at some evening parties, ices are scarcely to be dispensed with. The
principal utensils required for making ice-creams are ice-tubs,
freezing-pots, spaddles, and a cellaret. The tub must be large enough to
contain about a bushel of ice, pounded small, when brought out of the
ice-house, and mixed very carefully with either _salt, nitre,_ or
_soda._ The freezing-pot is best made of pewter. If it be of tin, as is
sometimes the case, the congelation goes on too rapidly in it for the
thorough intermingling of its contents, on which the excellence of the
ice greatly depends. The spaddle is generally made of copper, kept
bright and clean. The cellaret is a tin vessel, in which ices are kept
for a short time from dissolving. The method to be pursued in the
freezing process must be attended to. When the ice-tub is prepared with
fresh-pounded ice and salt, the freezing-pot is put into it up to its
cover. The articles to be congealed are then poured into it and covered
over; but to prevent the ingredients from separating and the heaviest of
them from falling to the bottom of the mould, it is requisite to turn
the freezing-pot round and round by the handle, so as to keep its
contents moving until the congelation commences. As soon as this is
perceived (the cover of the pot being occasionally taken off for the
purpose of noticing when freezing takes place), the cover is immediately
closed over it, ice is put upon it, and it is left in this state till it
is served. The use of the spaddle is to stir up and remove from the
sides of the freezing pot the cream, which in the shaking may have
washed against it, and by stirring it in with the rest, to prevent waste
of it occurring. Any negligence in stirring the contents of the
freezing-pot before congelation takes place, will destroy the whole:
either the sugar sinks to the bottom and leaves the ice insufficiently
sweetened, or lumps are formed, which disfigure and discolour it.

1511. The aged, the delicate, and children should abstain from ices or
iced beverages; even the strong and healthy should partake of them in
moderation. They should be taken immediately after the repast, or some
hours after, because the taking these substances _during_ the process of
digestion is apt to provoke indisposition. It is necessary, then, that
this function should have scarcely commenced, or that it should be
completely finished, before partaking of ices. It is also necessary to
abstain from them when per