The meat from which beef tea has been prepared will make good stock, or be excellent if properly treated for the dinner of the family, who, be it remembered, have the chief of the nourishment in the fibre.
It is important in the preparation of beef tea to preserve the fine flavour of the meat, and to use such scrupulously clean vessels that no foreign taste can be imparted to it. The shin of beef should not be chosen for this purpose, for it gives more gelatine than juice. The best part is beefsteak or the neck; the first will yield the most gravy, and does not cost above 2d. per lb. more than the coarser portion of the ox.
The idea that beef tea should be boiled a long time in order to extract all the goodness of the meat is a mistaken one, for the gelatinous matter thus gained is of comparatively little value, whilst the delicate aroma of the tea is lost by long boiling.
Gruel.—Made as it should be, gruel is rarely disliked, and is more nourishing, and in many cases to be preferred to arrowroot—a thing most difficult to procure genuine, and very expensive. Made thin, as is customary, it is a comfort in sickness, is soothing to the stomach, and gives warmth to the body; made thick as a porridge it is the most nourishing of cereal foods. Robinson’s Embden groats, and Robinson’s patent groats, prepared by Keen, Robinson, and Bellville, are the only kinds of which gruel can be properly made. They are entirely free from the acrid flavour which is so disagreeable in inferior preparations of oatmeal, make a most nourishing and digestible gruel, with the advantage of being easily and rapidly served up—if made from the patent groats, the Embden takes longer—ten minutes only being required in the process of cooking. Robinson’s Embden groats were introduced about the year 1764 by Mr. Martin Robinson as an improvement upon the “whole gritts” then in use. In 1823 letters patent were taken out for a greater improvement known as Robinson’s Patent groats, now in use in all parts of the world. Take of the patent groats one tablespoonful, mix into a smooth paste of the consistence of cream with a wineglassful of cold water, pour this into a stewpan containing nearly a pint of boiling water or milk, stir the gruel on the fire while it boils for ten minutes; pour into a basin, add a pinch of salt and a little butter, or if more agreeable some sugar, and a small quantity of spirits if allowed. If made with water, milk or cream can be added afterwards.
A delicious substitute for gruel is made as follows: 1 oz. each rice, sago, and pearl barley; put 3 pints water, and boil gently for 3 hours, when the liquor should be reduced to 1 qt. Strain it in exactly the same manner as groat gruel, and flavour with wine, brandy, or anything else that may be suitable. If made a little thicker, say with 1½ oz. each ingredient to 3 pints water, a jelly will be produced, which may be eaten cold with sugar, fruit, syrups, or preserve.
Arrowroot.—(a) To make plain water arrowroot, with an Etna, put on ½ pint water to boil in the saucepan; mix, in a cup, 1 dessertspoonful arrowroot with a little water; pour the mixture into the boiling water, and cook it for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time.
(b) Milk arrowroot is prepared exactly in the same manner. Some persons affirm that arrowroot should never be boiled, or it will lose its astringent qualities. In some particular cases, when strong astringents are needed, it should not be boiled, and should only have boiling water or milk poured upon it; but when the digestion is weak, it is better for the patient to take arrowroot cooked. Sifted sugar may be added according to taste; and in water arrowroot a little wine or brandy is generally given.
Pastry and Bread.—Any fat that is greatly heated decomposes, and gives rise to certain fatty acids that are sure to disagree with delicate persons. That is the reason why pastry and fried food are unfitted for invalids. Very plain pastry, made light with baking powder, is sometimes admissible; but a small egg or milk loaf with the inside taken out, and baked crisp and hot, is a much better substitute. Sponge cake is best of all cakes, because it is made without any butter. Bread should not be new, but may be baked crisp in the oven. Crust is often more digestible than crumb. A change in bread is easy to arrange; if it is only a change of shape, it is better than monotony. A French roll, loaves of baking powder bread, brown and white pulled bread, crisp biscuits, are easy to get in most places.
Puddings.—(a) Boil ½ pint milk with cinnamon, lemon, and bay leaves; add 2 oz. sugar, 1 oz. flour, a little salt, and 3 eggs; beat all together, and steam this custard in a plain mould or basin, previously spread inside with butter; when done firm and quite cold cut into square pieces and dip in frying batter; drop separately in boiling fat, and fry a light brown colour, and dish them up on a napkin. (b) 6 oz. finely-grated bread, 6 oz. currants, 6 oz. sugar, 6 eggs, 6 apples, some lemon peel and nutmeg; let it boil 3 hours. (c) Weight of 2 eggs in butter, which beat to a cream, same weight of flour, same of pounded white sugar, the grated rind and juice of 2 lemons; bake ½ hour in a small flat pie-dish, with a rim of paste round the edge, serve with sifted sugar on the top, and send up very hot. (d) ½ lb. best beef suet, ½ lb. grated breadcrumbs, ½ lb. beaten white sugar, 3 eggs, well beaten and strained; the grated rind and juice of a large lemon, stick a mould with raisins, pour in the mixture, boil 2 hours.