PART II RECIPES

PART II RECIPES

BEEF-JUICE, BEEF-TEA, AND BROTHS

Beef-Juice. The clear juice of beef, slightly diluted with water, is always excellent, being especially useful for its strong flavors. It is like concentrated beef-tea, and is often valuable in pleasantly exciting the action of the mouth and stomach after a long illness in which milk has been the chief article of diet.

Beef-juice is best made by broiling the beef. Prepared in this way, the flavor is superior, and it is a quick and easy method; but when a proper broiling fire cannot be had, then it may be made in a glass jar like beef-tea, except without the water.

Beef-Tea is valuable for its stimulating properties and for the warmth that it gives; it is also somewhat nutritious, containing as it does the albuminous juices of the meat, some salts, and the very important flavors. Beef-tea should be prepared in such a manner that the juices are held in solution in the water, not coagulated, to secure which the cooking temperature should never be allowed to exceed that of 160° Fahr.

Broths. Beef, mutton, and chicken broths are the most desirable forms of meat drinks for convalescents and those no longer dangerously ill. By slow cooking at a low temperature at first (the temperature should not exceed 150° Fahr. for the first hour), the extractives and albuminous juices are drawn out; then, by boiling, the gelatin of the bones, flesh, and tissues is dissolved. The nutritive qualities of these broths may be much increased by the addition of bread, rice, tapioca, barley, and sago, cooked during the whole time so that they may be completely dissolved in the liquid.

BEEF-JUICE

Bottled. Select a half pound of well-flavored beef, cut away everything except the lean fiber, divide it into small pieces, put them into a glass jar, cover, and place in a deep saucepan of cold water; heat gradually for one hour, but do not allow the temperature at any time to exceed 160° Fahr.; then strain out the juice and press the meat. The liquid should be clear red, not brown and flaky. Add a little salt, and it is ready to serve. A half pound will make three or four tablespoons of juice. If it is to be used constantly, a larger quantity may be made at once, as it will keep eighteen hours in a refrigerator. Beef-juice may be made into tea by diluting it with warm water.

Broiled. Prepare a fire of clear glowing coals from which all blue flames have disappeared. Cut a piece of lean beef (one half pound from the round or any good lean portion) one and one half inches thick, and remove from it all membranous tissues and fat. Put it into a wire broiler, and broil from six to eight minutes according to the intensity of the fire (see rules for broiling). The piece when done should be pink and full of juice, not dry and hard, nor, on the other hand, bluish-red in the middle. More juice will be obtained if the heat has penetrated to the center than if the meat is raw. When done, cut it into small pieces and squeeze out the juice with a meat-press or a lemon-squeezer. Add a little salt, and it is ready to serve. It should be given in spoonfuls, either warm or cold. If it is necessary to warm it, put a little into a cup and place it in a dish of warm water on the fire. Care should be taken that the water does not become hotter than 160° Fahr., for beyond that temperature the albuminous juices become coagulated and appear as brown flakes.

BEEF-TEA

Bottled. Select and prepare the meat in the same manner as for bottled beef-juice, except that for every half pound a cup of water should be used, poured over after it has been put into the jar. The liquid thus obtained will resemble beef-juice in every respect except in strength. Serve as a drink in a red wine-glass or a china cup.

With Hydrochloric Acid. Hydrochloric acid acts upon the fibers of meat in such a way that they become more easy of digestion. From a given portion of meat much more nutriment is extracted by the use of hydrochloric acid than without it; beef-tea made with it is recommended by physicians as the most easily absorbed form of beef drink, and for feeble children and patients much weakened by sickness it is especially useful.

To Prepare. Select a half pound of good beef; remove from it everything that is not clear meat,—that is, bone, gristle, connective tissue, and fat; chop it fine on a meat-board or in a chopping-tray. Put into a bowl one cup of water and five drops of dilute hydrochloric acid; stir into this the chopped meat, and set it in a refrigerator or any cool place for two hours to digest. Then strain, flavor with salt, and serve cold in a red wine-glass.

Should there be any objection to the taste or color, heat the tea until it steams and changes to a brownish hue; do not strain out the flakes of coagulated albumen and fibrin which appear, for they are the most nutritious portion of the tea.

Chemically pure hydrochloric acid may be obtained of a druggist (it is usually marked C. P.); from it a diluted solution may be made by mixing it in the proportion of five and one half fluid ounces to fourteen ounces of water.

BEEF BROTH

Beef broth is the juice of beef extracted by the long application of heat in connection with some solvent, usually water.

To make beef broth, allow one pound of meat, or meat and bone, to every quart of water. Wash the meat with a cloth in cold water until it is clean, or wipe it with a wet cloth if it is apparently fresh cut; divide it into small pieces (half-inch cubes) in order to expose as great an extent of surface as possible to the dissolving action of the water. Put it into a granite-ware kettle with cold water, and cook it at a low temperature for two hours, then boil it for two hours to dissolve the gelatin. Remove it from the fire, and strain it, using a strainer so coarse that the flakes of albumen may go through (an ordinary wire strainer will do). Skim as much fat as possible from the surface with a spoon, and then remove the remaining small particles with a sheet of clean paper (unsized is best) drawn over the surface. Season the broth with salt and pepper, and serve it very hot. If not needed at once, it may be set away to cool, when the fat will rise to the top, and form into a cake which may be lifted off.

With Herbs. Make a broth according to the above rule, and flavor it with bay-leaves, mint, or with a bouquet of sweet herbs in the proportion of one teaspoon to a quart of liquid.

With Grains. One tablespoon of any of the following grains—rice, barley, oatmeal, or wheat—to one quart of liquid, gives a pleasant consistency and flavor to beef broth. Tapioca, sago, cold dry toast, or cuttings of bread may also be used. They should be put in when the broth is first set on the fire to cook, that they may be completely dissolved in the liquid.

With Vegetables. Celery, onion, carrot, turnip, or shredded cabbage may be used in broth in the proportion of one tablespoon to a quart. Cabbage is better in combination with onion than alone.

BROTH MADE FROM BEEFSTEAK

(A QUICK METHOD)

Scrape the pulp from a pound of round or of sirloin steak, or mince the meat in a chopping-tray until it is fine; put it into a saucepan with just enough cold water to cover it, and let it come to the boiling-point slowly; then simmer it for fifteen minutes (better half an hour if there is time). Strain it, take off the fat with a sheet of paper, and season it with salt. This is a somewhat expensive but savory broth, and may easily be made on a gas or alcohol stove.

A beef panada may be made by leaving the pulp in the broth and adding a little rolled cracker-crumbs or some bread softened and squeezed through a strainer.

SCOTCH BEEF BROTH

Put into a granite stew-pan a pint of prepared beef broth,—that is, broth which has been strained, cleared of fat, and seasoned. Add to it one tablespoon of rolled oats, or of ordinary oatmeal, and simmer it gently until the oatmeal is soft and jelly-like. The time required will be about two hours. Then strain it, and serve very hot. This makes a good dish for an invalid for whom oatmeal has not been forbidden. If the broth is reduced by the boiling, add enough water to restore the pint.

CHICKEN BROTH

Chicken broth should be made with fowl, not with young chicken; a good one weighing three pounds will make three pints of broth.

To Prepare. Singe the chicken with a piece of blazing newspaper to burn off the long hairs; remove all refuse or that which is not clear flesh, viz., pin-feathers, oil-bag, crop, lungs, kidneys, and, of course, the entrails if the fowl is not already drawn. If the pipes in the neck are not all drawn out with the crop, they may be easily taken away when the fowl is cut up. Scrub it well in cold water, and then disjoint and cut it into small pieces; wash each piece thoroughly, retaining the skin if it is clear and free from pin-feathers, otherwise removing it. Put the chicken into cold water and simmer it for two hours, then boil it for two hours. Finally strain it and remove the fat, season it with salt and a bit of white pepper, and serve very hot in pretty china cups, with or without a lunch-cracker or a bit of dry toast.

With Herbs. Parsley, bay-leaves, sage, thyme, or a bouquet of sweet herbs will give a pleasant flavor to chicken broth. A teaspoon to a pint is the right proportion.

With Grains or Vegetables. Rice may be used to advantage in chicken broth, and also pearl-barley, sago, tapioca, and bread. These are among the best additions of the kind that can be made, for with them one is able to preserve the light color so desirable in chicken broth. Onion, celery, and parsley in the proportion of one teaspoon to a pint are suitable vegetables. Celery is especially nice.

MUTTON BROTH

One pound of mutton from the neck, or, better, the loin, one quart of cold water, and one teaspoon of chopped onion will be needed for this broth. Remove from the mutton the tough skin, the fat, and all membranes, and cut the meat into small pieces; break the bone, and if it be a part of the spinal column, take out the spinal cord. Put the pieces of meat, the onion, and the water into a saucepan, and simmer them together for three hours; then strain out the meat, dip off the fat from the broth with a spoon, and remove the remaining small particles with paper; season it with salt and white pepper. Serve hot in a pretty cup, with a toasted cracker.

A little bunch of mint, a bouquet of herbs, a few bay-leaves, or a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper or curry-powder will vary the broth agreeably. Pearl-barley is a particularly good addition to make, or rice may be used in the proportion of one teaspoon to a pint.

OYSTER-TEA. No. 1

Select eight fresh oysters, chop them fine in a chopping-tray, and turn them into a saucepan with a cup of cold water; set the saucepan on the fire, and let the water come slowly to the boiling-point, then simmer for five minutes; strain the liquid into a bowl, flavor it with half a saltspoon of salt, and serve hot with or without a small piece of dry toast, or a toasted cream-cracker.

