A Poetical Cook-Book - free ebook by Maria J. Moss

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A Poetical Cook-Book

Maria J. Moss

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A POETICAL COOK-BOOK.

A POETICAL COOK-BOOK.

BY “ I request you will prepare To your own taste the bill of fare; At present, if to judge I’m able, The finest works are of the table. I should prefer the cook just now To Rubens or to Gerard Dow.” PHILADELPHIA: CAXTON PRESS OF C. SHERMAN, SON &amp; CO. 1864. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, BY MARIA J. MOSS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania....

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DEDICATION.

DEDICATION.

“What’s under this cover? For cookery’s a secret.”— Moore. When I wrote the following pages, some years back at Oak Lodge, as a pastime, I did not think it would be of service to my fellow-creatures, for our suffering soldiers, the sick, wounded, and needy, who have so nobly fought our country’s cause, to maintain the flag of our great Republic, and to prove among Nations that a Free Republic is not a myth. With these few words I dedicate this book to the Sanitary Fair to be held in Philadelphia

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TO THE READER.

TO THE READER.

Though cooks are often men of pregnant wit, Through niceness of their subject few have writ. ’Tis a sage question, if the art of cooks Is lodg’d by nature or attain’d by books? That man will never frame a noble treat, Whose whole dependence lies in some receipt . Then by pure nature everything is spoil’d,— She knows no more than stew’d, bak’d, roast, and boil’d. When art and nature join, the effect will be, Some nice ragout , or charming fricasee . What earth and waters breed, or air inspires, M

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MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE MISTRESS OF A FAMILY.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE MISTRESS OF A FAMILY.

The mistress of a family should always remember that the welfare and good management of the house depend on the eye of the superior, and, consequently, that nothing is too trifling for her notice, whereby waste may be avoided. Many families have owed their prosperity full as much to the conduct and propriety of female arrangement, as to the knowledge and activity of the father. All things likely to be wanted should be in readiness,—sugars of different qualities should be broken; currants washed,

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TURTLE SOUP.

TURTLE SOUP.

Sons of Apicius! say, can Europe’s seas, Can aught the edible creation yield Compare with turtle , boast of land and wave? Grainger. And, zounds! who would grudge Turtle soup , though it came to five guineas the bowl? Moore. The day before you dress a turtle, chop the herbs, and make the forcemeat; then, on the preceding evening, suspend the turtle by the two hind fins with a cord, and put one round the neck with a heavy weight attached to it to draw out the neck, that the head may be cut off wi

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CHICKEN BROTH.

CHICKEN BROTH.

The chicken broth was brought at nine; He then arose to ham and wine, And, with a philosophic air, Decided on the bill of fare. Take the remaining parts of a chicken from which panada has been made, all but the rump; skin, and put them into the water it was first boiled in, with the addition of a little mace, onion, and a few pepper-corns, and simmer it. When of a good flavor, put to it a quarter of an ounce of sweet almond beaten with a spoonful of water; boil it a little while, and when cold t

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TO STEW FISH WHITE.

TO STEW FISH WHITE.

His soup scientific,—his fishes quite prime; His patés superb, and his cutlets sublime. Moore. Let your fish be cleaned and salted; save your melts or kows. Cut three onions and parsley root, boil them in a pint of water; cut your fish in pieces to suit; take some clever sized pieces, cut them from the bone, chop them fine, mix with them the melts, crumbs of bread, a little ginger, one egg well beaten, leeks, green parsley, all made fine; take some bread, and make them in small balls; lay your f

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ANOTHER WAY TO STEW FISH.

ANOTHER WAY TO STEW FISH.

Behold, the dishes due appear! Fish in the van, beef in the rear. Ah! all the luxury of fish, With scalding sauce. Boil six onions in water till tender, strain, and cut them in slices. Put your fish, cut in slices, in a stewpan with a quart of water, salt, pepper, ginger and mace to suit taste; let it boil fifteen minutes; add the onions, and forcemeat balls made of chopped fish, grated bread, chopped onion, parsley, marjoram, mace, pepper, ginger and salt, and five eggs beat up with a spoon int

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PERCH WITH WINE.

PERCH WITH WINE.

Here haddock, hake, and flounders are, And eels, and perch , and cod. Green. Having scalded and taken out the gills, put the perch into a stew-pan, with equal quantities of stock and white wine, a bay leaf, a clove of garlic, a bunch of parsley, and scallions, two cloves, and some salt. When done, take out the fish, strain off the liquor, the dregs of which mix with some butter and a little flour; beat these up, set them on the fire, stewing till quite done, adding pepper, grated nutmeg, and a b

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TO STEW FISH BROWN.

TO STEW FISH BROWN.

Here stay thy haste, And with the savory fish indulge thy taste. Gay. Have your fish cleaned, the melts or kows being taken out whole; salt your fish, and let it lay half an hour. Cut your onions in slices, fry them with parsley-root, cut in long thin slices, in half a tea cup of sweet oil, till they become a fine brown. Wash and dry your fish, cut it in pieces, put it in your stewpan, layer of fish and layer of browned onion, &amp;c. Take a quart of beer, half a pint of vinegar, quarter pou

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ROASTED STURGEON.

ROASTED STURGEON.

Your betters will despise you, if they see Things that are far surpassing your degree; Therefore beyond your substance never treat; ’Tis plenty, in small fortune, to be neat; A widow has cold pie, nurse gives you cake, From generous merchants ham or sturgeon take. King. Take a large piece of sturgeon, or a whole small one, clean and skin it properly, lard it with eel and anchovies, and marinade it in a white wine marmalade. Fasten it to the spit and roast it, basting frequently with the marinade

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BOILED SALMON.

BOILED SALMON.

Red speckled trouts, the salmon’s silver jole, The jointed lobster and unscaly sole, And luscious scallops to allure the tastes Of rigid zealots to delicious feasts; Wednesdays and Fridays, you’ll observe from hence, Days when our sins were doomed to abstinence. Gay. Put on a fish-kettle, with spring water enough to well cover the salmon you are going to dress, or the salmon will neither look nor taste well (boil the liver in a separate saucepan). When the water boils put in a handful of salt, t

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BOILED LOBSTER.

BOILED LOBSTER.

But soon, like lobster boil’d , the morn From black to red began to turn. Butler. Those of the middle size are best. The male lobster is preferred to eat, and the female to make sauce of. Set on a pot with water, salted in proportion of a tablespoonful of salt to a quart of water. When the water boils, put it in, and keep it boiling briskly from half an hour to an hour, according to its size; wipe all the scum off it, and rub the shell with a little butter or sweet oil, break off the great claws

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OYSTERS.

OYSTERS.

The man had sure a palate cover’d o’er With brass or steel, that on the rocky shore First broke the oozy oyster’s pearly coat, And risk’d the living morsel down his throat. Gay. Common people are indifferent about the manner of opening oysters, and the time of eating them, after they are opened. Nothing, however, is more important in the enlightened eyes of the experienced oyster-eater. Those who wish to enjoy this delicious restorative in its utmost perfection must eat it the moment it is opene

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FRIED OYSTERS.

FRIED OYSTERS.

You shapeless nothing, in a dish! You, that are but almost a fish! Cowper. The largest and finest oysters should be chosen for frying. Simmer them in their own liquor for a couple of minutes; take them out, and lay them on a cloth to drain; beard them, and then flour them, egg and breadcrumb them, put them into boiling fat, and fry them a delicate brown. A much better way is to beat the yolks of eggs, and mix with the grated bread, a small quantity of beaten nutmeg and mace, and a little salt. H

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STEWED OYSTERS.

STEWED OYSTERS.

By nerves about our palate placed, She likewise judges of the taste. Who would ask for her opinion Between an oyster and an onion? Donne. Stew with a quart of oysters, and their liquor strained, a glass of white wine, one anchovy bruised, seasoned with white pepper, salt, a little mace, and a bunch of sweet herbs; let all stew gently an hour, or three quarters. Pick out the bunch of herbs, and add a quarter pound of fresh butter kneaded in a large tablespoonful of flour, and stew them ten or twe

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OYSTER LOAVES.

OYSTER LOAVES.

’Tis no one thing ; it is not fruit, nor root, Nor poorly limited with head or foot. Donne. Cut off the tops of some small French rolls, take out the crumb, fry them brown and crisp with clarified butter, then fry some breadcrumbs; stew the requisite quantity of oysters, bearded and cut in two, in their liquor, with a little white wine, some gravy, and seasoned with grated lemon-peel, powdered mace, pepper and salt; add a bit of butter, fill the rolls with oysters, and serve them with the fried

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SCALLOPED OYSTERS.

