Princeton University Library
32101 055991515



Library of
Princeton University.
Presented by
WILLIAM NELSON, ESQ.





ECONOMICAL COOKERY:
DESIGNED TO
ASSIST THE HOUSEKEEPER IN
RETRENCHING HER EXPENSES.
BY THE EXCLUSION OF
SPIRITOUS LIQUORE
FROM HER
COOKERY.


NEWARK, N.J.
PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN OLDS.
1840,





PREFACE.
In presenting this little work to the female
public, the writer wishes to suggest some
thoughts for the reflection of the reader; al-
so, to say a few words in vindication of her
book. Its title may perhaps excite a smile
or call forth a sneer from the passer by, but
these she heeds not: having been conscien-
tiously opposed to the use of spiritous liquors -
for a few years past, she tried in every way
to render her dishes palatable without theme
The result of her endeavours you have now
before you, which is humbly presented in the
hope of its being useful.
The question for us to settle is— Is the
use of Ardent spirits morally wrong ?”—
Whether it is so abstractly considered, is not
kg) (RECAP)
JUL 171911270536


VO
the question now—but, whether, under exis-
ting circumstances, when such multitudes are
ruined by it, the temperate part of the com-
munity ought not to endeavor to abolish its
use except as a medicine.
At this late day it is, perhaps, almost out
of place to laud a society so purely benevo-
lent in its character as the Temperance Soci-
ety. When the nation was threatened with
universal ruin; when intemperance was its
reigning vice, even in the opinion of foreign-
ers who visited our shores; when some of
the mightiest intellects that our country has
ever known, had been shattered by the
inebriating draughts, which custom and fash-
ion presented to them, holding out the alluring
temptation which they could not resist ; when
hundreds and thousands of our countrymen,
bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, and
souls as valuable as ours, were annually sink-
ing to the drunkard's grave, and daily and
hourly others were falling into the same per-
nicious habit;--it was in view of these evils
that the philanthropists of our country arose
Lai


see that there yet is safety-safety in the
the principle of “total abstinence” for indi-
viduals—safety for the nation.
Our fathers freed us from a foreign yoke,
these from an internal foe:
* And the star-spangled banner in triumph yet waves,
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”
But although much has been done, much,
much yet remains to be done. And the ques-
tion arises : Can females in any way co-op-
erate in the noble enterprise ? And how ?
Surely no lady of respectability will be found
indulging in it as a drink. We have too
much respect for ourselves to do this ; but
have we not been encouraging its manufac-
ture by using it plentifully in our cookery?
What nice pudding, cake, pie, or sauce, did
we make that was not rendered palatable by
brandy, lemon-brandy, rose-brandy, &c. &c.
Whose sideboard but what, lately, groaned
under the weight of cordials that were arran-
ged there for the entertainment of the visitor ;
And as we have so long encouraged the use
of it, has the time not arrived for us to lend


men, who being slaves to appetite, know
nothing of freedom but the name; and what
American lady but would blush, could she
look in upon these Baccanalians' revels, and
hear herself panegyrized by muttering lips
and bloated visages, and all the sad accom-
paniments of dissipation! I say not that we
should be vociferous in our opposition. No
this would but counteract our own design.
Female influence, though powerful, is unob-
trusive, and when a woman forgets her pro-
per sphere, she loses that influence. But
having our principles settled on this subject,
let us be decided, and, I ask, what gentleman
would offer to his guests, in the presence of
a wife or sister he loved, that of which he
knew she disapproved? And would not a
father's conscience check him, should he ob-
serve his daughter rise and quietly leave the
room to avoid seeing him hand the social
glass to his visitor, even although her rever-
ence and respect for him might prevent her
from saying one word ?


10
But even admitting the position that we
can do no good, does this alter the case at
all ? I think not. We are to do our duty,
and leave consequences to be settled at that
day, when they whose good we seek, and
we, shall be called to give an account for
our motives, as well as our actions. One
consequence is certain, and it will be a rich
reward. One approving voice will then say
“She hath done what she could."


Cakes.
POUND CAKE
One pound of sugar, 1 do, butter, 1 do.
flour, 10 eggs, 2 nutmegs, 1 wine glass of rose
water.
First, Beat the butter to a cream, after
squeezing all the buttermilk out of it; sep-
arate the white and yolk of the eggs, beat
the latter and add the butter, then beat in the
sugar. Beat the whites of the eggs light,
and add them, and the flour—when beaten
half an hour, grate the nutmegs into it, and
add the rose water.
SPONGE CAKE.
One pound of loaf sugar, 10 eggs, 1 pound
of flour, the juice of one lemon, the rind
grated.


12
Beat the yolks very light, mix them well with
the sugar--then add the lemon, flour and
whites beaten stiff. If baked in a pan, two
hours is necessary.
BRIDE CAKE.
One pound of loaf sugar, 1 do. flour, 1 do.
butter.
Squeeze the butter and beat it light, add
the sugar grated fine, beat the whites of
twenty eggs stiff, add them and the flour
alternately, add the juice of a lemon, the rind
grated, and a glass of rose-water, beat three
quarters of an hour.
LEMON CAKE.
Ten eggs 1 pound of sugar, 1 do, flour, the
juice and pulp of 1 lemon, and the gratings
of 3.
Beat the eggs and sugar well together, put
in the flour by degrees, beat till very light,
add the lemons, dust a little sugar over it
before you put it in to bake in a slow oven.
HORSEMANDEN'S JUMBLES.
One pound of sugar, half do, butter 1 do.


16
light-put it into a pound of flour, and cut
into small cakes..
SOFT GINGERBREAD.
Two cups molasses, 1 of butter, 1 cup of
milk, 4 eggs, teaspoonful of pearlash, ginger,
flour to make it stiff as pound cake.
JERSEY CAKE, OR CRULLERS.
Four eggs, half pound of sugar, 3 ounces
of butter, 1 gill of thick cream, cinnamon,
and as much flour to make it stiff enough to
roll out--boil in. lard like doughnuts.
TEA CAKE
Two cups of sugar, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup
of milk, half a teaspoonful of pearlash, flour
enough to make it stiff enough to roll out-
add carraway seed, or spice.
MACAROONS.
Blanche 4 oz. of almonds, with 4 spoon-
ful of orange flower-water, beat the whites.
of 4 eggs, then mix it with 1 pound of sugar
sifted with the almonds to a paste, lay a sheet
of paper on a tin, put it on with a spoon.


