This is a fault imputed to German cookery, not
always without ground, but it is also to be met with in
other countries. Grease, fat, butter, and cream, are im-
portant factors in most savoury dishes ; butter and
cream in sweet dishes also. Where then is the mistake
when a dish is called greasy ? In the case of soups it
is that the stock-pot has not been skimmed, and that
the stock has not been allowed to cool till the fat
cakes on the top and can be removed. The same rule
holds good witli gravies and sauces. When butter
has to be mixed in with vegetables, if the butter
is allowed to oil, the dish becomes greasy ; the mode
of obviating this is to work flour in with the butter,
and to allow the vegetable and butter and flour to be
on the fire for a short time only, and not at all on a
fierce fire. The over-heating of fat is sure to result
in oily, greasy dishes — this the cook can control.
The soft, bad fat in meat, which is the result of the
grazier's treatment of the animal, is not her fault. In
frying, the defect of greasiness is the result either of the
lard, butter, or oil not being of the right temperature
when the thing to be fried is put in it, or of the neglect of
placing each thing after frying on a wire sieve, or on
a paper on a dish before the fire, so that the fat which
clings round may drain off on the sieve, or be absorbed
by the paper placed under.
Flavouring.
There exists so great a difference of taste as to fla-
vouring that it is desirable for the lady of the house
54 CONDIMENTS AND FLAVOURS.
to explain to the cook what the standard of taste is to
be on the following points : —
Whether viiicJi pepper, curry powder, mulligatawny
paste are to be used in the dishes of which they are
ingredients.
Whether vinegar and lemon juice are to be used
sparingly or lavishly.
Whether spices and grocers' sauces are to be used
at all.
Whether sugar is to be put into puddings in such
quantities as to satisfy those who love sweet dishes of
the sweetest, or in moderate quantities, permitting
addition to such as wish the dish sweeter.
If the cook says she knows her business, the answer
must be : ' You cannot know whether we prefer very
highly seasoned dishes, or dishes of very delicate
flavour ; and it is no imputation of want of skill, when
I explain that we like clear soup without wine, and
with very little pepper ; that creams are in my view
best without gelatine ; or that an apple tart in which
there were cloves would be sent untouched from my
table.'
Fine herbs, mint, fennel, sage, sorrel, lemon peel,
are necessary for certain dishes ; mushrooms, truffles,
onions to others. The proper blending and harmo-
nising of flavours show the skill of the cook, but it is
also necessary that her palate should be in accord
with that of the guests.
In France the standard of taste is uniform, or
nearly so, and the tradition of the kitchen may be
trusted even where there is no c/icf to direct.
In England tastes differ; the tradition prefers
FLAVOURS. 55
flavours from the grocer to flavours from the garden,
and the cook's palate can rarely be trusted.
Page 24
Presented as published in 1882. 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
This is a fault imputed to German cookery, not always without ground, but it is also to be met with in other countries. Grease, fat, butter, and cream, are important factors in most savoury dishes ; butter and cream in sweet dishes also. Where then is the mistake when a dish is called greasy ? In the case of soups it is that the stock-pot has not been skimmed, and that the stock has not been allowed to cool till the fat cakes on the top and can be removed. The same rule holds good with gravies and sauces. When butter has to be mixed in with vegetables, if the butter is allowed to oil, the dish becomes greasy ; the mode of obviating this is to work flour in with the butter, and to allow the vegetable and butter and flour to be on the fire for a short time only, and not at all on a fierce fire. The over-heating of fat is sure to result in oily, greasy dishes — this the cook can control. The soft, bad fat in meat, which is the result of the grazier's treatment of the animal, is not her fault. In frying, the defect of greasiness is the result either of the lard, butter, or oil not being of the right temperature when the thing to be fried is put in it, or of the neglect of placing each thing after frying on a wire sieve, or on a paper on a dish before the fire, so that the fat which clings round may drain off on the sieve, or be absorbed by the paper placed under.
Flavouring.
There exists so great a difference of taste as to flavouring that it is desirable for the lady of the house
54 CONDIMENTS AND FLAVOURS.
to explain to the cook what the standard of taste is to be on the following points : —
Whether much pepper, curry powder, mulligatawny paste are to be used in the dishes of which they are ingredients.
Whether vinegar and lemon juice are to be used sparingly or lavishly.
Whether spices and grocers' sauces are to be used at all.
Whether sugar is to be put into puddings in such quantities as to satisfy those who love sweet dishes of the sweetest, or in moderate quantities, permitting addition to such as wish the dish sweeter.
If the cook says she knows her business, the answer must be : ' You cannot know whether we prefer very highly seasoned dishes, or dishes of very delicate flavour ; and it is no imputation of want of skill, when I explain that we like clear soup without wine, and with very little pepper ; that creams are in my view best without gelatine ; or that an apple tart in which there were cloves would be sent untouched from my table.'
Fine herbs, mint, fennel, sage, sorrel, lemon peel, are necessary for certain dishes ; mushrooms, truffles, onions to others. The proper blending and harmonising of flavours show the skill of the cook, but it is also necessary that her palate should be in accord with that of the guests.
In France the standard of taste is uniform, or nearly so, and the tradition of the kitchen may be trusted even where there is no chef to direct.
In England tastes differ; the tradition prefers
FLAVOURS. 55
flavours from the grocer to flavours from the garden, and the cook's palate can rarely be trusted.