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ICE, FREEZERS, ETC. 447 |
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The best Freezing Pot is made of pewter, as the freezing is more equal and smoother and thorough; the tin freezing pot congeals too rapidly for that, and the thorough mingling of its contents, upon which the excellence of the ice depends. Instead of a wooden spoon, a copper one may be used as it is stronger, but it should be kept bright and clean. The ice tub is prepared with fresh pounded ice and salt, the freezing pot is put in it and surrounded with the preparation to the top of the cover; when the ingredients to be frozen are not of equal gravity, to prevent their separation and the heaviest falling to the bottom of the can, it is important to turn it round and round by the handle, to keep its contents moving until congealation commences; by neglecting this, the whole contents of the freezing pot may be destroyed, lumps may be formed, the sugar sink to the bottom, leaving the cream insufficiently sweetened ; remove, as soon as formed the frozen portions from the sides of the freezer and stir it. Delicate and aged persons and children should abstain from ices or iced drinks, and persons in health should not use them too freely. They should be taken just after or some hours after a meal; that is, before digestion fully commences, or after it is completed; cold fruits impede digestion and often provoke indisposition. They should be abstained from by persons when very warm, or immediately after taking violent exercise; when indulged in under such circumstances, they have produced illness, which has ended fatally. The use of ices was first introduced by Catharine De Medici. Could these cooling and refreshing preparations have mitigated the fire of her bigotry, then the massacre of St. Bartholomew had never occurred.
Coloring to stain Jellies, Ices or Cakes.—For a beautiful red, boil 15 grains of cochineal in the finest powder, with 1 1-2 drachms of cream of tartar, in 1-2 pint of water, very slowly, 1-2 hour, adding in boiling, a bit of alum the size of a pea; or, use beet root sliced, and some liquor poured over it.
For White—Use almonds finely powdered, with a little drop of water, or use cream.
For Yellow—Yolks of eggs, or a bit of saffron steeped in the liquor and squeezed.
For Green—Pound Spinach leaves or* beet leaves (the white sugar beet), express the juice, and boil in a teacup within a saucer of water to take off the rawness.
Ice Waters.—Rub some fine sugar on lemon or orange to give color or flavor, then squeeze the juice of either on its respective peel, add water and sugar to make a fine sherbet, and strain it before it is put into the ice pot. If orange the greater proportion should be the best orange juice and a small bit of the peel grated by the sugar. |
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