece of charcoal, and boil them until tender. The object of the charcoal is to remove the unpleasant odour that arises from Cabbage when boiling. When tender, turn the Cabbage into a colander and press it, to extract as much of tho water as possible, then cut them into fine shreds. Put about 4oz. of butter into a stewpan, melt it, then put in the Cabbage, toss it about over tho fire for three or four minutes, then dredge it with salt, pepper, and a small quantity of flour, and pour in 1 pint of clear broth. Boil slowly until the liqour has somewhat reduced, then turn tho Cabbage on to a hot dish, and serve while very hot.

(2) Cut a Cabbago into strips, wash it, and drain it dry. Tie a small onion and 1 teaspoonful of wholo allspice in a bit of muslin, and put it with the Cabbage into a stowpan, together with 1 table-spoonful of vinegar, a piece of fresh butter the size of a large walnut, pepper and salt to taste, and 1 breakfast-cupful of good gravy or stock. Simmer gently till the liquor lias almost simmered away and tho Cabbage is done. Take out the spice and onion before serving'.

(3) Trim off the outer loaves and remove tho stalks from a white Cabbago, and cut the remaining leaves into pieces. Put a lump of butter in a stewpan with a finely-chopped onion, and place it over the fire until hot; then put in the Cabbage, and set the pan at tho edge of the fire, where it may cook slowly with tho lid on. When the Cabbage is three-parts done, dredge it over with flour, salt, pepper, and a small quantity of caraway-seeds (these may be omitted if not approved), put the lid on again, and finish cooking it. Care must be taken not to lot it get too dry, or it will burn. A small quantity of milk or broth may be added if necessary. Turn the Cabbage on to a hot dish, and serve.

(4) Bavabian. — Remove the outer leaves and wash one or two large white Cabbages, cut them into quarters, remove tho thick stalks, and cut tho Cabbages into thin slices; strew salt over these (tho Germans use caraway-seeds as well), and leave them for an hour or two. When ready, put 3oz. of butter in a stewpan, make it hot, put in the Cabbage, and place the lid on the stewpan; keep it at the edge of the fire until the Cabbago is tender. Pour 1 wineglassful of white wino and 1 table-spoonful of vinegar over the Cabbage, stew a short time longer, then dredge with flour, put tho pan over the fire, and stir briskly. Turn the Cabbage on to a hot dish, and serve.

(5) GjJRMAN.--Trim off all the discoloured leaves and wash a Cabbago well, then put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil it for ten minutes. At tho end of that time turn tho Cabbago into a colander, and when it has well drained cut it into small pieces. Put about 4oz. of chopped fat pork into a stewpan, toss it about over a brisk firo until threeparts cooked, then put in tho Cabbage, and finish cooking, stirring it at tho samo time. When nearly cooked, moisten tho Cabbago with a small quantity of clear gravy. Turn it on to a dish, and serve while very hot.

Stuffed Cabbage.— (1) Take a large head of Cabbage and boil it, but not quite tender. Very carefully take out tho middle of it with a long, sharp knife, and fill it with a mixture of 1 table-spoonful of minced suet, 2 table-spoonfuls of bacon or ham, 2 table-spoonfuls of any cold meat, one raw egg, the grated rind of a lemon, a little grated nutmeg, and pepper and salt to taste. Milk may bo used instead of tho egg. Tie the Cabbage with string, put it in the oven, and bake for twenty minutes. Put it on a dish, and pour some rich brown gravy round, but not over, it. The Cabbage must be frequently basted with dripping or butter, and must not bo allowed to brown or get dry.

(2) Cut out tho root and heart from a medium-sized Cabbage-head, pick off several of the outer leaves, and blanch the remainder; then open the leaves carefully so as

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Cabbages — continued.

not to break them, season with 1 pinch of salt and pinch of pepper, and fill the inside of the leaves with sausage forcemeat. Close them up, tie the Cabbage so that none of the stuffing escapes, lay it in a saut-pan containing one cut-up carrot, a cut-up onion, a piece of lard skin, and pint of white broth, cover with a little fat from the soup-stock, lay a buttered paper on top, and cook for one hour in the oven, basting occasionally with its own liquor. When done, untie it, and serve with 5 pint of Madeira sauce in a sauceboat or poured over.

(3) German Style. — Scoop out the insides of two or three Cabbages. Make a mince of the soft part of what is taken out, an onion, a piece of fat bacon, six fresh eggs, loz. of butter, the grated crumb of two fresh rolls, a little mace, and 3 or 4 table-spoonfuls of cream. Fill up the cavities with this mixture, cover a Cabbage-leaf over each hole, tie up with tape or string, and put them in a stewpan close together; add sufficient good broth to cover, and boil until quite done. Take each one out carefully, put it on a dish, take off the string, and pour over some onion or white sauce made with cream.

Timbale of Cabbage. — Take a large Cabbage with a good heart, and strip it of its tender leaves one by one; wash these well, and put them in hot salted water for fifteen minutes to blanch; drain, and lay them on a cloth. Fry two chopped onions, but do not let them colour; then chop up the Cabbage, add a little seasoning, put it in the pan with the onions, and fry over a slow fire. When done, take them off and let them get nearly cold; then mix up with an equal amount of sausage-meat, 1 teacupful of breadcrumbs, two or three whipped eggs, and 1 pinch of chopped parsley. Place some thin slices of bacon at the bottom and round the sides of a large timbale-mould, and against these put some of the whole leaves, one on top of the other, so as to have no space left; then put a layer of the forcemeat, then another layer of Cabbage-leaves, and so on alternately till the mould is full. Cover the top with bacon, and put the mould into a moderate oven for an-hourand-a-half. Remove the fat from the mould, turn out the timbale on to a dish, take the bacon from the top, and pour over a little brown sauce.

White-Cabbage Salad. — Select a tender white Cabbage, cut out the stalks and ribs, put a number of the thinnest leaves together, and cut them into narrow strips. Cut two thin rashers of fat bacon into small squares, put them in a fryingpan, and fry until they begin to take colour. Move the pan off the fire, pour in 1 teacupful each of vinegar and water, season it with salt and pepper, place the pan over the fire again, and stir the contents until hot. Throw the Cabbage lightly into a salad-bowl, pour the prepared dressing over it, and serve.

Savoy Cabbages. — These, writes Jerrold, are the

staple winter greens of all classes, although some persons

Fig. 248. Savoy Cabbage.

stigmatise the flavour as strong. A few years ago, a Savoy Cabbage (see Fig. 248) meant the same variety to

Cabbages — continued.

all, but of late years this Cabbage has been greatly improved, and we have several distinct varieties, such as Little Pixie, of which, in the Review of the Yegetable Season in the Horticultural Journal, it was said: “Among Savoys, there is nothing so valuable as Little Pixie, planted out 16in. apart, plant from plant; the ground is literally covered with small but delicious heads, of from lilli. to 21b. each. We advise all gardening friends to grow this Savoy.” Another very excellent variety of Savoy is a hybrid sprouting dwarf .description known as New Sprouting Ulm. Two other good Savoys are Drumhead and Golden Globe; the former the largest in cultivation, the latter a peculiar golden colour, which has been in the markets and greengrocers’ shops for some time past. Nicholson specially mentions Little Pixie.

Boiled Savoy Cabbages. — Clean and remove the outer leaves of some Savoy Cabbages, pul them in a stewpan with boiling water, a little salt, and a small jnece of common soda, and boil until quite tender. Drain the water from them, sprinkle over a little pepper, and spread some butter over them. Melted butter sauce should be served with, but not over, them. Braised Savoy Cabbage for Garnishing. — Take three good Savoy Cabbages, or as many as may be required, trim and wash them well, cut them in halves, and boil for about twenty minutes; then remove them, and let them drain. Cut the stalks away, season with salt and pepper, and tie the Cabbages up, joining two halves together. Cover a stewpan bottom with thin slices of fat bacon, place the Cabbages in it, add a carrot, an onion with three or four cloves stuck in it, a little thyme, parsley, and three bay -leaves; cover the Cabbages with good stock, and let them simmer for about an hour. When done, remove the Cabbages, drain them well upon a sieve, remove the strings, press them in a napkin, so as to be able to cut them out into different designs according to taste, and garnish the entree with them.

Fried Savoy Cabbage and Bacon. — Take cold boiled Savoy, chop fine, season with salt and pepper, put in a frying-pan with a slice of fat bacon to each handful of Cabbage, and fry till well heated; or the bacon may be fried first, and the Cabbage tossed in the bacon-fat.

Stewed Savoy Cabbage in Cream. — Boil some Savoy Cabbages in salted water until done. Let them get cold, and then squeeze out the water, cut in quarters, and take out the stalk. Put them into a saucepan with 1 piled tablespoonful of butter, a small handful of flour, a little mace, and sufficient cream to keep them from burning, and let them stew thoroughly

Red Cabbages. — These Cabbages are rarely used in this country for any other purpose than pickling, therefore their variety is not great. Nicholson mentions the red Dutch as the best of its sort, and this appears to stand almost alone in its glory. Continental cooks prepare and serve red Cabbages in a variety of ways, but there is no reason to suppose that for these purposes any special kind of red Cabbage is required.

Boiled Pickled Red Cabbage with Oysters. — Put the required quantity of pickled Cabbage into a bowl of boiling water, and let it soak for ten or twelve minutes. Take it out and drain quite dry, rubbing well with a cloth, put it into a saucepan with a small quantity of dripping and stock, sprinkle over a little coarse black pepper, and boil it. When done, put it in a circle round a dish, fill the cavity with stewed oysters, and serve.

Boiled Red Cabbage. — Cleanse thoroughly a large red Cabbage, cut it into slices, and put them into boiling water for fifteen minutes or so. Boil them until tender, then drain, and serve with a little thick brown gravy sharpened with a little lemon-juice or vinegar.

Pickled Red Cabbage. — (1) Trim and remove the hard stalks from three red Cabbages, cut them into thin slices, lay on a dish, cover with salt, and leave for twelve hours. At the end of that time, wash the salt off the Cabbage and drain well; then put it in a stone jar, mixing it with thyme, mint, parsley, and peppercorns; pour in sufficient strong white vinegar to cover, place the lid on the jar, and leave it for

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Cabbages — continued. four weeks. At the end of that time the pickle is ready for use.

(2) Cut a red Cabbage into quarters; take out the stalk, then slice down the Cabbage endwise. Put the slices on a drying-sieve, sprinkle each layer with salt, and let them drain for two or three days. Then put the Cabbage into a jar and pour over boiling vinegar seasoned with spice tied up in a muslin bag; tie down when cold, and use as required.

Red-Cabbage Salad.- (1) Put some goose-grease or dripping into a saucepan, warm it, pour in a little vinegar, and add salt and pepper to taste. When the liquor is quite hot, stir in a red Cabbage cut up in small pieces, simmer gently until it is done, thicken with the yolks of eggs, and turn the preparation out on to a dish; it is then ready for use. It may be served either hot or cold, and butter or oil may be used instead of the goose-fat, but the latter is preferable if obtainable.

(2) Eemove all the outer leaves from a firm head of red Cabbage, see that it is clean, but it should not be washed. Cut the Cabbage into quarters, trim off the coarse stalks, and cut it into fine shreds. Put the Cabbage into a basin, dredge it plentifully with salt and pepper, and pour over sufficient vinegar to cover it. Put a large plate over the basin, and let the Cabbage steep for several hours. When ready, drain the Cabbage and put it into a salad-bowl; prepare a dressing of vinegar and sweet oil, the latter ingredient predominating, season it well with salt and pepper, then pour it over the Cabbage, and serve.

Red-Cabbage-and-Celery Salad. — Select a firm, close red Cabbage, and trim off the outside leaves; cut it into four pieces, wash in plenty of water, and drain it. Break the leaves apart, remove the stalks and ribs, and cut the remainder into thin shreds. Cut the heart and white sticks of two heads of celery in small pieces, and mix them with the Cabbage in a

Fig. 249. Red-Cabbage-and-Celery Salad.

salad-bowl; garnish the salad with young green tops of celery, and serve the salad with the following dressing over it: Beat one egg well and mix gradually in with it while beating

1 table-spoonful of salad-oil, 1 table-spoonful of vinegar, and

2 teaspoonful each of caster sugar and dry mustard. Season the mixture with a small quantity of salt (see Fig. 249).

Stewed Red Cabbage. — (1) Thoroughly wash a head of red Cabbage, cut the leaves apart, and trim off any hard, fibrous portion of the stalk. Peel and slice one onion; put it over the fire in a saucepan with 1 table-spoonful of butter, 1 breakfast-cupful of cold gravy, saltspoonful of pepper, and 2 teaspoonfuls of salt. Put in the Cabbage, pour 4 table-spoonfu's of vinegar over it, cover the saucepan closely, and cook gently for an hour or longer, until the Cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

(2) Trim the Cabbage neatly and wash it, then put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, and boil it for ten minutes. At the end of that time turn the Cabbage into a colander, drain it well, and cut it into fine shreds. Put loz. of butter into a stewpan and melt it, then put in the Cabbage and toss it about for a few minutes over the fire. Pour 1 teacupful of claret and the same quantity of broth or water over the Cabbage, season it with salt and a small quantity of sugar, and boil it gently until quite tender. Serve the Cabbage very hot.

(3) Take the hearts of two red Cabbages, slice them very fine, and put in an earthenware stewpan with pint each

Cabbages — continued.

of red wine and vinegar, a little butter, and salt to taste. Cover over the pan, and stew very slowly until done. When ready to serve sprinkle a little sugar over all.

(4) German. — Trim off all the outside leaves of one or two red Cabbages, wash the remainder in plenty of water, and cut into very thin slices. Put three or four rashers of fat bacon in a stewpan, and fry until crisp; then take them out, put in the Cabbage, pour in a small quantity of clear broth, put the lid on the stewpan, and let the contents simmer gently at the side of the fire. When the Cabbage is nearly cooked, dredge it with flour, put in 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds, and 1 wineglassful of red wine, and finish cooking the Cabbage gently. Peel three or four apples, cut into quarters, and core them; put them into a stewpan with 2oz. of butter, 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of sugar, and a small quantity of wine. Stew the apples gently until tender, but they must not be too soft. When the Cabbages are cooked, pile them in the centre of a hot dish, garnish with the apples, and serve.

