ter, with a little salt. Allow as much as a quart of water to a
tea-cup of rice, as it absorbs the water very much while boiling. Boil
it seventeen minutes; then turn the water off very close; set the pot
over a few coals, and let it steam fifteen minutes with the lid of the
pot off. The beauty of rice boiled in this way, is, that each kernel
stands out by itself, while it is quite tender. Great care is necessary
to be used in the time of boiling and steaming it, as a few moments
variation in the time, makes a great deal of difference in the looks of
it. The water should boil hard when the rice is put in, and not suffered
to stop boiling, till turned off to have the rice steamed. The water
that the rice is boiled in, makes good starch for muslin, if boiled a
few minutes by itself.

119. _Directions for Pickling._

Vinegar for pickling should be good, but not of the sharpest kind. Brass
utensils should be used for pickling. They should be thoroughly cleaned
before using, and no vinegar should be allowed to cool in them, as the
rust formed by so doing is very poisonous. Boil alum and salt in the
vinegar, in the proportion of half a tea cup of salt, and a table
spoonful of alum, to three gallons of vinegar. Stone and wooden vessels
are the only kinds of utensils that are good to keep pickles in. Vessels
that have had any grease in will not do for pickles, as no washing will
kill the grease that the pot has absorbed. All kinds of pickles should
be stirred up occasionally. If there is any soft ones among them, they
should be taken out, the vinegar scalded, and turned back while hot--if
very weak, throw it away, and use fresh vinegar. Whenever any scum
rises, the vinegar needs scalding. If you do not wish to have all your
pickles spiced, it is a good plan to keep a stone pot of spiced vinegar
by itself, and put in a few of your pickles a short time before they are
to be eaten.

120. _To Pickle Peppers._

Procure those that are fresh and green. If you do not like them very
fiery, cut a small slit in them, and take the seeds out carefully with a
small knife, so as not to mangle the pepper. Soak them in salt and
water, eight or nine days, changing the water each day. Keep them in a
warm place. If you like them stuffed, chop white cabbage fine, season it
highly with cloves, cinnamon, mace, and fill the peppers with it--add
nasturtions if you like--sew them up carefully, and put them in cold
spiced vinegar. Tomatoes when v