en tender mash through a fine
sieve, return to the fire, let it come to a boil, stir in a heaping
tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of flour, season with
salt and pepper and a tiny pinch of mace. Have almost as much boiling
milk as puree, remove from the fire and stir together, add two
tablespoonfuls of cream, and serve at once.

CREAM OF LETTUCE.

Take two heads of nice, fresh lettuce, wash and drain and chop fine with
half a small white onion, put in a saucepan with two heaping
tablespoonfuls of butter, cook for about ten minutes, stirring all the
time, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls of rice and a quart of milk.
Let it boil for twenty minutes until the rice is perfectly tender,
remove from the fire and press through a puree sieve, using a small
potato masher, then strain and press again through a fine hair sieve;
this will make it smooth. Season with salt to taste and a dash of
cayenne pepper, and a small half teaspoonful of sugar. Put in a fresh
saucepan, rub together two heaping teaspoonfuls of butter and an even
teaspoonful of cornstarch and stir into the soup. Let it come to the
boiling point and remove from the fire, adding at the last moment a
quarter of a cupful of whipped cream. Serve with or without fried
croutons.

CREAM OF MUSHROOMS.

Wash one pound of mushrooms, skin and stem them. Put the skins and stems
in a saucepan with a cup of boiling water and boil ten minutes, strain
and add to this water the mushroom flaps chopped very fine, and cook
until tender, then press through a fine sieve. Melt two large heaping
tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, and stir into it two heaping
tablespoonfuls of flour, and when smooth add a quart of rich milk, a
whole clove of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. When it boils and
thickens add the mushroom stock, let it boil up once, remove the clove
of garlic, turn the soup into the tureen and serve.

CREAM OF GREEN PEAS.

Put a quart of green peas into a saucepan with a slice of white onion,
cover with boiling water and cook until tender. Remove from the fire and
press through a puree sieve with the water in which they were boiled.
Return to the saucepan, set it back on the stove, let it come to a boil,
add a pint of rich milk, salt and white pepper to taste, a dash of
cayenne, and a large, generous tablespoonful of butter rubbed into an
even tablespoonful of flour, adding a little of the liquid before
stirring into the soup. Let it come to