The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gastronomic Regenerator:, by Alexis Soyer This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: The Gastronomic Regenerator: a Simplified and Entirely New System of Cookery, with nearly Two Thousand Practical Receipts suited to the income of all Classes Author: Alexis Soyer Release Date: November 23, 2014 [EBook #47444] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GASTRONOMIC REGENERATOR: *** Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images available at Google Books) Every attempt has been made to replicate the original as printed. Some typographical errors have been corrected; a list follows the text. Variations in spellings have not been normalized (i.e. sweatbreads / sweetbreads, macaroons / maccarroons, chou-crout / chou-croute, semoulina / semolina, tomata / tomate / tomato, mackarel / mackerel, etc.) In certain versions of this etext, in certain browsers, clicking on this symbol will bring up a larger version of the illustration. Table of Contents General Contents (etext transcriber's note) A SIMPLIFIED AND ENTIRELY NEW SYSTEM OF COOKERY, WITH NEARLY TWO THOUSAND PRACTICAL RECEIPTS SUITED TO THE INCOME OF ALL CLASSES. ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS AND CORRECT AND MINUTE PLANS HOW KITCHENS OF EVERY SIZE, FROM THE KITCHEN OF A ROYAL PALACE TO THAT OF THE HUMBLE COTTAGE, ARE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND FURNISHED. BY MONSIEUR A. SOYER, OF THE REFORM CLUB. SIXTH EDITION. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO., STATIONERS’ HALL COURT: AND SOLD BY JOHN OLLIVIER, PALL-MALL. 1849. BARFF TUCKER, del. J. Walmsley, sculp. TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE. Your Royal Highness, The gracious condescension which permits of the dedication of this Work to your Royal Highness, adds another to the many claims upon my devotedness and my gratitude. I have the high honour to be Your Royal Highness’ Most obedient and humble Servant, ALEXIS SOYER. THE FOLLOWING DISTINGUISHED PERSONS HAVE HONOURED THE AUTHOR WITH THEIR APPROBATION, AND THIS VOLUME, WITH THE KITCHEN PLAN OF THE REFORM CLUB, WERE COMMENCED UNDER THEIR PATRONAGE. {i} {ii} {iii} {iv} {v} H. R. H. the Duke of Cambridge. Ernest reigning Duke of Saxe-Cobourg. H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex. H. R. H. the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Cobourg and Gotha. H. R. H. the Prince of Prussia. Archduke Frederic of Austria. Prince Biron de Courlande. Princess Clementine of France. The Duke of Leinster. The Duke of Bedford. The Duchess of Sutherland. La Duchesse d’Escars. La Duchesse de Lorges. La Duchesse de Valmy. The Countess of Essex. The Countess of Carlisle. The Dowager Marchioness of Downshire. The Countess of Clare. The Countess of Craven. The Baroness de Ludwigsdorff (Sweden.) Lady Eliza Phillips. Lady Flower. Lady Throgmorton. Lady Elibank. The Marquis of Ailsa. The Marquis of Normanby. The Marquis of Lansdowne. The Marquis of Clanricarde. The Marquis of Titchfield. The Marquis of Headfort. The Marquis of Salisbury. Marquieza das Minas. Marquieza das Furjel. The Earl Fortescue. The Earl of Pembroke. The Earl of Chesterfield. The Earl of Devon. The Earl of Yarborough. The Earl of Charlemont. The Count Hatzfeldt (Prussia). Count Woronzow. Countess Woronzow. The Earl Grosvenor. The Earl of Clarendon. The Earl of Sefton. Le Baron de Molartie (great Echanson to the King of Hanover). Le Baron Adolphe de Rothschild. La Baronne de Rothschild. La Baronne de Weiber (Baden). Le Comte de Rancher (France). Le Comte de Pradel (France). Lord Ebrington. Lord Dinorben. Lord Maidstone. Lord Marcus Hill, M.P. Le Vicomte de Noailles (France). Viscount Duncannon. Lord James Stuart. Lord Mostyn. Lord Jermyn. Lord Say and Sele. Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart. Lord Panmure. Lord F. Gordon. Lord Hastings. Lord Scarborough. Lord Nugent. Lord Lovat. Lord Templetown. Lord Clement. Lord Augustus Fitzclarence. Lord Vivian. Sir George Chetwynd. Sir Benjamin Hall, M.P. Sir Henry Webb. Sir Andrew Leith Hay, M.P. Sir D. Le Marchant. Sir John Guest, M.P. Sir Hesketh Fleetwood, M.P. Sir James Duke, M.P. Sir John Easthope, M.P. Sir. R. Musgrave. Le Chevalier A. Mongaldi (Venice). Sir John M’Neil. Sir Henry Pottinger. The Right Honorable Fox Maule, M.P. The Honorable H. R. Westenra. The Honorable J. O. Murray. Lieutenant-Colonel Westenra. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon. Major-General Evans. Admiral Dundas, M.P. General Sir Alexander Duff, Bart. General Johnson. Le General Baron de Farincourt (France.) Colonel Sir William Robert Clayton. Colonel White. Colonel Beckwith. Major Richardson. Captain Noble Cæsar de Ladacio (Naples). Lieut. Gen. Baron de Warlington (Bavaria). Capitaine de Vaisseaux F. Gautier (France). Admiral Codrington. El Gen. Martin Joié de Triarte (Spain). Captain Robert Scherger (Cobourg). The Honorable General Mead. The Honorable Captain Vivian, M.P. Daniel O’Connell, Esq., M.P. Maurice O’Connell, Esq., M.P. John O’Connell, Esq., M.P. George Duncan, Esq., M.P. Edward Ellice, Esq., M.P. Robert Archbold, Esq., M.P. The Rev. Charles Turnor, D.D. Captain Wemyss. Alston, Rowland, Esq. Basevi, George, Esq. Bryane, W. C. Esq. (America). Bavin Christopher, Esq. Boyd, W. Esq. Buckland, James, Esq. Hawes, B. Esq. M. Dusillion, Architect, Paris. Barry, Charles, Esq. Bonverie, Edward Pleydell, Esq. Collins, William, M.D. Clumy, Thomas, Esq. Clayton, John, Lloyd, Esq. Diwett, Thomas, Esq. Dardel, Monsieur de. Dann, Henry, Esq. Faraday, Professor. Gully, John, Esq. Gunston, John, Esq. Gordon, Robert, Esq. Hoare, Charles, Esq. Harmer, James, Esq. Hope, ——, Esq Hovenden, J. E. Esq. Humphrey, John, Alderman, M.P. Melik, A. Esq., (Turkey). Montefiore, N. Esq. Murphy, Mr. Sergeant. Oliviera, Benjamin, Esq. O’Brien, Stafford, Esq. Perkins, Frederic, Esq. Philips, Mark, Esq., M.P. Prescott, H. Esq. Rushton, E. A. Esq. Strutt, Edward, Esq., M.P. Sampayo, O. H. Esq. F. A. Sarg, Esq. Wolfe, J. L. Esq. PREFACE. AT the request of several persons of distinction, who have visited the Reform Club,—particularly the ladies, to whom I have