Now, suppose the cook to read the recipe carefully, and see in about what propor-
tions the different iiigredients should be mixed. The carcase of the fowl is cut up and
placed in a saucepan, with one or two of the bacon bones, which, being lean, form the
best substitute for the lean ham. A little piece of veal — say a quarter of a pound,
or indeed a spoonful of gelatine would do — must be added. Add to these a slice of
carrot, or even the whole of a small one, a good slice of onion, a tiny piece of
mace, one or two peppercorns, and add salt to taste. Let all these simmer gently for
a couple of hours or so, and then strain it off, water having been added in a
due proportion. Now, this stock would, of course, make excellent bechamel sauce,
for the simple reason that every ingredient in the recipe has been used, the difference
between the lean bacon bones and the lean ham being too trifling to make any
material change in the flavour. If this broth be well strained and well skimmed, and
every particle of grease removed, and then be simmered down to about three-quai-ters
of a tumbler in quantity, it has, of course, just like the other broth, only to be mixed
with an equal quantity of good boiling cream, and slightly thickened with a little
arrowroot, to be equal in flavour and excellence to any bechamel sauce served up in
a first-class large hotel.
In many hundreds of the recipes we have given, and shall give, it will be the
duty of the cook, in order to render such recipes practical, or, in other words, to
make the recipe fit in to the exceptional circumstances of the family or place, to make
such little alterations as we have described. Of course, in some instances, the quantities
must be increased, such as in the case of large schools, and in others decreased.
One of the first principles of cookery is, as we have already stated, economy ;
and we will broadly define economy as the art of extracting the gi-eatest amount of
nourishment out of the various' materials used, and not simply buying cheap things
out of which to make dishes. For instance, poor persons will buy peas to make
soup ; and having boiled them as long as possible in some water, with a piece .of
bacon, will strain it off, and throw away the peas, thereby losing half the nourish-
ment. A good cook would, of course, rub all the peas through a tammy, thereby
rendering the soup twice as nourishing and twice as nice. This is an instance of
want of economy, which we have said is more common in the cottage than the palace.
STUDYING APPEAEANCES.
In addition to the first and primary principle of cooking, i.e., of supplying the
body with nourishment, there are two other important principles to be constantly
borne in mind — one is to please the palate, the other to please the eye. We have
called them two principles, but in reality they are one, for the reason that the palate
is pleased by means of the eye. There are some good old sayings pregnant with
meaning, such as. " It makes one hungry to look at it," or " It makes one's mouth
water." Have you ever obsei-ved a very hungry animal tied up, or iii a cage, just
before it is fed, when a fine and to him tempting piece of juicy meat is brought in
view 1 Making the mouth water is no figure of speech, but a reality that can be
witnessed any day at the Zoological Gardens.
Page 11
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Now, suppose the cook to read the recipe carefully, and see in about what proportions the different ingredients should be mixed. The carcase of the fowl is cut up and placed in a saucepan, with one or two of the bacon bones, which, being lean, form the best substitute for the lean ham. A little piece of veal — say a quarter of a pound, or indeed a spoonful of gelatine would do — must be added. Add to these a slice of carrot, or even the whole of a small one, a good slice of onion, a tiny piece of mace, one or two peppercorns, and add salt to taste. Let all these simmer gently for a couple of hours or so, and then strain it off, water having been added in a due proportion. Now, this stock would, of course, make excellent bechamel sauce, for the simple reason that every ingredient in the recipe has been used, the difference between the lean bacon bones and the lean ham being too trifling to make any material change in the flavour. If this broth be well strained and well skimmed, and every particle of grease removed, and then be simmered down to about three-quarters of a tumbler in quantity, it has, of course, just like the other broth, only to be mixed with an equal quantity of good boiling cream, and slightly thickened with a little arrowroot, to be equal in flavour and excellence to any bechamel sauce served up in a first-class large hotel.
In many hundreds of the recipes we have given, and shall give, it will be the duty of the cook, in order to render such recipes practical, or, in other words, to make the recipe fit in to the exceptional circumstances of the family or place, to make such little alterations as we have described. Of course, in some instances, the quantities must be increased, such as in the case of large schools, and in others decreased.
One of the first principles of cookery is, as we have already stated, economy ; and we will broadly define economy as the art of extracting the greatest amount of nourishment out of the various' materials used, and not simply buying cheap things out of which to make dishes. For instance, poor persons will buy peas to make soup ; and having boiled them as long as possible in some water, with a piece .of bacon, will strain it off, and throw away the peas, thereby losing half the nourishment. A good cook would, of course, rub all the peas through a tammy, thereby rendering the soup twice as nourishing and twice as nice. This is an instance of want of economy, which we have said is more common in the cottage than the palace.
STUDYING APPEAEANCES.
In addition to the first and primary principle of cooking, i.e., of supplying the body with nourishment, there are two other important principles to be constantly borne in mind — one is to please the palate, the other to please the eye. We have called them two principles, but in reality they are one, for the reason that the palate is pleased by means of the eye. There are some good old sayings pregnant with meaning, such as. " It makes one hungry to look at it," or " It makes one's mouth water." Have you ever observed a very hungry animal tied up, or in a cage, just before it is fed, when a fine and to him tempting piece of juicy meat is brought in view 1 Making the mouth water is no figure of speech, but a reality that can be witnessed any day at the Zoological Gardens.