to half the quantity; strain it, and set it by. When to be used, take
off the fat, put a large tea-cupful of the jelly into a saucepan, with
half a glass of sweet wine, a little sugar and nutmeg, and heat it up
till it be ready to boil. Then take a little of it, and beat it by
degrees to the yolk of an egg, adding a bit of butter the size of a
nutmeg; stir it all together, but do not let it boil. Grate a little
fresh lemon peel into it.--Another way is to boil two calves' feet with
two ounces of veal, and two of beef, the bottom of a penny loaf, two or
three blades of mace, half a nutmeg, and a little salt, in three quarts
of water, till reduced to half the quantity. Then strain it, and take
off the fat.
CALF'S FEET JELLY. Boil two feet, well cleaned, in five pints of water
till they are broken, and the water half wasted. Strain it, take off the
fat when cold, and remove the jelly from the sediment. Put it into a
saucepan, with sugar, raisin wine, lemon juice and lemon peel. When the
flavour is rich, add the whites of five eggs well beaten, and their
shells broken. Set the saucepan on the fire, but do not stir the jelly
after it begins to warm. Let it boil twenty minutes after it rises to a
head, then pour it through a flannel bag, first dipping the jelly bag in
hot water to prevent waste, and squeezing it quite dry. Run the jelly
repeatedly through the bag, until it is quite clear, and then put it
into glasses or forms. The following method will greatly facilitate the
clearing of the jelly. When the mixture has boiled twenty minutes, throw
in a tea-cupful of cold water; let it boil five minutes longer, then
take the saucepan off the fire covered close, and keep it half an hour.
It will afterwards be so clear as to need only once running through the
bag, and much waste will be prevented.--Another way to make jelly is to
take three calf's feet, or two cow-heels, that have been only scalded,
and boil them in four quarts of water, till it be half wasted. Remove
the jelly from the fat and sediment, mix with it the juice of a Seville
orange and twelve lemons, the peels of three ditto, the whites and
shells of twelve eggs, brown sugar to taste, nearly a pint of raisin
wine, one ounce of coriander seed, a quarter of an ounce of allspice, a
bit of cinnamon, and six cloves, all bruised and previously mixed
together. The jelly should boil fifteen minutes without stirring, and
then be cleared through a flannel bag. Take a little of the jelly while
running, mix it with a tea-cupful of water in which a piece of beet root
has been boiled, and run it through the bag when all the rest is run
out. The other jelly being cooled on a plate, this will serve to garnish
it. Jelly made in this way will have a fine high colour and flavour. But
in all cases, to produce good jelly, the feet should only be scalded to
take off the hair. Those who sell them ready prepared generally boil
them too long, and they become in consequence less nutricious. If
scalded only, the liquor will require greater care in removing the fat;
but the jelly will be far stronger, and of course allow more water.
Jelly is equally good if made of cow-heels nicely cleaned, and will be
much stronger than what is made from calf's feet.
CALF'S FEET PUDDING. Boil four feet quite tender, pick off the meat, and
chop it fine. Add some grated bread, a pound of chopped suet, half a
pint of milk, six eggs, a pound of currants, four ounces of citron, two
ounces of candied peel, a grated nutmeg, and a glass of brandy. Butter
the cloth and flour it, tie it close, and boil it three hours.
CALF'S HEAD BOILED. Clean it carefully and soak it in water, that it may
look very nice, and take out the brains for sauce. Wash them well, tie
them up in a cloth, with a little sage and parsley; put them into the
pot at the same time with the head, and scum the water while boiling. A
large head will take two hours, and when the part which joined the neck
becomes tender it is done. Take up the brains and chop them with the
sage and parsley, and an egg boiled hard. Put them into a saucepan with
a bit of butter, pepper and salt, and warm them up. Peel the tongue, lay
it in the middle of the dish, with the brain sauce round it. Strew over
the head some grated bread and chopped parsley, and brown it by the fire
in a separate dish, adding bacon, pickled pork, and greens.
CALF'S HEAD COLLARED. Scald the skin off a fine head, clean it nicely,
and take out the brains. Boil it tender enough to remove the bones, and
season it high with mace, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Put a layer of
chopped parsley, then a quantity of thick slices of fine ham, or a
beautiful coloured tongue skinned, and then the yolks of six nice yellow
eggs stuck here and there about. Roll the head quite close, and tie it
up tight, placing a cloth under the tape, as for other collars. Boil it,
and then lay a weight upon it.
