Part 6

"As the season of ripe fruit advances, I prepare such quantities of syrup as I think I may need, in this way: Three pounds of granulated sugar to one gallon of water and boil twenty minutes; this I put in glass jars, when cool, and set away for future use. Peaches, quinces, pears, apples, plums, pine apples, rhubarb, crab apples, and, in fact, all fruits of this kind, I peel, quarter and place in a dish of cold water (to prevent discoloration), until I have prepared enough to fill a jar: I then pack them solid as possible in a jar, and then fill the jar with the syrup previously prepared. I then place a wire stand in the bottom of my preserving kettle, on which to place the jar, then fill the kettle with cold water until the jar is two-thirds covered; leave the jar open, but cover the kettle and boil until the fruit is sufficiently soft; have ready a little boiling syrup, if needed, to fill the jar full to overflowing. Then place the rubber band around the neck of the jar and screw the cover on as tightly as possible; then in from three to five minutes give the cover another turn, in order to be sure it is air tight, and you will have no mortal trouble with it. I use Mason's jars with metallic porcelain covers."

Preparing Quinces for Canning or Preserving.

Quinces for canning or preserving should be kept in a dry place for thirty days after taking from the trees, in order to give them richness and flavor. Peel and cut to the proper size, carefully saving skins and cores. Put the last named in a porcelain kettle and boil until quite tender, when strain through a cotton-bag; afterwards put the juice back in the kettle, and add sugar as directed in the directions for canning fruit. Boil slowly for half-an-hour, taking off the scum as it rises, then set away to cool, and can the fruit as directed in the receipt for canning.

Clayton's Monmouth Sauce.

In making this delightful ketchup, take 25 pounds of fresh, or two 8 lb. cans of tomatoes, and slice, not too thin, adding five medium sized onions cut fine. Put these, with plenty of salt, in a porcelain kettle; adding, with a handful of hot green peppers, or a less quantity, if dried, 1 ounce of white ginger, chopped fine, 1 ounce of horse-radish, and 1/2 ounce each of ground cloves and allspice, and 1 lemon, with seeds removed and cut small. After letting these boil for three hours, work through a sieve and return to the kettle along with a pint of wine vinegar, 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, 2 of good mustard, a teacupful of Challenge or Worcestershire Sauce, and let boil for 2 or 3 minutes, and set off. To prevent fermentation, stir in a teacupful of high-proof California brandy. If too thick, when cold reduce with vinegar.

To Prepare Mustard for the Table.

Take 1/2 pound best mustard and enough wine vinegar, mixed with 1/3 boiling water, 1 large teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, juice of half a lemon, and mix to a thin batter, and put in a common glass jar and keep stopped tight. If pure mustard is used, treated in this way, it will keep good for months.

[If you desire the best article of mustard, I think E. R. Durkee & Co's is the best I have ever used, although Colman's ranks equally high, if you can get the genuine unadulterated article, which can be had by procuring Crosse & Blackwell's London brand, for which Messrs. Richards and Harrison are the San Francisco agents.]

Mint Sauce.

Into a teacupful of hot vinegar, in which has been dissolved sufficient sugar to make slightly sweet, add a handful of mint chopped quite fine. Serve hot.

Eggs Ought Never be Poached.

Poached eggs are always tasteless, and also unhealthy, owing to the albumen going into the water into which they are dropped, giving it a white and milky appearance--taking away a portion of the richness which should remain in the egg, rendering it indigestible, and of course, unwholesome.

Sunnyside Roast.

Select a good, tender piece either of beef or mutton--veal and pork can also be nicely roasted in the same way--place in your iron saucepan or pot one tablespoonful of good lard or half as much butter, and an onion, cut fine; let your onion fry to a light brown, and put in your meat, first having washed, dried and salted it. Put the cover on and let stand until it is pretty well browned; then add water, unless in danger of burning. Add only enough water, from time to time, to keep it from burning; turn it frequently so that it may brown on all sides. When tender, it will come forth brown and juicy. Just before serving, see that there is enough water for gravy; if there is not, you can take out the meat and add enough, but not too much, hot water, and then pour it over the meat.

Clayton's Spanish Omelette.