always made it a rule never to refuse anything in my power, for indeed it must have been the fair sex who have had the majority in this domestic argument to gain this gastronomical election,—Why do you not write and publish a Cookery-book? was a question continually put to me. For a considerable time this scientific word caused a thrill of horror to pervade my frame, and brought back to my mind that one day, being in a most superb library in the midst of a splendid baronial hall, by chance I met with one of Milton’s allegorical works, the profound ideas of Locke, and several chefs-d’œuvre of one of the noblest champions of literature, Shakspeare; when all at once my attention was attracted by the nineteenth edition of a voluminous work: such an immense success of publication caused me to say, “Oh! you celebrated man, posterity counts every hour of fame upon your regretted ashes!” Opening this work with intense curiosity, to my great disappointment what did I see,—a receipt for Ox-tail Soup! The terrifying effect produced upon me by this succulent volume made me determine that my few ideas, whether culinary or domestic, should never encumber a sanctuary which should be entirely devoted to works worthy of a place in the Temple of the Muses. But you must acknowledge, respected readers, how changeable and uncertain are our feeble ideas through life; to keep the promise above mentioned, I have been drawn into a thousand gastronomic reflections, which have involved me in the necessity of deviating entirely from my former opinion, and have induced me to bring before the public the present volume, under the title of ‘The Gastronomic Regenerator,’ throughout which I have closely followed the plain rules of simplicity, so that every receipt can not only clearly be understood, but easily executed. I now sincerely hope, Ladies, that I have not only kept my promise, but to your satisfaction paid tribute to your wishes. You have not forgotten, dear reader, the effect that monstrous volume, the said nineteenth edition, produced upon me, therefore I now sincerely beg of you to put my book in a place suited to its little merit, and not with Milton’s sublime Paradise, for there it certainly would be doubly lost. {vii} {viii} PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION. THE sale of three editions of the Gastronomic Regenerator in less than nine months, is so gratifying to my feelings, that I should be wanting in courtesy, were I not publicly to express, at this present moment, how grateful I am for the very flattering testimonials I have been honoured with by the press, through whom I have received such great encouragement from the public, who so handsomely repaid the laborious work which I have devoted to the gastronomic art. In this the Fourth Edition, I have increased and improved the receipts, and corrected those errors which unavoidably occur in so voluminous a work. The first improvement is a most essential one, being an abbreviated table of contents, referring from number to number or article to article, and giving in a few pages the translation of every comestible, which will much facilitate the making of bills of fare. The second and still more important improvement is my new Tendon Separator, demonstrated by a scientific woodcut, with full explanations of its valuable use in preparing poultry and game for the table. I have added several new receipts, communicated by amateurs, which are not deficient in good taste. There will likewise be found a correct engraving of my Bouquet de Gibier, which met with so much success in London and Paris last Christmas, and offers to noblemen and gentlemen a new and pleasing mode of making presents of game. The one I presented to His Majesty Louis Philippe, with a copy of this work, met with the highest approbation from the court of France, and was most handsomely acknowledged by his Majesty. I now most humbly return thanks to the public for their kind encouragement, and trust that the success I have hitherto had may still be continued. ALEXIS SOYER. DUBLIN; St. Patrick’s Day, 1847. IMPORTANT. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THIS WORK. To sustain and deserve the title of “Gastronomic Regenerator,” nothing but an entire change from the system of any other publication on the art of Cookery would be admissible, it is now in the hands of my readers to judge for themselves, and to stamp its character according to its merits, either as an original or a copy; to avoid the last, however, I have closely studied to introduce the greatest novelty in every department, and have entirely omitted all unnecessary confusion, which, in many previous works, have rendered them unintelligible to the uninitiated, and almost impracticable to the initiated; however, many old and useful receipts, too good to be omitted, will be found much simplified—to reduce them to a practical point. I have also minutely studied the disposing and arranging of the building of all sized kitchens, from the one of the Reform Club and the Kitchen of the Wealthy to the humble one of the cottage, which cannot fail to prove useful when closely followed, as six years of experience in the kitchen of the Reform Club[1] has fully proved to me that those useful departments have not only previously been much neglected, but in many instances at a very great expense still worse arranged for want of practical knowledge, and considering that the pleasures of the table are an every-day enjoyment which reflects good and evil on all classes, my readers I am sure will agree with me that the proper disposing of such an important department deserves some little attention, for food uncomfortably prepared is almost always unsightly, unwholesome, and consequently indigestible, not being cleanly prepared. I have likewise omitted in this work the placing of a long series of bills of fare, which has been done in every previous publication; although they might have proved useful in some few circumstances, they are seldom referred to, and often create confusion in the composition of a dinner by the difficulty of procuring perhaps the identical comestibles required in the receipts which the bills of fare