No. 1130. Omelette au Confiture.
Make an omelette precisely as in the last, and just before turning it upon your dish put two or three spoonfuls of jam or marmalade in the centre, sugar over, salamander, and serve.
No. 1131. Omelette au Rhum.
The same as the last, but the moment of going to table pour three glasses of rum round and set it on fire.
Sweet omelettes may also be served with apricots passed in sugar or rhubarb, as directed in Nos. 1142, 1184; for the remainder of entremets of eggs, see Kitchen at Home.
ENTREMETS.
Observations upon Pastry.
Although the art of making pastry is very nearly as old as the world, having been the delight of the ancients, and of the sensual inhabitants of Asia, it is only within the last twenty years that it has attained any degree of perfection, which is partly due to the talent and intelligence of my illustrious compatriot and confrère, Careme, who has left little or no room for innovation in that vast field of culinary delight; but I shall endeavour as much as possible to simplify the present excellent system, and introduce as much novelty as I can into that department, which is considered the greatest ornament of the second course; I must here likewise observe that as ages change so also do the fashions. Fifteen years ago large ornamental pieces, (or pièces montées,) were very much in vogue, but at the present time I know many epicures that would object to sit down before those once favorite monuments, or colossal sugar ornaments, the modern table embellishments having very properly fallen into the hands of the silversmith. Simplicity, the mother of elegance, being now the order of the day.
Of different sorts of Paste.
The variety of pastes is to the pastry what first stocks are to soups and sauces, and must be very properly first described, particularly as it is here to which I must refer my readers for paste even used for the hors-d’œuvres and entrées; to succeed you must be particular in your proportions, and very careful in the mixing, for although there is nothing more simple if pains be taken, so will the least neglect produce a failure, nor is it only with the making of the paste that pains must be taken, but likewise with the baking, for as paste badly made would not improve in baking, neither will paste, however well made, be good if badly baked; should the oven be too hot the paste would become set and burn before it was done; and, again, if too cold it would give the paste a dull heavy appearance, but an oven properly heated (which can be readily known by a little attention on the part of those in the habit of using it) will give it a clear brilliant appearance.