Chop into dice 1/4 pound of breakfast bacon, a small tomato, 4 mushrooms, mince very fine a small onion; add pepper to taste, put in a frying pan and cook slowly until the lean is done; take off and put in a warm place to keep hot. This is sufficient for 6 eggs.

Plain Omelette.

Beat the yolks and white of 8 eggs separately until light, then beat together; add a little salt and 1 tablespoonful cream. Have in the pan a piece of butter, and when boiling hot pour in the omelette and shake until it begins to stiffen; then let it brown. Fold double and serve hot.

Clam Fritters.

Sift into an earthen dish 3 spoonfuls flour and 1/2 teaspoonful baking powder; add to this a little of the clam juice, 1/2 a cup of cream and 2 eggs, well beaten. Mince a pint of clams and mix with the batter. Put 2 or 3 spoonfuls of lard into a frying-pan, and when boiling, drop in the batter, by spoonfuls, to fry; after frying a minute, take from the pan, drain and serve.

Fried Tripe.

If the tripe is boiled tender, cut in pieces 2 inches square, season with salt and pepper and dip in a batter made of eggs, milk and flour, and fry in sweet lard, or drippings from roast or corned beef.

Ringed Potatoes.

Peel large potatoes, cut them round and round as you would pare an apple; fry in the best lard until a light brown; sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

New Potatoes Boiled.

Wash and rub new potatoes with a coarse towel, drop in boiling water, and boil until done, taking care that they are not over boiled. Have ready, in a saucepan, some milk or cream with butter, a little chopped parsley, pepper and salt; drain the potatoes, add them to the cream with a teaspoonful of corn-starch, soaked in a little milk; let it come to a simmer, and serve at once.

Fried Tomatoes.

Take large smooth tomatoes, cut them in slices 1/2 an inch thick, dip in bread crumbs or cracker dust and fry a light brown, in half lard and half butter.

Squash and Corn.--Spanish Style.

Take 3 small summer squashes and 3 ears of corn; chop the squashes and cut the corn from the cobs. Put into a saucepan a spoonful of lard or butter, and when very hot an onion; fry a little; add the corn and squash, 1 tomato and 1 green pepper, cut small, and salt to taste. Cover closely and stir frequently to prevent scorching.

Pickles.

To make mixed pickles, cut small cucumbers crosswise in about 4 pieces; onions, if not very small, in 2, and peppers, if the ordinary size, in 4 pieces. Should you have green tomatoes, cut them small. Use a less amount of onions and peppers than cucumbers; mix all together with a few bay leaves. Next, take a tub or keg, and, having covered the bottom with fine salt, put on a layer of pickles, adding alternate layers of each, leaving that of salt on top. Cover with a cotton cloth, and lay on a stone or wooden weight. Let them remain three days; then take out, rinse in cold water, but do not soak, and put them in a basket or sack to drain for twelve hours. Have ready plenty of California wine vinegar, made hot, but not boiling, adding the following--cloves, allspice, green ginger, and whole mustard seed, with 1 coffee-cup sugar. When the vinegar is at scalding heat pour over the pickles and cover.

Nice Picklette.

Take 4 nice cabbages, chopped fine; 1 quart onions, chopped fine; 2 quarts--or sufficient to cover the mixture--best wine vinegar, adding two tablespoonfuls each of ground mustard, black pepper, cinnamon, celery salt, 1 of mace, and 1 coffee-cup sugar. Pack the cabbages and onions in alternate layers, with a little fine salt between, and let stand until next day; then scald the vinegar with the spices and sugar, and pour over the cabbages and onions. Repeat this the next day; and on the third, heat the whole scalding hot, let it cool, and put in jars, when it is fit for use at once.

Pickled Tripe.

Pickled tripe is very nice--and that sold by John Bayle, in the California Market, which is cleaned by steam process, and is quite tender and unsalted is a superior article. To prepare for pickling, cut in pieces about four inches square, say five or six pounds. Put into a kettle; cover with boiling water, adding a handful of salt; let stand fifteen minutes; take out and drain, keeping warm. Mix one-fourth water with the best wine vinegar--to which add cloves, allspice and mace, with 1 teacupful sugar; heat, and pour over the tripe, and set away to cool. Tripe prepared in this way is the best for broiling or frying.

To Cook Grouse or Prairie Chicken.

