402 Of Food. 



and the boiling is continued over a gentle fire about two 

 hours. The potatoes are then added (having been pre- 

 viously peeled with a knife, or having been boiled, in 

 order to their being more easily deprived of their skins), 

 and the boiling is continued for about one hour more, 

 during which time the contents of the boiler are fre- 

 quently stirred about with a large wooden spoon or 

 ladle, in order to destroy the texture of the potatoes, 

 and to reduce the soup to one uniform mass. When 

 this is done, the vinegar and the salt are added ; and 

 last of all, at the moment it is to be served up, the 

 cuttings of bread. 



The soup should never be suffered to boil, or even 

 stand long before it is served up after the cuttings of 

 bread are put to it. It will, indeed, for reasons which 

 will hereafter be explained, be best never to put the 

 cuttings of bread into the boiler at all, but (as is always 

 done at Munich) to put them into the tubs in which 

 the soup is carried from the kitchen into the dining- 

 hall ; pouring the soup hot from the boiler upon them, 

 and stirring the whole well together with the iron ladles 

 used for measuring out the soup to the poor in the hall. 



It is of more importance than can well be imagined 

 that this bread which is mixed with the soup should not 

 be boiled. It is likewise of use that it should be cut as 

 fine or thin as possible ; and, if it be dry and hard, it will 

 be so much the better. 



The bread we use in Munich is what is called semjnel 

 bread, being small loaves weighing from two to three 

 ounces ; and, as we receive this bread in donations from 

 the bakers, it is commonly dry and hard, being that 

 which not being sold in time remains on hand, and be- 

 comes stale and unsalable. And we have found by expe- 



