4 oz. leg beef
2 oz. drippings (fat)
8 oz. flour
1/2 oz. brown sugar
2 gallons water
onions
turnip parings
celery tops
little salt
She signed it:
According to Larry Bickford, it was developed by a London chef named
Alexis Soyer. He says, "It was determined, even in those days, to be non-life-sustaining,
but did the English really care? I found the recipe at the Famine Museum
in Strokestown Park, County Roscommon, Ireland. It's also discussed in
Paddy's Lament, by Thomas Gallagher, among others. In both cases,
the ingredients appear to be identical."
The straits to which the poor Irish are put for what is termed 'kitchen'
-- that is some liquid that
enables them to dilute and swallow the dry potatoes -- are grievous
to think of. An Irishman in his
miserable cabin will often feel glad to have salt and water in which
to dip it, but egg milk is absolute
comfort.
(From William Carleton's short story "Ned M'Keown", from the book Traits
& Stories of the Irish
Peasantry, Volume 1. Colin Smythe Limited. First published in 1844.)
Egg milk is made as follows: A measure of water is put down suited to
the number of the family; the
poor woman then takes the proper number of eggs, which she beats up,
and, when the water is
boiling, pours it in, stirring it well for a couple of minutes. It
is then made, and handed round in
wooden noggins, every one salting for themselves. In colour it resembles
milk, which accounts for its
name. From William Carleton's short story "Ned M'Keown", from the book
Traits & Stories of the Irish
Peasantry, Volume 1. Colin Smythe Limited. First published in 1844.)
Our readers must have heard of the old and well-known luxury of "potatoes
and point," which,
humorous as it is, scarcely falls short of the truth. An Irish family,
of the cabin class, hangs up in the
chimney a herring, or "small taste" of bacon, and as the national imagination
is said to be strong, each
individual points the potato he is going to eat, at it, upon the principle,
I suppose, of 'crede et habes.'
It is generally said that the act communicates the flavour of the herring
or bacon, as the case may be,
to the potato; and this is called "potato and point."
From William Carleton's short story "Ned M'Keown", from the book Traits
& Stories of the Irish
Peasantry, Volume 1. Colin Smythe Limited. First published in 1844.)
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