Stock Cabbages. — These Cabbages are extensively grown in the South of the West Indies and much liked by Europeans. The stalk, which grows to a great height, as in the Jersey Cabbage, is the only part eaten, and is generally prepared in the following manner:

Trim off all the leaves, cut the stalk into pieces, put them into a bowl of salted water, and soak for several hours; take them out, drain, put into a saucepan with a good supply of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and toss them over the fire until done. Put them on a dish, mix a little veloute sauce with the liquor, pour it over, and serve.

CABILLAUD.— The French name commonly used for codfish.

CABINET PUDDINGS. — See Puddings.

CABRILLONS. — Small cheeses made from goat’s milk in Lyons and Auvergne. They are not much known in this country.

CACAO. — This is the tree from which the cocoa-nibs of commerce are obtained; it is botanically known as Theobroma Cacao, the term Theobroma being compounded of two Greek words, signifying “ food for the gods.” For many years this beverage, prepared from the Cacao-nut, was a favourite in Mexico, passing thence into Spain, France, and so to this country. There are several varieties, of which the Caracas is undoubtedly the best. The method of preparing Cacao, as practised by the Indian natives of Mexico, was very similar to that at present in vogue. The seeds were roasted in earthen pots, and, after being cleared of their husks, bruised between stones and rolled by hand into cakes. Modern manufacturers add a considerable amount of flavouring, chiefly vanilla.; but the Spaniards prefer cloves, cinnamon, musk, and ambergris. See Chocolate and Cocoa.

CACHAL. — A Provencal cheese made by working up the curd of milk with the hands. In a little time it ferments, and obtains a very piquant flavour, which is locally much prized.

CACHE-MUSEAU. — A sort of French pasty which somewhat resembles a cabbage, only being much smaller. The term signifies literally something to bury the snout in.

CACIS. — See Cassis.

CACTUS WINE. — The Pemo Indians of the Gila River make a wine called Tiswein from the fruit of the Giant Cactus (Cereus giganteus) by pressing the syrupy juice from the pulp, mixing it with water in earthen vessels, and exposing it to the sun to ferment. It is very intoxicating, and smells like sour beer. Wines of less importance are made also from other Cactus plants, such as the Cereus Thurberii and Anhalonium fissuratum.

CADGER’S BROSE. — See Prose.

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CAPE.— This is literally the French for coffee, hut by analogy it has long since come to pass that the term is used indiscriminately to signify the establishment or “ cabaret ” where coffee can be obtained, and answering to our coffee-house.

CAPE AU IiAIT. — See Coffee.

CAPETIERES — See Coffee.

C AG-KT AED. — This is the French name for a pot raised on four legs, so that the heat is at a distance from it. Lazy-bones is the literal translation.

CAISSES. — Fr. for paper cases folded in pleats with a turned- down edge, in which biscuits, little cakes, souffles, and other delicacies are cooked.

CAKES Fr. Gateaux; Ger. Kuchen; Hal. Focaceie; Sp. Bollos). — The word Cake is sufficiently familiar to require little or no explanation. It is described in Webster’s Dictionary as “a small mass of dough, baked; or a composition of Hour, butter, sugar or other ingredients baked in a small mass.” From this it is evident that the first idea of a Cake is the small mass of plain dough, baked, and in this assumption we are confirmed by Shakespeare, who, in every case where he mentions Cakes, speaks of them with anything but the respect that would be due to the delicious combinations and imposing constructions that modern confectioners range under this head.

“ Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more Cakes and Ale,” in Twelfth Night, evidently refers to Twelfth Cakes, which in their youthful simplicity were little better than wheat-flour and water, and sufficiently plain to be eaten with cheese and ale.

Our earliest Bride Cakes were merely thin flour-andwater biscuits, or Cakes, which were broken over the bride’s head.

He a captain ! llang him, rogue ! He lives Upon mouldy stewed prunes and dried Cake, is an exclamation that shows the contempt in which the Cakes of those times were held, giving no idea or promise of the works of art in Cakes with which we were to be familiar. Neither have we any reliable history or records by which to trace back the various improvements that have followed each other in Cake-making, and attribute them to individuals. The earliest cookery book printed gives no idea of a Cake such as modern cookery books teem with, so we may congratulate ourselves upon the fact, that however good the old times may have been to live in, the then existing folk knew nothing about our Cakes.

The term “ Cake ” is derived from the Latin coquere, to cook, and other countries have adopted modifications of the same word. The Danes call it Kage; Icelanders, Kalca; Catalans, Coca; and Provincial French, Couque, an assortment from which many other variations have been born; but none of them seem to be further from the original word than our own.

Before giving particulars of modern Cake-making, it is advisable to explain that much confusion of tongues has arisen amongst cooks and confectioners practising in this country with regard to terms and classification of Cakes and other goods, the difficulty arising from the fact that British cooks have but one or two names, such as Cakes and biscuits, to embrace them all; whereas Continental cooks in the finesse of their languages may have a hundred names to distinguish a hundred styles of preparing or serving. The French cook sometimes uses the term “biscuit” for what we should pronounce a “ Cake,” and again many of our biscuits are more propei’ly Cakes, and vice versa. The French gateau comprehends a large proportion of our Cakes; but modern British cooks have accustomed themselves to associate the name “ gateau ” with Cakes made of preserved fruits and sugar, such as gateau de prunes, or plums, which differs materially from our “ plum Cake,” the former

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils

Cakes — continued.

being a sort of fruit cheese or paste, whereas the plum Cake is, with the usual perversity of British culinary nomenclature, made up of dried raisins and currants, which are not plums at all. From such a culinary Babel it is not easy to draw nice distinctions, therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary complications, the very simplest classification has been adopted, so that many of those “ Cakes ” which might otherwise be graced with different headings will be found hereunder. It will be seen by this extensive collection of receipts that there is a similarity in the processes which prevails throughout them all.

In the first place, it is advisable that all the materials of a Cake should be carefully selected, for upon them the success of the Cake depends. Not only must they be of the best and perfectly clean, but free in every way from adulterative matter. “ Let all the ingredients,” writes an experienced confectioner, “ be picked over; flour dried, warmed, and sifted, currants washed in a hair sieve, wiped dry in a cloth, and set before the fire, and then before being added to the Cake let them be dusted over with flour. Sugar should be of the finest, and all lumps sifted out of it; eggs must be thoroughly beaten, and run through a strainer; butter, melted in a basin, set in a larger basin containing hot water, and afterwards it should he beaten up by the hand and mixed with milk or ‘creamed,’ as it is called, with sugar. Candied peels for the substance of the Cake should be chopped rather small, and lemon- or orange-peel (zest) rasped fine; and it would be better if these latter were to be pounded in a mortar after rasping. The essences used for flavourings are very useful in Cake-making, and spices must be in finest powder. Milk-and-water for diluting (or ‘moistening’) ought to be lukewarm, not hot or cold. Good stale bread, well soaked in milk-and-water, and then beaten to a paste and passed through a sieve, makes a very light medium for a Cake, and bakers frequently dispose in this way of an excess of stale bread.”

The baking of Cakes requires especial attention, as they contain more or less sugar, dried fruit, candied peel, and other sugary materials, all of which are liable to burn, or stick to the vessel holding them during baking. Other Cakes containing yeast, baking-powder, or other leaven require quick baking, so as to set the dough firmly before the aeration subsides. Should the oven he very hot the Cake may bum on the outside, and yet be quite uncooked in the centre. This can be tested by passing a bright knitting needle, or small silver skewer, into the Cake, and then withdrawing it. Should it return quite clean, the Cake is done through; but should the dough adhere to the needle in the least degree, the Cake must remain in the oven a little longer.

There is no other class of culinary goods in which the ingenuity and skill of the cook, pastry-cook, or confectioner finds more scope for practice than in making and decorating Cakes. In many cases the art does not lie so much in the making or baking of the Cake or Cakes as in their ornamentation and adaption. This will be amply proven by a glance at the very extensive assortment of receipts for Cakes collected by the united efforts of the cooks and confectioners engaged upon the staff of this Encyclopaedia. Tins, moulds, rings, hoops, pans, and other vessels for shaping and making Cakes of all sorts, sizes, and designs are to be found in any cooks’ and confectioners’ utensil-makers’ warehouse, only a few of these having been selected for our use as typical or specially appropriate to a purpose. For others, should greater variety be desired, the cook should apply for a catalogue to a firm of good repute.

It is advisable to remember that moulds and rings, &c., require ' greasing, and this, especially in the case of elaborate moulds, is more effectually accomplished by warming the mould with the butter in it, and then allowing

Sauces, tc., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Cakes — continued .

it to run freely all over tlie mould. These may be further dusted throughout with very fine dried breadcrumbs, those not adhering being emptied out, so that the shape of the Cake may not be unduly interfered with. Papering the rings or hoops is frequently resorted to when the colour of the outside of the Cake is of importance. With a little trouble the paper, which should be greased with butter, may be cut to fit the sides and bottoms, it being advisable to put two or three sheets at the bottom of a ring or hoop, and it may be omitted altogether in a tin with a bottom. For Cakes that are expected to rise above the rim of the tin, the paper lining should also rise above it in proportion. Special Cakes, and those compounded of any particular ingredient from winch the name is derived, such as Bride Cakes, Twelfth Cakes, Lemon Cake, Plum Cake, &c., will be found described under their particular denominative headings.

Aberfrau Cakes. — These delicious German Cakes are made by warming lb. of fresh butter and beating it into a cream. Mix together fib- each of fine flour and caster sugar, and mix in the butter, forming a stiff dough, with a little milk if required. Boll the paste out thin, cut into circles, mark the tops according to fancy, and bake on a greased baking-sheet for fifteen minutes in a sharp oven. Adelaide Cake. — Beat the yolks of fifteen eggs with lOoz. of powdered white sugar for twenty-five or thirty minutes, then stir into them 8oz. of ground rice and 1 table-spoonful of orange-flower water or brandy, and the grated rind of two lemons. Beat the whites of seven eggs to a stiff froth, mix this in lightly, and continue to stir the Cake for twenty minutes; then pour it into a round Cake-tin lined with buttered paper and bake in a quick oven for thirty minutes. Admiral Cake. — To Alexis Soyer we are indebted for the following fanciful Cake: Paper a tin mould shaped like a boat, arranging it round the sides in such a manner that the paper rises an inch or so above the edge of the mould, which should be 18in. in length, Gin. in breadth, and about 3in. in height; fill this with a sponge-Cake mixture made with twenty eggs and the other ingredients in proportion, having previously buttered and floured the interior of the mould; then bake the Cake an-liour-and-a-half in a moderate oven. When cooked, turn it out of the mould, and mask the exterior with chocolate icing; when dry, partly hollow out the interior, leaving a wall nearly lin. thick, also a piece across the centre to fix the mast upon. The ladders, guns, rigging, and mast should be made out of office-paste, and baked lightly in a moderate oven. Mask the guns with a chocolate icing, made rather darker than the vessel; form the muzzles with small rings of puff paste, and, when baked, fix them, with the mast and rigging, in their respective places. Place the vessel on an oval dish, laying it rather on one side as though tossed by the waves; put rolls of greencoloured wine jelly ( see Colourings) round the ship, then lay some thin slices of the same over the rolls; this will give a very fair imitation of waves. Some rice or wafer-paper can be used for the sails, which should be fixed to the mast as though filled with wind, bulging upon the side that the vessel is leaning towards. Make a flag of the same paper, paint it the required colours, in water colours, and fix it out at the stern; mix some apricot marmalade with wine and brandy, pour it in the vessel, and when ready to serve fill the inside with vanilla ice. The ropes may be formed with spun sugar, which should be fixed to the rigging just before serving. The above makes a very pretty dish, and the whole of it may be eaten. If there is no vessel-shaped mould handy, bake the sponge in a long mould and shape it afterwards with a knife as much like a vessel as possible. The sponge should always be baked a day or two before using, and clear white jelly can be used in place of the green, but it will not have so pretty or artistic an effect. African Cakes. — Separate the yolks and whites of fifteen eggs, beat the yolks with lib. of caster sugar, and sift in 31 breakfast-cupfuls of flour; when quite smooth, whip the whites of the eggs, and stir them in with the yolks; put the mixture in a biscuit-bag with a funnel about fin. in diameter, and press out pieces of paste on to a buttered baking-sheet, making them about the size of a penny. Put them in the oven, and

Cakes — continued.

bake for half-an-hour. When they are done they should be of a light colour; take the Cakes off the tin and let them cool. Scoop a little out of the centre of each round, fill each hollow with a little sweetened vanilla-flavoured whipped cream, and put one Cake over another; when all are done this way, ice them over with chocolate icing, and serve when the icing is cold.

Albany Cakes. — Mix with lqt. of milk six well-beaten eggs, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and 1 of salt. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff batter. Butter some little round tins, and half fill them with the batter. Bake twenty minutes in a hot oven, and dust the tops over with caster sugar. Five minutes before removing them from the oven, currants and finely-minced citron-peel are sometimes added.

Albert Cakes. — (1) Cream lib. of warmed butter with lib. of sugar, beat up twelve large eggs, and add; mix, by sifting, ioz. of bicarbonate of soda and f oz. of tartaric acid with 21b. of best flour; then put in lb. of currants, well washed and dried. Mix all together into a dough with sufficient milk, and bake on a baking-sheet with a small edge. Cut into squares when cold.

(2) Bub 6oz. of lard into Gib. of flour, and mix in 4oz. of cream of tartar and 2oz. of bicarbonate of soda. Make a hollow in the centre, add 21b. of sugar, 31b. of wellwashed currants, and sufficient milk to form a dough, having it moderately soft; put it into a well-greased tin, spread it rather thin, brush it over occasionally with milk, and bake in a moderate oven. Let it get cold, cut it into small pieces, and uso as desired.

