Virginia Cookery-book

Pound half a pound of rice in a mortar until quite fine; put it in cold water and let it remain until nearly soft; then pour off the water, and put the rice into a stewpan with one pint of sweet milk; set it on the top of the stove, and let it cook until thick and smooth like mush; sweeten with a teacupful of white sugar, and flavor delicately with whatever you like — (rose-water is very suitable); dip your blanc-mange moulds in water ; fill them, and the shapes will be ready to turn out in half an hour. Dish it with boiled custard or whipped syllabub; but plain cream and a little jelly or jam make a nice dessert for sick or well. Clover Tea. Gather the blossoms of the purple clover and dry them in the shade. The first crop only is safe to use medicinally. Take a handful, and steep it in a pint of boiling water until the strength has been extracted. For a tonic drink a wineglassful three times a day. This simple remedy is excellent for purifying the blood, and has been known to remove tumors pronounced cancerous by surgeons. It is said to relieve greatly in cases of whooping-cough; and growing freely, as clover does, at our very feet, is well worth the gathering and laying by, as one of the careful housewife's treasures. Mullein Tea. To one large stalk of mullein pour one gallon of hot water ; boil down to half the quantity ; strain, and to every pint of the liquid add a pound of loaf-sugar or rockcandy. To the whole quantity add a gill of spirit to prevent fermentation. Dose : a wineglassf ul three times a day. This preparation is said to be an invaluable remedy in throat affections, or any case which seems to threaten consumption. Mullein is found growing commonly on the roadside or in other uncultivated ground. Its botanical name is verbascum. Tamarind-water. East India tamarinds make another pleasant acid beverage by merely steeping the fruit in hot water, and keeping it closely covered up until enough of the flavor has been extracted to suit the patient's taste. The fruit is preserved in sugar, but a little more may be added if required. Toast and Water. Toast nicely a large slice of loaf-bread; scrape off every burnt particle, and cut into cubes half an inch square; have a pint of boiling water ready in a small pitcher, and add to it the bits of toast. As soon as it is sufficiently cool it may be drunk. Apple-water. Roast several apples of fine flavor and put them into a small pitcher ; pour upon them enough boiling water to fill the pitcher, and a drink is furnished peculiarly grateful to persons who are feverish from cold, for instance. Elder-flower Tea. Infuse dried elder-flowers the same way as common tea is made; add a little acid to hide the sickly taste of the elder; sweeten to the taste. This is an excellent remedy to promote profuse perspiration. A Fine Tonic. Take thirty grains of quinine and mix with enough lemon or other sirup to fill a four-ounce phial; shake well before using, and take a teaspoonful just as you sit down to each meal. Lemon Honey. A pleasant remedy for a cough. Three lemons, one pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, six eggs. Beat the eggs up light; add the other ingredients, and set it over a slow fire until it boils, taking care to stir frequently and see that it does not burn. Eat as you like. Dewberry Sirup. To one quart of juice take one pound of loaf-sugar, two nutmegs, one table-spoonful of cinnamon, one table-spoon-