SCALLOPED OYSTERS.

What will not luxury taste? Earth, sea, and air, Are daily ransack’d for the bills of fare. Gay. Stew the oysters slowly in their own liquor for two or three minutes, take them out with a spoon, beard them, and skim the liquor, put a bit of but ter into a stewpan; when it is melted, add as much fine breadcrumbs as will dry it up; then put to it the oyster liquor, and give it a boil up; put the oysters into scallop shells that you have buttered, and strewed with breadcrumbs, then a layer of oyste

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VENISON.

VENISON.

Thanks, my lord, for your venison ; for finer or fatter Never ranged in a forest or smoked in a platter. The haunch was a picture for painters to study, The fat was so white, and the lean was so ruddy. Goldsmith. The haunch of buck will take about three hours and three quarters roasting. Put a coarse paste of brown flour and water, and a paper over that, to cover all the fat; baste it well with dripping, and keep it at a distance, to get hot at the bones by degrees. When near done, remove the co

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VENISON PASTY.

VENISON PASTY.

And now that I think on’t, as I am a sinner! We wanted this venison to make out the dinner. What say you? a pasty ! it shall and it must, And my wife, little Kitty, is famous for crust. “What the de’il, mon, a pasty!” re-echoed the Scot. “Though splitting, I’ll still keep a corner for that.” “We’ll all keep a corner,” the lady cried out; “We will all keep a corner!” was echoed about. Goldsmith. Cut a neck or breast into small steaks, rub them over with a seasoning of sweet herbs, grated nutmeg,

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ROAST BEEF.

ROAST BEEF.

And aye a rowth, a roast beef and claret: Syne wha wad starve! Burns. The noble sirloin of about fifteen pounds will require to be before the fire about three and a half to four hours; take care to spit it evenly, that it may not be heavier on one side than on the other; put a little clean dripping into the dripping-pan (tie a sheet of paper over to preserve the fat); baste it well as soon as it is put down, and every quarter of an hour all the time it is roasting, till the last half hour; then

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BEEF À LA BRAISE.

BEEF À LA BRAISE.

In short, dear, “a Dandy” describes what I mean, And Bob’s far the best of the gems I have seen, But just knows the names of French dishes and cooks, As dear Pa knows the titles and authors of books; Whose names, think how quick! he already knows pat, A la braise , petit patés, and—what d’ye call that They inflict on potatoes? Oh! maître d’hotel. I assure you, dear Dolly, he knows them as well As if nothing but these all his life he had eat, Though a bit of them Bobby has never touched yet. I ca

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BEEF BAKED WITH POTATOES.

BEEF BAKED WITH POTATOES.

The funeral bak’d meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Shakspeare. Boil some potatoes, peel, and pound them in a mortar with two small onions; moisten them with milk and an egg beaten up, add a little salt and pepper. Season slices of beef or mutton-chops with salt and pepper, and more onion, if the flavor is approved. Rub the bottom of a pudding-dish with butter, and put a layer of the mashed potatoes, which should be as thick as a batter, and then a layer of meat, and so on alte

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BEEF RAGOUT.

BEEF RAGOUT.

Is there, then, that o’er his French ragout , Looks down wi’ sneering, scornful view, On sic a dinner? Burns. Take a rump of beef, cut the meat from the bone, flour and fry it, pour over it a little boiling water, about a pint of small-beer, add a carrot or two, an onion stuck with cloves, some whole pepper, salt, a piece of lemon-peel, a bunch of sweet herbs; let it stew an hour, then add some good gravy; when the meat is tender take it out and strain the sauce; thicken it with a little flour;

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BEEF KIDNEYS.

BEEF KIDNEYS.

Or one’s kidney ,—imagine, Dick,—done with champagne. Moore. Having soaked a fresh kidney in cold water and dried it in a cloth, cut it into mouthfuls, and then mince it fine; dust it with flour. Put some butter into a stewpan over a moderate fire, and when it boils put in the minced kidneys. When you have browned it in the butter, sprinkle on a little salt and cayenne, and pour in a very little boiling water. Add a glass of champagne, or other wine, or a large teaspoonful of mushroom ketchup or

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BROILED BEEFSTEAKS.

BROILED BEEFSTEAKS.

Time was , when John Bull little difference spied ’Twixt the foe at his feet or the friend at his side; When he found, such his humor in fighting and eating, His foe, like beefsteak , the sweeter for beating. Moore. If it were done, when ’tis done, then ’twere well, It were done quickly. Shakspeare. Cut the steaks off a rump or the ribs of a fore quarter. Have the gridiron perfectly clean, and heated over a clear quick fire, lay on the steaks, and with meat-tongs, keep turning them constantly, t

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SCOTCH HAGGIS.

SCOTCH HAGGIS.

Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race; Aboon them a’ ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm, Weel are ye wordy of a grace As langs my arm. His knife see rustic labor dight, An’ cut you up with ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrail bright Like onie ditch, And then, O! what a glorious sight, Warm reekin’ rich. Ye powers wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill of fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies, But if ye

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SALT BEEF.

SALT BEEF.

The British fleet, which now commands the main, Might glorious wreaths of victory obtain, Would they take time, would they with leisure work, With care would salt their beef , and cure their pork. There is no dish, but what our cooks have made And merited a charter by their trade. King. Make a pickle of rock salt and cold water strong enough to bear an egg, let a little salt remain in the bottom of the tub; two quarts of molasses and a quarter pound of saltpetre is sufficient for a cwt. of beef.

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TO PICKLE TONGUES FOR BOILING.

TO PICKLE TONGUES FOR BOILING.

Silence is commendable only In a neat’s tongue dried. Shakspeare. Cut off the root, leaving a little of the kernel and fat. Sprinkle some salt, and let it drain till next day; then for each tongue, mix a large spoonful of common salt, the same of coarse sugar, and about half as much of saltpetre; rub it well in, and do so every day. In a week add another heaped spoonful of salt. If rubbed every day, a tongue will be ready in a fortnight; but if only turned in the pickle daily, it will keep four

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ROASTED CALF’S LIVER.

ROASTED CALF’S LIVER.

Pray a slice of your liver . Goldsmith. Wash and wipe it, then cut a long hole in it, and stuff it with crumbs of bread, chopped, an anchovy, a good deal of fat bacon, onion, salt, pepper, a bit of butter, and an egg; sew the liver up, lard it, wrap it in a veal caul, and roast it. Serve with good brown gravy and currant jelly....

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SCOTCH COLLOPS.

SCOTCH COLLOPS.

A cook has mighty things professed; Then send us but two dishes nicely dressed,— One called Scotch Collops . King. Cut veal in thin bits, about three inches over and rather round, beat with a rolling-pin; grate a little nutmeg over them; dip in the yolk of an egg, and fry them in a little butter of a fine brown; have ready, warm, to pour upon them, half a pint of gravy, a little bit of butter rubbed into a little flour, to which put the yolk of an egg, two large spoonfuls of cream, and a little

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STEWED FILLET OF VEAL.

STEWED FILLET OF VEAL.

In truth, I’m confounded And bothered, my dear, ’twixt that troublesome boy’s (Bob’s) cookery language, and Madame Le Roi’s. What with fillets of roses and fillets of veal , Things garni with lace, and things garni with eel, One’s hair and one’s cutlets both en papillote, And a thousand more things I shall ne’er have by rote. Moore. Bone, lard, and stuff a fillet of veal; half roast and then stew it with two quarts of white stock, a teaspoonful of lemon pickle, and one of mushroom ketchup. Befor

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CALF’S HEAD SURPRISED.

CALF’S HEAD SURPRISED.

And the dish set before them,—O dish well devised!— Was what Old Mother Glasse calls “ a calf’s head surprised .” Moore. Clean and blanch a calf’s head, boil it till the bones will come out easily, then bone and press it between two dishes, so as to give it a headlong form; beat it with the yolks of four eggs, a little melted butter, pepper and salt. Divide the head when cold, and brush it all over with the beaten eggs, and strew over it grated bread, which is put over one half; a good quantity

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CALF’S HEAD ROASTED.

CALF’S HEAD ROASTED.

Good L—d! to see the various ways Of dressing a calf’s head. Shenstone. Wash and clean it well, parboil it, take out the bones, brains, and tongue; make forcemeat sufficient for the head, and some balls with breadcrumbs, minced suet, parsley, grated ham, and a little pounded veal or cold fowl; season with salt, grated nutmeg, and lemon-peel; bind it with an egg beaten up; fill the head with it, which must then be sewed up, or fastened with skewers and tied; while roasting baste it well with butt

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SALMIS OF WILD DUCK.

SALMIS OF WILD DUCK.