American White Cake. — Work 2oz. of butter into a cream; beat up the whites of six eggs in 1 pint of milk. Add to lib. of flour 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, mix the butter with the flour,

Fig. 250. Square Cake-tin (Mathews and Son'.

rubbing well in, and then make into a dough with the milk and eggs. Butter a square Cake-tin (see Fig. 250), pour the mixture in, and bake in a quick oven for one hour. When done, brush over the top with white of egg and sift caster sugar over it, replacing in the oven for two or throe minutes.

Ames Cake. — Mix together lib. of flour, fib. of caster sugar, and H teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. Bub into this -lb. of butter. Beat up the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs and add to the flour with 1 teacupful of milk. Flavour with the grated peel of one lemon. Mix thoroughly, place between two greased baking-sheets in a moderate oven, and bake for about twenty-five minutes. Make a good icing by stirring 1 breakfast-cupful of caster sugar into the whites of two eggs, and flavour with lemon. Ice over the top thinly.

Angels’ Bread. — Work lib. of butter and lib. of fine sugar into 111b. of sifted flour, and add by degrees the whites of eight eggs, beaten up with 1 teacupful of new milk

and a sufficient quantity of vanilla flavouring. With the flour should first be mixed up 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, or these may be

2 a 2

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Cakes — continued.

dissolved in the milk before beating in the eggs. Put the mixture into a shallow baking-tin or pan (see Pig. 250), and bake in a moderately hot oven. When quite done, remove from the tin, and spread icing over the top and bottom; then lay finely-grated cocoanut over before the top icing is dry. Add more icing and another layer of cocoanut, and again another layer of icing over if wished, and return to the oven to set (see Pig. 251). The icing is made by beating up the whites of three eggs, lib. of finely-powdered sugar, called “ icing sugar,” and the juice of a lemon.

Angels’ Cake.— (1) Mix lib. of finely-powdered sugar with the whites of eight eggs, well beaten. Work Jib. of fresh butter into a cream, and mix with the sugar and eggs. Dissolve J teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in J breakfast-cupful of new milk, and add this and lib. of flour (in which 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar has been stirred), in small quantities, to the former mixture, working in well with a fork. Flavour with lemon or vanilla added .to the milk; bake in a thin sheet, spread icing, as in Angels’ Bread, over the top and sides, and sprinkle over grated cocoanut. Return the Cake to the oven to set.

(2) Take the whites of eleven eggs, 1J breakfast-cupfuls of granulated sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of pastry-flour (measured after being sifted four times), 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoonful of vanilla extract. Sift the flour and cream of tartar together. Beat the whites to a stiff froth; beat the sugar into the eggs, and add the flavouring and flour, stirring quickly and lightly. Beat until ready to put the mixture into the oven. Use a pan, if available, that

has little legs at the top corners (see Fig. 252), so that when the pan is turned upside down, after the baking, a current of air may pass under and over it. Bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. Do not grease the pan. Sugar icing, with or without grated cocoanut, may be used as in No. 1 at discretion. If a pan with top legs is not at hand, the corners may be supported by resting on four cotton-reels or bits of wood.

(3) The addition of Jib. of sultana raisins, and some finelysliced candied peel, adds to the richness of the Cake.

(4) Mix with 1 breakfast-cupful of flour 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Beat up the whites of five eggs with 1 teacupful of caster sugar, 1 teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon flavouring, and stir in the flour lightly. Put in a small deep mould, not buttered, and bake in a slack oven about thirty minutes. When done, turn the mould upside down, and leave it to get cold before removing the Cake. Put icing over or dust with caster sugar.

(5) Mix 14oz. of dry flour,

2oz. of cornflour, and 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar; sift them several times, and stir in lightly with a whisk 3 pints of white of eggs whipped to a froth, and 2 teaspoonfuls of vanilla sugar or 2 teaspoonfuls of extract of lemon. Have

Fig. 253. Angels’-cake Tin (Round) (Wilson Engineering Co.).

Cakes — continued.

ready a mould (not greased) with a conical tube in the centre at least lin. higher than the sides of the mould, which should be loin, across at the bottom, 12in. at the top, and 5in. deep (see Fig. 253). Pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for about twenty-five minutes. Take it out, turn it upside down, and let it stand on the conical tube until cold. Turn it out by passing a knife round the rim, and serve. It may be iced if required.

Anglo-French Stuffed Cake.— Boil 3oz. of ground rice in 1 pint of milk; stir till the rice is done, then move it on one side. Pound Jib. of sweet almonds with loz. of bitter ones and 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, and put them in the stewpan; cut finely Joz. of candied citron and soak it in a little maraschino, then put it in with the almonds and rice; beat five eggs, pour them in with the other ingredients, and stir all over the fire till thick. Make some puff paste, divide it into unequal pieces, and roll both out, one being larger and thicker than the other. Pile the mixture in the centre of the smaller paste, wet the rims, and lay the larger over, pinching and notching the edges, and bake in a moderate oven; dust over with caster sugar, glaze with a salamander, and when cold cut into strips or fingers, and serve on a napkin spread on a dish.

Ash Cake. — Put lib. or so of cornflour into a basin, sprinkle in a little salt, and add sufficient water to make it into a stiff dough. Let it remain for half-an-hour or so, then form it into a Cake from lin. to 2in. in thickness, put it on the hearth, cover it over with wood ashes, and bake for from thirty to forty-five minutes; wijie it clean when done, and it is ready for use. The alkaline properties left by the ashes in the crust make it especially good for dyspeptics with an acid stomach.

Athole Cakes. — Put into a basin Jib. of cornflour, 2 tablespoonfuls of caster sugar, 1 large teaspoonful of bakingpowder, the grated rind of one lemon, and a small piece of candied peel finely shredded. Stir in Jib. of butter, warmed and beaten to a cream, and two well-beaten eggs. Mix all well together, and put into buttered small patty-pans a piece of the size of a fowl’s egg. Bake for five or six minutes in a hot oven.

Aurelian Cake. — Mix together Jib. of caster sugar and Jib. of ground rice. Whisk the yolks of twelve and the whites of seven eggs together and add to the rice, with a wineglassful of brandy. Flavour with essence of almonds. Beat all together for about twenty minutes, pour into a buttered mould, and bake until done in a hot oven. A table-spoonful of thin slices of candied orange-peel improves the Cake very much.

Bairn Brack Cake. — Put Jib. of fresh butter into a saucepan with J pint of milk, and place it over the fire until hot and melted, then move the pan to the side and let it cool a little. Put into a basin 1 Jib. of dried flour, Jib. of brown sugar, 1 tablespoonful of caraway-seeds, 1J table-spoonfuls of fresh yeast, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg; mix these ingredients well, and beat in the butter and milk and four well-beaten eggs. Work the dough well, taking care that it is not too stiff; cover it with a cloth, and place it near the fire until well risen. Butter the interior of a Cake-tin, put the doug'h in it, and bake. When cooked, the Cako may be either cut into slices and served hot with butter, or left until cold and toasted before serving.

Bakestone Cakes. — Sift lib. of flour on to a board, rub in a piece of butter about the size of a walnut, and add sufficient cream to moisten it and make it of the required consistency. Roll out the paste, cut it into Cakes, put them on a griddle over a clear fire, and cook slowly until done, which will take about forty-five minutes. Take them off when done and they are ready for use. A few currants may be used with the flour, if desired.

Balloon or Prussian Cakes. — Prepare about 21b. of dough, such as is used for making currant buns, flatten it, put it into a buttered tin, and let the dough prove or rise. When it has about half proved, divide into eight equal parts, let it finish proving, then brush over the surface with wellbeaten egg, sprinkle over caster sugar, damp this with a very little water, and bake in a slack oven, so that the icing will not be too much coloured.

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Cakes — continued.

Balmoral Cakes. — Put 3Mb. of flour into a sieve with lloz. of bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid, letting the soda predominate, and sift them two or three times; then work in lib. of butter and the same of sugar, make a cavity in the centre, put in a few caraway-seeds, and, lastly, five eggs beaten up in lqt. of milk. When the dough is ready, divide

Fig. 254. Bai.moral-cake Mould.

it into pieces, put them in well-buttered moulds (see Fig. 254), sprinkle caster sugar over the tops, and bake in a moderate oven.

Bath Cake. — (1) Mix with lib. of flour, Jib. of butter, four eggs, J pint of yeast, half a grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of caraway-seeds, and Jib. of sugar. Put in a Ca'ke-tin and let it rise before baking.

(2) Take 1 Jib. of moist sugar, and add f pint of water; let it stand all night. Into 4 Jib. of flour rub 3oz. of butter; make a well in it, and pour in the sugar and water with J pint of honey-sweetened water added. Roll thin, cut out in shapes, place on a buttered baking-sheet, and bake in a quick oven.

(3) Take Jib. of sugar, Jib. of butter, fib. of flour, two eggs, 1J gills of milk, 2oz. of bicarbonate of soda, 1 pinch of powdered nutmeg, and candied citron-peel. Warm the butter and work it in a hot basin into a thick cream, then introduce into it the eggs, taking them one by one and beating freely. Add the bicarbonate of soda, sugar, flour, and milk, all of which put in gradually, working the preparation with a spoon. The paste must be thick enough to keep together so that it does not spread when placed on the baking- sheet. Now take the paste up with a tablespoon, arrange it on an oiled baking-sheet, in pieces about the size of a walnut, being careful to place them a little distance from each other. Set on each of these pieces a large slice of candied citron-peel, and let them bake in a moderate oven till done.

Beaulieu Cakes. — Separate the whites and yolks of eight eggs, and beat them separately; slightly warm lib. of butter, beat it until creamy, then mix in the eggs, the yolks first and the whites last. Mix 12oz. of caster sugar with lib. of sifted flour, also 1 teaspoonful of powdered cloves, a grated nutmeg, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon. Work the butter and eggs gradually in with the flour, then add 2 wineglassfuls of white wine, and 12oz. of well-washed and dried currants; continue working the mixture for nearly an hour. Butter two Cake-tins, and pour in the mixture; put them into a brisk oven, and bake for three-quarters-of-an-hour. Half the quantity of the above mentioned ingredients can be used in the same proportions. To make the Cakes less rich, leave out a third of the quantity of sugar and a third of the quantity of butter.

Beauvilliers Cake. — Pound Jib. of sweet almonds, adding the white of an egg to prevent oiling, and mix with Jib. of caster sugar and the whites of five eggs. Put this mixture into a basin with lib. of caster sugar, and whisk briskly to a stiff froth, gradually adding the yolks of twelve eggs; then add 1 breakfast- cupful of flour, the same quantity of ground rice, fib. of fresh butter, warmed to melting, and the whipped whites of seven eggs. Put into a buttered flat tin and bake in a slow oven. When cold, mask it with kirscli icing.

Black Cakes. —(1) Mix well together lib. of butter, 21b. of caster sugar, and 3 pints of flour; then add J pint of molasses,

Cakes — continued.

the same of brandy and wine, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of ammonia (saleratus), loz. each of all kinds of powdered spices, twelve eggs, 31b. of stoned raisins, 21b. of washed and dried currants, and Jib. of well-chopped candied citronpeel. Make into a strong dough, and put into deep tins and bake for three or four hours in a moderate oven.

(2) Warm lib. of butter and beat up with lib. of caster sugar until they make a cream, then add ten eggs, two at a time, beating well, and 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour. When the flour is all in, add 2oz. of mixed spices, 1 teacupful of burnt-sugar colouring, 1 teacupful of molasses, the same of brandy, and 1 table-spoonful of essence of lemon. The batter will then be quite thin; mix in, floured well, 2 Jib. of stoned raisins, the same of cleaned and dried currants, ljlb. of citron-peel, cut fine, and a few finely-shredded almonds. Line Cake-moulds with buttered paper, and put the mixture into them. Put the moulds in sheets of greased paper, and tie around them with twine, so as to keep off some of the heat and prevent the fruit- burning. Bake in a rather slow oven from two hours to two-hours-and-a-half.

Bonnefeadas Cakes. — Make a rich puff paste, using lqt. of flour, divide it in two pieces, roll each out very thin, and spread with butter, washed and creamed, and beaten up with Jib. of fine moist sugar and 1 teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon. Roll each up, wet the edge to fasten it, and cut into slices, about lin. wide; put these in a baking-dish, sprinkle over them caster sugar, small pieces of butter, and cinnamon. Bake quickly. Turn them out of the dish while hot, and serve hot or cold.

Bonnet Cakes. — Put half a stick of cinnamon and the peel of half a lemon into a small saucepan with J pint of water, and boil for three or four minutes; strain the water, and stir it into ljoz. of flour. Pour the paste into the saucepan, and stir it over the fire for a few minutes. Mix about loz. of butter with the paste, leave it until cold, then mix in with it the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, season with small quantities of salt and pepper, and beat the mixture well. Put a good supply of lard into a deep frying-pan, place it over the fire until boiling, and drop in the mixture with a dessert-spoon. As the Cakes are browned and cooked, skim them out of the fat, and lay them on paper near the fire to drain. When all are cooked and well drained, put them on a hot dish over which has been spread a folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper, strew caster sugar over them, and serve while very hot.

Bordeaux Cake. — Take fib. of butter, Jib. of caster sugar, ljoz. of ground almonds, 1 pint of flour, six eggs, and 1 wineglassful of brandy or wine; mix the butter well with the sugar, break in the eggs one or two at a time, and work Avell; then add the almonds, flour, and brandy, and bake in a round hoop (see Fig. 255) on a baking-sheet. When baked and cold, cut into thick slices, and spread each slice with jam or marmalade, and re-build the Cake before serving.

Breakfast Cakes. — (1) Dissolve Joz. of German yeast in a basin Avith J pint of warm milk, and stir into it sufficient flour to make a batter. When this has risen, or sponged as it is called, warm Jib. of butter and mix with a little milk, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and the yolks of eight eggs. Beat up well, and make into a dough with the remainder of 21b. of flour, knead lightly, and then make it into Cakes about 2in.

