lemon-juice and flavoured with wine, they are very
suitable for some convalescents. Vegetable jelly is a distinct
principle, existing in fruits, which possesses the property of
gelatinizing when boiled and cooled; but it is a principle entirely
different from the gelatine of animal bodies, although the name of
jelly, common to both, sometimes leads to an erroneous idea on that
subject. Animal jelly, or gelatine, is glue, whereas vegetable jelly is
rather analogous to gum. Liebig places gelatine very low indeed in the
scale of usefulness. He says, "Gelatine, which by itself is tasteless,
and when eaten, excites nausea, possesses no nutritive value; that, even
when accompanied by the savoury constituents of flesh, it is not capable
of supporting the vital process, and when added to the usual diet as a
substitute for plastic matter, does not increase, but, on the contrary,
diminishes the nutritive value of the food, which it renders
insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality." It is this substance
which is most frequently employed in the manufacture of the jellies
supplied by the confectioner; but those prepared at home from calves'
feet do possess some nutrition, and are the only sort that should be
given to invalids. Isinglass is the purest variety of gelatine, and is
prepared from the sounds or swimming-bladders of certain fish, chiefly
the sturgeon. From its whiteness it is mostly used for making
blanc-mange and similar dishes.

1387. THE WHITE OF EGGS is perhaps the best substance that can be
employed in clarifying jelly, as well as some other fluids, for the
reason that when albumen (and the white of eggs is nearly pure albumen)
is put into a liquid that is muddy, from substances suspended in it, on
boiling the liquid, the albumen coagulates in a flocculent manner, and,
entangling with it the impurities, rises with them to the surface as a
scum, or sinks to the bottom, according to their weight.

1388. SOUFFLES, OMELETS, AND SWEET DISHES, in which eggs form the
principal ingredient, demand, for their successful manufacture, an
experienced cook. They are the prettiest, but most difficult of all
entremets. The most essential thing to insure success is to secure the
best ingredients from an honest tradesman. The entremets coming within
the above classification, are healthy, nourishing, and pleasant to the
taste, and may be eaten with safety by persons of the most delicate
stomachs.

RECIPES.

CHAPTER