ALE TO MULL.--Take a pint of good strong ale, and pour it into a
saucepan with three cloves and a little nutmeg; sugar to your taste.
Set it over the fire, and when it boils take it off to cool. Beat up
the yolks of four eggs exceedingly well; mix them first with a little
cold ale, then add them to the warm ale, and pour it in and out of the
pan several times. Set it over a slow fire, beat it a little, take it
off again; do this three times until it is hot, then serve it with dry
toast.
ALE, SPICED.--Is made hot, sweetened with sugar and spiced with grated
nutmeg, and a hot toast is served in it. This is the wassail drink.
BEEF TEA.--Cut a pound of fleshy beef in thin slices; simmer with
a quart of water twenty minutes, after it has once boiled and been
skimmed. Season if approved.
BEEF TEA.--To one pound of lean beef add one and one-half tumblers
of cold water; cut the beef in small pieces, cover, and let it boil
slowly for ten minutes, and add a little salt after it is boiled.
Excellent.
BEEF TEA.--Cut lean, tender beef into small pieces, put them into a
bottle, cork and set in a pot of cold water, then put on the stove and
boil for one hour. Season to taste.
BLACK CURRANT CORDIAL.--To every four quarts of black currants, picked
from the stems and lightly bruised, add one gallon of the best whisky;
let it remain four months, shaking the jar occasionally, then drain
off the liquor and strain. Add three pounds of loaf sugar and a
quarter of a pound of best cloves, slightly bruised; bottle well and
seal.
BOSTON CREAM (A SUMMER DRINK).--Make a syrup of four pounds of white
sugar with four quarts of water; boil; when cold add four ounces of
tartaric acid, one and a half ounces of essence of lemon, and the
whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth; bottle. A wine-glass of
the cream to a tumbler of water, with sufficient carbonate of soda to
make it effervesce.
CHAMPAGNE CUP.--One quart bottle of champagne, two bottles of
soda-water, one liqueur-glass of brandy, two tablespoons of powdered
sugar, a few thin strips of cucumber rind; make this just in time for
use, and add a large piece of ice.
CHOCOLATE.--Scrape Cadbury's chocolate fine, mix with a little cold
water and the yolks of eggs well beaten; add this to equal parts of
milk and water, and boil well, being careful that it does not burn.
Sweeten to the taste, and serve hot.
COFFEE.--Is a tonic and stimulating beverage, of a wholesome nature.
Use the best. For eight cups use nearly eight cups of water; put in
coffee as much as you like, boil a minute and take off, and throw in a
cup of cold water to throw the grounds to the bottom; in five minutes
it will be very clear.
Or, beat one or two eggs, which mix with ground coffee to form a ball;
nearly fill the pot with cold water, simmer gently for half an hour,
having introduced the ball; _do not boil_, or you will destroy the
aroma.
COFFEE.--The following is a delicious dish either for summer breakfast
or dessert: Make a strong infusion of Mocha coffee; put it in a
porcelain bowl, sugar it properly and add to it an equal portion of
boiled milk, or one-third the quantity of rich cream. Surround the
bowl with pounded ice.
CURRANT WINE.--One quart currant juice, three pounds of sugar,
sufficient water to make a gallon.
EGG GRUEL.--Boil eggs from one to three hours until hard enough to
grate; then boil new milk and thicken with the egg, and add a little
salt. Excellent in case of nausea.
LEMON SYRUP.--Pare off the yellow rind of the lemon, slice the lemon
and put a layer of lemon and a thick layer of sugar in a deep plate;
cover close with a saucer, and set in a warm place. This is an
excellent remedy for a cold.
LEMONADE.--Take a quart of boiling water, and add to it five ounces
of lump-sugar, the yellow rind of the lemon rubbed off with a bit of
sugar, and the juice of three lemons. Stir all together and let it
stand till cool. Two ounces of cream of tartar may be used instead of
the lemons, water being poured upon it.
RASPBERRY VINEGAR.--Fill a jar with red raspberries picked from the
stalks. Pour in as much vinegar as it will hold. Let it stand ten
days, then strain it through a sieve. Don't press the berries, just
let the juice run through. To every pint add one pound loaf sugar.
Boil it like other syrup; skim, and bottle when cold.
SUMMER DRINK.--Boil together for five minutes two ounces of tartaric
acid, two pounds white sugar, three lemons sliced, two quarts of
water; when nearly cold add the whites of four eggs beaten to a froth,
one tablespoonful of flour and half an ounce of wintergreen. Two
tablespoonfuls in a glass of water make a pleasant drink; for those
who like effervescence add as much soda as a ten-cent piece will hold,
stirring it briskly before drinking.
BLACKBERRY SYRUP.--To one pint of juice put one pound of white sugar,
one-half ounce of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth ounce mace, and two
teaspoons cloves; boil all together for a quarter of an hour, then
strain the syrup, and add to each pint a glass of French brandy.
TEA.--When the water in the teakettle begins to boil, have ready a tin
tea-steeper; pour into the tea-steeper just a very little of the boiling
water, and then put in tea, allowing one teaspoon of tea to each person.
Pour over this boiling water until the steeper is a little more than
half full; cover tightly and let it stand where it will keep hot, but
not to boil. Let the tea infuse for ten or fifteen minutes, and then
pour into the tea-urn, adding more boiling water, in the proportion of
one cup of water for every teaspoon of dry tea which has been infused.
Have boiling water in a water-pot, and weaken each cup of tea as
desired. Do not use water for tea that has been boiled long. Spring
water is best for tea, and filtered water next best.
ICED TEA A LA RUSSE.--To each glass of tea add the juice of half a
lemon, fill up the glass with pounded ice, and sweeten.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING BREAD.--In the composition of good
bread, there are three important requisites: Good flour, good yeast,
[and here let us recommend Gillett's Magic Yeast Cakes. They keep good
for one year in any climate, and once used you will not do without it.
All grocers keep it] and strength to knead it well. Flour should be
white and dry, crumbling easily again after it is pressed in the hand.
A very good method of ascertaining the quality of yeast will be to add
a little flour to a very small quantity, setting it in a warm place.
If in the course of ten or fifteen minutes it raises, it will do to
use.
When you make bread, first set the sponge with warm milk or water,
keeping it in a warm place until quite light. Then mold this sponge,
by adding flour, into one large loaf, kneading it well. Set this to
rise again, and then when sufficiently light mold it into smaller
loaves, let it rise again, then bake. Care should be taken not to get
the dough too stiff with flour; it should be as soft as it can be to
knead well. To make bread or biscuits a nice color, wet the dough
over top with water just before putting it into the oven. Flour should
always be sifted.
BROWN BREAD, for those who can eat corn-meal: Two cups Indian meal
to one cup flour; one-half teacup syrup, 2-1/2 cups milk; 1 teaspoon
salt; 3 teaspoons of Gillett's baking powder. Steam an hour and a
half. To be eaten hot. It goes very nicely with a corn-beef dinner.
BROWN BREAD.--Stir together wheat meal and cold water (nothing else,
not even salt) to the consistency of a thick batter. Bake in small
circular pans, from three to three and a half inches in diameter,
(ordinary tin pattypans do very well) in a quick, hot oven. It is
quite essential that it be baked in this sized cake, as it is upon
this that the raising depends. [In this article there are none of the
injurious qualities of either fermented or superfine flour bread;
and it is so palpably wholesome food, that it appeals at once to the
common sense of all who are interested in the subject.]