OYSTER-TEA. No. 2

Put a dozen large oysters with their liquor into a stew-pan; simmer for five minutes. Then strain the liquor, leaving out the oysters, and add to it one half cup of milk; set it back on the stove and heat it just to the boiling-point. Flavor with a sprinkle of white pepper and half a saltspoon of salt. Or make it according to rule No. 1, using milk instead of water.

CLAM BROTH

Six large clams in their shells and a cup of water will be needed for this broth. Wash the clams thoroughly with a brush, and place them with the water in a kettle over the fire. The broth is simply the juice of the clams with the water boiled for a minute. It does not require seasoning, as clam-juice is usually salt enough. As soon as the shells open, the broth is done.

This broth and oyster-tea No. 1 are good in cases of nausea, and will be retained on the stomach when almost everything else is rejected.

GRUELS

Gruels are cooked mixtures of grain or flour, with water, or with water and milk. They are best made with milk as a part of the liquid, but care must be taken not to put it into the gruel until the grain has been thoroughly cooked in water, and after that the mixture should not be allowed to boil, as so high a temperature changes the flavor and composition of the milk, and renders it a less desirable food than if it were cooked at a lower temperature,—for instance, 190° or 200° Fahr.

The largest ingredient of grains is starch, which is not easily digested unless well cooked; therefore the time for boiling gruels should be conscientiously kept by the clock. Should the water evaporate, restore to the original quantity before putting in the milk, which should be hot, though not boiling. It may, however, come just to the boiling-point without any special injury.

Gruels served with a cream- or a banquet-cracker or a square of toasted bread are excellent for a convalescent's lunch. They may be varied with flavorings of cinnamon, nutmeg, almond, or a little grated lemon-peel, and sugar. Sugar is mentioned with great hesitancy, for a sweet gruel is an abomination, and yet a gruel with a very little sugar has a pleasanter flavor than one without any.

Lacking color, gruels may be made attractive by serving them in dainty-hued china. Gruels should be drunk slowly, that the starch, which is partially digested by the action of saliva, may be thoroughly mixed with it before it is swallowed.

BARLEY GRUEL

1 Tablespoon of Robinson's barley-flour. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of milk.

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together with a little cold water, pour on the boiling water, and boil ten minutes; then add the milk, bring just to the boiling-point, strain, and serve very hot. This gruel may be made without the milk, but with a pint instead of a cup of water. Barley is a nutritious grain, rich in phosphates and protein.

ARROWROOT GRUEL

1 Tablespoon of arrowroot. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of hot water. 1 Cup of milk.

Wet the arrowroot with the sugar and salt in two tablespoons of cold water, then pour on the hot water, stirring constantly. Boil it for twenty minutes, then add the milk and bring just to the boiling-point. Strain it, and immediately serve.

Arrowroot is almost pure starch. Its grains burst at 140° Fahr.; therefore, if boiling water be poured upon it, it will form into lumps which will have to be strained out, and thus a part of the material will be lost; hence the necessity of wetting it in cold water to reduce the temperature so that it may be stirred smooth before the lumps form.

Milk is changed by long boiling, and loses some of its agreeable taste; it is better, therefore, not to put the milk into the gruel until after the flour has been thoroughly cooked in the water, thus preserving its natural flavor.

Arrowroot gruel may be flavored with cinnamon by boiling a half square inch of cinnamon bark in the water with which the gruel is made. Nutmeg, lemon juice or peel, and sherry wine may also be used; but the sherry should be avoided unless the gruel is to be served cold.

OATMEAL GRUEL FROM POUNDED GRAIN

Pound in a mortar or roll on a bread-board one cup of oatmeal until it is floury. Put it into a bowl, and fill the bowl with cold water; stir well and let it settle for a few seconds; then pour off the milky-looking water into a saucepan, fill again, mix and pour off the water, and so continue until the water no longer appears white, being careful at each pouring not to allow the brown cortex of the grain or any of the coarse portions to get out of the bowl; then boil the water for half an hour. For every pint put in a saltspoon of salt and half a cup of sweet cream, or, if that is not at hand, the same quantity of milk. Beef broth or wine may be used instead of cream. This is the best way to make oatmeal gruel, for by this method the coarse and irritating hulls are excluded, while the good flavor and nutritious properties are preserved.

OATMEAL GRUEL (Plain)

2 Tablespoons of oatmeal (rolled oats). 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cupful of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk.

Mix the oatmeal, salt, and sugar together, and pour on the boiling water. Cook it in a saucepan for thirty minutes, or in a double boiler two hours; then strain it through a fine wire strainer to remove the hulls, put it again on the stove, add the milk, and allow it to heat just to the boiling-point. Serve it hot. Good oatmeal gruel may be made from cold porridge, by adding water, milk, and a little sugar and straining it, or it may be served unstrained. Many like it so, and it makes an excellent lunch.

FLOUR GRUEL

1 Tablespoon of flour. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk. ½ Square inch of cinnamon.

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar, as for other gruels, into a paste with a little cold water; add the piece of cinnamon and the hot water; boil it for twenty minutes, slowly, so that it may not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn; then put in the milk and bring to the boiling-point. Strain it, and serve it very hot. If the gruel is intended for a patient with fever, a little lemon-juice is good in place of the cinnamon. Other flavors may also be used, such as nutmeg, almond, and vanilla.

CRACKER GRUEL

2 Tablespoons of cracker-crumbs. 1 Scant saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk.

To make the cracker-crumbs, roll some crackers on a board until they are fine. Bent's water-crackers are good, cream-crackers better; mix the salt and sugar with the crumbs, pour on the boiling water, put in the milk, and simmer it for two minutes. The gruel does not need long cooking, for the cracker-crumbs are already thoroughly cooked. Do not strain it.

FARINA GRUEL

Farina is a grain which is carefully prepared from the nitrogenous part of selected wheat, and is therefore a better nutrient than rice-flour or arrowroot.

1 Tablespoon of Hecker's farina. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk.

Mix the grain, salt, and sugar; pour on the boiling water, and cook ten minutes; then put in the milk, boil for a minute, and it is ready to serve. Farina, being partially prepared, does not need long cooking.

IMPERIAL GRANUM

Imperial Granum is a dainty, highly nutritious preparation of wheat, very useful for invalids and children.

1 Tablespoon of Granum. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk.

Mix the meal, salt, and sugar in a saucepan, pour on the boiling water, and cook ten minutes; then add the milk, and let it again reach the boiling-point, when it is ready to serve.

Mush and porridge may also be made from this grain for the use of children, for whom it is an excellent food, being similar to farina, but more delicate and easier of digestion. Imperial Granum may be obtained at any pharmacy.

RACAHOUT DES ARABES

1 Tablespoon of Racahout. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Cup of hot water. 1 Cup of milk.

Put the Racahout and salt into a saucepan, mix it into a paste with a little cold water, and then pour on the hot water; simmer for ten minutes. Have the milk scalding hot in another pan, and when the gruel has cooked the full time pour it in. Strain and serve.

Racahout is a compound consisting principally of sugar, arrowroot, rice-flour, and French chocolate. It makes a most appetizing gruel, and is quite nutritious. Racahout des Arabes is imported largely from France. It may be obtained at any first-class grocery store.

INDIAN-MEAL GRUEL

2 Tablespoons of corn-meal. 1 Tablespoon of flour. 1 Teaspoon of salt. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. 1 Quart of boiling water. 1 Cup of milk.

Mix the corn-meal, flour, salt, and sugar into a thin paste with cold water, and pour into it the boiling water. Cook it in a double boiler for three hours. No less time than that will cook the corn-meal thoroughly. Then add the milk, and it is ready to serve.

Use the fine granulated meal which comes in paste-board packages, prepared for the table, and may be bought of almost any grocer.

MUSH AND PORRIDGE

Mush is meal or grain cooked in water to the consistency of rather thin pudding. Porridge is like mush, only thinner. The most important point connected with the preparation of these is thoroughness in the cooking. Made as they generally are of coarsely ground or of rolled grains, they need long boiling to soften the cellulose and to cook the starch properly.

Oatmeal. Oatmeal should be cooked for at least three hours in a double boiler. It is at its best prepared the day before it is needed, and then reheated as it is wanted. If it is done in this way, the flavor is fine, and there is no danger that the grains will be hard. When taken from the kettle, the oatmeal should be of the consistency to pour, and on cooling it ought to form into a tender, jelly-like pudding. Sometimes oatmeal is cooked so that the grains are whole and separate, but it is not easily digested so, and lacks the delicious flavor which long cooking gives.

Oatmeal for those for whom there is no objection to its use is a valuable nutrient, furnishing more for the money than almost any other food.[31]

Indian Meal. Indian meal also requires many hours' cooking. Even if it be in a single vessel and actually boiled, not less than an hour and a half of exposure to heat is safe.

Farina. Farina having been already subjected to a high degree of heat in its preparation, is thereby partially cooked, and does not require as long a time as the raw grains.

Mushes and porridges made from oatmeal, cracked wheat, or any grain on which the tough outside covering remains, are to be avoided in all cases of irritation or disease of the alimentary canal, particularly in diseases of the intestines, for the hard hulls are very irritating to the delicate lining membranes. Young children have exceedingly delicate digestive powers, and are often made ill by coarse, starchy food. For them it is always safest to use the prepared grains, such as farina, granula, and Imperial Granum.

All of the grains given in these recipes may be made into porridges by following the rules given for mushes, except that a larger proportion of water should be used. Porridges are like mushes, only thinner.

