BLACK BEAN SOUP—­Wash one pint of black beans, cover with one quart of cold water and let soak over night.  In the morning pour off the water and pour over three pints of cold water.  Cook, covered, until tender, four or five hours, add one tablespoonful of salt the last hour, rub through a strainer, add the strained beans to the water in which they were boiled, return to the soup kettle.  Melt one tablespoonful of flour, stir this into the hot soup, let boil, stirring constantly; add a little pepper, slice thinly one lemon, put all the slices into the tureen and pour the soup over.  Serve very hot.

CHESTNUT SOUP—­Peel and blanch the chestnuts, boil them in salted water until quite soft, pass through a sieve, add more water if too thick, and a spoonful of butter or several of sweet cream.  Season to taste and serve with small squares of bread fried crisp in butter or olive oil.

CHICKEN GUMBO, CREOLE STYLE—­For about twelve or fifteen, one young hen chicken, half pound ham, quart fresh okra, three large tomatoes, two onions, one kernel garlic, one small red pepper, two tablespoons flour, three quarts boiling water, half pound butter, one bay leaf, pinch salt and cayenne pepper.  To mix, mince your ham, put in the bottom of an iron kettle if preferred with the above ingredients except the chicken.  Clean and cut your chicken up and put in separate saucepan with about a quart or more of water and teaspoonful of salt; set to the side of the fire for about an hour; skim when necessary.  When the chicken is thoroughly done strip the meat from the bone and mix both together; just before serving add a quart of shrimps.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP—­Chop fine one head of celery and put on to cook in one pint of water.  Boil until tender, add one pint of milk, thicken with a spoonful of butter, season to taste, and strain.  Then add one cupful of whipped cream and serve at once.

EGG SOUP—­Beat three eggs until light, then add one-half cupful of thick sweet cream and one cupful of milk, pour over this two quarts of boiling water, set on the fire until it comes to a boil, season to taste, then pour over broken bread in the tureen and serve.

GREEN PEA SOUP—­Put one quart of green peas into two cups of boiling water, add a saltspoon of salt, and cook until tender.  Rub peas and liquor through a puree strainer, add two cups of boiling water, and set back where the pulp will keep hot.  Heat two cups of milk, add a teaspoon of flour rubbed into a rounding tablespoon of butter, season with salt, pepper, and a level teaspoon of sugar.  Add to the hot vegetable pulp, heat to the boiling point, and serve.

GREEN TOMATO SOUP—­Chop fine five green tomatoes and boil twenty minutes in water to cover.  Then add one quart hot milk, to which a teaspoonful soda has been added, let come to a boil, take from the fire and add a quarter cupful butter rubbed into four crackers rolled fine, with salt and pepper to taste.