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THE
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK,
COMPRISING
ADVICE ON THE CONDUCT OF HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS IN GENERAL; AND
PARTICULAR DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF
FURNITURE, BEDDING, &c. ; FOR THE LAYING
IN AND PRESERVING OF PROVISIONS ;
WITH A
COMPLETE COLLECTION OF RECEIPTS
FOR ECONOMICAL
DOMESTIC COOKERY.
THE WHOLE CAREFULLY PREPARED FOR THE USE OF
AMERICAN HOUSEKEEPERS.
BY A LADY.
M M
PHILADELPHIA:
WILLIAM MARSHALL & CO.
271 Market Street, corner of Seventh.
1837.
*:
THE wgw YJRK
PUBLi: L/3RARY
779240A
ASTQR, LSNOX AND
TILDliN FOUNDATIONS
JH 1D35 L
Entered according to the act of congress, in the year 1837, by WILLIAM MAR-
SHALL & Co. in the clerk's office of the district court of the eastern district
of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia:
T. X. &s P. G. Collins, Printer?,
No. 1 Lodge Alley.
PREFACE.
THE plan of the present work is so fully set forth in the
title page that little is left to be said by the author in the way
of preface. It may, however, be proper to remark, that the
work has been founded on the results of actual experience,
and is intended for every day use; that the receipts, direc-
tions, and general advice have all been prepared with a strict
view to utility, and true economy; and that nothing has been
omitted which the author deemed subservient to the general
design the promotion of domestic happiness by attention
to the constantly recurring and inevitable duties of good
housekeeping.
Philadelphia, February 21, 1837.
CONTENTS.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON COMMENCING HOUSEKEEPING, 13
HOUSEHOLD DUTIES AND OPERATIONS, - 21
House Cleaning in Spring, - - 21
Preservation of Linen, - 22
Miscellaneous directions, - 22
House Cleaning in Autumn, 25
SERVANTS, - _ - . . 26
THE KITCHEN, ... 29
BOILING, ... - 35
ROASTING, .... 38
BROILING, .... 40
FRYING, - - - 42
COOKING OF MEAT, - - 43
Beef, ....... 43
Beefsteaks Broiled, - - - - 43,44
Beef Steak Pie, ... -44
Beef Steak Pudding, - - 44, 45
BeefSteak Pudding Baked, - 45
Mutton and Lamb, - 45
To choose Lamb, ... - 45
A Stuffed Loin of Mutton, 46
Boiled Leg of Lamb, - 46
Quarter of Lamb Roasted, - 46
Larnb to Roast or Boil, 46
Mutton, ... .46
Mutton Broth, .... 47
Haunch of Mutton, - 48
Leg of Mutton, - - - - - 48
Leg of Mutton Stuffed, - - - 48
Loin of Mutton, - - - - 48
Neck of Mutton, ..... 48
Mutton Pie, ...... 49
Shoulder of Mutton Stewed with oysters, - 49
Mutton Steaks Broiled, - 50
Veal, ....... 50
Boiled Veal, - - - - - - 50
Veal Broth ...... 50
Cold Veal Hashed , 50
Vlll CONTENTS.
Minced Veal, ...... 50
Veal Pie, ..... 51
Breast of Veal Roasted, - - - - 51
Loin of Veal Roasted, - - - 51
Neck of Veal Boiled, - . 51
Shoulder of Veal Roasted, - - - - 51
Veal Sweetbreads, - - - - 52
Veal Sweetbreads Fried, - - - - 52
Veal Sweetbreads to Stew, - - - - 52
Calf's Head, ...... 52
Calf's Head Hashed, ..... 52
Calf's Head Soused, ..... 53
Calf 's Liver, - - : ,'.- > -'^ . ,!".' 53
Calf s Liver Broiled, .... ,.. 53
Calf's Liver Stewed, ..... 53
Fowls, .... .^T. 53
Directions for Choosing Fowls, - - - 53
Fowls Boiled with Rice, - - - - 54
Chicken Currie, - - - - - 54
Chicken Salad, - . . . - 54
Turkeys, . . . . ,-55
Roasted Turkey, - - - - '. ... . , 55
Hashed Turkey, - - - - -55
Geese, ... ... 55
To Choose Geese, - - - - - 55
Goose Roasted, - - 55
Pigeons, - -56
Potted Pigeons, - - - 56
Pigeons to Roast, - - - - 56
Pork, ....... 56
To Choose Pork, '56
Directions for Choosing Ham, - - 57
To Boil Ham, - - 57
Hog's Lard, ...... 57
Roasted Pig, - - - ... -57
Kidneys, ...... 58
Rabbits, ...... 58
Rabbit Pie, .... ;; 58
To Roast Rabbits, ..... 59
To Smother Rabbits, - - 59
Venison, ....... 59
Roasted Venison, 60
Ducks, - ... -60
To Choose Ducks, - 60
Ducks Roasted, - - - - 60
Wild Ducks, - 60, 61
Forcemeat, ...... 61
Ingredients for Forcemeat, - - - - 61
Tripe, - - -" ... - - - 62
To keep Meat Hot, .... 62
CONTENTS. IX
PRESERVATION OF MEAT, - - - - 62
To Cure Hams, - - - - - 63, 64
To Pickle Pork, ...... 64
To Pickle a Tongue, ..... 65
To Salt Beef, - - 65
STEWS, ...... 65
Scotch Hotch-Potch, ..... 65
Irish Stew, ..... 66
Scotch Barley-Broth, - - - - 66
A very Economical Dish, - - 66
Veal and Rice, ..... 66
SOUPS, .......67
Good Veal Soup, - 69
Economical Soup, - - - - 70
Mock Turtle Soup, - - 70
Mullagatawny Soup, - - - - 70
Ox-Tail Soup, - 71
Ox-Head Soup, ...... 71
Giblet Soup, - 72
Fish Soup, ... 73
Oyster Soup, ...... 73
MADE DISHES, ... - 74
Macaroni, ... 75,76
Asparagus and Eggs, - 76
BeefSteak Pie, ...... 76
Mutton Pie, - -
Lamb Pie, ...... 77
Veal Pie, 77
Chicken Pie, ...... 78
Rabbit Pie, - .... 78
COOKING OF FISH, ...... 78
Observations on Fish, - - - - 78
Chouder, ...... 80
Fresh Cod, ...... 80
To Boil Cod, ...... 81
Salt Cod, .81
To Choose Mackarel, ..... 82
Boiled Mackarel, ..... 82
Mackarel Broiled or Fried, - - - -82
Perch Boiled, ...... 82
To Boil Fish, ...... 82
To Fry Fish, ...... 83
To Fry Cod, ..... 84
Cod's Head and Shoulders, - - - 84
Cod's Sounds, ...... 85
VEGETABLES, .......86
Spinach, --....-86
Mode of Dressing Cauliflowers with Parmesan Cheese, - 87
Pea Stew, ....... 87
Asparagus, ...... 88
X CON'lENTS.
Cabbage, - - .. . -89
Oyster Plant, ...... 90
Carrots, - - . . ' -'_'' 90
Cauliflowers, - - . . 90
Cauliflowers Fried, - - - . - 91
Boiled Parsnips, ...... 91
Boiled Turnips, - .i'- 1 ' - - 91
Turnip-Tops, - 91
To Preserve Vegetables for the Winter, - U' - 91
French Mode, ...... 92
To Make Kitchen Vegetables Tender, - - - 92
New Potatoes in Winter, . . . - 93
Potatoes, - - - 93
To Boil Potatoes, 94
Young Potatoes, - . . . -*' 95
To Fry or Broil Potatoes, - - - 95, 96
To Mash Potatoes, . . . - 96
To Roast. Potatoes, ..... 96
To Boil Cabbage, 97
PICKI.KS, SAUCES, GRAVIES, MACARONI, OMELET, OYSTERS, &c., 97
To Poach Eggs, - - - . - 97
To Fry Eggs, - .... 97
To Butter Eggs, - .... 98
Pickles, - - 98
Oyster Sauce, - - - 99
Bread Sauce, - .... 99
To Make Soy, - .... 99
To Pickle Onions, - - - ', 100
Egg Sauce, - - 100
Gravy for a Fowl, when there is no Meat to make it of, - 100
Macaroni, - - J -- ; - 100
To Serve Macaroni, - - - -' 101
Mint Sauce, - - - - - - 101
To Make Mustard, - - - .101
Omelet, . . - - - - 102
To Pickle Onions, 102
Onion Sauce, .... -';' .; 102
Oysters in Butter, - - - - 103
Fried Oysters, - - - 10. i- . .103
Oyster Patties, - - - - - .103
Pickled Oysters, - .103
Oyster Sauce, - 1 04
Scalloped Oysters, - - - - 104
Stewed Oysters, . 104
Pickle for Tongues, - - - - 104
Walnut Ketchup, - 105
Walnut Pickle, - - - . - 105
To Melt Butter, - 105
Beef Gravy, .... _'' . 106
Toniata Sauce, ...... 106
CONTENTS. XI
Mint Sauce, - - -, . -107
Sweet Sauce, - - - . . -107
Lemon Sauce, - - - . - 107
Cucumbers and Onions, ..... 107
Red Cabbage, ...... 107
Pickled Mangoes, .... 108
COFFEE, SHELLS, &c., - - * . .108
To Make Coffee, - - - . .108
Coffee, . .108
French Method of Preparing it, - - 108
Cocoa Shells, . . .110
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &.C., . . . - 111
Directions for Puddings, - . . . -Ill
Brown Bread Pudding, - . . . .112
Economical Pudding, ..... 112
Christmas Pudding, - . . .112
Plain Lemon Pudding, - . . -113
Tapioca Pudding, - . .113
A Baked Apple Pudding, - - . -114
Puddings that are quickly made and without much expense, 114
The Bakewell Pudding, - 114
Apple Dumplings, . . - 114
Apple Pudding Baked, - - . . .115
Apple Tart, . 115
Barley Pudding, ...... 115
Pearl Barley Pudding, - . . - 116
Batter Pudding, - ... 116
Bread and Butter Pudding, - . - -116
Bread Pudding, - - . . . - 117
Charlotte, - - - . . - 117
Cherry Pudding, - - - . . .117
Custard, - - - - - . - 117
Baked Custard, - . - . . - 118
Plain Custard, - - - . - . 118
Custard Pudding, - - - - 118
Macaroni Pudding, . . - 119
Oatmeal Pudding, New England Fashion, - - 119
Pancakes, - - - . . -119
Peas Pudding, - - - . . -119
Plumb Pudding, . - - . . - 120
Potatoe Pudding, - . . . - 120
Rice Pancakes, ...... 121
Rice Pudding Boiled, ..... 121
Rice Pudding with Currants, .... 121
Dutch Rice Pudding, - . . . - 121
Rice Pudding with Fruit, - - - 122
Ground Rice Pudding, ..... 122
Small Rice Pudding, - - . . - 122
Sago Pudding, ...... 122
Sippet Pudding, ...... 123
Xil CONTENTS.
Suet Pudding, ~ ------ 123
Tapioca Padding, ..... 124
Ground Rice Pudding, ..... 124
Pancakes, ..... 124
Fritters, - .... 125
Apple Fritters, - - - . - 125
Sweet Potatoe Pudding, ..... 126
PASTRY, CAKES, &c., - .... 126
Paste, . - . .126
Lemon Puffs, - - . - 127
Mrs. Hill's Cakes, - - . . - 127
Irish Plumb Cake, . . - 127
Biscuits, - . 127
Quickly made and Cheap Cake, - ... 128
Lemon Solid, . . - 128
Fritters which may be made quickly, ... 128
Liquid Jelly, - . . 128
Minced Meat for Pies, ..... 129
Mrs. Barton's Sponge Cake, ... 129
Lemon Cheese-Cake, - . . - 129
Good Plain Gingerbread, .... 130
Family Pound Cake, - - - - 130
Plain Cake, . . -130
Rice Cakes, - - - - - 130
Tea Cakes, - - - . - 131
German Puffs, - - . .131
Bath Buns, . . . - 131
Queen Cake, -- - - . 131
Common Seed Cake, - - . - 132
Sponge Cake, . - 132
Caraway Cakes, - - - 132
Gingerbread, .... 132
Gingerbread without Butter, ... 133
Gingerbread Nuts, .... 133
Ginger Cakes, - . . - 133
Jumbles, - - ... 134
Macaroons, ..... 134
Mince Pies, - - . - 134
Mince Pies without Meat, ... 135
Muffins, ....... 135
Rhubarb Tart, . . 135
Rice Cheese, - - - - - 136
Rolls, ....... 136
French Rolls, - . . - 136
Hot Short Rolls, - - 137
Rusks, ...... 137
Apple Pie, ..... ]37
Cranberry Tart, ..... 138
Tarts of Preserved Fruits, - - . 138
Mince Pies, ..... 138
CONTENTS. Xii'l
Squash Pic, - . - 139
Pumpkin Pie, ... 139
Whortleberry Cakes, - . - 139
Dough Nuts, - . . - 139
Hard Gingerbread, - ... 140
Drop Cake, . 140
Black Cake, or New England Wedding Cake, - . 140
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD, ... 14]
Flour, . 141
Making Bread, - . 142
Forming the Dough, - - . - 142
Heating the Oven, ... 144
Yeast, - - 146
Plain Biscuits, - ... 145
Indian Corn Biscuits, - . - 147
Rusks, - ... 147
JELLIES, JAMS, &c., - .... 143
Apple Jelly, - - . 148
Red Currant Jelly, ... 143
Rice Jelly, ..... 143
Arrow-Root Blanc Mange, ... 149
Arrow-Root Custards, . - 149
Arrow-Root Pudding, . - 149
Isinglass Jelly, ... -149
Apple Jelly, - - . - 149
Italian Cream, . . . 150
Blanc Mange, ... 150
Dutch Blanc Mange, ... 150
Calves' Feet Blanc Mange, . . . 159
Currant Jelly, - - - . . -151
Red Currant Jelly, - . . 151
Black Currant Jelly, - . . - 152
Gooseberry Jam, .... 153
Grape Jelly, . 153
Raspberry Jelly, - ... 153
Liquid Jelly, - - - . . - 153
Calf's Foot Jelly, . . 153
PRESERVES, ..... 154
To Bottle Red Currants, - - . . - 155
To Bottle Green Gooseberries, .... 155
Cranberries, . . . - 155
Cranberry Jelly, - - - . . -156
Cranberry and Rice Jelly, .... 156
Cranberry Tart, - - . . . - 156
Figs, to keep all the year fit for use, . - - 156
To Preserve Green Gages, - . . - 157
Marmalade, ...... 157
Baked Pears, - - . . . -157
Quince Marmalade, - ... 157
Raspberry Jam, ...... 153
1
XIV CONTENTS.
Black Butter, 158
To Preserve Strawberries Whole, 158
Quinces, - 158
Peaches in Brandy, 159
COOKERY FOR THE SICK, 160
Barley Gruel, - 160
Beef Tea, - - - 160
Milk Punch, 160
Panada, - 160
Sago, 161
Recipe for a Sore Throat, 161
Natural Dentifrice, - 161
Barley Water, - 161
Gruel, - 162
Arrow Root, 163
Decoction of Iceland Liverwort, - - 163
White Wine Whey, 164
Balm, Mint, and other Teas, 164
Beef Tea, - - - 165
Veal Tea, - - 165
Chicken Tea, - 165
Toast and Water, 166
Isinglass Jelly, - 166
Calves' Feet Broth, 166
Bread Jelly, 167
A Mutton Custard, for a Cough, - 167
CORDIALS, 167
Noyeau, - 1 67
Lemon Cordial Lemon Brandy, 169
Cinnamon Cordial, 170
Ginger Cordial, - 170
ESSENCES, 171
Essence of Ginger, 171
Essence of Allspice, 171
Essence of Nutmeg, Clove or Mace, 171
Essence of Cinnamon, - 171
Essence of Seville Orange, and Lemon Peal, 171
FLOWERS,
Management of Plants in Rooms, 173
1. Want of proper Light and Air, 173
2. Injurious Watering, 174
3. Filthiness collected on the Leaves, - 175
4. Being Potted in Unsuitable soil, 175
PRESERVATION OF PLATE, 176
Cleaning Plate, - 176
PRESERVATION OF BEDS, CARPETS, &c., - 178
Brooms, - 180
Carpets, - 181
Cleaning Beds, - 182
To Clean Carpets, - 183
CONTENTS. XV
WASHING, - - - 183
Washing with Soda, - . 184
Washing Muslin, Dresses, &c., - - 184
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, . 185
Recipe for taking Wax out of Cloth, - 185
Delicious Saline Draughts, - 185
Cure for the Rheumatism T - 186
Recent Cold, - 186
Recipe for the Sting of a Wasp, Bee, or other Insect, 186
To get rid of the Sting of a Nettle or other Vegetable, - 186
Recipe for Burns, 186
To efface Spots of Grease from Silks, - - - 186
To Polish Mahogany Tables, - - - - 187
Iron Moulds, - - - - - 188
To Clean Marble, - - - - - 186
To Make Blacking, - - - - - 188
Oil for Furniture, 189
Preservation of Eggs, - - - 190
To Make Ginger Beer, - - - - 190
To Clarify Sugar, - . - - - 190
To Make Yeast, 191
To Preserve Potatoes, - - 191
Portable Ginger Beer, - - - - 192
To Correct the Acidity of Porter, &c., - - 193
Yeast, 193
To Prevent the Smoking of a Lamp, 193
Method of obtaining Flowers of different Colours on the
same Stem, 194
Useful Recipe for effectually taking out Spots of Ink from
Linen, - - 194
Recipe effectually to destroy Bed Bugs, - - 194
A Fire Proof and Water Proof Cement, - - - 195
To Render Shoes W r ater Proof, - 195
For an Obstinate Cough, .... 195
Preservation of Eggs, ... 195
Mildew on Linen, &c., - 196
Cockroaches, .....,_ 197
Velvets, - 197
Cleaning Black Dresses, ..... 197
Vinegar, ...... 198
To Pot Butter for Winter Use, - 198
Lavender Water, - - - - - 199
Milk of Roses, ...... 199
To Clean Paint, ...... 199
To Clean Papered Walls, - - - - 199
Stove Polish, - . . - 199
Polishing Brass, - - - - - 200
Shaving Soap, ... 200
Rennet, - - - - - - 200
Pickle to Preserve Butter, - - - -200
XVI CONTENTS.
DIRECTIONS FOR JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING, 201
Venison, - - . 201
Beef, ....... 202
Mutton, ....... 202
Veal, ....... 203
Pork, ....... 203
Cod's Head, 204
Haunch of Venison, ..... 204
Saddle of Mutton, - . . . -205
Edge Bone of Beef, -. 206
Fore Quarter of Lamb, ..... 206
Leg of Mutton, - - . . . 207
Shoulder of Mutton, - - - - 208
Ham, . . . . . .209
Rabbit for Roasting, . . . . .209
Rabbit for Boiling, . . 210
Turkey for Roasting, - . - 211
Goose, - .... 211
Fowls for Roasting, .... 212
Turkey, or Fowl, for Boiling, .... 212
Back of a Fowl, ...... 213
Duck, . 214
Pheasant, ...... 215
Partridge, - - . . . - 215
Half a Calf's Head, - - 215
Roasted Pig, . 216
Pigeons, ... - 217
THE
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON COMMENCING
HOUSEKEEPING.
THE first care of a young married woman should be to
ascertain, as precisely as possible, the sum of money which
may be required annually towards the maintenance of her
establishment; and then to form a determination to confine
her expences within that sum. And, in order to enable
herself to do this, she must be scrupulous to lay out, in
every thing she purchases, a little less money than she can
well afford. She must pause, before she rejects a house,
which may, perhaps, be considered rather too small, but
which, nevertheless, might be made to accommodate the fa-
mily ivell enoughs and which, at all events might be fitted
up at a less cost than a larger one, and would certainly pre-
sent a better appearance than a house that is rather too large
for the quantity or for the style of its furniture, and which
is also, perhaps, larger than is required for the number of
its inhabitants.
It is very easy to remove from a small to a large house,
when circumstances require it, and when it is quite certain
2
14 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
that means will not be wanting to continue an increase of
expenditure; but it is a very different case, when necessity
compels the descent from a large house to a small one. It
is so easy to increase in our wants, and so difficult to give
up what we have been accustomed to regard as necessary to
us, that it is much to be desired that young people should
begin the world with caution, and not multiply their wants,
lest, in time, they exceed the means for gratifying them.
In buying furniture, I recommend every young lady to
be content with that which is just good enough, rather than
be induced to exceed her previous good intentions, and gra-
tify her fancy at the expense of her comforts. She must not
reject a sideboard, for instance, which would do very well,
though it may not be of so new a fashion as another one,
which would cost five, or probably, ten dollars more, but
which would not answer the purpose any better. She must
never yield to the seducing reflection, that *' only five dol-
lars more cannot make much difference;" for the same argu-
ment may equally well call for a greater outlay in the sofa,
the tables, the carpet, the curtains, the grate, and the fire-
irons and fender; to say nothing of the lamps, the mirrors,
and other articles of ornament, which fashion makes articles
of necessity with some persons. If " only five dollars" be
given for some of these, and two, or even one dollar, for
others, more than is necessary, she will find that the " differ-
ence" is very great by the time that she has fitted up only
one room.
The rage for vieing with our neighbors shows itself in the
bad taste by which houses are encumbered with unsuitable
furniture. Massive sideboards, and large unwieldy chairs,
occupy too much space in a small room, while heavy cur-
tains and drapery, not only obscure the light, but they have
an appearance rather inelegant than otherwise, whatever
fashion may say, unless the room be large and lofty, or in
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK. 15
proportion to the size and weight of the cornices, cords, tas-
sels and other ornaments, which give offence to the eye
when too gorgeous or prominent.
Of equal bad taste with the choice of furniture, is the ha-
bit of changing it occasionally, to suit the vary ing of fashions;
and this is so much the practice, that I have known even
people in trade, having families to provide for, change what
appeared to me a sufficiently good dining table or a sofa,
that promised to serve its purposes for a life-time, and to
give money besides, in order to have other tables or sofas,
which were no handsomer, but only a little more fashion-
able.
It is so strange, that persons pretending to gentility, should
not rather imitate the better class of their superiors, some of
whom seem to value their high-backed chairs the more
because they are old, and would on no account exchange
them for modern finery. It is quite a rarity, and to me a
very pleasing one, to see good old-fashioned furniture, nice-
ly polished and otherwise in good order. When I see
showy furniture in the houses of people of small fortunes,!
cannot help suspecting that it has been purchased without
being paid for; the long upholsterer's bill rises like a phan-
tom before the couches, the ottomans, and the ottoman so-
fas, which are crowded into small drawing rooms; and my
feelings of regret become almost indignation, when I see
plate, which belonged to fathers and mothers, or to grandfa-
thers and grandmothers, and spoons, which have touched
those lips which spoke tenderness to our infancy, about to
be bartered for the " Flower", the " Fiddle," or the " Shell
Pattern," or for some other pattern that may happen to offer
the newest temptation to vulgar taste.
I would recommend to every young woman, who has the
good taste to wish that her house may be characterised by
its simplicity, and be more remarkable for comfort than for
16 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
show; I would strongly recommend her, if she wish to spare
herself and her family much discomfort, to avoid having
show-rooms; such rooms, I mean, as are considered to be
too fine to be habitually occupied by the family to whom
they belong, and such as are kept shut up, except on
particular occasions, when, and perhaps only a few times
in the course of a year, a fire is lighted in a fine drawing-
room, which is put in order to receive guests. Upon such
occasions, children are seen to stare and look about them, as
if they had never beheld the place before; the master of the
house fidgets from one seat to another, as if he were any
where but at home; and most likely before the entertainment
is over, the mistress of the house is heard to remark, that
she is " never so comfortable as in the room she is accus-
tomed to;" thereby letting her friends know how much she is
put out of her way by having the pleasure of their company.
And this is being refined! True hospitality would conceal
from guests any little additional trouble which their presence
may unavoidably occasion; but thanks to the improved taste
of the times, there is little real hospitality left; all friendly
intercourse seems lost in ostentatious display, and in the
vain attempts of each friend to outshine the other. Most
people acknowledge this to be the case, and lament that it is
so; yet few have the courage to pursue a different system.
It is rare that we find the album, the closeted curiosity, or
even the conversation of the assembled company, having
charms sufficient to dissipate that gloom which infallibly at-
tends such hospitality.
While she is fitting up her house, a young woman would
do well to consider the number and the sort of servants she
can afford to keep, and to regulate the style of the house
accordingly. I recommend this to her in order that she may
avoid that incongruity which one sometimes sees in houses
where there is more ostentation than taste displayed, and
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK. 17
where a country servant of no experience will hesitate to
touch a china plate or a glass dish, as though it were a thing
to bite her, and will, at last, perhaps, let it fall, from a trem-
bling anxiety to hold it fast. China, plate, pictures, and all
ornamental furniture, require peculiar nicety; and the dust-
ing and polishing of these must be repeated daily, or they
reflect discredit, not upon the servants, but upon the mis-
tress of the house, who will, therefore, do well not to en-
cumber herself with more of such things than she can easily
have kept in good order.
Flowers are the most beautiful ornaments, when nicely
selected and arranged, that can belong to a house; for, though
they perish, and do not last as a piece of china does, they
afford infinite variety, and give such a liveliness and interest
to every place that contains them, as no kind of manufac-
ture, whether ancient or modern, ever did or will give.
Perfect and uniform neatness is indispensable, as well to
the comfort of a house, as to its good appearance. By uni-
form neatness, I mean that nothing which presents itself,
whether about the house, on the table, in the dress of ser-
vants, or in the dress of children; no one thing should be
left open to unfavorable remark. A young woman who re-
laxes in attention to her own dress, merely because she has
more important cares after, than she had before her marriage,
does wrong; but she whose smart dress forms a contrast with
the little soiled fingers which are forbidden to approach it;
she who strikes the beholder as having bestowed care on
herself, while her children bear the appearance of neglect,
does infinitely worse. To preserve the neatness of a house,
there must be more or less of constant attention. This will
require strict watching on the part of the mistress. Sweep-
ing, dusting, and polishing, should proceed daily, and
should never wholly stop. Carpets should be swept every
day with a hair broom; but only once a week with the car-
2*
18 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
pet broom, because it wears them: and damp tea-leaves
should always be used, whether in sweeping carpets or
boards, as they lay the dust, which would otherwise fly
over the furniture, and again settle on the floor. Bed-room
carpets should be in different pieces, and not be nailed to
the floor, for the convenience of shaking, which may, then,
easily be done once in a week. Bed rooms should be swept
every day, and a damp mop passed under the beds, chests
of drawers, &c. &c., which will remove all the flue and dust
and prevent accumulation of dirt, so that the washing of
boards will not be necessary during the winter, except oc-
casionally. In summer, indeed, frequent washings refresh-
en the air, and are very necessary. The use of the mop
is not popular with housemaids, but is a good practice, ne-
vertheless; for collections of light dust engender little insects
which it is very difficult to get rid of.
One branch of domestic duty which devolves upon the
mistress of a house, is to keep an account of the expendi-
ture of her family. She ought to make this as simple an af-
fair as possible, by ascertaining, first, how much the house-
keeping is to cost; that is to say, how much she can afford to
expend in it; then, by keeping a very strict account of every
article, for the first two months, and making a little allowance
for casualties, she may be able to form an estimate for the year;
and if she find that she has exceeded, in these two months,
the allotted sum, she must examine each article, and deter-
mine in which she can best diminish the expence; and then,
having the average of two months to go by, she may calcu-
late how much she is to allow, each month, for meat, bread,
groceries, washing, &c. &c. Having laid down her plan,
whatever excess she may be compelled to allow in one
month, she must make up for in the next month. I should not
Advise the paying for every thing at the moment, but rather
once a week; for if a tradesman omit to keep an account of the
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK. 19
money received for a particular article, he may, by mistake,
make a charge as for something had extra and upon trust.
A weekly account has every advantage of ready money, and
it saves trouble. I should recommend that all tradespeople
be paid on a Monday morning, the bills receipted, indorsed
(with the date of the year on the outside), and put by in a
portfolio or case where they may be easily referred to as
vouchers, or to refresh the memory as to the price of any
particular article. It is a satisfaction, independent of the pe-
cuniary benefit, for the head of a family to be able, at the
end of the year, to account to herself for what she has done
with her money.
Having established herself in the manner which I suggest;
having, in the arrangement of her house, and in the choice
of her servants, never lost sight of the two main objects of
her care, namely, the comfort of her family, and the care of
her purse; and having formed a plan for the maintenance of
her household, which shall not allow its expenses to exceed
the limits of her income, I advise every young woman to
commence her housekeeping career by observing a strict ad-
herence to order and regularity in the performance of those
duties which devolve peculiarly upon herself; for, by so do-
ing, she will not only set a good example to her family, but
if the mistress of a house be regular in the superintendence
of her domestic affairs, if she proceed, every day, to each
department at the appointed time, and if she never pass over
any neglect, in such a manner as to give her servants an
idea that it had escaped her observation; if, in short, she be
regular and punctual herself, her servants must be so too,
and she will find that the business of housekeeping, which
is, by the mismanagement of some persons, rendered so irk-
some, will be to her a matter of no difficulty and of compa-
ratively little labour.
In addressing myself to young people, I do not think it
20 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
need seem impertinent if I venture a few hints on the sub-
ject of company. I do not intend, by this, to dictate to my
young readers the kind of visitors they should invite to their
houses. Yet, there are some things to be observed, even
on this point, that are not altogether foreign to my general
purpose; for, whoever your chosen friends or companions
may happen to be, the mode which you adopt of entertain-
ing them must necessarily be a matter of importance among
the affairs of your house, and therefore, properly comes
within the scope of domestic economy. I would advise
every young lady to make it a general rule, not to invite to
her house such visitors as she cannot entertain without tres-
passing on the comforts or conveniences of her family. True
hospitality may be enjoyed without much ceremony, and
may be offered in the plainest manner; but when efforts to
be very hospitable make a disturbance of the usual arrange-
ments of a house, they are inconsistent with their object. I
should say, therefore, if I were giving advice to my own
friend, let nothing be attempted which cannot be maintained
without difficulty; let nothing be provided which cannot be
provided in plenty; let nothing which is necessary be missed,
and nothing produced which may appear to be out of place
or uncalled for. In short, do nothing which you cannot real-
ly afford to do; and the result will be, that while you con-
sult your own ease, you will, at the same time, insure that
freedom from restraint which contributes, more than all be-
sides, to make visiting agreeable, and which never fails to
create, in your departing guest, those mixed feelings of re-
gret at going, but of pleasure at the prospect of returning,
which are amongst the most flattering acknowledgements
that genuine hospitality can receive.
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK. 21
HOUSEHOLD DUTIES AND OPERATIONS.
HOUSE CLEANING IN SPRING.
THE Spring is more particularly the time for house clean-
ing and bleaching linen, &c., though of course these mat-
ters require attention in every month of the year; and as
a servant has been known to begin scrubbing stairs from the
bottom upwards, a few remarks on these common subjects
may not be useless. Begin at the top of the house; first
take up the carpets, and if they require it, send them at once
to be scoured, that they may be ready to replace by the
time the rooms are cleaned. Some persons object to send
carpets and other things to a scourer, as their substance is
in some degree injured by the process; they may be well
cleaned by washing them with soda and water, after hav-
ing been taken up, well beaten, and nailed down again.
Remove all the furniture out of the room, have the chim-
neys swept where fires have been in use, then scour the
grates, <fcc.; wrap old towels (which should be set aside
for such purposes) round the bristles of the broom, and
sweep carefully and lightly the ceiling and paper; then with
a flannel or sponge (which is preferable) and soap and
water wash all the paint well, and as fast as one per-
son wets let another follow with linen rags, and wipe the
paint perfectly dry; let the windows be cleaned, and lastly,
scrub the floor. The furniture should be well rubbed be-
fore it is replaced. It is a good plan to have the paper
swept every three or four months. If the curtains and
hangings are moreen, it is better to take them down for the
summer months, and after a thorough shaking and brushing
to pin them up in paper, linen, or silk, with camphor,
which is the best, cleanest and most agreeable preservative
from moths. Some persons use powdered black pepper.
22 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
PRESERVATION OF LINEN.
The summer is the best season for examining and repair-
ing household linen, as the days are long, and servants
more at leisure from the absence of fires. Sheets should
be turned sides to the middle before they get very thin to
avoid patching, which has a very unsightly appearance.
July is a good month for washing counterpanes, blankets,
and heavy things in general,, for they dry quickly, and are
consequently of a better colour.
MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTIONS.
A cook should always be supplied with a piece of floor-
cloth to put at the end of her kitchen table, in order to keep
it clean, as the dirt and grease from saucepans is more easily
removed from floor-cloth than from wood; little round mats
about an inch thick, and the size of a common plate, made of
platted straw, with a straw ring by which they may be
hung up, are very useful during the process of cooking, to
place under stewpans and saucepans, when it is necessary
to put them on the table.
In large establishments each servant should be furnished
with brushes, pails, and whatever is requisite in her depart-
ment, for her use solely; this prevents grumbling among
servants; and in case of misuse or disappearance, blame will
fall on the proper individual. It is astonishing how much
confusion and discomfort may be avoided by attention to
these trifles.
A mistress should provide her housemaid with a pair of
strong gloves and a large coarse apron to clean her grates,
&c. &c., which enables her to keep herself fit to be seen
if called away in a hurry.
It is a good plan to give out on Saturday or Monday
morning to each servant the quantity of soap allowed for
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK. 23
the week's consumption, as also of tea and sugar. Of the
two latter a reasonable quantity is three ounces of tea and
three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar, or one pound of
moist; half a pound of butter, and a quartern loaf. Calculating
by this allowance a pretty correct estimate of what should be
the week's expenditure may be made, varying occasionally
with circumstances. Regularity and punctuality are para-
mount qualifications in domestic management.
If the mistress of a house possesses that useful and ad-
mirable quality neatness, its effects will be seen extending
through every department of her household, and order and re-
gularity will reign to the exclusion of fidgetting, bustling,
and eternal petty vexations. It is possible that very young
housewives may require the information that there are four
kinds of cloths which ought to be provided for the use of
the kitchen knife-cloths, dusters, tea, and glass-cloths. Of
each of these eight may perhaps be sufficient, and if they
be made of the materials proper for them, a servant will
have no excuse for mistaking one for another, nor will a
mistress fail, at a glance, to see if they be misappropriated.
They should be placed, when clean from the wash, in four
separate piles, in one of the dresser drawers, with the family
breakfast-cloth, dinner-cloth and finger-napkins, tray and
supper-cloths; here, too, the table-mats should be deposited,
so that a servant, when going to lay the cloth, may experi-
ence as little delay as possible.
Knife-cloths should be made of very coarse brown harsh
cloth (" sheeting," as it is styled in the shops,) ell wide;
one yard will make six, three in width, and half a yard in
length. Dusters are generally made of a checked manu-
facture of mixed cotton and flax; the cotton more readily
picks up the dust, than pure linen, Haifa yard square is the
proper size. Tea and glass-cloths, three quarters in width,
and one yard in length. These last-named cloths will be
24 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
found less " fluey," or " linty" if they are made of sheets,
which, having been " turned" in time to prevent the ne-
cessity and unsightliness of piecing, are beginning to wear
thin; thus the credit of always having good sheets may be
easily procured, by replacing those which are cut up with
new ones, and, at the same time, a better and more eligible
material obtained for glass-cloths. To ensure freedom from
lint on glass, the last wipe should be given with a wash
leather kept for the purpose. That open, pretty-looking
" sleesy" cloth which is sold under the name of glass-cloth,
is a perfect nuisance, and wears out incredibly soon. In
addition to the above, most persons add knife-tray cloths,
house-cloths for cleaning, pudding-cloths, cheese-cloths, (a
very clear gauze-like linen for throwing over dishes of food,
to the exclusion of flies, &c., unless a house is well sup-
plied with gauze covers,) and round towels.
Pillow-covers will be found of service in all families.
They may be of the cheapest calico, made like a pillow-
case, and tacked or run on to the pillows, occasionally re-
moving them, that they may be washed; once in the
course of a twelvemoth will be often enough. The advan-
tages resulting from the use of pillow-covers, are, that the
ticking is thus preserved always fresh and clean; that a fine
Holland pillow-case looks white and even, instead of the
stripes of the ticking appearing through it; and that in the
event of a pillow-case being on the decline, the flaws and
thin places are not so apparent as they would be without
the intervention of a calico cover.
It is very important that servants should carefully sift
their cinders, for which purpose they should be supplied
with a proper cinder sifter to save them from unnecessary
dirt. New made candles should never be burned, and ser-
vants should be required to produce and burn up candle ends,
to enable them to do which save-alls should be at hand. It
HOUSE CLEANING. 25
is but too true that in coals and candles, servants are in-
clined to waste and extravagance.
Wooden spoons are the best for cooking purposes, and it
is a good plan to nail a piece of leather in some convenient
place, with spaces between every nail, rather loose, to admit
the handle of the spoon; they may be thus kept out of the way.
HOUSE CLEANING IN AUTUMN.
At this season all summer decorations should be forthwith
discarded, and every thing be ready to meet the sudden
change in the weather, which may be expected from day to
day. Carpets should be taken up and well beaten, to pre-
vent the accumulation of the dust from fires upon summer
dust, and the rooms scoured; muslin summer curtains
should be removed, washed, and rough-dried, and be re-
placed by the winter set; and every ornament should be
discarded from the grates, in which, after being nicely
cleaned, a fire should be laid ready to be lighted at a mo-
ment's notice. Any small chimney ornament which would
be injured by fire-dust, should either be removed or cover-
ed. In cleaning rooms and furniture the housemaid should
be directed to take out the hair or any moveable seats of
chairs, and thoroughly beat out the summer's dust; and it
is a good plan to wash with a flannel and soap and water
(not soda,) all painted and wicker-bottomed chairs; it is al-
lowing the dust to accumulate month after month which
D
makes the furniture look so very soon shabby in some
houses. Carpets should be occasionally wiped over with
a wet cloth, and then rubbed hard till dry; by this means
the carpet is brightened, and the room, if much in use, is
greatly refreshed. It is very unwise to allow servants to do
things " any how," because there is no company; it is mis-
taken kindness to the servant, and causes much discomfort
to the mistress when she happens to have her friends about
3
26 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
her; for when servants are habitually permitted to spare
themselves very much, they dislike the additional trouble of
having things tidy, and their ill-humour and bustle produce
the painful feeling to the friends that they are treated as
strangers. Servants should therefore be obliged to pay the
same attentions when the family is alone as when there are
guests; they will get the advantage in the end.
