The American Pictorial Home Book
or Housekeeper's Encyclopedia - online book

A reference manual of household management in Victorian times.

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COOKING FOR INVALIDS.                            367
The nicest way to make it.—Take 1-2 gallon of morning's milk, not skimmed, and put on to boil, skimming occasionally, break a fresh egg into flour well salted, stir it, and rub it between the hands until all the flour that can has been worked into it, then just as the milk reaches the boiling point, scatter it in, stirring all the time—one min­ute will have cooked all the lumps ; pour into a basin, and then add a good lump of butter. This is a good and safe food any time of the year. Note.—Always have 1-2 cupful of water in the kettle before the milking is put in, as that will prevent it from burning.
Tiger's Milk.—An Indian Morning Draught.—Beat the yolks of 3 eggs, add 2 table spoonfuls of powdered sugar, 3 cloves, the thin rind of 1-2 moll lemon, and 1-2 pint of brandy; pour over it a quart of warm new milk, grate 1-4 nutmeg over it, and serve immediately.
Milk Cream for the Sick.Hungarian.—Stir the yolks of one or two fresh eggs and sugar together, and 1 pint of new milk, 1 table spoonful of rum or arak, allowing 1 table spoonful of sugar to one yolk of egg, which roll together until smooth.
Rice Milk Seasoned (French) for Invalid.—This, with riz au lait is nutritious for those who are recovering from a long illness. Drain a table spoonful of well washed rice, put it into a stewpan with two cups of milk, as soon as it boils, let it simmer until quite tender; add an oz. of butter, 2 teaspoonsful of sugar, a little salt and stir until well mixed, and serve when required. It must be of the thickness of common, well made water gruel. If wished add a few drops of orange flower water as the French do.
Liquid Nourishment for Sick Stomachs.—D. M. J.—One well-beaten egg, to which add 2 cups of milk and salt to make it palatable; let it be boiled, and when cold, any quantity may be eaten. Note.—It is useless if it turns to curds and whey.
Eggs for the Sick.—Fresh eggs are a great comfort to many invalids. As soon as possible, after an egg is laid and cooled, dip it in a vessel of glycerine or gum arabic, dissolved with water to the consistency of new, warm milk, put them away in charcoal dust or fine dry sand in a cool place or dry cellar, and they will remain m fresh for weeks.
For Poaching Eggs.—Each egg must be broken into separate cups, and from there carefully slipped into a large frying pan of boiling water. As soon as the whites become hard they are done enough and must be taken up with a spoon or flat shovel and slipped into a dish on toast and butter or rice, on sausage or on a dish with butter melted and pepper.
Cocoa.—Cocoa is better than chocolate for weak stomachs ; while it imparts equal nourishment, it is better of disgestion and is made