Part 84

(_j_) Gather the tomatoes quite ripe on a sunny day. Cut them into quarters, and put them into a saucepan with salt _quant. suff._, a good handful of basil, and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic. A little water should be put into the saucepan to prevent the tomatoes catching. When they are thoroughly done turn them out upon a hair sieve, and wait till all the water has drained from them. Throw away this water, and pass the tomatoes through the sieve. The pulp thus obtained is put into a saucepan to boil for about ½ hour, and a moderate quantity of black pepper maybe added according to taste. When the sauce is quite cold, put it into wide-mouthed bottles, cork tightly, and tie up each cork with string or wire; dip the neck of each bottle into melted rosin, and you may then put them away to be used when required. The bottles should be of moderate size, for, once opened, the sauce will no longer keep good. Another way consists in letting the tomato pulp reduce in the saucepan until it assumes the appearance of a very thick paste, care being taken to stir it constantly. When cold it is put away like jam, in pots. When wanted for use, a small quantity of it is dissolved in hot water. (The G. C.)

(_k_) Bake tomatoes when quite ripe until quite tender, then rub them through a coarse sieve; weigh, and for every lb. of pulp take 1 qt. chili vinegar, 1 oz. garlic, 1 oz. shallots, both peeled and sliced, and a ¼ oz. salt. Boil the chili vinegar, garlic, shallots, and salt together until the ingredients are tender; them rub them through a sieve, and to each lb. of all the ingredients mixed together add the juice of 3 lemons. Boil the whole again to the consistency of thick cream, bottle it when quite cold, and keep it in a cold dry place. ½ pint good ketchup should be added to the sauce when opened for use.

(_l_) Zuchillo (Tomato sauce to dress macaroni with).--Take about 1 lb. trimmings of beef, as much fat bacon, all cut into dice, and put them into a saucepan with an onion cut into dice, then thrown into cold water and squeezed dry in a cloth; add or not a clove of garlic; then put the whole into a saucepan, and let it remain on the fire, shaking it occasionally, till the onion is almost melted away; then add parsley, marjoram, thyme, pepper, and salt. Take a piece of conserva (tomato pulp dried in the sun to the consistency of damson cheese), cut it in pieces the size of a pea, put in the pieces a few at a time, always stirring the contents of the saucepan. The conserva must be fresh and soft; if it is old and tough, it must first be softened by kneading it with a little water. When sufficient conserva has been put in, moisten with water a spoonful at a time. Let the whole simmer some 10 minutes longer; then strain, remove superfluous fat, and the sauce is ready. To make zuchillo with fresh tomatoes, cut them in pieces, remove pips, water, and stalks, and then put in the pieces instead of conserva, a few at a time. In this case it is not necessary to moisten with water, but rather to let the sauce reduce, and be careful not to put in fresh tomatoes until the first lot is somewhat reduced. Another way is to use either fresh or bottled tomato sauce, and put it in a spoonful at a time. The tomato sauce must be in the French form, with no vinegar in it.

_Truffle Sauce_ (Périgueux).--Rub a saucepan with a shallot, melt a piece of butter in it, add a very small quantity of flour and the trimmings of the truffles chopped coarsely; moisten with some good stock free from fat, and a little white wine, season with pepper, salt, and the least bit of nutmeg. Let the sauce simmer about 10 minutes, and it is ready.

_Truffle and Chestnut Stuffing._--Mince 1 lb. fat bacon and 2 shallots, give them a turn on the fire in a saucepan; then put in 1 lb. chestnuts, boiled and peeled, and ½ lb. truffles, both cut up in moderate-sized pieces; add pepper, salt, and spices to taste; also a little powdered thyme and marjoram. Give the mixture another turn or two on the fire, and it is ready.

_Vanilla Sauce._--Boil 1 pint milk with a piece of vanilla and some loaf sugar, take it from the fire and stir into it the yolks of 3 eggs and 2 teaspoonfuls flour; stir it over the fire till thick. Whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff snow with a spoonful of sifted sugar, and at the moment of serving add the snow to the sauce, not broken up entirely, but just dipping partly under it. Other flavourings may be given if preferred--orange peel or lemon, cinnamon or almonds, according to taste.

