S*
THE
O
HYGIENIC COOK-BOOK;
CONTAININO
RECIPES FOR MAKING BREAD, PIES, PUDDINGS, MUSHES,
AND SOUPS, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR COOKING
VEGETABLES, CANNING FRUIT, ETO.
TO WHICH 18 ADDED
.A. 3? IF E IXT 3D I
CONTAINING VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS IN REGARD TO WASH me,
BLEACHING, BEHOVING INK, FRUIT, AND OTHEB STAINS
FROM GARMENTS, ETC.
BY MRS. MATTIE M. JONES.
K"EW YORK :
M. H.. HOLBROOK,
No. 15 LAIGHT STREET.
LONDON : M. A. ORB.
1881.
Stack
Anna*
Entered according to act of Congress, in the vei 1864, by
MILLER & BROWNING,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Souttora
District of New York.
L. K. BIO ABEL, PRINTER, HYGIENIC INSTITUTE, NEW TOfcK.
PREFACE.
THE table ! how vast an influence it exerts on human life and charac-
ter ; how much of the weal or woe of humanity clusters around it ! In
determining our physical, mental, and moral conditions, no other one
thing in all the material universe has so vast a power as that which we
take daily in the shape of food and drink.
Much, very much, of the sickness, suffering, and premature death iq
the world ; much of its vice, immorality, and crime, can, if traced to its
starting-point, he found to originate here. Anxious days and sleepless
nights are spent by parents, in their earnest endeavors to devise
some means to subdue the peevishness, the fretfulness, the obstinacy or
the immorality of their children, only to find alas! their admonitions
unheeded, then; exhortations thrown to the winds, their agonizing prayers
of no avail ; they little dreaming that the causes of this perverseness
lie, in a great measure, within their own control ; that these unhappy
mental and moral manifestations are caused by a disordered condition
of the bodily functions, produced by the improper kinds and quantities
of food which they have allowed them to eat.
That abnormal conditions of the body never txist without more or
less influencing the mind, no arguments are needed to prove. Take for
instance the drunkard while under the dominion of alcohol. Of what
avail are his own resolutions, or the prayers, the tears, the earnest
entreaties of friends, to stay the fierce, ungovernable passions which rage
within him, or to rouse him from the dull, leaden stupor into which the
demon of drink often plunges its victims ? What are moral influences
then? So many "wisps of straw" to bind the Samson of evil. But,
remove the cause, then your appeals to his better nature may be of some
avail ; while it remains, never.
It is but speaking the simple truth to say that fully one half the evil
and misery which exists in the world, has its origin in improper dietetic
habits. The starting-point of intemperance, in ninety-nine cases out of
a hundred, is in the stimulating or gross food and drink received at a
fond mother's table in infancy and boyhood, producing iri time a craving
for stronger stimulus, found at last in the intoxicating cup.
And to that table, too, may be traced the origin of a majority of the
countless diseases which people our cemeteries, and make this bright
world of ours really a "vale of tears."
IV PREFACE.
All over the land are scattered, by hundreds and thousands, wretched
invalids poor, miserable dyspeptics, to whom life is a burden, and exist-
ence a bane consumptives, lingering with one foot in the grave, who
to-day might have been doing the work of strong and earnest men and
women, had they and their parents but realized the truth of this. And
to too many of them, years and years, yea, a lifetime of earnest effort in
the " better way," are barely sufficient to undo the wrong which need
never have existed.
Health Reform does not seek to diminish gustatory enjoyment, >>ut
rather to enhance it. No drunkard can enjoy his glass of brandy as tha
teetotaler does his cup of clear, cold, sparkling water.
So, those who live upon rich and stimulating food are really losers-
instead of- gainers, in the pleasures of the table. The spices, coni.-
ments and seasonings universally employed, so far disguise and destroy
the natural properties of alimentary substances in which they are used,
as to render the taste of persons habitually accustomed to them so per-
verted that they can no more detect the real delicate flavor of the food
itself, than the drunkard can appreciate the excellence of pure water ,
and their enjoyment is not to be compared hi steady lasting enduranco
to that of those who live upon a truly hygienic diet, as all who have
tried it thoroughly can testify.
A cook-book containing directions for preparing a variety of hygienic
dishes, which shall be at the same time practical, concise, and in a form
cheap enough to bring it within the means of every family seems a desid-
eratum hitherto unattained.
That this little work may supply this want, and prove of real value
to thoso desirous of learning a more healthful method of living is tha
earnest wish of
THE AUTEOE.
THE HYGIENIC COOK-BOOK.
BREAD AND BREAD-MAKING.
As by common consent Bread is the " Staff of Life," the question
naturally arises, " what are the best methods of making it ? " The
common white flour fermented bread, which is so universally used, is
very far from being the best as an article of diet. The use of fine or
bolted flour, has opened upon community a perfect "Pandora's Box"
of evils in the shape of Constipation and the ten thousand ailments to
which it gives rise. By the separation of the bran from the flour, not
only a portion of the grain necessary to the proper distension of the
stomach and bowels is removed, but it has been repeatedly proved by
chemical analysis that the bran is as rich, or richer, in nutritious sub-
stances than the flour.
These are not merely the " notions " of " hair-brained," " bran-
bread," " crazy fanatics !" but FACTS which commend themselves to
the common sense of all who will investigate, which have been proved
by the experience of thousands, and which have been demonstraTed
by the highest scientific authorities :
DR. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S., F.G.S., &c., in his "Chemistry of
Common Life," says : " The bran or husk of wheat, which is separated
from the fine flour in the mill, and is often condemned to humbler uses,
is somewhat more nutritious than either the grain as a whole, or the
whiter part of the flour. The nutritive quality of any variety of
grain depends very much upon the proportion of gluten it contains ;
and the proportions of this in the whole grain, the bran and the fine
flour respectively, of the same sample of wheat, are very nearly as
follows whole grain, 12 pr. ct. ; whoto| b^n^H^ef qp^t-kjner skins),
18 pr. ct. ; fine flour, 10 pr. ct.
(5)
6 BREAD AND BREAD-MAKING.
If the grain, as a whole, contain more than twelve per cent, of glu-
ten, the bran and the flour will also contain more than is above repre-
sented, and in a like proportion. The whole meal obtained by simply
grinding the grain is equally nutritious with the grain itself By sift-
ing out the bran, we render the meal less nutritious, weight for weight ;
and when we consider that the bran is rarely less, and is sometimes con-
siderably more than one-fourth of the whole weight of the grain, we
must see that the total separation of the covering of the grain causes
much waste of wholesome human food. Bread made from the whole
meal is, therefore, more nutritious ; and as many persons find it a more
salutary food than white bread, it ought to be more generally preferred
and used."
Prof. Youmans, author of the standard works on ' Chemistry,"
" Household Science, " Chemical Chart," etc., says :
" The grain of which bread is made consists mostly of starch, gluten,
and sugar. The ligneous husk of grain produces the bran, while the
flour is formed by the interior white portions. The gluten is tougher
and more difficult to grind than the starch, hence the finest and whitest
flour, obtained by repeated siftings, contains a larger proportion of
starch, the darker colored flour being richer in gluten ; and as the nu-
tritive properties of flour are in proportion to the nitrogenized element
(gluten), the latter will make the most nutritious bread."
The " Eclectic Keview," in an article entitled " Frauds in Foods,"
says :
" Many of the most important elements of our blood, brain and bone
are found in the greatest abundance in the colored, outer part of the
wheat, which we deem fittest for pigs ; so we fatten them and suffer our-
selves. The difference in nourishing properties between whole meal and
flour and very finely dressed flour amounts, in many cases, to fully one-
third."
Dr. Bennett says :
" Now, if there is a well established fact emanating from chemical
analysis, it is this : That superfine or very finely bolted wheat flour
will not alone sustain animal life. This fact has been repeatedly dem-
onstrated by Magendi, the greatest physiologist that ever lived. Hav-
ing ascertained that the muscular and nervous tissues, including the
whole brain or cerebral mass, was composed of nitrogenous matter, he
readily concluded that starch, or the fecula of wheat, would not alone
sustain animal life, for the reason that it contains not a particle of ni-
trogenous matter. Consequently, he found by experiment, that animals
fed exclusively on very finely dressed flour, died in a few weeks, where-
as those fed on the unbolted thrived."
Dr. John Ellis, Professor of the Principles and Practice of Medi-
cine, says :
"The worst case of scurvy I ever had to treat, occurred in a little
girl five or six years old, who had lived entirely upon toast made of su-
erfine flour."
Many more might be given, but these must suffice.
The second objection to the common method of bread-making is
the fermenting process to which it is subjected. Fermentation, as all
BREAD AND BREAD-MAKING. 7
persons who are conversant with chemistry know, is, as described by
Professor Johnson,
" The consequence of a peculiar action which yeast exercises upon
moist flour. It first changes a portion of the starch of the flour into
sugar, and then converts this sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid, in
the same way as it does when it is added to the worts of the brewer or
the distiller. As the gas cannot escape from the glutinous dough, it col-
lects within in large bubbles, ,and makes it swell, till the heat of the
oven kills the yeast plant, and causes the fermentation, to cease."
Prof. Youmans says:
" If the fermentation proceeds too far, the dough becomes sour ; that
is, the vinous passes into the acetous fermentation, the alcohol changes
to vinegar."
Who would think of taking a half-decayed apple or potato, and
subjecting it to the action of heat to stay the process of putrefaction,
and then placing it before human beings as food ? And yet this is
precisely what is done by fermenta ion. Take a commou bread
" sponge," as it is called. Let it remain thirty -six hours longer than
nsual, and what is the result ? a sour, almost putrid mass. This
process of putrefaction commences the moment the yeast is added to
moist flour, and is only checked by the action of heat.
Baker's bread is often still more objectionable, from the fact that an
inferior article of flour is used which is disguised by the introduction
of alum and other chemicals.
Soda and saleratus, in all their forms, are decidedly injurious, and
when introduced into bread, biscuit,. and other articles of food; are a
prolific source of disease.
Having demonstrated the effects of bad material and management
of it,, we will consider what are the best materials and the best meth-
ods of preparing and cooking them.
Bread, to be the most wholesome and palatable, should contain but
two ingredients unbolted flour from the best quality of wheat or other
grain, and pure water. The following, so far as I know, are the
preferable methods of making it, arranged in the order of their re-
spective merits :
UNLEAVENED BREAD.
No. 1. GEMS. Into cold water stir Graham flour sufficient to make
a batter a trifle thicker than that used for ordinary griddle cakes. Bako
from one-half to three-quarters of an hour in a hot oven in small tip
patty- pans two inches square and three-fourths of an inch deep
BREAD AND BREAD-MAKING.
NOTE. This makes delicious bread. No definite rule as to the proportions of flour
and water can be given, owing to the difference in the absorbing properties of various
brands of flour. Of some kinds, the batter will require to be made considerably stiffer
than the consistency above mentioned. A little experience -will enable any person tc
approximate thfi right proportions with sufficient exactness. The flour should be stirred
into the water very slowly in the same manner as in making mush. No more stirring
is necessary after the flour is all added. If hard water is used in making them, they
are apt to be slightly tough. A small quantity of milk will remedy this defect.
Many persons have failed of sucess in making this bread from neg-
lecting one very essential requisite the size of the pans in which it
is baked. If they are larger than the dimensions given, the bread will
be heavy ; if smaller it will be dry and hard. But made this size,
and filled full, if the flour be properly ground, the batter the right con-
sistency, and the oven hot, (a hot oven being absolutely indispensable
to success,) it will rise one half, and be almost as light and porous as
sponge cake.
E. "We used separate pans for some time, but found them quite inconvenient.
We have them now formed and wired together as represented in the above cut, and
find them a very great improvement. If iron pans are used they must be heated hot
each time before filling.
Any tinman can make them, or with less trouble and no more expense, they may be
procured of MILLEK & WOOD, No. 15 Laight St., N. Y., who to supply the continued
demand for them, have had heavy iron moulds cast to form them, and can supply them
ftt the rate of $1.25 per square of a dozen tins.
No. 2. DIAMONDS. Pour boiling water on Graham flour stirring
rapidly till all the Hour is wet Too much stirring makes it tough.
It should be about as thick as can be stirred easily with a strong iron
spoon. Place the dough with plenty of flour upon the moulding
board, and knead it for two or three minutes. Roll out one half an
inch thick, and cut in small cakes or rolls. If a large quantity is re-
quired, roll about three-fourths of an inch thick, and cut with a knife
in diamond shape. Bake in a very hot oven forty-five minutes.
NOTE. The names by which these two kinds of bread are known in our Institution
are merely arbitrary. Years ago the guests of the house christened No. 2 "diamonds,"
from their shape. No.- 1 being of quite recent introduction, and, as many think, much
superior, some facetious patient, on their first appearance, sutrarested " perns'" as an ap-
propriate name, and, accordingly, "gems" went the round of the tables till the soubri-
quet became firmly attached to them.
No. 3. GRAHAM BISCUIT. Make Graham mush as for table.
When cool, mix with it Graham flour sufficient to roll well. Knead
for a few minutes, roll three-fourths of an inch thick, cut with a com-
mon biscuit cutter, and bake in a hot oven from thirty to forty-five
minutes.
No. 4. GRAHAM BISCUIT. (ANOTHER FORM.) Stir into cold water,
Graham flour enough for a rather soft dough ; knead it for five or ten
minutes, and bake the same as No. 3.
NOTE. "When these have become a little dry or hard, cut in small pieces, cover with
sold water, soak till thoroughly soft, when the water should oe all absorbed. Strain
through a collander, mix Graham flour sufficient to roll, and bake in the same form ai
t first. This id even superior to the original bread.
BREAD AND BHEAD-MAK.INO. 9
No. 5. WHEAT MEAL CRISPS. Make a very stiff dough of Gra-
ham flour aM cold water : knead thoroughly, roll as thin as possible
and bake for \wenty minutes in a hot oven.
No. 6. GRAHAM CRACKEUS are made by mixing cold water and
Graham flour together, and kneading very thoroughly. They can
only be well made by the machinery used in cracker bakeries.
EYE AND OAT-MEAL BEEAD.
