People who engage in regular active labor, who take
plenty of exercise in the open air, cultivate a cheerful,
happj' disposition, live temperately in every vra}', and have
naturally strong digestive organs, can eat any kind of
wholesome food that has been properly cooked, and have
no consciousness of a stomach or any visceral organs ; and
appetite, unless previously impaired, is their best guide.
If the digestive organs be not strong naturally-, such a
mode of life as the above will tend to make them so, more
than an}^ amount of drugs or quack medicines.
The Boston Cook Book. 435
MISCELLANEOUS HINTS.
To Chop Suet. — Cut into small pieces and remove
the membrane. Sprinkle with flour, and chop in a cold
place to prevent its becoming soft and sticky.
To Clean Currants, — Put them in a squash strainer,
and sprinkle thickly with flour. Rub them well until they
are separated, and the flour, grit, and fine stems have
passed through the strainer. Then place the strainer and
currants in a pan of water✪ To Clean Currants, and wash thoroughly. Lift
the strainer and currants together, and change the water
till clear. Drain between towels, and pick over carefully.
Dry them in a sunny place or between towels, but do not
harden them by putting them into the oven.
To Stone Haisins, — Pour boiling water✪ To Stone Raisins over them,
and let them stand in it five or ten minutes. Drain, and
rub each raisin between the thumb and finger till the seeds
come out clean, then cut or tear apart, or chop, if wanted
very fine.
Core Apples before paring, and there is less danger of
their breaking.
JEgg Shells. — Wash eggs as soon as the}^ come from
the market, and then the shells may be used in clearing
coffee, soup, etc.
To Boil a Pudding in a Cloth. — Wring strong cotton
cloth out of boiling water, and spread over a bowl.
Sprinkle with flour, fill with the pudding✪ To Boil a Pudding in a Cloth, draw the cloth
together, and tie tightly, then flour near the opening.
Plunge into boiling water, and keep the water boiling
during the time for cooking. Add boiling water as needed,
and replenish the fire often.
Meringues should be put on puddings after they are
slightly cool, as, if the pudding be hot, the egg will liquefy.
436 The Boston Cook Booh
Moulds should be greased for any steamed mixture ;
wet in cold water for jell}^, creams, etc. ; and neither wet
nor greased if to be lined with cake. A mould of jelly
will cool quicker if placed in a pan of ice water or snow
than in the ice-chest.
Candied or Crystallized Fruit or Niits, {Mrs, Camp-
bell,) — Boil 07ie cup of granulated sugar and one cup of
boiling water together for half an hour. Then dip the
point of a skewer into the syrup and then into cold water.
If the thread formed break off brittle, the syrup is ready.
The S3Tup must never be stirred, and must boil slowly,
not furiously. When done, set the saucepan in boiling
water, or pour the syrup into a bowl placed in hot water,
to keep the sjTup from candying. Take the prepared
fruit or nuts on the point of a large needle or fine skewer,
dip them into the syrup, and then lay them on a dish,
which has been lightly buttered or oiled ; or string them
on a thread, and after dipping in the syrup suspend them
by the thread. When oranges are used, divide them into
eighths, and wipe all moisture. Cherries should be stoned.
English walnuts are especiallj^ nice prepared in this wa}'. ✪ To Corn Meat
Page 255 · 5 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
People who engage in regular active labor, who take plenty of exercise in the open air, cultivate a cheerful, happy disposition, live temperately in every way, and have naturally strong digestive organs, can eat any kind of wholesome food that has been properly cooked, and have no consciousness of a stomach or any visceral organs ; and appetite, unless previously impaired, is their best guide. If the digestive organs be not strong naturally-, such a mode of life as the above will tend to make them so, more than any amount of drugs or quack medicines.
The Boston Cook Book. 435
MISCELLANEOUS HINTS.
To Chop Suet. — Cut into small pieces and remove the membrane. Sprinkle with flour, and chop in a cold place to prevent its becoming soft and sticky.
To Clean Currants, — Put them in a squash strainer, and sprinkle thickly with flour. Rub them well until they are separated, and the flour, grit, and fine stems have passed through the strainer. Then place the strainer and currants in a pan of water, and wash thoroughly. Lift the strainer and currants together, and change the water till clear. Drain between towels, and pick over carefully. Dry them in a sunny place or between towels, but do not harden them by putting them into the oven.
To Stone Raisins, — Pour boiling water over them, and let them stand in it five or ten minutes. Drain, and rub each raisin between the thumb and finger till the seeds come out clean, then cut or tear apart, or chop, if wanted very fine.
Core Apples before paring, and there is less danger of their breaking.
JEgg Shells. — Wash eggs as soon as they come from the market, and then the shells may be used in clearing coffee, soup, etc.
To Boil a Pudding in a Cloth. — Wring strong cotton cloth out of boiling water, and spread over a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, fill with the pudding, draw the cloth together, and tie tightly, then flour near the opening. Plunge into boiling water, and keep the water boiling during the time for cooking. Add boiling water as needed, and replenish the fire often.
Meringues should be put on puddings after they are slightly cool, as, if the pudding be hot, the egg will liquefy.
436 The Boston Cook Booh
Moulds should be greased for any steamed mixture ; wet in cold water for jelly, creams, etc. ; and neither wet nor greased if to be lined with cake. A mould of jelly will cool quicker if placed in a pan of ice water or snow than in the ice-chest.
Candied or Crystallized Fruit or Niits, {Mrs, Campbell,) — Boil One cup of granulated sugar and one cup of boiling water together for half an hour. Then dip the point of a skewer into the syrup and then into cold water. If the thread formed break off brittle, the syrup is ready. The syrup must never be stirred, and must boil slowly, not furiously. When done, set the saucepan in boiling water, or pour the syrup into a bowl placed in hot water, to keep the syrup from candying. Take the prepared fruit or nuts on the point of a large needle or fine skewer, dip them into the syrup, and then lay them on a dish, which has been lightly buttered or oiled ; or string them on a thread, and after dipping in the syrup suspend them by the thread. When oranges are used, divide them into eighths, and wipe all moisture. Cherries should be stoned. English walnuts are especially nice prepared in this wa}'.
Records on this page
To Clean CurrantsTo Stone RaisinsTo Boil a Pudding in a ClothTo Corn MeatCandied or Crystallized Fruit or Nuts