_Watercress Butter._--Pick the leaves of a quantity of watercress and mince them as fine as you can; then dry them in a cloth, mince them still more, and dry them again. You then knead them with as much fresh butter as they will take up, adding a very little salt and white pepper, and with a couple of butterman’s striped pats shape your watercress butter in as many pats of as many shapes as you are able to work out. Do the same with some plain butter, and serve the two on a glass dish.

_Whipped Cream._--Cream should be whipped in a very cool place the afternoon before wanted; flavour delicately with lemon or vanilla, and beat in a little of the finest-sifted white sugar. When it will stand up when heaped with a spoon put on a tammy that is only used for sweet things; place that on a dish in a cool larder to drain till wanted. In London what is called double cream should be used.

_White Sauce._--(_a_) Take a good-sized piece of fresh butter, put on the fire in a perfectly clean small saucepan (a brass pan is best); when the butter is melted stir in 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls flour, when thoroughly mixed with the butter add gently new milk (or cream if wanted rich), stirring all the while till of the proper thickness. Flavour with salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and small piece of lemon peel; boil up together. Just before serving add lemon juice to taste, and stir in the yolk of 1 egg off the fire. Great care is required in stirring in the flour and milk over the fire to prevent lumping.

(_b_) Put 2 oz. fresh butter into a saucepan. As soon as it is melted mix with it 1 tablespoonful flour; mix the two well together. Then add about 1 tumblerful hot water, pepper and salt and nutmeg; stir till the sauce begins to thicken; then stir in, off the fire, the yolks of 2 eggs, beaten up with the juice of a lemon, and strained.

(_c_) Put ¾ pint cream into a saucepan with the rind of a lemon, ½ teaspoonful whole white pepper, and a sprig of lemon thyme, and let these infuse for ½ hour, when simmer gently for a few minutes till there is a nice flavour of lemon. Strain it, and add a thickening of 3 oz. butter and 1 dessertspoonful flour; stir this well, and put in the juice of a lemon at the moment of serving. Mix with 1 teacupful white stock, and add a little salt. This sauce should not boil after the cream and stock are mixed together. Milk may be used instead of cream.

(_d_) 1 oz. butter, 1 oz. flour, ½ pint milk or cream. Make it quite smooth, add 2 oz. gelatine dissolved in a little water. Remove from the fire, add a little lemon juice, strain into a basin, let it cool and thicken. Dip in the pieces of chicken cut into neat joints, place on a hair sieve; when cool dip them in again, till well covered with the sauce. Arrange on a dish with slices of boiled beetroot round, alternately with the white of hard-boiled eggs. Cut into rings, and the yolk rubbed through a strainer over the chicken. A little salt might be added to the sauce.

_Wild Duck Sauce._--Put in a saucepan 1 tablespoonful Harvey’s sauce, 1 tablespoonful Worcester sauce, a little salt, cayenne to taste, a small glass of port wine, and the strained juice of ½ large lemon. Mix well, and make hot. Just before serving stir in--by the side of the fire, not on it--1 large teaspoonful made mustard; pour into a warm sauce tureen, and serve hot.

_Wine Sauce_ (au Vin).--(_a_) Mix 1 tablespoonful potato flour with 1 gill sherry, beat up another gill of sherry with the yolks of 4 eggs; mix the two together, add powdered loaf sugar and powdered cinnamon to taste, and a third gill of sherry. Put the whole in a saucepan, and keep stirring on the fire until the sauce thickens, when it is ready.

(_b_) Put 2 oz. butter into a stewpan with a little parsley, a small (blanched) onion, 1 or 2 mushrooms (previously tossed in lemon juice), all finely minced, turn them well over the fire but do not let them brown; add 1 oz. flour, seasoning of salt, pepper, and mace, 1 pint Chablis (or other light wine); simmer gently for ½ hour, skim, and serve hot.

