The tAvelve o'clock
collation is really an enjoyable meal, and Ave Avere quite
ready for dinner at six ; only, unfortunately, if Ave asked
any of our friends to dine Avith us at that hour, they
Avould stare Avitli astonishment, and perhaps plead that they
had a prior engagement. So Ave had to go back to our
old time-table — breakfast at nine, lunch at half-jjast one or
tAvo, tea at fiA^e o'clock, and dinner at eight. AVe ahvays
regarded the last as being more of a social ceremonial than
a " square " meal ; the late dinner Avith us Avas an act of
thankfulness for the day's Avork being done, and of our
being able to throw oft" the cares of business, and chat cosily
and light-heartedl}'. Wo ate very little, but liked the little
to be tasty.
With regard, hoAvever, to breakfast, it should be, although
excluding chops and steaks and cold meat, a hearty one ;
and nothing else Avill ever do to begin the day Avith, in
this land of fog and darkness, rain and raAvness, and omni-
present smoke. Thus an English breakfast nicnn should
include kedgeree, at least one of ten kinds of omelettes ;
sausages; eggs, fried, boiled, poached, scrambled, and an
niiroir; smoked salmon (the Dutch is the best, suK^ked
by the Jews : it is horribly dear, but delicious), potted
shrimps, bloaters, or eggs and bacon, kippers, fried sardines.
CHATS ABOUT COOKERY. 23
now and then a little potted meat, dry toast (avoid buttered
toast), and plenty of bread and butter, tea, coffee, or cocoa.
When you have young and lady guests, marmalade and
honey should make their appearance at the board ; and when
you have any male friends with '• hunters' appetites," bid
Mrs. Cook send them uj:) broiled chicken and devilled kidneys
arranged in various ways. Mushrooms and bacon are like-
wise a very favourite dish, and, of course, among the dried
fish figures the homely haddock, and among the fresh tish,
plain boiled sole, whiting, and mackerel — but don't cat
mackerel too often.
Finally, I must say something about breakfast which
should have been said at the beG^innins^ of this chat. Break-
fast should invariably be prefaced with fruit. I do most
firmly and abidingly hold with the Spanish proverb, that
the gifts of Pomona are gold in the morning, silver at
noon, and lead at night. Many folks cannot always afford
grapes ; but oranges in their season — we are not half enough
grateful for oranges — are usually wonderfully cheap ; and if
the golden fruit fail us, we have always the apple with
us, be it from Kent, from Devon, from America, or from
Tasmania — the toothsome, handsome, sociable, health-pre-
serving apple.
Salads.
About salads, one of the most delightful and the healthiest
of Heaven's gifts to man, many pages could be Avritten ;
but in this place brevity is necessary, and will be observed.
I cannot refrain, however, from referring to Sydney Smith's-
oft-quoted " Recipe for a Winter Salad," originally written
in an album at Castle Howard. All my readers may not
have read this famous formida, so I o^ive it : —
24 THE TIIOBOUGH GOOD COOK. ✪ Winter Salad
Page 21 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The twelve o'clock collation is really an enjoyable meal, and we were quite ready for dinner at six ; only, unfortunately, if we asked any of our friends to dine with us at that hour, they would stare with astonishment, and perhaps plead that they had a prior engagement. So we had to go back to our old time-table — breakfast at nine, lunch at half-past one or two, tea at five o'clock, and dinner at eight. We always regarded the last as being more of a social ceremonial than a "square" meal ; the late dinner with us was an act of thankfulness for the day's work being done, and of our being able to throw off the cares of business, and chat cosily and light-heartedly. We ate very little, but liked the little to be tasty.
With regard, however, to breakfast, it should be, although excluding chops and steaks and cold meat, a hearty one ; and nothing else will ever do to begin the day with, in this land of fog and darkness, rain and rawness, and omnipresent smoke. Thus an English breakfast menu should include kedgeree, at least one of ten kinds of omelettes ; sausages; eggs, fried, boiled, poached, scrambled, and an mirroir; smoked salmon (the Dutch is the best, smoked by the Jews : it is horribly dear, but delicious), potted shrimps, bloaters, or eggs and bacon, kippers, fried sardines.
now and then a little potted meat, dry toast (avoid buttered toast), and plenty of bread and butter, tea, coffee, or cocoa. When you have young and lady guests, marmalade and honey should make their appearance at the board ; and when you have any male friends with "hunters' appetites," bid Mrs. Cook send them up broiled chicken and devilled kidneys arranged in various ways. Mushrooms and bacon are likewise a very favourite dish, and, of course, among the dried fish figures the homely haddock, and among the fresh tish, plain boiled sole, whiting, and mackerel — but don't cat mackerel too often.
Finally, I must say something about breakfast which should have been said at the beginning of this chat. Breakfast should invariably be prefaced with fruit. I do most firmly and abidingly hold with the Spanish proverb, that the gifts of Pomona are gold in the morning, silver at noon, and lead at night. Many folks cannot always afford grapes ; but oranges in their season — we are not half enough grateful for oranges — are usually wonderfully cheap ; and if the golden fruit fail us, we have always the apple with us, be it from Kent, from Devon, from America, or from Tasmania — the toothsome, handsome, sociable, health-preserving apple.
Salads.
About salads, one of the most delightful and the healthiest of Heaven's gifts to man, many pages could be Avritten ; but in this place brevity is necessary, and will be observed. I cannot refrain, however, from referring to Sydney Smith's oft-quoted "Recipe for a Winter Salad," originally written in an album at Castle Howard. All my readers may not have read this famous formida, so I o^ive it : —
Records on this page
Winter Salad