The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-22
Eighteenth CENTURY COOKING.
Buttered Oranges, Hogs Ears, aud Cocks
Combs Among the Dishes.


From the New York Times
There is nothing that shows so plainly
| that the days of the gourmand have
really passed as an old-time cookbook.
1T was to eat'' in the middle of the
eighteenth century. and 1t is not strange
that the housewives of those days did
not bother about women's rights and had
not time for clubs. II the old cookbook
IS TO be trusted. the housekeeper had so
much to do TO see that the culinary mat
tiers of the establishment we're well look
ed after that she had no time for other
things.
1t was In those days that 1.-THE Ladies'
Companion" fiourished, and an ola copy of
the book shows plainly why the house
wife needed only a few devotional books
In her library besides. 1.-The Ladies' Com
panion," from which the following re-
cipes are given. was published in 1853. It
contains 1900 different recipes, is -four
times the quantity OF any other book OF
this sort" and contains 2e0 different
sorts of soups, pottages,' &c. with the
viands for other courses. besides the rules
and directions for setting out dinners.
suppers. and grand entertainments -
There are sketches OF pies of different
shape. and II all the variations of hearts,
crosses, stars. circles. and other fancy
figures were used, the housewife might
well have devoted the whole of her time
to these alone.
INSTEAD of giving bills Of fare for indi-
vidual days, THE Ladies' Companion"
gives appropriate dishes for the months
in first and second courses. 1t is inter-
esting to know what Il was correct to eat
at dinner at 1853. For the first course
the hOT,cav-fPa Wy.
was advised 10 choose -'pottage Of ducks.
Spanish oilO. forced chickens psrtridges
in gallimaufry, pigeons la Crapeaudine.
young ducks with orange sauce. civit Of
venison, lamb with rice, turkies stuffed
with crawfish. forced mutton, Italian
pudding, salad and pickles. roast mutton
with stewed cucumbers, leg of veal with
bacon. ham and chickens, young bullets
la ST. Menebout"
For second course there vas n cho.ca
from young pigeons, artichokes the
Italian way, cocks combs. eggs. with
gravy; roasted or potted wheat ears
green pease, hogs ears en- gratin. anebo-
Vies IN Canape. peach tart. potted Iob-
STEERS. amulet OF eggs, fry'd elary. amy.
Irtters, burnt cream. hedgehog cream
ducks tongues. marinated reaches"
some Of the articles on the list do M,
sound attractive, but evidently the bouse-
wife was economical in negleetine nothfng
that could be utilized for the table. An
explanation Of some Of the terms used IN
the book gives that of zen gratln'' as
Anything that sticks to the bottom az
the saucepan or stewpan." This gives a
somewhat indefinite idea of the preBara-
ton OF the hogs ears given In the bin Of
fare
There are many receipts for the prepar-
alton OF Kitchen garden stuff" but MANY
OF them are somewhat vague One OF
these Is the ''blanchei beans" Poll vour
beans SO that the skin comes OF; then fry
some thin slices Of ham or bacon. and
some parsley to lay around your beans.
toss up your beans with melted butter.
and so serve not"
Gourds the compiler OF the Companion
Is uncertain about. When your water
boils put in your gourd" says the recin4
and LEI IL boil till tender: then SCOOP out
the seeds and serve IL up, with melted but
ter and sugar II you ike"
Here IS an original Way 10 serve pota
toes: TO BrOli Potatoes.-First parboiI
them. peel them. cut them In two, and
dip them In the yoiks Of eggs beaten %
with grated nutmeg. and broil them TIN
they are brown on both sides then Law
them down in the dish and pour melted
butter over them"
When there are so many materials for
good desserts. IL seems siralning a point
10 have a caulifiswer pudding. but one II
given here Boil the caui;fi0Wer IN milk
take the top and lay II in dish after be-
ing cut In pieces. then take pint OF
cream, the yolks Of eight eggs. and the
whites Of two. season II with nutmeg
CHINA mon. mace, sugar. sack or orange
flower water: beat all well together then
pour IL over the cauIiiiower. and put II n
the oven; bake IL Is you would = custaYd,