is possible to get it. It is therefore well adapted for
use in households where freezing conveniences are
not available. The spongada is a very light form of
whipped cream ice, common in Italy, but seldom, if
ever, seen in this country, save when it is occasionally
used to fill up a mould lined with ordinary cream or
water ice. Besides these there is the parfait, which
is very much the same as the spongada, only frozen a
little more stiffly, the latter being more hke frozen
froth, whence its other name of spumante or
foaming.
ORIGIN AND KIND.
7
Formerly, the process of freezing was a very
troublesome and difficult one, requiring more practice
and skill than could be easily attained by any one
who could not give up all their time to it, and it is
to this we owe the <lifficulty and expense formerly
connected with ices, and icing generally. Formerly
ice was made in ice-pots or sorbetieres, made of
pewter, which were stood in pails containing a
mixture of ice and salt, the ice-pot being so fitted in
that it could be made to revolve by hand ; the ice as
it congealed at the sides of the pot being scraped into
■ the centre with a spoon or spatula. This naturally
was a work of time, and tiring at that, as the pot
was open to allow of this ice scraping ; then, when
the mixture had at last frozen to the consistency of
batter, it was packed into a mould with a tight-
fitting hd, the edges of which were then “ luted or
pasted down with butter or fat of some kind to
prevent any possible contamination from the salt
with which the ice was mixed. How frequently this
: precaution failed many people can doubtless
■ remember, as they recall the curious salty taste
•so frequently and unaccountably present in ices.
This mould thus luted was then buried for a time in
the ice and salt mixture until it should have solidified
properly, and be fit to turn out. Necessarily much
<experienc3 was required, and the process did not
. come within the limits of even the professed cook,
who had so much besides to attend to. However,
•the difficulty has been overcome by various inven-
•tions, both British and foreign, notably American,
,and in consequence the popularity of ices and iced
8
ICES.
dishes has been largely increased ; especially when the
invention by Mrs. A. B. Marshall of the ice cave
altogether did away with the troublesome process of
burying the moulded ice out of sight and reach
Personally, and speaking from much exj)erience, the
freezing tub and ice cave, brought out by Mrs, A. B.
Marshall, the well-known cookery teacher, appears to
me the simplest and most practical. Like most of
Fig. 4.
the newer freezers, this freezing tub possesses an
automatic fan inside, which, as the tub revolves as the
handle is turned, keeps the ice in motion and scrapes
it up from the sides and bottom, mixing it all till
evenly and smoothly blended. The chief point about it
is the shallowness of the tub, which peinnits of a
larger and thinner surface being exposed to the
freezing medium ; thereby reducing the time it takes
to freeze a given quantity of ice to such a minimum
ORIGIN AND KIND.
9
Page 3
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
is possible to get it. It is therefore well adapted for use in households where freezing conveniences are not available. The spongada is a very light form of whipped cream ice, common in Italy, but seldom, if ever, seen in this country, save when it is occasionally used to fill up a mould lined with ordinary cream or water ice. Besides these there is the parfait, which is very much the same as the spongada, only frozen a little more stiffly, the latter being more hke frozen froth, whence its other name of spumante or foaming.
Formerly, the process of freezing was a very troublesome and difficult one, requiring more practice and skill than could be easily attained by any one who could not give up all their time to it, and it is to this we owe the difficulty and expense formerly connected with ices, and icing generally. Formerly ice was made in ice-pots or sorbetieres, made of pewter, which were stood in pails containing a mixture of ice and salt, the ice-pot being so fitted in that it could be made to revolve by hand ; the ice as it congealed at the sides of the pot being scraped into
■ the centre with a spoon or spatula. This naturally was a work of time, and tiring at that, as the pot was open to allow of this ice scraping ; then, when the mixture had at last frozen to the consistency of batter, it was packed into a mould with a tightfitting hd, the edges of which were then “ luted or pasted down with butter or fat of some kind to prevent any possible contamination from the salt with which the ice was mixed. How frequently this
: precaution failed many people can doubtless
■ remember, as they recall the curious salty taste •so frequently and unaccountably present in ices. This mould thus luted was then buried for a time in the ice and salt mixture until it should have solidified properly, and be fit to turn out. Necessarily much experience was required, and the process did not . come within the limits of even the professed cook, who had so much besides to attend to. However, •the difficulty has been overcome by various inven- •tions, both British and foreign, notably American, ,and in consequence the popularity of ices and iced
dishes has been largely increased ; especially when the invention by Mrs. A. B. Marshall of the ice cave altogether did away with the troublesome process of burying the moulded ice out of sight and reach Personally, and speaking from much experience, the freezing tub and ice cave, brought out by Mrs, A. B. Marshall, the well-known cookery teacher, appears to me the simplest and most practical. Like most of
Fig. 4.
the newer freezers, this freezing tub possesses an automatic fan inside, which, as the tub revolves as the handle is turned, keeps the ice in motion and scrapes it up from the sides and bottom, mixing it all till evenly and smoothly blended. The chief point about it is the shallowness of the tub, which permits of a larger and thinner surface being exposed to the freezing medium ; thereby reducing the time it takes to freeze a given quantity of ice to such a minimum