LIME WATER. Pour two gallons of water upon a pound of fresh-burnt lime; and when the ebullition ceases, stir it up well, and let it stand till the lime is settled. Filter the liquor through paper, and keep it for use closely stopped. It is chiefly used for the gravel, in which case a pint or more may be drunk daily. For the itch, or other diseases of the skin, it is to be applied externally.
LINEN. Linen in every form is liable to all the accidents of mildew, iron moulds, ink spots, and various other stains, which prove highly injurious, if not speedily removed. In case of mildew, rub the part well with soap, then scrape and rub on some fine chalk, and lay the linen out to bleach. Wet it a little now and then, and repeat the operation if necessary. Ink spots and iron moulds may be removed, by rubbing them with the salt of sorrel, or weak muriatic acid, and laying the part over a teapot or kettle of boiling water, so that it may be affected by the steam. Or some crystals of tartar powdered, and half the quantity of alum, applied in the same manner, will be found to extract the spots. The spirits of salts diluted with water, will remove iron moulds from linen; and sal ammoniac with lime, will take out the stains of wine. Fruit stains may generally be removed by wetting the part with water, and exposing it to the fumes of brimstone. When ink has been suddenly spilled on linen, wet the place immediately with the juice of sorrel or lemon, or with vinegar, and rub it with hard white soap. Or add to the juice a little salts, steam the linen over boiling water, and wash it afterwards in ley. If ink be spilled on a green tablecloth or carpet, the readiest way is to take it up immediately with a spoon, and by pouring on fresh water, while the spoon is constantly applied, the stains will soon be removed. Scorched linen may be restored by means of the following application. Boil two ounces of fuller's earth, an ounce of hen's dung, half an ounce of soap, and the juice of two onions, in half a pint of vinegar, till reduced to a good consistency. Spread the composition over the damaged part, let it dry on, and then wash it well once or twice. If the threads be not actually consumed by the scorch, the linen will soon be restored to its former whiteness.
LIP SALVE. Put into a small jar two ounces of white wax, half an ounce of spermaceti, and a quarter of a pint of oil of sweet almonds. Tie it down close, and put the jar into a small saucepan, with as much water as will nearly reach the top of the jar, but not so as to boil over it, and let it simmer till the wax is melted. Then put in a pennyworth of alkanet root tied up in a rag, with the jar closed, and boil it till it becomes red. Take out the alkanet root, and put in two pennyworth of essence of lemon, and a few drops of bergamot. Pour some into small boxes for present use, and the remainder into a gallipot tied down with a bladder.—Another. An ounce of white wax and ox marrow, with three ounces of white pomatum, melted together over a slow fire, will make an agreeable lip salve, which may be coloured with a dram of alkanet, and stirred till it becomes a fine red.
LITTLE BREAD PUDDINGS. Steep the crumb of a penny loaf grated, in about a pint of warm milk. When sufficiently soaked, beat up six eggs, whites and yolks, and mix with the bread. Add two ounces of warmed butter, some sugar, orange flower water, a spoonful of brandy, a little nutmeg, and a tea-cupful of cream. Beat all well together, bake in buttered teacups, and serve with pudding sauce. A quarter of a pound of currants may be added, but the puddings are good without. Orange or lemon will be an agreeable addition.
LIVER AND HERBS. Clean and drain a good quantity of spinach, two large handfuls of parsley, and a handful of green onions. Chop the parsley and onions, and sprinkle them among the spinach. Stew them together with a little salt and butter, shake the pan when it begins to grow warm, and cover it close till done enough over a slow fire. Lay on slices of liver, fried of a nice brown and slices of bacon just warmed at the fire. On the outside part of the herbs lay some eggs nicely fried, and trimmed round. Or the eggs may be served on the herbs, and the liver garnished with the bacon separately.
LIVER SAUCE. Chop some liver of rabbits or fowls, and do it the same as for lemon sauce, with a very little pepper and salt, and some parsley.
LIVER AND PARSLEY SAUCE. Wash the fresh liver of a fowl or rabbit, and boil it five minutes in a quarter of a pint of water. Chop it fine, or pound or bruise it in a little of the liquor it was boiled in, and rub it through a sieve. Wash about one third the bulk of parsley leaves, put them into boiling water, with a tea-spoonful of salt, and let them boil. Then lay the parsley on a hair sieve, mince it very fine, and mix it with the liver. Warm up the sauce in a quarter of a pint of melted butter, but do not let it boil.
LOBSTERS. If they have not been long taken, the claws will have a strong motion, when the finger is pressed upon the eyes. The heaviest are the best, and it is preferable to boil them at home. If purchased ready boiled, try whether their tails are stiff, and pull up with a spring; otherwise that part will be flabby. The male lobster is known by the narrow back part of his tail, and the two uppermost fins within it are stiff and hard: those of the hen are soft, and the tail broader. The male, though generally smaller, has the highest flavour, the flesh is firmer, and the colour when boiled is a deeper red.
LOBSTER PATTIES. To be made as oyster patties, gently stewed and seasoned, and put into paste baked in pattipans, with the addition of a little cream, and a very small piece of butter.
LOBSTER PIE. Boil two or three small lobsters, take out the tails, and cut them in two. Take out the gut, cut each into four pieces, and lay them in a small dish. Put in the meat of the claws, and that picked out of the body; pick off the furry parts of the latter, and take out the lady; beat the spawn in a mortar, and likewise all the shells. Stew them with some water, two or three spoonfuls of vinegar, pepper, salt, and some pounded mace. A large piece of butter rolled in flour must be added, when the goodness of the shells is obtained. Give it a boil or two, and pour it into a dish strained; strew some crumbs, and put a paste over all. Bake it slowly, and only till the paste is done.