Nelson's Home Comforts.

by Mary Hooper.

PREFACE.

In presenting our friends and the public with the thirteenth edition of our "Home Comforts," we have the pleasure to remark that so greatly has the book been appreciated, that the large number of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND copies has been called for. The value of the Jubilee Edition was enhanced by some new recipes; these are repeated in the present edition, to which, also, some valuable additions have been made. Since the introduction of our Gelatine by the late Mr. G. Nelson, more than fifty years ago, we have considerably enlarged our list of specialities, and we have gratefully to acknowledge the public favour accorded to us.

Among those of our preparations which have met with so much appreciation and success, we would cite the following:

NELSON'S BOTTLED JELLIES.--It is sometimes so difficult, if not impossible, to have a first-cla.s.s jelly made in private kitchens, that we venture to think our BOTTLED JELLIES will be highly appreciated by all housekeepers. It is not too much to say that a ready-made jelly of the highest quality, and of the best and purest materials, requiring only the addition of hot water, is now, for the first time, supplied.

Careful experiments, extending over a long period of time, have been required to bring this excellent and very useful preparation to its present state of perfection, and it is confidently a.s.serted that no home-made jelly can surpa.s.s it in purity, brilliancy, or delicacy of flavour. All that is necessary to prepare the jelly for the table is to dissolve it by placing the bottle in hot water, and then to add the given quant.i.ty of water to bring it to a proper consistency. It is allowed to stand until on the point of setting, and is then put into a mould.

NELSON'S CALF'S FOOT, LEMON, PORT, SHERRY, ORANGE, AND CHERRY JELLIES are now to be had of all first-cla.s.s grocers, and are put up in bottles each containing sufficient of the concentrated preparation to make a quart, pint, or half-pint.

NELSON'S TABLET JELLIES are recommended for general use, are guaranteed of the purest and best materials, and are flavoured with the finest fruit essences. The Tablet Jellies are of so moderate a price as to be within the reach of all cla.s.ses, and can be used as an every-day addition to the family bill of fare. They are not, however, intended as a subst.i.tute for high-cla.s.s jellies, whether bottled or home-made.

The Tablet Jellies used as directed in the recipes make, in a few minutes, creams of a most delicate kind, remarkable for smoothness of texture and fine flavour.

NELSON'S PORT, SHERRY, AND ORANGE WINE TABLET JELLIES have now been added to the list.

NELSON'S LEMON SPONGE, supplied in tins, is a delicious novelty, and will be found to surpa.s.s any that can be made at home.

NELSON'S CITRIC ACID AND PURE ESSENCE OF LEMON.--In order to save the trouble of putting jelly through a strainer when required for invalids, we have introduced our Citric Acid and Essence of Lemon, and by their use a jelly clear enough for all ordinary purposes is made in a few minutes.

LEMONADE and other beverages can be quickly made, and with less expense than by any other method, by using Nelson's Citric Acid and Essence of Lemon, and for these recipes are given. Delicious beverages are also made with Nelson's Bottled Jellies, see page 93.

NELSON'S PURE ESSENCE OF ALMONDS AND VANILLA.--These Extracts, like the Essence of Lemon, will be found of superior strength and flavour, and specially adapted for the recipes in this book.

NELSON'S GELATINE LOZENGES are not only a delicious sweetmeat, but most useful as voice lozenges, or in cases of sore or irritable throat. The flavour is very delicate and refreshing. Dissolved in water they make a useful beverage, and also a jelly suitable for children and invalids.

NELSON'S JELLY-JUBES will be found most agreeable and nourishing sweetmeats, deliciously flavoured with fruit essences. They can be used as cough lozenges, will be found soothing for delicate throats, are useful for travellers, and may be freely given to children.

NELSON'S LICORICE LOZENGES are not only a favourite sweetmeat, but in cases of throat irritation and cough are found to be soothing and curative.

NELSON'S ALb.u.mEN is the white of eggs carefully dried and prepared, so that it will keep for an indefinite length of time. It is useful for any purpose to which the white of egg is applied, and answers well for clearing soup and jelly. When required for use, the alb.u.men is soaked in cold water and whisked in the usual way.

NELSON'S EXTRACT OF MEAT.--The numerous testimonials which have been received as to the excellence of this preparation, as well as the great and universal demand for it, have afforded the highest satisfaction to us as the manufacturers, and have enabled us to offer it with increased confidence to the public. It is invaluable, whether for making soup or gravy, or for strengthening or giving flavour to many dishes; and it is not only superior to, but far cheaper than, any similar preparation now before the public.

Now that clear soup is so constantly required, and a thing of every-day use, Nelson's Extract of Meat will be found a great boon. With the addition of a little vegetable flavouring, a packet of the Extract will make a pint of soup as good and as fine as that produced, at much labour and expense, from fresh meat. With a judicious use of the liquor derived from boiling fowls, rabbits, and fresh meat, an endless variety of soup may be made, by the addition of Nelson's Extract of Meat. Some recipes are given by which first-cla.s.s soups can be prepared in a short time, at a very small cost, and with but little trouble. It may be as well to say that soaking for a few minutes in cold water facilitates the solution of the Extract of Meat.

