Prepare about a quarter of a pound or half a pint of finely-grated bread-crumbs. Have ready a heaping tea-spoonful of powdered mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg mixed. When the currants are dry, dredge them thickly on all sides with flour, to prevent their sinking or clodding in the pudding while baking. Cut up in a deep pan half a pound of the best fresh b.u.t.ter, and add to it half a pound of fine white sugar, powdered.
Stir the b.u.t.ter and sugar together, with a wooden spaddle, till they are very light and creamy. Then add a table-spoonful of wine, and a table-spoonful of brandy. Beat in a shallow pan eight eggs till perfectly light, and as thick as a good boiled custard. Afterwards, mix with them, gradually, a pint of rich milk and the grated bread-crumbs, stirred in alternately. Next, stir this mixture, by degrees, into the pan of beaten b.u.t.ter and sugar; and add the currants, a few at a time.
Finish with a table-spoonful of strong rose-water, or a wine-gla.s.s full, if it is not very strong. Stir the whole very hard. b.u.t.ter a large deep white dish; or two of soup-plate size. Put in the batter. Set it directly into a brisk oven, and bake it well. When cold, dredge the surface with powdered sugar. Serve it up in the dish in which it was baked. You may ornament the top with bits of citron cut into leaves and forming a wreath; or with circles of preserved strawberries.
This will be found a very fine pudding. It must be baked in time to become quite cold before dinner.
For currants, you may subst.i.tute raisins of the best quality; seeded, cut in half, and well dredged with flour.
Instead of rose-water you may stir in the yellow rind (finely grated) of one large lemon, or two small ones, and their juice also.
NEW WAY OF WASHING SILK.--For ribbons, cravats, and other small articles of silk, put a sufficiency of the best fresh camphine oil into a large basin, and press and squeeze the things well through it, without either soap or water. Then squeeze them, till as dry as you can get them: open them out; and having washed the basin, put into it some fresh camphine, and wash the articles through that in the same manner as before. Have hot irons ready, and as the things come out of the second camphine, (after well squeezing and shaking them, but not rinsing,) spread them open on the ironing-sheet, and iron them smoothly and evenly on the wrong side. Do each article, as soon as it has had the second washing, as they should remain wet as short a time as possible.
There is no way of washing silk things that will make them look so well as this. It injures no colour, but rather brightens all, and gives the silk just the right degree of stiffness, besides making it very clean and fresh. When done, hang them in the open air for a while. A silk dress may be washed in this manner, putting the camphine into a large queensware-foot-bath. It should not go into a vessel of either wood or metal. The dress must first be taken entirely apart; but it will look so well when washed and ironed, that you will not regret the trouble.
Camphine generally sells at about fifty cents a gallon, sometimes lower.
TO SAVE STAIR-CARPETS.--Stair-carpets always wear out first (and sometimes very soon) at those parts that go against the edges or ledges of the stairs. They will last much longer at the edges, (indeed, as long as any other part of the carpet,) if the following precaution is taken.
Get some old carpeting, (first made very clean,) and cut it into strips just the width of the stair-carpet. Each strip must be wide enough to put on double. Nail these strips, carefully and smoothly, on the round edge of each stair, so as to cover it entirely, above and below.
Afterwards, put down the stair-carpet. When it is taken up to have the stairs washed, these strips will be found no inconvenience to the cleaning; taking care, however, if any of the nails or tacks get loosened, to drive them in again tightly; and if bent, to replace them by new ones. The slips must have time to get quite dry before the carpet is put down again.
Another way to save a stair-carpet, is to buy enough to make it a yard or more too long. Whenever the carpet is put down again, after it has been taken up for the purpose of cleaning the stairs, shift its position every time, so that the same places of the carpet may not always go against the ledges of the stairs. The extra length must be folded under, sometimes at the top of the staircase, and sometimes at the bottom.
Both these methods of saving a stair-carpet we know to be good. The first is the least expensive; but it is more trouble to nail on all the double slips of old carpeting, than to buy the additional yard of new.
