The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House Part 21

To make _Jamm_ of _Damsons._ From the same.

Take Damsons, full ripe, a Gallon; pick them from the Stalks, that may happen to be about them, and the Leaves that are sometimes gather'd with them: then take near their weight of Sugar, and about a Quart of Water, and boil them well together, and put in your Damsons, and boil them till they are tender, breaking them with a Spoon, all the while, till the whole is thicken'd. Then put it in Gallypots, and set it to cool; then close the Pots down with Leather.

To preserve _Currans_ in _Jelly._ From the same.

Take some of the large _Dutch_ red or white Currans, when they are ripe, and pick them from the Stalks; then, with a Pin, pick out the Stones; or, you may, if you will, leave them on the Stalks, if they are large Bunches, but still pick out the Kernels. Then take their weight in Sugar, and wet it with a little Water, and add a little Syrup of Raspberries to it; then boil it to a Syrup, sc.u.mming it as it rises: then put in your Currans, and boil them up quick, shaking them often, still taking off the Sc.u.m as it rises.

They will be enough done to put up, when the Syrup will jelly, as you may try by putting some in a Spoon, and letting it cool. When you find this, pour out all into Gla.s.ses, when it has cool'd a little. If your Currans are pick'd from the Stalks, or if they are in Bunches, then let the Syrup be half cold, and pour it into the Gla.s.ses; and then put in your Bunches, placing them as you would have them situated, and as it cools, they will fix in their several Stations; cover the Gla.s.ses then with white Paper.

_Note_, The red Currans ought to be done by themselves, and the white by themselves, for both together will make a disagreeable Mixture.

To dry _Apricots._ From Mrs. _Walsingham_ of _Suffolk._

Chuse for this use, the large Turkey or Roman-Apricot, almost ripe; Stone them, and pare them; then throw them into cold Water, with the Parings; weigh the pared Apricots, and prepare an equal weight of fine Sugar powder'd; then put some of the Water the Apricots were steep'd in, to the Sugar, and boil them to a candy'd height: you may then put in your Apricots, and boil them till they are clear, and when they have lain a few Days, in the Syrup, lay them upon a fine Wyre-Sieve, and dry them in a warm Place. Then, when they are done, put them in oaken Boxes, with Papers between them.

To stew a Rump of _Beef._ From Mrs. _L----_

Take a small Rump of Beef, lay it in a long Pan, deep enough to allow your Beef to be cover'd; then put to it a Pint of Ale, a Quart of Claret, half a Pint of Verjuice, or the Juice of two large Lemons; and as much Water added, as will make Liquor enough to cover it, a Crust of Bread burnt, an Anchovy, some bits of Lemon-Peel, a bunch of sweet Herbs, two large _Hertfords.h.i.+re_ Turnips cut in dice, two large Onions cut in halves, some Pepper and Salt, a Nutmeg sliced, a few Cloves, and a little Mace. Stop this close, and let it stew, at least, five Hours; then lay your Beef in the Dish, and pa.s.s the Liquor through a Sieve, and fill the Dish with it; garnis.h.i.+ng with Turnips, cut in Dice, boil'd tender, and then fry'd in Hog's-Lard, and sliced Lemon, or you may bake your Rump of Beef, if you will, for it is much the same. And this way you may likewise bake or stew a Leg of Beef, or an Ox-Cheek, only break the Bones of the Leg of Beef, and take out all the Bones of the Ox-Cheek, and take especially Care to clean it, for it requires some nicety to do it well.

_Pepper-Mint Water,_ From the same.

Take Pepper-Mint six handfuls, cut it a little, and infuse it two Days in six Quarts of clean Spirit; then draw it off in a cold Still, marking every Bottle, as it fills, with a Number, for the first Bottle will be far the strongest, the second less strong, and the third weaker than the second; and so as we draw off more, they will be still weaker, till at last it becomes almost insipid, and somewhat sourish, but take none of that; then cover the Mouth of your Bottles with Papers p.r.i.c.k'd full of Holes, and let them stand a Day or two; then pour your first Bottle into a large earthen glaz'd Pan; and to that the second, and then the third, and the fourth, and so on, till by mixing they all become of a sufficient strength; then put them in Bottles, with a k.n.o.b or two of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar, and cork them close. This is an incomparable pleasant Dram, tasting like Ice, or Snow, in the Mouth, but creates a fine warmth in the Stomach, and yields a most refres.h.i.+ng Flavour.