Unbolted rye or oatmeal, prepared after recipe No. 4, makes excel-
lent and wholesome bread for those who like the peculiar flavor On
these grains.
COEN CAKE.
Pour 1 quart boiling water on 1 quart corn meal, and stir quickly.
Wet the hands and form the dough into small round cakes one-halt
an inch thick. The addition of a few raspberries, huckleberries, or
any subacid fruit, is a decided improvement. Sweet apples, chopped
fine, are also excellent.
COEN MEAL GEMS.
Stir slowly into one quart sweet milk, corn meal sufficient to make
t very thin batter. Bake in a hot oven in the gem tins.
1*
MUSHES AND PORRIDGES,
l)r, TRALL in his excellent "Hydropathic Cook Book," says :
"For making unleavened bread, mushes, etc., the grain should be
carefully cleaned washed, if necessary and care should be taken to
select that which is full and plump. When ground at an ordinary
flouring mill, the stones should be sharp, so as to cut the grain into
very fine particles. If ground by dull stones, the bran will be mashed
off in flakes or scales. The meal or flour should be fresh ground,
and never kept a long time, as it deteriorates surely, though slowly,
every day after being ground."
Under the head of Mushes and Porridges, he has given a variety of
Tery excellent recipes. I cannot do better than copy the chapter
'entire :
" The reader will observe that salt is not mentioned as an ingredi-
ent in this book. But as almost all persons are accustomed to the
use of this seasoning, I can only say to them, if they cannot bring
their appetite at once into subjection to unsalted aliment, they had
better use a moderate quantity, and gradually diminish it.
In all the cook books I am acquainted with, salt is put down as a
fixture of every dish ; and mushes, especially Indian and rice, are
usually considered as unendurably flat and insipid, unless abundantly
salted. A little experience with unsalted food, and a little self-denial,
will, however, enable all persons to relish not only mushe?, but all
other farinaceous preparations, with no other seasonings than sugar or
milk."
"CRACKED WHEAT MUSH. As the grits swell very much in boiling,
they should be stirred gradually in boiling water until a thin rnush is
formed. The boiling should then be continued very moderately for
one or two hours.
If the grits are ground very coarse, they will require boiling five or
six hours. A large coffee mill will serve the~~purpose very well of
grinding for a family.
An ordinary iron pot will answer to boil the grits in, if they are
constantly stirred, or if the vessel stand on legs, so that the blaze of
the fire is not in immediate contact with it. The double boiler, how-
ever (found at most hardware stores,) is the most convenient to pre-
vent burning or scorching. It is a tin or iron vessel surrounded by
hot water, and contained within another vessel which comes in con-
tact with the fire.
(10)
MUSHES ASD PORRIDGES. 11
HOMINY. This is generally, in this market, prepared from the
Southern or white corn, which is cut into coarser or finer particles of
nearly uniform size. It is cooked like the wheaten grits, and usually
requires to be boiled one hour and a half. The fine-grained hominy
can be well cooked in half an hour, by boiling a few minutes and
then steaming it, without stirring, over as hot a fire as can be borne
without scorching. Two quarts of water are required for one or
hominy.
SAMP. This is merely a very coarse hominy the grains of corn
being cut or broken into very coarse particles. It should be washed
several times, and the water poured through a sieve to separate the
hulls ; and it requires boiling five or six hours.
This is made precisely like the mush of cracked wheat, or wheaten
grits. It is particularly adapted to thosj who have long suffered from
habitual constipation. To persons unaccustomed to the grain, the
effect on the bowels is decidedly laxative. The meal must be fresh
ground, and made of well-cleaned and plump grain.
INDIAN-MEAL MUSH. White and yellow corn meal are made into
the well-known mush called hasty pudding. Either kind is equally
agreeable to most persons. It should be stirred very gradually into
boiling water, so as to prevent lumping ; it should be cooked from
one to two hours.
OATMEAL MUSH. This, in Scotland, is called "stirabout." It is a
favorite with many persons, and makes a pleasant change of dishes.
It is cooked precisely like Indian mush.
WHEAT-MEAL MUSH. This is an excellent article for infants and
young children much better than the farina, which is so extensively
employed. It will do for a change in the cases of adults, but is not
equal to the coarser preparations of the grain. It is cooked like
Indian mush.
FARINA MUSH. This is too nutrative, or, rather, concentrated, an
aliment for an every day dish, but will do occasionally for variety's
sake. It is made into mush in the same way as Graham flour or
Indian meal.
, RICE MUSH. Put one pint of plump "head rice," previously picked
over and washed, into three quarts of boiling water ; continue the
boiling fifteen or twenty minutes, but avoid stirring it so as to break
up or mash the kernels ; turn off the water ; set it uncovered over a
moderate fire, and steam fifteen minutes. Rice is "poor stuff" with-
out salt, say the cooks, and cook-books. If you find it so, reader, try
a little syrup or sugar.
RICE AND MILK MUSH. Boil a pint of clean head rice fifteen or
twenty minutes; pour off the water; add a little milk mixing it
gently so as not to break the kernels and boil a few minutes longer.
CORN STARCH BLANC-MANGE. Dissolve half a pound of corn starch
in a pint of cold milk ; then put it into three pints of boiling milk,
and boil very moderately five or six minutes.
12 MUSHES AND PORRIDGES.
MOLDED FAP.INACEA. Nearly all the boiled farinaceous foods may
be molded to please the fancy, in teacups, glasses, or earthen molds.
Wheaten grits, rice, farina, corn starch, etc., may be put into th molds,
or dishes, previously wet in cold water, as soon as cooked, and when
cooled, turn out on china or glass plates. The addition of a little
whortleberry, raspberry, blackberry, or strawberry j uice, will afford an
innocent coloring material for those who have time and inclination to
indulge in such amusements.
MILK POKRTDGE. Place a pint and a half of new milk, and hah
a pint ofwater over the tire ; when just ready to boil, stir in a table-
spoonful ol flour, \vheat-rneal, oatmeal, or corn-meal, previously mixed
with a little water , after boiling a minute, pour it on bread cut into
small pieces.
WHEAT-MEAL PORRIDGE. Stir gradually into a quart of boiling
water half a pound of wheat-meal, and boil ten or fifteen minutes. It
may be flavored with a little milk, molasses, or sugar.
OATMEAL PORRIDGE. Hub three-quarters of a pound of oatmeai
into a little cold water, till the mixture is smooth and even ; add it to
three pints of boiling water ; allow the whole to boil gently about
twenty minutes. Serve with milk, syrup, or sugar.
To those who use milk and desire a great variety, I would say that
the cracked wheat, rye, oatmeal, farina, and hominy mushes, are by
many considered far preferable if made of half milk. The cracked
wheat mush is also improved by the addition of a few raisins, cherries,
or dates, added at the commencement of the cooking process. A very
palatable dish may be made very quickly, by stirring Graham flour
into boiling milk, after the manner of hasty pudding, letting it cook
for five or ten minutes.
PIES AND PIE CRUSTS.
PIES, as usually made, are among the greatest abominations of mod-
ern cookery. The idea of eating a piece of bread an inch in thickness,
with from one-quarter to a half or a whole inch of lard or butter
would, by every sane person, be considered preposterous. But peo-
ple use these same proportions of flour and grease in their pastry,
thinking it delicious ! Consult any of the ordinary cook books, and
you will find the recipes for pastry varying from half a pound to a
pound of land or butter to each pound of flour, and white flour at that !
Can anything be conceived which is more indigestible ?
Below are given recipes for making quite a variety of pies, which any
cook after a little practice, can succeed in making, provided she has a
heart in the work, and desires to see hygienic cooking tuke the place
which it deserves.
PIES AND PIE-CRUSTS. 13
POTATO PIE CUUST. Boil one quart dry, mealy potatoes. The
moment they are done mash them, and sift through a collander. Stir
thoroughly together one cup Graham flour and one cup white flour,
then add the potatoes, rubbing them evenly through the flour in the
same manner as the shortening in common pie crust. Have ready
one cup corn meal ; pour over it one and one-third cups boiling water,
stirring it till all the meal is wet, then add it to the potatoes and flour,
mixing only till thoroughly incorporated together. No more flour
should be added. The moulding board should be well covered with
dry flour, however, as it is slightly difficult to roll out. It should be
rolled very thin, and baked in a moderate oven.
NOTE. It is very essential that the above conditions should all be complied with.
Bear in mind that the potatoes must be hot, and mixed immediately with the flour ; the
water be poured, while boiling, upon the corn moal, and the whole mixed together very
quickly and baked immediately. Inattention to any of these requisites will be quite
apt to insure a failure.
CREAM PIK CRUST. Take equal quantities of Graham flour, white
flour, and Indian meal ; rub evenly together, and wet with very thin
sweet cream. It should be rolled thin and baked in an oven as hot as
for common pie crust.
NOTE. This makes excellent pastry if properly baked. Many patients have said to
us they did not see how they could ever again relish the pastry in common use (this is
BO much sweeter and more palatable, to say nothing of its wholesomeness.) It is more
generally relished than the potato crust, although not quite so hygienic.
PUMPKIN PIK. Select a pumpkin which has a deep, rich color, and
firm, close texture. Stew and sift in the ordinary manner ; add as
much boiling milk as will make it about one-third thicker than for
common pumpkin pie. Sweeten with equal quantities of sugar and
molasses, and bake about one hour in a hot oven.
NOTE. Those who will try this method will be surprised to find how delicious a pie
can be made without eggs, ginger, or spices of any kind. The milk being turned boiling
hot upon the pumpkin, causes it to swell in baking, so that it is as light and nice aa
though eggs had been used.
SQUASH PIE. This is even superior to pumpkin, as it possesses a
richer, sweeter flavor, and is far preferable. It is made in precisely the
same manner as pumpkin pie.
SWEET POTATO PIE. Boil and sift through a collander, nice, ripe,
sweet potatoes, add boiling milk, and make the same as pumpkin pie.
SWEET APPLE PIE. Pare mellow, sweet apples, and grate them
upon a grater. A very large grater is necessary for this purpose.
Then proceed as for pumpkin pie.
SOUR APPLE PIE. Take nice, tart apples spitzenbergs are best,
although pippins, greenings, russets, etc., are excellent. Slice them;
fill the under crust an inch thick ; sprinkle sugar over them ; add a
spoonful or two of water ; cover with a thin crust, and bake three-
fourths of an hour in a moderate oven.
PIE-PLANT PIE. Remove the skin from the stalks; cut them in
small pieces ; fill the pie dish evenly full ; put in plenty of sugar, a
teaspoonful of water ; dredge a trifle of flour evenly over the top ;
cover with a thin crust, and bake the same as apple pie.
NOTE. If the stalks are not very tender, it is better to partially stew before baking.
14 PIES AND PIE-CRUBTS.
APPLE AND PIE-PLANT PIE. Equal quantities of apple and pie plant
made in the same manner as all pie plant, make excellent pie.
DRIED WHORTLEBERRY PIE. To two quarts dried whortleberries add
one pint dried plums ; look over carefully ; add sugar to the taste, and
stew as for the table ; bake between two crusts about one hour.
DRIED ELDERBERRY PIE Is made in the same manner, and is
nearly as good as the preceding.
GOOSEBERRY PIE. This is made in precisely the same manner as
currant pie ; it is very palatable.
CHERRY PIE. Choose fair, ripe cherries, the large black English
being the best for this purpose ; wash and look them over carefully ;
fill the pie plate evenly full ; strew sugar over the top ; dredge in
plenty of flour ; cover with a moderately thick upper crust, and bake
one hour.
KASPBERRY PIE. This stands at the head of the list of all berry
pies in point of excellence. Take nice ripe berries, either red or black
are about equally good; wash and pick them over carefully; place
them an inch or more thick on the under crust ; strew a small quan-
tify of sugar, and a trifle of flour over them ; put en the upper crust,
and bake half an hour.
BLACKBERRY PIE. This is made in the same manner as the pre-
ceding. All berries for pies should be ripe or nearly so, and as fresh
as possible.
WHORTLEBERRY PIE. Whortleberries make excellent pies, and are ip
market usually longer than any of the summer fruits. It is made
in the same manner as raspberry pie.
STRAWBERRY PIE. Is made in the same way also. This fruit ia
rather acid, and requires considerable sugar to make it pleasant.
CRANBERRY TART. Wash the berries in a pan of water, rejecting
avl the bad ones ; simmer them till they become soft and burst open ;
strain through a fine wire seive, removing all the nulls ; add sugar to
the taste ; bake on a thick under crust in a moderate oven.
PEACU PIE. Select rich, juicy patches, of a rather small and nearly
uniform size. They should be very ripe; wash them thoroughly to
remove all the furz ; fill the pie dish with them ; sprinkle sugar and
a little flour over them ; add a tablespoonful of water ; cover and
bake one hour.
KOTB. If the peaches are not very ripe, it is better to pare, stone, and slice them.
PLUM PIE Is made in the same manner as the peach pie. It is
not as wholesome, as it requires much more sugar to make it at all
palatable.
APPLE PUFFS. Make a crust the same as for cream pie crust,
using rather thicker cream, however; roll as thin as possible; cut
out in small round cakes with a common biscuit cutter ; take one of
these, wet it around the edge, and place in the center a teaepoonful
of apple sauce. Take another and c >t with a small cracker cutter a
15
hole in the center about one inch in diameter ; place the ring
is left upon the first one, and pinch the edges tightly together. Bake
in a quick oven.
NOTE. These, if rightly made, are very nice. Any kind of fruit may be used in
place of apple sauce, by stewing it, and simmering down till very little juice remains.
CURRANT PIE. Currants are made into pies by stewing them, and
sweetening according to the degree of acidity, and baking between two
crusts in the ordinary manner. Or better still, merely fill the pie
with them without any previous cooking. Sprinkle sugar over ; dredge
in a little flour, and bake the same as apple pie.
I have been much more minute in giving these recipes than persons
accustomed to cooking would deem really necessary. I have done
so because hundreds of ladies who have no practical knowledge of
even the ordinary methods of cookery, are j r early adopting our sys-
tem, and as they generally find it impossible to obtain help in their
own homes who are at all conversant with it, they feel the necessity
of learning its details for themselves.
PUDDINGS.
