"Bread is the staff of life;" in all ages and countries farinaceous foods have formed the bulk of man's sustenance; under this general term we include macaroni, which contains more gluten than bread and consequently is more nourishing, the different wheat flours, oat and barley meal, pearl barley, peas, beans, and lentils; the latter are the nearest article to meat in point of nourishment, containing heat-food in quantity nearly equal to wheat, and twice as much flesh food. Lentils have been used for food in older countries from time immemorial, and it is quite time that we should become acquainted with their merits; a lentil soup is given in the second chapter, and in this we append some excellent directions for cooking this invaluable food. One quart of lentils when cooked will make four pounds of hearty food. There are two varieties in market; the small flat brown seed, called lentilsà la reine; and a larger kind, about the size of peas, and of a greenish color; both sorts are equally well flavored and nutritious. There is no reason why, with judicious seasoning, the "dinner of herbs" should lack the gustatory enjoyment which is popularly supposed to belong to therepast furnished by the "stalled ox;" especially if we are economical enough to save towards making it any pot-liquor, or cold meat gravy or drippings, which are left from a feast-day.
175.Potato Soup.—Slice six onions, fry them brown with two ounces of drippings, then add two ounces of flour and brown it; add four quarts of boiling water, and stir till the soup boils; season with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper; add one quart of potatoes peeled and cut fine, and boil all until they are tender; then stir in four ounces of oatmeal mixed smooth with a pint of cold water, and boil fifteen minutes; this soup should be stirred often enough to prevent burning; when it is nearly done mix together off the fire one ounce each of butter and flour, and stir them into the soup; when it boils up pass through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and serve hot with plenty of bread.
176.Scotch Crowdie.—Boil one pound of oatmeal one hour in four quarts of any kind of pot-liquor, stirring often enough to prevent burning; season with one tablespoonful of salt, a level saltspoonful of pepper, one ounce of butter, and serve with plenty of bread.
177.Peas-pudding.—Soak three pints of dried peas in cold water over night; tie them loosely in a clean cloth, and boil them about two hours in pot-liquor or water, putting them into it cold and bringing them gradually to a boil; drain them, pass them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, season them with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonfulof pepper, one ounce of butter, and one egg, if it is on hand; mix, tie in a clean cloth, and boil half an hour longer; then turn it from the cloth, on a dish, and serve hot.
178.Red Herrings with Potatoes.—Soak a dozen herrings in cold water for one hour; dry and skin them, split them down the back, and lay them in a pan with two ounces of drippings, two ounces of onion chopped fine, a saltspoonful of pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar; and set them in a moderate oven to brown for ten or fifteen minutes: meantime, boil one quart of potatoes, with a ring of the paring taken off, in plenty of boiling water and salt, pouring off the water as soon as they are tender, and letting them stand on the back of the fire, covered with a dry towel, for five minutes; serve them with the herrings, taking care to dish both quite hot.
179.Oatmeal Porridge.—Boil two ounces of chopped onion in two quarts of skim milk; mix half a pound of oatmeal smooth with about a pint of milk, pour it into the boiling milk, season it with a tablespoonful of salt, boil it about twenty minutes, stirring to prevent burning, and serve hot.
180.Cheese Pudding.—Into two quarts of boiling water, containing two tablespoonfuls of salt, stir one pound of yellow Indian meal, and three quarters of a pound of grated cheese; boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then put it in a buttered baking pan, sprinkle over the top quarter of a pound of gratedcheese, and brown in a quick oven. Serve hot. If any remains, slice it cold and fry it brown.
181.Polenta.—Boil one pound of yellow Indian meal for half an hour, in two quarts of pot-liquor, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then bake it for half an hour in a buttered baking dish, and serve it either hot; or, when cold, slice it and fry it in smoking hot fat. This favorite Italian dish is closely allied to the hasty-pudding of New England, whose praises have been sung by poe-tasters.
182.Fish Pudding.—Make a plain paste by mixing quarter of a pound of lard or sweet drippings with half a pound of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and just water enough to make a stiff paste; roll it out; line the edges of a deep pudding dish with it half way down; fill the dish with layers of fresh codfish cut in small pieces, using two or three pounds, season each layer with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and chopped onions, using one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, two bay leaves, a saltspoonful of thyme, four ounces of onion, and half an ounce of parsley; fill up the dish with any cold gravy, milk, or water, cover with paste, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven; finish by baking half an hour in a moderate oven; serve hot.
183.Lentils boiled plain.—Wash two pounds of lentils well in cold water, put them over the fire, in four quarts of cold water with one ounce of drippings, one tablespoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, and boil slowly until tender, that isabout three hours; drain off the little water which remains, add to the lentils one ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a little more salt and pepper if required, and serve them hot. Always save the water in which they are boiled; with the addition of a little thickening and seasoning, it makes a very nourishing soup.
