228. PASTE is usually made by rub bing up flour with cold water and boiling; if a little alum is mixed before boiling it is much improved, being less clammy, working more freely in the brush and thinner, a less quantity is required, and it is therefore stronger. If required in large quantity, as for papering rooms, it may be made by mixing one quartern of flour, one quarter pound of alum, and a little warm water; when mixed, the requisite quantity of boiling water should be poured on whilst the mixture is being stirred. Paste is only adapted to cementing paper; when used it should be spread on one side of the paper, which should then be folded with the pasted side inwards, and allowed to remain a few minutes before being opened and used; this swells the paper, and permits its being more smoothly and securely attached. Kept for a few days, paste becomes mouldy, and after a short time putrid; this inconvenience may be obviated by the use of

229. PERMANENT PASTE, made by adding to each half-pint of flour-paste without alum, fifteen grains of corrosive sublimate, previously rubbed to powder in a mortar, the whole to be well mixed; this, if prevented from drying, by being kept in a covered pot, remains good any length of time, and is therefore convenient; but unfortunately it is extremely poisonous, though its excessively nauseous taste would prevent its being swallowed accidentally; it possesses the great advantage of not being liable to the attacks of insects.

230. LIQUID GLUE.-Several preparations were much in vogue a few months since under this title. The liquid glue of the shops is made by dissolving shelllac in water, by boiling it along with borax, which possesses the peculiar property of causing the solution of the resinous lac. This preparation is convenient from its cheapness and freedom from smell; but it gives way if exposed to long-continued damp, which that made with naphtha resists. Of the use of common glue very little need be said;

47

it should always be prepared in a gluepot or double vessel, to prevent its being burned, which injures it very materially; the objection to the use of this contrivance is, that it renders it impossible to heat the glue in the inner vessel to the boiling point; this inconvenience can be obviated by employing in the outer vessel some liquid, which boils at a higher temperature than pure water, such as saturated solution of salt (made by adding one-third as much salt as water). This boils at 224° Fahr., 12° above the heat of boiling water, and enables the glue in the inner vessel to be heated to a much higher temperature than when pure water is employed. If a saturated solution of nitre is used, the temperature rises still higher. (See 66.)

231. LIME AND EGG CEMENT is frequently made by moistening the edges to be united with white of egg, dusting on some lime from a piece of muslin, and bringing the edges into contact. A much better mode is to slake some freshly burned lime with a small quantity of boiling water; this occasions it to fall into a very fine dry powder, if excess of water has not been added. The white of egg used should be intimately and thoroughly mixed, by beating, with an equal bulk of water, and the slaked lime added to the mixture, so as to form a thin paste, which should be used speedily, as it soon sets. This is a valuable cement, possessed of great strength, and capable of withstanding boiling water. Cements made with lime and blood, scraped cheese, or curd, may be regarded as inferior varieties of it. Cracked vessels, of earthenware and glass, may often be usefully, though not ornamentally, repaired by white lead spread on strips of calico, and secured with bands of twine. But, in point of strength, all ordinary cements yield the palm to Jeffery's Patented Marine Glue, a compound of Indiarubber, shellac, and coal-tar naphtha. Small quantities can be purchased at most of the tool warehouses, at cheaper rates than it can be made. When ap

48

plied to china and glass, the substances should be cautiously made hot enough to melt the glue, which should be then rubbed on the edges so as to become fluid, and the parts brought into contact immediately. When well applied, the mended stem of a common tobaccopipe will break at any other part, in preference to the junction. The colour of the glue unfortunately prevents its being used.

232. THE RED CEMENT, which is employed by instrument makers for cementing glass to metals, and which is very cheap, and exceedingly useful for a variety of purposes, is made by melting five parts of black resin, one part of yellow wax, and then stirring in gradually one part of red ochre or Venetian red, in fine powder, and previously well dried. This cement requires to be melted before use, and it adheres better if the objects to which it is applied are warmed. A soft cement, of a somewhat similar character, may be found useful for covering the corks of preserved fruit, and other bottles, and it is made by melting yellow wax with an equal quantity of resin, or of common turpentine (not oil of turpentine, but the resin), using the latter for a very soft cement, and stirring in, as before, some dried Venetian red. Bearing in mind our introductory remarks, it will be seen that the uniting broken substances with a thick cement is disadvantageous, the object being to bring the surfaces as closely together as possible. As an illustration of a right and a wrong way of mending, we will suppose a plaster of Paris figure broken; the wrong way to mend it is by a thick paste of plaster, which makes, not a joint, but a botch. The right way to mend it, is by means of some wellmade carpenter's glue, which, being absorbed in the porous plaster, leaves merely a film covering the two surfaces, and, if well done, the figure is stronger there than elsewhere. On carefully reading over our article, we find one useful substance has been omitted, namely, what is termed mastic

