Besides this way of making Mead, there is another which I have approved to be very good, which, in all particulars, except the Water, is the same with this; and instead of the Water, put the like Quantity of small Ale-Wort, brew'd with pale Malt: but this will require less Honey than the former, and will require more time in the Vessel before it is fine and fit to bottle; but it will last many Years good, and will drink like Cyprus Wine when it is a Year old. In this Liquor, take particular care that your Cloves are fresh and sound, for else you must add a Quantity in proportion.

N.B. We may make these Meads in the Spring of the Year, as well as at this Season; only the advantage of making it now, is, that you have an opportunity of washing the Honey-Combs after the Honey is run off, and thereby will save Expence in Honey.

The Potatoe now begins to be gather'd, and is a very useful Root, being either boil'd or roasted in hot Embers; and after it is boiled, to be broiled, or after boiling it tender, and beaten in a Mortar, it is used to thicken Sauces, and for making of rich Puddings, as I am inform'd by a skilful Person in this way.

The Roots of red Beets now begin to come in season, and are very good boiled, and sliced, to be put in a Pickle of Vinegar only: thus you may keep them to garnish Sallads of small Herbs, and in some Intervals put Horse-Radish scraped. These Roots will hold all the Winter. The Root of the red Beet makes an excellent Dish, prepared after the following manner, which I got abroad.



To fry the Roots of Red Beets.

Wash your Beet-Roots, and lay them in an earthen glazed Pan, bake them in an Oven, and then peel the Skin off them: after this is done, slit them from the Top to the Tail, and cut them in the shape of the Fish call'd a Sole, about the thickness of the third part of an Inch; dip these in a thick Batter, made of White-Wine, fine Flower, sweet Cream, the Whites and Yolks of Eggs, rather more Yolks than Whites, some Pepper, Salt, and Cloves beaten fine, all well mix'd. As you dip every piece of Beet-Root in this Batter, strew them over thick with fine Flower mix'd with grated Bread, and Parsley shred small, and then fry them in Lard: when they are enough, let them dry, and serve them with a Garnish of Lemmon. These likewise may be put about stew'd Carps, Tench, or roasted Jacks, by way of Garnish, with scraped Horse-Radish, and pickled Barberries.

In the Heats of this Month, the following Jelly is used by a curious Gentleman abroad, who gave me the Receipt of it, under the Name of The Jelly of Health: It is of great use to weak People, and extremely pleasant.



To make the Jelly of Health.

Take some Calves Feet, according to the Jelly you design to make, and also get a Cock of the common Poultry kind; wash these well, and put them in a Kettle to boil, with a proportionable Quantity of Water, particularly taking off the Scum as it rises. When these Meats are boiled almost to pieces, it is a sign that your Jelly is boiled enough; but take care that it is not too stiff, which you may try by taking a little out with a Spoon, and then setting it to cool. Then pour the Liquor thro' a Sieve into a Stew-pan, and take off all the Fat; after which, put to the Liquor a proportionable Quantity of double-refined Loaf-Sugar, a small Stick or two of Cinnamon, three or four Cloves, and the Rinds of two or three Lemmons: boil all these together gently for about a quarter of an hour, till it is well-tasted, and then beat up the Whites of four or five Eggs, with the Juice of the six Lemmons, and pour them into the Jelly, stirring the whole a little time over the Fire; then let this Mixture stand still upon the Fire till it rises ready to boil over; at which time, you must take it off, and pour it into the Jelly-Bag, and as it runs thro' into a Pan set to receive it, pour it again into the Jelly-Bag for three or four times till it comes clear, and then let it drop into Jelly-Glasses. Sometimes, the above Gentleman told me, he has put a little White-Wine into the Liquor while the Meats were boiling in it, which he thinks helps it.

* * * * *

SEPTEMBER.

As this Month produces great numbers of Mushrooms in the Fields, it is now chiefly that we ought to provide ourselves with them for making of Ketchup, and Mushroom Gravey: And it is also a proper Season for pickling them. Indeed, where we have Mushroom-Beds, we may do these Works at any time of the Year. It is to be remark'd, that the best Mushrooms have their Gills of a Flesh Colour, even while the Mushrooms are in button; and as they tend to spread in their Head, or to open their Cap, the Gills turn redder, till at length, when their Heads are fully spread open, they will become quite black. These large-flap Mushrooms are still good for stewing or broiling, so long as they have no Worms in them, and the Gills are then in the best state for making Ketchup, or Mushroom-Gravey; altho' the red Gills will do, but the smaller Buttons are what most People covet for Pickling.

In the gathering of Mushrooms, we are sure to meet with some of all sizes; the very small for pickling, the large Buttons for stewing or making Mushroom-Loaves, and Mushroom-Gravey, and the large Flaps for broiling or making of Ragous, or stewing, and Ketchup: therefore to follow the common way, we should make two or three Parcels of them.

The cleaning of Mushrooms, or preparing them for any of the above Uses, will afford us nothing but what is useful; the Parings should be saved by themselves, to be wash'd, towards the making of what is called Mushroom Gravey; the Gills must be saved by themselves for making either Ketchup, or Mushroom-Gravey; and the Parts towards the Roots, and the Roots themselves, must be kept to dry in the Sun, or a warm Room, to raise Mushrooms from, especially if they are of a large good sort that has red Gills, for those which have white Gills, prove oftentimes unwholesome, and are apt to turn yellow when they are cut and put in Water: however, some People eat of this sort, and I have eaten of such a sort myself; but as there are some with white Gills that are deadly, it is dangerous for unskilful Persons to meddle with any of that fort: and therefore I thought it convenient when I was in France, to learn the Method of raising them in Beds, that we might be sure of our sort, and have them all the Year about: The Method of doing which, is in my Appendix to my New Improvements of Planting and Gardening, printed for Mr. Mears, at Temple-Bar.

The following Receipts for making of Mushroom-Ketchup, and Mushroom-Gravey, I had from a Gentleman named Garneau, whom I met at Brussels, and by Experience find them to be very good.



To make Mushroom Ketchup.

Take the Gills of large Mushrooms, such as are spread quite open, put them into a Skellet of Bell-Metal, or a Vessel of Earthen-Ware glazed, and set them over a gentle Fire till they begin to change into Water; and then frequently stirring them till there is as much Liquor come out of them as can be expected, pressing them often with a Spoon against the side of the Vessel; then strain off the Liquor, and put to every Quart of it about eighty Cloves, if they are fresh and good, or half as many more, if they are dry, or have been kept a long time, and about a Drachm of Mace: add to this about a Pint of strong red Port Wine that has not been adulterated, and boil them all together till you judge that every Quart has lost about a fourth Part or half a Pint; then pass it thro' a Sieve, and let it stand to cool, and when it is quite cold, bottle it up in dry Bottles of Pints or Half-Pints, and cork them close, for it is the surest way to keep these kind of Liquors in such small quantities as may be used quickly, when they come to be exposed to the Air, for fear of growing mouldy: but I have had a Bottle of this sort of Ketchup, that has been open'd and set by for above a, Year, that has not received the least Damage; and some Acquaintance of mine have made of the same sort, and have kept it in Quart-Botles to use as occasion required, and have kept it good much longer than I have done. A little of it is very rich in any Sauce, and especially when Gravey is wanting: Therefore it may be of service to Travellers, who too frequently meet with good Fish, and other Meats, in Britain, as well as in several other parts of Europe, that are spoiled in the dressing; but it must be consider'd, that there is no Salt in this, so that whenever it is used, Salt, Anchovies, or other such like relishing things, may be used with it, if they are agreeable to the Palate, and so likewise with the Mushroom Gravey in the following Receipt.



Of Mushroom Gravey.

When you clean your Mushrooms, save the Parings, and wash them well from the Dirt, and then put to them the Gills that have been scraped from the large Buttons, and with a very little Water put them in a Saucepan, and stir them frequently till you have got all the juice from them; then strain the Liquor from them, and set it by to cool, or else till you have stew'd the Mushrooms that they were taken from, and then add the Liquor of the stew'd Mushrooms to the aforesaid Liquor, and boil them both together, with about 80 Cloves, about a Drachm of Mace, and two Drachms of whole Pepper to each Quart of Liquor, which will be lit to take off the Fire when it has lost about a third part by boiling; then pass it thro' a dry Sieve, into a dry earthen Pan, and let it stand till it be quite cold before you bottle it, observing then that the Bottles be very dry, for if they happen to be wet, it will soon turn mouldy. When the Bottles are fill'd, cork them well with sound new Corks, and tye a piece of Bladder, that has been softened in warm Water, over every Cork as tight as possible, and set the Bottles in a dry Place; with this management it will keep a long time.

What I learn'd else from the above mention'd Gentleman, concerning the preparing of Mushrooms for eating, was, that they should be always used when they are fresh gather'd, and then only such as are without Worms, which may be easily perceived by cutting their Stems cross-wise; and also that as soon as the Peel is pared off, and the Gills, let the large Mushrooms be cut into pieces, of the bigness of Nutmegs, and thrown into Water, as well the Stems as the Caps, for they are both good; then wash them well, and stew them a Sauce-pan, without putting any Liquor to them, or Spice, or Salt, till they have discharged a great deal of their own Liquor, and, begin to grow tender; you will then find them shrink into a very narrow compass, and must have the greatest part of the Liquor poured from them, with which you may make the Mushroom-Gravey abovemention'd. The Mushrooms being thus prepared, put to them a Seasoning of Pepper, Salt, Mace, and such other Ingredients as will not rob the Mushrooms too much of their own natural Flavour, and stir them frequently till they are enough; then put a little White-wine and Butter to them, and they will make an excellent good Dish: or else they may be made brown with some burned Butter, or be made into a Ragout. As for the broiling of the Caps of the large Mushrooms, the same Person's Receipt directs to rub the Caps with Butter on both sides, and strew Pepper and Salt on them, and broil them till they are quite hot through, turning them two or three times on the Fire, they will make their own Sauce when they come to be cut. Another way which he directs, is to make a pretty thick Batter of Flower, Water, or Milk and Eggs beaten together with some Salt and Pepper, to dip them in, and then fry them like Tripe; and for their Sauce, he recommends Butter, a little White-wine, and some of the Mushroom-Gravey, to be well mix'd together.

