In reducing a recipe always reduce every ingredient, and it can make no difference in the results. Some- times, in cookery books, you are told to use articles not frequently found in ordinary kitchens ; for instance, a larding-npedle (although that cau be bought for twenty- five cents at any house-furnishing store, and should al- ways be in a kitchen) ; but, in case you have not one for meat, you may manage by making small cuts and insert- ing slips of bacon. Another article that is very useful, but seldom, if ever, to be found in small kitchens, is a salamander ; but when you wish to brown the top of a dish, and putting it in the oven would not do, or the oven is not quick enough to serve, an iron shovel, made nearly red, and a few red cinders in it, is a very good salamander. It must be held over the article that requires browning near enough to color it, yet not to burn. In the recipes I have given nothing is required that cannot be obtained, with more or less ease, in ]^ew York. For syrups, fruit juices, etc., apply to your druggist; if he has not them he will tell you where to obtain them. We often make up our minds that because a thing is not commonly used in this country, it is impossible to get it. Eeally there are very few things not to be got in New Chapter of Odds and Ends. 113 York City to the intelligent seeker. Yon need an arti- cle of French or Italian or may be English grocery, that yonr grocer, a first-class one, perhaps, has not, and you make up your mind you cannot get it. But go into the quarters where French peoj)le live, and you can get eyerything belonging to the French cuisine. So preju- diced are the French in favor of the productions of la belle Francey that they do not belieye in our parsley or our chives or garlic or shallots ; for I know at least one French grocer who imports them for his customers. On being asked why he brought them from France to a country where those very things were plentiful, he an- swered : ^^Oh, French herbs are much finer.'' Needless to say tarragon is one of the herbs so import- ed, and can thus be bought ; but, as several New Jersey truck gardeners grow all kinds of French herbs, they can be got in Washington Market, and most druggists keep them dried ; but for salads, Montpellier butter, and some other uses, the dried herb would not do, although for flavoring it would serve ; but the far better way is to grow them for yourself, as I have done. Any large seedsman will supply you with burnet, tarragon, and borage (very useful for salads, punch, etc.) seeds, and if you live in the country, have an herb bed ; if in town, there are few houses where there is not ground enough to serve for the purpose ; but even in these few houses one can have a box of earth in the kitchen window, in which your seeds will flourish. Parsley is a thing in almost daily request in winter, yet it is very expensive to buy it constantly for the sake of using the small spray that often suffices. It is a good plan, therefore, in fall, to get a few roots, plant them in 8 114 Culture and Cooking. a pot or box, and they will flourish all winter, if kept where they will not freeze, and be ready for garnishing at any minute.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In reducing a recipe always reduce every ingredient, and it can make no difference in the results. Sometimes, in cookery books, you are told to use articles not frequently found in ordinary kitchens ; for instance, a larding-needle (although that can be bought for twentyfive cents at any house-furnishing store, and should always be in a kitchen) ; but, in case you have not one for meat, you may manage by making small cuts and inserting slips of bacon. Another article that is very useful, but seldom, if ever, to be found in small kitchens, is a salamander ; but when you wish to brown the top of a dish, and putting it in the oven would not do, or the oven is not quick enough to serve, an iron shovel, made nearly red, and a few red cinders in it, is a very good salamander. It must be held over the article that requires browning near enough to color it, yet not to burn. In the recipes I have given nothing is required that cannot be obtained, with more or less ease, in New York. For syrups, fruit juices, etc., apply to your druggist; if he has not them he will tell you where to obtain them. We often make up our minds that because a thing is not commonly used in this country, it is impossible to get it. Eeally there are very few things not to be got in New York City to the intelligent seeker. Yon need an article of French or Italian or may be English grocery, that yonr grocer, a first-class one, perhaps, has not, and you make up your mind you cannot get it. But go into the quarters where French people live, and you can get everything belonging to the French cuisine. So prejudiced are the French in favor of the productions of la belle France that they do not believe in our parsley or our chives or garlic or shallots ; for I know at least one French grocer who imports them for his customers. On being asked why he brought them from France to a country where those very things were plentiful, he answered : "Oh, French herbs are much finer." Needless to say tarragon is one of the herbs so imported, and can thus be bought ; but, as several New Jersey truck gardeners grow all kinds of French herbs, they can be got in Washington Market, and most druggists keep them dried ; but for salads, Montpellier butter, and some other uses, the dried herb would not do, although for flavoring it would serve ; but the far better way is to grow them for yourself, as I have done. Any large seedsman will supply you with burnet, tarragon, and borage (very useful for salads, punch, etc.) seeds, and if you live in the country, have an herb bed ; if in town, there are few houses where there is not ground enough to serve for the purpose ; but even in these few houses one can have a box of earth in the kitchen window, in which your seeds will flourish. Parsley is a thing in almost daily request in winter, yet it is very expensive to buy it constantly for the sake of using the small spray that often suffices. It is a good plan, therefore, in fall, to get a few roots, plant them in 114 Culture and Cooking. a pot or box, and they will flourish all winter, if kept where they will not freeze, and be ready for garnishing at any minute.

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