In hotels where there is always plenty of old carpeting, and where there are men who can easily nail on the slips, this is a much better way than to cover the stairs first with oil-cloth, and then with zinc to save the oil-cloth; corners of the zinc frequently getting loose and catching and tearing the ladies" dresses.
Oil spilt on a stair-carpet can generally be taken away by immediately wiping off as much as can thus be removed, and then directly washing the place with cold water; renewing the water with fresh, till the grease disappears. If it will not come out, cover the place thoroughly with sc.r.a.ped fuller"s earth. Let it rest an hour or two: then brush that off, and put on a fresh layer of fuller"s earth; repeating it till the oil is entirely expelled. Sc.r.a.ped Wilmington clay is still better than fuller"s earth.
SPERMACETI, TO EXTRACT FROM CARPETS OR CLOTHES.--There is no better way of removing spermaceti, than, (after sc.r.a.ping off with a knife as much as you can get from the surface of the spot,) to cover it with a piece of clean blotting paper, or any paper that is soft and thin, and press it with a warm iron. By repeating this, (taking each time a clean part of the paper,) any spermaceti spot may be removed from carpets, coats, ladies" dresses, or other similar articles.
When spermaceti has been dropped on a table, lay a blotting paper on the spot, and then hold over it, _carefully_, at a small distance above, a hot coal in the tongs. Pressing it with a warm iron would mark the mahogany.
CHEAP OIL FOR KITCHEN LAMPS.--Let all sc.r.a.ps of fat (including even whatever bits are left on the dinner-plates) and all drippings be carefully saved, and put into an earthen crock, covered, and set in a cold place. When the crock is full, transfer the fat to an iron pot, filling it half-way up with fat; and pour in sufficient cold water to reach the top. Set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till all the impurities are removed. Next pour the melted fat into a large broad pan of cold water, and set it away to cool. It will harden into a cake. Then take out the cake, and put it away in a cool place. When wanted for use, cut off a sufficient quant.i.ty, melt it by the fire till it becomes liquid, and then fill the lamp with it, as with lard. It will give a clear bright light, quite equal to that of lard, and better than whale oil; and it costs nothing but the trouble of preparing the fat. We highly recommend this piece of economy.
RELIEF FOR CORNS.--Experience proves that there is scarcely a possibility of removing corns on the feet, so that they will never return. The following remedy _we know_ to be an excellent palliative; it will for a time diminish their size, and take away their soreness, and is easily renewed when they again become troublesome. It is peculiarly excellent for corns between the toes, which, of all others, are the most painful when they inflame.
Get at a druggist"s a sixpenny box of Simple Cerate, (which is made of white wax, spermaceti, and lard, melted together, and stewed to a salve,) and with your finger, apply a small portion of this to each corn, letting it stay on for two or three hours; and then repeat the application. Do this several times during the day. For corns between the toes, add to the cerate a little soft, open white wool, such as you may pick off the surface of a blanket. Stick this in between the toes--the salve that adheres to it will keep it in its place. Repeat this through the day with fresh cerate and wool; putting on your stockings carefully.
At night, before going to bed, wash off the cerate. In the morning renew it, as before. It gives not the least pain, but is soothing and pleasant. Proceed in this manner for a few days or a week, and you will find great relief. Try it, and be convinced.
Stockings with toes too narrow or pointed, are just as apt to produce corns, and to increase their pain and inflammation, as the wearing of narrow-toed shoes.
BROILED CANVAS BACK DUCKS.--To have these ducks with their flavour and juices in perfection, they should be cooked immediately after killing.
If shot early in the morning, let them be broiled for breakfast; if killed in the forenoon, they should be dressed for that day"s dinner.
When they can be obtained quite fresh, broiling is now considered the best way of cooking them.
As soon as the ducks have been plucked, and drawn, and washed, split them down the back, and lay them, spread open, on a very clean gridiron, set over a bed of clear bright coals. The gridiron should have grooved bars to retain as much as possible of the gravy. Broil them well and thoroughly, so that the flesh may not have the least redness when sent to table. They will generally be done in twenty minutes or more. Serve them up as hot as possible. They will be found full of gravy, and require no sauce when cooked in this manner; but you may season them as you please when on your plate.