MANY physiologists object, and justly, to the extensive use of pud-
dings as an article of diet. They admit of but very imperfect masti-
cation and insalivation, even in their best forms, and are to be permit-
ted rather than recommended.
However, as people usually demand something as a dessert, occa-
sionally, by way of variety, they are admissible. I give below
recipes for the most Hygienic methods of making them. Quite a
number of them are copied from Dr. Trail's Hydropathic Cook Book :
RICE PUDDING. To two-thirds of a cup of rice add half a cup of
sugar, half a cup raisins, and two quarts milk. Stir all together and
bake very slowly about tiiree hours.
BAKED APPLE PUDDING. Pare, core, and slice about two quarts
nice tart apples. Add to them one teacup full of Indian ineal, one
cup Graham flour, and stir all together. Pour over them three-fourths
of a cup of sugar dissolved in one cup cold water, stirring till all
the flour is wet. Strew Indian meal smoothly over the bottom of a
deep basin or pan to prevent sticking, and turn the mixture into it,
smoothing it evenly over the top. Then spread smoothly over it a bat-
ter made by stirring together half a cup cold water, three tablespoon-
fuls of Indian meal, three ditto of Graham flour, and one tablcspoon-
ful sugar. Bake about two hours and a half.
.NOTE. This is to be eaten with sweetened cream or a sauce made by stirring into
on<) quart boiling milk two heaping tablespoonfuls of corn starch, moistened with cold
nuik, letting it boil for five or ten minutes afterward. Sweeten according to taste.
PLUM PUDDING. One quart Indian meal, one cup molasses, one
cup raisins, one quart boiling water. Stir all together and steam three
hours. This is to be eaten with the same kind of sauce as for baked
apple pudding.
16 PUDDINGS.
RUSK Pur DING. One and one-third cups rusk, hair a cup sugar,
two cups sweet apples, sliced, two quarts milk. Stir together and
bake two hours and a half.
BAKED INDIAN PUDDING. Two quarts sweet milk, one heaping
teacup full of Indian meal, one-third cup molasses, one-third cup
sugar. When the milk is boiling hard, dip out one-half of it, and
into the remainder stir the meal 'slowly, taking care that- no lumps
remain in it. Add the rest of the milk, the sugar and molasses, and
bake about two hours, or until it is a bright cherry color. Stir once
or twice the first half hour, but not afterward.
" This proportion of meal will not hold good in all cases, owing to
the difference in the thickening properties of different kinds. Of some
it will require one and one-third cups, others one and a half. This
can easily be determined by one trial.
SAGO PUDDING. Two quarts boiling milk, one cup sago, three-
fourths cup sugar, two cups sweet apples sliced. Bake one hour and
a half.
TAPIOCA PUDDING. Two quarts milk, one cup tapioca, one cup
sugar, two cups sweet apples, sliced. Bake one hour and a half.
SAGO AND APPLE PUDDING. Take .six ounces of sago, previously
washed and picked, five large, rich apples, peeled, quartered and cored,
and one teacupful of sugar. Pour boiling water on the sago ; let it
stand till cold ; then mix in the apples and sugar, and bake about
one hour.
PEAEL BARLEY PUDDING. Pick and wash half a pound of pearl
barley ; soak it in fresh water over night ; pour off the water ; add
one quart new milk and a teacupful of sugar ; and bake one hour in
a slow oven.
BARLEY AND APPLE PUDDING. Pick and wash half a pound of
pearl barley ; soak it in water twelve hours ; then put it into a pan
with three pints of water ; let it boil ten hours ; pour it into a pie
dish ; put in half a pound of apples, sliced ; add two ounces of sugar,
and bake one hour in a moderate oven.
BREAD PUDDING. Pour a quart of boiling milk on as much bread,
biscuit or crackers, broken or cut into small pieces, as will absorb it ;
cover it and let it remain till quite cool ; then sweeten and bake an
hour and a half.
_ CRACKED WHEAT PUDDING. Boil wheaten grits till quite soft ; then
dilute the mush with milk to the proper consistency. It should be
rather thin ; sweeten and bake one hour.
HOMINY PUDDING. Mix cold, boiled hominy with milk till suf-
ficiently diluted ; sweeten and bake in a hot oven an hour and a half,
or two hours.
HOMINY PUDDING. (another form.) Into two quarts boiling milk,
stir one large cupful of uncooked hominy. Add one ha).f cup sugar,
one half cuji raisius aud bake two hours."
PUDDINGS. 17
CHRISTMAS PUDDING. Mix together a pound and a quarter of flour
or meal, half a pint of sweet cream, a pound of stoned raisins, four
ounces of currants, four ounces of potatoes, mashed, five ounces of
brown sugar, and a gill of milk. When thoroughly worked together
add eight large spoonfuls of clean snow ; diffuse it through vhe mass
as quickly as possible ; tie the pudding tightly in a bag previously
wet in cold water, and boil four hours.
MACARONI SNOW PUDDING. Take three ounces macaroni, one
pint of new milk, one gill of cream, four of brown sugar or molasses,
and eight tablespoon fuls of snow. Simmer the macaroni in the milk
till well mixed ; add the sugar and cream ; then stir in the snow
quickly and bake immediately till slightly browned.
EICE AND APPLE PUDDING. Boil half a pound of rice in half a pint
of milk till it is soft; then fill the pudding dish half full of apples,
which have been pared and cored ; sweeten with brown sugar or mo-
lasses ; put the rice over the fruit as a crust, and bake one hour.
SNOW BALL PUDDING. Pare and core large mellow apples, and
inclose them in cloths spread over with boiled rice, and boil one hour.
Dip them in cold water before turning them out. They may be
eaten with syrup, sugar or sweetened milk.
FARINA PUDDING. Mix ten ounces of farina with half a pint of
cold milk ; put one quart of milk over the fire, and while it is boiling
stir in the farina gradually, and let it simmer fifteen or twenty min-
utes. It may be served with milk, fruit, jelly or sugar.
FIG AND COCOANUT PUDDING. Wash one pound of figs in warm
water; soak them till soft ; add to them one grated cocoanut with its
milk, and four ounces of sugar ; then knead with them all as much
wheat meal as can be worked into a rather soft dough. ( If in the
cold season, three or four spoonfuls of snow will make it lighter.)
Tie it in a pudding bag, not very tight, as it will swell some ; and
boil two hours.
APPLE PUDDING. Boil one pound and a half of good apples with a
gill of water and half a pound of brown sugar, till reduced to a smooth
pulp ; stir in one gill of sweet cream, a tablespoonful of flour or fine
bread crumbs ; flavor with a little lemon juice or grated lemon, and
bake forty minutes.
POTATO APPLE DUMPLINGS. Boil any quantity of white mealy
potatoes ; pare, and mash them with a rolling pin ; then dredge in
flour enough to form a dough ; roll it out to about the thickness of
pie crust, and make up the dumplings by putting an apple, pared,
cored, and quartered, to each. Boil or bake one hour.
NOTE. If the crust be made in the same manner as for cream pie crust, these are
very nice.
GREEN COKN PUDDING. To one quart of grated ears of sweet corn,
add a teacupful of cream, one gill of milk, a tablespoonful of flour,
and two ounces of sugar ; mix all together and bake an hour and a
half.
THE FRUITS.
WE come now to one of the most important departments of dietetics,
viz. : fruit, and the necessity of its culture, preservation, and use. Next
to good bread, there is nothing that can compare in value as an article of
diet with good ripe fruit. People have been accustomed to consider fruit
more in the light of a relish and a luxury, rather than as what it really
should be a staple article of diet, and a necessity of every meal.
"Would people place their bread and fruit as the central dishes of their
tables, around which other dishes are grouped as convenience or tast*
may dictate, instead of as now placing the meat as the staple article, what
a vast amount of labor, sickness, and suffering would be avoided !
Good unleavened bread and the variety of fruits in their season contaim
all the elements necessary to the support of human life. And while there
is a large class of vegetables, which are nutritious, palatable, and whole-
some, making variety enough to suit the most fastidious, yet fruit must
'ever take the precedence as the BEST food for human "beings.
But, say many, " fruit is so expensive, we can't afford it ; besides, if all
were to use fruit freely, there would not be half enough in the country
to supply the markets." No fear on that score. Let the demand come,
and the supply will soon follow. And as to not being " able to afford
it," let ns see. Suppose, good friends, you dispense entirely with your
tobacco, tea, coffee, pork, nutmeg, pepper, and all manner of spices ; your
cakes, pickles, preserves, etc. ; you would find your tables would cost you
much less than they now do, and you would be infinitely the gainers, not
only- in health, strength, and happiness, but also, in the pleasures of the
table.
And until our farmers turn their attention more to fruit culture,
which they can easily do if they choose ; until they give it the place
and importance which it deserves and demands, all attempts at diet-
etic reform will be for their wives an up-hill business; and will, in
a majority of cases, only end at last in total failure. Now a good
fruit garden is generally looked upon as a luxury a thing very
(18)
FRUITS. 19
desirable but not at all practicable. a plot of ground to be planted an<J
taken care of, if planted and cared for at all, at odd moments, or
else neglected entirely ; whereas, it should be considered a necessity,
an inseparable adjunct of every farm, no more to be dispensed with or
neglected than the corn crop or wheat field. And cur farmers will
find that the outlay of time and labor requisite to plant a fruit garden
which shall soon yield an abundance of delicious fruit, will be much
less than they have any idea of. And if they will but try the exper-
iment of planting even two acres to strawberries, raspberries, Lawton
blackberries, grapes, peaches, plums, pears, cherries, currants, goose-
berries, etc., and devote the time, even, that they now spend in raising,
feeding and butchering their hogs, (those measly, scrofulous abomina-
tions,) to its cultivation and care, I think they will find themselves
not only vastly the gainers in health and happiness, but that they
will also have more toward supplying their families with good whole-
some food from two acres, than from any ten devoted to stock raising.
Fruit should be used as far as possible in its natural state. Ripe,
uncooked apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, raspber-
ries, etc., are incomparably superior in point of wholesomeness to the
same fruits when cooked, and should, in their season, be upon the table
at every meal. Many persons may object to this, especially during
the summer months, saying that fruit is the cause of summer and
bowel complaints, etc. Thac unripe fruit at any time, and even the
best of ripe fruit eaten between meals, especially if meat forms a part
of the daily food, often does induce these disorders I admit, but that
only proves the truth of the old adage, "The greatest blessings become
the greatest curses if wrongly applied." The same is true of fruit as
of anything else. It should never under any circumstances be eaten
between meals. The majority of the diarrheas, fevers, etc., so prev-
alent in summer, are owing chiefly to the -heating, stimulating effects
of the meat, spices, condiments, rich cake, pastry, etc., in common use.
Very few cases of these diseases have ever been known to occur,
where the principal part of the person's diet had been coarse bread,
ripe fruit and good vegetables. And if those who regard a mixed
diet as necpssary, would, during the summer months, partake very
sparingly of meat, substituting fruit mainly in its place, eating it as a
part of. and only with their regular meals, and in proper quantities,
the}' would find their doctor's fee sensibly diminished, and their own
health vastly improved. As far as practicable, a supply of long-keeping
fruits should be secured for the winter and early spring ; but at
present it is hardly possible to preserve a quantity sufficient for the
whole year, without some artificial means of preservation. As to the
20 FKCITS.
labor of canning fruit, it is much less than is generally supposed. All
the smaller kinds, such as berries, cherries, peaches, etc., can be
canned much more easily and expeditiously than they can be dried.
I give below the plan recommended by the AMERICAN AGRICUL-
TURIST, a paper, by the way, which no farmer's family can afford
to do without.
PBESEKVItfG FKUITS.
"For several years past we have been trying to abolish the old mode
ot' preserving fruits, viz. : the addition of pound for pound of sugar,
and stewing them down to an indigestible mass in order to make them
' keep.' Our efforts in this direction have been in a measure suc-
cessful ; the high price of sugar this year will do much toward the
adoption of the newer and better mode. All kinds of fruits can be
preserved for a year, or more, with the use of little or no sugar, and
at the same time retain nearly all their natural flavor. The process
is not more difficult, and is less costly than the stewing process, while
the fruit is far more delicious and healthful. The whole operation
depends upon simply heating the fruit through, and then keeping
it entirely free from the access of air.
FRUIT JABS.
Periodically, as the fruit season approaches, there are numerous fruit
jar inventions, patented and otherwise, brought before the public with
wonderfiil assurance and an indefinite number of extravagant recom-
mendations. Some seal with wax, others with India rubber and cast
iron; in some the tops are screwed on; in others wedged ; and in
others wired. Some tin, some glass, and some stone, but all are " per-
fect," if the claims of the inventors and manufacturers are fully
credited. We have tried most of these fruit jars, and while many
of them are good, our experience has led us to adopt the cheapest kinds
of glass bottles and jars. Tin cans are not safe. While in a majority
of cases they may answer well for a season or two, there is always
danger of their corrosion, or rusting, and the consequent production of
poisonous salts of tin. Besides, it is desirable to have the fruit in
transparent vessels so that it can always be examined. Good well-
glazed stone-ware bottles and jars are not objectionable on account
of corrosion, but they are opaque, so that the contents can not be seen,
and are but little cheaper than cheap glass.
During the past year we have kept several bushels of fruit of differ-
ent kinds, always in good condition, and the portion now unused is
almost as fresh and delicious as when first picked.
For keeping we have used all sorts of glass bottles
and jars, holding from a pint to two quarts each
including several of the patent jars with capa
of various patterns. Among these were a dozen
glass jars with India rubber rings expanded by a
compressing screw, of which five gave way and the * IG-
fruit was lost. Of the common glass bottles and jars we have not lost
one. There is hardly a glass bottle of whatever form that cannot be
turned to account for preserving fruits even junk bottles, soda-water
FRUITS.
21
bottles, jars, c., &c. The best form is a wide-mouthed quart bottle or
jar, the neck drawn in to give a shoulder for the cork to rest apon.
FIG. 3.
For the larger fruits wide necks are needed; for the smaller berry
fruits, narrow necks answer perfectly.
PREPARING THE FRTTIT.
