Those sentences marked with a star relate to subjects mentioned in
other parts of the book.
To PRESERVE GREEN CURRANTS.--Currants maybe kept fresh for a year or
more, if they are gathered when green, separated from the stems, put
into dry, clean junk bottles, and corked very carefully, so as to
exclude the air. They should be kept in a cool place in the cellar.
CANDLES.--Very hard and durable candles are made in the following
manner: Melt together ten ounces of mutton tallow, a quarter of an
ounce of camphor, four ounces of beeswax, and two ounces of alum.
Candles made of these materials burn with a very clear light.
*VARNISHED FURNITURE.--If you wish to give a fine soft polish to
varnished furniture, and remove any slight imperfections, rub it once
or twice a week with pulverized rotten-stone and linseed oil, and
afterward wipe clean with a soft silk rag.
CREAM.--The quantity of cream on milk may be greatly increased by the
following process: Have two pans ready in boiling hot water, and when
the new milk is brought in, put it into one of these hot pans and
cover it with the other. The quality as well as the thickness of the
cream is improved.
*TEETH.--Honey mixed with pure pulverized charcoal is said to be
excellent to cleanse the teeth, and make them white. Lime-water with a
little Peruvian bark is very good to be occasionally used by those who
have defective teeth, or an offensive breath.
TAINTED BUTTER.--Some good cooks say that bad butter may be purified
in the following manner: Melt and skim it, then put into it a piece
of _well-toasted_ bread; in a few minutes the butter will lose its
offensive taste and smell; the bread will absorb it all. Slices
of potato fried in rancid lard will in a great measure absorb the
unpleasant taste.
TOMATOES PIE.--Tomatoes make excellent pies. Skins taken off with
scalding water, stewed twenty minutes or more, salted, prepared the
same as rich squash pies, only an egg or two more.
*It is a great improvement to the flavor of PUMPKIN PIES to boil the
milk, stir the sifted pumpkin into it, and let them boil up together
once or twice. The pumpkin swells almost as much as Indian meal, and
of course absorbs more milk than when stirred together cold; but the
taste of the pie is much improved.
Some people cut pumpkin, string it, and dry it like apples. It is a
much better way to boil and sift the pumpkin, then spread it out thin
in tin plates, and dry hard in a warm oven. It will keep good all the
year round, and a little piece boiled up in milk will make a batch of
pies.
*Most people think BRASS KETTLES for washing are not as likely to
collect verdigris, if they are never cleaned in any other way than by
washing in strong soap suds just before they are used.
INK SPOTS.--If soaked in warm milk before the ink has a chance to dry,
the spot may usually be removed. If it has dried in, rub table-salt
upon it, and drop lemon-juice upon the salt. This answers nearly as
well as the salts of lemon sold by apothecaries. If a lemon cannot
be easily procured, vinegar, or sorrel-juice, will answer. White soap
diluted with vinegar is likewise a good thing to take out ink spots.
STARCH.--Frozen potatoes yield more flour for starch than fresh ones.
The frost may be taken out by soaking them in cold water a few hours
before cooking; if frozen very hard, it may be useful to throw a
little saltpetre into the water.
FEATHERS.--It is said that tumbled plumes may be restored to
elasticity and beauty by dipping them in hot water, then shaking and
drying them.
ICY STEPS.--Salt strewed upon the door-steps in winter will cause the
ice to crack, so that it can be easily removed.
FLOWERS.--Flowers may be preserved fresh in tumblers or vases by
putting a handful of salt in the water, to increase its coldness.
WHITE-WASHING is said to last longer if the new-slaked lime be mixed
with skim-milk.
HORSE-FLIES.--Indigo-weed stuck plentifully about the harness tends
to keep flies from horses. Some make a decoction of indigo-weed, and
others of pennyroyal, and bathe horses with it, to defend them from
insects.
PINE APPLES will keep much better if the green crown at top be twisted
off. The vegetation of the crown takes the goodness from the fruit, in
the same way that sprouts injure vegetables. The crown can be stuck on
for ornament, if necessary.
