Put through a meat chopper one pound of veal and one pound of beef. Sprinkle over the bottom of a soup kettle a teaspoonful of sugar; when this burns and the bottom of the kettle is quite brown, add two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, shake for a moment, then add the meat and stir over a very hot fire until the meat is slightly browned. Cover the kettle and push it to the back of the fire to steep for a half hour; then add a quart of cold water, bring to a boil and skim. Simmer gently two hours, add a bay leaf, a level teaspoonful of salt, and, if you have it, a little celery; simmer one hour longer, and strain. Beat the white of an egg with two tablespoonfuls of cold water, add it to the consomme, boil five minutes and strain through two thicknesses of cheesecloth that has been wrung from cold water, and stand the soup aside to cool. When cold, remove every particle of fat. This should be a brilliant amber in color, and of an exceedingly good flavor.

Italian Consomme

Chop fine two ounces of raw beef, two ounces of raw mutton, and the dark meat of one chicken; take the meat from the chicken bones, cut it with a knife until it is fine, then crack the bones, put all these in a small granite or porcelain saucepan, add a quart of cold water, bring to a boil and skim; simmer gently one and a half hours; then add one clove, a bay leaf and a little celery or celery seed; simmer a half hour longer, and strain; when cold, remove the fat.

This soup may be served as a clear soup; or for convalescing patients add carefully-boiled rice, a few croutons, or a little well-cooked spaghetti.