refer to; and more I would venture to say, that in no circumstances have those bills of fare been correctly followed; the only three I have introduced being one to arrange my pagodatique service to grace the Table of the Wealthy, the other the Lucullusian dinner, and the dinner of my Table at Home, which will give a general idea of the manner in which I usually compose my bills of fare, which of course may be increased or decreased to any size. To avoid the old-fashioned method of giving ten or twelve for every season in the year, I have made the whole contents of my book one regular bill of fare, which will enable the most inexperienced cook, or young lady just commencing housekeeping, to compose a recherché or economical bill of fare at will, being so distributed, that after a short series of sauces the bill of fare commences, being first the soups, then the fish, then the hors-d’œuvres, or flying dishes, to be handed round the table during the time the removes and entrées are placing upon it; this is the usual manner I serve a dinner, which cannot fail to be very hot; and to prevent confusion, which too often occurs, I place a number on a piece of paper between the cover and the dish, with a corresponding number to the name of the dish upon the bill of fare, which is then forwarded to the steward, who by this means not only understands the better placing it upon the table, but is able to answer to any questions respecting the dinner, thus saving time and confusion; and, above all, the dinner will be very hot and inviting, which would not be the case in the regular system of laying out the whole of the first course first upon the kitchen table, having to uncover every dish unnecessarily, then upon another table in a room adjoining the dining-room, and third and last, upon the dining-table, adding to which the chance of confusion and innumerable delays, in which your dinner is getting quite cold. In a plate service of sixteen entrées, which I was directed by the committee of the Reform Club to order, I introduced silver sand concealed in the heaters; thus by placing them two hours in a hot closet previous to {ix} {x} {xi} {xii} serving, they will retain their heat nearly a couple of hours longer upon the table, but for further details, see Pagodatique Dish at the end of the book. But to return to the arrangement of my book: after the hors-d’œuvres come the removes, flancs, entrées, in succession in the first course, and for the second the roasts, savoury dishes, vegetables, entremets, and removes second course; thus my readers will have but to turn from one series to another in succession to arrange their bills of fare. For any description of plain joints frequently required in the first course, they will be found at the commencement of the series entitled My Kitchen at Home. For a public breakfast, luncheon, or suppers, where everything is partly cold, the series of savoury dishes in the second course will be found to facilitate and very much abbreviate the composition of the bill of fare for either of the above purposes. In the department entitled My Kitchen at Home will be found the same arrangements, and the repetition of many dishes from the Kitchen of the Wealthy, but so much simplified that the industrious classes of society may partake freely of them at a very moderate expense. I shall also remark that my motive in not making a translation to my index, but merely naming at the commencement of each series the different comestibles, is to avoid the following ridiculous occurrence, that is, the making of bills of fare in English from such curious translation, not one of which have I seen deserving publication, being composed of comic French trivialité. As it is not the name that makes the dish, I have only explained the names of the different articles by way of distinction; I have also mixed several headings in French and English, to instruct by degrees the uninitiated in the art of making a correct bill of fare; I have also, in every place where the heading is in French, endeavoured to place the name of the comestible in the first line of the receipt. The reference by numbers will be found unavoidably repeated in many instances, especially those referring to stocks, sauces, pastes, or any of those articles which are the foundations of any others, which will be easily remembered after a few weeks’ practice without having recourse to the index. My readers will probably also feel interested in knowing that, although for some time it has been my intention to write a work upon Gastronomy, the laborious and difficult duties which I had to fulfil at the Reform Club, added to the terrific effect which has produced upon me the 19th edition of that monstrous volume mentioned in the preface, have often been the cause of my giving up such an idea, and having destroyed my old manuscripts, it is only within the last ten months that I in reality commenced afresh this work, in which lapse of time I had to furnish 25,000 dinners for the gentlemen of the Reform Club, and 38 dinner parties of importance, comprising above 70,000 dishes, and to provide daily for 60 servants of the establishment, independent of about 15,000 visitors who have seen the kitchen department in that lapse of time. Although I am entirely satisfied with the composition, distribution, and arrangement of my book, should some few little mistakes be discovered they will be the more excusable under those circumstances, as in many instances I was unable to devote that tedious time required for correction; and, although I have taken all possible care to prescribe, by weight and measure, the exact quantity of ingredients used in the following receipts for the seasoning and preparing of all kinds of comestibles, I must observe that the ingredients are not all either of the same size or quality; for instance, some eggs are much larger than others, some pepper stronger, salt salter, and even some sugar sweeter. In vegetables, again, there is a considerable difference in point of size and quality; fruit is subject to the same variation, and, in fact, all description of food is subject to a similar fluctuation. I am far, however, from taking