MRS. PEPYS’S DIARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 105, 25 July 1927, Page 5

MRS. PEPYS’S DIARY

MONDAY. —Mr. Pepvs home to lunch to-day, but not our maid Jane. Do have in readiness a lamb pie, and this is a pie you may make of the loin, neck, or breast, as you choose. It should be very lightly seasoned with pepper and salt; the bone taken out, but not the gristles; and a small quantity of jelly gravy to be put in hot. The pie should not be cut until cold. Put in two spoonfuls of water before baking. And here a tip for the right way of making meat pies: They being fat, it is best to let out the gravy on one side and put it in again by a funnel at the top, when a little may be added.

TUESDAY. —At my reading do come upon a recipe, very well tried, as I understand, for making of currant jelly, whether it be red or black. As it be to my mind very simple in the doing, do write of it here in good time. The way to strip the fruit, and in a stone jar to stew them in a saucepan of water, then to strain off the liquor, and to every pint w'eigh lib of loaf sugar; put the latter to it in a stone or earthenware vessel until nearly dissolved, then simmer in a preserving pan, and skim as necessary. When it ■will jelly upon a plate, put it into small jars or glasses. Any trying this to be pleased I think as I do hope to be myself.

WEDNESDAY. —This night Mr. Pepys coming also, to a very pleasant card party at Mistress Townes, one of her novelties for the entertainment of her guests a London syllabub, made by her. The manner of it to put one and a-half pints of white wine into a bowl, a little nutmeg, grated, and a

good deal of sugar, then to pour into it from a teapot held high near two

quarts of very new milk, with the chill just taken off, so that it shall be like milk straight from the cow milked into your syllabub, which was the true way of making them in olden times. If any would prefer, cinnamon to be used instead of nutmeg, clotted cream put on top is a very good addition, and much favoured in the county of Devon. THURSDAY. —Our maid Jane, having a sudden fit to please us greatly, which I pray God will last, doth get up very betimes indeed to bake some French rolls for our breakfast. I having recently, at her request, writ out the recipe, but think not that she will make use of it. The way of them to rub one ounce of butter into lib of flour, mix one egg beaten, a little yeast, and as much milk as will make a dough of a middling stiffness. Beat it well, but do not knead. Let it rise, and bake c.* tins. FRIDAY. —Do send by post to Mr. Pepys’s cousin Gladys at her request a recipe for making a fine pineapple sherbet, she expecting some friends in after playing tennis, and so would treat them well she sayeth. Do tell her to cut up a pineapple into slices, and for this purpose a preserved pine to do very suitably. Pour over it in a jug two quarts of very cold water, also the juice of four lemons, and as much loaf sugar as your taste will require. Next strain your sherbet into the jug from which you willl serve it, and if just before doing so you add pieces of ice, I think a very pretty drink the result. SATURDAY. —Mistress Bassett, my good gossip, sending to me a very pretty present of gooseberries from her garden, and eggs laid by her fowls, do determine to make a fine gooseberry cream. The recipe being as follows: Take two quarts of gooseberries, put them into a saucepan, just cover with water, scald until they are tender, then rub through a sieve with a spoon to a quart of pulp. Have six eggs well beaten. Make your pulp hot, and put in one ounce of fresh butter, sweeten it to your taste, stir in your eggs, put it over a gentle fire until they are thick —but you must take care they do not boil. Then stir in a gill of the juice of spinach, and when it is almost cold stir in a spoonful of orange, flower water, or sack: pour it into basins, and when cold serve up. This not so expensive, neither, especially for those who have not to buy their eggs. 1