The hearthstone; or, Life at home

Brown sauces, generally speaking, should scarcely be so thick as white sauces; and it is well to bear in mind that all those which are intended to mask the various dishes of poultry or meat should be of a sufficient consistency to slightly adhere to the fowls or joints over which they are poured. For browning and thickening sauces, etc., browned flour may be properly employed. Sauces should possess a decided character, and whether sharp or sweet, savory or plain, they should carry out their names in a distinct manner, although, of course, not so much flavored as to make them too piquant on the one hand, or too mawkish on the other. Gravies and sauces should be sent to table very hot, and there is all the more necessity for the cook to see to this point, as, from their being usually served in small quantities, they are more liable to cool quickly than if they were in a larger body. Those sauces of which cream or eggs form a component part should be well stirred as soon as these ingredients are added to them, and must never be allowed to boil, as in that case they would instantly curdle. Brown Apple Sauce. — Use six good-sized apples, one-half pint of brown gravy, cayenne to taste. Put the gravy in a stewpan, and add the apples, after having pared, cored and quartered them. Let them simmer gently till tender; beat them to a pulp, and season with cayenne. Bread Sauce (to serve with roast turkey, fowl, game, etc) — Giblets of poultry, three-quarters of a pound of the crumbs of a stale loaf, one onion, twelve whole peppers, one blade of mace, salt to taste, two tablespoonfuls of cream or melted butter, one pint of water. Put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, etc., into a saucepan ; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than one pint of water. Let this simmer for an hour; then strain the liquor over the bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces. Cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire; then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain and the whoU is nice and smooth. Let it boil for three or four minutes; keep stirring it until it is rather thick, then add three tablespoonfuls of good melted butter or cream, and serve very hot. Time — Two hours and a quarter. Browning for Gravies and Sauces. — The browning for soups answers equally well for sauces and gravies, when it is absolutely necessary to color them in this manner ; but where they can be made to look brown by using catsup, wine, browned flour, tomatoes, or any color sauce, it is far preferable. As, however, in cooking, so much depends upon appearance, perhaps it would be as well for the inexperienced cook to use the artificial means. When no browning is at hand, and you wish to heighten the color of your gravy, dissolve a lump of sugar in an iron spoon over a sharp fire ; when it is in a liquid state, drop it in the sauce or gravy quite hot. Care, however, must be taken not to put in too much, as it would impart a disagreeable flavor. *