or lean bacon, 1/4 lb. of suet, the rind
of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 teaspoonful of
minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; 6 oz. of
bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs,
taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning
to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together
with the bread crumbs, before wetting. Now beat and strain the eggs,
work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be
ready for use. When it is made into balls, fry of a nice brown, in
boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for 1/2 hour in a moderate
oven. As we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate
greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a
knife, and yet not dry and heavy. For very delicate forcemeat, it is
advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg;
but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose.

_Average cost_, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for a turkey, a moderate-sized fillet of veal, or a hare.

_Note_.--In forcemeat for HARE, the liver of the animal is sometimes
added. Boil for 5 minutes, mince it very small, and mix it with the
other ingredients. If it should be in an unsound state, it must be on no
account made use of.

[Illustration: BASIL.]

SWEET HERBS.--Those most usually employed for purposes of
cooking, such as the flavouring of soups, sauces, forcemeats,
&c., are thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, and basil. Other
sweet herbs are cultivated for purposes of medicine and
perfumery: they are most grateful both to the organs of taste
and smelling; and to the aroma derived from them is due, in a
great measure, the sweet and exhilarating fragrance of our
"flowery meads." In town, sweet herbs have to be procured at the
greengrocers' or herbalists', whilst, in the country, the garden
should furnish all that are wanted, the cook taking great care
to have some dried in the autumn for her use throughout the
winter months.

FORCEMEAT FOR BAKED PIKE.

418. INGREDIENTS.--3 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoonful of minced
savoury herbs, 8 oysters, 2 anchovies (these may be dispensed with), 2
oz. of suet; salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; 6 tablespoonfuls
of cream or milk, the yolks of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Beard and mince the oysters, prepare and