_Worcester Sauce._--(_a_) 15 gal. white vinegar, 10 gal. walnut and mushroom ketchup, 5 gal. Madeira wine, 4 gal. soy, 1 gal. brandy containing ¼ lb. assafœtida, 25 lb. salt, ½ lb. each pimento, coriander, mace, and cinnamon; boil 20 lb. pigs’ liver for 12 hours in 10 gal. water, frequently renewing the water; chop up the liver, work with the water, strain, and mix with the other ingredients.

(_b_) ½ oz. cayenne pepper, ½ oz. shallots, ½ oz. garlic, ¼ pint Indian soy, 1 qt. white vinegar. Put the 3 first ingredients, after being pounded, into a jar, then pour the vinegar boiling upon them, and before bottling add the soy.

=Flavours.=--This term is here made to embrace flavouring extracts prepared from fruits, artificial substances which have the odour and flavour of certain fruits, and compounds for flavouring liquors, cigars, &c. The artificial fruit essences are composed chiefly of compound ethers; when tartaric, oxalic, succinic, or benzoic adds enter into their composition it is to be understood that these acids are employed in the form of saturated solutions in cold alcohol.

_Almonds, Bitter._--4 oz. oil of bitter almonds, 1 oz. tincture of turmeric, 1 qt. 95 per cent. alcohol.

_Apple._--4 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. chloroform, 1 oz. nitric ether, 2 oz. aldehyde, 1 oz. acetate of ethyl, 10 oz. valerianate of methyl, 1 oz. saturated solution oxalic acid in alcohol.

_Apricot._--4 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. chloroform, 10 oz. butyrate of ethyl, 5 oz. valerianate of ethyl, 1 oz. œnanthylate of ethyl, 2 oz. salicylate of methyl, 1 oz. butyrate of amyl, 1 oz. saturated solution of oxalic acid in alcohol.

_Brandy._--(1) Mash 25 lb. raisins, 12 lb. prunes, 6 lb. figs, 1 lb. sliced pineapple; infuse 15 days in 20 gal. proof spirit, stirring every day; filter.

(2) Put 1 oz. green oil of cognac in ½ gal. 95 per cent. alcohol. Cork tightly, shake frequently for 3 days, and add 2 oz. strong ammonia. Let stand 3 days longer; place in 3 gal. stone jar, 1 lb. fine black tea, 2 lb. prunes (mashed and with the kernels broken); pour on 1 gal. spirit 20 o.p.; cover close; let stand 8 days; filter the liquor, and mix it with that containing the oil and ammonia. Bottle for use. (Monzert.)

(3) 1 pint of (2), 15 gal. fine pure spirit 20 o.p., ½ pint plain white spirit; colour with caramel.

_Capsicum._--From powdered capsicums, as black pepper.

_Celery._--Bruise 2 oz. celery seed and put into a percolator; pour on 1 pint deodorised alcohol, and water until 1 pint of extract has passed through; triturate with 1 dr. carbonate of magnesia, and filter.

_Cherry._--(1) 3 oz. glycerine, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 5 oz. ethyl benzoate, 1 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 1 oz. saturated solution benzoic acid in alcohol.

(2) Black.--10 oz. ethyl acetate, 5 oz. ethyl benzoate, 2 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 1 oz. saturated solution oxalic acid in alcohol, 2 oz. solution benzoic acid in alcohol.

_Cinnamon._--Dissolve 2 dr. cinnamon oil in 1 pint deodorised alcohol; add gradually 1 pint water, and stir in by degrees 4 oz. powdered Ceylon cinnamon; shake several times, and filter through paper.

_Coffee._--Infuse 1 lb. ground roasted coffee in 1 gal. 95 per cent. alcohol.

_Coriander._--Mix 4 oz. powdered coriander seed with 1 dr. coriander oil; add to 1½ pint 95 per cent. alcohol and ½ pint water; macerate 24 hours, decant the liquid, put the sediment into a percolator, and pour on it the decanted liquor, adding alcohol until 1 qt. has run through.

_Ginger._--Moisten 4 oz. powdered ginger with a little alcohol in a percolator; pour on alcohol till 1½ pint tincture has passed through; mix with 8 oz. syrup.

