The housekeeper's guide to preserved meats, fruits, vegetables, &c

PUNCH JELLY.— Punch jelly can now be had in bottles containing half-pints, pints, or quarts. It is particularly suitable to be placed with other kinds of jelly in very small moulds, when one mould is sufficient for each person. Of course when jellies are in bottles they are suited for both summer and winter use. Should the season in which the jelly is used be hot, and should the cook have the advantage of a little rough ice, this punch jelly before being poured into the mould will bear the addition of a little extra sugar and also a little extra rum. If the mould of punch jelly is wished to be very nice indeed I would recommend the cook to take a quart bottle and to dissolve it by placing the bottle in lukewarm water, but not to make the jelly too hot. Next take a dozen lumps of sugar and rub some of the sugar on the outside of a lemon. Dissolve these in the jelly, taking care that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Now add to the jelly rather more than a, quarter of a pint of rum, or, even better, equal quantities of rum and brandy. A still greater improvement is the addition of a dessert-spoonful of maraschino as well as the rum. Pour the jelly when nearly cold into a mould and set the mould in ice. If ice is used for it, or if it has been allowed to set in a cold place, there is no doubt about its turning out right. The jelly should not be turned out till just before it is wanted, as one of its greatest attractions is its extreme coolness. This jelly is always a popular one. PUNCH, MILK.— See Milk Punch. PRESERVED MUSHROOMS. — See Mushrooms. QUAILS, PATES OF, TRUFFLED.— Pates of truffled quails form an exceedingly nice breakfast or luncheon dish. These pates are generally preserved in tins which are opened with a patent opener somewhat like a clock-key, and a strip of tin is taken off round the edge, which enables the cook to turn out the pate complete as it is. When the pate is turned out it should be ornamented with a little parsley and a little cut lemon. These exceedingly nice delicacies are suitable to be used on occasions such as picnics, especially when game is not in season. When this is done the tin should always be immersed for some time in a little iced water, as the pate itself is far more agreeable when quite cold than when it has been subjected to the heat of a summer’s day. Cooks would do well to bear in mind that the remains of these pates are exceedingly useful for making forcemeat.Under the heading of "Chicken-and-Ham Pates"” will be found receipts for making rissoles and kromeskies, and under the heading of “Poie Gras” will be found another receipt for making Italian fritters. As quails are decidedly gamy in flavour, and also as the forcemeat mixed with them is generally impregnated with the flavour of truffle, the remains of these pates will be found more suitable for making Italian fritters than rissoles or kromeskies. Still, however, the remains of these pates form an agreeable addition to almost every kind of mixed forcemeat. The cook should be careful also to use up all the fat by which the pate is surrounded.