MISS BEECHER’S
HOUSEKEEPER
AND
HEALTHKEEPER:
CONTAINING
FIVE HUNDRED RECIPES
FOR
ECONOMICAL AND HEALTHFUL COOKING;
ALSO,
MANY DIRECTIONS FOR SECURING HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.
_APPROVED BY PHYSICIANS OF ALL CLASSES._
[Colophon]
NEW YORK:
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS,
FRANKLIN SQUARE.
1873.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by
HARPER & BROTHERS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
CONTENTS.
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
HEALTH, ECONOMY, AND PLEASURE IN FOOD.
Rules of Health in regard to Food and Drink—Measures used in
Cooking Page 15
CHAPTER II.
MARKETING AND THE CARE OF MEATS.
Marketing—Beef—Different “Cuts,” etc.—Veal—Mutton—Pork—Poultry—Fish
—Shell-fish—Care of Meats—To salt down Beef—To cleanse Calf’s Head
and Feet—To prepare Rennet—To salt down Fish—To try out
Lard—Molasses-cured Hams—Brine for coming Hams, Beef, Pork,
etc.—Another—Brine by Measure—To salt down Pork—To prepare Cases for
Sausages—Sausage Meat—Another Recipe—Bologna Sausages—To smoke Hams 18
CHAPTER III.
STEWS AND SOUPS.
New Soup and Stew Kettle—General Directions—Stews: of Beef and Potato;
Mutton and Turnip, (French;) Simple Mutton; Beef, with vegetable
flavors; Fowl, with Celery or Tomatoes—Irish Stew—Veal
Stew—Another—Pilaff (Turkish)—Rice or Hominy Stew—English Beef
Stew—Pot au Feu (French)—Olla Podrida (Spanish)—French Mutton
Stew—French Modes of Cooking—Flavors—Soup Powder 28
CHAPTER IV.
SOUPS.
General Directions—Soup Stock—Soup of Potato—Plain Beef—Rich Beef—Green
Pea—Dried Bean or Pea—Clam—Vegetable and Meat for Summer—Dried
Pea, with salt Pork—Dried Bean or Pea, with Meat stock—Mutton—Vegetable
(French)—Plain Calf’s Head—Simple Mutton 35
CHAPTER V.
HASHES.
Four Ways of spoiling Hashes—Hashes: of Fresh Meats, seasoned; Cold
fresh Meats and Potatoes; Meat, with Eggs; Meat, with Tomatoes; Beef;
Veal; Rice and cold Meats; Bread-crumbs and cold Meats; Another;
Cold Beefsteak; Same, with Potatoes and Turnips; Cold Mutton or
Venison; Corned Beef; Cold Ham—Meats warmed over—To Cook cold
Meats—Cold meat Hash—Souse—Tripe 39
CHAPTER VI.
BOILED MEATS.
To Cook tough Beef—Boiled Ham—Beef—Fowls—Fricasseed Fowls—To
boil Leg or Shoulder of Veal, Mutton, or Lamb—Calf’s Feet—Calf’s Liver
and Sweet-breads—Kidneys—Pillau—Smoked Tongue—Corned Beef—Partridges
or Pigeons—Ducks—Turkey 43
CHAPTER VII.
ROAST AND BAKED MEATS.
The best Beef—Brown Flour for Gravies—Roast Beef—To roast in a
Cook-stove—Roast Pork; Mutton; Veal; Poultry—Pot-pie of Beef, Veal, or
Chicken—Mutton and Beef Pie—Chicken-pie—Rice
Chicken-pie—Potato-pie—Calf’s Head 46
CHAPTER VIII.
BROILED AND FRIED MEATS AND RELISHES.
Boiled Mutton or Lamb Chops; Beefsteak; Fresh Pork; Ham; Sweet-breads;
Veal—Pork Relish—Frying—Calf’s or Pig’s Liver—Beef Liver—Egg
Omelet—Frizzled Beef—Veal Cheese—Codfish Relish—Another—Salt
Herrings 50
CHAPTER IX.
PICKLES.
General Directions—Sweet Pickles—To pickle Tomatoes; Peaches; Peppers;
Nasturtions; Onions; Gherkins; Mushrooms; Cucumbers; Walnuts;
Mangoes; Cabbage—To prepare Tomatoes for eating—Martinoes—Spiced
Cucumber Pickles—Indiana Pickles—Cauliflower or Broccoli 52
CHAPTER X.
SAUCES AND SALADS.
Milk and Egg Sauce—Drawn Butter—Mint Sauce—Cranberry Sauce—Apple
Sauce—Walnut or Butternut Catsup—Mock Capers—Salad Dressing—Turkey
or Chicken Salad—Lettuce Salad—Tomato Catsup 56
CHAPTER XI.
FISH.
Oysters, Stewed; Fried; Scalloped; Broiled—Oyster Fritters—Oyster
Omelet—Pickled Oysters—Roast Oysters—Scallops—Clams—Clam
Chowder—Fish, Boiled; Broiled; Baked—Pickle for cold Fish 58
CHAPTER XII.
