COMMON MUSTARD--Is best when fresh made. Take good flour of mustard;
put it in a plate, add to it a little salt, and mix it by degrees with
boiling water to the usual consistence, rubbing it for a long time with
a broad-bladed knife or a wooden spoon. It should be perfectly smooth.
The less that is made at a time the better it will be. If you wish it
very mild, use sugar instead of salt, and boiling milk instead of water.
KEEPING MUSTARD.--Dissolve three ounces of salt in a quart of boiling
vinegar, and pour it hot upon two ounces of scraped horseradish. Cover
the jar closely and let it stand twenty-four hours. Strain it and then
mix it by degrees with the best flour of mustard. Make it of the usual
thickness, and beat it till quite smooth. Then put it into wide-mouthed
bottles and stop it closely.
FRENCH MUSTARD.--Mix together four ounces of the very best mustard
powder, four salt-spoons of salt, a large table-spoonful of minced
tarragon leaves, and two cloves of garlic chopped fine. Dilute it to
the proper consistence by adding alternately equal portions of vinegar
and salad oil. It will probably require about four wine-glassfuls or
half a pint. Mix it well, using for the purpose a wooden spoon. When
done, put it into a wide-mouthed bottle or into little white jars. Cork
it very closely, and keep it in a dry place. It will not be fit for use
in less than two days.
This (used as the common mustard) is a very agreeable condiment for
beef or mutton.
If you cannot procure tarragon leaves, buy at a grocer's a bottle of
tarragon vinegar. Mix it with an equal portion of sweet oil, adding
a few drops of garlic vinegar. Then stir in mustard powder till
sufficiently thick.
TO MAKE CAYENNE PEPPER.--Take ripe chillies and dry them a whole day
before the fire, turning them frequently. When quite dry, trim off the
stalks and pound the pods in a mortar till they become a fine powder,
mixing in about one sixth of their weight in salt. Or you may grind
them in a very fine mill. While pounding the chillies, wear glasses to
save your eyes from being incommoded by them. Put the powder into small
bottles, and secure the corks closely.
KITCHEN PEPPER.--Mix together two ounces of the best white ginger, an
ounce of black pepper, an ounce of white pepper, an ounce of cinnamon,
an ounce of nutmeg, and two dozen cloves. They must all be ground or
pounded to a fine powder, and thoroughly mixed. Keep the mixture in a
bottle, labelled, and well corked. It will be found useful in seasoning
many dishes; and being ready prepared will save much trouble.