184.Stewed Lentils.—Put plain boiled lentils into a sauce-pan, cover them with any kind of pot-liquor, add one ounce of chopped onion, two ounces of butter, quarter of an ounce of chopped parsley, and stew gently for twenty minutes; serve hot.
185.Fried Lentils.—Fry one ounce of chopped onion brown in two ounces of drippings, add plain boiled lentils, see if they are properly seasoned, and brown them well; serve hot.
186.Norfolk Dumplings.—Mix well together two pounds of flour, one dessertspoonful of salt, and two pints of milk; divide the dough in twelve equal parts, and drop them into a pot of boiling pot-liquor, or boiling water; boil them steadily half an hour. They should be eaten hot, with gravy, sweet drippings, or a little molasses.
187.Salt Cod with Parsnips.—Soak three pounds of salt fish over night, with the skin uppermost, and boil it about one hour, putting it into plenty of cold water. Meantime pare half a dozen parsnips, and cut them in quarters, boil them half an hour, or longer, until tender, drain them, and dish them around the fish. While the fish and parsnips arecooking make the following sauce: mix two ounces of flour and one ounce of butter or sweet drippings, over the fire until a smooth paste is formed; then pour in half a pint of boiling water gradually, stirring until the sauce is smooth, add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, season with one saltspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of pepper; let the sauce boil up thoroughly for about three minutes, and serve it with the fish and parsnips. A hard boiled egg chopped and added to the sauce improves it.
188.Pickled Mackerel.—When fresh mackerel or herrings can be bought cheap, clean enough to fill a two quart deep jar, pack them in it in layers with a seasoning of a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of powdered herbs a saltspoonful each of pepper and allspice, and cover with vinegar and cold water, in equal parts. Bake about one hour in a moderate oven. Serve with plain boiled potatoes.
189.Potato Pudding.—Wash and peel two quarts of potatoes; peel and slice about six ounces of onions; skin and bone two bloaters or large herrings; put all these ingredients in a baking dish in layers seasoning them with a dessertspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper; pour over them any cold gravy you have on hand, or add two or three ounces of drippings; if you have neither of these, water will answer; bake the pudding an hour and a half; serve hot, with bread.
Those parts of meat which are usually called inferior, and sold at low rates, such as the head, tongue, brains, pluck, tripe, feet, and tail, can be cooked so as to become both nourishing and delicate. They are more generally eaten in Europe than in this country, and they are really worthy of careful preparation; for instance, take the hasletragout, the receipt for which is given further on in this chapter. The author owes this receipt to the fortunate circumstance of one day procuring a calf's liver direct from the slaughter-house, with the heart and lights attached; the liver was to be larded and cooked as directed in receipt No. 53, at a cooking lesson; thechefsaid, after laying aside the liver, "I will make for myself a dish of what the ladies would not choose," and at the direction of the author he cooked it before the class; the ladies tasted and approved. The nutritive value and flavor of the dishes specified in this chapter are less than those of prime cuts of meat, but properly combined with vegetables and cereals, they completely take the place of those more expensive foods; they should be thoroughly cooked,and well masticated; and can usually be digested with greater ease than the more solid flesh.
190.Three dishes from a Neck of Mutton.—Part I.—Barley Broth with Vegetables.—Trim a neck of mutton into neat cutlets, and reserve them forpart 2; put the bones and trimmings into three quarts of cold water, boil slowly, and skim thoroughly: add six ounces of barley which has been soaked in cold water over night, a bouquet of sweet herbs, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and one saltspoonful of pepper, and simmer for two hours; strain out one quart of the broth forpart 3, then add six ounces of carrots, four ounces of onions, and four ounces of yellow turnips cut in dice about half an inch square, six ounces of oatmeal mixed to a smooth batter with cold water, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, which will be about half an hour: taste to try the seasoning and serve hot.—Part II.—Mutton Stew.—Cut half a quart each of yellow turnips and potatoes into balls as large as marbles, saving the trimmings to put into soup, and for mashed potatoes; peel six ounces of small onions; put all these in separate vessels to boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork; meantime put the cutlets in a hot pan containing an ounce of drippings, and fry them brown quickly; stir among them one ounce of dry flour; brown it, add one quart of boiling water; season with one teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; drain the vegetables, put them with the meat and gravy, and serve hot.—Part III.—Fried Pudding.—To the quart of brothstrained off as directed inPart I, and brought to the boiling point, gradually add sufficient Indian meal to thicken it, about half a pound will generally be enough; season with a teaspoonful of salt, and boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; pour it out into a deep earthen dish, and let it stand long enough to grow solid; then cut it in slices, and fry it brown in drippings; it can be eaten with molasses for dessert. With proper management all these dishes can be ready at one time, and will form a good and wholesome dinner.