Fig. 255. Breakfast

Cake and Hoop.

thick, put them into buttered small hoops (see Fig. 255), lay the hoops on greased baking-sheets, and Avhen the dough is nicely risen put them into a warm oven and bake. When done cut them into thick slices and butter. Serve hot.

(2) Rub 4oz. of butter into lib. of flour until smooth, then mix in 1 saltspoonful of salt, J pint of warm milk, J teacupful

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Cakes — continued.

of fresh yeast, and two well-beaten eggs. Work the mixture well, cover it, and stand it in front of the fire until well risen, which will take about three-quarters-of-an-hour. Divide the dough into equal quantities, or mould them into Cakes about 4in. in diameter. Butter a baking-sheet, put the Cakes on it, leaving a space between them, and bake in a brisk oven. When cooked, cut each Cake into three round slices, butter them thickly, replace them, put them on a hot dish over which has been laid a folded napkin, and serve at once.

(3) Warm loz. of butter and work it into 8oz. of flour; warm also 1 breakfast-cupful of milk and stir in 2oz. of yeast, then add loz. of sugar, and let it form a head. Now add the flour and make a dough; set it to rise for an hour, knead it well, and shape it into Cakes; set them to prove, and bake in a moderate oven. When done, pull them asunder, butter them inwardly, and serve hot.

Brighton Cakes. — Put 4oz. of butter and lib. of powdered loaf sugar into a basin and rub them to a cream, beat in six eggs and stir in 3 teacupfuls of rich milk. Add lib. of flour, a little at a time, then 1 pinch of salt and 1 dessertspoonful of baking-powder. Mix all very gently together, pour it into buttered, shallow tins or jelly-cake moulds, and bake in a quick oven. Take out when done, and let them get cold before using.

Bristol Cakes. — Mix together 21b. of warmed butter, 21b. of sugar, twenty beaten eggs, 31b. of flour, 1 table-spoonful of

baking-powder, 31b. of sultana raisins, and make into a paste. Put in small round hoops, and bake in a moderate oven. See Fig. 256.

Brunswick Cakes. — (1) Large. — Dissolve 2oz. of dried yeast in 1 pint of lukewarm milk; warm lib. of butter, beat it until creamy, mix with it 6oz. of sugar, the beaten yolks of twelve and the whites of six eggs, the grated peel of one lemon, 1 table-spoonful of pounded sweet almonds, tablespoonful of pounded bitter almonds, half a grated nutmeg, and the milk with the yeast. Sift in gradually 2jlb. of flour, and beat it thoroughly until a light dough is formed. Stone and chop 6oz. of raisins, well wash an equal quantity of currants, and add these at the last to the dough. Dust flour over a shallow baking-tin, put the dough in it, and spread it out in. in thickness; put a cloth lightly over it, and set in a warm place to rise. When risen, make small holes in the dough with the fingers, and put in each a very small piece of butter; dust thickly over with caster sugar, and bake in a brisk oven. The Cake should be of a rich brown colour when cooked.

(2) Small. — Warm in a basin and beat up a piece of butter the size of two eggs with lb. of caster sugar to a cream; add two well -beaten eggs and -f teacupful of milk, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add Jib. of flour mixed with 1 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and H teaspoonfuls of mixed cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bub some small Cake-tins with dripping, dust them with flour, pour in the mixture to about lin. in depth, bake in a moderate oven for kalf-an-liour, let the Cakes get cold, ice them, and use as desired.

Buttercup Cakes. — Mix well together h. of butter, lib. of sugar, the yolks of eight eggs, one whole egg, 1 teacupful of milk, 1 pint of flour, 1 Haspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 11 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, 1 saltspoonful of mace, or 1 teaspoonful of grated lemon-peel. Put portions into small round tins, and bake in a moderate oven. Ice with yellow icing, and decorate with candied fruit.

Cakes — continued.

Cakes for Coffee. — (1) Boil lib. of rice soft, mix with it 21b. of flour, 11b. of fine corn-meal, and 1 teacupful of fresh yeast. Moisten with cold water. Set the dough to rise overnight, make into small Cakes in tbe morning, and bake on a buttered baking-sheet.

(2) German. — Make a light dough, as for Buns, sweeten it, and about three hours after roll it out very thin and lay it on a large baking-sheet. Brush over the top with 1 table-spoonful of lard that has been melted in hot water, and set the dough in a warm place to rise for one hour. Before baking, score it with the point of a paste-knife to prevent it puffing up. Let it bake ten minutes, and when it is done brush over the top with syrup, and sift over it caster sugar and ground cinnamon mixed. Cut it into 3in. squares.

Cake in Imitation of a Ham.— Put the yolks of fourteen eggs in a basin with lib. of caster sugar, 1 saltspoonful of salt, and a few drops of essence of vanilla; beat them well until smooth and creamy. Whip the whites of the fourteen eggs to a firm froth, mix them gradually and lightly in with the batter, and sift in gradually 4Joz. of cornflour and the same quantity of wheaten-flour. Procure a large and deep oval-shaped paper case, pour the batter into it, and bake. When cooked, take the Cake out of the oven, turn it out of the case, and leave till cold. Hollow out the under part of the Cake, and trim it all round with a sharp knife to the size and shape of a dressed ham. Coat the whole of the upper surface with dissolved apricot jam; coat also the part where the rind is generally left on the knuckle with some transparent chocolate icing, then place it where it may dry without being disturbed. Prepare some cream ice and flavour it with vanilla, then fill the interior of the ham with it. Ornament the ham with a design, piped on in royal icing; stick a fancy silver skewer in the knuckle end of the ham, and fix a paper ruffle round it. Put a lace-edged disli-paper on a dish, place the ham on it, and garnish with croutons of red and yellow jelly. It is then ready for serving.

Cake in Imitation of a Haunch of Lamb (a la Soyer). — A dish of this character is of no extraordinary value, even as an eccentricity. Put the yolks of thirty-six eggs in a basin with 31b. of caster sugar, stand the basin in another one containing hot water, and whisk the eggs till rather thick and warm, then take the basin out of the water, and continue whisking them until cold. Beat the whites of the thirty-six eggs and mix them with the yolks, then sift in gradually 31b. of the best white flour and the finely-chopped peel of two lemons, stirring it lightly at the same time with a wooden spoon. When quite smooth, turn the batter into a very long mould and bake it. When cooked, take it out of the oven and leave till cold. If not convenient to use so large a mould, the Cake can be baked in two separate portions, and afterwards joined together with icing. When cold, trim the Cake with a sharp knife into the shape of a haunch of lamb. Make a hollow in tho interior of the Cake, but fill it up again with the pieces, to keep it in shape. Colour some icing to a light gold with a small quantity of melted chocolate and cochineal, and coat the Cake over with it, and leave till dry. Make sufficient strawberry or vanilla ice to fill the interior of the Cake. Form the knuckle-bone of tho lamb with office-paste; moisten the interior with brandy and preserved strawberry-juice, then fill it with tho ice. Put the haunch on to a dish, fix a paper frill round the knuckle-bone, and glaze it over with a mixture of apricot marmalade and currant jelly. Melt a small quantity of redcurrant jelly with some red wine, pour it round the haunch, to imitate gravy, and serve.

Cake in Imitation of a Melon. — Put lib. of sifted loaf sugar into a basin with ten eggs and the grated zest of a lemon, and beat well with a whisk for five or six minutes; remove the whisk and with a wooden spoon stir in 12oz. of sifted flour. Butter slightly a melon-shaped mould, half fill it with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. Take out the Cake when done, let it stand for a day, cover it with royal icing, and then roll it in coarsely-sifted loaf sugar and let it set. Colour it on one side with extract of spinach and on the other with extract of saffron, imitating the shades of a ripe melon as nearly as possible. Prepare an imitation stalk

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THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

231

Cakes — continued.

with a little paste, the same as used for making' rout Cakes, shading it, and also making a large artificial leaf. This Cake, although it will take a little practice to make well, will repay for its trouble by its appearance.

Cakes Stuffed •with Cream. — Beat six eggs with 3 tablespoonfuls of flour; when smooth, mix in 1 pint of cream or milk, pour all into a stewpan, and stir it over the fire until it coats the spoon, but do not let it boil. Bub some lumps of loaf sugar over the rind of a lemon or orange (about Jib. of sugar), then put them in with the milk, and add 2oz. of crushed ratafias and a wineglassful of brandy. Put 2oz. of butter into a frying-pan, and when browned a little stir in the frangipane. Prepare and divide some puff paste and roll out into two sheets, one larger and thicker than the other; put the mixture in the centre of the smallest round, wet tho rim, and cover with the other; notch the edges, bake, dust with caster sugar, and glaze with a salamander. When cold, cut it into pieces 2 Jin. long and lin. wide. Arrange these pieces tastefully upon a folded napkin laid on a dish, and serve.

Cakes Stuffed, with Jam. — (1) This is made as for Cakes Stuffed with Cream, putting either greengage, apricot, or strawberry jam in place of the frangipane; bake for kalf-anhour instead of three-quarters-of-an-hour.

(2) Boll Jib. of puff paste into a long strip 3in. wide and nearly Jin. thick; put some rolls of jam, 1 Jin. long and 1 Jin. apart, in the centre of the strip, the rolls should bo about as thick as the middle finger; wet the edges all along, fold the paste over, and press it carefully all round the jam, then cut through each division with a knife. Sprinkle a little water on a baking-sheet, put the Cakes on it, draw a fancy design with the point of a knife on each, nearly cutting through the paste, then egg them over, and bake lightly in a moderate oven. When cooked, take them out of the oven, sprinkle caster sugar over, and glaze with a red-hot salamander. Put a border of apple marmalade on a dish, arrange the Cakes on it, and serve. •

Camp Cakes. — Put 12oz. of flour on to a board, make a bay, and work in 4oz. of warmed butter, a little salt, and seven eggs. Should the paste be too stiff, add another egg or so. Cover the whole with a cloth, and set it in a cool place, with a little flour sprinkled over it. Cut the paste into quarters, roll each of them round, then cut into slices, flour slightly, and plunge into a saucepan of boiling water, keeping them as much apart as possible. The pieces of paste will drop to tho bottom of the saucepan, but when they are done through they will rise, and must be taken out with a skimmer. Put them into a basin of cold water, let them remain for about five hours; take out and drain, put them on a baking-sheet, keeping them a little apart, and bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes. When done, take the Cakes out, open them at the sides, mask inwardly with warmed butter, and serve as hot as possible.

Canadian Cakes. — Mix together lib. of flour, -fib. of sugar, Jib. of maizena, and 1 pinch of salt, and rub into it Jib. of butter. Beat well eight eggs, and add to the flour, with Jib. of currants, washed and dried, Jib. of finely-chopped candied

Fig. 257. Shallow Cake-ring.

peel, and 1 wineglassful of brandy. When well mixed, put the Cakes into shallow baking-rings (see Fig. 257), lined with paper dipped in warmed butter, and bako for half-an-hour. Capital Cake. — Mix 41b. of sifted flour with 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, rub in 1 breakfast-cupful of butter, and then add lib. of caster sugar, six lightly-beaten eggs, and 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, with 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in it. Flavour with nutmeg or essence of lemon. Put in a greased tin, and bake until done.

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils

Cakes — continued.

Carnival Cakes. — These Continental favourites aro made as follows: Beat up two eggs in 1 gill of milk, and add gradually Jib. of flour. Let it remain for three hours, and then work in sufficient flour to make a dough. Boll out thin, cut into rounds about 9in. in diameter, and with a sharp knife cut four parallel lines to within lin. of the sides. This will form

Fig. 253. Carnival Cake.

two handles by which each Cake must be lifted (see Fig. 258); put them into hot fat, and fry to a light yellow colour. Pile them on a dish, and sprinkle sugar over. The Cakes should be eaten cold, and as they will not keep, not more should be made than wanted at one time.

Chantilly Cake. — Stand a basin in a larger ono containing hot water, and break in five eggs; put in 1 teacupful of caster sugar, and whisk them for ten minutes, then take the basin out of the hot water and whisk a few minutes longer; sift in 6 table-spoonfuls of flour, and stir it till quite smooth. Butter tho inside of a cylinder-mould, sprinkle caster sugar over it, then pour in the Cake mixture, and if the preparation fills tho mould tio a strip of buttered paper round it, making it so that it comes about ljin. above the rim of the mould. Bake in a moderate oven. Whip J pint of rich cream with a little caster sugar till quite firm, and flavour it to taste. Turn the Cake out when cooked, fill the hollow with the cream, and serve.

Chausson Cakes. — Boll Jib. of puff paste into a piece 18in. long by 3in. wide, and pare off the edges neatly. Cut out four square pieces, all the same size, and with a pastry-brush moisten the surfaces with beaten egg. Fold up each piece by laying ono corner over the other, so that they aro triangular

Fig. 259. Ciiausson Cakes.

(see Fig. 259). Put them on a baking-sheet in the oven for twenty minutes, remove to the oven door, dredge plenty of powdered sugar over, put back, and close the door for oneminute-and-a-half, to allow the sugar to melt thoroughly. Bemove them from tho oven, and cool for twenty minutes. The Cakes will have risen about 2in. in front. Then, with the thickest part of a larding-needle, make a hollow in front of each Cake. Put 3oz. of red-currant jelly into a paper

Sauces, £c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Cakes — continued.

cornet, and with it fill the insides of the Cakes. Dress them on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

Christmas Cake. — (1) Rub Jib. of butter, or butter and lard, into lib. of finely-sifted flour, in which 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder and 1 pinch of salt have already been mixed. When the fat has all been worked in, add Jib. each of wellwashed and dried currants and minced mixed candied peel, and Jib. of moist sugar with J teaspoonful of mixed spice. Make into a dough with water, put into a greased Cake-tin, and bake in a moderately hot oven.

