essays-1-第35章

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ill　doubtless　appear　trifling　and　ridiculous；　but　as　my　mind　is　strongly　impressed　with　the　importance　of　giving　the　most　minute　and　circumstantial　information　respecting　the　MANNER　OF　PERFORMING　any　operation；　however　simple　it　may　be；　to　which　people　have　not　been　accustomed；　I　must　beg　the　indulgence　of　those　who　may　not　feel　themselves　particularly　interested　in　these　descriptions。

In　regard　to　the　amount　of　the　expence　for　sauce　for　a　plain　Indian　（bag）　pudding；　I　have　found　that　when　butter　is　used　for　that　purpose；　（and　no　other　sauce　ought　ever　to　be　used　with　it；）　half　an　ounce　of　butter　will　suffice　for　one　pound　of　the　pudding。　It　is　very　possible　to　contrive　matters　so　as　to　use　much　more；perhaps　twice；　or　three　times　as　much；but　if　the　directions　relative　to　the　MANNER　of　eating　this　Food；　which　have　already　been　given；　are　strictly　followed；　the　allowance　of　butter　here　determined　will　be　quite　sufficient　for　the　purpose　for　which　it　is　designed；　that　is　to　say；　for　giving　an　agreeable　relish　to　the　pudding。Those　who　are　particularly　fond　of　butter　may　use　three　quarters　of　an　ounce　of　it　with　a　pound　of　the　pudding；　but　I　am　certain；　that　to　use　an　ounce　would　be　to　waste　it　to　no　purpose　whatever。

If　now　we　reckon　Irish；　or　other　firkin　butter；　（which；　as　it　is　salted；　is　the　best　that　can　be　used；）　at　eight　pence　the　pound；　the　sauce　for　one　pound　of　pudding；　namely；　half　an　ounce　of　butter；　will　cost　just　one　farthing；　and　this；　added　to　the　cost　of　the　pudding；　two　farthings　the　pound；　gives　three　farthing　for　the　cost　by　the　pound　of　this　kind　of　food；　with　its　sauce；　and；　as　this　food　is　not　only　very　rich　and　nutritive；　but　satisfying　at　the　same　time　in　a　very　remarkable　degree；　it　appears　how　well　calculated　it　is　for　feeding　the　Poor。

It　should　be　remembered；　that　the　molasses　used　as　an　ingredient　in　these　Indian　puddings；　does　not　serve　merely　to　give　taste　to　them；it　acts　a　still　more　important　part；it　gives　what；　in　the　language　of　the　kitchen；　is　called　lightness。It　is　a　substitute　for　eggs；　and　nothing　but　eggs　can　serve　as　a　substitute　for　it；　except　it　be　treacle；　which；　in　fact；　is　a　kind　of　molasses；　or　perhaps　coarse　brown　sugar；　which　has　nearly　the　same　properties。　It　prevents　the　pudding　from　being　heavy；　and　clammy；　and　without　communicating　to　it　any　disagreeable　sweet　taste；　or　any　thing　of　that　flavour　peculiar　to　molasses；　gives　it　a　richness　uncommonly　pleasing　to　the　palate。　　And　to　this　we　may　add；　that　it　is　nutritive　in　a　very　extraordinary　degree。This　is　a　fact　well　known　in　all　countries　where　sugar　is　made。

How　far　the　laws　and　regulations　of　trade　existing　in　this　country　might　render　it　difficult　to　procure　molasses　from　those　places　where　it　may　be　had　at　the　cheapest　rate；　I　know　not；nor　can　I　tell　how　far　the　free　importation　of　it　might　be　detrimental　to　our　public　finances；I　cannot；　however；　help　thinking；　that　it　is　so　great　an　object　to　this　country　to　keep　down　the　prices　of　provisions；　or　rather　to　check　the　alarming　celerity　with　which　they　are　rising；　that　means　ought　to　be　found　to　facilitate　the　importation；　and　introduction　into　common　use；　of　an　article　of　Food　of　such　extensive　utility。　　It　might　serve　to　correct　in　some　measure；　the　baleful　influence　of　another　article　of　foreign　produce；　（tea；）　which　is　doing　infinite　harm　in　this　island。

