Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

Ices are now so easily made, thanks to modern inventions, that it is only necessary to buy a freezer, an ice-cave, and the book of directions suited to whatever ice-making machine is selected. In London, however, the cook is generally saved this trouble by dessert-ice from a confectioner. As to this, great caution is necessary, unless the lady of the house herself inquires what the ice will look like when sent in. More than once I have seen a sort of lighthouse erection of some substance like coloured talc, illuminated from within by a night-light or a bit of candle, and surrounded with the ice made to look like rocks. The ill-concealed chagrin of the hostess, and the unconcealed wrath of the host, may be imagined. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, animals, are all moulded in ices, and coloured to represent nature. In the Diamond Jubilee year this fashion ran riot. Crowns of orange cream-ice were adorned with jewels of crystallised fruits. Necklaces of rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, were made of stiffly-frozen ice. Laurel wreaths, and loyal mottoes, were so common that a desire for simplicity was aroused. This, as I have heard, culminated in vanilla ices moulded to represent little bedroom candlesticks ! Carlsbad wafers, sold in round boxes, are by far the best wafers to hand with ices. Those who possess gardens with plenty of fruit are wise if they make jam at home, for although excellent jam can be bought it is always much too sweet, a large quantity of sugar being used to make the jam keep long. Orange marmalade ought always to be made at home towards the end of February, the Seville oranges being in perfection at that time. Fruit jellies, too, are easily made, and most useful and popular at ■dessert. Little china moulds should be used for them, and they turn out very prettily both as to colour and shape. Jam pots or glasses should never be washed with either soap or soda ; if either is used the jam will be spoiled. They should be thoroughly washed in plenty of clean water, and wiped perfectly dry. It is easy to make good jam if a few simple rules are observed. (1.) Use only fresh fruit, which has been gathered in dry weather. (2.) Allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of all fruit but stone fruit. Stone fruit requires a pound and a quarter of sugar. Break the sugar small, but do not pound it; if you do, the syrup will not be clear. Use the best sugar, as inferior kinds produce much more scum. (3.) Never put the preserving pan flat on the fire ; if you do, the fruit will stick to it and burn, or, as cooks say, catch. Raise the pan on a trivet a little above the fire, and not directly over it. Stir the whole time whilst the fruit and sugar are boiling together, using a wooden spoon. An iron spoon would ruin both the flavour and the colour of any jam. Stir gently at first, and more quickly towards the end of the boiling. Skim off all scum as it rises. (4.) Put the fruit in the pan, sprinkle in sugar, and, as the fruit juices, go on adding the sugar. When K K 2