essays-1-第52章
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Samp； which is here recommended； is a dish said to have been invented by the savages of North America； who have no Corn…mills。 It is Indian Corn deprived of its external coat by soaking it ten or twelve hours in a lixivium of water and wood…ashes。 This coat； or husk； being separated from the kernel； rises to the surface of the water； while the grain； which is specifically heavier than water； remains at the bottom of the vessel； which grain； thus deprived of its hard coat of armour； is boiled； or rather simmered for a great length of time； two days for instance； in a kettle of water placed near the fire。When sufficiently cooked； the kernels will be found to be swelled to a great size and burst open； and this Food； which is uncommonly sweet and nourishing； may be used in a great variety of ways； but the best way of using it is to mix it with milk； and with soups； and broths； as a substitute for bread。 It is even better than bread for these purposes； for besides being quite as palatable as the very best bread； as it is less liable than bread to grow too soft when mixed with these liquids； without being disagreeably hard； it requires more mastication； and consequently tends more to increase and prolong the pleasure of eating。
The Soup which may be prepared with the quantities of ingredients mentioned in the foregoing Receipt will be sufficient for 64 portions； and the cost of these ingredients will be as follows：
Pence。 For 5 lb。 of Barley…meal； at 1 1/2 pence； the ＇ Barley being reckoned at the present ＇ very high price of it in this country； viz ＇。。。 7 1/2 5s。 6d。 per bushel ＇ 5 lb。 of Indian Corn； at 1 1/4 pence the pound 。。。 6 1/4 4 red herrings 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 3 Vinegar。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 1 Salt 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 1 Pepper and sweet herbs 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 。。。 2 … Total 20 3/4 …
This sum； （20 3/4 pence；） divided by 64； the number of portions of Soup； gives something less than ONE THIRD OF A PENNY for the cost of each portion。But at the medium price of Barley in Great Britain； and of Indian Corn as it may be afforded here； I am persuaded that this Soup may be provided at one farthing the portion of 20 ounces。
There is another kind of Soup in great repute among the poor people； and indeed among the opulent farmers； in Germany； which would not come much higher。This is what is called burnt Soup； or as I should rather call it； brown Soup； and it is prepared in the following manner：
Receipt for making BROWN SOUP。
Take a small piece of butter and put it over the fire in a clean frying…pan made of iron （not copper； for that metal used for this purpose would be poisonous）； put to it a few spoonfuls of wheat or rye meal；stir the whole about briskly with a broad wooden spoon； or rather knife； with a broad and thin edge； till the butter has disappeared； and the meal is uniformly of a deep brown colour； great care being taken； by stirring it continually； to prevent the meal from being burned to the pan。
A very small quantity of this roasted meal； （perhaps half an ounce in weight would be sufficient；） being put into a sauce…pan and boiled with a pint and a quarter of water； forms a portion of Soup； which； when seasoned with salt； pepper； and vinegar； and eaten with bread cut fine； and mixed with it at the moment when it is served up； makes a kind of Food by no means unpalatable； and which is said to be very wholesome。
As this Soup may be prepared in a very short time； an instant being sufficient for boiling it； and as the ingredients for making it are very cheap； and may be easily transported； this Food is much used in Bavaria by our wood…cutters； who go into the mountains far from any habitations to fell wood。 Their provisions for a week； （the time they commonly remain in the mountains；） consist of a large loaf of rye bread （which； as it does not so soon grow dry and stale as wheaten bread； is always preferred to it）； a linen bag containing a small quantity of roasted meal；another small bag of salt；and a small wooden box containing some pounded black pepper；with a small frying…pan of hammered iron； about ten or eleven inches in diameter； which serves them both as an utensil for cooking； and as a dish for containing the victuals when cooked。They sometimes； but not often； take with them a small bottle of vinegar；but black…pepper is an ingredient in brown Soup which is never omitted。Two table…spoonfuls of roasted meal is quite enough to make a good portion of Soup for one person； and the quantity of butter necessary to be used in roasting this quantity of meal is very small； and will cost very little。One ounce of butter would be sufficient for roasting eight ounces of meal； and if half an ounce of roasted meal is sufficient for making one portion of Soup； the butter will not amount to more than 1/10 of an ounce； and； at eight pence the pound； will cost only 1/32 of a penny； or 1/8 of a farthing。The cost of the meal for a portion of this Soup is not much more considerable。 If it be rye meal； （which is said to be quite as good for roasting as the finest wheat flour；） it will not cost； in this country； even now when grain is so dear； more than 1 1/2d。 per pound； 1/2 an ounce； therefore； the quantity required for one portion of the Soup； would cost only 6/32 of a farthing；and the meal and butter together no more than （1/8 ＋ 6/32） = 10/32； or something less than 1/3 of a farthing。If to this sum we add the cost of the ingredients used to season the Soup； namely； for salt； pepper and vinegar； allowing for them as much as the amount of the cost of the butter and the meal； or 1/3 of a farthing； this will give 2/3 of a farthing for the cost of the ingredients used in preparing one portion of this Soup； but as the bread which is eaten with it is an expensive article； this Food will not； upon the whole； be cheaper than the Soup just mentioned； and it is certainly neither so nourishing nor so wholesome。
Brown Soup might； however； on certain occasions； be found to be useful。 As it is so soon cooked； and as the ingredients for making it are so easily prepared； preserved； and transported from place to place； it might be useful to travellers； and to soldiers on a march。 And though it can hardly be supposed to be of itself very nourishing； yet it is possible it may render the bread eaten with it not only more nutritive； but also more wholesome； and it certainly renders it more savoury and palatable。It is the common breakfast of the peasants in Bavaria； and it is infinitely preferable； in all respects； to that most pernicious wash； TEA； with which the lower classes of the inhabitants of this island drench their stomachs； and ruin their constitutions。
When tea is mixed with a sufficient quantity of sugar and good cream；when it is taken with a large quantity of bread and butter； or with toast and boiled eggs；and above all；WHEN IT IS NOT DRANK TOO HOT； it is certainly less unwholesome； but a simple infusion of this drug； drank boiling hot； as the Poor usually take it； is certainly a poison which； though it is sometimes slow in its operation； never fails to produce very fatal effects； even in the strongest constitution； where the free use of it is continued for a considerable length of time。
Of Rye Bread
The prejudice in this island against bread made of Rye； is the more extraordinary； as in many parts of the country no other kind of bread is used； and as the general use of it in many parts of Europe； for ages； has proved it to be perfectly wholesome。 In those countries where it is in common use； many persons prefer it to bread made of the best wheat flour； and though wheaten bread is commonly preferred to it； yet I am persuaded that the general dislike of it； where it is not much in use； is more owing to its being BADLY PREPARED； or not well baked； than to any thing else。
As an account of some experiments upon baking Rye Bread； which were made under my immediate care and inspection
