Two or three other articles serve to simplify the art of
cooking in its especially difficult branches, and in the
branches a lady finds difficult to attend to herself with-
out remaining in the kitchen until the last minute before
dinner ; but with the aid of blanc and roux a fairly
intelligent girl can make excellent sauces.
2*
34 Culture and Cooking,
For roux melt slowly half a pound of butter over the
fire, skim it, let it settle, then dredge in eight ounces of
fine flour✪ Blanc, stir it till it is of a bright brown, then put
away in a jar for use.
Blanc is the same thing, only it is not allowed to
brown ; it should be stirred only enough to make all hot
through, then put away in a jar.
If you need thickening for a white sauce and do not
wish to stand over it yourself, haying taught your cook
the simple fact that a piece of blanc put into the milk
tefore it boils (or it will harden instead of melt) and
allowed to dissolve, stirring constantly, will make the
sauce you wish, she will be able at all times to produce
a white sauce that you need not be ashamed of. When
the sauce is nearly ready to serve, stir in a good piece of
butter — a large spoonful to half a pint ; when mixed,
the sauce is ready. Brown sauce can always be made
by taking a cup of broth or soup and dissolving in the
same way a piece of the roux ; and also, if desired, a
piece of Montpellier butter. If there is no soup of course
you make it with a piece of glaze.
Brown flour is also a convenient thing to have ready ;
it is simply cooking flour✪ Brown Flour in the oven until it is a pale
brown ; if it is allowed to get dark it will be bitter, and,
that it may brown evenly, it requires to be laid on a large
flat baking pan and stirred often. Useful for thickening
stews, hash, etc.
CHAPTER V.
LUI^CHEOJS".
Luncheo:N" is usually, in this country, either a forlorn
meal of cold meat or hash, or else a sort of early dinner,
both of which are a mistake. If it is veritably lunclieon^
and not early dinner, it should be as unlike that later
meal as possible for variety's sake, and, in any but very
small families, there are so many dishes more suitable
for luncheon than any other meal, that it is easy to
have great variety with very little trouble.
I wish it were more the fashion here to have many of
the cold dishes which are popular on the other side the
Atlantic ; and, in spite of the fact that table prejudices
are very difficult to get over, I will append a few recipes
in the hope that some lady, more progressive than prej-
udiced, may give them a trial, convinced that their ex-
cellence, appearance, and convenience will win them
favor.
By having most dishes cold at luncheon, it makes it a
distinct meal from the hot breakfast and dinner. In
summer, the cold food and a salad is especially refresh-
ing ; in winter, a nice hot soup or puree— thick soup is
preferable at luncheon to clear, which is well fitted to
precede a heavy meal — and some savory entree are very
desirable, while cold raised pie, galantine, jellied fish, and
potted meats may ever, at that season, find their appro-
priate place on the luncheon table. The potatoes, which
35
36 Culture and Cooking,
Page 20 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1885. 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
Two or three other articles serve to simplify the art of cooking in its especially difficult branches, and in the branches a lady finds difficult to attend to herself without remaining in the kitchen until the last minute before dinner ; but with the aid of blanc and roux a fairly intelligent girl can make excellent sauces. 2*
34 Culture and Cooking,
For roux melt slowly half a pound of butter over the fire, skim it, let it settle, then dredge in eight ounces of fine flour, stir it till it is of a bright brown, then put away in a jar for use.
Blanc is the same thing, only it is not allowed to brown ; it should be stirred only enough to make all hot through, then put away in a jar.
If you need thickening for a white sauce and do not wish to stand over it yourself, haying taught your cook the simple fact that a piece of blanc put into the milk tefore it boils (or it will harden instead of melt) and allowed to dissolve, stirring constantly, will make the sauce you wish, she will be able at all times to produce a white sauce that you need not be ashamed of. When the sauce is nearly ready to serve, stir in a good piece of butter — a large spoonful to half a pint ; when mixed, the sauce is ready. Brown sauce can always be made by taking a cup of broth or soup and dissolving in the same way a piece of the roux ; and also, if desired, a piece of Montpellier butter. If there is no soup of course you make it with a piece of glaze.
Brown flour is also a convenient thing to have ready ; it is simply cooking flour in the oven until it is a pale brown ; if it is allowed to get dark it will be bitter, and, that it may brown evenly, it requires to be laid on a large flat baking pan and stirred often. Useful for thickening stews, hash, etc.
CHAPTER V.
LUI^CHEOJS".
Luncheo:N" is usually, in this country, either a forlorn meal of cold meat or hash, or else a sort of early dinner, both of which are a mistake. If it is veritably lunclieon^ and not early dinner, it should be as unlike that later meal as possible for variety's sake, and, in any but very small families, there are so many dishes more suitable for luncheon than any other meal, that it is easy to have great variety with very little trouble.
I wish it were more the fashion here to have many of the cold dishes which are popular on the other side the Atlantic ; and, in spite of the fact that table prejudices are very difficult to get over, I will append a few recipes in the hope that some lady, more progressive than prejudiced, may give them a trial, convinced that their excellence, appearance, and convenience will win them favor.
By having most dishes cold at luncheon, it makes it a distinct meal from the hot breakfast and dinner. In summer, the cold food and a salad is especially refreshing ; in winter, a nice hot soup or puree— thick soup is preferable at luncheon to clear, which is well fitted to precede a heavy meal — and some savory entree are very desirable, while cold raised pie, galantine, jellied fish, and potted meats may ever, at that season, find their appropriate place on the luncheon table. The potatoes, which
36 Culture and Cooking,
Records on this page
BlancRouxBrown Flour