The Gastronomic Regenerator: A Simplified and Entirely New System of Cookery: With Nearly Two Thousand Practical Receipts Suited to the Income of All Classes

was often seen dancing upon the table, to the horror of all persons of good taste. For myself I never use anything of the description, except for cold luncheon or supper, and even then of the most simple construction. No. 1139. _Pastillage or Gum Paste._ Put two ounces of gum tragacanth into a small basin, pour a quart of filtered water over it, and cover the basin with a sheet of paper to keep it free from dust; let soak twenty-four hours, then pour off the water and place the gum in a strong cloth, through which squeeze it on to a plate, not leaving a particle in the cloth; then place it upon your pastry slab, work it round with your hand until as white as cream, have an equal quantity of starch-powder, and powdered sugar, which you have passed through a silk sieve, work it in by degrees, keeping it well worked with the hand until it becomes a stiffish paste, firm enough to roll and cut into any shape required. It may be used instead of pâté d’amande. No. 1140. _Vol-au-Vents_ Of all things in pastry require the most care and precision; they that can make a good vol-au-vent may be stamped as good pastrycooks, although many variations in working puff paste, all others are of a secondary importance. Make a pound of puff paste (No. 1132) giving it only six rolls and a half instead of seven, leave it an inch in thickness, make a mark upon the top either round or oval, and according to the size of your dish, then with a sharp-pointed knife cut it out from the paste, holding the knife with the point slanting outwards; turn it over, mark the edges with the back of your knife, and place it upon a baking sheet, which you have sprinkled with water; egg over the top, then dip the point of the knife into hot water, and cut a ring upon the top a quarter of an inch deep, and half an inch from the edge of the vol-au-vent, set in a rather