_Gooseberry._--1 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 1 oz. ethyl benzoate, 1 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 5 oz. saturated solution tartaric acid, 1 oz. saturated solution succinic acid, 1 oz. saturated solution benzoic acid.

_Grape._--10 oz. glycerine, 2 oz. chloroform; 2 oz. aldehyde, 2 oz. ethyl formiate, 10 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 1 oz. methyl salicylate, 5 oz. saturated solution tartaric acid, 3 oz. saturated solution succinic acid.

_Hickory-nut._--Crush 1 bush. hickory nuts, and infuse 1 month in 12 gal. 95 per cent. alcohol; strain and filter.

_Lemon._--(1) Partially air-dry 4 oz. outer rind of lemons; bruise in a stone mortar; add 2 qt. deodorised alcohol at 90°, and agitate until the colour is extracted; add 6 oz. recent oil of lemon; let stand till clear; filter.

(2) 5 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. chloroform, 1 oz. nitric ether; 2 oz. aldehyde, 10 oz. ethyl acetate, 10 oz. amyl valerianate, 10 oz. saturated solution tartaric acid, 1 oz. saturated solution succinic acid.

_Melon._--3 oz. glycerine, 2 oz. aldehyde, 1 oz. ethyl formiate, 4 oz. ethyl butyrate, 5 oz. ethyl valerianate, 10 oz. sebacic ether.

_Nutmegs._--Macerate 2 dr. nutmeg oil and 1 oz. powdered mace for 12 hours in 1 qt. deodorised alcohol; filter.

_Orange._--(1) As lemon (1), using 4 oz. outer rind of orange, 1 qt. alcohol, and 2 oz. oil of orange.

(2) 10 oz. glycerine, 2 oz. chloroform, 2 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 1 oz. ethyl formiate, 1 oz. ethyl butyrate, 1 oz. ethyl benzoate, 1 oz. methyl salicylate, 10 oz. amyl acetate, 10 oz. essence of orange, 1 oz. saturated solution tartaric acid.

(3) Steep 1 lb. orange peel in 1 gal. 95 per cent. alcohol 15 days; filter.

_Orris._--Infuse 2 oz. powdered orris root for 20 days in 1 qt. 95 per cent. alcohol; filter.

_Peach._--(1) 5 oz. glycerine, 2 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 5 oz. ethyl formiate, 5 oz. ethyl butyrate, 5 oz. ethyl valerianate, 5 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 1 oz. sebacic ether, 2 oz. methyl salicylate.

(2) Steep 10 gal. dried peaches, 10 gal. oak sawdust, 5 lb. black tea in 40 gal. proof spirit for 1 month; strain and filter.

_Pear._--10 oz. glycerine, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 10 oz. amyl acetate.

_Pepper, Black._--From powdered pepper, as ginger, pouring on alcohol till 1 qt. has passed through, and omitting the syrup.

_Pineapple._--3 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. chloroform, 1 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl butyrate, 10 oz. amyl butyrate.

_Plum._--8 oz. glycerine, 5 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 1 oz. ethyl formiate, 2 oz. ethyl butyrate, 4 oz. ethyl œnanthylate.

_Prune._--Infuse 25 lb. mashed prunes for 15 days in 6 gal. proof spirit, stirring every day; press and filter.

_Raisin._--Infuse 25 lb. mashed raisins for 15 days in 6 gal. proof spirit, stirring every day; press and filter.

_Raspberry._--4 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. nitric ether, 1 oz. aldehyde, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 1 oz. ethyl formiate, 1 oz. ethyl butyrate, 1 oz. ethyl benzoate, 1 oz. ethyl œnanthylate, 1 oz. sebacic ether, 1 oz. methyl salicylate, 1 oz. amyl acetate, 1 oz. amyl butyrate, 5 oz. saturated solution tartaric acid, 1 oz. saturated solution succinic acid.

_Rose._--Bruise 2 oz. 100-leaved roses, macerate in 1 qt. deodorised alcohol, press out the alcoholic extract, add 1 dr. oil of rose, and filter through paper. May be tinted with cochineal.

