Raspberries, Cream, and Cake.
When you can give an uncooked dessert, which is more palatable and more wholesome than a cooked one, and that costs no more, it is wise policy to avail yourself of the consequent lightening of your labors, especially in hot weather. Except when it is necessary to deviate from the rule in order to secure the requisite variety, let cold desserts be the order of the day in your bills of fare, while the “heated term” lasts.
First Week. Wednesday.
French Potage.
- 2 lbs. lean beef.
- 2 lbs. of lean veal.
- ¼ lb. of lean ham.
- 1 sliced onion.
- Chopped sweet herbs.
- 12 large prunes.
- Pepper and salt.
- 2 tablespoonfuls of butter.
- 2 tablespoonfuls soaked granulated tapioca.
- 5 quarts of water.
Put the veal, cut into strips, and the sliced onion, into a soup-pot with the butter, and simmer, stirring constantly, until they are coated with a brown glaze. They must not scorch. Now pour in one quart of boiling water; cover, and stew half an hour. Check the boil suddenly with a gallon of cold water, and put in beef, ham, and herbs. Cover again, and boil gently three hours. Take out the strips of veal, beef, and ham, when you have strained off the water, and pulp the onion. Set aside half the stock, highly seasoned, with the meat in it, for to-morrow. Skim the fat from the rest, season, and put back over the fire with the prunes, stoned, and cut into thirds, after being well washed. Simmer half an hour, put in the tapioca; cook until this is clear, and pour out.
Beef à la Mode.
For full and explicit directions concerning this dish please refer—to spare me work, time, and space—to Sunday, Second Week in May.