191.Neck of Pork stuffed.—Clean a neck of fresh pork, fill it with sage and onion stuffing, made according to receipt No. ——; put it in a dripping pan, with some small potatoes, peeled and washed well in cold water, roast it brown, seasoning with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, when it is half done; when it is thoroughly cooked serve it with the potatoes laid around it, and a gravy made from the drippings in the pan cleared of fat, and thickened with a teaspoonful of flour.
192.Pigs' Feet Fried.—Thoroughly burn all the hairs off with a poker heated to a white heat; then scald the feet, wipe them dry, and put them over the fire to boil in cold water, with two ounces each of carrot and onion, the latter stuck with six cloves, two tablespoonfuls of salt, quarter of an ounce of parsley made into a bouquet with three bay leaves and a sprig of thyme; boil them slowly four hours, or more, until you can easily remove the bones. Split the feet in two pieces, and take out all the largebones; have ready some sifted crumbs of cracker, or dry bread, a little milk, or an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of water; dry the pieces on a clean towel, roll them first in the crumbs, then dip them in the milk or egg, and roll them again in the crumbs; fry them in smoking hot lard, which you must afterwards strain and save to use again, and lay them neatly on a hot dish; they will make an appetizing and nourishing meal.
193.Pigs' Tongue and Brains.—Soak them in cold water with two tablespoonfuls of salt for two hours; then put them into cold water over the fire, with two ounces each of carrot and onion, the latter stuck with three cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and boil slowly fifteen minutes; take out the brains leaving the tongue still boiling, and put them in cold water to cool; then carefully remove the thin membrane or skin covering the brains, without breaking them; season them with a saltspoonful of salt and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, roll them in cracker crumbs, and fry them brown in smoking hot fat. By this time the tongue will be tender; take it up, lay it on a dish between the brains, put a few sprigs of parsley, celery, mint or watercresses, around them and serve them hot. This inexpensive dish is very delicate and nutritious.
194.Roasted Tripe.—Cut some tripe in pieces three inches long by six wide; cover each one with highly seasoned sausage-meat, roll up, and tie with a string; lay the rolls in a dripping pan,dredge them well with flour, and set them in the oven to bake, basting them with the liquor which flows from them; when they are nicely browned, dish them up with a slice of lemon on each one. Some melted butter may be put over them if desired.
195.Ragout of Haslet.—Wash the lights, cut them in two inch pieces, put them into a sauce-pan with one ounce each of butter, salt pork sliced, onion chopped, one dessertspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of black pepper; two bay leaves, two sprigs of parsley and one of thyme, tied in a bouquet, one ounce of flour, one gill of vinegar, half a pint of cold gravy or cold water, and six potatoes peeled and cut in dice; stew all these ingredients gently together for two hours, and serve as you would a stew, with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley sprinkled over the top.
196.Cock-a-leeky.—Pluck, singe, and draw a cheap fowl, as directed in receipt No. ——; break the breast bone down with a rolling-pin, tie the fowl in a plump shape, put it into a sauce-pan with four quarts of cold water, one pound of rice, first washed in cold water, a tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, and a bunch of leeks weighing about a pound, cut in two-inch pieces. Boil all gently for three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice burning; serve the fowl on one dish with a tablespoonful of parsley chopped and sprinkled over it, and the rice and broth in a soup tureen or deep dish.
197.Italian Cheese.—Chop a pig's pluck,and two pounds of scraps or trimmings of fresh pork, season this forcemeat to taste with the spice salt of mixed spices and sweet herbs named in Chapter first; put it into an earthen jar with a lid, seal the lid with a paste made of flour and water, and oiled upon the surface to prevent cracking; put the jar in a moderate oven, and bake the cheese three hours, slowly. This dish is eaten cold with bread, in place of butter, and makes a hearty meal.
198.Gammon Dumpling.—Make a plain paste of two pounds of flour, one dessertspoonful of salt, half a pound of finely chopped suet or scraps, and sufficient cold water to mix it to a stiff dough; roll this out about half an inch thick, spread over it about two pounds of any cheap cut of bacon or ham, finely chopped, roll up the dumpling as you would a roly-poly pudding, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it in boiling water, or boiling pot-liquor, for about three hours. Serve it hot, with plain boiled potatoes.
199.Toad-in-the-Hole.—Cut two pounds of the cheapest parts of any good meat into small pieces, roll them in flour, pepper, and salt, and fry them brown in two ounces of drippings; meantime prepare a batter as follows; mix one pound of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, half a nutmeg grated, and two eggs, stirred in without beating; gradually add three pints of skim-milk, making a smooth batter; add the meat and its gravy to this batter, put it in a greased baking dish, and bake itslowly about two hours. Serve it with plain boiled potatoes.
