Plain cookery recipes

Storeroom* — A storeroom should be cool, well ventilated, dry, and removed from drain-pipes. It should be provided with shelves for the storage of provisions. The storeroom must be kept clean, swept and dusted daily, and the shelves and floor scrubbed frequently. All jars and bottles should be plainly labelled, and the stores methodically arranged and regularly given out. In a household furnished with a suitable storeroom, it is economical to buy certain provisions in large quantities — examples, sugar and soap. Flour, oatmeal, and dry groceries generally are best ordered in moderate quantities, according to the needs of the household, as they become musty if kept too long. Anything with a strong taste or smell is better bought in small quantities — examples, pepper, coffee, spice, etc. The Larder* — The ideal position for a larder is a north aspect, to ensure coolness. The greatest care must be taken to keep the larder scrupulously clean. In the larder is kept cooked and also uncooked food. Uncooked meat or poultry should be hung from hooks in the ceiling. All the cooked meat must be removed from gravies, sauces, and vegetables before it is put in the larder. Stocks, soups, and sauces should be boiled, and then allowed to become cool, before they are put aside for future use. Daily Choice of Food* — A housekeeper should try to arrange the daily meals having regard to the money at her disposal, the occupation and requirements of the family, and the season of the year. It is a mistaken idea to imagine that animal food is necessary in large quantities. It is certainly a very important part of the daily diet, but the flesh-forming properties of this particular food may be supplied in cheaper form by the use of pulse foods, cereals, eggs, cheese, and milk. An intelligent combination of these foods, together with vegetables and fruit, will supply a varied and healthy diet at a moderate cost. Combinations of food with which custom has long familiarized us point to this fact — examples, macaroni and cheese, eggs and bacon, etc. Frequently in a larder there may be broken meat, vegetables, sauces, which with thought and care can be combined to form an appetizing dinner. Let us suppose that the housekeeper has at her disposal a knuckle of ham, the remains of a joint of mutton, some gravy, some cold potatoes, a quart of milk. A wholesome meal would result if she made lentil soup, using the ham bone and the vegetables ; cottage pie from the cold mutton, gravy, and potatoes ; and a milk pudding. This is a very simple example of the combination and economy of food ; but whether the income be large or small, the food costly or simple, there should be equal care and attention exercised, so that waste may be avoided, and that the best result for the amount of money expended may be obtained. First Stock* This is the liquid in which fresh meat, bones, and vegetables have been cooked. First stock may be : — (a) BROWN STOCK. Two pounds shin or shoulder of beef. Small carrot. Small onion. Ten white peppercorns. Stick of celery, or one halfteaspoonful of celery seeds tied in muslin. Half a teaspoonful of salt. Two quarts of cold water.