UP-COUNTRY COOKERY. 223 



6. Water. — Most people supply themselves for a trip with the Water Works Co.'s water. 



Creek water should always be boiled and filtered, even for cooking purposes. 



7. Corned Beef, ham or tongue should be well boiled, and the joint not removed from the 



saucepan until the water has become quite cool. 



8. Tinned Stores should be opened an hour before being used. Tinned Soups are a good 



addition to the pot. 



9. Vegetables. — Cabbage and other greens can scarcely be too well boiled : always put 



plenty of salt in the water; the same remark applies to carrots, turnips, parsnips and 

 beetroot. 



10. Cruet. — When mixing mustard, a little salt should be stirred into water that has been 



boiled and allowed to cool. Pepper, black, white or cayenne should always be heated 

 on the hob just before being used. This brings out the flavour. 



11. Bath. — Never fail to add some disinfectant to the water. Jeye's fluid or something 



similar. Invaluable for tender feet. 



SOUPS. 



Nothing on the up-country bill-of-fare is more appreciated than a really good soup, 

 and to this end a strong beef stock is absolutely necessary. 



Strong Beef Stock.— Two days before starting for a long trip procure a shin of beef 

 (about 12 lbs.) into which rub 2 ounces of salt, cut the meat into dice, break the bones 

 small, and place both meat and bones in the pot with Y^ lb. lean ham, 4 oz. butter, 

 Yz doz. onions, a bunch of savoury herbs, not forgetting parsley, 20 or 30 pepper corns 

 and 6 quarts of cold water. Simmer very slowly for six hours, occasionally remove 

 the scum, strain through a hair sieve, and wlien cold bottle and cork tightly. This will 

 make eight bottles of strong stock, which will keep good for weeks. — Sportsman's Diary. 

 Pot. — The day before starting make a second brew as above, adding to it 4 lbs. neck of 

 mutton, two hares, two pheasants, four table-spoonsful of red currant jelly, with four 

 additional quarts of water (making 10 quarts in all). Simmer very gently for four or 

 five hours. This will form the basis of the pot and once under way it should be kept 

 going by the addition daily of a hare, or a pheasant, venison, quail, snipes, teal, duck 

 — seasoning according to taste : simmer slowly for three or four hours every day, but 

 never allow it to ho\\ { Sportsman s Diary). Before serving add a little portwine, 

 sherry or claret, sometimes a dash of Worcestershire or Brand's Al sauce. 

 Pea Soup. — If it can possibly be managed, get a steamer friend to let you have some of the 

 genuine article made on board ship. It can be bottled off and will keep well for 

 some time. Failing this 

 I. — Soak \ lb. split peas for a whole night, strain and put into a saucepan with two 



quarts of water and i lb. dripping. Simmer until the peas are quite soft. Dried 



mint, rubbed finely may be added on. 

 2. — Boil 2 lb. gravy beef and 2 lb. neck of mutton in a gallon of water for 12 hours — 



strain. Soak \ pint split peas in a little water for four hours, adding boiled 



turnips and onions, according to taste. Now add the peas and boil for one hour. 

 3. — To ordinary stock broth add I pint well soaked split peas and boil until it thickens. 



A ham knuckle is a much appreciated addition to any pea soup. 



