Plain cookery recipes

Sieve the dry ingredients into a basin ; make a well in the centre, and drop in the egg and a little buttermilk. Beat well together with the back of a wooden spoon till perfectly smooth, then add enough buttermilk to make a thick creamy batter. Grease a hot girdle, and drop on the mixture in small rounds. When the surface rises in bubbles, turn the scones over with a knife and brown the other side. Luncheon Scones. One pound flour. Three ounces butter. Light half an ounce cream of tartar. One ounce castor sugar. Light quarter an ounce bakingsoda. Half a pint milk. Sieve the flour, sugar, cream of tartar, and baking-soda into a basin ; rub in the butter, and mix to a soft dough with the milk. Turn on to a floured board, and knead lightly. Roll out into a round about half an inch in thickness. Cut in eight sections, and bake in a hot oven for thirty minutes. Note. — One ounce sultanas may be added. Potato Scones* Half a pound cold potatoes. About half a gill sweet milk. About two ounces flour. Pinch of salt. Mash the potatoes, and add the salt; knead as much flour into this as it will take up, and add enough milk to make a stiff dough. Roll out very thinly on a floured board. Cut into rounds, and prick with a fork. Bake on a hot girdle for about five minutes, turning when half cooked. When baked, butter the scones, roll up, and serve very hot. Oatcakes* Four ounces fine oatmeal. One teaspoonful melted dripping or bacon fat. Pinch of salt. Pinch of baking-soda. Hot water. Mix the oatmeal, soda, and salt. Make a well in the centre; add the melted dripping and enough hot water to make a soft mixture. Rub plenty of meal on to the baking- board ; turn out the mixture and form into a smooth ball ; knead and roll out as thinly as possible. Rub with meal to make the cakes white, and cut across in four or in eight pieces. Place on a hot girdle, and bake steadily till the cakes curl up at the edges. Toast till slightly brown before a clear fire or in a moderate oven. JAMS, JELLIES, ETC, Jams and Jellies. 1. The fruit must be dry and in good condition. 2. The sugar used must be cane sugar, as it keeps better. 3. The jelly-pan (a brass pan is the best) must be absolutely clean, and rinsed before using. 4. A wooden or silver spoon should be used for stirring. 5. The jars must be free from cracks, well washed, scalded, and heated before using. 6. The jelly must be covered when cold, and stored in a dry, airy cupboard. Strawberry Jam. Six pounds of strawberries Half a pint red or black (Scotch). currant juice. Six and a half pounds preserving sugar. Carefully wipe and pick the strawberries. Put the sugar and fruit juice into the preserving pan, and stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved ; then add the strawberries, and stir gently till boiling. Skim thoroughly, and allow to boil steadily for about thirty minutes, when it can be tested by putting a little on a plate. If it firms, fill up the pots. JAMS, JELLIES, ETC. Raspberry Jam. The recipe is the same as for strawberry jam, but test if firming after twenty minutes’ boiling. Note. — This method is employed when making small fruits into jam. Greengage Jam. Six pounds greengages. I Six and a half pounds pre- Half a pint water. I serving sugar.