Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/33

Rh be a good colour, if properly boiled, and should not need any thickening, but if it is necessary, a dessertspoonful of flour blended smoothly with a little water, can be added, and the pot stood on the fire again for a minute. If colouring is required a little burnt sugar can be added, but if the above directions are strictly followed neither colouring nor thickening should be needed. The meat should be boiled to rags, and the bones be perfectly clean. One of the nicest accompaniments to soup of almost any kind is bread dice, fried in fat till quite crisp. Of course, it is supposed only to be used with pease soup, but it is just as good with other kinds. The way to do it is as follows:—Cut some bread into dice, no bigger, no smaller, put about two tablespoonsful of fat into the frying pan, and when it is boiling throw the bread in and stir it about till it is all brown and crisp. Add more fat if it requires it, but be sure none of the bread burns. When the dice are done remove on to a plate and keep warm; send to table in a deep plate, or else put into the tureen before pouring in the soup. The former is the better way, as they are apt to get too soft when long in the soup. The soup I have given above is one of the best for a large family, and is more simply made than any other. In fact, anyone can make it, even the most stupid cook. For stock I have quite a different plan. In the first place, you require a proper pot for this. While living in the bush I invented one for myself, and had it made at a tinsmith’s. A kerosene tin makes an excellent stock pot, either with or without a strainer. But it is best to have one if possible; any tinsmith will put one in and a tap for a few shillings, and the comfort gained thereby will repay for the small outlay. When it is ready for use, you can keep it on the side of the fire always, and any scraps of meat, bone, or trimmings from the joints can be thrown into it. If vegetables are added, care must be taken that it does not become sour, which there is danger of it doing in the summer months. On a station, where the fires are always banked up at night, instead of being put out, there is not much fear of this. When wanted, the stock can be drawn from the tin, and then made into any soup liked. At the end of the week turn out the tin, and thoroughly clean it with strong soda and soap. Save all the fat from the stock pot, it makes the best dripping when used over the roast. Scraps of fat can also be thrown into the stock pot, pieces of gristle, scraps of outside, skin, or anything. When wild fowl are brought in the giblets can be put in, also the heads and pieces of necks, well cleaned. There is no difficulty in cleaning the heads and legs of fowls and ducks. Scald them in water just off the boil, when the outer shell of the beaks will be easily rubbed off. The legs can be done the same way, and all will make good soup if added to the stock pot. Even the heads of wallabies can be cleaned, split, and thrown in, and