The new Annie Dennis cook book

To make good soups one must use lean, juicy meats ; those with a good deal of bone giving the best flavor. The shin of a beef, with the bone well broken, or a knuckle of veal, makes the best beef soup. The proportion of water used, is one quart to each pound of meat. More may be added, if a rich soup is not desired. The meat should always be put on in cold water. When the water begins to boil, a scum will rise, which must be removed. When it looks clear, add the vegetables and seasoning. If more scum arises, remove it. Keep the vessel well covered. All soups must boil gently. Three or four hours is the length of time required for boiling meat soups. It is a good idea to make broth, or stock, once or twice a week in winter, thus saving the cook unnecessary trouble. Then, a good meat soup may be prepared in a short time — say half an hour. Thin soup with boiling water; cold water injures the flavor. Vegetable soups are very popular and are easily and quickly made. A large soup bone may be used twice (boiled two days in succession) and the soup is said to be better the second day. The vegetables used in soups are corn, okra, tomatoes, onions, English peas, celery, asparagus, butterbeans, turnips, salsify, carrots, and Irish potatoes. The latter should be boiled before putting them in soup ; the water in which they are boiled is considered unwholesome. To thicken soup use rice flour, bread or cracker crumbs, arrowroot, macaroni and eggs. Herbs most used for seasoning are parsley, thyme, sage, bay leaves, sweet basil, summer and winter savory. Spices : cloves, mace (or nutmeg) allspice, paprika, black, white and cayenne pepper. Clear strained soup, or bouillon, with the unbeaten white of an egg. To do this, remove the vessel from the fire, stir in the egg, let boil up, skim and serve. One tablespoonful of raw rice may be added to soup when first put on to boil. The rice should be thoroughly done, and when the soup is done, remove meats and herbs, but do not strain out the rice. Serve with vegetable soups plain white bread, sliced daintily; with consomme or bouillon may be served croutons, bread sliced thin, cut in fancy shapes and toasted, water biscuit, butter crackers or small bread sticks. Seasanings Sweet herbs, such as thyme, savory, marjoram, parsley, etc., may be dried in the fall and kept in airtight cans. Celery roots or dried celery leaves are richer in flavor than the stalk. Celery seed or celery salt may be used instead of these. Spices, including cloves, allspice, whole pepper and stick cinnamon should always be kept on hand. Flour, com starch, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, pearl barley, rice, bread, or eggs are added to soups to give consistency and nourishment. SOUP STOCK Brown Stock