The spirit of cookery

The prototype of these confections is the jam made originally of quinces and honey, now of quinces and sugar. From the Spanish name of the quince, marmela, this jam was called marmelada. From this the name was transferred to orange jam, which many persist in affectedly calling orange marmelade. While orange jam has little resemblance to true marmelade as regards consistency, there are other kinds of fruit the pulp of which furnishes excellent cheese— particularly of the plum tribe, apricots, and above all damsons. In these small plums the pectin bodies which produce the dense gelatinizing principle are most successfully developed. The more juicy kinds of fruit used in domestic cookery, such as currants and raspberries, contain enough of these pectin bodies to yield jellies, but never enough to produce so dense a confection as is implied by the metaphoric term of cheese. Their juice requires an addition of some gelatinizing principle, which might appropriately be agar-agar, but, under the conditions of rarity to which this cheap and DRESSED CREAM AND COMPOUND CREAMS 273 plentiful material is condemned by the indifference of traders, must needs be gelatine. Apricot cheese, by the French termed fromage de, or à la Chantilly, is the next best after that of quinces and damsons; the name is derived from a locality where apricots were reared of high quality and in abundance. CHAPTEE XX. DRESSED CREAM AND COMPOUND CREAMS. Charlottes, Starch Jellies, or Flummeries, Cold Puddings. The plain and simple preparations of cream from cow’s milk depend for their success mainly upon the quality of the material. This should be very thick and viscid, so-called double cream, flowing but slowly in a thick wave with a round, bulging front, and should be sweet. Sour cream may be used, even be preferable, for sundry purposes, but it should be applied only when it is expressly indicated. If the cream be not sufficiently viscid for all purposes, it may be improved by the addition of some gum arabic (gum acacia) dissolved in a minimum of orange-flower-water; this mucilage will increase its viscosity. Cream in substance is not very wholesome, and therefore, whenever it has not to be diluted otherwise, it is beaten into a froth, a condition in which its taste is pronounced while its bulk is not excessive. This whipped cream, or cream-snow, crème fouettée à la paysanne, is tasty, and can be made ornamental as well. It may be flavoured in several ways, that by vanilla being preferred ; maraschino or other liqueurs are next in favour. An addition of grated brown bread gives a vigorous contrast, which can be heightened by a garnish of sponge-cakes, macaroons, and ratafias. This mixture was at one time esteemed in the frozen state, as so-called ice. Whipped Cream with Fruit is highly esteemed in many forms; the fruit as purée is mixed with one-quarter of its weight of powdered sugar, and to this mixture an equal volume of cream-froth is added and well incorporated with it. In case the fruit puree be too juicy to remain coalescent, it should be placed on slices of sponge-cake, or on lady’s fingers, which will absorb the liquid part, and keep the body of the cream in a solid state. The red juices require some cochineal to heighten their colour.