CALF'S HEAD FRICASSEED. Clean and half-boil part of a head; cut the meat
into small bits, and put it into a tosser, with a little gravy made of
the bones, some of the water it was boiled in, a bunch of sweet herbs,
an onion, and a blade of mace. The cockscombs of young cockrels may be
boiled tender, and then blanched, or a sweetbread will do as well.
Season the gravy with a little pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Rub down some
flour and butter, and give all a boil together. Then take out herbs and
onion, and add a small cup of cream, but do not boil it in. Serve with
small bits of bacon rolled up and forcemeat balls.
CALF'S HEAD HASHED. When half boiled, cut off the meat in slices, half
an inch thick, and two or three inches long. Brown some butter, flour,
and sliced onion; and throw in the slices with some good gravy, truffles
and morels. Give it one boil, skim it well and set it in a moderate
heat to simmer till very tender. Season at first with pepper, salt, and
cayenne; and ten minutes before serving, throw in some shred parsley,
and a very small bit of taragon and knotted marjoram cut as fine as
possible. Send it up with forcemeat balls, and bits of bacon rolled
round, adding the squeeze of a lemon.--Another way is to boil the head
almost enough, and take the meat of the best side neatly off the bone
with a sharp knife. Lay this into a small dish, wash it over with the
yolks of two eggs, and cover it with crumbs, a few herbs nicely shred, a
little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg all mixed together first. Set the
dish before the fire, and turn it now and then, that all parts of the
head may be equally brown. In the mean time slice the remainder of the
head, peel the tongue and slice it. Put a pint of good gravy into a pan
with an onion, and a small bunch of herbs, consisting of parsley, basil,
savoury, taragon, knotted marjoram, and a little thyme. Add a small
quantity of salt and cayenne, a few truffles and morels, and two
spoonfuls of ketchup. Then beat up half the brains, put it to the rest
with a little butter and flour, and simmer the whole together. Beat the
other part of the brains with shred lemon peel, a little nutmeg and
mace, some shred parsley and an egg. Then fry it in small cakes of a
beautiful yellow brown. Dip some oysters into the yolk of an egg, and do
the same; and also some relishing forcemeat balls, made as for mock
turtle. Garnish with these, and small bits of bacon just made hot before
the fire.
CALF'S HEAD PIE. Stew a knuckle of veal till fit for eating, with two
onions, a few isinglass shavings, a bunch of herbs, a blade of mace, and
a few peppercorns, in three pints of water. Keep the broth for the pie.
Take off a bit of the meat for the balls, and let the other be eaten;
but simmer the bones in the broth till it is very good. Half boil the
head, and cut it into square bits; put a layer of ham at the bottom,
then some head, first fat and then lean, with balls and hard eggs cut in
half, and so on till the dish be full; but great care must be taken not
to place the pieces close, or the pie will be too solid, and there will
be no space for the jelly. The meat must be first seasoned pretty well
with pepper and salt, and a scrape or two of nutmeg. Put a little water
and gravy into the dish, cover it with a tolerably thick crust, and bake
it in a slow oven. When done, fill it up with gravy, and do not cut it
till quite cold. Use a very sharp knife for this purpose, first cutting
out a large piece, and going down to the bottom of the dish: thinner
slices may afterwards be cut. The different colours, and the clear
jelly, will have a beautiful marbled appearance. A small pie may be made
to eat hot, and will have a good appearance, if seasoned high with
oysters, mushrooms, truffles and morels. The cold pie will keep several
days, and slices of it will make a handsome side-dish. If the isinglass
jelly be not found stiff enough, a calf's foot or a cow heel may be used
instead. To vary the colour, pickled tongue may be cut in, instead of
ham.
CALF'S HEAD ROASTED. Wash the head perfectly clean, stew it with
oysters, tie it together and spit it, baste it well with butter and
flour rubbed smooth. Stew together some of the oyster liquor, gravy,
butter and salt, with a few sprigs of marjoram and savoury, adding a
little claret, and pour the sauce over the dish.
CALF'S HEAD SOUP. After the head has been thoroughly cleaned, put it
into a stewpan with a proper quantity of water, an onion, some sweet
herbs, mace and cloves, and a little pearl barley. Boil it quite
tender, put in some stewed celery, and season it with pepper. Pour the
soup into a dish, place the head in the middle, and send it hot to
table.