BROWN BREAD--Take part of the sponge that has been prepared for your
white bread, warm water can be added, mix it with graham flour (not
too stiff).
BOSTON BROWN BREAD.--To make one loaf:--Rye meal unsifted, half a
pint; Indian meal sifted, one pint; sour milk, one pint; molasses,
half a gill. Add a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda
dissolved in a little hot water; stir well, put in a greased pan, let
it rise one hour, and steam four hours.
BOSTON BROWN BREAD.--One and one-half cups of graham flour, two cups
of corn meal, one-half cup of molasses, one pint of sweet milk, and
one-half a teaspoon of soda; steam three hours.
CORN BREAD.--One-half pint of buttermilk, one-half pint of sweet milk;
sweeten the sour milk with one-half teaspoon of soda; beat two eggs,
whites and yolks together; pour the milk into the eggs, then thicken
with about nine tablespoons of sifted corn meal. Put the pan on the
stove with a piece of lard the size of an egg; when melted pour it in
the batter; this lard by stirring it will grease the pan to bake in;
add a teaspoon of salt.
EXCELLENT BREAD.--Four potatoes mashed fine, four teaspoons of salt,
two quarts of lukewarm milk, one-half cake Gillett's magic yeast
dissolved in one-half cup of warm water, flour enough to make a
pliable dough; mold with hands well greased with lard; place in pans,
and when sufficiently light, it is ready for baking.
FRENCH BREAD.--With a quarter of a peck of fine flour mix the yolks of
three and whites of two eggs, beaten and strained, a little salt,
half a pint of good yeast that is not bitter, and as much milk, made a
little warm, as will work into a thin light dough. Stir it about, but
don't knead it. Have ready three quart wooden dishes, divide the dough
among them, set to rise, then turn them out into the oven, which must
be quick. Rasp when done.
GRAHAM BREAD.--For one loaf, take two cups of white bread sponge, to
which add two tablespoons of brown sugar, and graham flour to make a
stiff batter; let it rise, after which add graham flour sufficient to
knead, but not very stiff; then put it in the pan to rise and bake.
ITALIAN BREAD.--Make a stiff dough, with two pounds of fine flour, six
of white powdered sugar, three or four eggs, a lemon-peel grated, and
two ounces of fresh butter. If the dough is not firm enough, add more
flour and sugar. Then turn it out, and work it well with the hand, cut
it into round long biscuits, and glaze them with white of egg.
RICE AND WHEAT BREAD.--Simmer a pound of rice in two quarts of water
till soft; when it is of a proper warmth, mix it well with four pounds
of flour, and yeast, and salt as for other bread; of yeast about four
large spoonfuls; knead it well; then set to rise before the fire. Some
of the flour should be reserved to make up the loaves. If the rice
should require more water, it must be added, as some rice swells more
than others.
SAGO BREAD.--Boil two lbs. of sago in three pints of water until
reduced to a quart, then mix with it half a pint of yeast, and pour
the mixture into fourteen lbs. of flour. Make into bread in the usual
way.
STEAMED BREAD.--Two cups corn meal; 1 cup graham flour; 1/2 cup N. O.
molasses; salt and teaspoonful of soda. Mix soft with sour milk, or
make with sweet milk and Gillett's baking powder. Put in tight mold in
kettle of water; steam three hours or more. This is as nice as Boston
brown bread.
Use this receipt with flour instead of graham; add a cup of beef suet,
and it makes a nice pudding in the winter. Eat with syrup or cream.
BISCUITS.--Mix a quart of sweet milk with half a cup of melted butter;
stir in a pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and flour
enough for a stiff batter. Have the oven at a brisk heat. Drop the
batter, a spoonful in a place, on buttered pans. They will bake in
fifteen minutes.
CREAM BISCUITS.--Three heaping tablespoons of sour cream; put in a
bowl or vessel containing a quart and fill two-thirds full of sweet
milk, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon of soda, a little salt;
pour the cream in the flour, mix soft and bake in a quick oven.
FRENCH BISCUITS.--Two cups of butter, two cups of sugar, one egg (or
the whites of two), half a cup of sour milk, half a teaspoon of soda;
flour to roll; sprinkle with sugar.
RYE BISCUITS.--Two cups of rye meal, one and a half cups flour,
one-third cup molasses, one egg, a little salt, two cups sour milk,
two even teaspoons saleratus.
SODA BISCUITS.--To each quart of flour add one tablespoon of shortening,
one-half teaspoon of salt, and three and a half heaping teaspoons of
Gillett's baking powder; mix baking powder thoroughly through the flour,
then add other ingredients. Do not knead, and bake quickly. To use cream
tartar and soda, take the same proportions without the baking powder,
using instead two heaping teaspoons cream tartar and one of soda. If
good they will bake in five minutes.
TEA BISCUITS.--One cup of hot water, two of milk, three tablespoons of
yeast; mix thoroughly; after it is risen, take two-thirds of a cup of
butter and a little sugar and mold it; then let it rise, and mold it
into small cakes.
BANNOCKS.--One pint corn meal, pour on it boiling water to thoroughly
wet it. Let it stand a few minutes; add salt and one egg and a little
sweet cream, or a tablespoon melted butter. Make into balls and fry in
hot lard.
BREAKFAST CAKES.--One cup milk, one pint flour, three eggs, piece
butter size of an egg, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon soda,
one tablespoon butter.
BUCKWHEAT CAKES.--One quart buckwheat flour, four tablespoons
yeast, one tablespoon salt, one handful Indian meal, two tablespoons
molasses, not syrup. Warm water enough to make a thin batter; beat
very well and set in a warm place. If the batter is the least sour in
the morning, add a little soda.
QUICK BUCKWHEAT CAKES.--One quart of buckwheat flour, one-half a
teacup of corn meal or wheat flour, a little salt, and two tablespoons
of syrup. Wet these with cold or warm water to a thin batter, and add,
lastly, four good-tablespoons of Gillett's baking powder.
SPANISH BUNS.--Five eggs well beaten; cut up in a cup of warm new
milk half a pound of good butter, one pound of sifted flour, and a
wineglassful of good yeast; stir these well together; set it to rise
for an hour, in rather a warm place; when risen, sift in half a pound
of white sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; add one wineglass of wine
and brandy, mixed, one wineglass of rose-water, and one cupful of
currants, which have been cleaned thoroughly. Mix these well, pour it
into pans, and set it to rise again for half an hour. Then bake one
hour. Icing is a great improvement to their appearance.
BATH BUNS.--- Take 1 lb. of flour, put it in a dish, and make a hole
in the middle, and pour in a dessert spoonful of good yeast; pour upon
the yeast half a cupful of warm milk, mix in one-third of the flour,
and let it rise an hour. When it has risen, put in 6 ozs. of cold
butter, 4 eggs, and a few caraway seeds; mix all together with the
rest of the flour. Put it in a warm place to rise. Flatten it with the
hand on a pasteboard. Sift 6 ozs. of loaf sugar, half the size of a
pea; sprinkle the particles over the dough; roll together to mix the
sugar; let it rise in a warm place about 20 minutes. Make into buns,
and lay on buttered tins; put sugar and 9 or 10 comfits on the tops,
sprinkle them with water; bake in a pretty hot oven.