Long as, by bayonets protected, we Watties May have our full fling at their salmis and patés. Moore. Cut off the best parts of a couple of roasted wild ducks, and put the rest of the meat into a mortar, with six shallots, a little parsley, some pepper, and a bay leaf; pound all these ingredients well, and then put into a saucepan, with four ladlesful of stock, half a glass of white wine, the same of broth, and a little grated nutmeg; reduce these to half, strain them, and having laid the pieces

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STEWED DUCK AND PEAS.

STEWED DUCK AND PEAS.

I give thee all my kitchen lore, Though poor the offering be; I’ll tell thee how ’tis cooked, before You come to dine with me. The duck is truss’d from head to heels, Then stew’d with butter well, And streaky bacon, which reveals A most delicious smell. When duck and bacon, in a mass, You in a stewpan lay, A spoon around the vessel pass, And gently stir away; A tablespoonful of flour bring, A quart of water plain, Then in it twenty onions fling, And gently stir again. A bunch of parsley, and a l

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FOWL À LA HOLLANDAISE.

FOWL À LA HOLLANDAISE.

Our courtier walks from dish to dish, Tastes from his friends of fowl and fish, Tells all their names, lays down the law, “Que ça est bon.” “Ah! goutez ça.” Pope. Make a forcemeat of grated bread, half its quantity of minced suet, an onion, or a few oysters and some boiled parsley, season with pepper, salt, and grated lemon-peel, and an egg beaten up to bind it. Bone the breast of a good sized young fowl, put in the forcemeat, cover the fowl with a piece of white paper buttered, and roast it hal

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BOILED TURKEY.

BOILED TURKEY.

But man, cursed man, on turkeys preys, And Christmas shortens all our days. Sometimes with oysters we combine, Sometimes assist the savory chine. From the low peasant to the lord, The turkey smokes on every board. Gay. Make a stuffing of bread, salt, pepper, nutmeg, lemon-peel, a few oysters, a bit of butter, some suet, and an egg; put this into the crop, fasten up the skin, and boil the turkey in a floured cloth to make it very white. Have ready some oyster sauce made rich with butter, a little

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DEVILLED TURKEY.

DEVILLED TURKEY.

And something’s here with name uncivil, For our cook christens it “ A Devil ,” “ A Devil , in any shape, sweet maid, A parson fears not,” Syntax said; “I’ll make him minced meat; ’tis my trade.” Take cold roast turkey legs, score them well, season them with salt and plenty of cayenne pepper and mustard, then broil them. Serve them hot ....

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CAPON.

CAPON.

In good roast beef my landlord sticks his knife, The capon fat delights his dainty wife. Gay. Take a quart of white wine, season the capon with salt, cloves, and whole pepper, a few shallots, and then put the capon in an earthen pan; you must take care it has not room to shake; it must be covered close, and done over a slow charcoal fire....

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CHICKEN CROQUETTES.

CHICKEN CROQUETTES.

Gargilius, sleek, voluptuous lord, A hundred dainties smoke upon his board; Earth, air, and ocean ransack’d for the feast, In masquerade of foreign olios dress’d. Warton. Reduce two spoonfuls of veloute or sauce tournée, and add to the yolks of four eggs; put to this the white meat of a chicken, minced very small, and well mixed with the sauce; take it out, and roll it into balls, about the size of a walnut; roll them in breadcrumbs, giving them an elongated form; then beat them in some well-bea

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LEG OF MUTTON.

LEG OF MUTTON.

But hang it, to poets, who seldom can eat, Your very good mutton’s a very good treat. Goldsmith. Cut off the shank bone, and trim the knuckle, put it into lukewarm water for ten minutes, wash it clean, cover it with cold water, and let it simmer very gently, and skim it carefully; a leg of nine pounds will take two and a half or three hours, if you like it thoroughly done, especially in very cold weather. The liquor the mutton is boiled in, you may convert into good soup in five minutes, and Sco

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TO CURE HAMS.

TO CURE HAMS.

Or urged thereunto by the woes he endured, The way to be smoked , is the way to be cured . Anonymous. But to the fading palate bring relief, By the Westphalian ham or Belgic beef. King. When the weather will permit, hang the ham three days; mix an ounce of saltpetre with one quarter of a pound of bay salt, ditto common salt, ditto of coarsest sugar, and a quart of strong beer; boil them together, and pour over immediately on the ham; turn it twice a day in the pickle for three weeks. An ounce of

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HAM PIES.

HAM PIES.

Each mortal has his pleasure; none deny Scarsdale his bottle, Darby his ham pie . Dodsley. Take two pounds of veal cutlets, cut them in middling sized pieces, season with pepper and a very little salt; likewise one of raw or dressed ham, cut in slices, lay it alternately in the dish, and put some forced or sausage meat at the top, with some stewed mushrooms, and the yolks of three eggs boiled hard, and a gill of water; then proceed as with rumpsteak pie. N. B. The best end of a neck is the fine

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ROASTED HARE.

ROASTED HARE.

Turkey and fowl, and ham and chine, On which the cits prefer to dine, With partridge, too, and eke a Hare , The luxuries of country fare, She nicely cooked with bounteous care. Cut the skin from a hare that has been well soaked, put it on the spit, and rub it well with Madeira, pricking it in various places that it may imbibe plenty of wine; cover it entirely with a paste, and roast it. When done, take away the paste, rub it quickly over with egg, sprinkle breadcrumbs, and baste it gently with b

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FRICASEED RABBITS.

FRICASEED RABBITS.

Your rabbits fricaseed and chicken, With curious choice of dainty picking, Each night got ready at the Crown, With port and punch to wash ’em down. Lloyd. Take two fine white rabbits, and cut them in pieces; blanch them in boiling water, and skim them for one minute; stir a few trimmings of mushrooms in a stewpan over the fire, with a bit of butter, till it begins to fry, then stir in a spoonful of flour; mix into the flour, a little at a time, nearly a quart of good consommé, which set on the f

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TO ROAST PHEASANTS.

TO ROAST PHEASANTS.

Little birds fly about with the true pheasant taint , And the geese are all born with the liver 56-* complaint. Moore. Chop some fine raw oysters, omitting the head part, mix them with salt and nutmeg, and add some beaten yolk of egg to bind the other ingredients. Cut some very thin slices of cold ham or bacon, and cover the birds with them, then wrap them in sheets of paper well buttered, put them on the spit, and roast them before a clear fire....

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TO ROAST ORTOLANS.

TO ROAST ORTOLANS.

With all the luxury of statesmen dine, On daily feasts of ortolans and wine. Cawthorn. Put into every bird an oyster, or a little butter mixed with some finely sifted breadcrumbs. Dredge them with flour. Run a small skewer through them, and tie them on the spit. Baste them with lard or fresh butter. They will be done in ten minutes. Reed birds are very fine made into little dumplings with a thin crust of flour and butter, and boiled about twenty minutes. Each must be tied in a separate cloth....

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WOODCOCKS.

WOODCOCKS.

And as for your juries—who would not set o’er them A jury of tasters, with woodcocks before them? Moore. Woodcocks should not be drawn, as the trail is by the lovers of “haut gout” considered a “bonne bouche.” Truss their legs close to the body, and run an iron skewer through each thigh, and put them to roast before the fire; toast a slice of bread for each bird, lay them in the dripping-pan under the bird to catch the trail; baste them with butter, and froth them with flour; lay the toast on a

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BIRDS POTTED.

BIRDS POTTED.

“It tastes of the bird , however,” said the old woman, “and she cooked the rail of the fence on which the crow had been sitting.” When birds have come a great way, they often smell so bad that they can scarcely be borne from the rankness of the butter, by managing them in the following manner, they may be as good as ever. Set a large saucepan of clean water on the fire, when it boils take off the butter at the top, then take the fowls out one by one, throw them in the saucepan of water half a mi

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LARKS.

LARKS.

What say you, lads? is any spark Among you ready for a lark ? Moore. These delicate little birds are in high season in November. When they are thoroughly picked, gutted, and cleansed, truss them; do them over with the yolk of an egg, and then roll them in bread crumbs; spit them on a lark spit; ten or fifteen minutes will be sufficient time to roast them in, before a quick fire; whilst they are roasting, baste them with fresh butter, and sprinkle them with breadcrumbs till they are well covered

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STUFFING FOR VEAL.

STUFFING FOR VEAL.

Poor Roger Fowler, who’d a generous mind, Nor would submit to have his hand confined, But aimed at all,—yet never could excel In anything but stuffing of his veal . Good stuffing has always been considered a chief thing in cookery. Mince a quarter of a pound of beef suet or marrow, the same weight of breadcrumbs, two drachms of parsley leaves, a drachm and a half of sweet marjoram or lemon thyme, and the same of grated lemon-peel and onion chopped as fine as possible, a little pepper and salt; p

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FORCEMEAT BALLS.

