AUTUMN LEAVES.—The autumnal colours of our American forest trees are justly admired for the brightness, richness, and variety of their tints. Some of our fair countrywomen have worn them in Europe, formed into wreaths for the hair, or trimmings for ball-dresses, and the effect was considered beautiful. They may be preserved for this purpose by the following process. Gather as many varieties of autumn foliage as you can obtain; seeing that every leaf is perfect, and that there is a stem to each. The best time is in the month of October. Include among them those of the crimson maple, the purple beech, the willow oak with its underside of silvery white, the yellow hickory, the aspen, and any others that are richly tinted by the frost. Also, by way of contrast, some green pine sprigs. Lay them separately between the leaves of a large writing-paper book, (an old ledger will do very well,) and do not put tree-leaves between all the book-leaves successively, but alternately; otherwise they will not be smooth and flat when pressed. That is, put tree-leaves between the second and third pages of the book, and then no more till between the sixth and seventh pages. Lay the next tree-leaves between the tenth and eleventh pages, and so on, till they are all in. Place several other heavy books upon the ledger so as to press well the leaves beneath.
Stretch a twine across the room, or from the backs of two chairs, and tie a small twine string to each stem. Have ready some very fine clear varnish, (such as is used for maps, &c.) and with a large camels’ hair brush, go carefully over both sides of the leaves, including the stem. Fasten them all, separately, to the stretched twine; seeing that none of them are near enough to each other to touch. Then lock the door of the room, that nothing may get in to disturb them, or raise the slightest dust while the varnish is drying. When perfectly dry, and not in the least sticky to the touch of the finger, have ready some sheets of smooth thick white paper. In each sheet cut small double slits to admit the stems, and in this way secure the leaves from slipping about and being injured. Write the name of each leaf above it. Let the other half of the sheet lie upon them. Put these sheets within a double cover of binders-board, (like a port-folio,) which you must then seal up in paper, like a large parcel, and the leaves in all their autumn beauty may be safely transported to any part of the world.
They will be found very useful to landscape-painters.
MADEIRA CHARLOTTE RUSSE.—Take one ounce of gelatine, or of the very best Russia isinglass, and soak it, near half an hour, in as much cold water as will barely cover it. It must merely soften, and not dissolve. Then drain off the water, and put the gelatine or isinglass into a pint of rich cream; adding a vanilla bean split, cut to pieces, and tied closely in a very thin muslin bag. Set the cream over a slow fire in a porcelain preserving-kettle, and let it boil till the gelatine is entirely dissolved, and thoroughly mixed with the cream. Give it a hard stirring, down to the bottom, several times while boiling.
Have ready the yolks only, of eight eggs, beaten till very light and thick; and then beat, gradually, into the yolk of egg three quarters of a pound of the best powdered loaf-sugar. Then take the cream off the fire, and (having first removed the vanilla) stir into it, by degrees, the mixture of beaten yolk of egg and sugar. Set the kettle again over a slow fire, and let it simmer till very thick; but do not allow it to boil hard, or too long, lest it should curdle.
When the mixture is sufficiently thick, take it off, and set it away to cool. Have ready the whites of four of the eight eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Then stir two heaping table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar into half a tumbler-full of Madeira wine, and beat it slowly into the white of egg; adding a little more powdered sugar if the wine seems likely to curdle the egg.
When the yellow or yolk-of-egg mixture is quite cold, stir gradually into it the white mixture, till all is thoroughly amalgamated. Have ready a mould or moulds lined with very thin slices of almond sponge-cake. Fill them up with the mixture, and set them on ice till the charlotte is wanted. Then turn it out. You may cover the top with icing made in the usual way, and flavoured with extract of vanilla, or extract of bitter almond—or peach-water.