OATMEAL MUSH

½ Cup of rolled oats, or ½ cup of granulated oatmeal. ½ Teaspoon of salt. 1 Pint of boiling water.

Pick over the oatmeal, and put it into a double boiler with the salt. Pour on the boiling water, place the upper vessel of the boiler on the stove, and boil two minutes. This effectually starts the cooking. Then put the upper vessel into the lower, and cook for five hours. The water in the under boiler should boil during this time, and will occasionally need replenishing. Serve the mush steaming hot with sugar and cream, and baked apples, apple sauce, or tart jelly if one is fond of something acid.

If rolled oats be used, three hours are sufficient to cook it, but both kinds are best cooked the day before they are needed, as long cooking improves rather than injures the grain.

FARINA

Farina being a prepared grain and free from hulls and waste, so large a proportion will not be required to make a mush as of the raw grains.

3 Tablespoons of farina. ½ Saltspoon of salt. 1 Pint of boiling water.

Cook the mixture in a saucepan for twenty minutes after it actually boils, or in a double boiler for one hour. This is a delicious food for children, served with cream, or milk, and sugar.

WHEAT GERM

Wheat germ is a delicate and nutritious preparation of wheat. It is made so that by boiling for a short time it is ready for the table, and makes a delicious breakfast dish.

½ Cup of germ. ½ Teaspoonful of salt. 1½ Cups of boiling water.

Boil in a saucepan without a cover for half an hour, or cook in a double boiler twice as long. The directions on the packages give a shorter time, but it is extremely doubtful whether this grain can be wholesome with the few minutes' cooking usually advised.

IMPERIAL GRANUM

Imperial Granum, cooked according to the above rule, is always a wholesome and safe dish for children; or it may be made into a very thin gruel, and used as a drink instead of water.

GRANULA

Granula is a breakfast grain which has been partially prepared by dry heat, and is almost cooked enough to use. It is sometimes recommended that it be prepared by simply boiling a minute in milk. It is, however, both softened and improved in flavor by boiling from ten to fifteen minutes in one and one half times its bulk of water, with salt in the proportion of a teaspoon to a cup of grain.

CRACKED OR ROLLED WHEAT

1 Cup of cracked wheat. 1 Teaspoon of salt. 3 Cups of water.

Pick over the wheat, to remove any foreign substance that may be in it. Put it with the salt and the water (boiling) into a double boiler, and cook for two hours. Serve with cream and sugar, either hot or cold. If it is desirable to have it cold, it may be molded in cups or small round jelly-molds.

INDIAN-MEAL MUSH

1 Cup of corn-meal. 1 Teaspoon of salt. 1 Quart of boiling water.

No. 1. Make the corn-meal and salt into a paste with a little cold water, then pour in the boiling water and cook it in a double boiler for five hours.

No. 2. Put the salt into the water, and when the water reaches the boiling-point stir in the dry meal by taking a handful and sprinkling it slowly through the fingers. Use a wooden spoon for stirring. Boil an hour and a half. Or, wet the meal in a little cold water, and pour over it the boiling water. The most important point is thoroughness in the cooking, which should be done carefully so that the pudding may not burn on the bottom of the dish. If the temperature be regulated so that it just simmers, there will be little danger of this. Serve with maple syrup, or with cream.

HOMINY MUSH

1 Cup of hominy. 1 Teaspoon of salt. 1¼ Quarts of water.

Put all together in a double boiler, and cook for three hours. Add more water if the mush seems stiff and thick; all preparations of corn absorb a great deal in cooking, and hominy usually needs a little more than four times its bulk. Hominy is exceedingly indigestible unless well cooked, but sweet and nutritious when subjected to a high temperature for a long time.

DRINKS

EGG-NOG

Break into a bowl one egg, add to it a saltspoon of salt and two teaspoons of sugar; beat it until it is light but not foamy; then add one cup of slightly warm milk—that is, milk from which the chill has been taken (for it is not well to use that which is ice-cold)—and one or two tablespoons of French brandy; mix and strain it into a tall slender glass, and serve at once. Egg-nog should not be allowed to stand after it is made, for both the egg and the milk lose some of their freshness by exposure to the air.

MILK-PUNCH

1 Cup of milk. 2 Tablespoons of brandy. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. A little grated nutmeg.

Sweeten the milk with the sugar, stir into it the brandy, and mix thoroughly by pouring from one glass to another. Then grate a bit of nutmeg over the top.

Milk-punch is conveniently made with two tin cups; the mouth of one should be smaller than the mouth of the other, so that the one will fit into the other. In these the milk should be shaken back and forth until a froth is formed. This does not add materially to the taste, but rather to the appearance, and thoroughly mixes in the sugar and brandy.

WINE WHEY

Warm one cup of milk to a little more than blood-heat, or 100° Fahr., then pour into it one half cup of sherry wine. The acid and alcohol of the wine will in a few minutes coagulate the albumen, which may be separated from the whey by straining. Do not squeeze the curd through the strainer, but let the liquid drip until it is all out. If it is necessary to make the whey quickly, heat the milk to the boiling-point before adding the wine.

WINE WHEY WITH RENNET

(SWEET WHEY)

1 Pint of milk heated to 100° Fahr. 1 Teaspoon of prepared rennet. 2 Tablespoons of wine.

Stir the rennet and wine into the milk quickly, so that the wine may not curdle the milk in blotches. Let it stand in a warm place (on the stove-hearth, for instance) for half an hour, and then separate the curd from the whey by straining. This whey is excellent for children with delicate digestion who need a little stimulant. It is very good also as a drink for invalids at any time.

Whey is the water of milk with the sugar and various salts of the milk in solution in it. The sugar furnishes some nutriment, and the salts supply some of the mineral matter needed in the body.

Whey may also be made with vinegar or lemon-juice. These acids will act more quickly when the milk is warmed before they are added.

LEMONADE

1 Lemon. 1½ Tablespoons of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water.

Wash and wipe a lemon, cut a very thin slice from the middle, and squeeze the rest into a bowl; then put in the sugar, pour on the boiling water, and strain it. When it has become cold, serve it in a tumbler with the slice of lemon floating on the top.

Lemonade has a better flavor when made with boiling water, though it may be made with cold water. A few strawberries or raspberries may be put in, instead of the slice of lemon; or it may be colored pink with a little grape-jelly or carmine, and served with a straw.

MILK LEMONADE

1 Tablespoon of sugar. 1 Cup of boiling water. ¼ Cup of lemon-juice. ¼ Cup of sherry. 1¼ Cups of cold milk.

Pour the boiling water over the sugar, and then put in the lemon-juice and sherry. Stir it until the sugar dissolves, add the cold milk, and stir again until the milk curdles, then strain through a jelly-bag or napkin.

This is a cool and refreshing drink, especially for children.

BRANDY-MILK WITH EGG

Heat some milk in a granite saucepan for half an hour to sterilize it, but do not let it boil; then pour it into a pitcher, and set it aside to cool. When the milk is cold, beat one egg with one tablespoon of sugar until the sugar is well mixed; add to it two tablespoons of brandy and a cup of the cold milk. Strain it into a tall slender glass, and serve at once.

Heating the milk renders it perfectly wholesome and much safer for an invalid than raw milk, and also improves the flavor of the drink.

SHERRY AND EGG

Break an egg into a bowl, and put in a teaspoon of sugar; beat the two together until the sugar is thoroughly mixed with the egg, but not enough to make the egg froth; to this add two tablespoons of sherry wine, and a fourth of a cup of cold water, mixing them thoroughly. Strain all into a tumbler, and serve immediately.

STERILIZED MILK

The change which takes place in milk known as "souring" is caused by the growth of micro-organisms in it, which are killed by heat; therefore, to prevent souring, milk must be subjected to a temperature sufficiently high to insure their destruction. Some micro-organisms are killed at 136° Fahr., but this temperature cannot be said to destroy, or to inhibit the growth of all bacteria commonly found in milk. We must endeavor then to use such a degree of heat as shall accomplish this without seriously injuring the natural properties and flavors of the liquid. Authorities vary on this point, some putting the temperature as high as 212° Fahr., and others as low as 167° Fahr. The author has found, in an experience of two years in sterilizing milk every day, that 190° Fahr. is, under ordinary circumstances, a safe and easily practicable temperature to employ. With this degree of heat the flavor of the milk is excellent.

The process is as follows: The milk is put into clean glass flasks or bottles with small mouths which are stoppered with plugs of cotton batting, or, as it is sometimes called, "cotton-wool." These are placed in a wire basket, and the basket immersed in a kettle of warm water, the temperature of which is not allowed to exceed 190° Fahr. As soon as the heat is at or near that point the time is marked, and the milk is kept at that temperature for one hour. Then the bottles are removed, cooled quickly, and placed in the refrigerator. If it is desirable to keep the milk an indefinite time, the process should be repeated the second day, and again the third day, a third sterilization being necessary to insure success, since spores of organisms may escape the first and even the second heating.

For all ordinary household purposes, however, and as a safe food for the sick, heating once is all that is necessary. Milk thus treated will keep in the temperature of an ordinary room, even in warm weather, from twenty to thirty hours. By using the small-mouthed flasks very little scum is formed, and thus the valuable albuminous portion is preserved in the milk. Also, a small quantity at a time may be used without disturbing the rest.

