Cookery for every household

The truffle is a kind of fungus which grows in clusters at some distance below the surface of the ground, generally in the neighbourhood of trees, and in oak and chestnut forests in particular. Although truffles are to be found in England, they are not considered of much value ; the best come from France and Italy, the French truffles from the districts of Perigueux and Carpentras being particularly famous. They are searched for with specially trained dogs or pigs, the perfume emitted by the truffles acting as a guide to the animals. There are several different kinds of truffle, the black, the white, and the red, but the black is the one best known and most valued in this country. They are only in perfection when freshly gathered, and unfortunately the rich flavour and delicious perfume for which they are valued deteriorate considerably by importation, while those that are preserved in bottles have so little flavour that they are fit for little beyond merely decorative purposes. When fresh truffles are bought they must be well washed and brushed until quite free from all earth or sand and then peeled. The outer skin is of no value. They can then be trimmed to a uniform shape if necessary, but all pieces must be saved ; if chopped they can be used for various purposes. Truffles are generally used for flavouring and garnishing different dishes, but they can also be served by themselves, only the price is so high (from 6s. to 10s. per pound) that they are quite a luxury and can only be indulged in by the very rich. One of the simplest ways of serving them is to wrap each truffle in buttered paper and to bake them in the oven — they will require about 1 hour ; the papers should then be removed and the truffles wiped and served in a hot folded serviette. Or, they may be slowly stewed in champagne or other white wine with a careful flavouring of ham and herbs, then, when ready, lifted out of the liquid and served as above. Turnips (Navets) For cooking purposes there are two different kinds of turnip, the white turnip and the swede. The swede is not so sweet as the white turnip, and when old it becomes very hard and woody in fibre, but it is very useful for flavouring purposes. Perhaps the best turnip for serving as a vegetable is the French turnip, which is white and long in shape, but this is generally expensive and only obtainable in the big markets. As a food the turnip is not particularly valuable ; it is composed largely of water, and contains very little nourishment, but it has an agreeable taste and pleasant flavour, and is by no means an expensive vegetable. Cut in pieces it is often boiled with meat and used as a garnish, it forms also a nice addition to many soups and stews. Served by itself the turnip is perhaps best mashed or made into a puree, unless young, when it can be boiled or steamed and served with egg, parsley, or any other suitable sauce. The green tops of the turnip can also be utilised, and if gathered young they make an excellent green vegetable. The very young leaves are sometimes served ra w as a salad. 592. Mashed Turnips Turnips. Butter. Seasoning.