The different articles employed as seasonings in kitchen work are comprised of salt, spices, aromatics, butter, fat, vinegar, oil and mustard. Salt is without exception the most indispensable seasoning; it removes the insipid taste from meats, vegetables and all other eatables. It excites the appetite and helps digestion, but of course must be used with judgment, for too much is apt to make it unhealthy. Coarse salt is the one to be used for cooking boiled meats and vegetables. Finely pulverized white salt is for table use and the one used in kitchens for seasoning is merely crushed and sifted purified salt. Spices are of different kinds; they are void of nutritious properties and are only for the purpose of improving the taste of various foods. They are composed of common black and white pepper, cayenne pepper; then come the weaker spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and coriander. For seasoning, common raw pepper, ground only when ready to use is both agreeable and a tonic, but as much cannot be said for pepper cooked in stews, sauces or soups, for it loses its aroma while cooking and therefore only the acridity remains.

Peppers that do not deteroriate while cooking are paprika (a Hungarian product), and red pepper; these both give a most agreeable flavor to stews and sauces, increasing as the cooking proceeds, and either of them arc agreeable to the taste and a tonic without producing any irritating results.

Aromatics

Among the most aromatic plants used in the kitchen must be mentioned bay leaf, marjoram, chives, sage, thyme, wild thyme, savory, tarragon, pimpernel, chervil, pepper-cress. parsley, onion, shallot, garlic and horseradish root. Some of these are used in a dry state, others-in a fresh, and both are employed in numerous preparations. They can be used in sautes, braizes, in sauces and even in soups. The action of these aromatics on the general health is only injurious when indulged in injudiciously or in too large quantities, but when employed with a certain reserve, they are both healthy, stimulating and agreeable.

Curry, The Best, Comes From India

An imitation curry is made of one ounce of coriander seeds, two ounces of cayenne, a quarter of an ounce of cardamon seeds, one ounce salt, two ounces of tumeric, one ounce ginger, half an ounce of mace and a third of an ounce of saffron.

Prepared Red Pepper is made with paprika (Hungarian red pepper), and Spanish sweet pimentos mixed in equal quantities. In case paprika cannot be had use quarter cayenne pepper and three-quarters Spanish pimentos.

Spices

Before grinding spices be careful that they are the freshest; grind each kind separately and sift them through a silk sieve, then mix thoroughly and put them into hermetically closed bottles, and set these in a cool place (they are only to be mixed when ready to use).

Spices For Bread Stuffing

Two ounces of sage, one ounce of marjoram, half an ounce of cayenne pepper, half an ounce of allspice, one ounce of thyme, two ounces of white pepper, a quarter of an ounce of nutmeg, and half an ounce of finely minced green celery leaf.

Spices For Game Pies And Galantines

One pound of cinnamon, one pound of nutmeg, one pound of cloves, one pound of whole peppers, three ounces of cayenne pepper, three ounces of sweet Spanish pepper, three ounces of thyme and three ounces of bay leaf. These spices should be mixed in the proportion of one ounce to a pound of salt.

Spices For General Use

Two ounces of cinnamon, two ounces of nutmeg, two ounces of cloves, two ounces of white pepper, twelve ounces of prepared red pepper, four ounces of mace, two ounces of thyme, two ounces of sage, two ounces of marjoram, two ounces of rosemary. One ounce of spices to two pounds of salt.

Spices For Turtle Soup

Two ounces of curry, half an ounce of thyme, two ounces dry mushrooms, half an ounce of sage, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half an ounce garden citron, half an ounce of basil, half an ounce marjoram, half of the peel of a chopped lemon, two ounces of white pepper. These aromatics and spices are used when there is no time to prepare a stock, or when preserved turtle has to be used. Two ounces of spices to one pound of salt.

Spices For Goose Liver Patties (Pate De Foies Gras)

Four ounces of nutmeg, four ounces of cloves, four ounces of basil, four of marjoram, four of thyme, two and a half ounces of black pepper, three ounces of white pepper, two and one-third ounces of bay leaf, two and a half ounces of mace. two and a half ounces of ginger, two and a third of coriander seeds, one and two-thirds ounce of sweet pepper. One ounce of these mixed spices to every two pounds of salt.