To Sterilize for Family Use. Milk may also be preserved by open sterilization in a saucepan or kettle by the following simple process: Heat the milk until a scum forms over it; keep it at, or near, the temperature it then has for one hour, then pour it into a thoroughly washed and scalded pitcher, cool it, and put it into a refrigerator or some cool place. It will remain sweet for twenty-four hours, and, unless the weather be very warm, it will be good at the end of thirty-six hours. Should it sour before the end of twenty-four hours, it indicates that the temperature was too low, or the time of exposure to the heat too short. A chemist's thermometer costs but little, and will be found very useful for testing milk. It should be borne in mind, in this connection, that milk is not rendered absolutely sterile,—that is, free from all possible organisms and spores which may occur in it,—except at a temperature of at least 212° Fahr., or even higher.

Sterilized milk diluted with water is a nutritious and wholesome drink for the sick. Of course the water with which it is diluted should be boiled.[32]

In hospital practice nurses have told me that patients suffering from sleeplessness will often fall into quiet slumber after drinking hot milk, and that not infrequently the ordered hypodermic of morphine is not needed when hot milk is used.

MILK AND SELTZER

Mix equal quantities of sterilized milk and seltzer-water. Drink immediately.

MILK AND SODA-WATER

Into a glass half full of fresh milk put an equal quantity of soda-water. Use at once. This is an agreeable way to take milk, and is a nutritious and refreshing drink.

TOAST-WATER

Cut three slices of bread each a third of an inch thick, and toast them slowly until very brown and dry throughout; break them into small pieces, put them into a bowl with a pint of cold water, and set aside to soak for an hour; at the end of that time turn it into a strainer or napkin, and squeeze out the liquid with the back of a spoon. To the water thus obtained add a little cream and sugar, and serve it cold in a tumbler. It may also be served without the cream.

BARLEY-WATER

1 Tablespoon of barley flour. 1 Teaspoon of sugar. 1 Teaspoon of lemon-juice. 1 Quart of water.

Boil the flour, water, and sugar together fifteen minutes, then add the lemon-juice, and strain.

Tamarinds may be used instead of lemon-juice for flavor—two or three boiled with the water. Barley-water may also be made by boiling two tablespoons of barley (the grain) in a quart of water for one hour.

RICE-WATER

Pick over and wash two tablespoons of rice; put it into a granite saucepan with a quart of boiling water; simmer it for two hours, when the rice should be softened and partially dissolved; then strain the liquid through a fine wire strainer into a bowl or pitcher, add to it a saltspoon of salt, and serve it either warm or cold.

If a patient may take or needs stimulants, two tablespoons of sherry or of port wine is an agreeable addition, especially if the drink be taken cold.

FRUIT-SODA. No. 1

From Strawberries. Remove the stems from one quart of strawberries, and pick them over carefully. Wash them under a stream of water in a colander, gently, so that they may not be crushed; then put them into a double boiler with half their bulk of sugar, and heat for an hour or more until the berries are soft. When this is accomplished, turn them into a jelly-bag and drain until the juice has completely oozed out, which will require two or more hours. Do not squeeze them. Then put the juice into a saucepan and, returning to the fire, heat it to a temperature of 200° Fahr., and keep it at that temperature for one hour. If a thermometer is not at hand, heat the juice until it steams a little, but do not let it boil, for the flavor is not nearly so delicate with the high temperature. Then it may be canned or bottled for future use. If the bottle be scalded and carefully sealed as in preserving fruits, the juice will keep indefinitely.

The length of time that it remains at 200° is important, as it is a process of sterilization which takes place, and the temperature must be maintained for a given time or the desired result will not be accomplished. The condition of the bottle also must be carefully considered, as the thorough cleaning and scalding is for the purpose of rendering it sterile. This is most easily and thoroughly done by filling the bottle with hot water and placing it in a kettle of boiling water for half an hour.

To Use. Dilute the juice with cool water (not iced water) or soda-water in the proportion of one half juice to one half water.

From Oranges. The oranges should be peeled and the seeds removed, and then treated in the same way as the strawberries in the preceding rule, except that to every quart of fruit the juice of two lemons should be added.

From Raspberries. Employ the same method as for strawberries.

From Currants. The same as for strawberries, except that three fourths of the bulk of the fruit of sugar should be used instead of one half.

With Other Fruits. Other fruits, such as apricots, peaches, cranberries, apples, etc., may be used for syrups, varying the water and sugar according to the kind of fruit used. Apples, apricots, and peaches will require half their bulk of water.

FRUIT-SODA. No. 2

Sprinkle two cups of sugar over one box of ripe strawberries, which, of course, have been hulled and washed, and set them away for three hours, or until the juice has oozed out of the fruit and made a thick syrup with the sugar. Strain the juice, bottle it, and put it in a cool place. It will keep for three days.

To Use. Pour one third of a cup into a tumbler, add two tablespoons of cream, and fill the tumbler with soda-water from a siphon. This makes a delicious and cooling drink.

Oranges, raspberries, currants, or any other juicy fruit may be used for syrup, which is very palatable when made from fresh uncooked fruits. These syrups are useful not only for drinks, but for flavoring ice-creams and pudding sauces.

COFFEE SYRUP

Make some strong coffee with two tablespoons of the ground berry (Mocha and Java mixed), a little white of egg, and one cup of boiling water. Simmer together one cup of sugar and one third of a cup of water for five minutes, then add to it one half of a cup of the coffee. Strain and bottle it for use. This is delicious with soda-water and cream.

VANILLA SYRUP

Make a sugar syrup by boiling together one cup of sugar and one half of a cup of water for five minutes. Add to it two or three tablespoons of vanilla extract. It is to be used, like coffee syrup, with soda-water and sweet cream.

OTHER SYRUPS

A variety of syrups may be made, besides those mentioned, by using a sugar syrup like that in the above recipe, and flavoring it with cinnamon, lemon, almond, rose-water, chocolate, etc. All of the cooked syrups will keep indefinitely.

GRAPE JUICE

Grape juice mixed with cold water or with soda-water makes a pleasant and invigorating drink for a sick person. The best grapes for the purpose are the blue varieties, such as Isabellas, Concords, or Black Hamburgs.

To Make a Bottle of Juice. Pick over (and wash if they need it) one quart of grapes. Remove them from the stems, and put them into a double boiler with just enough cold water to cover them. Heat them slowly until the juice oozes out and the fruit becomes soft, which will take two or three hours. Then turn the fruit into a jelly-bag made like a long pointed pocket, draw the string at the top and hang it to drain. Do not squeeze or press the bag, and use only the juice which drips out, which will practically be all that the grapes contain. To this add one fourth of the quantity of sugar—that is, if there is a quart of juice, put in one cup of sugar—and heat it until it is quite hot, or to a temperature of 200° Fahr., and keep it at that temperature for one hour, but do not let it boil. Then pour it into thoroughly cleaned and scalded hot bottles,—in other words, those which are sterile. Seal the bottles with wax, and set them away in a cool place.

To Use. Mix equal quantities of juice and cold water, and serve at once.

FLAXSEED TEA WITH LEMON

1 Tablespoon of flaxseed. 1 Pint of water. 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Juice of one lemon.

Boil the flaxseed one hour in the water; strain it, and add the lemon-juice and sugar. The flaxseed should be examined for little black grains which often occur in it, and which injure the delicate flavor of the drink. Serve this tea either cold or warm. It is excellent for croup, or for any irritated condition of the throat or lungs.

APPLE TEA

Wash and wipe a good sour apple, cut it into small pieces, and boil it in a cup of water until it is soft. Then strain the water into a bowl, add a bit of sugar, and serve when cold.

If the apple is of good flavor this is a pleasant drink, and may be given to fever patients, children with measles, or whenever there is much thirst.

KUMISS

1 Quart of perfectly fresh milk. ⅕ of a two-cent cake of Fleischmann's yeast. 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

Dissolve the yeast in a little water and mix it with the sugar and milk. Put the mixture into strong bottles,—beer-bottles are good,—cork them with tightly fitting stoppers, and tie down securely with stout twine. Shake the bottles for a full minute to mix thoroughly the ingredients, then place them on end in a refrigerator, or some equally cool place, to ferment slowly. At the end of three days lay the bottles on their sides; turn them occasionally. Five days will be required to perfect the fermentation, and then kumiss is at its best. It will keep indefinitely in a refrigerator.

To Make Sweet Kumiss. Ferment the kumiss mixture for twelve hours in a temperature of 70° Fahr.,—that is, the same degree of heat that is required for raising bread.

Do not attempt to open a bottle of kumiss without a champagne-tap, for the carbonic acid generated in the fermenting liquid has enormous expansive force, and will throw the contents all over the room if the bottle be opened in the ordinary way.

In an emergency, however, the cork may be punctured with a stout needle to let the gas escape. The mouth of the bottle may then be held in a large bowl or dish and the cords cut, when the kumiss will rush out, usually, however, without so much force but that it may nearly all be caught. It should look like thick, foamy cream.

Kumiss is highly recommended as an article of sick diet, being especially valuable for many forms of indigestion and for nausea. Often it will be retained in the stomach when almost anything else would be rejected. It is partially predigested milk, containing carbonic acid and a little alcohol, both of which have a tonic effect.

True kumiss is an Eastern product made from mare's milk, but in this country cow's milk is always employed. Sometimes the term kefer is given to it, to distinguish it from that made from mare's milk. It may be obtained in nearly all pharmacies, but a better quality can be made at home at slight expense.

Sometimes patients will object to taking kumiss, on account of the odor, which is not pleasant to every one, but it leaves a peculiarly agreeable after-taste in the mouth, and one who has once taken a glass of it will seldom refuse a second offer. The kumiss of commerce sold under the name of "Cream Koumyss" is an excellent preparation.

