VENISON.

_Management._—To prevent venison from tainting, take the kernel out

of the haunch, wash the whole with vinegar and water, then wipe it

quite dry, and dust it with ground ginger or pepper, to keep off the

flies.—Thus managed, it may be kept a fortnight.

_General Business of the_ LARDER.

Joints of meat, game, &c. should be hung where there is a current

of dry air, till they are tender. If they be not kept long enough,

they will be hard and tough;—if too long, they lose their flavour.

Much loss is sustained by the spoiling of meat in warm weather; to

prevent which, as far as possible, it must be turned daily, end for

end, and wiped every morning and night, with a clean, dry cloth, to

free it and keep it from damp and moisture. If it be feared that any

of the ripe meat will not keep till wanted, it should be parboiled, or

part-roasted, by which means it may be kept a day or two the longer.

Pieces of charcoal should also be put over meat, and a plug of charcoal

put into the vents of fowls, &c. a string being tied round their necks.

Before dressing meat it must be well washed and wiped dry; except

roasting-beef, the dry outsides of which must be pared off. When meat

indicates the least degree of putridity it should be dressed with out

delay, else it becomes unwholesome. In the latter case, however, even

fish, as well as meat, may be reclaimed, by putting pieces of charcoal

into the water with it, when boiled or parboiled.—Tainted meat may

also be restored by washing it in cold water, and afterwards in strong

chamomile tea, and rubbing it dry with a clean cloth; after which it

may be sprinkled with salt, and suffered to remain till the next day,

if necessary.

In frosty weather all meat should be brought into the kitchen over

night, or at least several hours before it is to be dressed.

Early in the morning remove the cold meat into clean dishes; change

also, all the broths, soups, gravies, stock, cullis, &c. that require

it, into clean scalded stone-pans; and never leave any eatables in

copper or brass vessels, for if touched with salt or vinegar, or any

acid, and left wet, they will corrode and gather poison.

Turn and rub the meat that is in salt; after which let the Larder be

well scoured and cleaned out.

Dried meats, hams, tongues, bacon, &c. must be hung up in a cool, dry

place, otherwise they will become rusty.

Bread should be kept in an earthen pan, with a cover, to exclude the

air;—it should not be cut till it is a day old.

The vigilant Cook, having attended to the minutiæ of the LARDER, and

directed that the shelves and floor be well scoured and washed, and

every part made perfectly free from smells, will next, if it be in her

department, prepare to go to market, and consult her mistress or the

housekeeper accordingly.[15]

Having seen that all the marketing is properly disposed of,—the parlour

lunch, nursery and servants’ dinners getting forward, or got out of the

way, then commences the _principal_ preparations for the day.

In families where great dinners are seldom given, it will be better,

when it can be conveniently done, to make an arrangement, as to the

principal dishes, a day or two, or more, before hand. The Cook should

never quit her post, on such an occasion, as it requires not only great

skill but the utmost attention and exertion to send up the whole of a

great dinner, with all its accompaniments, in perfect order.

When there is an opportunity of getting forward the soups, sauces, and

made dishes, on the preceding day, it should, by all means, be done;

but if not, the soups, &c. should be forwarded early in the morning,

and while these are preparing, the joints of meat, cutlets, and other

articles should be trimmed, the poultry and game, &c. trussed and made

ready for dressing; the vegetables picked quite clean, trimmed, and

_well_ washed, and laid separate, in dishes or cullenders. The shalots,

onions, sweet-herbs, spices, &c. should also be prepared, and laid

quite at hand.

The _Bill of Fare_ being made out, and the hour of active operation

approaching, the clock must be consulted, and the different articles

prepared and laid to the fire, in succession, according to the times

they will take, that all may be ready in due time.—A scene of activity

now commences, in which you must necessarily be cool, collected, and

attentive.—Have an eye to the roast meat, and an ear to the boils,—and

let your thoughts continually recur to the rudiments of your art, which

at this moment must be called into practical requisition. You will

endeavour that every kind of vegetable, and of sauce, be made to keep

pace with the dishes to which they respectively belong—so that all may

go up stairs _smoking hot_ together, and in due order.

