4 large tomatoes, cut up, or 1/2 can, with 1/2 cup of water. 2 slices of onion. 2 sprigs of parsley. 1 teaspoonful of sugar. 1/2 teaspoonful salt. 1/4 teaspoonful soda. 1 quart of milk. 1 tablespoonful butter. 1 tablespoonful flour.
Cook the tomatoes with the onion, parsley, sugar, and salt for twenty minutes. Mix in the soda and stir well; the soda prevents the milk from curdling. Make the milk and flour and butter into white sauce as usual; strain the tomato, mix the two, and strain again.
Sometimes add a stalk of celery to the other seasoning as it cooks.
Cream of Clams
1 dozen hard clams, or one bunch of soft ones. 1 quart of rich milk. 1 tablespoonful butter. 1 tablespoonful flour. 3 shakes of pepper.
Chop the clams and drain off the juice and add as much water; cook till the scum rises, and skim this off. Drop in the clams and cook three minutes. Heat the milk and thicken as usual; put in the clams and juice, cook for one minute, and strain.
Notice that there is no salt in this soup. A cup of cream, whipped, either put on top or stirred in, is very nice.
Oyster Soup
1 pint oysters. 1/2 pint water. 1 quart rich milk. 1/2 teaspoonful salt.
Drain off the oyster juice, add the water, boil it for one minute, and skim it well. Heat the milk and mix it with this; drop in the oysters and cook one minute, or till the edges begin to curl, and it is done. This soup is not thickened at all; but if you like you may add two tablespoonfuls of finely powdered and sifted cracker-crumbs.