The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual Part 78

[324-++] Parsley. Vide CHAMBERLAYNE.

[324---] Of this composition, see the works of the copper-farthing dean.

[324- ] Which we suppose to be near four hours.

[325-*] To boil bacon, see No. 13.

[325-+] Meat dressed by the heat of boiling water, without being immediately exposed to it, is a mode of cookery that deserves to be more generally employed: it becomes delicately tender, without being over-done, and the whole of the nourishment and gravy is preserved.

This, in chemical technicals, is called _balneum maris_, a water-bath; in culinary, _bain-marie_; which A. CHAPELLE, in his "_Modern Cook_,"

8vo. page 25, London, 1744, translates "Mary's bath." See note to No.

485.

MARY SMITH, in her "_Complete Housekeeper_," 1772, 8vo. pages 105 and 247, translates "_Sauce Robert_," ROE-BOAT-SAUCE; an "_omelette_," a HAMLET; and gives you a receipt how to make "_Soupe a la_ RAIN!"

[331-*] Rotten cheese toasted is the _ne plus ultra_ of _haut gout_, and only eatable by the thorough-bred _gourmand_ in the most inverted state of his jaded appet.i.te.

[331-+] The nursery name for bread toasted on one side only.

[337-*] Straining the water is an indispensable precaution, unless you use spring-water.

[338-*] "A couple of poached eggs, with a few fine, dry, fried collops of pure bacon, are not bad for breakfast, or to begin a meal," says Sir KENELM DIGBY, M.D. in his _Closet of Cookery_, London, 1669, page 167.

[338-+] "The lightest mode of preparing eggs for the table, is to boil them only as long as is necessary to coagulate slightly the greater part of the white, without depriving the yelk of its fluidity."--Dr.

PEARSON'S _Mat. Alim._ 8vo. 1808, p. 36.

[339-*] VARIOUS WAYS OF MAKING TEA.

1.

"The _j.a.panese_ reduce their tea to a fine powder by pounding it; they put certain portions of this into a tea-cup, pour boiling water upon it, stir it up, and drink it as soon as it is cool enough."

2.

"DUBUISSON'S MANNER OF MAKING TEA.

"Put the tea into a kettle with cold water; cover it close, set it on the fire, and make it all but boil; when you see a sort of white sc.u.m on the surface, take it from the fire; when the leaves sink it is ready."

3.

"The night before you wish to have tea ready for drinking, pour on it as much cold water as you wish to make tea; next morning pour off the clear liquor, and when you wish to drink it, make it warm."

The above are from "_L'Art du Limonadier_" _de_ DUBUISSON, Paris, p.

267, 268. Or,

4.

"A great saving may be made by making a tincture of tea, thus: pour boiling water upon it, and let it stand twenty minutes, putting into each cup no more than is necessary to fill it about one-third full: fill each cup up with hot water from an urn or kettle; thus the tea will be always hot and equally strong to the end, and one tea-spoonful will be found enough for three cups for each person: according to the present mode of making it, three times the quant.i.ty is often used."--See Dr.

TRUSLER'S _Way to be Rich and Respectable_, 8vo. 1796, page 27.

[Tea should only be made as an infusion,--that is, pouring boiling hot water upon it, and letting it stand a few minutes to draw. A.]

[340-*] See Dr. Houghton on Coffee, in vol. xxi. of the _Phil. Trans._ page 311.

[The best of coffee is imported into this country, and can be had cheap and good. A.]

[343-*] To increase the bulk and diminish the expense of this pudding, the economical housekeeper, who has a large family to feed, may now add two pounds of potatoes that have been boiled and well mashed. To many this mixture is more agreeable than pease pudding alone. See also No.

107.

[350-*] Ground barley, or barley-meal, is sold in this city; with which barley-water gruel or a panada may be readily made, for the sick, or for soups. A.

MARKETING TABLES,

_Showing the seasons when_ MEAT, POULTRY, _and_ VEGETABLES, _are_ BEST _and_ CHEAPEST.

MEAT.