VEGETABLES.
General Remarks—Potatoes—Old Potatoes—Potato Puffs—Sweet
Potatoes—Green Corn—Succotash—Oyster-plant or Salsify—Egg-plant
—Carrots—Beets—Parsnips—Pumpkin and Squash—Celery—Radishes—Onions
—Tomatoes—Cucumbers—Cabbage and Cauliflower—Asparagus—Macaroni
—Eggs 60
CHAPTER XIII.
FAMILY BREAD.
General Remarks—Fine and unbolted Flour—Middlings—Kneading—Yeast:
Hop and Potato; Potato; Hard—Bread: of fine Flour; of middling
or unbolted Flour; raised with Water; Rye and Indian; Third; Rye;
Oat-meal; Pumpkin; Apple; Corn-meal—Sweet Rolls of Corn-meal—Soda
Biscuit—Yeast Biscuit—Potato Biscuit—Buns 64
CHAPTER XIV.
BREAKFAST AND SUPPER.
General Supplies—Receipts for Corn-meal—Hominy—Rice—Economical
Breakfast Dish—Biscuits of sour Milk and Flour—Pearl or cracked
Wheat—Rye and Corn Meal—Oat-meal—Wheat Muffins—Sally Lunn,
improved—Cream Griddle-cakes—Royal Crumpets—Muffins—Waffles—Drop
-cakes—Sachem’s Head Corn-cake—Rice Waffles—A Rice Dish—To use cold
Rice—Buckwheat Cakes—Cottage Cheese 70
CHAPTER XV.
PUDDINGS AND PIES.
Sweet Food, Remarks—Queen of all Puddings—Flour Pudding—Flour and
Fruit Pudding—Rusk and Milk—Rusk Pudding—Meat and Rusk Pudding—A
good Pudding—Pan Dowdy—Corn-meal Pop-over—Best Apple-pie—Puddings:
of Rice; Bread and Fruit; Boiled Fruit—Curds (English)—Common
Apple-pie—Plain Custard—Another—Mush or Hasty Pudding—Stale Bread
Pudding—Rennet Wine—Rennet Custard—Bird’snest Pudding—Minute Pudding
of Potato Starch—Tapioca Pudding—Cocoa-nut Pudding—New-England Squash
or Pumpkin Pie—Ripe-fruit Pies: Peach, Cherry, Plum, Currants, and
Strawberry—Mock Cream—Pudding of Bread-crumbs and Fruit—Bread and
Apple Dumplings—Indian Pudding without Eggs—Boiled Indian and Suet
Pudding—Dessert of Rice and Fruit—Another—Cold Rice and stewed or
grated Apple—Rich Flour Pudding—Apple-pie—Spiced Apple-tarts—Baked
Indian Pudding—Apple Custard—Macaroni or Vermicelli Pudding—Green-corn
Pudding—Bread Pudding for Invalids or young Children—A good
Pudding—Loaf Pudding—Lemon Pudding—Green-corn Patties—Cracker
Plum-pudding—Sauces for Puddings, Liquid—Hard—Another—A healthful
Sauce—Universal Sauce—Paste for Puddings and Pies—Pie-crusts without
Fats; made with Butter, very rich 74
CHAPTER XVI.
CAKE.
General Directions.—_Cake raised with Powders_—One, two, three, four
Cake—Chocolate; Jelly; Orange; Almond and Cocoa-nut.—_Cake raised with
Eggs_—Pound Cake; Plain; Fruit; Huckleberry; Gold and Silver; Rich
Sponge; Plain Sponge—Gingerbread, etc.—Aunt Esther’s
Gingerbread—Sponge Gingerbread—Ginger Snaps—Seed Cookies—Fried
Cakes.—_Cakes raised with Yeast_—Plain Loaf-cake—Rich
Loaf-cake—Dough-cake—Icing for Cake 85
CHAPTER XVII.
PRESERVES AND JELLIES.
General Directions—Canned Fruit—To clarify Sirups for
Sweetmeats—Brandy Peaches—Peaches (not rich)—Peaches (elegant)—To
preserve Quinces whole—Quince Jelly—Calf-foot Jelly—To preserve
Apples—Pears—Pine-apples—Purple Plums, No. 1 and No. 2—White or green
Plums—Citron Melons—Strawberries—Blackberry Jam—Currants to eat
with Meat—Cherries-Currants—Raspberry Jam, No. 1 and No. 2—Currant
Jelly—Quince Marmalade—Water-melon Rinds—Preserved Pumpkin 90
CHAPTER XVIII.
DESSERTS AND EVENING PARTIES.
