boiled or fried, is in England accom-
panied by some form of melted butter,
and of all the infinite number of sauces
which have been invented there are
very few indeed that can compare with
plain anchovy sauce or simple mush-
room catsup. All lovers of good cheer,
had they to choose between the alter-
native of doing away with these
two sauces or all others put together,
would never hesitate to accept an-
chovy sauce and mushroom catsup.
In many parts of the country where
mushrooms are obtained, mushroom
catsup is often home-made. When the
cook is a judge of the difference between
wholesome and unwholesome mush-
rooms, of course home-made catsup is
very excellent ; but, like many other
things, catsup is far best when made
in large quantities. The greatest care
is exercised by experienced experts
in gathering mushrooms, and as the
catsup is, of course, made in enormous
quantities, it possesses the advantages
which are always to be obtained
from skilled labour coupled with per-
fect machinery. Many housekeepers
are fond of trying experiments in the
way of sauces. Mushroom catsup forms
the basis, as I have said, of nearly every
other kind of sauce. Those who are fond
of a variety of sauces would do well to
obtain first of all say a quart bottle of
mushroom catsup, and then to exercise
their fancy in transforming it into any
other kind of sauce they may like. For
instance, a very nice sauce can be made
by stewing some pieces of garlic in a
little catsup, adding to this some pulp
of fresh tomatoes and some cayenne
pepper. So, too, any trimmings that
may be obtained from truffles can bb
powdered and added to the mushroom
catsup with a little cayenne pepper. A
very delicious sauce indeed can be
made by obtaining a tin of what are
known as truffle chips, which now are
imported from abroad. Some of these
can be pounded in a mortar to a
paste ; then add to this some mushroom
catsup, cayenne, tomato pulp, etc., and
an exceedingly rich and delicious sauce
is made. This sauce can be put in a
bottle and carefully corked down, the
bottle being filled as full as possible,
and the cork sealing-waxed over the
top. Housekeepers should always be
very careful to cork the bottle well
down after the catsup has been used,
otherwise after a short time a few white
specks of mildew will appear on the
surface. In such a case the cook has
no one to blame but herself, as this is
simply owing to its being imperfectly
corked. The cook would also do well,
when sho has a bottle of catsup in use,
to occasionally shake the bottle when
she goes to the cupboard for any other
purpose. By this means it will be pre-
served from turning bad. Various
kinds of white stock that have been
made from good stock- and cream, such
as bechamel, will bear the addition
sometimes of a small quantity of mush-
room catsup. Only a small quantity
should be added, as, of course, it has a
tendency to render the whole sauce a
bad colour.
Page 154
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
boiled or fried, is in England accompanied by some form of melted butter, and of all the infinite number of sauces which have been invented there are very few indeed that can compare with plain anchovy sauce or simple mushroom catsup. All lovers of good cheer, had they to choose between the alternative of doing away with these two sauces or all others put together, would never hesitate to accept anchovy sauce and mushroom catsup. In many parts of the country where mushrooms are obtained, mushroom catsup is often home-made. When the cook is a judge of the difference between wholesome and unwholesome mushrooms, of course home-made catsup is very excellent ; but, like many other things, catsup is far best when made in large quantities. The greatest care is exercised by experienced experts in gathering mushrooms, and as the catsup is, of course, made in enormous quantities, it possesses the advantages which are always to be obtained from skilled labour coupled with perfect machinery. Many housekeepers are fond of trying experiments in the way of sauces. Mushroom catsup forms the basis, as I have said, of nearly every other kind of sauce. Those who are fond of a variety of sauces would do well to obtain first of all say a quart bottle of mushroom catsup, and then to exercise their fancy in transforming it into any other kind of sauce they may like. For instance, a very nice sauce can be made by stewing some pieces of garlic in a little catsup, adding to this some pulp of fresh tomatoes and some cayenne pepper. So, too, any trimmings that may be obtained from truffles can be powdered and added to the mushroom catsup with a little cayenne pepper. A very delicious sauce indeed can be made by obtaining a tin of what are known as truffle chips, which now are
imported from abroad. Some of these can be pounded in a mortar to a paste ; then add to this some mushroom catsup, cayenne, tomato pulp, etc., and an exceedingly rich and delicious sauce is made. This sauce can be put in a bottle and carefully corked down, the bottle being filled as full as possible, and the cork sealing-waxed over the top. Housekeepers should always be very careful to cork the bottle well down after the catsup has been used, otherwise after a short time a few white specks of mildew will appear on the surface. In such a case the cook has no one to blame but herself, as this is simply owing to its being imperfectly corked. The cook would also do well, when she has a bottle of catsup in use, to occasionally shake the bottle when she goes to the cupboard for any other purpose. By this means it will be preserved from turning bad. Various kinds of white stock that have been made from good stock- and cream, such as bechamel, will bear the addition sometimes of a small quantity of mushroom catsup. Only a small quantity should be added, as, of course, it has a tendency to render the whole sauce a bad colour.