GRAHAM GEMS.--One quart of sweet milk, one cup syrup, one teaspoon
soda, two teaspoons cream tartar, little salt; mix cream tartar in
graham flour, soda in milk, and make it as stiff with the flour as
will make it drop easily from the spoon into muffin rings.
BROWN GRIDDLE CAKES.--Take stale bread, soak in water till soft, drain
off water through colander, beat up fine with fork, to one quart of
the crumb batter, add one quart each milk and flour, and four eggs
well beaten. Mix, bake in a griddle.
WHEAT GEMS.--One pint milk, two eggs, flour enough to make a batter
not very stiff, two large spoons melted butter, yeast to raise them, a
little soda and salt. Bake in gem irons.
JOHNNIE CAKE.--- One pint of corn meal, one teacup of flour, two eggs,
one pint of sweet milk, one tablespoon of molasses, one tablespoon of
melted butter, a little salt, one teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon of
cream of tartar; bake in square tins.
MUSH.--Indian or oatmeal mush is best made in the following manner:
Put fresh water in a kettle over the fire to boil, and put in some
salt; when the water boils, stir in handful by handful corn or oatmeal
until thick enough for use. In order to have excellent mush, the meal
should be allowed to cook well, and long as possible while thin, and
before the final handful is added.
FRIED MUSH.--When desired to be fried for breakfast, turn into an
earthen dish and set away to cool. Then cut in slices when you wish to
fry; dip each piece in beaten eggs and fry on a hot griddle.
MUFFINS.--One tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoons sugar, two
eggs--stir altogether; add one cup of sweet milk, three teaspoons of
baking powder, flour to make a stiff batter. Bake twenty minutes in a
quick oven.
ENGLISH PANCAKES.--Make a batter of two teacups of flour, four eggs, and
one quart of milk. Add, as a great improvement, one tablespoonful of
brandy with a little nutmeg scraped in. Make the [Transcriber's Note:
The original text reads 'sixe'] size of frying pan. Sprinkle a little
granulated sugar over the pancake, roll it up, and send to the table
hot.
POP OVERS.--Three cups of milk and three cups flour, three eggs, a
little salt, one tablespoon melted butter put in the last thing; two
tablespoons to a puff.
ROLLS.--To the quantity of light bread-dough that you would take for
twelve persons, add the white of one egg well beaten, two tablespoons
of white sugar, and two tablespoons of butter; work these thoroughly
together; roll out about half an inch thick; cut the size desired, and
spread one with melted butter and lay another upon the top of it. Bake
delicately when they have risen.
FRENCH ROLLS.--One quart flour, add two eggs, one half-pint milk,
tablespoon of yeast, kneed it well; let rise till morning. Work in one
ounce of butter, and mold in small rolls. Bake immediately.
RUSKS.--Milk enough with one-half cup of yeast to make a pint; make
a sponge and rise, then add one and a half cups of white sugar, three
eggs, one-half cup of butter; spice to your taste; mold, then put in
pan to rise. When baked, cover the tops with sugar dissolved in milk.
WAFFLES.--One quart of sweet or sour milk, four eggs, two-thirds of
a cup of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, three teaspoonfuls of
baking-powder; flour enough to make a nice batter. If you use
sour milk leave out the baking-powder, and use two teaspoons soda.
Splendid.
YEAST.--In reference to yeast, we advise the use of Magic Yeast Cakes;
it keeps good a year, and works quicker and better than other yeasts.
SUGGESTIONS IN MAKING CAKE.--It is very desirable that the materials
be of the finest quality. Sweet, fresh butter, eggs, and good flour
are the first essentials. The process of putting together is also
quite an important feature, and where other methods are not given in
this work by contributors, it would be well for the young housekeeper
to observe the following directions:
Never allow the butter to oil, but soften it by putting in a
moderately warm place before you commence other preparations for your
cake; then put it into an earthen dish--tin, if not new, will discolor
your cake as you stir it--and add your sugar; beat the butter and
sugar to a cream, add the yolks of the eggs, then the milk, and lastly
the beaten whites of the eggs and flour. Spices and liquors may be
added after the yolks of the eggs are put in, and fruit should be put
in with the flour.
The oven should be pretty hot for small cakes, and moderate for
larger. To ascertain if a large cake is sufficiently baked, pierce it
with a broom-straw through the center; if done, the straw will come
out free from dough; if not done, dough will adhere to the straw. Take
it out of the tin about fifteen minutes after it is taken from the
oven (not sooner), and do not turn it over on the top to cool.
FROSTING.--One pint granulated sugar, moisten thoroughly with water
sufficient to dissolve it when heated; let it boil until it threads
from the spoon, stirring often; while the sugar is boiling, beat the
whites of two eggs till they are firm; then when thoroughly beaten,
turn them into a deep dish, and when the sugar is boiled, turn it
over the whites, beating all rapidly together until of the right
consistency to spread over the cake. Flavor with lemon, if preferred.
This is sufficient for two loaves.
FROSTING, FOR CAKE.--One cup frosting-sugar, two tablespoons of water
boiled together; take it off the stove, and stir in the white of one
egg beaten to a stiff froth; stir all together well, then frost your
cake with it, and you will never want a nicer frosting than this.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING.--Whites of two eggs, one and one-half cups of fine
sugar, six great spoons of grated chocolate, two teaspoons of vanilla;
spread rather thickly between layers and on top of cake. Best when
freshly made. It should be made like any frosting.
ICING.--The following rules should be observed where boiled icing is
not used:
Put the whites of your eggs in a shallow earthern dish, and allow at
least a quarter of a pound or sixteen tablespoons of the finest white
sugar for each egg. Take part of the sugar at first and sprinkle over
the eggs; beat them for about half an hour, stirring in gradually
the rest of the sugar; then add the flavor. If you use the juice of
a lemon, allow more sugar. Tartaric and lemon-juice whitens icing. It
may be shaded a pretty pink with strawberry-juice or cranberry syrup,
or colored yellow by putting the juice and rind of a lemon in a thick
muslin bag, and squeezing it hard into the egg and sugar.
If cake is well dredged with flour after baking, and then carefully
wiped before the icing is put on, it will not run, and can be spread
more smoothly. Put frosting on to the cake in large spoonfuls,
commencing over the center; then spread it over the cake, using a
large knife, dipping it occasionally in cold water. Dry the frosting
on the cake in a cool, dry place.
ICE-CREAM ICING, FOR WHITE CAKE.--Two cups pulverized white sugar,
boiled to a thick syrup; add three teaspoons vanilla; when cold, add
the whites of two eggs well beaten, and flavored with two teaspoons of
citric acid.
ICING, FOR CAKES.--Take ten whites of eggs whipped to a stiff froth,
with twenty large spoonfuls of orange-flower water. This is to be laid
smoothly on the cakes after they are baked. Then return them to the
oven for fifteen minutes to harden the icing.