these disproportions for excuses, but feel satisfied if the medium of the specified ingredients be used, and the receipts in other respects closely followed, nothing can hinder success. SOYER’S NEW MODE OF CARVING. &c. &c. &c. YOU are all aware, honorable readers, of the continual tribulation in carving at table, for appetites more or less colossal, and when all eyes are fixed upon you with anxious avidity. Very few persons are perfect in this useful art, which requires not only grace, but a great deal of skill. Others become very nervous; many complain of the knife, which has not the least objection to be found fault with; or else they say, this capon, pheasant, or poularde is not young, and consequently not of the best quality. You may sometimes be right, but it certainly often happens that the greatest gourmet is the worst carver, and complains sadly during that very long process, saying to himself, “I am last to be served; my dinner will be cold.” Reproaches of this kind are daily addressed to the culinary artiste, who remembers perfectly well having burned his fingers whilst sending up those important removes. To illustrate this just question I will relate a curious and historic anecdote:—having one day served a petit diner, très recherché, for five persons, in which was a poularde à l’ambassadrice, a new and rather voluminous dish of mine, after the first course a message was sent to me that the gentlemen had found that dish so good they regretted I had not sent two poulardes instead of one; at first I took this message for a pleasantry, but a short time after three parts of the poularde came down in a state that if exposed over a laundry door would have served for a sign, without having recourse to those popular words, “mangling done here;” the sight of a dish so greatly disfigured made me collect a few of my little culinary ideas. Nature, says I to myself, compels us to dine more or less once a day; each of those days you are, honorable reader, subject to meet en tête-à-tête with a fowl, poularde, duck, pheasant, or other volatile species; is it not bad enough to have sacrificed the lives of those animaux bienfaisans to satisfy our indefatigable appetites, without pulling and tearing to atoms the remains of our benefactors? It is high time for the credit of humanity and the comfort of quiet families, to put an end to the massacre of those innocents. Amongst other tribulations of carving I shall relate a most boufonne anecdote. “If you should, unhappily, be forced to carve at table,” says Launcelot Sturgeon, in his Essays, Moral, Philosophical, and Stomachic, “neither labour at the joint until you put yourself into a heat, nor make such a desperate effort to dissect it as may put your neighbours in fear of their lives; however, if any accident should happen, make no excuses, for they are only an acknowledgment of awkwardness. We remember to have seen a man of high fashion deposit a turkey in this way in the lap of a lady, but with admirable composure, and without offering the slightest apology, he {xiii} {xiv} {xv} finished a story which he was telling at the same time, and then, quietly turning to her, merely said, ‘Madam, I’ll thank you for that turkey.’” My conscience will not allow me to swear to the authenticity of the fact, but in the course of twelve months past I have witnessed a very similar instance, only the party not possessing the assurance of the fashionable above mentioned, did not continue the conversation, but in his nervous anxiety, endeavouring to replace it on the dish with vivacity, sent it rolling across the table to his right- hand neighbour, who quickly perceiving the imminent danger in which he was placed, fortunately arrested its further progress with his fork. One hearty laugh of the remaining party terminated this scene of confusion. After a short consideration I found, by a most simple rule, and with the greatest facility, that a bird that would take ten minutes to carve very badly may be done well in two or three by the most inexperienced person. From this process a number of advantages may be derived: first, you may eat your dinner much hotter; secondly, you can make eight or ten pieces of a fowl, or any other bird, where, previously, great difficulty was experienced in making five or six; and each person will thereby be enabled to choose a favorite piece; a large bird, such as turkey, poularde, capon, &c., will be fit to reappear on your table in a very inviting state. I must also observe that the birds are not in the least disfigured, but, on the contrary, their appearance is much improved. DIRECTIONS FOR CARVING. By the simple process which I have effected for the jointing of game or small poultry, with a long pointed pair of scissors, separating the sinews which join the wings to the breast, making the incision as small as possible, and also jointing the legs, by passing your finger between the skin and the flesh, pressing the legs over the breast with the left hand, the separation of the joints may be easily effected and having thus detached the four principal parts, the carving, when roasted, will be very simple. But for the jointing of large birds, as turkeys, geese, capons, &c., procure an instrument I invented for that purpose from Bramah’s, Piccadilly, with which a very intelligible printed direction will be given for its use; after having jointed the bird, truss it with a packing-needle and string, as usual, but not pressing them so tightly, or they would become deformed, whilst, on the contrary, if merely brought to their usual shape, they will look as plump as possible, and the process they have previously undergone will be totally imperceptible. In many instances where I have sent poultry to table thus previously jointed, the parties carving have been quite surprised at their unexpected progress in that difficult art. Formerly nothing was more difficult to carve than wild fowl, the continual motion (when alive) of the wings and legs making the sinews almost as tough as wires, puzzling the best of carvers to separate them; my new method has quite abolished such a domestic tribulation. A long and dry description for the carving of each bird