The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual Part 79

Fowls' heads may be had three for a penny; a dozen will make a very good pie or _soup_, like No. 244.

Turkey heads, about a penny each.

Duck giblets, about three half-pence a set; four sets will make a _tureen of good soup for sixpence_. See No. 244.

_Obs._--Poultry is in greatest perfection when in greatest plenty.

The _price of it_ varies as much as the size and quality of it, and the supply at market, and the demand for it.

It is generally _dearest_ from March to July, when the town is fullest; and _cheapest_ about September, when the game season commences, and the weather being colder, allows of its being brought from more distant parts, and the town becoming thin, there is less demand for it.

The above information will, we trust, be very acceptable to economical families, who, from hearing the very high price poultry sometimes costs, are deterred from ever inquiring about it. In the cheap seasons, we have noted, it is sometimes as cheap as butcher's meat.

VEGETABLES.

The public are frequently, from want of regular information when the proper seasons arrive for vegetables, put to much inconvenience in attending the markets, taking unnecessary inquiries, &c.

The following list, it is presumed, will afford much useful information to the reader:--

+------------------------+-----------+--------------------+-------------+ _Names of Vegetables._ _Earliest _Earliest _When time for natural cheapest._ forced._ growth._ +------------------------+-----------+--------------------+-------------+ Artichokes (No. 136) July on to October September. Ditto Jerusalem From Sept. to June { Nov. Dec. & (No. 117) { foll. months. Angelica stalks, } { Middle of May, and } June. for preserving } { whole of June } Asparagus (No. 123) {Begin. of Mid. of April, May,} June and { Jan. June, and July } July. Beans, French, or} {Early in End of June, or } August. Kidneys } { Feb. beginning of July} Scarlet ditto July September. Windsor beans, long } June July & Aug. pods and early kinds } Beet, red (No. 127) All the year Dec. & Jan. Ditto, white, the leaves July Borcole, or Scotch } November Dec. & Jan. Cale, or Kale. } Broccoli (No. 126) October Feb. & Mar. Cabbage (No. 118) May and June July. Ditto, red July and August August. Ditto, white October October. Cardoons { Nov. and three December. { following months Carrots (No. 129) May August. Cauliflowers (No. 125) Beginning of June July & Aug. Celery (No. 289) Ditto September November. Chervil April June. Corn salad May ---- Chervil (No. 264) { March, and through May. { the year Cuc.u.mbers (No. 135) March Beginning of July Aug. & Sep. Endive { June, and through Sep. & Oct. { the year Eschalots, for keeping} { August, and through Sep. & two (No. 402) } { the year fol. months. Leeks { September, and six Novem. and { months after December. Lettuce, Coss April June, July, Ditto, cabbage ---- and Aug. Onions, for keeping { Aug. Sep. and October and { following months November. Parsley (No. 261) { Feb. and through February & { the year March. Parsnips (No. 128) { October, and July. { continue until May Pease (No. 134) Beg. or } June, July, and August, and mid. of } following months fol. month. May } Potatoes (No. 102, &c.) March } May, and through June, } the year May & June. Radishes Begin. of } End of March, and June. March } following months Ditto, turnip, red and} Ditto June. white } Ditto, black, Spanish { August, and September. { following months Small salad (No. 372) All the year May & June. Salsify July, August August. Scorzonera ---- ---- Sea Kale (No. 124) Dec. & Jan. April and May May. Savoury cabbage { September, and November. { following months Sorrel All the year June & July. Spinage, spring { March, April, and June & July. { following months Ditto, winter { Oct. Nov. and November. { following months Turnips { May, June, and June & July. { following months Ditto, tops (No. 132) { March, April, and April and { May May. Ditto, for salad April and May June and Ditto, Welch February July. +------------------------+-----------+--------------------+-------------+

APPENDIX;

COMPRISING

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING

PASTRY, PRESERVES, BREAD, PUDDINGS, PICKLES, &c. &c.

_Puff Paste._--(No. 1.)

To a pound and a quarter of sifted flour rub gently in with the hand half a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter; mix up with half a pint of spring water; knead it well, and set it by for a quarter of an hour; then roll it out thin, lay on it, in small pieces, three quarters of a pound more of b.u.t.ter, throw on it a little flour, double it up in folds, and roll it out thin three times, and set it by for an hour in a cold place.

_Paste for Meat or Savoury Pies._--(No. 2.)

Sift two pounds of fine flour to one and a half of good salt b.u.t.ter, break it into small pieces, and wash it well in cold water; rub gently together the b.u.t.ter and flour, and mix it up with the yelk of three eggs, beat together with a spoon; and nearly a pint of spring-water; roll it out, and double it in folds three times, and it is ready.

_Tart Paste for Family Pies._--(No. 3.)

Rub in with the hand half a pound of b.u.t.ter into one pound and a quarter of flour, mix it with half a pint of water, and knead it well.

