Page:Art of Cookery 1774 edition.djvu/167

 out the glue into a coarse new flannel. Let it lay eight or nine hours, keeping it in a dry warm place, and turn it on fresh flannel till it is quite dry, and the glue will be quite hard; and put it into clean new stone pots, keep it close covered from dust and dirt, in a dry place, and where no damp can come to it.

When you use it, pour boiling water on it, and stir it all the time till it is melted. Season it with salt to your palate. A piece as big as a large walnut will make a pint of water very rich; but as to that your are to make it as good as you please; if for soup, fry a French roll and lay it in the middle of the dish, and when the glue is dissolved in the water, give it a boil and pour it into a dish. If you chuse it for change, you may boil either rice or barley, vermicelli, celery cut small, or truffles or morels; but let them be very tenderly boiled in the water before you stir in the glue, and then give it a boil all together. You may, when you would have it very fine, add forcemeat balls, cocks-combs, or a palate boiled very tender, and cut into little bits; but it will be very rich and good without any of these ingredients.

If for gravy, pour the boiling water on to what quantity you think proper; and when it is dissolved, add what ingredients you please, as in other sauces. This is only in the room of a rich good gravy. You may make your sauce either weak or strong, by adding more or less.

FIRST take great care the pots or sauce-pans and covers be very clean and free from all grease and sand, and that they be well tinned, for fear of giving the broths and soups any brassy taste. If you have time to stew as softly as you can, it will both have a fine flavour, and the mat will be tender. But then observe, when you make soups or broths for present use, if it is to be done softly,don't put much more water than you intend to have soup or broth; and if you have the convenience of an earthen pan or pipkin, set it on wood embers till it boils, then skim it, and put in your seasoning; cover it close, and set it on embers, so that it may do very softly for some time, and both the meat and broths will be delicious. You must observe in all broths and soups that one thing does not taste more than another; but that the taste be equal, and if has a fine agreeable relish, according to what you design it for; and you must be sure, that all the greens and herbs you put in be cleaned, washed, and picked.