Chop celery; cook in water until tender. Cook onion and mace in milk twenty minutes; strain. Melt butter; add flour and seasonings. Combine celery and milk mixtures, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, cook five minutes and serve.

Note.—Pieces of celery not suitable for the table may be utilized for this soup. The leaves and root of celery make a very good soup.

Chestnut Soup

Cook chestnuts in cold water until tender, press through a sieve, and add scalded milk. Cook onion in butter five minutes, add flour, seasonings and chestnut mixture. Cook five minutes, add cream, strain and serve.

Note.—To shell chestnuts, make a cross on either side of the nut with a sharp knife. Put one teaspoon melted butter in dripping pan; add chestnuts and cook in oven until shells come off easily.

Cucumber Soup

Chop cucumbers and celery; add onion and pepper; cook in milk in double boiler twenty minutes. Add flour and butter cooked together, and seasonings. Cook five minutes, strain, add cream, reheat and serve.