The Modern Housewife or, Menagere Part 5

82. _Barley Water._--Put half a gallon of water into a very clean saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl barley, when boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender; sweeten with half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and use when required. The juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be introduced.

83. _Rice Water._--Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a handful of clean rice (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pa.s.s it through a hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible, and when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm.

84. _A New Drink._--Put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pa.s.s the water through a sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it a little sweetish, and drink lukewarm.

Two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a great improvement. People in good health would much enjoy such drink, during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country, where apples are plentiful. Any kind of apples would suit, and brown sugar instead of honey, or even no sugar at all.

85. _Cooling Drink._--Bake four or six apples, without peeling them; when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very palatable.

86. _Almond Water._--Put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds into a saucepan, with a pint of hot water, set them upon the fire, and, when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, when throw in the mashed almonds; boil together a minute, then set it at the corner to simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pa.s.s through a fine sieve for use. When required, add any quant.i.ty of cold water you please to make it palatable, according to taste or direction.

87. _Barley Lemonade._--Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five minutes longer, pa.s.s it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when cold, it is ready for use; if put cold into a bottle and well corked down, it would keep good several days.

_Barley Orangeade_ is made the same, subst.i.tuting the rind and juice of oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when taken as a refres.h.i.+ng beverage.

88. _A Refres.h.i.+ng Beverage._--Slice two oranges and one lemon, which put into a jug, with two ounces of sugarcandy, over which pour one quart of boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, when drink it a little at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. This drink is also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather.

89. _Raspberry Vinegar Beverage._--Put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that is, currants, cherries, strawberries, mulberries, &c.

90. _A very Strengthening Drink._--Put a teacupful of pearl-barley into a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon and a small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley becomes tender, when strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar will do.

91. _Fresh Fruit Water._--Fresh fruits, when in season, are very preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of the first confectioners or Italian warehouses.

Pick a bottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pa.s.s it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use; both the syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to taste.

Red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp.

92. _Cherry Draught._--Choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from which take the stalk and stones, have a pint of syrup boiling, into which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes, then take them from the fire, and add a good wine-gla.s.sful of Madeira or sherry, and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when cold, pa.s.s it through a sieve, and it is ready for use: the wine may be omitted if not required. A drink of the same description may likewise be made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added.

93. _Arrow-root Water._--Put half a gallon of water to boil with two apples, the same as in No. 84, with the addition of a stick of cinnamon; let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it into the boiling water: let the whole boil ten minutes, and pa.s.s it through a sieve; when cold, it will drink light and thickish.

94. _French Herb Broth._--This is a very favorite beverage in France, as well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in the spring, when the herbs are young and green. Put a quart of water to boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a cabbage-lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a teaspoonful of salt and half an ounce of fresh b.u.t.ter; cover your saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pa.s.s it through a sieve or colander. This is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring of the year, after the change from winter. I generally drink about a quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. To prove that it is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs to eat gra.s.s at that season of the year. I do not pretend to say that it would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes as well as change their medicines.

95. _Dry Plum Beverage._--Put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry French plums, and let them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and a very small quant.i.ty of port wine.

They are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink.

96. _Figs and Apple Beverage._--Have two quarts of water boiling, into which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples, previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool, then pa.s.s through a sieve; drain the figs, which will be also good to eat.

97. _Stewed Plums._--Put twelve French plums in a stewpan, with a spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. They are sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret.

98. _Baked Apples_ are very much used by invalids: have a common yellow dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar.

99. _Cooling Lemonade._--Put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into the stewpan and boil two minutes longer; then pour it into a jug, which cover closely with paper until cold, then pa.s.s it through a sieve: add a teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use.

100. _Imperial, a cooling Drink for the Spring._--Two ounces of cream of tartar, two lemons, juice and peel, four ounces of sugar; place in a stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get cold, and bottle for use; or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. This is excellent aerated-like soda water. Essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added, with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to spirits.

101. _Orangeade._--Proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar candy, and adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. The arrow-root makes it very delicate.

102. _Toast and Water._--The ease and simplicity of making this popular drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten, that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done, or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; I venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at each, they would not find two of the same flavor, and perhaps not any of it properly made. To make it to perfection, proceed as follows: cut a piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow color, then place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate color, put it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use: never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation in a short time. I would almost venture that such toast and water as I have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles.

The idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite a popular delusion, for nothing nouris.h.i.+ng could come from it: if your house was burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being burnt.

PUDDINGS FOR INVALIDS.

103. _Apple and Rice._--Boil half an ounce of Carolina rice in a gill of milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of b.u.t.ter, sugar, a little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of b.u.t.ter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender; when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice, which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it may also be made quite plain, if preferred.

104. _Custard Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it into a b.u.t.tered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with some water (see No. 112), turn out on a plate and serve.

105. _Rice Puddings._--Wash well two ounces of rice in some water, strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf, tied together; let it boil gently, stirring it occasionally, until quite tender; then put to it one ounce of b.u.t.ter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a b.u.t.tered tart-dish, and bake it half an hour.

106. _Macaroni Pudding._--Blanch two ounces of Naples macaroni in some water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, add it to one pint of boiling milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and one ounce of b.u.t.ter; when the macaroni is quite tender, add two eggs and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a stewpan, in a b.u.t.tered tart-dish.

107. _Vermicelli Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar; pour these in a b.u.t.tered mould, and steam it half an hour.

108. _Tapioca Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of b.u.t.ter; pour these in a b.u.t.tered mould, and steam half an hour.

109. _Bread Pudding._--Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a b.u.t.tered mould for one hour.