FoodNet

The Apsley cookery book

1905

Page 5

Presented as published in 1905. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The French fireproof ware will be found very good in the cooking of all dishes in which milk is used, and for stewing fruit. The “ Marmites ” have the advantage of being cheap, and also of being very easily kept clean. The fireproof china dishes, &c., are a little more expen- sive, but they look very nice, and various savoury dishes which are sent to table in the utensils in which they are cooked look best when served in them. The milk boilers for use at table — which cannot boil over — are made in this ware, and are admirable in every way. A very good selection of these useful utensils is always to be found at the Army and Navy Stores. Double pans will also be found very convenient. Indeed, for the cooking of porridge and the preparation of many of the dishes containing milk for which recipes are given, they may almost be termed indispensable. The danger of burn- ing is avoided, and only careless stupidity in neglecting to keep the outer pan filled with water could produce xviii THE APSLEY COOKERY BOOK that most disagreeable of dishes, burnt porridge. The pans are now quite inexpensive, and can be procured at any good ironmongers. Soups made with milk, if carefully prepared, are delicious ; and many meat-eaters confess that they like them quite as well as those made from stock prepared in the usual way. They are especially valuable on this diet, for the patient takes part of the milk prescribed in this agreeable way. All the soups for which recipes are given are made with milk, except a few ; and those have cheese amongst the ingredients, which brings them up to the milk soups in nourishing value. Care must be taken to follow out the recipes exactly if the soups are to be successful . Cheddar cheese must always be used where it is given in the recipes, for if Parmesan and various other cheeses are substituted, they will become a sticky mass at the bottom of the tureen. Onions must always be fried when the direction is given ; for if this detail is neglected, it will make all the difference between success and failure in the flavour of the soup. The thickening of the soups is also a very important matter ; and when it is possible, brown or white roux — according to the colour of the soup — should always be used instead of flour. Full directions for making these thickenings for soups, sauces, and gravies are given ; and when the cook has once realised the immense saving in time, and the im- provement to her soup in flavour, where roux is used, she will not grudge the half-hour or so spent in pre- paring it, say, once a month. Many cooks, and writers upon cookery, say that the difference in flavour when a soup or sauce is thickened with roux instead of flour HINTS ON COOKING xix