Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society. 185 



art was practised in all its branches. I was afterwards thirty- 

 four years with the Hon. D. F. Halyburton as cook and house- 

 steward. He being of delicate constitution, and eating no sort 

 of animal food whatsoever, I was, on his account, obliged to 

 study varieties of vegetable dishes. Hop tops formed one on 

 which I by chance stumbled, and of which he very highly 

 approved, finding it agreeable and very wholesome." 



To cook the Potiron [Mammoth) Gourd when fresh and 

 fully swelled. — Cut the gourds into slices ; and, after paring 

 off the skin, put the slices into a panful of gravy, and, on the 

 fire, boil them down to rag ; then pass them through a hair- 

 sieve, and season with white pepper and a little salt ; put over 

 the fire again, and boil slowly for half an hour. Then, in a 

 tureen, put a handful of grated Parmesan cheese, upon which 

 pour the soup ; mix them well together, then serve up. It 

 will form an excellent dish, and give great satisfaction. 



On frying any kind of Gourd. — Slice them thinly half an 

 inch broad, and eight inches long ; put them, so sliced, into a 

 sieve or cullender ; sprinkle a little salt over them, and let 

 them drop for three or four hours to drain the juice ; then put 

 them on a cloth to dry ; and, when a little dry, sprinkle some 

 flour ; and, a few minutes before dinner, fry them in hog's lard 

 until they get brown and crisp : then serve them up. When 

 scant of other vegetables, this will supply a good dish. 



To make a Soup of Gourds, similar to Soupe h Loraine. — i 

 When the gourds are young and tender, slice them as above 

 for gravy soup ; take two quarts of new milk ; put the milk 

 and gourd, so sliced, into a stewpan ; and, on the fire, boil 

 them so as they would pass through a sieve. Then, if too 

 thick, add a little more milk ; boil slowly over the fire for half 

 an hour ; then, just before using, take a mutchkin [pint] of fresh 

 cream, and the yolks of six eggs ; mix them all well for a few 

 minutes over the fire ; then season with nutmeg, and serve up. 



To make Maigre Soup of Gourds. — Take a dozen of fish- 

 heads ; and, if you are boiling fish, keep the liquor ; put all 

 the heads into it, with a small bunch of celery, parsley, and 

 onions, with a carrot and turnip sliced. Let them boil down 

 to rag ; then pass through a sieve ; add a small quantity of 

 the gourd, sliced as before. Put them over the fire, and boil, 

 so as the soup may pass through the sieve again ; put it into 

 your pan ; and, on the fire, season it with a little Cayenne and 

 white pepper, and you will have a very fine soup, equal to 

 gravy soup. 



To make Soup of Gourd Tops. — Take a quantity of fresh 

 tops of the shoots or stems ; cut them in short pieces ; par- 

 boil them, and drain ; then, half an hour before dinner, put 



