§ XLII.
Meat, Game, Poultry, Fish.
Meat which has in the preparatory dressing, as well as the boiling it received in the water-bath, received its due quantity of cooking, will, when it is taken to be used, require only to be properly warmed in order to produce both soup and meat (potage et bouilli).
For the sake of greater economy, and to lessen the number of bottles and jars wanted, it is better to make in the first instance a good gravy as already pointed out by me. For both the beef and the gravy need only to be warmed, and by adding one half or two-thirds of water to the gravy a good soup is provided.
In this manner, a bottle containing a litre of gravy may, by adding two litres of boiling water to it at the moment that it is to be used, and adding a little salt, furnish a dozen good messes. Thus it is easy at a very slight expence to keep a little stock of provisions against an emergency and hot weather, when it is so difficult to procure them, more especially in the country.
All meat, poultry, game, and fish, which have received three-fourths of their dressing in the preparatory process, and the remainder in the water-bath, as already pointed out, may, when taken out of the vessels, be heated to the proper degree in order to be instantly served at table. If, for instance, the substance taken from the bottle or jar, had not received either enough previous dressing, or enough heat from the water-bath; it is immediately put on the fire in order to supply what is deficient. Consequently, when the operator has taken due care in making his preparations, having properly seasoned and dressed them, the use to be made of them afterwards, will at all events be easy and convenient; for on the one hand they will need only to be warmed, and on the other hand, they may, if necessary, be eaten cold.
Substances thus prepared and preserved, do not, as might be imagined, require to be consumed as soon as they are opened. Provisions may be used from a vessel eight or ten days after it has been uncorked,[P] care being taken only to replace the cork as soon as the necessary part of the provision has been taken out. Besides, it is easy to regulate the size of the vessels from one to twenty-five litres or more, according to the rapidity of the expected consumption.