THE COCOA-BEAN

The cocoa-bean is a product of the tropics. It is dried, roasted like coffee, and cracked, or ground into powder, for use. It is one of our best foods, containing in good proportions nearly all the elements necessary to nourish the body.

There are many preparations of the bean. The most common, and those usually found in our markets, are shells, cracked cocoa, chocolate, and various forms of powder.

Shells are the outer husk or covering of the bean, and from them a delicate drink may be made with long, slow boiling.

Cracked cocoa, or cocoa-nibs as it is sometimes called, is made by breaking the beans into small pieces.

Chocolate is prepared by grinding the cocoa-bean into powder, mixing it with sugar, and molding it into blocks. There is some temptation on the part of manufacturers to substitute foreign fats, corn-starch, and other cheap materials for the natural ingredients of the bean in the making of chocolate.

The powdered forms of cocoa generally contain a good percentage of the bean except the fat, which is always extracted. All Dutch brands are excellent. Weight for weight, they cost more than some other kinds, but so much less is needed to make a cup of drink that they are really the least expensive.

COCOA

½ Teaspoon of any Dutch cocoa. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Cup of boiling milk. 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

Put the cocoa and sugar into a saucepan, and pour in the boiling water; cook for two minutes, then add the milk, and let it heat just to the boiling-point. When most other brands are used, as a general thing a larger proportion of powder will be necessary. It is therefore important to experiment with each until it is found what amount will make a drink equal in strength to the above. This valuable food is often made so strong that ill persons cannot digest it.

COCOA-SHELLS

Put a tablespoon of shells into a pint of water, and simmer for two hours; add one tablespoon of sugar and a cup of milk, then strain out the shells, and it is ready to serve. This is a mild and delicately flavored drink, and may be used freely in cases of great thirst.

COCOA-NIBS

Boil one teaspoon of cracked cocoa in a pint of water one hour; then add a cup of milk and a tablespoon of sugar, let it heat to the boiling-point again, strain out the nibs, and it is ready to serve.

It is necessary to boil cracked cocoa, otherwise you will have a bitter infusion, lacking the good flavor which is extracted by the higher degree of heat. This is an instance in which a few degrees more or less of heat make a great difference in the result.

CHOCOLATE

Put one third of a square (one ounce) of Baker's chocolate, with one cup of boiling water and a tablespoon of sugar, into a saucepan. Set the saucepan on the fire, and stir for a while, moving the piece of chocolate through the water occasionally until it is melted. As soon as it boils add a cup of milk, and when it again reaches the boiling-point it will be ready to serve. If chocolate is allowed to boil for a length of time, separation of the fat from the other ingredients takes place, rendering it indigestible. Chocolate, if delicately and carefully made, is as nice as cocoa, much more nutritious, on account of the fat which it contains, and less expensive.

TEA

Tea has refreshing and invigorating properties very comforting to one spent with toil. Its active principle is theine, a crystalline alkaloid found in both tea and coffee. Theine and caffeine were once supposed to be different substances, but have recently been found to be identical.

Tea is a valuable article of diet, though not a direct nutrient. It is classed with the so-called "accessory" foods, and, although not itself nutritious, aids, by its good flavor and stimulating properties, the digestion of other things. It is a nerve tonic, and is quite valuable as a curative agent for headache and some forms of indigestion. The slight stimulation resulting from its use is unattended by any after ill effects.

It is good for soldiers, hard-working people, travelers, and others who are much exposed to the rigors of climate.[33]

COMPOSITION OF TEA

Black.Green.

Essential oil.60.79

Chlorophyl1.842.22

Wax.28

Resin3.642.22

Gum7.288.56

Tannin12.8817.80

Theine.46.43

Extractive matter21.3622.80

Coloring substances19.1923.60

Albumen2.803.00

Fiber28.3317.80

Ash[34]5.245.56

Mulden.

From Prof. Mott's Chart on the Composition, Digestibility, and Nutritive Value of Food.

Two of the most important points suggested by a study of tea are the few adulterations and the great difference between different varieties, comparing weight and bulk. Some kinds of very cheap tea are adulterated with sage and raspberry leaves, and leaves of other plants dried to simulate tea, and often flavored with essences to give an agreeable taste, but a vast amount of the tea which is sold is pure. Adulterations with chemicals are now rare, on account of the extensive cultivation of tea and the large quantities sold.

Teas vary greatly in weight,—that is, a given bulk of one tea weighs very differently from the same bulk of another. This is especially marked in the comparison of Oolong and Gunpowder.

Below are given the weights of a moderate-sized caddy-spoon of each of these teas.

KINDS OF TEA.Grains.No. of spoons to the pound.

Oolong 39179

Hyson 66106

Gunpowder123 57

From this it appears that Gunpowder tea, bulk for bulk, is more than three times as heavy as Oolong; consequently in using it only about one third as much should be taken for a given amount of water. In making the infusion teas should be weighed, not measured, but it is not easily practicable in all households to do so; however, it can always be borne in mind that the closely rolled teas, such as Gunpowder, Young Hyson, and Japan, should be used in smaller proportion than those which are loosely rolled, like Oolong, English Breakfast, and other black teas.

There is a popular notion that green teas are dried on copper, but according to unquestionable authorities it is an erroneous one. Green teas are dried quickly so that the natural color of the leaves is preserved. Black teas are dried slowly for many hours until a sort of fermentation sets in, which causes the difference in color, as pickings from the same plant may, in the process of curing, become either green or black tea, according to the method employed. Also, different varieties of tea may be made from the same branch by difference of treatment in curing, the aromatic flavors, which did not exist in the leaves before, being produced by the drying. Different varieties or kinds of tea are also made from the same plant by gathering the leaves at different ages.

Black tea should be black, but not dead black,—rather of a grayish hue. No red leaves should be mixed with it. It should be regular in appearance, each leaf with a uniform twist, that is, in all except the "broken" teas. The leaves of tea are gathered four times a year by hand, and the finest kind is made from the tender young buds. Young Hyson is made from the early buds of April, and is noted for its mild, delicate flavor.

The principle most to be avoided in tea is the tannin, which in any considerable quantity is injurious to health. It dissolves easily when tea is either steeped for a length of time, or boiled. The important point, therefore, is not to make tea more than a few minutes before it is to be drunk, and not to boil it.

The principal kinds of tea in common use are Oolong, Japan, English Breakfast, Imperial, Gunpowder, and Young Hyson. Gunpowder, Japan, Young Hyson, and Imperial are green teas; the others are black.

To Prepare Tea.

1 Teaspoon of tea. 1 Cup of boiling water.

Fill a cup with boiling water, and let it stand a minute, or until the cup is heated through. Then empty it, put the teaspoon of tea into a tea-ball, place it in the hot cup, and pour on the boiling water slowly until it is full, leaving the tea-ball in for three minutes. This will give you a delicious and fragrant drink. If there is not a tea-ball at hand, use a small strainer, holding it so that the tea is under water for the required time.

The same principle is to be followed in making a pot of tea, except that the time of steeping should be somewhat longer. Scald the pot, which should be either of silver, granite-ware, or earthenware, not tin. Put into it the tea, in the proportion of one teaspoon to a cup of water (one half pint), and let it infuse for five minutes, but by no means allow it to boil, for boiling dissipates the aroma, and extracts the tannin, which is the injurious principle. Serve it in hot teacups with loaf-sugar and cold cream or milk. I think it is Miss Lincoln who says: "Never disgrace yourself by serving that abomination, boiled lukewarm tea in a cold cup."

Water for tea should be fresh, and soft water—that is, water which is free from lime—is to be preferred; by taking one teaspoon of tea and a cup of water as the unit, any amount may be made; for instance, for a pot of tea for five or six persons, six teaspoons of tea and a quart and a half (6 cups) of water will be required. The time of exposure to the heat is, of course, not multiplied, the same number of minutes being enough for a greater or a lesser amount.

In connection with the study of tea, it is a very interesting fact that most authorities agree as to the time of steeping. There seems to be the unanimous opinion that it should not exceed fifteen minutes. Five minutes is the usual time given for the average kinds of tea, but for the fine, pure teas from eight to ten is a wise rule to follow.

COFFEE

Coffee is a product of the East, where it has been used since very ancient times. It grows on trees, the fruit in clusters which singly look somewhat like cherries, each containing two beans. Unroasted coffee-beans are tough, and a drink made from them is bitter, acrid, and very unpleasant. Coffee was brought to western Europe in the seventeenth century, where it seems to have immediately become a popular drink. When coffee-houses were first opened in England, they were opposed by the liquor-dealers, who claimed that their trade would be spoiled. Its introduction was also bitterly opposed by others, and even denounced from the pulpit. It was regarded somewhat in the light of a dangerous Eastern drug. From western Europe it was brought to America, and at the present time is the most extensively used food beverage in the world.

The kinds in common use in this country are Java and Mocha from the East, and the South American coffees Rio, Santos, and Maracaibo. The soil and method of cultivation influence the quality of coffee, as does also the age of the beans. The longer the beans are kept (unbrowned) the finer the flavor.

Coffee is adulterated with grains of different kinds, chicory, caramel, carrots and some other roots, and with pastes made to resemble the coffee-bean. The use of chicory is prohibited by law, unless the mixture be labeled "Mixture of coffee and chicory." Nevertheless, its use is common, and in nearly all hotels and restaurants coffee is flavored with it.

