Of Food. 451 



manner as to prevent lumps being formed. The meal 

 should be added so slowly that, when the water is 

 brought to boil, the mass should not be thicker than 

 water-gruel, and half an hour more, at least, should be 

 employed to add the additional quantity of meal neces- 

 sary for bringing the pudding to be of the proper con- 

 sistency, during which time it should be stirred about 

 continually, and kept constantly boiling. The method 

 of determining when the pudding has acquired the 

 proper consistency is this : The wooden spoon used for 

 stirring it being placed upright in the middle of the 

 kettle, if it falls dow^n more meal must be added ; but, 

 if the pudding is sufficiently thick and adhesive to sup- 

 port it in a vertical position, it is declared to be proof, 

 and no more meal is added. If the boiling, instead 

 of being continued only half an hour, be prolonged to 

 three quarters of an hour or an hour, the pudding will 

 be considerably improved by this prolongation. 



This hasty pudding, when done, may be eaten in 

 various ways. It may be put, while hot, by spoonfuls 

 into a bowl of milk, and eaten with the milk with a 

 spoon in lieu of bread, and used in this way it is 

 remarkably palatable. It may likewise be eaten, while 

 hot, with a sauce composed of butter and brown sugar, 

 or butter and molasses, wdth or without a few drops 

 of vinegar ; and, however people who have not been 

 accustomed to this American cookery may be preju- 

 diced against it, they will find upon trial that it makes 

 a most excellent dish, and one which never fails to be 

 much liked by those who are accustomed to it. The 

 universal fondness of Americans for it proves that it 

 must have some merit ; for, in a country which pro- 

 duces all the delicacies of the table in the greatest 



