Mrs. Beeton's Dictionary of Every-Day Cookery: The "All About It" Books

ready for use. A small quantity of wine, or any liqueur, would very much improve the flavour of this sauce: it is usually served with bread, rice, custard, or any dry pudding that is not very rich. _Time._—Altogether, 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 4_d._ _Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons. ARROWROOT, to make. _Ingredients._—Two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, ½ pint of boiling water. _Mode._—Mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then pour on it the _boiling_ water, _stirring_ all the time. The water must be _boiling_ at the time it is poured on the mixture, or it will not thicken; if mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean saucepan, and boiled until it thickens; but this occasions more trouble, and is quite unnecessary, if the water is boiling at first. Put the arrowroot into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, 3 tablespoonfuls of port or sherry. As arrowroot is in itself flavourless and insipid, it is almost necessary to add the wine to make it palatable. Arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but is not so easily digested. It should be mixed in the same manner, with 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, the boiling milk then poured on it, and well stirred. When made in this manner, no wine should be added, but merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel. _Time._—If obliged to be boiled, 2 minutes. _Average cost_, 2_d._ per pint. _Sufficient_ to make ½ pint of arrowroot. ARTICHOKES, Boiled. _Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a piece of soda the size of a shilling; artichokes. _Mode._—Wash the artichokes well in several waters; see that no insects remain about them, and trim away the leaves at the bottom. Cut off the stems and put them into _boiling_ water, to which has been added salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep the saucepan uncovered, and let them boil