OF SUNDRY HERBS 49 



To MAKE CHERVIL POTTAGE THE DUTCH WAY (usually 

 eat in the Months of March and April). Take a Knuckle of 

 Veal all chopped in little Pieces, except the Marrow-bone; 

 season the Flesh with a little Salt, Nutmeg, pounded Biscuit, 

 and Yolks of Eggs, and make little Force-meat Balls, the 

 Bigness of a Pigeon's Egg ; which, being boiled in a Broth- 

 pot, for the Space of a full Hour ; take three or four Handfuls 

 of Chervil picked clean, two or three Leeks, and a good 

 Handful of Beet-leaves ; mince them together, and add two 

 or three Spoonfuls of Flour well mixt with two or three 

 Spoonfuls of Broth, that it may not be lumpy, and do it 

 over the Stove, as you would do Milk-pottage. This Pottage 

 must appear green. On Fish-days cut some Eels in Pieces, 

 with which make the Broth, and you may put in a Handful 

 of Sorrel among the other Herbs. From The Receipt Book 

 of Vincent La Chapelle, Chief Cook to the Prince of Orange, 

 1744- 



ANOTHER SORT OF CHERVIL BROTH. Instead of boiling 

 your Chervil, pound it, and take about a glass of its Juice, 

 mix it with your Broth, whilst it is hot, but not boiling, lest 

 the Juice lose its Taste and Quality. This Broth is very 

 cooling, though it does not look pleasing to the Eye, by 

 reason of its Greenness; but it has more Vertue in the 

 Spring, to sweeten and purify the Blood, than in any other 

 Season. Ibid. 



CHICKWEED 



This herb grows wild in all the habitable parts of the 

 world. Formerly it was an esteemed pot-herb, and as it is 

 particularly rich in salts of potash, we might with advantage 

 use it again as an ingredient in vegetable soups. Linnseus 

 had a " dial " made of herbs and flowers which opened at 

 the successive hours. Ingram in his Flora Symbolica gives 

 a list of plants to make this sort of dial, and the list begins 

 with Goat's Beard (opening at three a.m.) and ends with 

 Chickweed which only opens at 9.15 a.m. 

 E 