17
Another. To the whites of 4 eggs take 32
teaspoonfuls of sifted loaf sugar, add 1
pound of almonds blanched and pounded.
BEST KIND OF MACAROONS.
To half pound of almonds blanched, and
pounded with rose-water, the same weight of
sugar-wet them with the white of eggs,
COMPOSITION CAKE.
Three and a half pounds of sugar, two
and a half butter, half pound lard, 9 eggs, 3
and three-quarter pounds of flour sifted in 3
pounds of rasins, one and a half pints milk,
one-fourth ounce mace, 1 nutmeg, cloves,
cinnamon, ; and citron, 2 teaspoonfuls of
pearlash fermented in lemon juice, to be put
in the last thing.
JUMBLES.
Five eggs, three-quarters of a pound of
butter, 3-4 of a pound of sugar, 1į pounds
of flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2*


18
SCOTCH CAKE.
Take 2 pounds of flour, half pound of
butter, 1 nutmeg, 1 tablespoonful rose-water
one and a half pounds of sugar, and 5 eggs.
BUNNS.
A half pound of butter cut fine into one
and a quarter pounds of flour, 3 tablespoons
of yeast, 1 pint of milk, 1 glass of rose-water,
a teaspoon of spice-set them to rise until
you can beat five eggs, add half pound of
sugar, quarter of a pound of flour, both sift-
ed; put them in your pans, and let them rise
for the space of three or four hours.
ICING FOR CAKES.
One pound of sugar, the whites of 5 eggs
and the juice of a lemon, the eggs to be beat
stiff, and the other ingredients added grad.
ually, beaten all the time.
MILK BISCUIT.
Take one-fourth pound of butter, 1 pint of
milk, 1 gill of yeast, a teaspoonful of salt,
and flour sufficient to knead it stiff.


20
INDIAN CAKES
Beat two eggs, add a quart of milk, a hand-
ful of flour, and Indian meal enough to bake
thin cakes on the griddle—they must be
made small in size.
Another.—1 quart milk, 1 pint Indian
meal, 4 eggs, 4 spoonfuls of flour, a little
salt, beat together ; can be either baked in
pans, or on a griddle..
PANCAKES FOR TEA OR BREAKFAST.
Take 1 pint of rye flour, 1 pint of Indian
meal, a little salt, stir in milk to the proper
consistence of pancakes: fry in lard, to be
eaten warm.
I
TEA CAKES:
Two pounds flour, 2 spoonfuls yeast in a
little warm milk, mix them together, adding
one-quarter pound of melted butter, with
milk to make it into a stiff paste.
BISCUIT.
Beat flour in one pint of milk and a little
yeast, let it rise in a sponge ; next morning


23
The more lard you boil in, the less they
will soak.
DIET CAKE.
One pound of sugar, one pound flour ten
eggs, a spoonful of rose water, 1 of cinna-
mon or coriander seed; beat it an hour
bake quick.
CUP CAKE.
One cup of butter, 2 of sugar, 3 of flour,
and 4 eggs, well beat together and baked in
small pans or cups. Bake just twenty min-
utes. This Cup Cake is about as good as
pound cake and is cheaper."
TEA CAKE.
There is a kind of Tea Cake still cheaper.
Three cups sugar, one of butter, 1 of milk,
4 of flour, 3 eggs, and a spoonful of dissolv-
ed pearlash, well beat up. If it is so stiff
that it will not stir easily, add a little more
milk.


24
HONEY CAKE.
Six pounds flour, two pounds honey, one
pound sugar, two ounces cinnamon, a little
orange peel, six eggs, pearlash dissolved in
milk; mix it up with milk, and bake less than
half an hour.
SWEET CAKE.
One pound sugar, half pound butter, two
pounds flour, 4 eggs, 1 gill yeast, cinnamon,
and orange peel; bake quarter of an hour.
COOKIES.
One pound sugar dissolved on hot coals
in water, two pounds of flour, half pound of
lard or butter, quarter pound of sugar, one
ounce ginger or cinnamon.
MUFFINS.
Put 4 spoonsful of good yeast to a pint of
milk and a little salt, stir in as much flour as
will make a thick batter; let stand until it
rises-grease your rings, and when your
iron is hot, drop them in.
Another.—1 cup of yeast, one quart of


25
milk, 4 eggs, mix it up with flour to a thick
batter
FLANNEL CAKES.
One quart of milk, three eggs, one cup of
yeast, a small piece of lard, mixed up with
wheat flour to a batter.
WHEAT AND INDIAN CAKES.
Mix one pint Indian meal and one pint of
wheat flour, beat three eggs and mix it up
with one quart milk, a little yeast; when
light bake on a griddle.
BUCKWHEAT CAKES.
Put a little salt in the buckwheat-meal,
mix it with a little yeast; when light bake on
a griddle.
PAN CAKES.
Mix a quart of milk with flour enough to
make a thin batter, a little salt, beat six eggs
light, mix it well together an hour before you
fry them.


26
FRITTERS.
One pint of milk, three eggs, a little salt,
flour enough to make a thick batter; to be
fried in lard ; apples chopp'd fine and mixed
in them are a great improvement.
SOFT GINGERBREAD.
One and a half cups molasses, 1 of sugar,
one of butter, four eggs, five cups of flour,
one cup sour milk, one tablespoonful of gin-
ger.
ECONOMICAL POUND CAKE.
One pound of flour, three-quarters of a
pound of sugar, half pound of butter, three
eggs, and a glass of rose-water: currants,
raisins or spice, to suit the taste.
BISCUIT.
Put 2 ounces butter or lard into half pint
of milk,dissolvehalf teaspoonful of pearlash,
mix all together with flour and salt to a stiff
paste ; knead well and roll out; bake twenty
minutes.


