RECIPES FOR COOKING. 991 



following recipe is taken from Mrs. Whitney s cook book. We agree with her that butter 

 is better than suet for mince pies, as it gives them a better flavor; but instead of mixing the 

 chopped apple with the seasoned meat as soon as chopped, we should first thoroughly cook it 

 to a soft pulp. 



&quot; The proportions of the following recipe are given as a good basis. &quot;When these are 

 mixed, taste, and judgment must decide if the quantity of any of the ingredients would better 

 be increased. I have kept far within the average limits of the cook books in respect to 

 spices, for I always prefer to leave something to be added, and I believe in subdued undis 

 tinguished flavors, rather than those at all exaggerated or pronounced. You may use either 

 suet or butter in preparing mince-meat. I like the latter myself and it is far less trouble. 



Whatever further moistening may be needed, after using what is given in measure 

 below, may be made up with any syrup you may have left from preserved fruit, water with 

 jelly dissolved in it, as you would prepare for a summer drink, or molasses and boiling water, 

 mixed half and half. The vinegar-syrup from sweet pickle is nice to help out the mixture. 

 Or you may boil some vinegar-syrup on purpose, equal measures of sugar and cider-vinegar. 

 Just make the whole liquid mixtures a pleasant counteraction of sweet and sour, the bright 

 taste prevailing. Be sure that there is salt enough to bring out all the other flavor. Often, 

 when a higher flavor seems necessary the apparent tameness is only a deficiency of this. Salt 

 may be used to the verge of tasting salt; never beyond. 



Make ready, at a convenient time beforehand, for every two pounds of meat: Two 

 pounds of fine raisins, stoned, and cut with a clean pair of scissors into bits, about three 

 each. One pound of dried currents, thoroughly washed, dried, and picked over. Half a 

 pound of citron cut in slips. 



Make ready, the day before you make your pies: A good fresh beef tongue, washed; 

 put on in boiling water with a handful of salt in it, and boiled till perfectly tender. Try it 

 with the knitting needle. When done, take it out, skin it, and return it to the hot liquor. 

 Let all grow cold together. 



If you use suet, take one pound to two of meat, pull off all the thin membrane, separating 

 and picking over the pieces of suet thus detached, and chop it, in a cool place that it may not 

 grow cloggy by melting, until it is as fine as dust. Set it away to keep cool till the meat is 

 ready. 



When the meat is cooked and cold, trim away from it all gristle and poor unpalatable 

 parts, with bits of bone, about the roots. Yfeigh, of the nice selected portion, whatever 

 quantity you wish to make into mince. I am giving measures of other ingredients suited to 

 two pounds of meat, which will make as much mince, when all put together, as would ordi 

 narily be worth while to prepare at one time. Chop this meat just as fine as you can. Now 

 mix it thoroughly with the powered suet. Or, if you use butter instead, take a short weight 

 pound for two pounds of meat, or measure a pint of broken butter, in pieces small enough 

 to lie fairly close, but not packed. Melt it, stirring it till it liquefies. Then mix it with the 

 chopped meat. 



A fine housekeeper tells me, as I read this over to her, that a piece of nice salt pork 

 perfectly fat, boiled about an hour to take away the rawness, and chopped fine, is an excellent 

 substitute for suet. In chopping, put a little of the chopped meat into the tray with it to 

 keep it from clogging. 



Take four heaping tablespoonfuls of mixed spice. Two heaping tablespoonf uls of salt. 

 Four heaping cups of brown sugar. Grated rind of four large lemons. Mix well together, 

 and all with the , chopped meat. Take juice of the four lemons. Two cups of molasses. 

 Two cups of boiled cider. One cup of brandy, and one of wine.* Mix these together, and 

 well into the mince meat. 



Lastly, stir in your fruit, one kind after another, raisins, currants, citron, till all is 

 equally mixed. Do all this stirring with your hand. Pack the mince into a bowl or jar, 

 cover tight, and set away till the next day. Make ready, the morning of your pie-making, 

 enough apple, chopped into jam, to measure twice as much as the chopped meat. Mix, with 

 your hands, apple and meat thoroughly together. Now, if necessary, add moistening, 

 according to suggestion in preliminary paragraphs. Make the whole as soft and moist as an 

 easily stirred not watery sauce. Taste carefully, and see that salt and sugar are right, 

 and use your own discretion as to increasing or modifying flavors. Remember the injunction 

 in regard to flavoring soups: Every condiment should hide itself, and help all the rest. Make 



* Equal meesure of some spicy fruit and vinegar-syrup, as suggested above, will quite well substi 

 tute these two last, be more economical, and less open to objection. Sweeten accordingly. 