This Sort of Mint is hard to be met with; but is lately cultivated in some Physick Gardens at _Mitcham_. It must be kept well weeded, and the top of the Bed, where it grows, must, when we cut it, be p.r.i.c.ked up, a little, with a small Fork, or the Earth made fine with a Trowel; because the Runners, of this sort of Mint, shoot along upon the Surface of the Ground, and so at the Joints strike Root, which is contrary to other Sorts of Mint, which shoot their Runners under ground.

_Damson-Wine_ to imitate _Claret._ From the same.

Take nine Gallons of Water, make it scalding hot, and pour it upon six and thirty Pounds of _Malaga_ Raisins well pick'd from the Stalks. The Raisins should be sound, or they will spoil your Wine. While the Water is yet hot, put into the Liquor half a Peck of Damsons full ripe, and pick'd clean of the Stalks and Leaves, to each Gallon of Liquor; then stir them all together in the open Tub we make this Infusion in, and continue stirring them twice a Day for six Days. Keep this Tub cover'd with a Cloth all that time: then let it stand five or six Days longer, without stiring, and then draw it off: and if it is not deep-colour'd enough, put a little Syrup of Mulberries to it, and work it with a piece of White-Bread toasted, and spread with Yeast or Barm, in an open Vessel; and then tun it, keeping the Bung of the Vessel open till the Wine has done singing in the Cask. Then slop it close, and let it stand till it is clear, which will be in two or three Months; then draw it off. Some will just give their Damsons a scald in the Water before they pour it on the Raisins, which is a good way.

To Cure a _Lap-Dog,_ when he continues drowsy some Days, and cannot eat.

From the same.

If you find a Lap-Dog to be sleepy, and will not take his Victuals for two or three Days; or if he eats, and as often discharges it soon after; take a large Tea-spoon-full of Rum or Brandy, and as much Water, and holding his Head up, and his Mouth open with one Hand, pour it down his Throat. This is quant.i.ty enough for one of the smallest Dogs, and will cure him in less than half an Hour; but as the Dogs are larger, you may give to the biggest a large spoonful of Rum or Brandy equally mix'd with Water, and so in proportion to the size of the Dog. It is a sure Remedy.

_Dog-Gra.s.s,_ or _Couch-Gra.s.s,_ or _Twitch-Gra.s.s,_ necessary to be had, growing in Pots in _London,_ to cure _Lap-Dogs,_ that are sick, in the Summer. From the same.

Couch-Gra.s.s is one of the Gardener's Plagues, and is in every Garden too much. Take a Clump of this, and set it in a large Garden-Pot, and letting it stand as airy as possible, water it gently every other Morning. There is one sort of it, which is finely variegated, the Leaves appearing like striped Ribbons. This fine sort is at the Ivy-House at _Hoxton_, where it may be put in Pots at any time. This, or the other, should be put to a Dog, at any time, when he is sick, and he will eat it greedily, and cure himself; but for want of this Help, which favourite Lap-Dogs in _London_ want, they lose their briskness. I believe it would be worth some poor Woman's while to sell this Gra.s.s, in _London_, where so many fine Lap-Dogs are kept, and indulged so much, that they cannot be taken abroad to search their Physick; while those of the larger kind take their way abroad, in the Mornings, at their pleasure. This, Sir, I send you with some other Receipts, because Dogs are not a little useful about a Farm, and the little ones are no less agreeable to their Keepers. And I am sure, if you publish these, they will prove very acceptable to many Ladies, and Gentlemen, who are Admirers of these faithful Creatures.

_I am, &c._ J. L.

_Lisbon_ or _Portugal-Cakes._ From the same_,_

Take a Pound of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar beaten fine, and past through a fine Sieve. Mix this with a Pound of fine Flour; then rub into these a Pound of fresh or new b.u.t.ter, till your Sugar and Flour looks like Bread-Crumbs; then add, two or three spoonfulls of Orange-Flower-Water, and about ten spoonfuls of Canary-Wine: then beat ten Eggs, till their Whites are whipt to Snow, and mix the Eggs, with the rest, with a quarter of a Pound of blanched Almonds beaten in a Marble Mortar, with some Orange-Flower Water; and when you have b.u.t.ter'd your Pans well, fill them half full with this Mixture, and bake them, if you make them without Currans, or else fill the Pans fuller, first plumping the Currans, which should be in proportion, as you please.

