The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual Part 89

_Varnish for Oil Paintings._

According to the number of your pictures, take the whites of the same number of eggs, and an equal number of pieces of sugar candy, the size of a hazel nut, dissolved, and mix it with a tea-spoonful of brandy; beat the whites of your eggs to a froth, and let it settle; take the clear, put it to your brandy and sugar, mix them well together, and varnish over your pictures with it.

This is much better than any other varnish, as it is easily washed off when your pictures want cleaning again.

_Method of cleaning Paper-Hangings._

Cut into eight half quarters a quartern loaf, two days old; it must neither be newer nor staler. With one of these pieces, after having blown off all the dust from the paper to be cleaned, by the means of a good pair of bellows, begin at the top of the room, holding the crust in the hand, and wiping lightly downward with the crumb, about half a yard at each stroke, till the upper part of the hangings is completely cleaned all round. Then go round again, with the like sweeping stroke downwards, always commencing each successive course a little higher than the upper stroke had extended, till the bottom be finished. This operation, if carefully performed, will frequently make very old paper look almost equal to new.

Great caution must be used not by any means to rub the paper hard, nor to attempt cleaning it the cross, or horizontal way. The dirty part of the bread, too, must be each time cut away, and the pieces renewed as soon as it may become necessary.

_To make_ WOODEN _Stairs have the appearance of_ STONE.

Paint the stairs, step by step, with white paint, mixed with strong drying oil. Strew it thick with silver sand.

It ought to be thoroughly dry next morning, when the loose sand is to be swept off. The painting and sanding is to be repeated, and when dry, the surface is to be done over with pipe-clay, whiting, and water; which may be boiled in an old saucepan, and laid on with a bit of flannel, not too thick, otherwise it will be apt to scale off.

A penny cake of pipe-clay, which must be sc.r.a.ped, is the common proportion to half a lump of whiting.

The pipe-clay and whiting is generally; applied once a week, but that might be done only as occasion requires.

_French Polish._

Take a quarter of an ounce of gum sandarac and a quarter of an ounce of gum mastic; pick the dirt and black lumps out very carefully, and pound them in a mortar quite fine; put them into a bottle, and add to them a quartern (old measure) of strong spirit of wine; cork it down and put it in a warm place; shake it frequently till the gum is entirely dissolved, which will be in about twenty-four hours.

Before using it, be careful to ascertain that no _grease_ is on the furniture, as _grease_ would prevent its receiving the polish. If the furniture has been previously cleaned with bees'-wax or oil, it must be got off by sc.r.a.ping, which is the best way, but difficult to those who do not perfectly understand it, because if you are not very careful, you may scratch the surface, and create more expense than a workman would charge to do it properly at first. Or it may be done by scouring well with sand and water, and afterward rubbed quite smooth with fine gla.s.s paper, being careful to do it with the grain of the wood. To apply the polish, you must have a piece of list or cloth twisted, and tied round quite tight, and left even at one end, which should be covered with a piece of fine linen cloth; then pour a little of the polish on the furniture, and rub it well all over till it is worked into the grain of the wood, and begins to look quite smooth; then take a soft fine cloth, or what is better, an old silk handkerchief, and keep rubbing lightly until the polish is complete, which will take two or three hours. It will greatly help the polish if it is done near a fire.

If it does not look so smooth and clear as it should, a little sweet oil rubbed lightly over, and cleaned off directly, will greatly heighten it.

If any part of the furniture has carving about it, where it will be impossible to polish, it must be done with mastic varnish, and a camel's hair brush, after the rest is finished.

When the polish begins to look dull, it may be recovered with a little spirit of wine.

_Polish for Dining Tables_,

Is to rub them with cold-drawn linseed oil, thus:--put a little in the middle of a table, and then with a piece of linen (never use woollen) cloth rub it well all over the table; then take another piece of linen, and rub it for ten minutes, then rub it till quite dry with another cloth. This must be done every day for several months, when you will find your mahogany acquire a permanent and beautiful l.u.s.tre, unattainable by any other means, and equal to the finest French polish; and if the table is covered with the tablecloth only, the hottest dishes will make no impression upon it: and when once this polish is produced, it will only require dry rubbing with a linen cloth for about ten minutes twice in a week, to preserve it in the highest perfection; which never fails to please your employers; and remember, that to please others is always the surest way to profit yourself.

If the appearance must be more immediately produced, take some FURNITURE PASTE.

