APPLE SOUP.
111. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of good boiling apples, 3/4 teaspoonful of white pepper, 6 cloves, cayenne or ginger to taste, 3 quarts of medium stock.
_Mode_.--Peel and quarter the apples, taking out their cores; put them into the stock, stew them gently till tender. Rub the whole through a strainer, add the seasoning, give it one boil up, and serve.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_ per quart, 1s.
_Seasonable_ from September to December.
_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.
[Ill.u.s.tration: APPLE AND BLOSSOM.]
THE APPLE.--This useful fruit is mentioned in Holy Writ; and Homer describes it as valuable in his time. It was brought from the East by the Romans, who held it in the highest estimation.
Indeed, some of the citizens of the "Eternal city" distinguished certain favourite apples by their names. Thus the Manlians were called after Manlius, the Claudians after Claudius, and the Appians after Appius. Others were designated after the country whence they were brought; as the Sidonians, the Epirotes, and the Greeks. The best varieties are natives of Asia, and have, by grafting them upon others, been introduced into Europe. The crab, found in our hedges, is the only variety indigenous to Britain; therefore, for the introduction of other kinds we are, no doubt, indebted to the Romans. In the time of the Saxon heptarchy, both Devon and Somerset were distinguished as _the apple country_; and there are still existing in Herefordshire some trees said to have been planted in the time of William the Conqueror. From that time to this, the varieties of this precious fruit have gone on increasing, and are now said to number upwards of 1,500. It is peculiar to the temperate zone, being found neither in Lapland, nor within the tropics. The best baking apples for early use are the Colvilles; the best for autumn are the rennets and pearmains; and the best for winter and spring are russets. The best table, or eating apples, are the Margarets for early use; the Kentish codlin and summer pearmain for summer; and for autumn, winter, or spring, the Dowton, golden and other pippins, as the ribstone, with small russets. As a food, the apple cannot be considered to rank high, as more than the half of it consists of water, and the rest of its properties are not the most nourishing. It is, however, a useful adjunct to other kinds of food, and, when cooked, is esteemed as slightly laxative.
ARTICHOKE (JERUSALEM) SOUP.
(_A White Soup_.)
112. INGREDIENTS.--3 slices of lean bacon or ham, 1/2 a head of celery, 1 turnip, 1 onion, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 4 lbs. of artichokes, 1 pint of boiling milk, or 1/2 pint of boiling cream, salt and cayenne to taste, 2 lumps of sugar, 2-1/2 quarts of white stock.
_Mode_.--Put the bacon and vegetables, which should be cut into thin slices, into the stewpan with the b.u.t.ter. Braise these for 1/4 of an hour, keeping them well stirred. Wash and pare the artichokes, and after cutting them into thin slices, add them, with a pint of stock, to the other ingredients. When these have gently stewed down to a smooth pulp, put in the remainder of the stock. Stir it well, adding the seasoning, and when it has simmered for five minutes, pa.s.s it through a strainer.
Now pour it back into the stewpan, let it again simmer five minutes, taking care to skim it well, and stir it to the boiling milk or cream.
Serve with small sippets of bread fried in b.u.t.ter.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_ per quart, 1s. 2d.
_Seasonable_ from June to October.
_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.
ASPARAGUS SOUP.
I.
113. INGREDIENTS.--5 lbs. of lean beef, 3 slices of bacon, 1/2 pint of pale ale, a few leaves of white beet, spinach, 1 cabbage lettuce, a little mint, sorrel, and marjoram, a pint of asparagus-tops cut small, the crust of 1 French roll, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of water.
_Mode_.--Put the beef, cut in pieces and rolled in flour, into a stewpan, with the bacon at the bottom; cover it close, and set it on a slow fire, stirring it now and then till the gravy is drawn. Put in the water and ale, and season to taste with pepper and salt, and let it stew gently for 2 hours; then strain the liquor, and take off the fat, and add the white beet, spinach, cabbage lettuce, and mint, sorrel, and sweet marjoram, pounded. Let these boil up in the liquor, then put in the asparagus-tops cut small, and allow them to boil till all is tender.
Serve hot, with the French roll in the dish.
_Time_.--Altogether 3 hours. _Average cost_ per quart, 1s. 9d.
_Seasonable_ from May to August.
_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.
II.
114. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 pint of split peas, a teacupful of gravy, 4 young onions, 1 lettuce cut small, 1/2 a head of celery, 1/2 a pint of asparagus cut small, 1/2 a pint of cream, 3 quarts of water: colour the soup with spinach juice.
_Mode_.--Boil the peas, and rub them through a sieve; add the gravy, and then stew by themselves the celery, onions, lettuce, and asparagus, with the water. After this, stew altogether, and add the colouring and cream, and serve.
_Time_.--Peas 2-1/2 hours, vegetables 1 hour; altogether 4 hours.
_Average cost_ per quart, 1s.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ASPARAGUS.]
ASPARAGUS.--The ancients called all the sprouts of young vegetables asparagus, whence the name, which is now limited to a particular species, embracing artichoke, alisander, asparagus, cardoon, rampion, and sea-kale. They are originally mostly wild seacoast plants; and, in this state, asparagus may still be found on the northern as well as southern sh.o.r.es of Britain. It is often vulgarly called, in London, _sparrowgra.s.s_; and, in it"s cultivated form, hardly bears any resemblance to the original plant. Immense quant.i.ties of it are raised for the London market, at Mortlake and Deptford; but it belongs rather to the cla.s.ses of luxurious than necessary food. It is light and easily digested, but is not very nutritious.
BAKED SOUP.
115. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of any kind of meat, any tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs or odd pieces; 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 oz. of rice, 1 pint of split peas, pepper and salt to taste, 4 quarts of water.
_Mode_.--Cut the meat and vegetables in slices, add to them the rice and peas, season with pepper and salt. Put the whole in a jar, fill up with the water, cover very closely, and bake for 4 hours.
_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 2-1/2d. per quart.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_ for 10 or 12 persons.
_Note_.--This will be found a very cheap and wholesome soup, and will be convenient in those cases where baking is more easily performed than boiling.
BARLEY SOUP.
116. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1/4 lb. of pearl barley, a large bunch of parsley, 4 onions, 6 potatoes, salt and pepper, 4 quarts of water.
_Mode_.--Put in all the ingredients, and simmer gently for 3 hours.
_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 2-1/2d. per quart.
_Seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for winter.
[Ill.u.s.tration: BARLEY.]
BARLEY.--This, in the order of cereal gra.s.ses, is, in Britain, the next plant to wheat in point of value, and exhibits several species and varieties. From what country it comes originally, is not known, but it was cultivated in the earliest ages of antiquity, as the Egyptians were afflicted with the loss of it in the ear, in the time of Moses. It was a favourite grain with the Athenians, but it was esteemed as an ignominious food by the Romans. Notwithstanding this, however, it was much used by them, as it was in former times by the English, and still is, in the Border counties, in Cornwall, and also in Wales. In other parts of England, it is used mostly for malting purposes. It is less nutritive than wheat; and in 100 parts, has of starch 79, gluten 6, saccharine matter 7, husk 8. It is, however, a lighter and less stimulating food than wheat, which renders a decoction of it well adapted for invalids whose digestion is weak.
BREAD SOUP.
(_Economical_.)
117. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of bread crusts, 2 oz. b.u.t.ter, 1 quart of common stock.
_Mode_.--Boil the bread crusts in the stock with the b.u.t.ter; beat the whole with a spoon, and keep it boiling till the bread and stock are well mixed. Season with a little salt.