4i 8 Of Food. 



This sum (3/. 4*. yf^.) divided by 1200, the number 

 of portions, gives for each 2\ farthings, very nearly. 



This soup comes much higher here in London than 

 it would do in most other parts of Great Britain, on 

 account of the very high price of potatoes in this city ; 

 but in most parts of the kingdom, and certainly in 

 every part of Ireland, it may be furnished, even at this 

 present moment, notwithstanding the uncommonly high 

 prices of provisions, at less than one halfpenny the 

 portion of 20 ounces. 



Though the object most attended to in composing 

 these soups was to render them wholesome and nour- 

 ishing, yet they are very far from being unpalatable. 

 The basis of the soups, which is water prepared and 

 thickened by barley, is well calculated to receive, and 

 to convey to the palate in an agreeable manner, every 

 thing that is savoury in the other ingredients ; and the 

 dry bread rendering mastication necessary prolongs the 

 action of the food upon the organs of taste, and by that 

 means increases and prolongs the enjoyment of eating. 



But though these soups are very good and nourish- 

 ing, yet they certainly are capable of a variety of 

 improvements. The most obvious means of improv- 

 ing them is to mix with them a small quantity of 

 salted meat, boiled and cut into very small pieces (the 

 smaller, the better), and to fry the bread that is put 

 into them in butter, or in the fat of salted pork or 

 bacon. 



The bread, by being fried, is not only rendered 

 much harder, but being impregnated with a fat or oily 

 substance it remains hard after it is put into the soup, 

 the water not being able to penetrate it and soften it. 



All good cooks put fried bread, cut into small square 



