My Friends:
There are plenty of receipt books in this country, that direct as to the kind of ingredients for food, and as to the proper quantities; but no knowledge of receipts can ever make a good cook.
The great art of good cooking is taking care. Take care that your fire is not too hot, nor too low—that your oven is not too hot, nor too cold—that your bread is not too much raised, nor too little; that your mixtures have not too much, nor too little of any particular ingredient.—It is care, care, watch, watch, that alone can secure the art of cooking well. And there are few persons whose business it is to cook, who view their duty on this subject in a proper light. To illustrate1 my meaning, I will give an example. The domestic of a family in which I have [194]resided, was remarkable2 for always having good bread, at all seasons, even when the hot weather spoiled all other yeast3 but hers.
And such light, such sweet, such beautiful looking bread rarely is seen. Now the amount of pleasure and comfort given to this family by this one thing, few would appreciate. The master of the house always seemed to rejoice at every new baking, in seeing his family so well supplied. His wife always seemed pleased when her husband, children, and visitors praised the bread, and every member of the family, at every meal, felt a sort of satisfaction every time they looked at the bread plate. Now multiply these comfortable feelings at each meal, by the number of all the family, and then by the number of meals in a year, and what a large amount of enjoyment4 was thus made, simply by taking care always to have good bread! Change this bread to merely tolerable bread, and how much enjoyment would be lost!—Turn it to heavy and sour bread, and then how much discomfort6 would take the place of enjoyment!
[195] Now is it not God who gives us all the common comforts of life, and do we not thank and praise him for them? And is it not worthy7 the aim of his creatures to follow his example, in contributing to the daily enjoyment of a family? And ought we not to dignify8 and ennoble all the common cares of life, by regarding ourselves, as co-workers with God in providing for the comfort and enjoyment of his creatures?
This view of the subject teaches us the true meaning of the direction: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Now the glory of God consists in that perfect benevolence10 of his character, which leads him always to find pleasure in providing for the comfort, and caring for the happiness of his creatures. And the more happiness is made, the more his glory is promoted. And the more we labour to promote the comfort and enjoyment of others, the more we are becoming like him, and are promoting his glory. Thus, in the humblest of all positions, every one of us can do something to add to the stock of happiness, which exhibits the glory of God, as the [196]author of all being, and the source of all enjoyment.
Now it is much to be lamented12, that people should fancy that there are some particular ways of doing good, that are especially acceptable to God. This is not so. It is the temper of mind, that God looks at and approves, and not the particular thing done.—A woman may go about and visit the poor, and give money to send education and the gospel to others, with very little self-denial, and perhaps from the mere5 love of the credit thus gained. And in this case, in God’s sight, the offering is of little value. But the domestic, who in her humblest employments, goes about trying to do every thing in the best manner, aiming thus to serve God, by promoting the comfort of his creatures—she is the one who receives his approving smile—she is the one who, whatever she does, is doing all “for the glory of God.” I wish all who read this would thus regard their daily pursuits in the kitchen, and then they will not feel, as too many in humble11 circumstances are apt to do, that they have no way in which they can serve God, or [197]do much good in the world. None of us can tell who does the most, or the least good. God appoints each one of us our lot, and requires all to do what they can, to complete the great sum of enjoyment, which He designs to secure. And the great thing for each to aim at is, not to have some great thing to do, but to possess that benevolent13 and submissive temper of mind that will rejoice to do good, wherever God appoints the place.
In the first of Corinthians, you will find a chapter in which “charity” is described. Now when the Bible was translated from the Greek 200 years ago, this word “charity” meant what the word benevolence means now, and we should so understand it. In this chapter you find it thus written: “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, (that is, benevolence,) I am nothing. And though I bestow14 all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity—it profiteth me nothing.”
Now this is the very thing I have been explaining.[198] A person may be the most learned person in the world, and may give all he has to feed the poor, and even suffer martyrdom for the sake of religion, and yet be destitute15 of that temper of true benevolence that makes him like God. All these great things may be done from a mere love of show, or the desire of applause, and then they are nothing in the sight of God.
But that patient, humble, kind, gentle, benevolent temper of mind, that loves to serve God and do good to man, in all circumstances, and at all times, this is precious in the sight of God. And this temper of mind can be cherished and exhibited, as much in the kitchen as it can in the pulpit.—It can be shown, as much in providing food for a family, as it can in those schemes of benevolence which send missionaries16 and Bibles to heathen lands.