_Sweet, or short and crisped Tart Paste._--(No. 4.)

To one pound and a quarter of fine flour add ten ounces of fresh b.u.t.ter, the yelks of two eggs beat, and three ounces of sifted loaf sugar; mix up together with half a pint of new milk, and knead it well. See No. 30.

N.B. This crust is frequently iced.

_Raised Pies._--(No. 5.)

Put two pounds and a half of flour on the pasteboard; and put on the fire, in a saucepan, three quarters of a pint of water, and half a pound of good lard; when the water boils, make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour in the water and lard by degrees, gently mixing the flour with it with a spoon; and when it is well mixed, then knead it with your hands till it becomes stiff: dredge a little flour to prevent its sticking to the board, or you cannot make it look smooth: do not roll it with the rolling-pin, but roll it with your hands, about the thickness of a quart pot; cut it into six pieces, leaving a little for the covers; put one hand in the middle, and keep the other close on the outside till you have worked it either in an oval or a round shape: have your meat ready cut, and seasoned with pepper and salt: if pork, cut in small slices; the griskin is the best for pasties: if you use mutton, cut it in very neat cutlets, and put them in the pies as you make them; roll out the covers with the rolling-pin just the size of the pie, wet it round the edge, put it on the pie, and press it together with your thumb and finger, and then cut it all round with a pair of scissors quite even, and pinch them inside and out, and bake them an hour and a half.

_Paste for boiled Puddings._--(No. 6.)

Pick and chop very fine half a pound of beef suet, add to it one pound and a quarter of flour, and a little salt: mix it with half a pint of milk or water, and beat it well with the rolling-pin, to incorporate the suet with the flour.

_Paste for stringing Tartlets, &c._--(No. 7.)

Mix with your hands a quarter of a pound of flour, an ounce of fresh b.u.t.ter, and a little cold water; rub it well between the board and your hand till it begins to string; cut it into small pieces, roll it out, and draw it into fine strings, lay them across your tartlets in any device you please, and bake them immediately.

_Paste for Croquants or Cut Pastry._--(No. 8.)

To half a pound of fine flour put a quarter of a pound of sifted loaf sugar; mix it well together with yelks of eggs till of a good stiffness.

_Venison Pasty._--(No. 9.)

Take a neck, shoulder, or breast of venison, that has not hung too long; bone them, trim off all the skin, and cut it into pieces two inches square, and put them into a stew-pan, with three gills of Port wine, two onions, or a few eschalots sliced; some pepper, salt, three blades of mace, about a dozen allspice, and enough veal broth to cover it; put it over a slow fire, and let it stew till three parts done; put the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs into another saucepan, cover it with water, and set it on a fire. Take out the pieces you intend for the pasty, and put them into a deep dish with a little of their liquor, and set it by to cool; then add the remainder of the liquor to the bones and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, and boil it till the pasty is ready; then cover the pasty with paste made like No. 5; ornament the top, and bake it for two hours in a slow oven; and before it is sent to table, pour in a sauce made with the gravy the venison was stewed in, strained and skimmed free from fat; some pepper, salt, half a gill of Port, the juice of half a lemon, and a little flour and b.u.t.ter to thicken it.

_Mutton or Veal Pie._--(No. 10.)

Cut into chops, and trim neatly, and cut away the greatest part of the fat of a loin, or best end of a neck of mutton (the former the best), season them, and lay them in a pie dish, with a little water and half a gill of mushroom catchup (chopped onion and potatoes, if approved); cover it with paste (No. 2), bake it two hours; when done, lift up the crust from the dish with a knife, pour out all the gravy, let it stand, and skim it clean; add, if wanted, some more seasoning; make it boil, and pour it into the pie.

Veal pie may be made of the brisket part of the breast; but must be parboiled first.

_Hare Pie._--(No. 11.)

Take the hare skinned and washed, cut it into pieces, and parboil it for two minutes to cleanse it; wash it well, and put it in a stew-pot with six eschalots chopped, a gill of Port wine, a small quant.i.ty of thyme, savoury, sweet marjoram, and parsley, tied in a bunch, four cloves, and half a dozen allspice; cover it with veal broth, and stew it till half done; pick out the prime pieces, such as the back, legs, &c. (leaving the remainder to stew till the goodness is quite extracted); take the parts preserved, and fill them into a dish with some water, and cover it with paste as No. 2; bake it an hour; strain the gravy from the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, thicken it a little, and throw in half a gill of Port, the juice of half a lemon, and pour it into the pie boiling hot; line the bottom of the dish with Hare stuffing (No. 379), or make it into forcemeat b.a.l.l.s.

Pies of game and wild fowl are made in like manner; and as the following receipt for Pigeon pie.

_Savoury Pies, Pasties, and Patties._--(No. 12.)