The Golden Age Cook Book Part 25

One ounce of Mexican vanilla bean, two ounces of loaf sugar, eight ounces of French rose water, twenty-four ounces of alcohol 95 per cent.

Cut up the bean and pound with the sugar in a mortar, sift and pound again until all is a fine powder. Mix the alcohol and rose water; put the vanilla in a paper filter, pour over it a little of the liquid at a time until all is used; filter again if not all is dissolved. Paper filters may be obtained at any of the large drug stores. The extract may be darkened by using a little caramel.

VANILLA SUGAR.

Half a pound of loaf sugar, half an ounce of Mexican vanilla beans. Cut the beans very fine, pound in a mortar with the sugar; sift and pound again until all is fine. Bottle and cork tight and keep in a dark place.

SPINACH FOR COLORING.

Pound some spinach in a mortar, adding a little water; squeeze through a cheese cloth, put in a saucepan over the fire, bring to a boil; when it curdles remove from the stove. Strain through a very fine sieve; what remains on the under part of the sieve is the coloring. It is used for coloring pistache ice cream, jellies, etc.

TOMATO PASTE FOR SANDWICHES.

Skin and cut small three large tomatoes, cook until tender and press through a sieve fine enough to retain the seeds; return to the fire, add two ounces of b.u.t.ter, two ounces of grated bread crumbs and two ounces of grated Parmesan cheese. When it boils stir a beaten egg quickly into it, remove at once from the fire. It must not boil after the egg is added, as it will curdle. Turn the mixture into a bowl and when cold, if it is not for immediate use, cover with melted b.u.t.ter.

CHEESE PASTE FOR SANDWICHES.

Boil two eggs hard, separate the yolks from the whites, mash the yolks smooth and chop the whites very fine; mix and put through a vegetable press, then add b.u.t.ter the size of a small egg and three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated American cheese. Beat together until it is a fine, smooth paste. If not salt enough add a little, and also dry mustard, if liked.

Miscellaneous Recipes.

TOOTH POWDER.

Precipitated chalk, seven ounces; Florentine orris, four ounces; bicarbonate of soda, three ounces; powdered white Castile soap, two ounces; thirty drops each of oil of wintergreen and sa.s.safras. Sift all together and keep in a gla.s.s jar or tin box. A very valuable recipe for hardening the teeth.

j.a.pANESE CREAM.

Four ounces of ammonia, four ounces of white Castile soap cut fine, two ounces of alcohol, two ounces of Price's glycerine and two ounces of ether. Put the soap in one quart of water over the fire; when dissolved add four quarts of water; when cold add the other ingredients, bottle and cork tight. It will keep indefinitely. It should be made of soft water or rain water. To wash woolens, flannels, etc., take a teacup of the liquid to a pail of lukewarm water, and rinse in another pail of water with half a cup of the cream. Iron while damp on the wrong side.

For removing gra.s.s stains, paint, etc, use half water and half cream.

ORANGE FLOWER LOTION FOR THE COMPLEXION.

Dissolve a slightly heaping tablespoonful of Epsom salts in a pint of imported orange flower water (Chiris de Gra.s.se), and add to it one tablespoonful of witch hazel. Apply with a soft linen cloth. Very refreshing in warm weather and an excellent remedy for oiliness of the skin.

BAY RUM.

Three-quarters of an ounce of oil of bay, one ounce of loaf sugar, one pint of alcohol, 95 per cent., two quarts of new New England rum and three pints of rectified spirits, 60 per cent. Roll the sugar until fine and beat into the oil of bay, add the alcohol, then the New England rum and spirits. Let it stand for several days in a demijohn, shaking occasionally; then filter through blotting paper. The filters may be purchased at a druggist's. Care should be taken to buy the oil at a reliable place.

FINE LAVENDER WATER.

Two ounces finest oil of lavender, one ounce essence of musk, one-half ounce essence of ambergris, one-half ounce oil of bergamot and one-half gallon of rectified spirits. Mix the ingredients, keep in a demijohn for several days, shaking occasionally. Then filter and bottle.

GOOD HARD SOAP.

Five pounds of grease, one quart and one cup of cold water, one can of potash, one heaping tablespoonful of borax, two tablespoonfuls of ammonia. Dissolve the potash in the water, then add the borax and ammonia and stir in the lukewarm grease slowly and continue to stir until it becomes as thick as thick honey; then pour into a pan to harden. When firm cut into cakes. Grease that is no longer fit to fry in is used for this soap. Strain it carefully that no particles of food are left in it. It makes no difference how brown the grease is, the soap will become white and float in water. It should be kept a month before using.

POLISH FOR HARD OR STAINED WOOD FLOORS.

Eight ounces of yellow beeswax, two quarts of spirits of turpentine, one quart of Venetian turpentine. Cut the wax in small pieces and pour the spirits over it--it will soon dissolve; then bottle. Apply with a flannel or soft cloth. It keeps the floors in excellent order.