Chambers's cookery for young housewives

Cheese for toasting should be rich, and perfectly sound, and cut a quarter of an inch thick. The bread should be about half an inch thick, and toasted. Remove the crusts, and then place the cheese, which should not be quite so large as the bread, upon it. Place this in a cheese-toaster before the fire. When the cheese begins to melt, stir it upon the bread to prevent a skin forming on it. I)o not allow it to become brown. As soon as all the cheese is melted, it is ready. Serve immediately. 136 TOASTED BREAD — STEWED CHEESE — SANDWICHES. TO TOAST BREAD. Bread is seldom properly toasted. A very common error m to toast it hurriedly, burning the outsides of the slices, and leaving the insides soft and moist. Whether toasted bread is to he used with various dishes mentioned in the preceding pages, or to be served by itself, cut slices from a stale loaf, about the third of an inch, or at most half an inch, thick. Toast these with a toasting-fork before a clear fire, constantly moving the bread, in order to brown it slowly and nicely all over. Toast it thus on both sides, making it crisp. If it is to be served as dry toast, set the slices upright to cool, then cut them in halves and put them into the toast-rack. STEWED CHEESE. 2 table-spoonfuls grated cheese. 4 table-spoonfuls cream. Cayenne pepper. i teaspoonful salt. 1 slice buttered toast. 1 egg. 1 oz. butter, i teaspoonful mustard. Let the butter melt in a saucepan, stir in the cream, then the cheese, and lastly the egg well beaten, with the seasonings. Simmer till the mixture is smooth, but not boiling; serve on toast very hot. TO BLANCH ALMONDS. This means to take the brown skins from almonds, and is done by pouring boiling water upon them. In a few minutes the skins become loose, and if rubbed with a cloth will slip off easily. SANDWICHES. Slices of bread and butter, j Cold meat! Mustard. | Pepper and salt. Cut thin slices of bread and butter ; then chop the meat, with a mixture of fat and lean if possible, season as may seem suitable, and place the chopped meat between slices of the bread, the buttered side being next the meat. Press them together, pare off the rough edges, cut them into neat squares, and place them in a dish on a folded napkin so that CHESTNUTS — RICE FOR CURRY — HOMINY PORRIDGE. 137 they may be easily lifted. Sandwiches should not be cut longer than an hour before they are to be used. When to be taken on a journey, they may be cut a little thicker, and layers of salad or mustard and cress put between the bread and butter and the meat ; this helps to keep them moist. TO DRESS CHESTNUTS. 25 chestnuts. I 1 pint water. Select good sound chestnuts. Cut a small piece of the skin off each, to prevent them from bursting. Put them in a saucepan with cold water, bring it to the boil, and boil for a quarter of an hour. Drain the chestnuts, and wipe them dry ; roast them over the fire in a small frying-pan, or in the oven for ten minutes. Serve in a napkin to keep them hot. Chestnuts may be cooked without the previous boiling, but they take a longer time, and require much more attention to prevent them from burning. TO BOIL RICE FOR CURRY.