separately would be entirely useless, as every one of my readers will have perceived that almost the whole difficulty is defeated by this simple process; I shall therefore leave the subject, making but the following observation, which is, that in everything I dislike a straight line, and still more so in carving any kind of bird, by doing which you not only spoil their appearance, but cut against the grain, causing them to eat dry and, imperceptibly, obliging you to assist some of the guests to very thick pieces, unless the breast is very full and plump. I have here given a simple woodcut of a small turkey, by which you will easily perceive, that by trussing and carving in my new way, as represented, you will be enabled to carve for more people, assisting each to better slices with a middling-sized fowl, or any other bird, than with a larger one trussed and carved in the usual method. Keep, if possible, the legs in the position indicated in the design; any small birds, such as woodcocks, plovers, snipes, or teal, are generally cut into two or four, being easily carved, but for anything above their size the foregoing plan had better be acted upon. Respecting the carving of any description of joints, it may be more simply explained. For a saddle of mutton or lamb, proceed precisely as directed for the saddle-back (page 644), and for a round or nitchbone of beef, proceed as scientifically explained (pages 641-3) by the carver of this mighty dish. For the ribs or sirloin of beef, pass the knife between the chinebone and the flesh to about an inch in depth, but only to about the length you think sufficient to cut as many slices from as you may require; then having a sharp knife, cut off the outside slice very thinly (which, if roasted according to my new plan, will be very good, especially where parties have an objection to their meat the least underdone); hold your knife a little in a slanting direction, and continue cutting thin slices from the chine to the end, especially with the ribs, which are more lean, but it is preferable to leave all the ends of the sirloin in the dish as you carve, if not wanted, or after having carved two or three plates you are forced to dig the lean out, which is not only often, but generally done in a club-house where a scientific carver is not employed; if a slice from a fillet of a sirloin is required, the servant must take the joint to the sideboard, and turn it over with a couple of forks; when again placed upon the table, the carver must carefully part some of the fat which covers it, if too much, then cut short slices in a slanting direction, as if from the breast of a fowl, instead of crosswise, for then if clumsily carved and overdone it has a strong resemblance to an old strap. For a rump of beef, either roasted or stewed, always commence at the fattest end, carving in a slanting direction, by which means you will obtain a correct quantity of that delicate article, if even you should be carving for twenty people, whilst by cutting straight across, some would have the greater proportion fat and the remainder nothing but lean. Any other piece of beef rolled and stewed, and fillets of beef, as served for a remove, all require to be carved in a slanting direction. For a fillet of veal, proceed in the same manner as directed for a round of beef. A loin of veal, if cut straight at the commencement, is entirely spoiled, but when carved slantingly (if well done from the best end), and eaten with its own gravy, nothing could be nicer, the remaining is then also very good cold, even the kidney ought to be served the same; and the breasts, either roasted or stewed, require the same style of carving. For legs of mutton or lamb I also proceed in a new way: the frill, which is placed upon the knuckle-bone, is not only intended to ornament the leg, but likewise to enable you to hold the bone with your left hand, and carving with the right, which would wonderfully facilitate the operation. Instead of cutting across the middle, which opens all parts at once, thus losing a great deal of the succulence, I {xvi} {xvii} commence carving at about two inches from the knuckle, beginning with the heel of the knife, drawing it along to the point, cutting six or eight slices at once, more or less if required, then pass the knife beneath the whole, detaching them from the bone, thus helping each person quickly and with very hot meat, the gravy remaining in the meat will keep it moistened in good order for cold, whilst in the general manner you have nothing but dry meat, or if underdone on purpose for cold, the meat will always have a black appearance. This is my way of carving at home, but if objectionable to take the frill with the fingers, make use of the carving-fork; at home I never allow any gravy to be put into the dish, but served separately in a boat, but if the meat is of good quality it will supply (if well roasted) an abundance of good gravy. If for the table of the wealthy, commence carving the leg nearer to the centre, but always in a slanting direction. For shoulders of mutton or lamb to eat well and delicate, the fat and lean must be well mixed in serving, to accomplish which the joint must be carved in a still more slanting direction than the legs, also beginning rather near to the knuckle. For necks and loins of mutton, never separate the bones of either with a chopper, or you will partially mutilate the meat, thus losing all the gravy in roasting, and frequently have great difficulty in carving, but separate the joints with a small saw as neatly as possible, cutting in the direction you require to carve. For ribs of lamb, which should be properly prepared for carving before being roasted, having the centre of the bones broken, with the chine-bone detached; to carve, you must of course follow the bones, which run rather slantingly, helping each person to a cutlet from the neck, with a slice of the breast, but not cut too thick; by following this plan, each person will have partaken of the breast, which, without contradiction, is the most delicate part (but which is most frequently left to be eaten when dry and cold), and if any remain, being evenly carved, will be