Volume 1

The encyclopædia of practical cookery : a complete dictionary of all pertaining to the art of cookery and table service ... / edited by Theodore Francis Garrett, assisted by William A. Rawson, and, in special departments, by the following and other distinguished chefs de cuisine and confectioners: C.J. Corblet [and others].

Date:
[1892-94]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The encyclopædia of practical cookery : a complete dictionary of all pertaining to the art of cookery and table service ... / edited by Theodore Francis Garrett, assisted by William A. Rawson, and, in special departments, by the following and other distinguished chefs de cuisine and confectioners: C.J. Corblet [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    19/270 (page 9)
    Alligator Fear—continued. the yellow pulp, which is firm, has the delicate rich flavour of the peach, but is infinitely more grateful. “It is sometimes called vegetable marrow,” says a writer on these fruits, “ and is eaten with pepper and salt.” It appears Fig. 9. Alligator Pear. necessary, on account of the richness of its pulp, to take some spice or acid with it, and thus lime-juice is frequently added, well sweetened with sugar. There are three kinds, red, purple, and green, the last-named being considered the best of the three (see Fig. 9). ALLSPICE.—Pimento, or Jamaica Pepper (Pimento, officinalis), of the myrtle tribe, is the shrub from which this useful spice is obtained. The green berries are gathered from the plants along the “ Pimento walks,” and dried and powdered, the ripe berries being of too gelatinous a nature to admit of this process. Allspice, as we know it, is a powder yielding an aromatic odour of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmegs combined, from which it derives its name; but it is to be feared that the Allspice of commerce, or much of that sold under the name, is merely a mixture of those or inferior spices. The genuine powdered berry can readily be distinguished by spreading a portion out on a sheet of paper, and examining closely for grains of a dis- tinct port-wine colour, with which it should be freely intermingled. ALMA PUDDING.—See Puddings. ALMACX’S CONFECTION.—There does not ap- pear to be anything exceptional about this very nice sweetmeat, beyond the name, that should claim for it a special notice. It is very easily prepared. Peel and core a dozen each of large cooking apples and pears, and cut two dozen large plums in halves, taking out the stones. Put them in alternate layers at the bottom of a deep jar or pan, place in the bain-marie or in a saucepan, with boiling water to cover the fruit, and stir constantly until done. Then turn the mixture into a preserving pan and add to it an equal weight of crushed loaf sugar. Set the pan on the fire and let it remain there for about forty-five minutes or so, by which time the contents should be quite thick. When it is so, pour out into a flat tin or basin, let it get cold, cut into slices, dust with caster sugar, and it is then ready to serve. ALMONDS (Fr. Amandes; Ger. Mandeln; Ital. Man- dorle; Sp. Almendras).—The kernel of the Almond nut is Almonds—continued. largely used in cooking and confectionery for its delicate flavour. There are two kinds—Sweet and Bitter—so closely resembling each other in appearance as to be almost indis- tinguishable, excepting by the taste. The Sweet variety (Amygdalus dulcis) are harmless, but the Bitter Almonds (A. amara) contain, or generate by fermentation, prussic acid, rendering them extremely dangerous to use without much discretion. A hundred grains of Bitter Almond pulp are said to contain two drops of the oil, and from fifteen to thirty drops of the oil are sufficient to cause death (see Flavourings). The skins of both kinds are very indigestible, and have been known, even when eaten in small quantities, to induce attacks of nettle-rash. For this reason Almonds should invariably be skinned, or “ blanched,” before using. a b . c Fig. 10. Almonds. a, Jordan ; b, Valencia; c, Italian. The best Almonds are the Jordan (see Fig. 10, a), imported chiefly from Malaga, and preferred for dessert. They are of two kinds : the one above lin. in length, flat, with a clean brown skin, sweet, mucilaginous, and rather tough; the other more plump, pointed at one end, brittle, but quite as sweet as the former. Valencia Almonds (see Fig. 10, b) are reckoned of the second quality: they are cheaper, and consequently are more used. They are under lin. long, round at one end and bluntly pointed at the other, flat, of a dingy-brown colour, and with a dusty skin. Barbary and Italian Almonds (see Fig. 10, c) are smaller, and less flattened. Spanish Almonds are of mediocre quality, and are usually imported in baskets. When fresh, either kind may be used; but cooks are strongly recom- mended not to buy kernels of any kind if they are dry, broken, worm-eaten, or smell in the least degree rancid. To Blanch Almonds.—The Almonds should be thrown into a pan of boiling water, and allowed to remain over the fire until the skins will slip off readily when rubbed between the finger and thumb. It is well then to drain them off, and plunge them into cold water for a minute or two, when they may be drained again, and the skins rubbed off in a cloth. As they are blanched, throw them into cold water, with a little salt in it; leave them for a couple of hours, take them out, and then dry them. They are easily split with a knife, or may be cut lengthwise into long shreds, or crosswise into short ones, or may be chopped up, according to the purpose for which they are required. To Colour Almonds.—Whether the Almonds are whole, shredded, or chopped, it is only necessary to rub them together with the colouring matter until all are saturated; they should then be dried in a screen. To Found Almonds.—It is better after blanching to let the Almonds soak for an hour or so in cold water, which will prevent them in a measure from “ oiling.” A few drops of water, orange-flower water, or lemon-juice, should be added now and then, for the same purpose, as the pounding proceeds. When reduced to a softish pulp they are ready for use. Almond Albert Cakes. — Take lib. of ground Valencia Almonds, and put them into a large basin, with lib. of caster sugar, 1 teaspoonful of essence of lemon, and | teaspoonful of mixed spice. Mix up in this, with a wooden spoon, the yolks of fifteen eggs; then stir in the whites of the eggs, whipped till quite stiff ; and lastly, work in thoroughly Jib. of sifted pastry flour. Have ready a sufficient number of buttered fancy moulds, and bake until a light brown in a moderately quick oven. Almond Bavaroise, or Bavarian Cream.—Put )oz. of gelatine into a basin with 1 teacupful of milk, and soak it for two hours.