Our method is, to put the fruit in a preserving kettle of some kind
a glazed iron kettle, or even a tinned one, or a tin pail will do
and sweeten it with just sugar enough to fit it for the table. The
sweetening is added in the form of a syrup made by boiling from one to
three pounds of sugar (usually 2 Ibs.) with one quart of water. The
more juicy fruits, such as strawberries, require less syrup, while pears
and quinces require more. The fruit is heated with the syrup just
long enough to scald it through. Some prefer to use less sweetening
and add more when the fruit is to be used. Others use no sugar ;
they think the fruit keeps just as well, and preserves its aroma better
without any sugar. "We prefer to use all the sugar that is to be
needed, believing that the fruit will probably keep more certainly, and
it is then always ready to pour out at once upon the table. The fruit
to be preserved should be in good condition ripe, but not over-ripe,
nor containing any decayed portions. Tomatoes are peeled, and then
cooked down one-half, as this makes a better sauce, and requires lea*
bottle room,
BOTTLEfG THE FRrTT.
The bottles or jars are thoroughly cleansed, and each one fitted with
a stopper. For these, soft corks are best ; but they may be made of
soft dry wood. For each bottle or jar we provide a little tin " patty-
pan," (fig. 1,) costing one-half to one cent each by the quantity. Tea-
saucers will answer. For cement we heat together in an old tin basin
or iron kettle, one pound of rosin, and one and one-half to two ounces
of tallow. This may be mixed in quantity, and melted from time
to time as wanted. We formerly used a little over one ounce of tallow
to one pound of rosin, but further experience is in favor of a softer
cement, when the fruit is to stand in a cool cellar. While the fruit is
being heated, as above described, the bottles are well warmed by setting
them near the fire and frequently turning them ; or better, by setting
them in cold water in a wash-boiler and heating to the boiling point.
The fruit being barely scalded through, it is dipped hot into the heated
bottles, through a funnel, if the bottle necks are small. This is done
darefully, so as not to mash the fruit. The bottles are filled up to
where the bottom of the stoppers will come ; they are then jarred a
little to raake the air bubbles rise, and more fruit or syrup added if
needed. The tops and necks are then wiped clean, inside and out and
the stoppers put in, and sunk to a level with the top. Tke cement
being warmed in the mean time, a little is dipped on over the stoppers
to close them tight'.y. The bottles are then turned necks down in the
little patty-pans, or saucers, (fig. 2,) and a quantity of cement dropped
in to completely enclose the stoppers and necks. When cold the bottles
may be set either side up (fig. 2 or 3). The cooling will shrink the
contents .so as to create a strong inward pressure, but the patty-pana
prevent the stoppers from being pressed in, and the cement shuts out
the air.
The whole process is simple and quickly performed. After the fruit
is prepared, two persons will heat it, and put up 50 to 100 bottles in half
a day. We prefer quart bottles, as these furnish enough for once open-
ing. If cork stoppers are used, they are rendered soft and pliable, and
may be crowded into a small orifice, by first soaking them in hot
water.
SUBSTITUTE FOR PATTY-PANS.
The patty-pans are simply circular pieces of tin, stamped in the, form
of a cup or plate, two to three and one-half inches across. We buy
them at wholesale for 87 cts., or $1.25 per gross. But any kind of cup
to hold the wax, will answer. We have seen the common blacking
boxes used, bottom for one jar or bottle, and the top or cover for an-
other. Blocks of wood, or bits of board, cut out
into cup-form with a gouge, or bored only part
way through with a large auger, answer every;
purpose. They should be partly filled with ce-j
ment, before turning the bottle into them. No ;
one need look far for the materials. The old
bottles about the house, thoroughly cleaned, the
tin boxes, or old saucers, or wooden blocks, and
some rosin are all the apparatus needed. "
The above method is good, but the following is still better, being
safer, surer, more simple and less expensive. Out of hundreds o.
quarts which last year were put up in this manner for the Hygienic
Institute, not one has been lost, and we have them now, in July, as
perfect as the hour they were canned. No corks are used ; the clotha
will answer a second year, and as soon as the bottles are cold it can
be ascertained with absolute certainty whether they are air-tight or
not The following is
FBUITS. 23
OUB METHOD. Take common, wide-mouthed glass bottles or jars ;
those with a rim around the neck are preferable. Procure thick Can-
ton flannel ; cut it into squares sufficiently large to cover the top and
neck of the jar. Dip these pieces into heated grafting wax made by
melting together one pound rosin, two ounces beeswax and one and
one-half ounces tallow. Several pieces may be put in at one time,
and should be allowed to remain in until they are perfectly saturated
with the wax. Just before filling a jar with fruit, take out one of
these pieces, thus allowing it to cool a little. By doing so they can
be handled with greater ease and there is no danger of the wax run-
ning through them into the fruit. After the was has been kept hot a
long time it is apt to harden slightly. A little tallow should then
be added.
In preparing the fruit, one pound of sugar to six pounds of rasp-
berries, wild blackberries, whortleberries, etc., is sufficient while for
Lawton blackberries, strawberries, and the more acid fruits, one pound
to four is requisite. Add a small quantity of water and cook the fruit
a trifle less than if it were to be used immediately upon the table.
Heat the bottles to prevent breaking ; this may be done by placing
them underneath the stove, or else by putting them into a kettle of
cold water and gradually heating it. Pour the HOT fruit into the HOT
bottle, filling il full ; wipe the top and outside of the neck of the
bottle PERFECTLY DRY; have ready a piece of white paper cut so that
it will just fit the INSIDE of the mouth of the bottle, and lay it on tha
top of the fruit Now you are prepared for the sealing process. Thi
pieces of Canton flannel being all ready, having been previously satu-
rated with the wax and allowed to cool three or four minutes, place
one of them over the mouth of the bottle, drawing it as tightly as pos-
sible, and then wind a piece of strong twine round and round, binding
the edges of the cloth firmly against the neck of the bottle. Then
with a spoon dip on a little of the hot wax spreading it evenly over
the top of the cloth, and over this place a paper large enough to cover
the top and neck of the bottle, smoothing it as closely as possible, and
the jar is sealed. As soon as the bottles cool, a glance will determine
whether they are air-tight or not, as, if so, there will be a slight de-
pression of the cover. The least hole "will prevent this concavity,
and thus indicate at once the necessity of repeating the sealing pro-
cess." If care be taken, not one bottle in forty will fail of being
perfectly sealed at first.
In a very large family, glazed stone jugs, holding from one to two
gallons, may be used. In this case the handles of the jugs will interfere
with the tying of the cloths, and corks will therefore have to be sub-
stituted in place of them. Immerse the corks in hot water till thor-
oughly soaked, (they should be from one inch and a half to two inches
in length, and should fit the jug so tightly that previous to soaking it
will be very difficult to drive them in) fill the jug with fruit, then
with a hammer or mallet drive the cork in tightly till the top of it is
just level with the mouth of the jug. Dip on plenty of the hot wax,
covering the whole top completely. When cold, set them away in a
Cool, dry place, and they will keep for years as fresh as when first put up.
DRYING FRUITS.
In order to save various kinds of fruits and ensure variety, next {*
canning, the best method is that of drying, and for the larger fru'ts
such as apples, etc., the latter is much the cheaper and more practicable
method.
The essential requisites in drying fruit, are : First, that it should dry
quickly, so as to preserve, as far as possible, its natural flavor. Second,
that it should dry thoroughly in order to keep well ; and third, that it
ehuuld be kept free from dust and flies.
For securing these ends, where one has not a regular drying-hous
expressly for the purpose, I know of no arrangement so easily made, per-
fect and convenient as that represented by the accompanying engraving.
(8) is i rack four feet long and about one and one-half feet wide, mado
of common wall lath nailed together one-tenth to one-fourth of an inch
apart, according to the size of the fruit to be dried. A lath or strip of
board one inch wide is nailed round the edge to prevent the fruit's falling
oft'. The whole expense is but a mere trifle. Any person who can drive
nails can make it. If laths are not to be had, strips of boards will do as
well.
Now for a place to keep them in the house conveniently, that the fruit
will continue to dry during nights and stormy days. To effect this con-
struct a frame similar to (a). It consists of four posts two inches square,
with strips about one inch square nailed across, far enough apart to admit
a rack between them, and braced as represented in the cut. A frame to
hold twenty racks can be made for a dollar, and not weigh over twenty
pounds. This placed near the kitchen stove against the wall, out of the
way and occupying no more space than a good sized bureau, gives over
one hundred square feet surface ^f drying racks, holding four or five
Bushels of apples or other fruit.
FBUITS. SA
Oar experience in the use of dried fruit is that the quicker it is dried
the better it retains its flavor. Keeping off flies, -wasps, &c., for cleanli-
ness is of great importance. A few yards of musquito bars is sufficient
to cover a large surface and prevent drying very little.
RECIPES FOR COOKING- FRUIT.
BAKES APPLES. The best baking apples are moderately tart, or very
juicy, sweet ones. The former, of ordinary size, will bake in about
thirty minutes; the latter in about forty-five minutes. Select, for
baking, apples of nearly equal size ; wipe them dry and clean ; put
a very little water in the bottom of the baking vessel, and place them
in a hot oven.
STEWED GRLEN APPLES. Apples for stewing should be well flavored
and juicy. Sweet apples, when stewed, turn more or less dark colored,
and hence do not appear as well as tart ones at the table, though some
persons prefer them. Pare, core, and quarter ; put a little water to
them, and boil moderately till soft, and add sufficient sugar to eait
taste more or less, according to the acidity of the fruit. Some cooks
flavor them with lemon ; others with a small portion of peaches or
other fruit. Good apples, however, are good enough in and of them-
selves.
BOILED APPLES. Select round, mellow apples of uniform size ; pare
them ; boil in as little water as possible, till soft ; put them in a vege-
table dish ; and slowly pour over them a syrup, made by dissolving
half a pound of sugar in a pint of boiling water.
STEWED PIPPINS. A rich apple sauce is made as follows : Peel, core,
and quarter half a dozen ribstone pippins ; put them into a pan with
six ounces of brown sugar, the juice of a lemon, its thin rind cut into
strips, and very little water ; stew over a very slow fire till quite tender.
PEARS. Pears may be baked, boiled, or stewed in the same manner
as apples. Some varieties of small, early, and sweet pears are very
delicious, boiled whole without paring, and sweetened with syrup.
The large pears are usually selected for baking.
BOILED PEACHES. They should be pared except when the skins
are very smooth, clean, and tender but not stoned ; boiled moderately
till sufficiently cooked, and then sweetened.
. STEWED DRIED PEACHES. Most of the dried peaches in our marksts
are sour and unpleasant. But when we can find them of good quality,
they are very excellent stewed and sweetened, precisely like dried
apples.
UNCOOKED PEACHES. When we have peaches as good and ripe as all
peaches ought to be. the best way to prepare them is this : Peel them ;
cut the fruit off the stones in quarters, or smaller pieces ; fill the disk ;
6t J 1 in a little sugar, and sprinkle a little more over the top
APRICOTS. Ripe apricots may be prepared in the same way as peachy
but they are best with no preparation at all.
96 FRTTITS.
CHERRIES. Stewing is the only proper method for cooking this fruit.
Remove the stalks from the cherries ; pick them over carefully, reject-
ing all unsound ones ; put them into a pan, with a very little water, and
.sugar in the proportion of about three ounces to a pound of cherries ;
eimmer them slowly over the fire, shaking the pan round occasionally
till done. If a richer article is wanted, take the cherries out with a
colander spoon, and keep them in a basin till cold ; reduce the sweet-
ened water to the consistency of syrup, and put it over the cherries.
QUINCES. It has been said that quinces commend themselves more to
the sense of smell than taste ; hence are better to " adorn" other prepar-
ations than to be prepared themselves. When stewed till quite tender,
and sweetened, they are, however, a very pleasant, yet rather expensive
kind of sauce. In the form of marmalade, they are a better seasoning for
bread, cakes, or puddings, than butter.
QUINCE MARMALADE. Pare, core, and quarter the quinces ; boil them
gently, uncovered, in water, till they begin to soften ; then strain them
through a hair sieve, and beat, in a mortar or wooden bowl, to a pulp;
add to each pound of fruit three quarters of a pound of sugar ; boil
till it becomes stiff, and pour into small molds or sweetmeat pots.
STEWED CRANBERRIES. Wash and pick the berries ; stew them in
just as little water as will prevent their burning, till they become soft ;
then add half a pound of sugar to a pound of the fruit, and simmer a
few minutes.
BLACKBERRIES. When very ripe and sweet, a little sugar dusted
over them is a sufficient preparation for the table. If sour, or not quite
ripe, they should be stewed till soft, and moderately sweetened. The
same rules apply to all berried fruits for which recipes are not given.
WHORTLEBERRIES. Many prefer these uncooked and unseasoned.
If stewed, however, they require but very little sweetening.
RASPBERRIES. Red raspberries are never fit to be eaten till ripe,
and then they require neither sugar nor cooking. Black raspberries,
when quite ripe, are also best in a " state of nature." If not entirely
ripe, they may be stewed a few minutes, and sweetened with a very
little sugar or molasses.
CURRANTS. Green currants, when half or two-thirds grown, are more
mild flavored and pleasant than when fully ripe ; nor do I find them
often disagreeing with ordinary dyspeptics. They require stewing but
a short time, and moderately sweetening. The best currants, when
quite ripe, may be eaten uncooked, with a sprinkling of sugar.
PLUMS. These muet be managed according to their character and
flavor. Many varieties are too sour to be eaten without stewing, and
the addition of considerable sugar. Some kinds, however, are sweet and
luscious enough to require neither.
GRAPES. Grood, ripe, well-cultivated Delawares, Isabellas, and Ca-
tawbas are incomparably superior in dietetic character, without "tbe
interference of art." What a blessing it would be to the human race
if all the vineyards in the world were made to supply wholesome food
for children, instead of pernicious poison for adults !
PINEAPPLE. The only way of preparing this fruit, which, like some
Others, has more flavor than taste, is that of paring, slicing, and sprink-
ling with sugar.
FB.UIT8. 27
TOMATOES. Scald the tomatoes by pouring boiling water on tharn ,
peel off the skins ; then stew them for an hour, and add a little slightly
toasted bread. This is an excellent sauce for Hygienic tables ; and
the fruit may be improved in flavor by stewing half an hour, or even
an hour longer.
