GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON PUDDINGS AND PASTRY.
1175. PUDDINGS AND PASTRY, familiar as they may be, and unimportant as
they may be held in the estimation of some, are yet intimately connected
with the development of agricultural resources in reference to the
cereal grasses. When they began to be made is uncertain; but we may
safely presume, that a simple form of pudding was amongst the first
dishes made after discovering a mode of grinding wheat into flour.
Traditional history enables us to trace man back to the time of the
Deluge. After that event he seems to have recovered himself in the
central parts of Asia, and to have first risen to eminence in the arts
of civilization on the banks of the Nile. From this region, Greece,
Carthage, and some other parts along the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea, were colonized. In process of time, Greece gave to the Romans the
arts which she had thus received from Egypt, and these subsequently
diffused them over Europe. How these were carried to or developed in
India and China, is not so well ascertained; and in America their
ancient existence rests only on very indistinct traditions. As to who
was the real discoverer of the use of corn, we have no authentic
knowledge. The traditions of different countries ascribe it to various
fabulous personages, whose names it is here unnecessary to introduce. In
Egypt, however, corn must have grown abundantly; for Abraham, and after
him Jacob, had recourse to that country for supplies during times of
famine.
1176. THE HABITS OF A PEOPLE, to a great extent, are formed by the
climate in which they live, and by the native or cultivated productions
in which their country abounds. Thus we find that the agricultural
produce of the ancient Egyptians is pretty much the same as that of the
present day, and the habits of the people are not materially altered. In
Greece, the products cultivated in antiquity were the same kinds of
grains and legumes as are cultivated at present, with the vine, the fig,
the olive, the apple, and other fruits. So with the Romans, and so with
other nations. As to the different modes of artificially preparing those
to please the taste, it is only necessary to say that they arise from
the universal desire of novelty, characteristic of man in the
development of his social conditions. Thus has arisen the whole science
of cookery, and thus arose the art of making puddings. The porridge of
the Scotch is nothing more than a species of hasty pudding, composed of
oatmeal, salt, and water; and the "red pottage" for which Esau sold his
birthright, must have been something similar. The barley-gruel of the
Lacedaemonians, of the Athenian gladiators and common people, was the
same, with the exception of the slight seasoning it had beyond the
simplicity of Scottish fare. Here is the ancient recipe for the Athenian
national dish:--"Dry near the fire, in the oven, twenty pounds of
barley-flour; then parch it; add three pounds of linseed-meal, half a
pound of coriander-seed, two ounces of salt, and the quantity of water
necessary." To this sometimes a little millet was added, in order to
give the paste greater cohesion and delicacy.
1177. OATMEAL AMONGST THE GREEKS AND ROMANS was highly esteemed, as was
also rice, which they considered as beneficial to the chest. They also
held in high repute the Irion, or Indian wheat of the moderns. The flour
of this cereal was made into a kind of hasty pudding, and, parched or
roasted, as eaten with a little salt. The Spelt, or Red wheat, was
likewise esteemed, and its flour formed the basis of the Carthaginian
pudding, for which we here give the scientific recipe:--"Put a pound of
red-wheat flour into water, and when it has steeped some time, transfer
it to a wooden bowl. Add three pounds of cream cheese, half a pound of
honey, and one egg. Beat the whole together, and cook it on a slow fire
in a stewpan." Should this be considered unpalatable, another form has
been recommended. "Sift the flour, and, with some water, put it into a
wooden vessel, and, for ten days, renew the water twice each day. At the
end of that period, press out the water and place the paste in another
vessel. It is now to be reduced to the consistence of thick lees, and
passed through a piece of new linen. Repeat this last operation, then
dry the mass in the sun and boil it in milk. Season according to taste."
These are specimens of the puddings of antiquity, and this last recipe
was held in especial favour by the Romans.
