CELERY, ESSENCE OF.— Essence of
celery, like essence of bitter almonds,
must be used with caution. In using
many of these essences there is great
difficulty in impressing upon the minds
of English cooks — and by English cooks
I mean women-coolcs who have had but
moderate training — the importance of
using a few drops only. A few drops
of essence of celery added to any good
stock will give the flavour of celery,
and when celery cannot be obtained it
is of great service, as cooks know well
how important an element celery is in
flavouring all soujis. If, however, an
excessive quantity is put in the whole
flavour is destroyed, and the soup is
virtually spoiled. In adding essence of
celery to soups, I would always advise
cooks to drop the essence into a spoon,
and not into the soup itself. Even ex-
perienced druggists know how difficult
it is to give three drops, and three drops
only. Should too much be poured into
the spoon the error can be at once recti-
fied ; but if, through haste or careless-
ness, cooks drop essence of celery into
the stock itself, a slight shake of the
hand may possibly be the cause of the
whole of the soup being spoiled. Es-
sence of celery can also be used with
advantage in flavouring various kinds
of white sauces. White sauces are a
mixture of good stock and boiled milk
or boiled cream. When the milk and
cream are used mixed with stock, a
little extra essence of celery is not so
objectionable. In making celery sauce
from fresh celery, I have know many
cooks uBe essence of celery in addition
to the celery itself. When, however,
fresh celery can be obtained, I think it
is best to leave well alone and not to use
the essence.
CELERY, SALT OF.— See Salt.
CELERY SEED, IN BOTTLES.— Celery
seed is another form of conveying the
flavour of celery when celery itself can-
not be obtained, or when the price of
celery is such a? to make it almost pro-
hibitive. The same precaution must be
taken in using celery seed as I have
already given in using the essence of
celery. The flavour from celery seed if
exceedingly strong, and far more power-
ful than from celery itself. The flavour
extracted from fresh garden celery, is
used in excess, will rarely spoil the soup,
as the flavour is universally liked. Such,
however, is not the case with celery
seed, and consequently cautious house-
keepers should insist on their cooks
using celery seed sparingly. Should the
cook put in a larger quantity than
necessary the flavour of celery seed so
predominates that nothing else can be
tasted in the soup, while the essence of
good cookery is not to destroy but assist
the original flavour of the soup. Act,
therefore, as follows : Take a small
piece of muslin, put a small teaspoonful
of the seed in the muslin, and tie it up
with a piece of string. Throw the
muslin bag into the soup saucepan, and
let the string be tied to the handle or
hung outside. After the soup has
boiled for a few minutes, let the cook
take off the lid and taste the soup.
Should the flavour of celery seed be
now clearly discernible, take out the
muslin bag, which can be hung up or put
away for use on another occasion. By
this means there is no danger of spoiling
the whole of the soup, as, should the
cook be under the impression that she
has put in too much seed at random, it
is almost contrary to human nature to
expect her to strain the whole lot off on
purpose to extract the seeds
Page 45
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
CELERY, ESSENCE OF.— Essence of celery, like essence of bitter almonds, must be used with caution. In using many of these essences there is great difficulty in impressing upon the minds of English cooks — and by English cooks I mean women-coolcs who have had but moderate training — the importance of using a few drops only. A few drops of essence of celery added to any good stock will give the flavour of celery, and when celery cannot be obtained it is of great service, as cooks know well how important an element celery is in flavouring all soujis. If, however, an excessive quantity is put in the whole flavour is destroyed, and the soup is virtually spoiled. In adding essence of celery to soups, I would always advise cooks to drop the essence into a spoon, and not into the soup itself. Even experienced druggists know how difficult it is to give three drops, and three drops only. Should too much be poured into the spoon the error can be at once rectified ; but if, through haste or carelessness, cooks drop essence of celery into the stock itself, a slight shake of the hand may possibly be the cause of the whole of the soup being spoiled. Essence of celery can also be used with advantage in flavouring various kinds of white sauces. White sauces are a mixture of good stock and boiled milk or boiled cream. When the milk and cream are used mixed with stock, a little extra essence of celery is not so objectionable. In making celery sauce from fresh celery, I have known many cooks use essence of celery in addition to the celery itself. When, however, fresh celery can be obtained, I think it is best to leave well alone and not to use the essence.
CELERY, SALT OF.— See Salt.
CELERY SEED, IN BOTTLES.— Celery seed is another form of conveying the flavour of celery when celery itself cannot be obtained, or when the price of celery is such as to make it almost pro-
hibitive. The same precaution must be taken in using celery seed as I have already given in using the essence of celery. The flavour from celery seed if exceedingly strong, and far more powerful than from celery itself. The flavour extracted from fresh garden celery, is used in excess, will rarely spoil the soup, as the flavour is universally liked. Such, however, is not the case with celery seed, and consequently cautious housekeepers should insist on their cooks using celery seed sparingly. Should the cook put in a larger quantity than necessary the flavour of celery seed so predominates that nothing else can be tasted in the soup, while the essence of good cookery is not to destroy but assist the original flavour of the soup. Act, therefore, as follows : Take a small piece of muslin, put a small teaspoonful of the seed in the muslin, and tie it up with a piece of string. Throw the muslin bag into the soup saucepan, and let the string be tied to the handle or hung outside. After the soup has boiled for a few minutes, let the cook take off the lid and taste the soup. Should the flavour of celery seed be now clearly discernible, take out the muslin bag, which can be hung up or put away for use on another occasion. By this means there is no danger of spoiling the whole of the soup, as, should the cook be under the impression that she has put in too much seed at random, it is almost contrary to human nature to expect her to strain the whole lot off on purpose to extract the seeds