ICING.--One pound pulverized sugar, pour over one tablespoon cold
water, beat whites of three eggs a little, not to a stiff froth;
add to the sugar and water, put in a deep bowl, place in a vessel
of boiling water, and heat. It will become thin and clear, afterward
begin to thicken. When it becomes quite thick, remove from the fire
and stir while it becomes cool till thick enough to spread with a
knife. This will frost several ordinary-sized cakes.
ALMOND CAKE.--Take ten eggs, beaten separately, the yolks from the
whites; beat the yolks with half a pound of white sugar; blanch a
quarter of a pound of almonds by pouring hot water on them, and remove
the skins; pound them in a mortar smooth; add three drops of oil of
bitter almonds; and rose-water to prevent the oiling of the almonds.
Stir this also into the eggs. Half a pound of sifted flour stirred
very slowly into the eggs; lastly, stir in the whites, which must
have been whipped to a stiff froth. Pour this into the pans, and bake
immediately three-quarters of an hour.
COCOANUT CAKE.--Whip the whites of ten eggs, grate two nice cocoanuts,
and add them; sift one pound of white sugar into half a pound of
sifted flour; stir this well; add a little rose-water to flavor; pour
into pans, and bake three-fourths of an hour.
COCOANUT DROPS.--One pound each grated cocoanut and sugar; four well
beaten eggs; four tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, drop on pan, and
bake.
COCOANUT JUMBLES.--Take one cup butter, two cups sugar, three eggs
well whipped, one grated cocoanut, stirred in lightly with the flour,
which must be sufficient to stiffen to the required consistency. Bake
one to know when enough flour is added.
COFFEE CAKE.--Take three eggs, two cups brown sugar, one cup strong
coffee, quarter of cup of butter, three cups flour, one teaspoonful
cream tartar, half teaspoonful each soda and ground cinnamon and
cloves, half a nutmeg grated, one cup of raisins, stoned; beat butter
and sugar to a cream, then add eggs beaten, coffee, flour sifted,
and cream tartar, well mixed with it. Spices and raisins, then soda
dissolved in sufficient warm water to absorb it. Thoroughly mix, and
bake in round tins.
COOKIES.--Two cups bright brown sugar, one cup butter, half cup sweet
milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful soda, flour enough to roll out.
COMPOSITION CAKE.--Five eggs, three cups sugar, two cups butter, five
cups flour, one wine-glass brandy, one nutmeg grated, half pound each
raisins and currants, three teaspoonfuls Gillett's baking powder.
CORN STARCH CAKE.--Two cups pulverized sugar, one cup butter, cup corn
starch, two cups sifted flour, seven eggs (whites beaten very light),
one teaspoon soda, two teaspoons cream tartar (or two teaspoons
caking powder instead of soda and cream tartar), flavor with lemon.
In putting this together, beat butter and sugar to a light cream,
dissolve corn starch in a cup of sweet milk, leaving enough of the
milk to dissolve the soda if it is used, put cream of tartar or baking
powder in the flour, beat the whites of the eggs separate when the
butter and sugar are ready, put all the ingredients together first,
leaving the eggs and flour to the last.
CREAM CAKE.--Half pint cream, one tablespoon butter rubbed into one
tablespoon flour. Put the cream on the fire. When it boils stir in the
butter and flour mixed, add half a tea cup sugar, two eggs very light,
flavor with vanilla. Spread between cakes, and frost or sugar top of
cake to please fancy.
CINNAMON CAKE.--Take two cups of brown sugar, one cup of butter,
three-quarters cup of milk, half cup of vinegar, four eggs, large
tablespoon of cinnamon, four cups of flour, one teaspoon of soda,
two teaspoons cream tartar, mix all but vinegar and soda, then add
vinegar, then soda, bake in large tin or patty pans.
CURRANT CAKE.--Take two pounds of flour, half a pound of butter rubbed
in the flour, half a pound of moist sugar, a few caraway seeds, three or
four tablespoonfuls of yeast, and a pint of milk made a little warm. Mix
all together, and let it stand an hour or two at the fire to rise; then
beat it up with three eggs and a half pound of currants. Put it into a
tin, and bake two hours in a moderate oven.
CUP CAKE.--Cream half a cup of butter, and four cups of sugar by
beating; stir in five well-beaten eggs; dissolve one teaspoonful of
soda in a cup of good milk or cream, and six cups of sifted flour;
stir all well together, and bake in tins.
DELICATE CAKE.--Mix two cups of sugar, four of flour, half cup butter,
half cup sweet milk, the whites of seven eggs, two teaspoons cream
tartar, one teaspoon soda, rub the cream tartar in the flour and other
ingredients, and flavor to suit the taste.
DELICIOUS SWISS CAKE.--Beat the yolks of five eggs and one pound of
sifted loaf sugar well together; then sift in one pound of best flour,
and a large spoonful of anise seed; beat these together for twenty
minutes; then whip to a stiff froth the five whites, and add them;
beat all well; then roll out the paste an inch thick, and cut them
with a molded cutter rather small; set them aside till the next
morning to bake. Rub the tins on which they are baked with yellow wax;
it is necessary to warm the tins to receive the wax; then let them
become cool, wipe them, and lay on the cakes. Bake a light brown.
DOUGHNUTS.--One and a half cup of sugar; half cup sour milk, two
teaspoons soda, little nutmeg, four eggs, flour enough to roll out.
DROP CAKE.--- To one pint cream, three eggs, one pinch of salt,
thicken with rye till a spoon will stand upright in it, then drop on a
well buttered iron pan which must be hot in the oven.
DROP COOKIES.--Whites of two eggs, one large cup of milk, one cup of
sugar, one-half cup of butter, two teaspoonfuls baking-powder, flavor
with vanilla, rose, or nutmeg; flour enough for thick batter, beat
thoroughly, drop in buttered pans, dust granulated sugar on top, and
bake with dispatch.
FRUIT CAKE.--Take one pint each of sour milk and sugar, two eggs, half
pint melted butter, two teaspoons even full of soda, dissolve in milk
flour enough to roll out into shape, and fry in hot lard.
FRIED CAKES.--Three eggs, one cup of sugar, one pint of new milk,
salt, nutmeg, and flour enough to permit the spoon to stand upright in
the mixture; add two teaspoonfuls of Gillett's baking powder and beat
until very light. Drop by the dessert-spoonful into boiling lard.
These will not absorb a bit of fat, and are the least pernicious of
the doughnut family.
FRUIT CAKE.--Take four pounds of brown sugar, four pounds of good
butter, beaten to cream; put four pounds of sifted flour into a pan;
whip thirty-two eggs to a fine froth, and add to the creamed butter
and sugar; then take six pounds of cleaned currants, four pounds
of stoned raisins, two pounds of cut citron, one pound of blanched
almonds, crushed, but not pounded, to a paste--a large cup of
molasses, two large spoonfuls of ground ginger, half an ounce of
pounded mace, half an ounce of grated nutmeg, half an ounce of pounded
and sifted cloves, and one of cinnamon. Mix these well together, then
add four large wineglasses of good French brandy, and lastly, stir
in the flour; beat this well, put it all into a stone jar, cover very
closely, for twelve hours; then make into six loaves, and bake in
iron pans. These cakes will keep a year, if attention is paid to their
being put in a tin case, and covered lightly in an airy place. They
improve by keeping.