CALF'S HEAD STEWED. Wash and soak it for an hour, bone it, take out the
brains, the tongue and the eyes. Make a forcemeat with two pounds of
beef suet, as much lean veal, two anchovies boned and washed, the peel
of a lemon, some grated nutmeg, and a little thyme. Chop them up
together with some grated bread, and mix in the yolks of four eggs. Make
part of this forcemeat into fifteen or twenty balls; boil five eggs
hard, some oysters washed clean, and half a pint of fresh mushrooms, and
mix with the rest of the forcemeat. Stuff that part of the head where
the bones were taken out, tie it up carefully with packthread, put it
into two quarts of gravy or good broth, with a blade of mace, cover it
close, and stew it very slowly for two hours. While the head is doing,
beat up the brains with some lemon-thyme and parsley chopped very fine,
some grated nutmeg, and the yolk of an egg mixed with it. Fry half the
brains in dripping, in little cakes, and fry the balls. When the head is
done, keep it warm with the brain-cakes and balls; strain off the liquor
in which the head was stewed, add to it some stewed truffles and morels,
and a few pickled mushrooms. Put in the other half of the brains
chopped, boil them up together, and let them simmer a few minutes. Lay
the head into a hot dish, pour the liquor over it, and place the balls
and the brain-cakes round it. For a small family, half the head will be
sufficient. A lamb's head may be done in the same way.
CALF'S HEART. Chop fine some suet, parsley, sweet marjoram and a boiled
egg. Add some grated bread, lemon peel, pepper, salt and mustard. Mix
them together in a paste, and stuff the heart with it, after it has
been well washed and cleaned. If done carefully, it is better baked than
roasted. Serve it up quite hot, with gravy and melted butter.
CALF'S KIDNEY. Chop veal kidney, and some of the fat; likewise a little
leek or onion, pepper, and salt. Roll the kidney up with an egg into
balls, and fry it.--A calf's heart should be stuffed and roasted as a
beef's heart; or sliced and made into a pudding, the same as for a steak
or kidney pudding.
CALF'S LIVER. There are several ways of making this into a good dish.
One is to broil it, after it has been seasoned with pepper and salt.
Then rub a bit of cold butter over, and serve it up hot and hot.--If the
liver is to be roasted, first wash and wipe it, then cut a long hole in
it, and stuff it with crumbs of bread, chopped anchovy, herbs, fat
bacon, onion, salt, pepper, a bit of butter, and an egg. Sew up the
liver, lard or wrap it in a veal caul, and put it to the fire. Serve it
with good brown gravy, and currant jelly.--If the liver and lights are
to be dressed together, half boil an equal quantity of each; then cut
them in a middling-sized mince, add a spoonful or two of the water that
boiled it, a bit of butter, flour, salt and pepper. Simmer them together
ten minutes, and serve the dish up hot.
CALF'S SWEETBREADS. These should be half boiled, and then stewed in
white gravy. Add cream, flour, butter, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
Or do them in brown sauce seasoned. Or parboil, and then cover them with
crumbs, herbs, and seasoning, and brown them in a Dutch oven. Serve with
butter, and mushroom ketchup, or gravy.
CALVES. The general method of rearing calves consumes so much of the
milk of the dairy, that it is highly necessary to adopt other means, or
the calves must be sold to the butcher while they are young. A
composition called linseed milk, made of linseed oil-cake powdered, and
gradually mixed with skim-milk sweetened with treacle, has been tried
with considerable effect. It must be made nearly as warm as new milk
when taken from the cow. Hay tea mixed with linseed and boiled to a
jelly, has likewise been tried with success. A species of water gruel,
made in the following manner, is strongly recommended. Put a handful or
two of oatmeal into some boiling water, and after it has thickened a
little, leave it to cool till it is lukewarm; mix with it two or three
pints of skim-milk, and give it to the calf to drink. At first it may be
necessary to make the calf drink by presenting the fingers to it; but it
will soon learn to drink of itself, and will grow much faster than by
any other method. According to the old custom, a calf intended to be
reared is allowed to suck for six or eight weeks; and if the cow give
only a moderate quantity of milk, the value of it will amount to the
price of the calf in half that time. By the method now recommended, only
a little oatmeal or ground barley is consumed, and a small quantity of
skim-milk. The calf is also more healthy and strong, and less subject to
disease. Small whisps of hay should be placed round them on cleft
sticks, to induce the calves to eat; and when they are weaned, they
should be turned into short sweet grass; for if hay and water only are
used, they are liable to swellings and the rot. The fatting of calves
being an object of great importance, a greater variety of food is now
provided for this purpose than formerly, and great improvements have
been made in this part of rural economy. Grains, potatoes, malt dust,
pollard, and turnips now constitute their common aliment. But in order
to make them fine and fat, they must be kept as clean as possible, with
fresh litter every day. Bleeding them twice before they are slaughtered,
improves the beauty and whiteness of the flesh, but it may be doubted
whether the meat is equally good and nutricious. If calves be taken with
the scouring, which often happens in a few days after being cast, make a
medicine of powdered chalk and wheat meal, wrought into a ball with some
gin; and it will afford relief. The shoote is another distemper to which
they are liable, and is attended with a violent cholic and the loathing
of food. The general remedy in this case is milk, well mulled with eggs;
or eggs and flour mixed with oil, melted butter, linseed or anniseed. To
prevent the sickness which commonly attends calves about Michaelmas
time, take newly-churned butter, without salt, and form it into a cup
the size of an egg; into this cup put three or four cloves of bruised
garlic, and fill it up with tar. Having put the cup down the calf's
throat, pour into its nostrils half a spoonful of the spirit of
turpentine, rub a little tar upon its nose, and keep it within doors for
an hour. Calves ought to be housed a night before this medicine is
given.