FORCEMEAT BALLS.

And own they gave him a lively notion, What his own forced meat balls would be. Moore. Take an equal quantity of lean veal scraped, and beef suet shred, beat them in a marble mortar, add pepper, salt, cloves, pounded lemon-peel, and nutmeg grated, parsley, and sweet herbs chopped fine, a little shallot and young onion, a few breadcrumbs grated fine, and yolk of egg, sufficient to work it light; roll this into balls with a little flour, and fry them....

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VOL AU VENT.

VOL AU VENT.

Boy, tell the cook I love all nicknackeries, Fricasees, vol au vents , puffs, and gimcrackeries. Moore. Roll off tart paste till about the eighth of an inch thick, then with a tin cutter made for that purpose cut out the shape (about the size of the bottom of the dish you intend sending to table), lay it on a baking-plate with paper, rub the paste over with the yolk of an egg. Roll out good puff paste an inch thick, stamp it with the same cutter, and lay it on the tart paste; then take a cutter

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OYSTER PATTIE.

OYSTER PATTIE.

De Beringhen. In the next room there’s a delicious pâté, let’s discuss it. Baradas. Pshaw! a man filled with a sublime ambition has no time to discuss your pâtés. De Beringhen. Pshaw! and a man filled with as sublime a pâté has no time to discuss ambition. Gad, I have the best of it. Bulwer’s Richelieu. Beard a quart of fine oysters, strain the liquor and add them to it. Cut into thin slices the kidney-fat of a loin of veal; season them with white pepper, salt, mace, and grated lemon-peel; lay t

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PATTIES FOR FRIED BREAD.

PATTIES FOR FRIED BREAD.

Seducing young pâtés, as ever could cozen One out of one’s appetite, down by the dozen. Moore. Cut the crumb of a loaf of bread into square or round pieces, nearly three inches high, and cut bits the same width for tops. Mark them neatly with a knife; fry the bread of a light-brown color in clarified beef-dripping or fine lard; scoop out the inside crumb; take care not to go too near the bottom; fill them with mince-meat prepared as for patties, with stewed oysters or with sausage meat; put on t

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MACARONI GRATIN.

MACARONI GRATIN.

Where so ready all nature its cookery yields, Macaroni au Parmesan grows in the fields. Moore. Lay fried bread pretty closely round a dish; boil your macaroni in the usual way, and pour it into the dish; smooth it all over, and strew breadcrumbs on it, then a pretty thick layer of grated Parmesan cheese; drop a little melted butter on it, and put it in the oven to brown....

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TRUFFLES.

TRUFFLES.

What will not Luxury taste ? Earth , sea and air Are daily ransacked for the bill of fare. Gay. The truffle, like the mushroom, is a species of fungus, common in France and Italy; it is generally about eight to ten inches below the surface of the ground. As it imparts a most delicious flavor, it is much used in cookery. Being dug out of the earth, it requires a great deal of washing and brushing. It loses much of its flavor when dried....

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TO STEW MUSHROOMS.

TO STEW MUSHROOMS.

Muse, sing the man that did to Paris go, That he might taste their soups and mushrooms know. King. Take a pint of white stock; season it with salt, pepper, and a little lemon pickle, thicken it with a bit of butter rolled in flour; clean and peel the mushrooms, sprinkle them with a very little salt, boil them for three minutes; put them into the gravy when it is hot, and stew them for fifteen minutes....

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MUSHROOM KETCHUP.

MUSHROOM KETCHUP.

If you please, I’ll taste your tempting toasted cheese, Broiled ham, and nice mushroom’d ketchup . If you love good ketchup, gentle reader, make it yourself, after the following directions, and you will have a delicious relish for made dishes, ragouts, soup, sauces, or hashes. Mushroom gravy approaches the nature and flavor of made gravy, more than any vegetable juice, and is the superlative substitute for it; in meagre soups and extempore gravies, the chemistry of the kitchen has yet contrived

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SUPERLATIVE SAUCE.

SUPERLATIVE SAUCE.

Who praises, in this sauce enamor’d age, Calm, healthful temperance, like an Indian sage? Warton. Claret or Port wine and mushroom ketchup, a pint of each; half a pint of walnut or other pickle liquor; pounded anchovies, four ounces; fresh lemon-peel, pared very thin, an ounce; peeled and sliced eschalots, the same; scraped horseradish, ditto; allspice and black pepper, powdered, half an ounce each; cayenne, one drachm, or curry powder, three drachms; celery seed, bruised, one drachm; all avoird

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MINT SAUCE.

MINT SAUCE.

“Live bullion,” says merciless Bob, “which I think Would, if coined with a little mint sauce , be delicious.” Moore. Wash half a handful of nice, young, fresh-gathered green mint (to this add one-third the quantity of parsley), pick the leaves from the stalks, mince them very fine, and put them into a sauce-boat, with a teaspoonful of moist sugar and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar....

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CRANBERRY SAUCE.

CRANBERRY SAUCE.

Our fathers most admired their sauces sweet , And often asked for sugar with their meat . King. Wash a quart of ripe cranberries, and put them into a pan with just about a teacup of water; stew them slowly and stir them frequently, particularly after they begin to burst. They require a great deal of stewing, and should be like marmalade when done. When they are broken and the juice comes out, stir in a pound of white sugar. When they are thoroughly done, put them into a deep dish, and set them a

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CAPER SAUCE.

CAPER SAUCE.

Along these shores Neglected trade with difficulty toils, Collecting slender stores; the sun-dried grape, Or capers from the rock, that prompt the taste Of luxury. Dyer. To make a quarter of a pint, take a tablespoonful of capers and two teaspoonfuls of vinegar. The present fashion of cutting capers is to mince one-third of them very fine, and divide the others in half; put them into a quarter of a pint of melted butter, or good thickened gravy; stir them the same way as you did the melted butte

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TO DRESS SALAD.

TO DRESS SALAD.

Two large potatoes, pressed through kitchen sieve, Smoothness and softness to the salad give; Of mordant mustard add a single spoon; Distrust the condiment that bites too soon; But deem it not, thou man of herbs, a fault, To add a double quantity of salt. Four times the spoon with oil of Lucca crown, And twice with vinegar procured from town; True flavor needs it, and your poet begs The pounded yellow of two boiled eggs; Let onion’s atoms lurk within the bowl, And, scarce suspected, animate the

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ONIONS.

ONIONS.

The things we eat, by various juice control The narrowness or largeness of our soul. Onions will make e’en heirs or widows weep; The tender lettuce brings on softer sleep. King. Peel a pint of button onions, and put them in water till you want to put them on to boil; put them into a stewpan, with a quart of cold water; let them boil till tender; they will take (according to their size and age) from half an hour to an hour....

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ARTICHOKES.

ARTICHOKES.

Whose appetites would soon devour Each cabbage, artichoke , and flower. Cawthorne. Soak them in cold water, wash them well, then put them into plenty of boiling water, with a handful of salt, and let them boil gently till tender, which will take an hour and a half or two hours. The surest way to know when they are done enough is to draw out a leaf. Trim them and drain them on a sieve, and send up melted butter with them, which some put into small cups, so that each guest may have one....

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LIMA BEANS.

LIMA BEANS.

Now fragrant with the bean’s perfume, Now purpled with the pulse’s bloom, Might well with bright allusions store me; But happier bards have been before me. Shenstone. These are generally considered the finest of all beans, and should be gathered young. Shell them, lay them in a pan of cold water, and then boil them about two hours, or till they are quite soft; drain them well, and add to them some butter. They are destroyed by the first frost, but can be kept during the winter by gathering them

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POTATOES.

POTATOES.

Leeks to the Welsh, to Dutchmen butter’s dear; Of Irish swains, potatoes is the cheer. Gay. Wash them, but do not pare or cut them, unless they are very large. Fill a saucepan half full of potatoes of equal size (or make them so by dividing the larger ones), put to them as much cold water as will cover them about an inch; they are sooner boiled, and more savory than when drowned in water. Most boiled things are spoiled by having too little water; but potatoes are often spoiled by having too much

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PEAS.

PEAS.

Your infant peas to asparagus prefer; Which to the supper you may best defer. King. Young green peas, well dressed, are among the most delicious delicacies of the vegetable kingdom. They must be young. It is equally indispensable that they be fresh gathered, and cooked as soon as they are shelled, for they soon lose both their color and sweetness. After being shelled, wash them, drain them in a cullender, put them on, in plenty of boiling water, with a teaspoonful of salt; boil them till they be

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RICE.

