more clearly the meaning of the composition of the title it bears. History tells us that Mirepoix was a duke whose wife, being a clever cook, became a favourite with Louis XV. I, however, fail to see what this has to clo with this culinary adjunct used in the preparation of sauces and soups, braises and stews. To come to the point, let me explain that a mirepoix is nothing else than an essence or extract of meat and vegetables, one of the most useful preparations to impart flavour of exquisite richness to various kinds of sauces, soups, and other culinary preparations. To make a mirepoix properly, use the following ingredients : — ^ lb. bacon (or ham) cut into small pieces 1 carrot (slices) 2 bay leaves A sprig of thyme 2 small onions (sliced) A clove of garlic 2 shallots✪ Mirepoix Pry these carefully without actually browning, and the mirepoix proper will be complete. It will afterwards, according to requirements, be diluted and boiled up with wine— sherry, chablis, sauterne, or claret — which will be added to stock or to sauce to simmer in it and to give it the desired flavour. Many chefs do not consider a mirepoix complete without a certain quantity of veal, lean meat, being added. This I maintain to be waste, as the stock employed should contain the necessary flavour of meat needed. The addition of bacon or ham has, on the other hand, quite a different effect as to its flavour, and I cannot speak too highly of it. ESSENCES OF MEAT &c. Essences or extracts of meat, fish, poultry, and game are largely employed in the various sauce preparations. These are decoctions or concentrated liquids containing as much as possible of the flavours, which by certain processes are reduced to the consistency of half- glaze. To make an Essence. —The ingredients from which the essence takes its name are put in a stew-pan with a quantity of rich stock, wine, vegetables, and herb flavouring. When sufficiently simmered the liquid is strained into another stew-pan, and when thoroughly skimmed and freed from fat it is reduced to the consistency needed and put by for use when required. The following essences are those most frequently used in high- class kitchens : Ham essence, Truffle essence, Fish essence, Mushroom essence, Chicken essence, Rabbit essence, Pheasant essence, woodcock, snipe, partridge and lark essence, &c. These essences are of course used to enrich certain sauces, so as to make their characteristic flavour more conspicuous. It is needless to add that the use of essences is only adopted for very rich sauces, &c. THE NEW CENTURY COOKERY BOOK FUMET A fumet is very much the same preparation as an essence, but much richer, being reduced with sherry or madeira. Fumet, in other words, may be termed the flavour, for it is the condensed steam which rises from certain cooked and raw meats, game, or poultry, whereby a concentrated flavour is obtained. For a fumet the raw ingredients required are usually sauted in the first instance, after which a bouquet of herbs, stock, and wine are added for reduction. Foundation Sauces. — All the great sauces, or sauces mere, as they are called in France, have either well-reduced stock or essences for their foundation. Espagnole, veloutee, allemande, and bechamel, are the names of the four sauces known as Les grand.es sauces, though the actual leading foundation sauces are a brown and a white sauce.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

more clearly the meaning of the composition of the title it bears. History tells us that Mirepoix was a duke whose wife, being a clever cook, became a favourite with Louis XV. I, however, fail to see what this has to do with this culinary adjunct used in the preparation of sauces and soups, braises and stews. To come to the point, let me explain that a mirepoix is nothing else than an essence or extract of meat and vegetables, one of the most useful preparations to impart flavour of exquisite richness to various kinds of sauces, soups, and other culinary preparations. To make a mirepoix properly, use the following ingredients : — ^ lb. bacon (or ham) cut into small pieces 1 carrot (slices) 2 bay leaves A sprig of thyme 2 small onions (sliced) A clove of garlic 2 shallots Pry these carefully without actually browning, and the mirepoix proper will be complete. It will afterwards, according to requirements, be diluted and boiled up with wine— sherry, chablis, sauterne, or claret — which will be added to stock or to sauce to simmer in it and to give it the desired flavour. Many chefs do not consider a mirepoix complete without a certain quantity of veal, lean meat, being added. This I maintain to be waste, as the stock employed should contain the necessary flavour of meat needed. The addition of bacon or ham has, on the other hand, quite a different effect as to its flavour, and I cannot speak too highly of it. ESSENCES OF MEAT &c. Essences or extracts of meat, fish, poultry, and game are largely employed in the various sauce preparations. These are decoctions or concentrated liquids containing as much as possible of the flavours, which by certain processes are reduced to the consistency of halfglaze. To make an Essence. —The ingredients from which the essence takes its name are put in a stew-pan with a quantity of rich stock, wine, vegetables, and herb flavouring. When sufficiently simmered the liquid is strained into another stew-pan, and when thoroughly skimmed and freed from fat it is reduced to the consistency needed and put by for use when required. The following essences are those most frequently used in highclass kitchens : Ham essence, Truffle essence, Fish essence, Mushroom essence, Chicken essence, Rabbit essence, Pheasant essence, woodcock, snipe, partridge and lark essence, &c. These essences are of course used to enrich certain sauces, so as to make their characteristic flavour more conspicuous. It is needless to add that the use of essences is only adopted for very rich sauces, &c. FUMET A fumet is very much the same preparation as an essence, but much richer, being reduced with sherry or madeira. Fumet, in other words, may be termed the flavour, for it is the condensed steam which rises from certain cooked and raw meats, game, or poultry, whereby a concentrated flavour is obtained. For a fumet the raw ingredients required are usually sauted in the first instance, after which a bouquet of herbs, stock, and wine are added for reduction. Foundation Sauces. — All the great sauces, or sauces mere, as they are called in France, have either well-reduced stock or essences for their foundation. Espagnole, veloutee, allemande, and bechamel, are the names of the four sauces known as Les grand.es sauces, though the actual leading foundation sauces are a brown and a white sauce.

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Mirepoix

The new century cookery book