butter, and a little salt; set it over the fire for
two or three minutes.

ROAST PIG. A sucking pig for roasting, should be put into cold water for
a few minutes, as soon as it is killed. Then rub it over with a little
rosin finely powdered, and put it into a pail of scalding water half a
minute. Take it out, lay it on a table, and pull off the hair as quickly
as possible: if any part does not come off, put it in again. When quite
clean from hair, wash it well in warm water, and then in two or three
cold waters, that no flavour of the rosin may remain. Take off all the
feet at the first joint, make a slit down the belly, and take out the
entrails: put the liver, heart, and lights to the feet. Wash the pig
well in cold water, dry it thoroughly, and fold it in a wet cloth to
keep it from the air. When thus scalded and prepared for roasting, put
into the belly a mixture of chopped sage, bread crumbs, salt and pepper,
and sow it up. Lay it down to a brisk fire till thoroughly dry; then
have ready some butter in a dry cloth, and rub the pig with it in every
part. Dredge over it as much flour as will lie on, and do not touch it
again till it is ready for the table. Then scrape off the flour very
carefully with a blunt knife, rub it well with the buttered cloth, and
take off the head while it is at the fire. Take out the brains, and mix
them with the gravy that comes from the pig. The legs should be skewered
back before roasting, or the under part will not be crisp. Take it up
when done, and without drawing the spit, cut it down the back and belly,
lay it into the dish, mince the sage and bread very fine, and mix them
with a large quantity of good melted butter that has very little flour.
Pour the sauce into the dish after the pig has been split down the back,
and garnish with the ears and the two jaws: take off the upper part of
the head down to the snout. In Devonshire it is served up whole, if very
small; the head only being cut off to garnish the dish.--Another way.
Spit your pig, and lay it down to a clear fire, kept good at both ends:
put into the belly a few sage leaves, a little pepper and salt, a little
crust of bread, and a bit of butter, then sew up the belly; flour him
all over very well, and do so till the eyes begin to start. When you
find the skin is tight and crisp, and the eyes are dropped, put two
plates into the dripping pan, to save what gravy comes from him: put a
quarter of a pound of butter into a clean