SERVANTS.
THE comfort and respectability of a house depend, in a
great degree, upon the capability and the good conduct of
the servants employed in it. Well dressed, that is to say,
neatly dressed, clean looking, and well mannered servants
always impress a visiter with a favourable idea of the house;
while, on the contrary, there is no one so free from hasty
judgment, as not to be more or less prejudiced against the
mistress of a house, by the untidy appearance or the awk-
ward behaviour of her domestics.
Good servants, those who understand their work, and are
capable of fulfilling their respective offices without being
constantly looked after, are worth any thing in the way of
wages, compared to the ignorant and incapable ones who
perform their services only as they are directed at every turn.
A few dollars a year more to a good servant, than is given
to a bad one, ought not, therefore, to be a consideration, the
difference in wages being the only difference in cost; for
the one consumes as much as the other; and the bad servant
is, besides, the more likely of the two to waste, break, or
damage whatever may be placed under her care.
In order to keep servants from neglecting their work, it
SERVANTS. 27
is necessary that the mistress of the house be strict in requir-
ing the performance of their several duties, except when
their own illness renders them incapable, or when other ac-
cidental circumstances may interrupt the ordinary routine of
the house. If masters and mistresses be regular in their
habits, the servants must be so likewise. The hours of meals
should vary as little as possible; particularly the first meal
of the day; for the work of each day may be said to com-
mence immediately after the breakfast, and when that lakes
place one hour only after the usual time, the whole business
of the house is sure to be retarded. It may frequently occur,
even in families the most orderly, for the time of dining to be
deferred. But this should not be allowed to happen, where
it can be avoided; for if the dinner be ordered for two o'clock
and it be kept waiting till half-past three one day, and per-
haps later still another day, the cook will very likely be dis-
appointed of performing some other piece of work, for which
she had allotted the time. She may naturally grumble at
having to waste that time in watching over the dinner, which
she has, perhaps, taken pains to prepare; and if the dinner
spoil before her eyes, she may fairly be excused if she re-
proach herself for having so uselessly taken trouble in its
preparation. In a very short time, if this trial of her patience
be repeated, the cook will become indifferent as to whether
or not she please the palates of her employers; she will take
her turn to be irregular, and that, perhaps, on some occa-
sion when the dinner not being ready at the time it was ex-
pected may cause derangement of plans previously formed,
and otherwise produce great inconvenience to the family.
It would be unreasonable to find fault with the cook under
such circumstances, for she would only be following the bad
example of those whose business it was, more than hers, to
preserve regularity in their domestic affairs. Indeed, good
servants do not like to live with irregular masters and mis-
tresses. Besides that it is not worth their while to be put out
28 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
of their own orderly ways, there really is no such thing as
comfort or rest in a badly managed house, for such servants
as are conscientious enough to wish to do their own duty
and to consult the interests of those who employ them. The
hours for going to bed and getting up should be as early as
possible, consistently with the other arrangements of the
house. It ought to be the care of some one of the family them-
selves, to see that fires have been put out, and that doors and
windows have been secured.
The honesty of servants depends greatly upon the sort of
bringing up they have had. But it also often depends, and
with young servants especially, upon the temptations to be
dishonest that they may have had to contend with; and it
behoves every master and mistress to study to prevent all
such temptations as much as possible. The practice of lock-
ing up does not, as a matter of course, imply distrust, but
it denotes care; and a better principle than that of careful-
ness can scarcely be instilled into the mind of a poor person.
I would as scrupulously avoid any thing which could lead a
servant to imagine that I locked up my drawer or my tea-
chest from her, as I would avoid giving the same idea to
any lady of my acquaintance; but I should think myself
criminal to leave tea, sugar, wine, or other things, open at all
times, or only every now and then to have them locked up.
The habit is bad; and it is the result, not of generosity, but
of negligence; it is a habit, also, which cannot fail to excite
in the minds of experienced and well disposed servants, feel-
ings rather of contempt than of respect for their employers:
while to the young, and more particularly to the already
evil disposed, it is nothing less than a facility offered for the
commission of crime. I have no doubt that thieving ser-
vants have often begun by deeds of comparative innocence.
Little pilferings at the tea-chest, perhaps, have been the be-
ginning of that which has ended in the depriving a poor girl
of her good character, and, consequently, of all chance of
THE KITCHEN.
29
gaining her bread by honest means. To suspect all servants
of being thieves, or disposed to become so, merely because
they are servants, is as silly as it is unfeeling. I should ne-
ver hesitate to give my keys to a servant, when it happened
to be inconvenient to me to leave company, any more than
I should hesitate to intrust them to one of my own family;
but this act of confidence is far different in its effects from
that neglect which often proceeds from mere idleness, and,
while it proclaims a disregard of the value of property, is
the occasion of so much waste, and in the end proves as
ruinous to the employer as it is fatal in the way of example
to the servant.
That " servants are great plagues" may be the fact; but I
am, nevertheless, bold enough to assert that it is a greater
plague to be without them. When all the hardships which
belong to the life of a maid-servant are taken into considera-
tion (which I am afraid they very rarely are), the wonder is,
that the greater part of this class of persons are not rendered
less obliging and less obedient to the will of their employers,
and more callous to their displeasure, than we really find them.
THE KITCHEN.
THE benefit of a good kitchen is well known to every
housekeeper, but it is not every mistress that is aware of
the importance of having a good cook. I have seen
kitchens which appeared to be fitted up with every conve-
nience, and certainly at considerable expence, which yet
failed to send forth good dinners, merely because the lady
of the house was not happy in her choice of a cook. I
do not in the least admire epicures, or epicurism ; and
yet I would be more particular in the selecting of the
servant who is to perform the business of preparing tha
3*
30 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
food of the family, than I should deem it necessary to be
in selecting any of the other servants. In large estab-
lishments there is a greater quantity of cookery to be per-
formed, and consequently, a greater quantity of waste is
likely to be caused by unskilful cooks, than there can be
in small families; but even in the latter, I have known con-
siderable waste to be the consequence of saving a few
pounds a year in the wages of a cook. An experienced
cook knows the value of the articles submitted to her
care; and she knows how to turn many things to account,
which a person unacquainted with cooking would throw
away. A good cook knows how to convert the remains of
one dinner into various dishes to form the greater part of
another dinner; and she will also, be more capable than
the other of forwarding her mistress's charitable inten-
tions; for her capability in cooking will enable her to take
advantage of every thing which can be spared from the con-
sumption of the family, to be converted into nourishing
food for the poor, for those of her own class, who have
not the comfort of a home such as she herself enjoys.
The cook who knows how to preserve the pot-liquor of
fresh meat to make soup, will, whenever she boils mutton,
fowls, or rabbits, carefully take off the scum as it rises; and
by adding peas, vegetables to flavour, seasonings and crusts
of bread, she will make some tolerable soup for poor peo-
ple, out of materials which an inexperienced cook would
be very likely to throw away.
Of the same importance as the cooking, is neatness in
serving the dinner, for there is a vast difference in its ap-
pearance, if it be neatly and properly arranged, in hot
dishes, the vegetables and sauces suitable to the meat, and
they apparently just taken from the fire; there is a vast
difference between a dinner so served, and one a part of
which is either too much or too little cooked, the meat
THE KITCHEN. 31
parting from the bone in one case, or looking as if it were
barely warmed through in the other case; the gravy chilled
and turning to grease, some of the vegetables watery, and
the others crisp, while the edges of the dishes are slopped,
and the block tin covers look dull, if not smeary. A leg
of mutton or piece of beef either boiled or roasted, so com-
monly the dinner of a plain living family, requires as
much attention, skill and nicety, as does the most compli-
cated of made dishes; and a plain dinner well cooked, and
neatly served, is as tempting to the appetite, as it is credit-
able to the mistress of the house, who invariably, and
justly suffers in the estimation of her guests, for the want
of ability in her servants.
Sauce-pans should be washed and scoured as soon as
possible after they have been used; wood ashes, or very
fine sand may be used for scouring; but the scouring should
not be done with a heavy hand. They should be rinsed
in clean water, and wiped dry, for they will rust, and then
be turned down, on a clean shelf. The upper rim may
be kept bright, but it does seem labour lost to scour that
part where the fire reaches; besides which, the more they
are scoured, the more quickly they wear out. Copper
utensils must be well tinned, or they become poisonous.
Never allow any thing to be put by in a copper vessel;
but the fatal consequences of neglect in this particular have
been too frequent, and are too well known for it to be ne-
cessary that I should say much in the way of caution.
The fire-place of a kitchen is a matter of great impor-
tance. I have not, it is certain, been so circumstanced as
to witness the operations of many of the newly invented
steam kitchens and cooking apparatuses which the last
twenty years have produced, but those which 1 have seen,
have failed to give me satisfaction. To say the truth, the
inventors of cast-iron kitchens seem to me to have had
32 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
every other object in view, but that of promoting good
cooking. It is certainly desirable and proper that every
possible saving should be made in the consumption of
fuel; but I am sure it is not possible to have cooking in
perfection, without a proper degree of heat, and, as far as
my observation has gone, meat cannot be well roasted un-
less it be before a good fire. I should save in many other
things rather than in fuel, and I am often puzzled to ac-
count for the false economy which leads some people to
be sparing of their fuel, at the same time they are lavish
in other things infinitely less wanted. A cook has many
trials of her temper, but none so difficult to bear as the
annoyance of a bad fire; for with a bad fire she is never
able to cook her dinner well, however much she may fret
herself in the endeavour; and the waste caused by the spoil-
ing in cooking meat, fish, poultry, game, &c. is scarcely
made up for by saving a few cents in fuel. " Economy in
fuel" is become so popular, that all sorts of inventions are
resorted to, in order to go without fire; and the price of
coals or wood is talked of in a fine drawing room, where
the shivering guest turns, but turns in vain, to seek com-
fort from the fire, which, alas! the brightly polished grate
does not contain. The beauty of the cold marble structure
which rises above it, and is reflected in the opposite mir-
ror, is a poor compensation for the want of warmth. I
advise all young housekeepers to bear in mind that of the
many things which may be saved in a house, without les-
sening its comforts, firing is not one.
It is best to make a provision of fuel in the month of
August or September, and in sufficient quantity to last
until the spring. It should be of the best kind ; and
should be paid for in ready money, in order to prevent an
additional charge for credit. The first year of housekeep-
ing will give the mistress a pretty correct average to go by;
THE KITCHEN. 33
and then she should watch the consumption carefully, but
not too rigidly, as nothing gives so much the appearance of
stinginess, as over carefulness of fuel.
The cook should be allowed a sufficiency of kitchen
cloths, and brushes of the sorts suitable to her work. Plates
and dishes will not look clear and bright, if they are not
rinsed in clean water after they are washed, then drained,
and wiped dry with a cloth which is not greasy. A hand-
ful of bran in the water will produce a nice polish on
crockery ware.
They do not cost much, therefore there need be no hesi-
tation to allow plenty of jelly bags, straining cloths, tapes,
&c. &c. But these things should be kept very clean, and
always scalded in hot water, before they are used.
A clock, in or near the kitchen, will tend to promote
punctuality among all the servants.
The kitchen chimney should be frequently swept; be-
sides which, the cook should, once or twice a week, sweep
it as far as she can reach; for where there are large fires in
old houses, accidents sometimes occur; and ever so little
soot falling will sometimes spoil a dinner.
I should recommend every lady to make a receipt book
for herself. Neither my receipts nor those found in any
cookery book, can be supposed to give equal satisfaction
to every palate. After performing any piece of cookery
according to the directions which are given in the book,
a person of common intelligence would be able to discover
whatever was displeasing to the taste, and might easily
alter the receipt, and so enter it in her own book that the
cook could not err in following it. This plan will, if
adopted, be found to save much trouble. The receipts
should be made out, with great exactness, so as not to
leave it to the cook's ingenuity to discover the right pro-
portions of the different ingredients, if they are signified
34 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
by a bit of this one, a pinch of that one, a scrape of ano-
ther, and so on.
As soon after breakfast as she conveniently can, the mis-
tress of a house should repair to the kitchen; which ought
to be swept up, the fire-place cleaned, teakettles, coffeepots,
and any thing else which has been used in preparing the
breakfast, put in their appropriate places, and the cook ready
to receive her orders for the day. Without being parsi-
monious in her household, the mistress should see, with
her own eyes, every morning, whatever cold meat, re-
mains of pastry, bread, butter, &c. &c. there may be in
the larder, in order that she may be able to judge of the
fresh supply, which it may be necessary for her to make.
Having done that, she should proceed to the store room,
to give to the cook, the house-maid, and any other servants,
such stores as they may each require for the day. This
will take up very little time, if it be done regularly every
morning; and this done, she will do well not to delay going
to make her purchases, at once; lest visitors, or any acci-
dental circumstance, should cause her to be late in her
marketing, and so to derange the regularity of the dinner
hour, the servants work, &c. &c. Many ladies in conse-
quence of their own ill health, or that of their children,
are compelled to employ their servants to make their pur-
chases for them; but when they can avoid doing so it is
much better. I do not say this from a suspicion that either
tradespeople or servants are always likely to take advantage
of an opportunity to impose upon their customers or their
employers, but because I think that this important part of
household management ought to be conducted by some one
of the family, who must necessarily be more interested in
the disposal of money properly than any servant can be.
Besides which, more judgment is required to be here exer-
cised than all servants possess. It may, for instance, occur,
BOILING. 35
that a servant is sent to a fishmonger's for a certain quantity
of fish; and she obeys the order given her, and brings home
the fish, but at a higher price, perhaps, than her mistress
expected. Now if the lady had gone to market herself,
she might have used her own discretion, in case she
found that the weather, or any other circumstance had
raised the price of fish for that day, she might make a less
expensive fish suit her purpose, or turn to the butcher to
supply her table. And this will also apply to the poulterer
as well as to the butcher. Then, there is the hindrance to
a servant in her work, if she be sent here and there, during
the early part of the day; and on the other hand, there is
the benefit which the lady of the house would derive by
being compelled to be out of doors, and in exercise, for
even a short time, almost every day.
BOILING.
THERE is no branch of cookery which requires more
nicety than plain boiling, though, from its simplicity, many
cooks think it requires less attention than some others.
They think that to put a piece of meat into water, and to
make that boil fora given length of time, is all that is need-
ful; but it is not so. To boil a leg of mutton, or a fowl,
as it ought to be boiled, requires as much care as to com-
pound a made-dish. Meat which is poor and tough cannot
be made tender and fine flavoured by boiling; but that which
was, to all appearance, very fine meat before it was put
into the pot, has often been taken out really good for noth-
ing. And many a butcher and poulterer have been blamed,
when the fault was wholly the cook's.
Meat should be put into cold water, and there should be
36 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
just enough of that to cover it, and no more. The longer
in reason it is coming to a boil, the better: as a gradual heat-
ing produces tenderness, and causes a separation from the
meat of the grosser particles, which rise in the shape of
scum to the surface, and which should be carefully taken
off. The finest leg of mutton that was ever placed on a
table, must be disgusting, if garnished with flakes of black
scum. Care should be taken to watch the first moment of
the scum's appearing in order to remove it, and then, by
throwing in a little salt, the remainder will be caused to
rise; and if the fast boiling of the water render the scum-
ming difficult, pour in a very little cold water. The prac-
tice of boiling meat, such as poultry, veal, and lamb, in
flowered cloths, to keep it white, must have been the in-
vention of lazy cooks as well as of tasteless and extrava-
gant housewives; for the meat is rendered less juicy by
this process, and the liquor in which it has been boiled, so
good for broth or gravy, must be lost.
When the pot has been well scummed, and no more scum
is to be seen, set it in such a situation on, or by, the fire,
that it may continue to boil gently and regularly, for the
time that the meat may require; and see that it do not stop
boiling altogether at one time, and then be hurried to a wal-
lop at another time, for this dries up its juices, hardens the
meat, and tears it. A kettle of boiling water should be al-
ways at hand, wherewith to replenish the pot, as the quan-
tity diminishes, taking heed not to exceed the original
quantity namely, enough to cover the meat, for the less
water there is, the better will the broth prove.
Salted meat, if very salt, should be washed, and, in some
cases, soaked before it is boiled, as likewise all smoked
meat. If there be an apprehension of its being too little
salted, it must not be either washed or scraped, and may
BOILING. 37
be put on to boil, in water a little heated, because a slow
process would help to freshen it.
No positive rule can be given for the time required to
cook meat by boiling, any more than by roasting, for much
depends on its freshness, and a piece of solid meat requires
a longer time to boil than a joint of equal weight but of less
thickness. Salted meat, and smoked meat require longer
boiling than fresh meat, veal longer than beef, mutton or
lamb; and pork, though ever so little salted, still longer than
veal. A leg of mutton which has hung long, will boil in
less time than one which is quite or nearly fresh; but then
the former ought not to be boiled at all, it ought to be
roasted, for the tire takes away mustiness, and all the little
impurities with which the boiling water would only tend
still more to impregnate the meat. A quarter of an hour,
and a quart of water, to every pound of meat is the old-
fashioned rule for boiling meat, but practice must teach
this, as well as many other of the most important parts of
culinary science. And by a little care and attention, a cook
will soon gain sufficient experience, to preserve her from
the risk of sending a joint to table either underdone, or in
the shape of a bundle of rags.
When meat is sufficiently boiled, take it up directly;
and if it have to wait, stand it over the pot it has been
cooked in, to keep it hot; remaining in the water will sod-
' den it.
The next thing for consideration, after that of cooking
the meat properly, is the turning to account the liquor in
which it has been boiled. This, let the meat be what it
may, is good as a foundation for soups and gravies, unless
it be the liquor of ham or bacon, and that can only be used
in small quantities, to flavour other liquor; but in this way
it is of great value. Nothing is so good as the liquor of
pork, to make peas soup. When the liquor of boiled meat
4
38 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
is not wanted for the use of the family, it may always, at a
trifling expense, be converted into wholesome and nourish-
ing food for the poor.
ROASTING.
MEAT for roasting ought to be kept longer than that
which is to be boiled, or it will not though ever so good
in itself, do credit to the cook. The proper length of time
depends upon the state of the weather, and the age of the
animal when killed. Two days of hot weather will do as
much towards rendering meat fit for the spit, as a week of
cold weather.
Next after the state of the meat, the thing of most con-
sequence is the preparing the fire, which ought to be made
up (of the size required by the length and breadth of the
joint,) half an hour before the meat is to be put down. But
meat should not at first be exposed to a fierce fire. If you
use a coal fire let there be a backing of wetted cinders, or
small coals, for this tends to throw the heat in front; lay
large coals on the top, and smaller ones between the bars,
give the fire time to draw up, and it will become clear.
Before you put down the meat, stir the fire, clear it at the
bottom, and see that it be free from smoke in front.
Some cooks have a practice of washing meat with salt
and water, and wiping it dry, before it is roasted. Where
there is any mustiness, or slimy appearance, that should be
wiped off with a wet cloth, else I do not know that much
washing is either necessary or beneficial. See that it be
be properly jointed; if there be too much fat, cut it off
(for it is better for puddings, in the shape of suet, than
in that of dripping;) see also that the spit be brightly
ROASTING. 39
clean, and take care to run it through the meat, in the
right place, at once, for the more the meat is perforated
the greater chance there will be given for the escape of
the gravy. There is a great nicety required in spitting, in
order that the joint may be accurately balanced. In the ab-
sence of spits, and smoke-jacks, a bottle jack, or a good
stout nail with a strong string or a skein of worsted, will
dangle a joint, and if the fire be made proportionably high
to the length of the joint, there is no better mode of roast-
ing. A strong skewer must be run in, at each end of the
joint, in order that it may be turned.
The larger the joint the greater distance it should, at first,
be placed from the fire, that the outside may not be shrivelled
up, before the middle is warmed. A quarter of an hour to
a pound of meat, is also the rule for roasting, and it ad-
mits of the same exceptions as in the case of boiling, with
this addition, that fat meat takes longer to roast than lean
meat, as do pork and veal, longer than any other kind of
meat. Fillets and legs, on account of their solidness, long-
er than loins and breasts. Much depends upon the situa-
tion of the fire-place, and whether the joint be exposed to
draughts of cold air, or whether it be preserved from them,
and the fire assisted, by a meat screen. Where there is
none, a contrivance must be resorted to, by way of substi-
tute, such as small wooden horses, or chairs, with cloths
hung over them, placed round the fire; these will keep off
the cold, but a meat screen lined with tin, keeps in the heat,
and acts as a reflector.
Twice, or if the roast be a lar je one, oftener, remove the
dripping pan, pour off the dripping (it ought to be strained),
draw the spit to a distance, and stir the fire, bring forward
the hot coals, and put fresh fuel at the back. Be careful that
cinders do not reach the dripping-pan, for the smoke which
40 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
they cause to arise from the fat, gives a disagreeable flavour
to the meat, besides the injury done to the dripping, which
is an article of great use in a family.
When the meat is nearly done, the steams will draw to-
wards the fire; then take the paper off, and move the joint
nearer to the fire, particularly the ends, if they want more
cooking; sprinkle salt lightly over the roast, and baste it
well; then pour off all the remaining dripping, dredge flour
very lightly over the joint, and baste with a very little fresh
butter, which will not injure the gravy in the pan, but will
give a delicate froth to the meat. To the gravy which is
now flowng from the meat, the best addition is a teacupful
of boiling water.
With a clear strong fire, (and meat cannot be well roasted
without a strong fire,) time allowed for gradual cooking, and
by careful bastings, a cook may insure for her roasts that
fine pale brown colour, to produce which is esteemed one
of the greatest proofs of a cook's skill.
BROILING.
THIS department of the science of cooking is the most
difficult to excel in, though it appears exceedingly simple,
and is of general utility; for few persons like to dine on
cold meat, and none scarcely dislike a broil. There is no
economy in broiling, but such cold meat, poultry or game,
as cannot be hashed with advantage, may be broiled and
will make a better appearance on the table, as well as be
more agreeable to the palate, than if served cold and dry,
and without any accompaniment of sauce.
The great secret in broiling is to have a suitable fire.
BROILING. 41
It must be strong, bright and clear, and entirely free from
smoke; if it is half burnt down, so much the better.
There should be two gridirons in the kitchen, one for
meat and poultry, and the other for fish. Those which
are contrived to hang before the fire are very useful in
some cases. A gridiron should be rubbed clean immedi-
ately after it has been used, and never set aside with a
particle of grease or soot attached to it.
Just before you lay meat on it, and after you have made
it hot, rub the gridiron with a piece of fresh suet, if for
meat; if for fish, rub \vith a bit of chalk. A pair of steak-
tongs, to turn with, are indispensable.
Above all things it is necessary to the eating of a broil,
that it be served immediately after it is done, that it be
closely covered on its way from the fire to the table, and
that the plates off which it is eaten, as well as the dish,
on which it is served, be hot.
No skill in broiling will render tough beef fit to be eaten.
Steaks are best when cut from the middle of the rump, after
the meat has been killed five days, (if the weather permit,)
or even longer, to ensure their being tender. They should
be of about three quarters of an inch in thickness; beat them
a very little. Sprinkle a little salt over the fire, lay the
steaks on the hot gridiron, turn them frequently, and when
the fat blazes and smokes much, quickly remove the grid-
iron for an instant till that be over, and the steak will be
sufficiently done, in from ten. to twelve minutes. Have
a hot dish by the side of the fire ; and, to gratify the
taste of some persons, rub it with a piece of eschalot; at
all events, let the dish be hot, and as you turn the steaks,
from time to time, if there be any gravy on the top, drop
it into the dish. Before you dish them, you may, if you
like, put a piece of fresh butter, and a spoonful of cat-
s-ip in the dish; then sprinkle the steaks with a little
4*
^
42 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
salt, and lay them in the dish, and turn them, once or
twice, to express the gravy. Garnish with horse-radish,
or pickles. Oyster sauce, and many other sauces may be
eaten with beef steak; but beef steak eaters declare that
its own gravy, and some pepper and salt, are all that a
goi d beef steak requires, unless it be a little sliced raw
onion.
Beef Steaks, with Potatoes. These must be beaten to
make them flat; season them on both sides with pepper,
salt, and such mixed spices as you choose the flavour
of; then dip the steaks in melted butter, lay them on the
gridiron, and broil them, as directed in the last receipt.
Have a little finely-rubbed parsley, a piece of butter, and
some pepper and salt, in a hot dish, and when the steaks
are done, lay them in it, turn them once or twice, and ar-
range some slices of potatoes, fried, round them. Or have
mashed potatoes in the dish, but quite hot, and lay the steaks
on, as you take them from the gridiron.
FRYING.
THIS is not so difficult a process as broiling, and some
meat is as delicate eating fried, as it would be if broiled,
provided the fat which is used be nicely prepared, and
not the least rancid. Few cooks are careful enough in
this particular. Lard, butter, dripping, topfat (i. e. the
cake of fat which is taken off soup or broth, when it has
stood a night,) oil, and suet are all good for frying. But
butter, suet and dripping ought to be clarified, before
they are used for frying; the pan will not be so apt to
burn, and the fat, of whatever sort it be, will have a more
delicate taste. Housekeepers lose much of the credit
COOKING OF MEAT. 43
which they might otherwise obtain, by neglecting this, and
similar niceties of the kitchen department. The pan should
be thick at the bottom; indeed the generality of frying pans
are too thin; an oval shape is the best, particularly for fish.
The fire must not be fierce, as fat will scorch very soon,
and the meat, in that case, be burnt, before it is cooked;
neither must it be too slack, for then the meat will be sod-
dened; and if it be fish, be of a bad colour, and not crisp.
The heat of the pan may be ascertained by throwing a bit
of bread in it; if the pan be too hot the bread will be quickly
burnt up. The fat in which veal, lamb or sweetbreads have
been fried, will do to fry fish with: let it stand to settle,
then pour the top carefully from the sediment and put it by.
The fat will be the richer, for the meat which has been
cooked in it, and this will not injure the fish. Fritters
and all pastry or sweet things, must be fried in good
butter, lard or oil.
Particular skilfulness is required to fry fish nicely,
and this skill is attainable only by practice. To ascer-
tain the heat of the pan, dip the tail of the fish into the
boiling fat, and if it become quickly crisp, the pan is
ready .
Fries, as well as broils, must be served hot, and as soon
as they are taken oft' the fire, or they will be spoiled.
COOKING OF MEAT.
BEEF.
Beef Steaks broiled. Cut your steaks rather thick, beat
them well, then broil them on a gridiron over a clear, quick
fire; but before you broil your steaks make a preparation with
44 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
some fresh butter, salt, parsley, chopped fine and mixed to-
gether with the juice of a lemon; put this preparation into a
dish made very hot, and serve your steaks upon it.
You may garnish with fried slices of potato, slices of
pickled cucumber, and cresses; some make use of anchovy
sauce instead of the parsley.
Beef Steaks broiled. The best steaks are cut from the
middle of the rump; let them be cut half an inch thick, then
beat with a rolling-pin; season them with pepper and salt;
let the fire be very brisk and clear, the gridiron very clean;
set the dish before the fire upon a chafing dish to keep hot;
turn the steaks often with a pair of small tongs made on pur-
pose; when they are done enough, lay them in the dish, and
rub a bit of butter over them.
Be sure not to season them till they are put upon the
gridiron.
Beef Steak Pie. Take some fine rump steaks, beat them
with a rolling-pin, then season them with pepper and salt
according to taste. Make a good crust, lay in your steaks,
fill your dish, then pour in as much water as will half fill the
dish. Put on the crust, and bake it well.
Beef Steak Pie. Beat your steaks with a rolling-pin,
flour and season with pepper and salt; when seasoned and
rolled with fat in each, put them in a dish, with puff paste
round the edges; put a little water in the dish, and cover it
with a good crust.
Beef Steak Pudding. Beat your steaks with a rolling-
pin, season them, and roll them with fat between; and if you
approve shred onion, add a very little. Lay a paste of suet
in a basin, and put in the rollers of steaks; cover the basin
with a paste, and pinch the edges to keep the gravy in; co-
ver with a cloth tied close, and let the pudding boil slowly,
but for a length of time.
COOKIXG OF MEAT. 45
Beef Steak Pudding. Take flour, chopped suet, some
milk; a little salt, and one egg, and mix them well together.
Roll out the paste, of half an inch thick, and sheet a basin
or bowl with it; then trim the skin from the meat, beat the
steaks well with a chopper, cut them into middling-sized
pieces, season with pepper and salt, put them into the basin
with blanched oysters and slices of potatoes, alternately (or
slices of onion): cover the top with paste, and tie a cloth
over the basin. Boil the pudding (if of a middling size)
two hours, and when it is to be served up, put into it a lit-
tle cullis and catsup.
Beef Steak Pudding baked. Make a batter of milk,
two eggs, and flour, or, which is much better, potatoes boil-
ed and mashed through a cullender; lay a little of it at the
bottom of the dish; then put in the steaks, prepared as above,
and very well seasoned; pour the remainder of the batter
over them, and bake it.
For roasting beef, boiling, &c. See pages 36 and 38,
40 and 42.
MUTTON AND LAMB.
To choose Lamb. The vein in the neck of a fore-quar-
ter of lamb ought to be of a fine blue, it is then fresh. If it is
of a green or yellow cast, it is stale; if in the hind-quarter,
there is a faint disagreeable smell under the kidney, or if the
knuckle is limp, it is not good; if the eyes are sunk, the head
is not fresh; grass lamb is in season in April or May, and
continues good till August. House lamb may be had in
great towns generally all the year round, but is in its high-
est perfection in December and January.
Fore-quarter includes the shoulder, neck, and breast.
Hind-quarter is the leg and loin.
The Head', the pluck is generally sold with the head,
which contains the liver, lights, heart, and melt.
46 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
The Fry contains the sweetbreads, and skirts, with some
of the liver.
Jl Stuffed Loin of Mutton. Take the skin off a loin of
mutton with the flap on; bone it neatly; make a nice veal
stuffing and fill the inside of the loin with it where the
bones were removed; roll it up tight, skewer the flap, and
tie twine round it to keep it firmly together; put the outside
skin over it till nearly roasted, and then remove it that the
mutton may brown. Serve with a nice gravy.
Boiled Leg of Lamb. It should be boiled in a cloth
that it may look as white as possible. Cut the loin in steaks,
dip them in egg, strew them over with bread-crumbs, and
fry them a nice brown, serve them round the dish, and gar-
nish with dried or fried parsley; serve with spinach to eat
with it.
Quarter of Lamb Roasted. Take a fore-quarter of lamb,
lard the upper side of the joint with lean bacon, and sprin-
kle the other side thick with bread crumbs; then cover with
paper to prevent the meat from being burnt, and roast it.
When nearly done, take it from the fire, and cover the part
that has not been larded, a second time, with bread crumbs,
seasoned with salt, and parsley chopped very fine; then put
the lamb again before a bright fire to brown it.
Lamb to Roast or Boil. A quarter of an hour is gene-
rally allowed to each pound of meat; a leg of lamb of five
pounds will therefore take an hour and a quarter to roast or
boil, the other joints in the same proportion.
Mutton. The pipe that runs along the bone of the in-
side of a chine of mutton ought to be taken away; and if it
is to be kept any length of time, the part close round the tail
should be rubbed with salt, previously cutting out the kernel.
It is best for the butcher to take out the kernel in the fat
on the thick part of the leg, as that is the part most likely to
COOKING OF MEAT. 47
become tainted. The chine and rib-bones should be wiped
every day; and the bloody part of the neck be cut off, in or-
der to preserve it. The brisket changes first in the breast;
therefore, if it is to be kept, it is best, should the weather
be hot, to rub it with a little salt.
When intended for roasting, it should hang as long as it
will keep, the hind quarter particularly; but not so long as
to become tainted.
Mutton for boiling ought not to hang long, as it will pre-
vent its looking of a good colour.
The greatest care should be taken to preserve, by paper,
the fat of what is roasted.
Mutton Broth. Take two pounds of scrag of mutton,
take out the blood, put it into a stewpan, and cover it with
cold water; and when the water is lukewarm, pour it off,
skim it well; then put it in again with four or five pints of
water, a tea-spoonful of salt, a table-spoonful of grits, and an
onion; set it on a slow fire, and when you have taken all the
scum off, put in a few turnips, let it simmer very slowly for
two hours, and strain it through a clean sieve.
Mutton Broth. Cut a neck of mutton into pieces, pre-
serving a handsome piece to be served up in the tureen;
put all into a stewpan with three quarts of water, with
a little oatmeal mixed in it; some turnips, onions, leeks,
celery cut in pieces, and a small bunch of thyme and pars-
ley. When it boils, skim it clean, and when nearly done,
take out the piece you intend to serve in the tureen, and let
the other pieces stew till tender; then have ready turnips cut
into dice, some leeks, celery, half a cabbage, some parsley,
all cut small, wash them, strain the liquor off the meat,
skim it free from the fat, add it to the ingredients with the
piece of mutton intended for the tureen, adding a little pearl
barley. Season with salt, simmer all together till done, and
serve with toasted bread on a plate.
48 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Haunch of Mutton. It should be kept as long as you
can possibly keep it sweet by the different modes; and if
necessary, wash it with warm milk and water, or vinegar,
and when going to be dressed, be careful to wash it well, to
prevent the outside from having a bad flavour from keeping;
before you put the haunch to the fire, fold it in a paste of
coarse flour, or strong paper; then set it a good distance
from the fire, and allow proportionable time for the paste; do
not take it off", till about thirty-five or forty minutes before
serving the mutton, and then baste continually; bring the
haunch nearer before taking off the paste, and froth it up in
the same manner as venison. For gravy, take a pound and
a half of loin of mutton, and simmer it in a pint of water till
reduced to half, use no seasoning but salt; brown it with a
little burnt sugar, and serve it up in the dish; but there
should be a good deal of gravy in the meat, for though long
at the fire, the covering and distance will prevent its roast-
ing out. Serve with currant-jelly sauce.
Leg of Mutton If your leg of mutton is roasted, serve
with onion or currant-jelly sauce; if it is boiled, serve with
caper-sauce and vegetables. In roasting or boiling, a quar-
ter of an hour is usually allowed for each pound of meat.
Leg of Mutton Stuffed. Make a stuffing with a little
beef-suet chopped, some parsley, thyme, marjoram, a little
grated lemon, nutmeg grated, pepper, salt, and a few bread
crumbs, mix all together with the yolk of an egg, put this
under the skin in the thickest part of a leg of mutton under
the flap; then roast it, and serve it to table with some good
gravy in the dish.
Loin of Mutton Roast it; some people think it eats
much better if cut lengthways, like a saddle. It may also
be used for steaks, pies, or broth, only taking care to cut off
as much fat as possible.
JSeck of Mutton. This joint is particularly useful, as so
COOKING OF MEAT. 49
many dishes may be made of it. The bone ought to be cut
short.
The best end of the neck may be boiled, and served with
turnips: or if you think proper, it may be roasted, or dressed
in steaks, or made into pies, or used for harrico.
You may stew the scrags in broth, or in a little water,
with small onions, some peppercorns, and a small quantity
of rice, all served together.
When you wish that a neck which is to be boiled should
look particularly well, saw down the chine bone, strip the
ribs half way down, and chop off the ends of the bones
about four inches.
To make the fat look particularly white, the skin should
not be taken off till it is boiled.
The fat belonging to the neck or loin of mutton, if chopped
very fine, makes a most excellent suet-pudding or crust for
a meat pie.
Mutton Pie. Take off the meat from a part of a loin of
mutton, cut it into chops, and season with pepper and salt.
Put a layer of chops into a deep dish, and upon them some
slices of peeled potatoes, and some thin slices of onion; put
the remaining chops over, cover with puff-paste, bake it.
The chops may be passed with sweet herbs, &c., and when
cold, put into small or large raised crusts, with potatoes.
Shoulder of Mutton Stewed with Oysters. Let it hang
for some days, then salt it well for two days; bone it, and
sprinkle it with pepper and a bit of mace pounded, lay some
oysters over, and roll the meat up tight, and tie it. Stew it
in a little water, with an onion, and a few peppercorns, un-
til it is quite tender. Have ready a little good gravy, and
some oysters stewed in it; thicken it with some flour and
butter, and when the tape is taken off the mutton, pour this
sauce over it. Be careful to keep the stewpan closely cov-
ered.
5
50 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Mutton Slcaks Broiled. Cut some mutton steaks from
the loin, about half an inch thick, take off the skin, and part
of the fat. As soon as the gridiron is hot, rub it with a lit-
tle suet, lay on the steaks (place the gridiron over the tire
aslant), turn the steaks frequently: when they are done, put
them into a hot dish, rub them with a little butter.
VEAL.
When the head is fresh, the eyes will appear full; if the
shoulder vein is of a clear red, it is good; when there is any
green or yellow spots, it is stale; the breast and neck, when
good, should look white and clear; the loin is very apt to
taint under the kidney, it will be soft and slimy when stale.
Veal should never be kept long undressed, as it by no
means improves from keeping.
Boiled Veal. Veal should be well boiled, in a good
deal of water; if boiled in a cloth, it will be winter; serve
it with tongue, bacon, or pickled pork, greens of any sort,
and carrots, or onion sauce, white sauce, oyster sauce,
parsley and butter, or white celery sauce.
Veal Broth. Stew a knuckle of veal in a gallon of water,
with two ounces of rice or vermicelli, a little salt, and a
blade of mace. When thoroughly boiled and the liquor
reduced to half, it is fit for use.
Cold Veal Hashed. Cut it in slices, flour it, put it into
a saucepan with a little good gravy, some grated lemon-
peel, pepper, salt, and ketchup. Make it hot, then add a
little lemon-juice.
Mi/iced Veal. Cut the veal into very small pieces, but
do not chop it: take a little white gravy, a little cream or
milk, a bit of butter rolled in flour, and some grated lemon-
peel; let these boil till of the consistence of a fine thick
cream; shake flour over the veal, and sprinkle it with a
little salt, and white pepper; put it into the saucepan to
COOKING OF MEAT. 51
the other ingredients, and make it quite hot, but be careful
that it does not boil after the veal has been put in, or it will
be hard; before being taken up, squeeze in some juice of
lemon, serve it on a dish over toasted bread.
