Virginia Cookery-book

Make gravy separately, if you prefer it, out of the necks and gizzards, by putting them into a quart of cold water, that must be made to boil until reduced to a pint. The preferred seasonings are one table-spoonful of Madeira or sherry, half an anchovy, a blade or two of mace, one small onion, and a little Cayenne pepper; strain through a hair sieve; pour a little over the ducks, and serve the remainder in a boat. To Roast a Pig Whole. The pig should not be over six weeks old, and a butterball for fatness, the weight not to exceed twelve or fifteen pounds at most ; wash it well ; stuff with crumbs of stale bread, powdered sage, salt, and pepper, and sew it up ; observe to skewer the legs back, or the under part will not be crisp; lay it near a brisk fire until quite dry; tljen have ready some butter in a dry cloth, and rub the pig with it in every part ; dredge as much flour over as will possibly lie, and do not touch it again until ready to serve; then scrape off the flour very nicely with a blunt knife. Among the people of the more remote rural districts the glory of the entertainment was thought to be the pig roasted whole, standing erect on its out-stretched legs, and holding an orange or rosy-cheeked apple in its mouth. But at the tables of '^ quality,'^ as the servants would have expressed it, the style of serving was thus : " When the pig is done take off the ears ; take out the stuffing ; split the pig in two parts lengthways ; lay it in the dish with the head, ears, and feet, which have been cut off, placed on each side ; put the stuffing in a bowl, with a glass of wine and as much dripping as will make it sufficiently liquid ; put some of it under the pig, and serve the rest in a boat." SousB. Ciit oi the pigs' feet ; throw them into a tub of saltand-water ; let them soak for several days, if the weather is cold ; but if it is mild, for only a day and night ; then clean them, and put them in fresh salt-and- water ; let them stay a day; scrape them again ; wash them nicely, and throw them into a pot of clear water, holding a little salt; boil until you can run a straw into the skin; then take the feet from the fire and put them into cold, strong brine; take them from this brine and transfer them to a jar of vinegar-and-water only a few days before you want them for table use. Therefore it is better to take from the brine only a few at a time, as they will keep there any length of time. The usual way of cooking souse is to split the feet in half and fry them nicely, in that caae using as a sauce mustard, vinegar, and catsup. To Roast a Haunch of Vknison. Venison is finest in antamn or early winter, and keeps longer than any other fresh meat, no other care being necessary for keeping it from three to four weeks than to hang it up in a cool, dry place. When bought at market any taint may be best discovered by plunging a knife into the flesh nearest the thigh-bone, which is the part that would spoil first, and betray its condition by bad odor. The haunch is the handsomest joint to set before a large company; a fine one weighs from twenty to twenty-five pounds, and when cooked in a stove requires as much as five hours for its thorough roasting. To keep in the juices and protect the fat cover the joint with a greased paper first, and over that lay a paste made of flour-andwater. Baste frequently with lard and butter, and remove the envelope when ready to serve. To dress the haunch for the table, fold up double two sheets of letter-paper, cut, crimp, and turn them over, so as to form a broad ruffle around the hock end, and send it to the table on a large, flat dish, ungarnished, but with the accompaniment of a glass of currant jelly. The English often serve in addition a piquant sauce, for which the recipe will be found under the proper heading.