very satisfactory substitute[220-*] for "the
far-fetch'd and dear-bought" turtle; which is entirely indebted for its
title of "sovereign of savouriness," to the rich soup with which it is
surrounded.

Without its paraphernalia of subtle double relishes, a "starved turtle,"
has not more intrinsic sapidity than a "fatted calf." Friendly reader,
it is really neither half so wholesome, nor half so toothsome. See
Essence of Turtle, No. 343*, and _Obs._ to No. 493. To warm this soup,
see No. 485.

To season it, to each gallon of soup put two table-spoonfuls of
lemon-juice, see No. 407*, same of mushroom catchup (No. 439), and one
of essence of anchovy (No. 433), half a pint of wine (this should be
Madeira, or, if you wish to darken the colour of your soup, claret), a
tea-spoonful of curry powder (No. 455), or a quarter of a drachm of
Cayenne, and the peel of a lemon pared as thin as possible; let it
simmer five minutes more, take out the lemon-peel, and the soup is ready
for the tureen.

While the soup is doing, prepare for each tureen a dozen and a half of
mock turtle forcemeat balls (to make these, see No. 375 or No. 376, No.
390 to No. 396); we prefer the stuffing ordered in No. 61, and a dozen
egg balls; and put them into the tureen. Brain balls, or cakes, are a
very elegant addition, and are made by boiling the brains for ten
minutes, then putting them in cold water, and cutting them into pieces
about as big as a large nutmeg; take savoury, or lemon-thyme dried and
finely-powdered, nutmeg grated, and pepper and salt, and pound them all
together; beat up an egg, dip the brains in it, and then roll them in
this mixture, and make as much of it as possible stick to them; dip them
in the egg again, and then in finely-grated and sifted bread-crumbs; fry
them in hot fat, and send them up as a side-dish.

A veal sweetbread, prepared as in No. 89, not too much done or it will
break, cut into pieces the same size as you cut the calf's head, and put
in the soup, just to get warm before it goes to table, is a superb
"_bonne bouche_;" and pickled tongue, stewed till very tender, and cut
into mouthfuls, is a favourite addition. We order the meat to be cut
into mouthfuls, that it may be eaten with a spoon: the knife and fork
have no business in a soup-plate.

*.* Some of our culinary contemporaries order the haut gout of this (as
above directed, sufficiently relishing) soup to be combustibled and
bedevilled with a copious additio