2. Clear gravy soup; stewed rock-fish; roasted ham; boiled turkey with oyster sauce; venison pie; brown frica.s.see; sweet potatoes; turnips; parsnips; beets--Orange pudding; almond pudding; meringued apples; chocolate cream.
3. Venison soup; fresh cod-fish boiled; smoked tongue; pair of roast geese with apple sauce; oyster pie; French stew of rabbits; turnips; potatoe snow; parsnips; onion custard; beets--Transparent pudding; orange tarts; mince-pie; floating island.
4. Mock turtle soup; boiled rock-fish; ham pie; smoked tongue; roast turkey with cranberry sauce; boiled fowls with celery sauce; oyster loaves; sweetbread croquettes; turnips; parsnips; beets; maccaroni--Charlotte russe; mince-pie; calves" feet jelly; blanc-mange.
5. Rich brown soup; fresh cod-fish stewed; boiled ham; venison roasted; red-head ducks with currant jelly; oyster patties; veal rissoles; turnips; parsnips; beets; winter-squash; cold-slaw--Mince-pudding; omelet souffle; orange flummery; vanilla ice-cream.
6. Rich white soup; fresh cod-fish fried; roasted ham; venison pie; boiled turkey with oyster sauce; partridges in pears; chicken rice pudding; potatoe snow; beets; turnips; winter-squash; stewed red cabbage--Plum pudding; chocolate blanc-mange; cocoa-nut cream; apple-jelly.
7. Meg Merrilies soup; stewed rock-fish; boiled ham; canvas-back ducks roasted; French oyster pie; frica.s.seed chickens; veal olives; winter-squash; potatoe snow; beets; turnips; maccaroni--Orange pudding; cocoa-nut pudding; cake syllabub; chocolate ice-cream.
8. Maccaroni soup; fresh cod-fish stewed; smoked tongue; canvas-back ducks stewed; partridge pie; frica.s.seed fowls; stewed sweetbreads with oysters; turnips; potatoe snow; parsnips; beets; cold-slaw--Orleans pudding; Italian charlotte; apple compote; orange-jelly.
_Christmas dinners._--Mock turtle soup; stewed rock-fish; roasted ham; roasted venison with currant-jelly; boiled turkey with oyster sauce; roast geese with apple sauce; French oyster pie; frica.s.seed chickens; potatoe snow; parsnips; beets; winter-squash; cold-slaw--Plum pudding; mince-pies; orange tarts; cream cocoa-nut pudding; Spanish blanc-mange; apple-jelly; vanilla ice-cream.
_New Year"s dinner._--Venison soup; stewed fresh cod; boiled ham; roasted turkey with cranberry sauce; roast goose with apple sauce; partridge pie; winter-squash; beets; potatoe snow; cold-slaw--Columbian pudding; lemon tarts; charlotte polonaise; vanilla blanc-mange; trifle.
LARGE DINNER PARTIES.--1. _Spring._--Rich brown soup at one end; rich white soup at the other; two dishes of sheep"s-head fish, one baked, one stewed, or else baked salmon-trout and cream trout; roasted ham; smoked tongue; chickens stewed whole; roast ducks with cranberry-jelly; sweetbreads with oysters; terrapin veal; white frica.s.see; brown frica.s.see; sweetbread croquettes; lobster rissoles; oyster loaves; lobster patties; asparagus loaves; French spinach; French peas; cauliflower maccaroni; stewed beans; fried cauliflower; fried artichokes; stewed spinach; asparagus omelet; cauliflower omelet--Columbian pudding; orange tarts; lemon tarts; charlotte polonaise; green custard; red custard; pistachio cream; maccaroon blanc-mange; vanilla blanc-mange; gooseberry-water ice; currant-water ice; almond ice-cream; calves" feet jelly.
2. _Summer._--Turtle soup; fresh salmon stewed; salmon steaks; baked turtle; boiled ham; baked tongue; roast ducks with cherry-jelly; chicken curry; chicken patties; sweetbreads and cauliflowers; tomatoe sweetbreads; lobster pie; stewed lobster; birds in a grove; thatched house pie; plovers roasted; rice pie; mushroom omelets; broccoli and eggs; fried artichokes; stewed peas; stewed beans; stewed beets; potatoe snow; lettuce peas; scolloped tomatoes; mashed sweet potatoes; stuffed egg-plants; stewed egg-plant; Sydney Smith"s salad--Pine-apple tarts; lady"s pudding; transparent pudding; marmalade puddings; French charlotte; Italian charlotte; iced jelly; vanilla blanc-mange; almond blanc-mange; orange ice-cream; strawberry ice-cream.
