To a pint of beef gravy add a wineglass of vinegar, the juice of a lemon, a teaspoonful of ground black pepper, four cloves bruised, an onion sliced, a sprig of thyme, and some salt; let these simmer together for half an hour, and strain-through a fine sieve.

Observations

This is called marinade; and when any thing- is soaked for three or four hours in such a mixture, it is said to be marinated.

Bechamel Sauce

Cut a quarter of a pound of lean ham and a pound of veal into small dice, put it into a two quart stewpan, with three ounces of butter, two small young onions tied up with a sprig of parsley and a couple of cloves, (and half a dozen mushrooms if you have them,) set the stewpau over a clear slow stove to reduce; stir up the in -gredients with a wooden spoon, but take care it does not catch colour, shake in two tablespoonful of fine sifted flour, and turn it about and incorporate it with the sauce; when it is well mixed moisten it by degrees with a pint and a half of new milk, taking care to keep your stewpan moving, that the ingredients may not catch; let it boil over a brisk fire for an hour; if it gets too thick, add some more milk. Do not put in any salt, as the ham will make it salt enough; strain through a tammis. In fact, if common veal broth be boiled, scummed, thickened with flour and butter, and thinned again with some more veal broth, boiled a quarter of an hour longer, till it is reduced to the same quantity it was before you added the veal broth, passed through a fine sieve, or tammis, and have a sufficient quantity of cream to make it white, and just simmered together for five minutes, (but not suffered to boil,) you will have a genuine Bechamel.

Observations

Bechamel implies a thick white sauce, approaching to a batter, and takes its name from a wealthy French marquess, maitre d'hotel de Louis XIV, and famous for his patronage of les officiers de bouche, who have immortalized him by calling by his same this delicate composition. Most of the French sauces take their name from the person whose palate they first pleased, as "a la Maintenon;"or from some famous cook who invented them, as "Sauce Ro-bart," "a la Montizeur," etc. By my ZEST, Nos. 235 and 386, I also put in my claim to immortality of fame.

Poivrade Sauce

Mince fine a small onion, put it into a quart stewpan, with a little butter, and a shallot shred fine, or a very little bit of garlick, cloves, sweet herbs, and basil, if you like their flavour: when it has fried a few minutes, add half a pint of beef or veal gravy, or warm water, and a tablespoonful of vinegar; skim it and strain it well; thicken it with a little flour and butter, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Observations

This sauce is very much used among foreigners: whoever has looked into any of their books of cookery, will remember they order many of their dishes to be sent up with "poivrade;" by which may generally be understood, a sauce, in the composition of which, pepper and vinegar are predominant.