the spoon, but not to be pasty; it ought, likewise, to be eaten directly
it is made, or it becomes thick and unpleasant to eat; if required
plain, omit all the seasoning; it might also be made of milk.
78. _Gruel from Scotch Groats._--Proceed as above, but adding rather
more water, and boiling a few minutes longer; many people prefer eating
it with the rough groats in it, but if objectionable, place a small
clean sieve over the basin you intend serving it in, pass the gruel
through, and season as in the last. Some people add spirits or wine; but
that I should never recommend any one to do, unless by the doctor's
orders, and that would be but very seldom, especially as regards
spirits.
79. _Sago Gruel._--Put two tablespoonfuls of sago into a small saucepan,
which moisten gradually with a pint of cold water, set it over a slow
fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thickish and clear,
similar to a jelly, then add a little grated nutmeg and sugar according
to taste, and serve; half a pat of butter might also be added with the
sugar, or it might be made with new milk, and a little salt added, and a
glass of wine in either case makes it more palatable.
80. _Arrow-root, Transparent Jelly._--Put a good teaspoonful of
arrow-root into a basin, which mix smoothly with two spoonfuls of water,
then add enough boiling water to make it about the consistency of
starch, stirring all the time, pour it into a stewpan, and stir over the
fire until it has boiled two minutes; add a little cream, a small glass
of wine, and a little sugar, and serve.
81. _French Panada, for aged people, invalids, and children._--Break a
stale penny roll into a saucepan, in which pour just sufficient water to
cover the bread, stir well over the fire, allowing it to boil five
minutes, then add half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of fresh
butter, mix them, and take from the fire; have one yolk of egg well
beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of milk (if handy) or water, which pour
into the panada, stirring very quickly for half a minute, it is then
ready to pour into a basin and serve. Any common bread would do for
panada, but would not eat so light as when made from a roll.
I knew a very aged lady in France who accustomed herself to eat a basin
of panada every night, a few minutes previous to going to bed, for a
period of eighteen years, which will prove that, although very
substantial in appearance, it must be very easily digested.
Panada ought to be rather thicker than gruel, and may likewise be made
of milk, but water is preferable, especially when for bilious people.
82. _Barley Water._--Put half a gallon of water into a very clean
saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl barley, when
boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a
small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender; sweeten with
half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and
use when required. The juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be
introduced.
83. _Rice Water._--Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a
handful of clean rice (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let
boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pass it through a
hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible,
and when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it
very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm.
84. _A New Drink._--Put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when
boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into
eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which
keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pass the water through a
sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not
rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it a little sweetish, and
drink lukewarm.
Two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a
great improvement. People in good health would much enjoy such drink,
during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country,
where apples are plentiful. Any kind of apples would suit, and brown
sugar instead of honey, or even no sugar at all.
85. _Cooling Drink._--Bake four or six apples, without peeling them;
when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints
of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is
ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very
palatable.
86. _Almond Water._--Put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds
into a saucepan, with a pint of hot water, set them upon the fire, and,
when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set
them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in
a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to
prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, when throw in
the mashed almonds; boil together a minute, then set it at the corner to
simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pass through a fine
sieve for use. When required, add any quantity of cold water you please
to make it palatable, according to taste or direction.
87. _Barley Lemonade._--Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small
stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or
until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and
the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of
barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five
minutes longer, pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover
with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when
cold, it is ready for use; if put cold into a bottle and well corked
down, it would keep good several days.
_Barley Orangeade_ is made the same, substituting the rind and juice of
oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when
taken as a refreshing beverage.
88. _A Refreshing Beverage._--Slice two oranges and one lemon, which put
into a jug, with two ounces of sugarcandy, over which pour one quart of
boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, when drink it a little
at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. This drink is
also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather.
89. _Raspberry Vinegar Beverage._--Put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry
vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when
cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of
fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that
is, currants, cherries, strawberries, mulberries, &c.
90. _A very Strengthening Drink._--Put a teacupful of pearl-barley into
a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon and a
small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley
becomes tender, when strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a
spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar
will do.
91. _Fresh Fruit Water._--Fresh fruits, when in season, are very
preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of
the first confectioners or Italian warehouses.
Pick a bottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may
require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half
a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pass
it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use; both the
syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to
taste.
Red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting
the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp.
92. _Cherry Draught._--Choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from
which take the stalk and stones, have a pint of syrup boiling, into
which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes, then take
them from the fire, and add a good wine-glassful of Madeira or sherry,
and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when
cold, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use: the wine may be
omitted if not required. A drink of the same description may likewise be
made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added.
93. _Arrow-root Water._--Put half a gallon of water to boil with two
apples, the same as in No. 84, with the addition of a stick of cinnamon;
let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of
arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it
into the boiling water: let the whole boil ten minutes, and pass it
through a sieve; when cold, it will drink light and thickish.