3. _Autumn._--Meg Merrilies soup; sea-ba.s.s with tomatoes; salmon-trout; roasted ham; smoked tongue; roast fowls; partridge pie; birds with mushrooms; partridges in pears; terrapin; young geese with apple sauce; tongue pie; chicken gumbo; woodc.o.c.ks roasted; rice croquettes; Columbus eggs; onion custard; mushroom omelet; cauliflower omelet; scolloped tomatoes; baked egg-plant; potatoe snow; lima beans; fried sweet potatoes; mashed sweet potatoes--Cream cocoa-nut pudding; chocolate pudding; sweet omelet; preserved pine-apple; preserved citron-melon; Spanish blanc-mange; calves" feet jelly; meringued apples; orange-water ice; peach ice-cream; biscuit ice-cream.
4. _Winter._--Mock turtle soup; oyster soup; rock-fish stewed; fresh cod-fish fried; boiled ham; baked tongue; roast turkey with cranberry-jelly; boiled turkey with oyster sauce; roasted canvas-back ducks with currant-jelly; stewed canvas-back ducks; partridges in pears; salmi of partridges; French oyster pie; turnips; potatoe snow; winter-squash; fried salsify; fried celery; onion custard--Plum pudding; mince-pie; charlotte polonaise; charlotte russe; calves" feet jelly; pistachio cream; cocoa-nut cream; chocolate ice-cream; orange ice-cream.
TEA PARTIES.--Have black tea, green tea, and coffee. Immediately after the first cups are sent in, let fresh tea be put into the pots, that the second cups may not be weaker than the first. With the cream and sugar, send round a small pot of boiling water to weaken the tea of those who do not like it strong; or for the convenience of ladies who drink only milk and water, and who otherwise may cause interruption and delay by sending out for it. When tea is handed round, it is not well to have hot cakes with it; or any thing that is b.u.t.tered, or any sort of greasy relishes. Such things are frequently injurious to the gloves and dresses of the ladies, and can well be dispensed with on these occasions. It is sufficient to send round a waiter with large cakes of the _best_ sort, ready sliced but the slices not taken apart. There should be an almond sponge-cake for those who are unwilling to eat cakes made with b.u.t.ter.
Immediately on tea being over, let the servants go round to all the company with waiters having pitchers of cold water and gla.s.ses, to prevent the inconvenience of ladies sending out for gla.s.ses of water.
In less than an hour after tea, lemonade should be brought in, accompanied by baskets of small mixed cakes, (maccaroons, kisses, &c.,) which it is no longer customary to send in with the tea. Afterwards, let the blanc-mange, jellies, sweetmeats, ice-creams, wines, liquors, &c., be handed round. Next, (after an hour"s interval,) the terrapin, oysters, and chicken salad, &c. These are sometimes accompanied by ale, porter, or cider; sometimes by champagne. At the close of the evening, it is usual to send round a large plum-cake.
If the plan is to have a regular supper table, it is not necessary to send in any refreshments through the evening, except lemonade and little cakes.
When the company is not very numerous, and is to sit round a tea-table, waffles or other hot articles may there be introduced. Take care to set a tea-table that will certainly be large enough to accommodate all the guests without crowding them.
SUPPER DISHES FOR A LARGE COMPANY.--[392-*]Boned turkey with jelly; partridge pie; game dressed in various ways; cold ham glazed thickly all over with a mixture of bread-crumbs, cream, and yolk of egg; two smoked tongues, one placed whole in the centre of the dish, the other cut into circular slices and laid round it; cold alamode beef; French chicken salad; Italian chicken salad; marbled veal; potted lobster; pickled lobster; terrapins; cream oysters; fried oysters; pickled oysters; oyster patties; biscuit sandwiches; charlotte polonaise; charlotte russe; French charlotte; calves" feet jelly; trifle; Spanish blanc-mange; chocolate blanc-mange; coffee blanc-mange; maccaroon blanc-mange; vanilla blanc-mange; pistachio cream; cocoa-nut cream; chocolate cream; vanilla cream; lemon custards; orange custards; green custard; red custard; meringued apples; whipt cream meringues; iced grapes; orange-water ice; damson-water ice; vanilla ice-cream; lemon ice-cream; almond ice-cream; chocolate ice-cream; biscuit ice-cream; maccaroon ice-cream; preserved pine-apple; preserved citron-melon; preserved limes; preserved oranges; brandy peaches; brandy green gages; port wine-jelly; pink champagne-jelly; frozen punch, &c.; plum-cake; lady-cake; almond sponge-cake; frothed chocolate with dry toast.
