1 tsp. mustard.
2 eggs.
2 tbsps. b.u.t.ter.
Put the b.u.t.ter in a saucepan, when melted stir in the flour, add the milk slowly, then the salt, mustard and cayenne, which have been mixed together. Add the yolks of the eggs which have been well beaten, then the grated cheese; stir all together, lift from the fire and set away to cool. When cold, add the stiff beaten whites, turn into a b.u.t.tered dish and bake 25 or 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
WELSH RAREBIT.
1/4 lb. cheese.
1 tsp. mustard.
A speck of cayenne.
1 tsp. b.u.t.ter.
1/4 cup cream or milk.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 egg.
Grate the cheese, put it with the milk in the double boiler. While this is heating, make some toast. Mix the mustard, salt and pepper, add the egg and beat well. When the cheese has melted, stir in the egg and b.u.t.ter, and cook about two minutes, or until it thickens a little, but do not let it curdle. Pour it over the hot toast and serve at once.
BEVERAGES.
TEA.
In making tea, the following rules should be observed. The water should be freshly boiled. The teapot, which should be of earthen or china (never of tin), should be scalded and heated before putting in the tea. Pour on the boiling water and cover closely, and let stand for 3 or 4 minutes before using. Never, under any circ.u.mstances, allow tea to boil. The usual proportion is a small teaspoonful of tea to 1 cup of boiling water, but this is too strong for general use.
COFFEE.
Coffee may be made in various ways; by filtering, clarifying with an egg, or made with cold water. A common rule for making coffee is as follows: 1 heaping tbsp. ground coffee to 2 cups of freshly boiling water, 1 egg sh.e.l.l. Scald the coffee-pot, put in the coffee and the egg sh.e.l.l, add the boiling water, cover and boil just 3 minutes.
Before serving, add a tbsp. of cold water; let stand for a few minutes before using.
COFFEE MADE WITH AN EGG.
1 egg is sufficient to clear 1 cup of ground coffee; if a smaller quant.i.ty be desired, half the egg may be used. Add 1/2 cup cold water to the portion of egg to be used, and 1/2 cup of ground coffee. Beat well, put it in the coffee-pot, add 1 qt. of boiling water, and boil 3 minutes. Move back where it will keep hot, but not boil, for 10 minutes. Pour out a little and pour it back again to clear the spout before serving.
COCOA.
1 pt. of milk.
3 tbsps. of water.
2 (l.) tsps. of cocoa.
Put the milk in the double boiler and set on the fire, mix the cocoa to a smooth paste with the cold water. When the milk boils, add the cocoa and boil for 1 minute. Serve very hot. If more water and less milk be used, allow a little more cocoa.
SOUPS.
Soups may be divided into two cla.s.ses, soup made with stock, and with milk. As soup should form part of the regular daily diet, and may be made from the cheaper materials, it is absolutely necessary that every housekeeper should understand the art of making it properly.
In the first place it is well to know what may be used in the process of soup making. The first and most important step is to prepare the stock. For this purpose have a large earthen bowl or "catch all," as some teachers call it. Into this put all the bones, tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, bits of steak or chop and gravy which has been left over. Keep in a cold place. When needed, cover with cold water and simmer 4 or 5 hours; strain and set away to cool. When cold, remove the fat which will have formed a solid coating on the top. The stock is now ready for use. By saving the remains of vegetables cooked for the table, the outer stocks of celery, a hard boiled egg, etc., a very palatable and nutritious soup may be made at a trifling cost. In families where large quant.i.ties of meat are used, there should be sufficient material without buying meat for soup. It is not necessary to have all the ingredients mentioned in some recipes in order to secure satisfactory results. It will, however, be necessary to understand soup flavorings, so as to know which ones may be left out. Stock made from the shin of beef, or from the cheaper pieces which contain the coa.r.s.er fibre and gristle, require long, slow cooking (see Methods).
Never soak meat in water before cooking in any form. Wipe carefully with a damp cloth before cutting or preparing for use. For soup break or saw the bones into small pieces, and for each pound of meat and bone allow 1 qt. of cold water. Cover the kettle closely and let it heat slowly until it reaches the simmering point, when it should be moved back and kept at that degree for several hours. Soup should never be allowed to boil hard. The sc.u.m which rises to the surface is the alb.u.men and juices of the meat, and should not be skimmed off. If the kettle is clean, and all impurities removed from the meat, there will not be anything objectionable in the sc.u.m. Stock must always be allowed to remain until cold, so that the fat may be removed before using. A strong, greasy soup is rarely relished, and is one of the princ.i.p.al reasons why so many people dislike this valuable article of diet. Do not add salt to the meat which is being prepared for stock until a few minutes before removing from the fire. Salt hardens the water if added at first and makes the tissues more difficult to dissolve. Stock may be kept for several days by occasionally bringing it to the boiling point. This is not necessary in winter if it is kept in a cold place.
VEGETABLE SOUP.
1 qt. stock.
1/2 cup each chopped turnip and cabbage.
1 tsp. sugar.
1 ssp. pepper.
1/2 cup each of onion, carrot, celery (chopped).
1-1/2 tsp. salt.
If all these vegetables are not available, a little macaroni, rice or barley may be added. Chop all the vegetables very fine, cabbage or onions should be parboiled 5 minutes, drain carefully. Put all the vegetables together, cover with 1 qt. of water and simmer until tender, then add the stock, the seasoning, and allow it to simmer about 10 minutes. Serve without straining.
TOMATO SOUP.
1 pt. of canned or stewed tomatoes.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 tsp. sugar.
1 tbsp. b.u.t.ter.
2 whole cloves or 1/2 bay leaf.
1 pt. of stock.
1/2 ssp. pepper.
1 tbsp. minced onion.
1 tbsp. flour or cornstarch.
A speck of cayenne may be added if desired.
Put the tomato and stock in a saucepan and set on the fire. Cook the vegetables in the b.u.t.ter for 15 minutes; then press out the b.u.t.ter and put the vegetables in the soup. Into the b.u.t.ter remaining in the pan put the flour and stir until smooth, then add to the soup. Allow all to simmer for 20 minutes; strain and serve.
SPLIT PEA SOUP.
1 pt. of split peas.
1-1/2 qt. of boiling water.
1 qt. of stock.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Wash the peas in cold water (rejecting those which float) and soak them over night. In the morning drain the water off and cover them again with 1 qt. of the boiling water. Boil until tender, about 1-1/2 hour. Now add the stock and 1 pt. of the boiling water. Press the whole through a sieve; wash the soup kettle, return the soup, boil up once, add salt and pepper and serve with croutons. Dried pea soup may be made in exactly the same manner, using 1 pt. of dried peas instead of the split ones.
ONION SOUP.