Shaker Housekeeping.
The Shakers recognize the fact that good food, properly cooked and well digested, is the basis of sound health. The following pages therefore are designed to contribute to that object, as far as possible, in the selection and preparation of receipts which are known to be reliable and good and at the same time adapted to the majority of New England homes.
The novelty of bills of fare for the dinner of each day of the week, is here for the first time introduced. While it is possible that but a small proportion of housekeepers will see fit to follow them exactly, it is, at the same time, hoped that they may suggest something beneficial to them in the preparation of many savory and economical dishes.
Gratefully acknowledging my indebtedness to many friends for the valuable contributions herein contained, and sincerely hoping that this unpretentious book may prove generally acceptable to those who love their home8,
I remain, yours kindly,
SUNDAY. Tomato Soup.
Pressed Corned Beef.
Mashed Turnips, Mashed Potatoes.
Spanish Cream or Chocolate Pudding.
Tomato Soup. — Put a quart can of tomatoes and a pint of water on to boil. Mix a large tablespoonful of butter with two of flour, and gradually stir into this mixture half a cupful of boiling tomato. When perfectly smooth add to the greater quantity of tomato, and add, also, a teaspoonful of salt and one of sugar. Simmer fifteen minutes, and season with pepper. After straining through a fine sieve or steamer, serve with toasted bread.
Pressed Corned Beef. — The thin part of the ribs, the brisket and the flank, are the best parts to press. Wash the meat, and if it is very salt, cover with cold water; but if not thoroughly salted, cover with boiling water. Let it come to a boil, and skim; then cover and simmer six hours, unless the piece weighs more than ten or twelve pounds; in which case allow fifteen minutes for every additional pound. No matter how small the piece, it will require six hours to cook. When done, take from the tire and let it stand one hour in the water in which it was boiled; then take out the bones, place the meat on a platter or cake pan, put a tin sheet on top of ft, and on the sheet a weight, and set in a cool place. In the morning trim the edges; use the trimmings for hash. —If the beef be boiled rapidly it will be dry and stringy, but if it is allowed only to bubble it will be tender and juicy. This is true of all kinds of meat.
Mashed Potatoes. — Pare and boil for thirty minutes. Mash light and fine with a wooden masher. To every twelve potatoes add one teaspoonful of butter, half a cupful of boiling milk, and salt to taste.
Mashed Turnips. — Pare, and cut into slices. If the white turnips be used and they are fresh, they will cook in forty minutes, but if they be the yellow kind they must boil for two hours in plenty of water. Mash, and season with butter, salt and pepper.
Spanish Cream. — One quart of milk, three eggs, one cupful of sugar, one-third of a box of gelatine, one generous teaspoonful of vanilla flavor. Put the gelatine in a bowl with half a cupful of cold water, and when it has stood an hour add it to a pint and a half of the milk, and then place the sauce-pan in which it is to be cooked (it should hold two quarts), into another of boiling water. Beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. Beat the whites to a stiff froth. Add the half pint of cold milk reserved from the quart to the yolks and sugar, and stir all into the boiling milk. Cook five minutes, stirring all the time; then add the whites and remove from the fire. Add the vanilla, and pour into moulds. Place on ice to harden. Mrs. J. A. Mead.
Chocolate Pudding. — One square of Baker’s chocolate, one quart of milk, six tablespoonfuls of sugar, four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, four eggs, one generous teaspoonful of vanilla. Put the milk on to boil, reserving one cupful to mix with the corn-starch. Scrape the chocolate and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of hot water to it. Place over a hot fire and stir until dissolved, which will be in about one minute. Put this in the boiling milk. Mix the corn-starch with the cold milk. Beat the yolks of the eggs into this mixture, and when the milk is boiling stir this mixture, the sugar and about a fourth of a teaspoonful of salt into it. Cook six minutes, stirring all the time; then add the whites of the eggs,— which you must beat to a stiff froth before you add the corn-starch and eggs to the boiling milk. Remove from the fire and add the vanilla. This pudding can be eaten cold or hot, with or without sugar and cream. Mrs. C. Powell.
MONDAY. Broiled Beef Steak.