MENU FOR SEPTEMBER.

Our menu this month might be one suited for a luncheon party, where the chief dishes would be required cold, with two or three hot ones as a set-off, and all others placed on the table at the same time. Luncheon parties are generally very common during this month in the country, and the guests who come to partake of them are not noted for their small appetites.

Salmi of Partridges.—Put the birds into the oven as for roasting, and partially cook them. When about half done cut them into neat pieces, and remove the skin and sinews, and place them in a clean saucepan. In another pan put a quarter of a pound of uncooked ham minced finely, with a good piece of butter; add a dozen small mushrooms, three or four minced shallots, a grated carrot, a spoonful of chopped parsley, a few sprigs of savoury herbs and some pepper and salt. Cover closely and let them cook on the top of the stove, shaking the pan to prevent burning; when cooked dredge a little flour over them, let it brown a little, and pour in about a pint of good brown stock. Add also a glassful of sherry. Stir until the gravy has thickened nicely, then put in the pieces of the birds, and let them slowly simmer, but not boil, for at least half an hour. Dish the game in a pile on a hot dish, strain the sauce, and see that it is well seasoned and of a nice brown colour, then pour over all. Garnish with fried sippets of bread.

Fillets of Beef with Mushrooms.—These should be cut from the undercut or fillet of beef, and be neatly shaped. Fry them quickly on both sides, but only enough to slightly brown them, then place in a stewpan and cover with peeled mushrooms, one or two shallots, some pepper and a glassful of red wine with also a small lump of butter. Stew these for quite an hour in a rather slow oven, then lift out the meat and the mushrooms, and thicken the gravy with fécule, also add salt and a tablespoonful of sharp sauce, then pour boiling hot over the dish.

Quince Jelly and Damson Cheese are both preserves that should be found in readiness in the store cupboard. For the first, take a quart of quince juice obtained by boiling the fruit with a very little water and then straining it through a bag; add a pound of lump sugar to every quart, and then an ounce of gum arabic previously soaked in water. Boil well for quite half an hour, then put into moulds.

Damson Cheese.—Put several pounds of freshly-gathered damsons into a stone jar with a very little water. Stand this on the top of the stove to stew gently for some hours, or until the fruit is perfectly soft. While still warm turn out the damsons into a wide-meshed sieve or colander, rub until nothing but skins and stones are left. Put half a pound of loaf sugar to every pound of pulp, and boil together into a stiff paste. Some of the stones should be cracked and the kernels taken out, as these give a very pleasant flavour to the cheese. Put into shallow dishes or moulds, and cover with brandied papers. This cheese is usually cut into fancy shapes and put into glass dishes to serve at dessert.