The best way I have found for cooking this delicious game bird is, first, after cleaning, to cut off the wings and legs, as, with the back, these parts are of little account; next, split the birds in the centre, taking out the breast-bone, and you have two heavy pieces; if the bird is large, divide again; do not wash, but wipe with a damp cloth. Season with pepper and salt, and broil with butter quite rare; then lay in a porcelain-lined pan, with butter and currant or grape jelly, adding a little cayenne pepper, and a small quantity of port or white wine.

[Venison steak may be cooked in the same manner.]

Brains and Sweet-Breads.

When properly prepared the brains of calves and sheep form a very inviting dish. Lay fresh brains in cold, salted water for fifteen minutes; then put them in boiling water, and parboil for ten minutes. After cleaning off the outer membrane--for frying--split them, and season with salt and pepper, and run them through egg, beaten with a little milk; roll them in cracker-dust, and fry to a light brown in equal parts of sweet lard and butter.

For stewed brains, cut half the size for frying and put in a stewpan, with a lump of butter, pepper and salt, a little water or soup-stock, and one-half an onion, chopped fine and stewed tender. Add this, and cook slowly for a few minutes, when put in two or three spoonfuls of milk or cream, and a little white wine or juice of lemon.

[Sweet-breads may be cooked in the same manner.]

Stewed Spare-Ribs of Pork.

Cut the ribs in pieces of a finger's length and the width of two fingers. Put in the kettle with two onions, salt and pepper, and cover with cold water. Let them stew slowly for two hours, and then put in 3 potatoes, 2 purple-top turnips, which have been peeled and cut, and left in cold water at least two hours; also add two tomatoes. This stew must have plenty of gravy, which can be made by working a little flour and butter with a few spoonfuls of rich milk, cooking five minutes.

[An Irish stew may be made in the foregoing manner by substituting ribs of mutton.]

Broiled Oysters.

In order to broil oysters properly, take those of the largest size, drain, and dry in a cloth, and lay carefully on a nice wire gridiron that will hold them tight; sprinkle slightly with salt and pepper, and put them over a good clear fire for a short time, and turn, taking care not to broil too much; serve with the best butter on a hot dish.

Pumpkin or Squash Custard.

Take enough pumpkin or squash to make 1 quart when cooked; and after it is boiled or steamed, rub through a sieve, and work in 3 eggs well beaten, with rich milk sufficient to make the proper consistence, adding sugar to taste; season with ginger and allspice, and bake in cups or dishes to a nice brown. May be eaten hot, but is better cold.

Fig Pudding.

Take 1 pint grated bread crumbs, 1 cup suet, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs and 1/2 pound of fresh figs. Wash the figs in warm water, and dry in a cloth; chop the suet and figs together, and add the other ingredients, also 1 nutmeg, grated. Put in a mould or floured bag, and boil 3 hours. Serve with hard sauce.

Fried Apples.

Take 6 good cooking apples, cut in slices 1/4 of an inch thick; have a pan of fresh hot lard ready, drop the slices in and fry brown; sprinkle a little sugar over them and serve hot.

Clayton's Oyster Stew.

In my long experience I have found that the best way to stew oysters, is, after having saved all the juice of the oysters, to put it in a stew pan with a little boiling water, and a good lump of butter worked in a little flour, adding pepper and salt. Let these boil for two minutes, or long enough to cook the flour; then put in the oysters, and the moment the stew boils up again add a little sweet cream or country milk, and when it boils the stew is cooked and should be set away from a hot fire. Cooked in this way, good oysters will never be tough and tasteless as is too often the case.

Boiled Celery.

Cut the white stalks of celery the length of asparagus, boil in as little salted water as possible until quite tender. The root, cut in slices, is equally good. Dress with drawn butter made with the water in which the celery was boiled. This vegetable is said to be a sedative and antidote to nervous debility.

Selecting Meats.

For a roast of beef, select from the ribs nearest the point of the shoulder-blade, running backward. For steaks, choose that with the diamond bone on either side. For chops of mutton or lamb, select the rib. For roasting, choose the loin or saddle; and for boiling, the leg of mutton--but not of lamb, the latter being best roasted. For corned-beef, select parts commonly known as the navel and plate pieces, and next best to these, the brisket and rounds.

Rebecca Jackson's Rice Pudding.

