Anchovy Paste

Wash your anchovies, rub off the scales, and take away the head, bones, and fins; pound the meat in a marble mortar, with a very little fresh butter, till it becomes a smooth paste, then rub it through a fine sieve, and pot it; cover it very closely, and keep it in a cool place.

Observations

This is sometimes made into a stiffer paste by using a little spice, or Cayenne, and a very little brandy, instead of butter. The former preparation is very convenient for sauces, the latter makes a most savoury sandwich. It is an excellent garnish for fish, put in pats round the edge of the dish,

Anchovy Powder

Bone the fish, pound them in a mortar, and make them into a paste with fine flour, roll it into thin cakes, and dry them in a Dutch overt before a slow tire, and then they will pound to a fine powder, which, in a well-stopped bottle, will keep for years. It is a very savoury relish sprinkled on bread and butler for a sandwieh.

Soy

To a small teacupful of water add half a pound of treacle, or moist or lump sugar; set it on the fire in an iron pot till it boils to a dark brown colour, keep stirring it, and take great care, or it will burn: when it is become quite thick, add to it a quarter ounce of salt, and gradually as much water as will reduce it to the consistence of soy; mix well together, and boil up for five minutes. The addition of a quarter of a pint of good strong beef glaze * to three quarters of a pint of the burnt sugar will very much improve it: those who like a gout of acid may add vinegar.

Observations

This will hardly be told from what is commonly called "genuine India soy" and will answer every purpose that is used for. Burnet treacle, or sugar, and Chili vinegar, garlick, and pickled fish, appear to be the bases of almost all the sauces that are now sold in the oil-shops. Although indefatigable research and experiment has put us in possession of all these compositions, it would not be quite fair to enrich the cook at the expense of the oilman, etc.

* See No. 187. Beef glaze is nothing more than strong beef gravy reduced to the consistence of a syrup that will hang about the spoon