Veal Pie. Take a neck, or nut, cut out the fillet, cut
it into collops, stir it over a quick fire with a bit of butter
till it becomes brown; then set it to stew with a little pep-
per, and in just sufficient water to cover it, until done enough;
then take it oft* the fire and let it cool. Line a dish with
pufY paste, and lay in the veal, with thin slices of ham be-
tween; add the yolks of hard boiled eggs, a little pepper
and salt, and half of the gravy the veal has been stewed in;
put on the lid, trim it neatly, form a star of leaves upon the
top, egg, and bake i f then pour in the remainder of the
gravy, heated with a .ttle buttersauce.
Breast of Veal Roasted. Breast of veal should be roasted
with the caul on till almost done enough, then take it off;
flour, and baste it.
Loin of Veal Roa&ted. Spit the loin, roast and baste
it with butter; place under it a dish with some vinegar, a
little sage, rosemary and thyme; let the gravy drop into this
dish; when the veal is done, take it up, make the herbs and
gravy hot, and pour it into the dish with the meat.
Neck of Veal Boiled. Chop off the chine bone from a
fine white neck of veal, sprinkle it with flouf, put it in
cold water, boil it very gently, taking care to skim it well;
when done, serve it with parsley and butter, oyster sauce,
\or garnished with tongue or ham.
Shoulder of Veal Roasted. Cut off the knuckle for a
stew of gravy, stuff the shoulder with the following ingre-
dients: some suet, chopped fine, parsley and sweet herbs,
shred fine breadcrumbs, and grated lemon-peel, pepper,
salt, nutmeg, and yolk of egg; whilst roasting, flour and
baste it; veal requires being more done than beef.
52 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Veal Sweetbreads. They are of themselves, generally
considered very insipid, and are, therefore, usually served
with a sharp relishing sauce; in whatever manner they are
dressed, they commonly take their name from the sauce with
which they are served.
Veal Sweetbreads Fried. Cut them in long slices, and
with a feather do them all over with yolk of egg; make a
seasoning of pepper, salt, and grated bread; do them over
with this, and fry them in butter; serve with butter sauce,
with a little ketchup mixed in, or with gravy, orlemonsauce.
Veal Sweetbreads to Stew. Parboil them, and stew
them in a white gravy; add cream, flour, butter, nutmeg,
salt, and white pepper.
Calf's Head. Clean it very nicely, and soak it in water,
that it may look very white; take out the tongue to salt,
and the brains to make a little dish. Boil the head extremely
tender; then strew it over with breadcrumbs and parsley
chopped, and brown ii. Boil the brains, and mix them
with melted butter, scalded sage chopped, pepper and salt;
lay them on a dish, and the tongue in the middle.
Calf's Head Hashed. Boil the head almost enough,
and take the meat of the best side neatly from the bone, and
lay it in a small dish; wash it over with the yolks of two
eggs, and cover it with crumbs, a few herbs nicely shred,
a little peeper, salt, and nutmeg, all mixed together pre-
viously. Set the dish before the fire, and keep turning it
now and then, that all parts may be equally brown. In the
mean time slice the remainder of the head, and the tongue,
(peeled;) put a pint of good gravy into a pan, with an onion,
a small bunch of herbs, (consisting of parsley, basil, savory,
knotted marjoram, and a little thyme,) a little salt and
cayenne, a glass of sherry, and a little oyster liquor: boil
this for a few minutes, and strain it upon the meat, which
must be sprinkled with flour.
COOKING OF MEAT. 53
Calf 8 Head Soused. Scald and bone a calf's head, and
soak it for seven or eight hours, changing the water twice;
dry it well. Season with salt and bruised garlic; roll it up,
bind it very tight, and boil it in white wine, salt and water;
when done, put it, with the liquor, in a pan, and keep it
for use. Serve up either whole, or in slices, with oil, vine-
gar, and pepper.
Calf's Liver. Cut a calf's liver in slices, and put it in
a stewpan, with parsley, and green onions, cut small, and a
piece of butter; shake it over the fire, and dredge in a little
flour: moisten with a tumblerful of water, and as much of
white wine, salt and pepper, boil it for half an hour. When
quite done and the sauce nearly consumed, put in the yolks
of three eggs, previously beaten with two spoonfuls of vine-
gar; thicken it over the fire, and serve.
Coifs Liver Broiled. Slice it, season with pepper and
salt, and broil nicely: rub a bit of cold butter on it, and serve
hot.
Calf's Liver Stewed. Cut a very good calf's liver into
slices an inch thick, melt some butter in a frying-pan, and
then put in the liver, and brown it well on both sides; season
it well. Take it from the pan, and set it to stew with the
butter, and chopped parsley, and a little flour; moisten it
with half a pint of wine; give the sauce a boil, and when
ready to serve, add a little vinegar.
FOWLS.
Directions for Choosing Folds. All poultry should be
very carefully picked, every plug removed, and the hair
nicely singed with paper.
The cook should be careful in drawing poultry of all sorts,
not to break the gallbag, for no washing will take off the
bitter where it has touched.
If for roasting, black-legged fowls are the most moist. A
5*
54 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
good-sized fowl will take from three quarters of an hour to
an hour in roasting, a middling-sized one about half an hour,
and a very small one, or chicken, twenty minutes.
Tame fowls require more roasting, and are longer in
heating through than others. All sorts should be continually
basted, that they may be served with a froth, and appear
of a fine colour. The fire must be very quick and clear
before any fowls are put down.
For boiling, choose those that are not black-legged; pick
them carefully, singe, wash, and truss them. Flour them,
and put them in boiling water; a good-sized one will be
done in half an hour.
Foivls Boiled with Rice. Stew a fowl in some \vell
skimmed clear mutton broth, and seasoned with onion,
mace, pepper, and salt. About half an hour before it is
ready, put in a quarter of a pint of rice well washed and
soaked. Simmer till tender; then strain it from the broth,
and put the rice on a sieve before the fire. Keep the fowl
hot, lay it in the middle of a dish, and the rice round it with-
out the broth. The less liquor the fowl is done with, the
better. Serve with gravy, or parsley and butter for sauce.
Chicken Currie. Take the skin off, cut up a chicken,
and roll each piece in currie-powder and flour (mixed to-
gether, a spoonful of flour to half an ounce of currie,) fry
two or three sliced onions in butter; when of a light brown,
put in the meat and fry them together till the meat becomes
brown; then stew them together with a little water for two
or three hours. More water may be added if too thick.
Chicken Salad. Cut cold roast fowl into small long
pieces, taking off the skin. Lay some lettuce, cut small,
at the bottom of a salad-bowl, put the chicken on it with
all sorts of salading, hard eggs cut in quarters, anchovies,
cut in slips, season with the usual salad dressing.
COOKING OF MEAT. 55
TURKEYS.
Roasted Turkey. It may be either stuffed with sausage
meat, or stuffing the same as for fillet of veal. As this
makes a large addition to the size of the bird, take care that
the heat of the lire is constantly to that part, as it frequently
happens that the breast is not sufficiently done. A strip
of paper should be put on the bone to prevent its scorching,
while the other parts are roasting. Baste well, and froth
it up. Serve with gravy in the dish, and bread sauce in a
sauce tureen. A few breadcrumbs, and a beaten egg
should be added to the stuffing of sausage meat.
Hashed Turkey. Stir a piece of butter rolled in flour
into some cream, and a little veal gravy, till it boils up; mince
some cold roasted or boiled turkey, but not too small; put
it into the sauce, add grated lemon-peel, white pepper,
pounded mace, a little ketchup; simmer it up, and serve.
Oysters may be added.
GEESE.
To Choose Geese. Be careful in choosing a goose that
the bill and feet are yellow, as it will be young: when old
the feet and bill are red. When they are fresh the feet are
pliable; if stale they are dry and stiff.
Goose Roasted. A goose should be stuffed with sage
and onions, chopped small, and mixed with pepper and salt;
boil the sage and onion in a litle water before they are
chopped, or mix a few breadcrumbs with them when
chopped; either will render them less strong. Put it first
at a distance from the fire, and by degrees draw it nearer.
A slip of paper should be skewered on the breast bone.
Baste it very well. When the breast is rising, take off the
paper, and be careful to serve it before the breast falls, it
will be spoiled by coming to table flattened. Serve it
56 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
with good gravy and apple sauce, in boats. It will take
about an hour and a half to roast.
PIGEONS.
Potted Pigeons. Be very particular that they are quite
fresh; clean them thoroughly, and season them with salt
and pepper; lay them close together in a small deep pan, for
the smaller the surface, and the more closely they are packed,
the less quantity of butter will be required; cover them with
butter, then tie them over with very thick paper, and bake
them. When cold, put them to dry in pots that will hold
two or three in each, and pour butter over them, using
that which was baked as part. Observe that the butter
should be pretty thick over them, if they are done for keep-
ing. The pigeons would lie closer, and want less butter,
if they were boned, and put into the pot in an oval form.
They may be stuffed with a fine forcemeat made with veal,
bacon, <fec., and they will eat extremely well. If a high
seasoning is approved of, add mace, allspice, and a little
cayenne pepper, before baking.
Pigeons to Roast. Let the pigeons be thoroughly
cleaned, leave in the livers, truss them, and put a stuffing
into the crops, the same as for fillet of veal; put them down
to roast, and singe them well; about a quarter of an hour
will be sufficient to do them; froth them with butter; serve
them garnished with water-cresses, good gravy under them,
and parsley and butter in a boat.
PORK.
To Choose Pork. If the pork is fresh, the flesh appears
cool and smooth; if tainted, it is clammy; the knuckle in
general is affected first. There is a kind of pork called
measly; when m this state it is extremely unwholesome
to eat but you may easily discover when it is measly, the
COOKING OF MEAT. 57
fat being impregnated with small kernels. If the rind is
tough, thick, and cannot easily be impressed by the finger,
it is old. Pork fed at still houses does not answer for
curing any way, the fat being spongy. Dairy fed pork is
the best.
Directions for Choosing Ham. In choosing a ham, run
a knife into it at the knuckle; if it comes out clean and
smells sweet, the ham is good; but, if on the contrary, the
blade of the knife is smeared and smells rank, it is not
good.
To Boil Ham. Soak the ham according to its age, for
twelve or twenty-four hours. Put it into a large saucepan full
of cold water, and if a small one, let it simmer for two hours,
and then boil an hour and a half, when done pull off the
skin.
Hog's Lard. The lard should be carefully melted in
ajar, put into a kettle of water and boiled; run it into blad-
ders that have been particularly well cleaned. It is best to
have the bladders small, as the lard will keep better, for,
after the air reaches it, it becomes rank. Whilst it is melt-
ing, put in a sprig of rosemary.
This being a very useful article in frying fish, it should
be prepared with great care. Mixed with batter, it makes a
fine crust.
Roasted Pig. A pig to roast is best from three to four
weeks old. Prepare a stuffing with slices of bread and butter
sprinkled well with chopped sage, and seasoned with pepper
and salt, laying five or six slices one upon another, and put
them into the inside of the pig; skewer it well, to prevent it
from falling out, and then spit it, previously rubbing it over
with sweet oil; put it down before a moderate fire to roast for
two hours, more or less, according to its size; when thoroughly
done, take off the head, and split the pig straight down the back
58 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
(there must be a dish under ready to receive it); then dish
up the two halves, and splitting the head, lay half at each
end of the dish, pour some good strong gravy under it, and
serve hot. Or you may take out the stuffing, and mix it
with some melted butter, and serve it as a sauce: or sausao-e-
O
meat may be put inside the pig, instead of the bread and
sage. Some persons prefer having the pig baked, instead
of roasted; it is equally good either way.
KIDNEYS.
Cut them through the long way, score them, and sprinkle
them over with a little pepper and salt; in order to broil
all over alike, and to keep them from curling on the grid-
iron, run a wire skewer right through them.
They must be broiled over a clear fire, being careful to
turn them frequently till they are done; they will take about
ten or twelve minutes broiling, provided they are done over
a brisk fire; or, if you choose, you may fry them in butter,
and make gravy for them in the pan (after the kidneys are
taken out), by putting in a teaspoonful of flour; as soon as
it looks brown, put in a sufficient quantity of water of
make gravy; they will take five minutes longer frying than
broiling. Garnish with fried parsley: you may improve
them if you think proper, by chopping a few parsley leaves
very fine, mix them with a bit of fresh butter, and a little
pepper and salt, and then put some of this mixture over
each kidney.
RABBITS.
Rabbit Pie. Cut a couple of young rabbits into quarters
and bruise a quarter of a pound of bacon in a mortar, with
the livers, some pepper, salt, a little mace, parsley cut small
and a few leaves of sweet basil; when these are all beaten
fine, line your pie-dish with a nice crust, then put a layer
COOKING OF MEAT. 59
of the seasoning at the bottom of the dish, and put in the
rabbits; pound some more bacon in a mortar, mix with it
some fresh butter, and cover the rabbits with it, and over
that lay thin slices of bacon; put on the cover, and place
it in the oven, it will be done in about two hours. When
baked, take off the cover, take out the bacon, skim off the
fat, and if there is not a sufficient quantity of gravy, add
some rich mutton or veal gravy.
To Roast Rabbits. They may be roasted with stuffing,
and gravy. Serve with sauce made of the liver and parsley
chopped in melted butter, pepper and salt.
To Smother Rabbits. Truss and boil them, taking care
to bring them gently to a boil, and then to let them simmer
gently by the fire till they are done. Make some nice
smooth onion sauce, or, if that be too strong, of half onion,
and half apple, turnip, or bread, and melt the butter of
which this is made, witl milk or cream, in order that it may
look white. When the rabbits are done, pour this hot over
them.
VENISON.
The choice of venison should be regulated by the appear-
ance of the fat, which, when the venison is young, looks thick,
clear, and close; as it begins to change first towards the
haunches, run a knife into that part; if tainted you will per-
ceive a rank smell, and it will have a green or blackish ap-
pearance.
If you wish to preserve it, you may by careful manage-
ment and watching, keep it for a fortnight by the following
method: wash it well with milk and water very clean, and
dry it perfectly with cloths until there is not the least damp
remaining, then dust pounded ginger over every part; this
is a good preventive against the fly. When to be dressed,
60 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
wash it with a little lukewarm water, and dry it. Pepper
should also be added to keep it.
Roasted Venison. To dress the haunch, chop off the
shank, take off the skin, but not any of the fat; then fasten
it on the spit. Make a paste of flour and water, roll it out
to the shape of the venison; lay it on thick upon the veni-
son, paper over that, and secure it well with pack-thread.
Let it roast at a good distance from the fire, and baste it fre-
quently. About a quarter of an hour before serving, take
off the paste, dredge it with flour, baste it with a bit of but-
ter and sprinkle a little salt over it; and when of a fine brown
colour, take it up, sens- 1 it on a dish, with a good gravy
under it, and garnish the bone with cut paper. Serve with
hot port wine, or currant jelly, in a boat. A neck o" veni-
son should be covered with paste, and roasted in the same
manner as the haunch, only that it does not require being
so much done.
DUCK.S.
To Choose Ducks. Their feet should be supple, and they
should be hard and thick on the breast and belly. The feet
of a tame duck are thick, and inclining to a dusky yellow.
The feet of a wild duck are reddish, and smaller than the
tame; they should be picked dry. Ducklings should be
scalded.
Ducks Roasted. Season them with sage and onion shred,
O 7
pepper and salt; half an hour will roast them. Gravy sauce
or onion sauce. Always stew the sage and onion in a little
water, as it prevents its eating strong, and takes off the raw-
ness of them.
Wild Ducks. These birds should be fat, the claws small,
reddish and supple; if not fresh, on opening the beak they
will smell disagreeable; the breast and rump should be firm
COOKING OF MEAT. 61
and heavy; the flesh of the hen-bird is the most delicate,
though the cock generally fetches the highest price. Pick
them dry, cut the wings very close to the body, take off the
necks, draw and singe them, truss up the legs and skewer
them; and. having rubbed them with their livers, spit, and
roast them; take them up with the gravy in, and serve with
lemons.
Wild Ducks. The entrails being taken out of the wild
ducks, wipe them well with a cloth; put into the inside a
bit of butter rolled in pepper and salt; when trussed, spit, and
roast them quickly for a quarter of an hour, which will be
enough, as the gravy should not run out before they are ta-
ken up; shake flour and salt over them, and froth them with
butter. Put good strong gravy under them, and you may
serve them with hot port wine in a boat.
Wild Ducks. Half roast them; when they are brought to
table slice the breast, strew on pepper and salt, pour over
them a little port wine, and squeeze the juice of an orange
or lemon over; add some gravy to this, set the plate over a
lamp, cut up the bird, let it remain over the lamp till done,
now and then turning it.
FORCEMEAT.
Ingredients for Forcemeat. Forcemeat should be made
sufficiently consistent to cut with a knife, but not dry or
heavy. No one flavour should predominate greatly; accord-
ing to what it is wanted for, a selection may be made from
the following list, being careful to use the least of those ar-
ticles which are the most pungent:
^Cold fowl, or veal, scraped ham, fat bacon, beef suet,
crumbs of bread, parsley, white pepper, salt, nutmeg, yolks
and whites of eggs, well beaten, to bind the mixture.
The forcemeat may be made with any of these articles
6
62 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
without any striking flavour; therefore any of the following
different ingredients may be made use of to vary the taste.
Oysters, anchovies, savory, penny-royal, knotted-marjo-
ram, thyme, basil, yolks of hard eggs, Cayenne garlick, Ja-
maica pepper, in fine powder, or two or three cloves.
Tripe. Cut your tripe into small square pieces, and give
them a few turns in some butter, with parsley, salt, and
pepper; roll each bit in grated bread, and broil them slowly.
When done serve them with slices of lemon.
To keep Meat Hot. If your meat is done before you
are ready to serve, take it up, set the dish over a pan of
boiling water, put a deep cover over it, so as not to touch
the meat, and then put a cloth over that. This way will not
dry up the gravy.
PRESERVATION OF MEAT.
DURING the summer months meat requires constant at-
tention. Every day it should be examined to remove fly-
blows, if any; it should be carefully wiped dry under flaps
and in all the little crevices, and skinny bits and kernels
should be cut off, for they are the first to taint; under the
flap of a leg of mutton is a skin which in hot weather soon
assumes a yellow tinge; remove it, and with care a leg of
mutton may be kept several days in the hottest weather; also
in a rump of beef, there is a long vein visible, at the root of
which, and buried deep, is a kernel, which if not taken out
will in hot weather taint the whole joint; country butchers
often omit to remove it. When meat is purchased for salt-
ing do not allow the butcher to send it any distance in the
heat of the day; you can never be certain of its taking the
PRESERVATION OF MEAT. 63
salt if it has been heated; if, however, there is no alterna-
tive, throw it into a tub of cold water for a few hours, then
wipe it dry, and examine it well before salting. It should
be sprinkled with salt to extract the blood the first day, on
the next day be wiped with a clean cloth, and in warm wea-
ther the first brine must be thrown away, but in cold it may
be boiled and all impurity be skimmed off; and then the
meat may be regularly salted the second day. Canvass lids
should be placed over salting tubs, to admit air and exclude
flies, which are more destructive to salting meat than to
fresh.
Care must be taken to secure bacon and hams from the
fly, which is very destructive to them; the best method of
preserving hams is by putting them into coarse calico or
canvass bags; paper is apt to break in damp weather.
TO CURE HAMS.
Let a leg of pork hang for three days; then beat it with
a rolling-pin, and rub into it one ounce of saltpetre, finely
powdered, and mixed with a small quantity of common salt;
then let it lie all night. Make the following pickle: a quart
of stale strong beer, half a pound of bay salt, half a pound of
common salt, and the same of brown sugar; boil this for fif-
teen or twenty minutes, and then wipe the ham, dry from
the salt, and, with a wooden ladle, pour the pickle, by de-
grees, and as hot as possible, over the ham; and as it cools,
rub it well into every part. Rub and turn the ham every
day, for a week, and then hang it, for a fortnight, in a wood
smoke chimney. When you take it down, sprinkle black
pepper over the bone, and into the holes, to keep it safe from
hoppers, and hang up the ham in a thick paper bag.
64 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
ANOTHER.
Beat the ham well with a rolling-pin, and then rub it all
over with French brandy, and place it in a deep dish. Mix
one ounce of saltpetre, a quarter of a pound of bay salt, and
three ounces of juniper berries, if you have them: also put
two good handfuls of common salt, and half a pound of
coarse brown sugar, into a pint of strong ale; rub this well
into the ham, and baste the ham with it, three or four times
every day, for six weeks.
ANOTHER.
Beat the ham well on the fleshy side with a rolling-pin,
then rub into it, on every part, one ounce of saltpetre, and
let it lie one night. Then take half a pint of common salt
and a quarter of a pint of bay salt, and one pound of coarse
sugar or treacle; mix these ingredients, and make them very
hot in a stew pan, and rub in well for an hour. Then take
half a pint more of common salt and lay all over the ham,
and let it lie on till it melts to brine; keep the ham in the
pickle three weeks or a month, till you see it shrink. This
is sufficient for a large ham.
TO PICKLE PORK.
For a hog of ten score. When it is quite cold, and cut
up in pieces, have well mixed together two gallons of com-
mon salt, and one pound and a half of saltpetre; with this ,
rub, very well, each piece of pork, and, as you rub, pack
in a salting tub, and sprinkle salt between each layer of
pork. Put a heavy weight on the top of the cover, to pre-
vent the meat's swimming. If kept close and tight in this
way, it will keep for a year or two. N. B. A leg of pork
will be sufficiently salted in eight days. Rub and turn it
every day.
STEWS. 65
TO PICKLE A TONGUE.
Rub the tongue over with common salt; and cut a slit in
the root of it, so that the salt may penetrate. Drain the
tongue next day, and then rub it over with two ounces of bay
salt, two ounces of saltpetre, and two ounces of coarse sugar,
all mixed together. This pickle should be poured over
the tongue, with a spoon, every day, as there will not be
sufficient liquor to cover it. It will be ready to dress in
three weeks or a month.
TO SALT BEEF.
For apiece of twenty pounds weight. Sprinkle the meat
with salt, and let it lie twenty-four hours; then hang it up to
drain. Take one ounce of saltpetre, a quarter of a pound
of very coarse sugar, six ounces of common salt, all finely
powdered, and rub it well into the beef. Rub and turn it
every day. It will be ready for dressing in ten days, but
may be kept longer. It should boil very slowly, and when
done, should stand, in the pot, by the fire, half an hour.
STEWS.
SCOTCH HOTCH-POTCH.
TAKE equal quantities of fresh beef and mutton, about
a pound and a half of each, to three pints of water; chop
them finely, and let them simmer gently in a stew-pan.
When the meat becomes tender, season it with salt and pep-
per^ and add a peck of peas, two pounds of potatoes, two
or three young carrots, and two cauliflowers, a few onions,
and dredge with flour. When the potatoes are done it will
be ready. In the season when vegetables are in greatest
6*
66 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
perfection, this is one of the most wholesome, agreeable and
economical dishes that are made. This quantity will be
sufficient for ten persons.
IRISH STEW.
Four pounds of potatoes, and a pound and a half of meat,
with a few onions, and one carrot, makes a good stew for
six or seven persons. The meat must be cut into small
pieces; if it is half mutton, it will be all the better; add
about three pints of water. When the greater portion of
the potatoes are in a pulp, it will be done. Season it with
salt and pepper.
SCOTCH BARLEY-BROTH.
To three quarts of water put a quarter of a pound of
barley, which is to be put in when the water is lukewarm;
two or three pounds of the lean end of the neck of mutton
is best for this broth, but thin flank of beef is also very
good. When it comes to aboil, put in half a bunch of turnips
cut into quarters, two scraped carrots, and one whole one
cut small, a handful of chopped parsley, two or three onions
and salt and pepper. The slower it boils the better. It
should be skimmed before the vegetables are added.
o
A VERY ECONOMICAL DISH.
One pound of sausages, cut into pieces, with three
pounds of potatoes, and a few onions, with about a table-
spoonful of flour, mixed in cold water, and added to k, will
dine five or six persons. It must be well boiled.
VEAL AND RICE.
One pound of meat, and the same quantity of rice, stew-
ed gently in three quarts of water, and seasoned with salt
and pepper, will make an excellent dinner for a large family.
SOUPS. 67
A little milk will make it richer, but it is a good family dish
without. A few button onions, may be added, with a little
parsley.
SOUPS.
SOUP, such as we recommend, consists of a plain, whole-
some sweet broth, which also serves as the basis of almost
every sauce. When served up as potage it contains
bread, or rice, or one of the Italian pastes. This broth
has no thickening, and is free from any kind of sophis-
tication.
The best vessel to make it in, is in an earthen pipkin of
great depth, rather bulging out in the middle, and narrow at
the bottom. One for an ordinary family might hold about
five or six quarts. It should be prepared by being placed,
nearly half full of water, upon a fire slow at first, but gradu-
ally increased to the greatest possible intensity. As the
water evaporates rapidly, a little should be added from time
to time. When all the under part of the pipkin is red hot,
the vessel should be taken off the fire and placed upon the
hob to cool gradually.
Put into such a pipkin four pounds of the shin of beef, a
calf s foot, and a quarter of a pound of pig's liver or, if this
latter is not to be obtained, half a pound of bullock's liver.
Fill the pipkin three-quarters full of water, and place it over
a good fire. As the scum rises take it off. When the pot
boils, add a bundle of leeks well cleansed and tied together,
two- turnips, three carrots, half of aparsnep, a small bundle
of the green parts of celery, an onion with three cloves
stuck into it, one clove of garlic, and a burnt flatted onion
68 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
if you have one if not, use instead, but two hours later, a
crust of bread burnt, as if for toast and water. Should
there be too much liquid in the pot for the addition of these
vegetables, take some out, and add it afterwards to supply
the loss by evaporation. Let the whole boil gently for
about three hours, then let it simmer during three hours
more that is to say, it must be always at the boiling point
without boiling up. The pot must be covered during the
whole process. When the first two hours of the boiling
are past, salt it to your taste, allowing for the evaporation,
but add no pepper.
If you wish to have bouilli beef, you must have a larger
pipkin; take a sufficient quantity of the brisket and put it
into the soup, long enough before dinner to allow half an
hour to each pound. This beef must be dressed without
the pot being ever suffered to boil up. It will then be ex-
tremely tender.
The soup will always be improved if, instead of water,
you use the liquor in which a leg of mutton has been boiled,
or even a round of beef, if it be not too salt.
To prepare the soup the first day it is made, put some
crusts of bread into a tureen, about ten minutes before din-
ner; pour over them a little more of the broth than will
saturate them: cover the tureen, let it stand before the fire,
and when the dinner is ready to be put upon the table, fill it
up with broth.
The moment the soup is taken off the fire, it must be
strained and put to cool in an open earthen pan. On the
following day it may be used with rice, or vermicelli, or
sago, or any of the fancy pastes of Italy.
An economical family need not waste the beef which has
served to make the soup. A very palatable dish may be
obtained from it the next day, in the following manner:
SOUPS. 69
when cold, cut it into little bits, and include all the gristle
and gelatinous matter from the bones. Put a lump of
butttr into a stewpan; when it boils, add a third of a table-
spoonful of flour; stir this into the boiling butter, and con-
tinue to stir it now and then. When the flour has become
of a dark red colour, throw into it, by degrees, a tea-cupful
of broth, half a glass of port wine, and a dessert-spoonful of
walnut catsup. Let the whole boil gently for about a quarter
of an hour; then add the meat, together with a little chopped
parsley, and a chopped onion. Season it with pepper and
salt, and let it simmer for a few minutes, but take care it
does not boil.
GOOD VEAL SOUP.
Boil a knuckle of veal gently in as much water as will
just cover it, till fit to serve with parsley and butter or
oyster sauce; save the liquor, and add to it the bones of the
knuckle, with any others which may be in the house, or a
few fresh shank or other bones from the butcher's, a slice
of ham or lean bacon, a small quantity of rice, one or two
blades of mace, a few white peppercorns, a head of celery,
one carrot, one onion stuck with four or five cloves, and stew
gently for three hours; about half an hour before it is done
throw in a small bunch of sweet herbs, viz. parsley, lemon,
and pot thyme, savory, and majoram. Strain and set aside
till next day. Before warming up, carefully remove the fat,
and when it boils flavour it with a little white wine and cat-
sup, colour with a little nice browning, and throw in the
gristles from the knuckle, and a few balls of veal stuffing.
It may be as well to add, that recipes in cookery, however
closely followed, will never insure success, unless the
mosf delicate cleanliness in every culinary utensil is strictly
preserved,
70 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
ECONOMICAL SOUP.
A cook should save all the boilings from chickens, calf's
head and veal for her stock-pot, and the bones of fresh
meat and poultry. Soups and gravies are not so clear when
made of meat which has been cooked, but where families
are not very fastidious, soup may always be had at a very
trifling expense as above. Where economy is essential,
very excellent jelly may be made from knuckle of veal, well
stewed, to supersede the use of calf s feet. Where much
fish is fried, the cook should save all the small pieces of
bread, cuttings of toast, &c., and put them in a paper bag
in the oven to harden; when pounded in the mortar and
sifted fine, they should be kept in a bottle or covered jar,
and are very convenient for fried fish, or for strewing over
hams and bacon.
MOCK TURTLE SOUP.
Take four calf's feet, break the bones, and stew them in
as much water as will cover them; take them out when all
the meat and gristle will part from the bones; then put the
meat into the liquor again, with half a pint of beef gravy,
half a pint of white, or port wine, an onion stuck with cloves,
a bunch of sweet herbs, salt, a little mace, Jamaica pepper,
and Cayenne ditto; tie these all up in a muslin bag; when
boiled enough add the yolks of eight eggs boiled hard, truffles,
and forcemeat balls. The juice of lemons or oranges
improves it.
MULLAGATAWNY SOUP,
Is made, at the beginning, the same as the last receipt,
and with these additions: put a few slices of bacon into the
stewpan with the knuckle of veal, and no vegetables; let it
simmer about an hour and three quarters; cut about 2 and a
SOUPS. 71
half Ibs. breast of veal into rather small pieces, add the bones
and gristly parts of the breast, to the knuckle which is
stewing; fry the pieces of meat, with six sliced onions, in a
stew-pan, with a piece of good clarified dripping or butter.
Strain the stock if it be done, and put the fry to it, set it on
the fire, and skim carefully; then let it simmer for nearly an
hour. Have ready mixed, in a batter, two dessert-spoonfuls
of curry powder, the same of lightly-browned flour, and salt
and cayenne as you choose, and add these to the soup. Sim-
mer the meat till it be quite tender.
This soup is best made of veal, but fowls, rabbits, or mut-
ton cutlets are very good, after being cut in pieces and fried.
Ginger, mace, and eschalots, may be added, if the taste re-
quire them.
OX-TAIL SOUP.
Three tails will make a good sized tureen full of soup; it
is very strengthening, and is considered rather an elegant
kind of soup, and by no means an expensive one. Have
the tails divided at the points, rub with suet, and soak them
in lukewarm water. Lay them into a stew-pan with five
or six onions, a turnip, two carrots, some peppercorns, and
about three quarts of soft water. Let it simmer for two hours
and a half; take out the tails, cut them in small pieces, thick-
en the soup with browned flcrur mixed with top fat, then
strain it into afresh stew-pan, put in the pieces of meat, boil
it all up and skim it; then put more pepper, if wanted, and
either some catsup, or port wine.
OX-HEAD SOUP.
Make this the day before it is wanted. Put half an ox
cheek into a tub of cold water, and let it lie to soak for two
hours. Then take it out, break the bones which are not al-
ready broken, and wash it well in lukewarm water. Then
72 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
put it in a pot, cover with cold water, and let it boil; scum
carefully, and put in one head of celery, one turnip, two car-
rots, two large onions; two dozen berries of black pepper,
the same of allspice, a good handful of parsley, some marjo-
ram, savory and lemon thyme; cover the soup kettle close,
and set it over a slow fire. As the liquor is coming to a
boil, scum will rise, take that off, and let the soup stew
gently by the fire for three hours. Then take out the head
into a dish, pour the soup through a fine sieve into a stone
ware pan, and set both by till the next day. Cut the meat
into small pieces, skim all fat from the top of the liquor, and
put about two quarts of it, and all the meat, into a clean
sauce-pan, and let it simmer half an hour. Cayenne may
be added to the other seasonings, and a glass of white wine,
or a table-spoonful of brand}'.
GIBLET SOUP.
Scald two sets of giblets, and pick them very clean. If
they are not quite fresh they will not do. Cut off the noses,
split the heads, and divide the gizzards and necks into mouth-
fuls. Crack the bones of the legs, put all into a stew-pan,
and cover them with cold water. When it boils scum the
liquor well, and put in about three sprigs each, of lemon
thyme, winter savory or marjoram, and a little bunch of
parsley, also twenty berries of allspice and the same of black
pepper, all tied up in a muslin bag; let this stew very gen-
tly, till the gizzards are tender; which will be in about an
hour and a half. Lift out the giblets with a skimmer, or spoon
with holes, into a tureen, and keep it covered, by the fire.
Then melt one and a half ounces of fresh butter in a clean
sauce-pan; stir in enough flour to make a paste, and pour
into it, by degrees, a ladleful of the giblet liquor, and then
add all the rest by degrees, and let it boil for ten minutes,
stirring all the time, lest it should burn. Skim and strain
SOUPS. 73
the soup through a fine sieve into a basin. Wash out the
stew-pan, then return the soup into it, and season it with a
glass of wine, a table-spoonful of mushroom catsup, and a
little salt. Let it have one boil up, and then put the giblets
in to get hot, and the soup is ready.
FISH SOUP.
Soup made of fish is more delicate in taste, and more ele-
gant in appearance than might be imagined, by persons
wholly unacquainted with it. Oyster and lobster soup are
the two most esteemed.
OYSTER SOUP.
Veal will make the most delicate stock for this soup, it
should be strong and clear; put it to a quart of the hard part
of fresh juicy oysters, which have been pounded in a mor-
tar with the yolks of six hard boiled eggs. Simmer for half
an hour, then strain it into a fresh stew-pan, and put in
another quart or more of oysters trimmed, and nicely washed
from their shells, also some mace and cayenne, and let it
simmer for ten minutes. Beat up the yolks of three eggs,
take out a little soup in a cup, let it cool, then mix it by de-
grees with the eggs, and stir this into the soup, having first
drawn that aside from the fire; stir all the time after you put
this in until you send it to table, or it will curdle. You may
give this soup any additional flavour you like. The oysters
which are put in whole may be first run on fine wire skew-
ers, and then fried.
74 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
MADE DISHES.
WHAT has generally been understood by a " made dish"
is, something too rich, and too highly seasoned, to be whole-
some, and too expensive to be available for a family dinner.
This is an error, for much that would not appear to advan-
tage, or be palatable, in a plain boil or roast, may be made
both by the means of stewing, and by the addition of suita-
ble seasonings. The proper application of the latter must,
of course, depend upon the discretion of the cook, whose
main endeavour ought to be to use as little as possible, of
herbs, spices, and seasonings; to study, to a scruple's weight,
how much is actually necessary, to give the flavour required,
and to give no more: this, and plenty of time allowed for
the cooking, is the secret by which the French have attained
their perfection in this particular branch of culinary scieu..
It is a superabundance of flavouring ingredients whLn
causes made dishes to be both unwholesome and expensive.
Cold meat is not generally liked, except at the breakfast
table, and it is far less nourishing than warm meat. Besides
which, a very little piece or odd and end parts of cold meat,
poultry, game and fish, \vhich would make a poor appear-
ance, and contribute but little towards making up a dinner, if
put on the table in their present state, may, by the help of a
little gravy, a little seasoning, and care in the re-cooking, be
converted into hash, ragout, fricassee, &c. as it may suit the
taste or convenience of the housekeeper. Some experience
is required to perform this branch of cookery well, but not
more than is necessary to broil a mutton chop, or to boil a
potatoe. But scrupulous and constant attention is required;
therefore, a servant of all work, who is often called away
from the kitchen whilst the dinner is cooking, must not be
expected to excel in her ragouts.
MADE DISHES. 75
It has been directed, in the making of soup, that it be not
allowed to boil fast. Made dishes should never boil at all;
gentle simmering is all that is necessary, and the lid of the
stew-pan must not be removed, after the necessary skim-
ming is over. Time should be allowed for gradual cooking,
and when that is over, the stew-pan ought to stand by the
fire a few minutes, that the fat may rise to the top, and be
taken off before the dish is served. Indeed, ragouts are the
better for being made the day before they are wanted, be-
cause then the fat can be more completely taken off. Shake
the stew-pan, if there be danger of burning, but by removing
the lid the savoury ste.ams escape, and with them much of
the succulent qualities of the meat.
Great delicacy is required in re-warming made dishes:
they should merely heat through; and the safest mode is to
^lace the stew-pan in a vessel of boiling water, where this
practicable.
1 All made dishes require gravy, more or less good, and in
a family of half a dozen persons this, by a little previous fore-
thought, may always be at hand; for the liquor in which
meat has been boiled may be saved, and a very little season*
ing, and flavouring, will make it palatable, and, if nicely
thickened, it will be gravy for a ragout or fricassee of fresh
meat.
MACCARONI.
Boil 2 oz. in good broth or gravy, till tender; then put
to it a small piece of butter, and a little salt, give it a turn in
the stew-pan, and put it in the dish in which it is to be
served. Scrape parmesan, Stilton, or any other dry rich
cheese over it, and brown it before the fire in a Dutch oven.
76 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
ANOTHER.
Mix together a pint of milk and a pint of water, and put
in it two oz. maccaroni, and let it simmer slowly for three
hours, till the liquor is wasted, and the maccaroni tender.
Then add some grated cheese, a little salt and Cayenne, mix
it well, and brown it before the fire. Maccaroni is exceed-
ingly light and nourishing. Boiled in plain water and a lit-
tle salt, till quite tender, and the gravy of roast or boiled
meat, or a little good broth poured over it, it is very nou-
rishing for an invalid.
ASPARAGUS AND EGGS.
Beat 4 or 5 eggs well, with pepper and salt. Cut some
dressed asparagus into pieces the size of peas, and stir them
into the eggs. Melt 2 oz. butter, in a small stew-pan, pour
in the mixture, stir till it thickens, and serve it hot on a
toast.
BEEF STEAK PIE.
