This sauce is generally sold in bottles. It is best to taste this pulp before using it. As the pulp varies in flavour, it is impossible to give any one receipt that will suit all kinds. Suppose, however, the pulp seems like pure tomato pulp, and there is no other flavour, then take a very little white sauce or gravy - say, a couple of tablespoonfuls - boil in this a good-sized pinch of thyme for a few minutes, as well as a slice of onion, and a pinch of cayenne, and a bay-leaf. Strain this into a small stewpan, and add double the quantity of tomato pulp from the bottles. Make hot, and serve.

When the tomato pulp in bottles is adulterated with too much carrot, good sauce is impossible.

If possible, boil in the two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, or stock thickened with white thickening, a small piece of raw ham - a bacon bone for instance - this brings out the flavour.

Tomato Sauce From Fresh Tomatoes

Take half a dozen ripe tomatoes, cut off the tops, and squeeze out the pips; place the tomatoes in a stew-pan with a small slice of onion, a bay-leaf, a good pinch of thyme, and a little butter. Let the whole stew for fifteen minutes. The onion and thyme should be softened in the butter but not browned; then rub all through a wire sieve, add this to half its quantity of white sauce, or stock, thickened with white thickening. (See No. 12.) A slice of ham, or a lean bacon bone is an improvement. Flavour with cayenne pepper. This sauce will require a little skimming.

Tomato Sauce From Tinned Tomatoes

Tomatoes are now sold whole in tins. These make excellent sauce. Cut open the tin, strain off the liquid, and place the tomatoes in a stewpan, and proceed exactly as with fresh tomatoes.

The liquid strained off from the tin should not be wasted: it has a very strong tomato flavour, and if added to some good gravy, and a little extra extract of meat be put to it, it will make an excellent gravy for roast fowls, etc.

In rubbing the tinned tomatoes through a wire sieve the pulp will soon go through, and the pips, which are very hard, will remain behind.