The "Queen" cookery books: Pickles and Preserves

smooth paste with a little warm vinegar, but do not let it boil again after the mustard is added. Let this all cool somewhat, then pour it over the prepared vegetables, and when this is all quite cold pack it into wide-mouthed bottles, dividing the spice between them all, and then fastening them down. Care must be taken to have the contents of the jar well covered with vinegar; the jars should be watched for a little time to see if more vinegar is needed, for if the vegetables absorb the vinegar, more must be added after scalding and letting it cool. It is best to put this pickle up in smallish bottles, as it keeps better so. To prepare the vegetables, take about equal quantities, as far as possible, of white cabbage, cauliflower, capsicums, small cucumbers or gherkins, French beans, onions small and large, green tomatoes, and nasturtium seeds. Shred, or break, up the larger vegetables, and boil them all for one minute in brine strong enough to float an egg, then lift them out and spread them on large dishes, and let them diy in the sun ; they are then added to the hot vinegar. If, however, all the vegetables are not added at once (and this is the most usual way of making this sauce), remember to scald every vegetable first in the brine, then dry as described above, and lastly scald them for a minute in boiling vinegar; then let them get cool before adding them to the rest. If this pickling is not attended to they will not keep themselves, and will spoil the rest of the pickle. Home-made Worcester Sauce. — Chop, pound, and sieve three anchovies with three shallots, then mix them with three teaspoonfuls of cayenne, and half a teaspoonful of powdered cloves ; stir this into two tablespoonfuls of either mushroom, tomato, or walnut catsup, then mix this in a stone jar with a quart of good vinegar, and bring it all just to the boil, in the bain-marie ; now strain it, return it to the jar, cover down closely and let it stand in a cool place for fortyeight hours, after which bottle off and cork close. CHAPTER IX. We are nowadays so accustomed, to trust to the grocer and Italian warehouse for our flavourings, essences, and herb vinegars, that we have almost lost the habit of making any of these dainties at home. This is a great pity, as there are many varieties, that, owing to the small demand for them, are seldom if ever to be found in shops, which yet impart much delicacy and flavour to the salads and other preparations, now coming more and more into use. These dainties, moreover, cost little, either in time, money, or labour, so are well worth trying. In old-fashioned houses, dainty little cruets filled with variously flavoured wines are still occasionally to be seen, and certainly a drop or two of chili, shallot, or cayenne wine will impart a flavour to soups, &c., which nothing else will. For these wines proceed thus : Horseradish Wine. — Infuse -|oz. of freshly grated horseradish in half a pint of sherry for two or three weeks (according to how strong you want it), then strain off the liquid and bottle for use. Chilli Wine , shallot and garlic wine are all made in absolutely the