And though it is the duty of all Christians17 to feel an interest in the spread of that blessed religion, which brings so much hope and comfort to us, and though we ought all of us to contribute something from our stock for this merciful and heavenly object, yet we ought to feel that this is only one way of showing our benevolent [199]feelings, and that we can have but a few chances of this kind in a year. But it is in every day life that we can all the time be showing forth18 the temper of benevolence. And here it is that Jesus Christ looks to see, whether or not, we are gaining that self-denying, benevolent, and submissive spirit, that alone can prepare us for His heavenly kingdom.
I will now point out some particulars in your every day duties, that demand special attention.
There is no one article of cooking, that is so important as good bread, for this is the chief dependence19 for food in most families, and the health of a family very much depends upon it. Poor bread is always unhealthy. There are three things that are requisite20 to secure good bread, viz. good flour, good yeast, and good care. The best kind of flour has a very white or a yellowish tinge21, and the poorest looks as if ashes were mixed with it. Good flour too packs closely, and does not fly about easily. Grown flour makes bread that runs, and will not rise well. It is best always to try flour [200]in one or two batches22, before getting a whole barrel.
Many persons secure good yeast the year round, by making yeast cakes. There are others who have tried them and do not like them. These are made by mixing Indian meal in a quart or two of the best yeast, till it is thick enough to work up into round cakes about three quarters of an inch thick, and two or three inches in diameter. These are dried in the sun, or what is better, in a drying wind. They are then kept in a bag, in a place where it is not damp, and where they will not freeze.
In using them, take one cake for a large batch23 of bread, and soak it in milk and water through the night, and then use it like common yeast. This yeast is good for hot weather when yeast spoils so often. The best time for making yeast cakes is in May and October, and they will keep six months or more. Success all depends on having the best of yeast for making the cakes.
Those who have most success in making bread, are very particular in heating their oven [201]exactly right. For this purpose they have oven wood kept in a pile by itself, and the sticks of nearly equal size. They then find out by trial, how many sticks heat the oven just right. Afterwards, they always use this number, and thus they are saved from much watching, and from many mistakes in baking.
Great care is needful also to put the bread in at just the right time. If the bread does not stand to rise long enough, it is too solid, either for health, or pleasure in eating. If it stands too long, it loses much of its sweetness, even if it does not become sour. A great deal of light and nice looking bread is not good, because it has lost its sweetness by being raised too much. The exactly right notch24 can only be found by trying, and after a while a cook will learn to know by the looks of the dough25 when it is just right.
Always smell of the dough, and if there is the least sourness, knead some dissolved pearlash in, and it will remove it. Nothing is worse than sour bread, and it can always be remedied by pearlash. To discover sourness, open a [202]place suddenly, and smell quickly before the gas escapes.
The following is the mode of making yeast and bread, practised by the domestic I have lived with, who makes as good bread as I ever saw.
For yeast, take a handful of hops26, boil them in two quarts of water twenty minutes, strain off and mix in about three pints28 of flour, together with half a pint27 of distillery yeast, or a pint and a half of homemade yeast. Some molasses or sugar added, hides the bitter taste of the yeast, that sometimes is perceived in bread.
For bread, take a peck of flour, sift29 it, make a hole in the centre, and put in half a pint of distillery yeast, or nearly a pint of homemade yeast. Then wet up the flour with warm milk. The bread must then be kneaded for half an hour, until it is so thick and well mixed as to cleave30 from the hands without sticking at all. Raise it till it has cracks on the top and looks light and feathery. If sour at all, knead in a great spoonful of pearlash dissolved in a teacupful of milk. When the bread is baked, set the loaves on their ends, so that the bottom [203]may not steam, and cover it with a cloth. Some persons dampen the cloth to make the crust soft. Some persons put salt in bread, others do not. When bread is not wet with milk it needs salt, and a bit of butter is also an improvement.
In cooking vegetables, much depends upon boiling them the right length of time. This is especially the case with potatoes, which next after bread are the most important item in family cooking. Success in boiling potatoes well, depends almost entirely31 on taking them out of the water just as soon as they are done so as to be soft. If they remain after this point, they become water soaked. Therefore select the potatoes all nearly of one size, and try them often with a fork. As soon as it runs in easily, pour off the water, and hang them where they will be kept hot, keeping the cover off, to let off the steam. Even when potatoes are cooked in steam, they become water soaked, if they are kept steaming after they are cooked.