A　point　of　great　importance　in　preparing　an　Indian　pudding；　is　to　boil　it　PROPERLY　and　SUFFICIENTLY。　The　water　must　be　actually　boiling　when　the　pudding　is　put　into　it；　and　it　never　must　be　suffered　to　cease　boiling　for　a　moment；　till　it　is　done；　and　if　the　pudding　is　not　boiled　full　six　hours；　it　will　not　be　sufficiently　cooked。Its　hardness；　when　done；　will　depend　on　the　space　left　in　the　bag　its　expansion。　　The　consistency　of　the　pudding　ought　to　be　such；　that　it　can　be　taken　out　of　the　bag　without　falling　to　pieces；but　it　is　always　better；　on　many　accounts；　to　make　it　too　hard　than　too　soft。　　The　form　of　the　pudding　may　be　that　of　a　cylinder；　of　rather　of　a　truncated　cone；　the　largest　end　being　towards　the　mouth　of　the　bag；　in　order　that　it　may　be　got　out　of　the　bag　with　greater　facility；　or　it　may　be　made　of　a　globular　form；　by　tying　it　up　in　a　napkin。But　whatever　is　the　form　of　the　pudding；　the　bag；　or　napkin　in　which　it　is　to　be　boiled；　must　be　wet　in　boiling　water　before　the　pudding；　（which　is　quite　liquid　before　it　is　boiled；）　is　poured　into　it；　otherwise　it　will　be　apt　to　run　through　the　cloth。

Though　this　pudding　is　so　good；　perfectly　plain；　when　made　according　to　the　directions　here　given；　that　I　do　not　thing　it　capable　of　any　real　improvement；　yet　there　are　various　additions　that　may　be　made　to　it；　and　that　frequently　are　made　to　it；　which　may　perhaps　be　thought　by　some　to　render　it　more　palatable；　or　otherwise　to　improve　it。　Suet　may；　for　instance；　be　added；　and　there　is　no　suet　pudding　whatever　superior　to　it；　and　as　no　sauce　is　necessary　with　a　suet　pudding；　the　expence　for　the　suet　will　be　nearly　balanced　by　the　saving　of　butter。　　To　a　pudding　of　the　size　of　that　just　described；　in　the　composition　of　which　three　pounds　of　Indian　meal　were　used；　one　pound　of　suet　will　be　sufficient；　and　this；　in　general；　will　not　cost　more　than　from　five　pence　to　six　pence；　even　in　London；and　the　butter　for　sauce　to　a　plain　pudding　of　the　same　size　would　cost　nearly　as　much。　　The　suet　pudding　will　indeed　be　rather　the　cheapest　of　the　two；　for　the　pound　of　suet　will　add　a　pound　in　weight　to　the　pudding；whereas　the　butter　will　only　add　five　ounces。

As　the　pudding；　made　plain；　weighing　10　1/16　lb。　cost　5　3/8　pence；　the　same　pudding；　with　the　addition　of　one　pound　of　suet；　would　weigh　11　1/16　lb。　and　would　cost　11　1/8　pence；reckoning　the　suet　at　six　pence　the　pound。Hence　it　appears　that　Indian　suet　pudding　may　be　made　in　London　for　about　one　penny　a　pound。　Wheaten　bread；　which　is　by　no　means　so　palatable；　and　certainly　not　half　so　nutritive；　now　costs　something　more　than　three　pence　the　pound：　and　to　this　may　be　added；　that　dry　bread　can　hardly　be　eaten　alone；　but　of　suet　pudding　a　very　comfortable　meal　may　be　made　without　any　thing　else。

A　pudding　in　great　repute　in　all　parts　of　North　America；　is　what　is　called　an　apple　pudding。　This　is　an　Indian　pudding；　sometimes　with；　and　sometimes　without　suet；　with　dried　cuttings　of　sweet　apples　mixed　with　it；　and　when　eaten　with　butter；　it　is　most　delicious　Food。　　These　apples；　which　are　pared　as　soon　as　they　are　gathered　from　the　tree；　and　being　cut　into　small　pieces；　are　freed　from　their　cores；　and　thoroughly　dried　in　the　sun；　may　be　kept　good　for　several　years。　　The　proportions　of　the　ingredients　used　in　making　these　apple　puddings　are　various；　but；　in　general；　about　one　pound　of　dried　apples　is　mixed　with　three　pounds　of　meal；three　quarters　of　a　pound　of　molasses；half　an　ounce　of　salt；　and　five　pints　of　boiling　water。

In　America；　various　kinds　of　berries；　found　wild　in　the　woods；　such　as　huckle…berries；　belberries；　whortle…berries；　etc。　are　gathered　and　dried；　and　afterwards　used　as　ingredients　in　Indian　puddings：　and　dried　cherries　and　plums　may　be　made　use　of　in　the　same　manner。

All　these　Indian　puddings　have　this　advantage　in　common；　that　they　are　very　good　WARMED　UP。They　will　all　keep　good　several　days；　and　when　cut　into　thin　slices　and　toasted；　are　an　excellent　substitute　for　bread。

