Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

During the spring and summer veal is plentiful and cheap, and a calf s head, which never costs a large sum, may be had at very low price. In old times it was a common dish, but its popularity waned until few housekeepers served it frequently. Lately it has seemed to come into high favor again, though its uses are not what they once were. Formerly it was customary to use the calf's head only in mock turtle soup, or to serve it boiled, with brain sauce; now the meat is made into various dainty dishes which answer for entries or dishes for luncheon or tea, though it is still employed also when mock turtle soup is made. When a calf's head is bought at a market it usually is scraped and otherwise cleaned, and is then split open ; but in the country the housekeeper often has to attend to these matters herself. If the head has not been cleaned and split, put it into a deep pan, with water enough to cover it, — water that is heated almost to the boiling-point. Set the pan on the stove in a place where the water will bubble for five minutes ; then take up the head, and with the back of the blade of a case-knife scrape all the hairs from the head, being careful to get the ears clean. Now place the head in cold water enough to cover it, and let it stand for two hours. At the end of that time remove the brains, being careful not to break them apart, and put them into a bowl of cold water. Next wash the head carefully, and put it on the stove in a large kettle containing cold water enough to cover it. Every part must be immersed, or that which is left uncovered will become hard and black. Set the kettle where its contents will quickly get heated to the boiling-point. As soon as the water begins to bubble, skim it carefully ; then set the kettle back where the water will simply bubble during the next three hours. Hard boiling will break the head. When the prescribed time has passed, take up the head, and remove all the bones that can be drawn out easily without tearing the meat. Dredge the head with salt and pepper, and after placing it on a warm dish, pour brain, parsley, tomato, or Bechamel sauce over it. Serve at once. This is the simplest mode of serving a calf's head. The water in which it was boiled may be used for mock turtle soup or a plain or cream soup. No matter how the head is to be served, it must first be cleaned and boiled as just directed. Half of the head may be served with a garnish of brain force-meat balls; the tongue being cut into four parts, lengthwise, and served with half the head. Any one of the sauces named in the preceding paragraph should be poured around it. The remaining half of the head may be used for one of the following-named dishes. Calf's Head, Terrapin Fashion. For this dish use one pint of the cold meat of the calf's head, cut into small pieces, one cupful of stock, — the water in which the head was boiled will do, — half a cupful of cream, one teaspoonful of salt, one-tenth of a teaspoonful of white pepper, and the same quantity of cayenne, one teaspoonful of brandy, two tablespoonfuls of wine, the yolks of two eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, and one level table-spoonful of flour.