366 I>Ii. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



Sggs. — Eggs must be fresh and well-beaten; and it is claimed that aH 

 cakes are better if the yolks and whites are beaten separately. This may be 

 true, to a certain extent, but my wife who has made cake for me (or seen that 

 it was done as she desired) for over forty years, claims, and I have no doubt 

 of the fact, that the difference, for general use, is not suflBcient to pay for the 

 extra trouble; while, for nice cake, for special occasions, it may be best to beat 

 separately. 



Spices are always to be ground, or very finely pulverized, where the old 

 fashioned mortar is still in use. 



Flavoring Extracts, kept by dealers may be used, or those made by 

 receipts given in this work, which will be found under proper headings, using 

 only sufficient to obtain a fair flavor of the fruit represented. 



Fruit requires care in selection, or piu-chase, and also in its preparation 

 for use. 



Raisins need to be looked over to free them from any remaining stems, 

 and from small gravel-stones, which are often found among them, then washed 

 drained, dried and floured, and used whole, or they may be seeded and chopped 

 after washing and draining, then rubbed — "dredged" — with flour, which 

 largely prevents them from settling to the bottom of a cake or pudding. 



English Currants require picking carefully to free them from gravel, 

 dirt, etc. , and several careful washings, for the want of proper care in curing. 

 They also require drying and flouring, the same as raisins, for the same reason. 



Home-dried. Fruit. — Currants, raspberries, blackberries, whortle 

 (" huckle ") berries, etc., may be substituted for foreign fruit very|satisfactorily 

 when desired, or when they are plenty. 



Citron, when used, is to be " shred," i. e., cut into long narrow strips, or 

 chopped, as preferred. If chopped, however, leave it the size of peas, so that 

 one eating the cake can tell what it is without too close scrutiny. 



Almonds are to be blanched, i. e. , boiling water is to be poured upon 

 them and allowed to stand until the thin skin will rub off easily, then chopped 

 as citron, or pounded finely in rose water— preferably chopped. 



Cream of Tartar and Soda are always to be stirred into the flour 

 before it is sifted, the same as baking powder. The proportions in using 

 Bhoxild always be two of the first to one of the latter. They are usually kept 

 in separate boxes and mixed when used, by taking out 2 teaspoons of the 

 cream of tartar to 1 of the bi-carbonate of soda (baking soda), but they may be 

 purchased in quantities of yi lb. of the cream of tartar to X 1^). of the soda (or 

 in these proportions) and all mixed at once, if dry, and kept in an air-tight box 

 •in a dry place, and thus you have always ready for use a better baking pow- 

 der than you can buy. 



Saleratus, when used, is to be dissolved in a little hot water, or in a little 

 of the milk, by rolling finely on the table or moulding-board before putting 