(2) Cream lib. of butter, and mix in with it three wellbeaten eggs, 21b. of flour, lib. of currants, washed and dried, lib. of sugar, and 5 small teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. Work all together with J pint of milk. Butter a Cake-tin and pour the mixture in. Bake for two hours or a little longer.

(3) Mix with 51b. of best white flour 1 dessert-spoonful of salt, and rub well in Jib. of butter and lib. of lard. Add

1 Joz. of German yeast, knead it well, and set in a warm place to rise, with a cover over it. When risen, add 31b. of currants, washed and dried, Jib. of finely-chopped candied lemon-peel, ljlb. of moist sugar, 1 grated nutmeg, four well-beaten eggs, and 1 table-spoonful of brandy. Butter some Cake-tins, and line them with buttered paper. Put the mixture in, and bake until well done.

Clay Cake. — Mix together in 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour Jib. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and 3 breakfast-cupfuls of caster sugar; add 1 breakfast-cupful of sweet milk, with 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in it, and six well-beaten eggs. Flavour to taste. Make into a dough, roll out, and bake in layers.

Colchester Cakes. — (1) Dissolve over a steady fire Jib. of loaf sugar in lqt. of water; when this boils, pour it gently over six well-whisked eggs and beat till cold. Sift in gently Jib. of flour, fill some paper cases three-quarters full with the mixture, sprinkle some fine sugar over the top, and bake in a slow oven.

(2) Crush quite fine ljlb. of loaf sugar, add it to J pint of water, mix and let it stand for twelve hours. Rub 3oz. of butter into 4Jlb. of flour, put it on a table, make a well in the centre and pour in J pint of honey-water, together with the sugar and water, and mix well. Roll out to the thickness of a penny and mark into sizes with a Colchestercutter; brush these over with milk, place on a baking-tin, and bake in a quick oven. When done, wash with egg-andmilk, leave till cold, and then break the Cakes asunder.

Composition Cake. — (1) Rub to a cream 2 teacupfuls of warmed butter and 3 teacupfuls of sugar; then add five wellbeaten eggs, one nutmeg, and 2J teacupfuls of flour; dissolve in 1 teacupful of milk 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Strain and mix it with a wineglassful of brandy, and stir into the Cake with another 2J teacupfuls of flour. Add lib. of stoned raisins just before the Cake is put in the tin, and bake from three-quarters-of-an-hour to one hour.

(2) Beat to a cream lib. of butter in a bowl, then add gradually ljlb. of sugar, eight well-beaten eggs, one nutmeg,

2 teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful of allspice, 1 teaspoonful of mace, J teaspoonful of cloves, and 1 wineglassful each of wine and brandy. Dissolve 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in 1 table-spoonful of hot water, stir it into J pint of sour milk, and add to the other ingredients. Then add ljqts. of flour, 1 breakfast-cupful of stoned and chopped raisins, 21b. of currants, and Jib. of citron-peel cut fine. This will make several Cakes. Bake for two hours in wellbuttered tins.

Conde Cakes. — Boll out to eight turns Jib. of puff paste. Cut the paste into strips 4in. wide, and mask the top with almondpaste ( see Marzipan). Cut the strips again into oblongs ijin. wide, and sprinkle over the top a little sugar flavoured with vanilla. Lay them with the blade of a knife, a short space between each, on baking-sheets; bake in a slack oven. When done, trim round the edges.

Confederate Cake. — Mix 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder with 2 breakfast- cupfuls of flour, and add any desired flavouring. Mix the yolks of three eggs with 1 breakfast-cupful of powdered loaf sugar, add to these the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, 1 teacupful of cold water, and lastly the

Cakes — continued.

flour and baking-powder. Put the mixture iuto a well-greased oblong baking-tin (see Fig. 260), and bake in a moderate oven. A little grated lemon-rind may be used as flavouring.

Fir,. 250. Oblong Cake-tin (Mathews and Son).

Corporation Cakes. — Take Jib. of flour and mix in 2 tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, a quarter of a grated nutmeg, and a little salt. Then cut loz. of candied lemon-peel into thin slices and add them to the mixture together with 2oz. of washed and dried currants. Mix all well together to a stiff paste by adding 1 table-spoonful of brandy, two eggs, and 6oz. of warmed butter. Take up in a dessert-spoon as much as it will hold, and let it drop upon a well-buttered baking-sheet; repeat the process until the paste is used up, then put them in a moderate oven, and bake for an hour.

Country Cakes. — Put Jib. of flour into a basin with Jib. of slightly-melted butter and the yolks of six eggs; beat well together until they become as thick as cream. Then take the whites of the eggs and beat them up with lib. of finelysifted lump sugar, and when it gets to a froth mix all together. Put the paste in tins, and bake in a brisk oven for twenty minutes.

Cup Cakes. — (1) Blanch and skin Jib. of sweet almonds, put them in a mortar and pound them, adding occasionally a few drops of water to prevent them from oiling. Put lib. of butter in a saucepan, place on the fire, and when it has melted stir in slowly Jib. of ground rice and the pounded almonds. Continue stirring the mixture over the fire until browned, but taking every care not to burn it, then pour in lqt. of boiling syrup and 1 pint of boiling milk. Place the lid over the saucepan, and leave the contents for six or seven minutes; then stir it vigorously with a fork. Take the mixture out of the saucepan in teacupfuls, and turn them over on to a hot

dish, leaving each the same shape as the cup (see Fig. 261); dust over with caster sugar, and serve.

(2) Put Jib. of butter, three eggs, J pint of milk, 6oz. of fine sugar, and a little yeast into a basin and mix them well up, adding sufficient flour to make the dough the required stiffness. Cover over the basin with a cloth, and put it before the fire for the dough to rise. Take a few cups, butter them inside, fill the cups with the paste, and put in the oven. When done, turn them out and leave on the flat side to cool.

Cussy Cake. — This Cake is made in thin, low cylindrical moulds of graduated sizes, with flat tops; the insides buttered and then dusted with finely-powdered sugar. Take lib. of sugar, fib. of pounded almonds (passed through a fine hair sieve), Jib. of ground rice, Jib. of butter, a little lemon-zest, eight eggs, and 1 pinch of salt. Make into a paste, and put it carefully in the moulds and bake in a moderate oven. Take them out of the moulds, set them one upon the other, let them cool, and mask with a thin layer of marmalade,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Cakes — continued.

and over that some orange icing. When the icing is perfectly dry, decorate the Cates with a piping cornet (see Fig. 262). On the top Cake place a crown of gum-paste, which can be purchased at any large confectioner’s.

Fig. 262. Cussy Cake.

B’Artois Cake a la Parisienne. — Put a thin flat of short paste on to a baking-sheet, cover this with apple and apricot marmalade to about Jin. in thickness, over this put thin slices of apple cut into shape with a cutter, arrange them overlapping one another so that the marmalade shall be covered, sprinkle over caster sugar, and bake in a moderate oven until the paste is done. Dip a paste-brush into a little vanilla syrup, mask the Cake with it, cut it into long shapes, and use as desired.

D’ Artois Cake with Apples. — Make Jib. of puff paste, and proceed as directed for Cakes Stuffed with Cream. Put one dozen of cooking apples, peeled and cut into slices, into a preserving-pan, with 2oz. of butter, 1 breakfast-cupful of caster sugar, a little powdered cinnamon, and the grated rind of a lemon; stir over a sharp fire till tender. Mix 1 teacupful of apricot marmalade with them, and stand them on one side till cold. Fill the smaller of the puff-paste rounds with the apple preparation, cover it with the larger one, press it round the edges, which should have been slightly moistened, and bake for half-an-hour in a moderate oven. When cooked, sprinkle caster sugar over the top, and glaze it with a redhot salamander. When the gateau is cold, tiut it into pieces about 2 Jin. long and lin. wide, put a folded napkin on a dish, pile the pieces like a pyramid on it, and serve.

Dauphin Cake. — Beat well together in a basin lib. of butter and the yolks of sixteen eg'gs, place over the fire, stirring so as to thicken without taking colour. Remove and let it cool, when add sixteen more yolks and lib. of sugar. Work

the whole well with a spoon so as to make it light. Then add a little salt and the grated zest of a lemon or orange. Take sixteen of the whites of the eggs, and when well whipped add to the mixture with 1 table-spoonful of potatoflour. Pour it out on to a baking-sheet to about ljin. in

Cakes — continued.

thickness, cover with buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven. When it is cool, cut it up into round flats, graduated so as to fill up the dome, raising these flats on a dish the same as a Neapolitan Cake, and mask each one with apricot marmalade. Cover the surface with a layer of naeringue, and ornament it with the cornet (see Fig. 263). Sprinkle a little sugar over the part ornamented, and put it in a moderate oven to get a little browned; then take it out, and garnish the cavities of the decoration with preserved cherries. Apricot sauce must be served up separately.

Delicate Cake. — Warm lib. of fresh butter, and mix with it lib. of caster sugar; add by degrees the whites of fourteen eggs, mix Jib. of cornflour and Jib. of flour together, and beat in with the others. Put in 1 teacupful of milk, 1 teacupful of brandy, a little lemon- juice, and flavourings to taste, and beat well again. Bake in a greased mould in a moderate oven.

Delicious Cake. — Bub 21b. of butter into 2 Jib. of flour, add lib. of ground almonds, J teacupful of rose-water, J tumblerful of brandy, twenty-four eggs, 1 large dessert-spoonful of beaten mace, and lib. of sliced candied lemon-peel. Mix all well together, put into a greased tin, and bake.

Delille Cake. — Put twelve eggs into a copper pan with lib. of caster sugar, and whip them over a slow fire till firm; take the pan off, and continue the whipping for ten minutes.

Fig. 264. Delille Cake.

Then work in by degrees lib. of lightly-sifted biscuit-flour, 3oz. of potato-flour, ljlb. of warmed clarified butter, and some lemon-peel, grated on sugar; add 1 pinch of salt, and mix well. Butter the interiors of five oval, flat moulds, that graduate in sizes, then dust them over with caster sugar and potato-flour. Fill the moulds with the batter, and bake in a moderate oven. When cooked take the Cakes out of the moulds, trim them neatly, and leave till cold. Glaze three alternate sized, commencing with the smallest, with orange-coloured icing, and decorate them with fancy-shaped pieces of preserved fruit and angelica; glaze the two remaining Cakes with pistachio icing. Pile the Cakes (see Fig. 264) one upon the other, alternating the colours, and ornament the top with a device in spun sugar. Fix the Cake on an ornamented gum-paste stand, and serve.

Demon Cake. — Beat 1 breakfast-cupful of warmed butter to a cream, mix with it 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfastcupful of molasses, 1 teacupful of brandy, J grated nutmeg,

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, die., referred to, see under their special heads.

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Cakes — continued.

1 table-spoonful of ground ginger, 1 table-spoonful of cinnamon, two well-beaten eggs, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 1 teacupful of milk, and a little over 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour. Pour into well-buttered tins to a depth of 2in. Sprinkle a layer of currants on the top, and some preserved ginger cut in thin slices; cover again, add more fruit, and continue until all the batter is used. Bake for two hours in a moderate oven.

Derby Cakes. — Bub lib. of butter well into 2.lb. of flour, and add lib. of caster sugar; beat two eggs in 1 tcacupful of milk and 3 table-spoonfuls of honey-water, and mix with the flour, adding lb. of washed and dried currants. Put into small moulds, and bake in a moderate oven.

Derby Short Cakes. — Take til), of butter and lib. of flour, an rub them together till quite smooth; then mix in ilb. of caster sugar, one beaten egg, and pint of milk. Dust some flour over a board, and roll the paste out on it till quite thin, then cut it into small fancy shapes of any description; brush over the top of each with a paste-brush dipped in beaten white of egg, and dust some caster sugar over them; butter some tin dishes, put the Cakes on them, and bake them about ten minutes in a quick oven. These Cakes are nice eaten either hot or cold.

Derwentwater Cakes. — Bub fib. of fresh butter into lib. of flour; put in lb. of washed and dried currants and lb. of caster sugar; beat the yolks of four eggs and whisk the whites to a froth. Mix them with the flour to make a stiff paste. Boll out to iin. thick, cut in small rounds, and bake on a greased baking-sheet in a slow oven for about twenty minutes.

Dessert Cakes. — Mix thoroughly £lb. of butter beaten to a cream, with an equal weight of caster sugar, the same of ground rice, and teaspoonful of baking-powder. Beat up thoroughly three eggs and stir them in. Butter some small Cake-tins, pour the mixture into them, and bake for ten or twelve minutes in a quick oven.

Devonshire Cakes. — Bub well into 41b. of fine flour lib. of clotted cream, or butter warmed and beaten to a cream; add fib. of moist sugar, lib. of washed and dried currants, fib. of candied lemon-peel cut small, and a grating or two of nutmeg. Beat two eggs in 1 pint of warm milk, steep drachm of saffron in boiling water, let it stand for an hour, then strain off and mix in, adding f pint of fresh yeast to the mixture. Cover over till next morning. Then work it up together again, and put it into greased tins which hold about 111b. Bake in a quick oven for an-hour-and-a-half.

Digestive Cakes.— Put Jib. each of sifted flour and sugar into a basin, add gradually six well-beaten eggs, stir well with a wooden spoon while adding them, work briskly for ten minutes, pour the mixture into a pastry-bag, squeeze out on to buttered and floured baking-sheets, cut in small rounds, put a small bit of anise (or a few aniseeds) on the tops of them, bake in a moderate oven, and use them when cold.

Dimple Cakes. — Mix thoroughly together the whites of three eggs and fib. of sugar; stir in almonds, blanched and cut fine. Drop on tins, and bake in a slow oven.

Domino Cakes. — Bake some sponge Cake batter in a rather thin sheet; cut into dominoes, and ice them on the top and sides. When hard, dip a brush in melted chocolate, and draw the lines and make the dots with it. They can be arranged very prettily with crystallised fruit (see Fig. 265).

