Virginia Cookery-book

The recipe here given is supposed really to have been brought over from England m Colonial days, for it has been in use among a few old families as far back as can be traced. As these little muffins are very plain and cheap, besides being a favorite bread wherever known, they should not be allowed to become a mere memory. The first thing in the morning let the cook take off from her light bread dough a piece large enough to make muffins enough for the family in whose service she is (one quart would suffice for ten persons) ; with sweet milk soften the dough into a rather stiff batter ; at this point judgment must be exercised to fix the consistency ; the 88 VIRGINIA COOKERY-BOOK. batter should be thin enough to drop from the spoon, but not spread too much ; after one or two trials the cook can certainly have it right, if she is careful ; the muffins should not be larger than a table-spoon, half an inch thick, and be torn apart for buttering, not cut ; let the batter rise for an hour after mixing ; bake on a griddle. Johnnie Cake. Sift one quart of Indian meal into a pan ; make a hole in the middle and pour in a pint of warm water, adding one teaspoonful of salt ; with a spoon mix the meal and water gradually into a soft dough ; stir it very briskly for a quarter of an hour or more, till it becomes light and spongy ; then spread the dough smooth and evenly on a straight, flat board (a piece of the head of a flour-barrel will serve for this purpose); place the board nearly upright before an open fire, and put an iron against the back to support it ; bake it well ; when done cut it in squares ; send it hot to table, split and buttered. Rice Muffins. To half a pint of rice boiled soft add a teacupful of milk, three eggs well beaten, one table-spoonful of butter ; add as much flour as will make it the consistence of poundcake batter ; drop them about in the baking-pan so that they will not touch ; they will bake in ten minutes, and do not require turning ; cook inside a stove. Rice Drop Cakes. Half a pint of small hominy boiled, half a pint of milk, a pint of corn meal sifted, or rice flour, a large tablespoonful of butter, and a teaspoonful of salt. Beat all well together, and drop on tin sheets, to be baked in a stove. Port Royal Corn Cakes. (From a South Carolina Lady.) One pint of fine corn meal, four table - spoonfuls of wheat flour, one quart of milk, three eggs, a teaspoonful of salt. Mix the meal and flour smoothly and gradually with the milk ; beat the eggs very light, and add them. Bake on a griddle, and serve hot. Nun's Puffs. (From a South Carolina Lady.) Two eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, one teacup of milk, one table-spoonful of lively yeast, one pint of wheat flour, and one teaspoonf ul of salt. Beat the eggs well and add the other ingredients. The consistency of the mixture ought to be that of very soft bread-dough, so that it may be mixed with a spoon. A table - spoonful of sugar, if desired, may be added to the other ingredients. Bake in cups or small pans, in a moderate oven, about three-quarters of an hour. Corn Muffins. To three pints of com meal add a pint of blood-warm water, a teacupful of baker's yeast, and a teaspoonf ul of salt. Mix all well together, and bake in rings. To be mixed at night, for use the next morning ; and in the morning for evening use. Corn Muffins (Quickly Made). One pint of com meal sifted, one egg, and one pint of sweet milk, with a teaspoonful of butter and half a teaspoonful of salt. Mix quickly, and bake in patty-pans or muffin-hoops. The whole process will not take more than twenty minutes.