1178. HOWEVER GREAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE QUALIFICATIONS of the ancients,
however, in the art of pudding-making, we apprehend that such
preparations as gave gratification to their palates, would have
generally found little favour amongst the insulated inhabitants of Great
Britain. Here, from the simple suet dumpling up to the most complicated
Christmas production, the grand feature of substantiality is primarily
attended to. Variety in the ingredients, we think, is held only of
secondary consideration with the great body of the people, provided that
the whole is agreeable and of sufficient abundance.
1179. ALTHOUGH FROM PUDDINGS TO PASTRY is but a step, it requires a
higher degree of art to make the one than to make the other. Indeed,
pastry is one of the most important branches of the culinary science. It
unceasingly occupies itself with ministering pleasure to the sight as
well as to the taste; with erecting graceful monuments, miniature
fortresses, and all kinds of architectural imitations, composed of the
sweetest and most agreeable products of all climates and countries. At a
very early period, the Orientals were acquainted with the art of
manipulating in pastry; but they by no means attained to the taste,
variety, and splendour of design, by which it is characterized amongst
the moderns. At first it generally consisted of certain mixtures of
flour, oil, and honey, to which it was confined for centuries, even
among the southern nations of the European continent. At the
commencement of the middle ages, a change began to take place in the art
of mixing it. Eggs, butter, and salt came into repute in the making of
paste, which was forthwith used as an inclosure for meat, seasoned with
spices. This advance attained, the next step was to inclose cream,
fruit, and marmalades; and the next, to build pyramids and castles; when
the summit of the art of the pastry-cook may be supposed to have been
achieved.
DIRECTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAKING OF PUDDINGS AND PASTRY.
1180. A few general remarks respecting the various ingredients of which
puddings and pastry are composed, may be acceptable as preliminary to
the recipes in this department of Household Management.
1181. _Flour_ should be of the best quality, and perfectly dry, and
sifted before being used; if in the least damp, the paste made from it
will certainly be heavy.
1182. _Butter_, unless fresh is used, should be washed from the salt,
and well squeezed and wrung in a cloth, to get out all the water and
buttermilk, which, if left in, assists to make the paste heavy.
1183. _Lard_ should be perfectly sweet, which may be ascertained by
cutting the bladder through, and, if the knife smells sweet, the lard is
good.
1184. _Suet_ should be finely chopped, perfectly free from skin, and
quite sweet; during the process of chopping, it should be lightly
dredged with flour, which prevents the pieces from sticking together.
Beef suet is considered the best; but veal suet, or the outside fat of a
loin or neck of mutton, makes good crusts; as also the skimmings in
which a joint of mutton has been boiled, but _without_ vegetables.
1185. _Clarified Beef Dripping_, directions for which will be found in
recipes Nos. 621 and 622, answers very well for kitchen pies, puddings,
cakes, or for family use. A very good short crust may be made by mixing
with it a small quantity of moist sugar; but care must be taken to use
the dripping sparingly, or a very disagreeable flavour will be imparted
to the paste.
1186. Strict cleanliness must be observed in pastry-making; all the
utensils used should be perfectly free from dust and dirt, and the
things required for pastry, kept entirely for that purpose.
[Illustration: PASTE-BOARD AND ROLLING-PIN.]
1187. In mixing paste, add the water very gradually, work the whole
together with the knife-blade, and knead it until perfectly smooth.
Those who are inexperienced in pastry-making, should work the butter in
by breaking it in small pieces and covering the paste rolled out. It
should then be dredged with flour, and the ends folded over and rolled
out very thin again: this process must be repeated until all the butter
is used.
[Illustration: PASTE-PINCERS AND JAGGER, FOR ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF
PIE-CRUSTS.]
1188. The art of making paste requires much practice, dexterity, and
skill: it should be touched as lightly as possible, made with cool hands
and in a cool place (a marble slab is better than a board for the
purpose), and the coolest part of the house should be selected for the
process during warm weather.
1189. To insure rich paste being light, great expedition must be used in
the making and baking; for if it stand long before it is put in the
oven, it becomes flat and heavy.
[Illustration: PASTE-CUTTER AND CORNER-CUTTER.]
[Illustration: ORNAMENTAL-PASTE CUTTER.]
