No. 132.
LIGHT BREAD.
Three pints of flour, half yeast cake dissolved in warm water, tablespoonful each of salt, lard, and white sugar, 1½ pints of potato water (warm), work hard, and let rise over night. In the morning mould and let rise again half an hour before baking; if too stiff add a little warm water, as it is better if made up rather soft. It will rise sooner and keep fresh longer. Always sift your flour before using, warming a little in cold weather; sifting twice gets more air between the particles. Do not have the oven too hot.
No. 133.
HOW TO MAKE GOOD YEAST.
Take 6 large sound potatoes, 1 gallon of water, and 2 ordinary handfuls of hops; put the potatoes, after peeling them, into the water, tie the hops into a bag, and boil all together till the potatoes are soft enough to mash easily; throw the hops away, put a cupful of flour in a large dish, take the potatoes out of the water, mash them through a colander, and mix them well with the flour; then pour the water used in boiling the potatoes over them, and mix the whole thoroughly; let the mixture stand till about milkwarm, and then add about a cent's worth of baker's yeast or an yeast cake, or a cupful of dry yeast, and after stirring it again set the whole, away over night; in the morning add a half cup of sugar, a half cup of salt, and a small tablespoonful of ginger; put the whole in a two gallon jug, and use a cupful of this yeast at a baking for five or six ordinary-sized loaves. When you make your next lot of yeast use a cupful of this yeast instead of the baker's or other yeast called for above.
No. 134.
CALVES'-FEET JELLY.
Get 4 calves' feet at the butcher's, cut them in two, and take away the fat from between the claws, wash them well in luke-warm water; put them in a large stewpan, and cover them with water. When the liquor boils, skim well and let it boil gently 6 or 7 hours, so as to reduce the quantity to 2 quarts; then strain through a sieve and skim off all the oily substance. If not in a hurry it is better to boil the calves' feet the day before you make the jelly, as it will skim better when perfectly cold, and the liquor part becomes firm. Put the liquor in a stewpan to melt, with a lump of sugar, the peel of 2 lemons, the juice of 6, and 6 whites and shells of eggs; beat together, with a bottle of sherry or Madeira. Stir the whole together till on a boil, then set on side of stove, and let simmer ¼ hour, and strain through a jelly-bag. Then pour back in bag again and strain till it is as bright and clear as rock-water. Put jelly in moulds to get firm and cold. If made in warm weather ice is required.
No. 135.
CHICKEN GLACEE.
Bone a chicken, stuff it with truffles, mushrooms, slight, ¼ pound ham, ½ pound veal, a little sweet marjoram and thyme, and a very small onion. Take the meat and one-half of the mushrooms and chop them up fine, and the other half cut in slices, and also the truffles must be peeled and cut in slices. Let the truffles be in a quarter size can. Mix all this together, and season with pepper and salt, then stuff it in the chicken. Put it in a bag tied up tightly, and let it boil 2 hours. Now take the carcass and giblets and boil them to make stock of. Make about 3 pints. Skim all the grease off top, take it off the stove, and let it get cold. Take one package of gelatine and put it in soup; after melting it clarify it with the white of an egg. Season with pepper and salt and a little nutmeg. Let it boil ten minutes, strain through a flannel bag, and set aside to cool. Take the chicken, put a heavy press on it, and let it get cold. Take a jelly mould and line it with boiled egg, mushrooms, and truffles, cut into stars and flower shapes; then a layer of jelly, then a layer of sliced chicken, till the mould is full. Set away in ice-box to get cold. Garnish the dish when ready to use with water-cresses or parsley.
No. 136.
CLAM CHOWDER.
Three pints of clams; scald them and take the hearts out; 1 pint tomatoes, boil and strain them through sieve, putting a tablespoonful of sugar in them; tablespoonful fine chopped onion, and a teaspoonful thyme, a small stalk of celery, chopped fine, ¼ pound butter and 2 two tablespoonfuls of flour, mixed in a stewpan; this must be placed together with the liquor from the clams, thyme, celery, onions, tomatoes, and ½ pint of cream. Let all boil together; season with pepper and salt, mace, and nutmeg to taste. Just before dishing up put in the clams. Let it boil up once.