to thoroughly cleanse it,
that she has rendered the whole cloudy,
for it will then be extremely difficult to
clear it a second time. It is customary
when soup is made with Italian paste
to hand round with it Parmesan cheese.
Parmesan cheese can now be obtained in
77
HOUSEKEEPER'S GUIDE.
bottles, grated ready for use. A small
quantity of Parmesan cheese only is re-
quired to be added to the soup. Italian
cheese is far superior to every other kind
of grated cheese. Some cookery-books
recommend using up the remains or
what may be called the fag ends of ordi-
nary cheese, grated, to be used instead
of Parmesan. For many purposes un-
doubtedly this is very good. But when
cheese is handed with really first-class
soup I would strongly recommend all
persons in possession of any palate to
either take Parmesan or none. The
ordinary grated English cheese will
entirely destroy the delicate flavour
which ought to be the characteristic of
good soups. Parmesan cheese, on the
other hand, slightly assists if anything,
instead of destroying, the flavour.
Another mistake, too, when Parmesan
cheese is handed with soup is taking too
large a quantity. Many seem to forget
the good old maxim that it is quite pos-
sible to have too much of a good thing.
Only a little should be taken with good
soup. Italian paste can be used for
making various kinds of puddings, but
I do not recommend it. It is far
superior to all other pastes I know of,
though several attempts have been made
to compete with it. There is the
French paste, a manufactory for making
which exists at Grenoble, in France ;
but, owing to some cause or other, there
is no doubt that French paste is far
inferior in quality to Italian. Whether
this inferiority is owing to the poorer
quality of the wheat or to ignorance in
the mauufacture I am unable to say.
Probably in all high-class manufactures
a great deal depends on secrets that
have been handed down from father to
son and from mother to daughter for
many generations. There are many
countries where the finest grapes can be
obtained, but no country has yet been
able to compete with France in making
claret and burgundy. So, too, there are
many countries in Europe that grow the
best wheat, but at present they cannot
compete with Italy in making paste.
One of the nicest soups to be obtained in
Italy is known under the name of
ravioli, which is a species of macaroni
made in Genoa. Housekeepers who
have not hitherto been in the habit of
using Italian paste for soup would do
well to make a trial. Owing to the
extreme purity of the wheat it contains
a very great amount of nourishment. I
have avoided going into the question of
price, but I know that there is a con-
siderable prejudice against the use of
Italian paste, and tnat some house-
keepers regard it as an expensiv e luxury .
This is entirely owing to ignorance, and
I would ask all housekeepers to inquire
of their grocers the price of Italian
paste, and when they hear how cheaply
it may be obtained, and how very
superior it is as an article of nourish-
ment, I venture to say that many will
give it a trial. A little clear, bright
stock, made from extract of meat, will
form a soup as bright as sherry, and
this will be an excellent medium for
conveying that most nourishing sub-
stance, Italian paste.
AMAICA GINGER. -See Gin-
gee.
Page 116
Presented as published in 1880. 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
to thoroughly cleanse it, that she has rendered the whole cloudy, for it will then be extremely difficult to clear it a second time. It is customary when soup is made with Italian paste to hand round with it Parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese can now be obtained in
bottles, grated ready for use. A small quantity of Parmesan cheese only is required to be added to the soup. Italian cheese is far superior to every other kind of grated cheese. Some cookery-books recommend using up the remains or what may be called the fag ends of ordinary cheese, grated, to be used instead of Parmesan. For many purposes undoubtedly this is very good. But when cheese is handed with really first-class soup I would strongly recommend all persons in possession of any palate to either take Parmesan or none. The ordinary grated English cheese will entirely destroy the delicate flavour which ought to be the characteristic of good soups. Parmesan cheese, on the other hand, slightly assists if anything, instead of destroying, the flavour. Another mistake, too, when Parmesan cheese is handed with soup is taking too large a quantity. Many seem to forget the good old maxim that it is quite possible to have too much of a good thing. Only a little should be taken with good soup. Italian paste can be used for making various kinds of puddings, but I do not recommend it. It is far superior to all other pastes I know of, though several attempts have been made to compete with it. There is the French paste, a manufactory for making which exists at Grenoble, in France ; but, owing to some cause or other, there is no doubt that French paste is far inferior in quality to Italian. Whether this inferiority is owing to the poorer quality of the wheat or to ignorance in the manufacture I am unable to say. Probably in all high-class manufactures a great deal depends on secrets that have been handed down from father to son and from mother to daughter for many generations. There are many countries where the finest grapes can be obtained, but no country has yet been able to compete with France in making claret and burgundy. So, too, there are many countries in Europe that grow the best wheat, but at present they cannot compete with Italy in making paste. One of the nicest soups to be obtained in Italy is known under the name of ravioli, which is a species of macaroni made in Genoa. Housekeepers who have not hitherto been in the habit of using Italian paste for soup would do well to make a trial. Owing to the extreme purity of the wheat it contains
a very great amount of nourishment. I have avoided going into the question of price, but I know that there is a considerable prejudice against the use of Italian paste, and tnat some housekeepers regard it as an expensiv e luxury . This is entirely owing to ignorance, and I would ask all housekeepers to inquire of their grocers the price of Italian paste, and when they hear how cheaply it may be obtained, and how very superior it is as an article of nourishment, I venture to say that many will give it a trial. A little clear, bright stock, made from extract of meat, will form a soup as bright as sherry, and this will be an excellent medium for conveying that most nourishing substance, Italian paste.
AMAICA GINGER. -See Gingee.