A very nice way to cook potatoes for a morning dish, is to pare them raw, and cut them in thin slices into a small quantity of [204]boiling water, so that when they are cooked, most of the water will be evaporated. Then salt them and add some cream. If no cream is at hand, use some butter. Cold boiled potatoes are very nice cut in slices, and fried on a griddle in drippings. The common way of roasting potatoes is improved by peeling them when raw, and then roasting them in a Dutch oven or cooking stove. It gives the outside a fine crisp, of which many are fond.
In boiling all vegetables, first put salt in the water, say a great spoonful to a gallon. It is important to select all of a similar size that all may cook alike. Never let your pot stop boiling till they are done, as it makes them water soaked.
The following may serve as some guide as to time for boiling. Potatoes require from half to three quarters of an hour, according to the size. Cabbage requires from an hour and a half to two hours; turnips32 one hour; carrots one hour; if quite old still more time; parsnips one hour and a half; squash, when cut up, half an hour; pumpkins33 cut up one hour; green corn one hour; beets34 from two to three hours; Lima [205]beans one hour; peas three quarters of an hour; if old, sugar and a little pearlash improve them; onions three quarters of an hour; asparagus half an hour; rice three quarters of an hour, pour off the water in thirty minutes and add some milk, and be sure and salt it enough. Hommony requires two quarts of water to one quart of hommony, and it must be boiled five hours. Eggs require three minutes when there are few eggs and much water, and four or five minutes when there are many eggs and little water. Eggs cook, in a tin boiler35, in five or six minutes after the boiling water is poured on them, if the boiler is first scalded. Vegetables boil much sooner when young and tender, and judgment36 must be used in varying time. Always try all vegetables with a fork to see when they are done.
Coffee should boil not more than ten minutes. In making tea, first scald the teapot, then put in one teaspoonful37 of tea for each person, and be sure that the water boils when poured on. Tea is injured by standing38 long to draw.
In preparing vegetables for the table, always have the dishes to receive them warmed, [206]and never let any water remain in the bottom of the dish, and always wipe the edge of the dish clean with a damp cloth before carrying it to the table. Always contrive39 to have vegetables hot when carried to the table. If potatoes are old and watery40, peel them before boiling; the moment they are done, pour off the water and hang them to dry a few minutes. Then empty them into a clean brown towel and shake them about in it. This makes them dry and mealy, as the towel absorbs much moisture from them. Potatoes are improved by mashing41, putting in milk and butter and then baking them. Turnips when old and not sweet, are very much improved by mashing and squeezing the water out, and then adding a little white sugar. Be sure and squeeze the water thoroughly42 out of cabbage. Put your vegetables in nice order in the dishes, and set them on the table in a regular way.
In regard to cooking meats, very much depends, in roasting, on the size of the fire, on the heat of the weather, and on whether the meat is fresh killed or not; for meat cooks faster in warm than in cold weather, and fresh [207]killed meat is longer cooking than meat that has been kept. Of course much depends on the care and judgment of a cook, but as some calculation must be made beforehand, as to how much time each article will require, the following may be of service as a guide. Boil a chicken twenty-five minutes; a hen forty minutes; a small turkey an hour and a half; a large one two hours; a leg of mutton of nine lbs. two hours and a half; a neck two hours; a piece of lamb weighing five lbs. two hours; a half round of salt beef three hours; pickled pork, soak six hours, and boil a piece weighing seven or eight lbs. three hours and a half. Boil two pounds of bacon one hour and a half. To cook ham, soak it through the night, then put it in cold water, heat it slowly for an hour, then let it simmer gently four or five hours, if it weighs as much as fifteen pounds. Soak tongues over night, put them in cold water and boil them slowly four or five hours. Try with a fork to see when they are done.
All boiling of meats should be done by simmering, for a galloping43 boil takes out both [208]sweetness and tenderness. Leaving cooked meat in the water lessens44 its flavour and sweetness.
Roasting may be regulated somewhat by the following directions. Roast a sirloin of fifteen lbs. three hours and a half. Ribs45 of beef the same.
Mutton is very much improved by long keeping, and all meat is better when not fresh killed. Roast a leg of mutton of eight lbs. two hours; the chine, or saddle weighing ten lbs. two and a half hours; a shoulder of seven lbs. one and a half hours; a loin, one and three quarter hours; the breast one hour and fifteen minutes; a leg and part of the loin weighing fifteen lbs. three and a half.
Veal46. Roast the fillet weighing sixteen lbs. five hours; a stuffed loin three hours; a shoulder three hours; a neck two hours; the breast two hours.
