The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House Part 26

To bake a _Calf's-Head._ From the same.

Take a Calfs-Head, wash it clean, and divide it; then beat the Yolks of four or five Eggs, and beat them well, and with a Feather, trace that Liquor over the out-side of the Head, and strew over it some raspings of Bread sifted, some Flour, some Pepper and Salt, some Mace and Nutmeg powder'd, with some sweet Herbs powder'd, with a little Sage shred small, and the Brains cut in pieces, and dip'd in thick Batter; then cover the Head with some bits of b.u.t.ter, and pour in the Pan some White-Wine and Water, with as much Gravey, and cover it close. Then bake it in a quick Oven, and when you serve it, pour on some strong Gravey, and garnish with Lemon sliced, red Beet-Root pickled and sliced, and some fry'd Oysters, and fry'd Bread.

To make Spirit of _Lilley_ of the _Valley._ From _Norway._ N.B. This serves in the room of _Orange-Flower-Water,_ in 'Puddings, and to perfume _Cakes;_ though it is drank as a Dram in _Norway._

Gather your Lilley-of-the-Valley Flowers, when they are dry, and pick them from the Stalks; then put a Quarter of a Pint of them into a Quart of Brandy, and so in proportion, to infuse six or eight Days; then distil it in a cold Still, marking the Bottles, as they are drawn off, which is first, second and third, _&c_. When you have distill'd them, take the first, and so on to the third or fourth, and mix them together, till you have as strong as you desire; and then bottle them, and cork them well, putting a lump of Loaf-Sugar into each Bottle.

Things to be provided, when any great Family is going into the Country, for a Summer. From Mr. _R. S._

Nutmegs.

Mace.

Cinnamon.

Cloves.

Pepper.

Ginger.

_Jamaica_-Pepper.

Raisins.

Currans.

Sugar _Lisbon._ Sugar-Loaf Lump.

Sugar double-refin'd.

Prunes.

Oranges.

Lemons.

Anchovies.

Olives.

Capers.

Oil for Salads.

Vinegar.

Verjuice.

Tea.

Coffee.

Chocolate.

Almonds.

Chesnuts.

_French_ Pears.

Sir, I send you this as a _Memorandum_, because when some People go into the Country, many of these Things may be forgot, and it is sometimes the Case, that one must send a Mile or two for what is wanted of them.

_I am Yours,_ R. S.

To salt a _Ham_ in imitation of _Westphalia,_ &c.

Take an Ham of young Pork, and sprinkle it with Salt for one Day, that the Blood may come out; then wipe it dry, and rub it with the following Mixture.

Take a Pound of brown Sugar, a quarter of a Pound of Salt-Petre, half a Pint of Bay-Salt, and three Pints of common Salt. Mix all these together, and stir them in an Iron Pan, over the Fire, till they are pretty hot, and then rub your Ham with it. Turn your Ham often, and let it lie three Weeks; then dry it in a Chimney with Deal Saw-Dust.

To make artificial _Anchovies._ From Mr. _James Randolph_ of _Richmond._

About _February_ you will find, in the River of _Thames_, a large quant.i.ty of Bleak, or in _August_ a much larger parcel in Shoals. These Fish are soft, tender, and oily, and much better than Sprats to make any imitation of Anchovies from. Take these, and clean them, and cut off their Heads, and lay them in an earthen glazed Pan, with a Layer of Bay-Salt under them, and another over, a single Row of them; then lay a fresh row of Fish, and Bay-Salt over that; and so continue the same _Stratum super Stratum_, till the Vessel is full, and in a Month you may use them, and afterwards put Vinegar to them. But they will be like Anchovies without Vinegar, only the Vinegar will keep them. Turn them often the first Fortnight.

_Apple-Dumplings_ in an extraordinary way. From Mrs. _Johnson._

Take Golden-Rennets ripe, pare them, and take out their Cores; then cut the Apples into small pieces, and with a large Grater, grate in a Quince, when it has been pared and cored: for if you was to slice in a Quince, to your Apples, in large pieces, the Quince would not be boil'd equally with the Apples; for the Quince is of a tough Nature, and will not boil under twice the time that the Apples will: therefore to grate them, will be enough to give their flavour to the Apple, and make all enough at one time. Put what Sugar you think proper into each Dumpling, when you take it up, and the necessary quant.i.ty of b.u.t.ter. It will then cat like a Marmalade of Quince.

