The century cook book

Truflaes in Napkin (a La Serviette). This is a dish, simple as well as rich, one of those producing the highest effect imaginable. However indifferent a man may be to the charms of gastronomy; yet the beautiful appearance, as well as the fine perfume, of a dish of truffles, will always rouse his imagination. Truffles must be selected fresh, perfumed and aromatic, but above all of good origin. Those of Perigord are the most valuable, as no other part of the world produces finer or better. It is a pity, they are so very scarce; and that not everybody is able to distinguish the genuine species from those that are brought to market; which for the most part are gathered very far indeed from that land so richly favored. If truffles are to be served whole, it is a matter of course, that the finest, and largest must be chosen. When well brushed, well cleaned (not peeled), they are placed in a stewpan, moistened to half their height with good stock with white wine, Madeira, or Champagne; the choice of one of these sorts being merely a matter of taste. The great point is to cook the truffles at the moment of serving; the stewpan must be kept covered, and shut hermetically, so that they be cooked judiciously; that is, they must have time enough to Artistic Cookery 223 be just penetrated, without getting dry. The inner pulp of the truffle must be tender, soft, and aromatic; if cooked too long, all these fine qualities are lost. The largest truffles will take eight or nine minutes; for middle-sized, seven minutes will do. Truffles cooked to excess not only lose their good qualities, but are apt to shrivel up, and get out of shape. The truffles represented in the drawing are dished in the hollow of a folded napkin. The following is the mode of proceeding: A fine damask napkin is spread entirely unfolded over a large table, thus forming an exact square. The four corners are taken up, folded over, and brought together in the middle; this proceeding is repeated three times more; then the left hand first is laid on the center of the napkin, and with the right hand the edges are folded over, and kept straight upright; the napkin is placed on a dish, and its hollow filled with any mould at hand; which later is filled with the truffles. Cardoons with Marrow. Cardoons are a vegetable not produced in the Northern climates, not even in Germany. The best cardoons are those produced in Spain; those cultivated in the South of France, however, and in Italy, are also superior qualities. They are also grown in the United States. Nowadays fresh as well as preserved cardoons are almost common, everywhere; /. e. in all gastronomic countries; they are the subjects of a large trade. If exported fresh in winter time, they may be preserved in the best condition for several days. If exported in boxes, preserved according to the methods applied to other preserved victuals, they will keep for years, without their qualities being injured in the least. The great point in the preparation of cardoons, the point never to be forgotten is, keeping them as white as possible in cooking, and cooking them without excess; as cardoons 224 Artistic Cookery having cooked too long, lose a great deal of their fine flavor; yet neither dare they be kept too firm, because this would render them disagreeable to be eaten.