THE HOME MANUAL;
OR, THE
ECQHOMICAL COOK ill IIISI-IDII:
Jjints tm t	 $ailg Fitsnf a frastfcttptr.
comprising)
NEARLY FIVE HUNDRED RECEIPTS
FOE COOKING, PRESERVING, PICKLING, WASHING, IRONING,
GARDENING, PLAIN AND FANCY NEEDLEWORK, PUTTING UP OF WINTER STORES,
ANDNUMEROUS OTHER RECEIPTS, USEFUL AND NEEDFUL CI
EYERT WELL-REGULATED HOUSEHOLD.
BY ELIZABETH NICHOLSON.
Who sweeps a room as by Thy laws,
Makes that and the action fine.—Hebbxut.
jfiftf) jEMtum, &tbist3> an& jKnlarjjrir.
PHILADELPHIA:
ASHMEAD & EVANS.
724 CHESTNUT STREET.
18 65.


TX
me
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by ELIZABETH NICHOLSON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.


PREFACE.
"In the days of other years," when persons in the
middle walks of life were in the habit of keeping but one
"maid of all work," the daily thought of "what we shall
eat," &C., was not only the province of the female head of
the family, but her occupation also. That is, to a certain
extent; on any extra occasion, or the arrival of an unex-
pected guest, her hands prepared the fitting dessert, or
the evening refreshment. And ably and well did she per-
form the task. Flinging rules to the winds, her judgment,
skill and experience, stood her in good stead. Now, we
have fallen on other days. If, as C. M. Sedgewick says,
"the division of labor is the perfection of the system,"
then in cities we have it, truly. And, in many cases, it is
well. Mothers of rising families can command much
more leisure for higher'and nobler duties. The sciences,
heretofore brought to bear only upon massive machinery,
have descended to aid woman in the thousand details of
her daily task-work. Philosophy and chemistry have come
to our preparation and preservation of food. Instead of
the cooking range, with its bushel of coal, to prepare our
dinners, while the thermometer ranges at 90 degrees, we
shall ere long forget, in our beautifully systematized gas
cooking, that our houses were heated from the kitchen,
through our protracted summers; just as we now forget,
in our brilliantly lit rooms, the vexation of the astral.
(3)


Still, work does not do itself. We admit many a ser-
Tant into our houses to find that profession is not posses-
sion. The author of this volume considered, that an
inexpensive little book, [so inexpensive as to render the
inconvenience of lending unnecessary,] would be accept'
able. It will be found to contain none but tested receipts,
adapted to every-day doings, given in as brief a manner
as possible, yet adapted to the smallest capacity; as she
intends it for a Kitchen Book. It contains very few
receipts under each head adapted to great occasions,
because, under our present system, hired waiters are
expected and expect to have all under their supervision.
To the women of America, therefore, I commend this
volume, confident that its purchase, perusal and use, will
be found to true economy, enabling them to devote more
time to works which will minister to a higher need.
E. N.
Philadelphia, 10th Mo., 1855.


6 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
and just come to a boil. In this hot state pour
it on sufficient flour to make a thinish batter.
When tepid, add i pint yeast. This is fit for use
in the evening, if made in the morning. Put it
in a crock with a lid, in a cool place. [Those
who are near a baker's, may save this work by
purchasing, each baking day ]
Dry Yeast.—Boil 1 pint hops well in 1 quart
water: strain it hot on 1 pint flour and table-
spoonful of salt: stir it well, and cool: i pint
yeast: let it rise; add as much Indian meal as will
make a stiff don»;h. Roll it into rolls. When they
are light, cut them up in thin cakes and dry them
in the shade; turning them several times a day.
Keep in a dry place: 2 cakes, soaked in tepid
water an hour, and water all used, makes the
quantity named, under Bread. I have eaten ex-
cellent bread made thus in summer. It is port-
able, and every way desirable for warm weather.
Hop Yeast,—1 quart water, 1 handful lively
hops, boiled in a bag ^ hour. Pour this scalding
water over sufficient wheat flour to make a thin
batter: add 1 table-spoonful salt; set it to rise.
When light, add 1 tea-cup yeast. Keep in a co-
vered crock, cool. [A little soda improves yeast
when it is not very lively, put in when using the
yeast.]
Wheat Bread.—Boil 1 quart milk: let it be-
come coolish: then mix with it flour enough to
make a very stiff batter: add i pint of the above-
named Yeast, beat it very smooth, add 2 table-
spoonfuls salt. Let it stand till light; then knead
it well: [the old saying of " bread is poison that is
not kneaded," was put out as a frightener, I pre-
sume.] Let it rise. Mould and put it in pans.


BRAN BREAD—RYE BREAD BUTTER. 7
Stand $ hour. If milk is not convenient, water
will do. The above quantity makes 4 medium
sized loaves. If mush is desired, there may be a
pint of it (when made) put in. Better Bread than
the above rules will show need not be, if properly
baked. The oven should be very warm, not very
hot, and slowly getting hotter Bake 1 hour.
BranBread.—Take 1 lb. fresh Indian meal,
1 handful salt, and make into a thin mush. When
tepid, mix in 1 wine glass yeast, 2 lbs. bran flour,
[which may be had at the feed stores,] a table-
spoonful of sugar or molasses; mix all together,
and form a loaf without kneading. Bake in a pan
ready greased, longer than the same quantity of
wheat bread. Let it stand to rise in this greased
pan, and bake. s. l. [Rye Bread, ditto.]
Rye Bread.—Make a pot of mush with coarse
yellow Indian meal—.season it with salt to taste,
and let it boil well for an hour, then stir in more
Indian until it is quite stiff—let it cool until it is
milk-warm, then add yeast enough to raise it, and
knead rye flour into it, until it is a stiff dough—
let it rise—when light, mould it into loaves.
Let it stand till quite light again, and bake as
other bread. Made into small cakes it is very
good hot for breakfast.
Water Muffins.—Sift 1 quart of flour; add
1 tea-spoonful of salt; make a batter with tepid
water, putting first into the flour 2 tea-spoonfuls of
cream tartar; when just ready to bake, add 1 tea-
spoonful of car. soda, dissolved. Bake on a grid-
dle, in rings.
Butter.—A good receipt.—"In each pan of
milk put enough of sour milk to make it very sour


8 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
and thick in 36 hours: in moderate weather, 2 or
3 table-spoonfuls will answer; in cold weather it
should be kept in a room at summer heat. Skim
it every night and morning, in a pot, and before
putting it into the churn, scrape off the top with
a knife, as it will make the butter strong. "Work
most of the buttermilk out—then salt it—then
work it well with a cloth, till there is no more milk
in it—print it—throw it in water a while, and set
away in a cool place."
To Cure Butter that willkeep for a
length of time.—Reduce separately to a fine
powder 2 lbs. of the best fine salt, 1 lb. of loaf-
sugar and £ lb. saltpetre. Sift these ingredients
one above another, on a large sized sheet of paper,
then mix them well together; keep this mixture
covered up close in a nice jar, and placed in a dry
closet.
When your butter is worked and salted in the
usual way, and ready to put in the jars, use one
ounce of this composition to every pound of but-
ter; work it well into the mass.
Butter cured in this way (it is said), will keep
good for several years. I have never kept it
longer than from the fall until late in the spring:
it was then very sweet and good.
It will not do to use for a month, because ear-
lier, the salts will not be sufficiently blended with it.
It should be kept in wooden vessels, or nice stone
jars. Earthenware jars are not suitable for but-
ter, as during the decomposition of the salts, they
corrode the glazing, and the butter becomes rancid
and unhealthy.—e. e. l.
Grafton Milk Biscuit.—Boil and grate
2 white potatoes; add 2 tea-spoonfuls of brown


M. A B 'S MILK BISCUIT. ETC. 9
sugar; poor boiling water over these, enough to
soften them. When tepid, add 1 small tea-cup
of yeast; when light, warm 3 oz. of butter in
1 pint of milk, a little salt, and flour enough to
make a stiff sponge—when risen work it on the
board—put it back in the tray to rise again:
when risen roll into cakes and let them stand half
hour. Bake in a quick oven. These Biscuit are
perfect.
M. A. B.'s Milk Biscuit.—Mix 1 pint
milk with 6 oz. butter, •£ tea-cup pulverized sugar,
1 teaspoonful salt, 1£ tea-cup yeast, and flour
enough to make a sponge. Let it stand till per-
fectly light; knead it into a loaf, return to the
tray and rise again. Then roll out the dough, cut
it into small cakes, and stand £ hour. Bake in a
quick oven £ hour. Leave them in the pans till
wanted for tea, to prevent the under-crust harden-
ing. Yeast for these must be made the day
previous—thus: Boil 4 large potatoes in 1 quart
water; pour off the water and strain them through
a colander; then add water enough to thin them,
with 1 tea-spoonful salt and 1 table-spoonful brown
sugar: let it cool and add nearly 1 tea-cup good
yeast. This is a good yeast for bread.
Sally Limn.—Three ounces melted butter, a
half tea-cup of sugar, one beaten egg, yeast, a
pint of milk alternately with the flour, making a
batter too thick to pour. , Put the mixture into
two Turk's Heads,, and keep them covered and
warm, until light, then bake one hour.
Potato Rolls.—Boil 2 lbs. potatoes, pass
through a colander, or mash them well; add 2
oz. butter and a pint milk; a little salt, 1 gill


10 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
yeast, and as much flour as will make a soft dough;
set them to rise; when light cut them in cakes;
let them rise | hour, and bake. Sweet potatoes
make beautiful biscuit, mixed as above.
French Rolls.—Boil 1 pint milk; cut up 2
oz. butter into it, add a little salt; when tepid,
sift in 1 lb. flour, 1 egg beaten, 1 table-spoonful
yeast; beat these well together; when risen, form
into rolls, with as little handling as possible.
Bake on tins.
Patent Flour.—Pulverize 6 lbs. wheat flour,
mix 5 tea-spoonfuls dry carb. soda carefully
through it; then 7 do. cream tartar, and 6 do. of
salt. Incorporate these, and you have risen cakes at hand, to which add either milk or water, short-
ening or not, as suits, and you have several kinds
of what is called soda cake. To this quantity of
flour \ lb. butter would answer.
I find this flour good for crust of any kind:
constant reference will be found in the volume to
the use of it, in various ways.
C. B.'s Soda Cake.—Three pints flour; 3 tea-
spoonfuls dry cream tar.; butter the size of a wal-
nut; soda, 1 tea-spoonful dissolved in milk. Make
a soft dough with milk and bake immediately i
hour.
Batter Cakes.—Muffins.—One quart milk;
4 eggs; dessert spoonful salt; 1 cup yeast. Beat
the eggs well; add all the ingredients; make the
batter very stiff by flour; grease muffin rings after
the batter is light, and bake; fill the rings k full.
Turn them over when brown below.
Flannel Cakes.—One quart milk; 4 eggs; 1
cup yeast; 1 dessert spoonful salt; flour enough


BUCKWHEAT CAKES WAFFLES, ETC H
for a thinish batter. Set to rise as above; bake
like Buckwheat Cakes. Cakes \ Indian and £
wheat, are very nice. Quite good cakes may be
made by leaving out the eggs.
Buckwheat Cakes.—One quart buckwheat meal; 1 handful Indian meal; 1 cup yeast; some
warm water and salt. When ready to bake, \ tea-
spoonful soda, and 1 cream of tartar, lightens them.
Extempore Buckwheat Cakes may be made by leav-
ing out the yeast, and substituting 1 tea-spoonful
soda; 2 cream of tartar.
Waffles.—Take two tea-cups hot hominy; 1
table-spoonful butter: when cold, add 1 tea-cup
wheat flour, salt, as much milk as will make a stiff
batter, and 3 eggs, beaten well. Mix, adding a
mite of soda; do. cream of tartar. Bake in Waf-
fle irons.
Quick Waffles.—One pint milk; 3 eggs, bea-
ten; enough wheat flour to make a thick batter:
add a table-spoonful butter melted, and a little
salt, soda and cream of tartar.
Best Waffles.—One quart milk; \ lb. melted
butter; 3 eggs; 2 large spoonfuls yeast: let it
rise 4 hours. Serve them, when baked, with sugar
and cinnamon.
Rice Waffles.—Beat 3 eggs; stir them into
1£ pints flour, adding by degrees 2 pints milk:
add 1 pint boiled rice with 1 large spoonful butter,
put in while the rice is hot. Salt, and add 2 large
spoonfuls yeast.
As Waffles are rather slow baking, they will be
nearly as good, if baked awhile before wanted,
and put in the oven to keep warm.


12 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
Buttermilk Cakes.—Make a smooth batter
of 1 quart buttermilk and flour: then add 2 large
spoonfuls corn meal; 2 eggs, beaten; salt; 1 tea-
spoonful soda dissolved in milk; (no cream of tar-
tar.) These are most excellent.
Mush, Mush Cakes, and FriedMush.—
Stir corn meal into boiling water till sufficiently
thick. Add salt; keep stirring it to prevent its
being lumpy. It should boil nearly 1 hour. Pour
it out in pans, and when cold it makes a whole-
some and good dessert, if sliced and fried. Eat it
with sugar and cream, or butter and molasses.
Mush Cakes.—Take 1 quart cold mush, mix
in it £ pint wheat flour, and a little butter or lard;
make it in little cakes with your hands. Flour
them and bake on a griddle as slab cake, or in the
oven.
Corn Batter Cakes.—One quart milk; 3
eggs; salt, and as much sifted corn meal as will
make a thin batter; beat well together, with 1
table-spoonful wheat flour; bake in small cakes,
and serve hot.
Cornmeal Cake, in tins.—One quart meal;
1 pint boiling milk; 1 tea-spoonful salt; a tea-
spoonful soda; set it to rise in a warm place; beat
3 eggs and put in; a little cream of tartar. Bake
in tins, and cut in squares for the table.
Cake, without Eggs.—Pour sufficient boil-
ing water over stale bread to soften it; mash
it through a colander, and add as much wheat
flour as bread, and as much milk as will make it
as thick as batter usually is; 1 teaspoonful soda;
2 cream of tartar. Bake immediately.


CHOCOLATE—COCOA—TEA. 13
BREAKFAST, ETC.
Chocolate.—Have 1 quart good milk boiling.
Grate a piece of chocolate 3 inches square; mix it
with a little cold milk, stir it in gradually, and boil
£ hour.
Coooa.—Put 1 tea-cup of cocoa shells into 1
qt. boiling water; let it boil all hour; remove the
oil, then add hot milk or cream, and sugar.
Tea.—The most approved method in this
country for black tea, is to pour a small quantity
of boiling water on the tea—let it stand on a hot
stove (not to boil) for 20 minutes, then put it into
the tea-pot intended for the table, and fill it up
with boiling water. In pouring out black tea into
the cup always put in the sugar first—then the
cream—and the tea last. It alters the flavor en-
tirely to add the sugar or cream afterwards.
Green tea, made in the same manner, but al-
lowed to remain on the stove only 5 minutes in-
stead of 20. In pouring out into the cup let each
person add cream and sugar to suit themselves.
Many persons omit cream—the Chinese never use
it in any of their teas. They admire the scented
tea,—but never use the colored poisons prepared
for this and the English market.
There is a very neat article made for boiling tea.
It consists of a small wire box, into which you put


14 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
the black tea dry, then place it into the vessel in
which tea is boiled; the advantage of this method
is—no tea leaves can escape into the tea-cup, and
you secure all the leaves compact.
Coffee.—This delicious and indispensable bev-
erage is often either improperly roasted, impro-
perly made, or, oftenest, a good article is not pur-
chased.
Perhaps the surest method of always having a
good cup of coffee, is to purchase a few pounds at
a time of the very best roasted coffee, from relia-
ble stores.
If this is not convenient, there will be found
both economy and comfort in providing a bag of
old Mocha, and having it most carefully roasted,
not burnt, in one of the new "Coffee Roasters."
Boiling Coffee.—A large tea-cupful of un-
ground coffee will be sufficient for 6 persons, unless
they take it very strong, (which is injurious to
health;) grind it, and put it in the tin pot, with £ a
tea-cup of cold water, and the white of han egg;
shake it till it is mixed; then pour boiling water
on it, and let it stand close to the fire, and just
come to a boil; stir it, and do not let it boil over;
let it keep at boiling heat 5 or 10 minutes; then
take it from the fire, and put in a \ tea-cup of
water to settle it; let it stand 5 minutes, and pour
it off. The "Old Dominion" Pot, combines econ-
omy with good coffee.
Boiled Eggs.—Put them in boiling water with
a 3 minute glass in sight. If you wish only


OMELETS. 15
the white hardened, allow 3 minutes—5 and 8 for
a hard boiled egg. Another, and more delicate
way, and far more graceful to eat, is to break them
into boiling water and let them boil 3 or 4 min-
utes; then take them up with a skimmer on a
plate where is buttered toast. Put a little butter
on the eggs. The most convenient way to have
eggs done to your mind is, to purchase one of the
"Extempore Cooks," an affair connected with the
gas-burner over head. A nice way to poach eggs
is to break them into muffin rings in water.
Omelet.—Break 8 or 10 eggs into a pan; add
pepper, salt, and 1 spoonful cold water; beat them
up to a stiff froth; meanwhile, put some butter in
a frying pan, and when it nearly boils put in the
eggs. As it fries, take up the edges, that all may
be properly done. When cooked, double it; serve
hot.
Baked Bread Omelet.—Ingredients: 6 oz.
of stale bread, without hard crust; 5 eggs; £ oz.
of parsley, and i oz. of lemon thyme. Instruc-
tions: Soften the bread thoroughly in a dish,
with a little boiling water, covering it over,
and let it soak for an hour—then mash it up with a
fork, picking out the hard pieces, and adding the
parsley and lemon thyme, chopped fine, with salt
and pepper, as seasoning. Beat the eggs well, mix
them intimately with the other ingredients, and
bake in a buttered dish, (buttered cold,) for about
40 minutes. Turn it out of the dish, garnished
with parsley, and serve with brown sauce.
A Simpler Omelet.—Beat up 4 eggs; add
1 pint milk or less, season this; put butter in fry-
, ing pan, when hot pour in the egg; cover the pan


A RELISH OMELETTE, ETC. 17
of butter just large enough to grease it; stir the
eggs into the tomatoes; beat all together, and
pour it into the hot buttered pan; brown it on one
side; fold it over and serve. This is nice with
beef-steak.
Sweet Potatoes, left at dinner, make a delicate,
wholesome relish, by placing them, sliced, into an
oven to warm, and meanwhile heating and salting
some cream or rich milk to pour over them. Serve
hot.
A Relish.—Put bread crumbs into a sauce-
pan with cream, salt and pepper; when the bread
has absorbed the cream or milk, break in a few
eggs and fry as Omelet.—c. b.
Omelette with Cheese.—Beat six eggs
very- light: add 2 table-spoonfuls cream, butter
the size of a walnut, a little chopped parsley,
pepper, salt, and 2 oz. grated cheese. Beat all
well together, and pour into a pan in which a small
piece of butter is melting: let it cook until of a
light brown, then fold it over and dish for the
table Shake the pan while the omelette is cook-
ing.
Salt Shad,—For 6 shad take out the back
bone. Mix 3 pints ground Ashton salt; 1 oz.
saltpetre, sufficient molasses to make a paste to
cover them. Let them lie 24 hours, then use, for
broiling or smoking. jt
Beefsteak.—Choose the tenderest part of
beef, an inch thick, broil it over good coals, covered
with a plate; have butter, salt, pepper, and a little
2


18 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
water in a dish; when you turn the beef, dip it in
this; be careful to have as much of the juice as
you can. When done, put it in a warm dish and
pour the basting oyer. Some like beef fried better.
Sausages.—To 10 lbs. finely-chopped pork,
put 4 oz. salt (scant), 2 oz. pepper, good weight,
1 table-spoonful ground cloves, and 1 oz. sage.
Scrapple.—Take a pig's haslet and as much
oral lean and fat pork as you wish, to make
scrapple ; boil them well together in a small quan-
tity of water until they are tender; chop them
fine, after taking them out of the liquor; season,
as sausage: then skim off.the fat that has arisen
where the meat was boiled, to make all soft, throw
away the rest of water, and put this altogether in
the pot; thickening it with £ buckwheat and £ In-
dian. Let it boil up, then pour out in pans to
cool. Slice and fry it in sausage-fat, after the
sausage is done.
Souse.—Boil the feet till the bones come out
easily, and pick out all the bones. Pack them in
a pan with pepper and salt, and cover it with vine-
gar or not, as you choose. Fry in lard for dinner.
Head-Cheese.—Boil in salted water the ears,
skin, and feet of pigs till the meat drops off. Chop
like sausage; season with pepper, salt, cloves, and
herbs; mix all together; put it under pressure to
cool. Cut in slices for the table, cold.
To Broil Tomatoes for Breakfast.—Take
large round tomatoes, wash and wipe them, and
put them on the gridiron over lively coals—the stem
side down; when this is brown, turn them and let
them cook till quite hot through; place them on a
hot dish and send them quickly to table, where


20 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
large shad with this, and bake it in a stove or
oven.
To Fry Fresh Fish.—Have the fish well
scalded, washed and drained; cut slits in the sides
of each; season them with salt and pepper, and
roll them in corn flour; have in your frying-pan
hot lard or bacon drippings; dip them in egg be-
fore rolling them in corn flour, to keep them from
breaking.
To Boil Salt Shad, Mackerel or Her-
ring.—Wash the fish from the pickle; put it in
a frying-pan; cover it with water, and let it boil
15 minutes; take it up and drain it between two
plates; put a little butter over, and send it hot to
the table: or, after boiling, you can flour, and fry
it in drippings of any kind.
To Boil Salt Salmon.—Let salmon soak
over night, and boil it slowly for 2 hours; eat it
with drawn butter. To pickle salmon after it has
been boiled, heat vinegar scalding hot, with whole
peppers and cloves; cut the fish in small square
pieces; put it in a jar, and pour the vinegar over.
Shad may be done in the same way.
To Boil Fresh Fish.—After being well
cleaned, rub the fish with salt, and pin it in a
towel; put it in a pot of boiling water, and keep it
boiling fast;—a large fish will take from £ to f of
an hour—a small one from 15 to 20 minutes. A
fat shad is very nice boiled, although rock and
bass are preferred generally; when done, take it
up on a fish-dish, and cover it with egg sauce or
drawn butter and parsley. Pickled mushrooms
and walnuts, and mushroom catsup, are good with
boiled fish.