Some of my Acquaintance, who have try'd these Directions, approve of them; and, for my own part, I think them as agreeable as any that I have eaten: but as the Taste is not alike in every one, I shall add an Observation or two more of Monsieur Garneau's, concerning the Mushroom, which I think not unworthy our notice. The Mushroom, says that Gentleman, is not only a good Groundwork for all high Sauces, but itself a good Meat to be dress'd after any manner, either to compose a white or brown Fricassee, or fry'd or broil'd, or baked in Pyes with common Seasoning, and stands in the room of Flesh better than any thing that has yet been found out.

This Month is likewise a good time, if it is not over-wet, to gather Mushroooms for drying; but they should chiefly be such as are newly open'd in their Caps, before the Gills turn black. For this end, take off the Gills very clean, and wipe the Caps with wet Flannel, and as soon as they are a little dry, run a String through them, and hang them at some distance from the Fire, turning them now and then till they are dry enough to be reduced to Powder. When they are thus dry'd, keep them in dry Bottles with wide Necks, close stopp'd, till you have occasion to use them in Sauces. Keep this in a dry place. Some dry them in Ovens after the Bread is drawn, but an Oven in its full heat will be too strong for them.



To pickle Mushrooms White.

Take a Quart of small Buttons of Mushrooms, cut off their Roots, and wash them well with a Flannel dipt in Water, and then fling them into clean Water, to remain there about two hours. In the next place, get ready some fresh Water in a well-tinn'd Vessel, or glaz'd Vessel, to which put your Mushrooms, and let them boil a little to soften; which being done, take out your Mushrooms, and presently put them into cold Water, and let them remain there till they are quite cold; after this, free them from the Water, and dry them well in a linnen Cloth, then put them either into a wide-neck'd Bottle, or glaz'd Earthen-Vessel, disposing here and there among them three or four Bay-leaves to a Quart, two Nutmegs cut in quarters, about a quarter of an Ounce of Mace, and boil as much White-Wine and Vinegar, in equal quantities, as will serve to cover the Mushrooms. This Pickle must be put to them cold, and the Bottle, or Earthen-Vessel, close stopt and ty'd down with a wet Bladder. The reason why the Spice should not be boiled with the Pickle, is, because the Mushrooms would change black by means of the boil'd Spices; and if this plain Pickle was to be pour'd upon the Mushrooms hot, it would immediately draw a Colour from the Spices, which would darken the Colour of the Mushrooms: therefore to fill up the glasses in the manner here related, is the best way to have your Mushrooms look clean and white.

This Month is the proper time to pickle Onions, which make an agreeable Pickle if they are prepared after the following manner.



To pickle Onions, from Mrs. A. W.

When your Onions are dry enough to be laid up in the House, take the smallest of them, such as are about the bigness of a small Walnut, and of that sort which we call the Spanish Onion, for these are not so strong flavour'd as the Strasburgh Onions; take off only the outward dry Coat, and boil them in one Water without shifting, till they begin to grow tender; then take them off the Fire, lay them in a Sieve or Cullendar to drain and cool; and as soon as they are quite cold, take off two other Coats or Skins from each, and rub them gently in a linnen Cloth to dry. When this is done, put them into wide-mouth'd Glasses, with about six or eight fresh Bay-leaves to a Quart, a quarter of an Ounce of Mace, two large Rases of Ginger sliced. All these Ingredients must be interspersed here and there in the Glasses among the Onions, and then boil your Vinegar with about two Ounces of Bay-Salt to each Quart, taking off the Scum as it rises, and letting it stand to be cold; pour it into the Glasses, and cover them close with wet Bladders, and tie them down; they will eat well, and look very white.

About the end of this Month, if the Season has been tolerable, the Grapes in our English Vineyards will be ripe, and then we must be careful to gather them in dry Weather, that the Wine may keep the better. I have already mention'd, in my other Works, the curious Vineyard near Bath, and that belonging to Mr. John Warner at Rotherhith, where good Wines are made every year; and also that at Darking in Surrey, belonging to Mr. Howard, which is a very good one: but as some years are less favourable than others to the Grape, as well with us as abroad, it will not be unnecessary to take notice of a few Particulars, which I have observ'd this year 1726, concerning the management of Vines, which I have only communicated to a few. I shall also set down a few Directions for the making of Wine, which have not been hitherto mention'd in any of my Works, or by Mr. Evelyn, or Mr. Mortimer.

As to the first, we are to observe, that the Situation of our Island occasions our Seasons to be more uncertain than on the Continent, or between the Tropics. The cold and wet Summer, 1725, prevented the ripening of our later kind of Grapes; and indeed I did not meet anywhere with a Grape that had its perfect Flavour, unless the Vines were forced; but yet there were abundance. However, this Year, 1726, on the contrary, there are very few Grapes, and those are likely to be very good, some being already ripe against common Walls, without Art; such as the white Muscadine the 24th of July, and black Cluster-Grape. And at Sir Nicholas Garrard's Garden in Essex, I eat some of the black Frontiniack full in perfection, at the same time; and then the grisly and white Frontiniack Grapes, which are the latest kinds, were transparent, and within a little of being fit to gather: which is a Novelty so great, that has not been observ'd in England in my time; for the Frontiniack Grapes seldom ripen till the end of September, and then in a bad Year we cannot expect them without Art. However, the Vines in this worthy Gentleman's Garden are of long standing, and have been, by his own Directions, order'd and manag'd in a very artful manner for several Years. And tho' this Year generally we find so small a quantity in other Gardens, yet at this place there are as many as I judge are in the whole County besides. In most other places that I have observ'd this Year, the common way of management has been rather regarded than the rational part; and even the best Gardeners have fail'd in their Pruning the last Year, for the production of this Year's Fruit. I much wonder, that after the Demonstrations I have given from Facts, ever since the Year 1717, that Vines would grow and prosper well to be planted in old dry Walls; and the Instances I publish'd in the same Year, in my new Improvements, of Vines bearing best in dry Rubbish, or the most dry Soil: I say, it is surprizing, that some of those to whom I gave that satisfaction, should not guard against excess of Wet, especially when every one, who has judgment in the Affair of Vegetation, must know, that over-abundant Moisture will destroy the bearing Quality of any Plant, and more especially of such a kind of Plant as delights in dry mountainous Countries, as the Vine is known to do; but a common method of Management has so possess'd some People, that they will not give themselves leave to think that an Alteration of a Season from a dry to a wet, will occasion an alteration in a Plant. There is one Instance particularly, which I cannot help mentioning, relating to Vines, and the neccessity of keeping their Roots from Wet, which I observ'd this Year at Twittenham, at John Robarts's Esq. This Gentleman has several Vines laid up against the side of his House, as full of Grapes as I have ever seen any; but at the bottom where they grow, the Ground is paved with Bricks for about ten or twelve foot from the Wall they are nail'd to. This Pavement, in the last wet Summer, kept the Roots from imbibing, or receiving too much Moisture, and therefore the Juices of the Vines were digested, and capable of producing Fruit this Year; whereas such Vines as were not growing in dry places naturally, or had their Roots defended from the violent Wet by accident, have few or no Grapes at all. My Observations this Year, in some places where there are Pavements, still confirms me in my Opinion; and where there was any tolerable Skill in Pruning, I am persuaded every one will find that there have been Grapes this Year, or now are on those Vines that have stood in paved places, where the Pavement defended the Roots from the wet of the last Year. And as I have already mention'd in this, and other Works, the neccessity of planting Vines in dry places, for regular Seasons; and these Instances showing us the advantage of doing the same in wet Seasons; I think one may reasonably judge, that Pavements made over such places where Vines are planted, as well as Rubbish and dry Ground to plant them in, is the best way we can take for them. This way, particularly in a wet Year, will keep our Vines from running into long Joints, and the Juices consequently in digesting, as we find by experience; for no long-jointed Shoots of Vines are fruitful as they ought to be, and rarely bear any Fruit at all. 'Tis the short-jointed Shoots that will bear Fruit plentifully; and where there is much Wet at the Root, you must expect very few short Joints, and also very little Fruit: therefore, in this case, the Roots ought always to be defended from Wet.

This Year, 1726, was, at the beginning, a gentle and moist Spring, but April and May were hot; which brought every thing so forward, that our Harvest was about five or six Weeks forwarder than it has been for several Years past. The Case I have mention'd of the Grapes ripening naturally, was in proportion to the forwardness of the Harvest; every thing that I have observed in the same way was alike. The last Year was as extraordinary in the lateness of Crops, for then everything was as backward through the perpetual Rain we had in the Summer. Sometime or other this Memorandum may be of use, if my Papers last so long; however, for the present, consider how these two different Years have affected the Vine; the last wet Year made the Vines shoot strong and vigorous, and there was no Fruit this Year: nor was this only with us in Britain; but every where in Europe. The last Year produced such Floods, from the continued Rains at unexpected Seasons, as was never known in the memory of Man, the Vines shot vigorously; and this Year there were very few Grapes of the first Crop: but this Summer was so good and favourable, by its warm Months at the beginning of the Summer, that the Vines abroad shot out fresh Crops, or second Crops or Grapes, which made up for the other deficiency. I expect the next Year from hence, that the Vines will produce a full Crop of Grapes abroad, because this Year has settled the Juices, and digested them; but what Season there may be for ripening, is still uncertain, especially when we have the two last Years in view. But in our Gardens, I fear, we shall have worse success; for what this Year has done, will give the Gardeners generally a hard piece of work; for, as I imagine, there was little care taken in the beginning of the Year to lay up the Vines, especially because there was but a small, or no appearance of Grapes then; and the neglect of that Season in managing of Vines, will be the occasion of losing the Crop the next Year. What I say here about the management of Vines in the early part of the Year, I have already treated of in my other Works.