GINGER DROP CAKE.--Cup each sugar, molasses, lard and boiling water,
one teaspoon soda, half teaspoon cream tartar, stir in flour until it
is as thick as cake, add sugar and salt.
GINGER SNAPS.--Take one cup each of sugar, molasses, butter, half cup
sour milk, two teaspoons cream tartar, one teaspoon soda, flour enough
to roll out, cut into size desired and bake.
GINGER SNAPS.--Two cups of New Orleans molasses, one cup of sugar,
one of butter, one teaspoonful of soda, one of cloves, one of black
pepper, and two tablespoons of ginger. These will keep good a month if
you wish to keep them.
GRAHAM CAKES.--Half a cup of butter, one-half cup sugar, one egg,
one teacup sour milk, one-half teaspoon soda. Make a stiff batter by
adding graham flour.
GOOD GRAHAM CAKES.--Two cups sweet milk, one cup sweet cream, the
white of one egg beaten to froth, half a spoonful of salt, dessert
spoonful baking powder, stir in stiffened graham flour until quite
thick, bake in muffin-rings or gem-tins, until well browned on top.
INDIAN BREAKFAST PATTIES.--To one pint of Indian meal add one egg, and
a little salt, pour boiling water upon it, and fry brown immediately
in pork fat. Cut open and put butter between, and send to the table
hot.
JUMBLES.--Stir together till of a light brown color, one pound sugar,
one-half pound butter, then add eight eggs beaten to a froth, add
flour enough to make them stiff enough to roll out, flavor with lemon,
cut in rings half an inch thick, bake in quick oven.
KISSES.--Beat the whites of four eggs to a froth, stir into them half
pound powdered white sugar; flavor with lemon, continue to beat it
until it will be in a heap; lay the mixture on letter-paper, in the
size and shape of half an egg, an inch apart, then lay the paper on
hard wood and place in the oven without closing it, when they begin to
look yellowish take them out and let them cool three or four minutes,
then slip a thin knife carefully under and turn them into your left
hand, take another and join the two by the sides next the paper, then
lay them in a dish handling them gently. They may be batted a little
harder, the soft inside taken out and jelly substituted.
LIGHT FRUIT CAKE.--Take one cup butter, two cups sugar, four of flour,
four eggs, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon soda, one cup
sweet milk, one pound currants, half pound citron.
MARBLE CAKE, LIGHT PART.--One and a half cups white sugar, half cup
butter, half cup sweet milk, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon
soda, whites of four eggs, two and half cups flour.
DARK PART.--One cup brown sugar, half cup each molasses, butter and
sour milk, one teaspoon cream tartar, one teaspoon soda, two and a
half cups flour, yolks four eggs, half teaspoon cloves, allspice and
cinnamon.
MOLASSES COOKIES.--Three cups New Orleans molasses, one cup butter,
one-half cup lard, one heaped teaspoon soda, one tablespoon ginger,
one cup hot water. Roll thick. Better after standing.
MUFFINS.--Take two cups flour, one cup milk, half cup sugar, four
eggs, one-half teaspoon each of soda and cream tartar, one tablespoon
butter. Bake in rings.
GRAHAM MUFFINS.--Mix one pint sweet milk, sift your flour, then take
half pound each Graham and wheat flour, five or six spoonfuls melted
butter, two half spoons baking powder. Bake in rings in very quick
oven.
NUT CAKE.--Mix each two tablespoons of butter and sugar, two eggs, one
cup milk, three cups flour, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon
soda, pint of nuts or almonds. Nuts may be sliced or not as suits
taste.
OAT CAKES.--Mix fine and coarse oatmeal in equal proportions; add
sugar, caraway-seeds, a dust of salt to three pounds of meal, a
heaping teaspoonful of carbonate of soda; mix all thoroughly together,
then add enough boiling water to make the whole a stiff paste; roll
out this paste quite thin, and sprinkle meal on a griddle. Lay the
cakes on to bake, or toast them quite dry in a Dutch oven in front of
the fire; they should not scorch, but gradually dry through.
ORANGE CAKE, THE MOST DELICATE AND DELICIOUS CAKE THERE IS.--Grated
rind of one orange; two cups sugar; whites of four eggs and yolks
of five; one cup sweet milk; one cup butter; two large teaspoonfuls
baking powder, to be sifted through with the flour; bake quick in
jelly tins. Filling: Take white of the one egg that was left; beat
to a froth, add a little sugar and the juice of the orange, beat
together, and spread between the layers. If oranges are not to be had,
lemons will do instead.
PLAIN FRUIT CAKE.--One pound each butter beaten to a cream, sifted
sugar, sifted flour, twelve eggs, whites and yolks, beaten separately.
Two pounds currants, three pounds of stoned raisins chopped, one
nutmeg, a little cinnamon and other spices, half pint wine and brandy
mixed, one pound citron cut in slices and stuck in the batter after
it is in the tin. Bake slowly two to three hours. PLAIN CAKE.--Flour,
three-quarters of a pound; sugar, the same quantity; butter, four
ounces; one egg and two tablespoonfuls of milk. Mix all together and
bake.
PUFFS.--Two eggs beaten very light; one cup of milk, one cup of flour,
and a pinch of salt. The gems should be heated while making the puffs,
which are then placed in a quick oven.
PLUM CAKE.--Six eggs well beaten, one pound of sugar, the same
of flour, butter and currants, four ounces of candied peel, two
tablespoonfuls of mixed spice. When it is all mixed, add one
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, and one of tartaric acid. Beat it
all up quickly and bake directly.
POUND CAKE.--Take four and a half cups flour, 3 cups each butter and
sugar. Ten eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. Mix.
PORK CAKE.--Take one pound salt pork chopped fine, boil a few minutes
in half pint water, one cup molasses, two cups sugar, three eggs, two
teaspoons soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg to taste, one pound raisins
chopped fine, flour to make a stiff batter.
RICH SHORTBREAD.--Two pounds of flour, one pound butter, and quarter
pound each of the following ingredients:--Candied orange and lemon
peel, sifted loaf sugar, blanched sweet almonds and caraway comfits.
Cut the peel and almonds into thin slices, and mix them with one pound
and a half of flour and the sugar. Melt the butter, and when cool,
pour it into the flour, mixing it quickly with a spoon. Then with the
hands mix it, working in the remainder of the flour; give it one roll
out till it is an inch thick, cut it into the size you wish, and pinch
round the edges. Prick the top with a fork, and stick in some caraway
comfits; put it on white paper, and bake on tins in a slow oven.
SEED CAKE.--Take half a pound of butter and three-fourths of a pound
of sugar, creamed; three eggs, beaten lightly, and two tablespoonfuls
of picked and bruised caraway seed; dissolve half a teaspoonful of
soda in a cup of new milk; mix these well together until they are
about the consistency of cream; then sift in two pounds of flour, mix
well with a knife, and roll them out into thin cakes, about an inch in
thickness. Bake in a quick oven.
SPONGE CAKE.--Take sixteen eggs; separate the whites from the yolks;
beat them very lightly; sift into the yolks one pound of flour, adding
a few drops of essence of almond or lemon, to flavor with; then add
one pound and a quarter of pulverized loaf sugar; beat this well with
a knife; then add the whites whipped to a stiff froth. Have ready the
pans, and bake.