29
HARD GINGERBREAD
One pound of flour, half a pound of butter
and sugar rubbed into it; half a pound sugar
great spoonful of ginger, or more, accord-
ing to the strength of the ginger ; a spoonful
of rose-water, and a handful of caraway
seed. Well beat up, Kneaded stiff enough
to roll out and bake on flat pans. Bake
twenty or thirty minutes,
Another.-Four pounds and a half of
flour with half a pound of lard and half a
pound of butter ; a pint of molasses, a gill
of milk, tea-cup of ginger, a tea-spoonful of
pearlash stirred together. Bake in shallow
pans twenty or thirty minutes.
Another. Rub in a bit of shortning as big
as an egg into a pint flour ; if you use lard,
add a little salt, two or three great spoonfuls
of ginger; one cup of molasses, and a great
spoonful of dissolved pearlash, put together
and poured into the shortened flour while it
is foaming-to be put in the oven in a minute.
It ought to be just thick enough to pour into
. 3*


30
pans with difficulty ; bake about twenty min-
utes.
ELECTION CAKE.
Old-fashioned election cake is made of
4 pounds of ftour; three quarters of a ponnd
of butter ; four eggs ; one pound of sugar ;
1 pound of curranty, or raisins if you choose,
half a pint of good yeast ; wet it with milk
as soft as it can be and be moulded on a
board. Set to rise over night in winter ;
in warm weather, three hours is usually
enough for it to rise. A loaf, the size of
common ftour bread, should bake 3-4 of an
hour.
SPONGE CAKE...
The nicest way to make sponge cake, or
diet bread, is the weight of 6 eggs in sugar,
the weight of four eggs in ftour, a little rose
water. The whites and yolks beaten tho-
roughly and separately. The eggs and sugar
should be well beaten together; but after the
flour is sprinkled, it should be stirred no
longer than is necessary to mix it well;


31
it should be poured into the pan, and got into
the oven with all possible expedition. 20
minutes is about long enough to bake. Not
to be put in till some other articles have
taken off the first few minutes of furious heat..
WEDDING CAKE.
Good common wedding cake can be made
of 4 pounds of flour, 3 of butter, 3 of sugar,
2 of currants, 2 of raisins, 24 eggs, 1 ounce
mace, and 3 nutmegs, A little molasses to
color it. Bake 2 hours and a half.
LOAF CAKE.
Two pounds flour, half of sugar, quarter
of butter, 2 eggs, a gill of yeast, half ounce
of cinnamon or cloves, a spoonful rose-wa-
ter; if it is not as thin as bread dough, add
a little milk. Bake 3-4 of an hour.
Another. Take about as much of your
white bread dough, or sponge as you think
your pan will hold, and put it into a pan in
which you have already beat up 3 or 4 eggs,
6 ounces butter warmed, half pound sugar, a


Puddings.
COCOA-NUT PUDDING.
Half a pound of butter, half a pound sugar;
five eggs, one cocoa-nut and one handful of
flour ; lay into paste and bake.
Another.-For 2 cocoa-nut puddings. One
quarter and half a quarter of a pound of
sugar, the same of butter, and the same of
cocoa-nut grated fine; beat 6 eggs very light
add them twice, beating well each time,
one glass of rose-water.
FOR TWO LEMON PUDDINGS. ::
One quarter and half a quarter of sugar
and butter beat light, four eggs beaten light,
put them in at three times beating, a glass of
rose-water, the juice of a large lemon, the
peel grated. Orange puddings made the
same way..'
Another.—Half pound of butter, half a
pound of sugar, five eggs, one lemon.


35
to a quart of milk ; boil quick, cool, and add
half a nutmeg, 4 oz. butter, some cinnamon
and rose water, 8 eggs, and bake it in paste.
Another.-Boil in water 1-2 pound ground
rice till soft, add 2 quarts milk, 8 eggs, 6 oz.
butter, 1 pound raisins; bake 2 hours.
Another.(A cheap and plain one.)-One
and a half cups rice, 2 quarts milk, salt, but-
ter, alspice, 6 oz. sugar; put cold into a hot
oven, bake 2 and a half hours.
INDIAN PUDDING.
Three pints scalded milk, 7 spoonfuls fine
Indian meal, stir well; when cool, add four
eggs, half pound butter, spice and sugar-
bake 4 hours.
over
Another.--Scald 2 quarts milk, pour over
1 pint Indian meal, salt, tea cup molasses, a
table spoonful ginger; bake 3 hours.
Another.—Three pints scalded milk to 1
pint meal, salted; when cool add 2 eggs, 4
ounces butter, sugar or molasses and spice;
bake 2 and a half hours.


36
Another.—(Cheap one)—Scald 2 cups of
Indian meal with boiling water, add one cup
molasses and milk, each, quarter pound rai-
sins, a little suit chopped fine, 2 eggs and
cinnamon.
BOILED INDIAN PUDDING.
Salt a pint of meal wet with 1 quart milk,
sweeten and boil in a strong cloth tied loose-
ly to allow it to swell.
CORN PUDDING.
Grate 3 doz. of corn in a tin basin, care-
fully scraping out the milk on the side of the
dish, add a little salt, and bake it well. To
be eaten hot, with salt and butter. If the
corn is a little old a small quantity of milk
must be added. (A great luxury.)
FLOUR PUDDING.
Beat half a doz. eggs light, add 1 quart
milk, a little salt, mix with wheat flour to a
batter, beat it well, pour into a bag and boil
4 hours.' (Sauce No. 1.)


