ladies' department. 
163 
Casks' ^Department. 
PRESERVING- BUTTER WITHOUT SALT. 
The follo/ving is the mode of preserving but- 
ter perfectly sweet, or, at least, perfectly fit for 
use, through the whole season, in the valleys of 
Switzerland, without any admixture of salt. A 
narrow deal, (pine,) board not more than four 
or five inches wide, is fixed horizontally in an 
open place in the dairy ; wooden pins, from two 
to three feet in length, are fixed in an upright 
position into this, their whole length projecting 
above its surface. As the butter is made, it is 
placed daily around these pins, (one at a time,) 
beginning at the lower end, and in a mass not 
•exceeding, at first, the width of the board. Every 
day, as more butter is made, it is added to the 
previous portion around the pin, the diameter 
of the growing mass, being gradually enlarged 
upwards, until the upper surface overhangs the 
base to a considerable extent, like an inverted 
beehive. When one pin is filled, another is 
proceeded with, in like manner, and so on. 
The exposed surface of these masses gets soon- 
covered with a sort of hard film, which effectu- 
ally excludes the access of the air; and this 
circumstance, with two others, namely, the com- 
plete expression of milk from the butter, and 
the unobstructed circulation of cool mountain 
air through the dairy, will go far to explain how 
butter so treated, can remain so long without 
becoming spoiled. 
ELDERBERRY PIES. 
It may not be generally known, that the 
fruit of the common black-berried elder, (Sam- 
bucus canadensis,) affords a most delicious and 
wholesome material for pies. When rightly 
prepared, it would not be known from those 
made from the whortleberry, and many would 
prefer them to the raspberry, and the black- 
berry. A table-spoonful of vinegar should be 
added to each pie, which will neutralise the 
Seculiar taste, and impart a pleasant acid flavor, 
o other precaution need be taken, and no 
difference is observed in preparing them for use. 
The red-berried elder is poisonous, but cannot 
be mistaken for the other, because it ripens its 
fruit long before the black elder comes to ma- 
turity. When this very abundant berry is bet- 
ter known, it will be more highly prized, and 
doubtless would improve in quality under judi- 
cious cultivation. H. 
Somerville, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. 
Irish Wat of Boiling Potatoes. — In Ireland, 
where this root has been for so long a period 
the chief nourishment of the people, and where 
it takes the place of bread and other more sub- 
stantial food, it is cooked so that it may have, 
as they call it, a " bone " in it ; that is, that the 
middle of it should not be quite cooked. They 
are done thus : — Put a gallon of water with two 
ounces of salt in a large iron pot, boil for 
about ten minutes, or until the skin is loose, 
pour the water out of the pot, put a dry cloth 
on the top of the potatoes, and place it on the 
side of the fire, without water, for about twenty 
minutes, and serve. In Ireland, turf is the prin- 
cipal article of fuel, which is burnt on a flat 
hearth; a little of it is generally scraped up 
round the pot, so as to keep up a gradual heat By 
this plan, the potato is both boiled and baked. 
Even in those families where such a common 
act of civilised life as cooking ought to have 
made some progress, the only improvement they 
have upon this plan is, that they leave potatoes 
in the dry pot longer, by which they lose the 
"bone." They are also served up with their 
skins, (jackets,) on, and a small plate is placed 
by the side of each guest. 
NEW MODE OF MAKING COFFEE. 
Choose the coffee of a very nice brown color, 
but not black (which would denote that it was 
burnt, and impart a bitter flavor) ; grind it at 
home, if possible, as you may then depend 
upon the quality ; if ground in any quantity, 
keep it in a jar hermetically sealed. To 
make a pint, put two ounces into a stewpan, 
or small iron or tin saucepan, which set dry 
upon a moderate fire, stirring the coffee round 
with a wooden spoon continually, until it is 
quite hot through, but not in the least burnt. 
Should the fire be very fierce, warm it by de- 
grees, taking it off every now and then, until 
hot, (which would not be more than two 
minutes,) when pour over it a pint of boiling wa- 
ter, cover close, and let it stand by the side of 
the fire, (but not boil,) for five minutes, when 
strain it through a cloth, or a piece of thick 
gauze ; rinse out the stewpan, pour the coffee, 
(which will be quite clear,) back into it, place 
it upon the fire, and, when nearly boiling, serve 
with hot milk, if for breakfast, but with a drop 
of cold milk or cream, if for dinner. 
The foregoing proportions would make coffee 
good enough for any person ; but more or less 
coffee could be used if required. The cloth 
through which it is passed should be immedi- 
ately washed and put by for the next occasion. 
A hundred cups of coffee could be made as here 
directed, in half an hour, by procuring a pan 
sufficiently large, and using the proper propor- 
tions of coffee and water, passing it afterwards 
through a large cloth or jelly bag. — Soyer's 
Modern Housewife. 
Coffee, French Fashion. — To a pint of coffee, 
made as directed above, add a pint of boiling 
milk ; warm both together until nearly boiling, 
and serve the usual way. 
►♦-• 
To Make Cold Cream. — Warm gently together 
four ounces of oil of almonds, and one ounce of 
white wax, gradually adding four ounces of 
rose water. This will make good cold cream, 
whereas, that sold in the shops, is usually noth- 
ing more than lard beat up with rose water. 
To Make Batter Fritters. — Take half a 
pound of flour, one ounce of butter, (which 
melt,) the whites of three eggs, well beaten, 
half a glass of beer, and enough water to make 
a thick batter. 