200.Bacon Roly-Poly.—Boil a pound and a half of bacon for half an hour; then slice it thin; peel and slice six apples and the same number of onions; make a stiff dough of two pounds of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and cold water; roll it out half an inch thick; lay the bacon, apples, and onion all over it, roll it up, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it about two hours, in plenty of boiling water. Serve it with boiled potatoes, or boiled cabbage.
201.Baked Ox-heart.—Clean the heart thoroughly; stuff it with the following forcemeat; one ounce of onion chopped fine, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a saltspoonful of powdered sage or thyme, a teaspoonful of salt, half a small loaf of bread, and enough warm water to moisten the bread; mix, stuff the heart with it, and bake it an hour in a good hot oven, basting it occasionally with the liquor that flows from it, and when half done seasoning it well with salt and pepper. Serve hot with plain boiled potatoes, or with potatoes peeled, and baked in the pan with the heart.
202.Tripe and Onions.—Cut two pounds of tripe in pieces two inches square; peel and slice six large onions and ten potatoes; slice a quarter of a pound of salt pork or bacon; put the bacon in the bottom of a pot, with the tripe and vegetables in layers on it, seasoning with a tablespoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of powdered herbs; mix a pound of flour gradually with a quartand a half of cold water, pour it over the tripe and vegetables, and boil it gently for two hours. Serve hot with bread.
203.Peas and Bacon.—Cut a quarter of a pound of fat bacon in small bits, and fry it brown with two ounces of onions sliced; then add four ounces of split peas, one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of sugar, and four quarts of cold water; boil it until the peas are reduced to a pulp, which will be about three hours; then stir in sufficient oatmeal to thicken it, and boil slowly twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally; serve hot; or when cold, slice and fry it brown.
204.Pot-au-feu.—Put into four quarts of cold water one pound of cheap lean meat, and one pound of liver whole, some bones, cut into bits, two tablespoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, four leeks cut in pieces, and the following vegetables whole; four carrots, four turnips, and four onions, each stuck with two cloves; boil all gently for three hours, skimming occasionally, and adding two tablespoonfuls of cold water about every half hour; take up the meat and the liver on a platter, arrange the vegetables neatly around them, and serve the broth in a tureen, with plenty of bread.
205.Ragout of Mutton.—Cut four pounds of the scrag end of mutton in small pieces; peel a quart of turnips and cut them in round pieces as large as a walnut, and fry them brown in four ounces of fat; take them up, mix into the fat four ounces of flour, and brown it; add the mutton and sufficientcold water to cover the meat, and stir until it boils; season with a tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of sugar, and an ounce of onion if the flavor is liked; simmer gently until the meat is tender, about two hours; then add the turnips, heat them, and serve hot.
Any elaborate discussion of the relations of food to the needs of the body would not come within the scope of a work of this character; but there are a few facts concerning the diet of children to which we would call the attention of those mothers who wish their little brood to brighten home with radiant eyes, rosy cheeks, plump, graceful forms, and hearts bubbling over with the vivacity which springs from perfect health. Let them discard sago, arrowroot, and tapioca, all largely composed of starch, as comparatively useless in nourishing the growing body, which calls for the most complete nutrients; these often do very well in illness, where no great degree of nourishment is necessary, and where simply a given quantity of bland, innutritious food is required to help the system do without stronger aliment, calculated to irritate overworked and sensitive organs.
Indigestible articles, such as fat meat, rich pastry, hot bread, unripe fruit and vegetables, tea, coffee, spices, and stimulants, should be avoided in the diet of children. Good wheaten bread, farina, ripe fruit, fresh vegetables, meat-juices, milk, and sugar, should make up the list of staples; when meats are used theyshould be nutritious and digestible, such as good mutton, young beef, and tender poultry; bread and milk and fruit, for breakfast; meat, vegetables, bread and some light dessert, for dinner; bread and milk, or their equivalents, for supper; in other words, plain food and plenty of it, will keep mind and body in a sound condition, and supply all the requirements of growth.
Meats should be carefully cooked, so as to preserve all their natural juices; but no rich sauces, or made gravies, should accompany them to the table; a few ripe vegetables cooked until perfectly tender, roasted or baked potatoes, seed-bearing fruits, generally stewed, and plenty of light bread at least a day old, should be eaten with the meat. In stewing fruit only enough water should be used to prevent burning, and plenty of sugar should be employed to sweeten it; all fruit is less apt to be injurious if eaten early in the day. Eggs should be plain boiled, and rather soft. Milk should be boiled when there is any undue action of the bowels; otherwise it should be used uncooked with plenty of bread.
