Modern cookery, in all its branches

Obs. — Nectarines, without being pared, may be dressed in the same way, but will require to be stewed somewhat longer, unless they be quite ripe. ANOTHER RECEIPT FOR STEWED PEACHES. Should the fruit be not perfectly ripe, throw it into boiling water and keep it just simmering, until the skin can be easily stripped off. Have ready half a pound of fine sugar boiled to a light syrup with three-quarters of a pint of water ; throw in the peaches, let them stew softly until quite tender, and turn them often that they may be equally done ; after they are dished, add a little strained lemon-juice to the syrup, and reduce it by a few minutes’ very quick boiling. The fruit is sometimes pared, divided, and stoned, then gently stewed until it is tender. Sugar, 8 oz. ; water, f pint : 10 to 12 minutes. Peaches, 6 or 7 ; lemon-juice, 1 large teaspoonful. COMPOTE OF BARBERRIES FOR DESSERT. When this fruit is first ripe it requires, from its excessive acidity, nearly its weight of sugar to render it palatable ; but after hanging Rome time upon the trees it becomes much mellowed in flavour, and [ciiap. XXIII. may be sufficiently sweetened with a smaller proportion. According to the state of the fruit then, take for each pound (leaving it in bunches) from twelve to sixteen ounces of sugar, and boil it with three-quarters of a pint of water until it forms a syrup. Throw in the bunches of fruit, and simmer them for five or six minutes. II their weight of sugar be used, they will become in that time perfectly transparent. As all vessels of tin affect the colour of the barberries, they should be boiled in a copper stewpan, or in a German enamelled one, which would be far better. Barberries, 1 lb. ; sugar, 12 to 1G oz. ; water, f pint fruit simmered in syrup, 5 to 6 minutes. BLACK CAPS EXCELLENCE. ( For the Second-course , or for Dessert.') Cut a dozen fine Norfolk biffins in two without paring them, scoop out the cores, and fill the cavities with thin strips of fresh lemon-rind and with candied orange-peel. Cover the bottom of a flat shallow tin with a thick layer of fine pale brown sugar, press the two halves of each apple together, and place them closely in the tin ; pour half a bottle of raisin or of any other sweet wine over them, and be careful to moisten the tops of all; sift white sugar thickly on them, and set the tin into a very hot oven at first, that the outsides of the apples may catch or become black ; then draw them to the mouth of the oven, and bake them gently until they are soft quite through. The Norfolk biffin answers for this dish far better than any other kind of apple, but the winter queening, and some few firm sorts beside, can be used for it with fair success. These for variety may be cored without being divided, and filled with orange marmalade. The black caps served hot, as a second-course dish, are excellent. Norfolk biffins, 12; rinds fresh lemons, 1 to 2 ; candied orangerind, 2 to 3 oz. ; pale brown sugar, f lb. ; raisin or other wine, ½ bottle; little sifted sugar \ to 1 hour, or more. Ohs. — The apples dressed as above resemble a rich confection , and will remain good for ten days or a fortnight ; sometimes much longer even. The receipt is an admirable one. GATEAU DE POMMES.