SOUPS

Soups are wholesome and palatable and should form part of the meal whenever possible.  It is a good plan to have some sort of vegetable or meat stock always at hand, as this renders the making of the soup both easy and economical.  With milk at hand, cream soups are easily made.

SOUP STOCK

In making soup, bring the cold water in the soup pot with the meat and bones to a boil slowly, and let it simmer for hours, never boiling and never ceasing to simmer.  If clear soup is not desired soup may be allowed to boil.  Bones, both fresh and those partly cooked, meats of all kinds, vegetables of various sorts, all may be added to the stock pot, to give flavor and nutriment to the soup.

One quart of cold water is used to each pound of meat for soup; to four quarts of water, one each of vegetables of medium size and a bouquet.

Make the soup in a closely covered kettle used for no other purpose.  Remove scum when it first appears; after soup has simmered for four or five hours add vegetables and a bouquet.

Parsley wrapped around peppercorn, bayleaf, six cloves and other herbs, excepting sage, and tied, makes what is called a bouquet and may be easily removed from the soup.

Root celery, parsley, onions, carrots, asparagus and potatoes are the best vegetables to add to the soup stock.  Never use celery leaves for beef soup.  You may use celery leaves in potato soup, but sparingly, with chopped parsley leaves.

Vegetables, spices and salt should always be added the last hour of cooking.  Strain into an earthen bowl and let cool uncovered, by so doing stock is less apt to ferment.

A cake of fat forms on the stock when cold, which excludes air and should not be removed until stock is used.  To remove fat run a knife around edge of bowl and carefully remove the same.  A small quantity will remain, which should be removed by passing a cloth, wrung out of hot water, around edge and over top of stock.  This fat should be clarified and used for drippings.  If time cannot be allowed for stock to cool before using, take off as much fat as possible with a spoon, and remove the remainder by passing tissue or any absorbent paper over the surface.

Bouillon should always be thickened with yolks of eggs, beat up with a spoon of cold water.  Ordinary beef soup or tomato soup may be thickened with flour.  To do this properly heat a scant spoon of soup drippings, stir in briskly a spoon of flour, and add gradually a large quantity of soup to prevent it becoming lumpy.

WHITE STOCK

Veal, turkey, chicken and fish are used.

BROWN STOCK

Follow directions given for bouillon, adding a slice of beef and browning some of the meat in the marrow from the bone.