NELSON'S SOUPS are deserving of the attention of every housekeeper, for they combine all the elements of good nourishment, have an excellent flavour, both of meat and vegetables, are prepared by merely boiling the contents of a packet for fifteen minutes, and are so cheap as to be within everybody's means. Penny packets of these soups, for charitable purposes, will be found most useful and nourishing.

Those who have to cater for a family know how often a little soup will make up a dinner that would otherwise be insufficient; yet because of the time and trouble required in the preparation, it is impossible to have it. In a case like this, or when a supplementary dish is unexpectedly required, Nelson's Soups are most useful. Although these Soups are all that can be desired, made with water according to the directions given with each packet, they can be utilised with great advantage for strengthening household stock.

For instance, the liquor in which a leg of mutton has been boiled, or of pork, if not too salt, can be at once, by using a packet or two of Nelson's Soup, converted into a delicious and nourishing soup, and at a cost surprisingly small. Or the bones of any joint can be made into stock, and, after all the fat has been skimmed off, have a packet of Nelson's Soup added, in the same manner as in the directions.

NELSON'S BEEF TEA will be found of the highest value, supplying a cup of unequalled nourishment, combining all the const.i.tuents of fresh beef. No other preparation now before the public contains that most important element, alb.u.men, in a soluble form, as well as much of the fibrin of the meat. This Beef Tea is also generally relished by invalids, and merely requires to be dissolved in boiling water.

NEW ZEALAND MUTTON.--For information respecting this meat, and the great advantage as well as economy of its use, see page 119.

NELSON'S TINNED MEATS, known as the "Tomoana Brand," are prepared at the works of NELSON BROS., LIMITED, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, from the finest cattle of the country. Messrs. NELSON specially recommend their "Pressed Mutton and Green Peas," "Haricot Mutton," and "Pressed Corned Mutton." The "Stewed Kidneys" will be found of a quality superior to any articles of the kind now in the market, while the price places them within the reach of all cla.s.ses of consumers.

NELSON'S GELATINE having now been favourably known all over the world for more than half a century, it is unnecessary to do more than observe that our efforts are constantly directed to supplying a perfectly pure article, always of the same strength and quality. When Russian isingla.s.s was first introduced into this country, the prejudices against its use on the part of our great-grandmothers were violent and extreme; for those worthy ladies would not believe that some unfamiliar substance, of the origin of which they were either ignorant or doubtful, could form an efficient subst.i.tute for the well-known calves' feet and cow-heels, from which they had always been in the habit of making their jellies and blanc-manges. By degrees, however, the Gelatine made its way, and at length superseded the old system entirely; and its popularity is demonstrated by the fact that the works at Emscote, near Warwick, cover nearly five acres.

N.B.--It is necessary to call attention to the fact that in all the following recipes in which Nelson's Gelatine and Specialities are used, the quant.i.ties are calculated for _their manufactures only_, the quality and strength of which may be relied upon for uniformity.

NELSON'S HOME COMFORTS.

SOUPS.

BEEF AND ONION SOUP.

A pint of very good soup can be made by following the directions which accompany each tin of Nelson's Beef and Onion Soup, viz. to soak the contents in a pint of cold water for fifteen minutes, then place over the fire, stir, and boil for fifteen minutes. It is delicious when combined with a tin of Nelson's Extract of Meat, thus producing a quart of nutritious and appetising soup.

NELSON'S MULLIGATAWNY SOUP.

Soaked in cold water for a quarter of an hour, and then boiled for fifteen minutes, Nelson's Mulligatawny Soup is very appetising and delicious. It should be eaten with boiled rice; and for those who like the soup even hotter than that in the above preparation, the accompanying rice may be curried. In either case the rice should be boiled so that each grain should be separate and distinct from the rest.

BEEF, LENTIL, AND VEGETABLE SOUP.

Pour one quart of boiling water upon the contents of a tin of Nelson's Soup of the above t.i.tle, stirring briskly. The water must be boiling. A little seasoning of salt and pepper may be added for accustomed palates.

This soup is perfectly delicious if prepared as follows: Cut two peeled onions into quarters, tie them in a muslin bag, and let the soup boil for twenty minutes with them. Take out the bag before serving the soup.

BEEF, PEA, AND VEGETABLE SOUP.

The directions printed on each packet of Nelson's Beef, Pea, and Vegetable Soup produce a satisfactory soup, but even this may be improved by the addition of the contents of a tin of Nelson's Extract of Meat and a handful of freshly-gathered peas. It is perhaps not generally known that pea-pods, usually thrown away as useless, impart a most delicious flavour to soup if boiled fast for two or three hours in a large saucepan, strained, and the liquor added to the soup, stock, or beef tea.

BEEF TEA AS A SOLID.

Soak the contents of a tin of Nelson's Beef Tea in a gill of water for ten minutes. Add to this the third of an ounce packet of Nelson's Gelatine, which has been soaked for two or three hours in half-a-pint of cold water. Put the mixture in a stewpan, and stir until it reaches boiling-point. Then put it into a mould which has been rinsed with cold water. When thoroughly cold, this will turn out a most inviting and extremely nutritious dish.