Let a clean cloth be laid on the kitchen-table, and with the _bill of

fare_ for your guide, if neither housekeeper nor the butler be present,

let the dishes, intended to be used, be placed on this table, exactly

as they are meant to stand on the table in the dining-room, and let

every article be taken off the table in the kitchen, by the footman,

and proper assistants, in regular order, by which means the butler

cannot fail to set them in their proper places above stairs.

In some families, the soups are sent up first; and next, after a few

minutes, the fish, then the removes, vegetables, sauces, and the whole

of the first course:—mean time the _entremets_, or second course, will

be dished and sent up, precisely in the same way. This would be done in

all families, at all times, were it not deemed necessary frequently to

sacrifice convenience, comfort, and every other consideration, at the

shrine of fashion and elegance of appearance.

When the dinner things are brought down, the meat must be removed into

clean common dishes; and as many things, such as fricandeaus, stews,

&c. may remain untouched, or can be made to do again, when tossed up

afresh, in different ways; they must be taken out of the gravies,

the garnish, &c. picked clean off them, and the meat put by in clean

dishes, and covered with thin slices of bacon. These gravies, and those

from the roast meats of different kinds, must all be saved in separate

stone pans, as all things of this kind serve to make a _rich kitchen_,

and may be converted or applied to various useful purposes. The soups

that are left should be strained through sieves to take out the bread

and other vegetable matters, which, if left in, would turn them sour.

What sweets are left, such as Blancmange, Jellies, &c. may be melted

and run into smaller moulds or shapes, and made to do again. Such

management as this is highly commendable in all families, as thereby

you are at all times provided for _extra visiters_.

Potted Meats, Collared articles, Anchovies, Oysters and other

shell-fish, mock Brawn, cold Hams, Tongue, Stewed Peas, Black Caps,

Sweets of various kinds, and some sorts of Tarts, should also be kept

ready for suppers and _extra occasions_.[16]

The kitchen fire being _reduced_, and made up for ordinary

occasions,—The dishes and every other article that has been used

in the course of the day, and particularly the _pots_, _kettles_,

_sauce-pans_, and other _culinary utensils_, being all scoured, and

made perfectly clean, dried, wiped out, and put in their proper

places;—the dressers and tables scoured down, and the whole kitchen

made quite clean and put into perfect order, the principal business of

the day may be considered at an end, as little more, of consequence,

will seldom be required on the part of the Cook, except what further

attention the LARDER, in hot weather, may demand, before she retires.

_Useful Hints._

With the utmost attention of the Cook, she can gain no credit, if she

send up more than one dish, with all its accompaniments, at a time, and

that as quickly as possible.

_Old_ meats do not require so much dressing as _young_, because they

may be eaten with the gravy in them.

_Pickled pork_ requires longer dressing, in proportion, than any other

meat.

Hashes and minces should be only _simmered_, if boiled, they become

hard.

Meat _hastily_ boiled or roasted is, thereby, made the more

indigestible, and its juices are wastefully extracted.

The warmer the weather, and the staler the meat, the less time it will

take in dressing.

When meat is _overdone_ it is spoiled, and the fault can never

be corrected;—when neither _overdone_ nor _underdone_ it is most

digestible and most nutritious;—and when thoroughly done, it eats short

and tender.

In dressing Meats, be as correct as possible as to quantities,

qualities, and time.

Meat that is not to be cut up till cold must be well done, particularly

in the summer time.

The greatest skill of the best cook will avail nothing, unless the

provisions are good.

The present taste is _simply to boil both carp and tench_; and serve up

with plain or savoury sauce, or rather, with Dutch sour sauce, which

does not destroy the flavour of the fish.

All fish should be sent up _as hot as possible_, and particularly the

sauces. In fact, _all sauces_ ought to be set on the table _quite hot_.

Essence of anchovies is a very good fish-sauce, alone—or otherwise.

To prepare meat in a _hot-bath_ is a most excellent mode of cookery; as

it makes it tender without the loss of its juices.

A conjuror or Papin’s digester is a very economical Utensil. It will

dress a steak deliciously, with the addition of a little catsup, or

with oysters, &c.—It boils water in a few minutes.

To keep meat hot, when done, take it up, set the dish over a pan of

boiling water, put a deep cover over it, and throw a clean cloth over

that.

