1570. - Cocoa

An excellent breakfast beverage may be made by simply pounding the nut-which is the substance of chocolate - and boiling it in the same manner in either water or milk.

Cocoa Shells or Nibs, are the thin coverings of the cocoa kernel, and can only be had at some chocolate manufactory, where they can be bought at a very low price, and form a light food for an invalid, when taken warm.

Soak them in water during the whole night, and then boil them in the same water until it is reduced to half the quantity: they should boil two hours, and should then be mixed up with milk.

1571. - Chocolate Drops

Take one pound and a half of chocolate, put it on a pewter plate and put it in the oven just to warm the chocolate, then put it into a copper stewpan with three-quarters of a pound of powdered sugar; mix it well over the fire, take it off, and roll it in pieces the size of small marbles, put them on white paper, and when they are all on, take the. sheets of paper by each corner and lift it up and down, so that the paper may touch the table each time, and by that means you will see the drops come quite fat, about the size of a sixpence; put some sugar nonpareils over them, and cover all that are on the paper, then shake them off, and you will see all the chocolate drops are covered with the sugar nonpareils; let them stand till cold and they will come off well, and then put them in a box prepared.

1573. - To Preserve Watermelon Rind

Pare off the outer skin and cut the rind into shapes: green them by simmering with vine leaves and a little alum, and allow a pound and a quarter of sugar to each pound. Make the syrup and clarify it with white of egg, and simmer the melon rind till done through and transparent. Boil down the syrup afterwards, and pour it over the preserves.

Chips of pumpkin or muskmelon rind, cut thin, are often made into preserves, - adding the juice and grated rind of lemons, which much improves the syrup.

Citrons may be preserved in the same manner, first paring off the outer skin, and cutting them into quarters. Also green limes.

1574. - Apples

Weigh equal quantities of good brown sugar and of apples; peel and core them. Boil the sugar, allowing to every three pounds a pint of water; skim it well, and boil it pretty thick; then add the apples, the peel of one or two lemons, and two or three pieces of white ginger; boil till the apples look clear and yellow. This preserve will keep for years.

1575. - Pine-Apples

Take those that are ripe, and perfectly fresh - pare off the rind, and cut the apples in slices an inch thick. Powder the same weight of white sugar as you have pine apples - lay the pine-apples in a deep dish, and sprinkle part of the powdered sugar between each layer of apples. Reserve about half of the sugar. Let the apples remain till the succeeding day - then turn the syrup from them, and mix it with the reserved sugar, and half a pint of water, for three or four pounds of pine apple. Boil the syrup, take it from the fire, and when cool, put in the apples, simmer them gently till tender, let them remain in a deep dish for several days; they should be covered up tight, and kept in a cool place. Whenever there is any appearance of fermentation, turn the syrup from them, scald it, and turn it back hot upon the pineapples. Keep them in glass or china jars, covered tight, and in a cool place.