Cheese Custard

"Grate half a pound of cheese, Isobel, and you can beat up four of those new-laid eggs. Pour a gill of cream into them, now one of milk; pass all through the hair sieve, into this grated cheese. I shall now pour all into the dish I have just buttered. The first thing in the morning, you can turn on the gas stove, put the pudding in the oven, and in twenty minutes it will be cooked. The small rashers of bacon I am cutting you must also put into the oven as soon as the pudding is thoroughly heated. I shall fix them in rolls with this skewer, so that they may keep in place while cooking.

"We have only been twenty minutes preparing these dishes. Before bringing the pudding to table to-morrow morning, place a paper border round it, and set it on the dish I am now garnishing with parsley."

Aspic Jelly

"Isobel, you said something about the cold fish that was left; you were quite right to remind me. Fetch the gravy that came from the ham, also a cupful of stock. I fear it is not very sweet, so give me a pinch of Californian borax; that will make it all right. We often use this in England when meat has become slightly tainted. There is a preparation called 'Glaciline,' which is used much for this purpose in cookery, but it is very expensive, the effect of which in sweetening food is simply marvellous. Borax is cheap and would answer the same purpose; perhaps were it more highly priced, it would be more appreciated. When the stock is heated, add a teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce, a bay leaf, a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, three cloves, a dozen mixed peppercorns, a mustard-spoonful of made mustard, and a pinch of salt. Again let it boil gently, while you beat up the whites of two eggs with a knife on a flat dish. Pull the saucepan back; when the liquor cools, add the whites and shells of the eggs, pour all through a jelly bag. Are the moulds steeping in water?" "Yes, ma'am."

Fish In Jelly

"Divide the fish into pieces of the size of a shilling, cut a pickled kidney bean, into small dice, slice a lemon, cut each slice into quarters. The jelly is cool enough to use, and beautifully clear. Pour enough jelly into each mould to cover the bottom, then a sprig of parsley, a quarter of the round of a lemon; add a little more jelly, now the cold fish. Fill the moulds; lay them in a shallow dish of water. Set them in the cellar till morning. I once heard an epicure say that he did not like to see fish dished up on paper, but I consider that it is good taste to serve cold jelly on ornamented papers; but lay these on a glass dish, and garnish with horseradish and lemon.

"Well now, Isobel, I hope you are not frightened at the trouble of preparing these novel breakfast dishes?"

"Oh no, for you always prepare them on the previous day, so there is no more trouble in the morning than in simply cooking eggs and bacon."

I learnt that from our French friends; they begin to prepare their evening meal in the morning; I arrange our morning meal in the evening. The extra trouble is well repaid in the satisfaction these dishes afford.