The New London Family Cook; Or, Town and Country Housekeeper's Guide (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1808. Excerpt: ... Scotch Cake, or Short Bread. Take a peck of flour, and make a hole in ihe middle; melt three pounds of fresh butter, in rather less than a pint of y-ast; add carraway, or whatever sweetmeat is liked; pour the butter in, and work it well up with the hands. If too dry, put in some warm water; and, when well worked, roll it out into cakes of any shape. Prick them well with a fork, and bake them on floured papers. In England, they are usually made in a long triangular form, about the third of an inch thick; either with what we call Scotch comfits, or small bits, or shreds of candied orange or lemon peel, and sometimes with a little of each. ART OF CARVING. General Observations. ON the art of carving, it would be difficult, perhaps, to advance any thing new; but in our plates, and their illustrations, we have adopted some improvements, which will tend to simplify the practice to the inexperienced carver. Carving has, of late, devolved chiefly upon gentlemen; but whether the task of helping the company rests with the master or the mistress, care should be taken that the seat of the carver be sufficiently high to command the table, so as to render rising unnecessary. As a sharp knife is indispensible, it will always be adviseable to have a good steel placed upon the table by the side of the carver, unless where there are servants constantly in attendance; in that case, it will be proper to have it on the side-table. As fish is always served before meat, and meat before poultry, we shall treat of the respective articles in that order. In helping fish, be careful not to break the flakes; which in cod and very fresh salmon are large, and contribute much to the beauty of its appearance. On 3 A 2 this this account, a fish-knife, not being sharp, divides it best....