The Modern Housewife or, Menagere Part 2

31. _Bacon and Ham, how to choose both fit for broiling._--Ham for broiling ought not to be too old or too dry, it would perhaps eat rank: nothing requires more care than broiling. Either get a slice of ham weighing a quarter of a pound or two ounces, which lay on your gridiron; put them over the fire; it will take perhaps five minutes, if the fire is good, and more, of course, if slow, but in that short s.p.a.ce of time turn them three or four times, and it is done. Proceed the same if you want to serve it with poached eggs, but be careful that the eggs be ready at the same time as the bacon or ham, or both would eat badly. If you happen to have a whole ham by you for that purpose only, begin to cut the slices in a slanting direction and the same thickness, and proceed to the end of the ham with the remainder; it will prove more profitable to broil with greens, peas, broad beans, &c., &c.

To saute it, put a little b.u.t.ter or good fat in the pan; set it on the fire with your slice in it, saute very gently, turning very often, and serve it on very thin toast.

32. _Ham and Eggs._--While your ham is doing, break two fresh eggs in the pan, season slightly with salt and pepper, set it before the fire till the eggs are delicately done, and slip them whole carefully into your dish, without breaking the yolk.

33. _Bacon._--The streaky part of a thick flank of bacon is to be preferred; cut nice slices not above a quarter of an inch thick, take off the rind, put to broil on the gridiron over a clear fire, turn it three or four times in the s.p.a.ce of five minutes; this will be all the cooking required: serve it very hot. Though this is the best part, the whole of the bacon is still good, especially if not rank, which can be easily detected by its yellowish color: if too dry or salt, after it has been cut in slices, dip it into a little vinegar and water three or four times, and saute as usual, it will make it softer and less salt: serve as usual. If any remain after a dinner of boiled bacon, it is also very good broiled or fried for next day's breakfast.

34. _Sausages._--Sausages are very frequently esteemed for breakfast. By all means, never use them, except you are confident that they are fresh.

The skin must be transparent, that the meat should be seen through; they keep good two or three days in a cold place in summer, nearly a week in winter (with care). For the receipt how to make them in the homely way, see future letter.

35. _Sausages, how to cook them._--p.r.i.c.k them with a pin all round about twenty times, put them on the gridiron over a gentle fire, turn three or four times, by doing which you will have them a very nice yellow color; dish them, and serve them very hot.

36. _Sauted Sausages._--If your fire smokes, it is preferable to saute them; put some b.u.t.ter in the pan, with four sausages; after you have p.r.i.c.ked them as before-mentioned, saute gently, a few minutes will do them, turn them often; in many instances a thin slice of bread sauted in the fat they have produced is a great improvement; save the fat, as it is always useful in a kitchen. In case you are in a hurry to do them, throw them into hot water for one minute previously to their being broiled or sauted; they will then be the sooner cooked, and even eat rather more relis.h.i.+ng to a delicate stomach, having extracted the oil from the skin; they may also be fried in the frying-pan.

37. _Black Puddings, broiled._--Make about six or eight incisions through the skin with a knife, in a slanting way, on each side of the pudding; put it on the gridiron for about eight minutes, on rather a brisk fire, turn it four times in that s.p.a.ce of time, and serve it broiling hot.

I should recommend those who are fond of black puddings to partake of no other beverage than tea or coffee, as cocoa or chocolate would be a clog to the stomach. In France they partake of white wine for breakfast, which accounts for the great consumption of black pudding. Now really this is a very favorite dish with epicures, but I never should recommend it to a delicate stomach.