The beef should be tender, and have a due portion of
fat, but steaks cut from the rump are best. Cut the meat
into small steaks, and roll them up as olives, or lay them,
fat and lean properly mixed, flat in the dish, after having
seasoned them with salt, pepper, and what spices you
choose. Then put in half a pint of gravy, or half a pint of
water, and a table-spoonful of vinegar. If you have no made
gravy ready for the pie, a kidney or two, or a piece of beef
kidney, will enrich the gravy of the beef, and is always a
valuable addition to a savoury meat pie. Forcemeat, either
in layers between the slices of beef, or in small balls, make
this a much richer pie; some cooks put in a few large oys-
ters.
MADE DISHES. 77
MUTTON PIE.
Cut cutlets from the leg, or chops from the neck or loin,
season with pepper and salt, and place them neatly in a
dish, fill this up with gravy or water, and, if you choose,
strew over it a very little minced onion and parsley, and
cover with a good plain crust.
LAMB PIE.
The same as mutton pie; only as lamb is more delicate,
it does not require so much seasoning, and it is best made
into little pies, to turn out of patty pans.
VEAL PIE.
Cut chops from the neck or breast, or cutlets from any
other part, season them with salt, pepper, mace, nutmeg,
lemon peel, or what herbs you like, lay them in the dish,
and some very thin slices of bacon over them; pour in a lit-
tle gravy, made from the bones or trimmings, or else a lit-
tle water. Forcemeat balls, hard boiled yolks of eggs,
scalded sweetbreads, veal kidneys, truffles, mushrooms,
oysters and thick cream, may be used to enrich a veal pie.
Slices of veal, spread with forcemeat, and rolled up as
olives, may be baked in a pie; make a hole in the top part
of the crust, and when it comes out of the oven, pour in
some good gravy.
If the pie is to be very rich, place the olives in a dish,
and between and round them, some small forcemeat balls,
hard boiled yolks of egg, a few pickled cucumbers cut in
round pieces, and a few pickled mushrooms; pour good
gravy, which has been well seasoned, thickened, and
strained, and enriched by a glass of white wine and the juice
of a lemon.
7*
78 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
CHICKEN PIE.
Cut up the chickens and season well each joint, with
salt, white pepper, mace, and nutmeg, lay them in the dish,
with slices of ham or bacon, a few bits of butter, rolled in
flour, and a little water, cover with a crust and bake it.
This pie may be made richer, by putting veal cutlets, or
veal udder, at the bottom of the dish, and by adding force-
meat balls and yolks of hard boiled eggs; also a good jelly-
gravy made of veal or shanks of mutton, seasoned with pep-
percorns, onions, and parsley, and poured over the chickens
before the pie is baked. A few mushrooms are an improve-
ment.
RABBIT PIE.
Make this the same as chicken pie. Forcemeat may be
added to enrich it, made of the livers pounded, shred suet,
anchovies, onion, pepper and salt.
COOKING OF FISH.
OBSERVATIONS ON FISH.
THERE is a general rule in choosing most kinds of fish;
if the gills are red, their eyes plump, and the whole fish
stiff, they are good; if, on the contrary, the gills are pale,
the eyes sunk, and the fish flabby, they are stale.
The greatest care should be taken that the fish is properly
cleansed before being dressed, but not washed beyond what
is absolutely necessary for cleaning, as by perpetual water-
ing, the flavour is diminished. When clean, if the fish is
to be boiled, some salt, and a little vinegar should be put
into the water, to give it firmness. Care should be taken
COOKING OF FISH. 79
to boil the fish well, but not to let it break. Cod and had-
dock are much better for being a little salted, and kept for
a day.
There is often a muddy smell and taste attached to fresh-
water fish, which may be got rid of by soaking it, after it
has been thoroughly cleaned in strong salt and water; or, if
the fish is not too large, scald it in the same; then dry, and
dress it.
Care should be taken that the fish is put into cold water,
and allowed to do very gently, otherwise the outside will
break before the inside is done.
If the fish is not taken out of the water the instant it is
done, it will become woolly; to ascertain when it is ready,
the fish plate on which it is dressed may be drawn up, and
if sufficiently done it will leave the bone. To keep hot for
serving, and to prevent it from losing its colour, the fish
plate should be placed crossways over the fish-kettle, and a
clean cloth put over the fish.
Small fish may be either nicely fried plain, or done over
with egg and bread-crumbs, and then fried. Upon the dish
on which the fish is to be served, should be placed a folded
damask napkin, and upon this put the fish, with the liver
and roe; then garnish the dish with horse-radish, parsley,
and lemon. Fish is a dish which is almost more attended
to than any other.
To fry or broil fish properly, after it is well cleaned and
washed, it should be wrapped in a nice soft cloth, and when
perfectly dry, wetted with egg, and sprinkled all over with
very fine bread-crumbs; it will look still better to be done
over with egg and crumbs a second time. Then having
on the fire a thick-bottomed frying-pan, with plenty of lard
or dripping, boiling hot, put the fish into it, and let it fry
tolerably quick till it is done, and of a nice brown yellow.
If it is done before it has obtained a nice brown colour,
80 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
the pan should be drawn to the side of the fire, the fish
carefully taken up, and placed either upon a sieve turned
upwards, or on the under side of a dish, and placed before
the fire to drain, and finish browning; if wanted particularly
nice, a sheet of cap paper must be put to receive the fish.
Fish fried in oil obtains a much finer colour than when
done in lard or dripping. Butter should never be used, as
it gives a bad colour. Garnish your dish with a fringe of
curled raw parsley, or with fried parsley.
When fish is to be broiled, it must be seasoned, floured,
and done on a very clean gridiron; which, when hot, should
be rubbed over with suet, to hinder the fish from sticking.
It should be broiled over a very clear fire, to prevent its
tasting smoky, and great care must be taken not to scorch it.
CHOUDER.
Lay some slices cut from the fat part of pork, in a deep
stew-pan, mix sliced onions with a variety of sweet herbs,
and lay them on the pork. Bone and cut a fresh cod
into thin slices, and place them on the pork; then put a
layer of pork, on that a layer of biscuit, then alternately
the other materials until the pan is nearly full, season
with pepper and salt, put in about a pint and a half of water,
cover the stew-pan very close, and let it stand, with fire
above as well as below, for four hours; then skim it well,
and put it in a dish.
FRESH COD.
A cod-fish should be firm and white, the gills red, and
the eye lively; a fine fish is very thick about the neck; if
the flesh is at all flabby it is not good. The length of
time it requires for boiling depends on the size of the fish,
which varies from one pound to twenty; a small fish, about
two or three pounds weight will be sufficiently boiled in a
COOKING OF FISH. 81
quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after the water boils.
Prepare a cod for dressing in the following manner: empty
and wash it thoroughly, scrape off all the scales, cut open
the belly, and wash and dry it well, rub a little salt inside,
or lay it for an hour in strong brine. The simple way of
dressing it is as follows: Tie up the head, and put it into a
fish-kettle, with plenty of water and salt in it; boil it gently,
and serve it with oyster sauce. Lay a napkin under the
fish, and garnish with slices of lemon, horse-radish, &c.
TO BOIL COD.
Wash, clean, and rub the inside of the fish with salt. Let
it be completely covered with water, in the kettle. A small
fish will be done in fifteen minutes after the water boils; a
large one will take half an hour; but the tail being so much
thinner than the thick part of the fish, it will be done too
much if it be all boiled at once; therefore, the best way is,
to cut that part in slices to fry, and garnish the head and
shoulders with, or to serve in a separate dish. Lay the
roe on one side, and the liver on the other side of the fish.
Serve with it oyster sauce, or plain melted butter.
SALT COD.
The flesh of good salt cod is very white, and the flakes
large; the skin is very dark, almost black, and before it is
dressed it should be soaked in milk and water, or water
alone, for several hours; if very dry and salt, a whole day
will not be too long. When you think the salt sufficiently
soaked out, put the fish into a fish-kettle with plenty of cold
water, set it on the fire; when nearly boiling, skim it, and
let it summer gently till done. Serve with it egg sauce,
and garnish your dish with parsneps, or potatoes.
82 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
TO CHOOSE MACKAREL.
Their gills should be of a fine red, their eyes full, and the
whole fish stiff and bright: if the gills are of a faint colour,
the fish limber and wrinkled, they are not fresh. They
are in season in May and June.
BOILED MACKAREL.
P.oil them in salt and water, with a very little vinegar.
MACKAREL BROILED OR FRIED.
They may be broiled or fried, and are extremely good
either way, stuffed with crumbs of bread, parsley chopped,
lemon-peel grated, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, mixed with
yolk of egg; anchovy sauce and fennel sauce.
PERCH BOILED.
Put them into cold water, and let them boil carefully;
serve with melted butter and soy.
Or, set the perch on in cold spring water, with plenty of
salt; as soon as they boil, skim them well, and place them
aside to simmer till done; and serve them either with an-
chovy sauce, or with melted butter and soy.
TO BOIL FISH.
The kettle which is used for boiling fish should be roomy,
with a strainer to lay the fish upon. The water should,
according to some cooks, be cold, and spring water, and it
should be slow in coming to a boil: according to other cooks,
it ought to be hot at the time of putting in the fish, upon
the supposition that the shorter time it is in the water the
better. I rather incline to this, for I must suppose that
no fish, except that which is salted, can be the better for
soaking. Expeiience must, however, be the best instructor;
COOKING OF FISH. 83
and much must depend upon the size of the fish. Always
put a good handful of salt in the water, as it assists to draw
the slime from the fish, and tends to give it firmness. Vine-
gar may be added, also, for the latter purpose; particularly
for cod and turbot. When the water boils, stand the fish-
kettle by the fire, and let it simmer gently. The usual al-
lowance of time is, twelve minutes to the pound; but prac-
tice alone can make a cook perfect in this, also. Great
pains should be taken to arrive at perfection in cooking fish,
for, besides that it is not eatable if underdone, and is good
for nothing if overdone, it is equally unwholesome in either
state.
TO FRY FISH.
This is more difficult than to fry meat, and requires ex-
ceeding care and attention. It is, in some houses, consi-
dered an essential to the good appearance, as well as taste
offish, that lard be used in the frying; but this is a mistake,
for dripping is just as good, and much less expensive. To
fry well, fish must be quite fresh. Wash them, and lay
them in the folds of a clean cloth to make them quite dry.
Then flour them lightly, if they are to be covered with
bread-crumbs, for if the fish be not quite dry, the bread-
crumbs will not adhere to them. These bread-crumbs should
be of very stale bread; or if you wish the fish to be very
delicate in appearance, use biscuit powder. Having thus
floured the fish, brush them over with the beaten yolk and
white of egg, and then strew over the crumbs or powder,
so as to cover every part of the fish. The frying-pan used
for fish should be of an oval shape, and the same one should
mot be used for meat. The fire must be hot, but not fierce.
If not sufficiently hot, the fish will be soddened, but if it
be too hot, the fish will soon catch and burn. There should
be fat enough to cover the fish; let it boil before you lay
84 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
in the fish, for frying is, in fact, boiling in fat. As the
fat becomes hot, skim it with an egg slice. Try the heat
of the pan by throwing a piece of bread into it, or just dip
the tail of the fish into the fat, and if it become crisp at once,
the pan is ready. After the fish is done, it ought to be well
dried, before the fire, before it is sent to table. For this
purpose, lay it on a soft cloth before the fire, and turn it
every two or three minutes. If the frying fat has not been
sufficiently hot, this will, in some measure, remedy the
defect. Fat in which veal or lamb have been fried may be
used afterwards for fish, when it has settled long enough to
be poured from the sediment.
TO FRY COD.
Cut in thick slices; flour, or egg, and cover these with
bread-crumbs, or biscuit powder. Fry in plenty of hot
dripping or lard. Slices of cod may also be stewed in gravy,
like eels.
COD'S HEAD AND SHOULDERS.
Wash it clean, then quickly dash some boiling water
over it, which will cause the slime to ooze out; this should
be carefully removed with a knife, but take care not to
break the skin; wipe the head clean, and lay it on a strainer,
in a turbot-kettle of boiling water; put in the salt and a tea-
cupful of vinegar. Take care that it is quite covered. Let
it simmer from thirty to forty minutes. It should drain
before it is dished, and the dish be rather a deep one. Glaze
it with beaten yolks of eggs, then strew over it fine grated
bread-crumbs, lemon-peel, pepper and salt, stick into it some
bits of butter, and set it before the fire; as it browns baste
it with butter, constantly strewing more bread-crumbs and
chopped parsley over it. A rich sauce for the above is made
as follows: have made, in preparation, a quart of strong
COOKING OF FISH. 85
beef or veal stock; or, if to be maigre, a rich, well seasoned,
fish stock; thicken with flour mixed into butter, and then
strain it; add to it 50 oysters, picked and bearded, the hard
meat of a boiled lobster cut up, and the soft part pounded,
2 glasses of white wine (sherry is best,) and the juice of
one lemon. Boil it, altogether, for 5 minutes, skim it, and
pour part of it into the dish where the fish is; the rest serve
in a sauce tureen. This dish may be garnished with fried
smelts, flounders or oysters. When the French cook cod's-
head in this way it has the addition of being stuffed with
either meat or fish forcemeat and some balls of the same,
fried, as a garnish. Cold cod may be dressed as cold turbot.
Slices of cod may be boiled, as well as fried; but they should
be as short a time as possible in the water; it should, there-
fore, boil soon after the slices are put into it. About ten
minutes ought to do them. Shrimp sauce may be poured
over these, or anchovy sauce. If you wish it to be rather
rich, make a sauce of veal stock, a boned anchovy and
pickled oysters, all chopped fine, pepper, salt, a glass of
red wine, and a thickening of butter and flour. Boil up
and skim, and pour over the slices of cod.
COD'S SOUNDS,
Must be scalded and well cleaned. Rub with salt. Take
off the outer coat, and parboil them. Then flour and broil
them. Pour over a thickened brown gravy sauce, in which
there should be a tea-spoonful of made mustard, added to
cayenne and what other seasoning you like. They may
be fried, and served with the same kind of sauce. Or,
dressed in ragout, parboiled, cut in pieces, and stewed in
good gravy.
8
86 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
VEGETABLES.
SPINACH.
SPINACH is a vegetable which we cannot too strongly re-,
commend. It must be prepared as follows:
After being carefully picked and washed four or five times
in abundance of water, let it be put into boiling water con-
taining some salt, in a large vessel where it may have plenty
of room. The leaves that rise above the water must be
pressed down. When the spinach is about half done, take
it off the fire, strain it, and prepare some more boiling
water and salt, in which it must be again boiled till suffi-
ciently done. The moment it is so, throw it into a colan-
der and keep pouring cold water over it for some time; then
make it into balls, and with your hands press out every drop
of water it contains; afterward chop it very fine until it be-
comes almost a paste.
Now put a lump of butter into a stew-pan, and place the
spinach upon the butter; let it dry gently over the fire.
When the moisture is evaporated, dredge it with a little
flour, then add a small quantity of good gravy, with season-
ing to your taste; let it boil up, and serve it up with bread
fried in butter.
The Parisians are very fond of spinach with sugar,
which is a great delicacy, and may be prepared in the fol-
lowing manner: Boil some good cream just before you put
the spinach in the stew-pan with the butter. When you
have added the flour to the spinach as before directed, to-
gether with a little salt, put in the cream with some sugar
and nutmeg, let it simmer for ten minutes, then serve it
up on toast, with a very small quantity of pounded lump-
sugar strewed over it.
VEGETABLES. 87
MODE OF DRESSING CAULIFLOWERS WITH PARMESAN
CHEESE.
Having boiled the cauliflowers, prepare a sauce in the
following manner. Into a quarter of a pound of butter rub
a table-spoonful of flour. Then put it into a stew-pan; as
the butter melts, add by degrees half a pint of water, or a
little more if you require more sauce. Stir the whole until
it boils; after it has boiled a couple of minutes, take it from
the fire, and when entirely off the boil add the yolk of an
egg, beat it up with a little lemon juice and half a table-
spoonful of soft water. Shake the stew-pan till the whole
is mixed and the sauce set.
Now powder the cauliflowers with rasped Parmesan
cheese; then pour the sauce over them: when the sauce
is firmly set upon them, cover the surface with rasped cheese
and bread-crumbs, and brown it.
PEA STEW.
Shell a peck of young peas, and put them into a large
quantity of cold water. Handle them well in the water
with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, which will make
the peas stick together; then drain them in a colander. Put
half a pound of bacon or ham, cut into small pieces an inch
long, and half an inch wide, in the bottom of a stew-pan;
place it upon the peas from the colander; upon them put
half a dozen young onions, a cabbage lettuce, cut into very
small pieces, and a bunch of parsley, which must be taken
out before the peas are dished up: the ham or bacon will
salt the whole sufficiently. Place the stew pan over a slow
fire, /cover it close, and let its contents stew gently.
Should the water in the lettuce and peas not prove sufficient
half a wine-glassful may be afterwards added; but when
88 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
the peas are young, they generally yield a great deal of
water, and some little always adheres to the butter; so that,
if the stewing is not performed too rapidly, any addition
of water is seldom required. When, on taking off the lid
of the stew-pan, you find that the lettuce has sunk, and is
affected by the steam, let the whole be turned, not with a
spoon, but by tossing the stew-pan. A little pepper, and
two pretty large lumps of sugar saturated with water, may
then be thrown in. As soon as the peas are nearly ready,
add some fresh cream, and a lump of butter rolled in flour.
When the onions are thoroughly done, the peas will be
found also sufficiently dressed, if they are young.
Stewed peas in the simple state may be prepared thus:
Handle the peas in water with butter, as before directed,
and drain them in a colander; then put them into a stew-
pan, with a bundle of parsley and green onions, some pep-
per and salt. If necessary, add half a wine-glassful of water.
Let them sweat over a slow fire until the peas are done,
taking care to shake and toss the stew-pan often to prevent
their burning. When they are half done, add to them two
lumps of sugar saturated with water. When done, take
them off the fire; and when sufficiently off the boil, add
the yolk of an egg, previously beaten up with a table-spoon-
ful of cold water.
ASPARAGUS.
W r e must here say a passing word on asparagus, which
comes into season about the same time as green peas.
This is one of the most wholesome vegetables we know;
it has a strong diuretic, and a slightly aperient quality. It
must be dressed as soon as possible after it is gathered,
as it acquires a very disagreeable taste from being kept.
Unlike most new vegetables, it may be spoiled by over-boil-
VEGETABLES. 89
ing: it should be done in an open vessel, with plenty of
water and a good handful of salt, and great care must be
taken not to boil it to a sufficient extent to make it lose its
crispness. It is eaten with white sauce or melted butter.
The white sauce is preferable, and is made as follows:
Mix half a table-spoonful of flour with half a pint of cold
water, place it over the fire; add a quarter of a pound of
butter, and a little salt. Keep stirring the whole until it
boils. Let it boil until of a proper thickness, then take it
off the fire. When sufficiently off the boil add the yolk of
an egg, beat up with a table-spoonful of water and half that
quantity of vinegar or verjuice.
CABBAGE.
The great fault in this vegetable, when produced at our
tables, is, that it is never more than half boiled. When pro-
perly dressed, it is one of the most wholesome and agreeable
productions of the kitchen garden. There is a mode of pre-
paring it with sausages, which is so delicious, though simple
and cheap, that it ought to find a place here, as it may be
found very useful and agreeable in families where there are
many children, who are usually fond of such dishes, and
with whom they certainly agree much better than strong
animal food.
The day when you make soup, according to the recipe
given in a former page, bleach or parboil a large cabbage in
salt and water, then fry a pound of sausages, which put into
a pie-dish with the cabbage over them, adding a small teacup-
ful of broth. Place the whole upon the hob of the kitchen
fire, or close before it, which ever is the most convenient, at
the hour when you first put on the soup. Whilst this
latter is making, skim the fat from the surface; every now and
then moisten the cabbage with it. As the process of cook-
8*
90 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
ing goes on, add salt and pepper to your taste. In about
four hours the cabbage will be done.
OYSTER PLANT.
There is a delicious vegetable very little used among us,
though to be found at all our markets in the metropolis; we
mean the Oyster Plant. It is of two kinds, the black and
the white; the former is the best, being better flavoured and
more tender. It is easily dressed. Scrape off the outer
peel of the skirrets, then throw them into cold water with
a little vinegar in it, which prevents them from chang-
ing colour. They must be boiled in plenty of water with
a small quantity of salt, the juice of a lemon, and a lump
of butter about the size of a nutmeg. When done, which
may be ascertained by trying them with a fork, they may be
be served up with white sauce, into which they must be
put about five or six minutes before it is taken off the fire,
and the thickening of egg added to it. They are likewise
very nice fried in a thin batter, and may be served up with
fried parsley over them. On being put into the dish, and
before the parsley is added, they should be sprinkled with
a little salt. This vegetable, also when boiled, makes an
excellent salad with oil, vinegar, mustard, and a little cream.
To it may be added some chopped parsley, a chopped
anchovy, and a few capers.
CARROTS.
Carrots, if young, need only be -wiped when boiled; if
old, they must be scraped be fore boiling. Slice them into a
dish, and pour melted butter over them.
CAULIFLOWERS.
Cut off the stalks, but leave a little green on; boil them
VEGETABLES. 91
in spring water and salt; they are soon done, but they must
not boil too fast. They may be also dressed in milk and
water without salt.
CAULIFLOWERS FRIED.
Pick, wash, and throw them into boiling water, with a
little salt, and when three parts done, take them out, drain
and put them into an earthen pan, with salt, pepper and
vinegar; beat them up in this, and then fry them in a bat-
ter made as follows: three spoonfuls of flour, two eggs, a
little salt, some oil, and a tea-spoonful of brandy.
BOILED PARSNIPS.
Let them boil in plenty of water, with salt, till tender,
then serve them on a dish by themselves; or, when boiled
cut them in slices, and toss them up in a good bit of butter;
they are generally eaten with salt fish.
BOILED TURNIPS.
Pare them thick; when boiled, squeeze them well to
thoroughly drain them from the water; mash them smooth,
add a piece of butter, a little flour, pepper, and salt.
TURNIP-TOPS.
This vegetable is in season during the early part of the
spring; they should be very young, and all the stalks, and
withered leaves taken oft'. Turnip-tops require a great deal
of water to boil them; put in some salt, and serve them
like spinach.
TO PRESERVE VEGETABLES FOR THE WINTER.
French beans must be picked young, and a layer of them
put three inches deep into a small wooden keg; sprinkle
92 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
them over with salt, and then put another layer of beans,
and strew salt over them, and so on as high as you please:
be careful not to put too much salt. Cover them with a
plate or a piece of wood that will go into the keg, and
place a heavy stone over it; a pickle will exude from the
salt and beans; when wanted for use, cut, soak, and boil
them the same as though they were fresh.
Keep carrots, parsnips and beet-roots, in layers of dry
sand, and do not clean either them, or potatoes from the
earth that remains about them.
Store onions should be kept hung up in a dry cold room.
Cut parsley quite close to the stalks, and dry it in a warm
room, or in a very cool oven upon tins.
You may keep small close cabbages many weeks, by
laying them, before the frost sets in, on a stone floor, which
will blanch, and make them very fine.
FRENCH MODE.
A most ingenious way of preserving vegetables all the
winter, particularly green peas and French beans, has
recently been discovered; by filling a middle-sized stew-pan
with young peas, for instance, into which must be put two
or three table-spoonfuls of sugar, and the stew-pan then set
over a brisk charcoal fire. When the heat begins to act,
stir up the peas, two or three times; then, as soon as they
begin to yield water, pour them out into a dish to drain.
Spread them out on paper in an airy place; not exposed to
the sun, and turn them frequently so as to dry rapidly.
Guard them from moisture, and you may have them green
at Christmas without expense, and with very little trouble.
TO MAKE KITCHEN VEGETABLES TENDER*
When peas, French beans, &c. do not boil easily, it has
VEGETABLES. 93
V
usually been imputed to the coolness of the season, or to
the rains. This popular notion is erroneous. The diffi-
culty of boiling them soft arises from an excess of gypsum
imbibed during their growth. To correct this, throw a
small quantity of subcarbonate of soda into the pot along
with the vegetables. From the French.
NEW POTATOES IN WINTER.
Take some dry vegetable mould, cover the bottom of a
large box, about two inches thick, then lay potatoes of the
kind (and the largest of their kind) called ox-nobles (chiefly
used for cattle) side by side, so as to cover the mould; then
cover these with two inches more mould, and so on for four
or five courses. The box may stand covered with dry
straw in any warm cellar. If this plan be adopted in the
month of November, a very large supply of beautiful young
potatoes will be obtained very soon after Christmas; and the
potatoes may be repeated so as to have a succession till the
season produces them in the natural way.
POTATOES.
The potatoe should be put into cold salt and water, and
boiled gently. When half done, the water should be changed,
and the operation recommenced, but not with cold water;
the second water, which must likewise be salted, must be
previously boiled. When the fork indicates that the po-
tato is nearly done, but before it breaks, the boiling should
be checked by the addition of a cupful of cold water. Soon
after this the potatoes will crack. The water should then
be drawn off, and the vessel containing them placed upon
the hob for five minutes, with the lid off, the potatoes being
covered with a clean napkin. They are then found to be
dry and mealy. They should be served up the moment
94 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
they are done, and should not be taken to table in a covered
dish, because the steam rising from them is condensed by
the cover of the dish, falls back upon them, and they become
soddened and watery.
tt
When potatoes are young, they may be dressed thus:
Wash the young potatoes, which must be as nearly as
possible of the same size; rub off the skin with a napkin
and dry them well. Put into a stew-pan a good lump of
butter. When it boils, throw the potatoes in. Do not
cover the stew-pan. Every now and then toss the stew-pan
so as to turn the potatoes, bringing those uppermost which
were before underneath. When the fork easily penetrates
the potatoes they are done, and must be taken up immedi-
ately, otherwise they would lose their savour and become
flaccid. Strew a little salt over them, and garnish them
with fried parsley. Serve them up immediately uncovered.
Potatoes thus dressed are excellent with fish, and may ap-
pear with advantage at a formal dinner party.
TO BOIL POTATOES.
Various are the ways for boiling potatoes, and few are the
cooks who boil them well. But it seems to me that the best
way, upon the whole, is, to boil, not steam them. So much
depends upon the sort of potatoe, that it is very unfair to
condemn a cook's ability in the cookery of this article,
until it be fully ascertained that the fault is really hers,
for I have seen potatoes that no care or attention could
boil enough, without their being watery, and I have seen
others that no species of cookery could spoil. They should
be of equal size, or the small ones will be too much done,
before the large ones are done enough; do not pare, or
cut them; have so large a sauce-pan that your potatoes
will only half fill it, and put in cold water sufficient to cover
VEGETABLES. 95
them about an inch; so that, if it waste in boiling, they may
still be covered; but too much water would injure them.
Put the sauce-pan on the fire, if it be a moderate one, and
as soon as the water boils, set it on one side, to simmer slow-
ly till the potatoes will admit a fork, the cracking of the
skin being too uncertain a test to venture a reliance upon;
having tried them with the fork, if they are tender pour the
water off, and stand the sauce-pan by the side of the fire, take
off the cover, and lay a folded cloth, or coarse flannel, over
the potatoes. Middling sized potatoes will be boiled enough
in fifteen minutes. Some people, (and I have been told it
is practised generally in Ireland), when they have poured
off the water, lay the potatoes in a coarse cloth, sprinkle
salt over, and cover them up, for a few minutes, then
squeeze them lightly, one by one, in the folds of a dry cloth,
peel and serve them. Some people peel potatoes for the
next day's dinner and put them into cold water enough to
cover them: over night, the water is poured off just before
the potatoes are boiled. After the beginning of March pota-
toes should always be peeled before they are boiled, and
after April they should always be mashed. Potatoes may
be dressed in various ways to make pretty supper or side
dishes, and there are many sauces suitable to enrich them.
YOUNG POTATOES.
Pour boiling water over them in a sauce-pan, let it sim-
mer, and they will soon be done.
TO FRY OR BROIL POTATOES.
Cold potatoes may be cut in slices and fried in nice drip-
ping, or broiled on a gridiron, and then laid on a sieve to
drain; serve on a hot dish, and sprinkle a little pepper and
salt over them. Garnish with a few sprigs of curled pars-
ley, or the parsley may be fried and strewed over the slices.
96 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
ANOTHER.
When the potatoes are nearly boiled enough, pour off the
water, peel and flour them, brush them over with yolk of
egg", then roll them in fine bread-crumbs or biscuit powder,
and fry in butter, or nice dripping. Or, they may be gent-
ly stewed, in a sauce-pan, with butter; take care to turn
them, while stewing. Lay them on a sieve to drain, and
pour a white sauce over them, in the dish.
TO MASH POTATOES.
When they are boiled purposely to mash, peel them and
cut out all the specks first, and when they are done and the
water has been poured from them, put them over the fire for
two or three minutes, to dry, then put in some salt and butter
and milk enough to moisten sufficiently for you to beat them
to a mash. The rolling-pin does this better than any thing
else. Cream is better than butter, and then no milk need be
used. Potatoes thus mashed may be put into a shape, or
into scallop-shells, with bits of butter on the top, and then
browned before the fire; either way will make a very pretty
dish. Or, they may be rolled up, with a very little flour
and yolk of egg into balls, and browned in the dripping-pan
under roast meat. These balls are very pretty to garnish
some dishes with. Onions are sometimes boiled, pulped
through a sieve, and mixed with mashed potatoes.
TO ROAST POTATOES.
Some cooks half boil them first. They should be washed
clean and well dried, before they are put into the oven, or
before the fire. If they are large, they will take two hours
to roast, and they should be all of a size, or they will not be
done alike. Or, pour off the water, peel and lay them in a
tin pan, before the fire, by the side of roasting meat. Baste
VEGETABLES. 97
them, from the dripping-pan, and turn them that they may
brown equally.
TO BOIL CABBAGES.
After they have been well washed and cleaned, quarter
them, if they are large. A young cabbage will be done in
from twenty minutes to half an hour, but a full grown one
will take nearly an hour. Have plenty of water, that the
cabbages may be covered all the time they are boiling; and
watch and take off all scum that rises. Serve melted butter
with them.
PICKLES, SAUCES, GRAVIES, MACARONI, OMELET,
OYSTERS, &c.
TO POACH EGGS.
MAKE some spring water boil, skim it, and put a table-
spoonful of vinegar in. Break off the top of the egg with a
knife, and let it slip gently into the boiling water, turning the
shell up over the egg, to gather in the white; this is a bet-
ter way than that of first breaking the egg into a cup, and
then turning it into the water, though this method requires
a little dexterity. Let the sauce-pan stand by the side of
the fire till the white is set, and then put it over the fire for
two minutes. Take up the eggs with a slice; trim them
with a knife, and serve them on toasts, spinach, brocoli, sor-
rel, slices of broiled ham, or in the centre of a dish, with
pork sausages round.
TO FRY EGGS.
Melt a piece of butter in a frying-pan, and slip the eggs
in, as directed above. Or, lay some thin slices of well col-
9
98 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
cured bacon (not affected with rust), in a dish before the fire,
to toast; break the eggs into teacups, and slip them gently
into nice fresh boiling lard, in a frying-pan. When they are
done, which will be in little more than two minutes, lay
each one (first trimming the white) on a slice of the bacon.
Make a sauce of a little weak broth, cayenne, made mustard
and vinegar, and pour it into the dish.
TO BUTTER EGGS.
Beat twelve eggs well, in a basin, with two table-spoon-
fuls of gravy, if you have it; melt a quarter of a pound of
butter, stir the eggs and this together, in a basin, with a lit-
tle pepper, salt and a finely minced onion, if liked. Pour
this mixture backwards and forwards from one basin to
another. Put it into a stew-pan on the fire, and stir con-
stantly with a wooden spoon, to prevent burning. When
the eggs are of a proper thickness, serve them, spread on a
nice toast.
PICKLES.
The great art of pickling consists in using good vinegar,
and in selecting the articles to be pickled at the proper sea-
sons.
Pickles are indigestible things, in themselves, but their
liquor is good to give relish to cold meat, therefore the
strongest vinegar should be used, because the less quantity
of it will be required at table. The pickles themselves I
should regard, mostly, as furnishing a handsome garnish.
They should be kept in a dry place, and glass jars are the
best, because with them it is easy to perceive whether the vi-
negar diminishes, and if it does, more should be boiled with
spice, and poured cold over the pickles. Fill the jars three
parts full with the pickles, but always let there be three
inches above their surface of vinegar. If earthenware jars
PICKLES, SAUCES, &C. 99
are used, let them be unglazed: and bear in mind that vine-
gar should always be boiled in unglazed earthenware;
though, in fact, it ought never to boil at all, but be made just
scalding hot, for boiling causes much of its strength to eva-
porate. Keep the bottles closely stopped, with bungs, and
over them a bladder, wetted in the pickle. When you cork
a bottle up again, after opening it, put a fresh bladder over
it, if you wish the pickles to keep a long time. When the
pickles are all used, the vinegar should be boiled up with a
little more spice, and bottled when cold. The colour of
pickles is a matter of no small difficulty, ^though one of the
greatest consequence, where they are used, as I recommend,
by way of ornament*
OYSTER SAUCE.
Beard the oysters (the number must depend on the quan-
tity required), strain their liquor and let it stand for any se-
diment to fall, then pour it off clear into a sauce-pan, and
add one blade of mace and two or three white peppercorns;
let it boil for a few minutes; then throw in the oysters to let
them just boil up; take them out and strain the liquor; boil
the oysters and liquor again, adding some butter which has
been rubbed in flour (on a trencher) and a little cream or
milk.
BREAD SAUCE.
Boil half a pint of milk, and put into it a tea-cupful of bread-
crumbs a little powdered, small chopped onion which has
been boiled in three waters, and let it simmer twenty min-
utes, then add a bit of fresh butter rolled in flour, just boil
up, and serve.
TO MAKE SOY.
One pound of salt, two pounds of common sugar, fried for
779240 A
100 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
half an hour over a slow fire; add to this three pints of boil-
ing water, of essence of anchovies about half a pint, a few
cloves, and a bunch of sweet herbs; boil altogether till the
salt is dissolved; when cold, bottle it for use.
TO PICKLE ONIONS.
Put the onions into cold salt and water, let them stand all
night; boil the spice in white vinegar, let it remain till it is
cold; drain the onions well and pour the vinegar over; they
will be fit for use in a few days.
EGG SAUCE.
Boil three eggs hard, cut them in small squares, and mix
them in good batter sauce, make it very hot, and squeeze in
some lemon-juice before you serve it.
GRAVY FOR A FOWL, WHEN THERE IS NO MEAT TO MAKE IT OF.
Nicely wash the feet of a fowl, and cut them, and the
neck, into small pieces, simmer them with a little browned
bread; a slice of onion, a bit of parsley, and thyme; some
pepper and salt, and the liver and gizzard, in a quarter of a
pint of water, simmer them till they are reduced to half.
Take out the liver, bruise it, and strain the liquor to it.
Then thicken it with flour and butter, and add a tea-spoonful
of catsup.
MACARONI.
Put a piece of butter, half a pound of macaroni, an onion
stuck with two cloves, and a little salt into hot water,
boil them for three quarters of an hour, and then, it the
macaroni is flexible, take it out and drain it well. Put
it into another saucepan with two ounces of butter, three
of 'grated Parmesan cheese, a little pepper and nutmeg;
PICKLES, SAUCES, &C. 101
toss up the whole together, adding two or three spoon-
fuls of cream; and when done, put it on a dish, and serve
it very hot.
TO SERVE MACARONI.
Simmer it in a little stock, with pounded mace and salt.
When quite tender, take it out of the liquor, lay it in a dish;
grate over it a good deal of cheese, then over that put bread
grated very fine. Warm some butter without oiling, and
pour it from a boat through a little earthen colander all over
the crumbs, then put the dish in a Dutch oven to roast the
cheese, and brown the bread of a fine colour. The bread
should be in separate crumbs, and look light.
MINT SAUCE.
Take nice fresh mint, chop it small, and mix it with vine-
gar and sugar.
TO MAKE MUSTARD.
Take some of the best flour of mustard and mix it, by de-
grees, to a proper thickness with boiling water, rubbing it
extremely smooth; add a little salt, and keep it in a small
jar closely covered, and only put as much into the mustard-
pot as will be used in a few days; the mustard-pot should
be daily wiped round the edges.
Or, Take a few spoonfuls of the flour of mustard, and care-
fully mix it with a little warm water, until it is of the con-
sistence of honey; be particular that it is mixed perfectly
smooth.
For immediate use; Take some mustard, and by degrees
mix it quite smooth with new milk, adding a little cream.
Mixed in this manner it will keep; it is very soft, and not
in the least bitter.
9*
102 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
OMELET.
Take as many eggs as you think proper (according to the
size of your omelet) break them into a basin with some salt
and chopped parsley; then beat them well, and season them
according to taste, then have ready some onion chopped
small; put some butter into a frying-pan, and when it is hot
(but not to burn) put in your chopped onion, giving them
two or three turns; then add your eggs to it, and fry the
whole of a nice brown; you must only fry one side. When
done, turn it into a dish, the fried side uppermost.
TO PICKLE ONIONS.
Peel the onions till they look white; boil some strong salt
and water, and pour it over them; let them stand in this twen-
ty-four hours, keep the vessel closely covered to retain the
steam; after that time wipe the onions quite dry, and when
they are cold, pour boiling vinegar, with ginger and white
pepper over them. Take care the vinegar always covers the
onions.
ONION SAUCE.
Peel some onions, boil them in milk and water, put a tur-
nip with them into the pot (it draws out the strength);
change the water twice; pulp them through a colander, or
chop them; then put them into a saucepan with some cream,
a piece of butter, a little Hour, some pepper and salt: they
must be served very smooth.
Or, The onions must be peeled, and then boiled till they
are tender; then squeeze the water from them; chop them,
and add to them butter that has been melted rich and smooth,
with a little good milk instead of water; give it one boil, and
serve it for boiled rabbits, partridges, or knuckle of veal, or
PICKLES, SAUCES, &C. 103
roast mutton. A turnip boiled with the onions draws out
their strength.
OYSTERS IN BUTTER.
Make a butter with the yolk of one egg (or more, accord-
ing to the quantity of oysters you intend to fry), a little nut-
meg, some beaten mace, a little flour, and a little salt; dip in
the oysters, and fry them in hog's lard to a nice light brown.
If agreeable, a little parsley, shred very fine, may be put
into the batter.
FRIED OYSTERS.
Beat up the yolks of eggs with flour, salt, and nutmeg,
dip your oysters in this, and fry them a light brown.
OYSTER PATTIES.