AUTUMN LEAVES.--The autumnal colours of our American forest trees are justly admired for the brightness, richness, and variety of their tints.
Some of our fair countrywomen have worn them in Europe, formed into wreaths for the hair, or tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs for ball-dresses, and the effect was considered beautiful. They may be preserved for this purpose by the following process. Gather as many varieties of autumn foliage as you can obtain; seeing that every leaf is perfect, and that there is a stem to each. The best time is in the month of October. Include among them those of the crimson maple, the purple beech, the willow oak with its underside of silvery white, the yellow hickory, the aspen, and any others that are richly tinted by the frost. Also, by way of contrast, some green pine sprigs. Lay them separately between the leaves of a large _writing-paper_ book, (an old ledger will do very well,) and do not put tree-leaves between all the book-leaves successively, but alternately; otherwise they will not be smooth and flat when pressed.
That is, put tree-leaves between the second and third pages of the book, and then no more till between the sixth and seventh pages. Lay the next tree-leaves between the tenth and eleventh pages, and so on, till they are all in. Place several other heavy books upon the ledger so as to press well the leaves beneath.
Stretch a twine across the room, or from the backs of two chairs, and tie a small twine string to each stem. Have ready some very fine clear varnish, (such as is used for maps, &c.) and with a large camels" hair brush, go carefully over both sides of the leaves, including the stem.
Fasten them all, separately, to the stretched twine; seeing that none of them are near enough to each other to touch. Then lock the door of the room, that nothing may get in to disturb them, or raise the slightest dust while the varnish is drying. When perfectly dry, and not in the least sticky to the touch of the finger, have ready some sheets of smooth thick white paper. In each sheet cut small double slits to admit the stems, and in this way secure the leaves from slipping about and being injured. Write the name of each leaf above it. Let the other half of the sheet lie upon them. Put these sheets within a double cover of binders-board, (like a port-folio,) which you must then seal up in paper, like a large parcel, and the leaves in all their autumn beauty may be safely transported to any part of the world.
They will be found very useful to landscape-painters.
MADEIRA CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Take one ounce of gelatine, or of the very best Russia isingla.s.s, and soak it, near half an hour, in as much cold water as will barely cover it. It must merely soften, and not dissolve.
Then drain off the water, and put the gelatine or isingla.s.s into a pint of rich cream; adding a vanilla bean split, cut to pieces, and tied closely in a very thin muslin bag. Set the cream over a slow fire in a porcelain preserving-kettle, and let it boil till the gelatine is entirely dissolved, and thoroughly mixed with the cream. Give it a hard stirring, down to the bottom, several times while boiling.
Have ready the yolks only, of eight eggs, beaten till very light and thick; and then beat, gradually, into the yolk of egg three quarters of a pound of the best powdered loaf-sugar. Then take the cream off the fire, and (having first removed the vanilla) stir into it, by degrees, the mixture of beaten yolk of egg and sugar. Set the kettle again over a slow fire, and let it simmer till very thick; but do not allow it to boil hard, or too long, lest it should curdle.
When the mixture is sufficiently thick, take it off, and set it away to cool. Have ready the whites of four of the eight eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Then stir two heaping table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar into half a tumbler-full of Madeira wine, and beat it slowly into the white of egg; adding a little more powdered sugar if the wine seems likely to curdle the egg.
When the yellow or yolk-of-egg mixture is quite cold, stir gradually into it the white mixture, till all is thoroughly amalgamated. Have ready a mould or moulds lined with very thin slices of almond sponge-cake. Fill them up with the mixture, and set them on ice till the charlotte is wanted. Then turn it out. You may cover the top with icing made in the usual way, and flavoured with extract of vanilla, or extract of bitter almond--or peach-water.
LEMON CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Is made as in the preceding receipt; subst.i.tuting for the vanilla and Madeira, the yellow rind and the juice of two large whole lemons, or three if not of the largest size. Rub off the yellow rind (or zest) upon lumps of loaf-sugar, sc.r.a.ping it off with a knife as you proceed, and saving it on a saucer. Then powder these lumps, and mix them with half the remainder of the three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and the sc.r.a.ped yellow rind. Add it (as above) to the beaten yolk of egg, and boil it slowly with the isingla.s.s and cream.