_Imperial Florentine._ From _Mr. Byecorf_ at _Augsburgh._

Cut the leanest part of a Leg of Veal, in thin Slices, and beat them with the Back of a Knife, as you would do _Scots_ Collups; then season the Cutlets with Cloves, Pepper beaten fine to powder, some Pepper and Salt, with some Nutmeg grated, a little dry'd sweet Marjoram powder'd, or some sweet Basil. Lay this Mixture pretty thick upon them, and roll them up with a little Piece of fat Bacon, in the middle; then lay in your Paste to the Dish, and over the Bottom strew a little Pepper, Salt, and Nutmeg, with some b.a.l.l.s of farced Meat, with bits of b.u.t.ter, placed here and there. Put in then your rolls of Veal, with some c.o.c.ks-Combs blanched, a quarter of a Pint of Mushroom b.u.t.tons pickled, some Slices of Lemon, with half a Pint of White Wine, and about a Pint of Water; then close your Pye, and when it is baked, serve it hot. _N.B._ Before you close it, put some bits of b.u.t.ter on the top of your Rolls of Meat.

To make Farced Meat, for the foregoing _Florentine._ From the same.

Take the Lean of a Leg of Veal, chop it small, and beat it well in a Marble Mortar, with as much Fat of the Kidney of Veal; and then put some Pepper, Salt, Cloves, Nutmeg, Powder of dry'd sweet Marjoram, and some Mushrooms, chopt as you please; then add as many Eggs, beaten as you think proper, with some grated Bread, to make it into a Paste, and roll this Mixture into b.a.l.l.s. Some instead of the Kidney-Fat of Veal, will chop the same quant.i.ty of fat Bacon.

To make a Tart of white _Beet-Cards._ From the same.

Take some white Beet-Cards, (or Leaves) as much Spinach-Leaves, and the same quant.i.ty of _French_ Sorrel, which has a round Leaf. Chop these small, or if you beat them all together in a Marble Mortar, it is better; then strain out the Juice, and put it amongst the same proportion, or quant.i.ty, of the same Herbs, fresh cut, that is, put the Liquor to as many Herbs as you cut before, and shred them; then add to them about five Ounces of good Sugar, and you may put as much Currans. Mix these well, and bake them; then pour over it, while it is hot, some Cream that has been boil'd thick, and serve it hot: but if you use raw Cream, from the Dairy, you must mix it with the Ingredients, and then strew fine powder'd Sugar over it, but serve it hot, let it be which way you will.

To make a Preserve of _Quinces,_ white in _Jelly._ From the same.

Make a Syrup of Golden-Pippins, or Golden-Rennets; and to make that, pare your Apples, and core them, but never use two sorts together, for one will be soft before the other is half done. Always take this for a Rule in Apples, Onions, and Turnips; they should be all of one kind, and all from the same Place, or else you will be disappointed. Boil your Apples with their weight in Sugar, and as much Water as will mix with it: boil this to a Jelly, and in the mean time, pare your Quinces, and cut them in Quarters, taking them clear off the Core; then boil them, first in fair Water, till they are a little tender, and then put them into the boiling Syrup, and keep them gently boiling half an Hour, or what one might more properly call stewing. If the Quinces are not then clear, boil them again, the next Day, in the same Liquor; and when the Quinces are as clear as they can be, which is never very much like other Fruits, but we should rather say tender, put them into Gallypots, or Gla.s.ses, and pour the Syrup, or Jelly, over them, to keep; and as soon as they are cold, then put Papers over them.

To Candy whole _Orange,_ or _Lemon-Peels._

Take some of the fairest Oranges, or Lemons, and cut a small hole in the top of them; then scoop out all the Pulp, as clean as possible; lay these in Water to steep eight or ten Days, s.h.i.+fting them to fresh Waters twice a Day; then boil them in several Waters, till they are tender enough to run a Straw through them. Then take one Pound of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar to each Pound of Peel, and a Quart of Water: then make your Syrup, and boil your Peels in it eight or ten Minutes, and let them stand in your Syrup five or six Days, in an earthen glaz'd Vessel, for it would spoil in a Bra.s.s or Copper Pan: then to every Pound put one Pound more of Sugar into your Syrup, and boil your Peels in it, till they are clear; then put them into Gallypots, and boil your Syrup till it is almost of a Candy height, and pour it upon your Peels; and when it is cold, cover it. The same manner they preserve the Peels of green Oranges, Lemons, and Limes, in _Barbadoes_.

To stew _Soles._ From _Yarmouth._

Take the largest Soles you can get, gut them, and skin them; lay them then into a Stew-pan, and pour in about a Pint of good Beef Gravey, and as much Claret; some bits of Lemon-Peel, an Anchovy or two, a stick of Horse-Radish, a bunch of sweet Herbs, a large Onion, half a large Nutmeg, some Cloves and Mace, whole Pepper, and Salt, with a little bit of b.u.t.ter.