38
mash it well, add 3 eggs, half pound butter,
some cinnamon or nutmeg, sweeten it, bake
it in a quick oven one hour and a half.
Another.—Pour boiling milk (or water) on
fine bread and a little salt, when soaked and
mashed beat four eggs, add half a pound
dried currants, beat all well together, and
bake in a quick oven. (To be eaten with
sauce No. 2)
PUMPKIN PUDDING
One quart stewed and strained, 3 pints of
milk, six beaten eggs, sugar, mace, nutmeg,
and ginger, and laid in rich crust and baked
three quarters of an hour,
Another.—One quart milk, 1 pint pumpkin,
4 eggs, quarter of a pound butter, molasses,
alspice ginger, &c.
Another.—(Cheap.)—One pint and a half
pumpkin boiled in water. until very soft and
and tender, mashed fine but not strained,
half a pound of butter, six eggs, beaten light,
well sweetened ; after putting it on a very


40
PLUM PUDDING.
Three pints of flour, a little salt six eggs,
one pound raisins, half a pound of beef suet
chopped fine, one pint milk; put into a
strong cloth floured; boil three hours. Eat
with sauce No. 1.
MINUTE PUDDING.
· Boil three pints of milk, salt, mix some
flour in cold milk, and stir in that which is
boiling ; when it boils up it is done. To
be eaten with sweet sauce or cream.
RICE PUDDING.
If you want a common rice pudding to
retain flavor, do not soak it nor put it in to
boil when the water is cold. Wash it, tie it
in a bag, leave plenty of room for it to swell,
throw it in when the water boils, and let it
boil an hour and a half. If you have
rice left cold, break it up in a little warm
milk, pour custard over it, bake it as long as
you should custard. It makes very good pud-
dings and pies.


42
half. Each apple should tied up separately,
in different corners of the pudding bag.
SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS.
u
ulios.
No. 1.--Melt half pound butter, with flour
and water, sweeten it, and add the half of a
grated nutmeg.
No. 2.-Beat half a pound of butter to a
cream, add sugar and a nutmeg, beat it well
together.
No. 3.--Melt molasses, butter, and lemon
juice, together.
CLARIFIED BUTTER.
Put the butter in a clean stew-pan, over a
very clear, slow fire ; watch it, and when it
is melted, carefully skim off the buttermilk,
&c. which will swim on the top ; let it stand
a minute or two for the impurities to sink to
the bottom; then pour the clear butter
through a sieve into a clean basin, leaving
the sediment at the bottom of the stew-pan.
Butter thus purified will be as sweet as


50
some bitter almonds in it, let it boil up, let it
settle before pouring it into your forms.
CALVES-FOOT JELLY.
Boil 4 feet in 4 quarts of water; when boil-
ed to pieces strain the liquor, next day take
off the grease from the top, and scrape the
sediment from beneath-there should be two
quarts of jelly. Put it in a clean vessel with
one pound of loaf sugar, half ounce of cinna-
mon broken in small pieces, orange peel,
lemons, (or 1 spoonful of cream of tartar,)
whip up the whites of 5 eggs to a froth, and
put all together over the fire, stirring occa-
sionally till melted; when it has boiled until
it looks clear, add one pint of cider, let it
boil up again, skim it, take it of and strain it
through a flannel bag.
CREAM JELLY, (FOR THE SICK.)
Boil the feet as above, next day take one
cup cream and one cup of jelly let it boil up
once; add loaf sugar, rose water and spice.


53
CRANBERRY TARTS..
Put a pound of sugar into a quart of cran-
berries, wet with water, and stew them until
done. When wanted for use, put them on
puff-paste crusts.
PUFF PASTE.
Rub one pound of butter into two pounds
of flour, beat two whites of eggs light, and
add with cold water, make into paste-roll
in six or seven times one pound more of but-
ter, ftouring it each roll-do not knead it
work it with your knife and rolling pin. .
· PUMPKIN AND SQUASH PIE.
For common family pumpkin pies three
eggs do very well to a quart of milk. Stew
your pumpkin, and strain it through a sieve,
or colander. Take out the seeds, and pare
the pumpkin, or squash, before you stew it;
but do not scrape the inside; the part near
the seed is the sweetest part of the squash,
Stir in the stewed pumpkin, till as thick as
you can stir it round rapidly and easily.
If you want to make your pie richer, make it
5*


54
thinner, and add another egg. One egg to
quart of milk makes very decent pies.
Sweeten it to your taste, with molasses or
sugar; some pumpkins require more sweet-
ening than others ; 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt;
two great spoonfuls of sifted cinnamon ;
one great spoonful of ginger. Ginger will
answer very well alone for spice, if you use
enough of it. The outside of a lemon grated
in it is nice. The more eggs, the better the
pie ; some put an egg to a gill of milk;
they should bake from forty to fifty minutes,
and even ten minutes longer, if very deep.
CARROT PIE.
· Carrot pies are made like squash pies.
The carrots should be boiled very tender;
skinned and sifted. Both carrot pies and
squash pies should be baked without an
upper crust, in deep plates. To be baked
an hour, in quite a warm oven.
RHUBARB PIE..
The skin should be carefully stripped, and
the stalks cut into small bits, and stew'd very


55
. tender. These are dear pies, for they take
an enormous quantity of sugar. Seasoned
like apple pies. Goseberries, currants, &c.
are stewed, sweetened and seasoned like
apple pies, in proportions suited to the
sweetness of the fruit ; their is no way to
judge but by your own taste.


57
the quinces, strain the liquor through a bag,
and set it away for quince jelly; make a
syrup of loaf sugar, pound for pound, boil
the quinces in it for two hours, slowly, fre.
quently putting them under the liquor; after
taking them out let the liquor boil until it is
reduced to a syrup.
QUINCE JELLY.
To every pint of the liquor off the quinces
take one pound loaf sugar, cut up a few sour
apples in it; when they are boiled sufficient-
ly, take them out and mash them, put them
back and boil all together till done.
· QUINCE MARMALADE,
Select your quinces when they are fully
ripe, pare and cut them into quarters, take
out the cores and put them in a sauce pan,
well tinned, cover them with the parings, and
cover them with spring water ; cover it close,
and let them stew over a slow fire until they
are of a pink color, then pick out all your
quinces, beat them to a pulp, strain the li-
quor, take a pound of loaf sugar to every pint


58
boil and skim it well, then put in the quinces
and boil them gently three quarters of an
hour, stirring all the time, or it will stick
and burn; when cold put it in your glasses
or pots and tie down tightly.
APPLE MARMALADE.
Pare ten pounds of pippin apples, make a
syrup of five pounds of sugar, boil the apples
in it until done sufficiently to mash, take
them out and beat fine, and put them back ;
cut three oranges into small slices, and boil
all together, stirring all the time until they
are done.
PRESERVED RASPBERRIES
- Choose raspberries not too ripe, take the
weight of them in sugar, wet the sugar with
a little water, and put in the berries, let them
boil softly, take care not to break them—
when clear take them up, boil the syrup until
thick enough, then put them in again; do not
put them away until cold.


