d strain the eggs to the
pudding, stir these in, and add just sufficient milk to make it mix
properly. Tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put it into boiling water,
and boil for at least 5 hours. Serve with a sprig of holly placed in the
middle of the pudding, and a little pounded sugar sprinkled over it.

_Time_.--5 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 9 or 10 children. _Seasonable_ at Christmas.

RAISINS.--Raisins are grapes, prepared by suffering them to
remain on the vine until they are perfectly ripe, and then
drying them in the sun or by the heat of an oven. The sun-dried
grapes are sweet, the oven-dried of an acid flavour. The common
way of drying grapes for raisins is to tie two or three bunches
of them together, whilst yet on the vine, and dip them into a
hot lixivium of wood-ashes mixed with a little of the oil of
olives: this disposes them to shrink and wrinkle, after which
they are left on the vine three or four days, separated, on
sticks in a horizontal situation, and then dried in the sun at
leisure, after being cut from the tree.

CHRISTMAS PLUM-PUDDING.

(_Very Good_.)

1328. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lb. of raisins, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb.
of mixed peel, 3/4 lb. of bread crumbs, 3/4 lb. of suet, 8 eggs, 1
wineglassful of brandy.

[Illustration: CHRISTMAS PLUM-PUDDING IN MOULD.]

_Mode_.--Stone and cut the raisins in halves, but do not chop them;
wash, pick, and dry the currants, and mince the suet finely; cut the
candied peel into thin slices, and grate down the bread into fine
crumbs. When all these dry ingredients are prepared, mix them well
together; then moisten the mixture with the eggs, which should be well
beaten, and the brandy; stir well, that everything may be very
thoroughly blended, and _press_ the pudding into a buttered mould; tie
it down tightly with a floured cloth, and boil for 5 or 6 hours. It may
be boiled in a cloth without a mould, and will require the same time
allowed for cooking. As Christmas puddings are usually made a few days
before they are required for table, when the pudding is taken out of the
pot, hang it up immediately, and put a plate or saucer underneath to
catch the water that may drain from it. The day it is to be eaten,
plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling for at least 2 hours;
then turn it out of the mould, and serve with brandy-sauce. On
Christmas-day a sprig of holly is usually placed i