Take 1 quart of rich milk; 3/4 of a coffee-cup of rice, well washed, and a lump of butter the size of an egg, and 1 nutmeg. This pudding must be made quite sweet, and without eggs. Bake three hours in a moderate oven, stirring occasionally the first hour. Bake until the top is a dark brown. To be eaten cold.

[This pudding--which was a common dish in the last century--was generally baked on Saturday for Sunday's dessert.]

Bread-and-Butter Pudding.

To 1 quart of milk, add 3 or 4 eggs, well beaten, with sugar enough to make rather sweet, and season with nutmeg or cinnamon. Put in a baking-pan and cover with slices of nice bread, buttered on both sides. Bake until the bread is nicely browned, taking care, however, not to bake too much, which would make it watery. Good either hot or cold.

Codfish Cakes.

Pick boiled codfish in small bits, adding equal quantities of mashed potato and fish, with two eggs, well beaten, seasoning with black pepper, and roll in a little flour, the shape of a small cake. Fry in sweet lard, or nice drippings, to a nice brown, but not hard.

Pickled Grapes.

Remove from ripe grapes all imperfect and broken berries; line an earthen jar with grape leaves and fill with grapes. To 2 quarts vinegar add 1 pint white sugar, 1/2 ounce ground cinnamon, and 1/4 ounce cloves. Let vinegar and spices boil five minutes; then add the sugar, and, when moderately cool, pour over the grapes.

Forced Tomatoes.

Peel and slice some large-sized tomatoes, and put in a colander to drain. Cut in small pieces 1 pint of mushrooms, adding some minced parsley, a slice of finely chopped ham, some summer savory, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. Put all these in a saucepan with some butter, and 1/2 cup of water. Boil together ten or fifteen minutes, and set away to cool. Have ready some fine bread crumbs, add to them seasoning, and the yolks of 2 or 3 well-beaten eggs. Mix the mushrooms and tomatoes together; pour into a baking-dish a portion of it; then sprinkle over it a layer of the bread-crumbs and add the remainder of the tomatoes; cover with bread-crumbs, and put some bits of butter on top. Bake half-an-hour in a well heated oven.

Broiled Flounders or Smelts.

Have medium-sized flounders or smelts, cleaned with as little cutting as possible; wash thoroughly in salted water, and dry on a towel; mix in a saucer three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, and 1 of vinegar, with salt and pepper; score the sides of the fish at intervals of an inch, with a sharp knife, and rub all over with the mixture of oil, vinegar and seasoning. Place them between the bars of a buttered gridiron, and broil a light brown over a moderate fire.

Onions.

There is no more healthy vegetable or article of diet in general use than onions. Taken regularly, they greatly promote the health of the lungs and digestive organs. Used in a cooked--either fried, roasted or boiled--or in a raw state, their virtues are marked and beneficial. They are among the most popular of old-time remedies for colds, having the advantage of always being readily procured, and it is said that affections of the lungs and liver have been largely benefited, and even cured, by a free use of this palatable esculent. They are also resorted to as a sedative and remedy for sleeplessness.

Singeing Fowls.

The best mode I have ever followed for singeing fowls, is to put 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of alcohol in a tin dish and light with a match, thus making a large flame, without smoke--that is apt to injure the flavor of the bird.

The Secret of Tests of Taste and Flavor.

The correct test of coffee or tea, is to make use of a thin china or delf-ware cup, by which the lips are brought close together, while a thicker cup would separate them widely apart. In testing the quality and flavor of wines, the thinnest quality of glass is for the same reason essentially requisite. Our grandmothers, who lived a hundred years ago, understood the philosophy of this when they expressed the opinion, that it was only possible to get the true taste, fine flavor, and delicate aroma of tea, by drinking it out of a china cup.

How to Choose Ware for Ranges.

In selecting ware for a range, especial care should be taken to see that the bottoms of all the cooking utensils are perfectly level, for if convex, they will invariably burn in the centre. An iron grating or gridiron--1/4 of an inch in depth--placed between the pan and the top of the range, will be found highly useful while cooking, as this increases the heat and lessens the liability of burning.

Drying Herbs for Seasoning.

All herbs should be gathered just before blossoming and dried in the shade, or in a dark dry room, as exposure to the sun both takes away flavor and color. When perfectly dry, put in a clean sack and hang in a dry room or loft, and when wanted for use, rub through a sieve. Herbs treated in this way, if left dry, will retain their strength and remain perfectly good for years. As long as the outer membrane of the leaves remains unbroken, the aroma cannot escape.