*THE PILES.--Those who have tried other remedies for this disorder in
vain, have found relief from the following medicine: Stew a handful
of low mallows in about three gills of milk; strain it, and mix
about half the quantity of West India molasses with it. As warm as is
agreeable.
WARTS.--It is said that if the top of a wart be wet and rubbed two
or three times a day with a piece of unslaked lime, it cures the wart
soon, and leaves no scar.
*CANCERS.--The Indians have great belief in the efficacy of poultices
of stewed cranberries, for the relief of _cancers_. They apply them
fresh and warm every ten or fifteen minutes, night and day. Whether
this will effect a cure I know not; I simply know that the Indians
strongly recommend it. Salts, or some simple physic, is taken every
day during the process.
EAR-WAX.--Nothing is better than ear-wax to prevent the painful
effects resulting from a wound by a nail, skewer, &c. It should be put
on as soon as possible. Those who are troubled with cracked lips have
found this remedy successful when others have failed. It is one of
those sorts of cures, which are very likely to be laughed at; but I
know of its having produced very beneficial results.
*BURNS.--If a person who is burned will _patiently_ hold the injured
part in water, it will prevent the formation of a blister. If the
water be too cold, it may be slightly warmed, and produce the same
effect. People in general are not willing to try it for a sufficiently
long time. Chalk and hog's lard simmered together are said to make a
good ointment for a burn.
*BRUISES.--Constant application of warm water is very soothing to
bruised flesh, and may serve to prevent bad consequences while other
things are in preparation.
SORE NIPPLES.--Put twenty grains of sugar of lead into a vial with one
gill of rose-water; shake it up thoroughly; wet a piece of soft linen
with this preparation, and put it on; renew this as often as the linen
becomes dry. Before nursing, wash this off with something soothing;
rose-water is very good; but the best thing is quince-seed warmed in
a little cold tea until the liquid becomes quite glutinous. This
application is alike healing and pleasant.
A raw onion is an excellent remedy for the STING OF A WASP.
CORNS.--A corn may be extracted from the foot by binding on half a raw
cranberry, with the cut side of the fruit upon the foot. I have known
a very old and troublesome corn drawn out in this way, in the course
of a few nights.
HEART-BURN.--Eat magnesia for the heart-burn.
CHLORIDE OF LIME.--A room may be purified from offensive smells of
any kind by a few spoonsful of chloride of lime dissolved in water.
A good-sized saucer, or some similar vessel, is large enough for
all common purposes. The article is cheap, and is invaluable in the
apartment of an invalid.
EGGS IN WINTER.--The reason hens do not usually lay eggs in the winter
is that the gravel is covered up with snow, and therefore they are
not furnished with lime to form the shells. If the bones left of meat,
poultry, &c. are pounded and mixed with their food, or given to them
alone, they will eat them very eagerly, and will lay eggs the same
as in summer. Hens fed on oats are much more likely to lay well than
those fed on corn.
PEARLS.--In order to preserve the beauty of pearl ornaments, they
should be carefully kept from dampness. A piece of paper torn off and
rolled up, so as to present a soft, ragged edge, is the best thing to
cleanse them with.
VARNISHING GILDED FRAMES.--It is said that looking-glass frames
may be cleansed with a damp cloth, without injury, provided they
are varnished with the _pure white alcoholic varnish_, used for
transferred engravings and other delicate articles of fancy-work. This
would save the trouble of covering and uncovering picture-frames with
the change of the seasons. I never heard how many coats of varnish
were necessary, but I should think it would be safe to put on more
than one.
COLOGNE WATER.--One pint of alcohol, sixty drops of lavender, sixty
drops of bergamot, sixty drops of essence of lemon, sixty drops of
orange water. To be corked up, and well shaken. It is better for
considerable age.
GREASE SPOTS.--Magnesia rubbed upon the spot, covered with clean
paper, and a warm iron placed above, will usually draw out grease.
Where a considerable quantity of oil has been spilled, it will be
necessary to repeat the operation a great many times, in order to
extract it all.