very presentable to table on the following day. To carve a ham proceed very similar to the manner directed for the carving of a leg of mutton, commencing two inches from the knuckle, cutting very thin and delicate slices, slanting more and more as you proceed, or you will have nothing but fat left at the extremity. To carve an ox-tongue, stick your fork into the root, and cut a thin slice off, placing the heel of the knife upon it, which draw along to the point, thus taking the slice off in one cut, leaving it upon the dish, and serving the inner slices cut in the same manner, but very thin and delicate, you will thus have carved the best part of it easily without disfiguring the whole, still having a decent piece remaining for cold, but if you had commenced in the middle you would at once spoil the appearance, and the remainder would eat dry when cold. Nothing is more creditable to a carver than leaving a piece of either meat, game, or poultry fit to reappear at table in an inviting state. HOW TO CARVE A HAUNCH OF VENISON. The above engraving represents a haunch of venison, cooked as No. 540, and ready for carving, the back-bone of the loin being first partly taken out to facilitate the operation, as marked by letters and lines in the drawing. The carving-knife must be sharp; put the point of it an inch deep from letter A to B, and draw it in a slanting direction from letter A to A, so on from B to B, but go a little deeper in, according to the thickness of your haunch, and avoid making a hole through any part of it, as a well must be reserved to give half a spoonful of gravy to every plate, each of two thin slices. If you are to help more than eight or ten persons from the haunch, then carve the loin at the same time as the thickest part, from C C to D D, and give to each guest a slice from each part, by which you will quickly perceive that you have fairly cut the meat, and that each person will have had his proper quantity of fat, and from first to last each slice will be very inviting; serve on very hot plates of silver if possible. Every amateur of venison knows, that without its due quantity of fat it is hardly eatable; I would therefore advise those who still wish to carve haunches on the old system, to calculate how many plates they have to carve for, otherwise they are sure to be misled, if they do not take the trouble to ascertain the number who are to be helped. My new system possesses an advantage, which is, that if six or eight persons only partake of a haunch, the remains of it are in a fine state, and fit to be cut into large slices for another dinner, by merely putting a few spoonfuls of gravy with the slices into a sautépan, over a sharp fire for three minutes; turn them carefully, season with little salt, a teaspoonful of currant jelly, turn the slices two or three times over until the jelly is dissolved, serve on a very hot dish, but be careful not to let the slices boil in the pan, or else they will become very tough. If any remain, make a hash as No. 784, or pie, No. 785. ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WAY. When I am called to carve a haunch of venison for eighteen or twenty I proceed as follows: I take off the flat bone, previous to roasting, at the back of the loin, and pass the knife from the knuckle all along the lower part of the flap, which is left about two inches wide; I then begin to cut in a slanting direction, as the drawing represents, from the beginning of the loin, through the leg as far as the knuckle, without reserving a well for gravy, and in fact I have found it to be better, as every slice you cut through the leg produces its own gravy boiling hot, which unavoidably gets cold in the well formed the other way of carving. Do not omit to save some fat for the next day, as your hash or pie would be insipid. Haunch of mutton or lamb may be carved either way. For necks of venison, pass your knife across the lower part of the ribs, about four inches below the thickest part, then cut slices in a slanting direction, not interfering with the bone, as I have previously explained. For shoulders, see Shoulder of Mutton, page 645. SADDLEBACK OF VENISON. Having made a trial with Mr. Grove of Charing Cross of cutting a buck to produce a saddleback of venison, as I have done of {xviii} {xix} mutton (page 644), we succeeded remarkably well, and obtained a most splendid joint that ever could be placed before an epicure; but if cannot be generally adopted, except in the country, where gentlemen keep their own park of deer, as we found it interfered with both legs, which look like legs of mutton, and deprived them of the best part of the fat, which cannot be dispensed with: in other respects they are excellent for pies. I have also introduced a saucière, made like a coffee-pot, heated by a spirit-lamp underneath, filled with good veal or beef gravy, to be taken round to each guest; the great heat of the gravy poured over the slices of venison, mixed with the gravy already helped from the haunch, makes a fine thick mixture, by which this delightful and noble joint is really enjoyed; the currant jelly always served ought not to be too sweet or too firm. French beans, usually served with venison, ought to be very young and green, well dried, and very hot when sent to table; in case they could not be obtained, send up cauliflower or young brocoli with it; however I must here observe, that these vegetables are very unpalatable, as nothing disagrees more with currant jelly than French beans and brocoli. I have substituted tomatas farci, as described No. 1099, when in season, and served on a silver dish: they were much approved of. Plain broiled tomatas must be cut across, with the juice extracted without breaking; then put on the gridiron, with salt and pepper, on a very sharp fire, turn them, when done dish up, add a little butter over each, and send very hot. CARVING OF POULTRY. A fowl which has been prepared with the Tendon Separator before roasting, can produce afterwards ten very inviting pieces, suitable to the fancy of as many guests. In the first place you take a carving fork, which you stick in the breast, between figs. 5 and 6, then you give a