Take some small patty-pans and line them with a fine
puff paste, cover them with paste, putting a bit of bread in-
to each; and when they are baked, have ready the follow-
ing to put in the place of the bread: Take some oysters,
beard them and cut the other parts into small pieces, with a
a very little grated nutmeg, the smallest quantity of white
pepper and salt, a morsel of lemon-peel, cut as small as pos-
sible, a little cream, and a little of the oyster liquor; simmer
it a few minutes before putting it into the patties.
PICKLED OYSTERS.
Procure some of the largest sort of oysters, and wash
four dozen in their own liquor; wipe them dry, strain the
liquor off, add to it a dessert-spoonful of pepper, two blades
of mace, three table-spoonfuls of white wine, and four of
vinegar, and if the liquor is not very salt, you may put one
table-spoonful of salt; simmer the oysters for a few minutes
in the liquor, then put them into small jars, and boil up the
104 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
pickle, skim it, and when cold, pour it over the oysters;
keep them closely covered.
OYSTER SAUCE.
In opening the oysters save the liquor, and boil it with the
beards, a bit of mace, and lemon-peel; in the meantime throw
the oysters into cold water, and drain it off, strain the li-
quor, and put it into a sauce-pan with the oysters just drained
from the cold water, with a sufficient quantity of butter,
mixed with as much milk as will make enough sauce; but
first rub a little flour with it; set them over the fire, and stir
all the time, and when the butter has boiled a few times,
take' them off, and keep the sauce-pan close to the fire, but
not upon it; for if done too much, the oysters will become
hard; add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and serve. A little is a
great improvement.
SCALLOPED OYSTERS.
Put them into scallop-shells, strew over them bread-
crumbs, with a little bit of butter; then put in more oysters,
bread-crumbs, and a bit more butter at the top; set them in
a Dutch oven, and let them do of a nice brown.
STEWED OYSTERS.
Open, and take the liquor from them, then cleanse them
from the grit; strain the liquor, and add the oysters with a
bit of mace and lemon-peel, and a few white peppers. Sim-
mer them very gently.
PICKLE FOR TONGUES.
To four gallons of water, add two pounds and a half of
treacle, eight pounds of salt, two ounces of saltpetre; boil it,
and skim it until clear, sprinkle salt over the tongue, and let
it stand two days; wipe it clean before you put it into the
PICKLES. SAUCES. &C. 105
pickle, which must be quite cold; boil the pickle every two
or three months, adding two or three handfuls of salt, skim-
ming it well.
Half the quantity is sufficient for two tongues.
WALNUT KETCHUP.
Thoroughly well bruise one hundred and twenty young
walnuts; put to them three quarters of a pound of salt, and
a quart of good wine vinegar; stir them every day for a fort-
night; then strain and squeeze the liquor from them through
a cloth, and set it aside; put to the husks half a pint of vine-
gar, and let it stand all night; then strain and squeeze them
as before, adding the liquor which is obtained from them to
what was put aside the preceding day, and add to it one
ounce and a quarter of whole black pepper, forty cloves,
half an ounce of nutmegs bruised, or sliced, half an ounce of
ginger, and five drachms of mace, and boil it for half an hour;
then strain it off from the spices, and bottle it for use.
WALNUT PICKLE.
Lay your walnuts in water, and change it every day for
the space of three weeks to extract all the bitterness from
them; make a pickle with spice, salt, and vinegar; let it boil
a quarter of an hour, and pour over the walnuts.
TO MELT BUTTER.
Break the butter, which ought to be very good, into small
pieces, put them into a quite clean sauce-pan, with some thin
sweet cream, or milk, milk and water, or water alone; dredge
some fine dried flour over it, hold the sauce-pan over the
fire, toss it quickly round (always one way) while the but-
ter melts, and becomes as thick as very thick cream; then
let it just boil up, turn the sauce-pan again quickly, and it
is done.
106 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Butter which is to have oysters, shrimps, lobsters, eggs
or any such thickening ingredients, should be made rather
thin, and if to be rich, a great proportion of sweet cream. If
catsup or any flavoring ingredient is to be added, let the but-
ter be melted with water only, and let the ingredient be
stirred in, by degrees, just before you send it to table.
BEEF GRAVY.
This forms the basis of many rich sauces, and is made of
lean juicy meat. Cut about four pounds into thin slices, and
score them; place a slice of raw bacon at the bottom of a
stew-pan, lay the beef upon it, and some bits of butter;
add half a large carrot, an onion, and a small head of
celery, all cut up; also a small bunch of sweet herbs, and
a bay leaf if you like. Set it over the fire to brown,
shaking the sauce-pan occasionally that the meat may not
stick. In half an hour the juices will be drawn; then put
in the quantity of boiling water required. Let it be well
scummed, and when that is no longer necessary, wipe clean
the edges of the sauce-pan and lid, and cover it close. Let
it simmer for nearly three hours, by the side of the fire; it
should stand to settle, then strain it into an earthen vessel,
and put it by in a cool place.
TOMATA SAUCE.
Put the tomatas into a jar, and stand it in a cool oven.
When they are soft, take off the skins, pick out the seeds,
beat up the pulp, a clove of garlick, a very little ginger, cay-
enne, white pepper, salt and vinegar; rub it through a sieve,
and then simmer it for a very few minutes. A little of the
juice of beet-root will improve the colour.
PICKLES, SAUCES, &C. 107
MINT SAUCE.
Wash and pick some nice young mint, and mince the
leaves very fine; mix them with fine powdered sugar, put
these into the sauce tureen and pour good white vinegar
over them.
SWEET SAUCE.
Melt some \vhite or red currant jelly, with a glass or two
of red or white wine. Or send the jelly to table in glasses,
or glass dishes.
LEMON SAUCE.
Pare a lemon, and take off all the white part; cut the
lemon in thick slices, take out the seeds, and cut the slices
into small pieces; mix them by degrees, into melted butter,
but stir it, that the butter may not oil.
CUCUMBERS AND ONIONS.
Boil in 3 pints vinegar, ilb. flour of mustard, mixed as
for table use; let it stand till cold. Slice a dozen large cu-
cumbers, and |- dozen large onions; put them into jars with
2 oz. ginger, ^ oz. white pepper, and a small quantity of
mace and cloves, and pour the vinegar, when cold, over
them. Tie down close.
RED CABBAGE.
Get a firm dark-coloured middling sized cabbage, and,
having cut out the stalk, divide the cabbage, and cut it into
slices of the breadth of narrow straws; sprinkle salt over,
and let it lie for two days; then drain the slices very dry,
and fill the jar, or jars, 3 parts full, and pour a hot pickle
over them, of strong vinegar, which has been heated,
with a due portion of black pepper, ginger, and allspice.
108 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Cover the jars to keep the steam in, and when the pickle
is cold, put in the bungs, and tie bladders over.
PICKLED MANGOES.
Take small musk-melons, cut out one piece large enough
to remove all the seeds from the inside. Prepare a filling,
of scraped horse-radish, whole mustard seed, sliced onions,
whole cloves, and allspice. Put this mixture into the man-
goes and then put in the piece you have cut out, sewing it
with coarse thread in its original shape. Pickle the same
as other pickles.
COFFEE, SHELLS, &c.
TO MAKE COFFEE.
THERE are various recipes for preparing and refining
coffee; the following is the best that has ever come under
our view, and is available in all places. Procure your cof-
fee fresh-roasted and not too brown, in the proportion of
a quarter of a pound for three persons. Let it be Mocha,
and grind it just before using. Put it in a basin, and break
into it an egg, yolk, white, shell and all. Mix it up with
a spoon to the consistence of mortar, place it with warm
not boiling water in the coffee pot; let it boil up and
break three times, then stand a few minutes, and, it will be
as clear as amber, and the egg will give it a rich taste.
COFFEE.
The coffeepot should be three parts full of boiling water;
tne coffee is to be added a spoonful at a time, and well stir-
red between each; then boil gently, still stirring to prevent
the mixture from boiling over as the coffee swells, and to
COFFEE, SHELLS, &C. 109
force it into combination with the'water. This will be effect-
ed in a few minutes, after which, the most gentle boiling
must be kept up during an hour. The coffee must then be
removed from the fire to settle; one or two spoonfuls of
cold water thrown in assists the clarification, and precipi-
tates the grounds. In about an hour, or as soon as the
liquor has become clear, it is to be poured into another ves-
sel, taking care not to disturb the sediment.
Coffee made in this manner will be of the finest flavour,
and may be kept three days in summer, and four or five in
winter; when ordered for use, it only requires heating in
the coffee-pot, and may be served up at two minutes'
notice.
The grounds or sediment which remain, will make a
second quantity of coffee, by boiling with fresh water for
an hour; this is frequently used by servants. As this pro-
cess requires some time, and a little attention, it is fre-
quently the custom for the cook to make it in the evening,
when the hurried work of the day is over.
French method of preparing it. 1st. Let your coffee
be dry, not in the least mouldy or damaged.
2d. Divide the quantity that is to be roasted into two
parts.
3d. Roast the first part in a coffee-roaster, the handle of
which must be kept constantly turning until the coffee be-
comes the colour of dried almonds or bread-raspings, and
has lost one eighth of its weight.
4th. Roast the second part until it assumes the fine brown
colour of chestnuts, and has lost one-fifth of its weight.
5th. Mix the two parts together, and grind them in a
coffee-mill.
6th. Do not roast or make your coffee until the day it is
wanted.
10
110 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
7th. To two ounces of ground coffee, put four cups of
cold water. Draw off this infusion, and put it aside.
8th. Put to the coffee which remains in the biggin, three
cups of boiling water, then drain it off and add this infusion
to that which has been put aside. By this method you
obtain three cups more.
When your coffee is wanted, heat it quickly in a silver
coffee-pot, taking care not to let it boil, that the perfume
may not be lost by undergoing any evaporation. Then
pour it into cups, which each person may sweeten accord-
ing to his taste.
Particular care should be taken not to make coffee in a
tin vessel, it should be made either in a china vessel, or
one of delft ware, or in one of silver.
To make with cold water. Upon two ounces of coffee
pour seven cups of cold water; then boil it until the coffee
falls to the bottom; when the froth has disappeared, and it
is clear at the top like boiling water, it must be taken off
the fire and allowed to stand; but as it often requires
clearing, a little cold water should be poured into it the
instant it is taken off the fire from boiling. A quicker
method of clearing it is, by putting into it a small piece of
isinglass. When it has stood a sufficient time to allow it to
settle, pour off the infusion gently into another coffee-pot;
it is then ready for use.
COCOA SHELLS.
These make a most delightful drink for breakfast or sup-
per. They are not much known except in New England,
where they are much used, being considered more whole-
some than coffee or tea. They can be obtained of the choco-
late manufacturers, and have all the agreeable flavour of
chocolate without the smallest particle of grease. They sell
for about eighteen cents the pound; but they are so light
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. Ill
that a pound contains a sufficient quantity for several meals.
The best way is to soak them in water over night and boil
them in the same water in the morning. They require a
great deal of boiling to be good. They are excellent nour-
ishment for an invalid.
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &c.
DIRECTIONS FOR PUDDINGS.
TAKE the greatest care in boiling of a pudding, that the
cloth is perfectly clean, otherwise the outside of the pud-
ding will have a disagreeable flavour; to prevent this, the
cloth should always be nicely washed and kept in a dry
place, and when wanted for use, it should be dipped in
boiling water, squeezed dry, and floured.
The water should boil quick when the pudding is put in
and it should be moved about for a minute, for fear the in-
gredients should not mix.
When the pudding is done, a pan of cold water should
be ready, and the pudding dipped into it as soon as it comes
out of the pot, which will prevent its adhering to the
cloth.
A bread pudding should be tied loose; if batter, it must
be tied tight over, and a batter-pudding should be strained
through a coarse sieve when all is mixed. In others, the
the eggs only. If you boil the pudding in a basin or pan,
take care, that it is always well buttered.
When you make your puddings without eggs, they must
have as little milk as will mix, and must boil for three or
four hours. A few spoonfuls of small beer, or one of
yeast, is the best substitute for eggs. Your puddings will
always be much lighter if you beat the yolks and whites
112 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
of the eggs long and separately. You may, if you please,
use snow instead of eggs, either in puddings or pancakes.
Two large spoonfuls will supply the place of one egg; the
snow may be taken up from any clean spot before it is
wanted, and will not lose its virtue, though the sooner it is
used the better.
BROWN BREAD PUDDING.
Mix well together half a pound of dried bread-crumbs,
and the same weight of beef suet; one pound and a half of
currants; half a pint of fresh bread-crumbs; a large spoon-
ful of sugar; the yolk of six and the whites of three eggs;
and having seasoned it with nutmeg and cinnamon, boil it
for two hours. It may be served with or without sauce.
ECONOMICAL PUDDING.
Make a nice light paste, but not very rich; roll it out thin,
then spread some clean treacle all over it, and thereon
sprinkle some dried currants; roll it up, and put a cloth
round it; then boil it for about two hours, according to the
size. The currants may be omitted, if preferred.
CHRISTMAS PUDDING.
One pound of bread crumbs, rubbed through the colan-
der; half a pound of flour; one pound and a quarter of suet
very finely chopped; quarter pound of sugar; one pound
of currants; half pound of rasins, stoned and chopped.
Mix well together, and then add two ounces candied cit-
ron; one ounce ditto orange-peel; one ditto lemon peel; one
nutmeg, grated; a little mace, cinnamon, and three cloves
pounded; quarter of a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger;
the peel of one lemon finely chopped. Mix well again,
and then add one wine-glassful of brandy; one ditto white
wine; the juice of one lemon. Mix well together, and then
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 113
stir in gradually six well-beaten eggs. Boil five hours, and
sift sugar over the top when served.
It is exceedingly convenient when making Christmas
pudding, to boil several at once in various sized moulds or
basins, as they will keep well for a month or six weeks,
and can be served on an emergency by merely re-boiling
them say one hour for a pint basin. After the first boiling
remove the cloth, and when the pudding is cold cover it
with a dry clean cloth.
PLAIN LEMON PUDDING.
The juice of three lemons, the peel of one rubbed off
with sugar, six ounces loaf sugar powdered (excepting what
has been used for the lemon peel,) a good sized teacupful
of bread-crumbs; while it is soaking together, beat up four
eggs, leaving out two whites; melt one ounce of fresh but-
ter, and mix all well together; line and edge a dish with
puff paste, pour in the above, and bake in a quick oven for
three quarters of an hour.
TAPIOCA PUDDING.
One quart of cold milk; six table spoonfuls of tapioca; set
on the fire, and stir till it boils; add one ounce and a half pow-
dered loaf sugar, and set it on the fire and let it boil a quarter
of an hour, stirring occasionally; take it off and turn it into
a pan or basin, and stir in immediately one ounce of fresh
butter, and three eggs well beaten; pour it into a buttered
pie or pudding dish, and bake gently one hour. This pud-
ding may be boiled for one hour and a half, adding two
eggs. In either case it is better to prepare the topica early
enough for it to be quite cold before baking or boiling, and
if boiled, it must stand a full quarter of an hour after it is
taken up, or it will not turn out whole. It is a very deli
10*
114 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
cate-looking pudding when boiled and ornamented with red
A BAKED APPLE PUDDING.
Butter a pie dish and line it with crumbs of bread, then
place a layer of apple (cut as for pie,) in the bottom of the
dish, sprinkle it with moist sugar, then a layer of crumbs,
and so on alternately till the dish is filled, ending with a
thick layer of crumbs; pour melted fresh butter over it, and
bake for an hour.
PUDDINGS THAT ARE QUICKLY MADE AND WITHOUT
MUCH EXPENSE.
Beat up four spoonfuls of flour with a pint of milk and
four eggs to a good batter, nutmegs and sugar to your taste;
butter teacups, fill them three parts full, and send them to
the oven. A quarter of an hour will bake them.
THE BAKE WELL PUDDING.
Having covered a dish with thin puff paste, put a layer
of any kind of jam about half an inch thick, then take the
yolks of eight eggs and two whites, half a pound of sugar,
half a pound of butter melted, and almond flavour to your
taste; beat all well together; pour the mixture into the dish
an inch thick, and bake it about an hour in a moderate oven.
APPLE DUMPLINGS.
Choose six or eight good sized baking apples, pare
them, roll out some good paste, divide it into as many
pieces as you have apples; roll and cut two rounds from
each, put an apple on one piece and put the other over;
join the edges neatly, tie them in cloths, and boil .them.
Baked. Make them in the same way, but instead of
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 115
tieing them in cloths lay them in a buttered dish and bake
them.
APPLE PUDDING BAKED.
Pare and quarter four large apples; boil them tender, with
the rind of a lemon, in so little water, that when done, none
may remain; beat them quite fine in a mortar; add the crumb
of a small roll, four ounces of butter melted, the yolks of
five and whites of three eggs, juice of half a lemon and su-
gar to taste; beat altogether and lay in a dish with paste to
turn out.
APPLE TART.
Pare, core, and cut the best sort of baking apples in small
pieces, and lay them in a dish previously lined with a puff-
crust; strew over them pounded sugar, cinnamon, mace,
nutmeg, cloves, and lemon peel chopped small, then a layer
of apples, then spice and so on till the dish is full, pour
over the whole a glass and a half of white wine. Cover
it with puff-crust, and bake it. When done, take off the
crust and mix in with the apples two ounces of fresh butter,
and then pour in two eggs well beaten; lay the crust on
again, and serve either hot or cold. You may add pounded
almonds and a little lemon juice.
BARLEY PUDDING.
Take a pound of pearl barley well washed, three quarts
of new milk, one quart of cream, and half a pound of double
refined sugar, a grated nutmeg, and some salt; mix them
well together, then put them into a deep pan, and bake it;
then take it out of the oven, and put into it six eggs well
beaten, six ounces of beef marrow, and a quarter of a pound
of grated bread; mix all well together; then put it into ano-
ther pan, bake it again, and it will be excellent.
116 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
PEARL BARLEY PUDDING.
Get a pound of pearl barley, wash it clean, put to it three
quarts of new milk, and half a pound of double refined sugar,
a nutmeg grated; then put it into a deep pan, and bake it.
Take it out of the oven, beat up six eggs, mix all well to-
gether, butter a dish, pour it in, bake it again an hour, and
it will be excellent.
.7
BATTER PUDDING.
Take six spoonfuls of flour, put them in a stewpan with
about a tea spoonful of salt and a half a nutmeg grated; mix
this up with about a pint and a half of new milk; beat up
six eggs in a basin and stir them well in the batter; butter
a basin or mould well, pour it in, tie it tight with a cloth,
and boil it two hours and a half; serve with wine sauce.
This pudding may also be baked, for which three quarters
of an hour are sufficient. Currants or stoned raisins may
be added.
Without eggs. Mix six spoonfuls of flour with a small
portion of a quart of milk; and when smooth add the re-
mainder of the milk, a tea spoonful of salt, two tea spoon-
fuls of grated ginger, and two of tincture of saffron; stir all
together well, and boil it an hour. Fruit may be added or
not.
BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING.
Cut a small loaf in thin slices of bread and butter, as for
tea, butter a dish, lay slices over it, strew currants on them,
then lay the bread and butter, strew currants, and so on till
the dish is full. Beat up four eggs with a pint of milk, a
little salt, nutmeg and sugar, and pour over the pudding.
Lay a puff-paste round, and bake it; half an hour will be
sufficient.
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 117
BREAD PUDDING.
Cut two or three French rolls in slices, and soak them
in a pint of cream or good milk; beat up the yolks of six
eggs with them, and add sugar, orange-flower water, three
pounded macaroons, and a glass of white wine; tie it up in
a basin or buttered cloth, let the water boil when you put
in the pudding, and boil it for half an hour. Serve with
wine sauce.
CHARLOTTE.
Cut a sufficient number of thin slices of white bread to
cover the bottom and line the sides of a baking-dish, first
rubbing it thickly with butter. Put thin slices of apples
into the dish in layers, till the dish is full, strewing sugar
and bits of butter between. In the mean time, soak as many
thin slices of bread as will cover the whole, in warm milk;
over which place a plate, and a weight, to keep the bread
close upon the apples; let it bake slowly for three hours.
CHERRY PUDDING.
Make a paste with butter, or suet chopped small, rubbed
into flour, and moisten with water; line a basin (well but-
tered) with this, put in picked cherries, cover the top with
a crust, tie it in a cloth, and boil it. Other fruit may be
added. Some boil fruit puddings in a cloth without a basin.
Another way. Make a plain batter pudding, and stir in
picked cherries, taking care not to break them. The batter
must be made thicker and with more eggs, than for plain
boiling. Tie it in a cloth, and boil as any other pudding.
/
CUSTARD.
Boil a pint of milk with lemon-peel and cinnamon; mix a
118 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
pint of cream, and the yolks of five eggs, well beaten; when
the milk tastes of the seasoning, sweeten it enough for
the whole; pour it into the cream, stirring it well; then
give the custard a simmer till of a proper thickness. Do
not let it boil; stir the whole time one way; then season
with a large spoonful of peach water, and two tea-spoonfuls
of brandy, or a little ratafia. If you wish your custards
to be extremely rich, put no milk, but a quart of cream.
BAKED CUSTARD.
Boil a pint of cream with mace and cinnamon; when cold,
take four eggs, leaving out two of the whites, a little rose
and orange-flower water, a little white wine, nutmeg, and
sugar to your taste; mix them well together, and bake them
in china cups.
~PLAIN CUSTARD.
Take a quart of cream or new milk, a stick of cinnamon,
four bay leaves, and some mace; boil them all together; then
well beat up twelve eggs, sweeten them, and put them into
a pan; bake or boil them, stirring them all one way, till they
are of a proper thickness; boil your spice and leaves first,
and when the milk is cold, mix your eggs and boil it; you
may leave out the spice, and only use the bay leaves, or in
the room of that, four or five bitter almonds.
CUSTARD PUDDING.
Mix a pint of cream with six eggs, well beaten, two spoon-
fuls of flour, half a nutmeg grated, and salt and sugar to your
taste; butter a cloth, and pour in your batter; tie it up, put
it into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil for an
hour and a half. Serve, with melted butter for sauce.
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 119
MACARONI PUDDING.
Take an ounce or two of the pipe sort of macaroni, and
simmer it in a pint of milk, and a bit of lemon-peel and cin-
namon, till tender; put it into a dish, with milk, three eggs,
but only one white, some sugar, nutmeg, a spoonful of al-
mond-water, and half a glass of raisin wine; lay a nice paste
round the edge of the dish, and put it in the oven to bake.
If you choose you may put in a layer of orange-marma-
lade, or raspberry-jam: in this case you must not put in the
almond-water, or ratafia, you would otherwise add too
much flavour it.
OATMEAL PUDDING, NEW ENGLAND FASHION.
Steep a pint of whole oatmeal in a quart of boiling milk
over night, in the morning shred half a pound of beef
suet very fine, and mix with the oatmeal and milk, some
grated nutmeg, and a little salt; with the yolks and whites
of three eggs, a quarter of a pound of currants; a quarter of
a pound of raisins, and a sufficient quantity of sugar to
sweeten it; stir the whole well together, tie it pretty close,
and boil it for two hours. Serve with melted butter for
sauce.
PANCAKES.
Make a good batter in the usual way with eggs, milk and
flour; pour this into a pan, so that it lays very thin; let your
lard, or whatever else you fry them in, be quite hot. When
one side is done, toss it up lightly to turn it. Serve with
lemon and sugar.
/
PEAS PUDDING.
Take a pint of good split peas, aud having washed, soak
120 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
them well in warm water; then tie them in a cloth, put the
pudding into a saucepan of hot water, and boil it until quite
soft. When done, beat it up with a little butter and salt;
serve it with boiled pork or beef.
PLUM PUDDING.
Cut the crumb of a small loaf into slices, pour over them
a sufficient quantity of boiling milk to soak them; when
quite soft, beat the bread up with half a pound of clarified
suet, half a pound of raisins stoned, half a pound of currants,
sugar to the taste, five eggs well beaten, candied orange,
lemon, and citron, and a few bitter almonds, pounded; mix
the ingredients thoroughly, add a cup of brandy, pour it
into a dish, and bake it. When done turn it out, and strew
powder-sugar over.
These ingredients make as good a pudding, boiled. Take
care to flour well the cloth, or mould used for this purpose.
Few things require more boiling than a plum-pudding; be
careful, therefore, to let it be sufficiently done.
POTATOE PUDDING.
Having thoroughly boiled two pounds of potatoes, peel
and pound them well, then mix them with half a pound of
melted butter, the same of powder-sugar, and six eggs; beat
the whole well, then add a handful or two of flour, and a
glass of white wine; stir these in, tie it in a buttered cloth,
and boil it for half an hour.
Or, To two pounds of potatoes, boiled and mashed,
when cold, add three eggs well beaten, two ounces of moist
sugar, a little nutmeg, and a pint of new milk; add lemon-
peel if you please. Bake it.
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 121
RICE PANCAKES.
Boil half a pound of rice in a small quantity of water,
until quite a jelly; as soon as it is cold, mix it with a pint
of cream, eight eggs, a little salt and nutmeg; make eight
ounces of butter just warm, and stir in with the rest, adding
to the whole as much butter as will make the batter thick
enough. They must be fried in as small a quantity of lard
as possible.
RICE PUDDING BOILED.
Take six ounces of whole rice, and when sufficiently
boiled, stir in a table-spoonful and a half of suet, shred fine;
when that is melted, take it up, add one egg, and two
ounces of moist sugar. Boil these together three quarters
of an hour.
Or, Well wash and pick some rice, tie it in a cloth, leav-
ing plenty of room for it to swell. Boil it in a quantity of
water for an hour or two. When done; eat it with butter
and sugar, or milk.
RICE PUDDING WITH CURRANTS.
Tie five ounces of whole rice in a cloth, leaving it room to
swell, boil it half an hour, then take it up, add three table-
spoonfuls of suet, shred fine, five ounces of currants, and
two eggs, well beaten; tie it up again, and boil it an hour
and a half.
DUTCH RICE PUDDING.
Soak four ounces of rice for half an hour, in warm water;
then drain the water from it, and put it into a stewpan, with
half a pint of milk, half a stick of cinnamon, and let it sim-
mer until tender. When cold, add four whole eggs, well
beaten, three ounces of sugar, a quarter of a nutmeg, a
11
122 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
good-sized piece of lemon-peel, and two ounces of butter
melted in cream. Line a dish or mould, with light puff
paste, put in the above, and bake in a quick oven.
RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT.
Swell the rice in a little milk over the fire; then mix with
it either currants or goose-berries scalded, or apples pared
and quartered, raisins, or black currants, add one egg to the
rice, to bind it; boil it well, and serve with sugar.
GROUND RICE PUDDING.
Boil a very large spoonful of ground rice in a pint of new
milk, with lemon-peel and cinnamon. When cold, add
sugar, nutmeg, and two eggs well beaten; put a puff-paste
round your dish, put in the above, and bake.
SMALL RICE PUDDING.
Simmer two large spoonfuls of rice in half a pint of milk
until it is thick, then add to it a bit of butter the size of an
egg, and about half a pint of thick cream, and give it one
boil. When cold, mix the yolks of four eggs, and the whites
of two, well beaten, sugar and nutmeg according to taste,
add grated lemon, and a little cinnamon. Butter some little
cups, lay some orange or citron at the bottom, and fill them
about three parts full with the above. Bake three quarters
of an hour in a slow oven. Serve the moment before they
are to be eaten, with sweet sauce in a boat.
SAGO PUDDING.
Boil two ounces of sago with some cinnamon, and a bit
of lemon-peel, till it is soft and thick; mix the crumb of a
small roll finely grated, with a glass of red wine, four oun-
ces of chopped marrow, the yolks of four eggs well beaten,
sugar according to taste; when the sago is cold, add this
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 123
mixture to it; stir the whole well together, and put it in a
dish lined with a light puff paste, and set it in a moderate
oven to bake; when done, stick it all over with citron cut in
pieces, and almonds blanched and cut in slips.
Or, Boil two ounces of sago until tender, in a pint of milk;
when cold, add five eggs, two biscuits, a little brandy, and
sweeten according to taste; put this into a basin and boil.
Serve with melted butter mixed with wine and sugar.
Or, Wash half a pound of sago in several waters (warm);
then put it into a saucepan with a pint of good milk, and a
little cinnamon; let it boil till thick, stirring frequently; pour
it into a pan, and beat up with it half a pound of fresh but-
ter; add to it the yolks of eight, and whites of four eggs,
beaten separately, half a glass of white wine, sugar accord-
ing to taste, and a little flour; mix all together well, and boil
it. Serve with sweet sauce.
SIPPET PUDDING.
Cut a small loaf into extremely thin slices, and put a lay-
er of them at the bottom of a dish, then a layer of marrow,
or beef-suet, a layer of currants, and then a layer of bread
again, &c.. and so continue until the dish is tilled; mix four
eggs, well beaten, with a quart of cream, a nutmeg, a quarter
of a pound of sugar, and pour over; set it in the oven, it
will take half an hour baking.
SUET PUDDING.
Mix a pound and a quarter of flour, to a pound of shred
suet, with two eggs beaten separately, a little salt, and as
little milk as will make it. Let it boil for four hours. It
eats very nice the next day, cut in slices and broiled.
124 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
TAPIOCA PUDDING.
Put four table-spoonmis of tapioca into a quart of milk,
and let it remain all night, then put a spoonful of brandy,
some lemon-peel, and a little spice; let them boil gently, add
four eggs, and the whites well beaten, and a quarter of a
pound of sugar. Bake it.
GROUND RICE PUDDING.
Put four ouuces of ground rice into a stew-pan, stir into it,
by degrees, one pint and a half of milk, add a bit of cinna-
mon and lemon peel, set it over the fire, and stir till it boils;
beat it to a smooth batter, and let it simmer gently for a
quarter of an hour; then add three eggs well beaten, a little
powdered sugar, nutmeg, and a spoonful of orange flower
water; stir all well together, and bake in a dish, with a paste
border round it, for half an hour. Currants may be added
to this. It may be boiled in a mould, for an hour. Indian
com flower makes a very good pudding, in the same way.
PANCAKES.
These are very generally liked, though not the most
wholesome things in the world. The batter requires long
beating; but the art in making pancakes consists in frying
them. The lard, butter, or dripping must be sweet, fresh,
and hot, as for fish. Beat two eggs, and stir them, with a
little salt, into three table-spoonfuls of flour (or allow an egg
to each spoonful of flour,) add, by degrees, a pint of new
milk; and beat it to a smooth batter. Make a small round
frying-pan quite hot, put a piece of butter, or lard, into it,
and, when it has melted, pour it out and wipe the pan; put
a piece more in, and when it has melted and begins to froth,
pour a ladle or tea-cupful of the batter in, toss the pan round
PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, &C. 125
run a knife round the edges; and turn the pancake when the
top is of a light brown; brown the other side; roll it up, and
serve very hot. Before it is rolled up, some people spread
currant jelly lightly over, or orange or apple marmalade.
Cream, and more eggs may be used to make the pancakes
richer. A little brandy, or peach water is an improvement.
Serve white wine sauce. A lemon should be on the table,
as some people like to flavour pancakes with the juice.
FRITTERS.
Make batter the same as directed for pancakes, but stiffer;
pour a large spoonful into boiling lard, or dripping; fry as
many at a time as the pan will hold. Sift powdered sugar
over, and serve them on a hot dish. Fritters are usually
made with finely minced apple, or currants well washed
and picked, stirred into the batter; or any sweetmeat which
is stiff enough to be cut into little bits; or candied lemon or
orange peel.
APPLE FRITTERS.
Make a stiff common pancake batter. Boil half a stick
of cinnamon in a breakfast-cupful of water, and set it by to
cool. Peel and core some large apples, cut round slices,
and steep them for half an hour, or more, in the cinnamon
water; then dip each piece in the batter and fry them in
lard, or clarified dripping. Drain them, dust sugar over each
one, and serve them hot. Or, to make a very pretty dish:
drop batter into the pan, enough to form a fritter the size of
the slices of apple, lay a slice of apple upon that, and drop
batter on the top. Or, the apples may be pared, cored, half
baked (whole,) then dipped in batter, and fried.
11*
126 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
SWEET POTATOE PUDDING.
Boil the potatoes and mash them very smooth. To two
cups full of potatoe add two cups of sugar, one of butter, one
glass of brandy or wine, five eggs, one nutmeg and the gra-
ted rind of lemon. Bake with an under crust.
PASTRY, CAKES, &c.
PASTE.
BE very particular that your slab or paste table, rolling-
pin and cutters are clean, and free from all old paste, and
be very careful that both the flour and butter are extremely
good. Have a dry sieve always in readiness, in or by the
flour tub, so as to use none without sifting it; for, though
it may appear pure and fine, bran, or small particles of old
paste may have fallen into it; sifting is, therefore, always
necessary.
Weigh one pound of flour, lay it in a circle on the slab:
break one egg into the centre, put a small quantity of salt,
and a little bit of butter; mix all these together lightly, add
a little water, mix them again, then add more water, and so
proceed until it binds into paste; but take care that you do
not make it too stiff, nor squeeze it much together, till you
find there is sufficient water; then work it well together,
and roll it out on the slab, but do not roll it too thin; work
a pound of butter on the slab, spread it out to the size of
the paste, with a knife cut it off altogether, and lay it on
the paste; then double the ends of the paste together, to in-
close the butter; then give it one turn, thus: roll it out till
you just perceive the butter through the paste; turn the end
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 127
which is next to you half way over, and the other end over
that, roll it once or twice with the rolling-pin, then let it
stand; this is called one turn; then in three minutes time,
turn it again, and so proceed until you have given it six
turns then roll it out any shape you please.
LEMON PUFFS.
Half a pound of double refined sugar beat and sifted,
grate into it the yellow rind of one large lemon, or two
smaller ones, then whip up the white of an egg to a froth,
and mix the three ingredients together, working them to
the consistency of good paste; lay this on writing paper,
bake it in a very slow oven; lay some round and some long,
do not touch them with your hands.
MRS. HILL'S CAKES.
A pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound
of butter, the yolks of two eggs, and the peel of two
lemons cut very small, to be rolled into thin cakes; to be
put into the oven to bake when the bread is drawn.
IRISH PLUM CAKE.
Take one pound of butter beat to a cream, a pound of
sugar dried and pounded, eight eggs, if small ones nine, the
yolks beat, and the whites whisked to a light froth, one
pound of well dried currants, one nutmeg, a noggin of
brandy, two ounces of dried citron, the same quantity of
sweet almonds, one pound and a quarter of flour dried and
sifted; the almonds, citron and currants must be added just
before it is put in the oven.
/
BISCUITS.
A pound and a half of flour made wet with equal quan-
tities of milk and water moderately warm, made stiff, and
128 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
rolled out very thin; cut them to any size you please, prick
them, and bake them in a moderate oven on a tin. No flour
to be put on the tins or biscuits.
QUICKLY MADE AND CHFAP CAKE.
Five eggs, leaving out two whites and beaten separately,
the whites to a froth; five ounces of sugar dissolved in
three parts of a wine-glass of water, put into a saucepan to
boil, and pour the dissolved sugar, boiling, into the eggs;
when nearly cold, mix in a quarter of a pound of flour
by degrees. Three quarters of an hour in a quick oven
will bake it.
LEMON SOLID.
Dissolve ten ounces of isinglass in a little milk; grate the
rinds of four lemons into their juice: sweeten one quart
of cream with powdered loaf sugar; add the lemon juice
to the cream, stirring it all the time, and when the isinglass
is quite cold (but not stiff) add it also; stir it well and strain
it through muslin into a mould.
FRITTERS WHICH MAY BE MADE QUICKLY.
One egg; two spoonfuls of flour; a little sifted sugar and
ginger; milk sufficient to make a smooth batter; cut a mid-
dling sized apple into thick slices, and put into the batter,
and with a spoon p^t them into the frying pan, with just
the batter which is taken up in the spoon; have a sieve with
the bottom up, and, as fried, lay the fritters upon it to
drain. The above quantity is sufficient fora small dish for
supper.
LIQUID JELLY.
Take six lemons, pare them very thin, squeeze out the
juice, and put in the peel without the seeds; let it stand all
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 129
night, then put in half a pound of loaf sugar, mixing it
well with the juice; add one pint of boiling water, and one
pint of siveet but good wine; mix all well together; then
add one pint of boiling milk, boil it altogether once, then
strain it through a jelly bag; it will sometimes run clear the
second or third time, and sometimes requires to run through
oftener.
MINCED MEAT FOR PIES.
A pound and a half of boiled tongue; two pounds of beef
suet two pounds of cleaned'currants; one pound of cleaned and
stewed raisins, chopped fine; three-quarters of a pound fine
moist sugar; the peel of two large lemons chopped fine; half
anounce of cloves and mace; one ounce of nutmeg; the juice
of one lemon; half-pint of brandy; half-pint of port-wine;
candied peel according to taste. This mixture improves by
standing a few weeks, and adding a little brandy from time
to time. To be kept in a cool dry place.
MRS. BARTON'S SPONGE CAKE.
Dissolve three-quarters of a pound of lump sugar in half
a pint of water, simmer it over a slow fire until it is quite
clear, then pour it into a bowl, adding the grated rind of a
lemon, and keep stirring until it is cold. Then take the
yolks of eight eggs and the whites of two; beat them for
a quarter of an hour; mix the eggs and syrup together, and
beat the mixture half an hour longer. Just before you put
it into the oven, stir in by degrees half a pound of flour.
One hour and a quarter will bake it.
LEMON CHEESE-CAKE.
One pound of lump sugar broken into pieces; six eggs,
leaving out two whites; the juice of three lemons, the
rinds of two grated, and a quarter of a pound of butter.
130 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Put all these ingredients into a pan, stirring them gently
over a slow fire, until the mixture becomes thick and looks
like honey. This mixture will keep for twelve months,
if put in ajar, tied down with a paper, and kept in a dry
cool place.
GOOD PLAIN GINGERBREAD.
Three-quarters of a pound of flour; a quarter of a pound
of butter; a quarter of a pound of sugar; a quarter of a
pound of treacle; a table-spoonful of cream, and ginger
to the taste. Mix all together into a stiff paste; roll it out
thin and cut into small cakes: a little candied orange and
lemon peel is a great improvement.
FAMILY POUND CAKE.
One pound of flour, dried; half pound of butter beat to
a cream; half a pound of pounded white sugar half a pound of
currants, dried (these may of course be omitted, or caraways
substituted if preferred,) four eggshalf a pint of milk. Bake
it carefully.