BOILED APPLES. Select rich, fair, sweet apples of uniform size the
Tallman Sweeting is the best for this purpose. Leave the skins on
them, merely removing the blossom ends with a sharp pointed knife.
Wash them thoroughly, place them in a porcelain kettle and sprinkle
over them a small quantity of sugar. Then add boiling water barely
Sufficient to cover them and cook slowly till tender.
PRUNES. Prunes should be thoroughly washed, then soaked in just
water enough to cover them, for an hour or two before cooking. Add
sugar sufficient to sweeten them, and stew slowly till tender.
CIDER APPLE SAUCE. Take six quarts sweet apples quartered and
cored, pour over them one and one-half pints boikns; water, and cook
slowly. When about one third done add one-half cup sugar and
three -fourths of a pint of boiled cider or apple syrup, and cook till
they can be pierced easily with a fork.
E. These proportions make a much better sauce than where more boiled cider
is used. We wish this dish might be brought into more general use. If properly
cooked it is excellent. Every one in the country knows how boiled cider is made, but
every one in the city is not supposed to, from the fact that it is a commodity rarely met
with in the city markets. It is made by taking new, sweet cider fresh from the press,
and boiling it "down till it is about the consistency of common molasses. It is more
wholesome than sugar, and added to apples in this way it is much more palatable.
STRAWBERRIES. Cooking deteriorates strawberries more than any
other kind of fruit. If cooked at ail they should be simply sweetened
and stewed.
STEWED DRIED APPLES. Select rich, mellow, flavored fruits, which
are clear from dark spots or mould. Wash and pick the pieces, boil
in just water enough to cover them over a slow fire, till partially soft
ened ; then add sugar or molasses and continue the boiling till done.
DRIED GRAPES. Dried grapes and dried apples, in the proportion
of one-third of the former to two-thirds of the latter, make excellent
sauce for the spring months.
Any kind of dried fruit, cherries, raspberries, peaches, quinces, &c.,
may be cooked with dried apples, and form quite a pleasing variety.
WHORTLEBERRY CRACKER SAUCE. Stew whortleberries till quite soft,
making them a little sweeter and more juicy than usual. As soon aa
they are done cover the bottom of a porcelain kettle or strong stone jar
with a layer of Dr. Trail's crackers, and cover them completely with
the sauce, then add another layer of crackers, then more sauce, and so
on till you have as much as you wish. Let them soak over night, and
you have a very fine dish for breakfast. It should be as juicy as com-
mon sauce when ready for the table, therefore it is necessary to add
much more water than usual to the berries, when cooking.
Apple sauce prepared in this way is esteemed very nice by many.
VEGETABLES.
BOILED POTATOES. "Wash the potatoes -without cutting them ; put
them in hoiling water, with not more of water than is sufficient to
cover them ; boil moderately until they are softened so that a fork
will readily penetrate them ; pour ofl' the water and let them stand till
dry. Young potatoes of medium size will cook in about twenty-five
minutes; old potatoes require double that time. "When peeled they
will cook in about half the time. All who would have potatoes well
cooked must observe the following particulars : Always take them out
of the water the moment they are done. Ascertain when they are done,
t>y pricking with a fork, and not leave them to crack open. When
cooked in any way, they become heavy and " watery '' by cooking them
after they are once softened through. They should be selected of an
equal size, or the smallest should be taken up as fast as cooked.
Potatoes should never be boiled very hard, as it is apt to break them ;
nor should the water stop boiling, as it will tend to make them
" watery." Old potatoes are improved by soaking in cold water several
hours or over night, before cooking. They should never remain cov-
ered after having been roasted or boiled, to keep them hot.
MASHED POTATOES. Pare and wash the potatoes ; drop them into
water which is boiling very hard ; let them boil moderately till done.
As soon as they will pierce easily with a fork, pour off the water, place
them over vhe fire again for a couple of minutes till perfectly dry, then
mash them till they are entirely free from lumps. If any seasoning is
desired, a little rich milk or sweet cream is all that is sufficient.
BROWNED MASHED POTATOES. Prepare the same as mashed potatoes
above; turn them immediately into a deep platter or dripping pan,
emooth them evenly and place in a hot oven till browned.
POTATO BALLS. Take mashed potatoes, either cold or hot, and form
them into small round cakes of three-fourths of an inch in thickness-.
Place them in a hot oven, and let them remain till well browned.
STEWED POTATOES. Cut cold boiled potatoes into thin slices, cover
with milk or diluted sweet cream, and stew slowly till warmed through.
CHOPPED POTATOES. Place cold boiled potatoes in a wooden bowl ;
chop them with a chopping knife till very fine ; turn them into a deep
platter ; add milk till they are nearly covered, and bake in a moderately
not oven half an hour ; stir them occasionally at first, then let a nice
brown crust form upon them.
BROWNED POTATOES. Cut cold boiled potatoes into slices one-third
of an inch in thickness ; lay them on a platter in a hot oven till both
ides are moderately browned.
(28)
VEGETABLES. 2S
BROWNED POTATOES. Boil potatoes of a nearly uniform size till about
two-thirds done; pour off' the water; remove the skins; place them in
a hot oven, and bake till done. When baked potatoes are wanted in
haste, this is a very quick and excellent method.
BREAKFAST POTATOES. Pare and wash the potatoes. Cut them in
pieces one-third of an inch in thickness ; boil in as little water aa
possible, so that it will nearly all be evaporated in cooling. When
done, add a small quantity of sweet cream or milk thickened with a
little flour.
SWEET POTATOES. These may be baked with their skins on, or peeled
and boiled, and then browned a little in the oven, or simply boiled
with or without the skins. They are excellent sliced and browned the
next day after having been boiled, or even laid in the oven and browned.
MASHED PARSNEPS. Wash them thoroughly, and remove the skins
by scraping. Split them in halves or quarters, and boil till tender
When done, mash them the same as potatoes.
BROWNED PARSNEPS. Cold parsnepe may be cut in pieces one-half
Inch in thickness and browned in the oven the same as potatoes. Ther
are nice for breakfast.
STEWED PARSNEPS. Wash, scrape, and cut the parsneps into thin
slices. Stir them in just water enough to prevent their burning.
When nearly cooked, add a little boiling milk, and thicken with a
small quantity of flour wet with cold milk. Let them simmer fifteen,
minutes.
CARROTS. Carrots may be boiled, stewed, or browned in the same
manner as parsneps. When stewed they are a favorite dish with
many persons. .
BOILED TTTRNIPS. When turnips are sweet and tender, they are best
if boiled whole till soft, and then sent immediately to the table. If
they are allowed to boil too long they become bitterish. An hour is
the medium time. They are less watery and . better flavored when
boiled with their skins on, and pared afterward.
MASHED TURNIPS. This is the best method of preparing watery
turnips and a good way of cooking all cookable kinds. Pare, wash,
and cut them in slices ; put them in just enough boiling water to cover
them ; let them boil till soft ; pour them into a seive or colander and
press out the water; mash them with fresh milk or sweet cream
until entirely free from lumps ; then put them into a saucepan over
the fire, and stir them about three minutes.
BOILED CABBAGE. Take off the outer leaves ; cut the head in halves
or quarters, and boil quickly in a large quantity of water till done
then drain and press out the water, and chop fine. Cabbage requires
boiling from half an hour to an hour.
STEWED CABBAGE. Slice the cabbage very fine, pour over it boiling
water, nearly sufficient to cover it. Let it cook quickly till tender.
Add boiling milk and thicken with flour wet with cold milk. Let it
simmer fifteen minutes. This is excellent.
CAULIFLOWER. Cut off the green leaves ; plunge the heads in boiling
water and let them cook from twenty minutes to half an hour. Split
20 VEGETABLES.
the heads <*pen and lay them in halves in vegetable dishes, and cover
with a sauce made with boiling milk, thickened with flour wet with
cold milk, and boiled till well cooked.
GREENS. Spinach, beet tops, cabbage-sprouts, mustard leaves, turnip
leaves, cowslips, dandelions, and deerweed are all excellent for greens.
They all require to be carefully washed and cleaned. Spinach should
be washed repeatedly.. All the cooking requisite is boiling till tendur,
and drain on a colander. Lemon juice is the on.y admissible seasoning.
BOILED BEET ROOT. Wash the roots carefully ; avoid scraping,
cutting or breaking the roots, as the juice would escape and the flavor
be injured; put them into a pan of boiling water; let them boil one
or two hours according to size ; then put them in cold water and rub
off the skin with the hand, and cut them in neat slices of uniform
size. Good beets are sweet enough intrinsically, and need no seasoning.
NOTE. Beet root must not be probed with a fork, as are potatoes. "When done, the
thickest part will yield to the pressure of the fingers.
BAKED BEETS. Wash the roots clean, and bake whole till quite
tender ; put them in cold water ; rub off the skin ; if large, cut them in
round slices, but if small, slice them lengthwise. If any seasoning is
insisted on, lemon juice is the most appropriate. When baked slowly
and carefully, beet root is very rich, wholesome, and nutritious. It
usually requires baking four or five hours.
STEWED BEETS. Take baked or boiled beet root, pare and cut it into
thin slices ; simmer in milk or diluted sweet cream fifteen minutes,
and thicken, the gravy with a little wheaten flour.
STRING BEANS. When very young, the pods need only to be clipped,
cut finely, and boiled till tender. When older, cut or break off the
ends, strip off the strings that line their edges ; cut or break each pod
into three or four pieces, and boil. When made tender, a little cream
or milk may be simmered with them a few minutes.
ASPARAGUS. Put the stalks in cold water ; cut off all that is very
tough; tie them in bundles; put them over the fire and let them boil
fifteen to twenty-five minutes, or until tender without being soft. No
one has a right to desire a better vegetable ,han this with no other
preparation than boiling. It should be cooked soon after being picked,
or kept cool and moist in a cellar till wanted.
STEWED ASPARAGUS. Cut the tender parts of the stalks into pieces
of half an inch in length. Wash them ; put them in enough boiling
water to cook them witfeout burning, and when nearly done add a
email quantity of sweet cream or milk thickened with flour.
STEWED CUCUMBERS. Pare and cut them into quarters, taking out the
Beeds ; boil like asparagus ; serve up with toasted bread and sweetcrcam.
VEGETABLE MARROW. Peel the marrows ; cut them in halves ; scrape
out the seeds ; then boil about twenty minutes, or until soft ; drain
them, wash them, add a little milk or cream, and simmer a short timo.
SALSIFY (OYSTER PLANT). Scrape the vegetable; cut it in strips;
parboil it ; then chop it up with milk and a little sweet cream, and
eimmer gently till cooked very tender.
BROCCOLI. Peel the stalks, and boil them fifteen minutes ; tie the
shoots into bunches; add a little milk or cream and stew gently for
ten minutes.
WHOLE GRAINS AND SEEDS.
BOILED WHEAT. Select fair, plump wheat; pick it over carefully
and wash it perfectly clean. Let it soak in cold water twenty-four
hours. Boil it in the same water (adding more if necessary) till per-
fectly soft. It will require several hours to cook it. It may be eaten
with milk, or cream, or sugar, or without any of these, as preferred.
BOILED RICE. Be careful and select for this purpose the large,
Ylump kernel called head-rice ; boil it in pure, soft water and in a
Covered vessel about twenty minutes, stirring it gently occasionally ;
Lhen set it off from the fire, and in a place just warm enough to sim-
ner; let it remain an hour and a half without stirring ; the grains
.nay then be taken out full and unbroken.
NOTE. The best method of cooking rice is to cover it well with water and set it in
a moderate oven, stirring it occasionally. When nearly done and the water mostly ahr
sorted, milk or sweet cream may be added if desired, making a very rich dish.
Or the water may be omitted and it may be cooked entirely in milk, using the same
proportions of milk and rice as for a pudding, hut omitting the sugar.
Another excellent method of cooking rice is by steaming it. A
double boiler, commonly called a " Farina Boiler," is best for this
purpose, but if none can be had a tightly covered tin pan, set over a
kettle of boiling water, will answer.
RICE AND APPLE. When the rice is about one-third cooked add
a small quantity of tart apples sliced. When done, stir thoroughly
together. .If cooked in steam, this is a very nice dish.
RICE AND RAISINS. An excellent dessert is made by adding one cup
of raisins to three cups of rice and cooking in the ordinary manner,
either in water or in equal parts of water and milk ; or, if cookod by
steam, it is delicious if cooked entirely in milk. To be eaten with,
sweetened cream or a sauce made by thickening boiling milk with corn
starch and adding sugar to suit the taste.
BARLEY. The common white or pearl barley is excellent, if cookod
in the same manner as boiled wheat. Milk may be added when nearly
done, if desired. It does not require cooking so long as the wheat.
PARCHED CORN. Procure a wire apparatus called a " corn popper."
-They can be bought at almost any hardware store for a mere trifle.
The common " Tucket" corn is best for popping. Have the corn thor-
oughly dry. Place a large spoonful in the "popper," and pass it back
and forth very quickly across the top of a red hot stove till done. Two
minutes will suffice to produce a quart of great white kernels, as deli-
cious as ever were eaten..
(31)
32 WHOLE CHAINS AND SEEDS.
BOILED CHESTNUTS. Boiled chestnuts, if made a part of our regulai
meals, are not only very delicious but perfectly wholesome. They
(should be first picked over very carefully and washed, then boiled
from an hour to an hour and a half.
DRIED BEANS. Pick the beans over carefully, wash them perfectly
1< an, cover them about three inches deep with cold water, and let
them soak all night. Early in the morning place them over the fire,
leaving upon them all the water that may remain unabsorbed and
adding enough more to cook them in. Let them simmer slowly all
the forenoon, but do not allow them to boil. When done, if any
Beasoning is desired a little sweet cream is sufficient. To bake them,
take them from the fire about an hour before they are done, place them
immediately in a deep pan, and bake one hour in a very hot oren.
NOTE. Those who will try this method will be surprised to find how much superior
it is to the ordinary way of cooking them.
DBIED PEAS Are cooked precisely in the same manner as beans.
