Around-the-world cook book

Use freshly gathered chestnuts if possible. Score each nut on one side with a sharp knife, then cover them with boiling water, cook for 5 minutes, and then drain and dry them. Add a teaspoon of butter to each pint of chestnuts, and placing them in a pan, shake them over the fire for 5 minutes, which will loosen both inner and outer skin and these must now be removed together, while the nuts are hot. Cover the bared nuts with cold water, adding the 2 tablespoons of lemon-juice, and let them stand overnight, when the nuts will be firm, and will not break in cooking. In the morning drain and let them dry, and then cover them with a syrup made of 2 pints of sugar and a cup of water, for each pint of nuts used — or in this case, 2 quarts of sugar, and 2 cups of water. Cook without boiling for 2 hours, or until the nuts look clear. Drain off the syrup, taking care not to break the nuts, and reduce the syrup by rapid boiling. If the nuts are to be put away in syrup, then 5 to 8 minutes* boiling will be enough and in this case, when the syrup is cooked down, put back the nuts, and add the desired flavoring: This should be, either; an inch-length of vanilla bean for each quart of nuts, or, the juice and thin rind of one lemon, or, 2 tablespoons of maraschino. After the flavoring is gently stirred in, pour the nuts and the syrup into small glasses, and seal when cold. This makes an ideal flavoring for ices; or, the nuts and a little of the syrup may- be served in frapp e glasses with whipped cream. Sweet potatoes may be prepared in the same manner instead of chestnuts. CHESTNUTS GLACES Chestnuts, 1 quart. Granulated sugar, 1 pound, Water, 2 cups. Put a quart of fine large chestnuts into a frying-pan and roast, then skin them, and stick a wooden tooth-pick into each one. The chestnuts should not be allowed to brown. Boil the sugar with 2 cups of water, to the candying stage, and then dip each nut into it. Stick the ends of the little skewers in a dish of brown sugar, to drain and harden. CANDIED ORANGE-PEEL Oranges, 6, Granulated sugar, i/^ pound, Water, 1 cup, Brandy. Slice the oranges in pieces about a quarter of an inch thick. Remove all the pulp, and soak the rinds overnight in water sufficient to cover them. The water should be cold, and add to it salt in proportion of a flat tablespoon of salt to a quart of water. In the morning put the rind on to boil, in fresh water, and cook until tender but not broken; then put the pieces on a sieve to dry. Prepare a syrup of the granulated sugar and a cup of water, and boil until it begins to thicken, but is not at the crackling stage. 0 274 Dip the pieces of peel into the brandy, and then dip them into the syrup, which must be kept hot until the pieces have all been dipped and dried two or three times. The next day reheat the syrup, and dip the pieces again, several times, and repeat this for 3 days, then dry off the pieces, and pack in tin boxes, with waxed paper between each layer of peel. 0EAN6E BALLS CALIFORNIA Orange peel, Sugar. Soak the orange peel for 3 days in cold water, changing the water each day. Then put the peel in hot water, and boil until soft. Squeeze as dry as possible; chop fine and weigh it.