40 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
embody much nitrogenous food (vegetable meat) in a compact 
form, together with a nice palatable oil, whilst free from starch, 
or sugar; they are therefore largely employed in making 
diabetic foods. From these sweet almonds a milky drink can 
be prepared which will soothe, and pacify troublesome bronchial 
coughs. The bitter almond contains in 100 parts, 28 of fixed 
oil, 30 of albumin, 6 of sugar, and 19 of essential oil, including 
its prussic acid. This almond, when rubbed up with water, 
has the odour of fresh peach blossom, with the pleasant, bitter 
taste of peach kernels. Prepared from it sparingly by the cook 
are macaroon biscuits, smaller ratafia biscuits, and the French 
sirop @orgeat, which severally supply prussic acid in a safely 
modified form, excellent against nausea, and the sickness of 
nervous indigestion. 
Far back in 1610 John Taylor, the water-poet, wrote: ‘ Let 
anything come in the shape of fodder, or eating stuffe, it is 
welcome, whether it be sawsedge, or cheese-cakes, or makroone- 
kickshaw, or tartaplin.” For making macaroons, according to 
an old Dutch recipe: “Take one pound of sweet almonds, 
blanched and pounded, together with a tablespoonful of fresh 
rose-water, and one pound of white sugar; melt the sugar, and 
almonds over the fire until quite a tough jelly ; then have ready 
the whites of four eggs beaten to a froth; whip them together 
when cold. This way of melting the sugar and almonds is 
excellent, as it prevents the macaroons from running together 
in the tins. Three or four bitter almonds, according to taste, 
may be included among the sweet almonds now ordered. The 
old-fashioned plan was to put a small piece of candied citron 
on each macaroon biscuit. Dust some fine cinnamon over 
before baking.” 
At Miss Barker’s (the ex-milliner) evening party given to the 
select ladies of “‘ Cranford” (Mrs. Gaskell) there were “all sorts 
of good things provided unexpectedly for supper,—scalloped 
oysters, potted lobsters, jelly, a dish called ‘ little Cupids’ (which 
was in great favour with the Cranford ladies, although too 
expensive to be provided except on solemn, and state occasions ; 
macaroons sopped in brandy I should have called it if I 
had not known its more refined, and classical name). In 
short, we were evidently to be feasted with all that was 
sweetest and best; and we thought it better to submit 
graciously, even at the cost of our gentility—which never 