BOILED GREEN PEAS. "Washing green peas seems to extract much
of their sweetness. If care be taken in shelling them they will not
need washing. Immediately after shelling them put in boiling water
sufficient to cover them, and boil from twenty to thirty minutes.
When the pods are fresh and green, if they are washed and boiled
in as little water as will cover them for fifteen or twenty minutes,
and the juice added to the peas, it will improve the flavor. Sweet
milk or cream is the only admissible seasoning.
BOILED GREEN BEANS. The common garden, kidney, and Lima beans
are all excellent dishes prepared by simply boiling till soft without de-
Btroying the shape of the seed. A Little milk or cream may be stirred in,
when they are cooked sufficiently, if any seasoning is desired. They
usually require boiling an hour and a half.
BOILED GREEN CORN. The only corn fit for boiling green is the
Bweet or evergreen corn. It should be simply husked, the silk re-
moved and the ears plunged into boiling water and boiled from one
half to three-quarters of an hour.
STEWED CORN.- Cut the corn from the cob, boil it in just water
enough to prevent burning. When done, add a little rich milk or
eweet cream and a trifle of sugar.
SUCCOTASH. The best materials for succotash are sweet corn and
Lima beans. Cat the corn from the cobs, and when the beans have
boon cooking about-three quarters of an hour add it to them, letting it
cook about three-quarters of an hour longer. This is a dish " fit for a
king." If any one desires a richer article, a little sweet cream may be
aided.
GRAINS SEEDS AND TOMATOES
Green peas, beans, etc., may be dried "by first dropping them into boil-
jig water, and letting them boil for two or three minutes, then draining
and placing them where they will dry quickly. They are very nice when
preserved in this way. I have eaten dried peas in June that I could not
believe were not fresh from the garden, until I had been repeatedly
assured that such was not the case. They should be soaked until soft,
after which they require veiy little cooking.
Tomatoes are canned by scalding, peeling, and cooking them as for the
table ; then putting up and sealing in the same manner as fruit cans are
sealed. The secret of success in canning tomatoes is to keep them boiling
from the time they begin to bubble up till put in the can. If allowed to
cook awhile and then to partially stop boiling, or if cooked too long, they
are apt to have a slightly bitter taste. If not cooked enough they will
not keep well ; but if pared, put immediately over the fire, and the boil-
ing continued for a full hour after it begins, then put up immediately,
they may bo canned without the slightest difficulty ; and will not only
keep perfectly, but will be just as sweet and fresh as when first picked
from, the vines. If persons living in the country, who have the fresh,
materials for these things so profusely scattered around them, could but
realize how delicious a dish of tomatoes, green peas, or succotash tastes in
' January or May, I think they would take much more pains than they
now do to have their tables supplied with them.
GRUELS AND SOUPS.
WHEAT-MEAL GRUEL. Mix two tablespoonfuls of wheat-meal
smoothly with a gill of cold water ; stir the mixture into a quart of
boiling water ; boil about fifteen minutes, taking off whatever scum
forms on the top. A little sugar may be added if desired.
INDIAN-MEAL GRUEL. Stir gradually into a quart of boiling water
two tablespoonfuls of Indian-meal; boil it slowly twenty minutes.
This is often prepared for the sick, under the name of " water-gruel."
In the current cook-books, salt, sugar, and nutmeg are generally
added. Nothing of the sort should be used, except sugar.
OATMEAL GRUEL. Mix a tablespoonful of oatmeal with a little
cold water ; pour on the mixture a quart of boiling water, stirring it
well; let it settle two or three minutes; then pour it into the pan.
carefully, leaving the coarser part of the meal at the bottom of the
vessel ; set it on the fire and stir it till it hoik ; then let it boil about
five minutes, and skim.
FARINA GRUEX. Mix two tablespoonfuls of farina in a gill of water ;
pour very gradually on the mixture a quart of boiling water, stir-
ring thoroughly, and boil ten minutes.
TAPIOCA GRTTEL. Wash a tablespoonful of tapioca, and soak it in a
pint and a half of water twenty minutes ; then boil gently, stirring
frequently, till the tapioca is sufficiently cooked, and sweeten.
SAGO GRUEL. Wash two tablespoonfuls of sago, and soak it a few
minutes in half a pint of cold water ; then boil a pint and a half of
water, and, while boiling, stir in the sago ; boil slowly till well done,
and sweeten with sugar or molasses.
CURRANT GBUEL. Add two tablespoonfuls of currants to a quart of
wheat-meal or oatmeal ground, and, after boiling a few minutes, add a
little sugar.
GROAT GRUEL. Steep clean groats in water for several hours ; boil
them in pure soft water till quite tender and thick ; then add boiling
water sufficient to reduce to the consistency of gruel. Currants and
sugar may also be added.
ARROW-ROOT GRUEL. Mix an ounce of arrow-root smoothly with
a little cold water ; then pour on the mixture a pint of boiling water,
Btirring it constantly ; return it into the pan, and let it boil five min-
utes. Season with sugar and lemon-juice.
(34)
GRUELS AND SOUPS. 3*
RICE GKITEL. Boil two ounces of good clean rice in a quart oi water
flntil the grains are quite soft; then add two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
and hoil two or three minutes. Currants make a good addition to this
gruel.
TOMATO SOUP. Scald and peel good ripe tomatoes ; stew them one
hour, and strain through a coarse sieve ; stir in a very little wheaten
flour to give it hody, and brown sugar in the proportion of a teaspoon-
f al to a quart of soup ; then hoil five minutes. This is one of the most
agreeable and wholesome of the " fancy dishes." Ochre, or gumbo, is
good addition to this and many other kinds of soup.
RICE SOUP. Boil one gill of rice in a pint of water till soft ; then add
ft pint of milk, a teaspoonful of sugar, and simmer gently five minutes.
SPLIT PEAS SOUP. Soak the peas all night ; then cook them three
or four hours, or till perfectly soft. Add a little sweet cream just be-
fore they are done.
GREEN PEAS SOUP. Take three pints of peas, three common sized
turnips, one carrot, and the shells of the peas. Boil one quart of the
largest of the peas, with the shells or the pods, till quite soft ; rub
through a fino colander ; return the pulp into the pan, add the tur-
nips, a carrot, sliced, and a quart of boiling water ; when the vege-
tables are perfectly soft, add the young or smaller peas, previously
boiled.
SPLIT PEAS AND BARLEY SOUP. Take three pints of split peas,
half a pint of pearl barley, half a pound of stale bread, and one tur-
nip, sliced. Wash the peas and barley, and steep them in fresh water
at least twelve hours ; place them over the fire ; add the bread, turnip,
and half a tablespoonful of sugar ; boil till all are quite soft ; rub
them through a fine colander, adding gradually a quart of boiling
water ; return the soup into the pan, and boil ten minutes.
BARLEY SOUP. Take four ounces of barley, two ounces of bread
crumbs, and half an ounce of chopped parsley. Wash the barley, and
steep it twelve hours in half a pint of water ; boil slowly in a covered
tin-pan five hours, and about half an hour before the disk is to be
served, add the parsley.
GREEN BEAN Soup. Take one quart of garden or kidney beans, one
ounce of spinach, and one ounce of parsley. Boil the beans ; skin and
bruise them in a bowl till quite smooth ; put them in a pan with
two quarts of vegetable broth ; dredge in a little flour ; stir it on the
fire till it boils, and put in the spinach and parsley, (previously
boiled and rubbed through a sieve).
VEGETABLE BROTH. This, may be made with various combinations
and proportions of vegetables. For example four turnips, two carrots,
one onion, and a spoonful of lentil flower. Half fill a pan -with the
vegetables, in pieces ; nearly fill up the vessel with water j boil till all
the vegetables are tender, and strain.
BARLEY BROTH. Take four ounces of pearl barley, two turnips,
three ounces of Indian-meal, and three ounces of sweet cream. Stcop
the pearl barley (after washing) twelve hours; set it on the fire in
five quarts of fresh water, adding tho turnips; boil gently an hour;
Si GRUELS AND SOUPS.
4
add the cream ; stir in the meal ; thin it, if necessary, with more water,
and simmer gently twenty minutes.
SPINACH Soup. Take two quarts of spinach, half a pound of parsley,
two carrots, two turnips, one root of celery, and two ounces of cream.
Stew all the ingredients in a pint of water a few lemon parings may
be thrown in to flavor till quite soft ; rub through a coarse sieve ; add
a quart of hot water, and boil twenty minutes.
VEGETABLE SOUP. Take two good sized turnips, one carrot, one pars-
nep, one sweet potato, two Irish potatoes, one onion, a little parsley
chopped fine, and three tablespoonfuls of rice or pearl barley. Slice the
vegetables very thin ; put them into two quarts boiling water ; let
them cook three hours, then add the rice, and cook one hour longer.
MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES.
CRBAM CAKE. One pint sweet cream, one teacnpful white sugar, ona
cup English, currants, Graham flour for a thin batter. Bake in muffin-,
rings, or in gem tins ; filling the latter only half fulL
This is very nice, and is a near approach to a strictly hygienic cake.
STEAMED BREAD. Make mush as for the table Graham, hominy, or
corn meal mush as preferred. "When cool, to one quart add one pint of
hot, boiled potatoes mashed through a collander, half a cup of molasses,
one tea-cup of boiling milk, and equal parts of Indian meal and Gra-
ham or rye flour sufficient to make a rather soft dough. Place it in a
deep basin or pan ; smooth it evenly over the top ; cover it tightly and
steam four hours.
RYE AND INDIAN BREAD. Take one part rye-meal and two parts of
.Indian ; pour boiling water over the Indian, and stir it till the whole is
sufficiently wet to work in the rye without adding any more water, and
then, when about milk warm, work in the rye-meal. Should the dough
be too stiff, add as much warm, but not hot, water as may be necessary ;
bake in a round iron dish from three to five hours. This bread, when
new, or a day or two- old, may be sliced and toasted ; it is very sweet
and wholesome. The crust is apt to fall off; this may be wet in water
and put into a stone jar with some moderately tart apples, peeled and
sliced, nicely covering the apples with the crust ; then add a little wa-
ter, and cover the dish with a tightly fitting cover ; set it on the stove
till the apples are cooked, and then take the crust off into plates ; sweet-
en th&. apples to suit the taste, and spread it over the crust. This is an
excellent dish, if care has been taken to prevent burning the crust.
OATMEAL CAKE. Mix fine oatmeal into a stiff dough with milk- warm
water ; roll it to the thinness almost of a wafer ; bake on a griddle or
iron plates placed over a slow fire for three or four minutes ; then
place it on edge before the fire to harden. This will be good fer
months, if kept in a dry place.
SNOW BREAD. Pat into a basin or pan fresh Indian-meal and two or
three times its bulk of snow ; stir thoroughly together and try a little
of the mixture on a hot griddle ; if too dry, add more snow ; if too moist,
add meal. When just right, pour it into a deep pan, rounding it up in
the middle about two inches thick, and cook from twenty minutes to hall
an hour in a hot oven This, if properly made, is very light and nick
(37)
38 MISCELLANEOUS BECIPES.
SNOW CAKE. Mix a little corn-meal and pulverized sugar with th
dry flour, and stir in the snow ; bake in a hot oven till well browned.
WHORTLEBERRY JOURNEY CAKE. Take one pint of whortleberries,
one small teacupful sugar, one pint corn-meal, one tablespoonful of flour.
Wet the whole with boiling water, and bake in small, round cakes in a
hot oven twenty minutes.
POTATO SCONES. Mash boiled potatoes till quite smocith, and knead
with flour to the consistency of a light dough ; roll it about half an inch
thich ; cut the scones in any form desired ; prick them with a fork and
bake on a griddle.
MILK TOAST. This is made by scalding sweet milk and thickening
it with a very little moistened flour or corn-starch. Let it boil well.
Split open the gems or diamonds, or whatever bread you choose to
use ; toast them nicely ; then place them in a dish for the table, and
cover with the thickened gravy.
CREAM TOAST. Toast the bread and turn over it, while hot, boiling
sweet cream diluted with milk.
WHEAT- MEAL FRUIT BISCUITS. Mix Graham flour with just enough
of scalded figs previously washed to make an adherent dough by
much kneading ; roll or cut into biscuits half an inch thick and two
or three inches square ; bake in a quick oven.
CUSTARD WITHOUT EGGS. Take one quart of sweet, new milk, four
tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Boil the milk over
a brisk fire, and, when boiling, stir in the flour (having been previously
mixed with cold milk to prevent lumping). When thoroughly scalded,
bake in a crust, or in cups.
RICE CUSTARD. Boil two ounces of ground rice in a pint and a half
of new milk ; add four ounces of sugar, an ounce of grated cocoa-nut,
four ounces of sweet cream, and bake in a slow oven.
RASPBERRY CUSTARD. Boil one pint of cream ; dissolve half a pound
of sugar in three gills of raspberry juice ; mix this with boiling cream ;
etir till the whole is quite thick, and serve in custard glasses.
APPLE CREAM. Pare and boil good rich, baking apples till soft ; rub
the pulp through a hair sieve; add the sugar while warm; when cold,
etir in a sufficient quantity of sweet cream, and serve cold.
PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM.; Mix three gills of pineapple syrup with one
pint of cream ; add the juice of a largo lemon, and four ounces of sugar;
pour into a mould ; cover it with white paper ; lay a piece of brown
paper over to prevent any water getting in, and set it in the ice.
STRAWBERRY CREAM. Mash the fruit gently; drain it on a sieve,
strewing a little sugar on it ; when well drained (without being pressed),
add sugar and cream to the juice, and, if too thick, a little milk. Whisk
it in a bowl, and., as the froth rises, lay it on a sieve ; and when no
more will rise, put the cream in a dish, and lay the froth upon it.
MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 39
RASPBERRY ICE CREAM. Mash one pound of raspberries ; strain off
the juice; mix it with the cream; add sugar as required; whisk it;
then pour into glasses, and freeze.
Note. The "bucket used for freezing should be large enough to allow
four or five inches of ice, broken in small pieces and mixed with salt,
to be placed below and around the sides of the mold.
