A year's cookery

Rice Cream. — Soak half an ounce of gelatine in water. Throw an ounce of Carolina rice into boiling water and boil for five minutes. Drain, and boil in a pint of milk till tender. Rub it through a sieve, and stir the pulp thus obtained into the milk that remained in the saucepan with it. Dissolve the gelatine, mix it with the milk, and sweeten and flavour to taste. Stir the cream occasionally till cold, and, before turning it into a damp mould, put with it a quarter of a pint of cream that has been whisked till firm. Rice thus prepared, and flavoured with a laurel leaf and a tablespoonful of brandy, is excellent. Or, soak a quarter of an ounce of gelatine. Boil half a pint of milk, pour it upon a well-beaten egg, and add sugar and flavouring. Stir into it an ounce of rice that has been boiled in milk till tender. A spoonful of cold rice pudding beaten with a spoonful of cream or milk might be used for this purpose. Dissolve the gelatine, stir it into the rice custard, being careful that the dissolved gelatine and the custard are about the same temperature, and turn into a damp mould. Semolina Cream. — Soak an ounce of Semolina in a gill of milk, then boil it in half a pint of milk till tender. Dissolve half an ounce of gelatine, which has been soaked in water to cover it, in half a pint of milk, add sugar, flavouring, and, at the last moment, two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. If cream is not to be had, the white of an egg whisked till firm may be substituted. When the cream is beginning to set, put it into a damp mould, and turn out for serving. Semolina, it should be remembered, is a very valuable product, very nourishing and sustaining, and rich in flesh-forming and bone¬ forming material. It is, therefore, particularly excellent for sick children. Jellies. Jelly . — A great many people have an idea that, although it may be allowable to make jellies and creams of prepared gelatine for household use, it is most necessary to stew down calves’ feet when making jelly for an invalid. The truth is, however, that gelatine, whether it is obtained from calves’ feet or from any other source, possesses very little nutritive value. It simply affords a medium for the presentation of food in an acceptable form ; and its use¬ fulness depends upon what is put with it rather than on the nature of the stiffening material. Yet food in the form of jelly is often liked by invalids who care for nothing else. Therefore, jelly can on no account be banished from the list of foods suitable for the sick and convalescent. Coffee Jelly.— Soak half an ounce of gelatine in half a pint of water, and, when dissolved, stir in a breakfastcup of strong, clear coffee. Sweeten to taste, and serve when firm. Jelly thus made would not be at all nourishing ; it would simply be reviving, and might serve to awaken the appetite. Yet it has sometimes proved to be very acceptable, especially when a tablespoonful of cognac is put with it. If made with milk instead of water, as it easily might be, it would be much more nourishing, and it could be still further enriched by the addition of a little cream, or whipped cream may be served with coffee jelly. Tea Jelly is also refreshing. It is made by substituting strong tea for coffee.