cement, which is used for making a superior coating to inside walls, and which must not be confounded with the resin mastic. It is made by mixing twenty parts of well-washed and sifted sharp sand, with two parts of litharge, and one of freshly burned and slaked quick-lime, in fine dry powder. This is made into a putty, by mixing with linseed oil. It sets in a few hours, having the appearance of light stone; and we mention it, as it may be frequently employed with advantage in repairing broken stone-work (as stairs), by filling up the missing parts. The employment of Roman cement, plaster, &c., for masonry work, hardly comes within the limits of Domestic Manipulation.

233. ECONOMICAL DISH. Cut some pretty fat ham or bacon into slices, and fry of a nice brown; lay them aside to keep warm; then mix equal quantities of potatoes and cabbage, bruised well together, and fry them in the fat left from the ham. Place the mixture at the bottom, and lay the slices of bacon on the top. Cauliflower, or brocoli, substituted for cabbage, is truly delicious; and, to any one possessing a garden, quite easily procured, as those newly blown will do. The dish must be well seasoned with pepper.

234. CURRY POWDER (1).—Take two ounces of turmeric, six ounces of coriander seed, half an ounce of pow dered ginger, two drachms of cinnamon, six drachms of cayenne pepper, four drachms of black pepper, drachm of mace and cloves powdered fine, two drachms of pimento, four drachms of nutmeg, and an ounce and a half of fennel seed; powder finely, mix, dry, and bottle for use.

one

235. CURRY POWDER (2).-Take of coriander seed and turmeric each six drachms, black pepper four drachms, fennel seed and powdered ginger each two drachms, cayenne pepper half a drachm; powder finely, mix, dry, and bottle for use.

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237.-I. NAMES AND SITUATIONS OF THE

JOINTS.

HIND QUARTER. 1. Sirloin; 2. Rump; 3. Aitch-bone; 4. Buttock; 5. Mouse-buttock; 6. Veiny piece; 7. Thick flank; 8. Thin flank; 9. Leg; .10. Fore-ribs (five ribs).

FORE QUARTER.-11. Middle rib (four ribs); 12. Chuck (three ribs); 13. Shoulder, or leg of mutton piece; 14. Brisket; 15. Clod; 16. Neck, or sticking piece; 17. Shin; 18. Cheek.

The names of the joints, and the methods of cutting up the carcass, vary in different localities, but the above are the most general.

238.-II. RELATIVE ECONOMY OF THE

in London at a penny per pound less than roasting joints.

The brisket is also a penny a pound less in price than the roasting parts. It is not so economical a part as the round, having more bone to be weighed with it, and more fat. Where there are children, very fat joints are not desirable, being often disagreeable to them, and sometimes prejudicial, especially if they have a dislike to it. This joint also requires more cooking than many others; that is to say, it requires a double allowance of time to be given for boiling it: it will, when served, be hard and scarcely digestible if no more time be allowed to boil it than that which is sufficient for other joints and meats. When stewed it is excellent; and when cooked fresh (i. e., unsalted), an excellent stock for soup may be extracted from it, and yet the meat will serve as well for dinner.

50

The edgebone, or aitchbone, is not considered to be a very economical joint, the bone being large in proportion to the meat; but the greater part of it, at least, is as good as that of any prime part. It sells at a penny a pound less than roasting joints.

The rump is the part of which the London butcher makes great profit, by selling it in the form of steaks. In the country, as there is not an equal demand for steaks, the whole of it may be purchased as a joint, and at the price of other prime parts. It may be turned to good account in producing many excellent dishes. If salted, it is simply boiled; if used unsalted, it is usually stewed.

The veiny piece is sold at a low price per pound; but, if hung for a day or two, it is very good and very profitable. Where there are a number of servants and children to have an early dinner, this part of beef will be found desirable.

From the leg and shin excellent stock for soup may be drawn; and, if not reduced too much, the meat taken from the bones may be served as a stew with vegetables; or it may be seasoned, pounded with butter, and potted; or chopped very fine, and seasoned with herbs, and bound together by egg and bread crumbs; it may be fried in balls, or in the form of large eggs, and served with a gravy made with a few spoonfuls of the soup.

Of half an ox cheek excellent soup may be made; the meat, when taken from the bones, may be served as a stew.