PLAIN CAKE.
Three quarters of a pound of flour; the same of moist
sugar; quarter pound of butter; one egg; two table-spoon-
fuls of milk. Mix all together, and bake it.
RICE CAKES.
Eio-ht eggs; half the whites; whip them swiftly for ten
minutes; half pound of ground rice; six ounces powdered
sugar. The peel of one lemon grated; whip all together
half an hour with a whisk, butter the tin and bake twenty
minutes. If a few caraway seeds are added, this cake is
strongly recommended for weak stomachs.
PASTRY, CAKES. &C. 131
TEA CAKES.
Melt in milk two ounces of butter, mix with it a pound
of flour, add one egg and a spoonful of yeast; make up the
dough in small round cakes; flatten them a little; bake
them on a buttered tin. These cakes are intended to be
buttered and eaten hot.
GERMAN PUFFS.
A quarter of a pound of almonds beat well in a mortar
with a little wine, or cream, six eggs, three whites, three
spoonfuls and a half of flour, half a pint of cream, quarter
of a pint of butter; sweeten to your taste; butter your cups
and bake them half an hour; this quantity makes twelve
puffs in middle-sized tea-cups.
BATH BUNS.
Rub together, with the hand, one pound of fine flour and
half a pound of butter; beat six eggs, and add them to the
flour with a table spoonful of good yeast. Mix them alto-
gether with half a tea cup full of milk; set it in a warm place
for an hour; mix in six ounces of sifted sugar, and a few car-
away seeds. Mould them into buns with a table-spoon on
a baking plate; throw six or eight caraway comfits on each,
and bake them in a hot oven about ten minutes. These
quantities should make eighteen buns.
QUEEN CAKE.
Beat one pound of butter to cream, with some rose-water,
one pound of flour dried, one pound of sifted sugar, twelve
eggs, beat all well together; add a few currants washed and
dried; butter small pans of a size for the purpose, grate su-
gar over them; they are soon baked. They may be done in
a Dutch oven.
132 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
COMMON SEED CAKE.
One pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, a quar-
ter of a pound of sugar, a few caraways, a pint of milk, a
spoonful of yeast, mixed well together; let it stand a long
time before the fire, then put it in the oven.
SPONGE CAKE.
Weigh ten eggs, and their weight in very fine sugar, and
that of six in flour; beat the yolks with the flour, and the
whites alone, to a very stiff froth; then by degrees mix the
whites and the flour with the other ingredients, and beat
them well half an hour. Bake in a quick oven an hour.
CARAWAY CAKES.
To a pound of flour, add a pound of fresh butter, eight
spoonfuls of good yeast, four spoonfuls of rose-water, the
yolks of three eggs, as many caraways as you please, four
ounces of sugar, knead all into a paste, make it up into any
form you please, and when they come out of the oven, strew
over powdered sugar.
GINGERBREAD.
Rub one pound of butter well into three pounds of flour;
then add one pound of powdered sugar, one pound of treacle,
and two ounces of ginger pounded and sifted very fine; one
nutmeg grated very fine; then warm a quarter of a pint of
cream, and mix all together; you may add caraways and
sweetmeats if you choose; make it into a stiff paste, and
bake it in a slow oven.
If cake or biscuits are kept in paper or a drawer, they
will acquire a disagreeable taste. A pan and cover, or tu-
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 133
reen, will preserve them long and moist; or if to be crisp,
laying them before the fire will make them so.
GINGERBREAD WITHOUT BUTTER.
Mix two pounds of treacle: of orange, lemon, citron, and
candied ginger, each four ounces, all thinly sliced; one ounce
of coriander seeds, one ounce of caraways, and one ounce
of beaten ginger, in as much paste as will make a soft paste;
lay it in cakes or tin plates, and bake it in a quick oven.
Keep it dry in a covered earthen vessel, and it will be good
for some months.
GINGERBREAD NUTS.
Take four pounds of flour, half a pound of sifted sugar, an
ounce of carraway seeds, half an ounce of ginger pounded
and sifted, six ounces of fresh butter, and two ounces of
candied orange-peel cut into small slices; then take a pound
of treacle or honey, and a gill of cream, make them warm
together; mix it, with all the ingredients, into a paste, and
let it lay six hours: then roll it out, make it into nuts, and
bake them in a moderate oven.
GINGER CAKES.
Put four pounds of flour upon the dresser; then take a
copper sauce-pan, and break into it six eggs, and mix them
well with a spoon; add one pint of cream to them, and beat
them well; put the saucepan over the fire, stir till your mix-
ture is warm; put two pounds of butter into the cream and
eggs, and one pound of sugar, and keep stirring it over a
very slow fire, just to melt all the butter; put in four ounces
of pounded ginger, and as soon as all the butter is melted,
pour it all into the middle of the flour; mix it as well as you
possibly can, till it becomes a fine paste, then roll it out with
flour under it, on your dresser; cut them to the size of the
12
134 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
top of a tea-cup, a quarter of an inch in thickness; and be-
fore you put them into the oven (which should be very hot,)
place three papers under them.
JUMBLES.
Mix one pound of fine flour with one pound of fine pow-
der sugar, make them into a light paste with whites of eggs
well beaten; add half a pint of cream, half a pound of fresh
butter, melted, and a pound of blanched almonds, pounded;
knead them all together, thoroughly, with a little rose-wa-
ter, and cut out the jumbles into whatever forms you think
proper; bake them in a gentle oven.
MACAROONS.
Take a pound of sweet almonds blanched, and nicely
pounded, add a little rose-water to prevent their oiling; add
a pound of sifted sugar, then whisk the whites of ten e^gs
to a solid froth, and add to the above; beat all together for
some time. Have ready water paper on tin plates, drop the
mixture over it separately, the size of a shilling, or smaller:
sift over them a little sugar, and bake them.
MINCE PIES.
Weigh two pounds of scraped beef, free from skin and
strings; of suet, picked and chopped, four pounds, then add
six pounds of currants, nicely cleaned, and perfectly dried,
three pounds of chopped apples, the peel and juice of two
lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a nutmeg, a quarter of an
ounce of cloves, the same quantity of mace, in the finest
powder; mix the whole well together, and put it into a pan,
and keep it covered in a dry cool place.
Have some citron, orange, and lemon peel, ready; and put
some of each in the pies when made.
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 135
MINCE PIE WITHOUT MEAT.
Take a pound of currants, a pound of apples chopped
fine, a pound of moist sugar, a pound of suet well chopped,
a quarter of a pound of raisins, stoned and chopped small,
the juice of two lemons, the rind of one shred fine, nutmeg,
and mace, according to taste, and a glass of brandy. Mix all
well together, put it in a pan, and keep it closely tied up.
MUFFINS.
Mix two pounds of flour with a couple of eggs, two oun-
ces of butter melted in a pint of milk, and four or five spoon-
fuls of yeast; beat it thoroughly, and set it to rise two or
three hours. Bake it on a hot hearth in flat cakes, and turn
them, when done, on one side.
Or, Take two quarts of warm water, two spoonfuls of
yeast, three pounds of flour; heat it well for half an hour, and
let it stand an hour or two; bake them on an iron baking-stove
(rub it well over with mutton-suet as often as they are laid
on); as soon as they begin to colour turn them; they will be
sufficiently baked when coloured on both sides.
RHUBARB TART.
Let the stalks be of a good size, take off the thin skin,
and cut them into lengths of four or five inches; lay them in
a dish, and put over a thin syrup of sugar and water; cover
with another dish, and let it simmer slowly for an hour upon
a hot hearth, or do them in a block-tin saucepan. As soon
as cold, make it into a tart; when tender, the baking the
crust will be sufficient; or you may cut the stalks into little
bits, the ^ize of gooseberries, and make your tart the same
as gooseberry tart.
136 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
RICE CHEESE.
Boil an ounce of rice, thick as hasty pudding, in rather
less than half a pint of milk (new); pour it hot on an ounce
and a half of butter, the same weight of Lisbon sugar, mixing
it well together; let it stand till cold; then add one egg, and
the yolk of another, and a little white wine.
ROLLS.
Warm an ounce of butter in half a pint of milk, then add
a spoonful and a half of yeast of small-beer, and a little salt.
Put two pounds of flour into a pan, and put in the above.
Set it to rise for an hour; knead it well; make it into seven
rolls, and bake them in a quick oven.
FRENCH ROLLS.
Rub one ounce of butter into a pound of flour; then add to
it one egg beaten, a little yeast that is not bitter, and a suf-
ficient quantity of milk, to make a dough of moderate stiff-
ness. Beat it well, but do not knead it; let it rise, and bake
on tins.
Or, Warm three spoonfuls of milk, and the same quan-
tity of water, with a bit of butter the size of a walnut, put
it' to two spoonfuls of thick yeast; put 'this into the middle
of rather more than a quart of flour, mix the whole together
to the consistence of a batter-pudding, adding more flour
if necessary, to make it the proper thickness; strew a little
flour over it, from the sides and if the weather is cold, set it
at a little distance from the fire; do this three hours before it
is put into ihe oven; when it breaks a good deal'through the
flour and rises, work it into a light paste with more warm
milk and water; let it lie till within a quarter of an hour of
setting into the oven, then work them lightly into rolls;
floar a tin, and drop them on, handle them as little as pos-
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 137
sible; set them before the fire. About twenty minutes will
be sufficient time to bake them; put a little salt into the flour.
Rasp the rolls.
HOT SHORT ROLLS.
Dry before the fire a sufficient quantity of flour to make
three penny rolls, or larger if you like; add to it an egg well
beaten, a little salt, two spoonfuls of yeast, and a little warm
milk; make into a light dough, let it stand by the fire all
night. Bake the rolls in a quick oven.
RUSKS.
Melt four ounces of butter in half a pint of new milk;
then add to this seven eggs well beaten, a quarter of a pint
of yeast, and three ounces of sugar, put this mixture, by de-
grees, into as much flour as will make an extremely light
paste, more like batter, and set it to rise before the fire for
half an hour; then add more flour to make it rather stiffer,
but not stiff. Work it well, and divide it into small loaves
or cakes about five or six inches wide, and flatten them.
When baked and cold, slice them the thickness of rusks, and
brown them a little in the oven.
APPLE PIE.
Russetings, ribstone pippins, and such other apples as
have a little acid, are the best for baking. Pare, core, and
slice the apples, throwing them into cold water to prevent
their turning black, sprinkle sugar between, as you put them
into the pie dish, also a little pounded cinnamon and cloves.
Some slices of quince are a great improvement, or quince
marmalade, or candied citron or orange peel. Put a strip of
paste round the edge of the dish, and cover with a rich light
paste.
12*
138 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
CRANBERRY TART.
The cranberries should be stewed first, with brown
sugar, and a very little water, and then baked in open tarts,
or in patty -pans, lined and covered with very light puff paste.
TARTS OF PRESERVED FRUITS.
Cover patty-pans, or shallow tins or dishes, with light
puff paste, and lay the preserve in them, cover with light
cross bars of puff paste, or with paste stars, leaves, or flow-
ers. For the most delicate preserves, the best way is to
bake the paste first, then put in the preserves, and ornament
with leaves, baked for the purpose, on tins.
MINCE PIES.
Par-roast, or slightly bake, about two pounds of good lean
beef, and two pounds of good beef suet; chop both these
fine, and put to them two pounds of apples pared, cored, and
chopped; also one pound of raisins, stoned, and three pounds
of currants, washed, picked, and both chopped; one pound
of good moist sugar, half a pound of citron, and one pound
of candied lemon or orange peel, both cut into thin slices;
mix all these well together, in a brown pan, and add two
nutmegs grated, one ounce of salt, one ounce of ginger, half
an ounce of coriander seeds, half an ounce of allspice, half
an ounce of cloves, the juice of six lemons, and their rinds
grated, half a pint of brandy, and a pint of sweet, or ginger
wine. Mix it well together, and it will keep for some time,
if covered close, and in a cool place. When you are about
to use any of it, stir up well from the bottom, and add a lit-
tle more brandy, to the quantity you use. Cover patty-pans,
saucers, or shallow pie dishes, with a rich puff, or plain
paste, fill them with the mince, and cover with a paste, pare
PASTRY, CAKES, &C. 139
and mark the edges neatly. Bake them, in a moderate oven,
half an hour, and send them to table quite hot. Orange
flower water is an improvement, and madeira may be used
instead of sweet wine.
Or, boil two calf's feet till they are quite tender, and let
them get cold; then mince the meat with suet, apples, and
well washed currants. Put to the mixture a quarter of a
pint of raisin or any white wine, and then put it in a pie
dish; cover with a thin rich crust, and bake it half an hour.
SQUASH PIE.
Equal quantities of squash and apple. Strain them when
boiled, and add seven eggs to a quart of squash; milk, rose
water, sugar, spice, &c, to the taste. Bake with an under
crust.
PUMPKIN PIE.
Boil the pumpkin and strain very carefully. Mix the
same as for squash, but pumpkin requires rather more sea-
soning as it has a stronger flavour.
WHORTLEBERY CAKES.
These are very nice if made right. Make a nice batter
and add as much fruit as you like. Sweeten or not as you
please; but molasses is better than sugar. Bake a good
while either in a solid cake or in small cakes. Eaten hot
with butter they are very nice. These berries make a very
nice pudding if added to a batter made either of flour or
indian meal. Sweetened with molasses.
DOUGH NUTS.
A pound and a half of flour, three eggs, half a spoonful
of pearlash, two ounces of butter, six ounces of sugar, one
140 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
cup of milk. Spice to your taste, and fry them in sweet
lard.
HARD GINGERBREAD.
Four pounds of flour, two pounds of sugar, one pound
of butter, eight eggs, and two teacups of sifted ginger. Roll
this out on tin sheets as thin as you please and bake in a
quick oven. This is an excellent cake to keep.
DROP CAKE.
Three pounds of flour, two of sugar, one of butter, twelve
eggs. Season with lemon or spice and a little rose water,
drop on sheets, sift sugar over them, and put a few sugar
carraway seeds.
BLACK CAKE, OR NEW ENGLAND WEDDING CAKE.
One pound of dry flour, one pound of sweet butter, one
pound of sugar r twelve eggs, two pounds of raisins, (the
Sultana raisins are the best) two pounds of currants. As
much spice as you please. A. glass of wine, one of brandy,
and two table spoonfuls of rose-water, two of lemon brandy
and a pound of citron. Mix the butter and sugar as for
pound cake. Sift the spice, and beat the eggs very light.
Put in the fruit last, stirring it in gradually. It should be
well floured. If necessary add more flour after the fruit is
in. Butter sheets of paper and line the inside of one large
pan or two smaller ones. Lay in some slices of citron,
then a layer of the mixture, then of the citron and so on
till the pan is full. This cake requires a tolerably hot and
steady oven, and will need baking four or five hours accord-
ing to its thickness. It will be better to let it cool gradually
in the oven. Ice it when thoroughly cold.
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD. 141
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD.
FLOUR.
PEOPLE in the flour trade generally knead a small quan-
tity by way of experiment; if good, it immediately forms an
adhesive, elastic paste, which will readily assume any form,
without danger of breaking: pure and unadulterated flour
may likewise be easily distinguished by other methods.
Seize a handful briskly, and squeeze it half a minute; it
preserves the form of the cavity of the hand in one piece,
although it may be rudely placed on the table. Not so that
which contains foreign substances: it breaks in pieces more
or less that mixed with whiting being the most adhesive,
but still dividing and falling down in a little time. Flour
mixed with ground stones, bones, or plaster of Paris, loses
its form at once, and the more bran there may be in it, the
sooner it will be flat on the board. It may also be ob-
served, that genuine flour will longer keep the impression
even of the grains of the skin, than that which is adulterated,
the latter very soon throwing up the fine marks. Let a
person of a moist skin rub flour briskly between the palms
of both hands: if there be whiting among it, he will find re-
sistance; but if white pure flour, none. If there is time, put
a table-spoonful into a basin and mix with cold water until
it is of the consistence of pudding-batter; then set a small
pan upon the fire with half a gill of water: when this water
is hot, but before it boils, pour in the batter, and let it boil
three minutes. If sound, the flour will unite as a good sound
pudding; if unsound, it breaks, curdles, and appears some-
what /watery. Again; drop the juice of a lemon, or good
vinegar upon flour: if the flour be pure, it remains at
rest; if adulterated, an immediate commotion takes place.
This is the readiest method of detecting stone-dust and
142 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
plaster of Paris. Or, after having dipped the fore-finger and
thumb partially in sweet oil, take up a small quantity of
flour: if it be pure, you may freely rub the fingers together
for any length of time; it will not become sticky, and the
substance will turn nearly black; but if whiting be mixed
with the flour, a few times rubbing turns it into putty; but
its colour is very little changed.
MAKING BREAD.
Process of setting the sponge. Put twenty-four pounds
of flour into an oblong wooden baking-trough, or a glazed
earthen pan, large enough to contain twice the quantity
of the flour employed. Make a deep round hole in the
centre of the flour, and pour into it the diluted yeast; stir
into it with a large spoon so much of the surrounding meal
as will make it up into a sort of batter of the consistence of
thin paste: this process is called " setting the sponge."
Cover the mixture with dry flour to the depth of at least
the eighth of an inch, and then throw over the trough or
pan a linen or woollen cloth. Many persons omit this use-
ful preparatory process, but the bakers always adopt it: the
object is to give strength and character to the ferment by
communicating the quality of leaven to a small portion
of the flour; a quality which then is soon extended to the
whole mass: chemists term the action so excited, the panary
fermentation, in contradistinction to that which yeast gives
to the wort of malt, &c. &c. Setting sponge is also a measure
of wise precaution; for many a batch of flour, which would
have been totally ruined for bread, had the barm been foul
or inert, and mixed up, at first, with the entire bulk of flour,
has been saved by this test of the goodness of the yeast.
Forming the dough. After the sponge has stood some
time, it will be found to have swelled considerably, and
formed cracks in the covering of flour: when these cease to
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD. 143
increase and widen it will be time to make up the dough.
Flour, we have said, drinks up a considerable quantity of
water, in fact, it becomes chemically combined with it; but
few persons can form an opinion how much is absorbed.
On this point housewives are far too remiss: for though
perfectly dry and good meal will take up much more water
than that prepared from ill-harvested sprouted corn; and
though, also, the same flour will, in different states of wea-
ther, vary in its absorbent power, yet there exists too much
of a careless ignorance on this important point. We request
that the conscientious economist will note carefully every
result, and thus make an approach towards accuracy; and
in the mean time we state that, as twenty-four pounds of good
flour will yield about thirty-two pounds of bread, the weight
thus increased must chiefly be acquired from the volume of
water absorbed, which will be one gallon; again, since much
gas and vapour are expelled during the rising and baking of
the dough, two quarts more of water should be allowed:
the proportions then would be twenty-four pounds of flour
to twelve pounds (pints) of water, and therefore that quan-
tity, or more, should be at hand, heated to the degree of new
milk. In winter the heat ought to be considerably higher;
but in all seasons, as flour is a cold, heavy substance, it
will require to be assisted by a genial temperature.
Everything being in readiness, scatter about four ounces
of salt over the dry flour, put some warm water to the
sponge, work some of the flour into it, and thus add portions
of water and flour till the whole becomes sufficiently moist
to be formed by kneading with the fists, into a firm, com-
pact dough. The texture must be such that it can be brought
together into a solid mass in the middle of the trouo-h or
O / O
pan, and then it is to be dusted over with flour to prevent
it from adhering to the surface of the vessel. This dough
is to stand covered over to swell, and in cold weather the
144 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
vessel should be placed near the fire. If the ferment be
well formed in the sponge, it will act upon and distend the
whole mass in the course of an hour; we have seen it rise
and swell so much as to fill the vessel and raise up the co-
vering cloth; and, like the sponge, it ought to be taken at
the height of the action, and formed into loaves before it
begins to fall back.
Heating the oven. By the term oven, we mean to ex-
press one built of, and arched at the top with, sound bricks,
the bottom being laid with good tiles close jointed, those
iron appendages to grates and kitchen ranges, called ovens,
being generally worse than useless for bread. Bricks are
slow conductors of heat; they receive it gradually, and re-
tain it pertinaciously: hence, a baker's oven, which is
heated daily, or nearly so. always produces the best and
most equally baked loaves: iron, on the contrary, is a rapid
conductor; hence, though the oven will become hot enough,
it cannot retain its temperature without perpetual accessions
of actual fire: the bread, therefore, is either burnt, or it is
unequally baked; frequently, also, the loaves are flat and
their texture too solid.
If the batch required be large, and the family possess a
good bread oven, the bread, of course, will be baked at home;
but if there be no proper oven, and three or four small or
middle-sized loaves be made, it will be wise to send them
to a baker, with whom an agreement may readily be made
to bake them upon very moderate terms. Many persons
adopt this method, and we know a family which has the
finest bread we ever saw, where the loaves are prepared
and sent to a baker twice a week. The disadvantage of an
oven at home is this: it becomes cold, and therefore can
never, by any weekly heating, be uniformly " soaked," as
it is termed. The baker's oven never loses its heat: the
bread therefore rises higher, and is lighter; we recommend
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD. 145
it then, as a point of economy, that a small family should
not generally attempt to bake at home.
Furze, small brushwood, and sound fagots, are the best
materials for the fire; with the first (where it is at hand,)
it can be lighted, and a blaze of intense heat maintained, till
the bulk of hot fuel be sufficient to kindle the fagots. One
hour will bring a good oven to that state which will raise
the bread to its height, and then heat the loaf to its centre
without charring the crust; therefore it may be laid down
as a good general rule, that the fire should be kindled at the
same time that the dough is made up.
There is an art of heating an oven with precision, which
can only be acquired by observation and practice, unless,
indeed, it happen that the operator (as is sometimes the case)
possess a sort of intuitive perception of the effects of fire.
A criterion of a well-heated oven used to be the whiteness
of a stone, (called technically the baker,} which formerly
was built into the wall, towards the further end of the oven.
These stones are now rarely admitted: therefore a judgment
must be formed by the clearness of the bricks of the sides
and arch, and by the lively sparkling of the embers. The
former criterion proves that the bricks have received enough
of body heat to consume that black carbonaceous coating
which the smoke communicates to them at the early stage
of fire: the second shows that the principle of combustion is
in full activity, and not rendered inert by a cold surface
either at the top, bottom, or sides. Finally, if the brick-
work be hot enough, and the point of a long stake be rubbed
forcibly over any part of it, so as for the moment to make a
black trace of charcoal, this trace will be burnt off, and the
bricks left clear in a second of time. We cannot particularise
further now; therefore suffice it to observe that the dough
being completely up, and the oven hot nearly together, the
former must be cut, and slightly pressed (not forcibly
13
146 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
kneaded) and rolled into the form of loaves, which are to
be dusted over with flour one by one, while another person
draws out the hot embers with a hook of iron fixed at the
end of a long pole, and cleans the bottom of the oven with
a wet mop made of long shreds of woollen cloth or coarse
sacking. The loaves are then placed side by side in the
oven by means of an instrument called a baking peel, which
consists of a flat beach board fixed to a long handle: this
board, as well as the loaves, should be dredged with flour,
so as absolutely to prevent adhesions of the dough to the
board of the peel.
When the loaves are in the oven the door must be se-
curely closed; and if the fire have been well managed, the
bread will be regularly baked in an hour and a half or two
hours, according to the size of the loaves.
YEAST.
For a seceipt for making yeast the reader is referred to
Miscellaneous Receipts in another part of the volume.
PLAIN BISCUITS.
To one pound of flour, put the yolk of one egg, and milk
sufficient to mix into a stiff paste, knead it smooth, then
roll out thin, cut it in round shapes, prick with a fork, and
bake them in a slow oven.
ANOTHER.
To one pound of flour, add one quarter pound of butter,
beaten to a cream, five ounces of loaf sugar, five eggs and some
carraway seeds: beat the whole well for an hour, and pour
the biscuits on tins, each one a large spoonful. If not suffi-
ciently thin and smooth, when worked together, add another
egg, or a little milk.
MAKING AND BAKING OF BREAD. 147
INDIAN CORN BISCUITS.
To one half pound of butter, add six ounces pounded
sugar, and three eggs well beaten; when well mixed, add
three quarters of a pound of corn flour, a little nutmeg, and
some carraway seeds; beat well, and bake on little tins.
ANOTHER.
Into three quarters of a pound of flour, rub four ounces
of butter, add four ounces of sifted loaf sugar, and nearly
one ounce of carraway seeds; make it into a paste with three
eggs, roll out thin, and cut the cakes with a wine glass, or
in any other shape you like.
RUSKS.
Boil a quart of milk, and let it get cold, then put to it
half a pint of yeast, two eggs, two ounces of coriander seeds,
two ounces of carraway seeds, a little ginger, and one
quarter pound of finely pounded sugar, beat these all together
and then add as much flour as will make a stiff paste: divide
it into long thin bricks, put these on tins and let them be
before the fire a short time to rise, and then bake them.
When cold, cut in slices, and dry them in a slack oven.
ANOTHER.
Melt one half pound of butter in a quart of milk, let it
cool, then add one egg, half a pint of yeast, and four ounces
of sifted sugar, beat this for a few minutes, then work into
it enough fine flour to make a light dough, and set it by the
fire to rise. Make this into little loaves, and bake them
on ting, in a quick oven; when half done take them out of
the oven, split and put them back to finish.
148 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
JELLIES, JAMS, &c.
APPLE JELLY.
TAKE apples, codlings or nonsuch, pare and cut them
in slices, put them into a deep stewpan, with as much
water as will cover them, boil them gently till they will
mash, and then strain them through a jelly-bag; to every
pint of liquor add one pound of loaf sugar; boil it till it
comes to the top for ten minutes, then pour it into a mould
with or without sliced lemon peel. A quart only should
be done at a time; the apples should be full grown but not
too ripe. This jelly will keep, and make a pretty dish at
any time.
RED CURRANT JELLY.
Strip the currants, put them in jars or pans, and bake
them; strain off the juice through a sieve; having loaf
sugar pounded and dried, in the proportion of one pound to
one pint of juice, set the juice over the fire, and when
boiling, throw in the sugar gradually, stirring the whole
time; this must be done quickly, for by the time all the
sugar is stirred in, the juice will be ready to jelly, and if
left too long over the fire, the jelly will become candied.
Pour into small-sized jars. By this method, the jelly will
be perfectly clear without skimming, which saves waste and
trouble.
RICE JELLY.
Half a pound of Carolina rice; three pints and a half of
water. Put it on cold; boil it one hour. Beat it through
a sieve; when cold it will be a firm jelly, which, when
warmed up in milk is a nutritious and very agreeable food.
Add one pint of milk to the pulp which remains in the sieve,
boil it for a short time, stirring constantly to prevent burn-
JELLIES, JAMS, &C. 149
ing; then strain as before, and if eaten at once it resembles
thick milk; if allowed to get cold it becomes jelly as the
former.
ARROW-ROOT BLANC MANGE.
Take two ounces of genuine arrow-root, and beat it up
with a little cold milk to about the thickness of cream; then
boil a pint and a half of milk and pour upon it, stirring it
all the time; flavour and sweeten it to your taste; boil it ten
minutes, stirring it all the time; pour it into the mould and
leave it till next day.
ARROW-ROOT CUSTARDS.
Four eggs; one dessert spoonful of arrow-root; one pint
of milk; sweetened and flavoured to your taste.
ARROW ROOT PUDDING.
Mix two table spoonfuls of arrow -root with a little milk;
then pour it into a pint of boiling milk, stirring it; and
when cold add four eggs, some sugar, brandy or ratifia;
boil it in a basin, and put a buttered paper over the top.
ISINGLASS JELLY.
Two ounces of isinglass to a quart of water, boil till it is
dissolved; strain it into a basin upon a slice of lemon-peel
pared very thin, six cloves, and three or four lumps of
sugar; let this stand by the fire for an hour; take out the
lemon and cloves, and add four table-spoonfuls of brandy.
APPLE JELLY.
One pound of apples pared and cored; one pound of lump
sugar put to a gill of water, so as to clarify the sugar; add
some lemon peel; it must then boil until it is stiff; put it
into a mould, when cold turn it out. If there is any diffi-
13*
150 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
culty in getting it out, the mould may be just put in warm
water. This is a cheap and pretty looking jelly.
ITALIAN CREAM.
Mix a pint of thick cream with the juice of a large
lemon, and a glass of white wine; put the peel of the lemon
in whole, with a sufficient quantity of loaf sugar; beat them
well together with a whisk; put a clear muslin over the mould,
and pour the cream in; let it drain till the following day, then
turn it out carefully. There are earthenware moulds on
purpose with small holes to let out the whey.
BLANC MANGE.
To one ounce of picked isinglass, put a pint of water,
boil it till the isinglass is melted, with a bit of cinnamon;
put to it three quarters of a pint of cream, two ounces of
sweet almonds, six bitter ones blanched and beaten, a bit
of lemon-peel, sweeten it. stir it over the fire, let it boil,
strain and let it cool, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and
put into moulds; garnish to your fancy.
DUTCH BLANC MANGE.
Put a pint of cleared calf 's-foot jelly into a stew-pan; mix
with it the yolks of six eggs, set it over a fire, and whisk
till it begins to boil; then set the pan in cold water, and
stir the mixture till nearly cold, to prevent it from curdling,
and when it begins to thicken fill the moulds.
O
CALVES' FEET BLANC MANGE.
Pick all the the black spots from two boiled feet, slice
them into a stew-pan, with a quarter of a pint of Mountain
wine, and rather more water; let them stew gently; add
the yolks of three eggs beaten and strained, with a quarter
of a pint of cream and a little flour, a little lemon peel and
JELLIES, JAMS, &C. 151
juice, sweeten with fine sugar, strain it into a dish. When
nearly cold, stick on the top some jar raisins, scalded to
plump, almonds blanched into slips, citron, lemon, and
orange peel sliced. It may be put in a basin; when cold
turn it out.
CURRANT JELLY.
Set on the fire in a sugar-pan a pint of smooth clarified
sugar; when it boils, put in a quart of picked red currants,
in which let them boil for half an hour; be careful to skim
them well, and at times add a little cold water to raise the
scum; when boiled enough run the liquor through a sieve
into a basin, in which you have squeezed three lemons, then
put in some isinglass, and set your jelly in a mould in ice
as usual.
Or, For this purpose the ripest red currants should be
taken, as the white are not so good for jelly; crush them,
and press out all the juice into a glazed pan; cover it very
closely, and set it in a cold place for six days; then with
great care remove the thick skin which then covers the
juice, and pour it into another vessel, throwing away what
remains at the bottom; when the juice is perfectly clear,
weigh it, and for each pound take half a pound of crushed
sugar, put them on the fire together, and much scum will
soon rise; this must all be taken off"; let it remain on the fire
for about an hour; then try it as follows: put a small quantity
on a very cold plate, and if, when it cools, it becomes thick,
and of proper consistence, take the pan from the fire; if
that is not the case, let it remain until that is the case. Pour
out the jelly whilst hot; it must be quite cold before you
cover it with paper.
.
RED CURRANT JELLY.
Strip off the currants, put them in ajar, set the jar in
152 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
a kettle of hot water, let it boil an hour: then throw the
currants and juice into a fine lawn sieve, press out the juice,
and to every pint of juice put a pound of double-refined
sugar; put them in a preserving pan, set it over a charcoal
fire, and keep stirring till it is a jelly, which you will know
by taking a little out to cool; be careful to take off the
the scum as it rises, and when it is jellied and very clear,
pour it into glasses; when cold, cut round pieces of paper
that will just cover the jelly, dipped in brandy; put white
paper over the glasses, twisting round the top.
BLACK CURRANT JELLY.
Make it the same way as the red currant jelly, only with
this difference, that you may use very coarse sugar.
GOOSEBERRY JAM.
Take what quantity you please of red, rough, ripe, goose-
berries; take half their quantity of lump sugar; break them
well, and boil them together for half an hour, or more, if
necessary. Put it into pots, and cover with paper.
GRAPE JELLY.
Take out the stones, then mash the grapes with your
hands, (they must be ripe) then squeeze them through a
cloth to extract all the juice from them, and boil and finish
the same as currant jelly. Use half a pound of sugar to
each pound of fruit.
RASPBERRY JELLY.
Take two thirds of raspberries, and one third red cur-
rant; pick them, press the juice through a sieve into a pan,
cover, and place in a cellar, or any other cool place for three
days; at the end of that time raise the thick skin formed
at the top, and pour the juice into another vessel; weigh
JELLIES, JAMS, &C. 153
it, and put it, with half the quantity of sugar, into a pre-
serving pan, set it on the fire; a great deal of scum will
rise at first, which must all be taken ofF; leave it on the
fire for an hour; then pour a few drops on a cold plate, if
it cools of the proper consistence for jellies, take it from the
fire, and whilst hot pour it into pots. Let the jelly be
quite cold before the pots are covered.
LIQUID JELLY.
Take six lemons, pare them very thin, squeeze out the
juice, and put in the peel without the seeds; let it stand all
night, then put in half a pound of loaf sugar, mixing it
well with the juice; add one pint of boiling water, and one
pint of sweet but good wine; mix all well together; then
add one pint of boiling milk, boil it altogether once, then
strain it through a jelly bag; it will sometimes run clear the
second or third time, and sometimes requires to run through
oftener.
CALF'S FOOT JELLY.
The day before you want the jelly, boil 2 feet in 2i
quarts of water, till they are broken and the water half
wasted, strain and put it by in a cool place. The next day
remove all fat as well as sediment, put the jelly into a sauce
pan with sugar, raisin wine, lemon juice, and peel to your
taste. Let it simmer, and when the flavour is rich, add
the whites of five eggs well beaten, and, also, their shells;
let it boil gently for twenty minutes, but do not stir it; then
pour in a tea-cupful of warm water, let it boil five minutes
longer; take the saucepan off the fire; cover close, and let
it stand by the side for half an hour. After this it ought
to be so clear as to require only once running through the
jelly bag, which must be first dipped in hot water.
154 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
PRESERVES.
To excel in preserving the fruits of common use in a fa-
mily is a matter of great consequence, as they are much bet-
ter and much cheaper when preserved at home, than when
bought of the confectioner. A little practice will teach any
mistress of a house as much of this art, as it is requisite for
her to be acquainted with; but this is a department which
ought to have her personal superintendence.
The fruit for every sort of jelly or preserve, ought to be
the best of its kind; ripe enough, but not overripe; gathered
on a dry day, and after a dry day. The sugar should be of
the best quality, and plenty of it should be allowed, for it is
mistaken economy to save sugar in making preserves; they
are not good, neither will they keep; and much is wasted by
boiling up a second time. Long boiling injures the colour
of preserves, but they must be boiled too long, if there be
not a sufficiency of sugar allowed to keep them. Let the
bags and sieves which are used in making jelly, be kept de-
licately clean; wring them out of hot water the instant be-
fore you use them. Do not squeeze the bag, or press the
fruit much, or your jelly will not be clear; this is not waste-
ful, for the fruit which is left, with a little more fresh fruit
added to it, will make very nice jam, or black butter, a nice
and useful preserve. In boiling jams, try a little in a saucer;
when it cools, if the juice runs off, the jam requires longer
boiling.
Some persons use no sugar which is not clarified, but I
think that, for common preserves, such as are usually made
in private families, good loaf sugar, not clarified, answers
every purpose. After the preserve is poured into the jar,
or pot, in which it is to be kept, let it stand uncovered for
for two days, then put brandy papers over, and cover with
PRESERVES. 155
bladders, or paper, tied down close. Keep them in a dry
place, or they will become musty, but not in a hot situation,
or they will dry up, and be utterly spoiled.
TO BOTTLE RED CURRANTS.
Cut them carefully from the stalks, so that the skins
may not be broken, into clean and perfectly dry quart bot-
tles, adding gradually, as you fill, two ounces of finely-sifted
loaf sugar; this may be done with a tea-spoon, so that the
sugar may fall on each layer of currants. Fill the bottles,
and rosin the corks; and the best plan of keeping them, as
well as bottled gooseberries, is in a bottle rack, with the
necks downwards, as they are thus secured from coming in
contact with damp walls. It succeeds much better than bu-
rying them in the earth.
TO BOTTLE GREEN GOOSEBERRIES.
There are several ways of bottling green gooseberries,
but the following appears to be the best. Having filled wide-
mouthed bottles with hairy gooseberries, place them up to
the neck in a copper of cold water; let the water boil until
the fruit begins to shrink, or look scalded; then remove the
fire from under the copper, and let the bottles remain until
the water becomes cold; then take them out, and fill them
up with cold spring water, which has been boiled, and pour
a few drops of salad oil on the top of the water, which will
remain on the surface and exclude the air. Some persons
fill the bottle with water before boiling instead of afterwards,
and cork, rosin, and place in the bottle rack, as directed for
currants.
/
CRANBERRIES.
For pies and puddings, with a good deal of sugar.
Stewed in ajar, with the same; this way they eat well
156 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
with bread, and are very wholesome. Thus done, pressed,
and strained, the juice makes a fine drink for people in fe-
vers.
CRANBERRY JELLY.
Make a very strong isinglass jelly. When cold, mix it
with a double quantity of cranberry-juice pressed, sweeten
it, and boil it up; then strain it. into a shape. The sugar
must be good lump, or the jelly will not be clear.
CRANBERRY AND RICE JELLY.
Boil and press the fruit, strain the juice, and, by degrees,
mix into it as much ground rice as will, when boiled, thick-
en to a jelly; boil it gently, stirring it, and sweeten to your
taste. Put it in a basin or form, and serve to eat with milk
or cream.
CRANBERRY TART.
This tart is made like all other fruit tarts; the best cran-
berries should be used and well washed; a quarter of a
pound of sugar is the proper quantity for a quart of cran-
berries; to this must be added the juice of half a lemon.
Serve it cold.
FIGS, TO KEEP ALL THE YEAR FIT FOR USE.
Put some figs in a large earthen jar, with a layer of their
own leaves between them; then boil some water and honey,
skimming it well (be careful not to make it too thick of the
honey), and pour it warm over the figs; then stop the jar
very close. When you take out the figs for use, soak them
for two hours in warm water.
PRESERVES. 157
TO PRESERVE GREEN GAGES.
You must choose the largest, when they begin to soften;
split without paring them, and having previously weighed
an equal quantity of sugar, strew a part of it over them;
blanch the kernels with a small sharp knife; next day, pour
the syrup from the fruit, and boil it with the other sugar,
very gently, for six or eight minutes; skim, and add the
plums and kernels. Simmer till clear, taking off any scum
that rises; put the fruit singly into small pots, and pour the
syrup and kernels upon it.