59
RASPBERRY JAM.
Rub the raspberries, put sugar to them,
pound for pound, stew them, stirring fre-
quently–when stiff and clear they are done.
CURRANT JELLY.
Put the currants into a pitcher, cover it
close, and set the pitcher in warm water
over the fire, this will extract the juice;
squeeze them through a flannel bag, and to
one pint of juice, add one pound loaf sugar
-boil it twenty minutes, but no longer.
Another.—Break your currants up with a
pestle, and squeeze them through a cloth.
Put a pint of clean sugar to a pint of juice,
and boil it slowly, until it becomes ropy.
Great care must be taken not to do it too fast.
It should frequently be skimmed while sim-
mering. If currants are put in a jar, and
kept in boiling water, and cooked before
they are strained, they are more likely to
keep without fermenting.


60
DAMSON PLUMS
Make a syrnp, pound for pound, strain and
skim it. Boil your plums in it slowly an hour
for every pound.
TO PRESERVE PEPPERS.
Take the seeds out of the peppers, and fill
them each with salt, let them lay six weeks ;
then lay them in cold water, changing them
frequently until all the salt taste is soaked
out of them, green them with cabbage leaves,
make a syrup of loaf sugar, pound for pound,
put in the peppers, with lemon peel and race
ginger, and let them scald ; take them out
and lay in the sun, or in a warm place to
dry, next day warm the syrup again, put the
peppers in to scald, and take them out as
before, and so on daily until the syrup is
gone ; put them away in another syrup, made
pound for pound.
PEACHES.
Take pound for pound of sugar & peaches
peel them and sprinkle with sugar, and let
· them stand all night; next morning take the


61
peaches out and clarify the liquor, blanch
the kernels and put them with the peaches
into the liquor, and boil them slowly until
soft ; take them out again and boil the liquor
to a syrup, put them in again and boil them a
few minutes ; when cold, put them away and
tie down closely,
...
PEARS.
Take three pounds of pears two pounds
of sugar, boil the parings in as much water
as will cover them, strain it through a colan-
der, lay some pears in the bottom of your
kettle, put in some sugar, and so on, alter-
nately; then pour the liquor off the pear skins
over, boil until they begin to look transparent,
then take them out, let the juice cool, and
clarify it, put the pears in again, with a
great deal of race ginger chopped fine, boil
till done ; let the liquor boil after taking them
out until it is reduced to a syrup.
PRESERVED MORELLA CHERRIES.
Five pounds of sugar, to twelve of cherries.
-


Meats.
...
TO ROAST A PIG.
Crumble the soft part of a loaf of bread,
add half a pound of butter, a good deal of
salt, pepper and sage, stuff the pig and sew
it up; cook it two hours and a half; baste it
frequently with salt and water; be careful or
it will burn.
Gravy.--Boil the inwards and the feet
tender with salt and pepper; when done
chop up the liver, mix 3 ounces of butter
with a couple of tablespoonfuls of flour, stir
it well into the gravy, and let it come to the
boil, then serve up ; when the pig is carved,
the brains may also be put into it. Apples
for sauce.
auce.
.
Another method.
Strew fine salt over it an hour before it is
put down. It should not be cut open entire-


64
ly; fill it with thick slices of buttered bread,
salt, sweet-marjoram and sage. Spit it with
the head next the point of the spit; take off
the joints of the leg, and boil them with the
liver, with a little whole pepper, allspice and
salt, for gravy sauce. The upper part of the
legs must be braced down with skewers,
Shake on flour. Put a little water in the
dripping-pan, and stir it often. - When the
eyes drop out, the pig is half done. When
it is nearly done, baste it with butter. Cut
off the head, split it open between the eyes.
Take out the brains, and chop them fine
with the liver and some sweet-marjoram and
sage; put this into melted butter, and when
it has boiled a few minutes, add to it the
gravy in the dripping-pan. When your pig
is cut open, lay it with the back to the edge
of the dish, half a head to be placed at each
end. A good size pig needs to be roasted
three hours.
TO ROAST A TURKEY.
Make stuffing of bread, crumbled fine,
half a pound of butter, salt, pepper, an


66
obtained, which is made by boiling the
cellery,(chopped fine,) in a little water, salt
and pepper, and thickened with butter and
flour.
TO ROAST GEESE OR DUCKS.
Cut three onions very fine, season them
highly with salt, and pepper over it, baste
frequently, and be careful to dish, with sprigs
of parsley, before the breast falls ; two hours
is sufficient for a tolerably large goose, one
for ducks. The gibblets must be boiled with
salt, pepper, and onions, for gravy, three or
four hours.
TO BOIL A GAMMON.
To every pound allow a quarter of an
hour, boiling slowly all the time. When
dished, put spots of pepper at equal distance
over it ; garnish the dish with sprigs of
parsley and boiled eggs into thin slices.
...... . TO ROAST BEEF. i.it
The general rules are to have a brisk fire,
to baste often, season well; twenty minutes
is required for every pound.


67
ROAST VEAL
Season it well, have a brisk fire, and put
paper over it to prevent its scorching ; baste
and cook it thoroughly. If it is the fillet,
it should be stuffed with bread, butter, salt
and pepper. Garnished with green parsley
and sliced lemon...
ROAST MUTTON.
The leg may be stuffed with bread, butter,
salt, pepper and sage. · If preferred without
stuffing, it requires less time to cook. It
should be cooked rather more than beef.
The leg requires longer time than the breast..
Serve with potatoes, beans, pickles, mashed
turnips, and, (if stuffed,) boiled onions.
ROAST LAMB.
Lay it down to a clear, good fire, baste
with butter, dust on flour and seasoning;
send to table with asparagus, green peas,
sallad, or fresh beans, &c.
,
GUINEA FOWL.
Stuff with bread, butter, salt and pepper ;