To Destroy Roaches, Flies and Ants.

Take 15 cents worth of powdered borax and a small bottle of Persian Insect Powder, and mix thoroughly together. In order to use successfully, take a feather from the wing of a turkey or goose, by the quill, and dipping the feather end in the powder, spring the feather as a bow; in this way you can thoroughly rid the room of flies. Before using on roaches, set the doors wide open, as they will start for the open air; generally, however, dying on the way. To rid cupboards or closets of ants, sprinkle wherever these minute pests "most do congregate." An easy and cheap remedy to rid pantries of cock-roaches is said to be fresh cucumber parings laid in their haunts. We have never tested this remedy, but can vouch for the efficacy of the above mentioned compound.

To Clean Tin-Ware.

The best thing for cleaning tin-ware is common soda; dampen a cloth, dip it in the soda, rub the ware briskly, after which wipe dry.

Iron Rust.

Iron rust may be removed by a little salt mixed with lemon-juice; put in the sun, and if necessary use two applications.

Mildew.

An old time and effectual remedy for mildew is to dip the stained cloth in butter-milk and lay in the sun.

Oysters Roasted on Chafing-Dish.

Take largest oysters, and put in a chafing-dish in their own liquor. Season with red or black pepper, adding plenty of good butter, with a little Worcestershire sauce or walnut catsup. After roasting--taking care not to roast too much--serve on buttered toast.

Codfish, Family Style.

After the fish has been soaked twelve hours, boil slowly for twenty-five or thirty minutes, or until it will break up nicely. Then pick all the bones out, but do not pick the fish too fine. Have ready three hard-boiled eggs; rub the yolks in plenty of good butter; put into the kettle enough milk to heat the fish; when hot stir in the butter, with the fish. At the same time have potatoes peeled and boiled. Cut, not too small, with the whites of the eggs cut small; season with pepper. Serve hot with buttered toast at the bottom of the dish.

Codfish in Philadelphia Style.

After soaking and boiling the fish, break up small, and picking out all the bones, have ready potatoes, peeled and boiled, equal to the amount of fish. Put them in a wooden bowl or tray. Pound or mash well with a potato masher. Work to soft dough, with butter and well-beaten eggs, and milk or cream. Season with pepper and salt, if salt is required. Put it in a dish suitable to set on the table, and bake a few minutes, or until light brown.

The Parting Hour.

There's something in the parting hour Will chill the warmest heart, Yet kindred, comrades, lovers, friends, Are fated all to part. But, this I've seen, and many a pang has pressed it on my mind, The one who goes is happier than those he leaves behind.

No matter what the journey be, Adventurous, dangerous, far; To the wild bleak or deep frontier, To solitude or war; Still fortune cheers the heart that dares, in all of human kind, And those who go are happier than those they leave behind.

The bride goes to the bridegroom's home With doubtings and with tears, But, does not Hope her rainbow spread Across her cloudy fears? Alas! the mother who remains, what comfort can she find, but this: The one that's gone is happier than the one she leaves behind.

Have you a friend, a comrade dear, An old and valued friend? Be sure your term of sweet concourse At length must have an end; And when you part, as part you will, oh! take it not unkind, If he, who goes, is happier than you he leaves behind.

God wills it so! and so it is; The Pilgrims on their way, Though weak and worn, more cheerful are Than all the rest who stay. And when at last, poor man, subdued, lies down to death resigned, May he not still be happier far than those he leaves behind?

In School Days.

Still sits the school-house by the road, A ragged beggar sunning; Around it still the sumachs grow, And blackberry vines are running.

Within the master's desk is seen, Deep scarred by raps official; The warping floor, the battered seats, The jack-knife's carved initial.

Long years ago, one winter's sun Shone over it at setting; Lit up the western window pane, And low eaves icy fretting.

It shone upon the tangled curls, And brown eyes full of grieving, Of one who still her steps delayed, While all the school were leaving.

For near her stood the little boy Her childish favor singled; His cap was pulled low on his brow, Where pride and shame were mingled.

With restless foot he pushed the snow To right and left; he lingered; As restlessly her tiny hands The blue checked apron fingered.