Then cut the lemons, and squeeze their juice into the remaining sugar.
Having beaten the whites of half the eight eggs to a stiff froth, add to it the lemon-juice and sugar; and when the mixture of cream, egg, and isingla.s.s is cold, mix gradually with it the beaten white of egg, &c.
Lastly, line the mould with thin slices of lady-cake, or almond sponge-cake; put in the mixture, and set it on ice. Before it goes to table ice the top; flavouring the icing with lemon-juice.
ORANGE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Is made as above--subst.i.tuting for the lemons three fine large oranges, and flavouring the icing with orange-juice.
Line the moulds with almond sponge-cake. Orange cake will be still better for this purpose.
ROSE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Take an ounce of Russia isingla.s.s or of gelatine, and soften it by soaking a while in cold water. Then boil it slowly in a pint of cream, sweetened with a quarter of a pound of fine loaf-sugar, (adding a handful of fresh rose-leaves tied in a thin muslin bag,) till it is thoroughly dissolved, and well mixed. Take it off the fire; set it to cool; and beat together till very light and thick, four whole eggs, and the yolks only of four others. Stir the beaten eggs gradually into the mixture of cream, sugar and isingla.s.s, and set it again over the fire. Stir it well, and see that it only simmers; taking it off before it comes quite to a boil. Then, while it is warm, stir in sufficient extract of roses, to give it a high rose-flavour and a fragrant smell.
Have ready two moulds lined with lady-cake, or almond sponge-cake. Fill them with the mixture, and set them on ice. Before they go to table, ice the tops of the charlotte, flavouring the icing with rose.
CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.--Having soaked in cold water an ounce of Russia isingla.s.s, or of gelatine, shave down three ounces of the best chocolate, which must have no spice or sugar in it, (Baker"s Prepared Cocoa is excellent for this and all other chocolate purposes,) and mix it gradually into a pint of cream, adding the soaked isingla.s.s. Set the cream, chocolate, and isingla.s.s over the fire, in a porcelain kettle; and boil it slowly till the isingla.s.s is dissolved thoroughly, and the whole is well mixed. Then take it off the fire and let it cool. Have ready eight yolks of eggs and four whites, beaten all together till very light; and stir them gradually into the mixture, in turn with half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Simmer the whole over the fire, but do not let it quite boil. Then take it off, and with a chocolate-mill, (or with rods,) whip it to a strong froth. Line your moulds with sponge-cake, and set them on ice.
If you like a strong chocolate flavour, take four ounces of the cocoa.
ALMOND ICE-CREAM.--To every quart of cream, allow two ounces of sh.e.l.led sweet almonds, and two ounces of sh.e.l.led bitter almonds. Blanch the almonds in scalding water, and then throw them into cold water; afterwards, put them, one at a time, (bitter and sweet alternately,) into a marble mortar, and pound them to a fine, smooth paste, moistening them with a little cream as you proceed. When the almonds are all done, stir them gradually into the cream you intend to freeze. Set it over a fire, and continue to boil it five minutes after it has come to a boil.
Then strain it into a freezer, and while it is warm stir in gradually sufficient powdered loaf-sugar to make it very sweet, allowing three-quarters of a pound to every quart of cream. Freeze it in the usual manner.
ALMOND ICE-CREAM--_Another way._ To each quart of cream, allow three ounces of sh.e.l.led bitter-almonds, and no sweet ones. Blanch them and break them up slightly. Put them into a porcelain sauce-pan, and pour on water, allowing half a pint of water to each ounce of almonds. Boil them long and slowly, till the water is highly-flavoured, and so reduced in quant.i.ty that it barely covers the almonds. Then strain it off; and when cool, stir the almond water into the cream, adding sugar by degrees; allowing three-quarters of a pound to every quart of cream. Put the mixture into a freezer, and proceed as usual.