RICE.

Every week dispense English beans or Carolinian rice . Grainger. Wash the rice perfectly clean; put on one pound in two quarts of cold water; let it boil twenty minutes; strain it through a sieve, and put it before the fire; shake it up with a fork every now and then, to separate the grains, and make it quite dry. Serve it hot....

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TURNIPS.

TURNIPS.

On turnips feast whene’er you please, And riot in my beans and peas. Gay. Wash, peel, and boil them till tender, in water with a little salt; serve them with melted butter. Or they may be stewed in a pint of milk, thickened with a bit of butter rolled in flour, and seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with the sauce....

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SPINACH.

SPINACH.

Much meat doth Gluttony procure, To feed men fat as swine; But he’s a frugal man, indeed, That on the leaf can dine. Pick it very carefully, and wash it thoroughly two or three times; then put it on in boiling water with a little salt; let it boil nearly twenty minutes. Put it into a cullender; hold it under the watercock, and let the water run on it for a minute. Put it into a saucepan; beat it perfectly smooth with a wooden spoon; add a bit of butter, and three tablespoonfuls of cream. Mix it

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ASPARAGUS.

ASPARAGUS.

At early morn, I to the market haste, (Studious in everything to please thy taste); A curious fowl and ’sparagus I chose, (For I remembered you were fond of those). Gay. Boil asparagus in salt and water till it is tender at the stalk, which will be in twenty or thirty minutes. Great care must be taken to watch the exact time of its becoming tender. Toast some bread; dip it lightly in the liquor the asparagus was boiled in, and lay it in the middle of the dish; melt some butter; lay the asparagus

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CARROTS.

CARROTS.

And when his juicy salads fail’d, Slic’d carrots pleased him well. Cowper. Let them be well washed and brushed, not scraped. If young spring carrots, an hour is enough. When done, rub off the peels with a clean coarse cloth, and slice them in two or four, according to their size. The best way to try if they are boiled enough, is to pierce them with a fork....

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LEEKS.

LEEKS.

With carrots red, and turnips white, And leeks , Cadwallader’s delight, And all the savory crop that vie To please the palate and the eye. Grainger. Leeks are most generally used for soups, ragouts, and other made dishes. They are very rarely brought to table; in which case dress them as follows. Put them in the stock pot till about three parts done; then take them out, drain and soak them in vinegar seasoned with pepper, salt, and cloves; drain them again, stuff their hearts with a farce, dip t

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TO DRY HERBS.

TO DRY HERBS.

Herbs too she knew, and well of each could speak That in her garden sipp’d the silvery dew, Where no vain flower disclosed a gaudy streak, But herbs, for use and physic, not a few Of gray renown, within those borders grew,— The tufted basil , pun-provoking thyme , Fresh balm , and marigold of cheerful hue, The lowly gill , that never dares to climb, And more I fain would sing, disdaining here to rhyme. Shenstone. It is very important to know when the various seasons commence for picking sweet an

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MANGOES.

MANGOES.

What lord of old would bid his cook prepare Mangoes , potargo, champignons, caviare! King. There is a particular sort of melon for this purpose. Cut a square small piece out of one side, and through that take out the seeds, mix with them mustard seeds and shred garlic, stuff the melon as full as the space will allow, and replace the square piece. Bind it up with small new pack-thread. Boil a good quantity of vinegar, to allow for wasting, with peppers, salt, ginger, and pour it boiling over the

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PICKLED CABBAGE.

PICKLED CABBAGE.

Lives in a cell, and eats from week to week A meal of pickled cabbage and ox cheek. Cawthorne. Choose two middling-sized, well-colored and firm red cabbages, shred them very finely, first pulling off the outside leaves; mix with them nearly half a pound of salt; tie it up in a thin cloth, and let it hang for twelve hours; then put it into small jars, and pour over it cold vinegar that has been boiled with a few barberries in it. Boil in a quart of vinegar, three bits of ginger, half an ounce of

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TO CLARIFY SUGAR.

TO CLARIFY SUGAR.

’Mongst salts essential, sugar wins the palm, For taste, for color, and for various use. O’er all thy works let cleanliness preside, Child of frugality; and as the scum Thick mantles o’er the boiling wave, do thou The scum that mantles carefully remove. Grainger. Whereof little More than a little is by much too much. Shakspeare. To every three pounds of loaf sugar, allow the beaten white of an egg and a pint and a half of water; break the sugar small, put it into a nicely cleaned brass pan, pour

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CURRANT JELLY.

CURRANT JELLY.

He snuffs far off the anticipated joy, Jelly and ven’son all his thoughts employ. Cowper. Currant, grape, and raspberry jelly are all made precisely in the same manner. When the fruit is full ripe, gather it on a dry day. As soon as it is nicely picked, put it into a jar, and cover it down very close. Set the jar in a saucepan, about three parts filled with cold water; put it on a gentle fire, and let it simmer for about half an hour. Take the pan from the fire, and pour the contents of the jar

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APPLE JELLY.

APPLE JELLY.

The board was spread with fruits and wine; With grapes of gold, like those that shine On Caslin’s hills; pomegranates, full Of melting sweetness, and the pears And sunniest apples that Cabul In all its thousand gardens bears. Moore. Pare and mince three dozen juicy, acid apples; put them into a pan; cover them with water, and boil them till very soft; strain them through a thin cloth or flannel bag; allow a pound of loaf sugar to a pint of juice, with the grated peel and juice of six lemons. Boi

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CHERRY JELLY.

CHERRY JELLY.

With rich conserve of Visna cherries , Of orange flower, and of those berries That——. Moore. Take the stones and stalks from two pounds of clear, fine, ripe cherries; mix them with a quarter of a pound of red currants, from which the seeds have been extracted; express the juice from these fruits; filter, and mix it with three quarters of a pound of clarified sugar, and one ounce of isinglass. Replace the vessel on the fire with the juice, and add to it a pound and a half of sugar, boiled à conse

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CALVES’ FEET JELLY.

CALVES’ FEET JELLY.

Nature hates vacuums, as you know, We, therefore, will descend below, And fill, with dainties nice and light, The vacuum in your appetite. Besides, good wine and dainty fare Are sometimes known to lighten care; Nay, man is often brisk or dull, As the keen stomach’s void or full. To four feet add four quarts of water; let them boil on a slow fire till the flesh is parted from the bones, and the quantity reduced to half; strain it carefully, and the next morning remove the feet and sediment. Add t

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PINEAPPLE PRESERVE.

PINEAPPLE PRESERVE.

And the sun’s child , the mail’d anana , yields His regal apple to the ravish’d taste. Grainger. Pare your pineapple; cut it in small pieces, and leave out the core. Mix the pineapple with half a pound of powdered white sugar, and set it away in a covered dish till sufficient juice is drawn out to stew the fruit in. Stew the pineapple in the sugar and juice till quite soft, then mash it to a marmalade with the back of a spoon, and set it away to cool; pour it in tumblers, cover them with paper,

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OMELET.

OMELET.

Though many, I own, are the evils they’ve brought us, Though R**al*y’s here on her very last legs; Yet who can help loving the land that has taught us Six hundred and eighty-five ways to dress eggs ! Moore. Take as many eggs as you think proper; break them into a pan, with some salt and chopped parsley; beat them well, and season them according to taste. Have ready some onion, chopped small; put some butter into a fryingpan, and when it is hot, put in your chopped onion, giving them two or three

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TO POACH EGGS.

TO POACH EGGS.

But, after all, what would you have me do, When, out of twenty, I can please not two? One likes the pheasant’s wing, and one the leg; The vulgar boil, the learned poach an egg ; Hard task to hit the palate of such guests, When Oldfield loves what Dartineuf detests. Pope. The cook who wishes to display her skill in poaching, must endeavor to procure eggs that have been laid a couple of days; those that are new laid are so milky, that, take all the care you can, your cooking of them will seldom pr

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BOILED EGGS.

BOILED EGGS.

On holydays, an egg or two at most; But her ambition never reached to roast. Chaucer. The fresher laid the better. Put them into boiling water; if you like the white just set, about two minutes’ boiling is enough. A new-laid egg will take a little more. If you wish the yolk to be set, it will take three, and to boil it hard for a salad, ten minutes. A new-laid egg will require longer boiling than a stale one by half a minute....

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FRIED EGGS.

FRIED EGGS.

Go work, hunt, exercise (he thus begun), Then scorn a homely dinner if you can; Fried eggs , and herbs, and olives, still we see: This much is left of old simplicity. Pope. Eggs boiled hard, cut into slices, and fried, may be served as a second course dish, to eat with roast chicken....

