The New England Cook Book, or Young Housekeeper's Guide: Being a Collection of the Most Valuable Receipts; Embracing all the Various Branches of Cookery, and Written in a Minute and Methodical Manner

soft ones among them, they should be thrown away, and the vinegar scalded; if very weak, it should be thrown away and fresh added. The vinegar when scalded, should not be allowed to cool in brass. Another method of pickling cucumbers, which is very good, is to put them in salt and water, as you pick them, change the water once in three days; when you have done picking your cucumbers, take them out of the salt and water, and put them in cold vinegar, with alum, salt, and pepper corns in it. 111. _To Pickle Gherkins._ Put them in strong brine, keep them in a warm place, when they turn yellow, drain off the brine, and turn hot vinegar on them, let them remain in it near the fire till they turn green, turn off the vinegar, and pour on fresh hot vinegar, spiced with pepper corns, mace, cloves, and cinnamon; add salt and alum in the same proportions as for cucumbers. These, as well as all other pickles, should not be kept in glazed earthen jars. 112. _Oysters._ Take the oysters from the liquor, strain and boil it, then put in the oysters, let them boil one minute, take them out, and to the liquor, put a few pepper corns, cloves, a little mace, and the same quantity of vinegar as oyster juice, boil it fifteen minutes; when cold turn it on to the oysters. Bottle and cork them tight. 113. _Mushrooms._ Peel and stew them, with just water enough, to prevent their sticking to the bottom of the stew pan, shake them occasionally, to prevent their burning. When tender take them up, and put them in scalding vinegar, spiced with mace, cloves, and pepper corns, add a little salt, bottle and cork them up. 114. _Wheat Bread._ For six common sized loaves of bread, take three pints of boiling water, and mix with five quarts of flour; when thoroughly mixed, add three pints of cold water, stir it till the whole of the dough is equally cold; when lukewarm stir in half a pint of yeast, a