RECEIPT FOR MAKING EXCELLENT BREAD WITHOUT YEAST.--Scald about two
handsful of Indian meal, into which put a little salt, and as much
cold water as will make it rather warmer than new milk; then stir in
wheat flour, till it is as thick as a family pudding, and set it down
by the fire to rise. In about half an hour, it generally grows thin;
you may sprinkle a little fresh flour on the top, and mind to turn the
pot round, that it may not bake to the side of it. In three or four
hours, if you mind the above directions, it will rise and ferment as
if you had set it with hop yeast; when it does, make it up in soft
dough, flour a pan, put in your bread, set it before the fire, covered
up, turn it round to make it equally warm, and in about half an hour
it will be light enough to bake. It suits best to bake in a Dutch
oven, as it should be put into the oven as soon as it is light.
RICE JELLY.--Boil a quarter of a pound of rice flour with half a
pound of loaf sugar, in a quart of water, till the whole becomes one
glutinous mass, then strain off the jelly and let it stand to cool.
This food is very nourishing and beneficial to invalids.
APPLE MARMALADE.--Scald apples till they will pulp from the core; take
an equal weight of sugar in large lumps, and boil it in just water
enough to dip the lumps well, until it can be skimmed, and is a thick
syrup; mix this with the apple pulp, and simmer it on a quick fire for
fifteen minutes. Keep it in pots covered with paper dipped in brandy.
QUINCE MARMALADE.--To two pounds of quince put three quarters of a
pound of nice sugar, and a pint of spring water. Boil them till they
are tender; then take them up and bruise them; again put them in the
liquor, and let them boil three quarters of an hour, then put it into
jars, covered as mentioned above. Those who like things very sweet put
an equal quantity of quince and sugar; but I think the flavor is less
delicious.
RASPBERRY JAM.--Take an equal quantity of fruit and sugar. Put the
raspberries into a pan, boil and stir them constantly till juicy and
well broken; add as much sugar, boil and skim it till it is reduced to
a fine jam. Put it away in the same manner as other preserves.
BLANC-MANGER.--Boil two ounces of isinglass in one pint and a half of
new milk; strain it into one pint of thick cream. Sweeten it to your
taste, add one cup of rose-water, boil it up once, let it settle, and
put it in your moulds.
Some prefer to boil two ounces of isinglass in three and a half pints
of water for half an hour, then strain it to one pint and a half of
cream, sweeten it, add a teacup of rose-water, and boil up once.
Isinglass is the most expensive ingredient in blanc-manger. Some
decidedly prefer the jelly of calves' feet. The jelly is obtained
by boiling four feet in a gallon of water till reduced to a quart,
strained, cooled, and skimmed. A pint of jelly to a pint of cream; in
other respects done the same as isinglass blanc-manger. Some boil a
stick of cinnamon, or a grated lemon-peel, in the jelly. The moulds
should be made thoroughly clean, and wet with cold water; the white of
an egg, dropped in and shook round the moulds, will make it come out
smooth and handsomely.
PORK JELLY.--Some people like the jelly obtained from a boiled hand
of pork, or the feet of pork, prepared in the same way as calf's-foot
jelly; for which see page 31.
The cloths, or jelly-bags, through which jelly is strained, should be
first wet to prevent waste.
CRANBERRY JELLY.--Mix isinglass jelly, or calf's-foot jelly, with a
double quantity of cranberry juice, sweeten it with fine loaf sugar,
boil it up once, and strain it to cool.
RICH CUSTARDS.--Boil a pint of milk with lemon-peel and a stick of
cinnamon. While it is boiling, beat up the yolks of five eggs with
a pint of cream. When the milk tastes of the spice, pour it to the
cream, stirring well; sweeten it to taste. Give the custard a simmer,
till of a proper thickness, but do not let it boil. Stir the whole
time one way. Season it with a little rose-water, and a few spoonsful
of wine or brandy, as you may prefer. When put into cups, grate on
nutmeg.
TO PRESERVE PEACHES.--Scald peaches in boiling water, but do not let
them boil; take them out and put them in cold water, then dry them in
a sieve, and put them in long, wide-mouthed bottles. To a half dozen
peaches put a quarter of a pound of clarified sugar; pour it over the
peaches, fill up the bottles with brandy, and stop them close.
