wine, and a dram of the oil of cloves. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace are
prepared in the same manner.
ESSENCE OF FLOWERS. Select a quantity of the petals of any flowers which
have an agreeable fragrance, lay them in an earthen vessel, and sprinkle
a little fine salt upon them. Then dip some cotton into the best
Florence oil, and lay it thin upon the flowers; continue a layer of
petals, and a layer of cotton, till the vessel is full. It is then to be
closed down with a bladder, and exposed to the heat of the sun. In about
a fortnight a fragrant oil may be squeezed away from the whole mass,
which will yield a rich perfume.
ESSENCE OF GINGER. Grate three ounces of ginger, and an ounce of thin
lemon peel, into a quart of brandy, or proof spirit, and let it stand
for ten days, shaking it up each day. If ginger is taken to produce an
immediate effect, to warm the stomach, or dispel flatulence, this will
be found the best preparation.
ESSENCE OF LAVENDER. Take the blossoms from the stalks in warm weather,
and spread them in the shade for twenty-four hours on a linen cloth;
then bruise and put them into warm water, and leave them closely covered
in a still for four or five hours near the fire. After this the blossoms
may be distilled in the usual way.
ESSENCE OF LEMON PEEL. Wash and brush clean the lemons, and let them get
perfectly dry. Take a lump of fine sugar, and rub them till all the
yellow rind is taken up by the sugar; scrape off the surface of the
sugar into a preserving pot, and press it hard down. Cover it very
close, and it will keep for some time. By this process is obtained the
whole of the fine essential oil, which contains the flavour.
ESSENCE OF MUSHROOMS. This delicate relish is made by sprinkling a
little salt over some mushrooms, and mashing them three hours after.
Next day strain off the liquor, put it into a stewpan, and boil it till
reduced one half. It will not keep long, but is preferable to any of the
ketchups. An artificial bed of mushrooms would supply this article all
the year round.
ESSENCE OF OYSTERS. Take fine fresh Milton oysters, wash them in their
own liquor, skim it, and pound them in a marble mortar. To a pint of
oysters add a pint of sherry, boil them up, and add an ounce of salt,
two drams of pounded mace, and one of cayenne. Let it just boil up
again, skim it, and rub it through a sieve. When cold, bottle and cork
it well, and seal it down. This composition very agreeably heightens the
flavour of white sauces, and white made-dishes. If a glass of brandy be
added to the essence, it will keep a considerable time longer than
oysters are out of season.
ESSENCE OF SHALOT. Peel, mince, and pound in a mortar, three ounces of
shalots, and infuse them in a pint of sherry for three days. Then pour
off the clear liquor on three ounces more of shalots, and let the wine
remain on them ten days longer. An ounce of scraped horseradish may be
added to the above, and a little thin lemon peel. This will impart a
fine flavour to soups, sauces, hashes, and various other dishes.
ESSENCE OF SOAP. For washing or shaving, the essence of soap is very
superior to what is commonly used for these purposes, and a very small
quantity will make an excellent lather. Mix two ounces of salt of tartar
with half a pound of soap finely sliced, put them into a quart of
spirits of wine, in a bottle that will contain twice the quantity. Tie
it down with a bladder, prick a pin through it for the air to escape,
set it to digest in a gentle heat, and shake up the contents. When the
soap is dissolved, filter the liquor through some paper to free it from
impurities, and scent it with burgamot or essence of lemon.
ESSENCE OF TURTLE. Mix together one wine-glassful of the essence of
anchovy, one and a half of shalot wine, four wine-glassfuls of Basil
wine, two ditto of mushroom ketchup, one dram of lemon acid, three
quarters of an ounce of lemon peel very thinly pared, and a quarter of
an ounce of curry powder, and let them steep together for a week. The
essence thus obtained will be found convenient to flavour soup, sauce,
potted meats, savoury patties, and various other articles.