ON COFFEE.--Coffee, which has now come so generally into use, originally came from Arabia, where it has been known from time immemorial, but was brought into use in England in the year 1653; as it is not generally known how it was introduced, I will give you the account of it from "Houghton's Collection," 1698. "It appears that a Mr. Daniel Edwards, an English Merchant of Smyrna, brought with him to this country a Greek of the name of Pasqua, in 1652, who made his coffee; this Mr. Edwards married one Alderman Hodges's daughter, who lived in Walbrook, and set up Pasqua for a coffee-man in a shed in the churchyard in St. Michael, Cornhill, which is now a scrivener's brave-house, when, having great custom, the ale-sellers pet.i.tioned the Lord Mayor against him, as being no freeman. This made Alderman Hodges join his coachman, Bowman, who was free, as Pasqua's partner; but Pasqua, for some misdemeanor, was forced to run the country, and Bowman, by his trade and a contribution of 1000 sixpences, turned the shed to a house.

Bowman's apprentices were first, John Painter, then Humphrey, from whose wife I had this account." Having examined the renter churchwarden's book of St. Michael, Cornhill, I find that the house or shed Bowman built is now part of the Jamaica Coffee-House; it was rebuilt by Bowman, after the fire, in 1667.

It is a very remarkable fact that but few persons in England know how to make good coffee, although so well supplied with the first quality of that delicious berry; but, by way of contrast, I must say that the middle cla.s.ses of France are quite as ignorant of the method of making tea.

I remember, upon one occasion, whilst staying at Havre with Mr. B., where we were upon a visit at the house of one of his agents, who invited a few of his friends to meet us at a tea-party _a l'Anglaise_, as they used to call it, about an hour previous to tea, and previous to the arrival of the guests, I was walking upon the lawn before the house, when my attention was attracted by a cloud of steam issuing from the kitchen-window, smelling most powerfully of tea: my curiosity led me to the kitchen, where I found the cook busily engaged making cocoa and most delicious coffee, but preparing the tea in a ridiculous fas.h.i.+on, the leaves of which were in an awful state of agitation, attempting as it were to escape from an earthen pot at the side of the fire, in which the delicious soup we had for dinner was made a few hours previously.

(_See_ Pot-au-Feu.)

"My dear girl," said I (in French), "what process do you call that of making tea? it never ought to be boiled."

"I beg your pardon, Madame," says she, "master and mistress like it well done, and it will be another short half-hour before it is properly cooked (ce sera alors copieux)."

"You are decidedly wrong," said I, "and I shall be most happy to show you the way we make it in England."

"Yes, I know what you mean, Madame," replied she; "I used to make it that way before, but no one liked it, that is, to boil it one hour in a copper-pan over a charcoal fire." Upon which I retired, making a most comical grimace, to refrain from laughing at her still more ridiculous fas.h.i.+on.

You must, however, observe that this occurred nearly twelve years ago, and I have no doubt but a reform has taken place since then by the continual traffic of the English through that part of the country. I must say, with respect to ourselves, we do not make quite such a blunder respecting coffee, but still our middle cla.s.ses very seldom enjoy the aroma of that delicious beverage, which should be made as follows:

Choose the coffee of a very nice brown color, but not black (which would denote that it was burnt, and impart a bitter flavor); grind it at home if possible, as you may then depend upon the quality; if ground in any quant.i.ty, keep it in a jar hermetically sealed. To make a pint, put two ounces into a stewpan, or small iron or tin saucepan, which set dry upon a moderate fire, stirring the coffee round with a wooden spoon continually until it is quite hot through, but not in the least burnt; should the fire be very fierce, warm it by degrees, taking it off every now and then until hot (which would not be more than two minutes), when pour over a pint of boiling water, cover close, and let it stand by the side of the fire (but not to boil) for five minutes, when strain it through a cloth or a piece of thick gauze, rinse out the stewpan, pour the coffee (which will be quite clear) back into it, place it upon the fire, and, when nearly boiling, serve with hot milk if for breakfast, but with a drop of cold milk or cream if for dinner.

To prove the simplicity of this mode of making coffee, I shall here give a repet.i.tion of the receipt as it actually is:

38. Put two ounces of ground coffee into a stewpan, which set upon the fire, stirring the powder round with a spoon until quite hot, when pour over a pint of boiling water; cover over closely for five minutes, when pa.s.s it through a cloth, warm again, and serve.[1]

The foregoing proportions would make coffee good enough for any person, but more or less coffee could be used, if required; the cloth through which it is pa.s.sed should be immediately washed and put by for the next occasion. A hundred cups of coffee could be made as here directed in half an hour, by procuring a pan sufficiently large, and using the proper proportions of coffee and water, pa.s.sing it afterwards through a large cloth or jelly-bag.