Dover Cake. — Slightly warm fib. of butter, and beat it till creamy with lib. of caster sugar; mix in four eggs, beat a few minutes longer, then add f pint of milk, 1 wineglassful of brandy, f wineglassful of rose- or orange-flower water, half a grated nutmeg, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon; put

1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in a very small quantity of hot water, stir it till dissolved, then mix it with the other ingredients. Beat in as much flour as will make a batter as stiff as that generally used for pound Cake; continue beating till quite smooth. Butter a Cake-tin, pour in the mixture, and bake it in a quick oven for an hour or longer. A sheet of paper should be put over the Cake after it has been in the oven for a few minutes.

Dream Cake. — Mix If teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and f teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with 2f breakfast- cupfuls of flour. Bub about 2oz. of warmed butter to a cream, add

2 breakfast-cupfuls of caster sugar, beat well, add 1 teacupful

Cakes — continued.

of milk and the flour alternately, a little at a time. Beat up the whites of eight eggs, and mix altogether with 1 teaspoonful of almond flavouring. Bake in three shallow pans. Make an ornamental frosting, flavouring one part with lemon, another with rose, and the third with vanilla. Frost each Cake separately, put them together one on top of the other, and grate some fresh cocoanut over and between them.

Drop Cakes. — (1) Mix well together six eggs, lib. of sugar, fib. of warmed butter, 1 tea-spoonful of bicarbonate of soda, 1 breakfast-cupful of sour cream, 2 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, and lqt. of flour. Put small quantities on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a moderate oven.

(2) Beat the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two with fib. of sugar for twenty minutes or lialf-an-hour. Then mix in gradually If breakfast-cupfuls of flour, 1 table-spoonful each of thinly-shred candied orange- and lemon-peel, and the grated peel of half a lemon. Stir the ingredients until well mixed. Dredge a baking-sheet with flour, drop the mixture on it in small quantities, and bake them until lightly browned in a moderate oven.

Duchess Cakes a la Datissiere. — Warm loz. of butter and beat it till creamy with 3 table-spoonfuls of caster sugar, then mix well with it 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, the finelyminced peel of half a lemon, a small quantity of dried orangeflowers, 1 pinch of salt, and the whites of two eggs. Beat the yolks with £ pint of cream, then mix this in also. Butter some small moulds and three-parts fill them with the Cake mixture; put them in the oven and bake. When cooked, turn the Cakes out of the moulds on to a hot dish, sift some caster sugar over them, and serve.

Duchess Cakes. — Put loz. of flour into a basin and mix it till smooth with an egg; pound six macaroons, mix them with the flour, add 4oz. of caster sugar, 1 pinch of salt, the beaten yolks of six eggs, and lastly one whole egg. Stir the above ingredients well till thoroughly incorporated; then mix in 1 pint of thick cream, some strips of citron, a handful of well-washed and dried currants, 1 teaspoonful of chopped angelica, and a few glazed cherries and preserved orangeflower leaves. Butter some small moulds, fill them with the mixture, and bake them in a moderate oven. When cooked, glaze the Cakes with white sugar and serve them while very hot.

Dundee Cake. — Put lib. of butter into a basin, warm it, and beat in lflb. of crushed loaf sugar, 1-Jlb. of flour, 21b. of candied peel cut into small squares, and lastly thirteen eggs. Beat until light, but not too light, turn it into a mould, decorate the top with comfits, entirely covering it, and bako in a moderate oven until done. If it is beaten too light the comfits will sink, and the effect be spoiled. Turn it out, and serve hot or cold.

Dutch Solac Cake.— Put lib. of dried flour into a basin and mix with it f teacupful of fresh yeast and sufficient water to make a sponge. Cover the sponge with a cloth, and set it in a warm place until well risen. Blanch and chop 2oz. of sweet almonds, and cut 2oz. each of candied orange- and lemon-peel into fine shreds. Warm -Jib. of butter and beat it well with fib. of sugar, also beat well three eggs, and mix

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, kc., referred to, see under their special heads.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

235

Cakes — continued. them and all the other ingredients with the sponge. Add a small quantity of powdered cinnamon. Thickly butter the interior of two or three earthenware moulds, put the mixture into them and stand them in front of the fire for half-an-hour, for the mixture to rise again. Bake the Cakes in a good oven. While the Cakes are cooking, boil fib. of sugar with a very small quantity of water, and flavour it with cinnamon or orange-flower water. When cooked, take the Cakes out of the oven, and while they are hot, prick holes in them with a sharp-pointed knife, and pour in the clarified sugar. Ornament the top of the Cake with sugar-plums.

Dutch Cakes. — Make lib. of flour and fib. of butter into a puff paste; turn it six times, and when set roll it out to the thickness of Jin. Cut it into rounds about 2 Jin. in diametef with a tin cutter. Spread some powdered sugar on a table or board, and take up each round of paste and dip one side in flour and the other in sugar. Place them on the table with the floured side down. Boll each one out again till 4in. in length. Place them on a baking-dish with the floured side down at a little distance from one another, and bake in a moderate oven until they are of a nice golden colour. These Cakes are very nice for tea.

Elberfield Cake (German). — Dissolve 2oz. of yeast in J pint of warm milk; mix in five well-beaten eggs and lib. of flour, sifting the flour in gradually; work the mixture until smooth, then set it in a warm place to rise, with a cloth over it. When the dough has sufficiently risen, mix with it fib. of warmed butter, about 4oz. of sugar, and nearly lib. of sifted flour. Knead the dough well, then roll it out about Jin. thick on a floured table. Pour hot water over fib. of currants, wash and dry well, then spread them over the dough with fib. of moist sugar, and dust over a moderate quantity of powdered cinnamon. Boll the dough up carefully lengthwise, then twist it round in the form of a ring

Fig. 266. Elberfield Cake.

or liorse-slioe (see Fig. 266), and place it on a buttered baking-tin. When cooked, the Cake should be lightly browned; place it on a hot dish, and serve.

Election Cake.— (1) Sift 2Jlb. of flour into one basin and lib. into another. Stir 2 table-spoonfuls of molasses into If pints of yeast, add 1 teacupful of warm water, and gradually work in the lib. of flour; cover over with a cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise for two hours. Put 21b. each of butter and sugar into a basin and work them to a cream, add 1 table-spoonful each of powdered cinnamon and ground mace, and J pint of milk. Add to them the 2Jlb. of flour, the milk mixture, and fourteen eggs beaten until thick, mixing in about one-third of each at a time, and work it into a light dough. When the sponge is ready, add it also, mix lightly, pour it all into a buttered pan, and bake in a moderate oven. It should be eaten while quite fresh.

(2) Mix fib. of butter, lib. of sugar, 4qts. of flour, lib. of currants, four eggs, and J pint of fresh yeast well together, and add a little milk to moisten it; then put in a warm place to rise. When risen to twice its original bulk, put it into greased tins, and bake.

For details respecting Culinary Processes,

Cakes — continued.

Elizabeth. Cake. — Prepare a batter with 1 breakfast cupful of butter, 3 breakfast-cupfuls of sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, four eggs, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, J teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and 4 breakfast-cupfuls of flour. Turn the preparation into a mould, bake it in a moderate oven, and serve either hot or cold.

Family Cake. — Warm Jib. of butter, put it into a warmed pan, and mix with it Jib. of moist sugar, lib. of molasses, two eggs, and 1 breakfast-cupful of sour milk; mix together also 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda with 4 large breakfastcupfuls of flour, put it into the pan, and beat well. Take lib. of stoned raisins and lib. of washed and dried currants, flour them, and stir in with the other.

Put in a greased round tin (see Fig. 267), and bake until done.

Feather Cake. — Take 2oz. of butter, put it in a warm basin, and rub it up well with a wooden spoon until it is like cream; then add gradually Jib. of caster sugar. Take the yolks of two eggs and another Jib. of sugar, beat them well together until very light, and add to the butter. Put in 1 small saltspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, J teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and the same of vanilla or lemon essence, and J saltspoonful of mace. Beat up the whites of the two eggs until they are stiff, let them stand a little while, add to the mixture a little milk and flour alternately, and then put in the whites of the eggs. Make this into a loaf shape, and put it in a pan. Bake until the loaf shrinks from the pan, and when done it should be turned out.

Federal Cake.' — Mix well together lib. of sugar, 1J breakfastcupfuls of butter, 3 pints of flour, four eggs, 2 wineglassfuls each of milk, wine, and brandy, 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, J teaspoonful of powdered carbonate of ammonia, and fruit and spice to taste. Bake in deep greased tins; the time of baking depending upon the quantity of fruit in the Cake.

Flame Cake. — (1) Beat the yolks of ten eggs with Jib. of caster sugar for twenty minutes. Warm 6oz. of butter, beat it till creamy, then mix with the eggs; add Jib. of the best white flour and the grated peel and juice of one lemon. Whisk the whites of the ten eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them in at the last, when the other ingredients have been well worked together. Butter a shallow Cake-tin, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. Take the Cake out of the tin when cooked, and leave it until the following day. When ready to serve, put it on a dish, soak it in brandy, set fire to it, and serve it immediately.

(2) Cut some sponge Cake or Cakes into slices, soak them in brandy, and pile together. Before taking to table, light the brandy.

Flannel Cakes.- — Mix six well-beaten eggs, 21b. of flour, J teacupful of fresh yeast, and a little salt, with sufficient milk to make a thick batter, and set it to rise. Bake in small greased tins.

Flat Cake. — (1) Bub lOoz. of butter into lib. of flour; when quite smooth make a hole in the centre and put in 1 tabicspoonful of sugar, J saltspoonful of salt, two beaten eggs, and J pint of cream. Mix these ingredients together, and then pour in another J pint of cream. Place the paste in a basin, put a cloth over it, and set in a warm place to rise for one hour; at the end of that time flour the paste-board and roll the paste on it, making it about 2in. thick and quite round; put the Cake on a baking-sheet, score the edges, mark it tastefully on the top, egg it over, and tie a strip of buttered paper round it to keep it from spreading; bake it for one hour. When cooked, take the Cake out of the oven, but leave it on the baking-dish, and put a plate on the top with a 21b. weight on it. When cold, take the paper off the Cake, put the Cake on a dish, and serve; or the paste can be divided into smaller portions and baked, and served hot with butter or jam.

(2) Sift Jib. of flour on a paste-board, and rub into it lb. of butter. Blanch and pound Jib. of sweet almonds and eight

see under their special S' heads.

Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to,

Fig. 267 . Round Cake-tin (M athews and Son).

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TEE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Cakes — continued.

bitter ones, adding a small quantity of white of egg to keep them from oiling. Bub the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs to a smooth paste, then mix them and the almonds with the flour; add the grated peel of half a lemon, and sufficient milk to work the ingredients into a stiff paste. Dredge flour over the paste and paste-board, and roll the paste out to a round Cake, about Jin. in thickness. Cover a baking-tin with a sheet of buttered paper, and place tho Cake on it. Spread a layer of any kind of preserve over the top, place thin strips of the paste across the top of the Cake, then recross

Fig. 268. Flat Cake.

them with more strips, forming a kind of lattice-work; trim them off round the edges, and moisten slightly with water to make them stick to the paste. Moisten round the edge of the Cake and fix a strip of the paste round it, forming a kind of wall. Notch it round the edge. Brush the paste over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and sift caster sugar over it; fix a strip of paper round it to prevent its taking too much colour, and bake in a moderate oven. Leave the Cake, when it is cooked, with the paper on, until cold, then take it off, place it carefully on a dish, and serve.

(3) Blanch and chop Jib. of almonds and pound them in a mortar, adding occasionally a small quantity of white of egg to keep them from oiling. Warm 4oz. of butter, beat it until creamy with 4oz. of caster sugar, then mix in the almonds and 4oz. of flour. Work the above ingredients into a paste with one beaten egg and a sufficient quantity of milk to make it consistent. Dredge flour over a table or paste-board, put the paste on it, and roll it to a round Cake, about Jin. in thickness. Spread a sheet of buttered paper over a baking-tin, lay the Cake on it, brush it over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake until lightly coloured in a moderate oven. When cooked, spread a layer of any kind of preserve over the Cake, arrange small ratafias tastefully on the top (see Fig. 268), and serve.

Frascati Cake. — Make a large savoy Cake; bake it and turn it out on a dish, cut it transversely into slices, and each

slice into four equal pieces. Then put four of these pieces, which will make a round, on the dish, first pouring over a few table-spoonfuls of cream and sprinkling over 1 pinch of

Cakes — continued.

preserved orange-peel cut into very small pieces. Then put another layer of the Cake so that the pieces are built up as you would build a brick wall, with one end coming in the centre of the other one (see Fig. 269). Sprinkle over as before, and continue until the Cake resumes its first appearance. Then surround the base with halves of apples cooked in butter until pretty firm, glazed with apricot marmalade, and studded with dried pieces of blanched almonds, sprinkle over with sugar, and put in the oven for a few minutes to glaze. One of the halves of apples put on the top with the Cake cut smooth will be an ornament.

French. Cake. — (1) Put Goz. of orange sugar into a bowl, break it up, and add 1 wineglassful of rum and fib. of currants; stir well, cover over the bowl, and let it remain until wanted for use. Prepare a sponge with 12oz. of flour, ljoz. of dried yeast, and 1 breakfast-cupful of warm milk, and set it to rise. Mix up 21b. of butter with the whites of twelve eggs and double the quantity of yolks, then work in 18oz. of flour; when thoroughly incorporated, stir in 3 breakfastcupfuls of cream, and lastly 18oz. more flour, making 31b. in all. Sprinkle in a little salt, should it be required, mix in the sponge if sufficiently risen, work well, shape as shown

Fig. 270. French Cake.

in Fig. 270, put into a quick oven, and bake. Turn it out when done, and serve hot or cold as desired.

(2) Put Jib. of ground rice with 11b. of flour into a basin and mix well together, then add lib. of sugar finely sifted. Take 4oz. of sweet and loz. of bitter almonds, all blanched and cut small, the grated rind of a lemon, and 1 tablespoonful of orange-flower water, and pound them well together. Then beat the yolks and whites of twelve eggs separately and add to tho other ingredients, and mix well together again until all are thoroughly incorporated. Put the mixture into a buttered tin, aud bake for an hour.

