All vegetables are better to be freshly gathered, when left to stand long, they lose much of their flavor.

Late in the season, when turnips, parsnips, carrots, etc, begin to lose their sweetness, they may be greatly improved by adding a tea spoonful or two of sugar to the water they are boiled in.

176. Dandelion

Pick and wash your dandelion and cut off the roots. Drain it, and make a dressing of an egg, well beaten, a half a gill of vinegar, a tea spoonful of butter, and salt to the taste. Mix the egg, vinegar, butter and salt together, put the mixture over the fire, and as soon as it is thick, take it off, and stand it away to get cold.

Drain your dandelion, pour the dressing over it and send it to the table.

177. Squashes Or Cymlins

If they are old and tough peel them, but if they are young, and the rind is tender, they are better cooked with the skin on.

The round squashes may be cooked whole, but the long ones must be cut in two or three pieces, according to the size of the vessel they are to be cooked in. •

Stew them in as little water as possible, till they are soft. Take them out, drain, and press them as dry as you can. Then put them in a stew-pan, add butter, pepper and salt to the taste. Add some cream if you have it.

Heat them very hot and serve them.

178. Ochras

Wash them, cut them in half, season with pepper and salt; fry them in butter till of a light brown. They must be fried slowly.

179. Carrots

Scrape and wash them. Boil them in a little water, with salt to taste. When they are soft dish them, and pour over melted butter, or drawn butter.

180. Turnips

They should be boiled in as little water as possible. Season the water with salt just to taste. When they begin to lose their sweetness, late in the season, add a little sugar, which greatly improves their flavor.

When soft, take them up and mash them with a little pepper, salt, butter, and cream, if you have it.

181. Celery Dressed As Slaw

Cut the celery in pieces about a quarter of an inch long. Make a dressing of the yelks of three eggs boiled hard, half a gill of vinegar, half a gill of sweet oil, one tea spoonful of French mustard, or half a tea spoonful of common mustard, with salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. Pour this mixture over the celery, stir it well and send it to the table.

It should be kept in cold water to make it crisp, until about fifteen minutes before it is sent to the table, then drain it and pour the dressing over.

182. Celery Stewed With Lamb

(French fashion.)

Take six neck chops, crack the bone of each across the middle, and put them into a stew-pan. Cut up and wash two large heads of celery, and mix with the meat; pepper and salt to the taste. Roll two ounces of butter in a little flour and add to it, with half a gill of water. Cover it closely, and let it simmer slowly till the celery is soft. If the gravy stews away too much, add a little water, and if it should not be quite thick enough, stir in a little flour mixed with cold water.

183. Asparagus

Scrape and wash your asparagus, put it in a net, boil it in just enough water to cover it, with salt to the taste.

When it is done and perfectly soft, take it up, drain it, and pour over it a rich drawn butter.

Toast is generally laid in the bottom of the dish and the asparagus put on it, but some prefer it without the toast.

184. Dutch Salad

Choose a head of fine cabbage lettuce,

Strip off the outer leaves, cut it in half, and wash it well.

Fry a slice of ham; when it is done, take it out of the pan, and pour in to the hot fat one beaten egg, and a wine glassful of vinegar, set it on the fire, and as soon as it thickens take it off.

Cut the salad in small pieces, and pour the egg and vinegar over it whilst it is lukewarm.

Lay the salad in a deep dish, cut the ham in pieces about an inch square, and place on the top. Let it stand about five minutes, and send it to the table.

185. Corn Salad

This may be dressed at the table with sugar and vinegar, or lemon juice; or with eggs boiled hard, vinegar, mustard, sweet oil, salt and pepper as directed for French slaw.

Scurvy grass and lettuce may be dressed in the same manner.

186. Boiled Onions

Peel them, and boil them in equal parts of milk and water. When they are tender, take them up, drain them, and add salt, pepper and butter to the taste.

Do not put salt in the water they are boiled in, as that will curdle the milk and cause a scum to settle on the onions. 9

187. Fried Cucumbers

Slice your cucumbers lengthwise, season them with pepper and salt, flour and fry them in hot butter. They should be of a delicate brown color when done.