22 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
dinner for a large family, and will do to warm over
for the poor (if any left) next day. To eat pickles
with it, or pour a little catsup or vinegar on your
plate, is good. Soup made of mutton, veal, and
lamb, does not require many vegetables—carrots
and potatoes are best.
Okra Soup..—Take a shin of beef and put in
1 gallon water after an early breakfast, and let it
boil till 12 o'clock; then cut up 1 onion, parsley,
^ peck okra, and 1 quart tomatoes; let these boil
until dinner time, say 2 o'clock. This is delicious
soup.
Hashed Beef for second course.—The
boiled beef will make a very good dish, by cutting
the meat into small pieces; a little cloves, part of
an onion, some of the soup fat with crumbs of
bread over the top-adding; bake £ hour in a quick
oven.
Chicken Soup.—Cut up the fowl; cut each
joint, and let it boil 1 hour; then stir in thick-
ening, pepper, salt, and parsley enough to season -t
put in a few dumplings (made as elsewhere di-
rected); let it boil up \ hour, and serve.
Pea Soup.—Leave 1 pint peas in the pot with
the water boiled in; make a thickening of flour,
milk, and butter, season with salt, pepper, parsley,
and thyme; boil 10 minutes, and serve. Children
are fond of this.
Clam Soup.—Wash 50 small sancTclams very
clean; put them in an iron pot—set it in a hot
place and cover it up. When they become hot,
the clams open; then take them from the shells.
Put the clams aside in a pan, and pour the juice
into a stew-pan; let it simmer 5 minutes, strain
it, and rub 2 table-spoonfuls butter and 1 flour


DROP-DUMPLINGS FOR SOUP, ETC. 23
smoothly together; put the juice on to cook, and
slowly add the flour and butter; stir it well to-
gether; add sh, tea-spoonful salt, h nutmeg, and 1
pint cream or milk; stir this well, let it simmer
10 minutes, chop up parsley, and add the clams.
One boil-up finishes, as clams require very little
cooking. If you use the large clams, they must
be chopped.
Drop Dumplings for Soup.—Beat 1 egg,
add 2 spoonfuls milk, salt—beat in flour to a thick
batter, drop them in the soup and boil 20 minutes
before serving.
A good dumpling may bcmade of "patent flour"
mixed with the top of the soup into a batter.
Okra will improve any soup. It is well to pur-
chase it, while in season, a little every market day;
slice thin and dry on earthen plates about the fire.
Be sure to take only young ones. These can be
put in boxes for winter use; putting in one hand-
ful for soup.
Portable Soup.—Boil down the meat to a
thick jelly, season highly with spices; dry in the
sun. Put it away out of the air, and to 1 inch
square put one quart boiling water—vegetables
added.
MEATS.
When a joint of meat comes from market, it is
well to cut it up at once. Separate your roasting
piece. Cut up the part for steaks, and put away
in your coolest place what is left to cook after-
ward. Take out the bones you mean to make a


24 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
soup of, and boil them soon, as they will not keep
as well as the meat.
It is impossible to say how long meat must be
cooked—much depends on the fire; coal gives out
more heat than wood; beside, persons differ in
what meat well done means. Bed meat, like beef,
must be cooked rarer than white meat, as pork.
A good way to find how much done it is, is to
stick a skewer in near the bone : if blood follows it,
it is not done. Gravy for roast meat is made by
putting some browned flour in, also salt and pep-
per and boiling water.
In frying meat, lard is better than butter. Mut-
ton and beef suet are good: when the lard seems
hot, try it by throwing in a mite of bread.
When boiling meat or poultry, skim it often, or
the meat will be dark: keep it boiling. Put fresh
meat into boiling water, salt meat into cold ; allow
J hour for every lb. meat.
In roasting poultry or birds, be careful to baste
and turn often. The back, having little flesh,
requires little cooking.
Boileau.—5 lbs. 2nd cut rump beef—take out
the bone—put 1 tea-spoonful of cloves and all-
spice mixed, a little sweet basil cut fine; rub these
well into the meat; roll it up in a cloth tightly,
and tie it—put in the pot some water with 2 pota-
toes, 1 carrot, 1 onion. Stew 3 hours.
Beef A-la-mode.—To a piece of beef 10 lbs.
take 6 blades of mace, 12 cloves, half nutmeg—
pound them fine, then rub the spice well into the
beef: after the beef has been rubbed with salt and
saltpetre, for 12 hours, roast it.
Roast Beef.—A brisk fire, baste often, season


26 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
cooks them. For sauce—cranberry sauce, currant
jelly, oyster sauce, &c.
Boiled Turkey or Fowls.—Clean and wash
your turkey, as above—stuff with bread, butter,
&C., as above, and, if you have them, some oysters.
Have the water boiling, with a little salt; put in
the fowl, breast downwards. Skim the pot often.
Do not let it boil till the skin breaks, as it is then
disfigured. Oyster sauce.
Roast Mutton and Lamb.—If a shoulder
or leg, stuff as veal, sprinkle also do., aud cook.
Serve with asparagus, peas, lettuce, beans, &c.
Pudding under Meat.—Take 6 table-
spoonfuls patent flour, 1 teaspoonful salt, 3 well-
beaten eggs, and 1 pint milk; beat this to a stiff
batter; put a dish beneath the meat, which is
roasting, to catch the drippings; when well
greased, pour in the batter, and when brown, and
set, turn it. A pudding an inch thick requires 2
hours at a good fire. Eat as a dessert or not.
Broiled Chickens.—Take those that are
young and tender, cut them down the back and
breast bone—wash and dry them. Lay them flat
and skewer them down; season with pepper and
salt, and broil h hour on hot coals. Stew the gib-
lets in water enough to cover them. When done,
mix flour and butter and a little parsley chopped
fine, stir it in, and come to a boil. Take off—dish
the chickens and pour the gravy over.
Fricassee.—Stew a large fowl in water, cov-
ered close, till tender—seasoning it with salt and
pepper. Thicken the water with flour and butter—
pour in some cream—boil and dish it.


TO BOIL A HAM, ETC. 27
To Boil a Ham.—A large ham should boil
very slowly 3 or 4 hours; should be put in cold
water, and kept covered during the process. A
small ham will boil in 2 hours. Remove the skin
and save it for the soap-fat crock. Save the water
and skim it, when cold, for the same purpose.
To Bake a Ham.—Boil it ,1 hour for every
lb.; then bake it in the same proportion. Serve
hot.
Tomato Stew.—Take 8 lbs. plate-rib of beef,
put it on to boil in 1 gallon water, with 12 toma-
toes, the same of okras, 6 potatoes cut small, 2
carrots cut longwise, 2 onions; season it with salt
and pepper; let it stew slowly 4 hours; skim all
the fat off the gravy, and garnish the meat with
the potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. This is a
cheap, good dish.
To Dress a Calf's Head.—Procure a large
pelted head (that is, one having the skin on);
let the butcher cut it open, and remove the nose
and eyes. Wash it well through many waters,
into which put some salt to bring out the blood—
clean the head well, removing the swallow and
other things. Let the brains remain in the head,
and soak all night. The next day remove the
brains and skin them—wrap them in a little cloth,
by themselves, and the head in a towel (clean one),
fastened up tightly. Let the head boil about 2
hours, and the brains about 1 or 2of an hour.
When done, take it up, and remove all the bones,
and take out the tongue, which you may put back
in the water to keep hot. Season the meat well
with pepper, salt, and sweet marjoram. Lay it on
a dish and cover it with the skin—on the top of


28 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
which put the yolk of a raw egg. Sprinkle dry
crumbs of bread on the top of this, with some
lumps of butter laid here and there—season the
top of this well, and put it into the oven to brown
for about 20 minutes. Make soup of the water.
To Dress the Brains of the above.—
Take the brains while hot and mash them in a
bowl, add pepper, salt, and butter—chop a hard-
boiled egg fine, and mix with it, and set it to keep
warm—then slice the tongue through the middle,
and lay it on a small plate by itself, and garnish it
with the brains laid neatly around it.
Force-meat Balls.—Chop 1 pound of lean
veal, very fine, season it with pepper, salt and sweet
marjoram—add a little flour to make them stick
together—roll into balls the size of a hickory nut,
and fry them brown.
Gravy for the Head.—Mix butter and
flour together, and brown it—add pepper and salt
—add some of the water in which the head was
boiled to thin the gravy. Serve the head on a
plate, and lay the force-meat balls around it with
a little gravy.
Veal Cutlets.—Cut the veal in slices near an
inch thick; wash, drain, and season it; beat up an
egg, and have ready some pounded crackers or
bread-crumbs; dip the slices first in the egg, and
then in the bread, and fry them in hot lard; mix
a gravy of flour and water, with salt, pepper, and
parsley; when the veal is taken up, pour it in; let
it boil a few minutes and pour it over the dish, and
grate a little nutmeg over.—e. e. l.
To Roast a Goose.—Make a stuffing of bread,
butter, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and onions; it


DUCKS, RABBITS AND SQUIRRELS, ETC. 29
requires but little butter, as geese are generally
fat; wash it well in salt and water, wipe it, and
rub the inside with salt and pepper. A common-
sized goose will roast in an hour, and a small one
in less time; pour off nearly all the fat that drips
from the goose, as it will make the gravy too rich.
Make hash gravy of the giblets, the same as for
turkey.
Ducks.—Wild ducks are generally cooked with-
out stuffing; and for those that like them rare, 15
or 20 minutes will be long enough; for com-
mon ducks, a stuffing should be made the same as
for a goose; they will roast in £ hour. Curratot
jelly and apple sauce should be eaten with ducks
and geese.
Rabbits and Squirrels.—Rabbits and squir-
rels, or birds, may be fried as chickens, or stewed
in a pot with a little water. If you make a pie
of rabbits or squirrels, they should be stewed first
to make them tender, and then made in the same
way as chicken pie. Rabbits are very good
cooked with chopped onions, in a pot with a little
water, and thickening of milk and flour stirred in
when they are nearly done. Squirrels make very
good soup.
To Fry Ham—Slice the ham, and if it is
very salt, pour boiling water on it, and let it soak
a while; then fry it with a small piece of lard;
when done, dish it; mix together flour, milk,
parsley, and pepper; let it boil, and pour it over
the ham.
To Cook Pigeons.—Pigeons should be roasted
about 15 minutes before a quick fire; as the meat


30 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
is dry, they should have rich stuffing, and be basted
with butter.
You may bake them in a Dutch oven, or stew
them in a pot, with water enough to cover them,
and some crumbs of bread or flour dusted over
them; let them cook slowly -l-hour; mix together
flour and water, with salt, pepper, and parsley, to
season, and a lump of butter; stir this in and let
it boil up; put them in a deep dish and pour the
gravy over. Pigeons make a very nice pie in the
same way as chickens.—e. e. l.
SIDE DISHES.
Fried Oysters or Clams.—Beat up an egg
and grate a cracker or two, sprinkle pepper on your
oysters or clams, dip them one by one into the
egg, then into the grated cracker. Fry in butter
and lard in equal proportions. They take but a
few minutes.
It is a good plan to drain the oysters on a
towel a short time, before cooking.
Mutton Chops.—Cut the ribs, season them,
have a dressing as for fried oysters, and broil or
fry. Make gravy.
Pried Liver.—Liver should be cut across
the grain; pour boiling water over it, drain and
season with salt, pepper, and a little sage—flour
each piece and fry a very short time, or it will be
hard. Make gravy.
Meat Cakes.—Chop any kind of fresh, cold


SCALLOPED OYSTERS, ETC. 31
meats, season—make a batter of patent flour; lay
a spoonful on the greased griddle, then a spoonful
of the chopped meat, and then one of batter.
Turn when browned.
Scalloped Oysters.—Toast several pieces of
bread brown, and butter them on both sides;
take a baking-dish and put the toast round the
sides, instead of a crust; pour your oysters into
the dish, and season with salt, pepper, butter, and
mace or cloves. Crumb bread on the top, and
bake in a quick oven £ hour.
Another Way.—Grease well a baking-dish with
butter, throw fine bread-crumbs about in it until
they adhere on all sides—have a bowl of seasoned
bread-crumbs ready, and lay oysters into the dish,
so as to cover the bottom of it; then sprinkle
crumbs over them and a small piece of butter—
then another layer of oysters, covered in the same
way with crumbs, until the dish is full—Cover the
last layer rather more thickly with crumbs, and
lay several pieces of butter here and there over it;
bake it until it is nicely brown—not too long, or
the oysters will be hard.
N. B.—Do not drain the oysters, but lift them
with a spoon out of their liquor.
Fried Halibut.—Have the slices seasoned
some hours before frying, as it makes it less liable
to break in turning. Prepare egg-crumbs, sea-
soned—dip it in, and fry brown. Turn over.
Make a drawn-butter sauce for this.
/ Cold Meat Turnovers.—Make a little
dough of patent flour; roll very thin in a circle,
and put in like theturnover—cold meat chopped


32 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
fine and seasoned with salt, pepper, catsup and
sweet herbs: either fry in lard or bake in oven.
Croquetts.—Take a cold chicken, roast or
broiled; mince it very fine, or it will not adhere—
moisten it with a rich gravy—season with pepper,
salt, and a little mace; make it up in small forms
in a jelly-glass, done over with egg and fine bread-
crumbs—fry slowly in lard or butter.—r.
Beef Croquetts.—Take cold roast-beef or
veal; mince it fine; put an onion chopped fine,
sweet marjoram, a little powdered cloves; moisten
with the beef gravy, make it into balls like saus-
age; put the yelk of an egg over them; flour and
fry them in lard.
Chicken Croquetts.—1 pair fowls weighing
10 lbs.; boil them—mince it, very fine indeed; add
1 pint.cream, £lb. butter, salt and pepper to taste;
shape them oval by a jelly-glass, as mould; boil
in lard, and serve brown. I know nothing in this
way so delicious.
To Bake a Ham.—Make a dressing of bread,
&C., moistened with three eggs. Take a ham
which has been cut, fill up the place, and cover the
top with this dressing; bake £ hour, and garnish
with parsley. Eat hot.
Corn Oysters.—To 1 pint grated corn, 1 egg
well beaten, 1 small tea-cup flour, l- tea-cup butter,
salt and pepper. Mix them well and fry brown;
make them the size of an oyster.


VEGETABLES.
VEGETABLES.
For cooking vegetables, always have your water
boiling before you put them in, and keep them
boiling till done—standing after they are done
will injure their colour.
Potatoes.—The medium size potato boils in
20 minutes. • They should have the water drawn
off them directly they are done, and put in a
hot place a few minutes to' dry—waiting spoils
them. When old and not very mealy, to peal and
wring them in a napkin improves them much.
When new, serve with cream and butter in the
sauce-dish. Sweet potatoes take rather longer to
boil than white. Old potatoes are made white
and mealy by paring them 4 hours beforehand and
laying them in cold water: drop them into boiling
water; and the moment they are done, pour it off
and let them stand in the steam awhile.
Asparagus.—Tie it in bunches, the tops all
one way; put some salt in boiling water; put in
the asparagus, and boil £ hour. Toast some
bread, dip it in the water for an instant; take out
the asparagus and put on the bread. Make drawn
butter.
To Boil Rice.—Pick a pint of rice, wash it
clean—put in three pints of boiling water: it
should boil fast, and by the time the water evapo-
rates, the rice will be sufficiently cooked; set it
where it will keep hot, until you are ready to dish
it.
Hominy.—Large hominy, after it is washed,


34 THE EQONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
must be put to soak over night; if you wish to
have it for dinner, put it to boil early in the
morning, or it will not be done in time; eat it as
a vegetable.
Small hominy will boil in an hour; it is very
good at breakfast or supper, to eat with'milk or
butter, or to fry for dinner.
Both large and small hominy will keep good in
a cool place several days. Be careful that the
vessel it is cooked in, is perfectly clean, or it will
darken the hominy.
To Fry Hominy.—Put a little lard in your
frying-pan, and make it hot; mash and salt the
hominy; put it in, and cover it over with a plate;
let it cook slowly for £ hour, or longer if you like
it very brown; when done, turn it out in a plate.
If you do not like it fried, mash it well, with a
little water, salt, and butter, and warm it in a fry-
ing-pan.
To Boil Green Corn.—Pick out ears near
the same size, and have the water boiling when
you put them in; £ hour is long enough for young
corn; that which is old and hard will take an hour
or more; if young corn is boiled too long, it be-
comes hard and indigestible.
To Fricassee Corn.—Cut green corn off the
cob; put it in a pot, and just cover it with water;
let it boil •£ hour; mix a spoonful of flour with £
pint of rich milk, pepper, salt, parsley, thyme and
a piece of butter; let it boil a few minutes, and
take it up in a deep dish. Corn will do to cook
in this way when too old to boil on the cob.
String Beans.—String beans, if boiled in salt
and water, will require fully 2 hours ; but if boiled


LIMA BEANS PEAS, ETC. 35
in a net, in a pot with bacon, they will not take
so long; if they are cooked in the same pot with
cabbage, it will injure the flavour. It is a good
way to boil a very small piece of pork or bacon, or
a ham-bone in the pot with beans; when they are
done, season them with cream, butter, salt, and
pepper.
Lima Beans.—Shell them, and wash them in
cold water; let them boil about an hour; when
done, dip them from the water, and season with
salt, pepper, cream or butter; keep them hot till
they are sent to table.
Dried Lima beans should be soaked over night,
and boiled 2 hours or longer, if they are not
soft.
Peas.—Early peas require about I hour to
boil, and the later kinds rather longer; the
water should boil when they are put in; when
they are tough and yellow, they may be made ten-
der and green, by putting in a little pearl-ash, or
ashes tied up in a rag, just before they are taken
up; this will tender all green vegetables, but do
not put too much ;—when done, dip them out;
drain and season them with butter, pepper, and
salt; put thebunch of parsley in the middle of the
dish:
Cold Slaw.—Cut hard white cabbage across
the leaves, and put it in a deep plate; scald 2
large spoonfuls of vinegar with a piece of butter,
some pepper and salt; pour this over the slaw;
have an egg boiled hard; chop it fine, and spread
it over the top. Some persons like it heated in a
pan with vinegar and water, and the yelk of a raw
egg mixed through it.


