This soup should be prepared the day before it is to be served up. One calf's head, well cleaned and washed. Lay the head in the bottom of a large pot. One onion; six cloves; ten allspice; one bunch parsley; one carrot; salt to taste; cover with four quarts of water. Boil three hours, or until the flesh will slip easily from the bones; take out the head; chop the meat and tongue very fine; set aside the brains; remove the soup from the fire; strain carefully and set away until the next day. An hour before dinner take off all fat and set on as much of the stock to warm as you need. When it boils drop in a few squares of the meat you have reserved, as well as the force b.a.l.l.s. To prepare these, rub the yolk of three hard boiled eggs to a paste in a wooden bowl, adding gradually the brains to moisten them; also a little b.u.t.ter; mix with these two eggs, beaten light; flour your hands; make this paste into small b.a.l.l.s; drop them into the soup a few minutes before removing from the fire. A tablespoonful of browned flour and brown sugar for coloring; rub smooth with the same amount of b.u.t.ter; let it boil up well; finish the seasoning by the addition of a gla.s.s of sherry. Serve with sliced lemon.

JULIENNE SOUP.

From MRS. SUSAN R. ASHLEY, of Colorado, Sixth Vice President, Board of Lady Managers.

The day before needed, put two pounds of beef cut from the lower part of the round, into two quarts of cold water and let come slowly to the boil, skimming carefully until perfectly clear. When this point is reached, add a small onion, two stalks of celery, two cloves, and keep at the boiling point for seven hours; then strain into an earthen bowl and let cool until next day. A half hour before needed, skim off all the fat, add pepper and salt to taste; also a half pint of mixed vegetables which have been cooked in salted water and cut in uniform dice shape. Let come to a boil, and serve.

NOODLE SOUP.

From MRS. FRONA EUNICE WAIT, of California, Alternate Lady Manager.

To make a good stock for noodle soup, take a small shank of beef, one of mutton, and another of veal; have the bones cracked and boil them together for twenty-four hours. Put with them two good sized potatoes, a carrot, a turnip, an onion, and some celery. Salt and pepper to taste. If liked, a bit of bay leaf may be added. When thoroughly well- done, strain through a colander and set aside until required for use.

For the noodles, use one egg for an ordinary family, and more in proportion to quant.i.ty required. Break the eggs into the flour, add a little salt, and mix into a rather stiff dough. Roll very thin and cut into fine bits. Let them dry for two hours, then drop them into the boiling stock about ten minutes before serving.

CORN SOUP.

From MRS. M.D. THATCHER, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

One large fowl, or four pounds of veal (the knuckle or neck will do).

Put over fire in one gallon of cold water, without salt. Cover tightly and simmer slowly, until the meat will slip from the bones, not allowing it to boil all the strength out, as the meat can be made into a nice dish for breakfast or luncheon, by reserving a cupful of the liquor to put with it in a mince on toast, or a stew. Strain the soup to remove all bones and bits of meat. Grate one dozen ears of green corn, sc.r.a.ping cobs to remove the heart of the kernel (or one can, if prepared corn be used). Add corn to soup, with salt, pepper and a little parsley, and simmer slowly half an hour. Just before serving, add a tablespoonful of flour, beaten very thoroughly with a tablespoon of b.u.t.ter. Serve very hot.

CELERY SOUP.

From MRS. ALICE B. CASTLEMAN, of Kentucky, Alternate Lady Manager.

Put a veal bone to boil in one quart of water. After skimming it well, put in one pint of celery cut up very fine, two tablespoonfuls of rice, one onion, one teaspoonful of celery salt. Let this boil till reduced to a pint. Take out the meat and pa.s.s the soup through a colander, mashing and extracting as much of the puree as possible, pa.s.sing the stock through it two or three times. Boil a quart of milk separately; rub two tablespoonfuls of flour in a half a cup of b.u.t.ter; add this to the boiled milk; after cooking it a few minutes, add the milk to the celery puree and serve at once, mixing milk and puree well.

OYSTER SOUP.

From MRS. HELEN C. BRAYTON, of South Carolina, Vice President of State Board, and Lady Manager.

Take one hundred oysters and simmer in their liquor with allspice. As the sc.u.m rises skim carefully. Strain off the liquor and add to it three-quarters lb. b.u.t.ter and one-quarter lb. flour, rubbed to a cream. Let this boil and carefully stir in a quart of milk, guarding against curdling and pour over the oysters.

