Oatmeal Pottage, or Gruel.
Mix together three table spoonfuls of oatmeal, a very little salt, and a quart of water; put them over a fire, and let it boil gently for half an hour. Then skim and strain it, add to it an ounce of fresh butter, some loaf sugar, a little brandy, and grated nutmeg; or instead of these ingredients put pepper, salt, and fresh butter, to the palate; then boil it again five minutes, mix it till very smooth, and let it be of a moderate consistence.
To bottle Gooseberries, &c. for Tarts.
Gather gooseberries on a dry day when about half grown, and pick off the stalks and blossoms; then put the fruit into wide-mouthed bottles and shake them down; cork them very close, bake them in a moderate oven till thoroughly heated through, and set them in a dry cool place.
N. B. Damsons, currants, cherries, or plums may be done in the same way.
[The above mode of preserving fruits is recommended in preference to preserving them with sugar, it frequently happening that fruits done with syrup will fret, and in that event the whole be spoiled.]
To bottle Gooseberries another way.
When the gooseberries are picked put them into the bottles and cover them with spring water; then set them in a large pan of cold water, put them over a moderate fire, and when the gooseberries appear to be scalded enough take out the bottles and set them in a cool place, and when cold cork them close.
[This mode has been found to answer extremely well. The small champaign gooseberry is recommended likewise for the purpose.]
Small Cakes.