Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks / Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food
Food is the most important of our wants; we cannot exist without it. The man who does not use his brain to select and prepare his food, is not above the brutes that take it in its raw state. It is to the physique what education is to the mind, coarse or refined. Good and well-prepared food beautifies the physique the same as a good and well-directed education beautifies the mind. A cook-book is like a book on chemistry, it cannot be used to any advantage if theory is not blended with practice. It must also be written according to the natural products and climate of the country in which it is to be used, and with a perfect knowledge of the properties of the different articles of food and condiments.
Like many other books, it is not the size that makes it practical; we could have made this one twice as large as it is, without having added a single receipt to it, by only having given separate ones for pieces of meat, birds, fishes, etc., that are of the same kind and prepared alike. All cook-books written by mere compilers, besides giving the same receipt several times, recommend the most absurd mixtures as being the best and of the latest French style.
Although cookery has made more progress within two or three years, in this country as well as in Europe, than it had since 1830, and although all our receipts are complete, practical, wholesome, and in accordance with progress, still they are simple. Our aim has been to enable every housekeeper and professional cook, no matter how inexperienced they may be, to prepare any kind of food in the best and most wholesome way, with economy, celerity, and taste; and also to serve a dinner in as orderly a manner as any steward can do.
We did not intend to make a book, such as that of CARÈME, which cannot be used at all except by cooks of very wealthy families, and with which one cannot make a dinner costing less than twenty dollars a head. Such a book is to housekeepers or plain cooks what a Latin dictionary is to a person of merely elementary education.
Pierre Blot
HAND-BOOK
OF
PRACTICAL COOKERY,
FOR
LADIES AND PROFESSIONAL COOKS.
CONTAINING
PIERRE BLOT,
PROFESSOR OF GASTRONOMY, AND FOUNDER OF THE NEW YORK COOKING ACADEMY.
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."
PREFACE.
TO HOUSEKEEPERS AND COOKS.
TO COOKS.
CONTENTS.
ANISE.
APRICOT.
BACON.
BAIN-MARIE.
BAKE-PANS.
BAY-LEAF.
BEETS.
BRAISING.
BUNCH OF SEASONINGS.
BUTTERED PAPER.
OILED PAPER.
CATSUP.
CAVIARE.
CERVELAS, SAUCISSONS, ETC.
CHEESE.
COCHINEAL.
CHERVIL.
COLANDER.
CURRY.
DINING-ROOM.
DISH.
DRAINING.
DUSTING.
DRINKING.
HOT WEATHER.
COLD WEATHER.
FOOD.
ECONOMY.
EGG-BEATER.
ERRORS IN COOKING.
FENNEL.
FIG.
FINES HERBES.
FLOUR.
FOIES GRAS.
FRUIT-CORER.
GALANTINE.
GLAZING.
INDIGESTION.
ITALIAN PASTES.
ISINGLASS.
JELLY-BAG.
KITCHEN UTENSILS.
LAIT DE POULE.
LARD.
FAT FOR FRYING.
TO CLARIFY FAT.
GAME-FAT.
BATTER FOR FRYING.
LARDING.
LARDING-NEEDLE.
LEAVEN.
MEAT.
MOULDS.
OLIVES.
OSMAZOME.
PARSLEY, CHERVIL, THYME, CELERY, SAGE, ETC.,—FOR WINTER USE.
WHITE PEPPER.
QUALITY OF MEAT, FISH, VEGETABLES, FRUIT, ETC.
PASTRY-BAG.
RAW MATERIALS.
SCALLOPED KNIFE.
SHALLOTS.
SKEWERS.
SPICES.
STIRRING.
STRAINING.
SUGAR.
TARRAGON.
TIN TUBES.
TRUFFLES.
VANILLA.
VEGETABLE SPOONS.
WATER.
WINES.
MOTTO.
ALMONDS.
LEMONADE OR ORANGEADE.
LEMONADE WITH BARLEY.
BARLEY SUGAR FOR CHILDREN.
BAVAROISE WITH CHOCOLATE.
BICHOF.
TO PRESERVE BIRDS.
BREAD-CRUMBS.
BURNT SUGAR.
COFFEE.
TO ROAST.
TO MAKE.
CAFÉ AU LAIT.
CAFÉ NOIR.
CHOCOLATE.
CHOCA.
COCOA.
ESSENCE OF SPINACH, OR GREEN ESSENCE.
ESSENCE OF BEEF.
ICING.
MEAT JELLIES.
MEAT GRAVY.
MELONS.
MEUNIÈRE.
MINT.
PANADE.
PAP.
RAISINS.
SANDWICHES.
SAUSAGE-MEAT.
SOUSE.
TEA.
TOAST.
WELSH RAREBIT.
POTAGES.
SOUPS.
HOW TO MAKE A SAUCE THICKER WHEN IT IS TOO THIN, AND THINNER WHEN TOO THICK.
SAUCES FOR PUDDINGS.
CALLED ALSO GARNISH AND GARNISHING, USED TO DECORATE OR ORNAMENT DISHES.
PURÉES.
EEL, CONGER, AND LAMPREY.
FROGS.
LOBSTER.
OYSTERS.
CLAMS.
HOW TO SELECT.
COW BEEF.
BULL BEEF.
A LA MODE.
STEWED.
ROASTED.
TO DECORATE.
BAKED.
FILLET.
RIBS.
STEAKS.
BOILED BEEF.
IN MIROTON.
IN SALAD.
CORNED BEEF.
TONGUE.
BRAIN.
HEART.
KIDNEYS.
LIVER.
TAIL.
TRIPE.
SMOKED BEEF'S TONGUE.
HOW TO SELECT.
ROASTED.
BAKED.
BREAST BOILED.
NECK BROILED.
CHOPS.
LEG.
SHOULDER.
SADDLE.
COLD MUTTON.
FEET.
SHEEP'S KIDNEYS, BROILED.
SHEEP'S TAILS.
SHEEP'S TONGUES.
LAMB.
KID.
ROASTED.
BAKED.
CROQUETTES.
RAGOUT.
BREAST, STEWED.
CUTLETS.
SHOULDER.
LOIN OR LEG STEWED.
COLD VEAL.
BRAIN.
EARS.
FEET.
CALF'S HEAD.
HEART.
KIDNEYS.
LIGHTS.
CALF'S LIVER.
CALF'S PLUCK.
CALF'S TAIL.
TONGUE.
SWEETBREADS.
TO SELECT.
CHINE AND FILLET.
HOW TO IMPROVE THE CHINE OF PORK.
CUTLETS.
LEG, ROASTED.
HAM.
A, skewers; B, carrot; C, truffle or mushroom; D, jelly; E, frill.
SALTED PORK.
PIG'S EARS.
PIG'S FEET.
PIG'S HEAD.
PIG'S KIDNEYS.
PIG'S TAIL.
PIG'S TONGUE.
SUCKING-PIG.
A, skewer; B, slices of truffles; C, mushrooms
HOW TO PREPARE AND CLEAN.
CHICKEN.
CAPON.
TURKEY.
DUCKS.
GEESE AND GOSLINGS—TAME OR WILD.
GUINEA-FOWLS.
PIGEONS.
GIBLETS.
ASPIC OF MEAT.
OPOSSUM, OTTER, RACCOON, SKUNK, FOX, WOODCHUCK, AND OTHER LIKE ANIMALS.
VENISON.
SNAILS.
MEAT-PIES.
BREAD.
THE END.
GASTRONOMY AND HOUSEKEEPING.
BOOKS FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD.
The Chemistry of Common Life.