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EGGS AND BREAD.

EGGS AND BREAD.

Never go to France, Unless you know the lingo; If you do, like me, You’ll repent, by jingo. Starving like a fool, And silent as a mummy, There I stood alone, A nation with a dummy. Signs I had to make For every little notion; Limbs all going like A telegraph in motion; If I wanted bread , My jaws I set a-going, And asked for new laid eggs By clapping hands and crowing. Put half a handful of breadcrumbs into a sauce pan, with a small quantity of cream, sugar, and nutmeg, and let it stand till the

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OMELETTE SOUFFLÉ.

OMELETTE SOUFFLÉ.

“Where is my favorite dish?” he cried; “Let some one place it by my side!” Donne. Beat up the yolks of eight eggs, and the whites of four (set aside the remaining whites), with a spoonful of water, some salt, sugar, and the juice of a lemon; fry this, and then put it on a dish. Whip the four whites which were set aside to a froth with sugar, and place it over the fried eggs; bake it for a few minutes....

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PUFF PASTE.

PUFF PASTE.

The puffs made me light, And now that’s all over, I’m pretty well, thank you. Moore. Weigh an equal quantity of flour and butter, rub rather more than half the flour into one-third of the butter; add as much cold water as will make it into a stiff paste; work it until the butter be completely mixed with the flour, make it round, beat it with the rolling-pin, dust it, as also the rolling-pin with flour, and roll it out towards the opposite side of the slab, or paste-board, making it of an equal t

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PYRAMID PASTE.

PYRAMID PASTE.

You that from pliant paste would fabrics raise, Expecting thence to gain immortal praise, Your knuckles try, and let your sinews know Their power to knead, and give the form to dough; From thence of course the figure will arise, And elegance adorn the surface of your pies. King. Make a rich puff paste, roll it out a quarter of an inch thick, cut it into five or seven pieces with scalloped tin cutters, which go one within another; leave the bottom and top piece entire, and cut a bit out of the ce

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FRUIT PIES.

FRUIT PIES.

Unless some sweetness at the bottom lie, Who cares for all the crinkling of the pie! King. Fruit pies for family use are generally made with common paste. Allow three quarters of a pound of butter to a pound and a half of flour. Peaches and plums for pies should be cut in half, and the stones taken out. Cherries also should be stoned, and red cherries only should be used for pies. Apples should be cut into very thin slices, and are much improved by a little lemon-peel. Apples stewed previous to

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MINCE PIES.

MINCE PIES.

When Terence spoke, oraculous and sly, He’d neither grant the question nor deny, Pleading for tarts, his thoughts were on mince pie . My poor endeavors view with gracious eye, To make these lines above a Christmas pie . Two pounds of boiled beef’s heart or fresh tongue, or lean fresh beef chopped, when cold; two pounds of beef suet chopped fine, four pounds of pippin apples chopped, two pounds of raisins stoned and chopped, two pounds of currants picked, washed, and dried, two pounds of powdered

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PLUM PUDDING.

PLUM PUDDING.

All you who to feasting and mirth are inclined, Come, here is good news for to pleasure your mind. Old Christmas is come, for to keep open house: He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse. Then come, boys, and welcome, for diet the chief,— Plum pudding , goose, capon, minced pies, and roast beef. The cooks shall be busied, by day and by night, In roasting and boiling , for taste and delight. Provision is making for beer, ale, and wine, For all that are willing or ready to dine. Meantime goes th

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COCOANUT PUDDING.

COCOANUT PUDDING.

Whatever was the best pie going, In that Ned—trust him—had his finger. Moore. Take the thin brown skin off of a quarter pound of cocoa, wash it in cold water, and wipe it dry; grate it fine, stir three and half ounces of butter and a quarter pound of powdered sugar, to a cream; add half teaspoonful of rose-water, half glass of wine and of brandy mixed, to them. Beat the white of six eggs till they stand alone, and then stir them into the butter and sugar; afterwards sprinkle in the grated nut, a

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APPLE PUDDING.

APPLE PUDDING.

Where London’s column, pointing to the skies, Like a tall bully, lifts the head and lies, There dwelt a citizen of sober fame, A plain, good man, and Balaam was his name; Religious, punctual, frugal, and so forth, His word would pass for more than he was worth; One solid dish his week-day meal affords, And apple pudding solemnized the Lord’s. Pope. Make a batter of two eggs, a pint of milk and three or four spoonfuls of flour; pour it into a deep dish, and having pared six or eight apples, place

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HASTY PUDDING.

HASTY PUDDING.

But man, more fickle, the bold license claims, In different realms, to give thee different names. Thee , the soft nations round the warm Levant Polanta call; the French, of course, Polante. E’en in thy native regions, how I blush To hear the Pennsylvanians call thee mush ! All spurious appellations, void of truth; I’ve better known thee from my earliest youth: Thy name is Hasty Pudding ! Thus our sires Were wont to greet thee from the fuming fires; And while they argued in thy just defence, With

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YORKSHIRE PUDDING.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING.

The strong table groans Beneath the smoking sirloin, stretch’d immense From side to side; in which with desperate knife They deep incisions make, and talk the while Of England’s glory, ne’er to be defaced While hence they borrow vigor; or amain Into the pudding plunged at intervals, If stomach keen can intervals allow, Relating all the glories of the chase. Thomson. This pudding is especially an excellent accompaniment to a sirloin of beef. Six tablespoonfuls of flour, three eggs, a teaspoonful

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SUET PUDDING.

SUET PUDDING.

Sir Balaam now, he lives like other folks; He takes his chirping, and cracks his jokes. Live like yourself, was soon my lady’s word; And lo! suet pudding was seen upon the board. Pope. Suet, a quarter of a pound; flour, three tablespoonfuls; eggs two, and a little grated ginger; milk, half a pint. Mince the suet as fine as possible; roll it with the rolling-pin, so as to mix it well with the flour; beat up the eggs, mix them with the milk, and then mix them all together; wet your cloth well in b

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OATMEAL PUDDING.

OATMEAL PUDDING.

Of oats decorticated take two pounds, And of new milk enough the same to drown; Of raisins of the sun, stoned, ounces eight; Of currants, cleanly picked, an equal weight; Of suet, finely sliced, an ounce at least; And six eggs, newly taken from the nest: Season this mixture well with salt and spice; ’Twill make a pudding far exceeding rice; And you may safely feed on it like farmers, For the recipe is learned Dr. Harmer’s....

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EVE’S PUDDING.

EVE’S PUDDING.

If you want a good pudding, mind what you are taught: Take eggs, six in number, when bought for a groat; The fruit with which Eve her husband did cozen, Well pared and well chopped, take at least half a dozen; Six ounces of bread—let the cook eat the crust— And crumble the soft as fine as the dust; Six ounces of currants from the stalks you must sort, Lest they husk out your teeth, and spoil all the sport; Six ounces of sugar won’t make it too sweet, And some salt and some nutmeg will make it co

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CHARLOTTE DES POMMES.

CHARLOTTE DES POMMES.

Charlotte , from rennet apples first did frame A pie , which still retains her name. Though common grown, yet with white sugar stewed, And butter’d right, its goodness is allowed. King. Pare, core, and mince fifteen French rennet apples; put them into a frying-pan with some powdered loaf sugar, a little pounded cinnamon, grated lemon-peel, and two ounces and a half of fresh butter; fry them a quarter of an hour over a quick fire, stirring them constantly. Butter the shape the size the Charlotte

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BATTER PUDDING.

BATTER PUDDING.

A frugal man, upon the whole, Yet loved his friend, and had a soul; Knew what was handsome, and would do’t On just occasion, coûte qui coûte. He brought him bacon (nothing lean); Pudding , that might have pleased a dean; Cheese, such as men of Suffolk make, But wished it Stilton for his sake. Pope. Take six ounces of flour, a little salt, and three eggs; beat it well with a little milk, added by degrees, till the batter becomes smooth; make it the thickness of cream; put it into a buttered and f

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APPLE DUMPLINGS.

APPLE DUMPLINGS.

By the rivulet, on the rushes, Beneath a canopy of bushes, Colin Blount and Yorkshire Tray Taste the dumplings and the whey. Smart. Pare and scoop out the core of six large baking apples; put part of a clove and a little grated lemon-peel inside of each, and enclose them in pieces of puff paste; boil them in nets for the purpose, or bits of linen, for an hour. Before serving, cut off a small bit from the top of each, and put a teaspoonful of sugar and a bit of fresh butter; replace the bit of pa

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SWEETMEAT FRITTERS.

SWEETMEAT FRITTERS.

