Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks: Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food

quantity of meat. For a grand dinner, the gravy may be made one or two and even three days in advance; then simmer it for five or six hours. MELONS. Musk-melons are always served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, but must be eaten immediately after soup, or the first thing of all if no soup is served. It is a great mistake to serve melons as a dessert. Water-melons, though eaten abundantly, are considered very unwholesome by the great majority of doctors, chemists, and physiologists. Musk-melons are served in slices with sugar, or with salt and pepper, according to taste. MEUNIÈRE. Mix well together in a cup one teaspoonful of flour with a tablespoonful of cold water. It is used to thicken sauces and different dishes. MINT. Put four sprigs of mint into a quart of brandy, cork well, or cover air-tight if in a pot, and leave thus forty-eight hours; then strain through a cloth. Put half a pound of loaf sugar in a stewpan with a pint of water, set it on the fire, and, at the first boiling, pour it into the quart of brandy; cover with a cloth, let it cool, and again strain the whole through a fine cloth. Bottle and cork carefully, and use when wanted. A small liquor-glass of it is very good for stomach-ache; it is also useful after having eaten any thing difficult of digestion. PANADE. Break in pieces the soft part of a small stale loaf of bread; put it in a tin saucepan, cover it with cold water, and leave thus about an hour; then mash it well, set it on the fire, add salt, butter, and sugar, to taste; simmer about an hour, then add again two yolks of eggs beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream or milk; mix the whole well together, and serve. It makes an excellent food for infants. PAP. Put an ounce of butter in a tin saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted, turn into it two tablespoonfuls of flour, thoroughly mixed with half a pint of milk; stir with a wooden spoon,