entrees.

Under these circumstances it must necessarily follow that a light soup
should begin the dinner, and _vice versa_; for large parties, one light
and one heavy soup is always in order.

There is as much art in arranging a bill of fare and harmonizing the
peculiarities of the various dishes, as there is in preparing the colors
for a painting; the soup represents the pivot upon which harmony
depends.

Soups may be divided into four classes: clear, thick, purees or bisques,
and chowders. A puree is made by rubbing the cooked ingredients through
a fine sieve; an ordinary thick soup is made by adding various
thickening ingredients to the soup stock; clear soups are, properly
speaking, the juices of meats, served in a convenient and appetizing
form.

Chowders are quite distinct from the foregoing, being compounds of an
infinite variety of fish, flesh, fowl, or vegetables, in proportions to
suit the fluctuating ideas of the cook; the object sought is to prepare
a thick, highly seasoned compound, without reducing the ingredients to
the consistency of a puree.

* * * * *

SOUP STOCK.--The word stock when used in cooking means the foundation or
basis upon which soups and sauces depend; it is therefore the most
important part of soup making. Care should be exercised that nothing in
the least tainted or decayed enters the stock pot; it is very desirable
that soup stock be prepared a day or two before it is wanted; the
seasoning should be added in moderation at first, as it is difficult to
restore a soup that has been damaged by over seasoning.

Milk or cream should be boiled and strained and added hot when intended
for soups; when eggs are used beat them thoroughly, and add while the
soup is hot. Should they be added when the soup is boiling, they are
very apt to separate, and give the soup the appearance of having
curdled; the best plan is to beat up the egg with a little of the warm
soup, then add it to the soup gradually.

In summer, soup stock should be boiled from day to day, if kept any
length of time, else it may become sour: should this happen, add a piece
of charcoal to the soup, boil, cool, and strain into freshly scalded
earthen or porcelain-lined ware. On no account allow the soup stock to
become cold in an iron pot or saucepan.

TO MAKE BEEF STOCK.--Take six pounds of soup meat, cut it up into good
sized pieces, break the bones into small pieces, place them in the stock
pot, and