We may add before going further that one very good method of ascertaining when
the glaze is ready for filling up is to stick a knife in it, and give it a twirl ; should the
glaze adhere to the knife, and be in that state that it can be rolled up into a ball in
the hands without sticking to the fingers, and at the same time be of the desii'ed
colour, it shows that it is sufiiciently advanced for the stock to be added.
Now, in the preparation of all large dinners where a great variety of dishes have
to be prepared, it would be impossible even to commence until a considerable
quantity of brown sauce and white sauce are ready made and put by for use.
In French woi'ks on cookery this brown sauce we have described is called sauce
espagnole, and the white sauce veloute. Cooks will readily see that in cases where,
perhaps, twelve or more difierent kinds of entries have to be made, what an enormous
saving of time it is to have two such rich sauces ready at hand. Indeed, in all works
on cookery it will often be found that directions are given as follows : — Add a ladleful
of brown sauce. It is evident that it would be impossible for the cook to com-
mence to make, and go through the process of making, brown sauce for the sake of
one ladleful.
We have described how to make ordinary stock, and brown and white gravy, both
thick and thin, ft-om raw meat, but it should be borne in mind that in all large
establishments, as well as in small private houses, there is much left of cooked meat,
bones, carcases of fowls and game, &i\, and which materially help to fill up the stock-
pot. The bones of large joints, such as sirloin of bsef, or haunch of mutton, ought
CASSELL S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY.
never to be thrown away, but should be added to the raw bones in the stock-pot.
Indeed, meat that has been roasted materially helps to increase the flavour of good
stock.
When, therefore, we recommend carcases to be added, such as rabbits, fowls, &c.,
it is assumed that such carcases have been at any rate jiartially cooked, and the best
part of the meat removed for other purposes. In cases, however, where an old hen or
a very old bird, such as a partridge, evidently too tough to be eaten, is added, it is
always best to partially roast it before placing it in the stock-pot An old hen
that has been a most serviceable bird in its day, when it ceases to lay eggs, is, as
a rule, far too tough for any pxu-pose save that of the stock-pot ; and old birds
like this, that make the best soup, can sometimes be bought as low as Is. or Is. 6d.
a-piece.
In small houses, cooks should endeavour to do on a small scale what we have
shown is done in great hotels on a large scale. First, the common stock, made from
any bones and pieces of cooked meat left, should be put on with some gravy-beef
and knuckle of veal, the best part of the meat of the veal being cut off to use in
transforming the common stock into good soup or gravy.
In choosing meat for making stock it will always be found best to pick ou^t the
very freshest-killed possible, and bear in mind that meat should never be washed
before it is used. In fact, that part of the meat which contains the greatest amount
of real flavour is soluble in cold water ; consequently, meat that has been washed
would never make such good stock as meat that had not.
Page 33
Presented as published in 1892. 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
We may add before going further that one very good method of ascertaining when the glaze is ready for filling up is to stick a knife in it, and give it a twirl ; should the glaze adhere to the knife, and be in that state that it can be rolled up into a ball in the hands without sticking to the fingers, and at the same time be of the desired colour, it shows that it is sufiiciently advanced for the stock to be added.
Now, in the preparation of all large dinners where a great variety of dishes have to be prepared, it would be impossible even to commence until a considerable quantity of brown sauce and white sauce are ready made and put by for use.
In French works on cookery this brown sauce we have described is called sauce espagnole, and the white sauce veloute. Cooks will readily see that in cases where, perhaps, twelve or more difierent kinds of entries have to be made, what an enormous saving of time it is to have two such rich sauces ready at hand. Indeed, in all works on cookery it will often be found that directions are given as follows : — Add a ladleful of brown sauce. It is evident that it would be impossible for the cook to commence to make, and go through the process of making, brown sauce for the sake of one ladleful.
We have described how to make ordinary stock, and brown and white gravy, both thick and thin, from raw meat, but it should be borne in mind that in all large establishments, as well as in small private houses, there is much left of cooked meat, bones, carcases of fowls and game, &i\, and which materially help to fill up the stockpot. The bones of large joints, such as sirloin of bsef, or haunch of mutton, ought
never to be thrown away, but should be added to the raw bones in the stock-pot. Indeed, meat that has been roasted materially helps to increase the flavour of good stock.
When, therefore, we recommend carcases to be added, such as rabbits, fowls, &c., it is assumed that such carcases have been at any rate jiartially cooked, and the best part of the meat removed for other purposes. In cases, however, where an old hen or a very old bird, such as a partridge, evidently too tough to be eaten, is added, it is always best to partially roast it before placing it in the stock-pot An old hen that has been a most serviceable bird in its day, when it ceases to lay eggs, is, as a rule, far too tough for any save that of the stock-pot ; and old birds like this, that make the best soup, can sometimes be bought as low as Is. or Is. 6d. a-piece.
In small houses, cooks should endeavour to do on a small scale what we have shown is done in great hotels on a large scale. First, the common stock, made from any bones and pieces of cooked meat left, should be put on with some gravy-beef and knuckle of veal, the best part of the meat of the veal being cut off to use in transforming the common stock into good soup or gravy.
In choosing meat for making stock it will always be found best to pick ou^t the very freshest-killed possible, and bear in mind that meat should never be washed before it is used. In fact, that part of the meat which contains the greatest amount of real flavour is soluble in cold water ; consequently, meat that has been washed would never make such good stock as meat that had not.