Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

been proved by a medical board, instituted at Paris, for the purpose of inquiring into the subject, to contain no nutriment whatever, and the latter contains about the same as a piece of dry wood. What would be said of a cook who would put a quarter of a pound of meat, or even a piece weighing thirty pounds, to roast before a large fire for twenty-four hours? What nutriment would it contain at the end of that period? My principle is easily illustrated by putting twelve onions into a gallon of water, and boiling them for as many hours; no smell arises from it; but cut the half of one, and fry it, and the perfume will be diffused over the whole house: thus I extract the aroma of every ingredient which I employ, and any one carefully following the receipts will produce a palatable and nourishing food. The old plan of soaking farinaceous ingredients is not bad, but in many instances it cannot be practised, in which case I would recommend that peas be put into soft boiling water,[39] and that the ebullition does not cease until the peas are reduced to a pulp. Indian meal must also be put into boiling water, and be well boiled for two hours. Rice and barley may be put into cold water, and be boiled until they can be easily mashed between the fingers; the length of time depends upon their quality.--All kinds of food made of farinaceous ingredients, as Indian meal, peas, rice, &c., increase in quantity when made the day previous, and require more water when warmed up. It will be perceived that I have omitted all kinds of spice except in those dishes which are intended expressly for them, as I consider they only flatter the appetite and irritate the stomach, and make it crave for more food; my object being not to create an appetite but to satisfy it; and when those dishes in which spice is introduced are given to the poor, it should only be done by the advice of the medical man; but in