"The detection of the presence of chicory, caramel, and some sweet roots, as turnips, carrots, and parsnips, is quite easy. If a few grains of the suspected sample are placed on the surface of water in a glass vessel, beaker, or tumbler, each particle of chicory, etc., will become surrounded by a yellow-brown cloud which rapidly diffuses through the water until the whole becomes colored. Pure coffee under the same conditions gives no sensible color until after the lapse of about fifteen minutes. Caramel (burnt sugar) of course colors the water very deeply. Dandelion root gives a deeper color than coffee, but not as deep as chicory. The same is true of bread raspings. Beans and pease give much less color to the water than pure coffee. They can be readily detected by the microscope, as can roasted figs and dates or date-stones." (Mrs. Richards, in "Food Materials and Their Adulterations.")

Coffee is said to owe its refreshing properties to (a) caffeine, (b) a volatile oil developed by heat, not contained in the unroasted bean, and to (c) astringent acids.

Coffee diminishes the sensation of hunger, exhilarates and refreshes, and decreases the amount of wear and tear of the system.

Its composition, according to Payen, is as follows:

Cellulose34.000

Water12.000

Fatty matter13.000

Glucose, dextrine, and undetermined vegetable acids15.500

Legumin, casein, etc.10.000

Chlorogenate of potash and caffeine3 to 5.000

Nitrogenized structure3.000

Caffeine.800

Essential oil.001

Aromatic essence.002

Mineral substances6.970

It is difficult to determine whether coffee may be classed as a food, but that it has value as an adjunct to true nutrients there can be no doubt. There is a general agreement among physiologists that coffee is invigorating, that it aids digestion both in the sick and the well, that it is capable of allaying or retarding waste and thereby acting indirectly as a food. But the mistake should not be made that coffee will replace food. Coffee may be compared in its effects on the system to beef-tea—it is valuable for its flavors rather than for actual nutritious principles.

It is a curious fact that coffee is most frequently made in such a way that its valuable flavors are undeveloped or destroyed. Care must be taken that the roasting be not carried so far as to char the coffee-beans, yet far enough to convert the sugar into caramel, and to change the nature of the volatile oil, so that the highest point of flavor will be reached. This can be best accomplished in regular roasting-houses, where the temperature and time may be accurately measured.

It is best to get a supply of fresh roasted coffee every day, but when this is not practicable, once in three days, or once a week, will do. Although theoretically the roasting of coffee should be a part of its preparation—that is, it should be roasted, immediately ground, and made into drink—practically it is very seldom done.

COFFEE. No. 1

A favorite mixed coffee is made with two thirds Java and one third Mocha. It should be ground just before it is needed. For a pot of coffee use the proportions of one heaped tablespoon to a cup of water. It is well to calculate the number of persons there are to be served, and allow one cup (one half pint) for each; this amount, with the milk or cream used, will make two ordinary china cups of coffee. To the ground coffee add a little yolk or white of egg, with a spoonful of water to dilute it; mix thoroughly until all the grains are coated over with albumen, then pour on the boiling water, simmer for five minutes, and steep at a temperature just short of simmering for ten minutes more. The coffee is then done. It should be served at once with loaf-sugar, and either hot or cold cream, or hot milk. The coffee should be perfectly clear and of fine color and flavor.

There are many methods of making coffee, but the above, everything considered, seems the most desirable for family use. One egg is enough to clear three quarts of coffee, and both yolk and white are of equal value for the purpose.

COFFEE. No. 2

For every cup of water use a heaped tablespoon of coffee; soak the coffee overnight or for several hours in cold water, then bring it to the boiling-point, and let it simmer for a few minutes just before using. This is said to be the most economical method of making, as more is obtained from the coffee by this treatment. The flavor is certainly fine.

Long boiling dissipates the delicious aromatic oils, and as probably these are the most valuable properties of the coffee, the necessity of preserving them is easily seen. Care should be taken not to boil coffee for more than from three to five minutes, and simmer rather than boil, so as to preserve as much as possible the fine flavors which are so quickly dissipated by boiling; yet the high temperature seems to be necessary to extract the desirable properties of the bean. One must therefore ever bear in mind the seeming paradox that coffee should reach the boiling-point, and yet not boil.

We do not estimate highly enough the value of flavors. It is a well-demonstrated fact among a few persons that many dishes containing actual nutritious principles are but partially or imperfectly digested, because of their lack of good flavor, either from want of proper preparation, lack of seasoning, or poor cooking. There is no doubt that many people suffer from indigestion after eating such food.

Use in coffee-making either silver, granite-ware, or earthenware urns or pots, never tin. They should be made perfectly clean before using, especial attention being necessary for the spout.

MULLED WINE

1 Egg. 1 Tablespoon of sugar. 1 Clove. ¼ Square inch of cinnamon. ½ Cup of wine. ½ Cup of water.

Put the water and spice together in a saucepan, and boil for ten minutes; then add the wine, and let the liquid just reach the boiling-point; meanwhile beat the egg and sugar in a bowl, and just at the moment when the wine begins to boil, pour it slowly into the egg, stirring constantly to distribute the heat throughout the whole. Unless the weather is very cold, there is usually enough heat in the boiling liquid to coagulate the albumen of the egg slightly, but should this not be accomplished, set it on the fire for a minute to finish. When done it should be of the consistency of cream. Do not let the wine and water boil for any appreciable time, for boiling dissipates some of the pleasant flavor of the wine.

Beer, ale, and porter are excellent, mulled in the same way.

COCOA CORDIAL

½ Teaspoon of Dutch cocoa. Some boiling water. 2 Blocks of loaf-sugar. 2 Tablespoons of port wine.

Put the cocoa and sugar into a china cup, and pour directly upon them some boiling water, then add the wine, making in all the usual amount called a cupful. Serve at once. This is an excellent drink for those who are chilled or exhausted, or to take after a bath.

JELLIES

(FROM GELATINE)

Gelatin is always of animal origin. The gelatinous substance obtained from apples, grapes, cranberries, and other fruits is not gelatin; it is a different material, derived by the action of heat from pectose, a substance which occurs in plants and is closely associated with cellulose. Unprepared gelatin is sometimes distinguished in writing from the gelatine of commerce by the difference of an e in spelling.

Gelatin enters into the composition of all, or nearly all, the tissues of the body. The walls of the microscopic cells of flesh are composed of it. It is found also in cartilage, tendons, connective tissue, bone, and in the larynx and joints. Spiders' webs and the thread of silkworms are gelatin in a liquid state, which solidifies upon exposure to the air. Another kind of gelatin forms the framework of insects, such as the locusts on which John the Baptist fed. It also forms the true skeleton of lobsters, crabs, and shrimps. The edible birds' nests of the Chinese are a delicate kind of gelatin more digestible than some other kinds, for it is made from the saliva of a swallow, and probably contains pepsin. (M. Williams.)

The part which gelatin plays as a food is not well understood. Many experiments have recently been made by scientists on dogs and other animals, to test the value of gelatin in this respect. From these experiments the following conclusions have been drawn: 1. That gelatin alone is not sufficient as a food. 2. That although insufficient it is not worthless. 3. That gelatin is sufficient to sustain life when combined with other substances which would themselves be wholly insufficient if given alone. 4. That gelatin must always be flavored to render it digestible and nutritious.

Mattieu Williams says: "It would seem that gelatin alone, although containing the elements required for nutrition, needs something more to render it digestible. We shall probably not be far from the truth if we picture it to the mind as something too smooth, too neutral, too inert, to set the digestive organs at work, and that therefore it requires the addition of a decidedly sapid something that shall make these organs act."

Gelatin dissolves easily in warm liquid. Albumen coagulates under similar circumstances.

The gelatine of commerce is made from the tissues of animals, particularly from the thick skin of certain portions of the body and from the head and feet. When well flavored and in a liquid state as in broths, or of a tender consistency as in well-made jelly, it is a most desirable food for the sick. Lemon and orange juice, strawberry, raspberry, grape, and indeed any fruit syrup, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, wine, brandy, and Jamaica rum, and strong meat broths which have been cleared, may be used for flavoring. The jelly should not be made hard and tenacious, but tender and jelly-like, though firm.

The phosphated gelatine which may be bought of any grocer is delicious for wine jelly made according to the usual rule for jelly, with the exception of omitting the lemon. Chalmer's and Nelson's are other well-known brands. All jellies made with gelatine are excellent for invalids. They are especially valuable in cases of disease of the intestines, such as typhoid fever and inflammation of the bowels, because, being digested and absorbed, for the most part or entirely, in the stomach, those organs are relieved of effort, at the same time that the system is supplied with a nutritious form of solid food.

WINE JELLY. No. 1

¼ Box of Nelson's gelatine. ¼ Cup of cold water. 1¼ Cups of boiling water. ½ Cup of sugar. ½ Square inch of cinnamon. 1 Clove. ½ Cup of sherry wine.

Put the gelatine and cold water together in a dish large enough to hold the whole mixture; let it soak for half an hour; then pour the boiling water, in which the clove and cinnamon have been simmering, over the softened gelatine, add the sugar and wine, and stir until the sugar and gelatine are perfectly dissolved; then strain through a fine napkin into a granite-ware or earthenware pan or mold, and cool it in a refrigerator or in a pan of iced water. Wine jelly made from phosphated gelatine, omitting the spice, is delicious.

WINE JELLY (No. 2) WITH LEMON

The same proportions and ingredients are to be used as in the above recipe, except that the juice of half a lemon should be substituted for the spice.

LEMON JELLY

¼ Box of gelatine. ¼ Cup of cold water. 1¼ Cups of boiling water. ½ Cup of sugar. ¼ Cup of lemon-juice. 1 Tablespoon of brandy.