Ice-cream—Strawberry Ice-cream—Ice-cream without Cream—Fruit
Ice-cream—A Cream for stewed Fruit—Currant, Raspberry, or Strawberry
Whisk—Lemonade—Ice and other Ices—Charlotte Russe—Flummery—Chicken
Salad—Wine Jelly—Apple-lemon Pudding—Wheat-flour Blanc-mange—Orange
Marmalade—Simple Lemon Jelly—Cranberry—Apple Ice—Whip
Syllabub—Apple-snow—Iced Fruit—Ornamental Froth—To clarify
Isinglass—Blanc-mange—Apple Jelly—Orange Jelly—Floating Island—A Dish
of Snow—To clarify Sugar—Candied Fruits—Another way—Ornamental
Pyramid 95
CHAPTER XIX.
DRINKS AND ARTICLES FOR THE SICK AND YOUNG CHILDREN.
Tea—Coffee—Fish-skin for Coffee—Cocoa—Cream for Coffee and
Tea—Chocolate—Milk Lemonade—Strawberry and Raspberry Vinegar—White
Tea and Boys’ Coffee—Dangerous use of Milk—Simple Drinks—Simple
Wine Whey—Toast and Cider—Panada—Water-gruel—Beef-tea—Tomato
Sirup—Sassafras Jelly—Egg-tea, Egg-coffee, and Egg-milk—Oat-meal
Gruel—Pearl Barley-water—Cream-tartar Beverage—Rennet Whey—A
fever Drink—Food, etc., for Infants 100
CHAPTER XX.
THE PROVIDING AND CARE OF FAMILY STORES.
The Art of keeping a good Table—Successive Variety—Doing every
thing in the best Manner—Stores and Store-rooms—Flour—Unbolted
Flour—Indian-meal—Rye—Buckwheat—Rice—Hominy—Arrow-root—Tapioca,
etc.—Sugars—Butter—Lard and Drippings—Salt—Vinegar—Oil—Molasses—Hard
Soap—Starch—Indigo—Coffee—Tea—Soda—Raisins—Currants—Lemon and Orange
Peel—Spices—Sweet Herbs—Cream-tartar—Acids—Essences, etc.—Preserves
and Jellies—Hams—Cheese—Bread—Cake—Codfish—Salted Provisions 103
CHAPTER XXI.
SETTING TABLES, PREPARATION OF FOOD.
Table-cloth—Napkins—Table Furniture—Bread—Butter—Dishes—Soiled
Spots—Plates to be warmed in Winter—Certain Dishes served
together—Strong flavored Meats—Boiled Poultry—Jelly—Fresh Pork—Drawn
Butter—Pickles—Garnishing Dishes—Boiled Ham or Veal—Greens and
Asparagus—Hashes—Curled Parsley—Mode of setting Table 109
CHAPTER XXII.
WASHING, IRONING, AND CLEANSING.
Modes of economizing the Wash—Good Washing depends on
Conveniences—Articles needed—Common mode of Washing—Fine Clothes—White
Articles—Colored Articles—Flannels—Bedding—Calicoes—Waters,
etc.—To cleanse Broadcloth—To make Lye—Soft Soap—Potash Soap—To
prepare Starch—Beef’s Gall—To do up Laces—Articles needed for
Ironing—Sprinkling, Folding, and Ironing—To whiten Articles and remove
Stains—Mildew—Stain-mixture—Another—To remove Grease, Tar, Pitch,
Turpentine, Lamp-oil, Oil-paint, Ink-stains, Stains on varnished
Articles—To clean silk Handkerchiefs and Ribbons—To clean silk Hose or
Gloves 112
CHAPTER XXIII.
MISCELLANEOUS ADVICE AND RECIPES.
How to keep Cool in hot Weather—Indelible Ink—To keep Eggs—To prevent
Earthen, Glass, and Iron ware from breaking easily—Cement for broken
Ware—To keep Knives from Rust—To cleanse or renovate Furniture—To
clean Silver—To cleanse Wall-paper—To purify a Well—To take care
of Roses and other Plants—To keep Grapes—Snow for Eggs—Paper
to keep Preserves—To cool Butter in hot Weather—To stop Cracks
in Iron—To stop creaking Hinges—To stop creaking Doors and make
Drawers slide easily—To renovate black Silk—To clean Kid Gloves—To
remove grease Spots—To get rid of Rats and Mice—Odds and ends for
Housekeepers—Additional Recipes 122
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER I.
NEEDFUL SCIENCE AND TRAINING FOR THE FAMILY STATE.
Women need both scientific and practical Training even more than
Men—Woman’s Duties as important as difficult, and much greater in
Variety—The business of a Housekeeper includes all connected with the
Construction and Care of a House, Yard, and Garden; the Selection
of Furniture; the Ornamentation of a Home; its Cleansing, Neatness,
and Order; the Selection and Cooking of proper Food; the providing
of family Furniture and Clothing; the Care of Health; the Charge
of family Expenses; the Training of Servants, and, as Wife and
Mother, the Supervision of Nursery, the Educator of Children, and
the religious Minister of the family State—Evils consequent on not
training Women for these Duties 127