94. _French Herb Broth._--This is a very favorite beverage in France, as
well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in
the spring, when the herbs are young and green. Put a quart of water to
boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a
cabbage-lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when
the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a
teaspoonful of salt and half an ounce of fresh butter; cover your
saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pass it through
a sieve or colander. This is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring
of the year, after the change from winter. I generally drink about a
quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must
be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. To prove that it
is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs
to eat grass at that season of the year. I do not pretend to say that it
would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide
upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes as
well as change their medicines.
95. _Dry Plum Beverage._--Put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the
fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry French plums, and let
them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to
cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two
tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and a very small quantity of port wine.
They are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink.
96. _Figs and Apple Beverage._--Have two quarts of water boiling, into
which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples,
previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil
together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool,
then pass through a sieve; drain the figs, which will be also good to
eat.
97. _Stewed Plums._--Put twelve French plums in a stewpan, with a
spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some
thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a
basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. They are
sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret.
98. _Baked Apples_ are very much used by invalids: have a common yellow
dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about
twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put
them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be
large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat
them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar.
99. _Cooling Lemonade._--Put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into
which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter
of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather
thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into
the stewpan and boil two minutes longer; then pour it into a jug, which
cover closely with paper until cold, then pass it through a sieve: add a
teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use.
100. _Imperial, a cooling Drink for the Spring._--Two ounces of cream of
tartar, two lemons, juice and peel, four ounces of sugar; place in a
stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get
cold, and bottle for use; or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls
of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. This is excellent
aerated-like soda water. Essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added,
with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to
spirits.
101. _Orangeade._--Proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the
orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar candy, and
adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which
pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. The
arrow-root makes it very delicate.
102. _Toast and Water._--The ease and simplicity of making this popular
drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten,
that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done,
or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; I
venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from
house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at
each, they would not find two of the same flavor, and perhaps not any of
it properly made. To make it to perfection, proceed as follows: cut a
piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it
upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn
it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow color, then
place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate color, put
it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug
until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use:
never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation
in a short time. I would almost venture that such toast and water as I
have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles.
The idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite
a popular delusion, for nothing nourishing could come from it: if your
house was burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt
bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the
bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being
burnt.
PUDDINGS FOR INVALIDS.
103. _Apple and Rice._--Boil half an ounce of Carolina rice in a gill of
milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of butter, sugar, a
little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a
middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of
butter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender;
when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice,
which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it
may also be made quite plain, if preferred.
104. _Custard Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of
lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to
three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it
into a buttered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with
some water (see No. 112), turn out on a plate and serve.
105. _Rice Puddings._--Wash well two ounces of rice in some water,
strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small
piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf, tied together; let
it boil gently, stirring it occasionally, until quite tender; then put
to it one ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of
sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a buttered tart-dish, and bake it half
an hour.
106. _Macaroni Pudding._--Blanch two ounces of Naples macaroni in some
water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, add it to one pint of boiling
milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel,
cinnamon, and one ounce of butter; when the macaroni is quite tender,
add two eggs and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a
stewpan, in a buttered tart-dish.
107. _Vermicelli Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce
of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar;
pour these in a buttered mould, and steam it half an hour.
108. _Tapioca Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce
to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of butter; pour these in a buttered
mould, and steam half an hour.
109. _Bread Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon
and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two
eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a
buttered mould for one hour.
110. _Cabinet Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of
lemon-peel, pour it on one ounce of sponge biscuit, let it soak half an
hour, then add three eggs, half an ounce of currants, and very little
sugar: steam it in a buttered mould, lined with raisins, one hour.
111. _Bread and Butter Pudding._--Butter a tart-dish well and sprinkle
some currants all round it, then lay in a few slices of bread and
butter; boil one pint of milk, pour it on two eggs well whipped, and
then on the bread and butter; bake it in a hot oven for half an hour.
112. _A Small Bread Pudding._--Cut an ounce of the crumb of bread into
thin slices, with the least piece of butter spread over each, which
place in a small tart-dish; then break an egg into a cup with a
teaspoonful of sugar and a little powdered cinnamon, beat well; then add
about six tablespoonfuls of boiled milk, mix well together, pour over
the bread, and bake in a slow oven, or steam it, if preferred, by
standing the dish in a stewpan containing about half a pint of water,
that is, the water should be about half way up to the rim of the dish;
set the stewpan (covered close) upon the fire, and let it slowly boil
about ten minutes or longer, until the pudding is properly set, then
take the cover from the stewpan, which let remain a few minutes longer
upon the fire; then take out the pudding, wipe the dish, and serve.
_Fish for Invalids._--Slips, soles, flounders, whitings, and smelts are
the lightest of any fish, and upon that account more to be recommended
to invalids in a state of convalescence.