EVACUATIONS. Few things are more conducive to health than keeping the
body regular, and paying attention to the common evacuations. A proper
medium between costiveness and laxness is highly desirable, and can only
be obtained by regularity in diet, sleep, and exercise. Irregularity in
eating and drinking disturbs every part of the animal economy, and never
fails to produce diseases. Too much or too little food will have this
effect: the former generally occasions looseness, and the latter
costiveness; and both have a tendency to injure health. Persons who have
frequent recourse to medicine for preventing costiveness, seldom fail to
ruin their constitution. They ought rather to remove the evil by diet
than by drugs, by avoiding every thing of a hot or binding nature, by
going thinly clothed, walking in the open air, and acquiring the habit
of a regular discharge by a stated visit to the place of retreat.
Habitual looseness is often owing to an obstructed perspiration: persons
thus afflicted should keep their feet warm, and wear flannel next the
skin. Their diet also should be of an astringent quality, and such as
tends to strengthen the bowels. For this purpose, fine bread, cheese,
eggs, rice milk, red wine, or brandy and water would be
proper.--Insensible perspiration is one of the principal discharges from
the human body, and is of such importance to health, that few diseases
attack us while it goes on properly; but when obstructed, the whole
frame is soon disordered, and danger meets us in every form. The common
cause of obstructed perspiration, or taking cold, is the sudden changes
of the weather; and the best means of fortifying the body is to be
abroad every day, and breathe freely in the open air. Much danger arises
from wet feet and wet clothes, and persons who are much abroad are
exposed to these things. The best way is to change wet clothes as soon
as possible, or to keep in motion till they be dry, but by no means to
sit or lie down. Early habits may indeed inure people to wet clothes and
wet feet without any danger, but persons of a delicate constitution
cannot be too careful. Perspiration is often obstructed by other means,
but it is in all cases attended with considerable danger. Sudden
transitions from heat to cold, drinking freely of cold water after being
heated with violent exercise, sitting near an open window when the room
is hot, plunging into cold water in a state of perspiration, or going
into the cold air immediately after sitting in a warm room, are among
the various means by which the health of thousands is constantly ruined;
and more die of colds than are killed by plagues, or slain in battle.
EVE'S PUDDING. Grate three quarters of a pound of bread; mix it with the
same quantity of shred suet, the same of apples, and also of currants.
Mix with these the whole of four eggs, and the rind of half a lemon
shred fine. Put it into a shape, and boil it three hours. Serve with
pudding sauce, the juice of half a lemon, and a little nutmeg.
EXERCISE. Whether man were originally intended for labour or not, it is
evident from the human structure, that exercise is not less necessary
than food, for the preservation of health. It is generally seen among
the labouring part of the community, that industry places them above
want, and activity serves them instead of physic. It seems to be the
established law of the animal creation, that without exercise no
creature should enjoy health, or be able to find subsistence. Every
creature, except man, takes as much of it as is necessary: he alone
deviates from this original law, and suffers accordingly. Weak nerves,
and glandular obstructions, which are now so common, are the constant
companions of inactivity. We seldom hear the active or laborious
complain of nervous diseases: indeed many have been cured of them by
being reduced to the necessity of labouring for their own support. This
shews the source from which such disorders flow, and the means by which
they may be prevented. It is evident that health cannot be enjoyed where
the perspiration is not duly carried on; but that can never be the case
where exercise is neglected. Hence it is that the inactive are
continually complaining of pains of the stomach, flatulencies, and
various other disorders which cannot be removed by medicine, but might
be effectually cured by a course of vigorous exercise. But to render
this in the highest degree beneficial, it should always be taken in the
open air, especially in the morning, while the stomach is empty, and the
body refreshed with sleep. The morning air braces and strengthens the
nerves, and in some measure answers the purpose of a cold bath. Every
thing that induces people to sit still, except it be some necessary
employment, ought to be avoided; and if exercise cannot be had in the
open air, it should be attended to as far as possible within doors.