Put the gelatine and water together in a dish, and let them soak half an hour; then pour on the boiling water, and stir until the gelatine is dissolved. Do not put in the sugar and then pour on the boiling water, as there may not be heat enough in making a small quantity of jelly to dissolve both, but add the sugar after the water, then the lemon-juice and brandy. Strain it through a napkin and cool it in a refrigerator or in a pan of iced water. Use china or granite-ware molds, never tin, for the acid of lemon acts chemically upon it, forming compounds that are injurious to health.

ORANGE JELLY

¼ Box of gelatine. ¼ Cup of cold water. ½ Cup of boiling water. ½ Cup of sugar. 1 Cup of orange-juice. Juice of half a lemon.

Soften the gelatine in the cold water by soaking it for half an hour; then pour in the boiling water, stirring as previously directed until the gelatine is dissolved; add the sugar, orange-juice, and lemon-juice, in the order in which they are given, stir for a moment, and then strain the liquid through a napkin into molds, and set it to cool. Use earthenware or granite-ware molds, not tin. The point most to be observed in making this jelly is getting the juice from the oranges. The most natural way for one to do would be to cut the oranges in halves, and squeeze them in a lemon-squeezer, but that will not do, for the orange-oil of the rind is extracted in such large quantities as to destroy the delicate flavor of the jelly. The proper way to do is to peel the fruit, cut it in pieces, put them in a jelly-bag, and squeeze out the juice with the hand.

COFFEE JELLY

¼ Box of gelatine. ¼ Cup of cold water. 1 Cup of boiling water. ½ Cup of strong coffee. ½ Teaspoon of vanilla. ½ Cup of sugar.

Soak the gelatine in the cold water for half an hour; then pour on the boiling water, and put in the sugar, coffee, and vanilla. Strain it through a napkin into a glass dish in which it may be served, and cool it as jellies are usually cooled, either in a refrigerator or in cold water, unless of course it is winter, when the jelly quickly becomes firm in any cool place, or it may be molded. Serve it with sweet cream and sugar, or, if it be molded, with whipped cream arranged around the form. The coffee should be strong, made with the proportion of two tablespoons of coffee to a cup of water.

This delicious jelly is acceptable to most invalids.

FRENCH JELLY WITH FRESH FRUITS

Make a wine jelly according to the recipe on page 122. When it has lost some of its heat, but before it begins to thicken, pour into it a pint of carefully picked and cleaned raspberries, distributing them evenly through the liquid; then set it away in a cool place, or in a refrigerator, to harden. This makes a nice dessert when served with sugar and cream. Other fruits and other jellies may be combined at the discretion of the maker. Orange jelly with oranges and bananas is very good.

RESTORATIVE JELLY

½ Box of gelatine. 1 Cup of port wine. 1 Tablespoon of powdered gum arabic. 2 Tablespoons of lemon-juice. 3 Tablespoons of sugar. 2 Cloves. ½ Square inch of cinnamon.

Put the gelatine, wine, and spice into a double boiler, or if one is not at hand, improvise one by placing a bowl in a pan of water. Set the boiler on the fire, and when the gelatine is dissolved, put in the gum arabic, lemon, and sugar. Stir thoroughly; strain it quickly through a fine napkin, and cool it in a shallow dish, so that the layer of jelly shall be an inch thick. It is to be cut into cubes, which may be served two or three at a time, to be held in the mouth until melted.

CHICKEN JELLY

Clean a small chicken, disjoint it, and cut the meat into small pieces; remove the fat, break or pound the bones, and put all into cold water, using the following proportion: A pint for every pound of chicken. Heat the water very slowly at first, and then simmer it until the meat is tender; it will require three or four hours. Boil down to one half the quantity. Strain it and remove the fat; then clear it with an egg, and season it with salt, pepper, and lemon. Strain it through a fine napkin, pour into small cups, and cool. Parsley, celery, and bay-leaves give a good flavor. A suspicion of red pepper is also an addition.

PUNCHEON JELLY

¼ Box of phosphated gelatine. 1 Cup of cold water. ½ Cup of hot tea. ½ Cup of sugar. ¼ Cup of Jamaica rum. 1 Tablespoon of brandy. 5 Drops of almond extract.

Put the gelatine to soak in the cold water, and at the end of thirty minutes pour on the hot tea; then add the sugar, rum, brandy, and almond; strain it through a fine napkin, and set it in a cool place to become firm.

Phosphated gelatine is a delicate acidulated preparation, very nice for wine, lemon, or puncheon jelly, but it cannot be used for creams on account of the acid, which curdles them. Some of the directions indicate that it may be neutralized with soda; that, however, should not be done, since there is no accurate means of ascertaining how much acid there is in a given amount, or how strong it is; consequently there is no guide to the amount of soda required.

TOAST

The principal constituent of ordinary wheaten bread is starch.

When starch is subjected to a high temperature, it is changed into the easily digested substance dextrine. In the ordinary cooking of a loaf of bread, the starch in the outer layers is changed into dextrine, which helps to give the crust of bread that peculiar, agreeable flavor which we call "sweet." Slices of bread undergo a similar change when toast is made.

To make toast successfully, one should endeavor to convert as much as possible of the starch into dextrine. To do this, cut the bread one third of an inch thick, place the slices in a toaster, or wire broiler, and dry them slowly, either in a moderate oven, or by holding the broiler some distance from the fire. The object is to give the heat time to penetrate to the center of the slice before the outside has begun to change color. If a sheath be formed over the outside at once, the moisture will be shut in, and the middle of the slice will be prevented from becoming sufficiently heated to change its starch, for the temperature will not rise much above 212° Fahr. until the water is dried out. (Starch is changed into dextrine at 401° Fahr.)

Toast that is clammy in the middle and blackened on the outside is less wholesome than untoasted bread. Great care should therefore be taken with the drying. When this has been accomplished, lower the broiler a little nearer the coals, when the toast will quickly turn a golden brown. An ideal piece of toast is crisp and golden throughout. But many will say that they prefer toast that is soft inside, and that they cannot eat hard, dry toast. The ideal piece of toast is not really so hard as it seems. It breaks and crumbles very easily, and is quickly moistened by the saliva. If one would persevere with a slice, he would soon learn to prefer it to any other kind; at all events, that which is soft inside should not be given to the sick. It is better to make the toast dry, and then moisten it, if need be, by dipping the slices into hot water for an instant, but do not soak them.

Dry toast should be served directly from the fire, if possible. When this is not practicable, pile it on a platter, cover it with a napkin, and put it on the hearth or in the oven.

Toast is given in all slight cases of illness, because it is so easily digested. The more thorough the conversion of the starch, the more easily and perfectly the system will manage it, for the change of starch into dextrine, by the action of heat, is simply doing outside of the body that which takes place in it in the ordinary course of digestion, by the action of the digestive fluids. Therefore, when this is accomplished by artificial means, nature is spared so much energy.

BUTTERED WATER TOAST

Toast four thin slices of bread. Put into a shallow pan a pint of water with half a teaspoon of salt. Dip each slice quickly into the water, place it in a covered dish, and spread it with butter, piling one slice above another.

Do not let the bread soak in the water. Endeavor to keep a suggestion of crispness in it, for sloppy, sodden toast is not nice. Serve it very hot, with apple sauce, sweet baked apples, or tart jelly. Water toast is really delicious if care is taken to have it hot. It will be eaten with relish much longer than that made with milk.

MILK TOAST

Put a cup of rich milk into a saucepan, and place it on the stove. While it is heating, toast three slices of bread a delicate brown. Put them one at a time into a covered dish, and when the milk is boiling hot season it with a saltspoon of salt and pour it over the bread. A little butter may be spread upon each slice before the milk is poured over, but it is a more delicate dish without it.

CREAM TOAST

1 Pint of milk. 1 Tablespoon of flour. 1 Tablespoon of butter. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 4 Large or 6 small slices of bread.

Make a white sauce with the milk, flour, and butter according to the following directions. Pour the milk into a saucepan, and set it on the fire to heat. Put the butter and flour together in another saucepan, place it on the fire, and stir gently until the butter melts; let them bubble together two or three minutes. The high temperature which the butter quickly attains will thoroughly cook the flour in a short time. Then pour in a little of the milk, and stir until the two are mixed; add a little more milk, and stir again until it bubbles; if at this point the mixture does not seem smooth, lift it from the fire, and beat it until it is waxy and perfectly free from lumps. Then add more milk, stir again, and so continue until all the milk is in. Let it simmer slowly until the toast is ready, which should be made according to the rule for dry toast. Then soak the slices in boiling salted milk (four if from a large, and six if from a small loaf of bread), arrange them in a covered dish, and pour the cream, salted, between and over them. Irregular pieces and odds and ends of bread may be used instead of whole slices, and are very nice toasted in a tin pan in the oven.

One precaution is necessary in making this dish; that is, to soak the bread thoroughly in the boiling milk, for the sauce or cream is too thick to soften it. On account of the high temperature to which the butter rises, the starch is more perfectly cooked in it than if the flour were mixed with cold water and poured into the boiling milk, as is sometimes done.

FRENCH OR EGG TOAST

1 Egg. 1 Cup of milk or cream. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 3 Slices of bread.

Break the egg on a plate, and beat it with a fork for a minute, or until the viscousness is destroyed. Then mix in the milk and salt. In this mixture soak the slices of bread until they are soft, lay them in a buttered omelet-pan, and fry them slowly until a golden brown. Then place a bit of butter on the upper side of each slice, turn and brown that side. Spread a little butter, powdered cinnamon, and sugar on each slice and arrange them one above another in a covered dish. Serve very hot.