Broiled beef steaks, mutton-chops, &c. should always be sent to the

table _hot and hot_.

Whole peas are better than split peas for soup, in winter. It is a good

practice to steep them an hour or more in cold water, before they are

boiled.

_Wines_ and _spices_ should not be put into _soups_, _stews_, &c. too

early, as the heat evaporates both the spirit and the flavour.

_Vermicelli_, when used in _soups_, &c. should not be suffered to

remain in it more than fifteen minutes, as it will become a paste.

Dripping will do as well as butter to baste any thing.

A small quantity of cream is better than flour and water, in melting

butter.

Much butter is not to be recommended on all occasions.

When the palate is become dull by frequent tasting, wash the mouth with

milk;—or eat an apple.

A bit of bread stuck upon the point of the knife with which you peel or

cut onions, will prevent their disagreeable effect on the eyes.

A kettle of water kept boiling, over a charcoal fire, will effectually

prevent its deleterious effects in the room.

COALS. Judicious Cooks will perform their culinary operations with

much less coal than those who erroneously conceive that the greater

the fire, the greater the dispatch. _Time_, rather than a fierce fire,

answers _best_ both for roasting and boiling meats.—Round coals are

best for use, and small coal should never be thrown on a weak fire,

as it will stop the progress of the air through the fire; and perhaps

extinguish it. But small coal, or culm, a little wetted, and thrown

at the back of a good fire, will become cinders or coke, and greatly

improve it.

All the ashes of the kitchen and other grates should be sifted, and the

cinders saved, to be used under the boilers in brewing and washing, or

in the ironing stove.

A simple and excellent contrivance for sifting cinders may be purchased

at the Ironmongers.

Omelets should be made to eat full and thick at the mouth. They should

be sent up quite hot, after dinner, and are wholesome, and great

favourites in most countries.

A little sugar much improves the taste of green peas.

Potted meats make excellent sandwiches.

Sandwiches should be neatly cut in mouthfuls, so as to be taken up with

a fork.

_Maxims._

Do every thing in the proper time.

Keep every thing in its proper place.

Use every thing for its proper use.

Never use any boiling or stewing utensil, pot or pan, spit, cookhold,

spoon, ladle, or skewer, sieve, tammy or pudding cloth, jelly bag, net,

tape, or other kitchen article, that have not been well scalded or

washed with boiling water, and thoroughly dried.

_The Cook’s Catechism._

_Browning_ A preparation of white sugar, browned over the fire, and

then diluted to the consistency of soy, for the purpose

of colouring soups, gravies, &c.

_Bechamel_ A simple white gravy or sauce

_To Braize_ To stew over a slow fire

_Consommé_ A rich soup or gravy consumed over the fire to the

consistency of a jelly, to be diluted and converted,

when wanted, into soup

_Cullis_ A rich _brown_ gravy, made in various ways, according

to the purpose for which it is intended

_Entrés_ Dishes for a first course

_Entremets_ Dishes for a second course

_Esculents_ } Animal or Vegetable food—any article that

_or Edibles_} may be eaten

_Fricandeau_ A sort of Scotch collops

_Fricassee_ Fowls, rabbits, or other things cut to pieces and dressed

with a strong white sauce

_Garnishes_ Articles laid round a dish by way of ornament, and

generally, but not always, intended to be eaten

therewith

_Glaze_ A very rich sauce or gravy boiled to a thick substance,

and preserved in pots, to be laid on with a long-haired

brush, over high-seasoned dishes

_To Glaze_ To cover the outsides of hams, tongues, and all

stewed dishes, with glaze or braize, to give them a

rich appearance

_Harrico_ Veal, mutton, &c. stewed with vegetables

_Hot-Bath_ A pan or other vessel filled with water, and placed in

a pot, which is kept boiling over the fire, for the

purpose of scalding fruits, or preparing meats

_Maigre_ Soup, or any other dish, made without meat or gravy

_To Pass_ To dress a thing partially, by setting on, or shaking

it over the fire for a short time

_Ragoût_ Or stewing or boiling meat or other articles, to preserve

their juices

_To Sheet_ To line the inside of a dish with paste

_Stock_ A preparation from gravy meats, &c. always to be kept at

hand, for the purpose of making soup or gravy

We have now initiated our honest candidate for culinary fame,

by regular and easy gradations, into the whole _arcana_ of the

profession,—taught her to judge of the natures and qualities of

provisions, and their comparative values;—the best seasons and methods

of purchasing, and of managing undressed animal and vegetable food;

