The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

Mulberry Syrup. — (1) Remove the stalks from some ripe berries, put them in a tub, and bruise well with a wooden spoon to extract all the juice. Let them remain for three or four hours, and then strain through a flannel bag or fine strainer. Measure the juice, and for every gallon add 3oz. of water in which 4oz. of citric acid has been dissolved, and 14 lb. of loaf sugar. Pour the syrup into a preservingpan, add the sugar and acid, and simmer gently without boiling at the side of the fire until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the fire, and when the syrup is quite cold pour it into bottles, cork them up, and it is ready for use. If loo thick, a little water may be added to bring it to the required consistence. (2) Put some Mulberries into a jar with a cover over, place it in a saucepan of water, and boil up, and as the liquor rises from the berries pour it off. Measure the juice, and to every 4 pint use 4 lb. of caster sugar. Put the juice and sugar into a saucepan over a clear fire, boil until it becomes like cream, skim well, let it get cold, put into bottles, and it is ready for use. Mulberry Water Ice. — Extract the juice from the Mulberries by putting them in a cloth and squeezing it with both hands; for every pint of the juice allow 1 qt. of syrup and the strained juice of two lemons. Mix them together, put them into a freezing-pot, and work until frozen. Afterwards place the mixture in a fancy mould, close it securely, pack in pounded ice and salt, and leave for about a couple of hours. When ready to serve, dip the mould into hot water, taking it out again quickly, wipe it, and turn the ice on to a glass or other kind of fancy dish. MULL. — This term is derived from the Old English mold — such as mold-ale, or ale that was served at a funeral banquet. It is now used to signify a drink, especially wine or beer that has been heated by boiling, spiced and sweetened, or “ mulled ” as it is called. MULLAGATAWNY SOUP.— The name is a slight corruption of the Tamil Mila-gu-tamur, which signifies pepper water. See Soup. MULLER. — A vessel used for mulling. This may be merely a common saucepan, or an elaborate electro-plated apparatus fitted to the counter of a public bar. MULLET (Fr. Mulet ; Ger. Meerbarbe).— There is a good deal of confusion usually existing amongst foreign cooks on the score of these famous fish. Those known to us are of two kinds — the Gray Mullet (Mugil cephalus), and the Red Mullet, or Sur-Mullet (Mullus barbatus), the latter being remarkable for its brilliant colours and a sort of bearded appendage. When cleaning the Red Mullet it is only necessary to scrape it well and pull out the gills, with which all will come that is necessary to remove of the inside ; the liver, which is an especial delicacy, remaining. The roe of the Gray Mullet is most highly esteemed, and is prepared by drying, salting, and forming into a sausage. The following receipts are considered to be a description of the very best methods of cooking these fish ; Gray Mullets. — These being river fish should be cooked j almost as soon as caught. They are not considered in Fig. 1195. Gray Mullet. any way equal to the red Mullet, and must be scraped, emptied, and thoroughly cleaned before cooking. See Fig. 1195.