36 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
Cauliflowers, &c.—Have a pot with half
milk, and the rest water; when this boils, put in
the cauliflowers, and let them boil till tender; put
in some salt just before you take them up; have
ready drawn butter and parsley, to pour over
them, or a sauce of cream and butter. Good
heads of yellow Savoy cabbage, cooked in this
way, resemble cauliflowers. Brocoli is a delight-
ful vegetable, and may be cooked in the same
manner.
To Boil Cabbage.—In summer, you should
allow a large head of cabbage an hour to boil, but
when it has been tendered by the frost, it will boil
in half that time. Most persons prefer cabbage
boiled with ham; the pot should be well skimmed
before it goes in, or the grease will penetrate the
cabbage, and make it unwholesome; take it up
before it boils to pieces. It is very good boiled
with corned beef or pork, or with milk and water,
with a little salt added. Some like it with a little
sateratus thrown in while boiling, as that tenders
it and makes it of a more lively green.
Parsnips.—Scrape and split them, and boil
until quite soft, either in salt and water, or with
meat; they are very good served up in this way,
with plenty of butter. They may, when boiled,
either be baked with a few slices of salt meat, and
require no seasoning but pepper, or made into
small round cakes, seasoned with butter, pepper,
and salt, and fried.
Carrots.—Carrots should be scraped, and
boiled till soft in plenty of water; when they are
done, take them up, and slice them thin; season


TURNIPS—ONIONS—BELTS,ETC. 3t
them with salt, pepper, and butter. They are
suitable to eat with boiled meat or fowls.
Turnips.—Pare and quarter the turnips, and
put them in a pot of clear water, or with fresh
meat; boil them £ hour; drain, and season them
with butter, pepper, and salt; mash them.
Onions.—After they are peeled, boil them in
milk and water; if small, they will cook in k hour; when they are done, pour off the water;
put in cream, butter, and salt, and let them stew
a few minutes. Small onions are much better for
cooking, as they are not so strong.
Beets.—Wash the beets; cut the tops off, and
put them in boiling water; the early turnip beet
is best for summer, and will boil in less than an
hour; the long winter beet should be boiled 2
hours;—when they are done, drop them in cold
water for a minute; peel and slice them; 6eason
with butter, pepper, and salt; send them hot to
table.
To pickle beets, put them in a jar after they
have been boiled; fill it up with weak vinegar;
put in salt, cayenne and black pepper.
To Stew Tomatoes.—Wash and pour boil-
ing water over them; peel off the skins, and cut
them up; season them with pepper and salt; put
in a lump of butter, and boil them in their own
juice for \ hour; stir in enough crumbs of bread
to thicken them; let them cook slowly 10 minutes
longer; be careful that the bread does not
burn.
To Bake Tomatoes.—Take out the inside
of large tomatoes, make a stuffing of bread, but-


38 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
ter, pepper, salt and an egg; fill them with this,
and set them in a deep pie-plate; let them bake
slowly £ hour.
Tomatoes.—If you wish to bake tomatoes in
the oven with bread, pour boiling water on, and
skin them; cut them in small pieces; season with
salt and pepper, and put them in a pan with
crumbs of bread and butter; cover the pan with
a plate, and bake | of an hour; when done, mash
them and take them out on a dish.
To Fry Tomatoes.—Slice them, season with
pepper and salt, and fry in hot butter; if they
are green, dip them in flour after being sea-
soned.
Tomato Omelet.—Pour boiling water on
the tomatoes, skin and cut them fine; to 1
quart of this, put 2 chopped onions and a lump
of butter the size of an egg; let them boil ^
hour, then mash them; put in grated bread, pep-
per, salt, and the yelks of 2 eggs.
Spinach.—Wash it well; put it into a pot
and sprinkle salt over it: cover it close, and hang
over the fire to stew—a very little water. Stir it.
Poach a few eggs, slice and put over it, with drawn
butter last.
Egg Plant.—Cut it in thin slices; let it soak
in salt water (or put salt between the slices) for
several hours: wipe the pieces dry, pepper then,
dip each piece in an egg which has been beaten
a little, then dip them in grated crackers; fry
them in drippings, or ^ lard and £ butter.


CAPER SAUCE—MACARONI, ETC. 39
SAUCES.
Caper Sauce.—Put some capers in your
butter-boat, and pour drawn butter over them.
Nasturtions make almost as good a sauce as capers,
and is prepared in the same way—a few of them
pickled are put in a butter-boat, and drawn butter
poured over them.
Oyster Sauce is made in the same manner as
drawn butter, only putting the flour and butter
into the oyster juice instead of water: either cut
the oysters in two or not: season with mace, salt,
and pepper.
Macaroni.—Lay as much macaroni as will fill a
quart bowl in cold water; let it soak £ hour,
then put it into a deep baking dish, add a pint of
rich milk, \ lb. butter and a tea-spoonful of salt,
cut in pieces; over the top grate hard old English
or American cheese. Bake an hour—it should
be brown as a loaf of bread, and served in the
baking dish.—e. w. t.
Drawn Butter.—Put £ pint of water in a
skillet, rub \ lb. butter in a large spoonful of
flour; when the water boils, stir it in and let it
boil a few minutes; season it with parsley, chop-
ped fine.—e. e. l.
Stuffing or Dressing.—Stuffing for poultry
is made of bread and butter, an egg, salt, pepper,
chopped parsley or thyme, mixed together; if the
bread is dry, it should have a little boiling water
poured on it.—lb.
Egg Sauce.—This is made as drawn butter,


40 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
with one or two eggs boiled hard and chopped into
it, and a little salt.
Celery Sauce.—Take a large bunch of celery,
cut it fine, and boil it till soft, in a pint of water;
thicken it with butter and flour, and season it with
salt, pepper and mace.
PICKLES AND CATSUP.
To insure good cider-vinegar, it is safest to
purchase it of some farmer who is known to have
a cider-press, as so much of the beautiful vinegar
we see is made from a weed, which eats and de-
stroys the pickles.
Cucumbers.—Procure the smallest size; lay
them in a wash-tub of cold water 3 days, changing
them into another tub and fresh water 3 times a
day: then wipe them dry and put them in the
jars with whole peppers, allspice, and mustard-
seed, and a handful of salt to each jar. Boil the
vinegar 3 days in succession, and pour over them
hot, till quite covered.
Martinoes.—Gather them when you can run
a pin-head into them, and, after wiping them, keep
them 10 days in weak brine, changing it every
other day. Then wipe them, and pour over boil-
ing spiced vinegar. In 4 weeks they are ready
for use.
Cauliflower,—Keep them 24 hours in strong
brine; take them out and heat the brine, pour-
ing it on scalding hot; let them stand till next


PEPPER SAUCE—UNIVERSAL PICKLE, ETC. 41
day. Drain them and throw them into spiced
vinegar.
Pepper Sauce.—Take 25 peppers without
seeds; cut them pretty fine, then take more than
double the quantity of cabbage, cut like slaw; 1
root horse-radish grated, 1 handful salt, a heaping
table-spoonful of mustard-seed, and ground cloves
do., allspice do., boil enough vinegar to cover it,
and pour over boiling hot, mixing it well through.
Universal Pickle.—To 3 quarts vinegar, £
lb. salt, £ lb. ginger, £ oz. mace, 1 tea-spoonful
cayenne pepper, 1 oz. mustard-seed; boil these
with the vinegar, and when cold put into a jar
You may put in whatever green fruit or vegetables
you choose, from time to time.
Tomatoes.—To 1 gallon jar take 2 table spoonfuls salt, 1 black pepper (whole), 1 cloves do.,
1 of mustard, 1 red pepper the size of an egg;
mix these together and sprinkle over them, layer
by layer, in the jars; let them stand 3 or 4 days,
and then pour over boiling vinegar.
India Pickle.—15 old cucumbers; pare,
seed, and cut them in thin strips; spread them on
a board, strewn thickly with salt; let them stand
12 hours; then expose them to the sun, turning
until perfectly dry, avoiding the night air: wash
them in vinegar; put a layer of mustard-seed,
onions, a stick grated horse-radish. Simmer in 1
quart vinegar, £ oz. tumeric, k oz. race ginger,
(both tied in a bag) allspice v/hole, a few cloves
and cinnamon. When cool, pour it over the cu-
cumbers. Excellent, and improves by age.
To Pickle Mangoes.—Take Muskmelons at


42 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
a proper age, before they get too hard ; make aslitii
the sides, and take out the seeds with a tea-spoon;
boil a pickle of ground alum salt, that will bear an
egg, and let the melons lay in this a week; then
make a new pickle, and let them lay in it another
week; then wash them, and scald them in weak
vinegar, or sour cider, with cabbage leaves around
the kettle; put them in a jar, and put the vinegar
and leaves in with them; leave them 2 days, then
wipe them carefully, and to 2 dozen mangoes,
have an ounce of mace, 1 of cloves, some nastur-
tions, small onions, scraped horse-radish, and mus-
tard-seed sufficient to fill them; fill up the inside
of each one, and tie them round with strings.
Put them in your kettle with strong vinegar, and
let them scald a few minutes; then put them in a
wide-mouthed jar, and pour the vinegar over;" have them covered close, and they will keep good
for several years.—e. e. l.
English Walnuts.—Gather them when nearly
full grown, but not too hard; pour boiling salt and
water on them; let them be covered with it 9
days, changing it every 3d day; then take them
out on dishes, and put them in the sun to blacken,
turning them over; then put them in a jar and
strew over them pepper, cloves, garlic, mustard-
seed and scraped horse-radish; cover them with
cold strong vinegar, and tie them up.
Onions.—Peel small white onions, and pour
boiling milk and water over them ; when cold, put
them in a jar, and make a pickle of strong vine-
gar, a little mace, ginger, white mustard-seed, and
horse-radish; boil it and pour over them.
If you want them to be white, do not put in
black pepper or cloves.


TOMATO MUSTARD, ETC. 43
Tomato Mustard.—Take 1 gallon unskinned
tomatoes; let them simmer in 1 pint of sharp vine-
gar 4 hours; then strain them through a colander,
and let them boil till quite thick; then put in 4
table-spoonfuls of salt, 1 of black pepper, 1 of
mustard, £ one of allspice. Boil all together A
hour. Then to each quart of juice add J pint of
vinegar, and bottle for use in bottles where a spoon
can be inserted.
Pickled Beans.—Procure young ones from
the late crop; boil them in water, slightly salted,
till tender; throw them in a colander with dish
over to drain; when done dripping, lay them out
on a dry cloth and wipe. Pour boiling vinegar,
spices, over them, and you have an excellent
pickle. These are delicate for tea.
Tomato Catsup —Wash and boil 1 bushel
tomatoes. When soft, pass the whole through a
colander, mashing the mass till it has ceased to
drip. There will be about 11 quarts of juice. Put
this in a china-lined kettle, and add 4 table spoons-
ful salt, 2 do. allspice, 3 do. ground mustard, ljtea
spoonful ground black pepper, 1 do. cayenne. Boil
this 2 hours at least: if you wish it thick, 3 or 4
hours. Bottle, putting a little sweet oil on the top
of each, to exclude air. Seal, and it is ready for
use in 2 weeks—is better in two years.
To PickleGreen Tomatoes.—Slice 1 peck
green tomatoes; take 1 gallon vinegar, 6 table-
spoonfuls whole cloves, 4 of allspice, 2 of salt, 1
of mace, 1 of cayenne pepper; boil the vinegar
and spices 10 minutes; put in the tomatoes and
boil all together £ hour longer; when cold put in
jars. There is no nicer pickle.


44 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
SPICED SWEET PICKLES.
Cherries.—4 quarts cherries, 1 lb. sugar, 1
quart vinegar: boil some spice with the sugar
and pour over hot.
Peaches.—Pare, stone and halve the fruit:
put 9 lbs. peaches to 4 lbs. sugar, 1 pint vinegar:
boil the peaches in water till tender, then put in
vinegar and sugar, with a little whole allspice—i
hour, or till done.—b. b.
Pickled Plums.—4 quarts plums, 1 pint
vinegar, 1 lb. sugar: boil the vinegar, spices and
sugar together, and then put in plums, and boil
awhile longer.
SALTING MEATS.
To Pickle Pork.—Take out all the ribs, and
cut it in pieces of about 3 lbs. each; pack it in a
tight barrel, and salt it well with coarse salt; boil
a very strong pickle made of coarse salt, and when
it is cold pour it over the meat, and put a weight
on the top; if you wish pork to keep, do not put
saltpetre in, as it injures the flavour.—e. e. l.
Pork pickle may be boiled over again and used.
Keep a potato in it to test the strength. The
"Burlington Herring," so famous, are cured in
this way.
Beef:—To 100 lbs. beef take 6 gallons water,
6 lbs. salt, 4 oz. saltpetre, li lbs. brown sugar: the
beef to remain in 11 days, then hang to dry.


DRIED LIVER—HAMS. 45
Pour this brine over cold. Better dried beef than
this makes, need not be. There is no real need of
smoking dried beef. Tongues are nice salted in
this way.
Dried Liver.—Engage a butcher to bring a
whole fresh liver, put it in a pickle made as above,
let it be in about 2 weeks, hang to dry. It is to
be frizzled like beef.
Hams.—Take as much water as will cover your
hams; salt enough to bear an egg, so that the egg
will show above the pickle as large as a shilling,
1£ table-spoons of saltpetre for each ham, and mo-
lasses enough to make it the colour of cider or of
good molasses and water: let them lay in pickle 6
weeks. Do not pack them too tight; keep them
well covered with pickle, and remove all scum.
Take them out and hang to dry. When dry out-
side commence smoking: a light mahogany colour
is best, and bag before the flies come. Hickory
or apple-tree chips are best for smoking. The
above are superior to the mode of dry salting and
rubbing, as practised by some; also less trouble,
and making a more juicy and highly flavoured
ham.—s. p. n.
The following is the method of curing Hams,
which took the first Premium of the Maryland
Agricultural Society, in 1854: To each green
ham of 18 lbs. 1 dessert-spoonful saltpetre, and 1 lb. brown sugar, applied to the fleshy side of the
ham and about the hock: cover the fleshy side
with fine salt, an inch thick, and pack away in tubs:
to remain from 3 to 6 weeks, according to size. Be-
fore smoking rub off any salt that may remain on
the ham, and cover well with ground black pepper,
particularly about the bone and shock. Hang up


46 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
and drain for 2 weeks, Smoke with green wood
8 weeks, or till the rind is a light chestnut colour.
Pepper prevents the fly.
TEA RELISHES.
Chicken Salad.—Take a pair of fowls: boil
them (saving the water for soup next day) ; when
entirely cold remove all the skin and fat, and dis-
joint them; cut the meat from the bones in very
small pieces, not exceeding an inch; wash and
split 2 large heads of celery, and cut the white
part into pieces an inch long, and having mixed
the chicken and celery together, put them in a
deep China dish, cover and set it away. Just be-
fore the salad is to be eaten the dressing is to be
put on, which is thus made: Take the yolks of 8
hard-boiled eggs, put them into a flat dish, and
mash them to a paste with the back of a spoon:
add to the egg a tea-spoonful fine salt, do. cayenne
pepper, £ gill made mustard, 1£ wine-glass French
vinegar, and 2 wine-glasses sweet oil; then add
the yolk of 1 raw egg, well beaten, or 1 table-
spoonful cream; mix all these ingredients tho-
roughly, stirring them a long time, till quite
smooth. After you pour it on the chicken and
celery, mix the whole well together. (Melted but-
ter will do for oil.)
Clay's Chicken Salad.—To 2 pair large
chickens 1£ bottles fresh sweet oil, 2£ table-spoon-
fuls mustard; begin by breaking the yelks of 3 raw
eggs into a deep plate, add the mustard: mix it
well round and round the dish: add about one


TO STEW AND PICKLEDOYSTERS, ETC. 47
tea-spoonful vinegar, then a very little oil at a
time till all the oil is used: during all this time it
must be long and well stirred, and always the same
way. Have ready the yolks of 18 hard-boiled
eggs, mix in very lightly into this about 1 tea-cup
vinegar; let this second dressing be lightly stirred
into the former, a spoonful at a time, then season
the chickens with pepper and salt, add the celery;
mix the dressing well through it, leaving enough
to garnish the dish when served. The celery
should be nicely cleaned, cut fine and put to soak
in cold water till wanted, then turn on a cloth and
wipe it quite dry.
To Stew Oysters.—Strain the liquor and
put it on the fire in a nice vessel to simmer. To
the liquor of 100 oysters take \ lb. butter and 2
table-spoonfuls flour; mash the flour into the but-
ter till it is a smooth paste, then stir it into the
liquor: season the whole with mace, salt and pep-
per. When the liquor simmers put in the oysters,
and when the thin end curls up take them off the
fire: they are done.—a. m. m.
To Pickle Oysters.—Take 150 oysters, put
them in a nice vessel, with salt to your taste, over
the fire. Allow the oysters to simmer, not boil:
take them out and put them into a stone jar, leav-
ing the liquor in the saucepan: add to it 1 pint
good vinegar, a large tea-spoonful blades of mace,
36 whole cloves, do. whole pepper. Let it come
to a boil, and when the oysters are cold pour the
liquor over them.
Tongue, &c.—If the tongue is dry let it soak
several hours before boiling it, slowly; if just out
of pickle the water should boil when it goes in.
A tongue-presser (which costs 75 cents) soon


48 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
saves itself in making the small end go farther
and causing no waste. ''
Pickled Salmon.—Buy 2 lbs. salt salmon.
Soak it all night in plenty of water. Put it on
the fire in fresh, cold water. Let it simmer quarter
of an hour. Have ready hot vinegar, seasoned
with red pepper and cloves; put your fish in a
stone jar and pour the boiling vinegar over.
Cover close. When cold this is an acceptable
relish.
MockLobster.—Quarter butter, 1 egg, boiled
hard and chopped fine, mustard, salt and pepper,
3 table-spoonfuls vinegar? Have ready 1 lb. finely
chopped veal or mutton, which has been cooked,
and mix thoroughly the above ingredients.
Pickled Shad.—Clean them well and wipe
them with a dry cloth, cut them in pieces of con-
venient size for the tea-table: then add as much
salt, whole pepper, allspice, cloves and mace as you
choose: season it properly, sprinkle the spice be-
tween each layer of shad in a new earthen or stone
vessel, fill it up with vinegar; if strong cider vinegar
it should have one-third water, and then tightly close
the jar with dough, put it in the oven of a baker
after the bread has come out, at noon, and let it
stand till 10 o'clock, at eve; do not open it till
cool through; bruise the spices, but not grind
them.


WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ETC. 49
CAKES.
The cost of Cake is so much lessened by being
home-made, that it is a saving of time to make
such as will keep awhile, by the plentiful use of
good butter and eggs. The richest cake costs
never more than 13 cents per lb., even when made
at a time when butter and eggs are dearest. Be-
sides, it is pleasant to feel assured of one's own
skill in the matter, as we are liable to be called upon to exercise it at times and in places where
money cannot purchase so good an article. There
are few fancy cakes given, because there is no
economy in making these at home.
Weights and Measures.—It is well to as-
certain how much in weight certain cups and bowls
hold, and keep them for that purpose. One quart
sifted flour, or sifted loaf sugar, or softened butter,
each weigh about 1 lb. A pint equals 8 ozs. ; \ pint
4 oz.; 1 gill 2 oz. A quart of brown sugar or of
Indian meal, equals 12 oz. of the same. One large
spoonful flour, loaf sugar or melted butter, equals
£ oz. of the same, a little heaped; 4 spoonfuls 1
oz. A medium sized tea-spoon holds 60 drops of
water; 10 eggs weigh 1 lb.
Mountain Gingerbread.—6 cups flour, 2
do. butter, 2 do. sugar, 2 do. molasses, 4 eggs, 1
tea-cup ginger, 1 tea-spoonful soda, 2 tartaric acid.
This is a batter, and if baked in a Turk's Head or
bread pan, keeps a long time, and is very nice.
Ginger Nuts.—1J lbs. flour, 1 pint molasses,
\ lb. butter, £ oz. ginger, i oz. of cinnamon and
4


52 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
a soft dough at night. Early in the morning add
not quite i tea-spoonful soda, and 2 tea-spoon-
fuls ammonia. Now put in a little more flour,
mould it well, and return it to rise. When light,
make into cakes, and let them stand I hour, or till
light enough, then bake them.
N. B.—Either of these two receipts, faithfully
followed, will make Buns which cannot be excelled.
Sponge Cake.—6 eggs, same weight sugar,
i weight of flour, £ a lemon squeezed in, the
whole of the lemon-skin grated. Beat the yellow
to a froth, then add the sugar: when well-beaten
add the white, (which must be very light,) then
put in the juice, then grating, last flour, a tea-
spoonful of salt.
Another way.—5 eggs, £ lb. sugar, 6 oz. flour,
(leaving out 2 table-spoonfuls.) Beat the whites
of the eggs to a froth : add the sugar and unbeaten
yelks alternately, leaving out 1 yelk : add flour last.
Cocoanut Jumbles.—Grate 1 large cocoanut;
rub £ lb. butter with } lb. sugar, 1 lb. sifted flour,
and wet it with 3 eggs, beaten, and a little rose-water:
add by degrees the nut, so as to make a stiff dough:
bake in a quick oven from 5 to 10 minutes. 52
Grafton Cake.—1 pint flour, i pint sugar,
1 table-spoonful butter, 2 tea-spoonfuls cream
tartar, 1 soda, 1 egg. Make a batter of milk
mixed, until quite thin. This is the best cake for
the materials used in the whole collection.
Albany Cake.—Cream, 1 lb. sugar, and J lb.
butter: take 3 eggs well-beaten, 1 teaspoonful soda, do. cream tartar; add 1J lbs. sifted flour.
This is a dough.
Pound Cake.—1 lb. sugar, 1 lb. butter, 10