Violent exertions however are no more to be recommended than inactivity;
for whatever fatigues the body, prevents the benefit of exercise, and
tends to weaken rather than strengthen it. Fast walking, immediately
before or after meals, is highly pernicious, and necessarily accelerates
the circulation of the blood, which is attended with imminent danger to
the head or brain. On the other hand, indolence not only occasions
diseases, and renders men useless to society, but it is the parent of
vice. The mind, if not engaged in some useful pursuit, is constantly in
search of ideal pleasures, or impressed with the apprehension of some
imaginary evil; and from these sources proceed most of the miseries of
mankind. An active life is the best guardian of virtue, and the greatest
preservative of health.
F.
FACSIMILES. To produce a facsimile of any writing, the pen should be
made of glass enamel, the point being small and finely polished, so that
the part above the point may be large enough to hold as much or more ink
than a common writing pen. A mixture of equal parts of Frankfort black,
and fresh butter, is now to be smeared over sheets of paper, and is to
be rubbed off after a certain time. The paper thus smeared is to be
pressed for some hours, taking care to have sheets of blotting paper
between each of the sheets of black paper. When fit for use, writing
paper is put between sheets of blackened paper, and the upper sheet is
to be written on, with common ink, by the glass or enamel pen. By this
method, not only the copy is obtained on which the pen writes, but also
two or more, made by means of the blackened paper.
FAMILY PIES. To make a plain trust for pies to be eaten hot, or for
fruit puddings, cut some thin slices of beef suet, lay them in some
flour, mix it with cold water, and roll it till it is quite soft. Or
make a paste of half a pound of butter or lard, and a pound and a half
of flour. Mix it with water, work it up, roll it out twice, and cover
the dish with it.
FAMILY WINE. An excellent compound wine, suited to family use, may be
made of equal parts of red, white, and black currants, ripe cherries and
raspberries, well bruised, and mixed with soft water, in the proportion
of four pounds of fruit to one gallon of water. When strained and
pressed, three pounds of moist sugar are to be added to each gallon of
liquid. After standing open for three days, during which it is to be
stirred frequently, it is to be put into a barrel, and left for a
fortnight to work, when a ninth part of brandy is to be added, and the
whole bunged down. In a few months it will be a most excellent wine.
FATTING FOWLS. Chickens or fowls may be fatted in four or five days, by
setting some rice over the fire with skimmed milk, as much as will serve
for one day. Let it boil till the rice is quite swelled, and add a
tea-spoonful of sugar. Feed them three times a day, in common pans,
giving them only as much as will quite fill them at once. Before they
are fed again, set the pans in water, that no sourness may be conveyed
to the fowls, as that would prevent their fattening. Let them drink
clean water, or the milk of the rice; but when rice is given them, after
being perfectly soaked, let as much of the moisture as possible be drawn
from it. By this method the flesh will have a clean whiteness, which no
other food gives; and when it is considered how far a pound of rice will
go, and how much time is saved by this mode, it will be found nearly as
cheap as any other food, especially if it is to be purchased. The
chicken pen should be cleaned every day, and no food given for sixteen
hours before poultry is to be killed.
FAWN. A fawn, like a sucking pig, should be dressed almost as soon as it
is killed. When very young, it is trussed, stuffed, and spitted the same
as a hare. But they are better eating when of the size of a house lamb,
and then roasted in quarters: the hind quarter is most esteemed. The
meat must be put down to a very quick fire, and either basted all the
time it is roasting, or be covered with sheets of fat bacon. When done,
baste it with butter, and dredge it with a little salt and flour, till a
nice froth is set upon it. Serve it up with venison sauce. If a fawn be
half roasted as soon as received, and afterwards made into a hash, it
will be very fine.