CALICO FURNITURE. When curtains or bed furniture of this description are
to be taken down for the summer, shake off the loose dust, and lightly
brush them with a small long-haired furniture brush. Wipe them
afterwards very closely with clean flannels, and rub them with dry
bread. If properly done, the curtains will look nearly as well as at
first, and if the colour be not very light, they will not require
washing for years. Fold them up in large parcels, and put them by
carefully. While the furniture remains up, it should be preserved as
much as possible from the sun and air, which injure delicate colours;
and the dust may be blown off with bellows. Curtains may thus be kept
clean, even to use with the linings after they have been washed or newly
dipped.
CAMP VINEGAR. Slice a large head of garlic, and put it into a
wide-mouthed bottle, with half an ounce of cayenne, two tea-spoonfuls of
soy, two of walnut ketchup, four anchovies chopped, a pint of vinegar,
and enough cochineal to give it the colour of lavender drops. Let it
stand six weeks; then strain it off quite clear, and keep it in small
bottles sealed up.
CAMPHOR JULEP. Dissolve a quarter of an ounce of camphor in half a pint
of brandy. It may thus be kept fit for use; and a tea-spoonful taken in
a wine glass of cold water will be found an agreeable dose.--Another
way. To a quarter of an ounce of camphor, add a quart of boiling water,
and a quart of cold. Let it stand six hours, and strain it off for use.
CAMPHOR OINTMENT. Put half an ounce of camphor into an ounce of the oil
of almonds, mixed with an ounce of spermaceti. Scrape fine into it half
an ounce of white wax, and melt it over some hot water.
CAMPHORATED OIL. Beat an ounce of camphor in a mortar, with two ounces
of Florence oil, till the camphor is entirely dissolved. This liniment
is highly useful in rheumatism, spasms, and other cases of extreme pain.
CANARIES. Those who wish to breed this species of birds, should provide
them a large cage, with two boxes to build in. Early in April put a cock
and hen together; and whilst they are pairing, feed them with soft meat,
or a little grated bread, scalded rapeseed and an egg mixed together. At
the same time a small net of fine hay, wool, cotton, and hair should be
suspended in one corner of the cage, so that the birds may pull it out
as they want it to build with. Tame canaries will sometimes breed three
or four times in a year, and produce their young about a fortnight after
they begin to sit. When hatched, they should be left to the care of the
old ones, to nurse them up till they can fly and feed themselves; during
which time they should be supplied with fresh victuals every day,
accompanied now and then with cabbage, lettuce, and chick-weed with
seeds upon it. When the young canaries can feed themselves, they should
be taken from the old ones, and put into another cage. Boil a little
rapeseed, bruise and mix it with as much grated bread, mace seed, and
the yolk of an egg boiled hard; and supply them with a small quantity
every day, that it may not become stale or sour. Besides this, give them
a little scalded rapeseed, and a little rape and canary seed by itself.
This diet may be continued till they have done moulting, or renewed at
any time when they appear unhealthy, and afterwards they may be fed in
the usual manner.
CANCER. It is asserted by a French practitioner, that this cruel
disorder may be cured in three days, by the following simple
application, without any surgical operation whatever. Knead a piece of
dough about the size of a pullet's egg, with the same quantity of hog's
lard, the older the better; and when they are thoroughly blended, so as
to form a kind of salve, spread it on a piece of white leather, and
apply it to the part affected. This, if it do no good, is perfectly
harmless.--A plaster for an eating cancer may be made as follows. File
up some old brass, and mix a spoonful of it with mutton suet. Lay the
plaster on the cancer, and let it remain till the cure is effected.