POUND CAKE CUP CAKE, ETC. 53
eggs, 1 nutmeg grated, 1£ lbs. flour, 1 wine-glass
rose-water; cream the butter and sugar (I put the
butter and sugar into a stove-oven till it becomes
a little melted,) beat it some and add, by de-
grees, the ingredients named,—1st the yolks, well
beaten, nutmeg, rose-water, whites, lastly flour.
Make this now very smooth, put in \ tea-spoonful
soda, and 1 do. cream tartar; the latter dry.
I always bake such cake in a " Turk's turban,"
to secure lightness.
Baking is a nice point. The oven must be
warm, and getting warmer, not hot to be cooled. If
the latter, it is sure to be heavy, the cake browning
rapidly prevents the inner part rising.
Cup Cake.—Cream, \ cup butter and 4 cups
sugar together; stir in 5 well-beaten eggs; dis-
solve 1 teaspoonful soda in a cup of milk or
cream; nutmeg, 6 cups flour, a teaspoonful cream
tartar, dry.
Black Cake.'—1 lb. butter, 1 do. sugar, beaten
to a cream; stir in 12 eggs beaten well; sift in 1
lb. flour, add 3 lbs. stoned raisins, 3 do. cleaned
currants, 5 nutmegs, \ oz. cinnamon, 1 tea-spoon-
ful cloves, 1 lb. citron cut in small thin slices;
these must be well mixed; baked in a moderate
oven. This improves by keeping.
Queen Cake.—1 lb. flour, f sugar, \ do. but-
ter, 4 eggs, nutmeg, £ teaspoonful soda, 1 do.
cream tartar. Bake in small tins.
Crullers.—2£ lbs. flour, rub in a piece of butter
the size of a walnut, beat 3 eggs to a froth, and
add 1 lb. sugar, nutmeg, 1 tea-spoonful soda, do.
- cr. tar. dissolved in Rose water. This makes a
dough which is to be formed into twists, and fried


54 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
in goose-drippings. These are cheap and ex-
cellent.
1, 2, 3, 4 Cake.—1 cup butter, 2 sugar, 3 flour,
4 eggs, nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful soda, .2 cream tartar.
Kisses.—Take the whites of 4 eggs, beat them
very lightly, and mix with them enough sifted
sugar to make them very stiff; then drop on paper
half the size you want them, and put them in a
slow oven 20 minutes. Take them off the paper
with a knife, and put 2 together. 4 eggs make a
cake-basket full.
Jelly Cake.—Make a batter as for pound cake;
bake it in cakes on a griddle, and while warm
spread jelly between each layer. Trim with a
knife.
A Good Cake withoutEggs.—1 cup su-
gar, 1 butter, nutmeg, 1 cup milk, 2 oz. currants
(or not), 1 tea-spoonful dry cream tartar, \ do.
soda dissolved in milk, flour enough to make a
batter.
Scotch Cake.—1 lb. brown sugar, 1 do.
flour, £ lb. butter, 2 eggs, cinnamon. Roll very
thin to bake.
Doughnuts.—1^ pints milk warmed, Jib. sugar,
J lb. butter, and 1 nutmeg; make a sponge of these
over night with flour, putting in 1 teacup of good
yeast. Fry in lard. They are as good as possible.
Extempore Doughnuts.—1 tea-spoonful of
soda, 2 cream tartar, 2 cups sugar, 1 pint milk, j
nutmeg, flour enough to make a soft dough.


FEDERAL CAKE, ETC. 55
Federal Cake.—lrb. flour, 1 lb. sugar, 1lb. butter, £ lb. currants, one wine glass brandy,
or • wine, or rose water; 2 eggs; nutmeg. This
makes a dough, which must be rolled out in
thickish cakes. These will keep three months.
—e. c.
Iced Spanish Buns.—Mix 6 oz. butter with
£ lb. white sugar; add 1 tea-cup cream; beat 4
eggs separately, and put in. Have weighed f lb
sifted flour, 1 tea-cup Zante currants; add these.
Dissolve £ tea-spoonful car. soda in rose water;
one teaspoonful cream tartar to the same, but in
another cup. Ice these and cut into squares.
Icing.'—This elegant finish, is made by beating
the whites of 2 eggs to a very stiff froth, and add-
ing, little by little, fine pulverized sugar, till quite
thick. Flavour with essence of vanilla, pr a mite
of cream tartar. Lay it oa with a broad knife,
and smooth with another knife dipped in water.
Set it in a cool oven with the door open, to dry.
I prefer on the hearth under the oven. If you
wish figures or flowers, make up 3 eggs, reserving
a third till the cake has become dried after icing,
then insert a clean new glass syringe into the
remainder, and direct it as you choose over the
iced cake. Dry again. It is said that ripe fruit
may be laid on the icing when about half dry,
with a very pretty effect, such as strawberries, &c.
Save a little ieing out, dilute with rose-water,
and put on when that first done is dry; makes it
smooth and glossy. This is more trouble, however.


56 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
FLAVOURS.
Peach Kernels.'—Crack the stones, take out
and scald the kernel to take off the skin; put
them into wine for use.
Rose Flavour.—Put rose leaves into wine
for use.
PASTRY.
To make Pastry that will be entirely wholesome,
mix 1 oz. car. soda with 7 drachms tartaric acid;
put 1 tea-spoonful of this mixture in 2 lbs. flour.
Put the mixture into a glass jar, with a closely
fitting lid, after having incorporated it fully. It is
then fit for use, and pie-crust should not be made
without it.
Paste for Shells and Puddings.—Take 1
lb. flour, cooled and sifted, and 1 lb. butter: use
no salt; make the flour into a stiff paste with very
cold water, mixing it with a strong spoon : throw
it out on the pie-board and roll very thinI cut the
butter [which must be very cold) into small pieces
and lay half of them on the paste: flatten each
down by a quick pressure of the hand, dredge very
much flour lightly over the whole surface, fold to-
gether lengthwise and crosswise, into a small lump:
roll out again thinly, lay on the rest of the butter
in the same way, sprinkle again with flour, fold
together, and roll as thin as possible: dredge
again, fold together, and roll into a wafer-like
sheet, which, having dredged, fold lightly into a
roll about 3 inches wide; cut the whole of this


A PLAIN CRUST OYSTER PIE, ETC. 5T
into squares, flatten each square with the rolling-
pin, and cut out with a shell-cutter; having pre-
pared 2 of these, take, with a small round cutter,
a piece from the centre of one, and put it upper-
most in a tin which will hold several. Bake 15
minutes in a very quick oven: watch them care-
fully, as much depends on baking. When properly
made, these will rise to the height of 2 or 3 inches.
The above quantity makes 12 shells, 5 inches in
diameter.
A Plain Crust.—1 bowl lard, 1 do. water
(scant), 3 do. flour: mix all well together, and roll
out, using "patent flour" (if convenient). In
the preparation of puddings baked in crust, the
under part of the crust can be made by the plainer
method, and £ lb. of the richer used as an edge.
Oyster Pie.—50 oysters: strain the liquor: line
a dish with paste, take 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
fine, 2 oz. butter: mix these with 1 slice dry
bread crumbled fine; add pepper, salt and nutmeg
to your taste; then to each layer of oysters
sprinkle some of the mixture; it is best to reserve
some of the oyster juice for gravy, which thicken
and serve in a boat. Cover it with paste and
bake.
Chicken Pie.—Cut up a chicken, and if old
boil 15 minutes in water, which save, to put in the
pie: make paste and put in the dish, cutting out
the middle lay in the chicken, dust flour over and
put in butter, pepper, and salt; cover them with the
water, roll out the top crust quite thick, and close
the pie round the edge: make an opening in the
middle with a knife; let it bake an' hour. If
warmed over next day, pour off the gravy and
warm separately; add it to the pie to serve.


58 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
Pot Pie.—Cut up 1 large chicken, grease a
dinner pot with lard: roll out crust enough, [of
"plain crust,"] to line it, cutting out the bottom.
As you put in the pieces of chicken, strew in
flour, salt, and pepper, a few pieces of the crust
rolled thin, and a few potatoes: cover this with
water, and put on it a covering of paste, with a
slit in the middle. Let this cook slowly 2 hours;
have hot water at hand, to add in case it be too
dry. Veal, lamb, &C., may be made thus. Also,
peach or apple pot pie.
Vol Au Vent.—Make up £ lb. flour into
paste, roll out one-third of it oval shape. Take
one of your dish covers and cut out two, leaving
the bottom crust whole, but cutting the middle
out of the second; lay them on a tin: cut out a
third one, making a distinct line with a cover
of smaller oval. Bake it in a quick oven, a light
brown: take out with a knife this inner circle, fill
in the centre with stewed oysters, fricasseed chicken
or minced veal, hot. It is well to put in a napkin,
to bake.
Mince Pies.—1 lb. finely-chopped roast beef,
-i- lb. suet do., \ peck apples do., 1 lb. raisins, \
lb. cleaned currants, 1 nutmeg, 2 table-spoonfuls
ground cinnamon, L do. ground cloves, the juice
of 2 lemons and rinds grated, mace, 1 lb. sugar,
sweet cider to moisten it. Let this stand mixed,
all night: when using, put in 2 oz. citron, cut in
very thin strips.
Apple Pie.—Pare, core and wash \ peck
apples. Put them in 4 pie plates with a little
water. Make a crust, and cover them. While
hot from the oven put in sugar, a small piece of


60 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
tency of warm mush: good for tea or dinner: may
be eaten with sugar, but a little butter is better.
Another way.—Grate corn from 12 ears of young
corn: add \ gill milk, 1 table-spoonful white su-
gar, 1 egg beaten. Mix all, and bake 1£ hours.
Flemish Pudding.—1 pint milk, 4 eggs, |
pint flour, salt: boil \ an hour.
Save-all Pudding.—Weigh out of your crock
of dry bread \ lb. bread: put it on the stove with
1 pint milk to soften: let it remain 3 hours, then
beat it up fine: cool awhile, and add 1 table spoonful sugar, 2 do. Zante currants, 2 eggs
beaten : pare, core and cut 2 apples and add : but-
ter a "Turk's turban" and put it in: sprinkle 2
table-spoonfuls chopped suet on the top, and bake
f hour. Eat with butter and a little sugar
Cocoanut Puddings.—Grate the nuts, say-
ing all the milk: to a pound of cocoanut add \ lb.
butter, and f lb. sugar; let the butter and sugar
be mixed ; the whites of 9 eggs [or the whole of 4]
beaten well, 6 crackers, or some of dry bread
rolled fine, wet with 1 wine-glass rose water, and
all the milk of nuts: 3 nuts make 12 small pud-
dings, or 1J lbs. of the grated nuts.
Cocoanut Custard.—1 nut grated into 1
pint milk, 3 eggs, sugar to taste, butter as large
as a walnut, the outside of a lemon and nutmeg.
Soda Cracker Pudding.—4 soda crackers
soaked in 3 tea-cups water, 2 lemons grated in,
and 2 tea-cups sugar. These taste like apple pie.
Apple Custard.—Pare tart apples, core
them with an an apple corer, put them in a deep dish with a small piece of butter, and 1 tea-spoon-
j


APPLE MERINGUE RICE PUDDING, ETC. 61
ful sugar in the opening of each apple. Pour in
water enough to cook them: when soft, cool them,
and pour over an unbaked custard so as to cover
them, and bake till custard is done.
Apple Meringue.—Pare, core and stew 10
tart apples, in a very little water: season as for a
pie, and put it in a fruit pie dish, into a cool oven.
Beat up, meanwhile, the whites of 4 eggs as you
would for icing: piling it on the apple like rocks,
or irregular, avoiding the edge of dish. Return
it to a warm oven, and brown macaroni colour.
Slip all out carefully, by aid of knife or spoon,
into a China dish, and serve with cream, which if
you have not, make a custard of the yellows, fla-
voured with essence of Vanilla, &c.
Custard may be used instead of apple; it may
be a soft one, and in cups.
Rice Pudding.—Wash 3 heaping table-spoon-
fuls riceI put it into 1 quart milk, a pinch of salt,
white sugar to taste, a little nutmeg and butter.
Put it in the oven directly after breakfast, in a
warmish oven: let it simmer, and when a brown
skin begins to form stir it in. Do this 3 times.
You will thus have a creamy pudding. Raisins
or not.
Macaroon Pudding.—Boil 1 quart milk, dis-
solve the weight of 4 cents' worth Russian isin-
glass in as little water as possible: add it to the
boiling milk. Roll 12 macaroons, (chocolate if
you choose,) to a fine powder: stir it in the milk,
and pour it into a mould. Eat cold, with cream.
-—e. w. T.
Iced Apples.—Pare, core, and spice 10 apples
of a large tart kind. Bake them till nearly done.


BREAD PUDDING FRITTERS, ETC. 63
the batter and tie it tightly, leaving room for the
pudding to swell. Put it in now and boil li
hours. To be eaten hot with sauce No. 1 or 4.
A pound of currants, or any fruit preferred: boil
awhile longer for them, and turn over frequently,
or the fruit will settle to one side.
A Bread Pudding.—1 quart milk, 4 eggs, |
lb. dried currants, a few slices stale bread, 1 tea-
spoon salt. Bake in a quick oven £ hour. Eat it
with sauce No. 2 or 4. Another way is to put
alternate slices of apple and bread, and bake.
Fritters, with Yeast.—Make a batter of 1
pint milk, and as much flour as will form it, 1 tea-
spoon salt, and 5 table-spoons yeast. Put
this in a warm place 3 hours. Just before dinner
beat up 1 egg well, and add. These fritters are
quite wholesome, being light, and do not absorb
much lard. Boil them in lard.
Delightful Pudding.—1 quart boiled milk, k lb. mashed potatoes, \ lb. flour, a small piece butter,
and when cold add 3 eggs, beaten. Bake \ hour.
Eat with sauce No. 2.
Cottage Pudding.—1 pint flour, \ pint su-
gar, \ lb. butter, 2 eggs, \ pint milk, 2 tea-spoon-
fuls cream tartar, 1 do. soda, a few currants or
stoned raisins. Bake i hour in a Turk's turban.
This is very good to put on at tea as a cake, if
left at dinner. Sauce No. 2.
Stale Bread Fritters.—Make as the above-
named fritters, substituting bread for flour. These
are more tender.
Cold Custard.—To 1 quart milk, (sweetened
with white sugar to taste,) add 3 table-spoonfuls


64 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
wine, in which rennet has been placed. Pour it
immediately into custard cups, and let it stand in
a cool place several hours before dinner. Grate a
little nutmeg over each, and eaten with cream,
you have a dessert often more acceptable than a
more elaborate arid costly one. Put 1 calf's rennet,
cut in strips, into 1 quart wine: let it remain a
week, and use as directed.
Custard Pudding.—Beat the yelks of 4 eggs
smooth, adding, (little by little,) 1 quart milk,
scant. Sweeten to taste: a pinch of salt, slice
stale bread very thin, spread butter over it, then
nutmeg, and lay on the top. Bake till custard is
thick. [Salt enriches any kind of custard or bat-
ter: put in 1 tea-spoonful to 2 quarts.]
Trifle.—Break rusk or sponge cake into a
dish, pour a boiled custard over it, and put a sylla-
bub over that. Garnished with jelly and flowers,
this makes a handsome dessert.
Syllabub.—Make 1 quart rich cream very
sweet, grate $ nutmeg over it, put it into a China
bowl, and milk a cow into it, that it may be very
frothy.
Floating Island.—Take the whites of 3 eggs,
beat them to a froth: put 4 spoonfuls any kind of
jelly, or roast apple; beat them together till it
becomes a substance that will heap on a spoon.
Meanwhile, have made a boiled custard of H pint milk to the 3 unused yelks. Put the island
on, and pile up like rocks.
Another Way.—The whites of 8 eggs in a deep
earthen bowl: add a small tea-cupful of currant
jelly, beaten altogether until it forms a stiff froth
in a cold place; (the eggs should be at least 2


bird's nest pudding, etc. 65
days old, and very cold.) Pour cream into a glass
bowl, and drop the island from a large spoon on
to the surface of the cream.
Bird's NestPudding.—Make the founda-
tion of the nest of blancmange, or calf's foot
jelly, or prepared corn: rasp the skin of 3 lemons
and preserve it; then lay it round and on the
mange like the straw: take out the contents of 4
eggs through a small hole, and fill the shell with
hot blancmange, or prepared corn; when cold,
break off the shells and lay mange in the nest. A
beautiful dessert.
Charlotte Russe.—1£ oz. isinglass dissolved
in 1 pint water; let it simmer to £ pint. Make a
custard of 4 eggs to 1 pint milk; cool it; boil a
vanilla bean in the milk, whip 1 qt. of cream to a
froth, lay it on a sieve after it is whipped; stir the
custard into the isinglass, then add the whipped
cream, beat all together. Line a glass dish with
sponge cake, and serve.
N. B.—This is a very beautiful dessert, and if
you have no sponge cake, any stale cake will do;
cut it in thin slices.
The whipped cream receipt will be found on
page M. Keep the cream in a cold place, after
beating.
Tapioca Pudding.—2 oz. to 1 pint milk,
softened in the oven, and when nearly cold add 3
eggs, and a little butter and sugar. Bake or boil
1 hour
Baked Indian Pudding.—Cut up i lb. but-
. 5


66 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
ter in 1 pint molasses, warm them till melted.
Boil 1 quart milk, and pour over a pint corn meal,
and stir in the molasses gradually: when cold,
beat 6 eggs and stir them in: add the peel of a
lemon, grated, or other spice : stir very hard, pour
into a buttered dish, and bake 2 hours.—j. e.
Frozen Custard.—Make a custard as for a
pudding. Let it boil: sweeten and flavour, then
freeze it.
A. H.'s Custard.—Put into a milk boiler 1
quart milk: add a mite of salt: let it come to a
boil: have 2 eggs whipped togetftr, with sugar
enough to sweeten the whole. When the milk is
scalded, pour it by degrees upon the egg, stirring
it the while: flavour with vanilla or almond, and
pour it out in a basin, with a few pieces of thin
bread and butter, or into custard cups: set these
into a basin of hot water, and put into an oven.
In a short time it will thicken into a delicate cus-
tard.
Blano Mange of Carrigeen.—Wash 1oz.
Carrigeen moss; put ft to boil in 2 quarts good
milk; a little salt. While boiling, sweeten to taste,
and flavor with vanilla; let it boil 10 minutes;
then pour it into moulds, and eat with cream or
soft custard. Gelatin B. M. is made by putting 1
package to the above; soaking it 20 minutes in
cold water, previously.


SNOW FRITTERS,—BICE FLUMMERY, ETC. 67
Snow Fritters.—Take of light new-fallen
snow, 3 table-spoonfuls for every egg you would
otherwise use—that is, if you would wish the quan-
tity that 3 eggs would make in the usual way, take
9 table-spoonfuls of snow, and stir in a quart of
rich milk that has been setting in a very cold place,
so that it will not melt the snow, and destroy its
lightness; put in a tea-spoonful of salt, and enough
wheat flour to make a stiff batter; have ready a
frying-pan with boiling lard, and drop a spoon-
ful in a place as with other fritters, and set the
remainder in a cold place till the first are done.
Eat them witiltwine sauce, or sugar, butter and
cream, or any thing you fancy. Put in snow last.
Rice Flummery.—Rice that is ground
coarse, in a hand-mill, is much better for making
flummery than the flour you buy; put 3 pints of
milk to boil, mix with water 1 tea-cup of ground
rice, and stir it in the milk when it boils; while
the milk is cold, put in it 2 dozen peach kernels,
blanched, and rolled with a bottle; wet your
moulds with cold cream or water; keep stirring
the rice till it is thick, when pour it out in the
moulds; just before dinner turn them out on
dishes, have cream, sugar and nutmeg mixed, to
eat with it.
*
Whipped Cream.—Take 1 pint rich cream,
1 tea-cup sifted sugar, essence of lemon or the
grated rind, to taste; put this into a large pitcher,
churn it with a whipped-eream churn, (which you
may get at a tinman's for 25 cents,) until all of it
comes to a froth: then place it with a spoon upon
any mould dessert. This is very delicate and
pretty, and will double the cream used.—a. p.


68 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
Sauces. No. 1.—Mix 1 tea-spoonful flour in
1 tea-cup water, with 2 spoonfuls sugar and 1 but-
ter: stir this in i pint boiling water, let it boil a
few minutes; when add 1 glass wine and nutmeg.
No. 2.—Beat equal quantities of butter and
white sugar to a cream, grate nutmeg into it.
Beat all well together, and put to harden before
serving it.
No. 3.—Melt molasses, butter and vinegar to-
gether.
No. 4, Cream Sauce.—Boil I pint cream,
thicken it very little, put in a lump of butter:
sweeten to taste, and when cold add 1 glass wine,
or a lemon rind and juice.
JELLIES.
Calf's Foot Jelly.—Clean 6 feet: put them
on to boil in 2 § quarts water and J tea-spoonful salt:
boil down one-half, strain it, and when cold scrape
off all the fat, using a piece of silk paper last. Put
it into a porcelain kettle, add sugar and wine to
the taste, the rind of 2 lemons and juice, the
whites of 4 eggs and shells: let it boil hard 20
minutes, without stirring; strain it through a
flannel bag into moulds. It is more likely to turn
out perfectly if made the day before used.
Tapioca Jelly.—Soak 3 table-spoonfuls pearl
Tapioca in 1 quart water, several hours: put it in
a saucepan with the same water, and let it boil
slowly till clear and thick. Season with wine or
lemon, and white sugar. Turn out in moulds.