71
STEWED CHICKEN.
Dissect the chicken, wash and season it
well, cover with water, and stew until done ;
thicken the gravy with flour and butter ; add
a little cream.
FRICASSEE.
Stew the chicken as above, thicken the
gravy with butter and flour, and after taking
it off, stir in an egg that has been previously
beaten a little.
Cold Veal chopped fine, and prepared in
this way is highly esteemed as a relish or
a side dish.
a
CHICKEN FRICASSEE.
Cut two chickens up, wash and put them
in a stew pan with as much water as will
cover them; sprinkle them with a spoonful
of salt; boiled till tender, covered close,
and skim them; then take up the chickens,
put the liquor in a pan with half a pound of
butter and brown it; then put the chickens
'back, cover it close, let them do till brown,


72
stirring them often, then put in the liquor and
stew till tender.
OYSTER PIE.
Lay your crust on a dish, put in oysters
seasoned with butter, flour and a boiled egg
chopped fine ; cover and bake it.
CHICKEN PIE.
Parboil the chicken, put it into the crust
with salt, pepper, butter and flour; cover
and bake half an hour..
EGG PLANT.
Cut in slices, lay salt between each slice
for half an hour previous to cooking; a quan-
tity of water will run out, wipe the slices,
pepper, dip in egg and then in grated crack-
er and fry them.
•
Tomatoes seasoned, and fried with egg
and cracker are esteemed a great luxury.
SAUSAGES.
Three tea-spoons of powdered sage, one


73
and a half of salt, and one of pepper, to a
pound of meat, is good seasoning for sau-
sages.
MINCE MEAT.
Mash you vegetables, and chop your
meat very fine. Warm it with what remains
of sweet gravy, or roast meat drippings,
which you may happen to have. Two or
three apples, pared, cored, sliced, and fried,
to mix with it is an improvement. Some like
sifted sage sprinkled in.
It is generaly considered nicer to chop
your meat fine, warm it in gravy, season it,
and lay it upon a large slice of toasted bread
to be brought upon the table without being
mixed with potatoes; but if you have cold
vegetables use them.
BEANS AND PEAS.
Put them in cold water, and hang over the
fire, the night before they are baked. In
the morning they should be put in a colander,
and rinsed two or three times ; then again
placed in a kettle, with the pork you intend to


74
bake, covered with water, and kept scalding
hot an hour or more. A pound of pork is
quite enough for a quart of beans. The
rind of the pork should be slashed. Pieces
of pork alternatly fat and lean, are the most
suitable; the cheeks are the best. A little
pepper sprinkled among the beans, when
they are placed in the bean pot, will render
them less unhealthy. They should be just
covered with water, when put into the oven ;
and the pork should be sunk a little below
the surface of the beans. Bake 3 or 4 hours.
Stewed beans are prepared the same way.
The only difference is, they are not taken
out of the scalding water, but are allowed to
stew in more water, with a piece of pork and
a little pepper three hours or more.
Dried peas need not to be soaked over
night. They should be stewed slowly four
or five hours in considerable water, with a
piece of pork. The older beans and peas
are, the longer they should cook. Indeed,
this is the case with all vegetables.


do not look so hard, stiff, and worn. If the
bottom of the breast bone, which extends
down between the legs, is soft, and gives
easily, it is a sign of youth ; if stiff, the poul
try is old.
There is more deception in geese than in
any other kind of poultry. The above ret
marks are applied to them ; but there are;
other signs more infallible. In a young
goose, the cavity under the wings is very
tender; it is a bad sign if you cannot, with
very little trouble, push your finger directly
into the flesh. There is another means by
which you may decide whether a goose be
tender, if it be frozen or not. Pass the head
of a pin along the breast, or sides, and if the
goose be young, the skin will rip like fine
paper under a knife.
Something may be judged concerning the
age of a goose by the thickness of the web
between the toes. When young this is tender
and transparent; it grows harder and coarser
with time.
7*


79
TO CURE HAM.
Rub them with fine salt very thoroughly,
and let them lay twenty-four hours. Baste
them with molasses, rub in the salt petre and
then with fine salt carefully every day for
six weeks. To each ham allow one quart
molasses, two ounces salt petre, and one
quart salt. To be smoked four weeks.
Sew up each ham in a cavass bag, and give
them three or four coats of lime, or tie them
up in paper and put them in barrels packed
with layers of ashes or charcoal dust: When
you take out a ham for use, keep it in a dark
place and well covered up, especially in
summer.
This old fashioned way may be, perhaps,
considered tedious and troublesome, but it
is considered the best. Some pack them
away in heavy layers of coarse salt, make a
very strong pickle and pour over them, and
keep them covered closely for four weeks.
The pickle for pork and hung beef should
be stronger than for legs of mutton. Eight
pounds of salt, ten ounces of salt-petre and


80
five pints of molasses is enough for one hun-
dred weight of meat.
TO CURE MUTTON.
Six pounds of salt, eight ounces of salt-
petre and five pints of molasses, will make
pickle enough for one hundred weight.-
Small legs should be kept in pickle twelve
or fifteen days; if large, four or five weeks
are not too much. They should be hung up
a day or two to dry, before they are smoked.
When legs of meat are put in pickle, the
thickest part of the meat should be placed
uppermost, that is, standing up, the same
as the creature stood when living. The
same rule should be observed when they are
hung up to dry; it is essential in order
to keep in the juices of the meat. Meat
should be turned over once or twice during
the process of smoking.
TO CURE TONGUES.
The same pickle that answers for bacon
is proper for Neat's Tongues. They should
be boiled full three hours. If it has been in


81
salt long, it is well to soak it over night in
cold water. Put it in to boil when the water
is cold. Keep it in a cool place a day or
two after it is boiled.
Pigs' Tongues are prepared in the same
way as neat's tongues; they are sometimes
sold for rein-deer's tongues, and thought a
great luxury.
Buffalo's Tongue should soak from thirty
to forty hours and boil five or six hours.
Remarks for the Economical.
• To be strictly economical you must take
pains to ascertain which are the cheapest
pieces of meat, not as to price merely, but
which will go the farthest in your family.-
We can, by economy, not only enjoy all the
comforts of life, but even most of its luxuries.
A rack of mutton, which consists of the
neck, and a few of the rib bones below, is
cheap food. Four pounds will make a din.