and the general economy of the LARDER;—Have given her the plainest

elementary principles and precepts, and a few of the most simple

examples, for practice, in all the various branches of boiling,

roasting, baking, broiling, frying, &c.—the best methods of making

soups, gravies, sauces, and salads: and, lastly, the modern mode of

preparing _a good dinner, with all its most approved accompaniments_.

In fine, we have been anxious, not only to instruct the common cook in

the rudiments, and all the ordinary operations of her art, but how to

combine, both in principle and practice, the most elegant with the most

useful results; so as to enable her to please both the man of taste and

the man of temperance;—the economist and the epicure;—the whimsical

and the wise;—those who eat to live, and those who live to eat.—Under

the head Housekeeper, we have also given ample instructions for making

PASTRY, CONFECTIONARY, PRESERVES, and PICKLES, which frequently fall

within the province of the cook. The whole comprises, as it were in

a nut-shell, a complete compendium of culinary knowledge, chiefly

valuable for its comprehensive brevity, and which, we trust, will be

found, by the ingenious practitioner, full as useful as many, more

elaborate volumes, professedly written on this subject _only_, and

published at not less, if not more than the whole price of this little

Work.

_Dean Swift’s ironical directions to the Cook._

Although I am not ignorant, that it hath been a long time since the

custom began among people of quality to keep men cooks, and generally

of the _French_ nation; yet because my treatise is chiefly calculated

for the general run of knights, ’squires, and gentlemen both in town

and country, I shall therefore apply to you, Mrs. Cook, as a woman;

however, a great part of what I intend may serve for either sex: and

your part naturally follows the former; because the butler and you

are joined in interest; your vails are generally equal, and paid when

others are disappointed; you can junket together at nights upon your

own prog, when the rest of the house are a-bed; and have it in your

power to make every fellow-servant your friend; you can give a good

bit or a good sup to the little masters and misses, and gain their

affections: a quarrel between you is very dangerous to you both, and

will probably end in one of you being turned off, in which fatal

case, perhaps, it will not be so easy in some time to cotton with

another. And now, Mrs. Cook, I proceed to give you my instructions,

which I desire you will get some fellow-servant in the family to read

to you constantly one night in every week when you are going to bed;

whether you serve in town or country, for my lessons shall be fitted

for both.

If your lady forgets at supper, that there is any cold meat in the

house, do not you be so officious as to put her in mind of it; it is

plain she did not want it; and if she recollects it the next day,

say she gave you no orders, and it is spent; therefore, for fear of

telling a lie, dispose of it with the butler, or any other crony,

before you go to bed.

Never send up a leg of a fowl at supper, while there is a cat or a

dog in the house, that can be accused for running away with it: but

if there happen to be neither, you must lay it upon the rats, or a

strange hound.

It is ill house-wifery to foul your kitchen rubbers with wiping the

bottoms of the dishes you send up, since the table-cloth will do as

well, and is changed every meal.

Never clean your spits after they have been used; for the grease left

upon them by meat is the best thing to preserve them from rust; and

when you make use of them again, the same grease will keep the inside

of the meat moist.

If you live in a rich family, roasting and boiling are below the

dignity of your office, and which it becomes you to be ignorant of;

therefore leave that work wholly to the kitchen-maid, for fear of

disgracing the family you live in.

If you are employed in marketing, buy your meat as cheap as you can,

but when you bring in your accounts, be tender of your master’s

honour, and set down the highest rate; which, besides, is but

justice, for nobody can afford to sell at the same rate that he buys,

and I am confident that you may charge safely; swear that you gave no

more than what the butcher and poulterer asked. If your lady orders

you to set up a piece of meat for supper, you are not to understand

that you must set it up all; therefore, you may give half to yourself

and the butler.