Hearty, vigorous children, who play much in the open air, can digest more meat than those who are confined indoors; and the cravings of a healthy appetite should always be appeased, care being taken that the stomach has the proper intervals of rest. Regularity of meals is really most important at all ages; the digestive organs must have time to assimilate their food supply. In childhood and youth, the period of growth, the needs of the system are morepressing than at any other time of life; if at this time children are fed on rich and stimulating food, they will be prone to fevers; if they are underfed they suffer both mentally and physically from slow starvation; equal and regular nutrition is imperative to the well being of the little ones, if we would have them grow up capable of performing in the fullest degree the highest functions of life. Therefore give the children plenty of plain, wholesome food; their active systems will appropriate it. If they continue serene in temper, equable in disposition, and generally healthy,—if the eyes are bright, the skin clear, the sleep serene,—the diet is proper and sufficient.
In the following receipts for preparing children's food the quantities are calculated for four.
206.Oatmeal Porridge.—Oatmeal is an extremely strengthening food; when it is well cooked it produces a large volume of nutritive matter in proportion to its bulk; and combined with milk it is the strongest and best of the cereals. Its flavor is sweet and pleasant; it appears in market in two forms, a rather rough meal, and the unbroken grain, after the husk has been removed; in either shape it should be thoroughly boiled, and combined with milk. A good thick porridge can be made by stirring four ounces of oatmeal into a quart of boiling milk, and then pouring this into a quart of water boiling on the fire, and allowing it to boil half or three-quarters of an hour; care must be taken not to burn it; just before it is done it should be seasoned with a teaspoonful of salt; and sweetened to taste at the table.
207.A good Breakfastcan be made of fresh milk sweetened with a little sugar and eaten with bread a day old, lightly buttered.
208.Stewed Fruit.—Put a quart of apples pared and sliced over the fire in a thick sauce-pan, with half a pint of water, to prevent burning, and when tender break them well up and sweeten them with four ounces or more of sugar, according to the flavor of the apples. Serve them with bread and butter in the morning, or at noon.
209.Ripe Currants.—A pound of ripe currants mashed, and mixed with half a pound, or more, of sugar, makes an excellent accompaniment for bread, being served spread upon the slices.
210.Blackberry Jam.—This is an invaluable addition to the breakfast, or noon dinner, in place of butter. It is an excellent agent for regulating the action of the bowels. It is made by boiling with every pound of thoroughly ripe blackberries half a pound of good brown sugar; the boiling to be continued one hour, and the berries well broken up.
211.Baked Fruit.—In addition to baking apples in the ordinary way, plums, peaches, pears, and berries, are good when put into a stone jar with layers of stale bread and sugar, and about a gill of water, and baking the fruit slowly in a moderate oven for an hour and a half.
212.Broiled Chops.—Trim nearly all the fat from a pound of loin mutton chops, broil them over a clear, bright fire for about fifteen minutes, taking care not to burn them; when they are done putthem on a hot platter, season them with half a teaspoonful of salt, and if they are very dry put a little butter over them, using not more than a quarter of an ounce. Serve them with mashed potatoes.
213.Beefsteak.—A tender sirloin steak is the best cut for general use. It should be chosen in accordance with the directions given in the chapter on marketing, and broiled over a brisk, clear fire for about twenty minutes; the seasoning of salt should be added after it is taken from the fire, and placed on a hot dish; and but very little butter, if any, should be used. Serve it with baked potatoes, finely broken with a fork.
214.Broiled Chicken.—A tender, but not very fat chicken, makes an excellent dinner for children. It should be plucked, singed, split down the back, carefully drawn, and wiped with a damp cloth, but not washed; the joints and breast-bone should be broken with the rolling pin, the chicken being covered with a folded towel to protect the flesh; it should then be broiled, inside first, over a clear, brisk fire, or better still, laid in a pan on a couple of slices of bread, and quickly roasted in a hot oven; by the latter process all the juices of the bird are saved; some gravy will flow from a good chicken, and from this the superfluous fat should be removed; if the chicken is very fat the bread under it should not be given to the children.
215.Boiled Eggs.—Eggs are usually spoiled in cooking; if they are plunged into boiling water, and maintained at the boiling point, the effect is toharden the albumen while the yolk remains almost raw, and make them totally unfit for digestion. A good way to cook them is to place them over the fire in cold water, bring them slowly to a boil, and then at once set the vessel containing them back from the fire, and let the eggs stand in the water about one minute if they are to be soft, and two minutes, or longer, if they are to be hard. Poor eggs cooked in this way are superior in flavor and digestibility to new-laid eggs boiled rapidly. One minute is quite long enough to boil them if they are wanted in their best condition.