SPONGE CAKE, WHITE.--One and one-third coffee cups of sugar; one
coffee cup flour; whites of ten eggs; beat eggs and sugar as if for
frosting; add flour by degrees and bake.
SNOW CAKE.--Take one pound arrow-root, half pound white sugar, half
pound butter, the whites of six eggs, flavor with lemon, beat the
butter to a cream, stir in the sugar and arrow-root, whisk the whites
of the eggs to a stiff froth, beat for twenty minutes. Bake one hour.
WASHINGTON CAKE.--One cup of sugar; 1/2 cup of butter; 1/2 cup sweet
milk; 2 eggs; 2 cups flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder. Bake in layers
as jelly cake. Jelly part: One pint of grated apples; 1 egg; 1 cup
of sugar; grated rind and juice of one lemon; put in a vessel of some
kind, and boil; put it on the cakes hot.
WAFFLES.--Take one quart milk, two eggs; beat the whites and yolks
separately; four tablespoons melted butter, two teaspoons Gillett's
baking powder, flour to make a stiff batter. Bake in waffle irons.
ALPINE SNOW.--Wash cup of rice, cook till tender in a covered dish to
keep it white, when nearly done add cup rich milk, salt to taste, stir
in the beaten yolks of two eggs, allow it to simmer for a moment, then
place in a dish, beat the whites in two tablespoons fine sugar. Put
the rice in little heaps upon the tin, intermingling with pieces of
red jelly, eat with fine sugar and cream.
APPLE CHARLOTTE.--Take two pounds of apples, pare and core and slice
them into a pan and add one pound loaf sugar, juice of three lemons
and the grated rind of one, let these boil until they become a thick
mass. Turn into a mould and serve it cold with thick custard or cream.
APPLE CREAM.--One cup thick cream, one cup sugar, beat till very
smooth; then beat the whites of two eggs and add; stew apples in water
till soft; take them from the water with a fork; steam them if you
prefer. Pour the cream over the apples when cold.
APPLE CUSTARD.--Pare tart apples, core them, put them into a deep dish
with a small piece of butter, and one teaspoon of sugar and a little
nutmeg, in the opening of each apple, pour in water enough to cook
them, when soft cool them and pour over an unbaked custard so as to
cover them and bake until the custard is done.
APPLE FANCY.--Pare and core apples, stew with sugar and lemon peels,
beat four eggs to a froth, add a cupful of grated bread crumbs, a
little sugar and nutmeg, lay the apples in the bottom of a dish and
cover with the bread crumbs, laying a few pieces of butter over the
top, bake in a quick oven, when done turn out upside down on a flat
dish, scatter fine sugar over the top of apples, boil potatoes and
beat fine with cream, large piece butter and salt, drop on tin, make
smooth on top, score with knife, lay a thin slice of butter on top,
then put in oven till brown.
APPLE FRITTERS.--One pint milk, three eggs, salt to taste, as much
flour as will make a batter, beat yolks and whites of eggs separately,
add yolks to milk, stir in the whites when mixing the batter, have
tender apples, pare, core, and cut in large thin slices, around the
apple, to be fried in hot lard, ladle batter into spider, lay slice of
apple in centre of each quantity of batter, fry light brown.
APPLE SNOW BALLS.--Pare six apples, cut them into quarters, remove the
cores, reconstruct the position of the apples, introduce into the
cavities one clove and a slice of lemon peel, have six small pudding
cloths at hand and cover the apples severally in an upright position
with rice, tying them up tight, then place them in a large saucepan of
scalding water and boil one hour, on taking them up open the top and add
a little grated nutmeg with butter and sugar.
ARROW-ROOT BLANC-MANGE.--Put two tablespoonfuls of arrow-root to a
quart of milk, and a pinch of salt. Scald the milk, sweeten it, and
stir in the arrow-root, which must first be wet up with some of the
milk. Boil up once. Orange-water, rose-water or lemon-peel may be used
to flavor it. Pour into molds to cool.
ARROW-ROOT CUSTARD.--Arrow-root, one tablespoonful; milk, 1 pint;
sugar, 1 tablespoonful, and 1 egg. Mix the arrow-root with a little of
the milk, cold; when the milk boils, stir in the arrow-root, egg and
sugar, previously well beaten together. Let it scald, and pour into
cups to cool. To flavor it, boil a little ground cinnamon in the milk.
ARROW-ROOT JELLY.--To a dessert-spoonful of the powder, add as much
cold water as will make it into a paste, then pour on half a pint of
boiling water, stir briskly and boil it a few minutes, when it will
become a clear smooth jelly; a little sugar and sherry wine may
be added for debilitated adults; but for infants, a drop or two of
essence of caraway seeds or cinnamon is preferable, wine being very
liable to become acid in the stomachs of infants, and to disorder
the bowels. Fresh milk, either alone or diluted with water, may be
substituted for the water.
BAKED APPLES.--Take a dozen tart apples, pare and core them, place
sugar and small lump of butter in centre of each, put them in a pan
with half pint of water, bake until tender, basting occasionally with
syrup while baking, when done, serve with cream.
CHOCOLATE CREAM CUSTARD.--Scrape quarter pound chocolate, pour on it
one teacup boiling water, and stand it by fire until dissolved, beat
eight eggs light, omitting the whites of two, and stir them by
degrees into a quart of milk alternately with the chocolate and three
tablespoons of white sugar, put the mixture into cups and bake 10
minutes.
CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Whip one quart rich cream to a stiff froth, and
drain well on a nice sieve. To one scant pint of milk add six eggs
beaten very light; make very sweet; flavor high with vanilla. Cook
over hot water till it is a thick custard. Soak one full ounce Coxe's
gelatine in a very little water, and warm over hot water. When the
custard is very cold, beat in lightly the gelatine and the whipped
cream. Line the bottom of your mold with buttered paper, and the sides
with sponge cake or ladyfingers fastened together with the white of an
egg. Fill with the cream, put in a cold place or in summer on ice.
To turn out dip the mold for a moment in hot water. In draining the
whipped cream, all that drips through can be re-whipped.
COCOA SNOW.--Grate the white part of a cocoanut and mix it with white
sugar, serve with whipped cream, or not, as desired.
CREAM AND SNOW.--Make a rich boiled custard, and put it in the bottom
of a dish; take the whites of eight eggs, beat with rose-water, and a
spoonful of fine sugar, till it be a strong froth; put some milk and
water into a stew-pan; when it boils take the froth off the eggs, and
lay it on the milk and water; boil up once; take off carefully and lay
it on the custard.
BAKED CUSTARDS.--Boil a pint of cream with some mace and cinnamon; and
when it is cold, take four yolks and two whites of eggs, a little rose
and orange-flower water, sack, nutmeg, and sugar to your palate. Mix
them well, and bake it in cups.
Or, pour into a deep dish, with or without lining or rim of paste;
grate nutmeg and lemon peel over the top, and bake in a slow oven
about thirty minutes.
GOOSEBERRY CREAM.--Boil them in milk till soft; beat them, and strain
the pulp through a coarse sieve. Sweeten cream with sugar to your
taste; mix with the pulp; when cold, place in glasses for use.