CHERRY JAM. Take four pounds of Kentish cherries, one pound of
fine sugar, and half a pint of red currant juice. Stone ths fruit, and
boil the whole together, rather quickly, till it becomes soft.
APPLE CHEESE. Take two pounds of apples, pared and sliced; one
pound of sugar ; the juice and grated rind of a lemon, and a little water.
Put them all into a pan ; cover, and set it over the fire till the ap"ples
are reduced to a pulp, turning the pan occasionally; let it boil twenty
minutes, stirring constantly, and pour it into small molds.
BAKED MILK. Put the milk into a jar ; tie white paper over it ; let
it remain in a moderately warm oven all night, and it will be of the
consistency of thin gruel.
STRAWBERRY SHORT-CAKE. Make a rather stiff batter of rich milk
or thin, sweet cream, and Graham flour. Bake in a quick oven.
When done, cut open and put the berries, previously sweetened and
slightly mashed, on the nnder-crust, sprinkle a very little sugar over,
and add the other crust. No one need desire a more palatable or health-
ful fruit cake. Raspberries, blackberries, whortleberries, currants, tom-
atoes, oranges, and all of the juicy fruits, make an excellent dish thus
prepared.
SNOW BALLS. Spread boiled rice over a cloth and lay on the rice, ber-
ries, cherries, tomatoes, or ora'nges. Then tie closely, and boil in water
just long enough to cook the fruit. When done, serve with a little sugar,
syrup, or sweet cream.
RICE CAKE. Two cups sweet cream, two cups rice, one quart Graham
flour, eight large potatoes, three cups white sugar ; boil the rice, also the
potatoes ; sift the latter as soon as done through a colander, and mix with
the other ingredients. Both rice and potatoes should be hot. Bake in
gem tins, half full.
RICE PIES. Boil two cups of rice in one quart of milk. When done,
add four quarts boiling milk, and sugar to taste. Bake same as custard
pie. This quantity will make six pies.
IK the foregoing pages are given the principal recipes for strictly
hygienic cookery, such as are used upon the patients' table of the
Hygienic Institute. To accommodate, however, that large class of
persons, who desire a diet comparatively plain, and yet dislike to dis-
pense entirely with all kinds of seasonings, I subjoin the following.
They are, a part of them, such as are used upon our boarders' table, and
compared with the rich cakes and pastry in common use may be con-
sidered quite physiological.
FINE FLOUR GEMS. Gems made of fine flour in the same manner
as of Graham, the batter being rather stiffer, however, say about like
ordinary bread sponge, and baked in the gem-tins, are as light, and
far sweeter, than any soda biscuit, and by all who have ever tasted
them are pronounced the most delicious bread that ever was eaten.
PUFFS. One pint sweet milk, three eggs, twelve heaping tablespoon-
fuls of fine flour. Beat the eggs thoroughly, make a smooth paste of the
flour and part of the milk, add the eggs and the remainder of the milk,
and bake in the gem-tins in a quick oven.
CORN BREAD. One quart sour milk, one quart corn meal, one egg,
one teaspoonful soda, one heaping tablespoonful butter.
CORN BREAD No 2. One pint sweet milk, one pint Graham flour, one
pint corn meal, one tablespoonful sweet cream, one tablespoonful molas-
ses, one-half teaspoonful cream tartar, one-fourth teaspoonful soda.
CORN BREAD No 3. Take one pint sweet milt, a heaping iron spoon-
ful of wheat flour, two large spoonfuls of Indian meal, one teaspoonful
soda, two teaspoonfuls cream tartar; bake in pie tins. It should be no
gtiffer than will pour out in the pans easily.
CORN BREAD No 4: One pint of corn meal, one quart milk ; boil the
milk and scald the meal thoroughly ; beat up three eggs ; thin your dough
to a batter with cold milk ; add a piece of butter half as large as an egg ;
put in your eggs, with a little salt, pour in shallow pans, and bake brown.
Pin CRUST. Take equal parts of corn meal, Graham flour and white
flour, mix thoroughly with butter in the ratio of one cup of butter to
nine pies ; wet with water.
PIE-PLANT OR RHUBARB PIE. Peel and cut the rhubarb in small
pieces ; then poitr boiling water upon it, and placing it where it will koop
hot, let it stand twenty minutes ; drain off the water, fill your crust and
sweeten to ta&te.
(40)
APPENDIX. 41
PUMPKIN PIE. Stew your pumpkin slowly and for a long time as thia
makes the flavor richer ; strain nicely through a collander, mix (not very
thin) with milk and add one egg for each two pies; sugar to taste. Squash
prepared in a similar manner is preferable to pumpkin.
CUSTARD PIE. Four eggs, a quart of milk, sugar to taste.
RICE PIE. "Wash nicely two cups of rice, boil it in milk, then add to
it nine eggs, six quarts milk, and sugar to taste.
The above pies are much improved if the milk is boiled before using and
poured hot upon the other ingredients, being at the same time well stirred.
STEAMED PUDDING. Three cups sugar ; one cup butter; twelve cupa
BOUT milk ; two cups raisins ; six eggs ; three teaspoonfuls soda ; flour suffi-
cient for a thick batter. Steam five or six hours.
RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT. In a pint of new milk put two large
spoonfuls rice well washed, then add two apples, pared and quartered or
a few currants or raisins, simmer slowly till the rice is very soft, then
add one egg beaten to bind it. Serve with cream and sugar.
RICE PUDDING. One-half teacupful of rice, two eggs and a few
raisins, to one guart of milk ; sweeten to taste.
CREAM PUDDING. Beat up the yolks of four eggs and whites of two ;
add a pint of cream, a spoonful of flour, and a little sugar ; beat till
smooth ; bake it in buttered cups.
BOSTON APPLE PUDDING. Peel and core a dozen and a half good
apples ; cut them small and put them in a stew pan with a little water ;
stew over a slow fire till soft, sweeten with moist sugar and pass it
through a hair sieve; add the yolks of four eggs, and one white, and
the juice of a lemon ; beat well together ; line the inside of a deep dish
with paste, put in the pudding and bake half an hour.
SWEET APPLE PUDDING. Pare and core the apple?, chop them fine,
and stir them into a batter made of sweet cream, eggs and flour say
three eggs to a quart of cream and flour enough to make it not very
thick ; stir well and bake on buttered tins or pudding dishes. This
needs to bake two or three hours ; serve with sweetened cream.
BATTER PUDDING. Six ounces fine flour, and three eggs ; beat well
with a little milk, added by degrees until it is the thickness of cream
put it into a buttered dish and bake three-quarters of an hour ; or if
preferred put in a buttered and floured basin tied over with a cloth and
boil one hour and a half.
RICE AND APPLE PUDDING. Core as many apples as will nearly fill
your dish ; boil them in a light syrup prepare rice with milk and
sugar : put some of the rice in the dish ; put in the apples and fill up
the interstices with rice ; bake it in the oven till it is a fine color.
BREAD PUDDING. No 1. Unfermented brown bread, two ounces;
milk, half a pint ; sugar, a quarter of an ounce ; one ej?g ; cut the bread
in slices and pour the milk over it boiling hot; let it stand till well
soaked, then stir in the egg and sugar thoroughly beaten, and bake or
steam for one hour.
No. 2. Take light white bread and cut in thin slices put into a
pudding-shape .any kind of preserve, then a slice of bread, and repeat
until the mould is nearly full; pour over all a pint of boiling milk in
which two beaten eggs have been mixed ; cover the mould with a pi' ce
of linen, place it in a sauce-pan with a little boiling water ; let it boil
twenty minutes; serve with pudding- sauce.
42 APPENDIX.
COKN STARCH PUDDING. One quart milk, four tablespoonfuls com
etarch, two-thirds of a cup white sugar and a little lemon peel. Wet
the corn starch with a little of the milk, boil the remainder of the milk
with the sugar and lemon peel, add the starch and cook briskly thiec or
four minutes. Turn out into cups or moulds. To be eaten with
Bweetened cream.
IMITATION COBN STAKCH PUDDING. Take one quart of milk, a little
Bait ; boil two-thirds of the milk and thicken the other third with flour
to quite a thick, smooth paste ; add the yolks of two eggs well beaten
and stir into the boiling milk it will cook in a minute ; have ready
some cups previously wet in cold water, fill them to the required depth
with the mixture ; when cool enough to turn out without breaking,
turn them bottom upwards on plates, place some jelly on the top, and
prepare a sauce to suit the taste. The whites of the eggs with white
sugar boiled in milk, and flavored to taste, is very nice.
HOMINY PORRIDGE. Steep one pound of hominy in water ten hours,
and then dry in a stove or oven ; pour off the fluid which has not been
absorbed ; add three pints of milk, and set the whole in a moderate
oren two hours, till all the milk is absorbed ; pour into saucers, and
ierve with milk and sugar.
SAGO PORRIDGE. Soak four tablespoonfuls of sago a few minutes in
one quart of cold water ; then boil it gently one hour, and pour it into
soup plates.
RICE AND SAGO PORRIDGE. Take equal quantities of rice flour or
ground rice and sago, and proceed as for hominy porridge.
BEAN PORRIDGE. Mix three tablespoonfuls of bean or lentil flour
with one pint of water; boil ten minutes, stirring continually.
SODA BISCUIT. One quart flour; two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar
mixed well into the dry flour ; one teaspoonful soda dissolved in sweet
milk enough to make a soft dough with the flour. Bake in a quick oven.
BREAKFAST CAKES. One quart flour ; four eggs ; a piece of butter
the size of an egg ; mix the butter well into the flour ; beat the eggs
light in a pint bowl and fill it up with cold milk ; pour this gradually
into the flour; work it for eight or ten minutes only, roll into thin
cakes about the size of a breakfast plate, and bake in a quick oven.
CREAM SPONGE CAKE. Two eggs, one cup white sugar, one-half cup
cream ; mix rather thin with Graham or white flour, and bake in gem tins.
SPONGE CAKE. Four eggs, one cup sugar, one cup milk, one-fourth
teaspoonful soda. Mix soft and bake.
JELLY CAKE. Three eggs, one cup sugar; mix soft with Graham or
fine flour, and bake very thin. Either of the last three recipes are nice
for jelly cake, if baked thin.
SUGAR CAKE. Three cups sugar, three cups sour milk, one cup but-
ter, three eggs, sufficient soda to sweeten the milk.
MOLASSES CAKE. No. 1. Three cups molasses, four cups sour milk,
one-half cup butter, soda to sweeten the milk ; mix rather stiff.
No. 2 One cup molasses, one-half cup butter, one teaspoonful soda
dissolved in one-half cup warm water ; mix of medium stiffness.
No. 3. One-half cup molasses, one-half cup sugar, a piece of buttet
the size of an egg, one teaspoonful soda, one-half cup water ; not stitt
APPENDIX. 43
SILVER CAKE. One cup white sugar, one-half cup of butter, one and
a half cups of flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-half toa-
spoonful of soda, one teaspoonful extract of lemon.
GOLD CAKE. One cup brown sugar, one-half cup of butter, the yolks
of four eggs, one-half cup of sweet miik, one and a half cups of flour,
one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful of soda.
SPONGE CAKE. One large coffee cup of sugar, one cup flour, five
eggs. Beat yolks and sugar together, beat whites to a froth, mix all
together, stirring as little as possible, flavor with lemon juice or
extract.
RAILROAD CAKE. One cup sugar, one heaping cup flour, one tea-
spoonful creain tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda, three eggs and a little
lemon juice. Stir all together ten minutes. Bake twenty minutes in
a quick oven.
BVNNS. One cup sugar, three cups milk, one cup yeast, and flour
enough for a batter like common bread "sponge." Let it stand over
night, then add one cup sugar, one cup of butter, one teaspoonful soda
and a little lemon ; mould like biscuit and let it rise again before baking.
SWEET CRACKERS. One cup sour milk, one cup wheat meal, three-
quarters cup sugar, one-half teaspoonful soda ; roll thin and bake well.
QUICK PUDDING. Three spoonfuls flour, three do. milk, three well-
beaten eggs and a little salt ; turn on one quart of boiling milk, and
bake fifteen minutes.
CUP CAKE. One cup molasses, one cup sour cream, three cups flour
two eggs, one teaspoonful soda.
LOAF CAKE. One cup cream, one do. milk, one do. sugar, one egg,
one teaspoonful soda ; make a thick batter with wheatmeal and bake
in an oven not too hot.
PLAIN CAKE. One cup molasses, one cup milk or cream, one-half
teaspoonful soda, wheat meal to make a soft paste.
GRAHAM CAKE. One cup sweet milk, two tablespoonfuls of cream,
two of sugar, one-half teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-fourth tea-
spoonful of soda ; mix quite stiff with equal quantities of Graham and
white flour.
HARD SUGAR CAKE. One cup sugar, one cup butter, one cup sweet
Bilk, one teaspoonful soda and two of cream of tartar; mix stiff
nough to roll into small cakes.
COOKIES. No. 1. One cup butter, two cups sour milk, three cups
fugar, soda to sweeten the milk ; mix stiff, roll and cut in small cakes.
COOKIES. No. 2. One cup butler, two cups sugar, one cup sour milk,
one teaspoonful soda; stir in flour as stiff as can easily be stirred with
a spoon, mould as little as possible, and bake in a quick oven.
DROP CAKES. One quart flour, two eggs, one-half cup butter, one-
half cup sugar, one teaspoonful soda, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar;
stir butter and sugar together, add the eggs' ; mix the cream of tartar
into the flour, dissolve the soda in a little milk, pour in milk enough to
inaka as stiff as pound cake, and put in. the soda the last thing ; bake
in cups or muffin rings.
44 APPENDIX.
GRAHAM GRIDDLE CAKES. One pint milk, one teaspoonful saleratus.
one teaspoonftil butter, two tablespoonfuls yeast, aud a littis salt ; mis
with Graham flour.
RICE GRIDDLE CAKES. One pint s^ur milk, oue egg, piece of butter
half the size of an egg, soda to sweeten the milk ; mix rather stifl' with
two-thirds cold boiled rice and one-third fine flour boiled hominy, or
cracked wheat, or oatmeal may be used in place of the rice, or equal
parts of corn meal and fine flour may be used.