_St. John’s Bread._--Cut up 50 lb. St. John’s bread (carob beans, or locust pods) into small pieces; infuse for 15 days with 12 gal. proof spirit, stirring every day; filter.

_Sassafras._--Granulate ½ lb. sassafras bark, and infuse in ½ gal. 95 per cent. alcohol for 20 days; filter.

_Soup-herbs._--Put 1 oz. thyme, 1 oz. sweet marjoram, 1 oz. sweet basil, 1 oz. summer savory, 1 dr. celery seed, into a percolator; pour on sufficient alcohol to make 1 pint extract.

_Strawberry._--2 oz. glycerine, 1 oz. nitric ether, 5 oz. ethyl acetate, 1 oz. ethyl formiate, 5 oz. ethyl butyrate, 1 oz. methyl salicylate, 3 oz. amyl acetate, 2 oz. amyl butyrate.

_Vanilla._--(1) 1 dr. vanilla in slices, infused for 20 days in 1 pint 95 per cent. alcohol; filter.

(2) 1 oz. vanilla in fine pieces, triturated with 2 oz. sugar to coarse powder, placed in a percolator; pour on dilute alcohol till 1 pint has run through; mix with 1 pint syrup.

=Coffee.=--Before roasting, it is a good plan to wash the berries. They must be thrown into lukewarm water, washed rapidly between the hands, the water changed once, the berries rinsed again, then strained, rubbed between a clean cloth, and put to dry in the sun or beside the fire. This washing does no harm, and certainly cleanses the coffee from dust or colouring, and also serves to prove the quality. The berries that float on the top of the water are not good. Raw berries, when thrown into cold water, should sink at once. But, if preferred, the coffee may be cleansed by rubbing between 2 towels. The roasting of coffee requires great care and attention; its goodness greatly depends on this. If suffered to burn, its aroma is destroyed, and it is made bitter and unwholesome. If not sufficiently browned, neither the strength nor the aroma will be developed, and its taste will be most unpleasant. Examine the berries, pick out any black or discoloured ones, and see that there is no stone among them. Have a clear fire, but not too fierce. Fill the drum half full. This must be constantly turned, but not too quickly, that the berries may be roasted equally. After about 5 minutes good heat, take the drum from the fire and shake it well. Open the slide to let the steam out, return the drum to the heat, continue the turning, and after a short time again withdraw and shake it, then open it to see if the coffee is colouring properly. Should a strong smell of roasting and an apparent smoke escape, and should a slight crackling noise begin, take the drum from the fire, shake it for a minute, open the slide, and if the coffee is too pale, return it to the fire. When it has a fine cinnamon-brown colour, turn it out on a large flat dish, spread it quite apart, and as soon as it is cold, put it in a close-shutting canister or cork it well in dry bottles. A spoonful of moist sugar thrown in with the berries is said to improve the quality in roasting. Those who have not a drum can use an iron stewpan, in which case a little piece of butter half the size of a walnut is melted in the pan, then the coffee berries put in and the lid put on. Every minute it must be shaken and tossed without removing the lid. Have ready a wooden spoon, which should be kept for the purpose, and when the coffee begins to smoke and crack, draw it quickly from the strong heat, and stir it thoroughly till it is nicely browned. It will burn in half a minute by too strong a fire. Finish as stated above. An excellent coffee-roaster is made by Sugg, Charing Cross.

If possible, use freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee; let it be of good quality, with no admixture of chicory. If the beans have not been ground just before they are required for use, put the ground coffee into a plate or dish before the fire, and heat it thoroughly. Pour boiling water through the coffee-pot, put in the coffee--about ½ teacupful for each person--pour on to it perfectly boiling water, and let the pot stand by the fire for a few minutes. These directions will answer equally well, with some slight variations, for Loysell’s coffee-pot, Gen. Hutchinson’s cafetière, or, with the addition of hot water in the outer receptacle, for Ashe’s kaffee-kanne. A capital, though somewhat costly, coffee-pot is sold by E. Boyes, 14 High Street, Borough. Let it be clearly understood that the pot in which coffee is made is of comparatively little consequence, provided that it is scrupulously clean, the water boiling, and not in excess, and that the coffee is pure and plenty of it. If café au lait is required, the milk should be quite hot, but not boiling, and when the coffee is really good and strong, equal quantities of coffee and milk will be found to be the right proportions.