GELATINE JELLY—CURRANT JELLY, ETC. 69
Gelatine Jelly. — Take 3 oz. Gelatine, 2
quarts water, 1 pint wine, (or lemon juice enough
to flavour,) l£ lbs. white sugar, whites of 3 eggs
and shells; boil 20 minutes, and pour as above.
Currant Jelly.—4 quarts ripe currants mashed
in both hands, till nearly all are broken; squeeze
out the stems and remove them. Put the pulp
into a strong bag and squeeze very tightly, and
there will be nearly 3 pints juice. Put 3 lbs. white
sugar to this, and boil £ hour.
Apple Jelly.—Slice whole apples, (cores,
parings and all,) cook them with just water enough
to cover them, till reduced to a soft pulp. Take the
rind and juice of A lemons; strain this pulp, (not
squeezing much or going over it twice,) add the
lemons, measure pint for lb. white sugar; let it
boil \ hour, and turn into forms, Quince Ac,
the same way.
Rice Jelly.—Boil £ lb. whole rice with J lb.
loaf sugar, in 1 quart water, till it becomes a glu-
tinous mass. Strain off the jelly and let it cool,
in moulds.
Quince Jelly.—Wash and wipe the quinces;
cut them in small pieces, and take out the seeds
carefully; have your kettle cleaned and half full
of water; throw the quinces and seeds in till you
get it full; cover them over, and let them boil till
very soft; mash them well and strain them; to
every pint of juice put a pound of sugar; clean
the kettle again, pour in the juice and sugar, and
let it boil till it forms a jelly; it should be put
into tea-cups, if you want it to turn out whole,
with brandy papers on the top, and pasted over.
It is a nice jelly to use with whips or trifle.


70 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
Molasses Candy or Taffy.—Put a quart of
good molasses (iiotsugar-house) in a Dutch oven or
iron pot, having previously greased it with butter;
let it boil very fast, stirring it all the time for 15
minutes; then put in a tea-cup of sugar and let it
boil 15 minutes longer, stirring all the time; take
a little out on a plate, and when it is brittle, pour
it while hot into tin plates rubbed with butter;
put it in a cold place and break it up when you
want it for use; never put taffy in China or earth-
en plates, as they would probably be broken in
taking it out. Some think it an improvement to
add the kernels of black walnuts, nicely picked;
put them in just as you take up the taffy and give
it one stir; a tea-cup of kernels to a pint of mo-
lasses is a good proportion.
Quince Jam.—Grate quinces which have been
pared, cored and halved : to 1 lb. quince, after
grated, f sugar: boil 20 minutes. This is very
light coloured, and if put in moulds or bowls turns
out well.
Blancmange in Eggs.—Have ready some
egg-shells, which have been broken as little as possible; dissolve £ oz. gelatine in a very little
warm water, and then stir in 1 pint good milk;
sweeten and flavour it. Boil it \ hour, stirring
frequently. Strain it, and put it into the egg-shells
to cool. When congealed, have ready a China
or glass dish of calves' feet jelly; break the shells
from off the mange, cut them in half, scoop out a
little of the middle, and insert some of the calves'
feet jelly to imitate the yelk. These placed over
the surface of the dish have a pretty birds'-nest
look. Cream served with it is good, but not
*w*pdfnl.


PRESERVES.
These are costly affairs in every way: not done
without fatigue, time and patience—to say nothing
of their unwholesomeness for some. We give a
few.
Cocoanut Preserved.—Grate 1 nut, save
the milk and put in; sweeten to taste with pow-
dered loaf, and cook £ hour, stirring all the time
to prevent burning. This is very pretty for puffs,
but sickish.
Preserved Pine Apple.—Take lb for lb.
of sugar; boil the slices in water a few at a time,
till clear. Then make a syrup with the water,
and cook the apples 15 minutes in it. If the
syrup is not slightly thick, boil it longer.
Grated Pine Apple.—Grate the apples
whole, and take lb. for lb.; boil 20 minutes, stir-
ring often.
Common Cherries.—Stone the light-coloured
common cherries,' and to every pound of fruit allow
a pound of sugar, which boil up with the juice;
after you have skimmed it throw in the cherries,
and let them boil till the syrup is rich.
Cherries for common use.—Stone 12 lbs.
of good cherries; allow i lb. of brown sugar to
each pound of fruit, after it is stoned; let them
cook slowly for 2 hours; examine them through
the summer, and if they show any signs of fermen-
tation set them in a brick oven, after the bread is


72 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
done, or in a Dutch oven of hot water, which keep
at boiling'heat for an hour. It is a good plan to know the weight of your
preserving kettle, as you can then weigh the fruit
in it, with a pair of steelyards.—lea.
Gooseberries.—Take the large gooseberries,
pick off the stems and blossoms, give them their
weight in sugar; put them in the kettle alternately,
with the sugar, and pour over them a pint of water
to 4 lbs. of fruit; let them boil gently till the
scum arises; when this is taken off, let them cook
faster; when clear, take them up on dishes, and
boil the syrup longer.
Peaches.—Have sweet, white clingstone peach-
es, pare and stone them; to each lb. take a pound
of sugar made in a syrup, put the peaches in,
and when they look clear take them up on dishes;
let the syrup boil longer.
Quinces.—Pick out the finest quinces, pare
them, and cut them in halves, or in rings; take
the best of the parings and the seed, and boil them
in water till they are very soft; strain the liquor,
and have the kettle cleaned again ; wash and weigh
the quinces, and give them their weight in sugar;
put the sugar in the water the parings were boiled
in; skim it, and put in the quinces; let them boil
very slowly till clear; take them up on dishes, and
boil the syrup longer.
Citron Melon.—Cut it in pieces the size you
wish, take out the soft centre and seeds, pare off
the green rind, then throw the pieces in cold water
and let them stand all night. Next day boil them,
in water enough to cover them, for 20 minutes,
adding alum the size of a walnut to each quart


LINES—PEACHES WITHOUT COOKING, ETC. 73
of water, to green them; £ sugar to 1 lb. fruit,
slice some lemons, and put in also essence of gin-
ger to taste. Boil till clear.—a. p.
Limes.—Green limes are found in our stores
but for about 6 weeks in the middle of summer.
Purchase them by the 100; put them in salt and
water strong enough to bear an egg, (closely cov-
ered,) till the warm weather is over. Make an
incision, take out all the seeds, and put them in
cold water 24 hours, changing the water several
times: then boil them in soda water till tender
enough to put a straw through—say 1 tea-spoon-
ful soda to 6 quarts water. Put them again in
cold water for 24 hours, changing the water several
times. To each pound limes 2£ lbs. white sugar,
and 3 pints water. Boil the syrup 15 minutes,
then put in the limes; boil them 5 minutes. They
are then clear. Let syrup boil i hour, and they
are all done—100 limes make about 2 lbs. weight.
These are delicious, and will keep always.
Peaches withoutCooking.—To 4 lbs. fruit
add 1 lb. sugar; place the sugar and peaches iu
a kettle over the fire, long enough to melt the su-
gar without cooking the fruit. Then remove them
from the kettle, place them in Arthur's jars, and
put them in a pot, (of warm water, if glass; hot,
if tin,) letting the water boil several minutes.—
M. L. N.
Damsons.—Weigh out as much sugar as you
have fruit; if it is brown you must clarify it; put
a pint of water to 3 lbs. of sugar, make a syrup, wash the damsons, put them in and let them cook
slowly for J an hour; then take them out on
dishes, and let them dry in the sun for 2 days, tak-
ing them in the house at night; boil the syrup i


74 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
an hour after the fruit is taken out; when done in
this way they will be whole and clear. You can
make a jam by boiling them slowly for 2 hours;
or a jelly, as currants.
Quince Marmalade.—Pare the quinces and
cut them up fine; put the parings and cores to
boil; then strain them; put in the quinces, and
let them boil till soft; when mash them fine, and
put in | lb. of sugar to a lb. fruit; let them cook
gently for 2 hours, and take them up in pint bowls;
when cold, put brandy papers on the top of each,
and paste them over; they will turn out whole to
put on table.
Marmalade of Mixed Fruits.—Pare equal
quantities of peaches, apples, pears and quinces;
cut them fine, and put them to boil with a pint
of water to 6 lbs. of fruit; let them cook tho-
roughly, but do not let them burn; take them out
and mash them well; clean the kettle, and put
them back, with half their weight in sugar; let
them cook very slowly for 2 hours.
To Conserve Peaches.—Take the yellow
peaches, pare them, and cut them from the stone
in one piece; to 6 lbs. of peaches have 2 lbs. of
sugar; make a syrup of f lb. of sugar, and a little
water; put them in, and let them stay till they are
quite clear; then take them up carefully on a dish,
and set them in the sun to dry; pound the sugar
fine, and strew over them, turning them over to
let each part have some ; do not put much on at a
time, and if any syrup is made remove them to
fresh dishes; when they are sufficiently dry, lay
them lightly in a jar, with a little sugar between
each layer.


76 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
them, and letting them boil till clear, doing the
jelly longer and taking them out before going to
pulp.
Pears.—Take sound medium-sized pears: re-
move nearly all the stem, and boil them in water just
enough to cover them till soft; take each out care-
fully, and lay on a sieve to drain; put equal weight
of sugar, the juice and rind of lemons; make a
syrup of £ pint water to 1 lb. sugar, and boil
them, (with green ginger, in a book-muslin bag,)
till clear. If the syrup is not thickish, boil it
longer.
Quinces, just as above, leaving out lemons and
ginger.
Crab Apples.—Select perfect ones; pour boil-
ing water over them, which removes the skin: lay
them in water enough to cover them; let them
simmer slowly till soft; take them out and drain;
make a clean syrup, pound for pound; boil them
in it till clear, lay them on dishes to cool, and place
in jars; cook the syrup a little longer, and pour
it over the apples when hot. Seal.
Peaches.^—These may be done to taste even
better than the hermetically sealed uncooked arti-
cle, by taking half sugar, (or less,) to 1 lb. peaches.
Cook them 5 minutes, the syrup somewhat longer.
Seal them perfectly.
A Simpler Way.—Take the fruit, either quinces
or peaches, which is not so nice, and cut off the
whole peach or quince, in small pieces, sugar to
taste; cook 20 minutes, and seal entirely from the
air. Any kind of fruits we have in our markets
may be thus preserved, at quarter the cost, time
and trouble, ana they will be found far better eat-
ing than preserves. Method.—Let the glass jars


hartell's self-sealing cans and jars. 77
be warming near the fire, while the fruit is stewing;
have corks to fit, bladder lined, put in the fruit a
little at a time, boiling hot; warm your cement,
meanwhile, insert the cork, taking care to have
the glass full to the cork, press down tightly; then
put another piece of wet bladder over the cork,
tieing it down tightly; invert the glass into the
cement, then stand it up to harden; when hard,
roll the edge of the glass again in the hot cement,
and you have a perfectly air-tight vessel. The
very best and safest mode, however, and one which
servants must be doubly-refined stupid not to
succeed in, is Hartell's Patent Self-sealing
Jars. We give, below, an engraving of one of
these valuable vessels.
These vessels were
used during the last
summer in incredibly
large quantities, and
with the most com-
plete success. They
may be obtained in
most of the principal
cities and towns in
the country, of the
agents. They are ac-
companied with ex-
plicit directions for
use, and valuable re-
cipes for putting up
fruits and vegetables.
We are glad to be
able, from actual trial,
to give this strong
Bartavs sev-seaiing Jar. testimonial in favour
of so useful an invention.


78 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
The following methods of Preserving Fruits, etc.,
have been practically tested, the two past seasons,
with the Hartell Jar, and ,if carefully followed,
will not only be found to succeed, but the whole
operation of putting up Winter Stores will be
found so easy and simple, that the most inexpe-
rienced housekeeper need never fail. Fruit and
Vegetables put up fresh in these Jars, are ad-
mitted by medical men to be far more wholesome
and nutritious than by the old plan of cooking—
most of the leading physicians in this city having
them in use. Metal Jars or Covers have long been
considered objectionable for preserving anything
containing acidity, and the Hartell Jar, being
wholly of glass, and fastened and unfastened in a
moment by a slight turn of the cover, and requi-
ring no cement, will be found upon trial to be a
perfect success.
One thing should be borne in mind, and that a
very important one, in selecting Fruit for pre-
serving, that which is fairly ripe, without softness
or bruises should be preferred, and the same rule
will apply to Vegetables. Tomatoes should be
chosen with as much flesh and as little seed as
possible. The Hartell Jar and Cover being
wholly of glass, care should be taken not to put a
hot cover on a cold Jar, or the reverse, as the
difference in temperature may cause one or the
other to break; but in heating up be careful to
place the cover loosely on the Jar, so they may
be of equal temperature when filled, and should
you boil them in any vessel to expel the air, place
a cloth or some straw on its bottom to prevent
the glass from heating too suddenly at one point,
by coming in contact with the bottom of the
vessel


hartell's self-sealing jars. 19
Peaches.—Pare the peaches; halve or quar-
ter; then pack in the Jar as closely as possible.
Put the cover on loosely and place in a cool oven,
then raise the heat gradually until Jar and Fruit
is heated through. Then take out of the oven
and fill up the Jar to the top with boiling syrup,
(say one-quarter or half a pound of sugar to a
quart of water); then screw on the cover, tighten,
and when cool invert the Jar to see that it is per-
fectly tight; should it leak, give another turn to
the cover.
Peaches, No. 2.—After they are pared and
halved, weigh them; then take quarter their
weight of sugar, with sufficient water to dissolve
it, put on to boil, and, if dark, clear with isinglass;
if clear, skim it; put in the peaches, let them
come to a boil; have ready and at hand the Jars
well heated, and fill entirely to the brim; then
screw on the covers, and when nearly cool ascer-
tain by trying with the hand whether the covers
are perfectly tight.
Pears may be prepared in the same way, ^ess
sugar being required for fruits with less acid.
Tomatoes.— Whole.—Choose thick flesh and
little seed; skin them; squeeze out seeds as dry
as possible; place the pulp in the Jars; put on
the cover; set the Jar in cold water, bring to boil-
ing point; boil five minutes, then tighten cover.
Second plan.—After skinning, season to taste,
and cook ready for the table; place in a heated
Jar while hot, and tighten cover.
Tomatoes may be kept perfectly by being
cooked twenty minutes, and screwing them up
while boiling hot in the Jars, also well heated.
Quinces.—Pafe, and halve or quarter; pnt


80 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
them in water and boil until tender, then place
the fruit in the Jar hot; put a quarter pound of
sugar to the quart of water that the Quinces have
been boiled in; boil the syrup, and pour on the
fruit until the Jar is full, while it is boiling;
tighten and set away.
Plums can be preserved very fine by following
directions for Peaches No. 1, and instead of peel-
ing prick the skin with a pin.
Cherries, seeded, and such fruits as Straw-
berries, Blackberries, Raspberries, etc., may
be sprinkled with sugar, and allowed to stand a
short time until the juice begins to start; then
place them in the preserving kettle; just allow
them to come to a boil, then place in Jars as
other fruit.
The above* Recipes have been tried by a great
many persons with entire success, but we are free
to admit that the business of putting up Fresh
Fruits is yet only in its infancy, and we have
heard of several persons the past season putting
up Peaches, etc., in the Hartell Jar, without sy-
rup—using water alone.
Hartell & Letchworth, No. 13 North Fifth St.,
Philadelphia, are the sole manufacturers under the
Patent, and they will take pleasure in showing
these Jars to all who are interested.
Raspberry Jam.—1 quart raspberries, 1 pint
currant jelly bruised well together; set them over
a slow fire, stirring till it boils; after boiling 5 min-
utes, cool, and pour into glasses, as currant jelly,
or into moulds.


SYRTTPS.
Strawberry Syrup.—juice 1 pint, water
do., white sugar 3 lbs. After squeezing the juice
from berries, take the pulp and pour the measured
water over it, and let it come to a boil; strain
this, and make up the pint with water, if wanting.
Pour this on the sugar, put it over the fire, and
heat till the sugar is dissolved and come to a boil;
take it off the fire, add strawberry juice, stir well;
place on the fire 5 minutes, remove, and when cool
strain and bottle. Same for Raspberry, Pine
Apple, &c.: 3 quarts ripe berries make the above.
Vanilla Syrup.—Boil 3 lbs. white sugar in
1 quart boiling water, 1 hour; then put in 2 Va-
nilla beans and 1 tea-cup water, and boil until
reduced to 1 quart again. Then strain it through
a flannel bag and bottle close.
Lemon Syrup.—Squeeze the juice of 25
lemons: strain it, and add 1 pint water, 2 lbs.
sugar. Let it simmer. Bottle it
Ginger Syrup.—1 lb. sugar to 1 pint water:
boil 20 minutes—when cool, add essence of ginger
to taste.
Cherry Vinegar.—6 quarts cherries, broken
up, and 1 quart vinegar; let it stand 3 days: then
press the juice from them through a jelly bag, and
to 1 pint juice 1 lb. white sugar: boil it 12 min-
utes, and skim. This makes 8 porter bottles full.
Blackberries done in this way are also good as a
drink.—a. b.
6 (81)


PLEASANT DRINKS.
Lemonade.—To 1 pint juice 4 lbs. sugar, 2
quarts ice-water. It makes more to soak the
halves of lemons that have been squeezed in a
little water, a few at a time, using the water.
Mock Lemonade.—£ oz. tartaric acid, 6 oz.
sugar, 4 drops essence lemon dropped on the su-
gar, 1 quart boiling water.
Carbonated Drink.—2 quarts ice-water, 4
table-spoonfuls vinegar, 2 tea-spoonfuls ground
ginger. Sweeten to taste, and add 1 teaspoonful soda, 1 do. cream tartar.
Penny Beer.—f oz. cream tartar, 1 cts. worth
sassafras, I do. sarsaparilla, I do. pipsissaway.
All these are bought in the market. Put 1 gallon
water to the sassafras, pipsissaway and sarsaparilla,
and boil li hours Then pour it off and add an-
other gallon of water, and boil until the strength
is out of the herbs Pour it boiling on the cream
tartar: when about milk warm put in 1 cts. worth
yeast. Sweeten with molasses and sugar.
- Raspberry Vinegar.—Pour 1 quart vinegar
on 1 quart fresh-picked raspberries: the next day
strain it through a sieve on another quart of rasp-
berries, and so on 5 or 6 days; then to every pint
juice add 1 lb. white sugar, set it in a jar, which
must be placed in a pot of boiling water, until
scalded through. Bottle.
Ginger Beer.—1 gallon cold water, 1 lb.
white sugar, i oz. race ginger, 1 "sliced lemon, 1
(82)


GAS COOKING.
In regard to cooking with gas, our experience
is just 3 months old. As far as that experience
goes, we give it a decided preference over every
other kind of cooking.
The best apparatus for the purpose is Gleason's
Patent, to be had of Gleason & Sons, No. 1227
Market street. There are two sizes; one of them
small enough for the smallest family—very com-
pact and convenient, and not unsightly—they cost
from 20 to 30 dollars.
The usual objection made to the use of gas for
cooking, has been, that it is expensive. We have
not found it so—and for labour-saving and clean-
liness, nothing can equal it.
Bread baked by gas is not to be surpassed for
its delicate taste; and meats retain their flavour
and tenderness more perfectly than when roasted
by any other means—for steaks and chops it equals
"the good hickory coals," of which this genera-
tion is often reminded by the one which is passing
away; and when it is remembered that the heat is
only generated while the stove is in actual use,
its superiority over every other mode of cooking
is obvious for the summer months.
One of our friends, who has used gas for this
purpose for 15 years, both summer and winter,
and. who is acquainted with the methods pursued
in Paris and London, assures us that it is as much
cheaper than either coal or wood, as it is better.
If that is so, there is really nothing to be desired
but some improvement in the apparatus, which
could be easily made to make cooking a pleasure,
instead of a temper-trying burden.—k. w. t.'
(84)


