Banquets of the nations

Put into a small saucepan one tablespoonful of powdered sugar ; stir it with a wooden spoon until it is of a light brown colour, and moisten it with a quarter of a glass of good vinegar ; reduce the vinegar till the sugar is dissolved and the liquid diminished one half; stir in double its volume of brown sauce, boil for several minutes ; then mix with it a tablespoonful of Smyrna raisins or currants softened in warm water; as well as a small handful of chopped dried almonds. Glaze. Procure a knuckle of veal about six pounds in weight (which cut into pieces about the size of an egg), a pound of lean beef, and half a pound of lean ham or bacon, rub a quarter of a pound of butter upon the bottom of stewpan (capable of holding two gallons), into which put the three meats, with half a pint of water, three middle-sized onions (with two cloves in each), one turnip, a carrot, half a leek, and half a head of celery, all sliced ; put the cover upon the stewpan, place over a sharp fire, occasionally stirring round its contents with a wooden spoon, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white thickish glaze, which will lightly adhere to the spoon. Fill up the stewpan with cold water, and when upon the point of boiling draw it to the corner of the fire, where it must gently simmer for three hours, carefully skimming off every particle of grease and scum. Pass your stock through a fine hair sieve, then fill the stewpan up a second time with hot water, and boil the meats, etc., four hours longer, to obtain all the succulence ; pass it through a cloth the same as the first ; then pour both stocks into a large stewpan, set it over the fire, and let it boil as fast as possible, leaving a large spoon in to stir occasionally and prevent its boiling over. When reduced to about three pints, pour it into a smaller stewpan, set again to boil at the corner, skimming well if required ; when reduced to a quart, place it over the fire, well stirring with a spoon (wooden) until forming a thickish glaze (which will adhere to the spoon) of a fine yellowish brown colour. Pour it into a basin, or, if for keeping any time, into a long bladder, from which cut a slice and use when wanted. Mamaliga cu Crauza. (Cheese Polenta.) Mix some polenta with boiling water, and add a little salt. Move the pan to the side of the fire and boil gently till cooked (about fifteen to twenty minutes) . Then turn the polenta on to a dish till cold, after which cut in slices, and trim the pieces to a uniform size and shape. Butter a pie-dish and put in the polenta in layers with grated cheese, salt, and a small quantity of pepper strewn over each layer. Strew a thick coating of cheese on top, and brown in a quick oven. Pateu de paun. (Peacock Cakes). Make a good sponge cake of six eggs, and bake in a moderate oven in a shallow tin. When cold, cut rounds about the size of a five-shilling piece, and two inches thick. Cut out the most of the centre, which fill up with clear jelly in which there is a mixture of finely-chopped pistachio nuts, chopped stoned raisins, and a small quantity of chopped mixed peels. Pour over each cake a little thin custard flavoured with Malaga wine, and decorate tops with a little whipped cream. Prajituri (Furmenty.)