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

If the I shape is properly ornamented, and the plain round dome surmounted with green and red stars alternately, it really forms quite as pretty an appearance as a more elaborate shape would do, and some stars can be cut out of citron and preserved cherries. The basin should be first well buttered, and then the stars stuck in at proper intervals in the butter. Sponge-cake, citron, etc., can then be placed in the basin, and the pudding, after being filled up with custard, steamed in the ordinary way. When the pudding is turned out the stars will of course be on the surface, and it is Sometimes desirable for the cook to have a few spare ones in order to supply the places of any that may have accidentally moved or slipped. Pudding of this kind should always be surrounded by sweet sauce. As I think I have observed in a former place, in making sweet sauce rum is superior for flavouring to any ether kind of spirit. CHERRIES IN SYRUP.— Cherries in syrup are similar to bottled cherries, only the juice in which they are preserved is a thick syrup instead of plain water. They can be turned out into a glass dish and eaten as they are, and consequently form a very useful sweet to be added to the table quickly in cases of emergency. Cherries in syrup are very suitable for making open tarts like those met with on the Continent. When the syrup is thin, for making these tarts it is desirable to add a little gelatine or isinglass, so that when cold the juice forms an absolute jelly. For this purpose a very small amount of isinglass will be found sufficient. When round open tarts are made filled with preserved cherries, they should always be placed close together and well covered in their own syrup. The outside rim of the pastry should be glazed with a little syrup in which some brown colouring matter has been added, such as browning or Parisian essence. This can be brushed lightly over the pastry with a brush ; then, when it is in a sticky state, sprinkle over it a little coarse white sugar and a little finelychopped angelica. In chopping citron, angelica, lemon-peel, etc., considerable difficulty will often be found by the cook, as the ingredients are apt to stick on the knife. In chopping angelica, cooks should remember that, just as in chopping suet, a little flour will prevent the suet from sticking, so in chopping lemon-peel, citron, angelica, etc. , a little very finely -powdered sugar will have exactly the same effect, and if added in moderate quantities will not affect the colour when they are to be used for ornamental purposes. CHERRY BRANDY. — Cherry brandy is a liqueur too much neglected in the present day. This old-fashioned restorer after a long walk or very fatiguing work was much more popular in the