The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-30 00:00:00

THE PRESS, OCTOBER 30, 1858.

tiou of their organ of taste, which ought to be husbanded
with the greatest care. This is obviously the result, be-
cause, if dishes are made in the careless way to which I
have alluded, they must be tasted again and again, until
they satisfy the palate of the cook, while, if they are pre-
pared from ingredients of accurately-known measure or
weight, they will so seldom vary that it is hardly necessary
to taste them at all, or. at all events, only once. From
constant tasting the palled organ of taste becomes insen-
sible to all but very strong flavours, and the consequence
iv that dishes are sent to table which call forth complaints
from the heads of the house ; and these complaints being
conveyed to a servant who has no certain guide in the
shape of an accurate receipt, she is unable to rectify her
mistake, and on the next attempt perhaps falls into the
opposite error. Whenever, therefore, a cook works by any
receipt not her own, she should follow it closely for her
own sake, or if she can improve upon it, let her do so ;
but then let her set down the exact variation from the
original. In this way she will always have a certain guide;
and, though she may lose a few minutes a day in mea-
suring and weighing, yet she may console herself that her
hand will last much longer than her palate, and that, by
the regular adoption of the practice, she will be able to
fulfil her duties for many years longer than she would do
if sbe drew upon her delicate nerves of taste every ten
minutes.
It is curious that the theoretical and the practical
cooks are at issue about certain rather important
principles. Our readers may remember a rather
warm discussion in the Times, on a late occasion
when the question of the boiled beef in the army
kitchens came before the public. One corre-
spondent proved on scientific principles that
meat, to be properly boiled and retain its juices,
ought to be plunged into boiling water, whereas
if placed in cold and gradually heated it becomes
macerated and loses them. 'Practical cooks we
believe are against this dogma ; and Mr. Walsh
observes that
the plan recommended by Liebig, for the purpose of
keeping in the juices by rapidly coagulating the albumen
on the surface, answers well in point of economy, the
saving being fully two or three per cent.: but I do not be-
lieve that the meat so treated is quite so tender.
He is also in opposition to the same authority on
the subject of roasting :
According to Liebig, it is essential to the successful and
economical management of roasting, to put the joint down
first of all close to the fire, so as to coagulate the albumen
on the surface, and thus to prevent the escape of it in a
fluid state. This answers remarkably well in boiling, but
not in routing. because the heat is nut applied to the
whole surface at once, but only to one-half of it, the other
half being cooled at that time, so that it is impossible to
raise the surface, without scorching it, up to the coagu-
lating point of albumen, until the whole mass is also above
150 degrees. In a Dutch oven the plan is good, both in
theory and practice; but with a revolving spit it is totally
erroneous, and the old directions, to put down the joint
first at a distance, and then gradually bring it nearer to
the fire, are the correct ones.
Both these sections, as well as the succeeding
one, in which the French and English methods
of frying are contrasted, are well worth attention
and contain information not to be found else-
where. The other chapters are remarkably
complete, and few will look for any constituent
of either a modest or ambitious dinner without
finding something to suit them. On certain
points Mr. Walsh 's judgment or taste is question-
able. Thus both he and Mrs. Smith constantly
direct fish to be garnished with parsley, a
common but absurd practice, which has no effect
but that of making the fish cold and soddened—
a correction we owe to Lord William Lennox.
The same remark applies to the method of
sending up rice, not in a separate, but, for ap-
pearance sake, in the same dish, with a curry,
a solecism the mere sight of which would give
any member of the Oriental Club an instanta-
neous attack of liver. Both our authors, too,
seem to imply that oysters in sauce should be
shaved, but otherwise retain their integrity. We
cannot name an authority for asserting that they,
as well as lobsters, should for that purpose be
differently treated, but can only recommend a
trial of each condiment its comminuted form.
Neither Mr. Walsh nor Mrs. Smith's receipts
can usually be objected to on the score of in-
sipidity • but we fancy that their directions for
beefsteak pudding would hardly satisfy the
habitues of that classic hostelry the Cheshire
Cheese. One omits the kidneys, the other the
oysters.—ln each of the volumes we find bills of
tare for parties of all sorts and sizes. These
seem complete and suggestive, but we should
scarely agree with Alf. Walsh that pickled
salmon was quite the thing for the " stand-up
" supper of from 60 to 100 arranged on two
" counters with servants behind," which he
describes at p. 359. We note a curious discre-
pancy between our culinary doctors on the