Roasting parts of beef are the sirloin and the ribs, and these bear in all places the highest price. The most profitable of these two joints at a family table is the ribs. The bones, if removed from the beef before it is roasted, will assist in forming the basis of a soup. When boned, the meat of the ribs is often rolled up, tied with strings, and roasted; and this is the best way of using it, as it enables the carver to distribute equally the

upper part of the meat with the more skinny and fatter parts at the lower end of the bones.

239.-III. COOKING.

Ten pounds of beef require from two hours to two hours and a half roasting, eighteen inches from a good clear fire.

Six pounds require one hour and a quarter to one hour and a half, fourteen inches from a good clear fire.

Three ribs of beef, boned and rolled, tied round with paper, will require two hours and a half, eighteen inches from the fire: baste once only.

The first three ribs, of fifteen or twenty pounds, will take three hours or three and a half; the fourth and fifth ribs will take as long, managed in the same way as the sirloin. Paper the fat and the thin part, or it will be done too much, before the thick part is done enough.

When beef is very fat, it does not require basting; if very lean tie it up in greasy paper, and baste frequently and well.

Common cooks are generally fond of too fierce a fire, and of putting things too near to it.

Slow roasting is as advantageous to the tenderness and flavour of meat as slow boiling.

The warmer the weather, and the staler killed the meat is, the less time it will require to roast it.

Meat that is very fat requires more time than other meat.

"In the hands of an expert cook," says Majendie, "alimentary substances are made almost entirely to change their nature, their form, consistence, odour, savour, colour, chemical composition, &c., everything is so modified, that it is often impossible for the most exquisite sense of taste to recognise the substance which makes up the basis of certain dishes. The greatest utility of the kitchen consists in making the food agreeable to the senses, and rendering it easy of digestion."

Boiling extracts a portion of the juice

of meat, which mixes with the water, and also dissolves some of its solids; the more fusible parts of the fat melt out, combine with the water, and form soup or broth. The meat loses its red colour, becomes more savoury in taste and smell, and more firm and digestible. =If the process is continued too long, the meat becomes indigestible, less succu=lent, and tough.

To boil meat to perfection, it should =be done slowly, in plenty of water, replaced by other hot water as evaporation takes place; for, if boiled too quickly, the outside becomes tough; and, not allowing the ready transmission of heat, the interior remains rare.

The loss by boiling varies, according to Professor Donovan, from 6 to 16 per cent. The average loss on boiling butcher's meat, pork, hams, and bacon, is 12; and on domestic poultry, is 1423.

The loss per cent. on boiling salt beef is 15; on legs of mutton, 10; hams, 121; salt pork, 13; knuckles of veal, 81; bacon, 6; turkeys, 16; chickens,

13.

The established rule as regards time, is to allow a quarter of an hour for each pound of meat if the boiling is rapid, and twenty minutes if slow. There are exceptions to this; for instance, ham and pork, which require from twenty to twenty-five minutes per pound, and bacon nearly half an hour. For solid joints allow fifteen minutes for every pound, and from ten to twenty minutes over; though, of course, the length of time will depend much on the strength of the fire, regularity in the boiling, and size of the joint. The following table will be useful as an average of the time required to boil the various ar

ticles:

Roasting, by causing the contraction of the cellular substance which contains the fat, expels more fat than boiling. The free escape of watery particles in the form of vapour, so necessary to produce flavour, must be regulated by frequent basting with the fat which has exuded from the meat, combined with a little salt and waterotherwise the meat would burn, and become hard and tasteless. A brisk fire at first will, by charring the outside, prevent the heat from penetrating, and therefore should only be employed when the meat is half roasted.

The loss by roasting varies, according to Professor Donovan, from 14 3-5ths to nearly double that rate, per cent. The average loss on roasting butcher's meat is 22 per cent.; and on domestic poultry is 204.

The loss per cent. on roasting beef, viz., on sirloins and ribs together, is 19 1-6th; on mutton, viz., legs and shoulders together, 24 4-5ths; on forequarters of lamb, 22 1-3rd; on ducks, 27 1-5th; on turkeys, 201; on geese, 19; on chickens, 14 3-5ths. So that it will be seen by comparison with the per centage given of the loss by boiling, that roasting is not so economical; especially when we take into account that the loss of weight by boiling is not actual loss of economic materials, for dients for soups; whereas, after roastwe then possess the principal ingreing, the fat only remains. The average loss in boiling and roasting_together is 18 per cent. according to Donovan, and 28 per cent. according to Wallacea difference that may be accounted for by supposing a difference in the fatness of the meat, duration and degree of heat, &c., employed.

The time required to roast various articles of food with a clear good fire, is given below:

4 0

2

to 3

0

H. M.

1 30

A small capon, fowl, or chicken,

0 20

0 45

0 35

A capon, full size.

0 35

0 15