Fried Cakes. — (1) Work together lqt. of milk, 8oz. of butter, six eggs, 21b. of sugar, lib. of stoned raisins, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and add sufficient flour to form a stiff paste. When thoroughly incorporated, drop small quantities at a time into hot lard, take them out when well browned, let them get cold, and use them as required.

(2) Mix together 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfastcupful of cream, three well-beaten eggs, 1 teaspoonful of powdered ammonia, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon or nutmeg, and dredge in sufficient flour to make a stiff paste. Cut the mixture into strips, and twist them; put a lump of lard into a frying-pan, make it hot, then put in the Cakes and fry them. When cooked, drain the Cakes, arrange on a folded napkin or an ornamental dish-paper on a hot dish, and serve.

Geneva Cakes. — (1) Large. — Break into a large bowl foureggs, beat them for a minute, then stir in 5oz. of caster sugar. Put the bowl into a larger one containing boiling water, and whip the sugar and eggs until they are quite stiff, changing the water in the outer bowl about every five minutes, so as to keep the heat as regular as possible — a bain-marie will answer the purpose best. When the batter is thick enough, stir in 3oz. of butter warmed to melting, then lightly and thoroughly mix in 4oz. of finely-sifted flour. Put the batter into a round tin lined with buttered paper, and bake in a hot oven for about three-quarters-of-an-hour. When done, turn it out on a sieve, let it get cold, cut it in slices, and spread jam between them; or it may be eaten plain.

(2) Small.— Put J-lb. of sugar and the yolks of six eggs into a basin and beat them until they are quite light. Add 1 table-spoonful of cream and a little vanilla-flavoured sugar, beating them well in, the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, pouring in a little at a time, and lastly 4oz. each of flour and potato-flour, and mix thoroughly. Put the

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paste out into small square buttered tins, place three strips of almonds on the top of each, dust them over with caster sugar, and bake in a moderate oven. Turn them out when done, and use as required.

Genoa Cake. — (1) Put the yolks of twenty-five eggs into a basin with 2J teacupfuls of caster sugar and 5 table-spoonfuls of ground almonds; beat them with a wooden spoon till very light, then mix in the well-whisked whites of eight eggs and

Pig. 2V1. Ge.noa-caice Pan (Mathews ami Son).

6oz. of sifted flour. Butter a square baking-tin (see Pig. 271), pour in the batter, and bake in a moderate oven. When cooked, turn the Cake out of the tin, leave it till cold, then cut it into small squares, or diamond-shaped pieces. The pieces of Cake can bo fancifully arranged on a dish, or masked with jam or preserves.

(2) Slightly warm lib. of butter, then beat it to a cream, adding gradually lib. of caster sugar; mix in twenty-five eggs, adding them one at the time till all are used, and working the mixture well after each addition. When the mixture begins to rise, sift in gradually ljlb. of flour, beat it well, then add 2Jlb. of well-washed and dried currants and ljlb. of chopped candied orange-peel. Butter a square tin, and pour in the mixture; blanch and chop some sweet almonds, strew them thickly over the Cake, and bake in a moderate oven.

(3) Slightly warm Jib. of butter, being very careful not to oil it; beat it till creamy, then add Jib. of caster sugar and beat it again. Mix in 6oz. of well-cleaned sultanas, 3oz. of finely-chopped candied peel, and the grated rind of one lemon. Work the above ingredients well together for a few minutes, then add 2oz. of chopped blanched almonds,

Fig. 272. Slice of Genoa Cake with Jam.

loz. of pistachio-kernels, and lOoz. of flour in which 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder has been mixed, and lastly mix in five eggs, adding them one at the time. Butter a shallow tin, put in the Cake mixture, and bake it for an-hour-anda-half in a moderate oven. When cooked, leave the Cake till cold, and cut it into convenient-sized pieces (see Fig. 272).

(4) Mix in a basin -Jib. of caster sugar, the grated peel of one lemon, four eggs, Jib. of sifted flour, and 1 small pinch of srlt. Melt Jib. of butter in a pan, pour it in the paste, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Put into a buttered oblong mould and bake for about three-quarters-of-au-hour. Turn it out and let it cool.

(5) Put Coz. of flour into a basin with 8 table-spoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, 1 liqueur-glassful of brandy, and flavour with a few drops of any kind of essence. Stir these ingredients with a wooden spoon until well mixed, then add two more eggs, stir and mix for a minute longer, then put in four more eggs, and stir again until mixed. Put Jib. of

Cakes — continued.

butter into a basin and set it near the fire until melted; mix with it about 2 table -spoonfuls of the mixture, then turn the whole into a basin and mix well. Butter a bakingtin, put in the mixture, and bake it in a slow oven. When the top of the Cake is browned, turn it over and brown the underneath. Take the Cake out of the tin when it is quite cooked, leave it until cold, cut it into strips about 2in. long, and again across so as to make pieces of a lozenge shape; arrange them on a dish, and serve with a sauceboatful of sweet pudding sauce. Ornament the sides with coloured icing, and surround the base with half-cherries (see Fig. 273).

(6) Slightly warm 3 Jib. of butter, but be careful not to oil it; then beat it to a cream with 3 Jib. of caster sugar; add thirty eggs, one at the time, while heating, and when all are used mix in 61b. of flour, beating it well in; then add 51b. of well-washed and dried currants, ljlb. of chopped mixed peel, and 1 pint of skim-milk, in which f teaspoonful of cream of tartar and J teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda have been dissolved. More or less milk can be used, according to the stiffness of the paste. Line a square pan with buttered paper, put in the batter to about 3in. in thickness, and bake in a moderate oven. When cooked, leave the Cake for one day, then take it out of the tin, remove the paper, and cut the Cake into convenient-sized pieces.

(7) Put Jib. of blanched almonds into a mortar, pound them well, adding a little white of egg or rose-water to prevent them oiling, then put them into a basin with Coz. of flour, Coz. of pounded loaf sugar, 2oz. of orange sugar, 1 table-spoonful of brandy, the yolks of eight eggs and whites of two, sprinkle in a very little salt, and work the whole together with a spoon for a few minutes. Melt Jib. of butter, add to it a little of the above mixture, work it well in, and then add the remainder. Pour the preparation into a well-buttered bakingsheet having an upturned edge, spread it over evenly, put it into a very slow oven, and bake. When done, it may be cut into any desired forms, and served cold, masked with jam, cream, chocolate, or anything else that may be preferred.

(8) Take the weight of seven eggs each in flour, sugar, and butter, and half the quantity of blanched, pounded almonds. Put the eggs into a basin, add the sugar, work vigorously for several minutes, and when light, work in a little salt and lemon-zest; then add the flour and the almonds, a little at a time. Now add 3oz. of potato-flour, the butter, slightly melted, and lastly 4 table-spoonfuls of brandy. Cover a buttered baking-sheet with buttered paper, pour the preparation over, smooth it with a knife to about Jin. in thickness, put it into a moderate oven, and bake for about forty-five minutes. Turn the paste on to a table covered with a sheet of paper, let it get cool, cut it into strips 4in. long, turn them over, mask them with a thin layer of apricot marmalade, cover this over with a thin coating of icing, flavoured with rum or kirschenwasser, smooth the surface with a knife, divide the Cakes transversely so as to have them ljin. wide, by 3in. in length, put them into a dry closet, and let them remain until the icing is set; they will then be ready for serving.

(9) En Ceoquenbotjche. — Mix Jib. of flour with Jib. of melted butter and Jib. of caster sugar, and beat in four eggs. Butter a

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238

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Cakes — continued.

square baking-sheet, spread the paste on it, and bake. When it is done, cut it into rounds with a lin. plain cutter. Boil some loaf sugar in water until it is brittle (see Sugar-boiling), colour half of this sugar with a little prepared cochineal, glaze half of the rounds of Cake with it, and the others with the plain syrup; line an oiled plain mould with these Cakes, arranging the colours in patterns, and let them set. Put a folded napkin on a dish, turn the croquenbouche out of the mould on to this, put a plume of spun sugar on the top, and serve.

(10) For Ices. — Some cooks, such as Dubois, are famous for their very rich adaptations of genoa Cakes, of which the following is a good example: Mix in a basin lib. of caster sugar, twelve eggs, a little salt, and the grated zest of half an orange. When frothy, mix with it lib. of sifted flour and lib. of butter warmed to melting, but not hot or oiled. Spread the paste on to floured and buttered baking-sheets to --in. in thickness, and bake it in a moderate oven. Make a sixsided shape of cardboard, and when the Cake is done, cut out, with the assistance of the cardboard plan, a dozen six-sided flats of Cake. Cut out their centres with large plain pastrycutters, arrange them in threes, one above the other, and let them stand to get cold under a light weight. Then cover each flat with a layer of apricot marmalade, on which place

another flat, joining the corners well; cover again with marmalade, and thus continue till the twelve are used; trim it, and cover it all round and over the top with tepid reduced marmalade. Ornament the six faces with a decoration of icing-sugar or fruits, and put the Cake on a dish. When ready to serve, fill the hollow of the Cake with orange or other cream ice. See Fig. 274.

German Cake. — (1) Beat 21b. of butter to a cream, mix in two eggs and the yolks of three more, stir for two or three minutes, and continue in this way stirring for a few minutes until twelve whole eggs and twelve yolks of eggs have been worked in, producing a smooth cream. Sift in gradually 21b. of flour, and add l.oz. of yeast dissolved in 1 breakfastcupful of warm milk; stir in another -£lb. of flour, make a bay in the centre of the paste, and work in loz. of salt and 4oz. of sifted crushed loaf sugar. Now add 1 breakfastcupful of warm milk and 41b. of flour, form the whole into rather thin paste, adding a little more warm milk if required; pour the mixture into a mould garnished with pieces of almonds; let it rise, put it into a moderately hot oven, and bake. When done, turn it out, and it is ready for use. If desired, the mould may be well buttered and strewn with breadcrumbs.

(2) Bub 4oz. of butter into 8oz. of flour, mix in 4oz. of sugar and about f teaspoonful of baking-powder, add an egg beaten up with 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon, and work the whole into a smooth paste. Divide the mixture into halves, roll them out round, put one of them into a greased round tin or plate, mask it with jam, and put the other half on top; place the Cake in a moderate oven, and bake until done, which will take about forty-five minutes. Take it out, cut it up into slices, and serve when cold.

(3) Bub 4oz. of butter into fib. of flour until quite

Cakes — continued.

smooth, and mix with it gib. of sugar. Beat the yolks of two eggs with 1 table-spoonful of thick cream and J- wineglassful of sherry, then stir it in with the flour and butter, stirring until quite smooth. Cover the basin with a cloth, and leave the paste in a warm place for half-an-hour. Blanch and finely chop gib. of sweet almonds and five or six bitter ones, and mix with them the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, 2 table-spoonfuls of caster sugar, and 1 tablespoonful of orange-flower water. Dredge flour over the -table or paste-board, put the paste on it, and roll it out as thinly as possible. Get a baking-tin about 3in. in diameter, and cut the paste into as many rounds as possible, each being the same in diameter as the tin. Butter the tin, put in a round of the paste, mask it with a layer of the almond mixture, put over that another layer of paste, then the almond mixture, and so on until all is used, making the last layer of paste. Lay a sheet of buttered paper over the tin, and bake in a moderate oven. When cooked, remove the paper, turn the Cake on to a dish, and sift caster sugar over it. It may bo served either hot or cold.

Gloucester Cakes.- — Beat five eggs very light, and mix in lqt. of milk and lqt. of flour; beat this until perfectly smooth, then add a little salt. Melt a piece of butter the size of an egg, and stir it into the batter. Pour into small greased moulds, and bake.

Gold Cake. — (1) Put in a basin 2 breakfast-cupfuls of flour,

£ teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, f teaspoonful of cream of tartar, then add gib. of butter, 14 breakfast-cupfuls of fine granulated sugar, the yolks of four eggs, one whole egg, and 4 teaspoonful of powdered mace. Work all together thoroughly, put in a greased round tin (see Fig.

275), and bake in a moderate oven till the Cake shrinks from the pan.

(2) Mix thoroughly together 1 breakfast-cupful of caster sugar and 4 breakfast-cupful of butter (warmed), then add the yolks of three eg'gs, one whole egg, 4 breakfast-cupful of milk, g teaspoonful each of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar, and If breakfast-cupfuls of flour. Put in a buttered tin, bake for about half-an-hour, or a little longer, in a moderately hot oven.

(3) Soften slightly by warming gib. of butter, and rub it into lib. of flour in which 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda has been mixed. Beat the yolks of eleven eggs with lib. of caster sugar; add the grated rind of an orange and the juice of two lemons. Mix all together, and beat for ten minutes. Bake for two hours in a lib. Cake-tin. Ice over with lemon icing.

Griddle or Girdle Cakes. — (1) Bub into lib. of flour 3oz. of butter and a little salt; make it into a paste with sweet butter-milk; roll it out, cut into Cakes with a large biscuitcutter, and bake them on a griddle.

(2) Get lqt. of sour milk, add to it 1 pint of sweet milk, a little salt, 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and sufficient flour to make a batter. The thinner the batter the more tender the Cakes will be, if baked well. Shape out, and bake on a griddle. Butter, and. serve hot. For a sauce, mix together 1 teacupful of cream, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and teaspoonful of ground ginger.

(3) Sift J teaspoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda into 1 pint of flour. Mix thoroughly, then add 1 pint of sour milk or cream, and beat well. Put in the yolks of two well-beaten eggs and the whites, beaten stiff. Bake on a hot griddle, well greased; turn when full of bubbles, and bake the other side, till they stop puffing.

(4) Put lqt. of new milk into a large basin with sufficient cornflour to make a thick batter. Beat up two eggs, add a little flour and salt, and mix in with the milk. Make a griddle hot, and rub some butter over it; then with a spoon take out the batter, drop it on, and bake at once, not turning.