I shall now proceed to give some Particulars relating to the making of Wines of Grapes, which I believe may help those who make Wines in our English Vineyards, and make them stronger and richer than they hare usually been.

Considering the uncertainty of Seasons, and that every sort of Grape will not always ripen without Art, it will be necessary to contrive how that Defect may be amended. The Richness of Wine depends upon the Ripeness of the Grapes; and therefore when Grapes have not had the advantage of a favourable Season to ripen, the Liquor press'd from the Grapes, may be amended by boiling; for this extraordinary Heat will correct the Juice, by evaporating the two great quantity of watery parts. This Method, however ripe the Grapes were among the ancient Greeks and Romans, was frequently, if not always practised; and is practised in those more Southern Climes, why is it not as reasonable in ours? But that this is not now practised any where in Europe, is no reason why Wines may not be the better for it. I suppose the only reason why it is not now practised, is, because it would be an Expence and Trouble, more than the Masters of Vineyards have usually been at; and so long as they can sell their Wines at a constant Price, they do not care to go out of the way; but in a bad Season there is no doubt but even the Wines in France might be meliorated by boiling: As in the Instance of the Frontiniack Grapes, that are sour and unripe, and without Flavour, yet, by boiling or baking, they will gain the high Flavour that is found in them when they are well-ripen'd, by the Sun; but in baking or boiling unripe Grapes in the Skins, one must expect that the sourness of the Skins will communicate a sourness to the juices enclosed; but the Juices being press'd and boil'd, will ripen and become pleasant. In my New Improvements of Planting and Gardening, I have given large Directions for making of Wine of Grapes, and in this, have also given variety of Receipts for making of Wines of Fruits of our own growth; from whence we may learn the Use of boiling Juices of Fruits, and what will require fermenting by Yeast, and what do not. You will find that such Wines as are boiled with Sugar, are to be fermented with Yeast; and such as have Raisins for their foundation, will ferment in some measure of themselves. And especially observe, that while any Liquor is fermenting, the Vessel it is enclosed in must be kept open till it has quite done working; for if we should stop it up before that Action is over, it will certainly burst the Vessel; or if it has room enough, will turn sour, and be always thick and troubled. Again, all Wines, and other Liquors, must be stopt close as soon as they have done working, or else the Liquors will grow flat and dead. Some Wines will ferment six Weeks or two Months after they are in the Vessel, as one may know by the hissing noise which they make; but when that is done, then the ferment is over, and they should be closed up. But some Wines will ferment much longer than two Months, and then it is a sign that they stand too hot; then they must be put in a cooler place, or the outside of the Vessel frequently cool'd or refresh'd with Water, which will stop the ferment. Again, some will not ferment as they ought to do, and then they must be set in warmer places, which will raise the ferment.

In very bad Years we may help our Wines with a small quantity of Sugar, perhaps a Pound to a Gallon of Juice, to boil together; but whether we add Sugar or no, we must be sure to take the Scum off the Wines as it rises when they are boiling.

In the colder Climates, we ought not to press the Grapes so close as they do in the hot Countries, because in the colder parts of the World, and in places the most remote from the Sun, the Skins of the Grapes are much thicker, and carry a Sourness in them which should not be too much press'd to mix with the richer part of the Grape; but in the hotter Climes, the Skins of the Grapes are thin, and the Sourness rectify'd by the Sun, and will bear pressing without injuring the finer Juices.

There is one thing which I shall mention with regard to the Endeavours that have been used to make Wine in the Island of St. Helena; a Place so situate, that it lies as a resting-place between these Northern Parts, and the East-Indies, and so remote from other places, that could there be good Wine made there, it would be of great help and assistance to the Ships that sail that way: But I am informed by a curious Gentleman, who has had many good Accounts of that Place, that the Vines which have been planted there, are of such sorts, as bring the Grapes ripe and rotten on one side of the Bunch, and green on the other at the same time, which surely can never make good Wine. But upon enquiry, they are only such sorts of Grapes as grow in close Clusters, and therefore the side next the Sun must be ripe much sooner than the other; for the Climate there is so violent hot, that there are no Walls used behind them to reflect the Heat to ripen the Backs of the Bunches.

Therefore, I suppose that the best way to have good Wine made in those Parts, is to furnish that Place with Vines which may bring their Grapes in open or loose Bunches, such as the Raisin-grape, and some others, which do not cluster; for then the Sun would have an equal effect upon all the Grapes, and good Wine might be made of them: But the worthy Gentleman who told me of this, has, I hear, sent to St. Helena a Collection of such Grapes as will answer the desired end.

This is likewise the Month when Saffron appears above ground; sometimes sooner, sometimes later, according as the Season is earlier or later. This Year, 1726, I was in the Saffron Country, and in the beginning of August the Saffron-heads or Roots had shut up so long in the flowering part, that the Planters were forced to put them into the Ground: I mean, such as were design'd for new Plantations, which is sooner by near a Month than they used to sprout, though they lay dry in Heaps, the Weather had so great an effect upon them.

About Littlebury, Chesterford, Linton, and some other Places thereabouts, is certainly now the greatest Quantity of Saffron of any part of the Kingdom; the famous Place noted formerly for it, call'd Saffron Walden, being at this time without it. However, the People of the Places which I have named, do not forbear bringing it to Walden Market, or driving Bargains there for large Quantities of it, tho' the Market at Linton is look'd upon to be much the best. What I have said in my Country Gentleman and Farmer's Monthly Director, gives ample Inductions for the Management of Saffron, but I may here add a word or two more concerning it; which is, that considering how many Accidents the Saffron is subject to, that is dry'd upon the common Kilns, by the scorching of it by too hot a Fire, and the Unskilfulness of the Dryers; I do not wonder that there is so much Saffron spoiled. Where there are unskilful Hands employ'd in the drying part, one ought to provide such Kilns for them as are large enough to distribute the Heat moderately, and as constant as possible; which may partly be help'd by providing such a Fire as may be constant, and not give more Heat at one time than another; for there is a great deal of Judgment in that. I find, that by the common way, some Saffron is scorch'd, and some unequally dry'd, for which reason I have contriv'd such a Kiln as must necessarily answer the end which is proposed in the drying of Saffron; that is, to put it into a state of keeping with its Virtue in it, and to put it out of the danger of being scorch'd in the drying. This I shall publish in my Natural History of Cambridgeshire and Essex, which will soon appear in the World.

As for the way which is now commonly practised in the drying of Saffron, it is, when you have provided a Kiln, such as I have described in my Farmer's Monthly Director, with a Cloth made of Horse-hair on the top, strain the Hair-cloth tight, and lay on two Sheets of Saffron-paper, that is, a sort of Paper made on purpose for that Use, which is very large; and prepare a little Vessel with some Small beer, and as many Chives of Saffron as will make it of a deep Colour to stand by you; sprinkle over the Paper with a Brush or Feather dipt in this Liquor, and spread your Saffron upon it, either in a square or a round Figure, about three Inches thick, and cover the Saffron with two Sheets more of the same kind of Paper, and lay a woollen Cloth upon them, and over that a Board, which will cover the top of the Kiln: view this now and then, till you see that the Steam of the Saffron comes through the upper Papers. Then take off the Board and Woollen-cloth, and taking the Papers on each side with your Hands, turn the Saffron in the Papers, so that the under-side be uppermost; taking off presently after the Papers which were first the undermost, and then smooth down the side of the Saffron that was first next the Fire with a Knife, so that it lie all equal. Then cover it as it was at first, and after a little time turn the Saffron as you did before, and spread then the upper-side even with a Knife, as you did at first; then sprinkle your Saffron with the Brush dipt in the prepared Liquor upon the dry part's of the Cake, and cover it as before; let it lie then a little, and turn it as occasion requires, which may be sooner or later, as the Fire in the Kiln is quick or slow, minding every time, as you turn it, to sprinkle the dry parts with the Liquor; the more it shrinks, the oftner you must turn your Cake of Saffron, minding still to sprinkle the dry parts; and when it has shrunk about three fourths of the first thickness, lay a Stone or Weight upon the Board at the top of the Kiln, of about seven or eight Pound weight, the Board already being about ten or a dozen Pounds; when it is dry enough, take it off the Kiln, and the Paper it was dried in will be of good use; remember to keep your Fire gentle and clear. We may note, that a Gatherer of Saffron has this Year about ten Pence per Drain, and that about six Pounds, or six Pounds and a half of raw Saffron will dry to a Pound; but generally they allow only six Pounds of wet Saffron to a Pound of dry Saffron: but that depends upon the Dryers, who sometimes out of a Willingness to get Money, do not dry it so much as they ought to do. It is a Rule among the Saffron-Planters in Cambridgeshire, that sixteen Quarters of Saffron-Roots, or Heads, will plant an Acre; and that a full Acre this Year produces about seventeen or eighteen Pounds of dry Saffron, tho' the common rate is about sixteen Pounds.

About this time you have many green Melons upon the Vines which will not ripen; and besides, if they would, that Fruit would now be too cold for the Stomach: therefore it is advisable to pickle them, to make them imitate Mango's, which some prefer before Mango Cucumbers. The following is the Receipt to pickle them.