COOKERY FOR THE SICK.
Let every thing be sweet and clean, as their
senses of taste and smell are very acute. Let it be
presented in an inviting form; fine China, silver,
&C., used. Be careful not to over-flavour their
food. Always have a shawl at hand; also, a clean
towel, clean handkerchief, and a small waiter, when
you present food or drink. Many of the articles
under "dessert" are good for the sick. It is well
to have a stand or small table by the bedside, that
you can set any thing on. A small silver strainer
that will just fit over a tumbler or tea-cup, is very
useful to strain lemonade, panada, or herb tea.
If you want any thing to use through the night,
you should prepare it, if possible, beforehand ; as
a person that is sick, can sometimes fall asleep
without knowing it, if the room is kept perfectly
still.
A Vegetable Soup,—Take an onion, a tur-
nip, 2 pared potatoes, a carrot (a head of celery,
or not): boil them in 3 pints water till the vege-
tables are cooked; add a little salt; have a slice
of bread toasted and buttered, put into a bowl
and pour soup over. When in season, tomatoes,
or okra, or both, improve this.
Gum Water.—| oz. to 1 oz. dissolved in
1 quart cold water. Sweeten it.
Slippery Elm Bark.—Very good for weak
or inflamed eyes.
Coffee.—Sick persons should have their coffee
(85)


EGG AND BARLEY PANADA, ETC. 87
if the patient has no fever. If you have dried
rusk, it is a quicker way to put the rusk in a bowl
with some sugar, and pour boiling water on it out
of the tea-kettle. If the patient can take no-
thing but liquids, this makes a good drink when
strained.
Egg Panada.—Boil a handful of good raisins
in a quart of water; toast a slice of bread and cut
it up; beat 2 eggs with a spoonful of sugar, and
mix it with the bread; when the raisins are done,
pour them on the toast and eggs, stirring all the
time; season to your taste with wine, nutmeg and
butter.
Barley Panada.—Boil a small tea-cup of
barley in water till it is soft, with a tea-cup of rai-
sins; put in nutmeg and sugar, and break in it
toast or dried rusk.
Calf's Foot Blancmange.—Put a set of
nicely-cleaned feet in 4 quarts of water, and let it
boil "more than half away; strain through a colan-
der, and when it is cold scrape off all the fat, and
take out that which settles at the bottom; put it
in a sauce-pan, with a quart of new milk, sugar to
your taste, lemon peal and juice, and cinnamon or
mace; let it boil 10 minutes and strain it; wet
your moulds, and when it is nearly cold, put it in
them; when it is cold and stiff, it can be turned
out on a plate, and eaten with or without cream.
This is very nice for a sick person, and is easily
made.
Chicken Water.—If you have a small
chicken, it will take half of it to make a pint of
chicken water. Cut it up and put it to boil in a
covered skillet with a quart of water; when it has


88 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
boiled down to a pint, take it up, and put in a
little salt and slice of toasted bread. This is va-
luable in cases of dysentery and cholera morbus,
particularly when made of old fowls.
Beef Tea, &c.—Take a piece of juicy beef,
without any fat, cut it in small pieces, bruise it till
tender, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle, and cork it
tight; put this in a pot of cold water, set it over
the fire, and let it boil an hour or more. When a
person can take but a small quantity of nourish-
ment, this is very good. Mutton may be done in
the same way.
Mutton and Veal Broth.—Boil a piece of
mutton till it comes to pieces; then strain the
broth, and let it get cold, so that the fat will rise,
which must be taken off; then warm it, and put in
a little salt. Veal broth may be made in the same
way, and is more delicate for sick persons.
Wine Whey.—Boil a pint of milk, and put
to it a glass of white wine; set it over the fire till
it just boils again, then set it off till the curd
has settled, when strain it, and sweeten to your
taste.
Oat-meal Gruel.—Mix 2 spoonfuls of oat-
meal with as much water as will mix it easily, and
stir it in a pint of boiling water in a saucepan until perfectly smooth; let it boil a few minutes;
season it with sugar and nutmeg, and pour it out
on a slice of bread toasted and cut up, or some
dried rusk. If the patient should like them, you
can put in a few raisins, stoned and cut up. This
will keep good a day, and if nicely warmed over,
is as good as when fresh.
Corn Gruel.—Mix 2 spoonfuls of sifted corn-


ARROW-ROOT—BLACKBERRIES, ETC. 89
meal in some water; have a clean skillet with a
pint of boiling water in it, stir it in, and when
done, season it with salt to your taste, or sugar, if
you prefer it.
Arrow-Root.—Moisten 2 tea-spoonfuls of
powdered arrow-root with water, and rub it smooth
with a spoon; then pour on a half pint of boiling
water; season it with lemon juice, or wine and
nutmeg. In cooking arrow-root for children, it is
a very good way to make it very thick, and thin it
afterwards with milk.
Blackberries.—Allow a pint of currant juice
and a pint of water to 6 lbs. of blackberries; give
them their weight in brown sugar; let them boil
till they appear to be done, and the syrup is rich.
Blackberry jelly can be made as currant jelly, and
is good for sick children, mixed with water.
Blackberry Syrup.—The following is the
recipe for making the famous blackberry syrup.
No family should be without it. All who try it
will find it a sovereign remedy for bowel com-
plaints :—" To 2 quarts blackberry juice add } oz.
each of powdered nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice,
and 1 oz. powdered cloves. Boil these together
to get the strength of the spices, and to preserve
the berry juice. While hot, add a pint of fourth
proof pure French brandy, and sweeten with loaf
sugar. Give a child 2 tea-spoonfuls 3 times a day,
and if the disorder is not checked, add to the quan-
tity."
Barley Water.—Take 2 oz. of pearl barley,
wash it in clean cold water, put it into £ pint
boiling water, and let it boil for 5 minutes: pour
off this water, and add to it 2 quarts of boiling


90 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
water; boil it to 2 pints, and strain; flavour it
with lemon juice; sweeten with white sugar to
your taste.
For Chapped Lips.—Put a tea-cupful of
rich cream over some coals to stew, with 3 table-
spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. This has a
healing effect.
Another remedy, equally good, is to a teacupful of honey, add half the quantity of mutton tallow,
and stew together till well mixed; pour it out in a
cup, and keep stirring till cold.
For chapped hands, mix together equal quanti-
ties of rich cream and strong vinegar, and rub it
over every time you wash your hands.
Cold Water for Burns.—Mr. Seth Hunt,
of Northampton, gives the following statement of
the success of treating with cold water a severe
burn and scald in his family :—" Cold water was
applied, by immersion, till the pain ceased; the
water being changed as often as it became warm.
The part was then kept swathed with wet banda-
ges, a dry woolen one enveloping them, until the
injury was healed. The healing was rapid, and
effected without leaving a scar. The instant relief
which the cold water gave from the excruciating
pain, was highly gratifying."
Liebig's Broth for the Sick.—For one
portion of broth take i lb. freshly killed meat
(beef or chicken), cut it into small pieces, and add
to it 1£ lbs. pure water to which have been added
4 drops muriatic acid, and £ to 1 drachm of salt:
mix them well together. After standing an hour
the whole is strained through a hair sieve, allow-
ing it to pass through without pressing or squeez-


92 RACAHOUT.
Racahout.—Food for Invalids.—Rice flour
5 oz.; arrow-root 5 oz.; powdered sugar 8 oz.;
cocoa 2 oz.; vanilla bean 2 drachms. Rub the sugar and vanilla together, and then mix all to-
gether. A good substitute may be prepared by
mixing together 1 tea-spoonful of vanilla chocolate,
a level table-spoonful of arrow-root, do. of rice
flour; this will make 1 pint.
To prepare racahout for the sick, take 1 or 2
table-spoonfuls of the mixture (according as it be
desired thick or thin), rub it up with a little cold
milk, and stir into a pint of boiling milk; boil 15
minutes, and sweeten to taste.


WINTER AND OTHER STORES.
Vegetables are best kept on a stone floor, if the
air be excluded. Meat in a cold, dry place. Sugar
and sweetmeats require a dry place—so does salt.
Candles cold, but not damp. Dried meats, hams,
&c, the same. All sorts of seeds for puddings, soups,
&c, are best in glass jars, with close lids. I prefer
glass for every household purpose for which it is
at all suitable, its contents being seen at a glance.
It is quite cheap, if bought in quantity. Whit-
alls, Race st., near Fourth, keep jars and bottles.
Corn.—There are several methods. Cutting
off the cob after cooking 5 minutes, is one—then
drying in the sun. Another is to make a pickle
instead of drying it, and put in "Arthur's Cans."
The Shakers have the art.
Another Way to keep Green Corn.—Make
pickles in a barrel, as for meat. Throw into it,
from time to time, ears of unhusked sugar corn.
When you have enough, put weights to keep the
corn under, and cover the barrel. When used,
soak the ears all night, (after taking off the husk,)
and boil in a large portion of water, which must
be changed once, in boiling.
Okra.—This very desirable vegetable for soups,
should be purchased when young and small, sliced,
and dried on plates, in a cool oven, or about a
stove. Put it away in glass jars, dry.
Herbs should be gathered when they are in
blossom.
(93)


94 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
There are various ways of keeping eggs: all
those given below are good.
Greased Eggs.—Warm some fat of almost
any kind, put the eggs in; cover them quite, take
them out and lay them in an old tin or earthen
vessel: paste them up, or better, cement with the
tin, as named elsewhere, and they will be found
good all winter. Some use gum water.
Eggs in Lime.—Pour 2 gallons hot water
over 1 pint lime, and h pint salt; when cold put
some eggs in a jar, and pour it over them; be sure
there are no cracked ones.—r. h.
Keeping Eggs.—Having tried many ways of
preserving eggs, I have found the following to be
the easiest, cheapest, surest, and best. Take your
crock, keg, or barrel, according to the quantity
you have, cover the bottom with half an inch salt,
and set your eggs close together on the small end;
be very particular to put the small end down; for
if put in any other position, they will not keep as
well, and the yelk will adhere to the shell: sprinkle
them over with salt, so as to fill the interstices,
and then put in another layer of eggs, and cover
with salt, and so on, till your vessel is filled. Cover
it tight, and put it where it will not freeze, and
the eggs will keep perfectly fresh and good any
desirable length of time.
Sweet Potatoes.—These are the greatest
luxury in the way of vegetables, our tables can
offer in winter. Engage a Jersey man, in whom
you have confidence, to bring them at the proper
time in a proper state. Let them be put in the
garret of a house which has a furnace, in barrels
or boxes: let them be uncovered for several days,


TO KEEP APPLES AND PEARS. 95
with a circulation of air constantly kept up. At
the end of 4 or 5 days cover them with newspa-
pers, if the boxes have no covers. I find the
temperature most adapted to them is 60. We have
them till they come again.—e. n.
White Potatoes are hardy, and will bear the
cellar.
Lima Beans, picked ripe, and put on a garret
floor to dry; then shelled and put in bags in a
dry place, will keep. Soak them over night.
To keep Apples and Pears.—Put them
in air-tight vessels, and place them in the cellar
in a temperature between 32 and 40. In this way,
says the "Horticulturist," these fruits may be
preserved, in perfect order for eating, all winter.
Another Way.—Wrapping each apple or pear
in paper, answers well also.
Peaches Uncooked.—Procure glass jars,
(with a rim at the top, and not too thick bottoms.)
Pare and halve ripe peaches, put them into the jars,
(which must be warmed previously,) packing as
close as possible in the jars. Make a syrup of 1
lb. sugar to 1 quart water; let it come to a boil,
then pour it over the peaches, filling the jars quite
full. Have ready some white muslin, and £ yard
gum elastic cloth. Dip the muslin, which may be
cut in squares of one-eighth yard size, into the
syrup: then have the gum cloth ready cut, and
tie the two together with strong twine tightly
over the bottle. This was tried with entire suc-
cess, the concave lids proving the absent air. I
should think tomatoes would do well thus, if
cooked, especially. This gum cloth may be had at
gum elastic stores, at $1 25 per yard, and it will
last years, with care.—s. l.


96 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
To Keep Eggs.—During a long voyage to
South America, it was noticed how fresh the eggs
continued to be. The steward was called oh for
his secret. He said that as he purchased his stock,
he packed it down in small boxes—raisin boxes—
and afterwards, about once a week, turned over
every box but the one out of which he was using.
This was all. The reason of his success is, that
by turning the eggs over, he kept the yolks about
the middle of the albumen. If still, the yolk will
after a while find its way through the white to the
shell, and when it does so, the egg will spoil.
Hens understand this fact, for they, as is well
known, turn over their eggs on which they set, at
least daily.
To Tell Good Eggs.—If you desire to be
certain that your eggs are good and fresh, put
them in water. If the buts turn up they are not
fresh. This is an infallible rule to distinguish a
good egg from a bad one.
Tomatoes, &c, —Cook and season them as for
dinner, omitting sugar, bread, or flour. Put them
boiling hot, either into "Hartell's Jars," or have
glass bottles with fitting corks ready (warming the
glass), and fill them with the hot tomato. Place a
piece of bladder under the cork before you insert
it: put it in tightly; now insert the glass quickly
into a cup of cement: let it cool, and dip again.


98 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
bowl, making them very sweet with fine sugar;
then put a thick layer of grated cocoa nut; then a
layer of orange slices; then more cocoa nut, and
so on, till the bowl is well filled, finishing with cocoa
nut heaped high on the top.
Iced Grapes.—Take large, close bunches of
fine, ripe, thin-skinned grapes, and remove any that
are imperfect. Tie a string in a loop to the top
of the stem. Strain into a deep dish a sufficient
quantity of white of egg. Dip the bunches of
grapes into it, immersing them thoroughly. Then
drain them, and roll them about in a flat dish of
finely-powdered loaf sugar till they are completely coated with it, using your fingers to spread the
sugar into the hollows between the grapes. Hang
up the bunches by the strings, till the icing is en-
tirely dry. They should be dried in a warm place.
Ripe currants may be priced as above. Rasp-
berries, strawberries, ripe gooseberries, plums, and
cherries may be thus dipped in white of egg, and
rolled in sugar.
Ice Cream.—Take 2 quarts good country
cream; sweeten it with 1 lb. white sugar. Take |-
a vanilla bean and grate it on a nutmeg grater
into a little of the cream: scald this to extract the
flavour: boil 1 table-spoonful arrow-root in -l- pint
milk: mix all together: put it into the freezer,
stir it frequently, scraping the frozen parts from
the sides often: beat it from time to time, while
freezing: the more it is beaten, the lighter and
more of it.
Tomato Figs.—Scald and remove the skins
from 8 lbs. tomatoes : cook them in 3 lbs. sugar till
clear: take them out with a perforated spoon, on


100 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
are made of sour milk or cream, as a general rule,
1 tea-spoonful of sub. car. soda is sufficient for 1
pint of milk; no cream of tartar. Soft dough,
and a quick oven, are essential to the production
of light cakes, &c.
Quick Milk Biscuit,--2 lbs. flour, 1 lb.
lard, small bowl milk, 2 medium size potatoes, 1 tea-cup yeast, all warm. Raise in a warm place,
cut them out, let them get very light. Bake in the very hot oven.
Another.—1 pint of bread sponge, 2 potatoes,
mashed fine; butter, the size of a walnut; 1 egg
added last. Stir, and put to rise.—m. w.
Sweet Potato Rolls.—Boil 3 large sweet po-
tatoes; while hot, make smooth and beat in ^ lb.
lard and 1 tea-spoonful of salt. Make a sponge
of 2£ lbs. of flour, and stir in the potatoes; 1 tea-
cup of yeast; let it stand 8 hours; make into little
rolls; avoid all kneading and handling; let them
rise again, and bake in a quick oven.—M. D.
Light Gingerbread.—Take 3 cups of mo-
lasses, 5 of flour, 1 of sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of soda, 2 of cream tartar; (dissolve these, apart, in
rose water,) work the sugar with \ lb. butter, put 1
table-spoonful of cloves, and do. of ginger. Mix
and bake in cups or shallow pans.
Hamlin Cake.—1 cup of flour; 1 do. of
sugar; 3 eggs; the rind grated and juice of 1
lemon; 1 tea-spoonful of soda and 2 cream tar.
mixed together; use 1 spoonful of the mixture
only. Drop this batter in small quantities, apart,
and sprinkle with chopped pea-nuts or shell barks
or walnuts.


HINTS FOR WASHING AND IRONING
DAYS.
CONCENTKATED LYE, OE SAPONIFIER.
Hard Soap.—To 1 lb. of the Saponifier add 3
gallons of water, dissolve in an iron or copper
kettle, heat to boiling: add 5 lbs. of tallow, soap-
fat, lard or olive oil, until a clear solution of uni-
form consistency is obtained; when the solution
has attained this point, keep on a simmer, and add
1 tea-cup full of salt, then the soap, separating
first into hard grains, ceases to froth, and forms
slabs and flakes through which the steam puffs,
when it is finished and ready to mould. If you
want to make rosin or yellow soap, take one-third
of clean rosin and two-thirds of the above quan-
tity of fat: add the rosin first, and when it is all
dissolved and taken up by the Saponifier, put in
the fat and finish up as the other.
Hard Fancy Soap.—Dissolve 1 lb. of Sapo-
nifier in 3 lbs. of water, and add thereto, stirring
the same rapidly, 4 lbs. of tallow or soap-fat,
merely liquefied—or that much lard or olive oil,
cold; keep stirring and beating until all has as-
sumed the appearance of thick honey, cover it up
and set the batch in a warm place, or better, cover
it with a woolen blanket or a feather bed, to keep
up the heat, and let it stand for 24 hours, when it
will have set into a fine, hard soap, which may be
perfumed and variegated with colours by stirring
the desired colours or perfume into the mixture,
just before covering.
(101)


SOAP FOR WASHING CLOTHES, ETC. 103
gill liquid ammonia. Have a crock or stone pot
with a lid, into which pour the hot liquid before
ammonia is put in. Cover it quickly, and stir 2
or 3 times while cooling, keeping it covered the
while. When about to use it, take 1 lb. of it and
dissolve in a basin of warm (not hot) water,
meanwhile putting water for washing hot enough
to bear your hands; put all together, stirring with
hand, and put in as many clothes as the water will
cover. Cover over the tub with a soiled sheet,
and let it stand 20 minutes. When you wash the
articles you will find the soil not removed, but
loose, and very little rubbing needful. The wash-
board need not be used for the "first boil." Let
all the clothes go through this tub, adding a little
hot water, and they will be found surprisingly
clean and white. Nearly all colours in calico and
mousselines will bear it, but 'tis better to try a
piece of it first. A little beef's gall put in, sets
.colours. When every article has gone through it,
do not pour it under the gate, but set it aside till
evening: water, grape vines, and vegetables, and
flowers with it, and a better fertilizer is not. Also,
you may make a very useful soap of sand, by tak-
ing a pint of the soap while cooling, and mixing
enough pewter sand to adhere. Make it in cakes
and put to dry. This is good for scrubbing grease
spots, &C., and invaluable on the wash-stand to
take ink-spots from hands.
Tinware, passed through such suds, is cleansed
and polished by the process, and washbasins, &C., may be rinsed after, and look well.
Flannels are best put into the suds when it is
nearly or quite cold: it prevents their fulling,
somewhat. Boiling suds must be improper for


104 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
woolen goods, as fullers use that method to thicken
their woolen fabrics.
The great cause of flannel shrinking is, I believe,
the oil and perspiration from the pores of the
body ; therefore an article half cotton is preferable.
To make Calicoes Wash Well.—Infuse 3
gills of salt in 4 quarts of boiling water, and put
the calicoes in while hot, and leave it till cold •
in this way the colours are rendered permanent,
and will not fade by subsequent washing.
Bleaching Muslin.—Chemists allow £ lb.
chloride of lime, dissolved in 1 gal. boiling water.
Care must be taken in using it, because, if very
strong, the fabric will be tendered: not otherwise.
It will be better to consult a chemist, however,
before putting any muslin goods into the solution.
The chloride of lime used in chemistry being
of such different degrees of strength, the fabric
may be made tender, and ruined for me. The Patent Clothes-Drying Machine.—
This is the most simple and useful machine ever
yet invented for drying clothes. It is simply a
post erected in the centre of the yard, about 6£
feet above the surface, or of a proper height to be
out of the way of the head. In the centre of the
upper end of the post is driven an iron pin, pro-
jecting about 3 inches. A cast-iron hub, having a
hole in the centre of the lower arch of the size of
the pin, with 6 mortices or recesses at equal dis-
tances around the periphery; the hub is placed
upon the pin in the post, the arms, 6 in number,
are placed one in each mortice or recess. The


STARCH. 105
clothes line is run from arm to arm around the
machine from 6 to 8 times, and about 8 inches
apart. The washerwoman stands on a chair, hav-
ing her basket of clothes by her side, and hangs
the small ones first on the inner line, moving the
machine around until she has hung out her entire
washing without moving her chair. Every little
breath of air causes it to revolve around; thus the
clothes are constantly changing position—allowing
the sun and air to come to all of them alike. The
advantages are—
1. That when there are no clothes on the ma-
chine, it is out of the way of the head, and can all
be unshipped and put away, leaving nothing but
the post in the yard.
2. It will dry the clothes in a much less time.
3. There is no necessity for treading down the
plants in the yard, as only one position is neces-
sary.
4. Clothes can be hung out in much less time.
5. A person can pass around the machine to
any other part of the yard without stooping under
the clothes, as is the case when the line is strung
across the yard.
6. Their cheapness, as one can be furnished,
complete and erected, for $5 00—if turned post
and painted, $6 00. To be had at 1020 Chestnut
street.
Starch.—It is economy to use two kinds of
clear starch in a wash. The Pearl starch is best
for shirts and collars, &c. Let it be smoothly
made, and well boiled. Put in a piece of Sperm
the size of a walnut, to 1 quart starch. [It is a
good way to use the ends of candles, oil having
become so high; it is cheaper and pleasanter to use


