Cassell's dictionary of cookery

turkey, stamp out some thin pieces of white meat into the shape of cocks'-combs, or some such pattern, with a crimped edge. Also cut some thin slices of the red tongue, and stamp these out in the same pattern. Warm up these slices of white meat and red tongue in a little hot clear stock, and place these slices round the dish at the base of the pyramid of meat, alternately red and white, having, of course, the crimped edge outwards. A single small crayfish on the top of the pyramid, or a little sprig of parsley, wUl complete the dish. This entree, it should be borne in mind, is, in addition to being a really handsome dish, a most economical one, for, with the exception of the cream — which is not absolutely necessary — everything is used up, the bones forming sauce instead of being left on the plates and given to the dog in the ordinary manner. Of course this dish will be vastly improved by the addition of button-mushrooms and slices of truffle. When truffles are used, the alternate slices of black, red, and white look extremely nice ; or should the truffle be in small quantities, little pieces can be reserved to dot the stamped frill of the white meat — a small piece in the centre of each round. In all dishes that have vegetables served with them, much may be done to improve their appearance by having some at least of the vegetables stamped of a. nice pattern ; even in large dishes that do not come under the heading of entrees, boUed turnips and boiled carrots always look better if roughly shaped like pears, and so cut that they will stand upright. When placed alternately round a boiled leg or neck of mutton, over which some caper sauce has been poured, the general appearance of the dish is far superior to what it would be if simply cut carrots and turnips are placed on hap-hazard. To teach even the elementary principles of making dishes look elegant is, we fear, a task beyond the power of mere words. Some persons have naturally taste, and others have not. The cook who will go out on Sunday afternoon in a pink bonnet with a blue parasol will never learn so to arrange colours in garnishing a dish as to really attract the eye. We will, however, give a few hints to those — and we are glad to say they are many — who seem to possess the power of using garnishes when they have them. Fii'st, much may be done with artificial flowers cut from turnips or beetroots. For instance, a tongue glazed, with a paper frill round the root, and a nicely-cut flower made from a turnip, and just tinged with, cochineal in imitation of a camelia, placed on the top, always looks an exceedingly handsome dish. The turnip flower should be stuck on to a small stick of wood, and a couple of bay-leaves tied on to the stick with it. Tliis method of ornamenting dishes, though old-fashioned, is very effective.