Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/508

502 the seeds. Take tomatoes, onions, and a very small piece of garlic, and cut all very fine. Fry the mixture a little in lard; after this, stuff the squashes with it; then, with bread-crumbs beaten fine, fry the stuffed squashes in lard, when they are ready for the table.

Frijoles, the native beans, are as much a boon to the rich as to the poor. Twice a day they close the meal, and even on ceremonious occasions are not dispensed with. A failure in the bean crop would prove as great a misfortune in Mexico, as a falling off in the potato crop in Ireland.

There is some little art in cooking them, and under no condition are they considered wholesome to be eaten the day on which they are cooked. They are boiled first until tender, and when required, are fried in a quantity of lard with a little chili thrown in.

Housewives have much skill in the preparation of their sweetmeats, and the Mexican preserves and crystallized fruits are certainly superior to our own. They possess the remarkable feature of retaining the original color and flavor of the fruit. The climate is favorable to their preservation, but as they have only the earthenware of the country in which to put them up, it seems strange that they should remain delicious to the last. I subjoin a few of their dulces.

Queso de Almendra (Almond Cheese).—To one pound of almonds add one pound and a half of sugar, the yolks of eight eggs, and six ordinary glasses of milk. Put the milk on to boil; when well cooked, set aside to cool until the cream rises; then remove this. Stir the sugar in the milk, and when well dissolved, strain through a fine sieve. After this, put in the yolks of the eggs, well beaten; then put on the fire. Have the almonds thoroughly beaten as fine as a powder, and when it begins to boil, put them in, stirring continually. Add a little ground cinnamon. This is done when you can see the bottom of the vessel each time you stir across it. It may be cut any size preferred while still in the vessel, and it is a very delicious dulce.

Copas Mexicanas.—Here we have a very dainty and attractive dessert. The yolks of twenty-two eggs beaten until very light, one pound of powdered sugar and twenty four lady-fingers beaten as fine