If chronicles may be believed, So loved the pamper’d gallant lived, That with the nuns he always dined On rarities of every kind; Then hoards, occasionally varied, Of biscuits, sweetmeats , nuts, and fruits. Cut small any sort of candied fruit, and heat it with a bit of fresh butter, some good milk, and a little grated lemon-peel; when quite hot, stir in enough of flour to make it into a stiff paste; take it off the fire, and work in eight or ten eggs, two at a time. When cold, form the fritters

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FRITTERS.

FRITTERS.

Methinks I scent some rich repast : The savor strengthens with the blast. Gay. Take a dozen apricots, or any other fruit preserved in brandy; drain them in half; then wrap them in wafers, cut round, and previously moistened. Make the batter by putting a glass and a half of water, a grain of salt, and two ounces of fresh butter, into a saucepan. When it boils, stir in sufficient quantity of flour to make it rather a firm batter; keep it stirring three minutes; then pour it into another vessel: di

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ICE CREAM.

ICE CREAM.

After dreaming some hours of the land of Cocaigne, That Elysium of all that is friand and nice, Where for hail they have bonbons, and claret for rain, And the skaters in winter show off on cream ice . Moore. Here ice, like crystal firm , and never lost, Tempers hot July with December’s frost. Waller. Put a quart of rich cream into a broad pan; then stir in half a pound of powdered loaf sugar by degrees, and when all is well mixed, strain it through a sieve. Put it into a tin that has a close cov

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WHIPPED CREAM.

WHIPPED CREAM.

Pudding our parson eats, the squire loves hare, But whipped cream is my Buxoma’s fare, While she loves whipped cream , capon ne’er shall be, Nor hare, nor beef, nor pudding, food for me. Gay. Sweeten with pounded loaf sugar a quart of cream, and to it a lump of sugar which has been rubbed upon the peel of two fine lemons or little oranges; or flavor it with orange flower water, a little essence of roses, the juice of strawberries, or any other fruit. Whisk the cream well in a large pan, and as t

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BOILED CUSTARDS.

BOILED CUSTARDS.

And boiled custard , take its merit in brief, Makes a noble dessert, where the dinner’s roast beef. Boil a pint of milk with lemon-peel and cinnamon; mix a pint of cream, and the yolks of five eggs well beaten; when the milk tastes of the seasoning, sweeten enough for the whole; pour it into the cream, stirring it well; then give the custard a simmer till of a proper thickness. Do not let it boil; stir the whole time one way; then season with a large spoonful of peach-water, and two teaspoonfuls

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ORANGE CUSTARDS.

ORANGE CUSTARDS.

With orange custards and the juicy pine, On choicest melons and sweet grapes they dine. Jonson. Sweeten the strained juice of ten oranges with pounded loaf sugar, stir it over the fire till hot, take off the scum, and when nearly cold, add to it the beaten yolks of twelve eggs and a pint of cream; put it into a saucepan, and stir it over a slow fire till it thickens. Serve it in cups....

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CUSTARDS OR CREAMS.

CUSTARDS OR CREAMS.

But nicer cates, her dainty’s boasted fare, The jellied cream or custards, daintiest food, Or cheesecake, or the cooling syllabub, For Thyrses she prepares. Dodsley. Whisk for one hour the whites of two eggs, together with two tablespoonfuls of raspberry or red currant syrup or jelly; lay it in any form of a custard or cream, piled up to imitate rock. It may be served in a cream round it....

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ALMOND CREAMS.

ALMOND CREAMS.

And from sweet kernels pressed, She tempers dulcet creams . Milton. Blanch and pound to a paste, with rose-water, six ounces of almonds; mix them with a pint and a half of cream which has been boiled with the peel of a small lemon; add two well-beaten eggs, and stir the whole over the fire till it be thick, taking care not to allow it to boil; sweeten it, and when nearly cold, stir in a tablespoonful of orange-flower or rose-water....

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YEAST.

YEAST.

Not with the leaven, as of old, Of sin and malice fed, But with unfeigned sincerity. One dozen of potatoes, two cupfuls of hops; put them together in a bag, and place them in a pot with two quarts of water; let it boil till the potatoes are done; a cupful of salt, a ladle of flour; then pour the boiling water over it, then let it stand till lukewarm; add a cupful of old yeast, cover it up, and put near the fire till it foments....

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BREAD.

BREAD.

His diet was of wheaten bread . Cowper. Mixt with the rustic throng, see ruddy maids, Some taught with dextrous hand to twirl the wheel, Some expert To raise from leavened wheat the kneaded loaf . Dodsley. Her bread is deemed such dainty fare, That ev’ry prudent traveller His wallet loads with many a crust. Cowper. Like the loaf in the Tub’s pleasant tale, That was fish, flesh, and custard, good claret and ale, It comprised every flavor, was all and was each, Was grape and was pineapple, nectari

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RYE AND INDIAN BREAD.

RYE AND INDIAN BREAD.

Of wine she never tasted through the year, But white and black was all her homely cheer, Brown bread and milk (but first she skimmed her bowls), And rasher of singed bacon on the coals. Chaucer. Sift two quarts of rye, and two quarts of Indian meal, and mix them well together. Boil three pints of milk; pour it boiling upon the meal; add two teaspoonfuls of salt, and stir the whole very hard. Let it stand till it becomes of only a lukewarm heat, and then stir in half a pint of good, fresh yeast;

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BUTTER.

BUTTER.

Vessels large And broad, by the sweet hand of neatness clean’d, Meanwhile, in decent order ranged appear, The milky treasure, strain’d thro’ filtering lawn, Intended to receive. At early day, Sweet slumber shaken from her opening lids, My lovely Patty to her dairy hies; There, from the surface of expanded bowls She skims the floating cream, and to her churn Commits the rich consistence; nor disdains, Though soft her hand, though delicate her frame, To urge the rural toil, fond to obtain The coun

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COTTAGE CHEESE.

COTTAGE CHEESE.

Warm from the cow she pours The milky flood. An acid juice infused, From the dried stomach drawn of suckling calf, Coagulates the whole. Immediate now Her spreading hands bear down the gathering curd, Which hard and harder grows, till, clear and thin, The green whey rises separate. Dodsley. Warm three half pints of cream with one half pint of milk, and put a little rennet to it; keep it covered in a warm place till it is curdled; have a proper mould with holes, either of china or any other; put

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BUCKWHEAT CAKES.

BUCKWHEAT CAKES.

Do, dear James, mix up the cakes: Just one quart of meal it takes; Pour the water on the pot, Be careful it is not too hot; Sift the meal well through your hand, Thicken well—don’t let it stand; Stir it quick,—clash, clatter, clatter! O what light, delicious batter! Now listen to the next command: On the dresser let it stand Just three quarters of an hour, To feel the gently rising power Of powders, melted into yeast, To lighten well this precious feast. See, now it rises to the brim! Quick, tak

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JOHNNY CAKES.

JOHNNY CAKES.

Some talk of hoecake, fair Virginia’s pride! Rich Johnny cake this mouth has often tried; Both please me well, their virtues much the same; Alike their fabric, as allied their fame. Barlow. A quart of sifted Indian meal, and a handful of wheat flour sifted; mix them; three eggs, well beaten; two tablespoonfuls of fresh brewer’s yeast, or flour of home made yeast, a teaspoonful of salt, and a quart of milk....

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MUFFINS.

MUFFINS.

Friend, I am a shrewd observer, and will guess What cakes you doat on for your favorite mess. Armstrong. Take a pint of warm milk, and a quarter pint of thick small-beer yeast; strain them into a pan, and add sufficient flour to make it like a batter; cover it over, and let it stand in a warm place until it has risen; then add a quarter of a pint of warm milk, and an ounce of butter rubbed in some flour quite fine; mix them well together; add sufficient flour to make it into a dough; cover it ov

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PANCAKES.

PANCAKES.

With all her haughty looks, the time I’ve seen When the proud damsel has more humble been; When with nice airs she hoist the pancake round, And dropt it, hapless fair! upon the ground. Shenstone. To three tablespoonfuls of flour add six well-beaten eggs, three tablespoonfuls of white wine, four ounces of melted butter nearly cold, the same quantity of pounded loaf sugar, half a grated nutmeg, and a pint of cream. Mix it well, beating the batter for some time, and pour it thin over the pan....

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PLUM-CAKE.

PLUM-CAKE.

First in place, Plum-cake is seen o’er smaller pastry ware, And ice on that. Swift. Pick two pounds of currants very clean, and wash them, draining them through a cullender. Wipe them in a towel, spread them out in a large dish, and set them near the fire or in the hot sun to dry, placing the dish in a slanting position. Having stoned two pounds of best raisins, cut them in half, and when all are done, sprinkle them well with sifted flour, to prevent their sinking to the bottom of the cake. When

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LAFAYETTE GINGERBREAD.