CROUTONS

Crouton is a French word which in English means crust. The term was first applied to the paste of sawdust, flour, and water in which the peasants of southern France used long ago to inclose their pieces of meat before roasting. After the meat was done the crust was broken open and thrown away. The word with us is applied to little cubes of buttered bread which have been browned in the oven. They are used in soups and stews, sprinkled in just before serving.

To Make Croutons. Butter a slice of evenly cut bread. Divide it into cubes that will be one third of an inch on a side. This will necessitate cutting the slice of bread exactly a third of an inch thick. Place these little cubes on a tin plate, or shallow dish, and put the dish on the grate in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. When done they should be light golden brown throughout, crisp and brittle. Sometimes cubes of bread are fried in fat to resemble croutons, but unless done by a skilful hand they are usually soaked with fat. Even at the best they lack the delicate flavor of those which are buttered, and browned in an oven.

SIPPETS

Sippets are evenly cut oblongs of bread delicately toasted. They may be served as dry toast, or with broiled birds or broiled oysters. They are also nice for a lunch with a cup of tea or cocoa.

To Make Sippets. Cut thin slices of bread, and from them make oblongs one inch wide by four inches long. Toast carefully so that they will not break, and pile on a small bread-plate if they are to be served dry.

VERMICELLI TOAST

Prepare a cream toast according to the rule on page 130, except arrange the slices on a platter and pour the sauce evenly over them. Press through a coarse wire strainer enough hard-boiled yolk of egg to lightly cover it. It will fall in irregular, broken, crinkled threads, somewhat resembling vermicelli, hence the name.

SOUPS

OYSTER SOUP

1 Cup of fresh oysters. 1 Cup of milk. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 2 Tablespoons of rolled cracker-crumbs. A sprinkle of pepper. ¼ Teaspoon of butter.

Put the milk with the cracker-crumbs into a saucepan on the stove; while it is heating pick over the oysters on a plate, and remove any bits of shell that may be among them. Have a hot omelet-pan ready to receive them, and when the milk reaches the boiling-point, put the oysters into the omelet-pan. Stir and turn them until they become plump, or while about sixty can be slowly counted; then drop the oysters into the boiling milk, take it immediately from the fire, add the salt, pepper, and butter, and serve at once. The point which requires the most attention is the cooking of the oysters in the omelet-pan. Do not let them cook quite enough, as the milk has sufficient heat to finish them. If too long exposed to the heat, the albuminous juice becomes over-cooked, and the oysters consequently tough and leathery. For thickening oyster soup, two tablespoons of white sauce may be substituted for the cracker-crumbs.

CHICKEN SOUP

Thoroughly clean a good fowl. Separate it at the joints and cut it into small pieces. Put the meat into a saucepan with three pints of water, and stew it for two and one half or three hours, or until it becomes very tender. Then take out the meat, let the liquor continue to boil, and to it add one tablespoon of rice, one tablespoon of finely cut onion which has been fried with a bit of butter until soft, but not brown, and three peppercorns. Cut the nicer portions of the meat into small pieces, after removing all the skin, gristle, and bone. Put these pieces, with one teaspoon of salt, into the soup, and let all simmer until the rice is very soft. Then take out the peppercorns. A very little white pepper and a little celery-salt or curry-powder may be added. Serve hot with croutons. If the water boils away during the cooking, which it will do unless the simmering is very gentle, restore the quantity.

MOCK-BISQUE SOUP

1 Pint of tomatoes, measured after they have been stewed and strained. 1 Pint of white sauce. 1 Teaspoon of salt. ¼ Saltspoon of pepper. ½ Saltspoon of soda.

Although mock-bisque soup is better made with fresh tomatoes, the canned fruit may be used, with the precaution that it be allowed to stew only just long enough to soften it through, for long boiling develops in it a very strong acid. When the tomatoes are soft, strain them through a soup-strainer, or other coarse wire strainer, until there is nothing left but the seeds. Measure a pint of the liquid, add the soda, salt, and pepper, and set it on the stove to heat slowly. Meanwhile make a white sauce with one tablespoon of butter, one of flour, and a pint of milk, according to the rule on page 130. Add this sauce to the tomato, strain all into a double boiler, return to the fire, and serve as soon as it becomes steaming hot.

If fresh tomatoes can be obtained, wash and wipe them, cut out the green part near the stem, divide them into small pieces without taking off the skins, and stew without water until the fruit is just soft enough to mash. If the tomatoes are fully ripe and carefully cooked, they will not require the soda, but when soda is necessary, fresh tomatoes need only half the amount used for canned fruit.

This is an appetizing and delicate soup, and may be freely used by most invalids.

POTATO SOUP

3 Medium-sized potatoes. 1 Teaspoon of chopped onion. 2 Saltspoons of celery-salt, or 3 stalks of celery. 1 Teaspoon of salt. A little white pepper. A speck of cayenne. 1 Teaspoon of flour. 2 Teaspoons of butter. 1 Pint of milk.

Pare and boil the potatoes. Cook the onion and celery in the milk, with which make a white sauce with the flour and butter. When the potatoes are done, drain off the water and dry them over the fire by moving the pan back and forth on the stove to keep them from sticking. Then, without removing the pan from the fire, mash them thoroughly with a potato-masher, and put in the sauce, pepper, cayenne, and salt; strain all through a soup-strainer, and if the consistency be not perfectly smooth and even, strain it again. Put it into a double boiler, set back on the stove, and when hot it is ready to serve. If the soup seems very thick, add a little more milk, for some potatoes are drier than others, and will consequently absorb more moisture. It should be like a thin purée.

This soup may be varied by using a quart instead of a pint of milk, and the whites of two eggs well beaten, the latter to be added just two minutes before it is removed from the fire, which will be sufficient time for the egg to cook. Care should be taken not to allow the egg to harden, or the soup will have a curdled appearance.

CREAM-OF-CELERY SOUP

1 Head of celery. 1 Pint of water. 1 Pint of milk. 1 Tablespoon of butter. 1 Tablespoon of flour. ½ Teaspoon of salt. ½ Saltspoon of white pepper.

Wash and scrape the celery, cut it into half-inch pieces, put it into the pint of boiling water, and cook until it is very soft. When done mash it in the water in which it was boiled, and add the salt and pepper. Cook the onion in the milk, and with it make a white sauce with the butter and flour; add this to the celery, and strain it through a soup-strainer, pressing and mashing with the back of a spoon until all but a few tough fibers of the celery are squeezed through. Return the soup, in a double boiler, to the fire, and heat it until it is steaming, when it is ready to serve.

By substituting chicken broth for water, and using celery-salt instead of fresh celery when it is not in season, a very acceptable variation of this soup may be made.

CREAM-OF-RICE SOUP

¼ Cup of rice. 1 Pint of chicken broth or stock. 1 Pint of sweet cream. 1 Teaspoon of chopped onion. 1 Stalk of celery. 3 Saltspoons of salt. A little white pepper. ½ Saltspoon of curry-powder.

Pick over and wash the rice, and put it into the chicken broth in a saucepan to cook. Simmer it slowly until the rice is very soft. It will require two hours' cooking to accomplish this. Half an hour before the rice is done put the cream into a saucepan with the onion, celery, pepper, and curry, and let them simmer slowly for twenty minutes; then pour the mixture into the rice; press all through a soup-strainer; add the salt, and set it back on the stove to heat to the boiling-point. It should be a rather thin soup, not a purée. Should the broth boil away while the rice is cooking, or should the soup be too thick, add more broth, or some water.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S FAVORITE SOUP

1 Cup of chopped chicken meat. 1 Pint of strong chicken broth. 1 Pint of sweet cream. ½ Cup of cracker- or bread-crumbs. 3 Yolks of eggs. 1 Teaspoon of salt. ½ Saltspoon of pepper.

The chicken may be obtained from what remains of a roast, in which case the bones, skin, tendons, and all the scraps left should be boiled for the broth. It is better, however, to use a fowl which has been cooked on purpose, as the broth from such a one is of finer flavor. Soak the cracker-crumbs in a little of the cream. Break three eggs, separate the whites from the yolks, and carefully drop the yolks into hot water; boil them until they are hard. Chop the chicken in a chopping-tray until it is as fine as meal, previously having removed everything except the clear meat; mix the soaked cracker with it; press the hard egg-yolks through a coarse wire strainer and put them in, and also the salt, pepper, and broth. Then strain the whole through a colander, adding the cream a little at a time, and pressing through all of the meat. Boil it for five minutes in a saucepan, or cook it in a double boiler for half an hour. This makes a delicious soup.

CHICKEN-TAPIOCA SOUP

2 Tablespoons of tapioca. ½ Cup of cold water. 1 Pint of strong chicken broth or white stock. 1 Pint of milk. 1 Stalk of celery, or some celery-salt. 1 Tablespoon of chopped onion. ½ Square inch of mace. 1 Scant teaspoon of salt. ½ Saltspoon of white pepper. ½ Teaspoon of butter.

The broth for this dish may be made by boiling the bones of a roast with the left-over pieces of meat, and then reducing the liquor until it is strong enough. Put the tapioca to soak in the cold water, overnight if it be the common, coarse kind, but if pearl or granulated tapioca is used, twenty minutes will do. Then add the chicken stock, and simmer it until the tapioca is completely softened. It will require two or three hours. About half an hour before the tapioca will be done, put the milk, celery, onion, and mace into a saucepan to cook, and as soon as the tapioca becomes soft pour it in; remove from the fire, and strain the whole through a wire strainer, forcing through with a spoon all the grains of tapioca. Then add the salt, pepper, and butter; set it back on the stove, and heat it just to the boiling-point, when it is ready to serve.