39. _Coffee, French fas.h.i.+on._--To a pint of coffee, made as before directed, add a pint of boiling milk, warm both together until nearly boiling, and serve. The French never use it any other way for breakfast.

40. _White Coffee, a new style._--Put two ounces of unground coffee, slightly roasted, into a clean stewpan, which set upon a moderate fire, slowly warming the coffee through, shaking the stewpan round every half-minute; when very hot, which you will perceive by the smoke arising from it, pour over half a pint of boiling water, cover the stewpan well, and let it infuse by the side of the fire for fifteen minutes, then add half a pint of boiling-hot milk, pa.s.s the coffee through a small fine sieve into the coffee-pot or jug, and serve with white sugar-candy or crystallized sugar; it is, as you will perceive, a great novelty, and an agreeable change; but if by neglect you let the coffee get black, or the least burnt, do not attempt to make use of it; it should only be sufficiently charred to break easily in a mortar if required.

41. _Coffee, made with a filter._--To make a quart; first put a pint of boiling water through the filter to warm it, which again pour away, then put a quarter of a pound of ground coffee upon the filter, upon which put the presser lightly, and the grating, pour over half a pint of boiling water, let it drain three or four minutes, then pour over a pint and a half more boiling water; when well pa.s.sed through, pour it into a clean stewpan, which set at the corner of the fire until a light sc.u.m arises, but not boiling; pour it again through the filter, and when well drained through, pour into the coffee-pot, and serve with hot milk, or a little cream, separately.

42. _Another way, more economical._--Proceed as in the last, but draining the coffee through once only, and serve, after which pour another quart of boiling water over the coffee-grounds, which, when drained through, reserve, and boil up for the next coffee you make, using it instead of water, and an ounce less coffee.

TEA is, without doubt, one of the most useful herbs ever introduced into England, which was in the year of the fire of London, 1666: it has replaced an unwholesome and heavy drink (ale) which used to be partaken of previously, and has created habits of sobriety. It is indigenous to China, j.a.pan, and Siam, and consists of many varieties, the proper mixing of which const.i.tutes the great art of a tea-dealer. It is exceedingly useful in many cases of sickness, and particularly after having partaken of any liquor to excess, or after extraordinary fatigue. When new, it is a narcotic; but when old it has a different effect,[2] and in its native country is never partaken of until a year old, and not then, unless exceedingly desiccated. I cannot recommend you any one in particular, as that depends on taste; but this I advise, that when you have a kind to your liking, to keep to it.

And now, my dear friend, without wis.h.i.+ng in the least to offend you, or attempting to aggravate your good nature, I must beg to contradict your a.s.sertion made at the commencement of our undertaking, where you say, respecting tea, of course I know how to make it; you made it whilst staying at our house occasionally, and Mr. B. found there was a great difference between it and mine. But to tell you the truth respecting tea, I have a little secret of my own, being a discovery which I made a short time ago by accident.

Whilst in the act of making tea, I had just put the dry tea in the pot, when I heard a fearful scream up-stairs in the drawing-room; rus.h.i.+ng there, I found my little girl had had a severe fall in reaching something from the chimney-piece, the stool upon which she stood having upset: twenty minutes at least had elapsed before I returned to my tea (which, being alone, I was in no particular hurry for), when I found that the servant, thinking there was water in the pot, and fearing the tea would be spoiled, put it into the oven, which was rather hot; when she brought it to me, I was rather annoyed, when all at once it struck me that the leaves being hot through, the tea would not require so long to draw; I then filled the teapot with boiling water, and in a minute afterwards had a most delicious cup of tea, since which I have adopted the system upon all occasions, and am now having made a small spirit-lamp to warm the pot and leaves, as the oven is not always hot: it may, however, be made hot in front of the fire, but not too close of course. I gave the receipt to one of our neighbors, who actually laughed at the idea, but never tried it, saying, "We cannot teach anything to our grandmothers, and that what did for them would do for us." Now what could you say to such people? why nothing, but let them alone, as I shall do for the future. But you, my dear, I know have better sense; proceed as I have directed, and you will find it a great improvement. Put your tea in the pot a quarter of an hour before ready for it, warming both tea and pot, fill with boiling water, and leave it from three to five minutes to draw, when it is quite ready.