216.Baked Potatoes.—Potatoes for baking should be of equal and medium size, with smooth skins; they should be well washed with a brush or cloth, and put into a quick oven; they will bake in from twenty to thirty-five minutes, according to variety and ripeness; as soon as you find they yield readily when pressed between the fingers, they are done; and should be served at once,uncovered. If they stand they grow heavy, and if you put them in a covered dish you will make them watery.
217.Boiled Potatoes.—Potatoes for children's use should be very carefully boiled; and if not used as soon as they are done, should be kept hot and dry, by pouring off the water, covering them with a dry cloth, and setting them on the back of the stove. After washing them thoroughly, pare them entirely, or take off one ring around each; if they are new, put them over the fire in hot water; if they are old, put them on in cold water; in either case, add atablespoonful of salt, and boil them from fifteen to thirty minutes, as they require, until you can pierce them easily with a fork; then drain off all the water, cover them with a clean dry towel, and set them on the back of the fire until you are ready to use them.
218.Apple Cake.—Grate a small loaf of stale bread; pare and slice about a quart of apples; lightly butter a pudding mould, dust it well with flour, and then with sugar, and fill it with layers of bread crumbs, apples, and sugar, using a very little cinnamon to flavor it; let the top layer be of crumbs, and put a few bits of butter on it; bake the cake for one hour in a moderate oven; and serve it for dessert.
219.Fruit Farina.—Sprinkle three tablespoonfuls of farina into one quart of boiling milk, using a sauce-pan set into a kettle of boiling water, in order to prevent burning; flavor and sweeten to taste, and boil for half an hour, stirring occasionally; then add one pint of any ripe berries, or sliced apples, and boil until the fruit is cooked, about twenty minutes: the pudding may be boiled in a mould or a cloth after the fruit is added. It should be served with powdered sugar.
220.Plain Cookies.—Beat one egg with one cup of sugar to a cream, work two ounces of butter soft, and beat it with the egg and sugar, grate in quarter of a nutmeg, add one gill of milk, and prepared flour enough to make a sufficiently stiff paste to roll out about a pound. Roll an eighth of an inch thick, cut out with a biscuit cutter, or an inverted cup, andlay on a floured baking pan, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven.
221.Plain Gingerbread.—Partly melt one ounce of butter, stir it into half a pint of molasses, with a tablespoonful of ground ginger, and half a pint of boiling water, stir in smoothly half a pound of prepared flour, and pour the batter into a buttered baking pan; bake it about half an hour in a quick oven, trying it with a broom straw, at the end of twenty minutes; as soon as the straw passes through it without sticking, the cake is done.
222.Strawberry Shortcake.—Rub two ounces of butter into a pound of prepared flour, mix it stiff enough to mould with about half a pint of milk; put the dough upon a round tin plate, gently flattening with the roller; bake it about twenty minutes in a quick oven, trying it with a broom straw to be sure it is done, before taking it from the oven; let it cool a little, tear it open by first separating the edges all around with a fork, and then pulling it in two pieces; upon the bottom put a thick layer of strawberries, or any perfectly ripe fruit, plentifully sprinkled with sugar; then lay on the fruit the upper half of the shortcake, with the crust down; add another layer of fruit, with plenty of sugar, and serve it with sweet milk or cream. This is rather rich, but a small piece may be given to the children as a treat, at the noon dinner.
223.Apple Custard.—Pare and core six apples; set them in a pan with a very little water, and stew them until tender; then put them in apudding dish without breaking, fill the centres with sugar, and pour over them a custard made of a quart of milk, five eggs, four ounces of sugar, and a very little nutmeg; set the pudding-dish in a baking-pan half full of water, and bake it about half an hour. Serve it either hot or cold, at the noon dinner.
224.Diet for Invalids.—There are three alimentary conditions in illness; the first prevails where the system suffers from the reaction consequent upon over-taxation, when rest is the first demand; then only palliative foods meet the calls of nature, those which give repletion to the sense of hunger, and tide the system over a certain period of relaxation and recuperation; gelatinous soups, and gruels of arrowroot, sago, and tapioca, will do very well at this stage. The second condition, when the body, failing under the pressure of disease, needs an excess of nutrition, is serious enough to demand the interposition of the physician—the doctor is the proper person to decide what shall be eaten; we will offer only a few suggestions concerning refreshing drinks. At the third point, when the patient is beyond the reach of danger, when foods are ordered which shall yield the greatest possible amount of nutrition, the culinary skill of the nurse may be displayed. It is here that we would give the paragraphs concerning highly nutritive foods. The reader will please to note that the quantities in this chapter are calculated for the use of one person.
225.Gruels.—We have already said that in certain physical conditions the lack of nutrition is what the body requires,—a period of comparative inaction, combined with repletion;—in such a condition the following aliments will suffice.
