A year's cookery

3. Pickled Mackerel. — The mackerel should be pickled at once. Cut the heads and tails off the fish, clean them, and be careful to remove the brown substance which sticks to the backbone near the head, as this may make the fish taste bitter. Loosen the backbone by pressing it with the thumb and finger of the right hand whilst holding the mackerel in the left hand, and take the bone out whole. Divide the flesh and the _ roe into neat pieces convenient for serving. Take a stone jar, put in a few pieces of fish, then season with pepper and salt, pour vinegar over, and add a shalot and a bay-leaf. Put in the rest of the fish, pepper and salt it again, and pour vinegar over all. Put the lid on the jar, cover it with paper, tie it on tightly, and bake in a gentle oven for two hours. Turn the fish on a dish, remove the herbs, garnish with fennel and parsley, and serve. For economy’s sake onefourth of water can be put with the vinegar. Mackerel thus prepared should be turned in the liquor every day, and if kept in a cool place will keep a week. 4. Partially prepare the plum porridge for breakfast to-morrow (August 31st). August 29th, Breakfast, Luncheon. I Dinner. Pickled Mackerel. Mushrooms on Toast. Vienna Bread. Dry Toast. Brown and White Bread and Butter. Plum Porridge. Scrag of Mutton, with Bice. Hasty Pudding. Stewed Boiled Hake. Stewed Steak. Fried Potatoes. Young Carrots. Vermicelli Pudding. Cheese. Marketing. For the Day.— Two or three pounds of the Scrag of Mutton ; about three pounds of fresh Hake (August 7th) ; Steak for stewing (January 31st) ; Potatoes ; Carrots. For Tomorrow— Two or three pounds of Salmon (July 4th) ; a couple of Ducks (July 4th) ; Sage and Onions, for stuffing; Beans ; Potatoes ; a plump young Chicken, for chicken salad (June 29th), or the Grouse bought August 19th may be used ; materials for a Salad ; a pound of Plums. Grouse shooting commences on the 12th of August, but the birds should be allowed to hang as long as possible before they are cooked. Grouse is usually regarded by epicures as the finest of all winged game. It is so uncertain in price that if It has to be purchased it can scarcely be placed in the list of provisions which are at the disposal of the economical housekeeper Sometimes, however, owing to exceptional circumstances, it is to be had for a reasonable price, and then it proves a welcome addition to the daily fare. Watercress ; Fruit for Cream ( see Note 2, below). Bloaters (January 29th) ; and a tin of Collared Sheep’s Tongue for breakfast on August 31st. Breakfast. — Pickled Mackerel (August 28th) ; Mushrooms on Toast (March 20th) ; Vienna Bread (August 26tli) ; Plum Porridge (August 31st). Luncheon. — Scrag of Mutton, Stewed with Bice (February 21st) j Hasty Pudding (March 30th). Dinner. — Boiled Hake ( see Salmon, Boiled, July 5th) ; Stewed Steak (January 31st) ; Fried Potatoes (February 2nd); Carrots (July 6th); Vermicelli Pudding (August 1st); Cheese (June 8th). Things that must not be Forgotten. 1. Pluck the ducks and the chicken or grouse, and cure the feathers (February 28th).