IMPERIAL CREAM.--Boil a quart of cream with the thin rind of a lemon;
stir till nearly cold; have ready in a dish to serve in, the juice of
three lemons strained with as much sugar as will sweeten the cream;
pour it into the dish from a large tea-pot, holding it high, and
moving it about to mix with the juice. It should be made from 6 to 12
hours before it is served.
JUMBALLS.--Flour, 1 lb.; sugar, 1 lb.; make into a light paste with
whites of eggs beaten fine; add 1/2 pint of cream; 1/2 lb. of
butter, melted; and 1 lb. of blanched almonds, well beaten; knead all
together, with a little rose-water; cut into any form; bake in a slow
oven. A little butter may be melted with a spoonful of white wine and
throw fine sugar over the dish.
LEMON PUFFS.--Beat and sift 1 pound of refined sugar; put into a bowl
with the juice of two lemons, and mix them together; beat the white of
an egg to a high froth; put it into the bowl; put in 3 eggs with two
rinds of lemon grated; mix it well up, and throw sugar on the
buttered papers; drop on the puffs in small drops, and bake them in a
moderately heated oven.
LEMON TARTS.--Pare the rinds of four lemons, and boil tender in two
waters, and beat fine. Add to it 4 ounces of blanched almonds, cut
thin, 4 ozs. of lump sugar, the juice of the lemons, and a little
grated peel. Simmer to a syrup. When cold, turn into a shallow tin
tart dish, lined with a rich thin puff paste, and lay bars of the same
over, and bake carefully.
MACAROONS.--Blanch 4 ozs. of almonds, and pound with 4 spoonfuls of
orange-flower water; whisk the whites of four eggs to a froth, then
mix it, and 1 lb. of sugar, sifted with the almonds to a paste; and
laying a sheet of wafer-paper on a tin, put it on in different little
cakes, the shape of macaroons.
OATMEAL CUSTARD.--Take two teaspoons of the finest Scotch oatmeal,
beat it up into a sufficiency of cold water in a basin to allow it to
run freely. Add to it the yoke of a fresh egg, well worked up; have
a pint of scalding new milk on the fire, and pour the oatmeal mixture
into it, stirring it round with a spoon so as to incorporate the
whole. Add sugar to your taste, and throw in a glass of sherry to the
mixture, with a little grated nutmeg. Pour it into a basin, and take
it warm in bed. It will be found very grateful and soothing in cases
of colds or chills. Some, persons scald a little cinnamon in the milk
they use for the occasion.
ORANGE CRUMPETS.--Cream, 1 pint; new milk, 1 pint; warm it, and put in
it a little rennet or citric acid; when broken, stir it gently; lay
it on a cloth to drain all night, and then take the rinds of three
oranges, boiled, as for preserving, in three different waters; pound
them very fine, and mix them with the curd, and eight eggs in a
mortar, a little nutmeg, the juice of a lemon or orange, and sugar to
your taste; bake them in buttered tin pans. When baked put a little
wine and sugar over them.
ORANGE CUSTARDS.--Boil the rind of half a Seville orange very tender;
beat it very fine in a mortar; add a spoonful of the best brandy, the
juice of a Seville orange, 4 ozs. loaf sugar, and the yolks of four
eggs; beat all together ten minutes; then pour in gradually a pint of
boiling cream; keep beating them until they are cold; put them into
custard cups, and set them in an earthen dish of hot water; let them
stand until they are set, take out, and stick preserved oranges on the
top, and serve them hot or cold.
POMMES AU RIZ.--Peel a number of apples of a good sort, take out
the cores, and let them simmer in a syrup of clarified sugar, with
a little lemon peel. Wash and pick some rice, and cook it in milk,
moistening it therewith little by little, so that the grains may
remain whole. Sweeten it to taste; add a little salt and a taste of
lemon-peel. Spread the rice upon a dish, mixing some apple preserve
with it, and place the apples upon it, and fill up the vacancies
between the apples with some of the rice. Place the dish in the oven
until the surface gets brown, and garnish with spoonfuls of bright
colored preserve or jelly.
RASPBERRY CREAM.--Mash the fruit gently, and let it drain; then
sprinkle a little sugar over, and that will produce more juice; put it
through a hair sieve to take out the seeds; then put the juice to some
cream, and sweeten it; after which, if you choose to lower it with
some milk, it will not curdle; which it would if put to the milk
before the cream; but it is best made of raspberry jelly, instead of
jam, when the fresh fruit cannot be obtained.
RICE FRITTERS.--One pint of cooked rice, half cup of sweet milk, two
eggs, a tablespoon of flour, and a little salt. Have the lard hot in
the skillet, allow a tablespoon to each fritter, fry brown on each
side, then turn same as griddle cakes. If you find the rice spatters
in the fat, add a very little more flour. You can judge after frying
one.
RICE CROQUETTES.--Make little balls or oblong rolls of cooked rice;
season with salt, and pepper if you like; dip in egg; fry in hot lard.
RICE CUSTARDS.--Boil 3 pints of new milk with a bit of lemon-peel,
cinnamon, and three bay leaves; sweeten; then mix a large spoonful of
rice flour into a cup of cold milk, very smooth; mix it with the yolks
of four eggs well beaten. Take a basin of the boiling milk, and
mix with the cold that has the rice in it; add the remainder of the
boiling milk; stir it one way till it boils; pour immediately into a
pan; stir till cool, and add a spoonful of brandy, or orange-flower
water.
RICE FLUMMERY.--Boil with a pint of new milk, a bit of lemon-peel, and
cinnamon; mix with a little cold milk, as much rice flour as will
make the whole of a good consistence, sweeten and add a spoonful of
peach-water, or a bitter almond beaten; boil it, observing it does not
burn; pour it into a shape or a pint basin, taken out the spice. When
cold, turn the flummery into a dish, and serve with cream, milk, or
custard round; or put a teacupful of cream into half a pint of new
milk, a glass of white wine, half a lemon squeezed, and sugar.
ROCK CREAM.--Boil a teacupful of rice till quite soft in new milk and
then sweeten it with sugar, and pile it on a dish, lay on it current
jelly or preserved fruit, beat up the whites of five eggs with a
little powdered sugar and flour, add to this when beaten very stiff
about a tablespoon of rich cream and drop it over the rice.
STRAWBERRY AND APPLE SOUFFLE.--Stew the apple with a little
lemon-peel; sweeten them, then lay them pretty high round the inside
of a dish. Make a custard of the yolks of two eggs, a little cinnamon,
sugar and milk. Let it thicken over a slow fire, but not boil; when
ready, pour it in the inside of the apple. Beat the whites of the eggs
to a strong froth, and cover the whole. Throw over it a good deal
of pounded sugar, and brown it to a fine brown. Any fruit made of a
proper consistence does for the walls, strawberries, when ripe, are
delicious.
STRAWBERRY SHORT-CAKE.--First prepare the berries by picking; after
they have been well washed--the best way to wash them is to hold the
boxes under the faucet and let a gentle stream of water run over and
through them, then drain, and pick them into an earthen bowl; now
take the potato-masher and bruise them and cover with a thick layer of
white sugar; now set them aside till the cake is made. Take a quart of
sifted flour; half a cup of sweet butter; one egg, well beaten; three
teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and milk enough to make a rather stiff
dough; knead well, and roll with a rolling-pin till about one inch
thick; bake till a nice brown, and when done, remove it to the
table; turn it out of the pan; with a light, sharp knife, cut it down
lengthwise and crossways; now run the knife through it, and lay it
open for a few moments, just to let the steam escape (the steam ruins
the color of the berries); then set the bottom crust on the platter;
cover thickly with the berries, an inch and a half deep; lay the top
crust on the fruit; dust thickly with powdered sugar, and if any berry
juice is left in the bowl, pour it round the cake, not over it, and
you will have a delicious short-cake.