subject of a no doubt excellent called
" Eve's pudding." The two receipts ared p
much alike, except that Mr. Walsh onitsretthY,
apples, while Mrs. Smith, who, by the traditions
of her sex, ought certainly to know best,ls
inserts them. We have not often searched art:
Walsh's in vain, but in his chapter on
invalid ctacresry he unaccountably omits both
common gruel and barley-water;
and
Jellies, andateerie;and, stranget
to say, gives no directions anywhere for the con-
fection of preserves, like,he
jni
a deficiency which, as they are about twice as dear
to purchase as to make, the economical house-
keeper will feel severely. His ' cookery for
the poor' is in many respects a valuable chapter,
and we should be glad to see it printed separately
in a cheap form, with a few of the hints about
roasting, boiling, &c., for cottage distribution.
But he seems to be almost too close a calculator,
and many poor persons, especially in London,
would find a difficulty in obtaining the materials
for the otherwise excellent and simple dishes at
the very low prices quoted. The "Economical
Fare for a Very Small Family " (par. 12.56)
seems hardly capable of being realized. Two
people—say man and wife—are to make a leg of
mutton last a whole week. After they have "cut
some steaks off the large end " for broiling, have
boiled the "small knuckle," cut some "cutlets
off the side next the knuckle," and "roasted
the fillet,"—which takesus to the fourth day,—
there really cannot be much left. Yet, on
Thursday they arc to " hash part of the re.
moulder,' on Friday to " eat part cold with salad."
and on Saturday " mince the remainder and cover
with bread crumbs" I Though, if the allowances,
mentioned in an early chapter, of three quarters
of a pound for a man and half a pound for a
woman, are strictly adhered to, this may possibly
be found sufficient (7 x 5 qrs. = 35 4- 4 =
120 z.) ; yet it must prove rather a " tight fit"
towards the end of the week. In the " week"
" catering on an expenditure of 1501. a year."
Mr. Walsh teaches us to lay in a joint of beef and
one of mutton at the beginning of the week
consume one in the first three days and the other
during the next four. It would rather seem
advisable to avoid mutton three days running 14
possible !—and alternate the joints, atoning for the
preponderance of hashes and scraps towards the
end of the week by the slightly increased variety
In conclusion, allowing' for the errors or deli-
deuces we have specified. we are disposed
strongly to recommend both these books, for each
has something which is wanting in the other.
Mrs. Smith belongs more to the old school. and
Mr. Walsh is more scientific and precise: .he
excels in luxurious and ornamental pastry. and
would better assist in furnishing the store-room
while he seems to shine more in such articles a,
made dishes and in points of general economic
management. For those who cannot afford to
be eclectic in their culinary library, and must
content themselves with a single authority.
perhaps the " English Cookery Book " would tit
found the most complete. It is nicely got up.
well indexed, and the engravings of kitchen-
ranges and utensils will be found useful guide.
" to those about to marry."

Heraldry in History, Poetry, and Roman,.••
By Ellen Millington. London : l'hapanin
and Hall.
INT forms of symbolism which are worth pit..
serving are worth understanding ; and of sonic.
perhaps, it may be said that they arc not pre-
served because they are not understood. That
heraldry is worth retaining seems undeniable, iv
long as any distinctions of rank are observed
amongst us ; and any work, therefore, which serves
to prevent it from becoming
unintelligible to the
mass of the community, is a good service to the
public. Such a work, we think, is the little
volume now before us, which, notwithstanding one
or two grave defects, succeeds in rendering 3
rather dry and worm-eaten subject popular and
instructive. The defkt of which we complain
is a want of method. The book is full of informa-
tion, but, to our unlearned eyes, it seems to have
been thrown together at random. We should
have liked to see the subject divided into head,'
—such as, first, the different origins of coats-ot•
arms, telling us which were won on the field
battle, which were derived from peaceful
vices, which were taken from professions. taruil
occurrences, or the names of estates; secondl•