BISQUE OF CRAB OR CRAWFISH.

From MRS. BELLE H. PERKINS, of Louisiana, President of State Board, Lady Manager.

Boil one dozen crabs; pick them in flaky pieces as much as possible; remove the meat from the claws and the fat from the back. Reserve some of the nicest pieces and put them aside for the soup after it is done.

Boil a chicken or veal bone; put it into two quarts of cold water; let it come to a boil and skim well, adding a cup of rice; let all boil together until the ingredients are reduced to one quart; add an onion, a piece of celery (or a teaspoon of celery salt); pa.s.s the stock and rice, together with the other parts of the crab, through a sieve; mash the chicken or veal bone well, and add some of the stock. Mash again and sc.r.a.pe from the bottom of the sieve, obtaining all the puree possible; add this to the broth, together with the meat of the crabs.

Let a pint of sweet cream come to a boil, adding it to the soup just as it is being served; also two tablespoons of b.u.t.ter, celery salt and pepper.

POTATO PUREE.

From MRS. JAMES R. DEANE, of California, Lady Manager.

Two pounds potatoes; two ounces b.u.t.ter; two tablespoonfuls chopped onions; two tablespoonfuls chopped celery; one quart milk; one quart boiling water; one-half cupful sago; one-half teaspoonful pepper; one teaspoonful salt. Wash, peel and slice potatoes, onions and celery.

Melt the b.u.t.ter and add it to the vegetables, stirring it for five minutes to keep it from browning or burning. Then add the boiling water. When the vegetables are soft, rub them through a sieve; add the milk, and when the soup is boiling, add the sago, a little at a time, and cook until the sago looks clear. Stir the soup well and add seasoning the last.

ASPARAGUS SOUP.

From MRS. LAURA P. COLEMAN, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

Two quarts veal stock; two bunches asparagus; two cloves; two onions; three pepper corns; a little parsley. Boil one hour and strain, then add one pint whipped cream. After dished, season with salt to taste.

Tapioca or celery may be subst.i.tuted for asparagus.

TOMATO SOUP.

From MRS. IDA M. BALL, of Delaware, Lady Manager.

One quart of canned tomatoes; one quart of boiling water; one small onion; one carrot; celery and parsley; one teaspoonful salt. Boil slowly for three hours and strain. Add two tablespoonfuls sugar, one tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, two tablespoonfuls flour made into a paste with water and used as thickening.

TOMATO SOUP.

From MRS. E. J. P. HOWES, of Michigan, Lady Manager.

Take one-half dozen fresh tomatoes or a pint of canned, and stew a half hour in a pint of water; strain through a colander; put the liquid on the fire; stir in a teaspoonful of soda; then add a pint of heated milk; season with a little b.u.t.ter (a dessertspoonful); salt and pepper to taste, and bring the whole to a boiling heat and serve hot.

GUMBO FILe

From MRS. ANNA M. FOSd.i.c.k, of Alabama, Lady Manager.

Cut up a chicken; sprinkle with flour, and fry in the vessel in which the gumbo is to be made. When the chicken is nearly done, chop an onion and fry with it. Pour on this three quarts of boiling water, and let all boil slowly till the flesh leaves the bones of the chicken.

Then add the liquor from the oysters, two tablespoonfuls of tomato catchup, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this boil a short time; then add one hundred oysters. Do not allow them to boil more than two minutes. Remove the vessel from the fire, and before pouring into the tureen, sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of file. Serve always with rice.

_To Prepare File for Gumbo_.--Gather sa.s.safras leaves, as late as possible in the season, before they turn red. Dry them in the shade and open air. When perfectly dry, pound thorn, sift the powder and bottle it Keep tightly corked.

GUMBO SOUP.

From MRS. VIRGINIA T. SMITH, of Connecticut, Alternate Lady Manager.

Fry three rather thin slices of salted pork; and three large onions in the some fat. Fry also a chicken of medium size, after which put pork, onions, chicken and a half pound of _lean_ ham, into a dinner kettle containing four quarts of boiling water. When the mixture begins to boil, add one quart of gumbo, the corn cut from two ears, three tomatoes, and two VERY small red peppers. Add boiling water as it needs and cook slowly five or six hours, after which strain and serve with bread "crunchers" cut in dice.

CHICKEN GUMBO WITH OYSTERS.

From MRS. ALICE B. CASTLEMAN, of Kentucky, Alternate Lady Manager.