226.Arrowroot Gruel.—Mix one ounce of arrowroot with sufficient cold water to make a smooth paste; into this pour a gill or more of boiling water, stirring the mixture until it is quite clear; sweeten it with a little sugar, and use it at once.
227.Arrowroot Jelly.—Dissolve two teaspoonfuls of Bermuda arrowroot in just enough cold water to mix it to a smooth liquid paste, stir it into a quarter of a pint of water boiling upon the fire, with two tablespoonfuls of white sugar; continue stirring until the mixture becomes clear, then remove from the fire and stir in one teaspoonful of lemon-juice, put into a mould wet with cold water until it is cold. If the patient's condition will permit, cream and sugar may be eaten with it.
228.Arrowroot Wine Jelly.—Following the above process, make a jelly of one cup of boiling water, two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one tablespoonful of brandy or three tablespoonfuls of wine. This jelly is more stimulating than the gruel, and may meet some especial cases; but, unless used with brandy, for impaired digestive powers, we do not believe it to be of permanent value.
229.Calf's Foot Jelly.—Thoroughly clean a calf's foot; put it into an earthen jar, with half the rind of a fresh lemon, two gills of sweet milk, and one pint of cold water; close the jar tightly, put it into amoderate oven, and slowly bake it for three hours; then strain and cool it, and remove all fat, before using; it is bland and harmless.
230.Sago Gruel.—Soak one ounce of sago, after washing it well in a pint of tepid water for two hours; then simmer it in the same water for fifteen minutes, stirring it occasionally; then sweeten and flavor it to taste, and use at once.
231.Sago Milk.—Prepare the sago as in previous receipt, but boil it in milk instead of water; and when it has cooked for two hours it is ready for use.
232.Tapioca Jelly.—Wash one ounce of tapioca, soak it over night in cold water, and then simmer it with a bit of lemon peel until it is thoroughly dissolved; sweeten it to taste, and let it cool before using.
233.Rice Candle.—Mix an ounce of ground rice smoothly with a little cold water, and stir it into a pint of boiling water; boil it for fifteen minutes, and then sweeten it to taste and flavor it with nutmeg. Use it warm or cold.
234.Isinglass Milk.—Soak quarter of an ounce of clear shreds of isinglass in a pint of cold milk for two hours; then reduce it by boiling to half a pint, and sweeten to taste. Cool it before using.
235.Refreshing Drinks.—In feverish conditions cooling drinks, that is beverages which are in themselves refrigerant, such as lemonade, and those which are made from aromatic herbs, are grateful and helpful to the patient, but pure, distilled or filtered water, is the best for invalids. Hot drinks lower thetemperature of the body by evaporation; excessively cold drinks check perspiration, and endanger congestion of some vital part; but water of a moderate temperature is innocuous. Even in dangerous fevers the burning thirst of the sufferer can safely be assuaged by the frequent administration of small bits of ice. In cases of incomplete nutrition, cocoa, chocolate, and other preparations of the fruit of the cocoa-palm, are invaluable adjuncts; the active principle of all these is identical, and the chief nutritive element is oil. A very small quantity of cocoa will sustain life a long time.
236.Filtered Water.—Put a quart of clear water over the fire, and just bring it to a boil; remove it, and strain it three or four times through flannel; then cool it in a covered jar or pitcher, and give it to the patient in small quantities as the condition requires.
237.Jelly Water.—Mix one large teaspoonful of wild-cherry or blackberry jelly in a glass of cool water; drink moderately, and at intervals.
238.Flaxseed Lemonade.—Pour one quart of boiling water over four tablespoonfuls of whole flaxseed, and steep three hours covered. Then sweeten to taste, and add the juice of two lemons, using a little more water if the liquid seems too thick to be palatable. This beverage is very soothing to the irritated membranes in cases of severe cold.
239.Barley Water.—Wash two ounces of pearl barley in cold water until it does not cloud the water; boil it for five minutes in half a pint of water;drain that off, put the barley into two quarts of clean water, and boil it down to one quart. Cool, strain, and use. Pearl barley largely contains starch and mucilage, and makes an excellent soothing and refreshing draught in fevers and gastric inflammations.
Nourishing Drinks.—These are useful when liquid nourishment is better suited to the invalid's condition than solid food.
240.Iceland Moss Chocolate.—Dissolve one ounce of Iceland moss in one pint of boiling milk; boil one ounce of chocolate for five minutes in one pint of boiling water; thoroughly mix the two; and give it to the invalid night and morning. This is a highly nutritive drink for convalescents.
241.Egg Broth.—Beat an egg until it is frothy, stir into it a pint of boiling hot meat broth, free from fat, season it with a saltspoonful of salt, and eat it hot, with thin slices of dry toast; it may be given to assist the patient in gaining strength.
