t weighs ten pounds, should be boiled four or five hours; if
very salt, the water should be changed. Before it is put on the table,
take off the rind. If you wish to ornament it, put whole cloves, or
pepper, in the form of diamonds, over it. The Virginia method of curing
hams, (which is considered very superior), is to dissolve two ounces of
salt-petre, two tea spoonsful of saleratus, in a salt pickle, as strong
as possible, for every sixteen pounds of ham, add molasses in the
proportion of a gallon to a hogshead of brine, then put in the hams, and
let them remain three or four weeks. Then take them out of the brine,
and smoke them with the hocks downwards, to preserve the juices. They
will smoke tolerably well, in the course of a month, but they will be
much better, to remain in the smoke-house two or three months. Hams
cured in this manner are very fine flavored, and will keep good a long
time.

33. _Tongues._

Cut off the roots of the tongues, they are not good smoked, but they
make nice pies. Take out the pipes and veins, boil them till tender,
mince them fine, season the meat with salt, cloves, mace, and cinnamon,
put in a little sugar and molasses, moisten the whole with brandy, put
it in a cool place, and it will keep good several months in cold
weather, and is good to make pies of at any time, with the addition of
apples chopped fine, and a little butter melted. For the remainder of
the tongues, make a brine in the following manner--to a gallon of cold
water, put a quart of rock salt, an ounce of salt-petre, quarter of a
pound of sugar, and a couple of table spoonsful of blown salt. Put in
the tongues, let them remain in it a week, and then smoke them eight or
ten days.

34. _Curries._

Chickens, pigeons, mutton chops, lobsters and veal, all make good
curries. If the curry dish is to be made of fowls, they should be
jointed. Boil the meat till tender, in just sufficient water to cover
it, and add a little salt. Just before the meat is boiled enough to take
up, fry three or four slices of pork till brown--take them up, and put
in the chickens. Let them brown, then add part of the liquor in which
they were boiled, one or two tea spoonsful of curry powder, and the
fried pork. Mix a tea spoonful of curry powder with a tea cup of boiled
rice, or a little flour and water mixed--turn it on to the curry, and
let it stew a few minutes.

35. _Chicken Pie._

Joint the chickens, which should be young and tende