1190. _Puff-paste_ requires a brisk oven, but not too hot, or it would
blacken the crust; on the other hand, if the oven be too slack, the
paste will be soddened, and will not rise, nor will it have any colour.
Tart-tins, cake-moulds, dishes for baked puddings, pattypans, &c.,
should all be buttered before the article intended to be baked is put in
them: things to be baked on sheets should be placed on buttered paper.
Raised-pie paste should have a soaking heat, and paste glazed must have
rather a slack oven, that the icing be not scorched. It is better to ice
tarts, &c. when they are three-parts baked.
[Illustration: PATTY-PANS, PLAIN AND FLUTED.]
[Illustration: PIE-DISH.]
[Illustration: RAISED-PIE MOULD.]
[Illustration: RAISED-PIE MOULD, OPEN.]
1191. To ascertain when the oven is heated to the proper degree for
puff-paste, put a small piece of the paste in previous to baking the
whole, and then the heat can thus be judged of.
1192. The freshness of all pudding ingredients is of much importance, as
one bad article will taint the whole mixture.
1193. When the _freshness_ of eggs is _doubtful_, break each one
separately in a cup, before mixing them altogether. Should there be a
bad one amongst them, it can be thrown away; whereas, if mixed with the
good ones, the entire quantity would be spoiled. The yolks and whites
beaten separately make the articles they are put into much lighter.
1194. Raisins and dried fruits for puddings should be carefully picked,
and, in many cases, stoned. Currants should be well washed, pressed in a
cloth, and placed on a dish before the fire to get thoroughly dry; they
should then be picked carefully over, and _every piece of grit or stone_
removed from amongst them. To plump them, some cooks pour boiling water
over them, and then dry them before the fire.
1195. Batter pudding should be smoothly mixed and free from lumps. To
insure this, first mix the flour with a very small proportion of milk,
and add the remainder by degrees. Should the pudding be very lumpy, it
may be strained through a hair sieve.
1196. _All boiled puddings_ should be put on in _boiling water_, which
must not be allowed to stop simmering, and the pudding must always be
covered with the water; if requisite, the saucepan should be kept filled
up.
[Illustration: BOILED-PUDDING MOULD.]
1197. To prevent a pudding boiled in a cloth from sticking to the bottom
of the saucepan, place a small plate or saucer underneath it, and set
the pan _on a trivet_ over the fire. If a mould is used, this precaution
is not necessary; but care must be taken to keep the pudding well
covered with water.
1198. For dishing a boiled pudding as soon as it comes out of the pot,
dip it into a basin of cold water, and the cloth will then not adhere to
it. Great expedition is necessary in sending puddings to table, as, by
standing, they quickly become heavy, batter puddings particularly.
[Illustration: BOILED-PUDDING MOULD.]
1199. For baked or boiled puddings, the moulds, cups, or basins, should
be always buttered before the mixture is put in them, and they should be
put into the saucepan directly they are filled.
1200. Scrupulous attention should be paid to the cleanliness of
pudding-cloths, as, from neglect in this particular, the outsides of
boiled puddings frequently taste very disagreeably. As soon as possible
after it is taken off the pudding, it should be soaked in water, and
then well washed, without soap, unless it be very greasy. It should be
dried out of doors, then folded up and kept in a dry place. When wanted
for use, dip it in boiling water, and dredge it slightly with flour.
[Illustration: PUDDING-BASIN.]
1201. The _dry ingredients_ for puddings are better for being mixed some
time before they are wanted; the liquid portion should only be added
just before the pudding is put into the saucepan.
1202. A pinch of salt is an improvement to the generality of puddings;
but this ingredient should be added very sparingly, as the flavour
should not be detected.
1203. When baked puddings are sufficiently solid, turn them out of the
dish they were baked in, bottom uppermost, and strew over them fine
sifted sugar.
1204. When pastry or baked puddings are not done through, and yet the
outside is sufficiently brown, cover them over with a piece of white
paper until thoroughly cooked: this prevents them from getting burnt.
[Illustration]
RECIPES.