Our viands

Our Own Plum Pudding. — i Ib. of best beef suet chopped very fine, i Ib. best raisins stoned and cut in half, i Ib. of currants well washed and dried, J Ib, of flour, \ Ib. of finely- crumbled bread crumbs, \ Ib. mixed candied peel finely shred, \ Ib. of white sugar pounded and sifted, a little lemon peel grated, small teaspoonful of mixed spice and half a nutmeg, the juice of half a lemon, 3 eggs well beaten, and a \ pint of brandy. Mix all the dry materials together thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then add the eggs, brandy, and lemon, with enough cold water to make a rather stiff 262 OUR VIANDS compound. Pat into well - buttered basins, cover with buttered paper and a well-floured cloth, and boil for eight or nine hours. We generally make a treble quantity at Christmas, boiling all the puddings the same time — nine hours, hang the basins in the kitchen (not to touch the wall), and they will keep for months. When wanted for use, boil an hour, taking care not to allow the water to rise to the top of the basin, or covering the basin with another well-wetted and floured cloth. Norfolk or Hard Dumpling. — Take i Ib. flour and mix it with cold water by degrees till it is a stiff dough, putting in a pinch of salt. Knead it well for at least five minutes, then cut it into pieces about the size of an orange. It should be stiff enough to shrink up when cut, as dough does when it is risen. Work each piece round in the hollow of the hand till it forms a smooth ball, cutting off the small knob it is worked up with. Put the dumplings into plenty of boiling water, and boil for twenty minutes. Serve with well-dredged and brown dripping, or with butter or treacle. Light or Suffjlk Dumplings. — Take a portion of bread dough which is ready for baking ; cut it into pieces the size of an orange ; knead or work them up into smooth round balls and boil from twenty to thirty minutes ; or they may be made by adding a teaspoonful of baking powder and a pinch of salt to i Ib. of flour worked into balls and boiled as above. The gravy to be served with them is made of the dripping from a well-basted and dredged joint, to which more flour is added, boiling it till well browned ; it must be served very hot. Good Fritters (old recipe). — Mix \ pint of good cream RECIPES, OLD AND NEW 263 very thick with flour, beat 6 eggs, leaving out 4 whites ; add 6 spoonfuls of sack, and strain them into the cream ; put in a little grated nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and salt ; then put in another J pint of cream, and beat the batter near an hour ; pare and slice your apples thin ; dip every piece in the batter, and throw them into a pan with boiling lard. Pancakes (old recipe). — Take i pint of thick cream, 6 spoonfuls of sack, and \ pint of fine flour, 6 eggs (but only 3 whites), i grated nutmeg, \ Ib. melted butter, a very little salt, and some sugar ; fry them thin in a dry pan.