Having always to substitute a familiar and time-worn flavouring, which
is in the house, for the newer and particular flavour called for and
required to give the distinctive “tang” to a dish, is what gives some
people’s cooking a monotony that is no easier or less expensive to
produce than a variety, if only the kitchen is as well supplied as it
might be. Many different recipes can be made, using the same ingredients
as a basis, by changing the flavouring, as in stews, cakes, etc.
Macaroni and rice admit of a wide range of variation.
For the housekeeper who does not want all her cooking to taste alike, it
will be found convenient to have always on hand a variety of flavouring
and seasoning materials. A list is given below of the ones frequently
called upon in this book; those which are commonly used in sweet dishes
being grouped together, and those used in savoury dishes, such as
soups, stews, etc., although in some cases these are used
interchangeably:
=Flavourings for Sweet Dishes=
Vanilla bean or extract
Almond extract
Orange rind and juice
Lemon rind and juice
Cinnamon
Cloves
Nutmeg
Allspice
Ginger
Wine
=Seasonings for Savoury Dishes=
Pepper
Cayenne
Curry powder
Sage
Summer savoury
Sweet marjoram
Thyme
Bay leaves
Worcestershire sauce
Parsley
Celery seed
Celery leaves
Dried peppers
Many of these can be prepared at almost no cost, and put away in tin
cans or boxes, either whole or powdered with a mortar and pestle. The
leaves of celery and parsley, the herbs and peppers may be washed well
and hung near the kitchen stove or in the sun, if they can be kept free
from dust and flies out of doors, or put into a warming oven. Orange and
lemon rind make good flavourings for puddings and cakes, if correctly
prepared, to vary the monotony of perpetual vanilla. The yellow part
only of the rind should be grated, for cakes, or shaved off with a knife
for custards and puddings, which can be strained to take out the
pieces. Caramel is easy to make, and is useful in custards and creams.
_To make caramel._ Melt one cupful of sugar with one tablespoonful of
water, in a frying-pan. Stir it constantly until it is a golden brown
colour, add one-half cupful of water, one-half at a time. The sugar
becomes very hot, and, if only a small amount of water is added, it does
not cool it enough and will be so quickly turned to steam as to have
almost the effect of exploding. If the sugar is allowed to become dark
brown it will taste bitter. Such caramel is sometimes used to color
gravies, but is not sufficiently delicate in taste for flavouring
purposes.
Avoid using the same seasonings in every dish. It is better to put only
a few flavours together for each dish than to mingle a great many and be
obliged always to use the same. It is a good general principle, where
several flavours are combined, to keep all somewhat equally balanced so
that no one is conspicuously present. Public opinion seems to agree that
the skilful cook is the one who makes something good, “but you can’t
tell what’s in it.” This is done chiefly by the careful selection and
equalizing of flavouring ingredients.