MRS. PEPYS’ DIARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 5, 28 March 1927, Page 5

MRS. PEPYS’ DIARY

Monday.—Do write out this day, at the request of Air. Pepys’ cousin Gladys, some excellent ways of cooking a breast of mutton. This is a joint not used much as it might be in my opinion, or, if used, not cooked in a manner to make the most of it. One good way—to cut off the superfluous fat and to roast and serve the meat with stewed cucumbers; or to eat cold covered with chopped parsley. Or it may be half-boiled and then grilled, then to cover it with crumbs and herbs and serve with caper-sauce. Or if boned, take off a good deal of the fat, and cover it with bread, herbs, and seasoning, then roll and boil and serve with chopped walnuts, or capers and butter. And so I hope many others, besides Air. Pepys’ cousin Gladys, to benefit what I have writ here.

Tuesday.—For the use of any good housewife, who would provide herself with a wine suitable for winter drinking, and that not too epensive, for those of fair means, do write down a recipe for the making of an excellent Ginger Wine, the way being to boil nine quarts of water with six lb. of lump sugar, the rinds of two or three lemons, very thinly pared, and 2oz. of white ginger, for half an-hour; then to skim it well. Next to put |lb. of raisins into a cask; when the liquor is lukewarm add with it the juice of two lemons, strained, and 1J spoonfuls of yeast. Stir daily. Then add of brandy half a pint and of ising-glass-shavings half an ounce. Stop up your cask and in about six weeks you may bottle your wine. But one thing I would have all trying this note, and that is not to put the lemon peel in the cask.

Wednesday.—For sending to my good Gossip, Mistress Bassett, who writes me she hath some pears she would preserve, a very old recipe for so doing most beautifully, and especially so with a Jargonelle pear. The manner of it to pare your fruit very thin and to simmer in a thin syrup; then to let them lie a day or two. Now to make your syrup richer and to simmer again and so to repeat till they are fine and clear; then to drain and dry them in the sun; or in a cool oven for a very little time. These pears to be kept in syrup and dried as wanted, which makes them more moist and rich.

Thursday.—Up very betimes and to my kitchen, there to make me a supply of tomato sauce for eating with hot or cold meats. The way of it to put tomatoes, when perfectly ripe, into an earthen jar and to set it in the oven when of moderate heat, till they be quite soft; - then to separate the skins from the pulp; to mix this with capsicum-vinegar, or, fop a substitute, some white vinegar and a little cayenne to be used. Also add a few cloves of garlic, punded, this to be regulated by the amount of tomatoes, and your taste; the same to be said with regard to the powdered ginger and salt to be added. Keep your mixture in small, wide-necked bottle, well corked, and let it be in a dry and cool place,.

Friday.—Also up very betimes for helping of my maid Jane clean the White Paint in my sitting-room, following a method very well thought ’of by me. That first to take off all dust with a long-haired brush, not a cloth which helps to rub the dirt in, also blowing out with the bellows all dust lodged in corners. Now, beginning at the top and working downwards with speed, to wash all your paint w.ith a sponge dipped in soda and water, another person to follow you quickly as soon as you have washed off the soda with clear water, which must needs also be done in a hurry, and having a piece of old linen to dry your paint immediately. Thus will the soda not eat into the paint to destroy it, but a fair shiny surface be preserved to you.

Saturday.—Mr. Pepys making a habit of quoting what he hath once read in his paper of Whiting, whenever it appears on our table, how it is a fish only eat by those who hate themselves, I do this day prepare a dish of same with my own hands, to prove to him, as he owneth after, the falseness of such a saying. And this way to take three, of four, whiting according to their size and your need; to clean and skin them and to put them into a fire-proof dish or bakingtin. Then to rub together 2oz. of butter and one dessertspoonful of flour, and to dot this into small pieces over your fish; to squeeze over them the juice of half a lemon, add one wine-glassful of port wine and season all over with a little salt and cayenne. Next cover your dish with a buttered paper and bake in your oven, moderately quick. The time of your baking to be about 20 minutes, and two or three times you must remove your paper for the proper basting of your fish. When done, dish them on a very hot dish, strain the sauce over* them, and to your table with speed. IN HONOUR OF MISSES FOLEY A CHARMING PARTY Airs. H. AlcCoy was the hostess at a delightful morning tea party at Alilne and Choyce’s on Saturday morning, for the purpose of bidding farewell to the Alisses Foley, who leave for a visit to England shortly. The guests w^re: —Mesdames H. Abel, Abel (Sydney), Prendergast, Alisses Foley (4), Haines, Rainger. Biss, Alartin. Jackson, Arnoldson. Atkins, Pickett, Alariner and Cerutty.