LAFAYETTE GINGERBREAD.

Must see Rheims, much famed, ’tis said, For making kings and gingerbread . Moore. Five eggs, half pound of brown sugar, half pound fresh butter, a pint of sugarhouse molasses, a pound and a half of flour, four tablespoonfuls of ginger, two large sticks of cinnamon, three dozen grains of allspice, three dozen of cloves, juice and grated peel of two lemons. Stir the butter and sugar to a cream; beat the eggs very well; pour the molasses at once into the butter and sugar. Add the ginger and other s

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SHREWSBURY CAKES.

SHREWSBURY CAKES.

And here each season do those cakes abide, Whose honored names the inventive city own, Rendering through Britain’s isle Salopia’s praises known. Shenstone. Sift one pound of sugar, some pounded cinnamon and a nutmeg grated, into three pounds of flour, the finest sort; add a little rose-water to three eggs well beaten; mix these with the flour, &amp;c.; then pour into it as much butter melted as will make it a good thickness to roll out. Stir it well, and roll thin; cut it into such shapes as

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HONEY-CAKE.

HONEY-CAKE.

In vain the circled loaves attempt to lie Concealed in flaskets from my curious eye; In vain the cheeses, offspring of the pail, Or honeyed cakes , which gods themselves regale. Parnell. One pound and a half of dried sifted flour, three quarters of a pound of honey, half a pound of finely powdered loaf sugar, a quarter of a pound of citron, and half an ounce of orange-peel cut small, of powdered ginger and cinnamon, three quarters of an ounce. Melt the sugar with the honey, and mix in the other

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NAPLES BISCUITS.

NAPLES BISCUITS.

Though I’ve consulted Holinshed and Stow, I find it very difficult to know Who, to refresh the attendants to a grave, Burnt claret first or Naples biscuit gave. King. Put three quarters of a pound of fine flour to a pound of powdered sugar; sift both together three times; then add six eggs beaten well, and a spoonful of rose-water; when the oven is nearly hot, bake them....

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GINGERBREAD.

GINGERBREAD.

Whence oft with sugared cates she doth ’em greet, And gingerbread , if rare, now certes doubly sweet. Shenstone. To three quarters of a pound of treacle, beat one egg strained; mix four ounces of brown sugar, half an ounce of ginger sifted, of cloves, mace, allspice, and nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce; beat all as fine as possible; melt one pound of butter, and mix with the above: add as much flour as will knead it into a pretty stiff paste; roll it out, and cut it in cakes....

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SPONGE CAKE.

SPONGE CAKE.

On cake luxuriously I dine, And drink the fragrance of the vine, Studious of elegance and ease, Myself alone I seek to please. Gay. Take the juice and grated rind of a lemon, twelve eggs, twelve ounces of finely pounded loaf sugar, the same of dried and sifted flour; then, beat the yolks of ten eggs; add the sugar by degrees, and beat it till it will stand when dropped from the spoon; put in at separate times the two other eggs, yolks, and whites; whisk the ten whites for eight minutes, and mix

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SUGAR BISCUITS.

SUGAR BISCUITS.

This happy hour elapsed and gone, The time of drinking tea comes on. The kettle filled, the water boiled, The cream provided, the biscuits piled. And lamp prepared; I straight engage The Lilliputian equipage Of dishes, sauces, spoons, and tongs, And all the et ceteras which thereto belongs. Dodsley. The weight of eight eggs in finely pounded loaf sugar, and of four in dried flour; beat separately the whites and yolks; with the yolks beat the sugar for half an hour; then add the whites and the fl

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DERBY CAKE.

DERBY CAKE.

Some bring a capon, some Derby cake , Some nuts, some apples, some that think they make The better cheesecakes, bring them. Rub in with the hand one pound of butter into two pounds of sifted flour; put one pound of currants, one pound of good moist sugar, and one egg; mix all together with half pint of milk; roll it out thin, and cut it into round cakes with a cutter; lay them on a clean baking plate, and put them into a middling heated oven for about ten minutes....

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CRACKNELS.

CRACKNELS.

However, you shall home with me tonight, Forget your cares, and revel in delight; I have in store a pint or two of wine, Some cracknels , and the remnant of a chine. Swift. Blanch half a pound of sweet almonds, and pound them to a fine paste, adding to them by degrees six eggs, when thoroughly pounded; pour on them a pound of powdered sugar, the same of butter, and the rinds of two lemons grated; beat up these ingredients in the mortar; put a pound of flour on a slab, and having poured the almon

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CHEESECAKES.

CHEESECAKES.

Treat here, ye shepherds blithe! your damsels sweet, For pies and cheesecakes are for damsels meet. Gay. Put two quarts of new milk into a stewpan; set it near the fire, and stir in two tablespoonfuls of rennet; let it stand till it is set (this will take about an hour); break it well with your hand, and let it remain half an hour longer; then pour off the whey, and put the curd into a cullender to drain; when quite dry, put it in a mortar, and pound it quite smooth; then add four ounces of powd

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BRIDE CAKE.

BRIDE CAKE.

The bridal came; great the feast, And good the bride cake and the priest. Smart. Take four pounds of fresh butter, two pounds of loaf sugar, pounded and sifted fine, a quarter of an ounce of mace and the same quantity of nutmegs; to every pound of flour put eight eggs; wash and pick four pounds of currants, and dry them before the fire; blanch a pound of sweet almonds, and cut them lengthways very thin, a pound of citron, a pound of candied orange, a pound of candied lemon, and half pint of bran

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KISSES.

KISSES.

“I never give a kiss ,” says Prue, “To naughty man, for I abhor it.” She will not give a kiss , ’tis true, She’ll take one, though, and thank you for it. From the French. One pound of the best loaf sugar, powdered and sifted, the whites of four eggs, twelve drops of essence of lemon, a teacup of currant jelly. Beat the whites of four eggs till they stand alone. Then beat in gradually the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time. Add the essence of lemon, and beat the whole very hard. Lay a wet sheet of pa

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SWEET MACAROONS.

SWEET MACAROONS.

Where cakes luxuriant pile the spacious dish, And purple nectar glads the festive hour, The guest, without a want, without a wish, Can yield no room to music’s soothing power. Johnson. Blanch a pound of sweet almonds; throw them into cold water for a few minutes; lay them in a napkin to dry, and leave them for twenty-four hours; at the end of that time, pound them, a handful at a time, adding occasionally some white of egg, till the whole is reduced to a fine paste; then take two pounds of the b

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SYLLABUB.

SYLLABUB.

Mountown! the Muses’ most delicious theme, O, may thy codlins ever swim in cream! The rasp and strawberries in Bordeaux drown, To add a redder tincture to their own! Thy white wine, sugar, milk, together club, To make that gentle viand— syllabub ! King. Not all thy plate, how formed soe’er it be, Can please my palate like a bowl of thee. Barlow. In a large china bowl put a pint of port and a pint of sherry, or other white wine; sugar to taste. Milk the bowl full; in twenty minutes cover it prett

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BEER OR ALE.

BEER OR ALE.

O, Peggy, Peggy! when thou goest to brew, Consider well what you’re about to do; Be very wise, very sedately think That what you’re now going to make is drink ; Consider who must drink that drink, and then What ’tis to have the praise of honest men; For surely, Peggy, while that drink does last, ’Tis Peggy will be toasted or disgraced . Then if thy ale in glass thou wouldst confine, To make its sparkling rays in beauty shine, Let thy clean bottle be entirely dry, Lest a white substance to the su

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ORIGIN OF MINT JULEPS.

ORIGIN OF MINT JULEPS.

’Tis said that the gods, on Olympus of old, (And who the bright legend profanes with a doubt!) One night, ’mid their revels, by Bacchus were told, That his last butt of nectar had somehow run out. But determined to send round the goblet once more, They sued to the fairer mortals for aid In composing a draught, which till drinking were o’er, Should cast every wine ever drank in the shade. Grave Ceres herself blithely yielded her corn, And the spirit that lives in each amber-hued grain, And which

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PUNCH.

PUNCH.

Four elements, joined in An emulous strife, Fashion the world, and Constitute life. From the sharp citron The starry juice pour; Acid to life is The innermost core. Now, let the sugar The bitter one meet; Still be life’s bitter Tamed down with the sweet! Let the bright water Flow into the bowl; Water, the calm one, Embraces the whole. Drops from the spirit Pour quick’ning within, Life but its life from The spirit can win. Haste, while it gloweth, Your vessels to bring; The wave has but virtue Dr

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