242.Egg Tea.—Beat the yolk of an egg in a cup of tea, and let the sick person drink it warm; the yolk is more readily digested than the white, and has a better flavor; and the tea is a powerful respiratory excitant, while it promotes perspiration, and aids the assimilation of more nourishing foods.
243.Very strong Beef Tea.—(This tea contains every nutritious element of the beef.)—Cut two pounds of lean beef into small dice, put it into a covered jarwithout water, and place it in a moderateoven for four hours, then strain off the gravy, and dilute it to the desired strength with boiling water.
244.Beef Tea.—(A quick preparation for immediate use.)—Chop one pound of lean beef fine, put it into a bowl, and cover it with cold water; let it stand for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then pour both beef and liquid into a sauce-pan, and place them over the fire to boil from fifteen to thirty minutes as time will permit; then strain off the liquid, season it slightly, and serve it at once.
245.Farina Gruel.—Stir one ounce of farina into one pint of boiling water, and boil it down one half, using a farina kettle, or stirring occasionally to prevent burning, then add half a pint of milk, boil up once, and sweeten to taste. Use warm. Farina is a preparation of the inner portion of the finest wheat, freed from bran, and floury dust; it contains an excess of nitrogenous, or flesh-forming material, readily absorbs milk or water in the process of cooking, is quickly affected by the action of the gastric juices; and is far superior as a food to sago, arrowroot, tapioca, and corn starch.
246.Nutritious Foods.—We have called attention to the fact that the nurse's most important office is exercised when the invalid begins to regain health; the task of rebuilding exhausted vitality demands a thoughtful care that only a tender hearted woman can bestow; and lacking which the skill of the most enlightened physician is often set at naught. Happy the woman who can here assist the restoration of the vital powers; she holds in her own hands aforce which wealth cannot buy. To such ministering angels we dedicate this portion of our little work, in the hope that countless sick beds will be comforted thereby.
247.Bread Jelly.—Remove the crust from a roll, slice the crumb, and toast it; put the slices in one quart of water, and set it over the fire to simmer until it jellies; then strain it through a cloth, sweeten it, and flavor it with lemon juice; put it into a mould and cool it upon the ice before using.
248.Crackers and Marmalade.—Toast three soda crackers, dip them for one minute in boiling water, spread them with a little sweet butter, and put between them layers of orange marmalade, or any other preserve or jelly; put plenty upon the top cracker, and set them in the oven for two or three minutes before serving. This makes a delicate and inviting lunch for convalescents.
249.Chicken Jelly.—Skin a chicken, removing all fat, and break up the meat and bones by pounding; cover them with cold water, heat them slowly in a steam-tight kettle, and simmer them to a pulp; then strain through a sieve or cloth, season to taste, and return to the fire without the cover, to simmer until the liquid is reduced one half, skimming off all fat. Cool to form a jelly. If you have no steam-tight kettle, put a cloth between the lid and any kettle, and the purpose will be served.
250.Chicken Broth.—Dress a chicken or fowl, cut it in joints, put them in a chopping bowl, and chop them into small pieces, using flesh, bones, and skin.To every pound of the chicken thus prepared put one pint of cold water and one level teaspoonful of salt; if pepper is desired it should be either enough cayenne to lie on the point of a small pen-knife blade, or a half saltspoonful of groundwhitepepper. Put all these ingredients over the fire in a porcelain lined sauce-pan, bring them slowly to a boil, remove the pan to the side of the fire, where it will simmer slowly, the heat striking it on one side; simmer it in this way for two hours, and then strain it through a napkin, set it to cool; if any fat rises to the surface in cooling remove it entirely. Eat it either cold, say half a teacupful when a little nourishment is required; or warm a pint, and eat it with graham crackers at meal time.
251.Beefsteak Juice.—Quickly broil a juicy steak, and after laying it on a hot platter, cut and press it to extract all the juice; season this with a very little salt, and pour it over a slice of delicately browned toast; serve it at once.
252.Salmon Steak.—Choose a slice of salmon nearly an inch thick, remove the scales, wipe with a dry cloth, roll it first in cracker dust, then dip it very lightly in melted butter, and season with a dust of white pepper and a pinch of salt; then roll it again in cracker dust, and put it over a clear fire on a greased gridiron, to broil slowly, taking care that it does not burn before the flakes separate; serve it with some fresh watercresses and plain boiled potatoes. (Anyred-bloodedfish may be used in the same way.)
253.Broiled Oysters.—Dry some large oysters on a napkin; roll them in cracker dust, dip them in melted butter as for salmon steaks, again in cracker dust, dust over them a very little salt and white pepper, or cayenne, and broil them on a buttered wire gridiron, over a clear fire. They will be done as soon as they are light brown. They make a very delicate and digestible meal.