SNOW CREAM.--To a quart of cream add the whites of three eggs, cut
to a stiff froth, add four spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar to taste,
flavor with essence of lemon. Whip all to a froth, and as soon as it
forms take it off and serve in glasses.
STEWED FIGS.--Take four ounces of fine sugar, the thin rind of a large
lemon, and a pint of cold water, when the sugar is dissolved, add one
pound turkey figs, and place the stew-pan over a moderate fire where
they may heat and swell slowly, and stew gently for two hours, when
they are quite tender, add the juice of one lemon, arrange them in a
glass dish and serve cold.
SPANISH CREAM.--Dissolve in 1/2 pint of rose-water, 1 oz. of isinglass
cut small; run it through a hair sieve; add the yolks of three or
four eggs, beaten and mixed with half a pint of cream, and two sorrel
leaves. Pour it into a deep dish, sweeten with loaf sugar powdered.
Stir it till cold, and put it into molds. Lay rings round in different
colored sweetmeats. Add, if you like, a little sherry, and a lump
or two of sugar, rubbed well upon the rind of a lemon to extract the
flavor.
WHIPPED CREAM.--To one quart of good cream, put a few drops of
bergamot water, a little orange-flower water, and 1/2 lb. of sugar.
When it is dissolved, whip the cream to a froth, and take it up with
a skimmer; drain on a sieve, and if for icing, let it settle half an
hour before you put it into cups or glasses. Use that which drops
into the dish under the sieve, to make it froth the better, adding two
whites of eggs. Colored powdered sugar may, if you like, be sprinkled
on the top of each.
ASPARAGUS OMELET.--Boil a dozen of the largest and finest asparagus
heads you can pick; cut off all the green portion, and chop it in thin
slices; season with a small teaspoonful of salt, and about one-fourth
of that quantity of soluble cayenne. Then beat up six eggs in a
sufficient quantity of new milk to make a stiffish batter. Melt in
the frying-pan a quarter of a pound of good, clean dripping, and just
before you pour on the batter place a small piece of butter in the
center of the pan. When the dripping is quite hot, pour on half your
batter, and as it begins to set, place on it the asparagus tops, and
cover over with the remainder. This omelet is generally served on a
round of buttered toast, with the crusts removed. The batter is richer
if made of cream.
BUTTERED EGGS.--Beat four or five eggs, yolks and whites together, put a
quarter of a pound of butter in a basin, and then put that in boiling
water, stir it till melted, then pour the butter and the eggs into a
sauce-pan; keep a basin in your hand, just hold the sauce-pan in the
other over a slow part of the fire, shaking it one way, as it begins to
warm; pour it into a basin, and back, then hold it again over the fire,
stirring it constantly in the saucepan, and pouring it into the basin,
more perfectly to mix the egg and butter until they shall be hot without
boiling.
Serve on toasted bread; or in a basin, to eat with salt fish, or red
herrings.
CORN-OYSTERS.--Take a half dozen ears of sweet corn (those which are
not too old); with a sharp knife split each row of the corn in the
center of the kernel lengthwise; scrape out all the pulp; add one egg,
well beaten, a little salt, one tablespoonful of sweet milk; flour
enough to make a pretty stiff batter. Drop in hot lard, and fry a
delicate brown. If the corn is quite young, omit the milk, using as
little flour as possible.
CHEESE OMELET.--Mix to a smooth batter three tablespoonfuls of fine
flour, with half a pint of milk. Beat up well the yolks and whites
of four eggs, a little salt, and a quarter of a pound of grated old
English cheese. Add these to the flour and milk, and whisk all the
ingredients together for half an hour. Put three ounces of butter into
a frying-pan, and when it is boiling pour in the above mixture, fry it
for a few minutes, and then turn it carefully; when it is sufficiently
cooked on the other side, turn it on to a hot dish and serve.
IRISH STEW.--Take a loin of mutton, cut it into chops, season it with
a very little pepper and salt, put it into a saucepan, just cover it
with water, and let it cook half an hour. Boil two dozen of potatoes,
peel and mash them, and stir in a cup of cream while they are hot;
then line a deep dish with the potatoes, and lay in the cooked mutton
chops, and cover them over with the rest of the potatoes; then set it
in the oven to bake. Make some gravy of the broth in which the chops
were cooked. This is a very nice dish.
IRISH STEW.--Cut off the fat of part of a loin of mutton, and cut it
into chops. Pare, wash, and slice very thin some potatoes, two onions,
and two small carrots; season with pepper and salt. Cover with water
in a stew-pan, and stew gently till the meat is tender, and the
potatoes are dissolved in the gravy. It may be made of beef-steaks, or
mutton and beef mixed.
MACARONI, DRESSED SWEET.--Boil 2 ozs. in a pint of milk, with a bit of
lemon peel, and a good bit of cinnamon, till the pipes are swelled to
their utmost size without breaking. Lay them on a custard-dish, and
pour a custard over them hot. Serve cold.
MACARONI, AS USUALLY SERVED.--Boil it in milk, or a weak veal broth,
flavored with salt. When tender, put it into a dish without the
liquor, with bits of butter and grated cheese, and over the top grate
more, and put a little more butter. Put the dish into a Dutch oven, a
quarter of an hour, and do not let the top become hard.
OMELET.--Six eggs beaten separately, beaten hard, two teaspoons of
corn starch, two tablespoons milk, whites of eggs, put in slow at
last. Fry in butter.
RUMBLED EGGS.--This is very convenient for invalids, or a light dish
for supper. Beat up three eggs with two ounces of fresh butter, or
well-washed salt butter; add a teaspoonful of cream or new milk. Put
all in a saucepan and keep stirring it over the fire for nearly five
minutes, until it rises up like scuffle, when it should be immediately
dished on buttered toast.
POACHED EGGS.--Break an egg into a cup, and put it gently into boiling
water; and when the white looks quite set, which will be in about
three or four minutes, take it up with an egg slice, and lay it on
toast and butter, or spinach. Serve them hot; if fresh laid, they will
poach well, without breaking.
SAVORY POTATO-CAKES.--Quarter of a pound of grated ham, one pound of
mashed potatoes, and a little suet, mixed with the yolks of two eggs,
pepper, salt and nutmeg. Roll it into little balls, or cakes, and
fry it a light brown. Sweet herbs may be used in place of ham. Plain
potato cakes are made with potatoes and eggs only.
TOMATO TOAST.--Remove the stem and all the seeds from the tomatoes;
they must be ripe, mind, not _over ripe_; stew them to a pulp, season
with butter, pepper and salt; toast some bread (not new bread), butter
it, and then spread the tomato on each side, and send it up to table,
two slices on each dish, the slices cut in two; and the person who
helps it must serve with two half-slices, not attempt to lift the top
slice, otherwise the appearance of the under slice will be destroyed.
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