t and fresh gathered. Full-grown flaps are to be preferred.
Put a layer of these at the bottom of a deep earthen pan, and sprinkle
them with salt; then another layer of mushrooms, and some more salt on
them, and so on, alternately, salt and mushrooms; let them remain two or
three hours, by which time the salt will have penetrated the mushrooms,
and rendered them easy to break; then pound them in a mortar, or mash
them well with your hands, and let them remain for a couple of days, not
longer, stirring them up, and mashing them well each day; then pour them
into a stone jar, and to each quart add an ounce and a half of whole
black pepper, and half an ounce of allspice; stop the jar very close,
and set in a stewpan of boiling water, and keep it boiling for two hours
at least.

Take out the jar, and pour the juice, clear from the settlings, through
a hair sieve (without squeezing the mushrooms), into a clean stewpan;
let it boil very gently for half an hour. Those who are for superlative
ketchup, will continue the boiling till the mushroom juice is reduced to
half the quantity. There are several advantages attending this
concentration: it will keep much better, and only half the quantity
required; so you can flavor sauce, &c., without thinning it; neither is
this an extravagant way of making it, for merely the aqueous part is
evaporated. Skim it well, and pour it into a clean dry jar or jug; cover
it close, and let it stand in a cool place till next day; then pour it
off as gently as possible (so as not to disturb the settlings at the
bottom of the jug), through a tamis or thick flannel bag, till it is
perfectly clear; add a tablespoonful of good brandy to each pint of
ketchup, and let it stand as before; a fresh sediment will be deposited,
from which the ketchup is to be quietly poured off and bottled in pints
or half pints (which have been washed in brandy or spirits). It is best
to keep it in such quantities as are soon used.

Take especial care that it is closely corked and sealed down. If kept in
a cool dry place, it may be preserved for a long time; but if it be
badly corked, and kept in a damp place, it will soon spoil.

Examine it from time to time, by placing a strong light behind the neck
of the bottle, and if any pellicle appears about it, boil it up again
with a few peppercorns.

SUPERLATIVE SAUCE.

Who praises, in this _sauce enamor'd_ age,
Calm, healthful temperance, like an Indian sage?