On a Pinch of Flour

Ingredients

• three first arrangements
• two last it is not a bad substitute
• one thing in flavouring the milk
• pepper

Directions

1. This is the simplest form of melted butter, which may he varied in several ways, viz. :

2. 1. Beat up the yolk of an egg and the juice of half a lemon, strain, and stir them in just before serving, off tlie fire. The result is what is called sauce blanche.

3. 2. Use milk, or milk and water, instead of water.

4. 3. Beat up the yolk of an egg with a little cream, and stir (off the fire) into the melted butter just before serving.

5. 4. Throw in, just before serving, some fennel, minced fine, or some chervil, picked out in little leaflets, or parsley minced fine, or capers chopped up. Caper sauce made with whole capers is, I think, a mistake.

6. These additions are also compatible with the three first arrangements.

7. 5. Let the butter and flour get a good brown colour, then add water, and — when the sauce is made — Worcester Sauce, catsup, pepper, and other spices and condiments to taste.

8. 6. Stir into plain melted butter, after it is made, a sufficient quantity of anchovy sauce.

9. 7. Cut up some onions and shallots, and a very small piece of garlic, boil them in milk, with whole pepper, mace, a few cloves, and some parsley. When the mixture is well flavoured, strain and use the milk instead of water to make your sauce; egg and lemon may be added if wished. Without these two last it is not a bad substitute for onion sauce. Fillets of soles, boiled in the flavoured milk, and served with the sauce over them, are not bad eating. The great rock to be avoided is excess of any one thing in flavouring the milk, chiefly in the spice line.

10. 8. For puddings and sweet dishes melted butter is made in the same way — except that the salt is replaced by sugar, in larger quantities of course — and should be