One most useful class of provisions that should not be forgotten,
in the present book is that of Soups. The different kinds of soup
that can now be bought in tins are very numerous, and in the whole-
sale manufacture of these soups an important point has always been
observed — namely, to make the soup to suit all tastes, and to avoid
any one flavour predominating. This is as it should be when catering
for the general public, whose tastes are unknown. In the present work,
however, will be found full directions how to alter the flavour of tinned
soups, and make them richer, or hotter, or thicker, according to the
known tastes of those who take them. For instance, we will take the
case of a tin of mock turtle soup. The original soup consists of the
Dlain mock turtle as obtained from the calf’s head. I have described
how, by means of brown roux, a spoonful or more of extract of meat,
and a little additional wine, this soup can be varied both in flavour and
appearance. Under the heading of Savoury Herbs will also be found
directions how to increase the flavour of soups without risking the
spoiling of the whole. Housekeepers will also find how wonderfully
useful these soups are in making a nice little dish at a few minutes’'
notice. A tin of soup can be warmed up at any hour over the gas
lamp, or over a spirit lamp, and in many cases where a person from any
cause has to return home late, especially in cold weather, by means of
one of these tins o& soup a hot supper is always obtainable, without
any trouble to servants whatever.
The last class to which I shall call attention is that very large one of
Sauces. Here, again, one great difficulty which is often to be met with
is the variety of sauces from which to choose. There are three or four-
INTRODUCTION. -d
■which may be called stock sauces. But many housekeepers ■would
probably try an occasional bottle of sauce if they had some idea of its
nature previous to buying it apart from the almost universal direction
that it is useful for chops,' steaks, cold meats, gravy, hashes, etc. In the
ensuing pages will be found a description of every sauce that is now
supplied by Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell. Of course there are com-
ments on their uses, and, I may also say, their abuses. Too often the
sauce fs in itself admirable, but the dish may by using the sauce be
spoiled. It is the cook who is to blame, not the sauce. There is,
unfortunately, a very strong feeling, especially among inexperienced
women cooks, that it is impossible to have too much of a good thing.
There are many cases in our daily life where this idea causes infinite
mischief. Our medical men know the extreme danger of ordering
medicine or stimulants where an excess of quantity would be dangerous.
We often find cases in which a teaspoonful is directed to be given every
three or four hours. The first spoonful does the child good. The
mother instantly, without waiting or obeying the directions of the
doctor, gives the child another spoonful, and possibly another, and the
result is disastrous. So, too, with the cook. I will take a simple case.
I have given directions for making oyster soup from tinned oysters, and
I have called especial attention to the fact of how wonderfully a
spoonful or more of anchovy sauce will improve the flavour of the soup,
and have directed the cook to taste the soup before the anchovy sauce
is added, and afterwards
Page 8
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
One most useful class of provisions that should not be forgotten, in the present book is that of Soups. The different kinds of soup that can now be bought in tins are very numerous, and in the wholesale manufacture of these soups an important point has always been observed — namely, to make the soup to suit all tastes, and to avoid any one flavour predominating. This is as it should be when catering for the general public, whose tastes are unknown. In the present work, however, will be found full directions how to alter the flavour of tinned soups, and make them richer, or hotter, or thicker, according to the known tastes of those who take them. For instance, we will take the case of a tin of mock turtle soup. The original soup consists of the plain mock turtle as obtained from the calf’s head. I have described how, by means of brown roux, a spoonful or more of extract of meat, and a little additional wine, this soup can be varied both in flavour and appearance. Under the heading of Savoury Herbs will also be found directions how to increase the flavour of soups without risking the spoiling of the whole. Housekeepers will also find how wonderfully useful these soups are in making a nice little dish at a few minutes' notice. A tin of soup can be warmed up at any hour over the gas lamp, or over a spirit lamp, and in many cases where a person from any cause has to return home late, especially in cold weather, by means of one of these tins of soup a hot supper is always obtainable, without any trouble to servants whatever.
The last class to which I shall call attention is that very large one of Sauces. Here, again, one great difficulty which is often to be met with is the variety of sauces from which to choose. There are three or four-
■which may be called stock sauces. But many housekeepers ■would probably try an occasional bottle of sauce if they had some idea of its nature previous to buying it apart from the almost universal direction that it is useful for chops,' steaks, cold meats, gravy, hashes, etc. In the ensuing pages will be found a description of every sauce that is now supplied by Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell. Of course there are comments on their uses, and, I may also say, their abuses. Too often the sauce is in itself admirable, but the dish may by using the sauce be spoiled. It is the cook who is to blame, not the sauce. There is, unfortunately, a very strong feeling, especially among inexperienced women cooks, that it is impossible to have too much of a good thing. There are many cases in our daily life where this idea causes infinite mischief. Our medical men know the extreme danger of ordering medicine or stimulants where an excess of quantity would be dangerous. We often find cases in which a teaspoonful is directed to be given every three or four hours. The first spoonful does the child good. The mother instantly, without waiting or obeying the directions of the doctor, gives the child another spoonful, and possibly another, and the result is disastrous. So, too, with the cook. I will take a simple case. I have given directions for making oyster soup from tinned oysters, and I have called especial attention to the fact of how wonderfully a spoonful or more of anchovy sauce will improve the flavour of the soup, and have directed the cook to taste the soup before the anchovy sauce is added, and afterwards