FEAR. Sudden fear, or an unexpected fright, often produces epileptic
fits, and other dangerous disorders. Many young people have lost their
lives or their senses by the foolish attempts of producing violent
alarm, and the mind has been thrown into such disorders as never again
to act with regularity. A settled dread and anxiety not only dispose the
body to diseases, but often render those diseases fatal, which a
cheerful mind would overcome; and the constant dread of some future
evil, has been known to bring on the very evil itself. A mild and
sympathizing behaviour towards the afflicted will do them more good than
medicine, and he is the best physician and the best friend who
administers the consolation of hope.
FEATHERS. Where poultry is usually sold ready picked, the feathers which
occasionally come in small quantities are neglected; but care should be
taken to put them into a clean tub, and as they dry to change them into
paper bags, in small quantities. They should hang in a dry kitchen to
season; fresh ones must not be added to those in part dried, or they
will occasion a musty smell, but they should go through the same
process. In a few months they will be fit to add to beds, or to make
pillows, without the usual mode of drying them in a cool oven, which may
be pursued if they are wanted before five or six months.
FEATHERS CLEANED. In order to clear feathers from animal oil, dissolve a
pound of quick lime in a gallon of clear water; and pour off the clear
lime-water for use, at the time it is wanted. Put the feathers to be
cleaned in a tub, and add to them a sufficient quantity of the clear
lime-water, so as to cover them about three inches. The feathers, when
thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and should remain in the
lime-water for three or four days; after which, the foul liquor should
be separated from them by laying them on a sieve. They are afterwards to
be washed in clean water, and dried on nets, the meshes being about the
same fineness as those of cabbage nets. They must be shaken from time to
time on the nets; as they dry, they will fall through the meshes, and
are to be collected for use. The admission of air will be serviceable in
the drying, and the whole process may be completed in about three weeks.
The feathers, after being thus prepared, want nothing farther than
beating, to be used either for beds, bolsters, pillows, or cushions.
FEET. To prevent corns from growing on the feet, wear easy shoes, and
bathe the feet often in lukewarm water, with a little salt and potash
dissolved in it. The corn itself may be completely destroyed by rubbing
it daily with a little caustic solution of potash, till a soft and
flexible skin is formed. For chilblains, soak the feet in warm bran and
water and rub them well with flour of mustard. This should be done
before the chilblains begin to break.
FENNEL SAUCE. Boil fennel and parsley, tied together in a bunch; chop it
small, and stir it up with melted butter. This sauce is generally eaten
with mackarel.
FEVER DRINK. To make a refreshing drink in a fever, put into a stone jug
a little tea sage, two sprigs of balm, and a small quantity of wood
sorrel, having first washed and dried them. Peel thin a small lemon, and
clear from the white; slice it, and put in a bit of the peel. Then pour
in three pints of boiling water, sweeten, and cover it close.--Another
drink. Wash extremely well an ounce of pearl barley; shift it twice,
then put to it three pints of water, an ounce of sweet almonds beaten
fine, and a bit of lemon peel. Boil the liquor smooth, put in a little
syrup of lemons, and capillaire.--Another way is to boil three pints of
water with an ounce and a half of tamarinds, three ounces of currants,
and two ounces of stoned raisins, till nearly a third is consumed.
Strain it on a bit of lemon peel, which should be removed in the course
of an hour, or it will infuse a bitter taste.
FILLET OF VEAL. Stuff it well under the udder, at the bone, and quite
through to the shank. Put it into the oven, with a pint of water under
it, till it comes to a fine brown. Then put it in a stewpan with three
pints of gravy, and stew it quite tender. Add a tea-spoonful of lemon
pickle, a large spoonful of browning, one of ketchup, and a little
cayenne; thicken it with a bit of butter rolled in flour. Put the veal
in a dish, strain the gravy over it, and lay round it forcemeat balls.
Garnish with pickle and lemon.
