Cut two hard-boiled eggs into thin slices✪ Spinach, and lay in order on the spinach when dished. 12 DESSEBTS. TTNGLISH cooks would call this "A Chap- -*— ' ter on Sweets/' *^ Dessert'' with them is usually applied to fruits, nuts, etc. Webster defines the word thus : "A service of pastry, fruit or sweetmeats at the close of an entertainment; the last course at the table after the meat." Without dwelling upon the fact that when fruit and coffee are served they follow pastry or puddings or sweetmeats, we take advantage of the elastic definition and assume that the dessert of the family dinner is a single prep- aration of "sweets." The too-universal pie will not appear on our 118 DESSERTS. 119 menu, I am tempted to wish its manufacture might soon be numbered among the lost arts. Bayard Taylor once said that "If Rum had slain its thousands in America, Pork- fat (fried) and Pies had slain their ten thousands." The average pastry of our beloved land would drive a Patrick Henry to self-exile if he were obliged to eat it every day. Nor could one of a dozen inexperienced cooks manipulate puff-paste as it should be handled in order to be flaky and tender. Dexterity of motion and strength of wrist are needed for this operation, such as belong only to the trained cook. The more wholesome and daintier jellies, custards and trifles, and plain puddings we have selected from the vast variety of sweet things known to our housewives, are adapted to the powers of novices in cookery, and not unworthy the attention of adepts. Boiled Oustard. This is the base of so many nice "fancy 120 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS. dishes," and is itself so excellent and popular that we may properly lay the knowledge how to prepare it properly as the foundation-stone of dessert making. One quart of fresh, sweet milk. Five eggs. One cup of sugar. One quarter teaspoonful of salt. One teaspoonful of essence of vanilla, lemon or bitter almond. Heat the milk to a boil in a farina kettle, or in a tin pail set in a pot of boiling water. In warm weather put a bit of soda no larger than a pea in the milk. While it is heating beat the eggs in a bowl. When the milk is scalding, add the salt and sugar, and pour the hot liquid upon the eggs, stirring all the while. Beat up well and return to the inner vessel, keeping the water in the outer at a hard boil. Stir two or three times in the first five niinutes ; afterward, almost constantly. DESSERTS. 121 In a quarter of an hour it ought to be done, but of this you can only judge by close obser- vation and practice. The color changes from deep to creamy yellow ; the consistency to a soft richness that makes it drop slowly and heavily from the spoon, and the mixture tastes like a custard instead of uncooked eggs, sugar and milk. When you have done it right once, you recognize these signs ever afterward. If underdone, the custard will be crude and watery ; if overdone, it will clot or break. Take it when quite right — just at the turn — directly from the fire, and pour into a bowl to cool, before flavoring with the essence. With a good boiled custard✪ Boiled Custard as the beginning we can make scores of delightful desserts. First among these we may place Onp Oustard. Fill small glasses nearly to the top with cold custard. 122 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS. Whip the whites of three eggs stiff. Beat in three teaspoonfuls of bright-colored jelly-currant, if you have it. Heap a tablespoon of this mMngue✪ Onp Oustard on the surface of each glassful. Set in a cold place until it goes to table. Floating Island. Fill a glass bowl almost to the top with cold boiled custard and cover with a mMngue made as in last receipt✪ Floating Island. Do not whip in the jelly so thoroughly as to color the frothed whites. It is a prettier dish when the bright red specks just dot the snowy mass. Frosted Onstard. ✪ Frosted Onstard

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Cut two hard-boiled eggs into thin slices, and lay in order on the spinach when dished. 12 DESSEBTS. TTNGLISH cooks would call this "A Chap- -*— ' ter on Sweets/' *^ Dessert'' with them is usually applied to fruits, nuts, etc. Webster defines the word thus : "A service of pastry, fruit or sweetmeats at the close of an entertainment; the last course at the table after the meat." Without dwelling upon the fact that when fruit and coffee are served they follow pastry or puddings or sweetmeats, we take advantage of the elastic definition and assume that the dessert of the family dinner is a single prep- aration of "sweets." The too-universal pie will not appear on our 118 DESSERTS. 119 menu, I am tempted to wish its manufacture might soon be numbered among the lost arts. Bayard Taylor once said that "If Rum had slain its thousands in America, Pork- fat (fried) and Pies had slain their ten thousands." The average pastry of our beloved land would drive a Patrick Henry to self-exile if he were obliged to eat it every day. Nor could one of a dozen inexperienced cooks manipulate puff-paste as it should be handled in order to be flaky and tender. Dexterity of motion and strength of wrist are needed for this operation, such as belong only to the trained cook. The more wholesome and daintier jellies, custards and trifles, and plain puddings we have selected from the vast variety of sweet things known to our housewives, are adapted to the powers of novices in cookery, and not unworthy the attention of adepts. Boiled Oustard. This is the base of so many nice "fancy 120 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS. dishes," and is itself so excellent and popular that we may properly lay the knowledge how to prepare it properly as the foundation-stone of dessert making. One quart of fresh, sweet milk. Five eggs. One cup of sugar. One quarter teaspoonful of salt. One teaspoonful of essence of vanilla, lemon or bitter almond. Heat the milk to a boil in a farina kettle, or in a tin pail set in a pot of boiling water. In warm weather put a bit of soda no larger than a pea in the milk. While it is heating beat the eggs in a bowl. When the milk is scalding, add the salt and sugar, and pour the hot liquid upon the eggs, stirring all the while. Beat up well and return to the inner vessel, keeping the water in the outer at a hard boil. Stir two or three times in the first five niinutes ; afterward, almost constantly. DESSERTS. 121 In a quarter of an hour it ought to be done, but of this you can only judge by close obser- vation and practice. The color changes from deep to creamy yellow ; the consistency to a soft richness that makes it drop slowly and heavily from the spoon, and the mixture tastes like a custard instead of uncooked eggs, sugar and milk. When you have done it right once, you recognize these signs ever afterward. If underdone, the custard will be crude and watery ; if overdone, it will clot or break. Take it when quite right — just at the turn — directly from the fire, and pour into a bowl to cool, before flavoring with the essence. With a good boiled custard as the beginning we can make scores of delightful desserts. First among these we may place Onp Oustard. Fill small glasses nearly to the top with cold custard. 122 COOKERY FOR BEGINNERS. Whip the whites of three eggs stiff. Beat in three teaspoonfuls of bright-colored jelly-currant, if you have it. Heap a tablespoon of this mMngue on the surface of each glassful. Set in a cold place until it goes to table. Floating Island. Fill a glass bowl almost to the top with cold boiled custard and cover with a mMngue made as in last receipt. Do not whip in the jelly so thoroughly as to color the frothed whites. It is a prettier dish when the bright red specks just dot the snowy mass. Frosted Onstard.

Cookery for beginners