quart of mushroom-liquor 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1/2 oz. of allspice, 1/2
oz. of ginger, 2 blades of pounded mace.
_Mode_.--Choose full-grown mushroom-flaps, and take care they are
perfectly _fresh-gathered_ when the weather is tolerably dry; for, if
they are picked during very heavy rain, the ketchup from which they are
made is liable to get musty, and will not keep long. Put a layer of them
in a deep pan, sprinkle salt over them, and then another layer of
mushrooms, and so on alternately. Let them remain for a few hours, when
break them up with the hand; put them in a nice cool place for 3 days,
occasionally stirring and mashing them well, to extract from them as
much juice as possible. Now measure the quantity of liquor without
straining, and to each quart allow the above proportion of spices, &c.
Put all into a stone jar, cover it up very closely, put it in a saucepan
of boiling water, set it over the fire, and let it boil for 3 hours.
Have ready a nice clean stewpan; turn into it the contents of the jar,
and let the whole simmer very gently for 1/2 hour; pour it into a jug,
where it should stand in a cool place till the next day; then pour it
off into another jug, and strain it into very dry clean bottles, and do
not squeeze the mushrooms. To each pint of ketchup add a few drops of
brandy. Be careful not to shake the contents, but leave all the sediment
behind in the jug; cork well, and either seal or rosin the cork, so as
perfectly to exclude the air. When a very clear bright ketchup is
wanted, the liquor must be strained through a very fine hair-sieve, or
flannel bag, _after_ it has been very gently poured off; if the
operation is not successful, it must be repeated until you have quite a
clear liquor. It should be examined occasionally, and if it is spoiling,
should be reboiled with a few peppercorns.
_Seasonable_ from the beginning of September to the middle of October,
when this ketchup should be made.
_Note_.--This flavouring ingredient, if genuine and well prepared, is
one of the most useful store sauces to the experienced cook, and no
trouble should be spared in its preparation. Double ketchup is made by
reducing the liquor to half the quantity; for example, 1 quart must be
boiled down to 1 pint. This goes farther than ordinary ketchup, as so
little is required to flavour a good quantity of gravy. The sediment may
also be bottled for immediate use, and will be found to answer for
flavouring thick soups or gravies.
HOW TO DISTINGUISH MUSHROOMS FROM TOADSTOOLS.--The cultivated
mushroom, known as _Agaricus campestris_, may be distinguished
from other poisonous kinds of fungi by its having pink or
flesh-coloured gills, or under-side, and by its invariably
having an agreeable smell, which the toadstool has not. When
young, mushrooms are like a small round button, both the stalk
and head being white. As they grow larger, they expand their
heads by degrees into a flat form, the gills underneath being at
first of a pale flesh-colour, but becoming, as they stand
longer, dark brown or blackish. Nearly all the poisonous kinds
are brown, and have in general a rank and putrid smell. Edible
mushrooms are found in closely-fed pastures, but seldom grow in
woods, where most of the poisonous sorts are to be found.
TO DRY MUSHROOMS.