CLEANSING, ETC.
For Staining Floors, Piazzas, &c.—Make
a strong lye of boiled wood ashes, add as much,
copperas as will stain the floor a light shade of
oak: try a little first. Put on the wash with a
mop dipped in the lye, and wet the boards well.
When varnished, this lasts a season.
For Cleansing Brushes and Combs.—
Put 1 tea-spoonful liquid ammonia into 2 quarts
warm water; put in 1 brush at a time, rub it
about quickly, dip it all over, rinse in clear tepid
water, and wipe dry. Put in your combs several
at once (as they are not varnished), and rinse and
dry them; fine tooth combs thus cleansed, and
just before using, cut a piece of white flannel the
length of comb, and stick it through the whole
length, about half-way up. Remove this when
your hair is combed—will keep them so.
Ants.—The large black ants may be routed by
a wet sponge, sugared: the small ones, by honey
set about.
Soap for Mouse Holes.—A lump of hard
soap is good to stop a rat, mouse, cockroach or
ant hole. They all hate soap.
(i<m


TO CLEAN WHITE MARBLE MANTLES, ETC. 109
twine and pass it in double; a little turning and
the twine will enclose the cork, and so may be
drawn out.
To Clean White Marble Mantles.—
Brush them well with a brush, such as painters use,
daily, and wipe with a soft dry towel. If soiled,
dip a sponge in clean warm water and wash it,
drying with a soft towel. To clean the carved
part, wet a sponge with pumice stone, and gently
rub on, washing off with pure water, drying with
a towel: for the interstices, use a stick covered
with a towel.
To Wash Oil Cloth.—Oil cloth may be made
to have a fresh, new appearance, by washing ^t
every month with a solution of sweet milk with
the white of 1 beaten egg. Soap, in time, injures
oil cloth. A very little "boiled oil" freshens up an
oil cloth: very little must be used, and rubbed in
with a rag. Equal parts of copal varnish I put;
it gives a gloss.
To Red a Yard.—Many persons put red on a
yard to cover green bricks. The green may be
removed by pouring boiling water, in which any
kind of vegetables (not greasy) have been boiled.
Persevere in this a few days, and all green will
disappear. For red colour, make a solution of 1
oz. common glue to 1 gallon water: while hot, put
in alum the size of an egg, £ lb. Venetian red, and
1 lb. or more Spanish brown. Try a little" on a
brick, let it dry, and add colour, if too light: wa-
ter, if too dark.
To Wash Silk and Ribbons in Cam-
phene.—Put a flat-iron to heat. Take 2 tea-
cups, into which put 3 table-spoonfuls fresh pure


110 THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK.
camphene. Have an old tooth-brush, and a small
planed board laid on a newspaper on the table.
Lay the ribbon or tie-shawl along the board,
wetting tooth-brush with the camphene, and rub-
bing it all over the article: hardest where it is
most soiled: do this for a minute, turn over and
do likewise : put it in the tea-cup used out of, pass
it through your fingers to clean it, put it in the
other tea-cup a minute; now have a clean cloth at
hand, on which lay the ribbons. Have your iron-
ing cloth ready, the iron just warm enough to pass
rapidly over the silk. Iron it on both sides, when
a few hours hanging in the air takes off all smell,
and they resemble new ribbon. Do not iron your
ribbon when it is too wet, but sop it a moment in
the dry cloth, and it is ready. Durable Ink.—100 grains lunar caustic, 1
drachm gum arabic, into 1 oz. soft water. Pre-
paration water.—1 oz. sal soda, 2 oz. soft water:
a little gum arabic to stiffen the linen.
How to Paper a Wall.—Cut off the right
side of the pieces, measure one the height of the
wall: cut up one piece in lengths, leaving any odd
pieces for windows. Have a pine table, across
which lay several of the lengths. Begin to paste
by laying the one nearest you to the edge: paste
it well all over: double it to within £ yard of the
top: carry it there, and have a clean towel over
your shoulder : match the figure first at the ceiling,
and use the cloth to smooth it as you pass your
hand over the whole width: let the ends of the
doubled part now fall, and keep on down smoothing
as you go, till at the wash-board cut off the paper
to fit snugly. When you wish to turn a corner,
measure what is wanted: after wetting, cut the 2


PASTE PAINTING A ROOM, ETC. Ill
ends a bit, and crease it between the ends on the
edge of the table. Now you are ready for the
border, when the room is covered. Cut it into
lengths of 1£ yards, paste it, and go up the ladder
with towel: be sure you are careful, matching it
as it belongs.
Paste.—Mix wheat flour in a pail with tepid
water. Pour boiling water on this, and it will
thicken. Before you begin the room, paste at all
the ins and outs of the wood-work little bits of the
paper. For a whitewashed wall, make a solution
of \ lb. glue to a gallon of water: boil it and put
on with a whitewash brush.
Painting a Room.—Get a painter to mix
the quantity of paint required. Purchase such a
brush as is sold for 20 cents ; have the surface you
intend painting thoroughly cleansed from grease
or spots; stir the paint well, and you can proceed.
There is very little labor in this, and often may be
done to advantage by a woman. If much of a job
is undertaken, it is needful to have oil and turpen-
tine added.
Economical Paint.—Skim milk 2 quarts, fresh
slacked lime 8 oz., linseed oil 6 oz.,white burgundy
pitch 2 oz., Spanish white 3 lbs. The lime to be
slacked in water, exposed to the air, mixed in one-
fourth of the milk: the oil in which the pitch is pre-
viously dissolved, to be added a little at a time;
then the rest of the milk, and afterwards the Spa-
nish white. This quantity is sufficient for 27
square yards, 2 coats, and the expense not more
than 25 cents.


114 THE HOUSE BOOK.
I
t left till dry. Where there is much soiling to be
removed, and of old standing, it may be allowable
to use, gently and carefully, a soft hair brush, while
the print is saturated with the water, to assist in
the disengagement of the impurities.
To Colour White Ribbons.—They should
first be passed through water a little acid, to whiten
them. For blue, put 1 oz. indigo into a bottle, with
3 oz. blue vitriol. Fill the bottle one-third full to
allow for fermentation: leave out the cork. Let it
stand 2 weeks before using: shake it once a day
for a week,- and if too thick add water.
This mixture, with warm water and alum, will
colour any shade of blue in 5 minutes.
A little tumeric, mixed with boiling water and
alum, colours any shade of yellow; scarlet lake
and cream tartar, any shade of pink.
A few drops of blue mixed with the pink, makes
dove colour.
To Mix White-wash.—Pour a kettle of
boiling water on a peck of unslacked lime; put
in 2 lbs. whiting, and J pint salt; when all are
mixed together, put in i oz. of Prussian blue,
finely powdered; add water to make it a proper
thickness to put on a wall.
Whitewash for Buildings or Fences.—
Put in a barrel 1 bushel of best unslacked lime;
pour on it 2 buckets of boiling water, and when it
is mixed put in 6 lbs. fine whiting; fill up the bar-
rel with water, stir it well, and keep it covered
from the rain; let it stand several days before
you use it, when stir it up; thin it with milk as
you use it, and put f a pint of salt to each bucket-
ful. This makes a durable wash for a rough-cast
or frame house, or for fences; the salt prevents it
from peeling off.


USEFUL
ORNAMENTAL WORK.
(nt)


GRECIAN PAINTING.
This is a method of preparing mezzotint and
aquatint engravings so as closely to resemble the
finest paintings in oil.
DIRECTIONS1st.—Have made a pine frame, say two inches
larger than the engraved part of the print.
M. —Cut the engraving the size of the frame,
then make a stiff paste and spread it thickly on
the frame.
M. —Place the engraving face down, sponge it
gently with water, then press the frame firmly down
on it—leave it until entirely dry, (not near the
fire,) and it will become even and tight.
4th.—Pour sufficient spirits of turpentine on the
back to moisten it well, then putting on the Gre-
cian varnish, rub it thoroughly with your stiff
brush, and continue to apply until perfectly trans-
parent; after leaving it, if white spots appear,
repeat the process.
Lastly.—Place it face down, where it will be
free from dust, for two or three days.
Particulars, as to colors needed, as well as the
other materials used, may be obtained of Scholz
& Janentzky, 112 South 8th st., Philadelphia.
(118)


LEATHER WORK.
The leather used for this purpose is called
Blank Leather, by dealers. It can be had at any
Leather and Morocco store, at from 50 to 75 cents
a skin. The leaves or flowers are to be drawn
with a black lead pencil on the smoothest side of
the leather, and then cut out with a small pair of
pointed scissors—they are then to be thrown into
a cup of clear cold water until they are saturated
with moisture, when they are to be laid -on a.
towel, and are ready for being shaped or veined,
according to the shape and veining of the leaf or
flower they are meant to represent (but never, as
you love nature, according to yourfancy) ; use your
ingenuity to the utmost in devising modes of im-
itating accurately, but do not try to invent other
forms than her gracious hand supplies. Most
leaves can be shaped by the finger, after the veins
have been drawn upon the damp surface, which is
best done with a rather blunt point of any thing
almost—knitting needle or steel stiletto. Many
flowers should be veined in the same manner, and
most of them can be shaped by the finger—others,
such as jasmin or convolvulus can be made cup-
shaped, by pressing a round piece of leather into
the mouth of a bottle, and drawing the edges
down tightly over the lip of it—varying the size
of the bottle to suit the size of the flower from the
smallest homeopathic, up to any size required—
they should be laid gently on a paper to dry, and
are then ready for use.
To ornament frames of all kinds, for mirrors,
01*)


120 THE HOUSE BOOK.
pictures, &C., for brackets, baskets, bonnets, &C., &C., they can be fastened on surfaces by nailing,
sewing (which is best when possible) or gluing.
The arrangement of them, for different purposes,
gives room for the exercise of nice taste and dis-
crimination; be careful to use the foliage proper
to the flower, and do not surround grapes with
rose leaves, nor jasmine with grape tendrils.
If intended to represent carved wood, they may
be varnished, but they lose something of delicacy
and beauty in the process.
The varnish should be best copal, applied with
a camel's hair paint brush.
The easiest way to draw the outlines, is to cut
the intended shape out of thin pasteboard, (a visit-
ing card, for instance;) lay it on the leather and
trace round it with a pencil.—e. w. t.
To make Twigs look like Coral.—Take
clear rosin, dissolve it, and to every ounce of
which add 2 drachms of the finest vermilion;
when stirred well together, choose the twigs and
branches, peeled and dried; then take a pencil
and paint the branches all over while the com-
position is warm: afterwards shape them in imi-
tation of natural coral. This done, hold the
branches over a gentle fire till all is smooth and
even, as if polished. White coral may be imi-
tated with white lead, in the same manner.
To take Impressions of Medals and
Coins, &o.—Melt a little isinglass glue with
brandy, and pour it thinly over the medal, so as to
cover its whole surface ; let it remain on for a day
or two, and then taking it off, it will be clear, and
have an elegant impression of the coin. It will
not soften in damp weather, as other glue.


COTTAGE FURNITURE. 123
wish to employ. Arrange them on a table as you
wish them to appear in your Potiche. Apply
with a brush some gum in the inside of the Po-
tiche, over the whole surface you wish to fix your
cutting; put in your cutting with care, and press
every portion of it firmly to the glass, being care-
ful to press out every particle of air. When your
Potiche is entirely decorated, you will see that
every thing is well secured; apply a coat of gum,
and smooth down the paper; let it dry at least
six hours, and again assure yourself that all is per-
fectly smooth; give the inside of the Potiche an-
other thorough coat of gum; let it dry again, during
at least 6 hours. It may then be painted any colour
desired, by either pouring the paint into the Po-
tiche, and running it around, or using a brush.
If a second coat of paint should be desired, let
the first become perfectly dry before the second is
applied. When carefully made, as handsome
vases can be produced as the imported, and at
one-tenth the cost. All the materials may be pro-
cured of Scholz & Janentzky, Number 112
So. Eighth street. These vases cost from 20
cents to $5. Pictures, per sheet, from 25 cents to
$2 50. Paint and gum, 25 cents per bottle, i
Brushes 25 cents. (See p. 127.)
a Cottage Furniture—A number of inexpen-
sive, convenient articles, may be made with a little
< ingenuity and calico, or mousseline, or moreen.
If you have cane-seat chairs, which have become
broken in the canes only, old merino or cloth may
be tacked over, (putting thick muslin between,)
then narrow gimping over the tacks. Give the
chairs previously a washing in ammonia soap-suds,


INTHE HOUSE BOOK.
and the coat of copal varnish, and you have reno<
vated them at little labour and cost.
For Seats.—If you have an old hair trunk, it
may be converted into a pretty and useful seat, by
covering it with merino or moreen; one on either
side of a bed is useful for shoes and bonnets. You
can get a neat table, and place for soiled clothes,
by dressing a barrel with pink or blue chintz and
lace over it, or furniture calico. Another way, is
to get a carpenter to make you the frame for an
hour-glass table. Dressed with furniture chintz,
and pockets all round the top, it makes a very
useful sewing table, for city or country.
A Divan.—An exceedingly useful couch may
be had at small cost, by having a carpenter to
make a frame of common stuff, 6 feet long, 28
inches wide, and 12 inches high. Have a sloping
side-piece and head-piece cut out of a board: let
the head-piece be 1 foot high, tapering to the
whole width of couch: let the side-piece taper
from the head: let this be 3 feet long. Have
slats nailed across the bottom, or girth passed
through holes bored in the sides. Let the side-
piece and end be upholstered first, and nailed on:
make a thick mattress of hay or straw for the
bottom, and another of hair top. Cover with
calico—a frill to reach the floor. There must be
castors. One half of this divan may run under a
bed, if the room is small. The best way to make
a comfortable affair of it, is to let an upholsterer
stuff it, and put in springs. This makes an addi-
tional cost of 3 dollars.
Bonnet Oases.—On leaving home, the trans-
fer of a dress bonnet is often a difficulty. A neat
article to carry a bonnet with caps inside of it, is


MAKING SHOES. 125
made by cutting a thick pasteboard into a half
circle, first cutting a paper pattern that shape,
which will enclose the face: cut 2 of these alike:
cut a strip deep enough to enclose the bonnet:
try it by putting in your bonnet. Get dark quiet
coloured glazed paper, baste it over the paste-
board, bind with ribbon the colour, make a lid
to fit of the same, sew all together, and a loop or
two, with button, will secure it from dust or wet.
If you do not mind size, a bag of silk could be
sewed to the top to hold any small light article,
thereby avoiding the risk, in travelling, of losing
small parcels.
Another way is to procure a square box, with
lid; make sides of Holland the height required
for bonnet, have 4 pieces of wood the same height
to stand in the corners, and you have a box which
can be flattened at pleasure; put into a trunk, and
used at sea-side hotels, &c, where closets, &C., are not.
Making Shoes.—Women may make slippers
and gaiters', by purchasing a last, and the imple-
ments sold at "Finding stores." Rip up an old
gaiter; cut out and make your uppers like it; sew
on tips of patent leather. Wet your sole, tack it
wrong side out to the last, in three places. Tack
the middle of your upper to the middle of instep
of last, have a borer and a waxed end, and sew all
round the shoe. When done, pound down the
stitches with a hammer, turn the shoe, put it on
the last again, pound the edges hard all round,
and leave till dry. Next day you can make the
other. Paste a linen sole lining; or better, put
in old thin soles, as the ones you make must ne-
cessarily be so. One can make satin or kid slip-


126 THE HOUSE BOOK.
pers very easily, at a most trifling cost: they will
do for the parlour of an evening.
Making a Dress.—"Machine sewing" will
do all parts of a dress, except button-holes ; and you
may make your own body linings fit, by ripping
the baste out of one on which your dressmaker is
at work, laying it on strong brown paper, cutting
and creasing, just where her seems are, and next
time doing it yourself.
Children's Toys.—It is interesting, when on
a journey, or in the country, to gather moss,
acorns, shells, sea grass, &c, and on returning
have a cottage made of binders' board, and these
glued or sewed on. They serve the double pur-
pose of a remembrance for yourself, and a plea-
sure for children.
Toy Scrap Books.—It is well to save child-
ish pictures, and wood-cuts of various kinds, (many
of which give children an excellent idea of places,)
and paste them into one of those large calico or
worsted pattern books, which are called sample cards,
and are of little use at the stores, after their season
has passed. These books are lasting, and give
much pleasure to children. Another way is, to
select fancy-coloured muslin, then forming into
leaves hemmed at the edges, upon which pictures
may be pasted. Sew six of these together, and
then join them. A stiff piece of pasteboard, co-
vered with muslin, forms a nice binding.


DYES.
To Color Olive.—Make a strong sage tea,
and add alum and copperas till it is dark: Strain
it: dip the article to be colored in soap suds,
wring it out and dip it in the dye: wring it out,
shake, and let it be aired a moment. If cloudy
dip again in the dye. Maple bark and copperas
make a good dark color.
Another Color.—Dissolve 1 oz. anotta in 5
gallons water: when boiling add \ pint soft soap:
the muslin must be wet in soap suds before putting
in.
Yellow.—Boil peach leaves when they are
turning yellow, in the autumn, with a little alum.
Onion skins boiled with alum make a good yellow.
Also a good yellow is produced by 1 table-spoon-
ful turmeric in 1 pint water: make a strong lather
of soap suds and boil the whole together. Dip as
above.
Steel Color.—Tea grounds, set with cop-
peras.
Pearl Color.—1 gallon boiling water, 1 tea-
spoonful pow. alum. Strain into this 1 gill good
black ink. This makes a pearl color. A faded Shet-
land shawl may be renovated, by first washing it in a
strong ammonia soap suds, and, after wringing,
placing it in the above preparation. Let the air
pass through it, after once wringing, and dip again.
Now wring it very dry, and previously place news-
papers on the floor of a room, then B large clean
(127)


130 THE HOUSE BOOK.
Paste that will Keep.—Dissolve 1 oz. alum
in 1 quart water warmed: when cold add as much
flour as will make it the consistence of cream : then
strew in as much powdered rosin as will lie on a
dime, and# the same of pow. cloves. Boil it to the
proper consistency, stirring all the time. This will
keep a year, and may be moistened with water,
when dry.
A Mucilage that willKeep.—Take of
powdered gum arabic 8 oz.; sugar 1 oz.; water 8
oz.; vinegar 4 oz.
Liquid Glue.—In a wide-mouthed bottle dis-
solve 8 oz. best glue in £ pint water, by setting it
in a vessel of water, and heating, till dissolved.
Then add slowly, constantly stirring, 2^ oz. nitric
acid. Keep it well corked, and it will be ready
for use.