To pickle green Melons, in imitation of Mango.

The Mango is a Fruit brought to us from the East Indies, about the Shape and Bigness of a small Melon; it has a large Stone in it, and comes to us in a Pickle, which is strong tasted of Garlick, but approved by most People. When we gather Melons for this use, we must wash them and cut them, as directed for the Mango Cucumbers, then lay them in Salt and Water, shifting the Salt and Water every four and twenty Hours, for nine Days successively; after which, take them out and wipe them dry, and put into the inside of each, which has been already scraped, the same Ingredients directed for your Mango Cucumbers, and tie them up: then boil your Pickle of Vinegar, Bay-Salt, and Spices, with these Mangoes in it; scumming it as it rises, and with it a piece of Allum as directed in the Receipt for Mango Cucumbers, and afterwards follow that Receipt till your Melons are fit to use.

Now we have Wild-Ducks fit for the Table, and it is to be noted, that these should not be larded as Land-Fowls, in the roasting of them. It must be observed, that they be sent to Table with the Gravey in them; but before they are laid down to the Fire, it is practis'd in many places, to chop Onions, the Leaves of red Sage, and mix these with Pepper and Salt, to be put in the Belly of the Ducks; and when they are brought to Table, pour a Glass of Claret warm'd through the Body of the Ducks, which with some Gravey, that must be sent in the Dish, under the Ducks, will make a proper Sauce for them.

Another agreeable way of eating Ducks, is roasting them, and eating them with boil'd Onions; they are sometimes used in Soups, and baked, and they likewise eat very well when they are half roasted, and then cut to pieces and stew'd with their own Gravey and Claret.

Now Stubble Geese will be in season, after they have been taken up and fed for a Fortnight or thereabouts, in a close place, with Barley and Water; but during their Confinement, they must never want Victuals. Note, the Barley must have no more Water with it than will just cover it, and they must never have their Corn dry. If during the time of their feeding, you happen to let them out to ramble for a few hours, they will lose more good Flesh in that time, than they can regain in three Days; therefore when you have once put them up, keep them up till they are fit to kill: but if you would have them very fat, put them in a Coop for a Week or ten Days before you kill them, and feed them with Barley-Meal and Water, made almost as thick as Paste; and always let there be several of them together, for a single one will pine, and lose Flesh, instead of increasing it by Eating. As to the dressing of this Fowl while it is young, in the Spring, under the Character of a Green-Goose, it is fatted in a Coop with Barley-Meal and Water, and being kill'd and scalded when 'tis fat, 'tis roasted and eaten with green Sauce, or scalded Goosberries: but being full grown as at this time of the Year, is roasted, being first salted and pepper'd within side, and salted without side. Some put an Onion, and some Sage-Leaves into the Body of the Goose, when it is laid down to the Fire, and when it is brought to Table, it is serv'd with Apples stew'd and mash'd in a Plate by the Side; but for the Sauce in the Dish, there need be none but some Claret heated, and pour'd thro' the Body of the Goose, to mix with its own Gravey. Some also salt Geese, and boil them with Greens, as with other salt Meat; a Goose may also be bak'd in a Pye to be eaten cold. A Goose is to be kill'd, by pulling first the Feathers at the back of the Head, and cutting pretty deep with a sharp Penknife, between the back of the Head and the Neck, taking care that it does not struggle, so as to make the Feathers bloody, for that will spoil them: and 'tis to be noted, the Feathers of a full grown Goose are worth four Pence to be sold in the Country; this I had from a Gentlewoman in Surrey. In Holland they slit Geese down the Back, and salt them with Salt-Petre, and other Salt, and then dry them like Bacon; they eat very well, if they are boiled tender.

* * * * *

OCTOBER.

This Month is a noted Month for brewing of Malt Liquors especially. Brown, or high-dried Malt is to be used, as I have mentioned at large in the Month of March, under the Article of Brewing; to which I refer my Reader, to be fully satisfied of such Particulars relating to it, as seem to be the least consider'd, altho' they are the most contributing to the Perfection of Malt Liquors.

At this Season, Cyders, Mussels, Cockles, and such kind of Shell-Fish are good and in Season; as for the Oyster, it is not only to be eaten raw, but makes an agreeable Dish stew'd, or in Scallop-Shells; and besides, being useful in many Sauces, are extremely good when they are well pickled. Altho' the Oyster may seem foreign to a Farm, or some part of the Country, yet considering that we live in a part of the World surounded with a Sea that produces the best Oysters, and that they are a sort of Shell-Fish which we can keep a long time, and feed them, I think it necessary to take notice of them. About Colchester the Oyster-Pits are only small Holes about twelve foot square, by the side of the River, where the salt Water comes up, and has a passage into them at the height of the Tides; in these places the Oysters are laid, and there grow fat, and become green, by a sort of Weed which is called Crow-Silk: and this may be done any where, if there is a River with salt Water, as well as by Colchester, and be kept two or three Months; so that I wonder 'tis not practised in other places. But if we have not this conveniency, yet if we lay them in Salt and Water after the Shells are well wash'd, just when they come from the Sea, they will keep a Fortnight in pretty good order, if the Weather be cool, and they can have the open Air; but then the Salt and Water should be changed every four and twenty hours. The following Receipts are very good for preparing them for the Table.



To stew Oysters. From Exeter.

Take large Oysters, open them, and save their Liquor; then when the Liquor is settled, pour off the Clear, and put it in a Stew-Pan, with some Blades of Mace, a little grated Nutmeg, and some whole Pepper, to boil gently, till it is strong enough of the Spices: then take out the Spices, and put in the Oysters to stew gently, that they be not hard; and when they are near enough, add a piece of Butter, and as much grated Bread as will thicken the Liquor of the Oysters; and just before you take them from the Fire, stir in a Glass of White-wine.



Roasted Oysters in Scallop Shells. From Exeter.

Provide some large scallop Shells, such as are the deepest and hollowest you can get, which Shells are sold at the Fishmongers at London; then open such a Number of Oysters as will near fill the Shells you design, and save the Liquor to settle; then pour a moderate quantity of the Liquor into each Shell, and put a Blade of Mace, and some whole Pepper with it; after which, put into your Shells a small piece of Butter, and cover the whole with grated Bread: then let these on a Grid-Iron over the Fire, and when they are enough, give the grated Bread at the tops of the Shells a browning with a red-hot Iron, and serve them.

The same Person who sent the foregoing Receipts, concerning Oysters, advises another way of roasting Oysters, which I think is a very good one, and not much known. It is, to take large Oysters, open them, and hang them by the finny part on a small Spit, after having first dipt them in the Yolk of an Egg, and roll'd them in Crumbs of Bread; turn them three or four times before the Fire, and baste them gently with Butter, till the Crumbs of Bread are crisp upon them, and serve them hot. As for their use in Sauces, they are proper with Fish, and are sometimes used with Fowls; their own Liquor is always put in such Sauces where they are used. For pickling of Oysters, the following is an excellent Receipt.



To pickle Oysters.

Open a quantity of large Oysters, saving their Liquor, and letting it settle; then pour the Liquor clear off into a Stew-pan, and wash the Oysters in Water and Salt: after which, boil them gently in their own Liquor, so that they are not too hard. When they are enough, take them out, and add to the Liquor some Mace, a few Cloves, some whole Pepper, a little Ginger, and a Bay-Leaf or two, and let the Liquor boil, putting to it about a fourth part of White-wine Vinegar, letting it continue to boil a little more; then take it off, and let it stand to be quite cold. When the Oysters are cold, put them into Jars or Gally-pots, and pour the Liquor with the Spice cold upon them; then tie them down with Leather.

The Mussel and Cockle may be pickled after the same manner, only allowing this difference; i.e. that Cockles and Mussels are taken out of their Shells by setting them over the Fire, and opening them by the Heat; but before-hand the Shells must be wash'd very clean, and then must be put in the Sauce-pan without Water, they of themselves will soon produce Liquor enough: then as the Shells open, take out the Fish, and wash every one well in Salt and Water; but as for the Mussels, they must every one be carefully look'd into, and discharg'd from that part which is call'd the Beard, and also particular care must be taken to examine whether there are any Crabs in them, for they are very poisonous, and as they lie in the Mouth of the Mussel, may easily be discover'd; they are commonly as large as a Pea, and of the shape of a Sea-Crab, but are properly Sea-Spiders: the Mussels however where you find them, are not unwholesome, and it is only the eating of this little Animal, which has been the occasion of People's swelling after they had eaten Mussels, but the goodness of the Fish is well enough worth the Care of looking after that. When your Mussels or Cockles are all clean pick'd and wash'd, lay them to cool; and when their Liquor is well fettled, pour off the Clear, and boil it up with the same sort of Spices mentioned above for the pickled Oysters, with the same proportion of Vinegar; and letting it stand till it is quite cold, put your Fish into proper Pots, or little Barrels, and pour the Liquor upon them till they are cover'd with it, and stop them up close: they will keep good two or three Months, if the Liquor is now and then boiled up, but it must be always cold before it be put upon the Fish.

In the Management of Cockles for pickling, or for eating any other way, let the Shells be very well wash'd, and then lay the Cockles in a Pan of Salt and Water for two or three days, to scour themselves from the Sand that is in them at their first taking; but observe to shift the Salt and Water every day. The largest Cockles that I have observ'd on the English Coasts are those found about Torbay, which are sometimes brought to Exeter Market; the Fish is as large as a good Oyster, and the Shells of some are above two Inches and a half Diameter. Mussels and Cockles may likewise be stew'd and grill'd in Scallop Shells, as directed for Oysters. The Mussels after they are well pick'd are flower'd and fryed in some places, and eaten with Butter and Mustard, and the French make rich Soups of them.

