984 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



RECIPES FOR COOKING, ETC. 



WEIGHTS and Measures in Cooking. Weights and measures are essential 

 in cooking, besides being often a great convenience for other purposes; but it is 

 some trouble for a housekeeper always to be obliged to weigh everything where 

 the recipe indicates weight, and an approximate standard or rule for guidance 

 will frequently prove of great utility. Of course spoons, cups, tumblers, and even pint and 

 quart measures vary to a certain extent. It will, therefore, be well to verify your measures 

 by a sure standard, after which they may be used instead of weights for convenience. A 



tumbler, or ordinary cof 

 fee-cup full is half a pint. 

 Eight tablespoonfuls of 

 liquid measure a gill. A 

 pint of granulated sugar 

 is about a pound. Three 

 half -pints of dry sifted 

 flour are a pound. Four 

 even teaspoonfuls make 

 a tablespoonful. One 

 very heaping teaspoonf ul 

 makes a round table- 

 spoonful. Eight round 

 tablespoonfuls make half 

 a pint. Two teaspoonfuls 

 of cream-tartar should be 

 used to one of soda, and 

 a teaspoonful of soda to 



FAMILY SCALES. 



a quart of flour. For mixed spices, a good proportion consists of three heaping teaspoonfuls 

 of cinnamon to one of clove, and two of nutmeg, or one heaping teaspoonful of ground mace 

 instead. A half teaspoonful of allspice maybe added in mixing for spiced cakes or puddings. 

 When a teaspoonful is indicated without qualification, a spoon rounding full is meant; by a 

 cupful an ordinary breakfast cup holding about half a pint. A broken half pint cupful 

 of butter weighs nearly half a pound, while a solid half pint cupful weighs a full half pound. 



Soups. Of all the operations of cookery, none are more frequently neglected or of 

 more importance than the preparation of soups. Soups of all kinds are wholesome, and may 

 be made very palatable, to say nothing of their economy as an article of diet. To commence a 

 dinner with a light soup is decidedly conducive to health, being easily digested and 

 nutritious, and seems to obviate the danger of eating too heavily of solid meat. The making 

 of soups is an easy and economical way of using waste pieces of meat, and the bony pieces 

 that cannot well be utilized by other methods of cooking. The richest soups are made by 

 boiling several kinds of meat together. The seasoning for soups may vary almost infinitely, 

 various spices, herbs, and vegetables being used. A teaspoonful of vinegar added to beef 

 soup improves its flavor. Two or three onions and one or two carrots cut into small pieces 

 and boiled tender are frequently added instead of the flour. A teacupful of ripe tomato cut 

 into thin slices also makes a fine seasoning. When convenient, it is a good plan to make a 

 soup the day before except seasoning, and set away to cool, after which the fat may be easily 