Several persons have derived great benefit from this application, and it
has seldom been known to fail.
CANDIED ANGELICA. Cut angelica into pieces three inches long, boil it
tender, peel and boil it again till it is green; dry it in a cloth, and
add its weight in sugar. Sift some fine sugar over, and let them remain
in a pan two days; then boil the stalks clear and green, and let them
drain in a cullender. Beat another pound of sugar and strew over them,
lay them on plates, and dry them well in an oven.
CANDIED FRUIT. Take the preserve out of the syrup, lay it into a new
sieve, and dip it suddenly into hot water, to take off the syrup that
hangs about it. Put it on a napkin before the fire to drain, and then do
another layer in the sieve. Sift the fruit all over with double refined
sugar previously prepared, till it is quite white. Set it on the shallow
end of sieves in a lightly-warm oven, and turn it two or three times: it
must not be cold till dry. Watch it carefully, and it will be beautiful.
CANDIED PEEL. Take out the pulps of lemons or oranges, soak the rinds
six days in salt and water, and afterwards boil them tender in spring
water. Drain them on a sieve, make a thin syrup of loaf sugar and water,
and boil the peels in it till the syrup begins to candy about them. Then
take out the peels, grate fine sugar over them, drain them on a sieve,
and dry them before the fire.
CANDLES. Those made in cold weather are best; and if put in a cool
place, they will improve by keeping; but when they begin to sweat and
turn rancid, the tallow loses its strength, and the candles are spoiled.
A stock for winter use should be provided in autumn, and for summer,
early in the spring. The best candle-wicks are made of fine cotton; the
coarser yarn consumes faster, and burns less steady. Mould candles burn
the clearest, but dips afford the best light, their wicks being
proportionally larger.
CAPER SAUCE. Add a table-spoonful of capers to twice the quantity of
vinegar, mince one third of the capers very fine, and divide the others
in half. Put them into a quarter of a pint of melted butter, or good
thickened gravy, and stir them the same way as the melted butter, to
prevent their oiling. The juice of half a Seville orange or lemon may be
added. An excellent substitute for capers may be made of pickled green
peas, nastursions, or gherkins, chopped into a similar size, and boiled
with melted butter. When capers are kept for use, they should be covered
with fresh scalded vinegar, tied down close to exclude the air, and to
make them soft.
CAPILLAIRE. Take fourteen pounds of good moist sugar, three of coarse
sugar, and six eggs beaten in well with the shells, boil them together
in three quarts of water, and skim it carefully. Then add a quarter of a
pint of orange-flower water, strain it off, and put it into bottles.
When cold, mix a spoonful or two of this syrup in a little warm or cold
water.
CARACHEE. Mix with a pint of vinegar, two table-spoonfuls of Indian soy,
two of walnut pickle, two cloves of garlic, one tea-spoonful of cayenne,
one of lemon pickle, and two of sauce royal.
CARMEL COVER. Dissolve eight ounces of double refined sugar in three or
four spoonfuls of water, and as many drops of lemon juice. Put it into a
copper skillet; when it begins to thicken, dip the handle of a spoon in
it, and put that into a pint bason of water. Squeeze the sugar from the
spoon into it, and so on till all the sugar is extracted. Take a bit out
of the water, and if it snaps and is brittle when cold, it is done
enough. But let it be only three parts cold, then pour the water from
the sugar, and having a copper form oiled well, run the sugar on it, in
the manner of a maze, and when cold it may be put on the dish it is
intended to cover. If on trial the sugar is not brittle, pour off the
water, return it into the skillet, and boil it again. It should look
thick like treacle, but of a light gold colour. This makes an elegant
cover for sweetmeats.
CARP. This excellent fish will live some time out of water, and may
therefore get wasted: it is best to kill them as soon as caught, to
prevent this. Carp should either be boiled or stewed. Scale and draw it,
and save the blood. Set on water in a stewpan, with a little Chili
vinegar, salt, and horse-radish. When it boils, put in the carp, and
boil it gently for twenty minutes, according to the thickness of the
fish. Stew the blood with half a pint of port wine, some good gravy, a
sliced onion, a little whole pepper, a blade of mace, and a nutmeg
grated. Thicken the sauce with butter rolled in flour, season it with
pepper and salt, essence of anchovy, and mushroom ketchup. Serve up the
fish with the sauce poured over it, adding a little lemon juice. Carp
are also very nice plain boiled, with common fish sauce.