_Mode_.--Select some fine truffles; cleanse them, by washing them in
several waters with a brush, until not a particle of sand or grit
remains on them; wrap each truffle in buttered paper, and bake in a hot
oven for quite an hour; take off the paper, wipe the truffles, and serve
them in a hot napkin.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_.--Not often bought in this country.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
[Illustration: TRUFFLES.]
THE COMMON TRUFFLE.--This is the _Tuber cibarium_ of science,
and belongs to that numerous class of esculent fungi
distinguished from other vegetables not only by the singularity
of their forms, but by their chemical composition. Upon
analysis, they are found not only to contain the usual
components of the vegetable kingdom, such as carbon, oxygen, and
hydrogen, but likewise a large proportion of nitrogen; from
which they approach more nearly to the nature of animal flesh.
It was long ago observed by Dr. Darwin, that all the mushrooms
cooked at our tables, as well as those used for ketchup,
possessed an animal flavour; and soup enriched by mushrooms only
has sometimes been supposed to contain meat.
TO DRESS TRUFFLES WITH CHAMPAGNE.