Irish moss, or carrageen, is a sea moss which grows abundantly along the shores of Europe and America. After gathering, it is dried and bleached in the sun, and then packed for market. It is exceedingly rich in an easily digested vegetable jelly, and is also valuable for food because of its mineral constituents.

To Prepare.

1/3 Cup of dry moss. 1 Quart of milk. 1/4 Cup of sugar.

Soak the moss for half an hour in warm water, to soften it and to loosen the sand which is dried and entangled in it. "Wash each piece separately under a stream of cold water. Its weight (that of the water) will carry down the sand. Then put the moss in a pudding-bag, and cook it in a double boiler in the quart of milk for one hour. At the end of that time lift out the bag, squeeze it a little, throw away the moss, and put the bag to soak in cold water. Add the sugar to the mixture, strain it into molds, and set in a cool place to harden. It will form a tender jellylike pudding, which has an agreeable taste, resembling the odor of the sea, which many like. Serve it with cream, and with or without pink sugar.1

This blanc-mange may also be made without sugar if it is desirable to have an unsweetened dessert.

1 Pink sugar may be made by putting a few drops of carmine into a cup of powdered sugar, and sifting it several times until the carmine is entirely distributed through it.