_To prevent disagreeable Smells from Sinks, &c._

The disgustful effluvia arising from cabbage-water, and the various ungrateful odours which arise from the sink of kitchens, drains, &c., are not only an unnecessary nuisance to the good folks of the second table, but we believe such miasm is not an uncommon cause of putrid fevers, &c. &c.

It cannot be too generally known, that a cheap and simple apparatus has been contrived for carrying off the waste water, &c. from sinks, which at the same time effectually prevents any air returning back from thence, or from any drain connected therewith. This is known by the name of Stink Trap, and costs about five s.h.i.+llings.

No kitchen sink should be without it.

_To prevent Moths._

In the month of April beat your fur garments well with a small cane or elastic stick, then lap them up in linen without pressing the fur too hard, and put between the folds some camphor in small lumps; then put your furs in this state in boxes well closed.

When the furs are wanted for use, beat them well as before, and expose them for twenty-four hours to the air, which will take away the smell of the camphor.

If the fur has long hair, as bear or fox, add to the camphor an equal quant.i.ty of black pepper in powder.

_Paste._

To make common paste, mix one table-spoonful of flour with one of cold water, stir it well together, and add two more table-spoonfuls of water; set it over the fire and give it a boil, stirring it all the time, or it will burn at the bottom of the saucepan.

OBSERVATIONS ON CARVING.

"'Have you learned to carve?' for it is ridiculous not to carve well.

"A man who tells you gravely that he cannot carve, may as well tell you that he cannot feed himself; it is both as necessary and as easy."--Lord CHESTERFIELD'S _211th Letter_.

Next to giving a good dinner, is treating our friends with hospitality and attention, and this attention is what young people have to learn.

Experience will teach them in time, but till they acquire it, they will appear ungraceful and awkward.

Although the _art of carving_ is one of the most necessary accomplishments of a gentleman, it is little known but to those who have long been accustomed to it; a more useful or acceptable present cannot be offered to the public than to lay before them a book calculated to teach the rising generation how to acquit themselves amiably in this material part of the duties of the table.

Young people seldom study this branch of the philosophy of the banquet, beyond the suggestion of their own whims and caprices; and cut up things not only carelessly, but wastefully, until they learn the pleasure of paying butchers' and poulterers' bills on their own account.

Young housekeepers, unaccustomed to carving, will, with the help of the following instructions, soon be enabled to carve with ease and elegance; taking care also to observe, as occasion may offer, the manner in which a skilful operator sets about his task, when a joint or fowl is placed before him.

It has been said, that you may judge of a person's character by his handwriting; you may judge of his conscience by his carving.

Fair carving is much more estimable evidence of good nature than fair writing: let me see how a gentleman carves at another person's table, especially how he helps himself, and I will presently tell you how far he is of Pope's opinion, that

"True self-love and social are the same."

The selfish appet.i.tes never exhibit themselves in a more unmasked and more disgusting manner than in the use they excite a man to make of his knife and fork in carving for himself, especially when not at his own cost.

Some keen observer of human nature has said, "Would you know a man's real disposition, ask him to dinner, and give him plenty to drink."

"The Oracle" says, "invite the gentleman to dinner, certainly, and set him to carving." The gentleman who wishes to ensure a hearty welcome, and frequent invitations to the board of hospitality, may calculate with c.o.c.kerial correctness, that "the easier he appears to be pleased, the oftener he will be invited." Instead of unblus.h.i.+ngly demanding of the fair hostess, that the prime "t.i.t-bit of every dish be put on his plate, he must receive, (if not with pleasure or even content,) with the liveliest expressions of thankfulness, whatever is presented to him; and let him not forget to praise the cook (no matter whether he be pleased with her performance or not), and the same shall be reckoned unto him even as praise to the mistress."

"If he does not like his fare, he may console himself with the reflection, that he need not expose his mouth to the like mortification again. Mercy to the feelings of the mistress of the mansion, will forbid his then appearing otherwise than absolutely delighted with it, notwithstanding it may be his extreme antipathy. If he like it ever so little, he will find occasion to congratulate himself on the advantage his digestive organs will derive from his making a moderate dinner; and consolation from contemplating the double relish he is creating for the following meal, and antic.i.p.ating the rare and delicious zest of (that best sauce) good appet.i.te, and an unrestrained indulgence of his gourmandizing fancies at the chop-house he frequents."