It　will　doubtless　be　remarked；　that　in　computing　the　expence　of　providing　these　different　kinds　of　puddings；　I　have　taken　no　notice　of　the　expence　which　will　be　necessary　for　fuel　to　cook　them。This　is　an　article　which　ought　undoubtedly　to　be　taken　into　the　account。　　The　reason　of　my　not　doing　it　here　is　this：　Having；　in　the　course　of　my　Experiments　on　Heat；　found　means　to　perform　all　the　common　operations　of　cookery　with　a　surprisingly　small　expence　of　fuel；　I　find　that　the　expence　in　question；　when　the　proper　arrangements　are　made　for　saving　fuel；　will　be　very　trifling。　　And　farther；　as　I　mean　soon　to　publish　my　Treatise　on　the　Management　of　Heat；　in　which　I　shall　give　the　most　ample　directions　relative　to　the　mechanical　arrangements　of　kitchen　fire…places；　and　the　best　forms　for　all　kinds　of　kitchen　utensils；　I　was　desirous　not　to　anticipate　a　subject　which　will　more　naturally　find　its　place　in　another　Essay。In　the　mean　time　I　would　observe；　for　the　satisfaction　of　those　who　may　have　doubts　respecting　the　smallness　of　the　expence　necessary　for　fuel　in　cooking　for　the　Poor；　that　the　result　of　many　experiments；　of　which　I　shall　hereafter　publish　a　particular　account；　has　proved　in　the　most　satisfactory　manner；　that　when　Food　is　prepared　in　large　quantities；　and　cooked　in　kitchens　properly　arranged；　the　expense　for　fuel　ought　never　to　amount　to　more　than　two　per　cent。　of　the　cost　of　the　Food；　even　where　victuals　of　the　cheapest　kind　are　provided；　such　as　is　commonly　used　in　feeding　the　Poor。　In　the　Public　Kitchen　of　the　House　of　Industry　at　Munich　the　expence　for　fuel　is　less　than　one　per　cent。　of　the　cost　of　the　Food；　as　may　be　seen　in　the　computation；　page　206；　Chapter　III。　of　this　Essay：　and　it　ought　not　to　be　greater　in　many　parts　of　Great　Britain。

With　regard　to　the　price　at　which　Indian　Corn　can　be　imported　into　this　country　from　North　America　in　time　of　peace；　the　following　information；　which　I　procured　through　the　medium　of　a　friend；　from　Captain　Scott；　a　most　worthy　man；　who　has　been　constantly　employed　above　thirty　years　as　master　of　a　ship　in　the　trade　between　London　and　Boston　in　the　State　of　Massachusetts；　will　doubtless　be　considered　as　authentic＇19＇。

The　following　are　the　questions　which　were　put　to　him；with　his　answers　to　them：

Q。　　What　is　the　freight；　per　ton；　of　merchandise　from　Boston　in　North　America　to　London　in　time　of　peace？A。　　Forty　shillings　（sterling）。

Q。　　What　is　the　freight；　per　barrel；　of　Indian　Corn？A。　　Five　shillings。

Q。　　How　much　per　cent。　is　paid　for　insurance　from　Boston　to　London　in　time　of　peace？　A。　　Two　per　cent。

Q。　　What　is　the　medium　price　of　Indian　Corn；　per　bushel；　in　New　England？A。　　Two　shillings　and　sixpence。

Q。　　What　is　the　price　of　it　at　this　time？A。　Three　shillings　and　sixpence。

Q。　　How　many　bushels　of　Indian　Corn　are　reckoned　to　a　barrel？　A。　　Four

From　this　account　it　appears　that　Indian　Corn　might；　in　time　of　peace；　be　imported　into　this　country　and　sold　here　for　less　than　four　shillings　the　bushel；and　that　it　ought　not　to　cost　at　this　moment　much　more　than　five　shillings　a　bushel。

If　it　be　imported　in　casks；　（which　is　certainly　the　best　way　of　packing　it；）　as　the　freight　of　a　barrel　containing　four　bushels　is　five　shillings；　this　gives　1s。　3d。　a　bushel　for　freight；　and　if　we　add　one　penny　a　bushel　for　insurance；　this　will　make　the　amount　of　freight　and　insurance　1s。　4d。　which；　added　to　the　prime　cost　of　the　Corn　in　America；　（2s。　6d。　per　bushel　in　the　time　of　peace；　and　3s。　6d。　at　this　time；）　will　bring　it　to　3s。　10d。　per　bushel　in　time　of　peace；　and　4s。　10d　at　this　present　moment。

A　bushel　of　Indian　Corn　of　the　growth　of　New　England　was　found　to　weigh　61　lb。；　but　we　will　suppose　it　to　weigh　at　a　medium　only　60　lb。　per　bushel；　and　we　will　also　suppose　that　to　each　bushel　of　Corn　when　ground　there　is　9　lb。　of　bran；　which　is　surely　a　very　large　allowance；　and　1　lb。　of　waste　in　grinding　and　sifting；　this　will　le