Lean , juicy Beef , Mutton , and Veal form the basis of all good soups ; therefore it is advisable to procure those pieces which afford the richest succulence , and such as are fresh killed ,stale meat renders soups bad , and fat is not well adapted for making them .

The principal art in composing good rich soup is so to proportion the several ingredients that the flavour of one shall not predominate over another, and that all the articles of which it is composed shall form an agreeable whole .

Care must be taken that the roots and herbs are perfectly well cleaned , and that the water is proportioned to the quantity of meat and other ingredients , allowing a quart of water to a pound of meat for soups , and half that quantity for gravies .

In making soups or gravies , gentle stewing or simmering is absolutely necessary , it may be remarked , more over  , that a really good soup can never  be made but in a well closed vessel , although , perhaps , greater wholesomeness is obtained by an occasional exposure to the air .

Soups will , in general , take from four to six hours doing , and are much better prepared the day before they are wanted .

When the soup is cold , the fat may be easilly and compleatly removed ; and in pouring it off , care must be taken not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the vessel , which are so fine that they will escape through a sieve .

Avery fine hair sieve or cloth is the best strainer , and if the soup is strained while it is hot , let the tamis or clothbe previously soaked in cold water .

Clear soups must be perfectly transparent , and thickened soups about the consistancy of cream , to obtain a really clear and transparent soup , it is requisite to continue skimming the liqouruntil there is not a particle of scum remaining , this being commenced immediately after the wateris added to the meat .

To thicken and give body to soups and gravies , potato , mucilage , arrowroot , bread-raspings , isinglass , flour and butter , barley , rice or oatmeal are used .A piece  of boiled beef pounded to a pulp , with a bit of butter and flour , and rubbed through a sieve  , and gradually incorperated with the soup , will be found an excellent addition .

When soups and gravies are kept from day to day in hot weather , they should be warmed up every day , put into fresh scalded pans or tureens , and placed in a cool larder , in temperate weather , every other day may be sufficient .

Stock made from meat only , keeps good longer than boiled with vegetables , the latter being liable to turn the mixture sour , particulary in very warm weather .

                                                               STOCK               

Ingredients --:  3 lbs. shin of beef , 3 lbs. knuckle of veal , 1/4 lb. lean ham , any poultry trimmings , 2 oz. butter, 3 0nions , 3 carrots , 2 turnips (the latter should be ommited in summer, lest they ferment ) m 1 head of celery , a few chopped mushrooms when obtainable , 1 tomato , a bunch of savoury herbs , not forgetting parsley ; 1 1/2 oz. salt , 3 lumps sugar , 112 white peppercorns , 6 cloves , 3 small blades mace , 4 quarts water

Mode---: Melt the butter in a delicately clean stewpan , put the ham cut in thin broad slices , trimming off all its rusty fat ; cut the beef and veal in pieces about 3 inches square , and lay them on the ham ; set it on the stove , and stir frequently .

When the meat is browned , put in the beef and veal bones , the poultry trimmings , and pour in the cold water , skim well , and occasionally add a little cold water , to stop its boiling , until it becomes quite clear ; then put in the other ingredients , and simmer slowly for 5 hours .

Strain throygh a very fine sieve or cloth  ,and the stock will be ready for use the next day .

Time -: 5 hours  avrage cost 1s. 6d. per quart         1891 prices

                                          SOUP FROM KANGAROO TAILS 

Ingredients --: 2 tails , 1 lb. of gravy beef , 3 carrots , 3 onions , a bunch of herbs , salt and pepper , butter , water

Mode --: Cut the tails into joints , and fry brown in butter , slice the vegetables and fry them also , put tail and vegetables into a stewpan with the meat cut in slices , and 3 quarts of water and boil , then simmer for 4 hours , take out the pieces of tail , strain the stock , thicken it with flour , add a little colouring if not brown enough , then put back the the pieces of tail , and boil up for another 10 minutes

Time --; 4 to 5 hours                 Sufficient for 8 persons

                                                           EEL SOUP

Ingredients ---: 3 lbs. eels , 1 onion , 2 oz. butter , 3 blades mace , 1 bunch sweet herbs , 1/4 oz. peppercorns , salt  to taste , 2 tabblespoons flour , 1/4 pint cream , 2 quarts water

Mode ---: Was the eels , cut them into thin slices , and put them in the stewpan with the butter ; simmer for a few minutes and pour in the water .

Add the onions cut in thin slices , the herbs , mace , and seasoning .

Simmer till the eels are tender .