COCOA-NUT CAKES.--Grate the meat of two cocoa-nuts, after pealing
off the dark skin; allow an equal weight of loaf sugar, pounded and
sifted, and the rind and juice of two lemons. Mix the ingredients
well; make into cakes about as big as a nutmeg, with a little piece of
citron in each. Bake them on buttered tin sheets about twenty minutes,
in a moderately hot oven.
*TO CLARIFY SUGAR.--Put half a pint of water to a pound of sugar; whip
up the white of an egg and stir it in, and put it over the fire. When
it first boils up, check it with a little cold water; the second time
set it away to cool. In a quarter of an hour, skim the top, and turn
the syrup off quickly, so as to leave the sediment which will collect
at the bottom.
*RICH WEDDING CAKE.--One pound three quarters of flour, one pound
one quarter of butter, do. of sugar, one dozen eggs, two pounds
of currants, one gill of wine, half a gill of brandy, one pound of
citron, cut in slices, a wine-glass of rose-water, three quarters
of an ounce of nutmeg, quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of
allspice. The rind of two lemons grated in. See page 72 for baking.
STILL RICHER WEDDING CAKE.--Three pounds of flour, three pounds
of butter, three pounds of sugar, twenty-eight eggs, six pounds of
currants, and six pounds of seeded raisins; one ounce of cinnamon, one
ounce of nutmeg, three quarters of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce
of mace, one pound of citron, two glasses of brandy, two glasses of
rose-water, and one glass of wine. For baking, see page 72.
*FROSTING FOR CAKE.--It is a great improvement to squeeze a little
lemon-juice into the egg and sugar prepared for frosting. It gives
a fine flavor, and makes it extremely white. For frosting, see
directions, page 72.
WHIP SYLLABUB.--One pint of cream, one pint of wine, the juice and
grated peel of a lemon, and the white of two eggs; sweeten it to your
taste, put it into a deep vessel, and whip it to a light froth. Fill
your glasses with the froth as it rises. It is a good plan to put some
of the froth in a sieve, over a dish, and have it in readiness to heap
upon the top of your glasses after you have filled them. Some people
put a spoonful of marmalade or jelly at the bottom of the glasses,
before they are filled.
LOBSTER SALAD.--The meat of one lobster is extracted from the shell,
and cut up fine. Have fresh hard lettuce cut up very fine; mix it with
the lobster. Make a dressing, in a deep plate, of the yolks of four
eggs cut up, a gill of sweet oil, a gill of vinegar, half a gill of
mustard, half a teaspoonful of cayenne, half a teaspoonful of salt;
all mixed well together. To be prepared just before eaten. Chicken
salad is prepared in the same way, only chicken is used instead of
lobster, and celery instead of lettuce.
ESCALOPED OYSTERS.--Put crumbled bread around the sides and bottom
of a buttered dish. Put oysters in a skillet, and let the heat just
strike them through; then take them out of the shells, and rinse them
thoroughly in the water they have stewed in. Put half of them on the
layer of crumbled bread, and season with mace and pepper; cover
them with crumbs of bread and bits of butter; put in the rest of the
oysters, season and cover them in the same way. Strain their liquor,
and pour over. If you fear they will be too salt, put fresh water
instead. Bake fifteen or twenty minutes.
FRIED OYSTERS.--After they are prepared from the shell, they are
dipped in batter, made of eggs and crumbs, seasoned with nutmeg, mace
and salt, stirred up well. Fried in lard till brown.
VEGETABLE OYSTER.--This vegetable is something like a parsnip; is
planted about the same time, ripens about the same time, and requires
about the same cooking. It is said to taste very much like real
oysters. It is cut in pieces, after being boiled, dipped in batter,
and fried in the same way. It is excellent mixed with minced salt
fish.
PARTRIDGES should be roasted ten or fifteen minutes longer than
chickens, that is, provided they are thick-breasted and plump. Being
naturally dry, they should be plentifully basted with butter.
* * * * *