_Note_, The Crust, or Paste, for these Dumplings, must be of a Puff-Paste made with b.u.t.ter, rubb'd into Flour, and for some other Parts of the b.u.t.ter, break them into the Paste, and roll them three times, and put in the Apples to the Crust, tying them into a Cloth well flour'd, and boiling them. It may be understood before, that when they are taken up hot, the Ceremony of sugaring and b.u.t.tering is necessary.

_Apple-Dumplings_ made with Sweet-meats. From the same.

Take fair Apples ripe, pare them, and take out the Cores; then slice them thin, and with a large Grater, grate in some candy'd Orange or Lemon-Peels, and you may put in also some powder'd Clove or Cinnamon, and a little grated Quince, or Quince Marmalade. Put these together, the Apples being first cut in small pieces, into a Puff-Paste, and tye it up in a Cloth.

These must be sweeten'd with _Lisbon_-Sugar, when they are taken up, and melted b.u.t.ter pour'd in: for if you use Loaf-Sugar, though it is powder'd, some of it will be harsh in the Mouth; and the _Lisbon_-Sugar, which is the fattest sort of Sugar, will not, but will give a good flavour to your Fruit.

An _Hog_ barbecued, or broil'd whole. From _Vaux-Hall, Surrey._

Take an Hog of five or six Months old, kill it, and take out the Inwards, so that the Hog is clear of the Harslet; then turn the Hog upon its Back, and from three Inches below the place where it was stuck, to kill it, cut the Belly in a strait Line down to the Bottom, near the joining of the Gammons; but not so far, but that the whole Body of the Hog may hold any Liquor we would put into it.

Then stretch out the Ribs, and open the Belly, as wide as may be; then strew into it what Pepper and Salt you please.

After this, take a large Grid-Iron, with two or three Ribs in it, and set it upon a stand of Iron, about three Foot and a half high, and upon that, lay your Hog, open'd as above, with the Belly-side downwards, and with a good clear Fire of Charcoal under it. Broil that side till it is enough, flouring the Back at the same time often. _Memorandum_, This should be done in a Yard, or Garden, with a Covering like a a Tent over it.

When the Belly-part of the Hog is enough, and turn'd upwards, and well fix'd, to be steady upon the Grid-Iron, or Barbacue, pour into the Belly of the Hog, three or four Quarts of Water, and half as much White-Wine, and as much Salt as you will, with some Sage cut small; adding the Peels of six or eight Lemons, and an Ounce of fresh Cloves whole.

Then let it broil till it is enough, which will be, from the beginning to the end, about seven or eight Hours; and when you serve it, pour out the Sauce, and lay it in a Dish, with the Back upwards. _Memorandum_, The Skin must not be cut before you lay it on the Gridiron, to keep in the Gravey; neither should any of the Skin be cut, when you have any Pork roasted for the same Reason.

_Beef,_ or _Pork,_ to be salted for boiling immediately, from the _Shambles._ From Mr. _J. P._ Chymist.

Take any piece of Beef you desire to boil, or Pork for the same, dressing it fresh from the Shambles, or Market, and salt it very well, just before you put it into the Pot; then as soon as your Meat is salted, take a coa.r.s.e Linnen Cloth, and flour it very well, and then put the Meat into it, and tye it up close. Put this into a Kettle of boiling Water, and boil it as long as you would any salt piece of Beef of the same bigness, and it will come out as salt as a piece of Meat, that had been salted four or five Days: but by this way of salting, one ought not to have pieces of above five or six Pounds weight. _N.B._ If to half a Pound of common Salt you put an Ounce of Nitre, or Salt-Petre, it will strike a redness into the Beef; but the Salt-Petre must be beat fine, and well mix'd with the common Salt.