I know, dearest, what will be your feeling after the perusal of the above, that I have given vent to a little scandal; but it is the truth, and of almost daily occurrence, so that there is no mystery about it. I do not mean that it is very general, but is certainly often practised; for my part, you know my style: I never attempt to astonish my guests with extensive wonders of nature and art in any shape of eatable, but simply follow the middle prices, by which I always can procure the best quality of article in comestibles; and nothing pleases me more when I give a party than that every dish on the table should be partaken of, and still more so when entirely eaten. I do not approve of meanness; though a great economist, I abhor it as much as I do extravagance; and we never, I a.s.sure you, give a single party without being perfectly satisfied that it does not interfere with our daily comforts, that is, as regards financial matters. For dessert in summer I confine it entirely to fresh fruit, compotes, ices, and a few almond cakes, and Savoy biscuits. Fruits, preserves, oranges, compotes, and biscuits in winter.
The list of names I here inclose to you consists of moderately priced articles, and will enable you to make a good appearance for your dessert, and at a trifling expense.
The first thing I wish you to be initiated in is, what is called in France "compote," which may be made almost from any kind of fruits, especially apples, pears, apricots, plums, greengages, peaches, cherries, gooseberry, oranges, &c. It was on my second visit to Havre that I took lessons in confectionery; I paid as much as ten shillings per lesson to M. Bombe Glace, that being the "nom de guerre" of the first confectioner there; but you know, dearest, how quick I am learning, especially anything in the way of cookery. I really must say I do love cooking, so you may fancy that the clever artist, Monsieur le Confiseur, had not very many of our demi-souvereign, as he called them, from us; my Mr. B. thought at the time that it was quite ridiculous and extravagant to pay so much for a trifle like that; but let me tell you, dear, he had not then tasted them; but now all the wall-and tree-fruits from our garden, if I were to follow entirely his taste, would be converted into compote, he being so remarkably fond of it.
COMPOTE.
Procure a very clean tin stewpan or a small sugar-pan; it being more preferable for boiling sugar, why I cannot tell, never having asked the reason, being so anxious to know other things which I thought more serviceable. Since I have tried it in a common stewpan, it has answered very well; and knowing by experience that your culinary laboratory is still in its innocent infancy, you might be prevented from making an immediate experiment by waiting till you could get one; you may use that three-pint size stewpan for it, which I lent you for a pattern about three weeks ago, and after which I shall feel extremely gratified by its reappearance on my kitchen shelf at No. 5, being out of the middle row of them, because every time I enter my kitchen it puts me in mind of a very pretty woman minus one of her front teeth.
Excuse me if I claim it of you, but I want to teach you punctuality as well as economy.
806. _Winter Pears._--To put an end to its long and hard existence, I would cut it into six or eight pieces lengthwise, peel and cut out the cores, giving them a nice shape; then put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, a gill of port wine, the thin rind of a lemon, a little cinnamon, and half a pint of water; let them simmer gently about an hour or until tender; when done, put them into a basin, reduce the syrup until thickish if required, and pour over; when cold they are ready to serve.
A little prepared cochineal mixed with the syrup very much improves their appearance. A dish composed half of these and half of the white has a very pretty appearance. By placing a layer of marmalade among them, at the bottom of the dish, you may dish them in crown, or any shape you like.
807. _Compote of Peaches._--Put half a pound of lump sugar (broken into small pieces) into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pint of water, which set upon the fire to boil until forming a thickish syrup; you have previously cut four ripe peaches in halves, lay them carefully in the boiling syrup to simmer a couple of minutes, then carefully remove them with a colander-spoon on to a hair-sieve to drain, when remove the skins, and dress the peaches neatly upon your dessert-dish; reduce the syrup until of a good consistency, and when cold pour it over, and they are ready to serve.
808. _Compote of Apples._--Procure six nice ripe apples, but not too large, which peel, cut in halves, and cut out the cores, rub each piece over with a little lemon, and put them into boiling syrup made as last directed, but with the juice of a lemon, and the rind cut into small fillets added; let the apple stew until tender, but not broken, when drain them upon a sieve, reduce the syrup; and when both are cold, dress the apple neatly upon your dish, and pour the syrup over. A little green angelique, cut in various shapes, will make a pretty ornament on any white compote.
