: The Modern Housewife or Ménagère Comprising Nearly One Thousand Receipts for the Economic and Judicious Preparation of Every Meal of the Day with those of The Nursery and Sick Room and Minute Directions for Family Management in All its Branches. by Soye

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or roasted chestnuts. The remains are excellent when cold, or will warm again with the addition of a little broth or water. The series of entr?es will contain the dishes made from the remnants of the foregoing receipts.

FOWLS, in a general sense, mean all kinds of poultry, but, in a limited view, mean one species of bird, which is exceedingly common in all parts of Europe: there are an amazing number of kinds of this species produced by crossing the breed; great attention having been bestowed upon this subject of late years, that it is quite impossible to say which is the best. They are not originally natives of England, but were found there by the Romans, having probably been brought by the Phoenicians. We distinguish this kind in cookery as the chicken, capon, pullet, cock, and hen. Chickens from their age cannot be otherwise but tender; capons should have a fat vein on the side of the breast, thick belly and rump, comb short and pale, spurs short and blunt, and legs smooth. Pullets are best in the spring, just before they begin to lay. Cocks should have their spurs short, legs smooth, and comb short, smooth, and a bright color. Hens, legs and comb smooth, and full breast. Black legs are best for roasting and entr?es, and white for boiling.

For preparing them for table, M. Soyer has invented a plan:--by cutting the sinews of the bird, it not only appears fuller and plumper when cooked, as the heat is liable to contract the sinews, but it also affords facility for carving when the sinews are divided; they are trussed in the usual way, only using string instead of skewers. The following is the ordinary plan of trussing--

GEESE.--We have now arrived at your favorite dish, or, as your better half said on your return home from this, "What is better than a goose stuffed with sage and onion!" Of course many persons are of his idea, and I must say that I for one enjoy them occasionally when in season; yes, indeed I do, and with the original apple-sauce too; this last addition to our national cookery must have been conferred on it by the Germans, who eat sweets or stewed fruit with almost every dish; or, perhaps, from William the Conqueror, who left his land of apples to visit and conquer our shores; but never mind to whom we are indebted for this bizarre culinary mixture, I sincerely forgive them, and intend to have one for dinner to-day, which I shall have cooked as follows; but I must first tell you how they should be chosen. The flesh should be of a fine pink color, and the liver pale, the bill and foot yellow, and no hairs, or but few, on the body; the contrary will be observed in an old one, which will have the feet and bill red.

DUCKS.--There are several varieties of this bird, all, however, originating from the mallard. There has not been that care and attention paid to this bird as to the fowl; but I think it is well worthy the attention of farmers, it being one which is exceedingly cheap to rear; great care should be evinced in feeding it twelve days previous to its being killed. Ducklings are considered a luxury, but which, I think, is more to be attributed to their scarcity than flavor. The drake is generally considered the best, but, as a general rule, those of the least gaudy plumage are the best; they should be hard and thick on the belly, and limber-footed.

The remains of ducks left from a previous dinner may be hashed as directed for goose, and for variety, should peas be in season, a pint previously boiled may be added to the hash just before serving. The sage and apple must in all cases be omitted.

FLANCS.

At this part of the dinner there are those dishes which are called Flancs, by which is understood, those dishes whose contents are not so large as the removes and not so small as the entr?es, and the Receipts for which may be taken from either of those departments, with this difference;--instead of meat or poultry being cut up, it should be left whole: for instance, a loin of mutton, instead of being cut up into cutlets, should be served whole, with some sauce under it, and a duck, instead of being divided, should be left whole, with some sauce. It is also a great addition in the appearance of the table, and should always be served in a differently-formed dish to the entr?es or removes; and are only required when eighteen or twenty persons dine, and four corner dishes are used.

ENTR?ES OR MADE DISHES.

ENTR?ES are, in common terms, what are called made-dishes; of course, these are dishes upon which, in the high class of cookery, the talent of the cook is displayed. Great care should be observed in dishing them up, for the eye is a great assistance to the palate; it often happens that the carelessness of the servant destroys the labors of the cook, by the manner in which the dish is taken from the kitchen to the dining-room. In some measure to avoid that, I direct a small thin border of mashed potatoes, about half an inch wide and a quarter of an inch deep, to be placed on the bottom of the dish, which keeps each object in its place: they should always be served exceedingly hot.

Should you have any cold from the first receipt, it may be served as here directed; but being cold, would require to be longer in the oven to become well hot through.

I remember, when in business, upon one occasion, having a few friends pop in unexpectedly about luncheon-time upon a Saturday , and having nothing but a heart as a meal to give them, I immediately gave orders to the cook to cut it into slices half an inch thick, dip each piece in flour, and afterwards egg and bread-crumb them, then to put four spoonfuls of oil in the frying-pan, lay part of the pieces in, and saut? of a nice color, then to keep them hot in a dish and saut? the remainder; and when all done, to pour off part of the oil, put a teaspoonful of flour in the pan, mixing it with the remaining oil and gravy, then pouring in a gill of water, season with a little pepper and salt, four spoonfuls of the vinegar from piccalilly, and a little of the pickle finely chopped; boil the whole a minute, pour over the heart, and serve very hot. It pleased very much, and I have since had some with a little plain gravy, and broiled bacon: in both instances it was very good.

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