American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-11-10
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
NEW ENGLAND MINCE PIE-Take

turned in the meat; keep covered in
water; when done take out of the wa
ter and cover closely until quite cold;
then remove all fat, and chop the meat
as fine as sawdust; when the meat is all
chopped throw over it teacupful salt,
ounce ground cloves, 1 ounce allspice,
6 nutmegs grated; add pounds finely
chopped beef suet, not cooked, pounds
of the best of raisins; stir this together
thoroughly; take pints of old-fashion-
ed black molasses and let it boil up, |
and turn over the meat; add 1 pound |
of brown sugar, and l quart of good |
brandy; put the whole in a stone jar,
and let it heat slowly through. cover |
tightly and keep in a cool place; when
wanted to make into pies, pare and
chop fine greening apples enough to
make pies, that is, when mixed in with
Z their weight of the meat; to this add
little sherry wine or more brandy, and
if not wet enough a little cider, but on
" put the cider into the meat which is
prepared for baking; If Needed, more
spice can be added. The meat will
keep all winter in a cool place, and the
last is better than the first. PutnO lem
on or orange peel, no citron nor cur
rants. To make pastry for the above,
take pound of sifted flour,
pound of butter, and
pound good hard leaf lard; cut the but
ter and lard into the flour, a teaspoon
full of salt, and mix with ice-water and
Stir with knife into soft paste;
throw a handful of flour upon the paste
board, and knead just enough to make
into ball; then throw over the paste
handful of flour, and another on the
board, and roll out to an inch in thick
ness; fold this up and roll again; after
third rolling always scattering lit
tie -four. before rolfng) roll into round
roll and cut from the end for covering
the plate and pie; cover the plate and
/ fill with the prepared meat and apple
+ three-quarters of an inch in thickness;
cut strip an inch wide from the under
crust and lay round the edge before COW
ering, for the upper crust; cut from the
roll of paste enough to cover the pie a
quarter of an inch in thickness; put q
handful of flour on your board, and lay
down the paste; then more -four on the
top, and roll out; cut small gashes in
| the crust, fold together in the middle,
and lay upon the pie; fold, one-half back
and lightly press down the edge, but
make no finger-marks. This will make
handsome and delicious mince-pie
1 when baked for half or three-quarters of
an hour.
1 SoUPs AND SUCH Nothing goes
to q. C the right spot - much
quicker, or gives swifter satisfac
ton when it gets there, than a good
dish of hot soup when one is sharply
hungry in the frosty time of the year!
Constructed on the right model, by a
cook with genius forit, such concOc-
ton will hit the bulls eve as sure as
does Yankee riheman in an Interna-
'fional match with the Britishers. A
soup made on purpose, whatever its in
gradients, strikes US as the only worthy
creation of that name. If an oyster
soup, few bivalves, tender and sweet,
don't hurt it.. One likes to be sure of
his basis in matter of belicf-on soup
as well as on theology. The flavor is
well enough, so far as it goes; but sub
stance is desirable element in soups,
after the frost has begun to rattle down
! the walnuts, and bracing breeze comes
moving in from the cool nOr'west, bring
ing back the Jingle to one,s cheeks and
putting an edge on his appetite. So
with a vegetable sOup-best and
most satisfying of all if right
ly made The usual mission
of soup is to furnish floating founda-
ton for dinner, but this sort is substan-
tial enough for whole meal, if supple
mented with a hearty dessert. We
haven't the least idea how the soup is
made, that puts a heart so quickly under
/ the ribs of ap-gone-ness''- The
chill from the body and crossness out of
the spirit We won't attempt to pene-
trate the mystery far enough to learn
even which end to begin at but the sum
of our impressions is, that correct vege-
table soup has some vegetables and
meat in it-not simply few chunks of
potatoes and. turnips, with a dash of
UOludIO0S, III WdICI Will d
few bones left from the roast. We never
did think much of bone-juice any way.
1t is too thin. There is too much of a
muchness about it. The flavor depends
altogether on the assiduity with which
the bones were scraped. But take a
good generous piece of beef, with
plenty of meat on the bones
and some marrow in them; select
enough fresh vegetables for the
family's meal, and cut them into uni
form small pieces SO that they will cook
evenly; then boil them together. AS to
varieties, we should think these would
answer: potatoes, carrots, onions, to-
matoes, turnips, caulifower, celery, rice
(if you like i), and some more onions.
Do not drown the vegetables in too
much water-just float them Serve
with the soup, sweet homemade bread,
about three days old, cut in thin slices
or fresh crackers, for those who don't
lean heavily on &C the staff.'' Pass your
plate two or three times, and say emo
I-thank you'' to. every thing else that is
offered you, unless it be pumpkin pie
and cheese for second course. Thus
shall you learn-if you do not know
the full (and the fillingD capabilities of
genuine soup RsIie.