809. _Compote of small Apples, served whole._--Select nine small golden pippins, each as nearly as possible of an equal size, and with a long round vegetable cutter, of the size of a sixpenny piece, cut out the cores, then peel them very thin and smooth, rub their surface with lemon juice, and throw them into a basin of spring water; have ready boiling half a pint of syrup, made as before directed, to which add the rind of a lemon (cut into thin strips), and the juice, lay in the apples, which let simmer very gently until quite tender, when drain them upon a hair-sieve, and reduce the syrup until thickish; when quite cold, dress the apples upon your dish, five at the bottom, three upon them, and one upon the top; when ready to serve, pour the syrup over.
810. _Compote of Green Apricots._--Have a pottle of green apricots, from which pick off all the stalks, and throw them into a stewpan containing a quart of boiling water, and let them boil very fast for ten minutes, and drain them upon a sieve: have ready half a pint of syrup made as before directed, in which boil them until tender, but not to break, and thicken the syrup, pour the whole into a basin until quite cold; should the syrup then be too thin, strain it off into the stewpan to reduce to a proper consistency, pouring it again over the apricots when quite cold. Dish tastefully.
811. _Compote of Greengages._--Procure twelve greengages, not quite ripe, each of which cut into halves; have ready boiling half a pint of syrup, as before directed, into which put half the fruit, let it simmer a couple of minutes, then remove them with a colander-spoon, draining them upon a sieve; then put in the remainder, with which proceed in the same manner; remove the skins, put the fruit into a basin, reduce the syrup until thickish, and when cold, pour it over the fruit, which is then ready to serve.
Any description of plums may be dressed in precisely the same method.
812. _Compote of Apricots._--Procure six very fine ripe apricots, which divide into halves; have ready half a pint of boiling syrup reduced quite thick, in which let them simmer about a minute, when pour the whole into a basin until cold; should the fruit not be quite ripe, they would require longer time to simmer. I frequently break the stones and blanch the kernels to add to the compote; they are a great improvement, also, to cherries and plums.
813. _Compote of Cherries._--Take a pound of fine cherries, not too ripe, and cut away half the stalks with a pair of scissors; have half a pint of syrup, which boil until very thick, when add half of the cherries, and boil them two or three minutes, take them out with a colander-spoon, drain them upon a sieve, and proceed the same with the remaining half; reduce the syrup until very thick, dress the cherries pyramidically upon your dish, stalks uppermost, and when the syrup is cold, pour it over, and serve.
814. _Compote of Oranges._--Make a pint of syrup as before; have six fine oranges, which skin carefully, sc.r.a.ping off as much of the pith as possible; divide each orange into eight entire pieces, without breaking the delicate skin with which they are divided; when the syrup is very thick, put in the pieces of oranges, which simmer gently for five minutes, when take them out with a colander-spoon, and drain them upon a sieve; reduce the syrup very quickly until thickish, and when cold, pour it over the oranges, which will be then ready to serve. Half the rind of the oranges, free from pith, cut into small fillets, are a great improvement boiled in the syrup.
815. _Compote of French Plums._--Put half a pound of French plums into a stewpan, with a gill of water, the same of wine, the rind of half a lemon cut thin, two cloves, and a good spoonful of sugar, let them simmer about twenty minutes, and when cold take out the lemon and cloves, and they are ready to serve.
COMPOTES OF FRUIT SIMPLIFIED.
As I usually make them when alone, or, if not, for a very ceremonious dinner-party. The whole of the following must be done over a very slow fire.
816. _Pears._--Cut six ripe middling-sized pears in halves, peel neatly, cut out the cores, and put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the juice of a lemon, the thin rind cut into strips, and a very little drop of water, set them upon the fire, stewing them until tender; they will form their own syrup; put them in a basin until cold, when they are ready to serve.