A STAR PURSE, ETC. 133
over the other two, throw the thread over the
needle, knit three, draw the first over the second,
and throw the thread over the needle. Wrong
side, heel. In third round, put the hole in middle
of the three plain stitches.
A Star Purse.—5? stitches on the needle, of
green purse silk; knit 1 row, heel; second row,
knit the first 3 plain, bind the first of these 3
over the other 2, put the thread in front of the
needle, and so on, in the same manner. Change
the colour to white, after every seam row.—m. a. b.
Mufflers.—Cast on 66 stitches of zephyr; rib
it 2 and 1; knit thus for about 3 inches. Cast
off, and net into the top 56 nets; go around the
second time by putting 2 into one; make a few
more, and finish.—m. m.
Gaiters.—Cast on 90 of dark or black tapes-
try; knit a few rows garter, and make holes for
strings. (You do this by knitting two together,
throwing over the thread;) put it into ribs, 2 and
2, narrowing every 9 rows at each end, till long
enough to reach ankle ; then divide the whole into
3 parts, leaving £ front, the rest on either side;
put in another needle, cast on 46 stitches on the
instep, and shape the front piece to your shoe,
narrowing off at the side.
Infant's Socks.—Cast on 24 stitches on each
3 needles; rib 1, slip and bind; make 7, and knit
1 also; narrow 1 and rib; do this times enough
to have 11 holes deep; put in coloured zephyr,
rib every 5 rounds; make 5 ribs deep for heel,
narrowing it as in a tiny stocking. When the heel
is taken up, let there be narrowing to 38. Nar-
row 9 on the white instep before joining it to


134 THE HOUSE BOOK.
zephyr. Make 4 ribs before narrowing off toe,
beginning with 6 and 6 between; let there be 20
holes from top to end of instep.—a. b.
A pretty quick-made sock.—Cast on 31
stitches; knit 11 rows like garter, narrow and
widen all across for holes; knit 2 rows more; knit
9 rows and bind off; commence at the back of
sock, knit the 11, take up the 9 on instep, then
cast on 11 at the end of needle; knit 9 more rows,
narrow on the 10th, 11th and 12th; bind off.
Commence at the toe and take up 11; take up 1
on instep, draw the 11th over 12th, leaving 11;
knit 9 rows across, take up the 9 on the opposite
side: then knit the Jl rows, then the 9; narrow
on the 10th, 11th, 12th. Bind off—m. e.
A Round Guard.—Cast on 4 stitches; knit
them, then slip them to the other end of needle,
and pull the first stitch tightly. This makes a
round string, and soon done.
For Knitting Shoes.— Cast on 24 stitches,
3 rows thrown up and 4 knit plain, for 31 ribs.
Throw on 24 for the instep, finishing the toes with
19 ribs. Commence narrowing the 4th rib from
the instep, narrow once at each end of the needle
on every plain row, for 3 rows ; then narrow every
plain and every rib until it is small enough, leav-
ing 21 stitches at the end. Take up the stitches
at the top for the edge, according to fancy. 1 oz.
of worsted for a pair of shoes.
Directions for Knitting an Infant's
Cap.—Cast 45 stitches of double zephyr on a
wooden needle; knit 4 times across the needles;
then slip off the first stitch, turn the zephyr twice
round the needle, and knit two together; continue


WASH MITTEN, ETC. 135
this to the end of the needle, then 4 times across;
then the narrowing and widening row, or the
zephyr wound twice round the needle, and the
stitches, after you knit 4 rows of holes, and 4
plain rows, then take 10 stitches off each end . of the needles, and tie them up to prevent them
running down; then knit the remaining 25
stitches with the 4 plain rows, and the row of
holes between; on the third row of holes narrow
1 stitch, on the middle of the needle; on the
fourth row of holes, narrow 1 stitch on the middle
of the needle; on the fifth row of holes, narrow 2
stitches on the middle of the needle; on the sixth
row of holes, narrow 2 stitches on the middle of
the needle. Then knit 3 rows of plain knitting,
when you come to the end of the third row; then ,
take up the stitches along the side of the crown
and knit up the 10 stitches you tied up; then
knit back, and take' up the stitches on the oppo-
site side of the crown, and the 10 stitches you
tied up; then knit a row of holes, and 4 plain
rows; continue this until you arrive at the sixth
row of holes, when you widen 1 stitch on each
side of the needle; then widen two stitches on
the seventh needle, widen 3 stitches on the eighth
row of holes, and widen 4 stitches on the ninth
row of holes; then knit 4 rows of holes, and the
4 plain rows between—4 plain rows complete the
cap. Put cotton in the hem.
Wash -Mitten.—Cast on 50 of No. 8 tidy
cotton: make it i yard long, narrowing 4 or 5
times at the end of last rows. Sew it up, all but
a thumb-hole.—e. n.
Tidy Edging.—Cast on 9: knit the first 3
stitches plain, leaving 6 at the left end: turn in the


136 THE HOUSE BOOK.
cotton, knit 2 together, do again and again I turn in
the cotton, and the 2 last, plain: next row plain:
continue the above till 9 holes are made; then
knit 2 plain rows between, and reverse it, by nar-
rowing after the first stitch is knit, where you wi-
dened before, and throw over the thread just as
above.—m. e.
Chair Tidy.—Cast on 117 stitches: knit the
first 3 rounds like a stocking: slip the first stitch
loosely, narrow the next 8 to 4: make a stitch, knit
a stitch, and so on till there are 7 made stitches:
make a stitch, narrow 1, and go on as it is com-
menced: knit 3 rounds between this. Get No. 8
cotton—klb. makes 2.
HoneycombStitch.—Knit 3 rows so as to
be all pearled (or heeled) on the right side: then
slip off 2, and knit 3 all across: do this 5 times
in succession: then again pearl the 3 rows, knit-
ting all the stitches, when these 3 rows are made.
There will be occasional widening or narrowing
needful in this stitch, at the end of needle, as it is
not right without there are 3 on the end, when
commenced with 3; or narrowed to 2, when 2 is
the commenced number. Upon beginning every
other figure, you must reverse it, as above said.
This makes a rich bureau or table cover, but is
tedious.—l. a. s.
Lily Bell.—6 plain, 4 seamed between them,
go all across: begin by seaming 4; then east on 6, knit 4, seam, and so on across. Do this for
9 rows: then narrow each side of bell till there is
but 1. Begin another row of bells by seaming
4: cast on 6, as above: then seam 1, narrow 1.
and there are 4 between, as above. Go on in this
way till the toilet cushion is done. This is a very
beautiful stitch.


WOOL CNDEESLEEYES, ETQ. 137
Wool Undersleeves.—Cast on 60 stitches
with coarse steel needles: rib it 2 and 2, for 20
rows: then put in wooden needles: make 10 rows
of these: put in the steel ones again, make 10
,-ibs: do. 3 of these: do. 4 between: make 12
ribs to finish. Sew them up.
For Knitting Pitcher Purses.—Set on 8
stitches to form 8 points: knit a round plain,
then another, throwing the silk before the needle
at each stitch. The next plain, putting on 8
beads, which must be pulled through the stitch
on to the right side. The next widen again 8
times, then a plain round with 2 beads at each
point, and so on, until 9 heads are on. Now you
are done widening. Then another plain round,
and another of 9 beads: when you begin to de-
crease, 2 at every point, till it is finished.
Knit 2 plain rounds before beginning purse
stitch, putting on 2 beads at once, every other
one, so as to form diamonds, until 20 rows are
knit: then 2 rows of beads round and round,
knitting a plain round after each. Rib 2 and 2
to form the neck, 26 rounds: then take off 6
stitches for the handle to form the spout; knit
backwards and forwards; take off 2 stitches at
the~end of the needle till but 18 remain, narrow-
ing twice every other round as the beginning of
each needle, just as you finish. Knit to the place
for the handle, make . 6 stitches; then a plain
round, a row of beads, another plain round, an-
other row of beads, and then take them off. For
handle knit the first stitch, then put on 5 beads,
slip to the other end of needle, and a plain row,


138 THE HOUSE BOOK.
and so on till long enough. Put on the ring and
sew just below the 2 rows; sew up the side; put a
tassel on the bottom.—m. a. c.
To Knit a Boy Doll.—Of zephyr J oz. for
jacket: i oz. for pants: 3 skeins for cap—3 flesh
colour, 2 black, 1 white. Set on 35 stitches for
the pants: knit 20 rounds plain. Narrow alter-
nately at each end of needle. Narrow 4 times,
knitting 3 rounds between each. Narrow 7 times,
knitting 2 rounds between each. Narrow every
round till there are 18 stitches. Take 9 stitches,
and join on the white zephyr; knit 1 row plain,
the next seam, till there are 11 rows. Join the
black to the other 9, and knit t rounds for the
heel. Take up 8 stitches on each side, and nar-
row every other round till there are 10 stitches.
Knit as long as the white, and then knit round
and round, one round seam and one plain, narrow-
ing off at the toe. Knit 2 of these, sew each one
up separately as far as it is narrowed, and join
them together by the other part.
For the jacket set on 70 stitches; knit 4 rounds
for the polka; knit this to the top of the pants,
with 4 needles: knit 1 row plain, the next seam,
and so on. Narrow 4 on each side to form the
hips; knit 18 rounds, then divide in half, and 8
rounds will form the arm-hole. To form the
shoulders, narrow 1 at each end of the needle, till
there are 14 stitches. Take up 6 stitches at the top
of the arm-hole, and widen by throwing the thread
before the beginning of the needle, till there are 24
stitches. Knit 13 rounds. Narrow 6 times, knit-
ting 2 rounds between each. Narrow every round
till there are 12 stitches. Head-knit 5 rows to
the thumb, widening 2 under it. Take 4 middle


140 THE HOUSE BOOK.
space of about 12 inches, viz., in the centre of
each side of the cornice, and baste the knit drapery
upon it holding it somewhat loosely upon the
tape. Secure it with pins to another tape tacked
on the cornice.


NETTING.
This is convenient for pick-up work, or parlour,
evening or conversation work; the operation be-
ing only mechanical, and not requiring much sight
or attention.
A Shawl.—60 loops cast on: 2 rows of a
colour, using 6 shades of zephyr: the same num-
ber of white, make 10 stripes for centre. For the
border in the first row put 3 loops in each mesh:
'on the fourth and fifth from the point behind, put 3
in each mesh: then the first, second and third from
point, put 4 in each mesh: in the point, put 5.
At the commencement of each row of the border
widen 1. This shawl takes 7 oz. tapestry; the
centre one has a mesh three-fourths of an inch
deep: that which goes round last but one, being
two and a half do.
A Very Elegant Tidy—Is made by casting
on 60 loops, and narrowing down to 1; break it
off and begin at the 60, tapering off that side.
The mesh used first row should be a degree less
in size, to allow for the loop being removed. If
40 sewing cotton is used, and the tidy darned in
figures or flowers, you have a lace-like affair.
Bottle Stand.—Pat on 25, with a mesh the
size of a dress whalebone: 6 rows of these; then
put two into every one, and make 10 rows; then
do not widen, but put in a large mesh; make 16
rows with 8 shades—1 row of each shade, and re-
verse it; finish it off as you commenced. This
made of green, shaded, is moss-like and beautiful.
(141)


142 THE HOUSE BOOK.
A Tidy, which has an unusual effect, may be
made by netting straight along (the size you wish),
with a small whalebone,- and every row missing 1
loop, and taking and netting the next: being care-
ful to alternate at the beginning of row. It is best
to put in a red mark, which you did last. Use 40,
spool cotton.


146 TRANSPLANTING, ETC.
cold water. It is best to plant seeds at two dif-
ferent times, lest the first should fail, owing to wet
or cold weather.
Transplanting.—Transplant at evening, or
just before a shower. Set them a little deeper
than before, and press the soil firmly around them.
Water and cover them a day or two. If the soil
just around has not been removed, transplanting
retards but little.
To Re-pot House Plants.—Renew the soil
every year, soon after the time of blossoming.
Prepare soil as above. Loosen the earth from the
pot by passing a knife round the sides. Turn the
plant upside down; remove the pot, and remove all
the matted fibres at the bottom, and all the earth
except that which clings to the roots. From
woody plants, like roses, shake off all the earth.
Take the new pot and put a piece of broken earth-
enware over the hole at the bottom, and then
hold the plant in a proper position, shake in the
earth around it. Now pour in the water to settle
the earth, and heap in fresh soil till the pot is full.
Small pots are better than large ones, as the roots
are not so likely to rot from excess of moisture.
Bulbs, &c.—Plant the crocus in 10th mo.
(Oct.); cover 2 inches deep and 4 apart. Hya-
cinths at the same time, 8 inches apart and 3 or
4 deep, in a rich soil. Jonquils at the same time,
2 inches deep. These should not be taken up oft ener than once in 3 years. t Narcissus also, in this
month, 4 inches deep, covered with straw and
leaves through the winter, and uncovered the
middle of 3d mo., (March.) Plant tulips in rich
soil at this time, 3 inches deep. Plant tube roses


148- CLIMBERS ANNUAL CLIMBERS, ETC:
sun destroys them during summer, if exposed.
Hydrangeas do well in the shade, and will bloom
in summer, even if left out in the winter.
Climbers.—The most beautiful perennial climb-
ers are sweet-scented monthly honeysuckle, white,
yellow, and coral do., clematis, purple glycene and
pea.
Annual Climbers.—The most desirable are
white and buff thunbergia, morning glory, red and
white cypress. The latter two are very pretty,
planted thickly round the bare trunk of a tree,
and trained upon strings to the branches above;
planted in a line, and trained on a net, these two
vines look well also.
Scarlet sage, snowberries and chrysantheums
pay better for their keep, than almost any other
products of our city gardens—coming after nearly
all other flowers have gone, and bearing slight,
frosts, if covered at nightfall.
Roses.—Roses in a garden are "a joy for-
ever." The most desirable for cities, are—the
grevillie, which will bear any Philadelphia winter:
the tea, which, with a slight protection, will also:
the daily, than which no rose is hardier: the moss,
somewhat difficult of culture, if not in a rich sandy
soil; but if fairly established in a rich deep loam,
its permanency is sure: the prairie rose, "whose
constitution is such," says Buist, "that it will
bear the icy breezes of the St. Lawrence, or the
melting vapours of the Mississippi." It is adapted
for covering rock-work, old buildings, &c. It
also delights in a recumbent posture, and can be
used to make a flowery carpet of every shade of
colour. Last, but not least, I can recommend the
hermosa as being most desirable The exquisitely


MISCELLANEOUS.
Dentrifioes.—White's Tooth Powder is very
good. The common strawberry is said to be a
natural dentrifice, and its juice dissolves the tartar
and makes the breath agreeable. Honey and
charcoal make a good dentrifice.
To Prevent Corns.—Wear easy shoes: fre-
quent bathing the feet in warm water, with thelittle salt, or potash, dissolved in it. The corn
itself may be completely destroyed by rubbing it
daily with a little caustic solution of potash. Lu-
nar caustic, touched with a hair pencil, night and
morning, also is good to cure corns.
To Remove Warts.—Sal ammoniac will
remove them; also, lunar caustic.
For a Weak Back.—Take a beef's gall,
pour it into 1 pint alcohol, and bathe frequently.
It acts like a charm.
Cure for Corns.—Bind a piece of sponge,
moistened in a weak solution of pearlash, on go-
ing to bed. It is said that the skin may be
brushed off in the morning, having been dissolved
by the action of the caustic. I have been entirely
cured by a poultice of bread and water, with a
little laudanum and paregoric put in, putting it on
2 nights at bed-time.
Another Cure.—Take equal parts pulverized
indigo, common brown soap and tallow: of these
make a soft ointment, by rubbing well together.
(152)


THE ECONOMICAL COOK BOOK. 153
Spread it on soft leather and apply: keep it on
till relieved.
Court Plaster.—Put 4 beeves' feet into»a
large quantity of water: let them boil until the
meat will leave the bone: then take them out, skim
the oil carefully off, put the liquor on again in a
smaller vessel, and boil it till it is of a suitable
consistence to spread on silk (say the thickness of
molasses) with a brush.
Cold Cream.—Take \ oz. white wax, do. of
spermaceti, and 3 oz. of almond oil. Put the whole
into a' basin, and place it in hot water till fused :,
then gradually add 3 oz. rose water, elder water,
or orange flower water, stirring all the time with
a fork or small whisk. When cold it is fit for use.
—A. M. M.
For Colouring Sea Weed Red.—Dip the
moss into a boiling solution of 1 oz. alum in 1
pint water. Dry it. Make a solution of 1oz.
cochineal, \ oz. cream tartar, one table-spoonful
spirits hartshorn to £ tumbler water. Dip in the
moss, wring, and dry in the shade.
Crystallized Grasses.—9 oz. alum dissolved
in 1 pint water. Put in the grass when the alum
water w cool enough to bear the hand ; watch it,
and take it out when the crystals are large as you
wish: dry them on paper. If you wish colours,
get a few powdered paints and sprinkle over, di-
rectly it comes from the water: heat alarm over
when it becomes cold.—m. l. n.
Ink in Books.—Oxalic acid will remove blots 


154 COLOGNE WATER, ETC.
A Very Celebrated Cologne Water.—
6 drachms of oil of lemon, do. bergamot, 3 do.
lavender, 10 drops cinnamon, 20 drops of cloves, k drachm rosemary, 40 drops neroli, 20 drops rose,
2 drachms tincture of musk, 6 pints deodorized al-
cohol. Shake up well; let it stand 4 hours before
filtering.
Stains in Table Linen.—Tie up cream tar.
at the spot, and then put to boil in cold water.
Another Way.—Hold the part over a lighted
match.
Bandoline.—Pour over 1 oz. quince seeds 1
pint of boiling water. Let it stand over night;
next morning slightly boil it and strain it; when
cold, add 4 table-spoonfuls of alcohol, and 2 or 3
of cologne, and flavor it with the oil of almonds,
or whatever you prefer.—M. E. w.
Indelible Ink, without Frepara. Water.
l£ drachms nitrate silver; 1 oz. soft water; % oz.
strong mucilage, gum arabic: mix these in a bottle,
and keep in a dark place till dissolved, and ever
after. For use, shake the bottle, then dip a clean
quill pen in the ink, and mark: hold it close to the
fire, or pass a warm iron over it, and it will become
indestructible by time or acids. *


INDEX.
159
PAGI
Pig, Roast 25
Ke, Oyster 57
Chicken 57
Pot 58
Mince 58
Apple 58
Plaut A3
Planting Seeds 148
Plants, coming into Flower... 148
Plant, Egg 88
Plums, Pickled 44
Plums, Crystalized 75
Pork, Pickled 44
Potatoes, Sweet 94
White 83,95
Potatoe Masher 98
Rolls 9
Potochomaula 122,127
Pot Plants.. 146, 147
Preserved Limes 73
CantonPine Apple 71
*' "grated... 72
Common Cherries... 11
Gooseberries. 72
Quinces 72
Citron Melon 72
Pears 76
Peaches,. 72, 76 151
"TJncooked.73,97
Damsons 73
Prints, Cleaning 113
Pudding, Pumpkin 'tPost59
Green Corn 59, 60
Flemish mSave All 60
Cocoa-nut , 60
Custard 60
Soda Cracker 60
Eice 61
Macaroon 61
Adelaide's 62
Cup Batter 62
Boiled Batter 62
Bread 63
Delightful 63
Cottage 63
Bird's Nest .". 65
Pudding, Tapioca 65
Baked Indian 65
* under Meat. 26
Pickled Salmon 48
Preserved Orauge Skin 97
Potato Biscuit 99
Paste that will keep 130
PAGS
Quince Jam 70
Quick Milk Biscuit 100
Raspberry Vinegar 82
Rabbits 29
Relish, A 13, 17, 46
Re-pot Plants 147
Ribbons, to Color 110, 114
Rico, to Boil 33
Pudding 61
Flummery 17
Rolls, Potato 9
French 10
Roses 149
Roaches, Eradicate 112
Rock Work 152
Raspberry Jam 80
Rachahout 92
Sauce, Pepper 41
Sandwiches 48
Salmon, to Boil 20
Sausage 13, 18
Sauce, Caper 39
Egg 39
Celery 40
1, 2, 3, 4 63
Salad, Chicken 46
Scrapple 18
Sea-weed, Colored 154
Seats 124
Shad, Broil 19
Pickled 48
Bake 19
Boil 20
Shoes, to Make 125
Shawl, to Net , 132,141
Crochet 144
Silver, Cleansed 108
Slaw, Cold 35
Souse 18
Soap for Mouse-iioleB 107
Soaps 101, 102, 103
MsInfants' 183
Soup, Beef, &c 21
Okra 22
Chicken 22
Pea 22
Clam 22
Vegetable 85
Portable 23
Spinach, Boil 38
Spots, Take Out 114,115
Starch 105
Stains, Take Out 108
Stand, Bottle 141


160
INDEX
PAOB
Squirrels 29
Stuffing 39
Syllabub 64
Syrup, Vanilla 81
Strawberry 81
King81
Sally T.umii 9
Salt Shad .". 17
Sonr Plums Preserve 99
Sour Milk Bread 99
Sweet Potato Biscuit 100
Stains in Table Linen... 154
Table Kni res and Forks 99
Table Cover to Crochet 143
Tea 13, 86
Tea, Beef 88
Tidy, Chair 135, 136, 141
Tomato, Stewed 37
Broiled 18
Baked 19.37, 38
Stew 27
Fried 38
Omelet 16, 38
To Keep 96
Catsup 43
Pickled 41, 43
Toothpaste 'tilTomato Mustard 43
Tongue 47
Toy Scrap-book 126
Toys, Children's nTransplanting, 147
Trifle 64
Turkey, Roast 23
Boiled 26
Turnovers, CultMeat i 31
Turnips 37
PAOB
Trifle 97
Tomato Figs 98
Tomatoes, Preserved 99
Useful Implements 98
Useful Work 117
Vases, Garden 152
Verbenas 148
Vegetables, to Keep 33, 93
Veal, Roast 25
Vol an Vent 58
Veal Cutlets 28
Waffles 11
Quick 11
Rest.., 11
Rice....r. 11
Walnuts, Pickled 42
Water, Gum 85
Muffins 7
Wall, to Paper 110
Wash, Camphene 109
Warts, to Remove. 1S3
Weights 49
Weak Back 153
Whey, Wine 88
Whitewashes 114
Wine, Currant 81
Quince 81
Cherry 81
Winter Stores 93
Tard, to Red 109
n'8
Dry. «
Hop 6