MARMALADE.
Marmalade may be composed of almost any fruits; the
best, however, for this purpose are, apricots, peaches,
oranges, quinces, egg-plums, auples, &c. They are usual-
ly made by boiling the fruit and sugar together to a kind
of pulp, stirring them constantly whilst on the fire: it is kept
in pots, which must not be covered till the marmalade is
quite cold. The proportion of sugar is half a pound to each
pound of fruit.
BAKED PEARS.
Take half a dozen fine pears; peel, cut them in halves,
and take out the cores: put them into a pan with a little red
wine, a few cloves, half a pound of sugar, and some water.
Set them in a moderate oven till tender, then put them on a
slow fire to stew gently; add grated lemon-peel, and more
sugar if necessary. They will be sufficiently red.
QUINCE MARMALADE.
Gather the fruit when fully ripe, and of a fine yellow;
pare, quarter, and core it. Put the quinces into a sauce-pan
with a little water, set them on the fire until they are quite
14
158 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
soft; then take them out, and lay them on a sieve to drain;
rub them through; weigh the pulp; boil an equal quantity of
sugar; then add the pulp, stir them together over the fire,
until it will fall from the spoon like a jelly, the marmalade
is then fit to be put into pots, and when cold, cover them
close.
RASPBERRY JAM.
Take four parts of raspberries and one part of red currant
juice, boil it for fifteen or twenty minutes, with an equal
weight of sugar. Skim off the dross as it rises.
Or, use raspberries alone, and no juice.
BLACK BUTTER.
This is a very nice preserve to spread on bread, for chil-
dren, and is made of currants, gooseberries, cherries, rasp-
berries or strawberries. To every two pounds of fruit, put
one pound of sugar, and boil, till it is reduced one fourth.
TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES WHOLE.
The fruit should be of the fine scarlet kind, and not over
ripe; have its weight in sifted sugar, and sprinkle half of it
over the fruit, and let it stand all night. The next day, sim-
mer it gently with the rest of the sugar, and a little currant
juice, if you have any, till it will jelly.
QUINCES.
Pare the quinces very thin, and put them into a stew-pan;
cover with their parings, and fill the sauce-pan with hard
water, set it over a slow fire, and keep the lid close that
the steam may not escape; when the fruit is tender take
it out; and then put to one quart of water two pounds and
a half of lump sugar, and make a clear syrup of it; put
in the quinces, boil them for ten or twelve minutes, and
PRESERVES. 159
set them by for four or five hours; then boii them again, for
five or six minutes, take them off the fire, and set them by
two days; boil again, for ten minutes, with the juice of two
lemons. Let the quinces be quite cold, put them into
broad pans, so that they stand singly, and pour the syrup
over them. Cover with brandy papers, and skins over the
whole.
Or, cut the quinces in quarters, and to five pounds of fruit,
put three pounds of sugar, and half a pint of water; lay a
piece of white paper over them, to keep in the steam, and
let them simmer gently, for three hours.
Fruit pastes are made by boiling the fruit with clarified
sugar to a thick marmalade, then mould it into thin cakes,
and dry them in a stove.
PEACHES IN BRANDY.
Gather peaches before they are quite ripe, prick them
with a large needle, and rub ofF the down with a piece of
flannel. Cat a quill and pass it carefully round the stone,
to loosen it. Put them into a large preserving pan, with
cold water rather more than enough to cover them, and let
the water gradually become scalding hot. If the water does
more than simmer very gently, or if the fire be fierce, the
fruit will be likely to crack. When they are tender, lift
them carefully out, and fold them up in flannel, or a soft ta-
ble cloth, in several folds. Have ready a quart, or more as
the peaches require, of the best white brandy, and dissolve
ten ounces of powdered sugar in it. When the peaches are
cool, put them into a glass jar, and pour the brandy and su-
gar over them. Cover with leather and a bladder. Apri-
cots and Plums in the same way.
160 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
COOKERY FOR THE SICK.
BARLEY GRUEL.
TAKE three ounces of pearl barley, of which make a quart
of barley-water; if it be not white, shift it once or twice;
put in two ounces of currants clean picked and washed, and
when they are plumped, pour out the gruel and let it cool
a little; then put in the yolks of three eggs well beaten, half
a pint of white wine, and of new thick cream half a pint,
and lemon peel; then sweeten with fine sugar to your taste;
stir it gently over the fire, until it is thick as cream.
BEEF TEA.
Cut a pound of fleshy beef in thin slices; simmer with a
quart of water twenty minutes, after it has once boiled, and
been skimmed. Season, if approved; but it has generally
only salt.
MILK PUNCH.
Beat up two eggs well, mix them in a quart of milk, su-
gar, nutmeg, and lemon-peel to your taste; boil it gently,
stirring it all the time till thick enough; take it off the fire
a very few minutes, then add to it a full quarter of a pint of
rum. It must be stirred all the time the rum is pouring in,
or it will not be good.
PANADA.
Boil some pieces of stale bread in a sufficient quantity of
cold water to cover them, with a little cinnamon, lemon-
peel, and carraways; when the bread is quite soft, press out
all the water, and beat up the bread with a small piece of
butter, a little milk, and sugar to the taste; a little spice may
be added.
Or, Set a little water on the fire with a glass of white
COOKERY FOR THE SICK. 161
wine, some sugar, a very little nutmeg, and lemon-peel;
meanwhile grate some crumbs of bread: the moment the
water boils up, put in the bread-crumbs (without taking it
off the fire,) and let it boil as fast as it can. When of a
proper consistence, that is, when just of a sufficient thick-
ness to drink, take it off the fire.
SAGO.
Let it soak for an hour in cold water, to take off the
earthy taste; pour that off, and wash it well; then add more
water, and simmer gently until the berries are clear, with
lemon-peel and spice. Add wine and sugar according to
taste, and boil all up together.
RECIPE FOR A SORE THROAT.
Take a glass of olive or S'.veet oil, and half a glass of
spirits of turpentine: mix them together, and rub the throat
externally, wearing flannel round it at the same time. It
proves most effectual when applied early.
NATURAL DENTIFRICE.
It is a fact, but not generally known, that the common
strawberry is a natural dentrifice; and that its juice, without
any previous preparation whatever, dissolves the tartareous
incrustations on the teeth, and makes the breath sweet and
agreeable.
BARLEY WATER.
Upon one ounce of pearl barley, after it has been well
washed in cold water, pour half a pint of boiling water, and
then boil it for a few minutes; the water must then be
strained off and thrown away; afterwards a quart of boiling
water must be poured over the barley; and which should
then be boiled down to one pint and a quarter, and strained
14*
162 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
off. The barley water thus made is clear and mucilagi-
nous; and when mixed with an equal quantity of good milk
and a small portion of sugar, is an excellent substitute for
the mother's milk, when infants are, unfortunately, to be
brought up by hand. Without milk, it is one of the best
beverages for all acute diseases, and may have lemon juice,
raspberry vinegar, apple tea, infusion of tamarinds, or any
other acidulous substance that is agreeable to the palate of
the patient, mixed with it.
GRUEL.
This farinaceous nutriment may be made either with
grits or oatmeal. When grits are used, three ounces of
them, after being very well washed, should be put into two
quarts of water and boiled very slowly, until the water be
reduced to one half of the original quantity. During the
boiling it should be stirred frequently; and, when finished,
it should be strained through a hair sieve. For oatmeal
gruel, three ounces of meal must be put into a basin, and
bruised with the back of the spoon; small quantities of wa-
ter being successively mixed with it, and each quantity
poured off into another basin, before more be mixed: and
this must be continued until about a quart of water has been
mixed with the oatmeal. The remains of the oatmeal should
then be thrown away, and the water in which ii was bruised
is to be boiled for twenty minutes, stirring it the whole of
the time.
By either of these methods, a mild, demulcent, agreeable
nutriment is prepared, which is useful in the same cases in
which barley water is employed; and it may, likewise,
be mixed with milk or with any acid substance. Gruel,
however, is more likely to become sour than barley water,
and should never be kept longer than forty-eight hours in
winter and twenty-four in summer.
COOKERY FOR THE SICK. 163
ARROW ROOT,
Forms an excellent nutritive mucilage. Put two tea-
spoonfuls of the powder into a half-pint basin; mix them
smooth with a few tea-spoonfuls of cold water, and then let
another person pour boiling water over the mixture while
you continue to stir it, until it forms a kind of starchy-look-
ing substance.
Arrow root, thus prepared, may be used in the same
manner as gruel. It is well adapted for the food of infants,
because it is less liable to ferment than either gruel or bar-
ley water; and, for the same reason, it is the best fluid nour-
ishment for those who are afflicted with diseases of indiges-
tion. As it is very insipid, it requires either milk, or wine,
or acids, to be mixed with it, whichever may suit the taste
and the state of habit of the person for whom it is intended.
It forms an excellent pudding, when prepared like rice, for
children who are a little beyoncfthe age of infancy.
DECOCTION OF ICELAND LIVERWORT.
An ounce of the liverwort must be carefully freed from
the moss, fragments of stalks, and particles of dirt, with
which it is frequently mixed, by rubbing it between the
hands in cold water. Then steep it, for two hours, in such
a quantity of cold water as will completely cover it; after
which it must be bruised, pounded, or cut, and the steeping
continued for three or four hours longer in a fresh quantity
of boiling water, which, when the steeping is linished, must
be strained oft* by pressure. The liverwort is then to
be put into a quart of fresh water, and kept boiling until
the fluid be reduced two-thirds, or to a pint and a quarter.
When strained and allowed to cool, it forms a thick muci-
lage, free from any bitter taste; and may be rendered very
164 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
palatable by the addition of sugar and lemon juice; or by
white wine, in those cases which permit the use of wine.
This decoction of liverwort is an excellent demulcent
nutriment, in consumption, dysentery and in convalesence
from acute diseases, and particularly after the hooping cough,
in which case the bitter need not be completely removed,
as it tends to invigorate the digestive organs.
WHITE WINE WHEY.
To make this whey, put half a pint of milk diluted with
a quarter of a pint of water into a sauce-pan, which must be
placed on the fire uncovered. Watch the moment when
the milk boils, which may be known by the frothing and
rising up of the milk to the top of the pan; pour into it, at
that instant, two glasses of white wine, and a tea-spoonful
of powdered sugar, which should be previously mixed with
the wine. The curd will immediately form; and, after
boiling the mixture for a few minutes, may be separated
from the whey, either by letting it settle at the bottom, and
then pouring off the whey clear from it, or by straining it
through a fine sieve.
BALM, MINT, AND OTHER TEAS.
These are simple infusions, the strength of which can
only be regulated by the taste. They are made by putting
either the fresh or the dried plants into boiling water in a
covered vessel, which should be placed near the fire for an
hour. The young shoots both of balm and of mint are to
be preferred, on account of their stronger aromatic qualities.
These infusions may be drunk freely in feverish and in
various other complaints, in which diluents are recommend-
ed. Mint tea, made with the fresh leaves, is useful in al-
laying nausea and vomiting.
COOKERY FOR THE SICK. 165
BEEF TEA,
Is too frequently prepared, by simply boiling a piece of
beef in a given quantity of water; J?ut by this method it gene-
rally resembles gravy soup more than beef tea, and is then
unfit for the use of the sick. To make it properly, cut half
a pound of good lean beef into very thin slices; spread the
slices in a hollow dish, and having poured over them a pint
and a half of boiling water, cover up the dish, and place it
near the fire for half an hour, and then boil it over a quick
fire for about eight minutes. The tea, after having the scum
taken off, should stand for ten minutes, after which it is to
be poured off clean, and seasoned with a little salt.
Beef tea thus made is a light and pleasant dilnent, and
very useful when the bowels and stomach are in a weak and
irritable state. When used as a food for infants, it should
always be prepared in this manner; and nothing answers
better as a breakfast, for those who are habitually sick in a
morning, either from a redundance of bile, intemperance,
or other causes.
VEAL TEA,
Is prepared in the same manner as beef tea; and may be
used under similar circumstances.
CHICKEN TEA,
Is prepared by cutting, in small pieces, a chicken, from
which the skin and fat have been removed; and then boiling
the pieces, for twenty minutes, in a quart of water, with
the addition of a little salt. The tea should be poured from
the meat before it is quite cold. It is useful in the same
cases as beef and veal tea.
166 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
TOAST AND WATER,
May be made by pouring over toasted bread either a
pint of cold or boiling water. In the latter mode it should
be made some hours before it is wanted, that it may have
time to become perfectly cool.
ISINGLASS JELLY.
In cases of extreme debility, isinglass is sometimes
ordered to be taken in small quantities. An ounce, when
dissolved in a pint of boiling water, forms, when cold, a
light jelly, a tea-spoonful of which may be mixed with tea,
or milk and water. A very pleasant beverage may, also,
be made of orange juice and water, with the addition of
the isinglass jelly. A lady, after being reduced to ex-
treme weakness by a severe illness, and being incapable of
taking any thing solid, recovered her strength, although
by very slow degrees, with but little more nourishment
than what the isinglass, given to her in every liquid she
drank, afforded her. From this case, it would appear to
be an excellent corroborant; but medical men think, that
jellies are less nutritive than they are generally supposed
to be by those who are not of the profession.
CALVES' FEET BROTH.
Boil three feet in four quarts of water, with a little salt:
it should boil up first, and then simmer, till the liquor is
wasted one half: strain and put it by. This may be
warmed (the fat having been taken off,) a tea-cupful at a
time, with either white or port wine, and is very nourish-
ing for an invalid.
Or, The feet may be boiled with two ounces of lean veal,
the same of beef, half of a penny roll, a blade or two of mace,
COOKERY FOR THE SICK. 167
a little salt and nutmeg, in about four quarts of water: when
well boiled, strain it, and take off the fat.
BREAD JELLY.
Take a two-penny roll, pare off all the crust, and cut
the crumb into slices, toast these slices on both sides, of a
light brown. Have ready a quart of water that has boiled,
and become cold, put the slices of bread into it, and let it
boil gently until the liquor becomes a jelly, which you will
ascertain, by putting some in a spoon to cool. Then strain
it through a thin cloth, and put it by for use. When to be
taken, warm a tea-cupful, and put to it a little sugar, a little
grated lemon peel, and wine or milk as you choose; if for
children, the latter \vould be preferable. This jelly is of
so strengthening a nature that one spoonful contains more
nourishment than a tea-cup of any other jelly.
A MUTTON CUSTARD, FOR A COUGH.
Into a pint of good skim milk, shred two ounces of fresh
mutton suet, and let it come to a boil, and then simmer
gently, for an hour, stirring it from time to time. Strain,
and take it at bed time. This is an old-fashioned remedy,
but very good for tightness on the chest.
CORDIALS.
NOYEAU.
IN some cordials the flavouring article should be first
mixed with the syrup; in others the sugar should be dis-
solved in an infusion of the flavouring substance; and in
168 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
others, this substance should be first mixed with the
spirit. The last-mentioned is the way in which we make
noyeau.
Take half a pound of bitter almonds and the thinly pre-
pared rind of a fine lemon; blanch the almonds and shred
the lemon peel into small bits; put them together into a
mortar, and bruise them to as fine a powder as possible;
put the powder into a gallon stone bottle, and add two quarts
of diluted spirits of wine (a quart of spirits of wine, and a
quart of water.) Cork the bottle particularly well; make a
point of shaking it thoroughly once every day, and at the end
of a week it will be ready for the next stage of the process.
Now make a syrup of two pounds of lump sugar to a quart
of water; let it stand till cold, and then pour it into a bottle;
mix the whole well by shaking the bottle, and let it stand
another week. Now strain the liquor from the almond
powder, &c., and filter the liquor through white blotting-
paper; a common funnel will do for the purpose, putting a
a few slips of wood down the inside of the funnel. To
make the filter, take a sheet of blotting paper, square it, put
corner to corner and double it again; the slips of wood pre-
vent the paper from adhering closely to the sides of the
funnel, and in that way accelerate the process. The
noyeau is now ready for bottling: it should be most care-
fully corked. It may be drunk directly; but it ought not to
be used for at least two months; and it will not have
reached its perfection in less than a year: indeed, it will
go on improving for many years. Noyeau, thus made,
has deceived the best and nicest judges, and is really
scarcely inferior to that which is imported.
The same method of procedure, as that given above for
the preparation of noyeau, serves to make two other most
delicate and grateful liqueurs. Lemon and cinnamon cordial,
CORDIALS. 169
are made in this way; these luxurious potations are ob-
tained in a state of perfection greatly superior to any that
can be bought for money. The way of making them,
usually advised in the books, is to use the essential oil of
lemon peel, or of cassia. (The oil of real cinnamon is not
so easily to be obtained, as is commonly imagined: that of
cassia is almost always substituted for it, or it is adulterated
largely with the oil of cassia and cassia is a poor substi-
tute for cinnamon. We have repeatedly made cordials in
this way; and our account of these seducing liquors would
hardly be perfect, did we not mention the mode that we
followed. We use the past tense, because we now never
adopt it.
Take oil of peppermint, or of lemon-peel, or of cassia
(as one or other of these liqueurs is wanted) a drachm.
Drop the oil on a few lumps of loaf-sngar in a mortar,
pound, and mix intimately the oil and the sugar; add gradu-
ally twelve ounces of spirits of wine, mixing the whole well
together. Dissolve twelve ounces of lump sugar in three
quarters of a pint of water; bring the syrup to the boil; let
it cool, add it to the spirit; shake the whole well; and bottle.
LEMON CORDIAL LEMON BRANDY.
Take eight fine lemons, having a clear and unspotted skin
and a rough surface. Pare the rind off very thin; divide
it into small shreds; put it into a bottle; add a pint of spirits
of wine a dozen blanched and bruised bitter almonds are a
judicious addition; cork the bottle; let it stand six days.
Make a syrup of a pound of treble-refined sugar; bring it
to the boil; let it cool; pour it into the bottle; shake the
whole well; let it stand six days more; filter through blot-
ting-paper; and the cordial is made. So prepared, it is
perfectly clear, and of a fine delicate lemon colour. It will
15
170 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
be ready for drinking in a few weeks, but will be greatly
the better for being kept longer.
CINNAMON CORDIAL.
Take an ounce of the finest cinnamon; bruise it in a
mortar, put it into a bottle, and add a pint of spirits of wine.
Now proceed exactly as is done in making lemon brandy,
excepting that it will be well to strain through fine muslin,
before filtering through blotting-paper, as the cinnamon
clogs up the filter, and greatly retards the process.
GINGER CORDIAL.
Take two ounces of the very best ground ginger: put
it into a large earthen vessel (a stew-pot}; pour on it two
quarts of cold water; stir well with a clean stick, or a
silver spoon; put the vessel into the oven of the common
kitchen range; when it begins to simmer, stir again; and
when it boils open the oven door; and let it continue to
simmer gently for six hours, occasionally stirring it,
then take it out of the oven, and cover it up. The next
day, put it into the oven again for six hours, stirring
it every now and then. Take it out; let it stand to cool,
and when cold pour off the clearer liquor, for most of
the ginger will have fallen to the bottom. There should be
a quart of liquor; if there is more, the simmering must be
continued longer; if less, water should be added to make up
the deficiency. Now dissolve in the quart of ginger water
two pounds of treble-refined lump sugar: bring it to the boil;
add to it when cold a quart of spirits of wine; stir the whole
well together; and filter. When bitter almonds are not
thought objectionable, the addition of a few to the spirits
of wine, some few days before it is added to the ginger
syrup, will be found an improvement. This cordial has a
little but not much colour. It should be kept longer than
ESSENCES. 171
most of the others; but in six months it will be in tolerable
condition.
ESSENCES.
ESSENCE OF GINGER.
PUT three oz. of fresh grated ginger, and 1 oz. of thinly
cut lemon peel into a quart of brandy, and let it stand ten
days, not forgetting to shake it every day.
ESSENCE OF ALLSPICE.
Of oil of pimento, 1 drachm, strong spirit of wine, 2 oz.
mix these together by degrees, and a few drops will give
the flavour of allspice to a pint of either gravy or mulled
wine.
ESSENCE OF NUTMEG, CLOVE OR MACE.
Have 2 oz. of the strongest spirit of wine, and put into
it 1 drachm of either nutmeg, clove or mace. A few drops
will give sufficient flavour.
ESSENCE OF CINNAMON.
Two oz. of strong spirits of wine, and 1 drachm of oil
of cinnamon.
ESSENCE OF SEVILLE ORANGE, AND LEMON PEEL.
Rub lump sugar on the lemon or orange, till it is quite
saturated with the rind, then scrape the sugar so saturated,
into the jar you keep it in, and rub the rind again, and
so on, till you have enough; press the sugar down close,
and keep it for use. This imparts a very nice flavour to
custards and puddings. Tincture of lemon peel is made
by paring the peel very nicely, and steeping it in brand. y
172 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
FLOWERS.
IT is not nnfrequent to ornament rooms with artificial
flowers; yet these, however beautiful, have no odour: but
a cheap and elegant substitute may be found by taking nat-
ural flowers in bloom, and dipping them in alcohol, or
strong spirits of wine, for about a quarter of an hour; after
which the colour will appear to have entirely faded. As
they become dry, however, they may be arranged for the
beaupots, when it will be found that their colours will re-
vive, and their odour will be prolonged much beyond the
usual time.
Most flowers begin to droop and fade after being kept
during twenty-four hours in water; a few may be revived
by substituting fresh water; but all (the most fugacious such
as the poppy, and perhaps one or two others excepted) may
be completely restored by the use of hot water. For this
purpose, place the flowers in scalding water, deep enough
to cover about one-third of the length of the stem: by the
time the water has become cold, the flowers will have
become erect and fresh; then cut off the end of the stems,
and put them into cold water. It may be added, that a few
grains of salt dropped into the water in which flowers are
kept, preserves them greatly from fading, keeping them in
bloom double the period that pure water will.
We have seen another ingenious method of preserving
flowers throughout the winter, which may serve as a cheap
and pleasing mode of decoration. The plan is to pluck the
flowers when half blown, and to put them in an earthen ves-
sel with a close cover, immersing them, with the stalks
downwards, in a mixture of water and verjuice, of each
equal parts, sprinkled with a small portion of bay salt. The
vessel must be well closed up and kept in a warm place,
safe from the action of frost; and then, on the coldest day
FLOWERS. 173
in winter, nothing more is necessary than to take them out,
wash them in fair water, and hold them before a gentle fire,
when they will open as if in all their vernal bloom.
As the flowering of bulbous roots is always an agreeable
decoration of the drawing-room in winter, it may be amus-
ing to state an easy method of encouraging it rapidly even in
the coldest weather. Take three ounces of nitre, one ounce
of common salt, half an ounce of potash, half an ounce of
sugar, and dissolve them in a pint of rain-water. Keep your
o-lasses near the fire. Change the water every ten or
twelve days; and each time put in about half a tea-spoonful
of this mixture.
MANAGEMENT OF PLANTS IN ROOMS.
To treat on the proper management of plants in houses is
a subject attended with considerable difficulty; every genus
requiring some variation, both in soil, water, and general
treatment. If the room where the plants are intended to be
placed is dark and close, but few will ever thrive in it; if,
on the contrary, it is light and airy, with the windows in a
suitable aspect to receive the sun, plants will do nearly as
well as in a green-house. But if they are observed to suf-
fer, the effects may generally be traced to one of the four
following causes: Want of proper light and air injudi-
cious watering filthiness collected on the leaves or, being
potted in unsuitable soil.
1st. Want of proper Light and Mr, is perhaps the
most essential point of any to be considered; for, however
well all other requisites are attended to, a deficiency in either
of these will cause the plants to grow weak and sickly.
J
Let them always be placed as near the light as they can con-
veniently stand, and receive -as much air as can be admitted,
when the weather will allow. Indeed those persons who
have no other conveniency than the house to keep them in
15*
174 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
will find that they derive immense advantage from being,
during fine weather, in spring and autumn, turned out of
doors in the evening, and taken in again in the morning
the night-dews contributing greatly to their health and
vigour.
2d. Injurious Watering does more injury to plants in
rooms than many persons imagine. To prevent the soil
ever having a dry appearance is an object of importance in
the estimation of very many; they therefore water to such
an excess that the mould becomes sodden, and the roots con-
sequently perish. Others, to avoid this evil, run exactly
into the opposite extreme, and scarcely give sufficient to
sustain life. This, however, is by no means so common a
practice as that of giving too much; for in general, if any
thing appears to be the matter with the plants, large doses
of water are immediately resorted to; and if recovery is not
speedy, this nostrum is again administered, with but little
doubt of its infallible restorative powers: but such persons
like an unskilful physician who gluts the weakly stomach
of his patient, only hasten on what they are trying to pre-
vent. This overplus of water will show its bad effects by
the very dark colour and flabby disposition of the leaves;
and if the plant receives too little, the leaves will turn yel-
low, and eventually die.
The best plan is, always to allow the soil in the pot to have
the appearance of dryness, (but never sufficient to make the
plant flag,) before a supply of water is iven, which should
then be pretty copious; but always empty it out of the pan
or feeder in which the pot stands, as soon as the soil is pro-
perly drained. The water used for the purpose ought always
to be made about the same temperature as the room in which
the plants grow never use it fresh from the pump either
let it stand in a warm room all night, or take off the chill
by adding a little warm water to it, or the growth of the
plants will be much checked.
FLOWERS.
175
3d. Filthiness collected on the Leaves, may either
arise from insects, or dust; the former may be speedily
remedied, by placing the plants under a hand-glass, or any
thing that is convenient, and burning some tobacco until
they become well enveloped in the smoke; and the latter
may be removed by occasionally washing them on the head
with pure water, either by means of a syringe, the rose of
a watering-pan, or with a sponge, when the filth still
adheres.
4th. Being Potted in Unsuitable Soil, is by far the
most difficult part of the business to rectify, for no certain
line can be drawn, unless each genus was treated on sepa-
rately; which cannot be done in a book like the present.
Bulbs of most sorts flourish in rooms with less care than
most other kinds of plants. Hyacinths should be planted
in autumn. In preparing pots for them, select such as are
about four inches deep and three inches wide, put a little
rotten dung in each pot, fill each pot up with light rich soil,
and plant the bulbs so shallow that nearly half the bulb
stands above the soil; plunge the pots in the open air, and
cover them six or eight inches deep with rotten bark.
During spring take them out as they are wanted to bring
into flower, and set them in the window of a warm room
where they will be fully exposed to the sun. Those who
do not possess a garden may set the pots in a cellar or out-
house, or in the corner of a yard, and cover them with light
soil or sand until they are wanted to bring into the room to
flower. When the leaves begin to decay after they have
done flowering give them no water; when the leaves are
dead, take them out of the soil and remove the offsets,
and lay 'them in an airy situation until the time of planting.
If grown in water glasses, they require to be placed in
a light airy situation, and the water will require to be
changed once in three or four days. If drawn up weakly,
176 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK,
it will be necessary to support the stems with sticks, split
at the bottom so as to fit on the edge of the glasses at the
top. This, however, will not be necessary if they be kept
in a light and airy situation. When out of flower, plant
them in pots of soil to perfect their leaves, and treat them
as above; they will then flower again the succeeding year.
PRESERVATION OF PLATE.
CLEANING PLATE.
IN establishments in which a butler's pantry and a foot-
man are to be found, the plate is of course well attended to;
but in families where it is left to the care of a female ser-
vant, who has multifarious occupations daily to be de-
spatched, unless a regulation be made and insisted upon,
the plate that is in constant use will be very soon bruised
and scratched, and in its appearance will more resemble tin
or " queen's metal," than silver. The best plan is to pro-
vide a wicker basket with three compartments in it, and
the handle in the middle. One will contain the smaller
spoons and forks; the other will hold the salt-cellars, mus-
tard-pot, &c., and the third will receive the soup-ladle, fish-
slice, gravy-spoons, &c. With even one servant this plate
may be kept in excellent condition by a little care. It
should never be left in the kitchen, or any other part acces-
sible to strangers; a sideboard drawer, or inner closet in a
store-room, would be desirable. A japanned tray also,
should be provided, with a clean knife- cloth at the bottom;
and before the dishes are removed at dinner time, every
spoon that has been used, should be laid upon the cloth in
the tray, and be set away in a kitchen drawer, until the tea
things are washed in the evening; this regulation will insure
FLOWERS. 177
their not being tossed into the dish-tub, to be scratched and
shuffled about among the plates and dishes; and most proba-
bly, from being emptied away into any receptacle for hog-
wash, or down a drain, &c. A servant should also be in-
structed to wash spoons one at a time, and not to take them
up, several together in the hand, like a bundle of quills.
The best material for cleaning plate that is in constant use
is soap and water, with a soft cloth: if a dark tarnished spot
should appear, a little damp whitening on a small brush will
soon remove it. For plate that has long lain by, liquor-
castors, cruet-stands, &c., first wash it with the incompara-
ble soap and water, and if needful (in consequence of tar-
nish), smear it all over with whitening and spirits of wine,
or common gin, set it to dry, and then brush it off. Decan-
ter-stands, and other articles which must not be washed, on
account of the varnished satin wood, and green baize, should
be subjected to the latter treatment only.
The best plate powder is the purest whiting; because it is
soft, and is not a metallic preparation, as rouge is, and other
advertised plate powders; these act upon the silver, and wear
it rapidly away. The only objection to whiting is, that it
gives the plate a poor and white appearance, whereas the
huejhat is imparted to it by rouge , is that dark and steel-like
surface, at once so beautiful and rich.
After the plate has been washed with hot water, rub it
over with a mixture of levigated hartshorn and spirits of tur-
pentine, which is the best preparation I have known for
cleansing plate and renewing its polish. Remember, that
two good-sized leathers are required for cleaning plate, one
of which should be kept for rubbing off the hartshorn-pow-
der, and the other for polishing up the silver afterwards.
This process should be performed twice a week; but on
other days, merely rubbing with the leathers, after washing,
will be sufficient. I have never seen any plate look better
than that which is cleaned according to this direction, and
178 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
there is nothing- in the ingredients I have mentioned that can
in the least injure the silver, which is sometimes the case
with the nostrums that servants employ. The only thing
to be strictly regarded by the servant who uses it, is to rub
it off so well that the plate shall not retain the slightest
smell of the turpentine. The turpentine is useful in remo-
ving every particle of greasiness from the plate, which mere
washing will not do. I have seen some plate cleaned with
muriatic acid, which gives a very high polish, but also a
deep colour to the plate, almost resembling steel. The harts-
horn and turpentine give as good a polish as the acid, with-
out injuring or changing the colour of the silver.
Many people still prefer whiting and water, which cleans
tolerably well, but does not renew the polish. When silver
has, through neglect, become very dim and dirty -looking, it
is necessary to boil it in soap and water for some little time,
and afterwards the turpentine and hartshorn-powder can
be used to great advantage.
PRESERVATION OF BEDS, CARPETS, &c.
FURS and woollen cloths are preserved in the same way;
and if a house is much infested with moths, the parcels
should be put into a cool oven, or hot closet, every three or
four weeks for a night, and then be opened, and every arti-
cle well shaken, and replaced; it is very important to keep
them in a dry cool place. General neatness, however, is
the greatest enemy to these troublesome insects, and be fre-
quently clearing out wardrobes and drawers, all such intru-
ders are disturbed. It is well to expose to the air (but not
the sun) and thoroughly shake any stocks of linen or woollen
clothes which are lying out of use. As bugs have be-
come so general a nuisance, it is necessary to observe that
PRESERVATION OF BEDS, CARPETS, &C. 179
much care and attention are required to exterminate them.
This may be done by taking the bedsteads entirely asun-
der, and washing every part of them with a strong solution
of corrosive sublimate; if they infest the walls, the paper
should be removed, and the walls washed with the same
preparation before repapering them; and in inveterate cases,
the floor should be painted all round the skirting board to
the extent of about four inches. As the corrosive sublimate
is a strong poison, the bottle containing it should be so
marked, and a caution given to whoever applies it. Per-
haps the cheapest preparation is a solution of the sublimate
in spirit of turpentine, with the addition of water; the pow-
erful smell of the turpentine will tend to further the object
in view. It is a bad plan to nail carpets down in bed-rooms;
the dust occasioned by sweeping them on the floor injures
the furniture, and prevents the frequent scrubbing oi the
floor, which is so essential to health and cleanliness; they
should be of a convenient size for taking up, and beating
very frequently.
As winter approaches, it is impossible to be too careful
in keeping spare beds and blankets properly aired. In damp
weather, a bed which has been unoccupied for three suc-
cessive nights, is unfit for the use of a delicate person, or
indeed, of any one; if they cannot be put under the occu-
pied beds of the house, a cleanly servant should sleep in
them alternately. A state bed, above all things, should be
avoided, for it is only at the hazard of life or health that it
can ever be used. A hospitable and judicious housewife
will always keep a pair of sheets aired in case a friend
should unexpectedly drop in late in the evening, when there
would nojt be time to do it thoroughly^ In damp houses a
chafing-dish of coals should occasionally be put into spare
bed-rooms, leaving the doors open for the damp air to escape.
It is advisable, on account of neatness, and consequently
J80 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
of economy, to provide bed-covers, to be laid over the beds
when the rooms are being swept. The quantity of dust
which settles on other articles of furniture will convince
those who observe it that a due proportion will fall on the
bed-cover; and, in the absence of this neat appendage to a
housemaid's paraphernalia, on the counterpane or quilt. A
half-tidy, and much more troublesome method is sometimes
adopted, that of turning the counterpane wrong side out-
wards, on the occasion of sweeping; but this is objectionable,
if only in consequence of the dust that must be unnecessari-
ly communicated to the blanket. A bed-cover may be made
of any slight material our own is ofmatress ticking, which
is cheap and preferable to any other article for the purpose.
In turning sheets, &c., a knife or scissors should never be
used to cut open the seams, as is too commonly done, for
the edges are almost inevitably cut from time to time.
Though picking out the stitches with a pin appears a tedi-
ous process, it will in the end prove shorter than the other
plan, which involves the necessity of hemming the edges as
well as pulling out the ends of cut thread.
When roller-blinds become a little worn, it is a good plan
to turn the top to the bottom, and, by adding a false hem at
the top, the worn part may be cut off without unduly short-
ening the blind.
BROOMS.
The brooms of a domicile are of various sorts; and, like
every other article of domestic utility, of various qualities;
nor are the best kinds to be ascertained by young housekeep-
ers by intuition, neither should servants be intrusted with
the commission to purchase them. Shopkeepers are not al-
ways honest if servants are; and the less collison that is al-
lowed, or even hazarded between them on all occasions, the
more advantageous it will be to a mistress. Experience
PRESERVATION OF BEDS, CARPETS, &C. 181
alone, in the matter of brooms, can determine the good qua-
lities and comparative merits of these essentials to our house-
hold comfort.
We will begin with the carpet-broom, that darling vehi-
cle of a housemaid in her daily work of destruction to the
beautiful woofs which grace our floors. With what regret
have we listened to the tearing noise of one of these vile
bundles of harsh rushes scratching up the nap, under the
strong arm and ruthless vigour of a servant! These gay
brooms, begirt with gilded crimson leather, are one of the
most expensive articles in a house; for they not only destroy
the carpets, even when quite new, but they quickly wear
down; and, in that state of stubborn jagged twigs, a stable
broom could commit little less havoc. The best brush for
our carpeted floors is a long handled one, with rounded
ends, the hairs very stiff, and about as long as those in a
clothes brush. This, at all events, will suffice for the pur-
pose six days out of the seven; so that only once a week,
instead of every day, the use of the genuine carpet broom
may be permitted. Two house-brooms should always be
provided, one for the sleeping apartments (which should be
kept up stairs), and one for the kitchen; and these, indeed
all brooms, should have round ends; we deprecate those
which are usually seen with ends sharp and square, that
seem to have been invented expressly to chip the paint from
the skirting boards.
CARPETS.
When carpets are taken up to be beaten, it is a usual,
though erroneous plan, to have them dragged over a grass
plot, in order to " brighten their colours." No green sward
at this time of the year can be in a fit state for such an ex-
pedient; and injury from the mud and worm-casts will be
16
182 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
the inevitable consequence. A carpet should be suspended
on a stout line, between two trees; or if that be impractica-
ble, on a set of palings; and beaten on the wrong side, by
three, four, or even six persons, (according to the size of it,)
each person having a pliable stick, with the end of it tied
round strongly with cloth, so as to form a nob, in order to
prevent the carpet from being frayed, or the seams split by
the sharp edge of the stick; which is too often a conse-
quence if the stick be unguarded. When thoroughly beat-
en on the wrong, it must be turned on the right side, and
again be subjected to the same treatment. When bed rooms
are not covered entirely with carpeting, it is usual to have
"bed-round carpets," mitred at the corners. This mitring
is an improvement on the old fashion of three straight pie-
ces, (the longest bit at the feet,) but when a bed-round car-
pet is mitred, it is very difficult to shake, requiring two or
three persons, besides the certainty of splitting the seams.
It is, therefore, desirable to make an alteration that shall
obviate the inconvenience, without spoiling the pretty finish
which the mitred corners produce. This is effected by hav-
ing the carpets cut out as if to be mitred; but, instead of
joining the corners, let them be finished off with binding,
the same as the ends, and left open. When laid down,
they will present exactly the same appearance, and the in-
convenience of the joined corners will be obviated.
CLEANING BEDS.
A decoction of bitter apple, about sixpenny worth in a
pint of water, is an easy and simple preventive to the in-
crease of these insects. Crevices in walls, and the joinings
between the boards in floors, ought to be rubbed over three
or four times with a small brush dipped in the decoction.
WASHIING. 183
TO CLEAN CARPETS.
Mix ox gall and water; rub the carpet with a flannel
dipped into the mixture, then rub dry with a linen cloth. It
has occurred for carpets to shrink after being thus wetted;
therefore the safest way is to let it be securely fastened to
the floor.
WASHING.
IN all large " washes," the linen, and especially cotton
stockings, should be put to soak over night; both soap and
labour are thus saved. You should always provide your
washers with little wooden bowls to throw their soap into,
which will prevent their letting it stand in the water wast-
ing; make also a proper flannel " blue-bag," and let it be a
rule that this and the bowls shall be delivered up after the
wash, that they may be set aside in readiness for another
occasion.
It is a very bad plan to allow clothes to remain long dirty;
in large families, three weeks should be the longest space
between the washes, for not only are the clothes injured,
but more soap and labour are required to get them clean.
