FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119  
120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>   >|  
auce, of which only a spoonful may be relish enough for a plate of insipid viands. (See _obs._ to No. 355.) However, we fancy these large quantities of wine, &c. are oftener ordered in cookery books than used in the kitchen: practical cooks have the health of their employers too much at heart, and love "_sauce a la langue_" too well to overwine their soup, &c. Truffles and morels[95-*] are also set down as a part of most receipts. These, in their green state, have a very rich high flavour, and are delicious additions to some dishes, or sent up as a stew by themselves when they are fresh and fine; but in this state they are not served up half a dozen times in a year at the first tables in the kingdom: when dried they become mere "_chips in pottage_," and serve only to soak up good gravy, from which they take more taste than they give. The art of composing a rich soup is so to proportion the several ingredients one to another, that no particular taste be stronger than the rest, but to produce such a fine harmonious relish that the whole is delightful. This requires that judicious combination of the materials which constitutes the "_chef d'oeuvre_" of culinary science. In the first place, take care that the roots and herbs be perfectly well cleaned; proportion the water to the quantity of meat and other ingredients, generally a pound of meat to a quart of water for soups, and double that quantity for gravies. If they stew gently, little more water need be put in at first than is expected at the end; for when the pot is covered quite close, and the fire gentle, very little is wasted. Gentle stewing is incomparably the best; the meat is more tender, and the soup better flavoured. It is of the first importance that the cover of a soup-kettle should fit very close, or the broth will evaporate before you are aware of it. The most essential parts are soon evaporated by quick boiling, without any benefit, except to fatten the fortunate cook who inhales them. An evident proof that these exhalations[96-*] possess the most restorative qualities is, that THE COOK, who is in general the least eater, is, as generally, the _fattest_ person in the family, from continually being surrounded by the quintessence of all the food she dresses; whereof she sends to HER MASTER only the fibres and calcinations, who is consequently _thin_, _gouty_, and the victim of diseases arising from insufficient nourishment. It is not only the _fib
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119  
120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

proportion

 

ingredients

 

generally

 
relish
 
quantity
 

flavoured

 
evaporate
 

kettle

 

importance

 

wasted


gravies
 

double

 

gently

 

perfectly

 

cleaned

 
expected
 

Gentle

 

stewing

 

incomparably

 
gentle

covered

 
tender
 

quintessence

 

dresses

 

whereof

 

surrounded

 

fattest

 
person
 

family

 

continually


arising

 

diseases

 

insufficient

 

nourishment

 

victim

 

fibres

 

MASTER

 

calcinations

 

general

 

benefit


fatten

 

fortunate

 

boiling

 

essential

 

evaporated

 

inhales

 
restorative
 

possess

 

qualities

 

exhalations