Part 164 (1/2)

Take of senna leaves and manna a quarter of an ounce of each, and pour over them a pint of boiling water; when the strength is abstracted, pour the infusion over from a quarter to half a pound of prunes and two large tablespoonfuls of West India mola.s.ses. Stew the whole slowly until the liquid is nearly absorbed. When cold it can be eaten with bread and b.u.t.ter, without detecting the senna, and is excellent for children when costive.

2090. Discipline of Children.

Children should not be allowed to ask for the same thing twice. This may be accomplished by parents, teacher, or whoever may happen to have the management of them, paying attention to their little wants, if proper, at once, when possible. Children should be instructed to understand that when they are not answered immediately, it is because it is not convenient. Let them learn patience by waiting.

[CARE IN SUMMER, COMFORT IN WINTER.]

2091. My Wife's Little Tea Parties.

My wife is celebrated for her little parties,--not tea parties alone, but dinner parties, pic-nic parties, music parties, supper parties--in fact, she is vhe life and soul of ALL PARTIES, which is more than any leading politician of the day can boast. But her great _forte_ is her little tea parties--praised and enjoyed by everybody. A constant visitor at these little parties is Mrs. Hitching (spoken of elsewhere), and before a certain epoch in her life (_See par._ 215) she was wont to remark that she ”never knew _h_any one who understood the _h_art of bringing so many _h_elegancies together” as my wife.

n.o.body makes tea like her, and how she makes it she will impart at a future time. But for her little ”nick nacks,” as she calls them, which give a variety and a charm to the tea-table without trenching too deeply upon our own pocket, she has been kind enough to give a few receipts upon the present occasion.

2092. Good Plum Cake.

One pound of flour, quarter of a pound of b.u.t.ter, quarter of a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of currants, three eggs, half a pint of milk, and a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda or baking powder.

The above is excellent. The cakes are always baked in a common earthen _flower-pot saucer_, which is a very good plan.

2093. Gingerbread Snaps.

One pound of flour, half a pound of treacle, half a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of b.u.t.ter, half an ounce of best prepared ginger, sixteen drops of essence of lemon, potash the size of a nut dissolved in a tablespoonful of hot water.

2094. Drop Cakes.

One pint of flour, half a pound of b.u.t.ter, quarter of a pound of pounded lump sugar, half a nutmeg grated, a handful of currants, two eggs, and a large pinch of carbonate of soda, or a little baking powder. To be baked in a slack oven for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. The above quant.i.ty will make about thirty excellent cakes.

2095. A very Nice and Cheap Cake.

Two pounds and a half of flour, three quarters of a pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter, half a pound of currants or quarter of a pound of raisins, quarter of a pound of orange peel, two ounces of caraway seeds, half an ounce of ground cinnamon or ginger, four teaspoonfuls of carbonate of soda or some baking powder; mixed well, with rather better than a pint of new milk. The b.u.t.ter must be well melted previous to being mixed with the ingredients.

2096. ”Jersey Wonders.”

The oddity of these ”wonders” consists solely in the manner of cooking, and the shape consequent. Take two pounds of flour, six ounces of b.u.t.ter, six ounces of white sugar, a little nutmeg, ground ginger, and lemon peel; beat eight eggs, and knead them all well together; a taste of brandy will be an improvement. Roll the paste into a long ma.s.s about the thickness of your wrist; cut off a slice and roll it into an oval, about four inches long and three inches wide, not too thin; cut two slits in it, but not through either end, there will then be three bands. Pa.s.s the left one through the aperture to the right, and throw it into a _bra.s.s_ or _bell-metal_ skillet of BOILING lard or beef or mutton dripping. You may cook three or four at a time. In about two minutes turn them with a fork, and you will find them browned, and swollen or risen in two or three minutes more.

Remove them from the pan to a dish, when they will dry and cool.

[THEY MUST HUNGER IN FROST WHO WILL NOT WORK IN HEAT.]

2097. m.u.f.fins.

Add a pint and a half of good ale yeast (from pale malt, if possible) to a bushel of the very best white flour; let the yeast lie all night in water, then pour off the water quite clear; heat two gallons of water just milk-warm, and mix the water, yeast, and two ounces of salt well together for about a quarter of an hour. Strain the whole, and mix up your dough as light as possible, letting it lie in the trough an hour to rise; next roll it with your hand, pulling it into little pieces about the size of a large walnut. These must be rolled out thin with a rolling-pin, in a good deal of flour, and if covered immediately with a piece of flannel, they will rise to a proper thickness; but if too large or small, dough must be added accordingly, or taken away; meanwhile, the dough must be also covered with flannel.