As this is a Season when we have plenty of Quinces, I shall insert the following Receipt for making Wine of them, which is very pleasant.



To make Quince Wine. From Mrs. E. B.

Gather your Quinces when they are dry, and wipe them very clean with a coarse Cloth, then grate them with a coarse Grater or a Rasp, as near the Core as you can; but grate in none of the Core, nor the hard part about it: then strain your grated Quinces into an earthen Pot, and to each Gallon of Liquor put two Pounds of fine Loaf-Sugar, and stir it till your Sugar is dissolved; then cover it close, and let it stand twenty four hours, by which time it will be fit enough to bottle, taking care in the bottling of it that none of the Settlement go into the Bottles. This will keep good about a Year; observe that your Quinces must be very ripe when you gather them for this use.

Rabbits still continue in Season this Month, and besides the common way of dressing them, they may be larded, and drest in the following manner; which I had from a Gentleman in Suffolk. Make a Farce for them, like that mentioned for the Belly of a Hare in the preceding Month, and order its Management and Sauce as for a Hare. A young Rabbit, or Hare, is known by the tenderness of the Jaw-Bones, which will easily break by pressing with the Finger and Thumb.

Woodcocks are now in Season, and it is to be advertised of them, that they are to be only pull'd of their Feathers, and not drawn like other Fowls, but the Guts left in them; when they are roasted, they must be serv'd upon Toasts of Bread, upon which the Guts are spread and eaten, when they are brought to Table. The inward of this Bird eats like Marrow; this is generally eaten with Juice of Orange, a little Salt and Pepper, without other Sauce. The Legs of this Bird are esteem'd the most, and are therefore presented to the greatest Strangers at Table; but the Wings and Breast of a Partridge are the principal parts of that Fowl, for the Legs are full of Strings, like the Legs of Turkeys and Pheasants.

The Snipe is of the same nature with the Woodcock, and is ordered in every respect like it. These may be larded with Bacon upon the Breast, or else strew'd with Salt and Crumbs of Bread, while they are roasting. Besides the Sauce used for Woodcocks and Snipes, the aforesaid Suffolk Gentleman has the following which is Gravey with a little minced Anchovy, a Rocambole, some Lemon-Juice, and a little White-wine boiled together; and when it is strain'd, pour it in a Saucer, and serve it with the Fowls.

These Birds are in plenty among the woody parts of England, from September till the end of March, and then they all leave us at one time, except only such as have been lamed by the Sportsmen, and disabled for Flight; and then they will breed in England, as there are Instances enough. About Tunbridge, it is frequent to find them in Summer; and I have known the same in Leicestershire. I think if one could take Woodcocks here in Hay-Nets, as they do in France, and pinion them or disable a Wing, and then turn them loose again, we might raise a Breed of them that would stay with us; but I have experienced that they will not feed if they are confined in Cages or Aviaries, for they must have liberty to run in search of their Food, which they find for the most part in moist places, near Springs; for I have often taken both the Woodcock and the Snipe with such Snares as are made for Larks, by laying them in the Night on the Bank of Rivulets, or watery Trenches near Woods.

* * * * *

NOVEMBER.

Pheasants are still in season, and are now chiefly roasted, for they are not so frequently boiled, till about April, and then only the Hens when they are full of Eggs; but that, I think, is too destroying a way. The boiled Pheasants are generally dressed with Oyster-Sauce, or Egg-Sauce, but the roasted are either larded on the Breast with fine Bacon Fat, or else roasted and strew'd with Crumbs of Bread: these, says the Suffolk Gentleman, who sent me the foregoing Method of ordering the Woodcock and Snipe, should be served with the same Sauces that are used for Partridges. The Sauces in his Directions are within a trifle the same as those I have already set down in September for Partridges or Quails, so that I shall not repeat them here.

The Truffle, which I have treated of at large as to its manner of Growth and Season of Maturity, in my Gentleman and Farmer's Monthly Director, affords such Variety of agreeable Dishes, that I have taken care to send to a curious Gentleman abroad for the Receipt how to dress it: They are very plenty in our Woods in England, as I understand by several who have found them this Summer by my Directions, and I believe will be much more so, since several curious Gentlemen have followed my Advice in propagating them. It is now, as well as in the two preceding Months, that we may find them of a fine Flavour; but they being something more in perfection in this Month than in the others, I think it the properest to give the Methods of ordering them for the Table in this place: The first manner is to broil them.



To broil Truffles.

The Truffle being brought in fresh, wash it well, and cut off the rough Coat on the outside: some of these will be as large as one's Fist, and they are the best for this purpose; but let them be of any size, as soon as the Coat is off, cut them through a little more than half-way, and put Pepper and Salt into the opening, and close it again; then wrap up each Truffle in wet Paper close, and broil them over a gentle Fire of Wood-Embers till you judge they are enough, which will be as soon as they are very hot quite through; let them be turn'd as occasion requires, that they may be all equally done, and then serve them to the Table in a folded Napkin. This is a very good way of eating them, but the other I have more frequently eaten.



To Stew Truffles in Wine.

The Truffles must be peel'd from the rough Coat on the outside, and well-wash'd; then cut your Truffles into Slices, and stew them in White wine, or Claret, which you please, with Salt, Pepper, and a Bay-leaf; or in the lieu of that, some Jamaica Pepper, and serve them. White-wine for this use is generally preferred.



To Stew Truffles after another manner.

Gather Truffles, peel them and wash them, and then cut them in Slices, after which fry them a little in a Stew-pan, with either Butter or Hog's-Lard, and a little Wheat-Flower; then take them out and drain them, and put them again in a Stew-pan with Gravey, a bunch of Sweet-Herbs, some Salt, Pepper, and Nutmeg grated; and when they have stewed a little in this, strain the Liquor, and dish them for the Table, garnished with Slices of Lemmon. Besides this way, they may be used in the same manner as Fowls are stewed or fricasseed, with brown or white Sauces, after they have been soften'd a little by boiling.

While I am speaking of the Truffle, I may well enough mention the Receipts for the management of the Morille. Altho' the Morille grows in April, which is the only time when it may be gather'd fresh, yet one may dress the dry'd ones now, by first softening them in warm Water and Salt for three or four Minutes; but, as observ'd before, they are best fresh gather'd. And again, I chuse to put the Receipts for their Management in this place, because they are so near a-kin to the Truffle. In the first place, I shall speak of drying them, which I have done in England, after the following manner: Gather, and wash them, and when they are well drain'd, then lay them in a Dish, and dry them by degrees in a gentle Oven; and when they are throughly dry, keep them in a dry place, and in a cover'd earthen glazed Pot; but when they are fresh, order them according to the following Receipts. And I am the more ready to give these to the Publick, because all such who know the nicest way of eating, may nor be disappointed in their Travels thro' England, and denied at the Inns such things as perhaps are as agreeable in that way, as any in the Country. Particularly I remember at Newberry, or Spinhamland, in the publick Road to Bath, I was at the most publick and noted Inn in that Road, and had got some very good Mushrooms, and the People there were of opinion that they were poisonous, or else did not know how to dress them, and by no means they would send them to the Table. I say, if such mistakes can be made in a place where so many People of fashion travel continually, it is not likely that Morilles or Truffles will be received with more favour than my Mushrooms; and I believe that some of the greatest Niceties of our Country may ever remain unknown, without a Work of this nature, which I have pick'd up inch by inch, viz. in my Travels. And besides, considering the strange disagreeable Compositions which one meets with in some of our Travels, as Sugar with a pickled Trout, and many more as ridiculous; I think this little Piece of Work not unworthy my Time. Again, there are many Families in England which have plenty about them, and do not know what to do with it; and therefore I think this the more necessary. But to come to my point, the Morille may be dress'd when it is either fresh or blanch'd in warm Water, according to the following Receipts, which I had from France.



To make a Ragout of Morilles.

The Morilles being fresh gather'd, take off the Roots, and wash them in many Waters, for the Wrinkles in their Tops harbour a great deal of Dirt and Sand; then slit them lengthways, and fry them a little in a Stew-pan, with Butter or Hogs-Lard, letting either be very hot when you put in the Morilles; then let them drain, and put them in a fresh Stew-pan with Gravey, in which shred some Parsley and Cherville very small, with a young Onion, some Salt, and a little Nutmeg: let these stew gently, and send them to the Table garnish'd with slices of Lemmon, or they may be sent to the Table in Cream, as we have already mentioned concerning other things in the same manner.



To fry the Morilles.

Prepare your Morilles as directed in the former Receipt, and boil them in a little Gravey gently; when they begin to be tender, take them out of the Liquor, and flower them very well, then fry them in Hog's-Lard: when they are thus prepared, make a Sauce for them of the Liquor or Gravey the Morilles were stew'd in, season'd with Salt, Nutmeg and a little Juice of Lemmon.

The following Directions I had from a Gentleman in Suffolk. The Turkey is now in good Season, and may be either boiled or roasted; when it is boiled, it is most commonly served with Oyster-Sauce, and when it is designed for roasting, it may be larded with fine Fat of Bacon on the Breast, or else well strew'd with Crumbs of Bread, having first made a Farce to fill the Hollow of the Neck, where the Crop lay; this Farce may be made of grated Bread, Spice, Salt, butter'd Eggs, and some sweet Herbs powder'd, the whole well mix'd and bound with the Yolk of a raw Egg; or the Liver of a Fowl may be boiled and chop'd small and put into it. The Receipt as I receiv'd it directs Beef-Suet chop'd small instead of butter'd Eggs; but Mr. John Hughs, a noted Cook in London, tells me that Suet should be avoided in these Farces, because it is apt to cool too soon, and offend the Roof of the Mouth, and therefore directs butter'd Eggs in their stead. As for the Sauce for the roasted Turkey, it must be made with Gravey, a Bunch of sweet Herbs, some Lemmon-peel, a Shallot or two, and some whole Pepper and All-spice boiled together and strained.

