Part 198 (1/2)

TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES WHOLE.

1596. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1-1/2 lb. of good loaf sugar, 1 pint of red-currant juice.

_Mode_.--Choose the strawberries not too ripe, of a fine large sort and of a good colour. Pick off the stalks, lay the strawberries in a dish, and sprinkle over them half the quant.i.ty of sugar, which must be finely pounded. Shake the dish gently, that the sugar may be equally distributed and touch the under-side of the fruit, and let it remain for 1 day. Then have ready the currant-juice, drawn as for red-currant jelly No. 1533; boil it with the remainder of the sugar until it forms a thin syrup, and in this simmer the strawberries and sugar, until the whole is sufficiently jellied. Great care must be taken not to stir the fruit roughly, as it should be preserved as whole as possible. Strawberries prepared in this manner are very good served in gla.s.ses and mixed with thin cream.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to 20 minutes to simmer the strawberries in the syrup.

_Seasonable_ in June and July.

TO MAKE EVERTON TOFFEE.

1597. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of powdered loaf sugar, 1 teacupful of water, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 6 drops of essence of lemon.

_Mode_.--Put the water and sugar into a bra.s.s pan, and beat the b.u.t.ter to a cream. When the sugar is dissolved, add the b.u.t.ter, and keep stirring the mixture over the fire until it sets, when a little is poured on to a b.u.t.tered dish; and just before the toffee is done, add the essence of lemon. b.u.t.ter a dish or tin, pour on it the mixture, and when cool, it will easily separate from the dish. b.u.t.ter-Scotch, an excellent thing for coughs, is made with brown, instead of white sugar, omitting the water, and flavoured with 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger. It is made in the same manner as toffee.

_Time_.--18 to 35 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ to make a lb. of toffee.

DESSERT DISHES.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISH OF NUTS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOX OF FRENCH PLUMS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISH OF MIXED FRUIT.]

1598. The tazza, or dish with stem, the same as that shown in our ill.u.s.trations, is now the favourite shape for dessert-dishes. The fruit can be arranged and shown to better advantage on these tall high dishes than on the short flat ones. All the dishes are now usually placed down the centre of the table, dried and fresh fruit alternately, the former being arranged on small round or oval gla.s.s plates, and the latter on the dishes with stems. The fruit should always be gathered on the same day that it is required for table, and should be tastefully arranged on the dishes, with leaves between and round it. By purchasing fruits that are in season, a dessert can be supplied at a very moderate cost. These, with a few fancy biscuits, crystallized fruit, bon-bons, &c., are sufficient for an ordinary dessert. When fresh fruit cannot be obtained, dried and foreign fruits, compotes, baked pears, stewed Normandy pippins, &c. &c., must supply its place, with the addition of preserves, bon-bons, cakes, biscuits, &c. At fas.h.i.+onable tables, forced fruit is served growing in pots, these pots being hidden in more ornamental ones, and arranged with the other dishes.--(See coloured plate W1.) A few vases of fresh flowers, tastefully arranged, add very much to the appearance of the dessert; and, when these are not obtainable, a few paper ones, mixed with green leaves, answer very well as a subst.i.tute.

In decorating a table, whether for luncheon, dessert, or supper, a vase or two of flowers should never be forgotten, as they add so much to the elegance of the _tout ensemble_. In summer and autumn, ladies residing in the country can always manage to have a few freshly-gathered flowers on their tables, and should never be without this inexpensive luxury. On the continent, vases or epergnes filled with flowers are invariably placed down the centre of the dinner-table at regular distances. Ices for dessert are usually moulded: when this is not the case, they are handed round in gla.s.ses with wafers to accompany them. Preserved ginger is frequently handed round after ices, to prepare the palate for the delicious dessert wines. A basin or gla.s.s of finely-pounded lump sugar must never be omitted at a dessert, as also a gla.s.s jug of fresh cold water (iced, if possible), and two goblets by its side. Grape-scissors, a melon-knife and fork, and nutcrackers, should always be put on table, if there are dishes of fruit requiring them. Zests are sometimes served at the close of the dessert; such as anchovy toasts or biscuits. The French often serve plain or grated cheese with a dessert of fresh or dried fruit. At some tables, finger-gla.s.ses are placed at the right of each person, nearly half filled with cold spring water, and in winter with tepid water. These precede the dessert. At other tables, a gla.s.s or vase is simply handed round, filled with perfumed water, into which each guest dips the corner of his napkin, and, when needful, refreshes his lips and the tips of his fingers.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOX OF CHOCOLATE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISH OF APPLES.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ALMONDS AND RAISINS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISH OF STRAWBERRIES.]

After the dishes are placed, and every one is provided with plates, gla.s.ses, spoons, &c., the wine should be put at each end of the table, cooled or otherwise, according to the season. If the party be small, the wine may be placed only at the top of the table, near the host.

DISH OF NUTS.

1599. These are merely arranged piled high in the centre of the dish, as shown in the engraving, with or without leaves round the edge. Filberts should always be served with the outer skin or husk on them; and walnuts should be well wiped with a damp cloth, and then--with a dry one, to remove the unpleasant sticky feeling the sh.e.l.ls frequently have.