82
ner for six people. The neck, cut in pieces,
and boiled slowly an hour and a quarter, in
little more than water enough to cover it,
makes very nice broth. A great spoonful of -
rice should be washed and thrown in with
the meat. About twenty minutes before it
is done, put in a little thickening, and season
with salt, and pepper, and sifted summer-
savory, or sage. The bones below the neck,
broiled, make a good mutton chop.
Liver when well cooked, is very nice,
and very cheap. Some consider Veal liver
the best. Fry a few slices of salt pork, put
in the liver while the fat is hot. Season it
with pepper, salt, and butter. Sprinkle in a
little flour, stir it and sour in boiling water to
make gravy. Dip the liver in sifted Indian
meal before it is fried. Cut into slices about
as thick as are cut for beef steaks.
The liver, heart, &c. of a lamb or pig is
cheap and makes a good fry. Some butch-
ers cut off the sweet-bread for their own
use, but do not buy without it. Fry 3 slices


84
A Bullock's heart is profitable as a steak,
broiled like beef. Some stuff and roast it.
That part between the neck and shoulder
is called the chuck, and is good for roasting,
steaks or salting.
The rump and the last cut of sirloin is the
richest and tenderest piece of beef. Choose
it for an invalid, because it is lighter food
than any other beef.
The round, for economy, will be bought
in preference to the rump. It is cheaper in
price, and heartier food.
The shoulder of veal is good for roasting
or boiling. Cut off the knuckle and boil it
with a bit of pork and greens, or make it into
soup. The shoulder may be roasted.
A breast of veal is a choice piece, and is
usually sold very high.
The hind-quarter of veal and the loin
should be roasted; the leg stuffed. The
brisket upon the fore-quarter is sweet and


86
To cure Mutton to taste like Venison.
Take a large leg of mutton, rub with one
pound saltpetre, three of fine salt, and two of
sugar ; rub on as much as it will take ; let it
stand a week turning every day, dry and
smoke it.
To make Calves' Head like Turtle Soup.
Take a head with the skin on, soak it well
in salt and water, then boil until quite ten-
der; tie the brains, with a little sage, in a
cloth, and boil also ; when done, cut out the
the tongue, which, with the brains, makes
one dish; then take out all the bones in the
head; leaving the jaws as whole as possible,
cut all the rest up in pieces about an inch
long, make force-meat balls of pounded ham;
crumbs of bread, spice, and yolks of eggs ;
fry them and brown the jaws; boil up the
soup until it is reduced to a quart, have eggs
boiled hard, lay the jaws in a deep dish, gar-
nish it with the balls and eggs, then pour your
soup over. Greens and eggs, or peas, &c.
to be eaten with it.


• 92
till thorougly done ; then cut the flesh into
very small slips ; mix it with parsley, butter,
vinegar, Cayenne pepper,nutmeg, and mace;
add to the mixture some boiled onions, mash-
ed potatoes, and the yolks of two or three
beaten eggs. Put the whole mixture into a
deep dish, and make it up into the form of a
thick round cake. Go all over it with a
bunch of feathers, or a small brush, dipped
in sweet-oil and then grate bread crumbs
all over it. Brown it in the oven, and serve
it up surrounded with slices of toast, dipped
in melted butter.
Fresh Halibut and fresh Cod may be cook-
ed in the same manner, putting salt in the
water when you boil it and also in the sea.
soning.
SHAD.
Take fresh shad, salt and pepper it well,
broil half an hour ; when done, butter it.
Salmon or any fish may be done this way.
PICKLED BASS.
Boil sea-bass till done, lay in a dish, put
na


93
some alspice and pepper into some vinegar,
let it come to the boil, and pour over the fish.
To be eaten cold.
STURGEON :
May be boiled and hashed like beef, add
the usual articles for seasoning. Some pre-
fer it done in the form of veal cutlets, by
dipping them in eggs well beaten, then roll in
flour, and fried in butter."
The best mode of dressing this, is to have
it cut in thin slices like veal cutlets, and
broiled, and rubbed over with a bit of butter
and a little pepper, and served very hot, and
eaten with a squeeze of lemon juice. Great
care, however, must be taken to cut off the
skin before it is broiled, as the oil in the skin,
if burned, imparts a disgusting flavor to the
flesh. The flesh is very fine, and comes
nearer to veal, perhaps, than even turtle,
TO CURE SHAD ROES. -
Take them out without breaking, sprinkle
with salt and saltpetre forty-eight hours į


94.
put in linen bags and hang in the smoke
house ; they are excellent till shad comes
again.
ROASTED SALMON.
Fresh salmon is very fine roasted on a spit,
first rubbing it with salt, and then basting it
all the time with sweet-oil or butter.
Sauce for the above.
Put into a sauce-pan a little parsley, a
shalot or small onion, a few mushrooms, and
a piece of butter rolled in flour, pepper, salt,
and the French put in a gill of white wine.
Let these ingredients boil for half an hour ;
then strain them through a sieve, and mix
with the sauce a table-spoonful of olive-oil.
. BROILED SALMON.
Fresh salmon should be cut in slices and
soaked an hour in a mixture of sweet-oil,
chopped parsley, and shalots minced fine,
with salt and pepper. Then take each slice
with the seasoning on it, and wrap it in but-
tered paper Broil the slices on a gridiron,


.
96
:
Sauces.
FISH SAUCE.
Skin, gut and clean four eels, and cut them
in pieces, and lay them in a stew-pan; add
a quart of water, with a piece of toasted
bread, a little mace, some sweet herbs, four
anchovies, some whole pepper, and a little
salt. Let it simmer till sufficiently rich, then
thicken with flour and butter..
Another very rich.
Rub a table-spoonful of flour in three-
quarters of a pound of butter, add a little wa-
ter and melt it; put in a pint of cream ; one
anchovy minced fine, but not washed, give it
one boil, add salt and lemon stirring all the
time.
FOR GAME
Take half a pint of good gravy, season
with salt and pepper, nutmeg and mace; let