CORN GRIDDLE CAKE. Scald at night half the quantity of meal yea
are going to use, mix the other with cold water, having it the consist-
ency of thick batter ; add a little salt and set it to rise ; it will need no
yeast. In the morning the cakes will be light and crisp.
WELCOME CAKE. Stir together one and one-half cups sugar, one-
half cup butter, and three eggs ; sift a teaspoonful of cream of tartar and
half a teaspoonful of soda with three small cups of flour; mix ail to-
gether with half a cup of milk, and bake in a moderately quick oven.
By adding raisins or currants a very good fruit cake may be made.
JUMBLES. One cup butter, two sugar, four eggs, one cup milk, one tea-
epoonful cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda ; roll thin, cut, bake.
WAFER CAKE. Two eggs beaten very lightly, one pint of cold
water, one teaspoonful of salt, flour to make it as i hick as fritters ; bake
half an hour in a hot oven, in little tins filled full ; eat with butter.
BOILED WHEAT FOR DESSERT. Pick over and wash a pint of white
wheat, boil it four hours, put in salt the same as for rice ; re-fill with
boiling water, if more is needed ; stir often the last half hour, being
careful not to let it burn ; cook it dry. Serve hot or cold, with sweet-
ened cream. This is an excellent dessert and very fine for invalids.
Another very rich dish for dessert, can be made of a pint of wheat,
cooked like the above, then boil in a quart of sweet milk, one cup of
sugar, one cup of raisins, currants or any fruit, (raisins are preferable,)
two beaten eggs ; cook slowly and stir until it boils ; serve coid or hot,
without sauce. Or, after the wheat Is washed, soak it in warm water
over night, keep it wet till time for use, then simmer the water all out
of it ; add the milk and other ingredients, and cook as above.
ROCK CREAM. This will, be found a very ornamental as well as a
deHcious dish for the supper table. Boil a teacupful of the best rice
till quite soft in new milk, sweeten it with powdered loaf sugar, and
pile it up on a dish. Lay on it in different places square lumps of
jelly or preserved fruit of any kind ; beat up the whites of five eggs,
with a little powdered sugar, and flavor with orange flower water or
vanilla Add to this, when beaten very stiff, about a tablespoonful of
rich cream, and drop it over the rice, giving it the form of a rock of
snow.
APPLE CHARLOTTE. Take two pounds of apples, pare and core them,
slice them into a pan, add one pound of loaf sugar, the juice of three
lemons, and the grated rind of one. Let these boil until they becoma
a thick mass which will take about two hours. Turn it into a mould,
and serve it with thick custard or cream.
APPENDIX. 45
ALL kinds of vegetables are cooked for the hoarders' table as indicated
in the recipes given in the fore part of this hook, and are seasoned just
oefore they are served with salt and hutter ; not, more than a third the
usual quantity employed in ordinary cooking heing used.
In haking beans the salt and hutter are added when they are placed
in the oven.
Asparagus is cooked in pure water, taken out in vegetable dishes,
and a gravy made of butter, flour and inilk poured over it.
As cleanliness is nest to godliness, a knowledge of the easiest, surest,
and most economical way of following in regard to clothing the injunc-
tion to be cleanly, will not come amiss. The subjoined directions and
recipes are taken from "The Laundry Manual," a little work by Mr.
A. HOLLAND, an experienced launderer. It should be in the hands of
every housekeeper, as the information it contains is invaluable.*
" SOAXING CLOTHES. "Whatever method of washing is adopted, pre-
viously soaking the clothes to be washed is useful; put the clothes to
6oak in lukewarm soap suds strong enough to raise a good lather by
stirring the linen after it is put in, which should b"> done in some way
till a good lather is producsd. Sufficient water should be used to cover
the linen without crowding it much, and the tub should be covered
with a rug or cloth to keep the water warm as long as possible ; after
soaking two or three hours, or longer if convenient, the clothes shoold
be taken out and rinsed in warm water to remove the loosened dirt be-
fore they are boiled. In this way much labor is saved as well as the
wear of the linen.
Half an hour will do very well for soaking linen that is not much
soiled, but when convenient it is better to let it soak longer. It is a
good practice to put in soak on the afternoon previous to washing-day,
and let it soak over night.
Soft water is of itself a good solvent, even of the oily materials that
collect upon linen worn in contact with the body, but time is required to
effect the solution. Every one is aware of the effect of keeping the
hands or feet moist for a few hours the entire external coating of
secretion is dissolved. The same effect is produced by soaking ibr a
few hours linen soiled by the excretory matter of the skin. If a little
soap is rubbed on such parts as are the most soiled before putting in
soak, and the linen allowed to soak from twelve to twenty-four hours,
cold water will answer very well for soaking it in; but soaking linen
in lukewarm water, having a little soap dissolved' in it, is by far the most
effectual method. Care must be taken, however, if the linen be stained,
not to have the water much, if any, warmer than blood-heat, or it will set
in the stains.
To save soap when the water is at all hard and will not make a lather,
a portion of soda may be added to the lukewarm water : the best way
of using it is to have a jug at hand, with the soda dissolved in water, and
to add so much of it as is necessary to render the water soft ; the quan -
tity must be determined by experience; if too much is used it will
i"or sale by HJ.LLEB & WOOD, . . , Xo. 15 Laight st., New York. Pi ice 30 cents.
46 APPENDIX.
exhibit its effects upon the hands of the operator. When hard soap is
used this should be dissolved in boiling water before it is added, in order
to prevent any unnecessary delay in waiting for it to dissolve.
The American Agriculturist asserts that "the great secret of the suc-
cess of nine out of ten of all the washing fluids, mixtures and machines
which have been sold over the country for many years past, is owing
in a great measure to the process of soaking which they invariably
recommend."
" BOILING CLOTHES. The next operation after soaking is boiling the
clothes, and the water used for this purpose should be thus prepared:
To ten or twelve gallons of water add half a pint of good soft soap and
six ounces of sal soda, or, half a pound of sal soda and six ounces of good
bar soap, and when the water is nearly or quite boiling hot and the soap
and soda are entirely dissolved, put in the clothes ; let them boil for
twenty or thirty minutes, then, in order to produce a good color and to
remove the soap and soda that have been used, which, if left in, would
occasion a disagreeable smell, take them out preserving the suds, as
it can be used two or three times and put them into a tub of clear,
boiling water ; then, after they have scalded for a few minutes, look
them over carefully, and if you find any dirt, it can be easily washed out
without the use of a washbord. Then rinse them in clear water, warm or
cold, and they will be as white as snow.
Should the clothes to be washed require more or less than ten gallons
of water to boil them in, more or less of the soap and soda can be used in
proportion, or if the clothes are not much soiled, the water can be in-
creased to twelve or fifteen gallons without using any more of the com-
pound, provided the soap is good.*
Clothes washed by this method require no rubbing before they are
"boiled ; for if the dirt does not come out by boiling, it will come out
much more readily after boiling than before. The object of soaking the
clothes is to remove the loose dirt, and thus keep it out of the boiling
euds. Should the wristbands or bindings of shirts be very dirty, it may
be well to rub a little soap on such parts when they are put in soak. Thia
is all the rubbing about the whole washing, unless the clothes are very
dirty, or there are any bad stains, which it may also be well to rub with
soap before boiling.
By this method the finest linens, cambrics, laces, etc., can be readily
and easily cleansed, and the coarsest, and dirtiest clothes readily and
easily washed ; and the assertion can be safely made, that it is the best
and easiest mode of washing ever discovered. It certainly saves all the
laborious rubbing, and enables one to complete a heavy wash in a few
hours, and with very little fatigue. Washing-day is too often a day of
wretchedness, ill-temper, and gloom. Everything is upset ; the house is
all disorder, and damp and ill-temper rule over slop and confusion.
Now, if washing be a necessity, duty should make it pleasant ; and the
very sight of the clean white things, fluttering on the lines in the yard,
should impart to the task a comfortable homeliness. We have tried
many of the plans proposed to lighten the labor of washing-day. One
plan promised to enable a housewife to complete a fortnight's wash in a
few hours, at a cost of only five cents, and without hard labor ; but in
* Poor dark-colored resin soap will not do. Any good white, or the hest quality of
brown soap, may be used. The less resin there is in soap the better ; but the brown or
yellow soap is frequently so largely adulterated with it, that it can easily be detect <.<! by
its unmistakable odor. A good way to examine soap, is to rub a small piece betvsen
the thumb and finger ; if poor, it will have a disagrceal le, dirty, or sticky feeling
APPEXDIT. 47
our hands it proved a complete failure, and we have found by experienca
that the use of the above recipe is the best friend to the washer-woman
ever invented. By it one person can do the washing for a family of
ten or fifteen persons before breakfast, have the clothes out to dry, and
the house kept in good order, and the gentlemen of the family, as well aa
all about the house, free from washing-day annoyances, and all without
rubbiag or machinery. Who would not wish to have such comforts ?
Ciothes should be divided into two or more parcels before boiling, as
the dirtiest and most greasy ones ought not to be boiled with those of
finer fabric containing less dirt. The line', cleaner clothes can be boiled
first, or the water for boiling the clothes in can be divided into as many
parts as you have parcels of clothes, and thus boil each parcel in its
proper time.
It would be well if house-keepers would always keep dirty clothes thus
separated till washing-day, instead of throwing them helter-skelter into
one pile or bag; for the foul air arising from the dirtiest, greasiest
clothes, always injures the finer ones, and makes them more difficult to
whiten. When put in soak before washing they should he separated.
Soiled or foul linen ought not to remain long unwashed, as the dirt ia
then more difficult to be removed. Some families wash only once a
month, but once a fortnight would be better ; in the meantime, as just
observed, the various articles as they are soiled, should be put aside till
washing-day with method, instead of being thrown together in a heap.
What has been used in the kitchen and other offices should be kept
separate, being generally greasy, or otherwise very foul ; and, as nothing
is more unwholesome, or more apt to injure the air of a house than
collections of foul towels, or rags of any kind, these should, if possible,
be kept in some out -house.
BLEACHING LIQUOR. Chloride of lime five parts ; sal soda six parts ,
boiling water half as many gallons as you have ounces of chloride of
lime; put the lime into any convenient vessel, and pour about two
thirds of the water on it ; let it stand five or ten minutes, stirring it
well ; then add the soda ; after the soda is dissolved, let it stand a few
minutes to settle, then pour off the liquid, and add the rest of the water
to the settlings; stir it well, then let it settle and pour off the liquid
carefully from the dregs and strain the solution through a flannel cloth,
or two thicknesses of new cotton cloth, carefully keeping out every par-
ticle of settlings. This liquor is excellent for taking out mildew and
stains as well as bleaching ; by exposure to air and light it loses its
strength, but may be kept in weil corked bottles in a dark place for any
length of time ; it can be used several times or until it loses its strength.
by exposure to air and light ; most stains can be removed by soaking
the linen for a few minutes in the liquid, but leather stains in cotton
socks require a solution stronger than the above : it may be made twice
as strong as needed for bleaching, and some kept for removing stains,
and when used for bleaching it can be diluted with water.
BLEACHTNG CLOTHES. After the clothes have been well washed ana
rinsed, they should be soaked from three to twelve hours in the bleach-
ing liquid ; then rung out, scalded, rinsed and dried. Very fine goode
should not be soaked more than one or two hours. If once soaking doea
not render the clothes white enough, the same process may he repeated,
or they can remain longer in the liquor ; but it is not advisable to let
them soak over twemty-four hours without rinsing and drying, as it
might injure them. Soaking articles for ten or twelve hours in this
liquor will take out mildew, but if there are any stains which do not
>. 3 APPEKD1X.
come out, the stained parts should be soaked for fifteen or twenty mitTitai
in the same liquor twice as strong as this, and then without rinsing, the
articles should be soaked for a full hour in the bleaching liquid.
To REMOVE SPOTS OF Q-REASE OB PAINT FROM WOOLEK GARMENTS.
Wet the spot with a few drops of benzine and rub it quiculy between
the fingers. Oil spots and stains front candle snuffs, on woolen table
covers, paint spots on garments, etc., are thus perfectly removed without
th.o slightest discoloration.
IRON STAINS. Dip the stained part in a solution of oxalic acid in
water. The oxalate of iron thus produced, being soluble, is easily washed
away. Ink spots may be removed in the same way.
Wheel-grease makes a compound stain of iron. The grease may be
ta'.veu out first with alkaii, then the iron with oxalic acid. If tar has
^ei -IA used on the wheel, rub on grease or turpentine, then apply the
INK STAINS. Recent stains of ink may be removed if before the ink
is dry the places be washed with sweet milk; if this does not su
rub the spots with vinegar, lemon juice or tartaric acid, and afterward
wash it with soap and water. Ink or iron stains may also be removed
by the bleaching liquid already described.
FRTII r STAINS. Ammonia or spirits of hartshorn, diluted with water
nd applied with a sponge is excellent for this purpose. Dilated muri-
atic acid, two parts water to one of acid, will frequently succeed. Soak
the stained parts two or three minutes, and rinse in cold water. Some
faint stains may be removed by sour buttermilk. Fresh fruit stains
upon calico or similar material may be removed by dipping the stained
portion in boiling water."
CLEANING HAIK BRTTSHES. It is said that soda, dissolved in cold
water, is better than soap and hot water. The latter very soon softens
the hairs, and the rubbing completes their destruction. Soda, having
an affinity for grease, cleanses the brush with very little friction.
To TAKE RUST otrr OF STEEL. Rub well with sweet oil, and let the
oil remain upon them for forty-eight hours. Then rub with leather
sprinkled with unslacked lime, finely powdered, until the rust disappears.
IXDELLIBLE MARKING INK No. 1. Dissolve one ounce of gallic acid
In three ounces of alcohol, and add one quart of pure water.
No. 2. Dissolve one ounce of nitrate of silver crystalized in four
ounces of water ; add one ounce of ammonia and one of gum arabio.
Moisten a small piece of sponge with preparation No 1, and with it
wst a place upon the garment to be marked, large enough upon whirh to
writn the name ; dry it with a hot iron, then mark with No. 2. This is
the rery best ink I have ever tried, and anything marked with it can be
*ent to the wash within ten minutes after marking, without detriment.
UNlVii,
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