The hearthstone; or, Life at home

Pickled Tongue. — Take a corned beef's tongue and boil until tender ; take off the skin ; put it in a stone basin or jar, and cover it with good cider-vinegar ; add a few allspice, whole peppers and cloves — not more than a dozen of each. Broiled Ham and Eggs. — Cut the ham in thin slices, take off the rind, wash the slices in cold water, and lay them on the gridiron over quick coals. Turn frequently, and they will soon be broiled. Take them up on a platter (previously warmed), butter and pepper the ham. Have ready on the fire a pan of boiling water from the tea-kettle; break into it as many eggs as you require for the meal, and, when the " white " is done, dip out each egg carefully with a spoon, so as to keep it whole, and set it on one of the slices of ham. After all are arranged, sprinkle pepper over each egg and serve. To Boil a Ham. — Take a ham weighing about eight or ten pounds, soak it for twelve or twenty-four hours in cold water, then cover with boiling water ; add one pint of vinegar, two or three bay leaves, a little bunch of thyme and parsley. The dried and sifted will do, or even the seed of parsley may be used if the fresh cannot be procured. Boil very slowly two hours and a half; skim it ; remove all the fat except a layer about half an inch thick ; cut off with a sharp knife all the black-looking outside ; put the ham into your dripping-pan, fat side uppermost, grate bread-crust over it, and sprinkle a teaspoonful of powdered sugar over it; put it in the oven for half an hour until it is brown. Eat cold. Cut the nicest portions into slices, and the ragged and little odds and ends can be chopped fine and used for sandwiches. Small hams are better in flavor and quality than large ones. A brush should be kept to scrub them with, as it is impossible to get them clean without it. The fat that is taken off is useless, save for soap-grease. In carving, cut down in thin slices through the middle. Pigs' Feet. — Wrap each pig's foot in a cotton bandage wound two or three times around it, and well corded with twine. Then boil for four hours. Let them remain in the bandages till needed to fry, boil or pickle. The skin will hold it together while being cooked, and when ready for the table they will be found tender and delicate. Souse. — Boil the pigs' feet until the bones come out easily ; put them in a stone pot with pepper and salt, and a few allspice, and cover them with good cider vinegar; they may be eaten cold, or dipped in flour and fried. Another way is to pick out all the bones, season the meat with pepper, salt and sage, and warm it up as you want to use it. Pigs' feet, after being boiled, are very nice cut up in small pieces and stewed ; make the gravy with butter, a little flour and water.