The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

| turnips, parsnips, and other roots, should be carefully removed, not broken up, as their hardness indicates at once that the particles of which they are composed are tough and indigestible. The French cook speaks of Mashing as tripotage, which is literally a grinding to powder, pulverizing; and it would be much more accurate if British cooks spoke of the process as smashing rather than mashing, the term mash having quite a different signification in other industries, such as brewing, or in feeding horses. The good plain cook, or amateur, is apt to make a very great mistake in preparing a mash of any vegetable; with mashed potatoes, grease, such as dripping or butter, or milk is frequently worked in, but quite unnecessarily ; indeed, mashed potatoes are spoiled in this way, the same observation applying to all others. Nothing is necessary beyond a seasoning of salt. The ingenuity of those who make ordinary apparatus has procured for us some very useful tools for Mashing, one is a metal perforated vessel into which potatoes are put, and then by bringing the handles together a For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, (be., referred to, see under their special heads. Mashing — continued. presser, fitting the vessel exactly, forces the potato through the holes and renders it beautifully light and floury. Other (see Fig. 1134) are wheels set on sticks, which break up the potatoes; turnips, &c., as they are forced rapidly down upon it. Failing the advantage of these instruments, mashing is usually accomplished with a fork against the side of a basin, or the saucepan in which the vegetable was boiled; the water being carefully strained. MASKING-.— A term frequently used by Continental cooks and confectioners, signifying painting over, or covering with any thickish fluid, especially jam or j sauce. • . MASTIC or MASTICH.— The resin which flows from the incised bark of Pistacia Lentiscus. It is very aromatic; and is much used in America for flavouring chewing-gum. A spirit, called Mastic Raki, is distilled from this gum in some parts of Asia Minor. MAT£. — Se,e Paraguay Tea. MATELOTE, A LA. — This term, of which .the literal meaning is “ sailor’s style,” is given to a sauce or stew prepared for and with fish ; it is more often applied to fresh-water fish than to those from the sea. Several receipts for a Matelote will be found in this Encyclopaedia, the following being excellent types of the rest : Matelote Ragoftt or Relish. — Cut up 41b. of fish, of which there should be some variety, and put the pieces into a stewpan with two sliced onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, two cloves, and season with pepper and salt. Put in sufficient broth and white wine (two- thirds of broth and one-third wine) to cover the fish. Cook this for twenty minutes or so over a brisk fire, then strain the liquor and keep the fish hot in the pan. Next put ill), of butter into a saucepan with two dozen small onions, and toss them until they are browned. Take out the onions and put in 2 tablespoonfuls of flour; mix this with the butter, and cook it until it is all browned. Then pour in the strained liquor of the fish, the small onions, and about two dozen button-mushrooms, and continue cooking until the onions and mushrooms are quite done.