To make café noir, use no percolating, filtering, or steaming engine of any sort. Pound the roasted berries in a mortar to a fine powder, which keep in a tightly corked glass bottle. The coffee-pot may be a tin pannikin of the simplest shape--a truncated cone, or a cylinder rather narrower at the top than at the bottom. To make a cup of coffee, first place into the pannikin 1 teaspoonful (heaped) of the coffee powder, then fill up with water, hot or cold; stir the contents with a teaspoon, and hold the pannikin over the fire or a lighted gas burner; when the contents boil, stir it once more, and again hold it over the fire; then, stirring a third time, pour the contents into a coffee-cup, and as soon as the coffee has sufficiently cooled, by which time the powder is well settled to the bottom, drink it. For those who take sugar, put a sufficient quantity of it into the pannikin before boiling the coffee. When hot water is used, it takes about 1 minute to make 1 cup of coffee.

=Foreign Dishes.=--The following notes comprise the chief special dishes of various foreign countries. They will afford many a useful hint to the English housewife who is not prejudiced against foreign cookery.

_American._--Boston Brown Bread.--1 pint tepid water, 2 gills of wheat flour, 1 pint rye meal, 1 pint of Indian meal, ½ pint molasses, 1½ gill smart yeast, 1 teaspoonful salt, 1 small teaspoonful soda carbonate; mix well, pour it into a tall straight-sided mould with a tight cover. Let it rise 3-4 hours. Steam or boil it for 4-5 hours. Remove the cover and set it in a moderate oven to dry for ½ hour. Serve hot in slices.

Buckwheat Cakes.--Buckwheat depends entirely on its treatment; crushed and kneaded into heavy loaves, it forms the impossible pumpernickel; finely ground and deftly handled, it becomes the famous buckwheat cake. To make the latter well-known dish, 2-3 tablespoonfuls fine buckwheat flour are mixed overnight with a little yeast in order to--as the bakers say--set the sponge. In the morning the “sponge” is added to some buckwheat flour, moistened simply with warm water, when the whole mass “rises” immediately into the form of an excessively light batter. Enough of this batter to make an ordinary muffin (about 2 tablespoonfuls) is placed on the well-anointed “griddle”--a flat piece of iron, well-known in the northern counties of England--the cake is turned quickly with a flat “slice,” and in about 2 minutes assumes a pale brown colour, and is done. This accomplished, the quicker the cake is transferred from the griddle to the mouth the better. Eaten hot it is delicious, but once allowed to settle, becomes heavy and “stodgy” to an inedible degree. These cakes may be eaten with butter and sugar, with molasses, honey, or maple syrup, and are in any way excellent--when hot.

Cheese Biscuits.--Take 4 oz. grated cheese, 3 oz. finely grated breadcrumbs, 2 oz. butter, 1 teaspoonful flour of mustard, 1 saltspoonful cayenne, 1 of white pepper, and 2 beaten-up eggs; melt the butter and mix all the ingredients together, and let them stand an hour. Knead and work out the paste as thin as possible, and cut it into triangles or roll it up into thin sticks about 3 in. long. Bake in a quick oven for 16-18 minutes; serve hot.

Chow-Chow.--Take 2 heads of cabbage, 2 heads of cauliflower, 2 qt. dwarf onions, 2 qt. small tomatoes, 12 cucumbers, and 6 roots of celery; cut into small pieces and boil each vegetable separately until tender, then strain and take 2 gal. vinegar, ¼ lb. mustard, ¼ lb. mustard seed, 1 pot French mustard, 1 oz. cloves, and 2 oz. turmeric; put the vinegar and spices into a pan, and let them come to the boil, then mix the vegetables, and pour the liquor over.