The century cook book

Blackberry Cordial. Secure ripe berries and crush them; to each gallon of juice add one quart of boiling water; let it stand twenty-four hours, stirring it a few times; strain and add two pounds of sugar to each gallon of liquid; put in jugs and cork tightly. It may be used in two months ; is excellent for summer complaint, and can be taken by delicate invalids. DISHES FOR INVALIDS Beef Tea. Procure two pounds of lean beef, chop into small bits and put into a glass fruit jar; screw on the cover, and put the jar in a kettle of cold water; bring to a boil and boil for two or three hours; pour off the juice and season to taste. Beef Broth. Cut some pieces of lean beef into small pieces, cover with cold water, and boil until the meat comes to pieces; then strain through a colander and let the broth stand until cold. Take off any particles of fat that are on top, season with salt and pepper, and add small squares of toasted bread. Rice, sage, and tapioca, may be used instead of toast, if preferred. Other meat broths are made in the same manner. Rice for Invalids. Take a tablespoonful of rice and a pint of milk; put them in an earthen dish and bake in the oven for two hours. Keep the dish covered for the first hour, then take off the cover and stir occasionally. Sweeten if preferred. This is an excellent diet for persons recovering from bowel trouble. Cornmeal Gruel. Let a pint of water come to a boil; then stir in one tablespoonful of cornmeal, wet with a little 1 82 Dishes for Invalids water. Let it boil a few minutes, and season with salt. Milk can be added, if preferred. Toast Water. Toast a slice of bread very brown, break it into pieces, and pour over it a cupful of boiling water. When cold it makes a nourishing drink. Corn Coffee. Roast an ear of dry corn until the tips of the kernels are black. Break the ear in pieces, put in a bowl; then pour over it a pint of boiling hot water. Drink cold. Jelly Water. Put in a tumbler a tablespoonsful of currant jelly, and a tablespoonful of wine; mix them well together, then fill the glass with ice water. If the patient is feverish, leave out the wine. Flaxseed Lemonade. Steep two tablespoonfuls of flaxseed in one quart of hot water, for ten minutes. Stir in and add the juice of three lemons, a large cupful of sugar, and a wineglassful of wine. Drink either hot or cold. This is an excellent drink for persons suffering with colds or lung troubles. Appetizers. Patients can often be induced to taste the following, when nothing else will tempt them: Scrape raw beef very fine and season with salt and pepper. It can be made into a sandwich, if preferred. Second : Roast over the coals a small slice of salt pork until almost burnt. A little taste of this often creates an appetite. To Make Gruel for Invalids. Take i tablespoonful of Robinson's patent groats, 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water, i pint of boiling water. Mix the prepared groats smoothly with the cold water in a basin; pour over them the boiling water, stirring it all the time. Put it into a very clean saucepan; boil the gruel for 10 minutes, keeping it well stirred, sweeten to taste, and serve. It may be flavored with a small piece of lemon peel, by boiling it in the gruel, Dishes for Invalids 183