To come now to what more closely resembles beef-tea, we can have a liquid practically undistinguishable made from

Brown or German Lentils.

Take a teacupful of these, look over and pick very carefully so that no stones or dirt may escape notice.  Scald with boiling water, and put to simmer with plenty of boiling water in a saucepan or stewing jar.  Add a shallot, a bit of celery, teaspoonful ground rice, tapioca, &c., and, unless prohibited, seasoning to taste.  A blade of mace, a slice or two of carrot, beetroot, &c., might be added at discretion.  Simmer gently, or better still, steam for an hour.  Strain, without any pressure, and serve with fingers of crisp, dry toast.  Equal quantities of German lentils and brown beans may be prepared exactly as above to make Savoury Tea, as also a mixture of brown and white beans.  A delicious

Invalid Broth

is made thus:—­Wash well a cupful of butter peas or haricot beans and one or two tablespoonfuls pot barley.  Put in saucepan or double boiler with water, and cook for two to three hours.  Season and strain.  Celery, onion, parsnip, &c., may be added if desired.  Some milk may also be added, and, if wished specially rich and strengthening, one or two eggs beaten up.  Warm up only as much as is needed at one time, and serve with toast or triscuits.  Variety of flavour, &c., may be contrived by mixing lentils, dried green peas, &c., with the haricots, or instead of these, tomatoes may be sliced and added ten minutes before straining.

I need not here give recipes for ordinary oatmeal gruel, but

Lentil Gruel

may be new to some.  Take a dessert-spoonful lentil flour—­the “Digestive” lentil flour is always to be depended on—­smooth with a little cold milk or water in a saucepan.  Add three teacupfuls boiling milk or barley-water and simmer for fifteen minutes.  A little extract such as “Carnos” or “Marmite” may be added to this or any of the foregoing broths.

These extracts, “Carnos” and “Marmite,” are exceedingly useful in the sick-room, as they can be so easily and quickly prepared.  “Carnos” being a fluid extract, is especially handy.  A teaspoonful of that, or a half teaspoonful “Marmite” to a cupful boiling water makes a delightful cup of savoury tea.  Be careful not to make too strong.  Such extracts may also enter with advantage into

Savoury Custard.

Beat up an egg, and add to it half a teacupful milk, and either a teaspoonful “Carnos” or rather less of “Marmite,” the latter dissolved in a little boiling water.  Add pinch salt.  Turn into a buttered cup or tiny basin, cover with buttered paper, and steam gently for seven or eight minutes till just set.

The following is a very dainty and novel

Egg Flip.

Separate the white from the yolk of an egg and beat up the white quite stiff.  Beat up the yolk and add to it the strained juice of an orange or some “Nektar.”  Mix all lightly together and serve in a pretty glass or china dish.