To make good pickles or sauces of several kinds, good vinegar is required. To a gallon of water put two pounds of coarse brown sugar; boil and skim it for half an hour. Put it in a tub or jar to ferment; add to it in the tub a slice of raised wheat-bread soaked in yeast. It can be bottled off or put in a cask in a week or two, but must be left unstopped, and the bung covered with muslin to keep out insects.
NO. 44.—TO MAKE GOOD VINEGAR FOR PICKLES
To a gallon of whisky add four pounds of brown sugar, a cup of yeast, and seven gallons of water. Put it into a demijohn or keg. If you set the vinegar in April, it will be good in November to pickle with. Cover the mouth of the vessel with muslin, to keep out flies or insects, which trouble and sometimes ruin vinegar while making. When sharp and clear, bottle it.
NO. 45.—TO MAKE GOOD AND CHEAP VINEGAR
Take three quarts of molasses, add to it eight gallons of rain water; turn the mixture into a clean cask, shake it well two or three times, throw in a few spoonfuls of good yeast, or two yeast cakes; place the cask in a warm place, and in ten days throw in it a sheet of common brown paper, smeared with molasses; it should be torn into narrow strips. This paper seems necessary to form mother, in making vinegar, unless you use whisky to commence the fermentation; then paper is not necessary.
ENTREES
KIDNEY AND MUSHROOM STEW
Cut the kidneys into slices, wash and dry them carefully; pepper and salt them, roll them in flour, and fry in butter till of a delicate brown color. Pour some plain beef stock, or beef gravy, in the pan; add a chopped onion, and stew for half an hour; then put in a cupful of mushrooms, and cook for fifteen minutes. Mushroom catsup will serve as a substitute. Use one-half the quantity of catsup.
STEWED LAMB CHOPS WITH GREEN PEAS