[392-* From these may be selected supper dishes for a small a.s.semblage, or for a company of moderate size.]
An elegant supper table may be decorated with a profusion of real flowers tastefully disposed in pyramids and other forms; or with the sugar temples, obelisks, paG.o.das, baskets, &c., made by the confectioners. Unless at a very large and splendid supper it is bad taste to introduce these sugar ornaments.
OYSTER SUPPERS.--It is customary at oyster suppers to have a great portion of the oysters roasted in the sh.e.l.l and brought in on large dishes "hot and hot." Near every two chairs should be placed a small bucket to receive the sh.e.l.ls. An oyster knife, and a clean coa.r.s.e towel must be laid beside every plate, for the purpose of opening the oysters; an office that is usually performed by the gentlemen. The oysters should all be of the largest and best kind. Besides those that are roasted, there should be other dishes of them, fried, stewed, and pickled. Also, oysters in pies or patties;--cold-slaw; beets; pickles; and celery; bread in the form of rolls; and b.u.t.ter made up into handsome basket or pine-apple shapes. Ale and porter are frequently introduced at oyster suppers.
ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS.
BUENA VISTA CAKE.--Put half a pound of powdered white sugar into a deep pan, and cut up in it half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter. Stir them together hard, till perfectly light. Add a nutmeg powdered. (This cake should be highly-flavoured with nutmeg.) Beat four eggs in a shallow pan, till they are very thick and smooth. Then stir them, gradually, into the pan of beaten b.u.t.ter and sugar; in turn with three-quarters of a pound of sifted flour. Add a wine-gla.s.s of rose-water. Have ready three large wine-gla.s.ses of cream or rich milk, divided equally in two portions, and put into two cups. Take one yeast-powder, of the very best sort; dissolve in one cup of the cream, the contents of the blue paper, (or the carbonate of soda,) and in the other cup the contents of the white paper, (tartaric acid,) and mix the first with the cake-batter; and then, immediately after, stir in the other, lightly and slowly. Transfer the batter to a large well-b.u.t.tered square pan, and set it immediately into a brisk oven. Bake it steadily an hour, or more. If not thoroughly baked, it will be heavy. When cool, cut it into squares, and sift powdered sugar over it. It will be still better to ice it, adding rose-water or lemon-juice to the icing. It is best when fresh, the day it is baked; though very good the following day.
This cake will be found excellent, if the foregoing directions are _exactly_ followed. If wanted fresh for tea, at a short notice, it can be made and baked in two hours. For instance, if commenced at five o"clock in the afternoon it may be on the table at seven. The above quant.i.ty of ingredients will make enough to fill a large cake-basket.
If you wish to have a large Buena Vista cake baked in a loaf, take double the above quant.i.ty of ingredients, viz., one pound of b.u.t.ter, one pound of powdered sugar, a pound and a half of flour; eight eggs, two nutmegs, and two wine-gla.s.ses of rose water; six wine-gla.s.ses of cream or milk, and two yeast-powders; that is, two of the blue papers and two of the white. Put the mixture into a circular pan, and setting it directly in a brisk oven bake it from four to five hours in proportion to its thickness, keeping up a steady heat all the time. When done, ice and ornament it; flavouring the icing with rose or lemon. One of the decorations should be the words Buena Vista.
All cakes that have milk or cream in them require longer baking than those that have not; and the heat of the oven must be well kept up.