W--

explanation ot heraldic terms; thirdly, ro-
Lnntic events connected with the subject; and
forth—a method of procedure that would have
enabled readers to make themselves masters of
the salient points in the subject with much greater
facility than they can at present. However, we
must he thankful to the authoress for what we
have got; her volume is not wanting in any of
the kinds of information we have above specified,
and he who reads it through carefully will find a
vest variety of curious and recondite knowledge
neon each of them.
How far any other object than that of gratify-
jai/ antiquarian curiosity can be served by the
aUthoress's dissertations on the old heraldic tech-
nicalities, we think is doubtful. She says
if the obscure technical terms which make the science
minds, an unmeaning and lifeless
.f Heraldry, to ordinary
sanity, can be shown to be replete with symbolic
meaning, to have power to revive the past, to consecrate
tbe future, and ennoble the present, by stirring memories,
high aspirations, and worthy deeds, Heraldry may even
arr be restored to favour, together with other valuable
remnants of the long-neglected symbolism of mediaeval
Europe.
But. if this is to be the case, these sante " obscure
technical terms" must be translated into some
language more readily understood of the people
than is the present nomenclature of the noble
wince. We say it with no disrespect, but who
can possibly refrain from smiling at passages like
the following ?

Hu ancestor, Sir John Clerke, having taken prisoner
tie Duke de lengueville, at:the battle of the Spurs, near
Tontine, added to his Arms " a sinister canton astere,
(bused with a demi-ram mounting, argent, armed (that
with the horns), or, between two Fleurs delis of the
lea, and debruised with a dexter baton silver."

And again of a coat-of-arms borne by Sir Ber-
nard Drake, which
vat assumed by the'great Sir Francis, to the extreme
displasure of Sir Bernard, who resented the presumption
by bning the sailor's ears. Queen Elizabeth interposed,
pink' the discover " Sabk, a fees wavy, between two
pole stars argcni." The crest, a ship under reef, with a
able held by a hand out of the clouds, all proper; over
it the motto, " Auxilio Divino," and beneath, " Sic parvis
aligns." In the rigging of the ship a wyvern hung by the
heels s. This was intended as a reproof to Sir Bernard;
Woo far from being mortified, the old Knight stoutly
replied, "Tour Grace may grant whatever Arms you
please, but you can never grant the right to bear or. a
'rent wings endorsed, tail nowed, gu.

There might' be marvellous virtue and nobility
in a "tail vowed gu.," but it is idle to suppose
that heraldry can ever regain its ancient vitality
while it is linked to a language such as this. To
laugh at it may be very unreasonable, but those
who would preserve noble traditions from irre-
rerence should be careful to guard them from
the slightest contact with aught that savours of
the ridiculous. (f a very different character is
what relates to the adoption of crests or badges.
Most of them serve to kindle the memory of some
heroic action, and none can refuse to sympathize
with the family pride that glories in them. The
following is a good illustration :

ra,r, or Ferry. a party-coloured fur,' generally argent
El darn, is sometimes said to be the skin of a little
animal, a kind of polecat, the belly of which is white, and
bead and feet of a kind of bluish-grey ; its skin, with
the head and legs cut off, somewhat re,embles the figure
kidied hair, which is represented by miniature shields of
Ise and white placed alternately. It has sometimes been
Mougbt that the famous slippers of Cinderella were said
unamally to be of vair, " far, not Terre, " glass."
and oule-, form the Arms of the 1)e Coney family,
minted in remembrance of a certain occasion, when the
)fre de Coney, being engaged in battle against the Turks
111 110113117, perceived on a sudden that his banners had
thlappeared,and that the people were giving way. Tearing
the /lir from his mantle, he fixed it on a spear, and, his
menu-arms rallying round the signal, he led them on to
'aleTY, and thenceforward sunned fair and pules as his
An old biographer of the house of Couci
mikes this the first occasion of the use of rail., in a coat-
ef•irms. The battle beginning suddenly, as he affirms,
the leaders bad no time to seize either banners or surcoats,
ktli therefore, cutting up their mantles, " qui estoient
tscarlatte. fourrez de panes de vair," they gave parts to
thfterent nobles. who " teen accommoderent en idle
tce'lite, Main fit rue fente de learn espies an tracers de
" Pee° pour passer la teste." In remembrance whereof
Inese nobles assumed vair and gale*, arranged in different
Imras. since which time " Panes de vair que n'avoient etc
rutty ni accommodies en anuoiries," became " sour etmement recherche es comme etas des plus nobles et plus
':chef. lot se voient point."
The manner in which the name of Fortescue
acquired is as honourable as the title itself is
!..hcnous:
This family derive their name from a brave ancestor,
William le Forte, who accompanied William of
;ratindy on his invasion of England. and held the office
I his shield•bearer. Three horses were killed under
4.‘'
It Lk* battle of Hastings, but he quitted not his post,