Herbs and spices are better whole than ground, as they may be more readily removed by straining. The French cooks use a bouquet of herbs, made with two leaves or blossoms of each herb wrapped in a sprig of parsley and tied securely so that it may be easily removed. A con- venient and economical way is to strip off the leaves and blossoms, break the stalks in tiny pieces, mix them, and keep in a tin box. Use sage, summer savory, thyme, marjo- ram, and bay leaves: a teaspoonful of the mixture (not of each herb) for every quart. The vegetables generally used are onion, carrot, turnip, and celery. It is better to omit them entirely in warm weather, or if you wish to keep the stock more than a week, as the vegetable juices ferment quickly and sour the stock. Wash, scrape, or pare the vegetables ; cut them into small pieces for convenience in measuring, as one onion or one slice of carrot is rather indefinite. Keep them in cold water until the juices are drawn from the meat. The Boston Cook Book. 127 When old or strong, they may be blanched or parboiled first. Onions, potatoes, and cabbage should always be scalded to draw out the indigestible qualities. Some object to the use of onions, particularly^ on account of the disagreeable odor ; but when added with the other seasoning material, they are so completely^ absorbed in the stock that no trace of their presence can be detected. All or part of the vegetables may be fried first, if 3'ou like. One or two sour apples give a pleasant flavor to stock. Wines or catchups should be added just before serving, as boiling dissipates the flavor. If 3^ou wash to have a dark brown stock, reserve part of the lean meat to brown with the onions. Fry the onions in a little fat, and when very brown remove them, to pre- vent burning, and brown the meat in the same fat. Add the onions and meat to the stock. Take a little water from the stock, and wash off all the brow^ied glaze ad- hering to the frying-pan, as this is the best part. A table- spoonful of browned sugar or caramel (see page 134), which should always be kept on hand, will also give a rich dark color. After the seasoning is placed in the mixture, put the kettle where it will keep at a gentle, steady simmering. Do not let it boil furiously^ one half- hour and not at all the next, but find the place on the range where it will keep at just the right temperature, and then, if you have a steady^ fire, it will need no further attention until ready to strain. It is hot enough if the water just bubbles on one side of the kettle. When the stock has simmered till the meat is in rags and the bones clean, strain at once. Do not let it stand, if in an iron kettle. If you have used a digester or steam- tight kettle, the water will not have lessened much. If boiled in an ordinary kettle, it will be reduced about one half by- evaporation, and may be diluted when ready^ for the table. Strain in this way. Place a stone jar beside your kettle. It should be of a size suited to the amount of stock. Put a colander over the jar (it should fit inside 128 The Boston Cook Book.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Herbs and spices are better whole than ground, as they may be more readily removed by straining. The French cooks use a bouquet of herbs, made with two leaves or blossoms of each herb wrapped in a sprig of parsley and tied securely so that it may be easily removed. A convenient and economical way is to strip off the leaves and blossoms, break the stalks in tiny pieces, mix them, and keep in a tin box. Use sage, summer savory, thyme, marjoram, and bay leaves: a teaspoonful of the mixture (not of each herb) for every quart. The vegetables generally used are onion, carrot, turnip, and celery. It is better to omit them entirely in warm weather, or if you wish to keep the stock more than a week, as the vegetable juices ferment quickly and sour the stock. Wash, scrape, or pare the vegetables ; cut them into small pieces for convenience in measuring, as one onion or one slice of carrot is rather indefinite. Keep them in cold water until the juices are drawn from the meat. The Boston Cook Book. When old or strong, they may be blanched or parboiled first. Onions, potatoes, and cabbage should always be scalded to draw out the indigestible qualities. Some object to the use of onions, particularly, on account of the disagreeable odor ; but when added with the other seasoning material, they are so completely absorbed in the stock that no trace of their presence can be detected. All or part of the vegetables may be fried first, if you like. One or two sour apples give a pleasant flavor to stock. Wines or catchups should be added just before serving, as boiling dissipates the flavor. If 3^ou wash to have a dark brown stock, reserve part of the lean meat to brown with the onions. Fry the onions in a little fat, and when very brown remove them, to prevent burning, and brown the meat in the same fat. Add the onions and meat to the stock. Take a little water from the stock, and wash off all the browned glaze adhering to the frying-pan, as this is the best part. A tablespoonful of browned sugar or caramel (see page 134), which should always be kept on hand, will also give a rich dark color. After the seasoning is placed in the mixture, put the kettle where it will keep at a gentle, steady simmering. Do not let it boil furiously; one halfhour and not at all the next, but find the place on the range where it will keep at just the right temperature, and then, if you have a steady fire, it will need no further attention until ready to strain. It is hot enough if the water just bubbles on one side of the kettle. When the stock has simmered till the meat is in rags and the bones clean, strain at once. Do not let it stand, if in an iron kettle. If you have used a digester or steamtight kettle, the water will not have lessened much. If boiled in an ordinary kettle, it will be reduced about one half by- evaporation, and may be diluted when ready for the table. Strain in this way. Place a stone jar beside your kettle. It should be of a size suited to the amount of stock. Put a colander over the jar (it should fit inside The Boston Cook Book.

Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book