cut at the fillet, beginning at 1 down to 2, where you make the point of the knife cut through the joint of the wing, which by twisting a little will easily come asunder. The same operation is done from 3 to 4; and without removing the fork, you slide the knife under the leg at 7, and the same at 8, and both legs will immediately separate. The next cut is to be given at 5 to 6, and afterwards the back is divided in the same direction as the last numbers—as each leg is divided at the joint commonly called drumstick, it completes the ten parts. A Duck. The best part of a duck is the breast, which should be cut in fillets obliquely, then the wings and the legs, the same as the fowl, and the body in two. A Pheasant. The best parts are the breast and legs, which are carved the same as a fowl. A Partridge. The wings and the body are the best parts. A roast Hare must be cut along the spine, from the neck downwards to obtain the fillets, which ought then to be divided in parts, in the same oblique direction as the ribs. The legs and shoulders are seldom carved, but they are, with the body, excellent in a hash or stewed. SOYER’S TENDON SEPARATOR. The woodcut at p. xxiii represents one of the most serviceable of instruments. Its object is to relieve carvers, more or less proficient, and must become indispensable for the use of all cooks and poulterers in disjointing the volatile species previous to trussing, roasting, or boiling. To a clever carver, sitting at a homely table or public banquet, it matters little whether all eyes are fixed upon him or a fidgety footman is at his elbow. He quietly distributes the several dainties according to the fancy of the guests, and everything goes on in comfort. But to a person inexperienced, the notion of being placed at either end of the table, to stay the ravenous appetite of some of the guests, causes such a nervous excitement, that it is not an uncommon thing to see the splashing of sauce and gravy on those around —perchance the sudden appearance of an unfortunate limb flying with terrific velocity on a lady’s dress, the whole of the company being thus thrown into confusion—the poor carver’s apologies received with black looks, and the harmony of the party placed in jeopardy. It is with a view to extricate society from such an awkward position that the inventor offers to the public the Tendon Separator, as a medium by which any gentleman may boldly take the carving-knife in hand, and be delighted to comply with the invitation of the Amphytrion: instead of inspiring fear, he will be admired for his ability in gracefully dividing a favorite piece of game or poultry. The simplicity of the operation will easily convince any one that the Tendon Separator possesses all that is required to remove awkwardness in carving; the only necessity being to divide the tendons in the joints, the toughness of which is the difficulty to be overcome, and often abandoned to make a desperate cut at the bones; hence arise the accidents above mentioned. The following instructions will enable all cooks and poulterers to prepare game and poultry for the table, perfectly free from opposition to any carver’s knife. THE TENDON SEPARATOR Is represented shut when done with, by merely slipping the brass ring to keep the spring in its place, and open when in the act of being used; the straight part of the handle, with the ring, resting in the palm of the hand between the thumb and the fore-finger. When about separating the tendons and otherwise dividing other parts of your fowl or bird, you begin by turning the skin over the wings and cutting the tendons (No. 1, p. xxiv) in each of the joints; and then by taking hold of that part commonly called the drumstick with your {xx} {xxi} {xxii} right hand and the skin being already turned, you can easily get at the joint (No. 2) by making it come out, to cut the tendons of each leg; on turning the Separator with the points upwards, you give a cut at the breast-bone (No. 4); and, by holding the instrument with both hands, immediately after turning the points downwards, you also give a cut at the back-bone (No. 5), and then, the four tendons being cut, the limbs are brought back to their former position. Then you introduce the instrument into the body at the other end of the bird, and with your left hand you take hold of the thigh-bone, which you also divide at No. 3, and again turning the points downwards, you give another cut at the back-bone No. 5; with little practice the cuts at the breast and back-bone, are made without interfering in the least with the skin; then you truss the bird in the common way, but a packing-needle and thread are to be preferred, as explained at page xv. When roasted, the appearance of the poultry is vastly improved by this simple operation, it looks more plump on account of the sinews having lost their power of contraction whilst roasting; therefore, when the bird comes to table, the carver has merely to pass the knife in the usual manner to take up the wings and legs, and finds no resistance; the same at the breast and the back, where it may easily be seen whilst carving that it has already been prepared. Three minutes is about the time taken by this new process to cut into ten parts an ordinary fowl. For a Turkey or a Goose, the sinews are divided as above, and in the act of carving, instead of cutting the fillets in a straight line with the breast-bone, you separate them obliquely, and all other parts as usual. Pheasants, Ducks, and all Wild Fowl especially, must be prepared in a similar manner. A Hare or Rabbit may also have the sinews and back-bone divided; to effect this you lay the hare upon its back, and give six cuts nearly through the back-bone, holding the Separator with both hands, through the belly part; then you truss it for roasting. If it should happen to be a very large hare, the fillets only are carved, and they ought to be cut in thin slices in an oblique direction, instead of straight along the back. The half of a Fowl with the flesh on. The half of a Fowl dissected. DIRECTIONS FOR LARDING. My motive for introducing the directions for larding at the commencement of this work, is to give it the importance