Concerning the Lark, which is now in Season, the abovemention'd Gentleman gives the following Directions: Let the Larks be pick'd only and not gutted, truss the Legs, with a Leaf of red Sage to every Lark between the Joints of the Legs; then with a Feather, dip'd in the Yolk of an Egg beaten, wash the Body of every Lark, and cover it well with Crumbs of Bread; after which, cut some thin Slices of fat Bacon, about three Inches long, and an Inch broad, and lay the Larks in a row, side to side, with a piece of this Bacon between every two Larks; then have small Spits about ten Inches long, and pass the Spits thro' the Sides of the Larks and the Bacon, so that you have half a dozen Larks upon each Spit, observing to have a piece of Bacon on both the outsides of the half dozen Larks; baste these well while they are roasting, and for the Sauce for them, fry some grated Bread crisp in Butter, and set them to drain before the Fire, that they may harden; serve these under the Larks when you send them to Table, and garnish with Slices of Lemmon. Some have their Lark-Spits made of Silver, and serve their Larks upon the Spits to the Table, by which means they keep hot the longer: you may eat them with Juice of Lemmon with the fry'd Crumbs, but some like such Gravey-Sauce with them as is directed for the roasted Turkey. Tho' the Guts are left in the Larks, yet they are not to be eaten.

In my Travels I observed a kind of Soup, which was very frequently used abroad, and quickly ready, that was very taking to most Travellers who delighted in savoury Dishes, which the People abroad call Soup a l'Yvrogne. It is made as follows.

Take half a score Onions, peel them, and cut them in small Pieces into a Stewpan, and fry them brown with Butter, and a little Pepper and Salt; and when they are enough, pour such a quantity of Water upon them as you think proper to make a Soup of them; then let these boil together, and thicken it with as many Eggs as are neccessary, keeping it stirring to prevent the Eggs from Curdling. Some add to this a large Glass of White-wine, which I think makes it better tasted than 'tis without it: this is served with a French Role in the middle. At the same time I met with the following Receipt for Beef A-la-mode, which is as good as any I have eaten.



To make Beef A-la-mode.

Take a fleshy piece of Beef, without Fat, and beat it well with a Rolling pin, then lard it with pretty large pieces of Bacon-Fat, and if you please put over the Fire a little to fry till the outside is brown, and then put it to stew in a deep Stew-pan, or glaz'd Earthen-Vessel, with Salt, Pepper, Bay-Leaves or Jamaica Pepper, some Lemmon-Peel, half a dozen large Mushrooms, two Gloves of Garlick, or four or five Cloves of Shallot, half a Pint of Wine, and a Pint of Water; cover it close, and let it stew gently till it is tender: when it is enough, fry some Flower in Hogs-Lard, and add to it, with some Lemmon-Juice, or a little Verjuice. This is very good hot, but is for the most part eaten cold, cut in Slices of about half an Inch thick.

* * * * *

DECEMBER.

Now is the principal Season for killing of Hogs, as well for Pork as for Bacon, and likewise for Brawn. I have already in my other Works given Directions for making of pickled Pork and Bacon; so that I shall say little of it in this place, but give the Receipts for ordering some particular parts of Hogs. The following Receipt I received from France, concerning the preparing of the Jole of a wild Boar, and have had it try'd in England with the Head of a common Hog; and I find little difference, especially if the Hog has been fed with Acorns.



To dress a Hog's Head, in imitation of the Jole of a wild Boar.

Take a Hog's Head and burn it well all over upon a clear Fire, till all the Hair is burnt to the Skin; then take a piece of Brick, and rub the Head all over as hard as possible, to grind off the Stumps of the Bristles, and finish the whole with your Knife, and then clean the Head very well; when this is done, you must take out all the Bones, opening the Head in the under Part, and beginning with the under Jaw-Bones and the Muzzle; then cleave the Head, leaving only the Skin over the Skull to hold it together: take out the Tongue and the Brains. When thus you have taken away all the Bones, stab the Flesh with the Point of your Knife in many places on the inside, without wounding the Skin, and put Salt into every Incision, then join the Head together, and tie it well together with Packthread, and then wrapping it up in a Napkin, put it in a Kettle, with a large Quantity of Water, a large Bunch of all kinds of sweet Herbs, a little Coriander and Anise-Seeds, two or three Bay Leaves, some Cloves, and two or three Nutmegs cut in pieces, and some Salt, if you think there is any wanting; add likewise two or three large Onions and a Sprig or two of Rosemary. When this has boiled half enough, pour in a Bottle of Wine, and let it boil three or four Hours longer till 'tis tender; for it will not be so under seven or eight Hours boiling, if the Hog be large; and if it is a Boar's Head, that has been put up for Brawn, it will take more time to boil. Being boiled enough, let it cool in the Liquor, and then take it out and untie it, and lay it in a Dish to be carry'd cold to the Table, either whole or in Slices. If you will, you may salt it three or four days before you boil it.



To make Sausages, from Lady M.

Take the Flesh of a Leg of Pork, and mince it small, and to every Pound of the Flesh minced, mince about a quarter of a Pound of the hard Fat of the Hog; then beat some Jamaica Pepper very fine, and mix with it some Pepper and Salt, with a little Sweet-Marjoram powder'd, and some Leaves of red Sage minced very small; mix all these very well, and if you fill them into Guts, either of Hogs or Sheep, beat two or three Yolks of Eggs and mix with them, taking care not to fill the Guts too full, lest they burst when you broil or fry them: but if you design them to be eaten without putting them in Guts, then put no Eggs to them, but beat the Flesh and the Fat in a Stone Mortar, and work the Spice and Herbs well into it with your hands, so that it be well mix'd, and keep it in a Mass to use at your pleasure, breaking off Pieces, and rolling them in your hands, and then flowering them well before you fry them. If you use them in Guts, take special care that the Guts are well clean'd, and lie some time in a little warm White-wine and Spice before you use them; if any Herb happens to be disagreeable in this Mixture, it may be left out, or others added at pleasure.

The following Receipt to make Sausages of Fish for Fast-Days, I had at Bruxelles, which I have experienced to be very good.



To make Sausages of Fish.

Take the Flesh of Eels, or of Tench, and to either of these put some of the Flesh of fresh Cod, or of Pike or Jack, chop these well together with Parsley, and a few small Onions; season these with a little Salt, Pepper, Cloves in Powder, a little grated Nutmeg, and, if you will, a little powder'd Ginger, with some Thyme, Sweet-Marjoram, a little Bay-Leaf, all dry'd and powder'd; and mix all these well together with a little Butter.

Then beat the Bones of the Fish in a Mortar, pouring in among them while they are beating, a Glass or two of Claret, which must afterwards be poured upon the above Mixture; then take the Guts of a Calf well wash'd and clear'd of the Fat, for in that condition I find there is no scruple to use them abroad: being well discharged of the Fat, fill these Skins with your Mixture of Fish, &c. tying them at both ends, and lay them for twenty four Hours in a Pickle of Wine and Salt, and taking them out from thence, hang them in a Chimney where they may be well smoak'd with a Wood-Fire, or burning Saw-dust for twenty-four hours, or longer if you please, provided you have allow'd Salt and Spices enough. When you would use them, boil them gently in White-wine, with a Bunch of Sweet Herbs; or in Water, with one third part White-wine, and Sweet-Herbs. These are served cold at the Table, and eat very well.

The Boars that were put up for Brawn, are now fit to kill. It is to be observ'd, that what is used for Brawn, is the Flitches only, without the Legs, and they must have the Bones taken out, and then sprinkled with Salt, and lay'd in a Tray, or some other thing, to drain off the Blood; when this is done, salt it a little, and roll it up as hard as possible, so that the length of the Collar of Brawn be as much as one side of the Boar will bear, and to be, when it is rolled up, about nine or ten Inches diameter. When you have rolled up your Collar as close as you can, tye it with Linnen Tape, as tight as possible, and then prepare a Cauldron with a large Quantity of Water to boil it: In this boil your Brawn till it is tender enough for a Straw to pass into it, and then let it cool; and when it is quite cold, put it in the following Pickle. Put to every Gallon of Water a handful or two of Salt, and as much Wheat-Bran; boil them well together, and then strain the Liquor as clear as you can from the Brawn, and let it stand till it is quite cold, at which time put your Brawn in it; but this Pickle must be renewed every three Weeks. Some put half small Beer and half Water; but then the small Beer should be brewed with pale Malt: but I think the first Pickle is the best. Note, The same Boar's Head being well cleaned, may be boiled and pickled like the Brawn, and is as much esteem'd.

This is a good Season to make what they call Hung-Beef: The way of doing it, is, to take the thin Pieces of the Beef, and salting them with Salt-Petre about two Ounces to a Pound of common Salt, and rubbing it well into the Meat, dry it in a Chimney with Wood Smoke. When this is throughly cured, it will be red quite through, which one may try by cutting; for if there is any of the Flesh green, it is not smoked enough. It is, in my opinion, better than any Bacon to be boiled and eaten hot.

This is what I shall say, concerning the use of such things as are generally found about a Gentleman's Country-Seat, or about a Farm, which I think will be very useful, tho' a little out of the common Road; and so I shall make no Apology for publishing such Receipts as I am sure are good. If I do not use proper Terms in some of my Receipts in Cookery, I have at least put my Receipts into such a Method, as I suppose will make them intelligible, and what any one may understand: But I must take notice before I conclude, that the meaning of publishing this, is to instruct those who may not have had opportunity of observing or collecting so much as I have done, and not any way pretending to inform those who are full enough of Knowledge already. However, I hope my Readers will be contented with what I have here given them, and meet with something that is New and Useful.

