LUNETTES, CRYSTALLISED. — Lu-
nettes, crystallised, are a species of crys-
tallised fruit. See Fruits, Crystal-
lised.
wslj t'jylACARONI. — Macaroni is a
rfcvAwl S preparation of pure wheaten
firY/l F fl°ur made in Italy, where it
is almost as much the staff
of life as bread is in this
country. In many parts of the Con-
tinent, and especially in Italy itself,
a course of macaroni always pre-
cedes meat at dinner, somewhat in the
same style that in olden days in boys’
schools pudding was served before meat
in order that it might act as somewhat
of a damper on the appetite. There is
no doubt whatever that if macaroni was
more popular in this country an enor-
mous saving in the weekly butcher’s
bill would be made by all families
who used it. In England it is too
common to hear the remark, “We can’t
afford soup and fish every day.” In
France, however, the tradesman com-
mences his dinner every day with soup
on the ground that he cannot afford to
dine without it. The fish-trade in
England is a subject that now calls
forth the attention of all bodies, and
there is no doubt that before long great
efforts will be made to enable the poor
to have cheap fish. For middle-class
families, possessed of what may be
termed middle- class incomes, who live
in towns where the supply of fish is
tolerably constant, there is no doubt that
by far the best method of buying fish is
to leave the class of fish to the fish-
monger. Too often in this country
when fish is wanted housekeepers will
select their own fish, and will go to the
fishmonger’s and give the following
order: — “Oh, I want a small pair of
soles,” or “ I want a slice of salmon for
dinner to-day.” Now, it is possible
that when the order is given the soles
may be selling at the rate of half-a-
crown a pound, and salmon may be per-
haps two shillings a pound. It is also
equally possible that on the same day
fresh herrings, mackerel, plaice, etc.,
may be a glut in the market, and could
be retailed at the price of a penny
a pound. Each day the supply of
fish varies, and if housekeepers were
to leave the kind of fish to the discre-
tion of the fishmonger it would be quite
possible to ensure the supply of two
pounds of fish daily at the rate of three-
pence per pound. There are many fish-
mongers well known in the West End of
London who would willingly supply
families with sixpennyworth of fish daily
if the selection of the fish were left to
them. It is by this method that large
restaurants and hotel - keepers are
enabled to retail their fish at such mode-
rate prices. They make a bargain with
the fishmonger or fish salesman for so
many pounds of fish all the year round,
and thus they have the benefit of only
supplying the kind of fish which happens
to be cheapest in the market. I have
alluded thus to the subject of fish because
in many parts of the country, especially
where fish is not always obtainable,
macaroni may be used as a substitute.
In England we are accustomed as a
rule to see it served up in one form
only, and that is as macaroni cheese,
and this not as a damper on the appe-
tite, but as the last of a series of courses
—in fact, it takes the place of cheese
itself. I would very strongly recom-
mend housekeepers, especially where
economy is at all essential, to try the ex-
periment for a few weeks of commencing
dinner with macaroni.
Page 133
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
LUNETTES, CRYSTALLISED. — Lunettes, crystallised, are a species of crystallised fruit. See Fruits, Crystallised.
MACARONI. — Macaroni is a preparation of pure wheaten flour made in Italy, where it is almost as much the staff
of life as bread is in this
country. In many parts of the Continent, and especially in Italy itself, a course of macaroni always precedes meat at dinner, somewhat in the same style that in olden days in boys’ schools pudding was served before meat in order that it might act as somewhat of a damper on the appetite. There is no doubt whatever that if macaroni was more popular in this country an enormous saving in the weekly butcher’s bill would be made by all families who used it. In England it is too common to hear the remark, “We can’t afford soup and fish every day.” In France, however, the tradesman commences his dinner every day with soup on the ground that he cannot afford to dine without it. The fish-trade in England is a subject that now calls forth the attention of all bodies, and there is no doubt that before long great
efforts will be made to enable the poor to have cheap fish. For middle-class families, possessed of what may be termed middle- class incomes, who live in towns where the supply of fish is tolerably constant, there is no doubt that by far the best method of buying fish is to leave the class of fish to the fishmonger. Too often in this country when fish is wanted housekeepers will select their own fish, and will go to the fishmonger’s and give the following order: — “Oh, I want a small pair of soles,” or “ I want a slice of salmon for dinner to-day.” Now, it is possible that when the order is given the soles may be selling at the rate of half-acrown a pound, and salmon may be perhaps two shillings a pound. It is also equally possible that on the same day fresh herrings, mackerel, plaice, etc., may be a glut in the market, and could be retailed at the price of a penny a pound. Each day the supply of fish varies, and if housekeepers were to leave the kind of fish to the discretion of the fishmonger it would be quite possible to ensure the supply of two pounds of fish daily at the rate of threepence per pound. There are many fishmongers well known in the West End of London who would willingly supply families with sixpennyworth of fish daily if the selection of the fish were left to them. It is by this method that large restaurants and hotel - keepers are enabled to retail their fish at such moderate prices. They make a bargain with the fishmonger or fish salesman for so many pounds of fish all the year round, and thus they have the benefit of only supplying the kind of fish which happens to be cheapest in the market. I have alluded thus to the subject of fish because in many parts of the country, especially where fish is not always obtainable, macaroni may be used as a substitute. In England we are accustomed as a rule to see it served up in one form only, and that is as macaroni cheese, and this not as a damper on the appetite, but as the last of a series of courses —in fact, it takes the place of cheese itself. I would very strongly recommend housekeepers, especially where economy is at all essential, to try the experiment for a few weeks of commencing dinner with macaroni.