ONION, 533 
delicate noses. The soups, and vegetable dishes consisting 
mainly of Onions, should be so mitigated as to bear the test of 
polite intercourse, and should fall into the rank of civilized 
cookery, be it au gras, or au mazgre, for days of rejoicing, or 
abstinence.” 
The Cock-a-Leekie soup of Caledonia is graphically described 
by Sir Walter Scott in The Fortunes of Nigel. This was the 
favourite clear soup of her late Majesty Queen Victoria when at 
Balmoral. The Leeks must be young, and small, and well cut 
(using the white part only) into pieces about half an inch long ; 
these are to be thrown into cold water overnight ; in the morning 
remove just the centre of each piece with a small wooden skewer ; 
next blanch them; cool, and drain, and place the pieces of 
Leek in a stewpan of the required size, with plenty of clear 
clarified butter, and a few slices of raw, green ham; in the 
evening pass the Leeks very slowly indeed over the stove for 
about fifteen minutes; pour off the butter, and add a good 
boiling consommé (in which a chicken has been cooked) during 
the clarification, and boil for half an hour; cut the breast of this 
chicken into very small white pieces, and put them in the tureen ; 
remove the ham from the soup; season the latter, and pour it 
into the tureen, freeing it from all fat with whitey-brown paper. 
Then the soup is ready. French plums (stoned, and stewed in 
the consommé) were always served on a soup-plate with this 
Cock-a-Leekie at the Royal table. The Welsh, who live much 
upon Leeks, are found to be very fruitful of progeny. ‘“ These 
products are,” writes Evelyn, ‘“ of virtue said to be prolifeck ; 
since Latona, the mother of Apollo, longed after them.” 
Chives (Allium schenoprasum) are an evergreen perennial 
herb of the Onion tribe, with a milder flavour than the bulbs. 
Epicures consider this the best seasoning for beef-steaks, either 
by eating the small bulb, or by rubbing the platter therewith 
when cut in half. 
The Schalot is another variety of this Onion tribe, being called 
also the Scallion, or Cibol, of a mild flavour, and preferred in 
pickle-making. As to Chives, these tiny Onion-like plants are 
as superior in flavour to an Onion as an oyster is to a cockle ; 
they are said to have been introduced into Britain by the Roman 
soldiers, and accordingly they are found flourishing in plenty 
near the Roman Wall in Northumberland, and elsewhere. They 
grow there like thrift, and without any bulb, the stalks being 