In washing flannels, prepare a lather expressly of soft
water, soap, and a good deal of blue. Do not rinse them
after the lather, but wring them as dry as possible, shake
them and hang them out. Flannel should be scalded before
it is made up, since it will shrink in the first washing. To
remove the starch or " dressing" from new Irish linen, it
should be put to soak in cold water overnight, and be scald-
ed next morning. Silk of almost any colour may be washed
184 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
by putting it in soak for a night in cold soft water (for black
silk add some blue), the next day wash it out, wring it as
dry as you can, and wipe off the wet that remains with a
soft cloth; then mangle or iron it*
WASHING WITH SODA.
Four ounces of Sub-Carbonate of Soda. Half a pound of
Soap cut in small pieces four pails of water. Put the
clothes in soak over night. In the morning, put the above
quantities together. When the water is boiling hot, wring
out the clothes, put them into the kettle and let them boil
one hour. Take them out and wash them through warm
water, and rinse them through cold water. This does not
answer for flannels or coloured clothes but it makes white
clothes very clear and white without the labour of rubbing
them and is of course more economical.
The soda can be bought by the pound for twenty-five
cents.
WASHING MUSLIN DRESSES, &C.
In washing muslin dresses, the colours may be preven-
ted from running by the following method: take out all the
gathers at the tops of the sleeves and at the waist; wash the
dress quickly in the usual way, but with the water cool; as
soon as it is rinsed, rool it smoothly in a sheet, and leave it
till dry.
The texture of those beautiful French thread stockings
and gloves, which have obtained the supremacy over those
of silk, is so delicate, that peculiar care is requisite in the
method of washing them. The following is the most ap-
proved. A lather of cold water is to be made in a sauce-
pan; the stockings are to be well soaped and placed in it
over the fire. When they have boiled take them out; and,
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 185
having made a fresh cold lather, let them again boil. If this
simple process be well performed, the stockings and gloves,
on being a second time removed, will require little more
than rinsing. Thus, the fabric is uninjured by rubbing, a
bad plan that destroys our stockings much more rapidly
than we can wear them out. When silk stockings have
been nicely washed and coloured, instead of mangling they
should be stretched on a board and rubbed on the right side
with clean flannel till dry; when mangled, they often have a
watered appearance. Laces, nets, and clear muslins, should
not be ironed upon the ironing blanket; but a piece of soft
linen should be laid over the blanket to prevent the starch
from taking up the nap of wool and giving a thick appear-
ance to the lace. Silk dresses, gauze ribands, &c., will wear
clean longer, especially in London, if well rubbed now and
then with a clean soft cloth, not linty (an old pocket-hand-
kerchief answers the purpose admirably).
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.
RECIPE FOR TAKING WAX OUT OF CLOTH.
HOLD a red hot iron (a poker will do) steadily within an
inch or so of the cloth, and in a few minutes the wax will
wholly evaporate; then rub the cloth with some whitish
brown paper to remove any mark that may remain,
DELICIOUS SALINE DRAUGHTS.
Carbonate of soda and white sugar, of each twenty grains;
lemon or tartaric acid, twenty -five grains; mix with water,
in two glasses, as usual. If you substitute a half lemon for
the acid, it is still nicer.
16*
186 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
CURE FOR THE RHEUMATISM.
Mix well together one quarter of an ounce of ether and
an ounce of amber oil. Rub the part affected first with a
flannel, till quite warm, then with the hand; rub on a little
of the mixture, and cover it with a warm flannel. Repeat
the application twice a-day till cured.
RECENT COLD.
A tea-spoonful of sal-volatile, taken in a small quantity
of water or white wine whey at bed time, is a good remedy
for a recent cold. Bathing the nose in warm water is also
a great relief.
RECIPE FOR THE STING OF A WASP, BEE, OR OTHER INSECT.
Wet the part stung, and rub a piece of indigo upon it,
which will instantly remove the pain.
TO GET RID OF THE STING OF A NETTLE OR OTHER
VEGETABLE.
Rub the part affected with balm, rosemary, mint, or any
other aromatic herb, and the smart will at once cease.
RECIPE FOR BURNS.
For a burn by vitriol or by any similar cause, apply the
white of eggs, mixed with powdered chalk, and lay it over
the parts burnt with a feather, and it will afford immediate
relief. We have seen this tried most successfully to a
child who had accidently taken some vitriol into its mouth.
TO EFFACE SPOTS OF GREASE FROM SILKS.
The recipes for this are very numerous, and, with one ex-
ception, are all objectionable or ineffectual. Turpentine
will extract the grease but will form an edge wherever it is
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 187
applied: ether fails to touch either the spot or the remains
of the turpentine: French chalk absorbs the offending mat-
ter, but leaves a muddy or dull appearance, that is almost
as unsightly as the grease. Advertised remedies (all of
them, however, which have fallen under our observation,)
whether in the form of ball, cake, or liquid, equally fail,
however carefully applied. The only safe and really infalli-
ble method of extracting grease spots from silks (of even the
most delicate hues,) is the following, which should be ap-
plied as soon after the discovery of the injury as possible,
in order that no further mischief may be caused by dust or
dirt settling on the grease. Hold the part firmly, to prevent
the silk from being creased; then with a clean soft white
cloth (an old cambric pocket handkerchief is the best mate-
rial) rub the spot very briskly, but not with sufficient vio-
lence to fray the silk; change the portions of the handker-
chief frequently; the silk may be held to the fire to assist
the operation, but this is not needful. In the course of a
minute or two the spot will have entirely disappeared.
This we know to be effectual.
TO POLISH MAHOGANY TABLES.
Grate very small a quarter of an ounce of white soap;
put it into a new glazed earthen vessel with a pint of waterj
hold it over the fire till the soap is dissolved; then add the
same quantity of white wax cut into small pieces, and three
ounces of common wax. As soon as the whole is incor-
porated it is fit for use. When used, clean the table well,
dip a bit of flannel in the varnish when ivarm, and rub it
on the table; let it stand a quarter of an hour, then apply a
hard brush in all directions and finish with a bit of clean
dry flannel. This will produce a gloss like a mirror; and,
to those who dislike the smell of turpentine or oil, will be
found very useful.
188 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
IRON MOULDS.
Spirit of salt, oxalic acid, salt of lemons, are the usual
applications to extract those unsightly stains; and as they
are all so much of the same nature, that, unless great cau-
tion be used in their applications, the article will drop into
holes, it becomes every mistress of a family to consider
whether such a risk should be left to a laundress, or whether
she be not the more likely person to effect a perfect appli-
cation, as she must or ought to have her own interests at
heart, more strongly than a person wholly indifferent to
her. The only caution requisite, is to rinse the article
thoroughly after the application.
TO CLEAN MARBLE.
Pound very finely a quarter of a pound of whitening and
a small quantity of stone blue; dissolve in a little water one
ounce of soda, and mix the above ingredients carefully to-
gether with a quarter of a pound of soft soap. Put the
whole into an earthen pipkin, and boil it for a quarter of an
hour on a slow fire, carefully stirring it. Then, when
quite hot, lay it with a brush upon the marble, and let it
remain on half an hour. Wash it off with warm water,
flannel, and scrubbing-brush, and wipe it dry.
TO MAKE BLACKING.
Three ounces of ivory black; two ounces of treacle; half
an ounce of vitriol; half an ounce of sweet oil; quarter of a
pint of vinegar, and three quarters of a pint of water. Mix
the oil, treacle, and ivory black gradually to a paste; then
add the vitriol, and by degrees, the vinegar and water. It
will produce a beautiful polish.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 189
OIL FOR FURNITURE.
For polishing mahogany furniture, we would mention,
and recommend the following it is simply cold drawn
linseed oil. The property of this oil differs from that of
most other oleaginous fluids; essential oils, as those of cin-
namon, cloves, &c, are pungent; that of others is soft and
lubricating, as olive, palm, gallipoli, neatsfoot. But linseed
oil possesses more particularly a tendency to harden and
become solid, on long exposure to the air. It is this pecu-
liar quality that is taken advantage of in its application to
furniture; and which, with a little patience, and no hard
rubbing, will produce a varnish far superior in durability,
beauty, and usefulness to French polish, or any mixture
for the purpose, which we have ever seen; and we believe
that there is scarcely one which we do not know, and have
not made trial of.
A very little linseed oil is to be poured into a saucer;
then, with a small piece of clean rag smear the furniture
with it. In a few minutes, wipe it off with an old duster
kept for the purpose; and then rub the tables, <8cc. quite
clean, with a second cloth. This simple, easy operation,
performed regularly once a week, will gradually produce
a polish that is unrivalled: for unless it were to be washed
with soap, it will not injure; boiling water even might be
poured over it with impunity; indeed, occasional washing
with plain water, is an advantage to it. Unlike the easily
spoiled varnishes of the shops, furniture that is rubbed
with this oil is not so readily scratched; and, if it be, the
next week's application will nearly obliterate the marks.
Again, the pores of the wood being filled with the applica-
tion, it becomes very hard, and is able to resist the attacks
190 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
of insects. We have possessed articles of furniture thus
polished, so beautiful, that our simple plan has been con-
jectured to be a newly invented preparation " yet unknown
to fame." We are aware that this method of beautifying
furniture is well, but not generally known.
PRESERVATION OF EGGS.
A simple plan, and one which has long proved successful,
is to bury the eggs in salt; of course the eggs must be fresh,
and they should be placed upright not on the side. In this
way, eggs will keep good for a year. It is, perhaps, well to
add, that this is an excellent mode of taking eggs to sea.
The vessel in which the eggs are placed should be kept in a
cool, dry situation; and a thick layer of salt should be placed
at the top of it. At the season when eggs are plentiful, and
consequently cheap, it will be wise to think about laying in
a store of them. In cities, particularly, fresh eggs are,
in the winter months, a delicacy scarcely attainable, and
this merely from want of a little foresight.
TO MAKE GINGER BEER.
One ounce of bruised ginger, one ounce of cream of tartar,
one lemon juice and peel, one pound of loaf-sugar, one gal-
lon of boiling water; add one spoonful of yeast to work it
and bottle it in stone jars before it is cold.
TO CLARIFY SUGAR.
Take four pounds of sugar, and break it into pieces; put
into a preserving-pan the white of an egg, and a glass of
pure spring water; mix them well with a whisk, add ano-
ther glass, still whipping, until two quarts of water have
been put in; when the pan is full of froth, throw in the sugar,
and set it on the fire, being careful to skim it every time the
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 191
scum rises, which will be the case as the sugar boils up.
After a few boilings, the sugar will rise so high as to rim
over the edges of the pan, to prevent which, throw on it
a little cold water; this will lower it instantly, and give time
for the skimming, for the scum should never be taken off
whilst the sugar is bubbling; the cold water stills it, and
that is the moment to skim it. Repeat this operation care-
fully three or four times, when a whitish light scum only
will rise; then take the pan off, lay a napkin, slightly wetted,
over a basin, and pour the sugar through it.
The scum thus taken off, put into a china basin; and
when the sugar is clarified, wash the pan and the skimmer
with a glass of water, which put to the scum, and set it
aside for more common purposes.
TO MAKE YEAST.
Boil for half an hour two quarts of water, thickened with
about three spoonfuls of fine flour, and sweetened with
nearly half a pound of brown sugar; when almost cold, put
it into a jug, adding four spoonfuls of fresh yeast; shake it
well together, let it stand uncovered near the fire for a day,
to ferment. There will be a thin liquor on the top, pour
this off; shake the remainder and cork it up for use. To
make a half peck loaf you should use a quarter of a pint
of the above.
TO PRESERVE POTATOES.
The Scotch method of preserving eggs, by dipping them
in boiling water (which destroys the living principle,) is too
well known to need further notice. The preservation of
potatoes, by similar treatment, is also a valuable and useful
discovery. Large quantities may be cured at once, by put-
ting them into a a basket as large as the vessel containing
the boiling water will admit, and then just dipping them for
192 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
a minute or two at the utmost, the germ, which is so near
the skin, is thus " killed," without injuring the potatoe. In
this way several tons might be cured in a few hours. They
should then be dried in a warm oven, and laid up in sacks
or casks, secure from the frost, in a dry place. Another
method of preserving this valuable root is, first to peel them,
then to grate them down into a pulp, which is put into
coarse cloths, and the water squeezed out by putting them
into a common press, by which means they are formed
into flat cakes. Those cakes are to be well dried, and
preserved for use as required. This is an excellent and
ingenious mode of preserving potatoes, although attended
with too much trouble on the large scale. It is said, that
a piece of lime put into the water into which potatoes are
boiling, will render the heaviest, light and flowery.
PORTABLE GINGER BEER.
A beverage, equal in flavour to ginger beer, and in its
medicinal effects far more wholesome, besides the conve-
nience of being portable, may be made in the following man-
ner;
Take of powdered lump sugar, two drams. Carbonate
of soda, half a dram. Mix them together.
Take of Tartaric acid, half a dram, best ginger powder,
five grains, essence of lemon, one drop. Mix them together..
Dissolve the above powders in separate glasses, contain-
ing together, about half a pint of cold spring water; when
dissolved, mix the contents of each glass, and let it be drank
immediately.
The proportion of ginger may be increased to double or
quadruple the quantity, agreeable to the palate; it should
be the finest kind, (the subtile powder as it is called)
which, with the other ingredients, may be obtained at any
druggist's.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 193
The powders, when made, should be kept from damp.
A cubic box of four inches will receive six dozen of them.
TO CORRECT THE ACIDITY OF PORTER, &C.
Porter and other malt liquors, are apt to become very
sour, and consequently unwholesome; to remedy which,
take as much Carbonate of Soda as will lay upon a dime,
(or more if the liquor be very acid) and put it into a
tumbler pour over it a little of the liquor sufficient to
dissolve it: fill up the glass with the beer, and it will effer-
vesce, (more or less according to the strength of acid) dur-
ing which state it should be drank immediately: as, if
allowed to stand long, it will not be so agreeable in flavour.
The most acid liquor will be rendered as mild as new.
To persons affected with indigestion or stomach com-
plaints, or with whom porter disagrees, this method will be
found of great use, in tending to the removal of such com-
plaints.
YEAST.
The following method of making yeast for bread, is both
easy and expeditious. Boil one pound of good flour, a quar-
ter of a pound of brown sugar, and a little salt, in two gal-
lons of water, for one hour; when milk-warm, bottle it, and
cork it close. It will be fit for use in twenty-four hours.
One pint of this will make eighteen pounds of bread.
TO PREVENT THE SMOKING OF A LAMP.
Soak the wick in strong vinegar, and dry it well before
you use it; it will then burn both sweet and pleasant, and
give much satisfaction for the trifling trouble in preparing it
17
194 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
METHOD OF OBTAINING FLOWERS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS ON
THE SAME STEM.
Split a small twig of the elder bush lengthways, and hav-
ing scooped out the pith, fill each of the compartments
with seeds of flowers of different sorts, but which blossom
about the same time, surround them with mould, and then
tying together the two bits of wood, plant the whole in a
pot filled with earth properly prepared. The stems of the
different flowers will thus be so incorporated as to exhibit
to the eye only one stem, throwing out branches covered
with flowers analagous to the seed which produced them.
USEFUL RECIPE FOR EFFECTUALLY TAKING OUT SPOTS OF
INK FROM LINEN.
Take a piece of mould candle (the tallow of which is
commonly of the finest kind), melt it, and dip the spotted
part of the linen in the melted tallow, then put it to the
wash. It will come perfectly white from the hands of the
laundress, and there \vill never be any hole in the spotted
part. This experiment has been tried, and found superior
to salt of lemons, or spirits of salts, which often destroy the
linen.
RECIPE EFFECTUALLY TO DESTROY BED BUGS.
Take two ounces of quicksilver, and the whites of two
eggs, and so on in this ratio for a larger or smaller quanti-
ty. Beat the quicksilver and the whites together until they
unite and become a froth. With a feather then apply the
compound thus formed to the crevices and holes in your bed-
steads. This done once or twice in a year will prove ef-
fectual.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 195
A FIRE PROOF AND WATER PROOF CEMENT.
To half a pint of milk put an equal quantity of vinegar,
in order to curdle it; then separate the curd from the whey,
and mix the whey with the whites of four or five eggs, beat-
ing the whole well together. When it is well mixed, add
a little quick lime, through a sieve, until it has acquired the
consistence of a thick paste. With this cement broken ves-
sels, and cracks of all kinds, may be mended. It dries quick-
ly, and resists the action of fire and water.
TO RENDER SHOES WATER PROOF.
Mix a pint of drying oil, two ounces of yellow wax, two
ounces of turpentine, and half an ounce of Burgundy pitch,
carefully over a slow fire. Lay the mixture, whilst hot, on
the boots or shoes with a sponge or soft brush; and when
they are dry lay it on again and again, until the leather be-
comes quite saturated, that is to say, will hold no more.
Let them then be put away, and not be worn until they are
perfectly dry and elastic: they will afterwards be found not
only impenetrable to wet, but soft and pliable, and of much
longer duration.
FOR AN OBSTINATE COUGH.
Take a half-pound of the best honey, and squeeze the
juice of four lemons upon it; mix them well together, and
add a small portion of sugar-candy. A tea-spoonful may be
taken every time the cough is troublesome, and in a very
short time a cure will be effected.
PRESERVATION OF EGGS.
/
Relative to the preservation of eggs by immersion in lime-
water, M. Peschier has given most satisfactory evidence of
the efficacy of the process. Eggs which he had preserved
196 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
for six years in this \vaj T , being boiled and tried, were found
perfectly fresh and good; and a confectioner of Geneva has
used a whole cask of eggs preserved by the same means.
In the small way eggs may be thus preserved in bottles or
other vessels. They are to be introduced when quite fresh,
the bottle then filled with lime-water, a little powdered lime
sprinkled in at last, and then the bottle closed. To prepare
the lime-water, twenty or thirty pints of water are to be
mixed up with five or six pounds of slaked quick-lime put
into a covered vessel allowed to clear by standing, and the
lime-water immediately used.
MILDEW ON LINEN, &C.
The mildew upon linen proceeds from their being put
away damp from the wash, and it is a very difficult blemish
to remove. When it has unfortunately occurred, you will
find that soap rubbed on, and afterwards fine chalk scraped
upon the spots, with a day's exposure to the sun, will re-
move it, if not at once, at least upon a repetition.
Fruit and red wine stains may be removed by a prepara-
tion of equal parts of slaked lime, potass, and soft soap, and
by exposure to the sun while this preparation is upon the
stain. Salt of lemon (oxalate of potass] will remove ink and
iron mould.
When linen or muslins are scorched, in the getting up,,
without being actually burnt, a brown mark is left upon the
spot, which may be removed by laying some of the follow-
ing composition on it, before the article is again washed:
Slice six large onions, and express the juice, which must be
added to a quart of vinegar, with one ounce of rasped soap,
a quarter of a pound of fuller's earth, one ounce of lime,
and one ounce of pearl-ashes. Boil the whole, until the
mixture becomes thick, and apply it to the scorched spot
while it is hot.
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 197
COCKROACHES.
There is one species of vermin, which cannot be expelled
too soon from a residence, when once they take post near
the kitchen fire; for they will soon swarm thence, all over
the house, to the utter destruction of clothes, hats, pictures,
&c. It is pleasant, indeed, to hear the cricket ' chirping on
the hearth,' but the cockroach ought to be expelled. The
remedy is short, and infallible. Take a small quantity of
white arsenic finely pulverized, strew it on crumbs of bread,
and lay it near the haunts of these insects: a few nights will
suffice; but dogs, cats, and other pets must be kept out of
the way of partaking of the fare.
VELVETS.
It is perhaps not generally known, that velvets are readily
restored, by passing the under side of the velvet over a warm
smoothing iron. The best way of doing this is for one per-
son to hold the velvet tight, and another to pass the iron
over it on the wrong side; after which the garment must be
spread out, and a brush, or very fine whisk, like those now
sold about the streets by Dutch women, passed gently yet
briskly over the pile. The good effect of this, even upon
the most worn-out velvet, will scarcely be credited, until
tried; and it is equally applicable to velvets that are but little
worn.
CLEANING BLACK DRESSES.
A very simple yet certain mode of removing stains from
mourning dresses is, to take a good handful of fig-leaves,
which must be boiled in two quarts of water until re-
duced to a pint. Squeeze the leaves, and put the liquor
into a bottle for use. The articles, whether of bombazine,
17*
198 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
crape, cloth, &c., need only be rubbed with a sponge dipped
in the liquor, when the effect will be instantly produced.
VINEGAR.
As vinegar forms such an important part of cookery,
it must be always important to ascertain that it is unadul-
terated. The chemical process is simple. In a test glass
of vinegar put three or four drops of acetate of barytes,
which will produce a white precipitate. Filtrate through
paper, and heat the powder in a tobacco-pipe until red-
hot. Then put it into spirit of salt, or diluted aqua-fortis.
If the precipitate dissolves, the vinegar is genuine. If it
does not, then the vinegar is adulterated with oil of vitriol.
If metallic adulteration is suspected, especially in dis-
tilled vinegar, take the following tests: add liquid ammonia
to vinegar until its odour predominates; then if the mixture
assumes a bluish tint, you may depend upon the presence of
copper.
Again, add water, impregnated with sulphuretted hydro-
gen to the suspected vinegar. If it becomes black, or yields
a black precipitate, the presence of lead is obvious.
TO POT BUTTER FOR WINTER USE.
In the summer, when there is plenty of butter, care
should be taken to preserve enough for winter use. But
observe, that none but good butter, which has been well
made, and is quite free from buttermilk, will pot well. Have
potting pans, to hold from six to ten pounds of butter. Put
a thick layer of butter in the pan, press it down hard, then
put a layer of salt, and press that down, then more butter
and so on: allowing one ounce of salt to every pound of but-
ter. If this be too salt, it can be freshened by being washed
in cold water, before it is sent to table. Always keep the
top well covered, with salt, and as that turns to brine, more
MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 199
salt may be required. Tie paper over, and keep the pan in
the dairy, or the cellar. Some persons use one quarter part
of lump sugar, and the same of saltpetre, to two parts of
common salt, but I never, that I am aware of, tasted butter
so preserved. The richer and finer flavoured the butter is
when fresh, the better it will answer to pot.
LAVENDER WATER.
Eight ounces of spirits of wine, one drachm of oil of
lavender, ten drops ambergrease, and twenty drops of es-
sence of bergamot.
MILK OF ROSES.
Two ounces sweet almonds, beaten to a paste, forty
drops of oil of lavender, and forty ounces of rose water.
TO CLEAN PAINT.
Put a very little pearl-ash or soda into the water, to soften
it, then wash the paint with a flannel and soft soap; wash
the soap off, and wipe dry with clean linen cloths.
TO CLEAN PAPERED WALLS.
The very best method is to rub with stale bread. Cut
the crust off very thick, and wipe straight down from the
top, then go to the top again, and so on. The staler the
bread the better.
STOVE POLISH.
For polishing stoves the best thing is the British Lustre,
as it does not soil the hands on touching. It is sold at the
apothecaries, and directions for using are printed on the out-
side of each package.
200 HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
POLISHING BRASS.
Take an ounce of oxalic acid and dissolve in a pint of
water or spirit. Rub with a piece of flannel and wash
afterwards with soap and water. This imparts a beautiful
polish to brass and is perfectly clean. It should be remem-
bered where there are children, that this acid is a deadly
poison.
SHAVING SOAP.
A very nice soap for shaving may be made by mixing a
quarter of a pound of Castile soap, one cake of old Windsor
soap, a gill of lavender water, the same of cologne water
and a very little alcohol. Boil all these together, until
thoroughly mixed.
RENNET.
A most excellent article in case of sickness and very con-
venient at all times in a family. The great difficulty in
buying it in the market is its being so greasy. The apothe-
caries in Boston prepare it in such a way that it is as dry
and transparent nearly as isinglass. About two ounces of
this put into a pint of wine. When you wish to make
custard season the milk to your taste, and warm it blood
warm. Two great spoonfuls of the wine put to this will
make a firm custard. It should be used very soon after pre-
paring. To make whey, warm the milk and add more of
the wine and let it stand until separated from the curd,
which it will soon if the curd be broken with a spoon.
PICKLE TO PRESERVE BUTTER.
Half a pound of salt, one ounce of salt-petre, half a
pound of sugar, three quarts of water dissolved together.
Skim the pickle till clear.
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING,
201
DIRECTIONS FOR JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING.
BELOW will be found the figures of the five larger animals
followed by a reference to each, by which the reader, who
is not already experienced, may observe the names of all
the principal joints, as well as the part of the animal from
which the j oint is cut.
Venison.
1. Shoulder.
2. Neck.
3. Haunch.
4. Breast.
5. Scrag.
202
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Beef.
1. Sirloin
2. Rump.
3. Edge Bone.
4. Buttock.
5. Mouse Buttock.
6. Leg-.
7. Thick Flank.
8. Veiny Piece.
9. Thin Flank.
10. Fore Rib: 7 Ribs.
11. Middle Rib: 4 Ribs.
12. Chuck Rib: 2 Ribs.
13. Brisket.
14. Shoulder, or Leg of Mutton
Piece.
15. Clod.
16. Neck or Sticking Piece.
17. Shin.
18. Cheek.
Mutton.
1. Leg,
2. Shoulder.
3. Loin, Best End.
4. Loin, Chump End.
5. Neck, Best End.
6. Breast.
7. Neck, Scrag End.
Note. A Chine is two Loins:
and a saddle is two Loins, and
two Necks of the Best End.
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING,
203
Veal.
1. Loin, Best End.
2. Fillet.
3. Loin, Chump End.
4. Hind Knuckle.
5. Neck, Best End.
6. Breast, Best End.
7. Blade Bone or Oyster-part.
8. Fore Knuckle.
9. Breast, Brisket End.
10. Neck, Scrag End.
Pork.
1. Leg.
2. Hind Loin.
3. Fore Loin.
4. Spare Rib.
5. Hand.
6. Belly, or Spring-.
204
HOUSEKEEPER S BOOK.
Cod's Head. FIG. 1.
a
Cod's Head (Fig 1) is a dish in the carving of which
you have nothing to study beyond that preference for par-
ticular parts of the fish which some persons entertain. The
solid parts are helped by cutting through with the fish-trowel
from a to b and from c to </, and so on, from the jaw-bone
to the further end of the shoulder. The sound lies on the
inside, and to obtain this, you must raise up the thin part
of the fish, near the letter e. This dish never looks so
well as when served dry, and the fish on a napkin neatly
folded, and garnished with sprigs of parsley.
Haunch of Venison. FIG. 2.
Haunch of Venison is cut (as in Fig. 2.) first in the lino
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING.
205
a to b. This first cut is the means of getting much of the
gravy of the joint. Then turning the dish longwise towards
him, the carver should put the knife in at c, and cut as
deep as the bone will allow, to rf, and take out slices on
either side of the line in this direction. The fat of venison
becomes cold so very rapidly, that it is advisable, when con-
venient, to have some means of giving it renewed warmth
after the joint comes to table. For this purpose, some use
water-plates, which have the effect of rendering the meat
infinitely nicer than it would be in a half chilled state.
Haunch of Mutton is carved in the same way as Veni-
son.
Saddle of Mutton. FIG. 3.
Saddle of Mutton. This is prepared for roasting as in
Fig. 3, the tail being split in two, each half twisted back,
and skewered, with one of the kidneys enclosed. You carve
this by cutting, in straight lines, on each side of the back-
bone, as from a to 6, from c to d. If the saddle be a fine
one, there will be fat on every part of it; but there is always
more on the sides (ee) than in the centre.
18
206
HOUSEKEEPER S BOOK.
Edge Boi e of Beef. FIG. 4.
c
Edge Bone of Beef, like the Round of Beef, is easily
carved. But care should be taken, with both of these, to
carve neatly; for if the meat be cut in thin slices or in pieces
of awkward shape, the effect will be both to cause waste and
to render the dish, while it lasts, uninviting. Cut slices,
as thin as you please, from a to b (Fig 4). The best
part of the fat will be found on one side of the meat, from
about c to d. The most delicate is at c.
Fore Quarter of Lamb. FIG. 5.
Fore Quarter of Lamb is first to be cut so as to divide
the shoulder from the rest of the quarter, which is called the
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING. 207
target. For this purpose, put the fork firmly into the shoul-
der joint, and then cut underneath the blade-bone, begin-
ning at a (Fig 5), and continue cutting all round in the di-
rection of the circular line, and pretty close to the under
part of the blade-bone. Some people like to cut the shoul-
der large, while others take off no more meat with it than
is barely necessary to remove the blade-bone. It is most
convenient to place the shoulder on a separate dish. This
is carved in the same way as the shoulder of mutton (see
Fig. 7). When the shoulder is removed, a lemon may be
squeezed over that part of the remainder of the joint where
the knife has passed: this gives a flavour to the meat which
is generally approved. Then, proceed to cut completely
through from b to c, following the line across the bones as
cracked by the butcher; and this will divide the ribs ((/)
from the brisket (e). Tastes vary in giving preference to
the ribs or to the brisket.
Leg of Mutton, FIG. 6.
The above engraving represents a leg of mutton served
up in the dish, lying upon its back. The best parts are in
the middle at e, between the knuckle and further end. Be-
gin to help from e to/, in thin deep slices down to the bone.
If the outside should not be sufficiently fat, cut some slices
from the broad end from h to i; this part is most juicy,
though many prefer the knuckle of very fine mutton, which,
208
HOUSEKEEPER S BOOK.
though dry, is tender. On the back of the leg may be cut
some very fine slices, from the broad end, longways. We-
ther mutton may be easily known by a round lump of fat at
the edge of the broad part at d. The cramp-bone, as it is
called, may be cut out, by taking hold of the shank bone
with the left hand, and cutting down to the thigh bone at g",
then passing the knife under it in the direction g k.
Shoulder of Mutton. FIG. 7.
A shoulder of mutton is here represented with the back
uppermost. When this joint is not over-roasted, it is very
full of gravy, and by many preferred to a leg, as having ma-
ny very delicate and savoury parts in it. When it is first
cut, it should be in the hollow part of it in the direction d
e, down to the bone: this being done, the gravy runs first
into the dish, and slices should be then taken off, on each
side the cut. The best flavoured fat lies on the outer edge,
and should be cut out in thin slices in the direction hh.
When all is taken from the hollow part, in the line (/ e,
some very good slices may be cut, on each side the ridge
of the blade-bone, in the direction / g. The line between
the two dotted lines is the edge or ridge of the blade-bone,
which cannot be cut across; On the under-side of a shoul-
der, there are some very fine cuts, very full of gravy, which
are by some preferred to the upper part.
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING.
209
Ham. FIG. 8.
Ham is generally cut by making a deep incision across the
top of it, as from a to b, and down to the bone. Those who
like the knuckle end, which is the most lean and dry, may
cut towards c: but the prime part of the ham is that between
a and the thick end. Some prefer carving hams with a
more slanting cut, beginning in a direction as from a to c,
and so continuing, throughout, to the thick end. The slant-
ing mode is, however, apt to be very wasteful, unless the
carver be careful not to take away too much fat in propor-
tion to the lean.
Rabbit, for Roasting. FIG. 9.
Rabbit, for Roasting, is prepared for the spit as in
fig, y. To carve: begin by cutting through near to the
back-bone, from a to b', then, make a corresponding cut
18*
210
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
on the other side of the back-bone; leaving the back and the
head in one distinct piece. Cut off the legs at the hip-joint
(e), and take off the wing nearly as you would the wing of
a bird, carrying the knife round the circular line (c). The
ribs are of little importance, as they are bare of meat. Di-
vide the back into three or four portions, as pointed out by
the letters f g h. The head is then to be cut off, and the
lower jaws divided from the upper. By splitting the upper
part of the head in the middle, you have the brains, which
are prized by epicures. The comparative goodness of dif-
ferent parts of a rabbit will depend much on the age, and
also upon the cooking. The back, and the legs, are always
the best. The wing of a young rabbit is nice; but this is not
so good in an old one, and particularly if it be not thorough-
ly well done.
Rabbit for Boiling. FIG. 10.
Rabbit for Boiling, should be trussed, according to the
newest fashion, as in Fig. 10. Cut off the ears close to
the head, and cut off the feet at the foot-joint. Cut off the
tail- Then make an incision on each side of the back-bone
at the rump end, about an inch and a half long. This
will enable you to stretch the legs further towards the
head. Bring the wings as close to the body as you can,
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING,
211
and bring the legs close to the outside of the wings. The
head should be bent round to one side, in order that, by
running one skewer through the legs, wings, and mouth,
you may thus secure all and have the rabbit completely and
compactly trussed.
Turkey for Roasting. FIG. 11.
Turkey for Roasting, is sometimes trussed with the feet
on; and I have even seen it brought to table with the head
as well as the feet. But such trussing is exceedingly ugly,
and altogether unworthy of a good cook. The manner
here described (see Fig. 11) is the most approved. If the
breast bone be sharp, it should be beaten down, to make the
bird appear as plump as possible. See Carving, in ob-
servations on Fig. 15.
Goose. FIG. 12.
Goose. For Carving, see observations on Fig. 15,
HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.
Fowls for Roasting.
FIG. 13. FIG. 14.
Fowls, for Roasting. The most modern way of truss-
ing these is as in Figs. 13 and 14. If it be but a chicken, or
a small fowl, a single skewer through the wings, and the
legs simply tied, as in Fig. 14, will be sufficient. But a
large fowl is best kept in shape by the other method (Fig.
13). See Carving, in observations on Fig. 15.
Turkey, or Fowl, for Boiling. FIG. 15.
Turkey, or Fowl, for Boiling. For boiling, turkeys
and fowls should, according to the newest fashion, both be
trussed in the same way. There is nothing peculiar in this
way, excepting as to the legs, which are to be trussed with-
in the apron. To do this, the cook must first cut off the
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING. 213
feet, and then, putting her fingers into the inside of the
fowl, separate the skin of the leg from the flesh, all the way
to the extreme joint. The leg, being drawn back, will thus
remain, as it were in a bag, within the apron; and, if this
be properly done, there need be no other break in the skin
than what has been occasioned at the joint by cutting off
the feet. If it be a turkey, or a large fowl, the form may
be better preserved by putting a skewer through the legs as
well as through the wings (see Fig 15). But with small
fowls, there needs no skewer for the legs. All skewers
used in trussing should be taken out before the dish comes
to table. To carve fowls, turkeys, &c. see Fig. 15. Be-
gin by taking off the wings, cutting from a to b, c to d.
Next the legs, putting your knife in at //. Then, if it be
a large bird, you will help slices from the breast (e e}. But
with the smaller birds, as chickens, partridges, &c. a con-
siderable portion of the breast should come off with the wing,
and there is not enough left to spare any thing more from
the breast-bone. The merrythought, situated at the point
of the breast-bone, is taken off by cutting straight across at
h h. In helping, recollect that the liver- wing is commonly
thought more of than the other. The breast-bone is divided
from the back by simply cutting through the ribs on each
side of the fowl. The neck-bones are at g g; but for these
see Fig. 16, and the directions for carving the back.
Back of a Fowl. FIG. 16.
Rest your knife firmly on the centre of the back, at the
same time turning either end up with your fork, and this
214
HOUSEKEEPER S BOOK.
part will easily break in two at a b. The side-bones are at
c (/; and to remove these, some people put the point of the
knife in at midway the line, just opposite to c d; others at
the rump end of the bones, e f. The neck-bones (at g h)
are the most difficult part of the task. These must be taken
off before the breast is divided from the back; they adhere
very closely, and require the knife to be held firmly on the
body of the fowl, while the fork is employed to twist them
off.
Duck. FIG. 17.
Breast.
Back.
Duck. This should be trussed as in Fig. 17. The leg
is twisted at the joint, and the feet (with the claws only
cut off) are turned over and so brought to lie flat on the
rump. For Carving, see observations on Fig. 15.
JOINTING, TRUSSING AND CARVING.
215
Pheasant. FIG. 18. Partridge. FIG. 19.
Pheasant and Partridge. These two are trussed nearly
in one way, as in Figs. 18 and 19, excepting, that ihelegs
of the partridge are raised, and tied together over the apron
crossing each other. For Carving, see observations on
Fig. 15.
Half a Calf s Head. FIG. 20.
First cut handsome slices along the cheek-bone in the
fleshy part, in the direction d e, as in the annexed engrav-
ing; letting the knife go close to the bone. At the neck end
/, lies the throat sweetbread, which should be helped in
slices from/ to g, with the other part, as it is by many con-
sidered the best part of the head; the eye may be forced
from the socket by putting the point of the knife in a slant-
216
HOUSEKEEPER S BOOK.
ing direction towards the middle, cutting round so as to
separate the meat from the bone; the eye may then be di-
vided. The palate is reckoned by some a great delicacy;
this will be found on the under side of the roof of the mouth.
There will also be found some good lean meat on the under
side of the jaw, and some nice fat about the ear. There is
a tooth in the upper jaw, rolled by some the sweet tooth,
very full of jelly; it lies firm in its socket, but if the calf is
young, it will be readily removed by putting the point of
the knife under it. It is highly necessary that all who
preside at the head of a table should be acquainted with all
these particular delicacies, so that they may distribute them
to their friends. The tongue and brains are served up in a
separate dish;
Roasted Pig.
It is very seldom that a Roasted Pig is sent to table
whole, the cook generally first cutting off its head and di-
viding it; and then the body is served to table, garnished
with the jaws and ears, as represented in the annexed en-
graving. This done, the shoulder should then be taken off
from the body, by passing the knife under it in a circular
direction, and the leg separated as shown in the dotted line
rf, e,f. The ribs may then be divided into two or more
parts, helping at the same time an ear or jaw with it, with
some of the sauce also. Pieces may be cut from the legs
and shoulders. Some consider the neck end the finest part,
while others give the ribs the preference.
JOINTING, TRUSSING, AND CARVING.
Pigeons. FIG. 22.
217
This engraving represents the back and the breast of a
pigeon: No 1, being the back, and No. 2, the breast. Pi-
geons are sometimes cut up as chickens are, but being such
small birds, the best and most approved method is either to
divide them in half from top to bottom, or to cut them
across. In order to cut them down, begin at the neck, and
cut down in a line to rf, (No. 2) in preference to cutting
from/ to e, by d, as shown in No 1; the latter way being
exceedingly unfair; as the lower part of a pigeon is unques-
tionably the best.
19
V
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