FINE CAKE. To make an excellent cake, rub two pounds of fine dry flour
with one of butter, washed in plain and then in rose water. Mix with it
three spoonfuls of yeast, in a little warm milk and water. Set it to
rise an hour and a half before the fire, and then beat into it two
pounds of currants, carefully washed and picked, and one pound of sifted
sugar. Add four ounces of almonds, six ounces of stoned raisins chopped
fine, half a nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and a few cloves, the peel of a
lemon shred very fine, a glass of wine, one of brandy, twelve yolks and
whites of eggs beat separately, with orange, citron, and lemon. Beat
them up well together, butter the pan, and bake in a quick oven.--To
make a still finer cake, wash two pounds and a half of fresh butter in
water first, and then in rose water, and beat the butter to a cream.
Beat up twenty eggs, yolks and whites, separately, half an hour each.
Have ready two pounds and a half of the finest flour well dried and kept
hot, likewise a pound and a half of loaf sugar pounded and sifted, an
ounce of spice in very fine powder, three pounds of currants nicely
cleaned and dry, half a pound of almonds blanched, and three quarters of
a pound of sweetmeats cut small. Let all be kept by the fire, and mix
the dry ingredients. Pour the eggs strained to the butter, mix half a
glass of sweet wine with a full glass of brandy, and pour it to the
butter and eggs, mixing them well together. Add the dry ingredients by
degrees, and beat them together thoroughly for a great length of time.
Having prepared and stoned half a pound of jar raisins, chopped as fine
as possible, mix them carefully, so that there shall be no lumps, and
add a tea-cupful of orange flower water. Beat the ingredients together a
full hour at least. Have a hoop well buttered, or a tin or copper
cake-pan; take a white paper, doubled and buttered, and put in the pan
round the edge, if the cake batter fill it more than three parts, for
space should be allowed for rising. Bake it in a quick oven: three hours
will be requisite.
FINE CRUST. For orange cheesecakes, or sweetmeats, when intended to be
particularly nice, the following fine crust may be prepared. Dry a pound
of the finest flour and mix with it three ounces of refined sugar. Work
up half a pound of butter with the hand till it comes to a froth, put
the flour into it by degrees, adding the yolks of three and the whites
of two eggs, well beaten and strained. If too thin, add a little flour
and sugar to make it fit to roll. Line some pattipans, and fill them: a
little more than fifteen minutes will bake them. Beat up some refined
sugar with the white of an egg, as thick as possible, and ice the
articles all over as soon as they are baked. Then return them to the
oven to harden, and serve them up cold, with fresh butter. Salt butter
will make a very fine flaky crust, but if for mince pies, or any sweet
things, it should first be washed.
FIRE ARMS. The danger of improperly loading fire arms chiefly arises
from not ramming the wadding close to the powder; and then when a
fowling-piece is discharged, it is very likely to burst in pieces. This
circumstance, though well known, is often neglected, and various
accidents are occasioned by it. Hence when a screw barrel pistol is to
be loaded, care should be taken that the cavity for the powder be
entirely filled with it, so as to leave no space between the powder and
the ball. For the same reason, if the bottom of a large tree is to be
shivered with gunpowder, a space must be left between the charge and the
wadding, and the powder will tear it asunder. But considering the
numerous accidents that are constantly occurring, from the incautious
use of fire arms, the utmost care should be taken not to place them
within the reach of children or of servants, and in no instance to lay
them up without previously drawing the charge.
FIRE IRONS. To preserve them from rust, when not in use, they should be
wrapped up in baize, and kept in a dry place. Or to preserve them more
effectually, let them be smeared over with fresh mutton suet, and dusted
with unslaked lime, pounded and tied up in muslin. Irons so prepared
will keep many months. Use no oil for them at any time, except a little
salad oil, there being water in all other, which would soon produce
rust.
FIRMITY. To make Somersetshire firmity, boil a quart of fine wheat, and
add by degrees two quarts of new milk. Pick and wash four ounces of
currants, stir them in the jelly, and boil them together till all is
done. Beat the yolks of three eggs, and a little nutmeg, with two or
three spoonfuls of milk, and add to the boiling. Sweeten the whole, and
serve it in a deep dish, either warm or cold.