(5) Irish. — Add to 31b. of flour a little salt and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda mixed with 1£ pints of sweet buttermilk, or sufficient only to make it into a stiff dough Boll

Fig. 275. Round Cake-tin (M athews and Son).

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Cakes — co nt inued.

this out until it is smooth, and put it on a buttered griddle. Turn it often to prevent it from burning, and cook both sides equally brown. Serve hot, split and buttered.

Guernsey Cake. — Work Goz. of butter into 4oz. of flour and 2oz. of ground rice; add 1 pinch of salt, Jib. of finely-sifted crushed loaf sugar, loz. of mixed candied peel, chopped fine, 2oz. of dried cherries, and loz. of angelica, chopped small. Mix these thoroughly, and then add the yolks of four wellbeaten eggs, four drops of almond essence, and 1 table-spoonful of brandy. Line a tin with buttered paper, cutting a round for the bottom, and lastly add the whites of two eggs, whisked to a stiff froth. Beat all together for a few minutes, pour into the tin, and bake in a quick oven for forty minutes.

Hard Cakes. — Sift Jib. of flour on a paste-board, make a bay in the centre, in which put 3oz. of butter, 3 table-spoonfuls of caster sugar, a small quantity of powdered cinnamon, two well-beaten eggs, and a few drops of any kind of essence. Work the flour in gradually, then knead the whole thoroughly. Dredge a little flour over a paste-board, and roll the paste out to about Jin. in thickness. Cut the paste out with fancy-shaped tin cutters, and with a wooden skewer draw a scroll, or any other fancy design on each; lay them on a buttered baking-sheet, beat the white of an egg with a teaspoonful of caster sugar, brush the Cakes over with it, using a paste-brush for the purpose, and bake them in a good oven. Serve the Cakes when cold.

Harlequin Cake. — Mix 1 breakfast-cupful of butter, lib. of sugar, three eggs, J pint of milk, Jib. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and J teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Beat them thoroughly together, and divide the dough in quarters. Colour one of the quarters with unsweetened chocolate and another with pink colouring, and bake each part separately; when done, place first a light Cake, then the chocolate, then another light Cake, and lastly the pink. Spread lemon jelly over each layer, and cover with white icing. The lemon jelly is made by well beating an egg and adding £ pint of water and the juice and grated rind of a lemon. Pour this slowly over lib. of sugar mixed with 2 tablespoonfuls of flour. Cook in a double boiler until smooth and like cream. This is a very effective Cake for five o’clock tea.

Havre Cake. — This Cake is made of a cussy Cake paste baked in a low, broad cylinder-mould with six sides. When the Cake is perfectly cool, mask it with a layer, of apricot marmalade, and over that spread lightly sugar icing. Before the icing gets dry, decorate the sides with angelica cut into

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shapes. Place the Cake on a dish, arrange a little chopped jelly round the base, and just before serving fill the cavity with piled up. almond paste flavoured with vanilla, and this again should have a circle of scalded candied cherries round its base with angelica points (see Fig. 27G).

Heart Cakes . — See Queen Cakes.

Heavy Cakes. — Sift lib. of flour on a paste-board, make a bay in the centre of it, and put in 1 saltspoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, and lib. of butter; work the above ingredients until the butter is well incorporated with the flour, then mix in gradually the beaten yolks of four eggs and 2 pint of cream. Knead thoroughly, dust.flour over the paste

Cakes — continued.

board, and roll the paste out; fold the paste in four, and roll it out again, repeating this operation four times. Butter a tin, put the Cake in it, and bake in a brisk oven. When cooked, take the Cake out of the tin and let it get cold before serving.

Heloise Cake. — (1) An oval-shaped flat mould, about lOin. by Sin. in diameter, is required for this Cake; pack this mould in ice while lqt. of cream is whipped very stiff; mix with the cream a little caster sugar and 2 wineglassfuls of noyeau. Put it in a freezer, and when three-parts frozen, lino the mould (in the interior of which a sheet of white paper has been set round) with a layer of the cream, about lin. thick. Make a custard with the yolks of eight eggs, and mix with it 1 teaspoonful of gelatine; stir it over ice till rather thick, then mix with it 2 wineglassfuls of noyeau, 4 pint of whipped cream, and 11b. of cherries; they should bo well dried before being mixed with the custard, as it is desirable to keep the custard as white as possible. Pour it in the centre of the cream, and stand the mould in ice again till wanted. Make a custard with the yolks of four eggs. When ready to serve, dip the mould in tepid water, wipe it round, and turn out the gateau on to an oval dish; stick a few preserved cherries here and there, pour the custard over, and serve at once.

(2) Take lib. of sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar grated on the rind of oranges, and 1 pinch of salt. Beat up the yolks of twelve eggs, and add 2oz. of potato-flour; pass this through a sieve, and also the whisked whites of twelve eggs. Great care must be taken not to let the paste be lumpy. Put the paste into a very dry timbale mould; warm it, and butter whilst hot. Drain the mould thoroughly of fat, and then dust with sugar, mixed with an equal quantity of potato-flour. .Fill the mould up to three-quarters its height, and draw the paste up to the brim with a spoon. Put it on a bakingsheet, and bake for an hour. When done, turn it out. Put the yolks of ten eggs and 3oz. of sugar into a stewpan, and add Jib. of butter and 2 table-spoonfuls of orange-flower water. Place it over a moderate fire until it thickens like cream, stirring constantly, but do not let it boil. Trim the Cake straight, and cut it transversely into very thin slices; mask each of the slices with the cream, and replace them in their original order. When done, put the Cake on a stand and mask all over with raw orange-icing- sugar. Serve on a folded napkin or ornamental dish-paper, and garnish with crystallised greengages or apricots.

Hermits. — Take 1 pint of raisins (stone them and chop them fine), the same quantity of sugar, J breakfast-cupful of butter, three eggs, J teaspoonful of bic .r-bonate of soda dissolved in 3 table-spoonfuls of milk, one grated nutmeg, 6 breakfast

cupfuls of flour, and 1 teaspoonful each of cloves and cinnamon, and work into a paste. Boll it out to about lin. in thickness, and cut it with a round biscuit-cutter (see Fig. 277). Bake for about twelve minutes in a quick oven.

Hoe Cake.— Put J pint of white cornmeal, J teaspoonful of salt, and 1 teaspoonful of sugar (if fancied) into a basin. Mix all well together, and add sufficient boiling milk or water to scald it. It should be of such a consistency that when put on the griddle it will not spread. Grease the griddle with bacon-fat, and drop the mixture from a spoon on to it. Flatten the Cakes until they are about Jin. in thickness; cook them slowly, but do not let them burn, and when of a nice brown colour, put a piece of butter on the top of each, and turn over. It can also be served in the following way: Make the dough into one large Cake, and when brown underneath, turn it over on to another part of the greased griddle; peel off the thin

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TTIE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.

Cakes — continued.

crisp crust, put it on a hot plate, and spread butter over it, and continue until the Cake is all browned. Put the crusts that have been taken off on the same plate, one above the other, and cut into quarters.

Holmcroft Cake. — Make into a batter 1 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, not melted, 1 teacupful of milk, the whites of two eggs, or a whole egg, and 2 breakfastcupfuls of flour. Turn this into a mould, and bake in a moderate oven. Turn it out, and serve when cold.

Home-made Cake. — Put into a bowl fib. of sugar and fib. of good butter. Mix thoroughly with the hand for fifteen minutes. Break four eggs, leaving the whites in a basin, and drop the yolks in with the butter and sugar. Mix again. Now beat the whites to a froth, and add them to the other ingredients. Grate in f saltspoonful of nutmeg, add fib. of flour, and mix well again; stir in 2oz. of well-cleansed and dried grocers’ currants and 2oz. of blanched sweet almonds cut into small pieces. Mix all well together with the hand for five minutes, and, while doing so, drop in 1 gill of brandy, a little at a time. Have a round Cake-mould capable of holding 2qts., butter it lightly with a hair brush, and sprinkle in a little sugar. Drop one-third of the preparation into the mould, spread over it 2oz. of candied orange-peel shred into thin slices, add half of the remaining preparation, spread on top of it 2oz. of shred candied citronpeel, and fill the mould with the rest. Lay a piece of brown paper over, and put the mould into a very moderate oven for two hours. Let it get a good golden colour. Remove, and cool off in the mould, which will take about three hours. Remove the Cake by turning it bottom upwards and tapping the mould until the Cake falls out. Arrange a lace-paper on a dessert-dish. Glaze the Cake with thin syrup, dress it on the dish, and decorate the top and border tastefully with assorted candied fruits.

Iced Cake. — Put Jib. of butter into i pint of warm milk, and when it is melted, pour it gently over fib. of flour, fib. of currants, fib. of ground rice, fib. of sugar, a few pounded bitter almonds, foz. of powdered mace and cloves, a little mixed candied peel, chopped small, a few shredded sweet almonds, and 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. All these ingredients should be well mixed before the butter and milk are added. Lastly, add 1 wineglassful of brandy, and beat all well together. Put the mixture in a well-buttered tin or mould, and bake.

Imperial Cake. — Beat the yolks of six eggs until they are light, and then take the whites and whisk well until they are in a stiff froth. Take the crumb of three French rolls, soak it in milk, and then squeeze dry; when dry, beat it in a pan with fib. of warmed butter, then add the yolks, 2oz. of finely-sifted loaf sugar, and a little grated lemon-peel. Beat the mixture well, adding about 2oz. each of washed and dried currants, chopped and stoned raisins, blanched and pounded almonds, and minced mixed candied peel. When all are well mixed, beat in the whites of the eggs; put it in a shallow tin, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. The tin, previous to the mixture being put in, should be lightly buttered and dusted with fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the Cake when turned out with caster sugar, or ice over the top.

Indian Cakes. — Fill twelve small dariole-moulds with a spongeCake preparation, and bake them. When cooked, take the Cakes out of the moulds, and when they are cold cut them in - slices; mask each with a little currant jelly, either red or black, and a little maraschino; put the slices on the top of each other, making the Cakes their original shape, mask them with a meringue, sprinkle coarsely - crushed sugar over, put them in a very slow oven, so that they may dry but still keep white, arrange them on an oval dish, and serve them when cold.

Irish Cake. — Take lib. of butter and work it up in a warm basin with the hand before the fire until it becomes creamy, when add fib. of caster sugar, and beat well together. Take the yolks of nine eggs, whisk them well, and then add to the other mixture, working uniformly for about twenty minutes. Sift in slowly lflb. of dry flour, and continue stirring for another twenty minutes. Then add 4oz. of shredded blanched sweet almonds, 4oz. of candied peel,

1 winegrlassful of brandy, lib. of washed and dried currants,

Cakes — continued.

and lastly the whites of the nine eggs well beaten to a froth. Butter a round tin or mould, and bake for an-hourand-three -quarters to two hours.

Irish Luncheon Cakes.— Put fib. of caster sugar with 21b. of well-dried flour into a large basin, and mix well together, adding 1 pinch of salt. Rub into this mixture 4oz. of fresh butter, and then add fib. of washed and dried currants, loz. of mixed candied peel, chopped small, and 1 teaspoonful of

Fig. 278. Oblong Cake-tin (Mathews and Son).

bicarbonate of soda. Whisk the whites of four eggs to a froth, add them to the mixture, and beat well together; then work in sufficient butter-milk to make a stiff dough. Half fill some oblong buttered tins (see Fig. 278) with the dough, set for an hour, and bake until of a light brown colour.

Italian Cakes.— Prepare a sponge-cake mixture with 14oz. of sugar, twelve eggs, and lOoz. of flour, and when the eggs and sugar have been beaten up to more than twice their original bulk, add 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a flavouring of lemon essence, adding the flour gradually.

Pour the mixture into a biscuit-bag, drop a small quantity at a time on to sheets of greased paper, dust them over with powdered sugar, and bake in a slack oven. Remove the paper by damping, and use the Cakes as required.

“Johnny” (or Journey) Cakes (American). — Mix 1 pinch of salt with 1 pint of Indian corn-meal, and add as much boiling water as will form it into a paste as thick as a

batter. Beat it up well for a time, and spread it on a

board about fin. thick. Then take the board with the Cake on it, and place it in front of a good fire and bake it. When it is well done and of a good brown colour, cut it into quarters or squares, and open each piece and put butter between the layers. About twenty minutes will be sufficient time for cooking, and they should be sent to table quite hot.

Josephine Cake. — Take 2 table-spoonfuls of crushed loaf sugar, and add to it fib. of fresh butter that has been warmed and beaten to a cream. Before crushing the sugar, rub it well upon the rind of a lemon. Then add fib. of well-picked, washed, and dried currants, three eggs well beaten, fib. of flour, and 2 table-spoonfuls of white wine or Madeira. Beat all these ingredients up well together, and put into a buttered mould and bake for three-quarters-of-an-hour.

Jubilee Cakes. — Put 4flb. of flour, lfoz. of bicarbonate of soda, and lfoz. of cream of tai’tar into a sieve, and sift it through on to a table; make a cavity in the centre, and work in 22oz. of butter slightly warmed and 30oz. of caster sugar; stir in well with the hands, and add gradually eleven eggs and sufficient churned milk to form a batter. Cut it into shapes, bake in a moderate oven, and use when cold.

Kettle Cake. — Put into a saucepan twelve eggs, lib. of sugar, lib. of butter, lib. of light flour, 1 teaspoonful of mace, and the rind and juice of a large lemon. Put it on the fire, and stir with a large spoon for about hree-quarters-ofan-hour, till light; then put the mixture into a tin, and bake in a moderate oven.

Knob Cakes. — Warm fib. of butter, beat it until creamy, then mix in the beaten yolks of six eggs, fib. of caster sugar, fib. of finely-sifted flour, and the grated peel of half a lemon. Whisk the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and add them at the last. Work the ingredients until well mixed. Butter some baking-sheets, put the mixture on in small rocky lumps, brush them over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, lay a blanched almond on the top of each, strew caster sugar and a few well-washed currants over the top, and bake in a moderate oven.

I -TN

For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils. Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.


























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