Good cooks cannot abide what they justly call fiddling work, where

abundance of time is spent and little done: such, for instance,

is the dressing of small birds, requiring a world of cookery and

clutter, and a second or third spit, which by the way is absolutely

needless; for it will be a very ridiculous thing indeed, if a spit

which is strong enough to turn a sirloin of beef, should not be able

to turn a lark; however, if your lady be nice, and is afraid that a

large spit will tear them, place them handsomely in the dripping-pan,

where the fat of roasted mutton or beef falling on the birds, will

serve to baste them, and so save both time and butter: for what cook

of any spirit would lose her time in picking larks, wheat-ears, and

other small birds? Therefore, if you cannot get the maids, or the

young misses to assist you, e’en make short work, and either singe or

flay them; there is no great loss in the skins, and the flesh is just

the same.

If you are employed in marketing, do not accept a treat of a

beef-steak and a pot of ale from the butcher, which I think in

conscience is no better than wronging your master; but do you always

take that perquisite in money if you do not go in trust, or in

poundage when you pay the bills.

The kitchen bellows being usually out of order with stirring the fire

with the muzzle to save the tongs and poker, borrow the bellows out

of your lady’s bed-chamber, which being least used, are commonly the

best in the house; and if you happen to damage or grease them, you

have a chance to have them left entirely for your own use.

Let a blackguard boy be always about the house to send on your

errands, and go to market for you on rainy days, which will save your

clothes, and make you appear more creditable to your mistress.

If your mistress allows you the kitchen-stuff, in return for her

generosity take care to boil and roast your meat sufficiently. If she

keeps it for her own profit, do her justice, and, rather than let a

good fire be wanting, enliven it now and then with the dripping, and

the butter that happens to turn to oil.

Send up your meat well stuck with skewers, to make it look round and

plump; and an iron skewer rightly employed now and then will make it

look handsomer.

When you roast a long joint of meat, be careful only about the

middle, and leave the two extreme parts raw, which may serve another

time, and will also save firing.

When you scour your plates and dishes, bend the brim inwards, so as

to make them hold the more.

Always keep a large fire in the kitchen, when there is a small

dinner, or the family dines abroad, that the neighbours, seeing the

smoke, may commend your master’s house-keeping: but when much company

is invited, then be as sparing as possible of your coals, because a

great deal of the meat, being half raw, will be saved, and serve next

day.

Boil your meat constantly in _pump_ water, because you must sometimes

want river or pipe water; and then your mistress, observing your meat

of a different colour, will chide you when you are not in fault.

When you have plenty of fowls in the larder, leave the door open, in

pity to the poor cat, if she be a good mouser.

If you find it necessary to go to market in a wet day, take out your

mistress’s cloak, to save your clothes.

Get three or four chair-women to attend you constantly in the

kitchen, whom you pay at small charges, only with the broken meat, a

few coals, and all the cinders.

To keep troublesome servants out of the kitchen, always leave the

winder sticking on the jack, to fall on their heads.

If a lump of soot falls into the soup, and you cannot conveniently

get it out, stir it well, and it will give the soup a high French

taste.

If you melt your butter to oil, be under no concern, but send it up;

for oil is a genteeler sauce than butter.

Scrape the bottoms of your pots and kettles with a silver spoon, for

fear of giving them a taste of the copper.

When you send up butter for sauce, be so thrifty as to let it be half

water; which is also much wholesomer.

If your butter, when it is melted, tastes of brass, it is your

master’s fault, who will not allow you a silver saucepan; besides,

the less of it will go the farther, and new tinning is very

chargeable: if you have a silver saucepan, and the butter smells of

smoke, lay the fault upon the coals.

Never make use of a spoon in any thing that you can do with your

hands, for fear of wearing out your master’s plate.

When you find that you cannot get dinner ready at the time appointed,

put the clock back, and _then it may be ready to a minute_.

Let a red-hot coal now and then fall into the dripping-pan; that the

smoke of the dripping may ascend, and give the roast meat a high

taste.

You are to look upon the kitchen as your dressing room; but you are

not to wash your hands, till you have gone to the Privy, and spitted

your meat, trussed your fowl, picked your salad, nor indeed till

after you have sent up your second course: for your hands will be ten

times fouler with the many things you are forced to handle; but when

your work is over, one washing will serve for all.