+-----------+-----------+------------------------------------------------+ _Weight _Weight of Meat of Bone before after BEEF. it was being dressed._ dressed._ THE HIND QUARTER. -----------+-----------+ _lb._ _oz._ _lb._ _oz._ _per lb._ 13 0 1 8 1. Sirloin 0 9 Roasted (No. 19). 20 0 4 0 2. Rump 0 9 {Steak to Broil (No. { 94), to Stew (Nos. { 500 and 501). 11 0 1 4 3. Edge-Bone 0 6 Boiled (No. 8). 13 12 1 8 4. b.u.t.tock, or 0 7 {Ditto (No. 7), or Round { Savoury Salted { Beef (No. 496). 5. Mouse ditto 0 6 {For Alamode Beef { (No. 502). 6. Veiny Piece 0 7 {Generally Baked or { Salted. 11 0 1 8 7. Thick Flank 0 6 Salted. 8. Thin ditto 0 6-1/2 Ditto. 9. Leg 0 2-1/2 {Soup of (No. 193), { Stewed (No. 493) THE FORE QUARTER. _per lb._ 14 4 1 12 10. Fore Ribs, 0 9 {Roasted (No. 20), 6 Ribs { Boned and Rolled { (No. 21). 11. Middle do., 0 7 Ditto. 3 do. 12. Chuck do., 0 5 For making Gravy. 3 do. 13. Shoulder, or}0 6 For Steaks or Soup. Leg of } Mutton Piece} {For Stewing (No. 14. Brisket 0 6 { 494), or Haricot { (No. 495),--or { Salted. 15. Clod 0 4-1/2 {Princ.i.p.ally used for { Beef Sausages. 8 4 0 10 16. Neck, or } 0 3-1/2 {Ditto, or making Sticking } { Soup. Piece } {Excellent Scotch 9 0 2 4 17. s.h.i.+n 0 2-1/2 { Barley Broth (No. { 204), and Stewed { (No. 493). 18. The Head {Soup of (No. 239), { Stewed, (No. 507); { and The Tail {Do. (No. 240), do. { (No. 508.) The Heels {Boiled (No. 18*), { Jelly of (No. { 198), Soup (No. { 240*). MUTTON. _lb._ _oz._ _lb._ _oz._ _per lb._ 8 0 0 13 1. Leg } { Boiled (No. 1), or 2. Loin, best} { Roasted (No. 24). end } 0 8 { Do. (No. 1,) 3. Do., chump} { Roasted (No. 28), end } { Chops. { Do. (No. 2.) 6 0 0 8 4. Neck, best} 0 7 { Roasted (No. 29), end } { Irish Stew (No. { 488), Haricot (No. { 489), Stewed (No. { 490). 5. Do., scrag} {To make Broth (No. end } 0 5 { 194). 8 4 1 0 6. Shoulder 0 7 Roasted (No. 27). 7. Breast 0 5 {Grilled (_Obs._ to {No. 38). Head Broth. The Chine, or} the Saddle, } two Loins, } {Roasted (No. 31), The Haunch }0 8 { Venisonified (No. is a Leg, } { 32). and part of } the Loin } VEAL. _per lb._ 1. Loin, best} 0 11 Roasted (No. 35). end } 2. Do., chump} 0 11 Do. do. end } {Roasted (No. 34), to 3. Fillet 1 1 { make Veal Olives { (No. 518), Scotch { Collops (No. { 517*). 4. Knuckle, } 0 7 {To Ragout (No. Hind } { 522), to Stew (No. The whole} 0 10-1/2 { 523), Soup of Leg } { (No. 193). 9 0 1 0 5. Neck, best} 0 11 Roasted (No. 37). end } 5 0 0 10 6. Do., scrag} 0 8 Do. do. end } The whole} 0 9-1/2 Neck } 7. Blade Bone 0 10 Roasted. {Stewed (No. 515); to 8. Breast, best}0 11 { Ragout (No. 517), end } { to Curry (No. { 497). 9. Do., brisket}0 10 {Stewed (No. 515); to end } { Ragout (No. 517). 10. Knuckle,} 0 7 Same as Hind Fore } Knuckle. The head, {Boiled, plain (No. with the skin { 10), to Hash (Nos. on { 10 and 520). Do., skinned Cutlets {Fried (No. 90), { Broiled (No. 521). ------------+-----------+--------------------------+---------------------+

The Nos. refer to the receipts for dressing.

In the foregoing table, we have given the proportions of _bone_ to _meat_,--the former not being weighed till cooked, by which, of course, its weight was considerably diminished.

These proportions differ in almost every animal,--and from the different manner in which they are cut.

Those who pay the highest, do not always pay the _dearest_ price. In fact, the best meat is the _cheapest_; and those who treat a tradesman liberally, have a much better chance of being well served, than those who are for ever bargaining for the market penny. In dividing the joints, there is always an opportunity of apportioning the bones, fat, flaps, &c., so as to make up a variation of much more than a penny per pound in most pieces; and a butcher will be happy to give the turn of his knife in favour of that customer who cheerfully pays the fair price of the article he purchases:--have those who are unwilling to do so any reason to complain?--have they not invited such conduct?

The _quality_ of butcher's meat, varies quite as much as the _price_ of it, according to its age, how it has been fed, and especially how it has been treated the week before it has been killed.

The following statements were sent to us by a very respectable tradesman:--

Beef is _best_ and _cheapest_ from Michaelmas to Midsummer. The price, per pound, now varies from 4_d._ to 1_s._

Veal is _best_ from March to July. The price varies according to the season and the supply; and the quality differs so much, that the same joints now sell from 5_d_. to 11_d._ per pound.

Mutton is _best_ from Christmas to Midsummer; the difference in price between the worst and the best, is now from 5_d._ to 9_d._ per pound.

Gra.s.s lamb is _best_ from Easter to June; house lamb from Christmas to June.

POULTRY.

+----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+ _Poultry._ _Come into _Continue._ _Cheapest._ Season._ +----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+ {Spring chickens To be had all the} Chickens { April year } November. Poulards, with March Till June December. eggs {Dearest in April, To be had all the} Fowls { May, and June year } November. Capons {Largest at Ditto {October and Christmas {November. Green Geese March Till September do. Geese September ---- February do. Turkey poults April ---- June do. Turkeys September ---- March do. Ducklings March ---- May do. Ducks June ---- February do. {December; Wild ducks September Till ditto {but the flights {are uncertain. Widgeons Teal Plovers Larks November Till March Ditto. Wheatears July And during August Wild pigeons March Till September August. Tame do. Tame rabbits All the year Wild do. June Till February November. Sucking pigs All the year Leverets March Till September Hares September Partridges Do. Pheasants October Grouse August Moor game Till March Woodc.o.c.k snipes November +----------------+------------------+------------------+----------------+

c.o.c.ks' combs, fat livers, eggs, &c. are _dearest_ in April and May, and _cheapest_ in August.