CACAO was first known in Europe after the discovery of America, and it retains its Indian name; of course, it was first used in Spain, and did not come into use in England until much later; and we find that there was imported into England, in the year 1694, about 13,000 lbs. weight of it; at the present day there was, in 1848, 410,000 lbs. It is a long fruit, about five to eight inches, and three or four thick, which contains about thirty nuts: the tree grows to only a few feet in height.

In the course of my experiments, I have found that the sh.e.l.l is almost as nutritious as the kernel, with less oily particles in it, which, to many, are unpleasant.

43. _Chocolate._--Sc.r.a.pe two ounces of the cake, which put into a stew or saucepan, with a gill of water, upon the fire, keeping it stirred with a wooden spoon until rather thick, when work it quickly with the spoon, stirring in half a pint of boiling milk by degrees; serve very hot, with sugar separate.

44. _Chocolate made in the Italian method._--Procure a regular chocolate-pot with a muller, the handle of which comes through the lid, one might be procured at any brazier's, put in two ounces of chocolate (sc.r.a.ped), over which by degrees pour a pint of boiling milk, put on the lid, with the muller inside, which keep well moving, setting the pot upon the fire, and when very hot and frothy, serve.

45. _Cocoa._--Put a teaspoonful and a half of canistered cocoa into a cup, which fill by degrees with boiling milk, stir it until dissolved, when it is ready to serve; sugar separately.

LETTER No. III

Oatlands Cottage, Jan. 20, 1849.

DEAR HORTENSE,--I have inclosed the whole of the receipts which you have sent me for the breakfasts, properly cla.s.sified, having omitted the cold meats (as you desired me) from this series, thinking, as you do, they are more suited for the luncheon. To save useless repet.i.tion, I have placed the receipts in numbers, by which references can be easily made, and any dish appearing in the dinner or luncheon series, but available for breakfast, can be directly found.

But one thing I remember when at your house was, that when the remains of a joint were rather large, you used to put it upon a side table, and let any one help themselves from it there; your idea being, I believe, that very few persons liked to have a large dish of meat before their eyes almost immediately after rising from their beds, or at the first meal of the morning. Respecting the way your table was laid out, to the best of my recollection, it was as follows:--First the large table-cloth, over which was laid a small napkin before each person, with cups and saucers for tea or coffee, at choice, small plates for rolls, and a size larger for meat, sausages, eggs, &c., a small knife and fork for each; the b.u.t.ter in a pretty freezing b.u.t.ter-gla.s.s, just covered with clear spring water, and garnished with a few sprigs of parsley or watercresses; the cream in a small china cream-jug, and a larger jug containing hot milk for coffee; orange marmalade in its original pot, honeycomb, watercresses, and once a few nice young radishes, which were excellent, although a little out of season; one day also dry toast was served, another day b.u.t.tered, the next m.u.f.fins, then crumpets, white and brown bread, and small rolls, thus making a continual change, but all so small and inviting. I shall always, when I have company, as you had then, arrange everything in the same manner, especially now that I have your receipts down. But when you are alone, you tell me, you never make any such display, which of course would be ridiculous; still even then you vary, by having either tea, coffee, or chocolate, which change I like as well as you. I eat meat but occasionally, but Mr. L---- generally likes a little broiled bacon, or boiled egg, things in themselves very simple and pleasant to have upon the table. Yours, in haste,

ELOISE.