Cookery for every household

Wash the apricots and soak them overnight in 1 quart of cold water. Next day put them into a lined saucepan with their water, the thinly-peeled rind of the orange and a pinch of nutmeg, and stew them until tender and reduced to a pulp. Then rub as much as possible through a fine sieve, adding sugar to taste, the remainder of the water and orange juice. Return this puree to a clean saucepan and bring it to the boil over the fire. Add the potato flour mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold water and cook for a few minutes, stirring all the time. If too thick, add more water or some white or red wine. Serve either hot or cold, and hand rusks or fried and sweetened croutons of bread separately. Note. — A few stewed and stoned prunes may be served in the soup, or some sweet almonds finely shred. Whipped cream may be put on the top. Time to cook, about 1 hour. Probable cost, lOd. to Is. Quantity, 3 pints. 113. Bramble or Blackberry Soup 1 lb. blackberries 2 pts. water. 2 oz. butter. 1 oz. potato flour. 2 or 3 cloves. 1 inch cinnamon stick. 1 glass port wine. Pick the blackberries carefully, washing them if necessary, and reserve a few of the best for serving in the soup. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the potato flour and stir over the fire until slightly browned. Now add the water by degrees and then the blackberries, cloves, and cinnamon. Simmer all gently until the fruit is reduced to a pulp. Then rub through a fine sieve in order to keep back the seeds. Return the soup to a clean saucepan and add the wine and the few blackberries which were reserved. Cook a few minutes longer and serve with rusks, toast biscuits, or with puffed rice. Cut lemon should be handed separately. Time to cook, about J hour. Quantitv, 2 pints. 114, Cherry Soup 2 lbs. cherries. 2 qts. water. Sugar. 2 oz. sweet almonds. 1J oz. potato flour. 1 or 2 glasses red wine. Pick and wash the cherries, removing the stalks and any that are decayed. Then stone about half a pound of the best, stew them with a little water and sugar and reserve them for serving in the soup. Put the remainder of the cherries and stones into a mortar and pound them until the stones are well crushed. Then put all into a lined saucepan with the water, bring to the boil, and boil for J hour. Now strain and return the liquid to a clean saucepan. Add the potato flour mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold water and stir constantly until boiling. Add sugar to taste, the almonds cut in shreds and the wine. Cook a few minutes longer and pour over the stewed cherries in the soup tureen. Serve hot or cold. Small spoonfuls of whipped cream may be served on the top of the soup. Time to cook, about f hour. Probable cost, Is. 3d. Quantity, 3 pints. 115, Gooseberry Soup 2 lbs. gooseberries. 2 qts. water. 1 lb. sugar. 2 table-sps. cornflour. 2 yolks of egg. 1 inch cinnamon stick. Wash the gooseberries (they do not require to be topped and tailed), and put them into a- saucepan with the water and sugar. Add a small piece of cinnamon stick and boil until the fruit is reduced