FINIS.

* * * * *

THE COUNTRY HOUSEWIFE AND LADY's DIRECTOR, IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A HOUSE, AND THE DELIGHTS AND PROFITS OF A FARM.



PART II.



INCLUDING

A great Variety of the most curious Receipts for Dressing all the Sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, Fruit and Herbs, which are the Productions of a Farm, or from any Foreign Parts.

Contained in Letters, and taken from the Performances of the most polite Proficients in most Parts of Europe.



Now publish'd for the Good of the Publick, By R. BRADLEY, Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, and F. R. S.



To which is Added, From a Poulterer in St. James's-Market, the Manner of Trussing all Sorts of Poultry. Adorn'd with Cuts: Shewing, how every Fowl, Wild or Tame, ought to be prepared for the Spit; and likewise any kind of Game.

* * * * *

TO Sir Hans Sloane, Bart.

PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL-SOCIETY.

This Piece of Oeconomy, or Management of the Houshold, is most humbly presented, by His Most humble and most obedient Servant, R. BRADLEY

* * * * *

THE INTRODUCTION.

There is nothing induces me so much, to publish this Second Part of Directions to prepare the Things about a Farm or Family, as the Encouragement my first Volume, in this Way, has met with in the World; which being now in the sixth Edition, has brought me many Receipts, from the Curious, which would be detrimental to the Publick if I did not offer them to the World. I must acknowledge my Gratitude, in this Piece, to several Persons of Distinction, and good Oeconomy, who have favoured me with their Assistance; and, as far as their Leave would suffer me, I have given their Names or Signatures. Most of the Receipts I have been Witness to, at some Meal or other with them, or else in Publick Places have purchas'd; for I always thought that there was more satisfaction in eating clean and well, if one had good Provisions in a Place, than to have such Provisions good, and spoiled in their Management.

With the many Noblemen I am conversant with, and in the large Tract of Ground I have passed over, it may not be surprizing, that I have collected so great a variety of Things in this way; and there is no greater Happiness I enjoy, than to communicate to the World, what I love myself: but as the Proverb says, there is no disputing about Tastes, so that every one has still the Liberty of choosing or rectifying any thing as their Palate directs, when they have a good Foundation to go upon.

I think, if these Receipts had lain still in my Cabinet, they might after my death have been distributed to the World in a wrong Sense; but as I have particularly been present amongst many of them, I have taken the meaning of them in Writing; or if I had left them behind me, they might have been lost, which, I think, are much too good to be bury'd in Oblivion.

* * * * *



THE Country Lady's DIRECTOR.

PART II.



Since I have publish'd the Receipts I gathered together, with regard to the several Preparations of the Products of a Farm, for the Table; entitled, The Lady's Monthly Director, &c. (now in its sixth Edition:) I have received a great number of Letters relating to many Improvements that may be made to it, and am desired to publish them, in order to render my first Volume more compleat. And, as I find they will be of public Use, I shall begin with one concerning the Preservation of Flesh, Fowls and Fish from Putrefaction, or Stinking; which is too often the Case, in Summer-time, when it is rare to find any sweet Morsels, although they have undergone the Discipline of Salting. As for the common Notion, that Women cannot lay Meat in Salt, equally with success, at all Times, it is false; it is the Manner of doing it, and not the state of the Women who handle it, that makes it right; there must be a right way of Management to preserve it, and render it fit for the Palate, as the following Letter informs us.



To Mr. Bradley.

Sir,

I have not only read your Book call'd, The Lady's Monthly Director, but have tasted many elegant Dishes of Meat, ordered by the Receipts in it; but I think, as you are a philosophical Gentleman, you should have taken a little more Notice of the preservation of Flesh from Putrefaction: For in many places I have set down to a Dinner which has sent me out of the Room by the very smell of it; even, though I am so much of the French Taste, that I can bear the Fumette. The Husband, in this Case, has blamed his Wife; and the Wife has taken the opportunity of whispering to her Husband, that the Maid was not in right Sorts when she salted the Meat: but I am sure, I shall set you to rights in that Point.

I have taken pains in my Family, which consists of thirty Persons, to have my Wife order the Experiment to be made, and I am satisfied from her Arguments, that there is nothing in the Notion above. But now to the purpose. Let your Flesh-Meat be fresh, and take all the bleeding Arteries from it; then sprinkle it with common Salt, and let it lie in the Air for twelve Hours; but salt the Places, where the Arteries were, more particularly: then wipe your Meat dry, and make some Salt very hot, over the Fire, then rub in the Salt very well, and lay the Pieces of salted Meat one upon another, and it will keep for several Months.

Or with common Salt, rub the several Pieces of Meat briskly with it, after the Blood is out, and especially in the hollow Places lay Salt enough. So will you be sure to have your Meat sweet, either Beef or Pork.



To send Venison Sweet in hot Weather.

Give it a little Salt, and have the Haunches parted, taking out the Marrow and all the Veins, as they are called, that bleed; and then wipe all of it quite dry after you have wash'd it with Vinegar, and then powder it with Pepper, and in an open Basket send it up to London.

Sometimes Venison (meaning a Buck) comes up to London, not fit for the Table; to prevent which, order the Keeper, when he has killed it, to strew three or four Pounds of Pepper, beaten fine, upon it; and especially upon the Neck Parts of the Sides, after he has wash'd them with Vinegar and dried them well.

But if it stinks, when you receive it, wash it with Vinegar, and dry it, then pepper it and wrap it in a dry Cloth, bury it in the Ground, three foot deep at least, and in sixteen Hours it will be sweet, fit for eating; then wash off the Pepper with Vinegar, and dry it with a Cloth, and hang it where the cool Air may pass, and the blue Flies cannot come at it. Query. Is it not strange, that we see daily the Limbs of Horses hung up in Trees, and they do not stink, but remain good a long while fit for Dogs Meat? If any one will say, that Dogs all delight to eat Carrion, I must deny that; but that every sort of Dog will roll himself in Carrion, when he can find it, is certain.



To send Partridges a long way in hot Weather.

When you have killed your Partridges, take out the Crop, and the Artery which bleeds in the Neck, then fill the Place with Pepper; and the Mouths of the Fowls should be fill'd with the same, for these Parts take a taint sooner than the rest; the Vent too, ought to be taken care of, and open'd, and filled with Pepper, beaten grossly. N.B. This Pepper may be always wash'd away without leaving any Season or Flavour behind it, and is a certain Antidote against Corruption. So the same may be done with Pheasants, and you should likewise leave on their Feathers.



To keep an Hare a long Time.

As soon as 'tis kill'd and discharged of its Entrails, take care that all the Blood be dried away with Cloths about the Liver, for there it is apt to settle, then dust the Liver well with Pepper; and fill the Body with Nettles, or dry Moss, for these will not raise a ferment as Hay and Straw will do, when they come to be wet; then fill the Mouth with Pepper, and it will keep a long time.



To keep Wild-Ducks fresh.

Draw them, and fill the Body with red Sage, after the inside is well pepper'd; and likewise pepper the inside of the Mouth, leave on the Feathers. A Goose may be serv'd the same way.

But if they be too long kept, or through want of Care, they should receive a taint; then, when they are pull'd, wash the Inside very well, with Vinegar and Water, and dry it well with a Cloth; and scrape away, if need be, what are call'd the Kidneys; then strew the Inside afresh with Pepper, and hang them up for an Hour or two, where the Air may pass through them.

Some in such a case will put an Onion into the Body, which does very well towards restoring it to a freshness; then wash out all, and prepare it for the Spit.



Helps towards the Preservation of Fish.

If you would keep Fish long, kill them as soon as they are out of the Water, and take out their Gills; then fill their Heads as much as may be, with Pepper, and wipe them very dry, and pack them in dry Wheat-Straw.

T. R.



To make Wine of White Elder-berries, like Cyprus Wine from Mrs. Warburton of Cheshire.

To nine Gallons of Water, put nine Quarts of the Juice of White Elder berries, which has been pressed gently from the Berries, with the Hand, and passed thro' a Sieve, without bruising the Kernels of the Berries; add to every Gallon of Liquor three Pounds of Lisbon Sugar, and to the whole Quantity put an Ounce and a half of Ginger, sliced, and three quarters of an Ounce of Cloves; then boil this near an Hour, taking off the Scum, as it rises, and pour the whole to cool, in an open Tub, and work it with Ale-Yeast, spread upon a Toast of white Bread, for three Days, and then tun it into a Vessel that will just hold it; adding about a Pound and a half of Raisins of the Sun split, to lie in the Liquor till we draw it off, which should not be till the Wine is fine, which you will find about January. This Wine is so like the fine rich Wine brought from Cyprus, in its Colour and Flavour, that it has deceiv'd the best Judges, These Berries are ripe in August, and may be had at the Ivy-House at Hoxton.



To make Wine of Black Elder-berries, which is equal to the best Hermitage Claret; from Henry Marsh, Esq. of Hammersmith.

Take nine Gallons of Spring Water, and half a Bushel of Elder-berries, pick'd clean from the Stalks; boil these till the Berries begin to dimple, then gently strain off the Liquor, and to every Gallon of it put two Pounds of good Lisbon Sugar, and boil it an Hour; then let it stand to cool, in an open Tub, for if it was to cool in the Copper, or Brass Kettle, it was boil'd in, the Liquor would be ill-tasted. When it is almost cool, spread some Ale-Yeast upon a Toast of White Bread, and put it into the Liquor, to work three Days in the open Tub, stirring the Liquor once or twice a Day, and then tun it in a Vessel of a right size, to hold it: At the same time add to every Gallon one pound of Raisins of the Sun whole, and let them lie in the Cask till the Wine is drawn off.