There is but one part of your dressing that I would admit while the

victuals are boiling, roasting, or stewing; I mean, the combing your

head, which loseth no time, because you stand over your cookery, and

watch it with one hand, while you are using the comb with the other.

If any of the combings happen to be sent up with the victuals, you

may safely lay the fault upon any of the footmen that hath vexed you:

as those gentlemen are sometimes apt to be malicious, if you refuse

them a sop in the pan, or a slice from the spit, much more when you

discharge a ladle-full of hot porridge on their legs, or send them up

to their masters with a dish-clout pinned at their tail.

In roasting and boiling, order the kitchen-maid to bring none but the

large coals, and save the small ones for the fires above stairs: the

first are properest for dressing meat; and when they are out, if you

happen to miscarry in any dish, you may fairly lay the fault upon

the want of coals; besides, the cinder-pickers will be sure to speak

ill of your master’s house-keeping, where they do not find plenty of

large cinders mixt with fresh large coals: thus you may dress your

meat with credit, do an act of charity, raise the honour of your

master, and sometimes get share of a pot of ale for your bounty to

the cinder-woman.

As soon as you have sent up the second course, you have nothing to do

(in a great family) until supper: _therefore_ scour your bands and

face, put on your hood and scarf, and take your pleasure among your

cronies, till nine or ten at night—but dine first.

Let there be always a strict friendship between you and the butler,

for it is both your interests to be united: the butler often wants a

comfortable tit-bit, and you much oftener a cool cup of good liquor.

However, be cautious of him, for he is sometimes an inconstant lover;

because he hath great advantage to allure the maids with a glass of

sack, or white-wine and sugar.

When you roast a breast of veal, remember your sweet-heart the butler

loves a sweet-bread; therefore set it aside till evening; you can

say, the cat or the dog has run away with it, or you found it tainted

or fly-blown; and besides, it looks as well at the table without it.

When you make the company wait long for dinner, and the meat be

over-done, which is generally the case, you may lawfully lay the

fault upon your lady, who hurried you to send up dinner, that you was

forced to send it up too much boiled or roasted.

If your dinner miscarries in almost every dish, how could you help

it? You were teazed by the footmen coming into the kitchen; and to

prove it true, take occasion to be angry, and throw a ladle-full

of broth on one or two of their liveries; besides _Friday_ and

_Childermas-day_ are two cross days in the week, and it is impossible

to have good luck on either of them; therefore on those two days you

have a lawful excuse.

When you are in haste to take down your dishes, tip them in such a

manner, that a dozen will fall together upon the dresser, just ready

for your hand.

To save time and trouble, cut your apples and onions with the _same

knife_; well-bred gentry love the taste of an onion in every thing

they eat.

Lump three or four pounds of butter together with your hand; then

dash it against the wall just over the dresser, so as to have it

ready to pull by pieces as you have occasion for it.

If you have a silver sauce-pan for the kitchen use, let me advise

you to batter it well, and keep it always black; this will be for

your master’s honour; for it shews there has been constant good

house-keeping: and make room for the sauce-pan by wriggling it on the

coals, &c.

In the same manner, if you are allowed a large silver spoon for the

kitchen, let half the bowl of it be worn out with continual scraping

and stirring; and often say merrily, this spoon owes my master no

service.

When you send up a mess of broth, water-gruel, or the like, to your

master in a morning, do not forget, with your thumb and two fingers,

to put salt on the side of the plate; for if you make use of a spoon,

or the end of a knife, there may be danger that the salt would fall,

and that would be a sign of ill luck. Only remember to lick your

thumb and fingers clean, before you offer to touch the salt.

In this satire, much useful instruction is conveyed, and many faults

exposed which could not be so well noticed in any other form. A

valuable servant will, of course, not lay herself open to the Dean’s

irony.

Above all things, a cook should avoid all cruelty, and no custom or

usage should be an excuse for any practices, by which living and

sensitive creatures are to be put to wanton and unnecessary torture.

————

N.B. In the previous article it has not been attempted to give a

detailed system of cookery, which alone would have filled a volume;

but the object has been so to condense as to give the substance

of the art in a few general rules, applicable to all cases, and

therefore more useful than detailed instructions, for, applied with

good sense, they cannot fail to make a COMPLETE COOK.