Cookery book and general axioms for plain cookery

N.B. — This makes quite a nourishing drink when allowed to simmer the full hour ; and if acids can be taken, the lemon or orange juice is an improvement, and is sometimes much liked by working men as a summer drink. Lemonade. Ingredients : — 1 large lemon. 1 pint boiling water. 1 tablespoonful sugar, or to taste. Method: — Peel the lemon very thinly, remove all the white pith, and slice it and take away the pips. Put the rind and slices into a jug, add the boiling water and sugar, cover, and let it stand several hours, or all night is not too long. More sugar may be added if required, and if liked it may be strained. VEGETABLE PLUM PUDDING. Ingredients : — 6 oz. mashed potatoes. 6 oz. grated carrots. 2 oz. flour. \ lb. brown sugar, or to taste. 6 oz. currants. 6 oz. raisins. 2 eggs. 1 oz. candied peel. Grated lemon rind and juice to taste. i About 1 gill milk. A pinch of salt. Method .-—Prepare the raisins, currants, and peel as usual, and mix all the dry ingredients very thoroughly , beat the ?§§s any curdle the milk with the lemon juice, and stir them lnaking it a little moist. Grease a basin or mould, put the mixture in, and steam or boil from 4 to 6 hours. Plum puddings are very much nicer steamed. (1) Browned bread crumbs or raspings are sometimes added. (2) If preferred, h lb. suet can be added, but it is more digestible without. MINCE MEAT. Ingredients : — 1 lb. apples. h lb. grapes (the cheap ones will do), r lb. raisins. ^ lb. currants. i lb. brown sugar, or to taste. 5 lb. mixed peel. Grated lemon or orange rind and juice to taste. 5 teaspoonful cinnamon, or to taste. A pinch of salt. Method : — Peel, core, and slice the apples, stone the raisins, wash and dry the currants, cut the peel finely, and chop these together until very fine, adding the sugar, which makes them easier to chop. Skin and stone the grapes, putting the pulp into a basin, and press well with a tvooden spoon, then add all the ingredients and mix very thoroughly. Put it into a jar, and tie it closely down at once. N.B. — (1) If wanted richer, a smaller quantity of apples can be used, and it is often preferred without the candied peel. (2) The grapes are instead of suet ; they make the mincemeat more luscious and yet more digestible, because the suet is only cooked about twenty minutes or i hour when the pies are baking, thus making them very trying to digest. If wanted to be eaten cold, they are also much nicer without the suet. ORANGE MARMALADE. Ingredients : — 1 lb. of Seville oranges (after cutting up). 2 lbs. loaf sugar. 1 pint water. Method : — Brush and wash rhe oranges well, then boil them until the rind can be easily pierced with the head of a pin. Put the sugar and water to soak in a preserving pan, boil it gently about -i- an hour or until it becomes a syrup, skimming very well, let it get nearly cold, or the chips will harden. Quarter the oranges, take out the pips and centre skin ; put the pulp on a dish, then cut the rind into the finest possible shreds, and then weigh them. Put the shreds with the pulp and add it to the syrup when nearly cold, or they will harden, boil it gently 1 hour ; stir constantly; try a little on a saucer— it jellies when done. Pour it into clean, dry, warm pots ; cover with vegetable parchment sold for the purpose; label it, and keep it in a cool, dry place.