It is for
this reason that we have insisted upon the necessity of
limiting or toning down all flavourings derived from onions
and their relatives ; that we have excluded wine from these
preparations almost entirely — in short, that we have equi-,
poised their entire spicing, flavouring, and seasoning to the
demands of polite society.
The addition of cassareep to puddings and pies containing
meat of quadrupeds or birds, or both, is highly to be recom-
mended. Veal pies have not rarely an insipid taste and a
blanched colour, disadvantages which are overcome by the
addition of this extract and of some made gravy. \Vith
beef, veal, fowl, rabbit, kidneys, and their compound pies,
the addition of cassareep effects a remarkable improvement ;
but it must be done judiciously, not to overload the sauce
with strong extract, and make its character too pronounced.
The cook should study the application of cassareep by
beginning to use it in drops, gradually rising to tea and
566
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
table spoonfuls for large dishes. The use of this extract of
the root of the latroplia manihot, which furnishes the
opportunity for the West Indian speciality which we have
described as ; secondly the use of standard
broth ; and, thirdly, the use of tinctures of sp>ices, elevate the
character of pies far above what one has been ordinarily
accustomed to ; and as regards cassareep, the effects are
the more evident the simpler are the other ingredients of
the dish.
All materials of a pie, at the moment when they are to he
covered with the paste, must be cold. When the material for
a pie has been parboiled, or fried, or roasted, or stewed
(operations which ought always to leave the meat under-
done), or when sauces have been made expressly to be
placed into the pie, it is necessary to let the material
become perfectly cold, either in the pie-dish or in a separate
vessel, before covering it with the paste. If the latter were
placed over the meat and sauce while they are steaming,
the under side would condense the steam, swell up, become
sodden, and lose the character of crust. For the same
reason every pie-crust requires a quick heat at the beginning
of the baking, to become set and hot, so as to drive the
steam which rises up to it back again towards the meat.
The omission of this aiid other precautions in the making
of pies has given them a bad reputation, which, as regards
sodden paste, is only too frequently deserved. Borne writers
say that ‘ putting meat or poultry into a pie was certainly
the very worst way of cooking it,’ for it was ‘ so often baked
to rags.’ This is true of the products of many cooks, who
make the oven an oubliette, to which the pie-dish is aban-
doned, to be looked at for the first and only time when it
is drawn forth to be sent to table.
There are frequently put into pies hard-boiled eggs, in
slices, or their entire yolks, or even entire plovers' eggs, by the
side of the meat. This practice is indeed very common.
MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS OE PIES 567
Page 357
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It is for this reason that we have insisted upon the necessity of limiting or toning down all flavourings derived from onions and their relatives ; that we have excluded wine from these preparations almost entirely — in short, that we have equipoised their entire spicing, flavouring, and seasoning to the demands of polite society.
The addition of cassareep to puddings and pies containing meat of quadrupeds or birds, or both, is highly to be recommended. Veal pies have not rarely an insipid taste and a blanched colour, disadvantages which are overcome by the addition of this extract and of some made gravy. \Vith beef, veal, fowl, rabbit, kidneys, and their compound pies, the addition of cassareep effects a remarkable improvement ; but it must be done judiciously, not to overload the sauce with strong extract, and make its character too pronounced. The cook should study the application of cassareep by beginning to use it in drops, gradually rising to tea and
table spoonfuls for large dishes. The use of this extract of the root of the latroplia manihot, which furnishes the opportunity for the West Indian speciality which we have described as ; secondly the use of standard
broth ; and, thirdly, the use of tinctures of spices, elevate the character of pies far above what one has been ordinarily accustomed to ; and as regards cassareep, the effects are the more evident the simpler are the other ingredients of the dish.
All materials of a pie, at the moment when they are to he covered with the paste, must be cold. When the material for a pie has been parboiled, or fried, or roasted, or stewed (operations which ought always to leave the meat underdone), or when sauces have been made expressly to be placed into the pie, it is necessary to let the material become perfectly cold, either in the pie-dish or in a separate vessel, before covering it with the paste. If the latter were placed over the meat and sauce while they are steaming, the under side would condense the steam, swell up, become sodden, and lose the character of crust. For the same reason every pie-crust requires a quick heat at the beginning of the baking, to become set and hot, so as to drive the steam which rises up to it back again towards the meat. The omission of this aiid other precautions in the making of pies has given them a bad reputation, which, as regards sodden paste, is only too frequently deserved. Borne writers say that ‘ putting meat or poultry into a pie was certainly the very worst way of cooking it,’ for it was ‘ so often baked to rags.’ This is true of the products of many cooks, who make the oven an oubliette, to which the pie-dish is abandoned, to be looked at for the first and only time when it is drawn forth to be sent to table.
There are frequently put into pies hard-boiled eggs, in slices, or their entire yolks, or even entire plovers' eggs, by the side of the meat. This practice is indeed very common.
MATERIALS AND INGREDIENTS OE PIES 567