Books and My Food: With Literary Quotations and Original Recipes for Every ..

[illustration: Presently, we were aware of an odour gradually coming towards us, something musky, fiery, savoury, mysterious, — a hot drowsy smell, that lulls the senses, and yet enflames them, — the truffles were coming. — Thackeray ("Memorials of Gormandising").] IF I remember rightly, Thackeray was in France when he wrote of truffles. Certainly in no other country do they correspond to his description. The way to realize a faint reminiscence of the reality is to buy a can of French pate de foie gras of the best make procurable, spread the contents on thin strips of toasted bread, and eat them as gaily as the occasion warrants. Do not insult the memory Thackeray has enshrined by pretending that the canned truffle of the grocery is the delicacy to which he refers. MARCH 7TH [illustration: For Miss Barker had ordered all sorts of good things for supper — scalloped oysters, potted lobsters, jelly, a dish called 'little Cupids.' — Gaskell ("Cranford").] SCALLOPED oysters are somewhat uncertain unless a good rule is carefully followed. This one has always produced admirable results. Drain the oysters and do not use the liquor. Cover the bottom of a buttered dish with a layer of oysters, place on this a layer of fine bread-crumbs (not cracker-crumbs), over which dabs of butter and plenty of salt and pepper have been strewn. Then another layer of oysters, until the dish is full, with a layer of crumbs on top. Moisten with a cup of milk, slightly thickened. Bake half an hour. MARCH 8th [illustration: Well, eat and be thankful! says the Little Sister, who was as gay as a little sister could be, and who had prepared a beautiful bread sauce for the fowl. — Thackeray ("The Adventures of Philip").] TIE a chicken that has been cleaned but not stuffed into a piece of cheese-cloth. Plunge it into a kettle of boiling water to which a tablespoonful of vinegar has been added. Let it simmer until tender — twenty minutes to the pound ought to be enough. Unwrap and serve with bread-sauce. Rule for sauce: Pour a quart of hot milk in which an onion has been boiled tender over two cupfuls of stale white bread (grated). Let it stand an hour, then turn the mixture into a sauce-pan, add butter the size of an egg mixed with D two tablespoonfuls of flour, boil for five minutes, season with salt and pepper. MARCH 9TH [illustration: It was Mrs. Gill as I have seen her, making custards in the heat of summer in the cool dairy, with rose-trees and nasturtiums about the latticed window, preparing a cold collation for the rectors — preserves and 'dulcet creams.' — Charlotte Bronte ("Shirley").] "Dulcet creams," warranted to please the most fastidious of rectors, are made with two dozen almonds, blanched and pounded and boiled in a little milk, the yolks of five eggs beaten well, a wine-glass of the best brandy, a teacupful of sugar and a quart of cream. Set over the fire and bring to the boiling point, stirring until it thickens, pour into glass cups and serve cold. MARCH lOTH [illustration: On the plain household bread his eye did not dwell; but he surveyed with favor some currant tea-cakes, and condescended to make choice of one. — Charlotte Bronte ("Shirley").] CURRANT jumbles still give delight to children (and to grownup children as well), as an accompaniment to a cup of afternoon tea. Beat a cupful of butter to a cream, then beat in two cupfuls of sugar and add two well beaten eggs, and, finally, three scant cupfuls of flour in which have been stirred two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and half a teaspoonful of salt. The dough should be stiff enough to roll thin. Sprinkle the tops of the jumbles with currants and peanuts chopped fine and a little granulated sugar. Ten minutes in the oven is generally enough to bake them. MARCH iiTH