817. _Pippins._--Peel and cut four apples into quarters, take out the cores, and stew them as directed for pears, but using the rind of an orange instead of the rind of a lemon.
818. _Oranges._--Prepare four oranges as directed (No. 814), which put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and the juice of another orange; set them upon the fire, and when the syrup becomes sufficiently thick to adhere to the pieces of orange, they are done; when cold, dress them in a circle upon your dish, with strips of angelica between each.
819. _Apricots._--Cut eight unripe apricots into quarters, which put into a stewpan, with four ounces of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and a drop of sherry, set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally, until the apricots are tender, but not broken; a very few minutes would be sufficient to stew them, and when cold, they are ready to serve.
For Peaches, proceed exactly the same; but if too ripe, they must be done as directed for compote of peaches.
820. _Greengages and other Plums._--Put twelve into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of sugar, the juice of a lemon and a little drop of water, set them over the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until the fruit is tender, but not mashed; when cold, dress them in pyramid, and pour the syrup over.
821. _Cherries._--Cut the stalks of a pound of cherries rather short, and put the fruit into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar and the juice of a lemon; place them over the fire (occasionally shaking the pan round), letting them simmer about two minutes, when take them out with a colander-spoon, and put them into a basin until cold, reduce the syrup, to which add sufficient isingla.s.s to set it as a jelly, and pour it upon a large plate until set, when dress the cherries pyramidically, just dip the bottom of the plate containing the syrup into warm water, and turn it as a jelly over the cherries.
822. _Green Gooseberries._--Put a pint of green gooseberries into a stewpan with two ounces of sugar and a little sherry, place them over a sharp fire, as the quicker they cook the better color they will keep; when tender but not broken, pour them into a basin, and when cold they are ready to serve.
823. _Red Rhubarb._--The small forced rhubarb (Mitch.e.l.l"s Royal Albert) is by far the best. Cut about half a pound of it into pieces half an inch in length, which put into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and a winegla.s.sful of water; set it over a sharp fire, occasionally shaking the stewpan round, and when quite tender pour it into a basin until cold; when it is ready to serve, should the syrup be too thin, add sufficient isingla.s.s to set it, and when cold dress it pyramidically upon your dish.
824. _Currants and Raspberries._--Pick the stalks from a pint of currants, which put into a stewpan with half a pint of raspberries and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until boiling, when pour them into a basin to cool. Should the syrup be too thin, which would be the case if the fruit is too ripe, drain the fruit from it, reduce it by boiling, and when cold, pour it again over the fruit, which will then be ready to serve.
825. _Royal Iceing for Cakes._--Have ready a pound of the best white sugar, which pound well and sift through a silk sieve, put it into a basin with the whites of three eggs, beat well together with a wooden spoon, adding the juice of half a lemon, keep beating well until it becomes very light and hangs in flakes from the spoon (if it should be rather too stiff in mixing, add a little more white of egg, if, on the contrary, too soft, a little more sugar), it is then ready for use where required.
826. _Chocolate Iceing for Cakes_ is made similar to the last, but when finished have ready a piece of the common chocolate, which melt in a stewpan over the fire, keeping it stirred; when quite melted stir some of it in with the iceing until you have obtained the color required, moistening the iceing with a little more white of egg, and use where directed.
827. _Sugar in Grains_ is made by pounding a quant.i.ty of sugar in a mortar, and sifting off all the fine through a hair-sieve, then again what remains in the sieve put into a rather coa.r.s.e wire sieve, and that which pa.s.ses through is what is meant by the above term.
828. _How to give color to Sugar._--Prepare about half a pound of the sugar as in the last, which put upon a baking-sheet; have a spoonful of the essence of spinach, which stir in with the sugar until every gram is stained, then put them in a warmish place to dry, but not too hot: to color them red, use a little prepared cochineal or liquid carmine, instead of the spinach, and proceed exactly the same: sugar may be made of other colors by the use of indigo, rouge, saffron, &c.; but not being partial to such a variety of coloring, I have merely given the red and the green, which, with the white, I consider to be sufficient for any of the purposes for which they are used.