SOUPS
Bean Porridge
Pick over and wash two-thirds of a cupful of white beans. Put on the back of the stove in cold water. Let these boil slowly, while the dinner is cooking. When the boiled dinner has been taken up, put these beans into the liquor in which the dinner was cooked. Boil one hour. Wet three tablespoonfuls of flour with water, and stir in while boiling, to thicken. Serve hot, adding a little milk, if you like.
Connecticut Clam Chowder
| 3 or 4 Slices of Salt Pork | 1 Teaspoonful of Parsley |
| 3 Potatoes | 25 Soft-shelled Clams |
| ½ Onion | 1 Quart of Water |
| 1 Cupful of Tomatoes | Salt and Pepper |
| 3 Crackers | 1 Cupful of Milk |
Massachusetts Clam Chowder
| 3 Quarts of Clams | 8 Boston Crackers |
| 6 Medium-sized Potatoes | 4 Slices of Salt Pork |
| 1 Small Onion |
Wash the clams clean, put them on the stove to cook, with one pint of cold water. Boil until the shells burst open. Remove from the stove, pour the clam liquor into an earthen dish and set away to settle. When the clams have cooled a little, pick them from the shells, remove the night-caps, cut off the head, to the shoulders, washing each clam. Cut three or four slices of fat salt pork and fry in the bottom of a kettle, with half an onion. Skim these from the fat, pour in the clam liquor, add a little hot water. When this boils, add the raw potatoes, which have been pared and sliced thin, and cook until tender. Split the crackers open and soak till soft in milk or water. Add these and the clams to the potatoes. Cook ten minutes, then add a quart of milk and salt, if needed. Do not let it boil after adding the milk. Serve hot. This is very delicious.
New England Fish Chowder
| 4 Slices of Fat Salt Pork | 2 or 3 Pounds of Fresh |
| 6 or 8 Potatoes | Haddock or Codfish |
| 1 Small Onion | 8 Boston Crackers |
Fry the salt pork, with the onion, in the bottom of a kettle, skim from the fat, and pour in about a quart of water. Slice the potatoes thin, after they have been washed and pared. Make alternate layers of fish and potatoes, seasoning each layer with pepper and salt. Cook until both are tender. Then put in the split crackers, which have been soaked in milk or water, as for clam chowder. Cook for ten minutes. Pour in a quart of milk, add a small piece of butter and serve hot.
Lamb Broth
| 2 Pounds of Fore-Quarter | 1 Tablespoonful of Salt |
| of Lamb | 1 Teaspoonful of Sage |
| ⅔ Cupful of Rice | Leaves |
Put the lamb into a kettle, cover with cold water, add the salt and cook three hours. As the water boils away, add more. Wash the rice, allowing three-fourths of an hour to cook; put in the sage, about fifteen minutes before serving, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour, wet in two-thirds of a cupful of water. The sage may be left out if preferred.
A Good Oyster Stew
| 25 Oysters | Butter |
| 1 Teaspoonful of Flour | Salt |
| 1 Quart of Milk |
Take twenty-five oysters, with their liquor and put these into an agate dish on the stove with salt to taste, in a pint of cold water. Boil five minutes. Stir into this one heaping teaspoonful of flour, which has been wet with two tablespoonfuls of cold water. Add one quart of milk. Let it come to a boil, but be sure not to have it boil. Remove from the fire, and add a piece of butter the size of an egg. This is sufficient for eight people.
Potato Soup
| 4 Potatoes | Piece of Butter size of an |
| 3 Pints of Milk | Egg |
| Small piece of Onion |
Take four large potatoes, boil until done and mash smooth, adding butter and salt to taste. Heat the milk in a double boiler, cook the onion in it a few minutes and then remove. Pour the milk slowly on the potato, strain, heat and serve immediately. Thicken with one tablespoonful of flour.