122 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



for a few minutes in boiling water, to which a little lemon juice or vinegar 

 has been added, to prevent them from turning dark colored. Some people 

 use plain cold water, or cold water with lemon juice or vinegar in it. But 

 never use salt in preparing mushrooms for drying, as salted mushrooms will 

 absorb moisture from the atmosphere and soon spoil. Take the mushrooms 

 out of the water and drain them on a sieve ; then string them and hang them 

 up to dry and season, in an open, airy shed, as one would do with strings of 

 drying fruit. They may also be dried in a drying machine or oven, as is 

 done with apples or peaches. They are used as a substitute for fresh mush- 

 rooms when the latter cannot be obtained. In preparing dried mushrooms 

 for use, steep them in tepid water or milk until they become quite soft and 

 plump, then drain them dry and cook them the same ways as fresh mush- 

 rooms. 



Mushroom Ketchup. — To each peck of mushrooms add one-half pound 

 of salt ; to each quart of mushroom liquor add one-half ounce of allspice, 

 one-half ounce of ginger, two blades of pounded mace, and one-fourth ounce 

 of cayenne. Choose full-grown mushroom flaps, and be careful that they 

 are perfectly fresh-gathered, when the weather is tolerably dry; for if 

 they are picked during rain the ketchup made from them is liable to get 

 musty and will not keep long. Put a layer of them in a deep pan, sprinkle 

 salt over them, then another layer of mushrooms and salt as before, and so 

 on alternately. Let them remain a few hours, and break them up with the 

 hand ; put them in a cool place for three days, occasionally stirring and 

 mashing them well to extract from them as much juice as possible. Measure 

 the quantity without straining, and to each quart allow the named proportions 

 of spices, etc. Put all into a stone jar, cover it closely, place it in a deep 

 pan of boiling water, set it over the fire and let it boil for three hours. Have 

 ready a clean stewpan ; turn into it the contents of the jar, and let it simmer 

 very gently for half an hour. Pour it into a pitcher, where it should stand in 

 a cool place until the next day; tlien pour it off into another pitcher and 

 strain it into very dry, clean bottles, and do not squeeze the mushrooms. 

 To each pint of the ketchup add a few drops of brandy. Be careful not to 

 shake the ketchup when pouring it into the bottles, but leave all sediment in 

 the pitcher; cork well, and either seal or rosin the cork, so as to exclude the 

 air perfectly. When a very clear, bright ketchup is wanted, the liquor must 

 be strained through a very fine hair sieve or flannel bag after it has been 

 very gently poured off, and if this operation is not successful it must be 

 repeated until you have quite a clear liquor. It should be examined occa- 

 sionally, and if it is spoiling should be reboiled with a few peppercorns. It 

 may be made any time from the first of September to the middle of October. 



Mushroom Ketchup. — This flavoring ingredient, if genuine and well 

 prepared, is one of the most useful store sauces to the experienced cook, 

 and no trouble should be spared in its preparation. Double ketchup is made 

 by boiling down each quart to one pint. This goes further than ordinary 

 ketchup, as so little is required to flavor a good quantity of gravy. The 

 sediment may also be bottled for immediate use in flavoring thick soups 

 or gravies. 