which it deserves, it having in all former works been generally omitted, or lost amongst a multitude of receipts, which has made me desirous of placing it in a conspicuous place, in the hope that many families in the middle classes of society may be able to partake of that very inexpensive luxury. Nothing but experience and practice would enable a person to lard well, I have, therefore, given the few following directions, so that a person might improve himself after once commencing. I have been induced to do so from the fact of having had many female cooks with me for improvement, many of whom could send up very good dinners, but few of them have scarcely known, or had any idea of larding, being in the habit of having it done by their poulterer whilst in London, and in the country avoiding it entirely: I shall, therefore, endeavour to explain, first, the choice of the bacon; secondly, the manner of cutting it; and lastly, the best mode of larding. Choose the firmest bacon you can obtain, quite fat, and not at all red, or it would break and cause a deal of trouble. To cut it, take off the piece of lean at the bottom, lay it upon a board with the rind upwards, and beat gently with a cutlet-bat, trim the sides, and cut it into bands the breadth that you may require your lardons in length; if for a fillet of beef, two inches; for fricandeau, turkey, poularde, fowl, pheasant, or sweetbread, an inch and a half; and for lamb’s sweatbreads much smaller. Take one of the bands, place it before you with the rind downwards, and with a sharp knife cut it in slices, (but not separating it from the rind), of the thickness you require for the article you are about to lard, then place your hand at the top, press lightly, and draw your knife straight along as if cutting the bacon in slices, so as to form the lardons square at each end, commencing cutting from the heel of the knife, and finishing at the point. To lard, the French method is so familiar to me that I cannot but recommend it, especially to inexperienced hands. If a fricandeau, lay it lengthwise upon a clean napkin across your hand, forming a kind of bridge with your thumb at the part you are about to commence at, having previously taken all the skin from the veal with a knife, then with the point of your larding-needle make three distinct lines across, half an inch apart, run your needle into the third line (at the further side of the fricandeau), and bring it out at the first, placing one of the lardons in it, draw the needle through, leaving out a quarter of an inch of the end of the bacon at each line: proceed thus to the end of the row; then make another line half an inch distant, stick in another row of lardons, bringing them out at the second line, leaving the ends of the bacon out all of the same length; make the next row again at the same distance, bringing the ends out between the lardons of the first row, proceeding in like manner until you have larded the whole surface in chequered rows: proceed in a similar way with everything you lard, the difference being only in the size of the lardons, and in the case of poultry or game, previously scald the breasts. By following closely the above simple directions any cook may be able, if not to lard well, at any rate to lard well enough for every-day use, which would give practice, and likewise competence, to lard articles required upon more particular occasions. MEAT AND POULTRY. A FEW THINGS I OBJECT TO, THAT IS, NOT TO USE IN COOKERY COMESTIBLES WHEN OUT OF, OR BEFORE, {xxiii} {xxiv} {xxv} {xxvi} THEIR PROPER SEASON. For Butcher’s Meat, see page 637, Kitchen at Home. In Poultry. I never use turkeys before Michaelmas, and not after the latter end of March. Ditto turkey poults before the end of June, and not after September. Capons, poulardes, pullets, and fowls, I use all the year round. I begin about March with the spring chickens, till the beginning of July. Geese are in season almost all the year round. Goslings, or green geese, commence early in the spring, and are called so till the end of September, thus there is hardly any difference between them and the Michaelmas geese. Ducks and ducklings the same. Rabbits and pigeons may be used all the year round; but it is only in the early part of the spring that I use tame rabbits. Guinea-fowls are used when pheasants go out, which is about the latter end of January, and are used till the end of May. Their eggs are very good, more delicate than the common ones. I never use grouse before the 14th Aug., nor after the 22d December. Black cocks and gray hens about the same time as grouse, but they are more uncertain. Ptarmigans are sent from Norway about the middle of January, and continue till March, but that depends upon the weather. Though the shooting season for partridges is the first of September, and lasts till the end of January, I never cook one before the 3d, except being desired to do so, but I often keep some for three weeks after the shooting season is over. The same with pheasants, which begins from the 1st of October till the end of January. By hanging them by the necks and putting a piece of garlic in the beak and a little cayenne, I one cold winter kept one six weeks after the shooting time had expired, which I afterwards presented to a party of real gourmets, who said it was the best they had partaken of during the season. I always use wild ducks, widgeons, teal, pintails, larks, golden plovers, snipes, woodcocks from the commencement of November till the end of March, after which the flesh becomes rank and unfit for table. Young pea-fowls are very good, and make a noble roast, see p. 401, and are in season from January till June, but they are very uncertain. Plovers’ eggs, my favorite, an unparalleled delicacy, come about the middle of March, and are not considered good after the latter end of May; but when I can get them fresh in June, I do not discontinue their use, because they are, in my estimation, worthy of the patronage of the greatest gourmet. I have paid for them, at the beginning of the season, three shillings and sixpence each; they are the black plover or peweet’s eggs. FISH. For the last few years there has been...