Such a small quantity of Wine, as is here directed, will be fit to bottle the January next after it is made, but larger Casks should not be drawn off till March or April.



A Receipt from Barbadoes, to make Rum; which proves very good.

In Barbadoes the Rum is made of the Scum and Offal of the Sugar, of which they put one ninth part, or eighth part, to common Water, about eighteen Gallons, all together, in a wooden open Vessel or Tub; cover this with dry Leaves of Palm, or for want of them, with the Leaves of Platanus or the Leaves of Fern in England, or the Parts or Leaves which Flagg-Brooms are made of. Let this remain for nine Days, till it changes of a clean yellow Colour, and it will be then fit to distil; then put it into an Alembic, and you will have what we call the Low-Wines. A Day or two after distil it again, and in the Cap of the Still, hang a small muslin Bag of sweet Fennel-Seeds, and the Spirit will be of a fine Flavour. Some will use Anniseed in the Bag, and some use a little Musk with the sweet Fennel Seeds, or else distil the Spirit twice, viz., once with the sweet Fennel-Seeds, and the next with a little Musk.

N.B. The wooden Vessels, or open Tubs, must not be made of any Wood that is unwholesome, or sweet-scented; such as Deal, Firr, or Manchineel.

In England, Treacle may be used with equal Success, and is cheap enough to get a good livelihood; as appears by the several Ways mention'd above, that have been privately experienced.



To make Citron-Water, from Barbadoes.

Take Citron, or Lemon Flowers, for the word Citron in French signifies Lemon; though we generally in England esteem the large Lemons to be Citrons, and the middle-siz'd we call Lemons, and the smallest of that race is call'd the Lime. In these, however, there are as many varieties as we have in Apples, one is finer flavour'd than the other. The Oranges too are of as many different Sorts, the Rind of one pleasanter than the other, and the Juice likewise, and so are the Flowers various in their Smells, some more odorous than others; yet all these are used indifferently, according to the Kinds that happen to grow upon the several Estates, where the Citron-Water is made, and this is the Reason why one Sort is better than another; and therefore, those who have the most pleasant Sorts, make the best Waters of this Kind.

We must take, either of Citron, Lemon, or Orange-Flowers, four Ounces to a Gallon of clean Spirit, or French-Brandy; put these in the Spirits, with two Pounds of white Sugar-Candy, beaten fine: then take of the best Citron-Peels, or Lemon-Peels, six Ounces, and let them steep in the Spirits till the Liquor is strong enough of every Ingredient; and when that is done, pour it off, through a Sieve. And in some places they put about half a Drachm of Musk to six Gallons of Liquor; and this has been sold for sixteen Shillings the Quart in London.



To make fine Vinegar.

There is no doubt but the making of Vinegar will be a considerable Article, seeing that few of our fine Preparations for the Table can be made without it. A Gentleman of great note has given me the following Receipt for it, viz.

To nine Gallons of Water, put eighteen Pounds of Malaga Raisins, chopt a little, Stalks and all; put this into a Cask, bound with Iron Hoops, and place it in the warmest Exposure you can find in the open Air: then take a Florence Flask, divested of its Straw, and put the Neck of it into the Bung-hole, fixing it as close as may be, with some Linnen-Cloth, and a little Pitch and Rosin melted together. By this Means, if the Weather prove fair and warm, your Vinegar will be fit for Use in three Weeks time. The use of the Glass, is, that in the heat of the Day it will fill itself with the Liquor, and when the cool of the Evening comes on, that Liquor will again be return'd into the Cask; by which means the Liquor will become sour much sooner than it will otherwise do. As soon as it is clear, draw it off.



To make Irish Usquebaugh; from Lord Capell's Receipt, when he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

To every Gallon of French-Brandy, put one Ounce of Liquorice sliced, one Ounce of sweet Fennel-Seeds, one Ounce of Anniseeds, one Pound of Raisins of the Sun split and stoned, a quarter of a Pound of Figs split, two Drachms of Coriander-Seeds, let these infuse about eight or nine Days, and pour the Liquor clear off, then add half an Ounce of Saffron, in a Bag, for a Day or two, and when that is out, put in a Drachm of Musk. If when this Composition is made, it seems to be too high a Cordial for the Stomach, put to it more Brandy, till you reduce it to the Temper you like. This is the same Receipt King William had when he was in Ireland.



To make Green Usquebaugh.

To every Gallon of French-Brandy put one Ounce of Anniseeds, and another of sweet Fennel-Seeds, two Drachms of Coriander-Seeds. Let these infuse nine Days, then take of the Spirit of Saffron one Drachm, distil'd from Spirit of Wine, mix with the rest; infuse during this time some Liquorice sliced in Spirits, one Pound of Raisins of the Sun, and filter it; put then a Quart of pure White-Wine to a Gallon of the Liquor, and when all is mix'd together, take the Juice of Spinach boil'd, enough to colour it; but do not put the Spinach Juice into the Liquor till it is cold. To this put one Pound of white Sugar candied, finely powder'd, to a Gallon of Liquor.



To make a Cabbage-Pudding; from a Gentlewoman in Suffolk, as it was written by herself.

Sir,

You will excuse me, if I send you a Receipt for a Pudding, which is accounted so agreeable by my Acquaintance, that they think it worth a place in your Book, call'd, The Lady's Monthly Director, in the Management of the several Products of a Farm. It may as well be made by People of the lower as of the higher Rank.

Take a Piece of boil'd Beef, which is not always done enough; the Parts of it which are the least done, and chop them small: take as much boil'd Cabbage as you have Meat, and chop that as small as the Beef, season this with Pepper and Salt, and two or three Eggs beaten, to mix it up in the manner of farced Meat. Whatever else of seasoning you like, put it to it; and when it is made into a thin Paste, put the Mixture into a Linnen-Cloth, and boil it till it is enough, then serve it to the Table. But this Pudding is much better made with raw salt Beef and boil'd Cabbage, for is makes an extraordinary Paste, and is much softer and fuller of Gravey than the first.

N.B. If it is of the first Sort, the quantity of half a Quartern Loaf of fine Bread, may boil an Hour, and the latter Sort may boil an Hour and a half.

I am Yours, C. B.

Serve it with Butter and Gravey, with Lemon-Juice.



Of the Gourmandine-Pea, and its several Ways of Dressing.

P.S. You have mention'd in one of your Books a sort of Pea, which is call'd the Gourmandine, or Gourmand; which I suppose one may call, in English, the Glutton's Pea, because we eat all of it. For the Pods of it are very sweet and have no Film, or Skin in them, so that the Cods may be as well eaten as the Peas themselves; for which reason, when we have drawn the Strings from them, as we do from Kidney Beans, you may broil them upon a Gridiron, and serving them with gravey Sauce, they are very good; or to cut them into Pieces, and fry them with Mutton Steaks; or else you may fry them with Beef, and they are still better. But the best way, is to cut them cross, as you do French-Beans, and stew them in Gravey with a little Pepper and Salt, there is not any thing in my Opinion can eat better, and to be put in a gravey Soop, are incomparable; especially, if they have been parboil'd, and rubb'd dry, and then fry'd in burnt Butter.

The smallest dwarf crooked Sugar-Pea, that you recommend, is of the same quality, but rather better, for all these Uses, being somewhat sweeter than the former, and the Pod fuller of Pulp.

C. B.



To make Verjuice of Grapes, unripe, or of Crab-Apples; from J. S. Esq.

Take Grapes full grown, just before they begin to ripen, and bruise them, without the trouble of picking them from the Bunches; then put them in a Bag, made of Horse-Hair, and press them till the Juice is discharged; put this Liquor into a Stone Jar, leaving it uncover'd for some Days, then close it and keep it for use. This Verjuice is much richer than that of the Crab-Apple, and has a much greater influence in the way of Callico-Printing; but is harder to come at, few People being willing to gather their Grapes unripe; but where there is a large Quantity, it is well worth while. N.B. It will do well, if the Liquor is put into common Casks, but is nicer to the Palate if it is kept in glazed Jars of about eight or nine Gallons, and the Berries might then be pick'd from the Stalks. Keep this in a good Vault, and it will remain good for three or four Years as Verjuice; but a little more time will make it lose its Sourness, and it will become like Wine.

The Verjuice of Crab-Apples should be made of the wild Crab, which produces Thorns on its Branches, and brings a small round Apple, such as are common to be planted for Fences. I am the more particular in this, because some Apples, which are call'd Wildings, are supposed to have a sharp juice, but such will soften by keeping a Year or two. Take the Crabs, I speak of, in October, and grind them in a Mill, such as they use for making Cyder; then press the Liquor, and put it into Vessels like the former. Besides the agreeable Taste this has, as an Agresta at the Table, it is good for the Callico Printers.



A dry Travelling Powder, for Sauce, or Pocket-Sauce. From Mynheer Vanderport of Antwerp.

Take pickled Mango, and let it dry three or four Days in the Room; then reduce it to Powder by means of a Grater. Take of this Powder six Ounces, to which add three Ounces of Mushrooms, dry'd in a gentle Oven, and reduced to Powder, by beating in a Mortar; add to this, a Dram of Mace powder'd, half as much Cloves powder'd; or in their room, a large Nutmeg grated, and a Dram of black Pepper, beat fine: mix these Ingredients well together, and sift them through an open HairSieve: and half a Tea spoonful, or less, of the Powder will relish any Sauce you have a mind to make, though it be a quart or more, putting it into the Sauce, when it is warm. To this, one may add about nine Grains of sweet Basil, dry'd and powder'd; or of Summer sweet Marjoram powder'd. If we use this Sauce for Fish, it is extremely good, adding only a little Anchovy Liquor and white Wine.