Lamb. Hind47 quarter of eight lbs. one and three quarter hours; fore9 quarter of ten lbs. two hours; a leg of five lbs. one and a half hours; a shoulder one hour; ribs one and a quarter; neck one hour; breast three quarters of an hour.
[209] Pork. Leg of eight lbs. three hours; sparerib of nine lbs. three hours; a thin sparerib one and a quarter; a loin of five lbs. two hours. A three weeks old pig one and three quarter hours.
Fowls48. A turkey—let it warm for half an hour, then roast a large one three hours, a middle size two hours; a small one, one and a half hours. A large hen one and a quarter hours; a middle size hen one hour; small chicken forty minutes. A goose, from one and a half, to one and three quarters.
A duck from one half to three quarters of an hour. The more you baste49 in roasting the more you improve the flavour of the meat.
In broiling50, cut the slices three quarters of an inch thick. If cut thicker they brown too much before the inside is cooked. Broiling is best, done quick, and eaten soon.
A cook has great opportunities for practising economy. For this end she should visit the cellar and pantry every day, to see that all the food is safely preserved, and that all spoilt articles are removed. She should save all small bits of butter, all drippings that can be [210]used in cooking, and all grease that can be used for soap. She should preserve all good bits of bread, which can, when dry, be boiled in water or milk, to eat with butter and sugar—a favourite dish for children. Dry bread is also good for rusk puddings, and for stuffings.
Always use the dry bread before it becomes mouldy.
A cook also should practise economy in the use of fuel. Domestics are very apt to burn out far more fuel than is needful to keep themselves comfortable, or to do the cooking properly. This is very wrong, for we have no right to waste even our own things, far less to waste what belongs to another.
Remember that when our Saviour51 had power, by one word, to supply five thousand with bread, still he commanded his disciples52, “Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost.” This was done for the instruction of all who have the charge of food, or any of the bounties53 of his providence54. Remember then, that in taking care of fragments of food you are following the example of him who thinks nothing is too small for his care and attention. [211]In hot weather be careful always to cover meat from the flies. In preserving fresh meat, cut out all kernels55, and fill the holes with salt, then rub salt all over. Always keep cheese covered closely. Cake, bread and cheese are best kept in tin boxes with tight covers.
The grand maxim56 for kitchen work, as well as all other work is, “A place for every thing, and every thing in its place.” Much is gained by forming a habit of putting up things and cleaning things as fast as they are used. You will see some domestics get a kitchen in fine order, and in a couple of hours every thing will be in disorder57 again. This is because, when they make a slop they do not wipe it, when they dirty the hearth58 they do not sweep it, when they use articles they never put them in their places. Instead of this a neat and orderly person not only puts things in order, but keeps them so.
I have heard some housekeepers59 express the opinion that it was out of the question to get a domestic that was neat and orderly, and yet good tempered. It seems to be taken for [212]granted that neat habits and a sharp temper go together.
Now this is owing to the fact, that when persons are neat and orderly, it troubles them far more than it does untidy persons, to have any matters of theirs disarranged, and so they gradually acquire a habit of fretting60, or scolding.
This ought to be carefully avoided, and I hope all who read this will try and see if there cannot be at least a few, who can be neat, orderly, and yet good tempered domestics, so that it will not be said of them, as I have often heard of others, “Yes, she is very neat and orderly, but her temper is as sharp as a steel-trap.”
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illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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yeast
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| n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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dignify
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| vt.使有尊严；使崇高；给增光 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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batches
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| 一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业 | |
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batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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notch
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| n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级 | |
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dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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hops
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| 跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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pints
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| n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒 | |
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sift
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| v.筛撒，纷落，详察 | |
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cleave
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| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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pumpkins
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beets
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| 甜菜( beet的名词复数 )； 甜菜根； （因愤怒、难堪或觉得热而）脸红 | |
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boiler
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| n.锅炉；煮器(壶，锅等) | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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teaspoonful
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| n.一茶匙的量；一茶匙容量 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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mashing
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| 捣碎 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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lessens
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| 变少( lessen的第三人称单数 )； 减少（某事物） | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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veal
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| n.小牛肉 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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baste
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| v.殴打，公开责骂 | |
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broiling
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| adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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51
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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52
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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53
bounties
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| （由政府提供的）奖金( bounty的名词复数 )； 赏金； 慷慨； 大方 | |
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54
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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55
kernels
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| 谷粒( kernel的名词复数 )； 仁； 核； 要点 | |
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56
maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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57
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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58
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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59
housekeepers
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| n.（女）管家( housekeeper的名词复数 ) | |
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60
fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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