98
Stir all the time while boiling to prevent
curdling..
ONION.
Take any quantity of onions you choose,
and boil them till perfectly tender; then
drain the water off, and beat them up very
fine ; after which, add a sufficiency of but-
ter and a small portion of cream.
BREAD.
Boil an onion with whole black pepper
and milk till it is brought to a pulp; then
strain off the milk, and pour it on some
grated stale bread, and cover it carefully up.
In about three-quarters of an hour after-
wards put it in a saucepan with a large piece
of butter rolled in flour, and when sufficiently
boiled, serve it up.
OYSTER.
Boil the liquor of the oysters: with a little
mace, and some lemon peel; when boiled,
strain the liquor, and add the oysters, with
some milk, and butter rubbed in flour. Set


100
APPLE.
Take two quarts of apples, peel, core, and
slice them ; and put them in a jar, which
place in a sauce-pan of water over a gentle
fire. When done, pulp them; after which,
add butter and brown sugar.—This sauce is
excellent with roast pork or roultry.
A few quinces prepared the same way and
added to the above, with a pint of new cider,
make what is called Apple-Butter. This
is often used instead of preserves at tea.
ANCHOVY.
Add three anchovies minced fine, to some
flour and butter, one tablespoonful of water;
stir the whole over the fire till it boils.


102
BEETS.
These should boil an hour and a half, and
the tops twenty minutes. Boiled beets will
keep some time in cold vinegar.
CABBAGE.
Cabbages should be boiled with corned
beef or pork. Put them in when the meat is
half done. They can be kept bard, fresh
and sweet till spring by burying them in the
ground..
CAULIFLOWER.
Cut the flower close and separate the
green part; after soaking it an hour put it in
boiling water; skim it frequently ; it should
be taken up and drained as soon as the stalks
are tender. Serve it up in a dish by itself,
with plain melted butter in your sauce-boat.
CATSUP.
Tomatoes make the best catsup. The
vegetables should be squeezed up in the
hand, salt put to them, and set by for twen-
ty-four hours. After being passed through


104
.
LETTUCE.
If the tops of lettuce be cut off when it is
becoming too old for use, it will grow up
again fresh and tender, and may be thus kept
good through the summer.
ONION.
Boil onions in milk and water to diminish
the strong taste of that vegetable. It is an
excellent way of serving up onions, to chop
them after they are boiled, and put them in
a stew-pan, with a little milk, butter, salt, and
pepper, and let them stew fifteen minutes.
This gives them a fine flavor, and they can
be served up very hot.
Onions should be kept very dry, and never
carried in the cellar except in severe weather
when there is danger of their freezing. By
no means let them be in the cellar after
March ; they will sprout and spoil.
. PARSNIPS.
Parsnips are good in the spring, they
should be kept in the cellar, and kept cov-


108
pickles.
PEPPERS.
Cut a slice in the side of each pepper,
take out the seeds and fill with salt; let them
remain three weeks, (or you may make a
brine and let them remain in it three weeks.)
Take them out, cover the bottom and sides
of a brass or bell-metal kettle with cabbage
leaves, put the peppers in and cover them
with the leaves, fill up with cold water, and
hang them in a warm place where they will
green gradually. Cut a hard cabbage, not
very fine, add one quarter of a pound of
mustard seed, grated horseradish, a few
cloves and allspice whole, mix them well to-
gether, and stuff each pepper and tie it round
with a string; put them in jars and cover
them with cider vinegar heated.
CUCUMBERS.
Of the salt that comes out of the peppers
- (and as much more as may be necessary,)
Over


112
RED CABBAGE.
. Red cabbages need no other pickling than
scalding, spiced vinegar poured upon them,
· and suffered to remain eight or ten days be-
fore you eat them. Some people think it im-
proves them to keep them in salt and water
twenty-four hours before they are pick led.
ONIONS.
Take small onions, clear them from their
skins, lay them in brine one day, which
must be changed once ; then dry them well
in a clean cloth, and boil some white-wine
vinegar, with a little mace, cloves and whole
pepper ; pour this over them scalding hot,
and, when cold, tie it down securely.


113
Herbe..
6 All vegetables are in the highest state
of perfection, and fullest of juice and flavor,
just before they begin to flower: the first
and last crop have neither the fine flavor,
nor the perfume of those which are gathered
in the height of the season ; that is, when
the greater part of the crop of each species
is ripe.—Butler.
Burdocks warmed in vinegar, with the
hard, stalky parts cut out, are very soothing,
applied to the feet; they produce a sweet and
and gentle perspiration.
Catnip, particularly blossoms, made into
tea, is good to prevent a threatened ſever -
It should taken in bed, and the patient kept
warm.
• English-mallows steeped in milk is good
for the dysentery.
10*


114
Elder-blow tea has a mild effect. It is
cool and soothing, and peculiarly efficatious
either for babes or grown people, when the
digestive powers are out of order.
Horseradish is powerful and is excellent
in cases of the ague, warmed in vinegar and
clapped, and placed on the part affected.
Hyssop tea is good for sudden colds, and
disorders on the lungs. It is necessary to be
very careful about exposure after taking it ;
it is peculiarly opening to the pores.
Lungwort, maiden-hair, hyssop, elecam-
pane and hoarhound steeped together, is an
almost certain cure for a cough. A wine
glass full to be taken when going to bed.
Motherwort tea is very quieting to the
nerves. Students, and people troubled with
wakefulness, find it useful.
Sage is very useful both as a medicine, for
the head-ache-when made into tea—and
for all kinds of stuffing, when dried and rub-


129
be only lukewarm, the third as hot as you
can bear your hand in it.
Blonds and Gauzes are whitened in the
same manner, only a little gum is put in the
soap liquor before they are stoved.
To clean Britania metal or Blocktin. :
Where the polish is gone off, let the arti-
cle be first rubbed over the outside with a
little sweet oil, on a piece of soft linen cloth ;
then clear it off with dry pure whiting, free
from sand, on linen cloths, which will make
them look as well as new. The insides
should be rubbed with rags moistened with
· wet whiting, but without a drop of oil. Al-
ways wiping these articles dry when brought
from the table, and keeping them free from
steam or other damp, greatly facilitates the
trouble of cleaning them.
Cleaning floor cloths.
After sweeping and rubbing them over
with a damp flannel, wet them over with