YEAST-POWDERS.--Get at a druggist"s a pound of super-carbonate of soda, and three-quarters of a pound of tartaric acid. Both these articles must be of the very best quality. Prepare an equal number of square blue papers, and square white papers; nicely folded. To be very accurate, weigh the articles alternately. In every blue paper put a hundred grains of the super-carbonate of soda, and in each white paper ninety grains of tartaric acid; and then fold them up so as to secure their contents. If you have not suitable scales and weights, you may guess tolerably well at the proportions of the articles by measuring a full tea-spoonful of the soda for each blue paper, and three-quarters of a tea-spoonful of the acid for each white paper. Put them up in boxes, and keep them in a dry place. The contents of one blue paper and of one white paper are considered as one yeast-powder; half the contents of each paper are called half a yeast-powder.
Yeast-powders of themselves have not sufficient power to raise bread or cakes so as to make them light enough to be wholesome. They should only be employed when real yeast, or eggs, are also used. Then they add greatly to the lightness of the cake. They are also an improvement to batter puddings. They must always be added at the last.
To use them, dissolve first the soda in a wine-gla.s.s and a half of milk or lukewarm water, and when thoroughly melted, stir it into the batter.
Then melt in another cup the acid, with a similar quant.i.ty of milk or water, and stir it in at the last.
These powders entirely destroy the flavour of lemon or orange-juice. But they will convert sour milk into sweet. A yeast-powder added to buckwheat batter that has already been raised by real yeast, will render it surprisingly light. One blue and one white powder will suffice for two quarts of batter.
FINE WAFER CAKES.--Wash and squeeze half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter in a pan of cold water. Then take it out, and cut it up in another pan, into which you have sifted half a pound of powdered white sugar; and stir them together with a spaddle (a round stick flattened at one end) till they are very light and creamy. Then stir in half a grated nutmeg, a small tea-spoonful of powdered mace, a gla.s.s of sherry or Madeira, and a gla.s.s of rose or lemon brandy. Put the whites of four eggs into a deep plate, beat them to a stiff froth with a whisk, and add the beaten white of eggs gradually to the mixture. Lastly, stir in as much sifted flour as will make a light soft dough or paste. Divide it into equal portions; flour your hands, and roll each portion in your palms till it becomes round like a small dumpling. Then having heated the wafer-iron, b.u.t.ter the inside, and put in one of the dumplings, making it to fit well. Put the wafer-iron into a clear hot fire, and bake each cake five minutes.
When done, take them out carefully and lay them separately on an inverted sieve to cool.
This mixture may be more easily baked in thin flat cakes. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet, and then cut it into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or with a tin cutter of that circ.u.mference. b.u.t.ter large square iron pans, and lay the cakes in them, but not so close as to touch. Put them into a quick oven, and bake them brown.
LANCASTER GINGERBREAD.--Cut up a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter into two pounds of sifted flour; rub it well in, and add a small teacup of ground ginger, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir in a pint and a half of West India mola.s.ses, and milk enough to make it into a thick batter. Lastly, add a tea-spoonful of soda dissolved in a little tepid water; and immediately after dissolve in another cup a salt-spoonful of tartaric acid, and stir that in. Stir the whole very hard. b.u.t.ter square pans, put into them the mixture, and bake it well; seeing that the oven is not so hot as to scorch it. It requires very long baking. When cool, cut it into squares.
Never put allspice into gingerbread or any other cake. It communicates a disagreeably bitter taste. Allspice is now rarely used for any purpose; cloves being far better. Either of them will considerably darken the colour of the cake.
WARM ICING FOR CAKES.--Beat to a stiff froth the whites of four eggs; then beat into them, gradually, (a spoonful at a time,) a pound of finely-powdered loaf-sugar. Next put the beaten white of egg and sugar into a very clean porcelain-lined kettle, (or something that will not discolour it,) and boil and skim it till the sc.u.m ceases to rise. Then remove it from the fire; and while it is warm, stir in the juice of two large lemons or oranges, or a tea-spoonful of extract of roses, or a wine-gla.s.s of rose-water, or a large table-spoonful of extract of vanilla. Have ready your cake, which must first be dredged with flour all over, and the flour wiped off with a clean cloth. This will make the icing stick. With a spoon, place a large portion of the warm icing on the centre of the top of the cake; and then with a broad-bladed knife, (dipped now and then into a bowl of cold water) spread it thick and evenly all over the surface. When done, let it dry gradually. It is best that the cake, when iced, should be warm from the oven.
This warm icing is now much in use. It spreads easily; rises up high and thick in cooling; and has a fine gloss on the surface.