The Sallet, which of old came in at last,
  Why now with it begin we our Repast?

And now since we mention’d Fruit, there rises another Scruple:  Whether Apples, Pears, Abricots, Cherries, Plums, and other Tree, and Ort-yard-Fruit, are to be reckon’d among Salleting; and when likewise most seasonably to be eaten?  But as none of these do properly belong to our Catalogue of Herbs and Plants, to which this Discourse is confin’d (bessides what we may occasionally speak of hereafter) there is a very useful [65]Treatise on that Subject already publish’d.  We hasten then in the next place to the Dressing, and Composing of our Sallet:  For by this time, our Scholar may long to see the Rules reduc’d to Practice, and Refresh himself with what he finds growing among his own Lactuceta and other Beds of the Kitchin-Garden.

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DRESSING

I am not ambitious of being thought an excellent Cook, or of those who set up, and value themselves, for their skill in Sauces; such as was Mithacus a Culinary Philosopher, and other Eruditae Gulae; who read Lectures of Hautgouts, like the Archestratus in Athenaeus:  Tho’ after what we find the Heroes did of old, and see them chining out the slaughter’d Ox, dressing the Meat, and do the Offices of both Cook and Butcher, (for so [66]_Homer_ represents Achilles himself, and the rest of those Illustrious Greeks) I say, after this, let none reproach our Sallet-Dresser, or disdain so clean, innocent, sweet, and Natural a Quality; compar’d with the Shambles Filth and Nidor, Blood and Cruelty; whilst all the World were Eaters, and Composers of Sallets in its best and brightest Age.

The Ingredients therefore gather’d and proportion’d, as above; Let the Endive have all its out-side Leaves stripped off, slicing in the White:  In like manner the Sellery is also to have the hollow green Stem or Stalk trimm’d and divided; slicing-in the blanched Part, and cutting the Root into four equal Parts.

Lettuce, Gresses, Radish, &c. (as was directed) must be exquisitely pick’d, cleans’d, wash’d, and put into the Strainer; swing’d, and shaken gently, and, if you please, separately, or all together; Because some like not so well the Blanch’d and Bitter Herbs, if eaten with the rest:  Others mingle Endive, Succory, and Rampions, without distinction, and generally eat Sellery by it self, as also Sweet Fennel.

From April till September (and during all the Hot Months) may Guinny-Pepper, and Horse-Radish be left out; and therefore we only mention them in the Dressing, which should be in this manner.