113. _Whiting, plain boiled._--Put two quarts of water into a small fish
kettle, with about an ounce of salt; when boiling, put in the whiting,
draw the kettle to the corner of the fire to keep it just simmering, and
no more; a whiting of the ordinary size would take about ten minutes;
when done, which you can tell by trying with the point of a knife
whether it leaves the bone easily, take it up carefully, and dish it
upon a clean napkin, with a few sprigs of parsley round; although the
parsley is of course useless as far as the stomach is concerned, nothing
can be more pleasing to an invalid than to see his meals carefully
cooked and invitingly served.
At any time I prefer a whiting with the skin on, whether boiled,
grilled, or fried; a little butter just melted, with a pinch of salt,
and the least drop of lemon-juice added, is very excellent to eat as
sauce with them. Should you purchase your fish in the country, it will
of course require cleaning, by opening the belly and pulling out the
gills and interior; but never wash these fish, merely wipe them with a
cloth.
114. _Broiled Whiting._--Having cleaned your whiting, and wiped it
gently dry with a cloth, flour it all over lightly, rub the gridiron
over with a little oil, lay the whiting upon it, and put it over a clear
fire, but not too close, turn it carefully three or four times, and when
it feels firm to the touch of the finger, it is done; if a large one, it
will take about twenty minutes; sprinkle a little salt over, if
required, and serve with plain melted butter, with a few drops of
essence of anchovies in it.
115. _Sautéd Whitings._--Put some fat or butter in a frying-pan, which
place over a clear but moderate fire; have your whiting floured as in
the last, and when the fat or butter is melted, lay it in the pan; let
it sauté slowly until it is done, which try as in either of the last
two; when done, drain it upon a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and
serve.
If fried, enveloped in bread-crumbs, dip the fish lightly into flour,
then egg it all over with a paste-brush, and dip in some very fine
bread-crumbs, and fry it rather longer, but do not let the fat get
black, or it will give the fish a black, heavy appearance, and quite
spoil the flavor. Fish fried in oil would have a much better appearance
than when fried in fat, but probably would be objectionable to a weak
stomach. They ought to be completely covered with the fat.
116. _Smelts_ are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain
boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet
for the sick, I shall here give two receipts for dressing them very
plainly, yet still very palatable. Choose them rather large,--if so, two
would be sufficient for a meal,--having previously drawn and cleansed
them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a
saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when
boiling lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if
larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out
carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and
broth are excellent. They may be cooked the same way in the oven.
Another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold
water, to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the
chest. Be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the
bottom of the stewpan; there should be about three parts of the quantity
of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to
evaporate whilst boiling.
117. _Broiled Smelts._--When cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip
them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire,
for five, or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve
plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are
forbidden moist food. I can highly recommend any kind of white fish
cooked in this manner; and it is well known that nothing in the way of
food is more digestible than fish.
Water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to
invalids, by proceeding the same as above.
_Meat, Game, and Poultry,_ of every kind, for invalids, ought to be
served as free from fat as possible.
118. _A Mutton Chop._--Choose one from a lean loin of mutton, or if one
in the house rather fat cut the greater part of it off; your chop should
be about six ounces in weight, and cut off an equal thickness; lay it
upon a table, and beat it lightly with the flat part of your chopper,
then lay it upon a gridiron, over a good clear fire; season with a
little salt, if allowed, and turn it four or five times whilst broiling;
it will require about eight minutes over a good fire, but of course
longer over an indifferent one; if by pressing it with a knife it feels
firm, it is done; serve upon a very hot plate, for if partly cold, the
least fat would immediately set, and be very unpleasant, especially to a
person unwell.
119. _Plain Mutton Cutlet, from the Neck._--An invalid will frequently
be tired of a mutton chop; and for my own part I must say a cutlet is
far superior in flavor, and has a much neater appearance; cut off a rib
from the neck, of the same thickness as a mutton chop; cut away the skin
upon each side of the bone, to the chine, which chop off; trim away the
greater part of the fat, cut a piece at the end of the bone, which
scrape off, leaving about half an inch of the bone bare; then beat it
lightly with the flat of the chopper; season; broil and serve very hot,
as in the last.
120. _Stewed Chop or Cutlet._--Put it into a stewpan or small saucepan,
with a pint of water, and a little salt and sugar; let it stew as gently
as possible from an hour and a half to two hours, skim off all the scum
and fat, and the patient may partake of both chop and broth; if
seasoning is allowed, put a teaspoonful of pearl-barley, with a little
celery, leek, and turnip, cut up very small, into the stewpan with the
water, when you first put the chop on, and proceed as before; serve the
broth in a soup basin, with the chop in it; should the meat happen to be
tough, let it stew rather longer; the broth should be reduced to about
half a pint.