Take them out carefully , mix the flour to a batter with the cream , bring it to a boil , pour over the eels and serve

Time -: rather more than 1 hour , Seasonable from June to March , Sufficient for 8 persons

Note-: The cream may be ommited and the soup flavoured with a little ketchup or Harvey's sauce

                                                           BEEF GRAVY  

Ingredients --: 1/2 lb. lean beef , 1 pint cold water , 1 shallot or small onion , 1/2 teaspoonful salt , a little pepper , 1 tablespoonful Harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup , 1/2 teaspoonful arrowroot

Mode --: Cut the beef up into small pieces , and put it , with the water, into a stewpan , add the shallots and the seasoning , and simmer gently for 33 hours

A short time before it is required mix the arrowroot with a little cold water , and pour it into the gravy , keep it stirring , adding the Harvey's sauce , and just letting it boil

Strain off  the gravy into a tureen , and serve

Time --: 3 hours             Cost --: 6 d. per pint 

                                                         SHRIMP SAUCE     

Ingredients --: 1/3 pint melted butter , 1/4 pint pickled shrimp , cayenne to taste

Mode --: NMake the melted butter very smoothly ; shell the shrimp and put them into the butter, season with cayenne , and let the sauce just simmer , a teaspoon of anchovy sauce may be added

Time --: About 1 minute to simmer    Cost --: 7 d.    Sufficient for 3 to 4 persons

                                                                     POTTED BEANS

Ingredients ---: 1/2 pint of Haricot beans , 2 oz. of greated bread-crumbs , 2 oz. of  butter , 2 oz. of strong cheese grated , cayenne , salt , pepper , and nutmeg to taste .

Mode ---: Bake the beans in a slow oven , pound them smooth in a mortar , adding the other ingredients gradually.

Put into pots , and run a little melted butter over them, this makes very good sandwiches between thin slices of buttered bread or toast                                        

                                                           COCK-A-LEEKIE

Ingredients ----: A capon or large fowl , trussed for boiling , 2 or 3 bunches of leeks , 5 quarts medium stock , salt and pepper

Mode ---: Well wash the leeks (if old , scald them) , taking off the roots and part of  the heads , and cut them into lengths of about an inch .

Put the fowl into the stock with , at first one half the leeks , and simmer gently, in half an hour add the remaining leeks and simmer for 3 or 4 hours longer .

Skim carefully and season to taste .

In serving take out the fowl and carve it neatly , placing the pieces in the tureen and pouring over them the soup, which should be very thick with leeks .

Time -: 4 hours   Sufficient for 10 persons

                                                                       MINT SAUCE 

Ingredients --: 4 dessertspoonfuls chopped mint , 2 dessertspoonfuls pounded white sugar , 1/4 pint vinegar

Mode --: Wash the mint , which should be young and fresh gathered , free from grit ; pick the leaves from the stalks , min ce them very fine , and put into a tureen ; add the sugar and the vinegar , and stir till the former is dissolved, this sauce is better by being made 2 or 3 hours before wanted for table , by many persons , the above proportion of sugar would not be concidered sufficient

                                MELTED BUTTER MADE WITH MILK 

Ingredients --: 1 teaspoonful flour , 2 oz. butter , 1/3 pint milk , a few grains salt

M0de --: Mix the butter and flour smoothly together on a plate ; put it into a lined saucepan , and pour in the milk , keep stirring it one way over a sharp fire ; let it boil quickly for a minute or two , and it is ready to serve

                                                          CRANBERRY SAUCE  

Ingredients --: A quart of cranberries ,  1/2 pint of water  , white sugar to taste

Mode --: Having washed the cranberries carefully , put them in a lined saucepan with justenough watr to cover them , let them stew very slowly for an hour or more , till reduced to a pulp , stirring them often , take them off the fire and put them in a wetted mould or small jars to cool , serve in a small glass dish , with roast turkey , duck or game , as we serve current jelly with mutton or hare

Time --: about an hour

                                                                   CLAM SOUP 

Ingredients --: 3 doz. small clams , 3 oz. of butter , 1 quart of milk , a tablespoonful of rice flour , 12 whole peppers , a few blades of mace , 1 pint of water , salt and pepper to taste

Mode --: Open the clams by pouring hot water over them in a large shallow pan ; as they open take them out , saving the liquor , put this with the water and seasonings over the fire , and let it boil 10 minutes , then put in the clams and boil fast for 1/2 an hour , make the flour into a paste with the butter , and heat the milk to scalding , add these and boil another 10 minutes

Time --: 1 hour         Sufficient for 8 persons